Bound by the Mark of Lies (BL)
Chapter 126 - 121: Pheromones (1)

Chapter 126: Chapter 121: Pheromones (1)

Edward stood just outside the Emperor’s chambers, flipping through his planner in the quiet hallway. The heavy doors behind him were sealed for now, and pheromones no longer rolled under them, but the scent still lingered faintly in the air. He had cracked the windows earlier, when the air in the room had been nearly too thick to breathe.

He wasn’t one for dramatics, but even he had his limits. Even if his words came across as a joke and Damian responded appropriately, he knew his master was aware of the gravity of the situation. Damian rarely released pheromones and followed the same protocol for all government members due to the risks that betas face.

He sighed and allowed himself to relax; the impossible had happened. Damian found a new mate; he could start to forget the betrayal of his first wife. He was relieved that the new mate was Gabriel; he could stand his ground in front of Damian, and God knows the Emperor needed more people to keep him from killing himself from overwork.

The soft sound of footsteps caught his ear, and he looked up to see Astana approaching, clipboard in hand, a slight crease between his brows. He was wearing the royal uniform, which included a black suit with red accents and the golden wolf’s head pinned to his chest as his autorithy brooch.

"Edward," he said with a slight nod, his usual gold-framed glasses gleaming in the morning light and his blonde hair neatly combed. "Are they awake?"

"Awake, yes. Presentable, not quite," Edward replied dryly. "You’re safe for now."

Astana gave a tired half-smile. "I came to check on the schedule. Should I go ahead and reschedule the Emperor’s meetings? He’s cleared for both parties tomorrow."

Edward closed his planner. "Reschedule them. He’s calm now, but you know how quickly that can change."

Astana nodded, jotting it down. "Understood. I’ll inform the aides."

He turned to leave, but Edward spoke again, tone even. "You haven’t seen the younger prince this morning?"

Astana stopped. "Christian? No. Just at the ball. Why?" His face was puzzled as he turned back to Edward.

Edward regarded him for a long second. "You were seated near him at the ball, didn’t you?"

The butler hardly ever asked questions like this, so Astana was even more perplexed when he said, "Only because the steward assigned our seats. We barely spoke. Just the usual small talk and a brief meeting with the Paisian Convoy."

Edward hummed quietly as he considered whether or not to tell him. "Still. You’re carrying his scent."

Astana blinked. "I—what?" A strange feeling curled in his chest; such a thing could not possibly happen. Christian, like Damian, had excellent control over his pheromones; even during a crisis, he was able to keep them under control.

"It’s faint," Edward said, voice still level. "But noticeable. Around your collar, mostly."

Astana looked down at himself instinctively, clearly unsettled. "I didn’t notice anything. How could that even happen? I’m a beta. I’ve worked around the Emperor for years. He’s never once let his pheromones bleed into a room."

"And neither does Christian—usually," Edward agreed. "But some alphas don’t need to try. Their presence is enough. If you sit near them long enough, especially for several nights in a row, it can leave a mark. You wouldn’t have felt it happening. That’s the danger."

Astana’s confusion deepened. "But I’m not supposed to react like that. I’ve been around powerful alphas before, ones far less controlled than Prince Christian."

"That should give you something new to think about," Edward said softly. "I can see why you’re surprised. But some of their strength doesn’t come from what they show. It comes from what they don’t. I don’t think this is a mistake."

Astana exhaled, shoulders stiff. "Is it... dangerous?"

"Not immediately," Edward said. "But if you spend more time with Christian, particularly if you are unaware of what is going on, you may begin to feel it. He, like the Emperor, is a dominant alpha, and his pheromones can cause changes in your body so that you can bear his heirs. Why do you think pheromone control regulations are so stringent?

Astana shook his head, frustrated. "That’s the last thing I need right now."

Edward tilted his head, thinking. "Weren’t you going to check on the omega who overloaded the other night?"

Astana nodded wearily. "Yes. The healers asked me to oversee the situation. It is another problem to solve; I will have the report ready by the evening for the Emperor."

Edward clicked his tongue. "Then ask them for something while you’re there. For the aftereffects of a pheromone mark."

Astana stared. "You think I need that?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "I think it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared. You might not be reacting now, but the body keeps score. And I’d rather you not learn the hard way."

"Alright," he said finally, quieter. "I’ll speak to them." His fingers tightened on the clipboard; if he had not been wearing gloves, Edward could see his knuckles whitening from the force. He was enraged that his secondary gender could change without his knowledge, and that the person forcing the change was a Prince, a worthy opponent.

"Good," Edward said simply. "You’ve got too much sense to ignore this. Just be mindful."

Astana gave a tight nod, then turned to leave. His steps were steady but slower, as if part of him was still trying to sort through what this meant and why something that felt so harmless at the time suddenly wasn’t.

Edward remained behind, glancing once more at the window; he had the impression that Christian had already set his sights on the secretary. Astana might be able to escape Lyon’s youngest son’s clutches if Princess Anya got her act together and behaved like a princess, but something told Edward that he should start planning for two imperial weddings and a new secretary interview.

Sometimes, it wasn’t the obvious threats that caused trouble.

Sometimes, it was the ones that didn’t even realize they were dangerous.

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!