First Night (3) [R18]

Trigger warning: Sexual assault.

...

Mustering his courage, he tried to speak for his side. It was a struggle to talk through the pheromones, but he managed to say, "M, Marquess Wolfram, I suggest w, we focus on," he coughed, "finding m, my father."

The Marquess' nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. "Find your father?" he repeated, his voice laced with skepticism. "Is he not at his estate?"

Mikael shook his head to answer. "H, He ran off with your money–"

While he was speaking, the Marquess suddenly stormed towards the door. Mikael knew he had to act quickly to stop him from leaving before hearing what he had to say. He positioned himself in front, determined to block his exit.

"Step out of the door, Lord Mikael," Nicolaus demanded, his voice tight with controlled fury.

Mikael's resolve hardened. His voice was unwavering as he spoke. "No, not until you promise me that you won't do anything to my sister or try to track her down."

Nicolaus stared intensely at Mikael, squinting his eyes. And without warning, his hand shot out, gripping his neck.

Immediately, Mikael's breath caught in his throat as he struggled against the Marquess' grip. He had to go up on his toes, his body tense with the effort of trying to break free. He felt like a bird in a cage, unable to escape.

His heels lifted off the ground as he tried to even the height difference between them. His heart raced even faster as those alpha pheromones surrounded him completely. The scent was overpowering, making it difficult for Mikael to think clearly.

"Do you have any idea where she is?" Nicolaus growled. It wasn't a question; it was a demand.

"A, Ack." Mikael felt his chest get all tight as he tried to breathe. He stared back at the Marquess, trying to look strong even though his body was shaking. He invented, "S, She might have sailed overseas by now, out of the kingdom!"

Nicolaus' glare was unrelenting as he pushed Mikael aside, trying to force his way past him. "Get out of the way," he demanded, his tone commanding.

Yet, Mikael's resolve stood strong, and he swiftly rose to his feet. "No!" he blurted out, his arms wrapping tightly around the Marquess' neck, yanking him back a step.

Caught off balance, Nicolaus stumbled, his eyes widened by Mikael's unexpected resistance, and he ended up collapsing to the ground with a grunt.

As Nicolaus groaned on the floor, Mikael's resolve shifted to worry and concern. He darted over to assist the Marquess in getting back on his feet, his apologetic gaze locking onto the Marquess' slightly annoyed expression.

"M, My apologies, my lord," Mikael rushed to explain. "I, uh, d, didn't mean to. It was j, just a spur of the moment."

But, thanks to what he did, he could finally breathe normally now that the Marquess had ceased emitting his pheromones.

Nicolaus' expression remained serious. "I spent a fortune for this wedding," he finally said once he was back on his feet. "And your family went ahead and broke our deal like nothing."

His silence hung in the air, a tense quietness broken only by his tightly clenched jaw. Anger smoldered beneath the surface, ready to flare up.

Mikael could see the rage in his eyes, a brewing storm that could endanger him.

"I'm ready to do whatever it takes to make things right, Marquess. Just please, don't go searching for my sister," Mikael pleaded, his desperation bare.

But Nicolaus' tone was unyielding. "You can't make up for everything," he retorted, his voice grumbling.

The damage had been done. As the engagement had been publicly announced, too many people were invested in their marriage.

"I need this marriage to produce an heir. It's the arrangement your father and I came to in exchange for the dowry he asked for," Nicolaus explained, looking away from the door and facing Mikael.

He took steps forward, which prompted Mikael to instinctively retreat until he sensed a gentle push against his back. Now, he had reached the edge of the bed, leaving him with no further space to withdraw.

His heart pounded in his chest, his breaths growing shallow. Nicolaus' presence was overpowering, and Mikael felt like a rabbit cornered by a wolf.

"You," Nicolaus began, his voice in a hushed tone. "I can't believe you managed to fool me for this long. And I would not have noticed it until–"

He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze fixed on Mikael like he had a eureka moment.

The Marquess unleashed a stronger wave of pheromones, catching Mikael off guard. The scent enveloped him, and Mikael choked on the air, struggling to breathe as the pheromones clouded his senses.

"Hold on," Nicolaus said abruptly, his voice regaining control, as he gave Mikael a slight shove.

And perhaps, since Mikael was drunk on Nicolaus' pheromones, his knees gave out, causing him to tumble onto the bed quickly.

