That was as far as Fendrick’s sanity went. His mind was consumed by a single, driving urge: to impregnate the woman pinned beneath him. She was so lovely he had to possess her. He wanted her so badly he could kill for it.

“Ah… Ahhh…”

Her inner walls were soft, warm, and wet. He wanted to defile this place with his l*st. He would sow his seed and make her his forever.

Fendrick forced his c*ck inside until he could go no further. Within Katarina, his tip swelled to a terrifying size.

“No… It’ll tear… I feel like I’m going to tear… Hngh… I can’t, I can’t. Stop.”

It felt as though her internal organs were being shoved upward. Katarina shook her head desperately, the tears she had been holding back finally breaking through again.

“Endure it. You’ve taken me well enough until now.”

Even if she couldn’t endure it, there was no stopping now. Withdrawing at this point would only cause more injury.

The man’s eyes were entirely flooded with gold, flickering terrifyingly. Even at a glance, it was clear he had lost his mind. It wasn’t the gaze of a human.

‘…A beast.’

Katarina realized she was being devoured by a predator.

“Ah, no… No…”

The beast’s p*nis was deep inside her, leaving no gaps. She felt as though she had been impaled on a stake and was unable to breathe properly.

Fendrick brought his face so close that their noses brushed; his warning was a low growl.

“Don’t you ever think of leaving me again.”

Katarina blinked a few times.

It was a sentiment he had repeated throughout the night. It was a plea disguised as a threat. Despite holding her captive in his embrace and preventing her from fleeing, it was he who was begging not to be abandoned.

Was this man’s affection for her deeper than it seemed? She had always assumed it would be Fendrick who would eventually discard her. Had he been harboring those same thoughts about her?

Katarina reached out and cupped his cheek. Fendrick flinched, his shoulders stiffening.

She soon withdrew her hand. His c*ck, still swelling, stretched her insides to the point of tearing.

“Ah…!”

She let out a scream, digging her nails into Fendrick’s shoulders. She couldn’t hold out any longer.

“Kh…”

Fendrick’s groan reached her muffled ears. He let out a pained sound, his brow furrowing deeply, before his entire body went rigid.

“Ngh…!”

“Ahhh…!”

Their cries, differing in pitch, mingled together. The c*ck driving into Katarina like a stake began to surge, spilling its contents. The liquid was scalding as it sprayed against her cervix.

Fendrick groaned as he cl*maxed, pulling Katarina into an embrace. She could feel all his excitement as his body tensed and shuddered and he breathed heavily.

She took in every drop of the rutting wolf’s s*men.

Starting from her lower abdomen, a sensation swept through her body in an instant. She didn’t know what it was, but it was unbearable. Soon, the extreme pleasure overwhelmed her mind.

“Ah, ah…!”

As Fendrick came inside her, she reached her own climax, gripping him tightly. The climax stretched on and on.

A short while later, Katarina regained her senses, but Fendrick was still inside her. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he hovered over her, his face contorted with pleasure as he gasped for air. She had never known a man could exude such raw sensuality.

Something was still leaking out in spurts where they were joined. The sheets beneath her hips were completely soaked.

After a moment, the light in Fendrick’s eyes gradually returned to normal. The p*nis between her legs also returned to its normal size; although still substantial, it was no longer painful.

“I can’t… do any more…”

The moment her tension snapped, sleep came rushing in. Katarina fell into a slumber that felt more like a faint.

“…Rina.”

The voice calling her nickname grew distant.

***

Katarina remained bedridden for several days. She ran such a high fever that she even spoke in delirium a few times.

The primary physician made daily house calls. He stated she had simply overexerted herself and would recover after a few days of deep rest, but Fendrick stayed by her side, nursing her personally the entire time.

As he wiped the sweat from the brow of the bedridden Katarina and smoothed her disheveled red hair, he became lost in thought.

‘Once she wakes, things won’t be the same as before.’

He had betrayed her, caught her as she was abandoning everything to leave, and then driven her to this state of illness. The look in her eyes when she looked at him would hardly be kind.

‘…It’s fine. If I keep her by my side and treat her well, she’ll eventually open her heart to me.’

Even if she didn’t, there was no other way. He hadn’t the slightest intention of letting her go, so Katarina would simply have to grow accustomed to a life with him.

“Katarina. I’ve decided to throw away many things for you.”

He carefully pressed his lips to her forehead.

After watching her sleeping face for a while, he stood up. It was almost time for Markus to arrive at the manor.

When he reached the office, Markus was waiting for him.

“It has been a long time, Your Excellency.”

“Is that so?”

“I heard you were busy chasing after the tail of a runaway maid?”

Markus made no effort to hide his displeasure.

“You must have grown quite fond of her. However, rumors like that don’t benefit anyone. You have a fiancée, don’t you? Matters like this should be handled quietly behind the scenes.”

“Ah, the fiancée.”

Fendrick walked past Markus towards a console set against one wall of the office. He poured himself a glass of brandy.

Regardless of who the future Marchioness might be — as long as it wasn’t Katarina — he had no intention of sparing her a single glance. Since he was already engaged, marrying that woman seemed like the path of least resistance.

“You said the Marchioness must be of noble birth.”

As Fendrick spoke, Markus—guessing what he was about to say—cut him off.

“Do not even suggest making that maid your wife.”

“Oh dear, what should I do then?”

Fendrick looked Markus straight in the eye, brandy glass in hand.

“I have no intention of taking any woman other than Katarina as my wife.”

“Your Excellency!”

Markus practically shrieked.

“I’ve spent enough time deliberating. I am breaking my engagement to Loretta von Pescara.”

“Do not speak such nonsense! Have you forgotten what it took to sustain this family? To think you would marry a lowly maid!”

Markus flew into a rage, but Fendrick merely asked back with composure.

“If Katarina becomes a noble, there should be no issue with the marriage. How is the process for adding the ‘von’ to her name coming along?”

“Your Excellency, a marriage between families is a covenant with the entire clan. It is not merely a union between a man and a woman.”

“The house of Lorhast has not declined so far that it must rely on the strength of another family through marriage.”

Fendrick had no intention of backing down.

Having Katarina by his side while taking another woman as his wife was a step too far, even for him.

If he were merely keeping her as a temporary mistress, as the Marquises had done in the past, that would be one thing. But he intended to keep Katarina for the rest of his life. To do so while married would be nothing more than tormenting his wife.

“A wife forced to watch her husband show favor to another woman… I doubt her family would be happy about that. Don’t you agree?”

“Please, do not make such a hasty decision. Just wait a little longer. At the very least, wait while the engagement with Lady Pescara is still in effect.”

“Because you think I’ll grow tired of Katarina within a year?”

Fendrick snorted.

“The House of Pescara would be absolutely thrilled if I broke the engagement right before the wedding, I’m sure.”

Markus let out a groan, tugging at his beard. Fendrick watched him and continued.

“Just in case you’re getting any ideas, don’t even think about harming Katarina. If she dies, I will be a widower for the rest of my life.”

Markus shook his head in defeat.

“Young Mas… no, Your Excellency. Who could possibly talk you out of your stubbornness? I’m the one who couldn’t even stop a fifteen-year-old boy from heading off to war.”

“A wise conclusion.”

“Breaking an engagement isn’t something that can be done overnight. We must establish a justification and follow proper protocol. Please, do not suddenly send word that you are calling it off; give me some time to handle the fallout.”

“How much?”

“Three months…”

“I can practically hear the gears turning in your head. Make it two.”

Two months was still a long time, but Markus had served the House of Lorhast faithfully until now, so Fendrick decided to let it slide.

Besides, there was plenty to be done within those two months anyway.