Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The alpha must have just returned from the company, dressed in a neat three-piece suit, his hair meticulously combed back, revealing his deeply set brows and eyes. Gloved fingers held a cigarette.

Lin Ze got in the car and sat down, feeling uneasy.

He had a keen sense of the alpha's mood. For instance, the alpha was clearly in a bad mood now, but Lin Ze didn't know why.

"Why didn't you let me know ahead of time?" Lin Ze forced a smile and asked the alpha.

It was Fu Zhi who answered, "I sent you a text."

Lin Ze finally checked his phone. Indeed, there was an unread message.

"Sorry, I didn't notice."

The partition suddenly rose, blocking Fu Zhi out. The narrow compartment now held only Lin Ze and the alpha. The air was filled with the alpha's scent, similar to pheromones but more intense, more aggressive.

Lin Ze shivered and tried to make conversation again, "That was my... younger brother. If you have time, we could all have a meal together."

"Hmm." The alpha's voice was cold.

They didn't speak again.

After returning home, he and Fu Zhi went into the study.

About two hours later, Fu Zhi left.

By dinnertime, the alpha still hadn't emerged from the study.

A servant brought the food upstairs but soon returned. "No one answered the knock. Perhaps you should go up instead."

Lin Ze was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

He thought his knock would also go unanswered, but a voice from inside said, "Come in." Steeling himself, Lin Ze opened the door.

The room was dimly lit, the air faintly swirling with a boiling, restless scent, so strong it was suffocating.

It strongly resembled the scent an alpha emits during their rut...

A cold sweat broke out on Lin Ze's back.

Bracing himself, Lin Ze approached him and finally saw his face—handsome yet sinister, a cigarette clenched between his teeth.

"Have something to eat..."

"Sit on me." The alpha's dark pupils fixed on him, his tone brooking no argument.

Realizing where he was meant to sit, Lin Ze's face paled slightly...

But he soon complied, walking over and sitting on the man's lap...

It was a straddling position...

He could clearly feel the alpha's firm muscles and the terrifyingly... massive presence...

Separated only by a layer of fabric...

Lin Ze's face grew even paler, not daring to move a muscle...

The alpha nuzzled against his chest, then looked up, a dark glint passing through his eyes before he commanded hoarsely, "Feed me."

Lin Ze's shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

His slender fingers slowly undid the buttons, exposing the part of his body not meant for nursing to the alpha...

Then it was suddenly engulfed, first gently, making Lin Ze feel ashamed and unbearably sensitive...

Then the alpha abruptly lifted his gaze, staring at him with a sinister glare before biting down hard...

Lin Ze shuddered, his pale face flushing with two patches of red, too ashamed and afraid to make a sound...

So he really *was* angry...

But Lin Ze didn't know what he had done wrong...

After it was over, the area was severely swollen, the skin broken and raw...

Overwhelmed with shame, Lin Ze fastened his buttons and tried to get off his lap,

but was suddenly grabbed and hoisted up. Losing his balance, he instinctively clung to the alpha's neck.

Realizing the alpha intended to carry him out in this position, Lin Ze quickly shook his head, "Please, not like this..."

The alpha ignored him. Fortunately, the servants weren't around.

Back in the bedroom, his gland was hit by scorching breaths, and his lower back was pressed against something burning hot...

Lin Ze's heart hammered...

The alpha growled in his ear:

"From now on, you must tie my tie for me every day."

*

Thinking he had misheard, Lin Ze only realized it wasn't an illusion the next day when he saw the alpha standing there with a tie around his neck, staring at him intently. He walked over, rose on his toes, and tied a perfect knot for the alpha.

It was like a real married couple, if not for his own trembling.

After the alpha left, Lin Ze also went to school.

Sitting in the car, a burning, stinging pain occasionally surged in his chest. The slightest movement would bring a flush to his cheeks and make him tremble slightly...

He tried hard to ignore the strange sensations, lost in thought. Was it because he saw him helping Lin Zhuo with his tie that he ordered him to do the same?

Was that why he was angry?

During the training class, due to his physical condition, Lin Ze didn't demonstrate personally. Instead, he had Li Xiaoyang, who had performed well recently, do it.

Li Xiaoyang frowned, his face sullen. Though reluctant, he complied.

During the break, a few alphas who were close to Li Xiaoyang gathered together.

"Have you guys noticed, Lin Ze has a pretty hot figure," one alpha said with a lecherous grin. "Slim waist, long legs."

Another nodded, "Too bad he's an alpha. Would've been great if he were an omega, hehe."

Li Xiaoyang glared at him.

The alpha immediately stopped laughing and pulled something out from his pocket. "Boss, seems like Lin Ze isn't feeling well today. How about we use this to mess with him?"

Li Xiaoyang impatiently told him to get lost.

"What's wrong with you? Weren't you the one who bullied him the most before?"

Li Xiaoyang gave a cold sneer at that. That was true, but he didn't dare anymore.

As the break was about to end, Lin Ze returned to the training ground. The handsome man, in a simple shirt, appeared even more slender and upright. For some reason, though, a faint blush would occasionally color his cheeks.

Li Xiaoyang walked over to him and demanded point-blank, "What's your relationship with him?"

Lin Ze froze for a moment, then lowered his eyes. "Who?"

"Li Xiujin."

Lin Ze looked down, opening his folder. "...Friends."

