Apex Predator - Chap 24

After they were done with the exhibition, the group of them had a meal together, chatting to their hearts’ content until past eleven in the evening,

Only Zhou Lan, worried that he might have upset Shen Dai, felt uneasy the entire night.

In conversations between Alphas and Omegas, the subject of each others’ pheromones always carried somewhat of a suggestive undertone, save for teasing between close friends.

Had their roles been reversed today, with Zhou Lan, the Alpha senior, posing such a question to Shen Dai, his Omega subordinate, there might even have been suspicions of sexual harassment.

Whether Zhou Lan had been temporarily overcome by his feelings, or whether he had wanted to push their relationship further, it had been too reckless.

Even more mortifying was the fact that – unable to restrain himself in the moment – he had released a small amount of pheromones. Though he had stopped as soon as he realised it, he had no idea if Shen Dai had realised it as well.

In any case, Shen Dai had excused himself to the bathroom. When he returned, he was clearly trying to keep his distance, causing Zhou Lan to feel a little despondent.

By the time the group split up, Shen Dai noticed that it was already very late. Since his grandmother’s place was too far away, he opted to return first to the Qu Residence.

Zhou Lan hesitated for a long time before finally approaching Shen Dai’s side. He asked timidly, “Shen-Shixiong, may I send you home?”

“There’s no need. I’ve already called a taxi.” Shen Dai could not bear seeing him look so anxious and added, “Thank you.”

“Please take care on the way back”

“Alright, you too.”

The second he stepped into the taxi, Shen Dai felt himself relax a little. He somewhat regretted the trip today. Group activities were necessary for the team and the exhibition had been fairly interesting, but it was still not as relaxing as being at home looking at data.

On the drive back he received a message on WeChat from Zhou Lan asking if he was angry. Thinking for a moment, he sent his reply: “I’m not. Don’t dwell on it.”

Don’t dwell on it. He hoped, too, that Zhou Lan would be able to grasp his meaning and not dwell on this matter for any longer.

Arriving back at the Qu Residence, he was surprised to find the lights in the living room still turned on. He stepped into the house. It turned out to be Qu Moyu who had just returned home.

He must have been hungry. Auntie Lan had made him a bowl of noodles and was presently standing beside him watching him eat.

Shen Dai had not anticipated bumping into Qu Moyu. His gaze went straight to his collar. As expected, that tie had already been changed, but for a time he had trouble dispelling the gloominess that was still hanging over his heart.

Qu Moyu, too, was surprised to see Shen Dai: “You didn’t go and see your grandmother today?”

“I went to an exhibition. After that I had dinner with my colleagues. We didn’t head back till really late.”

“Come sit over here. Which exhibition was it?” asked Qu Moyu, without much of a thought.

Getting up to go over, Shen Dai answered, “A joint exhibition on Planetary Geology by the Ministry of Aerospace and the University of Geosciences.”

“A-Dai, are you hungry?” asked Auntie Lan, smiling. “Let me make you a bowl of noodles as well. I simmered the beef bone broth for the entire day. It’s really delicious.”

“No thanks, Auntie Lan, I’m already very full.”

As soon as Shen Dai sat down, Qu Moyu wrinkled his nose. Putting down his chopsticks, he absentmindedly leaned towards Shen Dai. “Was it any good?”

“Definitely not as interesting as a trade fair. For someone that isn’t into this sort of thing it would seem like just a pile of earth and a bunch of rocks.”

He had picked up the scent of another Alpha’s pheromones on Shen Dai’s body. Without batting an eyelid, he replied, ”Is that so? Who did you go with then?”

“Just my colleagues.”

An Omega returning from a public place with the scent of a single Alpha on their body was enough for anyone to draw a connection. After all, in a scenario where everyone was wearing a pheromone-blocking patch, it would be improbable for a scent to linger for an extended period of time on a person’s body – at least not without intimate contact or the deliberate release of pheromones.

And being a top Alpha, Qu Moyu’s ability to sense pheromones was extremely keen.

Towards the end of the day, it was typical for individuals to have traces of residual pheromones on their bodies, such as from being in a crowded train or waiting for the lift. However, the scent was more likely to resemble that of the surrounding environment.

This striking and distinct odour, on the other hand, indicated that Shen Dai had been in prolonged and close contact with a certain Alpha, who may have even deliberately released pheromones towards him.

But not only was the scent of Shen Dai’s pheromones faint, his sense of perception was weak as well. The pheromones that Zhou Lan had released towards him had failed even to catch his notice.

Qu Moyu was thoroughly displeased. Picking up other people’s pheromones in social settings was fairly common for any number of reasons. Nothing worth making a fuss about. But he could not stand the scent of another Alpha on Shen Dai’s body, which was why he ordered him outright: “Go take a shower.”

“Go take a shower.” For Shen Dai, these words were his cue for making love.

He had planned to get up early tomorrow to go home. If Qu Moyu kept him up again the entire night, he had no idea how he would crawl out of bed the following morning.

Looking at Qu Moyu, he could not stop himself from picturing You Baiyue’s exquisitely beautiful face and that privileged lifestyle that was out-of-reach to most mere mortals.

