The Cat I Picked Up Turns into an Alpha and Always Wants to Mark Me - Chapter 5
Fu Dong realized that her transformation into a cat this time was different from before.
She couldn’t remember what happened before Tang Le took her home, but the first time she was found, her consciousness felt like it was behind a barrier from the cat’s body. She could vaguely sense the outside world but couldn’t control her movements.
Back then, her body had operated purely on animal instinct.
This time, as a cat, she moved freely, her body entirely under her control.
She went out with Tang Le, hidden in a canvas bag, secretly observing her.
Tang Le first bought Suppressant, then some groceries and daily necessities, and finally went to a pet store.
The pet store was small and empty of customers, with only one employee teasing the cats with a cat wand.
The wand was made of wood, with colorful feathers at the tip, just like the one they had at home.
The store’s cat was a chubby calico, sprawled lazily on a cat tree, ignoring the employee.
Seeing a customer enter, the employee put down the wand and came to greet her. Tang Le asked for several cans of cat food and, after a moment’s thought, added a bag of freeze-dried treats.
Fu Dong glanced at the price tag on the shelf, her feelings mixed.
From her observations, this Omega seemed quite poor. At the supermarket earlier, she had hesitated for ages over just a few bundles of vegetables.
So frugal with herself, yet so generous with her.
This Omega really doesn’t make things easy for me.
She nimbly leaped out of the canvas bag, jumped onto the checkout counter, and nudged the bag of freeze-dried treats aside.
The cat’s sudden appearance startled the shop assistant, causing the lazy tabby beside her to spring to its feet, ears pricked, back arched, and teeth bared.
Tang Le hissed softly at the foolish cat, which immediately panicked and fled, darting under a shelf to peek at her through the gap.
Seeing it was just a cat, the shop assistant scolded Tang Le, “Why did you bring your cat in a canvas bag? It could easily get lost. You should use a proper cat carrier or travel crate.”
This was Tang Le’s first time taking Xiao Dong out, and she had no experience. She fumbled to grab the cat.
Xiao Dong dodged her hand, turned to face the shop assistant, ears erect, and stared coldly.
Having worked with pets for years, the shop assistant recognized this as a sign of feline displeasure.
Experienced in handling angry cats, she immediately pulled out a cat treat from the drawer to coax it.
Xiao Dong showed no interest in the treat, her gaze fixed firmly on the shop assistant. This sent a chill down the shop assistant’s spine; the cat’s stare was truly unnerving.
Blocked by Xiao Dong’s stubborn resistance, Tang Le managed to buy only a few cans of cat food.
The shop assistant hesitated for a moment before pulling out a leash. “Your cat might not like being cooped up, but you should at least use a leash when taking her outside.”
Xiao Dong leaped onto Tang Le’s shoulder, looking down at the shop assistant with a gentle sway of her tail.
I don’t need that thing, she thought.
The black cat’s imposing presence forced the shop assistant to reluctantly put the leash away.
After they left, the shop’s tabby cat emerged from beneath the shelves, covered in dust, and burrowed into the shop assistant’s arms, trembling.
“That cat was a bit scary,” the shop assistant murmured, cradling the tabby cat and feeling its body shake. “Our little Hua is so much better—soft and well-behaved.”
The cat in her arms meowed softly, as if agreeing with her.
The afternoon was gloomy, with thick clouds obscuring the sun.
After lunch, Tang Le felt an inexplicable drowsiness.
She changed into a clean nightgown and lay down on the bed, leaving a space for Xiao Dong, who jumped up beside her.
Instead of curling up as usual, Xiao Dong sat upright, watching her intently.
This Omega is a bit clingy, Fu Dong thought. She even wants me to keep her company for her nap.
Well, I suppose I can humor her.
Tang Le snuggled under the covers and quickly drifted into a deep sleep. Seeing her asleep, Fu Dong quietly slipped out of bed and began exploring the room. The room was simply furnished with only the essentials, but it was kept reasonably clean.
Though small, the cat’s body was surprisingly strong. Her limbs were lean and muscular, allowing her to leap effortlessly to the top of the wardrobe.
To conserve energy, this body used to require long hours of sleep each day.
But since transforming, she rarely felt sleepy.
Perhaps Alphas, with their boundless energy, simply didn’t need as much rest.
Tang Le slept until dusk.
Through the room’s small window, she could see the bare branches of a sycamore tree swaying outside, only its horizontal limbs remaining.
The dark clouds had begun to dissipate, revealing a distant, crimson sunset.
Xiao Dong had vanished from the bed.
Strange noises, like birds chirping, came from the kitchen.
Slipping on her slippers, Tang Le walked to the kitchen doorway and saw Xiao Dong sitting on the counter, her front paw pinning a small bird to the surface.
The bird was tiny, no bigger than Tang Le’s palm, with gray feathers and a yellow beak.
Xiao Dong’s paw held the bird’s wing firmly, preventing it from moving.
Seeing Tang Le approach, Xiao Dong pushed the bird forward as if presenting a trophy.
Just over ten minutes ago, Fu Dong had spotted the bird perched on the windowsill outside the kitchen.
She pushed the window open forcefully and, catching the bird off guard, grabbed it.
She wasn’t interested in the little bird; she’d caught it to give the Omega a treat.
The Omega ate only vegetables every day, which seemed a bit pitiful.
Tang Le rescued the bird from the cat’s claws, opened the window, and let it go. The little bird flapped its wings and immediately flew away.
“Don’t catch small animals. They’re dirty.”
Tang Le turned on the faucet to wash her hands, then grabbed Xiao Dong and washed its two front paws.
This was food I caught for you, Fu Dong thought, a bit annoyed. Its tail twitched impatiently, but it still obediently let her wash its paws.
After cleaning up Xiao Dong, Tang Le started cooking.
She was making vegetable stew, adding chopped potatoes, carrots, and broccoli to the simmering pot. The soup bubbled and gurgled as it boiled.
The aroma of cream mixed with butter filled the air, rich and milky.
Fu Dong licked its lips. The stew smelled quite good.
As Tang Le set out the bowls and chopsticks, she noticed Xiao Dong squatting in front of the pot, staring intently at the soup.
“You can’t eat this,” she said, pulling out a newly bought can of cat food and pouring it into Xiao Dong’s small bowl.
Xiao Dong didn’t even glance at the cat food, only looking at her and then back at the soup.
This is so strange, Tang Le thought. It’s never shown any interest in my food before.
Unable to ignore its persistent gaze, Tang Le grabbed another small bowl and ladled a spoonful of soup into it.
The soup was shallow, barely covering the bottom of the bowl.
Xiao Dong stared at the bowl, its ears twitching twice, before hesitantly taking a sip.
Mmm… a little sweet, but not bad.
*****
Note:
When in cat form, Fu Dong’s personality is influenced by her feline nature: aloof toward strangers, but tsundere with a hint of tenderness toward Tang Le.