The Lupine System-Chapter 139: Handling Him Quite Well

Handling Him Quite Well

Eventually, Mike sighed and stood, only to double over as a sharp pang of pain shot through his stomach.

He groaned silently.

’Ugh... Am I hungry...?’ He thought. He knew that depleting his Vitality would have some adverse effects, but it felt like his midsection was getting stabbed. He hadn’t felt so hungry even after he used Overclocking the first time and burnt out.

Without thinking, he took out a bunch of meat from his spatial ring. As soon as he did, the smell hit him like a truck, and he started salivating almost immediately.

He was used to eating raw meat, but right now, his hunger and the approaching full moon made the stuff smell like the sweetest nectar.

He started to eat ravenously, not paying attention to his surroundings. as such, he didn’t notice how the other two stared at this scene with disbelief and slight concern.

"... That stuff’s raw, right?" Theresa whispered, and Kris just nodded.

"Won’t he get sick?" Kris asked back.

"I want to say yes... but I guess wolves can eat raw meat, and if his ability is based on that, they maybe it’s alright?" She wondered, but she sounded unsure.

’Though... Thinking about it, Mike did always have a big appetite.’ She hummed as she remembered the first and consequent times Mike had eaten with them in the cafeteria. Other than his distinct lack of care for how people looked at him, he was also known for eating utterly absurd amounts of food without getting full.

"But... is it a good idea for him to eat raw meat right now, then? Kinda like how feeding a dog raw meat isn’t wise if they’ve never done it before?" Kris wondered, and Theresa frowned.

That... sounded valid, actually. And since it was apparent that Mike’s control was slipping as the full moon got closer, they had to be vigilant of anything that could trigger him. Not just big things, but even the smaller triggers.

Theresa hesitated, then she began to walk over, but Kris grabbed her arm and gave her a look.

"I’ll be fine." She reassured him, and Kris gave her a slightly doubtful look before slowly letting go. At that, Theresa felt a bit bad as they were practically treating Mike like a hazard.

Then again, he kinda was.

Theresa moved closer and tried to ignore how the sound of teeth ripping through flesh made her skin crawl, and eventually, she stopped a few feet in front of Mike.

"... Mike?"

No response.

She sighed.

"Mike." She spoke again, firmer now.

"Grr."

Theresa huffed. Mike didn’t face her, but the growl made it clear how he felt towards her proximity and voice. Still, she carried on.

"I’m sure you’re hungry, but raw meat is probably setting you off more, don’t you think?" This made Mike’s ears twitch, and he glanced up at her for a moment before returning to his meal.

Theresa’s brow twitched.

’Calm down. He isn’t fully in his right mind.’ She told herself.

"Mike, look at me." She folded her arms and said firmly, but Mike just exhaled sharply.

"Hey, I’m talking to you." She pressed, and at this point, even the wolves in the cave had turned to watch the show.

Mike still wouldn’t look at her, and Theresa was starting to get annoyed. Still, something told her that going forward recklessly wouldn’t end well, so after some thinking, she had an idea.

"... Fine, then. If you aren’t gonna comply, then I’m not gonna talk to you until the event is over." She said with a shake of her head.

She meant what she said, and she knew that Mike knew she meant what she said. That’s why she wasn’t surprised when his ears drooped, and his head snapped up towards her, his mouth still bloody from his impromptu feast.

"Good." She nodded, satisfied at his reluctant compliance.

’God, it’s like dealing with an unruly puppy.’ She sighed inwardly. It was a strange way to see Mike, but it wasn’t wrong, either.

’Wait, would he be considered a puppy technically? He’s not an adult yet, right...? Wait, what am I thinking about?’ Quickly brushing away the stray thought, she looked at Mike who had stopped eating and was now staring at her with an expression she couldn’t quite describe, but it was quite pitiful.

She shook her head.

"Wait here." She went to another part of the cave and grabbed an electric stove that could be powered by a number of means. As such, it gave off no smoke and was safe to use in the wild. There was also a cutting board and a few other utensils. Like a mini-kitchen.

She placed it down near Mike and held out her hand.

She didn’t say anything, but her meaning was clear.

Mike hesitated, but he eventually gave her the meat before hugging his stomach, and Theresa felt her heartstrings get tugged.

’... I guess he’s actually hungry.’ She sighed and focused on the meat that had been handed to her. She ignored how her heart started racing from Mike staring at her and started preparing the things to be cooked properly.

Eventually, a tantalizing aroma wafted throughout the cave, and even the wolves that had been watching silently subconsciously shifted closer.

Mike’s expression changed from pitiful to hungry, and an audible growl escaped his stomach, which caused Theresa to chuckle when she saw him.

At the back, Kris stared at this scene with unmasked interest.

’She can disarm him so easily.’ He thought. Perhaps Theresa didn’t notice, but Mike was coiled like a spring when he started eating. He knew because he saw the way his nerves acted. He’d been tense and ready to spring on anything that disturbed him.

That’s why Kris had been so doubtful, and he’d been ready to intervene the moment Mike showed any signs of aggression. But surprisingly, Theresa managed to disarm him after a few stern words.

’Peculiar.’ He hummed inwardly.

Eventually, though, Theresa finished cooking, and only then did she allow Mike to start eating again.

He swiftly devoured the meat, unsurprisingly, and when he finished, he moved over to Theresa before letting his head fall into her lap, content.

Theresa froze for a moment, but her hand slowly lowered to his head and started to rub, and similar to how the pups would go limp whenever any of them were rubbed behind the ears, Mike went limp in her lap under her ministrations.

It was adorable, really.

"This feels pedestrian." Kris said as he went over.

"Is that bad?" Theresa asked without facing him.

"No," He shook his head. "On the contrary, I think it’s nice." This made Theresa face him fully and raise a brow, prompting him to elaborate.

"... I noticed that a lot of older or stronger ability users hardly make displays like this. Affection, care, warmth, it’s all pushed to the side by the need to grow stronger or the obligation of responsibility." He sat down.

"As we progress along our paths, I feel like we’ll have less and less time to be like this. Vulnerable, caring, or something similar. So... I think it’s okay to do things like this once I a while. Reminds us that, despite the abilities, we’re still human. Not just strategic weapons like the rest of them treat us." Kris’s words made Theresa’s eyes widen. Both because it was the most he’d spoken in one go... and because they struck a chord within her.

While she stopped caring about how her family saw her, she did still work hard to grow stronger. To protect herself and her mother.

She didn’t have a lot of friends growing up, and most things girls of her age were interested in, like fashion, gossip, and so on, rarely caught her interest. They didn’t make her stronger, so why indulge in them?

But... she was still human, and she didn’t still have emotions.

She looked down as Mike, whose eyes were closed, quietly enjoying the feeling of her hand on his head. Whether he was paying attention to the conversation or not remained to be seen.

’... Now that I think about it, I’ve never really had that many... ’pedestrian’ moments before he entered the picture.’ She realized.

All their conversations, eating together. Heck, even when they trained, there were still times when they simply basked in each other.

It didn’t make her stronger. But it made her feel less... heavy? Tired?

"You’re pretty insightful," Theresa said after a beat. "You’re always so quiet. It’s hard to know what you’re thinking. Who’d have imagined you’d say something so wholesome?" At this, Kris was silent for a moment, then he said quietly.

"It’s not hard to think about things, especially when it relates to what you’ve lost." Theresa saw the pain flash in his eyes, and her gaze softened.

His family was dead. It was public knowledge, but it’s clear that it affected him much more than most thought.

Still, Theresa didn’t say anything. She simply acknowledged his words and pain, and they all sat there in silence.