14: Lose a Dog
Kaew was truly, madly, and deeply defeated. In our Thai language, there was the phrase 'lose a dog' which had the same meaning as being defeated. People started using this phrase just over 40 years ago back in Vietnam War.
North Vietnam was disadvantageous as the USA was funding South Vietnam with weapons and armies. The North then developed its strategy into guerrilla warfare, building tunnels to hide and ambush. The USA wasn't giving up. They provided trained American dogs to navigate and find out the North's bases. This method worked well at first until the North fought back against the dog's instinct.
The North took female dogs in heat to the war, tying them all over their tunnels. When American dogs, especially the male ones, sensed the female pheromones, those dogs were completely seduced and forgot about what they had been trained for as their instinct won over. The USA lost a large number of their trained dogs and other countries were laughing in their face. Thai people also made fun of the USA and formed the phrase 'lose a dog' and kept using it until recent days.
For the case between Mr. Carl and Kaew, no, Kaew didn't go anywhere. In fact, he was attached to the man like chewing gum sticking under shoe soles. They were inseparably cuddling and snuggling all day and night. Kaew couldn't even figure out who was being taken an advantage of or being attacked.
But Carl was the one in trouble. He decided that he wouldn't work in the office, but he had so much to do. One of his hands was holding his laptop reading reports while the other hand was busy patting Kaew's fluffy belly. The werewolf boy was completely drained out for the whole day. There was no sign that he would get up to eat or drink at all.
The business in Macao that Carl invested in didn't turn out well. He thought it was just something to do with the local mafia that didn't welcome him. However, he discovered that it was an issue with the Russian mafia which was trying to claim more of the market profit. They thought it would be easier to attack some investors from Thailand instead of dealing with the locals.
Did they think that Carl would let this much of his profit slip out so easily? His black eyes narrowed, getting deep in his thoughts.
"Nggg, nggg…"
"Are you awake now?" The mafia forgot about his work entirely.
"…"
Kaew whined in his throat, flipping over to lie on the other side. He looked up with his bright brown eyes at Carl who put the laptop down on the side table next to their bed. Kaew's pointy ears rose straight and his tail wagged softly before he let out a big yawn showing his pink tongue that was curling in his mouth. The werewolf put his fluffy chin on Carl's thigh who was looking at him with concern.
"Are you hurt? Are you hungry?" Carl put his hands on Kaew's cheeks, his fingers scratching around the temples knowing that Kaew would feel good when he did this.
The big dog tilted his head, sniffing around to examine how the man was doing. Kaew's fluffy tail started wagging more heavily when Carl gave a pat all over his entire body. Though Carl's hands felt nice on his fluff, Kaew started to get hungry.
The Bangkaew slowly got out of bed, turning around and looking at the man who was sitting still. Once he whined softly in his throat, Carl already knew what was going on and walked over to Kaew.
"Nggg!" Kaew called with surprise when he was carried in Carl's arm bridal style.
"You must be really tired. Wait for me on the couch here. I'll make omelets and warm milk for you."
"I'll carry you to the bathroom. Do you want me to… uh, alright, maybe I'll just wait for you outside? Don't close the door though. If there's anything, let me know immediately."
"Is it okay when I carry you like this? I just read that we shouldn't carry dogs with their belly up."
"This snack is too hard for you to chew. Don't look at me like that, Kaew. Have these softer ones first. I've ordered foie gras for you as a snack already."
"Is it too warm here? Is the blanket too thick? Are you cold? Do you need me to change the temperature? I don't have fur like you so I'm not sure about it."
"This starter is fresh salmon from Norway. Kaew, why do you eat so little? Have some more mineral water so you can freshen up."
"Shouldn't you sleep some more, Kaew?"
"Are you rolling around because your back hurts?"
"Excuse me, sir." The secretary decided to call his boss after seeing him talk to the dog for a long while. His boss didn't even care even when he coughed to get attention.
