Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 544 Having to Hunt

Upon arriving in Quinston, Violeta's first stop was the Whites, where she enjoyed a meal with her parents.

Since joining the cast, she hadn't been to Liberty Grove for a month or two.

Hayden had been transferred to the Ministry of Public Security and had been busy with staff training, only making brief visits to Liberty Grove.

Violeta arranged for the housekeeper, Gabriela, to bring Tuna and Hera back to the Whites, where they would be cared for by a specialized pet trainer.

In the wild, wolves typically live around sixteen to seventeen years, but those in captivity can reach up to twenty years.

Since Violeta's rebirth, Tuna had already lived half of its natural wolf lifespan.

At the Whites, Violeta tenderly groomed Tuna, running her fingers through its fur and gently stroking its ears. With a warm smile, she said, "You're such a magnificent wolf, Tuna! You're truly the most beautiful wolf." Had Tuna not followed Violeta back then, its chances of survival in the mountains would have been slim.

It was all a matter of destiny.

"Let's go. I'll take you to see your pups one last time. You won't get to see them again soon," Violeta said, leading Tuna away from the house.

Their driver took them to the pet hospital, where Zoren was waiting outside.

As soon as he spotted Violeta, he rushed over.

"You've arrived! Let's go; I just checked on them, and they're all getting quite plump."

Violeta asked, "Really? They're adorable, aren't they? Do they resemble Tuna when it was young?"

Zoren rubbed his chin and said, "They do look like Tuna, but Tuna was much slimmer back then. These little ones are rather chubby."

To prepare for their release, the veterinarian had been feeding the mother wolf raw meat and occasionally including live rabbits in her diet.

Although the wolves were kept in a large, enclosed area behind the hospital, they were isolated from the outside world.

Only the mother wolf interacted with the pups to maintain their wild instincts.

The veterinarian had not even handled the pups, only briefly checking on them when placing their food.

Violeta followed Zoren to the hospital's backyard.

The veterinarian cautioned, "You're here, but don't linger too long. You don't want to leave your scent behind."

Entering, Violeta led Tuna down a narrow, long corridor. In front of them was a one-way glass panel with an iron-welded grate at the bottom for passing food. Through the glass, they could see inside.

The mother wolf was curled up in front of a small mound of dirt. One of the pups lay beside her tail, while the other two playfully nipped at each other.

"See? Don't they look a lot like Tuna did when it was young?" Violeta remarked.

"Yeah," Zoren agreed.

Violeta remembered the first time she had seen Tuna-so tiny, just like the pups now-and how Tuna had grown into a large wolf.

Tuna, lowering its head, sniffed the air and gazed intently through the glass.

It seemed to recognize its offspring and suddenly let out a mournful howl.

The mother wolf's ears perked up, and she stood, scanning her surroundings before her gaze fixed on the spot where the veterinarian had placed food. She walked over and began scratching at the grate, creating a clanging sound.

Violeta loosened her grip on Tuna's leash, allowing Tuna to approach the grate and sniff it.

Soon, all three pups came over to investigate.

The veterinarian had advised that

they couldn't stay for too long, soet

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Violeta let Tuna and the pups communicate through the grate in their own way.

After some time, Violeta decided it was time to leave and started leading Tuna away.

However, Tuna appeared hesitant to go.

Violeta paused and crouched down, asking, "Tuna, do you want to stay here?"

Tuna's ears twitched, and it sniffed around the grate.

Raised in captivity, Tuna lacked the survival skills needed for the wild and would struggle to fend for itself if released.

But Violeta didn't want to force Tuna to go back with her.

Every living being has its own spirit.

Wolves are monogamous, and once the mother wolf returned to the wild, it might not replace another mate.

So Violeta allowed Tuna to make the decision.

After a moment, Tuna stepped away from the grate and came to stand beside Violeta's legs.

Zoren smiled and said, "It knows the difference between being fed and having to hunt."