novelbin Chapter 213: You Are the Top Priority
Chapter 213: You Are the Top Priority
Isaac Vaughn’s gaze darkened for a moment.
He had once thought, after she made a contract with Wyatt Yardley, would it be his turn next?
Gideon Larkin furrowed his brows, feeling a surge of emotions within.
He knew that this matter couldn’t be forced.
In her heart, she had her own balance, urging wouldn’t work.
Kaelan Hawthorne silently lowered his head, his fingertips unconsciously digging into his palm.
He understood what he had done in the past, those mistakes couldn’t be erased, he wasn’t worthy to stand too close to her.
Being able to stay by her side was already an unexpected delight; he didn’t dare to be greedy.
Seraphina Caldwell felt stiff under their gazes, her breath momentarily halted.
She avoided Gideon Larkin’s gaze and also Kaelan Hawthorne’s lowered eyes.
Without speaking, she turned and walked towards the Beast Skin bed prepared by Wyatt Yardley.
A cold hand suddenly grabbed her.
Wyatt Yardley pulled her back into his embrace from behind, holding her tightly.
Seraphina Caldwell didn’t resist, allowing him to hold her.
Wyatt Yardley’s voice came softly from beside her ear, almost inaudible.
"It’s all my fault for being so useless. If I were a bit more impressive, you wouldn’t be driven to a dead end, and Evan Orwell wouldn’t have had to take that stab."
"It’s not your fault."
Seraphina Caldwell turned around, looking up at him.
"Jude Gale went mad, besides I’m not made of paper, I can handle things, I can exert myself."
Wyatt Yardley stared into her eyes.
No evasion in them, only trust and determination.
The suffocating feeling in his heart gradually loosened.
He nodded vigorously, pressed her to his chest again, resting his chin on the top of her head.
"Alright."
But ultimately, as a Beast Husband, not being able to protect his most important person made him feel ashamed.
As soon as Seraphina Caldwell lay on the bed covered with soft beast fur, exhaustion overwhelmed her.
The previous night was spent guarding Evan Orwell who was refining a Beast Crystal, staying awake the whole night.
Now the storm was over, her nerves relaxed.
Her whole body seemed to be drained, her eyelids heavy to the point she couldn’t keep them open.
She snuggled further into the warm pile of fur, instinctively seeking a more comfortable position.
Her back quickly pressed against a cool chest.
Wyatt Yardley embraced her tightly from behind, his arm wrapped around her waist, hand resting on her abdomen.
Outside, moonlight seeped through cracks in the cave, casting flickering shadows on the ground.
It happened to fall on Seraphina Caldwell’s shoulder, revealing the Beast Seal in the shape of a Celestial Crane.
Wyatt Yardley gently touched it with his finger, feeling its warmth and distinct lines.
A faint, barely discernible scent belonging to Evan Orwell lingered.
He paused for quite a while.
"Did you enter into a contract with Evan Orwell to draw out the Spiritual Spring?"
Seraphina Caldwell’s consciousness was already drifting, but she managed to muster a bit of clarity, shaking her head.
"No..."
She paused, eyelids fluttering, exhaustion making it hard to keep them open.
"He...went into a frenzy. Suddenly surged from Green Rank to almost Blue Rank, his body couldn’t handle it, on the verge of exploding. If it weren’t for me, if it weren’t for rushing to save you all, he wouldn’t have pushed so hard...it was my urging, I couldn’t just stand by."
By the time she finished, her voice had started to fade.
Breathing deepened after saying the last word, her whole weight gradually sinking, leaning into his embrace.
Wyatt Yardley suddenly tightened his grip, shock rolling through his eyes.
Originally steady emotions were completely disrupted upon hearing the truth, repeatedly replaying Evan Orwell’s state from that night in his mind.
Everything made sense now, yet left a heaviness in the heart.
"Was it you who gave him the Beast Crystal for upgrading?"
Once he asked, he held his breath.
Blue Rank Beast Crystal wasn’t an ordinary resource.
An average Beast Tamer might not accumulate even one in a lifetime.
And what Evan Orwell consumed that night was far more than just one or two.
Understanding how tough it was to acquire Blue Rank Beast Crystal, he knew better than anyone.
There’s scant circulation in the market, rarely appearing at auctions, sold at exorbitant prices.
Evan Orwell being able to ascend to such heights in a single day undoubtedly meant burning through significant high-rank resources.
Looking at the person asleep in his arms, his thoughts raced.
Those resources couldn’t have been casually accumulated by her, nor were they obtained through tasks.
The only possibility was that she had long been prepared, and had done so for quite some time.
Seraphina Caldwell nodded drowsily, her face nestling against the soft fur blanket.
"Mm...happened to have it...so I used it..."
Her words trailed off as her eyelids grew heavy.
Limbs completely relaxed, her body slightly tilted, forehead unconsciously leaned towards Wyatt Yardley’s shoulder.
Ultimately she couldn’t withstand it, falling asleep in a haze.
Wyatt Yardley, feeling her motionless in his arms, knew she was deeply asleep.
He didn’t pursue the subject further, only slightly adjusting his arms to hold her closer to his chest.
The other hand remained on her shoulder, palm guarding the Beast Seal.
Yet the question lingered in his mind.
How did she manage to acquire those top-tier Beast Crystals?
The inquiry circled in his mind, reluctant to dissipate.
The lazy light of a rainy day seeped in.
Seraphina Caldwell slept a bit longer than usual.
As she awoke, still groggy, she reached out beside her, but her hand fell upon nothing.
The cave was silent, not a single figure, only herself lying there.
The tension from the previous night still floated in her mind, suddenly realizing she was utterly alone, a sense of panic arose.
"Wyatt!"
She sat up, the blanket on her legs slipping to the ground, cold air climbing from her feet.
She reached to pick it up, fingers trembling slightly.
Just as her voice landed, a tall figure rushed in from outside.
The wind churned with his entrance, and the next second she was wrapped in a solid embrace.
It was Gideon Larkin, his eyes ice blue, full of worry, stammering: "Don’t fret, I’m here."
The pat on her back was stiff, yet genuinely earnest.
"Wyatt went down to the river to boil water, Isaac is packing, Kaelan is cooking, Evan is looking at the map. Seeing you sleep soundly, no one dared to disturb you."
Seraphina Caldwell leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, one beat at a time.
The earlier panic quickly dissipated.
Outside, the others, hearing the commotion, gradually came in.
Isaac Vaughn’s hair was dampened by rain, a strand stuck to his forehead.
He held a burlap bag containing dried food and medicine bottles.
Kaelan Hawthorne still held the wooden ladle, stood in the doorway, flicking off the soup drippings, looking in with concern.
Evan Orwell stood quietly at the cave entrance, his wounds healed.
Yet his face remained pale, lacking blood color.
He raised his hand to adjust the strap on his shoulder, calmly watching over her.
With everyone staring at her, Seraphina Caldwell’s face flushed with heat, hurriedly pushing Gideon Larkin away.
Her hand pressed against his chest, giving a forceful shove.
Honestly, not being three years old anymore, waking up and calling out was too embarrassing.
She pursed her lips, not daring to meet anyone’s eyes.
"I’m fine, just a bit groggy upon waking. You all go about your tasks, don’t crowd around me."
She tried to maintain an air of composure.
But Gideon Larkin didn’t listen, instead, he bent down and effortlessly lifted her horizontally, saying righteously: "You’ve woken up, that’s of utmost importance. Other tasks can wait, can you ignore this?"
Seraphina Caldwell had no time to react as her feet left the ground.