Older Brother - Chapter 20

33.

The Omega he had just finished doting on was still covered in pitiful traces of their time together. Every inch of his skin was saturated with the Alpha’s pheromones, and he hadn’t even climbed out of the bed yet.

And yet, he turned cold and heartless in an instant, speaking of leaving as if it were a direct provocation to the Alpha.

Fu Yu’s lips pressed into a thin line. Without a word, he stood up, dressed, and left the room.

Omegas were often criticized for being delicate and troublesome, their moods shifting like the pages of a book and their hearts as deep as the ocean. But Bai You felt that in their relationship, the one who was truly unpredictable and prone to sudden mood swings was certainly not him.

His bones felt like they were falling apart. He lay back down with a sense of relief, not bothering to speculate on what Fu Yu was thinking.

It was nothing more than the Alpha’s bruised ego and pride acting up. Fu Yu likely felt that since he had helped him through his heat, Bai You should be grateful; the demand for the key was a clear sign he still intended to flee, which didn’t sit well with the Alpha’s sense of authority.

Sometimes, Bai You truly wondered if the only difference between an Alpha and a wild beast was a layer of human skin.

Still, without Fu Yu by his side, Bai You could finally relax. He didn’t have to worry about being woken up in the middle of the night.

To be able to make a move on someone while they were fast asleep. that was a level of perversion that bordered on the excessive.

Back then, he had often let the young Fu Yu, who was being bullied by their other siblings sleep in his room. How had he failed to notice that the boy was a little deviant in the making?

For the next few days, Fu Yu did not reappear. Bored out of his mind, Bai You turned on the news via his terminal. He saw the Alpha—who only days ago had been acting like a petulant child now dressed in a crisp, sharp military uniform, seriously accepting an interview with a Federation reporter. He looked young, handsome, and his smile was perfect.

The rising star of the new generation of Alphas, the youngest Colonel in the Federation Military, and the future leader favored by both the President and General William.

That same uniform had been lying in a crumpled heap beneath him just a few days ago, stained with all sorts of things, driving even the stoic domestic robot to a system crash while trying to clean it.

Bai You found it utterly surreal. How did this man have the face to wear it out in public?

His ears flushed hot. He took a deep breath and changed the channel with a blank expression.

Normally, after passing through a heat, an Omega needs their Alpha nearby to provide continuous comfort with their pheromones. However, Fu Yu had given so much that Bai You didn’t just lack the need for comfort, he felt so over-saturated that he wanted to grab a hammer and crack Fu Yu’s head open.

He rested for another two days until the soreness in his body finally faded and he could walk normally. Yet, Fu Yu’s pheromones still clung to him, so heavy that even the tips of his fingers seemed soaked in the scent.

Any Alpha or Omega with a functioning nose would be able to smell that intense, heart-stopping scent belonging to another Alpha.

Even a Beta, who is typically insensitive to pheromones, could vaguely sense that something was “off.”

Unfortunately, after years of using disguise agents and suppressing his glands, Bai You was somewhat desensitized to his own state. He was completely unaware of the cloud he carried as he headed downstairs.

The ground floor fell into an instant silence.

Because Fu Yu hadn’t returned and Bai You had stayed in his room with meals delivered by the robot—the old butler and several Beta bodyguards had been bored. They were huddled together playing mahjong, but the clattering of the tiles stopped the moment Bai You appeared. They immediately detected the subtle, heavy shift in his aura.

As they exchanged meaningful looks, the old butler struggled with a look of tragic conflict for a long time before finally speaking: “Fifth Young Master… uh, I mean, Madam…”

Bai You’s eyelid twitched. He walked right past them toward the exit, his voice icy as he suppressed his anger: “Do not follow me.”

Then, he slammed the door behind him.

Bai You planned to go to his usual jewelry shop to check in with his subordinates.

If he didn’t solve the problem of this godforsaken ankle monitor soon, he was going to snap and shoot Fu Yu one day.

Land on Central Star was worth its weight in gold. The late Congressman Bai had been a man of status, and the luxurious Bai estate sat right on Fifth Avenue in the heart of the planet. This area had the best amenities; one could buy almost any luxury item within a single block. The neighbors were either Federation nobles or high-ranking politicians.

This was exactly why Bai You used to hate going out—it was far too easy to run into strange people.

And as fate would have it, strange people appeared right on cue.

