PTBC chapter 33

Xia Yan was aware that, given his current physical condition, it would indeed be better to request a temporary mark.

But he bit his lip. What should have been an easy request felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, making it difficult for him to voice.

What left him even more flustered was that Xu Cong took another step forward.

Their knees pressed together, and the scent of sandalwood seemed to grow stronger.

Xia Yan looked up and met Xu Cong’s gaze. Xu Cong appeared exceptionally calm, unaffected by anxiety and agitation like himself—it was as if Xu Cong didn’t understand why he was acting so strangely and looked at him with a puzzled look.

Xia Yan’s shoulders slumped as he turned his face away, giving in. “Forget it, just do it.”

His robe had already fallen loosely around his waist, his upper body completely bare. He exposed his neck fully, frowning as he pointed to the back of his neck. “See this? Bite here.”

Given his fierce demeanor, one might think he was the one marking Xu Cong instead.

Xia Yan tore off the suppressor patch himself.

The skin on his neck was fully exposed, snow-white and somewhat translucent against his dark hair, without a single scar.

However, near his ear, there was a small red mole, as vivid as a cinnabar.

Xu Cong’s gaze fell on that tiny red mole, and his expression darkened.

Then he leaned down, pressing one hand firmly on Xia Yan’s shoulder.

He trapped Xia Yan between himself and the tightly closed black door, while behind that thin door, the gentle night rain continued to patter outside. The other teammates were likely still in their bedrooms, perhaps not yet asleep, and anyone passing by might hear the faint sounds from behind this door.

Xia Yan’s entire body tensed.

From the moment Xu Cong pressed his hand on him, he couldn’t help but feel jolted, his hair standing on end. For the first time, he experienced that unsettling sensation of being hunted by a beast.

This made him feel a touch of regret.

He opened his mouth instinctively, wanting to say something.

But it was too late.

Xu Cong’s canine teeth sank into his neck, mercilessly piercing through his skin.

At the same time, as if anticipating the gasp that would erupt from his throat and his instinctive resistance, Xu Cong covered his lips with one hand while gripping his struggling hand with the other, his knee pressing between Xia Yan’s legs, completely pinning him down.

“Mmm…”

Xia Yan let out a muffled moan, his eyes widening in disbelief.

The sensation of being infused with pheromones was strange.

He was already familiar enough with Xu Cong’s pheromones, yet he still felt invaded.

The sandalwood pheromones seemed to flow through his blood, occupying every part of his body, leaving behind its mark.

Xia Yan’s body trembled involuntarily.

The warmth of his breath hit Xu Cong’s palm, and Xu Cong’s fingers pinched his cheek, leaving him partially parted lips. He wanted to speak but couldn’t, leaving Xu Cong’s palm damp.

This made Xia Yan feel a slight mix of shame and anger, though he seemed unable to care too much about it.

He didn’t know how long had passed, but Xu Cong injected the final dose of pheromones into his gland.

The scent of sandalwood completely enveloped the fragrance of roses.

In this spacious bedroom, the pheromones intertwined, like an ocean threatening to drown him.

Xu Cong released his bite on Xia Yan’s nape, leaving distinct blood marks on that patch of skin.

The low sound of breathing was distinctly audible in the room.

It was hard to tell whose it was.

Xia Yan leaned against the door, feeling weak and needing to rely on Xu Cong’s arm around his waist to hold himself up.

Xu Cong stared at the bite marks on Xia Yan’s nape, lowered his head, and gently sucked at that spot.

Xia Yan, who had been straightening his back, suddenly felt weak again.

…..

After about ten minutes, Xia Yan began to feel his rationality returning.

He turned around, expressionless, and put on his bathrobe, tying it tightly, leaving only a bit of skin at his neck exposed. He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression looking somewhat vacant, yet a hint of irritation lingered.

“Really annoying,” he tilted his head back, exhaling in frustration, “when will this damn differentiation period end?”

He said expressionlessly, “I’ve never suffered so much since I was born. I’ve had fevers, broken bones, and it never affected my school or work. But this differentiation period… it doesn’t give me any notice before it arrives, and it seems like the end is nowhere in sight.”

Xia Yan closed his eyes, a trace of helplessness flickering across his face.

He really didn’t like feeling so powerless, so… out of control.

He irritably ran his fingers through his hair and glanced at Xu Cong. Xu Cong’s gaze was heavy as he looked back at him, the usually tall and silent man seeming like an eagle with its feathers drawn in, unsure of how to offer him comfort.

Xia Yan felt a twinge of guilt.

He was here fretting over his differentiation period, but Xu Cong was the one suffering innocently, having to help him deal with the side effects of it.

Yet he was the one complaining.

Xu Cong had more reason to complain.

“I’m sorry, I was just venting; I didn’t mean anything by it. Clearly, you’re the unfortunate one, constantly having to help me, even giving me a temporary mark,” Xia Yan murmured, “I was just feeling a bit down for a moment.”

