The Cat I Picked Up Turns into an Alpha and Always Wants to Mark Me - Chapter 1

The winter solstice was bitterly cold. By evening, snow began to fall, each step crunching through the fresh layer.

Tang Le, having finished work early, rode her electric scooter slowly toward home, a cake and a large bag of groceries in the basket.

Today was her birthday, and the generous owner of the restaurant where she worked had given her a pile of groceries. These supplies would last her until the end of the month, saving her a considerable amount of money, which filled Tang Le with quiet joy.

As an Omega without proper identification, having a place to live and food to eat was truly a blessing.

In modern society, humans undergo differentiation upon reaching adulthood. Ninety percent become Betas, similar to ordinary people. The remaining ten percent differentiate into Alphas or Omegas, with stark differences in personality and pheromones. Alphas are dominant and assertive, while Omegas are gentle and nurturing.

The snow had stopped, leaving a cloudless sky. A half-moon hung in the heavens, its clear light mingling with the glow of streetlamps to make the snow on the road appear exceptionally white.

Suddenly, a dark mass darted out from the roadside. The blackness was so deep it seemed to absorb the surrounding light, standing out starkly against the snow. Tang Le slammed on the brakes, the scooter screeching to a halt half a meter from it.

It turned out to be a black cat.

The cat suddenly collapsed, startling Tang Le, who immediately got out of the car to check on it.

The cat lay on its side, its body plump and its fur sleek. It wore no collar or other adornments, appearing to be a stray.

Its round eyes were wide open, with yellow irises and black pupils. Startled, its pupils had narrowed to vertical slits, and its ears stood erect.

The car hadn’t run over the cat. Tang Le waved her hands, urging it to move.

Lying in the road was too dangerous. If another car came along and didn’t see it, the cat would be killed.

After a moment of stunned silence, the cat seemed to snap out of it. It lazily rolled onto its paws, then began grooming its paw with deliberate slowness.

Tang Le reached out and poked its head twice. When the cat didn’t react, she casually scratched its chin.

The cat’s fur felt cool and damp, with melting snowflakes clinging to its black fur, matting it into wet strands.

Clearly enjoying the scratches, the cat closed its eyes and pressed its head against Tang Le’s fingers, its tail twitching back and forth.

Seeing the cat showed no intention of leaving, Tang Le slipped her hands under its front legs, effortlessly lifted it, and carried it a few steps to the roadside.

The cat initially hung limp in the air, like a black cat noodle. Only when Tang Le set it down on the sidewalk did it react, tilting its head to study her.

Though the kitten was undeniably adorable, Tang Le was struggling to make ends meet herself. She simply didn’t have the energy or money to care for another creature. Steeling her resolve, she hopped back on her scooter and continued on her way.

But after only a few meters, she stopped again. The black cat was still sitting in the same spot, watching her with its small, solitary figure huddled in the snow, looking utterly lonely and pitiful.

Just like her.

The little devil in her heart urged her to ignore it and keep moving. In this day and age, raising a cat is more expensive than raising herself. Giving in to her kindness would mean blowing her budget sky-high.

The little angel in her heart countered that in this freezing weather, the kitten might not survive more than a few days alone. Saving a life was a virtuous act.

Torn between these conflicting impulses, Tang Le hesitated for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she couldn’t resist. She scurried back, crouched down in front of the cat, and said softly, “Don’t you have anywhere to go? Would you like to come home with me?”

The cat, of course, couldn’t answer. It remained sitting regally, its tail curled around its front paws, round eyes fixed on her.

When Tang Le gently placed it in her canvas bag, the kitten didn’t resist. It curled up obediently, riding home with her on her scooter.

Tang Le lived in the western part of the city. Her landlord, Mr. Tang, a Beta, had converted the second through fourth floors of the building into small, affordable apartments for workers in the area.

Her unit, located at the innermost corner of the fourth floor, was cool in summer and warm in winter, and it was the cheapest in the entire building.

The apartment was sparsely furnished, but thankfully equipped with a ventilation system to prevent pheromone leakage.

Tang Le immediately carried the groceries into the kitchenette to wash them. The weather was cold enough that they wouldn’t spoil for a while, even without a refrigerator.

After putting everything away, she finally remembered the cat she had rescued. Unzipping her bag, a round, black head popped out, its eyes wide with curiosity as it surveyed its new surroundings.

The cat leaped out of the bag, its tail held high as it strutted around the room like a king inspecting its domain. After its inspection, it jumped onto the kitchen counter and settled down to watch Tang Le cook.

“I don’t have any cat food right now, so I’ll just boil some meat for you today. Tomorrow, I’ll ask Sister Jia for some proper food and canned food you can eat.” Seeing how well-behaved the cat was, Tang Le couldn’t resist reaching out to stroke its head. “You’re such a good kitty! So different from Orange at the restaurant.”

Sister Jia was the gentle Omega who owned the restaurant where Tang Le worked.

Not only did Tang Le rely on her boss for her own livelihood, but now the stray cat she had taken in would depend on her too.

After preparing her own dinner, she boiled a piece of chicken breast for the cat. While the meat cooked, she quickly researched cat care tips online, feeling increasingly like she had adopted not a cat, but a feline overlord.

Raising a cat is way too much trouble!

After finishing its chicken breast, the cat sat upright on her dining table, meticulously licking its paw to wash its face.

Tang Le noticed the cat was incredibly clingy, following her everywhere she went.

After clearing the dishes, she peeled off the anti-leak patch in front of the mirror and carefully stored it away. If properly maintained, a single patch could last for half a month.

As the gland was exposed, a faint, sweet scent of white peach immediately filled the room.

