Chasing Husband

It was late at night when Siqi returned home.

The electronic lock clicked softly, and he pushed the door open. The room was completely dark. Only a thin sliver of light shone from the study, casting a thin golden streak across the floor. He frowned, took off his snow-stained coat and hung it in the hallway, then walked straight towards the light.

The study door was ajar, and he gently pushed it open. Shao Wei was hunched over his desk, several documents spread out before him. Hearing the noise, Shao Wei looked up, his always calm eyes gleaming amber under the desk lamp.

"You're back." Shao Wei's voice was very soft, like a snowflake falling into the palm of his hand.

Si Qi hummed, then walked to the table. His eyes swept over the documents—the acquisition the board would discuss tomorrow. Next to Committee Member Shao was a handwritten analysis report, its handwriting as neat as a printed copy.

"No need to do that." Si Qi picked up the report and said calmly, "The company has someone in charge."

Shao Wei stood up, half a head shorter than Siqi. He wore loose-fitting home clothes, his collarbone exposed at the neckline, and there were pale blue bite marks left on it from his last susceptible period. "I think some of the data is wrong," he said. "I've recalculated it."

Si Qi knew Shao Wei was right. Those people in the Finance Department had been making mistakes lately, but he hadn't expected Shao Wei to notice. They rarely discussed work, or even talked to each other. This marriage was a deal—a union of two top Alpha families, to consolidate northern shipping routes. Everyone opposed it at first; how could two Alphas possibly do that? But Si Qi was determined, and Shao Wei... Shao Wei never objected to anything.

"Thank you." Si Qi finally uttered only these two words. He put the report into his briefcase and noticed a steaming cup of tea on the table. It was his usual Pu'er tea.

Shao Wei had already turned and was heading for the door, his back lean and straight. "The bathroom is hot," he paused at the door. "You have Omega pheromones on you."

Si Qi was stunned for a moment, then remembered the cocktail party that night. The Lin family's Omega daughter deliberately spilled red wine on his sleeve and took the opportunity to get too close. He pushed her away at the time, but the scent lingered.

"It's just a social event." He didn't know why he explained.

Shao Wei nodded, his face still expressionless. "I know," he said, and left, his footsteps so light they were barely audible.

Si Qi unbuttoned his cuffs, suddenly feeling irritated. He hated explaining himself, and even more so, he hated the thought of caring whether Shao Wei misunderstood him. This marriage was supposed to be a tacit performance, but since some point, something had changed.

The bathroom was filled with mist. Si Qi undressed. The man in the mirror was tall, with well-defined muscles. There was a shallow scar on the back of his neck where the Alpha gland had been scratched by a mad Omega when he was fifteen. The doctor said this affected his pheromone secretion, making his sensitive period more intense than that of an average Alpha.

As the hot water washed over him, Si Qi closed his eyes. He recalled last month's sensitive period, when Shao Wei had silently endured his almost brutal demands, then quietly cleaned himself up afterwards, as if it were just a task to be completed. They had never spoken of love, not even fondness. But every time he was sensitive, Shao Wei would appear, carrying the cold scent of cedar, and linger with him until dawn.

After showering, Si Qi dried his hair and headed for the bedroom. He paused as he passed Shao Wei's room. There was no light from beneath the crack in the door, but he could smell the faint scent of cedar—Shao ​​Wei's pheromones were always faint, as if deliberately suppressed. Si Qi raised his hand to knock, then lowered it. They didn't have a habit of talking before bed.

Returning to his room, Si Qi found a new box of inhibitors on his bedside table. He was approaching his most susceptible period, and his original box was almost empty. A note was taped to the box. In Shao Wei's neat handwriting, it read: "New formula, minimal side effects." There was no signature, much like him, a subtle yet omnipresent presence.

Si Qi picked up the inhibitor, rubbing his fingertips along the edge of the box. He recalled the first time he met Shao Wei—at a family-arranged blind date, Shao Wei sat in a corner, politely shaking his head at every Omega who approached him. When Si Qi had proposed this ridiculous marriage, Shao Wei's father had been furious, while Shao Wei himself had simply raised his eyes and said calmly, "Okay."

