* * *
Leonard’s piercing gaze locked straight onto Chaeyi.
And then…
Chaeyi, who had been trying to discuss realistic concerns, was left speechless by Leonard’s words.
He couldn’t quite understand why Leonard was so upset.
‘What does it matter if he’s a Beta?’
That thought floated in his mind when suddenly…
“Ah. Wait… What’s this?”
Leonard abruptly grabbed Chaeyi and led him out of the terrace.
Without a word, he dragged him somewhere, leaving Chaeyi momentarily stunned, but he chose to follow without protest.
They left the salon, went down the corridor, and up a staircase until Leonard shoved Chaeyi into an empty bedroom.
Standing with his back to the door, Leonard locked it shut with a decisive click.
Click.
The sound of the door locking was quiet yet distinct.
In the dim light, Leonard lifted his head, his blue eyes gleaming.
“Leo… What’s going on?”
Feeling a strange tension in the air, Chaeyi swallowed nervously.
Before he could react, Leonard’s shirt slipped off, falling to the floor.
Initially, Chaeyi thought he must be hot, but he quickly realized that wasn’t the case at all.
“What the—! Hey! What are you doing?!”
Startled, Chaeyi turned beet red and pressed himself against the wall.
Unfazed, Leonard stepped closer, trapping Chaeyi between his arms.
The sweet scent of Leonard filled the room, making Chaeyi feel dizzy.
As he tried to turn away, Leonard’s heated breath brushed against his ear.
“Chaeyi, do you know?”
“Know what…?”
“Aroused dominant Alphas emit a pheromone called ‘excitement scent.’ When a Beta is exposed to it continuously, they can even turn into a recessive Omega.”
“What…?”
There’s a way like that?
Chaeyi was caught off-guard, his heart pounding and his face heating up the moment he recalled the condition of “being aroused.”
“It’s something that can be attempted even with light skinship. Though, there are people who change easily and others who never do. You newver know it until you try.”
Chaeyi glanced at Leonard, whose eyes were lowered as if lost in thought.
Then, Leonard’s lips curled into a crooked smile.
“I have no intention of giving up.”
Their eyes met.
Despite Leonard’s gaze being as gentle as usual, Chaeyi couldn’t help but feel an inexplicable chill.
“So don’t worry, Chaeyi. Even if you don’t turn into an Omega, I’ll keep trying until it happens.”
That uneasy feeling turned into shock.
“W-What are you saying? Have you lost your mind? Wait, you jerk!”
Chaeyi, flustered, grabbed Leonard’s wandering hand with a swift motion.
Only now did he realize that Leonard’s eyes had a half-crazed glint, like someone who had just found a delicious meal.
That unsettling feeling came from this very look.
“I’m going to take you now.”
Leonard said, lifting Chaeyi’s collar slightly.
It was an impulsive remark born out of anxiety and frustration over Chaeyi’s elusive responses.
Understanding what Leonard meant by “take,” Chaeyi was more shocked than when Leonard had said he would keep trying until Chaeyi became an Omega.
His hurried actions were too much for Chaeyi to easily accept.
Relationships have an order…
Skipping hand-holding and kissing to get straight to this was unacceptable for a traditional Korean man like Chaeyi.
“Hey! What are you thinking, getting all naked like this?! We haven’t even started properly, and you want to go straight to that?! Does that make any sense?”
In truth, Chaeyi, who had once gotten drunk and shared a first kiss without even realizing his feelings, wasn’t in a position to say this.
Still, that’s how he felt.
“Let’s take it slow… Slow down, okay?”
Leonard paused, seemingly considering Chaeyi’s plea.
For a moment, it looked like the persuasion might have worked.
But then Leonard lifted his eyes, meeting Chaeyi’s gaze sharply once again.
“What doesn’t make sense? I’ve always been a bold guy.”
Persuasion? Not a chance.
What do I do now?
Um… I’m not ready for this yet…
As Chaeyi scrambled to find the right words, Leonard continued trying to strip off Chaeyi’s jacket.
Gasp.
It was a moment of crisis.
“Stop! That’s enough!”
Chaeyi, in desperation, resorted to his last-ditch measure.
Even if Leonard was a strong dominant Alpha, no man would be okay after being struck where it counts.
