“Then, have a pleasant walk,” the devil whispered to him with a satisfied smile.
***
Malon walked silently through the garden holding his niece’s hand. He never particularly liked children, but he was quite fond of Marina. However, today he couldn’t bring himself to be kind to her. He couldn’t help but think of her father whenever he looked at her. The flame within him seemed to consume all his reason and common sense. Eventually, he came to an abrupt stop.
“Marina, I’m sorry, but Uncle isn’t feeling well today and can’t play with you.”
He expected her to be upset, but to his surprise, she calmly nodded.
“Is it because of Sixx?”
Malon’s eyes widened in astonishment. It was clear she knew something. Being Luca’s daughter, she might have seen something. He resisted the urge to shake her and demand she tell him everything she knew. Trying to keep his voice as calm as possible, he asked,
“…Yes, Sixx is missing. Have you seen Sixx?”
“No, I haven’t seen him, but I heard his voice. Sixx asked me to tell you something, so I begged Dad to bring me here because I wanted to see you. But, but…”
She was very smart. She had lied to Luca, pretending she wanted to walk with her uncle. But at the same time, she was terrified. Malon felt his heart drop, kneeling down to look her in the eyes. Damn it, what had she seen and heard…!
“Marina. What did Sixx say? Don’t be afraid and tell me. Uncle will handle it.”
“Sixx’s voice, it was strange… Sixx seemed to be in so much pain! What should we do, sob… Dad thinks Sixx did something wrong. So, he’s punishing him. I’ve seen Dad punish other bad men before, and it was really scary… Uncle, what if Sixx is being punished like that too?”
“…Uncle will help. Don’t worry. We just need to take him to the hospital. So, tell me, okay? What did Sixx say?”
Even as he spoke, Malon felt his mind becoming scattered with anxiety and impatience. No, not yet. He had to save Sixx. There was still hope. He couldn’t give up.
“Sob, Sixx said…”
With transparent tears welling up in her eyes, she began to speak. Malon Cage stood up only after listening to her words till the end. Thank you for telling me. He placed his hand on his niece’s small head. Dust flew everywhere as he brushed the dirt off his suit pants. Yes, Cannon Beach… that’s where he was. He let out a short sigh. Now it was time to rescue his wolf.
***
Sixx struggled to keep his mind from fading. He instinctively knew that losing consciousness now could truly be fatal. Blood from his wounds had pooled in the box, forming a small puddle. Every time he moved his feet, there was a splashing sound. However, Sixx had long since lost the sensation of liquid wrapping around his toes. His vision was entirely yellow. Or was it red? Or maybe blue? He felt dizzy. It seemed like closing his eyes would be more comfortable… But in his last moment, his trust in the man kept his eyelids from shutting. He was sure that he would be rescued. Just a little longer, if he could hold on just a little longer, he would definitely come to save him…
Sixx sang softly with a trembling voice.
Oh, yesterday…
It was to keep himself conscious. The song was terrible. His rough breaths made the pitch and rhythm completely off, but he sang steadfastly.
Malon would come. This time, he would save him…
He sang until his voice could no longer come out. How much time had passed? He couldn’t tell. Footsteps could be heard. He couldn’t identify them. It could be a hallucination, it could be Luca coming to torment him again, or it could be one of Luca’s subordinates. But Sixx didn’t stop singing. He believed. He believed.
“Sixx!!”
That Malon Cage would save him. See, he really came… Despite the pain, Sixx smiled broadly. It was a familiar voice. It was from the person he loved most in the world.
“Ma, Malon… I’m, I’m here…”
Bang! He heard the door being opened. He thought he had lost all sense of smell, but strangely, the moment Malon entered, he seemed to catch a whiff of his scent. Damn, what the hell is this…! Malon muttered in a shocked voice. He fired several shots at a specific part of the box. It seemed the lock was there. Not satisfied with that, Malon grabbed a metal pipe lying nearby and struck the spot several times. Finally, the box door opened. Sixx collapsed helplessly.
“Damn, Sixx!”
