"Cool?" Huh… isn't she supposed to be afraid of me? Emma stepped back from him and nodded earnestly. "Yeah. You were really cool just now. And honestly? Pretty damn badass." What a badass… He's seriously impressive. I wish I could stand like him someday, carrying myself with that same effortless power. Just the thought of it electrified him. Ms. Tibarn thinks I'm cool? She actually thinks I'm a badass? She wasn't scared at all—and she's complimenting me? Heat shot through Calum's chest and climbed straight to his cheeks. His face reddened in seconds. "I…" His lips parted, but nothing came out. For some reason, his mind felt like someone had hit the pause button with an ability.Not a single word surfaced. It took several long seconds before he finally forced out a sentence, stammering through it. "I-I'm just glad… I didn't scare you." Emma couldn't help laughing softly at how flustered he looked. "You really think I'm that timid? You think that little scene would scare me?" She had killed people before. This was nothing. Calum had calmed down by now. He looked at her and spoke quietly, "When I first met you, you were afraid of me." Back then, she hadn't even dared look at him—her gaze had kept darting away every time he got close. At the reminder, Emma's cheeks warmed. "I… I didn't know you back then. It's kind of your fault too. You looked so fierce." "Did I?" Calum touched his face, confused. He was a Rank 12 warrior. His looks were considered top-tier. He had always been told he was good-looking. Fierce…? Is that really how she sees me? "Emma… do you still think I look fierce now?" His eyes were tight with nerves. If she finds me frightening… does that mean she'd never feel anything for me? Then, how are we supposed to become mates someday? The thought alone made his heart climb right up his throat. Edric quietly slipped into the kitchen, leaving the living room completely to them. Emma watched Calum's tense, cautious expression, and she couldn't help finding it adorable. She let out a light, clear laugh that echoed through the quiet living room. Stepping closer, she rose onto her tiptoes and reached up with both hands. The moment she lifted her hands, Calum instantly understood what she intended. Without a hint of hesitation, he bent down slightly, letting her cradle his face in her hands.Emma's warm palms cupped his cheeks. The softness of her touch made a shiver run down his entire body. She looked up at him, leaned in, and pressed her soft lips gently against his cool, tightly drawn mouth. It was a quick, fleeting kiss. Boom! In an instant, it was as if a supernova had detonated in Calum's mind, leaving a dazzling, chaotic blank. She kissed me. Not my cheek this time… my lips. That softness carried the kind of pull that could bring a man to his knees. Emma drew back just as lightly as she'd kissed him. Seeing him frozen in place, she opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but a strong arm shot out, swift as lightning, locking around her waist with unshakable strength. She stumbled straight into his chest, caught in his solid embrace. His clean, cool scent wrapped around her instantly. Reflexively, she lifted her head and met the dark whirlpool of his eyes. Heat swirled violently inside them. Looking at her, Calum lowered his head. He didn't give her even a second to react. He claimed her mouth in a deep, firm kiss—one that flipped the moment on its head entirely. His lips were warm; his movements deliberate, restrained, achingly gentle. It felt like being claimed with infinite patience—an invasion so soft it made her tremble. His heat pressed around her, every breath brushing her skin, making her feel like she had been caught in an invisible net with no way out. The room stayed silent except for the gradually quickening sound of their breathing. His arm around her waist tightened just a little more. The warmth of his palm burned through the thin fabric of her shirt. His other hand rose slowly, fingers trembling just a bit as they slid through her soft hair and settled at the back of her head. The touch spoke of dominance—yet the tenderness in it left her with no resistance at all, her head tilting up helplessly.Minutes slipped by. Just when Emma felt like she was melting into the heat of him, Calum suddenly slowed and stopped. He didn't pull away completely. He rested his forehead against hers, their breaths still catching and mingling in the space between them. He kept his eyes shut, like he was trying to steady something inside himself. His chest rose and fell hard, and the arm wrapped around her waist was still holding her with a fierce, almost desperate tightness. It took a long moment before Calum finally opened his eyes. He looked at Emma with raw, unfiltered possessiveness—but beneath that intensity was something deeper, gentler. A fierce restraint shaped entirely by concern. Emma was carrying a cub. He knew she needed to be safe. He wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't cross that boundary.