The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 74
He didn’t seem to believe her casual excuse. His large hand suddenly reached out and touched her forehead. Johanna flinched reflexively, her eyes widening. As she blinked up at him in a daze, his brow furrowed slightly.
“You’ve got a fever.”
“It’s just a mild one… It’s nothing serious.”
“Mild? Your forehead is burning up.”
Ah…?
Without realizing it, Johanna let out a small gasp and covered her neck with both hands. The warmth radiating from her skin was like freshly baked bread.
“Hmm… I guess I might be a little warm…”
“A little? Is that what you call this?”
Leonid scoffed in disbelief, then suddenly leaned down and pressed his nose to her neck. Startled, Johanna instinctively tried to step back, but he wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and pulled her close.
Now that she thought about it, his touch had felt natural all along. It was hard to believe he was the same man with that notorious aversion to physical contact; he was touching her without a hint of hesitation.
“…I can’t sense any pheromones.”
“I must have caught a cold. It’s not that bad.”
“Even so, just in case…”
“…!”
As soon as Leonid released a hint of his pheromones, Johanna’s body reacted with a violent shiver. The intense sensation swept down her spine, far stronger than usual, and she gasped, trying to push him away. But Leonid held her waist firmly, refusing to let her go.
Suddenly, she noticed the eyes of the crowd turning toward them. Among them were the members of House Elderique. Lady Hermia’s sharp gaze, in particular, made Johanna feel extremely tense. She felt cold sweat forming on her skin as she stammered in a trembling voice,
“L-Let go, why are you—releasing pheromones—”
“…You’re the one leaking pheromones right now.”
At those words, Johanna froze.
…It was true. A thick, potent stream of Omega pheromones was seeping out from her. It was faint, like a weak trickle, but she could feel the intensity gradually increasing.
“…It seems like you’re in Heat.”
“A-ah… ngh.”
Leonid’s long fingers brushed gently over the hollow at the back of her neck, and a sharp sensation coursed through her, causing her to let out a soft moan.
It felt as if every nerve ending in her body was on high alert, her senses growing increasingly sensitive. Her heart pounded wildly, as if it might burst. Each breath she exhaled carried a scorching heat. There was no doubt—this was the onset of a Heat cycle.
‘Why… why now, of all times…?’
Panic threatened to overwhelm her. She could feel the sharp, scrutinizing gazes of the people around her, and it was enough to drive her mad. To lose control here, at her own wedding reception, would be the worst possible scenario. She desperately wanted to avoid such humiliation.
Trembling uncontrollably, Johanna clutched Leonid’s sleeve with both hands. Before she knew it, she was leaning against him, practically collapsing into his arms. Leonid gently took her shaking hands in his, his grip both comforting and strong, as if to reassure her.
“Shh… Breathe slowly and deeply.”
Following his instructions, she took a deep, slow breath in and out, and the initial panic and fear seemed to ebb away. However, the symptoms of Heat were only intensifying, and Johanna soon found herself on the verge of tears. Eventually, thick tears began to spill, soaking the fabric of Leonid’s shirt.
“Crying now…?”
He let out a bewildered chuckle and wiped her tears away with his long, pianist-like fingers. At some point—she didn’t know when—she had ended up nestled deeply in his embrace.
“Close your eyes and stay still.”
She did as he instructed, closing her eyes and shutting out the world. As heat spread through her body, her consciousness grew hazy, making it difficult to grasp the situation. She vaguely heard Leonid calling someone over, giving quiet instructions. It sounded like he was telling them to discreetly wrap up the reception, as they needed to leave urgently.
The Omega’s Heat, coming to her for the very first time, was far more agonizing than Johanna could have ever imagined. Half lost in a daze, she slowly blinked her eyes open, realizing she was being carried somewhere in Leonid’s strong arms.
“…We’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer.”
His voice, unlike usual, was somewhat rough, his breathing noticeably labored. It didn’t seem like he was out of breath simply because he had to carry her up the stairs.
Johanna buried her face into the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply the pheromones that emanated from him. It was an instinctual act—an Omega craving the Alpha’s scent.
Leonid flinched slightly, but he didn’t slow his pace. Soon, they reached the front of a bedroom. The maids following them quickly opened the door, and Leonid practically rushed inside, almost leaping through the threshold.
