Despite the cold, Remy felt warm, nestled in his dad's hair. "We're going to Emma's place to play the pity card. Are you cold?" Drake asked, noticing Remy's movements. He pulled a golden scale from his storage band and draped it over him. Playing the pity card? Remy understood what that meant. He jumped up curiously, his dark blue fruit-like body bumping against the golden scale. "Daddy, what kind of scale is this?" The moment it covered him, the chill vanished completely. Drake shook his head. "I don't know. I just know it'll keep you warm. If you like it, it's yours." It was something he'd stored in his storage band long ago, though he couldn't remember where it came from. "Thank you, Daddy! I love this golden scale." Before long, they arrived at Emma's resting palace.Drake stopped at the doorway. Instead of going in, he found a spot on the ground outside and sat down. Remy tilted his head, puzzled. "Daddy, aren't we supposed to go play the pity card for Mommy?" "We are playing it," Drake whispered. "Emma's resting now, and we can't disturb her. When she wakes up tomorrow and sees us waiting here quietly, she'll definitely feel sorry for us." That was what "Embrace of the Moon" meant by playing the victim smartly. "Oh!" Remy nodded, settling back into Drake's hair with a satisfied yawn. "Daddy, I'm sleepy. I'm going to sleep first." He was still just a little fruit who hadn't yet learned the art of playing the victim. Drake listened to his babyish voice and gently touched him. "Sleep well." … The night slipped away in no time. The next morning, Emma woke up nestled comfortably in Lucien's arms. The moment she stirred, the man beside her snapped his eyes open. "Emma, you're awake?" Lucien's voice was low, thick with the early-morning roughness. She lifted her head to meet his gaze, but before she could say a word, his warm lips found hers with unerring precision. It started as a soft, fleeting brush, then quickly deepened into a long, lingering kiss. His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer, while his other hand slid into her hair, cradling the back of her neck as the kiss grew more consuming. "Mmm…" Emma's faint protest was swallowed whole, her drowsiness completely chased away by the sudden rush of intimacy. It was a long moment before Lucien finally released her. Emma's eyes glistened, her breaths coming in shallow puffs. She shot him a glare that was more pout than threat. "Teasing me first thing in the morning," she scolded under her breath.She couldn't handle this much temptation, not when they still couldn't bond. Emma tried to wriggle free, but his arms only tightened. Lucien's fingers traced lazy circles along her back beneath the thin fabric of her nightgown. Wherever his calloused fingertips grazed, tiny shivers followed. "That tickles…" She squirmed, her voice coming out soft and kittenish. Lucien's voice dropped even lower, his warm breath brushing her earlobe as his hand drifted slowly down her spine. "Emma, where—Mmph!" He was cut off mid-sentence as Emma clapped a hand over his mouth. "Shut up. Don't say another word." She glared fiercely at the man beside her, who was doing a masterful job of feigning innocence. If he kept that up, she was dangerously close to losing control. To Lucien, her glare wasn't intimidating at all—it only made her look even more endearing. With her palm still over his lips, he blinked at her. His smile deepened, creasing the corners of his eyes and washing over her with a tenderness that almost drowned her. His long eyelashes fluttered as he stayed obediently silent, but his eyes never left hers—intense and heavy with unspoken heat. Then, Emma felt a warm, moist touch against the palm pressed over his lips. Lucien was kissing it! When had he gotten so bold? Emma quickly withdrew her hand. Wait—no. Lucien had always been bold. Silas was openly so, but Lucien's boldness was hidden and far more dangerous. She shot him a glare. He knew perfectly well they couldn't bond yet, and here he was, teasing her first thing in the morning. Did she look like some saint who could stay calm and collected through that? Obviously not! "I'm getting up. You should too," Emma said, quickly getting out of bed and reaching for her clothes.Lucien knew better than to push further, or his little huntress would lose it from embarrassment. He couldn't wait to get home. All of Emma's other mates had already bonded. He was the last one holding out, and the wait was killing him. Emma quickly dressed and washed up, emerging to find that Lucien was already dressed. With his clothes on, he instantly reverted to his formal, serious demeanor. "Emma, Silas and the others will be here any minute," he said. "Give me a second. We'll head out together."