"'Friends' who sleep over for days on end?"

"Don't pry into my private affairs."

"Hmph, you're Li Xiujin's kept lover, aren't you?" Li Xiaoyang taunted.

The alpha had never mentioned his family in front of him, so Lin Ze wasn't sure whether their marriage should be revealed to his family. Lin Ze didn't plan to argue further and gestured for the students to gather. However, Li Xiaoyang added, "Anyway, you should be careful around him. Do you know how his parents died? He did it."

After dropping this bombshell, Li Xiaoyang turned and walked away.

Lin Ze stood there in a daze.

What did he mean by "he did it"?

During lunch, Lin Ze received a text message.

- Colonel, we've got information on the target.

Lin Ze put down his food.

- Let's meet to talk.

- Sure, when?

Lin Ze thought for a moment. After school wouldn't work—he was afraid the alpha might come to pick him up like last time. If he found out Lin Ze wasn't at school, he might get angry again, and then...

Lin Ze flinched inwardly...

He could only take the afternoon off.

Lin Ze submitted his leave request through the school system. Unlike before, he didn't procrastinate, and Su De didn't call him to the office. Instead, it was approved promptly.

Looking at the green approval icon, Lin Ze suddenly recalled the alpha's sinister face, followed by Li Xiaoyang's words: "Do you know how his parents died? He did it."

Once his leave was approved, he found an omega to cover his class and hurried out of the school. Back when they were still students, they had a secret hideout. If Lin Ze noticed someone missing from the team, he could usually find them there.

The one who most often skipped training and went there was Lu Mo.

Due to health reasons, Lu Mo hadn't joined them on missions, which ironically saved his life. Worried he might be overwhelmed by grief, his parents took him to a neighboring country. He only returned last year and reconnected with Lin Ze.

He got off the bus, headed into a run-down part of town, wound through a few alleys, and finally saw a low, abandoned building.

Lin Ze checked his surroundings warily, making sure no one was following him, then used his iris to unlock the door.

Inside, the first thing that caught his eye was several large electronic screens, with green code scrolling continuously across them.

"Lu Mo," Lin Ze called softly.

A hooded alpha descended from the second floor. After coming down, he removed his hood, revealing a clean, boyish face.

"Colonel," Lu Mo said respectfully.

Lin Ze let out a short, strained laugh. "I'm not your colonel anymore."

Lu Mo looked at him with clear, dark eyes.

Lin Ze sighed helplessly. "Fine, call me whatever you like."

"Tell me the results."

"The target's name is Ji Ran. He's a male model who works at a place called 'Scarlet,' which is involved in some private transactions. At the same time, he knows many sons of influential and wealthy families, often accompanying them to various banquets. He attended Qi Qian's engagement banquet by tagging along with a wealthy businessman."

"Who is this businessman? Anything suspicious?"

"Nothing."

Lin Ze nodded.

"His work schedule?"

"He only works on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Today is Thursday, so we'll have to wait until next week. Do you want to go?"

Lin Ze fell silent.

"Are you worried about your husband?"

Lin Ze was taken aback, then smiled awkwardly. "You know..."

"It's easy to find out with a little digging, and your husband clearly isn't trying to hide it."

"If it's inconvenient for you, I can handle this."

Lin Ze looked at the flickering electronic screens. "He's quite busy. If he happens to be away on a business trip, there might be an opportunity..."

Lu Mo nodded.

Lin Ze didn't plan to stay long. "Keep me updated if anything comes up."

"Understood."

Lu Mo thought for a moment, then added, "I have some information on him here. But for someone like him, what can be uncovered is probably only what he wants others to see. I can't guarantee its accuracy."

"Do you want to see it?"

Lin Ze hesitated.

It was just a marriage of convenience. If the alpha wanted him to know something, he would have his subordinates inform him. If he didn't want Lin Ze to know, then Lin Ze probably wouldn't be able to find out anyway.

"...No need."

It was already 5 p.m. when Lin Ze left Lu Mo's place. He didn't go back to school and headed straight home. Unexpectedly, the alpha had also returned early and was on the estate's lawn with Fu Zhi, watching the mother wolf and her cubs.

Seeing him, Fu Zhi smiled and asked, "Colonel, why are you back so early today? That's quite rare."

Li Xiujin's scrutinizing gaze settled on him.

"Yeah, didn't have many classes this afternoon..." Lin Ze tried his best not to appear guilty.

One of the wolf cubs hadn't nursed all day, so Li Xiujin had come back specifically to check. After confirming everything was fine, he went back to the office to work.

Lin Ze waited for him until very late, eventually couldn't stay awake any longer and fell asleep. However, he woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare to find the alpha standing by the bed, staring at him with an unreadable look...

Such a look gave Lin Ze a chilling feeling that all his actions were under surveillance, a shiver running down his spine. "...When did you get back?"

Li Xiujin's gaze shifted to his chest. Two buttons of his pajamas had come undone, revealing a large expanse of fair skin and flushed peaks...

Seeing his look of shame and his attempt to fasten his clothes, Li Xiujin pressed down on his wrist.

Lin Ze lowered his head in extreme embarrassment. "Can we wait until tomorrow... I..."

Li Xiujin stared at him for a long moment, taunting him:

"If you can't even satisfy your husband, how are you going to handle a child later on?"

Author's note:

^^