Chapter 1: Prologue
Chapter Text
Wu Suowei had always believed, no, known, he was destined to be an alpha.
As a child, he’d boast about it to his mother with the easy certainty of someone who never considered another outcome. He stood taller than most boys his age, barked orders during schoolyard games, puffed his chest like a little general. “You'll see,” he used to say. “I’ll be an alpha for sure.”
But reality had a habit of ignoring his plans.
His eighteenth birthday came and passed in silence. No pheromone bloom. No rut. No scent. No designation. And then a week became a month, a month became a year, and the truth slowly settled in his bones like cold water.
He was a beta.
He told himself there was nothing wrong with it. Society didn’t scorn betas, after all they made up the majority of the population. But Wu Suowei’s ego didn’t care about statistics. Not after all the pride he'd carried. Not after all the expectations he'd let grow inside himself like roots.
The blow wasn't public. No one laughed at him. No one pointed fingers. But it stung just the same. The private humiliation of believing yourself to be one thing, only to find out you were wrong. It was a big blow psychologically and he had no one except himself to blame for that.
Still, he adapted. Reframed the narrative. After all, betas weren’t ruled by instincts. They didn’t fall under the spell of pheromones like alphas and omegas. No heats. No ruts. No primal need. Wu Suowei wore that like armor, told himself it made him freer, smarter—immune.
And then came Yue Yue.
An omega.
He hadn’t expected it. Falling for her. Letting her into his life. But she was beautiful, charming in that calculating way that made him feel chosen. For a while, he truly believed he’d proven something, that the alpha-omega pairing was overrated. That love didn’t need pheromones to thrive. That he, a beta, had won something usually reserved for alphas.
He clung to that idea like a lifeline.
And maybe he had to, because deep down, there were things about their relationship he’d refused to acknowledge. Things that he buried. The way she sometimes spoke to him like she was humoring a child. The way she never really listened. How she scowled when he touched her. How she used to look down on the gifts his mother gave. Hell, how she used to look down on him and his mother over all. They were there but he had refused to acknowledge them. Loneliness was a powerful drug. And Wu Suowei had always hated losing.
So he held on. He held on to the ship with tighter grip each time she drifted away despite knowing that there were holes in this ship. He held on.
Until she didn’t.
Yue Yue left him in the most humiliating way possible—cold, distant, unbothered. And the more Wu Suowei picked through the pieces of their relationship, the more he realized how much of it had been one-sided. It was Jiang Xiaoshuai, of all people, who helped him see it.
He hadn’t wanted to believe it at first, but Xiaoshuai didn’t sugarcoat things. He laid it out plainly: Yue Yue had treated him poorly, belittled him subtly, never respected him.
And the worst part? The man she left him for—the man she had probably been seeing before the breakup—attacked him.
She let it happen.
Wu Suowei hadn’t connected the dots at first. It took time. Time and bitter reflection. But when he did, something dark curled in his chest and took root.
Rage.
How could she walk away clean while he was left with wounds- physical, emotional, and otherwise? How was it fair that she could cheat, humiliate him, and then step into the arms of someone else like nothing had happened?
And not just anyone. No, she left him with the guy who attacked him and then dumped that guy to latch onto not just anyone, but Chi Cheng.
Oh Chi Cheng.
The first time Wu Suowei laid eyes on Chi Cheng, he was already irritated by the man’s existence. Tall, broad-shouldered, handsome in that effortlessly superior way that reeked of alpha confidence. Arrogant. Imposing. Smug. And unfortunately...undeniably attractive.
He hadn't wanted to admit it. After failing to be an alpha he had grown an inherent dislike for alphas. Its why even be it males or females, he always stuck to betas or omegas. Alphas he avoided like the plague but he couldn't deny the truth that that man was absolutely attractive with honey drip eyes and perfectly chiseled jaws. Looking at him at first glance made him curse as it is clear God did have favourites and he wasn't one of them.
Their encounters had been nothing short of disasters. Missteps, disastrous on his end with his own business ending in ruin. Each time they had met, the tension had been thick enough to choke on. The first time they met was a disaster but by the third time he was convinced someone had cursed him. How else could he keep encountering this perfect-yet arrogant-specimen who kept ruining his plans? He had actually found himself slightly obsessing over the man by the third encounter. But one random day on the street he saw Yue Yue wrapped around him. She didn't even last one week with the guy she had dumped him for and now she was with this walking alpha fantasy. It was a punch straight to Wu Suowei’s insecurities.
It lit something in him. Something sharp. Something that refused to be still.
That’s when the plan started forming.
He knew it was stupid. Knew it was petty. Knew it was twisted.
But he didn’t care.
How could she get everything she wanted, after what she’d done to him?
No, Wu Suowei never pretended to be a saint. And this plan, this wild, vindictive, desperate plan was bringing out the worst in him. The side that smiled sweetly while plotting destruction.
But he couldn’t stop.
He was going to seduce Chi Cheng. Make the arrogant alpha fall for him, a beta. Take him right out of Yue Yue’s arms.
“You do realize how hard it’s going to be to seduce an alpha away from an omega, right?” Xiaoshuai’s voice cut through his thoughts like a blade. Calm. Cool. Drenched in brutal realism.
If there was one good thing to come out of Yue Yue’s final betrayal, it was this unlikely friendship. Jiang Xiaoshuai—an omega with a razor tongue, soft hands, and eyes that saw everything. He’d taken Wu Suowei in without hesitation after the incident. Offered bandages, shelter, sarcasm, and food. So Yue Yue did one good thing for him. He’d become Wu Suowei’s lifeline in a way he hadn’t expected.
Before Yue Yue, Wu Suowei had never been close to an omega. He’d lost contact with most of his friends juggling three jobs to keep her happy. But Xiaoshuai didn’t demand anything from him except honesty. And maybe snacks.
Now he couldn’t imagine his life without him.
Wu Suowei looked up, finding Xiaoshuai’s gaze unwavering, laced with warning.
“Granted,” Xiaoshuai continued, “my research shows Chi Cheng prefers men for his lovers. So that helps. But… his current partner’s second gender is still an omega and you are a beta. Alphas are biologically inclined to stay with them. Rare, coveted… pheromonally compatible. You’re going to be swimming upstream.”
Wu Suowei didn’t answer immediately.
He knew Xiaoshuai wasn’t trying to dissuade him, just temper his expectations. He had seen him at rock bottom. Had watched him unravel. Had stayed.
So his caution came from care.
But all Wu Suowei could feel was fire. A fire that had been cold for too long finally catching again.
A challenge.
A dare.
A reason to prove he wasn’t forgettable.
He smirked.
“Then I’ll just have to make Chi Cheng forget she exists.”
Chapter 2: Caught me by surprise
Summary:
Chi Cheng's life has anything but rosy but one encounter has him spinning and rethinking everything he knows.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
I don't know just how it happened
I let down my guard
Swore I'd never fall in love again
But I fell hard
Guess I should have seen it coming
Caught me by surprise
Wasn't looking where I was going
I fell into your eyes…
Addicted to you by Avicii
Chi Cheng had lived a life many envied; a textbook example of privilege. Born into old money, raised with influence, he never lacked for material comfort. The world saw a man who had everything handed to him: wealth, lineage, education, power. But Chi Cheng knew better than anyone that comfort did not equate to freedom.
He had never known unconditional love. Not from his parents, not even in the faintest. His existence had always been transactional. His parents, a standard alpha and beta pairing, had tried for years to conceive the “perfect heir.” When his sister was born, their disappointment was barely concealed. Until her second gender manifested as omega at eighteen, she was seen as a liability. Chi Cheng, on the other hand, had been the fulfillment of their ambition: a male heir, the presumed alpha, the crown jewel of their legacy.
But he hadn’t felt like a jewel. He felt like a puppet in a well-tailored suit, choked by expectations. From his earliest memory, he had been managed: his clothing, his meals, his hobbies, his words, even his future lovers. They had a path drawn for him, and detours were not tolerated. By eleven, the seed of rebellion had taken root in him. He had contemplated wishing to present as a beta, just to spite them. Just to twist the knife.
But the truth was clear even before his presentation day: Chi Cheng was an alpha. His instincts, his command of space, his presence, everything about him screamed dominance and control. And when his second gender finally manifested, it only confirmed what everyone expected, what he expected. His parents had been smug, their legacy secure. But their smiles did little to hide the strings they continued to pull. He wasn’t their son; he was their object.
And yet, the real surprise came not from them, but from within.
Chi Cheng hadn’t expected his alpha instincts to feel so... separate. He’d assumed his secondary gender would heighten his senses, maybe his drive, but not that it would become a near-sentient presence inside him. His alpha was instinctive, discerning, and opinionated. Whenever he met someone new, his alpha would feel them out before Chi Cheng could form a full thought. It would always be there, often times recoil in silent, visceral dislike. If his alpha rejected someone, it was only a matter of time before he did too. Friendship or romantic, it didn’t matter. If his alpha hated them, it was doomed.
This sixth sense made his social life complicated. His circle of friends shrank to a handful. Lovers were harder still. No one lasted. Not a single one passed his inner alpha’s scrutiny.
Chi Cheng didn’t discriminate by gender. Much to his parents’ horror, he’d always preferred men, something he never apologized for. After his presentation, he experimented more freely: alphas, betas, omegas. Male, female, anyone who caught his eye. But every time, his alpha remained unsatisfied, either irritated or coldly indifferent. Sometimes it was instant. Other times, it took a few weeks. But never longer than a month.
The most promising disaster had been Wang Shuo.
Back when Wang Shuo was just a friend in his circle with Cheng Yu, Chi Cheng’s alpha tolerated him.
Barely.
That faint tolerance had lulled Chi Cheng into believing that maybe, just maybe, his alpha could be reasoned with. But the moment Wang Shuo turned romantic interest into pursuit, it changed.
His alpha rejected him.
Violently.
It wasn’t just dislike, it was repulsion. But Wang Shuo’s manipulation didn’t help either. Wang Shuo’s obsession, his manipulation, had destroyed too much. Their friendship and his friendship with Cheng Yu, burnt to crisp.
After that implosion, Chi Cheng stopped trying.
He convinced himself that something in him was broken. Perhaps he was damaged goods, too warped by a loveless childhood. Maybe his alpha was just a reflection of his emotional dysfunction; forever unsatisfied, forever pushing people away. Even when Guo Cheng Yu used to tease him, joking that maybe he was fated to have a soulmate, Chi Cheng would scoff.
Yes, in their society, those born with soulmates didn’t come with marks at birth. It wasn’t impossible as there were a few lucky alphas, omegas or betas who are born with soulmates. The lucky few who have someone born who match their compatibility 100%. But the odds of that happening was astronomically low. Chances of winning lottery were higher.
There were no soulmate identifying marks for those who are born with a perfect soulmate match. It is subtle, with the omega or alpha not being satisfied or able to build a fulfilling relationship with anyone but their soulmate. Since there was nothing that was obvious, most people who are born with a soulmate never find them or find out that they have one unless they really get lucky and meet their mate. The only way to know that 2 people are soulmates is after they meet. Once they bond, only then does the golden soulmate mark manifest on both of their necks. So, due to how hard it was to see signs for it and how rare it was for people to find their soulmate, recorded golden matches in history were very rare as most settled and gave up or didn’t even know that they had any.
The last recorded soulmate pair who had been found in China was 40 years ago, an alpha and omega pairing.
Suffice to say, it was very rare for there to be soulmate golden pairings. 99% of the times people simply chose their best fit. Due to how rare that was, Chi Cheng had given no thought to Guo Cheng Yu’s jokes. He never took it seriously.
He simply started to assume that he was simply broken since his alpha remained restless.
Nothing seemed to satisfy his alpha at all. Everyone seemed to irritate his alpha. So, he simply spend his time drinking, with his snakes and spending few weeks with any beta, alpha or omega. He spent time with them until his alpha couldn’t stand them and then he’d find someone new again.
That seemed to simply piss off his parents further. Not that he told them the reason on why he kept changing lovers and not building a relationship. They hated him anyway, why should he give them more ammunition, let them find out how broken he was?
They wanted a respectable mate. A female omega. Preferably wealthy. His father, always the manipulative bastard, finally pushed too far. One morning, Chi Cheng returned home to find his beloved snakes, his only companions he truly trusted gone. Taken. Held hostage.
The ultimatum was clear: find a mate, or never see them again.
So, he played the game. He searched for a pretty, compliant omega he could use for thirty days. Someone easy to manage. And then, like fate playing a cruel joke, he found Yue Yue outside a club. Desperate, flirtatious, greedy: a gold-digger with no shame. She was perfect. A placeholder. One month, and then freedom.
That was the plan.
But then the oddest thing happened the last night. An incident that left Chi Cheng rattled and shaken to core.
Under duress, he had started doing work in his father’s company which involved inspecting stalls, particularly illegal ones. He’d been forced to work for his father, some pathetic show of filial duty. Inspecting shady street vendors in the outer districts. His alpha was already on edge. The unfamiliar, crowded streets only worsened its mood. Chi Cheng moved through the routine with indifference, until something shifted.
Something… snapped awake in his alpha.
It was faint at first. A flicker of awareness. A prickle along the back of his spine. Then it surged forward, suddenly, inexplicably focused. His gaze followed the pull and landed on a boy. A beta, of all things, hunched under a cap behind an illegal stall. Young, scruffy, trying to disappear into the pavement. But those eyes. Wide. Sharp. Defiant.
The alpha simmered.
Chi Cheng blinked, thrown by the internal shift. His alpha wasn’t irritated. It wasn’t dismissive. It was curious. Perked up like a curious cat, wide awake and focused. More than curious, it was watching him. This beta. That never happened. Not in years. Not ever.
It was then his eyes met the round startled sheepish eyes of a stall owner. Eyes which held his own attention. Too attractive.
He could sense the feeling…his alpha have was very interested and that had left Chi Cheng baffled. All this time he was convinced his alpha was broken. He had gone through a laundry list of omegas, alphas and betas. Why was it now showing interest? He couldn’t understand.
Chi Cheng tilted his head while keeping the gaze locked onto the beta’s eyes, momentarily finding himself entranced by the shinning wide eyes which were looking at him. Shimmering eyes which had him stalled.
He was so dazed by his face that he didn’t even see it coming when the boy chucked all the items from the stall over him and ran.
Chi Cheng just stood there, blinking through the mess. What startled him more than the ambush was the reaction from his alpha.
Amusement.
His alpha, who viewed most human interaction with suspicion or contempt, was amused. Almost playful. Chi Cheng felt it ripple through his body, something between a grin and a growl. He didn’t understand it. He didn’t want to think about it. But for the first time in all these years, he got a positive reaction from his alpha. His alpha was actually curious and eager.
And one day later, here he was. Lying in bed, haunted by wide eyes and a stupid hat. Remembering the heat beneath his skin. The spark of something unexplainable.
Who was that beta?
Without hesitation, he grabbed his phone and texted Gang Zi: Find him.
Notes:
This show is my obsession but I am 99% sure this Monday and Tuesday's episodes will be full angst ride as we wait for the break up arc so I thought I would continue this fic instead as my muse is active. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, next chapter onwards we will start getting their actual encounters and changes ahoy. I love reading comments! Let me know what you thought of this chapter!
Chapter 3: Sparks Fly
Summary:
Wu Suowei's first plan has unintended consequences than neither forsaw.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The way you move is like a full on rainstorm
And I'm a house of cards
You're the kind of reckless that should send me running
But I kinda know that I won't get far
And you stood there in front of me just
Close enough to touch
Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift
Wu Suowei was not that confident but nothing serves as better motivation than the desire for revenge. Even he didn’t realise he could stick out to things like this.
After giving Wu Suowei a crash course of Chi Cheng’s family background, Jiang Xiaoshuai looked back at him.
“He has never had a stable partner in his life before. None lasting longer than few weeks. Hell, the longest has been 1 month. He rotates a lot and goes through them like laundry…” Jiang Xiaoshuai stated while rubbing his hands “But the man does not discriminate at least. He has dated other alphas, betas and omegas. Though he seems to have a preference for males more than females. Most of his partners have actually been first gender male first, with the diversity coming in more in the second gender. Yue Yue is the first female one he seems to be dating…but I guess that’s the power of being an omega…” he trailed and then shook his head again.
“If we are going to do this, we have to do it right. You will already have an uphill battle to lure him” his friend stated it while staring at his new friend. Wu Suowei generally can admit his judgement of people were terrible. After all he gave 3 years of his life to Yue Yue, when she never cared and she blatantly used him. But he’d like to think that his judgement of Jiang Xiaoshuai wouldn’t fail him. After all, the omega doctor hadn’t asked anything of him. Unlike Yue Yue. Hell, the doctor was making loss putting up with him.
Having not had any good friends in a while, it made Wu Suowei feel strange but it made him cling on to him harder.
“You met the guy 3 times, right? How was he with you? Did he brush you off? With your beta scent you won’t really stand with him. So how was he with you?” Jiang Xiaoshuai asked while staring at him with curiosity.
Wu Suowei tilted his head then and thought of it. Though he hadn’t had the thought to seduce the alpha, the three times he met him he was more concerned about running away from the man to not get attacked by him.
But in hindsight, thinking back, the guy had appeared to have been surprised the first time but the other two times, there seemed to have been a new intensity in his gaze when staring at him the other two times. He had kept staring at him and getting into his personal space. Very odd behaviour for an alpha with a beta.
“Him and his perfect face…” Wu Suowei muttered, a remark that wasn’t missed by Jiang Xiaoshuai who raised his eyebrows “I mean…he wasn’t dismissive of me. He kept getting in my personal space constantly!” Wu Suowei said it while he thought of him.
Jiang Xiaoshuai eyes widened then with inquisitiveness.
“Set the scene. Did you run into him?” he asked while getting closer till his face was right in front of him. Wu Suowei shook his head.
“Nah, that man with annoying perfect face, he would see met and just hone in immediately, getting in my space…why do you think that will make it harder for me to reel him in?” Wu Suowei asked while staring at him “I don’t have much experience with alphas. I have only dated a beta before Yue Yue…” he trailed while running his hand through his hair “I didn’t want anyone to have power over me so I avoided all alphas with a vengeance. Can’t believe I will have to actually date one now” he huffed out.
Jiang Xiaoshuai though did not look worried. In fact, his eyes were wide open and full of shock.
“Huh with the profile I have found of him…in theory he shouldn’t have been zooning in you like that. That doesn’t make sense. But you could also be an unreliable narrator. Your observations and judgement are questionable…” Jiang Xiaoshuai said it while looking at him in contemplation.
“Hey!”
“Come on, you dated Yue Yue despite all the crazy red flags you have explained to me…”
Wu Suowei couldn’t fault that, his judgement was awful and he even privately thought of that.
“No, no I can’t depend on you for a good observation. For this to work I need to see his interaction with you. So we need to test him” he said it while staring at him intently.
“We need to set up a scene” Wu Suowei trailed while staring at him and Jiang Xiaoshuai gave him a devious smile.
“Master…you love drama don’t you…” Wu Suowei trailed while staring at his friend at while he simply gave him a smile.
It’s how he found himself now in the pouring rain. Side by side with Jiang Xiaoshuai with their half-baked plan.
Though as the time went longer without no sign of the alpha, he was starting to doubt Jiang Xiaoshuai stalking schedule.
But then just as doubt was starting to set in, they saw the headlights and the number plate they were expecting.
As soon as they saw that, Jiang Xiaoshuai ran off to hide while Wu Suowei stood beside his scooter which was loaded with goods and dragged it as pathetically as he could. It was Jiang Xiaoshuai’s plan to see if Chi Cheng’s alpha instincts would kick in to give him attention, so then Xiaoshuai could then observe Chi Cheng to see how they could lure him.
So, Wu Suowei dragged it as slowly as he could, while hoping that Chi Cheng himself would come out instead of the driver. He didn’t want to admit it but he was curious about his reaction too. He didn’t know what kind he would get. So he pretending to struggle to move the scooter.
Their plan seemed to be on track as the car door opened and Chi Cheng came out dressed in all black and a wide span umbrella, looking as if he had walked outside of a model magazine. His eyes caught his as he came out but then he looked away to keep acting. Once he had looked away, he couldn’t help the grin that briefly overtook his face.
So he kept trying to move it. He could feel the alpha move towards him, it wasn’t until then Wu Suowei realised that somehow, despite only running into him 3 times, he could home into him and feel him coming. And that concept itself was strange. Beta’s didn’t have that sixth sense, so how could he home in on him already? It left him momentarily puzzled as he kept pulling.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Wu Suowei felt the man pull up beside him and he looked up at him.
“It’s you again,” Chi Cheng stated it while looking at him with an intensity in his eyes. Wu Suowei froze momentarily, his hackles rising slightly at the look in his eyes. Why did Wu Suowei feel like not only was Chi Cheng looking into him but even his alpha was simmering underneath? He felt the force in his gaze and it seemed to create butterflies inside his stomach. When Chi Cheng sat down on the bloody scooter, Wu Suowei wanted to curse and started glaring at him.
“If you’re not going to help, then get up! I am struggling enough as it is!” Wu Suowei hissed out, unable to stop the pout and glare towards Chi Cheng.
But it didn’t seem to have the desired effect. Wu Suowei expected annoyance. Instead Chi Cheng’s eyes seemed to only get wider and he gave him a smirk. Not a reaction he was expecting. Before he could open his mouth in further annoyance, Chi Cheng got up, threw the umbrella away and started dragging the scooter with his bare hands without even cycling it.
Wu Suowei even found himself being surprised. He knew he was strong but he wasn’t expecting this much strength! A part of him found it impressive, following but also watching the display if strength with wide eyes.
Chi Cheng kept pulling it till they were on the side and not blocking the road anymore. Once they were on the side of the road, Chi Cheng turned to look at him and Wu Suowei noticed that the alpha was fully drenched in the rain now and staring at him attentively.
“Th-thanks. But you shouldn’t have chucked the umbrella away. Now you’re going to catch a cold!” Wu Suowei said it sheepishly while rubbing his neck, not caring how it just made him colder. Afterall, the rain poncho he had on was pretty useless in this rain.
Chi Cheng seemed amused by his words as he tilted his head while keeping the gaze going with him. He was staring so silently that Wu Suowei couldn’t keep the gaze going anymore and broke the stare off by looking down.
He expected Chi Cheng to walk off and go into his fancy car. The impression he had gotten from the alpha, he wasn’t expecting him to interact with him any further. But world seems to love proving his assumptions wrong.
Wu Suowei felt hard arms grabbing his waist and pull him roughly. He let out a yelp as he found himself suddenly caged up against a hard chest. Instinctively, he froze up and tried to push against his chest. But Chi Cheng’s grip around his waist simply tightened and he pulled him against him even tighter. Immediately he froze up again, and Wu Suowei found his face flushing as he could feel how easily Chi Cheng was towering around him, caging him in and the worst part was…he didn’t hate the feeling.
His mind racing from the thought of actually enjoying this act, he cautiously held his head up to look at Chi Cheng’s expression. The expression on his face was enough to make his breath freeze. Chi Cheng’s eyes were hooded now, towering over him, his height never more apparent.
“Chi Cheng! Wha-what are you doing! Let go!” Wu Suowei brought his voice out from the momentary lapse and tried his best to give a scathing glare since his physical strength was failing him to push the guy off.
Though he didn’t think he sounded that intimidating, because Chi Cheng leaned down further, without breaking their gaze until his nose was directly on top of his. The contact completely took Wu Suowei by a surprise and he yet out a yelp. He turned his head away, but Chi Cheng used his left hand to hold his chin and turn his head back till they were nose to nose again. He still kept his right arm tightly around his waist.
“You protest verbally…” Chi Cheng trailed before he leaned in and whispered near his right ear “But you’re not trying that hard to stop me. You’re enjoying this…”
The whisper near his ear made him shiver and curse.
“What? No-no-I am not enjoying this-whatever this is” Wu Suowei said it, but he didn’t know who he was trying to convince anymore.
“Then why haven’t you tried to attack me?” Chi Cheng whispered again.
Wu Suowei opened his mouth to argue but then he stiffened up when he smelt Chi Cheng’s scent. Scent which was more prominent suddenly…that bloody alpha had released his scent.
As a beta it shouldn’t affect him. Only omegas were affected by the alpha pheromones. Wu Suowei should be fine. He was a beta. He reminded himself of that, again and again, even as his knees softened beneath him.
Betas were supposed to be neutral. Safe. Immune.
But Chi Cheng’s scent wrapped around him like heat in winter. Deep, intoxicating, laced with something wild and commanding. It flooded Wu Suowei’s senses before he could build any defense against it. He wasn’t even aware of the way his fingers had curled into the front of Chi Cheng’s shirt, or how his breath had started to hitch. Dazedly, he felt a hand slide around the back of his neck, firm, steady, warm.
Wu Suowei's body betrayed him. His tension melted under the press of Chi Cheng’s palm, and before he knew it, he’d allowed himself to fold in closer, head tipping gently until his forehead came to rest against the curve of Chi Cheng’s neck. The scent there- closer, rawer- was like a drug. He breathed in deep and slow, skin prickling like fire under his clothes.
Alarm bells should be ringing inside his head but he was completely pliant.
Then he heard it.
A growl rumbled up from deep inside his chest, vibrating against Wu Suowei’s skin, right where his lips brushed Chi Cheng’s neck. Before he could react, a firm hand cupped the side of his face, tilting it upward with a grip that made his knees tremble. The pressure was assertive, possessive in a way that should have irritated him. But it didn’t. It thrilled him.
Their eyes locked. Dark heat simmering in Chi Cheng’s, something primal just under the surface.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Wu Suowei whispered, breath shallow, but he already knew the answer.
Chi Cheng didn’t reply. He closed the distance with no hesitation, crashing their mouths together with a hunger that shattered Wu Suowei’s breath and thoughts in an instant.
The kiss was not soft. Not searching.
It was claiming.
Chi Cheng’s lips were hot, firm, demanding. His other hand fisted in the back of Wu Suowei’s shirt, yanking him closer until there wasn’t a sliver of air left between them. His hands slid from Wu Suowei’s jaw to his nape, holding him firmly as he devoured his mouth like he couldn’t get enough. Wu Suowei gasped against his mouth, and Chi Cheng took full advantage, slipping his tongue in with a growl so guttural it made Wu Suowei’s entire body shudder. He deepened the kiss with an intensity that felt like fire.
It shouldn't have felt this good.
He whimpered into the kiss, clutching at Chi Cheng’s arms for stability as he swayed slightly, his legs almost giving out. His heart pounded in his ears. Every flick of Chi Cheng’s tongue, every press of his lips, sent a jolt of heat straight to his core. And the scent. fuck, the scent, it was wrapping around him tighter now, dragging him into the kind of daze he swore betas were immune to. Wu Suowei moaned softly into the kiss, his fingers tangled in Chi Cheng’s shirt now, gripping so hard his knuckles ached. It really shouldn’t feel this good. He shouldn’t be so affected. But his body was burning, every nerve keyed up, hypersensitive to every drag of Chi Cheng’s mouth.
And then Chi Cheng moved.
His lips trailed from Wu Suowei’s mouth down the line of his jaw, warm breath ghosting against flushed skin. He didn’t stop. His mouth brushed over the shell of his ear before dragging slow, open-mouthed kisses down the side of Wu Suowei’s neck.
Wu Suowei choked on a breath, spine arching instinctively as Chi Cheng licked and nipped at the sensitive skin just under his ear, his growl low and ragged now, vibrating against his throat.
“Still pretending you don’t want me?” Chi Cheng asked as he kissed behind his ear.
“I don’t—” Wu Suowei tried, but the words were breathless and betrayed by the way his head tilted to give more access.
They were so close Wu Suowei could feel the smirk that was in Chi Cheng’s face but before he could get annoyed at the alpha, his mouth found a spot just beneath his jawline and bit, sharp enough to make Wu Suowei cry out softly and dig his nails into Chi Cheng’s arms. Then the bite softened, soothed by a slow lick and a lingering kiss.
He was dizzy, drunk on scent and heat and touch. His whole body was coiled tight, chest heaving, skin flushed. All he could do was hold on as Chi Cheng continued his slow assault on his throat, tongue tasting him, teeth scraping gently over skin, claiming him in a way that made his body ache in places he didn’t want to admit.
The rain poured harder, soaking them both, but Wu Suowei couldn’t feel it. All he could feel was him, the weight of Chi Cheng’s hands gripping his waist, the drag of his lips over his collarbone, the wet heat of his tongue circling that sensitive spot just below his ear that made Wu Suowei keen softly.
He could barely keep upright, swaying slightly in Chi Cheng’s grasp, barely tethered to reality.
And then suddenly-
“Woah-hey what the hell are you doing to my friend!” Jiang Xiaoshuai’s shout startled Wu Suowei. Cutting through the haze immediately like a sharp blade. It seemed to startle not only him but even Chi Cheng as he felt the alpha freeze and stop the kissing onslaught.
He felt Chi Cheng pull away, an action that Wu Suowei found himself verbally protesting. Wu Suowei swayed slightly as Chi Cheng stepped back, the alpha’s expression unreadable, half-shadowed by wet strands of hair clinging to his forehead. For a moment, it looked like Chi Cheng was going to say something… but then he turned and disappeared into the rain, like he had never been there at all.
The air rushed back in all at once. The rain hit him hard now, old and merciless, soaking his clothes, clinging to his skin, and with it came clarity.
Wu Suowei stood frozen, blinking as if waking from a dream. His eyes shifted, unfocused, until they landed on Jiang Xiaoshuai’s wide, stunned expression.
“…What the hell just happened, Master?”
Notes:
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!!! Let me know your thoughts as we get some divergence from canon. Well more obvious ones.
Chapter 4: Pied Piper
Summary:
Wu Suowei is not one to give up and starts his plan to keep Chi Cheng on the hook but Chi Cheng finds out more details about Wu Suowei that could make or break this tentative bond.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
I came to rescue you, I came to ruin you
You’re the one who called me, see, I’m sweet
Yeah, I’m a bit dangerous
Even I can’t handle myself
Don’t worry, my hands are
Warm only for you
If I’m ruining you right now
Please forgive me
Because you can’t live without me
Because you know all of this
- Pied Piper by BTS.
Gang Zi stood outside Chi Cheng’s apartment door, pulse ticking in his throat. He’d had a week to find the vendor—and a week was an eternity by Chi Cheng’s standards. His boss had wanted results immediately, and Gang Zi knew all too well what happened when Chi Cheng’s patience ran thin.
It wasn’t that he’d been slacking. The trail had been harder to follow than he’d expected. The little unassuming beta had left almost no trace, and it had taken days of dead ends before Gang Zi uncovered the reason, he’d changed his name. That detail alone had eaten up most of the week.
Still, excuses wouldn’t save him from the storm. He braced himself for the verbal thrashing as he stepped inside.
The sight that met him stopped him mid-step.
Chi Cheng sat sprawled on the leather sofa, damp hair dripping onto his shirt, posture deceptively relaxed. But his gaze wasn’t focused on the room, it was somewhere far away, locked in the kind of obsessive thought that made his subordinates tread carefully. Gang Zi knew better than to break that spell, but the information he carried would get his boss’s attention.
“Uh… I’ve got the information on the guy you wanted,” he announced cautiously.
The change was instant. Chi Cheng’s head turned sharply, eyes snapping into focus on him. Even as a beta, Gang Zi felt the weight of that alpha’s stare, intense enough to stir the animal instinct to bare teeth or flee.
“One week,” Chi Cheng said, voice low but edged with steel. “It took you one week to bring me information on one man. Count yourself lucky I’ve already run into him four times by sheer coincidence. If I hadn’t, I’d be… very displeased.”
Gang Zi laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, boss. He wasn’t easy to track. Turns out he changed his name recently—that’s why it took longer.”
He must have said something that pleased Chi Cheng as the glare eased into curiosity. “He hasn’t been Wu Suowei for long?”
“No. His birth name has been Wu Qiqiong. But he recently changed it legally to Wu Suowei. But I have found out all the information about Wu Qiqiong” Gang zi said it as he passed over a file to Chi Cheng.
Chi Cheng snatched it like it might vanish, flipping it open with intent.
“Something crazy though. He is living in a clinic with a Doctor Jiang, but he did date an omega for 3 years-” Gang zi noticed how Chi Cheng froze. He raised his eyebrows. He saw it, the flicker of gold in Chi Cheng’s eyes, the tightening of his jaw. His boss’s fist curled, knuckles pale. That reaction was all alpha, possessive and territorial over a man he barely knew. Alphas and their strange territorial trait.
“He is in a relationship?” Chi Cheng asked, his voice now a dangerous low tone. Gang zi knew that wasn’t a good sign at all. Chi Cheng was one hair away from falling into rage. But he got even more worried as the information he would give next might make him even angrier!
“Ah no, the omega dumped him few weeks ago.”
“That’s good” Chi Cheng stopped clenching his fist and opened up the file to read Wu Suowei’s history. His eyes roving over the pictures “Otherwise I would have had to find a way to break that off” he muttered it in such a matter a fact tone it was enough to make Gang zi raise his eyebrows. He cleared his throat and continued.
“You should be aware of who his ex-girlfriend is though Chi Cheng…” Gang zi trailed. Chi Cheng looked up at him and stared at him intently.
“Well. Are you waiting for drum roll? Go on, spit in out if its such an important information,” Chi Cheng said it while staring at him with an intense glance.
“Um…his ex-girlfriend of 3 years, who recently dumped him is Yue Yue. Your current girlfriend,” Gang zi dropped the bomb and squinted, prepared for a rage.
But it seems that his own judgment was wrong. Chi Cheng didn’t look angry. He simply tilted his head stared at him blankly.
“Yue Yue? They dated and she dumped him?” Chi Cheng trailed thoughtfully “Huh…when did they break up?” he asked as he looked through the file again, eyes roving over each detail.
“She dumped him 1 month ago” Gang zi stated in a worried tone.
“Hmm…so its before I met him then” Chi Cheng trailed, “That’s good, I didn’t have to erase any scents then” Chi Cheng trailed while humming.
He closed his mouth, Chi Cheng's reaction was bizarre. He shook his head and tried again, suspicion creeping in. “Boss, don’t you think it’s odd? They break up, she starts dating you, and now this guy keeps showing up? Maybe he’s scheming to get her back.”
Chi Cheng’s smile turned razor, sharp, eyes wide glaring at him. “And how exactly would seducing me get him closer to her? Use your head, Gang Zi.”
Gang Zi shut his mouth.
“No… if anything, it’s fate putting him in my path. And if he is scheming? It changes nothing. He’s mine now. He won’t have the option of choosing anyone else—not her, not anyone. Even if he wanted to leave, I wouldn’t let him.” His voice dropped, carrying that low growl of an alpha in full possession. His eyes had a gold glow. It’s only then Gang zi realised the alpha was now more conscious and on the surface.
He raised his eyebrows. In all these years of serving Chi Cheng, he hadn’t seen his alpha side that often. He is that possessive over this guy after such few meetings that the alpha side is out?
‘Damn I thought that beta is a schemer but now I feel bad for him. God help Wu Suowei’ Gang zi thought internally.
“Does that mean I have to go to Yue Yue and break up with her on your behalf?” Gang zi asked. That seemed to have become a regular part of his job now. It always came to him to break up with all of his boss’s paramours.
At that Chi Cheng froze up and looked up at Gang zi.
“No. We can’t cut off Yue Yue yet. My snakes are still under my father’s grip. We haven’t located them yet. Until we find the snakes I have to keep Yue Yue on leash to please my parents. It helps that she is an omega. Wu Suowei is just a beta. They wouldn’t be pleased with that. No. I can’t cut her off till we find out where the snakes are…” Chi Cheng trailed “Go keep digging to see if you can figure out the snakes locations”
Gang zi bowed and ran off without saying another word.
Alone again, Chi Cheng drew a photo from the file—a younger Wu Suowei standing beside an older woman. He traced the edge of the picture with his thumb, lips curling.
“Little mouse… are you scheming?” His voice was almost a purr. “Doesn’t matter. Once I have you, you won’t belong to anyone else. Not after you’ve stepped into my territory and looked at me like that.”
The gold flickered in his eyes again.
To say Wu Suowei was baffled would be an understatement.
He and Jiang Xiaoshuai had made it back to the clinic completely drenched, the icy rain still clinging to their skin when they stumbled inside. Showers had been a necessity, not a luxury, and now both were in soft, mismatched pajamas.
It was late, well past the time they’d normally be asleep, but the heavy quiet of the clinic was punctuated by the low hum of their shared confusion. Neither man seemed capable of winding down.
Jiang Xiaoshuai sat cross-legged at the edge of his bed, rubbing a towel through his damp hair. He glanced up suddenly, breaking the silence.“Ya… Wu Suowei, you sure you’re just a beta? Because the way you reacted to Chi Cheng’s scent and pheromones… that wasn’t a beta reaction.”
Wu Suowei’s head snapped toward him.
“Of course I’m a beta. If I was going to be an alpha or omega, I would’ve manifested by now. What else could I be?” His glare was defensive, his tone sharp.
“Ai! Don’t give me that.” Jiang Xiaoshuai dropped the towel onto his lap and leaned forward. “You do realise late manifestation is still a thing, right? I would know, I’m a doctor.”
Wu Suowei frowned, his mind turning over the thought.
“Yeah… but has there ever been one this late?” he asked, uncertainty creeping into his voice.
“No, not common. But not impossible either.” Jiang Xiaoshuai’s gaze was sharp, his tone matter of fact. “And the way you reacted to his pheromones? That wasn’t neutral. That was…” He smirked slightly. “… omega-like. You melted. Completely. Putty in his hands.”
“Hey!” Wu Suowei shouted while looking at him looking offended “Don’t exaggerate I didn’t enjoy it that much…”
The look Jiang Xiaoshuai gave him could have cut through steel.
“Stop with your delusion. You were completely gaga over him. If I hadn’t interrupted he would have kidnapped you to his place and slept with you and you would have let him with the state you are in” Jiang Xiaoshuai said it while raising his eyebrows.
Wu Suowei held the glare for a beat… then sighed, shoulders sagging.
“Ah hell. Fine I enjoyed it. A lot. I shouldn’t have. I hate alphas. Especially alpha males. But I enjoyed that too much. Don’t know why I did but I was a complete putty in his hands. Why!” Wu Suowei suddenly wailed and slammed his head on the table with a dull thunk.
Wu Suowei suddenly tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Wait. You said a guy like Chi Cheng, with his experience and an omega already in his life, would be hard for me to reel in. But tonight? First thing he did was give me the best make out session of my life. Didn’t hold back at all. Just… went for me.” He leaned forward, suspicion flickering. “You sure you researched the right guy?”
Jiang Xiaoshuai smacked his arm without hesitation.
“Of course I did my research. But you—” He jabbed a finger at him. “don’t have to work hard to reel him in anymore. He’s already interested. Whatever you did before… you’ve got him intrigued. That’s good. So we keep going. More serendipitous meetings to stoke his interest.”
He leaned back, studying Wu Suowei. “But are you sure you want to continue? With the way he reacted tonight, he’s going to get physical. He didn’t care that you were in the middle of the street, in the pouring rain, he still went for you. Are you ready for more of that?”
Wu Suowei leaned back, fingers unconsciously rubbing at his neck where Chi Cheng’s mouth had been. He had checked. Miraculously he had no hickey. How that was possible that he had no mark after that make out session he didn't know. But the ghost of heat lingered there, and he swallowed hard.
Chi Cheng scared him, but not in a way that suggested danger. No, something deep inside told him the alpha wouldn’t hurt him like that. He didn’t know why he was so certain of that but he was sure of that. What frightened him was the way his own body had responded… the way a single kiss had shattered everything he thought he knew about himself.
It had been… addictive.
And addictions were dangerous.
But the alternative, walking away, meant Yue Yue would win. She’d keep her rich alpha, her comfortable life, her smug little smile. No. Wu Suowei’s jaw set in determination.
“I’m not giving up. We continue. Yue Yue doesn’t get what she wants.” His voice firmed with each word. “If Chi Cheng’s already interested, that’s an advantage. I keep him hooked. Keep him away from her. She’ll hate that.”
He didn’t admit, wouldn’t admit, that the thought of Yue Yue’s hands on Chi Cheng churned his stomach in a way that was far too personal. No way was he acknowledging that thought outloud.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s eyes narrowed. “But what happens when he dumps her and latches onto you? Rich alphas don’t take rejection lightly. Especially not one like Chi Cheng. If you piss him off and leave him, he’ll hunt you down.”
Wu Suowei’s smile turned sly. “Master, you’re forgetting one important thing, Chi Cheng is a certified playboy. Longest he’s kept anyone is one month. Once he’s dumped Yue Yue for me eventually in a matter of weeks he will be bored, he’ll dump me himself. I won’t have to do a thing!”
For the first time that night, Jiang Xiaoshuai grinned, sharp and approving. “Ah… you’ve gotten smarter. This is what happens when you spend time with me Suowei. I’m proud of you. You are getting smarter like me!”
Wu Suowei swatted his hand away when he tried to ruffle his hair. “I’ve always been smart. You just didn’t notice. Don't take credit” His grin turned mischievous. “Tomorrow, basketball court. We keep the plan moving.”
Jiang Xiaoshuai gave him a thumbs-up, but in his mind, he was already wondering if his “smart” student had any idea just how much danger he was walking into. From the observation he saw tonight, Chi Cheng might not react the way they are assuming. So he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach but he didn't voice that out-loud to his new best friend.
Wu Suowei arrived at the basketball court at exactly 5:30 p.m, dressed in casual sportswear that looked just convincing enough to pass for someone who belonged there. The ball in his hands bounced rhythmically against the floor, each thud echoing louder in the otherwise lazy evening air. He ignored the curious glances from the other players already on the court, focusing instead on the steady movement of the ball and the occasional squeak of his sneakers against the surface.
He wasn’t here to actually win any game. No, this was strategy.
Somewhere mid-bounce, his nose twitched. The familiar scent hit him, wild wood with the faintest curl of burnt paper, and his body reacted before his mind caught up. His pulse kicked up. Heat pooled in the pit of his stomach.
That scent.
His gaze scanned the court automatically, and sure enough, Chi Cheng had just stepped in from the far end, dressed in sleek black sportswear that clung in all the right places. His hair was slightly damp, as though he’d just come from a shower, and the faint sheen on his skin made him look like he had stepped out of some sportswear advertisement.
The strange thing was, Wu Suowei shouldn’t have been able to smell him from this far away. Betas could smell alpha pheromones, sure, but usually only up close. This… was different. He could pick Chi Cheng out of the crowd like his scent had hooked itself into his senses permanently.
'Must be because of last night,' Wu Suowei thought, teeth worrying his bottom lip. 'That’s the only explanation.'
Chi Cheng caught his eye, pausing mid-step, his expression one of mild surprise.
“Why is it you again?” His voice carried easily over the distance.
Wu Suowei tilted his head, lips curling in a teasing smirk. “What? Can’t I play here? You own this basketball court now?”
He’d expected irritation, maybe a dismissive wave. Instead, a slow, predatory smile curved Chi Cheng’s lips, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes but still made Wu Suowei’s heartbeat stumble. The shift was subtle, but it was enough to make his confidence waver for a second. Chi Cheng though looked more like a cat that got the cream as his smirk widened and he walked up till he was standing right in front of him with the ball.
Wu Suowei’s smile and confidence dropped a bit but he kept the pokerface while keeping his hands on his waist to show a façade nonetheless. Chi Cheng, while keeping his gaze locked onto his, threw the ball and managed to make the shot inside the basket without even looking.
Actually impressed, Wu Suowei clapped for him.
“Come on,” Chi Cheng said simply, voice low and steady.
The others playing must have sensed the tension, or maybe they just knew better than to interrupt, because they drifted away to take a break, leaving the court open for the two of them.
The game started off with Chi Cheng’s easy dominance and Wu Suowei’s entirely intentional lack of skill. He was terrible, and he knew it, but oddly enough, the alpha didn’t seem frustrated. If anything, Chi Cheng’s genuine smile told him the man was enjoying it.
And, damn it, Wu Suowei found himself laughing too.
By the time they were done, Chi Cheng had scored everything and Wu Suowei had scored absolutely nothing. The final play ended with him tripping and falling hard onto the court floor.
He caught the faintest flicker of gold in Chi Cheng’s eyes before the alpha stepped closer, looming over him. Jiang Xiaoshuai’s advice echoed in his mind
Alphas love to take care, to protect; give him the chance.
Wu Suowei raised his hand with an exaggerated pout. “Help me up!”
The gold in Chi Cheng’s gaze flared brighter. In one smooth motion, the alpha grasped his hand and hauled him upright, not just enough to get him to his feet, but until Wu Suowei was flush against his chest, their breath mingling.
'Damn, he hadn't lied! It does seem to work!' Wu Suowei thought while staring at him.
It startled him, but it also gave him the perfect opportunity. With a quick flick of his wrist, he slipped a small candy into the pocket of Chi Cheng’s shorts. Jiang’s other piece of advice: Alphas are territorial. A gift, no matter how small, hooks their attention.
Chi Cheng’s gaze lingered on him, too sharp for comfort, but Wu Suowei only smirked, stepped back, and turned away.
“I’m heading back,” he said over his shoulder, as if he hadn’t just planted a seed in the alpha’s mind.
Bag slung over his shoulder, he walked off the court, not looking back even though every instinct told him Chi Cheng was watching him go. The clinic wasn’t far, only a half-hour walk at most, but each step was lighter than it should’ve been, his mind already racing ahead to how he’d tell Jiang Xiaoshuai about his little victory.
The plan was working.
He was still smiling to himself when a firm grip closed around his wrist.
“Hey, what-” Wu Suowei yelped as he found himself being dragged. Before he could even blink, he found himself being pulled into an alley and his back pushed against the wall. A jolt of fear flared in his chest, until his senses caught it. The scent. The familiar scent of woods with burnt paper, curling through the damp air like smoke. It wrapped around him before his eyes even focused, but when they did, they confirmed what his body already knew.
Chi Cheng.
The tension in his spine uncoiled by instinct, but his pride snapped tight in its place. “Chi Cheng!” he hissed, shoving at the solid wall of muscle caging him in. “I give you a little gift and you drag me into an alley like some thug? This is your idea of gratefulness? Beast! Give me some space!”
It came out more of a whine than a snarl, and his ears burned at the sound. The alpha didn’t budge, if anything, he leaned in, until their noses brushed and Wu Suowei could feel each of Chi Cheng’s breaths fan across his lips.
“Do you even care about consent?” Wu Suowei demanded, glaring up into eyes far too close.
Chi Cheng’s brows lifted, that predator’s calm settling over him. “I do… if you actually mean it. So, be honest with me, Wu Suowei. Do you really want me to stop?” Chi Cheng asked, he was so close that his words made the hair in the back of his neck raise up.
The challenge in his tone was like a hand wrapped around Wu Suowei’s throat, firm, daring him to lie. Wu Suowei opened his mouth, ready to snap out a defiant yes, but when his gaze locked with Chi Cheng’s, the words withered. His chest tightened; his eyes skittered away.
“…No. Annoyingly, no,” he muttered, the truth slipping out before he could stop it.
Chi Cheng’s fingers curled under his jaw, tilting his face back up until there was nowhere to hide. The smile he wore then was lethal, satisfied and hungry.
A strong arm snaked around Wu Suowei’s waist, yanking him flush against the alpha’s chest. The heat was dizzying, their faces mere breaths apart, the scent rolling off Chi Cheng now thick enough to coat his tongue. Wu Suowei barely had time to gasp before lips pressed against the sensitive line of his neck.
The first kiss there was deep, unhurried, deliberate. The second had teeth.
Wu Suowei’s breath stuttered. His knees threatened to give out, but Chi Cheng’s hold only tightened, dragging him closer until he could feel every solid inch of the alpha against him.
Then, hot against the shell of his ear: “Why do you have Guo Chengyu’s scent on you?”
It took Wu Suowei a moment to even parse the words through the haze. Oh, Guo Chengyu. The lovesick idiot who’d turned up at the clinic pretending to be ill, eyes glued to Jiang Xiaoshuai. Wu Suowei had barely spoken to him, but apparently that was enough for his scent to linger. And Chi Cheng… knew him? Personally enough to growl his name, not his designation?
He felt the displeasure in the alpha’s grip, sharp, possessive. Some ridiculous instinct had him sliding his hand up into Chi Cheng’s hair, fingers threading through damp strands. The change was immediate: a subtle loosening of the tension. He seemed to like his touch as he felt Chi Cheng relaxing further and lean further into his touch.
“He was a patient, that’s all,” Wu Suowei murmured. “No need to get territorial, it’s not like we’re anything.”
The words landed like a spark on dry kindling. Chi Cheng’s body went taut again, and when his gaze met Wu Suowei’s this time, it burned.
“I—” Wu Suowei started, but never finished.
Chi Cheng’s mouth crashed into his with bruising force, the kiss deep and devastating, like he’d been holding back for far too long. Wu Suowei gasped, and the alpha pounced on the opening, tongue sweeping in to claim, to conquer, to taste every inch as though it was his right. The force of it stole breath, stole thought, left only the slick, heady rhythm of mouths moving together, heat sparking wherever their lips met.
The scent was everywhere now, thick, potent, saturating the air between them until Wu Suowei could feel it pooling in his lungs, coating the back of his throat. It was dizzying. His arms betrayed him before his mind could intervene, looping around Chi Cheng’s neck, dragging him closer, crushing the tiny space between them until their chests collided.
An action Chi Cheng must have noticed as Wu Suowei felt Chi Cheng smirk against his mouth.
Without warning, the alpha broke away just enough to drag his lips down the column of Wu Suowei’s throat. The heat of his mouth pressed hard into skin, followed by the sharp scrape of teeth that sent lightning down Wu Suowei’s spine. He alternated, sucking slow and deep, then biting just enough to make Wu Suowei’s pulse jump beneath his tongue.
Each kiss was a claim. Each nip and tug of skin felt like Chi Cheng was branding him, layer by layer.
Wu Suowei’s moans slipped out before he could clamp them down, soft and shameless, spilling into the air. He didn’t care, about the sun that was all around him, about the fact that they were in public, about who might hear him. His head tipped back against the wall, offering more of his neck without even thinking about it.
A broad palm cupped his cheek, tilting his face to exactly where Chi Cheng wanted it, while the other arm was iron around his waist, anchoring him firmly against the alpha’s body. Wu Suowei could feel everything, every shift of muscle, every subtle grind of hips as Chi Cheng pressed closer.
And then, he realized. The inside of Chi Cheng’s wrist, the alpha’s scent gland, was brushing deliberately against the edge of his jaw. The warmth there was hypnotic, and the scent that poured off it was pure, undiluted Chi Cheng, thick enough that it felt like it was wrapping around him from the inside out.
It was in his hair, in his skin, clinging to his clothes.
‘He’s scenting me.’
The realization struck through the haze like lightning. This wasn’t casual; alphas didn’t scent like this unless it meant something. It was not a casual act. It was intimate. And he was scenting him? It didn't make any sense but a part of him was very satisfied. He couldn't stop himself, instead of pulling away, Wu Suowei leaned in, just slightly, breathing it in like he was the one addicted.
Teeth sank into the slope of his neck, sharp enough to make his head tip back and a strangled moan tear loose before he could bite it back. The pressure was exquisite, right on that line between pain and pleasure that made every nerve in his body light up.
He could already feel the bloom of heat spreading beneath the skin, knew without a doubt it would mark, and tomorrow he would catch sight of it in the mirror, fingers brushing over the memory, and his pulse would race all over again.
His rationality was already in tatters, scattered in the space between Chi Cheng’s mouth and his scent. The intimacy was suffocating, addictive. The rest of the world didn’t exist, only the solid weight of the alpha against him, the feel of his chest rising and falling against Wu Suowei’s own, and the dizzying coil of heat low in his belly.
Satisfied for the moment, Chi Cheng dragged his teeth away in a slow scrape that left Wu Suowei shivering, only to crush their mouths together again.
The kiss was nothing short of possession. Chi Cheng didn’t just kiss, he took. Tongue sweeping in, mapping every inch of Wu Suowei’s mouth like he had every intention of claiming it as his territory. Wu Suowei tried to keep up, but the sheer force of it made him pliant, melting into the arm braced firm around his waist. His hands, as if acting on their own, fisted in the alpha’s hair; greedy, possessive, like they had every right to keep him there.
Chi Cheng’s low, satisfied hum vibrated between them, and the sound only made Wu Suowei’s knees weaker. The alpha tilted his head just enough to deepen the kiss further, swallowing every gasp and whimper like he was drinking them in.
When Chi Cheng finally tore his mouth away, Wu Suowei chased after him instinctively, lips parting in a silent plea.
The soft, dangerous chuckle that answered him snapped through the haze like a spark.
“I’ll stop there,” Chi Cheng murmured, palms coming up to cradle Wu Suowei’s flushed face. His thumbs brushed the heat high on his cheeks, his voice dropping to a velvet growl. “Otherwise, I might get carried away… and you’re not ready for that. Yet. Are you?”
The words curled in Wu Suowei’s gut like a promise he wasn’t sure he could refuse. His blush deepened, betraying him before his mind could catch up.
“Thought so.”
The alpha leaned in, slow enough for Wu Suowei to feel the ghost of his breath before their lips met again. This time it wasn’t about force, it was deliberate, lingering, a kiss that tasted like a seal, like something decided. Wu Suowei felt it down to his bones, an unspoken claim.
Chi Cheng drew back just far enough to keep his mouth brushing Wu Suowei’s when he spoke. “I’ll let you go to your little friend. But I don’t want another alpha’s scent mixed with yours again.” His eyes caught the low light, glinting gold for a single heartbeat before softening back to bottomless black.
Then he tipped his head forward, brushing his nose against Wu Suowei’s in a fleetingly intimate gesture that felt almost more dangerous than the bruising kisses.
And then, just like that, he stepped back.
The sudden loss of heat made Wu Suowei’s breath hitch, as though the air had gone colder without Chi Cheng’s body shielding him. He stayed pressed against the wall, lungs dragging in shaky pulls, pulse beating high in his throat. The alpha’s scent still clung to him, in his hair, on his clothes, sinking into his skin.
He was gone, leaving Wu Suowei pressed against the wall, lungs heaving, pulse in his throat, and entirely, dangerously baffled.
Notes:
Omg 2 more days then we have the last 2 episodes. How are you all doing? I am so glad we left the divorce era so quickly. I am pleased. Hopefully the next two episodes are as amazing as well. I haven't been this obsessed over a BL since Until we meet again. Let me know what you guys think about this chapter. Did you enjoy it? We will have more things kick off and changes in the next chapter.
Chapter 5: Wicked Game
Summary:
Wu Suowei keeps playing the game and turns blind eye to his own feelings when he has an encounter in his first date with Chi Cheng. Set in episode 3.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The world was on fire, and no one could save me but you
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
Wicked Game by Chris Isaak
When Wu Suowei finally stepped back into Jiang Xiaoshuai’s clinic after the basketball encounter, the bell above the door chimed softly. The familiar scent of antiseptic and herbal medicine should have greeted him, crisp and cleansing, yet all he could smell was him.
Chi Cheng’s scent clung to him like a second skin, thick and stubborn, wild wood threaded with that faint charred-paper undertone. It was in his hair, his clothes, probably his pores by now. He might as well have walked in carrying the alpha on his back.
The effect on Xiaoshuai was immediate. The man froze halfway through sorting bottles behind the counter, his head snapping up with a look of disbelief so sharp it bordered on outrage.
“Jeez Suowei…did you sleep with him?”
Wu Suowei stopped mid-step. “What? No!”
“You reek of him!” Xiaoshuai’s nose wrinkled like the scent was physically crawling into his brain. “You bathed in his pheromones. Don’t lie to me, Wu Suowei. What the hell did you two do?”
Wu Suowei rolled his eyes, but the heat prickling at the back of his neck betrayed him. “We kissed.”
Xiaoshuai blinked. “Kissed? That’s all?”
“A few times,” Wu Suowei muttered, suddenly fascinated by a crack in the floor tile. “…And maybe there was some… neck involved.”
The disbelief on Xiaoshuai’s face turned into pure bafflement. “Neck involved?!”
Wu Suowei sighed, relenting enough to give the full, though heavily edited play-by-play. By the end, Xiaoshuai was leaning against the counter, brows drawn, lips pursed like he was trying to solve a particularly complicated math problem.
“So, let me get this straight,” Xiaoshuai said slowly. “You’re a beta. His pheromones shouldn’t do jack to you. But you’re telling me he had you melting in his hands like you’re some lovesick omega?”
Wu Suowei scowled. “I was not lovesick.”
“Uh-huh.” Xiaoshuai’s smirk was insufferable. “You sound lovesick.”
“I’m fine.” Wu Suowei straightened his shoulders, tugging his jacket like he could somehow shake off the scent. He kept his voice steady, his expression cool, as though none of it had touched him. The mask had to stay on, keep confidence, composure, a bit of arrogance. He couldn’t afford to let anyone see him rattled. Especially with Xiaoshuai’s shit-eating grin.
Because inside, he was anything but fine.
He’d gone into this expecting Chi Cheng to be physical. A man like him, with such a reputation, it was practically guaranteed. Wu Suowei had been prepared for wandering hands, suggestive smiles, maybe a well-timed lean-in. He was ready for it.
What he wasn’t ready for was how easily the alpha had unravelled him.
He was supposed to be immune. Not interested in alphas, not even slightly tempted by their so called dominance games. He’d built his walls carefully, kept his footing steady no matter the charm or pressure.
And yet… one hand on his waist, one growl against his ear, and he’d practically melted. His body had reacted before his brain could even issue the command to not. His pulse had jumped, his breath had gone shallow, and his muscles once tight, resistant had loosened in Chi Cheng’s grip like they belonged there.
It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t supposed to happen.
And because it wasn’t supposed to happen, Wu Suowei refused to acknowledge it out loud.
So, he lounged in the chair across from Xiaoshuai, legs stretched, expression deliberately bored, while his mind replayed every damn second of that kiss. The heat of it. The weight of Chi Cheng’s palm cupping his cheek. The way the alpha’s scent had drowned everything else out until the rain itself felt distant.
“Stop smiling to yourself like an idiot,” Xiaoshuai muttered from the counter, breaking his thoughts.
“I’m not smiling.”
“You’re smiling.”
“Shut up.”
Xiaoshuai’s grin widened knowingly, but he didn’t press further. He didn’t have to. The silence that followed was thick enough to hang between them, and Wu Suowei knew the real battle was the one in his own head.
Because for all his bravado, for all his careful mask of control, he couldn’t shake the truth—Chi Cheng was getting under his skin.
And that was dangerous.
“Jeez, your revenge plan is turning into true seduction game. I feel like I am mentoring you into your gay awakening more than a plan to get revenge on your ex as a means to an end…” Xiaoshuai trailed while scratching his head. Wu Suowei glared at him then.
“I am not interested in Chi Cheng like that, not genuinely!” Wu Suowei shouted while glaring at Xiaoshuai. At that, his friend looked at him and raised his eyebrows.
“Really? You want to live in denial?” Xiaoshuai said it while staring at him. Wu Suowei didn’t give him any response and huffed before he ran off to the room at the back, completely ignoring Xiaoshuai’s big laugh.
And that was four days ago.
Four long, deliberate days in which Wu Suowei stayed away from the basketball court entirely. Not because he didn’t want to see Chi Cheng, quite the opposite, but because patience was part of the game. Leave the alpha wanting, give him space to wonder where you’d gone, let the absence itch under his skin until he was the one seeking you out. And he had shown up! Annoyed at his absence and furious but then he put into his snake breeding plan, showed what a rookie he was at buying and raising snakes which from the get go had something wrong with it and he had seen how offended Chi Cheng had been on his behave. The man had been irritated to see that he had been deceived but Wu Suowei kept up the façade that his batch had been fine and there was nothing wrong with it.
The fact that his both plans worked had him running circles in pleasure around Xiaoshuai. His friend had thought the snake con would be just a loss of money for him and Chi Cheng wouldn’t care but the alpha so far was falling for his tricks and did seem to care for him. Hell, he had even given him 200,000 money to him without thinking twice. Wu Suowei had only asked as a test, to see how far Chi Cheng would go, how easily his guard could be breached. He hadn’t actually expected him to hand over that kind of money with zero hesitation. The move had shocked him, but more importantly, it had proved something to Xiaoshuai, Chi Cheng was getting attached.
The plan was gliding forward perfectly… until Chi Cheng did something that threw both him and Xiaoshuai completely off-balance.
The delivery arrived in the afternoon—big, heavy boxes stacked high at the clinic entrance. Wu Suowei had opened them to find not just a few token gifts, but piles of high-quality clothes in his size, and a thick, soft blanket still smelling faintly of new fabric and packaging.
He’d stood there staring at the contents for a long moment, so still that Xiaoshuai had leaned over his shoulder to see what had turned him to stone.
“Wow Suowei…even your ex-girlfriend didn’t treat you this well. You should just start dating Chi Cheng genuinely!” Xiaoshuai had said it with a big smile but Wu Suowei had been frozen.
Wu Suowei had shrugged like it was no big deal, tossing out a casual, “Probably just trying to show off.”
But inside… inside, something small and raw in him had shifted.
Apart from his mother, no one had ever gone out of their way to buy him something like that, something warm, practical, and meant just for him. Yue Yue had taken and taken, demanding money and gifts, without ever giving back so much as a scarf. But Chi Cheng…Chi Cheng had given without being asked. Without expecting something immediate in return.
He told himself it was just part of the seduction game, just another move in the back-and-forth. He was an alpha, this was such an alpha move. Throw money and give things. And yet, he couldn’t quite smother the small, stubborn warmth curling in his chest at the thought of the alpha choosing those things for him.
He buried that warmth deep, locking it behind the same cool mask he always wore. Chi Cheng couldn’t see it. Xiaoshuai couldn’t see it. Nobody could.
The plan was still his priority. And for the most part, it was going exactly how he wanted.
Which was how he’d ended up here, right now—standing in the middle of a sunlit park, waiting for Chi Cheng.
He’d managed to talk Mr. I-don’t-date into agreeing to meet him here, a feat he was quietly proud of. Chi Cheng had grumbled, rolled his eyes, and muttered that he had better things to do—but he’d still agreed.
And Wu Suowei was confident he wouldn’t be stood up.
The late afternoon light spilled across the open paths, catching on the soft green of the grass and the gold edges of the leaves. Children’s laughter drifted faintly from somewhere near the playground, mixing with the rustle of the breeze.
He stood in the middle of the park, humming to himself. The tune was lazy, casual, something to pass the time while he waited. The sunlight was warm against his skin, the faint breeze carrying the scent of grass and distant flowers. For a moment, he felt almost… light.
Then he heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Expecting to see Chi Cheng, he turned with a beaming smile already in place ready to throw out some sly comment about the alpha finally showing up.
But the smile froze on his lips.
It wasn’t Chi Cheng.
No. Standing there, in all her sharp-shouldered hostility, was Yue Yue herself, and she was glaring at him as if he’d committed a personal crime by existing.
The sight of her hit him like a slap. Rage flared so hot in his chest it was almost dizzying. He had thought he’d buried the disgust, the resentment, the way his stomach used to twist whenever she started in on him. But here she was, dragging it all back to the surface in an instant.
His smile evaporated, replaced by a hard scowl.
“Oh, it’s you. Are you following me again, Wu Qiqiong?” Her voice was sharp, carrying across the open air, and her tone had that grating mix of self-righteousness and accusation he remembered too well. “I’m telling you, I am never getting back together with you!” she screeched.
The girl standing beside her blinked, wide-eyed, looking between the two of them like she’d just stepped into a soap opera scene.
Wu Suowei’s scowl deepened. This? This is who I wasted three years on? The realization felt like a second insult.
Anger, real, unfiltered anger, rolled through him like a tide, and for once he didn’t bother holding it back.
“Me? Following you?” His voice was low at first, incredulous, before it rose in sharp, heated words.
“Please. You were a nightmare to date, Yue Yue. Why would I ever want you back?”
Her lips curled, but he didn’t give her the chance to respond.
“The best thing you ever did for me was break up. I was blind, blind enough to spend years doing everything I could to make you happy while you treated me like trash. You drained me, you belittled me, you made me feel like I wasn’t worth a damn. So yeah, thank you for cutting me loose.”
He stepped forward, closing the space between them just enough for his next words to hit like a strike.
“I wouldn’t take you back if you were the last person left on earth.”
Yue Yue and the friend beside her both stared at him with their mouths hanging open, as if they had just watched someone flip a table in the middle of a quiet restaurant. The other girl’s expression was pure bafflement, her eyes darting between them in wide-eyed fascination. She clearly had no idea what history was crackling between him and Yue Yue, but she could sense the tension like a physical force in the air.
