CHAPTER 65: UNDENIABLY PRETTY.

Betrayal was something that could only come from those close to you, wasn’t it? Only when those close to you deceived you or abandoned you midway could it be called betrayal.

And only then would it hurt.

So when Le An heard those two sentences slip from Taras’s moving lips, why was it that the greatest pain in his heart suddenly dissolved into dust and vanished?

Why was the first thought that rose in his mind the idea that Taras had not ’betrayed’ him?

As his trembling stopped, Le An buried his head into the hands that still clung tightly to Taras, exhaling as though releasing a sigh of relief.

Taras had settled into his heart at a level Le An could not understand, leaving an imprint far deeper than he ever imagined. As he quietly inhaled the scent coming from the man he held onto now, Le An didn’t even find this smell repulsive for a moment.

On the contrary. Le An loved the scent wrapping around his body.

At last, he lifted his head, and Taras was silently watching him, as if giving him time precisely for this awakening.

He... Was he there that night to save me, then?

Le An could not bring himself to accept it. "Did you really... save me?"

"Yes." Taras’s reply came without the slightest delay.

Now, with his mind overflowing with countless questions and not knowing which to ask first, Le An parted his lips, yet what came out was something else entirely.

"T-thank you."

"And that omega and his sister are safe too," Taras added right after, as though layering Le An’s face with an extra shade of life and hope. Kiet was alive and well too.

When Le An parted his lips again to thank him once more, Taras instead said something else.

"So everything is going according to plan."

Then, Le An’s face froze, and the moment the word ’plan’ echoed in his mind, all movement within it ceased. This was the first time Taras directly spoke of a plan beyond his personal hatred and revenge.

So there was a precise another plan. In fact, that had to be the real plan.

That he had used him for guiding until now was only a matter of personal revenge. That much was predictable. It was only natural for Taras to have a bigger plan.

Le An had already guessed it the moment Taras took that piece of paper from him, the one Kiet had torn.

As he gulped again, Le An also realized right there that his death would be disadvantageous for that plan. So probably... Taras had saved him for the sake of that plan. Right?

Maybe he wasn’t supposed to die. Maybe the right time for his death hadn’t come yet.

Or maybe, Taras simply didn’t want him to die. Couldn’t that be possible? Taras interrupted Le An’s thoughts.

"Stop overthinking and continue guiding," he said, giving Le An’s nape a light squeeze before releasing it. "The expression your face takes when you entertain stupid thoughts irritates me."

Le An transferred his guiding energy again, but this time with a clearer flow. The fact that the man who had cornered him now was not the one trying to kill him, but the one who had saved him... had already soothed him. Taras realized that too. "That’s better," he murmured, while taking in the clear flow of energy.

"Ha..." As Taras’s unbearable pheromones slowly consumed his mind, Le An forgot every question that had been piling up like an avalanche inside him.

This moment was... too much for him to consider any other thought.

What Taras planned to do with that paper, what his plan really was, and whether it had any connection with the Awakening movement... Le An couldn’t ask any of it.

Because he knew he wasn’t truly a partner in that plan, he was just a piece of it.

"Are you in your senses?" When Le An heard Taras’s voice, he looked at him again, and their eyes met.

"..." Embarrassed by the ticklish sensation of being enveloped in his pheromones, he lowered his head and whispered softly, "Yes."

He never felt this weak in front of Theo while they did this. The realization hit him. Le An blinked, at the different sensation he’s feeling.

This was... arousing. Le An’s face flushed even redder.

He never felt such a great urge to release his own pheromones to Theo like he did now.

Le An was no longer saying a single word—his mind had gone completely blank, and the only thought left was the urge to mingle their pheromones.

He gripped Taras’s shirt harder and lifted his head again to look at his face. That face he had missed on nights he didn’t see it.

Now, wasn’t he holding onto the man who both terrified him and saved his life? And until now, Taras had only ever shown him the first one, that terrifying face. But now... Le An wanted to know what Taras thought of him.

Maybe... maybe Taras hated him less now.

There was no disgust in his eyes anymore. Or was there?

Le An swallowed, and once again, it felt as if his lungs and his entire body filled up with Taras.

Le An inhaled his scent, not realizing that he was burying his nose into Taras’s shirt; while searching for a clue about what he felt toward him. The thickness of pheromones suddenly grew, and a quiet moan slipped out of his mouth.

"Hnngh..."

He pressed his legs together, still clinging to him. Now Taras’s leg was dangerously placed right at his crotch, and every brush of friction sent a mad current rushing through Le An’s body.

"Aghh, ha—"

At the same time, the shadow behind Taras was swelling, growing darker.

When Le An looked into Taras’s eyes again, the shiver from that shadow left a trace of panic flickering in his gaze. "It’s... getting bigger," Le An murmured.

Taras stared back at Le An’s hazy eyes. Those hazy eyes looking straight at him.

Le An was unconsciously rubbing his small round head against Taras’s chest now, traces of shame and temptation flickering in his eyes.

Without even realizing it, Taras’s fingers brushed Le An’s neck, massaging him lightly.

Le An’s whole body trembled under his touch.

"Ugh. No..."

"Can’t take it anymore?"

Following Le An’s frightened eyes, Taras sighed and restrained the shadow covering them. "Don’t worry. That won’t hurt you."

The shadow was him, and he was the shadow, after all.

Le An nodded, unable to utter a word. After a while, Taras asked him. "Should I stop?"

Le An looked down at his own hands.

