Did you feel it?

"Call me by my name from now on, Rinnie."

There was something in the way his eyes glinted dangerously and his warm baritone voice that made me hold my breath. This was the first time Hugo called me by my name and it sounded... strange. Even my heart skipped a beat while looking at this diabolical being.

"It's my turn," he said, snapping me out of my trance. He pointed at the spoon in my hand, but his eyes held my gaze.

"Aren't you going to feed me? Rinnie?"

"Ah, right." I looked down and nervously scooped the sweet we had been sharing. My hand trembled as I did so, baffling me at the reason my body was reacting this way.

"You look nervous, Rinnie." I flinched and looked at him when he pointed out the obvious. "That's strange for someone who slapped my shoulder just a minute ago."

"I... am not!" I denied, sporting a brave look. "Why would I get nervous just because you look at me like I was your prey?"

Hugo smirked devilishly, while my eyes dilated. I covered my lips, biting my tongue. He continued to play with my hair, sending this ticklish sensation to my scalp.

"Right, Rinnie? Why would you get nervous just because a wolf in heat had eyes on you?" His brows quirked as his lips stretched broader. "I mean, what's there to worry?"

"Rig... ht." I lowered my head timidly. I wanted to pretend not to notice the desire in his eyes as I scooped and offered him the spoon. His brows rose as he glanced at the spoon hovering before his lips. He said nothing, but the brief chuckle that slipped past his lips before eating the sweet sounded as if it had a meaning.

As I withdrew the spoon, I pressed my lips into a thin line. What was wrong with him? Just earlier, he was acting like his usual arrogant self. But now, he was giving me this attention which I didn't know whether it was good or bad.

I could still his gaze while I scooped slowly. Although my hand stopped shaking, I could hear my heart drumming in my ear. Was this because of nervousness? Or something else? I was unsure of myself.

"My baby deer, if you are this slow, we would starve." I jumped when he suddenly grabbed my hand and helped me scoop the dessert. I instinctively turned my head to him, holding my breath at how close he was.

Hugo raised his brow arrogantly as he set his eyes on me. "Eat, baby deer." Before I knew it, I already parted my lips and the sweetness of the pudding filled my mouth.

I was unconsciously staring at him as he pulled the spoon out. But instead of scooping for himself, he placed it inside his mouth. He fixed his eyes on me while I glanced at the spoon in his mouth.

'This man... is dangerous,' was the warning that suddenly hovered over my head.

"Mhm... how sweet." The side of his lips curled up into a smirk as the spoon left his mouth. "Too sweet."

I gulped and looked away, seeing that he was still holding my hand. His hand was huge that it could almost cover mine, and his palm was warmer than before.

"Your turn," he said, but I shook my head.

"I'm full now."

"Mhm, really?"

I mustered my courage to turn my head back to him once again, but when I did, I only drew my head back. Hugo had his face forward that our face was closer than it ever got.

"Rinnie, you are acting strange." He tilted his head a little to the side, batting his eyes with a misplaced innocence in them. "Am I scaring you?"

"N — no."

"But you sound otherwise."

I pressed my lips into a thin line, taking deep breaths. "I just find it... strange."

"What, strange?"

"You." I pointed at him with a frown dominating my face. "You are suddenly acting strangely. It confuses me of what you have in mind and what do you want."

"What I had in mind and what I want?" he repeated, and I nodded. Since he was asking, I'd rather be honest because I couldn't comprehend his actions. Unless he explained it to me properly, I would also feel a little weird and frustrated.

"Are you sure you want to know what's in my mind right now and what I want, Rinnie?" he inquired, and I suddenly had the strong urge to shake my head. His tone made me think that whatever was inside his mind right now was something... scary.

He chuckled in a low tone, nodding in understanding. "Your face tells me you don't want to know."

"I do!" I raised my chin up, sporting a false bravado.

"Really?" His brow raised higher, crushing my confidence instantly. "It might make you run away, though. So, never mind."

Hugo drew his head back with a playful smirk on his face. Seeing his expression heightened my curiosity, but his tone kept triggering the warning horn in my head. I felt conflicted. Should I keep pressing on the matter? Or should I let it go?

"My little Rinnie." He let out a deep sigh as he tucked my hair behind my ear. "The curiosity in your eyes makes me want to... enlighten you about what a wolf in heat means... come closer."

"Pardon?"

"You. Closer," he said as he crooked a finger. My brows furrowed, looking at him cautiously. In the end, I still moved my head forward, albeit awkwardly.

"Closer," he commanded calmly. I turned my head a little to the side to avoid his gaze. Once I was too close, Hugo leaned forward. What happened next made my eyes dilate and my breath hitch.

I jolted back on instinct, touching the side of my neck while staring at him in horror. "What did you...?" I felt this strange tingling sensation traveling through the ends of my nerves, painting my face red.

"Enlightenment, Rinnie." He winked as an arrogant smirk reigned over his face. "Did you feel it?"

"Feel, what…?"

"Aroused. Did you feel aroused?" His smirk slowly grew into a grin until his eyes squinted into mere slits. "Because I am... very inflamed."