逆转 (Reverse) – 莲鹤夫人
Chapter 12
The omega had no idea what was going on, but the atmosphere in the room had changed, becoming tight and strained.
“What on earth are you doing?” his omega sister asked with a hiss through her pursed teeth, “Either you go up there or we’ll turn back and leave. Forget the commotion… Oh, wait! We can just walk out! You can then give up and demand a divorce…”
“Too soon, sis.” the omega said, his voice expressing a mix of laughter and frustration, “Do you really think our family would agree to our divorce just because he accepted a drink from another omega during a banquet?”
“Honestly,” she replied coldly, “the family has benefited and gained status because of you. This top-tier alpha picking you isn’t your luck; it’s the family’s. What else could they want?”
The omega smiled sourly and said, “People… are never content.”
They were talking quietly at the end of the table and had not noticed what was going on nearby. The young omega moved closer to the alpha with a big smile, while others, not wanting to be left out, showed off their scents. A stunning show of pheromones turned the room into a fancy perfume shop.
The alpha, who was holding his drink, felt ridiculous all of a sudden. Why was he even there? Was he being swayed by the pheromones of the irrelevant omegas? Just a second ago, he had a silly thought: if my wife saw this… how would he react?
So he acted on that thought. But the outcome stunned him. He was obviously aware of what was going on, but he stayed quietly engaged in conversation with someone else, showing no signs of anger or hurt, and didn’t approach him to shoo away the flirty omegas. What exactly was he thinking?
He cast a quick glance down at the group of young, beautiful omegas. His lips kept their calm curve, but his eyes got darker.
“Shit.” the omega inhaled the air anxiously and placed down his wine glass, “He…he’s angry.”
“Huh?” His omega sister asked with a squint, “Angry about what?”
The omega was getting ready to step in and said, “Maybe he’s mad that they won’t leave him alone. Or maybe they are trying too hard and he needs a good shield. Either way, if I don’t go over, they and their families will soon pay the price… I’ll be right back!”
“That’s crazy! Who the hell acts like this, a self-absorbed dictator?” She looked at him strangely, “Wasn’t he the one sending signals to those little temptresses? Now he’s irritated and wants to get rid of them?”
The omega just shook his head and didn’t say anything. Being married for many years had made him used to the alpha doing whatever he wanted.
He took a step forward, and his smile was soft and calm. He slowly let out pheromones that smelled like morning dew in a pine forest or mist rising from a lake. They were clean, soft, and wrapped around the small, fragrant omegas, dispersing out the crazy mix of smells.
Flattering compliments vanished from their lips, and infatuated gazes turned away in dismay. At the sight of the slim, graceful omega in front of them, the younger omegas stopped in their tracks.
The alpha’s pheromones, like a king’s territory, quietly washed all else away, leaving behind only the mixed smell of dew and wood.
In the face of the alpha’s intimidating presence, the young omegas turned pale and trembled in terror. The omega smiled and sighed, saying, “Sorry, but I’ll talk to him first. Enjoy the rest of the evening.”
The alpha let out a cold breath through his nose and let his wife take his arm as they walked away from the crowd.
When they were alone, he spoke with an angry tone and said, “What are you doing? Why didn’t you come sooner?”
“Why would I?” the omega sighed, “One word from you and they would scram right away. I wasn’t needed at all.”
He quietly thought to himself: Even if I hadn’t gone over, emitting pheromones like he did before would’ve made them run away.
The alpha breathed deeply, his irritation blurring his rational thinking. He opened his mouth and then stopped.
…Right. All it took was a look or a word from him to get rid of them. So why wait—to see how the omega reacts?
Why does him telling the truth make his blood boil, compelling him to answer?
He didn’t say anything and then let go of the omega’s hand.
In a low voice, he said, “You’re right. You’ve followed your instincts well. That deserves praise.”
The omega firmly rejected the idea and said, “No, I just… Um, do you have any other concerns? If not, I’ll…”
“Go.” he whispered lightly, “You’re not needed here.”
“Yes, sir.” the omega said, smiling weakly.
As the alpha watched his wife leave, he had a short, hazy thought that he quickly pushed away.
…No, there’s no reason to dwell. There’s no point in asking.
⋮
The omega was on his way back to his omega sister. As he walked, the enticing scent of wisteria and trailing vines engulfed him. A shadowy pair of male figures stood on a balcony. Perhaps event attendees. He turned and kept walking.
“…What do you think? What are your thoughts on the proposal?”
“About the opposite gender? Are you asking if I would oppose or support it?”
Wait a second.
He stopped and hid in the thick plants, paying close attention.
He could clearly hear the words of two strong alpha politicians:
“The Institute is divided. One side says that Reverse can be cured, while the other says it’s caused by a change in the genes. Once it happens, it’s permanent… What’s your take?”
“As an alpha, I agree with using marked mate pheromones to come up with a cure. But if the virus is incurable, we need to think about it politically because this could change history.”
“…We need to start winning the omegas’ support as soon as possible.”
“That’s right.”
The omega stayed silent and just stared at a thin, vine-like flower.
After a long pause, “What’s Mr. A’s stance? Support, opposed, or neutral?”
When the omega’s husband was brought up, his heart raced and his breath tightened.
“Isn’t it obvious? He supports it, of course. He has always been the primary funder of the Institute, and he doesn’t believe Reverse is entirely genetic. His marked mate is not of prominent lineage—if we had to remove his gland, he’d have no choice but to cooperate.”
There was no need for the omega to listen any longer.
He ran quickly to his omega sister after coming out of hiding. When she saw him, she chuckled and took his hand, “I’ve been waiting! I see it now—your big shot husband isn’t trying to cheat, is he? Hah! What a jerk. He obviously wants you to…”
“I’ve figured it out.” the omega’s eyes gleamed with a mysterious light, as if a bonfire were flickering across a pitch-black field, “If it needs to be done, I’ll do it.”
His sister was speechless, “Wh…what?”
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Translated and edited by janemoyu (01/11/26)
