“Su Yanqing, mark me.”
Yun Xi pushed open the bathroom door, allowing the hazy mist to dissipate into the air and vanish without a trace.
Because his body had been stained with the scent of the Su family, Yun Xi had washed every inch of himself meticulously and soaked in the bathtub for a long time. Upon stepping out of the bathroom, Yun Xi felt a bit dizzy. He assumed it was from soaking for too long and did not pay it much mind. It was not until his body grew increasingly hot and a familiar tingling sensation rose from the gland on the back of his neck that he realized something was wrong.
His heat had arrived.
And, just as he had expected, it was incredibly intense.
In a matter of mere seconds, Yun Xi’s entire body had turned soft. His cheeks were flushed, and a certain part of his body clamored for the nourishment of an Alpha. What was worse was that he had just been in close contact with Su Yanqing at the Su residence earlier that day. Su Yanqing’s pheromones were still vividly etched in his mind, along with the memory of the tongue swirling in his mouth and the powerful palms kneading his waist. At this moment, those memories manifested as a concrete and agonizing craving.
With limp limbs, Yun Xi shuffled toward the cabinet in the living room and took down the first-aid kit. Inside were the last two remaining suppressants. Yun Xi bit the tip of his tongue. The pain cleared his mind slightly as he took out one suppressant and injected himself with practiced ease.
After waiting for a moment, his bodily reactions gradually calmed, and a wave of sleepiness washed over him. This was a side effect of this specific suppressant; one would feel drowsy after the injection. Yun Xi yawned and murmured, “It feels like it is not as severe as I imagined.”
It was a pity. He had originally wanted to use this opportunity to let Su Yanqing give him a temporary mark to add more fuel to the fire. Moving sluggishly toward the bedroom, Yun Xi crawled into bed, intending to sleep through this heat.
Closing his eyes, Yun Xi began to count sheep. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep. When he reached the one hundred and sixty-eighth sheep, Yun Xi bolted upright.
Something was wrong.
He touched the back of his neck. The gland that had just quieted down had unexpectedly turned scalding again, and a certain part of his body began to secrete a suspicious liquid. Yun Xi did not even have time to put on slippers. He ran barefoot to the first-aid kit, took out the final suppressant, and injected himself.
The liquid in the syringe slowly entered his body, but it did not quiet his physical reactions as expected. Instead, it felt like adding oil to a fire. The rich fragrance of gardenias instantly filled the living room. A surging heatwave spread from his gland to his entire body. Yun Xi’s fingers lost their strength, and the syringe slipped from his hand, hitting the floor with a sharp thud.
His legs felt weak, and unspeakable desires crowded his mind. No, this suppressant was wrong. It did not seem to be suppressing his heat; it felt more like it was completely detonating it.
His thoughts were in disarray. Yun Xi collapsed by the cabinet, fruitlessly trying to soothe himself.
“Ugh, mnh.”
The clumsy touching failed to diminish his physical reaction; instead, it made his body feel even emptier. Biting his lip, Yun Xi could not help but think of Su Yanqing. Su Yanqing, who lived right across the hall, whose pheromones smelled so good, and who liked him.
As if they shared a telepathic connection, there was a knock at the door.
His chaotic brain cleared for a split second. Yun Xi withdrew his hand, stood up with great difficulty, and stumbled toward the entryway. Without checking to see who was outside, he urgently pulled the door open.
“Su Yanqing.”
Yun Xi raised his tearful eyes, but what met his gaze was not Su Yanqing’s face.
“You.”
The man before him had an unfamiliar face. His eyes were bloodshot, clearly showing the appearance of an Alpha who had entered a rut. Upon seeing Yun Xi’s face, the Alpha, who had been attracted by the Omega’s pheromones, grew even more excited.
Forcing a gentlemanly front, he said, “I live upstairs. Do you need help?”
Yun Xi shook his head and tried to close the door, but the Alpha grabbed the edge of the door and forced it open.
“I am an A-rank Alpha. I have served as a voluntary aid Alpha for a period of time. My technique is very good.” The man stared fixedly at Yun Xi, quietly releasing his pheromones. “You cannot hold back anymore, can you? Just let me help you.”
When his gland came into contact with the Alpha’s pheromones, it became even more agitated. Yun Xi trembled and grit his teeth, warning, “Get lost.”
The sight of the Omega desperately enduring his lust was delectable. The man had never seen such a top-tier specimen and did not want to miss out. He released a massive amount of pheromones again, intending to make the Omega surrender completely. He failed to notice that Yun Xi’s eyes suddenly lit up as he looked behind him.
It was not until he was lifted by his throat that the man realized the door behind him had been opened. His neck was gripped in a death grip, and the danger of suffocation cleared his lust-driven brain. He looked in terror at the Alpha who had suddenly appeared. Those grey eyes held a calmness that treated him like a dead man.
