In her weakened condition, Seren found it difficult to breathe through that heated kiss with her mate, but she felt a strong urge not to separate from him at any cost.
Erebus's tongue invaded her mouth, searching for hers, groaning in satisfaction when he found and tasted it.
At the same time, Seren felt overwhelmed by the intensity of the kiss as her body started to give out.
"Ahem!"
A familiar voice interrupted, but they didn't react as if it didn't matter.
"Erebus?" the voice called again. "Your mate is suffocating. You might knock her out if you continue."
The beast, adamant on savoring his mate, finally registered the words and paused. He looked at the woman who had interrupted them. Though she was his mother, the fury in his eyes remained unchanged, as if silently asking how she dared to disturb them.
Evanthe didn't mind, knowing it was just how the beast would behave.
She stood at the threshold of the door, not crossing the boundary, and reminded him again, "You should care for your mate at this moment instead of pouncing on her. She is weak."
Erebus glanced back at Seren, who was gasping heavily, her face flushed as if drained of all energy. His furious gaze softened at the sight of her.
"You should prepare a meal for her so she can regain some strength," Evanthe said. "If you don't mind, I'll take care of her."
Erebus gently caressed Seren's face, reluctant to part from her, but finally moved back and stood up. He left the bedroom without saying a word, not even to his mother.
Evanthe stepped inside the room and went to Seren, who was too exhausted to move, looking at Evanthe helplessly with dewy eyes.
Evanthe chuckled. "That's a beast for you—can be really overwhelming." A vial appeared in her hand as she sat at the edge of the bed. "Open your mouth."
Seren's lips were swollen and burning, but she did as instructed. Explore stories at m,v l'eReadNovelFull.com
Evanthe poured the liquid into her mouth and explained, "This will give you some strength, though it won't completely heal you. Your body is weaker due to the intense force caused by the marking."
Seren closed her eyes as she felt her strength gradually returning.
"Erebus will bring you a nice meal shortly. Once you eat something, you'll feel much better."
Seren hummed softly, and Evanthe asked, "Would you like me to help you freshen up?"
Seren nodded, and Evanthe assisted her to the bath. By the time Seren returned, Erebus had reentered the bedroom with a tray of food. She sat on the bed as he carefully arranged the meal in front of her, then stepped back.
Evanthe glanced at her son, recognizing the effort he was making to remain patient and resist Seren's scent, while Seren seemed to be struggling with the same.
"You might want to get some fresh air, Erebus. I'm here with her," Evanthe suggested gently.
As a mother, she was doing her best to remind her son as she didn't wish him to be hasty and ruin the beautiful process of consummation with his mate.
Seren looked at him, his dark eyes fixed on her. Her heart started pounding faster at the sight of him, and she longed to be closer.
Erebus turned and left the room.
As the door closed behind him, Seren heard Evanthe's soft voice. "It's normal to feel this way after being marked, until you complete the bond with him. But before that, you need to be strong enough to keep up with him, which is impossible with your body in this condition."
Seren simply nodded and glanced at the food. It had been cooked by Erebus, and warmth spread through her chest at the thought. He could even cook.
Her stomach growled loudly at the sight of the meal, and she started eating like a ravenous creature who had been starved for ages.
Evanthe chuckled at the sight of Seren stuffing food into her small mouth, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's. "Don't choke yourself. Take it easy. The entire meal is for you, and I'm sure there's more if you need it."
Seren continued to eat and eat for what felt like an eternity, as if there was no stopping. She couldn't help but wonder when her stomach had become a bottomless pit, or perhaps a valley.
When she finally finished, Evanthe asked, "Feeling better?"
Seren nodded. "He really knows how to cook. Everything was delicious."
"I could see that, given the way you devoured it all like a demon."
Seren simply smiled but then hesitated before speaking again. "Can I ask you something, mother?"
Evanthe hummed in acknowledgment.
"Has Drayce's father ever cooked a meal for you?" Seren asked curiously. If they were in love, it meant they must have spent a lot of time together, right?
Evanthe nodded. "I was injured back then when he found me, so he took care of me—which included cooking for me as well."
Seren was glad Evanthe answered and decided to push a little further. "Will you ever tell me how you two met and what happened between Drayce's father and you?"
Evanthe sighed softly. "Curious cat, aren't you?"
Seren smiled awkwardly. "I was just… curious."
"I'll tell you, but now is not the right time." Evanthe gestured toward the window. "Look, the sky will soon turn dark, and the moon will rise. Tonight is the night of the full moon, and I'm sure you know what the full moon means for mates.
Seren nodded. She had read in books that on every full moon night, the attraction between mates was irresistible, and they were naturally drawn to each other. It was said that consummating the bond on the night of a full moon was the most fortunate thing, as it strengthened the bond even more.
Evanthe added, "The day before each full moon night, there's a festival in Agartha where all the members of the beast clan gather. It's a celebration for mated couples to enjoy together, and for single beasts to find their mates. You missed it this time, but perhaps next month you'll be able to attend with Erebus."
"I've heard about it," Seren replied. "I look forward to being there."
Evanthe hummed thoughtfully and stood up. "For now, let's get you dressed and ready for your mate before it gets dark." Saying this, Evanthe walked over to the wardrobe, where dresses were neatly arranged for Seren.
"I have clothes as well?" Seren asked in surprise.
"Don't underestimate your mate's thoughtfulness," Evanthe teased, pulling out a red dress. "Put this on."
Seren complied, with Evanthe's help, and changed into the dress. She looked at herself in the mirror and frowned slightly. "This dress looks more like something to wear at bedtime rather than for going out. And all the other dresses in there look the same."
The dress was a long, floor-length gown in a rich red hue, with a round neckline, long sleeves, and delicate frills at the wrists. It was comfortable and loose, yet still looked beautiful.
"You can probably guess your mate's intentions from the kind of dresses he prepared for you," Evanthe chuckled playfully.
Seren glanced at Evanthe through the mirror. "Intentions?"
"He plans to keep you in bed all the time, with no intention of taking you outside," Evanthe answered with a mischievous smile.
Seren's cheeks flushed deeply, but then she hesitantly asked, "All the time? Wouldn't that be... too much?"