Malon shouted in shock as he caught him. Up close, he could see that Sixx didn’t look good. Could it be that he was worried about me? Though he wasn’t sure, Sixx felt a mixture of pity and joy. But the pity was a bit stronger. He wanted to touch Malon’s tired-looking skin but had no strength to lift his arms. Malon propped Sixx against the wall and shouted outside that he had found Sixx. Malon seemed at a loss for words as he looked at Sixx’s wounds in silence.
“Damn, why are you in this state…!”
Malon punched the wall. Sixx breathed heavily. It was over now. Malon had come to save him, so everything was resolved, but seeing Malon’s twisted face pained him so much. He couldn’t bear to see that expression on his face. That he was suffering so much because of just him. Sixx grabbed Malon’s fist, which was still pounding the wall. Naturally, it was torn and bleeding.
“Stop it. I’m okay, Malon…”
“With the state you’re in, you’re saying you’re okay? When you’re on the brink of death?”
Malon was angry. His anger was primarily directed at Luca, who had done this to Sixx, but some of it was also aimed at himself and Sixx. He couldn’t understand Sixx saying he was okay. Nothing about this was okay. At its root, Sixx was in this condition because of him. If he hadn’t been in the mafia, if he hadn’t been enemies with Luca, Sixx wouldn’t have had to go through this. Luca had done this to Sixx purely to mess with him. Yes, it was all his fault. It was his complacency. He believed that since Sixx was a strong werewolf, he could overcome some danger. So, he kept him close, knowing it was risky. He even let Sixx get involved in his work more and more. In fact, there were tasks he had left for Sixx to handle.
“You came to save me. I’m not saying it doesn’t hurt… But I’m okay now.”
Stronger than most… Thankfully. Malon held back the urge to shout. Nonsense. You’re in this state because of me! He restrained himself from pushing and accusing Sixx. Even in this state, you don’t blame me? Is love so trivial that you think it’s okay to lose your life for my sake? He didn’t think that way. He was a selfish person and had no desire to die or sacrifice himself for others. So, Sixx had to be the same. Blame me, Sixx. Yet, Sixx’s amber eyes, filled with pain and pity, held not a trace of resentment. Malon surprisingly felt fear. He was now afraid of Sixx’s blind and unconditional devotion. Seven years ago, he might have found it convenient and satisfying to manipulate that point. But not now. Malon gritted his teeth and spoke.
Lean on me.
Sixx’s arm draped over his shoulder. Feeling the full weight of the beast who had somehow grown larger, Malon took one step, then another. Sixx’s condition was critical, and they couldn’t wait for an ambulance. It seemed better to take him to the hospital in his car. A subordinate opened the car door. After seating Sixx in the back, Malon sat in the driver’s seat. Just as he was about to insert the key to start the engine, his wrist was grabbed.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Zjoljr boafc erfv atf wfatbv bo gluulcu j ybwy ab vfabcjaf ktfc atf mjg rajgafv. Mbgaecjafis, Zjibc tjvc’a sfa aegcfv atf xfs. Helmxis, tf uba bea bo atf mjg klat Vlzz. Ktfs tjv wbnfv jybea 10 wfafgr jkjs ktfc atf mjg revvfcis fzqibvfv. Mffilcu atf lcafcrf tfja jcv yijra yftlcv tlw, Zjibc rtlnfgfv. Po Vlzz tjvc’a tfjgv atf ybwy, atfs ybat kbeiv tjnf yffc xliifv bc atf rqba. Ccv jr fzqfmafv, tf jqqfjgfv.
Clap, clap, clap. A man clapped his hands.
“Bravo, I don’t know how you did it, but you saved him! Such amazing determination. It’s a shame. Seeing tragic lovers burning together would’ve been quite a spectacle.”
It was Luca. As Malon left the mansion, he had asked Patrick to stall Luca for as long as possible. He knew it was an unreasonable request. For a mere caporegime like Patrick to hold off an underboss like Luca for long would be impossible. At best, he could manage a few minutes. Luca had planted the bomb while Malon was inside the warehouse. Behind Luca stood his followers, who, while technically part of the Cage family, were loyal only to Luca. They were clearly outnumbered. Malon smiled.
Well, it wasn’t any different before, was it? Malon handed Sixx over to a subordinate who had approached him.
“Take him somewhere safe.”
