Chapter 62

Hu Yetao swallowed a snort of amusement and lifted onto the balls of his feet to quickly kiss his mate on the lips. "Don't belong," he said, shooting Keyu a look of warning before continuing to the castle on his own.

He wasn't worried about Oscar, he'd bested Keyu in a duel before if it came down to that, but he also suspected Keyu wouldn't want to injure his mate because it would only serve to push him further away from his goal of winning Hu Yetao's affections.

Hu Yetao ascended the wide stone steps, which were covered in a layer of soft powdery snow, and paused at the heavy oak doors, glancing back over his shoulder to check on Oscar before heading inside.

His mate was watching him closely, ensuing that Hu Yetao made it safely into the school. Zhou Keyu was glancing between the two of them, shifting his weight from foot to foot, clearly unsettled.

Hu Yetao pushed through the doors, hoping Oscar managed to get the Zhou Keyu matter resolved once and for all.

He removed his heavy winter cloak, another borrowed one from his mate, and hung it over one arm as he trekked the familiar path to the Headmistress' office to collect his wand. The password hadn't changed and he quickly stepped past the gargoyle and strode up the steep steps, careful to keep Oscar's cloak from dragging over the dusty stones.

He knocked on the ancient wooden door at the top and waited for Mrs. Amber to call him in before pushing through.

Hu Yetao hesitated just inside the doorway when he saw that the Headmistress wasn't alone. "Oh, sorry Professor, I can come- Jing-Long?" he said when he suddenly recognized the mane of frizzy hair over the top of the chair in front of Mrs. Amber's desk.

He swiveled in his seat and Hu Yetao thought his expression was a tad guilty. "Hi Hu Yetao, uh… how are you?"

"Please take a seat Mr. Yetao," Mrs. Amber instructed, sitting tall and straight at her desk, expression somber.

Hu Yetao frowned and slowly walked forward and took the empty seat next to Jing Long, who was now studiously avoiding his gaze.

Mrs. Amber folded her hands on top of her deep green ink blotter and peered at him over her spectacles. "Where is Mr. Wang?"

"Erm, he's just talking to Zhou Keyy for a minute, he'll be along shortly," Hu Yetao replied, nonplussed.

Mrs. Amber nodded. "I wished to speak with you alone first in any case."

"What about?"

Mrs. Amber cleared her throat before continuing. "Mr. Jing tells me that he has some concerns about your relationship with Mr. Wang."

Hu Yetao shouldn't have been surprised, he really shouldn't, but he was. He couldn't believe his friend had stooped so low as to run to the Headmistress behind his back.

"His concerns are the only speculation and based entirely on past prejudice Professor," Hu Yetao replied evenly, attempting to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"They're not!" Jing Long insisted indignantly and Hu Yetao turned to stare at him. "Hu Yetao, you've been so different the past couple of months, and not just adjusting to becoming an Omega, but distancing yourself from Zhang Xinyao and me. You've been sad and upset, and sneaking off school grounds at night. Zhou Keyu has been suspicious of Oscar for a long time - and now this sudden attack! You can't honestly sit there and tell me that everything is fine Hu Yetao!" he finished censoriously.

Hu Yetao felt such a sudden flash of anger he was surprised he hadn't let any unintentional magic slip out to strike at him. "I haven't been distancing myself from you and Xinyao, I've been trying to spend time alone with my mate to strengthen our bond and to get to know each other beyond just the sexual attraction that started all this," he said through gritted teeth. "And it's been a huge adjustment becoming an Omega, no matter how inconsequential you think it is; it's completely changed my life and my future. I can't go out alone any time I feel like it, do you know how hard that is for me to accept?" he demanded, striving to keep the self-pity out of his voice. "It's not just people out to get my autograph anymore; they want to have sex with me and some will stop at nothing to get it - regardless of whether or not I give my consent!"

"I know," Jing-Long said quietly, pleadingly. "But Hu Yetao, this recent attack on you… they tried to kill you. That wasn't due to your Omega inheritance. What happened between you and Professor Chao was due to you being in heat, but… this was something entirely different. And where was Oscar? Why wasn't he with you?"

Hu Yetao exhaled hard, hands tensing on the thick arms of the chair, fingers causing the worn fabric to squeak in protest. "We disagreed-"

"Ah-ha!" Jing Long cried, as though that proved everything.

"- about how Oscar didn't want me around Keyu because of his offer to be a secondary Alpha to me," Hu Yetao continued, glaring at the interruption. "I have refused Keyu on more than one occasion so of course Zhou Keyu is going to try to discredit Oscar any chance he gets; he's determined to be my Alpha." He turned to Mrs. Amber. "I was out alone because Mr. and Mrs. Wang were hosting a party in our honor and I still wanted to go, even though Keyu would be there. We argued and I told Oscar I would be in Gryffindor Tower and I left and went to the party at the Manor instead. I was returning to Hogwarts around midnight and that's when I was attacked. It wasn't anyone's fault but my own. I have to accept that this is the way my life is now, and I can promise you that I will never do something like that again; it's selfish and I don't want Oscar to suffer. He feels so guilty over what happened, as though it's his fault."

He turned back to Jing Long, scarcely able to restrain his anger the more he thought about him accusing his mate of being in any way neglectful or abusive.