Lived

Liam's heart was beating fast in the middle of his brain that was wandering with nervousness, and curiosity. His hand that pushed the knob seemed to fly because it was pushed by a very thin wind, as thin as the grunt of his wolf.

Then when his wolf grinned out its fangs, his heart almost jumped because of mixed feelings when he saw someone coming towards him.

“You…” he couldn't finish his words. Even in an instant, he felt very stupid. He heard his wolf taunt him with satisfaction.

A woman was standing in front of him. She was the one from the auction, grimacing. "Am I bothering you?" Her voice was as weak as the fall of a wolf's hair over the prairie, then drowned out by the bitter reality. But, dammit, which bitter reality wanted to bring a woman as beautiful as her? Her very green eyes had suction holes that made him hypnotized and like he was unconscious.

As he didn't answer anything, she winced, ashamed of herself. "It seems I did bother you." While playing with her fingers. “I… I will go.”

Her legs looked very thin, with slightly pale-looking heels. He wondered if she had lived well all this time. Didn't she use to look fresher and brighter than now? What had happened to her and what had he been missing all this time?

He stopped her by shouting politely, "Wait!" He couldn't deny that his wolf's power sometimes annoyed him a lot. Now he was at war with it, perhaps never even stopping before one of them collapsed.

“Mate!” shouted it again.

He groaned with a headache. The moment was too entangled in him to the point where he couldn't focus when she turned and looked at him with confusion.

“Are you in pain? Are you…"

"Stop asking!" he interrupted, holding back, and then smiled. When he wanted to focus on her, suddenly his wolf pulled his head tightly and forced him to turn his head towards the bed in the guest room. The sheets were blown away which were gray, then the smell of detergent made him dizzy.

Suddenly his wolf whispered, "Take her in!" Which he immediately opposed.

"No!" he hissed, involuntarily making her jump backward.

“I… I will return to the room.” Her staggering steps occasionally tackled her.

Mrs. Smith was at a distance, carrying a slightly dirty duster. She wanted to help her, treat her like an honored guest in this house, just as he had commanded through his expression while carrying her. But Mrs. Smith would not come forward until he entered his room and worked things out with her. So Mrs. Smith left and went to the other side of the house.

Just before Mrs. Smith's back turned down a passage leading to the main hall, Liam jumped up to grab his woman's arm, yapping at the sudden scent of her, like the heady smell of cinnamon, or like the relaxing aroma of therapy. Damn it, he wanted her, right now!

"Don’t go!" he said, keeping his pupils from shrinking. She couldn't see how thirsty he was for her scent, how much he missed her so that it made him look even more violent, even though it was enthusiasm. And never forget, she still harbored that fear in her green eyes, and it remained, even now!

Argh, this made him very frustrated. His hands let go of her, back to standing straight and dashing. "I didn't mean to have you go." He swallowed hard, smiling gracefully. "You look like you need something."

Good, being a cooperative and gentle guy was just what he needed right now. The proof was that now she seemed to be considering his words.

"Yeah, I think so." She gently tucked her greasy, sweaty black hair behind her ear.

"Then what do you need?"

"I…. I don't think I can sleep alone."

Her words made him flinch. His wolf roared, raised his head, excited, and enjoyed the victory. While he froze along with his eyes that barked.

This was an invitation! She asked him to sleep together!!!

Clearing his throat, he tried to look normal. "You can't sleep alone? What are you afraid of? Is this big and luxurious house scary for you?”

"No." She shook her head. “Your house is very nice. Even very good. It is just…."

"Just what?"

“This place… I'm not used to living in this place yet.” Her voice trailed off as she spoke. Was she still not comfortable talking to him?

Damn it! He hated this situation! Could he attract her and force her to be her like before? This longing was too suffocating especially after seeing her standing in front of him for quite a long time.

“Take her in!” shouted his wolf.

He shook it off while still focusing on her. "I understand how you feel," he said softly. “I might feel the same if living in a strange place with a stranger.”

When she looked straight into his eyes, he wanted to grab her and kiss her like before. The good thing was that his common sense still worked.

“Thank you,” she smiled gently. Her plump lips didn't tremble as hard as before. "You are so kind. So…"

“So, you can sleep here and…”

"I can sleep with your maid, right?"

"What?" He blinked his eyes quickly. Not only was he surprised to hear her answer that didn't meet his expectations. But also because of knowing her decision to leave her room and see him at night just because she wanted to sleep with his maid. This was unbelievable!

"Is there any problem?" She asked nervously, especially when she saw him squeal and look offended. She looked scared again as if she were facing a predator who wanted to eat her.

He calmed her down again after realizing that. “No,” he shook his head with a dry, dry smile. "Of course not. I just thought that… maybe you won't feel comfortable if you sleep with my maid.”

"Why?" she raised her trembling eyebrows. “Does she bite?”

"Hahaha, of course not!"

Mrs. Smith popped her head surreptitiously from where she was hiding when she heard her master laugh. At first, she was sure that it might be the naughtiness of the ancestral spirits living in their house. But when she found out that it was him, she gaped. “Nothing could make him laugh after that. Interesting!" She nodded a few times and then returned to continue her work.

