The Married Alpha Who Refuses to Be a Heartthrob (A/B/O · Alpha POV) - Chapter 20

“Take me there.” Kaes instructed the maid to lead the way, unsure of the exact nature of sleeping together. The maid hurried ahead, her face grim with anxiety.

The maid thought, Oh no, Master is defiled now. He’ll definitely be sent back. She had hoped to come along and live a good life with him, but it all went down the drain.

The two arrived in the garden, where several people were already gathered watching before they came.

Though candles lit the garden, it remained rather dim overall. The onlookers whispered among themselves.

“Is that Abe in the pavilion?”

“The milk-scented pheromones smell like him.”

“Holy crap, who’s he with?”

“Can’t see clearly. Isn’t that the Governor?”

“Nope. I saw the Governor escorting the Inspector out.”

“Then the Governor’s been cuckolded?!”

Kaes detected a strong scent of milk mixed with grass pheromones. The two scents intertwined, inevitably leading his thoughts to the worst possible scenario.

The maid pointed toward the pavilion not far ahead, looking awkward and hesitant to approach. “I came out looking for the young master, and then I found them in the pavilion…”

Just then, another servant arrived, looking flustered: “Governor! We found Mr. Shu collapsed on the grass. We carried him to the pavilion, thinking he was drunk. When we returned…”

What exactly happened? The pavilion was dim, surrounded by flower beds and trees, revealing only the vague outlines of two figures.

Kaes took the lantern from the maid and walked toward the pavilion, the tangled pheromones growing increasingly potent.

He heard Abe’s voice become slurred, as if calling out to him yet also to someone else, intertwined with Shu’s labored breathing.

He vaguely made out two blurred figures overlapping, leaving him utterly flustered—stuck between retreating and advancing.

Was it rude to interrupt? But how would he explain this to Erlan?

He needed to get some inhibitors for these two. Turning to leave, he suddenly heard Abe call his name.

“Governor? Why are you over there?” Abe’s dazed vision caught a flickering candlelight ahead, illuminating Kaes’s face.

A night breeze swept through, and the two in the pavilion were jolted awake.

Abe’s head was pounding. He remembered coming down to find Kaes after the fireworks ended, unaware Kaes had already left the garden. He’d caught the strong scent of an Alpha’s pheromones, which had triggered his heat.

In the pitch-black darkness, Abe mistook the scent for Kaes’s and approached to investigate, his heat so intense it robbed him of reason.

“…Who are you?” Shu thought he was dreaming, but in truth, Abe’s commotion had roused him. Smelling an Omega’s pheromones, he believed it was a dream—the milky scent luring him into a state of irrationality.

For those of the secondary gender without formal mates, failing to take precautions could easily lead to trouble.

“How dare you do this to an Alpha?” Shu snapped fully awake, horrified. He quickly pulled his clothes straight, drew his sword, and pressed it against Abe’s neck. Squinting to get a clear look at the figure on the floor, he gasped. “Abe? Why is it you?”

“I don’t know you.” Abe was terrified, his heart as cold as death.

Kaes feared Abe’s head might roll. He stepped forward, saying, “Show mercy.”

Kaes signaled to the maid with his eyes. She hurried over to tidy Abe’s clothes, equally flustered. “Young Master, what should we do?”

This scene laid out before him with onlookers gathered nearby made Abe wish he were dead.

“…”

Shu’s face turned ashen as he withdrew his sword. Though he wanted to find an Omega to bear his child, he didn’t want it to happen like this. He needed Erlan’s consent first.

Shu felt utterly miserable. He had no idea how to explain this to Erlan. The scent of milk clung to him, making Shu feel sick to his stomach.

He’d been under a sleep spell, but strong disturbances could wake him—like the kind of deep sleep that could be broken. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw he was no longer clean.

Shu left the Governor’s residence without a word.

Abe collapsed onto the floor, covering his face and weeping. He’d rushed out without any protection, only to make a terrible mistake in his dazed state. Having been with someone else meant he could no longer be the Governor’s spouse.

Such an offense didn’t warrant prison, but he would be sent back.

Abe was now saturated with Shu’s scent, the glands at the back of his neck bitten into a gruesome mess. As a healthy Omega, he could easily conceive—there was a 90% chance he’d bear Shu’s child.

He didn’t want that at all.

“Take Abe back and give him some suppressants,” Kaes instructed the maid, worried Abe might have another episode. “You all go back and tidy up first. I’ll join you later.”

The maid helped Abe back inside.

