Wife, Please Don’t Go!

If Edmund wanted her to be nothing more than a baby factory, he should have been breeding her every night and day, making sure she carried his children as many as he could give her.

But he hadn't touched her.

He had marked her after a full year of marriage, yet he still refused to touch her. They hadn't even consummated their marriage.

Primrose wasn't even sure if a lycan could resist their mate like this.

Wasn't it common knowledge that once a lycan marked their mate, they would spend nights and days lost in a frenzy of desire?

She had even studied everything, every little trick to satisfy her husband in bed. She had spent hours poring over erotic books, absorbing all the sinful knowledge her lady-in-waiting had secretly handed her.

And yet, she never even got the chance to sleep in the same bed as him.

She thought it was because he found her disgusting. Because she was weak. Because she was human.

But then, why were his thoughts so completely different from what she had imagined?

[My wife wants to leave me?!]

[My pretty wife doesn't like living with me? Sure … of course, a beautiful woman like her wouldn't be happy being married to a monster like me.]

Primrose's breath hitched.

What?

What the hell was he thinking?

"I reject your offer!" Edmund suddenly shouted, his voice shaking the walls. "Don't you dare think of leaving this place!"

If she couldn't hear his thoughts, she would have assumed it was because he didn't want to lose his political peace treaty.

Or maybe, because he refused to let go of his possession.

But now—

[Wife, I didn't mean to yell at you!]

[Wife, please forgive me. But you can't leave this palace yet. If you do, the Human Empire's Emperor will see it as an act of treason.]

[Wife, I don't want you to be executed.]

What?

WHAT?!

So, even after sending her off to the Beast Kingdom, the Emperor of Vellmoria still had control over her life?

Based on Edmund's thoughts, didn't that mean the Emperor had planted spies in Noctvaris to make sure she never escaped?

Oh, fuck all of them.

She couldn't even fake her death because there were too many damn eyes on her!

"Why not? Are you scared people will talk bad about you?" Primrose let out a harsh sigh, crossing her arms. "If that the case, I can ruin my face so no one recognizes me."

Yeah. Maybe that would work.

She loved her pretty face, but what was the point of being beautiful if she had to live in hell?

[NO, WIFE!!]

[Please, don't hurt yourself! I have to tell her something!]

Edmund's expression darkened, his icy blue eyes pinning her in place like a predator locking onto its prey. His brows knitted together, his jaw clenched so tightly she swore she heard his teeth grind.

"If you try to leave this palace," he said slowly, voice as sharp as a blade, "I will break your legs myself."

Primrose froze.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Break her legs? Did he really mean it?

[FUCK. NO. WHY DID I SAY THAT?!]

Oh. Never mind.

That explained everything.

Primrose sighed inwardly.

[I WOULD NEVER HURT HER. NEVER. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!]

[Shit, she looks scared. FIX THIS. FIX THIS.]

Edmund stepped forward, lowering his voice, but the weight of his words still pressed heavily on her chest. "Don't test me. You won't like the consequences."

What the actual fuck is wrong with this man?!

His words were cold, threatening, terrifying.

But his thoughts?

An anxious, panicking mess.

No wonder they had a disastrous marriage in her past life. It turned out this man had the emotional intelligence of a brick wall.

Did he even know how to communicate like a normal person?

[Okay. Good. She looks mad now, not scared. That's better. I can handle mad.]

[Wait—NO. NOT GOOD. SHE'S GOING TO TRY TO ESCAPE OUT OF SPITE, ISN'T SHE?!]

Primrose huffed, shifting her weight to one leg, arms still crossed. "Oh? And how exactly do you plan to keep me here, Your Majesty? Lock me in a tower?"

Edmund's jaw tightened. "If I have to."

[Absolutely not. I'd never lock her up.]

[The tower is dark and scary. My wife will be uncomfortable there.]

[But if I say that, she'll run the moment I turn my back.]

[I don't know how to keep you safe if you're not here.]

Safe?

He couldn't even protect her from his own people.

This man.

He was such a big, emotionally constipated, dumbass wolf.

"Forget it." Primrose turned away, giving Edmund her back. "Maybe I just need to accept my fate, being your slave. I don't care anymore."

Goodbye, dream of becoming a rich bartender who gossiped all day…

Looked like she had no choice but to stay in Noctvaris. At least until she was sure the Emperor had forgotten about her.

But how long would that take?

She was nothing more than a political pawn. She should have known the Emperor would never let her escape so easily and risk jeopardizing his alliance with the Beast Kingdom.

So that was it, wasn't it? She wasn't just a forgotten bride, tossed aside after serving her purpose. 

No, the Emperor still had his claws in her, even from across the border.

How much control did he still have over her life? 

How many spies had he planted in Noctvaris to ensure she never strayed from his carefully laid-out plans?

A bitter laugh bubbled in her throat. She had spent an entire past life thinking she was insignificant, an unwanted wife left to rot in the Beast Kingdom. 

But in truth? She was still a valuable piece on the Emperor's chessboard.

And a pawn on his chessboard had no right to move unless he allowed it.

'Now, let's see what I can do to get a bit of comfort in this damn kingdom.'

"You don't want to touch a disgusting human like me, do you?" Primrose asked, her voice teasing as she let one strap of her nightgown slip off her shoulder.

Just a little test.

She wanted to know, did he really feel nothing for her? Not even the slightest bit of desire?

[Shit. Shit. SHIT.]

[PUT IT BACK ON! PUT IT BACK ON!]

[Don't look! Don't lo—Shit! My wife is so beautiful and hot!]

His jaw clenched so tightly it ached.

His eyes—traitorous, bastard eyes—snapped to the exposed skin of her shoulder that looked Smooth, delicate, practically begging to be bitten—

[BONER, STAY THE FUCK DOWN!]

[If I touch her once, I won't be able to stop! She'll think I'm just a beast who can't control myself!]

Primrose slapped a hand over her mouth, barely containing her laughter.

So, he did find her body hot and beautiful.

He just refused to touch her because he thought he'd scare her? Hurt her?

How ridiculous.

All this time, she thought maybe she just wasn't attractive enough.

It turned out, her husband was just a pathetic loser who couldn't function properly around her.

[Oh no … Is she crying?]

[Is she afraid I'll force myself on her tonight?]

… Cry?

When?

Ah.

Her shoulders must have been shaking too hard from holding back laughter.

And because Edmund couldn't see her face, the idiot must have thought she was trembling in fear.

"I won't touch you tonight," Edmund said in a cold, indifferent tone. "Put your clothes back on."