Closing the door behind him, Caleb smiles when he spots the familiar raven head sitting on the wooden floor of the reading room, bathing herself in the warmth of the fireplace. She has her knees against her chest, wrapping both hands around while resting her head against her knee. Her onyx eyes reflect the flickering fire, weary and defeated.

Taking a seat next to her, the young lord mindfully scans her whole body at the corner of his eyes, counting every single injury he can see on her pale skin. There are some small bruises and cuts trailing down her figure but the most prominent one is on her upper arm, the irritated purple hurts his eyes when he looks at it. Her clothes look worn out with some tears on the fabric.

Maybe I should draw her a bath…

He thinks to himself, he also needs to ask Lilith to give the raven head spare clothes. Primrose deserves nothing more than a good rest after everything she has been through. But before he can bring up his suggestion, her face is already full of tears.

"Beloved…"

Her lips quiver lightly, her body shaking with each sob escapes, hot tears rolling down as she fists her hand tightly. Primrose is stressed at how her parents are now in the hands of House Emberlynn, she is angry that Nathaniel refuses to see what they are doing for him, and she is frustrated at herself for being unable to bring some sense into him.

"Shh, it's okay…"

Caleb brings her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her like a big koala, shielding her away with his tall frame, letting Primrose vent her frustrations and emotions. She keeps weeping, her fists tighten as her nails dig deep into her skin. With one hand prying into her balling hands, the other one pulls off the ribbon that keeps her hair into a braid and he slowly tangles his fingers into the soft raven locks. Rubbing her scalp lightly, he whispers comforting words in her ears, his dress shirt becomes wet with all her frustrated cries.

"Stupid Nathaniel!"

"Yes, yes…" his thumb circles on her palm, soothing the angry redness on her skin.

"He knows nothing…"

"It's okay now." the fingers on her scalp move lightly, massaging the tensed nerves.

"I hate him…"

"Now now…" bringing her face up to meet his eyes, he smiles kindly "You don't really mean that, do you?"

She stays silent for a bit before shaking her head. Of course she can not hate her younger brother, but that does not mean she is not upset at his ordeal. Primrose has always been the one who wears her heart on her sleeves, especially when the person next to her is someone she trusts with every fiber of her body. Whether she is angry or sad or happy, her face says it all.

Caleb is pleased to see this, at least there is someone whom she can be honest with. She might be the amazing author Azure Rose, the creator of many beautiful romantic novels, but in front of him, she is simply Primrose Emberlynn. Her resilience may be strong but in matters of the heart, sometimes the best way to deal with it is to release the frustration and rely on someone. And Primrose chooses him…

As he stays there, offering his solace embrace to ease the emotional turmoil in her heart, the cries slowly subside. Soft sobbing still rings in the air, but her shoulders are no longer shaking. Primrose snuggles closer in his hold, resting her head on his chest, it is here that she can find the peace she desperately needs, even if it is just a fleeting moment.

"I'll draw you a bath, okay?" he asks her gently "And the bruises too, I will ask Lumera to treat them."

"No…"

She shakes her head, refusing to let him go. A warm, blue hue shines on her hand as she moves to the injured spots, healing them instantly. Within a few minutes, the bruises and cuts vanish, leaving her pale skin untainted. Caleb mentions he needs to ask Lilith for spare clothes, but the raven head still holds onto him tightly. The young lord sighs, unsure what to do at first.

"Sleepy…" Primrose's eyelids are getting heavy as she allows exhaustion to take over.

"You need to take a bath first, beloved." picking her up with ease, he kisses her forehead tenderly "Then you can rest, okay?"

She nods, mumbling a string of unintelligible words, and Caleb carries her to his quarter.

When they arrive, he sets her down on the bed and looks at the young maiden in front of him. Primrose does not want him to leave, but she needs clean clothes. Taking a deep breath, the young lord knows that he will regret this later and is hanging on every string of self-control he has in him. Walking to his bathroom, Caleb draws the water for her bath. Not so hot nor so cold, just enough that he thinks Primrose will enjoy it. He then moves to the closet pulls out a new white dress shirt and hands it to her.

