Chapter 43: High and Mighty Alpha Young Master

Zhou Wu headed toward the competition grounds, intending to find some inconspicuous spot for discreet observation.

Unfortunately, today’s venue was jammed packed, with nearly every student from the academy flooding in.

All because Shen Yanzhi’s name was on the participant list. The prime seats with a clear view of the performance area had been snapped up ages ago.

The crowd pressed in layer upon layer, everyone craning their necks in thrilled anticipation.

Zhou Wu had barely approached when he was spotted, instantly turning into the focal point of a small cluster.

“Look, it’s Zhou Wu.” “I heard he’s actually an Alpha? Is that for real?” “Young Master Hua said it himself, so it has to be true…”

The murmurs buzzed around him, mostly harmless gossip. After all, Zhou Wu was already something of a celebrity around the academy.

A few Omegas even rushed up with infectious enthusiasm, grabbing his arms and chattering excitedly.

“Zhou Wu! Over here! We’ve got an amazing view from our spot!” “Yeah, yeah! You’ll see Young Master Shen clearest from right here when he comes out!”

He had no idea why Young Master Shen hadn’t reserved him a special seat.

The Omegas had their own little motives, of course. Young Master Shen would probably come looking for Zhou Wu after his performance. That way, they’d get to see Young Master Shen up close too.

And catch a glimpse of the two of them interacting!

The thought made them even more eager. They dragged Zhou Wu straight up to a prime spot on the second-floor stands.

The vantage point was perfect, offering a sweeping view of the entire field. Zhou Wu had no choice but to sit down.

Before long, Shen Yanzhi took the stage to deliver the opening remarks for the event.

He stood tall and composed, his voice steady and unhurried—altogether polished and professional. The Omegas around Zhou Wu gazed at him in open adoration.

Once finished, he handed the microphone off to the other dignitaries and headed backstage to prepare for his mounted archery display.

That’s when Zhou Wu started feeling uneasy.

Last night, he hadn’t even managed a kiss. Shen Yanzhi was probably running low on pheromones.

Even if it left him uncomfortable, though, he’d grit his teeth and power through.

Moments later, Shen Yanzhi made his entrance.

He’d changed into a sharp black archery uniform, tailored to perfection. With fluid power, he vaulted onto a magnificent steed, radiating an effortless, heroic charisma.

The whistle blew. He gave a light command, and Hei Yao surged forward like a streak of black lightning.

Atop the bucking horse, he rose halfway to his feet, drew his bow, and nocked an arrow in one seamless motion.

The bowstring thrummed. The arrow struck dead center on the distant target, unleashing a roar of cheers from the crowd.

Shen Yanzhi hadn’t cut himself any slack on the difficulty.

He even pulled off a back-facing shot, his body nearly parallel to the ground as he relied purely on core strength to control the mount. The daring stunt drew gasps and applause in waves from the stands.

Zhou Wu alone pressed his lips tight, saying nothing.

Sure enough, during the final volley, a minor slip happened. One arrow grazed the edge of the bullseye but missed the red heart.

The crowd still cheered—it was hardly a flaw. But Zhou Wu caught the way Shen Yanzhi’s face darkened the instant he dismounted.

Not pain. Anger.

Something felt off…

He needed to get back, and fast.

Zhou Wu started to rise quietly, but the Omegas on either side yanked him back down. “Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

Just then, Shen Yanzhi passed right below their section on his way off the field.

The group clung to Zhou Wu even tighter.

“Hang on, don’t go. Young Master Shen’s right there.”

One of the Omegas shot to her feet, waving frantically and calling out, “Young Master Shen! Zhou Wu watched your performance from up here!”

Zhou Wu: “…”

Shen Yanzhi’s head snapped up at the voice. His gaze cut straight through the throng, zeroing in on Zhou Wu with unerring precision.

There he was, hemmed in by a pack of Omegas, one of them draped affectionately over his shoulder.

Ha.

Zhou Wu could see it now: Shen Yanzhi’s expression wasn’t just sour. A terrifying storm brewed in those eyes—and he seemed to be at the eye of it.

“…” He bolted upright on instinct, desperate to flee.

The move pushed Shen Yanzhi over the edge.

He let out a cold, furious laugh. In the next heartbeat, amid stunned stares from the crowd, he vaulted the railing with one hand. In three strides, he crossed the tiers of seats and seized Zhou Wu’s wrist.

The area went dead silent. Mouths hung open in shock. Young Master Shen was every bit as domineering as the rumors said!

Zhou Wu froze, heart pounding.

Shen Yanzhi wrenched his face around, keeping his voice low for the sake of the onlookers—but the fury in it was unmistakable.

“I’ve told you how many times.”

“You never learn.”

“When you see me, you don’t run!”

Zhou Wu’s cheek throbbed under the grip. He didn’t dare make a sound.

Shen Yanzhi paid the gawkers no mind. He just dragged Zhou Wu away.

Zhou Wu hadn’t expected him to ditch the academy entirely. Instead, Shen Yanzhi took him straight to a private hospital.

Disinfectant hung heavy in the air the moment they stepped inside, but the place screamed luxury. It was nearly deserted, feeling more like a hidden retreat than a medical center.

