Chapter 38
Flustered, Asher stammered. Luke seemed to have noticed that he was deliberately covering his neck.
“Asher.”
Luke called his name without hesitation and tugged at the tightly knotted scarf. Without much force, the scarf loosened, revealing Asher’s pale neck.
“What is this?”
“Ah… that…”
As Asher fumbled for words, Luke’s eyes turned cold. Asher rubbed the marks on his neck, looking embarrassed.
“It was just an accident. It’s been resolved.”
But explaining everything that had happened didn’t sit right with him. Asher avoided Luke’s gaze, and Luke asked in a lower voice than usual.
“Do you not trust me?”
“It’s not that. It’s just something that didn’t need to be mentioned…”
“Yet you have bruises. Someone dared to leave marks on my Omega.”
His voice turned icy, revealing a deep possessiveness. The chilling tone made Asher’s skin prickle all over.
As Asher rubbed his arms against the cold, Luke traced the marks on his neck with his fingertips. Asher flinched, then reached for the scarf Luke was holding.
“I’m fine, so… could you give me back the scarf?”
Luke’s eyes gleamed coldly as he looked at Asher, who was asking politely. Then, his eyelids narrowed slightly, and his red lips curved smoothly.
“You weren’t going to tell me unless I asked.”
“……I thought it was something that didn’t need to be mentioned.”
“Even after we’ve kissed?”
The word kiss made Asher’s face burn red. Luke, amused by the sight, covered Asher’s eyes with the scarf.
“W-What are you doing?!”
“I told you. I’ll increase our physical contact each time we meet.”
“Your Highness.”
“Holding hands after a kiss would be cliché. So, I’ll tend to your injured neck. In my way, of course.”
But it didn’t feel like mere treatment—the scarf obscuring his vision made Asher uneasy. He tried to lower the scarf, insisting he was fine, but Luke stopped him, running his hand down Asher’s neck.
“I heard your attendant changed.”
“……!”
“Today, I noticed the one who always followed you wasn’t around. That means something happened to him… I wonder if it’s related to these bruises.”
Asher had thought Luke wasn’t interested. But it seemed he already knew everything. Asher bit his lip, unable to hide his shock.
“I’m not the upright, virtuous person you think I am. I’ll do anything to protect what’s mine.”
“…….”
“And if someone touches what’s mine… perhaps it’s safer for you to stay at the Ducal Residence.”
Luke’s warning sent a chill down Asher’s spine. The fact that his eyes were covered made it worse. Relying solely on his senses, Asher felt a soft touch on his neck.
“Your Highness?!”
The sensation was unmistakably Luke’s lips—warm and soft. Asher felt a jolt below his navel.
“From now on, it’s best not to hide anything from me. I should be the one who knows you better than anyone.”
The emotion in Luke’s voice made Asher’s head spin—a mix of anger, desire, and an unexpected, rational fondness. Fear suddenly washed over Asher, and he recalled the contract with Baron Varhan hidden in the vault. He pulled down the scarf.
“I’d prefer to look you in the eye.”
But Luke’s red tongue parted Asher’s lips and licked his neck, as if wanting to sink his teeth into the flesh. Asher felt his lower body grow heavy.
“Th-This is…!”
He wanted to say no, but Luke lightly grazed his skin with his teeth. Slowly, sharply, the red marks spread around the bruised blue area.
“Asher.”
Every word was accompanied by warm breath, making Asher’s eyelids flutter. Luke pushed Asher back against the chair and licked the prominent collarbone area, as if it were an erogenous zone. He teased the hollow relentlessly.
“Hngh……!”
Asher stifled a moan. Luke, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear Asher’s sounds, wedged his knee between Asher’s thighs.
“Everything is difficult at first.”
Before Asher could ask what he meant, Luke closed the distance and cupped Asher’s cheek, pressing their lips together. It was their second kiss. Asher knew he should push him away, but he didn’t. He wanted this moment to last a little longer. His growing greed made him finally push Luke away gently.
“……I think we should stop.”
Asher pulled away, his lips still tingling, and lowered his eyelids slightly. He looked pitifully forlorn.
“We won’t be able to meet next week.”
“……Is it because I refused?”
Asher exhaled an unsteady breath and slowly looked up at Luke. He could still see the glistening moisture on Luke’s lips from their kiss.
“It’s my rut.”
“…….”
“As always, I’ll be spending it at the villa. If anything happens, you can send word through Saint.”
Saint was Luke’s trusted guard. Leaving him behind showed how much Luke cared for Asher.
“Why that expression?”
“……I’m sorry.”
Asher had heard that Alphas either spent their rut with their partners or used suppressants. But Luke seemed to plan on taking suppressants alone at the villa. If pheromones were continuously suppressed with drugs, it could lead to dangerous consequences—especially for a dominant Alpha.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. You’ll be with me from now on.”
“…….”
“So, if anything happens, don’t hide it from me. After all, I’ll be the one spending my life with you.”
The words, though casual, carried a weight that made Asher’s emotions surge. He clenched his fists, feeling like he needed to distance himself from Luke now.
***
Autumn was already slipping away. The hot season felt like just yesterday, but time was rushing toward the cold winter. Asher rubbed his arms against the chill seeping through his clothes and blankly watched the merchants carrying goods.
Three months had passed since he began freely moving around the merchant guild. During that time, Asher had repeatedly visited the guild, careful not to provoke the Duke, but he hadn’t discovered anything significant.
“Young Master!!”
Narta, a boy Asher had befriended at the guild, spotted him and waved excitedly. At twelve years old, Narta radiated innocence.
“What did you find today?”
“A stone!”
“A stone?”
“A mage gave it to me on the road! He wanted to take me with him, but I said no, so he gave me this!”
Narta opened his tightly clenched fist, revealing a small, smooth pebble like those found near the shore.
“What kind of stone is this?”
“A wishing stone!”
“A wishing stone…?”
“Yes! I brought it for you, Young Master!”
Narta’s cheeks flushed as he answered proudly. A wishing stone—it sounded absurd. But Asher admired Narta for not following a stranger and praised him with a proud look.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
