🎬 **She bought him for s EP | Engsub**
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#drama #romanticdrama #lovestory #romancedrama #SheBoughtHimFor #CinelatinoDrama
Enjoy this captivating drama that will keep you hooked from start to finish!
📖 **Story Highlights:**
• Emotional storyline filled with twists and turns
• Powerful performances and compelling characters
• Bite-sized drama episodes
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🔔 **Subscribe** for daily drama updates!
👍 **Like** if you enjoyed this video!
💬 **Comment** your thoughts below!
🔗 **Share** with fellow drama lovers!
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#drama #romanticdrama #lovestory #romancedrama #SheBoughtHimFor #CinelatinoDrama
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Short filmTranscript
00:00The premium service class wolf I bought didn't like me. He only wagged his tail for my adopted
00:04sister. So I brought home a low-class stress relief wolf instead. I was drunk sitting outside
00:10the bar and smoking to sober up. A street vendor crept over. Miss, you look totally stressed out.
00:16Need to let it all out? I've got a stress relief wolf. Good for unwinding. What? The dealer glanced
00:22around nervously. A wolf shifter stepped into the light. He stepped forward and his shadow fell
00:27across my face. The vendor yanked the rough collar and dragged him to one knee. He unclipped a rusted
00:31bite guard, then grabbed the wolf's hair and pulled his head back, exposing his face. His narrow eyes
00:36locked on me like a wild beast. Look at that face, miss. Wouldn't it feel good to smack something that
00:42pretty? He was exactly my type. And my doctor had said my stress hormones were out of control.
00:47I genuinely needed an outlet. But I already had a wolf at home. Ash would mind. Get up. Show her
00:53your build. The wolf stood slowly. He peeled off his shirt. I saw the bruises layered over bruises.
01:00High stamina. Heals fast. 2,000 for two hours of release. You can do whatever you want. Just
01:06don't slit his throat and drain his blood and he'll recover. Slit his throat? People's tastes
01:11had gotten that dark. Forget it. My wolf at home wouldn't let me touch him anyway. This one was cheap.
01:15Obedient sounded fine. How much to buy him outright? Not cheap. He's our best. Name your price.
01:21I'll give you a discount. Just 58,800. My parents spent millions on Ash. My premium
01:29service wolf gift. This one was practically free by comparison. Too much? Fine. Round it down.
01:3650 grand. I bought him for 5,000 in the end. I wasn't ready to go home yet. So I
01:41took him to a hotel.
01:43The vendor gave me a long list of warnings on the way out. Don't remove the bite guard until he's
01:49fully tamed. Keep the chains on. Both of them. In the hotel suite, Eli stood still in the entryway,
01:55eyes down, waiting for whatever came next. I came out of the shower wrapped in a robe,
02:00still not daring to take off his restraints yet. Go shower. He looked at me for a few seconds,
02:05then turned and walked into the bathroom. After a few minutes, I knocked. I left my phone in there.
02:11He hadn't locked the door. Eli froze his back to me. His pale skin made his scars all the more
02:17shocking. Water streamed down his shoulders along the rusted chains, washing away rust and dried blood.
02:22His tail hung low, trembling slightly. The fur was dull, brittle, wild, and fragile at the same time.
02:29My brain went offline. I crossed the room and hugged him from behind, pressed my lips to the bruising on
02:34his spine. Eli shuddered. His whole body went rigid. What are you doing? First time I'd heard his voice.
02:40Take it easy. That's not. Hmm? What is that? That's not how stress Rameef works.
02:45I've never done this before. Bear with me. I pushed him onto the bed. I kissed every bruise,
02:51one by one. He lay still and let me, his body tense the whole time. He didn't know how to
02:55respond.
02:56Then, at the crucial moment, he reached out and locked his hand around my waist.
03:00Are you sure? Yeah. I'm just a low-class wolf.
03:04My answer was to stop waiting. He let out a muffled sound and closed his eyes.
03:10Ash was my parents' apology. A premium, competition-grade service wolf. A compensation
03:15for the 18 years they lost me. I was 5 when I disappeared. 23 when they finally found me.
03:20When I came home, I found out my parents had already adopted a little girl, Emma. She'd been
03:26with them since she was a baby. She was 17 now. When I appeared, Emma fell apart.