Sixx’s eyes widened.
“Wait, Malon! No!”
Malon murmured quietly.
“Don’t worry.”
Seeing his subordinate support Sixx and move him to safety, Malon finally felt able to smile. Remembering the crazy situation and the desperate struggle, he chuckled softly, which made Luca sneer.
“Saving a dying beast won’t change anything, will it?”
“No, it changes everything. Now I don’t have to crawl for you anymore.”
“Ha ha, if I become the boss, you’ll have to crawl even more. I’m determined to see you and that beast suffer miserably. Try running away if you want. I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth.”
“Run away? Me? Sorry, but that’s not my style. Let’s just end it here.”
“Brother, you’ve already lost. What do you think you can do with just a dozen members?”
“I haven’t lost.”
“Yes, you have. The casino will be mine. The position of acting boss will be mine too.”
“Who said so?”
Malon laughed. As expected, his brother was stupid. Who did he think was on his level?
“Who told you that taking the casino automatically means the organization comes with it? What, did you think of nothing but the casino? Your father was smarter than you. He must be banging his head against the wall in prison, regretting that he couldn’t pass the organization to his beloved son.”
“What nonsense are you spouting! The organization is already practically mine!”
“What do you think I went to Chicago for? Did you really think I left at such a critical time just to rat out the Matty boss? Oh, of course, I spread that around to make you misunderstand. And you believed it? That’s why you’re an idiot, Luca.”
“You son of a bitch—!”
“You promised Matty that you would hand over the Portland drug supply rights in exchange for helping you take the casino, right? Well, Chicago has its own drug smuggling line, and drugs haven’t been properly distributed in Portland yet, so it must have been an enticing offer for Matty.”
“Yeah, that bastard demanded 40%. Ridiculous. I don’t need him anymore. The casino is practically mine now. Thanks to you.”
“So, I made a deal with Matty instead of you.”
“What?”
Malon sighed at his brother’s inability to grasp the situation.
“Is Antonio Cage serious? Father really had no eye for talent. Pushing a fool like you to be the next boss, I guess love makes everyone stupid.” He chuckled.
“The reason I haven’t flooded Portland with drugs is because it’s hard to manage. Drugs can easily make things messy. Difficult, but not impossible. I never intended to get into the drug business because of the hassle, but thanks to you, I’ve reconsidered.”
“Drugs? Did you forget that Father explicitly told us never to get involved in drugs?”
“That was a command for you, not me. As you know, drugs are profitable. I’ve agreed to give Matty and his family 15% of the total sales for drug supplies.”
“15%? Don’t make me laugh. Those greedy bastards would never agree to that—”
“That’s strange. They were quite willing to comply with me. Anyway, the drug trade will bring in money comparable to the casino’s revenue.”
“Ah, so you plan to fight me with that money, is it?”
“No, like I said, it ends here. The casino is out of your reach, Luca.”
“What nonsense!”
Luca was now almost having a fit, unable to control his agitation. He was the same as always. Sometimes, Malon had envied Luca’s ability to fully express his emotions.
“One hour ago, a bill was passed requiring anyone seeking a loan from union pensions to undergo a strict and fair review process. Do you get it? We’ll never qualify for a loan, which means your casino funding is gone.”
Anderson played a significant role in this. He didn’t seem to understand why Malon suddenly issued completely opposite orders, but his wide network was his only strength, so he immediately did as Malon instructed. As a result, the bill blocking loans from union pensions to the Mafia and other major entities passed just an hour ago. Loans from union pensions were now impossible.
“Bullshit, no way! Ah, you’re lying because you’re cornered, aren’t you, brother?”
“Do I seem like someone who’d resort to lies to get out of a tight spot? That’s unfortunate.”
“No, this can’t be happening, it can’t be true!! You bastard!!”
“Hey, you guys standing behind Luca. Can’t you see what’s going on? That guy will never be the boss now. Are you still planning to side with him? Unless you want to be kicked out of the organization with him.”
The members standing behind Luca started to look confused and began murmuring among themselves. They seemed deeply unsettled, unable to believe the downfall of Luca, whom they had been convinced would be the next boss. Malon quietly observed this scene. Soon, a few of them began to drift away from Luca and move behind Malon. It was almost laughable. Now they wanted to switch sides? Spineless bastards. He planned to properly punish them for siding with the underboss against the acting boss, but for now, he decided to watch. Watching Luca despair was amusing.
