Wife, Are You an Alpha Pretending to be an Omega? - Chapter 4

Xie Jingyu felt that his body was very wrong. He had not been drinking, yet a faint scent of red wine lingered inside the car. It drifted around the tip of his nose and seeped into his pores and his withered gland beneath the scent-blocking patch.

Wei Xia’s gaze swept over Xie Jingyu every now and then. Once Xie Jingyu noticed this, he became even more uneasy. He wondered if he was actually feeling an attraction toward another Omega. This realization made his cheeks flush with heat. Something was definitely wrong.

“Is your pheromone scent white wine?”

Wei Xia’s face went blank for a moment. He immediately covered the back of his neck and said awkwardly: “Can you smell it? I am sorry. Perhaps the new suppressant I switched to recently is not working very well.”

From Wei Xia’s perspective, Xie Jingyu’s profile showed a tight and tense jawline. Wei Xia felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. He assumed that Xie Jingyu was worried his Omega lover would get jealous.

Xie Jingyu spoke calmly: “I will arrange for Uncle Zhao to buy every brand available. You should try them one by one until you find one that works. Ultimately, you must not let your scent leak out.”

It was a dangerous thing for an Omega to leak pheromones. However, those words fell on Wei Xia’s ears with a completely different meaning. His expression dimmed.

“I understand. It will not happen again.” Wei Xia assumed that Xie Jingyu must dislike his scent.

The rest of the drive home was spent in silence. Xie Jingyu parked the car at the entrance. Seeing Wei Xia lost in thought, he spoke hesitantly: “I still have some work to finish tonight, so I will not be coming back.”

His lips were thin and his features were naturally indifferent. While he was undeniably handsome, he looked cold in the dim light of the car. Wei Xia’s heart sank further. He had just been celebrating the fact that they were getting closer, but he did not expect the repercussions to come so quickly. He felt he had outsmarted himself and felt incredibly foolish.

“Alright, do not work too hard. Also, is there anything special you want to eat for lunch tomorrow?”

Xie Jingyu noticed that Wei Xia looked afraid of him leaving. He wanted to offer some comfort, but the burning heat in the gland at the back of his neck was screaming for attention. He simply said: “Anything is fine.”

As soon as Wei Xia stepped out of the car, Xie Jingyu drove away at high speed. He left Wei Xia behind with nothing but the cold and hard silhouette of the luxury car. Wei Xia stood at the intersection for a long time until he could no longer see the shadow of the vehicle. He had no way of knowing whether Xie Jingyu was truly going to work or going to see his beloved partner. He returned home feeling desolate.

On the way, Xie Jingyu contacted his secretary, Fang Jinran, and asked him to book a hotel room. He then drove straight there. A series of heat-suppressing products had already been prepared in the room: suppressants, scent-blocking patches, and even bandages. Xie Jingyu had arranged all of this because he was unsure if this was a false heat or the arrival of his actual heat period.

The moment he entered the room, his legs felt too weak to support him. Using his last bit of strength to ensure the doors and windows were sealed, he collapsed onto the bed. He grabbed a tube of suppressant and plunged it firmly into his gland.

It was miserable. He could not understand why he would have such thoughts about another Omega. He wondered if pretending to be an Alpha for so long had caused his sexual orientation to automatically shift toward Omegas.

Xie Jingyu gave a self-deprecating laugh. The heat in his body did not dissipate with the injection. Instead, it became even more unbearable. His veins felt like they were bursting. While his body was burning, the suppressant was icy cold. Because he had not pre-heated the liquid, the large dose of freezing fluid fought against the fire in his neck. The conflict made him feel like vomiting.

A dry scent of jasmine erupted in the air. It smelled like jasmine branches that had been roasted under a scorching sun after the green-drying process. It was dry, withered, and suppressed. Even the hint of jasmine that leaked out carried a bitter undertone. This was Xie Jingyu’s pheromone scent. Like him, it was a scent of jasmine branches that was unexpectedly bitter. It matched his serious and cold temperament. It was a scent that would never lead anyone to believe he was an Omega.

Xie Jingyu was in deep pain. He had thought he could get by with suppressants indefinitely, but it seemed that was no longer possible. He wondered what he should do. He could not bring himself to ask another Alpha for a temporary mark. It was not just because he was used to being the young master of the Xie family who never bowed to anyone. It was also because he was now married.

