Chapter 19
The morning air was cold. The sky was clear, but puddles remained in some of the depressions in the ground, and dew clung to the grass, quickly dampening his shoes and pant legs as he walked.
Shi Nuo turned back. He would wait for the sun to rise and dry the dew before going out to gather vegetables.
Remembering the venison in the refrigerator, he went to the kitchen, washed his hands, and took out a piece of meat, carefully slicing it thinly.
During those chaotic days, he hadn’t had the energy to cook, and he hadn’t wanted to trouble Hugh Elvis too much, so he had simply boiled the meat and vegetables together in one pot, a simple but sufficient meal.
Now that he had fully recovered, he wanted something different.
The piece of meat was quite large. Shi Nuo filled two plates, layering the slices. He took out several seasonings from the cupboard, added them to the meat, and mixed them with chopsticks, making sure each slice was coated in the marinade. He set the plates aside to marinate for an hour.
He hadn’t marinated the meat last time he fried it, and it had still tasted good, but he wanted to experiment with marinating times.
He was in a good mood and wasn’t in a hurry to gather vegetables.
He changed the bedsheets and blanket, put them in the washing machine, and, hearing the optical brain’s notification that the energy crystal needed to be replaced, went down to the basement.
The large animal skin rug in the living room was the white wolf’s territory. Hearing the notification, it stood up, and in a flash of white light, its beast form shifted and transformed into a tall, well-built man.
Hugh Elvis followed Shi Nuo down the stairs into the cool, dim basement.
Shi Nuo was standing in front of the main wall, which had opened, revealing a black pipe-like device. He removed the dull, depleted energy crystal and inserted a new, glowing one.
The basement was spacious, with some miscellaneous items stacked neatly against the walls.
“How many crystals are left?” Hugh asked.
Shi Nuo pressed a button, and the wall closed. He turned to answer, “One hundred and thirty-three.”
Hugh Elvis grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping over the boxes and items in the corner, noting nothing dangerous.
As they emerged from the basement, Shi Nuo looked up at Hugh. “Mr. Elvis, are you going to rest on the rug again?”
Having grown accustomed to this form of address, Shi Nuo had called him that from their first meeting, and Hugh didn’t mind. “No,” he replied.
“Then I’ll clean the rug,” Shi Nuo said softly.
“Mm,” Hugh replied, knowing the Omega liked cleanliness and would clean whenever he had time.
Shi Nuo took the handheld cleaning device and ran it over the rug. The machine hummed, automatically vacuuming, cleaning, and drying.
The animal skin rug was large, and he walked back and forth barefoot.
Hugh Elvis, bored, sat on the single sofa.
He stretched out his long legs, rested his elbows casually on the armrests, leaned back against the cushions, and watched Shi Nuo work with a languid air.
He sat still, his mind wandering, but his blue eyes followed the Omega’s movements.
Unable to ignore the constant gaze, Shi Nuo felt self-conscious, his movements stiff. He lowered his head, trying to relax.
Noticing the Omega’s increasingly red ears, Hugh Elvis came back to his senses and realized his behavior was inappropriate.
He lowered his gaze and, pushing against the floor with one foot, turned the sofa to face the door, then propped up one leg and looked outside with a bored expression.
The humming of the cleaning device continued.
Hugh Elvis suddenly remembered that he and the Omega were legally married. Staring, touching, even kissing and mating, were all perfectly acceptable.
Shi Nuo’s lips were soft and sweet, his mouth fragrant.
And he was wet.
His entire being was like tea olive-flavored pheromone nectar, sweet and soft.
Shi Nuo, relieved that the Alpha was no longer staring at him, focused on cleaning the rug, oblivious to the thoughts running through Hugh’s mind.
After finishing the rug, he cleaned the floor in the storage room. He had already cleaned the bedroom, dining room, and the rest of the living area earlier.
The clothes in the washing machine were finished. He took them out, folded them, and put them away in the closet.
His optical brain beeped, the one-hour timer he had set going off. The meat was done marinating.
Hugh Elvis turned the sofa back around and watched as Shi Nuo walked towards the kitchen, his steps light, the Omega’s pheromones carrying a note of happy anticipation.
The meat sizzled in the pan. Shi Nuo held the chopsticks, waiting to flip the slices, the aroma of cooking meat filling the air. He licked his lips.
“Frying meat?” Hugh walked in.
“Yes,” Shi Nuo nodded and, seeing Hugh staring at the meat in the pan, asked softly, “Do you want some?”
“Yes,” Hugh Elvis replied without hesitation.
Seeing Shi Nuo holding the chopsticks in one hand and the pan lid in the other to shield himself from the splattering oil, he stepped closer just as a few hot droplets of oil popped out, landing on his hand.
His dynamic vision was excellent, and he saw the oil also splatter on Shi Nuo’s hand. The Omega flinched, unable to dodge in time, and rubbed his hand, seemingly in pain.
Such a minor burn, barely noticeable, and yet he had to rub it.
Hugh Elvis was struck by the Omega’s fragility.
He took the chopsticks from Shi Nuo, positioned himself between the Omega and the stove, and asked, “How do you do this?”
Shi Nuo, startled, peered around Hugh at the pan. “Just flip them. They should be cooked when they’re golden brown.”
Hugh Elvis followed his instructions and flipped the meat slices.
