Why do you smell like another alpha?

"Keep staring and I'll gouge your eyes out!"

His hoarse voice rang out, Xie Lin's chest heaving violently.

He could tell that the man before him was at least A-rank, an opponent he had no way of overpowering!

Overwhelming despair instantly surged through him.

He really was going to die here after all!

Lu Ye came back to his senses and looked at the man before him again, his voice turning very soft.

"Are you hurt?"

Xie Lin's vision kept going dark. Sheer willpower was all that kept him standing now.

"Get lost!"

The omega before him was already at the end of his rope, yet he was still holding on.

Like a kitten trembling all over in fear, yet still baring its claws.

Lu Ye smiled, lowering and softening his voice again.

"I'll take you to the hospital."

As he spoke, he chopped his hand against the back of Xie Lin's neck.

Lu Ye gathered the unconscious man into his arms, buried his face in his neck, and inhaled deeply.

Then again!

A top-tier hit, straight into his lungs!

It hadn't triggered his rut!

His mental power, so frenzied it was almost out of control, was instantly soothed. It felt so good that every pore on his body trembled.

Zhan Ying pushed open the car door and, wearing a protective mask, walked around to the entrance.

The sight before him made him freeze on the spot.

His boss was furiously inhaling an omega's scent like some kind of pervert!

A trace of delicate sandalwood fragrance drifted from Lu Ye, slowly enveloping Xie Lin's entire body.

The brows that had remained tightly knitted even in sleep gradually relaxed.

Lu Ye felt refreshed. He had never been in such a good mood.

He turned to glance at Zhan Ying.

"Deal with the people inside!"

"Yes, sir!"

Half an hour later, looking at the blood-covered man in the car, Zhan Ying kept stealing glances at the rearview mirror.

Lu Ye was reading a message his assistant, Qin Zheng, had sent to his phone.

"Xie Lin, S-rank omega, twenty-one years old, signed to Star Emperor Entertainment. An obscure, bottom-tier celebrity, engaged to award-winning actor Fu Yunxi."

"Boss, this omega is taken!"

Lu Ye's expression visibly darkened, his fingers all but stabbing holes through his phone.

"As you said, they're only engaged."

There was no reply from the other end. A few seconds later:

"Boss, should we kill Fu Yunxi?"

Lu Ye tossed his phone aside and slowly massaged the space between his brows, his gaze unconsciously falling on Xie Lin again.

The head of the Lu family, stealing someone else's omega. If word got out, he would be a laughingstock.

Zhan Ying glanced at the rearview mirror again.

Lu Ye lifted his eyelids.

"If you've got something to say, spit it out!"

"Boss, what did Qin say?"

Lu Ye gave him an irritated look.

Zhan Ying shut his mouth.

Apparently, the results weren't promising. Could he be married?

"Boss, so what if he's married? He can still get divorced!"

Zhan Ying pursed his lips, thinking, My boss finally took a liking to someone. There's no way we're letting him get away!

"What alpha could possibly outrank you? Removing a mark would be a piece of cake..."

"Shut up and drive!"

"Yes, sir!"

After an unknown amount of time, Xie Lin slowly opened his eyes.

"This is..."

A hospital?

Slivers of sunlight spilled through the gap in the curtains. Xie Lin looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

Six thirty in the morning. A whole night had passed.

He moved his fingers, slowly curling them into a fist.

After a chaotic fight like that, he should have been completely drained of strength.

Yet now, apart from a little dizziness, he felt no other discomfort.

A faint sandalwood fragrance wafted from the suit jacket draped over him.

Xie Lin suddenly remembered the man he had seen before passing out.

This was the scent of his pheromones.

For some reason, the scent made him relax.

In the private hospital room, there was no one but him, the patient, and nothing but the soft sounds of the equipment.

Xie Lin pressed his lips together, reached for the suit jacket, and gently stroked it a few times.

Then he brought his fingertips to his nose and sniffed.

He murmured mockingly to himself.

"Like some kind of pervert!"

The door made a faint sound, and Xie Lin turned to look.

A nurse in a white coat walked in.

