By Zephyria 
Without realizing it, I held my breath, my brow furrowing. I had heard that pheromones could intensify depending on one’s emotions. However, as a Beta, I couldn’t tell the cause of this thick scent. Was it anger, or…
Lust?
…Haa.
I let out a deep breath unconsciously. Perhaps my breath brushed against some part of his skin; I clearly saw Nathaniel Miller’s thick eyebrows twitch briefly. Along with that, his long eyes narrowed slightly, and I suddenly felt as if I could anticipate what would happen next.
“Don’t touch me.”
I muttered, my entire body tense.
“I told you, if you force yourself on me again, I’ll kill you.”
I meant it. I had nothing in my hands, but I would kill him by any means necessary. Feeling my palms grow damp with sweat against the bookshelf, I glared at the man with all my might. I wanted him to know that the moment he touched even a fingertip, I would tear him apart.
Nathaniel Miller’s lips slowly, loosely parted. A low voice, like a whisper, flowed through.
“Did you?”
Immediately after, as if mocking my warning, the man pressed his lips against mine. His mouth was large, and the flesh clashed violently, as if he intended to swallow my lips whole. I opened my mouth wider, desperately trying to gasp for air, but he pushed his tongue in as if he had been waiting for that very moment. Feeling the thick foreign object fill my mouth, I immediately tried to bite it. However, the moment I tried to set my teeth, Nathaniel’s large hand gripped my hair roughly and yanked my head back. With my head thrown back helplessly, my mouth opened wide.
“Mm, mgh, ph.”
I struggled with all my strength, but I couldn’t possibly bite down. As if mocking my futile attempts, Nathaniel Miller leaned his body fully over me, skillfully continuing the kiss by licking the roof of my mouth and tickling the inside of my cheeks. I resisted with everything I had. I clawed at the man’s arms and swung my fists wildly, but he didn’t budge an inch.
“Le… let go.”
Seizing a brief gap, I desperately managed to make a sound, but my mouth was immediately blocked again. Frustratingly, the only thing that escaped my lips were moans.
I could feel another person’s breath inside my mouth. The man was laughing while ravaging my mouth. Was he mocking me, or was there some other reason?
The sweet scent enveloped my entire body more intensely than ever before. Every time I gasped for air, it entered me and settled deep within my body. The man was pouring out the scent as if he intended to soak me in pheromones.
“Ngh, hmph, ph.”
Indistinct sounds leaked from my mouth occasionally. My body, which had been leaning against the bookshelf, collapsed and slid down to the floor. My weakened fists tapped his arm and shoulder once or twice. As if remembering late, but with utter lethargy, they slumped down as if they had fulfilled their duty.
I felt a cold sensation on my back. I realized that I had ended up lying completely flat on the study floor. Only after I had fallen into a state of complete grogginess, losing even the strength to raise a fist, did our lips finally part.
Haa… haa…
Only the sound of ragged breathing scattered messily throughout the study. Neither he nor I spoke. We simply looked at each other, panting for breath.
Nathaniel was the first to speak.
“Don’t provoke me. I don’t want to handle you roughly.”
His sensual lips glistened, wet with saliva. That arrogant attitude of his ignited the last of my fighting spirit.
“You’re the one who provoked me first, you bastard.”
As I spat those words out through gritted teeth, he frowned and asked, as if wondering what I was talking about.
“I did?”
What was with that nonchalant attitude? I muttered back, refusing to back down.
“Anthony Smith.”
“…Ah.”
Only after hearing that name did Nathaniel Miller let out a strange sigh, as if he finally understood. Then, moving only his eyes, he scanned me once before fixing his gaze on my face.
“So, were you playing detective to find that out?”
I disliked everything about Nathaniel Miller, but his choice of words was the absolute worst. Despite the man’s kind warning, I provoked him with a harsh tone.
“Did you think I’d just lie quietly in bed after you made me look like this?”
At my words, Nathaniel seemed somewhat surprised, then unexpectedly let out a short laugh.