Even though he was also a high-level Alpha, he had no power to strike back. The hand on his throat tightened further, and the man even suspected he would be strangled to death then and there. It was not until the Omega in heat let out a low moan that the hand loosened slightly, subsequently throwing him aside like a piece of trash.
The man, having survived the ordeal, coughed violently. He touched his neck in lingering fear, watching with terror as the Alpha picked up the Omega. His movements were as gentle as if he were handling a priceless treasure. Before carrying the Omega into the room, the Alpha gave him a silent, sideways glance. That single look made the man realize that he was finished.
“Yun Xi, calm down.”
Yun Xi would not listen. Like a willful kitten, he buried himself in Su Yanqing’s arms regardless of the consequences, drinking in the familiar scent of the Alpha’s pheromones. Having nearly been marked by a stranger left him feeling extremely insecure.
Su Yanqing’s grey eyes were dark. He grabbed Yun Xi’s wrist and saw two clear needle marks on it.
“You took suppressants?”
Yun Xi nodded haphazardly, letting out a soft and aggrieved hum from his throat. He was already in this state; why was the other man still asking about suppressants?
“Su Yanqing, Su Yanqing,” Yun Xi rubbed against the Alpha aimlessly, begging for comfort. “Husband, help me. It hurts so much.”
Su Yanqing’s breath hitched slightly. The moment he had smelled Yun Xi’s pheromones, he had already been triggered. However, the truth that constantly hung in his mind kept him calm.
He looked at Yun Xi coldly and said cruelly, “No.”
Yun Xi felt as if he had been struck by lightning. “Why?”
“You are not thinking clearly right now. I cannot take advantage of you while you are vulnerable.”
Su Yanqing forcibly pulled Yun Xi out of his arms and placed him on the bed. During the struggle, Yun Xi’s clothes had become disheveled. He was only wearing a silk bathrobe with nothing underneath. After the belt was pulled loose, the silk robe slid smoothly to the sides of his body, revealing a fair physique tinged with a light flush. Su Yanqing was momentarily blinded by that flash of white, and his breathing grew imperceptibly heavier. He ordered himself to look away, yet his body refused to obey his reason, his gaze remaining pinned to the sight.
Yun Xi writhed uncomfortably, the bathrobe sliding back and forth over him, revealing glimpses of skin.
“It hurts. It hurts so much.”
He was in such distress that tears welled in the corners of his eyes, and he bit his lower lip until it was nearly broken. There was an antidote right beside him that could end his suffering, yet he was not allowed to have it. The extreme grievance even made him a little angry. He grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at Su Yanqing.
“Get out! You get out too!” Yun Xi’s voice was hoarse as he sobbed. “I hate you! I hate you! Go call that Alpha back. If you will not help me, let him do it! Anyone will do. I do not want you!”
The pillow hit his face, but Su Yanqing did not move. Upon hearing the Omega’s words, he blinked slowly.
“You hate me?” he repeated softly. “You do not want me here; anyone else will do?”
Yun Xi did not speak, struggling to take matters into his own hands. Su Yanqing stepped closer and forcefully pulled Yun Xi’s hands away. Yun Xi’s entire body jolted, and a soft moan escaped his lips. He bit his lip hard to prevent the sound from appearing too frivolous.
“What are you doing!” His hands were held high above his head. Yun Xi struggled to break free but could not.
“You do not want me? Who do you want?” Su Yanqing asked in a low voice.
Yun Xi pursed his lips, his eyes wet and red, and said stubbornly, “I do not want you.”
Su Yanqing asked again, “Who do you want to come over?”
He must want Gu Xun, Su Yanqing thought calmly. He looked at the Omega who was glaring at him fiercely and let out a soft laugh. Then, he leaned down and blocked those lips.
Yun Xi was stunned but immediately responded with passion. Like someone who had been thirsty for three days and three nights, he obsessively drank from Su Yanqing’s mouth, his throat letting out sweet and sticky hums.
When the kiss ended, Yun Xi had turned completely into a puddle of water. His lips were slightly parted, and his eyes were misty as he looked at Su Yanqing in a daze. The Alpha remained as calm as ever; if not for the moisture on his lips, he looked as if he were simply conducting an experiment in a laboratory.
Yun Xi’s gaze drifted downward. When he saw a certain area, he froze, and the shock actually cleared his head slightly. Heavens, he could still remain expressionless even like this?
His chin was gently pinched, and Yun Xi was forced to pull his gaze back to meet Su Yanqing’s.
“Do you still not want me?”
Yun Xi stared into the Alpha’s calm and restrained eyes, and a smile suddenly appeared at the corners of his lips.
“I want you.” He reached out and let the bathrobe fall away completely. As if whispering a secret, he said softly, “I only want you. Su Yanqing, mark me.”