03:30Get out! I'm their real daughter! Why are you here taking my parents? This is my home! Get out!
03:39She screamed and sobbed and threw everything she could reach at me. Don't cry. You'll always be
03:45our daughter. Zoe coming back doesn't change how much we love you. Emma's been spoiled. You're 6 years
03:53older. Just try to be patient with her. I should have been devastated, but I was 23. I survived those
03:59lonely years craving my parents. Now I was in the phase of desperately needing money. I let my eyes
04:05well up, looked down. I understand, Dad. Playing vulnerable worked. The monthly allowance they
04:10wired me kept going up. Morning. I had my cheek pressed against Eli's arm. My best friend Lily texted
04:18me. Where are you? Did you do your usual disappearing act and go home alone again? No, I bought a
04:24new
04:24stress relief wolf last night. Been busy. Zoe, what is wrong with you? I know you're upset that your wolf
04:30at home ignores you, but you can't just go buy a punching bag. You couldn't bring yourself to hit the
04:35expensive one, so you went out and bought a cheap one to beat up? I would report you if you
04:40weren't my
04:41best friend. I am appalled. I didn't hit him. Why would I hit a dog? Then how did you unwind
04:48the way
04:48we both stopped typing? Then she sent me a long message explaining everything. Stress relief wolves
04:55were illegal. Traffickers stole young shifters or bought low-class ones cheap. Then they tortured
05:00and filtered them, keeping only those with strong bodies and fast healing. Some became living punching
05:06bags for paying clients. Others ended up in underground fight rings, death matches. Even after
05:11rescue, these wolves were considered feral and untamable. Official shelters offered them for free
05:16adoption. The ones no one took. Euthanized. I know where he lives, if you regret it. I startled,
05:27quickly darkened my screen and turned over. He runs with a crew. They probably won't give you the
05:36money back. But if I catch him alone, I might be able to. I don't regret it, as long as
05:43you behave.
05:44Only listen to me. Nobody else. Okay. There were a few faint scars along the fur of his ears. I
05:51couldn't help it. I reached out to touch them. His ears snapped back instantly. He flinched away.
05:57This one wouldn't let me touch his ears, either. Sorry. Force of habit.
06:04You can touch them now.
06:07If you still want to. I didn't hesitate. I swung up and sat across his waist, braced my hands on
06:12his
06:13chest and squeezed his ears between my fingers. Eli's breathing deepened. His whole body got warmer.
06:18He tipped his head back, eyes half-lidded, watching me. Can we do it again?
06:25We didn't go straight home. I took Eli to a shifter clinic first. The doctor said his healing
06:30ability was excellent. The bruising wasn't a concern, but severe malnutrition. He needed
06:35long-term supplementation. The total for all the supplements cost more than I'd paid for him.
06:39I don't need it. I can eat anything. Don't spend the money. I won't die.
06:44This amount was what Ash burned through on snacks every month.
06:46It's fine. Do you like these?
06:49I held out a new collar and bite guard in front of him. Slim black metal collar. Custom black bite
06:55guard to match. I hadn't wanted him to keep wearing restraints, but the doctor was firm.
06:59Don't let a feral wolf's looks fool you. He could take out your throat in one bite.
07:04So I'd picked the most comfortable version I could find. When the doctor removed the old
07:08bite guard, he held it up to the light. Fight ring or stress relief. Before this, I mean.
07:15Both. Figured. Look at these bite marks. He did this to himself when the pain got too bad.
07:22Those are from last night. I went very still. In the ring? No. He looked at my back.
07:27From when I was being used. We got home past midnight. Mom and dad were already asleep.
07:32Ash was probably in Emma's room, as usual. Come in.
07:38He hadn't moved. He was staring at something on the floor. I bent down and picked it up.
07:43This is Ash's.
07:46On my first birthday in this house, mom and dad had given me Ash. Zoe's too quiet. We thought having
07:52a
07:52companion might open her up. Back then, Ash hadn't shifted yet. Just a small black wolf pup.
07:57Why does she get one and I don't? You said you wouldn't pick favorites. He's mine.
