While eating, Rowan unconsciously thought of Owen's silhouette; his skills were just as good as Yanan's.
After eating, Rowan stayed at Yanan's house for a while, teaching him a few simple physical training methods before leaving.
Yanan intended to see Rowan home, but was chased back to the cave to rest by him, using the excuse of the cold weather outside.
On the way back to the cave, Rowan was blocked by Leo.
"I just came to deliver meat to you but didn't see you, so I went out looking, luckily I met you here. Where did you go?" Leo asked hurriedly. He even thought the Omegina had been kidnapped again, scared out of his wits. This Omegina usually didn't like going out, and wasn't at his Daddy's place either.
Rowan calmly said: "I went to Yanan's place, and also, you don't need to bring meat for me anymore in the future."
Leo asked in surprise: "Why? Did I do something wrong to make you angry?"
"No, take this to Asa. Besides, the portion the tribe distributes to Omeginas isn't this much." Yesterday, Rowan saw them distributing the spoils; the portion for families with Omeginas wasn't this large, surely some of it was added by Leo himself.
"Is it because I added more on my own that you're unhappy?" In Leo's eyes, this Omegina was very proud, so he didn't want to accept too much.
"No, I'm not angry, don't worry, it's just that I shouldn't accept rewards without merit."
"Then I will deliver exactly the portion next time, okay? Just accept this for now. Over at my Papa's place, I've already given a lot."
"I mean that in the future, I will go collect it myself."
Leo didn't understand what he did to make the Omegina unhappy; in his impatience, he pulled Rowan's hand and shoved all the prey into his hands.
"Do you find me annoying? Then I will come less often in the future, okay?" Leo said hurriedly.
"That's fine, you go back first." Rowan really didn't want to argue with him here; a few people were already looking over.
Leo saw Rowan didn't want to say much, so he had to leave first.
Rowan took the prey and returned to the cave, ignoring the gazes of some beastmen and Omeginas.
Just stepping into the cave entrance and putting the prey down, a cold wind blew past his back.
Rowan's hands were restrained, pressed tight against the rock wall; the beastman's breath blew against his face, carrying a faint scent of blood.
"Let go, Owen." Rowan wasn't surprised by Owen's appearance; actually, while hunting earlier, he had sensed a pair of eyes watching him.
It was just that the way Owen appeared made Rowan very angry.
"I won't let go. Have you accepted that beastman's pursuit? I saw everything just now, you accepted his prey." Owen didn't mind the Omegina's struggling; instead, he used even more force.
Actually, when seeing them tugging back and forth, Owen had a fleeting desire to disregard everything and rush out to take the Omegina away, but reason forced him to restrain himself.
"I didn't, that was just the portion the tribe distributed to me. If you don't let go, don't blame me." This beastman was always challenging the self-esteem of an Alpha like him.
"Then come with me now!" Owen pressed with every sentence.
"I'm not going." Rowan gritted his teeth; he hated others ordering him around. It made him remember those old men who refused to die back in the Empire.
Hearing that, his heart felt like it was cut by a knife. In a moment, Owen suddenly let go, looking at him with a gloomy expression.
Rowan turned his head, his anger suddenly dissipating, only surprise remaining in his eyes: "You..."
"How did you end up like this? Hurry into the cave to treat the wounds first, staring at me is useless." Rowan saw Owen covered in wounds, some spots still oozing blood, some wounds looked like they hadn't healed properly and were bruised.
The most serious was the legs, missing a whole chunk of flesh. His weather-beaten appearance made Rowan's heart ache just looking at it; he had no energy left to be angry.
Rowan took the initiative to support him, but was gently pushed away by Owen.
Owen's voice was choked: "Why won't you go with me?"
His eye sockets were red, sadness gradually spreading in his heart, but immediately turning into resentment towards the beastmen who had stolen his Omegina.
Rowan looked at him and sighed softly: "I can't just leave with you in a rush like that, at least I have to say a word to my acquaintances. Besides, with you in this state, how can we go?"
If he left without saying goodbye, Asa would surely be very worried.
"So will you still go back with me?" Owen didn't receive a definitive answer, his heart full of insecurity. Had the Omegina gotten used to life in the tribe and wouldn't go with him anymore?
"I will, but if you keep nagging me here, I might change my mind." Rowan really surrendered to the stubborn Owen, moreover, he couldn't leave the tribe in this state anyway.
Hearing the Omegina's answer, the heavy rock weighing on Owen's heart finally lifted somewhat, but as long as the Omegina hadn't returned with him, his heart couldn't be at peace.
"Okay, then I won't say anymore, you promised to return." Owen didn't let Rowan support him, and even handily picked up the prey the Omegina left at the cave entrance before walking inside.
It was just that when Owen thought about how these were all brought by that beastman, he couldn't help but feel disgusted.
Rowan looked at Owen's somewhat slow retreating figure, truly not understanding why Owen was in such a miserable state.
He knew Owen had always been very strong, even slightly stronger than a top-tier Alpha.
Rowan told Owen to put the prey down first, seeing he still intended to work, he firmly pressed him to sit down on the stone bed.
He went to find some medicine Asa left behind, taking it out to apply to Owen's wounds.
Owen silently observed the cave they gave the Omegina; it had everything needed, it seemed they didn't mistreat his Omegina.
But thinking of one thing, Owen ground his teeth in hatred. They dared to let the Omegina go hunting. Were the beastmen of this tribe all dead?
"After I left that day, how did you end up like this? Did Leo's group give you a hard time?" Rowan asked while applying the medicine.
Rowan now deeply understood the hatred of the tribe's beastmen towards Owen's clan. Moreover, he had let Owen take the blame; that bunch of beastmen surely tortured him within an inch of his life.
Owen evaded the question; he didn't want Rowan to know about such inglorious matters.
Instead, he questioned the Omegina: "How could they let you go hunting with them, it's too dangerous. Did they make you suffer any grievance? I won't let them off."
"You saw it? I requested to go myself, the people in the tribe treat me very well." Thinking of the reason why the tribe favored him, Rowan couldn't help but awkwardly glance at Owen, then quickly looked away.
Owen thought Rowan was afraid he would blame him: "I know your strength, an Omegina having the ability to defend themselves is very good, but on the hunting ground, just a small mistake can cost your life. It's too dangerous, don't act so recklessly in the future."
He recalled the scene of watching Rowan show off his skills on the hunting grounds with bated breath, and couldn't help but want to smash the faces of those useless beastmen.
"You..." Rowan intended to tell Owen that he wasn't an Omegina here, but the words couldn't come out.
Rowan felt the situation was hard to explain; he didn't know how to say it so Owen would believe him. This matter was truly too unbelievable.
He could only find a suitable opportunity to explain clearly to Owen; for now, it was better to let Owen rest for a few days.
"Let me do it myself, you rest for a bit." Owen wanted to apply the medicine himself, fearing the Omegina would be scared seeing it; he knew exactly how many wounds there were, and they were a bit terrifying.
"In your condition, just stay put." Rowan stopped him.