CHAPTER 268: CHAPTER 268: PERIL AND POSING AS HUSBAND AND WIFE

Tanya Sinclair wanted to check on Declan Pierce, but before she could touch him, Declan gripped her wrist.

"I’m fine."

She thought her body temperature was already cold enough, but the moment Declan’s hand touched her, a bone-chilling cold froze her in place.

How could that be okay!

She frowned, "Declan!"

Declan had already let go of her hand.

"It must be midnight now, and the temperature in the canyon will drop significantly. Besides, this undeveloped mountain area should have many wild animals roaming around."

The mist-like moonlight fell on the man’s face, which was pale without a trace of blood. His black eyes were so deep, quietly and gently watching her.

"My legs have been soaking for too long, they are temporarily numb, can’t move." Declan’s voice was hoarse, analyzing the situation with her, "Tanya, you won’t be able to move both of us. Listen to me, there should be a cave nearby to hide in. You go settle yourself first, gather some dry wood to make a fire, then come back for me. Janne Hayes and the others must be looking for us, and they will find us by tomorrow at the latest. You just need to get through tonight."

Tanya Sinclair knew Declan was right.

But she didn’t believe that his legs were just numb from soaking.

He’s someone who can endure pain, and if he could move at all, he wouldn’t let her go alone...

Tanya pursed her lips, worriedly glanced at Declan’s legs.

The injuries were all hidden inside the black dress pants covering his long legs.

Tanya was well aware that arguing about it with Declan now was pointless. She had no medicine or medical tools and couldn’t do anything...

With that thought, she didn’t waste any more time.

"Fine." Tanya stood up, "You wait here for me. No matter if I find anything or not, I’ll come back for you as soon as possible!"

She walked a few steps, suddenly stopped, looked back at Declan where he stayed, thin and frail, his eyes steady and resilient.

"Declan, it’s not just me getting through tonight." She corrected him, "It’s us; we will get through this."

"..." Declan met her gaze, with a faint, hard-to-detect glimmer in his dark and desolate eyes, he relaxed his lips into a smile and said, "Alright, us."

Once Tanya’s silhouette disappeared from sight, Declan reached his limit, the metallic taste in his throat rose, and he turned aside to spit out blood.

The pain in his right leg was heart-wrenchingly tearing.

He felt around through his pants and touched a cold bone.

Declan, exhausted, collapsed under the cold moon.

Moonlight finally shone on his body.

He squinted his eyes and softly murmured, "Tsk, I’m done for. I wanted to survive this time..."

Tonight, the bright moon was high, yet no stars.

Tanya could only vaguely determine direction by the growth of the trees, lush to the south, sparse to the north.

With a sense of direction, it would be less easy to get lost.

She didn’t dare to go too far. The dense forest made it easy to get lost, and she wasn’t comfortable leaving Declan alone... If they were to survive, they’d do it together!

Tanya picked up some dry branches and flammable wild grass, planning to make a fire beside Declan if she couldn’t find a cave.

Besides, she found some herbs that might alleviate bruising and pain.

While picking the herbs and stuffing them into her arms, she suddenly, sharply heard a strange sound behind her. It was the sound of a tree branch being snapped.

In such a quiet mountain forest, it was exceptionally clear.

A chilling sensation crept up Tanya’s spine. She slowly turned her head and saw a wild wolf with glowing green eyes staring at her from a nearby hill, its gaze aggressive, clearly considering her prey.

And wolves usually do not hunt alone.

Soon after, two more emerged from behind it...

Stared down by three pairs of eerie green eyes, Tanya felt her hair stand on end.

Three wild wolves were enough to tear her apart...

Tanya forced herself to calm down, slowly squatting to pick up a wrist-thick stick by her feet.

Suddenly, a coarse, harsh voice rang out.

"Stay down and don’t move!"

Before Tanya could react, a gunshot rang out, the bullet flying over her head, directly hitting a wolf lunging at her.

The wolf whimpered, fell in front of Tanya, its head blown open, dying instantly.

The remaining two wolves dared not advance, fixating on a direction behind Tanya as they retreated, leaving.

Tanya didn’t have time to turn around. The muzzle of a gun pressed against the back of her head.

"Who are you? Why are you here at this time?" The man’s voice was maliciously guarded.

And he didn’t sound like he was from Aris.

In the depths of the wilderness, a man could kill her with a shot without anyone knowing.

The warmth emanating from the remaining wolf’s corpse was still palpable before her.

Tanya’s heart trembled slightly, she calmed down, striving to explain, "I’m a doctor, my husband and I were sailing and got into an accident, fell into the river, and got washed down. He injured his leg, he’s waiting by the river! If you don’t believe me, I can take you to see!"

"You just saved me, your shooting skills are impressive. Are you a hunter who lives around here?" Tanya voluntarily gave the man a safe identity.

The man didn’t respond, but the gun’s muzzle slowly withdrew from Tanya’s head.

Tanya tentatively turned around and finally saw the man’s face.

The man had thick beard, age indiscernible, skin dark, with deep eyes under thick brows that seemed alert and calculating at all times.

He also scrutinized Tanya with an aggressive and disrespectful gaze that made her very uncomfortable.

But at the moment, the man still held a gun, so she had no choice but to endure it.

"You’re a doctor?"

"Yes." Tanya pointed to the herbs dropped on the ground, "These are herbs I intended to pick to treat my husband’s wounds."

After a moment of thought, the man weirdly smiled, "Perfect, my brother is injured too, he needs a doctor!"

Good, she has leverage for negotiation!

"Do you live nearby?"

"Yes." The man had already put away his shotgun and slung it on his back, then Tanya noticed he had a forearm-length knife at his waist, its blade red from a thick layer of dried blood.

She didn’t dare to think further but was extremely vigilant.

"I’m Brock, my family lives in a nearby cabin, we’re hunters here." The man introduced himself.

Tanya certainly didn’t believe it.

She put on an amicable smile, pretended to be relieved, "Great, I was worried about finding a cave to stay in tonight. Didn’t expect to meet mountain hunters! Can I trouble you to let us stay for the night? I can treat your brother!"

Brock didn’t immediately agree, watching her with an eerie gaze.

Suddenly, Brock stepped forward, coming closer to Tanya, who promptly retreated two steps, cautious.

Brock sneered sinisterly, revealing a set of teeth stained yellow from smoking.

Just then, a familiar, deep voice came from behind Tanya.

"Tanya!"

Tanya abruptly turned around, seeing Declan’s figure appear behind her, leaning on a stick for support, reaching out to her.

"Come here."

Tanya’s eyes stung with warmth, and she immediately ran to him.

Declan had rushed over upon hearing the gunshot.

Thank goodness... not too late.

Declan discreetly protected Tanya, raising his eyes, dark and cold, fixed on the approaching man, sweeping a glance over the dead wolf on the ground.

"Thank you for saving my wife." Declan spoke courteously, but his eyes held no warmth.

Brock’s previously playful expression gradually became restrained when facing Declan.

This man had a broken leg, his face even paler and sickly... yet those cold, fierce eyes were scarier than wild beasts.

"Big brother!" Just then, a bald man appeared, initially not noticing Tanya and Declan, anxiously pulling Brock, "Big brother, second brother’s fever won’t go down, he’s about to..."

The bald man didn’t finish his sentence, catching sight of the unfamiliar man and woman a few meters away, becoming instantly alert.

At this moment, Tanya also recognized the man’s identity.

Brock’s beard made his features unclear, but the bald man was someone she’d seen before!