The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 6

Stella’s teeth chattered. A test? She had a bad feeling about this. Hadn’t that man just shoved a bunch of gemstones into Prince Hendrick’s mouth to test for lies?

“…What if I refuse? Will you let my maid and me leave?”

Islay replied without hesitation, making Stella’s attempt at bravery seem pointless. “The princess’s consent isn’t really necessary. This isn’t a request.”

“……”

“Will you cooperate with me, then?”

His voice was soft and polite, but the words were nothing short of a threat.

Stella couldn’t readily agree and fell into silence. Despite knowing she had no choice but to comply, Islay waited quietly for her response.

Thump. In the deepening silence, Stella’s heart pounded. She placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. Her pulse quickened, and a wave of heat spread through her body, originating from her throat. Something was wrong. Her body, which had been feverish since leaving Hendrick’s villa, felt like it was about to melt.

“Ah…”

Unable to remain still, Stella tried to stand up from her chair, but her legs buckled, and she collapsed back down.

“Where are you going? We’re still talking.” Islay’s gaze followed her as she struggled. Panting, Stella lifted her flushed face to meet his eyes, her desperate look piercing through him.

It was then that Islay’s usually lazy demeanor cracked. The woman before him was gasping as if she had been running. It wasn’t just fear of Islay causing her reaction.

“Hey,” he called out, but Stella only responded with labored breaths. Islay scrutinized her face with narrowed eyes. The flushed woman could barely support herself even while seated, gripping the armrests for balance. Her reddened eyes were moist.

Islay’s gaze followed the pulse beating in her slender neck. His eyes slid down like a serpent, tracing the path from her heaving chest to her slender abdomen, concealed by her dress.

Confirming the abnormal flow of her condition, his keen sense of smell, almost beast-like, picked up a faint herbal scent from her. It was reminiscent of hazelwood smoke infused with daffodil petals.

A crease formed between Islay’s dark eyebrows.

“You’ve ingested Lobid,” he observed, noting her flushed complexion and unnatural heat.

Lobid was a common herb in the northern snowy regions, used to warm the body. Islay and the other Calisians, who had evolved to regulate their body temperature, didn’t need it, but it was essential for others. In small amounts, it warmed the body slowly, but in excess, it could cause intense heat and even arousal.

“It feels weird. My body is so hot,” Stella whimpered, clearly unaware she had consumed Lobid.

Islay recalled the foolish southern nobles who used herbs to enhance pleasure, but Stella didn’t seem the type. He quickly deduced the culprit.

“Prince Hendrick must have spiked your drink.”

“Spiked… my drink?” Stella was in disbelief.

“You should know better than to accept drinks from strangers, Princess. It’s basic common sense.” Islay admonished her as he poured cold water into her empty glass.

“Drink this. Cold water will help reduce the heat.”

Though he didn’t know how much she had consumed, lowering her body temperature would mitigate the herb’s effects. Stella took the glass with trembling hands and emptied it, but her condition remained unchanged.

Seeing her in such a state made Islay’s eyes harden. How could she have shared drinks with such an unreliable man? Initially, he thought Stella was Hendrick’s mistress, since catching the prince with women wasn’t uncommon. Hendrick might even have offered her as a tribute to escape a tight spot.

Islay wasn’t concerned about her relationship with the prince; what intrigued him was her reputation as the “Star of Largo.”

“Drink more. The fever will subside, so calm down.”

“Ugh…”

“Consider yourself lucky. I won’t let you make a fool of yourself in front of me.”

However, it seemed Stella couldn’t even hear his voice. Red as a ripe apple, she kept fanning the fabric near her neck. When the swell of her ample chest briefly showed, Islay’s fingers, which had been tapping the table, paused. The woman appeared oblivious to the man sitting within arm’s reach.

‘What a fragile woman.’

She looked as fragile as a porcelain doll about to shatter. He had never seen anyone react so strongly to Lobid.

Islay let out a short breath and pushed back his chair. He walked to the window and threw it open. Cold dawn air rushed in, as if waiting for an invitation.

“Just so you know, you should get used to Lobid. Once I confirm your usefulness, I will take you to Calis…” Islay trailed off, startled by a noise behind him.

He turned his head slowly, rare confusion flickering in his red eyes.

“What are you doing?”

The woman who had seemed so timid was now standing, frantically tearing off her blue dress. She tugged at the fabric with such force it was almost ripping. The dress, tied with ribbon laces at the back, was impossible to put on or take off alone, but Stella clawed at it wildly.

“It’s so hot… too hot.”

This was more than a typical reaction. She seemed to have lost her senses entirely. Stella blinked her teary eyes and exhaled hot breaths. Her small face was flushed, and she kept tugging at her dress, revealing her white chest to Islay’s view.

“Something’s wrong. Something’s terribly wrong.”

She managed to tear the thin fabric, exposing her undergarments and the red tips of her nipples. Islay couldn’t watch any longer. With long strides, he grabbed her hands.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah…!”

Oddly enough, she seemed somewhat relieved by the cool touch. Stella clung to his arm, hugging him tightly. Her soft chest pressed against him, the warmth and the rapid thumping of her heartbeat clearly felt through their contact. Islay let out a laugh, finding the situation absurd, yet his grip on her tightened.

In comparison to Calis, the temperature here was higher, so he wasn’t releasing any body heat. He understood why she was drawn to him, seeking a cooler touch, though she wasn’t in her right mind.

Islay looked down at the woman clinging to him. Imagining Stella in such a state in front of Hendrick made his brow furrow. It wouldn’t just be Hendrick; any man would be tempted seeing a half-naked woman clinging to them. Especially one like this…

Consciously, he cut off his thoughts. Staying like this wouldn’t benefit anyone.

“I understand you want to cling, but it’s better if you step back now.”

“Ugh…”

“…This is quite a chore.”

He pried her off with firm hands. Even as he pushed her away, Stella reached desperately for his touch. Without hesitation, Islay turned and went to the wooden tub in the corner of the bedroom, filling it with water.

The old mansion’s pipes, fortunately, weren’t clogged, and cool water gushed into the tub.

“Come here.”

Stella hurried over at his call, without even fixing her disheveled appearance. Islay’s gaze inadvertently lingered on her body beneath the fluttering fabric. Her round, firm breasts stood out.

Suppressing a sigh, Islay turned her around. The laces of her dress crisscrossed from her shoulder blades down to her spine. She had made a mess of it with her struggling. He pulled the ribbons loose with rough motions. As the fabric around her slender waist slackened, he slipped her arms out of the sleeves and pulled the dress down in one swift motion.

The voluminous fabric fell to the floor like shed skin. Stella took a deep breath, now clad only in a chemise that barely covered her skin.

Islay didn’t blink as he looked down at her. Her golden hair cascaded down her back. The sensual curve of her hips was barely concealed by the hem of her garment, and her long legs were fully exposed.

It was strange. He wasn’t thirsty, yet his Adam’s apple bobbed as if he were.