Hide me in your arms

Chap 3:What's going on?

Ethan's pov~

It had already been a month since I started living in Jude's mansion, and everyone had been incredibly kind to me, especially Jude and his brothers. All four of them always helped me whenever I needed something. Lately though, Jude had been acting extra clingy. Sometimes he would even skip doing his paperwork just to cuddle with me until the sun went down.

That afternoon, I decided to take a walk in the garden. The air was fresh, and the flowers were in full bloom. As I wandered around, I suddenly noticed someone lying on the grass under a large, beautiful tree. Curious, I walked closer and realized it was Jordan. He slowly opened his eyes, and for a moment, I swear our eyes met before he looked away.

"Oh... it's you, Ethan." He slowly sat up and gave me a soft smile.

"Do you need something from me?" he asked, the gentle smile still on his lips. I cleared my throat nervously.

"O-oh, no... I was just taking a walk and saw you here. So I decided to check on you. But it seems like you were just sleeping. Haha... and I'm sorry for waking you up." I looked away awkwardly.

"Oh no, it's okay. You don't have to apologize, Ethan. Come sit here. Let's chat for a bit," Jordan said, patting the space beside him.

I slowly walked over and sat down next to him. We talked for a few minutes, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, until our conversation was suddenly interrupted.

"Hey Jordan. Jude is looking for you. He said you have something important to discuss." It was Julius. His tone was calm and cold, just like always. Jordan sighed before turning to me.

"Well, it was nice chatting with you, Ethan. See you later." He smiled and even gave me a quick wink before standing up and heading back toward the mansion.

I looked up and suddenly met Julius's eyes. We stared at each other for a few seconds before I awkwardly looked away. Then I heard the grass rustle beside me. Julius had sat down next to me. For a moment, neither of us said anything. We just sat there quietly, enjoying the peaceful garden.

Eventually, Julius broke the silence. "Hey, Ethan... what do you think about my older brother, Jude?"

My eyes widened in surprise. I definitely wasn't expecting that question.

I took a deep breath before answering. "Well... he's handsome, strong, and kind. And especially... I can tell that he loves me very much."

I smiled softly. "And honestly... I could say the same about all of you too. You guys made me feel loved and cared for."

I laughed a little awkwardly. "But I was still a bit shocked... because a boy like me ended up becoming the male bride of a bear beastman."

Julius chuckled softly, and soon we were both laughing. I had to admit, it was nice talking with Jordan and Julius like this. I was getting to know them better.

Today turned out to be a really good day.

Soon after, Julius and I went back inside the mansion. But the moment we stepped inside, we were greeted by a rather dramatic sight. Jude's tearful face.

"Ethan, my darling!"

Before I could react, he pulled me into a tight hug.

"I was so worried about you! Where have you been?!"

"O-oh... I just took a walk in the garden and chatted with Julius and Jordan," I said, smiling in an attempt to reassure him.

But honestly... why was he so worried? He hadn't even been away from me for that long. Just then, the maids called everyone and told us that dinner was ready.

We all went to the dining room, where Jackson was already waiting for us.

As soon as we sat down, Jude did what he always did. He picked me up and forcefully placed me on his lap.

Then he started feeding me.

"Jude, I can feed myself," I protested. But he insisted.

So eventually... I just gave up and let him. After dinner, we decided to play a game together.

Hide and seek.

We ended up playing for hours, running around the mansion and laughing like children. By the time we finished, it was already late and everyone was exhausted. So we all agreed it was time to rest.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The next day

The sun shined brightly as we walked through the busy town market.

I had forced all four of them to come with me because I had always wanted to visit the market. Back when I lived with my parents, they never allowed me to go out with them.

The market was lively. Many stalls were open, mostly selling food, clothes, and random items. Then suddenly, something caught my attention.

It was a stall filled with strange objects I had never seen before. One thing in particular looked like a ring, but it was much bigger than a normal ring.

Since Jordan was walking closest to me, I asked him about it. But the moment he saw the items, his eyes widened and his cheeks turned red.

"It's... just random stuff," he quickly said. "Let's go somewhere else." He immediately pulled me away from the stall.

It was strange... but I didn't question it. The others bought a few things they wanted. Julius bought another white coat and a new suit.

Jackson bought a new tie.

And Jude...

"Hey, my darling. Look what I bought for you~"

The moment I saw it, my eyes widened.

It was...

A maid outfit.

"J-Jude!"

I smacked his shoulder playfully while my face burned with embarrassment. He only chuckled softly.

The others started laughing too, which made me even more embarrassed. As we began walking back to our carriage, I suddenly felt uneasy. It felt like someone had been following us.

And ever since we entered the market, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone had been watching me. I quickly shook the thought away. Maybe I was just imagining things.

Without thinking too much about it, I climbed into the carriage and sat beside Jude.

But somehow...

I still couldn't get rid of that strange feeling.