Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Right as he was about to clock out today, the R&D department flagged a game bug at the last minute.

By the time he fixed it and reran the tests, it was already eight o'clock.

He pulled up his optical computer and saw a message sent ten minutes ago.

W: When are you coming home?

He typed back quickly.

Cloud: Right away.

Wen Jueqian had barely stepped off the elevator when the sickly-sweet smell of datura hit him.

He froze mid-step, a bad feeling creeping up on him.

Wen Jueqian quickened his pace.

The second the door opened, he knew something was off—the place was pitch black, not even the motion-sensor lights kicking in.

"Xiao Q, turn on—"

Before he could finish, something grabbed him from behind the door and hauled him inside.

Wen Jueqian's back slammed into the wall, but the impact was softened by a hand already waiting there.

That hand immediately locked around his waist. Another hand shoved its way between his fingers, pinning his hand to the wall, fingers laced together in a grip he couldn't shake.

"Master, should Xiao Q turn on the lights?" Xiao Q asked, but received no response.

"Axu." Wen Jueqian gasped the name out. The grip on his waist was so tight he could barely breathe.

The grip on his waist eased a little, and a burning body pressed up against him from behind. Wen Yanxu was about his height. He ducked his head, nuzzling into Wen Jueqian's neck and shoulder, breathing him in.

Warm breath ghosted over his skin, tickling just a little.

Wen Jueqian tried to push him back, but not only did he fail to budge him, Wen Yanxu's lips brushed against his neck as they shifted.

He shivered without meaning to. His neck was a weak spot, and this Alpha always loved to kiss him there.

The Alpha's tongue dragged slowly up the side of his neck, then his lips sealed over that spot and sucked gently. The wet heat made Wen Jueqian shake all over, his breath going ragged.

After getting his fill of the Beta's neck, Wen Yanxu finally deigned to pull back.

"Xiao Q, close the door, turn on the lights." Wen Jueqian said, sounding resigned.

The second the lights flickered on, Wen Yanxu squinted, wincing, and burrowed his face deeper into the crook of Wen Jueqian's shoulder.

"An Alpha in rut gets more sensitive to light." His voice came out muffled. "It's uncomfortable."

"But I can't see," Wen Jueqian pointed out.

Alphas had great night vision, so they could see fine in the dark—Betas couldn't.

He squirmed a little, and Wen Yanxu let go, but kept his head buried against Wen Jueqian's shoulder, refusing to look up.

Wen Jueqian felt helpless.

An Alpha in rut wasn't just sensitive physically—his emotions were raw too, and he needed to cling to his partner constantly.

"Xiao Q, dim the lights to the lowest setting."

The ceiling lights dimmed right away.

Only then did Wen Yanxu lift his head, looking satisfied.

He watched Wen Jueqian swap into slippers, shrug off his coat, and pad through the entryway into the living room.

The Alpha just followed in silence, step for step, like a big animal staking out its territory.

"Why're you so late getting home today?" Wen Yanxu wrapped his arms around him from behind again, chin hooked over his shoulder, a trace of barely hidden sulk in his voice.

Wen Jueqian turned to say something, but the words got swallowed before they could even leave his mouth.

"I was just swamped at work... mm..."

This mouth deserved to be kissed. That's what Wen Yanxu thought as he happily claimed Wen Jueqian's lips.

When he finally pulled back, Wen Jueqian was breathless, the corners of his eyes glistening.

"You broke your promise." Wen Yanxu's voice was right against Wen Jueqian's ear, thick with held-back emotion. "You promised me—home on time every single day."

Wen Jueqian felt a small pang in his chest.

He turned and hugged Wen Yanxu back, fingers trailing gently down his back. "I've been home on time every day up till now. Today was the one exception."

"I can help with the Fusheng Realm promo." Wen Yanxu said, and Wen Jueqian could feel his chest rumble against his skin.

"Mm, I'll tell you if I need anything." Wen Jueqian didn't bother with formalities with him.

Between the two of them, that kind of thing had stopped mattering a long time ago.

He paused. "But for now, let's get you a shot of inhibitor, okay?"

Technically, Wen Yanxu was only showing pre-rut signs right now. A full rut would be way more intense.

The heavy pheromones flooding the room were just someone letting them loose on purpose to mark his territory.

Wen Yanxu nodded, then bent down and scooped him off his feet.

By the time he realized what was happening, he was already being carried in Wen Yanxu's arms.

They were home, so he didn't fight it, letting Wen Yanxu carry him into the master bedroom.

As they passed the chilled cabinet in the hallway where the custom inhibitors were kept, Wen Jueqian motioned for him to put him down.

But the Alpha chose to ignore him in that moment, walking straight into the bedroom and setting him down on the absurdly huge bed.

Wen Jueqian was about to get up and grab the inhibitor when Wen Yanxu pressed him back down.

"Don't bother getting it."

Wen Jueqian looked up at him, confused.

