The Mind-Reading Mate: Why Is the Lycan King So Obsessed With Me?!-Chapter 228: The Legend of 1,000 Stairs (III)

Primrose wasn’t totally convinced.

As long as she hadn’t figured out a way to help him release all that bottled-up desire, there was a good chance he’d lose control like that again someday.

But at least she knew one thing for sure that he would always stop the moment she asked him to.

"It’s fine," she said with a gentle smile, taking his hand and leading him back toward the bench where they’d left their things. "I know you didn’t mean any harm."

Edmund still kept his head low, lost in his thoughts. [That fortune-teller was right,] he admitted to himself. [I have way too much bottled-up desire ... I need to find a way to get rid of it!]

Primrose’s eye twitched slightly. If he completely lost his desire ... wouldn’t that mean—No. That sounded even worse! That sounded like impotence!

"Edmund," she called his name, her voice more serious now. "There’s nothing wrong with having a desire for your own wife."

Edmund didn’t say anything, so she added, hoping to ease his mind, "Just so you know ... I feel that way too. I get flustered whenever I look at my handsome husband."

Edmund choked on his own saliva the moment he heard her words.

He hadn’t expected Primrose to call him "a handsome husband", especially in such a sweet, sincere voice.

Slowly, he lifted his head. But as soon as their eyes met, he quickly looked away, flustered.

"But ... it would be wrong if I did something that made you uncomfortable," he said quietly. "I don’t want to hurt you ... or worse, hurt your feelings."

[If I forced my wife to deal with my desire,] he thought sadly, [I wouldn’t be any different from the kind of men who’ve hurt her before.]

[I never want my wife to be traumatized because of me,] he continued in his mind. [I’d break her heart, and she’d feel like the one man who was supposed to protect her ended up hurting her instead.]

Sometimes, Primrose found Edmund’s habit of overthinking a little frustrating. But moments like this—when he cared so much—made her heart melt.

"Oh, Edmund ..." Primrose smiled gently. "As long as I know my husband has no bad intentions toward me, you won’t hurt my feelings," she said. "And about your ... bottled-up desire, we’ll figure that out together later."

She glanced around quickly, checking to make sure no one was watching. Then, standing on her tiptoes, she gave him a light, sweet kiss on the lips.

"Come on," she said, patting his chest with a gentle laugh. "I want to see the temple now."

Edmund froze, stunned by the kiss. He hadn’t expected his wife to kiss him like that in public. But once his brain caught up, he quickly nodded, a little dazed, and gathered their things.

"I’ll show you the way," he said, his voice softer than before.

Primrose slipped her arm around his, and the two of them walked side by side toward the Moon Goddess’ temple.

Edmund had said it would only take ten to fifteen minutes, but it ended up taking twenty. Primrose hadn’t expected the path to be slightly uphill the entire way.

’Why does the Moon Goddess always have to make everything so hard for me?!’

"So ... this is the Moon Goddess’ temple?" Primrose leaned forward, hands on her knees as she caught her breath.

When she finally looked up and saw the thousand stairs leading all the way to the top, she nearly cried on the spot.

’Why?! Why do I have to suffer like this in the name of love?!’

"Yes," Edmund nodded. "There are at least three Moon Goddess temples around the capital, but this one is the biggest and most well-known."

"Usually, only werewolves and lycans come here to pray or listen for the Goddess’ voice to help them find their mates. But other beasts sometimes visit too, just to enjoy the scenery and the spring near the temple."

Primrose let out a deep sigh and straightened up, trying to gather her strength. "I see," she muttered.

As she turned around, she noticed a few couples climbing the thousand steps barefoot. "What are they doing?" she asked innocently, pretending not to know anything about the legend.

Edmund’s face lit up as he began to explain. "Actually, there’s a popular legend about the thousand steps at the Moon Goddess’ temple."

"Oh?" Primrose tilted her head. "What’s it about?"

He continued, "The legend says that if a couple climbs all one thousand steps at the Moon Goddess’ temple barefoot, the Moon Goddess will bless their relationship."

"Their souls will be tied together for at least one thousand lifetimes. So basically, their love will last for eternity."

Even though Edmund spoke in a rather calm tone, Primrose could clearly see the spark in his eyes.

He looked like someone who truly believed in it, like a boy holding onto a wish he didn’t dare say out loud.

"That sounds ... interesting." Primrose gave him a small smile, doing her best to look curious. "But isn’t the Moon Goddess known to bless only werewolf and lycan couples? I don’t think we count."

She regretted saying that the moment the words left her mouth.

She could almost see the invisible puppy ears drooping on his head. The excitement in his eyes dimmed right away.

"Yes, the Moon Goddess mainly watches over werewolves and lycans," Edmund replied, his voice much softer now.

"But sometimes, couples from other beast races also come here for the same blessing ... even if it’s just a little chance."

He didn’t pout, didn’t complain, but Primrose could hear the disappointment in every word.

Primrose didn’t like that look on him.

She hated seeing her husband look so down. It made her heart ache and, worse, it instantly reminded her of the image of him crying in front of her grave.

"Well ... maybe the Moon Goddess can bless other couples too," she said, shrugging gently. "There’s no clear proof that her blessing is real or fake, right? So who knows? Maybe it works for anyone. There’s no harm in trying something beautiful like that."