It was Yue Yue’s reaction that Wu Suowei watched most closely. There was real shock in her eyes, the kind that strips away arrogance for a split second. He knew why. For the entire three years they had been together, he had never raised his voice at her, never challenged her, never even allowed a hint of dissatisfaction to pass his lips. Whatever she wanted, he had delivered. Whatever she complained about, he had fixed. He had been patient, pliable, willing to bend himself into a shape she liked, just to keep her around.
Those days were long gone.
Now, he was far too burned to keep that act going. His pride had grown too strong to let him bow his head to her again. The resentment of how she had treated him sat heavy in his chest, and he had no intention of ever being her doormat again.
Yue Yue opened her mouth, then shut it again. Her lips pressed together in silence for a long thirty seconds. He could almost see the gears turning in her head, the scramble for something to say that would put her back in control of the conversation. When her scowl returned, it was sharper than before.
“Please,” she finally snapped, her tone dripping with derision. “You want me back, and I know it. But you will never get me back. My new boyfriend is a hundred times better than you.”
Wu Suowei arched one brow, his expression slow and deliberate. He shifted his gaze away from her as though she had already lost his interest.
“Well, I cannot argue with that,” he replied smoothly. “Chi Cheng is pretty great looking. You, on the other hand, are the stain in that relationship.”
Her eyes went wide, and her glare intensified. The flicker of temper in her face was almost satisfying to watch.
“You know who my boyfriend is,” she accused, her voice rising. “You are stalking him to break us up so you can get back with me. But I tell you, Wu Qiqiong, I will never get back with you. You are trash and ugly. I do not even know why I stayed with you for three years. Chi Cheng is a better boyfriend to me than you ever were, so stay out of my way.”
She spat the last words like venom, glaring at him one more time before turning sharply on her heel. Her hair swayed with the force of her movement, and she began marching away, her friend scurrying after her.
Wu Suowei stared after her, his lip curling. “No one wants you back. How delusional are you?” he muttered under his breath. Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he shook his head. “Jeez, that woman. Ruining my perfectly good mood.”
He turned, intending to look around the park and reset his thoughts, but his eyes froze on a tall figure standing only a short distance away. Dressed in a dark shirt, broad-shouldered and still as a statue, Chi Cheng stood watching him. His black eyes were locked directly on Wu Suowei, unreadable but intense.
Wu Suowei’s stomach dropped. Just how long had Chi Cheng been standing there? And how much had he heard?
“Ah, Chi Cheng… you finally arrived,” Wu Suowei said, forcing a smile that felt slightly too tight at the edges. “There I was wondering if you had stood me up.” His tone carried a lightness he didn’t truly feel, the faintest tremor betraying his nerves.
Chi Cheng’s eyes stayed locked on him, dark and unblinking. Wu Suowei could almost feel the weight of that gaze pressing into his skin, peeling away every carefully crafted layer he tried to keep in place. It was like being caught under a spotlight he could not hide from. He did not dare hold that stare for long in case he found something there he did not want to see. Anger, suspicion, disappointment. If Chi Cheng had heard the argument with Yue Yue, surely he would have said something already. Or maybe he was waiting, letting Wu Suowei stew until the perfect moment to strike with a quiet, merciless confrontation.
The sound of slow, deliberate footsteps closed the distance between them. Wu Suowei tensed, bracing for a sharp remark or even a rough shove. Instead, an arm slid around his waist, solid and certain, pulling him in with a possessive ease that sent a jolt through his body. His breath caught, his muscles instinctively tightening before they betrayed him and softened into the touch.
He looked up, and that was his first mistake.
Chi Cheng’s gaze hit him like diving headfirst into deep water, stealing his breath and muting the world. Wu Suowei’s pulse stuttered and then raced, his face warming instantly under the closeness.
It had been four days of carefully maintaining distance, of making the alpha work for this meeting. Four days of telling himself he had the upper hand. Yet now, with Chi Cheng’s solid chest just inches away, the faint heat of his body bleeding into his own, Wu Suowei was reminded vividly how dangerous proximity could be. His knees did not feel as steady as they had a moment ago.
“Why do you look so annoyed?” Chi Cheng’s voice was low, the timbre thick enough to brush over his skin like a physical touch. It was not a casual question. It was the kind of tone that left no room for evasion.
Wu Suowei’s eyes dropped immediately. “Eh… just saw someone annoying in the park while waiting for your late ass,” he muttered, lips curling into a reluctant pout. He had no intention of explaining Yue Yue right now. Not when those eyes were already reading too much.
A slow, deep chuckle rumbled from Chi Cheng’s chest, sliding into Wu Suowei’s body through the space between them. It was infuriating how much that sound affected him. His head lifted, ready to glare and tell him exactly how irritating he was.
He never got the words out.
The hand at his waist tightened and pulled him forward in a swift, decisive motion. Chi Cheng’s mouth crushed against his, the kiss hot and hungry, stripping him of air before he had time to think. Wu Suowei’s eyes widened, but the taste of him, rich, warm, and faintly tinged with something intoxicating, shattered every coherent thought.
When Wu Suowei gasped, Chi Cheng’s tongue swept in, confident and unhurried, mapping every contour with a precision that felt both deliberate and devastating. His scent filled Wu Suowei’s head until the park, the people, the entire world faded into nothing but this man’s touch.
Against his will, Wu Suowei’s arms slid around Chi Cheng’s neck, holding on, dragging him closer. Chi Cheng smirked into the kiss, angling his head to deepen it until the pull in Wu Suowei’s stomach was impossible to ignore.
When they parted for breath, it was barely a pause. Chi Cheng’s lips wandered downward, skimming along the sharp line of Wu Suowei’s jaw before finding the vulnerable column of his neck. His mouth lingered there, slow kisses broken by the scrape of teeth. Each one was a claim, a mark without leaving visible proof, yet Wu Suowei felt it burn deep.
He drew in a sharp breath when Chi Cheng’s tongue traced a slow circle over the spot he had just bitten, the heat pooling low in his stomach.
“Chi Cheng…” Wu Suowei’s voice came out softer than he intended, airy and edged with something dangerously close to pleading. His fingers curled tighter into the back of the alpha’s neck, feeling the heat radiating beneath his shirt collar.
“You taste good when you are annoyed,” Chi Cheng murmured against his skin, the words vibrating over the sensitive spot until Wu Suowei’s knees gave another treacherous wobble.
“Shut up,” Wu Suowei snapped weakly, but his voice betrayed him with a slight tremor. He pushed against Chi Cheng’s chest, creating enough distance to breathe and think again. His sanity began to crawl back into place.
Glancing around, Wu Suowei caught sight of a small toy car rolling across the path. A spark of mischief lit in his eyes. He grabbed Chi Cheng’s arms and tugged him sharply to the side.
“There was a car!” he said, eyes locked on Chi Cheng.
Chi Cheng blinked at him, then glanced down at the toy car slowly trundling away. “A toy car?”
“It is still a car and I saved you,” Wu Suowei replied, his cocky smile fully returned. Letting go of Chi Cheng’s arms, he tilted his head with a pleased expression. The alpha’s puzzled look was too good to pass up, and Wu Suowei could not resist basking in it.
He felt almost certain now that Chi Cheng had not seen the argument with Yue Yue. No way he could have witnessed that and still been falling for such a ridiculous distraction.
But Wu Suowei’s satisfaction blinded him to the way Chi Cheng’s expression darkened. Hunger crept into those black eyes.
Before he could take a step further into the park, Chi Cheng’s hand shot up to cup his jaw, fingers threading into his hair as he pulled Wu Suowei in again. This kiss was different. Firmer, slower, burning instead of crashing. Chi Cheng’s other hand slid from his side down to rest just above his hip, fingers spread wide, staking his claim without words.
Wu Suowei could feel every stroke of his tongue, alternating between coaxing and taking, each movement sending another pulse of heat through him. The faint cool of mint mixed with Chi Cheng’s natural taste was maddening.
When Chi Cheng finally let him breathe, he stayed close, lips brushing the edge of Wu Suowei’s ear. His breath was hot and deliberate.
“You like playing games, Dabao. I am going to enjoy that very much.”
Notes:
Let me know what you guys think about this chapter! I always love reading comments.
Chapter 6: Want it more
Summary:
Things get more complicated between Chi Cheng and Wu Suowei as he refuses to keep playing the game but his heart is in danger.
Notes:
So...this chapter exploded. I couldn't stop writing. Hope you guys enjoy this! I don't think I can promise chapters of this length every time but enjoy this one!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Kiss me on the lips lips a secret between only the two of us
I get deeply addicted to a prison called you
I can’t serve no one but you
I drank from the poisoned chalice, knowing it was poisoned
My blood, sweat, tears, and my cold breath
Take them all away
Want it more and more, more and more
Blood sweat and tears by BTS
Wu Suowei was a schemer to the bone. He had no idea how exactly things had escalated to this point, but if there was one quality that defined him, it was persistence. Once an idea lodged itself into his head, he clung to it with teeth and nails until it either succeeded or collapsed under its own weight. He was not simply clever. He was stubborn, devious, and relentless, which is why his latest scheme had already become the subject of a heated debate with his best friend.
One day earlier
Jiang Xiaoshuai stood in front of Wu Suowei with his arms folded, staring at the scene before him in stunned disbelief. The back room had been transformed into a chaotic fortress of books, stacked in teetering piles across the table and even on the floor. His jaw dropped as he tried to take in the sheer amount of paper and ink surrounding them.
Finally, his eyes returned to Wu Suowei, who sat cross-legged on the floor with a thick volume open in his lap, nose buried so deeply into it that he had barely looked up since Xiaoshuai walked in.
“Why on earth did you waste money on all these books?” Jiang Xiaoshuai demanded, his voice caught somewhere between exasperation and awe.
Wu Suowei did not look particularly guilty. Instead, he glanced up briefly, eyes glinting with determination, before returning to his book. “You do not understand, master,” he said in a tone that was far too serious for the situation. “Chi Cheng is smart. Smarter than most. If I have any hope of keeping his attention and pulling him away from Yue Yue, I cannot just rely on physical attraction. She does not care about intellectual things, but he might. If I can engage him in this way, if I can stimulate his mind as well as everything else, then he will be more intrigued by me. He will want me more, and eventually he will let go of Yue Yue.”
He lifted the book slightly as if in triumph. “So I bought as many books as I could from his degree reading list. With this knowledge, I can hook him and keep him with my brain.” He sounded absurdly pleased with himself as his eyes returned to the page, lips curling into a smug little smile.
Jiang Xiaoshuai did not look half as impressed. He walked over to one of the stacks, nudged a pile with his foot, and gave a long sigh. “Suowei, you already seem to have him in the palm of your hand. Do you really need all of this?” His voice dropped lower, more thoughtful. “Every time you come back from meeting him, you are drenched in his scent. Covered. Hell, yesterday you returned fully scented by him. That alone says a lot. From what I researched, he has never done that with anyone else. Not with alphas, not with betas, not with omegas. He has been with plenty of people, yes, but he has not claimed them in that way. You already stand out more than you realise.”
Wu Suowei did not even glance up this time. He flipped a page, eyes narrowing in concentration as he muttered, “Yeah, but like you said yourself, he is a player. He is physical, he is tempted, and he clearly wants me. But once he sleeps with me, what if that is all he wanted? What if he gets his fill and then runs straight back to Yue Yue to marry her? I cannot risk that. I need another angle. I need something deeper to keep him hooked. If I can appeal to him on an intellectual level, he will not only want my body but also my mind. That way, he will find it harder to let me go.”
Xiaoshuai tilted his head and squinted at him as though studying a particularly stubborn child. “I understand what you are saying, but Suowei, let us be honest here. Do you really think you can convince him that you are interested in this stuff? You are not exactly the most subtle person, and he is sharp. He will see right through you.”
This time, Wu Suowei looked up with a glint of triumph in his eyes. He set the book down and reached to his side, pulling out a neatly folded sheet of paper. With an almost theatrical flourish, he handed it over. “That is why I have a backup plan. At some point, I will create an opportunity for him to accidentally see this.” He tapped the heading, which read in bold: Jianghua University Political Science Reading List. Below it stretched an intimidating collection of titles, all meticulously checked off.
“If he sees this, he will believe I have been studying all this for him. Even if I act like it is nothing, he will know. And the realization that I went out of my way to do this for him will flatter him. It will make him feel special. It will be a direct stroke to the alpha’s ego. Either way, I win.” Wu Suowei raised his brows, smug and satisfied, as if the whole world had already fallen neatly into place according to his scheme.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s eyes widened. He blinked at his friend, then stared down at the list again, before slowly shaking his head with a disbelieving laugh. “So your plan is two-fold. First, you try to hook him intellectually, which, honestly, I doubt you will pull off convincingly. And if that fails, you leave this lying around so he thinks you are trying for him anyway. Even if you fail at acting, he will still think you did it all for his attention. Suowei… you sly bastard. I am impressed. I underestimated your play.”
He clapped Wu Suowei on the shoulder in admiration. Wu Suowei, of course, only smirked in response, eyes glittering with that dangerous mix of stubbornness and pride that made him exactly who he was.
That was how Wu Suowei found himself back in his cramped little room, the space still drowning in towering piles of books, though this time Jiang Xiaoshuai was nowhere to be found. Instead, it was Chi Cheng sitting in front of him at the end of their date night. The towering alpha was holding the antiseptic spray with surprising gentleness, misting it carefully over the bruise on Wu Suowei’s forehead. The cool sensation on his skin was one thing, but the delicate precision with which Chi Cheng applied it was something else entirely, and it threw Wu Suowei’s balance off in ways he was not prepared for.
The entire evening, Wu Suowei had clung stubbornly to his “intellectual play.” He had tried weaving topics into conversation, dropping references to political theory, economics, and literature, hoping to spark a gleam of recognition or interest in Chi Cheng’s sharp eyes. Yet all his effort was met with almost complete indifference. Chi Cheng had listened, yes, but his attention seemed to be drawn elsewhere. Every time Wu Suowei tried to steer the night toward thoughtful dialogue, Chi Cheng simply pushed back with a hand at his waist, lips hovering far too close, or subtle hints that he wanted to pull Wu Suowei straight into bed.
It was maddening. Xiaoshuai had warned him this might fail, but still, he had not expected Chi Cheng to look so disinterested. Why on earth had this man studied political science at university if he clearly did not give a damn about it?
In a last-ditch effort, Wu Suowei had even dragged him to an opera concert. The perfect intellectual date, or so he thought. Unfortunately, somewhere after the second act, his head had grown heavier and heavier until he drifted straight into sleep. He had jolted awake near the end and spent the rest of the performance pretending to be fascinated, praying the alpha had not noticed his little betrayal.
Of course, he had already decided that Xiaoshuai would never hear about how badly this plan had fallen apart. The mountains of books, the late-night study sessions, the meticulous reading lists—it would all remain his secret humiliation. To anyone else, he would call it a success.
And in some ways, it was. Because despite his failed attempts at playing the intellectual, despite the boring opera, despite his own scheming, Chi Cheng had still driven him to the clinic and when he tripped and got hurt, the alpha even followed him back inside afterward.
The alpha could have simply dropped him at the door and left, but instead he stayed, looming large in Wu Suowei’s small room, focused entirely on him. His eyes fully over him.
What Wu Suowei had not expected was this, Chi Cheng’s tenderness. The way his big hands handled the spray with such care, the way his dark eyes softened as he inspected the bruise, the way his expression flickered with something close to worry. It was disarming. It stripped Wu Suowei of all his carefully built plays and strategies, because none of it felt like a scheme anymore.
He knew his plan but here under his hands…it didn’t feel like scheming anymore. Chi Cheng’s gaze lingered on the wound, heavy with warmth and something almost protective as he blew on it.
For once, Wu Suowei did not know what to say. He had prepared clever lines, witty retorts, intellectual lures, but none of them fit in this moment. What he felt instead was the quiet, startling realization that Chi Cheng might see him differently than anyone else had before. And that, more than any plan, made his chest tighten with an emotion he could not name.
His eyes looked at Chi Cheng, observing his face as the alpha kept his eyes on the wound on his forehead and blew on it. Having him so close to him, him hovering over him made him feel a certain way. His woodsy alpha smell was surrounding him more as his scent gland was so close to him.
Wu Suowei often found other alphas scents to be unappealing and overwhelming but something about Chi Cheng’s scent was different. For one, it didn’t repel him. Hell…he actually found the scent comforting. Having the scent so close, surrounding him, it made him want to close his eyes and just bath in it.
The scent and tender touch he was giving him, he felt so comforted it was leaving him rattled. He had the small desire to pull him closer and kiss him.
Wu Suowei felt so overwhelmed by the tenderness that the sugar figurine on his left hand slipped from his fingers, hitting the floor and shattering into tiny shards.
Startled, having forgotten he even had it in his hand, he looked down and stared at the broken pieces in disbelief, as if only now remembering what he had been doing in the first place.
Chi Cheng had asked him, no, demanded him, to make that sugar figurine as a gift for his girlfriend. His girlfriend. Bloody Yue Yue!
Jealousy surged hot in his chest, sharp and bitter, cutting through the warm feeling Chi Cheng had managed to put him in.
What kind of insanity was this? Who in their right mind asked the man they were cheating with to craft a sweet little present for their main partner? It was insulting, outrageous. The audacity of this alpha. Hell, he even knew that Chi Cheng had no feelings for Yue Yue. From the way he was behaving and how easily he keeps falling for him, it was very clear the alpha had no attachment with Yue Yue. It did make him wonder why the alpha was even dating Yue Yue when he doesn’t seem to like the omega at all.
Though he knew that he didn’t care for Yue Yue that way, it didn’t stop Wu Suowei from feeling jealous as she had the title and he didn’t. He didn’t even focus on the possessive way he was thinking about Chi Cheng, he was too angry and jealous to pick up on his own possessive thoughts.
Still, he had done it. He had crafted the figurine with careful spite, knowing Yue Yue never liked sugar figures anyway. In his mind, it was a petty sort of vengeance. She hated it and she’d get this as a gift but internally she would hate it and it pleased him. But now it was ruined, scattered across the floor in glittering fragments, all because Chi Cheng’s gentle touch had startled him so badly.
He hated how easy it was to forget his resentment when faced with that softness, how his schemes slipped from his grip when the alpha looked at him like that. Wu Suowei lifted his eyes warily, bracing for anger or a cutting remark. Surely Chi Cheng would scowl, order another, or mock him for being clumsy. Instead, he was met with something else entirely.
Instead, to his great surprise, Chi Cheng gave him a soft smile. It was not the practiced smirk that usually curled on his lips, nor the sharp amusement that always seemed to hide behind his eyes. This was something else entirely. A smile unguarded, warm, and steady, as though it carried an anchor within it. Wu Suowei froze beneath it. He had never seen this expression from him before, and the sudden shift left him unmoored, as though the floor had tilted beneath his feet.
Their gazes locked, and Wu Suowei felt a tightness gather in his chest, sharp and consuming. His breath caught without permission. The intensity of Chi Cheng’s stare unsettled him, not because it threatened, but because of the quiet certainty in it. Wu Suowei was used to reading mockery, dominance, or hunger in those golden eyes. Now he saw something steadier, something deeper, and it left him trembling inside.
Then Chi Cheng lifted a hand. The movement was deliberate, almost reverent, as though he knew the weight it would carry. His fingers brushed against Wu Suowei’s cheek, trailing heat along his skin. The touch was impossibly gentle, far too gentle for someone with a presence as fierce as Chi Cheng. His palm cradled his face with a steadiness that made Wu Suowei feel fragile, as if the man could shatter him with ease but had chosen instead to hold him as though he were something irreplaceable.
At that same moment, Chi Cheng’s scent unfurled, seeping into the air and wrapping around him with suffocating intensity. The rich woodiness of it pressed close, protective and grounding, until it filled his lungs with every breath. Wu Suowei could feel it brushing against his skin, saturating the air, coating his senses until there was nothing left but him. It was not a demand, nor a claim, not even an overt dominance. It was protective, encompassing, steady. A quiet declaration that he was shielded within it.
The sensation unsettled him. His instincts, sharp and honed from years of navigating others, screamed that he should pull back. He should resist, mock, or wriggle free of this warmth before it consumed him. But another part of him, a deeper part he rarely acknowledged, stilled instead. He felt safe. The realization hit with the weight of stone. Safe in the presence of an alpha who should have terrified him. Safe enough to let the tension drain from his shoulders, if only for a fleeting moment.
It confused him. He had never felt this before, not with anyone. The only time he had ever felt such safety had been as a child, curled against his mother while her scent surrounded him. That memory had always lived at the back of his mind, softened with time, yet the familiarity of the feeling now struck him so strongly it made his throat ache. He had not expected to feel it again, not from someone like Chi Cheng.
And that recognition made something stir deep inside him, something he could not name. A warmth that frightened him as much as it soothed him. A fragile yearning for the safety of this embrace, the kind of yearning that made his defenses falter. It was dangerous, terrifying even, because Wu Suowei did not know if he could survive lowering his guard. Yet he could not deny the part of him that leaned ever so slightly into Chi Cheng’s touch, craving more of that unbearable safety. Something inside him was enjoying it and preening.
A part of him wanted to close his eyes, to sink into the warmth of that touch, and to purr. The thought itself was enough to jolt him, like icy water down his spine. Purring? The very idea startled him. He was a beta. Betas did not purr. That was something alphas and omegas did, something primal, instinctive, tied to bonds and comfort and desire. But him? Why was the urge clawing at him now, bubbling up in his chest as though his body had forgotten its own nature?
The confusion was sharp, almost frightening. His thoughts raced in circles, a storm of disbelief and unease. If he allowed it, if he gave in, what would that mean? Did it mean Chi Cheng’s presence was already burrowing too deeply into him, carving a space he could not control? The thought was unbearable, yet intoxicating all the same.
Panic flickered through him. Desperate to hold himself together, Wu Suowei tore his gaze away. He broke the lock of those dark eyes that had him trapped, instead he looked down quickly as if the ground could save him. His skin prickled under the heat of Chi Cheng’s stare, every nerve alight and buzzing. He could still feel the heavy weight of that gaze, lingering like a physical touch. It pressed against him with as much force as the hand that still cradled his cheek.
Chi Cheng did not withdraw. The alpha’s palm remained steady, his scent gland still pressed faintly against his skin. That woody fragrance continued to wrap around him comfortably, protective and unyielding, like a protective blanket he could not escape from. Hell, he did not want to. His heart thudded faster for it, caught between dread and longing. He resisted the urge to fully yield to Chi Cheng.
Then Chi Cheng’s other hand lifted again, slow and deliberate, as though he feared breaking something delicate. His fingers swept gently across Wu Suowei’s forehead, brushing aside stray strands of hair. The pads of his fingertips lingered against his skin, tracing over the tender line of the bruise that had not yet faded. Wu Suowei inhaled sharply at the touch, more from the intimacy than the pain.
Chi Cheng leaned closer. The world seemed to hold its breath with him. His lips parted, and instead of words, a soft breath of air left him, ghosting across the bruise. The warmth of it spread faintly over Wu Suowei’s skin, soothing, as though Chi Cheng meant to chase away the hurt with nothing but his breath. He said nothing, yet the silence was louder than any declaration. His actions spoke for him, and Wu Suowei’s chest tightened at the quiet, careful tenderness in them.
The tenderness was unbearable. It pressed into him in ways he was not prepared for, unraveling defenses he had kept in place for years. Three long years he had dated Yue Yue, and not once had she looked at him with this kind of care. Not once had she lingered at his side when he was sick, or reached out to soothe him when he was hurt. Every time he winced or faltered, she had been conveniently busy, her excuses dressed up as importance, as though his pain was too trivial to matter. He remembered the empty rooms, the silence, the way he had grown used to tending his own wounds. When it was too much for him alone, his mother had stepped in, offering the gentle comfort Yue Yue had withheld.
But Yue Yue herself had never been there. Not once.
And yet now, here stood her current boyfriend, his hand steady and warm against Wu Suowei’s cheek, his breath soft against a bruise, as though Wu Suowei were something precious that required careful tending. Chi Cheng’s touch was not hurried or careless. It was deliberate, almost reverent, as if each movement carried a weight he refused to let go of.
It made no sense. None at all. This man should not be the one giving him what he had always longed for and never received. The contradiction burned inside him. His mind told him to resist, to reject it, to remember who Chi Cheng was and what he represented. But his body betrayed him, leaning ever so slightly into that hand, craving more of the warmth that seeped from it.
The ache in his chest swelled, raw and unfamiliar. It was not anger, though anger would have been easier. It was not relief either, though a part of him felt strangely soothed. No, this was something else entirely, a feeling nameless and sharp that twisted between comfort and grief. It rose in him like a tide he could not stop, and the more he fought it, the deeper it pulled him under.
Why did it hurt to be cared for? Why did it feel so foreign, so dangerous, and yet so desperately needed?
It was the uncertainty that cut deepest. That sharp edge of doubt lodged itself in his chest, more painful than the bruise on his skin or the sting in his pride. Chi Cheng was tender with him now, his touch steady, his gaze almost unbearably warm, but that warmth was built on a fragile illusion. Sooner or later the truth would come out. Sooner or later, Chi Cheng would see past the masks, past the lies, past every small pretense Wu Suowei had used to survive.
And when that happened, those eyes would no longer hold him with this softness. That hand would not linger as if reluctant to let go. The thought of it clawed at him, relentless, and it was this knowledge that frightened him more than anything.
Why did the idea of losing Chi Cheng’s attention make his chest ache as if something vital was being stolen away? Why did the mere thought of his gaze turning cold leave him feeling smaller than he ever had before? He did not want to admit it, did not want to understand the answer forming in the dark corners of his mind. To acknowledge it would be dangerous, to name it would be unbearable.
So, he tried to bury it. He pressed it down as low as he could, smothering the fear beneath a wall of denial. Yet no matter how hard he tried, the truth still lingered in the air between them, carried in the warmth of Chi Cheng’s hand and the steadiness of his scent wrapping around him. It whispered of a comfort he had never been given, of a safety he had never thought he deserved. And that whisper terrified him more than the lie he was living.
He unclenched his fists slowly, nails leaving faint crescents in his palms, and his breath escaped in a shaky tremor. Forcing his eyes upward, he searched Chi Cheng’s face, desperate to read something there that would explain this sudden, bewildering tenderness.
“Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?” His voice came out quieter than he intended, unsteady, almost breaking. It was the kind of voice that revealed too much, as if he feared the very answer he was asking for.
Chi Cheng’s expression did not change. That soft smile, disarming and steady, remained carved onto his face as though nothing in the world could shake it. He held Wu Suowei’s gaze with a calmness that unsettled him far more than anger ever could.
“What do you think?” The question was low, smooth, dangerous in its simplicity.
Wu Suowei’s mouth parted, but no clever retort came. His tongue, usually quick with deflections and half-truths, betrayed him. The schemes he built so carefully seemed to crumble all at once. He was left bare, stripped of pretense, baffled by this unexpected gentleness that wrapped around him tighter than any hold. His eyes faltered and dropped, shame pulling them down as he whispered, voice trembling, “I… I don’t know.”
Chi Cheng leaned in, close enough that his breath brushed across Wu Suowei’s skin, carrying the warmth of wood and spice. His smile curved faintly, but the softness sharpened as he murmured, “With that little awareness, you really should not be a homewrecker.”
The tenderness shattered like glass.
Wu Suowei froze. For a heartbeat his chest was hollow, then heat surged back in a rush, a burning fire flooding his veins. His head snapped up, eyes blazing with fury, meeting Chi Cheng’s with all the storm he could summon.
“You, you asshole!” he spat, every syllable shaking with indignation. The fragile ache that had been gnawing at him only moments before now hardened into fury. He glared at the alpha, cheeks flushed, his pride and temper colliding with betrayal. He had been stupid, so stupid, to soften, to let himself be lulled by that gentleness. And of course this infuriating man had to twist the knife, had to ruin it.
“If you know I’m a homewrecker then why are you playing along? Go to your girlfriend, sleep with her, marry her, whatever the hell you want. I will not waste my time on you!” His voice cracked slightly but burned hotter for it, his chest heaving as his glare only deepened. “I can chase other people!”
His temper raced far ahead of reason. Wu Suowei shoved hard against Chi Cheng’s chest, words tumbling from his mouth in reckless fury. He told himself he did not care, he really did not, but the sting of that single cruel remark burned far too deep. His pride was raw and his chest ached as if the words had been carved into him with a blade.
Then he felt it. The shift.
Chi Cheng’s expression changed in the blink of an eye. The soft, disarming smile disappeared as if it had never existed. In its place came a scowl dark and heavy, eyes narrowing into something sharp enough to slice through steel. The warmth that had moments ago wrapped around Wu Suowei now curdled into something far more dangerous. The scent that had comforted him, that had made him feel inexplicably safe, grew dense and biting, wrapping around him with suffocating intensity. His body bristled at once, hackles raised as his instincts screamed caution.
Why was the alpha looking at him like that?
Wu Suowei’s chest tightened. He folded his arms across himself, huffed in defiance, and turned on his heel. Fine. If Chi Cheng wanted to look at him like that, then he would walk away. He did not need this. He would not give him the satisfaction of seeing him break.
But he barely took half a step.
Chi Cheng moved like a shadow breaking loose, crossing the space between them in a single stride. Strong arms wrapped around Wu Suowei’s waist before he could even react, yanking him back against a broad chest. The impact was sudden, their bodies colliding, chest to chest, heat pressed against heat. Wu Suowei’s breath fled him in a sharp gasp, his head snapping back in surprise as he collided with the unyielding force of the alpha’s body.
“What are you doing—”
The words were cut short.
Chi Cheng’s mouth descended to his throat in a claiming gesture that brooked no hesitation. Teeth grazed against his skin, sharp enough to warn but not enough to break. The pressure sent a violent shiver racing down Wu Suowei’s spine, the air torn from his lungs as his body betrayed him. Heat flared low in his stomach, curling, tightening, and before he could even process the shock, Chi Cheng’s lips followed, sealing over the spot with a slow, deliberate kiss.
It was not gentle. It was not soft. It was possessive, hungry, a mark pressed into his skin that seemed to say without words: mine.
Wu Suowei gasped, his hands pressing against Chi Cheng’s chest in a desperate attempt to create distance, yet his palms betrayed him, lingering against the solid wall of muscle radiating heat. The weight of the alpha’s mouth at his throat sent sparks of weakness down his legs, a treacherous tremor stealing through his body.
Each movement of Chi Cheng’s lips was deliberate, a calculated assault that left him helpless. Teasing bites nipped at sensitive skin, each one followed by slow, languid kisses that traced upward along the line of his neck. The rhythm was maddening, a game of sharpness and sweetness, restraint and hunger, designed to unravel him.
“Stop… you can’t just…” Wu Suowei’s words crumbled midway, lost in a ragged exhale as Chi Cheng’s tongue flicked lightly against the frantic beat of his pulse. The sensation was hot and wet, the intimacy of it piercing straight through his defenses. His chest heaved as his head spun, the room tilting around him.
His grip, meant to push away, betrayed him entirely. Fingers curled tighter into the fabric of Chi Cheng’s shirt, anchoring himself instead of breaking free. His body betrayed the plea on his lips, his instincts overriding thought. Without meaning to, without even realizing when he had done it, his head tilted further back, offering more of his neck, exposing himself to Chi Cheng’s relentless mouth.
The air between them grew thick, charged with a pull neither of them seemed willing to break. After what felt like an eternity of shivering under those lips, Chi Cheng finally pulled back. Not far, just enough for his mouth to hover at Wu Suowei’s ear, his breath hot and heavy, every word brushing against sensitive skin.
“I clearly had not left a big enough mark last time to show who you belonged to.”
The words came low and rough, rumbling with possessive intent. They carried no hesitation, no room for doubt, only the stark certainty of a predator declaring ownership.
Wu Suowei’s chest tightened violently at the claim, his ribs constricting like iron bands around his lungs. The air turned thick in his throat, his breath hitching between outrage and the molten heat that surged low in his stomach, coiling tight and undeniable. His mind screamed at him to shove the alpha away, to lash out with words honed sharp enough to draw blood. Yet his body betrayed him, swaying closer instead, trembling like a leaf caught in a storm. Every nerve burned with the conflicting urge to flee and to press into the heat of the one who threatened to unravel him completely.
Then, before he could summon a single word, Chi Cheng’s fingers curled beneath his chin, tilting his face upward with effortless dominance. The kiss crashed into him like a wave, searing and relentless. Their lips met with bruising force, stealing his breath in an instant, leaving no room for hesitation. The alpha’s mouth was hot and demanding, moving against his with a hunger that bordered on desperation. Wu Suowei’s thoughts scattered, drowned beneath the intoxicating pull of lips that claimed him as if starved for his taste.
Chi Cheng kissed like a man possessed, deep, wet, and shameless. His tongue swept past Wu Suowei’s parted lips with practiced ease, exploring, devouring, leaving no corner untouched. A muffled sound escaped Wu Suowei’s throat, a fractured noise caught between protest and helpless surrender. His fingers clutched at Chi Cheng’s sleeves, knuckles whitening, as if he could either push him away or drag him closer. He wasn’t sure which. The world narrowed to the slick heat of their mouths, the dizzying slide of tongues, the way Chi Cheng’s grip tightened possessively at his jaw, holding him in place. Resistance bled from him like water through cupped hands, leaving only the raw, trembling need beneath.
Wu Suowei’s hands fisted tighter in Chi Cheng’s shirt, the fabric crumpling under his desperate grip as his back arched, seeking an anchor while his senses drowned in the overwhelming heat between them. Chi Cheng angled his head with predatory precision, deepening the kiss further, his lips moving with relentless pressure, as if determined to brand every inch of Wu Suowei’s mouth with his touch. Each deliberate stroke of his tongue was slow and commanding, a claiming that left no room for doubt. Wu Suowei’s breath, his surrender, his very body belonged to him in this moment. When Wu Suowei tried to gasp for air, Chi Cheng only followed, stealing his breath back before sealing their lips together again, kissing him until his mouth tingled and swelled from the bruising force.
Breaking away for just a second, Chi Cheng pressed another kiss at the corner of Wu Suowei’s mouth, a fleeting touch that burned like a brand before he dragged his lips lower, tracing the sharp line of his jaw. His teeth grazed the sensitive skin there, biting just hard enough to make Wu Suowei shudder before soothing the spot with his tongue. Then lower still, sucking at the tender flesh of his throat, each pull of his mouth deliberate, possessive. Wu Suowei’s head tipped back helplessly, a broken sound escaping him as the wet, obscene noise of Chi Cheng’s lips against his skin filled the air. He knew without a doubt that by morning, his skin would be painted with dark, undeniable marks, each one a testament to the way Chi Cheng had claimed him. Every kiss, every bite left his nerves alight, raw and oversensitive, the kind of touches that would linger long after their bodies parted.
“Ah… Chi Cheng…” Wu Suowei gasped, the words spilling from his lips before he could think to stop them. His voice was ragged, stripped of any pretense, needy in a way that would have mortified him if his mind had been clear enough to care. But rationality had long since abandoned him, burned away by the relentless heat of Chi Cheng’s mouth, his hands, his body. All that remained was the aching, desperate want, the kind that refused to be ignored.
Wu Suowei could feel Chi Cheng’s smirk pressing against the delicate skin of his throat, the arrogant curve of lips sending vibrations through his body that made his knees weaken. The smug expression radiated heat against his already burning skin, and another involuntary shiver racked his frame. Before he could recover, Chi Cheng’s large hand slid down to grip his waist with deliberate possession, fingers splaying across the dip of his spine to press their bodies together with undeniable force. Wu Suowei gasped at the sudden contact, overwhelmed by the solid wall of muscle pinning him in place. The heat of Chi Cheng’s chest seared through their clothing, the rapid thud of his heartbeat echoing Wu Suowei’s own frantic pulse until the space between them became unbearable.
What had begun as a simple kiss had transformed into something far more dangerous. Each movement of Chi Cheng’s mouth against his own stoked the fire building low in his belly, the relentless pressure stealing his breath and his thoughts in equal measure. The world narrowed to the slick heat of their mouths moving together, to the rough drag of calloused hands against his skin, to the intoxicating scent of alpha surrounding him completely. Wu Suowei felt himself drowning in it, his body pliant and yielding as the last remnants of his resistance melted away beneath Chi Cheng’s relentless attention.
When Chi Cheng finally pulled back, it was only by the barest fraction. His forehead hovered mere centimetres above Wu Suowei’s, their ragged breaths mingling in the charged space between them. Wu Suowei could still feel the ghost of Chi Cheng’s lips against his own, still parted and damp from their kisses, the threat of another claiming hanging heavy in the air between them. Blinking through the haze clouding his vision, Wu Suowei struggled to steady his breathing, his chest rising and falling in uneven bursts that betrayed how thoroughly Chi Cheng had unravelled him. Gathering what little composure remained, he forced his gaze upward to meet Chi Cheng’s darkened eyes, finding his own desperate want reflected back at him with startling clarity.
Wu Suowei’s breath hitched as his gaze locked with Chi Cheng’s. His own body felt foreign, trembling and unsteady, his skin still tingling from their heated exchange. Yet Chi Cheng stood perfectly composed, his expression as controlled as ever. The contrast made Wu Suowei’s stomach twist. How could Chi Cheng reduce him to this state, breathless and unraveled, while appearing completely unaffected? A spark of irritation flared through the haze of lingering arousal, sharp and bright, the kind of frustration only Chi Cheng could provoke.
Then Chi Cheng smirked, slow and deliberate, but the fleeting softness Wu Suowei had glimpsed earlier was gone. In its place was something far more dangerous. His eyes, usually a deep, steady black, now glowed faintly gold, catching the dim light like a predator’s in the dark. Wu Suowei’s pulse stuttered. He knew exactly what that meant. The gold was the unmistakable sign of an alpha fully surfaced, the primal force beneath Chi Cheng’s usual control now rising to claim dominance.
Wu Suowei tried to steel himself, to keep his expression neutral, but the sheer intensity of that gaze left his throat dry. His body betrayed him with another shiver, his fingers tightening reflexively against Chi Cheng’s arms.
"Don’t even dream about chasing someone else," Chi Cheng murmured, his voice lower now, rougher, carrying the weight of command.
Before Wu Suowei could protest, strong arms wrapped tighter around him, pressing him flush against the solid heat of Chi Cheng’s body. The embrace left no room for escape, no room for argument. Wu Suowei gasped softly, his cheek brushing against Chi Cheng’s as the alpha held him there, unmovable.
"You," Chi Cheng said firmly, his voice vibrating through Wu Suowei’s chest as much as his ears. His hand slid possessively along Wu Suowei’s back, pulling him even closer, until not even a whisper of space remained between them. "Belong to me."
Wu Suowei felt the words sink into him like heated blades, their resonance vibrating deeper than he cared to acknowledge. His heart pounded against his ribs, each frantic beat echoing the trapped rhythm of his caught breath. Indignation flared hot in his chest at being claimed with such brutal simplicity, yet to his shame, his body softened instinctively into Chi Cheng's unyielding hold. The alpha's overwhelming presence left no room for resistance, and some traitorous part of him didn't want to resist at all.
Later, when his thoughts had cooled and his pulse steadied, Wu Suowei knew he would sit in quiet bewilderment, picking apart this moment with clinical precision. He would ask himself why those possessive words had kindled something dangerously close to satisfaction in his core. He had spent years building walls against alphas, had sworn their domineering nature and smug superiority repulsed him. So why then did Chi Cheng's declaration reverberate through him like forbidden pleasure, a secret thrill that curled warm and insistent beneath his skin?
The realization unsettled him even as it took root, glowing embers of something unfamiliar that he refused to name. It simmered low in his chest, this contradiction that both unnerved and compelled him, and Wu Suowei hated how his body remembered every point of contact where Chi Cheng's hands had claimed him as if by right. He could feel the vibration of Chi Cheng’s breath, the press of his chest, the heat of his hands, all mingling with the echo of those words, and it made something in him ache with longing he could not name. It simmered there quietly, dangerous in its subtlety, whispering truths he was not ready to admit even to himself.
Before he could make sense of the whirl of sensation and emotion, a sharp, intrusive sound cut through the haze. Someone had cleared their throat. Wu Suowei stiffened immediately, the heat in his chest recoiling as his head snapped toward the source. There, standing in the doorway, was Jiang Xiaoshuai. His arms were folded across his chest, posture rigid yet relaxed, an awkward but oddly confident smile tugging at his lips. His eyes flicked between them, taking in the tangled closeness of their bodies, the flush on Wu Suowei’s skin, the intensity radiating from Chi Cheng.
The image they must have created was impossible to ignore. The intimacy of the moment, the raw possessiveness, the heat of their proximity—all of it hung in the air like a tangible thing. Wu Suowei’s chest tightened at the realization, a mix of embarrassment and an odd, stubborn pride. Here was his master, an omega standing firm before a clearly agitated alpha, without so much as a tremor in his stance. Not a single note of fear scent tainted the air around him.
“What are you doing here?” Chi Cheng’s voice cut sharply through the tension, crisp and commanding, each word laced with displeasure that made the room feel smaller, heavier.
“This is my clinic,” Jiang Xiaoshuai replied calmly, voice steady and unflinching, carrying a quiet amusement that was almost teasing. Wu Suowei blinked, caught between surprise and admiration. His master, the omega who had always been a figure of quiet authority and calm, was facing down a glowering alpha and did not flinch. There was no tremor, no hint of fear in his stance, no flicker of doubt in his gaze. A strange warmth bloomed in Wu Suowei's chest, something between admiration and fierce pride for the man who had become his best friend.
Chi Cheng’s glare was sharp, his black eyes smoldering with irritation. The air around him was thick with the alpha’s scent, a heavy, almost tangible layer of annoyance that prickled against Wu Suowei’s senses. Yet, despite the intensity simmering beneath the surface, Chi Cheng did not lose control. He finally released him, letting go of Wu Suowei’s waist so abruptly that the warmth and pressure disappeared in an instant, leaving a hollow ache where it had pressed.
Chi Cheng turned, his movements deliberate, and cast a single glance over his shoulder at Wu Suowei, eyes lingering with that same unreadable mix of challenge and possession. A soft huff escaped him, almost a sigh of impatience, before he pivoted and strode toward the door, his long legs eating up the distance with confident strides.
Wu Suowei’s chest tightened at the sudden emptiness. His pulse thudded painfully in his ears, and without fully thinking, he called out, his voice a little raw. “Hey!”
Chi Cheng froze mid-step, glancing to the side, where Jiang Xiaoshuai’s steady gaze met his. Then, ever so slightly, Chi Cheng turned his head toward Wu Suowei, eyes narrowing just enough to hint at curiosity beneath the lingering irritation. “What?” he asked, voice low, controlled, but carrying the weight of expectation.
Wu Suowei hesitated, his mind racing and doubt flickering like shadows. For a second he considered retreating, letting the moment pass and his courage dissolve. But something inside him stirred, urging him forward. He reached down, his fingers brushing against the sugar figurine of a rose he had crafted earlier, fragile and delicate in his palm. His steps carried him forward almost instinctively, the rose extended toward Chi Cheng like a small, defiant offering.
Every step felt impossibly loud to him, every heartbeat hammering as if the world had narrowed to the space between himself, the rose, and the alpha. His arm shook slightly, but he forced it forward, offering the delicate creation like a challenge, a plea, and a declaration all at once.
“Take this,” Wu Suowei said flatly, his tone sharper than he intended. “Spoil your girlfriend with it. I won’t eat it this time.”
Chi Cheng’s black eyes met his, unblinking and unreadable for a moment. Then, with slow deliberation, he reached out and accepted the sugar rose. His fingers brushed against the delicate petals, curling around it as if weighing its fragility against his own strength. His gaze flicked back to Wu Suowei, and for a heartbeat the air between them thrummed with unspoken tension.
A smirk tugged at Chi Cheng’s lips, slow and knowing, not entirely mocking. “I’ll thank you on her behalf,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of something that made Wu Suowei’s chest tighten, though he could not identify whether it was amusement, challenge, or something far more dangerous. Without another word, Chi Cheng tightened his grip on the rose and turned away, leaving the room with confident strides. He did not spare Jiang Xiaoshuai so much as a glance, and the subtle absence of his presence left a tangible emptiness in the air.
The instant the door clicked shut behind him, Xiaoshuai’s shoulders sagged with a visible release of tension, his chest rising and falling as though he had been holding his breath the whole time. He turned to Wu Suowei, his eyes scanning him from head to toe, curious and slightly exasperated.
“Wow,” Xiaoshuai said dryly, his voice tinged with incredulity. “I have never felt more invisible in my life.” His expression softened almost immediately, concern replacing humor. “Are you alright, Suowei? And why in the world would you hand over such a beautiful sugar figurine just so Yue Yue could get it?”
Wu Suowei blinked, caught between irritation, embarrassment, and a flustered awareness of his own impulsive actions. The lingering memory of Chi Cheng’s smirk, the curl of his lips, and the commanding heat of his presence made his thoughts stumble over themselves, leaving him momentarily speechless.
He did not answer immediately. Instead, his gaze lingered on the doorway, on the empty space where Chi Cheng had stood just moments before. His stomach twisted with a sensation he refused to name, sharp and unfamiliar, as if some part of him had been claimed and left exposed. His hands itched to reach out, to touch the space where Chi Cheng’s strength and scent had pressed against him, but he did not move.
Why did it sting so sharply to know that Chi Cheng would hand one of his finest creations to Yue Yue? Why did it feel as though a piece of something personal, something meant only for him, had been stolen? The thought gnawed at the edges of his mind, mingling with a surge of resentment he did not want to admit, and beneath it, beneath the anger, something far more complicated and raw stirred.
He swallowed hard, the knot in his chest tightening, and forced his gaze downward. The sugar rose in his hand suddenly seemed heavier, the petals fragile and yet unbearably significant. He could feel the ghost of Chi Cheng’s touch, the heat of his body, the press of his hands, lingering in memory and igniting a pulse of need he was unprepared to confront.
Jiang Xiaoshuai tilted his head, a knowing glint flickering in his dark eyes. “Suowei,” he said slowly, the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, “you are jealous.”
Wu Suowei snapped his gaze toward him, eyes blazing, and scowled.
“Oh, I was joking at first, but you really are jealous,” Xiaoshuai pressed on, his tone light, almost teasing, but carrying a sharp edge of amusement. “You are catching feelings.”
Wu Suowei cursed under his breath, turning away with a flush creeping up his neck and heating his ears. “Shut up! No I am not!” He collapsed onto his bed with a groan, throwing an arm over his face, trying to hide both his frustration and the heat crawling uncomfortably across his skin.
His voice rose, half indignant, half wounded, as the words tumbled out uncontrollably. “God, the nerve of that man! He is the one who demanded I make a sugar figure for his girlfriend. Then he has the audacity to tell me not to be a homewrecker. But when I tell him to stop wasting my time so I can chase someone else, he gets all possessive and plants a kiss on me. And after all that he still flaunts how he will hand my sugar rose to her! What is wrong with him?”
Each word shook with a mixture of anger and embarrassment, his fingers curling against the bed sheets, his foot kicking the frame lightly in frustration. He hated how much Chi Cheng had burrowed under his skin, claimed a piece of him that he had stubbornly believed untouchable.
Jiang Xiaoshuai only chuckled, eyes sparkling with mischief, clearly enjoying watching his friend unravel in a tangle of feelings he insisted he did not have. He leaned back slightly, letting Wu Suowei’s turmoil hang in the air for a heartbeat before something seemed to click. His expression sharpened, and his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
He tilted his head and leaned closer, voice low and deliberate. “Hold up,” he said slowly. “You told Chi Cheng that you were going to stop chasing him and chase someone else?”
Wu Suowei groaned, dragging his hands down over his face as if he could physically erase the memory. “I was irritated, alright? I just threw it out there. I mean, I won’t actually do it, but he didn’t know that. And you know what he did? He didn’t take it well at all. He just grabbed me, started making out with me, then snapped that I only belong to him. And then after all that, he had the nerve to bring up Yue Yue again. It doesn’t make any sense!” His voice pitched higher as the frustration and embarrassment bled into a whiny, childlike wail, and he flopped back onto the bed, limbs sprawling in helpless exasperation.
His chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths, his hair sticking to his flushed forehead. Even the faint lingering scent of Chi Cheng seemed to cling to his skin, making the memory of the possessive kiss crawl along his nerves. Every word he spoke trembled with indignation, yet underneath it all there was an undeniable thrum of something he did not want to admit.
Xiaoshuai’s lips curved into a slow, knowing grin. His dark eyes sparkled with amusement, arms folding neatly across his chest as he leaned slightly closer, the smugness radiating from him in waves. “Suowei, you’re doing even better than I could have imagined. Don’t you see what’s happening here?”
His tone was teasing, yet threaded with a sharp certainty, as if he could see through every careful mask Wu Suowei had spent years building. Wu Suowei’s stomach twisted uncomfortably under that look, a combination of irritation, embarrassment, and a faint, undeniable spark of something he would not admit even to himself.
Wu Suowei blinked, tilting his head in confusion. “What?” His voice carried a mix of suspicion and incredulity.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Xiaoshuai smacked the back of his head, the sharp contact jolting him upright. “He’s using Yue Yue to make you jealous, you idiot. Think about it!”
Wu Suowei froze, Xiaoshuai’s words hanging heavy in the air. The motion of his heart slowed as he replayed the moments in his mind: the slow, teasing smirk when Chi Cheng accepted the rose, the sharp flare of anger when he mentioned chasing someone else, the possessive kiss that followed immediately after his own declaration of independence. Every action, every look, began to line up in his mind like pieces of a puzzle he had been too stubborn to see.
His brows furrowed, the corners of his mouth tugging downward as the creeping realization began to settle in. “Huh…” he muttered, voice soft, almost disbelieving. His eyes widened slightly as he let the truth sink into place. “That actually… fits.”
For a long moment, the clinic's usual ambient sounds faded into silence. Wu Suowei could hear nothing but the rapid thud of his own heartbeat pulsing in his ears, each beat echoing the growing warmth spreading through his chest. It wasn't just embarrassment heating his skin now, but something sharper, more exhilarating the startling realization that Xiaoshuai's words had struck true.
The stubborn tension in his jaw softened first, then melted away completely as understanding dawned. A flicker of amusement danced at the corners of his mouth, growing into a small, private smile before blossoming into a full grin that lit up his entire face. The idea that Chi Cheng's actions hadn't been mere alpha posturing, but deliberate provocation because he actually cared enough to want a reaction sent an electric thrill coursing through Wu Suowei's veins.
"He was trying to make me jealous," Wu Suowei murmured, the words leaving his lips with a quiet wonder. The admission settled in his chest like sunlight, warm and impossibly light.
Jiang Xiaoshuai leaned against the bed frame, his expression the picture of smug satisfaction. "So," he drawled, the single syllable loaded with implication, "are you finally ready to admit you're genuinely jealous?"
Wu Suowei’s grin vanished in an instant. With a dramatic groan, he grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Xiaoshuai, the soft thump of the impact barely hiding the flare of indignation, and the faint, unspoken acknowledgment of just how right Xiaoshuai was. But he wasn’t going to verbally admit that to Jiang Xiaoshuai.
Mentally, however, the revelation left him glowing, a secret warmth spreading through his chest. Despite his best efforts to scowl and act offended, the corners of his mouth betrayed him, tugging upward in a quiet, pleased smile.
Chi Cheng was not born yesterday. He was far from naïve, far from easily fooled. Experience had honed him to a fine edge; he read people with a precision that required little effort. And yet, with Wu Suowei, it was almost disarmingly simple. Every flicker of emotion on that face, every forced smirk, every flare of temper, spoke volumes to him, clearer than any words could.
The beta might as well have been made of glass for all the transparency of his reactions. Each fleeting expression, every poorly suppressed outburst, even the deliberate attempts at indifference all unfolded before Chi Cheng with startling clarity.
What unsettled him more than this effortless comprehension was the disturbing awareness that he cared to interpret these signals at all. The realization sat heavy in his chest, an unwelcome weight he couldn't seem to shake.
This possessiveness had sunk its claws into him without warning or permission. One moment he'd been going through the motions of his carefully controlled life, and the next Wu Suowei had barrelled into his world like a summer storm, leaving chaos in his wake. Chi Cheng couldn't pinpoint when it had started, only that it now existed with the same undeniable certainty as his own heartbeat. The intensity of it unnerved him, this primal urge to claim and keep that defied all logic.
He had abandoned romantic entanglements years ago, finding them tedious at best and distracting at worst. Even his occasional outings with Yue Yue served only practical purposes, maintaining appearances for his family's benefit so he could get his snakes back. He didn't waste energy on frivolities, didn't tolerate distractions from his goals. Every action, every relationship was measured against its usefulness.
Yet here he stood, obsessing over an infuriating beta who challenged him at every turn, who stirred emotions long buried beneath layers of control and caution. The contradiction twisted in his chest, sharp and relentless. Wu Suowei should not matter.
And yet, somehow, inexplicably, he did.
Wu Suowei. That stubborn, clever, infuriating beta had somehow hustled him into a park outing, pretending it was merely a casual stroll, a trivial errand disguised as a plan. The sheer audacity of it had made him laugh then, and even now, the memory tugged at something inside him he would rather ignore. He remembered Wu Suowei stumbling over his words, insisting it was not a date, as if that flimsy excuse could mask the truth. Even a blind man would see the date for what it was.
His alpha self bristled with eagerness at the thought of it, restless, impatient for more moments with Wu Suowei. Against all better judgment, he had given in.
But arriving at the park, only to find Yue Yue and Wu Suowei mid-argument, had caught him off guard. The sight stirred a mixture of irritation, curiosity, and a strangely protective instinct he could not or would not name.
Gang zi’s dive into Wu Suowei’s history made him well aware that Yue Yue was his ex-girlfriend. He hadn’t care as he was already possessive over the beta already. So whether he had an ulterior motive or not, he wouldn’t let Wu Suowei go back to his ex. But to see the argument between them had left him conflicted.
While he was pleased there was no love lost between them, he certainly did not have to worry about Wu Suowei using him to get back with Yue Yue, he was also irritated at the way Yue Yue had spoken to the beta. He had barely managed to keep his growl in check while she was there, his body taut with restrained tension. The moment she left, his eyes swept to Wu Suowei, sharp and assessing, and he found himself smirking despite his irritation.
Chi Cheng could not deny a quiet amusement at the way Wu Suowei had tried so hard to avoid mentioning Yue Yue at all. Not a single syllable, not a breath of her name. The stubbornness was both infuriating and endearing, a contrast that tugged at his attention. Did the beta really think he had not noticed? That he had not already pieced together the small fragments of their shared history, the glances, the subtle interactions, the unspoken truths?
Wu Suowei’s effort was clumsy in execution, fumbling at times under his own restraint, but it carried a quiet honesty that made Chi Cheng’s chest tighten in a way he did not quite expect. The beta’s persistence, his attempt to maintain dignity while clearly burning with unspoken emotion, drew Chi Cheng in further, making him all the more aware of the pull he could not deny.
And then there was Wu Suowei’s intellectual play, his philosophy debates, his opera critiques, all that stiff, pretentious posing. Chi Cheng almost snorted every time the beta brought it up. It was so obviously an act, a careful performance meant to impress, yet he never stopped him. Why would he? Watching Wu Suowei bend over backward, fumbling through his own grandiose display just to capture Chi Cheng’s attention, was too damn endearing. There was a sharp, addictive charm to the beta’s effort, the way he tried so hard to maintain control even while showing the slightest crack in his composure.
Still, nothing stirred Chi Cheng more than Wu Suowei’s jealousy. Mention Yue Yue and the beta’s entire body tightened, his words sharpened, his eyes ignited. Every flicker of possessive frustration was a feast, and Chi Cheng drank it in with deliberate patience, savouring the rush of it, letting it settle deep inside him like a fire that refused to die down. The taste was intoxicating, addictive, and it left him craving more with each glance, each hesitation, each tremor in Wu Suowei’s voice.
But then Wu Suowei had crossed the line.
The careless implication that he might simply stop chasing him, that he could move on to someone else without hesitation, had struck like a match to dry tinder. Rage flared hot and sharp, burning through every shred of patience he had managed to hold. It rose violently, raw and territorial, before he even had a chance to think. His hands had found Wu Suowei, his mouth claimed him again without mercy, pressing his lips, his teeth, his fingers, all of it to erase that reckless suggestion. The words had been unforgivable, the thought intolerable. Wu Suowei belonged to him, utterly and undeniably, whether the beta realized it yet or not.
If the doctor had not walked in, Chi Cheng knew without a shadow of doubt what would have happened. He would have taken Wu Suowei straight to his apartment, locked the door, and allowed his alpha instincts free rein. Every restraint he normally held in check would have dissolved, and he would have claimed what he wanted, fully and without hesitation.
Chi Cheng found Wu Suowei’s games endlessly amusing. He loved watching the beta manoeuvre, the careful schemes, the subtle gestures meant to draw him in, and each one delighted him more than he cared to admit. That was why he did not bother letting Wu Suowei know how utterly fixated he already was. That obsession was his alone, a private fire he would nurture until the beta was completely his. If Wu Suowei glimpsed just how consumed he had become, he might panic, recoil, and stop chasing, and Chi Cheng could not allow that.
In the bright clarity of day, while sequestered in the club, another realisation had left him both frustrated and bewildered. Yes, he was already obsessively attuned to Wu Suowei, noticing every nuance of expression, every subtle reaction, but what had unsettled him most recently was his own response whenever others tried to hit on him. While at the club, he attracted many attentions. He knew he had the looks and money and he was an alpha. It wasn’t anything new that people hit on him. But today when he got hit on by a beta and when said beta touched him, his alpha did not take it well at all. There was a sharp sting in his chest. He let out a growl and had scared the beta off. But only after that did Chi Cheng realise what he had done and what had happened. He couldn’t stand anyone else touching him and that left him baffled.
Chi Cheng understood the Wu Suowei’s boundaries well enough. Wu Suowei was not yet ready to be fully physical, though he permitted the brief intimacy of their kisses. When he did let Chi Cheng draw him close, the sight of Wu Suowei, delicate and compliant in his arms, created a picture of perfection Chi Cheng could never tire of. Yet most of the time, Wu Suowei had managed to stop him before it could go further, and that restraint only sharpened the longing, made every stolen moment more potent, more dangerous.
He had been getting frustrated physically, but what surprised him even more was how calm his alpha remained despite the lack of a physical situation. When it came to Wu Suowei, his alpha had abundance of patience. But despite feeling frustrated, it seemed that his alpha would not tolerate anyone else’s touch. He was fixated on Wu Suowei, craved his and if anyone else touched him, that rattled his alpha and he couldn’t help but growl. That’s how he found himself sat alone on the sofa, with the others being wary of him after his reaction. And that had left him baffled. He was stunned at his alpha’s reaction.
How had he become like this? It made no sense.
Not that Chi Cheng would not have taken up the offer anyway, he wasn’t interested in sleeping around but stilll his own alpha’s response still surprised him. That was why he found himself picking up his phone to call his little beta and toss in the line that he wanted to sleep with him. He wanted to provoke him and get a reaction. He found his indignation to be an adorable reaction all the time and that’s why he poked the little mouse.
What he had not expected was for Wu Suowei to agree and say
“Me too.”
Yes, he had not expected to hear that from the beta. To call himself baffled would have been an understatement. Every nerve in his body sharpened with a mixture of irritation and amusement. He knew Wu Suowei probably did not mean it, yet the words alone were enough to rile him, enough to ignite a fire he had no intention of suppressing.
Ignoring everyone else in the club, he rose without hesitation and made his way to the clinic, every step fueled by the need to hear the words again, to see the truth in the beta’s eyes, to confront him face to face. The sheer audacity of lying so bluntly over the phone both infuriated and delighted him. He wondered silently if Wu Suowei would still have that same courage in person.
His alpha, secretly thrilled at any excuse to spend time with Wu Suowei, felt no complaints about the sudden decision. The drive to the clinic was swift and purposeful, each mile bringing him closer to the beta who had so effortlessly seized his attention.
Once he was there, Chi Cheng stepped out of the car and strode into the clinic, every movement purposeful, his eyes locking immediately onto the beta. Wu Suowei sat behind the table, that sly, mischievous smile already teasing across his face as if he had been waiting for this moment. That grin, that glint in his eyes, it was deliberate, calculated. Oh, this little mouse. He was poking the bear.
Chi Cheng advanced a few measured steps, hand reaching out instinctively, ready to claim, to confront, to demand attention. And then, like a knife through the tension, a familiar scent sliced through the air. An all too familiar scent slammed into him like a physical blow. Sandalwood and steel. His head jerked up, every muscle locking as his vision filled with broad shoulders and an impassive face that mirrored his own tension.
Guo Chengyu stood like an immovable wall between him and Wu Suowei, his stance deceptively relaxed but for the way his fingers had curled into loose fists. For one suspended heartbeat, the two alphas simply stared, the air thickening with the weight of mutual recognition. In that frozen moment, Chi Cheng saw his own restrained fury reflected back at him the flared nostrils, the subtle tension along the jawline, the way their scents clashed violently in the confined space. The clinic's walls suddenly felt far too small to contain them both.
“What are you doing in here?”
“What are you doing in here?”
The echo was uncanny, their voices laced with the same sharp surprise, the same unspoken challenge. Chi Cheng's pulse spiked, his thoughts spiralling. He had caught Guo Chengyu’s scent on Wu Suowei before, just once, lingering faintly on his clothes, so light he’d almost dismissed it. But now, standing face-to-face with the other alpha in the clinic, doubt surged through him like an electric current.
Guo Chengyu advanced one deliberate step, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits, his glare sharp enough to draw blood. He lifted his bandaged arm in demonstration, his voice dripping with false patience. "This is a clinic. I obviously came to change my dressing." A heartbeat's pause stretched taut between them before his tone hardened to steel. "That is perfectly normal." Then came the loaded question, weighted with unspoken ownership, "What are you doing here?"
That subtle possessive edge in Guo Chengyu's voice, though quiet, struck Chi Cheng like a physical blow. It wasn't just a question. It was a territorial marker, an implicit claim that he belonged here while Chi Cheng did not.
Chi Cheng's alpha instincts surged forward, a warning growl vibrating deep in his chest. The clinic air grew thick with the scent of clashing dominance, the space between them crackling with barely restrained aggression.
Chi Cheng’s gaze hardened, flicking sharply to his former best friend. “Your home and company are both far from here,” he said, his voice tight with caution and a rising heat of anger. His hackles lifted almost instinctively. Guo Chengyu had a history of taking what belonged to him, of inserting himself where he did not belong. He was no saint, and Chi Cheng knew all too well that Guo Chengyu had claimed people he had been interested in. They had exchanged victories and losses in a silent war since the Wang Shuo incident. Though his alpha side had rejected Wang Shuo, it was Guo Chengyu’s actions that had stung, leaving wounds that Chi Cheng had never fully forgiven. Now, standing face to face with him, old resentment flared once more.
Previously, he had passed off Guo Chengyu’s scent on Wu Suowei as coincidence. Now, the protective instincts he rarely acknowledged rose sharply, intertwining with his temper. Suspicion gnawed at him as his eyes drifted from Guo Chengyu to Wu Suowei. The beta was wide-eyed and panicked, trying to shrink behind the doctor. The sight softened Chi Cheng, almost melting the anger into amusement. He remembered Wu Suowei’s words on the phone, and the memory tugged a smirk across his face. Forgetting Guo Chengyu for a moment, Chi Cheng stepped closer, reaching for Wu Suowei as if to claim him right then and there.
But before he could act, a firm grip seized his arm, spinning him to face Guo Chengyu fully. Anger ignited instantly, hot and sharp, leaving no room for hesitation.
Chi Cheng's voice cracked through the clinic like a whip. "What?" His entire body coiled tight as he stared down Guo Chengyu, whose expression flickered between anger and something dangerously close to panic. The realization sent an electric jolt through him.
Guo Chengyu attempted a laugh that rang hollow. "You are way too fast. I have not even made my move, and you are already here. Are you crazy?" The forced casualness of his tone might have fooled strangers, but Chi Cheng saw straight through the act. Decades of shared history childhood mischief, teenage rivalries, and betrayal had honed his ability to read every microexpression on that familiar face. Beneath the carefully constructed nonchalance burned something far more revealing: raw, unfiltered possessiveness.
A slow understanding dawned, bitter as poison on his tongue. This wasn't their usual game of stealing each other's casual flings for sport. The realization struck with the force of a physical blow. Guo Chengyu wasn't playing. He genuinely wanted Wu Suowei.