08:03Why? She snatched the puppy and ran out. Didn't come back. My birthday dinner was ruined. My birthday
08:09present was gone. Mom and dad were a mess for days. I cried too. I'm so sorry. I made her
08:16leave. It's
08:17my fault. 12 days later, one girl and one scruffy wolf pup appeared at the front door. Mom, dad,
08:23I'm so hungry. I was wrong. I'm never running again. Mom and dad rushed out and all three of
08:30them sobbed together on the doorstep. When they finally looked up, mom's face went guilty the
08:34instant she saw me standing there. Mom, you hit me? Do you know what the last 12 days were like?
08:41I just got back and you ever think about what your sister's last 18 years were like?
08:47If you ever make Zoe feel unwelcome in this house again, don't call me mom. After that,
08:53Emma stopped coming after me openly. She gave Ash back a few weeks later. Not long after that,
08:58he shifted dark curls, soft downturned eyes. He tilted his head at me and said his first shifted word.
09:05E. I'm Emma. You remember me. You remember me.
09:14Of course, I remember everything about Emma. Mom and dad sighed and put an arm around me.
09:20It took weeks of trying before Ash reluctantly accepted that I was his owner. But he refused to
09:25wag his tail for me. Refused to let me touch his ears. Never waited by the door for me. He
09:31only
09:31reacted to Emma's footsteps. He only waited for her. I watched them every time. I told myself I
09:37didn't really care. Because Ash's monthly expenses came out of the account in my name. And mom and dad's
09:42quiet guilt kept filling that same account. But lately, I'd been breaking out. Stress hormones,
09:47the doctor said. Ash wouldn't touch me. Eli had shown up at exactly the right moment. I had no
09:52reason to say no. Sleep with me tonight? I'll take you shopping for clothes. Will he mind? Who? Ash.
10:01Wolves are territorial. He doesn't like sleeping with me. It's fine. Do you need it again tonight?
10:07Need what? Stress relief. I do. But my legs are killing me. I have good stamina. You can just lie
10:12there. That's very considerate of you. It's nothing. In the morning, I stepped out of my
10:18room at the exact same time as Ash. Zoe, why were you talking in your sleep last night? All those
10:23little sounds, it was loud. Sorry. I'll keep it down. Were you having a nightmare? I thought I
10:28heard you crying. I was having the time of my life. If you ever have a nightmare, you can-
10:33Ash, I can't find my slippers. Don't walk around barefoot. He stepped right past me and went into
10:38Emma's room. How did your slippers end up in the living room if you were in your room?
10:42Because you carried me to bed last night and forgot to bring them. He sat her on his knee,
10:47found the bunny slippers, and put them on her feet. One by one, patient. Then he headed upstairs
10:51to the bathroom. Perfect service, Wolf, just not mine. Zoe, my laundry's in the hamper. Take it to
10:57the dry cleaner. What's that smell? What? He stepped close, pressed his nose to my neck,
11:03then inhaled. The deeper he breathed, the harder his hand gripped my waist. Zoe, why do you smell
11:08like another wolf? Eli had just opened the door and walked out. He was half a head taller
11:13than Ash. That's my scent. Zoe, who is that? His name is Eli. He's my new wolf. What? You got
11:23another
11:24wolf? What about me? Oh, wow. Mom, Dad, come look. Zoe got a new wolf. This is Eli, our newest
11:32family
11:33member. Sir. Ma'am. He's even more handsome than Ash. Competition grade, I assume? Zoe gets so much
11:38allowed. Competition grade? He's wearing a muzzle. His fur is splitting. His shirt is falling apart.
11:42He's shedding everywhere. He's feral bottom class. The kind shelters can't even give away. Zoe,
11:47you only brought him home to mess with me, didn't you? If he goes feral and hurts you,
11:50don't come crying to me. Zoe, we're not against you keeping him. We just want you safe. We can't lose
11:54you again. I won't hurt her. If it makes you feel better, I'll keep the restraints on. I can sleep
12:00in a
12:00crate at night. Only fight ring wolves sleep in crates. That's lower than a stress relief slave.
12:04I've already decided he's staying. Ash's expenses come from Mom and Dad. Eli's are on me.
12:09Zoe! Relax. Given how Zoe grew up, it makes sense she has a thing for low-class wolves.
