Episode 69

"Aoi san?"

"Hm?"

"What is Alex to you?"

"Alex?"

"Yeah"

"He's someone that just gets me and I get him, someone who loves me unconditionally and I love him the same, someone whose been by side and I've been at his.. Someone whose been my family and I'm his"

"What if you were to describe him in one word?"

"One word, huh"

"Yeah"

"If I were to describe him in one word; I'd say he's my soulmate"

She ran whilst huffing, her foot even twisted because of the heel she wore, yet she paid no attention to it and continued to stride up the halls. She took the stairs, not even waiting for the elevator.

"ALEX!"

All she had to do was call his name and he leapt forward, almost jumping onto her in a tight hug and let himself go while she held onto his body weight upon her.

The two remained connected for a long while until she began to notice the bloody clothes he wore. She parted herself from him with a sudden jerk by holding his shoulders.

"Are you hurt?!" She asked him in a panicked manner and he shook his head.

"It's not mine.." He whispered and she gave out a sigh of relief taking him in a hug again.

Zhuang had also arrived though seeing the two he backed off a bit, lowering his head. It seemed as if the only person who could ever console Alex was Aoi. He realized, this wasn't the moment to be feeling envious and so he backed away.

Once the two had calmed down, Zhuang brought them some coffee from the machine. Alex's eyes were pretty much swollen after telling the two what had happened back in Liliya's apartment.

Zhuang was furious as to why he'd go there without telling either of them.

Aoi gestured him not to express his anger otherwise it'll make things worst.

"Aoi, what if he dies..." A horrific thought crossed Alex's mind. He almost gave himself a panic attack.

"Alex, baby, listen, focus, I won't let anything happen to him alright? He'll be fine!" She grabbed him by the shoulders, trying to calm him down as he almost began to hyperventilate.

Zhuang was just as worried, though he knew right now he was of no use, so he remained silent. A phone call made him finally move away to talk for a while.

"Was it Natsu?" Aoi asked once Zhuang came back.

"Yeah, We left without telling him much, I promised I'll give an explanation to him but for now he's watching over Adrian" Zhuang told.

A doctor stepped out of the operation theater and Alex almost leapt forward at her.

"MY BROTHER.. IS HE?" Alex found himself surprised at his own words. Did he really call him brother?!

Does he already believe in those words?

"He lost a lot of blood, we have tried our best but we'll need blood urgently" The doctor conveyed.

"Then do it!" Alex got a bit frantic but Aoi held him back.

"It's just, his blood group is AB negative, it's a rare type, so it's not easy to find" The doctor said.

"I'm AB negative, I'll do it" Aoi said.

"Aoi" Alex turned around clinging to her "Are you sure?"

Aoi smiled and kissed his forehead "You called him brother right? Your brother is my brother" She said and let go of Alex following the doctor.

Alex watched her leave, standing there, quite tense. Zhuang stepped forward after a long time being on the sidelines.

"Hey" He kissed Alex on the lips and hugged him "It's going to be okay" He rubbed up Alex's back.

"I'm..sorry.." Alex whispered.

Zhuang parted to look at him, seeing his frustrated face.

"What for?" Zhuang asked.

"I know you're really mad at me, not only did I put my self in danger by not informing you, I went to my ex without taking your feelings in consideration, I understand it, I will let you properly rebuke me, but for now... Please don't be angry at me.. I'm hurting too much inside.. There's so much I don't know and I don't know how to react to it... I don't know what to do... I don't know anything... " Alex clung to the collars of Zhuang's shirt.

"I won't, now's not the time, Ian Strauss needs to survive this.. Otherwise we won't know the truth" Zhuang comforted him.

A man came up to them.

"Excuse me, are you the one who called me?" The man asked, making Alex and Zhuang part from each other.

"Are you Mr. Strauss?" Zhuang asked but the man's eyes were stuck on Alex.

Alex also looked at him as well.

He had heard of Mr. Strauss and everything but this was the first time he'd seen the man.

They looked undeniably alike.

Even Zhuang got reminded of the time when they first met Ian Strauss, he remembered how they thought Alex and Ian shared alot of resemblance.

"What's your name..?" Mr. Strauss walked upto Alex and asked out of nowhere.

"Alex, Alex Hughes" Alex replied.

"Hughes?" Something clicked Mr. Strauss and he began laughing.

