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“Emperor’s Smile! I’ll give you a jar, so just pretend you didn’t see me, okay?”
—Were the words that would ultimately seal his fate.
But perhaps Wei Ying should have already anticipated such a thing, from the moment he crossed into the sanctity of Cloud Recesses; and felt golden eyes, sharp and unwavering like those of a hawk, boring into his very being.
As he stood there, perched shakily atop the roof bathed in moonlight, Wei Ying began to feel an unsettling presence behind him.
Who was it?
A Gusu Lan disciple on patrol?
Another young cultivator sneaking out in the night, much like him?
Or perhaps the worst of all, the infamous Lan Qiren, whose cold and unforgiving reputation preceded him?
Whoever it was, there was no one Wei Ying couldn’t charm.
This was only his first night in Cloud Recesses, after all, and Wei Ying was determined not to let anything put a damper on his stay here!
Spinning around, Wei Ying cocked his head to the side, cheekily slipping into his bright megawatt smile that had never once failed him.
He wasn’t prepared for what would greet his eyes, however—
—And so, his pink lips unceremoniously fell apart in a delicate expression of awe.
For what stood across him on the other end of the roof was the very embodiment of ethereal beauty. Long, obsidian-black locks cascaded gracefully in the gentle breeze, framing a face of impeccable symmetry. The boy’s skin was as smooth and flawless as polished jade, and his jaw, already so chiselled strong at his young age. But it was his striking, inhuman eyes that were so riveting and held Wei Ying so captive; shimmering with an otherworldly brilliance that reflected the moonlight like twin pools of liquid gold.
The white forehead ribbon was emblazoned with the unmistakable Lan cloud insignia, immediately giving him away.
One of the family.
Oops. Wei Ying had definitely gotten himself into big trouble this time.
Didn’t Nie Huaisang mention something about the, uh, ah! Twin Jades of Lan? That one of them was much more approachable than the other, and that the other one was never to be crossed?
Wei Ying desperately hoped he had stumbled upon the friendlier of the two, but his instincts told him very much otherwise; it seemed like he had encountered the much less amenable one.
His name was something like Lan… Lan Zhan, wasn’t it?
The one that was placed solely in charge of discipline?
What a fuddy-duddy, Wei Ying thought with a grin. He sure looked like he was in great aching need to discipline me.
For whenever Wei Ying so much as moved, the Lan boy’s jaw only clenched tighter, his eyes hardening with every passing moment.
Ahhh fuck.
How ever was Wei Ying to appease his stoic new company?
Ah, he’s got it!
With one arm extended to offer up a fat jar of Emperor’s Smile, Wei Ying playfully beckoned his new companion over.
“Come on, don’t look so sour, you’re far too handsome for that! I promise I won’t do it again. Just this once, let me off, won’t you?”
Lan Zhan lunged at him with startling speed, drawing his sword from its hilt in such a swift motion that it caught Wei Ying off guard. In his flurry, Wei Ying completely missed the faint pink blush colouring the tips of Lan Zhan’s ears.
Letting out a string of bubbly laughter, Wei Ying skillfully evaded every one of Lan Zhan’s attacks, gracefully dancing across the rooftop. He darted left, swerved right, leaned back, and even had to toss a jar of Emperor’s Smile into the air to dodge one of Lan Zhan’s hits, one that he had to mournfully watch splinter upon Lan Zhan’s precise strikes.
Lan Zhan’s pursuit of him was relentless; he was just so hell-bent on getting his hands on him!
As they continued to spar fiercely, Wei Ying couldn’t help but notice the fiery red determination in Lan Zhan’s eyes—an intense flare he could have almost mistaken for bloodlust.
So much so that he wasn’t even sure if Lan Zhan himself was aware of it.
Wait, this isn’t normal.
In a fleeting moment of surprise, Wei Ying’s footing slipped, causing him to stumble backwards on the rooftop. His balance teetered for a breathless second—right before he felt himself begin to fall.
Is this really how I will meet my end?
But just as Wei Ying braced for impact with the hard roof tiles, Lan Zhan sprang into action. Moving elegantly, he promptly closed the distance, his arms reaching out like a protective shield. One arm swooped beneath Wei Ying’s falling form, cradling his head gently as they landed. At the same time, Lan Zhan’s other hand darted out, fingers curling around the jar of Emperor’s Smile just as it threatened to roll off the edge of the roof.
Wei Ying gazed up to meet those hawkish golden eyes, with his breath catching in his throat, momentarily stunned.
Why did he—save me?
But with Lan Zhan now on top of him, straddling him, their faces mere inches apart, Lan Zhan parted his lips to catch his breath… and caught a whiff of a scent so lethal it appeared as though the boy had been struck with something so fatal.
His golden eyes suddenly widened in an animalistic fashion, revealing a feral intensity that seemed to have taken hold of him inexplicably.
And that was when it hit Wei Ying.
—Alpha
A split second later after Lan Zhan had come to his own realisation of,
—Omega
All of a sudden, like a wave crashing over him, Wei Ying felt himself being pulled right under.
The heady, musky scent of sandalwood immediately assailed his senses, bearing the first traces of an alpha creeping underneath his skin.
The heat emanating from Lan Zhan was becoming increasingly feverish and unbearable, and Wei Ying had only just noticed. With their bodies pressed so closely together, Wei Ying could feel the warmth seeping into every pore, igniting a fire that quickly spread through him like wildfire.
At that moment, Wei Ying felt a dangerous heat coil within the pit of his stomach like never before.
He hadn’t ever experienced a heat in his life, but he recognised its symptoms from having heard about what it was supposed to feel like. He’d first learned about it from his shijie, and then their own private tutors.
—It’ll feel like you’re dying, even if you’re not.
—It’ll feel like absolute death, and ecstacy, at the very same time.
But they only typically presented their secondary genders at eighteen, and the subject of mating and heats had always bored Wei Ying in comparison to his avid fascination with the intricate art of cultivation; and so he hadn’t paid much to the former.
So now, he will pay the price.
Still, deep down inside, his ego had always assumed he would eventually present as an alpha.
And not as an omega, despite the first trickle of slick currently leaking down his thighs that would hint otherwise.
As Wei Ying felt his cheeks flush and his gaze gradually soften to half-lidded, Lan Zhan’s hand remained gently cupped against his cheek, his touch…feeling both tender and possessive. Lan Zhan continued to scrutinise him in a sort of…breathless wonder and admiration, as though keen to inspect the omega that had single-handedly summoned him into his very first rut. The warmth from Lan Zhan’s hand seemed to seep into Wei Ying’s skin, as both of them tried their best to comprehend the intoxicating spell they’d been suddenly put under; and the unexplainable magnetic pull between them.
“Xiongzhang spoke of this,” Lan Zhan muttered quietly to himself, his once steely expression giving way to one filled with—furious? affection and…confusion. “That I would one day encounter the one who would be my undoing, my fated mate. How… could it be you?”
His alpha’s voice was so gentle yet so strong, exuding such confidence and comfort. Wei Ying wouldn’t mind drowning in it one bit. Wei Ying wouldn’t mind drowning in it, forever.
Driven by his omega instinct, Wei Ying leaned further into Lan Zhan’s touch.
“Should it not be me?” Wei Ying purred, locking eyes with Lan Zhan through a haze of desire. He wasn’t even sure what had slipped out of his mouth. His voice was barely audible to his own ears. Everything around him was drowning, drowning, drowning, and Lan Zhan was the only thing that made sense to him in this swelling heat.
His entire body was on fire. His clothes needed to be off of him, stat.
In need of some action, Wei Ying urgently pressed again, hiking his hips up suggestively to meet Lan Zhan’s, oh dear heavens when did his body know how to act like that, and asked coyly of the alpha, “Do you not want me?”
At the sweet sound of that, Lan Zhan’s eyes widened once more—hardening so lustfully until his pupils were turning into two dark swirling pools, his jaw tightening with every ounce of his remaining self-restraint.
Nuzzling into his neck, Lan Zhan pressed his nose against Wei Ying’s skin, desperate to catch another whiff of Wei Ying’s sweet omega scent, one that screamed complete compatibility and demanded for him to take as he pleased. The tip of his nose brushed lightly against Wei Ying’s skin, sending tingles down the omega’s spine.
The voice that comes out of Lan Zhan’s mouth is not his. It is the silent alpha in him, determined to take and breed.
“You smell so lovely,” Lan Zhan whispered to him, burying his nose into Wei Ying’s shoulder. Like a madman, he pawed at the large sleeves covering Wei Ying’s skin, coming this close to ripping it into shreds. Once they’d slipped off of Wei Ying’s bony shoulder, Lan Zhan’s mouth attacked. Latching onto every inch of his exposed shoulder like he was starving, sinking his teeth in everywhere he can reach. “You…How could someone like you exist? You must have been made for me.”
Just like that, he was a goner.
Wei Ying threw back his head with another coy laugh, his hair already coming loose from the high ponytail he had worn all day, long strands cascading around his face like a veil of silk.
“Do you really need a reason just to claim me, gege?”
He wasn’t sure where he was finding this newfound confidence. Perhaps it was out of an avid need to mate with the alpha before him, a great desire to become his.
