No dodging, no deliberate flattery.
He just looked at her.
That pure gaze made Selene’s heart tremble slightly.
She slowly retracted her hand, her fingertip inadvertently brushing against his lower lip.
Zane remained motionless, but his breathing became faint.
The room fell silent for a few seconds.
Selene didn’t speak, but her tense shoulders slightly relaxed.
She recalled the scene of being with Caleb a long time ago.
Back then she was young, impulsive, and willful.
Now looking back, that relationship was already a blur.
She hadn’t been this close to someone in a long time.
The long solitude made her almost forget what it felt like to be watched, to be needed.
Zane sensed her emotional shift.
He knew what she was thinking, but he couldn’t ask.
He could only wait, quietly staying by her side.
Selene suddenly felt somewhat irritable.
She disliked these emotional fluctuations.
She was always rational, never making unnecessary emotional judgments.
But this time, she found herself unable to stop glancing at him a few more times.
She silently muttered in her heart, "System, can you check the affection score?"
After a brief pause, the system’s voice sounded, "Zane: 99."
Selene was slightly stunned.
This value was too high.
She raised an eyebrow, a hint of doubt in her eyes.
The intel provided by the system was often inaccurate.
She lowered her voice and asked, "Is it on a percentage scale?"
"Percentage scale."
The system confirmed again.
She didn’t respond immediately, instead looking back at Zane.
He still stood quietly, his hands naturally hanging by his sides, his tail swaying gently.
Selene felt a bit shaken inside.
affection score meant something that she understood very well.
But she was still unsure.
Was this genuine affection?
Or was the system making things up again?
Yet she had to admit.
This person was indeed different from others.
"Caleb: 0."
"Hayden Langdon: -30."
"Evan Sinclair: 26."
"Ethan Sinclair: 58."
Unexpectedly, Ethan had an affection score of sixty.
She hadn’t interacted much with Ethan, yet he gave such a high evaluation.
This indicated that he might have always been watching her in the background.
As for Hayden, truly remarkable.
But during the day when facing her, he could still maintain a respectful demeanor.
At night, however, he would prattle on in a sarcastic tone.
This two-faced behavior was truly difficult to grasp.
"What’s the affection score for bystanders towards me?"
"30."
Alright, so it wasn’t starting from zero.
An affection score of thirty meant that most ordinary people had a fairly good first impression of her.
It seemed Caleb’s affection score for her was zero.
The most surprising was Zane.
How could he so easily have such an affection score of ninety-nine?
Simply because she saved him once.
This seemed too high.
But Zane’s reaction indicated that the matter was significant to him.
It seemed her choice was not wrong.
This person was sentimental, appreciative, and would be a reliable ally in the future.
Worth investing resources to cultivate a relationship.
Under Zane’s apprehensive gaze.
Selene slowly lowered her head, gently leaving a kiss on his lips.
The action came unexpectedly, but wasn’t impulsive.
She needed to clearly convey a signal of trust and acknowledgment.
As a response, it was the most direct way.
Zane’s body instantly froze, his breath halted, pupils dilated, even the tips of his fingers lost sensation.
His mind went blank, as if all thoughts were stripped away at that moment.
Her smile seemed to scatter the stars across the earthly realm, dimming the starlight.
Zane was stupefied, his whole body stiffened.
His heartbeat violently pounding against his chest, his eardrums buzzing.
She, she, she took the initiative to kiss me...
He had never thought there would be such a day.
Beast life pinnacle.
This term echoed in his mind repeatedly.
Hayden Langdon watched the scene, his mind buzzing into emptiness.
His vision turned red, breathing turned difficult.
He couldn’t accept what was happening before his eyes.
He rushed up, blocking between the two, his voice trembling, "No, you can’t do this! I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it! You’re not allowed to kiss him, you’ve never even held my hand!"
His wings flapped frenetically, emotions uncontrolled, spiritual power raging.
The energy previously contained within lost control.
The room’s furnishings were all overturned with a crash.
Vases shattered all over the floor, fragments splashing into the corners, making piercing collision sounds.
The curtains were swept up by the gust, fluttering like they were escaping.
Zane didn’t move a muscle.
Selene’s spiritual power was strong, but her body was weak.
The wind blades sliced across her skin, bringing intense pain.
Her face turned instantly pale.
She raised a hand, releasing spiritual power, quickly suppressing Hayden Langdon.
He felt overwhelming pressure, grievance surged.
He could only bow his head, clenching his teeth.
"Female, you still care about me, right?"
His voice trembled, almost crying.
His heart was both sour and felt a touch of warmth.
Her actions just now indicated she actually cared about him.
But she never expressed it, never spoke out.
He didn’t blame her, really didn’t blame.
Selene saw him finally quiet down, didn’t say much more.
She reached out and grabbed his wings decisively, without hesitation.
She quickly walked to the window, raised a hand and hurled him straight out.
Immediately "bang," the window shut.
Little Butterfly tumbled in mid-air, panicked and anxious.
His wings fluttered, trying to stabilize his form, but the wind was too strong, he couldn’t control it.
Chill invaded from all directions, his heart sank to the bottom.
He thought he would crash heavily to the ground, unable to rise again.
Just as he closed his eyes to accept fate, a pair of hands caught him securely.
The strength gentle, palms wide, the inside had a slight rough callus.
He opened his eyes, seeing Caleb’s face.
Caleb had just returned, dirt clinging to his clothes, mud on his shoe soles.
His face was full of exhaustion, his brows cold and stern, gaze profound.
A hint of anger flashed in his eyes, but quickly restrained.
He looked down at the Little Butterfly in his palm, voice low.
"Did that female bully you again?"
His tone was calm, but carried suppressed emotions.
In the camp, he was always strong and decisive.
But back in this room.
His aura inexplicably diminished, the whole person seeming silent and heavy.
Hayden Langdon suddenly flew from his palm, wings flapping rapidly.
He didn’t want to be touched, nor accept this delayed concern.
He avoided it afar, stopping in the shadow of the corner.
He certainly didn’t need this beast husband’s hypocritical care!
They lived here for so long, when did they say they wanted to shelter him?
When did they give him a little security?
Each seemed gentle, but with hidden thoughts, none were genuine.
"Woo-woo-woo—"
He cried softly.
But no one heard.
Caleb stood in place, looking at the closed window, assuming he was in a bad mood, didn’t ask more.
He turned to the door slowly.
His back looked especially lonely, shoulders slightly drooping.
The commander once decisive in slaughter.
Now his hands hung powerlessly by the sides, seemingly without strength even to raise them.
Fingers slightly curled, knuckles whitened due to exertion.
No expression on his face, eyes empty, as if lost all emotion.