Shen Yanzhi stayed stone silent the whole way. He shut Zhou Wu in a room and vanished to who-knew-where.

But arriving at a hospital made it clear enough…

Shen Yanzhi must have seen his own condition coming. No wonder he’d lashed out like that.

With a sigh, Zhou Wu buried his face in his hands. He waited ages, but Shen Yanzhi never returned.

Wait—he wouldn’t go straight for surgery and get rid of the baby, would he?

The thought sent Zhou Wu into a panic. He bolted to the door and fumbled with the handle.

It swung open.

Zhou Wu froze. He was sure Shen Yanzhi had locked it.

Hesitant, he nudged it wider—and came face-to-face with a pale, thunderous expression.

“Where were you sneaking off to this time?”

Shen Yanzhi’s voice was low and icy. His sudden appearance was downright ghostly.

Zhou Wu nearly jumped out of his skin, stumbling backward.

Shen Yanzhi’s hand lingered on the knob—he’d simply opened it at the same moment.

He stepped inside and locked it behind him with a flick of his wrist.

Zhou Wu eyed him warily, backing up farther.

Shen Yanzhi’s scowl deepened. “I asked you a question. Where were you planning to run off to?”

Zhou Wu’s eyes dropped to the hand dangling at Shen Yanzhi’s side.

Clutched in it was a roll of medical restraint straps.

“…”

Zhou Wu whipped around and lunged for the lock.

Shen Yanzhi’s shout cracked like a whip. “Get over here!”

“If you dare run again—”

“Zhou Wu!”

The cramped clinic room erupted into chaos. Zhou Wu darted like a cornered animal, but Shen Yanzhi snagged his wrist in an iron grip.

He pinned Zhou Wu’s neck to the cold floor. Zhou Wu thrashed wildly. It drove Shen Yanzhi to the brink—his eyes rimmed red, words spilling out unchecked.

“I’m fucking pregnant with your child!”

Zhou Wu went still.

He stared up at him.

“If you run again, do you believe…” Shen Yanzhi gritted his teeth. “I’ll really kill you!”

While Zhou Wu waited, Shen Yanzhi had his blood drawn. The pregnancy test report was already out.

Throughout the entire archery session, he’d felt something was off. So he wasn’t all that surprised by the results.

But Shen Yanzhi was still full of hate.

He hated how everything had spiraled out of his control. He hated how useless he’d been back then.

But what he hated most wasn’t even that he’d gotten pregnant—it was this idiot!

He’d clearly told Zhou Wu to stay put, yet here he was, surrounded by a bunch of omegas.

How many times had he taught him? Yet the moment Zhou Wu saw him, his first instinct was still to run.

In that instant, Shen Yanzhi felt a surge of fury like never before. His mind buzzed.

Why wouldn’t he listen? Why couldn’t he be taught?

Where did he think he was going to run to?

No. He wasn’t running anywhere.

Shen Yanzhi yanked Zhou Wu to his feet.

“Come here.”

Zhou Wu pressed his lips together. One look at Shen Yanzhi’s mental state filled him with fear—and sure enough, Shen Yanzhi dragged him straight to the doctor.

He wanted to schedule gland removal surgery for him.

Zhou Wu: “!!”

The doctor hesitated. “Young Master Shen, this surgery has a massive impact on the patient. It requires their informed consent…”

“He lacks the capacity to make decisions for himself. He doesn’t need to consent.”

Zhou Wu shook his head. “I don’t want it!”

Shen Yanzhi fixed him with an icy stare, and Zhou Wu looked like he was about to burst into tears.

“No… let me go.”

But Shen Yanzhi held him in an iron grip. He turned to the doctor.

“Just bring out the consent form and have him sign it.”

The doctor still hesitated. Most importantly, he sensed that Young Master Shen hadn’t fully made up his mind. He tried to compromise. “How about we start with an inhibitor injection instead?

“It’ll drastically lower his pheromone levels and simulate the state of having no gland. The standard procedure is to let the body adapt first before surgery anyway…”

“It should last about two weeks.”

Shen Yanzhi fell silent, then agreed. “Fine.”

But Zhou Wu refused. He shouted that he didn’t want it, struggled with all his might, and bolted for the door to escape. Shen Yanzhi caught him and dragged him back.

In the end, Zhou Wu ended up clamped tightly in his arms.

“I said it’s temporary.”

“Why are you in such a hurry to use your gland?”

“Stay by my side. Who else do you want to mark?”

By then, Shen Yanzhi had actually calmed down.

He realized Zhou Wu might not fully understand the difference between “surgery” and an “inhibitor injection” at all.

He was just reacting on instinct—afraid of Shen Yanzhi’s gloomy expression, afraid of the sterile hospital, afraid of any kind of forced treatment.

Shen Yanzhi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and hugged Zhou Wu’s back tightly. Mimicking Su Bai’s tone, he murmured soothingly:

“It’s just a shot. Don’t be scared. Be good. One injection, and then I’ll take you to eat.

“Are you hungry?”

The two of them stayed locked in that awkward, near-embrace stalemate.

