Older Brother - Chapter 23

36.

The middle-aged congressman slipped and fell in a panic, his face ghastly pale, yet no one rushed to help him up.

Although they had long heard rumors of Colonel Fu’s eccentric, violent, and lawless behavior, witnessing it firsthand was still terrifying. The guests backed away as if they had seen a ghost.

Madam Singh, however—who usually disliked the “brute force” style of the Military—remained composed. She didn’t seem to mind at all.

After all, that middle-aged congressman was the one who had tried to insult an Omega first. These Alphas at the top of the social hierarchy always treated Omegas as mere appendages.

With the atmosphere frozen like this, the spotlight Chen Zhuo had worked so hard to gain vanished instantly. He could no longer drag the dignitaries around to introduce his company. After shooting a venomous glare at Fu Yu and Bai You, he began cursing them furiously in his mind.

Fortunately, he had already made several key acquaintances. As long as he could re-establish a foothold in Central Star’s aristocratic circles, Chen’s Jewelry would not fall.

Just as the guests were exchanging uneasy glances, Speaker Singh unexpectedly returned.

Madam Singh was delighted, her previous displeasure vanishing instantly. She lifted her skirt and hurried to greet her husband, leaning into his arms and whispering with a bright, joyful smile.

The canceled ball was promptly back on.

The guests grew lively again as elegant music filled the air. Bai You didn’t join the crowd; instead, he hid under a rose trellis, lowering his head to send messages on his terminal away from prying eyes. Suddenly, he felt a scorching breath brush against the back of his neck.

The tall Alpha leaned down, sniffing around his gland. Then, that same hand that had just held a gun—fingers slightly roughened with calluses rested on his nape. It began to stroke him with a measured, rhythmic pressure. Fu Yu’s voice carried a distinct, low vibration of amusement. “Brother, were you secretly watching me just now?”

Bai You’s spine went numb instantly. Half his body couldn’t stop trembling as he spat out through gritted teeth, “Must you be a delinquent at every possible time and place?”

Fu Yu pulled something from his pocket and let out a deeply irritating sigh. “You’re always misunderstanding me, Brother. I simply noticed your pheromones were leaking, so I wanted to put a collar on you.”

An unmarked Omega attending an event like this had to either use suppressants or wear a scent-blocking collar to prevent their pheromones from leaking. If an Omega was unfortunate enough to leak scent and drive an Alpha into a marking frenzy, it was considered the Omega’s own bad luck; no one would blame the Alpha.

Most Omega collars were designed beautifully, with various lace, frills, and gemstone decorations.

The one Fu Yu held on his finger was pure black without a single ornament. He had chosen it because it reminded him of the tracker on Bai You’s ankle cold, black metal that made the surrounding skin look blindingly white. When held in his palm, it evoked a hidden sense of eroticism.

He had calculated it perfectly. It had been several days since he gave Bai You a temporary mark; it was due to expire today.

Bai You met his gaze coldly, knowing this man had done this on purpose. Fu Yu could have reminded him before they even left the house.

As their eyes met, the Alpha’s eyes curved. The light filtering through the roses cast a slight shadow over his handsome face, giving him an air of roguish deviancy. “Have you made your choice, darling? My mark, or the collar?”

Without hesitation, Bai You reached for the collar.

But before his hand could touch it, the Alpha raised it high. Bai You instinctively stood on his tiptoes to grab it, nearly losing his balance and falling into the Alpha’s premeditated embrace.

He stabilized himself just in time, his icy brows knitting together with impatience. “I’ll go find another Alpha for a mark.”

There were Alphas everywhere here; any one of them would do.

Fu Yu let out a soft “tsk” and leaned down. Like he was wrapping a delicate, personal gift, he slowly fastened the black silk ribbon around that snow-white neck. “Brother, that trick doesn’t work on me anymore.”

Bai You lifted his lashes to look at him, his pupils reflecting the other man’s shadow. He remained noncommittal. “Is that so?”

The collar slowly took effect, suppressing the escaping orchid scent. However, his breath still carried a faint, ethereal fragrance. The black silk made his pale, expressionless face look exquisitely beautiful, like a porcelain doll.

Fu Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes tinged with red. He had to admit that a 100% compatibility rate was terrifying.

He unconsciously leaned closer and closer, wanting to capture those soft, cold lips beneath the roses. Bai You watched the Alpha approach calmly, but at the very last second before their lips met, he took a step back and let out a faint, mocking smile.

“Someone is looking for you, Colonel.”

Likely having heard about the night’s events from Madam Singh, the Speaker had sent someone to summon Fu Yu for a chat.

Missing the kiss clearly made Fu Yu irritable. He rubbed his brow and followed the attendant away from the rose trellis. Once the night breeze hit him, he regained his clarity, his gaze returning to its cold, dark state.

When he first discovered Bai You’s true identity, his first thought had been to get rid of him. He didn’t want to be influenced by a high compatibility with an Omega.

An Omega with such high compatibility was a gift from the heavens, but also a heavenly shackle.

But having tasted the sweetness, he couldn’t bring himself to let go.

During Bai You’s heat, he had intended to mark him permanently and lock him away in the Bai estate. But the plan failed; he had defied his instincts and stopped himself from completing the mark.

Now, Bai You’s influence over him seemed to be growing.

He couldn’t let this continue.