"Here…" there is a faint blush on his face "I-if you don't want this, then I c-can ask Lilith to giv-?!"

A hand holds onto his wrist, stopping him from finishing his sentence. Her face is flustered as she accepts the clean dress shirt, an awkward air fills the room.

"T-thank you…"

"The bath is ready, you can come in now."

Primrose nods her head, walking to the bathroom. Caleb remains by the bed, giving her the personal space a young maiden like her deserves. While it is normal to take this step in every relationship, the young lord knows that they are not ready. She is still distressed and he can not force himself on her, he would never allow himself to hurt her like that.

He is not a stranger when it comes to physical intimacy, given his status as a vampire and the Head of House Vatore, but after meeting Primrose for the first time at Glimmerbrook, he has not been with everyone ever since. If they are committed to this, Caleb wants to make it special for her, knowing that she has never been with anyone prior to him.

We're skipping too many steps…

With a flustered face, Caleb takes in a deep breath, calming his mind and grasping onto every bit of self-control he has. He can not force himself on her, he just can't…

Primrose needs to rest, a long and peaceful rest she truly deserves after everything…

"Caleb…"

The young lord flinches when her soft voice calls out to him. She is standing in front of the bathroom door, wearing his white dress shirt that proves to be big on her. Onyx eyes look at him, her cheeks are dusted with a lovely shade of red as she rubs her fingers against each other before avoiding his gaze. After a few passing moments and an awkward silence fills the room, Primrose spreads her arms towards him, a silent request that he is almost too happy to oblige.

"You must be tired..." he walks to her and sweeps the raven head off her feet "Let's get you to rest, okay?"

She nods and her face becomes redder as she can feel herself plop on the soft bed. Smiling, he pulls the blanket over her, tugging in her delicate frame. For a moment, Primrose thinks that he is going away again. Her fingers lace onto his, midnight-colored eyes staring at his silver orbs, longing…

"Don't worry. I'll be here with you, just rest to your heart's content." planting a tender kiss on her forehead, Caleb's big hand rests on her hair "I love you."

Primrose blushes at his confession and nods, acknowledging his feelings. Her heart flutters and butterflies swim in her stomach. The fluffy and cozy feeling brings a smile to her face as she slowly drifts into a peaceful slumber, knowing that she is safe in these hands.

"Marlin? You're still here?"

Nathaniel enters the kitchen, raising a brow when he spots the blond mage leaning against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. It's already the next morning.

"Oh, it's you…" he turns to the younger Emberlynn, nodding as a morning greeting "Lilith asked me to stay overnight, she was worried about Primrose."

Nathaniel's shoulders jump lightly at the name. Last night, they had a heated argument that led to a full-blown physical fight. While his sister was not able to injure him with her punches, it hurt his feelings to know that his sister was that upset with him.

"So, after one night, have you cool down your head?"

"What does that even mean?"

Marlin says nothing and takes a sip of his coffee. The awkward silence makes Nathaniel feel more uncomfortable, the pressure coming from Primrose's mentor is almost unbearable.

"Where is my sister?" he looks around, breaking the silence between them.

"Still with Caleb."

The answer he receives almost causes him to fall off the chair. He stares at the fire mage with wide eyes, unable to process what he just heard. Caleb is still with his sister? Then that means…

Oh hell no…

Marlin smirks at the blond's surprised face. While he isn't sure what happened between the vampire lord and his pupil last night, the fact that he can see such an amused expression from Nathaniel cracks a chuckle out of him. Even after all the fighting and throwing punches at each other, the younger Emberlynn is still very protective of his sister.

"When are we going back?"

