* * *
Forced exposure to the Duke’s pheromones—meant to penetrate the concentrated scent—only made the agony worse.
“Ze…roth…?”
Her cracked voice trembled, followed by a cough.
Luaia soaked a clean cloth and gently pressed it to her lips.
“He’s in his office. Paul figured it was best to keep him as far away as possible—it seems to ease your suffering.”
Sylvian’s reaction to Zeroth’s pheromones had become so intense that even a trace could cause violent convulsions.
Paul had no choice but to request the Duke stay away.
“Lord Martius will be here soon to help induce your pheromones.”
Sylvian’s eyes flickered at Luaia’s words.
She wanted to say no but couldn’t make the words come out.
“Try to sleep again. You’ll feel better after some rest.”
Touched by Luaia’s warm hand, Sylvian closed her eyes.
Tears rolled down from her fevered lids.
“Brother?”
“…Marti?”
When she opened her eyes again, it was already dark.
Sylvian reached out to her younger brother, who stood with a worried expression.
“Come here.”
At her call, Martius exhaled deeply and took her trembling hand.
“They said you need my pheromones.”
“Don’t.”
“It’s just a little, maybe it’ll help?”
Sylvian stroked her brother’s hair gently, seeing his conflicted expression.
“I’ll try just a little, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll stop. Okay?”
“Call Zeroth.”
“Brother.”
Martius’s face twisted at her firm tone, but her resolve didn’t waver.
No matter how painful, she needed to resolve this with Zeroth.
The idea of anything going wrong with Martius’s pheromones was unthinkable.
This wasn’t just the side effect of a heat cycle—it could spiral into something irreparable.
“Just once… can’t you trust me, just once?”
“…Marti.”
“Please? Help me… be the real thing.”
Feeling the warmth from their clasped hands, Sylvian gazed at her brother wordlessly.
“Do you really want this?”
“Yeah. I’m a knight. I’m healthy. I won’t get hurt.”
She didn’t even know anymore if she was truly an Omega or an Alpha.
She’d never released her pheromones, never gone into rut.
Everyone thought she had perfect pheromone control, but maybe the truth was her pheromone glands were broken—nothing came out at all.
She had been born an Omega, but the Alpha pheromone gland had been implanted right after.
A forbidden procedure across the continent, due to its risks.
The success rate was extremely low.
Most who underwent it died within hours.
Still, those desperate to become Alphas sought it out.
It was expensive.
Her mother had sold all her jewelry and begged a street doctor to perform it.
Martius became an Alpha at a young age without ever knowing why.
If he hadn’t succeeded, their mother had planned to adopt an Alpha child or forcibly operate on another orphan.
“Don’t say things like that.”
‘At least you survived,’ Sylvian thought, gently stroking the back of her brother’s hand.
“…Alright. I’ll trust you.”
She gave a small smile and closed her eyes again.
If Martius failed, she could still call Zeroth.
She could excuse it by saying parents and siblings were different.
“Hnn…”
A soft sound escaped from Martius’s lips.
The trembling of their joined hands made it clear just how hard he was trying.
A faint, nearly vanishing pheromone reached Sylvian’s nose.
Her brother’s gentle reassurances began to loosen the tightly bound pheromones inside her.
“Now… call Zeroth.”
Sweat beaded on Martius’s forehead—he had forcefully released his pheromones for the first time. Sylvian withdrew her hand from his.
It was enough.
Carefully releasing her own pheromones, the once tightly tangled strands began to respond to her will.
“Are you sure about this?”
“If I want to end the heat cycle… I’ll need him anyway.”
Martius tilted his head at her strange tone, but quickly nodded and stood up.
After confirming her improved condition one more time, he left to find the Duke.
Click.
“Sylvian?”
Zeroth entered the room, the faint pheromones in the air instantly filling his lungs.
The familiar scent brought him relief as he approached the bed.
“Are you alright?”
It must not have been easy to release pheromones with Martius; Sylvian was also drenched in cold sweat.
He gently wiped his face with the towel left nearby.
“I couldn’t release it all. But I think I’ll be okay now.”
His voice carried a childish whine, as if saying ‘I missed you’, and Zeroth’s brow furrowed tightly.
“If I stay close, I might hurt you.”
He tightly suppressed his own pheromones, worried even a leak might cause pain.
“It was only for a moment.”
His faint smile made it seem like all the morning’s agony had vanished.
“…Hold me.”
As his own pheromones slowly uncoiled, his body began to crave a different kind of stimulation.
Though he had reacted violently to his pheromones before, some instinct told his he’d be okay if they joined again.
Maybe it was the potion—or maybe it was never having had the support of a father’s pheromones while growing up.
“If it hurts, tell me. I’ll stop right away.”
Zeroth carefully embraced Sylvian, letting his arms relax around his slender body.
He’d lost weight from the pain—it made his heart ache.
Smack.
Sluurp.
“Mm…”
After a light kiss, he slid his tongue into his open lips.
His fevered mouth welcomed him, and each slow graze of his palate drew sweet, childlike whimpers.
“Ha…”
When she grabbed his clothes and clung to him with desperate longing, Zeroth felt the fragile pieces of his broken heart start to mend.
Back when Sylvian rejected him, he’d wanted to pour out his pheromones by force—subdue her body until she accepted him entirely.
Even now, his pheromones stirred to match hers, but he held back his arousal.
“Ah! Nngh!”
Instead, Zeroth slipped his hand under his nightgown.
His body was already aroused—her once-soft nipples now taut and swollen.
“Your body… feels it even without pheromones now.”
He paused for a moment to observe his disheveled wife. His parted lips, flushed cheeks, and the heat of her breath all hinted at surrender.
When he fully lifted his top, his nipples were pink and sensitive, just a bit of pressure turning them a deeper red.
“I’ll take it slow. I’ll release pheromones gradually. If it hurts—we stop.”
“Hhiiik!”
‘Whether I can stop or not,’ Zeroth muttered to himself.
And then he bit down gently on his right nipple.
“Ahh—ngh!”
As firm fingers twisted his nipples upward, a sharp pain and pleasure rose together in a tingling rush.
Sylvian flinched at the pain, shuddering at the pleasure as his body writhed.
“Ah! Nngh!”
Last heat cycle, he’d completely lost his mind—but this time, he was still conscious, and the sensation felt strangely unsettling.
“Nn—ah!”
Whether Zeroth intended to keep his promise of taking it slow or not, he didn’t move from Sylvian’s chest, continuing to torment both nipples relentlessly.
When Sylvian arched his neck back in pleasure, Zeroth pounced like a hunter chasing prey, licking and biting his throat.
“Hah…”
Teeth scraped over his jaw, neck, shoulders—everywhere Zeroth could reach.
The mounting pleasure was so intense that wetness was already dripping steadily between his legs.
Slurp.
“Since we must go slowly… I’ll have to hold you back.”
“No—just—! Hah!”
His plea to be taken roughly was swallowed by Zeroth’ rough grip.
Barely able to whimper, Sylvian rolled his hips in time with Zeroth’ hand.
You said—you’d make me come—!
Tears streamed down his cheeks from the overwhelming pleasure.
His pheromones, gradually intensifying, began to seep out.
Clatter!
* * *
