Chapter 32

It felt hypocritical to say this now, especially after he had treated the man like a rogue for offering some harsh truths earlier that afternoon. But in hindsight, honesty—even when bitter—was the truest mark of a gentleman.

Overcome with embarrassment, Elwin traced the embossed lions on the hilt. The blade’s tip was rounded, making it a poor weapon, but the sincerity of the gesture was absolute.

Leon would endure anything before harming him. With that revelation, Elwin realized he had placed deep trust in the very man he had once dismissed as a scandalous rogue.

A comfortable silence descended. Ordinarily, Leon would have retorted with some arrogant boast, but he remained quiet, perhaps uncharacteristically bashful. Seeking to break the tension, Elwin offered a lighthearted tease.

“Should the need arise, I will not hesitate to use this. Shall I drive it through your palm to finish the wound from earlier?”

Leon let out a sudden, rich laugh.

“My palms are sturdier than you think, my lord.”

“Then why offer me a blade that cannot even pierce a flesh wound?”

“Consider it a physical token of our gentlemen’s agreement.”

Leon shrugged. Even in the dark, Elwin could visualize his smirk. As Elwin’s soft laughter joined his, Leon’s posture relaxed, and he continued.

“Of course, it is a finely crafted piece. A trained hand could easily pierce flesh with it. Naturally, it would prove useless to you, my lord, given your preference for books over blades.”

“I am sturdier than I look. You saw how easily I handled the seedlings compared to you.”

“Ah, those delicate sprouts with roots barely an inch deep? The ones I spared out of fear they would crush in my grip?”

Leon’s teasing was relentless, but Elwin could not deny the truth of it; greenhouse gardening required precision, not brawn.

“And you can do better, Mr. Leon?” Elwin challenged.

“Unquestionably. At eight years old, the very first time I held a dagger, I pierced a heavy leather training dummy, much to my instructor’s horror.”

As Elwin began to question why an eight-year-old would have a sword instructor, Leon quickly embellished his tale, anticipating the skepticism.

“By nine, I used that same dagger to fell a wild bear. And by ten, I conquered an entire enemy fortress single-handed.”

Elwin let out a breathless, genuine laugh. It was all absurd bravado. Once, such preposterous claims would have baffled him, but he had grown accustomed to Leon’s eccentric humor. Now, it only brought him comfort.

His soft giggles seemed to disperse the tension, and his pheromones finally began to settle. The suppressant was doing its work, bringing a wave of profound relief—followed quickly by an overwhelming lethargy.

Why am I so exhausted? Surely it is not just the late hour.

Fighting to keep his heavy eyelids open, Elwin slurred, “Mr. Leon… did that medicine have a sedative in it?”

“Yes. Alpha suppressants typically include… ah.”

Designed to subdue an Alpha’s volatile instincts during a rut, the medicine contained potent calming agents. In an Omega’s system, however, this manifested as an irresistible, bone-deep drowsiness.

“I just praised you for being a gentleman,” Elwin murmured, “and you drug me?”

“No, wait! It was merely—” Leon stammered, caught entirely off guard.

The usually unflappable nobleman looked thoroughly panicked. While Elwin could not blame him given the emergency, falling asleep now presented a whole new set of dangers.

No, I must stay awake.

Sleeping in the presence of an Alpha on the brink of rut was madness. He forced his eyes open, fighting the encroaching darkness, and managed one last weak whisper.

“Mr. Leon… I am awake. I will not sleep. So…”

Do not do anything foolish. The unspoken plea dissolved into a faint mumble as his consciousness slipped away, and his eyes drifted shut.

***

“Ah! I… I was not sleeping,” Elwin bolted upright, the defense escaping his lips before he was even fully awake.

A sharp creaking sound had startled him awake. Blinking against the dim light, he stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling. He was still in Leon’s chambers.

Despite his hasty protest, he was tucked comfortably in the center of the bed. The shadows of the room were softening under the first pale grey of dawn.

He had commandeered another man’s bed and slept peacefully for hours. The sheer absurdity of it mortified him.

How could I be so reckless? And where is Leon?

He scanned the dim room in panic, only to freeze at the bizarre sight of its owner.

“Mr. Leon? What on earth are you doing?”

“Sir Elwin,” Leon turned, offering a bright, effortless smile. “You are awake.”

“I was not sleeping…” Elwin began, but stopped.

Realizing how utterly ridiculous the lie sounded, he trailed off, letting his hair fall forward to hide the embarrassing pillow crease on his cheek.

But Leon’s activities were far more pressing. The nobleman was balanced on a chair, dismantling the upper hinge of the heavy bedroom door. The massive wooden slab wobbled precariously before tipping inward.

With effortless grace, Leon caught the heavy door and propped it against the adjacent wall. His sheer height made the massive slab look like a mere toy. “Why are you removing the door?” Elwin asked blankly.

“Shh,” Leon gestured, whispering through the newly opened doorway. “You must slip back to your quarters. The maids will arrive to clean shortly.”

The reminder jolted Elwin into absolute alertness.

If the staff discovered them, the scandal would ruin him. An eligible Alpha and Omega, sequestered in a single bedroom overnight—even an innocent explanation would not survive the rumor mill.

Wait. Nothing happened… did it?

Panic flared as he threw back the covers to inspect himself. His nightwear was perfectly intact, and his fingers still gripped the silver paper knife. But covering him was something else entirely.

What is this?

He was draped in Leon’s lavish crimson velvet robe, adorned with intricate gold embroidery. Leon himself was fully dressed in his usual extravagant, albeit neat, daywear.

“I run warm, so my quarters have thin blankets,” Leon explained softly. “You looked cold, and I had nothing else on hand. I hope I did not overstep.”

“No… it is fine,” Elwin murmured.

Heat rushed to his face as he realized Leon must have carried him to the bed. Swallowing his embarrassment, he whispered the vital question.

“Last night… nothing happened, did it?”