“Fuck, you worthless bastards, where are you going? Get back here, now!”
“What are you waiting for? Grab him.”
With a mere gesture from Malon, his men seized Luca’s arms. Luca struggled wildly, but it was a futile effort. Malon slowly approached him. With each step Malon took, Luca’s eyes filled more and more with fear. It seemed he was finally realizing he was screwed.
“Luca Pellegrino, you are hereby permanently expelled from the Cage Family. As much as I’d love to torture you to death, I’ll let you live for your daughter, Marina’s sake. You owe your life to her. Live the rest of your days in gratitude, even though you’ll be under constant surveillance. If you show any signs of trouble, you will be killed without mercy. You get one chance.”
“Brother, Malon, you’re overreacting. It was just a joke, come on, listen to me—”
Malon didn’t let him finish. He punched Luca hard in the face, drawing blood from his nose. He punched him again. His fists were covered in blood, but he kept hitting Luca until he couldn’t utter a single word. He promised to let him live, not to spare him from retribution. Luca would pay for tormenting Sixx. The only reason Luca was left alive was because Marina helped find Sixx. If Sixx had died, Luca would not have been spared. While Marina might be shocked at her father’s condition, Malon intended to provide financial support for her and her siblings. Marina would have to adapt to seeing her father in such a state. Malon’s mercy ended there. He ordered Luca, bloodied and unconscious, to be taken to the torture chamber, and then headed to the hospital. Surprisingly, he wanted to check on Sixx’s condition more than he wanted to keep beating Luca.
***
Sixx opened his eyes. The ceiling was unfamiliar, but the smell was. He seemed to be in a hospital. He looked down at himself. While he had been unconscious, his wounds had been treated and bandaged. As he awkwardly touched the bandages, a doctor appeared a few minutes later. Due to his injuries, which included a puncture wound, fractures, and lacerations, he would need to stay in the hospital for a while, but there was no danger to his life. Sixx felt relieved but strangely disconnected from reality. Was this a dream? He feared waking up to find himself still trapped in that metal box. The doctor told him to rest and left the room. Alone again, Sixx looked around. It was definitely a hospital, but he seemed to be the only patient in the room. And the room was too luxurious for a hospital. Should I even be here? Sixx couldn’t shake his bewildered feeling as he touched the white sheets. Then, the door to the room opened. A familiar face appeared. Patrick, having heard from the doctor that Sixx had woken up, casually waved at him.
“Patrick!”
“Sixx, you’re awake! How are you feeling? You’re not in too much pain, are you? Well, of course, you’d be in some pain, but—”
“I’m fine. …But what about Malon? Is he okay?”
Patrick raised his hand to calm Sixx down. Judging by Patrick’s reaction, things seemed to have settled down. However, Sixx couldn’t calm down. He had left Malon in that chaos. Even though he had passed out and had no choice, the worry and regret still gnawed at him.
“If you’re worried about Hawk, don’t be. He’s perfectly fine.”
Patrick then explained what had happened after Sixx left. Sixx realized once again how incredible Malon was. Compared to himself, who had been helplessly kidnapped, Malon had handled everything brilliantly.
“Don’t worry about anything and focus on recovering.”
“Okay. But, what is Malon doing right now?”
“He’s… cleaning up the aftermath of the organization’s upheaval. Neither he nor I will have time to sleep for a while. We need to completely take over the organization during this chaos. We also need to deal with the faction that supported Luca. You just focus on your recovery. I’ll have a couple of guards outside your room. They might look intimidating, but don’t be too scared.”
Patrick roughly ruffled Sixx’s hair. With his head shaking wildly, Sixx managed to respond, “Yes, I understand.”