12:15It's basically her aesthetic. Mom, Dad, since Zoe has a new wolf, can I have Ash? He likes me more
12:22anyway. I'm just taking what's left over. Leftover drained the color from Ash's face.
12:27No. Ash was a gift from Mom and Dad. He's mine. I decide what happens to him.
12:32My certainty knocked something loose in him. For the first time, Ash wagged his tail for me.
12:37Just barely. Small, uncontrolled flicks. Even if you say that, I'm not forgiving you.
12:42I had no intention of giving him away. Not because I was attached. First,
12:45the budget they gave me for his upkeep was generous. I pocketed a healthy margin every month. Second,
12:50Ash was worth a lot. If I ever decided I was done, I could sell him for seven figures.
12:54Why would I hand that to Emma for free? She's right. He was given to Zoe. If you want him,
12:59talk to your sister. A few months earlier, Mom and Dad had planned a family camping trip to get
13:05us all bonding. Seven days. On the night we set up tents, everyone drank a little too much. Emma
13:09called me sis every five minutes. I called her sis back. Mom and Dad were so happy. When I came
13:14back
13:14from a cigarette break, I saw Emma in my tent. The campfire had gone out. One small lantern flickered
13:19inside. Ash was lying on my sleeping bag. Emma was slowly crawling on top of him,
13:23leaning toward his mouth. Their shadows overlapped against the canvas. I watched Ash
13:27reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear and kissed her back. Ash, promise me you won't touch
13:32her. But wait until I'm 18. It's only a few months. In this world, a wolf who slept with a
13:37human under
13:3818 faced immediate disposal. You know I have standards. I don't like her touching me. Can't
13:43we just keep this clean between us? Ash said yes. The video ended. Emma, is this how I raised you?
13:50Using yourself to manipulate a wolf just to spite your sister?
13:53Zoe, I was drunk that night. I thought it was you coming. Nobody asked you. I paid for you. You're
13:59here to serve my daughter, not audition replacements. I'm calling your cellar today.
14:02Mom, why aren't you yelling at her? Can't you see how calculating she is? She recorded it. I made
14:07one stupid mistake and she plays it like this. Ever since she came back, you love me less. Are you
14:11really gonna let her run my life? Emma, you did this. If you hadn't, there'd be nothing to record.
14:16Both of you, this month's allowances go to Zoe and you're both grounded for three days. A large sum
14:20landed in my account that afternoon. Mom and dad's invisible scale tipped a little more in my
14:24direction. I'd been fighting for things my whole life. This was no different. Three days without
14:31Emma or Ash hovering around. I took Eli shopping. Everywhere. He was a specimen. Built like every suit
14:38had been cut for him specifically. Everything looked good on him. So I wanted to buy him everything.
14:44But the best part was watching him in a dress suit. I went slightly feral and bought twelve
14:50custom tailored ones. Then I was too tired to walk. Eli carried everything with one arm and
14:55me with the other. I had my arm hooked around his neck, tracing the line of his nose with one
15:01finger. Eli, you look like this. Didn't they try to make you sell yourself? They tried. He set me on
15:08the bed and dropped to one knee. Took off my heels. Swapped them out for slippers. He'd watched Ash do
15:14it
15:14for Emma a hundred times. He hadn't fully adjusted to human scale gentleness yet. He kept catching
15:21himself, recalibrating his grip. But he'd memorized every step. And? He went a little pink.
15:27I didn't. I hurt the client and ran. They caught me. I stopped eating to fight back. They got scared
15:35I'd die and cost them money so they threw me in the ring. I hadn't eaten in three days. I
15:40don't know
15:40how I did it. I bit through the other wolf's throat. After that, I stayed in the ring. They kept
15:47my food
15:47limited so I'd be too weak to resist. The last fight, I got badly injured. They figured I was done
15:54so they put me on stress relief work. I survived that too. This week they were debating sending
15:59me back to the ring. Then you bought me. Eli was still kneeling. Wearing the new suit I'd just bought
16:07him. Both hands wrapped lightly around mine. He had no idea he looked like he was proposing.
16:14I'm not hiding anything from you. I am a low class, violent wolf. I've hurt humans. I've hurt my own
16:22kind. I grew up without learning to be around people. I don't know how to take care of someone.