“No,” came Lan Zhan’s firm and immediate answer, as he impatiently embraced Wei Ying in his arms. As though his very rut doubled as a truth serum to compel him to voice his inner desires, Lan Zhan confessed out loud softly, “You are so very pretty… I must have you.”
But Wei Ying didn’t know that the normal Lan Zhan wouldn’t have ordinarily confessed such a thing, or that even vocalising such thoughts would have been a difficult endeavour for him. Hell, he barely knew the boy at all. For wasn’t this their very first meeting?
“You like me so much, gege?” Wei Ying teased, his silver eyes twinkling mischievously as he met Lan Zhan’s gaze head-on. “You’re so honest, gege, I really like that about you.”
Lan Zhan’s eyes widened again, this time with a hint of embarrassment. Wei Ying kept delightfully surprising him at every turn.
“Then, you will not mind having me…” Lan Zhan swallowed tightly, as he marvelled quietly at Wei Ying’s face. “...As your alpha?”
The warmth surged between them then, the heat climbing up to Wei Ying’s throat with an almost suffocating intensity. Beads of perspiration trickled down his forehead and cheeks, mingling with Lan Zhan’s own as they remained locked in an embrace, their bodies melding together in the shared heat.
With a playful gleam in his eyes, Wei Ying tipped his head up, closing the small distance between them to press a soft, lingering kiss onto Lan Zhan’s cheek.
“Why wouldn’t I, gege? You’re so charming and handsome,” Wei Ying admitted with a haughty grin, fluttering his lashes teasingly up at him. “But I wouldn’t know what to do… So you’ll have to take the lead.”
The ensuing blush that tinged Lan Zhan’s ears and cheeks, Wei Ying actually spotted this time.
Oh, he’s so cute.
“I didn’t pay much attention in classes,” Wei Ying hummed to him, rather unabashedly. “But someone like you would have, wouldn’t you? I’m sure you know all about it. I’ll do whatever you want me to do, alpha.”
“Do not say such things,” Lan Zhan quickly cautioned, his voice low and eyes flashing with a hint of warning. His demeanour was tense, like he was still desperately attempting to hold onto the last strand of self-control. “You…You do not know what you do to me when you speak like that.”
And because Wei Ying is a brat and knows no self-preservation whatsoever, he hikes his knee back up and presses it into Lan Zhan’s stomach, hovering dangerously close to his burning groin.
“Then, how do I make you feel when I do this?”
Oh, those golden eyes of his turned so primal.
With a frustrated growl, Lan Zhan’s hands launched forward, unfastening the sash around his omega’s waist and loosening his tight robes with much urgency. One hand slipped underneath his clothing to hungrily grope Wei Ying’s thigh, while the other peeled open the robes covering his omega’s chest so his erect nipples were fully out on display.
Lan Zhan’s mouth fastened around those nipples, hardening rapidly in the cold air, eliciting lewd-sounding gasps from his omega in response. Wei Ying felt his cock gently rise against the thin cotton with every lick, reacting so beautifully to every flick of Lan Zhan’s wet, impatient tongue.
His alpha was so…so hungry. Mouth sucking and devouring every inch of him that he could get his hands on, rough palms greedily roaming everywhere on his thighs, his legs, pinching and stroking and squeezing every expanse of skin readily flowering red beneath his fingertips. Coating his fingers with every bit of the slick drizzling out of Wei Ying, playing with it like it was honey.
Lan Zhan even paused to suck on a digit or two, only just so he could savour his omega’s exquisite taste. He stifled a low groan in his throat as he did so, his eyes darkening even further with lust.
“Gege, you’re so…” Wei Ying moaned out, lifting his hips just a tad bit higher so his alpha could manhandle him better. Feeling more and more of the warm slick from before dribbling down his inner thighs and seeping down the rest of his slender legs, exposing his arousal.
God, he was acting so wanton.
Once Lan Zhan had had his fill of those small pretty nubs—which he knew would, in time to come, bear milk for his future children—he was nosing his way up into Wei Ying’s chest like a starving animal, kissing all the way up to his neck, where he clumsily left a myriad of love bites and bruises, teeth nipping and tearing at Wei Ying’s pale, unmarked skin, desperate to leave behind evidence of his claim for everyone else to see.
“So pretty, so pliant,” Lan Zhan murmured out, aching to stake his claim over his fated mate. In his drunken daze, he grabbed Wei Ying’s small wrist and brought it to his nose and lips, eagerly breathing in Wei Ying’s scent in increasingly larger doses—like an addict inhaling his favourite drug. His pupils dilate into predatory slits, turning dangerously thin by the second. Exhaling deeply, Lan Zhan dove in for yet another taste, his teeth grazing sharply against the hidden glands in his wrist, any time now ready to sink his teeth in for one fatal bite. “My sweet omega…So soft everywhere, you smell so good. I’m so addicted to your scent. Smelled you from a mile away. Already knew I wanted you…”
The more he breathed in Wei Ying’s omega pheromones, the hornier he got.
Wei Ying felt something so rock hard press into his upper thigh, and he had to contain his gasp.
“You smelled me from a mile away?” Wei Ying asked softly, in disbelief.
“Mm. That I did,” Lan Zhan professed, this time lowering his head onto Wei Ying’s neck so he could rub his mating glands against his. Immediately, Wei Ying felt a rush of protective warmth surround him like a cocoon, his senses overtaken by the overwhelming potency of Lan Zhan’s alpha pheromones. It felt like a soothing, yet powerful tide washing over him, calming his mind and stirring a primal recognition from deep within. Wei Ying didn’t know much, but this he knew—his alpha was scenting him. Lan Zhan continued to mutter incoherently, his words slurred as if he were drunk, “Knew you were my mate… Knew you were already mine.”
Heats not only made omegas pliant; they greatly weakened alphas to their omegas’ charms, leaving them thoroughly enthralled and willingly surrendering everything they had to them. Even through his feverish haze, Wei Ying could discern the unmistakable love and devotion so clear in Lan Zhan’s every glance, word, and action.
Lan Zhan was head over heels for his omega. No, he was way past that point; he was completely obsessed with him.
Perhaps having an alpha is not so bad, or as scary as shijie suggested…?
Wei Ying wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life with such an alpha, actively adoring him at every turn.
“So, you do not even care that I trespassed into Cloud Recesses late at night?” Wei Ying teased his alpha softly. “You do not care that I broke all of those rules, on my way in?”
Will being his omega suddenly absolve him of all of his sins?
“No,” Lan Zhan whispered, lips gently dragging past the skin over Wei Ying’s thin collarbones. “I would not have met you otherwise.”
Wei Ying grinned, his fingers reaching out to toy with the silky strands of Lan Zhan’s hair. “Well, I think we would have met no matter what, once classes began.”
“Then…” Lan Zhan frowned bitterly at the thought. “Then… I would have had to share you with others.”
Wei Ying laughed. The inherent jealousy that coloured his alpha’s voice, it sounded so handsome.
“Then, you’re so lucky that you met me tonight,” Wei Ying’s voice sang to him, looking like an absolute vixen with his bare shoulders exposed, his thin robes having slid down his chest earlier to reveal his cute, perky nipples. “For tonight, alpha, I’m all yours.”
Against the gentle glow of the moonlight, Lan Zhan’s steadfast gaze momentarily wavered, his dark eyes briefly regaining colour for a fleeting second.
How romantic, Wei Ying thought to himself, unable to suppress his smile. How fitting it is, for us to meet each other on a night like this.
Did the universe orchestrate this for us?
The ensuing result of his teasing was Lan Zhan’s hands hastily grabbing Wei Ying’s cheeks with his two hands, pulling him close in a desperate kiss—one that he had yearned for, from the very second he’d met him.
Indeed, how lucky he was, to be able to meet Wei Ying on this fateful night.
The kiss was clumsy, of course. They were two teenagers who had never once been in love, or partaken in any worldly desires. What little knowledge they possessed about overcoming heats and mating was derived solely from what they’d heard from others, or read from forbidden books.
Still, the innate drive pulsing through their very veins, spurring their every thought and action—was undoubtedly guided by the primal rhythms of their instinct and biology.
Every soft kiss, every wet flick of tongue, every quiet groan and light muffled moan escaping from the back of their throats, was the alpha and omega in them chasing after that grave, perilous need for each other. Like if they didn’t have each other to hold onto, they’d die.
And so, even if it was their first ever kiss; and it was sloppy, and incredibly messy, with saliva dripping all over their mouths, it felt like the absolute best.
Wei Ying placed his hands against his alpha’s chest and gladly melted in his arms, surrendering to whatever his alpha so wished of him.
Every kiss filled the emptiness in his heart that he hadn’t realised he had, and left him longing for more, at the same time.
Surprisingly, it was Lan Zhan who first broke the kiss, exhaling direly as though on the verge of collapse.
“I, I need…” Lan Zhan whimpered out, his voice strained with urgency.
His eyes were glazed over, heavily clouded with desire.
His entire body was burning up.
This rut was going to kill him.
