That evening, Ash lay on his bed, glancing at the silver wristwatch he's been gifted. A small smile curved his lips as he thought, Wierdo...still spoiling me, even knowing your Alpha is flirting with me.
He glanced at the time. He hadn't heard Adrian in his room. He murmured to himself, seems like he's loaded with work today.
Unable to sleep, he slipped quietly from his bed and made his way to the pool. The night air was cool against his skin, and the faint sound of water lapping against the sides of the pool was soothing. He let himself sink into the calm, letting the quiet night ease his restless thoughts.
As Ash relaxed in the water, a familiar voice cut through the quiet night.
"Swimming alone at night...it's prohibited."
He looked up to see Adrian standing at the edge of the pool, still in his office suit, face unreadable, eyes fixed on him.
Ash blinked, surprised, and replied, "Who am I supposed to swim with? It's not like there's anyone..."
"Me," Adrian said simply.
Ash frowned, confused by the words. Before he could react, Adrian swiftly removed his suit jacket, shirt and trousers, leaving only his shorts, and dove into the water, moving straight toward him.
As Adrian leaned closer, Ash felt his heart racing. Then, in a low voice, Adrian asked, "This afternoon...why were you hesitating to wrap the watch on my wrist? Do you...have feelings for me?"
Ash froze, caught off guard by the question, murmuring, "It's just..."
Adrian cut him off, pressing his lips against Ash's, pulling him beneath the surface. The water enveloped them as Adrian deepened the kiss, their lips meeting urgently but controlled, leaving no doubt of the intensity between them.
After a minute, they broke apart just along enough to gasp for air, their faces above the water. Adrian hovered over Ash, water dripping from his hair, and murmured against his ear, "Let's go somewhere warmer...I don't like the cold."
Adrian moved out of the pool, taking Ash's hand in his. They quickly gathered their clothes, then Adrian led him to his room. Once inside, he closed the door behind them and immediately pressed Ash against it, kissing him again.
Their lips parted for a brief moment, and both glanced down, noticing arousal pressing beneath their shorts. Ash's face flushed, and he murmured, "I...I think I should..."
Adrian cut him off, his voice low and steady as he held Ash's gaze. "I won't dominate you if you're not willing...but I want to help you out."
Adrian kissed Ash again, lips trailing down to his neck, leaving soft marks. His hands roamed over Ash's chest, gently massaging one side while his mouth explored the other, then repeated the motion on the opposite side. He continued planting kisses lower along Ash's abdomen and began to slide a hand toward the waistband of his shorts. Ash's hands shot up, pressing against Adrian's, his heart racing and a tremor running through him.
Adrian met his eyes, his voice low and steady as he whispered.
"Let me."
Ash hesitated for a moment, then slowly removed his hands, a silent approval. Adrian leaned closer, and Ash felt an intense, consuming warmth. His breath hitched, heart racing, a shiver running down his spine Adrian's mouth took him in. He covered his face, overwhelmed by the sensation, as Adrian moved with intent, relentless yet careful.
Until finally, Ash shuddered, releasing, his body tense. He looked up at Adrian, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, eyes wide in awe as he watched Adrian remain composed, taking it all in.
Adrian looked up at Ash, a mischievous, almost teasing smile on his face. "Tasty," he murmured, eyes glinting with amusement.
Ash's cheeks burned, and he quickly covered his face, overwhelmed by both embarrassment and the thrill of the moment.
...
The next morning, they sat down for breakfast. Ash's mother noticed him glancing repeatedly at the sausages and said, "Why don't you take one?"
Ash snapped out of his thoughts, looking first at Adrian, then at the sausages.
Adrian, sensing Ash's lingering thoughts, smiled faintly but kept his eyes on his own breakfast.
Ash murmured, voice low, "I'm...not really in the mood today."
Adriana's father looked at him, concern in his eyes. "Aren't you feeling okay, son?"
Ash shook his head slightly. "I'm fine."
Then; Adrian's father turned to Adrian, his tone firm. "If Lucien hadn't given me a convincing reason for your running away on the wedding day. I don't know what would have happened." Luckily, Alpha Johnson is an understanding man and values our family's friendship enough to allow a second chance at the wedding. This time, don't let me down. Our company's success depends on Johnson's support. Do you understand?"
Adrian kept his eyes fixed on his plate, replying in a low voice, "I understand, Father."
Ash felt a blade cut through his chest at the thought: The wedding is going to be redone...
In the car, Adrian sat in the rear, staring out the window, lost in thought. Ash sat beside him, gazing out the opposite window, equally pensive. Bravin, at the wheel, caught their reflections in the rearview mirror, frowning slightly. What's wrong with Master and Young Master? he wondered.
After arriving at the school gate, Ash stepped out of the car. Lucien, who had seen them, came over and patted him on the shoulder. "How are you?" he asked.
"I'm fine, Senior," Ash replied. Lucien glanced at Ash's neck, shook his head, and rolled his eyes. "The devil has done it again..." he muttered, then reached out and tugged Ash's turtleneck higher, adjusting it to cover his neck properly. "Go to class." With that, he turned to the car's rear door, entered, and closed the door.
Ash hesitated for a moment, curiosity gnawing at him, before walking toward his classroom. Why is Lucien still kind to me? What are they doing in the car now? Are they...?
Sitting at his locker, Ash was still drifting in thought when Naomi and Martin approached, a tablet in Naomi's hands with the project notes open.
Naomi asked, "For our community project, we already have the funding covered...but do you think we should focus more on setting up after-school classes for the children or on health workshops for their mothers?"
Ash didn't react, his mind elsewhere.
Martin frowned and nudged him. "Ash, we're asking what you think. Which part should come first; education or health care?"
Ash blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "What are you saying?" he asked, realizing too late he hadn't heard a word of their discussion.
That day, Ash wasn't himself.
In the evening, after classes, Lucien drove him home. The car rolled along a quiet road, the silence between them broken only when Lucien spoke. "Adrian will be out of the country for business for a week. He suggested you stay at my place rather than being bored at home alone; if you don't mind."
Ash's first instinct was to hesitate, to say he'd be fine. But deep down, he knew the silence of the house without Adrian would only make him restless. The few memories they had created there together were still fresh, and the thought of being left behind unsettled him. And besides, turning Lucien down was impossible. He had always been sweet-no, more than sweet, too sweet to him.
Ash forced a smile. "How can I say no?"
Lucien's lips curved faintly. "Good. Then let's stop by so you can pick up the important things you'll need, and we'll head to my place."
When they reached home, Ash went straight to his room to gather the things he needed. He folded a few clothes into a bag, then carefully slipped in his suppression pill blocks, tucking them beneath the layers so Lucien won't see.
...
In his private penthouse, Adrian lay chained to the bed, his arms pulled tight against the headboard. Sweat drenched his skin, his body marred with bloody scratches and raw dents as though he'd been tearing at himself. On the floor, empty cartons of rut suppressant sachets and scattered syringes littered the carpet, a silent witness to his struggle.
His body trembled violently, every breath torn from his throat. A guttural scream rippled through him, and with it came a heavy wave of pheromones-raw, agonized, seeping into air like the scent of pain itself.
At the door, Bravin stood with a mask over his nose, hearing his master's screams from inside.
His phone buzzed. He answered quickly. "Alpha Lucien."
Lucien's voice came sharp through the line. "How is he?"
Bravin lowered his tone. "He's getting worse. He's been consumed by pain for more than six hours without stopping."