16:27I barely know how to use a fork. I don't know how hard to hold you without hurting you.
16:32Last night when you cried, I panicked.
16:38I remembered. The second time was so much better than the first. I'd lost control and made a sound
16:43I hadn't expected. I'm sorry, did I hurt you? I misjudged. It's my fault. You can punish me,
16:49hit me, starve me, whatever you want. Just don't cry, please. I remembered the apology going on for
16:56a while, but I'd passed out mid-sentence. No wonder the atmosphere that morning had been so heavy.
17:02He'd been stewing in it all night. You didn't hurt me. I cried because it was good. He pressed his
17:07nose
17:07against my neck. His silver white ears brushed my face. I grabbed them. Eli's breathing hitched.
17:15He reached up, fingers calloused, deliberate, and slowly traced the side of my neck. The same spot
17:22Ash had pressed his nose against that morning. Methodical. Inch by inch.
17:28Are you trying to cover his scent? It's fine. I don't mind. I just don't understand.
17:34You went three days without food to avoid being sold. But you never fought back against me.
17:39Not once. You gave up? He looked up. His eyes didn't quite meet mine. They landed on my mouth.
17:45Maybe because you were young and beautiful. That's an airtight reason. Maybe because you said
17:51you had no experience. Also because that was the first time I'd ever been kissed. I just want you to
17:58know I am violent and feral. But I will never hurt you. Never. Not ever. I believe you. As a
18:07reward.
18:11Let me kiss you again.
18:14Eli and I fell into a rhythm. I finally understood why people spent fortunes on wolves.
18:21With Ash, everything had been a production. Premium wolves had standards. I'd had to train with him
18:27daily, manage his nutrition, force feed him supplements, and run a full grooming routine
18:33just to keep him in condition. So he could use that condition to take care of Emma. Eli was
18:38different. I followed the doctor's supplement plan and he just glowed. I felt a little guilty about
18:44the contrast. So I sat him down and did a proper grooming session on him. Ash walked in while I
18:50had
18:50both hands buried in Eli's foam covered ears. Zoe! That's my special foam soap.
18:58I bought this one for Eli. Out of your room already? You must be so pleased with yourself.
19:03Not really. You got off easy. But I'll try harder next time.
19:08Zoe, send him out. I can explain the video, but I am not sharing this house with a bottom class
19:13wolf.
19:13You're not sharing anything. You sleep in Emma's room. You always have.
19:19Wolves had sharp senses. Ash had been the only one in the house who knew about my smoking habit.
19:24He'd always complained my room smelled and used it as an excuse to sleep in Emma's room instead.
19:30It's fine, Ash. You always said she smelled anyway. Come stay with me.
19:35Zoe, you're going to regret this.
19:38Take good care of him, won't you, Emma?
19:41The house settled into a strange cold war. Ash and Emma spent a while putting on a show in front
19:47of me. They were all warmth and sweetness, trying to get a reaction out of me. I had none. As
19:52long
19:52as they weren't doing it in my face, I could handle it. Eli spent a lot of time watching them.
19:58Emma kept flushing every time she caught him looking, then pretending she hadn't noticed.
20:03He was studying. He watched every move Ash made with Emma. The grip, the order of things,
20:08and translated it all into how he took care of me. Ash, meanwhile, looked like a ghost. He kept
20:15catching himself staring at me with something half formed in his expression. I knew why. A few days
20:21earlier, I'd heard an argument spilling from Emma's room. Emma, you haven't groomed me in forever.
20:26You have hands. Do it yourself. Am I your pet or am you mine?
20:31My products are running out too.
20:33Then ask Zoe. It's her account, not mine.
20:37Emma, why are you like this? You used to actually like spending time with me.
20:43If you hadn't kissed me that night, Zoe wouldn't have...
20:46Zoe always groomed you every day. She never complained about how much work it was.
20:50Blame me? You didn't exactly stop me. And now you think she's better?
20:55Then go to her! Go on! See if she even wants you.
21:01Did Emma love Ash? I doubted it. Emma just loved being the center. The one everyone orbited.
21:08Ash fawning over her fit that. Me existing complicated it. After that fight, Ash deteriorated
21:15fast. He kept starting sentences near me and never finishing them. Too proud to ask. I ignored it.
