Rue’s PerspectiveThe number of mutated rabid wolves grew every single day.Reports came in like clockwork, scratches here, bites there, a border breach narrowly contained, a patrol that never returned. Even with centralized control, even with culling operations, the sense of pressure never eased. It sat on my chest like a weight that refused to lift.Every morning, before dawn, I checked Iris first.She was still asleep when I knelt by her bed, her breathing soft and steady. I brushed a kiss into her hair, lingering longer than necessary, as if imprinting the moment into my bones.“Wake up Iris,” I murmured.She groaned and turned her face into the pillow. “Too early.”“I know,” I said gently. “But you need to eat.”She frowned when I set the bowl down. “Oatmeal again?”“I know you don’t like it,” I acknowledged, crouching to her height. “But it’s warm. It’s safe. And it’ll make you strong.”Oatmeal was the most basic meal available currently.She eyed me suspiciously. “Do you eat it
Last Updated : 2026-02-12 Read more