"Okay."
Ashley coldly pointed out as she looked at her son.
"I've told you thousands of tis that you have naturally high pheromone levels, so you need to be especially careful. You should rember it by now. Don’t be careless. Check your pheromone levels tomorrow, and if it's urgent, tell the steward to extract it with an injection."
"Yes, I understand."
As always, Grayson answered imdiately, with his usual smiling face.
Norman Stewart is the head of a dical center that specializes in studying the pheromones of extre alphas. The center was founded by his parents, and after they died in an accident, Stewart took over as the head.
He is probably the most knowledgeable person about pheromones in the world. When extre alphas face problems related to pheromones, they always visit this research center, and because of that, the center is constantly overflowing with donations. What the center lacks is not money but test subjects. Few are willing to offer their bodies to help research extre alpha pheromones.
Unless they're incredibly desperate.
And the extre alpha who most frequently visits Stewart’s office is probably Grayson. Unlike his younger brother Chase, Grayson wasn't trapped in self-loathing. He had a genuine interest in pheromone research and had even volunteered to be a test subject. Ashley knew this fact as well. She knew Grayson would never neglect the process of pheromone extraction under Stewart’s guidance.
Even so, the fact that Ashley kept reminding him about it shows just how sensitive she was to Grayson’s pheromone levels building up. It was well known within the family that Ashley was unusually obsessive with Grayson compared to the other siblings. And there was a reason for that.
Co to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been there...
Grayson suddenly thought. It was the first ti he had forgotten to visit Stewart’s lab. The reason, of course, was simple. His life had been more enjoyable than ever recently.
But still, Ashley was right about needing to extract the pheromones. Grayson definitely didn’t want to go crazy or damage his brain. The only option left was to solve it with an injection.
But anyway, I have to go to the party...
Getting an injection was more convenient at the party than at the lab. He had mocked his younger brother Chase when he had to get the injection, but now, thinking back, he was thankful. Thanks to Chase, he could receive verified dication.
Of course, that pheromone party drug was also developed by Stewart. If Stewart knew about Grayson’s condition these days, how would he react?
He’d probably be fascinated. If I told him I’d learned what fear feels like.
And love too.
Ah, Grayson blinked. Co to think of it, I didn’t ntion this.
"Daddy, I..."
"No."
Before he could even finish, Ashley coldly interrupted him.
"I’ve told you, right? You have to finish the year. Didn’t I say you’re never allowed to quit on your own?"
Ashley scolded her son sternly. It was sothing she had expected. Normally, by this point, Grayson would have been discouraged, thinking he was wrong, preparing to run away or perhaps already gone, just like he always did.
She had been slightly surprised to hear he was living with a lover, but it wasn’t the first ti this ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) had happened. He had often left with his partner, declaring they’d quit their jobs to have fun, and then, when he realized it was a mistake, he would change his mind and abandon them, disappearing alone. The reason Ashley had co here under the pretext of donating to the fire departnt was to check on Grayson’s situation. She was warning him in advance to make sure his bad habit of abandoning things when his interest waned wouldn’t appear again.
Grayson suddenly burst into laughter, which was an inappropriate reaction to his situation. Ashley wasn’t particularly offended by this because it was just his natural temperant. However, she needed to remind him that he was wrong. He shouldn’t be laughing in this situation, or soone might discover his fatal flaw, which would beco his weakness.
"You’re wrong, Grayson. You shouldn’t laugh in this situation."
"Yes."
Grayson imdiately responded again to Ashley’s rebuke. But Ashley’s brow furrowed even deeper.
"Why are you still smiling?"
This ti, Grayson didn’t answer right away. He blinked.
"?"
He was still smiling, but it seed like he hadn’t yet fixed his expression from the earlier burst of laughter. Ashley suppressed a sigh. It couldn’t be helped. It was just one of the flaws Grayson was born with.
"What were you going to say? If it wasn’t that you were going to quit."
Ashley asked in a business-like tone, and Grayson, as if realizing what he had forgotten, quickly brightened up.
"Ah, I learned what fear is."
Ashley, who was about to bring the tea to her mouth, froze. Slowly, with a very deliberate movent, Grayson watched her set the teacup down. After a brief mont of silence, a soft sound ca from the teacup hitting the saucer, and then Ashley spoke.
"...What did you just say?"
The tea room, bathed in bright sunlight, felt fresh and exciting due to the cool breeze coming through the open window.
Sitting across from Koi at the round tea table, Dein was awkwardly trying to maintain his posture in this unfamiliar setting. When the servant quietly disappeared after bringing their refreshnts, Dein thought to himself that at least there were people working here.
Well, that’s probably why they served such an extravagant al this morning.
Recalling the luxurious breakfast, Dein suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. He was staring absentmindedly at the closed door when Koi suddenly shouted.
"Dein was my lover!"
Turning his head, Dein saw Koi's eyes sparkling with excitent, unable to hide his joy. Koi had been this happy from the mont he first saw Dein, and while Dein was surprised by Koi’s reaction, what was more perplexing was that he didn’t feel any rejection toward this man he had just t. No, far from rejecting him, he even felt a sense of familiarity.
The feeling he had when he first saw this man wasn’t an illusion. The sa fondness remained, and Dein felt an odd sensation in his chest. As if noticing Dein’s confusion, Koi continued to speak excitedly.
"We share a bond. There’s sothing that connects extre ogas."
A bond? What does that an?
Still not understanding, Dein frowned as Koi spoke again with excitent.
"Extre ogas can recognize each other. And they feel attraction toward each other. You’ll probably feel it too, like family."
At the word "family," Dein frowned and let out a cynical smile. Could there be a more absurd word? This man clearly didn’t understand how dirty a community bound by blood could be.
Looking at Koi’s bright face, Dein suddenly rembered Ashley Miller, who had been wary of him earlier.
She’s probably doing all sorts of ssy things pretending to be extracting pheromones, but she can’t stand if her partner even glances at soone else.
It’s such a selfish trait, Dein thought, picking up his mug. He was about to drink his coffee absentmindedly when he suddenly stopped.
Cat poop...
Dein wrinkled his nose, but had no choice but to swallow the coffee.
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