* * *

Their emotional reunion lasted only a few minutes.

Despite Edwin’s efforts to control his pheromones, the room was already drenched in their damp presence.

And those pheromones, mercilessly clinging to Henry’s recently recovered body, teased him unrelentingly.

When Edwin’s mood soured, his pheromones would manifest sharply, almost spiky, but those were easier to shrug off.

The pheromones that now clung to Henry were of a different breed—gentler, yet impossible to ignore.

It was as though Edwin’s longing for Henry to wake up had spilled into every ounce of his pheromones.

While it didn’t explicitly express desire, the root of it—the want for Henry—remained the same.

Opening a window to disperse the pheromones crossed Henry’s mind, but it wouldn’t be a fundamental solution.

He shifted his gaze uneasily before lightly pushing Edwin’s shoulder.

“How much did you release?”

His voice cracked mid-sentence, and he paused briefly to steady himself.

It truly felt as though his entire body had been steeped in Edwin’s pheromones.

Edwin didn’t answer immediately; instead, he buried his face deep into the crook of Henry’s neck.

Maybe it was relief from Henry waking up, but Henry’s instincts screamed that wasn’t all there was to it.

“Edwin…”

Henry tried to call him, but the breath he drew in brought another wave of pheromones, sending his body reeling.

“I couldn’t help it,” Edwin muttered, short and curt, yet it was the most honest answer he could give.

Sighing, Henry pushed at Edwin’s shoulder again, hoping to make him meet his gaze.

Edwin complied, looking at Henry directly.

“Edwin, your pheromones are dangerous right now.”

Henry could feel the heat rising in his already weakened body, leaving him at a loss.

Washing it off seemed like an option, but even that felt implausible.

He had no clue how to fend it off.

Sensing Henry’s struggle, Edwin cupped his cheek gently, guiding his gaze upward.

Before Henry could protest, Edwin unsealed the dam of his own pheromone glands.

“Wait, you—”

Henry, who had been agonizing over how to fend off Edwin’s pheromones, grew visibly flustered.

Edwin, however, only intensified their presence deliberately.

“Release yours too,” Edwin demanded, his tone calm yet firm, leaving no room for argument.

Henry stared at him in bewilderment.

Barely regaining his senses, he didn’t even know the state of his own pheromones.

What if something went wrong?

“Trust me,” Edwin soothed, his hand stroking Henry’s cheek with practiced care.

Bolstered by Edwin’s quiet reassurance, Henry cast his gaze downward and let his pheromones seep out.

At first, it felt like a blocked stream, but soon, it flowed freely, as much as he willed it to.

“Don’t hold back. Let it all out,” Edwin instructed in a low voice.

Without hesitation, Henry unleashed his pheromones completely.

It had been so long since he’d done so without restraint—the last time being when he absorbed the power of the pheromone stone, or the night he had cycled with Edwin.

A deep sigh of satisfaction escaped Henry as he closed his eyes.

The intertwining pheromones of the two filled the room, their presence palpable even as Edwin continued to gently hold him.

“Henry,” Edwin whispered, his voice reverberating through the charged air.

Henry’s lashes quivered as he looked up at Edwin.

“Let’s imprint.”

“…Now?”

Edwin’s pheromones were already mingling with Henry’s, giving off a distinct sense that Edwin wanted something.

And now, Edwin brought it up himself.

“I know you’re not in the best condition right now. I won’t ask for more than you can give.”

While Edwin didn’t want to burden him, he made it clear that now, with their pheromones fully aware of each other, was the perfect opportunity.

Edwin gently pushed Henry’s half-raised body back down onto the bed.

Although they had already formed a bond, it had been a result of their pheromones resonating with each other.

A complete bond was a different matter altogether.

For their pheromones to fully acknowledge each other, their bodies had to be physically connected.

Only after they had been together could the bond truly form.

Yet Edwin claimed he wouldn’t demand more, even as he moved Henry back onto the bed—his actions and words didn’t quite align.

Henry’s trembling hand reached out to grab Edwin’s arm.

