DPT chapter 25

At six in the evening, the room with drawn curtains was dimly lit. Clothes were scattered on the floor, along with several used condoms, and the bed was in a mess. The Alpha lay on his side, one hand resting on the Omega’s waist, his chin against the Omega’s nape. There were red scratch marks on his back, indicating the intensity of their previous activities in bed.

The phone at the head of the bed kept vibrating, causing the Alpha to furrow his brows in annoyance as he half-awoke from his slumber. Unable to tolerate the disturbance, he reached out and answered the call before drifting back into unconsciousness.

“Hello.” It was Tai Xingyu. “I’ve called you more than a dozen times, but no one answered.”

Sheng Li moved the phone away and squinted as he checked the missed calls. “Are you crazy, calling me so many times?”

As childhood friends who had grown up together, Tai Xingyu didn’t mind Sheng Li’s sharp tone. “Of course not. You rushed out of my house in a panic, looking like something urgent had come up. Did you resolve the matter?”

Sheng Li froze for a moment, feeling a cold sweat breaking out on his back. He stiffly turned around and saw Zuo Chi, still asleep, holding onto the blanket. There was a hint of exhaustion in his expression, and the hickeys on his fair neck were startlingly conspicuous.

Fuck.

What had he done?

Had he slept with Zuo Chi?

Sheng Li closed his eyes, unwilling to accept this reality. But his brain wouldn’t cooperate, replaying all the events of the past few hours. He had been passive, letting his desires take over as he flipped Zuo Chi over on the bed, with Zuo Chi obediently complying, letting him do whatever he wanted. He had licked the glands on Zuo Chi’s neck, his fangs sinking into the skin…

Sheng Li suddenly opened his eyes, reaching out to touch the back of Zuo Chi’s neck, his hand trembling uncontrollably. There were faint bite marks on the skin, but they weren’t claiming marks. Perhaps he had only bitten once in frustration, without further asserting his dominance.

Thank goodness. If he had foolishly given a permanent mark, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But things weren’t much better now.

He should have sobered up long ago, but his head was still throbbing, and he didn’t know how to face Zuo Chi.

When he received Zuo Chi’s call, he didn’t have time to think. All he knew was that Zuo Chi was in danger, that he needed him. No matter how smart Zuo Chi was, no matter how high his combat skills were, he was still an Omega. In the eyes of countless Alphas, he was a delicious piece of cake.

If he hadn’t been so out of his mind, he should have called his private doctor or bought Omega suppressants before going upstairs. But at that moment, he only had one thought – to see Zuo Chi as soon as possible and make sure he was safe.

He overestimated his self-control and underestimated the temptation of Zuo Chi’s pheromones.

Tai Xingyu didn’t wait for a response, feeling somewhat uneasy. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Sheng Li hesitated, then muttered, “It’s over.”

Tai Xingyu pressed, “What’s the matter? Just tell me. Do you need our help?”

“I can’t involve you.” Sheng Li said, realizing he couldn’t erase this memory with Zuo Chi, pretending like nothing had happened. He forced a bitter smile. “Buddy, thank you, let me digest this on my own.”

After hanging up the phone, Sheng Li got up to clean the floor and saw those few condoms. He felt strange in his heart, a bit awkward, a bit twisted, and a bit regretful, feeling like he was falling apart.

How did he end up sleeping with Zuo Chi? Everything was messed up. He used to lead a peaceful life, not very actively working and spending the rest of his time drinking with friends, partying, flirting with newly met Omegas… Since the day Zuo Chi agreed to marry him, everything had been disrupted.

His best friend became his fiancé, his best friend seemed to like him, and he slept with his best friend.

Everything was messed up…

He smelled the blackcurrant pheromones in the room and couldn’t help but reminisce about Zuo Chi’s appearance in bed. Zuo Chi lacked his usual seriousness in bed, to put it nicely, he was candid; to put it bluntly, he was slutty. His body was hot, his moans were pleasant to hear, and the words that spilled from his lips were more and more enticing.

Sensing his blood pooling in a certain direction, Sheng Li ordered himself to stop fantasizing. He felt despicable, entertaining such inappropriate thoughts about his best friend.

Best friend? Were he and Zuo Chi even friends?

Tidying up the evidence on the floor, Sheng Li took a shower, spending a good half an hour before he could barely calm down.

He began to ponder over other things, like why Zuo Chi, who wasn’t even in heat, would suddenly go into heat?

Once an Omega fully enters heat, they experience three days of estrus, with a surge in pheromone levels. Although the air was still thick with the scent of blackcurrant pheromones, there was no clear upward trend.

Zuo Chi was indeed not in heat, leaving only one possibility – someone drugged Zuo Chi… or Zuo Chi drugged himself.

In such a short time, who would drug Zuo Chi? Who had the ability to drug him? Sheng Li quickly ruled out this possibility, clenching his fists tightly, a shadow falling over his eyes.

