“Mate?” ze mused aloud.


    He hadn’t considered the possibility of Mate being with Arabe. Arabe belonged to Sandro, and ze had never assumed he could have her, even though he had experienced peculiar feelings while he was around her. He attributed his protective nature to her fragility and constant need for help, not thinking much of it.


    “Do you like her?” Thalia inquired again.


    ze snapped out of his thoughts, his gaze shifting toward her. He noticed that she had reverted to her human form. His attention then turned to Arabe, who remained in his arms. Her arms were wound around his neck, and her chest pressed against his. The proximity caused his heart to flutter, and his stomach twisted. He inhaled deeply, catching her scent, which made him emit a low groan.


    “I knew the moment you tried to keep her away from me and him,” Thalia chimed in.


    “Enough, Thalia,” ze retorted, his re intense.


    Startled, Arabe tightened her grip on ze.


    “You can look now,” ze whispered.


    “No, please, I’m scared of it,” Arabe whimpered.


    “Poor you,” Thalia taunted. “All humans are fragile and cowards!”


    “Thalia,” ze muttered, his narrowed gaze revealing his irritation.


    “Keep your human mate away from me. The next time I see her wandering around like a helpless mutt, I won’t hesitate to rip her heart out and present it to you on a silver tter.”


    “You wouldn’t dare!”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    “Of course!” Thalia grinned. “It’s a jest, but we both know my capabilities.”


    Thalia skipped out of the room, leaving ze fuming and ring at the spot she had upied moments ago.


    “Such a nasty brat,” ze muttered, his voice low as he seethed at her audacity.


    “I made you fight with your sister again. I’m such a horrible person,” Arabe sniffled, trembling in ze’s arms.


    “You did nothing wrong,” ze reassured her, his frown softening. He withdrew slightly from their embrace.


    “Are you crying?”


    “No,” Arabe shook her head, attempting a smile that failed to appear.


    Despite her effort to hold back her tears, they streamed down her cheeks. She sniffled and coughed before biting her lower lip.


    “That’s tears sliding down your cheeks. Tell me, did the dog, by any chance, do anything to you?” ze asked, his tone serious.


    He didn’t trust Thaliapletely, aware of the limits she could push. While he believed she wouldn’t kill Arabe, he knew she was capable of inflicting torment upon her.


    “It did nothing,” Arabe said, her voice shaky.


    “Then why are you crying?”


    “Something must have gotten into my eyes,” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes to emphasize her point. ze shook his head, recognizing her lie, but he decided not to press her further, respecting her reluctance to confide in him. The absence of bruises on her skin made him suspect that Thalia had likely not caused her tears and that her distress was caused by something else entirely.


    “I want to go inside,” Arabe dered after a pause. She met ze’s gaze and let out a sigh. “The dog did nothing. I don’t know why you’re looking at me as if I’m lying. You don’t believe me, I know that…”


    “I believed you,” ze assured, holding the door open for her to enter. “I’m just curious to understand why you started crying, and unfortunately, I can’t read your mind, which can be quite frustrating.”


    Arabe frowned. “You’re not a mind reader, are you? Besides, why would you want to do that? It’s kind of creepy.”


    “At least then, I’d know how to help you feel better.”


    Arabe shook her head and began, “I woke up after eating with a pounding headache. It felt like a part of my brain had been wiped away, and I was struggling to make sense of anything. I’mpletely confused!”


    “Shhh,” ze hushed, pulling her into a gentle embrace.


    “Something is wrong with my mind. Someone tampered with it, and I see numerous bruises on my skin, but I have no recollection of how I got them. I need to understand what’s happening, ze,” Arabe choked out.


    As ze released her from his grasp, he gazed into her red-rimmed eyes. She appeared shattered, and he felt helpless, not knowing the cause of her distress. Her father’s actions had consequences, but he believed she shouldn’t be the one suffering for them. He wished he could take away her pain, make her feel better and happier, just like the first time he saw her through her office window.


    “You’re going to be alright, I promise. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you feel better,” ze reassured.


    Arabe nodded, her breathing gradually steadying. She still felt disoriented despite his assurance, but knowing he was willing to support her meant everything in that moment.


    For a moment, Arabe pushed aside her troubles and focused on ze’s words instead.


    As evening descended, ze once again entered Arabe’s room. She turned at the sound of the door opening, a wide smile stretching across her lips.


    “Hey! I thought you had left,” she beamed, her eyes sparkling.


    “I can’t leave without catching a glimpse of your lovely face,” ze stated.


    He winced inwardly, shaking his head mentally. He wasn’t entirely sure why he had said it, but Arabe was undeniably beautiful. She held a natural allure that set her apart from the others without needing to put in excessive effort.


    Furthermore, he was curious about her reaction, and he found satisfaction in the blush that crept up her cheeks. His words seemed to have impacted her despite her attempts to remain unaffected.


    Arabe rolled her eyes yfully. “Come on, that won’t impress me. I prefer a man who’s direct.”


    “Who said anything about trying to impress you?” ze smirked, tilting his head slightly.


    Arabe’s blush deepened, and she instinctively covered her reddened cheeks with her hand. “Stop.”


    “Stop what?” he rasped, taking a step into the room.


    “Stop smiling,” she mumbled.


    “Do you find my smile cute?” ze asked.


    “Yes,” Arabe nodded, stealing a nce at him through her longshes. “And it’s dangerously making me like you.”


    ze froze momentarily. His heart raced as her words sank in. She had confessed to feeling something for him, and a part of him wished it were true. Yet, he remained convinced that she was merely engaging in their yful banter. She couldn’t truly be in love with him, and he certainly wasn’t in love with her.


    But the strange sensation within him contradicted his logical thinking.