Married to a Fierce Wolf 23

Chapter 23

After a period of gentle rain and two days of cold wind, the sun returned with a vengeance, drying up all the moisture.

Shi Nuo’s eyes had fully recovered. He stood at the doorway, turning over the berries.

He had asked Hugh to bring the long, narrow dining table outside and place it on the flat area in front of the house. He had spread the berries he had been saving in the refrigerator on the table to dry in the strong sunlight. They should be dry in two days.

He wasn’t sure if this method would work, but there were plenty of berries on the mountain. Hugh had told him that the next two or three months were the berry season, so even if these were ruined, there would be time to gather more.

It was midday, the sun so strong that he could barely open his eyes, his body and clothes hot. He stepped back inside, relieved by the coolness.

Hugh Elvis emerged from the basement, carrying a thick, cylindrical object in his arms.

Shi Nuo saw it and asked softly, “The rug?”

“Mm,” Hugh nodded and carried the rug to the bedroom.

Not knowing where Hugh intended to put it, Shi Nuo wondered if he should help and followed him.

Hugh placed the rolled-up rug against the wall, gathered the pillows, blanket, and sheets from the bed, and handed them to Shi Nuo.

“You’re putting it on the bed?” Shi Nuo asked, confused, taking the bedding.

Hugh pressed a button on the wall, activating the room controls. A light blue virtual screen appeared, and he scrolled through it. “No. The bed is too short. We’ll put it away and put the rug on the floor.”

He glanced at Shi Nuo. Omegas were more delicate; sleeping directly on the floor might be too hard and uncomfortable.

He added, as if explaining, “I checked the rug. It’s made from the finest animal hide. It’s thick enough.”

Shi Nuo nodded, holding the bedding and waiting.

He couldn’t help but glance at the tall, muscular man. At two meters tall, with his long legs and arms, the standard bed was indeed too small for him.

Seeing that Shi Nuo didn’t object, Hugh operated the controls, and the wooden floor beneath the bed slowly parted. The bed sank into the floor, and the floorboards closed seamlessly.

When he first arrived, Shi Nuo had chosen this room as his bedroom because it had the most complete amenities. The floor and walls had built-in cleaning systems, so even if he didn’t clean, they would remain dust-free.

Hugh spread the large animal skin rug where the bed had been. It was longer and wider than the bed.

After he finished, Shi Nuo spread the sheets over the rug. The fabric was top-quality, soft and smooth, and with the thick rug underneath, it was very comfortable. He arranged the pillows and blanket neatly.

Hugh was pleased. Now he could stretch out his legs and arms comfortably.

However, seeing Shi Nuo kneeling on the rug to arrange the bedding, he realized it wasn’t as convenient as a bed, which only required bending over.

And Omegas, without beast forms, seemed to prefer sleeping on beds.

He frowned slightly, then said, “We’ll sleep like this for two months, then we’ll put the bed back, and we’ll sleep on that for two months.”

Shi Nuo smoothed out the wrinkles on the sheets, looked up at Hugh, his expression slightly puzzled, then nodded. “Okay.”

Hugh Elvis was pleased again.

They had already eaten lunch. The venison in the refrigerator was gone, and only a small piece remained in the freezer. Today’s lunch had been mushroom stew with meat, and the fresh, tender vegetable tips, blanched in the meat broth, were so delicious that even the picky Hugh had eaten a few.

Shi Nuo planned to take the remaining meat out of the freezer later to thaw.

He had to admit, he had been eating well recently, with meat every day, even multiple times a day. One time, returning from the forest, Hugh had caught two fish by the river. They had eaten one and frozen the other, which he could use to make fish soup tomorrow.

He stood up, intending to go to the kitchen to wash and slice the berries he had set aside, then marinate them in honey to see if it improved the taste.

Hugh stepped closer, his imposing figure blocking Shi Nuo’s path.

He was picked up and placed on the rug. Shi Nuo didn’t resist. He could marinate the berries later, after his nap.

The white-haired man, relaxed and content, kissed his Omega, then nuzzled his face against Shi Nuo’s neck, inhaling his scent.

The warm, sweet fragrance of tea olive blossoms was intoxicating, addictive.

Even the Omega’s sweat was sweet when he was aroused.

Kisses trailed from his neck to his cheek. Shi Nuo, feeling a tickle, instinctively tried to move away but was stopped by the Alpha’s hand.

He met Hugh’s deep blue eyes, so close that he could clearly see the change in them.

Hugh’s pupils constricted, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes as the blue deepened, like a turbulent ocean, the outermost edges swirling with lighter shades of blue.

His eyes, deep and captivating, were unusual, beautiful, without any hint of the unsettling otherness one might expect.

Realizing the Alpha was displeased, Shi Nuo whispered, “It tickles, so…”

He hesitated, then gently kissed the corner of the man’s lips, a gesture of appeasement.

The kiss was innocent and chaste, a quick peck before he pulled away, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Hugh Elvis touched his lips, his long, elegant fingers tracing Shi Nuo’s lips, gently rubbing until they turned a vibrant red.

The kiss that followed was fierce and possessive, leaving Shi Nuo breathless, his tongue numb.

Then, it softened, no longer demanding or insistent. A large hand gently caressed his slender waist, and Shi Nuo, lost in the illusion of tenderness, instinctively wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, clumsily returning the kiss.

