Chapter 18 - Rude Brat

Soren caresses delicate circles on Zale's back as he snoozes peacefully, wrapped in his embrace. He dared not disturb his serenity, even though his body went numb after ceaselessly holding Zale's weighty body on his chest. However, he could always put away his struggles and torment just to behold the sight of his master sleeping without any grief and trauma.

Zale had suffered sufficient chaos in his past life, and now it's time for him to experience the tenderness of life. However, things abruptly started to get intense. Soren stilled and sucked in a breath when Zale somewhat shifted in his sleep and grunted some incongruous mumblings.

He needed to move to check whether Zale was feeling discomfort or having a nightmare, but he was afraid of waking him up in the process. Soren sank in bed further when Zale jerked upward on his chest, and unconsciously, his nose followed the intoxicatingly enticing scent.

Soren shut his eyes as a chill ran down his spine. Zale groaned every time Soren attempted to move even slightly. Indeed, even in sleep, the young master has no chill; he's as demanding as he's conscious.

He drags his well-proportioned hand all over Soren's chest, which halts on his right shoulder while he curls up his face on the left side of his neck. Soren was stunned for a moment. Soren's left hand was snaking up under Zale's side and rested on his waist to keep him in place.

Zale was completely straddling him; there was no escape, and he didn't crave any escape. As though sensing that Zale was asking for more of him and his warmth, Soren turns his face to the opposite side, lessening the narrow space between his neck and Zale's face.

His right cheek rested on the cold hand clutching his shoulder. Soren willingly, guiltily, sincerely resisted the butterflies erupting in his stomach and heart when Zale's raw and cold lips brushed against his heated skin.

Goosebumps flamed on his skin; hairs on his hand stood straight at the oblivious attention. Since it's wrong to yearn for something back from your master just because he's been in your care ever since he was born.

He deserves better; he deserves a comfortable life, which Soren neglected to provide him until now. He's pleased just by being his pet and forever by his side. Soren's uneasy trails of thought were thrown to the back of his head and rested helplessly underneath his master, who seemed to be on his journey to drench out his sanity even in his sleep.

His madness for his scent could withstand nowhere near addition. Soren gasped for air, and his eyes twitched when Zale connected his lips to his burning neck, and his lips parted on their own. The heat drifting from them faintly blew on a very sensitive spot.

His ears changed their shading, his eyes were dark and glossy. When he couldn't withstand the insatiable assault of his unconscious master, and before things turned more intense and Zale regretted everything after waking up.

Zale started to wriggle endlessly and deliberately disturb the sleeping wolf spread out on him. Zale groans at the troublesome squirming idiot under him. His slumber gradually set aside, though still not fully awakened, everything was blurry.

He vaguely peeked with one eye and spluttered in surprise at what appeared in his sight instead of his bedroom ceiling. A pale neck covered with a faint redness and a slightly moist spot glossing on the skin.

He tilts his head up and frowns. He certainly remembered everything that happened before going to sleep, him bursting on Soren and Soren scolding him. "Did I nod off like this?" His voice was rough and sleep-deprived.

He gazed up at Soren, bobbing his head upwards searching for Soren's face. Zale wipes the wet corner of his mouth on Soren's shoulder, once done, he again calls out for him. "Hmm," Soren simply hummed and turned his face to him.

His face was surprisingly relaxed and composed. "Why didn't you wake me up? Are you alright? I must be heavy." Zale hurled question after question at him but didn't bother getting up from him. Soren blinks at his shamelessness.

"You seemed tired, so I didn't mind disturbing you. And you are heavy, more than you look like. You're a grown man, what did you expect? However, since it's not the first time you've dozed off on me, so I'm quite enduring to your sleeping habits. I'm an experienced man now, thanks to you." Soren grumbles.

"You're welcome." Zale chuckled in a deep voice, which made Soren grip the sheets unknowingly.

Rude brat.

"What time is it?" Zale inquired.

"There's time for dinner, so you can rest a little longer. I'm leaving to check on our guests to see if they need anything." Soren said and tried to get up.

Every muscle in his body throbs. "Uncle Frank can look out for them if they need anything. You don't need to leave." Zale argues, clutching his shirt to stop him.

"But I need to. Sleep some more." Soren didn't let him have his way with him like always and unknotted his fist from his shirt and got out from underneath him.

"Come down for dinner after your nap," Soren said and, without meeting his eyes, left the room.

"What happened to him?" Zale thought to himself. "Is he still upset with me?"

************

Solace strolled around the halls and, in less than twenty minutes, had completely reviewed the whole Shilister mansion, giving points on every property and decoration. He's the sort of human who'd judge you for being too loud around him because he assumes that only he has the right to be loud in a group of friends because he likes all the attention on him.

The person you'd hate and feel annoyed whenever he's around and miss when he's not. He's crazy enough to swear to never hit Soren back whenever he hits him because he believes that'd be animal abuse.

Solace is a happy-go-lucky person who dislikes problems, even though he's the main source of most of the time. Solace studied with Soren and Zale since third grade, and they became friends from then, although Zale never considers him as his friend, though.

One day, when Solace steals Zale's lunch, who was waiting for Soren to get back from the washroom to eat together, eats it himself. Zale was so angry that he was nearly tearing his head off, and to restrain him, Soren got in the way by coaxing Zale to the cafeteria and buying him ice cream.

Solace misunderstood that Soren wanted to protect him from Zale, and after that, he never left them both alone or, more like, Soren alone. Soren has always helped him, and Solace, too, returns the favor by helping them both pass the exams and graduate.

But now, he thinks that he'd made the biggest mistake of his life. They both had their job to work in the packs, but he doesn't have anything to do.