The Speaker was waiting on a second-floor balcony in the distance. Fu Yu walked over with a grim expression. Speaker Singh shot him a strange look, then glanced at the Omega still sitting under the rose trellis.

He had witnessed Fu Yu putting the collar on Bai You. “So, Colonel Fu, have you truly lost your heart? Don’t forget, he is still a member of the Bai family.”

Fu Yu paused, then shrugged nonchalantly with a flippant smile. “I’m just bored lately. He’s just a toy.”

Bai You didn’t care what Fu Yu went off to do. It was likely the first time the Alpha had ever put a collar on someone; though his movements had been careful, his grip was too strong and the fit was a bit too tight. Feeling uncomfortable, Bai You reached up to loosen the thing.

Just as he tugged it slightly, a familiar voice came from behind. “Senior.”

Bai You was speechless. “Why is your entrance always the same?”

Tang Xu ignored the comment. He walked around to the front, dazed for a moment as he looked at Bai You, before smiling. “The ball has started.”

He gallantly offered his hand. “May I have the honor of a dance, Senior?”

Bai You looked at him for a moment, then slowly placed his hand in Tang Xu’s palm.

Tang Xu clearly felt a chill down his spine, as if a predator were staring him down from afar, but he ignored it. He naturally tightened his grip on Bai You’s hand and led him to the outdoor dance floor. Resting a hand on the Omega’s slender waist, he began the dance steps, maintaining his smile. “Do you still remember our deal, Senior?”

Bai You knew he had come for this. He hummed in affirmation. “Have you found a solution for the ankle monitor?”

“That monitor is the latest military tech, primarily used for the most dangerous criminals in federal prisons,” Tang Xu said, taking the opportunity to bad-mouth Fu Yu. “I told you, your brother is an unfit Alpha. I can’t believe you’re still trying to protect him.”

Bai You said flatly, “If I don’t maintain a good relationship with him, how am I supposed to get the information you need?”

Tang Xu’s eyes flickered. He suddenly drew closer, his hand—which had been keeping a polite distance pressing down to pull the Omega’s thin body into his embrace. His voice dropped to a whisper. “If gathering information requires you to pay that kind of price, I would rather you do nothing at all.”

The collar Bai You had loosened earlier lost some of its effectiveness. Silently, a trace of orchid scent, moist as morning mist, began to leak out.

This was the first time Tang Xu had actually smelled Bai You’s pheromones. Previously, Bai You had always been marked by Fu Yu, his scent wrapped tightly and selfishly in the Alpha’s aura. He had known Bai You’s scent was orchid, but he hadn’t expected. such a beautiful, haunting fragrance.

Just like the man himself: elegant, graceful, and serene.

Tang Xu’s hand on Bai You’s shoulder moved silently, fingering the tail of the black silk ribbon. He felt a sudden, impulsive urge to yank it, to loosen the collar and smell the Omega more clearly.

But he failed. The Omega’s hand was faster, swatting his hand away with firm pressure. Bai You tightened the collar, hiding the leaked scent once more. His expression was icy. “Congressman Tang, watch your distance. If this happens again, I will have to reconsider our partnership.”

“…My apologies.” Tang Xu’s expression shifted for a second before returning to normal. “Aside from the specialized key, the monitor can be decrypted with a specific code. I’ve currently calculated three possibilities. Once you get useful information, Senior, we can make the exchange.”

Bai You gave a nod of agreement. As the song ended, he pulled away from the Alpha without a trace of lingering and subtly rubbed his waist.

Having a dance before he had fully recovered was truly exhausting.

Staying here meant constant social calls, and he had no interest in entertaining anyone else. He walked toward the quiet depths of the garden.

Madam Singh loved flowers. The estate was filled with vast stretches of roses and briars, the branches growing high and thick. The surroundings grew peaceful, far from the noise of the banquet.

Bai You let out a weary sigh. Just as he was looking for a place to sit, the collar around his neck suddenly went slack. Someone had hooked the tail of the ribbon, and it fell away. Then, his vision went black—the person had tied the black silk over his eyes.

He was pinned against a flower wall, his chin forced up. The palm pressed against the back of his neck was large and powerful, radiating a thick sense of fury as it brushed over every inch the other man had touched.

Suddenly blinded, Bai You was startled and angry. “Who—”

But he realized immediately who it was. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

The person behind him didn’t answer. Instead, with simmering rage, they stroked his nape, his shoulders, and his waist, trying to overwrite those unpleasant lingering traces. The touch made the Omega tremble involuntarily.

Because he couldn’t see, the sensations became more vivid. Even the Alpha’s gaze felt like a physical weight. He knew the other man was looking at his nose, his lips, his throat, before moving down to his now-uncovered gland.

Only after finishing this did the man lean down, his warm breath fanning against the skin around the gland. His voice was malicious. “What an indecent Omega, attending a banquet while covered in someone else’s scent.”

Bai You opened his mouth to snap back, but he was silenced as a hand clamped over his mouth. The Alpha’s long, broad hand easily covered half his face.

“Can you guess what happens to an Omega like that?”

Bai You didn’t want to guess. He struggled violently, his body breaking into a light sweat, his breathing ragged. He just wanted to curse this psychopath out!

In the next instant, a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck.

The Alpha answered the question with an action.

They get marked.

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