Due to glandular degradation, Shi Qi’s pheromone levels were lower than those of the average Omega.
Unless he was in heat, it was indeed difficult for him to release a large amount of pheromones in a short time.
He didn’t know what Shang Sui meant by “enough pheromones,” nor did he have the time to think about it much. The hand gripping his neck loosened, the fingers sliding down to interlock with his instead.
Still reeling from the shock that Shang Sui could actually control people with his mind, he obediently let himself be led back into the studio by the hand.
It wasn’t until Shang Sui stopped walking that Shi Qi lifted his head.
This corner was covered with an irregularly shaped wool carpet of icy blue, threaded with golden lines, like a frozen lake under warm light. On it stood a huge floor mirror.
Beside it, the top layer of a walnut side cabinet was encased in transparent glass, with bracelets and bangles displayed inside. Shi Qi guessed the whole cabinet was used by Shang Sui to store jewelry.
Shang Sui had him kick off his slippers and step barefoot onto the soft carpet.
“Xiao Qi, do you know where the pheromones are the strongest besides the glands?”
Shi Qi had paid attention in every health education class, so of course he knew.
For an Omega, it was the reproductive cavity.
Although he had glandular degradation, Shi Qi’s reproductive cavity was well developed, which also made his waist and abdomen especially sensitive.
Shang Sui’s fingertip touched his waist, tapping lightly. “It’s here, right?”
Shi Qi shuddered, and before he could even consider whether this behavior counted as harassment, he was struck by a strange, tingling weakness.
Not realizing it was the result of being teased, he instinctively said, “Don’t touch that, it tickles!”
But the Alpha behind him said coolly, “Stand still.”
Shi Qi once again fell into that state where he had no choice but to obey, like a puppet being controlled.
He bit his lip, forced to lift his head and straighten his chest, standing upright in front of the mirror.
He really hated when people spoke to him in a commanding tone. If it were someone else doing this to him, he would have kicked them away without hesitation.
But when Shang Sui did it, he only felt a bit annoyed and shy.
“You don’t have to do this. I won’t run.” Shi Qi thought Shang Sui was worried he’d leave, so he explained, “I was just too shocked just now. I didn’t expect you could tear apart the bite guard with your bare hands.”
There were too many unexpected things, he silently added to himself.
Shang Sui only smiled noncommittally. “Really?”
“You’d better still be saying that in a little while.”
He took something from the jewelry side cabinet. Shi Qi could only vaguely make it out through the mirror: two white lace satin ribbons about five fingers wide, a fluffy platinum-colored cat ear headband, and something else he couldn’t quite make out.
Shang Sui gently placed the headband on Shi Qi’s head.
This style was somewhat similar to the cat ears he had worn at the amusement park, but it was more delicate and lifelike, with clusters of fine little fluff inside. The cat ears were also bigger, making Shi Qi’s cheeks look small in contrast.
He was silent for a moment, then protested, “It’s just wearing cat ears. Why would I run—”
Shang Sui cut him off. “Baby, look in the mirror.”
At his command, Shi Qi lifted his eyes.
In the mirror, the Omega’s clothes looked slightly disheveled, his delicate face tinged with a blush like peach blossoms, his eyes shining like clear spring water.
Shi Qi stared blankly at the unfamiliar version of himself.
Had he always looked like this in front of Shang Sui?
He felt an unspeakable shyness, shaking his head slightly, and the cat ears trembled along with the movement.
Seeing him like this, Shang Sui lowered his head and murmured, “You’re so cute.”
The Alpha’s flawless face magnified before his eyes, the high bridge of his nose faintly marked with red from the bite guard’s pressure.
Shi Qi’s chin was gently hooked by a finger, and something soft and fragrant brushed against his cheek.
It felt like being grazed by the delicate, colorful wings of a butterfly.
Shang Sui leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Shi Qi’s face flushed bright red. “You—!!”
It was just a light, fleeting touch, but Shi Qi felt as though that small patch of skin was burning. He almost wanted to touch it with the back of his hand to confirm that the kiss wasn’t an illusion.
