Amara gaped at Azer as though she had heard something so outrageous. No! It was indeed outrageous! How could he be so brazen to ask a girl that 'thing' directly? And he doesn't look any bit embarrassed at all!
She opened her mouth to answer, but her mind got fuzzy and she ended up saying another, "What…the hell?"
Azer showed surprise at her reaction, but his lips turned to a smirk after, when her eyebrows rose as a sign that she was beginning to get annoyed, he turned his head away and cleared his throat.
"If it's not like that, then why do you smell blood?" Azer asked again, scrunching his nose showing his dislike at the smell.
"I don't know what you mean." She lowered her head and started sniffing her collar, then she lifted her arms and went on sniffing the hems of her clothes. But she really did not smell anything like blood.
Moreover, what she smelled was the sweet and fresh-cut fragrance of the flowers that seemed to linger on her clothes.
"I don't smell anything." She lifted her head again, meeting those sharp grey eyes that bore to her being.
Azer inched closer. His lips were a few inches away from her cheeks, and she couldn't help but hold her breath. Her heart drummed erratically as if at any moment it would explode. But Amara knew better, she felt the same towards her dastardly ex-lover.
She knew better not to get caught up in the moment and sowed uncertain feelings again.
However, no matter how strongly she resisted, the scent of flowers that she smelled from her somehow complimented the scent of the lush forest she smelled from the man. And it made her feel something deep inside.
As though a picture of vast lands filled with different flowers dancing with thin and tall trees swayed by the strong and cool wind flashed in her mind.
And behind one tall tree were golden eyes that glared at her, enveloped by the darkness beyond. And with the shrilling noises that brought her back to reality, she heard a guttural sound, something like a beast growling at its might.
"Of course, you wouldn't smell it," Azer spoke. She blinked and found the man moving away from him. She furrowed her brows as she couldn't understand what he meant, but the guy shrugged his shoulders and finally took a step back.
When she thought that Azer would finally leave, he tapped his temple and spoke again, "What's with the mask, by the way."
Amara did not expect his question. However, she answered him without a pause, "To hide my scar."
He frowned and asked again, "That black thing is a scar?"
"Yes. Does it look like it's not?" She gave him a wry smile. He probably felt disgusted with her face now. She thought to herself.
"Yes. I thought it was something like a birthmark. Or…"
She erased the negative thoughts that suddenly came into her head, and focused on their conversation, "Or?"
Was he going to say something?
Azer stared at her for a while. She unconsciously averted her eyes as if she'd burn if she stared back at him.
"…nothing," Azer mumbled. He turned back and gave her a single wave, "I'll go back. Just return the basket later."
After that, Amara spent the rest of the day working on a new piece and ate the dinner brought to her by her kind yet enigmatic neighbor. She made a mental note to finish the gift she made for him tomorrow.
When night came, she took a bath. Her usual quick bath became longer as she washed and brushed every corner of her skin. She even put all the petals of the flowers Vida gave her into the tub, in hopes that it would wipe away any unsavory scent she had with her.
Meanwhile, across the street, the sign hanging by the door of A's Bakery was already turned 'closed' but the lights were still open.
The silhouette of a man standing by the counter was seen from the blinds of the glass windows. He was leaning on the edge; his large and veined arms were folded in his chest. As he peeks outside from the tiny gaps in the blinds, his thick eyebrows dig deeper.
'A scar?' Azer thought to himself. Unconsciously, he voiced out the following words, "And black at that."
"Black what?"
Azer frowned upon hearing the voice of his attendant, Hansel. He had probably finished cleaning the kitchen.
Hansel spoke again, in an excited and teasing tone this time, "Oh~ Are you, perhaps, talking about the lady who always comes and buys pastries here?"
Azer flinched.
Is he that obvious? It seems that Hansel had noticed his inexplicable attraction to their neighbor.
He clenched his jaw in annoyance. She was even his mate, but how come he always felt like he needed to check on her? And that his feet always brought him to her?
"The one with the long black hair!"
Azer, "…who?"
"The beautiful lady whose hair color is black as ebony and always smiles and steals a glance at you!" Hansel nudged his shoulders with his and wriggled his eyebrows at him.
He returned him a confused look and then killed the urge to pluck those eyebrows. He replied, "We have a customer like that?"
"What do you mean 'we have'?" Hansel asked with a shocked face. "You didn't notice her at all?"
"I did not." He answered nonchalantly. The face his eyes always search for was his pitiful neighbor. Was it only out of pity that he felt those feelings towards her? She was alone and vulnerable when he met her after all.
"Seriously?!" Hansel exclaimed incredulously. Azer looked at his funny face, and he thought that it would look funnier if he found out that it was the woman across the street who had been occupying his mind all along.
"Yes." He straightened his back and shoved him away. He needed a bath. That stench of blood that he smelled from her was like dirt that clung to him. The woman didn't seem hurt at all, and although she was quite grumpy, he didn't think the blood came from her.
'She met someone who carried that stench.' He thought to himself before he went upstairs.
Halfway through the path, Hansel shouted from below which made him stop in his tracks.
"Your Highness, what if she's your mate?!"
He turned his head and locked his eyes on his attendant, but soon shook his head after, "I don't think so. I didn't feel anything towards her."
"But she was clearly attracted to you. The way she looks at you is something different, like she was amazed yet confused! What if your mate's presence was actually hidden but she's actually just nearby?" Hansel insisted.
He added, "Maybe that's the case! You said you felt the 'bond' in this neighborhood, but why have you not felt it again after all this time?"
Azer froze.
Could that be possible?
"Why would it be hidden?" He asked, a bit curious and engaged.
"Your Highness, humans are different from us. They don't feel the 'bond' unlike us. This is why the bond between a werewolf and a human is weaker than the bond between two werewolves. Maybe something like a trigger is needed to feel your bond again?"
Hansel added again, "You should try knowing that girl first, Your Highness. Maybe after spending time to know her more, you'll feel the 'bond' again?"
Hansel waited for his answer, but Azer was lost in deep thoughts. He continued walking until he reached his own room.
Opening the door, his eyes immediately focused on the curtains blown by the night wind coming from the open windows.
Azer was rooted in his spot. He thought that if he walked up there, he'd catch a glimpse of the dimly lit room across the street, and he knew that it would probably take up most of his time again, staring at the silhouette of the lady running around her bedroom.
He sighed in frustration.
He couldn't fathom his own feelings. If Hansel's speculations were possible, he wanted to check it on her first. He wanted to know her better. But if she wasn't her mate, then he would only hurt her in the end.
He shouldn't harbor those feelings for her, or for anyone until he was certain of who his moon was.
Azer whirled away from the windows and entered the bathroom instead. He needs to put distance between them tomorrow. But first, he must know who was the person who carried the stench of blood that his naïve neighbor met.