“Are you planning to create another incomplete bond?”

Seeing the faint smile on Henry’s face, Edwin understood it as consent.

He leaned down, brushing his lips over Henry’s parted ones before gently sucking on them, exhaling his breath into him.

“I’m going to turn this incomplete bond into a perfect one.”

Edwin murmured into Henry’s lips as his hand slipped under Henry’s clothes.

When Henry glanced up at him, wondering if even this had been part of his plan, Edwin gave a soft chuckle.

“This is my selfish desire.”

Knowing Henry didn’t have the strength to push him away, Edwin touched him as much as he wanted.

More than the soft texture of Henry’s skin, what moved Edwin deeply was the vivid sense of Henry’s life beneath his hands.

His touch lingered, especially around Henry’s heartbeat.

“Ah…”

Henry let out a soft sigh as Edwin’s hands tenderly caressed him.

Their physical connection was limited to gentle touches and the occasional soft kiss, yet their pheromones resonated far beyond that.

While Henry wondered if any of this was truly normal, he surrendered himself to Edwin completely, closing his eyes.

He wanted to follow Edwin’s lead. Right now, nothing else but Edwin came to mind.

Slowly but steadily, the two accepted each other’s existence into their very souls.

As they exchanged breaths and drew comfort from the warmth of each other’s bodies, their smiles naturally emerged.

Henry tentatively pressed his lips to Edwin’s, giving quick, teasing pecks, or brushing his tongue briefly against Edwin’s lips.

As lovers who had endured a crisis, their mutual comfort and acceptance of each other felt heartwarming and poignant.

When their bond was fully formed, Henry felt as though the final piece of a puzzle had clicked into place.

---

Henry recalled up to the moment he was attacked by Taylor, but everything afterward was a blank.

Curious, he asked Edwin how he had managed to calm his condition. Edwin explained everything from start to finish.

Edwin described how Henry had lost consciousness, what treatments the doctor had attempted, and how nothing worked until Count Ariat intervened.

Henry focused on the fact that Edwin’s pheromones had been instrumental in his recovery, especially through the use of a pheromone stone.

“You used a pheromone stone?”

Edwin extended his hand, opening his palm to reveal the remnants of the stone.

It had lost its original luster and was now just a dull fragment of rock.

“Is it supposed to end up like this?”

Henry tilted his head, trying to recall.

From what he remembered, pheromone stones didn’t break or lose their form.

That’s why, in the original story, Kayla had been able to present the stone to Count Ariat.

“Was it because Edwin used it?”

Henry wasn’t sure how pheromone stones worked.

Perhaps the stone had reacted to Edwin pouring out his pheromones.

This explanation felt plausible enough to Henry.

As he curiously examined the fragment, he soon set it down, brushing off the thought.

Whatever the case, it had helped him, and that was enough.

“Your pheromones really have changed.”

An extreme alpha’s pheromones were usually overwhelming and heavy.

But Edwin’s now felt different—not merely heavy but refined, as though he had gained better control over them.

Henry had sensed this several times during their bonding process.

“Anything else that’s changed?”

It was a casual question born of curiosity. Edwin thought for a moment before shaking his head.

“Not that I’m aware of yet.”

“Well, we’ve gained plenty from the pheromone stone as it is.”

Henry spoke as if to reassure him. In response, Edwin gently fed him a spoonful of soup.

Every act of kindness, every thoughtful gesture, showed how dedicated Edwin had been to caring for Henry.

Initially, Henry had resisted being spoon-fed by Edwin, but after a couple of days, he had naturally grown accustomed to it.

Edwin’s ability to notice and address Henry’s needs made him the most comfortable presence.

As Henry savored the rich taste of the soup, a slight furrow formed on his brow.

‘I should start moving soon…’

Although it was time to return home, he was still in Edwin’s room.

His body felt at ease, but his mind was unsettled.

And there was Taylor.

The debt owed to him had yet to be repaid.

Yet, as another spoonful of soup was offered, Henry reflexively opened his mouth to accept it.

* * *