Even though they both knew it was a sham marriage, and even though the other person was an Omega, his moral compass restrained him. He could not bring himself to reach out to a third party for help. The hotel room was vast, but the scent on the sheets was cold and unfamiliar. It was nowhere near as comforting as his home, yet he could not go back there now.

After a wave of the heat passed, Xie Jingyu stared blankly out the window. He felt like crying. He had not shown such vulnerability in a long time, even when he was alone. Perhaps it was the environment or the hormones, but he felt a profound sadness. However, it was only a fleeting moment. When the sky brightened and the warm sun shone through the window, he was once again the cold and serious Xie Jingyu.

Fang Jinran prepared a new suit and waited at the hotel early in the morning. When he received a message from his boss, he handed the bag containing the suit and supplies through the door. A hand quickly reached out from inside the room to take it.

Before leaving, Xie Jingyu used a pheromone air freshener to spray every corner of the room. He ensured that no one would be able to tell an Omega had suffered through a painful heat there. Fang Jinran followed behind him as they walked to the car.

“President Xie.”

“Yes,” Xie Jingyu said as he sat in the car. “Did Xie Hai show any reaction today?”

“Nothing from him, but there is one other matter.”

“Speak.”

“I heard that Master Xie Ci said some unkind things about the ‘Boss’s Husband’ during a party late last night.”

Fang Jinran looked in the rearview mirror and saw Xie Jingyu’s eyebrow twitch. He seemed surprised by the title but did not stop him.

“What did he say?”

“He claimed that the ‘Boss’s Husband’ only obtained his position through his body and that he used his beauty to bewitch you. He said the man is unworthy of the title of the Xie family spouse. He also threatened that if the Wei family boy had any ulterior motives, he would not be shown any mercy.”

Xie Jingyu gave a light laugh as if he were watching a clown. “If it is only talk like that, you do not need to worry about it in the future.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let us go to the company.”

Wei Xia had prepared a full table of food. He only felt relieved when he saw Xie Jingyu’s car return to the building. However, his heart sank the moment he saw Xie Jingyu in person. Xie Jingyu was not wearing the same clothes as yesterday. He was convinced that Xie Jingyu had gone to be with his lover.

Xie Jingyu did not notice the look in Wei Xia’s eyes. Since he did not feel he was lying, he saw no difference in where he spent the night as long as he was not cheating.

Wei Xia gave a bitter smile and said: “Let me help you.” He considerately took the coat Xie Jingyu had removed.

“It smells wonderful.” Xie Jingyu was not stingy with his praise.

Wei Xia served the rice and placed it in front of Xie Jingyu. “Jingyu.”

“You have worked hard. You really do not need to make so much.”

“Please do not be so polite with me.”

Xie Jingyu was very satisfied with this wife. In front of this beautiful Omega, he intentionally softened his expression. It was only when he looked into Wei Xia’s clear eyes that he realized he often came across as a very harsh person. Consequently, he offered a smile that he was not very practiced at giving.

Wei Xia’s smile was beautiful, but he was the only one who knew how forced it was. Unlike Xie Jingyu, he was born with a face that looked like it was smiling. Even when his expression was neutral, people often assumed he was in a good mood. Because of this, he was often perceived as a good-tempered Omega, which led others to bully or underestimate him. Deep down, Wei Xia hated everyone in that social circle. He only held tenderness for Xie Jingyu. However, that tenderness was mostly filled with bitterness.

“Jingyu, can I bring you lunch at the office in the future?”

Xie Jingyu paused while eating. “Sure.” If Wei Xia had the time, he was certainly willing, though he worried it would be too much trouble for him.

“Do you have a driver’s license? I will buy a car for you.”

Wei Xia wanted to say it was unnecessary, but Xie Jingyu’s tone made it seem like a given. His refusal died in his throat. He did not want to maintain such a strict distance from the man. If possible, he wanted every aspect of their lives to be closely intertwined.

He took Xie Jingyu’s hand. His cool fingertips brushed against that fair arm with a light touch. “Jingyu, I want you to go with me. Can you pick one out for me personally?”

Xie Jingyu felt a bit uncomfortable and naturally pulled away. However, his reply was very direct. “Of course. Just pick a date and let me know in advance. I will take you.”