Liam drowned in the awkwardness after his woman didn't do much. Maybe she didn't know how cold and stiff he was out there: the most Alpha because of his strength. It did not matter! “You may go. Mrs. Smith might be around here. She must be cleaning.”

She nodded modestly, turning weakly to look for Mrs. Smith. But before that, she could turn again to him. "Well, I'm just curious. Did your friend tell you anything about me? I should at least know what my name is." She grimaced while holding her head. Her stomach was like churning and she almost vomited.

He called Mrs. Smith with a shout. Within seconds she appeared, still carrying the duster in her hand.

"What's wrong, sir?"

He, who was still supporting her woman's weight, said frantically, “Take her to the guest room next door! She needs rest!”

Mrs. Smith nodded and carried their visitor in her arms, leading her to a guest room that was next to the one where he had been. Before she got into it, he had a message for her, “Accompany her to sleep! And don't say anything to her!”

Mrs. Smith was a dedicated maid under Liam for a long time. She was a very loyal Omega. Even if she had to die for him, she would. Therefore, taking care of an unknown guest that she knew was human, was no big deal.

She managed to bring her into the room he showed her. Laid her down gently, lifting blankets to keep her warm. When she was about to go out to get warm water and some clean clothes for her, she was suddenly shocked to see him standing like a monster in front of the room, glaring unblinkingly.

"Sir!" She nearly screamed. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here? Why did you leave the room?"

"I'll get warm water for her. She needs to be cleaned so she can change into other clothes.”

"Oh." He nodded, trying to sound indifferent. "Good. Don't let her whine like a baby! I want to sleep well tonight!”

Even if he said that his feelings couldn't be overpowered by anything, especially his wolf who had been restless all night long.

“Is she okay? Did she maybe catch a fever? Did she remember something? And does she remember me?”

Questions like that popped into his mind so that he just lay in bed, rolling to the right and the left, daydreaming uncomfortably.

Then when he was arguing and fighting with his wolf, he jumped up because he couldn't take it anymore. With that disgust, he walked out of the room and stood right in front of the room where his woman rested.

At first, he wasn't sure. Maybe this was a very bad idea. He shouldn't have followed his impulsive feelings and made the situation worse. She was even still afraid of him!

But his wolf has been roaring since earlier, stomping its four legs like a mad horse. After that fierce inner battle, he gave up and then pushed the doorknob, checking the situation in the room.

He saw her lying curled up like a baby. Her clothes had been changed and she had been cleaned. The dust on her cheeks had disappeared, and the sweat stuck to her hair had faded.

Mrs. Smith slept on the edge of the bed, sitting in a chair and resting her head on the soft bed. Her hearing was as sharp as any other werewolf so the slightest sound would be detected by her.

So, from that, she woke up, turned around quickly, and almost let out her werewolf. But when it saw it was her master, it backed away and stayed where it was.

"Sir!" she greeted after wiping her face. "Do you need anything?"

He did nothing but look at his woman who was still lying peacefully. At that moment Mrs. Smith knew, as well as her wolf, that they shouldn't be there. That was why she went and let her master spend some time with their guest.

When she came out, she was surprised to see Tony standing in the distance. His handsome figure with black hair was like a prince watching the battle.

Mrs. Smith approached him. "Would you like to see sir?"

Tony nodded modestly. "Is he busy?"

“He brought a woman on his way home. She is a human. Her condition is very pitiful. Maybe she is malnourished. Do you know her?"

Tony raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders, lighting a cigarette with fire and then sucking it. "Just a woman he bought from an auction."

“But he treats her very differently. Maybe we'll find something good in a bit."

Usually, Tony would look happy when it came to his master. But this time something mysterious was blocking it. "Hopefully so." Then he left to head to the balcony on the top floor. There he could feel the night air as he lit a cigar. He had a black leather jacket attached to his body. His sharp eyes glanced in one direction: at a bedroom window whose curtains were slightly open.

With the help of his wolf, he could see what was going on in that room.

Liam was standing still watching his woman. It seemed he was at war with his mind, or maybe with his wolf. He looked unsure and probably wanted to get out of the room.

But when she suddenly babbled and delirious, and even cried, he seemed to have lost his mind because, in a very short time, he jumped on the bed and then hugged her.

It even happened in such a short amount of time that he couldn't even realize that he was the one doing it.

But, go to hell with it all!

“I just miss her!” he whispered, feeling his stomach being tickled by thousands of butterflies. The tips of his fingers brushed the surface of her moist lips, then widened on her soft cheeks. Her beauty laid not only in her alluring looks but also in her lovely scent.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck. Damn it! He couldn't even contain himself. This was too difficult, even if he had to shut himself up in a high tower, he would eventually rebel and run away just so he could meet her and smell her up close.

His breath caught and collided with the overflow of hot blood when he saw her slightly open her eyes and stroked his cheek.

“Amora!” he whispered.

***