We're in a Contract Marriage, But I've Imprinted - Chapter 123
“Master!”
Ian felt annoyed by Henry’s urgent shaking, but quickly his thoughts turned to Melissa beside him.
He was certain a heat had hit. This meant they would likely be lying naked together.
Even though Henry was a trusted person, Ian could not allow him into the bedroom during such a time.
“What’s the matter?”
His voice was low and rough, still carrying the remnants of their heat. He fumbled to his side, worrying that Melissa might not be covered. If she was exposed, he wouldn’t let Henry off easily.
Fortunately, his hand found Melissa wrapped securely in the blanket, and she was very hot.
His eyes opened automatically and he sat up, unable to take his gaze off her as she lay peacefully beside him. Henry was trembling next to him as he spoke.
“I’m sorry for entering without permission, Master. But you hadn’t come out for over a week, I had no choice.”
“…A week?”
Normally, a heat lasted about three days. What had happened this time to extend it?
“….Master, we need to take care of Madam now.”
“Why would, Mel…”
At Henry’s words, Ian looked down at Melissa wrapped in the blanket. At a glance, it was hard to tell anything was wrong.
But unlike usual, her appearance was a mess. Pale marks covered her, and exposed skin appeared blue or yellow in places, as if afflicted by some skin disease.
His eyes fluttered nervously. Surely, this was his doing.
“Mel, Mel…”
As he hurriedly held her, he realized why Henry had awoken him despite being intrusive. This was not a normal human temperature. It felt like it was boiling. His heart sank.
“Henry, get the doctor! Bring the doctor here!”
Realizing the situation, Ian shouted, and Henry hurried out.
“Mel? Open your eyes.”
Despite raising his voice, Melissa’s cheek remained unresponsive as he tapped it gently and whispered. He felt a sense of deja vu. Even if he couldn’t remember all the details, he knew he had repeated these words several times throughout their heat.
‘Open your eyes, Mel.’
He might have continued to have s*x while Melissa was unconscious.
Ian felt a wave of nausea. Could this really be the action of a human? The idea that not even a beast would do such a behavior overwhelmed him, and he could no longer hold back.
He carefully placed her down on the bed and vomited on the floor beside it. Though he hadn’t eaten anything and only stomach acid came up, the shock was enough to make Ian acutely aware that something was terribly wrong.
“What happened?”
It was difficult to rationalize it as his omega and even a contractual wife. Even with his mind clouded, acknowledging that he had committed acts he deeply despised was hard to accept.
“…It’s dangerous.”
Ian finally realized that he had crossed a line. Despite his confidence in managing the alpha instincts and the imprinting, he hadn’t realized just how far into the realm of instinct he had ventured.
Or rather, he had chosen not to see it.
“I need to clear my head.”
He remembered something his father had said. To manage the family as the head of the household, he had to distance himself from his omega.
That’s why his father deeply regretted his decisions, yet his efforts had kept the family stable.
“They said it’s impossible not to love them…”
That was what the alphas before him had unanimously declared. Like a potent drug, the allure of an omega or their pheromones was incredibly hard to resist. Ian now fully understood why.
But at the moment, the most important thing was Melissa’s safety. He couldn’t just abandon the woman who had suffered so much. To regain his senses, Ian slapped his own cheek sharply.
He moved back to her side to cover her body before the doctor arrived. As he lifted her, Melissa’s arm limply fell to the side.
“…”
Seeing her powerless arm drop made his vision blur. Just then, Henry entered the room and saw his master staggering dangerously.
“Master!”
The doctor who followed immediately helped Henry in steadying Ian, who seemed on the verge of collapsing.
“Are you alri…?”
As the doctor talked to Ian, he was struck silent by the disaster before him.
Aside from the areas covered by a blanket, Ian’s omega’s skin was in terrible condition. The doctor quickly grab her wrist to check her pulse, and it was just as serious as she looked
“Please lay her down.”
Ian had no choice but to lay Melissa back on the bed. He staggered to the sofa and collapsed onto it.
“Ma, Master.”
Still unclothed, Ian seemed to have lost his senses. Despite the emergency, Henry prioritized attending to Ian and draped a robe over his shoulder and said,
“The doctor is here now, it will be alright. Please wear this in the meantime.”
Henry held Ian’s dazed arm, firmly helping him into the robe. Meanwhile, the doctor examined Melissa thoroughly.
Malnutrition and fever have struck her simultaneously, but her temperature is alarmingly high. The doctor stood up. They need to lower her fever first.
“Master, let’s fill the tub with lukewarm water and give her emergency treatment.”
“I’ll prepare the bath.”
At the doctor’s instruction, Henry hurried to the bathroom to fill the tub with lukewarm water, while Ian slowly lifted his head.
“….What’s the diagnosis?”
Avoiding Ian’s piercing golden eyes, the doctor bowed his head and replied,
“She’s suffering from malnutrition and severe fever. If this condition persists, there will definitely be lasting effects. It was fortunate that the butler noticed in time. A day longer could have been disastrous.”
“I see…”
“I will prepare and bring some fever-reducers. Please start by lowering her fever.”
“Understood.”
As the doctor left, Ian tried to get up, but his body that was overwhelmed by shock, refused to cooperate.