Lan Zhan lowered himself against Wei Ying, and Wei Ying felt his heart leap into his throat.
Oh, Heavens. How was his rock hardness twice the size it was before?
Dipping his head over into Wei Ying’s neck, the alpha began unfastening his own robes from down below, until the entirety of his cock sprang free from its clothed restraints at last. Wei Ying could not see it, from where he had been pinned against the roof—but by the Heavens could he feel it.
Nice and long, big and fully erect. The head was rapidly swelling, oozing plenty with precum.
Lan Zhan guided it past Wei Ying’s robes, sliding it in between his sweet, milky upper thighs.
There was not going to be any prep. Neither of them knew of such a thing, anyway—they only knew they frantically wanted to quench the burning desires consuming them both.
When Lan Zhan finally pressed the thick head of it against Wei Ying’s wet entrance, the feel of it gave the omega slight pause.
It was large; huge. Wei Ying was certain it was much bigger than his own, and even bigger than any of the dicks he’d seen while showering with the other male disciples back in Yunmeng after practice.
Was it really going to fit?
“Ah, wait wait wait, gege, I’m not sure, ah it’s so big I’m scared—”
But the enticing feel of Wei Ying’s leaking omega hole, so wet and gaping and already so ready for him, emboldened Lan Zhan to go on.
His alpha didn’t care to be gentle, to go slow, or ask after his omega. He wanted to, he really did; but physically he couldn’t. He’d waited too damn long for this.
“You can take it,” Lan Zhan pressed him down against the roof in a bid to keep him calm, insisting. His eyes had become unfocused, as though already submerged in a hazy trance, determined to have Wei Ying for himself. “You’re going to be a good omega, and take all of it.”
No amount of pleading or begging was going to talk him out of it.
In one swift motion, Lan Zhan thrusted his cock inside of him with a quiet gasp, driving all the way to the very hilt, until he was pressing right against Wei Ying’s womb. Trying to stifle his pleasured groan at the feel of the absolutely delicious drag of his cock, pushing past all of his omega’s tight ring of muscles.
Wei Ying immediately let out a choking sob, helplessly tossing his head back, fingers aimlessly digging into the roof tiles next to him. Turning completely red-faced, Wei Ying felt so—so full—it felt like the head of Lan Zhan’s cock would soon pop out of his small belly—
“Ah, ah, I can’t—it’s so big, alpha, please, I’ll die—”
“You can, Wei Ying,” wait, did he just call my name, “You’re a good omega, you’ll take it for your alpha. You’ll bear my baby, you’ll marry into my clan. I’ve waited all my life for someone like you.”
Huh? Wei Ying could hardly keep his eyes open, overwhelmed by the searing pain of the intense stretch. He’s not used to having anything of this size inside of him, at all!
“What did you, just call me…?”
Quickly reaching up to untie the white ribbon that adorned his own forehead, Lan Zhan carefully brought it down and wound it around Wei Ying’s wrist, as he readied his vow to his omega: “My name is Lan Zhan, courtesy name Lan Wangji. As the Second Young Master of the Gusu Lan Clan, I will take responsibility. There is nothing you could possibly want that I cannot give. I will ensure your happiness in Cloud Recesses.”
“Lan, Lan Zhan…?” Wei Ying tearfully moaned out, missing the way his alpha’s face lit up at the very sound of his name being called so sweetly by his omega for the first time. But Wei Ying was turning so dizzy, and all he could do while pinned underneath his alpha’s strength was whine pitifully and instinctively spread his legs even wider, in hopes of being able to better accommodate his alpha’s incoming knot. Slick continued to pour down his thighs with no signs of stopping, coating his skin and robes in a sweaty, sticky mess.
Gently taking Wei Ying’s hands into his own, Lan Zhan guided them to rest against his neck, inviting Wei Ying to hold on and cling to him for support. Wei Ying obediently encircled his arms around his neck tightly, savouring the gentle caress of the ribbon as it flowed from his wrist, as he felt his alpha begin to pull his cock back out of him—excruciatingly slowly, like he was enjoying every second of it. It must feel good for his alpha, with the way he was shutting his eyes and biting his lip and groaning at every bit of the tight sensation. Wei Ying’s stubborn, virgin muscles fought him every step of the way, doubling the pleasure for him.
Wei Ying thought his alpha looked so remarkably handsome, in spite of it all.
He knew he wasn’t going to be afforded the time and space to get used to the searing stretch; he could feel Lan Zhan’s cock eagerly pumping inside of him, all of his blood already rushing to its head. His alpha was now in his full-fledged rut, and there was no stopping or waiting purely for his omega’s comfort.
“Wei Ying, I like you so much,” Lan Zhan cooed to him as he began to fuck him, planting soft, gentle kisses down his neck where he was desperate to mark. “I’ll take good care of you, just let me do all the work. You’re too beautiful to have to do anything. Leave it to your alpha.”
Wei Ying’s heart stirred at his words; were all alphas so naturally protective and good to their omegas? Somehow, the gentleness of his sweet affections towards him was making Wei Ying even more pliant, and grow even wetter. Wei Ying whimpered as he felt another gush of slick spill down his thighs, against his very own volition.
As he clung on even tighter to his alpha, Lan Zhan started to fuck him in a way that… was making Wei Ying feel so utterly good. He didn’t know if it was his body finally acclimatising to the foreign touches of his chosen alpha, or if it’d been the sweet tenderness of Lan Zhan, treating him so delicately like he was some prized jewel; but the pain was soon mixing with undeniable pleasure, as his body began responding avidly to every single one of Lan Zhan’s touches.
Shijie… Shijie had definitely neglected to mention how pleasurable the mating process would feel!
Lan Zhan fucked him without caution, devoid of any beat or rhythm, moving according to his own will and whatever felt good for him. They’d have plenty of time to perfect their fucking in days to come; what Lan Zhan wanted was to relieve them both of this scorching ache plaguing both their souls, desperate for release.
“Haa… Haa… Wei Ying…” Do not worry, I will take care of you, were the words left unsaid.
The alpha kept his mouth occupied, kissing, licking, and nibbling on every patch of unmarred skin, from Wei Ying’s chest to his neck to his shoulders. His hips were kept equally busy. He bucked them forward at a relentless pace, slamming back inside of his omega over again and again until Wei Ying’s mind was completely blanking.
“Ah, ah, ah, Lan Zhan, alpha, it feels, nnngh, good, so good, aah…!”
Hooking his lithe legs over Lan Zhan’s back, Wei Ying was a noisy, mewling mess, but the wet sounds of Lan Zhan fucking into him with slick covering his cock were even louder, echoing in the deep silence of the night. In the back of his mind, Wei Ying vaguely remembered they were still atop a roof, situated right at the very entrance where anyone could walk in anytime. Still, they were nestled high up in the mountains, and they were located a good distance from all of the guest rooms, well into the late hours past the mandated bed time. Perhaps that was the reason they had yet to be discovered—thanks to the insane three thousand Gusu Lan Clan rules.
Maybe they held some sort of merit, after all…
The only person who’d ever discover them was the designated disciple on patrol, and said disciple was currently fucking his dick inside of him with much fervour and vigour.
So, it seemed like they were good.
“Ha…” came a low hiss from his alpha, sounding like he was nearing his limits. Without a word, he suddenly grabbed Wei Ying’s shoulders and flipped him over, gently pushing him onto his stomach. Before Wei Ying could even make sense of what was happening to him, Lan Zhan’s hands were seizing hold of his naked ass, lifting his hips into the air and bending him over until he was forming a sensual arch with his back, granting him easy access to his leaking hole again.
Plunging his cock back inside of him, all the way until the curve of his cock was protruding just slightly from Wei Ying’s soft belly once more, Lan Zhan panted as he nuzzled into Wei Ying’s neck, scenting him.
“I’ve read that it’s more comfortable for you if we knot like this,” he murmured, with his hot breaths airing onto Wei Ying’s skin. “They say it hurts, but you’re so wet, I think it’ll feel good for you.”
Wei Ying chewed against his lips—already bruised red from the rough kissing earlier—and swallowed his moan at the thought of what was to come. He didn’t even know how it’d feel like, or what being knotted meant, but every part of his body already ached for it, demanded for it.
“Is this how I’ll have your baby?” Wei Ying apprehensively asked his alpha, trying to contain his shiver as Lan Zhan gently pushed his hair aside and sniffed down his exposed neck once more. His alpha couldn’t seem to stop inhaling his sweet omega scent, so utterly consumed by it.
“Yes,” Lan Zhan answered, his hand gently reaching over to grab for Wei Ying’s chin, drawing him in for one final kiss. He began to pick up the pace again, fucking deeply into him. “You’ll bear me more than one, I’ll make sure of it.”
He only broke away from the kiss with another sharp hiss when he felt the knot slowly start to form, swelling bigger and bigger with each fervent thrust.
Canine teeth began to extend from the back of his mouth as the alpha within him slowly took over, gradually asserting control. He hunched over with a soft gasp, gripping his omega tight within his hold.
