Chapter 46
Perhaps due to the dropping temperatures, Shi Nuo was constantly hungry. After realizing he was eating four meals a day, plus multiple snacks, he figured his body needed more calories to combat the cold.
It was a common physiological response, his body reacting instinctively before his mind even registered the change.
However, for some reason, he found the smell of the fish, shrimp, and crab off-putting. Even though he knew they wouldn’t smell after being cooked, he couldn’t bring himself to prepare them, his cravings fixated on the meat patties.
He remembered what Hugh had said: this was the best part of the prey.
He wholeheartedly agreed. The meat was tender and juicy, crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked, without any gristle or other unpleasant textures.
His craving for meat overcame all other considerations. He ate it at least twice a day, either fried or stewed, and the large piece of meat was gone within five days.
Before, such a large piece would have lasted him at least two weeks, even with daily consumption.
And it wasn’t just the fish and crabs he found unappetizing. Even the frozen meat in the freezer made him feel nauseous. He only wanted fresh meat.
The frozen meat wasn’t old and didn’t smell bad, but he had suddenly become picky, unable to even tolerate the thought of eating it.
In the kitchen, Shi Nuo opened the refrigerator and stared at the frozen meat, his brow furrowed.
The fresh meat was gone. Hugh, seemingly unconcerned, was in the living room, reading a comic book, showing no inclination to go hunting.
He understood the white wolf’s habits. After a successful hunt, a single large prey could sustain him for a while.
How should he ask?
His pheromones, usually calm and steady, surged with a restless energy, and he closed the refrigerator door, trying to compose himself.
He paced back and forth, then suddenly stopped. As long as he could have fresh meat, paying the price…wasn’t so bad.
He was startled by his own thoughts, a wave of anxiety washing over him.
In the living room, the white-haired man sat on the rug, shirtless, his muscular back, broad shoulders, and narrow waist a study in elegant strength, his long limbs radiating power.
A stack of comic books lay beside him, and he held another in his hands, his brow slightly furrowed, his expression serious, his attention completely focused on the story.
It was a romance comic.
He was almost finished. Compared to the explicit adult comics, this one also had some mature content towards the end, but the majority of the story focused on the sweet, everyday moments of an Alpha-Omega couple.
Before he could glean any useful insights, the scent of Shi Nuo’s pheromones, usually calm and soothing, became tinged with anxiety and unease.
He immediately put down the comic book and went to the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?”
His deep voice, laced with concern, made Shi Nuo, who was staring at the frozen meat in the open refrigerator, turn around.
Hugh Elvis approached him, his gaze having already scanned the kitchen, noting nothing dangerous.
He took Shi Nuo’s wrist and looked him over, then bent down, sniffing his neck, detecting no blood or injuries.
“What’s wrong?” he frowned.
Shi Nuo looked up at him, his mouth opening and closing, his anxiety still evident.
“Did you cut yourself?” Hugh examined his hands, checking his palms and the backs of his hands. Shi Nuo had said he was going to cook, but after all this time, there were no ingredients on the counter.
The barrage of questions made Shi Nuo’s emotions finally overflow, and he pulled his hands away, his movements abrupt.
Hugh Elvis’s outstretched hand froze.
He slowly looked up at Shi Nuo, his expression unreadable.
The Alpha’s handsome features, when devoid of emotion, became cold and hard, his eyes like chips of ice.
Shi Nuo, realizing his outburst, trembled, his eyes wide with fear.
Under Hugh’s gaze, he felt a surge of panic, his emotions overwhelming him, tears streaming down his face. “I-I’m sorry,” he sobbed. “I’m just…hungry. I want meat, but there’s no more…no more…”
He cried uncontrollably, as if he had been deprived of food, a pitiful sight.
Hugh Elvis, seeing the abundance of food in the open refrigerator, including a large quantity of meat, the fish and crabs he had brought back still uneaten, finally understood.
His own earlier frustration vanished, replaced by concern.
He reached out and gently wiped away Shi Nuo’s tears, but they continued to flow, his cheeks wet.
He pursed his lips, not knowing what to do, and said, “There’s plenty of meat. Just cook some if you’re hungry.”
Shi Nuo’s sobs intensified. Hugh’s lack of understanding only fueled his distress. “No!” he cried, his voice hoarse.
His outburst was weak and unconvincing, lacking any real force, only a desperate, choked sob.
Realizing his own irrationality, he tried to control his crying, his vision blurry with tears.
He took a deep breath and, looking up at Hugh, explained between sobs, “I-I didn’t mean to yell at you. I just…I want fresh meat. Fresh meat. The frozen meat smells…bad. I can’t stand the smell.”
Hugh Elvis breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll go hunting now. Go wash your face. I’ll be back soon.”
He left quickly, and Shi Nuo, startled, heard the front door open. The white wolf had gone.
He had cried and yelled, acting like a spoiled child, and yet Hugh hadn’t been angry.
He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and, still feeling a lingering sadness, went to the bedroom to wash his face.
An hour later, thick meat patties sizzled in the pan, the aroma of the high-quality fat filling the air.
This was also the best part of the prey, but this time, Hugh had brought back the entire carcass, untouched, and had carefully extracted a large piece of tender meat outside the house, on the snow-covered ground.