The next question stops him from taking another sip of his coffee. Marlin raises a brow at Nathaniel, wondering why he is so obsessed with having his magic energy locked away forever. Nathaniel continues with how he doesn't want to stay in the Vatore estate, saying that he doesn't need their help and that the best outcome for everyone is just him going back to the Emberlynn manor to accept his punishment.

Marlin says nothing, letting the blond vent about his life and how Ember has sacrificed everything for him. Even up to now, the only thing Nathaniel can see is what his girlfriend has given up for him and his future, and completely turns a blind eye to what his family is doing to protect him.

"Why are you so obsessed about what that Feng girl did for you?"

"Obsessed? I'm just telling the truth." Nathaniel is taken aback at Marlin's question.

"That is true, but at the same time, you don't see what your family is doing?"

"I…" unsure how to respond, he bites back his tongue.

"Look, it's completely normal for you to be upset, but don't dwell on it. You're not doing anyone any favor, especially for Primrose." setting down his coffee mug, Marlin continues "What you want to do will not bring justice to anyone. Your little girlfriend will still sell her life away, whether you like it or not. So instead of mopping around like an idiot, try to think of something to save her from it."

Nathaniel raises an eyebrow, he is caught off guard by the fire mage's words. Marlin talks about what happened to Ember, how Foxbury University worked with the Fengs to force the poor girl into an arranged marriage with Don Lothario, and how that scumbag of a human may have a connection to the current human trafficking case. The more he listens to Marlin, the more appalled he becomes. Nathaniel knows nothing about this…

"I…don't know about this…"

"Of course you don't. By the time we were able to tell you about this, you were so eager to sacrifice your future for the greater cause." Marlin's voice is filled to the brim with sarcasm "Your father sent me a secret message just before he faced the elders of House Emberlynn and entrusted me with both of you."

"He did?"

The fire mage shakes his head, either Nathaniel is slowly losing his brain cells or he is just very slow at catching up with things.

"Why do you think I come here immediately? I thought it was a joke until the people of House Emberlynn arrived at Glimmerbrook to search for you guys. Primrose is smart to hide you here."

Nathaniel frowns at his words. Now that he has some context about what truly happened behind his back, he slowly turns away from the idea of facing his punishment. He is able to understand why Primrose and his parents are willing to go to such lengths to save him, but why bring him here, to Forgotten Hollow?

"Honestly, this is the safest place for you. Remember, House Emberlynn doesn't know the connection between your sister and Caleb Vatore, and Primrose is willing to put herself in the spotlight in order to protect you."

"What do you mean by that?"

Marlin stay silent for a moment, wondering if he should disclose what criticism his pupil would have to face by seeking refuge from House Vatore. Nathaniel still harbors an ill judgment against Caleb and it only proves to be more troublesome if he knows more than he should. But if Nathaniel is willing to listen to what he said, then maybe the blond can at least understand his sister's intention and open his heart to accept the vampire lord…

"Remember that brunette last night?"

"The lady in the fancy dress?"

"Yes, her! That is Inna Cents. It is safe to say that she does not approve of Caleb's relationship with Primrose."

Marlin continues by telling him about the prejudice the noble vampires hold against the raven head and how she might face criticism from them for relying on her close connection with the Vatore family. While she has proven herself to be the worthy mate of Caleb Vatore, the odds are still stacked against her.

"Tsk…then why does she even want to be with him? Is he really that good to the point she can do everything to be with him?"

"Do you want to be with your beloved Ember?" the tense reaction he receives from Nathaniel is the answer he needs and Marlin explains "What you are feeling right now is the same feeling both Primrose and Caleb have. Your sister has done nothing but support you all the way, so consider doing the same thing for her. She has been through enough, as well as Caleb. The moment he chose to shelter you guys, Caleb has inserted himself in the same problem you guys are facing."

Nathaniel doesn't respond to this. He doesn't know what to say, especially when Marlin is looking at him with a serious expression on his face. The fire mage is asking him to see things from his sister's perspective. From the moment he realizes that Primrose is with Caleb Vatore, he does nothing but criticize her choice, believing that she is digging her own grave by accepting the man who once broke her heart.

