By Zephyria 
“Shouldn’t you find the answer yourself?”
When Chrissy asked back sarcastically, Nathaniel smiled silently once again. Just as it felt like a somewhat self-deprecating laugh, Nathaniel loosely gripped Chrissy’s ankle atop the sponge.
“…Ngh.”
At the immediate surge of pain, Chrissy unconsciously bit his lower lip and grimaced. Keeping his gaze fixed on the ankle, Nathaniel spoke.
“It’s strange. I don’t usually get angry…”
The murmur, sounding like a monologue, was pitched even lower than his usual bass. As Chrissy continued to look at him with a frowning face, Nathaniel quietly muttered.
“Don’t get hurt next time. If something like this happens again…”
He paused and shifted his gaze toward Chrissy. His purple eyes were sunken deeper than usual, appearing almost black. Chrissy met his eyes without so much as a flinch. A tense silence flowed between them. The sound of water dripping could be heard from somewhere. A small, clear single note tapped against the ear as if knocking on the uncomfortable air, and Nathaniel’s voice continued beyond a faint echo.
“Next time, I will truly tie you up so you can’t move a muscle.”
It was a voice devoid of any emotion, but it was by no means an empty threat. Chrissy could have bet his entire fortune that in the worst-case scenario, this man would actually imprison him. He was talking about binding his limbs with those chilling chains. The moment he thought of it, a reflexive shiver ran across his skin. To avoid letting it show that he was momentarily frightened, Chrissy forced a smile that was bolder than usual.
“You seemed to be enjoying yourself earlier.”
“I was, until I knew you were hurt.”
Nathaniel did not deny Chrissy’s words. In short, anything was fine as long as it didn’t result in injury. To warn him against getting hurt while he himself had treated Chrissy so recklessly—did this man realize how contradictory his words were? Chrissy couldn’t help but let out a smirk.
“You realize this ankle is a part of my body, right?”
Thus, he was asserting that the right to his body belonged to him. Therefore, how he handled it was entirely up to Chrissy. However, Nathaniel responded without the slightest hesitation.
“Everything inside this house is my property.”
Then, he lifted Chrissy’s ankle. In an instant, Chrissy gasped like a scream as pain spread through his entire body. It was a pain that felt like a temporary electric shock to the brain. Staring at Chrissy, who was trembling finely with clenched teeth, Nathaniel continued.
“Including this, of course.”
He wasn’t referring only to the ankle. He meant that everything, including Chrissy himself, belonged to him. So, he was telling him not to try anything foolish.
“It would be best to adjust the level of your pranks from now on. ……Though you won’t be able to do anything with that leg for a while anyway.”
To dismiss it as a mere prank when he had risked his life to attack. Chrissy was deeply offended, but in the end, the result was the same. Hadn’t he eventually moved on to Plan B?
Hiding his displeased mood, he turned his head. Let’s not rush. If this man finds out, it’s all over.
He had destroyed all the documents received by fax. Unless Nathaniel called the laboratory himself, he wouldn’t know. Seeing that the test results had come out, he had likely sent samples; if the response took too long, he would try to check personally. Since he wouldn’t know I entered the study, wouldn’t he just think there was some error or mistake?
Even if he finds out I destroyed the documents, it can’t be helped.
Chrissy made up his mind and lifted his head. More importantly, he had to trigger a rut in Nathaniel Miller as quickly as possible. Yes, right now.
Seducing Nathaniel Miller was not difficult. He had always found one-night stands easily, and Nathaniel had told Chrissy several times that he wanted to sleep with him. Moreover, since his pheromones had been building up, he would be even more starved. It was a simple and easy task. If he just stimulated this man a little bit…
“Ngh.”
Chrissy frowned and hunched his shoulders. When he intentionally moved his leg to stimulate his ankle, a searing pain washed over his body, just as expected. Groaning softly with a distorted face, Chrissy stealthily checked Nathaniel’s reaction. As expected, his gaze was nailed to Chrissy’s ankle. Without missing the timing, Chrissy reached out and stroked his ankle. Slowly, as if caressing it.
Now, fall for it. Hurry.
The pheromone scent that had been faintly drifting around suddenly settled heavily. His heart beat erratically. Not stopping there, Chrissy exhaled as if feeling stifled and turned his gaze toward Nathaniel. As soon as their eyes met, he spoke while remaining still.
“Which would be more beneficial for me: harming myself, or sleeping with you?”
He murmured in a low, whispering voice, but Nathaniel clearly understood. For a moment, the two simply looked at each other in silence.
3｜
Self-harm.
Nathaniel stared intently at Chrissy’s face as the word came to mind. Had that word ever sounded so foreign?
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Nathaniel asked indifferently, as usual. His mind had been hazy for a while, making it difficult to maintain his reason. Because of this, he had quite a bit of difficulty grasping the meaning of Chrissy’s words.
Damn pheromones.
Muttering internally, he stared at Chrissy in silence. Lips that were terribly erotic—unbecoming of a prosecutor—slowly parted. He heard the voice, but it took a bit more time to process the meaning.
“Since you aren’t falling for it easily, I was wondering what method I should use. I’m debating whether blackmail or persuasion would be better.”
“Ha.”
Once he understood the words, the first thing to escape Nathaniel’s lips was an absurd sigh. Then, he frowned and wore a mocking, cold sneer.
“I feel like I’m already being blackmailed, don’t you think?”
At those words, unexpectedly, Chrissy faltered and let out a powerless laugh.
“I see. I said something stupid.”
Then, he lowered his head as if discouraged and murmured.
“I’m realizing right now, quite painfully, what an idiot I am.”
Chrissy buried his face in one hand and bowed his head. Nathaniel’s gaze landed on the long neck and shoulder exposed above the surface. A single drop of moisture clinging to the bare skin rolled down. And immediately, Nathaniel stood up.
“It’s all finished. Let’s go to the bed now.”
Having suddenly said that, Nathaniel picked Chrissy up and wrapped his body in the large towel that had been placed beside them. Surprised by the sudden situation, Chrissy could only blink and look up, but regardless of that reaction, Nathaniel walked straight back to the bedroom.
“That…”
Flustered, Chrissy tried to say something, but no words came to mind. Reaching the bed in just a few steps, Nathaniel set Chrissy down and then stretched his long body before speaking.
“I’ll sleep in the next bedroom, so get some deep rest.”
“What…”
Chrissy opened his mouth once more, but Nathaniel had already opened the connecting door and left. Silence fell instantly, and only after confirming that he had been left alone on the bed did Chrissy finally realize that he had failed.
Why?
He blinked repeatedly, thinking it over. This thick pheromone scent lingering in the air was no illusion. Above all, he had seen with his own eyes that Nathaniel was considerably aroused.
But he just leaves? Leaving me like this?
It was unbelievable. Aren’t Dominant Alphas’ sexual desires stronger than other traits? When did he ever act so restrained, after playing around so promiscuously with pheromone parties and such…
I thought this would definitely work.
Chrissy brushed back his hair in confusion. What on earth does that man want from me?