Chapter 63: 62

Chapter 61

"Salt!" Pepper exclaimed, wide-eyed. "What have you done?" She literally just said that they should try to settle this conflict the way adults usually would—and that was to sit down, and be rational.

"She was going to attack you," he said tersely.

As if that was enough of an excuse to hurt a lady without holding back!

Caitlin's wolf yelped in pain as it tried to stand up, so she immediately shifted back to help herself up. She was massaging her upper right arm with a pissed expression.

That must have hurt!

"You didn't even hesitate to attack a girl," Caitlin said with a mocking tone. "No wonder you don't have that much friends, Salt."

Pepper marched over toward where she was, her footsteps heavy. "Watch your words, Caitlin. We're trying to do this nicely, but if you continue making personal attacks, we won't simply brush that aside. You're a squad leader, right? Then, act like one." Her chest was heaving.

Nobody is allowed to insult her brother, but her.

This fight is a waste of time. Why can't they realize that?

She elbowed Salt. "You owe her an apology by the way."

He sniggered, his callous gaze still on Caitlin. "I don't think I do."

"Salt! There won't be an end to this if no one's swallowing their pride!"

"And you expect me to lower mine when that girl doesn't even look the least bit regretful?"

Caitlin stared at the guy, offended. The way he talked as if she wasn't in his presence was absolutely triggering.

"I have no need for regrets. I won't change my mind. We're leaving to aid the other trainees. Don't want to go?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Fine by me. I don't recall forcing your squad to come with us anyway. I just couldn't help but express my concern. You're all cold-blooded. How could you not care about them?" That's the major issue here.

Sure, they're smart and competent.

Hell, they even got Amber Santiago on their squad, an outstanding martial artist!

Collectively, their brains and brawns should have made them an invincible group already.

What? Are they afraid of rogues? Is that why they refuse to help?

Or… maybe they're just too selfish that all they think about is how to perform their mission flawlessly?

"Who says about not caring?" Pepper asked, perplexed. "Is that what this is about? Did you misinterpret our choices? Did you think we couldn't care less about our fellow trainees? Did you think we didn't want to help? First of all, there's a rule that needs to be followed regarding flares. Did you forget all about it, or you weren't just informed?"

Caitlin chortled. "That's it? You treat that rule as a restraint? That just sounds like an excuse to me, Pepper! If you could help, why wouldn't you? The red flare was a plea! How could you ignore that?"

"How ignorant," Salt muttered. "No wonder why you got on Amber's last nerve. Your stupidity is appalling."

"W-what?"

"That's enough." Drake and Aries were now both in their human forms as well. They couldn't react on time earlier because they didn't see Salt's interference coming. That guy was just standing from one side, observing, and the next thing they knew… he lost it.

Who would have thought that he was capable of laying a hand on a girl?

"We're aware of our squad's differences, and that we can't impose our beliefs on each other just because we think we're right. However, we don't appreciate your tone on Caitlin. You said it yourselves. There's no room for personal attacks here." Aries wore a grave expression. This wasn't how he envisioned their collaboration to be like.

"A personal attack?" Salt shook his head. "What I said was a straight-up fact. Your female member knew it to herself, too."

Caitlin inhaled sharply. "Will you stop talking as if I don't exist? You're talking about me. I'm here. Where are your manners?"

"Why are you still here?" He looked at her. "Didn't you say you'd lend that squad a hand?"

Pepper slapped her twin brother's back. "What are you doing?" she whispered harshly. "You're tearing the group apart!" The main objective here is for them to make up, and be on their way to Talgar—without leaving anyone behind. If they part ways here now, there's no knowing what the outcome of their mission will be.

Pepper stole a quick glance from her side to check on Amber.

Her wolf doesn't look snappy, but its brutish aura permeates the air perilously.

She really distanced herself from them to cool her head.

Pepper has a hunch that her friend fears losing control, and hurting anybody in the process.

There was a telltale a few moments ago that Amber's wolf might completely take over.

And…

Pepper thinks she's the only one who noticed it.

The change wasn't very prominent after all.

It was like… catching a glimpse of something shiny.

In her wolf's eyes.

Caitlin looked conflicted on what she was about to ask next. "Will you wait for us?"

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Salt didn't even hesitate. "No."

"Seriously? You're leaving? Do you think you can finish this task with just the three of you?" She spat a small leaf on the ground. "That's arrogance!"

"I have no time for this," Salt muttered under his breath, and turned his back to approach the liver and tan wolf lurking from the blades of long grasses. The wolf was extremely wary of him. It was as if it didn't recognize him at all.

He was unfazed, though. Salt reached his hand out to pet its head. "That must have been too much for you. Shall we go?" His voice was calm and soothing. He was trying not to startle her.

Even Pepper had never known this side of her brother.

"Do you seriously plan to move forward without us?" Caitlin shouted.

But Salt just ignored her.

"You want to go now?" he asked Amber's wolf.

The rest of the Lancers aren't sure if Amber is making an effort to reply back through mindlink. Her wolf is just staring at the hand that's stroking her fur gently.

Salt looked over his shoulder, and nodded at his sister. "Let's take our leave."

Drake cleared his throat. "Is that your squad's final decision?"

"That girl has insulted each one of us, thinking she's superior in many aspects," Salt began. "Your squad is in no position to make a request, and have us wait for your return. Frankly, our squad doesn't like to dilly-dally."

Caitlin pursed her lips. "Then… could you answer just one question for me?"

Salt showed no reaction to that.

It was Pepper who urged her to continue, and confirmed that her brother was listening.

"If… let's just say… Amber and Pepper wanted to temporarily put the mission on-hold to help the other squad, would you join them?"

Would he still refer to it as 'stupidity'?

"No."

Caitlin gaped at his back. Is he being serious?

"You'll really just follow your will until the end?"

Salt stood up, and dusted his hands off. "What are you talking about? The reason I said 'no' is because they wouldn't make that stupid decision in the first place."

"Wow…" was the only word she could utter. He's really confident in them! "I don't understand, though. What's so 'stupid' about wanting to help other people?"

"Having pure intentions isn't stupid." He looked her in the eye. "Overestimating your capabilities is."

Pepper interjected. "I think what my brother is trying to say is… not being of help at all despite our pure intentions is meaningless. We'll just give the pack warriors a headache, and that's no different from being a burden." She cast her gaze downward. "We do want to help, but aside from the rules that the pack has set for us, we don't want to inconvenience anyone, and handle our own mission carelessly because we're out of time." Pepper eyes were red and teary. "For your information, Amber isn't heartless. It's sad how quick you were to make a judgment when you barely knew her."

Perhaps, it's all thanks to Salt that the friction has ended. If it weren't for his brutally spoken words, Caitlin's squad wouldn't wake up.

This is reality.

And reality is that… they can't save everyone with their current power.

That's why they should set their focus on things that would refine their skills, and make them stronger, more capable.

In other words, they should take it one step at a time.

There's no such thing as wielding god-like powers as soon as you're born. Everything requires a certain amount of pain and effort for you to acquire them.

Salt never liked her sister's best friend.

No…

It's not just her.

He doesn't like everyone.

If he feels you're lacking, and you don't do something about it, he won't like you.

If he feels you're strong, but you let it get over your head, he won't like you.

Amber is very down to earth.

He never liked it.

If only she could be more aggressive to put her haters in their place… she wouldn't be jerked around like this.

So, when Caitlin crossed the line with Amber…

He hated it.

He knew that Amber wouldn't use her strength to set that girl straight.

Therefore, he did it in her stead.

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