Shi Nuo, eager for fresh meat, hadn’t been bothered by the sight of the carcass, and smelling the blood, he had even swallowed involuntarily, the scent not repulsive but strangely…appealing.
He didn’t think he wanted to eat raw meat, only that the smell was incredibly fresh.
He stood beside Hugh as he cut the meat into patties, then picked one up, hesitated, and, after glancing at the Alpha, quickly took a small bite of the raw meat.
He immediately spat it out, unable to stomach the taste and texture.
Thinking he hadn’t been noticed, he was about to discreetly dispose of the rejected meat when Hugh Elvis turned around.
“That hungry? It’ll be ready soon,” the man frowned, placing two patties in the hot pan.
“Not really,” Shi Nuo mumbled, embarrassed. “I was just…tasting it.”
Hugh Elvis glanced at the patty with the missing bite. “You can’t eat that. Your digestive system is too delicate for raw meat.”
“Yes, I know,” Shi Nuo’s voice was barely audible, his head down, like a child being scolded.
Seeing this, Hugh didn’t say anything else. The image of Shi Nuo’s tear-streaked face was still fresh in his mind.
As he fried the meat, he realized he had been negligent, focused on his own hunting and eating habits.
He would have to bring back more meat in the future. Shi Nuo seemed to be craving it more often now.
As soon as the meat patties were cooked, Shi Nuo, not even bothering to go to the dining room, ate them standing at the counter.
He was too hungry, his craving for fresh meat too strong.
He took large bites, his cheeks bulging, his mouth covered in grease.
Hugh Elvis frowned and gently stopped him. “That’s too much. You can’t chew that. Eat slowly. It’s all yours. I’ll fry more if you’re still hungry.”
“Mm,” Shi Nuo, his mouth full, could only nod vigorously.
He had been hungry for an hour, waiting for Hugh to return, and he felt he could eat seven or eight patties.
They stood in the kitchen, one eating, the other frying meat.
The aroma of the cooking meat calmed Shi Nuo’s anxiety, his emotions gradually stabilizing.
However, after the second batch of patties was cooked, he only managed to eat one bite, then put down his chopsticks, feeling uncomfortably full.
He looked at Hugh Elvis, embarrassed, and the Alpha, for some reason, sighed softly and took the plate and chopsticks from him.
Hugh quickly finished the remaining patties. Shi Nuo took the plate to wash, glancing at the Alpha, relieved to see no signs of anger. He felt a sudden surge of happiness, a smile touching his lips.
The feeling of being full made him drowsy.
After pacing around the living room for twenty minutes, he couldn’t resist any longer and lay down on the rug, pulling a blanket from the sofa over him. He rested his head on a pillow and instantly fell asleep.
Hugh Elvis had intended to mark him and make love to him, but Shi Nuo had fallen asleep too quickly. He abandoned the idea and lay down beside him, pulling the Omega into his arms.
Even in his sleep, Shi Nuo instinctively snuggled closer to the warm Alpha, seeking comfort and security in his embrace.
Hugh, his possessive instincts strong, held the Omega tightly, and as they lay there, he pulled off their pajamas, their bare skin touching.
He never tired of Shi Nuo’s closeness, his constant need for physical contact.
Having slept for most of the afternoon, Shi Nuo wasn’t sleepy when night fell.
Dinner was meat patties again, but this time with a bowl of boiled greens, a more balanced meal.
He remembered his earlier outburst, his unwarranted anger towards Hugh, and a sense of guilt lingered.
So, after their usual pre-sleep kiss, the beautiful Omega, his expression anxious, hesitantly leaned closer and gently kissed the Alpha’s lips.
Hugh Elvis’s throat moved. He suppressed the urge to deepen the kiss, ignoring his own growing arousal, and asked huskily, “What does this mean?”
He knew Shi Nuo wouldn’t kiss him without a reason.
They hadn’t been intimate tonight; he hadn’t pushed the Omega to the point of needing to appease him with a kiss.
There had been a strange tension between them recently, and he wanted to ask about it, but he didn’t know how.
He had seen a similar scene in the romance comic he was reading and decided to imitate it, hoping for an answer.
“I…I lost my temper earlier today,” Shi Nuo mumbled, his voice barely audible. He hadn’t meant to yell at Hugh. He had never behaved like that before, crying and throwing a tantrum just because he wanted meat.
So, it was an apology.
Hugh Elvis felt a pang of disappointment. He had thought…
The bedroom lights were dim, and Shi Nuo had noticed the Alpha’s arousal earlier. It was a familiar sight, a nightly occurrence.
Today, Hugh had gone hunting, bringing back fresh meat, because of his outburst.
He hesitated, his body stiff, then, following Hugh’s usual “rules,” hesitantly reached out and touched him.
The subtle “invitation” was instantly met with enthusiastic acceptance, but to Shi Nuo’s surprise, after a single, brief encounter, Hugh simply held him close and told him to go to sleep.
Confused, but also feeling drowsy, he quickly drifted off.
Hugh Elvis, his arousal having subsided, closed his eyes.
In the romance comic he had been reading, even after the kiss and the confession, the Alpha and Omega hadn’t immediately slept together.
He didn’t understand. Why would an Alpha resist their Omega? Claiming them, possessing them, was the only way to ensure they wouldn’t be taken by another. But he had decided to imitate the scene anyway.
