It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 3

“Oh, did you hear that?”

“Sorry. Please, continue your meal comfortably.”

Theo and Deon lowered their voices and began to converse using only lip movements again. Their minds were already filled with thoughts of treating and protecting the poor baby cat, Malrangson.

“First, I need to disinfect her claws since they seem broken. Looking at her teeth, it seems like they’re chipped from hitting something, not falling out.”

“Her nutritional state doesn’t look good either.”

“To prevent her from being bullied in the wolf territory, the only way is for Father, the head of the wolves, to acknowledge her as family.”

“But to make Malrangson our little sister, we need to get permission from Mother and Father…….”

“Father always says okay if Mother approves.”

Male wolves prided themselves on being loyal to females. The number of people to persuade was reduced from two to one.

“Wouldn’t Mother like Kittia? She has such beautiful emerald eyes, doesn’t she?”

“She’s a bit scruffy right now, but I’m sure she’ll like her abundant hair and soft paws. You’ve seen those things Mother hides, haven’t you?”

“Of course. Hiding those things is proof. Mother wants a daughter.”

Theo and Deon decided to make Kitty their little sister and wore pleased expressions.

However, Kitty eventually became conscious of her pointy cat ears due to their ongoing conversation. That was because their eyes were now fixed on her perked-up cat ears.

“Why…… are you looking at me like that?”

“Huh? No. They’re such magnificent wolf ears.”

“Do they perk up like this when you eat something delicious?”

“Isn’t that how it is for everyone?”

“Y-Yeah…… That’s right. That’s how it is when you’re a baby wolf. I guess I forgot since it was so long ago.”

“I see!”

Kitty smiled brightly and munched on the pudding that came as dessert. Deon’s gaze intensely focused on Kitty’s ears.

“Deon, is there something on my head?”

“Malrangson, can I touch your ears just once?”

Kitty suddenly recalled the saying that you might look easy to take advantage of if you only treat others with a smile. Since she needed to get a job, she couldn’t just show a naive side.

“Isn’t it rude to ask to touch someone’s ears?”

Kitty retorted maturely, tilting her chin up haughtily. But soon, her face crumbled into a bashful smile as she offered her head to Deon.

“But I’ll allow it for you two kind people.”

She was thinking of letting them touch her cat ears as a thank you for their kindness. Because……

Prick!

“Hyung [older brother], you’re crazy. Hurry and call Father. We need to get her on our family register as soon as possible and stamp it with confirmation.”

She remembered that her ears felt so good that her mom, dad, and older brother would constantly stroke them. Kitty felt a subtle sense of pride.

‘Everyone liked them, so I guess the wolf lords like them too!’

Something akin to pride began to bubble up in Kitty’s heart.

“Theo too?”

“U-Uh…….”

Soft—

“Deon. You’re right. If we find the family register before Father arrives, things will proceed quickly.”

“Look at the downy fur on the tips of her ears, she’s still so young.”

“Is anyone there? When is Father expected to arrive?”

“Also, send a message to Mother, telling her to return quickly as there’s an urgent matter.”

The two were at a loss, only making sounds of distress at the cuteness of the baby cat they were experiencing for the first time.

‘To think there was such a cute creature in the world!’

‘Ugh…… she’d be even cuter if she turned back into a cat, right?’

Kitty’s body quickly became languid as Theo and Deon stroked her ears for a long time. Kitty rested her face on the table for a moment with a pudding spoon in her mouth.

She could finally feel warm blood flowing through her blistered feet, which had been walking through the muddy ground between the rain for days.

She felt like she would be very happy if she could get a job even for a short time and live in such a comfortable place.

“Um, what kind of person is Gridwolf?”

As Kitty mumbled with the spoon in her mouth, sounding weary, Theo, who somehow understood, replied.

“Jackal Gridwolf. He’s the strongest among the wolves. His *mal-tu* [manner of speaking] is stiff and his expression is scary, but like any great wolf, he cherishes his family. Even the leopards turn pale at the mention of Father’s name…….”

You’ve turned pale too, Kitty.

Theo dropped the teaspoon he was holding and decided to omit further explanations for Kitty, who had shrunk back.

“Oh, should I tell you about Mother too? Karis Gridwolf. She’s a wonderful wolf who used to be a knight commander. She’s collecting cute things that girls would use in the closet.”

“Karis is?”

“Yeah. We found it by accident. So we thought, Mother must want a daughter.”

“A daughter?”

Theo and Deon said as if they had been waiting.

“Yeah. You have nowhere to go and you’re young, so you need to be protected, right? So, how about becoming our family?”

“You’re too young to be taken in as a maid, and our mansion seems to be the safest place in the wolf territory…… Ah, you don’t have to worry about your parents objecting. If Mother wants it, Father has already given his permission.”

Kitty couldn’t answer and hesitated.

‘If Jackal adopts me as Theo and Deon said, I’ll be safe. But if I forget my family, no one will remember my mom, dad, and older brother…….’

Her honest desire to be protected in a warm and comfortable place surrounded by kind people and the guilt of leaving her mom, dad, and older brother continued to clash.

It was when Kitty’s heart ached with guilt and she became even more sullen.

Woof woof—!

The gatekeeper wolf howled at the top of his lungs. It was Kitty’s first time hearing a wolf howl up close, so she was startled.

‘That’s completely a wolf’s sound!’

The howling was so loud that it seemed to echo throughout the entire majestic Gridwolf mansion, like a cave.

Theo and Deon picked up the frightened Kitty in her blanket.

