Kibum was feeling much better after his encounter with the wolf. He was still confused as hell but the feeling of guilt has disappeared. After he met the wolf, the boy had to admit that he missed him. The sensation disappeared and it felt amazing. He was smiling the whole day when he remembered how the wolf joked with him – growling but pretending to be cute right after.

Was it even possible though? Could the wolf understand him and think on his own? Kibum has never met with reactions like these apart from his friend lynx. But that was different, right? Because Kibum has taught the carnivore all those things. So, does that mean that the wolf was taught as well? By someone close to him?

This thought weirdly made the veterinarian feel weird. His heart squeezed in his chest and he felt that he was frowning. He was… jealous?

What the hell?? Kibum groaned and rubbed his face. He couldn’t believe that he got jealous over something like that. Over an animal. Wasn’t it good that the animal was trained before? But if he was, shouldn’t he be more civil? How did someone teach him if he kept growling at people?

Maybe Kibum wasn’t as special as he gave himself credit for?

“Stop thinking about this, you idiot!” he scolded himself, startling people who were passing by him and gave him weird look.

He apologized but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was like it haunted his mind, telling him that the wolf already had someone special. Maybe he came to the city to look for that special someone and they were keeping him from it? Maybe he was nice to Kibum because he seemed to be willing to help?

Kibum wasn’t sure how to proceed in this situation. He was thinking about it all day until it was time to bring the wolf his meal. The boy decided that he had to try and ask the wolf questions. It seemed like he could answer to questions which were requiring answers yes and no.

“Why do I feel so nervous?” he mumbled softly and almost got a heart attack when Jinki appeared next to him.

“I’m asking the same, Key. I heard you finally got to tend to the wolf’s needs.” He spoke and Kibum groaned, massaging his heart.

“Hyung, I almost died. Why are you always listening to questions that are not meant for you?” he glared at the handsome man and then squinted his eyes, part of anger coming back to him when he remembered that the wolf wasn’t fed in a week and this boss let it happen. “Also.. how could you sleep soundly while knowing that the poor wolf was starving?”

Jinki, that idiot, only laughed softly and shook his head. “Told you that wolves can go on without food for a long time. And besides, wasn’t he your responsibility? Just like other animals?” the man tilted his head to the side and it was like a blow to Kibum.

He was right. Animals were his responsibility. “Yes, but I asked for a break and you said okay. Am I the only employee you have around here? If yes, why don’t you fire all the unnecessary staff since I do all the work?” Kibum was serious, unlike Jinki, who seemed surprised by the sudden annoyance in the younger man’s voice.

“Why are you so angry? He’s alright, isn’t he?”

“That’s beside the point here, boss. No animal should suffer starving just because one of the employees took a break.” Kibum said with sigh and ruffled his hair in frustration.

“He wasn’t starving. And don’t call me boss, it’s weird.” Jinki almost winced but it seemed like Kibum’s interest was piqued by his words.

“He wasn’t? Were you feeding him?”

Jinki rubbed the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly. “I love animals but I can’t feed them, I don’t know how, you know that.”

“So how can you say he wasn’t starving when I’m sure as hell that no one has given him food or water.” Kibum almost growled but there was something so odd in Jinki’s expression.

He looked really sure that the wolf wasn’t starving. But how could he know that if he hasn’t fed him and no one else didn’t either. There was something fishy but Kibum had no idea what it could be. Jinki has been weird about this particular wolf. It felt like he didn’t care what happens to him and the boy hated it. He knew the man as someone who was kindhearted and loved animals so what made him act differently for the wolf?

“Look. Let’s just say that if he didn’t need the food, he wasn’t starving. I really don’t know how to explain it other than this. Have you seen him? Did he look weak or something?” Jinki asked with sudden serious tilt in his voice and it surprised Kibum because if he looked back, the wolf didn’t look weak or starved, that was for sure.

Shaking his head right a way he huffed and rolled his eyes. “That’s a bull, hyung, and you know it. It doesn’t matter if he looked weak or not. That wolf hasn’t looked weak even when he was hurt and held down by ropes. If you look at it this way, I’m afraid that I was wrong about you all this time.” Kibum said lowly and tried to ignore the pain in the male’s eyes.

“Do you really think that? Because of that wolf, you think differently of me?” It was a clear challenge in his voice. As if he was making him say that he cared about that animal more than any other but Key didn’t take the bait.

“No, hyung, it’s not because of that wolf. It’s because of this mindset of yours. So what, if a cat doesn’t seem weak, it can’t be hungry? Do I ever look weak when I’m hungry? Being weak and hungry are two things. So, I hope you won’t let this happen ever again. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to feed a wolf.” He said calmly and took the bucket with meat, walking toward the cage.

“You will understand it soon. That’s why I’m not holding this against you, Key.” Jinki called out calmly before leaving.

Kibum huffed and shook his head. “What should I understand, you crazy man.” He mumbled but there was no venom in his voice.

The first thing Kibum noticed when he was close to the cage was the extraordinary scent in the air again. The boy was actually worried that his mind was playing tricks on him since Jay didn’t smell anything out of ordinary in the morning. But how was it possible that he could smell it then? Just like in his dream, the scent was so unique, so strong that it made his heart skip a beat. He sighed, shaking his head before walked up to the cage door.

