During her heat, she was never of sound mind.

The fever rising from deep within her body consumed her thoughts entirely. Sometimes she could barely remember what she had said, so how could she recall with such painful clarity the fact that she had never kissed him?

Yet yesterday, when the fever had broken and her mind was clear, she leaned towards him without thinking and pressed her lips forward.

Just before she could touch his lips, however, he stopped her, gently blocking her with his hand.

Even now, a full day later, she could not forget the shock of that moment. In fact, it felt as though the aftermath would linger far longer than a day.

Leaning back against the headboard, she worried her lower lip between her fingers and murmured softly.

“Come to think of it… aside from when I’m in heat, we’ve never done anything particularly intimate….”

Other than interlacing their fingers or him occasionally picking her up, they had not displayed any affection towards each other.

“Ha… I can’t believe I’m only realizing this now. What an idiot….”

Of course, she had no choice but Cassion. If he needed time to prepare himself, she was willing to wait for as long as it took.

“…Still, we’ve already spent fourteen nights together.”

After careful calculation, she found that she had completed seven heats, each of which lasted two full days. That made fourteen nights in total. That was no small number.

Drawing her knees to her chest, she buried her face in them and cried.

“I can’t believe we’ve never even kissed!”

Wolf-beastkin kissed often. More precisely, they would either gently touch the tips of their noses together or lightly rub their lips from side to side. This was a gesture of affection as well as a way of confirming each other’s scent.

She had naturally assumed that they had kissed from the moment they first mated. Considering they had already done far more than that, it did not seem unreasonable.

“Why… why won’t he do it?”

She felt an urge to peer inside his mind.

Having slept straight through after her period ended the previous day, she found herself wide awake, despite the early hour. Luna stared blankly into the distance with swollen eyes before finally climbing out of bed.

Stepping out onto the balcony outside her bedroom, she took in the beautiful view and sighed.

“You changed my room to somewhere this nice… so why won’t you kiss me?”

In March, she had moved rooms, ending up on the same floor as Cassion. Emma told her that it had once been the Grand Duchess’s bedroom.

This knowledge filled her with quiet joy. It felt like proof — like a sign that he recognized her as his partner. She felt reassured. She was happy.

She had also heard that the Grand Duchess’s room had a better view than the Grand Duke’s. And it was true. From her windows, the garden at dawn, with its newly planted flowers now in full bloom, looked serene and breathtaking.

Gazing at it made her feel as though her worries might dissolve.

Lunaria took slow, measured breaths, trying to steady the confusion stirring within her heart.

“Ah… I want to see the morning glories.”

She pictured the blue morning glories, which had only just begun to bud. Soon, they would be fully open.

At this hour, she should be able to watch the pale morning light softly spilling over them as their petals slowly unfolded.

Perhaps seeing that would ease the tightness in her chest.

She wanted to win Cassion’s heart, but she had no idea how to go about it. It felt so close that she could almost touch it, yet it always slipped through her fingers, leaving her heart aching.

She could no longer imagine looking at another man, yet she did not know how to calm the turmoil within her.

“No one ever told me about this…”

Her stomach churned with anxiety. No one — not her mother, not her sister and not even those in her old pack — had ever taught her how to deal with feelings like these. Not even Cassion.

The only person she could think to ask now was Emma.

So she waited quietly for her arrival. Although it was summer and dawn broke early, it was still too soon for the servants to start their day.

Just then, Cassion stepped out onto the balcony next door.

As though he had known she was already there, he walked straight towards her.

“Luna, why are you up so early?”

Though there was space between their balconies, the distance was close enough that his voice carried clearly.

“…Cassion.”

“Did you wake because you’re feeling unwell?”

“Good morning….”

“You don’t look particularly well.”

His blue eyes examined her complexion carefully. Bathed in the morning light, they appeared even paler, as clear as the sky above the ducal estate. He tilted his head slightly before jumping up onto the railing.

“Cassion! That’s dangerous!”

They were on the fourth floor. The trees in the garden below looked tiny from this height, but he paid them no mind as he leapt lightly across the gap between the balconies.

“Cassion!”

Her heart dropped at the sight. The moment his feet touched the ground, she grabbed his arms. She was so startled that she felt as though her heart might burst out of her chest.

Seeing her reaction, Cassion let out a quiet laugh.

Reaching out, he took hold of her arms and spoke in a languid voice.

“There’s no way I’d fail over something like this. You’re worrying for nothing.”

“But you could make a mistake.”

“Don’t trouble yourself with pointless worries.”

“Honestly….”

Recently, she had begun to realize that he was far more reckless than she had initially thought. Since he started talking to her more casually, his true nature had gradually become apparent.

“By the way, why are you awake so early? It’s summer, and you shouldn’t be out on the balcony dressed like that.”

At his remark, Lunaria glanced down at herself. Her thin, sleeveless negligée fluttered lightly in the breeze.

“…I thought it would be fine since no one’s around.”

“It’s your private balcony, so that may be true—but you should still be careful. You never know who might be watching from somewhere.”

“We’re at the highest point. Is anyone really going to spy from below?”

“There was one. Right here.”

He pointed to himself and smiled.

In the gentle light of the summer morning, he laughed—teeth showing, unguarded—and she found herself unable to look away. He wore his emotions so openly, so naturally. Seeing him like that was unbearably endearing. The affection swelling inside her became impossible to contain.

‘Then why didn’t you kiss me?’

‘If you can smile at me like that, why wouldn’t you accept my kiss?

‘Why do you share my heat with me…?’

‘Didn’t you want to become my mate, too?’

“Come. Let’s go inside. The servants will be up and moving soon.”

Cassion wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her back to the bedroom. Held within his broad embrace, Lunaria allowed him to guide her back there. Before she knew it, he had gently eased her back onto the bed.

He brushed her hair softly away from her face and patted her on the shoulder.

“I’ve already informed Emma. You can sleep in today.”

“…Yes.”

In truth, she had so many things she wanted to ask Emma that it was hardly good news. But his next words made her heart lift slightly despite herself.

“When you wake, join me for breakfast.”

“You usually eat early.”

“I’ll sleep in a little today as well.”

“…Can’t we just eat early together?”

At her quiet protest, he once again let out a soft laugh.

“You’ve only just finished your heat. The aftereffects will linger. I’ll attend to some work first, so rest comfortably. I’ll come get you when you wake.”

“…You have to come for me.”

“Have I ever made a promise to you and failed to keep it?”

“No. Not even once.”

“Exactly.”

He had never broken a promise to her before. That was why she trusted him implicitly. And yet, this only served to deepen her unease.

No matter how she thought about it, he had never properly defined their relationship.

Why was he staying by her side during her heat?

Why had he given her the chamber meant for the Grand Duchess?

Why did he treat her like a lover, yet never acknowledge their relationship?

A quiet dread began to settle in her chest.

What exactly were they?

She had only just started to ask herself this question when drowsiness began to creep over her. She had known the steady rhythm of his hand patting lightly against her chest since she was ten.

His solid scent.

His languid voice.

His gentle touch.

As long as she could feel these three things, she had always been able to drift off to sleep effortlessly.

But this time, no matter how tightly she shut her eyes, sleep refused to come.