“Ah, alpha, I…” Wei Ying gasped, feeling a feverish ache like never before, deep down in the pits of his belly—no, that must be his womb. “I… I want…”
His womb was already so full, and yet it felt like it could be even fuller. There was space, his biology tried to scream at him. There was space for more, more, more…
“Haa…” Lan Zhan grunted out, knowing he was so close. He ordered of his sweet and pliant omega, “Tell me what you want, Wei Ying.”
Wei Ying could hardly breathe at this point, with the way he was being clenched so possessively tight his alpha was sure to leave bruises on his skin. Lan Zhan’s dick was growing to such a monstrous size inside of him, leaving Wei Ying with little space for his belly to contain his breaths.
He still managed to stammer out though, crying and whining for more, “Lan Zhan, I, I need your knot, please—!”
“I will never let you leave Gusu, my love,” Lan Zhan whispered into his neck, just as Wei Ying tipped his head back, baring himself entirely to his alpha. He didn’t need to be told what to do—his omega body reacted on pure instinct. “Not now, not ever. You’re mine, forever.”
Those long alpha canines of his protrude the very same time he came deep inside of his omega, allowing him to finally sink them into Wei Ying’s glands, marking him for good. The sharp pang of pain intertwined with a surge of euphoria as their blood mingled, sealing their bond for all eternity. Wei Ying’s eyes rolled back in sheer ecstasy as he let out a high-pitched whine, feeling his dick start to spurt at the pleasurable feeling of being claimed.
“Nngh… nngh, ah, ah, Lan, Lan Zhaan…!”
Lan Zhan’s cock inflated to impossible lengths inside of him, locking into him and finally giving him the knot he so promised. Wei Ying was not prepared for how much he’d enjoy being knotted. As streaks of blood trickled down his neck, and with his soft belly fully distended, a greatly weakened Wei Ying was drawn tightly into his alpha’s embrace—adamant on hugging his one and only omega rather possessively with no plans to ever let him go.
It took some time, but very soon the mingling of their scents bore fruit. Wei Ying’s sweet omega aroma had become heavily dulled by his alpha’s overpowering scent, now blending with the musky undertones of sandalwood.
After this night, Wei Ying would no longer smell of sweet, omega innocence—instead, he’d carry the scent of a mated one, and one that was so distinguishably Lan Zhan’s.
The knot took an even longer time to go down. Wei Ying couldn’t fault his alpha; their biology was making sure his seed would take. In the meantime, Lan Zhan was eager to shower him with plenty of kisses and tender caresses, and whisper sweet nothings into his ear.
With their heats finally subsiding, their minds were slowly clearing up, and they were able to regain a semblance of the rationality they had before.
He thought Lan Zhan might come to his senses and perhaps even regret what he’d done, but there was nothing of that sort. No, instead, Lan Zhan appeared even more resolved to pledge his undying devotion to Wei Ying, and promise him all sorts of things.
“I will not change my mind about you,” Lan Zhan handsomely vowed to him, planting a soft kiss atop his forehead. “This is all I have ever wanted. I will not ever let you down. Do you trust me?”
Wei Ying’s breaths escaped him in small, slow puffs as he suddenly remembered to ask of him, while tugging at the ribbon still wrapped tightly around his wrist, “How… How do you know my name?”
Lan Zhan paused, as he hid a quiet smile to himself. “My uncle warned me about you,” he admitted softly. “He said you’d be nothing but trouble.”
Wei Ying held back a laugh as he voiced out in confirmation, “Lan Qiren?”
“Yes,” Lan Zhan answered, nuzzling into the crook of Wei Ying’s neck. “He wanted me to watch you, and get ready to discipline you, just in case.”
“Mmm,” Wei Ying cheekily rubbed his cheek against Lan Zhan’s. “And I’ve been so disciplined, Lan er-gege.”
Lan Zhan didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed. Lan Zha’s fingers delicately brushed aside the stray strands of Wei Ying’s hair from his face, his voice quiet as he asked, “Are you scared?”
“Mmm?” Wei Ying questioned. “Of what?”
“Of my uncle. Or—what is to come. The rest that will undoubtedly follow, from…this,” Lan Zhan exhaled sharply. He attempted to shift, but found his body still firmly lodged in its position, his knot nowhere near deflating. Wei Ying whimpered softly at the sensation of their skin brushing together, sweat clinging between them. Heavens, they must smell so bad to everyone else. But they smelled absolutely heavenly to each other.
Wei Ying absolutely basked in his scent, as Lan Zhan did his.
“I’m not scared,” Wei Ying sulked.
Actually, he just hadn’t had the time to think about it. But now that he had… Ah, fuck. How was shijie going to react to this? Jiang Cheng? Jiang-shushu? And worst of all, Madam Yu? What the hell was he going to tell all of them?
‘Hey everyone, I went ahead and got mated on top of a roof on my first night in Cloud Recesses… but it’s all okay because it’s to the esteemed Second Young Master of Gusu Lan! I did good, right?’
Maybe, just maybe, they’d ease up on him then…?
…Yeah, fat chance.
Jiang Cheng would be the first to get on his case, for sure.
“Okay, fine. Maybe a tiny bit,” Wei Ying finally said. “But it’s all cool. I’ll find a way to deal with it.”
Worry creased Lan Zhan’s brow as he considered the situation carefully. After a brief moment of thought, he suggested quietly, “Perhaps we should refrain from telling the others just yet… Would Wei Ying prefer that?”
Wei Ying blinked in surprise. “Ah, you would do such a thing for me?”
Lan Zhan nodded solemnly. “Yes. You’re concerned it might get you off to a bad start here, aren’t you?” When Wei Ying failed to respond, looking too apprehensive to, Lan Zhan bit his lip, continuing, “After all, it has barely been a day. We have not begun our lessons, and already we are embroiled in this. And,” his voice was tinged with regret, his gaze quickly turning mournful. “I am conscious of the fact that you hardly know me, and probably still consider me a stranger.”
Wei Ying immediately hastened to say, “That’s not it—you know I don’t regret our situation. At all. It’s what I wanted; both of us, wanted.”
Lan Zhan seemed relieved to hear that, yet out of consideration for his omega, he continued with his proposition.
“Perhaps it would be beneficial for us to take some time, maybe a week, to get to know each other,” he suggested calmly, his gaze steady and earnest. “After a week, we can inform the elders of our bond. It might be less shocking for them if we choose to wait a bit, rather than informing them right away tomorrow morning.”
That, Wei Ying could agree with.
But as Wei Ying nodded back on to him, he couldn’t help but notice a shadow of concern crossing Lan Zhan’s eyes.
"What's on your mind?" Wei Ying asked softly.
Their bond was new, the mark on his neck still fresh and stinging. Yet Wei Ying could already feel every tug of Lan Zhan’s heart, every painful squeeze, as if it were his own, now that their emotions were fully intertwined.
How convenient, Wei Ying thought. He had ready access to how Lan Zhan was feeling at any given time, whether he liked it or not.
“I…” Lan Zhan’s voice trailed off, too afraid to admit. Finally, he relented, albeit nervously. “I hope you will not change your mind.”
Wei Ying’s eyes widened. Lan Zhan had been worried about that?
“I cannot change our fates,” Wei Ying thought the idea was ludicrous. “We are permanently bonded, forevermore.”
Lan Zhan fell silent for a moment before speaking. “You can still reject our bond, especially in these early stages,” he said quietly, “But it is with my greatest hope that you do not.”
Wei Ying chuckled wryly at the notion. Where else was he going to find a mate as compatible, as attractive and as honourable as Lan Zhan? “Lan Zhan, I’d be a complete fool to reject you.”
Lan Zhan must have been happy to hear that, for his eyes were finally gleaming bright with a sense of relief.
Before this, Wei Ying had never given much thought to the kind of person he’d have as a mate. If asked about his ideal type, Wei Ying might have said a fair maiden who was pleasant enough on the eyes, and who would actively seek his protection. But that sounded way too superficial, didn’t it? Perhaps Wei Ying was simply parroting words he thought people would want to hear. Wei Ying always liked saving the weak; but on some level, deep down inside, Wei Ying wouldn’t have minded someone who would have equally liked to save him, too.
Besides, if he were in search of some ethereal beauty, wouldn’t Lan Zhan already be more than qualified?
Not only that, but he was so tall, and so strong, and he treated Wei Ying so gently like none other. No one in this world, except perhaps shijie, but she was family.
So, Wei Ying decided: Lan Zhan really was the best possible choice for him out there, in every shape or form. Far surpassed his expectations, even, if he was being honest.
Plus, even if he barely knew the boy, he already knew they were compatible biologically. Why would the Heavens have destined Lan Zhan for him, if they weren’t meant for each other?
Ah, Lan Zhan was so foolish for even considering the alternative!
What a silly boy.
As the night grew colder, a chill wind began to sweep through the air.
Wei Ying shivered slightly, as he felt himself exposed to the biting cold.
Without hesitation, Lan Zhan hurriedly moved closer, draping his own robe around Wei Ying’s naked shoulders.
Huddled together under a single cloak, Wei Ying nestled his head against Lan Zhan’s chest, curling up against him desperately for warmth.
And, even as Lan Zhan’s knot gradually deflated, and cum slowly dried on Wei Ying’s inner thighs, they continued to lay there.
