We’re in a Contract Marriage, But I’ve Imprinted - Chapter 105

My inner thoughts flooded like a deluge, but they could never escape my lips.

“Still, being cautious can’t hurt.”

He simply dismissed my opinion, citing my safety as the reason, which left me no choice but to comply.

Fidgeting under the covers, I hesitantly spoke up. I mentioned something I had dreaded to say ever since the shackle was put on.

“I need to go to the bathroom…”

This was the reason I timidly insisted on having the shackle removed, despite knowing my alpha might dislike it. The feeling of even my physiological needs being controlled by him was disconcerting.

“Just a moment.”

After detaching the chain linked to the shackle, he effortlessly lifted me up. His strength, easily lifting a nearly full-term pregnant woman, amazed me every time.

He set me down in front of the bathroom. It was one of the rare moments when my feet directly touched the ground.

“…Could you wait over there for a bit?”

“Is there really a need for formalities now?”

He teased, lifting one corner of his mouth in a playful smile. Even during morning sickness, he’d wait in the small corridor connecting the bathroom and the toilet. He never came inside and maintained distance from me.

I was embarrassed but he was so stubborn so I couldn’t push him away anymore. From then on, he began to directly involve himself in everything about me. He even insisted on bathing me personally instead of leaving to the maids.

“…Are we going in together again today?”

“Do you not like it?”

The bathroom is filled with my alpha’s pheromones. How could I possibly not like it? But apart from the joy, the embarrassment was inescapable.

I shivered under his hands as he undressed me, his actions were straightforward, making me feel embarrassed for having such lewd thoughts on my own. I couldn’t take my eyes off his long fingers as he added dried rose petals and salts to the water.

“The temperature is just right.”

Without undressing himself, he placed me into the bathtub. The water in the tub sloshed around, threatening to overflow. His large hands gently poured warm water up to my shoulders and massaged me softly.

“Is there anywhere uncomfortable?”

“No…”

“Your waist really tends to tense up.”

“…Even though I haven’t been moving much?”

“Your body is too slender to support this large belly.”

Every time he said something like that, my heart fluttered. After that day, his presence felt as cold as the winter wind so it filled me with nothing but worries. But lately, he’s been making jokes that eased my mind.

I was comfortably lying in the warm water, enjoying the touch of my alpha. When I inadvertently noticed his arm as he rolled up his sleeve. The sight of his firm muscles and the veins standing out seemed strangely attractive.

Without thinking, my hand reached out and pressed down on a protruding vein, only to retract in surprise at my own boldness.

“Ha.”

A sigh fell from above. Slowly raising my gaze, I saw Ian with a wry smile as he tensely said.

“What do you think happens when you provoke the other person like that, not considering their patience?”

It had been quite some time since we’d had a relationship because we’ve been prioritizing my health above all. Thinking back to how frequently we’d done it during the stable periods before, it was clear how dedicated he had been to the detoxification process.

I too felt guilty for not being able to express my desires.

“Do you know?”

“What?”

He continued while gently stroking my round belly,

“Strangely enough, I haven’t gone into heat since you got pregnant.”

Heat cycles were supposed to be periodic. We used medication to induce heat cycles monthly.

I was extremely recessive, so I never properly experienced a heat cycle, but as an extremely dominant alpha, he would have experienced it more frequently than average alphas.

“Normally, it would occur every 2 to 3 months, but now it has completely stopped.”

“…That’s really strange.”

“Yes, the influence of pheromones is truly terrifying.”

His low-toned remark could have been trivial, yet it oddly stuck in my mind. It sounded as if he didn’t like being influenced by my pheromones.

Even such an insignificant comment felt negative and made me sick. My face must have turned pale because he poured more warm water on me and asked.

“Why do you suddenly look like that?”

The concern in his voice calmed my churning insides. Being so easily swayed by his words, both emotionally and physically, was something I couldn’t get used to. Yet, I couldn’t express this to him, so I replied nonchalantly.

“Just had a moment of discomfort, but I’m fine now. Don’t worry about it.”

“Even during the stable period?”

“Just a minor stomachache.”

Despite my excuses, he kept his gaze fixed on me, as if trying to read my thoughts through my eyes, before finally moving away.

He positioned himself behind my head and began to wash my hair with ease. The tingling sensation as his long fingers brushed my scalp seemed to travel all the way down to my toes, involuntarily curling them. It was hard to keep my fingers still.

It seemed like the baby felt the mother’s joy too, as the once calm baby began to kick vigorously, my moving belly was even visible to the naked eye.

“Haha, it’s Mom that is having her hair washed, but someone can’t stay still.”

He laughed warmly when he saw it. I responded by tapping my belly. His pleasant pheromones wafted around, and under my palm, I felt the baby squirm and I closed my eyes.

I felt so full that I almost felt like I had everything in the world.

“Hoo, maybe I should join in.”

After washing my hair, Ian stood up, stretching his legs and began to undress. The sound of fabric sliding off made me open my eyes, only to lock gaze with his intense golden eyes directly.

He took off his pants while unabashedly smiling naughtily.

“….”

Caught off guard by the direct view of his towering arousal, I turned my head away with a shocked face. I only fidgeted with my fingers as I heard him approach.