Mute Mate: The Alpha's Obsession-Chapter 68: Familiarize Yourself

Ariana sat in the warm hot tub, her hands gently rubbing the rose petals as the sweet scent of lavender filled the bathroom. She hadn’t really known a bath could feel this soothing—maybe because, most times, she just bathed and left. But today, she had decided to relax. Even though she knew the warm water would eventually turn cold, she didn’t mind at all.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she leaned her head back. Slowly, she dipped her body deeper into the tub, her face slipping beneath the surface for a moment before she emerged again. She ran her hands through her wet hair, pushing it back gently.

She wondered quietly if she was Zavren’s mate. Did this mean when she gives birth, her child will be half human and half werewolf? Not like she minded... but she wanted to know. Maybe she could ask Zavren later.

Moments passed, and she decided to leave. She had stayed here long enough. She wondered if Zavren would be joining her tonight, as he had left after dinner, saying he had something to attend to.

She stood carefully, one foot still in the tub, as she crossed her legs to lift the other out—intending to rinse off with clean, clear water.

But just as she moved, she heard the sound of the door opening.

Her heart thudded in her chest.

She froze, waiting to hear the door open and close again—but it didn’t.

Her eyes flew wide as she heard footsteps nearing the bathroom door. Her brain raced. If she moved quickly to grab the towel from the other side, there was a high chance she’d slip and fall—and that would be even worse.

So instead, she slowly pulled her leg back in and quietly sank into the water, her heart pounding like never before.

Silence.

The footsteps stopped. Her heartbeat began to settle. Maybe he had just gone to lie down on the bed. Why was she acting like this anyway? As if he would just barge in—

But... he was unpredictable.

She sighed to herself. Why would he even do that? Slowly, she stood again—and just as she did, the door opened.

SPLASH

Zavren’s eyes widened slightly as water splashed onto the bathroom floor. Ariana had dropped down so quickly to cover herself with the water that it flew everywhere.

Her face burned with embarrassment. She felt him move toward her, and the more he did, the faster her heart beat. His expression was unreadable at first, but then she saw it—a flash of worry flickered in his piercing eyes.

D..Did she just see that?

He knelt beside the tub, one hand on her shoulder as he examined her—for marks or bruises, perhaps, since the way the water had splashed had been wild.

But this... this was different from Ariana.

His gaze, hot and intense, swept across her, and Ariana felt the heat rise all the way to her ears. Her heart thudded harder.

"Are you alright?" Zavren asked calmly.

Ariana slowly nodded, and just as she did, his expression returned to neutral.

"You have to be careful. What if I wasn’t here and something happened to you?" he asked, his voice blank and serious.

’It was because of you. If you weren’t here, this wouldn’t have happened,’ Ariana said to herself, wrapping her arms tighter around her chest. Her face burned even more as his intense gaze swept over her—like he was seeing her bare.

Which he was.

She curled her legs closer together, wishing the water could somehow hide her completely.

Zavren’s eyes flickered briefly to the hands she was using to cover herself, then moved back to her face.

"It seems like you’ll really be needing assistance," he murmured.

Ariana’s heart began to pound. She quickly shook her head, but Zavren’s lips curled into a slow, teasing grin. novelbuddy-cσ๓

Then, as if flicking a switch, his expression turned serious again.

"This place can be slippery, and no one knows what would’ve happened if I hadn’t come in when I did..." He trailed off, pushing a hand through his hair. Then he added casually, "You know what? I’ll be the one bathing you from now on."

Ariana’s eyes widened in shock.

’H–He w–wants to what?’

Does this man have any idea that this was all because of him?

"Then be careful next time," he said, moving toward her. His hands gently came to rest over hers, which were still covering her chest.

"Why are you hiding them from me? You’re beautiful. I’ve already seen and touched them, so... let me see."

Ariana’s heart raced wildly.

Did this man have no shame?

Yes, he had seen them before. Yes, he had touched her. But did he really need to make it that clear?

Slowly, reluctantly, she pulled her hands away.

A smirk tugged at Zavren’s lips as his eyes locked on her hardened nipples.

She bit her lip gently and turned her face to the side.

"Good. After you’re done, get ready. I’ll be coming back in twenty minutes to take you somewhere."

Ariana raised an eyebrow.

’Take me where?’ she wondered.

Zavren turned to walk away but paused at the door.

"To meet my sharks. I want you to familiarize yourself with them."

And with that, he shut the door.

Ariana stared at the door, stunned.

H–His sharks?

So he hadn’t been joking the other time when he threatened her father. She had thought it was just a scare tactic. But now... now he wanted to take her there?