Patrick then left, and Sixx was truly alone. No, as Patrick had mentioned, he could sense the presence of guards outside the hospital room. Still, Sixx felt alone. So, Malon is busy… He understood after Patrick’s explanation, but he still felt somewhat forlorn. In the past, he wouldn’t have dared to harbor such feelings. But now, it was different. Sixx had seen Malon’s true self. He vividly remembered the look on Malon’s face as he held Sixx, who was badly injured. He would never forget it. In that moment, even as he was dying, Sixx felt a surge of joy. Maybe Malon cares for me even more than I thought… Ah, such arrogance. Sixx bit his lip.
Sixx spent about a month in the hospital. Despite his severe injuries, he received exceptional care. It was almost too much, considering the extent of his injuries. This was all thanks to Malon. He wanted to express his gratitude, but Malon didn’t show up. Instead, members of the Cage household came to visit him. They brought large bouquets of flowers and his favorite foods. Isabella, feeding him chocolate pudding, even shed a few tears, lamenting how Sixx had been caught up in the Cage family’s conflict. Sixx assured her that he was fine.
Weeks passed, and still, Malon did not appear. While Sixx waited for him, his wounds healed quickly. The doctor who checked on him every morning and evening was amazed. “In my 20 years as a doctor, I’ve never seen someone recover as quickly as you,” he said. Sixx nodded calmly. The doctor likely had never treated a werewolf before. Patrick also visited occasionally. While it was nice to see him, the person Sixx truly wanted to see was someone else.
And then, the man came on a night when the white full moon was shining.
Sixx, who had been dozing off, awoke to see the man standing by the window, staring at the white moon outside. He softly called his name. “Malon,” he said. The man turned around.
“…Sixx.”
Sixx sighed quietly. Malon’s face didn’t look good at all. He knew Malon was always busy, but he looked incredibly haggard. While Sixx had been recovering well, sleeping and eating properly in a comfortable hospital room, Malon looked utterly exhausted, like a flickering flame about to be extinguished. Could it be that he hadn’t been able to sleep? Sixx, whose wounds were almost fully healed and who could probably transform into a wolf again, tugged at Malon’s sleeve.
“Malon, you look tired. Do you want to get some sleep? I can transform into a wolf.”
“No. You’re still a patient.”
“I’m almost fully healed. The doctor said I could be discharged soon.”
“No. It’s too dangerous to transform here, especially since this isn’t home.”
In that case… Sixx shuffled to the edge of the bed and patted the empty space next to him. Looking up at Malon, who seemed to not understand,
Sixx said, “Rest here beside me. Even if you don’t sleep, it might be good for you to rest a bit.”
He was worried Malon might refuse, but to his surprise, after blinking a few times, Malon sat down next to him. Fortunately, the hospital bed was quite spacious, leaving ample room for two grown men. Sixx realized just how tired Malon must be, and he felt guilty for having been upset with him earlier. The ever-vigilant Malon Cage seemed to have let down his guard for once.
“Malon, aren’t you overworking yourself? Is the organization really in such chaos?”
“…Not exactly. Things have stabilized now.”
“Then why do you look so exhausted…?”
Sixx reached out to touch Malon’s cheek. When his fingers made contact with Malon’s pale skin, Malon flinched and knocked Sixx’s hand away, his pupils dilated with alarm. However, Sixx understood that Malon wasn’t recoiling in disgust. It was probably the opposite. Slowly, Sixx reached out again and placed his hand on Malon’s cheek. His movements were as gentle as if he were trying to soothe a startled wild animal. This time, Malon didn’t resist.
Arrogance. Sixx was experiencing that emotion for the first time in his life. The person he wanted to understand had always been composed and adept at hiding his emotions, leaving Sixx uncertain about everything.
“…Sixx, stop.”
But this time was different. Sixx knew now that Malon’s words were just a pretense. His voice, tinged with tension rather than irritation, confirmed it. This mix of certainty and exhilaration made Sixx bolder. As he touched Malon’s roughened cheek and moved closer, Malon tried to pull away, but Sixx grabbed his shoulder. Now, Malon’s breath was warm against Sixx’s lips. Those piercingly bright blue eyes… the emotions within them were—
Sixx kissed Malon, capturing his erratic breaths and wetting his dry lips, then boldly sliding his tongue inside. Malon, seemingly surprised by Sixx’s adeptness, flinched. Yet, it was Malon who had taught him this. The way to intertwine tongues smoothly, rubbing leisurely against each other to ignite a spark of sensuality. Sixx merely added a personal touch to what he had learned. As he drank in Malon’s saliva, he savored him slowly, noticing a faint blush around Malon’s eyes.
