Wait! How Did The Stray Dog I Picked Up Turn Into A Man?!

The kiss was warm and it carried so many feelings. Feelings of joy, regret, sadness, pain, longing... This sort of warm kiss made Michael wonder if this was actually real or if he was just in a dream that would torment him once he woke up.

Whatever it was, he wished he could stay in this moment a bit longer, in Michael’s arms.

’What will I do once I meet Noah again?’

This question had played in Michael’s mind a few times, no, plenty of times, over the years but each time, he couldn’t come up with a conducive answer.

He simply wished for that moment to come and once it did, he would know what to do then.

Right now... He simply wanted to enjoy the privilege of being in Noah’s arms, kissing him and sharing the heat from his body.

Be it real or fake, he would not give up this chance to be with Noah and tell him what he wished to say for so long.

"Michael," Noah called in a little hushed tone as he broke the kiss. "I really love you."

"I know, Noah. I know." Michael said, the tears falling down but Noah tried to wipe them off with his thumb.

Michael melted in his touch. His hand was so warm.

"I wanted to tell you this as soon as I saw you again," Michael said.

"What is it?"

"Next time... I won’t let you fight alone." Michael said, his eyes filled with determination and confidence as he gazed into Noah’s eyes.

Noah felt his heart beat accelerate at his words and his ears went red.

"Ah," he crushed Michael in his arms in a fight hug. "You’re the only one who can make my heart beat like this." He said and Michael, too, was feeling his heart beat accelerate abnormally.

It wasn’t a bad thing.

In fact, it was a feeling that he had longed for for a long time. A feeling that made him melt.

’Is this really a dream?’ he wondered and looked up at Noah.

His warmth, his smell, all of it was so vividly hitting his own skin and nose. It made his body react positively.

This felt too real to be a dream but then, if this wasn’t a dream, why was Noah approaching like this?

Where was the news that the war was finally over and they could finally be together? In peace.

Where was it all?

It made him skeptical.

’Then, if this isn’t reality, no one else will be able to see him. I’m the only one that...’

*Ting* the bell above the door rang as the door opened, and Michael shut his eyes, feeling this was the end of his hallucination and Noah would disappear, but then he heard the shocked tone in Alyssa’s voice.

"When...? How...? Where...?" She stuttered her unfinished questions, her hands shaking as she pointed at Noah.

"My, I thought I’d never see the day." Roland exclaimed. "He’s finally back."

Michael was surprised and then he looked up at Noah.

They could see him. Then, that meant this wasn’t a hallucination and Noah was truly there. Noah was... His eyes rolled back, and he fainted, but luckily, Noah caught him.

"Michael, what’s wrong? Michael." Noah called worriedly as he shook him.

"Don’t shake him too much. He won’t wake up from that." Roland said, going closer to check his pulse. "He’s fine. He’s just in shock."

"I understand. I’m also in shock." Alyssa said and then gulped, looking at Noah. "I didn’t expect the Alpha to be here all of a sudden?"

Roland stood to his feet and shook his head.

"Michael probably thought he was hallucinating before we got here, that’s why he didn’t faint from the shock, but knowing you’re here for real," he observed, Noah, and then closed his eyes. "Let’s just take him up to rest. I’ll close the shop."

Noah effortlessly lifted Michael in his arms and then carried him up with Alyssa showing him the way.

Roland watched this and then wondered why there was no notice that Noah would be coming.

If Sebastian had given him a heads-up, he might’ve prepared beforehand, but this was completely unexpected.

He checked his phone but still no message. This brought him to one conclusion.

"Did he run away?"

Guess it was only a matter of time before one of them finally lost it.

Noah carried Michael through the door and then saw the interior of the house he had been staying in.

It was white and warm and... Filled with so many memories.

This was unlike the big and cold mansion he stayed in by himself. This place gave him the same feeling as when he stayed with Michael in their little apartment.

"You can place him here," Alyssa said, pointing at the long couch.

Noah placed Michael down on the couch and then stroked his hair. He didn’t expect him to faint after knowing he was really here.

Then all that... Did he not react the way he was supposed to because he felt all that was a hallucination?

Then, what was he to expect from Michael once he woke up? What would he really say? How would he react?

Alyssa watched Noah ponder worriedly with his thoughts and then cleared her throat.

"Would you like to see your daughter?" She asked, and Noah paused, his eyes widening as he turned to look at Alyssa.

"Olivia?"

"She’s sleeping right now but I’m sure you can take a peek at her. She’ll wake up, though. She has quite the sharp senses and knows when someone’s staring at her, so she has trouble sleeping when there’s someone around." Alyssa explained.

It was an explanation of his daughter that he had no clue about.

It was nice, knowing more about his daughter. But he wished he had been there to actually watch her grow and notice these habits.

"It’s past lunch time, has she eaten?" Noah asked, his breath caught funnily but he still spoke.

Alyssa noticed that despite how much he might want to see his daughter, he didn’t want to rush things and scare her. He didn’t want to take any wrong steps so he decided to go slowly and pick up the little details first.

"Yes, sir. She ate a while ago, that’s why she went off to take a nap." Alyssa answered.

"Thank you," Noah suddenly said, shocking her. "For taking such good care of Michael and my daughter, thank you a lot."

It was an appreciation Alyssa did not expect to receive. After all, this was her job and her boss had trusted her to keep Michael safe.

Instead of this, she felt she had much more to apologize for.

Her incompetence five years ago that she never got to apologize for, her incompetence these few years where she had to stand by the side, unable to do anything while she watched Michael grit and groan in pain.

She had way more to apologize for than be thanked for but for now... She chose to accept it, respecting the Alpha’s will.

"I’m sorry I couldn’t do more." She said but Noah turned, smiling.

"Nonsense. You did plenty." He said, surprising her even more. "Michael’s complexion is so bright and he seemed okay. Maybe it was just on the outside but it was thanks to you guys who stayed by his side and helped him stand on his feet. Even if the process was hard and he fell over w few times, it was because you were always there to help him back up that he’s like this now. So, I have every reason to thank you."

Alyssa’s heart thumped.

This level of appreciation, she did not expect it. It made her feel so giddy inside.

"B-but, it wasn’t just me." Despite how good it made her feel, she didn’t think she could take all the credit and ended up spouting so much more with her hands flailing in the air.

She was weak to a compliment, you would say.

"I was just there following orders, but Roland did more work, and Olivia helped out too." She ranted. "It was everyone’s combined efforts so I don’t deserve to take this compliment alone."

Her face flushed and Noah nodded.

He didn’t know exactly what she was thinking but he would take her words into consideration.

"Then I would like to thank everyone who helped Michael along the way. I’ll treat you all to dinner." He said and she smiled.

"Then, we’ll be in your care, sir."

Noah still wanted to go see his daughter. He had only seen her picture in the email she sent but... He wanted to see her for real.

Grab her cute cheeks and hold her to himself like she were the only source of warmth in the world.

He wanted to make her, not just see, but feel the love he had for her. How much he treasured her and how he would do absolutely anything for her.

He wanted to...

"Daddy!" The sound of Olivia’s cute and innocent voice spread chills all over Noah’s body and his heart raced.

It seemed like he was lying when he told Michael he was the only one who made his heart beat like that.

Right now, there was another who made his heart beat in a funny way.

There was Olivia, his precious daughter, who was walking out of the room with her hands rubbing her pearl eyes just to make sure she wasn’t seeing things from having just woken up.

"Is that really you, daddy?"