* * *
“Ugh.”
But the moment the scent of his pheromones followed, it became clear that was a misconception.
The room was instantly consumed by the heavy, oppressive scent, with almost no trace of the usual apple-like fragrance.
Only a dark, smoky aroma remained, making it painfully obvious just how miserable Felix felt.
“Step away from Lowell.”
Felix’s command rang out toward the knights who had instinctively clustered around Lowell to protect him.
The Beta knights hesitated before stepping back, but those sensitive to pheromones gripped their swords more firmly.
“Your Highness, you could harm him in your current state. Please, I beg you, step back.”
Tia spoke up bravely, but Felix’s gaze remained locked onto Lowell, unwavering.
“I have no intention of hurting you. Come here.”
Their eyes met in midair.
Even in this state, completely consumed by his pheromones, Felix had not lost his grip on reason.
“I’ll take responsibility. Nothing will happen.”
Lowell gently pushed aside the knight’s hand and stepped forward.
Felix wasted no time in pulling Lowell into a tight embrace, burying his nose against the nape of his neck.
Their bodies were pressed together so tightly it should have been suffocating, but Lowell simply patted Felix’s shoulder in a soothing motion, as if calming a child, allowing his pheromones to flow freely.
“Lowell, I missed you.”
The words, which he would have never voiced in a clear state of mind, spilled out effortlessly.
The raw honesty of his affection made Lowell’s ears turn red.
“…Me too.”
“No matter what I looked at, I kept thinking of you.”
An Alpha in rut often whispered sweet words to entice an Omega.
But in this case, everyone in the room could tell that Felix wasn’t spouting empty flattery—he was finally speaking the feelings he had always hidden.
Lowell gestured to Tia, who was still hesitating.
After a brief pause, Tia made up his mind and left with the knights, closing the door behind them.
Felix, indifferent to their departure, only tightened his hold on Lowell, as if the only thing that mattered in his world was the person in his arms.
“I know. I felt the same way. Even watching the clouds pass by reminded me of you, Your Grace.”
“Call my name.”
“…Pardon?”
“Like last time. Call me by my name, Lowell.”
Lowell had always been careful to address Felix as “Your Grace.”
‘He never seemed to care much about how I addressed him, but today he’s clinging like a child.’
There was no reason to refuse when it was something so simple.
“…Felix.”
“Say it again.”
Felix, his face still buried in Lowell’s neck, mumbled in a low voice.
“Felix.”
“Don’t run away.”
Even while holding Lowell tightly, Felix’s voice trembled with unease.
The sensation of his arousal pressing against Lowell’s thigh made it painfully clear how desperately he wanted to become one with his mate.
But even stronger than that physical desire was the fear of being rejected.
“I’m not going anywhere, Felix.”
Lowell stroked Felix’s trembling face and softly added,
“No matter what you do, I won’t leave. I promise.”
Felix, teetering on the edge of control, received a gentle kiss from Lowell.
As if he had been waiting for it, Felix hungrily responded, his tongue pushing in with a desperation that was anything but gentle.
His kiss was rough, needy—far from tender or restrained.
“I want to be inside you.”
Lowell almost instinctively answered that it was fine but paused to think.
‘It’s been more than 85 days since I got pregnant. The most critical period has passed… it should be okay, right?’
The real issue was whether Felix, this aroused and this desperate, would be able to restrain himself enough not to hurt him.
Lowell forced himself to remain calm as he looked up at Felix.
“…Please, let me.”
Felix’s throat tensed, veins bulging slightly as he struggled to hold back his instincts.
Even now, he was fighting against the primal urges of an Alpha.
Lowell studied him carefully, recalling the promise Felix had made—not to hurt him.
‘I’ve already decided to trust him. So let’s trust him to the end.’
Lowell wrapped his arms around Felix’s waist.
That was all the permission Felix needed.
He lifted Lowell into his arms and carried him to the bed.
“You have to be gentle. Because of Kkomuli. And no knotting inside.”
“…Kkomuli?”
A flicker of awareness returned to Felix’s hazy gaze. Lowell nodded.
“Yes. Our baby.”
“…Our baby.”
Felix carefully laid Lowell down on the bed, his hands tenderly caressing his abdomen.
The difference was subtle, but his stomach had definitely rounded more compared to when they had first been together.
“I’ll be careful. I won’t hurt you or the baby.”
His voice was hoarse as he made the vow, his hands already tugging at Lowell’s clothes.
At first, he fumbled with the buttons, but his unsteady fingers refused to cooperate.
“…Can I tear it?”
Felix, like a child seeking permission, waited for an answer before acting.
He was aware that his rationality was hanging by a thread, so he left all the decisions in Lowell’s hands.
As if Lowell was the only thing grounding him.
“Yes. It’s fine.”
The moment permission was given, Felix ripped the fabric apart with ease.
Black magic, sharp and precise, shredded the cloth without leaving a single scratch on Lowell’s skin.
Under the dim light, Lowell’s exposed body looked almost impossibly pale—like the snowstorm raging outside the window.
“…Beautiful.”
Felix murmured the same word he had once let slip unknowingly.
Instead of immediately pushing inside, he pressed kisses all over Lowell’s body.
His impatience was obvious, yet he held himself back, trembling with restraint.
Watching him, Lowell—calmer in contrast—reached for Felix’s waistband.
“I’ll take care of this.”
Unlike Felix’s frantic hands, Lowell’s movements were smooth and deliberate.
Felix stared blankly for a moment before flipping their positions, trapping Lowell beneath him.
Yet even then, he was mindful of his belly, positioning himself so that Lowell wasn’t under too much pressure.
“I’ll start with my fingers.”
Lowell’s entrance was still too tight, completely unprepared.
Even though Felix’s pheromones had softened, it wasn’t enough—if he pushed in now, Lowell would tear.
“…Alright.”
Lowell, who had been about to say Felix could enter immediately, changed his mind.
Given how tense he still was, it was safer to prepare first.
In the quiet room, the slick sounds of Felix’s fingers stretching Lowell echoed.
“…It’s getting hotter inside. Lowell, can you feel how your body is clinging to me?”
At first, there was a slight sense of discomfort, but once the fingers slipped inside, the inner walls made room.
Felix’s thick fingers pressed forward without hesitation, searching for the spot Lowell liked the most.
His touch wasn’t careful—it was more like that of a ruler trying to claim every inch of Lowell’s body.
“Ugh…”
Despite the rough movement, Lowell’s body responded faithfully.
As Felix repeatedly stroked the sensitive spot, a liquid that didn’t seem like it would come out dripped down his fingers and onto the bed.
“You’re acting like just my fingers aren’t enough.”
Felix furrowed his brows and added a second finger at once, pressing thoroughly inside.
Even so, the inner walls didn’t stretch as much as the two of them wanted.
His body couldn’t keep up with Felix’s impatient desire. His fingers slid out.
“Still… not yet.”
Worried that Felix might lose control and push himself in right away, Lowell stopped him.
“Yeah. Not yet.”
Fortunately, Felix wasn’t planning on going that far just yet.
But before Lowell could even question why he had pulled his fingers out, Felix brought his face between Lowell’s legs.
“No, not there… Wait—!”
The same hot tongue that had tangled with Lowell’s only minutes ago now licked over the sensitive opening.
When Felix’s sharp nose brushed against his lower body, a shiver ran through Lowell’s entire frame.
“D-Don’t do that.”
* * *