This amazed both Alex and Zhuang. The man just went frantic while laughing, almost bending whilst holding his stomach before he stood back up properly and took out his handkerchief drying up the tears that came out due to laughing too much.

"Apologies for smiling at such a timing" He said regaining composure " You look nothing like her"

"What do you mean?" Alex asked being vary of the man.

"You're the son of Clara Hughes aren't you?" He smiled and extended his hand to Alex "I'm Ivan Strauss"

Alex remained still, he didn't take his hand at all.

"It appears now's not the time" He eventually lowered his hand "I don't want to sound rude but the moment he wakes up I'll be taking Ian home"

"SAY WHAT?" Alex couldn't help but want to punch this man.

"I can't afford a police case associated with our family, there are things that our family must never do and one of them is associating with the police, I'll send you compensation for keeping quiet, besides with the wedding coming up I can't have this delay it" The man said, annoying Alex to the peak.

"ARE YOU FUKIN NUTS? YOUR SON JUST GOT-" But before Alex could finish screaming at him, the man came real up close to Alex and leaned near his ear almost getting Zhuang defensive as well.

The guy whispered something and backed away with a smirk. He turned away, walking off while Alex stood there a bit frozen. Zhuang couldn't hear what he'd just said properly but he understood from Alex's face that it could obviously be nothing good.

"What did he say?"

"I had only one child and he's already dead"

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"Did you enjoy it?"

"Mhm..."

Kei mumbled, he separated Sia and Leah who clung to one another whilst sleeping after being tired running and playing at the beach. Though they mostly went around biting and scaring other children but they spent their day well. They were completely wasted and so were Akio and Kei; mostly from running after them.

"Next time, we should let Natsu baby sit his sisters" Akio sighed, controlling these little alphas was more of a horror than a date.

Kei smiled at him and nodded. Akio folded the washed up clothing, neatly arranging it in the cupboard. Kei was near the girls' little bed, sitting against the edge of his study table.

Akio had made their little bed himself, nearby Kei's study table so he could study while watching over the sleeping girls.

Akio finished up and closed the cupboard, his eyes turned soft while he looked at Kei who was lovingly watching his daughters sleep.

Akio approached him, though Kei didn't notice him as he was preoccupied with his fatherly instincts. So when Akio reached his hand suddenly, Kei slapped it away instinctively.

"S..o..rrry" He immediately regretted it though.

"It's okay, I'm sorry for approaching suddenly" Akio carefully proceeded his hand this time, letting Kei relax before he slipped his hand under Kei's jaw, gently running his thumb against Kei's cheek.

"Did something happen today?" Akio asked.

Kei almost remembered the incident at the convenience store but shook his head in a no.

"Are you sure?" Akio asked and Kei nodded.

Kei turned his face a little holding Akio's hand on his jaw and kissing it.

"I'm happy..I want to..remember only that.." Kei spoke, sounding somewhat more confident than before.

He leaned forward kissing Akio on the lips, Akio slipped his hand around Kei's waist, pulling him forward, putting his tongue to it. Kei had his hands over Akio's neck, making out with him. The two clung to each other only parting to take a breath and then continuing passionately.

"Akio san... I feel weird..." Kei mumbled and Akio parted from him, his face completely flushed.

"What's up?" Akio asked, now that Akio paid attention, it was rare of Kei to be able to make out this long without taking timeouts and his face was more flushed than usual.

"It hurts..." Kei mumbled holding his throat and Akio's eyes widened a bit.

"Kei kun?" Akio held him by shoulders while Kei looked a bit out of breath.

"Are you perhaps in a rut-" Akio barely asked when Kei kissed him again, muffling his voice.

This was the first time in two years of being together that he'd seen Kei being a bit aggressive.

Akio did have multiple heats overtime but since he was marked, he could easily control his heats or just use suppressants. 

Just as Akio's heats weren't violent or noticeable, Kei didn't have any memorable ruts either, at least not enough to enable him to initiate things on his own.

To begin with Kei did not have strong alpha pheromones until that one time where he used alpha influence and almost harmed Akio, Alex and Adrian.

What was going on with him? It appeared as if lately his pheromones were going through a growth spurt even though he was close to his late twenties now.

Or was it because, his body was demanding a bonding?

Just the thought of this made Akio back away from him a bit.

What was he thinking... How could this have worked? To begin with Akio was Zhuang's mate not his.

A choking feeling made Akio almost speechless. He watched Kei stand there and struggle with his body.