He was reluctant to simply label this emotional turmoil as his “low self-esteem”, but had no way to stop himself from wondering: Was it because Qu Moyu was unable to have the “fine dish that he really wanted” that he ate whatever was available? Just like that bowl of noodles sitting on the table. Was it because it was too late to enjoy a sumptuous meal that he found a quick and easy bite nearby to fill his stomach?

Whatever was available; that was exactly what he was to Qu Moyu.

If only he could just make peace with the fact that this was just a business transaction. Selling himself for ten million could be considered a high price, a good deal. And yet he still felt dissatisfied, still he felt tempted – these were all things he had brought on himself.

This momentary hesitation from Shen Dai had been observed in full view by Qu Moyu, whose eyes darkened. “Something the matter?” asked Qu Moyu, with displeasure.

Shen Dai’s hesitancy could be seen as resistance – whether he had intended it or not. The thought that Shen Dai might be reluctant to make love to him, compounded with the smell of another Alpha emanating from his body, was enough to make Qu Moyu truly furious.

All top Alphas were required to learn emotional self-regulation. Since any emotional disturbances on their part could result in significant physical harm to others, they would need to keep their impulses under control.

Which was why he very rarely lost his temper, and would only deliberately use coercion based on circumstance. Except in this instant, he could distinctly feel himself becoming angry, because his Omega was rejecting him. This kind of indignity was too much for a top Alpha to bear.

Shen Dai lowered his head. “I’ll go wash up,” he said, getting up to head upstairs.

By the time Qu Moyu arrived at Shen Dai’s bedroom, his moodiness had completely subsided. Not least from seeing Shen Dai already under the covers, docilely waiting for him, but also from the flicker of nervousness in Shen Dai’s eyes when they met with his own.

He got into bed. Shen Dai hesitated for a moment before taking the initiative to hug him, just as he had requested before.

Lowering his head, Qu Moyu sniffed at him furtively, as if patrolling his territory, from his soft hair, to his rosy cheeks, to his pale-white nape. Only when he had confirmed that Shen Dai had washed himself clean of that messy odour, leaving only the fragrance of shampoo and that faint scent of pheromones, did he finally appear content. Pulling Shen Dai into his chest, he wrapped his arms around him firmly, not in a rush to possess him, but instead to place on him a few delicate kisses.

Shen Dai snuggled himself close to Qu Moyu’s warm and broad chest. The overwhelming sense of power exuded by a top Alpha made his feelings of attachment intensify to no end. He said in a soft voice, “Moyu, I’d like to get up early tomorrow and go home a bit earlier.”

“Mhm, alright.”

“So, would it be alright if you…”

“Would it be alright if I do what?”

”Would it be alright if you do it just once?” continued Shen Dai, embarrassed. It was only during heat that an Omega would experience intense sexual desire and an abundance of physical energy. But when his hormone levels were normal, he could not even last long enough for Qu Moyu to be completely satisfied.

Qu Moyu gave a light chuckle, “Who said anything about making love? Do you want to do it that badly?”

Shen Dai froze in shame.

“Do you really want to do it?” asked Qu Moyu, rubbing the tip of his nose against Shen Dai’s. “Did you wash yourself clean just so you could wait for me?”

Only then did Shen Dai realise that Qu Moyu was teasing him, “I did not!” He struggled to pull away from Qu Moyu’s embrace, but had already been caught firmly.

Qu Moyu was gazing at him, the corners of his eyes turned upwards, a smile in his eyes, looking so handsome it could make one’s heart skip a beat. The entanglement of pheromones had turned into an indistinct aroma enveloping the both of them.

Shen Dai sighed. Someone like this, so full of radiance and charisma, so powerful it seemed that there was nothing he could not do, someone who had rescued him time after time. How could he not fall for someone like this?

“Alright.” Qu Moyu stroked Shen Dai’s hair with his wide hand before gliding downwards slightly, the warm hollow of his palm pressed against Shen Dai’s glands. “I won’t do it tonight. I’ll let you sleep so you can wake up early, how about that?”

This had not been what he had in mind before he entered the guest room. Naturally, he had come looking for Shen Dai purely to relieve his physiological needs. But now, curled up together under a warm duvet, bodies pressed up against each other, with eyes that crossed inadvertently, their ebony wood and epiphyllum pheromones intertwined in the air, he suddenly felt that making love was no longer important. The point of making love was seeking comfort; He was already very comfortable now. Comfortable – as if completely relaxed in body and mind, wandering through warmth and tranquillity. This was something he had never experienced before.

The person in his arms right now was very peculiar; He could not only arouse in him the most violent desires, but also return him to a state of calmness.

Shen Dai found himself powerless to resist this tenderness from Qu Moyu. He was completely entranced. Although common sense was telling him not to flatter himself, in this moment – just in this brief moment – he felt that Qu Moyu might actually have feelings for him.

After all, no one was without emotions. The union of spirit and flesh would surely leave indelible traces in one’s mind.

If only…if only Qu Moyu would like him too. How wonderful that would be.

Planetary Geology (天文地质) | Planetary geology, also known as exogeology, the scientific study of the geology of celestial bodies such as planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.