Just as he left Fifth Avenue and turned onto the adjacent block, a car pulled up slowly beside him. A familiar voice called out: “Senior?”

Bai You decided to treat it as a daytime hallucination. He kept walking with his eyes fixed ahead, acting as if he had heard nothing. The car followed him persistently, eventually pulling ahead to block his path. Tang Xu stepped out, looking somewhat aggrieved. “Senior, I’ve been looking for you for so long. You were nowhere to be found.”

Bai You was forced to stop. He said calmly, “Next time, remember to report a missing person to the Federation Police.”

Tang Xu was momentarily choked by the retort, but as he moved closer, he froze. He had smelled the thick, heavy scent of pheromones on him.

That aura was filled with a terrifyingly intense possessiveness aggressive, savage, and domineering, it viscerally repelled all other Alphas. Even though Tang Xu was a high-level Alpha himself, he was forced to take a step back, his brow furrowing in discomfort.

Tang Xu was taller than Bai You, so when he looked down, he could see clearly: Bai You’s lips were unusually red, and the corners of his eyes were still tinged with a lingering flush. Against his snow-white skin, these marks were screamingly obvious, silently testifying to the kind of treatment he had endured. Yet, because Bai You had lived as an Alpha for over a decade, he was completely oblivious to the signals he was sending out.

Beneath his slightly long hair, a section of his porcelain neck was exposed. One could catch a glimpse of the area around his gland patch—it was half-hidden, but surrounded by a cluster of bite marks. Some were deep, some shallow, looking as though an Alpha had lost control and repeatedly gnawed at him.

Such a beautiful Omega, being possessed so ruthlessly by an Alpha.

A sharp surge of jealousy leapt into Tang Xu’s heart. He gritted his teeth inwardly but maintained a smile. “…No wonder Colonel Fu took a sudden week-long leave.”

“Is that so?” Bai You’s tone remained flat. “I thought the military had finally announced its disbandment.”

Tang Xu matched his pace, staring at him for a long time before whispering, “Senior, I know you must have been forced. After all, Colonel Fu is essentially the man who killed your father.”

Two years ago, the President had suffered a sudden genetic illness. While he was recuperating in the hospital, old Congressman Bai had seized the opportunity to conspire with the President’s secretary and several other congressmen to take control of the Council.

However, that dream was shattered by his foster son, who went by the name Bai Yu back then. Fu Yu had secretly returned from the chaotic frontlines of the Seventh Galaxy, stopped the coup, and personally sent Congressman Bai to prison while rescuing the President and two generals.

Not long after, news came that Congressman Bai had committed suicide in prison.

Then followed the systematic purging of the Bai family… Fu Yu wasn’t just a “father-killer” in a legal sense; he had dismantled Bai You’s entire world. It was a blood feud of the highest order.

Tang Xu did not believe for a second that Bai You was with him voluntarily.

Bai You looked at him with genuine surprise.

He had expected Tang Xu to have more sophisticated methods of driving a wedge between them.

The Alpha’s words were laced with a sourness he himself hadn’t noticed, though his tone remained earnest: “Besides, he isn’t a qualified Alpha. He’s actually trying to hide you away and keep you from seeing anyone. The Federation prizes freedom and human rights; no Alpha is allowed to control an Omega’s actions. Senior, even if you don’t like me, I want to help you.”

His voice grew softer and more sincere, like a gallant knight standing up against a bully. As he spoke, he drew closer to Bai You, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. He subtly released his own pheromones, attempting to wrap them around Bai You and overwrite the “disgusting” scents lingering on him.

However, over the past few days, Bai You had been pinned down in every corner of that room, his glands repeatedly pierced and marked. His body now recognized only Fu Yu’s scent and violently rejected all strangers.

His sensitive glands reacted before Bai You even realized what was happening. He felt a sharp throb at the back of his neck followed by a dull ache. Just as he was about to pull away, a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder and yanked him backward with force. He crashed into a familiar, solid chest.

In the distance, the Beta bodyguards who had been tailing him in secret put down their communicators and wiped the sweat from their brows. Nearby, Fu Yu—who had arrived out of nowhere wore a smirk, but his eyes were devoid of any warmth as he stared at Tang Xu. He radiated a cold, lethal aggression.

“What are you two discussing that requires being so close? Why don’t you let me listen in too?”

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