Chapter 17 Do You Know You Were Wrong?

Chapter 17: Do You Know You Were Wrong?

The bathroom door was gently closed, and the originally strong vanilla scent thinned a bit. The air was steamy, and Cheng Ye curled up alone, hugging himself, gasping heavily like a fish just washed ashore by a huge wave.

The showerhead was still running hot water, steam rising continuously, making the bathroom increasingly stuffy and hot.

He cursed under his breath, struggled to his feet, fumbled to turn off the hot water valve. The water cut off abruptly, leaving only the dripping sound of water and his heavy breathing echoing endlessly in his ears.

He slowly stood up, supporting himself against the wall, then swiped his hand hard across the foggy mirror, instantly clearing the image reflected inside.

At that moment, his disheveled and miserable state was fully revealed in the mirror—the corners of his eyes red, cheeks flushed, blood still seeping from the bitten spot on his lip, and his legs felt like jelly.

"This is just the first night..."

Shen Xu's words echoed in his mind. Despair began to creep in—it was only the first night, and he could no longer bear it. He wished he could teleport to Shen Xu's door, fix a smile on his face, and let them have a hot and heavy tumble to make both feel better.

But Shen Xu had just left less than half an hour ago. He didn't want to give in so quickly. It would be too embarrassing to crawl into Shen Xu's bed. He still had some pride left. Even if he wanted to surrender, he had to drag it out for a few more hours to at least appear to have some backbone.

So he turned on the faucet at the sink, intending to splash cold water on his face, but forgot it was all hot water. Staring at the steaming sink, he felt like smashing it with his fist.

The bathroom was nearly sealed shut. Afraid of suffocating in the steam, he quickly wiped himself dry and stepped out.

But he had nowhere else to go. The two-person bedroom was now occupied by Shen Xu alone, so he returned to the original guest room, deliberately opening the window to let the cold wind blow in, hoping to dispel the last lingering traces of vanilla scent and sober himself up.

But that vanilla scent clung to him like a vengeful ghost, lingering around his nose. Moreover, as a beta experiencing pheromones for the first time, his sense of smell was even more sensitive.

Frustrated, he buried himself in the quilt, using one hand to press a pillow over his head while the other reached down to take care of himself...

Even as a beta without the regular heats of omegas or alphas, he was still a man. Occasionally, when he got aroused, he took care of it himself.

Usually, after once or twice, he'd be lightheaded and that would do. But this time was different. Even after three times, his body was still burning like a furnace, with no sign of relief.

Suffering the torment of his heat, he now desperately wanted Shen Xu's cool hands to touch him, wanted his cool lips to gently press a few kisses, and then his teeth to bite hard into the hot gland at the back of his neck, preferably with enough force to bite through the skin—only then might he feel better.

It was now late into the night, and the sky outside seemed ready to light up at any moment. Cheng Ye was drenched in sweat, his pajamas sticking uncomfortably to his skin. An indescribable emptiness surged again, more intense than before. The gland at the back of his neck, usually numb, grew increasingly hot. Deep in his abdomen, a fire seemed to burn, heat flowing downward.

He curled up, rubbing against the sheets continuously.

"Shen Xu..."

Cheng Ye murmured unconsciously, his voice hoarse and cracked, like he had swallowed a Donald Duck. Startled, he quickly covered his mouth, staring at himself in disbelief, shocked by his own unconscious murmur.

For the first time as a beta, he tasted the intensity of a heat. He had never wanted, never craved someone's body so desperately before.

...

Shen Xu was woken up by a knock in his half-dream state. While waiting for Cheng Ye in his room, his eyelids had been drooping. He checked the time, felt it was almost dawn, and decided Cheng Ye wouldn't come. So he had just covered himself and fallen asleep when he heard the knock he had been longing for.

At first, the knocking was faint, and he thought he was mistaken. But as Cheng Ye grew more impatient, the knocking gradually became louder, turning into frantic pounding so loud it seemed like he was trying to break down the door.

No matter how much you can endure, you can't fight your body's instincts.

