Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10






DOLLY leaned on the wall as she waited for the door to open. With her enhanced senses, she heard Max and Laura's conversation inside. Dolly was on her way up the second floor of the building when she noticed Laura ahead of her. She was instantly devastated but her curiosity got her better side.

Dolly endured the painful conclusion clouding in her mind. If she personally find out the truth about their relationship, then she would have no regret about not hearing Max' explanation about everything.

Years of living with Fin came to its benefits. She was used to keeping her presence unnoticeable as much as possible whenever he gets his episodes. Now she know how to spy without the two of them noticing it.

“My Dolly asked this from me herself. Are you in it?”
"Need not ask. I'm always at your service, your excellency."

Something tugged inside Dolly's heart. She was painfully reminded of the difference between their status.

Max was practically a ruler of his own while Dolly had nothing to offer. Within just days, she made him riddled with her problems when Max was here for a vacation.

'But I already scented him... and he saw me.' Dolly couldn't think of any way to make Max free from the mating pull.

'If I would only bring him misfortune then... what's the point of having me beside him?' Dolly bit her lower lip and sighed.

"Oh..." Max' bewildered expression made her feel special inside. A part of her screams that the man was hard to surprise. "There you are. I thought you'd run away before I could open the door."

"I'd like to," Dolly told him truthfully, "but then my feet wouldn't do what I say."

Max smiled a little. The sight made Dolly warm from her face down to her neck. "Maybe they would like to stay?"

Dolly glanced at Laura beside Max. "Maybe."

At last, Laura stepped forward and spoke in a solemn voice. "I'm sorry for my intrusion yesterday. My relationship with Max is a complex matter that even I, sometimes, can't comprehend. This time, your presence can break the validity of those papers."

Dolly's relief was clear. And she was not embarrassed about showing it. "What about you?"

"I'll cope with it in time. Max will take care of that. I'm sure he has a lot of business partners that can be publicly engaged with me." Laura scrunched her nose then laughed. "I'd look like a tramp that way but who am I to speak up for myself, right?"

Dolly blinked furiously. She was insulted in behalf of Laura. 'She's lowering her self-worth by doing that.'

The woman left after a brief goodbye. Dolly stayed by Max' side. His eyes twinkled with delight. "Do you think she's pitiful?"

"I do... somehow." Dolly shrugs. "Don't you think she's... selling herself by agreeing to all that?"

Max paused his steps. Dolly wondered if she said something wrong. In the end, Max patted her head. "She's not selling herself. Laura doesn't think like that. She never had even one serious relationship. She focused in helping her father escape from his bad decisions before. Laura doesn't think any of this as a burden but a responsibility that she aimed to commit for life."

Dolly felt cold. She nodded with her mind deep in thoughts. "She's... your cousin, right? Now her attitude made sense. She's born a fighter too."

Max pouted. "Well, the truth is, the coven lacked. Even I failed to support her in the right way. The system was never in favour for the female members of the coven. Now that you're here, you freed Laura from having her reputation ruined even more. Although being engaged to me seemed promising, it will always be taboo and unfair. It will imprison us both."

"If I didn't appear then would you..."

He laughed. "Maybe I would. I never cared if I leave a scion behind or not. I never thought about Laura's future if we happen to marry. Wether she live alone when I'm gone or not, mateless, it doesn't matter to me."

"Now you are being heartless."

"That's why I'm glad you came." Max lowered his eyes to her face. "So don't ever think that you have nothing."

Dolly blinked. Her heart swelled with emotion. "It's like you're reading my mind."

"I didn't. Please be assured, I wouldn't do that." He took her hand and intertwined it with his. "Unless the situation requires me to, I won't."

"Thank you." Dolly sighed. "If you want to know anything, ask me. I don't want you to know... how unstable my thoughts has become whenever I see you with another women."

Max couldn't stifle his wide smile. He nodded graciously. "The same goes for me. Stop running away and confront me. Hurt me the way you think I deserve but please, don't let me see your back rushing to god-knows-where."

'Hurt you?' Dolly couldn't do that to him. He became an integral part of her everyday life now. She can't seem to focus every time she's far from Max.

"I asked a friend to check on Fin. She's on the way. Newly mated, incase you think she's a fiancee of mine."

Dolly slapped his arm. "Stop making fun of me."

"Yeah. Well, I told you the first time I met you, right? I have no serious relationship. I failed to mention Laura. Ah, that's because I never really considered that paper as serious. It never came to mind since she's my cousin. I didn't consider your feelings at all."

"Fine. You're forgiven. I'm sorry for running away and overthinking everything without talking with you first. The next time I'm confused, I will go straight to you. I promise."

Max gulped. "My throat dried after all that. We should have some drinks while waiting for Yeon-hee. With Fin's constitution, his wolf is sensitive to light. We don't have to worry about him attacking the town this morning."

"But once the night settled in..." Dolly walked out of the apartment building. Max followed behind her. "He needs to be tamed."

"Hmn..." Max agreed. "Time to work for a while, love."