I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince - Chapter 47

Michelle knew exactly how Alphas at Leon’s age thought—and she used that knowledge to her advantage.

“Leon, how long are you going to act like a child?”

As expected, his expression twisted in frustration.

“What does that have to do with anything? You keep saying things that don’t make sense.”

“Tsks, that’s exactly why you’re still a child. Just because you’re healthy doesn’t mean everyone else is. When someone is unwell, they want to be left alone. Why can’t you understand that? The closer you are to someone, the less you want to show them your weakest moments.”

Leon fell silent.

If he had been born under a curse like Lucas, and if he had to reveal his vulnerable moments to the person he loved, how would he feel?

He would want to hide.

Forced to accept the situation, Leon reluctantly nodded.

“Then when can I see him?”

“Well, the expedition is coming up… so about a week? Maybe longer.”

A whole week without seeing Lucas.

Just thinking about it made his chest tighten.

It felt as if the marble floor beneath him had suddenly caved in.

His clenched fists slowly loosened, and with quiet desperation, he asked,

“Not even once a day?”

“No. Lucas himself ordered that no one be let in.”

Leon couldn’t defy Lucas’s wishes.

He lowered his head in resignation before turning on his heel, leaving Michelle behind as she clicked her tongue in exasperation.

He headed straight for his room.

A thick wall stood between them, but his chambers were right next to Lucas’s.

At the very least, he wanted to press himself against the wall and pray for Lucas’s quick recovery.

As soon as he leaned against it—

“……!”

Even through the dense stone, he could faintly pick up Lucas’s scent.

No ordinary person would have noticed, but to Leon, it was unmistakable—something his instincts recognized instantly.

But it was different from usual.

A foreign, potent quality laced through it, making his blood boil.

His mouth went dry, and a guttural sound rumbled in his throat.

The need to be by Lucas’s side consumed his thoughts.

But the knights were guarding his door—how was he supposed to get past them?

As if answering himself, his body instinctively shifted into a small tiger cub.

His senses sharpened, and the scent hit him even stronger, so thick it almost vibrated in the air.

Drawn by it, he moved toward the window.

His smaller form easily slipped through the narrow opening.

Moving swiftly and silently, he reached Lucas’s window.

With a bit of effort, he nudged it open and landed inside.

“Haa… haa…”

A ragged breath escaped him.

He had already shifted back into human form, but he barely held back an animalistic growl.

The air inside was suffocating.

The scent was overpowering.

Holding his breath, he lifted his gaze.

Lucas’s face was deathly pale.

Each shallow breath came with a faint, pained sound.

His neck was flushed red, a stark contrast against his pale skin.

Even without breathing, the scent clung to his lungs, sending an unbearable heat curling in his stomach.

Leon forced himself to think.

He had never paid much attention to Omega biology, dismissing it as irrelevant since Lucas wasn’t one.

But now, memories of books he had skimmed resurfaced.

The symptoms of heat cycles…

They matched.

And his own body—

It was reacting.

This wasn’t like the controlled pheromone release he had done before.

This was stronger.

Darker.

His breaths came short and ragged as he let out a deep, vibrating growl.

He tried to suppress it, but the effort was in vain.

His grip on Lucas’s wrist tightened before he abruptly let go.

Lucas didn’t even stir.

He didn’t have the strength to.

As Leon stared at the figure lying before him, a strange sensation overtook him.

A chilling realization.

Lucas… you’re an Omega.

The moment his suspicion turned into certainty, a jolt of pleasure shot through him.

Every fragmented thought he had struggled with suddenly clicked into place.

The answer had been right in front of him all along.

Leon moved closer.

Lucas curled inward, clearly uncomfortable, and the sight of him—so vulnerable—ignited something deep within.

Something he had forced himself to suppress.

Possessiveness surged, raw and overwhelming.

You’re mine. Only I can have you.

