23 THE SLOTH

Raine timidly looked around her, she tilted her head from side to side and when she didn't find the thing she was looking for, she started to walk, roaming around the room.

Torak followed her a few steps away with bemused expression. However, after some times Raine looked like she couldn't find what she wanted, he approached her and put his hand on the side of her cheek. 

Raine flinched, still not used to with his touch. But the urge to touch her mate was irresistible for Torak. The spark was addicting and that was the first thing his mate should learn. Because he wanted her to get used to him and his presence.

Ignoring her little attempt to shake his hand from her cheek, Torak asked her gently instead. "What are you looking for my love?" He drew a circle on her cheek with his thumb.

Raine tried to tell him by making some hand gestures. Somehow, she forgot her fear and looked at Torak in the eyes, eager to tell him the thing that she needed.

In her eagerness, she looked adorable in Torak's eyes.

"A Book?" 

Raine nodded.

"You wantto draw that person?"

Raine nodded again.

"Alright." Torak strode across the room towards his bag in the middle room and Raine unconsciously followed behind him.

He took out a notebook and a pen. "I don't have a pencil, can you do it with a pen instead? Or should I ask someone to buy it for you?" 

Raine shook her head and took the notebook and the pen from Torak's hand. She plopped down on the couch, pulled her knee to her chest and scribbled something.

While Raine was occupied with her drawing, Torak took this time to observe his mate. Looking at how skinny she is, that he defined her to be underweight, her skin was so pale almost translucent and her lips a little bit chapped. 

However, besides all that, she was still beautiful. The beauty that could make him lost for words to describe her. 

Torak made a note to himself at the back of his mind, reminding himself not to forget to visit a doctor, Raine needed to be examined, to make sure she was fine and started her healthy diet to gain more weight.

They also needed to see a psychologist. He had Raphael investigated further about her and dug further about the fact she was mute. And turned out,it was all because the things that she had been through at the mental institution.It made him furious. 

Just what did they do,that made Raine shut herself? This fact didn't settle right on him.Unintentionally, a low deep growl erupted from his chest by the image of something terrible that might have happened to her.

Hearing the furious growled, Raine's head turned at Torak's direction, fear swirled in her eyes. 

"I'm sorry, Ididn't mean to growl at you…" Torak apologized and approached her cautiously, gave her time to know his intention. 

Raine still looked at him with a clear uneasiness, but didn't move when Torak sat beside her. She bit her lips and lowered her gaze, continue scribbled on the notebook. 

She took a few minutes more before she finished it and gave the portrait to Torak. There was a faint smile on her lips and Torak loved that.

His eyes beamed and the beast inside him was wagging its tail in delight by her small gesture.

However, all of the sense of satisfaction faded away once he saw the portrait of the man who Raine drew. Torak's eyes alternated between blue and black as he hissed a namethrough his teeth with so much revulsion. 

"Belphegor…"

Even Raine could feel the animosity that was carried by how that name was mentioned, in the way just nowTorak said it.

She wrote something on her palm, poked Torak's shoulder with her forefinger, and when Torak finally looked at her direction, she raised her hand and showed it to him.

[Who?] 

Torak didn't immediately answer her question. He looked at her intensely before shook his head. "I will tell you later."

No wonder he couldn't pick his scent and sense his presence as turned out it was him!

Raine scribbled something on her palm again and showed it to Torak.

[What happen?] 

There was a sight of concern in her beautiful eyes as her eyebrows wrinkled curiously. However, Torak kept shaking his head, he didn't want to tell her everything yet. It wasn't the right time. 

Therefore, when Raine was about to write something again on her palm, he grabbed her hands and kissed her knuckles. 

"Actually, you are very talkative my love… why don't you talk to me?" Torak asked charmingly, peeking from her knuckles.

Raine didn't say anything, only stared at her hands which were clutched by Torak. 

Kissing her knuckles again, "I have someone bring a new dress and underwear for you, it is in the bathroom. After take a bath, you can change into it." He informed her and let her go.

With the mentioned of underwear, Raine blushed furiously and clumsily trudged away from Torak toward the bathroom. 

This made Torak smile by how blushful his mate is, however when Raine had disappeared into the bathroom, his eyes glazed over as he mind-linked Raphael.

[Raph?]

[Yes, Torak?] 

[Stop the hunting. You will never find him.]

There was a briefof silence before Raphael talked again. [Did you find out the creature who entered your room?]

[Yes. Belphegor, the Sloth.]