SCOM - Chapter 45
Chapter 45
It took a while for An Yingjing to recover. He stared in shock at Zuo Luohuan, who seemed completely unaffected by his pheromones. Her resistance was incredibly strong. He watched as she walked over to Qian Mao, spoke a few words, then her expression changed, and she turned to leave.
Ji Yuezhi had been standing in the shadows, obscured by the surrounding crowd. An Yingjing, leaning against the wall, hadn't seen Zuo Luohuan carry Ji Yuezhi away.
"Classmate Qian, what happened?" An Yingjing asked, grabbing Qian Mao as he passed. "Is your captain injured or something?"
Qian Mao was confused himself. "The captain isn't injured."
"Then what did Zuo Luohuan say to you?" An Yingjing pressed.
"Nothing much, just asked if we had any hemostatic coagulant." Qian Mao still held the coagulant he'd found earlier; Zuo Luohuan hadn't taken it yet. "And Omega inhibitors."
Omega inhibitors? An Yingjing recalled Ji Yuezhi covering his scent gland earlier. Could he be in heat? He'd heard Ji Yuezhi presented late. It was said that late-blooming Omegas often experienced more difficult heats.
Thinking this, An Yingjing asked Qian Mao, "Where's your captain?"
"I'm looking for him too." Qian Mao's hands were covered in blood. He'd had a few things to discuss with Ji Yuezhi, but now he couldn't find him.
An Yingjing's face paled. Zuo Luohuan must have taken Ji Yuezhi to find Omega inhibitors. But in Ji Yuezhi's condition, having been exposed to so much poppy pheromone for so long, inhibitors wouldn't be very effective. After all, if poppy pheromones could be countered by inhibitors, they wouldn't be the rarest type, nor would they have provoked the Gashro Empire to risk exposing so many spies embedded in the capital.
An Yingjing felt a pang of guilt. Ji Yuezhi had been lured into this situation, triggering his heat, all because he came to rescue him. He wanted to tell the Federal First Military Academy people, but felt it wouldn't be good for Ji Yuezhi, so he kept quiet, leaning against the wall.
…
In the infirmary, Zuo Luohuan stiffened as arms wrapped around her waist from behind. She covered the hands, gently pulling them away, and turned around. "…I'm getting the inhibitors. It'll be quick."
Ji Yuezhi was already lost in his own world, and displeased at having his hands pulled away. His lips pressed into a thin line as he stared at Zuo Luohuan without speaking.
It wasn't the first time Zuo Luohuan had seen him like this, but last time, she'd only been dealing with physical pain. This time, she'd first endured the poppy pheromones, expending considerable effort to resist them, and now, alone with Ji Yuezhi in the small infirmary, surrounded by the overwhelming sweet scent of iris, she felt disoriented.
Looking down at her hand still being held, Zuo Luohuan didn't pull away again. She led Ji Yuezhi to the medicine cabinet, coaxed him to release one hand, found the Omega inhibitors, bit open the packaging, and filled a syringe with one hand. This was a familiar task for anyone post-differentiation, and she was no stranger to injecting Ji Yuezhi. Only, last time, during the coming-of-age ceremony, he'd been in loose pajamas, and she'd simply rolled up his sleeve. Now, he wore his military jacket, buttoned to the top.
Zuo Luohuan turned Ji Yuezhi around, leaning him against a table, placed the inhibitor on the surface, and started unbuttoning his jacket. She'd only undone two buttons when Ji Yuezhi leaned against her shoulder, closing his eyes, his long lashes fluttering. His breath, hot against her neck, made her uncomfortable.
Given the circumstances, Zuo Luohuan didn't push him away. She continued unbuttoning his jacket, and his arms wrapped around her waist again, his nose nuzzling her neck, seeking the cool scent of ice and snow. Burning up, he craved the coolness she exuded.
Pretending to be a block of wood, Zuo Luohuan finally undid all the buttons. The stiff material of the jacket resisted her attempts to pull it off his shoulders. "…Ji Yuezhi." She reached up, cupping his face, realizing it fit perfectly in her palm.
Ji Yuezhi lifted his face, guided by her hand. Under the infirmary lights, his sweat-slicked face and beautiful eyes were hazy. His languid glance held an unintentional allure that tightened Zuo Luohuan's throat. She looked away, composing herself before turning back, her expression neutral as she pulled off his jacket and tossed it on the floor.
Given the suddenness of the situation and the late hour, Ji Yuezhi, despite wearing his military jacket, still had his sleepwear underneath. Zuo Luohuan now saw his inner clothes were soaked with sweat. In this situation, with the room filled with the scent of iris, there was no other possibility.
