LUPINE

Chapter 35

It was nearing midnight when Maya decided to run to the kitchen to make something warm for herself. She has been tossing left and right on her bed, unable to sleep. Even when she forced her eyes shut, praying that her mind will be cleared of all disturbing thoughts. Clear of all thoughts of Taehyung especially. She failed, miserably.

All she could think about is him and nothing else.

Her heart seems to marvel at the growing feelings she has for him and whatever emotion this is, it is very foreign to her. She never felt this before. The warmth feeling swaying in her blood, the gentle embrace around her heart and how it makes her feel like she is afloat in the warm air of the night, stars and moon lighting up the darkness, leading her somewhere.

But then she knows she will never reach that place. Not when this feeling is so very wrong. Harbouring feelings towards a werewolf who has found his mate is terribly wrong. Forbidden, she tells herself again and again. Maybe having feelings will not be so wrong. But as she stands there in the middle of his kitchen, looking around the cozy house she desperately wants to call her own home, she feels heavy.

She knows she is falling in love with something. Or someone.

She has no idea when it happened but she is beginning to get so attached to this place - Taehyung's house. She feels so at home when she is here. She wonders if it is because of the delicate feeling of this house. Or it is Taehyung.

"You cannot sleep?"

Taehyung's voice startled her, surprisingly. He too was surprised to see Maya flinching to the sound of his voice. She must have been so unaware of her surroundings, too deep in her thoughts not to sense his presence in the kitchen. That is so unlike her.

Maya feels her heart accelerating fast beneath her skin, her body reacting to his presence and suddenly her brains just snapped and everything just stopped. She looks at him standing there at the door frame, so strongly tall, his eyes so gentle in contrast to the intimidating energy he exudes.

"I am about to go back to sleep", Maya holds the mug close to her chest and walks towards the door. But when Taehyung did not move to give way, she halted her steps, and looked up nervously. "I need to -"

"You are disturbed", he does not move. "Are you not feeling well these days? Are the cases making you feel disturbed?"

Maya inches backward, withdrawing from him to create a n appropriate distance between them. "I am not. Just having trouble sleeping"

"Do you feel burdened with all of these?"

"This is normal, really", she mustered a weak smile. "This is my job. And this is what I do. Exhaustion comes with my job. I am very used to this"

Taehyung breathed in and out, calming himself because he could feel something sparking inside, burning his heart. He keeps reminding himself over and over again that she is capable of everything she is doing right now. She knows what she is doing and he should not be reacting out of foolish anger and resentment towards seeing her in this state.

He is mad that she is exhausted. He is mad at himself too for not doing much to make everything easy for her. But he cannot say things that would indirectly question her capabilities of being the person with so much power and authority.

Lieutenant Commander Jung of the 14th Special Mission battalion, First in command of the Elite Regiment of the battalion, Soldier of the Royal Force.