Chapter 2: Black Snow

Qu Yan suffered from moderate insomnia; falling asleep had always been a struggle, and even when he did, his sleep was usually light and shallow. But this time, he slept unusually deeply.

When he finally woke, he had no idea what time it was. Thick curtains blocked out all natural light, leaving the room dim. The bedclothes were warm and cozy. Stretching his arms contentedly, a lazy expression softened his features.

There was a heavy weight pressing on his stomach, moving up and down with his breathing. It was warm, like a heat pack pressed against him—dry and comforting.

Qu Yan tried to turn over but didn’t move.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he caught sight of what lay atop his stomach and couldn’t decide whether to be angry or amused.

Half of a wolf’s body was sprawled across him, eyes closed, emitting a contented purr from its throat.

The bedroom door remained tightly shut. This wolf was the perfect intruder—shamelessly silent as it climbed into his bed and then squashed itself against him to sleep.

Qu Yan raised a hand and leaned forward, sharply tapping the wolf’s nose with some force.

The wolf startled awake instantly, its neck and shoulder fur bristling. It bared two fangs in a threatening gesture.

But upon recognizing Qu Yan, it withdrew its teeth slowly and lowered its head to nuzzle his hand, seeking affection with a pitiful charm.

Qu Yan didn’t pull away. He let the wolf’s breath warm his palm, then reached out a finger to gently scratch under its chin, teasing it like a pet. The wolf squinted its eyes in enjoyment.

Suddenly, Qu Yan pressed the wolf’s mouth closed, slipping a finger inside to feel one of its broken canines.

The tooth was half gone, looking somewhat ridiculous, but still hard and strong to the touch. Despite its damage, the wolf could still tear prey effortlessly.

Qu Yan studied the wolf for a moment. It was surprisingly obedient, lying half sprawled on the bed to make things easier for him.

It was as if it had been humanized.

He rubbed his fingertip over the broken tooth, as if he had found a novel toy.

Just then, his phone rang unexpectedly. The wolf rose alertly but was promptly patted back down.

Qu Yan grabbed the phone from the bedside. When he saw the caller ID, his expression darkened. After a brief pause, he pressed to answer.

“Squad Leader.”

His voice was hoarse from disuse.

The person on the other end must have noticed too because after a moment of silence, a warm voice came through: “Caught a cold?”

Qu Yan’s face remained impassive, his tone flat: “Just woke up.”

Silence fell again. The wolf’s tail curled around Qu Yan’s pale, almost translucent lower leg, which had long been deprived of sunlight. The fur brushing against his ankle should have been itchy, but he felt nothing.

Suddenly irritated, Qu Yan’s mood swung sharply—a recent pattern. He no longer wished to play along, so his voice turned cold: “Anything else?”

The voice on the line was caught off guard by Qu Yan’s sudden edge. The usual patience vanished, replaced by a near reproachful tone: “QuI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.