The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 922

Chapter 922

Chapter 922

+20 BONUS

Whether Cola felt guilty or just didn’t seem bothered by his injuries, he kept wagging his tail at them. Then he rolled onto his back in the snow and offered his belly for a rub.

Nicole was still furious, but she crouched beside him to check his wounds. He had two bites on his legs. and several deep claw marks across his back.

When she examined the wound near his mouth, she found a tuft of white fur.

For a moment, she wondered if he had tangled with a polar bear. But the size difference made that hard to believe.

Zeph studied the fur. “A wolf?”

Nicole almost dismissed it. Ten years into the disasters, even people struggled to survive. Wild animals must have suffered just as much.

Still, their survival instincts were every bit as strong as a human’s, perhaps stronger. Some could have made it through.

A white wolf was possible.

She couldn’t tell whether Cola got the better of it or barely escaped.

That could wait. Once they checked the area for danger, Nicole scooped him up and took him into her

storage space.

She cleaned and treated his wounds, scolding him the whole time.

“Cola, if you ever do that again, you’re on your own!”

Cola did his best to look small and helpless, his tail never stopping.

Half an hour later, Nicole still wasn’t finished. She turned to Zeph.

“You’re his trainer! Look at him. He’s spoiled rotten and doesn’t listen!”

Running off after a wolf could have gotten him killed. He made it back this time. Next time, he might not.

Zeph wasn’t sure how this became his fault, but he wisely kept quiet.

Angry as she was, Nicole wouldn’t let Cola walk on his injured legs. They settled him into a backpack for the trip home.

Then she and Zeph left the storage space and struggled back through the biting wind.

It was dark by the time they reached the container.

Nicole refused to let the incident slide. She made Cola sit on the floor and stay there. He got no dinner, and certainly none of the chicken drumsticks he loved.

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Chapter 922

+20 BONUS

Cola glanced hopefully at Poppy, silently appealing for help.

Poppy kept quiet. Nicole was far too angry for her to risk defending him.

After dinner, Zeph made Cola sit in front of him and lectured him for two solid hours. He only stopped once Nicole looked a little less upset.

Early the next morning, Cola nosed open the bedroom door and crept inside. Nicole was still asleep when he nudged her with his head and let out a soft whine.

She wasn’t ready to forgive him. She rolled over, turning her back, but Cola planted himself beside the bed and waited.

When she finally got up, though, she crouched down to check his wounds before doing anything else. Luckily, there was no sign of infection.

Cola healed quickly. Within a week, the wounds closed up.

Until then, he barely left Nicole’s side. He followed her everywhere, stayed out of trouble, and took every

chance to win her over.

She was just beginning to think the lesson finally sank in when he did it again.

One second, he was cuddled against her. The next, he sprang up and raced outside.

They worried the wolf might return with its pack, so Poppy regularly climbed the hill to keep watch. So far, she saw nothing unusual.

They were finally letting their guard down when Cola took off. By the time they went after him, he was already out of sight.

Nicole threw up her hands and sat on the hill, too angry to chase him again.

If he ran into a whole pack, she couldn’t possibly get there fast enough to save him. She couldn’t keep him safe if he insisted on running straight into danger.

Poppy kept searching through her binoculars, frantic for any sign of him.

Half an hour later, a brown shape appeared against the white.

“There he is!” she cried, “Cola’s coming back!”