The Beloved in Malibu

Damn, his dark aura is so strong.

I took two steps back. My smile was obviously fake. Desperately trying to cover my head was futile. Sergey was very adept at pulling back the curtain in my head and could easily read my thoughts.

"Sol?" The man asked in an icy tone.

I swallowed. This was what I didn't like about Sergey. While many other werewolves in the clan adored him, to me Sergey was more like a monster in a very handsome human form.

If I had to choose, I wouldn't want to meet him at all. Oops, stop my stupid brain! Don't think and talk too much! Sergey would know what's going on in your head!

"Who is he?"

Sergey's cold tone made me shrink. I was getting uncomfortable standing on the sidewalk like this. Damn it, there was no one near me.

And why didn't Sol follow me earlier? God, I didn't know whether it was best to walk alone or to get caught with Sol.

"He's my new neighbor." I replied in a frightened squeaking tone.

Sergey walked over. I swore under my breath as my back hit the cold wall of the boutique building.

Damn. I had no opening to escape.

"Just a neighbor?" Sergey asked again.

I ventured to speak. "Of course. He also happens to go to my school."

"Then change schools."

I felt my eyes widen. Quickly, my mouth spoke without filtering.

"Sergey, I've only been here for two months. How can I just transfer again?" I tried to persuade him.

I had to speak carefully. Sergey was the alpha of our group. He was the leader of the Moon Clan. He didn't have a temper, but his regal aura often intimidated me.

Besides, for as long as I can remember, no one has ever dared to refuse Sergey's wishes. His word was law in our group.

"I don't like my girlfriend getting too close to other men."

I grimaced. His words were intimidating. It was as if I hadn't been given a chance to defend myself.

Which, by the way, I would never be able to do. Defending myself is what I mean. Because what Sergey said was one hundred percent valid.

I was already considered his lover.

Remember that, please. Already regarded as her lover. By him. Not by me.

Because well, I haven't gotten any sign of Sergey being my mate. Even though in my world full of wolf scent, one werewolf is only destined for one other werewolf.

"He won't come near me." I tried to offer comfort. I put on as casual an expression as possible, even though my heart was racing.

"Sol and I are just friends. He's my new neighbor and goes to the same school as me."

Sergey's dark eyes looked back. I didn't dare follow the direction of his gaze. Even so, I hoped that what Sergey was looking at was not Sol.

"I swear to you, Sergey. There's nothing between me and Sol." I tried to get Sergey's attention again.

The man gave a low growl. He suddenly grabbed my hand and brought it to his nose.

I stood miserably as Sergey sniffed all over my hand in a public place. Okay, I love watching the exhibition of intimacy from the actors and actresses of the movies I watch. But when experiencing it myself, it feels very strange and awkward.

"Ser-Sergey ...." I tried to pull my hand away.

However, Sergey didn't let me go. Instead, he grabbed me and half-dragged me towards the nearest water fountain. He brutally showered my hands and then wiped them with a wet tissue afterwards. Not forgetting to spray it with perfume.

"Sergey." I widened my eyes. My clan leader's reaction was a bit much.

"I don't like the smell left on your body." Sergey reasoned.

I rolled my eyes. "He did grab my hand earlier. But that was because he was trying to stop me from skipping class."

Sergey didn't care. Now he was holding me intimately.

Don't think this is a sweet and gentle partnership. Sergey is notoriously cold and cruel. His touch on me also tended to be rough.

However, I didn't dare refuse. Sergey had already proven his fighting prowess. Tearing out an enemy's neck in one fell swoop was a common occurrence.

I didn't want to be his next victim just because I refused to take Sergey's hand. So, here we are now. Walking together down the Malibu sidewalk past building after building of grand and luxurious homes.

"When can I marry you, Lei?"

I froze. Even though I kept walking, my back was suddenly as stiff as a hardwood plank.

"I can't wait to make you my wife. We'll lead the Moon Clan together and make it even bigger with our children."