…

The maid filled the bathtub and brought Abe a robe. She guided the dazed and disoriented Abe into the tub.

Like a living corpse, Abe let the maid handle him. He sat blankly in the tub, replaying the loss of control in his mind.

From the window, Abe saw Kaes and Erlan setting off fireworks. He wanted to join them—small gatherings felt more comfortable. He went downstairs, but by the time he reached the garden, Kaes and Erlan had already left.

He hadn’t known then, but he caught the scent of grassy Alpha pheromones. Kaes usually concealed it well; Abe didn’t know what Kaes smelled like.

Suspecting it might be Kaes, he went to investigate.

That glance sealed his fate.

Abe curled up in the bathtub, hugging his knees. His eyes were vacant, his mind echoing Kaes’s words: he would never let him become the Governor’s spouse.

The maid was scrubbing Abe’s back when he suddenly muttered, “Why would the Governor harm me like this?”

“What? Why would the Governor harm you, young master?” The maid was startled. “Don’t think such things, young master.”

Abe turned abruptly, snatching the towel from the maid’s hands. “It’s him!” he exclaimed, his voice trembling with emotion.

…

It was late. Only after seeing all the guests off did Kaes make his way to Abe’s room.

Abe was no longer fit to be his fiancée. He needed to discuss his repatriation.

When Kaes entered, Abe sat on the bed in pajamas, seemingly having waited for him for some time.

Kaes didn’t want to discuss the garden incident; he felt awkward too. “Abe, you can no longer be my fiancée. I’ll arrange for your return home.”

“Is the Governor’s pleased to have me ruined like this?” Abe’s hands clenched into fists on his lap. He felt utterly foolish.

Abe had naively believed he could win Kaes’s favor, that love would follow marriage. Instead, Kaes had ruined him. He was likely carrying Shu’s child and would need an abortion.

And Shu didn’t even know him—would never take responsibility.

“How could I harm you?” Kaes asked incredulously. “You don’t seriously think I orchestrated this, do you?”

“You said you wouldn’t let me become the Governor’s spouse! Who else would want to hurt me?!” Abe suddenly raised his voice. He collapsed onto the bed, burying his face in the pillow as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Kaes grew irritated, snatching the pillow and tossing it aside. He stared at Abe’s reddened eyes. “I never told you to come down here.”

Abe refused to hear his explanations. Burying himself under the covers, he muttered muffled, “I hate you.”

Worst of all, Abe sensed subtle changes in his own body. He no longer felt attraction toward Kaes or any other Alpha, for that matter. Only the lingering scent of grassy pheromones on Kaes’s skin still stirred his craving.

The more Abe thought about it, the more hatred consumed him. Kaes had set him up just to get rid of him.

“You’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow. I’ll arrange a ship for you. You can stay here until then.” Kaes stood by the bed, looking down at Abe.

The figure beneath the covers shifted slightly. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

Knowing Abe wouldn’t listen no matter what he said, Kaes relented. “I’ll have someone escort you to the ship then. My ex-fiancée.”

After Kaes left and closed the door, Abe grabbed a pillow and hurled it at the doorframe. He hated being called his “former fiancée.”

Abe buried his face in his hands and wept. He could feel Kaes didn’t care about him at all. When he was nearly humiliated by a guest who had tackled him, Kaes hadn’t intervened personally to help.

He’d merely summoned a guard to drag the man away. And now, at breakfast, he’d been seated so far away.

Yet he still clung to the dream of becoming the Governor’s spouse. He refused to accept it—this was a marriage decreed by the Queen herself.

He knew full well the Governor’s heart belonged to another, yet he wouldn’t leave. He was that pathetic.

…

Kaes returned to his own quarters. He didn’t know if Shu had returned to the Inspectorate residence yet. It would be too difficult for him to explain things to Erlan; it would be better if Shu handled it himself.

He took out paper and pen, intending to write back to Keith to explain the situation.

As for Erlan possibly casting a spell on Kwith, he had no intention of mentioning it. That was merely his conjecture—he had no proof, and besides, Erlan was Keith’s cousin.

The candlelight cast a faint yellow glow on the slightly yellowed paper as Kaes wrote:

【My Beloved Keith:

Abe and Shu had an incident tonight. Abe was only engaged for four days—could this be the fate foretold by the crystal ball?

I will wait for your return.】

Kaes folded the letter and affixed his seal. A strange feeling washed over him—Keith would be with him sooner or later.

After finishing the letter to Keith, he wrote another to the Queen explaining the situation.