At that time, Si Qi thought Shao Wei was just like him, just treating marriage as a transaction. But now he was not sure.

My thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of my phone. It was a message from my secretary: "Mr. Si, tomorrow's board meeting has been moved up to 8:00. The old man will be in attendance."

Si Qi frowned. His grandfather's sudden appearance at the meeting was likely an attempt to pressure him into abandoning his plans for the West Port development—the old man had always wanted him to marry the Omega daughter of a shipping tycoon so they could merge the Eastern Port routes. Thinking of this, Si Qi picked up the analysis report prepared by Committee Member Shao and reread it. The data was indeed flawed. If the original report was presented tomorrow...

He called Shao Wei. After three rings, the person on the other end picked up the phone. No words were spoken, only the faint sound of breathing.

"Come with me to the board meeting tomorrow," Si Qi said.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds. "Okay," Shao Wei's answer was as brief as ever.

Si Qi hung up the phone, suddenly realizing that this was the first time they'd contacted each other while not vulnerable. This realization made his chest tighten, as if something was breaking free from its long-held constraints and breaking out of the ground.

The next morning, when Si Qi came downstairs, Shao Wei was already sitting at the dining table. He was wearing a neatly ironed dark gray suit and reading the news on his tablet computer, with two cups of coffee and a breakfast in front of him.

"Good morning." Si Qi sat down, picked up the coffee and took a sip. The temperature was just right.

Commissioner Shao pushed the tablet over and said, "The environmental impact assessment report for Sihanoukville was updated last night. There are important revisions on page 17."

Si Qi raised an eyebrow. This report should have arrived in his mailbox this morning, but Committee Member Shao had already received it. He was increasingly curious about the extent of Committee Member Shao's information channels.

"How long did you sleep last night?" Si Qi suddenly asked.

Shao Wei seemed not to have expected this question, and his eyelashes trembled slightly: "Enough."

They finished their breakfast in silence. Before leaving, Siqi noticed Shao Wei put a suppressant in his pocket. Alphas usually don't need this, unless...

"Are you in heat?" Siqi asked. After two Alphas bond, the weaker partner sometimes exhibits cyclical reactions similar to those of an Omega, a rare phenomenon.

Shao Wei paused as he tied his tie: "Three more days."

Si Qi approached, reaching out to adjust his tie. This sudden, intimate gesture froze Shao Wei in his tracks, and a trace of cedar pheromones leaked out uncontrollably. Si Qi smelled it: the crisp, post-rain forest scent, distinct from his own liquor pheromones, yet strangely compatible.

"Tell me if you feel uncomfortable," Si Qi said, his fingers accidentally brushing against the side of Shao Wei's neck. The skin there was warm and delicate, reminding him of the feeling of teeth sinking into him during his sensitive period.

Shao Wei nodded slightly, and a barely noticeable red appeared on the tips of his ears.

The boardroom confrontation was more intense than expected. As expected, Siqi's grandfather had brought the daughter of a shipping tycoon with him. The young omega deliberately sat next to Siqi, and the sweet jasmine pheromones sent Siqi's temples throbbing.

“Developing West Port is too risky,” my grandfather said, tapping his cane. “Merging with the East Port is the wise choice.”

Si Qi sneered: "And arrange marriage by the way? I'm already married, grandpa."

"What kind of marriage is this between two Alphas!" Grandfather exclaimed angrily. "It can't even produce an heir!"

The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly grew tense. Shao, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up: "Regarding the environmental impact assessment of Sihanoukville, the latest data shows..." His voice was quiet, but it hushed everyone. Shao's precise data and calm analysis brought the conversation back on track, compelling even Siqi's grandfather to listen intently.

Si Qi stared at Shao Wei's profile. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, highlighting his delicate jawline. At this moment, Shao Wei was a completely different person from the quiet, almost invisible man at home. He exuded an undeniable Alpha aura.

At the end of the meeting, the West Port Plan was approved. Before leaving, Grandfather glared at Siqi fiercely: "Sooner or later, you will regret this ridiculous marriage!"

After the crowd dispersed, Si Qi turned to Shao Wei and said, "Thank you."

Committee Member Shao was packing up documents when he heard this and looked up: "I'm just stating the facts."