"Can't you read!?" Carl snapped a deathly glare at the unwelcome guest though he ordered no one to interrupt him.
"I'm sorry to bother you, boss. But this is urgent. I tried sending you messages and calling you multiple times today but I couldn't reach you all day." The secretary looked down to the floor.
"Go on…"
"It's an incident in Macau."
The man sighed before nodding at his secretary to wait at his office. Carl firmly embraced the dog who was blinking those bright brown eyes at him in curiosity. He gave a soft kiss on Kaew's head before taking the furball to the second bedroom.
"Take some rest, Kaew. I'll be back as soon as possible."
Kaew whined softly, waiting for the man until he was out of the room before jumping off of the bed. He heard something about Macau when he was in a van. The scent of furiousness and something suspicious always came whenever people mentioned this state. Kaew scratched the door with the front legs again before finding out that it was locked from the other side.
"Nggg, nggg." Kaew scratched the door. He wanted to involve in the conversation too. It must have been dangerous and it was the male duty to protect his mate.
The black-and-white furball walked around in a circle while his tail pointed down to the floor showing a sign of anxiety. He nuzzled his nose between the door gaps, pushed it, and scratched in one more time but the door was still entirely locked. Kaew let out a big sigh and chose to lie down and wait in front of the door while keeping his eyes on the white door. Carl said he'd be back as soon as possible, so it shouldn't take long until he came back.
There was no clock in this bedroom and dogs normally didn't comprehend the concept of time. Kaew fell asleep on the soft floor and then woke up when someone lifted him.
This time, it was different because he had already shifted into his human form.
"Sorry. I was trying to not wake you up but I still did." Carl held the naked boy firmly to his chest.
"I can walk by myself. I tried to tell you this all day, but you didn't listen to me."
"…" Carl smiled at the corner of his mouth. It seemed like the boy had more energy to talk back now.
"Let me go."
"…" He did as Kaew asked, unwillingly.
Kaew walked to his closet and got changed quickly. Well, Mr. Carl had been staring at him as if he wanted to help him get dressed.
I guess he probably doesn't want to see me naked for too long.
Carl stared at the fair skin full of his love marks all over the body. He thought he was already gentle, but there were still bruises on Kaew's hip when he grabbed him. These marks from kissing and biting were like pretty petals looking so adorable that Carl didn't want Kaew to wear any clothes. He just wanted to take them off and spin the boy 360 so he could see all of it again.
"Uh."
"…Are you hungry? I wanted to ask what you wanted first, so I haven't ordered anything yet" Carl woke up from his daydream.
"I've been eating and sleeping all day so I'm not hungry at all."
Kaew scratched the back of his neck feeling a little embarrassed. The atmosphere between them was a little weird and he didn't know where to put his hands. He didn't even dare to meet Carl's eyes.
Silence. It was so quiet that they could hear their breath. Kaew was thinking about something that he could talk about. There was something they needed to talk about, but Carl was faster.
"Can I get a hug?" The low voice asked. Though Carl had been carrying and hugging Kaew all day, he figured that it was better to ask for the boy's consent since he was in his human form.
"Um, sure." Kaew nodded after saying nothing for a few seconds.
The man walked over and hugged Kaew from the front. Kaew's small face that was pointing down to the floor was now buried in Carl's chest. The boy put his hands up before taking them down, not so sure if he should hug him back. But when he inhaled the scent of the man, he no longer hesitated and hugged Carl back at his waist. He could smell the light scent of nerves and worries.
"Are you hurt anywhere? Did I do something that you didn't like last night?"
"…" Kaew shook his head in Carl's chest.
"…" Carl could feel his heart racing. This should have been happening to Kaew, not to him.
"And you, Mr. Carl?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you also hurt? Was I gentle enough? Well, according to the theory, they said that werewolves gained more power, especially during their heat. I'm afraid that I'd hurt you and it was also my first time so… uh, umm…" Kaew's face turned red, the burn of embarrassment spreading to his ears.