After an indeterminate amount of time, only the sound of their breathing filled the room.

Hugh Elvis lay on his side, kissing the Omega in his arms, his expression relaxed and content.

Shi Nuo placed his hand over the Alpha’s, his ears and lips flushed, and whispered, “I want to sleep now.”

“Mm,” Hugh’s deep voice rumbled in response. He obediently closed his eyes, holding Shi Nuo close.

In the afternoon, Shi Nuo gathered the half-dried berries. He tasted a couple; the slightly chewy texture wasn’t bad, sweet and sour. They should be completely dry after another day in the sun.

He took a small bowl, filled it with the half-dried berries, and put it in the refrigerator. They should last for a while.

Hugh carried the table back inside and, knowing they would need it again tomorrow, placed it by the window to the left of the front door, making it easier to move outside.

Shi Nuo emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of honey-marinated berries and two spoons, handing one to Hugh.

Hugh took a bite of the sweet, fragrant berries but wasn’t interested. Shi Nuo sat on the small stool by the door, eating the berries and enjoying the breeze.

Before, he wouldn’t have liked such a strong, sweet taste, but now it was different.

The rare treat put him in a good mood, his mouth filled with the sweet and sour flavor of the berries and the rich fragrance of honey.

Hugh stood beside him, watching as he ate, then reached out and gently ruffled his hair.

Shi Nuo’s hair was soft and smooth, unevenly cut, but it couldn’t hide his handsome features. He was always obedient, quietly eating and working, never complaining.

A gentle breeze blew across the vast plain, rustling the grass.

Life settled into a comfortable rhythm. On sunny days, Shi Nuo would ask Hugh to take him to the mountains to gather mushrooms.

If he found wood ear mushrooms, the white wolf would help him retrieve them. There were also many wild vegetables and root vegetables in the mountains, and Hugh would point out the edible ones.

Their biggest find was a type of wild fruit that could replace rice.

While making porridge one day, looking at his dwindling rice supply, Shi Nuo had asked Hugh if there were any wild grains like rice growing in the area.

Knowing he needed a staple food, Hugh had found this wild fruit. Although it didn’t resemble rice grains at all, when opened, the white, fluffy flesh inside contained seeds that looked like large, plump rice grains.

They took longer to cook than regular rice, but the soft, fragrant texture and taste were similar to rice porridge, making Shi Nuo happy for days.

The white wolf would climb the tree, sever the branches with its claws, and Shi Nuo would gather the fallen, dark brown, spherical fruits. He would cut them open with his knife and scoop out the white, fluffy flesh, placing it in his bucket.

The shells were inedible, heavy, and took up space, so he only brought back the edible parts, which he washed and dried in the sun, obtaining rice-like grains.

Over the next few weeks, their food supply gradually increased, and the variety expanded, easing Shi Nuo’s worries.

The morning mist was cold and damp.

Hugh Elvis opened his eyes in the pre-dawn dimness and saw the Omega huddled in the corner of the bed, his back pressed against the wall, the scent of tea olive blossoms filling the air.

Shi Nuo’s body was burning hot. Ten minutes ago, he had woken up feeling a wave of heat and realized his heat cycle had arrived. He was panicked.

His permanently marked body craved the Alpha’s pheromones, but he suppressed the urge, trying to control the release of his own pheromones.

He knew it was futile, with the Alpha right beside him, but he was afraid of losing control. He had no suppressants, and unlike those strong-willed Omegas, he lacked self-control.

He remembered his first encounter with the white wolf, the embarrassing incident of being overwhelmed by the Alpha’s pheromones and wetting his pants after being temporarily marked.

It was incredibly humiliating, and he never wanted to think about it, but his memory betrayed him.

Mortified, Shi Nuo curled up tighter, trying to fight his instincts.

But Hugh was right there, and his body craved the Alpha’s touch. The ten minutes felt like an eternity, his mind becoming hazy. Without the Alpha’s pheromones to soothe him, his scent gland ached, and his body burned.

He felt he couldn’t breathe, his vision blurry and distorted. When his suppressed pheromones reached their limit, they exploded, released from his scent gland and even seeping through his skin.

The strong, hot scent of tea olive blossoms filled the room, the pheromone levels soaring, triggering the optical brain’s alarm.

As his scent gland was bitten, the cold, sharp scent of lotus blossoms made Shi Nuo shiver, momentarily clearing his hazy mind.

Hugh turned off the optical brain’s alarm and, holding the fragrant Omega close, began the temporary marking.

His eyes darkened, his throat moving, the arousal pheromones in the Omega’s scent triggering his primal instincts.

The strong man’s chest was warm, but his pheromones were cold, and Shi Nuo instinctively pressed closer, seeking relief from the heat.

Despite the heat consuming him, he was drawn to the Alpha, his body slick with sweat, tears streaming down his face as he begged to be taken.

His eyes unfocused, he felt the white-haired man’s lips on his neck.

Shi Nuo turned his head slightly, his gaze fixed blankly on the ceiling, which seemed to spin faster and faster as he cried out, begging for mercy.

The cold scent of lotus and the sweet fragrance of tea olive intertwined, filling the room with their mingled aroma.