The Ruthless Lycan King's Virgin Mate

#Chapter 9 He’s Imagining He’s A Billionaire Again

Harper’s POV

With the little boy’s words, the people around me awaken from their trance, coming to their senses with words of praise, complimenting me on how pretty I look. I’m puzzled about how to feel about all of this, the attention is overwhelming, my fingers play with the material of my dress in hopes of quelling my anxiety.

All my life I have been made fun of for my bland appearance, and suddenly, I’m being celebrated… Butterflies flutter around inside me, and I shyly smile in response to their kind words. I’m sure that my face is probably red as well, but I can’t help it. This is all new to me.

Trying to avoid the hundreds of eyes upon me, I go to reach for the one thing that encompasses a sense of normality, my glasses. I pick them up, about to put them on in hopes that once I can see my surroundings again, things will return to normal.

Just then, my hand is halted in its pursuit of calming my unease, a strong masculine hand rests upon it, slowly untwisting the glasses out of my grip. “You don’t look so bad, why go back to using them?” Dylan questions with a raised brow.

I hesitate to answer him, and in my haze, he tells me to “open my eyes.” I willingly oblige, and he gently scoops out the delicate contact lens from the solution cup it sits in. Ensuring I have my eyes opened wide, he lightly sits the circular piece on the surface of my ocular, telling me to blink so it’s snugly in place.

“Are you that weak that you're nearsighted too? You really are a strange type of werewolf,” he teases whilst putting the second one in.

Part of me senses that despite the tough attitude Dylan normally portrays, there is in fact a softer aspect of his personality that he generally conceals. But every so often, like now, I watch as he carefully helps me put on the contacts, clearly focused on ensuring he doesn’t accidentally hurt me.

When the second one is in, both my eyes flutter momentarily, growing accustomed to the feeling and adjusting to the change in my vision.

And that’s when I finally see his handsome face up close. It’s like I’m staring at a beautiful, detailed painting of his face, with every line and curve painted on with love and emotion. Stunning. And my heart thuds and quickens its pace as I realize how close he stands.

Till…

“If you have any sense at all, you’d change right now. We all know you can’t afford that dress!” I hear the annoyance in Erin’s voice as she sneers. My face immediately burns with embarrassment. But Erin is right, I don’t have the funds for this, I sigh, ready to turn to go change.

Till I hear Dylan abruptly clear his throat, calling for everyone's attention. Unlike myself, he seems to have a way of attracting the eyes of many, pertaining a dominant aura that interests people to listen to him as someone important.

Dylan turns to the sales lady. “The dress Harper is wearing. How many are still in stock?” he only gives Erin an unimpressed glance before adding, “Including the one on the other girl. I will buy them all.”

A gasp erupts from the crowd, but their surprise remains hushed, as if eager to hear more of what Dylan has to say.

He strolls through the store with an authoritative air, his hand sweeping over all the clothes that hang upon the racks, like an inspector inspecting for quality. He eventually comes back round, and once again addresses the sales lady, “For every item of clothing you have, I will buy one of each.”

I’m horrified about what he’s just said, but in a matter of seconds I realize I must stop him, this is insane! I rush over to his side. “Dylan please! This is unnecessary!” But he calmly ignores my pleas, only patting my shoulder as if to ease my concern.

I hesitantly turn to look at Erin, and as expected, she’s furious! She stamps her foot down like a young child not getting their way, and unable to control her reaction, her face distorts into a spiteful glare.

And that’s when I hear the cheering, I glance over to see the crowd rocket up in loud applause. The younger ones jump up and down in excitement, completely in awe of Dylan’s coolness. Whilst older men and women clap their hands rapidly, hollering out their excitement or completely captivated by Dylan. Blinking, a small smile etches on my lips, unable to believe it.

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Dean’s POV

After paying the bill, I allow the shop assistant to pack the bags and take them to Harper’s place, before I follow the virgin to her home, she promised I could stay at.

But as we walk, I notice there is something off about Harper. She’s very quiet, beholding a hesitant expression as if there is something on her mind. In my mind, the girl should be thanking me for what I have just done, other girls would be on their knees by now, grateful to me for buying them so many brand-new clothes.