White hot fury erupted in Chi Cheng's chest at the mental image of Guo Chengyu's hands on Wu Suowei, of his lips claiming what belonged to Chi Cheng alone. His vision tinted red at the edges as years of complicated friendship and reluctant respect disintegrated before the primal need to protect what was his.
The smile that curled his lips held no warmth, only the promise of violence. Every muscle in his body tensed as he raised one deliberate hand, finger extending pointing straight at Wu Suowei. His voice dropped to a lethal purr. "You like him?"
Chi Cheng’s pulse hammered against his ribs as Guo Chengyu’s gaze tracked the motion of his pointed finger. The moment stretched taut between them, thick with unspoken challenges. Then Guo Chengyu’s eyes widened just fractionally before he raised his own arm with deliberate slowness, his index finger extending, pointing at a figure in Wu Suowei’s direction.
"I like him."
The words landed like a physical blow to the chest. Chi Cheng followed the line of Guo Chengyu’s arm, his vision narrowing with predatory focus, only to find that Guo Chengyu wasn’t pointing at Wu Suowei, but at Jiang Xiaoshuai’s figure, who was standing frozen near the counter, standing in front of Wuo Suowei. The doctor’s usually composed face now a picture of startled bewilderment. Both Wu Suowei and Jiang Xiaoshuai were staring at them with their eyes wide.
The roaring inferno of possessiveness that had temporarily consumed Chi Cheng’s thoughts moments before evaporated, the knowledge extinguished flames of jealousy and possessiveness which had been roaring. His alpha settled instantly, the tension bleeding from his shoulders as understanding dawned. And relief overtook him.
A quick glance at Wu Suowei revealed the beta was attempting to become one with the wallpaper, his face flushed crimson with what might have been equal parts relief and embarrassment. The sight sparked an unexpected warmth in Chi Cheng’s chest, his lips quirking in a brief, private smile before he schooled his features back into neutrality.
Turning back to Guo Chengyu, Chi Cheng let his voice drop into that familiar tone that brooked no argument, the one that had commanded boardrooms and battlefields alike.
"Let’s talk outside." The words weren’t a request but a decree, heavy with the weight of their shared history and all the unspoken things that needed saying.
Guo Chengyu followed without protest, leaving Jiang Xiaoshuai and Wu Suowei alone in the clinic, the tension lingering in the air like a storm about to break.
Jiang Xiaoshuai turned his head slowly, his movements deliberate as his sharp eyes settled on Wu Suowei. The beta stood frozen, his face a perfect picture of bewilderment with his lips slightly parted and eyebrows knitted together. They stared at each other through the heavy silence, the weight of what they had just witnessed pressing between them.
Wu Suowei was the first to break the quiet. "How do they know each other?" His voice rose with disbelief as he threw his hands up in exasperation. His fingers twitched in the air as if trying to grasp some invisible explanation. The clinic reeked of conflicting alpha scents, Chi Cheng's deep smoky presence clashing with Guo Chengyu's sharper citrus tones in an uncomfortable mixture.
Wrinkling his nose, Jiang Xiaoshuai waved a hand before his face. "Bloody alphas and their posturing," he muttered, irritation lacing his normally smooth voice. Then his dark eyes suddenly sparkled with mischief, his lips curling into a knowing smile. "This could work to our advantage. We can get more information on Chi Cheng from Guo Chengyu! We can use him." He gestured grandly, his white coat sleeves fluttering. "I suppose I could make that sacrifice for your benefit, since Chenyu is interested in me, very blatantly."
Wu Suowei's eyebrows shot upward as his expression flattened into perfect deadpan disbelief. "Oh yes, what a noble sacrifice, Master," he said dryly, crossing his arms. "I'm sure this has absolutely nothing to do with you enjoying Guo Chengyu's attention. Nothing at all."
The sharp crack of Jiang Xiaoshuai's palm meeting Wu Suowei's shoulder echoed through the clinic, followed immediately by the younger man's yelp of protest. "Ow! That's abusing your seniority!" Wu Suowei rubbed at the stinging spot, though the twitch at his mouth betrayed his amusement. Jiang Xiaoshuai did not show any remorse though. He simply shook his head.
Wu Suowei rubbed at his shoulder, trying to shake off the discomfort, but a low groan escaped him as a wave of dizziness washed over his body. A shiver ran down his spine, and for a moment, the world around him seemed to blur and sway. He pressed a hand to his forehead, hoping to ground himself as a hazy fog clouded his thoughts.
“Suowei…are you okay?” Jiang Xiaoshuai’s voice cut through the haze, firm yet filled with concern.
The words drew him back, and he blinked, focusing on Jiang Xiaoshuai’s eyes. They were wide, searching, glinting with worry.
“Are you okay?” the doctor asked again, his gaze unwavering.
“Huh? Oh, yeah… I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong,” Wu Suowei replied, forcing a small smile, though a faint chill lingered in his chest and his head still felt woozy. He rubbed his arms as if to reassure himself, then shook his head as if shaking off the lingering dizziness. Of course he was fine. Why would anything be wrong with him?
Notes:
Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter!! I love reading comments.
Chapter 7: I want you all to myself
Summary:
Wu Suowei tries his best to deny his feelings but Chi Cheng makes it hard to ignore it, while Guo Chengyu gets the shock of his life.
Notes:
Note: We are still in episode 4 people. For the purposes of this chapter, Chi Cheng came into this episode with a white shirt and a black jacket. So imagine him with a jacket on top of the white shirt. The purpose for this to be part of his wardrobe will be clear by the end of the chapter. Enjoy the ride! Next chapter we will be on episode 5.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I want you all to myself
Don’t leave none for nobody else
I am an animal with you
No angels could beckon me back
And it’s hotter than hell where I’m at
I am an animal with you
An ode to the boy I love
Boy I’ll die to care for you
You’re mine, mine, mine, tell me who do I owe that to
Animal by Troye Sivan
Guo Chengyu and Chi Cheng stood outside the clinic, each leaning against the sleek, polished metal of their respective cars, the glow of cigarette tips briefly illuminating their sharp profiles. The day was cooling, and the faint curl of smoke rose into the air like restless ghosts. Chi Cheng’s posture radiated ease, his broad shoulders relaxed, one hand shoved casually into his pocket as if nothing in the world could trouble him. By contrast, Guo Chengyu felt every muscle in his body pulled taut, his gaze darting toward his former best friend in sharp, wary glances, like a soldier on watch in enemy territory.
The fear that had shot through him earlier, when Chi Cheng had stepped into the clinic and set his piercing eyes on Jiang Xiaoshuai, still lingered like an aftertaste he could not spit out. It had been primal, startling in its intensity, a fear that had not come from logic but from deep within the marrow of his bones. For a brief, dizzying instant, he had believed Chi Cheng was about to target Xiaoshuai, and something feral had stirred inside him. His alpha instincts had roared to life, claws unsheathed, protective in a way that shocked even himself.
He had always thought his attachment to the omega doctor was nothing more than idle play, a fleeting amusement to pass the time. But in that moment, the realization had struck like a lightning bolt across a storm dark sky. His alpha wanted to protect Jiang Xiaoshuai, even if it meant going against Chi Cheng, the man he had once called brother.
Once upon a time, that word had been literal in every sense but blood. Their bond had been forged in childhood, tempered by years of loyalty, laughter, and unspoken trust. They had been inseparable, alphas who had considered each other siblings in every way that mattered. Hell, at one point he knew that Chi Cheng considered him more of a sibling than Chi Jiali.
Yet six long years ago, that brotherhood had been ripped apart, shredded by the misunderstanding. The night with Wang Shuo had been the axe that severed them. To this day, Guo Chengyu could not explain what had happened, how he had ended up in the same bed as the omega. The memory was fractured, broken, swallowed by confusion, but it had never mattered. Chi Cheng had seen it as betrayal, and Guo Chengyu had been stripped of forgiveness before he had even had the chance to speak.
Despite everything, despite the bitterness that had grown over the years, Guo Chengyu’s alpha had never truly let go of their bond. Deep in his instincts, in the place where bonds could not easily be cut, Chi Cheng remained family. Even now, even after years of cold shoulders and sharpened words, he could not view him as anything less. He was still part of that ancient pack mentality, the brother he would protect even if they stood on opposite sides of a broken bridge.
That was why he had always manoeuvre carefully around him. If Chi Cheng wanted something, Guo Chengyu often found himself trying to help him obtain it, though in subtle, circuitous ways. It was a game of masks and indirect moves, because if Chi Cheng ever realized he was being aided, he would have bristled, closed off, and locked himself inside an impenetrable cage of pride. So, Guo Chengyu had learned to work around him, to tug on strings behind the curtain while letting Chi Cheng believe the victories were his own.
But today, the careful balance he had kept for years had nearly shattered. Something about Jiang Xiaoshuai, with his quiet strength and steady warmth, had slipped past Guo Chengyu’s defences and taken root. What had started as amusement had become something deeper, more dangerous. The very thought of losing him, of Chi Cheng laying a claim where his own heart had begun to settle, was unbearable. It had taken every ounce of control not to bare his teeth inside the clinic, not to defend Xiaoshuai like a cornered wolf.
Relief had flooded him when Chi Cheng’s smirk and pointed finger had revealed his true interest was elsewhere, fixed firmly on Wu Suowei, Xiaoshuai’s infuriating beta friend. That relief had been so sharp and overwhelming it had nearly buckled his knees. Even now, leaning against the hood of his car with cigarette smoke curling lazily between them, Guo Chengyu could not stop his chest from tightening with nerves. He kept glancing toward Chi Cheng with the wary eyes of a man expecting betrayal at any second, afraid that at any moment his old friend might change his mind, turn his sharp gaze back toward the short omega inside, and decide Xiaoshuai was the one he wanted after all.
Still, the question gnawed at Guo Chengyu, twisting inside his thoughts like a splinter he could not shake free. Why was Chi Cheng, of all people, so interested in a beta? Not just any beta, but one whose life and status seemed to belong to a completely different world than Chi Cheng’s polished, ruthless existence. Chi Cheng had an omega girlfriend already, though Guo Chengyu knew better than most that the relationship was nothing more than a façade forced upon him, a leash tied around his neck by his father’s blackmail. Even so, the contrast was startling. How could an omega, the kind of partner most alphas would proudly parade, pale in comparison to a simple, stubborn beta?
Yes, Guo Chengyu knew the truth about Chi Cheng’s current omega girlfriend. She was nothing more than a pawn, a forced arrangement born from his father’s blackmail and ruthless demands. That was clear enough. Still, for Chi Cheng to spurn the natural allure of an omega in favor of a beta, someone far removed from his world of wealth and dominance, unsettled Guo Chengyu more than he cared to admit.
As an alpha himself, the logic baffled him. Betas were fine but they paled in comparison when compared with omegas.. They did not ignite the kind of hunger that made an alpha bare his teeth or snap his patience. Female omegas were common, and male omegas were rarer. But still, female or male, omegas generally were more alluring. And yet, Chi Cheng looked at Wu Suowei as though the beta was fire in human form, dangerous and irresistible. He hadn’t seen Chi Cheng look that way at Yue Yue, even if she is a gold digger, she was still an omega but he hadn’t seen a single look of desire from Chi Cheng towards Yue Yue.
His attention shifted entirely, curiosity flaring hotter than suspicion. He tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at Chi Cheng, studying him with the sharp intensity of someone who had grown up at his side, who knew every mask and every tell. The smoke from his cigarette curled into the air, the faint orange glow catching the sharp lines of his face.
At last, he broke the silence. His tone carried an edge of disbelief, the kind only one alpha could throw at another.
“Why a beta?” Guo Chengyu asked, voice low but firm. “You already have an omega, even if she is just a chain tied around your neck. So why waste yourself chasing a poor beta? Why play with him at all? What could a beta possibly give you that an omega cannot? I am interested in Xiaoshuai, can’t have you playing with his little best friend and tossing him out. Xiaoshuai might not give me a chance then. The omega is very protective over his little beta friend, that much I have sussed out from my encounters with him” Guo Chengyu stated it while staring at Chi Cheng “Why drag him around for one month while also keeping Yue Yue on that timeline too?”
Guo Chengyu knew Chi Cheng’s alpha better than most. He had grown up alongside him, watching every stage of his struggle, and he understood just how restless and dissatisfied that side of him could be. From their teenage years onward, Chi Cheng had fought constantly with himself, trying again and again to find someone who could anchor his instincts. It had frustrated him endlessly. What he wanted was not simply physical companionship, but a true and steady bond. He had always craved stability, a partner who could quiet the storms inside him. In those early years, he had even been quite the romantic, the type to believe in promises and the kind of connection that lasted a lifetime.
But as time passed, Chi Cheng’s reality grew harsher. Every time he thought he had found someone who might work, every time he allowed himself to hope, his alpha would revolt. It was as though that inner half was far pickier than he ever imagined, refusing to settle for anyone who could not meet its impossible standard. One relationship after another crumbled in his hands, leaving him more bitter and more withdrawn with each failure.
Guo Chengyu could remember clearly how things had been when Wang Shuo entered their lives. That male omega had easily become part of their friend group. And for the first time in years, Chi Cheng had allowed himself to believe he had found the one who could quiet his restless alpha. He had clung to that hope, poured himself into making it work, desperate to hold onto the possibility of permanence. But it had all fallen apart within three short weeks, shattering like glass under too much strain. After that, something in Chi Cheng had darkened further, the spark of hope fading behind cynicism and mistrust.
It became a pattern. Chi Cheng could never keep anyone longer than a month, not because he was careless or cruel, but because his alpha would simply refuse them. It was as if no one was ever enough, as if the core of him was searching for something no ordinary match could provide.
That was why Guo Chengyu found himself so deeply unsettled now. He could not understand why Chi Cheng would bother playing with Wu Suowei, a beta of all people, when he already had Yue Yue on his arm, filling that predictable one-month cycle. What made Wu Suowei different? What could that beta possibly offer that countless others had not? He couldn’t work out what was going on inside his head.
Chi Cheng turned to look at him, and for the first time in years Guo Chengyu felt his body stiffen under the weight of that gaze. He was used to the familiar emptiness in Chi Cheng’s eyes, the hollow, cold look that had become his default expression. Yet now, something was startlingly different. His eyes did not look deadened or bleak, but strangely light, carrying a sense of peace that Guo Chengyu had not seen in him since they were boys. The change was so subtle and yet so profound that Guo Chengyu almost did not recognize the man before him.
Chi Cheng exhaled a steady stream of smoke, the gray wisps curling into the cool air between them, and finally spoke.
“I am keeping Yue Yue as a distraction to keep my parents happy while I look for my snakes,” he said, his voice clipped and unyielding. Those words did not surprise Guo Chengyu; they were exactly what he had expected. But before he could respond, Chi Cheng continued, his tone lowering into something more deliberate, more resolute. “But Wu Suowei, I am not letting go of him anytime soon.”
Guo Chengyu blinked, his head tilting slightly, confusion tightening in his chest.
“But in four weeks time—”
“My alpha wants him.”
The reply struck like a blow. Guo Chengyu’s eyes widened, his breath stalling in his lungs. For a moment he thought he had misheard, that perhaps the words had twisted strangely in the air. His mind reeled at the possibility.
“What did you just say?” His voice cracked slightly, the disbelief plain.
Chi Cheng’s expression softened in a way Guo Chengyu rarely witnessed, wistful and almost weary, as though he were confessing something he had carried for far too long.
“I thought I was broken,” he admitted quietly. “But there might have been some truth to what you used to say. Maybe he is my soulmate, maybe he is not. I cannot know yet. What I do know is this- something in that little mouse is enough to rouse my alpha, enough to make him possessive for the very first time. Even with Wang Shuo, my alpha never reacted like this…”
The words drifted into silence, but their weight hung between them like a storm cloud. Guo Chengyu’s mind froze, shock rippling through him as the truth sank in. He had always believed there was a chance with Wang Shuo, that perhaps the omega had been close to satisfying Chi Cheng’s relentless alpha and he had somehow caused that to fracture even if he had no memory of sleeping with him, despite waking up that way. Yet now, learning that even with Wang Shuo the reaction had never come, he realized just how unprecedented this moment was.
Chi Cheng’s voice regained its iron as he continued, unyielding and absolute.
“So no. I will not be leaving him alone anytime soon. Not even if he wants me to.”
Guo Chengyu’s lips parted slightly, his eyes still wide as he absorbed the reality of what had just been spoken. It was monumental, almost unthinkable. Finally, words stumbled out, quiet yet genuine.
“Oh… congratulations,” he murmured, staring at Chi Cheng with something close to awe. He truly did feel happy for him, despite the shock. For a fleeting moment, he wanted to say more, to probe further, to share in the strange, impossible miracle that had just been revealed.
“Wha—” he began, but the sound of Chi Cheng’s phone cut him off. The sharp ring broke the fragile stillness of the moment. Guo Chengyu could tell instantly from Chi Cheng’s expression that it was about his missing snakes. After a terse exchange, Chi Cheng snapped the phone closed, gave Guo Chengyu a brief nod of acknowledgment, and without another word, slid into his car and drove away.
Left standing alone in the quiet, Guo Chengyu’s mind churned. He ran a hand through his hair, a low hum escaping him.
“Huh… would wonders ever cease? I cannot believe it.”
Pulling out his own phone, he quickly typed a message to Li Wang, fingers moving with urgency.
Dig up everything you can about Wu Suowei.
If Wu Suowei was the first person in years to awaken Chi Cheng’s alpha instincts, if he was the one to make that cold heart stir, then Guo Chengyu needed to know exactly who this beta was. He didn't want Chi Cheng to be played. Not if he was getting this attached.
Once the message was sent, Guo Chengyu flicked his cigarette away, straightened, and moved toward the clinic doors. His gaze immediately went to the little bespectacled omega doctor, Jiang Xiaoshuai, whose quiet presence seemed to radiate a different sort of gravity. The duo were huddled together like two peas in a pod, but once he was back in the room, he stood right in front of Jiang and showed his bandaged hand with a smirk.
Guo Chengyu noticed almost immediately that Wu Suowei kept darting glances over his shoulder. The beta was trying to appear discreet, but his eagerness betrayed him every single time. His eyes, bright and restless, flicked toward the door with barely contained anticipation. The sight tugged a smirk onto Guo Chengyu’s lips.
“Chi Cheng got a call, so he had to leave. If that is what you were wondering,” Guo Chengyu said casually, his tone laced with amusement as he addressed the fidgeting beta.
The reaction was immediate. Wu Suowei spun back around with a sharp scowl, his brows furrowing so tightly they nearly met.
“Why would I care where he goes!” he barked, the words echoing louder than they needed to, as if he hoped sheer volume would disguise the obvious.
Guo Chengyu leaned back slightly, watching him with cool detachment. The denial only entertained him more. Wu Suowei might shout and posture, but his eyes told the truth every time they strayed longingly toward the clinic entrance. Amusement rippled through Guo Chengyu’s chest like a quiet chuckle he did not bother to voice.
‘Huh… Chi Cheng is going to have his hands full with this one, but he is interested in him...’ he thought, lips twitching upward once more.
Shaking his head, he let the matter rest and shifted his focus. His gaze drifted toward Jiang Xiaoshuai, the little omega doctor, whose quiet frustration was now plain on his face. Xiaoshuai gave an impatient huff, then without hesitation grabbed Guo Chengyu by the uninjured arm. The omega’s grip, deceptively firm despite his slender fingers, surprised him. Before he could protest, he felt himself being tugged forward, dragged unceremoniously as if he were nothing more than a wayward patient who needed to be set straight. He found it incredibly hot.
Guo Chengyu let himself be led, his dark eyes lowering to study the back of the bespectacled doctor’s head, the set of his shoulders, the determination in his stride. Yes he would definitely enjoy ensnaring this little omega.
Finally, after a long day filled with the endless shuffle of patients and the suffocating tension of playing mediator in a cat and mouse game between two powerful alphas, Jiang Xiaoshuai felt as though he could finally breathe. He flipped the clinic sign to closed and retreated into the small back room, weary but grateful for the silence.
Wu Suowei was there, as expected. His best friend was bent over his bed, arms full of clothes and blankets. At first, Xiaoshuai assumed he was tidying up, clearing the clutter of the day. Yet as he leaned against the doorway and watched, his brow furrowed. Wu Suowei’s movements did not resemble the casual gestures of cleaning. There was a rhythm to them, a strangely careful purpose. He kept folding and unfolding, arranging and rearranging, humming softly under his breath as though lost in thought.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s sharp mind began to piece things together. His memory flicked through Wu Suowei’s recent behavior, every startled look whenever Chi Cheng drew close, every defensive denial followed by barely concealed longing, every subtle shift in body language. The signs whispered something impossible, yet undeniable.
“Are you sure you are a beta?” Xiaoshuai asked quietly, though his voice carried the weight of reluctant suspicion.
The question startled Wu Suowei so suddenly that he nearly dropped the blanket in his hands. He jerked his head up, eyes flashing with surprise before softening into something weary. A scoff followed, light and dismissive, though not entirely convincing.
“Everyone’s gender manifests at 18. I am 25. So of course I am a beta. There is no question about that, master…” Wu Suowei muttered, forcing a smile as he continued folding clothes, tucking them onto the bed as though the movement could somehow erase the conversation.
But Jiang Xiaoshuai was not so easily fooled. His keen gaze followed every motion, every nervous shuffle, every misplaced attempt at nonchalance. Slowly, his eyes traveled to the bed itself, and his chest tightened. The sight before him was too familiar to deny.
“Wu Suowei…” His tone dropped, quiet but firm. “You are nesting.”
The words landed like a hammer. Wu Suowei froze mid-motion, the shirt clutched in his hands crumpling between his fingers. His lips parted, but no words came. He glanced down, really seeing the bed for the first time since he had started this ritual. Five blankets were layered carefully around the edges, creating a soft barricade. On top lay neatly folded clothes, but not just any clothes. They were piles of shirts. Two of the shirts were Jiang Xiaoshuai’s. He didn't remember getting them but they were definitely Jiang Xiaoshuai's shirts he had placed in the pile. And the rest of the shirts were all his own shirts. But not just any shirts. They were all of his shirts that still carried Chi Cheng’s scent strongly.
It was unmistakable. It was a nest.
Wu Suowei’s throat tightened as if the air had suddenly grown too heavy. His eyes darted wildly between the evidence before him and his best friend’s steady, unwavering gaze. He tried to speak, tried to laugh it off, but his voice cracked with disbelief.
“I… it cannot be. That is impossible. If I was an omega, I would have manifested years ago, right?” His words tumbled out in a frantic stammer, more like a plea than a statement. His wide eyes searched Jiang Xiaoshuai’s face, desperate for denial, desperate for the reassurance that the truth was not what it appeared to be.
Yet deep inside, where logic could not reach, a tiny flicker of recognition stirred. The nest smelled of safety. Of home. His hands twitched.
“I… well, it is rare but not impossible for a secondary gender to manifest late. There have been rumors, though. Whispers of manifestations happening because of soulmate connections…” Jiang Xiaoshuai said slowly, his voice steady but his mind spinning with possibilities.
Wu Suowei gave him a disbelieving look, his mouth opening before words tumbled out in a rush. “You are talking about golden matches? Xiaoshuai, be serious. Those pairings are rarer than phoenix feathers. Nearly impossible. The last confirmed one was what… four decades ago? You cannot honestly think that Chi Cheng of all people is my soulmate. That he is the one triggering my manifestation? Do not be ridiculous! He cannot be it. I— I do not even like him! It is just a game, a way to get revenge on Yue Yue. I cannot… he cannot be my soulmate. That is absurd. And I am definitely not an omega…”
His words grew sharper with each denial, his head shaking vigorously as though he could rattle the very thought out of existence. But the panic in his tone betrayed him, exposing a man standing on the edge of a cliff, refusing to look down.
Jiang Xiaoshuai sighed, long and weary, recognizing the familiar signs. Wu Suowei was clinging to denial as if it were a shield. But Xiaoshuai could not allow him to keep lying to himself, not when the evidence was staring both of them in the face.
“Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me you feel nothing for Chi Cheng? That you truly see him as just a pawn in your schemes? Suowei, open your eyes. You are building a nest with your shirts drenched in his scent. You flinch and blush every time he looks at you, like your whole body is giving you away. You cannot be that blind. So tell me… are you lying to me, or to yourself?” Xiaoshuai asked, his gaze sharp and unwavering, cutting through the room like a blade.
Wu Suowei froze, his lips pressing into a thin line. For a long heartbeat, he looked as though he might lash back, spit out another denial. But then his shoulders slumped, the fight draining out of him. His frown deepened, and he groaned in frustration.
“Aish! Why are you so damn good at reading me?” He buried his face briefly in his hands before dragging them down. “Are you sure you are not some kind of mind reader? Fine. Yes, I hate to admit it, but my feelings for Chi Cheng are anything but fake. I wish they were. But he knows how to push my buttons. He twists me up inside, and I do not even know how he does it. Every time I think I have the upper hand, he turns it around, and—” his voice cracked, dropping to a pained whine. “What am I going to do when he dumps me in a few weeks? What then, Xiaoshuai?”
The distress in his face was unmistakable, a raw vulnerability Wu Suowei rarely let show. His hands gripped the blanket on his bed as though it were the only thing tethering him to the ground.
Xiaoshuai’s expression softened. He stepped forward, placing a firm but reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Look, listen to me. Our scheme is actually working. You have his attention. You have pulled him in, far deeper than Yue Yue ever managed. If you can keep him there, make him see you, you can break that tie. You can take her place. Who says you cannot keep him? Who says he will not get attached to you?”
He gave a faint, knowing smile. “And remember, I am not alone in this anymore. Guo Chengyu has his eyes on me, and he is practically begging for my attention. He must know Chi Cheng better than anyone. We can use that. We can come up with a way, together. Do not panic yet. The plan started as revenge, yes, but plans can change. If you are truly getting attached, then we will make adjustments to seduce him so you can keep him. Simple as that.”
Wu Suowei’s trembling lips slowly steadied, determination flickering back into his eyes. He drew in a deep breath and nodded sharply. “You… you are right. We can do that. There is nothing we cannot do. I will not lose to Yue Yue. Not now.” His voice gained strength, as though speaking the words aloud reignited the fire in him.
Xiaoshuai smiled faintly, though his heart felt heavier than before. He turned away, heading back toward his office. His steps were steady, but his mind was far from calm. He had soothed Wu Suowei for now, but he could not shake the unease gnawing at him. The way his friend had been acting, the way he had instinctively nested, the scents he had chosen—it all pointed to one terrifying possibility. A part of him had been surprised but pleased that Wu Suowei considered him close and familially safe enough to include his clothes in his nest but the signs were very pointed, pointing towards a manifestation, particularly another omega. Male omegas. Rare but it seemed to be going that way for his friend.
Wu Suowei might be possibly manifesting. Late, rare, and agonizingly slow.
The thought made Xiaoshuai’s chest tighten. He remembered his own manifestation all too clearly. The sudden heat that had devoured him in the middle of a crowded school hall, the humiliation of collapsing in front of sneering alphas, the agony of his body splitting itself into something new. He had been only seventeen, yet the pain had nearly broken him. The only reason he had survived being assaulted was because a fellow omega had dragged him to the nurse before the wrong person noticed.
If Wu Suowei was manifesting now, at twenty-five… the process would be worse. More painful. More unbearable. And Chi Cheng’s presence could either sooth him or shatter him completely, depending on the alpha's reaction and attachment. If Wu Suowei is this attached to him before manifestation, then post manifestation he can make or break him.
Xiaoshuai clenched his fists behind his back. He would have to keep a close eye on Wu Suowei, whether his friend admitted the truth or not. When the storm hit, and it surely would, Wu Suowei would need someone ready to anchor him.
Even if Wu Suowei himself refused to believe what was happening.
Chi Cheng exhaled a long breath as he stood once again in front of the small clinic. After regrouping with Gang Zi, he had pieced together fragments of information, enough to give him a lead on where his father had hidden the snakes. The answers had been closer than expected—infuriatingly close. What grated on him more, however, was discovering that Guo Chengyu had already sniffed out the same location. Typical. The other alpha always had his nose where it did not belong, and always moved with his own agenda. At this point, Chi Cheng had stopped expecting loyalty from Guo Chengyu. Still, the knowledge that Chengyu had known, and said nothing, was like grit in his teeth.
Pushing that irritation aside, he focused on the restless thrum of his alpha. It had been nagging at him since morning, the agitation coiling tighter the longer he stayed away from Wu Suowei. Even after setting his plans into motion with Gang Zi, his alpha had been insistent—demanding he go back, demanding proximity. Chi Cheng was not used to his instincts pulling so fiercely toward one person. It unsettled him, though he refused to admit as much.
The closed sign on the clinic door might as well have not existed. Without hesitation, he pushed it open and stepped inside, his tall frame cutting across the modest room until he stood face to face with Jiang Xiaoshuai.
The omega doctor greeted him with a smile that was polite to the point of insincerity. Chi Cheng recognized the performance immediately. “Are you here for Wu Suowei?” Jiang Xiaoshuai asked with airy brightness, his tone smooth but hollow.
Chi Cheng tilted his head in acknowledgment, studying him. There was something intriguing about this omega—sharp eyes behind that gentle demeanor, cunning enough to draw Guo Chengyu in and hold him there. Under different circumstances, if Wu Suowei had not entered his life, Chi Cheng might have entertained the idea of pursuing someone like Jiang Xiaoshuai. After all, male omegas were rarer. But now, he could not even imagine it. The pull toward Wu Suowei was too consuming, eclipsing any other consideration. Still, curiosity prickled at him. Guo Chengyu was not the type to be easily bound, yet this male defiant omega had managed to capture his attention. That was worth noting.
Before Chi Cheng could press, Jiang Xiaoshuai proved unexpectedly straightforward, gesturing eagerly over his shoulder. “He’s in the back room!”
Chi Cheng’s lips curved into a pleased smile. At least the omega wasn’t bothering to hide him. He started toward the back, his strides steady, but something in his chest tightened as he reached the hallway. The thought had surfaced unbidden, gnawing at him.
Wu Suowei. The omega doctor. A beta and an omega under the same roof.
His alpha bristled, possessiveness sparking like flint. Without thinking, he turned sharply on his heel, his gaze narrowing in on Jiang Xiaoshuai. His voice was calm, controlled, but the weight beneath it was unmistakable. “Do you two live together?”
The omega’s reaction was immediate and telling. His eyes widened, a flash of fear crossing them before he scrambled to speak. “No! No, absolutely not!” His laugh was forced, high-pitched, the kind of laugh people made when they were uncomfortable. “I’ll, uh—I’ll get going!”
And then, like prey sensing a predator too close, Jiang Xiaoshuai bolted. He was out the door before Chi Cheng could say another word, fleeing with startling speed.
The sight left Chi Cheng strangely satisfied. His suspicions might have been unnecessary, but the answer had been clear enough. No mating bond or mating intent evidently. They did give off familial, den bonds but nothing intimate in the romantic sense. Wu Suowei was not tied to this omega, not in that way. And that was enough to settle him.
The corner of his lips curved into a slow, smug smirk. The clinic was silent now, empty except for him. And with that confirmation burning warmly in his chest, Chi Cheng turned and strode toward the back room, each step deliberate, his alpha quieting only as he drew nearer to the one it had been demanding all along.
Once he stepped into the room, Chi Cheng’s eyes immediately found Wu Suowei.
The little beta was slumped over his desk, head pillowed on a thick pile of books, surrounded by even more precarious stacks. His chest rose and fell in slow rhythm, his features softened in sleep, stripped of his usual bite. For a moment, Chi Cheng froze at the sight. His lips twitched upward despite himself, and he reached out, brushing his fingers lightly through Wu Suowei’s hair.
The touch was tender, instinctive.
But then his gaze snagged on a sheet of paper half-tucked against the pile. Curiosity flared, and before he could think better of it, he plucked it free.
His eyes widened.
‘Jinghua University Political Science Reading List.’
Memory surged—their date, Wu Suowei’s clumsy attempts at conversation about topics he’d thought random. At the time, Chi Cheng had assumed it was just bait to hold his attention. But now… staring at the meticulous notes and the towering mountain of books, the truth clicked into place.
He wasn’t pretending. He had researched. He had been reading—forcing himself through the very subject Chi Cheng’s family had pushed on him, the degree he himself had never cared for—just to get closer.
A slow, satisfied smile spread across Chi Cheng’s lips. His alpha purred with pride. This wasn’t empty play. Wu Suowei had worked for his attention.
Eyes softening, he leaned over the desk, caressing Wu Suowei’s cheek with a gentleness that surprised even him. The skin was warm, smooth under his touch.
Wu Suowei stirred, startled awake, blinking in confusion before his gaze sharpened and locked on him. The moment he spotted the page in Chi Cheng’s hand, his expression soured.
“Why are you taking my stuff?” he whined, snatching the sheet and shoving it deep between the other books as though hiding evidence.
Chi Cheng’s smirk only widened, amusement and affection threading through his gaze. “I just wanted to see what the person who said he wanted to sleep with me usually reads.” His tone dripped with tease.
The reaction was delicious. Wu Suowei ducked his head, shoulders stiffening, cheeks faintly pink. He looked cornered, like a cat bristling under unwanted attention, and Chi Cheng found himself wanting more.
He crouched down, slipping an arm around Wu Suowei’s neck and pulling him flush against him. His nose brushed the sensitive skin of Wu Suowei’s scent gland, and the little sound that escaped, the soft, involuntary moan, sent a rush of satisfaction through him. His lips ghosted the spot, pressing a slow kiss there, before grazing upward to nip at his ear.
“When did you start to want me?” he murmured, voice low and rough against his skin.
Wu Suowei shivered, caught between pushing him away and leaning into him. His fingers tugged weakly at Chi Cheng’s arm, but his strength was half-hearted at best. His breath hitched, unsteady, before he finally whispered.
“From… the stall days.”
Chi Cheng’s eyes widened. He pulled back a fraction, staring down at him with something raw flickering in his expression. The stalls. He remembered it too; that instant spark, that sharp tug of curiosity that had refused to let go. He had sent Gang Zi for information almost immediately. And now he learned Wu Suowei had felt the same from the very start. His alpha practically preened at the confirmation.
“So, what you’re saying is…” His fingers curled around the chair, spinning it sharply until Wu Suowei was facing him, trapped under his looming shadow. Chi Cheng leaned down, eyes blazing with amusement and heat. “All our past encounters were arranged by you?”
The glare he received in return was comical. Wu Suowei scowled like a disgruntled cat caught red-handed, lips curling in petulant defiance. “Yes,” he bit out.
Chi Cheng’s chest rumbled with a pleased laugh. He leaned closer, cupping Wu Suowei’s cheek again, his thumb brushing softly against flushed skin.
“Then why didn’t you just say you liked me?” His voice was quieter now, almost gentle, even as his nose hovered just over Wu Suowei’s, their breaths mingling in the charged space between them.
Wu Suowei simply pouted and looked away, a gesture that only made him more endearing in Chi Cheng’s eyes.
“Are you feeling shy?” Chi Cheng asked softly, his gaze locked on the beta’s face, eager for any reaction.
Wu Suowei pouted further.
Chi Cheng leaned closer, only to feel Wu Suowei push back with surprising strength, spinning away in his chair until he was about five feet out of reach. Confusion flickered across Chi Cheng’s features as he tilted his head, studying the retreating beta.
“Don’t you want this?” he asked, voice calm but intense, eyes tracing Wu Suowei’s every move.
Wu Suowei faltered, genuine uncertainty flashing across his face. “I… do I want… or not?” he trailed off, avoiding Chi Cheng’s gaze as if afraid to face the truth in his own eyes. If not for the wave of scent and tension radiating off him, Chi Cheng might have thought the little beta was teasing.
But his face told the truth. The conflict, the desire—it was all there, tangled and intoxicating.
Chi Cheng stepped closer, watching Wu Suowei retreat further.
“Who are you asking?” he pressed.
“I…” Wu Suowei trailed off again, spinning his chair away slightly, avoiding eye contact while confusion painted every line of his face.
Unable to resist any longer, Chi Cheng grasped the chair and pulled it, and Wu Suowei, closer. He looked directly into his eyes, catching every flicker of fear, desire, and uncertainty.
“I know you want me,” he whispered, leaning closer, his voice low and rough. “I can see it in how you react to me, after everything we have done. You have enjoyed it, immensely so. So, why are you so afraid of me still?”
Wu Suowei didn’t answer immediately. His head turned aside, hiding behind his dark lashes.
“I… don’t want to talk about that,” he muttered softly.
Chi Cheng smiled, leaning closer to brush his thumb over Wu Suowei’s cheek. He caught the faint, pleased scent escaping despite the beta’s efforts to seem unaffected. His smirk deepened as he studied him carefully.
“What’s the matter?” he teased lightly. “You’ve never… slept with an alpha before?”
The reaction was immediate. Wu Suowei pushed him away and stood up, giving him his back as he scowled. “Of course I haven’t! You alphas are so arrogant! Do I look like someone who chases alphas?”
His voice dropped as he muttered, almost shyly, “I… I haven’t slept with anyone actually…”
Chi Cheng froze. No one else had touched Wu Suowei like that. The thought sent a rush of possessive pride through him.
'No one else will.'
His mind raced as he considered everything Wu Suowei had said. He hadn’t dated an alpha before… yet he had sought Chi Cheng out. The thought made his chest tighten, a combination of pride, amusement, and possessive longing flooding through him.
“You say you haven’t dated alphas before… so why are you chasing me?” Chi Cheng asked, his voice steady but threaded with curiosity and a hint of something sharper, more intimate. His eyes were locked on Wu Suowei’s flushed back, tracing the way his shoulders tensed, the subtle quiver of hesitation. Every motion, every subtle sign of nervousness drew him in further, fueling the low, possessive thrum in his chest.
Wu Suowei slowly turned to face him, as if summoned by the weight of his gaze. Confusion lingered in his eyes, but his cheeks were a deep, telling red, warmth radiating like a flare against his pale skin. His lips trembled slightly, and for a moment, Chi Cheng could almost see the battle raging inside him—the fear of stepping too close to something he didn’t fully understand versus the undeniable pull toward him.
“I… I don’t know about other alphas,” Wu Suowei admitted quietly, his gaze falling to the floor as he turned around again, giving him his back as if to protect himself. As though the words themselves were difficult to breathe out. “But I know I like you.”
The confession hit Chi Cheng like lightning, a bolt that raced through every nerve ending in his body. The simplicity and honesty of Wu Suowei’s words made his chest tighten, sending a rush of heat coursing through him. His eyes darkened, widening not with surprise but with raw, unfiltered pleasure.
A low, possessive growl slipped from his throat before he could stop it. Instinct took over completely. Every motion was sudden, deliberate, a predator closing in on a prize he had been denied for far too long. He strode forward with lethal precision, one hand clamping onto Wu Suowei’s shoulder and spinning him around with controlled force.
The world contracted to the heat radiating from Wu Suowei’s skin and the stunned vulnerability in his eyes. Chi Cheng’s arm wrapped around the smaller man’s neck, a solid, unyielding band of muscle that pulled him flush against his chest. Their bodies pressed together so tightly that every inhale was shared, every heartbeat a thunderous echo between them.
Chi Cheng’s lips collided with Wu Suowei’s in a kiss that was all hunger, claiming, and fire. It was not gentle or tentative. It was a declaration. Wu Suowei gasped sharply into the kiss, his fingers clutching Chi Cheng’s shirt in a feeble attempt to push him away. The resistance was minimal and only made Chi Cheng’s desire spike. He tightened his hold, sliding one hand into Wu Suowei’s hair at the nape of his neck, tilting his head to plunge deeper.
With a demanding sweep of his tongue, he breached the seam of Wu Suowei’s lips. The taste was intoxicating, uniquely his own, with a faint lingering sweetness of tea. Wu Suowei’s body trembled immediately, and his hands, far from pushing Chi Cheng away, clutched him tighter, pulling them even closer together. His moans vibrated against Chi Cheng’s mouth, ragged and needy, fueling the alpha’s possessive hunger.
Chi Cheng’s tongue explored every sensitive contour, tangling with his in a rhythm that was intimate and consuming. He could feel the smaller man melting into him, yielding completely, every shiver and tremble a silent plea that inflamed Chi Cheng’s lust. His free hand roamed over his back, tracing the line of his spine, lingering at the small of his back, pressing them even closer. Every subtle arch, every slight press of skin to skin sent jolts of pleasure through both of them.
Their breaths came in ragged, shared gasps, mingling with the wet, slick sounds of their mouths. Chi Cheng pressed their hips together, rolling slowly against him to draw another sharp, helpless moan. He let the warmth of his body crush Wu Suowei gently but firmly into the mattress, marking every inch with his presence, letting pheromones drift around them, a tangible declaration of ownership.
Chi Cheng began to trail kisses down Wu Suowei’s jaw, over the sensitive curve of his neck, tasting the faint salt and sweat that only heightened his desire. Wu Suowei shivered and pressed back instinctively, arms tightening around Chi Cheng’s neck. Every bite, every tug at his lips sent a groan vibrating through Chi Cheng’s chest. He leaned closer, pressing their torsos together fully, feeling the subtle twitch of muscle and the heat of skin.
Step by step, he guided Wu Suowei backward across the bed until his knees hit the edge. Chi Cheng hovered over him, towering and possessive, letting his scent wash over the smaller man, marking the air, the sheets, and Wu Suowei himself. He kissed him again, longer, harder, more insistent, savoring the way Wu Suowei’s body melted beneath his.
Wu Suowei’s hands roamed now too, dragging over Chi Cheng’s chest, arms winding around him, tugging him closer while biting and nipping at his lips. Every sound he made, every tremor of his body, ignited a fierce, raw craving in Chi Cheng, urging him to claim and dominate every inch of him. Their bodies pressed together, taut and warm, moving with the rhythm of urgent, primal need.
Chi Cheng’s hands explored with purpose, sliding over the planes of Wu Suowei’s body, feeling every reaction, every shiver, every pulse. He lowered himself further onto him, the heat of their bodies, the taste, and the scent binding them together. Wu Suowei’s soft, shuddering moans, the way he clutched at Chi Cheng’s shirt, and the desperate, yielding arch of his body made the alpha’s hunger unquenchable.
Every kiss, every bite, every shared gasp was a claim, a brand, a statement of desire and possession. Chi Cheng let his pheromones flow freely, marking Wu Suowei and the space around them, saturating the air with his dominance. The beta’s response was instinctive and unrestrained, arms locking around him, teeth nibbling, body pressing, a silent plea and surrender all at once.
He shifted slightly, rolling his body so that he was completely over Wu Suowei, chest pressing against chest, heat radiating between them, a weight both comforting and impossible to resist. His lips left a trail down Wu Suowei’s jaw, brushing against the soft skin of his neck, leaving lingering heat and a faint sting of teeth marks. Wu Suowei arched into him, a soft, startled gasp vibrating through his chest as Chi Cheng’s tongue teased, swirled, and claimed every sensitive patch.
“Chi Cheng…” he heard him whisper his name in a moan, a feat that had him growling.
The small hands that had been clutching at Chi Cheng’s shirt now roamed boldly, gripping the back of his jacket with a desperation that made him growl low in his throat. The deep, vibrating sound resonated through Wu Suowei beneath him, a physical shiver that traveled straight to the beta’s core. Chi Cheng leaned down without hesitation, capturing Wu Suowei’s lips again in a punishing, all-consuming kiss that stole his breath and held it hostage.
Wu Suowei responded instinctively, pressing up against him, wrapping his legs lightly around Chi Cheng’s hips, seeking every inch of contact, every flicker of heat. The kiss deepened with urgency, their mouths moving in a rhythm both savage and intimate. Soft moans and shaky whimpers slipped from Wu Suowei’s lips, igniting the primal desire in Chi Cheng that had been simmering until now, a fire that demanded to be fed.
He was utterly lost in the beta’s scent, the warm, intoxicating heat radiating from him, something so achingly sweet, so uniquely his, that it defied every instinct Chi Cheng had about betas. It was impossible, and yet undeniable, drawing him in deeper with every pulse of his heart. Chi Cheng didn’t have a single thought for logic or restraint. All that mattered was Wu Suowei beneath him, yielding and alive, trembling in ways that made his entire body clench with need. Every instinct screamed possession, dominance, and a relentless hunger that refused to be denied.
Then, piercing through the haze of sensation, a shrill ringtone shattered the intimacy like fragile glass.
Chi Cheng froze, lips parting, chest still pressing against Wu Suowei, heart hammering with frustration. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss, dragging his awareness back to the mundane interruption. His hand moved stiffly into his trouser pocket, irritation twisting in his gut as he retrieved the device. The caller ID flashed his father’s name, and the sudden weight of responsibility slammed into him. His hand froze, blood running cold as his gaze flicked helplessly back at Wu Suowei.
The beta’s expression had shifted from blissful surrender to dazed confusion. His eyes blinked rapidly, struggling to process the sudden severance of contact, to reconcile the warmth, the heat, and the closeness they had just shared. Slowly, comprehension dawned, and his eyes widened in mortified realization.
His face burned crimson, the deep, rich red of a cherry tomato. Flustered beyond words, he pushed Chi Cheng upright until he was sitting on the bed. Wu Suowei also sat up but unable to face him, he fumbled around for a blanket and yanked it over his head in a desperate attempt to hide the evidence of his vulnerability. Yet even under the cover, his small, muffled whimpers and the subtle rustle of movement betrayed the lingering tremors of desire.
Chi Cheng’s gaze lingered, dark and intense, softened for a fleeting heartbeat as he watched the beta’s retreating shyness. The room suddenly felt quieter, the sizzling heat between them suspended in fragile stillness, leaving only the lingering scent of desire clinging to the air.
The ache to continue, to claim, to taste, and to feel the warmth of Wu Suowei pressed against him, clawed at Chi Cheng. But reality intruded once more, the insistent ringtone. His father already had his snakes as hostage and he might take more drastic actions if he ignored his call. With a slow, measured sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to quell the sharp edge of frustration.
“I need to take this… sorry. I have to go,” he said softly, eyes still tracing Wu Suowei’s small, hidden form beneath the blanket. The beta didn’t respond, refusing to show his face despite sitting up next to him.
An idea sparked in Chi Cheng’s mind, a flash of instinctive alpha intuition, and he shrugged off his black jacket. Moving closer, he draped it around Wu Suowei’s shoulders, enveloping him in his warmth, pheromones and scent.
Wu Suowei yelped at the sudden contact, the blanket slipping from his face in shock. His hands fumbled to clutch the jacket, holding it tight against him as he glared at him with annoyance. His glare was fierce, but his face was still flaming red. A combination that Chi Cheng found utterly irresistible. It’s then Chi Cheng noticed the tiny, discreet inhale as Wu Suowei pressed the jacket close to his nose, savouring the lingering trace of his scent and pheromones. Despite how much he was glaring at him, he was still smelling his scent, seeking comfort in it. That pleased him and his alpha immensely.
“I will see you later,” Chi Cheng murmured, his voice low, threaded with a promise. “Keep my jacket safe, will you?”
Without waiting for a reply, he rose from the bed, giving space between them before temptation could claim him again. Each step away was measured, painful, and necessary, putting distance between his desire and the beta he longed to possess.
The instant Chi Cheng was gone, Wu Suowei let out a low groan, collapsing back onto his bed while clutching the jacket tightly against his chest. His body burned with a lingering, maddening heat, and he let out another shuddering groan. What was this alpha doing to him? How could one person make him feel so helpless, so weak, so completely undone? His mind felt muddled, as if stuck in a haze. What was happening to him?
Notes:
Let me know your thoughts on today's chapter everyone! I will say this, I am not this active in my other fanfics. I am just currently in the Revenged Love muse era so I am on fire update wise. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I love reading comments so let me know your thoughts!
Chapter 8: It's like I can't breathe
Summary:
Wu Suowei loses it slowly while Jiang Xiaoshuai tries his best to help his friend. Chi Cheng finds himself being restless after being ignored, he takes drastic actions.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It's like I can't breathe
Without you inside of me
And I know I let you have all the power
And I realize I'm never gonna quit you over time
It's like I can't breathe
It's like I can't see anything
Nothing but you
I'm addicted to you
It's like I can't think
Without you interrupting me
In my thoughts, in my dreams
You've taken over me
It's like I'm not me
Addicted by Kelly Clarkson
Once the last patient had left and the clinic finally fell into silence, Jiang Xiaoshuai flipped the sign to “closed” and let out a long breath. The quiet should have brought him relief, yet instead it sharpened his worry. All day, Wu Suowei had not stepped out of the back room. Not once. The memory of his behaviour yesterday, the restless energy, the obvious nesting instinct, gnawed at Xiaoshuai’s mind. To him, the signs were glaring. Wu Suowei was not just stressed, not just being eccentric. He was on his way to manifesting as an omega.
The thought struck him with both surprise and certainty. He knew the signs. As an omega himself, he recognised the subtle shifts others might dismiss. Still, the revelation unsettled him. Male omegas were already rare in their world. He had only ever heard of a handful in his lifetime, and most had been spoken of distantly, like curiosities. He had never once met another in person. And now, right under his nose, his stubborn, scheming best friend might be joining their ranks.
A strange thought tugged at him. Had this been why he had felt drawn to Wu Suowei from the beginning? Had his own omega instincts recognised something latent in him before either of them had realised it? The idea unsettled him, yet also explained the strange pull he had felt, that instinctive acceptance of Wu Suowei as part of his pack.
Shaking off the thought, Xiaoshuai walked toward the back room, worry quickening his steps.
The sight that greeted him made his heart sink. Wu Suowei was curled in the middle of his bed, sound asleep, but not alone. He was surrounded by a nest. Blankets piled in soft mounds, clothes arranged in protective circles, a space carefully built to cocoon him. Xiaoshuai’s eyes swept the heap and caught a detail that made him pause. Among the familiar fabrics were his own shirts, pulled without asking and placed deliberately. But what truly made his eyes widen was the black jacket clutched tightly in Wu Suowei’s arms, drawn close to his chest even in sleep.
One whiff of the air answered his unspoken question. The heavy, woodsy scent was unmistakable. Chi Cheng.
Tilting his head, Xiaoshuai approached quietly, a frown pulling at his face. “How on earth did he get Chi Cheng’s jacket?” he muttered under his breath. He sat carefully on the edge of the bed, leaning over to touch Wu Suowei’s forehead. The moment his palm brushed the skin, heat radiated into his hand.
“Oh, great. A fever,” Xiaoshuai sighed. His chest tightened. “This only proves it. Definitely on your way to manifestation. Fever is one of the clearest symptoms.”
Wu Suowei stirred at the touch, eyes fluttering open with a dazed, confused look. He blinked up at him sluggishly, as if his mind was caught between dream and reality.
“What are you talking about? It is just a fever. And a headache,” Wu Suowei muttered. His voice was hoarse, his tone stubborn, yet his hands betrayed him. Still half-asleep, he pulled the jacket tighter around himself, even burying his nose into the collar as though by instinct. He inhaled deeply, almost unconsciously, drawing comfort from the scent.
Xiaoshuai stared at him in disbelief. “Da Wei,” he said firmly, voice weighted with concern, “you cannot still be this delusional. It is time to admit it. You are experiencing a late manifestation into an omega. The signs are written all over you. The fever. The headaches. The nesting. This is not coincidence. Within the next few days, whether it is today, tomorrow, or the day after, you will almost certainly go into your first heat. You need to be prepared.”
Wu Suowei’s eyes glazed with fatigue. He gave a small shake of his head, refusing. “That cannot be true. Male omegas are so rare. And this late? It does not make sense. It is not possible.” His words stumbled, but his arms only tightened around the jacket.
Exasperation filled Xiaoshuai. He leaned forward, locking eyes with him. “Suowei, stop running from this. You are showing every single symptom. You are defying the odds, yes, but that does not change the truth. You need to prepare yourself for what is coming. The manifestation is inevitable. Denying it will not stop it.”
Wu Suowei squeezed his eyes shut, but Xiaoshuai noticed his nostrils flare as he inhaled Chi Cheng’s scent from the jacket again. That sight made Xiaoshuai pause, his words halting as another thought struck him.
“How on earth did you get his jacket anyway?” Xiaoshuai asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. He assumed Wu Suowei had stolen it the same way he had stolen his own shirts. He had noticed that three of his shirts had been missing, folded neatly into this nest, and while it baffled him, he had not minded. It was oddly touching to know that Wu Suowei instinctively included him in what his omega nature considered a pack. Still, the jacket was different. This was Chi Cheng’s. That alone made Xiaoshuai’s instincts wary.
“He gave it to me before he left,” Wu Suowei mumbled, his eyes already drifting shut again.
The answer hit Xiaoshuai like a thunderclap. He straightened abruptly. “He gave it to you? Just like that? On his own?”
“Yeah,” Wu Suowei mumbled, eyes closed, voice soft with sleep. “He put it on me and then left.”
Xiaoshuai’s jaw dropped. He stared, stunned. “He what?” The shout tore from him before he could stop it.
Wu Suowei cracked his eyes open, glaring faintly. “What?”
Xiaoshuai exhaled heavily, running a hand over his face. “You really do not know, do you? You have lived as a beta all your life, but you cannot seriously tell me you do not understand what some of an alpha’s actions mean.”
Wu Suowei frowned. “No… You know I hate alphas. I never paid attention to them. I do not know.”
Xiaoshuai’s exasperation deepened, though his voice softened. “Suowei, listen to me. Alphas do not just leave their clothes behind. They are as territorial as omegas, sometimes more so. For him to not only leave his jacket, but to drape it on you himself, it speaks volumes. It means two things. First, Chi Cheng already considers you his, part of what he claims as his own. Second, whether consciously or not, his alpha side has recognised what is happening to you. He left his jacket for your nest. He wanted his scent to be with you.”
He shook his head, almost in disbelief. “Do you even realise what this means? How on earth have you managed to burrow this deep into Chi Cheng that his alpha is already this attached?”
Wu Suowei blinked slowly, eyes unfocused, still caught between denial and exhaustion. But as he stared down at the jacket clenched in his fists, something flickered across his face. The fight drained out of him.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, he looked up at Xiaoshuai. His eyes were clearer now, though uncertain, vulnerable in a way Xiaoshuai had rarely seen.
“I really am turning into an omega, aren’t I?” Wu Suowei whispered, his voice subdued, as though finally giving voice to the truth he had been running from.
“I think we can safely say that you are definitely manifesting into your first heat as an omega,” Jiang Xiaoshuai said quietly, his voice carrying both certainty and worry as he studied Wu Suowei’s tired, fever-bright eyes. “I cannot say exactly when, but it is coming, and soon.” His tone softened, though his gaze stayed sharp. “You need to talk to Chi Cheng.”
Wu Suowei blinked, startled. His brow furrowed and he looked at his friend with open confusion. “About what?”
Xiaoshuai exhaled heavily and patted his head in the way one might comfort a stubborn younger brother. “About your heat. You should ask him to stay with you through it. A late manifestation can be brutal, Suowei. You will be in a lot of pain.”
The words seemed to set off a spark of panic. Wu Suowei’s eyes widened, his hands clenching tighter around the jacket in his arms. “What? No! I cannot ask him that. I… I cannot.” His voice cracked, rising as the panic spread. “I will spend my heat alone!”
Xiaoshuai flinched at the raw fear in his friend’s voice. He reached out quickly, smoothing his hand through Wu Suowei’s hair, trying to calm him. “Da Wei, listen to me. I am telling you as someone who has lived through this, you should ask Chi Cheng to be with you. Look at yourself.” He gestured toward the jacket, the black fabric clenched so tightly against Wu Suowei’s chest it looked like he might never let it go. “You are clutching his jacket like your life depends on it. I think you have already imprinted on him, whether you admit it or not. Once your omega fully emerges, you will be desperate for him. Your instincts will crave him, and if he is not there, the pain will be worse. Much worse.”
He spoke with a steady calm, but his mind drifted briefly to his own manifestation. “When I went through mine, I was not dating anyone, I had no alpha I was attached to. That spared me the worst of it. But you are different. Your body is already holding onto him. If you cannot find him, it will make your first heat unbearable.”
Wu Suowei shook his head quickly, the panic still alive in his eyes. He tried to argue, but Xiaoshuai’s keen senses caught the faint scent of distress rising from him, sharp and heavy. His eyes widened when he noticed how Wu Suowei’s eyes were beginning to water.
“Da Wei… what is it?” he asked softly.
Wu Suowei finally broke. His voice came out rough, full of frustration and helplessness. “I cannot ask him that. Fine, I will admit it. I am attached. I have started to think of him as mine. But how can I ask him to spend my heat with me? He is not that attached to me. He only wants to sleep with me and then he will move on, like he always does. And if I give in, if I let him touch me that way, I know I will not be able to stay detached. I will not survive when he leaves me. It is better to endure the pain alone than to have him, only to lose him afterward.”
The bitterness of the confession was undercut by the way his arms curled tighter around the jacket, as if he could not stop himself.
Xiaoshuai’s heart twisted. He wanted to argue, to shake sense into him. Instead, he forced his voice to stay calm. “Da Wei, I do not think he would leave you after sleeping with you. I thought that once too, but the way he gave you his jacket…” He sighed. “That is not nothing. He might already be more attached to you than you think. Having him with you would make your heat so much easier. It would make the pain bearable.”
Wu Suowei still shook his head fiercely. His voice broke as he whispered, “No. He is not as attached to me as I am to him. I cannot risk it. I cannot take that rejection, Xiaoshuai. I will not ask him.” His watery eyes shone with a mixture of pain and stubbornness.
Xiaoshuai pressed his lips together. He wanted to fight him on this, but the defiance in his friend’s gaze told him it was useless. Finally, he exhaled and leaned back. “Fine. Do not call him, do not tell him. But we need to plan where you will spend your heat. You cannot stay here. This is not a safe place for an omega. I have patients every day, and sometimes alphas. If it strikes here, it will be too dangerous,” Xiaoshuai thought and then his eyes widened, “Why don’t you stay with me in my apartment! It is secure, cosy and you can stay in my guest bedroom. I will have things heat ready for you. I am used to it as I am an omega after all and you will be safe” he offered while looking at him with his wide eyes.
Wu Suowei sat up slowly, his movements sluggish, his eyes thoughtful. “No… I could not impose on you like that, Xiaoshuai. I would feel guilty taking advantage of your kindness.”
His friend glared and smacked his shoulder lightly. “Stop being formal. You think I would care about that when it comes to your safety? You are my pack. You would not be a burden.”
Wu Suowei winced at the reprimand, then looked down. After a pause, his voice came softly, almost reluctant. “Still… I would feel bad. Maybe I should go home. Back to my mother. I have not seen her in a while, and I might feel safer with her. She might be able to help me.”
Xiaoshuai tilted his head, considering. “Your mother… is she an omega?”
“Yes.” Wu Suowei nodded.
Xiaoshuai hummed thoughtfully, his frown easing slightly. “That might actually work. Since she is your mother and also an omega, your instincts will recognise her. Her presence might soothe you. Your omega will be looking for Chi Cheng, that much is certain, but if you cannot have him, your mother’s bond and her pheromones might help. They will not erase the pain, but they will calm you through it. That is a good idea.”
His eyes hardened again, serious. “But you need to go immediately. We do not know when your heat will strike, and if it happens here, it will be dangerous for you. It is not safe in this clinic.”
Wu Suowei nodded faintly and rose from the bed, wobbling slightly as he reached for a bag to begin packing his scattered belongings and the remnants of his nest. His hands moved slowly, folding blankets, gathering shirts, movements heavy with fatigue.
“By the way, do not even think about going on your own,” Jiang Xiaoshuai said firmly, his voice carrying the kind of weight that left no room for argument.
Wu Suowei froze mid-motion, blinking sluggishly in confusion before looking back at him. “What do you mean?”
“Da Wei, you are feverish. You are exhausted. It is not safe for you to travel alone,” Xiaoshuai replied, his tone clipped and unwavering. He took a step closer, watching his friend carefully. “You cannot walk the distance, and even public transport or a taxi is too risky. Strangers, closed spaces, unpredictable pheromones. No. You will not be going alone. I will take you and make sure you reach your mother safely.”
Wu Suowei’s lips parted as if to argue, but before the protest could escape, Xiaoshuai’s glare cut him off. His eyes were sharp, unyielding. “Do not even think about arguing with me. I will not let you go in this state.”
Something in the iron of his tone worked. Wu Suowei’s shoulders slumped, and after a long moment, he gave a reluctant nod. The surrender made Xiaoshuai exhale quietly in relief. But just as calm returned, Wu Suowei lifted his head again, confusion clouding his features.
“But how will we get there? We cannot use taxis or public transport, and neither of us owns a car.”
The simple logic stopped Xiaoshuai short. His brows knitted as he realised the problem. He could not deny it. Public transport would be dangerous, and hiring a driver was unthinkable when Wu Suowei could spiral into his first heat at any time. For a long moment, he was silent, his mind whirring for solutions. When the idea finally came, he groaned aloud and pressed his palm to his face.
“What now?” Wu Suowei asked, puzzled.
Xiaoshuai lowered his hand and sighed. “I have an idea. It is not one I like, but it will get us to your mother’s house safely.” He pulled his phone from his pocket, grimacing at the thought of what he was about to do. His thumb hovered for a second, then he typed the message with quick, decisive taps.
“We can get a ride. A safe one. It is just going to be… irritating.” His words trailed off as he pressed send. He knew exactly how smug the recipient would be, but irritation was a small price for safety.
To say Guo Chengyu was surprised would be an understatement. When his phone lit up with a message from the omega doctor, he had almost thought it a mistake. He had expected silence, even a block, after how brusquely Xiaoshuai had brushed him off before.
But there it was.
Can you give me a ride today? Emergency.
That was all. Abrupt. Cryptic. No explanation, just a request that carried the sharp edge of desperation. For Xiaoshuai to swallow his pride and reach out to him meant something serious. That thought had sent a flicker of worry sparking through Guo Chengyu, worry that only intensified as his alpha stirred restlessly in the pit of his chest. He had agreed at once, no questions asked, and sped toward the clinic.
By the time he parked outside, his pulse was high, his mind circling around the possibilities of what kind of emergency could drive the stubborn omega to him of all people. He barely had the chance to step out of the car before Jiang Xiaoshuai came barreling out of the clinic, moving with the speed of someone pressed for time. A large bag was clutched in his arms, and his eyes darted to Guo Chengyu with open urgency.
Before Guo Chengyu could ask a word, Xiaoshuai’s sharp voice cut in. “You are not about to go into rut soon, are you?”
The bluntness of the question made him sputter. “What? No. Why are you—” He stared, baffled, then frowned. “No, I am not. I had mine last week. Why are you asking me something like that?”
Xiaoshuai’s sharp gaze lingered, as if weighing the truth of his answer, then flicked toward the car. “Good. Is your car unlocked?”
Guo Chengyu blinked at him, incredulous. “You know, for an omega you are surprisingly bossy.” His arms folded across his chest, curiosity burning brighter.
When Xiaoshuai raised his brows in challenge, Guo Chengyu gave a slow nod. He barely had time to react before the doctor tossed the heavy bag into the trunk, slammed it closed, and walked back toward him with determined strides.
“I need a favour,” Xiaoshuai said without preamble. “If you give me this ride, I will owe you. Anything reasonable, but let me be clear. My body is not for sale or rent. What I can offer is time. I will hang out with you, I will let you have my company. But first, I need you to get us to a safe place. I cannot trust public transport or taxis. It is not safe.”
The conviction in his voice made Guo Chengyu’s alpha stir again, sharp and protective. His mind raced. The rut question. The secrecy. His suspicion sharpened into something heavier.
“You are close to heat, aren’t you?” he asked suddenly. His voice dropped low, serious. “Do you need me to get you to a safe house?”
Xiaoshuai’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed thoughtfully. After a beat, he shook his head. “Not my heat. Da Wei’s.”
Guo Chengyu froze. “What?”
“Da Wei is manifesting,” Xiaoshuai explained, tone flat but steady. “A late manifestation into omega. He has fever, headaches, nesting instinct. It is happening, and we do not know when his first heat will strike. I need to get him to his mother’s house now before it hits. The clinic is not safe.”
For a moment, Guo Chengyu simply stared, his mouth hanging open. Then his voice exploded, loud and incredulous. “WHAT?”
Thirty minutes later, Guo Chengyu found himself behind the wheel, gripping it tightly as he drove toward the address Xiaoshuai had given him. He had become, to his disbelief, the omega doctor’s chauffeur.
Jiang Xiaoshuai sat in the back seat, Wu Suowei slumped against his shoulder, deeply asleep. Xiaoshuai’s arm was wrapped securely around him, cradling him with protective steadiness. The sight in his rearview mirror stirred complicated emotions in Guo Chengyu. If he had not already known what was happening to Wu Suowei, jealousy might have stabbed through him. The way the omega-to-be clung to Xiaoshuai even in unconsciousness, curled tight as though seeking comfort, was too intimate.
