* * *
‘No way. That damn Alpha is too sharp for his own good. How did he figure it out? This is nerve-wracking. Wait, hold on. Why am I nervous? It’s not like I’m dating him or anything. We haven’t even finalized a contract yet. So why the hell does he care if I do something with another Alpha? What business is it of his? This is ridiculous!’
“You’re not going to let something like that happen again, are you?”
Remy flinched again, startled by Ashton’s words.
“W-What? Of course not….”
“Good. You’ll behave from now on and only eat what’s mine, right? Got it?”
“What are you even saying?”
Remy’s face flushed bright red.
Unable to bear the embarrassment, he turned his head to the side, only for Ashton’s hand to follow, gripping his chin and turning him back.
Remy found himself locked in Ashton’s gaze, unable to escape.
His flushed face scrunched up in frustration, and he puffed out his cheeks in indignation.
Just imagining staying close to this guy any longer made the soles of his feet itch.
“Looking forward to working with you, partner.”
“Y-Yeah, same here.”
“Since the contract’s settled, I guess it’s okay to celebrate a bit more, right?”
“Y-Yeah, sure, I guess—wait, what?!”
Before Remy could process what Ashton had just said, Ashton silenced him by pressing his lips against Remy’s.
Remy’s muffled protests were swallowed as Ashton pushed him onto the bed.
Ashton’s lips trailed over the red marks that marred Remy’s skin, his expression darkening as he saw them.
Those unsightly marks?
He’d simply cover them with his own.
‘No one else will touch you again. No Alpha, no one. No one will lay a finger on you from now on.’
The room filled with heavy, heated breaths.
Remy, utterly overwhelmed, could only cry out in bliss as he surrendered himself to Ashton.
While the two of them were enjoying their intense bonding time, someone who had been fading from Remy’s memory dismounted from a horse, his face as cold as stone.
“Your Highness, you’ve arrived.”
The one stepping down from the striking white horse was none other than Prince Hayward, with his silver hair gleaming.
He had been staying in a neighboring kingdom as part of a diplomatic delegation following the summer hunt, under the orders of the king.
‘Of all times, why now? A diplomatic mission during such a crucial moment?’
Hayward was not pleased with the king’s command.
He had been locked in a subtle battle of wills with Ashton over Remy and felt uneasy leaving the situation unattended.
But ignoring his father’s orders wasn’t an option.
As the heir to the throne, disobedience was unthinkable.
Reluctantly, he had set out on the long journey.
“Has there been any correspondence from His Majesty?”
“None, Your Highness.”
“And what about Remy? Any updates about him?”
“Well… about that….”
Hayward had assigned a trusted aide to send regular reports about Remy while he was away.
But the uneasy expression on Sir Gregory, the chamberlain who had reviewed the latest correspondence, didn’t bode well.
‘Strange. The last report said Remy and Ashton hadn’t been meeting lately.’
“Speak. Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“Yesterday, Lord Harlan visited the Earl of Wesley’s estate and hasn’t left since.”
“…”
Damn it.
Hayward clenched his jaw.
He’d been on edge, fearing something might happen between them, but he’d been reassured by reports of no contact.
Now, it seemed they’d crossed a line.
He could excuse the incident at the hunting trip as a mistake.
But now that it had happened again, he was certain it wasn’t a coincidence.
There was something between them—undeniably so.
‘Ashton. That bastard. In the end…!’
“I must return immediately. I need to go to the Wesley estate!”
“Your Highness, please restrain yourself. You haven’t yet fulfilled His Majesty’s orders.”
Hayward took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
As much as he wanted to rush to Wesley’s estate and tear Ashton apart, he couldn’t.
Defying the king’s expectations wasn’t an option, and he had no justifiable reason to take Ashton’s life—yet.
‘I have to endure this. If I want to claim Remy completely, acting rashly now will only push him further away.’
Hayward suppressed his anger with difficulty.
For now, he needed to focus on his diplomatic duties and strengthen his position for the throne.
“Understood. I will restrain myself.”
“You are wise, Your Highness.”
With that, Hayward entered the residence prepared for the delegation.
His steps were heavy with suppressed rage, his frustration evident in the force of his stride.
Ashton stayed in the Wesley Count’s estate for not just the day after his visit, but for several days.
During this time, he remained in Remy’s room.
Naturally, the two were inseparable, indulging in each other’s bodies over and over, intoxicated by their mutual scent and the pleasure they shared.
Meals were often forgotten, and even the food brought by the servants went untouched, as their gazes inevitably locked again, pulling them back into their fervor.
Today was no exception—Ashton, who had laid Remy on the table, sent a perfectly arranged meal crashing to the floor before climbing on top of him.
Soon, the clatter of dishes echoed, loud enough to reverberate through the tightly shut doors and down the corridor.
“Ah, such youthful vigor,” Chandler, the head servant, mused to himself outside the room, a subtle smile tugging at his lips.
Had it been any other Alpha, he might have been concerned, but Ashton had been frequenting this house since he was young.
Even the Countess of Wesley had once remarked that, had Remy not been a Beta, she would have gladly tied the Wesley family to the Harlan family by marriage.
“She was so distraught back then… It’s good to see things working out,” Chandler thought as he cautiously made his way down the hall to the first floor.
He had planned to tell the servants not to bother retrieving the dishes anytime soon, as it would clearly take a while before they could enter the room.
But just then—
“Welcome, young Count.”
A commotion by the entrance caught Chandler’s attention.
Turning his gaze toward the front door, he saw Rex, the eldest son of the Balcom family, striding inside.
“Good day,” Chandler greeted him with practiced courtesy, but Rex’s expression was anything but pleasant.
Initially, Rex had assumed Remy’s absence was due to poor health.
But when days passed with no word, unease crept in.
Out of respect, he had refrained from visiting an ailing Omega, but today, his concern overwhelmed him, and he decided to check in on Remy personally.
Before heading to the Wesley estate, Rex had even ensured food was sent to Oliver’s tent, which he often visited alone.
But today, nothing else mattered—he was determined to see Remy.
“Where is Remy?”
“The young master is unwell and resting in his room,” Chandler replied, carefully omitting any mention of Ashton’s presence.
Rex let out a short, frustrated sigh.
Regret surged briefly.
Had he said too much to Remy that day?
His feelings for Remy were genuine, and he had only wanted to be honest with him.
But had he been too hasty?
Had he not given Remy enough time to process it all?
As he wrestled with his thoughts, a faint scent caught his attention—a scent unmistakably belonging to Ashton.
“Wait.”
If his nose wasn’t deceiving him, Ashton was here.
That was definitely Ashton’s pheromone lingering in the air.
Fixing Chandler with a sharp glare, Rex began to press him.
“Is Ashton here right now?”
* * *
A harem wouldve been so good