"I'm okay." Carl bit the wall in his mouth, trying to hold a smile.
"Is your heat over? Well, I'm… still quite tired."
"What about you?"
"I think it's over. I don't feel anything weird at the moment." Kaew's brown eyes looked up, examining Carl's gesture while still hugging him firmly. Why did Mr. Carl fold his lips in a straight line and look up to the ceiling like that? Was he embarrassed or something? Why didn't he make eye contact?
"Then, mine is gone too."
Carl released his embrace and he moved his hand to hold the small hand before pulling Kaew to follow him to the living room. Though it was strange, Kaew obeyed nicely and sat on Carl's lap on the couch, leaning onto his chest and letting him play with his hand.
"What are you going to do from now on?" Carl broke the silence.
"…"
"Can you just stay? Don't leave me."
"Did you do something to Dom?" Kaew asked, his voice shattered, feeling nervous.
"…"
"It was my fault. You didn't punish Dom though, did you? It was your fault too for not using a leash on me. Who else would have caught me like that?"
"…" Though Carl didn't say a word, he already ordered a new special leash already. It needed to be something soft but steady enough.
"Don't tell me… you already gave him a death sentence?" Kaew's full lips curled as if he was about to cry like a baby.
"Is my reputation that vicious in your opinion?" Carl's low voice sounded indifferent.
"Well, your scent is full of bullets, knives, and," something scary. Kaew swallowed his thought.
"And…?"
"I'm just worried about you."
"Worried?"
"Uh, probably feeling guilty. Why is your scent so miserable? Are you upset that I think you're cruel?" Kaew didn't know what to do. Why did it feel like there was a storm coming?
"…"
"How could I think so badly of my mate? Look at me, Mr. Carl."
My mate
My mate
My mate
Only two words… that could turn the mood the other way around.
Those gray rain clouds and low thunder in the background vanished all of the sudden, replacing with a bright sky, shining sun, and fluffy white clouds that looked like sheep nibbling grass, just like that.
"Mmm."
"I told you that I'd take full responsibility. Please, don't worry about it, Mr. Carl." Kaew turned around to catch Carl's eyes, his bright eyes expressing sincerity.
Carl couldn't resist smiling and nodding at the boy.
"You're so cute when you smile." The boy complimented Carl after making sure that he was in a better mood.
"…" Since he had been in his adulthood, no one ever complimented him as this furball did. Didn't he know how that made this mafia feel?
"So, you haven't done anything to Dom, right?" Kaew smiled brightly.
"Your Dom is just one floor down from our place." Carl licked his lips, acknowledging the bitterness of something that people called 'jealousy'.
"You don't have to order anything tonight. I'll make you a bowl of rice soup with pork. This is my go-to recipe, you know."
Kaew jumped out of Carl's lab before walking over to the kitchen to cook his favorite dish. Though it didn't look like it, Kaew was good at cooking. All his life, it was only him and Grandpa, so when he was old enough, he wanted to help Grandpa out with something. Either errands or cooking, he could handle it effortlessly.
Carl followed the boy, leaning his hip against the kitchen counter and looking at Kaew putting minced pork in a bowl, adding soy sauce and white peppers before mixing them all nicely. Once the water was boiling, Kaew spooned minced pork into bite-size and put them down in the pot. It was a pleasure seeing all of this, feeling like he was a husband waiting for his partner to cook dinner for him.
"Kaew, you said that we are mates. Did I mishear it or was I just hallucinating things?"
"Yeah, I did say that." Kaew pressed his lips into a straight line looking at the man who was now over the moon. Since when could he make such a flirty smile? His dazzling black eyes were too much for Kaew to handle. The boy was too shy to make eye contact, so he turned his focus to chopping corianders and scallions so fast.
Dang you, Kaew! Why are blushing with the word 'so fast'? What a weird dog! Mr. Carl is no longer in heat anymore and so am I. But what happened last night was still so fresh… The more Kaew tried to not think about it, the more those pictures became clearer.