The moment Shen Xu opened the door, a desperate Cheng Ye barreled into him, sending them both flying onto the bed. He felt a head burrow into his shoulder, sniffing frantically.

The rich, full-bodied vanilla pheromones surged, enveloping and wrapping around the crumbling Cheng Ye.

Like a long drought finally meeting rain, after inhaling an overdose of alpha pheromones, Cheng Ye's body trembled uncontrollably.

Not enough.

Nowhere near enough.

He wanted more.

He wanted to be utterly drowned in that scent, to be fiercely embraced, to be permanently marked.

In that moment, the last shred of rational restraint crumbled. A muffled whimper escaped Cheng Ye's throat as he leaned toward Shen Xu's nape.

Sensing he was about to bite, Shen Xu immediately pulled him off.

This was insane—was a beta trying to mark him?

He looked at Cheng Ye, his expression was complicated.

Pulled upright, Cheng Ye's eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled, and the collar of his pajamas twisted askew, revealing large patches of flushed skin. He lifted his head, his tear-filled eyes were a mess of struggle and longing.

"It hurts... I feel so bad..." Cheng Ye's voice cracked with sobs, barely audible.

Shen Xu said nothing, just watching him fall apart in silence.

The alluring pheromones were radiating from the man in front of him. Cheng Ye, already overwhelmed, collapsed back into Shen Xu's arms, burying his burning cheek in the cool hollow of his neck, greedily breathing in the sweet vanilla scent.

Only when the man in his arms showed no further intent to bite did Shen Xu raise a hand and gently wrap it around Cheng Ye's trembling shoulders.

He taunted, "Weren't you gonna tough it out?"

Cheng Ye shook his head, burying his face deeper, his voice muffled. "...It's too unbearable."

He wasn't Pavel Korchagin; he didn't have an iron will to fight instincts hardwired into his genes.

Shen Xu’s hand moved to the back of his neck, his fingertips pressing with measured force on the slightly swollen gland. Cheng Ye’s body instantly went limp, barely staying on his feet thanks to Shen Xu holding him up, a faint moan escaping his lips.

“You know you were wrong?” Shen Xu asked in a low voice, his breath brushing against Cheng Ye’s sensitive ear.

Cheng Ye’s mind was a blur, unable to comprehend the words, only nodding frantically, admitting he was wrong. He just wanted this agonizing torment to end quickly.

“I was wrong… I was wrong, I won’t go, and I won’t fight anymore…”

Shen Xu seemed somewhat satisfied with this answer. He tilted his head slightly, his warm lips nearly touching Cheng Ye’s gland, feeling the man in his arms flinch sharply.

He hadn’t expected Cheng Ye to become so docile, as if the heat had fried his brain. He answered everything, but his responses made no sense at all.

“Are you still with me?”

“Yeah… uh-huh…”

“Cheng Ye?”

Shen Xu squeezed his cheek, finding it alarmingly hot. If he hadn’t administered the injection himself, he’d think Cheng Ye had a high fever and was out of it.

“Are you a beta or an omega now?”

“…”

Cheng Ye didn’t even hum in response anymore, pressing into Shen Xu and starting to squirm.

Shen Xu wanted to scold him, but it was pointless—even if he said something, Cheng Ye would agree, but likely wouldn’t remember it afterward.

“I’m such an idiot. I should have said this while you were still awake.”

With that, the alpha's sharp canines pierced the thin skin on the back of the beta's neck.

"Ah!" Cheng Ye yelped in pain, his body shaking violently.

But the sharp pain in his nape was quickly replaced by a sense of satisfaction. He let out a contented hum, lifting his neck slightly as if offering himself completely.

If it weren't for Little Cheng Ye's movements bouncing on his waist, Shen Xu might have been pleased with his submission and initiative.

It was true—instincts hardwired into one's genes couldn't be changed. Even a beta in heat was different from an omega; they wouldn't arch their back, stick their ass out, or actively beg for it... instead, they'd try to mark their partner in return.

Author's note:

This chapter has been censored...

Happy New Year, big boss QWQ.