Shang Sui let go of him quickly. “Do you like this?”
“……” Shi Qi answered softly, “I do.”
It smelled so nice and felt so soft.
Getting an affirmative answer, Shang Sui’s eyes and brows curved with a smile.
Shi Qi stared at him blankly, not realizing his hands had been caught, and that the intricate white lace was wrapping around his slender wrists.
It wasn’t until the lace suddenly tightened that Shi Qi let out an “Uh!” and asked in confusion, “What are you doing?”
His arms were tightly bound behind his back, the long lace ribbons dangling down like a pretty tail.
Shi Qi vaguely felt that after securing the lace, Shang Sui tied a bow between his wrists.
Jiang Youning used to mess with him like this when they were kids; aside from not putting him in a dress, what Shang Sui was doing wasn’t much different.
Was Shang Sui treating him like a doll?
No. Who would tie up a doll?
“Here, touch it.”
At Shang Sui’s prompting, Shi Qi’s fingers touched something furry.
It was a platinum-colored cat tail, fluffy and long, and clearly a match for the cat ears on his head.
He couldn’t turn around, so he could only see in the mirror how the cat tail pressed against him, moving up and down as if searching for the right spot.
“How about here?”
Shi Qi was suddenly poked and froze for a moment before realizing what the tail was meant for.
“No! I don’t want it!”
Shi Qi seemed terrified, his little face going pale, even his eyelashes trembling, but he couldn’t dodge because of Shang Sui’s order.
The lace tied around him swayed slightly, and with the sharp ears on top of his head, he looked just like a fluffed-up, flustered cat.
After all, it was the first time, and Shang Sui didn’t actually intend to use that thing.
He just wanted to tease Shi Qi a bit.
Shang Sui tossed the fluffy cat tail aside and cupped Shi Qi’s face with both hands. “We won’t use it then. Don’t be scared. Come here for a kiss.”
As Shang Sui spoke, his fingers touched the side of Shi Qi’s face, scratching his chin with a comforting amount of pressure, while his lips pressed against Shi Qi’s cheek, dropping light, casual kisses.
These gentle and innocent touches quickly made Shi Qi forget the fright from earlier, and even the Alpha’s strange behavior slipped from his mind, as a faint flush of ambiguity spread across his face.
His hands were itching to grab Shang Sui’s shoulders to vent, but they were bound by the flexible lace. His slender fingers could only rub against each other restlessly.
“Untie it.” Shi Qi panted softly, his breathing unsteady. “Untie it, please?”
“No.”
“Shang Sui!” Shi Qi called out in dissatisfaction.
“I’m here,” the person called responded gently, but his fingers slid into the knot of the lace and gave a teasing pull, making Shi Qi nearly stumble. “Call out again, and I’ll gag your mouth and tie up your legs too.”
“……”
This person’s rut was truly full of mood swings.
He glared at Shang Sui, but the blush on his face spread all the way down his neck.
The kisses shifted from his cheek gradually down to the side of his neck, naturally moving further down, drawing closer to the glands.
Shi Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, watching in the mirror as the Alpha buried his head in the hollow of his neck. When he felt a light peck on his glands, Shi Qi shivered all over.
In the next moment, sharp teeth pierced his skin without hesitation—
“Mmgh…!!”
Whether it was due to the rut or not, the other person’s pheromones were wild and repressed, showing an almost crazed possessiveness.
The pressure of being preyed upon wrapped around Shi Qi’s nerves from head to toe, like a dark cage locking him inside, leaving no escape.
Shi Qi’s dark gray eyes rolled back slightly, and he nearly lost consciousness, finally understanding what Shang Sui’s words had meant.
If he hadn’t been forced to stay in place by the command, he would have run away long ago.
As the mark deepened, Shi Qi’s breathing grew more rapid, his legs so weak he couldn’t stand steady. The fluffy cat ears and white lace trembled non-stop.
His voice was almost tearful. “E-enough, this is enough, right!”