What exactly does this man have hidden in this massive castle?

She shot up from the tub immediately, remembering his words—twenty minutes.

She had already wasted a few of them panicking about the sharks. She rushed to the corner of the bathroom, grabbing a bucket and placing it under the tap. The water rushed out smoothly, like silk, into the container. Even the tap screamed luxury.

These people really don’t know what to use money for, she thought.

Once the bucket was full, she carried it to the center of the room and poured it over herself, rinsing off the lingering petals and soap. Water splashed over the floor, She sighed in relief.

She grabbed a towel, dried her skin, and wrapped herself in a robe. Reaching for a small silver container, she opened it and began rubbing the shea butter gently into her skin. She loved how it made her glow—soft, smooth, and natural.

Once done, she gently towel-dried her hair, all while moving quickly. The last thing she wanted was for Zavren to return and catch her off guard again. Her eyes kept flickering to the door as she hurried.

Finally, it was time to put on her dress.

She walked to the wardrobe and slipped into her underwear before putting on a long gown. It was an evening gown. She moved to take the scarf, and just as she stared at it, she remembered that night she had met Zavren in the cave.

For some unknown reason, her heart began to thud. The memories flashed again.

She quickly shook her head, as if that would pull her back to the present.

Her gown was well-covered, so she simply wrapped the scarf around her neck—for the cold that might be present outside. Her hair was tied up, and she carefully picked up the hair stick, pinning it in the rightful place.

Though a few strands of hair fell over her face, she didn’t mind. It was nighttime after all... and they were going to meet sharks.

’Familiarize myself,’ Ariana repeated in her mind with a frown—just as the door opened.

Zavren walked in, and the moment he did, his gaze rested on her. His lips curled ever so slightly as he whispered,

"Come here."

Ariana heard his deep, hypnotic voice pulling her in. She moved, walking toward him slowly until she stopped right where he stood. He brought out his hand, and just as he did, Ariana gently placed hers in his. His lips tugged into a smirk.

"You’re being so obedient today. Is it because of the sharks?" he asked, and Ariana’s gaze shot up to him.

"You don’t have to worry. They’re really nice," he added calmly too calm—but the way he said it sent shivers down Ariana’s spine.

She knew Zavren. His words never truly meant what they seemed to.

Just like how he had calmly said he would "take care" of that gardener—only to later mention a dagger.

Her hands tightened gently around his as they left the room. They walked quietly down the hallway. Surprisingly, Ariana felt a bit at ease. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to walk here alone, not after that moving painting’s eyes incident. Still, she kept her head forward. She didn’t want to see anything that would scare her—meeting sharks alone was terrifying enough.

"Don’t be too tense... I’m here," Zavren said quietly.

Ariana nodded. She had nearly forgotten—this was Zavren. As long as he was here, nothing would happen to her.

They stopped outside the castle, near the garden area, and began to move around to the back.

This place looks familiar, she thought to herself as they kept walking.

Chicken...

The thought hit her, and she nodded to herself. Now she remembered—this was the exact place where Zavren had caught her the day she tried to escape... all thanks to a certain chicken. She sighed softly as the wind blew, brushing the strands of her hair sideways.

"Having a flashback?" Zavren asked calmly, his cold voice laced with mocking amusement.

Ariana eyed him up and down. This man is annoying. He was definitely mocking her. He must have known her escape had been slowed down by that stupid chicken.

"If you keep insulting me in your head," he said, "trust me—there won’t be space left for your thoughts."

Ariana’s jaw dropped in shock.

She glared at him, and just as Zavren turned to look at her, she quickly shifted her gaze elsewhere. They kept walking.

Ariana had thought the place she

tried to escape was at the back of the castle, but it turned out that was just one side — now she could see clearly that this really was the back.

Her eyes moved around. The grass was perfectly trimmed—like a lush green field. And at the center of it stood a building. A separate one.

"That is the Shark House," Zavren said.

Ariana’s head snapped to him.

She nodded slowly, biting her lip.

’I understand now... this man really doesn’t know what to do with money. Sharks House?’

Her curiosity grew as they walked toward the smaller building. She could tell—this place was big enough to house a family of five comfortably. It was the kind of house people in her village dreamed of but never dared to hope for—not even the chief could afford it.

And yet... Zavren called it a shark house.

The wind blew harder, and goosebumps crawled across her skin.

As they reached the entrance, she felt Zavren gently squeeze her hand. They stopped in front of the door. Ariana inhaled... then exhaled.

Zavren finally pushed the door open.

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