“You are surprisingly attached for someone you have not even known that long,” Guo Chengyu said, his eyes catching the reflection of Xiaoshuai in the mirror. He remembered his research well, Wu Suowei and the doctor had only known each other for three months.
“Keep your eyes on the road. I would prefer not to die,” Xiaoshuai shot back dryly, though his voice was softened by the gentleness with which he held Suowei.
Guo Chengyu chuckled under his breath, then returned his attention to the road.
Xiaoshuai’s gaze dropped to the sleeping figure against him, his voice quiet when he spoke again. “We have a pack bond. That is why I am attached.”
The words struck Guo Chengyu harder than he expected. He blinked, processing. A pack bond, so quickly? He had known Wu Suowei barely three months. It had taken Guo Chengyu and Chi Cheng two years of growing, fighting, and living side by side before they had formed their own pack bond, and even that had fractured after Wang Shuo. Yet Xiaoshuai spoke of it so casually, as though it was as natural as breathing.
“You have a pack bond with someone after such a short time?” he said it, his tone full of disbelief.
“I have not had a pack bond in twelve years,” Xiaoshuai continued softly, brushing his fingers absently over Wu Suowei’s hair. “So perhaps it is not surprising that I latched onto him that quickly” he spoke absentmindedly.
Guo Chengyu frowned as he listened, a new unease stirring. He had dug into Xiaoshuai’s background before, but this revelation only confirmed what he already suspected. The man had been estranged from his family for years, alone for too long, unanchored. No pack ties, no stability. And now, here he was, speaking of bonds with a conviction that made Guo Chengyu’s chest tighten.
His alpha rumbled low in his chest, protective and restless, as though clawing at him from the inside. The instinct was strong, demanding, impossible to ignore. Guo Chengyu tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening as he forced himself to stay focused on the road. He made a silent note to himself, sharp and deliberate: he would contact Li Wang later and demand a deeper investigation into Jiang Xiaoshuai’s past. Whatever he thought he already knew about the omega doctor clearly was not enough. There were layers here he had not uncovered, truths buried beneath that calm, sharp-tongued exterior.
A glance into the rearview mirror deepened his thoughts. Wu Suowei stirred faintly in his sleep, his fever-flushed face pressed into Xiaoshuai’s shoulder, clutching at him with a fragile, unconscious need. Jiang Xiaoshuai responded with quiet instinct, tightening his arm around him, the picture of protective steadiness. The bond between them was written in every small gesture, every unconscious movement. It was not an act, it was not a ploy. It was raw and real.
Guo Chengyu exhaled slowly, a curl of smoke-like frustration winding through his chest. If he was serious about pursuing Xiaoshuai, if he chose to court him properly, then Wu Suowei would come with him by extension. He could not ignore that fact. Jiang Xiaoshuai’s attachment was too strong, too evident, and to threaten or dismiss the new omega would be to sever the fragile trust Xiaoshuai had extended towards him. Because that much was clear. If Jiang Xiaoshuai hadn’t given him a sliver of trust he wouldn’t have texted him tonight. He had an opening and he couldn’t ruin that.
Which meant only one thing.
Wu Suowei would need to be drawn into his own protective circle as well.
The thought was strange, yet it felt kind of natural. He was already protective, already restless at the thought of the feverish omega collapsing in unsafe hands. The mere thought of them taking public transport made him feel uneasy. Perhaps this was inevitable. If Xiaoshuai saw Wu Suowei as pack, then so would he, whether or not the Wu Suowei himself ever realised it.
His mind weighed these new truths carefully, turning them over like cards inside his mind. The road stretched ahead, long and shadowed, but his decision was made for now. He pressed his foot more firmly against the accelerator, the car gliding faster through the night as he carried them toward the address he had been given.
A part of him could not help but wonder. The little beta that Chi Cheng had grown so fiercely possessive over was no beta at all, but a rare, newly manifesting male omega. The thought coiled in Guo Chengyu’s mind like smoke, heavy and unsettling. His fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel as he considered it. Perhaps he should send a message to Chi Cheng, warn him, tell him what he had just learned.
His gaze flickered to the backseat, to the fevered form of Wu Suowei nestled against Jiang Xiaoshuai. The omega-to-be slept fitfully, clutching at the familiar black jacket around him. Jacket which he recognised as Chi Cheng’s. How on earth he had managed to grab Chi Cheng’s jacket, he didn’t know. The sight stirred something protective in Guo Chengyu that even his alpha instincts could not disguise. His eyes narrowed faintly as he turned back to the road.
No. He would not inform Chi Cheng. Not now. Not like this. Let Chi Cheng discover it on his own. Guo Chengyu would not be the one to deliver that truth, not when Xiaoshuai had trusted him enough to confide it. To betray that trust, even for the sake of Chi Cheng, would fracture something that was just beginning to form between himself and the sharp-tongued doctor.
He exhaled slowly, a measured breath that cooled the restless edge of his alpha. His decision was final. Wu Suowei’s secret was not his to give away.
Wu Liya had not seen her son for far too long. Wu Suowei, her stubborn little beta, had thrown himself so completely into his new job that weeks would pass without a single visit. She did not press him. She knew her child well enough to understand that his pride was as fierce as his temper. He would never admit outright that he was struggling, not with her. He wanted to stand on his own two feet, to prove to her and to the world that he could manage his life without leaning on her support.
So she let him have that space. She missed him terribly, but she did not pester him with constant calls or nagging visits. Instead, she contented herself with waiting, treasuring the days when he did finally appear at her doorstep with that familiar smile, even if weariness lingered in his eyes. She worried for him, of course. He had not been the same since that female omega had broken his heart, and though he never spoke of it, she could see the shadow of that pain in his every movement. But she respected his silence, choosing to be there for him in the quiet, subtle ways he allowed.
Yet nothing could have prepared her for the shock that awaited her the night before.
At nearly ten o’clock, long after she had settled in, she opened the door to find a young man she did not recognize standing on her porch. He was clearly an omega, his presence radiating that quiet intensity she instinctively understood, and in his arms was her son. Feverish, trembling, his face pale and clammy with sweat, Wu Suowei looked so vulnerable that her heart lurched painfully.
The stranger introduced himself as Jiang Xiaoshuai and carried Wu Suowei inside without hesitation. She led them quickly to her son’s bedroom, baffled and silently worried, and stood aside as the omega placed her boy gently on the bed. The way he lingered by Wu Suowei’s side, the way his eyes tracked every shift, every shallow breath, every restless murmur, spoke volumes. This was not a stranger casually dropping someone off. This was someone bound to her son, tied in that invisible way only omegas could recognize. The pack bond between them was undeniable, bright and protective, almost startling in its strength. She had not even known her son had let someone so close.
But the greater shock came moments later, when Jiang Xiaoshuai explained in a calm, matter-of-fact voice what was happening. Wu Suowei was not simply sick. He was manifesting. Late, impossibly late, into an omega.
Her mind had reeled. It was so unlikely as to seem absurd. Male omegas were rare, exceedingly so. To manifest at Wu Suowei’s age was rarer still, something most dismissed as near impossible. But when she looked at her son, flushed and restless in his sleep, she could not deny what she saw. The signs were written plainly across him. His body was changing. The second gender that had lain dormant for so long was finally surfacing.
Once Jiang Xiaoshuai left, she could do little else but sit at her son’s bedside. Through the night she remained, keeping vigil. She sponged the fever from his brow, stroked his hair when he whimpered in his sleep, whispered reassurances even when she doubted he could hear. Her chest ached with love and worry.
Even as dawn crept into the sky, she was still there, sitting close, watching over him. His fever had worsened through the night, beads of sweat dampening his temples, his lips mumbling incoherently as though caught in some dream. She pressed another cool cloth to his forehead, having also let out her pheromones to comfort him, her eyes softening despite the storm of emotions inside her.
Her son. Her stubborn, proud, infuriating, beloved boy. Turning into an omega before her very eyes.
When Wu Liya had gone to tidy the house and prepare a simple breakfast, she had not expected anything unusual. It had only been half an hour, enough time to simmer porridge and lay out the table. But when she returned to her son’s room, the sight that greeted her stopped her in her tracks.
The bed that had been bare earlier was now transformed into a nest. Blankets were layered and pulled into a cocoon, shirts and fabric tucked carefully to form walls of softness. Her eyes swept over the arrangement, and her heart clenched as she realized what she was seeing. It was unmistakably a nest, the instinctive creation of an omega seeking comfort.
Her gaze caught on the shirts woven into the pile. She inhaled slowly and recognized three distinct scents. The first was her son’s own, familiar and grounding. The second belonged to the male omega who had brought Wu Suowei home the night before, Jiang Xiaoshuai. That much made sense. What puzzled her, however, was the third scent.
It was stronger than the others, overwhelming even, flooding the room with its heavy presence. It smelled of wood after rain, sharp paper ash, and something dark and wild that clung to the air like smoke. The source was clear. Her son clutched a black jacket to his chest with a desperate grip, the fabric already damp from feverish palms. Even in his restless sleep, Wu Suowei held it as though it were the most vital thing in the world.
Wu Liya’s breath caught. That was no neutral scent. That was an alpha.
Shock rippled through her. Her son, who had spent his entire life railing against alphas, avoiding their company, and snarling at the thought of being tied to one, was clinging to an alpha’s jacket during his manifestation. Not just holding it. Clutching it as if his very survival depended on it.
How had this happened? When had he met an alpha he trusted enough to imprint upon? Growing up he constantly dated female omegas and betas. Always females, never any males. But now he was clutching onto an alpha’s jacket?
She felt like a stranger in her son’s story, watching pieces fall into place without knowing the shape of the puzzle. Shaking her head, she carried the steaming bowl of porridge closer, thinking to wake him gently and coax him into eating. But before she could set it down, a new scent caught her attention.
The air shifted. The faint fragrance of jasmine and sandalwood. His new omega scent. They curled upward from Wu Suowei’s skin, his new scent but it was tinged with something else. Raw and sharp. Distress. Omega distress.
Her heart jolted as his eyes fluttered open. They were glassy, unfocused, trapped somewhere between dream and delirium. His lips trembled before a broken whine spilled from his throat. He curled tighter around the black jacket, his face buried in the scent as if drowning in it.
It hit her in an instant. His heat had started.
Wu Liya abandoned the porridge and sat swiftly at his side. Her own instincts surged to the surface, her omega half responding to the obvious distress of another. She released her pheromones in slow, steady waves, the warm, soothing scent of her presence enveloping him. It worked enough that he shifted, inching closer, burying his face against her shoulder as his arms wrapped around her. He keened like a wounded animal, trembling, seeking safety.
“Mom…” he had feverishly uttered, curling into her touch.
“It is alright, Qiqiong,” she whispered, stroking his damp hair. “Mom is here. Nothing will happen to you. You are safe. Just seven days, and then this will pass.”
She continued to soothe him, but his cries only grew louder. The jacket remained crushed in his grip, his fists white-knuckled as he dragged it closer, pressing his face into the alpha’s scent. The sight left her rattled.
Then came the words, broken and hiccuping through sobs.
“Alpha… not here.”
Her hand stilled in his hair. Her eyes widened. “Qiqiong?” she breathed, but his cries grew sharper.
“Alpha’s not here. Alpha doesn’t want us,” he whimpered, thrashing weakly as he curled tighter into his nest.
Realization slammed into her like a cold wave. He had imprinted.
Her son, who had despised alphas for as long as she could remember, had imprinted upon one so strongly that even in his first heat, his body and heart were crying for that missing presence. And without that alpha to answer the bond, Wu Suowei’s heat would not be the normal pain of a first manifestation. It would be unbearable. It would claw at him from the inside out, tearing through every nerve until the absence drove him half-mad.
She reached for him again, pouring out her pheromones, but the knowledge that she could not give him what he truly needed twisted in her chest like a knife. No matter how much she soothed, no matter how much love she gave, it would not be enough. His new omega nature was not searching for her. It was searching for the alpha whose scent lingered so heavily in that black jacket.
Her throat tightened. She should have pressed him for answers earlier. She should have asked for the alpha’s name, for a number, for anything. But she had not, and now she had no way to reach out, no way to call this mysterious person who clearly meant so much to her son.
All she could do was stay by his side. All she could do was hold him, soothe him, and hope her pheromones dulled the worst of the pain. The next seven days would be a nightmare for him. And for her.
As Wu Suowei cried and clung tighter to the alpha’s jacket, Wu Liya could only whisper through her own tears, “Mom will stay with you, Qiqiong. I will not leave you.”
Even as her heart broke, she resolved to endure those agonizing days alongside him.
Chi Cheng had been restless for three days straight.
Ever since he had walked out of the clinic and left Wu Suowei behind, an uneasy energy had taken root inside him, clawing at him without pause. His alpha was like a caged beast, pacing and growling within, demanding he return to the little beta. Demanding he see him, touch him, breathe in his scent to calm the gnawing agitation that refused to ease. Yet work had kept him chained, duty weighing on his shoulders like iron.
The office was suffocating. Paperwork stacked high on his desk, endless calls from his father’s people, and constant pressure to show his face at meetings he cared nothing for. It was not ambition that drove him there but necessity. He knew that if he did not put in the bare minimum effort, his father would tighten the leash further, making it harder to keep track of his snakes that were still hidden under the old man’s control.
Every moment spent in that sterile office space was torture. His alpha chafed against it, restless and furious. He could almost feel its claws scraping at the edges of his mind, whispering with relentless insistence: Go back. Find him. Bring him to us.
But Wu Suowei was not the only weight pressing down on him. His nights had been unbearable. Yue Yue had inserted herself into his apartment like a parasite, clinging stubbornly and refusing to leave. Ever since she had ingratiated herself with his mother, she seemed to think his home was hers too. Her scent, sharp and cloying, filled his space, making his alpha snarl in irritation every time he walked through the door.
He hated it. Hated her presence, hated her simpering voice, hated her need to be noticed when all he wanted was silence. At night, when he should have been able to rest, she hovered like a shadow, constantly reminding him of the trap his father had forced him into. His alpha recoiled from her, snarling with disgust, demanding the scent of Wu Suowei instead.
Days were no better. While he kept up appearances at work, his mind was always split. His body sat through boardroom drivel and signed meaningless papers, but inside his alpha paced, snapping its teeth at him for wasting time. The only thread of sanity he clung to was Gang Zi, whom he had ordered to continue tracking the location of his snakes. It was the only way to keep his father at bay, the only leverage he had left.
Still, the unease never faded. At night, sleep refused to come. When he did drift off for an hour or two, he was plagued by dreams. Dreams of Wu Suowei’s scent, soft and intoxicating. Dreams of the warmth of his lips and the taste of his mouth. Dreams that left his alpha howling in frustration when he woke to Yue Yue’s perfume clinging to the air instead.
By the third day, Chi Cheng felt like he was unraveling. His alpha was relentless, restless in a way that was different from any other craving he had ever experienced. This was not simple lust, nor idle possessiveness. This was something deeper, something primal that made his chest ache with want and his skin itch with the absence of one person.
Wu Suowei.
The name itself burned in his mind like a brand.
Still, his alpha remained restless. Agitated. It clawed at him from the inside, a constant pressure in his chest and gut, eager to turn back and hunt down Wu Suowei. Every time he closed his eyes, his mind betrayed him, flashing back to that last encounter. The heat of Wu Suowei’s lips beneath his, the broken moans caught between them, the way his body had melted under his touch before the cruel interruption of the phone call. That memory had embedded itself like a hook, pulling at him relentlessly with every passing hour.
Three days had passed, three agonizingly long days. He had been texting Wu Suowei almost non-stop, unable to hold back the compulsion to reach out. Message after message sent into the void. Yet his screen stayed dark, no reply ever coming. Worse still, he noticed that Wu Suowei had not even been online. It was as if he had vanished.
The silence gnawed at him. He had tried calling too, over and over, but every time the line went straight to voicemail. No answer, no return call, nothing but a dead, empty tone mocking his attempts.
He hated it. Hated the quiet, hated the absence, hated the way it left him unsettled and raw. It put him on edge in a way nothing else could. His alpha prowled like a beast in a cage, anxious and growling, flooding him with restless energy that made it impossible to sit still.
Was Wu Suowei angry? Was this punishment for leaving so abruptly that night? Was he giving him the cold shoulder out of spite, playing one of his irritating little games? Or worse… was he panicking after the intensity of their kiss, frightened enough to run from what it meant?
Chi Cheng scowled at the thought. He knew Wu Suowei was attracted to him. That much was undeniable. He could feel it in the heat of his touches, in the way his lips had trembled against his, in the way his body had clung no matter how hard his words tried to deny it. Wu Suowei might resist, might shy away, but Chi Cheng could see the truth clear as day. That attraction was real, that want was mutual, even if the beta himself was terrified to admit it.
But knowing that did not make the silence easier to bear. If anything, it made it worse. It made his possessiveness bristle, his temper simmer dangerously close to boiling. He hated being ignored. He could tolerate a lot from Wu Suowei, his little schemes, his barbed remarks, his playful stubbornness, but this, this silence, this cold absence, was intolerable.
His leg bounced restlessly against the floor. His fingers fidgeted against the edge of the desk. He could feel his alpha’s claws raking harder and harder against him, demanding action, demanding he find the little beta and end this torturous quiet.
He wanted to be near him. His alpha demanded it, restless in a way that gnawed at his nerves like an itch beneath the skin. It was more than usual, sharper, more insistent, as if something unseen tugged him relentlessly toward Wu Suowei. He could not explain it, could not rationalize why this particular pull was stronger than the others. All he knew was that it left him agitated, pacing internally, unable to settle.
By the time the clock struck five, he had done all he could stomach of the day. The bare minimum of work sat on his desk, barely enough to appease his father’s scrutiny, and he tossed the rest aside without a second thought. He needed to go. His body would not tolerate waiting any longer.
As he strode out of the office, his phone began to ring. Yue Yue’s name flashed across the screen in glaring letters. His lip curled in irritation. He was in no mood for her endless demands or her cloying voice. Without hesitation, he cut the call, shoved the phone back into his pocket, and continued walking, his strides long and purposeful.
The moment he slipped into his car, the world narrowed to instinct. His hands moved automatically, turning the key, gripping the wheel. He barely registered the traffic or the turns. He drove on pure muscle memory, every fiber of him fixed on one destination. The clinic. The address had carved itself into him, burned into memory as if branded on his bones.
By the time he pulled up outside, his pulse was pounding in his ears, a mix of impatience and anticipation. He killed the engine and stepped out without pause, his movements taut and charged. The air felt thicker as he crossed the threshold, the scent of antiseptic and paper drifting faintly, but his attention cut through it all.
He marched down the short corridor and into the office, his gaze locking instantly onto the figure inside. Jiang Xiaoshuai. The omega doctor sat at his desk, posture neat, expression calm, but Chi Cheng’s eyes sharpened the moment he saw him.
The sight only fanned the urgency clawing at him. He wanted answers. He wanted Wu Suowei.
As Chi Cheng stepped further into the room, his senses sharpened, pulling in the scent that lingered around the omega. Vanilla and peach. That was Jiang Xiaoshuai’s natural fragrance, light and smooth, the kind of scent that drifted softly, never harsh. But today, it was laced with something sharper. A note of bergamot and mint clung stubbornly to it, weaving through the air like smoke.
Chi Cheng’s eyes narrowed slightly. That was Guo Chengyu’s scent. He knew it well, had grown up around it, could pick it out in a crowded room. For a moment, his stride slowed as the realization hit him. The scent wasn’t faint, not the accidental trace that came from brushing shoulders or standing too close. It clung. It was layered into Xiaoshuai’s skin as though stamped there deliberately.
He blinked, the implications settling in. Guo Chengyu had scented him. That in itself was startling. His former friend had tangled with countless partners, his body count as high as his own, perhaps higher. But Guo Chengyu had always been strict about scenting. Yes, those he touched often carried the faintest trace of him, the residue of sweat and heat, but he never scented them, not properly. He kept that boundary clear.
For him to have scented Jiang Xiaoshuai, despite them not being physical yet, meant only one thing. He was serious.
Chi Cheng’s chest tightened with a strange mix of surprise and grudging relief. If Guo Chengyu truly intended to pursue Xiaoshuai, to claim him properly, then it worked in his favor. He respected the doctor in his own way, but his alpha still marked him as a potential threat. Wu Suowei was a beta, unattached and stubbornly unpredictable. Nothing would stop him, in theory, from turning his attention toward Xiaoshuai one day. If the doctor bound himself to Guo Chengyu, that possibility vanished. And Chi Cheng would no longer need to divide his guard.
He tilted his head, studying the omega with narrowed eyes, thoughts flickering rapidly behind his gaze. The faint smile that tugged at his lips was humorless, little more than a predator’s acknowledgment of the shifting board. Then, without another moment spared, his hunger for Wu Suowei surged forward, overriding all curiosity about Guo Chengyu’s intentions.
He closed the remaining distance until he was standing directly in front of Jiang Xiaoshuai, eye to eye, close enough to feel the faint pulse of the omega’s calm pheromones brushing against him. His voice was low, roughened with urgency.
“Where is he?”
The words came curt and demanding, stripped of any pleasantries. His need to see Wu Suowei, to feel his presence again, was stronger than any puzzle about Guo Chengyu and the doctor. Every second without him left his alpha on edge, and patience had never been Chi Cheng’s strongest virtue.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s eyes lingered on him, sharp and calculating, as if weighing his options. There was a flicker in his expression, something caught between caution and defiance, before he exhaled heavily and met Chi Cheng’s gaze head on.
“He went on a trip,” Xiaoshuai said at last, his voice steady but just a shade too measured.
The words did nothing to soothe the storm building in Chi Cheng’s chest. His suspicion sharpened instantly. Trips were not sudden, not without warning, not with Wu Suowei. His little beta had a way of clinging close, of showing up even when not wanted, so the thought of him slipping away quietly gnawed at his instincts.
His dark eyes flicked toward the corridor, the exact direction of Wu Suowei’s room. Without another word, his legs carried him forward, purposeful and unrelenting. The pull of his alpha instincts gave him tunnel vision, the demand to see, to confirm, to claim, leaving no room for pleasantries or excuses.
“I am not lying. He really did go on a trip!” Jiang Xiaoshuai called after him, his voice rising as he hurried to keep up, but Chi Cheng did not so much as slow his steps.
The moment he pushed the door open, he stilled, his body locking in place. His sharp gaze swept the room in an instant. The bed was neater than it had been, the disheveled piles of blankets and clothes noticeably reduced. His eyes caught on the gaps where personal items should have been, the missing shirts, the absence of small, everyday things that Wu Suowei never left behind.
The truth struck him cold and hot all at once. Wu Suowei was not hiding this time. He was gone.
Wu Suowei was not in the room. The bed lay in disarray, blankets half-tossed as if he had left in a hurry, but the beta himself was nowhere to be seen. Chi Cheng’s jaw tightened, irritation coiling low in his gut. His alpha flared hotter, its presence snapping inside him like a whip. The thought cut through him like a blade: had the beta actually tried to hide from him? Worse, had he dared to run?
A growl rumbled up from his chest, low and feral, vibrating with unrestrained anger. His dark eyes swept across every corner of the room, sharp and restless, searching for something, anything that might tether Wu Suowei to him. That was when he spotted it.
A small pile of delicate sugar figurines sat neatly arranged on the desk, their fragile shine catching the light. The sight stoked something primal in him. These were Wu Suowei’s creations, made with his hands, infused with his time and effort. Possessions were an extension of the person, and if Wu Suowei thought he could slip away, Chi Cheng would make sure he left no distance between them.
Without hesitation, he strode over and plucked one up, his fingers curling possessively around the fragile figure. It was cool and smooth beneath his grip, a sharp contrast to the heat burning under his skin. Holding it felt like holding a piece of Wu Suowei himself. His lips curved into the faintest smirk as the thought solidified: if the beta wanted it back, he would have no choice but to come to him.
When Chi Cheng stepped back into the hall, the sugar figure secure in his hand, Jiang Xiaoshuai was waiting. The omega’s brows lifted, and his tone was deceptively light, but his sharp eyes missed nothing.
“You know,” Xiaoshuai said, his voice carrying that irritating lilt of amusement, “if you take that, he will be furious with you when he comes back.”
Chi Cheng halted, standing directly in front of him, his shadow falling long in the corridor. Slowly, he lowered his gaze to the figurine, studying the delicate craftsmanship as though it were a treasure already claimed. Then he lifted his eyes, fixing Xiaoshuai with a look so dark and steady that it left no room for argument.
“He will have to come to my house and get it then,” Chi Cheng said, his voice deep and resolute, each word dripping with possessive intent.
In any other frame of mind, he would have let it rest. He would have walked away, waited with infuriating patience for Wu Suowei to come crawling back to reclaim the sugar figures he now held hostage. That would have been the game, simple and predictable. But this time, his alpha refused such restraint. It howled inside him, restless and insistent, clawing at the edges of his composure. The ache to see Wu Suowei burned through his veins, fierce and demanding, and for the first time Chi Cheng felt a flicker of unease at just how consuming that desire was becoming.
His thoughts sharpened, racing with a single focus, and his gaze cut toward Jiang Xiaoshuai. The omega stood with a casual posture, but Chi Cheng saw through it. Saw the alertness, the sharp edge in his eyes, the way he guarded what he knew.
Chi Cheng stepped closer, his stare fixed, unrelenting, dark eyes boring into him.
“What?” Jiang Xiaoshuai asked, his voice even, but there was a faint tension beneath it as he met that intense gaze.
Chi Cheng’s lips curved, though there was no humor in it, only a cold determination. His voice came low, steady, but laced with the pressure of command.
“Do you know where he went? Do you have an address?”
It was more ritual than question. He already knew the truth. With how tightly bonded they were, with the obvious pack connection between them, there was no way Jiang Xiaoshuai did not know where Wu Suowei had gone. The words were nothing more than a formality, a step in the dance before the truth was pulled from him.
The real question was, would the doctor hand over the location willingly, or would Chi Cheng have to bare his teeth and force it out of him?
Jiang Xiaoshuai held his gaze steadily, his expression unreadable at first. But Chi Cheng was no stranger to people hiding what they felt. He saw the flicker in the omega’s eyes, the subtle tightening of his jaw, the war playing out behind that calm mask. Loyalty battled against logic, hesitation clashing with instinct. Chi Cheng’s alpha half prowled within him, already preparing to strike, to push, to threaten if that was what it took to pry the truth free.
The silence stretched. Chi Cheng’s fingers curled against his side, ready to pounce on whatever weakness he could exploit. He studied the doctor intently, already running through the different buttons he could press: Was it pack loyalty? Wu Suowei’s safety? The risk of what would happen if he stayed away too long? He was ready to wield them all.
But before he could, Jiang Xiaoshuai’s shoulders loosened with the faintest sigh. Determination carved itself into his face, firm and resolute. He reached across the desk, pulling a small square of paper free. Chi Cheng watched with sharp eyes as the pen scratched quickly against the surface, a few deliberate strokes of ink before the omega tore the note free and extended it toward him.
For a moment, Chi Cheng was caught off guard. His brows lifted slightly, surprise flickering through the iron control of his face. He accepted the note silently, fingers brushing over the flimsy paper before his gaze dropped to the neat, precise writing. An address.
When his eyes rose again, Jiang Xiaoshuai was staring at him with a calm blankness, his voice even but carrying weight.
“That is his mother’s address. He is visiting.”
The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning.
“You surprise me,” Chi Cheng remarked, his voice edged with amusement as a low chuckle slipped past his lips. His dark eyes glinted with something sharper than humor as he held up the small square of paper. “I thought I’d have to threaten the address out of you. Yet here you are, handing over the location of your pack member so easily.”
The words carried an undertone of disbelief, his tone taunting but his thoughts far more conflicted. It puzzled him, left him unsettled. He had expected resistance, a fight, some teeth bared in defense of Wu Suowei. Instead, the doctor had yielded. Bizarre. Suspicious. But Chi Cheng was not the kind of man to turn away when fortune presented itself. Gift horses were ridden, not questioned.
Jiang Xiaoshuai answered his suspicion with a hollow smile, the corners of his lips curving in a way that was practiced but empty. His eyes, though, betrayed a flicker of something deeper. “It’s not for you,” he said quietly, his tone carrying a weight that pressed against the room. “It’s for Suowei’s own good. Your presence might actually help…”
The cryptic words made Chi Cheng pause. His alpha, already restless, surged with sharper unease, a clawing instinct that something was wrong. He tilted his head, gaze narrowing as he demanded, “What do you mean?”
But Jiang Xiaoshuai only shook his head, his voice flat, clipped, offering no further ground. “Go and find him then. You’re welcome.”
Chi Cheng studied him for a long moment, suspicion sharpening his gaze. The doctor was holding something back. That much was obvious. Yet the omega’s calm defiance left little room for further prying.
Still, he had what he came for. And that was enough.
With one hand clutching Wu Suowei’s delicate sugar figurines, fragile creations he now held hostage, and the other gripping the note with the address, Chi Cheng turned on his heel. His stride was firm, purposeful, each step laced with the single-minded determination of a predator who had finally caught the trail of its prey.
Rational thought told him to wait. It would make far more sense to go tomorrow. Saturday was free of the office, the distance was only an hour’s drive, and he could carve out the time without Yue Yue or his father meddling. He had already checked the route, already calculated the timing. Logic dictated patience.
But his alpha was having none of it. Now that he had the address clenched in his fist, the restless voice inside him roared with impatience, clawing against his chest, demanding he go now. The longer he lingered, the worse it became, until ignoring it felt impossible. His instincts screamed that waiting even one night was intolerable. Wu Suowei was out there, not here, and that was enough to keep his alpha pacing furiously inside his skin.
So he gave in.
After carefully stashing the fragile sugar figures inside his fridge, tucked away as if they were priceless treasures he had no intention of losing, he grabbed his keys and strode to his car. His movements were sharp, purposeful, a soldier moving on instinct rather than thought. Sliding behind the wheel, he tapped the address into his satnav and pulled out of the city, the hum of the engine barely masking the thrum of his own blood.
The drive stretched longer than an hour in his restless state, each minute dragging like lead. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly the leather creaked beneath his palms. The scenery blurred past, but his mind was caught in the same endless loop. Wu Suowei. The memory of his flushed face, the taste of his lips, the intoxicating scent that no beta should ever have. His alpha snarled and coiled tighter the closer he got, a relentless force pushing him forward.
Finally, the satnav chimed, jolting him from the haze of his thoughts. The road had narrowed into a quieter neighborhood, lined with modest homes that carried the wear of years but also the warmth of care. He eased his car into a space along the curb and killed the engine, sitting for a moment with the wheel still under his palms. His chest rose and fell heavily.
The house before him was unassuming, a humble structure with pale walls and a blue-painted door that stood out against the simplicity of its frame. Something about it carried a disarming charm, like it had been touched by kindness more than by wealth. He stood outside it now, the last barrier between himself and whatever awaited inside.
His pulse quickened, a heavy drumbeat in his ears, and he found himself flexing his hands as if bracing for impact. Curiosity twisted with unease, but the compulsion to continue forward was stronger than any hesitation. His alpha’s instincts rattled through him, sharp and undeniable.
Lifting his hand, he knocked firmly against the closed blue door.
At first, the only reply to his knock was silence. The house remained still, the blue door firm and unyielding against him. He waited, glancing once toward the quiet street, and after two minutes with no sound inside, impatience coiled in his chest. His alpha snarled, restless, and his hand lifted again, this time rapping harder against the wood. The knocks grew louder, sharper, until the sound echoed down the lane.
It took nearly five minutes before the lock clicked and the door finally opened.
Chi Cheng’s gaze lifted instantly, colliding with a pair of watchful, steady eyes. An older woman stood in the doorway, dressed in blue that mirrored the color of the painted door. Her features carried the grace of age, lines softened by years but eyes that had not lost their edge. Brown eyes, warm at first glance, but sharp underneath, fixed on him with quiet suspicion.
Recognition hit him. He had seen her face before, tucked among the photographs he had unearthed while digging into Wu Suowei’s history. Wu Liya. His mother.
For the first time in a long while, he felt something almost like nerves stir under his skin. He forced a smile, one he hoped appeared disarming rather than wolfish.
“Um… does Wu Suowei live here?” he asked, his tone kept light, careful.
Wu Liya returned a small smile, but it did not reach her eyes. She remained planted in the doorway, her body angled just enough to block the entrance. It was not aggressive, but it was deliberate. A subtle barrier, as though she were shielding whatever lay behind her from view.
Chi Cheng noticed every detail. The protective stance, the faint narrowing of her gaze, the watchful stillness of her shoulders. Omegas did not posture like this without reason. It was instinct, a wall raised only in defense of something precious. There were very few things in the world that could drive an omega to bristle with such quiet ferocity.
Their pups.
That single thought made his pulse quicken, his alpha prowling closer to the surface. Something was wrong with Wu Suowei. That could be the only explanation for her guarded eyes and cagey demeanor. He tilted his head slightly, his own sharpness flickering behind the mask of his smile.
Whatever it was, he intended to find out.
Now the unease in his chest deepened, threading into something colder. His alpha had been restless for days, clawing at him, demanding he return to Wu Suowei. Had it sensed something was wrong while he had been too distracted, too stubborn, to listen? A sinking worry began to settle into his bones, heavy and insistent.
“May I ask who you are?” Wu Liya’s voice carried both courtesy and steel. She was polite, but her tone was edged with suspicion. Her gaze sharpened on him, protective and wary, the kind of look an omega mother gave when shielding her child.
Chi Cheng immediately understood the weight of that look. She was not being difficult for the sake of it. She was on guard because something was indeed wrong. He swallowed, schooling his features into a softer expression before stepping closer, careful not to intrude.
He lifted a hand in greeting, lips curving into a warm, disarming smile. “Hello, Mrs. Wu. I am Chi Cheng. I work with Suowei, we are colleagues. You can call me Xiao Chi.” His tone was polite, his words chosen carefully. He extended his hand, not forceful but steady, showing her he came in peace.
Wu Liya tilted her head slightly, studying him with an intensity that reminded him of her son. Her eyes searched his face, as if weighing every word, every movement, and deciding whether or not he was safe. Then, with deliberate caution, she reached out and clasped his hand.
The handshake was firm, but what caught Chi Cheng’s attention was the way she leaned in ever so slightly. He caught the flare of her nostrils, the subtle inhale as she tested his scent. Of course, she would do that. Omegas, especially mothers, trusted their instincts above all else, and scent never lied. She was assessing whether the alpha standing before her was danger or protection.
Chi Cheng did not pull back. He let her read him, let her decide. At the same time, his heart pounded with a sharper rhythm, his worry growing. If Wu Liya’s hackles were raised this much, if she was this cagey with him at the door, then there was only one explanation. Something was very wrong with Wu Suowei.
Something in his scent must have struck her, because the change in Wu Liya’s expression was immediate and startling. She froze mid-breath, her hand still holding his, her eyes snapping up to study him more closely. The suspicion that had hardened her features only moments ago melted away, replaced by wide-eyed shock. Her mouth parted as though she had seen something impossible, her gaze locked on him in silent disbelief.
Chi Cheng stiffened, caught off guard. He had no idea what part of his scent had caused that reaction, but clearly, it had triggered something deep within her instincts. The way she stared at him, unblinking, scanning him from head to toe as if he were some kind of revelation, left him unsettled. Confusion gnawed at him, but beneath the confusion was a flicker of relief. Whatever she sensed in him, at least she no longer looked at him as if he were a threat.
The intensity in her eyes eased, and her shoulders lowered ever so slightly. She was no longer bristling like a mother wolf ready to guard her pup from a predator. Instead, she looked… contemplative, as though weighing something far heavier than the exchange of names at a doorway.
“Chi Cheng?” she repeated softly, tasting the name as though it had just given her an answer to a question she had been afraid to ask. “Oh…” Her voice drifted, unfinished, her gaze briefly lowering to the floor. Then, after a moment of silence, she gave the faintest nod, as if she had reached a decision only she understood.
Stepping back, Wu Liya opened the way for him, gesturing with a quiet grace for him to enter. The tension that had pressed so thickly against the air lifted, if only slightly. Chi Cheng, still puzzled by her sudden change, cast a quick glance around the little outdoor garden, noting the tidy rows of flowers and the faint scent of soil and jasmine in the air, before stepping into the space she offered.
“It is nice to meet you, Xiao Chi,” she said at last, her voice calmer, though her eyes still lingered on him with a strange, thoughtful intensity.
Chi Cheng inclined his head in acknowledgment, though his mind continued to spin. His alpha remained restless, claws scratching at his insides, demanding answers. The confusion of her reaction only sharpened his worry, and the silence between them felt suffocating.
“Mrs. Wu,” he began, his voice lower now, unable to hold back the question that had been burning in his chest. “Is Suowei okay?” His words carried urgency, his dark eyes searching hers. “I have not heard from him in days. No calls, no messages. I was worried something might have happened. Is he alright?”
Wu Liya lingered by the main door, her fingers resting on the handle, but she did not open it immediately. Instead, she turned back to him, her gaze sharpened, as though she were scrutinizing every line of his face, every flicker of expression. Chi Cheng could feel it, the weight of her assessment pressing on him, and for the first time in years he found himself uneasy beneath someone’s stare. It was not the sharp-eyed glare of an enemy sizing up an opponent, but something deeper, something that made his chest tighten with unease.
He shifted slightly, running a hand through his hair in an unconscious attempt to ground himself, though the gesture betrayed his impatience. His alpha snarled inside him, restless, demanding answers, but outwardly he forced himself to wait.
Finally, after what felt like a long and deliberate silence, Wu Liya sighed. Her expression softened a fraction, but her eyes remained sharp.
“You don’t know then,” she murmured at last, her voice quiet but edged with meaning. “With the way he was speaking, I thought it was a rejection, but now I see… you truly don’t know. He hasn’t told you.”
The words hung heavy in the air, cryptic and unsettling. Chi Cheng felt confusion spike through him, hot and sharp. Told him what? What rejection? What was happening with Wu Suowei? His mouth opened, the question already forming on his tongue, but before he could demand answers, Wu Liya turned back to the door.
Her movements were slow, purposeful, as if she had reached some private decision. With a steady hand she slid the key into the lock, twisting it until the faint click echoed through the quiet yard. The door opened with a soft creak, revealing the dimly lit hallway beyond.
“Come in,” she said softly, though the tone was not quite welcoming. It carried the weight of expectation, as though she were allowing him to step not only into her home but into something far more delicate.
Chi Cheng stepped across the threshold, but before he could press her again, Wu Liya looked back at him. Her eyes locked onto his, unwavering, and in that moment he felt as though she was looking straight through him, peeling back every guarded layer.
It was not suspicion now, but something deeper, something closer to a warning.
“His room is at the end of the corridor,” Wu Liya said firmly, her tone carrying both authority and something cryptic beneath it. “I have layered scent blockers around it, all along the walls and the entrance. No one outside this house can track him or catch even the faintest whiff of his scent. Without my permission, you would never have found it. You can go into his room and look after him. I will go over to my neighbour’s house for a while. If you wish to help him, then go. If you do not, then step inside, see for yourself, and leave. The choice is yours.”
Her words circled him like a riddle, strange and unsettling. Why would she speak as if testing him? Why frame her son’s state as a matter of choice? Chi Cheng frowned faintly, unable to understand the meaning behind her tone, but the guarded sharpness in her gaze left no room for questions.
Not wanting to push her further and risk offending Wu Suowei’s mother, he offered a sheepish smile and inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. Whatever her reasoning, at least she had let him inside and pointed him directly toward Wu Suowei’s room. That was more than he had expected.
Still, unease coiled in his chest. Every step he took down the corridor seemed heavier, as though the air itself was charged with something thick and unseen. His alpha stirred, restless, its claws scraping against his ribs, urging him forward.
At last, he stopped before the door Wu Liya had indicated. The plain wood looked ordinary enough, but the scent blockers around it gave off a faint, sharp tang, a sterile bite that made his nose twitch. His hand hovered over the handle for a moment, tension rising inside him. What was he about to see?
With a firm breath, he clasped the handle, turned it, and pulled the door wide open. The faint creak of hinges echoed like a warning, and then he stepped inside.
As soon as Chi Cheng stepped across the threshold, he froze as if struck by lightning. His entire body locked up, instincts flaring in sharp, uncontrollable waves.
The air inside the room was heavy, saturated with a scent so rich and overwhelming it seemed to coat his tongue and crawl into his lungs. Jasmine and sandalwood, heady and intoxicating, poured into his senses like a tidal wave. It was a scent that tugged at the deepest recesses of his alpha nature, luring, tempting, dragging every feral instinct he possessed to the surface.
His nostrils flared, chest rising and falling sharply as the pheromones clawed at him. His brain scrambled to make sense of it, but all he could register at first was the sweetness and spice twining together, pulling at him in a way that made his fangs ache, sharp points pressing forward instinctively. His throat went dry, saliva gathering in his mouth as if his body were preparing to bite, to claim.
He squeezed his eyes shut against the onslaught, forcing himself to breathe evenly. Every inhale only dragged the scent in deeper, feeding the ache in his chest, the growl threatening to rip from his throat. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles whitened, the veins in his forearms standing out. If he lost control now, he would destroy everything.
An omega in heat. His alpha screamed the words at him. It pulsed in his blood, undeniable.
But the thought made his mind reel. His eyes snapped open and darted wildly across the room, searching for the source. And then his chest constricted painfully as the realization struck him like a hammer.
Why was there an omega in heat inside Wu Suowei’s room?
Chi Cheng’s jaw locked so tightly it hurt, his fists curling so hard his nails bit into his palms. Rage and instinct warred inside him, a brutal clash between the need to control himself and the primal urge to answer that scent. His alpha howled for release, for possession, for claim, but his rational mind fought back. He would not lose himself to some stranger, no matter how intoxicating, no matter how the scent pulled him like a siren’s call.
The pheromones thickened in the air, wrapping around him like smoke. His head spun, his body trembling from the force of his restraint. Finally, his knees buckled beneath the weight of it, and he dropped, kneeling on the floor as he fought to keep his fangs from sinking into nothingness, fought to keep his claws from raking through air. His breath came ragged, uneven, sweat prickling along his spine.
And then…
“Alpha?”
The word, so fragile and trembling, cut through the fog like a blade. Familiar. Unmistakable.
His head snapped up, and in that instant, the haze of confusion shattered. His dark gaze landed on the bed, and the sight that met him stole the breath from his lungs.
Wu Suowei.
Not a stranger. Not some faceless omega hidden away.
Wu Suowei, sprawled across the bed, swallowed by a tangle of blankets and shirts that clung around him like a desperate nest. His face was flushed scarlet, eyes glassy with fever and need, rimmed with red from the tears of distress. His lips were parted, panting shallowly, and his trembling hands reached out toward him with the desperation of instinct.
Chi Cheng’s entire body froze.
It was Wu Suowei. Wu Suowei was the omega in heat.
The revelation slammed into him like a blow to the chest. The scent that had driven him to his knees, the overwhelming pull of instinct that had dragged his alpha to the surface, the voice that had shattered his restraint, it was all him.
His Wu Suowei.
His mind reeled, but his alpha roared in triumph, possessive and wild. There was no hesitation in its recognition, no confusion. To his alpha, this was fate, inevitability. Wu Suowei was not simply a beta who had gotten under his skin. He was an omega. His omega.
Chi Cheng’s breath shuddered out of him, chest heaving as he stared at the vision before him, at the trembling figure who was looking at him with pleading, feverish eyes.
And in that instant, every thought, every question, every shred of restraint was consumed by the reality before him.
Notes:
Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter! Next chapter will finally be the moment you all have been waiting for! Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter!
Chapter 9: Carve your name into my bedpost
Summary:
Wu Suowei's heat kicks in full force as Chi Cheng is pulled into the situation without any warning.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
There is an indentation in the shape of you
Made your mark on me, a golden tattoo
All of this silence and patience, pining and anticipation
My hands are shaking from holding back from you
All of this silence and patience, pining and desperately waiting
My hands are shaking from all this
Say my name and everything just stops
I don’t want you like a best friend
Only bought this dress so you could take it off
Take it of
Carve your name into my bedpost
‘Cause I don’t want you like a best friend
Dress by Taylor Swift
Chi Cheng’s eyes went wide as the sight before him fully struck. Wu Suowei was curled on the bed, trembling, eyes swollen from tears, his fragile frame swallowed in the mound of blankets and shirts that surrounded him. Yet it was not the sight alone that overwhelmed him. It was the scent. Jasmine and sandalwood, thick and potent, flooding the room, searing into his lungs until he was drunk on it. It was not the muted neutrality of a beta, nor the faint trace of any disguise. It was the undeniable scent of an omega in heat. It coiled around him, seductive and dangerous, like the call of a siren dragging sailors to their doom.
His alpha surged forward, claws out, howling in demand to go to him, to claim him, to soothe him. But his rational mind lagged, spinning and stumbling over questions that stabbed at him like knives. How was this possible? Wu Suowei had always been a beta. He knew that for certain. He had checked, dug into his past, researched it himself. Had he been wrong? Or worse, had Wu Suowei lied to him all along?
And why had Wu Suowei not told him? Why had he not called, not texted, not whispered a single word of this? Was Chi Cheng even meant to be here? Did Wu Suowei want him at all, or had he been hoping for someone else? The thought sent bile into his throat. Wu Suowei was twenty-five. Surely, he had gone through heats before. Surely there had been someone else, some faceless alpha who had touched him, smelled this intoxicating fragrance, and held him through his heat.
The image was unbearable. His alpha roared in fury, thrashing against the cage of his self-control. Jealous rage consumed him, hot and unrelenting, his mind a storm of violent refusal. The very idea of anyone else touching him, hearing those broken cries, inhaling this maddening scent, made his vision blur. His fists clenched so tightly his nails bit into his own palm, sharp enough to draw blood, grounding him only slightly. His eyes darkened, glowing faintly with the gold fire of his alpha, every fibre of his being screaming one truth.
No one else would ever touch him again. No one else would ever get close. Wu Suowei was his.
“Chi…Cheng…?” The trembling voice broke through his haze. Wu Suowei’s cracked, uncertain whisper pulled him back from the edge of blind rage. His omega’s tone, fragile and vulnerable, shattered every rational thought left in him.
He growled low, guttural, primal.
He pulled back just enough to look down at him, his eyes blazing with a feral gold light. The questions, the jealousy, the rage, they were all still there, a toxic brew in his veins. But they were overshadowed by a single, overriding imperative: Claim. Soothe. Own.
Decision burned through him, possessiveness reigning tightly.
In a single fluid motion, Chi Cheng crossed the space between them, his body moving with the inevitability of a predator closing in. He crawled onto the bed, muscles coiled tight, until he loomed above the trembling figure.
“Who else, Wei Wei?” The question was a low, dangerous rumble. His thumb stroked the column of his throat, a deceptive caress. “Who else has smelled you like this? Who else touched you when you were like this?” The image of another alpha’s hands on this skin, another knot satisfying this need, made his vision swim with red. Thinking of others soothing him through his heat. It burned him, filled him with anger. His canines ached, yearning to sink in, to leave a mark so permanent it would erase any ghost of another and make sure no one else would touch him like that.
Wu Suowei whimpered, his eyes full of confusion as he looked at him, opening his mouth but whined as he stared up at him with teary eyes.
He didn’t wait for an answer, he wasn’t sure he could survive. He lowered his head again, his voice a darker tone as he spoke against Wu Suowei’s skin. “There will be no one else. Ever again. Don’t even dream about letting any other alpha touching him. I will kill them,” he growled out near his ear as jealousy and possessiveness burned through him.
Straddling Wu Suowei’s hips, he pressed his weight down, forcing him into the nest of blankets. His hand reached out, large and unyielding, cupping the side of Wu Suowei’s neck with an iron grip that was both possessive and protective.
Then, lowering his head, he pressed his lips firmly against the curve of Wu Suowei’s throat, directly over his scent gland. He inhaled deeply, drowning in the perfume that was driving him mad, and without hesitation he released his own pheromones. The sharp, commanding bite of his woods-and-smoke scent flooded the air, coating Wu Suowei, seeping into the nest, marking not just the omega but everything around him.
The moment his pheromones clashed with Wu Suowei’s heat-laden scent, a tremor ran through Wu Suowei’s body. He whimpered softly, his arms instinctively clutching at Chi Cheng’s shoulders as if seeking the very comfort he had tried to deny.
Chi Cheng’s lips pressed harder against the tender curve of Wu Suowei’s throat, the searing pressure hovering just shy of a true bite. His growl, vibrating deep and primal, rolled through his chest, spilling into Wu Suowei’s body like a physical force. Every muscle in him screamed with the urge to sink his teeth into the delicate gland beneath his mouth, to mark him permanently, to end all uncertainty in one decisive act.
The sound that broke from Wu Suowei snapped the thin tether of control he still clung to.
“Alpha…” The word left the omega’s lips on a desperate, trembling breath, thick with need. His hand, shaky but determined, slid up to Chi Cheng’s neck, clinging, not pushing him away but pulling him closer. His voice cracked, pleading, raw. “Alpha… touch me.”
For a heartbeat, Chi Cheng froze, his body rigid with the weight of those words. Every instinct flared, primal and uncompromising, demanding that he answer, that he give and take in equal measure. His alpha surged, triumphant, recognizing the plea for what it was; acceptance, surrender, the invitation he had been waiting for. Even if he had anyone else in mind to help him in his heat he didn’t care. He was here now and he wanted him so he would have him.
He lifted his head just enough to see Wu Suowei’s face. The omega’s cheeks were flushed crimson, his lips parted and kiss-swollen, his eyes glassy with fever and haze. Yet beneath the fragility there was want, unmistakable and powerful, a call that Chi Cheng could never deny. What satisfied him was the lack of any other alpha smell on him. All he could smell was his own scent and that of his mother. No one else’s scent was lingering and that satisfied him.
A wicked, hungry smirk ghosted across his lips. He lowered himself fully, his weight pressing Wu Suowei into the nest of blankets, caging him in, surrounding him so completely that there was nowhere left to run. He took a quick glance to look at Wu Suowei’s nest, immediately noting shirts which smelt of Jiang Xiaoshuai. He would have felt jealous but when he spotted his own black jacket in the nest any other jealousy that had been lingering vanished. His alpha was pleased. The omega considered him comfortable and safe enough to include his things into his own nest. He gave out a pleased hum and his hand traced the line of Wu Suowei’s jaw, fingers splaying possessively before sliding lower, down the slope of his neck, over the rapid thrum of his pulse. The omega shivered, a soft whimper escaping, and the sound made Chi Cheng’s blood roar.
“You beg so sweetly,” Chi Cheng murmured, his voice husky, edged with danger. His lips brushed against Wu Suowei’s ear as he whispered, “Say it again. Beg for me”
Wu Suowei’s breath hitched, his chest rising and falling against Chi Cheng’s heavier frame. Lucidity broke through Wu Suowei just then. He glared at the alpha angrily, his dignity coming through as he found it embarrassing that he wanted him to beg. But that did not last very long. His need to be devoured overtook his pride and instead he groaned. His fingers tightened their hold on his neck, nails grazing his skin as if to tether him closer. “Alpha… please.” The word cracked on his tongue, desperate, surrendering.
The last threads of restraint snapped.
Chi Cheng growled, low and victorious, before crushing their mouths together in a bruising, hungry kiss. His tongue plunged past trembling lips, tasting, claiming, dominating with every stroke. Wu Suowei moaned into him, the sound broken and beautiful, his hands gripping tight at Chi Cheng’s jacket as if anchoring himself.
Without breaking the kiss, Chi Cheng shifted his grip, one hand sliding down to the small of Wu Suowei’s back, pressing him up into his body until their hips ground together, the friction sparking sharp gasps between kisses. Wu Suowei arched, his body pliant beneath him, yielding instinctively to every demanding touch.
The room thickened with the mingling of their pheromones, jasmine and sandalwood twining with smoky woods, saturating every corner, the scent of inevitability.
Chi Cheng pulled back just enough to let his lips hover a breath away, his dark eyes blazing with possession. His thumb traced the damp curve of Wu Suowei’s swollen lower lip, smearing the glisten of his kiss across it.
Chi Cheng’s lips pressed harder against Wu Suowei’s scent gland, the kiss deepening until it bordered on a claim. His growl vibrated through the delicate skin, rumbling low in his chest like thunder, and the sound sank straight into Wu Suowei’s bones. It was not just a kiss. It was a warning. A promise. A declaration. His pheromones poured out in heavy waves, wrapping the room, drenching the nest in the wild, unrelenting essence of his alpha. Woods, smoke, and storm. Overpowering. Possessive.
Wu Suowei whimpered, the fragile sound escaping before he could stop it, his body arching instinctively toward that grounding weight. His trembling hands slid shakily up, clutching Chi Cheng’s neck, pulling him closer with a need he could not fight. His voice cracked, high and pleading.
“Alpha…touch me.”
That word, tumbling out of him so raw and unguarded, nearly snapped the last thread of control Chi Cheng had been clinging to. His vision sharpened, golden bleeding into black, as his instincts screamed to take, to hold, to drown Wu Suowei in his presence until there was no doubt left in the world to whom he belonged.
He dragged his mouth along Wu Suowei’s jaw, over his flushed cheek, down to the soft curve of his throat. Each kiss burned hotter, branded deeper, as though his lips could etch his name into that feverish skin. His hand was merciless as it slid over Wu Suowei’s chest, tugging at fabric, stripping away layers until trembling skin was bare beneath his palm. Clothes hit the floor in careless heaps. Wu Suowei let out a broken cry the moment Chi Cheng pulled away to tear off his own shirt.
The sudden loss of Chi Cheng's heat and weight was a cruel betrayal. A broken, desperate sob was torn from Wu Suowei's throat before he could even process it, his body arching off the rumpled blankets in a silent, frantic plea for the contact to return. Tears, hot and shameless, tracked down his temples into his hairline. The air against his feverish, newly-bared skin was a torment.
The sound of his crying seemed to act like a spur on Chi Cheng. A low, gratified growl rumbled through the room, the sound purely animal, purely possessive. The brief rustle of fabric ceased, and then he was there again, his larger body curling around him, his shadow engulfing Wu Suowei's trembling form.
Then he caught Wu Suowei’s chin in his hand and forced him to meet his gaze. The sight made something primal roar inside him: Wu Suowei, flushed and red-eyed, pupils blown wide, chest heaving as if each breath was a struggle. Chi Cheng noticed that now his jacket had moved and was tucked under Wu Suowei’s head now, as if he wanted to bring his scent even closer and that sent another thrill of satisfaction through him.
“Oh, my sweet Wei Wei…” Chi Cheng’s voice was roughened, thick with desire as he leaned closer again, brushing damp strands of hair back from his fevered forehead. “Look at you. Crying for me.” His thumb stroked along the corner of Wu Suowei’s mouth, smearing away a tear that had slipped down. “Do you want my help with your heat?”
His eyes went over his chest again and he leaned over; his question was punctuated by the sharp scrape of his teeth closing over Wu Suowei’s nipple. He didn’t kiss it. He bit. A sharp, precise pressure that walked the perfect, exquisite line between pleasure and pain. The sensation was a lightning bolt, searing straight down Wu Suowei’s spine to pool as a white-hot ache between his legs. His cry was loud and ragged, his body bowing violently off the bed, his fingers scrabbling for purchase on Chi Cheng’s bare shoulders. Every ounce of coherence was shattered, replaced by a primal, all-consuming need.
Chi Cheng soothed the sting with a slow, swirling lap of his tongue before moving with deliberate slowness to its twin. He blew a cool breath over the wet, pebbled peak, watching it tighten further, watching Wu Suowei shudder and whimper in anticipation.
“Wei Wei…” he murmured, his lips brushing the hypersensitive nub with each word.
This time, the bite was harder, a claiming. The pain was a bright, sharp flare that instantly melted into a deep, throbbing pleasure that made Wu Suowei see stars. He couldn't form words, couldn't think. All he could do was feel, the devastating skill of that mouth, the overwhelming presence of the man above him, the empty, aching void inside him that only Chi Cheng could fill.
His response was a wordless, gasping wail, his hips rolling up in a helpless, shameless rhythm against the crushing weight of Chi Cheng's body, begging for friction, for relief, for more.
The world dissolved into a single, searing point of sensation; the sharp, perfect pain of Chi Cheng’s teeth, the following lap of his tongue that soothed and stoked the fire in equal measure. Wu Suowei was a live wire, every nerve ending screaming, his body a taut bowstring vibrating with need. His hips moved of their own volition, a frantic, shameless rhythm against the solid weight that both tormented and grounded him.
And then, it all stopped.
The devastating mouth vanished. The searing heat of his touch withdrew. Chi Cheng froze above him, a statue of coiled muscle and intense focus, his dark eyes drilling into Wu Suowei’s soul. The sudden absence was a physical agony, a cold shock that ripped a confused, wounded sound from his throat.
“Do you want me? Not just anyone. Not another alpha. Do you want me?” The question was a harsh growl, a command that brooked no evasion. While he enjoyed the little games Wu Suowei played with him, pretending he didn’t enjoy his touches while definitely enjoying, right now he wanted a straight answer. Chi Cheng’s hand smoothed down his trembling side, not in comfort, but in possession, finally settling with a heavy, claiming weight on his hipbone, pressing him down into the mattress, stilling his desperate movements. “Say it. Tell me.”
The omega haze, a thick fog of pure instinct, thinned for a sliver of a second. Annoyance, sharp and clear, pierced through. A glare formed in Wu Suowei’s glassy eyes as his mind cleared again momentarily, his lips trembling not just with need but with a flicker of defiance.
‘Why won’t he just give me what I need? Why must I beg again? This asshole is talking as if I have slept with a million alphas when he’s the first one!’ He pouted. Even though he has dated other betas and Yue Yue he never even got to that stage. Ironically this is the first time he is in such an intimate situation, still a virgin and yet here he is dealing with this possessive alpha. He glared at him, a feeble attempt at rebellion that crumbled instantly under the onslaught of his own aching emptiness as he felt another wave of his heat course through him, cutting out his rational brain. The need to be taken and possessed by the alpha was too strong. It was a tidal wave, obliterating all pride, all thought once again.
His breath hitched, a ragged sob catching in his throat. The words were torn from him, raw and whispered, a sacred surrender. “I… I want you… Chi Cheng just you… please…”
A savage, triumphant satisfaction flared in Chi Cheng’s eyes. A low, rumbling growl of pure victory echoed in the space between them, a sound that vibrated through Wu Suowei’s very bones. A wicked smirk touched Chi Cheng’s lips a heartbeat before he crashed them down onto Wu Suowei’s, swallowing his next gasp in a kiss that was all fire and ownership. The omega melted, a startled moan drowned in the kiss, the brief flash of anger soothed away by the return of that addictive touch.
Chi Cheng growled into the kiss, a continuous, possessive rumble that was more felt than heard. He broke away only to blaze a new trail down Wu Suowei’s neck, his tongue lavishing attention on the scent gland that was now pumping out his distress-turned-desire scent, a maddening, potent mix of jasmine and sandalwood that made Chi Cheng’s head spin. His hand began a deliberate, maddening journey, mapping the territory it had already claimed: from the frantic pulse in his neck, over the heaving chest, down the quivering plane of his stomach, past the sharp jut of his hips.
And then his fingers, strong and sure, finally closed around Wu Suowei’s hardened length.
The grasp was tight, almost too much, a firm, unyielding circle of heat that promised everything. A broken, guttural cry was ripped from Wu Suowei’s chest, his back arching off the bed, his hands flying to clutch at Chi Cheng’s arms, his world narrowing to that single, electrifying point of contact.
The air was thick with the scent of jasmine, sandalwood, and the heady, metallic tang of sex. Chi Cheng watched, mesmerized, as every flick of his wrist, every tight stroke along Wu Suowei’s length, was met with a symphony of shattered gasps and broken groans. A dark, possessive pride swelled in his chest.
“So responsive, my Wei Wei…” The words were a husky murmur against the shell of Wu Suowei’s ear, a stark contrast to the firm, demanding rhythm of his hand. He tightened his hold just so, a subtle increase in pressure that made the omega beneath him jolt, a sharp cry tearing from his throat.
“I will kill anyone else who has seen you like this. I will track them down and kill them” he hissed as he kept up the rhythm. Wu Suowei’s head thrashed to the side, a flush of exquisite embarrassment staining his cheeks, but Chi Cheng didn’t give him any break. With his free hand, he captured Wu Suowei’s chin again, his grip unyielding, and forced his gaze back. His eyes, dark and burning with intent, held Wu Suowei’s captive. “Look at me,” the command was silent but absolute in his gaze. “See who is ruining you.”
He closed the tiny distance, his mouth claiming Wu Suowei’s in a deep, devouring kiss, swallowing every moan, every whimper, as his hand quickened its pace. It was a brutal, beautiful assault on all his senses; the taste of his mouth, the scent of his skin, the sound of his pleasure, the feel of him hot and straining in his grasp. Wu Suowei, wound tighter than a spring, shattered faster than either anticipated. A high, keening wail was ripped from his soul as he tore his mouth from Chi Cheng’s, his back arching off the nest of blankets in a perfect, strained curve. His hand flew to Chi Cheng’s neck, not to push away, but to anchor himself as waves of pleasure crashed over him, leaving him trembling and spent. He collapsed back into the nest, boneless and breathless, a beautiful, wrecked thing. His omega made such a beautiful sight, it pleased him completely.
A primal, savage satisfaction roared through Chi Cheng. He did that. He was the architect of this beautiful devastation. He lowered his head, inhaling deeply where the scent of Wu Suowei’s release mingled with his own dark, possessive aroma, jasmine now irrevocably intertwined with stormy wood scent. It was temporary, only way would this scent stay permanently would be if he did the claiming bite. But it wasn’t time yet. Still, the sight of his omega, already so thoroughly undone with just such a simple touch from him, sent a thrill of pure power down his spine.
“We have barely started,” he growled, the promise dark and explicit.
Wu Suowei’s head lolled to the side, his glassy eyes struggling to focus. When they did, they widened. Chi Cheng had moved, his powerful frame now nestled between his thighs, his arms a possessive bracket around Wu Suowei’s hips. The sheer, raw intent in that position, the visual promise of what was to come, sparked a fresh, impossible heat in Wu Suowei’s veins, reigniting embers he thought were ash.
Chi Cheng’s hands, strong and certain, spread his thighs apart, opening him to the cool air and his alpha’s hungry gaze. Wu Suowei felt shyness creep in, he tried to instinctively close it but Chi Cheng held it open.
The sight was utterly debauched: Wu Suowei, fully pliant and naked, his skin flushed, his eyes hooded and dazed, staring up at him with a look of pure, wanton need. Possessiveness, sharp and violent, lanced through Chi Cheng.
“You can’t let anyone else see you like this,” he commanded, his voice a low thrum. “No one else gets to touch what is mine.” To emphasize his point, he leaned down and laved his tongue over the sensitive skin of Wu Suowei’s inner thigh, then higher, until he found the source of that addictive, sweet nectar. A guttural groan was torn from him as he tasted the slick, a flavor uniquely Wei Wei, all intoxicating and perfect. He buried his face there, his tongue a ruthless invader, probing, licking, and gently biting at the fluttering rim.
Wu Suowei cried out, a loud, startled yelp that dissolved into a continuous stream of sobbing moans. His senses were on a knife’s edge, every lick a bolt of lightning straight to his core. His thighs trembled violently, trying to clamp shut on the overwhelming sensation, but Chi Cheng held him open, merciless. He suckled at the sensitive nub, drinking down the slick that flowed more freely with each pass of his tongue, the sweet taste consuming him. Wu Suowei buried his face in the jacket beneath him, muffling his cries against the fabric that smelled of his alpha.
Then, the devastating heat was gone, leaving him feeling cold and achingly empty. A sob of protest caught in his throat, but it was swiftly replaced by a sharp, choked yelp as a new intrusion breached him; a single, thick finger, thrust in to the hilt without warning. The stretch was sudden, exquisite. Chi Cheng worked it in and out with a relentless rhythm, soon adding a second, then a third, stretching him open with the aid of his own slick. When a fourth finger joined, Wu Suowei gasped at the burn, the fullness, the relentless thrusting motion that was driving him to the brink of madness.
“Chi Cheng…” he whimpered, his voice strained.
“You’re so fucking tight…” he hissed as Wu Suowei whined louder.
Then, Chi Cheng’s fingers crooked, angling deep, and brushed directly over that bundle of nerves inside him. Wu Suowei’s entire body seized. A loud, uninhibited moan was torn from him, his eyes rolling back. Mortified, he slapped a hand over his own mouth.
