The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 113
For the past few days, Johanna had been diligently avoiding Leonid. Knowing that his rut was approaching only intensified her desire to keep her distance. Even outside of his rut, his libido was overwhelming, as if he were trying to release all the pent-up desires he’d suppressed for over eight years with suppressants.
She couldn’t imagine how much harder it would be to handle him during his rut—it terrified her, to be honest.
Leonid, of course, was quick to notice Johanna’s attempts to evade him. But surprisingly, he didn’t storm into her room or act aggressively. Still, there was one instance in the hallway where their eyes met, and the sharp, predatory way he glared at her made her heart skip a beat in fear.
“You know his rut is coming up soon, right?”
That evening, Victoria visited and went over the precautions Johanna should take when dealing with an Alpha in rut.
Though most of it was familiar, Johanna listened carefully, making sure she didn’t miss anything important. Victoria detailed what to do if knotting happened, how to calm down an Alpha who’d lost control, and so on.
“Alphas are basically like animals. They’re always driven by their need to breed, but during their rut, that drive explodes. Hyper-dominant Alphas are especially intense.”
“…I see.”
“In fact, the best way to calm down a hyper-dominant Alpha during a rut is through the pheromones of their imprinted mate. That’s why, for years, the Marquis’ family was desperate to find him a match. The one who seemed the most likely candidate was the daughter of the Babenhausen family.”
The mention of the Babenhausen daughter caught Johanna off guard. If it was the daughter of that family, she must be referring to Josephine. Johanna’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Leonid had told her he and Josephine despised each other, but apparently, their families had tried to match them.
“But the Marquis strongly opposed it, so it fell apart. Though, I heard the Babenhausen daughter was all for it.”
“…?”
Johanna tilted her head unconsciously. Josephine had been in favor of the match? What could her reasons have been?
“Well, finding a mate isn’t exactly easy. For an imprint to happen, both sides have to align, and that’s not always how it goes. People usually want to imprint mutually in a relationship or marriage, but sometimes one person gets imprinted, and the other doesn’t, no matter how hard they try. It happens more often than you’d think.”
“….”
“When that happens, even the closest couples can struggle. Some make it through, but others don’t. But you don’t have to worry about imprinting.”
Victoria was right. Imprinting wasn’t something Johanna needed to concern herself with. Even though they were physically intimate, she and Leonid weren’t truly destined mates. There was no need to feel down about something that would never happen.
And yet… she couldn’t help but feel her mood sinking.
Will Leonid eventually meet someone who’ll imprint on him? His Fata?
“Anyway, you’re a magical responder, even if your sensitivity is low. Let’s try blending magic with pheromones. It’s tricky since it’s based on talent—some people never get it, but those who do pick it up quickly.”
Victoria’s lively tone snapped Johanna out of her somber thoughts. Forcing a smile, she nodded in agreement.
She had known she was a magical responder since childhood, but unlike Daniel, her magical abilities had never fully blossomed. Not every magical responder became a mage or an arcane engineer.
So, she didn’t have high hopes of succeeding in blending magic with pheromones. If it worked, great. If not, then so be it. With that relaxed mindset, she followed Victoria’s instructions.
First, she focused on sensing the magic flowing into her body, then began circulating it clockwise. So far, so good.
Next, she had to release the gathered magic and her pheromones at the same time. This step proved more difficult.
“Is it not working?”
“Hmm…”
Trying to do both at once required intense concentration, especially since Johanna had hardly ever worked with magic before. For those who were skilled, blending magic and pheromones was said to come as naturally as breathing, but for her, it was anything but easy.
Then, suddenly, she felt something. The magic and pheromones started to mix, creating a sensation of warmth and comfort. It felt like she was wrapped in soft clouds.
“How about now? I’m a Beta, so I can’t really tell. I can sense the magic flow, though. Maybe I should’ve brought an Alpha or Omega to check.”
At that moment, Johanna’s eyes snapped open. The concentration she had maintained broke, and the cloud-like sensation disappeared.
What was that just now? Still lingering in the afterglow of the feeling, Johanna looked at Victoria and asked,
“Is blending Omega pheromones with magic supposed to feel… like enchantment? Is this how it’s supposed to feel?”
“What exactly did it feel like?”
“Warm, cozy… like being completely wrapped up in clouds.”
“Huh. I’ve never heard of that happening,” Victoria replied, tilting her head in confusion.
Johanna tried again three more times, but each attempt felt different from what Victoria had described as “enchantment.” Victoria had explained the sensation of casting enchantment in detail, but none of it matched what Johanna was experiencing.
“Do you feel like the air around you is being pulled in?”
“No, not at all.”
“Does it make your nerves feel razor-sharp, like heightened awareness?”
“Not really.”
“Hmm… maybe it’s just not working.”