"Are you feeling sick? Your face turns so red."
Carl smiled at the corner of his mouth, his big hands holding Kaew's cheeks before staring into his eyes. Kaew's full lips were lightly opened from his cheeks being squeezed, looking so cute and kissable.
Muah
And Carl did steal a kiss from him.
If it wasn't because of the boiling water in the pot, they both wouldn't have separated from each other. Kaew pretended to be so busy with the rice soup for a while before serving dinner at the table.
Carl laughed softly in his throat feeling like he was having puppy love back then though that time was long gone. Look at this furball, Kaew wasn't as shy as he was.
"Take a bite and see if it's to your liking. Is it alright?"
Kaew took a handful of chopped coriander and scallions and topped them over the bowl of rice soup. His brown eyes stared straight in anticipation when Carl took a spoonful bite into his mouth. The most important rule of being werewolves was to take care of their mates.
"It's really good."
"How nice."
"When I finish, I have something for you…"
"Should I prepare one bowl for Dom too? You said he lives just one floor below, right? I wonder if he already had dinner." Kaew smiled widely. Wow, his recipe is really good. No joke!
As if the strong wind just blew through the dining table. It was so strong that it could make the rice soup cold and turn into an ice cube with just one blink!
Carl took his phone out to text his order to someone, giving just enough information about what and when he needed them, and being more precise to assign who should be completing the task.
"Ouch!"
"What's wrong?" Kaew dropped his spoon, rushing to see the man who was covering his mouth with his hands.
"I guess I was eating too fast."
"Your lips are burning," said Kaew.
"And I'm tired too. Can you feed me?" Carl made such puppy eyes.
Kaew pressed his lips into a straight line, his face blushing while nodding his head. But when the boy was about to go back to his seat, Carl lifted and put him onto his lap, nudging the boy to start.
The pale werewolf with blushed cheeks got Carl's spoon and took a bite-size from the bowl before blowing the heat away and feeding the man who was opening his mouth waiting. It was easy feeding Carl, but it was too much for Kaew to handle Carl's flirty glare this close. Not to mention that he was also fondling his belly right now.
Kaew looked down, but couldn't make eye contact with the man. Why was this man acting so strange? Was it the side effect of being in heat? There was no information in the book he read at all.
There was a ring at the door, making Kaew pause and turn around to take a look. Before he could decide whether to open the door or not, the door was already opened and closed softly.
"I'm here to deliver your order, boss."
Kaew looked at the black-suited man who was walking in with a small bag in his hand to the dining room. Oh, that was Dom. Kaew was a little tensed, feeling embarrassed on Carl's lap. But when he was about to stand up, Carl buried his high-bridge nose into Kaew's cheek, intending to keep the boy on his lap.
"Dom, take all of them out of the bag. Let me see if you got everything I need," Carl commanded plainly.
The werewolf boy pressed his lips together looking down at the floor. But his glance was uncontrollably following Dom's hands that pulled out a gradient blue box on the dining table.
50 pieces of 56mm condoms!!!
"Here you go, boss." Dom glanced at the boy who was turning into a boiled lobster.
"We have rice soup with minced pork in the kitchen. Feel free to take some if you want," said Carl to his employee while his eyes locked on the boy.
"I've had my dinner but thank you so much." Dom bowed his head down, sensing that his boss was not pleased that he was looking at the boy on his lap.
"Kaew, why don't you keep feeding me? And you can leave now. Thanks for the delivery."
The black-suited man took long steps to the door and quickly disappeared. Dom let out and long sigh leaning his back against the door after closing it. Whew, 50 pieces of 56mm condoms… That boy has gotten a lot to do.
Dom pressed an elevator button to go back to his place. Suddenly he realized something that made him frown. If he heard it correctly… that boy's name was Kaew. Wasn't that also the furball's name?