Chi Cheng’s eyes, dark with lust, caught the movement. A frown marred his features. He did it again, thrusting precisely against that spot, watching Wu Suowei’s body spasm beautifully.
“Don’t,” he snarled, his voice dropping into a darker, more animalistic register. “Don’t try to hold back. I want to hear you. Scream my name. Let everyone know who you belong to.” He punctuated each word with a hard, targeted thrust. “Wei Wei, stop holding back. Call my name.”
The command broke him. His hand fell away, and a raw, desperate wail echoed through the room. “Chi Cheng!”
Chi Cheng smirked, victorious, watching as Wu Suowei trembled violently, more slick gushing out around his fingers. His alpha felt victorious. He had brought his omega to this, made him come undone. He brought him in a state of blissed out lull. Unable to resist, he lowered his head again, his tongue lapping at the stretched, fluttering rim, tasting Suowei’s essence, an act that made his own cock throb painfully. He was stretching him even as he tasted him, his mind descending into a hazy, primal state.
The realization came to him distantly, his rut.
He was in a rut now. Triggered by the potent omega in heat beneath him…his rut had arrived, now crashing down on him, fraying the last threads of his control. It wasn’t unusual. Usually if an alpha finds a compatible omega and that omega is in heat, depending on the potential strength of the bond, the alpha could be pulled into a rut to ensure the bonding bite takes place. Rut and heat would feed into each other, making bonding the most potent and long lasting, usually if a highly compatible omega is in heat, it was common for the alpha to fall into rut as response to the pheromones. Still, he hadn’t even considered it to be a possibility, but he couldn’t ignore it. He was in rut, his rut syncing with Wu Suowei’s heat. His mind started fraying away from rationality even further.
All that existed was the sound of Wu Suowei’s cries, the feel of his tight, hot body, and the overwhelming drive to claim. While his fingers continued their relentless work, his other hand found Wu Suowei’s reawakened length, jerking him in time with the thrusts of his fingers. The dual overload was too much. With a shattered cry, Wu Suowei came again, his release painting his stomach as he went completely limp, a boneless, sobbing mess against the sheets.
“You’re so good for me,” Chi Cheng growled, lapping at his spend. “So perfect. So tight.” He snarled the last word, thrusting his fingers deeper, marvelling at the clutch of Wu Suowei’s body around them. The possessive thought roared in his rut-hazed mind: Mine. Only mine.
“Chi Cheng…” Wu Suowei cried, his hand reaching out blindly, tangling in Chi Cheng’s hair, holding on as if he were the only anchor in a storm. “Please… I…”
Pleased, Chi Cheng finally withdrew his slick-slicked fingers and brought them to his mouth, cleaning them with a deliberate, obscene relish, his eyes never leaving Wu Suowei’s tear-streaked face. The omega whined pitifully at the loss, shaking, fresh tears welling in his eyes.
“Alpha…” he sobbed, the title a plea, a surrender, a prayer.
The word, spoken in that broken, wanting tone, snapped the final vestige of Chi Cheng’s control. His eyes flashed a brilliant, molten gold. He crawled up Wu Suowei’s body, covering him, chest to chest, his weight a familiar comfort. The omega let out a whine and nuzzled his face against his chest. The sudden intimate act momentarily surprised Chi Cheng. He hummed and gave a soft quick kiss to his lips before he hooked his hands under Wu Suowei’s limp thighs, hauling his hips up to align with his own throbbing erection.
“Alpha… knot me, please,” Wu Suowei begged, the emptiness inside him a physical pain. His alpha was here. Though he hadn’t called him, he had still come for him. He knew he wanted him and came to sooth him. He had been in pain in three days without the alpha but now that he was here, he was soothing him already and washing the pain away. That pleased him immensely. His alpha was strong, desirable, so others would want him. He needed to be claimed, to be filled, to be owned so completely that no other could ever compare. He needed to be bonded with him so no other person could want him. His mind, hazy with heat and submission, held one coherent thought: Mate. Claim. Mine.
Chi Cheng froze for a second before he answered with a growl that seemed to shake the very room. He buried his face in the junction of Wu Suowei’s neck, leaving wet, open-mouthed kisses over his scent gland, flooding the space with his potent, rut-heavy pheromones, wrapping Wu Suowei in a cocoon of his scent.
“Alpha… please,” Wu Suowei moaned, trying to push his hips closer, to seek the friction he so desperately needed.
With a final, warning growl, Chi Cheng’s hands clamped like vices on his hips, holding him utterly still. He aligned the broad, leaking head of his cock at Wu Suowei’s stretched, slicked entrance. He paused for a heartbeat, a moment of suspended anticipation, before driving home in one single, powerful, devastating thrust, sheathing himself to the hilt in the tight, breathtaking heat of his omega.
A shattered, keening cry was torn from Wu Suowei’s throat, a raw sound of overwhelming sensation as Chi Cheng sheathed himself to the hilt. The sudden, breathtaking fullness was a shock to his system, a searing mix of pain and pleasure that blurred into one indistinguishable, intense wave, forcing tears from the corners of his eyes. Chi Cheng was there instantly, his mouth capturing Wu Suowei’s in a deep, consuming kiss, swallowing every gasp and whimper. One of his hands cradled Wu Suowei’s jaw, holding him in place for the ravishing of his mouth, while the other maintained a firm, possessive grip on his hip, anchoring him as he remained fully seated, buried deep within him.
Overwhelmed, Wu Suowei’s omega senses were alight, frazzled and singing. His alpha was so much, so thick and unyielding, stretching him exquisitely, filling an emptiness he had carried for so long. The pain he had felt in heat for three days without him was soothed away, washed away with pleasure overtaking it. The sharp sting of penetration began to ebb, replaced by a profound, radiating satisfaction that melted his bones and eroded the last vestiges of pain into a distant memory.
Chi Cheng broke the kiss, his lips migrating to the fevered skin of Wu Suowei’s neck, littering hot, open-mouthed kisses along his pulse point. “Good omega,” he muttered, his voice a rough, adoring rasp against his damp skin. “My omega.” The praise sank into Wu Suowei deeper than any touch, sparking a warmth in his chest that manifested as a low, involuntary purr rumbling in his throat.
After a moment of perfect, breathless stillness, Chi Cheng began to move. He withdrew with an agonizing slowness, until only the tip of his length remained, then thrust back in with a single, smooth, powerful surge. He set a deliberate, maddening pace, each slow, dragging withdrawal followed by a deep, filling push that stole the air from Wu Suowei’s lungs. It was unbearably good, a sweet torture that had Wu Suowei crying out again, his head falling back against the sheets as he shook with the intensity of it. His hands scrambled over Chi Cheng’s back, his fingers clawing at the corded muscle as he was methodically unravelled by that relentless, slow rhythm.
Seeking more, needing him closer, Wu Suowei hooked his legs tightly around Chi Cheng’s hips, locking him in. The action earned him a guttural, approving growl that vibrated directly against the skin of his neck. Chi Cheng lifted his head, his dark, lust-blown eyes meeting Wu Suowei’s dazed ones.
“Faster,” the omega demanded, his voice husky and raw, yet laced with an undeniable authority.
The command, instead of annoying him, sent a thrill of pure alpha satisfaction through Chi Cheng. His omega felt safe enough, claimed enough, to be demanding. His omega trusted him to make such a demand, he wasn’t afraid of him. A devilish smirk touched his lips before he descended to capture Wu Suowei’s mouth in a breathtaking kiss, biting his lower lip to demand entry. As Wu Suowei yielded, opening for him with a gasp, Chi Cheng began to plunder his mouth with the same increasing rhythm his hips set. The slow, agonizing drag vanished, replaced by hard, deep thrusts that quickly built into a frantic, pounding pace. Wu Suowei’s whines were swallowed by the kiss, transforming into broken moans as Chi Cheng’s hands moved to his waist, holding him steady to meet every powerful drive.
Wave after wave of pleasure crashed over Wu Suowei, each thrust stoking a fire that burned through his veins. His pheromones poured out unchecked, a dizzying cloud of jasmine and sandalwood that enraptured them both, mingling with Chi Cheng’s dominant, woodsy scent. His hands slid from Chi Cheng’s back to wrap around his neck, clinging to him as he kissed him back with desperate fervour. Soon, the intensity became too much; Wu Suowei broke the kiss, burying his face in the curve of Chi Cheng’s neck, his body shaking uncontrollably.
The words were torn from him, a raw and breathless sob against the sweat-slicked skin of Chi Cheng’s shoulder. “Please… more… I need… I need all of you…” It was less a request and more a confession, a surrender to the all-consuming need that had devoured him whole.
A low, possessive snarl was his only warning. Chi Cheng’s rhythm, already powerful, shifted into something truly feral. His thrusts became deeper, harder, each one a deliberate, unyielding piston that drove the very air from Wu Suowei’s lungs. The hand on his hip tightened its bruising grip, anchoring him for the onslaught, while the other slid up his trembling body with terrifying purpose. It found its target: a peaked, oversensitive nipple. Chi Cheng didn’t just touch it; he rolled the tight bud between his thumb and forefinger with a cruel, exquisite precision before delivering a sharp, stinging pinch.
It was the final spark thrown onto a bonfire.
The sensation was a white-hot arc of pure lightning, searing through every nerve ending. Wu Suowei shattered.
It was the final spark. The sensation arced through him, tipping him violently over the edge. Wu Suowei cried out, a loud, ragged shout of his alpha’s name
“Chi Cheng!” he cried out as his orgasm ripped through him, his body slumping as ecstasy washed over him in blinding waves. His body convulsed, slumping back into the mattress as waves of ecstasy rendered him boneless, his vision whiting out at the edges.
Watching his omega come completely undone, feeling the exquisite, milking tightness clench and flutter around him, was Chi Cheng’s undoing. A deep, guttural growl, thick with primal victory, rumbled from the very core of his chest. He felt the base of his cock begin to swell, the knot expanding irresistibly, locking them together in the most intimate, irrevocable way. He thrust through the swelling, burying himself to the hilt as his own release flooded into Wu Suowei, a hot, pulsing rush that filled him completely, claiming him from the inside out.
As the knot seated itself fully, sealing them as one, instinct roared to the forefront, obliterating all rational thought. Chi Cheng’s fangs, already elongated and sharp with desire, found the swollen, fragrant scent gland on Wu Suowei’s neck. In a single, decisive movement, he sank them deep into the tender flesh. The taste of jasmine and sandalwood exploded on his tongue like a sacred, intoxicating oath. At the same moment, Wu Suowei, in a mirror of pure instinct, nuzzled Chi Cheng’s neck and bit down hard on his scent gland, his own small fangs piercing the alpha’s skin.
Chi Cheng shuddered violently, a full-body convulsion of pure, unadulterated sensation. He felt it, the heavy, profound snap of the two-way bond locking into place with the force of a thunderclap. He could smell it, the moment their individual scents began to weave together permanently. The sweet jasmine and warm sandalwood of his omega intertwined with his own deep, dark wood, rain, and ash scent to create something entirely new, a singular, potent fragrance that was uniquely, undeniably them. A wave of possession, absolute and fierce, roared through his veins.
He released Wu Suowei’s neck, lapping his tongue gently over the fresh, bleeding mark before crashing their lips together in a searing, triumphant kiss. His alpha was in full, glorious control. He finally had his mate. The omega was fully his. His to claim. His to breed.
“Such a good omega,” he hissed against his lips, his voice a thick, gravelly mix of fierce adoration and primal pride. He rolled his hips in a small, possessive circle, the movement a delicious, stretching reminder of their profound connection even locked together. “My perfect, responsive mate. You will be so good for me… so good for our pups. Mine to breed.”
Wu Suowei let out a deep, satiated whine, his entire body shaking with the aftershocks. He wrapped his arms tighter around the alpha’s neck, clinging to the solid, familiar strength, seeking comfort. He felt so profoundly full, so completely claimed. The weight of Chi Cheng’s knot inside him, the throbbing evidence of their union, soothed a deep, ancient insecurity he hadn't even known he carried. He was owned, he was cherished, he was home.
When he felt another low, rumbling growl vibrate through Chi Cheng’s chest, he presented his neck again instinctively, a silent offering of trust and submission. The alpha placed a deep, sucking kiss over the fresh claiming mark, his tongue soothing the sting. The neck, still sensitive from the claiming bite, send a fresh round of arousal coursing through him. He let out another moan and tightened his arms around his alpha’s neck and let out a needy whine which the alpha responded with a possessive growl.
Lost fully to the tidal wave of their instincts, the alpha and omega continued to mate, their movements slow and grinding, a gentle rocking that prolonged the dizzying pleasure. All rational thought was submerged, replaced by a pure, biological imperative that sang in their blood. The heat and rut feeding into each other. They were so utterly consumed by their mating that neither noticed the miraculous, golden crescent mark that had formed over the mating bites on both of their necks.
Notes:
Have you guys seen the new behind the scenes videos/clips? They are so adorable to see, keeping us feed in this drought honestly.
This is the smuttiest thing I have ever written, I hope you guys enjoyed this! Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter. I love reading you guys thoughts, theories and comments.
Chapter 10: When you touch me
Summary:
Wu Suowei wakes up from his first heat and faces the situation he has found himself.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
As much as my heart flutters, I’m afraid
Because the destiny keeps getting jealous of us
As much scared as you are, I’m, too, scared
When you see me
When you touch me
The universe has moved for us
There wasn’t anything even slightly out of place
Our happiness has been destined
Cause you love me and I love you
Serendipity by BTS
When Wu Suowei finally forced his eyes open, a sharp sting of brightness assaulted him, burning into his vision. The light in the room was far too harsh, searing straight through the haze that clouded his mind. With a pained wince, he squeezed his eyes shut again and immediately ducked under the blanket, seeking refuge in the darkness beneath the heavy fabric.
His thoughts swirled in a fog, thick and disoriented, as if each one slipped away before it could fully form. Even behind closed lids he could still feel the lingering sting of the light, his body instinctively curling tighter beneath the covers as if the blanket could shield him not only from the brightness but also from the pounding weight in his head.
As consciousness slowly crept in, Wu Suowei’s senses began to return one by one, heavy and sluggish, like a body pulling itself free from deep water. The first thing he noticed was the ache. It spread through him in waves, dull yet insistent, the kind of ache that seemed to cling to the bones themselves. His muscles felt wrung out, his throat raw, his skin oversensitive to even the faintest brush of fabric. Every breath came shallow, reminding him of the fevered haze that had consumed him for days possibly.
It was the unmistakable aftermath of a heat that had broken. Though the ache told him he had endured it, he had no concept of how much time had passed. Hours, days—he couldn’t be sure. His mind was still wrapped in fog, thick and disorienting, as if the world had been blurred by smoke. Slowly starting to come out of the blur.
Groaning softly, he pushed his head free of the cocoon of blankets. His eyes blinked against the dim light, lids fluttering until the room swam reluctantly into focus. That was when the realization struck him like a quiet, startling blow. He was not in the familiar walls of the clinic, where he had last been. Instead, he was lying in his childhood room. The sight of it, faded posters, the small desk pushed against the wall, the window framed by curtains his mother had chosen years ago, made him pause, his hazy mind struggling to reconcile how he had gotten here.
His body ached everywhere, a deep soreness that made him wince with every slight movement. Yet beneath the heaviness there was a strange sense of comfort, a warmth that left him feeling oddly content. The contradiction startled him. His omega, because there was no denying it anymore, was now a living presence in the back of his mind. It purred like a satisfied cat, radiating calm and delight, and the steady hum of its emotions bled into his own.
Wu Suowei frowned faintly, sitting hunched in the middle of his nest, the soft pile of blankets and shirts cocooning him. Confusion trickled in alongside returning memory. He remembered Jiang Xiaoshuai warning him, insisting that the clinic was unsafe, that he needed to be taken somewhere secure. He remembered being led here, to his mother’s home. After that—nothing. No memory of greeting her, no memory of lying down. It must have struck him as soon as Xiaoshuai dropped him off. His first heat had crashed into him with brutal swiftness.
But if that was true, then why did he feel like this? Why was his omega purring so happily instead of aching with loneliness? Why did it hum with the steady glow of satisfaction rather than thrum with emptiness? Xiaoshuai had warned him in no uncertain terms if he spend his heat alone he would be in pain and his omega would be crying out since he had gotten attached to Chi Cheng. He had said that spending his first heat alone, especially as a late-blooming omega already emotionally attached to an alpha, he had warned him it would be unbearable. Painful to the point of breaking. His omega should have been distressed, restless, crying out for what it was missing.
Yet instead, here he was, sitting in the middle of his scattered nest, blankets damp and clinging, clutching at a jacket that smelled faintly of smoke and woods. And his omega was calm. Not just calm, but content. It purred with a low vibration of happiness, as if something had soothed it, satisfied it, quieted all its fears.
Wu Suowei sat very still, his fingers tightening around the jacket without realizing it. The confusion deepened, curling into unease as he tried to reconcile what he felt with what he thought he knew.
In that daze of confusion, Wu Suowei’s gaze began to wander slowly around his childhood room. At first, he only saw the familiar walls, the desk, the bed where he now sat in the middle of a tangled nest. But as his eyes roved further, small details began to register and pull him into sharper awareness.
The floor was scattered with clothing, but it was not only his own. His shirts, hastily stripped and abandoned, were mingling with garments that did not belong to him. His eyes snagged on a pair of trousers folded carelessly against the leg of the bed, and beside them lay a shirt crumpled into a heap. Near the corner of the rug rested shoes that were far too large to be his, scuffed but unmistakably familiar.
Recognition struck like lightning. He knew those clothes. He knew those shoes. And more than sight, his senses confirmed it. The scent that clung to them was sharp and overwhelming, smoke and cedar and something darker, the scent he had come to know too well.
Wu Suowei’s entire body stiffened. His breath caught in his throat, his fingers tightening around the blanket pulled against his chest.
Chi Cheng’s clothes. Chi Cheng’s shoes.
Why were they here?
His brows furrowed, confusion etched across his features as his hazy mind tried to assemble the scattered pieces. Then, unbidden, a memory flickered through the fog.
At first the memories came in broken fragments. A flash of weight pressing down on him, a blur of warmth sinking into his skin, the heavy scent of wild woods with rain and smoke filling every corner of his nest until it was impossible to breathe without drowning in it. His throat still burned with the ghost of teeth grazing his gland. His ears rang with the echo of a low growl, so deep and raw it had vibrated straight into his bones.
And then came memories of his own voice, high and fragile, screaming alpha like it was the only word he had ever known.
The flashes sharpened the more he resisted them. Broad shoulders under his fingers, his nails digging in, clinging like he had been afraid to let go. Lips trailing heat down his neck. A voice, unmistakable, roughened with hunger yet tinged with a strange tenderness. My sweet Wei Wei.
Wu Suowei’s eyes flew open and his breath caught. His chest constricted as the truth struck him like a blow. He had not spent his heat alone. Chi Cheng had been here. In his nest. Touching him. Holding him. Kissing him. Claiming him.
His omega purred in the back of his mind, content, smug, radiating satisfaction. It was so pleased that their chosen alpha had come, had answered, had soothed. It basked in the memory, curled up in happiness, utterly unbothered by shame or consequence.
But Wu Suowei himself felt as though the floor had dropped out beneath him. His human mind reeled, choking on panic. If Chi Cheng had been here, if he had touched him like that, through his heat then everything had changed. The balance of their games, the careful walls he had built, all shattered. What if Chi Cheng only came to amuse himself? What if he had been nothing more than a temporary indulgence? He knew he wanted him but now that he had him, what would keep him here? His omega might be purring now, but what would happen when the man left? When the alpha who had taken him so thoroughly decided he was done?
His fingers dug into the blanket as if it could anchor him. His body ached in the aftermath of pleasure, humming with the remnants of heat, yet his heart hammered painfully in his chest. He could not reconcile it. The part of him that wanted to crawl back into that scent, to bury himself deeper into the warmth Chi Cheng left behind, clashed violently with the part of him that wanted to run, to deny, to protect himself before the inevitable rejection came.
The cruellest truth of all was that even in his panic, even in his fear, his body betrayed him. His cheeks burned, his lips tingled with phantom kisses, and his omega kept purring, whispering in the back of his mind that he already belonged.
Misery seeped in slowly, curling cold fingers around his chest until every breath felt heavy. His eyes stung, blurring with tears that slipped down before he could stop them. He dragged his gaze around the room, desperate for any sign that he was wrong, but there was none. The space was quiet, achingly empty. The intoxicating weight of Chi Cheng’s presence was gone.
Of course he had left. Why would he have stayed? What did Wu Suowei really have to offer an alpha like him? Nothing but a body caught in heat, nothing but the easy conquest of a late-blooming omega who had stumbled blindly into need. His throat tightened with bitterness, yet his heart twisted with something sharper. He had expected this. He had prepared himself for this. And yet the devastation cut deeper than anything he had braced for.
His omega stirred in the back of his mind, restless and confused, sending soft waves of yearning that only twisted the knife further. It wanted comfort, reassurance, the alpha who had soothed it so thoroughly during the haze. But the alpha was gone. Certainly, nowhere to be seen despite his scent lingering all over the room, dominating everything, a cruel echo of his presence.
Wu Suowei pressed a hand over his face, muffling a broken sound that escaped him. The emptiness carved into him felt unbearable, far worse than anything Yue Yue had left behind when she walked away and tore into him with words sharp enough to wound. He had not shed a single tear then. He had endured the humiliation and anger with gritted teeth, stubborn as always. But now, with the absence of one man, he felt hollowed out, devastated in a way he could not understand.
Why did this hurt so much? Why was he mourning an abandonment he had been expecting from the very start?
His fingers clutched the jacket still in his grasp, pulling it tighter around his shoulders as if that thin scrap of fabric could fill the void in his chest. His omega purred faintly at the scent, trying to comfort him, but his mind only screamed at the truth. Chi Cheng had left. And the ache in his chest felt unbearable.
Wu Suowei was so consumed by the spiral of his own thoughts that the soft creak of his bedroom door went unnoticed. He did not register the faint footsteps crossing the floorboards, nor the subtle shift in the air that came with another’s presence. His heart was too heavy, breaking quietly inside his chest, his mind still clawing at blurred memories of hazy days and feverish nights.
Then, like a sudden crack of thunder splitting through a storm, a voice pierced the fog of his despair.
“Wei Wei? What is wrong? Why am I feeling sadness from you?”
The deep rumble of Chi Cheng’s voice washed over him, firm yet laced with worry. Wu Suowei froze where he sat, every muscle tensing as though his entire body had turned to stone. Slowly, hesitantly, he lifted his head.
His eyes widened. There he was. Chi Cheng stood only a few steps away, dressed simply in a crisp white shirt and dark trousers that clung to his lean frame. In his hands he carried a tray with careful precision, a porcelain bowl set neatly upon it.
But Wu Suowei barely registered the tray. The moment their eyes met, Chi Cheng abandoned it altogether, placing it hastily on the desk without a second glance. In the next instant he closed the distance between them in a few decisive strides.
The mattress dipped under his weight as Chi Cheng sat down directly in front of him, close enough that Wu Suowei could see the faint creases of worry etched around his dark eyes. His presence was overwhelming, solid, grounding, and yet unbearably gentle at the same time. The steady heat radiating from him contrasted painfully with the cold emptiness that had gripped Wu Suowei moments earlier.
For the first time since waking, Wu Suowei felt the crushing disbelief begin to fracture. He had not been left. Chi Cheng was here.
Wu Suowei blinked, stunned by the expression in Chi Cheng’s eyes. Worry. Real, unguarded worry that softened the sharp edges of the alpha’s usual cold gaze. For a fleeting moment, Wu Suowei almost wondered if he were imagining it, some lingering trick of his heat-addled mind.
But then Chi Cheng moved, decisive and unhesitating. Both of his large hands came up to cradle Wu Suowei’s face, palms warm and steady against his fever-warmed cheeks. The sudden gentleness of the touch made Wu Suowei’s breath hitch, and before he could flinch away or find his words, Chi Cheng leaned forward until their foreheads nearly touched, until they were nose to nose.
The closeness made his heart stumble violently in his chest. He could see the faint flecks of gold swimming in Chi Cheng’s dark eyes, the evidence of his alpha simmering just beneath the surface. He could feel the steady heat of his breath brushing against his lips. Every instinct inside Wu Suowei screamed at him to retreat, to hide, to resist the pull of this overwhelming presence.
Yet he could not look away.
The sheer intensity in Chi Cheng’s gaze left him rooted in place, his body trembling with confusion and a rush of emotions he had no idea how to name. Surprise mingled with relief, relief twisted into yearning, and beneath it all was the lingering disbelief that Chi Cheng was still here. That he had not left as Wu Suowei had feared.
Chi Cheng’s thumbs stroked slowly across the curve of his cheekbones, grounding him, coaxing him to stay present. His voice, when it came, was low, roughened with something that sounded dangerously close to desperation.
“Wei Wei what’s wrong? What has you sad?” Chi Cheng asked while staring at him.
Wu Suowei startled himself by leaning into the warmth of Chi Cheng’s palms, his body betraying his heart before his mind could catch up. His voice was hushed, fragile, almost a whisper that trembled in the air.
“You’re… still here.”
Chi Cheng’s brows lifted at once, and Wu Suowei caught the flicker of disbelief flash across his face. For a moment, his features softened, but almost immediately they darkened, shadowed with something sharper. A glare began to form in his eyes, heavy and intense, and Wu Suowei’s stomach twisted uneasily. He did not like that expression directed at him, not when it came from Chi Cheng. It unsettled him in a way he could not name.
“Did you actually think I would just run off?” Chi Cheng’s voice was low, laced with incredulity, but beneath it simmered anger, protective and raw.
Wu Suowei blinked, confused by the sharpness of his tone, but before he could form a reply, Chi Cheng pressed on, his words like blows, relentless and unyielding.
“Is that what other alphas have done to you? After your previous heats, did they just leave you alone and walk away?”
The accusation made Wu Suowei’s mouth fall open, yet no sound came out. He could not answer. His mind stumbled, confusion clouding him, because he had no previous heats to compare. He had never been through this before, and Chi Cheng’s questions cut into him, scattering his thoughts into panic.
Chi Cheng’s gaze only burned hotter. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a growl that reverberated deep in his chest.
“We need to talk, Wei Wei. Why did you hide your second gender from me? Why did you not call me when your heat came? Was there someone else you expected to show up instead of me? Tell me, would you have let another alpha touch you if I had not found you?”
With each question, Chi Cheng got closer and closer to him. Wu Suowei’s heart hammered, his protests dissolving on his tongue. His body felt caught in the storm, trembling between shame, anger, and the overwhelming pull of the alpha who demanded everything from him.
Before he could summon an answer, strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist. The movement was firm, decisive, and without hesitation, dragging him forward until his chest was pressed flush against Chi Cheng’s. The heat of him was searing, the hard lines of his muscles unforgiving against Wu Suowei’s fragile frame.
Then came the kisses.
Chi Cheng lowered his head and pressed his lips to Wu Suowei’s neck, slow at first, then firmer, until the kisses bordered on hungry. The sensation struck like lightning. Wu Suowei gasped, his body arching instinctively, every nerve ending aflame. His skin was still tender from the aftermath of his heat, hypersensitive to even the slightest touch, and the pressure of Chi Cheng’s mouth made him shudder uncontrollably.
A soft, broken sound spilled from him, betraying the pleasure he tried so hard to hide. His hands rose automatically, not to push away, but to clutch weakly at Chi Cheng’s shirt, seeking something solid to ground him. His body answered before his voice could, leaning, trembling, yielding despite the storm raging in his chest. Chi Cheng bit his scent gland again and Wu Suowei felt a sharp lightning go through him at the sensation.
Just as Wu Suowei was falling into the molten pull of Chi Cheng’s kisses, his rationality clawed its way back through the haze of heat and pleasure. The overwhelming intimacy suddenly struck him with raw embarrassment. His cheeks burned crimson, and in a frantic burst of instinct, he shoved hard against Chi Cheng’s chest. The alpha gave way slightly, startled more by the rejection than the force behind it. Wu Suowei immediately yanked the blanket up, clutching it to his chest, shielding himself as if he could erase the last ten days by hiding under the folds of fabric.
Chi Cheng froze, eyes wide, his lips still damp from their kiss. Slowly, his brows lifted, his expression twisting into a deadpan glare that carried both irritation and disbelief. His voice came out sharp, dry, and cutting.
“Now you are being modest? After everything we have done for ten days? I have seen more of you than this, so why bother hiding now?”
Wu Suowei peeked over the edge of the blanket, his face flushed scarlet. He glared back at Chi Cheng with all the bravado he could muster, but his eyes betrayed him, flickering with confusion. Then the words sank in. His eyes widened, blinking rapidly.
“Ten days? How on earth did my heat last that long? I thought it would be over in five days!” he muttered, his voice quivering with disbelief.
Chi Cheng leaned in, unrelenting, and caught the blanket in his grip. With deliberate force, he pulled it down, stripping away the flimsy shield until Wu Suowei was left bare beneath his scorching gaze. His eyes locked onto him, hard and possessive, and his tone dropped into a gravelled, dangerous growl.
“Your heat triggered my rut. The combination of both made it last longer.”
The words seemed to hum in the air, heavy and final. Chi Cheng’s stare was a brand, sharp enough to pierce through skin and bone, pinning Wu Suowei in place.
“Well?” Chi Cheng demanded, his voice tight with restrained fury. “Why did you hide this from me? Who were you waiting for? What other alpha were you planning to call?” His eyes narrowed into a glare that was all sharp edges and possessive fire, as if daring Wu Suowei to lie.
Wu Suowei’s heart jolted violently in his chest, slamming against his ribs. The sheer intensity of Chi Cheng’s words sent a shock through him. This alpha was speaking as though Wu Suowei had done this before, as though he had years of experience, as though he kept some secret roster of alphas he turned to for his heats. But that was the furthest thing from the truth.
The reality was mortifying. Chi Cheng was the first. He was the first man to ever touch him this intimately. The first one to ever see him undone in such a way. The first to take him through something he had thought he would spend alone. Even with Yue Yue, even with all the other short, half-hearted relationships he had entertained, he had never once crossed this line. He had never even come close.
Yet here was Chi Cheng, glaring at him, furious and jealous, demanding explanations he was too ashamed to give.
Words stuck in his throat. His lips parted once, twice, and closed again. His chest heaved, each breath shallow and shaky. His pride clawed at him, desperate to protect the fragile truth that lay at the centre of it all. He could not admit it. He could not tell Chi Cheng that he was a virgin, that this was his first heat, that every trembling cry and needy plea had been entirely new. How pathetic would that sound to someone as experienced as Chi Cheng, someone who wore his dominance like a second skin?
And yet, before he could stop himself, his tongue betrayed him.
“I don’t owe you explanations, you know.”
The words came out sharper than he intended, barbed with false confidence. His tone cracked at the edges, betraying the quiver in his chest. Heat surged up his neck, blooming scarlet across his face. He could feel it—the tremor in his voice, the weight of his lie. He was trying to sound defiant, unbothered, untouchable. But inside, his stomach was twisting into knots, and the truth clawed at him with every heartbeat.
Chi Cheng’s expression darkened, the sharp cut of his brow lifting in silent, dangerous warning. There was no curve of a smile, no hint of amusement softening his features. His silence was louder than words, carrying the weight of a predator holding back by the thinnest thread of restraint.
Then, in the space of a heartbeat, he moved.
Wu Suowei let out a startled cry as his back hit the mattress with a muffled thud, the blankets tangling around him in disarray. Chi Cheng descended upon him like a storm, a wall of muscle and simmering heat that stole the air from the room. His hands, large and merciless, closed around Wu Suowei’s wrists and forced them into the mattress, pinning them firmly on either side of his head. The pressure of his grip was unyielding, a bruising cage that made resistance feel both futile and strangely exhilarating.
The bed dipped under Chi Cheng’s weight, the air thickening with his pheromones. Wu Suowei could feel the thrum of the alpha’s pulse, steady and overpowering, radiating from the body pressed so close above his own. The warmth of him seeped through the thin fabric of his shirt, scalding, undeniable, making Wu Suowei’s heart pound against his ribcage.
Yet Chi Cheng did not speak. He hovered, silent and consuming, his gaze burning down into Wu Suowei’s soul. His eyes were twin furnaces, unblinking, heavy with suspicion and raw jealousy. The silence stretched, pressing down on Wu Suowei’s chest until it felt impossible to breathe.
He squirmed against the hold, the blankets beneath him rustling with every futile twist of his body. His jaw clenched as he tried to look away, but that piercing gaze dragged him back again and again. It was unbearable, too sharp, too consuming, like fire licking over his skin.
And yet, beneath the discomfort, beneath the suffocating weight of the alpha’s dominance—something traitorous stirred inside him. A curl of satisfaction, quick and shameful, whispered through him. Chi Cheng was jealous. Possessive. Territorial. That knowledge lit a strange thrill in Wu Suowei’s chest, sparking warmth that had nothing to do with fear.
His lips parted, words stumbling out before he could stop them.
“I… I told you I don’t like alphas,” Wu Suowei stammered, his voice thinner and shakier than he wanted. His pulse hammered in his throat, betraying him, and he forced himself to meet Chi Cheng’s searing stare. “You’re the first alpha I have ever chased.”
The admission hung between them, fragile yet powerful, as though it had tilted the entire axis of the moment.
Chi Cheng’s eyes widened at the confession, the unguarded words striking through him like a blade of fire. For the first time in the heated exchange, the iron mask of control cracked, surprise flickering across his sharp features before his expression hardened again. His head tilted ever so slightly, predatory and calculating, his stare cutting into Wu Suowei as though he could strip away every fragile defense, every lie, and every layer of hesitation that still clung to him.
“But you are an omega,” Chi Cheng said, his voice low and heavy, each syllable vibrating with restrained force. It was not a question. It was a truth carved into stone. His grip on Wu Suowei’s wrists tightened almost imperceptibly, possessiveness bleeding from the gesture as if he could hold him in place with will alone. “Yes, omegas can turn to betas for comfort, to dull the edge of their heat. But only an alpha can ease the storm fully. Only an alpha can make you yield, can bring you release, can claim you so completely that your very body remembers who it belongs to.”
The words hung between them like smoke, filling the silence with a suffocating intensity. His tone was laced with jealousy and fury, the kind of anger that burned not at Wu Suowei but at the very possibility of another man ever touching what his instincts already screamed was his.
Wu Suowei’s lips quivered before curving into a small, nervous laugh that died as quickly as it came. The sound was brittle, strained, as though forced out of him by sheer tension. There was no humour in it. Only bitterness and the fragile shell of bravado he had left to cling to. His chest rose and fell rapidly beneath the crushing weight of Chi Cheng’s presence, his heart hammering against his ribs.
“About that…” Wu Suowei’s voice faltered, his gaze flicking aside as if searching for escape before he forced himself to lift his eyes again. The weight of Chi Cheng’s burning stare pinned him more than the alpha’s hands ever could. His throat bobbed with a swallow before he finally forced the truth out. “I wasn’t lying about my designation. I thought I was a beta all these years. I never manifested, not once… not until now. So what you walked in on, what you found me in… that was my first heat.”
The confession spilled into the silence like a stone shattering still water. His words carried no embellishment, no shield, only raw honesty. The truth hung heavy between them, stark and undeniable.
“And it was also my first time with anyone… really. I am not a playboy like you!” Wu Suowei blurted, his voice pitching higher in frustration. His face burned hot, crimson spreading across his cheeks and ears as if fire had bloomed beneath his skin. He turned his head sharply, refusing to meet Chi Cheng’s gaze, hiding behind the curtain of his own embarrassment.
He hated the admission the moment it left his lips. The words tasted raw, unguarded, far too vulnerable. His pride shrivelled as insecurity clawed at him, whispering how pathetic it sounded, how inexperienced he was. He had no practice, no history, nothing to compare with the alpha’s infamous reputation. Chi Cheng had always been reckless, a storm tearing through men, leaving behind stories of nights tangled in sheets and partners too many to count. Wu Suowei knew this, and the thought of his own clumsy, untested self being measured against that left him feeling small, almost childish.
Wu Suowei’s chest rose and fell in rapid, shallow bursts beneath the crushing weight of Chi Cheng’s body. His wrists were still pinned, caught beneath one of the alpha’s hands, his strength so absolute that struggling felt pointless. The shift of weight was precise, deliberate, and suffocating in its dominance. Chi Cheng slid both wrists under one of his large hands, freeing the other, and with that free hand he cupped Wu Suowei’s chin firmly, tilting his face back toward him with a quiet authority that brooked no refusal.
Their eyes locked. Wu Suowei’s were wide, shimmering with uncertainty, fragile and steady at once, bracing himself for mockery that never came.
Chi Cheng did not sneer. He did not laugh. He stilled, and for a moment he looked like a man struck. His breath halted in his chest, his body going taut above Wu Suowei as though reality itself had stopped. The disbelief was there, flickering sharp across his face, but it shattered in seconds, consumed by something far more dangerous.
His eyes darkened, glowing faintly, golden fire sparking in their depths. Hunger coiled there, raw and unrestrained, a hunger sharpened by knowledge. Wu Suowei was untouched. Unclaimed. His first heat had not been shared with some faceless rival alpha, nor had he been hiding a past filled with other lovers. He was raw, new, trembling beneath him, vulnerable in a way that ignited every primal instinct inside Chi Cheng.
The revelation sank into him like fire through dry wood. His alpha preened and growled deep inside, exultant and feral, satisfied in ways he had never known. Wu Suowei was his first, his only. No other scent had been allowed to brand him, no other touch had been given such intimacy. His alone. That truth fueled a possessive thrill so strong it left his muscles trembling with the force of it.
Chi Cheng’s grip on Wu Suowei’s wrists tightened, fingers flexing as though the very idea of letting go was intolerable. His new bonded mate had been untouched; he was the only one to get everything and that pleased him a lot.
His chest pressed down harder against Wu Suowei’s, their racing heartbeats colliding in an erratic rhythm. His lips hovered over Wu Suowei’s trembling mouth but he did not kiss him yet. Instead, he growled low, the sound vibrating from his chest into Wu Suowei’s body, the sound of an alpha who had finally been handed something precious and would never allow it to be taken away.
Wu Suowei shivered, his lips parting in a shaky breath, eyes wide as he felt the weight of the truth pressing down on him, just as heavy as the alpha’s body above him. His heart thudded violently in his chest, each beat betraying how overwhelmed he was. His bravado clung desperately, even as vulnerability swirled dangerously close to the surface.
“Well… you got what you wanted. What are you still doing here now?” Wu Suowei asked, his words biting and pout sharp, though his voice carried the faint tremor of nerves. He tried to mask it with a tone of defiance, but his hands clenched tightly into the blanket, betraying him. He was terrified to reveal how happy he actually was that Chi Cheng had not left him after the haze of his heat. A fragile part of him had feared waking up alone, abandoned once the alpha’s desire had been sated.
Yet Chi Cheng did not scowl or glare at his rude remark. He did not take offense. Instead, his head tilted slightly, and his lips curved into a smile that widened with unmistakable satisfaction. The expression was so unexpected that Wu Suowei’s pout faltered, confusion sweeping through him. Why on earth would this man look pleased at such words? Why would his arrogance only seem to brighten at being challenged like this?
Before Wu Suowei could question him further, Chi Cheng shifted his hold. He released his wrists at last, his powerful grip loosening, only for his hands to move with surprising gentleness. Both large palms rose to cradle Wu Suowei’s face, thumbs brushing lightly over his flushed cheeks as if he were something fragile and precious rather than a man who had just accused him of selfishness.
The touch made Wu Suowei’s breath hitch, his bravado crumbling as warmth spread from those firm hands into the depths of his chest.
Then Chi Cheng leaned forward, closing the small distance until their noses brushed. The intimate gesture was soft, slow, almost tender, and it startled Wu Suowei more than any roughness ever could. His entire body flushed hot, his blush deepening as he sucked in a shaky breath. For some reason, that tiny action felt more dangerous, more exposing, than the raw hunger of their past kisses. It was not about dominance or possession. It was about closeness, about intimacy that carried weight.
Wu Suowei’s lashes fluttered, his body caught between the instinct to push away and the unspoken desire to melt into the warmth of the alpha who, against all his fears, was still here.
“Oh Wei Wei, you try so hard to pretend you do not want me here, but your true feelings are clear as day through our bond,” Chi Cheng said, his voice low and heavy with certainty. His gaze never wavered, sharp and unwavering, pinning Wu Suowei in place. His thumbs brushed along Wu Suowei’s heated cheeks as he continued, “I can feel how much you crave me, how much you like my touches. You say one thing with your lips, but the bond betrays you. There is no point in pretending anymore.”
Wu Suowei froze. His entire body went rigid beneath the weight of those words. He stared at Chi Cheng blankly, his mind stumbling as if it had tripped into a chasm he had not seen coming.
Bond?
His thoughts churned wildly. Could it be true? He had dismissed the strange hum at the back of his mind during his heat as nothing more than fevered delirium. But now, as he focused, he realized there was something there, something foreign, something steady and warm that was not him. His eyes darted over Chi Cheng’s face, wide and frantic, trying to make sense of the impossible claim.
A flash of memory hit him, sharp and searing.
The feel of Chi Cheng’s teeth sinking deep into the tender flesh of his neck, right over his scent gland, firm and inescapable. The powerful surge of pheromones that had wrapped him in a cocoon of woods and smoke until his body purred in instinctive surrender. His own teeth had followed, without thought, sinking into Chi Cheng’s scent gland with a force driven by desperation and instinct. The overwhelming satisfaction that had surged through him in that moment, stronger than anything he had ever felt, still lingered in his bones.
And now, as he listened, he became aware of the low hum vibrating at the edge of his consciousness. A thread of something alive and foreign, thrumming in rhythm with his own emotions. He could feel it—contentment, satisfaction, warmth—and it was not his own. It was Chi Cheng’s.
Wu Suowei’s eyes widened further, his lips parting in horror as realization crashed into him like a tidal wave.
“We… we bonded!” he screeched, his voice breaking as his eyes grew as wide as saucers. Shock coloured every line of his face as he stared at Chi Cheng, chest heaving, heart lurching wildly at the truth he could no longer deny.
This… this was something Wu Suowei had never imagined. His breath came quick and shallow as his thoughts spiraled wildly. How could this happen? He liked Chi Cheng, he loathed to admit it but he did like him. But Chi Cheng didn’t like him like that! Not enough for something this permanent, this binding. Yet while acting on instinct, he had bonded with him. Claimed him. Tied itself to him in a way that could never be undone. And his omega half had reciprocated. His heat caused this.
His chest tightened painfully. What would happen now? Would Chi Cheng resent him for this? Would he hate him for trapping him in a bond neither of them had planned? Wu Suowei knew Chi Cheng’s reputation. He was a playboy, always surrounded by fleeting partners and meaningless encounters. Surely someone like that would chafe against an unbreakable bond. Surely he would despise being bound to an omega who could not compare to his glittering world of casual lovers. The thought alone made Wu Suowei’s gut twist with dread.
Frustration and worry clawed at his chest, the emotions leaking out of him in waves he could not control. And then, before he could sink further into panic, Chi Cheng’s hands tightened on his face, forcing his gaze upward. The alpha’s eyes locked onto his, sharp and consuming, his presence impossible to ignore.
“Why are you worried?” Chi Cheng growled, his voice a deep hiss that vibrated against Wu Suowei’s very bones. He leaned close, their foreheads almost touching, his scent washing over him with suffocating dominance. “Did you not want to bond with me? Too bad. It does not matter. You are mine now, Wu Suowei, and I will never let you go. Do not even dream about belonging to anyone else. You are mine.”
The words struck him like a blow, fierce and absolute.
Wu Suowei blinked rapidly, confusion flashing through his wide eyes as he tried to process the certainty in the alpha’s voice. His lips parted, trembling, as his voice came out weak and uncertain.
“You… you are happy that you bonded with me?” Wu Suowei’s voice cracked, fragile and uncertain, teetering between disbelief and a desperate flicker of hope. His wide eyes searched Chi Cheng’s face for any cracks, for any sign of dishonesty, for some clue that this was only bravado and not real. “But it is unbreakable. You are stuck with me forever. And you are happy about that?” His voice faltered, dropping to a whisper, trembling with fear. “I thought… I thought you would be unhappy, because this means you cannot sleep around with other people anymore. Or… are you still planning on doing that anyway, despite this bond?”
His words tumbled out in a rush, and before he could stop it, a sharp pang of jealousy stabbed through his chest. The thought of Chi Cheng’s hands, Chi Cheng’s mouth, Chi Cheng’s eyes on anyone else made his insides twist with bitterness. He hated it, hated that it hurt so much. But he could not smother the feeling. It clung to him like a second skin, raw and unrelenting.
Chi Cheng blinked, as if stunned by the question, and then his brows furrowed sharply. His eyes narrowed, dark and offended, his entire posture stiffening. “Have you been thinking all this time that I am only playing with you? That I would discard you once I had my fill?” His voice carried a dangerous edge, low and sharp, as though the very idea was an insult that cut too deep.
Wu Suowei’s face burned crimson. He tried to glare, to cover the heat with defiance, but his voice betrayed him, trembling despite his effort to sound strong. “Well what else am I supposed to think? I am literally your mistress!” His words spilled out in a bitter rush, the dam of restraint breaking. His eyes glistened, his lips curling into a scowl that did nothing to hide the vulnerability underneath. “You still have Yue Yue parading around with the title of girlfriend. And I am not stupid, Chi Cheng, I know your body count. I know how many people you have been with. How could I possibly be any different to you?”
The last word cracked on his tongue, heavy with raw honesty. It was no longer about schemes or plans of revenge. It was his heart speaking, bleeding insecurity and fear into the open, leaving him painfully bare beneath Chi Cheng’s piercing gaze.
Chi Cheng stared at him with raw incredulity, his eyes burning with a mix of fury and disbelief. For a long, tense moment he said nothing, only held Wu Suowei pinned beneath him, as though weighing the sheer absurdity of his words. Then his expression shifted, his eyes widening with sudden clarity, with a decision so fierce it stole the air from the room.
Before Wu Suowei could draw another breath, Chi Cheng closed the distance in one swift, unrelenting motion. His lips crashed down against Wu Suowei’s, not gentle, not coaxing, but searing and absolute, a kiss that carried the force of a vow. Heat surged between them, immediate and overwhelming, stealing the protest from Wu Suowei’s throat and replacing it with a sharp gasp that melted into a whimper.
The kiss was all-consuming, raw and demanding. Chi Cheng’s mouth moved against his with a ferocity that bordered on desperation, as if he wanted to erase every doubt, every shred of insecurity, with the press of his lips. His hand cupped Wu Suowei’s jaw firmly, angling his face, holding him still as he deepened the kiss. His tongue swept past parted lips, tangling with Wu Suowei’s, dominating and claiming with every stroke.
Wu Suowei was lost instantly. His thoughts shattered under the intensity, his body yielding before his mind could catch up. Heat spread through him, pooling low and heavy, leaving him trembling beneath Chi Cheng’s weight. The bitterness he had voiced only moments before dissolved, drowned in the intoxicating pull of the alpha’s kiss. His fists, once clenched in defiance, unfurled against the blankets, fingers twitching before they rose instinctively to clutch at Chi Cheng’s shirt, holding onto him as if the world itself might crumble away.
After what felt like hours of drowning in Chi Cheng’s kiss, the alpha finally pulled away, his breaths heavy and his eyes hooded with a hunger that had not dimmed. Wu Suowei’s lips were swollen, his body languid, his chest rising and falling quickly. His omega stirred in the back of his mind, so thoroughly satisfied that it purred aloud without his permission. The soft sound slipped from his throat before he even realised it, a raw instinctive response that betrayed just how deeply his omega craved Chi Cheng.
The realisation hit him too late, and his face flushed bright red. He tried to hide his expression, but Chi Cheng had heard it, had felt the vibration of the purr. The alpha’s mouth curved into a look of pure satisfaction, his chest swelling with pride at the sound.
Chi Cheng’s grip on his face tightened, not enough to hurt, but enough to anchor Wu Suowei in place so he could not look away. His voice lowered to a husky whisper, carrying the weight of something raw and unyielding.
“Wei Wei, listen to me carefully. I did not mark you by accident. I have been with others before. I have spent ruts with omegas, with betas, even with alphas. But not once did I mark them. Not once did I give them a bond. I could have, if I wanted to, but I didn’t. Do you understand? This—what we have—it was not a slip of control. It was not a mistake. I chose you.”
His golden eyes burned into Wu Suowei’s, blazing with intensity. “From the first moment I laid eyes on you, I wanted you. Call me possessive, call me insane, it does not matter. I wanted you, and I still want you. I marked you because I could not bear the thought of you belonging to anyone else. You are mine. Every heat, every touch, every sound that leaves your lips belongs to me now. And I am yours. I will not spend another rut with anyone else. From this moment forward, no one but you.”
The vow was seared into the air between them, heavy and absolute. Wu Suowei felt his entire body react, his omega purring loudly in the back of his mind, preening at the fierce devotion laced into Chi Cheng’s tone. His cheeks flushed, his chest rising and falling quickly, his body warm all over from the possessive words.
And yet, even as his omega thrilled under the alpha’s certainty, Wu Suowei’s mind began to race. Chi Cheng wanted him from the beginning? He had been the one he desired from first sight? He was happy to bond with him, happy to claim him, happy to keep him? Then…
His brows furrowed as confusion crept in, twisting through the haze of pleasure. His lips parted, his eyes locked onto Chi Cheng’s as the question pressed at him relentlessly.
If that was true, if Chi Cheng truly wanted him from the start and was so ecstatic about this bond… then why was Yue Yue still around? Why was he still stringing her along, keeping her at his side as if she mattered?
Wu Suowei looked up at him with conflicted eyes, heat rising in his chest once more, but this time with unease. He opened his mouth to ask that question, but before he could even get a word out, he was interrupted by Chi Cheng.
Without warning, Chi Cheng leaned forward again, lips tracing along the curve of Wu Suowei’s throat. His mouth found the bond mark and sealed over it, sucking firmly against the sensitive skin. The sudden assault drew a sharp, helpless moan from Wu Suowei’s lips. His back arched instinctively, every nerve ending alight from the attention on that fragile, newly marked spot.
It was then that the truth sank in. The bite, the throbbing heat of the bond mark… how had he not noticed before? He was marked. Chi Cheng had already claimed him.
Just as Wu Suowei began to drown again in the sensation, Chi Cheng suddenly stilled. His lips lingered against his neck but froze there, unmoving. Wu Suowei blinked, dazed, his brows knitting in confusion. Why had he stopped? Why was he so still?
He turned his head slightly, peering at Chi Cheng, and found the alpha staring fixedly at his neck. His gaze was locked onto the bond mark, not in hunger now, but in shock. His dark eyes were wide; his expression struck with something that looked almost like reverence.
“Chi Cheng?” Wu Suowei asked, bewildered by the shift in his behaviour.
The alpha’s eyes finally lifted from his neck, locking onto his own with an intensity that sent his heart skipping. Then, slowly, deliberately, Chi Cheng smiled. Not a smirk, not a grin, not the cocky twist of lips he was so used to. It was radiant and genuine, a smile so bright it made Wu Suowei’s chest constrict. His heart stuttered violently, and he felt the heat rush to his cheeks all over again.
“Chi Cheng?” he repeated, his voice cracking with nervous confusion.
Chi Cheng did not answer with words. Instead, he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Wu Suowei’s lips, soft and fleeting, before pulling back. Then, tilting his head to the side, he exposed his neck deliberately.
Wu Suowei frowned at first, unsure of what Chi Cheng was doing. His confusion only grew until his eyes trailed lower, to the spot just above the alpha’s scent gland. And then he froze.
There, etched into his skin, was the mark. His mark. His own bite stood out vividly on Chi Cheng’s neck, proof that the bond was not one-sided but complete. But that was not what made Wu Suowei’s breath catch.
Above the bite, faint yet unmistakable, glimmered the shape of a golden crescent moon. The mark shimmered faintly against Chi Cheng’s skin, an otherworldly glow that seemed to pulse with something deeper, something older than instinct.
Wu Suowei’s eyes widened so much they hurt, his jaw falling slack as the truth hit him like a tidal wave.
Not just a bond. Not just a claim.
A soulmate mark.
Chi Cheng was his soulmate…
Notes:
What did you guys think of this chapter? I am a asian BL veteran here, I have seen so many of them, most of them but this drama just has me in such a chokehold that I can't stop writing. I hope you guys are enjoying this! Let me know what you think, I enjoy reading your comments and thoughts!! <3
Chapter 11: I can't say anything to your face
Summary:
In the light of day, Wu Suowei tries to cope with the changes he has to deal with, grappling with denial.
Notes:
Umm this chapter is not safe for work in the middle of the chapter, read it somewhere safe or alone lol. I hadn’t planned for the smut to appear in this chapter but I guess I was feeling inspired. Enjoy this chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
You should think about the consequence
Of you touchin' my hand in a darkened room
If you've got a girlfriend, I'm jealous of her
But if you're single, that's honestly worse
'Cause you're so gorgeous it actually hurts
Ocean blue eyes lookin' in mine
I feel like I might sink and drown and die
You're so gorgeous
I can't say anything to your face
'Cause look at your face
And I'm so furious
At you for makin' me feel this way
But what can I say? You're gorgeous
Gorgeous by Taylor Swift.
When Chi Cheng’s consciousness began to return and he finally opened his eyes, the first thing he registered was the dull, bone-deep ache spreading through his body. It was a familiar sensation, one he knew all too well. His muscles were sore, his throat dry, and his entire body hummed with the remnants of exhaustion. He recognised the signs instantly. This was the aftermath of a rut.
But the realisation brought confusion crashing in. His rut cycle was consistent. It came every two months without fail, something he had learned to predict and prepare for. And he had already endured one only a month ago. It was too soon. His body should not have been thrown into another so quickly. The idea of an unscheduled rut was almost unthinkable, and yet here he was, his body thrumming with the aftershocks of one.
Still, the ache was not what startled him the most. He was used to this aftermath. What unsettled him was how different it felt this time. Normally when he woke from rut, he felt restless and irritable, his alpha simmering with dissatisfaction even after days of release. There was always something left unfulfilled, an emptiness gnawing at him. But this time was different. This time his alpha was quiet, utterly content, purring low in his chest like a beast finally sated.
The realisation froze him. His alpha was not just content. It was preening, proud and satisfied in a way he had never experienced before. It basked in the aftermath with a smug sort of triumph, a primal satisfaction that made Chi Cheng frown in confusion. His alpha had never been satisfied like this. Not once. Not with anyone.
So why now?
He lay there in the haze of the morning, his body still aching, trying to unravel the truth. Something had shifted. Something had changed.
And his alpha, so often restless and bitter, was telling him the answer was already lying close by.
As Chi Cheng’s awareness sharpened, clarity slowly began to cut through the haze of exhaustion. The first thing that hit him was scent. Not his own, not the sterile neutrality of his apartment, but something sweet and potent, flooding the air around him. Jasmine and sandalwood. It clung to the sheets, saturated the very walls of the room, and it seeped deep into his lungs until his alpha rumbled with pleased satisfaction.
He stiffened. That scent was intoxicating, but it was not familiar. His body froze as his mind caught up. He did not know this scent. And that was wrong. Very wrong. He was not weak. He was not the kind of alpha who stumbled blindly into an omega’s lure. He had never lost control to pheromones, never woken in a stranger’s bed after rut like a fool who could not master himself. Yet here he was, lying in a room he did not recognise, his body aching from a rut that should not have come, and the unmistakable perfume of an omega lingering in the air.
His jaw clenched, fury spiking hot in his chest. Had he truly allowed himself to be pulled under by instinct, reduced to nothing more than an animal rutting into any omega who had thrown themselves at him? His alpha growled low, vibrating in his chest, anger boiling at the thought.
The sound of his growl cut through the quiet. And then he heard it. A soft, broken whimper.
The sound pierced straight through his anger. His instincts shifted, snapping toward it. He turned sharply, eyes searching the bed, and then he froze.
Lying beside him, curled against the sheets in disarray, was Wu Suowei. Naked. Dishevelled. His cheeks flushed, his hair damp with sweat, his skin marked in ways that left no room for doubt.
The sight stole Chi Cheng’s breath. His growl must have roused him, because Wu Suowei whimpered again, soft and vulnerable, before rolling toward him. And then, with a helpless instinct that went straight to Chi Cheng’s core, Wu Suowei pressed himself against him, arms slipping around his waist, cheek nuzzling against his chest as though it was the only safe place he knew.
Every muscle in Chi Cheng’s body locked tight. For one sharp, fleeting moment, his mind rebelled, screaming confusion and disbelief. Wu Suowei. His Wei Wei. The beta who had teased and tormented him, who had clawed his way into his attention from the very start, who had said he hated alphas. The one who was not supposed to smell like this.
And yet his scent clung to the sheets. His arms held tight. His naked body curled instinctively against him.
Chi Cheng’s alpha roared in triumph. And before his rational mind could think, before he could wrestle the truth into order, his arms moved on their own. He gathered Wu Suowei closer, pulling him into his chest, protective and possessive, cradling him as though the idea of letting go was unbearable.
Chi Cheng simply stared at Wu Suowei, curled against his chest as though he belonged there. The soft rise and fall of his breathing brushed against his skin, and with every breath came that scent. Jasmine and sandalwood, potent and intoxicating, rolling off Wu Suowei in waves. The revelation still twisted his mind into knots. The alluring omega fragrance that had saturated the room was not from some stranger. It was Wu Suowei. His Wu Suowei. It didn’t make sense. He was a beta. He knew that from his previous scent and also from his research.
Yet the proof was undeniable. Wu Suowei was an omega, and not just any omega. He was the one who had dragged Chi Cheng into a rut ahead of schedule, a rut that had come a full month earlier than expected.
Relief tangled with confusion, settling low in his chest like a heavy stone. He was glad, immeasurably glad, that he had not fallen into the trap of some unknown omega. That he had not woken up bound to a stranger whose scent he did not know. No. He had spent his rut with Wu Suowei, and that thought alone soothed the edge of his anger.
Memories began to surface, trickling back through the haze of exhaustion. He remembered the restless search, the frustration of being ignored, the gnawing anxiety that had driven him to track Wu Suowei down. He remembered walking into the room, the overwhelming pull of heat saturating the air, and Wu Suowei’s tear-stained face turning toward him, reaching for him with trembling hands.
Then the sounds. Wu Suowei’s broken moans, his needy whines, the desperate way his body had curled into him, pleading without words for the comfort only an alpha could give. The memory ignited a primal satisfaction in his chest, even now, days later. His possessiveness surged once again, sharp and unrelenting, as though those moments had carved something permanent into him.
His gaze lingered on the sleeping figure in his arms. Wu Suowei’s cheeks were still flushed faintly pink, his lips kiss-bruised, his body utterly spent from the toll of his heat. Vulnerable, fragile, and yet wrapped in the safety of his arms. A quiet growl rumbled in Chi Cheng’s chest, low and instinctive, not of anger but of possession. He had touched him, soothed him, claimed him. And he would not let him go.
It was while gazing at Wu Suowei that Chi Cheng’s senses sharpened. At first, he thought it was only the lingering jasmine and sandalwood that still clung thick in the air. But as his chest rose and fell, as his nose pressed closer, he realized there was something else woven into the fragrance. A difference that had not been there before.
He leaned down slowly, his lips brushing against the curve of Wu Suowei’s neck as he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The scent that rushed into him made his chest seize. It was not just jasmine and sandalwood anymore. Threaded through the heat-born fragrance was something unmistakable. Woods, rain, and faint smoke. His scent. His alpha’s signature now melded with Wu Suowei’s own.
Chi Cheng’s eyes flew open, his body stiffening as the truth sank in. Sharing a rut alone should not have done this. Heat and rut could burn together, they could leave each other’s scent faintly on skin and bedsheets, but they did not fuse two scents together permanently. There was only one explanation.
With his heart hammering, he shifted Wu Suowei gently, tilting the smaller body enough to bare the side of his neck to his view. His gaze landed on the spot instantly. The swollen bite, raw but healing, stood stark against Wu Suowei’s flushed skin. His mating mark. A claiming bite. But it was not the bite alone that stopped his breath.
There, etched directly over the mark, shimmered a golden crescent moon.
Chi Cheng froze, staring, unblinking. The sight clawed through him, unraveling every certainty he had clung to. His alpha did not stir in surprise, did not rage, did not question. No, his alpha rumbled in deep satisfaction, preening at the mark as though it had always known this was how it would end. The bond was not just a claiming. It was absolute. Fated.
The gold meant only one thing.
Wu Suowei was his soulmate.
Chi Cheng stared at the mark in stunned silence, the golden crescent gleaming faintly in the morning light. Disbelief churned inside him, twisting together with awe and something dangerously close to relief. A low chuckle escaped him, rough and quiet, as a memory came unbidden. Guo Chengyu’s old joke, tossed at him in countless drunken nights, that his alpha was so impossibly picky because he must have been born with a soulmate. Back then it had felt like nothing but a ridiculous taunt, a way to poke fun at his constant dissatisfaction. Now, staring at Wu Suowei, that absurd joke had turned into a reality branded into flesh.
He shook his head slowly, unable to stop the laugh that rumbled low in his chest. Carefully, he pulled Wu Suowei tighter against him, cradling the smaller body into his own as if the omega might vanish if he let go. His hand rose instinctively, fingers brushing across the golden mark on Wu Suowei’s neck. The skin was tender and warm beneath his touch, the mark pulsing faintly with the echo of their bond. His bond. On his omega’s neck.
Now that he was aware of the bond that was active between them, he could feel it. He could feel the satisfaction and calmness from Wu Suowei’s side.
The thought set his alpha alight with primal satisfaction, a deep rumbling growl reverberating low in his chest. Wu Suowei was his. Not just claimed through heat, not just bound by circumstance, but sealed in the rarest of ways. His mate.
Yet as his fingers lingered over the mark, another truth pressed in. Wu Suowei had lied to him. Lied about his second gender, lied about who he was. The realization burned sharp, annoyance stirring in his gut. Why had Wu Suowei hidden this from him? Was it fear? Distrust? Or something else entirely?
His jaw tightened, but even through the irritation, the certainty remained unshakable. No matter the reason, no matter the lies, there was no undoing what had been forged between them. His mate was lying in his arms, bound by fate, tethered by something neither of them could escape.
And Chi Cheng would not let him go. Not now. Not ever.
He would get his answers when Wu Suowei woke. He would demand the truth, rip every hidden secret from him if he had to. But losing him was no longer an option. The bond thrummed deep inside, making that thought impossible.
Wu Suowei belonged to him. And Chi Cheng had no intention of letting his mate slip through his fingers.
Wu Suowei’s breath hitched as his eyes remained locked on the golden crescent moon imprinted over Chi Cheng’s scent gland. His fingers trembled as they reached out, brushing over the golden mark, the skin warm beneath his touch. The evidence of their bond pulsed faintly, thrumming in time with Chi Cheng’s heartbeat. His chest tightened painfully, his own omega purring deep inside his mind, content and smug, as if it had always known this truth.
“This… this isn’t fake, is it?” Wu Suowei whispered, the words escaping him before he could stop them. His voice cracked with disbelief, each syllable uneven. “You’re… you’re joking, right?” Even as the ridiculous question left his lips, he winced, self-loathing twisting in his stomach. Of course it wasn’t fake. No one could forge a mark like this. No one could manufacture a bond that made his body hum with another’s presence. But his thoughts were a storm, chaotic and frayed, and he clung to denial like a drowning man grasping for driftwood.
A low, dangerous growl rumbled in response, vibrating from deep within Chi Cheng’s chest. Wu Suowei froze, startled by the sound, his wide eyes flickering up just in time to see the dark fire in Chi Cheng’s gaze. Before he could speak again, before he could even gather his spiralling thoughts, the alpha moved.
Strong arms slid effortlessly beneath him, one curling behind his back and the other beneath his legs. In a single decisive motion, Chi Cheng lifted him as though he weighed nothing, cradling him against his chest in a perfect bridal carry. Wu Suowei gasped, his entire body tensing, a startled yelp tearing from his throat.
“Chi Cheng—what are you—!” His words stumbled into silence, caught between panic and the wild flutter of something else that made his pulse thunder in his ears. Pressed so close, he could feel the steady thrum of Chi Cheng’s heartbeat against his own frantic one, could smell the intoxicating mix of wood, rain, and smoke wrapping around him, marking every inch of his senses.
His hands instinctively clutched at Chi Cheng’s shirt, the warmth of the alpha’s body searing through him. For all his protests and disbelief, his omega purred even louder, smug and triumphant, vibrating at the certainty of what had already been sealed between them.