"Using inhibitors all the time isn't good for the gland." Wen Yanxu's voice got quieter, like he was explaining it to Wen Jueqian, or maybe trying to convince himself.

"That inducer from last time is still messing with my system. The inhibitor won't work as well."

Wen Jueqian is a Beta, so his understanding of suppressants was nowhere near Wen Yanxu's.

But if Wen Yanxu said so, then maybe it really was true?

Wen Yanxu didn't give him a chance to keep overthinking it.

"Xiao Q, turn on the light."

"You not feeling uncomfortable anymore?"

Those ice-blue eyes locked onto him, as if Wen Jueqian was the only person in the world.

"I want you to look at me."

Wen Yanxu flipped over onto his back, then casually tugged Wen Jueqian down to straddle his waist. The motion was fluid and effortless, like he'd been planning it all along.

Wen Jueqian carefully avoided the part of him that still hadn't gone down, leaned down, cupped his face, and kissed him first.

Wen Yanxu kissed him back hard.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing a little heavy.

"Not gonna ask what I wanna do?" Wen Yanxu's fingers hooked the hem of Wen Jueqian's shirt, his fingertips grazing the skin at his waist, his tone dripping with something dangerous.

Wen Jueqian didn't answer immediately.

He lowered his head slightly, stuck out the tip of his tongue, and gently licked Wen Yanxu's lower lip like a kitten.

His voice was soft, almost indulgent. "You can do whatever you want."

At that, Wen Yanxu's eyes darkened.

He flipped over, pinning Wen Jueqian beneath him, hands braced on either side, his whole body casting a shadow over him.

Then he dipped his head and kissed him.

"Don't bite..." Wen Jueqian mumbled, his voice coming out in fragments. "It'll swell up..."

But that only got the Alpha more worked up.

He started working his way down, teeth grazing over Wen Jueqian's Adam's apple, then trailing lower, leaving mark after mark.

Wen Jueqian's hands instinctively dug into his shoulders.

Through his haze, he saw Wen Yanxu's sleep shirt hanging open, sweat sliding down his neck, over his chest, down his abs, and disappearing into the waistband of his sleep pants.

His eyes gleamed in the dim light, like some big predator eyeing its prey.

The breath ghosting across Wen Jueqian's face grew hotter by the second.

"Qianqian." His voice was low and rough, dripping with want.

Wen Jueqian realized Wen Yanxu had fully slipped into his rut.

Wen Yanxu lifted his hand, his fingertips trembling with obvious restraint as he brushed the back of Wen Jueqian's neck.

Even though a Beta didn't have a fully developed gland, the Alpha's instinct still screamed at him to mark his mate.

Wen Jueqian stared into those eyes—on the verge of losing control, yet still fighting desperately to hold on.

His heart squeezed tight.

Even now, what was he still worrying about?

Wen Jueqian reached up, gently cupping Wen Yanxu's cheek. Then he tilted his head up and kissed him first.

"You can do whatever you want." He repeated.

That was the moment Wen Yanxu's last shred of restraint snapped.

He kissed Wen Jueqian hard—deep and desperate, tongue prying past his teeth, claiming every inch of his mouth.

Wen Jueqian could barely breathe, his hands shoving at Wen Yanxu's shoulders, but his wrists were easily caught and pinned to the pillow above his head.

His other hand slid down along Wen Jueqian's collarbone, fingertips coming to rest on the pink mark, burning hot.

The Alpha pulled back just enough, a thin silver thread snapping between their lips in the heated air.

"Qianqian, look at me." Wen Yanxu's voice was wrecked, barely recognizable. "If it gets to be too much, push me off and hit me with the suppressant."

He nodded toward the suppressant that had somehow appeared on the nightstand. "Got it?"

Wen Jueqian nodded.

Wen Yanxu didn't speak again.

The moment he was fully seated inside him, Wen Jueqian's body gave a small tremble.

He closed his eyes, fingers clenching the sheets before going slack.

Then came the other man's rhythm—fully dominant, almost predatory.

In the darkness, there was only the sound of tangled breathing and the occasional, uncontrollable sounds slipping past their lips.

More than once, Wen Jueqian couldn't take it anymore and wanted to hit Wen Yanxu with the suppressant.

But every time, he remembered Wen Yanxu's words—"Constant suppressant use is bad for the gland"—and gritted his teeth through the pleasure and the pain.

————

When he opened his eyes again, his entire body ached with a soreness that was almost unbearable.

"You're awake."

A small ball of light hovered in front of his eyes, giving off a soft, pale golden glow.

"What's wrong?" The second he opened his eyes and saw 99, Wen Jueqian figured it must have something urgent.

He tried to push himself up, but a sharp sting shot through the back of his hand.

Wen Jueqian glanced down—there was an IV needle taped to the back of his hand.

99 filled him in. "You were out cold for over twelve hours!"