“My, I forgot that cats are curious.”
“Don’t give me that…”
“Shall we take this off?”
Just as I was about to get angry at his absurd comment, Nathaniel suddenly said something unexpected. While I was momentarily bewildered, he easily took away the IV line I had been gathering in hopes of seizing the opportunity to strangle him. Looking up at him with hollow eyes, Nathaniel added leisurely,
“Since it’s useless now.”
He wasn’t wrong. But that relaxed attitude made my stomach churn. Unable to hide my frustration, I saw Nathaniel’s cane lying on the floor. When had he dropped it? I hadn’t even heard the sound. I stared blankly as he gripped the stick in one hand and used it to pull himself up, and suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.
Is that man’s leg really still impaired?
Nathaniel Miller stood up naturally using the cane, but I still became suspicious. Come to think of it, hadn’t quite some time passed? By now, he should be able to walk without it, shouldn’t he? If not, then…
“Should I carry you, Prosecutor?”
His sudden voice snapped me back to my senses. Looking up, I saw Nathaniel already standing there with one hand extended toward me. At his mocking question, I felt a mixture of defiance and shame as I pushed myself up.
But the problem came next. I realized belatedly that all the buttons of the shirt I was wearing had come undone, with only one barely holding on. Even so, the already oversized shirt was exposing my shoulders and barely hanging on my elbows, making it almost as if I were naked. The single, lonely button felt ridiculously out of place.
Nathaniel Miller was staring intently at my state. As if he were very curious about what I would do next, or perhaps waiting for the right timing to mock me.
In this situation, I had only one choice. Pretending to be as unfazed as possible, I pulled up the shirt and asked in a composed voice.
“Where did you put my clothes?”
The corner of one of Nathaniel Miller’s lips seemed to curl up slightly, and he let out a short breath. Following my hand as I fastened the buttons one by one, he spoke once he saw me fasten the last button above my thigh.
“Let’s talk outside.”
Saying so, Nathaniel Miller gazed at me. It was a signal for me to go out first. Left with no choice, I gave up on the files and moved my feet, holding the empty IV bag. I had to think of another way to see those files. Before I left this house.
* * *
I guess his leg really was impaired.
I felt a small sense of reflection as I recalled the sight of Nathaniel Miller descending the stairs earlier. Using the cane to move his leg, it was clear to anyone that he wasn’t fully recovered. After seeing a couple of drops of sweat on Nathaniel’s temple as he stood on the first floor after descending all the stairs, I decided not to doubt him any further. Instead, I silently followed behind him, but the place Nathaniel headed to was an unexpected location. Having vaguely assumed we were going to get my clothes, I was momentarily bewildered by the interior unfolding before my eyes.
A cupboard occupying one wall was filled with liquor and glasses. Next to it was a large wine cellar, and in front of that, a bar table large enough to span across the cupboard and the wine cellar took up the space. Leaving me standing there in bewilderment, Nathaniel stood before the cupboard and skillfully took out whiskey and a glass. Seeing him even take ice from a mini-fridge that occupied one section of the cupboard and put it in the glass, I could no longer hold back.
“When are you giving me my clothes?”
At my naturally sharp tone, Nathaniel gave a strange smile as he poured the whiskey and brought it to his lips. For a moment, I thought about just leaving. Right, why couldn’t I? I’d go to the police station and ask for help. Identity verification would be quick, and if I just asked for a ride home…
But I couldn’t. I had to find out about Anthony Smith. There was definitely something else behind this incident. What was it?
In the end, I let out a sigh and brushed back my disheveled hair.
“Stop stalling and tell me. What do you want?”
Fatigue naturally seeped into my voice. I no longer had the energy to play push-and-pull with this man. If that was the case, the only thing left was a frontal assault.
At my question, Nathaniel slowly set down the glass.
“Come here.”
In the silence, he muttered in his characteristic low voice.
“Let me remove the needle first.”
Nathaniel added with a faint smile,
“Since I wouldn’t want to be strangled with an IV line.”