“Chi Cheng! You brute! Put me down!” Wu Suowei’s voice rang sharp, a protest filled with indignation. His fists pressed weakly against the broad expanse of Chi Cheng’s chest, but the lack of strength behind them betrayed him. His body betrayed him even more, for instead of twisting away, his head found itself settling against the steady thrum of Chi Cheng’s heartbeat, comfort blooming where defiance should have been.
The alpha’s chest rumbled with amusement. A low chuckle spilled out, dark and knowing, vibrating through Wu Suowei’s cheek where it rested.
“I do not know why you are wasting your breath protesting when I can feel through our bond exactly how much you are enjoying this,” Chi Cheng murmured, his tone velvety and rich, threaded with amusement and undeniable dominance. His arms only tightened, holding Wu Suowei closer, as though daring him to keep resisting when both of them knew the truth.
Wu Suowei’s face ignited crimson. Heat flooded up his neck and painted his cheeks as if his own body sought to betray him further. His heart thudded wildly, not just from embarrassment but from the rush of satisfaction humming in his omega, loud and clear through their bond. He could feel the smugness radiating off his alpha, every beat of that tie exposing him.
“Shit…” he hissed through clenched teeth, screwing his eyes shut as if darkness could shield him from the humiliation. “Bloody bond… it tells you everything.” His voice cracked, halfway between frustration and mortification, his ears burning with shame.
Chi Cheng tilted his head down until his breath brushed against Wu Suowei’s ear. “Exactly,” he whispered, the single word dark with satisfaction.
Wu Suowei tried to glare at the alpha, his eyes narrowing, but the smug satisfaction plastered across Chi Cheng’s lips only made his cheeks burn hotter. That smirk—so confident, so sure—was infuriating. Yet his omega purred at the sight of it, betraying him once again.
Chi Cheng didn’t release him until they reached the bathroom. Only then did he lower Wu Suowei with deliberate care, setting him down as if he were fragile porcelain. Wu Suowei blinked in confusion, his bare feet brushing the cool tiles, his brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of why the alpha had brought him here.
He didn’t have time to ask before Chi Cheng moved again. Large hands turned him firmly, maneuvering him until he was facing the mirror. Wu Suowei’s eyes widened. His reflection stared back at him—disheveled, flushed, completely bare and covered in love bites, while behind him Chi Cheng still stood clothed in that crisp white shirt and trousers.
Heat flared in Wu Suowei’s face.
‘Damn him for waking up earlier than me…’ he thought bitterly, his ears scarlet with embarrassment. It felt unfair, him being stripped to nothing while the alpha stood powerful and put together, looming behind him like some dark guardian.
Chi Cheng’s chest pressed lightly against his back as he pulled him closer. His head bent until his cheek brushed the slope of Wu Suowei’s right shoulder, the weight of his presence steady and suffocating. Then one hand slid beneath Wu Suowei’s chin, firm but careful, tilting his face slightly to the side.
Wu Suowei’s gaze caught on the mirror again, and his breath hitched. There, standing out boldly against the pale skin of left side of his neck, was the golden crescent mark that glowed faintly on top of the deep mating bite. His heart skipped. His stomach dropped.
There was no denying it. Not only had he bonded with Chi Cheng during his first heat—something he had never imagined possible—but the universe had marked them as soulmates. The proof was etched into his skin, impossible to hide, impossible to erase.
Wu Suowei’s throat tightened. His reflection looked stricken, caught between disbelief and panic, while Chi Cheng’s eyes in the mirror glowed with satisfaction, proud and certain as though everything had fallen perfectly into place.
Feeling overwhelmed and embarrassed, Wu Suowei groaned aloud, his ears burning as his reflection seemed to mock him from the mirror. He could not bear to look at the mark shining on his skin or the bite marks around his body. With a whining sound, he twisted in Chi Cheng’s hold and turned completely, burying his face deep into the alpha’s chest as if that could hide him from reality. His hair brushed against the crisp fabric of Chi Cheng’s shirt, and his breath came out muffled against the firm muscles beneath.
Chi Cheng let out a full-bodied laugh, warm and unrestrained, the sound vibrating through his chest and directly into Wu Suowei’s cheek. Amusement laced every note of it, as if Wu Suowei’s embarrassed retreat had only delighted him further.
Strong arms immediately wrapped around his waist, locking him into a solid embrace. Chi Cheng’s grip was secure, unyielding, his strength coiled around Wu Suowei like a shield. The gesture carried weight, both protective and possessive, and the way his palms splayed against the small of Wu Suowei’s back made it clear he had no intention of letting him pull away again.
“Why is my little mate so embarrassed?” Chi Cheng’s low voice rumbled near his ear, the words dripping with smug amusement and threaded with a purr that seemed to vibrate straight through Wu Suowei’s bones.
Wu Suowei’s blush deepened until it felt like fire was crawling across his cheeks. His fingers tightened against the fabric of Chi Cheng’s shirt, clutching it desperately as if he could hide within the folds.
Chi Cheng’s chuckle rolled out again, unhurried and predatory, like a man who knew he held all the power. He leaned closer, his lips brushing the delicate shell of Wu Suowei’s ear, and then pressed a slow, deliberate kiss there.
The reaction was immediate. A soft, helpless moan spilled from Wu Suowei’s lips, the sound escaping before his mind even caught up. His body betrayed him, arching slightly into the touch, his face burning as he realized what he had just done.
Mortified, Wu Suowei buried his face deeper into Chi Cheng’s chest, wishing the ground would open and swallow him whole. His ears buzzed with awkwardness, but his omega purred in the back of his mind, pleased and melting under the alpha’s attention.
Chi Cheng’s lips curved into a triumphant smile against his ear. “So honest,” he murmured, his tone a mixture of satisfaction and hunger. His arms tightened around Wu Suowei’s waist, pulling him even closer, until their bodies pressed flush against one another.
Chi Cheng shifted, one hand sliding up to cradle Wu Suowei’s face with surprising gentleness for a man who had pinned him down only minutes ago. His palm cupped his cheek, thumb brushing over flushed skin, steadying him, grounding him. Then, with a low rumble in his chest, he tilted Wu Suowei’s head up and closed the distance.
Their lips met, and the kiss was nothing like the playful teases or possessive claims from before. This one was deep and consuming, the kind of kiss that stole the breath straight from Wu Suowei’s lungs. His entire body trembled as a startled moan slipped out, muffled against Chi Cheng’s mouth.
Wu Suowei’s arms moved instinctively, circling Chi Cheng’s neck and clinging tightly as if afraid the alpha might vanish if he let go. The kiss grew hotter, heavier, as Chi Cheng pressed forward, his strength and raw power unmistakable in the way his mouth moved against his. Every stroke of his tongue demanded more, every nip of his teeth sent shivers racing down Wu Suowei’s spine.
Wu Suowei gasped into the kiss, overwhelmed by the sheer force behind it. Chi Cheng’s dominance radiated through the contact, a reminder of the strength caged inside the man holding him. Yet beneath that force was something else—warmth, devotion, the bond that pulsed alive between them, whispering the truth Wu Suowei was too flustered to admit out loud.
The kiss broke only for a heartbeat, just long enough for Chi Cheng’s breath to mingle with his own, hot and ragged. His eyes burned into Wu Suowei’s, fierce and unyielding, before he claimed his lips again, hungrier, deeper, his hand sliding from Wu Suowei’s cheek to the back of his head, holding him firmly in place.
Wu Suowei whimpered softly, lost to the intensity, his body pliant under the alpha’s touch as the bond between them pulsed with shared heat and raw emotion.
Chi Cheng devoured his mouth again, lips crushing against Wu Suowei’s with a force that made his entire body shudder. His tongue pushed deep, claiming every corner, stroking and tangling with Wu Suowei’s until the smaller man was gasping and moaning into the kiss. Wu Suowei clutched desperately at the alpha’s neck, fingers tangling in his hair, as if holding on was the only thing keeping him grounded.
Chi Cheng growled low in his throat, the sound vibrating through Wu Suowei’s chest. The primal note of satisfaction was unmistakable. He turned him and he walked forward until Wu Suowei’s back hit the bathroom wall opposite the mirror, pinning him between solid muscle and cold surface. His large hand slid from Wu Suowei’s face down his throat, tracing the sensitive bond mark with deliberate slowness, before gripping his shoulder and sliding lower, kneading at his waist and hip possessively.
Wu Suowei whimpered when Chi Cheng’s hand slipped further down, cupping his ass firmly and pulling him flush against his body. Their hips collided, and Wu Suowei could feel the hard evidence of Chi Cheng’s arousal pressing against his stomach. His breath hitched, his knees weakening, as heat pooled low in his belly.
Chi Cheng broke the kiss just long enough to bite down hard on Wu Suowei’s swollen bottom lip, tugging it before letting go. “You drive me insane,” he muttered, his voice thick, raw with hunger. He kissed down the line of Wu Suowei’s jaw to his neck, teeth scraping over the bond mark before his mouth closed around it, sucking hard enough to make Wu Suowei cry out. His body arched into the sensation, torn between pain and pleasure, his omega purring loudly inside his mind.
Wu Suowei’s hands scrambled over Chi Cheng’s shoulders and chest, pushing weakly, only to immediately curl back into him as the alpha’s tongue licked over the mark soothingly. “Ch-Chi Cheng… wait… ah—” His protests melted into breathless moans as Chi Cheng’s hand slipped lower still, sliding between his thighs. The alpha teased along the inside of his leg, parting them with an easy push, until his fingers brushed over his sensitive entrance. Wu Suowei jolted, his entire body trembling, his lips parting with a helpless moan that echoed in the tiled room.
Chi Cheng’s dark eyes flicked up, dark with lust and satisfaction at the sound. “That’s it,” he murmured, pressing another bruising kiss to his lips, swallowing the next cry that left him. “That’s my little omega.”
With one hand pinning Wu Suowei’s wrists above his head against the wall and the other stroking deliberately between his thighs, Chi Cheng pressed himself fully against him, grinding slow and hard, making him feel every inch of his need. Wu Suowei whimpered into the kiss, legs buckling, only held up by the alpha’s crushing embrace.
Wu Suowei’s breath came in shallow pants, his chest rising and falling rapidly as Chi Cheng held him pinned. His wrists were stretched above his head, trapped in one of the alpha’s large hands, while the other moved lower, teasing and pressing against him with maddening slowness.
The cold wall at his back contrasted sharply with the blazing heat of Chi Cheng’s body pressed flush to his front. Wu Suowei gasped when Chi Cheng ground their hips together again, the thick hardness of his arousal dragging against his stomach through the thin barrier of cloth. A broken whimper escaped him, and his knees buckled again, forcing Chi Cheng to tighten his grip to hold him upright.
“You’re so sensitive,” Chi Cheng growled against his ear, his hot breath ghosting over the shell before he nipped it hard enough to make Wu Suowei moan. “Still trembling… still aching for me even after ten days. My omega is insatiable.”
Wu Suowei flushed scarlet at the words, finding it embarrassing. He hadn’t even slept with anyone before this! How was he insatiable?! But his body betrayed him, arching into the touches, pressing himself helplessly closer. “Shut up…” he muttered weakly, though the sharp hitch in his voice turned it into a plea more than an insult.
Chi Cheng’s low chuckle rumbled against Wu Suowei’s skin as his lips moved slowly down the curve of his neck, each kiss searing and deliberate. His tongue traced over the bite mark that had claimed him, savoring it, as if to remind them both of what could never be undone. Wu Suowei’s breath hitched, a helpless moan slipping past his lips. His body shivered, the sensitivity of his marked gland sending sparks racing through him. His head tilted back instinctively, granting Chi Cheng more access.
“How are you still… still interested in doing that after ten days?” he gasped, voice trembling, his eyes fluttering closed. The words spilled out between broken breaths, yet even as he spoke them, his body betrayed him, arching, trembling, seeking more.
Chi Cheng growled softly, the sound primal and satisfied. He lifted his head just enough for their eyes to lock, his own gaze heavy with hunger and certainty. His thumb brushed over Wu Suowei’s flushed cheek as his lips curved into a dark, knowing smile.
“Because this time, Wei Wei,” he murmured against his lips, his voice low and gravelly, “I want you while you are fully awake, fully conscious… not driven only by heat. I want you knowing it is me. I want you choosing me. I want you to remember how I make you feel.”
The words sank into Wu Suowei’s chest like fire. His face burned crimson, but his heart thundered harder than ever, torn between embarrassment, fear, and the undeniable pull of the bond thrumming between them. His omega purred inside, betraying him again, as if screaming its agreement to the alpha’s claim.
Wu Suowei let out a cry as the alpha slid his hand between them again, fingers pressing firmly against his entrance, teasing at the still-sensitive ring of muscle. His hips bucked involuntarily, trying to pull away yet pressing closer all at once, instinct betraying every ounce of restraint.
The sight in the mirror burned itself into his mind: his own flushed face, lips swollen and red from Chi Cheng’s kisses, his wrists trapped high above his head, the alpha’s body towering over him, devouring him, claiming him. Wu Suowei let out a choked sound, part embarrassment, part pleasure, as his legs parted further to accommodate the teasing strokes.
Chi Cheng smirked at his reflection, catching his dazed eyes in the glass. “Look at yourself,” he commanded, voice low and commanding. “See how much you want me. How much you’re begging without words.”
Wu Suowei shook his head furiously, squeezing his eyes shut, but Chi Cheng’s grip on his chin forced him to look again. The humiliation only made the heat coil tighter inside him, his omega purring louder in his mind, craving more.
With a rough, commanding tug, Chi Cheng spun Wu Suowei around and forced him forward until his chest collided with the cool surface of the mirror. His breath hitched sharply as his face was pressed close to the glass, the reflection of his flushed cheeks and parted lips staring back at him. The alpha kicked his legs further apart with a firm nudge of his knee, positioning him exactly how he wanted. Leaning over him, Chi Cheng ground the hard length of his arousal against the curve of Wu Suowei’s ass, drawing a loud, needy whine from him at the friction. One large hand caught both of his wrists and pinned them firmly behind his back, while the other roamed freely, gliding over the trembling expanse of his stomach, teasing across his chest, brushing down over his thighs that were already unsteady beneath him.
“Say it,” Chi Cheng growled against the back of his neck, his teeth scraping over the mark that branded him. His voice was a dark vibration that seemed to sink right into Wu Suowei’s bones. “Say you want your alpha to fuck you.”
Wu Suowei’s eyes watered, heat and humiliation pricking at the corners. His breath fogged the glass in front of him as he gasped, his body quivering under the weight of Chi Cheng’s control. “I… I want…” he whimpered, only to break off with a choked moan as Chi Cheng slid a finger into him without warning, stretching him with maddening slowness. The deliberate pace made his toes curl and his spine arch, the stretch burning and intoxicating all at once.
Chi Cheng smirked against the shell of his ear. “Louder, Wei Wei. Let me hear you beg properly.”
The sight in the mirror nearly undid him. His reflection was flushed, his lips parted, his eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears. Every part of him looked undone, ruined, and desperate. He tried to look away, to shut out the humiliating image, but Chi Cheng’s grip shifted to his chin, forcing his head to stay angled toward the mirror, trapping him in his own vulnerability.
Pinned wrists, chest pressed to the unforgiving cold of the mirror, Chi Cheng looming behind him like an unmovable wall of heat and power—there was no escape. Each subtle roll of Chi Cheng’s hips dragged his thick hardness over the curve of Wu Suowei’s ass, wringing gasps from him no matter how tightly he bit his lip.
“You hear that?” Chi Cheng’s voice was a dark rumble at his ear, his hot breath brushing across sensitive skin. “That little sound you just made… it was a plea. You are begging your alpha. Such a needy, good omega.”
Wu Suowei shook his head furiously, tears spilling free, pride clashing violently with the raw hunger coiling through his body. “I’m not… begging…” he gasped, denial hanging weakly in the air. His words crumbled the second Chi Cheng pushed another finger inside, stretching him with a slow, relentless rhythm that stripped away any defense he had left. His back bowed, pressing harder against the mirror as uneven bursts of breath fogged the glass.
Chi Cheng chuckled, low and satisfied, the sound dripping with confidence. “Still trying to be defiant, my Wei Wei? Your mouth says one thing, but your body…” His fingers twisted inside him, curling to drag a loud, helpless moan from his throat. “…your body is telling me the truth.” His thumb pressed over the mark on Wu Suowei’s neck, sending sparks of sensation cascading through him until his knees nearly buckled. “Our bond tells me everything. You can deny me with that pretty mouth all you want, but your omega is purring for me, begging me to claim you again. I can feel it clawing at me through the bond.”
Wu Suowei whimpered brokenly at the words, his omega thrumming wildly in the back of his mind, pushing, urging, clawing for him to surrender. It was not something foreign, it was him, stripped bare and without walls, unashamed and unfiltered. It wanted him to give in completely to Chi Cheng’s domination. But his pride refused to yield, even as his thighs trembled, his legs weak, his entire weight held up only by Chi Cheng’s body keeping him pinned against the mirror.
The alpha worked him with precision, dragging out the torment with merciless patience. His fingers curled and scissored just enough to make him squirm, just enough to leave him panting, desperate, begging silently with every sharp gasp. And every time Wu Suowei tried to roll his hips back, chasing the friction, Chi Cheng deliberately pulled away, leaving him on the edge of madness.
“Chi Cheng… please,” Wu Suowei finally whispered, his voice ragged, tears brimming and spilling down his cheeks as his chest heaved with desperation.
Chi Cheng stilled, his smirk widening, visible even in the reflection of the fogged mirror. “Please what, Wei Wei?” he taunted, grinding his hardness more firmly against him but refusing to go further. “Do you want more of my fingers? Or do you want what you are really begging for?”
Wu Suowei’s forehead collapsed against the glass, his body trembling violently as his pride cracked and fell apart under the merciless burn of need. Every thread of false bravado was stripped away by Chi Cheng’s teasing, every inch of restraint crumbled by the heavy thrum of their bond that carried Chi Cheng’s satisfaction into his mind, feeding the spiral.
“I want… you,” he finally sobbed, his voice breaking, raw and desperate, no pretense left. “I want my alpha to fuck me!”
Chi Cheng’s growl deepened, satisfaction rolling off him like a wave. His grip on Wu Suowei’s hips tightened as he buried his nose briefly against the omega’s neck, inhaling the mix of jasmine and sandalwood now laced permanently with his own wood and rain. The sound that vibrated from his chest was primal, a sound of ownership that resonated through their bond.
“That’s what I wanted to hear,” he rumbled, his voice dark and filled with hunger.
With deliberate force, he nudged Wu Suowei’s legs further apart with his knee, spreading him wide, leaving him trembling and exposed against the mirror. His fingers pulled out in a slick withdrawal, replaced immediately by the blunt, hot press of his cock against the tight, stretched entrance. The sudden difference had Wu Suowei gasping, his hands scrambling against the glass, leaving streaks of sweat as his reflection stared back at him, flushed and undone.
Chi Cheng leaned down until his chest pressed against Wu Suowei’s back, his lips grazing over the sensitive bond mark at his neck. His teeth scraped lightly, making Wu Suowei whimper. “Look at yourself, Wei Wei,” he whispered darkly, his voice low and commanding, curling around him like smoke. “Look at how I claim you all over again.”
And then he pressed in, slow but unrelenting, forcing himself inch by inch into Wu Suowei’s body. Wu Suowei’s cry filled the room, a sound caught between pain and overwhelming pleasure, his body arching helplessly into the mirror as tears streaked down his cheeks. His lips parted in a silent scream, his breath fogging the glass, while deep inside his mind his omega purred and clawed with wild ecstasy, thrilled to be filled by its alpha again.
Chi Cheng groaned low and long, his body shuddering with restraint as he buried himself to the hilt. His hands clamped onto Wu Suowei’s hips, the grip firm and possessive, leaving no room for doubt or escape. “So tight,” he growled into his ear, his voice breaking into a groan as he ground in deeper. “So perfect. All mine.”
He did not thrust. Instead, he stayed deep inside, forcing Wu Suowei to feel every thick inch of him, rolling his hips just enough to draw out needy little sounds but denying the rhythm that his omega body craved. Wu Suowei squirmed and whimpered, trying to push back, his trembling thighs straining for more, but Chi Cheng held him still with merciless patience. Every attempt at movement was met with a stronger grip, denying him release, leaving him teetering on the edge of madness.
“Say it again,” Chi Cheng commanded, his lips brushing over the shell of Wu Suowei’s ear, his breath hot and relentless. “Say who you belong to.”
"You bastard!" Wu Suowei cried out, his pride roaring its head again. But Chi Cheng simply gave out another dark chuckle and did not move. He held him tight, keeping him teetering.
Wu Suowei’s pride started to crack into pieces. His body, his bond, his very soul were too raw, too desperate, too exposed to hold back any longer. Tears spilled freely down his cheeks as he sobbed, his voice high and broken. “You! I belong to you, Chi Cheng! Please… move… I need you…!”
The plea hit Chi Cheng like fire, and he smirked against Wu Suowei’s neck, finally giving in to the demand of his bond.
Only when Wu Suowei’s sobs turned into ragged pleas did Chi Cheng finally relent. He pulled out with deliberate slowness, the thick length dragging against hypersensitive walls, before slamming back into him with brutal force. The mirror rattled in its frame as Wu Suowei screamed, his voice breaking with the overwhelming mix of pain and pleasure. His body bowed back helplessly into the alpha’s relentless thrusts as the bathroom filled with the obscene slap of skin meeting skin, the raw cries torn from Wu Suowei’s throat, the guttural growls spilling from Chi Cheng’s chest, and the steady, thrumming hum of their bond burning hotter with every movement.
Wu Suowei’s nails clawed helplessly against the slick glass, leaving squealing trails as he tried to anchor himself. Every thrust stole the air from his lungs, every drag of thick heat inside him shook his body until he was trembling uncontrollably. His reflection was a ruin of flushed skin and swollen lips, tears streaking his cheeks, eyes glassy and wild as he hung suspended between desperation and surrender.
Chi Cheng’s growls reverberated through the tiled walls, primal and rough, the vibrations sinking into Wu Suowei’s bones until he could no longer tell where his body ended and the alpha’s began. The large hands gripping his hips were bruising in their strength, dragging him back onto every punishing thrust, making sure he took every inch, refusing to let him shy away. In the mirror, the cruel tilt of Chi Cheng’s mouth revealed his amusement, the smirk of a man who held all the control in the world.
Each time Wu Suowei’s body tightened, each time his cries pitched toward a scream that heralded climax, Chi Cheng slowed. He would retreat until only the head pressed inside, rolling his hips lazily, grinding just enough to spark fire but never enough to let the flames catch. Every denial was exquisite torment, every stolen rise toward relief shattered before it could crest, until Wu Suowei’s begging dissolved into broken, incoherent sobs.
“Chi Cheng! Please… I need… I cannot…!” Wu Suowei cried, his forehead pressed to the glass as his body convulsed in need. His thighs shook violently, his toes curled against the tiles, and his hole fluttered helplessly around the cock that refused to finish him. His omega howled inside him, clawing and screaming, demanding to be filled, demanding to be taken and marked again and again until nothing existed but the alpha’s claim.
Chi Cheng leaned forward, his chest pressed flush against Wu Suowei’s back, his voice a dark whisper spilling hot against his ear. “Not yet, Wei Wei. You will come when I say you can. Until then, you will scream for me, you will beg for me, and you will know exactly who owns you.”
Wu Suowei sobbed harder, his reflection a portrait of ruin. His wrists burned from pushing against the mirror, his entire body flushed as if lit on fire, every nerve raw and begging for more. Yet still Chi Cheng teased, grinding in deep circles that brushed unbearably against the places that made him see stars but never giving him the rhythm his body craved. Every broken whimper, every tear dripping down his face only seemed to ignite Chi Cheng further.
When Chi Cheng’s teeth sank into the mark on Wu Suowei’s neck again, it was like lightning striking down his spine. The bond flared open violently, raw and searing. Wu Suowei felt it all, the hunger that burned through his alpha, the intoxicating pleasure, the possessive joy that bordered on madness. And beneath it, the truth. Satisfaction. Contentment. An almost frightening happiness that he was here, that Wu Suowei was his mate. He wanted him lucid for this. He wanted him to remember who had claimed him.
Wu Suowei gasped, his eyes wide, his body thrumming with the heat of the bond. His omega purred so loudly in his head it nearly overwhelmed him, clawing to submit, to surrender fully.
“Now,” Chi Cheng growled, snapping his hips forward with brutal force, his rhythm sudden and merciless. “Now, Wei Wei. You will not forget this. You come for me. Show me who you belong to.”
The command ripped through Wu Suowei like a blade. His scream tore from his chest as his body seized violently, orgasm crashing over him with devastating force. His vision blurred, white-hot pleasure exploding through his veins as his body clamped around the alpha, milking him desperately. In the mirror, his reflection was destroyed. His hair clung damp to his sweaty face, his lips parted around a silent scream, his eyes rolled back as tears streamed freely down his cheeks.
Chi Cheng roared behind him, the sound guttural, primal, and shaking the walls. He slammed deep one final time, burying himself completely, his release following with crushing force. The heat of it spilled into Wu Suowei endlessly, filling him until it dripped down his thighs, his alpha instincts demanding he flood his mate, claiming him in every possible way.
The bond flared once more, brighter and stronger than ever before, the golden thread vibrating with raw pleasure, a vow etched into their souls. Wu Suowei collapsed against the mirror, sobbing and trembling, his body wrecked, his mind a haze of satisfaction and submission. Chi Cheng’s arms wrapped around him possessively, growls softened into purrs as the alpha pressed kisses to his damp neck, unwilling to let him go.
Wu Suowei collapsed against the mirror, his body trembling violently as if every muscle had given out, leaving him utterly boneless and weak. His breath came in shallow, broken gasps, fogging the glass with each exhale. The cold surface pressed against his heated skin, yet he could barely feel it through the haze of exhaustion and overwhelming sensation. Before he could slide down completely, Chi Cheng’s arms tightened around him, pulling him close and anchoring him firmly. The alpha’s chest heaved with ragged breaths, his own body still recovering from the storm that had consumed them both.
“You are mine,” Chi Cheng growled against his ear, the sound raw and fierce. His lips pressed against the sweaty curve of Wu Suowei’s neck, lingering over the mark he had bitten deep into him. “My mate. My soulmate. There will never be another for me, Wei Wei. Never.”
The words vibrated against his skin, searing him from the inside out. Wu Suowei shuddered, his chest hitching as fresh tears slipped down his cheeks. These tears, however, were different. They were not born of pain or the frustration of denial. They came from the flood of truth that resonated through their bond. He felt it all, every layer of emotion bleeding from Chi Cheng into him. The certainty. The possessive joy. The unyielding devotion hidden beneath the primal feral edge. His omega purred softly in the back of his mind, curling contentedly against the bond, comforted and elated. For once, Wu Suowei let himself believe it.
Exhaustion pulled at every limb, leaving him trembling so badly that he could hardly keep himself upright. He turned his face into Chi Cheng’s chest, inhaling deeply. The grounding scent of woods and rain filled his lungs, strong and calming, and he clung to it like a lifeline. In a voice so soft it was nearly a secret, he whispered, “Yours.”
Chi Cheng’s lips curved against his damp hair, and the smile he gave was one of pure satisfaction. He pressed another kiss against the golden crescent mark on Wu Suowei’s neck, reverent and unyielding, before whispering back with a low growl, “Always.”
Wu Suowei sagged further into him, his legs trembling so hard that his knees threatened to buckle completely. The mirror behind him was streaked with condensation and smeared with the marks of his own desperate struggle for support, his fingerprints dragged across the glass like evidence of surrender. His body continued to spasm faintly from the aftershocks, muscles clenching instinctively and greedily around the alpha who still filled him, knotted deep inside. The bond pulsed warmly, humming with a golden glow of satisfaction that only deepened his shivers.
Chi Cheng did not rush. His large hand held Wu Suowei firmly at the waist, steadying him, while his other hand stroked a slow path down the line of his chest and stomach. Each touch was grounding, coaxing him back from the edge of collapse, reassuring him with steady warmth. His lips brushed over the bond mark once more, lingering in a reverent kiss. He grazed his teeth there in a gentle nip, as if to seal his claim again, reminding Wu Suowei that the bond was real and unbreakable.
At last, when his knot loosened, Chi Cheng shifted easily, his strength undiminished. He slid his arms under Wu Suowei’s trembling frame and lifted him as if he weighed nothing at all. Wu Suowei let out a weak cry of protest, his face flushing crimson at being carried so easily, but the sound lacked conviction. His body betrayed him by instinctively curling closer, his arms looping around Chi Cheng’s neck while his cheek pressed against the alpha’s chest.
Chi Cheng chuckled, low and pleased, the sound vibrating through his chest and into Wu Suowei’s ear. “You complain so loudly, but your bond betrays you. I can feel it, Wei Wei. You are happy.”
Wu Suowei groaned, humiliated by how the bond revealed his truest feelings with such ruthless clarity. His pride fought against the tenderness, but he lacked the strength to do more than bury his face deeper into Chi Cheng’s shirt. His voice was muffled and small when he muttered, “Shut up…” His cheeks burned hot, and though his words sounded sharp, his bond betrayed the warmth pooling quietly inside his chest.
Chi Cheng carried him into the bedroom as if he were the most fragile thing in the world. His steps were unhurried, steady, each movement deliberate. For all the ferocity and roughness that had consumed him moments ago, his touch now was startlingly careful. He lowered Wu Suowei onto the bed, arranging him gently onto the mound of blankets and shirts that had been twisted into his nest. Wu Suowei sank into the warmth with a shaky sigh, his body limp, trembling, still overwhelmed from everything that had transpired.
Chi Cheng lingered, his eyes roaming over him with an intensity that made Wu Suowei blush even in his exhaustion. The sight before him stirred something primal in the alpha’s chest, a fierce and unshakable satisfaction that spread like fire through his veins. His mate lay flushed and undone, hair damp and sticking to his temples, lips kiss-bruised and swollen, his skin marked with Chi Cheng’s scent and touch. And on the curve of his neck, glowing faintly in the low light, was the golden crescent above the mating mark, undeniable proof of their bond. The image seared itself into Chi Cheng’s mind, feeding his possessive pride.
“Stay,” Chi Cheng commanded softly, brushing a thumb across Wu Suowei’s damp cheek. His voice was lower now, steady but weighted with authority. Without waiting for a reply, he rose and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom.
Wu Suowei blinked, still dazed, his mind trying to catch up. His chest heaved as he drew shallow breaths, the cool absence of Chi Cheng’s warmth making him shiver faintly. Just as panic began to curl at the edges of his thoughts, the alpha returned.
He was carrying a bowl of warm water and a damp towel. The sight alone startled Wu Suowei, so domestic and intimate that it was almost surreal. Chi Cheng set the bowl carefully on the nightstand and then knelt beside the bed, his large hands moving with surprising gentleness as he wrung out the towel. He began wiping away the sheen of sweat clinging to Wu Suowei’s body, starting with his chest, sliding over his trembling stomach, and trailing lower along his thighs. Each stroke was unhurried, purposeful, almost reverent.
Wu Suowei squirmed faintly, embarrassed beyond words. His face flushed crimson, and he tried to twist away. “You do not have to…” he began, his voice unsteady, mortified by the tenderness.
A sharp look from Chi Cheng silenced him instantly. “You are mine. I take care of what is mine,” he said simply. His tone was final, leaving no room for protest.
Wu Suowei’s lips parted to argue further, but the words were swallowed as Chi Cheng leaned down and captured his mouth in another kiss. It was not frantic or demanding like before. This kiss was deep, slow, and possessive, an assertion of belonging that unraveled the fight from his chest. By the time Chi Cheng pulled back, Wu Suowei was dazed, lips tingling, too breathless and disoriented to protest again.
When Chi Cheng finished cleaning him, he rose once more and left the room briefly. Wu Suowei lay boneless in the nest, eyelids heavy, fighting to stay awake. He stirred when the alpha returned, this time carrying the tray Wu Suowei vaguely remembered from earlier. On it sat a steaming bowl of porridge and a glass of water.
Chi Cheng sat down on the edge of the bed, set the tray within reach, and lifted the spoon with quiet deliberation. He scooped a spoonful and brought it to Wu Suowei’s lips.
Wu Suowei blinked, scandalized. “You… you are going to feed me?” His voice cracked with disbelief.
Chi Cheng smirked faintly, amusement glinting in his eyes. “Do you have the strength to feed yourself right now?”
Wu Suowei pouted, cheeks flaming, but he could not summon a response. His silence was answer enough. Chi Cheng pressed the spoon gently against his lips until he relented, opening his mouth. The warmth of the porridge coated his tongue, soothing his raw throat, easing the ache left behind from his earlier cries. He swallowed obediently despite his embarrassment, his gaze darting away.
Chi Cheng continued patiently, spoonful after spoonful, his attention unwavering. He fed him slowly, watching carefully with each bite, as though making sure his mate would not fade away before his eyes. It was protective, but there was also devotion in the act, the kind of steady care Wu Suowei had never expected from someone like him.
When the bowl was finally emptied, Chi Cheng set the tray aside and shifted onto the bed. He pulled Wu Suowei back into his arms, wrapping him in the secure circle of his embrace. Wu Suowei nestled against his chest instinctively, his body moving on pure instinct, his omega seeking the safety and warmth of his alpha.
The bond thrummed between them, steady and strong, pulsing like a second heartbeat. It carried Chi Cheng’s satisfaction, his fierce protectiveness, and the quiet contentment of having his mate in his arms. Those emotions seeped into Wu Suowei’s mind, soothing the edges of his panic, smoothing the trembling in his chest. For the first time in days, Wu Suowei let himself exhale fully, sinking into that fragile peace.
The moment was short-lived. Chi Cheng shifted suddenly, rising from the bed. Wu Suowei’s eyes flew open, his body stiffening as panic jolted through him. He made a sound of protest, half a whimper, his throat tightening as if he might beg the alpha not to leave.
But before his panic could bloom, Chi Cheng returned. He strode back with calm certainty, carrying a neatly folded set of clothes. A soft white top and simple trousers rested in his arms. He sat beside Wu Suowei and placed the bundle gently into his lap.
His eyes softened, but his voice remained firm, steady and direct. “You should get dressed. Your mother is waiting to speak with you again. She has been very worried.”
Wu Suowei’s stomach flipped at the reminder, heat flooding his face. He clutched the clothes with trembling hands, his mind a storm of emotions.
Wu Suowei’s eyes flew wide open, and as the truth settled over him, his stomach dropped like a stone in water.
Oh no. His mother.
His heart thundered in his chest, each beat sharp and panicked, as reality struck him in waves. He was in his childhood bedroom. His mother was here. She had been here this entire time, moving about the house, under the very same roof where he had spent nearly two weeks locked in heat and rut with Chi Cheng. The realization was enough to set his whole body ablaze with mortification.
A sound of despair tore from his throat, a groan so pitiful that it filled the quiet room, and he immediately yanked the blanket over his head. He curled beneath it, burrowing into the fabric like a child hiding from scolding, praying he could disappear completely.
“Oh god, she knows what we’ve been doing… this is humiliating!” he wailed, his words muffled under the thick pile of blankets. His face was burning so hot he swore steam might rise off his skin. All he wanted in that moment was for the floor to open up beneath him and swallow him whole.
A deep chuckle rolled from Chi Cheng’s chest, rich and warm, vibrating with amusement. The alpha leaned over and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head, the gesture teasing but strangely affectionate.
“Don’t pout, Wei Wei,” he murmured, his voice carrying laughter at the edges, like he was savoring every bit of Wu Suowei’s flustered misery. “Your mother is an omega. Of course she knew what was happening. She was worried about you, because this was your first heat. She will understand far more than you think.”
Wu Suowei groaned louder, curling into an even tighter ball, but Chi Cheng refused to let him hide. The alpha tugged at the blanket, pulling it down just far enough so their eyes met. Wu Suowei’s face was crimson, his lips trembling with shame, but Chi Cheng’s expression softened unexpectedly, something tender shining through his usual intensity.
“And besides…” Chi Cheng continued, his tone low and gentle, sending a pulse of warmth through Wu Suowei’s chest, “we need to tell her about us.”
The words struck deep. They were not casual, not teasing. They were certain. Unyielding. Chi Cheng was not speaking of temporary desire or fleeting instinct. He was speaking about the bond. About what they had become. About them.
Wu Suowei swallowed hard, his nerves tightening in his stomach like a thousand knots. Yet beneath all that embarrassment and panic, his omega purred softly in the back of his mind, soothed and steady by the absolute certainty in Chi Cheng’s voice.
A long, suffering sigh escaped him. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, cheeks still burning, but his voice came out firm.
“Fine. Turn around,” he said, pointing at the wall with exaggerated stubbornness. “Turn around so I can get dressed!”
Chi Cheng blinked at him, surprised for only half a heartbeat before tilting his head, eyes narrowing with incredulous amusement. His lips curved into a slow smirk, dark and amused.
“You are worried about modesty now?” he asked, voice dripping with disbelief and mockery. “After everything we have done together? After the past ten days where I had you beneath me, writhing, moaning, begging for more… now you want me to turn around so you can put on a shirt and trousers?” His tone was deliberately slow, equal parts scoff and tease, cutting right through Wu Suowei’s defenses.
Wu Suowei’s face went scarlet, his ears burning so hot he thought they might burst into flames. “Shut up!” he snapped, glaring furiously. “Just turn around!”
Chi Cheng’s smirk deepened, his dark eyes gleaming with playful cruelty. He leaned down until their noses nearly touched, his low chuckle rumbling between them like a taunt.
“You are adorable when you are embarrassed, Wei Wei,” he murmured, voice soft yet smug, the pet name sinking deep into Wu Suowei’s chest.
Wu Suowei’s heart stumbled at the words, but he quickly masked it with a mock glare. With a huff, he kicked lightly at Chi Cheng’s chest, more flustered than furious. The kick had no force, but it drew another rumbling laugh from the alpha.
Finally, with exaggerated patience, Chi Cheng leaned back, shook his head, and rose to his full height. “Fine, fine,” he said smoothly, his voice still smug. He turned on his heel, broad back presented to Wu Suowei, though the casual set of his shoulders made it very clear how much he was enjoying the entire performance.
Wu Suowei huffed again in relief and scrambled into the clothes Chi Cheng had brought. His fingers fumbled clumsily over the fabric, every movement marked by the heat still burning across his skin. He was painfully aware of the alpha only a few steps away, close enough to turn around at any second. The room filled with the sound of fabric rustling as he dressed, but the silence was broken now and then by the low, amused hums from Chi Cheng, as though he could see every movement in his mind without needing to look.
Now dressed and at least somewhat presentable, Wu Suowei stepped hesitantly out of his bedroom. His cheeks still carried the faint pink of lingering embarrassment, and every step down the familiar corridor felt impossibly heavy. His heart thudded in his chest, each beat echoing with the thought of facing his mother after everything that had happened. The walls he had grown up around seemed to close in tighter with every stride, turning the childhood home that once offered comfort into a stage for his humiliation.
Chi Cheng followed right behind him, tall and steady, his presence a constant shadow. Wu Suowei could feel the brush of the alpha’s aura at his back, grounding him when his nerves threatened to spiral, yet suffocating in its weight. It was both a shield and a reminder of everything that had just occurred under this roof. His omega purred faintly at the proximity, soothed by the presence of its alpha, but his rational mind wished he could vanish into thin air.
The warm aroma of stir-fried vegetables and soy greeted him before he even reached the kitchen. The smell curled around him like a tether to the present moment, guiding his steps down the corridor. The soft crackle of oil sizzling in a pan reached his ears, blending with the faint scrape of metal against the wok. His mother’s rhythms in the kitchen were so achingly familiar it tugged at his chest, clashing violently with the nervous storm inside him.
Wu Liya stood by the stove, sleeves rolled up, her movements precise as she tossed the vegetables in the pan. At the sound of approaching footsteps, she turned her head. When her eyes landed on him, her entire face transformed, lighting up in a way that made the air in the room feel warmer.
“Qiqiong, oh my sweet boy!” Wu Liya cried, her voice full of love and overflowing relief. Without hesitation, she abandoned the stove, the spatula clattering softly against the counter as she rushed to him.
Before Wu Suowei could brace himself, her arms encircled him, pulling him into a fierce, unyielding hug. He stiffened on instinct, caught off guard, but then the familiar scent of his mother enveloped him. Gentle and soothing, a blend of jasmine and warm rice that had always meant home. His shoulders sagged, and he let out a shaky breath as the tension bled from his body. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he leaned into her embrace, closing his eyes and pressing his face against her shoulder. For just a moment, he felt like a child again, shielded from every hardship, safe and untouchable in the cocoon of her arms.
“I was so worried,” Wu Liya whispered against his hair, her voice breaking softly. She hugged him even tighter, as if she feared he might slip through her grasp. “I stayed by your side for three days. You burned so hot, and you cried in your sleep, calling out for your alpha. My heart ached to see you like that. If he hadn’t arrived when he did, I do not even want to think about how much pain you would have been in. But now you are awake, now you are safe… I am so glad.”
Wu Suowei’s eyes snapped open at her words, his face instantly flushing scarlet. Heat rushed up his neck and across his cheeks as mortification clawed through him. He pulled back quickly, breaking from her arms, and dared a glance over his shoulder.
Chi Cheng stood only a few steps behind, his tall frame radiating confidence. His dark eyes glimmered knowingly, sharp with smug satisfaction, and his lips curved into the faintest smirk. He had heard everything. Wu Suowei wanted the floorboards to open up and swallow him whole.
Wu Liya’s face softened again as she looked at him, her smile tender, brimming with relief and love. But before he could even recover from the mortification, her expression shifted. With quick precision, her hand shot up and pinched his ear between her fingers.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing an alpha before this?” she scolded, her tone playful but laced with exasperation, though her eyes still shone with lingering worry.
“Ow, mom!” Wu Suowei yelped, flinching, his whole body jerking at the sharp sting. He squirmed in her hold, his hands batting uselessly at hers as he whined like a boy half his age. His face was burning crimson, the tips of his ears hotter than the sizzling pan behind her.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Chi Cheng let out a deep, amused chuckle that rumbled through his chest. The sound filled the kitchen with warmth, low and unrestrained, carrying the weight of someone entirely at ease. Both mother and son turned to look at him, but their reactions could not have been more different.
Wu Suowei’s expression twisted with horror, his mortified eyes silently begging the ground to swallow him whole. Wu Liya, however, lit up in an entirely different way. The sharp concern that had clung to her face since her son’s collapse softened in an instant. Her gaze locked on Chi Cheng, assessing yet welcoming, and her lips spread into a wide, radiant smile that seemed to shine brighter the longer she looked at him.
She stepped forward, her posture steady but not unkind, every movement laced with quiet confidence. Her eyes were sharp and perceptive, sweeping over him the way only a mother could when meeting the person standing beside her child. She took in the breadth of his shoulders, the calm steadiness in the way he carried himself, and most of all, the faint thread of her son’s scent woven unmistakably into his own. Relief flickered through her expression, as though she had finally found the last missing piece of a puzzle that had haunted her since the night her son first collapsed in fever.
“So, Chi Cheng,” Wu Liya began warmly, her voice carrying both curiosity and a quiet undertone of approval. “We never really had the chance to talk when you first arrived. Everything was so hectic that night.” She tilted her head, her sharp eyes studying him carefully, weighing the presence that seemed to fill the room so effortlessly. Then, her lips curved into a knowing smile.
“It is lovely to finally meet you properly! Though, I must admit, I do not know what you saw in my little terror that made you so attached,” she teased, her voice brimming with affection.
Wu Suowei made a strangled noise of protest, nearly choking on his own breath. His entire face flamed crimson, and with a groan he slapped both hands over his cheeks. “Mom, please! Whose mother are you supposed to be? Why are you taking his side?” he demanded, his voice muffled through his palms.
Wu Liya only chuckled, the sound warm and indulgent as she reached up and nuzzled his cheek despite his attempts to twist away. “Because even terrors need someone who can handle them,” she replied fondly, brushing his hair back from his forehead.
Wu Suowei peeked at Chi Cheng through the gaps in his fingers, his embarrassment only growing when he saw the faint smirk tugging at the alpha’s lips. Chi Cheng looked far too amused, clearly enjoying his misery. Trying to salvage some dignity, Wu Suowei mumbled under his breath, “Mom… we have something to tell you.” His eyes flickered nervously between her and Chi Cheng, the weight of unspoken truth pressing heavily on his tongue.
But before he could string together another word, Wu Liya cut him off with a smile that was both gentle and firm. She gave them both a light push toward the doorway, herding them the way she might shoo along children underfoot.
“Whatever it is, we can discuss it properly over food,” she said, her tone brooking no argument. “Now go on, you two. Set the table in the dining room while I finish here. Lunch first, then we will talk.”
Wu Suowei muttered complaints under his breath as she practically chased them out of the kitchen, his ears still red with embarrassment. Beside him, Chi Cheng allowed himself to be guided with the faintest smirk tugging at his lips, clearly entertained by the whole ordeal.
In the dining room, Wu Suowei busied himself setting chopsticks and bowls with meticulous care, trying to distract himself from the heat still clinging to his face. Once he had placed the last pair neatly, he straightened up and glanced around for Chi Cheng. His heart gave a faint lurch when he found him not by the table but by the living room wall.
The alpha’s tall frame stood in front of the neat row of family photographs, his sharp eyes tracing the faces frozen in time. There was something softer about his expression now, a quiet curiosity that Wu Suowei rarely saw in him.
“This was you when you were little?” Chi Cheng asked at last, his voice uncharacteristically gentle as he leaned closer to study one of the frames. Inside the glass was a toddler Wu Suowei perched awkwardly on a tiny stool, grinning wide, his hair sticking up in every direction.
Wu Suowei walked over until he was shoulder to shoulder with him, his lips curving into a small, sheepish smile. “Yes,” he confirmed quietly, eyes flicking over the familiar photos that lined the wall.
“You looked quite cute,” Chi Cheng drawled after a pause, the corner of his mouth lifting into something wicked. His finger tapped lightly against the glass. “Especially in those open-crotch pants.”
Wu Suowei’s face instantly darkened, mortification washing over him in a fresh wave. He groaned and rolled his eyes before smacking Chi Cheng’s shoulder in exasperation. “Shut up!” he muttered, though the hot flush burning at the tips of his ears betrayed him.
Chi Cheng’s laugh followed, low and pleased, filling the space between them.
Chi Cheng let the teasing linger only a moment before his gaze drifted further along the line of photographs. The easy smirk faded from his lips as his eyes caught on a particular frame. He went utterly still, something unreadable flashing across his face. Slowly, almost unconsciously, he lifted a hand, fingertips brushing the glass as if reaching through time.
“Is this your father?” His voice was lower now, quiet in a way Wu Suowei rarely heard.
Wu Suowei’s steps faltered as he followed Chi Cheng’s gaze. His chest tightened painfully at the sight. It was one of the clearest photographs they had of him. His father stood in full uniform, posture sharp and commanding, yet softened by the warmth in his smile. His strong arm was draped protectively around a younger Wu Liya, her face glowing with pride and joy.
“Yeah,” Wu Suowei answered softly, his voice barely above a whisper. His hand lifted too, hovering beside Chi Cheng’s on the frame, as though afraid to smudge the glass. “He was an alpha. He’s been gone for sixteen years now.” The words tasted bittersweet, carrying the weight of too many years without him. “I barely remember him. Just fragments. He died when I was so young that most of what I know comes from Mom’s stories.”
The silence that followed was thick and heavy, pressing down between them. Wu Suowei’s gaze lingered on the photo, his eyes faintly shining with a sadness that had never faded, lips twitching into the ghost of a smile that hurt more than it comforted.
Beside him, Chi Cheng froze. His jaw clenched as he turned sharply, staring at Wu Suowei as though the quiet confession had cracked something open deep inside him. But Wu Suowei, lost in his memories, did not notice.
Chi Cheng finally turned fully, his sharp eyes locking onto Wu Suowei’s profile. His voice came rough, stripped of its usual playfulness.
“Your mother raised you alone for sixteen years?” There was awe in his tone, almost reverent. “It must have been hard for her.”
Wu Suowei nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line. His heart squeezed tight at the truth of it. A single omega raising her child alone in a world that judged, doubted, and underestimated her. Yet she had endured. She had shielded him with everything she had, worked herself to the bone, sacrificed endlessly for his safety and needs.
“My mom has always worked hard,” Wu Suowei murmured, his voice thick. His gaze flickered toward the kitchen doorway, where he could see her silhouette moving around in the warm glow of home. His chest tightened with a rush of emotion. “Always cautious. Always putting herself last. She sacrificed everything for me. That’s why I wanted to make money, to build something on my own. I want to be filial, to repay her for all of it.”
But then his expression shifted sharply, the melancholy giving way to indignation. He turned on Chi Cheng with a scowl, his lips pursed and his cheeks puffing slightly as he jabbed a finger toward him.
“But the three times I tried to start a business, a certain bully came along and ruined it!” His pout deepened, his glare sharp enough to cut glass.
Chi Cheng’s lips curled into a slow, amused grin. A deep, rumbling chuckle spilled from his chest, warm and infuriatingly smug. Without hesitation, he reached out, his large hand cupping the back of Wu Suowei’s neck. His palm pressed firmly against his heated skin, grounding and possessive all at once, as he leaned down until their foreheads nearly touched.
“Do not worry,” Chi Cheng said softly, his voice rich with steady certainty. “From now on, just charge forward. No matter what stands in your way, I will be there. This bully will have your back. We are mates, after all.”
The words sank into him like an arrow, piercing deeper than Wu Suowei was prepared for. His face burned crimson, his throat tightening until he could hardly swallow. He tore his gaze away, breaking the pull of Chi Cheng’s stare, unable to withstand the weight of it. His omega betrayed him instantly, purring with delight at the promise, basking in the alpha’s certainty even as he tried to fight down his flustered state.
Chi Cheng saw it all. His smile widened, softened, and before Wu Suowei could recover, he leaned in to press a quick but lingering kiss against his lips. It was brief, but the effect was devastating. Wu Suowei’s heart stuttered violently, his chest aching with the force of it.
“Come on, let us eat!” Wu Liya’s cheerful voice rang out from the kitchen. She emerged carrying steaming dishes in her hands, the comforting aromas of home-cooked food filling the air. She set them carefully on the table, the porcelain clinking lightly.
Wu Suowei startled and quickly scrambled toward the kitchen, eager for something to do. He returned moments later with a tray piled high with the rest of the dishes, setting them down until the table overflowed with food.
When everything was finally laid out, the three of them sat together at the table. Wu Liya wasted no time, her face glowing warmly as she picked up the serving chopsticks.
“Xiao Chi, this is braised pork. You must try it,” she said brightly, piling a generous portion directly onto Chi Cheng’s dish.
Chi Cheng chuckled, his sharp features softening. He picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and his eyes lit up with genuine delight. “It is delicious, Mrs. Wu. You are truly a wonderful cook.”
Wu Liya laughed, waving him off. “Ah, you flatter me!”
Across the table, Wu Suowei watched the exchange with wide eyes, his brows arching high in disbelief. His lips tugged into a dramatic pout as he jabbed moodily at his rice, muttering under his breath.
“Mom, since when are you this enthusiastic about feeding my friends?” Wu Suowei muttered, his tone dripping with mock indignation, though the faint pink dusting his cheeks gave him away.
Wu Liya’s lips curled into a knowing smile, her eyes gleaming with quiet mischief. She reached for another dish and, without hesitation, dropped a generous portion of stir-fried vegetables onto Chi Cheng’s plate.
“He looks like he needs feeding,” she teased, her voice lilting with humor. “Too thin for an alpha, don’t you think, Qiqiong?” She gave her son a sidelong glance before adding slyly, “Besides… he is not just your friend, is he? I may be getting older, but I was not born yesterday.”
Her gaze lingered pointedly on Wu Suowei, sharp despite the gentle curve of her smile.
Chi Cheng chuckled, low and pleased, clearly entertained by her words. He leaned back with ease, amusement flickering in his eyes. Meanwhile, Wu Suowei groaned loudly, dragging a hand down his face as though the world had betrayed him.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, though the bright red tips of his ears betrayed every bit of his embarrassment.
The lighthearted atmosphere shifted with the soft clatter of chopsticks being set aside. Wu Liya’s smile gentled, but her eyes sharpened like a hawk honing in on its prey. She folded her hands lightly in front of her, gaze sliding between the two men before settling on Chi Cheng.
“So… tell me,” she began, her voice calm but carrying undeniable weight. “Xiao Chi, are you serious about my boy? I am thankful you were there for him during his first heat, but my question is about your intentions. Are they deep and true, or shallow and fleeting?”
Her words cut through the air like a blade, direct but not unkind.
Wu Suowei froze, his jaw dropping open in shock. His heart skipped violently as he stared at his mother. Never had he seen her so guarded, so sharp. Even when he had once been expected to bring Yue Yue home, she had not looked like this. Her posture radiated strength, her eyes unwavering, as if she were measuring Chi Cheng’s very soul.
Chi Cheng, however, did not so much as flinch. Instead, he straightened in his seat, his broad shoulders squaring, his composure unwavering. A quiet confidence settled over him. Then he reached across the table, clasping Wu Suowei’s hand firmly in his own. His palm was warm, steady, grounding Wu Suowei’s trembling nerves with that simple touch.
“I am very serious about Suowei, Mrs. Wu,” Chi Cheng said, his voice calm yet rich with conviction. His thumb traced slow, deliberate circles across Wu Suowei’s knuckles, as if to reassure them both. “In fact… it was not planned, but during his heat we bonded. We claimed each other.”
The words landed with heavy finality, no hesitation in his tone.
Wu Liya’s expression faltered for the first time. Her lips parted, her eyes widening in visible shock. “What?” she whispered, disbelief shaking her voice.
Wu Suowei’s entire face burned scarlet. He shifted in his seat, then quickly pushed back his hair to reveal the side of his neck. “Yes. We’re bonded,” he admitted, his voice soft but firm. The golden crescent mark shimmered faintly on his skin, stark against the sensitive flesh.
Wu Liya gasped, her hand flying instinctively to cover her mouth before reaching out to touch the mark with trembling fingers. Her touch was reverent, as though she were handling something sacred.
“That… that is the golden crescent. The sign of a golden match,” she breathed, awe pouring into her words. Her eyes flicked back and forth between her son and Chi Cheng, shining with a mixture of disbelief and wonder. “You two… are soulmates?”
Wu Suowei’s blush deepened until it reached the tips of his ears. He ducked his head, his fingers tugging nervously at the hem of his sleeve. “Seems like it…” he muttered, voice laced with sheepish disbelief as he rubbed the back of his neck.
For a long moment, Wu Liya could only stare, her lips parting as emotion swelled in her chest. Tears pooled in her eyes, glimmering in the light, and for an instant her hand hovered near her mouth as if she hardly dared believe what she was seeing. Then, suddenly, she laughed — a warm, joyous sound that seemed to burst straight from her soul. Relief and happiness radiated across her face, chasing away every trace of tension.
“Oh, I am so glad,” she said, her voice trembling as she quickly wiped at the tears streaking her cheeks. Her smile was radiant, soft and unguarded. “Soulmates are so rare. The last golden match I remember hearing of was decades ago. And my son, my silly, stubborn boy, not only was lucky enough to be born with one but to actually find him too.”
Her gaze shifted to Chi Cheng, steady and piercing, her eyes shining as she spoke with unshakable sincerity. “Xiao Chi, please take care of my son. He may act like an idiot sometimes, but he is a sweetheart. He deserves the world, and I want to know he is with someone who will give it to him.”
“Mom!” Wu Suowei yelped, his face flaming scarlet as he buried it in his hands, horrified by her blunt words. He peeked between his fingers with a groan, only to see Chi Cheng watching his mother with a solemn focus that made his stomach twist.
Chi Cheng did not so much as flicker at Wu Suowei’s embarrassment. His attention was wholly on Wu Liya, his expression firm, resolute, every word he spoke wrapped in quiet conviction. “Mrs. Wu, you do not need to worry. I will not let anything happen to Wu Suowei. He is mine now, and I will give him everything I have. That is my promise.”
Something in his tone, in the weight of his words, must have struck true. Wu Liya’s expression softened again, her tears drying as her smile grew even brighter than before. She reached across the table, her hand warm as it patted Chi Cheng’s with maternal approval.
“Good,” she said softly, the single word rich with trust. “Then let us eat before the food grows cold.” Without missing a beat, she reached for the serving chopsticks, scooping another generous portion of braised pork into Chi Cheng’s bowl as though he were already part of the family.
As Wu Liya turned her focus back to the dishes, Chi Cheng’s gaze slid sideways, locking onto Wu Suowei. The omega dared to glance up just long enough to offer him a shy, fleeting smile before ducking his head again, cheeks glowing red. Chi Cheng’s lips curved into a quiet, satisfied smile of his own as he squeezed Wu Suowei’s hand firmly beneath the table.
Wu Suowei squirmed but did not pull away, his fingers twitching uncertainly against Chi Cheng’s before finally curling back, holding on. His eyes stayed fixed on his rice bowl, desperate to hide his expression, but there was no disguising the way his heart raced, the bond humming happily between them. He smiled and gave Chi Cheng a look before looking down in his bowl again.
To say Jiang Xiaoshuai was worried would be an understatement.
Thirteen long days had crawled by since he had dropped Wu Suowei off at his mother’s house, knowing his first heat was about to strike. Thirteen days of silence. No phone call, no text, not even the smallest update. Wu Suowei had vanished from his reach, and what gnawed at him most was that even Mrs. Wu had not sent a single message, despite him leaving his number with her before leaving. The silence was unnatural, suffocating, and it was eating at him piece by piece.
Each day that passed without news pulled the coil of worry inside his chest tighter, until it felt like it might snap. He tried to reason with himself. Wu Suowei was with his mother. He was safe. If anything had gone wrong, surely Mrs. Wu would have called immediately. Surely she would not leave him in the dark. But logic was useless against instinct. Reason was a flimsy shield against the constant gnawing in his gut and the restless scratching of his omega instincts.
The truth was harsher than he liked to admit. He had not realized how deeply he had bonded with Suowei until this silence forced him to confront it. He had lived so long without pack ties, without anyone to anchor him, deliberately choosing a life free of attachments, that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to have someone matter this much. For years, he had been a lone wolf, having no bonds due to the situation with his parents and also the trauma he had to deal with in his last relationship. Better living without any pack, then there wasn't anyone to betray and hurt you.
And then Wu Suowei had stumbled into his life, reckless and fragile, stubborn to the point of exasperation. Without meaning to, Xiaoshuai had reached out, his instincts pulling the former beta close, forming a bond that had crept into his heart before he could stop it. He had even wondered, had his own omega picked up subconsciously on the fact that Wu Suowei was going to manifest into a fellow omega? Was that why he had easily but accidentally created a pack bond?
At first, he had called it friendship. Nothing too intricate just casual friendship without having that deep attachment. But these thirteen days had stripped away all denial. The absence hurt. His omega side prowled endlessly in the back of his mind, pacing like a caged animal, restless and unsettled. It did not matter that Wu Suowei was not his mate. It did not matter that their bond was not the all-consuming tether of soulmates. Instinct did not bow to reason. His instincts only knew that his pack mate was gone, that he was out of sight and out of reach, and it was driving him into agitation.
Every morning, his first thought was of Suowei. Every evening, he fought to quiet the ache in his chest when the day ended without a word. At the clinic, he caught himself glancing at his phone more than his patients. Every vibration sent his pulse racing, his heart leaping in his chest, only for the inevitable wave of disappointment to crash over him when the screen lit up with nothing but meaningless notifications. He told himself to focus, to breathe, but the hollowness grew heavier with each passing night, pressing into him until sleep became a stranger.
By the time the thirteenth day blurred into the fourteenth, Jiang Xiaoshuai realized his patience had frayed to its last thread. He could not endure much more silence. Something had to give, because the emptiness of not knowing was beginning to consume him whole.
For the days that followed after dropping Wu Suowei off, Jiang Xiaoshuai threw himself into work with almost manic determination. He lengthened his clinic hours far beyond what was reasonable, took on walk-ins he normally would have refused, and reorganized supplies that were already neatly arranged. He scrubbed and sanitized instruments twice over, sorted paperwork that did not need sorting, and polished the counters until they gleamed. Anything to keep his hands moving, anything to stop the gnawing worry that sat like a stone in his chest.
But no matter how much he tried to bury himself in work, the restlessness never left him. His mind wandered no matter what task he forced on himself. Worry clung to him like a second skin, a constant reminder that Wu Suowei was out of reach, silent, and possibly suffering.
Oddly enough, in those same days, his clinic had gained a new and infuriatingly persistent presence—Guo Chengyu.
The alpha appeared without fail, as if he had appointed himself a permanent fixture of the clinic. He never needed treatment, never had an appointment, yet every morning or afternoon he showed up. Sometimes he leaned against the doorway with arms folded, other times he sprawled across one of the waiting room chairs as though he owned the place. He carried something different each day, too—boxes of pastries, slices of cake, delicate tarts that smelled of butter and sugar until the entire clinic was steeped in the cloying sweetness of a bakery.
At first, Jiang Xiaoshuai’s patience snapped. He had hurled sharp words at him, barked at him to leave, and even threatened to call security. He reminded him, repeatedly, that this was a medical clinic, not a café, not a playground, not a place for bored alphas to loiter. But Guo Chengyu never flinched. He took the scolding with infuriating ease, grinned through the insults, and reappeared the next day with a different dessert in hand, as though nothing had been said.
Eventually, Jiang Xiaoshuai stopped trying to chase him away, gave up and started eating the treats the alpha would bring. It was not that he welcomed him, but Guo Chengyu’s persistence was relentless, almost impossible to fight against. And against his better judgment, the alpha’s presence became… tolerable. His chatter filled the clinic’s silence, his teasing banter pulled Xiaoshuai’s mind away, if only briefly, from the gnawing ache in his chest. There were moments, fleeting but undeniable, where the restless tension eased under the distraction of Guo Chengyu’s laughter and infuriating smirks. The satisfied expression that he would wear whenever Jiang Xiaoshuai at the food Guo Chengyu brought was enough to make him blush and look away. A part of him recognised the actions...an alpha bringing in treats to an omega? The courting actions were obvious but he wasn't ready to acknowledge that. He ate the treats but didn't want to acknowledge or label what Guo Chengyu was doing. He just silently kept it going and used Guo Chengyu as a distraction.
But the distraction never lasted.
The moment the clinic grew quiet, when Guo Chengyu left or when Xiaoshuai found himself alone at the end of the day, the silence returned like a hammer. The worry surged back stronger, sinking claws into him until he struggled to breathe past it. Wu Suowei’s first heat loomed in his thoughts constantly. He pictured him fevered and trembling, his late manifestation making the heat unbearable. He wondered endlessly. Had Chi Cheng gone to him? Had the alpha stayed by his side, cared for him, eased him through the fire? Or had Suowei endured it alone, broken and hurting, with no one to anchor him?
The uncertainty gnawed at him until he felt raw.
By the fourteenth day, Jiang Xiaoshuai realized he was teetering on the edge of breaking. His patience was frayed to threads, and his omega instincts clawed at him to do something, to find his packmate, to see with his own eyes that Wu Suowei was safe.
Finally, after yet another day of Guo Chengyu haunting his clinic with boxes of sweets and endless chatter, Jiang Xiaoshuai had closed up for the night. He locked the doors, watched the alpha saunter off down the street with his usual unbothered swagger, and was left standing alone in the clinic.
The silence that followed was crushing, heavier than it had ever been. It pressed down on Jiang Xiaoshuai until his chest ached, until the empty rooms seemed to echo with the absence of Wu Suowei’s voice. Every creak of the floorboards, every hum of the refrigerator, only reminded him of what was not there. No laughter. No complaints. No snide remarks from his younger packmate. Nothing but the kind of emptiness that gnawed at the bones.
And Jiang Xiaoshuai, left in the hollow quiet, realized he could not bear it much longer.
Alone, he paced the length of his clinic, back and forth, back and forth, until the carpet fibers had been worn flat beneath his restless steps. Fourteen days. Fourteen long days without word. His mind spun in endless circles. A heat should not last this long. Even the most difficult late manifestations usually ended within five to seven days. Why had there been no call? No visit? No single word from Wu Suowei or his mother?
The silence was unnatural. Wrong.
His chest ached with dread. His omega instincts clawed at him relentlessly, sending sharp bursts of agitation down his spine. He could almost feel his omega's restless emotion, pacing behind his ribs, frantic and wild, demanding he find his packmate. The bond was not that of mates, but it was still there, still real, and the silence of it was unbearable.