The wolf was there, sitting and watching Kibum intently but the boy didn’t want to look up. He refused to get distracted and the feeling of the green eyed monster was making him ashamed. Because now that he was with the animal, the feeling came back with full force, making him bite his lip.

Their surroundings became dark, only one small lamp was lighting up the cage and Kibum shivered at the intimate feeling. PFT, intimate.. What even was intimate in being alone with a wolf? It should be terrifying, for God’s sake.

“Hey, buddy..” Kibum said but his voice shook at the ‘buddy’ because it felt so wrong to call the wolf like that.

And it seemed that the wolf thought so, too because he let out a sound akin snort. Kibum huffed and that as he closed the door behind himself and finally looked at the beautiful wolf. He was simply one of a kind. From his weird, green eyes to that soft yet strong fur.

“What? Now I can’t even call you that? So what- should I call you wolf?” Kibum asked and frustration was clear in his voice which made the canine tilt his head to the side curiously.

And honestly, it made Kibum even more frustrated. Why did this wolf bring so many emotions to him? Why did he make him feel like an idiot and ert? Why even now, standing so close to him, Kibum was not afraid of him?

When Kibum looked into the wolf’s eyes he felt like he wanted to say something. It looked like the wolf wanted to express himself but being an animal, it wasn’t possible. But what could he possibly want to say? That he disliked being called buddy? Or a wolf? It was all ridiculous.

“Nevermind. I brought food. I won’t.. leave you alone anymore. I mean, the deal is still on. Unless you try something funny, including your puppy eyes, I’m coming back. But I realized it was unfair of me to let you starve.” Kibum started talking while casually holding out a meat for the wolf.

The animal looked focused on his words first but then started eating, tearing the meat from the bone and really, Kibum wondered again why didn’t he feel disgusted or afraid that he will be his next meal. The boy watched him chew on the meat and suddenly squinted his eyes.

“Although, you know what? It was your own damn fault. If you weren’t growling at people, you would get your meals and water.” He said with glare aimed at the wolf who lifted up his green eyes to look at him.

The canine growled lowly as if grumbling but Kibum didn’t let it distract him. “Yeah, growl all you want but you know it’s true.” He huffed and sat slowly down while handing another meat to the hungry wolf.

There was a moment of silence when Kibum watched the wolf eat and the same questions came to his mind again.

“There is something wrong with me…” he mumbled, gaining wolf’s attention because the animal seemed to sense whenever his mood or voice would change. “I’ve been thinking about you whole day.” He admitted and his cheeks became slightly rosy under the predator’s green gaze. “You’re not a normal wolf..” he whispered and wolf’s ears perked up, beautiful eyes lighting up with something similar to hope. But WHY. Why would an animal be hopeful??

“But that’s the thing. You still are just a wolf. I shouldn’t think about you.” Kibum shook his head, baring his heart to the carnivore who haunted his mind but he averted his eyes because the way the wolf was looking at him was too much. “But you definitely understand what I’m saying and you answered me, too so…” Kibum breathed out, closing his eyes momentarily as if preparing himself for the answer before he looked up and got startled by the proximity of the wolf.

He was only two steps away from the boy and the scent that hit Kibum’s nose made him shiver. The wolf was holding back from coming closer, it was visible in the way his muscles contracted but he stayed back, not moving.

“Have you been trained by someone before?” Kibum whispered, biting his lip and he could swear the wolf’s eyes fell on his lips before he looked back up, trapping the boy in his gaze as he shook his head once, clearly showing he was not trained.

Kibum sighed in relief, his jealousy disappearing as quickly as it appeared and he didn’t have time to think about how weird and stupid it was. His mind was only supplying him one question.

“How do you do that then?” he asked lowly and this time he didn’t avert his eyes which seemingly surprised the wolf.

“How do you understand me and how come I understand you despite you being an animal?” he tempted the animal to answer although he knew it was impossible.

The canine’s eyes glowed for a moment and it looked like he was hesitating before he closed the distance between them and lowered his head to Kibum’s. The boy’s heart skipped a beat and the color in his cheeks intensified because being so close to the wolf made him feel so weird and yet so alive. It wasn’t the normal feeling of appreciating the beauty and it definitely wasn’t fear. Kibum knew this feeling although he has never felt it even toward a person. Not an animal.

Desire. What the boy felt in that moment was a desire. He had no idea what he desired to do but his heart was beating so fast he was afraid it would jump out of his ribcage. The wolf obviously heard it too and it seemed like he liked it. His green eyes started glowing and Kibum knew what was gonna happen. It has happened before and it scared him almost to death that time. But now, knowing what was going to happen, the poor boy was anticipating, not moving a muscle nor breathing out.

It seemed like it was all the wolf needed because the next moment his head leaned down to the boy’s neck just like before and when his cold, moist snout touched Kibum’s sensitive skin he let out a shaky breath. The moment felt even stronger because of the scent that was ‘abusing’ the boy’s nose. It was a scent he smelled everyday in his dream and he could literally feel it was coming out from the wolf’s fur. It was so weird and yet.. so satisfying. He longed for that scent and for those green eyes to look at him. He has been in denial all this time but he couldn’t deny the truth anymore. As sick as it was, Kibum longed for the wolf.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter