WMPW chapter 22

“…Dance?”

“Yes. It seems like everyone else is dancing.”

Etienne asked innocently, glancing around. Everyone around was dancing so dazzlingly that it could make one’s head spin.

Feeling as though he had stepped into a famous foreign drama, Etienne couldn’t help but wonder if he could also join in and dance.

“There’s no need to dance.”

Lucian’s response came from a place of consideration, thinking Etienne wouldn’t know how to dance, but the oblivious omega misunderstood it.

“Ah, well, I guess it’s a bit odd for two men to dance.”

It might have made sense. Every couple dancing in the hall was a man and a woman.

With the hall filled with people and not a single omega in sight, even the naive Etienne could somewhat grasp how remarkable and surprising it was for Lucian to bring him here.

Though he couldn’t fully comprehend the prestige of the name Duke of Leondine in this empire, he felt somewhat reassured by the sense of protection it provided.

“Do you even know how to dance?”

“Oh, right.”

Etienne replied as if he had just remembered.

Despite attending the ball, their main purpose wasn’t to dance and enjoy themselves, so Lucian hadn’t bothered to teach Etienne any etiquette or dancing.

Lucian himself disliked such social activities, and they barely had enough time for their experiments.

Etienne didn’t mind much, but now that he was here, he felt a sudden urge to twirl around the dance floor at least once.

“Can’t you teach me, Your Grace?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Etienne nodded innocently, his eyes sparkling as if wondering what the problem was.

On the other hand, Lucian looked down at Etienne, slightly flustered.

Dancing together wasn’t part of the plan.

Wondering what it would feel like to dance with him, Lucian gazed at the excited Etienne from head to toe.

The finely tailored shirt was adorned with frills and lace, adding to its elegance.

The vest was intricately embroidered with silver thread, catching the eye with every movement.

His hair, neatly braided and tied back, looked exceptionally charming.

Though fully covered, he was still dazzlingly beautiful.

Lucian felt an urge to remove the white gloves and unfasten the cravat to explore the bare skin beneath.

‘…What am I thinking?’

Lucian, momentarily entranced by something, finally came to his senses and shook his head.

This was serious, really serious.

If it weren’t for his pheromones, who knows what might have happened here.

Silently cursing his increasingly fragile self-control, he forced himself to speak as if nothing were wrong.

“Do you like dancing? If you had told me earlier, I could have taught you.”

“Oh, it’s not that I love it. Just being in a place like this makes me want to try it at least once.”

Etienne looked around in wonder as he responded.

When visiting a magical school-themed tourist spot, it’s only natural to want to don a cloak and cast a spell.

Just like how one would wear a hanbok and get a taste of the past in a traditional Korean village.

Dressed in luxurious attire akin to that of a noble, it wasn’t surprising that Etienne wanted to dance at least once.

“Well, it’s not like I absolutely have to…”

“Then come here.”

“Huh?”

Seeing Etienne’s gaze, Lucian, after a brief hesitation, gently grasped his slender wrist and led him to the center of the hall.

In the middle of the grand hall, where people danced, a soothing waltz was playing softly.

All around, colorful skirts swished and twirled, with the jewels adorning them sparkling with every turn.

Standing at the center, surrounded by bright lights and a mix of perfumes and alphas’ scents, Lucian took his place with the ball’s only omega.

Feeling the surrounding gazes, Etienne glanced around. Sure enough, many were sneaking looks in their direction.

But the distraction was brief. Etienne quickly turned at the familiar deep voice in his ear.

“Mr. Harrington.”

There stood Lucian, elegant and graceful, extending his hand.

With one hand behind his back and a slight bow, his manners were impeccable.

“May I have the honor of this dance?”

With a slightly cheesy line, Lucian smiled at Etienne—a smile that was both arrogant and seductive.

Seeing this unfamiliar, courteous side of Lucian made Etienne feel something stir inside him.

Even Lucian’s normally unremarkable deep voice left a strange, lingering impression.

The refreshing and intense scent of an alpha sent shivers down his spine.

Just as Lucian had been entranced earlier, Etienne almost found himself moving toward that strong chest before snapping out of it.

Standing there in a daze, Etienne finally smiled and spoke.

“Wow, you’re really doing this properly?”

“If we’re going to do it, we should do it right.”

“Haha… So, what should I do? Just hold your hand?”

Laughing, he extended his hand.

First a horse-drawn carriage, now a dance invitation from a dashing gentleman. It was like something out of a fairy tale.

“Alright.”

The moment Etienne accepted, Lucian lightly kissed the back of his hand.

The glove prevented him from feeling Lucian’s lips directly, but the soft, tickling sensation came through.

Lucian’s gaze, filled with intense desire, met Etienne’s over their clasped hands. It was a look that held him captive, like a predator eyeing its prey.

“The honor is mine.”

Was all this really necessary?

Etienne, who often bewildered Lucian with his outlandish behavior, was genuinely flustered this time.

Beautiful and dazzling, Lucian’s noble purple eyes were inherited from his royal lineage.

His refreshing and alluring scent was enough to make anyone crave it.

Everything about him was a sweet temptation, just as Etienne was to Lucian.

‘So alphas and omegas are strongly influenced by pheromones after all.’

The difference was that Etienne could easily escape that allure.

With their hands clasped, Lucian placed his other hand on Etienne’s slender waist, resisting the urge to explore further.

Etienne, mimicking the couples around them, gently placed his hand on Lucian’s shoulder.

Even through his clothes, Lucian’s muscular body was evident.

The height difference between them made Etienne look up to meet Lucian’s gaze.

Standing there, listening to the slow music, his heart began to race.

Looking down at the beautiful omega in his arms, Lucian spoke in a voice more pleasing than the music.

“Just follow my lead, keeping time with the music. Don’t worry about stepping on my feet; it’s fine.”

“Have you dropped the cheesy talk?”

“If my partner desires it, I will happily oblige.”

“Oh, no! That’s too weird!”

Etienne laughed, shaking his head, unaware that the sweet scent of his breath was intoxicating an alpha.

“But what if you step on my foot, Your Grace? That would really hurt.”

“That won’t happen. Do you really think I’d hurt you?”

“Coming from the person who nearly broke my waist, that’s not very convincing.”

“That’s different.”

In a low, smooth voice, Lucian finally took the first step to the music.

“Whoa…”

But having never danced before, Etienne struggled to keep up with Lucian’s movements.

The moment they started, Etienne’s feet tangled, his voice filled with surprise.

Without the strong arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him into a firm embrace, he would have embarrassingly fallen to the floor.

“It’s okay. Just look at me, Etienne.”

The emerald eyes looking up through long, delicate lahes were dazzlingly brilliant.

Unknowingly gripping Lucian’s hand tighter, he pulled the slender omega even closer.

“Focus only on me.”