what saves white fang?

It is debated rather or not to just kill him but Weeden Scott wants some time to try another approach. He begins to throw him meat and slowly teaches him to eat out of his hand. He then begins to talk softly and gently to the animal. "His voice was kindness - something of which White Fang had no experience whatever." Scott then slowly begins to pet the animal. At first White Fang finds this repulsive, but in short order he begins to find it quite pleasurable. The lordship of man was now in his nature and "because he needed a god and because he preferred Weedon Scott to Beauty Smith, White Fang remained."