The scent of lily of the valley spread out, exceptionally rich, the heart of the flower seeming wet with dew.
The damp fragrance filled the surrounding space. Feeling that the marking was still continuing, Shi Qi’s voice weakened.
“I can’t stay on my feet.”
His voice was soft. “My legs are so sore, let me go… Shang Sui, Shang Sui!”
He wasn’t the type who liked begging for mercy, but in front of Shang Sui, he could naturally act spoiled and plead.
To him, the other person was like family—a person he could act spoiled with freely.
“Relax.”
When the marking ended, Shang Sui finally gave the command that allowed him to be freed.
Shi Qi’s knees buckled, and he sank to the carpet.
The Alpha behind him crouched down as well. Shang Sui picked something up from the cabinet, and Shi Qi heard a crisp, pleasant sound.
Click.
Something tightened around his neck.
Shi Qi dazedly lifted his head and saw a collar being fastened around his freshly marked neck.
It was a dark red leather collar, adorned with a gold bell about the size of a strawberry.
The design looked just like a pet collar for a cat; as soon as the bell rang, you’d know where your cat was.
“So perfect,” Shang Sui praised, half-forcing Shi Qi’s brightly flushed face upward.
His long, strong fingers pinched the Omega’s cheeks, making him look at himself in the mirror. “You look so beautiful now, baby.”
Shi Qi’s eyes turned red, and he whimpered softly.
The more he was praised, the shyer he became, even wanting to curl up into a ball.
Shang Sui knew exactly how to pry open his shell. His grip was firm and commanding, forcing Shi Qi to look at the mirror, but his voice remained gentle, with a hint of seduction.
“Our baby is so smart, right? So good and obedient.”
Shi Qi looked into the mirror and accidentally met a pair of slightly upturned eyes.
Shang Sui smiled at him, his light brown pupils especially bright, as if seeing only him.
“Yes,” Shi Qi repeated, as if entranced, “I’m very obedient.”
The smile in Shang Sui’s eyes deepened, the beauty mark at the corner of his eye adding a decadent allure.
“Then tell me, whose little cat are you?”
“…Yours.”
Shi Qi felt all the strength leave his body, his voice almost dripping with submission, guided to say the answer Shang Sui wanted to hear. “I’m yours.”
Shang Sui leaned down toward him, about to say something.
Suddenly, a slightly harsh ringing tone sounded, breaking the thick tension in the air.
Shang Sui stared grimly at the phone ringing incessantly not far away, his rut-fueled destructive urges surging to the surface. The tenderness in his expression instantly darkened.
He had finally gotten Shi Qi into that dazed, hazy state, and now this damned thing…
Shi Qi couldn’t help but say, “So noisy.”
Shang Sui grabbed the phone, pausing for a moment when he realized he was gripping it too hard.
Be careful, don’t crush this thing.
Seeing the contact name “Papa Xiao An,” Shang Sui ground his teeth hard, the faint grinding sound chilling to hear.
An Alpha in rut reaches the peak of possessiveness and control, unwilling for their Omega to have any contact with the outside world. Even Shi Qi’s family triggered a strong rejection in him.
Suppressing his urge to destroy, he handed the phone to Shi Qi’s ear.
As soon as the call connected, Shi An’s anxious voice came through. “Xiao Qi? Are you okay?! Why haven’t you been replying?”
Jiang Youning could be heard in the background, seemingly complaining that he was being too intrusive.
Shi Qi didn’t answer right away but instinctively looked toward the Alpha beside him.
Shang Sui closed his eyes briefly and whispered, “Tell your dad we’re playing a game.”
Shi Qi softly echoed, “We’re playing a game… ah.”
Shi An was shocked. “What are you two doing?!”
Jiang Youning tried to intervene from the side. “Oh, stop bothering them already! Seriously! Haven’t you ever been through an Alpha’s rut before?”
“It’s fine, baby. Papa Xiao An is just worried; we just need to confirm there’s no need for an ambulance.”