“Do you think Lan Qiren will wake up in a few hours and find us here and get a heart attack,” Wei Ying mused sleepily under his breath.
A faint smile tugged at Lan Zhan’s lips at the thought. “I will take full responsibility if that happens,” he sweetly promised him.
His newfound alpha’s sense of humour really isn’t that bad, was Wei Ying’s final thought before he finally drifted off to sleep.
Come morning, I hope nothing will change between us.
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.
.
It was a miracle Wei Ying even woke up in time for class.
Nie Huaisang was already waiting eagerly for him and Jiang Cheng at the front doors of Lanshi, standing on tiptoe to wave enthusiastically at them as they approached from a distance.
“Wei-xiong! Jiang-xiong!” His voice carried across the bridge, where they were standing.
“Eh? Huaisang ah!” Wei Ying chuckled in happy recognition, hastening his steps to greet his friend with a wide grin.
Jiang Cheng muttered irritably under his breath, “Yeah, go ahead, get far far away from me. You’ve stunk ever since you woke up this morning!”
“Hey!” Wei Ying protested, halting in his tracks. He lifted his sleeves and made a big show out of sniffing himself. “I swear I showered this morning!”
“Well, then, it’s clearly not enough,” Jiang Cheng scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You smell even worse than usual, Wei Wuxian!”
Stopping just short in front of Nie Huaisang, Wei Ying gleefully greeted with a playful tilt of his head, his high ponytail falling cutely to the side as he did so, “Huaisang~!”
Nie Huaisang wrinkled his nose as he approached, reaching up to pinch at the tip of it. “Wow, Wei-xiong! Jiang-xiong is right! You smell... so different!”
“Eh?” Wei Ying frowned, clearly self-conscious now that two people had confirmed his bad odour. His brows furrowed with genuine concern, as he raised his sleeve to sniff himself once more. “Ah, I really don’t smell anything! Is it that bad?”
Nie Huaisang felt sorry for Wei Ying and said, “It’s not completely bad! It’s just... very overpowering and pungent. Not the usual light floral scent you have. It’s just very different, that’s all!”
“Ah....” Wei Ying sheepishly scratched at his head, reflecting on the events from last night. He shamefully admitted aloud, “It might have been from the alcohol…”
“Hey!” Jiang Cheng’s voice barked from behind as he finally caught up with them. “What alcohol?! Wei Wuxian, did you sneak out last night? Don’t tell me you’ve already broken a rule, and it’s not even been a full day in Cloud Recesses?!”
Wei Ying let out a nervous laugh at that. “Uh, it was definitely more than one…”
They must have broken every rule in Cloud Recesses, last night.
Nie Huaisang appeared genuinely alarmed on Wei Ying’s behalf, his eyes widening as he snapped open his fan to conceal his shock. “Wei-xiong! You dared to do such a thing? I heard Lan Wangji had just returned to Gusu last night. Weren’t you afraid of him patrolling the premises and catching you?”
When Wei Ying continued to nervously laugh and evade answering the question, Nie Huaisang’s face grew even paler. He quickly put two and two together. “Don’t tell me—you met him last night!”
Jiang Cheng’s hands flew to his face in exasperation. “Wei Wuxian, if Lan Wangji reports your behaviour to a-niang and a-die, you’re dead!”
Lan Zhan would be speaking with the Jiang elders soon, for sure. Just not in the way that Jiang Cheng would expect…
“Hahahaha,” Wei Ying continued to skirt around the topic, coyly twirling a strand of hair as he did so. “Well, I’m still standing here, aren’t I?”
Nie Huaisang snapped shut his fan, his eyes wide with awe at the revelation. “Wei-xiong, how did you manage to escape Lan Wangji’s strict discipline, unscathed? He caught me once playing with a bird, and sentenced me to an entire day of copying scriptures in the library pavilion!”
“Hehe,” Wei Ying teased, tossing his ponytail with a smirk. “Actually, Lan Zhan’s not so bad. He was pretty nice to me!”
“Huh,” Jiang Cheng, who had gone momentarily silent, remembered something all of a sudden. “Wait, does this explain the marks I found all over your neck this morning? You look like you got mauled by a dog. Was that part of Lan Wangji’s punishment for you?”
Of course a virgin like Jiang Cheng wouldn’t have been able to recognise any of it!
Nie Huaisang’s eyes immediately sparked with suspicion as he stepped forward to closely scrutinise Wei Ying. “Eh, what’s going on, Wei-xiong? Let me take a look!”
Before Wei Ying could respond, a voice as smooth and silent as a drifting cloud interrupted them.
“No loitering outside in Cloud Recesses.”
Lan Zhan’s footsteps had been so silent, no one had noticed he’d already made his way here!
Nie Huaisang instinctively raised his fan to his face, trembling slightly as he looked up to meet Lan Zhan’s fearsome golden eyes.
“Aaah!” he exclaimed in fright, quickly backing away. Desperate to avoid another stint in the Library Pavilion, he pleaded with him frantically, “Second Young Master Lan! I was wrong!”
But Lan Zhan was barely concerned with him.
In fact, he paid little heed to anyone else—but Wei Ying.
His gaze was completely riveted on the boy, who stood before him with a sheepish grin.
“Heyyy… Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying awkwardly called out, his behaviour just a touch stranger than usual, leading Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang to exchange bewildered glances. What was with this sudden weirdness?
Taking a calm step forward, Lan Zhan’s hand suddenly reached out, causing Wei Ying’s eyes to widen in surprise. What happened to keeping their relationship secret?! Had all of that gone out of the window, now?!
Yet, Lan Zhan paused just shy of adjusting Wei Ying’s collar, gently lifting it with a touch so delicate—it was a complete one-eighty from his earlier sternness.
“Your collar,” Lan Zhan murmured softly to him, his voice now carrying a warmth that was completely absent moments ago, “It’s too low.”
Wei Ying’s nerves prickled as he realised how close Lan Zhan was getting. “Ah, yeah…” he hurriedly responded, feeling a slight flush creep up his neck…suddenly recalling every intimate thing Lan Zhan had done to him last night. “I was in a rush to get ready this morning. Thanks for letting me know, Lan Zhan.”
“It’s no problem,” Lan Zhan assured him, his lips curving softly into a rare smile, before quickly disappearing beneath his usual stoic front. “Please remember to cover up, it is getting cold. ”
Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang baulked at the unexpected sight. “Why—How!”
When had Lan Zhan and Wei Ying gotten so close?!
As if conscious of their wide-eyed stares from behind, Lan Zhan briefly glanced back at them before turning his attention back to Wei Ying. He gently reminded him with a soft touch on the shoulder, “Wei Ying, class is about to begin. Shufu will not be pleased if you are late.”
“Ah, you’re always right, Lan Zhan…” Wei Ying then, rather uncharacteristically, shied away from his gaze.
Why was he feeling so hot, suddenly?! Simply being touched by Lan Zhan—couldn’t be triggering his very heat again, could it?! His face was heating up, his neck was flushing, and the rest of his body felt like it was burning up.
Every second spent with Lan Zhan… felt like boiling torture!
Before anyone could catch on, Wei Ying hurriedly made his move, slipping away from Lan Zhan’s grasp and hurrying forth into Lanshi.
“I’ll save us all seats!” he called out over his shoulder to Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang, not bothering to even glance back at them.
Jiang Cheng continued to stand there, perplexed, while Nie Huaisang stifled a soft chuckle behind his fan.
As they began to follow behind Lan Zhan, Jiang Cheng nudged Nie Huaisang and whispered urgently to him, “Hey, what’s so funny?”
Nie Huaisang fought to compose himself, struggling to keep a straight face. “Oh, nothing,” he attempted to reply casually. “It’s just that…Second Young Master Lan walked past me earlier, and I happened to catch a whiff of his scent.”
Jiang Cheng frowned, confused. “So what? Don’t tell me, he smelled like he hadn’t showered too?”
Nie Huaisang broke into a mischievous grin. “Yeah… something like that.”
.
.
.
“...Zhan, Lan Zhan, I can’t, aah, aah, you’re so mean…!”
Slumped against a bookshelf, Wei Ying’s hands were presently raised over his head, his thin wrists bound together by a long white ribbon. Once again, his robes had slipped down from his shoulders, draping loosely across his chest, exposing his taut nipples to the air. The rest of his robes had been hiked up to his small waist, granting Lan Zhan the perfect view of his tight, supple ass. Those long, thick fingers of his dug into the milky flesh of Wei Ying’s buttocks, his large palm cupping the round curve of Wei Ying’s cheeks perfectly.
Gripping onto Wei Ying tight, Lan Zhan snapped his hips brutally forward, fucking him in an equally hurried but slightly more coordinated rhythm than last night. Alpha and omega pheromones stank up the entire library as their quiet groans and lewd moans filled the air, accompanied by the occasional loud slapping of skin meeting skin. Wei Ying clenched onto the bookshelf for dear life, arching against it in such a sensual, feline manner, grateful for how the books partially shield his blushing cheeks from view.
“Nnngh, aah, aah, Lan Zhaan, please, go easy on me…!”
