"I pick her." 

 

Sehun's voice echoed in the room. Everyone's eyes widened. 

 

"Um, Prince Sehun are you sure about your choice? We have many other more lovely, beautiful women than her. Look at-" the mistress was cut off. 

 

"Are you deaf? I didn't ask you to give me any recommendations, I told her I want her," Sehun's cold voice made the mistress flinch. 

 

"Ah, yes of course, your highness," the mistress said before looking at her. "Come on, Sumin, and introduce yourself," the mistress said harshly at her. 

 

Sumin threw the mistress an irritated glare and held out her frail, skeletal hand. 

 

"Hi, I'm Sumin" she said waving coolly.

 

The mistress gasped and quickly slapped Sumin's pale cheek instinctively. 

 

"How dare you use such informal tone to the crown prince!" the mistress yelled, unaware of Prince Sehun's disapproving glare. 

 

"Please don't speak to her like that, and I would like you to refrain from touching MY bride," Prince Sehun's voice became dangerously calm, but sharp. 

 

The mistress's eyes widened. "Are you sure you would want to marry her? She has poor manners, uneducated, bad-tempered-" 

 

"I already made my decision so you may leave. And NEVER cross my path again," Sehun said the last part bitterly. 

 

"Of course," the mistress bowed her head shamefully. "I will collect her anytime when you change your mind." 

 

"There will be no need for that," Sehun said as the mistress and the other girls left the room. 

 

Sehun turned his attention to the weak and frail girl who had a hand mark left on her cheek from the mistress's slap. Sehun walked toward Sumin, and stopped to gently to trace the hand mark on Sumin's face. 

 

"Such soft skin," Sehun mumbled, caressing her cheek with his thumb. 

 

Sumin stiffened at his actions, and Sehun noticed this. 

 

"Does it hurt?" Sehun asked softly as his eyes softened. 

 

"Kind of," Sumin said.

 

"Follow me," Sehun said as he lightly pulled her arm, leading her through several staircases and hallways which Sumin lost count of. After a while, they stopped in front of a door that had a large lock on it. Sehun fished out a key from his pocket and opened the heavy lock. 

 

The room was bigger than the parlor they had been in moments before. It was simple, yet elegant in every way. There was an enormous bed in the middle of the room, a couch with a clear coffee table, a mahogany desk with an brown leather chairs and mahogany bookshelf to match it, a flat screen tv, a separate bathroom, and a walk-in closet. 

 

Sehun lead Sumin on the couch, and walked over to the desk. Sehun opened a drawer and took out a tube of ointment. 

 

Sumin had never seen ointment before, so she pointed to the object Sehun was opening. 

 

"What's that?" she asked. 

 

"It's ointment. It helps heal your pain," Sehun answered while squeezing some ointment out on his palm. 

 

Sumin furrowed her brows, not understanding. "How does it do that?"

 

Sehun only chuckled at her curiosity. "Come over here." He patted the seat next to him with his non-ointment covered hand. 

 

As soon as Sumin sat down next to him, he gently grabbed her face and applied ointment on her cheek - the one the mistress slapped.

 

"It tickles," Sumin giggled. 

 

"Hold still, I can't help heal your cheek if you keep moving," Sehun snapped, not intending to sound angry. 

 

"Sorry," Sumin lowered her voice and sat still. 

 

As Sehun finished applying the ointment, he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. Then his eyes softened once again. 

 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry at you," Sehun's voice quivered as he hung his head like a child caught stealing a cookie. 

 

Sumin eyes softened and she reached out to hold his hand. As her fingers entwined with his, she felt a spark. They both stiffened at the physical contact and she quickly drew her hands back. But Sehun was quicker. He grabbed both of her hands and entwined his fingers with her left hand, once again feeling the spark. 

 

"I don't want to let go of your hand," Sehun whispered softly. 

 

Sumin smiled and entwined her fingers with his. 

 

That was the first day of the werewolf prince and his mate.