But I’m Just a Beta 28

28 

Qi Wei’s rut, which was quite the ordeal for Qi Zhao, lasted a whole week, so long that if it weren’t for the police presence outside, he would have suspected that Qi Wei had already recovered but was pretending otherwise.

As for why…

Qi Zhao looked down at Qi Wei, who was nestled in his arms, wearing headphones and listening to work-related matters.

That was the reason for his suspicion.

Qi Wei’s condition improved day by day. If it weren’t for the fact that he still couldn’t let go of Qi Zhao, needing to keep him close at all times, unable to be separated for too long without nuzzling him, Qi Zhao would have truly suspected he was faking it.

Of course, even so, Qi Zhao still had some doubts. From Qi Wei’s perspective, as long as he pretended his rut hadn’t ended, he could keep holding him.

However, a week later, when Qi Zhao opened his eyes, he found that he wasn’t the one nestled in Qi Wei’s arms, but rather leaning against Qi Wei’s shoulder.

He froze, his body still stiff from Qi Wei’s overly obvious… arousal.

Qi Wei sensed it and loosened his embrace slightly, murmuring, “Ah Zhao.”

Qi Zhao knew that the alpha’s rut had ended. “…Hmm.”

Qi Zhao moved, wanting Qi Wei to completely release him, but Qi Wei only gave him a little room to move. The arm around his waist remained firm like a chain, and the hand on the back of his head gently rubbed his scalp and the base of his hair.

The rough touch of his calloused fingertips was distinct, and even though Qi Wei’s rut had ended, due to his liquor-type pheromones, his body temperature was still high.

This touch made Qi Zhao stiffen even more.

He stopped moving, not daring to move again. The difference in strength between an alpha and a beta was significant, and Qi Wei’s morning arousal was quite obvious… Although Qi Zhao knew Qi Wei wouldn’t force himself on him, he was still instinctively afraid.

After all, he was now very aware of the desire Qi Wei held for him, so strong that he would even secretly use his clothes and say he wanted to hear his voice…

Thinking of that incident, Qi Zhao’s ears burned red.

Noticing Qi Zhao’s reaction, Qi Wei chuckled softly.

The chuckle made Qi Zhao’s scalp tingle even more. “Since you’ve recovered… let go.”

Qi Wei should be obedient.

According to their interactions before his rut, he should be.

But things seemed different now.

Not only did Qi Wei not let go, but he also said slowly, “Ah Zhao, you’re so heartless.”

Qi Zhao: “…?”

If he were heartless, he wouldn’t have come here during Qi Wei’s rut; he would have stayed at a hotel.

Qi Wei: “Leaving as soon as I’m recovered? Truly heartless.”

There was a hint of resentment in his tone, making it sound like an accusation of “post-coital indifference.”

Qi Zhao couldn’t tolerate this. “Make yourself clear. I’m leaving because you’ve recovered, not because I used you.”

“But I didn’t use you either.”

Qi Wei lowered his head, his body sliding down slightly, his forehead resting on Qi Zhao’s shoulder. He whispered, “Can’t I even hold you for a little while longer?”

Qi Zhao: “…Do you know how long you’ve held me during these ‘short’ seven days?”

Out of twenty-four hours a day, he had probably only been free for four.

“Ah Zhao, you know it’s only been a short seven days.” Qi Wei seemed to have completely missed the sarcasm in Qi Zhao’s tone, murmuring, “I’ve missed you for over a decade.”

He had longed to touch Qi Zhao ever since that banquet.

Then his feelings gradually fermented, entwined with his growth, becoming one with his flesh and blood, even transforming into his newborn soul.

Qi Zhao paused, and after a few seconds of silence, he tried to speak. “You…”

“Ah Zhao,” Qi Wei interrupted him, “you’re only twenty-four, and I’m only twenty-six. You also said you would never leave me.”

He gently stroked Qi Zhao’s head, and at this moment, his slightly more mature demeanor, being two years older, was evident. “We have plenty of time. Take it slow, don’t force yourself.”

These few short sentences made Qi Zhao feel Qi Wei’s cherishment for him.

His heart softened, and he no longer cared whether Qi Wei was still holding him or not. He originally wanted to say something; he felt he should say something, to give Qi Wei some kind of response.

But he didn’t know what to say.

And at this very moment, Qi Wei asked him again, “So, no matter what happens in the future, you won’t leave me? Ah Zhao.”

Qi Zhao instantly remembered his promise during Qi Wei’s rut, “You can ask me again after you’re awake.”

…Even though they had signed a contract, and because of his status as a super S-rank alpha, the contract was legally binding, was Qi Wei still so insecure?

And… he had even deliberately called him “Ah Zhao,” knowing he liked it.

Complex emotions brewed in Qi Zhao’s heart, and he once again gave Qi Wei a definite answer. “Yes. No matter what happens in the future, I won’t leave you.”

Qi Wei’s lips curved slightly, seemingly relaxing a little. But his next sentence immediately steered the originally ambiguous and intimate atmosphere, charged with crackling sparks, into strange territory—

“Ah Zhao, my rut has ended now. So… can we continue discussing that matter?”

Qi Wei raised his head, his dark eyes meeting Qi Zhao’s, seeming bright yet also deep like a black hole, threatening to swallow him whole. “Can you give me those clothes?”

Qi Zhao: “…”

Dear Qi Zhao from six days ago, why didn’t you just throw those clothes away?

And Qi Zhao realized he had made another assumption.

He had thought that Qi Wei, after his rut ended, wouldn’t do such a perverted thing… But at this moment, he remembered that an alpha’s rut wasn’t a second personality awakening, but an amplification of their desires and emotions.