This was Chaeyi’s “trump card”—crossing a line no man should ever cross.
Whack!
Chaeyi retracted his leg and kicked upward.
He felt a soft, squishy contact for a moment but forced himself not to think about it.
“Ugh…”
Leonard’s hand, which had been propped against the wall, slipped.
The effect was exactly as Chaeyi had hoped.
With Leonard weakened, Chaeyi quickly fixed his disheveled clothes and spoke.
“Sorry! But you didn’t listen to me and rushed things. This kind of thing needs mutual agreement. Understand? So, give me time to think about… that.”
Leonard shot Chaeyi a scary glare but eventually let out a sigh, his eyes softening like a wilted flower.
“Do you really hate the idea of doing it with me that much?”
Luckily, the kick seemed to have brought him back to his senses, but Chaeyi worried whether it had been too harsh.
Though he had aimed slightly off-target, he wondered if it had caused any serious damage to Leonard’s precious parts.
But Leonard seemed more mentally shaken than physically hurt.
He knew he had been wrong to push so aggressively.
“You said you feel the same way about me.”
“Yes, I like you. That’s true.”
“Then?”
“Let’s take it slow… You’re my first, and I don’t even know how to do… that kind of thing between two men.”
To be honest, he was a bit scared of the unknown.
Plus, Chaeyi had spent most of his life focused on work, with no time for romance.
He was a classic case of a platonic-oriented single.
Although he was curious and did want to explore beyond, this was still the beginning.
He wanted to experience a tender romance, slowly getting to know Leonard’s hidden sides.
“I need time to prepare myself emotionally.”
Hearing Chaeyi’s sincere confession, Leonard’s sharp gaze softened.
After a moment of serious thought, Leonard nodded as if he understood.
“How long do I have to wait?”
“Um…”
As Chaeyi hesitated, deep in thought, Leonard made a suggestion.
“Then, take your time to prepare before my rut season comes. I was planning to leave a mark during my rut anyway. It’s about six months away.”
“Wait… Marking?”
Chaeyi had read about it in a book once.
If an Alpha in rut bonds with their chosen partner, they leave a mark, signifying ownership.
It was common among activated Alphas, usually done with a betrothed or married partner.
Recalling this, Chaeyi’s eyes widened in shock.
“Hold on. What if I haven’t become an Omega by then?”
However, Chaeyi had to close his mouth before he could finish speaking.
Leonard’s piercing glare was anything but forgiving.
If he pushed any further, the calm he had managed to restore by soothing him might shatter completely.
“I will mark you, Chaeyi, whether you manifest as an Omega or not.”
“Alright, but… let’s get dressed first.”
Chaeyi decided to leave the imprinting issue aside for now, picking up Leonard’s scattered clothes and helping him dress.
He buttoned up every last one, making sure not an inch of bare skin was exposed.
Well, there’s plenty of time—six months, to be exact.
The issue of imprinting could be revisited later.
Besides, the fact that it wasn’t a permanent bond made a big difference.
Although there was the tricky restriction that only the Alpha could initiate and undo the mark…
What mattered was that it could be undone voluntarily, whenever necessary.
“Done.”
As Chaeyi finished dressing him and brushed off the dust, Leonard—who had been watching Chaeyi with a slightly regretful look—pressed a kiss to his forehead.
When Chaeyi looked up, Leonard lowered his head and planted another soft kiss on Chaeyi’s lips.
It was a confident gesture, as if there was nothing to hold back anymore.
“…I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.”
Chaeyi’s face, which had just cooled off, turned red once again.
Leonard found this reaction—turning crimson even from a light kiss—adorably endearing, and his lips curled into a gentle smile. This wasn’t so bad, at least for now.
Putting his lingering regret aside, Leonard extended his hand.
“Let’s go back.”
Chaeyi took his outstretched hand without hesitation.
“Leo… I’m sorry about earlier. Are you okay?”
“I think I’ll be fine—if you kiss me first.”
“…I’ll give it a try.”
As the two made their way out of the mansion early, they held hands tightly, fingers intertwined.
The sweet sight was accidentally witnessed by Aelan, who had stepped out for some fresh air, though neither Leonard nor Chaeyi noticed.
* * *
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