The previous night, Zuo Chi had confessed to him under the influence of alcohol, and the next morning, he inexplicably went into heat and even called him. If he had time to call him, why not call the Omega Emergency Service?

Sheng Li even suspected that Zuo Chi wasn’t really drunk the previous night but pretended to be drunk to test his reaction.

He didn’t want to speculate like this, but he couldn’t find a more reasonable answer. The more he thought about it, the more he felt he was touching on the truth.

With a hostile air, Sheng Li walked out of the bathroom, just in time to lock eyes with Zuo Chi, who had sat up. Neither of them looked away, but the scent of blackcurrant became sweeter, while amber pheromones became more aggressive.

Zuo Chi felt the suppression of Alpha pheromones, his limbs weak and sore. Uncomfortably furrowing his brows, he tried to speak but found his throat incredibly hoarse.

He remembered what he had said in his confused state. He begged Sheng Li, called him ‘baby,’ and shamelessly expressed his desires.

His face flushed red.

Although he had had similar dreams before, dreams were dreams, reality was reality. He wanted to take things step by step with Sheng Li.

The blanket slipped down to his waist, revealing a large expanse of skin. Zuo Chi’s skin was fair, contrasting sharply with the blue and purple bruises on top. Sheng Li had seen Zuo Chi’s body before, but at that moment, he dared not look again.

Zuo Chi nervously licked his lips. “We…”

He wanted to ask what they were now, but he knew this was an accident. However, they were engaged and would be legally married in the future. Why couldn’t they turn this accident into a beautiful outcome?

At the same time, Sheng Li questioned, “Why did you go into heat?”

“I don’t know.” Zuo Chi’s eyes were red from lack of sleep and exertion. He looked innocent and pitiful.

“You don’t know?” Sheng Li leaned against the wall, reminding himself not to be fooled. If Zuo Chi hadn’t looked so enticing, he would have gone downstairs to get suppressants. “Did you drug yourself?”

“What?” Zuo Chi raised his head in confusion, understanding Sheng Li’s implication. He widened his eyes in disbelief. “Do you think I drugged myself? Why would I drug myself?”

Sheng Li’s voice was cold and biting. “Don’t you know what you want? If you didn’t, then explain why you would be in heat outside of your heat cycle?”

Zuo Chi wanted to argue, but he found from Sheng Li’s perspective that he had too many motives. He could be doing it to strengthen the alliance between the Sheng and Zuo families, or out of selfishness to get Sheng Li…

But he didn’t. He truly didn’t know why. His only mistake was desiring Sheng Li, saying that one thing he wanted.

It was an Omega’s instinct, the instinct to want to bond with someone they liked.

Zuo Chi’s daze was evident in Sheng Li’s eyes. Fuming with anger, he had come to the hotel out of concern for Zuo Chi, only for Zuo Chi to use his concern to manipulate him!

Sheng Li gritted his teeth. “You manipulated me!”

There was still warmth on his body as he remembered how Sheng Li had held him, how he had possessed him. But now, the Alpha who had been entangled with him just hours ago was doubting him. Zuo Chi’s heart turned cold. “You don’t believe me. In your eyes, am I really like that?”

“You never stop until you achieve your goal,” Sheng Li said with a cold sneer. “But Zuo Chi, I am a living person. Have you ever considered whether I am willing or not? Do you think men are creatures who only think with their lower bodies and solve problems by getting into bed?”

So that was how Sheng Li saw him? Zuo Chi’s heart trembled, tears welling up in his eyes. He forcibly held back the tears. “Then do you want to?”

Even asking the question felt ridiculous. If Sheng Li wanted to, why would he have such a ghostly expression?

“I don’t want to.” Sheng Li’s tone was mocking. “What? Are you confident in your bedroom skills? Do you think sleeping with me once will change my mind? I’ve said it before, there’s nothing between us other than being friends.”

Zuo Chi silently looked at him, thinking, was this Sheng Li? Was this the same Sheng Li who used to call him “Ah Chi” with a smile? How could Sheng Li treat him like this?

Sheng Li sneered. “Among the people I’ve been with, you’re not the sluttiest, not the most obedient, not the prettiest, not the softest. What’s so special about you?”

Zuo Chi knew Sheng Li was never a saintly Alpha, but hearing these words felt like a stab to his heart, exposing raw and bleeding flesh. “You’re comparing me to others.”

“Is that not allowed?” Sheng Li lifted his chin slightly. “I want to continue being friends with you, treat you like a brother, think of you whenever there’s something delicious or fun, but you don’t want that. This is what you’ve chosen for yourself, are you satisfied now?”

The color drained from Zuo Chi’s face, his vision blurring. Surprisingly, he found Sheng Li’s words hitting home.

They say loving someone means setting aside your pride, and at this moment, his pride lay shattered on the ground under Sheng Li’s feet. Even though the air conditioner was still heating the room, he felt as though he were in an icy tomb.

Was it worth it? Giving up his position as a friend, solely to become Sheng Li’s Omega, was it worth it?