Chapter 6 : The morning kiss

The next morning, while I was sleeping soundly in the soft bed, I felt a chill from the room's air conditioner, so I pulled the blanket up to cover my entire body.

As I shifted, I felt something hard against my side. When I opened my eyes, I saw Xian still sleeping right next to me.

My brain was still groggy, so my body’s first reaction was pure shock at finding a man lying beside me.

I nearly bolted upright in bed, causing the blanket to slip slightly. Because I had tugged at it, his half-naked torso was exposed.

I clutched my head and turned away, desperate not to look. "So... we really did it last night?"

I suddenly covered my face, feeling a wave of regret. "I couldn't control myself," I whispered. "The temptation and the heat were just too much."

I don't know why I let it happen. It felt as if some strange force was consuming me. As a young werewolf, we are biologically driven to satisfy our body's heat once we reach a certain age. Since I hadn't yet been intimate with my former boyfriend, I had been in a state of constant, frustrating desire.

I had promised myself that I would only give my body to the man I truly loved once we were married. Yet, here I was, having slept with a man I didn't even know.

"What am I going to do?" I murmured.

Lost in disappointment and regret, I didn't notice that Xian had woken up and was sitting up behind me. I felt the mattress shift, and a shiver ran down my spine.

When I turned, I found him sitting there, staring into space while holding his head.

"What am I going to do?" he whispered.

The room fell silent as we locked eyes, both of us waiting for the other to speak, our cheeks burning. I was surprised by his reaction—he seemed just as bewildered by what we had done as I was.

"Wait," I said, feeling embarrassed. "Why do you sound like you don't know what to do? You were the one who brought me to this room."

"I know," he replied. "But I didn't expect you not to stop me. I only tested the waters, but you agreed to go through with it."

I turned to face him, my anger flaring because he seemed to be blaming me. "I can't believe I did this. That was my first time, and I wanted it to be with someone I truly loved."

He looked startled to learn it was my first time and asked, "If that’s the case, you’re still a virgin? But don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Of course I do! But Kael and I haven't seen each other much. In three years, we’ve only ever talked over the phone."

"What? Only over the phone? You lasted three years just talking on the phone?" he asked, incredulous.

I froze, covering my face in shame, realizing how pathetic it sounded that I had settled for a long-distance relationship that existed only through screens. "Stop it! Even if we only talked on the phone, he called me often."

"Often? How many times a month?" he challenged.

I couldn't answer and buried my face in a pillow again. I realized we only spoke once a month—sometimes he even forgot. I wanted to lie, but when I turned to respond, I saw a smirk on Xian's face.

"Wait, why are you smiling? Are you mocking me?"

"No, I was just thinking that since I took your first time, you’re now obligated to marry me," he said with a grin.

My cheeks flushed deep red, and I couldn't find the words. "Wh-wh-what are you talking about?"

He suddenly pulled me into a hug. "You know, that was my first time, too. That’s why I couldn't control myself. To make things fair, I think we should just go ahead and get married."

I didn't understand it, but my heart was racing so fast I couldn't even look him in the eyes from the sheer embarrassment.

He reached out, cupping my chin to make me look at him. I felt a flutter in my chest as I stared into his incredibly handsome face.

"From now on, you’re mine. Is that clear?"

He slowly laid me back onto the bed and began kissing my lips again. I don't know why, but I lacked the strength to stop him. The pleasure his kiss brought was addictive, and part of me wanted to experience it all over again, just like last night.

As the tension rose and he began to hover over me again, his phone suddenly rang.

He stopped, frustrated, and reached for the device on the table. As he read the message, he sighed as if he were dealing with a major problem.

"I have to get to the office. I need to get ready for work."

Because it was an urgent call, he rushed to prepare. I was left lying on his bed, and the moment he stepped out of the room, I let out a frustrated scream.

"Ahhh!!! Why am I like this!" I shrieked, kicking the bed in frustration.

I realized that, once again, I hadn't been able to stop myself. I had basically allowed Xian to do whatever he wanted with me.

I huddled under the covers, unable to believe it. I was starting to doubt myself; it was clear to me that I should only be intimate with the man I loved, yet whenever I was with Xian, and his lips touched mine, I lost all resolve.

"This is so annoying! Am I really that easy to get? This can't happen. I have to stop myself from falling for his charms," I told myself firmly.

Minutes later, I saw him getting ready to leave. He was in his military uniform, and he looked incredibly handsome.

"I’m sorry, but I have to head in. I’m going to file for leave so I can take care of our wedding arrangements."

"Our... wedding?" I stammered, feeling shy. "Are you really sure you want to marry me?"

He walked over and smiled, holding my chin. "I've told you already—I’m serious. I showed you how serious I was last night. If you aren't convinced yet, I can show you again tonight."

My face turned bright red, and I stepped back. "What? No! Stop! We can't do what we did last night again."

I looked down, feeling tense as I explained that I had promised my parents I would only save myself for my husband, and we weren't married yet. "I don't want to tarnish my parents' memory; we can't do that again."

He just smiled and kissed my forehead. He apologized for compromising my promise and insisted he was ready to take responsibility. "I will marry you, no matter what, and then we can do it as much as we want," he teased.

I shook my head, flustered by how handsome he looked when he smiled.

A few moments later, he mentioned that there was food in the kitchen and left some money in case I needed to buy anything. He left me alone in his condominium to go to work, and as I stood in front of the door, I didn't know what to do next.

"What has become of me?"

As I turned around, I noticed the luxurious furnishings in his condo. I walked through the living room, admiring the expensive paintings and vases.

"Just recently, I was practically destitute and sleeping on the street, and now, here I am in a beautiful condo."

I realized that even when misfortune hit my life, there was a man destined to save me. If I accepted this marriage, I could start over.

Yes, that was it. I needed this marriage to get my life back on track. Besides, Xian had saved my life before, so I owed him a great deal.

"If you think about it, he’s my knight in shining armor. And on top of that, he's incredibly wealthy. Him being handsome is just a bonus," I whispered to myself.

I felt disappointed in myself, remembering how I had lectured Xian yesterday about dignity and boasting that I couldn't be bought with money—yet here I was, convincing myself it was okay to marry him because he was rich.

I looked around the place; it was so big and so quiet. "What am I supposed to do here while I wait for him?" I wondered.

I saw the money he left on the table and picked it up. "Surely it wouldn't be wrong to spend a little of this."

Hours passed. While waiting, I cooked food in the kitchen, wearing an apron I had bought.

Suddenly, I heard the door chime, so I rushed to the living area. "Is he home already?"

As he walked in and started taking off his shoes, he stopped and looked at me. He scanned me from head to toe, looking surprised.

"Oh, why are you looking at me like that? Oh... this? I bought this earlier so I could cook dinner."

"You cooked dinner?"

I suddenly blanked, remembering I hadn't turned off the stove. "Wait, let me check on the food!" I rushed back to the kitchen, flustered.

A few minutes later, I set the table for him. "I didn't know what you liked, so I prepared two dishes."

He stood there, silent, before smiling and asking if I really made all of this for him. "I didn't know you would cook. I was actually thinking of where to take you to eat—I’ve already booked five different restaurants."

"Five restaurants?" I was stunned.

"Forget it. I don't care if they are 5-star restaurants; I’d much rather taste my future wife's cooking," he said, smiling as he touched my chin.

My cheeks flushed again, especially when I saw that beautiful smile of his. I quickly swatted his hand away and shook my head to avoid his gaze, knowing that if I stared at him too long, I would fall for his charm all over again.

"Stop it! Just eat before you start flirting with me," I said, trying to act grumpy.