“…You’ve gotten quite good at kissing. Where did you practice?”
As their lips parted with a wet sound, Malon roughly wiped his damp mouth. Watching him closely, Sixx pondered what response Malon might want.
“Do you want to know if I’ve been practicing kissing with someone else?”
Merely repeating Malon’s words seemed to leave him at a loss for words. His unfamiliar demeanor further supported Sixx’s hypothesis, even his denials.
“Or are you worried about me kissing someone else?”
“What are you talking about—”
“It seems like you are. But if you don’t want me kissing others, you just need to say so. Then I won’t kiss anyone else. It’s not a difficult condition, right?”
“…What’s with that cocky attitude?”
Malon was angry. Sixx had thrown his questions at him with blunt force. But Sixx was reaching his limit. Now, he knew. Malon Cage, the notorious mafia boss, liked him. Why was he hiding it? Sixx felt he had waited long enough, and his patience was running thin.
“You like me.”
When Sixx said that abruptly, Malon stared at him with a shocked expression. It seemed to awaken something in him. He sprang up from the bed, ignoring Sixx’s still-dissatisfied gaze, and pulled something from his pocket, throwing it in front of him. It was a plane ticket.
“What’s this? Destination’s Chicago?”
“That’s where you’re headed after discharge.”
“So you want me to go back to Chicago now?”
“That’s right, go back to Chicago. I heard you even got offered a manager position at your old workplace? Looks like I’ve underestimated you too much all this time. Everyone has a job that suits them, it seems. Go back and do what suits you. Let’s just pretend these past few months never happened.”
“What about you, Malon?”
“Me? I’ll naturally do what suits me. So, don’t ever come back here again.”
“When are you going to drag me back here?”
“Forget? That was my right. I paid $100,000 to buy you. Maybe not worth that much, but I’ve enjoyed you enough during this time. But now, I’m bored. Just quietly go back.”
A bitter laugh escaped. Of course, he had considered returning to Chicago once. It had been too long since he had seen the faces of Leticia and Corbin, the siblings. Though it wasn’t his intention, he felt he should apologize for causing trouble by abruptly taking time off work. But living in Chicago permanently wasn’t in his plans. His place was here, by Malon’s side. Yet Malon was saying exactly the opposite. Ah, he was going to keep insisting on that until the end.
“Alright. Shall I bid farewell here then?”
“…Yeah.”
“Thank you for everything. I owe you a lot in many ways. Being rescued from the auction, being taken care of all this time, even getting medical treatment like this.”
He knew why Malon was driving him away. He remembered Malon’s gaze as he looked at him when he was finally rescued from the hellish Luca’s box. With just that look, Sixx could understand what emotions Malon had been searching for when he found him kidnapped. And he felt a wrenching pity. Surely, he didn’t want to endure such pain again. Perhaps he was afraid Sixx would get hurt because of it, or that he would lose Sixx. He didn’t want to be hurt again either. Cowardly and lovable. Sixx had discovered his vulnerability hidden beneath the cold facade. Among the many people surrounding him, Sixx was probably the only one who had discovered it. Perhaps that’s why even that vulnerability seemed lovable to him. At the same time, he felt a mischievous heart. He didn’t want to torment him, but he might want to tease him a little. With a downcast face, Sixx looked away and said somewhat sadly, “I must have been mistaken after all. Well, Malon wouldn’t like me anyway.”
“…”
AHHHHHHHHH CONFESSION!!! WELL ALMOST BECAUSE MALON IS BEING A LITTLE STINGY WITH HIS FEELINGS BUT AHHHHHHHHHHHHH THANK YOU FOR THE CHAPTERS ❤️❤️❤️❤️
❤️💔
Ugh…..I almost heard my heart break💔💔
Omg the boy knows how to play trick 🥹
Sixx you absolute menace! Keep doing that!
Thanks for the chap ❤️❤️❤️
Love that although Malon is trying to push him away, Sixx knows his true feelings when he saw it on his face. Thank you for the update!