By Zephyria 
After successfully finishing my first Heat, I spent the next few days bedridden. My entire body, and especially my lower half, hurt so much that the heavy pain I felt inside made it feel as if my abdomen were bruised. Perhaps because of that, I had a severe fever, muscle aches, and wounds from being bitten…
If a stranger had seen me, they would have thought I’d had sex with some kind of beast. I couldn’t believe my body could be left this ragged after just one rut, even for a Dominant Alpha. I was already terrified of whether I could endure the next rut. Moreover, I never imagined that as an Omega, I would be drawn to the pheromones of an Alpha in rut and trigger a Heat. That’s probably why I clung to him so much, right? Sigh…
Still, I should look at the Heat in a positive light. They say that because I was in Heat, I was able to endure it to this extent. If I had taken Joo Min-hyeok in a state of rut without being in Heat—ugh, just thinking about it made my insides tighten with a heavy, terrible sensation.
Whether it was because the medicine was good or because Joo Min-hyeok visited frequently to pour out his pheromones, my body recovered faster than expected. Whenever I smelled his pheromones, I don’t know how it worked, but I calmed down quickly and my recovery speed increased.
Exactly what principle allows this kind of healing? I suppose this is only possible because we are a couple who have shared their bodies. I doubt my body would improve like this just by receiving any random Alpha’s pheromones. The world of Alphas and Omegas is truly fascinating, and there seems to be so much to learn.
Anyway, amazed at how my body felt light again sooner than expected, I got out of bed and stretched gently. However, Joo Min-hyeok, who had already visited at lunch, appeared again now that it was 4 PM. He had visited so often while I was sick that the threshold of the Imperial Pavilion was practically worn down.
“Is it already okay for you to move your body like that?”
“Your Majesty, you said that earlier. It’s already been four days. I’ve improved a lot.”
“Exactly how much is this ‘a lot’?”
Joo Min-hyeok smiled and sat on the edge of the bed to examine me. His face was so neat that the image of him looking at me with desire-filled eyes, his entire body flushed, felt like a dream. He looked so virtuous, as if those moments had never existed.
Who could imagine that such a clean and tidy man could show that side of himself? Well, the same goes for me. It’s okay. I was in Heat… Hmm. Regardless, I felt a strange thrill knowing that side of him, which only I knew.
“Since there’s no answer, I’ll have to check for myself. Aside from the muscle aches, I need to check if the wounds in the lower area where my thing entered have healed…”
“Ah! What are you doing!”
Startled by Joo Min-hyeok’s sly attempt to lift the blanket and check below, I smacked his shoulder. Is he seriously crazy? Why is he acting like such an old man? I gave him a glare and stood up, and Joo Min-hyeok stood up after me, pressing close to my side.
“…Seriously, why are you sticking so close to me?”
“So I can catch you immediately if you collapse.”
“I’m this healthy, who on earth would collapse?”
Exhausting, truly exhausting. Despite my claim of being healthy, Joo Min-hyeok shook his head stubbornly. From what I heard, I had lost consciousness and bled after the Heat ended. Since Joo Min-hyeok’s member, swollen to the limit in preparation for knotting, had stirred and thrust inside me, it would have been stranger if I hadn’t bled.
Even if there was blood, it probably wasn’t that much. I think the mixture of my lubrication and his semen created a more dramatic effect, but Joo Min-hyeok was fussing over me to an excessive degree. Thanks to that, however, I recovered this quickly.
“Your Majesty. I really have improved quickly. Once, I got hit on the back a few times by my grandfather and suffered for five days; compared to that, this recovery speed is unbelievable. I’m up after only four days following such a huge event.”
“…How did the Prime Minister hit you that you were bedridden for days? Is he insane?”
The moment my grandfather was mentioned, Joo Min-hyeok’s voice turned frightening. Ah, did I mention that for nothing? Checking his face, I saw a sharp, cold rage. I only mentioned it because he knows I was abused by my grandfather, but I flinched slightly at his sharper-than-expected reaction. I shouldn’t bring up my grandfather anymore.
“Grandfather is an Alpha, so he’s strong. If he hits without controlling himself, it has quite an impact. Back then, I had bruises on my back, and the contusions and muscle pain were severe, like I’d been in a car accident.”
“Just how much did he hit someone who has nowhere to be hit…”
Ah, I should have stopped talking. From now on, I shouldn’t talk about being hit, let alone about my grandfather. He seems very displeased. I’ve become a bit closer to him lately, so I forgot that he dislikes talking about my grandfather.
Still, it didn’t feel bad knowing that Joo Min-hyeok was worried about me. By the way, it’s been a long time since I saw my grandfather. I wonder what he’s really up to? It’s so quiet that it’s almost unsettling.
