A Hot Mess, Eun-Sang & Young-Do, All I Ever Wanted, (the conversation after he postures for her)
The knock on the door was tentative but Eun-Sang startled anyway.Ā āItās just me,ā Young-Do said and she let out a low breath.Ā āCan I come in?ā
āYes.ā She had to clear her throat. He had a tray with him and she almost laughed but it was too bitter. He made tea when he was anxious and then insisted on offering it to everyone around him. She asked him about it once and he just said living in a home with three, strong women needed good tea.Ā
Young-Do set the tray on the bed and knelt down at the end opposite her to add milk, honey, and some lemon. She watched his hands and justā¦ached.
āI thought you gave up on us,ā she whispered.Ā āWhat you did todayā¦thatās not giving up.ā
āIām sorry. He scared you again. Iāve been tryingā¦ā Young-Do didnāt look up from the tea and he briefly closed his eyes.Ā āHe doesnāt understand why we canāt be together.ā
āThatās something we have in common.ā She bowed her forehead to her knees and wished she had more courage. Today stripped her careful control over her emotions and she could feel it filling up the space between them.Ā āI talked to Ji-Hyukās wolf plenty of times. He didnāt scare me.ā
āHeās not an Alpha wolf,ā Young-Do said after a minute.Ā āHeās younger and not in the line of succession. His wolf isnāt like mine. I donāt like it, Eun-Sang. I donāt like smelling your fear and knowing Iām the source of it. But I also donāt enjoy smelling your happiness and knowing itās because of another man. Todayā¦ā
āI wasnāt in any danger. It was daylight. I was with the pack. I wasā¦ā She almost started laughing hysterically. āI was near you. I wish you could smell how I feel safe near you. You couldāve continued toā¦do what you think is best for me but now I know that you know the truth. Iām your true mate.ā
He made a quiet rumble that she knewĀ meant he was pleased with her declaration. She caught the red glint to his eyes and suspected they werenāt alone.
āSo what do we do now?ā Eun-Sang curled her toes into the bedspread and tried to be brave. If she wanted to stay in this territory, if she wanted to stop being sad, if she wantedā¦himā¦she needed to do something.Ā āI canāt go back to being ignored by you. Not after that display. But I know we canāt go back to what we were. Not after the way you abandoned me.ā
āWe could be friends.ā He choked on it and she watched him swallow whatever his wolf wanted to say. His next words were through clenched teeth.Ā āI was wrong to leave without explaining myself or talking to you. We canāt go back to being mates. Not after everything.ā
āIs that what you want? Is that what he wants? To be friends?ā
āNo,ā he whispered.Ā āI want you to be safe. He wants to make love to you tonight. Heā¦he didnāt want me to leave. He refused to move on.ā
Fuck. Making love to him sounded good. She missed making love to him. Being with Ji-Hyuk was enjoyable but it didnāt compared to how complete she felt with Young-Do behind her.
āThat isnāt a good idea. Being friendsā¦ā Eun-Sang drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out.Ā āI just miss you. I miss walking home with you. I miss testing out recipes on you. I miss sleeping beside you. But I am anxious around him. Iām not afraid of him. He saved me from prowlers twice now. But heās a stranger to me. If we are going to be friends, you canāt run away because what I want is at odds with how I feel. Age-mates donāt abandon each other.ā
Young-Do was silent for an agonizing minute. The red glinted on his eyes again.Ā āAlright. We can be age-mates.ā