“Wei Ying deserves to be punished,” Lan Zhan told him, breathing raggedly through gritted teeth, more so from the pleasure he got from the delicious squeezing of Wei Ying’s muscles stubbornly fighting him, clenching all around him and making him feel so good he was seeing stars, than anything else. “Wei Ying was giving shufu nonsensical answers in class. Such behaviour cannot be rewarded.”
“Aah, it was just a thought, I was just joking…” Wei Ying whimpered out, as Lan Zhan gave a particularly hard slam into him, right into his omega’s deepest spots. “Of… Of course I won’t want to bring the dead back to life!”
“It does not matter,” Lan Zhan’s tone sounded unusually smug. “Bratty words deserve bratty consequences. Wei Ying is in my hands now, reaping what he sowed.”
Now why did he sound so glad to be able to be dishing such a punishment?
“Lan Zhaan, I hate you, aah,” All of a sudden, Wei Ying felt a strong grip on his cheek, pulling him roughly backward to face Lan Zhan. Their lips collided brutally in a fierce and urgent kiss, as though Lan Zhan were desperate to suck the very soul out of him. “Nngh, nnn, Lanmmff—!”
Lan Zhan broke the kiss with a hooded gaze, heavy with longing and desperation in his eyes, seemingly just to say, “You cannot hate me. You cannot loathe me. I will not allow it.”
Wei Ying’s heart skipped a beat, as he felt palpable fear begin to ooze out of Lan Zhan’s scent.
“Ah... alpha,” he breathed out, his voice soft and reassuring as he nuzzled back against his alpha’s neck. “You know I could never hate you.”
“Then you should not say such things, lest I get the wrong idea,” Lan Zhan frowned, his hand still tenderly cupping Wei Ying’s cheek. “Do not toy with my heart like that.”
Wei Ying almost swooned. Fluttering his eyes back up to him, Wei Ying playfully sang out, “Lan Zhaan, I was wrong… For that, I deserve to be punished even more.”
A dark intensity gripped Lan Zhan’s eyes at what he’d just heard leave Wei Ying’s potty mouth, having been granted permission to do his worst.
“Then, mark your words.”
.
.
.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, over here!”
Wei Ying’s frantic wave caught Lan Zhan’s attention the very minute he stepped into the bustling dining hall.
Lan Zhan did not normally eat with the other disciples, preferring to take his meals in solitude within his chambers so he could meditate right afterwards. However, ever since Wei Ying entered Cloud Recesses, and by extension, his life, the omega had turned everything topsy-turvy, including the old routines Lan Zhan used to cherish.
Lan Zhan did not particularly mind this.
Now that they were mated, he was physically unable to be apart from Wei Ying for too long. It wasn’t his biology that demanded such a restrictive thing of him; he simply couldn’t bear to. His heart yearned to be by Wei Ying’s side every second of the day, and he would have done so if his clan obligations did not pull him away every now and then throughout the day.
Still, he managed to steal moments away to be with Wei Ying whenever possible.
And while he maintained his distaste for the company of others, particularly the irksome Jiang heir who seemed to grow irate with him with each encounter, Lan Zhan treasured the simple pleasure of sharing afternoon meals with Wei Ying.
As he made a beeline for Wei Ying’s table, he witnessed his omega deliberately shoving Jiang Cheng out of the way to make room for his mate.
“Lan Zhaan! Break time is almost over, where did you disappear to?”
Lan Zhan pursed his lips as he took his seat in between the disgruntled Jiang heir and his omega, and dutifully answered his mate, “Shufu wanted me to head to Caiyi to run a small errand for him.”
“Woah, so you trekked down the mountain in such sweltering heat!” Wei Ying exclaimed, brimming with sympathy for his alpha. Without giving it any further thought, Wei Ying reached across the table, his hand extending instinctively to gently rub his wrist against Lan Zhan’s, imparting his scent as a small, tender gesture of comfort. It didn’t even occur to him how he knew to do such a thing—it just felt right!
“Aw, you poor thing. Lan Zhan, let’s go catch pheasants after class. If you don’t know how to, I’ll teach you!”
Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang nearly choked on their food at the very sight.
“Wei-xiong…” Nie Huaisang stared in disbelief. “What… What are you doing with Second Young Master Lan?”
This was an act that only mated alphas and omegas did!
And to his knowledge, none of them had yet presented!
(Of course, deep down inside, he was already suspecting otherwise…)
Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng had become increasingly distracted by the red marks he noticed on Wei Ying’s wrists.
“Hey,” Jiang Cheng squinted, leaning forward and forcefully grasping Wei Ying’s wrist into his hands to examine the marks more closely. “When did you bruise your wrists? What are all these red indentations? Were these part of Lan Wangji’s punishment for you yesterday at the Library Pavilion?!”
“Do not touch him.”
Lan Zhan’s voice sliced through the air, commanding. It was a warning; he wasn’t asking.
Immediately, he slapped Jiang Cheng’s hands away with a displeased grunt rumbling under his breath.
“Mind yourself,” Lan Zhan instructed firmly, with a piercing gaze—and a voice that felt almost menacingly overpowering.
Alpha, Wei Ying realised. It was his alpha speaking.
“What the hell was that?” Jiang Cheng hissed back in reply, ready to stand up and retaliate.
But Wei Ying recognised all too well the signs of his alpha asserting his territorial boundaries.
“Alright, alright,” Wei Ying quickly interjected, trying to defuse the tension. Turning to Lan Zhan, he spoke in a soft and gentle voice, hoping to calm him down. “A-Cheng didn’t mean anything by it, Lan Zhan.”
Nie Huaisang must have picked up on the tension as well, for he was speedily getting up from the table and taking Jiang Cheng by the hands, leading him away.
“Jiang-xiong, class is starting anyway!”
Wei Ying quickly bid Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang goodbye, promising that he would catch up with them later, his eyes lingering on them briefly before returning to meet Lan Zhan’s gaze.
“Lan Zhan, your pheromones…” He hurriedly pointed out, his whisper laden with concern.
His scent was growing more potent by the moment, permeating the air around them and edging dangerously close to revealing their secret. At this rate, they’d be found out.
Lan Zhan frowned deeply as he struggled to get them under control.
“Jiang Wanyin,” Lan Zhan asked rather stiffly out of the blue, “Has he presented?”
“Eh? Huh? No…” Wei Ying replied, puzzled by the sudden question. “Not yet. I thought that only happened when we turned eighteen. I was under the impression our heats had come early…”
“I see,” Lan Zhan said. “Regardless, his scent is displeasing to me.”
“Ah,” Wei Ying quietly noted.
Didn’t… alphas heavily detest the smell of other alphas? Might that indicate Jiang Cheng’s incoming secondary gender? Perhaps that meant he’d really present as an alpha, as he’d always wanted…
Whatever it was, Wei Ying can only hope he hadn’t accidentally given away their relationship earlier. Why had he impulsively chosen to rub his wrist against Lan Zhan’s?! Now he was the one acting like a fuddy-duddy.
As though sensing Wei Ying’s thoughts, Lan Zhan admitted quietly to him, “I do not enjoy hiding.”
Wei Ying sighed wistfully, a smile playing on his lips. “Me neither.”
“Perhaps…” Lan Zhan began, his voice trailing off in contemplation.
But the bell signalling the start of classes rang then, cutting their conversation short as they hurried off.
.
.
.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, over here!”
In between and after classes, they tried to find time to meet secretly.
It was increasingly becoming a challenge to sneak around Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng, in particular the latter, who seemed determined to shadow Wei Ying relentlessly in a bid to make sure that Lan Zhan was nowhere in sight. Fortunately, Nie Huaisang was able to catch a hint and managed to whisk Jiang Cheng away this afternoon for a short trip out to Caiyi.
Wei Ying had carefully tucked a note into Lan Zhan’s pocket earlier during class, directing him to meet underneath the large tree behind a secluded bridge in the far reaches of Cloud Recesses—a spot rarely frequented by visitors. Lan Zhan should be done with his errands anytime now, and would soon make his way here.
Anticipation fluttered in his chest as Wei Ying laid out a straw mat behind said tree, as well as the few vegetarian buns he’d stolen from the Lan clan’s kitchen. Everything was set for their cute little rendezvous, where they could finally steal a few precious moments together for themselves.
The moment the faint rustling of a leaf in the distance reached his ears, a bright smile instantly spread across Wei Ying’s face as he looked up and eagerly waved Lan Zhan over.
Running was not allowed in Cloud Recesses, but Lan Zhan had long set aside every single rule in this godforsaken place for Wei Ying, anyway. He did not break into a run, but his steps quickened with much purpose as he hastened toward his beloved.
“Wei Ying,” he called out softly, breathlessly, hands outstretched to cradle his omega’s sweet face.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying exclaimed in response, playful affection in his voice as he tipped up on his toes so he could wrap his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck. “You’re just on time!”
Lan Zhan’s lips curved into a small smile, one that he only allowed in the presence of Wei Ying—and no one else. “You managed to shirk away the others.”
“Yeah,” Wei Ying chuckled softly. “It’s not been easy, I tell you! Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng are watching me like hawks. I think they’re onto us.”
