It had been a long time since they last met—Laura had countless things to share with Emma. The two of them talked endlessly in the hospital ward. By the time Emma finally stepped outside, the sky had already begun to fade into dusk. "Laura, I'll visit again soon to see you and the cubs. I'll bring something delicious for you all." "Okay." Laura gazed at Emma with reluctant affection. "You'd better visit me often, okay?" She wasn't allowed to leave the hospital for another month—it felt like absolute torture. Thankfully, Emma could still keep her company. "Don't worry," Emma said with a smile. "I'll come by whenever I can." Emma left the ward with Corvin and Marcus, heading out of the hospital. Once they stepped outside, Corvin finally asked, "Emma, are Ms. Jones' cubs cute? What tribe are they from?""Aetherwing," Emma replied, her expression softening. "They're tiny—like little balls of fluff. I touched one, and it was softer than cotton. They're so adorable." Corvin frowned in disapproval. "Aetherwing cubs are too small. You could accidentally sit on one without noticing. Our Ravaryn cubs are better—bigger, fluffier, and even softer." Marcus nodded immediately. "Yeah, way too small. They couldn't even fill the gap between your teeth. Frostveil Wolf Clan cubs are amazing—pure white, and their cries sound fierce as hell." Emma blinked at them. Seriously? Do they even hear themselves right now? "Enough. Those are Laura's cubs—show some respect." "Got it!" Corvin and Marcus both nodded quickly, lips zipped. Back at the estate, Corvin rushed to prepare dinner for Emma. Since Silas and the others still hadn't returned, Emma decided to check on Marcus first and offer him some mental comfort.Even though she had already been in his room once before, stepping inside again still made her a bit uneasy. Marcus, on the other hand, seemed completely relaxed. He walked over to the bed, pulled a thin silver chain from the bedside drawer, looped it around his neck, and clipped the other end to the headboard. Emma could only stare. This guy just keeps testing boundaries. Marcus' tail slipped out, curling gently around her waist. "Ms. Tibarn," he murmured, "can you kiss me again before the comfort session?" That last kiss had clearly stayed with him. Emma remembered it too, but she pushed the thought away. "After I'm done." If she kissed him now, she knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate on her mental comfort. She steadied her breathing, forcing every distracting thought from her mind. Then she pressed her fingertips to Marcus' cool forehead, letting her mental power flow into his consciousness. This time, the process was faster than before. She watched as more of those icy spikes dissolved and vanished into nothing. Satisfied, Emma withdrew her mental power—only for Marcus to suddenly sit up, the silver chain at his neck scraping softly against the headboard. His lips met hers in an unexpected, fleeting kiss—cool and crisp, like the touch of a snowflake melting on her mouth. He deepened it, drawing it out, not giving her any chance to resist. The faint metallic sound of the chain echoed in the still room, blending with the quiet rhythm of their breaths. When Marcus finally released her, his gaze lingered on her flushed lips. His cool fingertips traced them lightly, his voice low and calm. "Ms. Tibarn, you smell so sweet." Emma's face turned scarlet in an instant. How long is this heat period supposed to last?Every time it happened, she could barely hold herself together. "Didn't you lose your sense of smell?" she asked, glaring at him as she tried to stand—only for his tail to pull her back. Marcus met her eyes, his tone utterly serious. "It's not a scent. It's a feeling. Ms. Tibarn, you feel sweet to me." If anyone else had said that, it would've sounded greasy and cheap. But from Marcus, it didn't carry a trace of vulgarity. He leaned back against the pillows, his collar slightly undone, revealing the clean, defined lines of his chest. Strands of silver-white hair brushed lightly across his skin. Emma coughed and quickly looked away. She uncurled his tail from her waist, then opened the drawer again, pulling out two more silver chains. She fastened them around his wrists and clipped them to the headboard. "Stay here and enjoy the feeling," she said briskly. "I'm going to eat." Marcus was stunned. So Ms. Tibarn liked things... restrained?Emma left his room, her face still warm. Corvin was still cooking, so she splashed her face with cold water before heading downstairs. "Squeak-squeak!" Just as she stepped out, Cotton Candy—whom she hadn't seen all day—came bounding toward her. The little pink rabbit wore the princess dress Silas had bought, complete with a tiny crystal crown, and began dancing proudly in front of Emma. Emma couldn't help but laugh. The sight was so impossibly cute. "Cotton Candy, you learned to dance? Did Silas teach you?" She scooped the rabbit into her arms, delight flooding her expression. Silas really was a genius—he had actually taught a rabbit how to dance.