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When Sarah and Freya had left, Alexander collapsed onto his bed, wincing as a sharp pain shot through his stomach. 'Damn, she's a wild beast,' he thought, recalling how fiercely Freya had fought—every strike aimed to kill. But, instead of being overwhelmed or fearful, something he expected, it felt exhilarating, his blood boiling with each clash. His ancient lineage stirred within him, yearning to break free, while his mental fortitude struggled to keep it in check—intense and highly dangerous—he loved every moment of it.

'Was it dangerous without a healer around? Absolutely,' he mused. Yet, an inexplicable desire drove him forward. While he couldn't fully control it, he managed to restrain himself from slipping into a complete frenzy—it made him feel alive.

'I probably shouldn't mention this to anyone,' he thought, worry creeping in as he realized he'd taken another risk. But as he tried to push it from his mind, a sharp pain flared in his stomach as if reminding him to be more honest, as promised. "Argh! That little bitch! Fine! I'll tell Dad, damn it!"

After the confrontation, Ipe was summoned to tend to Freya's injuries while Ludwig patched up Alexander. His condition wasn't dire—just a few broken ribs and a torn intestine, nothing a bit of spit and double-sided tape couldn't fix, he joked to himself. Freya, on the other hand, had a burned hole in her chest and was barely surviving with one lung—so he had to wait.

Fortunately, a silver lining appeared, making his pain worth it—Sarah. She came with Ipe, who was already quite exhausted after healing her during the whole day of body enhancements. Alexander had missed her terribly, as they had only a few hours every couple of days for each other.

The unfortunate reality was that she wasn't too pleased with him trying to fight someone dangerous and getting hurt—he could never expect such a thing. She had scolded him sternly, fully embracing her role as Grandbeast Lord. She insisted he focus solely on administration while never questioning his goals and aspirations. Conversely, regarding the military, she only sought his input on logistics and what she dismissively called bureaucratic gibberish.

'She's too inflexible,' he thought, scrunching his face as he recalled her playful side and how she told him to stay out of her expertise when he intervened with the soldier's training. 'To be honest, she was quite gentle while telling me to fuck off basically, just with nicer words,' he mused, remembering their discussions.

'Now I understand how the Count ensures no one gets too ambitious.' It was a classic divide-and-conquer strategy that required two or more rulers: the brains couldn't overpower the brawn, and the muscle lacked the cunning to do the same. It was a clever way to ensure that his Knights wouldn't get any stupid ideas, and if they did, that would give him enough time to react as they would be most likely inexperienced to take over the whole fief.

Despite the challenges to his ambitions, the arrangement gave him enough leeway to introduce his ideas into the zeitgeist subtly. Once he was prepared, he envisioned introducing a semblance of democracy while retaining power, inspired by a nation that built its democratic government on promises, customs, and a way too puzzling structure.

Closing his eyes, Alexander reveled in the thought of gradually changing the world. His fiancée, Sarah, came to mind—a woman he cherished more each day. He had to suppress feelings that didn't align with this world's morals, as she was incredible and loving, deserving of a partner who gave his all—everything else, but that would be an insult in his opinion.

'I feel like such a hopeless romantic,' he thought with a cringe, but he couldn't help wanting to make her feel cherished. Whenever he was stressed, she was there, offering encouragement and patiently listening to his rants—even when he listed people he wanted to behead—a relationship built on mutual understanding and hatred as she felt mostly the same about them.

Returning to his previous morals and letting her go was unthinkable—he was happy to have her as his anchor. While family was important, she meant even more—a person with whom he could be genuinely open without fear of judgment.

Yet, he faced another challenge, having seen her suffer for the first time—her first mating season was approaching. 'It's getting serious,' Alexander mused, recalling how Sarah had woken him one night, drenched in sweat and restless, her hands between her thighs—a futile struggle since it was still months until the mating season. They were biologically incapable of climax before that—a fact that explained why most teenagers in this world were more insufferable than they already were.

'It wasn't too bad, honestly,' he reflected on those tender moments, his rigid morals softening as he realized that letting her suffer would be cruel. When Sarah saw him awake and tried to calm her, she became overwhelmed with her desires as she leaned in to kiss him but pulled back, tears welling in her eyes. Hesitant at first, Alexander finally complied, and their lips met—giving the okay to do it, whatever it meant at that time.