Forcing himself to stay calm, he reached for the bowl of water beside the bed.

Dipping a cloth into the cool liquid, he gently placed it against Lucas’s burning forehead.

He clasped Lucas’s hand tightly and released his pheromones, surrounding him with his scent.

Lucas shifted, reacting instinctively, his body responding to the soothing presence.

Leon turned him onto his side, carefully wiping away the sweat on his forehead, cheeks, and neck.

The scent rising from Lucas’s skin was intoxicating.

Unable to resist, Leon pressed his nose against the spot he had just wiped, inhaling deeply.

He wiped again, nuzzled against the warmth, and repeated the cycle—whispering in between.

“Lucas… my Omega…”

Without thinking, he brushed a feather-light kiss against his cheek.

He had to clench his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms to stop himself from going any further.

Until Lucas’s breathing steadied, Leon stayed beside him, holding back the growls that threatened to escape his throat.

As night fell, he remained at his side, never once moving away.

Lucas’s eyes snapped open.

In his dream, he had heard the sound of a tiger’s roar, but his memories were hazy.

One thing was certain—since succumbing to his first-ever heat cycle and collapsing onto the bed, this was the best he had felt.

The lingering discomfort on his face had also lessened.

Had he simply slept long enough to recover?

And strangely, there was a damp towel resting on his forehead.

Had he, in his delirium, placed it there himself?

As he puzzled over the situation, the door to his chamber opened.

Michelle entered, setting a small box onto the table near the door.

“Are you feeling any better?”

“Yes. Thanks to your concern, I’m much better,” he replied.

Michelle frowned.

Odd.

The window had been left open—it must have been freezing in here.

And yet, Lucas claimed to be fine.

At least the air was clearer now, nearly devoid of his scent.

Perhaps it was because he was a recessive Omega. That was a relief.

Michelle gestured toward the box on the table.

“Suppressants. I had these prepared in advance for situations like this. Take them. The longer you go without them, the more likely you’ll be found out.”

Lucas opened the box.

Inside were about seven small pills.

Michelle explained,

“Take one each day. If your symptoms subside, you can stop. But you should consider stocking up—this will happen again.”

Her tone was as firm as ever, but the concern in her voice was unmistakable.

Lucas took one of the pills without hesitation.

The effects kicked in within two days.

By the next morning, the searing heat had faded, and breathing had become much easier.

Only then did Lucas finally register the faint scent of wood lingering in the room.

It was similar to Leon’s scent, but he dismissed it, assuming it came from the firewood used to warm the castle.

Besides, if he had noticed something unusual, Leon would have certainly reacted.

Even so, he knew that staying too close to Leon in his weakened state would only make it harder to keep the truth hidden.

They had already been apart for a week—Leon was bound to demand to see him soon.

That would be a problem.

Lucas swiftly summoned Sion.

A short while later, Sion entered with a bright expression.

“I heard you’re feeling better, Your Grace. How is your condition?”

“Sion. We can’t afford to delay the expedition any longer. Make preparations—we leave at dawn tomorrow. And make sure Leon doesn’t find out.”

“…What?”

Sion blinked, caught off guard.

Lucas’s expression was urgent.

“If Leon finds out, he’ll insist on coming. This is a large-scale hunt. I can’t take him with us.”

“Ah… Understood,” Sion said, though he wasn’t entirely convinced.

Considering how Leon had handled the last hunt, taking him along didn’t seem like a bad idea.

Still, he chose not to argue.

By dawn the next day, Sion quietly gathered the knights in a secluded part of the castle grounds.

Meanwhile, Leon moved silently through Rion Castle.

The sun had barely begun to rise, but the halls were already bustling with activity.

Servants rushed about, and knights were assembling in full uniform, moving with purpose.

It didn’t take long for Leon to figure out what was happening.

One year ago, Lucas had snuck off for a hunt to avoid taking him along.

You won’t fool me twice.

Support I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince