Chapter 262 - 236: I’m Not That Kind of Wolf
Chapter 262: Chapter 236: I’m Not That Kind of Wolf
Gu Ning had no idea how she endured it.
Vine meticulously licked her forehead, the tip of her nose, the curve of her ears, and every inch of her neck.
Thankfully, he avoided her lips. Perhaps because she kept them pressed tightly together, he hadn’t licked that area.
This felt very different from her time with Cook, or even when she lived with Alex.
Even though Vine said this was just part of a mission, it had already crossed the social boundaries she’d set for him.
Just sitting and chatting with him in the same car was the limit of their interaction as far as she was concerned. But now, he was licking her—and so earnestly at that.
Listening to the wet, lapping sounds, Gu Ning wanted to cover her ears.
But Vine was currently licking her ear. He’d even removed her translation earpiece, his tongue exploring the area as if patrolling its territory, leaving no spot untouched.
The sound of his licking and breathing became even more distinct.
Gu Ning could only chant to herself, ’A wolf is licking me. A wolf is basically a big dog.’
Vine watched the small female, her eyes shut, lips pressed together, body stiff with tension. He gave the skin beneath her ear a reassuring lick and felt her shudder slightly. His brow furrowed. Leaning close to her ear, he asked in a low voice, "Are you that scared? Why?"
His voice was deep and had a slightly hoarse quality.
With her eyes closed, Gu Ning couldn’t see his stern face, but his voice was just like it. No, his entire being, inside and out, radiated the aura of a drill instructor who would ’whip you if you stepped out of line.’
Gu Ning didn’t answer him. "Are you done, Captain?" she asked, her voice muffled.
Vine stared at her full lips. "Not yet."
Gu Ning took a slow breath, her hands clenching the hem of her clothes.
Vine forced his gaze away from her lips and put the translation earpiece back on for her. He took one of her hands, uncurling her tight fist. "From what I’ve observed, you aren’t afraid of the Wolf Clan or the Dog Clan."
’After spending so much time with them, of course I’m not as scared anymore.’
’They’re just a bunch of big, fluffy dogs.’
’I was definitely scared at first, though. Luckily, Alex and his pack made a good first impression.’
’Except for that time when that wretched pup Leo turned into his beast form and demolished Alex’s place. But I guess that incident helped desensitize me to their enormous beast forms.’
As Vine licked her palm, it began to tickle. She reflexively tried to make a fist, but he stopped her.
"Alex is an alpha wolf, and so am I," Vine said, licking her fingers one by one.
’So?’
’What is Vine trying to say?’
"Were you ever afraid of Alex?" Vine asked.
’I don’t think so,’ Gu Ning thought.
Alex had been helping her ever since they met.
His later actions and his temperament gave her even less reason to be afraid of him.
But that was precisely why she had been so terrified during the Mimic Mixed Species incident.
’If it had been Vine, I probably wouldn’t have been so surprised.’
’Of course, if it really had been him, it’s hard to say if I would have even survived.’
Seeing the small female’s silence, Vine said, "You need to differentiate between mating and a mission. We’re on a mission. This isn’t intimacy."
"..."
’This wolf really won’t rest until he says something completely outrageous.’
"If you say so," she sighed internally. ’Whatever, that’s just how he talks.’
Vine’s tone was formal and serious. "I’m not that kind of wolf."
’What kind of wolf?’
Vine said, "Masking your scent. It’s part of the mission."
’Right, right, right.’
"Are you done now?" she asked again.
Time had never felt so slow.
Vine lowered his head and sniffed her carefully, confirming that her scent was completely masked by the scent from his own glands. Only then did he let out a long, hot breath.
"I’m not going to submit the application to the Mating Center," he said suddenly.
Gu Ning opened her eyes. "What?" she asked, confused.
Vine looked down, staring at her face for a moment before putting a mask on her. "It’s a personal matter. It has nothing to do with you."
"Oh," Gu Ning said.
"Put this on." Vine picked up a black combat uniform from the seat and swiftly helped Gu Ning into it.
’Isn’t this the uniform for Vine’s team?’ she thought, looking down.
The combat uniforms of the convoy’s three captains were all different. The Bird Team’s were blue and white, the Dog Team’s were black and white, and Vine’s team wore almost all black. Seth’s team also wore black, but the style was slightly different.
"It’s a good fit." Vine fastened her belt and adjusted it. "The temperature in Zone 15 is a bit higher than in Zone 19. The material of this uniform is thicker than ours; it’ll help you maintain a normal body temperature."
He then took out a new pair of leather gloves and helped her put them on. The gloves had clasps that could attach to the uniform’s sleeves, making them look like a matching set.
They were lighter and thinner than her original gloves but felt just as warm. However—
’Why do these gloves have claws?’
Gu Ning saw the sharp claws at her fingertips, glinting with a metallic silver light. She was about to touch them when Vine grabbed her wrist. "They’re very sharp. Don’t point them at yourself."
With that, he guided her hand in a light swipe against the back of the seat. A gash opened up, revealing the cotton stuffing inside.
’Whoa, holy crap. Wolverine?’
Vine showed her how to retract the claws. An elastic clasp on the glove acted as the switch. Making a fist and pulling inward slightly would retract them, which also served as a safety measure to prevent her from hurting herself.
Flexing her palm outward a couple of times made the claws pop out.
Gu Ning was having a blast playing with them. ’Why didn’t they give me this awesome thing sooner?’
Seeing her excited expression, Vine mercilessly shot her down. "It’s just a small prop for your Mixed Breed disguise. It has no real offensive power."
’It definitely wouldn’t work against a Mutant Species,’ Gu Ning thought. ’They’re way too tough. But if I swiped a Beastman with these, it would definitely tear their skin open.’
Vine then took out a pair of custom-made beast ears that were black and gray with hints of brown.
Gu Ning couldn’t tell if they were wolf or dog ears. They were pointed, which made them seem a bit more like a wolf’s.
Vine put them on her head, then placed a hat with ear holes over them as a partial disguise. "Kaper is a wolf-dog hybrid, but he identifies as a wolf. Don’t start yipping like a puppy later."
Gu Ning nodded. Howling like a wolf or barking like a dog wasn’t that hard.
’But will I have to howl like a wolf later?’
Vine tugged on the beast ears to make sure they were secure, pulled up the mask attached to her hat, and finally fitted her with a muzzle.
"There. Now you look like a Mixed Breed." Vine held Gu Ning by the arm, sizing her up with a satisfied look.
Gu Ning touched the top of her head, then felt the muzzle on her face. She was a little curious to see what she looked like.
Both of her cameras were in their previous vehicle. They had left in a rush, and with so many team members injured, she didn’t feel it was right to ask about retrieving them. She could only lament the loss silently.
Vine glanced at the inspectors who had stopped the two vehicles ahead of them. With a stern face and his arms crossed, he said to the small female:
"I need to run a test first."
Gu Ning, who was just about to use her terminal’s camera for a selfie, looked up in confusion. "?"
Vine said, "Act fierce toward me."
"..." Gu Ning looked up and thought for a moment. It wasn’t that she had never pretended to be a fierce Mixed Breed before, but doing it one-on-one with Vine...
Seeing Vine staring at her with such a dead-serious expression, Gu Ning cleared her throat. Just as she was about to act fierce, the car door was pulled open by Barto. "Are you two done in there?"