When their lips met, he began understanding what his mother meant about manipulation. Her pheromones enveloped him, plunging him into a state of euphoria—a blissful peace of mind. He remembered the sensation of her pheromones flooding his senses, bringing monumental tranquility—a golden shot.

This addictive serenity was a valid concern; becoming dependent on another person was quite literal here, which explained why many frowned upon such behavior and why others yearned for it, as experiencing it was only possible during certain ages.

Alexander, however, embraced it, rationalizing it as an incredible high. For Sarah, it eased her tension as the pheromones built up and flowed toward him. He saw it as a way for beast-kin to prepare their bodies for the first mating season, beginning to experiment and understand their connection.

Though he risked becoming dependent—especially in combination with those candies he already took en mass—he saw little difference from his past life habits like smoking and drinking coffee. There were no explicit cravings, just a familiar restlessness—his usual state he liked to alleviate.

'Ah, here comes my dealer,' Alexander thought jokingly, catching a whiff of Sarah as she strode back in, slamming the door behind her.

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"Oh hey, how—" He didn't finish before she was upon him, intertwining her fingers with his and pressing him down. "Stop talking and lock the door," she demanded.

"Uh..." He hesitated, but a quick glance at her intense eyes made him comply. "Sure thing." With a thought, he manipulated the earth to barricade the door shut. Sarah gripped his hands firmly, pressing them down and coming closer.

'She's quite the forceful one,' he mused, not denying the thrill it gave him. Usually, he was the initiator, but he found comfort in letting her take the lead. His previous partners might have described him as traditional—open-minded but preferring slow, sensual romance. Yet, he liked to be honest—he was boring—happy when he could make love with the person he cherished.

His thoughts were interrupted as Sarah began unbuttoning her shirt. "Whoa, wait—"

"Shh," she cut him off, tossing her shirt aside and slowly removing her pants. "I talked with Lin," she said, her voice strained.

Alexander gulped. "That's not a good sign." He recalled how she had barely held back, her pheromones overwhelming as she was basically in denial. All she could do was flood Narsiz, who looked pained, bearing the brunt of it and struggling to cope—a downside for a partner who couldn't process the pheromones as they were in vastly different stages of their life.

As she sat beside him, all clothing removed, sweat glistening on her skin, she started unbuttoning his shirt. "I'm in heat, Alex, and you said you'd help me, right?"

He nodded gently. "Yeah," he replied, raising an eyebrow. "But you know, I don't think my... capabilities will be much help."

Sarah paused, then burst into laughter. "Haha! What do you think I want to do?"

He smirked, feigning innocence. "I don't know, maybe steal my virtuous soul with your irresistible charm?" He caressed her soft curves with his tail; though sensual, his voice was naughty, "A maiden like me is only waiting to be ravished by a beast like you," with a slight turn, he showed her his behind, playfully trying to calm her down a little.

She rolled her eyes, still chuckling. "Stop being so dense." Continuing to unbutton his shirt, she added, "Lin said that through pure skin contact while kissing and... more, we can both relax a lot better." Her voice wavered as a deeper blush spread across her face.

"I think Lin might be a bit... of a horny bitch," Alexander remarked, allowing her to proceed. He didn't mind; they had seen each other countless times during baths and cuddling—it wasn't unusual. What bothered him was that his fiancée had befriended someone he wasn't fond of, and he hoped Linuel wouldn't become a permanent fixture in their lives.

Sarah smirked. "Well, yeah, obviously?" She snorted as if it was a given, "Why do you think I asked her?"

He raised an eyebrow as she pulled off his shirt. "You're aware of her... questionable behavior? I heard about it from Narsi. She didn't tell you herself, did she?"

Sarah chuckled, removing the last piece of his clothing. "Patty and Emma filled me in." Her smile widened. "But in the end, I won, and you're mine."