21:22until one night. I was out on the second floor balcony in my slip dress, smoking a post-session
21:27cigarette. Ash came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me without a word. Warm tears
21:34dropped onto my neck, one at a time.
21:40You're not complaining about the smell?
21:42I'm sorry. Can you forgive me? I was drunk that night. I swear I thought it was you.
21:48I wanted it to be you. I believe you. If you'd known it was Emma, you wouldn't have stopped her
21:53either. That's not true. Before I shifted, Emma and I were on the streets together. A group of guys
22:02tried to grab me. We could have struck until we pad me. She ran at them, screaming and crying,
22:08until they gave up and fled. You're my owner, but she saved my life. I couldn't refuse her.
22:14In the tent that night, I was half as asleep. I thought it was you. When I opened my eyes
22:21and saw
22:21her, I felt sick. I realized I'd wanted it to be you. I'd wanted you all along.
22:28But she saved my life. How could I turn her down?
22:33Then keep being grateful to her. I was never in the way.
22:37Zoe, please don't.
22:43Ash, do you know why I smoke? Because I grew up with a crew of street girls who were never
22:48going
22:48to win any etiquette awards. When I got caught stealing and got beaten up, they took the hits
22:53with me. When a man tried to assault me, they scratched his face apart. When I had a fever and
23:01passed out, they pulled whatever they had and dragged me to a back alley clinic.
23:07So, I had more people doing things for me than you ever did, and I never crawled into anyone's
23:12bed over it. Never said yes just because someone asked. Ash, you're wired to follow whoever pays
23:18you the most attention. Someone gives you a little warmth and off you go. Ash, they say premium wolves
23:23have the highest human-like cognitius, I believe it. You've even evolved past a dog's most basic trait,
23:28loyalty. I don't know. I'm sorry, Zoe. You never talked about before. I didn't know what you went
23:33through. I only ever heard Emma's side. She made it sound like you were the one taking things from
23:38her, like Ash, and everything that came with him should have been hers. If I'd known, I wouldn't
23:42have complained about the smoking. I wouldn't have helped her make things harder for you.
23:45His tear-wet face pressed into my collar and past his shoulder, two figures in the dark. The closer one,
23:51tall and still, was Eli. The farther one was Mom. I met her eyes. My cigarette hand barely paused.
23:56I didn't hide it. Fine. She saw. When I came home, I'd glossed over the first years.
24:03They'd worked so hard on Emma. Piano. Ballet. Flower arranging. Everything polished. Me? Good at
24:12stealing? Lockpicking with a hairpin. Chain smoking before I was old enough to buy them. I hadn't
24:18thought parents who'd replaced me in a year would love me very much. Tell them the real version and
24:23they'd probably fear me as much as pity me. And Emma would run a reason to attack me.
24:28So I'd shown them the clean resume. Good grades. Sweet face. Polite answers. Like interviewing for
24:34the role of daughter. Mom said, Go to sleep. Then she went back to her room. The hall was dark
24:39again,
24:40except for Eli's outline. He stood watching Ash press his face into my shoulder and make small,
24:45unhappy sounds. Eli said quietly, It's cold out here. Ash noticed him for the first time. He stepped in
24:51front of me, sent the low warning growl at Eli again. Eli didn't react. He stepped closer. Ash
24:57shifted back without meaning to. Eli draped a jacket over my shoulders, looked at Ash. You can keep
25:02going. I'm just here for the coat. Ash didn't take him up on it. He said instead to me, Stay
25:08with me
25:08tonight. I know what to do. I was trained. I'd be better than him. Is that right? I mean it.
25:16Please,
25:17let me fix this. His tail went into overdrive. Eli's expression didn't change, but his hand at his
25:23side closed into a fist. I don't think so. You kissed Emma. The thought of it ruins it for me.
25:29Good night, Ash.
25:32Eli followed me back to the bedroom. I shrugged off the jacket and looked at him. Jealous? He took the
25:37jacket and said, No. You're exceptional. You'll have a boyfriend someday. A husband. I know my place.
25:46Should I run a bath? I'd been heading for bed.