In other words, the fleeting thoughts that an alpha usually suppressed, due to social morals and other constraints, would be released during their rut.

So…

Qi Zhao gritted his teeth slightly. “Let go.”

There was no warning in his tone, just a hint of annoyance.

After all, his reaction to this matter… wasn’t one of disgust, but it was still too much for him to process, so he felt a little…

And this time, Qi Wei obediently let go of him, allowing Qi Zhao to sit up, freeing himself from the blanket that had, with his cooperation, trapped him.

Qi Wei sat up slightly and reached out, slowly wrapping his hand around Qi Zhao’s wrist. Qi Zhao paused but didn’t shake him off.

He wasn’t truly repulsed by physical contact with Qi Wei.

Qi Wei said softly, “Ah Zhao, it’s enough that you’re not willing to reject me. Don’t be angry. I won’t mention it again.”

It was “won’t mention it again,” not “won’t think about it again.”

Qi Zhao looked back at him and saw the incredibly handsome alpha looking at him quietly. Even though he wasn’t putting on a pitiful or aggrieved act, Qi Zhao inexplicably felt that Qi Wei seemed very cautious, making it impossible for him to get angry. He could only ask, “Why do you…?”

“Because they have your scent.”

Qi Wei lowered his eyelids, hiding his expression, making him seem even more vulnerable, especially with the words he spoke. “Ah Zhao, didn’t I say my gland has some minor problems? Sometimes, even when I’m not in rut, my pheromones can become unstable, especially when I need to sleep… If I can hold your clothes, I can sleep more soundly. My pheromones will also be more stable, not causing me trouble.”

Just like during this rut, he had instinctively wanted to nest and seek out Qi Zhao.

In the end, he had followed the scent and squeezed himself into the closet, which had brought the situation under control.

“It’s a little embarrassing to say,” Qi Wei chuckled softly, “but my ruts used to be… well, not very civilized.”

Not just “not very civilized.”

If you asked Qiu Ji and the others, they would say that Qi Wei during his rut was like a wild beast out of control.

If it weren’t for the Qi family’s wealth, and his high rank, which made the country willing to foot the bill, he would probably be billions in debt by now.

He had destroyed several laboratories, forcing them to use all means to control him in advance.

This time was an exception.

Qi Wei’s rut had started much earlier than usual.

Perhaps because Qi Zhao was by his side, his pheromones were too agitated and active.

Qi Zhao was silent for two seconds. “…”

He looked at Qi Wei, and Qi Wei also lifted his eyelids, looking at him openly.

“…Your gland.”

Qi Zhao finally asked, “Is it really just a minor problem?”

“Perhaps a slightly bigger minor problem?” Qi Wei smiled, still with that casual air. “Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

Qi Zhao pursed his lips slightly.

He didn’t know why Qi Wei sometimes acted so dramatically, trying to gain his sympathy and compassion, but at times like these, he wouldn’t tell the truth… Was it because it was truly serious?

Because it was so serious that he himself wasn’t sure if it could be cured, so he hid it, not wanting to burden him.

After all, it was because of him that Qi Wei was rejecting omegas. They didn’t even have a mark, not even a temporary one—they were a beta and an alpha, but even so, Qi Wei had already decided that his partner was Qi Zhao.

It was as if… it wasn’t a physical mark.

But a mark on his soul.

The moment that mark was imprinted, unless the alpha died, even if Qi Zhao was just a beta, even if their bodies could never carry each other’s mark or pheromones, his soul was already marked by Qi Zhao.

This was different from his parents, different from the relationship between an alpha and an omega.

Qi Zhao couldn’t describe his feelings at this moment. He lowered his eyelids, looking at Qi Wei’s hand holding his. Alpha behavioral studies mentioned that alphas would develop a certain dependence on the omega who helped them through their rut… caused by their pheromones.

But he didn’t have pheromones; Qi Wei’s dependence on him wasn’t because of pheromones.

But because he truly liked him, his pheromones moved with his heart.

Qi Zhao sighed softly.

Then he felt Qi Wei rubbing the inside of his wrist, making him feel a little itchy.

The man, who had been half-leaning against the bed, sat up, closing the distance between them. “Ah Zhao, it’s really fine.”

His tone was still gentle. “Don’t sigh.”

“…No, I wasn’t sighing because of that.”

Although he was worried about Qi Wei, he thought that since he was already by Qi Wei’s side, Qi Wei shouldn’t be joking about his own health anymore.

So Qi Zhao looked at Qi Wei, not realizing that he not only wasn’t avoiding him anymore, but he even took a step forward. “I just think there’s no need for you to go to such lengths.”

Qi Wei, being as intelligent as he was, instantly understood what Qi Zhao meant.

His eyes flickered, and he instinctively tightened his grip on Qi Zhao’s wrist, a spark in his eyes. “Ah Zhao, do you mean I can hold you while we sleep from now on?”

Qi Zhao’s heart skipped a beat at the joy in his eyes, and he lowered his head, averting his gaze, but still replied, “Yes… we’ve been doing that for the past few days anyway.”

This was truly an unexpected surprise for Qi Wei.

After all, he had initially only wanted Qi Zhao’s clothes.

So Qi Wei happily hugged Qi Zhao, sighing meaningfully, “Ah Zhao, you’re truly too good.”

Even more soft-hearted than he had expected.

But he wasn’t so easily swayed by the Qi family, or by some of his friends.

Could it be…

Qi Wei couldn’t help but consider the possibility.

Even if it was just a tiny bit… so small it was negligible.

Could it be that… Qi Zhao also had some feelings for him?