Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Forty-seven

Harvey escorted Bailey back home to rest in the arms of her drowsy snake before returning to the clinic. Lance had given him a questioning look when he saw her red rimmed eyes but Harvey simply told him that they would discuss it later.

Inside the clinic, Shuu was still laying on his stomach but based off the movement of his tail, was not sleeping.

"Shuu. I would like to have a word with you." He said as he sat on the stool next to the bed. Following Bailey's orders, the wolf did not get up but did give the leopard his attention. "What do you feel towards my mate?" He was direct. He needed to know how close he should be allowing this beast to his family.

Surprised at the sudden poking into his already confused mind, he couldn't answer right away. Harvey waited patiently.

Finally, he opened his mouth, "...I think Bailey is unique. No other female would go so far to help a strange male. Twice at that."

Harvey shook his head, "I didn't ask what you thought. I asked how you feel."

He averted his gaze as his heart wavered, "I-I don't know...I know I want to repay the kindness she's shown me."

Harvey snorted at the wolf's unreliable answer, "And the other female? Qingqing? Do you have feelings for her?"

"I do. ...Or at least I thought I did." He looked down, ashamed of his irresolute answer.

Harvey sighed and nodded in understanding. If anyone could sympathize, it was him. He needed to change the questions if he was going to get a real answer, "If the Ape King wished to imprison or hurt Bailey, would you follow his orders?"

Why was the leopard asking this? Did he suspect the Ape King would go after her for burning down the tree? When he really thought about the Ape King's personality, he thought it entirely plausible. A snarl escaped the wolf's throat at the thought and he clenched his fists. "How could I ever hurt Bailey? I'll never let it happen."

Harvey held a finger up, "Even if you were ordered to by your father?"

Shuu looked at Harvey with irritation at what he was insinuating. "Healer, you must think me to be some witless pup. I know the difference between orders made for the sake of others and orders made for the sake of one. How do you think I got these scars despite our healing capabilities?"

Harvey put his hand to his chin in thought, "And if you ever did receive such an order, would you do what you could to inform us so we wouldn't be caught unaware?"

This question was harder to answer. He wouldn't be simply disobeying an order, he would be actively going against it. It meant sacrificing his life to keep Bailey safe. He owed Bailey and felt guilty towards her for his fickleness. But was he willing to go that far for her?

He couldn't answer that in his heart so he looked at it from a different angle. Could he live with himself if she ever got hurt or worse?

An image of Bailey laying bleeding and dying as he stood over her flashed in his mind. His stomach felt queasy and his breathing became uneven. A tight ball of fear grew in his heart. He wanted to hurt himself for his earlier hesitancy. No, he couldn't. He would rather be the one to die. But then what about Qingqing? Did he feel the same for her? Yes. He did. He had never heard of a male caring for more than one female. So, what did that say about him?

Harvey interrupted the downward spiral Shuu's thoughts were on. "I shall take your silence as refusal. Thank you. That's what I needed to know."

Harvey stood and turned away from his patient but was stopped by a raspy voice.

"I would."

Harvey looked back at the wolf who met his gaze with determination.

"I would." He said again. "I will. I will do everything in my power to give you time to get Bailey to safety."