The wolves outside the door were quickly and mercilessly shot down. It wasn't until the lock clicked into place that Ashley and Arthur finally let out the breath they'd been holding. Ashley immediately turned to check on Arthur's injuries. "Arthur, how bad is it? Where are you hurt?" Only then did she realize that her hands were shaking uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face, unstoppable. The tension from earlier had shattered her composure, and now she couldn't hold back. Arthur leaned against the door, panting heavily. When he saw Ashley's tears, he couldn't help but smile. Just being by her side made me feel good. Teasingly, he said, "If you keep crying, your face will be a mess." Ashley froze for a second before slapping his arm in annoyance. "How can you joke at a time like this?" Despite her words, his lightheartedness reassured her slightly, calming her nerves. "Ow!" Arthur dramatically clutched the spot she'd hit, feigning pain. Ashley gasped, instantly filled with guilt. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Are you hurt here?" Her hands fluttered anxiously over the area he was holding, checking for wounds. But the spot was unharmed. Arthur was covered in blood - some of his own, some of the wolves', but Ashley had deliberately aimed at an uninjured part. Besides, her "hit" had been little more than a light tap. After all Arthur had endured - fighting his way through a pack of wolves to get to me - how could I bear to hurt him? Just as Ashley bent down to examine him more closely, Arthur suddenly leaned forward and planted a firm kiss on her smooth cheek. Ashley jumped back, realizing she'd been tricked. Arthur's face was now lit with mischief, not a trace of pain left."You!" Ashley was both angry and embarrassed. Even now he couldn't be serious! But one look at his wounds dissolved her anger and shyness. She hurried to the first aid kit and carefully tended to his wounds. Her hands shook as she worked, the sight of his bloodied body unsettling her. Stay calm. Stay calm. I couldn't afford to panic right now. Clenching her trembling fingers, Ashley concentrated on treating Arthur's wounds with swift precision. Watching her force herself to stay calm, Arthur's heart ached. Ashley had grown up sheltered in a wealthy family, untouched by hardship. Yet these past few days of danger and suffering - all because of me. I didn't know if meeting her had been a blessing or a curse. I'd wanted to bring her happiness, but instead I'd put her in danger. The ordeal must have terrified her. Softening his voice, Arthur reassured her, "I'm fine. A few scratches won't kill me. I'll heal in no time." Had it not been for the blood staining my clothes, I would have pulled her into my arms immediately. Ashley worked quickly, her hands steady despite her earlier panic, all the while muttering under her breath. "Fine? Look at all these wounds! Why don't you ever take care of yourself? You idiot, the helicopter was right there! You were so close; why didn't you just get on? Not only did you not get on, you ran right into a pack of wolves! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! There were so many of them! What if something had happened to you? You could have gotten on the helicopter first and then figured out how to save me! Even if you couldn't, at least you'd be alive! If you… if you..." Her voice broke, fresh tears spilling over. God, the sheer terror I'd felt when I'd seen Arthur running towards the wolves - my heart had almost jumped out of my throat! Her hands, now stained with his blood, moved quickly to bandage his wounds. Tears blurred her vision, and as she wiped them away, streaks of blood smeared across her face.But she paid no attention. Suppressing her emotions, she worked without pause, stopping the bleeding and wrapping his wounds. This was something she'd never done before, but now she was handling it with surprising efficiency. She didn't know where she'd found the courage to face such horrific injuries, but in this moment she moved like an experienced doctor - steady, quick, and precise, pushing past her fear to tend to Arthur.