“Now that I am by your side, you will never be hit by anyone again.”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.”
When I gave a shy, beaming smile out of embarrassment, a faint smile appeared on Joo Min-hyeok’s face as well. Leading me to the sofa, Joo Min-hyeok revealed the reason for his visit at this hour. As he began to speak, his expression darkened.
“I came to inform you about the disciplinary action against Guard Kang Hyun-wook.”
“Disciplinary action?”
I stood awkwardly, halfway through sitting on the sofa, and asked him back. Disciplinary action… I thought he would receive a warning for failing to stop Han Hee-sung from entering the palace. But I didn’t know he would be formally disciplined.
“Guard Kang Hyun-wook failed to fulfill the responsibilities of his assigned duty. He has no practical experience or career, but it was my mistake to hire him trusting that he is Dae-ho’s son. He was famous for his skill within the Academy, so I hired him to keep an eye on him, but I was too complacent. Hiring him was a complete misjudgment on my part. I didn’t realize that a lack of practical experience could be this fatal.”
“Who has experience from the very beginning? This is how one learns. Since Your Majesty trusted him enough to hire him, if you could just give him one more chance…”
“What chance? If the one who lunged hadn’t been Han Hee-sung but a terrorist, or if Han Hee-sung had been lunging with a weapon, what would have happened? Far from a chance, it would have been execution at the minimum. A personal guard must never make that one mistake.”
“Ah…”
I was speechless at Joo Min-hyeok’s firm words. That’s true. I’m only shielding him because the opponent is my friend, but objectively, it is Hyun-wook’s fault for completely failing the security.
“I intended to just have him work under the team leader, but I didn’t know the Grand Imperial Concubine would pick him as a personal guard. Kang Hyun-wook should have used any means necessary to tear Han Hee-sung away from the Palace Lord’s body. No, he should have prevented him from approaching entirely. Han Hee-sung, who dared to hug and touch the Palace Lord’s body and utter blasphemous words, will also not escape punishment.”
I remember the face of the man who said he missed me. Why on earth did Han Hee-sung approach so recklessly? I was very surprised by the sudden attack, but I want to hear the reason. He has no reason to do that to me. Furthermore, Han Hee-sung was supposed to be Min-hyeok’s partner. The true Omega chosen by Joo Min-hyeok.
But I’ve felt it bit by bit for a while now—something is far too strange. The flow of the story is progressing oddly. The things I know aren’t happening, and everything is unfolding anew, so I can’t get a handle on what will happen next.
The relationship between the Imperial Family, myself, and my grandfather; the appearance of Han Hee-sung and the abrupt situation of that Omega approaching me; even Joo Min-hyeok’s emotional trajectory. This is a completely different background from the world in the novel I was reading. Something must have changed because I came here.
Then the conclusion of the story might also unfold in a completely different direction than before. Is it because this is now my life? Does it mean the story progresses according to my will and the choices I make? This is driving me crazy. It’s so confusing.
“Even if the Grand Imperial Concubine racks his brain, Kang Hyun-wook’s discipline is finalized. So, do not think about helping him.”
“What? No! I wasn’t thinking that…”
“Regardless, Kang Hyun-wook failed in his security duty, so he will be held accountable. Otherwise, the discipline of the palace will crumble. You could have died because of that ‘one mistake’ the Grand Imperial Concubine mentioned. Calculating every single possibility is the duty of security.”
He seemed to mistake my deep contemplation for searching for a way to help Hyun-wook. However, since not a single word of Joo Min-hyeok’s statement was wrong, I slowly nodded. I wanted to ask what kind of discipline it would be, or if it was criminal punishment, but the words wouldn’t come out.
“And there is something I really want to ask.”
As I hung my head and pouted, I looked up at the sound of Joo Min-hyeok’s voice. Looking down at me, Joo Min-hyeok’s face was very serious, devoid of any laughter. What is he trying to ask? He unclasped his hands, which had been resting on his knees, and began to slowly touch my cheek.
My cheek flushed wherever Joo Min-hyeok’s touch reached. We’ve done all sorts of erotic things for days, so I don’t know why my heart races just from him touching my cheek. Did we grow fond of each other because we shared our bodies…?
“By the way, how do you know Han Hee-sung?”
“…What?”
A soft voice, matching the warm touch, gently hit my ears. At that one affectionate phrase, my racing heart and burning red face stopped coldly. My heart sank with a thud. As I slowly met his eyes in panic, Joo Min-hyeok gave a bright smile.
“I asked how the Grand Imperial Concubine knows Han Hee-sung. I never introduced that crazy bastard to you.”
As if urging for an answer, the movement of the hand touching my cheek grew slightly stronger.