He bit down hard on his lower lip, gnawing until he tasted copper. His thoughts spiraled darker, faster. What if Suowei had been hurt? What if Chi Cheng didn't show up? What if Chi Cheng didn't spend his heat with him and gave him relief? What if his body had not been able to withstand the sudden onset of a first heat? What if something had gone wrong? What if he had…
The sudden jingle of the front door bell sliced through his spiraling haze like a blade.
Xiaoshuai’s head snapped up, every muscle in his body tensing at once. His breath caught in his throat as he turned sharply toward the door.
And then he froze.
There, framed in the doorway with the faint light of dusk spilling in around him, stood Wu Suowei.
He was dressed simply in a white jumper and grey trousers, his figure thinner than before, a little worn, a little pale. But his steps were steady, his shoulders held upright. He looked healthier than Xiaoshuai dared to hope, even if exhaustion still rimmed his eyes in shadows. There was a subtle glow to him now, a radiance that had not been there before.
His hair was messy, his lips chapped, but he was there. Alive. Breathing. Real.
Relief crashed into Xiaoshuai in a violent wave, so fierce his knees nearly buckled under the weight of it. His chest seized with something sharp and overwhelming, as if a great dam inside him had finally cracked open.
“Da Wei…” he whispered, his voice trembling, lips parting in shock.
Wu Suowei blinked at him, uncertain, his posture hesitant, almost sheepish. He shifted on his feet as though unsure if he had made the right choice by coming.
That single look was all it took to break Xiaoshuai’s restraint. In the next breath, he was moving, his feet carrying him forward in hurried, unthinking strides.
“Da Wei!” Jiang Xiaoshuai exclaimed, his voice rising with a mixture of relief and desperation. He surged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Wu Suowei, holding him as if afraid that if he loosened his grip, the younger man would vanish into thin air.
Wu Suowei let out a surprised laugh, muffled against Xiaoshuai’s shoulder. His hands hovered awkwardly for a moment before he returned the embrace, patting Xiaoshuai’s back almost sheepishly.
When Xiaoshuai finally pulled back, it was only enough to look at him properly. His hands gripped Wu Suowei’s shoulders tightly, his sharp eyes scanning every inch of him with frantic precision. He needed to see, to confirm with his own eyes that he was whole. The Wu Suowei standing before him was not the feverish, trembling mess he had delivered into his mother’s care nearly two weeks ago. He was different now. His skin was warmer, his eyes brighter, his entire presence humming with the subtle shift that came with full manifestation.
Radiant. That was the only word that came to mind. Radiant in a way only an omega could be after surviving such a transformation.
Relief surged so powerfully it made Xiaoshuai dizzy, but the worry did not release its grip entirely.
“How was your heat?” The questions spilled out of him too fast, tumbling over each other, unstoppable. “Was it manageable? Not too painful? Did you get hurt? Did you eat properly? Did you—”
His hands moved as if to search for injuries, ghosting along Wu Suowei’s arms and face, brushing his sleeves, touching his jaw, as if he could smooth away any discomfort with his own hands.
Wu Suowei laughed weakly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I’m fine, Xiaoshuai. Really…” he muttered, though his voice faltered under the intensity of his friend’s gaze.
Xiaoshuai wanted to believe him, he really did. But then instinct kicked in, sharp and unrelenting. He inhaled deeply, letting his omega senses flare.
The scent hit him instantly.
The first layer was jasmine and sandalwood. Strong, full, unmistakable. Wu Suowei’s true omega fragrance, no longer muted, no longer hidden. It wrapped around Xiaoshuai’s senses like sunlight breaking through storm clouds, warm and grounding. It was proof that his packmate had fully manifested, proof that he had endured and survived. It should have filled Xiaoshuai with only comfort.
But it was not alone.
There was another scent. It clung to Wu Suowei so thickly it was impossible to ignore. Deep and grounding. Wood. Rain. A faint smoky undertone that was unmistakable.
Xiaoshuai’s breath caught, his heart stuttering violently in his chest. His eyes widened as realization crashed into him.
That was Chi Cheng’s scent.
And it was not just lingering faintly, not just the scent of someone who had been nearby. No. This was deeper. Interwoven. Claimed.
Xiaoshuai’s hands fell away from Wu Suowei’s shoulders, his mind spinning.
Chi Cheng.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s eyes widened, his stomach flipping as realization struck. He had been the one to give Chi Cheng the address, but after that, there had been nothing. No word. No confirmation. No acknowledgment that the alpha had even gone. For days, Xiaoshuai had been tormented with uncertainty, caught between hope and dread.
But this scent… this scent was proof.
The interwoven layers of jasmine, sandalwood, wood, and rain told him everything he needed to know. Chi Cheng had gone to Wu Suowei. Chi Cheng had stayed with him through his first heat. Relief swept through Xiaoshuai’s chest, loosening a knot he hadn’t realized was strangling him. His shoulders slumped, and for the first time in days, his lips lifted into a faint, grateful smile.
That meant Wu Suowei hadn’t suffered through it alone. That meant the pain of his first, late manifestation heat had been eased by someone strong enough to anchor him. Whatever else it meant, at least he hadn’t been left trembling and fevered in the dark.
Wu Suowei, noticing the shift in his friend’s face, rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish, guilty little smile. His blush spread quickly, climbing up his cheeks until it painted his ears crimson.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he admitted softly, his voice stilted. “I… well, Chi Cheng showed up.” His eyes darted away, anywhere but at Xiaoshuai. “He stayed with me through the heat. But…” He hesitated, his blush deepening until Xiaoshuai thought his skin might ignite. “It triggered his rut. The combination made it last longer than either of us expected. That’s why… why it took me so long to come back.”
His fingers fidgeted at the hem of his shirt, twisting and tugging as his eyes remained stubbornly downcast. The silence between them grew heavier with every heartbeat, the mingling scents thick in the room.
Finally, Jiang Xiaoshuai exhaled, a long, weary sigh that deflated the tension in his chest. His lips softened into a smile, warm and tinged with relief.
“Well,” he said gently, though his voice carried a faint warning edge, “at least you weren’t alone.” His eyes softened further as he gave a small, approving nod. “That’s good. I’m glad it worked out that way. Otherwise… otherwise it would have been far too painful for you.”
For a moment, he allowed himself to feel the relief fully. But then, his instincts stirred again, sharp and attuned to every flicker of Wu Suowei’s mood. Something was off. Beneath the flush of embarrassment, beneath the sheepish smile, there was restlessness. Nervous energy. A weight in Wu Suowei’s posture that had nothing to do with lingering exhaustion.
Xiaoshuai’s smile faded. His brows knitted together, his sharp eyes narrowing as he leaned in slightly.
“What is it? Why do you look so nervous?” he asked, his tone low, probing.
Wu Suowei swallowed, shifting uncomfortably under the scrutiny. His hands tightened at the hem of his shirt, twisting the fabric until it stretched. His lips parted as if to speak, but closed again. He glanced away, then forced himself to meet Xiaoshuai’s gaze for the briefest moment before ducking his head.
“We—uh…” His voice cracked. He cleared his throat, cheeks blazing. “We didn’t just… spend my heat together,” he whispered. His words came haltingly, like stones dragged from his throat. “It kind of… got out of hand.”
Jiang Xiaoshuai blinked. Then huffed, crossing his arms with exaggerated disbelief, his brow arched high.
“What? Don’t tell me he actually bit you and bonded with you.” The words left his mouth as a joke, sharp with sarcasm. It was ridiculous, after all. Chi Cheng might have been reckless, might have been possessive, but he was an alpha with iron control. Even Guo Chengyu had admitted as much. A man with that much experience didn’t simply lose himself. The suggestion was absurd.
But Wu Suowei froze.
His expression shifted, stiff and pale beneath the crimson flush of his cheeks. He stood too still. His lips pressed together too tightly. His silence was deafening.
Xiaoshuai’s heart lurched. His stomach dropped. The weight of dread sank like a stone into his chest.
“No,” he whispered, shaking his head slowly. “Don’t tell me…”
Wu Suowei raised his hand quickly, cutting him off. His voice was quiet, curt, but the words slammed into Xiaoshuai like a blow.
“We did.”
For one frozen beat, silence filled the clinic. The air seemed to vanish, sucked out of the room.
Then Jiang Xiaoshuai exploded.
“Wait… YOU WHAT?” His voice cracked with disbelief, rising higher than he intended. His eyes went wide, his omega instincts surging with alarm so strong it made his skin prickle.
Wu Suowei winced, holding up his hands defensively as if to shield himself from the outburst. His voice lowered again, softer now, almost ashamed.
“But that’s not all…” he muttered. Slowly, hesitantly, he tilted his head to the side, baring his neck.
Xiaoshuai’s eyes snapped to the exposed skin. He saw it instantly. The claiming bite, unmistakable and raw. His breath caught, his chest tightening until it hurt. His disbelief was written all over his face.
But then he saw it.
Not just the bite. Something more. On top of the bite mark was a golden crescent moon.
Jiang Xiaoshuai staggered back a half step, his hand flying instinctively to his mouth as though it might physically hold back the shout clawing its way out of his throat. His eyes went wide, round and almost bulging, fixed unblinking on the glowing crescent gleaming faintly above the raw bite. His chest rose and fell sharply, every muscle in his body wound tight with shock.
“You…” His voice cracked, hoarse and strangled, breaking apart under the weight of disbelief. “You have… a golden mark?!?”
The words rang out in the clinic, bouncing off the sterile white walls and landing like a thunderclap in the silence. For a moment, all Xiaoshuai could do was stare, his mind blank, utterly frozen by the enormity of what he was seeing. He knew what that mark meant. Everyone knew. And yet, seeing it with his own eyes, etched onto Wu Suowei’s neck, felt impossible.
His throat worked as he tried to swallow. His gaze snapped to Wu Suowei’s face, searching for some kind of denial, some kind of explanation, but all he saw was the flushed embarrassment and hesitant guilt painted across his friend’s features. It was real. It was true.
“You… you are Chi Cheng’s soulmate?” Xiaoshuai finally managed, his voice breaking halfway through the question. He staggered a step further, as if his legs couldn’t quite hold the weight of it. “Jeez, I—” His words fell apart, his mind racing too fast for his tongue to keep up. He turned in a circle, looking around the small clinic like the walls themselves might help him process the revelation.
Then he turned back sharply, pointing at Wu Suowei with trembling fingers. “Suowei, do you even understand what this means? Do you even grasp how insanely lucky you are?” His voice pitched higher, incredulous and almost shrill, overflowing with the shock rattling through his body.
“Yes, soulmates exist. Theoretically, scientifically, biologically—whatever. But the possibility of actually finding them is so rare it’s practically a myth! The last registered golden pair was four decades ago! And even then, it was the standard pairing, a male alpha and a female omega. But you—” He jabbed his finger toward Wu Suowei again, his face flushing with the force of his disbelief. “You are a late manifested omega, and somehow you were not only born with a soulmate but you actually found him! That—this—it’s insane!”
His hands flew through the air as his words spilled out faster and faster, his expression somewhere between awe and outrage. “Do you know how rare this is? This doesn’t happen! Oh god, you need to register this with the government immediately. Do you even realize how amazing this is?"
With a sharp exhale, Xiaoshuai collapsed into his office chair, the leather squeaking under the sudden weight. He scrubbed his hands down his face, then dragged them back through his hair in agitation, his breathing uneven.
“Oh god,” he muttered, his voice muffled behind his palms. “This is insane. Absolutely insane. I’m losing my mind and it’s not even happening to me.” He spread his hands apart, glaring at Wu Suowei as if his calmness were the greatest offense of all. “Why are you sitting there looking so casual? Why am I the one freaking out when I don’t even have a soulmate?!”
His voice cracked again, pitching high with exasperation as his omega instincts surged, his protective bond to Wu Suowei making his shock feel even more personal. He threw his arms wide as if the sheer madness of the situation might split him in two.
Meanwhile, Wu Suowei stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, his blush deepening until it spread across his cheeks and neck. His fingers fidgeted uselessly at his sides, his weight shifting from foot to foot like a scolded child. He looked utterly out of place, as though embarrassed by the storm of panic his quiet confession had unleashed in his packmate.
“I think I am still in shock,” Wu Suowei admitted at last, his voice low, sheepish. His hand rose to his hair, tugging through the messy strands as if trying to ground himself. “It’s… crazy. Hard to comprehend, honestly. I don’t even know how to wrap my head around it.”
Jiang Xiaoshuai stared at him for a long moment, his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. Then, as though something inside him clicked, his features softened. He broke into a broad, almost ridiculous grin before lunging forward and wrapping his arms tightly around Wu Suowei again.
Caught off guard, Wu Suowei let out a startled hum but quickly melted into the embrace. His own arms came up to circle Xiaoshuai, clutching him tightly. The comfort of the pack bond thrummed between them, warm and steady, soothing some of the chaos twisting in Wu Suowei’s chest. For a fleeting moment, the world felt simpler. Safe.
Finally, Jiang Xiaoshuai pulled back, his hands gripping Wu Suowei’s shoulders as he beamed at him, the grin almost too wide for his face.
“Well,” he declared, voice full of forced cheer and optimism, “I would say your counterattack against your cursed fate has been wildly effective. You might have been dumped by Yue Yue, but now look at you. You have a boyfriend who is not only your bonded mate but your soulmate too! And he is rich! Suowei, you are winning in life!”
His voice rang with exaggerated enthusiasm, as though he could chase away every lingering fear with sheer positivity.
But then Wu Suowei’s expression shifted.
The small smile that had been tugging faintly at his lips vanished. His shoulders stiffened, his eyes widened slightly, and all the color drained from his face in an instant. It was so abrupt that Jiang Xiaoshuai froze, his own smile faltering as his instincts pricked with unease.
“What’s wrong?” Xiaoshuai asked immediately, his sharp gaze narrowing as he studied his best friend. His voice was calm but threaded with tension.
Wu Suowei hesitated, his throat working as if the words physically pained him. Then, slowly, almost reluctantly, his gaze lifted to Xiaoshuai’s. His eyes were dark with worry, his lips pressing into a thin line before he finally whispered the single word that shattered the moment.
“Yue Yue.”
Jiang Xiaoshuai blinked, and then it struck him like a blow to the chest. The air between them seemed to thicken as the memory crashed back in. Their plan. Their ridiculous, reckless scheme. The reason Wu Suowei had approached Chi Cheng in the first place was not out of love, not out of genuine desire, but for revenge. To use him. To sting Yue Yue back for betrayal.
And now… now everything had spiralled so far out of control that the game had become reality. Wu Suowei had not just been entangled with Chi Cheng, not only had he started to get genuine feelings for the alpha and got attached, but he had bonded with him. Soulmate. Golden match. Something eternal and unbreakable. And the domineering alpha had no clue about Wu Suowei's original true intention.
“What am I going to do?” Wu Suowei’s voice broke, panic rising sharp and raw. His hands curled tightly at his sides, his body trembling as his eyes widened with desperation. “He’s going to hate me when he finds out! He’ll think it was all a trick, that I was just using him! And maybe at the start I was, but now—” His voice cracked and he cut himself off, shaking his head violently. “Now everything’s different. But he won’t believe me…”
Jiang Xiaoshuai opened his mouth, ready to argue, to reassure, to deny. But nothing came. His words dried on his tongue. Even he, usually quick with sharp retorts and clever reasoning, found himself frozen.
Because Wu Suowei was right.
This truth—this ugly beginning—hung over them like an axe poised to fall. At any moment it could cut through everything Wu Suowei had just begun to build with Chi Cheng.
The two omegas stood in silence, the air between them thick with dread. Neither spoke, both feeling the weight of reality settle over them like a suffocating blanket. The pack bond hummed faintly, restless with unease, but it could not soften the truth.
They were caught in a snare of their own making.
And sooner or later, Chi Cheng would learn it and that could make or break Wu Suowei.
Notes:
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Let me know your thoughts. I will try to keep the regular updates going. Share your thoughts as I enjoy your reactions, predictions and theories. We are still on middle of episode 5 in this fic. But things will start changing a lot now since we have hit bonding. So let me know your thoughts so far! <3
Chapter 12: I still get jealous
Summary:
Just as Wu Suowei pushed through the sliding glass doors into the main office floor, humming faintly under his breath, the easy bounce in his step came to a sudden, jarring halt. His sneakers squeaked against the polished tile as he froze in place, eyes locking on the figure lounging in the waiting area.
There, on the visitor’s sofa, sat Yue Yue.
Notes:
We are still in episode 5 with lots of canon divergence since in the fic Chi Cheng and Wu Suowei got together earlier than canon and we are in the ABO world. Next chapter we will move onto episode 6 and 7 (depending on how much I can write without it becoming too long) with more changes ahead. Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Am I crazy? Have I lost ya?
Even though I know you love me, can't help it
I turn my cheer music up, and I'm puffing my chest
I'm getting red in the face, you can call me obsessed
It's not your fault that they hover, I mean no disrespect
It's my right to be hellish, I still get jealous
'Cause you're too sexy beautiful and everybody wants a taste
That's why I still get jealous
Jealous by Nick Jonas
Wu Suowei’s heart twisted painfully as he looked at Jiang Xiaoshuai. His eyes were wide, almost pleading, filled with a raw worry he could no longer disguise. His hands fidgeted uselessly at his sides, and his lips pressed together so tightly they trembled.
Jiang Xiaoshuai read every flicker of unease written across his friend’s face. His own chest tightened, but he forced himself to soften. Slowly, he offered Wu Suowei a small, disarming smile, the kind meant to steady a panicked patient.
“Look,” he said gently, his voice warm with conviction, “you are bonded with Chi Cheng now. And more than that—he is your soulmate. Do you understand how rare that is? No matter what you say, no matter what doubts you let eat away at you, he will not leave you. A bond like this… it does not break so easily.”
Wu Suowei swallowed hard, his throat thick with dread. His eyes darted downward, lashes shadowing the faint sheen of tears forming there. “Yes, but… our relationship started with my deception,” he whispered, the words heavy as stones. His teeth sank into his lower lip, biting hard as if punishing himself.
His chest ached. He had thought the beginning was simple—revenge, petty anger, a way to strike back at Yue Yue for betrayal. He had not expected his heart to betray him, to twist and bend until it was tied so tightly to Chi Cheng he could barely breathe without him. He had not expected to fall in love with an alpha, not after years of hating them, resenting them, avoiding them. And yet here he was, bound in every way possible to the one alpha he had sworn to use and discard.
The guilt threatened to crush him.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s expression softened further. He stepped closer and lifted his hands, placing them firmly on Wu Suowei’s trembling shoulders. His grip was steady, grounding, anchoring him like only a packmate could. He leaned down slightly, forcing Wu Suowei to meet his gaze.
“Suowei,” he said firmly, his voice low but insistent, “listen to me. Bonds are not formed on lies. Do you think the golden crescent would have appeared if what you felt for him was nothing but deception? Soulmates do not manifest because of games or schemes. They manifest because the truth underneath it all is real. You care for him. He cares for you. That is the truth, no matter how it began.”
Wu Suowei blinked at him, startled, his lips parting in a shaky breath. His shoulders quivered under Xiaoshuai’s hands, the guilt still heavy, but a small flicker of hope lit behind his eyes.
“Relax.” Jiang Xiaoshuai’s voice was calm but firm, carrying the kind of steady warmth that always managed to cut through Wu Suowei’s panic. His hands squeezed his friend’s shoulders reassuringly, grounding him. “For now, just bask in your bond. Spend time with him. Let the two of you grow closer. Make your relationship deeper, stronger. And then… when the time is right, you can confess to him. He might be angry, yes, but he will not leave you. You two are literally soulmates. That golden mark means something greater than anger or mistakes. He will not let you go.”
Wu Suowei’s wide, anxious eyes searched Jiang Xiaoshuai’s face, desperate for something solid to cling to. Slowly, the storm of panic in his chest began to ease. His shoulders loosened beneath Xiaoshuai’s hands, the tight coil of tension finally starting to unravel.
“You really think so?” he asked quietly, almost like a child seeking comfort.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s lips curved into a reassuring smile. “I know so. Stop tormenting yourself and just… relax. For once, let yourself enjoy it. You deserve to be happy, Suowei.”
The words struck deep, softening something inside him. Wu Suowei let out a shaky laugh, his lips tugging into a small, genuine smile. “You’re right…” he admitted, his voice lighter now, gratitude warming his tone. “Thanks, Xiaoshuai.”
He hefted his bag over his shoulder, the weight of it a familiar comfort. Taking a deep breath, he straightened, looking more composed than he had minutes ago. “I’ll go back to my room then,” he said, his voice carrying a faint note of relief.
Jiang Xiaoshuai watched as Wu Suowei turned, retreating toward the back of the clinic where his room was. For the first time in days, he did not look like he was carrying the weight of the world alone.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Xiaoshuai let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. His smile lingered, but his eyes were thoughtful, tinged with a quiet worry he dared not voice aloud.
Jiang Xiaoshuai hummed under his breath, a low, content sound that slipped out as he sank into the familiar comfort of his office chair. The tension that had been coiled in his chest for nearly two weeks finally began to unravel. His packmate was back, safe and alive, under the same roof again. For the first time since he had left Wu Suowei at his mother’s house, Xiaoshuai allowed himself to truly relax. A faint smile touched his lips, quiet relief softening his usually sharp features.
He leaned back, running a tired hand through his hair, savoring the sense of calm. The clinic felt warmer, fuller, no longer hollow and restless as it had during the long stretch of silence. His omega instincts, which had been pacing and clawing at him every day, were finally soothed now that Wu Suowei was close.
With the day finally coming to an end, Xiaoshuai turned to the cluttered desk beside him. He began gathering papers into neat stacks, tucking them into folders, and carefully stowing away his medical instruments. The soft rustle of paper and the clink of tools were the only sounds in the quiet clinic.
Just as he reached for his satchel to pack it away, a shrill voice shattered the calm.
“Where are my sugar figures?!”
The scream cut through the silence so sharply that Xiaoshuai nearly jumped in his chair. His hand froze mid-motion, his heart giving a startled lurch before settling into a thud of annoyance.
Jiang Xiaoshuai sighed. A certain alpha was going to be in trouble.
The next day
A very happy Jiang Xiaoshuai was bustling through his clinic that day, and it did not go unnoticed. The staff whispered to one another about his unusually bright mood, trading small smiles at the sight of their doctor humming softly while checking patient files. Even the patients commented on it, remarking on how refreshed and cheerful he seemed compared to his usual calm professionalism.
Xiaoshuai did not care about the attention. He let the comments slide past with a quiet smile because, in truth, he could not bring himself to feel anything but relief. Wu Suowei was back. Safe. Alive. Under his roof once more. That was all that mattered, and it left a warmth blooming in his chest that even he could not hide.
Yet beneath the happiness, a quieter emotion lingered. Possessiveness. Annoyance. He had not wanted to admit it even to himself, but the knowledge that Wu Suowei was bonded now gnawed at him. The realization settled heavily in his gut whenever he thought about it. Bonds changed everything. They restructured priorities, reshaped lives. And it was only natural that sooner or later Chi Cheng would demand Wu Suowei move in with him. Once that happened, the precious time Xiaoshuai had with his packmate would dwindle, swallowed by the bond that tied Wu Suowei so tightly to another.
The thought pricked like a thorn every time it surfaced, but Xiaoshuai refused to dwell on it. He forced it down, burying it beneath his joy. For now, he would not let those shadows ruin what he had. Wu Suowei was here, alive and smiling, and that was enough. That had to be enough.
His omega half, soothed by the presence of his packmate once more, preened contentedly. The soft waves of his scent flowed freely through the clinic, no longer restrained, carrying the calm sweetness of vanilla and the gentle freshness of peach. It threaded into the air, subtle yet undeniable, a quiet balm that wrapped around staff and patients alike. Nurses felt their shoulders relax without realizing why, and even the most nervous patients found themselves breathing easier as the atmosphere softened around them.
The clinic was filled not only with the smell of antiseptic and clean linen but also with the tranquil aura of an omega in high spirits. It radiated outward from Jiang Xiaoshuai himself, marking the entire space with an unspoken reassurance.
For once, the weight of worry was gone.
It was into this softened, almost glowing atmosphere that Guo Chengyu strolled, a familiar brown paper bag dangling from his hand. The warm scent of sugar and butter drifted faintly from it, announcing his arrival even before his voice could.
The moment he crossed the threshold, his steps faltered for just a second. His eyes widened slightly as he caught the rich current of vanilla and peach that saturated the air, the omega’s scent filling every corner of the clinic with its soothing calm. It wrapped around him, unfiltered and warm, a sharp contrast to the tightly restrained neutrality Jiang Xiaoshuai usually wore like armor. For the first time, Guo Chengyu realized he was walking into the heart of the doctor’s true mood, and it made something inside him settle unexpectedly. His shoulders eased, the tension of the city falling away as he breathed it in. A slow smile tugged at his lips.
So this was what it felt like when the guarded doctor allowed himself to be happy.
He crossed the room in his usual unhurried stride, the smirk creeping back into place as he stopped directly opposite Jiang Xiaoshuai’s desk. Without asking, he leaned forward, one elbow propped casually on the surface as though the office were his own. The paper bag crinkled softly as it swung from his fingers.
The doctor looked up, the cheerful smile he had been wearing slipping off his face the moment his gaze landed on the alpha. His brow furrowed, the shift subtle but clear, and he raised one neat eyebrow in wordless challenge.
“You are back again?” Jiang Xiaoshuai said flatly, though his eyes flicked to the bag in Guo Chengyu’s hand almost immediately. The faint spark of recognition betrayed him, his expression softening just for a second.
Guo Chengyu did not miss it. His sharp eyes caught the way the omega’s gaze lingered, caught the tiny flicker of anticipation despite the dry tone of his voice. The smirk on the alpha’s lips widened into something wolfish, triumphant.
He tilted the bag slightly, letting the faint scent of baked pastry drift upward. “You noticed,” he drawled, voice thick with satisfaction. “For someone who pretends not to care, you light up every time I bring these.”
Jiang Xiaoshuai quickly looked away, reaching for a pen as if to distract himself, but the faint pink tinge at the tips of his ears gave him away.
Granted, Jiang Xiaoshuai tried his best not to put a label on whatever strange routine he and Guo Chengyu had fallen into, but the truth was undeniable. He still accepted the desserts every single time. He unwrapped them with careful fingers, ate them without a word of complaint, and sometimes even hummed under his breath when a particular flavor pleased him. For Guo Chengyu, that was more than enough. His alpha half preened with satisfaction every time the omega accepted the food he brought, interpreting it as a quiet, reluctant form of courtship.
Today, though, there was something different. Jiang Xiaoshuai’s usual guarded, irritable edge had softened. His shoulders were looser, his voice lighter, and that warm, vanilla-and-peach scent poured through the clinic without restraint. He was happy, and Guo Chengyu’s instincts told him it had little to do with the pastries he carried.
It clicked almost immediately.
“I take it Wu Suowei is back then?” Guo Chengyu asked, his tone deceptively casual, though his sharp eyes fixed on the doctor with raised brows. The thought made him feel better too. Though he wasn’t as close to Wu Suowei like the doctor, his alpha had started considering Wu Suowei as his too because of Xiaoshuai.
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s lips curved into a smile that was small but genuine, the kind of smile Guo Chengyu had rarely seen on him. He nodded, setting down the pen in his hand.
“He came back yesterday,” Xiaoshuai confirmed softly. “He is good. Safe. Which I am glad about. First heat is never easy… so I am glad he came back okay.” His voice trailed into something thoughtful, almost tender, his relief written plainly across his face.
Guo Chengyu froze. The words hit him like a thunderclap. His eyes widened, his smirk slipping away as disbelief swept in to replace it.
“Did you just say… first heat?” Guo Chengyu asked slowly, his voice edged with shock. His gaze sharpened, locking onto the omega in front of him. “He is twenty-five. This late?”
The alpha’s bafflement rang clear in his tone, the weight of it pulling the air tighter between them.
Jiang Xiaoshuai gave a small, tired nod, confirming the truth without hesitation.
“Yeah, late manifestation. That’s why I was so worried,” Jiang Xiaoshuai admitted, his tone softening with relief. “But he is back now, so I am glad about that.”
Guo Chengyu hummed in thought, his expression unreadable for a moment as he tapped his fingers lightly against the paper bag he was holding. After a pause, he set the brown bag on top of the desk with deliberate care.
The effect was immediate. Jiang Xiaoshuai’s attention snapped to it as if drawn by instinct. His hands moved quickly, pulling the bag closer before tugging it open. The moment he caught sight of what was inside, his eyes widened.
“Cheesecake?” His voice carried a rare note of delight, his usual reserve slipping for just a moment. A genuine smile bloomed across his face, bright and unguarded, lighting him up in a way that caught Guo Chengyu completely off guard.
That smile alone was enough to make Guo Chengyu’s chest swell with satisfaction. His alpha instincts purred at the sight, pleased beyond reason that he had been the one to put it there.
“Thank you,” Jiang Xiaoshuai said quickly, almost awkwardly, but the sincerity in his voice was clear.
Guo Chengyu opened his mouth, ready to ask a question that had been pressing at the back of his mind ever since Wu Suowei’s name was brought up. But before he could speak, the front door creaked open and the small chime above it jingled. A new patient stepped inside, glancing around the clinic uncertainly.
Instantly, Jiang Xiaoshuai’s professional mask slid back into place. He straightened his back, smoothed his expression, and moved away from Guo Chengyu without hesitation. “Please, come in,” he called warmly, already focused on his duty.
Guo Chengyu’s jaw tightened faintly as he watched him go, the unspoken question dying on his tongue.
“Boss,” a low voice muttered beside him. Li Wang had drifted closer, his posture casual but his eyes sharp. He leaned in slightly, keeping his words low enough that only Guo Chengyu could hear.
“Are you planning to talk to him about Wu Suowei’s shadiness?” Li Wang asked bluntly, his gaze following the doctor as he guided the patient toward one of the chairs. “You could push him a little. Get more information out of him.”
Guo Chengyu’s lips twitched, though whether it was amusement or irritation was impossible to tell. His eyes stayed locked on Jiang Xiaoshuai, watching the omega move with brisk precision, his vanilla-and-peach scent still faint in the air.
Guo Chengyu hummed low in his throat as his eyes followed Jiang Xiaoshuai moving about the clinic, calm and efficient as he tended to the new patient. There was a subtle grace to him, something steady and grounding that always caught Guo Chengyu off guard. The longer he watched, the deeper the question gnawed at him: how much did Jiang Xiaoshuai really know about Wu Suowei’s schemes, and how far would he go to protect him?
He had already set Li Wang on the task of digging into both omegas. The results had been… frustrating. Jiang Xiaoshuai’s records were almost maddeningly vague, with little of substance surfacing. Clean background, spotless reputation, barely any personal details beyond the surface. It was like trying to peel back layers of paper only to find emptiness underneath. The lack of information itself told Guo Chengyu something. Jiang Xiaoshuai either lived a life so painfully ordinary there was nothing to find, or he was very skilled at keeping his history hidden. Both possibilities intrigued him.
Wu Suowei, on the other hand, was different. There was plenty to uncover about him, and the findings had been enough to make Guo Chengyu pause. The biggest revelation was Wu Suowei’s ex—Yue Yue. Chi Cheng’s current omega. The same omega who was serving as a shield, a distraction, to help Chi Cheng resist his family’s suffocating control. That connection alone painted the entire picture in darker shades.
The implication was obvious. Wu Suowei’s sudden approach toward Chi Cheng was no coincidence. It reeked of ulterior motive, of a carefully planned counterattack against his ex, maybe even an attempt at revenge. And that was dangerous. Dangerous for Wu Suowei, dangerous for Chi Cheng, and by extension, dangerous for anyone caught in the middle.
The first time he had stumbled on that truth, Guo Chengyu’s instinct had been sharp and immediate—tell Chi Cheng. Expose Wu Suowei’s manipulation before it could spiral out of control. He had even pictured the confrontation in his mind, the way Chi Cheng’s face would darken, the fallout that would follow.
But every time he thought about taking that step, something pulled him back. Something annoyingly human.
Jiang Xiaoshuai.
His mind flashed back to the way the doctor’s face lit up when he had seen the cheesecake earlier, the way his vanilla and peach scent had spread warm and content through the clinic now that Wu Suowei was safe again. That protective, possessive thread in Guo Chengyu’s chest had grown stronger each day he spent here, and it refused to let him do anything that might hurt Xiaoshuai. Because he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if he went after Wu Suowei, he would be going after Jiang Xiaoshuai as well. The man would defend his packmate with every breath he had, no matter the cost.
Somehow, in the tangled mess of his instincts, Guo Chengyu had already begun to see the two omegas as a pair. A package deal. If he accepted one, he accepted both. If he protected one, he protected both. And that thought rattled him almost as much as the secrets themselves.
He exhaled slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing as he leaned back against the counter. His instincts urged him to act, but the growing pull toward Jiang Xiaoshuai demanded patience. For now, he would keep the knowledge to himself. Watch. Wait. And decide later whether exposing Wu Suowei was worth the risk of losing the trust of the only omega who had ever managed to unsettle him this deeply.
That truth gnawed at Guo Chengyu’s alpha instincts and left him restless. On one hand, every fiber of him screamed to expose Wu Suowei’s motives to Chi Cheng. It was what an alpha should do—protect his pack, root out deception before it could grow into something dangerous. And despite the rift between them, despite the bitterness and the fights, his alpha still recognized Chi Cheng as pack. That bond, stretched thin and fragile, was frayed but not broken. Wang Shuo had carved a wound through it, but even so, it refused to snap completely.
On the other hand, there was Jiang Xiaoshuai. Watching him now, moving calmly from patient to patient with that quiet confidence, Guo Chengyu’s chest tightened with something that wasn’t only possessiveness but also… restraint. His instincts softened in a way that left him unsettled. He knew without a doubt that Xiaoshuai would protect Wu Suowei with everything he had, even at his own expense. If Guo Chengyu went for Suowei, he would inevitably wound Xiaoshuai as well. And the thought of being the one to dim that stubborn light in the doctor’s eyes made something in him recoil. Not to mention, he couldn’t ignore his own protectiveness towards Wu Suowei. He had started to consider Suowei as part of his pack too. They hadn’t spend much time but he was also feeling overprotective over him and had started considering him as part of his pack. That’s why he was feeling conflicted. He considered both of them as part of his pack and it left him feeling very conflicted.
“No… there’s no point,” Guo Chengyu said at last, his voice a low rumble as his eyes followed Jiang Xiaoshuai across the room. “He wouldn’t fess up. He’d protect Suowei no matter what. He won’t give up information, not to me, not to anyone.” His gaze softened almost imperceptibly, though his jaw remained tight “And he has also wormed himself into my circle. I can’t help my own protective instincts” he trailed.
Li Wang shifted beside him, frowning. “So… will you tell Chi Cheng?” he asked cautiously.
Guo Chengyu tilted his head, considering, his sharp eyes narrowing with thought. Silence stretched for a beat, filled with the faint sounds of patients’ voices and the rustle of paper in the clinic.
Finally, he exhaled slowly. “I am not sure,” he admitted, his honesty surprising even himself. His voice lacked its usual cocky edge, weighed down instead with the tension pulling him in two directions. He was at a crossroads, torn between his duty to a fragile pack bond and the pull of the omega who had unknowingly unsettled every certainty he had lived with.
For now, all he could do was watch, wait, and wrestle with the war inside him.
A bouncing, happy Wu Suowei made his way toward Chi Company, a spring in his step that was impossible to miss. He was dressed in his usual basketball gear, his loose jersey hanging comfortably over his frame, shorts swishing with each stride. Tucked under his arm was a basketball he had picked up along the way, spinning it absently on his fingertips whenever the mood struck him.
He was humming without even realizing it, the tune soft but full of cheer, his entire demeanor radiating lightness. The bond between him and Chi Cheng thrummed in the back of his mind, steady and strong, like a second heartbeat pulsing alongside his own. Ever since that night, ever since they had bonded, Wu Suowei had felt almost buoyant. His omega purred endlessly, satisfied and secure, its contentment bleeding into every corner of his being.
Even when Chi Cheng wasn’t by his side physically, the connection remained vibrant. The alpha had not stopped reaching out—texting him throughout the day, sending him quick voice notes filled with teasing remarks or the occasional low, husky laugh that made Wu Suowei’s ears burn every single time. It was ridiculous how much he looked forward to them. He had gone from rolling his eyes at Chi Cheng’s cocky arrogance to checking his phone every few minutes just in case another message had come through.
Clutching the basketball tighter, Wu Suowei grinned to himself, his cheeks faintly pink. They had planned to meet at the basketball court after Chi Cheng’s work today. But while waiting for him an idea had entered his head. Instead, he had decided he wasn’t going to wait around for Chi Cheng to show up at the court. No, he had decided to surprise Chi Cheng by going straight into Chi Company, to Chi Cheng’s office and drag the man out of his office if he had to, and haul him to the basketball court. That would not only surprise him but maybe even lift his mood up. He knew Chi Cheng would be surprised and that thought was enough to have him giddy and go to the company. The thought of his possible reaction made him smirk, his steps picking up pace as his anticipation grew.
It was with this grand plan in mind that Wu Suowei found himself stepping through the sleek glass doors of Chi Company, basketball tucked under his arm like a badge of intent. The contrast between his cheerful purpose and the polished seriousness of the corporate lobby was almost comical. He stood out instantly, a brightly burning flame of casual energy against a backdrop of crisp suits and hushed professionalism.
As he walked further inside, his sneakers squeaking faintly against the immaculate marble floors, the reality of what he was doing struck him. A few months ago, this would have been unthinkable. Back then, Chi Cheng had been nothing more than a target, a means to an end in his revenge scheme. He would never have spared a thought toward planning a playful surprise for him, never would have cared about the alpha’s moods or well-being. His involvement had been shallow, born from bitterness and stubborn defiance.
But looking back now, he could admit that even in those early encounters, something had been shifting beneath the surface. Chi Cheng had gotten under his skin in ways he had refused to acknowledge, pulling his attention again and again despite his best efforts to dismiss him. He had told himself it was irritation, that it was just the thrill of rebellion, yet the truth was far messier. There had always been a spark of attachment, a reluctant fascination.
He had simply buried it under layers of denial. But now, since their bonding and emergence of the golden mark, now he knew why he couldn’t stay away from Chi Cheng. A part of him had had known he was his soulmate and that’s why he kept honing in on him.
Now, with the bond tying them together, there was no room for denial left. The golden tether between them pulsed steadily, reminding him with every beat of his heart that they were bound, that they were mates in the deepest sense. And instead of fighting it, Wu Suowei found himself basking in it. He looked forward to seeing Chi Cheng, even craved his presence when they were apart, though he still rolled his eyes at his arrogance and cursed him for being insufferably smug.
Annoying as he could be, Wu Suowei could not deny the truth anymore. He wanted to see him. He wanted to spend time with him. And today, that meant dragging him away from whatever stiff boardroom or stack of documents he was buried under, hauling him to the basketball court, and reminding him of something simple, something fun.
His lips curved into a small, almost shy smile as he adjusted his grip on the ball and moved deeper into the building, ignoring the curious glances he was beginning to attract.
Just as Wu Suowei pushed through the sliding glass doors into the main office floor, humming faintly under his breath, the easy bounce in his step came to a sudden, jarring halt. His sneakers squeaked against the polished tile as he froze in place, eyes locking on the figure lounging in the waiting area.
There, on the visitor’s sofa, sat Yue Yue.
She was dressed deliberately, every inch of her appearance crafted with precision. A silky purple dress clung to her curves, the neckline plunging low enough to leave little to the imagination. Her hair shimmered under the overhead lights, perfectly styled, each lock arranged to tumble artfully over one shoulder. Her lips, painted a glossy red, curled faintly as her fingers twirled a strand of hair. She looked less like someone here for a business meeting and more like a seductress waiting to pounce.
And Wu Suowei knew instantly who she was waiting for.
The intent behind her presence was unmistakable, blatant in the way she crossed her legs slowly, her gaze fixed on the private hallway that led to Chi Cheng’s office. She wasn’t here for pleasantries. She wasn’t here for polite conversation. The dress, the perfume he could almost smell from across the room, the posture—it was all a performance. A calculated attempt to lure. To seduce.
The sight struck Wu Suowei like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.
His stomach plummeted, his breath catching sharply in his throat. His eyes widened, shock and disbelief flashing across his face, but what followed immediately was worse. His chest burned hot, and the green-eyed monster within him—the jealousy he had never admitted he was capable of—rose up with a vicious snarl. This time though, the jealousy wasn’t towards Chi Cheng, but now against Yue Yue.
The ball he carried slipped slightly in his grip as his hand tightened instinctively. Every nerve in his body screamed, the golden bond humming with an edge that felt almost possessive, frantic. The thought of Yue Yue anywhere near Chi Cheng, dressed like that, waiting like that, had his omega instincts rearing violently.
The easy confidence he had walked in with was gone. Replaced now by a storm of ice and fire twisting in his chest.
Wu Suowei’s grip on the basketball tightened until his knuckles whitened, his nails biting into the leather as he glared daggers at Yue Yue. Every fiber of his being bristled with irritation, his omega instincts sparking and thrumming through the bond in agitation. His jaw clenched so tightly it ached, and yet his eyes refused to move away from her, tracking every calculated tilt of her head, every coy flick of her hair.
Just as the storm of jealousy in his chest threatened to consume him, movement caught the corner of his eye.
Chi Cheng.
The alpha stepped into the reception area with his usual commanding presence, dressed in a sleek black shirt and tailored trousers that clung perfectly to the breadth of his shoulders and the strength of his frame. His eyes, sharp and focused, were glued to his phone, his brows drawn slightly together as if he were reading something important.
He hadn’t noticed her. Not yet.
But Yue Yue had noticed him.
The second her gaze landed on him, her posture shifted like a predator spotting prey. She shot to her feet, her silky purple dress shimmering as it caught the overhead lights. A blinding, saccharine smile spread across her lips, practiced and dazzling, her entire body practically singing with false sweetness.
“Chi Cheng!” she called out, her voice high and melodic, cutting sharply through the muted murmur of the office.
The name rang in the air like a challenge, sharp enough to halt Chi Cheng mid-step. He stopped cold, lifting his head from his phone, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as they landed on the source of the call.
Wu Suowei’s stomach twisted painfully, a hot flare of jealousy ripping through him so violently that his knees nearly buckled. His first instinct was to march forward, to stake his claim right then and there, to drag Yue Yue away from Chi Cheng’s line of sight.
But instinct warred with fear.
Before he could act, Wu Suowei forced himself back, slipping quickly behind a nearby wall. His back pressed against the cool plaster, his breaths coming too fast, his chest heaving. From his hiding spot, he peeked out just enough to watch, jealousy burning in his eyes as he observed them. His omega instincts howled against the restraint, thrumming with the bond, demanding to be acknowledged.
Yet all Wu Suowei could do was watch, every muscle in his body wound tight, waiting to see what Chi Cheng would do next.
Since the moment of their bonding, Wu Suowei had all but forgotten about Yue Yue. It had been so easy to shove her into the shadows of his memory, to pretend she no longer mattered, that the title she still held in name only was insignificant. Chi Cheng’s girlfriend. The reminder hit him now like ice water poured straight into his veins.
His chest tightened, and then came the fury.
His nails bit into the basketball he still held, the leather squeaking faintly under his grip. His eyes blazed as he stared at them from his hiding spot, rage and jealousy tangling so hotly inside him it nearly made him dizzy. That omega still had her claws in Chi Cheng, still walked around with the claim of being his girlfriend, even if it was in name only. Wu Suowei’s omega roared inside him at the thought, snarling at the audacity, demanding he march forward and tear the facade to shreds.
But no. Not yet.
He forced himself back against the wall, closing his eyes tight for a moment. His breathing came harsh, but he wrestled with the bond, tugging at the thread between them the way he had learned in those experimental nights with Chi Cheng. He couldn’t sever it—not without pain for them both—but he could dim it. He could mute the overwhelming surge of his emotions until it was nothing more than a quiet hum, a whisper against the constant thrum of connection.
It took effort. His omega resisted, clawing at the tether, wanting Chi Cheng to feel his jealousy, to feel his anger, to know he was there. But Wu Suowei gritted his teeth and forced it down, forcing his emotions into silence, shoving the storm into a corner of his chest until only a faint echo remained.
He opened his eyes again, breath steadier, his body still coiled tight.
Now Chi Cheng would not sense him. Now he could watch without interference, without his alpha turning his head instinctively toward the bond.
Wu Suowei narrowed his eyes on the scene unfolding before him. This was what he wanted—what he needed. To see what Chi Cheng would do, unguarded and unaware. To know, beyond words, beyond sweet declarations whispered during heat and after, where his loyalties lay when Yue Yue came smiling and dressed to seduce.
His jaw clenched, his fury simmering under the surface. He would watch. He would wait. And depending on Chi Cheng’s next move, he would decide whether the alpha truly belonged to him, body and soul, or whether old ties still had a hold.
“You’re out! Are you tired from working?” Yue Yue’s voice rang through the reception hall, high-pitched and laced with syrupy sweetness. The false brightness of it scraped against Wu Suowei’s ears like nails on glass, so sickly fake it made his teeth grind together.
His chest rose and fell with sharp breaths, a hot surge of jealousy and fury coiling in his stomach. He clenched his fist so tight around the basketball that the leather squeaked, his nails digging in hard enough to sting.
Chi Cheng’s response was not immediate. He stopped walking, lifting his head from his phone, his gaze settling on Yue Yue with an expression that made Wu Suowei’s heart leap. His eyes were sharp and cold, utterly devoid of warmth, his face set in stone. He did not look even remotely pleased to see her. The sight made something inside Wu Suowei unclench slightly, though his jealousy still burned hot.
Yue Yue either did not notice the frigid silence or she simply chose to ignore it. She stepped closer, her painted smile stretching wider, her posture exuding forced confidence. If she saw the warning in Chi Cheng’s narrowed eyes, she did not care.
Wu Suowei’s gaze flicked quickly to the side, noting the arrival of Gang Zi, who strode to Chi Cheng’s side like an immovable pillar. The assistant/bodyguard’s presence only heightened the tension in the room, his posture alert, as if already prepared for trouble.
But Yue Yue’s determination did not falter. If anything, Chi Cheng’s refusal to acknowledge her seemed to embolden her further. With a brazen laugh, she reached up with delicate fingers, stretching toward him. And then, to Wu Suowei’s horror, her hand brushed against Chi Cheng’s hair, stroking lightly as if she had the right.
Wu Suowei’s entire body went rigid. His vision blurred at the edges, red-hot jealousy crashing through him with the force of a storm. His omega snarled inside him, howling with possessiveness, demanding he rip her hand away and bare his mark for the world to see. His nails dug so deep into his palm that he nearly broke the skin, his jaw clenched so tight it ached.
From behind the wall, hidden and straining to keep his bond dimmed, Wu Suowei’s eyes bored into the scene. He could barely breathe as he waited for Chi Cheng’s reaction.
“You must be hungry. Let’s go and eat!” Yue Yue declared brightly, her voice lilting with false cheer as if she had already assumed her invitation would be accepted. She fluttered her lashes and leaned in slightly, her hand lingering far too familiarly near Chi Cheng’s arm.
From his hiding spot, Wu Suowei’s entire body went taut. His throat worked around a growl that bubbled up, the sound almost breaking free from his chest. His omega clawed at him, furious and possessive, demanding he storm into the room and drag Chi Cheng away from her touch.
But reason fought against instinct. He bit down on the inside of his cheek until he tasted iron, forcing himself to stay still, to remain hidden behind the wall. He had dimmed the bond on purpose so Chi Cheng would not sense him, and now he clung to that choice desperately. He wanted to see what Chi Cheng would do without knowing he was being watched.
Still, the effort of restraint was agonizing. His nails pressed so hard into the basketball in his hands that the skin of his knuckles turned white. His chest heaved with barely contained emotion, every breath dragging like fire through his throat.
His green-eyed jealousy was a living, breathing thing now, roaring at the sight of Yue Yue daring to stand so close, daring to pretend as if she still had a claim. His heart pounded so violently he feared it would give him away.
All he could do was glare from the shadows, every muscle coiled like a predator on the brink of striking, as he waited with baited breath for Chi Cheng’s response.
Chi Cheng’s reaction was immediate and sharp. The moment Yue Yue’s hand brushed his hair, his expression darkened like a storm breaking across the sky. With swift precision, he caught her wrist mid-movement and shoved it firmly away from him. The sound of the motion was sharp in the quiet reception, the rejection undeniable.
Yue Yue stumbled a step back, her painted smile faltering. Shock widened her eyes, as if the thought of him refusing her touch had never even crossed her mind. For someone used to wrapping people around her finger, the rejection cut deep.
From his hiding place behind the wall, Wu Suowei’s lips curved into the faintest, smug smile. Satisfaction purred through his chest, his omega side calming at the sight of Chi Cheng’s clear disgust. It was a small victory, but one that washed away the ice water of fear and replaced it with heat that steadied his racing pulse.
“Enough,” Chi Cheng growled, his voice low and dangerous, carrying the weight of warning. The sound reverberated through the space, rough and unyielding. Even from a distance, it sent a shiver down Wu Suowei’s spine, though this time it was not fear but something deeper, something that made his omega preen proudly at the show of dominance.
Gang Zi, who had been standing loyally at Chi Cheng’s side, flinched visibly at the alpha’s tone. His posture stiffened, his eyes darting nervously between his boss and Yue Yue, as though bracing for the fallout.
“Chi Cheng? What’s wrong, darling?” Yue Yue asked, her voice trembling as she tried to force sweetness into it, but her words fell flat under the weight of his glare.
Chi Cheng’s eyes narrowed further, sharp and piercing, the kind of look that could cut through armour. He let out a deep, rumbling growl that made even the air seem to still, his disdain for her dripping from every inch of his stance.
From his corner, Wu Suowei nearly sagged in relief, his jealousy soothed at the sight of Yue Yue’s confidence cracking under the alpha’s gaze. His chest warmed, pride and fierce joy twisting inside him at the undeniable proof that Chi Cheng had no interest in her touch.
“You need to stop coming. We are done,” Chi Cheng said, his voice curt and final, each word laced with steel. His glare did not waver, sharp enough to pin Yue Yue in place like a knife against her throat.
The words seemed to echo through the reception area, and Wu Suowei, hidden just behind the wall, felt them strike through his chest like a bolt of fire. His eyes widened, breath catching, his omega preening instinctively at the unshakable finality in Chi Cheng’s tone.
Yue Yue, however, looked as if the ground had just been pulled out from beneath her. Her perfectly painted expression cracked, panic flashing across her face. Her lips trembled before she forced a brittle, high-pitched laugh that sounded nothing like her usual confidence.
“What? What are you saying, my dear?” she said, her voice desperate, clinging to the role she had always played. “We have been together this whole time. You even introduced me to your parents!” Her voice grew shriller, rising with panic as her eyes locked on him, wide and pleading, her facade crumbling piece by piece.
Wu Suowei clenched his fists tighter at his sides, his jealousy curling into something darker, but beneath it lay deep satisfaction. For the first time, he was watching Yue Yue panic, watching her claws fail to dig in where they once had.
Chi Cheng did not move, did not soften. His glare burned hotter, his jaw tight, his entire body radiating authority. He did not falter, not even when Yue Yue’s voice cracked with indignation.
And Wu Suowei, hidden but watching, could not tear his eyes away.
“I am telling you. We are done. You are not my girlfriend anymore. Get that through your head,” Chi Cheng said, his voice cold, steady, and cutting like a blade. His dark eyes narrowed into a glare that pinned her in place, his aura flaring with an alpha’s authority that left no room for doubt. “Keep some dignity and walk out of here before I call security to throw you out.”
The words were merciless, final. They cut through the air of the reception hall, leaving silence ringing in their wake.
Yue Yue’s eyes widened, her perfectly painted lips parting in disbelief. She sputtered, her composure shattering with a sharp crack. “You—what? Chi Cheng, you can’t just—” But her words stumbled over themselves, brittle and weak against the weight of his gaze. She had expected resistance, perhaps anger, but not this frigid certainty, this absolute rejection.
Wu Suowei, hidden just beyond the wall, felt his chest swell with fierce satisfaction. His omega preened at the sight, warmth spreading through him like fire. He had been jealous, insecure, but now… now there was no question. He should never have doubted.
Yue Yue, desperate, tried to step closer, her manicured hand twitching as if to reach for him. But Chi Cheng’s glare sharpened, his body radiating danger. The silent warning in his eyes froze her in place. She flinched visibly, retreating a half step as color drained from her cheeks. Her lips trembled, and then she huffed loudly, puffing herself up in one last display of wounded pride.
But the battle was already lost.
With a sharp turn, she spun on her heel and stalked toward the exit, her heels clacking furiously against the polished floor. Wu Suowei’s heart lurched as panic struck him—if she saw him hiding there, the entire charade would collapse. His pulse raced as he darted to the opposite side of the hall, pressing himself quickly against the wall, holding his breath.
Through the corner of his eye, he caught a final glimpse of Yue Yue’s figure, rigid with humiliation, as she marched out of the main doors. The doors slid shut behind her with a hiss, and just like that, the suffocating tension broke, replaced by a delicious rush of triumph that made Wu Suowei’s omega sing.
After Yue Yue had finally disappeared through the glass doors, Wu Suowei let out a shaky breath, relief flooding his chest. His omega was practically purring now, smug and satisfied at having witnessed Chi Cheng reject her so coldly. He pressed his back to the wall, heart still thumping but finally beginning to steady. Now he only had to figure out how much longer he could stay hidden before revealing himself without looking like he had been eavesdropping. He was just beginning to plan how he might surprise Chi Cheng when a voice broke through his thoughts.
“Boss…” Gang Zi’s low tone carried a tremor of concern. “What are you going to do? The chairman will be furious that you broke up with her, and he still has your snakes as leverage.”
Wu Suowei froze, his entire body going rigid. His eyes widened, confusion spiking through him.
‘Snakes? Leverage? What in the world was Gang Zi talking about?’
Chi Cheng did not move at first. His tall frame remained perfectly still, eyes locked ahead, unreadable. But Wu Suowei noticed the stiffness in his shoulders, the way his jaw clenched ever so slightly. He knew that kind of tension. Chi Cheng was worried.
“Have you found any more information on where Father is hiding the snakes?” Chi Cheng asked at last, his voice clipped and controlled, though the weight beneath it was undeniable.
Gang Zi shifted uncomfortably, lowering his voice even further. “Kind of, but not everything. The chairman is working very hard to keep them hidden. He is determined to force your hand, boss. He wants you tethered to the company, and having Yue Yue as your girlfriend was part of that plan. Are you certain it was wise to break up with her now? If you had just kept her around a few more weeks, we might have had more time to track down the snakes.” His words were earnest, almost pleading.
Wu Suowei’s breath caught, a soft gasp escaping him before he could stop it. His mind spun, pieces of a puzzle slamming together in his head.
So that was it.
Chi Cheng had not been dating Yue Yue because he wanted her. He had not been stringing her along because of attraction or affection. No, the truth was far darker, far heavier. He had been forced. Bound by his parents’ manipulations, pressured to keep her by his side only because it served their ambitions and gave them leverage over him.
The revelation hit Wu Suowei like a strike to the chest. His knees felt weak, his stomach twisting painfully. All this time, he had believed Yue Yue mattered to Chi Cheng. That his own feelings were a joke, something he could never compete with. That Chi Cheng was only playing with him.
But no.
All along, it had been the opposite. Chi Cheng had been suffering under the weight of his parents’ control, tolerating a relationship he never wanted, while his true actions—the way he looked at him, the way he touched him, the way he spoke—those had been genuine. More genuine than anything Yue Yue had ever received.
Wu Suowei pressed a trembling hand to his chest, his mind whirling. His revenge plot had been built on a lie of his own making. He had told himself Chi Cheng was drawn to Yue Yue, that he was just a toy or a side distraction. But the truth… the truth was that Chi Cheng had been fighting to keep his own freedom, forced into a corner. And in the middle of it all, his feelings for him had been real.
Wu Suowei’s heart squeezed painfully as the weight of it settled in. His alpha had been honest in the places that mattered most, while he… he had been the one to deceive.
“No… I can’t pretend with her anymore. I had to cut that off. But we do need to be working harder to find out where Father is hiding the snakes. So make sure you get more men on that,” Chi Cheng said curtly. His voice was low, rough with restrained fury, and Wu Suowei noticed how tightly his fists curled at his sides, the tendons in his hands straining.
Wu Suowei’s breath caught, and for the second time in minutes, another surge of emotion overwhelmed him. Not jealousy this time, not insecurity. Anger. A deep, sharp anger that burned in his chest and made his nails dig into his own palms.
He knew—better than most—how much Chi Cheng cared for his snakes. He had seen it with his own eyes, the way Chi Cheng cradled Xiao Cubao, treating the little snake as if it were his child, his family. He had heard the affection in his voice, felt the warmth in the bond whenever the alpha was near them. They were not simply pets. They were part of him.
And the thought that his parents—his own blood—would stoop so low as to take them, to hide them, to use them as leverage against him? That was unforgivable.
Wu Suowei’s heart pounded, fury stirring alongside a fierce protectiveness he hadn’t expected. He wanted to march straight to the chairman himself and demand he return every last snake. He wanted to shield Chi Cheng, to tear down whatever cruel cage his parents thought they could lock him in.
His fists clenched harder, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip as his thoughts began to spin faster. He could not just sit still. He could not let this go.
He forced himself to inhale, to take a slow, steadying breath. Then another. He needed to think clearly. He needed to reset his mind, to channel the anger into something useful. Slowly, he released the hold he had kept on the bond, letting it hum open between them again, letting Chi Cheng feel his steadying presence even as he hid the turmoil inside himself.
A plan was beginning to take shape in his head. Not here, not now. But soon.
He would need to speak with Jiang Xiaoshuai. He needed his advice, his knowledge, maybe even his help. This scheme would not be simple, but it could be done. And it had to be done—for Chi Cheng’s sake.
For now, Wu Suowei told himself, he would not reveal what he had overheard. He would spend time with Chi Cheng, act as though nothing had changed. But later, when the time was right, he would find Xiaoshuai and lay everything out. Together, they would figure out how to strike back.
His chest tightened as he placed a hand over his bond mark, fingers brushing over the skin. This was no longer about revenge against Yue Yue. No longer about his pride.
This was about protecting his mate.
Wu Suowei let out a slow breath, his chest rising and falling as he fully opened the bond again. The connection flared to life instantly, humming between them like a taut string suddenly plucked. The effect was immediate. He felt the jolt of Chi Cheng’s surprise echoing through the tether, sharp and undeniable, as the alpha registered his presence.
Wu Suowei barely had time to take one step before it happened.
A blur of movement, a rush of heat, and suddenly Chi Cheng was there. One strong arm wrapped firmly around his waist, hauling him forward in a single smooth motion until their chests collided. Wu Suowei yelped, startled, his basketball slipping from his hands and thudding to the polished floor with a hollow bounce that echoed across the reception area.
Gasps rippled through the room. The employees at the reception desk, the passing workers, even Gang Zi—everyone froze at the sudden, intimate display. But Wu Suowei could not bring himself to look at them. His world had narrowed to the man holding him.
Chi Cheng’s black eyes locked onto his, sharp and burning with unguarded happiness. It was written all over his face, plain and raw, impossible to hide. Wu Suowei felt it just as much through the bond: that deep satisfaction, that possessive joy, that relief at having him here. The intensity of it nearly knocked the air from his lungs.
“What are you doing here?” Chi Cheng asked, his voice roughened by the force of his delight. There was no trace of his usual guarded tone, no coldness. Only warmth, only happiness. “I thought we were going to meet at the court.”
Wu Suowei’s lips parted, his heart skipping violently at the obvious joy in his mate’s voice. His cheeks burned crimson, and though part of him wanted to bury his face and hide, he could not look away.
He reached up instead, slowly, as if compelled, his hands lifting to loop loosely around Chi Cheng’s neck. The height difference brought him up on his toes, pressed him just a fraction closer. His blush deepened, his omega purring loud and insistent inside his chest, but he held his ground. He would not back away. Not from this. Not from him.
The whispers of the onlookers barely registered in his ears. Right now, there was only Chi Cheng, his warmth, his scent, his bond thrumming like a second heartbeat between them.
“I wanted to surprise you. Are you surprised?” Wu Suowei asked softly, tilting his head back to meet Chi Cheng’s gaze. His big, earnest eyes shone up at the alpha, wide and expectant, a little nervous yet full of hope.
The words seemed to strike something deep in Chi Cheng. His lips curved slowly, the corners lifting into a smile that grew into a rich, genuine chuckle. The sound rolled from his chest, warm and unrestrained, echoing through the reception hall. It was not the sharp, mocking laugh Wu Suowei had grown used to in the past—it was unguarded joy, bright and real.
Wu Suowei blinked, startled by the raw warmth in the sound, and before he could form another word, before he could even brace himself, Chi Cheng moved.
The alpha closed the distance in a single decisive motion, his hand tightening at Wu Suowei’s waist as he leaned down. His lips captured Wu Suowei’s in a kiss that stole his breath, fierce and consuming. It was not soft, not tentative—it was a kiss that claimed, that demanded, that spoke volumes of everything their bond had already made clear.
Gasps filled the room again. The onlookers, who had already frozen at the sight of the alpha pulling an omega into his arms, now stared wide-eyed, scandalized and awestruck as their boss kissed openly, without restraint, in the middle of the company lobby.
Wu Suowei’s mind went blank. His omega purred so loudly inside him he could barely think. His knees weakened, his fingers tightened instinctively around Chi Cheng’s neck as though to anchor himself. He could taste the faint bitterness of coffee on Chi Cheng’s tongue, feel the searing heat of him pressed close, and his body melted into the kiss even as his cheeks flamed bright red.
For a brief, dizzying moment, the entire world blurred away. There was no company, no reception, no audience—only Chi Cheng’s lips against his, only the fierce hum of their bond surging stronger with every heartbeat.
Chi Cheng’s mouth moved against his with raw hunger, a kiss that was unrestrained and unapologetic. His hand slid from Wu Suowei’s waist to the small of his back, pressing him flush against his chest until there was no space left between them. The force of it stole Wu Suowei’s breath, his lips parting instinctively under the demanding pressure. Chi Cheng deepened the kiss instantly, his tongue sweeping in, tasting, claiming.
The room fell into stunned silence, broken only by the faint rustle of movement as employees froze in place. A few gasps echoed through the reception. Someone dropped a pen; another stifled a squeak. Whispers rippled quickly after, sharp and incredulous.
“That’s the boss…”
“Has he lost his mind?”
“Didn’t he just dump his girlfriend?”
The voices swirled faintly around them, but Chi Cheng paid them no mind. His large hand came up to cradle the back of Wu Suowei’s head, tilting it just enough to deepen the kiss further. His other arm held him tight, anchoring him firmly as though daring anyone to even think of prying them apart.
Wu Suowei’s entire face burned crimson. His mind screamed at him that this was humiliating, that the entire office was watching, that he should push away. Yet his body betrayed him. His arms tightened around Chi Cheng’s neck, his lips moved eagerly against the alpha’s, and his omega sang with unrestrained delight. The bond between them thrummed hot, flooding his chest with the overwhelming certainty that he was wanted, claimed, loved.
He whimpered softly into the kiss, a sound that only Chi Cheng heard, and the alpha growled low in response, possessive and pleased. Wu Suowei’s knees nearly buckled, his heart racing wildly. He could feel the eyes on them, dozens of them, burning into his skin, but he could not bring himself to care. Not when Chi Cheng kissed him like this, not when the alpha was so openly declaring him to the world.
At last, Chi Cheng pulled back, though only slightly. His lips hovered a breath away, their foreheads touching, his dark eyes burning down into Wu Suowei’s dazed gaze.
Wu Suowei’s breath hitched. Embarrassment flared hot as he became sharply aware again of the dozens of eyes fixed on them, the hushed gossip already sweeping through the hall. He wanted the floor to open up beneath him. He wanted to hide under a blanket for a year. And yet, beneath all that, joy unfurled in his chest, bright and undeniable. His omega purred louder than ever, basking in the very public claim.
Burying his face in Chi Cheng’s chest, Wu Suowei groaned, muffled but audible. “You’re such a brute…”
Chi Cheng’s low laugh rumbled against his ear, rich and satisfied, as his arm tightened once more around his waist.
“Let’s go,” Wu Suowei muttered, his cheeks blazing as he punched Chi Cheng lightly on the shoulder in a futile attempt to cover his fluster. His voice cracked halfway through, only making his ears burn hotter.
Chi Cheng only hummed in response, utterly unbothered by the sea of stunned faces around them. With a firm tug, he laced his fingers through Wu Suowei’s, their hands locking together. His grip was steady, unyielding, leaving Wu Suowei no chance of wriggling free.