"Akio..san..." Kei broke him out of his bubble, he moved uncomfortably towards Akio who somewhat moved back almost surprising Kei

"Why..are you moving...away" Kei mumbled with a look of horror on his face.

Akio couldn't answer at all for a moment but then he took Kei's wrist, taking him out of the room with him. He took him to their own bedroom instead.

"Stay here, I'll find some suppressants" Akio told him, letting him go.

Though Kei grabbed the back of his shirt

"Let me knot.. with you.."  Kei huffed a bit.

"Let it wear down with suppressants, you're thinking with your rut right now, besides I'm not even..." Akio paused clenching his fists and lowering his head.

"Say it.." Kei also clenched his fists, crumbling up Akio's shirt from the back "complete..your sentence.."

"What was I thinking, of course it was going to turn out this way... You haven't marked anyone even though you're this old already.. You're getting aggressive because your body needs to bond and so your instincts are kicking in to prevent you from dying without ever bonding" Akio completed it

"I'm not even your mate, this rut isn't for me.."

"This is why.. I'm irritated by...overthinkers" Kei said literally starting to release pheromones, his tone changed from a softer one to a rather aggressive one probably due to the impact of the rut.

"To begin with...not many alphas create bonds..then there are those...who have beta...and other alpha..partners..."

The pheromones began to surround the room, though at first Akio didn't budge but as the density increased, even he started to have a problem.

"My body is..what? Preventing..me from dying alone?" Kei hugged up Akio from the back, placing his hands on Akio's stomach " How did...you come to that conclusion?"

"Isn't it natural, a rut without an omega in heat around means your body is asking you to bond with someone" Akio clenched his teeth in annoyance, though also because Kei's pheromones felt suffocating.

"You're thinking...too much" Kei replied "because on my end.... All my body is...asking me..." Kei unbuttoned Akio's shirt slowly "is..to mate..with the person... I love.."

Akio felt a lump forming in his throat, he controlled it like ever.

Kei kissed at the back of his neck, licking up the marks that he'd been giving Akio over and over.

"Do what you want" Akio said.

Kei took his arm and pulled him to bed making him sit on it.

"Akio..san...I...really..love you" Kei said and leaned onto him slowly pushing him backwards until Akio laid on his back.

Akio covered his eyes with his arm, gritting his teeth.

Though for while everything went silent until Akio moved his arm to look what was wrong and saw Kei sitting on top of him sniffling.

"What happened?" Akio asked in a worried tone to which Kei's chin began to tremble.

"I'm..." He whispered lowering his head "even though.. I want to..."

"What?" Akio didn't get it.

"I'M TOO SHY TO DO IT MYSELF!" Kei said in one go being loud enough. For a moment there Akio was dumbfounded and then he suddenly gave out a laugh.

"Don't... Laugh!" Kei got completely flustered.

"And here you came at me so confidently, maybe I really was worrying for nothing" Akio couldn't help but chuckle.

Indeed... Kei was right.

Not everyone bonds in life and not everyone makes the right bond in life.

Not every alpha has an omega mate. Not every omega would love an alpha.

The world was primarily beta anyways. Having a heat or a rut didn't ever stop anyone from falling in love.

They don't need dynamics like alpha and omega or male and female for there to be love. Love exists regardless of genders for a reason...

That is, for people to go beyond boundaries of reasoning and fate just to chase after their beloved. If the societal or biological constraints were enough to bound one out of love, then one wouldn't struggle in love. One wouldn't know its value.

"Kei kun" Akio cupped Kei's flustered face " I love you too" Akio whispered.

Akio had only said those words that a huge wave of Kei's pheromones began to release.

Though something felt different than before, the pheromones were denser and heavier, yet, they weren't suffocating Akio at all...

Rather, they felt really comfortable.

"So you can release pheromones for me after all.." Akio smiled.

"I have...only ever released them...for you.." Kei spoke softly and Akio also softened up.

"Well regardless of that, knotting hurts and I might not be in heat but I don't think we can take a risk of having another child.. Do you really-" Akio was talking when he looked up at Keitarou making a silly pouty face whilst sulking.

"Fine... I'll..get the...suppressants" Kei got off to leave when Akio grabbed his wrist and pulled him back over on the bed. Though this time he sat over his tummy.

"Knotting you say.." Akio took off his unbuttoned shirt and tossed it down resting a hand over Kei's stomach and positioning him over the other's privates, grinding against him.