"The frog in the well knows nothing of the sea, Nathaniel. You will be that frog if you refuse to adapt to changes." Marlin looks at him "Open your heart and see a bigger picture, young man."

The blond wants to see his sister happy, he truly does. He can not bring himself to see Primrose with Caleb Vatore, fearing that history will repeat itself and that she will end up getting hurt again. But Marlin challenges him to see things beyond the scope of his limited belief, telling him that up to this point, no man understands his sister more than Caleb Vatore.

"Good morning…"

A soft groggily voice speaks up, catching their attention. Nathaniel's jaws drop to the ground at the sight while Marlin almost chokes on his gulp of coffee. Primrose is standing in front of them, wearing the same white dress shirt that almost reaches her knees.

"Has anyone seen Caleb?" she asks, rubbing her eyes tiredly "I have not seen him since morning."

The fire mage steals a few glances at the younger Emberlynn, turning away as he prepares for another lashing between the siblings. Nathaniel walks up to her, frantically searching for any sign that indicates his greatest fear, that Caleb Vatore has done something to her.

"P-Prims…D-don't tell me that y-you guys…?"

"Huh?" raising a brow at him, she yanks his hand off the cloth, still very angry at him "Let go, didn't I tell you to not talk to me?"

"Just answer me! Y-you and C-Caleb Vatore slept together last night?"

There is an awkward silence whooshes through them, time stands still as his question hangs in the air, waiting for an answer. Lilith and Kian who just enter the kitchen freeze the moment they hear those words coming out of the blond's mouth. Kian immediately turns away, clearing his throat at the embarrassing topic while the younger Vatore walks up to Primrose, checking to see any proof of what could possibly happened between the raven head and Caleb.

"What are you talking about?"

Primrose stares at them, she is too sleepy for any of this nonsense talk. Steam comes out of Nathaniel's ears as he struggles to find the right word, either his sister is too innocent to understand his question or she is just too sleepy to even care. But the yawning and those tired onyx orbs only confirm his fear even more.

Caleb Vatore, how dare you lay your hands on my sister?

"P-Primrose, uhm…" Lilith tries to phrase her question, addressing the elephant in the room "You were with my brother l-last night?"

"I was, he took me to his room."

Nathaniel slumps onto the marbling tile of the kitchen, mumbling a string of unintelligent words. The younger Vatore turns to her husband, asking for any form of support, but Kian shakes his head, telling her not to continue this embarrassing topic any longer.

While they are all adults, it is still a shocking revelation to everyone. Caleb may have had many partners in the past but he is very careful with Primrose, to think that he and the raven head have reached that stage in their relationship feels almost too good to be true…

Marlin sneaks a few glances at his pupil, scanning up and down to see any evidence of what had transpired in Caleb's room last night. Despite the awkward air around them, he doesn't see anything that supports the wild theory everyone believes to be true.

Primrose knits her brow irritatedly, why is everyone acting so weird around her? All she did last night was sleep…

"What a crowd we have here…"

Nathaniel's head shoots up the moment he hears the familiar voice of Caleb Vatore entering the kitchen. Without a second thought, he rushes to the young lord and yanks the collar of his shirt tightly, the vein on his head is threatened to pop.

"You! What did you do to my sister?"

Kian immediately steps in, trying to pry off the blond's aggressive hold. While it is a shocking revelation, they can not further this topic with violence like this. Both Caleb and Primrose are capable adults who understand their actions, not mere teenagers who act on their hormones.

"N-Nathaniel, I know that you are angry, but you can not start a day with a fight like this."

"This man laid his hands on my sister!" the blond grits his teeth, but his words surprised both Primrose and Caleb "How dare you?"

"Nathaniel, you have it very wrong…" the young lord sweatdrops "Please let go so we can talk like adults…"

"Talk? There is no need for that! Look at her, look at what Primrose is wearing!"