Lan Zhan hesitated, his gaze clouded with concern. “This week has been more challenging than expected…”
“Mmm, but not for long,” Wei Ying reassured, grinning back up at him. “Don’t worry about me, Lan Zhan.”
Whenever they found themselves alone in moments like these, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them.
Lan Zhan gently took Wei Ying’s hand in his own, basking in the warmth and familiar touch that never failed to bring him comfort. Bringing Wei Ying’s wrist to his nose, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, savouring the faint scent that was so uniquely Wei Ying—a blend of sunshine and mischief, of wildflowers and laughter.
“My omega,” Lan Zhan murmured softly, his eyes drifting shut as he pressed a gentle kiss to the delicate skin of Wei Ying’s wrist.
Ah, Wei Ying thought, feeling his heart race in his chest. I like this boy so much!
As if surrendering to his alpha’s instinctive urge, Lan Zhan kissed a trail from Wei Ying’s wrist down his slender arm, his mouth lingering tenderly at the tip of his omega’s shoulder.
Wei Ying couldn’t help but feel his cheeks warm with a blush. “Ahh, Lan Zhaan…”
“How do you like Cloud Recesses so far,” Lan Zhan asked. “Have you given thought to it? It will soon be your home, so I hope you will like it.”
Wei Ying pondered for a moment before replying, “Well, it’s very different from Yunmeng, for sure! Everyone seems friendly enough, but the food could use a bit more flavour, and there are so many rules…”
Lan Zhan frowned upon hearing Wei Ying’s words. Leaning in closer, he suggested softly, “When there is no one around, perhaps I will allow the sneaking of an Emperor’s Smile or two into the jingshi.”
“The jingshi?” Wei Ying’s eyes brightened with curiosity. “Are those your quarters?”
“Yes,” Lan Zhan hummed. “Perhaps I will take you there sometime. Perhaps after this week…”
Wei Ying’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I’d love that, Lan Zhan! I want to know everything about you, see where you sleep, and discover what you keep!”
A soft smile tugged at the corner of Lan Zhan’s lips, hidden behind his calm demeanour. “We will have plenty of time for that, I believe.”
“Wangji? Is that you?”
Lan Zhan’s alpha reflexes immediately kicked in, turning towards the familiar voice and protectively moving to shield Wei Ying with his body.
“Brother,” Lan Zhan greeted quietly, his lips pressed into a thin line. “What brings you here?”
Lan Xichen’s laughter rang out softly, amused by Lan Zhan’s overly defensive stance. “I was merely passing by, Wangji. I thought I heard your voice, and…” He teased lightly, “...a friend of yours?”
Lan Zhan hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering between his brother and Wei Ying. Sensing his apprehension, Wei Ying quickly emerged from behind Lan Zhan, wearing a bright smile on his face. “Gege! You must be the other half of the illustrious Twin Jades! It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Wei Ying, courtesy name Wei Wuxian.”
Lan Xichen’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at the sight of the omega, but his smile remained warm and welcoming. “Wei Ying, what a pleasure to meet you as well. I am Lan Xichen, Lan Zhan’s elder brother.” He glanced at Lan Zhan, a knowing look passing between them before he turned back to Wei Ying. “You are rather well-acquainted with Wangji, I see. What are the two of you doing here?”
Wei Ying nodded eagerly. “Yes! Lan Zhan, ah, he’s, uh, been showing me around Cloud Recesses…! I’m really enjoying my time here!”
Lan Xichen chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Really? That is great to hear. I am sure Cloud Recesses is far stricter than Lotus Pier when it comes to rules, but I hope it will not cause you to miss home too much.”
“Mmm, I already miss my shijie and her lotus root and pork ribs soup,” Wei Ying lamented, a soft sigh escaping his lips. Lan Zhan’s eyes flickered with concern, hearing this. Despite this, Wei Ying leaned closer and wrapped his arm around Lan Zhan’s, smiling widely at him. “But I’m so happy to have met Lan Zhan here!”
Lan Zhan’s gaze softened imperceptibly at the exchange between his brother and Wei Ying. He glanced down fondly at their hands, his own gently covering Wei Ying’s where it rested on his arm.
“I am also glad to have met Wei Ying,” he said quietly.
Looking at the pair, Lan Xichen felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders.
“Wangji, I am so happy for you,” he said sincerely, choosing not to elaborate any more than that. He didn’t need to. Nothing else needed to be said.
“Mn,” he responded.
“In that case, I will take my leave,” Lan Xichen continued, a playful glint in his eyes. “I do not wish to intrude any more than I already have.”
Laa Zhan hesitated briefly before nodding. “Thank you, brother.”
“Of course, Wangji,” Lan Xichen replied, turning his attention back to Wei Ying. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Wei Ying. Wangji, we can catch up later. There is much to talk about.”
With a nod and a gentle smile, he turned to leave, leaving Lan Zhan and Wei Ying alone once more.
Wei Ying watched Lan Xichen depart with a curious glint in his eyes before turning back to Lan Zhan. “Your brother seems nice,” he remarked casually. “I think he liked me.”
“I think he did,” Lan Zhan agreed softly, his eyes never leaving Wei Ying’s face.
.
.
.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Jiang Cheng’s voice cut through the stillness of the night, halting Wei Ying’s careful tiptoe towards freedom.
Wei Ying froze mid-step, his hand hovering inches from the paper sliding doors.
Damn it. Wei Ying had assumed Jiang Cheng would be asleep by now.
Chuckling nervously, Wei Ying turned to face his stern-faced brother.
“Uhhh…” Wei Ying stammered, scratching his head in an attempt to appear nonchalant. He knew he had been caught red-handed. “I was just... thinking of sneaking out to Caiyi to grab some snacks and maybe a jar of Emperor’s Smile.”
Jiang Cheng’s gaze narrowed in doubt. Something about the sneaky, furtive manner in which Wei Ying had been acting of late wasn’t adding up.
“Really?” he challenged, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then take me with you.”
“H-Huh?” Wei Ying’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, having not anticipated this.
“I’m feeling hungry,” Jiang Cheng stated flatly. “And a little alcohol wouldn’t hurt either. Take me along.”
Closing his eyes in resignation, Wei Ying turned slightly away from Jiang Cheng and let out a soft curse under his breath. Glancing back at him, Wei Ying met his deep-seated frown with a nervous smile. “Yeah, sure. The more the merrier.”
Except Wei Ying was never planning to head out to Caiyi. His real plan had been to meet with Lan Zhan atop the roof after everyone had retired for the night, hoping to finally seize a moment to themselves away from prying eyes.
“Um... Just stick close to me,” Wei Ying said, despite being determined to slip away from Jiang Cheng somewhere along the journey. By hook or by crook, he was meeting Lan Zhan tonight! “I heard Lan Zhan’s on night duty tonight. If he catches us sneaking out, we’re dead.”
Jiang Cheng’s countenance shaded with displeasure whenever Lan Zhan was mentioned. “He’s always everywhere, these days. Hey, since when did you start getting along with him so well? You plan to stay here permanently in Gusu with him forever, or something?”
Well…..yeah.
Wei Ying tensely chuckled. “A-Cheng, you’re overthinking things. I’m just glad to have made a new friend.”
“Hmph,” Jiang Cheng grunted in response.
He fell into step beside Wei Ying, making sure to follow close just as he was asked as they made their way through the quiet corridors of the Cloud Recesses. The soft glow of the lanterns hung up high on the wooden pillars helped to illuminate their path before them.
Wei Ying led Jiang Cheng in meandering circles around Cloud Recesses, not that Jiang Cheng was really paying much attention since he was directionally-challenged.
By the time they had circled Cloud Recesses for the third time, Wei Ying was desperately hoping Lan Zhan would have noticed how late he was by now, and had come out looking for him.
Lucky for him, Lan Zhan caught on quick.
“Wei Ying.”
Lan Zhan’s voice drifted towards them like a comforting breeze.
Wei Ying spun around in surprise—and delight. “Lan Zhan!”
Jiang Cheng’s face soured immediately. “Second Young Master Lan.”
Lan Zhan stood before them, the lantern in his hands casting a soft light on his face as he warned them firmly, “Loitering outside after dark is not permitted in Cloud Recesses.”
“Ahh, you’re absolutely right, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying ecstatically agreed, relieved that Lan Zhan was now finally taking charge of the situation. “Jiang Cheng and I were just on our way back to our quarters, weren’t we, A-Cheng?”
Jiang Cheng appeared irritated by the interruption but conceded with a terse nod, knowing he had no other option.
“Come with me,” Lan Zhan told him.
“Hmm?” Wei Ying feigned innocence, though his eyes sparkled with mischief. “What, you’re really going to discipline me again? After a whole week of enduring your various methods of punishment? Lan er-gege, you’re way too cruel!”
“Follow me,” Lan Zhan repeated, not taking no for an answer. He gripped Wei Ying’s wrist, and began to pull him along.
As Jiang Cheng stepped forward to follow after them, Lan Zhan glanced back at him, with his golden eyes ablaze. “Jiang Wanyin,” he uttered calmly but with unmistakable authority, “Return to your quarters.”