Jiang Youning, knowing it was a bad time to intrude and not wanting to leave a bad impression on Shi Qi’s boyfriend, quickly added a blessing before hanging up. “Happy New Year! You too, Shang Sui!”
Shang Sui looked a bit surprised, as if he hadn’t expected Shi Qi’s family to know his name.
Shi Qi proactively tossed the phone aside. “Don’t worry about them.”
He couldn’t tell anymore whether it was Shang Sui in rut, or if he himself had fallen under the control of instinct.
He turned and pressed closer, nuzzling into Shang Sui’s chest, the bell on his neck jingling softly with the movement.
Even without saying it outright, his actions made the meaning clear.
Let’s keep going.
Shang Sui was quite surprised but then laughed, hugging him. “You’re so clingy.”
He had thought that after the interruption, Shi Qi would come back to his senses, but unexpectedly, he clung to him even more.
Shang Sui cupped Shi Qi’s face in his palm, then pulled over the other lace ribbon that hadn’t yet been used, wrapping it around the Omega’s damp eyes and tying a perfectly symmetrical bow at the back of his head.
The semi-transparent white lace covered Shi Qi’s eyes like a blindfold but didn’t completely block his vision.
The accessories on him gradually increased, making him look like a small animal that had been caught and was now being carefully raised.
Shi Qi blinked, his long lashes brushing against the soft fabric. The intricate white patterns fractured the world before him, blurring even the face that was so close.
“Shang Sui…?”
“Be good,” he heard him say, “you look beautiful like this.”
Beautiful?
Shi Qi couldn’t tell anymore if it was beautiful or not, and could only whimper in response, then suddenly realized something, curling up uneasily.
“I dirtied your carpet.”
“It’s okay. You smell good, and you’re clean too.”
The Alpha’s palm carried a rich pheromone scent, burning hot yet gentle, stroking Shi Qi’s slender back bit by bit. “I want to hold you.”
His voice was like an enchanting spell. “Do it with me, won’t you? I’ll make you feel good.”
Shi Qi already liked being touched, and this kind of comforting caress left him with no strength to resist.
A small hum escaped his throat, sticky and soft like a kitten making sounds as it snuggled close to someone it liked.
“O-okay.”
He saw Shang Sui’s eyes crinkle with a smile, lips parting slightly, a glimpse of his brightly colored tongue flashing by, reminiscent of the glistening seeds of a pomegranate.
I want a kiss. Shi Qi thought in the midst of the haze.
He had already cooperated with the marking, releasing a lot of pheromones.
Cat ears, bell collar, white lace… he had accepted all of it, so why hadn’t Shang Sui come kiss him yet?
He didn’t want it to stop at kisses on the face or neck; he wanted to kiss Shang Sui on the lips—preferably with tongues.
Once the desire for intimacy surfaced, it couldn’t be held back. Shi Qi was ready to throw caution aside and lean forward.
Suddenly, a burst of dazzling light flashed outside the window, and the world sank into a rose-colored river, as if brilliant stars were burning overhead.
The dark thunderstorm had stopped at some point, and fireworks for the New Year bloomed across the night sky.
“Happy New Year.” Shang Sui’s fingers pinched his chin before anything else. “In the new year, don’t leave me. Stay with me forever.”
Shi Qi stared at him in a daze.
He couldn’t tell anymore whether it was a command imbued with mental control or just a simple wish.
Either way, that heart-pounding feeling coursed through his entire body, like electricity.
Shi Qi silently repeated it to himself.
In the new year, don’t leave me. Stay with me forever.
Before he could finish the thought, Shang Sui’s thumb brushed over his lips.
Shi Qi’s lashes trembled lightly; he already knew what was coming.
Through the thin layer of white lace, soft lips gently pressed against his damp eyes, then slowly moved downward.
As their breaths mingled, Shang Sui parted his lips and captured Shi Qi’s eager mouth in a kiss.
Author’s note: They finally kissed, hahaha. If you kiss at New Year’s, you’ll stay together all year long