Caleb turns in his beloved's direction, swallowing a lump in his throat when he sees that she is still wearing his white dress shirt. In front of a room full of people, it's not hard to see why they're jumping to conclusions, especially Nathaniel.

"You pervert! You dare to do that to my sister! I will never for-? GYAHH!"

A water torrent hits his face and the blond immediately releases his grip, stumbling back a few steps. Caleb coughs lightly as he fixes his collar, it is a good thing that he is not wearing a tie right now. All eyes fall onto the small raven head as water forms on her hand, the vein on her forehead has finally snapped and Primrose looks even more irritated than ever before.

"You want another fistfight? Come at me then!" she scolds him "I won't hold back this time."

"Prims, you have got to be kidding me!" Nathaniel points a finger at the young lord, retorting defensively "I can not forgive him when he has laid his hands on you."

"What the hell are you talking about?" bewildered, she is even more confused at her brother's words.

"Don't tell me you did not give him any consent." Nathaniel's blood boils as he completely misunderstands her "You pervert, how dare you!"

"Can anyone tell me what the hell is he talking about?"

Primrose, growing even more confused and irritated at her brother's loud voice, breaks the chaotic scene with her question. It is now that Marlin can no longer hold back his amusement and laughs like a madman. The action earns him more attention than he wants as the fire mage makes his way to where Primrose and Nathaniel are, shaking his head at how tactless they all engage in this particular topic. Turning to the young lord, he asks Caleb to explain himself, smirking when he sees a faint blush on his pale skin.

"Now now, Caleb. You and Primrose sure had a wild night, yeah?"

Primrose jumps at his question, her expression goes from confused to realizing to utterly embarrassed at what her mentor's words are. She looks at everyone in the room, they are all convinced that something has happened between her and the vampire lord, and Nathaniel's overreaction further insinuates their belief.

There is a long silence, Caleb is clearing his voice at the embarrassing topic and Primrose is bewildered at how everyone is quick to jump to the conclusion. Steam comes out of her head as she turns crimson, how did she even get herself in this mortified mess?

"M-Marlin! W-what are you talking about?" she stammers, her face is as red as a tomato "N-nothing h-happen between u-us!"

"Oh really? Because you both act like there was something significant happening last night in his room." Marlin continues, smirking amusingly at his pupil's frantic defense.

"What? W-we did nothing of the sort! N-nothing happened, okay?" for a moment, she looks like she is going to cry from humiliation "You all are so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

She cries out and storms out of the room immediately, too embarrassed to even look at Caleb as she walks passes him. The young lord clears his voice again, giving Lilith a look as she nods, following the raven head. Nathaniel raises a brow at his sister's answer, finding it disbelief when she is wearing Caleb's shirt and sleeping in his room last night. But knowing Primrose, she is a very bad liar…

Does that mean…?

"Caleb, did you guys do anything last night?" Kian breaks the awkward silence with his straightforward question.

The young lord looks at them for a few seconds before shaking his head, confirming that the blond's fear is nothing more than his wild imagination. Marlin bursts into laughter again, Nathaniel is baffled at his answer, and Kian places a hand on his shoulder sympathizingly. To have Primrose that close to him and yet nothing happened between them is beyond anyone's thought.

"How long have you guys been together?" Nathaniel asks him.

"Almost six months…"

"And nothing happened?" Kian stares at his brother-in-law, deadpan.

"We're not even in the kissing phase…" the young lord nods, feeling embarrassed at these questions.

Within that moment, his anger and frustration turn into a rather pitiful look. Placing both hands on Caleb's shoulders, the blond can't help but admire the lengths the Head of House Vatore goes to keep his needs in place.

"S-sorry for calling you a pervert…"

"I-it's okay…" the young lord replies, though he is still somewhat embarrassed by the entire situation.

Another day, another awkward moment at the Vatore estate.