Rein's POV:
I kept quiet, not knowing how to respond. I was still processing the fact that I was almost raped. If Rohan hadn't entered, my purity, which I had kept for so long, would have been taken from me. I couldn't help but feel disgusted remembering that bastard caressing my skin and the sickening kiss he planted on me.
I felt like scrubbing my entire body just to erase the memory.
"Are you okay?" Rohan asked.
I raised my head, meeting his caring eyes. Something tugged at me, and before I could think twice, I burst into tears again.
"Come here," he said, taking a seat on my bed. He carried me onto his lap.
Normally, I would have protested, but not this time. I sobbed intensely without pausing for breath, his hand doing some sort of magic as he caressed my head.
"I never knew you were such a crybaby," Rohan said with a deep chuckle, his voice filled with amusement.
Heat rushed to my cheeks, blooming into a blush I couldn't hide or control. I quickly buried my face in his chest, hoping he wouldn't notice how flustered I was. His laughter wasn't wicked—if anything, it was teasing—but it still made me feel embarrassed. I hated feeling exposed and vulnerable in front of him.
His chest vibrated with laughter, the sound rich and oddly comforting. I could feel his gaze on me—maybe a little concerned behind the teasing tone. But I kept my face hidden, trying to stop the tears so I could regain some dignity.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
I was about to say no when my stomach betrayed me with a loud grumble. He chuckled, then adjusted slightly and pressed a button on the bedpost I hadn't noticed before. A few minutes later, some maids dragged in a cart filled with delicacies that made my mouth water.
I stared at the food like it would vanish if I so much as blinked. The aroma filled the room. My stomach growled again—louder this time.
"I can see you're really hungry," he said, setting me properly on the bed.
The maids arranged the food on the stool and adjusted it before bowing and leaving.
Rohan smirked. "Eat."
I wiped the corners of my eyes. "I can eat by myself."
"I didn't ask if you could," he said, already taking a scoop of soup. "Say ah."
"I'm not disabled," I muttered, turning my face away, trying to hold on to what little pride I had left.
"Fine," he said, dropping the spoon like it didn't matter. "I guess I'll just have to call Fred to spoon-feed you. Maybe you'd prefer that?"
"You wouldn't dare." I shot him a look. I wasn't scared, exactly, but thinking about that scary man feeding me gave me chills.
His grin widened at the fear on my face. "Try me."
Another spoonful approached, and this time, I didn't move. Hesitating slightly, I opened my mouth and let him feed me.
One bite.
Then another.
I was so engrossed in finally filling my stomach that I stopped resisting.
"Who would've known you're a crybaby with a big appetite," he said, teasing again.
"Stop talking and feed me," I ordered, my cheeks warm as I chewed stubbornly.
"Do you know you're adorable when you chew like that?" he said, still feeding me with that annoying smile.
I rolled my eyes, trying to look annoyed, but I failed. He fed me gently. His movements were careful, as if afraid to hurt me. I wasn't used to this—laughter and care. In my former life, I was an orphan without parents. When I died, I knew there was no one to mourn me. I hated how safe I felt in his presence, especially when I had plans to escape this mansion.
I must not get attached to anyone here.
After I was full and done eating, he stood and dusted the crumbs off his trousers. "I should go. You need to rest."
Panic spiked in my chest before I could think twice. My fingers moved on their own, clutching the hem of his shirt like a child who didn't want to be left alone.
He paused.
Neither of us spoke.
He looked down at my hand, then met my eyes. We stared at each other for a few seconds, as if having a silent conversation. No teasing smirk this time. Just a knowing look, like he understood the storm inside me.
Without a word, he turned back, pulled his boots off, and laid beside me.
I blushed in embarrassment at my behavior.
It wasn't intimate.
It wasn't weird.
It was just... what should I call it?
Warm.
I awkwardly grabbed a pillow and placed it between us, earning a low, deep chuckle from him.
"Really?"
"I have my boundaries," I muttered, avoiding his gaze.
"Yes, Princess," he replied in a mocking tone, stretching out with a satisfied sigh. "Whatever helps you sleep."
Even with the pillow as a barrier, I could feel the heat radiating from his body, the steady rhythm of his breathing, and his occasional movement. Yet instead of fear, it gave me comfort. I didn't even realize when my eyes fluttered shut, lulled by his presence.
---
The next morning
Sunlight from the open curtain cast a golden hue across the bed. I blinked, trying to adjust to the light.
Then I noticed it.
The bed beside me was empty.
Rohan was gone.
I sat up slowly, staring at the pillow where he had laid his head. It still held his scent—the scent of bubble gum, which was weird for a man—and I touched it with hesitant fingers. Something strange echoed in my heart.
Did I really cry in his arms?
Did I let him feed me?
And the most shameful part—did I beg him to stay with me?
I buried my face in the pillow, groaning. My cheeks burned. "Ahh… Rein, you idiot."
I didn't know what was more embarrassing—the crying or the fact that I clung to him like some dependent child.
I threw the cover off my lap and stepped onto the floor, only to notice a folded note sitting on the stool beside the tray.
I blinked, curiosity pushing me to pick it up.
> "Make sure you take your breakfast. Rest and do not cry today. If you do, I will start charging for emotional comfort, e.g., kisses. – Rohan."
I snorted, shaking my head. Of course it had to end with him flirting and teasing me.
There was a knock on the door. A maid entered, holding a clean gown and a bowl of warm water.
As she set it down, she added with a teasing gaze, "Master Rohan said we should bathe and pamper you today. He said you had a long and rough night."
The same stupid heat returned to my face, knowing the meaning behind her gaze. "Of course he did…" I muttered a thanks and hurried to the bathroom, relieved she didn't suggest bathing me.
As the water ran, I sank into the tub, letting the warmth comfort me. I scrubbed my skin a little harder than usual, trying to wash away the touches—but if I were being honest, I was trying to erase the feeling or traces of Rohan's touch.
It scared me—the way he comforted me.
They were supposed to be played by me so I could escape this mansion.
Who knew I would fall into this web of feelings?
It wasn't meant to happen.
Not here.
Especially not with the Alphas who bought me.
I leaned back, water sloshing gently around me.
But despite everything…
I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips.
He stayed.
Even if it was just for a moment.