18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 476

Stella was fretting. Cooper had always been the aloof type, unmoved by Luna's fervent pursuit and only allowing Buddy to hang around as a sidekick despite his multiple attempts to buddy up. But now, he had given away his favorite steaming chicken leg to a wolf.

Emotions came too fast, like a tornado. Stella was on pins and needles. If it was a she-wolf, would Cooper become so smitten that he'd forget his own family, or worse, be lured away? And if it was a he-wolf... well, the real concern was the tail end of the matter.

Jasper didn't even know what to say to her, "Why are you worrying so much?" If Cooper really set his heart on leaving, there was no stopping him. Everyone understands the big picture, but who can understand an old mother's heart? Jasper was caught between laughter and tears, "You're just overthinking it."

Forget it, they were both getting on in years. Let him do what he wants, as long as he's happy. Stella said she wouldn't interfere, but her gaze still followed Cooper everywhere. He started going out more often, coming home later and later. The first thing he did when he got home was to curry favor with the poop-scooper, ears back, tail wagging energetically.

Stella was worried, but she could tell he was happy. A far cry from when he was cooped up at home, his eyes now sparkled with joy. Stella felt a twinge of sadness. If not for the disaster, he might have had a happier and freer life.

At first, Snowflake kept its distance, but as it got to know Cooper better, it began to approach the house, appearing a few hundred meters away. Cooper's outings went from once every few days to every day, sometimes even twice a day...

Stella sat atop a snowdrift, quietly observing her surroundings. Aside from Snowflake, she saw no other animals or human tracks. It probably survived on its own strength.

After a month, a blizzard suddenly struck the Arctic. Snowflakes as big as feathers filled the sky, and the howling wind was relentless. Cooper was restless, pacing by the door. He wanted to go out. Usually, his whims were tolerated, but in a storm like this, he'd be blown away. Stella wouldn't allow it. After being scolded twice, Cooper finally settled down, curling up in his bed with a sulky demeanor.

Stella watched him for a long time, and only when she was sure he had given up did she go back inside to nap. She was sleeping fitfully when a loud noise woke her. It sounded like the door had been blown open by the blizzard, and things inside the house were falling over. Stella and Jasper sprang to action. Snowflakes whirled in, stinging their eyes. Stella turned her back to the blizzard, grabbed a pair of ski goggles from Arcadia, and wrapped herself in a heavy overcoat.

Even the dog bed was blown away, and the dog was nowhere to be seen. Rosie frantically searched every corner for the dog, while Stella and Jasper struggled to close the door. The wind was fierce, making it difficult to shut the outward-opening door. They had to go outside to pull it closed...

"Bro, Sis, Cooper's gone, he might have bolted." Stella felt like she was hemorrhaging internally. Not only was the door closed, but it was bolted from the inside, and yet that damn dog... Having a clever but rebellious dog was not necessarily a good thing. What now? If they didn't look for him, he might die out there. If they went looking, they might not make it back themselves. At that moment, she felt like slaughtering him.