“Let’s go, Kitty. You wanted to greet Gridwolf, didn’t you?”

“Malrangson, you’re not scared of the wolf’s howling, are you?”

“Of course not! I’m a wolf too!”

Kitty shouted back, but she couldn’t help her legs from trembling. Fortunately or unfortunately, Theo moved while holding Kitty.

The moment she entered the seemingly endless long corridor, Kitty gasped. It was because her body stiffened at the sight of the man’s golden eyes in the distance.

‘That person is Jackal Gridwolf. His hair and eyes are completely wolf-colored.’

Jackal had hair that was a much darker gray than the wolves employed in the mansion. If seen in a dark place, it would look like black hair, which would only make his cold impression even stiffer.

His build was so large that she felt like she would fly away if she was kicked at his feet. He was nearly 2 meters tall and his body was huge with muscles.

‘He’s looking at me.’

This time, he might find out that she’s a cat. Kitty’s heart was pounding so hard that she was about to faint.

Unaware of this, Theo dismissed the employees, saying he had something important to say, and Deon greeted him casually.

“Welcome back, Father?”

Deon even took out his wolf tail and wagged it, but Jackal’s expression didn’t soften at all. His sharp eyes like blades were fixed on the blanket Theo was holding.

“Theo, Deon. What’s that cotton ball inside?”

Cotton, cotton ball! But she’s in human form right now!

Kitty’s pride took a hit, but she didn’t show it at all.

“Malrangson said she wanted to greet Father.”

Deon smiled nonchalantly, pulling the blanket down like peeling a banana. Kitty, who peeked out her head, swallowed hard at the pressure and barely squeezed out a voice.

“H-Hello…….”

Then Jackal’s brow furrowed slightly. His impression was quite fierce when his brow furrowed, but Kitty mustered her courage and stretched out her trembling arm.

“I’m a young but brave wolf named Kittia. I heard that Gridwolf provides jobs for poor wolves who don’t have families…….”

Jackal stared intently at Kitty’s hand, which was trembling like an aspen in a storm, and carefully took it.

Soft—

As Kitty lightly shook the hand she was holding, a different light flickered in Jackal’s eyes, which had been fierce all along.

‘Why won’t he let go of my hand?’

Kitty carefully looked up at Jackal.

He had been holding her hand silently for a long time, and judging from his subtly stiff expression and sharp atmosphere, it didn’t seem like an expression of welcome.

“Um, Gridwolf……?”

“Father. I know you like her, but please let go of Kittia’s hand.”

Deon interjected. Kitty couldn’t believe that Jackal liked her.

‘How can he with such a scary face?’

But Jackal readily let go of Kitty’s hand. His large hand, which seemed like it could easily break a cat’s bones, opened with a careful motion.

“Too young and skinny to work. But if you want, I’ll provide a comfortable home in the territory of small animals. Too small and weak to stay in the wolf territory…….”

“But Malrangson is a wolf, so she can’t enter the territory of small animals.”

“That’s right. She’s so cute and soft right now because she’s a baby wolf, but when she grows up, she’ll be incredibly scary. She’ll be a threat to small animals.”

Deon and Theo said quickly.

Wolf? Jackal was dumbfounded for a moment, as if he had heard nonsense. As the cold golden eyes stared intently at her, Kitty put strength into her ears as much as she could.

Prick—

“……A wolf. Now that I see it.”

As Jackal acknowledged it, the two wolf sons and Kitty swallowed a sigh of relief. Theo raised the blanket that was wrapped around Kitty and said.

“Father. If we put this weak and pitiful baby wolf on our family register, we’ll be able to protect her. Besides, you know that Mother wants a daughter, right?”

Jackal looked like he didn’t know what Theo was talking about.

“My wife doesn’t like young girls very much.”

To be rejected so bluntly while facing him. Kitty felt a stinging pain deep in her heart, but she tried to bear it, fearing that she wouldn’t be able to find a job if she showed weakness.

Deon quickly approached and stroked the blanket, saying.

“Don’t lie that Mother doesn’t like girls. Father, you must have seen the things Mother hid, right?”

“I don’t know what you saw that makes you think my wife wants a daughter.”

“There were girls’ things hidden all over the closet. From rattles to strollers, small dresses and shoes! I can run and get them right now.”

As Theo spoke in a desperate voice, the warmth disappeared from Jackal’s face. Kitty was frightened and went into the blanket.

‘Mrs. Gridwolf must really hate girls.’

Her heart throbbed that her very existence could hurt someone.

‘What if they kick me out, saying they feel bad just looking at me? I heard that wolves tend to follow the words of women.’

Kitty was so worried about her dark future that she didn’t hear the shout that Karis Gridwolf had returned. Just as she was about to let out a sigh, the blanket was pulled out.

“Hick!”

Kitty was startled to see the woman in front of her. Golden eyes with a reddish tint were scanning her between long eyelashes.

Her long gray hair was so calm that it reflected the moonlight outside the window. It was beautiful hair that made her want to hide her messy hair.

Overall, she had a calm impression, but the scarlet lips and nails added to her fierce image.

Besides, this cold look. Karis even had wrinkles on her brow as if she was enduring pain. Kitty thought she really hated her.

‘……What should I do.’

Kitty, who had stiffened, whispered to Theo to put her down on the floor. When she stood on her own feet and looked up, Karis looked even more prickly.

The red lips opened softly and a seductive voice flowed out.

“……Why is a girl in my mansion?”

A dry question with no inflection. As the surroundings turned cold in an instant, Kitty froze.