"Unconscious?" Wen Jueqian echoed, stunned.

At that, the pale golden glow around System 99 suddenly flushed pink.

It spun in the air a couple of times, looking flustered, before mumbling, "Well... you probably know that better than I do."

Memories came flooding back: Wen Yanxu's scorching kiss in the night, the barely controlled intensity, the relentless lovemaking, and finally losing consciousness from sheer exhaustion.

Wen Jueqian used the hand without the IV to push himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard, and decided to change the subject.

"You've been watching over me—did something happen?"

When business came up, 99's color returned to normal.

"I've been monitoring social media and spotted a fan photo of Qiao Yuexun at a restaurant, dining with friends."

99 projected the photo into the air, having already restored the image to clarity.

"Three people total. Qiao Yuexun, his agent Zhou Lin."

"And Liu Wei."

The head of Aegis's Artist Relations department.

Qiao Yuexun had managed to secure the celebrity experience officer invitation, and later land the spokesperson contract for the 7th-Gen Inhibitor—Liu Wei had played a big part in both.

At this timing, Qiao Yuexun meeting with Liu Wei—could it be to get Liu Wei to recommend him as the spokesperson?

"99, can you check Aegis's internal shortlist of spokesperson candidates?"

99: "I can access standard confidential info on Aegis's internal network."

"There are three Omega spokesperson candidates total."

Its light flickered. "Qiao Yuexun's name isn't on the list."

Wen Jueqian should have felt relieved, but for some reason, a faint unease lingered.

"Qiao Yuexun meeting with a key figure in advancing the plot does warrant attention." He thought for a moment, then asked, "Besides the photo, is there any other info?"

99 sounded a bit apologetic: "I can't hack into the security bureau's public surveillance. The private room at this restaurant also has no cameras, so I don't know if they were just having a meal or making some kind of deal."

Both the man and the system were at a loss.

99 suddenly flickered, as if sensing something: "Someone's coming." With that, it vanished into the optical brain.

The bedroom door was pushed open gently.

Wen Yanxu walked in carrying a tray.

The tray had food on it.

"The doctor said you'd probably wake up around now," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I had Xiao Q prepare this in advance."

Wen Jueqian opened his mouth to say something, but a spoon at his lips stopped him.

Wen Yanxu fed him bite by bite, and when Wen Jueqian tried to take over midway, Wen Yanxu wouldn't let him.

After the last bite, Wen Yanxu wiped his mouth with a tissue, then had Xiao Q clear the dishes.

"Get some more rest."

He got onto the bed too, gently pulling Wen Jueqian into his arms.

The liquid in the IV tube dripped down drop by drop, making a faint, almost inaudible sound.

Just as Wen Jueqian was drifting off, he heard Wen Yanxu's voice, laced with rare hesitation.

"Qianqian."

"Hm?"

Wen Yanxu was silent for a few seconds, as if searching for the right words.

"I told you before—if you can't handle it, push me away." He finally spoke, his voice somewhat low. "Why did you still push yourself like this?"

Wen Jueqian's drowsiness vanished.

Wen Yanxu pulled back a little, looking directly into his eyes.

"Do you know how dangerous an Alpha in rut can be?"

His tone grew serious. "In that state, rationality disappears and instinct takes over completely. He might take without restraint, until his partner can't take it anymore."

He suddenly stopped, as if realizing he'd said something ominous.

Wen Jueqian blinked slowly.

This topic came out of nowhere.

He bit his lip, twirled a strand of hair around his finger, and lowered his eyes, murmuring, "It's because my stamina is too low."

"No." Wen Yanxu shook his head, his tone full of self-reproach. "It's not your fault. It's mine."

He continued: "Qianqian, no matter the situation, I want you to put your own body first."

"A rut is just a rut—you can endure it until it passes."

You didn't exactly look like someone who could endure it back then, Wen Jueqian thought to himself.

He leaned in closer and gently kissed the corner of Wen Yanxu's mouth, trying to soothe him.

"Resting is enough. No need to make a big deal of it."

Wen Yanxu didn't say anything.

He looked at Wen Jueqian's lips, his gaze darkening. Even after a night, they were still a little swollen. A faint trace of a split could even be seen on his lower lip—evidence enough of how they'd been treated before.

He suddenly leaned in, tracing the wound lightly with the tip of his tongue. The motion was gentle, devoid of desire, as if apologizing.

Wen Jueqian's breath hitched slightly.

"There won't be a next time." Wen Yanxu said in a low voice, like an oath. "I won't let anyone or anything—including myself—hurt you again."

Wen Jueqian looked at him, his breathing slowing without him realizing.

Wen Yanxu's expression was deeply serious.

After a few seconds, he buried his face in the hollow of Wen Yanxu's shoulder, letting out a muffled "Mm."

==========Author's note:==========

I was too busy today and only wrote a thousand-plus words, so I'm posting them together. Taking tomorrow off.