Nicolaus climbed onto the bed, a curious intensity in his eyes, effectively cornering Mikael against the mattress. He leaned in close, his uncertainty apparent as he studied Mikael closely. "Why are you acting like this?" he finally inquired.

'A, Acting like what?' Mikael placed a hand on his nose to shield himself from the pheromones, shivering.

"You're an alpha, aren't you, my lord?" Nicolaus asked.

"I, uh, yes–eek!" He got puzzled by his question that he paid less attention when the Marquess was leaning closer.

A hand on Mikael's waist sent a tingling sensation dancing across his skin, making him jump slightly. But it wasn't just a tickle; it was like a bolt of lightning that surged through the fabric of his nightgown, sending electric waves rippling through his body.

Mikael's grip on his nose slipped, and he looked baffled as he tried to figure out the strange sensations sweeping over him.

"Why is your body reacting like this to my pheromones?" Nicolaus freed another surge of pheromones, much stronger than the past ones.

Mikael huffed them in, his body curling and twitching weirdly. He found himself leaning to one side, clutching the mattress tightly, trying to process what was happening.

'W, Wh, What's going on with me?'

Nicolaus' fingers skimmed against Mikael's nightgown, tracing its hem. His fingers did not take long to graze his thigh. "Could you be the submissive type?" he inquired.

The pheromones swirled through the air, like a seductive dance that took every nook and cranny of the room.

Mikael's chest tightened, and his cheeks flushed. He struggled to respond, his voice catching in his throat. "I, I don't u, understand."

Nicolaus' gaze bore into him, something darker dancing in his eyes. "Your reactions don't lie, Mikael," he purred, his fingers inching higher along Mikael's thigh.

Mikael felt all mixed up, like confusion battling with this weird warmth gathering low in his belly. His thoughts felt fuzzy, and he couldn't deny how being close to Nicolaus made this tingling feeling spread through him.

As the pheromones continued to fill the room, Mikael's resistance wavered, and a part of him began to wonder if there was a truth to Nicolaus' words.

"M, Me? A sub, submissive?" he muttered, his voice faltering on each syllable.

Nicolaus observed Mikael intently, his expression turning somber as he witnessed the young man's evident disappointment. Tears gathered at the corners of Mikael's eyes, like fragile dewdrops forming on petals.

"Do you want to make a deal, my lord?" Nicolaus began. With tenderness, Nicolaus reached out with a hand and swept away a tear before it cascaded to Mikael's cheek.

Looking at the shaking bunny before him, his eyes traced his plump lips. An unexpected desire ignited within him, but he suppressed it for the moment.

Nicolaus' hand lingered on his cheek, his thumb wiping away another tear. "I promise not to search for your sister. In return, you will take her place."

"I, I can't–" Mikael was cut off.

Before he could finish, Nicolaus leaned in, capturing Mikael's words with a passionate kiss that silenced his protest.

The touch of their lips sent an electric jolt through Mikael's veins. Nicolaus moved against his lips, which caused Mikael to swallow his words and melt out his thoughts in the heat of their kiss.

Mikael nudged him to break free, but he could not pull away. Nicolaus pressed his cheeks between his hand, coaxing Mikael's lips to pop open.

Nicolaus pushed in like an unwelcome guest, slipping his tongue. He explored the cavern of Mikael's mouth with hunger.

A shiver cascaded down Mikael's spine. A soft, involuntary moan escaped him, melting into the passionate exchange as his fingers instinctively clutched the fabric of Nicolaus' shirt.

Their bodies pressed together, and the room's walls around them seemed to blur in Mikael's senses. His thoughts swirled in a haze, and the touch of Nicolaus was taking over his senses.

When their lips finally separated, a thin thread of saliva connected them. Mikael's chest heaved, and his gaze locked onto Nicolaus'. He saw a fierce fire deep within his golden eyes.

"W, Wa, Wait," Mikael begged when the Marquess slipped a hand and put his inner thigh over his shoulder. As their skin was against each other, the endless electrifying tingle kept buzzing through Mikael.

"I, I can't give you an heir!" Mikael tried to reason out, his hand on Nicolaus' chest, pushing him away.

"Who told you that? Alphas can get pregnant, too," Nicolaus said, lifting Mikael's thigh and licking his skin.