Ji Yuezhi was in heat.
Zuo Luohuan rolled up his sleeve, exposing his arm, then put an arm around him, picked up the inhibitor, and injected him. Tossing the used syringe into a nearby trash can, she held him, waiting for the inhibitor to take effect. She briefly considered injecting herself with an Alpha inhibitor, but decided against it, continuing to comfort him by patting his back.
Ji Yuezhi only regained lucidity for a few minutes after the injection before succumbing to the rising heat, his back drenched in sweat. He knew Zuo Luohuan was there. All tactical thoughts vanished, replaced by the desire for her touch.
…
Zuo Luohuan initially didn't realize the inhibitor was useless, not until the person in her arms grew limper, struggling to lift his head, revealing reddened eyes, and murmuring, almost choking, "…Uncomfortable."
The infirmary's ventilation system must be malfunctioning, Zuo Luohuan thought absently, otherwise, why couldn't it clear the pervasive sweet scent of iris? As a normal Alpha, she had a natural predatory instinct towards Omegas. Her hand instinctively went to Ji Yuezhi's scent gland, stroking and pressing it in a way that was both teasing and soothing.
Ji Yuezhi leaned against the table, his upper body in Zuo Luohuan's arms, his head buried in her shoulder, offering his scent gland in a gesture of surrender. Even before Ji Yuezhi had presented, Zuo Luohuan had often been drawn to his long, elegant neck. Now, surrounded by the Omega's plea for affection, and with him offering himself so submissively,
Zuo Luohuan could barely control herself. The pressure of her hand on his scent gland increased, eliciting suppressed gasps from him, so stifled they sounded almost like sobs.
"…Ji Yuezhi," Zuo Luohuan whispered in his ear, "do you want my temporary mark?"
Consumed by heat, Ji Yuezhi couldn't hear her, and even if he had, he wouldn't have had the strength to answer.
Zuo Luohuan released her own pheromones. The icy scent of snow mingled with the iris, creating the fresh aroma of a forest after rain. She stopped stroking his scent gland and pushed him away, asking deliberately, "Ji Yuezhi… do you want it?"
Alphas, especially top-tier Alphas, possessed an inherent possessiveness, a desire for control over their chosen Omega.
Ji Yuezhi's eyes burned crimson. Overwhelmed by the icy pheromones, he struggled to stay upright, his beautiful gaze locked on the figure before him as his heart swelled with humiliation and crushing sorrow. Her words blurred into nothingness—all he knew was that she had pushed him away.
For a moment, Ji Yuezhi became lucid. He pursed his lips and tried to leave the infirmary, but his legs felt like cotton, and he stumbled after a few steps.
Zuo Luohuan rushed forward, catching him. Forget it, she sighed inwardly.
Holding him close, she soothed him with her pheromones, the icy scent now gentle, comforting him in his heated state. "Ji Yuezhi, you're in heat. The inhibitors didn't work." Zuo Luohuan gently massaged his scent gland, her calloused fingertips sending shivers through him. Close to his ear, she said seriously, "I'm going to temporarily mark you. When you wake up…"
"I apologize to you."
Ji Yuezhi didn't respond, just nuzzled her neck, a far cry from his usual cold and aloof demeanor.
Zuo Luohuan released his scent gland. The slightly raised skin was flushed pink. She lowered her head, sniffing the sweet iris scent emanating from it.
Finally, Zuo Luohuan opened her mouth, her canines piercing his gland. A flood of icy pheromones poured in, merging with the iris, creating the humid scent of a forest after rain, with a hint of sweetness.
Ji Yuezhi stiffened as his gland was pierced, then relaxed as Zuo Luohuan's pheromones flowed in, until he was almost pliant, sighing softly in her arms.
As their pheromones mingled, their experiences differed. Zuo Luohuan felt a sense of absolute control over him, while Ji Yuezhi felt as if he'd been branded. The only similarity was the undeniable bond formed by the temporary mark.
Zuo Luohuan released his scent gland, licking away the trace of blood. Noticing him tremble, a flicker of tenderness crossed her face. She kissed the back of his neck. "It doesn't hurt anymore."
With the temporary mark complete, their minds cleared, but the combined pheromones left them acutely aware of each other, still holding each other close.
As the ventilation system finally cleared the air, they finally moved. Ji Yuezhi lifted his face, his beautiful eyes and lashes still wet, as if he'd cried from the intense pleasure. His hair was damp with sweat.
Zuo Luohuan brushed his hair back, her fingers trailing down to his chin. "Change your clothes before we go?" she asked gently.
Ji Yuezhi gazed at her for a long moment before replying, "Mm."
Comments
Post a Comment