บท 12: A Losing Battle

Oh God, he was blushing…

Mu Yuze, the coldest and most intense man He Juan had ever met, the one who carried with him such striking aura, was currently turning beet red right in front of He Juan's eyes. Just how…?

He Juan could not move; hell, he had even ceased breathing as his eyes took in the flush that steadily spread on the skin beneath his thumb. It was like looking at a blossoming exotic flower, or a hint of breathtaking sunshine that peeked through the horizon, so mesmerizing that it took all of his breath away…

Mu Yuze's alluring scent suddenly spiked, sweet lavender and icy peppermint, turning the air around them so warm that sweat beaded on He Juan's hairline. He Juan had no idea where to focus his gaze on because every single part of this man was so damn intriguing! Just what was in Mu Yuze that could draw his attention so easily like this? He Juan really could not figure out the answer.

The sunset draped over the man's figure and highlighted his gorgeous eyes. It was as though the faintest embers of flame had just come alive within them, stoking the heat deep within He Juan that he had painstakingly tried to tamper down.

Against any better judgement, He Juan dragged his thumb across Mu Yuze's cheek and murmured, "Beautiful…"

He Juan's heart somersaulted twice over when Mu Yuze's face turned even redder, even the temperature of his skin was rising steadily. The whole world faded away and all he could focus on was the little hitches on Mu Yuze's throat, the way his pupils reflected He Juan and only He Juan, the moisture that gathered between his brows and God… his sweet, enthralling, and captivating scent that beckoned him in…

And then, Mu Yuze's tongue darted out to wet his lips – those wickedly plush lips that He Juan had eyed a few times before.

He Juan's gaze instantly shifted to follow the movement intently, taking in his adorable tongue, the layer of saliva that made his lips glisten oh so temptingly…

What was this torture? What was it about Mu Yuze that messed with He Juan's logic and destroyed his carefully kept composure? What was this pull that was so strong, stronger than anything He Juan had never felt before to the point where He Juan could do anything but to gravitate toward it?

He Juan's heart thumped furiously in his chest, so fast that he was getting a little light-headed. The oxygen around him thinned in a pace faster than he could catch up with and his breathing quickened. A voice in the back of his mind that sounded awfully like Jia Molei, screamed at him to take better control of himself but immediately it was drowned by the surge of desire that burst out of nowhere, almost covering him from head to toe with flame.

It was a losing battle, He Juan should have known better than to fight it. From the start, he did not have a chance but to succumb…

Again, Mu Yuze licked his lips. It seemed like he did not even notice that he was doing it but goodness… he was going to get He Juan admitted to the hospital because of how hard his heart was beating right now!

He Juan knew he should pull away, he should get out of the car to put some distance between them now before he did something he would regret. But as if the entire universe conspired against him today, he could see it all of a sudden, as clear as the day… the same raw hunger, the wild desire that wreaked havoc within those captivating dark eyes of the Omega…

He Juan leaned in. His pheromones, without him being able to control it, slipped out and filled the air around them. The earthy musky smell of rosewood tinged with a hint of whiskey, so warm and intoxicating that it caused Mu Yuze's eyes to turn dazed. His lips moved, "Juan ge—"

"Ehem!" Someone cleared their throat behind him.

He Juan tore himself off Mu Yuze so fast that it was like ripping off a bandaid, his breathing uneven. His lips tingled madly where he could still feel Mu Yuze's warm breath on it. The Alpha inside him thrashed in protest, unwilling to part from the delicious and sweet smelling Omega. Entirely on reflex, he used his body to shield Mu Yuze from sight as he faced the intruder — a traffic cop. His lips pulled back into the beginning of a snarl.

The cop — a Beta, he noted — stared at He Juan and then a glimpse of Mu Yuze's head he could see behind the former's broad shoulders. He lifted two hands in front of him to show that he meant no harm. "Are you an Alpha? Do you need some help with your Omega? A report came in that a car had stopped in the middle of the roadway and a passing Alpha claimed that he could smell you guys from a few meters away."

The words washed over He Juan like someone had just poured a bucket of cold water over his head. He sobered up and paled almost immediately.

W–What the hell had just happened?! How could he— Oh God, he had just snapped at someone innocent!

He Juan had never displayed such a profound Alpha trait before that it shocked even himself. He swore he only wanted to check on Mu Yuze to see if he was injured but in the end, he almost… he almost kissed him. An Omega he had just met in less than 24 hours! What kind of thirsty Alpha was he?!

A touch landed on his shoulder, almost making him jump in shock. Apparently, Mu Yuze had recovered faster than he'd expected. The blush still clung to his skin faintly but his eyes were sharp and clear as he pulled out his police badge. "We apologize for disturbing the traffic. We will go now."

The traffic cop straightened up and gave Mu Yuze a salute before turning away to bark out orders to his companions.

Silently, Mu Yuze started the car again. The atmosphere was so heavy and awkward that He Juan wished he could find somewhere to hide. Not to mention that… both of their scents were still intimately entangled inside the car! Heavens! He Juan screwed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth. Keep yourself together, He Juan!

What did they talk about again before… before everything that almost transpired? Oh, right, his scar. He Juan cleared his throat to maintain a false sense of normalcy. "I think you were asking about how bad my accident was?"

Mu Yuze's hand on the wheel tightened. "...Yes."

He Juan ignored the pang of disappointment at how they both chose not to mention what had just happened and focused his mind entirely on the matter in hands. "Let's see… where should I start? Jia Molei — wait, you remember him right? The man who has just visited today? He is the doctor who operated on me."

Mu Yuze deadpanned, "You have said it before."

"Ah, right…" He Juan chuckled wryly and rubbed his forehead. It happened sometimes. He Juan always repeated himself because he forgot what he had said. Yet another side effect from the accident. "Well, for starters, I was in a coma for quite long. Almost four months, to be exact. Even as I woke up, I was not aware of my surroundings." He Juan shook his head helplessly. "Molei said that my brain swelled a few times and I had a lot of seizures. He almost thought I couldn't make it."