He was clutching Taras’s shirt so tightly now. The realization of their closeness and the possibility that he might release his pheromones for him made him tremble even more. "I..."

"What do you want?" Taras asked again. Le An looked, troubled and lost. He was struggling and Taras was fully aware of it. That Le An was on the edge now.

He wanted to push him once more. So Taras released more, leaving him no choice but to lose himself.

Right after that, Le An lost control over his pheromones. A sharp inhale escaped him. "Haa, unngh, I’m sor-"

Taras suddenly drew closer to his neck. The scent, cruel as it brushed against his lungs, touched the tip of his nose, and he inhaled it deeply.

"Ha..."

He grabbed Le An, squeezing his neck to make him raise his head. Le An stammered immediately.

"I-I’m sorry..."

"Continue."

He was telling him to continue while still massaging his neck. Le An shuddered at the sudden command.

Continue to what? Guiding... or releasing?

Le An guided him, while at the same time giving off his scent.

Taras groaned at the sensation. It was... great. "Well done, keep going."

"Y-yes."

And that was it—Le An had lost. Minutes later, their pheromones were flooding into the air. Mixed. Together. Le An felt embarassed, that he was... madly captivated by their mixed smells.

Would they stop? Taras had told him to keep going.

With his heart and mind in turmoil, Le An shut his eyes tightly and simply kept releasing. It felt like... esper-guide couples doing their intimate guiding sessions.

Soon, Le An’s knees felt weak, as though he was draining far too quickly. He tried to cling to Taras again. "I’m gonna..."

But suddenly, Taras moved swiftly and spun his body around in an instant. "Ugh—!"

Now facing the wall, Le An felt the chilling presence of the shadow looming behind him again. He braced himself against the wall, trying to keep from panicking.

The deep breaths from behind him, the void draining all his energy, and his own scent mixing with his...

Le An now felt in grave danger. His instincts screamed at him that he was in peril. "Hic, h-ha..."

And his body gave out completely.

Taras caught him by the waist, pressing his body against his own to hold him tighter.

Le An felt the warmth of him at his back and hips. He started to tremble as though delirious, his body arching involuntarily.

"Pl-please... Ha... Hnngh—"

The searing pressure over his tailbone, covering all of his hips, blinded his vision in white for a moment, and his body slipped into over-stimulation.

"Wait, let me..." Le An began sobbing. "Please! I don’t—"

He felt hot breath brushing his neck, and his instincts kicked in. "Hnngh... No."

Taras rubbed his lips and nose against his neck, sniffing him. He was keeping himself from requesting to hear his name from Treasure’s mouth once again.

Le An’s body was paralyzed, he was trapped. In his terrified state, the only thing he could hear were his own sobs.

With one last attempt, he shuddered his whole body, his mind going blank with heat and fear.

"Hnngh, ha... hic..."

It must have worked.

When Taras turned him back around, they were face to face again. Le An’s face was flushed, his cheeks glistening with tears.

At that sight, the shadow shrank, as if reflecting its master’s mind. "Are you hurt?" Taras asked, trying to meet his eyes.

Taras’s breath was hoarse, his voice deeper. He was breathing heavily.

Le An, unable to look at him, shook his head repeatedly. "N-no. No."

"Are you scared?"

There was something different in Taras’s tone. Le An nodded. "Yes."

Taras stared at the tear-stained face before him.

The pulse at his neck beat under his hand. And his scent... so strong, so dizzying, it was hard to breathe.

Omegas feel insecure when defenseless with their whole selves before an alpha. Freeze response. Like playing dead to avoid a predator’s notice.

Taras gathered his mind, releasing his pheromones in a steadier, calmer manner. Le An’s body flinched instantly.

"Shh... Calm down." Taras slowly pulled him closer by the neck again. "Stop guiding and stay like this." Taras wrapped his other hand fully around his waist at the same time.

Before Le An could think of how to react, his hands moved on their own and tugged at Taras’s collar.

As if the scent alone weren’t enough, his body leaned even closer until his face was buried against Taras’s neck. His nose brushed the very place the pheromones radiated from.

"Ha... I, just a little."

Le An inhaled deeper. Harder.

As Taras watched him bury himself against him, something primal stirred inside him, an instinct that could make him lose control.

Le An, meanwhile, wasn’t even aware that he was hugging Taras tightly.

He didn’t notice how Taras was looking at him—his whole body had relaxed once it instinctively realized there was no danger.

He feared realizing what they were actually doing now, as though it would vanish the moment he became aware. So he postponed the thought and surrendered himself fully.

He looked at Taras again, but his gaze had already lost focus. "Uhm..."

Taras realized then that Le An’s last trace of awareness was gone. He was showing no resistance at all.

He stared at those moist eyes... and sighed. He tried harder to steady his pheromones. Taras ran his fingers through Le An’s hair again.

Le An snuggled against him in response.

Slowly, he revealed the true Le An to him. His actions struck right at... Taras’s heart.

Then... Le An’s lips brushed the crook where he had hidden his face.

With his eyes closed, he pressed a soft kiss there. He instinctively feared being pushed away, so he hesitated.

No response came.

Le An rubbed his cheek against him and placed another kiss on Taras’s neck, this time even more... seductive.

The arms holding him tensed. "That’s enough."

Taras cupped Le An’s chin with his fingers, tilting his head up. Le An was just... blankly staring at him.

Taras gulped. This sight of him was...

Undeniably pretty.

So pretty that one should never share with others.