25:48Why? You have Ash's tears and saliva on you. And his scent. I went to the bathroom. Eli followed
25:56and washed every inch of skin with focused, careful attention. He was kneeling on the wet bathroom
26:02tile looking up at me. Hey. I reached down and touched his ears. What is it? Can't get it clean.
26:09What? Can I take this off? Licking might work better. He pointed to his bike guard. I thought for a
26:16moment. Then unclipped it. That spot doesn't have his scent on it. He said. Didn't stop. He kissed
26:24upward. Inch by inch. All the way to my chin. May I? He cupped my face in one hand. Yes.
26:31His kiss
26:32was careful. Unpracticed. I cracked one eye open to look at him. Steam and fog all around him. Eyes shut
26:39tight. Long lashes trembling. I thought this might have been our first real kiss.
26:45I stopped making Eli wear the bike guard. Mom and dad kept reminding me to be careful,
26:50but they didn't push. I worked at the family company. Most days I didn't come home for lunch.
26:55One afternoon I did. Just wanted to nap. Voices drifted up from the living room. Eli and Ash.
27:00I leaned on the second floor railing and watched. Eli was sitting on the couch, watching TV. Ash planted
27:06himself in front of him, tail bristling. You think Zoe actually likes you? She's using you to get at
27:12me. Once she's over it, she'll throw you out like trash. So what? Zoe said you're dirty. At least
27:18I'm clean. Anyone who tries to touch me, I bite their throat out. Unlike you. Half pushing someone
27:24away and then giving in anyway. Interesting. In front of me, Eli was steady and careful and almost meek.
27:31This was the first time I'd seen his edges. Clean? You've killed wolves in a ring. Do you even know
27:38how many? He stood up slowly. I know. Useful information. Honestly, you bother me. Me? Ash nearly went
27:47airborne. You're the outsider here. Zoe paid millions for me. I was here first. Millions? Eli looked him over.
27:54You don't look worth that. He stepped forward. Do you know which part of the throat to bite so the
27:59other
28:00person can't make a sound? Another step. How to make a wolf disappear quietly. I'm probably the
28:06only kind who knows that. What are you doing? What would I do? Eli shrugged. I'm just a low-class
28:11wolf. Then he lunged. Ash panicked and shifted into full wolf form on instinct. The black wolf tackled
28:17Eli, teeth sinking into his forearm. Eli crashed into the coffee table. Porcelain cracked. Shards scattered
28:23across the floor. When mom came running at the noise, she found Eli on the ground, arm bleeding badly,
28:28sitting up pale and pressing the wound.
28:34I'm sorry, ma'am. I've been too close to Zoe lately. Ash was unhappy. I should have been more
28:39careful. I came downstairs. Eli, what happened? It's nothing. He said softly. Nothing like what
28:45I dealt with in the ring. I was biting down hard on a laugh. Yesterday, he'd sworn up and down
28:50he had
28:50no jealousy whatsoever, and he'd already planned this. It's not true! Ash stumbled over his own words.
28:56He went at me first! He's setting me up! Setting you up? If he wanted to hurt you, you'd still
29:02be on
29:02the floor. Zoe, I'm serious! I'm calling the seller. This wolf is going back. Mom was already on her phone.
29:09No need. I'll sell him to a friend who's been looking for a premium wolf. Mom paused. That works.
29:15He's yours to decide. Zoe, you'd sell me for him? Ash's face went blank. You said you liked me. I
29:21know you
29:21did. You used to grab my tail in your sleep so you wouldn't have nightmares. You wrote in your journal
29:25that you were lonely here. That at least you had me, even if I didn't like you. You'd sneak pets
29:30when I was asleep. You asked me once when you were drunk why I never liked you. Why even I
29:35was always
29:35on Emma's side. Zoe, you can't feel nothing for me. He was right. I wasn't as detached as I like
29:40to
29:41think. Even at 23, arriving at a stranger's house had still scared me. Watching my parents tilt toward
29:46Emma had still stung. Thinking about Emma living the life that should have been mine, that had still
29:51burned. When I found out my birthday gift was going to be a wolf, I had been genuinely excited.
29:56I had put hope in Ash. He'd ground it down slowly, over months. I imagined too much. I said. To
30:03me,
30:03I met his eyes. You're just a disloyal dog.
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