Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 71 **

Maya

I've spent most of the day napping, but the basement drops in temperature as it gets later. I shudder at the cold and drag my palms over my legs, hoping to warm them. Werewolves are always warm, but I will remain a weak human as long as Arvin has my wolf.

Uncontrolled teeth chattering makes these weird, embarrassing sounds leave my lips, gaining the male fairy's attention. My new friend has been sleeping on the other side of the room, but he is studying me with vast curiosity right now.

"I'm alright," I tell him. "It's cold, is all, but I'm used to it."

The man doesn't look convinced. He lifts a skeptical eyebrow, and once I shake like a poor leaf, he gets up on his feet. Old oil lamps light up the basement, and I freeze upon having the man's shadow cast darkness over me.

Flashbacks from the times Arvin has taken me by force by using his strength enter my mind. I hear my pathetic screams inside my head and try not to fall into a panic attack. My heart is beating so hard it feels like there are knives in my chest.

"No-no-no!" I blurt out. "I'm fine! Please don't come here!"

The fairy tilts his head, and then he slumps down next to me. We are inches apart, and my mind is racing.

"I-I'm freaking out..."

I've done nothing but throw rocks at the wall and talk about fresh foods with my roommate the entire day. We were bonding, and I thought of him as cool, but right now, logic won't reach my head since fear has already taken over.

My skin is cold, but a pleasant warmth spreads over my shoulder when the fairy places his hand on me. He gently traces circles, and yet I don't dare to face him. I shut my eyes close and shriek when I'm lifted from my spot on the floor.

"W-What are you doing?!"

I'm placed somewhere warm, probably in his lap, while his arms wrap around me. I can feel his strong heartbeat behind me, pounding against my back. His chest is like a towering wall, and when I experience the weight of his chin on my head, I blink life into my eyes.

The man is sitting behind me, absolutely dwarfing my tinier body as I sit on his folded legs. I can't believe part of me is excited over the proximity—stupid hormones.

"I don't remember saying yes to this..." I mumble and find it unbelievably irritating that I'm now warm and content.

A soundless chuckle, only air, makes me vibrate while in my friend's embrace, and then a hoarse voice, so weak that it could be mistaken for the wind, speaks into my ear.

"I wouldn't dream of disrespecting you, but you were seriously going to freeze to death."

I gasp, shocked that my friend knows how to talk. And honestly, I didn't expect him to sound so confident.

Pushing my thoughts aside, I force out words despite being stunned. "Is the serum wearing off?"

"I guess... Are you disappointed? Did you like me better as a mute?"

The vulnerability in his two questions is confusing, considering I didn't even assume the fairy liked me very much. Though, judging from the speed of his heart, he might be nervous.

"No, I'm just..." I hesitate briefly, then decide to pour my heart out since it won't kill me. "I'm just being silly. Hearing you talk makes the situation scarier for me. As you know, men frighten me, especially the kind with nothing nice to say. But I realize I'm dumb for thinking that. Not every man is the same."

"You're not dumb, and I will not hurt you, Maya. You seem like a good person." The fairy says in a kind voice. I notice he also smells very nice, which is helping with my fear. "How about I give you a proper introduction—will that help you judge as not scary?"

I laugh at the sudden playful tone in his voice. "You can try?"

"Alright." He chuckles. "My name is Finn. I'm not sure how old I am in human years, possibly in my later twenties? Anyway, I live in a magical forest, and my favorite food is hum-... Uh, apples."

"You were going to say humans, weren't you?"

Finn snorts. "Maybe."

When I shudder at his answer, he speaks again, probably worried that I'm now even more afraid of him. And I probably should be—the man eats my kind for dinner, and yet I'm calmer after hearing him speak.

Also, I have this weird sense of déjà vu, like I've heard the name Finn mentioned somewhere before.

"I can eat other things, but lately, I've had these annoying people attacking me out of nowhere, and I might have eaten a few of them, which triggered my instincts. Fairies hunt humans where I come from, but I've always found it hard to devour them because..."

Why did he stop talking after things got interesting?

"Because what?" I ask impatiently.

"Nothing..." Finn sounds anxious. "I'm rambling, and I don't think I'm making things better."

I laugh. "As weird as it sounds, I'm calming down."

Finn hugs me tighter to him and then does something weird—he inhales the scent of my neck, which causes a row of shivers. I'm not entirely comfortable, but luckily, Finn realizes his mistake.

"Oh, shit!" Finn inaudibly curses. "I'm sorry, Maya! I didn't mean to do that, but fairies are very physical beings, and I don't have any friends in my world."

"It's okay..." My head is spinning. Meanwhile, my traitorous heart is skipping rope, celebrating the fact that a man who looks like a living daydream is giving me more male attention than I've ever had.

"Great!" Finn says, and then he nudges me with his nose, pressing me to his sculpted chest like I'm his lover. And although his arms are large, he is gentle with me. Jesus Christ, how do I keep myself from liking him? I'm melting in his lap! "I love hugs."