When Chantal woke up, she was surprised to find herself using Yunho's arm as a pillow. Then she witnessed that he had fallen asleep, hugging her. She noticed how thick his eyebrows were, how pointed his nose was, and how tempting it could be to kiss his lips. She gulped hard and controlled her breathing.
"Till how long will you stare at me, Chanty?" Yunho's eyes fluttered open as his hug tightened around Chantal's waist. "Is your stomach still hurting? I was really worried about you earlier. I also asked my mother about sudden stomach aches after mating, and she said it is only normal when women are going to be in heat."
"Too early?" Chantal's face turned pink, and she could feel the rise in temperature in her body. Whatever part of her skin touched Yunho's, she would feel it burning. So she safely buried her head on Yunho's neck, but she never thought inhaling his scent would make her want to rip him apart right there. Chantal murmured, "Why are you so honest with me?"
"Being honest is the foundation of trust in a healthy relationship. If a person cannot give that basic trait, a relationship will never work. It will become unimportant and sometimes lead couples to endless arguments. I don't want to fight with you for little reasons, and I respect you." Yunho kissed Chantal's hair as he listened to her beating heart.
Chantal responded, "I have never been in a relationship before, nor am I experienced, but I am grateful that you think openly about most random things that can influence a relationship. You are a careful person with upright principles, and I'm glad you always help me prepare for what's to come next. Thank you!"
"I don't want you to suffer or worry. I am not only considering your feelings but also the child that might be developing in your belly. A good environment is crucial, as is the mood of the mother."
"Have you been in a relationship before?"
"No, but my brother used to drag me to review data from his research about how to increase the productiveness of couples in the pack."
Chantal was thinking about reproduction, but she was unsure, so she asked, "What do you mean by productiveness?"
Yunho chuckled and said, "The ability of the pack to reproduce a new generation of werewolf children. The tribe has been having problems with the scarcity of offspring because some of the clan members sometimes do not end up with their mates."
"Aside from breaking up and dying, is it also possible for some people in your pack never to meet their destined one?"
"Yes, they just don't meet the one destined for them."
"But why won't they marry another person? I mean, is it not possible to make children with other people to ensure the succession of the bloodline?"
Yunho rubbed Chantal's back. "It's not that easy. The werewolf clan had a big secret that only the core members knew, so they passed a law to prevent youngsters from committing mistakes. One cannot get into a relationship if it's not with the destined mate."
"Will you share this secret with me?"
"I will, so listen carefully. The likelihood of meeting their mates directly affects the lifespan of werewolves. Once you meet your mate and have a consummate marriage, you will gain a vitality bead that will determine your and your partner's lifespan. Without this bead, the lifespan of werewolves would be very short."
"But why can't they get involved with someone else?"
"If a werewolf practices sexual intercourse with people they shouldn't have, it will result in a backlash. The werewolf would die from the poison that both male and female non-mate partners would excrete. It is actually a curse that the Moon goddess cast upon her people.
"In conclusion, you can only have me and me alone in this life."
"Rest assured, my queen. I never thought of becoming a sinner in this life. And my heart can only hold one person."
"You're really good with your words. I feel hungry. Let's get up, shall we?"
"Do you feel better?"
"Much better! Oh, I still need to check on the condition of the students. I think planet Celine is not too far from where we are now."
"You don't have to go. I've already checked on them, and there were no disturbances within the ship. The students might be a little nervous or anxious, but they'll need to face whatever is ahead of them. We can't shelter them for the rest of their journey. Most people need room for growth, and you need more rest above all."
Chantal wanted to walk to the living room, but Yunho decided to carry her. "What are you doing? You can put me down. I'm already fine."
"But you look pale to me."
"My natural skin color is pale. I'm also stronger than you think, or else how would we be on the same rank on the battlefield?"
"Ah, my queen is strong! But I don't want to let her walk. I need to be of use and serve her highness. I remember her telling me that everyone calls her princess. So I will be the prince who sweeps her off her feet."
"This is a bit embarrassing. Honestly, you can put me down. The princess treatment isn't like this, and I'm not that fragile yet."
"Don't worry, this is the Queen's treatment."
Chantal could only hug Yunho and let him be.
When they reached the living room, Yunho asked, "What do you want to eat? I can cook it for you."
Chantal was amazed. "I never thought the most outstanding bachelor on the planet would cook!"
"Wrong. I'm just a general on the battlefield, and I'm no longer a bachelor. I am a married man! You can check the changes in our status on your lightbrain."
"So fast?" Chantal decided to check her lightbrain. She suddenly saw a notification from Starnet. When she opened it, it was a congratulatory gift. There was a popular post on Starnet about their marriage registration, and the Galaxy's Civil Affairs Bureau authored the post.
There were billions of comments under the post.
"Are we so famous that our marriage flooded the hot search within the galaxy?"
"Wife, haven't you heard them say? The unreachable flower on top of the mountain has finally found a pot to plant herself in!"
Chantal laughed. "You became the pot?"
"I am a deserving pot!"