The cat, who had been washing its face, paused mid-motion. Its pink nose twitched in the air, clearly enjoying the aroma.

After quickly showering, Tang Le slipped under the covers. The black cat curled up beside her pillow. Stroking its smooth, soft fur, she said, “I haven’t named you yet. Since you’re a black cat, how about Xiao Hei?”

The cat, likely drowsy, half-closed its eyes and ignored her. She rubbed its small head again, muttering to herself, “Xiao Hei doesn’t sound right. Never mind. Today’s the winter solstice, so you’ll be called Xiao Dong! From today on, your surname is Fu. You’re Fu Dong.”

Cradling Xiao Dong in her arms, she said happily, “From now on, it’s just the two of us, relying on each other. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.”

Xiao Dong shifted in her arms, finding a comfortable position.

The room was as cold as an icebox, the north wind howling outside and rattling the awning. Tang Le huddled under the covers, pressed against Xiao Dong’s warm body, and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

*****

The night was deep, but the luxurious mansions in Mid-Hill Bay, over ten kilometers away, remained brightly lit.

Mid-Hill Bay wasn’t actually a bay, but an exclusive residential area built on the mountainside. Nestled between mountains and water, the area boasted stunning scenery and was a high-end development project heavily invested in by the Ji Group in recent years.

Despite the winter season, security guards patrolled in spring uniforms, and the residential area’s lush greenery thrived, with various flowers in full bloom.

From the initial design phase, geothermal sources had been buried beneath the entire mountain, and the landscaping throughout the area was meticulously crafted by renowned designers, creating an atmosphere of unparalleled luxury.

The entire residential area comprised only twenty-six mansions, each carrying a hefty price tag. Living here was a symbol of status and wealth.

At the highest point of Mid-Hill Bay stood a grand mansion.

In the mansion’s seven-meter-high foyer, a crystal chandelier worth millions of yuan glittered brilliantly. Beneath it, on a calfskin sofa imported by private jet from Italy, sat a stunningly beautiful woman.

Time seemed to treat beauties with exceptional kindness. Though she was over 40, she maintained her youthful appearance remarkably well. Her skin was fair and delicate, her figure perfectly balanced, and her eyes radiated captivating charm, a quintessential Omega. However, she had recently been crying, leaving her eyes slightly red-rimmed.

Beside her sat a man of imposing stature. Though no longer young, his handsome features radiated an overwhelming aura of authority. Seeing that his wife had calmed down, he turned to the butler standing before him and asked, “What did you mean just now? Yundong is missing?”

The room was as warm as spring, but the sheer force of the man’s S-Rank Alpha pheromones pressed down on the butler, soaking his back in cold sweat. Maintaining his bowed posture, the butler replied respectfully, “The driver said that when the car reached Lanling Road, Miss Yundong asked him to stop and then left. I’ve already contacted the apartment manager, and she hasn’t gone there.” After a moment’s hesitation, he added, “Miss Yundong’s transformation has been unstable recently.”

Hearing this, the beautiful woman burst into tears again, sobbing as she reproached her husband, “I told you she wasn’t feeling well and should stay home to rest! None of you ever listen to me!”

“She’s my daughter, Ji Yundong, and a top-tier Alpha at that. There’s no reason for her to stay cooped up at home,” Ji Yu said, his brow furrowed and his tone somewhat callous. “I went through the same thing when I was her age. She just needs to adapt a few more times, and she’ll be fine.”

“Her transformation was so weak! How could she possibly compare to you? Ji Yu, I’m telling you, if anything happens to Yundong, I will never forgive you!” The beautiful woman angrily wiped away her tears and snapped at her secretary, “Send more people to search.” If your Ji family can’t handle it, I’ll call in the Ruan family.”

*****

This woman was Ruan Rong, the only sister of the Ruan family patriarch. The man before her was her husband, Ji Yu.

After marrying him, Ruan Rong learned that the Ji family possessed a unique bloodline. Their descendants had a chance of inheriting an ancestral trait, transforming into feline creatures.

The Ji family believed that Alphas who awakened this bloodline were divinely ordained heirs, like Ji Yu himself. Under his leadership, the Ji Group had flourished, swallowing up several other families in a single stroke.

Their marriage had been a business arrangement. By the time of their union, the Ji Group was already a commercial behemoth, leaving Ruan Rong no room to refuse.

After their marriage, their relationship remained lukewarm. Ruan Rong had resigned herself to a life of quiet mediocrity until the birth of Ji Yundong.

Yundong transformed once when she was very young. It was then that Ruan Rong realized the true nature of the Ji family’s transformations.

After transforming, her daughter wouldn’t speak to her or acknowledge her, as if she had become a true cat, even resisting any approach from others.

Ji Yu explained that during transformation, Yundong retained only her animal instincts and had no memory of being human.

As her bloodline stabilized, she would transform less frequently and gradually retain her human consciousness during transformations, eventually gaining full control over the process.

However, no one could predict when Yundong’s bloodline would stabilize.

Records in the Ji family archives showed that some ancestors had never gained control over their transformations, even until their deaths.

Ruan Rong asked, “If an accident occurs during transformation, would it affect her permanently?”

Ji Yu’s reply sent a chill through her: “Death during transformation is true death.”

Ji Yu’s transformed form was a leopard. Before his bloodline stabilized, an accident occurred when the butler wasn’t paying attention, allowing him to escape. He ended up biting five people and receiving a deep gash across his chest.

The scar, which snaked from his collarbone to his chest, remained clearly visible to this day.

Even as an Alpha, Yundong’s cat form was too vulnerable. Any mishap outside could permanently rob her of her daughter.

Ruan Rong’s vision went black, and she fainted.

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