Max Really Like You

••• Arabella’s POV ••• [Alpha Shawn has never appeared in the hospital at all.] I sneered when I read the message from Marie on my laptop screen. So much for being ‘truly in love’ with each other. Shawn had never visited Abigail, as if he didn't give a damn about her at all, and they expected everyone to believe they were truly in love with each other? What a joke… During the days when I pretended to be sick, I still contacted my assistant, and today was no exception. Marie said that she had placed someone to monitor Abigail secretly. Thank Goddess, she didn't miscarry, but her body was very weak, and she still needed to stay in the hospital to recuperate. I typed a question to her. [Did Lina go to visit her again?] Her answer came a few seconds later. [She did. Recently, she always goes to the hospital to accompany. The conversation between them is normal… Nothing strange at all.] I frowned as I read her reply. That didn't seem normal… Another message popped up again. [As for everyone in the office… We have unanimously agreed in saying that the incident was an accident.] We did agree, but the media was divided into two. [The reporters are still trying to interview Lina, but they are all kept out of the hospital by the bodyguards on the ground that the patient needs to recuperate.] I was lost in thought, looking at Marie’s messages on my laptop screen, when suddenly it was covered by a file. I frowned and looked up to see it was Max who had covered my laptop screen. He seemed a bit disgruntled as he told me, “Don't get too caught up in your work, Arra. Get some rest.” Then he circled the table and came to my side. Leaning down, he circled an arm around my waist and pulled me closer; his handsome face came closer to me as he seemed to want to kiss me. I pushed him away and told him with irritation, “Max, I’m not in a good mood right now. I’m worried that my career would be damaged.” Seemingly sensing that I was not too happy, he straightened up and suddenly offered, “Arra, let’s go tour a new building I’ve just purchased.” He had just purchased a new building? Oh well, since he offered it and seeing that there was nothing urgent to be done right now, I agreed to his suggestion. In the car, Max casually brought up our earlier conversation. “Arra, I’m hurt by your unwillingness to be with me,” he said calmly. I looked at him and assured him, “I could share the same workspace with you if you could control your desires during work hours.” Since I didn't go to my office, we tried to work in the same space, but he just couldn't control himself. On our first day together, we spent most of the time fucking instead of working. The subsequent days were spent more or less the same way. How did he expect me to want to share a workspace with him if, in the end, we ended up not taking care of our business matters but doing another type of ‘work’? “I have to admit, before meeting you, I wasn't interested in having any romantic relationship or even… physical ones for that matter,” he said awkwardly, which kind of surprised me. Not interested in having any physical relationship? Did it mean he seldom had sex with other she-wolves? “More like he had never had any sexual relationship with other she-wolves,” Iris suddenly spoke in my mind. Whatttt?! “Are you saying… Max was a virgin?” I asked her in disbelief and shock. “Pretty sure that was the case,” she replied. I couldn't contain my curiosity anymore and asked, “Max, are you… Were you also a virgin when we met?” He glanced at me for a second before focusing on the road again. I thought he wasn't going to answer, but then he said, “Yes, I was a virgin when we met. You are my first woman, Arra. In every sense.” My heart leaped with joy as I heard his reply. I was his first! But my happiness only lasted for a second before it turned into sadness since I knew I might not be his last… I quickly masked my feelings, but as though he could sense my sadness, he wrapped my hand in his and spoke again. “Arra, despite our less-than-pleasant first encounter and our unconventional start as contracted mated, I consider myself lucky to have someone as perfect as you to share my life with,” he said while still focusing his gaze on the road. Perfect? My sadness turned into joy again. “I really hope that our contract will never end…” continued and added, “If I were willing.” Hearing his unexpected confession made my heart race. For the first time, I felt his vulnerability, and truthfully, I felt the same way. I didn't want to leave him, but I was afraid to say it out loud. Before I could respond, the car stopped, and we arrived at the office building. He got out of the car and opened the car door for me. “Arra…” he called my name softly as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “You don't need to worry about your career.” “What do you mean?” I asked and narrowed my eyes at him. Was he trying to tell me I shouldn't work? If that was what he wanted, then I didn't want to continue our relationship. I was the same as my Mom - we preferred to have our own careers, and our mates shouldn't dictate what we should or shouldn't do. “What’s in this little head of yours?” Max flicked my temple, making me glare at him. He chuckled and placed a kiss on the spot he had just flicked. “Arra, this building…” he gestured to the office building in front of us. “I bought this building for you.” I gaped at him. “You can start building your company at any time, even if your current career is destroyed,” he said gently to me. Looking at the massive structure in front of me, I took in a sharp. He bought this building for me?! “Ari… Max really likes you… He might even love you, seeing how much he spoilt you,” Iris purred in my head. “Do you think so?” I asked her, even though I already knew the answer in my heart. “Will he buy you a freakin building if he doesn't like you?” Iris nearly snapped at me. “I’m just-” “I know. You are thinking of his fated mate. That’s why you are scared of depending on him and opening your heart to him,” Iris sighed. “If his curse is about him not finding his fated mate, then I wouldn't be in this dilemma...” I told her helplessly. I knew I sounded selfish for somehow wishing he was cursed for not being able to find his fated mate. But unfortunately, his curse was not about that. He was cursed to die and be slow in realizing who his fated mate was. “Why don't you just accept him, Ari?” Iris asked. “Maybe he won't find his mate. And if he finds her, he could reject her since he likes you.” “Iris, how could you say that?” It was unbelievable how my wolf was even more selfish than me. “Your mom rejected her mates, and even you rejected Shawn!” she defended herself. “That’s because they are bad!” I was exasperated by her. “What if Max’s fated mate is not a bad she-wolf? What if Max’s mate is someone who’s been longing for a matebond too?” “Furthermore, you are a wolf, and we feel the matebonds because you wolves are a part of us,” I continued scolding her. “How will you feel if we meet our mate and he already has a chosen mate? How will you feel if our mate rejects us because of his chosen mate?” That shut her up. Of course, she knew how painful it would be to be rejected by our fated mates. the matebonds between werewolves were undeniably stronger than falling in love in human ways. “Please don't say things like that anymore, Iris. I know you mean well, but we can't do that to Max or his fated mate,” I told her. “But he might not find her…” she said in a small voice and added, “Can't you stop thinking of his fated mate, Ari?” I wished I could. If he had no fated mate, then I would gladly be his chosen mate. “Usually, we meet our fated mates before we turn twenty-five. I think Max has no fated mate,” Iris still tried to persuade me to accept Max. “Enough about this, Iris. We shouldn't hurt others because of our selfishness,” I told her and put a wall between us. Looking at the building again, I felt my heart stirred. Max was really good to me; how could it not move me? I opened my mouth to thank him; without him, I might not have been able to continue my career. However, Max held my hand, stopping me from saying what I intended. “I don't need your words of thanks, Arra,” he said and indicated that he wanted me to express my gratitude in a different way.