This was the deepest sleep I had gotten in years.

No headaches, only the scent of cold cedar lingering at the tip of my nose, wrapping around me protectively.

That was until a wet ticklish sensation on my neck woke me. I opened my eyes to find Lucian clinging to me like a giant accessory, arms and legs wrapped around me.

His leg was domineeringly pushed between my legs, his knee unconsciously pressing against my inner thigh.

His head was buried in the crook of my neck, warm lips and tongue trailing up along my collarbone before stopping at the most vulnerable soft flesh of my nape, grinding gently.

It did not hurt, but it was itchy. What was more maddening was that something hard and hot was pressing unabashedly against the small of my back.

As an adult woman, I obviously knew what that was.

"Lucian, stop messing around." I pushed at him stiffly.

He lifted his head, something dark and restrained flickering in his eyes. Quickly, he concealed the danger and replaced it with an innocent, confused expression. "Good morning, Master."

He obediently nuzzled against my palm, making a low rumbling sound. My heart softened.

Last night we had simply slept like this. Apart from the cuddling and his… physiological reaction, he had not done anything.

It seemed that this wolf worth $600 million, though fierce-looking, was still a gentleman wolf who deeply respected boundaries. However, I soon discovered this wolf seemed to have a ‘problem’.

From the time we got up to the time we ate breakfast, Lucian stuck to me constantly. Wherever I went, he went, and whenever I was not paying attention, he would lean over, persistently trying to bite the back of my neck.

That feeling was like...

Was he teething?

I remembered the puppy I used to have. During its teething phase, it would bite everything in sight too.

"Mark." I snapped my fingers at the butler. "Go buy the highest quality chew stick you can find. Make it M9 grade wagyu beef flavor."

Ten minutes later, Lucian looked at the custom chew stick I had shoved into his hands. His face instantly darkened.

"Vivian, what is this supposed to mean?"

"It’s for you to chew on, obviously." I patted his head matter-of-factly. "Be good. Chew this instead of constantly biting my neck. My flesh doesn't taste as good as this does."

Lucian stared at me with an indescribable expression, like he was looking at a heartless lover. However, in the end, he bore the humiliation and picked up the chew stick.

Crack! He bit it in half. Seeing his resigned appearance made me feel much better.

However, this still did not fully answer my question. While Lucian was changing clothes, I pulled out my phone and posted online.

[Help: Newly-bought wolf pet, very obedient and well-behaved, but always likes to bite the back of my neck. What's going on?]

Within a minute of posting, my phone started vibrating like crazy.

[OP, run! He's courting you!]

[Biting the nape is a precursor to the highest level of permanent werewolf marking! It means he's identified you as his sole mate and wants to bind himself to you for life.]

[Werewolf marking happens only once in a lifetime. It's equivalent to humans getting married and legally registered, but there's no divorce! If you don't accept, you must keep your distance!]

[He isn't a pet. He wants to be your husband!]

…

My hand shook, and I nearly dropped my phone on my face.

Courting? Marriage? No divorce?

Sure, he was incredibly handsome and had a perfect body, but we had only known each other for less than twenty-four hours!

No way! I needed to stay calm. I absolutely could not let him ‘mark’ me right now.

Decision made, I sent a message to Mark.

"For tonight's charity gala, I'm not bringing Lucian. Watch him, and don't let him leave."

I took refuge at the gala all day.

The smell of perfume, smoke, and alcohol from the high society present made my head ache. I could not help but miss the scent of cold cedar on Lucian.

"The dog at home smells better." I sighed, not realizing that I had picked up a mess of mixed scents on myself from staying here too long.

At midnight, I returned to the estate. The villa was completely dark.

"Lucian?" I called out tentatively.

No response.

I fumbled my way upstairs in the dark, only to discover in horror that the heavy, solid wood bedroom door lock had been completely warped, as if some beast had forcibly torn it open!

An overwhelmingly suffocating scent of cold cedar mixed with violent aggression poured out from inside.

My heart skipped a beat. Instinct told me to retreat.

"Where did you go?" A low, husky voice suddenly came from the darkness.

A tall figure emerged from the shadows. Several buttons on Lucian's shirt had popped open, and his chest was heaving violently.

I could see his flushed face in the moonlight.

"Lucian?" I jumped in alarm. The fear I should have felt in the face of danger was instantly replaced by worry.

I rushed over and raised my hand to touch his forehead.

"Oh my God, you're burning up! Do you have a fever? Did your wounds get infected?"

I panicked, completely unaware of what this kind of intense heat meant. I simply thought he was sick.

"Quick, I'll take you to the hospital!" I reached out to pull him, trying to lead him outside.

"I'm not going to the hospital." Lucian grabbed my wrist instead, his voice husky. "I'm not seeing a doctor."

"Stop being stubborn! This fever will fry your brain!" I was frantic, completely oblivious to how his gaze had changed when he looked at me. "Listen to me. You have to come with me!"

"You've got it wrong, Vivian." He suddenly chuckled and yanked hard.

Bang!

I was thrown against the door. Lucian closed in, his scorching body like a wall, completely caging me in his shadow.

"What I need isn't a doctor." He lowered his head, his nose roughly sniffing along the side of my neck.

However, all he smelled was the cologne of unfamiliar males. The last thread of rationality in his eyes snapped completely.

"Perfect..." He laughed lowly, his hands gripping my waist and pinning me firmly against his burning body.

"I endured the pain of my heat waiting for you to come home, and this is how you repay me? Coming back reeking of other men?"

Fear and some hidden excitement intertwined in my body. My legs went a little weak.

"H-heat? What's that? Isn't it a fever..."

"Even now you still think I'm sick?" Lucian's sharp canines pressed against the pulsing soft flesh at the back of my neck, his tone carrying a chilling madness.

"Since you like picking up other scents, I'll just have to cover them completely."