Full of misgivings, I opened Bran's "Wolf Circle" page once again. However, this time, the page was completely blank.
Suddenly, I remembered that I had a secondary account that had once added him.
So, I quickly switched accounts and entered his "social circle" with the secondary account.
As expected, the photo of his room that he had previously posted was still there. But, he had blocked me.
Suppressing the seething anger and unease within me, I scrutinized that photo with meticulous care.
Numerous peculiarities came to light.
By his side lay a limited - edition Rolex watch. Then, there was the remote - control racing car model he was idly playing with in his hand. A quick search revealed that it was a globally limited - edition custom - made item, worth a staggering tens of millions.
He was merely an adopted son I had sponsored two years ago, a 16 - year - old youngster. Where on earth did he get so much money to buy these top - tier luxury items? Moreover, ever since Cupid was young, I had taught him that as a member of the pack, one should revere strength, not material possessions. His usual attire was nothing more than a simple wolf - skin tunic, and his only accessory was a plain wolf - tooth pendant, which was worth no more than a hundred silver coins.
I called steward and the captain of the guards. "How has that kid Bran been performing lately?" I tried my best to sound nonchalant.
The steward's voice respectful and gentle. " Young Master Bran has been extremely well - behaved at home. He trains assiduously and never causes any trouble."
The captain of the guards chimed in from the side.
"Indeed. Young Master Bran leads a simple life. Every day, he either hones his skills in the training ground or studies ancient tomes in the library. He rarely even goes out for amusement."
Their words sounded as if they had rehearsed them in advance.
I pressed further.
"What about his daily expenses then? Has he purchased any special items?"
The steward hastily replied, "Young Master Bran is extremely thrifty. He never spends all of his monthly allowance and often donates the surplus to help the injured tribesmen."
Yet, the limited - edition remote - control racing car model worth tens of millions and the Rolex watch in Bran's social media posts were in stark contrast to the frugal image depicted by the steward. If Bran was truly as plain - living as they claimed, how could these luxury items be explained? Could it be that, as my wife had said, I was being overly sensitive and paranoid?
Finally, I reached the Wolf Castle.
It was midnight.
I noticed that the lights in my son Cupid's room were ablaze.
I quietly made my way to his door. Through the crack in the door, I saw him facing a pile of training equipment. His face was etched with anxiety, and his eyes were empty and dull.
I thought the training intensity arranged by the pack was simply too much, making him have to do extra training this late at night. I pushed the door open, intending to surprise him.
At the sound, he reacted as if a dangerous alarm had been triggered. He instinctively and swiftly shielded his body with his arms, curling up into a terrified ball.
"Cupid, don't be afraid. It's Dad," I quickly called out to soothe him.
Upon hearing my voice, he froze for a moment.
Then, like an arrow released from a bow, he flung himself into my arms, crying out in a sobbing voice,
"Dad! You're finally back!" He whimpered, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably.
