After frantically enduring her heat, Lunaria opened her eyes and immediately sensed that something was wrong.

“Uh… why did it end so quickly?”

She couldn’t clearly remember how long she had spent with him, but she was certain it hadn’t lasted a full week.

“…Three days? Four?”

Overwhelmed by the feverish haze, she hadn’t properly registered how much time had passed. But when she was with the pack, her older sisters would disappear for long periods during their heat. They would spend almost a month with their partners.

“Is it because I’m not a complete beastkin?”

By comparison, what she had experienced could hardly be called proper heat. Her already pale complexion drained of color. Suddenly, she was gripped by fear. Had he realized that she wasn’t fully wolf-beast?

She hurried to climb out of bed.

“Ugh.”

However, the pain in her waist and lower body was too intense for her to move with her usual agility. Suddenly, she felt a rush of heat to her face and memories of her time with him flashed through her mind.

“Haah… Cassion…”

She had once dreamed of spending the night with him. He was far more sensual than she had ever imagined. Every time he whispered her name, she shivered. Even the memory of it sent goosebumps rising along her skin.

Flustered, Lunaria pushed back her tangled hair and slowly sat up.

At that moment, the bedroom door opened.

The very man she had been thinking about only seconds earlier stepped inside, immaculate and fully dressed as always.

After confirming that she was awake, Cassion walked towards her.

“How is your body?”

“Cassion!”

She ran straight into his arms. His solid embrace caught her without the slightest sway.

“You mustn’t move so suddenly. You suffered through two days of heat…”

Upon hearing this, Lunaria realized that her first heat had only lasted two days.

Despite her feelings of incompleteness, it had felt strangely short.

However, she couldn’t reveal her anxiety to him. So she simply smiled.

“…I actually feel refreshed. So I’m fine.”

Despite her firm reply, Cassion tilted his head slightly and examined her complexion closely. Although she knew he was looking at her out of concern, her heart beat rapidly as if she had something to hide.

He scrutinized her relentlessly, as if he would not be satisfied until he had seen everything with his own eyes. Only then did he release his arm from around her waist.

“I did feed you fruit from time to time, but… it could hardly count as a proper meal. Aren’t you hungry?”

Freed from the sharpness of his gaze, she quietly exhaled and nodded vigorously.

“I’m starving, Cassion.”

“I understand. I’ll have the meal brought here at once, so wash up briefly and come out.”

When he stepped into the sitting room beyond the door, Emma, who had been waiting outside, entered the bedroom.

“Miss, let me assist you.”

With Emma’s help, Lunaria quickly washed and changed into her indoor clothes. When she stepped into the sitting room, she saw that Cassion was already waiting for her there.

She had half expected him to have left for work by then, so she smiled softly when she saw him.

She hurried towards him with light, eager steps. Cassion rose at once from his seat. With practiced ease, he pulled out her chair and waited until she was comfortably seated before returning to his own.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

No sooner had they sat down than the head butler and Emma began laying the table with dishes. The breakfast spread was almost excessive in its variety.

Instead of picking up his fork, he spoke up.

“Would the steak be too much for you?”

It had been prepared according to her usual preference — she loved steak above all else — but he was worried given that she had just come through her heat.

She had been staring blankly at the table, but she quickly shook her head.

“No! Meat is delicious anytime!”

It felt as though the lingering haze from her fever had lifted at once. Lunaria cherished these moments when he cared for her with such quiet attentiveness. The idea that he was worried she might burden a wolf beastkin seemed strangely endearing to her.

As she had admitted, she was ravenous. She picked up her fork and knife without delay. If she were being honest, she would have liked to grab the food with her hands and devour it, but she had chosen to live among humans and intended to do so properly.

Not just any human, but a noble lady worthy of standing at his side.

Just as he had taught her, she cut the meat into small, delicate pieces with graceful precision and brought them to her lips. The portions were far too small to properly satisfy her appetite, and she did not like the texture, but the fact that it tasted so good proved just how hungry she was.

Little by little, her movements became quicker.

Cassion watched her in silence, a faint smile touching the corners of his lips. Only then did he begin cutting into his own steak. Throughout the meal, his gaze never left her.

In truth, he could never look away.

She constantly worried him, like a child left too close to the water’s edge. He could not bear not to know about her every movement. Even the slightest gesture held his interest.

So he did not restrain himself. He wanted to know everything about her.

In return, he taught her everything he knew.

“At this rate, you’ll make yourself sick.”

Upon hearing his remark, Lunaria, who had been eating rather hastily, felt her cheeks grow warm. She slowed down at once, being mindful of her movements. He had taught her never to speak with food in her mouth.

After carefully swallowing, she lifted her gaze, ready to respond.

He watched her with quiet satisfaction, clearly pleased that she had not forgotten his lessons and was still following them so faithfully.

“The steak tastes especially good today. I wish I could eat it every morning.”

“If you wish to eat it, then eat it. Is there someone preventing you from following your preferred diet?”

In response to his casual question, Lunaria, who had been leaning back comfortably, immediately sat up straight.

She wasn’t the only one to grow tense. The head butler, Emma, and the nearby maids also stiffened visibly.

“…Of course not. I just thought mornings were meant for something light, like stew or soup.”

Lunaria answered quickly, glancing at him before taking a sip of water. Cassion was usually gentle and composed, but when he became angry, he was someone entirely different.

A few years ago, there had been maids who had tormented her. After discovering that she was a commoner, they began to harass her in subtle, calculated ways.

They would deliberately send Emma away and bring her dirty wash water themselves. They would barge into her room under the pretext of cleaning, only to sit on the sofa and chat loudly. Sometimes, they would even steal the snacks prepared for her.

Lunaria, who barely understood the distinction between commoners and nobles, could not fathom their resentment. Moreover, she had little interest in anyone besides Cassion. She hadn’t even realized she was being mistreated. She simply thought, ‘They make so many mistakes.’

Then something more serious happened. The maids who had been troubling her finally crossed a line.

They stole the jewelry Cassion had given her and sold it at the market.

It didn’t take long for the truth to come to light.

The pieces Cassion had given her bore the ducal family’s registration number. The women were exposed as thieves who had stolen from Grand Duke Lucius’s household and were arrested on the spot.

It was only then that Cassion learned of their crimes.

Lunaria saw him truly angry for the first time that day.

“Is that really so?”

His questioning tone pulled her out of her brief reverie, and she nodded hurriedly.

After hesitating for a moment, she decided to be honest.

If she did not make her position clear now, Emma or the other servants might be punished in her place.

Even worse, the servants might lose their jobs, just like those former maids. The thought made her heart race.

“…It just feels a little improper.”

“What feels improper?”

“A noble lady cutting steak first thing in the morning.”

“…Hmm?”

Tilting his head slightly, as though he did not understand, Cassion watched her as she continued.

“To be honest, I find it too difficult to survive on just salad, so I’ve been eating meat stew every day. Even that makes me feel as though I don’t quite look like a proper noble lady.”

Having been forced to reveal something she would rather have kept hidden from him, a hint of grievance crept into her voice.

Suddenly, Cassion burst into laughter.