Chapter 4

Sierra shot back, "Why are you panicking? Did you forget what condition he has?"

"Sierra, what are you saying?"

"Nathan's touch deprivation syndrome has gotten so severe that he'll have an episode if he's away from another person for too long. He can't live without us."

There was an unmistakable certainty in Sierra's voice, along with a faint hint of contempt.

"That little breakup stunt today was only because he saw Eli and got jealous. He's trying to get our attention and use this opportunity to manipulate us. If we actually give in and comfort him, we'll be playing right into his hands."

She paused before continuing, her voice turning colder, "We need to ignore him for once and remind him who's in charge of this household. Maybe then he'll think twice before throwing another tantrum."

Sabrina still looked uneasy, but Sierra wasn't finished.

"Besides, he still has our contracts of servitude. He may not hurt us now, but there's no guarantee he won't change someday. Ending those contracts while we have the chance is actually good for us, too."

"But what if he finds someone else?" Sabrina asked.

"Don't forget who we are now," Sierra replied. "If we put the word out, there isn't a single Shifter in the entire empire who would dare get close to him. Once his condition flares up and he can't take it anymore, he'll come crawling back to us, crying and begging."

The comments started racing across my vision.

[Holy crap! Nathan has to be thrilled listening to all this, right?]

[He must be feeling pretty damn smug after realizing the two sisters can't live without him.]

[I'm dying. Does he actually think Sabrina and Sierra love him? It's nothing but habit and possessiveness.]

[Exactly! Once the sisters finish this mission with Eli and see how amazing he is, who's even going to remember this lowly human?]

[Even so, I still hate it. He's so ordinary. Why would Sabrina and Sierra ever like someone like him?]

When I saw that last comment, I let out a bitter laugh.

How could they possibly think the sisters were doing this because they loved me? If they truly loved me, they'd care about how my condition was affecting me. They wouldn't use it as leverage against me.

I waited until the sisters left headquarters, then took my paperwork straight to the Contract Registry and signed the termination papers.

Just as Sierra had predicted, I had my first episode the very next day after they left.

At first, it was nothing more than a restless anxiety that kept me awake all night. I tossed and turned, clutching my pillow as I desperately tried to get comfortable.

But before long, the sensation intensified until it felt as though thousands of ants were crawling beneath my skin, biting and tearing at every inch of my body. My temperature kept climbing, and no matter how much I tried to cool myself down, the heat only seemed to get worse.

Eventually, I forced myself out of bed and stumbled to the hospital. The moment the doctor saw my name on the chart, however, he immediately stepped back and waved his hands.

"Mr. Hayes, I'm very sorry, but we don't have a doctor here who can treat you. You'll have to leave."

I glanced at the thermometer in his hand. My temperature had already reached 102°F, and my throat was so hoarse that every word came out strained.

"I just need something to bring down the fever. Can't you at least prescribe me some medication?"

The doctor shook his head so hard it was almost comical. He wouldn't even let me step farther into the examination room. Instead, he called security and had them escort me out.

As I struggled through the pain, the comments kept me updated on what the sisters were doing. Apparently, they were off enjoying themselves with Eli.

[Going on a mission really is the fastest way to heat a romance! Sabrina and Sierra finally realized Eli is an S-Tier male Shifter. You can already see the difference in their eyes!]

[Wow! He's so hot! Eli got cold, and both Sabrina and Sierra were worried sick! They even shifted into their beast forms to keep him warm.]

Just imagining the sisters' warmth made every inch of my body ache for physical contact.

Desperate for relief, I made my way to the Shifter slave market. But the merchants who used to eagerly call me over took one look at me and reacted as if I'd brought disaster with me.

"Leave! We don't do business with you!"

"Don't stand there blocking the entrance. You're bad for business."

It was clear the sisters were determined to teach me a lesson.

Even the male Shifters in the market lowered their heads and hurried away whenever they saw me, terrified that simply being associated with me would get them into trouble.

In the end, I had no choice but to go to the black market. After looking around, I finally settled on a Snow Leopard Shifter.

The moment I brought her home, I reached for her clothes without thinking. The young snow leopard's ears turned bright red as she hurriedly grabbed the belt around her waist, holding it in place.

"M-Master… Shouldn't we get to know each other first?"

I loosened my own belt and lightly traced a finger over her abdomen.

"How do you suggest we get to know each other?"

"We… We should learn a little about each other first," she stammered.

"Oh."

I nodded seriously, as though she'd just given me an important instruction.

"I'm Nathan Hayes. What's your name?"

"Ruby Calloway."

"Okay." I gave her a thoughtful look. "Now that we've gotten to know each other, I think it's time we got down to business."