3.34 Can't Let Go
3.34 Can't Let Go
The next fifteen minutes was spent with the Empress crying his heart out in relief and the Emperor telling him to bring Oliver back as soon as he could. Then the both of them proceeded to plan where they would hold the wedding, who they were going to invite, how their babies' features would look like and even invented their names in place. Lu Yizhou got through it in daze. His body was there but his soul had flown somewhere else, mainly to Oliver and how he wished he had sent the omega home first before coming back here. Afterall, he was flying and he could cover a long distance in a few short minutes. Stupid, stupid Lu Yizhou. The thought completely slipped from his mind because all he wanted was to have Oliver as close to him as possible.
Minutes passed and he was getting more and more antsy. He had to resist heaving a sigh of relief when the Emperor concluded. "Well, that's enough for today. Altair, we will discuss it again later on."
Lu Yizhou nodded, his voice laced with barely imperceptible exhaustion. "I will."
"Take care of yourself son. Your rut is approaching soon so let Derek take care of you." The Empress nagged. "Don't be mean. Remember how you almost bit his hand off because he was trying to deliver food to you? Oh God, please don't let it happen again."
Lu Yizhou was thankful they didn't ask about why Oliver didn't accompany him through his rut. He agreed readily. It was in his plan anyway. He would spend his rut in Derek's place and let the Beta stock food for him.
The call ended soon after and Lu Yizhou excused himself. His whole body was vibrating with the urge to get to Oliver. He almost used his wings to fly but in the end, resisted the thought because he didn't want to pull unnecessary attention to him and Oliver anymore. Not when the school yard was still full of people watching the ongoing fight inside the ring. Lu Yizhou marched into the omega's building in large strides and dialed Oliver's communicator in between. Alas, he only received the continuous waiting tone. Where was the omega? Why didn't he accept Lu Yizhou's call?
An uncomfortable feeling spread inside Lu Yizhou's chest and he vehemently refused to contribute it to something that had happened to Oliver. Lu Yizhou had just left for less than half an hour. Moreover, what kind of threat could have happened inside the omega's building?
Rosemane.
That name popped up in Lu Yizhou's mind and his heart gave a lurch. That's right, Rosemane. That woman had hurt Oliver once before and it almost cost his life. How could Lu Yizhou forget? How could Lu Yizhou leave him alone? Anxiety, dread and fear pooled in the bottom of his stomach and Lu Yizhou almost felt sick with nausea. What if something happened? What if he was already too late…?
[666: Host bzzz…bzzz…calm down, Host! You're not thinking straight!]
"A—Are you Altair?!" The sudden urgent voice came from behind and Lu Yizhou snapped his head back, almost scowling.
The omega—one that Lu Yizhou had a vague impression of. Was it Oliver's classmate?—nearly recoiled due to the ferocity in Lu Yizhou's face but in the end, she stuttered out. "Y—You have to hurry! Your omega…"
"Where?" Lu Yizhou almost growled.
"S—Sixth floor…"
Before she could finish her sentence, Lu Yizhou had turned and ran up the stairs. Sixth floor. The omega and alpha's building was built similarly so Lu Yizhou knew that the sixth floor was the auditorium hall. Desolate and suitable enough for any accident to happen without anyone knowing. He cursed under his breath and took on three steps at a time, arriving at the sixth floor in record time. There were three people—one omega and two betas—standing guard outside the door, giggling and laughing and when Lu Yizhou caught sight of them, his eyes saw red. Wisps of angry Alpha's pheromones spread out, startling them but before they could react, Lu Yizhou had swept all of them off the ground, sending them tumbling to the ground with a wave of his wings.
"Get out of my way!" He tore open the door with force, almost ripping it off its hinges.
[666: WAIT—wait a minute, Host! There's bzzz…bzzz…]
Lu Yizhou's eyes quickly adjusted to the dark as he looked around. The curtain was drawn shut, allowing only a square of light seeping in through the bottom. He moved forward, eyes darting around in panic. "Oliver…?" He didn't even realize his voice was trembling. The room was quiet, eerily quiet and the dread almost consumed him whole. "Oliver, where are you?"
"Here."
Lu Yizhou snapped his head back and promptly frowned when he saw Rosemane leaning on the closed door. "Where is Oliver?" A growl rumbled from his chest, threatening and if the horse omega still cherished his life, then she would know better than trying to provoke a cornered Alpha.
"There's no Oliver, only me." Rosemane twirled her hair with her fingers. "It seems like what they say was right. You're indeed almost in rut. You can even get tricked into such a simple trap."
[666: H—H—Host, that's what 666 wanted to tell you! This stupid signal bzzz…bzzz…bzzz will anger 666 to death!]
Lu Yizhou sneered and started to walk toward the door without regard to Rosemane at all. Only a slap from his wing was enough to send her tumbling to the side and when Lu Yizhou caught the door handle and pushed—it couldn't be pushed. The door was locked. He frowned and was ready to blast the door when a strong wave of omega's pheromones crashed right into him. His feet swayed and a buzz invaded his mind.
"Give up. We're trapped here now." Rosemane tore off the gland patch on her neck completely, letting the pheromones spread stronger and stronger. Now that Lu Yizhou caught a clear sight of her, she looked unusually flushed, her breathing ragged. Shudders ran down Lu Yizhou's spine and he clamped down on his mouth and neck. But then, he could already feel his canines growing. A heat like never before coursed through his veins as if the dormant lava within his body had found an outlet and was ready to burst into a volcano. Not good, his mind alarm blared.
Rosemane stepped closer to him. She swayed on her legs, giggling. "You didn't see this coming, did you? I was using scent blocker all day so nobody knows that I am in pre-heat." She slipped the dress off her shoulder and gathered her mane in one shoulder, showing her swollen mating gland. "You're in rut. And I am in heat. Here, no one can find us. Isn't this the perfect scenario?"
Lu Yizhou bit on his tongue and blood exploded in his mouth, the taste slightly shook his mind sober. But he knew it wouldn't last long. His vision was getting blurry by each second as he leaned against the door, shoulders tense.
"As I thought, I can't let go of you." Rosemane purred. By then, she was already a few inches away from Lu Yizhou. She raked her eyes all over the Alpha's perfect body and felt her mouth water. Her breathing was hot and desire surged inside her veins. She wanted him. She wanted no one but him. "Your Highness Prince Altair…" She reached out and traced her fingertips along his toned arm, packed with hard muscles. "Bite me. Bite me and I will be yours. I can be way, way better than Oliver for you. Trust me…"
Lu Yizhou was silent for a second before he threw his head back and laughed. Loud, cold and mirthless. Rosemane was frozen in place by the sound and when the Alpha returned his gaze to her, it was blazing like boiling silver. Hot and daunting. His pupils were so wide that it almost filled his eyes but there was none of the lust or desire she was looking for. It was very, very cold and lifeless. For some reason, Rosemane's throat seized and she couldn't talk. Her body couldn't move either. Lu Yizhou's next words were akin to dagger, sharp and deathly but spoken in a tone so soft that it seemed like an intimate whisper between lovers. The contrast sent goosebumps all over her body. Dangerous, her instinct screamed. Get away from him!
"It's such a pity." His lips tilted. Continuous warnings sounded in his ears, piercing. Yet none was registered in his mind. Black veins formed around his eyes and arms, pulsing like they had come alive. "I was trying so hard not to kill you but…how can I refuse when you have sent yourself here?"