Without a glance back, Chi Cheng began striding toward the glass doors, dragging Wu Suowei along at his side. Wu Suowei stumbled at first, half hiding his face against his shoulder, trying to ignore the way the entire office had gone dead silent.
Behind them, the room buzzed to life in hushed murmurs. Employees gaped openly, some with mouths hanging open, others whispering furiously into each other’s ears. The click of phone cameras was quickly silenced by sharp glares from Gang zi, but the sight of the cold, untouchable Chi Cheng walking out hand-in-hand with a flushed omega would be burned into every mind present.
Chi Yuan Duan considered himself a sensible, fair, and pragmatic father. In his mind, there could be no doubt about that. He had clawed his way to the top, built the company from the ground up with long nights and sacrifices, and provided his family with a life where wealth, security, and reputation were never in question. He believed he had fulfilled his duty as both a patriarch and a provider. His children should have grown up grateful, loyal, and ready to carry on what he had built.
He had always envisioned his alpha son, Chi Cheng, as the pride of the family. rom the moment he was born, a strong alpha with the potential to command any room, Chi Yuan Duan had known he was the one who would take over. He and his wife had poured resources into his education, ensuring he studied the right subjects, made the right connections, and cultivated the perfect résumé to inherit the company name.
But the reality had been nothing short of infuriating.
Chi Cheng, despite being a powerful alpha and more capable than most men of his generation, refused to cooperate. He had no interest in business, no care for the empire prepared for him. Yes, he had completed the required university degree, but when it came time to step into the company, to shadow the executives, to learn the ropes that had been laid out carefully for him, he had balked.
Instead, he lived as he pleased. Stubborn, rebellious, out of control. He ignored expectations, brushed off responsibilities, and treated the company as though it had nothing to do with him.
It was a slap in the face.
Chi Yuan Duan had given him everything, yet Chi Cheng dared to look at it as a burden rather than a privilege. No sense of duty, no respect for the legacy waiting for him to uphold.
Worse still, he indulged himself in ways no proper heir should. His reputation outside the family walls was that of a playboy, a reckless alpha who chased fights, women, and freedom instead of cultivating discipline. To Chi Yuan Duan, it was shameful. A son like that tarnished everything he had worked for.
And yet…
There was still no denying Chi Cheng’s strength, his natural charisma, the raw presence that made people follow him without question. That was what stung the most. Chi Yuan Duan knew that if his son ever stopped being so willful, if he simply stepped into his role as heir, he could become everything the Chi family needed and more.
But Chi Cheng refused. And every refusal chipped away at the carefully constructed image of the family Chi Yuan Duan had fought to build.
Worst of all, Chi Cheng had dragged their family’s reputation through the mud with his disgraceful lifestyle. Not only had he refused to shoulder responsibility for the company, but he had gone out into the world and indulged in every temptation imaginable. He dated men openly, male alphas, betas and one disgraceful male omega, openly flaunting it as though such behaviour were acceptable, and he never once showed shame. That in itself was an insult to the family name, but what made it worse—what made it unbearable—was his refusal to commit to anyone.
Month after month, new faces, new partners, never one lasting more than a few weeks. His son had become notorious for it. The whispers spread through the city’s elite circles: Chi Cheng, the wild alpha, the playboy who cycled through lovers like they were toys. A man without discipline, without stability, without the dignity to settle down with a proper mate. Those whispers did not just stain Chi Cheng. They stained the entire Chi family.
It infuriated Chi Yuan Duan and his wife. They had not clawed their way to power and wealth only for their son to mock them by acting like a delinquent. They had not built a legacy to see it ruined by a son who cared more about his freedom than about duty.
So, what else was there to do? He had tried speaking to him, ordering him, even reasoning with him, but Chi Cheng never listened. The boy was too wild, too stubborn, too proud. Words meant nothing to him. And so, Chi Yuan Duan had resorted to what others might call desperate measures.
The snakes.
Chi Cheng’s beloved pets, the only things in his life he truly seemed to care about, more than the company, more than the family, more than anything. Taking them was not ethical—of course it was not. But what father had not resorted to drastic means when his child was spiralling beyond control?
Chi Yuan Duan told himself this was necessary. It was for Chi Cheng’s own good. If love and duty could not rein him in, then leverage would.
And it worked.
As much as Chi Cheng snarled, as much as he resented it, the leash had tightened. He was coming to the company, at least in part. He was with a girl, a female omega.
It was a relief. Finally, the scandalous playboy image would be erased. Chi Cheng would marry Yue Yue, and in time, he would come to see reason. He would step fully into his role as heir, bound by duty, reputation, and family. And once that happened, once he was securely married and under control, Chi Yuan Duan would return the snakes.
It was only temporary. That was what he told himself whenever guilt tried to whisper otherwise. He could endure his son’s hatred if it meant ensuring the family’s future. Love was not always gentle. Sometimes it was firm. Sometimes it was ruthless. And if Chi Cheng could not see that now, then one day, when he was older and wiser, he would.
Until then, Chi Yuan Duan steeled himself, determined. His son would obey.
So he was pleased, sitting behind his grand mahogany desk, flipping through the latest stack of project reports with a rare sense of calm. The numbers looked good, the progress steady. For once, things seemed to be moving in the right direction. The thought of Yue Yue and Chi Cheng together soothed him further, a reminder that his plan was working, that the family name would soon be secured again.
It was then that the office doors banged open.
Tao Yi, his long-suffering secretary, all but stumbled inside. His tie was askew, his hair damp with sweat, and he clutched a folder so tightly his knuckles were white. His chest heaved as though he had run the entire length of the building to get here.
Chi Yuan Duan’s brows drew together in irritation at the interruption. Slowly, deliberately, he set his pen down on the desk and leaned back in his chair, fixing Tao Yi with a sharp gaze.
“What is it now?” he asked, his tone clipped, cold. His eyes narrowed, studying the younger man’s nervous stance. “Is this about the company, or is it about my son?”
Lately, it was always about his son, with him constantly changing departments or being callous. The very thought of it soured the faint pleasure he had felt moments ago.
Tao Yi swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. His voice shook as he spoke.
“It… it’s about the young master, sir.”
Chi Yuan Duan exhaled slowly, the irritation deepening into something heavier. Of course. Always Chi Cheng. Always chaos.
“Umm… you told me to keep an eye on him. So I thought I’d let you know…” Tao Yi’s words tumbled out quickly, his voice low and nervous. He shifted from one foot to the other, clutching the folder against his chest as though it could shield him from his employer’s temper. “Chi Cheng publicly broke up with Yue Yue downstairs. And then… he walked off with a boyfriend.”
For a heartbeat, silence fell in the office.
Chi Yuan Duan froze, the pen he had been holding slipping from his fingers and rolling soundlessly across the desk. His entire body stiffened as though struck by a physical blow. Slowly, his head lifted, his sharp eyes pinning Tao Yi with a glare so fierce that the secretary instinctively took half a step back.
“What?!” The single word thundered from him, rattling the silence, his voice sharp enough to slice through glass.
His chair screeched against the floor as he surged to his feet, palms slamming down onto the polished wood of his desk. The papers trembled, a few sheets scattering at the force. His chest rose and fell heavily, fury boiling beneath his carefully controlled expression.
“Repeat that,” he ordered, his tone low and dangerous now, though his eyes blazed with anger. “Did you just say… he broke up with Yue Yue? Publicly? And walked off with a man?”
Tao Yi swallowed hard, beads of sweat forming at his temple. “Y-yes, sir. Right in the main reception hall. Everyone saw. He was holding hands with him when they left. People are already talking.”
Chi Yuan Duan’s jaw clenched so tightly that the muscle in his cheek twitched. His carefully constructed plans, the leverage he had worked so hard to secure with Yue Yue, all shattered in a single moment. His son had humiliated the family name in front of his company, his employees, the world.
“Get me the CCTV footage” Chi Yuan Duan spoke curtly, his eyes darkening. Fury overtaking him.
Notes:
What did you guys think about this chapter? Let me know about your thoughts as I love reading you guys thoughts and predictions. Let me know what you think!
Chapter 13: I’m looking straight ahead only at you
Summary:
Before his eyes could even adjust to the softly lit interior, he let out another startled yelp as Chi Cheng suddenly swept down, hooking strong arms beneath his knees. With one effortless motion, the alpha lifted him clean off the ground, cradling him firmly against his chest.
“Wha—hey!” Wu Suowei’s voice cracked as he instinctively grabbed at Chi Cheng’s shoulders, his face going crimson.
His legs dangled for only a moment before he reflexively curled them around Chi Cheng’s waist, holding on tight as if afraid the alpha might drop him. The position was mortifying, yet undeniably intimate. His heart thudded wildly in his chest, pounding against Chi Cheng’s steady heartbeat, and the sheer strength in the alpha’s grip made his stomach flip.
Notes:
We are in episode 6 rewrite but there are key changes and some scenes won’t happen due to Chi Cheng and Wu Suowei being together already. Can confirm we have no sad drunk Chi Cheng because he is very much happy with his soulmate but butterfly effects occur because of the changes. Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
A future without you
Would be a world without colour
Monochrome and cold
Even the darkness
You’re gazing into is so beautiful
I want you to put your faith in me
I’m looking straight ahead only at you
So you don’t go anywhere
Your eyes tell by BTS
After the public display of affection that had Wu Suowei burning red from his ears to his neck, the two of them slipped away from the gawking employees and made their way to the hotpot restaurant they had visited before. The familiar steam rising from bubbling broths, the sharp scent of chilies mixing with the richer undertones of mushrooms and meat, instantly set Wu Suowei at ease. He found himself laughing more than he expected, teasing Chi Cheng as they fought over meat slices with their chopsticks, the alpha sneaking food into his bowl whenever he was distracted.
By the time they left, Wu Suowei’s stomach was warm, and his cheeks were sore from smiling. From there, they headed to the basketball court. At first, Wu Suowei had only taken up the sport as part of his ploy, something to catch Chi Cheng’s attention and use as bait. Yet somewhere along the way, the bouncing rhythm of the ball against the ground, the rush of running across the court, and the laughter that always spilled from Chi Cheng when he scored had become real to him. He actually enjoyed it now. He was not faking anymore. He was playing because he wanted to.
It was startling how ordinary the day felt, almost like a date from someone else’s life. Lunch followed by basketball, laughter echoing in the air, their voices blending together with the sound of sneakers against the pavement. Ordinary, yet extraordinary for him, because it was his.
What surprised him even more was how Chi Cheng behaved. Wu Suowei had expected something different after their bond had solidified, perhaps a shift in distance or some cooling down once the heat was gone. Instead, the alpha seemed unable to let go of him. Every moment came with some kind of touch. A large hand resting at the back of his neck. An arm circling his waist as they walked side by side. Their fingers intertwined when no ball was in play. It was a shower of affection, constant and unyielding, wrapping him in a cocoon that both embarrassed and warmed him.
At first, Wu Suowei did not know what to make of it. He had never pictured Chi Cheng as the clingy type. He had thought of him as arrogant, confident, always in control. Yet here he was, radiating protectiveness, pressing touches against him as if reassuring himself that Wu Suowei was real and by his side. It made his chest tighten, his omega preen, and his face heat until it felt like he would catch fire. He had not expected this but, much to his own surprise, he liked it. No, he more than liked it. He loved it.
As the sun dipped low and the court emptied, they packed up. Soon, Wu Suowei found himself seated inside Chi Cheng’s car, the steady hum of the engine a comforting backdrop to the soft glow of the city lights flickering past. At first, he expected the drive to take him back to the clinic where he had been staying. But as the roads stretched on, he realized they were going in a different direction. The turns were unfamiliar, and the landmarks outside the window did not align with the route home.
Wu Suowei blinked, his brows furrowing as suspicion flickered in his chest. He leaned back against the seat, turning to stare at the alpha’s calm profile, the way his strong hands gripped the wheel, the faint curl of amusement tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Oi! Where are we going?” Wu Suowei finally asked, his voice rising with curiosity. His tone was half-accusatory, half-nervous. He was not scared, not even uneasy, but a restless flutter stirred in his stomach.
Chi Cheng kept his eyes fixed on the road, the faint glow of the streetlights reflecting in his dark gaze. His lips curled into that familiar, arrogant smirk, one that seemed to grow sharper the longer Wu Suowei pressed him with questions. It was as though the alpha had been waiting for this exact moment, enjoying every second of the mystery. No matter how much Wu Suowei whined or complained, Chi Cheng did not budge, his silence deliberate, his amusement practically radiating through the bond.
The car glided smoothly through the quiet streets, the hum of the engine filling the silence between them. Wu Suowei sat back in his seat with a huff, folding his arms across his chest, though his eyes kept flicking toward Chi Cheng, studying the smug curve of his lips. The alpha looked far too satisfied with himself, and that only made his irritation grow.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of waiting, the car slowed and came to a stop in front of a tall, modern apartment building. Wu Suowei blinked, his annoyance shifting into curiosity as he leaned closer to the window, peering up at the sleek lines of the structure. Recognition hit him like a wave. His eyes widened slightly.
Of course, he knew this place. Jiang Xiaoshuai’s impeccable research had given him everything about Chi Cheng, from details about his life to the very address of his residence. Wu Suowei had never thought he would actually find himself standing here, at the front of the infamous alpha’s private home. A small part of him wondered, not for the first time, how Jiang Xiaoshuai managed to dig up information so easily. That man had the instincts of a bloodhound when it came to tracking details. Still, he wasn’t about to complaint about his capable pack mate.
Wu Suowei’s gaze flicked from the imposing building to the alpha beside him. His brows lifted, silently demanding an explanation. But Chi Cheng, as infuriatingly smug as ever, gave him nothing in return. Without a word, the alpha shut off the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt, and slipped out of the car. The sound of the door closing echoed in the quiet street.
Wu Suowei stayed seated for a moment, still blinking in surprise, until the passenger door opened with a smooth pull. Chi Cheng stood there, tall and commanding in the dim light, one brow arched in expectation as he gestured for him to step out. His posture was casual, but there was something deliberate about the way he waited, a subtle formality in the gesture that made Wu Suowei’s lips twitch.
“Well, look at you being a gentleman,” Wu Suowei teased, his voice laced with playful sarcasm. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned toward him, the corner of his lips quirking.
Chi Cheng’s gaze locked with his, dark and steady, the faintest smirk still tugging at his mouth. His silence was answer enough, heavy with unspoken meaning, as though opening the door was less about manners and more about a declaration: Wu Suowei belonged here, with him.
With a soft exhale, Wu Suowei stepped out of the car, the night air cool against his skin. He tilted his head back to glance at the towering building once more, a mixture of nerves and curiosity stirring in his chest. This was Chi Cheng’s world, and now he was being pulled into it. The thought sent his omega purring, even as his pride forced him to hide the flush creeping into his cheeks.
He straightened, brushing imaginary dust from his shirt, and gave Chi Cheng a pointed look. “Well? Lead the way, Mr. Gentleman.”
Chi Cheng’s composure shattered in an instant. The arrogant calm he usually wore like armor slipped away the second Wu Suowei teased him. With a decisive movement, the alpha caught his hand in a strong grip, fingers lacing tightly with his own, and without another word began tugging him forward. His strides were long and commanding, leaving Wu Suowei stumbling and yelping as he tried to keep up.
“Oi! Slow down!” Wu Suowei protested, though his voice was more flustered than angry. His cheeks burned as he struggled against the pull, but the smug alpha only tightened his hold and continued, clearly amused by his flailing.
Wu Suowei had no idea how Chi Cheng managed it, but somehow, while dragging him along like an impatient predator, the alpha still managed to use the key to unlock it, push the heavy apartment door open, and lead them both inside in one seamless motion. The efficiency left Wu Suowei gaping, though he barely had time to process it before the door clicked shut behind them.
This was it. His first time stepping into Chi Cheng’s private space. His omega purred with curiosity and anticipation, the bond humming faintly as if urging him to soak in every detail. He wanted to look around, to see what kind of life Chi Cheng lived when he wasn’t playing the aloof, untouchable alpha in public.
But he never got the chance.
Before his eyes could even adjust to the softly lit interior, he let out another startled yelp as Chi Cheng suddenly swept down, hooking strong arms beneath his knees. With one effortless motion, the alpha lifted him clean off the ground, cradling him firmly against his chest.
“Wha—hey!” Wu Suowei’s voice cracked as he instinctively grabbed at Chi Cheng’s shoulders, his face going crimson. His legs dangled for only a moment before he reflexively curled them around Chi Cheng’s waist, holding on tight as if afraid the alpha might drop him.
The position was mortifying, yet undeniably intimate. His heart thudded wildly in his chest, pounding against Chi Cheng’s steady heartbeat, and the sheer strength in the alpha’s grip made his stomach flip.
Bridal style. The thought alone sent heat crawling up his neck to his ears.
“You… you could’ve just let me walk in, you know!” Wu Suowei stammered, glaring up at him despite the way his body betrayed him by clinging tighter.
Chi Cheng’s lips curled into a smirk as he met his wide, embarrassed eyes. “But this way is better,” he said simply, his voice low and husky, as though the act was not about convenience but about possession. His arms tightened slightly around Wu Suowei’s frame, holding him with deliberate care, as though the omega weighed nothing at all.
Wu Suowei buried his face into Chi Cheng’s chest for a moment, half to hide his burning cheeks and half to steady himself. The scent of rain and woods wrapped around him immediately, grounding and overwhelming all at once. His omega purred louder, traitorous, revelling in the attention, while his pride could only sputter indignantly.
“You’re impossible,” he muttered, his voice muffled against the alpha’s shirt.
Chi Cheng chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and into Wu Suowei’s ear. “Get used to it, Wei Wei.”
And with that, the alpha carried him deeper into the apartment, as though he had no intention of putting him down any time soon.
“You asshole. Your apartment is so humid and hot it’s made me thirsty. I need water!” Wu Suowei sputtered, his voice a mixture of irritation and whining. Instinct betrayed him as he shifted closer and nuzzled against the strong line of Chi Cheng’s neck, seeking comfort in the familiar scent of woods and rain. The intimacy of the gesture caught up with him a second too late, and he froze, eyes widening as the heat crept up his cheeks.
Chi Cheng did not tease him for it, though. The alpha’s chest vibrated with a deep hum, calm and assured, as if he had expected nothing less. He showed no intention of putting Wu Suowei down. His arms remained steady, carrying him with ease.
“Put me down, I need a drink!” Wu Suowei whined again, squirming half-heartedly. Yet Chi Cheng ignored his protests, continuing deeper into the apartment with quiet purpose.
Before Wu Suowei could open his mouth to complain further, he suddenly realised they had entered the kitchen. His words faltered on his lips as he took in the sight of sleek counters, dim warm lighting, and the faint scent of spices lingering in the air. Chi Cheng moved without hesitation, setting Wu Suowei down on the cool surface of the counter.
Wu Suowei sat perched there, blinking rapidly as he froze under the weight of Chi Cheng’s gaze. The alpha leaned in close, bracing himself with one hand against the counter, his golden eyes gleaming in the low light. The air between them thickened, heavy with tension. Wu Suowei’s legs were nudged apart by the firm press of Chi Cheng’s thigh, leaving him open and vulnerable in a way that sent a wave of heat crawling over his skin.
His breath stuttered as he felt the alpha’s large hands leave his waist. Wu Suowei thought for a split second that Chi Cheng might touch him somewhere else, something even bolder, but instead the alpha reached with casual ease toward the jug of water resting on the counter.
What made Wu Suowei’s stomach twist was the fact that Chi Cheng never broke eye contact. Not once. The alpha tilted the jug and poured water into a glass with perfect precision, his golden gaze still locked onto Wu Suowei as though memorising every twitch of his face. The omega’s blush deepened until it burned across his ears and neck. How could a simple act of pouring water look so deliberate, so unbearably sensual? Wu Suowei found himself impressed, even annoyed, at how effortless it seemed for Chi Cheng.
Finally, the jug was set aside. Chi Cheng picked up the glass and offered it to him with a slow, purposeful motion. Wu Suowei seized it gratefully, gulping down the cool water in one go. His throat worked visibly as he drained the glass, the relief of hydration battling with the nervous tension coiling in his belly.
He lowered the empty glass with a shaky exhale, only to find Chi Cheng still hovering close, his face mere inches away. Those molten eyes had not left him, sharp and hungry, as though the alpha was drinking in every inch of him.
Wu Suowei’s breath caught, his heart hammering wildly. Their locked stare stretched out, charged and unrelenting, until the sound of a ringtone shattered the heavy silence.
The shrill tone vibrated from Chi Cheng’s pocket. Startled, Wu Suowei tore his gaze away long enough to glance down. His omega instincts spiked instantly, sharp and territorial, when he spotted the name glowing on the screen.
Yue Yue.
His hand moved before he could think. With a surge of possessiveness, Wu Suowei reached into Chi Cheng’s pocket and snatched the phone, gripping it tightly as if it were an enemy. His stomach twisted with jealousy, his expression darkening as he glared at the name on the screen.
Wu Suowei’s cheeks burned crimson. A new flare of jealousy spiked inside him, hot and raw, tightening in his chest. He glared harder, his eyes narrowing to slits. “What? You want to keep dating her?” he hissed, the words sharp with accusation. The mere thought of Chi Cheng entertaining that possibility sent a sour, painful twist through his stomach.
Chi Cheng’s chuckle vibrated from deep in his chest, rich and certain. His hands slid around Wu Suowei’s waist, steady and unhurried, giving him the space to pull away if he wanted to. He didn’t force him, didn’t trap him. He simply held him close, waiting. His eyes glinted gold, sharp but not demanding.
For a moment Wu Suowei stiffened, his pride urging him to resist, but then he felt it through the bond: reassurance, warmth, an unwavering certainty that soothed the raw edge of his jealousy. His omega, traitorous and purring, pushed at him insistently, telling him to stop fighting what he wanted.
Wu Suowei’s glare faltered. His lips parted, the sharp retort caught in his throat. His eyes flicked down to Chi Cheng’s mouth, lingering there for just a heartbeat too long, betraying him completely.
That was all the invitation Chi Cheng needed. He leaned down slowly, deliberately, brushing his lips lightly against Wu Suowei’s first, giving him a chance to turn away. Instead, Wu Suowei let out a shaky exhale and tilted his chin up, closing the distance himself.
Their mouths met fully then, warm and insistent. The kiss was deep but not rushed, a deliberate claiming wrapped in reassurance. Chi Cheng kissed him as though to burn away every last doubt, every ounce of jealousy, his hands tightening at Wu Suowei’s waist, pulling him closer.
Wu Suowei gasped softly into the kiss, his fingers curling against the counter, torn between embarrassment at how easily he gave in and the overwhelming joy that flooded through him. His omega purred wildly in his chest, pleased, content, almost smug at the attention. He leaned into it before he could stop himself, returning the kiss with a hunger that betrayed just how much he wanted this.
Wu Suowei sighed softly into the kiss, the sound escaping before he could hold it back. His arms lifted almost on instinct, looping around Chi Cheng’s neck, pulling him closer. Wu Suowei wrapped his legs around Chi Cheng’s waist. His fingers curled in the alpha’s shirt, clutching the fabric as though afraid he might be pulled away too soon.
Chi Cheng groaned low in his throat, the vibration rumbling against Wu Suowei’s lips. His hands tightened at Wu Suowei’s waist, thumbs brushing slow, deliberate circles against the sensitive skin beneath the hem of his shirt. The small, grounding touch contrasted with the growing intensity of the kiss, making Wu Suowei shiver.
The alpha tilted his head, deepening the kiss with unhurried precision, his mouth moving against Wu Suowei’s in a way that was both tender and commanding. His tongue traced teasingly along the seam of Wu Suowei’s lips, waiting, coaxing rather than demanding. Wu Suowei hesitated only a second before yielding, parting his lips with a quiet whimper that betrayed just how much he wanted this.
The moment their tongues met, sparks shot down his spine. Wu Suowei trembled, the heat pooling low in his stomach, his omega purring louder than ever, urging him to surrender. He melted further into Chi Cheng’s hold, arching slightly as the alpha explored his mouth with slow, savouring strokes that left him dizzy.
Chi Cheng angled the kiss deeper, one hand sliding up Wu Suowei’s back to cradle the nape of his neck, holding him steady as though he was something precious. He touched the bond mark on Wu Suowei’s neck and that sent a jolt through Wu Suowei.
The other hand stayed firm at his waist, pressing him securely against the edge of the counter so he could not slip away even if he wanted to. The possessive touch made Wu Suowei’s pulse quicken, yet the reverence in the kiss eased every shred of fear.
Wu Suowei sighed again into the kiss, a helpless, shuddering sound that betrayed his growing desire. His chest rose and fell rapidly; every breath tangled with Chi Cheng’s. The world outside the kitchen blurred away, leaving only the taste of his alpha, the warmth of his hands, the raw intimacy of the bond thrumming between them.
When Chi Cheng finally pulled back just enough to let them breathe, their lips still brushed with every pant. His golden eyes glowed faintly, heavy with desire, but softened with a tenderness that made Wu Suowei’s chest ache. His thumb traced along Wu Suowei’s kiss-swollen lower lip, as if memorising it.
“You taste like you were made for me,” Chi Cheng murmured, voice husky.
Wu Suowei flushed scarlet, his arms still hooked stubbornly around his neck. He wanted to argue, to hide behind his usual sarcasm, but all that escaped him was another shaky breath as his omega purred with utter contentment.
Chi Cheng’s voice dropped, low and dark, carrying a dangerous sort of amusement that sent a shiver crawling down Wu Suowei’s spine.
“Your jealousy entertains me, but you know I just broke up with her. You were there. Why would I ever want her back when I already have my mate?”
His golden eyes locked onto Wu Suowei’s, unflinching, the sheer intensity of his gaze burning through him.
Wu Suowei huffed, trying to twist his mouth into a pout, but his control faltered when his scent betrayed him. The air around them filled with a soft pulse of warmth, jasmine threaded with sandalwood, tinged with unmistakable happiness. His body might have clung to irritation, but his omega had already given him away, purring loud and proud at the reassurance.
Chi Cheng inhaled deeply, his chest expanding with satisfaction. The pleased curve of his lips turned into a full smile, slow and deliberate, as though savoring the proof. He had always found Wu Suowei’s stubborn protests adorable, but this, this honesty bleeding into the air, humming through the bond, pleased him more than anything else.
His own alpha instincts preened at the knowledge that Wu Suowei was just as tied to him as he was to the omega. It was only natural. The golden crescent that marked them bound them beyond choice, beyond doubt. They were soulmates, two halves of the same whole.
Unable to resist, Chi Cheng closed the sliver of space between them and captured Wu Suowei’s lips again. This kiss was hungrier, more urgent, his lips moving with possessive insistence. His hands gripped tighter, dragging Wu Suowei flush against him until he could feel every tremor of the smaller man’s body.
Wu Suowei gasped into the kiss when he felt cold fingers slip under his shirt, calloused fingertips brushing over the heated skin of his chest. The contrast of warmth and chill made his breath hitch, his back arching instinctively as sparks shot across his nerves. His hands fisted in Chi Cheng’s shirt, trying and failing to anchor himself against the overwhelming sensation.
Chi Cheng pulled back only slightly, his lips glistening, his breath hot against Wu Suowei’s cheek. He did not grant him reprieve. Instead, he pressed a trail of feather-light kisses along his jaw, down to the vulnerable column of his neck. Each brush of his lips sent a shudder through Wu Suowei, soft gasps slipping past his parted lips.
When Chi Cheng reached the golden mark, glowing faintly against his skin, his teasing gentleness vanished. His teeth sank down hard in a sharp bite, not enough to harm but enough to reignite the bond in a blaze of heat.
Wu Suowei cried out, his hands clutching at Chi Cheng’s shoulders, the sound half a whimper and half a moan. His omega responded instantly, flooding the bond with raw need and contentment, purring so loudly in his chest that it nearly drowned out thought. His body arched helplessly into Chi Cheng’s, offering more, surrendering completely to the pull of their bond.
Chi Cheng growled against his skin, the low rumble vibrating through the golden mark. The sound sent a shiver crawling down Wu Suowei’s spine. His waist was held tightly in those strong hands, the alpha’s grip firm and unyielding. When one of Chi Cheng’s hands slid down, brushing over the waistband of his pants and tugging with unmistakable intent, Wu Suowei’s eyes flew wide open.
Panicked, he pressed both hands flat against Chi Cheng’s chest, pushing with enough force to stop him. The alpha stilled immediately, sharp golden eyes narrowing as he searched Wu Suowei’s face.
Wu Suowei’s cheeks flamed crimson. He averted his gaze for a second before meeting those eyes again, his voice coming out in a breathless whine.
“Let’s not… not do anything else. I’m still sore from before.”
His words tumbled out clumsily, but they were honest.
Chi Cheng tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable, but before he could reply the quiet of the kitchen was broken by a loud, unmistakable sound.
Wu Suowei’s stomach growled fiercely.
The omega froze, then turned a shade of red that rivaled the setting sun. His ears burned, and he groaned, covering his face with both hands in humiliation.
Chi Cheng’s lips curled into a slow, pleased smile. He leaned forward, capturing Wu Suowei’s mouth in a quick but deliberate kiss, his amusement rumbling through their bond. When he finally pulled back, his voice was warm but commanding.
“I’ll get you food then.”
He turned and started walking away, his stride purposeful, but before Wu Suowei could fully collect himself he felt the sudden presence of his mate behind him again. Hot breath ghosted across his ear, and Chi Cheng’s voice dropped into that dark, velvet tone that always made his knees weak.
“Wait for me.”
Wu Suowei shivered violently, his entire body reacting before his mind could. By the time he turned his head, Chi Cheng had already disappeared through the kitchen door.
Left alone, Wu Suowei let out a long, shaky sigh and pressed a hand to his forehead. His legs were still unsteady, his knees wobbly from the sheer intensity of Chi Cheng’s presence. He muttered under his breath as he carefully slid off the counter, his bare feet touching the cool floor.
“What is my life even…”
He ran a hand through his messy hair, still trying to calm his racing pulse, before glancing around the kitchen. It was neat, far too neat, with nothing that gave away the alpha’s personality. The countertops gleamed, the cupboards were bare of decoration, the space almost sterile. It was a kitchen made for function, not for comfort.
The only thing he could not ignore was the stifling air. The humid, heavy heat clung to his skin, making his clothes feel too warm, his throat dry again. Wu Suowei groaned in exasperation.
“This man and his snake obsession. Why can’t he buy an air conditioner like a normal person?”
Whining to himself, he crossed the room and yanked open the refrigerator, seeking relief. A rush of cold air washed over him instantly, cooling his flushed skin, and he leaned into it with a sigh of pure bliss. But his eyes widened when he spotted something unexpected inside.
A case sat neatly on the middle shelf, tucked carefully as though it were more precious than the milk and vegetables that shared space beside it. Wu Suowei blinked, leaned in, and then his heart gave a jolt. The case was full of sugar figures.
Not just any sugar figures, but every single one he had stolen before. Even the rare ones he had been convinced Chi Cheng had given to Yue Yue. They were all there, carefully preserved, untouched.
Wu Suowei’s jaw dropped. Slowly, almost reverently, he started counting them. One by one, his breath caught until he realized the collection was complete. Every sugar figure was here.
His chest swelled, his lips curving into a bright smile that he could not contain. Warmth rushed through him, curling in his chest and spreading to the very tips of his fingers. These sugar figures were proof, undeniable and sweet, that Chi Cheng had cared far earlier than he had ever admitted. Far earlier than Wu Suowei had even allowed himself to believe.
His omega purred loudly inside him, thrumming with contentment. Wu Suowei hugged himself instinctively, eyes softening as he whispered to no one but the silent kitchen.
“He kept them all… even the ones I thought were for Yue Yue.”
The realization struck deep, flooding him with joy. For once, he did not try to fight it. He let the warmth wash over him completely, his smile lingering as he shut the refrigerator door.
Wu Suowei was so entranced by the case of sugar figures that he did not even notice Chi Cheng’s return until the quiet rhythm of footsteps broke through his thoughts. He startled, slamming the refrigerator door shut as if caught doing something mischievous. When he turned, his mate was already standing there, tall and steady, carrying two bulging plastic bags in each hand.
Chi Cheng’s expression softened the moment their eyes met. He crossed the kitchen with that unhurried grace of his, setting the bags gently on the counter before turning his full attention on Wu Suowei. His gaze was warm, dark eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction.
“These are all your favourites,” he said simply, his tone calm but laced with pride.
Wu Suowei blinked, momentarily caught off guard. His brows shot up, and curiosity sparked in his eyes. He stepped closer, peering into the bags as he pulled them open. His breath caught when he saw what was inside.
Neatly packed convenience store snacks, ready-to-eat meals, and treats he had secretly cherished since his university days were all nestled inside. He rummaged quickly, his hands pulling out one item after another, his eyes widening further with each discovery. There was the instant curry rice he had always grabbed after late-night study sessions, the strawberry milk he could never resist, even the brand of chips he once complained about not finding in stock.
He looked up at Chi Cheng, utterly baffled, his lips parting as if words had failed him.
“How did you…” He trailed off, his voice dropping in disbelief. He had never once told Chi Cheng about these things. Not once.
But the alpha only smirked, the faintest hint of amusement tugging at his mouth, as though the answer was his own secret to keep.
Wu Suowei did not press further. Instead, his delight overcame him. Hugging the bags close to his chest like treasures, he hurried out of the kitchen, his steps light and almost childlike. He dropped himself onto the couch in the living room, pulling item after item from the bags with gleeful hands, arranging them on the table as though setting a small feast for himself.
Chi Cheng leaned casually against the kitchen doorway for a moment, watching the scene unfold. His chest swelled at the sight of his mate smiling so freely, the omega’s scent radiating joy and contentment, filling the room with warmth. It stirred something deep inside him, possessive and protective in equal measure. Finally, he walked over, his stride confident and slow.
Wu Suowei tore open a packet of dried meat sticks, biting into one happily, when Chi Cheng settled beside him. The couch dipped under the alpha’s weight, and before Wu Suowei could react, an arm slid firmly around his waist, tugging him close until their bodies were pressed together.
Chi Cheng lowered his face, nuzzling into the curve of Wu Suowei’s neck. The faint brush of warm breath made Wu Suowei shiver, though he stubbornly kept munching, cheeks heating at the closeness. His omega purred loudly inside him, soothed and thrilled in equal measure.
Chi Cheng inhaled deeply, his lips curving against the sensitive skin of his mate’s throat. The pleased, honeyed sweetness of Wu Suowei’s scent filled his senses, and he smiled against it, knowing he was the cause of it. The alpha did not need words; the contentment bleeding through the bond told him everything.
Bright and early in the morning, Wu Suowei found himself standing outside the familiar glass doors of the clinic. The sunlight was still pale, washing the street in soft gold, and the air held the crisp coolness of early hours. Having spent the night at Chi Cheng’s apartment, he had not returned to the clinic once. Now, after breakfast and a minor battle where he had physically shoved Chi Cheng out the door to make sure the alpha actually went back to work, Wu Suowei finally made his way here.
Chi Cheng had grumbled endlessly, of course. The alpha had wanted to skip work altogether, insisting he would rather spend the day tangled with his mate than deal with the monotony of corporate affairs. But Wu Suowei was stubborn, pushing him toward responsibility until Chi Cheng finally relented, albeit reluctantly. Secretly, Wu Suowei found the clinginess endearing, but he also knew he needed space to breathe, and more importantly, he wanted to reconnect with Jiang Xiaoshuai.
The bell above the door chimed softly as Wu Suowei stepped inside. The familiar scent of antiseptic hung faintly in the air, but it was quickly overpowered by the comforting waves of Jiang Xiaoshuai’s omega fragrance. Vanilla and peach, warm and soothing, wrapped around the clinic like an invisible blanket, instantly calming anyone who entered. Patients occupied several seats, murmuring quietly, while Xiaoshuai moved gracefully between them, checking charts and giving instructions to the nurses.
When the doctor caught sight of him, his entire face brightened. A beaming smile spread across his lips, and his sharp eyes softened with warmth.
“Staying out all night, are we?” Xiaoshuai teased lightly, his tone carrying that familiar mix of amusement and affection.
Wu Suowei tilted his head, raising his brows with a sly smile tugging at his lips.
“We are mates now. Can’t really pretend anymore,” he replied casually, though the glint in his eyes betrayed the pride and quiet joy still lingering from the bond.
Xiaoshuai chuckled and shook his head, clearly amused by his friend’s honesty. But as quickly as the smile appeared, it faded. Concern crept into his expression, dimming the light in his eyes. His gaze flicked briefly to the waiting patients, then back to Wu Suowei. With a small but urgent motion, he gestured for Wu Suowei to come closer, toward the office desk tucked at the back of the reception area.
Wu Suowei’s smile faltered. A ripple of unease stirred in his chest as he walked over, weaving past a pair of patients waiting by the door. He stopped in front of his friend, watching the way Xiaoshuai’s lips pressed into a thin line and how his brows furrowed just slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Wu Suowei asked, his voice quieter now, his curiosity edged with a nervous undertone. His eyes searched Xiaoshuai’s face, trying to decipher the weight behind that sudden change in mood.
Jiang Xiaoshuai grabbed him firmly by the wrist and all but dragged him into the back room, shutting the door behind them. His movements were brisk, his face tense, which only made Wu Suowei’s curiosity spike higher.
“So, I found out an interesting thing from Chengyu and Li Wang,” Xiaoshuai began, lowering himself into a chair with a sigh, his expression serious.
Wu Suowei, however, was already grinning, his brows lifting with mischievous delight.
“Oh! You’ve been spending more time with Guo Chengyu, huh?” he teased, his tone singsong, his eyes glinting with suggestion.
Xiaoshuai shot him a flat look and swatted his shoulder with an open palm.
“Stop it,” he snapped, his ears tinting faintly pink despite the sharpness of his voice.
Wu Suowei laughed, rubbing his shoulder where the playful slap had landed.
“Come on, admit it. You have a thing for him. You might as well give it a go. You do realise all the food he has been giving you are courting gifts, right?” Wu Suowei leaned closer, his grin widening as his words hit the mark.
Ever since his return, the two had fallen back into the easy rhythm of friendship, catching up on every detail they had missed during Wu Suowei’s absence. Xiaoshuai had confided about the constant appearances of Guo Chengyu at the clinic, his endless deliveries of desserts and meals, and even the small company he had offered him. The moment Wu Suowei had heard it, he had put two and two together. And now, he was enjoying watching his friend squirm under the implication.
Xiaoshuai groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as if regretting every word he had ever shared on the subject. His face was dry, his eyes flat, but his omega scent betrayed the faint stir of fluster beneath his mask.
“No. I cannot. He is too much of a playboy. Why would I bother getting involved with someone like that?” Xiaoshuai said firmly, shaking his head as though trying to brush off the entire notion. Then, with a wave of his hand, he tried to redirect the conversation. “Forget all that. Listen to what I found out.”
Wu Suowei pouted dramatically but leaned back, waiting.
Xiaoshuai took a slow breath, gathering his thoughts.
“From Li Wang, I got the full story about Chengyu and Chi Cheng. Apparently, they were childhood best friends, practically inseparable as they grew up. But everything collapsed in university. Guo Chengyu slept with Chi Cheng’s boyfriend at the time. Since then, Chi Cheng has been retaliating. He started stealing Chengyu’s boyfriends, one after another. It has been a cycle of petty revenge for years now.” Xiaoshuai’s eyes widened slightly as he delivered the revelation, his voice hushed as if it were too scandalous to be spoken aloud at full volume.
Wu Suowei blinked, taken aback. His eyebrows shot upward as he processed the words.
“Huh… how long ago was this?” he asked quietly, searching his friend’s face for confirmation.
“Six years,” Xiaoshuai said gravely. “Six long years.”
Wu Suowei nodded slowly, though his mind was already spinning in different directions. Six years. That was not the kind of grudge one held unless the original wound had cut very, very deep. A little pang of insecurity wormed its way into his chest, tightening around his heart.
Jiang Xiaoshuai seemed to sense the storm of thoughts unraveling inside Wu Suowei. The way his friend’s shoulders hunched slightly, the faint waver in his scent, it was all enough to make Xiaoshuai’s eyes soften with quiet understanding.
“Hey,” Xiaoshuai said firmly, voice gentle yet unwavering, “don’t feel insecure. That mark on your neck, that golden crescent, proves everything. Mr. Strong is your soulmate. Who cares about an ex? Who cares about what came before? You two are made for each other.” His gaze stayed locked on Wu Suowei’s, intent and steady, as though trying to anchor him with sheer certainty.
Wu Suowei wanted so badly to believe those words. Yet insecurity was a stubborn thorn, buried deep within him. Every failed relationship he had endured left scars, every time he had been left behind or cheated on had carved doubt into his bones. He had never been enough. Not for anyone. And even now, with the undeniable mark glowing at his neck, proof that fate itself had bound him to Chi Cheng, the fear still lingered. The thought that Chi Cheng might wake up one day, look at him differently, and change his mind was a fear that gnawed relentlessly. Hearing about Chi Cheng’s ex only poured fuel on those flames.
“Maybe…” Wu Suowei murmured, voice small, his lips pulling into a thin line. “But… I’m not really a catch either. What if he changes his mind?” The words came out in a hush, filled with raw honesty he could not hide.
Jiang Xiaoshuai reacted immediately, pulling him into a firm embrace. His arms wrapped securely around Wu Suowei’s shoulders, and his omega scent—warm vanilla blended with the gentle sweetness of peach—spilled into the space around them, soothing, grounding, comforting. It washed over Wu Suowei like a tide, easing the frantic edge of his thoughts.
“Stop it,” Xiaoshuai said sharply, though his tone was laced with affection. “You are a catch. And that man clearly does care for you, more than you realise. Yes, maybe it all started as a scheme, but that doesn’t matter anymore. That mark on your neck says everything. You two are intertwined forever. So don’t waste energy worrying about some ex swooping in to steal your man or about him getting tired of you. Seriously, Suowei. Now I wish I hadn’t told you about the past at all.” His frown deepened, though the way he held Wu Suowei was protective, like a shield against his doubts.
The tight coil in Wu Suowei’s chest loosened slightly at his friend’s words. His lips curved into a hesitant smile, his eyes softening with gratitude. “Maybe you’re right,” he admitted quietly. Still, a flicker of unease lingered. He rubbed a hand through his hair with a frustrated huff. “I just don’t think I could ever feel fully confident in being enough for him…ugh. Why am I this gone on him? I tried so hard to pretend I didn’t care…” His voice trailed off, embarrassment and vulnerability written across his face.
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, Wu Suowei’s eyes widened. His head snapped up, staring at Xiaoshuai with sudden urgency. The shift in his expression made Xiaoshuai’s brows lift in curiosity, sensing that his packmate was about to reveal something important.
“Oh… you’re not the only one with tea, master gossip,” Wu Suowei said slowly, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction. His eyes gleamed as if he had been waiting for this moment. “I found out a couple of things… well, two major things.”
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s brows shot up, his posture immediately straightening. If there was one thing that could ignite his curiosity faster than medical anomalies, it was gossip, and the way his packmate delivered that line had him leaning forward, anticipation practically buzzing in his scent.
“First,” Wu Suowei began, drawing it out with deliberate slowness, “when I went to meet Chi Cheng… Yue Yue was there.”
The words had barely left his lips when Xiaoshuai’s expression hardened. His lips thinned, his brows knitted together, and the protective sharpness that always surfaced when it came to Wu Suowei burned in his eyes.
“Don’t tell me that asshole is still dating her after bonding with you!” Jiang Xiaoshuai’s voice rose, indignant and laced with fury, his scent bristling with sharp notes of warning.
Wu Suowei, however, only chuckled softly at his friend’s fiery reaction. A crooked smile pulled at his lips, half teasing, half reassuring. “Oh, don’t worry. That’s the first bit of news. When Yue Yue tried to take him out for a lunch date, he dumped her. Publicly. In his office, no less.” His grin widened, pride slipping into his tone. “It was brutal. I almost felt sorry for her… almost.”
Jiang Xiaoshuai’s lips twitched, caught between anger and amusement, but Wu Suowei leaned forward quickly, eyes gleaming brighter. “But that’s not even the biggest news.”
“What do you mean?” Xiaoshuai asked, his curiosity flaring once again.
Wu Suowei hesitated, then exhaled slowly before continuing, his voice softer, heavier. “I also eavesdropped… and I found out something. Apparently, Chi Cheng’s father has kidnapped his snakes. All of them, except Xiao Cubao. That’s the reason he’s been working at the company, and the reason he was dating Yue Yue in the first place. His father is using them to force him to play along. He wants him to date a female omega.”
The weight of those words settled between them like a stone. Jiang Xiaoshuai froze, the surprise flashing across his face before giving way to thoughtfulness. He rubbed at his chin slowly, his eyes narrowing as the pieces began to fit together.
“Huh…” he murmured at last, his voice low with contemplation. “So your initial thoughts about Chi Cheng were completely wrong, weren’t they?”
Wu Suowei’s chest tightened, his head dipping slightly as he nodded. There was sadness etched into the curve of his lips, the guilt in his eyes unmistakable. “Yeah… he was never targeting me. He never approached me with any ulterior motive. That was me. I was the one with the scheme. He wasn’t using me as a mistress… he just wanted to bring his snakes back. Everything with Yue Yue was just a front. He only used her because his father forced his hand.” His eyes lifted, urgent and searching as they met Xiaoshuai’s. “He was genuine with me the whole time.”
Xiaoshuai’s expression softened. A hum slipped from him, thoughtful yet tinged with relief, before his lips curled into a smile. “So he was using Yue Yue because of his father’s pressure, but despite that, he still broke up with her. For you. Suowei, do you not see? That proves everything. That man chose you even when it put him at a disadvantage.” He leaned forward, his eyes warm with conviction. “And you were sitting here doubting yourself, feeling insecure? Come on now…”
His voice grew lighter, teasing, as if trying to shake his friend free from the shadows of doubt. “You’ve got it bad, but so does he. And now you have undeniable proof.”
The reassurance sank deep, Wu Suowei’s heart skipping in his chest. Warmth spread through him, though a faint blush coloured his cheeks at the way Xiaoshuai spelled it out so clearly.
Wu Suowei smiled faintly, feeling some of the weight in his chest ease. The insecurities that had been gnawing at him only moments ago were not gone, but they were quieter now, drowned out by the warmth of Jiang Xiaoshuai’s reassurance. He tilted his head, his thoughts racing a mile a minute, pieces slotting together as his mind began to turn over new possibilities.
And then it hit him.
His eyes widened, the spark of revelation flashing through them like lightning. He straightened abruptly, looking at Jiang Xiaoshuai with an expression that was both fierce and mischievous.
“I know what we need to do… a new scheme,” Wu Suowei said slowly, his tone carrying a dangerous edge of excitement.
Jiang Xiaoshuai immediately caught it, his own brows lifting in interest. The tone was unmistakable, one he knew all too well. That particular glint in Wu Suowei’s eyes always spelled trouble, but it was the kind of trouble he could never quite resist. His lips curved upward, a bright smile spreading across his face as he leaned forward.
“Go on then,” Jiang Xiaoshuai urged, unable to mask his anticipation. His heart thrummed with a peculiar mix of dread and delight. For years, his life had been measured and quiet, every day a repetition of routine and responsibility. And yet, since Wu Suowei had walked back into his life with his endless schemes and stubborn fire, everything had changed. These harebrained plots gave color to his days, turning his still waters into something turbulent, something alive. Against his better judgment, he loved it. He loved the chaos Wu Suowei carried with him.
Wu Suowei’s lips curved into a smug, self-satisfied smirk. His eyes gleamed with determination.
“We need a new scheme to find Chi Cheng’s snakes and get them back from his father,” he declared, his voice steady, every word carrying conviction. “He went against his father to break up with Yue Yue. His father will be furious. Chi Cheng will be under more pressure than ever, and he can’t fight alone. We’re going to help him. We’re going to get his snakes back.”
The words hung in the air, bold and heavy with promise.
For a moment, Jiang Xiaoshuai was quiet, simply watching his friend. But then his lips stretched into a slow, cheshire smile. His eyes glittered, sharp and wicked.
“That…” he said, his voice dropping into something sly, “…sounds like an excellent idea.”
The two omegas exchanged a look, their grins matching, the air between them crackling with the dangerous energy of shared mischief.
A new plan was forming. And this time, it was not about revenge or deception. This time, it was about protecting someone who mattered.
To say Gang Zi was confused lately would be an understatement. He had been running himself ragged, chasing leads, bribing clerks, shadowing shipments, doing anything he could to track down Chi Cheng’s missing snakes. The search consumed most of his waking hours, yet what truly unsettled him was not the snakes themselves but the erratic behaviour of his boss.
Just yesterday, Chi Cheng had shocked him to the core by dumping Yue Yue. Gang Zi had always known his boss barely tolerated her presence. He had seen the cold looks, the clipped replies, the way Chi Cheng avoided her touch. But still, she was an omega, a beautiful one at that, and more importantly, she was the shield against the chairman’s control. To cast her aside so publicly, so abruptly, seemed nothing short of reckless.
What baffled Gang Zi even more was the reason. Wu Suowei. A beta. A clearly manipulative beta. Chi Cheng was obsessed with him. He had seen it with his own eyes, the way the alpha’s gaze softened when it landed on Suowei, the way he hovered protectively, almost possessively, as if guarding treasure. Gang Zi could not wrap his head around it. Omegas were supposed to be irresistible, their allure carved into the very fabric of instinct, yet Chi Cheng had walked away from one without a backward glance, choosing instead to parade around with a beta who looked perpetually in over his head.
That kiss. That scandalous, unapologetic kiss in the middle of the office, in front of staff and gossiping employees, had been the talk of every corridor for the rest of the day. The whispers had spread like wildfire, feeding the rumor mill until even the cleaning staff were speculating about the boss’s new flame.
And though Chi Cheng had left with Wu Suowei that afternoon, Gang Zi had remained at the office. He had been there when news reached Chi Yuan Duan. He had heard the man’s roar of fury shake the walls, had felt the oppressive weight of his rage ripple through the halls. The chairman had been livid, so furious his words had been barely coherent, and that alone was enough to make Gang Zi redouble his efforts.
He threw himself into the search for the snakes with even greater urgency, not just out of loyalty but out of fear. Fear of what the chairman might do next. Fear of how much harder the man would press his son, and what collateral damage might come of it.
But beneath all that ran something else. Suspicion. Unease. Because for the first time since he had known him, Gang Zi thought Chi Cheng might actually be in love. And that terrified him. Love made people reckless. Love made people blind. Love could make even the strongest alpha crumble.
So what if Wu Suowei was not what he seemed? What if there was more to him than the wide-eyed innocence, the awkward blushes, the clumsy sweetness that made Chi Cheng smile? What if he had an angle? An agenda? Gang Zi could not shake the thought, no matter how often he told himself it was paranoia.
With all these thoughts swirling in his head, Gang Zi finally approached the office, ready to deliver the small scrap of intel he had uncovered about the snakes. He steeled himself, adjusted the folder in his hands, and pushed open the heavy door.
The sight that greeted him, however, stopped him cold.
He froze in the doorway, blinking as though he might be hallucinating.
Because whatever he had expected to find, it certainly was not this.
Chi Cheng sat sprawled in his large office chair, posture relaxed in a way Gang Zi rarely saw when they discussed business. His sharp black eyes were softened by something unusual, something almost smug. The source of his contentment was… a corn cob.
Gang Zi blinked in disbelief, standing frozen in the doorway. The alpha was holding the roasted cob in one large hand, biting into it with an expression so satisfied it bordered on indecent. Each crunch echoed faintly in the quiet office, and Chi Cheng chewed with the kind of focus one might expect from someone savoring a fine cigar.
Gang Zi’s gaze dropped to the white plastic bag sitting on the desk. It was half-open, revealing several more golden cobs wrapped in foil, steam still faintly rising from them. His brows furrowed. Since when did his boss even like corn? He had never seen him touch the stuff before. Chi Cheng’s tastes usually ran toward meat-heavy meals, spicy dishes, and expensive liquor.
“Uh… where did the corn come from?” Gang Zi asked carefully, curiosity outweighing caution for once. His stomach gave a treacherous growl. He had been running errands all afternoon and had not stopped for lunch. The scent of butter and roasted sweetness filled his nose, and before he realized it, his hand was already stretching toward the bag. “There’s so many… maybe I’ll just take one—”
The growl that erupted from Chi Cheng stopped him dead in his tracks.
It was low and feral, vibrating in the air like the warning snarl of a predator. Gang Zi froze, his hand hovering inches above the bag, his eyes going wide as if he had just stumbled into the path of a charging beast. Slowly, mechanically, he turned his head toward Chi Cheng.
The alpha’s eyes had narrowed, flashing gold with a dangerous glint. His jaw was tight, his grip on the corn cob white-knuckled, as though Gang Zi had just threatened something infinitely precious.
Gang Zi’s mouth fell open. “Boss… are you growling at me? Over… corn?”
Chi Cheng did not blink. He did not soften. He simply gave him a look that screamed possession and dominance, as if daring him to try again. His voice was cold and flat when he finally spoke.
“Buy your own lunch.”
Gang Zi jerked his hand back immediately, retreating as if burned. Only when his hand had fully withdrawn did Chi Cheng’s shoulders relax again. The alpha leaned back in his chair, took another slow bite of corn, and chewed with obvious satisfaction.
Gang Zi could only stare, utterly baffled. Since when had corn become treasure? Since when did Chi Cheng, of all people, treat food like a personal claim?
Before he could dwell on it further, Chi Cheng shifted gears entirely. His golden eyes sharpened again, this time not with possessiveness but with businesslike intensity.
“How did things go with what I asked you to do?” Chi Cheng asked, his voice smooth and cutting, like a blade slipping back into familiar territory.
Gang Zi swallowed, pushing aside his confusion and focusing on the task at hand. He forced a nervous smile and adjusted the folder in his grip.
“I made contact with the snake dealer,” he reported. “You were right. There’s more than one person selling the eggs. Some are shady, but I managed to find one who seems reliable. Everything’s set. We can move the snakes out and swap them into the safe location whenever you give the word.”
Chi Cheng’s gaze bored into him, testing, measuring. “My father didn’t notice?”
Gang Zi shook his head. “Not yet. The chairman has been distracted with Yue Yue making a scene. But the longer this drags on, the riskier it gets. He’s determined to keep you under his thumb. If he finds out, it won’t just be the snakes in danger.”
Chi Cheng’s lips curved into something that was not quite a smile, not quite a scowl. He tapped his thumb once against the desk, then calmly bit into the corn again, as if to say the conversation was over until he decided otherwise.
Gang Zi shifted uneasily on his feet. He could not decide which unsettled him more: the chairman’s schemes, or his boss guarding corn like it was priceless treasure.
“No… he was distracted because of what you did yesterday,” Gang Zi said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced at his boss. “He found out you broke up with Yue Yue and found out you are dating a male beta.”
That seemed to amuse Chi Cheng. The alpha leaned back in his chair and chuckled, the sound deep and rich, as though the entire situation was more entertaining than dangerous. Gang Zi frowned. He could not for the life of him understand what was so funny about poking a hornet’s nest, yet here was his boss, acting like he had just heard the setup to a joke.
Gang Zi parted his lips, intending to ask what exactly was so amusing, but before he could get a word out, Chi Cheng’s phone buzzed against the desk. The sharp vibration cut through the room.
To Gang Zi’s utter astonishment, Chi Cheng’s entire demeanor shifted the moment he glanced at the caller ID. His cold, aloof face softened instantly, light blooming in his eyes. The corners of his lips lifted into a smile that looked far too warm, far too tender to belong to the man everyone feared. Without hesitation, he snatched up the phone and answered.
“Mm.” His voice was low at first, clipped, but then his expression melted further as he listened to the voice on the other end.
Gang Zi stood frozen, watching in disbelief as minutes ticked by.
One minute became five. Five stretched into ten. And by the time the fifteenth minute rolled around, Gang Zi’s eyes were bulging. This was insanity. His boss, the same man who used to hang up on clients after uttering a single word, was now lounging in his chair with a corn cob in one hand and a phone in the other, talking in a tone that could only be described as affectionate. Affectionate.
“…Remember to take an umbrella when you go out,” Chi Cheng said, his voice smooth and unhurried.
Gang Zi nearly dropped the folder he was holding. His jaw sagged open so far it almost hit the floor. Did his boss just… remind someone to carry an umbrella? In that gentle, indulgent tone? Was this still Chi Cheng, the ruthless alpha who could freeze a room with a glare, or had someone replaced him with a sentimental impostor?
When Chi Cheng finally hung up, the silence that followed was deafening.
Gang Zi could not hold it in. “Who was calling? You have been acting very strange, boss. Before, you used to hang up after one word, and now… now you talk like that?” His voice cracked as he gestured wildly, still trying to make sense of what he had just witnessed.
Chi Cheng did not answer right away. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, golden eyes locking on Gang Zi with the kind of intensity that made the beta’s stomach twist. Then, slowly, deliberately, the alpha smirked.
It was not his usual mocking smirk, but something sharper, edged with pride and possession. The kind of smirk that made Gang Zi’s instincts scream at him to tread carefully.
Gang Zi swallowed hard. “…Uh… boss?” he tried again, his voice faint.
“My mate,” Chi Cheng said simply, his tone curt but carrying the weight of absolute certainty.
For a heartbeat, Gang Zi thought he had misheard. But then the words sank in, and he choked. “Your what?!” he screeched, the folder nearly slipping from his hands as his entire body jolted in shock.
The word echoed in his ears, impossible to process. Mate. Chi Cheng had a mate. And not just any mate. A beta.
Gang Zi’s mind spun wildly as the image of Wu Suowei surfaced, and for once in his life, he found himself completely speechless.
“You what?!?” Gang zi shouted, losing all composure.
Wu Suowei wiped his forehead with the towel draped loosely around his neck, his skin damp with sweat as he set down the heavy snake case with a thud. His arms ached from the weight, and he rolled his shoulders, sighing in relief now that the task was done. He had not been exaggerating to Chi Cheng when he had once complained about how difficult it was to handle snakes. The creatures demanded constant vigilance, calm hands, and a kind of patience he had never thought he possessed.
Sometimes he wondered how he had even gotten here. All the things he had thrown himself into just to catch the attention of one infuriating alpha were nothing short of insane. At first, he had told himself it was only a scheme. A game. He had learned about snakes, forced himself into basketball, and endured countless awkward hours just to get under Chi Cheng’s skin. But the truth was clear now. He had not half-heartedly done any of it. He had gone all in. And not only had he learned, but somewhere along the way he had started to enjoy it.
That, more than anything, should have been the first warning. The first sign that his feelings had already betrayed him, even while he insisted he hated alphas, even while he told himself this was all just for revenge. Denial, it seemed, was his strongest talent.
Wu Suowei cracked his neck with a groan, his body heavy with exhaustion. He was about to slump onto the nearest chair when suddenly something moved in front of him. An arm, firm and pale, extended toward him, and coiled lazily around it was a familiar scaled body.
Wu Suowei’s eyes widened, recognition sparking instantly. “Xiao Cubao!” he exclaimed, voice bright with relief. He reached out immediately, his fingers brushing over the snake’s smooth scales with affection.
Lifting his gaze, his heart skipped a beat. Chi Cheng stood in front of him, dressed in crisp white that only made his tall frame seem sharper, more commanding. The alpha’s dark eyes were on him, steady and intense, but softened by the faint curve of his lips.
Wu Suowei’s smile bloomed without restraint, radiant and unguarded. His chest tightened at the sight, and he reached to stroke Xiao Cubao again, though his eyes never left Chi Cheng’s face. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice carrying both curiosity and unmistakable delight.
It struck him just how much he had missed him. He had been caught up in the snake scheme all day, buried in plans and tasks, while Chi Cheng had been pulled away by the demands of work. Hours had passed without a single glimpse of him, and Wu Suowei had told himself he was fine with it, that he was busy enough not to notice. But the instant he saw him standing there, his omega purred with satisfaction, warmth flooding through him as though every restless ache had been soothed in an instant.
The exhaustion weighing down his body no longer seemed so heavy.
The sight of his mate was enough to sweep it all away. He truly was a sight for sore eyes.
‘God when did I become such a soppy wimp’ Wu Suowei thought, ven as his lips curved unconsciously into a smile. He could not help it. Just standing there, looking at Chi Cheng, his chest felt light, foolishly full of warmth that he could not explain away as anything else.
But Chi Cheng’s expression shifted. The easy smirk he had carried only moments ago faded, replaced by something sharper and heavier. His eyes swept over Wu Suowei’s face and then down his body, dark and intent, as though searching for signs of something wrong. Worry darkened his gaze, tugging down the corners of his mouth.
“Sweating this much?” Chi Cheng muttered, his voice edged with concern. Before Wu Suowei could brush him off, the alpha stepped closer and reached out, his fingers brushing against the damp skin of his neck. His touch was careful, almost reverent, as he wiped away the moisture. The simple action sent a shiver down Wu Suowei’s spine.
Wu Suowei immediately tried to mask his reaction with mock annoyance, scrunching his nose as though irritated. “The more you wipe, the more there is!” he whined, batting weakly at Chi Cheng’s hand. But his protest was betrayed by the sparkle in his eyes and the faint quirk of his lips. He was enjoying the fussing far too much, even if he would rather die than admit it out loud.
Chi Cheng was unmoved by the complaint. His touch lingered, steady and deliberate, as though making sure Wu Suowei was truly alright. Then his hand shifted. Fingers slid under Wu Suowei’s chin, tilting it up with surprising gentleness, holding him in place. Their eyes met, close enough that Wu Suowei could see the glint of gold flickering in the alpha’s pupils.
Wu Suowei’s breath caught, his heart stuttering violently in his chest. His skin burned where Chi Cheng touched him, and his omega purred contentedly at the silent show of possession. Yet he still clung stubbornly to his pretense of irritation, determined not to melt so easily in public.
“There are still people here!” Wu Suowei hissed in a hushed, desperate whisper, darting his eyes toward his beta subordinate on his left. The poor man had gone stock-still, frozen in place as he stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding before him. His mouth hung slightly open, as though he could not quite believe what he was seeing.
Wu Suowei flushed scarlet at the realization. His embarrassment surged, mingling with the traitorous warmth flooding his chest, leaving him caught between mortification and secret joy. Chi Cheng though didn’t seem to care; he smirked without any shame.
Meanwhile, Wu Suowei’s worker seemed to realize he was intruding on something far too intimate for his comfort. With the worst acting skills imaginable, the beta slapped a hand over his eyes and loudly declared, “Ah! How did I get sand in my eyes!” He stumbled off in the opposite direction, not even bothering to make the excuse sound believable.
Wu Suowei’s jaw dropped at the ridiculous display. He turned back to glare at Chi Cheng, but his alpha was utterly unbothered. Chi Cheng’s attention never wavered as he continued to rub at Wu Suowei’s damp neck, his touch maddeningly steady.
“How are you more embarrassed than him? He did not seem to care,” Chi Cheng said casually, his tone deep and quiet, as though the surrounding world had shrunk down to just the two of them.
Wu Suowei huffed, puffing his cheeks like an indignant child, but before he could muster a reply, Chi Cheng shifted. His hand slipped away from his neck only to circle firmly around his waist, drawing him flush against the hard plane of his chest. Wu Suowei let out a startled yelp, his balance tipping forward. His palms landed instinctively against Chi Cheng’s shirt, and when he looked up, his eyes softened despite himself.
Something inside him gave up the act. Instead of pushing away, Wu Suowei leaned closer, pressing his nose to the warm curve of Chi Cheng’s neck. He breathed in deeply, the rich scent of wood and rain wrapping around him like a protective cocoon. His omega purred in satisfaction, the tension draining from his limbs as he melted against his mate.
Chi Cheng tilted his head down until his lips brushed the shell of Wu Suowei’s ear. His voice came low, dark, and intimate, a whisper that seemed to vibrate straight into his bones.
“Move in with me.”
Wu Suowei’s eyes snapped wide, his head jerking back just enough to search Chi Cheng’s gaze. The intensity there nearly stole the breath from his lungs. Gold shimmered faintly in the alpha’s eyes, steady and unyielding, as though the command was not simply a request but an inevitability.
For a long moment, the two of them were locked together, the world outside their bond fading into nothingness. Neither noticed the figure standing far away near the trees, the pair of dark eyes fixed sharply on them. A figure stood, fists clenched so tight the knuckles whitened, silent fury radiating from his still frame as he watched the scene unfold.
Notes:
Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter!! I love reading the comments. Thank god we have fanfics to keep this community alive.
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