I'm kidnapping you

Three sharp knocks sounded at the door.

Outside, Anya asked cautiously, "General, the lord wants to know when you're returning to the banquet hall. The party isn't over yet."

Pei Ji was just about to tell her to keep her voice down.

But Shen Que had already woken in his arms.

"What time is it?" he asked blearily.

Pei Ji glanced at his terminal. "Ten thirty. Another hour and a half until the banquet ends."

Leaning against Pei Ji with his eyes half-lidded, Shen Que gradually regained his bearings.

Pei Ji watched his groggy expression with amusement.

"I'm really curious."

He took Shen Que by the chin, forcing him to lift his face.

"How did a cute little cupcake like you beat Austin into the ground? He's an Alpha combat soldier, after all."

Shen Que brushed Pei Ji's hand away, his voice a little cold.

"He's not good enough to take me on."

Pei Ji sighed helplessly. "Yes, yes, you're the best."

But he really was curious.

With the old Shen Que, casually taking down an Alpha would have been nothing unusual.

Shen Que's mental power had been formidable.

Of the Icarus Empire's seven 3S mecha, the only lightweight one, Cold Glow, had belonged to Shen Que.

But that mecha had been completely destroyed in the failed battle. Apparently, they hadn't even recovered its wreckage.

Now, Shen Que had no mental power and was subject to pheromone suppression. Austin might have been a pampered show-off, but he shouldn't have been beaten so helplessly.

As though seeing right through Pei Ji's thoughts, Shen Que said coolly, "You can't rely on brute force alone in a fight."

"Combat technique, strategy, and perception are just as important as strength."

"How can you be a combat soldier and not even understand that?"

"Hey, hey, hey. Why are we getting personal?"

Pei Ji pinched Shen Que's cheek.

He recalled how, a few days ago, Shen Que had solemnly advised him to [train more].

Pei Ji accused him with righteous indignation. "I've noticed you love lecturing me at every opportunity."

"Are you like this with other combat soldiers, too? What proud young man could stand hearing that every day? Don't the combat soldiers in your fleet resent you, Commander Shen?"

Shen Que slapped Pei Ji's wandering hand, his expression turning a little strange.

Pei Ji suddenly realized something. "Don't tell me I hit the nail on the head?"

Shen Que ignored him and slowly got out of bed.

"No way. Seriously?"

Pei Ji refused to let it go, leaning close to his face.

"The First Commander countless Alphas pine for is actually the most hated man in his fleet?!"

"Shut up!" Shen Que snapped, his thin lips pressed into a rigid line.

"Look, Commander."

Pei Ji's mouth showed no mercy, but his hands obediently helped Shen Que up, straightened him out, and smoothed the wrinkles in his clothes.

"If you'd just put aside some of that pride and act a little sweeter, never mind the First Fleet-every Alpha in the Seven Fleets would be kneeling at your military boots."

After straightening Starlight, Pei Ji patted Shen Que's chest.

"Of course, for personal reasons, I'd still prefer you to be a little fiercer and not so cute."

He leaned close to Shen Que's face, his tone abruptly turning serious. "Don't do that again."

Shen Que looked down at him.

Pei Ji gave a helpless smile, his voice softening until it sounded like a plea.

"If you want to be alone, you can have Anya follow farther behind, or go somewhere guarded by the Knight Order. You nearly went into heat in front of an Alpha tonight. If Dr. Li and Luo Yuan had arrived even a little later, do you know what would have happened?"

Shen Que lowered his eyes.

Of course he knew.

An Omega in heat, and an Alpha whose pheromones were far from weak.

Even if he could defend himself, he couldn't guarantee nothing would happen.

The sensation of his heat beginning was still vivid.

Disorientation. Confusion.

And the terror of being unable to control himself.

He didn't like it, nor was he used to it.

Pei Ji sighed. "Have a little mercy on my poor heart, would you? My great Commander, you scared me half to death."

Shen Que raised his eyes, the cool depths reflecting the blue-violet hues of the wisteria.

He watched Pei Ji, who had lowered his head to put on his jacket, without blinking. His lips moved slightly.

At that moment, he wanted to ask, Why won't you mark me?

If you're worried.

Why won't you mark me?

If he bore Pei Ji's mark, everyone would know this Omega was taken.

No other pheromones would be able to invade him again.

But a sharp pain flashed through his temple, and Shen Que's gaze dimmed.

Pei Ji was looking down as he buttoned his jacket when he suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, right, one more thing. My mother said that once you take over the ore trade, you won't have to go into the General Affairs Office. You can just have the ministers send the documents to Fallen Star Palace..."

After putting on his jacket, Pei Ji looked up and suddenly saw Shen Que standing beneath the wisteria, looking as though he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Ah... here we go again.

That expression, like he wants to speak but doesn't.

Physiology classes at the Military Academy had taught that Omegas had more complex thoughts than Alphas and Betas, and were better at hiding them, making them better suited to being commanders.

That was true.

Shen Que was a born commander.

But Pei Ji had really had enough of all this "complex thinking" and being "good at hiding it"!

Austin had been dealt with, and they'd cleared the air about the sand gold. What was he unhappy about now?

The paramecium-brained Alpha began mobilizing his few remaining brain cells to decipher his Omega's thoughts.

He suddenly caught Shen Que's hand. "Do you not want to go back to the banquet hall?"

Shen Que froze. "That's not..."

But Pei Ji shook his shoulders, shrugging off the jacket he'd only just put on, then reached out to strip Shen Que.

Shen Que paled in alarm and clutched his jacket tightly.

Before he could retreat, Pei Ji seized his belt, spun him around, and pinned him in an embrace from behind.

His powerful right arm trapped both of Shen Que's arms, while his left hand began undoing the buttons.

"Pei Ji! What are you doing?" The thought that marital rape carried a minimum three-year sentence flashed through Shen Que's mind, and his face went even paler.

Pei Ji pecked his flushed ear.

"Stop fussing. We're changing clothes."

Changing clothes?

Utterly bewildered, Shen Que was peeled layer by layer like an onion. When only his shirt remained, he flatly refused to cooperate.

Clutching the hem of his shirt and biting his lip, Shen Que glared at Pei Ji, ready to die rather than surrender.

"Then do it yourself." Pei Ji tossed him back onto the bed, opened the door, and gave Demi instructions.

Soon, the little maid brought over fresh clothes.

"General, didn't the Lord's Wife ask you to wear military dress uniforms? Why are you changing?"

Pei Ji answered simply, "They're inconvenient!"

Two minutes later, he pulled Shen Que through the door, leaving Demi and Anya staring blankly as he declared, "We're not going back to the banquet!"

Then he scooped Shen Que up and sprinted away.

The little maids were left shouting after him, "General, you can't skip it! What are we supposed to say when the lord asks?"

Pei Ji called back, "Tell him I've been kidnapped!"

The Z-390 Small Warship shot into the sky.

Pei Ji glanced at his terminal. "Eleven o'clock. One hour left. We should make it."

Shen Que, who had been forcibly stuffed into the copilot's seat, snorted.

"...You've been kidnapped?"

Pei Ji turned his head with a smile, moonlight tracing his boldly carefree profile.

"I'm kidnapping you."