Pei Siyue had barely steadied Ruan Shuyang when faint sounds once again echoed from the emergency exit.
"Quick, go up and see if that omega is on the fifth floor."
"But Secretary Sun, the fifth floor is the domain of Young Master Chi, the club owner. He never welcomes visitors there…"
"Just go. I'll take responsibility if anything happens. Besides, what's the harm in just glancing outside the fifth floor?"
Pei Siyue turned to Jiang Wu, "Back to the office."
Jiang Wu quickly stepped forward, opening the office door behind them. Pei Siyue, half-supporting, half-cradling Ruan Shuyang, moved inside.
As soon as they entered, Jiang Wu closed the door. The moment it clicked shut, he saw Pei Siyue leading Ruan Shuyang into the office's small private partition.
Jiang Wu: …?
What was happening? His boss, who typically kept omegas at arm's length, seemed unusually concerned about this one, even bringing him into the inner room—who knew what he intended to do.
Jiang Wu sensed something was amiss, but ultimately, it was his boss's decision. He had no right to interfere, so he simply stood by the door, listening for any sounds from outside.
The pursuers would arrive soon, but the club's corridor was equipped with a constantly running high-end ventilation system. By now, the omega's pheromone scent should have completely dissipated.
Secretary Sun, from Lu Zheng's entourage, led a few bodyguards up to the fifth floor. They found only two locked rooms on either side of the elevator. He tried the doors, but they were securely fastened.
He knew both offices were exclusively for Young Master Chi and were usually locked. He didn't believe the omega could have somehow opened a locked door and slipped inside unnoticed. Concluding he might have been on the wrong trail and that the person hadn't run to the fifth floor, he took his men back down in the elevator, planning to search floor by floor.
Jiang Wu, standing by the door, heard through the wooden panel that the pursuers had left. He returned to the sofa by the door. After a moment's hesitation, he decided against disturbing the two in the inner room and simply sent his boss a message: "Young Master, the people outside have left."
Pei Siyue saw the message and set his phone down. He sat on the edge of the sofa, observing the omega lying there.
In just a short time, Ruan Shuyang's condition had worsened significantly. He had almost completely lost his senses, lying on the sofa, unconsciously clenching and rubbing his thighs. His face was flushed, and his eyes, from lids to corners, were tinged red with heat. The enclosed space was thick with the scent of lily of the valley, its stamens exuding droplets of nectar—an overpoweringly sweet and cloying aroma.
With such a high concentration of pheromones, suppressants would be useless.
Suppressants were only effective when used at the first signs of an impending heat, not during a full-blown one.
Ruan Shuyang now faced only two choices: endure the heat painfully, possibly injuring or mutilating himself unconsciously in the process.
Or find someone to mark him. In his current state, even a temporary mark would be enough to provide relief.
Pei Siyue picked up his phone again and calmly said to Ruan Shuyang, who was still on the sofa, "I'll call Pei Siming."
While explaining his presence here might be difficult, it wasn't impossible.
And Ruan Shuyang's condition couldn't wait any longer.
But upon hearing the name "Pei Siming," Ruan Shuyang's mind, previously clouded by heat, suddenly jolted awake. Like a reflex, he shook his head desperately: "No, not him, not him…"
Pei Siyue looked down at the omega, consumed by heat, clearly weakened and barely conscious, yet still resisting. Slowly, he put down his phone and didn't make the call.
Ruan Shuyang needed a mark.
He could easily find someone else. Jiang Wu was outside, an alpha. A temporary mark shouldn't be a problem for him.
But…
He chose to sit on the sofa and gently lift the disoriented omega.
Ruan Shuyang clung to him like someone parched finally finding water. Pei Siyue's shirt wrinkled under his grip, but he didn't mind. He let Ruan Shuyang rest his head on his shoulder, gently brushed aside the hair at his neck, and exposed the delicate scent gland.
Seeing Ruan Shuyang's gland, Pei Siyue was momentarily surprised. The omega's gland was unusually small, only half the size of a normal adult omega's. Faced with such a tiny gland, Pei Siyue felt a moment of uncertainty about where to bite.
Generally, only a very small percentage of omegas exhibited this condition.
Congenital underdevelopment of the gland was often accompanied by atrophy of the reproductive cavity.
Long-term use of substandard suppressants or suffering from pheromone imbalance could also lead to poor gland development.
He didn't know which case applied to Ruan Shuyang.
Ruan Shuyang vaguely felt himself being held. At first, he was surrounded by something cold, like water, but gradually it became gentle, cool, and soothing, providing immense comfort to his feverish body.
His consciousness blurred. He only vaguely heard someone say to him, "Bear with it."
He suddenly arched his neck, letting out a soft whimper.
Something sharp pierced his gland, and pheromones flowed into his body through it.
He knew what was happening and tried to resist the mark, but he had no strength left.
He was extremely uncomfortable with those pheromones. Just allowing his body to accept them drained all his energy. He sobbed softly, his brows furrowed in pain, wanting to break free from the person behind him, but he was held tightly, unable to move.
An Enigma's pheromones were overwhelmingly potent for an omega. Ruan Shuyang endured the marking with intense pain, wanting only to escape.
The powerful sensation of invasion was like a lily of the valley caught in a fierce storm—petals torn and scattered everywhere by the rain, droplets sliding down until they fell.
But slowly, the rain softened. The petals began to unfurl, glistening with dew.
As the droplets accumulated, the lily of the valley petals were soon covered in cool dewdrops. The petals fully opened, revealing the hidden stamens within.
The stamens softly secreted nectar.
Enveloped by the gentle, cool moisture, the lily of the valley slowly slipped into unconsciousness.