He pushed back his hair making Kei's heart flutter, not only was he super manly but super hot as well.

"Akio san..are you sure..?" Kei asked.

"Isn't the main purpose of heats and ruts to unite two lovers?" Akio smiled and so did Kei, he placed his hands upon Akio's hips.

"Mhm" Kei nodded.

"Though it's been a while I've taken it from the back..so I hope you'll be gentle" Akio said licking his lips which made Kei's face heat up again.

"I'll...do my best!" Kei somewhat sat up while Akio clung to him.

Akio took Kei's hand and placed it upon his stomach whilst seductively whispering in his ear.

"Thankyou for the ride"

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"When did you come here"

"I just had to"

Of course, I did. How could I stay away! My student just got shot and moreover he turned out to be linked to Alex as well.

I couldn't stay put after what happened yesterday so I just took a cab in the morning and came here, besides Adrian was getting agitated having a day without Alex too.

She sat up with a canola taped upon her hand.

"How are you feeling? You don't have a fever anymore, do you?" She asked.

What the hell woman! Worry about yourself!

"I don't, I'm fine, what about you? Are you dizzy? Should I bring something to eat? You just donated blood, you must be feeling weak" I asked her being quite worried.

"I don't feel anything, I just want that boy to be fine, he's someone important to Alex" She said abruptly.

"What makes you guys so sure that he's Alex's brother? I mean yeah they do resemble each other but that can't be conclusive evidence" I argued, obviously we can't take one woman's word to conclude that the two were related.

"This is why it's important that the boy wakes up.. There is obviously something he knows that we don't" She replied.

"Did you know anything about it?" I asked her since she didn't seem as shocked about it as Alex did.

"Mari had a hunch, she told me that she noticed that the boy was overly involved with Alex and even reacted a bit aggressively to a threat involving Alex, I did think they might be related or that the boy liked him or something but I didn't think he could be a brother" She said.

"This is so messed up.. As if Liliya san wasn't enough, now we have another problem" I sighed.

"Don't stress over it" She placed a hand over my thigh "How's the baby doing? I'm sorry I couldn't be with you today"

"It's fine, I don't feel that nauseated either, though I had an appointment today but I feel like I should cancel" I told her.

"We're already in the hospital, so I don't think you have to, Mr. Zhuang is by Alex's side, the boy is under observation for now, there's not much to do until he wakes up" She said.

"I guess... Alright, take some rest first, I don't want to carry you around while you look like you're about to pass out, take some sleep" I told her and made her lay back, settling pillows for her.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Will get something from the cafeteria and make sure father and Alex eat something" I told her and she nodded closing her eyes.

I got up and left the room closing the door.

"She's resting, you can see her later" I said to the woman standing infront of me.

"It's been a while Natsuro kun" She replied.

"Mari san, are you here to see her or the boy?" I asked though she never answered

"That child, I heard he'll be marrying you, he might seem like a hard ill mannered kid on the outside and would even push you to your edges but on the inside he's just a child and would lean to anyone who pays him a little attention"

I ended up talking more than I had anticipated.

Ian Strauss, my first impression of him wasn't good. He's someone who looks down upon omegas... At least that's what I thought in the start.

Though now I have a feeling, it's not the omegas that he looks down upon, it's himself.

He's obviously tried to make things worst for me at work even though I could tell he was attached to me. You could say he's the kind who bullies the people he likes. Though he easily comes to like anyone who'd show him even a least bit of concern..

"I know" She replied.

"Mari san, I should not be telling you this but... I feel like you should know..." I lowered my head a bit.

She remained silent.

"Yuki san and Ms. Sam married each other" I told her with my eyes closed, slowly opening them up to look at her reaction.

Though her face completely shocked me. Her robotic expression had changed, she gave a smile that appeared to be a mix of happiness and sadness.

"I know" She whispered.

"What? I mean! If you know... Are you really okay with it! Are you-" I was at loss of words.

What had happened to this woman? She used to be a complete douche bag.. So why now..

"If Yuki.. Is happy, then that's all I want" She replied and I couldn't help but feel frustrated.

"You love her! You really do..then why-" I almost lashed out.

"It's because I love her! It's because.. I love her... I have to let go" She replied.

"Then what about your child! Does he-" I just said though I had to pause because of the expression upon her face.

Her eyes were widened...

I messed up....

I assumed she knew about them, so she'd know about this too....

But her face tells me.....

" What child? "