"No, not just today." Si Qi approached him, "It's always been like this."

Shao Wei's eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn't expected Si Qi to say that. His breathing became a little rapid, and the cedar pheromone became stronger—too strong to be normal.

"Shao Wei?" Si Qi frowned, suddenly realizing something. "Your estrus period has come early?"

Beads of sweat oozed from Shao Wei's forehead, and his fingers clenched the edge of the table tightly. "The inhibitor... is in my pocket..."

Si Qi quickly fished for the inhibitor from his suit pocket, but it was too late. Shao Wei's legs gave way, and he fell forward. Si Qi caught him, and the strong cedar pheromones surged in like a tide, colliding violently with his own pheromones and then strangely blending together.

"Go to the hospital," Si Qi gritted his teeth, trying to resist his instinctive reaction. An Alpha would usually only feel repulsion and aggression when faced with another Alpha in heat, but right now, he felt an unprecedented possessiveness—the urge to rub this person into his very bones and blood.

Shao Wei trembled in his arms. "No... I can't go... The media will see it..." His voice was broken, and his cheeks flushed unnaturally. The estrus period of a top-tier Alpha was extremely rare. If it became known to the outside world, it would surely cause an uproar.

Si Qi cursed, picked up Shao Wei by the waist, and strode towards the dedicated elevator. The body in his arms felt surprisingly light, and the cedar pheromones nearly drove him mad. The brief elevator ride down to the garage felt like torture. He could feel Shao Wei's teeth sinking deep into his shoulder—that was the Alpha's instinctive reaction in extreme pain.

After stuffing Shao Wei into the back seat, Si Qi loosened his tie and stepped on the accelerator. The sports car roared out of the underground garage and sped towards the suburban villa. It was a secret property under his name, unknown even to his family.

"Hold on," Si Qi looked through the rearview mirror at Shao Wei, who was curled up in the back seat. "We'll be there soon."

Shao Wei didn't answer. His pupils were dilated, and his breathing was as rapid as if he'd just run a marathon. An Alpha in heat doesn't have the same softness and tenderness as an Omega, only intense pain and a searing fever. Most Alphas in such situations would opt for isolation and medication; few could endure such torture.

The iron gate of the villa opened automatically. Si Qi stopped the car, went around to the back seat and carried Shao Wei out. The man in his arms was already unconscious, whimpering in pain, his fingers unconsciously tearing at his shirt, revealing large patches of red skin.

Si Qi kicked open the bedroom door, put Shao Wei on the bed, and turned to look for a powerful inhibitor in the medicine box. Just as he was rummaging through it, a muffled sound came from behind him - Shao Wei rolled to the ground and was struggling to crawl towards the bathroom.

"Don't move!" Si Qi grabbed his wrist.

"Stay...stay away from me..." Shao Wei said with difficulty, "It will...hurt you..."

Si Qi's heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand. Even in his unconscious state, Shao Wei's first instinct was to protect him. This realization shattered Si Qi's last remaining restraint.

He pulled Shao Wei back into his arms, lowering his head to bite the gland at the back of his neck. This wasn't proper behavior between Alphas, but at that moment, Si Qi simply wanted to end this man's pain. His pheromones were injected into Shao Wei through the tips of his teeth, and the pheromones of the two top Alphas clashed fiercely in his blood vessels, eventually achieving a delicate balance.

Shao Wei's body gradually stopped shaking, and his breathing became steady. He opened his eyes blankly and met Si Qi's face, which was so close to him.

"Why..." Shao Wei's voice was hoarse.

Si Qi loosened his teeth, his tongue licking the bleeding gland. The scent of blood mixed with the scent of cedar, creating an addictive flavor. "Because you're mine," he whispered, startling himself. This wasn't the dialogue of a transactional marriage.

Shao Wei's pupils contracted, and then he closed his eyes, a tear slipping down his cheeks. Si Qi didn't know what that meant, but for the first time, he felt the urge to understand this person's full thoughts.

He carried Shao Wei back to bed and gently wiped away the tear. Outside the window, snow began to fall again, silently covering the entire world. Yet, in this isolated room, something long frozen was quietly melting.