Jiang Cheng moved to open his mouth in protest, but Lan Zhan cut him off with a stern, “If you do not wish to join Wei Ying in copying scriptures until morning, return to your quarters immediately.”
It was only then did Jiang Cheng reluctantly back down, his face grim as he stepped aside.
Wei Ying’s heart continued to pound until they had put a considerable distance between themselves and Jiang Cheng. He cast a quick glance back, checking that Jiang Cheng’s silhouette had receded fully into the shadows of Cloud Recesses before focusing forward again and following Lan Zhan’s lead.
“Oof, that was a close one,” Wei Ying exhaled sharply, still trailing behind Lan Zhan’s firm grip. “You really saved me just in time, Lan Zhan. I really thought—mmff!!”
Abruptly, he was yanked into a secluded corner and forcibly pressed against the cool, stone wall. The lantern in Lan Zhan’s hands long discarded haphazardly onto the floor.
Beneath the moonlight, Wei Ying’s eyes shimmered silver in the darkness as impatient lips roughly met his, with strong hands tenderly cradling his cheek.
Above him, Lan Zhan’s golden eyes bore into his, fully open and—considerably grumpy at having been made to wait.
Wei Ying parted his lips to breathe out, “Did you have to wait long?”
Lan Zhan’s teeth yanked at his lower lip as he grunted, “I missed you.”
Wei Ying’s heart fluttered in his chest. “You just saw me earlier this afternoon—mmfff!!”
Already, Lan Zhan’s mouth was softly drawing him into another kiss, his alpha desperate to get his hands on his omega.
“Lan, Lan Zhannmmff,” Wei Ying moaned into his mouth, as the boy began tugging at the sash of his robes. “Are you really—Can we at least go into a room—Lan Zhan we’re right out in the open!”
“I cannot wait,” Lan Zhan murmured, his lips brushing against Wei Ying’s earlobe as he broke from their kiss. Golden eyes, filled with longing and desire, locked onto Wei Ying’s own as he asked, “Can you?”
And how was Wei Ying to refuse the sweet affections of his alpha?
The answer, needless to say, was, I cannot.
.
.
.
And yet, before the week had even drawn to a close, disaster struck unexpectedly.
Lan Qiren’s voice cut through the tense air like a whip,
“Wei Wuxian, get on your knees!”
Lan Zhan immediately swept to his defence, stepping forward and positioning himself protectively in front of Wei Ying.
“Shufu, you cannot simply dismiss him like this. Jin Zixuan initiated the fight with his disrespectful remarks about Jiang Yanli. Wei Ying’s actions were in defence of her honour."
Lan Qiren’s face hardened at the sight, his voice thundering with disapproval. “Wangji, how dare you defend such insolence! Jiang Yanli’s honour is not Wei Wuxian’s to protect in such a reckless manner!”
Jin Zixuan stood to the side, his hand pressed firmly against his bleeding nose. Crimson droplets stained his fingertips, as his eyes narrowed into indignant slits at the scene before him.
Lan Zhan stood his ground, unwavering. “Shufu, Wei Ying’s heart was in the right place. His methods may have been unlawful, but his intentions were noble.”
“You speak of intentions as if they absolve him of the consequences of his actions,” Lan Qiren retorted sharply. “Such behaviour cannot be condoned. He will face disciplinary measures, and then be expelled from Cloud Recesses. Sect Leader Jiang will be informed at once!”
Lan Zhan took another step forward, his usually composed hands now curling into trembling fists at his sides. Wei Ying cannot leave me. “Shufu, please consider leniency. Punishment, yes, but expulsion… Wei Ying has only just arrived at Cloud Recesses.”
“That is not my problem. He will have to face the disappointment of Sect Leader Jiang on his own,” Lan Qiren barked.
Seeing Lan Qiren’s unwavering stance, Lan Zhan cast a quick, sorry glance down at Wei Ying, who looked up at him with a nod of understanding and resignation. Turning his gaze back to Lan Qiren, Lan Zhan finally reached a decision.
“Wei Ying cannot leave Cloud Recesses,” he firmly declared. “He is most likely already with child."
Wait, what?
All around them, the silence felt suffocating.
Time seemed to freeze as everyone slowly processed the implications of Lan Zhan’s words. Lan Qiren’s stern countenance faltered momentarily, his brows furrowing in disbelief and perhaps…concern.
Wei Ying’s eyes widened in surprise, his head quickly tilting up as he realised what Lan Zhan had just brought himself to reveal. Jin Zixuan’s expression turned from anger to stunned shock, while Jiang Cheng, who had been silently observing in the corner, bristled with immediate anger. Only Lan Xichen and Nie Huaisang had subdued reactions. Even then, Lan Xichen shut his eyes with a low sigh, while Nie Huaisang could barely conceal his mischievous grin behind his fan.
Lan Zhan held his gaze, as he awaited Lan Qiren’s response. The room held its collective breath in anticipation of Lan Qiren’s next words.
“...Wangji,” Lan Qiren finally spoke, his voice strained. “Whose child is it?”
Lan Zhan’s reply came promptly. “Mine.”
Lan Qiren visibly paled. He looked down, now with utmost concern etched across his features, at Wei Ying who remained kneeling on the floor.
“Wangji, tell me you did not force yourself onto him,” he demanded of his nephew, his tone accusatory.
The nature of alphas usually meant it happened that way, especially with an omega so young.
What more, the nature of Lan Zhan’s father…
“He did not,” Wei Ying quickly protested. “All of it happened willingly. When we first met on that roof, it triggered our heats and forced us into an early presentation. We couldn’t resist it.”
Lan Qiren stood rigid, at a loss of what to believe at that moment. “Wangji, is that true?”
“Shufu, it happened as you taught me,” Lan Zhan began. “The alpha in me asserted itself, and I felt compelled to claim Wei Ying as my mate. His scent was so compatible with mine, and I firmly believe he is my fated mate.” His voice held a quiet conviction. “I made my decision that night on the roof. I have no regrets, and will only take Wei Ying as my mate in this life.”
“How dare you!” Jiang Cheng’s voice rang out as he surged forward. Nie Huaisang hurried to restrain him from behind and glanced around anxiously, too afraid of what would happen otherwise. “How dare you touch one of us Jiangs! Father won’t allow it!”
“It will be not be up to him,” Lan Zhan countered firmly. “We have already mated. My mark is visible on Wei Ying’s neck. He did not reject me, nor the bond. Unless he does so in the foreseeable future, I am his alpha.”
“Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng yelled out, urgent and desperate. “Reject him as your alpha!”
Wei Ying’s brow furrowed as he shouted back in defiance, “I won’t! I love him!”
Love…?
Lan Zhan’s eyes lit up at Wei Ying’s words, relief sinking in. He had known Wei Ying’s heart, had felt the depth of their connection, even—but hearing it affirmed aloud brought a reassurance that settled like a balm over his soul.
Wei Ying loves me.
“He cannot,” Lan Qiren intervened. “If Wei Ying is potentially already with child, there is no point in breaking their bond. I will send word to Sect Leader Jiang immediately, so he may come down, and we may begin to make preparations.”
Lan Zhan hesitated. He daren’t presume. “Preparations?” He asked, his voice filled with trepidation.
Lan Xichen chose that moment to step forward, already understanding his uncle’s sentiments. “We will need to arrange for a marriage, before word spreads of your bonding out of wedlock… and before a child begins to show.”
Stroking his beard thoughtfully, Lan Qiren turned towards Lan Zhan for one last time. “Wangji, are you absolutely sure?”
Lan Zhan glanced briefly to Wei Ying—meeting Wei Ying’s warm, apprehensive smile—before returning to meet his uncle’s eyes. His hands shook at his sides, but his voice remained firm. “I have never been more certain of anything in my life. I... love Wei Ying.”
Wei Ying’s heart quivered in delightful surprise. Lowering his head respectfully, he addressed Lan Qiren with a heartfelt plea, prostrating before him, “Please accept me into the family, Lan-shushu!”
Lan Qiren’s stern gaze from before noticeably softened. Abandoning any lingering notions of punishment or reservation from earlier, Lan Qiren took a decisive step forward and lowered himself to the floor. Gently, he reached out to Wei Ying, receiving him into his arms.
“To your feet,” Lan Qiren spoke gently to him. "If you are with child, it is not good to kneel for too long.”
Now that there was talk of children, his tune had changed drastically!
Nodding gratefully, Wei Ying rose slowly. Meeting Lan Qiren’s eyes, he gently held onto him as he was brought to his feet.
Turning to face the others gathered around them, Wei Ying felt his heart squeeze. There was Lan Xichen’s reassuring smile, Nie Huaisang’s playful grin, Jin Zixuan’s mopy sulk, and Jiang Cheng’s sour face.
And then there was Lan Zhan, whose gaze conveyed a love that felt larger than life itself, and enveloped Wei Ying with a warmth beyond measure.
The times ahead of us are definitely uncertain, Wei Ying thought to himself with a soft smile.
But with Lan Zhan right next to me, I think I’ll be okay.