My cheeks felt hot. Images of our children roaming the Alaskan forest danced in my mind.

I still wanted to be free. I didn't want to be trapped too quickly in the responsible institution of werewolf marriage.

Being a wife is hard, especially the wife of a clan leader. Many women would willingly give themselves up to Sergey. Unfortunately, I didn't belong to one of those groups of women.

"I still want to go to school, Sergey."

The man's steps stopped. I automatically stopped walking too.

"How old are you really?"

I grimaced. "By wolf count, I'm almost twenty five."

"And you still want to go to school?" Sergey snorted in disbelief.

"You've graduated from school so many times. Don't make so many excuses just to reject me, Lei."

"Sergey, I'm not rejecting you. I'm just... just ...."

"Just what?"

I let out a long breath. I had been silent all this time. However, Sergey should have been able to read what I was thinking.

It's not about school per se. I want to work first. Make a career as a great woman. Achieve my existence first. And that can't be done by being Sergey's wife.

"Can... can we not talk about this right now?" I asked softly.

"Why, Lei? I've been waiting for you for years. How much longer do I have to wait?"

I didn't know how to answer that question. All this time I had survived being stuck with Sergey because he loved me.

Well, at least that's what Sergey told people. He loved me and was willing to wait until I was ready to become his wife.

That reason was often ridiculed behind Sergey's back. The image of an all-powerful alpha, the leader of one of the greatest werewolf clans, having killed many enemies, was in fact powerless before a weak luna like me.

"Why... why don't we just have lunch? Chat as usual. Tell me what you did before coming to this town."

I grabbed his arm. Pretending to like Sergey was a tough test for me. But it was something I had to do to avoid ending up with my body torn to shreds on the edge of the city.

Sergey understood that I was changing the subject. He looked at me for a few moments. Then, without saying much, he took me to a restaurant down the block.

Sergey's appearance attracted many pairs of eyes on the street. People who happened to pass us on the sidewalk openly glanced at Sergey.

Sergey's body was muscular. His black hair was neatly cut in the style of a military soldier. He had sharp eyes and full lips that rarely gave him a smile.

Sergey's good looks cannot be surpassed by mere mortals. The only ones who can match the typical good looks of us alpha werewolves are the immortal vampires.

So far I didn't mind the people who kept watching Sergey. At least it kept Sergey's attention away from me.

We entered a restaurant that served premium steaks. Sergey chose to sit in a hidden corner, away from people. For dietary reasons, he ordered a portion of raw meat steak with fresh blood still flowing. While I ordered the same menu, but with a level of doneness that my half-human, half-werewolf stomach could digest.

"I ran as fast as I could when one of the soldiers saw you in trouble."

I swirled the glass of red wine. I knew who the soldier was referring to. It was none other than a group of clan members assigned to keep an eye on me.

"Do you have work in Malibu?"

Sergey's answer also answered my surprise as to why he had shown up in town so quickly. Because if I remember correctly, the last time I spoke to him on the phone, he was in Washington taking care of one of his businesses.

"Yes, I need to explain to some officials here about the type of aircraft they can use to fight fires."

Sergey's business is in security services. It suited him as a true warrior. Sergey was destined to ensure the safety of clan members. It was not a difficult task when he expanded into securing the human world.

"We didn't inform me of that." I tried to cut the steak on the plate. Damn. It's so hard.

"Because I wanted to surprise you." Sergey took my plate and wordlessly cut the premium beef into small pieces. After making sure all the meat was bite-sized, he handed the plate back to me.

"And this is really a surprise." I chuckled. "I was so surprised when I saw you on the street earlier."

"Are you happy to see me?"

My smile slowly faded. The question was simple. But why was it so hard for my tongue to come up with an answer?

"Lei, are you happy to see me?"

I swallowed. I had to answer. God, please help me so Sergey can't read my mind.

"I'm ...."

"Lei, here you are! You left your bag at school!"

I gaped. What bag? My bag was here, attached to my back. Whose bag is it?