Shi Nuo leaned closer to check if they were cooked, and more oil splattered, but Hugh reacted quickly, shielding him with his hand.
The meat slices were thin and cooked quickly. Shi Nuo grabbed an empty plate, and Hugh, taking it, placed the cooked meat on it.
Neither of them spoke, a subtle harmony settling between them.
The man’s strong, muscular body was so close, and Shi Nuo lowered his eyes, not daring to linger on his broad chest and firm abdomen, his gaze fixed on the meat on the plate.
He turned to get his chopsticks, and Hugh, picking up a slice of meat, hesitated for a moment, then ate it.
The taste of cooked meat was completely different from raw meat, the marinade adding a unique flavor, a taste he hadn’t had in a long time.
The meat slices were uneven in size. There were seven in total. When only one remained, Shi Nuo put down his chopsticks, figuring there was plenty more to cook; he didn’t need to fight over this last piece.
He turned his head to find the last slice held before his mouth. He looked up and saw Hugh Elvis’s languid yet assertive expression. Faced with this “authority,” he instinctively opened his mouth, and the meat was placed inside.
Hugh put the plate on the counter and, imitating Shi Nuo, began frying the remaining meat.
The white-haired man stood with his back to the Omega, shielding him from the splattering oil.
Young Master Hugh Elvis had quite a temper. Born into a position of privilege and accustomed to being the center of attention, he was naturally domineering. Even as a child, interacting with other Omegas his age, he had never learned the meaning of yielding. He was always the one being catered to and fawned over.
Now, having his own Omega, no matter how unreasonable he was, he wouldn’t fight over a piece of meat with his mate.
They finished frying the two plates of meat, most of which ended up in Shi Nuo’s stomach.
Hugh lost interest towards the end and, while Shi Nuo was drinking water, leaned closer and took two sips from the Omega’s scent-marked glass.
He had eaten earlier, and his human form wasn’t stable yet, his beast instincts stronger. A large amount of fresh meat and blood could satiate him for a while.
As Shi Nuo washed the pan and dishes, a large hand caressed his scent gland.
The hand was large, its knuckles thick, its fingers long and elegant. It had once…
Shi Nuo pursed his lips, not daring to dwell on the memory.
The scent gland was a highly sensitive area for Alphas and Omegas. Being touched like this, so intimately, was clearly sexual, and it was no wonder his mind went there.
He turned off the water, gently moved away from the hand on his neck, and put away the clean dishes.
Out of habit, he turned to wash his hands again.
During this time, Hugh didn’t touch him, but his gaze remained fixed on the Omega’s fair, delicate neck, his throat moving slightly.
The sun was high in the sky, and the front door was open.
As Shi Nuo left the kitchen, thinking about gathering vegetables, Hugh Elvis suddenly pulled him close, wrapping his arms around him, one hand pressing against the back of his head.
His head was pushed down, exposing his neck.
Shi Nuo didn’t resist, waiting for the fangs to pierce his scent gland.
However, instead of a bite, he felt the hot, wet pressure of the Alpha’s tongue licking and sniffing at his scent gland, making his breath hitch.
The anticipation of the bite was the most nerve-wracking, the skin on his neck tingling.
Finally, the sharp teeth pierced his skin, the momentary sting amplified, his eyes losing focus as he was held captive in the Alpha’s embrace.
The sweet tea olive scent was drawn out, replaced by the cold lotus fragrance as the Alpha’s elongated canines injected his pheromones. The influx was so sudden and intense that Shi Nuo’s legs trembled slightly.
After the marking was complete, Shi Nuo’s mind was hazy. He didn’t even realize when he had been carried to the single sofa and kissed.
The fierce kiss made it hard to breathe, and he clung to Hugh’s neck.
Hugh Elvis, initially clumsy, had become a skilled kisser in just a few days. He no longer accidentally nipped and drew blood, and he had even learned how to guide the Omega’s hesitant responses.
Twenty minutes later, as the kiss softened, Shi Nuo came back to his senses and realized his position was rather compromising.
Hugh Elvis, with his long legs and arms, was sitting on the single sofa, his legs stretched out in a casual, undeniably attractive pose. His eyes were half-closed as he gently kissed the Omega in his arms, his throat moving as he swallowed.
Shi Nuo was sitting on Hugh’s lap, and although technically on top, his head was pushed down by the Alpha’s dominant hold.
Sunlight streamed in through the open door, a gentle breeze blowing.
Shi Nuo sat on Hugh Elvis, his slender stomach slightly distended, his expression a mixture of pleasure and pain.
The white animal skin gradually slid off the sofa. The man beneath him, suppressing his groans, let out an occasional low gasp, the sound incredibly sensual.
Gentle kisses were one way to entice an Omega’s willing participation. Hugh Elvis, a quick learner, gently kissed Shi Nuo’s lips and cheeks, his unusual patience paying off.
Lured by the constant, soft kisses, Shi Nuo leaned in and clumsily returned the kiss.
Feeling the light pressure of the Omega’s lips against his own, Hugh Elvis’s sharp features softened, a hint of pleasure in his blue eyes, his actions no longer forceful.
Shi Nuo, feeling a reprieve, thought this was what the Alpha wanted, a way to appease him and avoid further “torment,” so he kissed him again, unaware that he was falling into a different kind of trap, one of gentle, lingering pleasure.