Alexander frowned, thinking about those who were obviously infatuated with him. After digging a bit, he realized there was more beneath the surface. 'They are fucking crazy,' their letters had become more intense, and Emma seemed increasingly unhinged. What annoyed Alexander was that Sarah didn't seem to care, fully trusting him. This meant he had to deal with these psychos himself while she watched from the sidelines, amused.

"Do you see me as an object? A prize to be won?" he asked, but a subtle smirk played on his lips.

She froze, her eyes widening as her demeanor shifted. "Oh." Her breathing became ragged as she quickly pulled back. "No! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I swear! I love you, trust me—" She started to frown. "Wait... you're laughing."

They exchanged looks before Alexander burst into laughter. "Haha, you're so—whoa!"

Without warning, Sarah lunged at him, pressing him against her chest and playfully biting his ear. "I don't like you teasing me."

Though not canine-kin by nature, he understood the gesture symbolized intense arousal, anger, and a desire to assert dominance between partners. His instincts barely responded, feeling only a slight pinch. "You're hesitating, you know?"

He sensed her pheromones fluctuating, becoming erratic as she paused. "I... I just can't hurt you... sorry."

Alexander gave her a reassuring smile. "You're such a softy," he thought, appreciating this tender side of her. To others, she was formidable—she'd had quite the confrontations or even seen them as something lesser, but to him, she was overwhelmingly sensitive.

"It's okay." He pulled her closer, draping a blanket over them. "Go ahead, do what you like." His voice was gentle. He'd had his fun teasing her and wanted to ease her tension.

She glanced at the blanket, then back at him. "You know—" He cut her off gently. "Please, let's not revisit that discussion."

She nodded. "I just—" He interrupted again. "I understand and appreciate your feelings, but still."

"But—" he interjected once more. "No, I just don't feel comfortable with it. " His last words were more assertive, wanting her to stop this.

Sarah sighed softly, then cupped his face, her fingers tracing his jawline as she brought him closer. "Thank you."

He felt his mind begin to quiet. "For what?"

She leaned in, her breath warm against his neck. "You're always so confident and larger-than-life around others, but I..." He could hear the smile in her voice. "I'm grateful that you're honest and vulnerable with me. Thank you."

Alexander felt a flush rise to his cheeks, genuinely touched. Sarah had always been there for him, and he knew there was no judgment. Nonetheless, one thing he struggled with—his body. While he didn't mind the scars themselves, they were reminders of pain and suffering—the most harrowing moments of his life, followed by months of torturous recovery filled with humiliation and desperation.

Though he could endure anything physically, the mental scars lingered, driving him to push forward relentlessly, fearing he might miss out on his goal if he stopped. He never wanted to regret not seizing every opportunity, especially after coming so close to death.

Fortunately, Sarah's constant support finally made him slow down and brought him peace. 'It's always been a battle, hasn't it?' he thought, recognizing that he'd often broken down only to rise again, stronger and with renewed purpose. But this time, he had found his anchor.

Sarah pulled him closer as their tails intertwined and their legs entwined beneath the blanket. "Alex, I need to mark you again. I'm sorry." His eyes widened. "Wait—" Before he could protest, she tilted her head, her eyes meeting his briefly before she bit gently into his collarbone, where the pheromone glands were. He flinched slightly. 'Ugh... my mind.'

Marking was considered the formation of a soul bond—a way for partners to understand each other deeply and share everything. Once marked, their bodies would never forget one another, ensuring mutual desire. This was the second time for them—the first had been right after their unofficial engagement.

Alexander felt his mind go blank as she ingrained her pheromones directly into him. Their breathing synchronized as she held him close; he relaxed under the overwhelming sensation. Her fangs pressed gently into the sensitive area, bringing a profound sense of calm and unity. He sensed her anxiety, the pressure she felt to be worthy, her inner deliberations, and the intense yet nurturing love she harbored—she only wanted to protect him.

Similarly, Sarah could feel his emotions, her body responding instinctively. She hugged him tighter, her nails lightly grazing his skin as she yearned to share more. Her bite deepened slightly, leaving an enduring mark on him.

'I love you,' Alexander thought, his mind settling as he absorbed the burdens she carried. Suddenly, he heard her voice echo in his mind. 'I love you, too.' He exhaled softly, all his worries melting away.