He thought for a moment and felt a bit embarrassed to linger and disturb Xu Cong’s sleep, so he tugged on his bathrobe and turned to open the door. “I’m feeling much better now. I’ll head back…”

But just as his hand turned the doorknob and opened the door a crack…

A hand reached out from behind him and forcefully closed the door.

At the same time, another hand grabbed his arm and roughly turned him around, pressing him back against the door.

He and Xu Cong were back in the same proximity they had been during the marking.

Bright lights shone down, illuminating Xu Cong’s face just a breath away. The pheromones in the air hadn’t faded, and Xu Cong’s arm wrapped tightly around him; the scents of sandalwood and rose seemed to act as catalysts.

Xia Yan found his heart pounding.

His throat felt dry as he spoke. “What are you doing?”

….

Xu Cong was staring at Xia Yan’s lips.

Perhaps it was because, during the marking just now, he had covered Xia Yan’s lips that they now appeared very red, moist, and soft.

Xu Cong lowered his eyelashes, partially hiding the complex emotions in his eyes.

He spoke, his voice dry, just like Xia Yan’s. “I’ve told you before that I never thought your situation was a bother. I’m glad I can help you, so you don’t need to thank me, and you especially don’t need to apologize.”

“But I have one question…”

Just as Xu Cong was about to finish, he couldn’t help but raise his hand, lightly brushing the tips of Xia Yan’s hair.

Having just marked Xia Yan, the alpha’s instinctual possessiveness bubbled to the surface, and all his hidden instincts felt amplified infinitely.

His desire to claim Xia Yan surged to its peak.

When Xia Yan had previously turned to leave, he instinctively slammed the door shut in a fierce manner; the rage inside him was almost overwhelming, and he almost wanted to twist Xia Yan’s hands behind his back.

He couldn’t let this omega, marked by his scent, leave.

Xia Yan should be right in front of him.

In his arms.

He shouldn’t go anywhere.

Xu Cong toyed with the ends of Xia Yan’s hair, his eyes like a stormy sea, as he continued his questioning: “I find it odd why you’ve been avoiding me all day. Did I do something wrong that upset you?”

As he heard Xu Cong’s question, Xia Yan’s heart skipped a beat.

He hadn’t expected Xu Cong to be so attentive and perceptive.

But he still wanted to deny it, instinctively reaching for the doorknob, as if he were about to flee.

“No, it’s nothing. You’re just overthinking….”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Xu Cong grasped Xia Yan’s fidgeting hand tightly, intertwining his fingers and pinning him in place.

He leaned down, closing the distance between them even more.

The scent of sandalwood emanating from him intensified.

What had started as a cool and dark scent now felt overwhelming and somewhat out of control, like an entire box of perfume had spilled out, saturating the air.

It resembled thousands of butterflies that suddenly swarmed in, wanting to trap someone in a web and keep them prisoner forever.

Pheromones with such high compatibility naturally had an enticing effect.

When one side intentionally heightened the pheromone concentration, the other would subconsciously feel a sense of dependence and tender emotions.

It would almost make one want to drown in that atmosphere.

Especially since they had just marked each other.

Xia Yan’s face showed a hint of confusion as if he didn’t know whether it was the heat in the room or something else, and his cheeks had flushed slightly.

Xu Cong was so close to him.

Both of their eyes reflected each other’s faces.

Xu Cong lowered his voice, asking again, “Honestly, Xia Yan, why have you been avoiding me?”

He was coaxing him.

Xia Yan’s face revealed his struggle, but perhaps this moment was too gentle, and the person before him was too familiar—his closest teammate, as well as his best friend—causing him to instinctively open up and reveal secrets he had tried so hard to suppress.

“Because it’s just too strange.”

Xia Yan lifted his free hand to cover his eyes, finding it impossible to face Xu Cong.

Out of shame, his ears turned red, and he looked unusually helpless.

His eyelashes brushed against his fingers, filled with guilt, and his voice had weakened significantly, far from his usual arrogance.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Your pheromones definitely comfort me, but sometimes when I smell them, I have strange reactions…”

As Xia Yan spoke these words, he felt he was about to break down.

He tugged at his hair in frustration, like a trapped beast pacing in circles, incoherently trying to explain to Xu Cong: “I really don’t know why. I—I don’t have any… feelings for you, but my body just… reacts strangely.”

Xia Yan thought he might have spoken too soon.

The differentiation period might not be the biggest hurdle in his life; what he faced now was.

Revealing to his best friend that he could have reactions to him—what kind of earthly torment was this? It felt utterly absurd.

But after he expressed these feelings, he felt a strange sense of relief.

This issue had been troubling him for over half a month.

He was starting to forget how to interact with Xu Cong.

He bit his lip, ultimately lowering his hand that had been blocking his face and confronting Xu Cong’s gaze.

“I’m sorry.”

He sincerely suggested.

“If you’re angry, then just hit me.”