Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 506

**Chapter 506: The Kiss That Shook Him**

“Cool?”

Emma’s voice rang out, a note of sincerity that caught him off guard.

Huh… isn’t she meant to be scared of me?

Calum watched as she took a step back, her eyes sparkling with a mix of admiration and something deeper. “Yeah. You were really cool just now. And honestly? Pretty damn badass.”

What a badass… He’s genuinely impressive. I wish I could carry myself with that kind of effortless strength someday.

The mere thought ignited a spark within him, sending a thrill coursing through his veins.

Ms. Tibarn thinks I’m cool? She actually sees me as a badass? It’s astonishing—she wasn’t frightened at all, and here she is, showering me with compliments.

A rush of warmth surged through Calum’s chest, climbing rapidly to his cheeks, igniting them with a flush that he couldn’t suppress.

“I…”

His lips parted, but the words he longed to say remained trapped, as if someone had pressed pause on his thoughts.

Not a single syllable emerged.

It felt like an eternity passed before he finally managed to stammer out a response, each word tumbling over the other.

“I-I’m just glad… I didn’t scare you.”

Emma couldn’t help but chuckle softly, a melodic sound that danced through the air, warming the atmosphere. “You really think I’m that timid? You think that little scene would scare me?”

She had faced death before.

This was nothing in comparison.

Calum, now calming down, regarded her with a quiet intensity. “When I first met you, you were afraid of me.”

He recalled those early days vividly—how she had avoided his gaze, her eyes darting away every time he approached.

At the memory, Emma felt her cheeks warm, a blush creeping up. “I… I didn’t know you back then. It’s kind of your fault too. You looked so fierce.”

“Did I?”

Calum’s fingers brushed his face, confusion washing over him.

He was a Rank 12 warrior, often touted for his striking looks. People had always said he was attractive.

Fierce…? Is that really how she perceives me?

“Emma… do you still think I look fierce now?”

His voice trembled with uncertainty, his nerves tightening around him like a vice.

If she finds me intimidating… would that mean she could never harbor feelings for me? How could we ever become mates someday if that were the case?

The mere thought sent his heart racing, climbing up his throat like a wild animal trying to escape.

At that moment, Edric quietly slipped into the kitchen, leaving the living room entirely to them.

His lips were warm, his movements deliberate yet restrained, achingly gentle.

It felt like a claim made with infinite patience—an invasion so soft it made her tremble with anticipation.

His warmth enveloped her, every breath brushing against her skin, ensnaring her in an invisible net with no escape.

The room fell silent, the only sound being the gradually quickening rhythm of their breaths.

His arm tightened around her waist, the warmth of his palm seeping through the thin fabric of her shirt, igniting her senses.

His other hand rose slowly, fingers trembling slightly as they glided through her soft hair, finally resting at the back of her head.

The touch spoke of dominance, yet the tenderness within it left her utterly defenseless, her head tilting up helplessly to meet him.

Minutes slipped away like grains of sand through an hourglass.

Just as Emma felt herself melting into the heat radiating from him, Calum suddenly slowed, halting the kiss.

He didn’t pull away completely; instead, he rested his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling in the intimate space between them.

He kept his eyes shut, as if trying to steady the storm raging inside himself. His chest rose and fell with a heavy rhythm, and the arm that held her waist remained fiercely tight.

It took what felt like an eternity before Calum finally opened his eyes.

He looked at Emma with raw, unfiltered possessiveness, but beneath that intensity lay something softer, gentler—a fierce restraint shaped entirely by concern.

Emma was carrying a cub. He knew she needed to be safe. He wouldn’t hurt her. He wouldn’t cross that line.