"You're awake?"

"Mm."

The nurse quickened her steps.

"Oh my goodness, that's a ninety-three percent compatibility rate for you!"

Her bright eyes blinked, her cheeks faintly flushed.

"Look at how quickly you've recovered."

Xie Lin looked completely bewildered.

"What did you say? What ninety-three?"

"You didn't know? You and your alpha have a ninety-three percent compatibility rate. That's an unheard-of figure. It'll go down in the records!"

What?

His compatibility with that scumbag Fu Yunxi was that high?

How had he never known about this?

No wonder Fu Yunxi always came asking to get back together, no matter how much trouble he caused.

He had thought it was true love. All along, the man had simply been treating him as a human suppressant!

A cold smile curled Xie Lin's lips.

He couldn't stay here any longer.

"Can I be discharged now?"

"Of course. Honestly, that alpha of yours. Why couldn't he have waited a little longer?"

The nurse worked quickly. Within a few minutes, all the equipment leads attached to Xie Lin had been removed.

"But he's already paid your hospital bill. You just need to complete the discharge paperwork."

"Got it. Thank you!"

By the time the paperwork was done, it was almost eight.

Famished, Xie Lin walked outside with his head lowered, organizing his documents.

"Did you pick up the medicine, brother?"

A familiar voice came from nearby. Xie Lin stopped and turned to look.

Fu Yingying wore a dusty pink dress, her long black hair gathered into a loose bun at the back of her head.

A little white shoulder bag swung from her hand as she smiled at the man before her, her eyes curving.

The man wore a baseball cap and a mask. Despite being fully covered up, he couldn't conceal his striking figure, and his beautiful, peach-blossom eyes curved into crescents.

"Yes. Let's go!"

Xie Lin took a deep breath and changed direction.

"Well, if it isn't the award-winning actor, Fu Yunxi?"

Fu Yunxi's brow twitched. Spotting Xie Lin standing backlit before them, he couldn't help hurrying over.

"What are you doing at the hospital too? Are you sick? Where does it hurt? Let me see!"

Xie Lin raised his brows slightly, smiling without a word.

Scumbags were always like this, giving in first after every argument, coaxing him into making up with gentle words.

But judging by how he was acting now, he didn't seem to know Xie Lin had been hospitalized?

Then who had used his pheromones to help him recover?

A face abruptly surfaced in Xie Lin's mind:

Sharp phoenix eyes, tightly pressed thin lips, an expression of astonishment the instant he saw him in the abandoned factory.

Was it him?

No way!

Ninety-three percent compatibility?

Seeing him lost in thought, Fu Yunxi grew a little anxious and pulled him toward an empty corner.

"Taotao, what's wrong?"

Taotao was Xie Lin's childhood nickname, given to him by his omega grandfather in the hope that he would live a happy, carefree life.

Yet he had wasted his ten best years on a scumbag.

Xie Lin's expression turned cold. He glanced at Fu Yingying, then looked at Fu Yunxi.

"Did your brother-in-law die? When did that happen? Why wasn't I invited to the funeral?"

Fu Yunxi's hand went still.

"Taotao, what are you saying? Why are you being so vicious?"

"I'm vicious?"

Xie Lin took a step back.

He used to like the scent of cedar, but now it only made him sick.

"If he isn't dead, why does she always have you accompanying her for this and that?"

Fu Yingying pouted, clutching her bag strap with both hands as she looked helplessly at Fu Yunxi.

"Brother, it's all my fault. Please don't fight over me..."

Xie Lin glanced at her.

"At least you're self-aware enough to know you're shameless!"

Fu Yingying faltered and bit her lip.

"Brother Lin, I'm sorry. If I've done anything wrong, please..."

"I'm twenty-one. You're twenty-three!"

Xie Lin frowned as he cut her off.

"Don't call me your older brother. It's disgusting!"

Tears instantly filled Fu Yingying's eyes. Just as they were about to fall, her nostrils suddenly flared.

As though uncertain, she took a few more steps toward Xie Lin.

"Huh? Why do you smell like another alpha?"