* * *
“The sky is covered with dark clouds.”
Lowell sipped his warm apple tea, staring blankly at the sky.
He had never been particularly interested in the weather, spending most of his time indoors.
But today, there was only one reason for his sudden concern—he hoped that the one returning from a long journey would have an easier path home, even if just a little.
“He needs to arrive before the snow starts pouring.”
The tea he had poured a while ago remained unchanged, despite him absentmindedly running his fingers over the cup.
He sat there anxiously for hours until, just as Felix had predicted, news of his return arrived at sunset.
But unlike his promise, he hadn’t returned unscathed.
“All Alphas and Omegas, clear the area immediately! Anyone with even a faint trace of pheromones must wait in their rooms.”
The knights who had arrived ahead of Felix relayed the order to the waiting servants. Lowell quickly grasped the situation.
‘Felix’s condition must have worsened.’
His hurried steps turned into a full sprint toward the knights.
Though to others it might have seemed slow, Lowell’s heart pounded rapidly in his chest.
“Young Master, you must also go inside the tower. His Grace has ordered the doors locked and strictly commanded that no one open them for any reason.”
Tony, standing among the knights, hesitated to touch Lowell but gestured firmly for him to return to his room.
However, when Lowell didn’t budge, Tony glanced at the guards beside him.
“For your safety, it would be best if you moved to the tower. His Grace will be here soon.”
“It’s fine if I stay here. My pheromones might be of more help to His Grace.”
Lowell knew that no matter what Tony said, he wouldn’t back down.
This was a direct order from the one he served—he could never disobey it.
“This is a command from His Grace. If you disobey and something happens to you, this time, no one will be spared from the consequences.”
Tony emphasized the word “no one.”
That warning didn’t just include himself; it encompassed the guards and servants standing by Lowell’s side as well.
It wasn’t just Lowell’s safety at stake—others could be harmed because of him.
His eyes wavered.
‘So that’s why Tony came.’
Whether Tony volunteered or Felix deliberately sent him, the message was clear.
By sending someone tied to past incidents, Felix was warning everyone in the castle—especially Lowell—that this time, they couldn’t afford another catastrophe.
“I understand.”
Deciding to retreat for now, Lowell allowed the knights to escort him to the tower.
But of course, he couldn’t simply sit still.
He stood by the window, waiting for Felix.
“He’s here.”
As the last light faded and darkness settled in, the person Lowell had been waiting for finally pushed open the heavy castle gates.
‘He can’t even stand properly.’
Shock flooded his gaze.
Felix, who always sat tall in the saddle, exuding unwavering authority, was now slumped forward, leaning against his horse.
It was a miracle he hadn’t collapsed entirely.
Even the knights escorting him were uneasy, standing closer to him than usual, breaking formation.
Lowell had thought seeing Felix in person would put him at ease, but the storm of anxiety in his chest only darkened.
As if mirroring his emotions, thick snowflakes began to fall from the sky.
The snow hadn’t hindered Felix’s journey back, but now, watching him endure the cold in his weakened state, Lowell felt like his heart was being torn apart.
‘Why can’t I do anything?’
Lowell, who usually sought solutions rather than blaming himself, found that today, even that habit failed him.
No matter how hard he thought, there was no way to change this situation.
There was no silver lining to be found in watching someone he loved suffer.
He could do nothing but stomp his foot in frustration—until a small, delicate sound broke through the turmoil in his mind.
‘Huh?’
Lost in his own thoughts, Lowell looked down.
The bracelet Felix had lent him had slipped down to his ankle.
While it wasn’t as significant as the ring Lowell had given him, it had been exposed to Felix’s pheromones while he was away.
‘At the very least, I should give this back to him.’
He started to move hastily but suddenly hesitated, then deliberately knelt down and unfastened the bracelet from his ankle.
“Charis, may I ask a favor?”
The knights, who had been watching him closely, quickly responded to his unexpected request.
“Yes, please speak.”
“Could you deliver this to His Grace? It should be someone who’s a Beta.”
“Understood. Please don’t worry—I’ll return as soon as possible.”
Charis, after confirming the object in Lowell’s hand, responded firmly before disappearing into the night without a sound.
Even after Felix had entered the castle, Lowell continued to linger by the window, waiting for Charis’s return.
Even if it wasn’t much, he hoped for some news about Felix’s condition.
Yet, the knight who had promised to return soon remained absent.
‘He should be back by now.’
Meanwhile, the falling snow had turned into a raging blizzard, swallowing all sound within the fortress.
In the deafening stillness of the night, Lowell fixated on the door, straining to hear any footsteps approaching the tower.
Normally, it would have been impossible for him to detect a well-trained knight’s movements, but tonight, he thought he might just manage it.
‘Is that—footsteps?’
As if in response to his silent plea, the faintest sound echoed through the tower.
It was a subtle, disciplined noise, the kind one would overlook unless actively listening for it.
“Step back. That’s not Charis.”
Tia, who had been standing guard, immediately pushed Lowell away from the door and toward the bed, unsheathing his sword.
Lowell, initially hopeful, hesitated before obeying.
There was no need to complicate matters further.
Then, an all-too-familiar yet strangely unsteady voice shattered the tension.
“Lowell.”
It wasn’t difficult to recognize the speaker, but never before had he heard Felix sound so raw, so fragile.
“Lowell, Lowell.”
His voice, more desperate than that of a lost child calling for their parents, trembled through the wooden door.
The knights, tense and uncertain, didn’t know how to react.
Even Tia, his sword still drawn, let his hand fall slightly.
“Your Highness, you must not enter.”
Though Tia voiced the protest, his words wavered.
His gaze flickered between Lowell and the door, torn with hesitation.
“Lowell, I know you’re there.”
Felix ignored the knights’ warnings, calling for Lowell with a heartbreaking urgency, as though he were reaching for a missing part of himself.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Encircled by knights, Lowell finally answered the desperate plea.
“I’m here.”
Outside, the snowstorm howled against the tower walls.
“Open the door.”
Felix whispered the words like a prayer.
Lowell reached out to unlock it—only for the knights to catch his wrist, stopping him.
“Lowell, that’s an order. Open the door.”
Lowell met the gazes of the knights.
At the mention of an order, the knights flinched noticeably.
If they had received the command directly from Felix, they might have acted without hesitation.
But since they had only heard it secondhand through other knights, they hesitated, wondering if they should instead obey their lord’s voice coming from beyond the door.
“I’ll open the door.”
Noticing their hesitation, Lowell took advantage of the weakened grip on him and pulled the door open.
“Step back.”
Tia and Charis stepped in front of Lowell, as if they had decided to assess Felix’s state before taking any further action.
Felix shoved his fingers into the narrow gap and yanked the door open roughly, slipping inside with quick, fluid movements.
Though his clothes were disheveled and his gaze unfocused, he didn’t appear to be in serious distress. There were no signs of a complete loss of control.
* * *
