We’re in a Contract Marriage, But I’ve Imprinted - Chapter 222

No matter how often he saw her every day, he knew there were feelings he could never truly resolve. Resigned, he closed his eyes and let his body relax.

But just as the heat surged again, his body trembling with need and a scent unlike anything he had ever experienced reached his nose. It was unfamiliar, yet tears welled up and spilled down his face.

He opened his trembling eyes and turned toward the source of the scent.

Melissa, the woman he thought was a figment of his imagination, was still standing there.

“Ah…”

His words failed him. No phrase could capture what he felt.

It was the moment he had longed for, yet strangely, he felt sadness rather than joy. He didn’t even know where the sorrow came from, but it swelled so deeply that his whole body trembled.

Perhaps it was his rut overtaking his reason, but he showed his emotions without restraint. As he did, Melissa slowly approached him.

“…Ian.”

Melissa looked just as shocked as he was and couldn’t bring herself to speak as she looked at him. His broken sobs left her feeling despaired. From one perspective, it was a lewd sight. Yet his pheromones and his expression was nothing but desperate.

“Is it… is it truly you, Mel?”

“…It’s me.”

“Hu…”

Ian, overwhelmed by the searing heat in his body and the pent-up desire that had driven him mad, clung to the last thread of his self-control. He raised himself up while trembling

“…Don’t come closer.”

“…”

His rough voice sounded more like a wounded animal’s growl. He warned her, as if to ward her off.

“Do you realize where you are…. I’m still an Alpha who could devour you completely without your pheromones.”

“…”

“I am an Alpha who could lose control just having you in front of me!”

Ian shouted and threatened Melissa. Yet despite his outburst, Melissa only continued to move closer. Ian’s voice rose one more time.

“One more step, and…”

He continued to chew out the words.

“I won’t be able to hold back. Even without your scent, you drive me mad. Please, don’t let me hurt the one I love.”

But Melissa didn’t stop. She came right up to him, enduring the sharp, piercing pheromones pouring out of him like a wounded beast. Watching her, Ian felt a storm of conflicting emotions.

He was grateful she didn’t flinch or pull away in disgust. But the sight of her standing strong despite his overwhelming pheromones was unbearable. The scars on her body were undeniable proof of his sins, and the weight of his guilt was suffocating him.

He choked on his own breath, unable to inhale properly, when Melissa’s quiet voice asked him.

“If you can’t hold back… what will you do?”

“…Mel?”

“Is my question too hard for you?”

Still dazed by the heat of his rut, Ian barely managed a nod in response to her second question. She gave a small, soft laugh.

It was such a simple gesture, yet he couldn’t take his eyes off.

So this is what it means to be utterly captivated, he thought, as her small, delicate lips parted.

“Then, let me ask you differently.”

“…Go ahead.”

“If I give you permission, will you accept it?”

Her words were unbelievable. Ian’s eyes widened in shock. He heard them clearly and understood them with his mind, yet he couldn’t grasp the meaning behind them.

Melissa looked down at Ian, who was a complete mess from head to toe. She felt an unfamiliar sense of relief. It was so profound that it pushed away her worries about the imprint they shared.

That relief stemmed from a sense of kinship.

So, you’ve suffered silently, enduring it all, just like I have…

They had both struggled fiercely with every ounce of strength, for something they couldn’t fully have. With that thought, Melissa began to remove her clothes before him.

The soft rustling of fabric filled the quiet room, and each sound made Ian flinch as if he didn’t know what to do.

Though it wasn’t their first time together, his awkward hesitation amused Melissa. So she removed her underwear and opened her mouth to ask again. No, she was going to ask,

“If I give you permission…”

But before she could finish her sentence, Ian, who had been waiting silently, suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the bed.

He got up above her and caged her beneath him. At the same time, his expression was still full of confusion. Yet, how could he refuse her? Even if his mind couldn’t fully process it, his body was already responding.

Despite the heat still raging within him, he had the illusion that the mere touch of her skin seemed to bring a momentary sense of relief. No, it wasn’t a relief. It was a new surge of heat, climbing to heights he hadn’t thought possible.

What had been suppressed to a boiling point now exploded into its peak.

“Haa, Mel…”

He whispered her name and lowered his head toward her. But just as his lips hovered close to hers, he stopped, unable to go further.

At that moment, Melissa cupped his cheek and pressed her lips to his. It was just the brush of the skin, but Ian couldn’t hold back. He let out a choked groan as he climaxed.

As his hot se*en spilled onto her body, Ian’s eyes rolled back momentarily. From that point on, his thoughts blurred. He kissed her deeply, parting her lips to force his tongue inside. He probed between her teeth and invaded her mouth frantically.

After devouring her mouth for a while, he pulled away briefly, only to slip his fingers into her mouth. He grasped her small tongue, pulling it out slightly before sucking on it. Then, he pressed his tongue against hers, letting their surfaces meet and grind together, their shared saliva dripping down.

Ian moved as though he was a starving man who had been presented with a feast after years of deprivation. He began devouring her to satisfy his hunger and did not savor the taste.

But as if realizing he’d been too hurried, he slowed down to taste Melissa’s tongue, lips and flesh.