The doctor awkwardly averted his gaze, feeling utterly superfluous.

In the end, Zhou Wu couldn’t escape. Shen Yanzhi pinned him firmly in his arms. A chill touched the side of his neck, followed by a sharp sting.

The drug was pushed into his gland.

Once the needle was out, Zhou Wu went completely still.

He seemed utterly dejected. He stopped looking at Shen Yanzhi altogether and chose to stand huddled in the corner instead.

He was back to that initial state of bewilderment and wariness, with zero trust in Shen Yanzhi.

Watching him like that stirred a wave of irritation in Shen Yanzhi’s chest.

Of course he knew it would turn out this way.

But he didn’t care whether Zhou Wu liked him or not. He repeated this to himself over and over.

He didn’t care.

Zhou Wu would stay by his side anyway.

He just couldn’t get pregnant again. He couldn’t keep losing his head to some idiot.

So the gland had to go.

He stopped trying to coax him and simply shoved the man into the car to take him away by force.

Zhou Wu jumped in fright and didn’t cooperate at all.

“Where are we going?”

“To get you some food.”

“I’m not going. I don’t… let me go!”

Shen Yanzhi: “Shut up!”

He wasn’t letting go.

Shen Yanzhi stuffed him into the car. Still fuming, he bit Zhou Wu—first on the cheek, then on the mouth.

Zhou Wu froze for a moment.

After one quick kiss, Shen Yanzhi’s breathing grew ragged, and he dove back in.

The inhibitor injection hadn’t fully kicked in yet. Perhaps soothed by the pheromones, Zhou Wu quieted down and even reciprocated the kiss.

After dinner, Shen Yanzhi took Zhou Wu back to the apartment where he’d locked him up before and pressed him down on the bed to keep kissing.

The fruit fragrance seemed a bit fainter, but Zhou Wu’s mouth was still sweet.

What the hell was he doing?

Shen Yanzhi didn’t know.

Why didn’t he hate this idiot? Why did he still want to kiss him so badly?

A thought even flashed through his mind: he’d already gotten pregnant, so why not just do it?

Shen Yanzhi couldn’t stand himself at that moment. He forced himself to stop.

How had he defaulted to being the one on the receiving end?

Zhou Wu watched as Shen Yanzhi lay on top of him, his expressions shifting endlessly.

He sighed inwardly.

If Shen Yanzhi voiced the question out loud, Zhou Wu would think he already knew the answer.

It was because he was pregnant. Pregnancy meant needing pheromones. And yet Shen Yanzhi had chosen this exact moment to inject him with an inhibitor.

Even if he himself wanted to get rid of the child.

His body instinctively craved more pheromones.

Especially after such an emotional rollercoaster today—the baby would be unsettled too.

Shen Yanzhi was probably suffering as well.

Zhou Wu’s own task had hit a major snag. He still hadn’t figured out how to persuade Shen Yanzhi not to get rid of the child.

For now, all he could do was take advantage of the fact that the pheromones hadn’t fully dissipated. He leaned in proactively and kissed him, hoping to give him just a little more.

Shen Yanzhi’s eyelashes fluttered. He clearly hadn’t expected Zhou Wu to take the initiative.

His face slowly flushed red. The panic eased, and his mood improved.

In the end, the question of “why” couldn’t override the simple fact of wanting to.

Suddenly, Zhou Wu’s head was gripped from behind, and he was kissed fiercely for a good while. Then he realized something was wrong.

Why was he pulling at his clothes?

“Ah?” Zhou Wu tried to hold them in place.

“What… you unwilling?”

Shen Yanzhi’s eyes were rimmed red, his voice hoarse.

“You’re not allowed to be unwilling.”

Who had put him in this state? If Zhou Wu hadn’t pinned him down and kept going at him back then, he never would have gotten pregnant. He never would have kept thinking about it.

The agarwood scent in the air suddenly thickened intensely. Zhou Wu went limp, strength draining away.

In the end, Shen Yanzhi straddled him, and they both shuddered.

Shen Yanzhi had been too hasty—it was a bit dry at first. But he soon broke out in sweat, his body temperature soaring.

The light streaming in from outside bathed his beautiful figure in a radiant glow. He even reached up to touch his own chest.

Zhou Wu’s ears turned red. In the end, he couldn’t resist and grabbed him by the waist.

…

They skipped any further meals entirely. They kept going until late into the night, then accidentally fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Zhou Wu was jolted awake by his phone’s ringtone. He glanced at the screen—sure enough, it was the Shen parents frantically trying to reach him.

It was still dark outside. Shen Yanzhi’s brows were furrowed tight, and he was still holding Zhou Wu without waking. Red marks from sucking dotted his chest.

Zhou Wu’s ears flushed a little.

But the inhibitor injection’s effects must have finally kicked in—his neck no longer hurt.

The room was thick with the scent of pheromones, but he could barely smell it anymore. Or rather, he could sense it was there, but it hardly stirred him at all.

Zhou Wu touched Shen Yanzhi’s forehead. His temperature felt a bit high, and his face was still flushed red.

Zhou Wu hesitated for a moment, then reached over and answered the phone.