But Harper completely avoids my gaze. Growing impatient, I halt to a stop, gazing at her with a raised brow in silent questioning of what she wishes to say. Finally acknowledging me, she intakes a deep breath, takes out what looks to be a bank card out of her pocket, and carefully places it in my hand.

I blink at it, and she addresses my confusion, “I am truly touched with what you did back there. But your…defect could be affecting you. You’re imagining that you’re a billionaire again.”

I notice Harper is careful with her choice of words, not wanting to offend me, “You’re a good person Dylan, and I will never discriminate against you for your handicap. So, this is my bank card, it contains all my savings, it’s yours now.”

The expression I have on is complex, as my thoughts divulge in different directions. For one thing, unbeknownst to Harper, I am in fact a billionaire, and it is becoming rather strange having her believe that my actions are due to a mental illness. And on the other hand… she’s giving me all the money she’s saved up.

I… I don’t know what it is about this, but a strange pang sparks deep in my heart in reaction. The warmth is both soothing yet uncomfortable beneath my skin and remains elusive to my brain.

But instead, I put on a flirtatious half grin to conceal my true inner thoughts. “You worry too much Harper. Don’t worry, I don’t need your money just yet.” I slip the card back into her hand, before casually patting her head. “Use it on yourself.”

Although she’s hesitant, she does take back the bank card, but without holding her hand against her chest to declare, “Okay, but I will be responsible for your food, clothing and accommodation in the future. You won’t have to worry, as long as I have something to eat, so will you. I promise.”

It’s hard to take her seriously with her chubby baby face, but I can tell she means her words sincerely. Leaving me slightly amused by her antics and eagerness to care for me, despite not knowing my strength.

She is surely an oddball, like a little child set on saving the world, dead set on protecting me. I watch her skip along the road, humming a blissful tune, once again merry. And I can only shake my head with a smile that feels foreign.

Eventually, I follow Harper back to her home, well what I assume is her home as we come up to a large manor house. I’m just about to walk towards the villa till her hand pulls me back. I pause as she points to the building on the side.

My gaze scrunches up in dismay as I eye the shabby, weathered, and unremarkable cabin as Harper indicates, “I live there, only my father, stepmother and half-sister live in the manor.”

I follow her anyways but continue to frown at the terrible state of the cabin. Noticing as we enter that the cabin is actually a storage space for miscellaneous items.

This clutter overtakes the main body of the cabin, with the only space left being up in the attic of the building. This is where Harper sleeps, like a little mouse finding a little c***k or hole in a house and calling it home despite the small space.

I’m astounded at how she’s living. As someone who has many master bedrooms to choose from, and hundreds of acres of space to roam, it’s telling when the height of the roof is so low that I can’t even straighten my back or I’ll hit the ceiling.

Is this type of living even ethical? Surely not. She’s the daughter of the Alpha of this pack, and this is how she’s treated? My brow furrows tighter, and a nameless fire of anger begins to burn in my heart.

Clueless to my trifling thoughts, Harper instead focuses hard on trying to make room for me, clearly unfazed by the lack of space. Eventually, dinner time rolls around, and mirroring my thoughts, she explains to me with shy embarrassment, “I never really have a proper dinner to eat to be very honest with you.”

I grow uncomfortable with how little this girl has to offer, and yet. “But don’t worry!” she says with unusual enthusiasm. “I will make sure you have dinner! As long as I have food, so will you! I often go to the cornfield at midnight when I’m hungry and secretly pick at the corn to eat. So that’s what will do!”

And hence, by midnight, as promised, Harper takes me to the adjacent cornfield, excitedly sharing with me her tips and tricks to getting the most ripe and sweet corn. Although I’m slightly dumbfounded concerning where I was a day ago, and where I’m stood now, I’m nevertheless interested in her enthusiasm as she skips through the field pointing out the best corn to eat.

Till we suddenly hear Erin’s voice off in the distance.

“I saw light coming from the cornfield! It must be a thief!”