[BL] Between an Alpha and Omega

AN: Sorry for the long wait. I was actually planning on posting this last week but I got sick. I'm now at the ass end of a long cold that left me with a stubborn dry cough. Yay for me~

*****

A week later, things were still the same.

Chen Guiren had tried calling him many times after the first initial text Jun Yibai had sent. It was brief and told him in no uncertain terms that he was not to contact him until he was forgiven.

The alpha, being an alpha, did not take well.

He insisted on pushing the issue, showing up outside his classroom and the like. People quickly took notice, which pissed Jun Yibai off even more.

He had been very clear with them both but of course, he wasn't listening! He never did.

Alpha's never care about what we 'lowly' beta's want. Just their own desires.

Jun Yibai shook his head, clearing those poisonous thoughts from his head. That was his father's words, not his.

To keep himself from exploding at the stubborn man, he called Li Suren.

"Sweetie!" The omega answered immediately, as if he was waiting by the phone.

"Tell Chen Guiren to stop following me around." He stated, not giving the omega the chance to say anything further. "If he keeps pushing it, don't blame me for being rude."

He'd wanted to shout and beat up Chen Guiren. Hell, the alpha had asked him to do so. Begged him even. Anything was fine as long as he was forgiven quicker.

"Not having you around is killing me!" He'd pleaded, looking haggard.

But Jun Yibai remained firm, telling him in no uncertain terms that his forgiveness would be given when he decided it, not a moment sooner.

"If you want me to forgive you at all, then leave."

His words seemed to have gotten through to him at long last, though he was clearly reluctant.

Afterward, the alpha didn't show up again, leaving Jun Yibai to his own devices. Luckily, he had an exam to study for so he could put his mind on other things and let go of some of his anger under the guise of cramming.

Responsibilities had a strange way of making personal problems feel smaller.

Especially when he didn't have to deal with Li Min or her cousin anymore.

Jun Yibai was still staying at Li Suren's apartment. He'd wanted to move back into his dorm but the omega pleaded with him to stay.

"I'll move out!" He'd insisted, clinging to the beta's sleeve. "I'll take care of everything but please stay! J-just think of it as compensation for all the years of lying."

While it felt strange to live in someone else's house, his reasoning was solid. Moreover, considering how much Li Suren had embarrassed Li Min at the party before, he knew she would absolutely try something. At least here, he could study in peace.

Hanyu, who had also had some exams to study for, accompanied him to the library, though he clearly wanted to ask about his date.

That had felt so long ago that it took him a minute to remember.

"The date went well but that's about it." He answered vaguely. He didn't want to vent all his relationship woes onto the omega.

Hanyu stared at him questioningly, as if wishing he could say something but refrained. For that, Jun Yibai was grateful.

So they focused on their exams. Hanyu and Jun Yibai had some overlapping classes so they helped each other with whatever they could. Despite this, Hanyu would increasingly look stressed as the session went on.

"Are you okay?" Jun Yibai asked, frowning as the man beside him looked pale.

"It's not you!" He cried, a bit panicked.

Jun Yibai frowned, more concerned than before.

"I-I'm really fine! It's an omega thing, I promise." He insisted, turning back to his textbook.

Jun Yibai wondered about that. Honestly, outside of him saying so, Hanyu didn't come off like an omega. Sure, he was softer than most guys but nowhere near as much as Li Suren. He was like a fox, small and fluffy but ruthless in his cunning nature.

Hanyu was just soft.

Jun Yibai cursed under his breath, hating that he was back to thinking about them again. He'd decided to bury himself in his schoolwork for a reason!

He refused to let his studies suffer just because of his strange relationship with those two!

With this in mind, he cast aside all thoughts of those guys and focused on studying. Exams were more important after all.

After the exam period, there was a break, which Jun Yibai was looking forward to. While studying had gotten him past the anger phase, he was still stressed out. He wanted to hang out with his friends, the few he had, and let himself relax before actually ruminating on his feelings.

This was a lifelong decision, after all.

But, much to his surprise, all of his friends had their own issues.

Yang Ru's boyfriend was sick so she had to take care of him since he lived alone. Hanyu had a 'sympathy heat' out of nowhere. For some reason, he kept insisting that it still wasn't Jun Yibai's fault.

Even Song Yang, whom he barely considered a friend, was busy. Something about fighting his older brother for a contract or something.

He even considered calling up his old work buddies but felt they weren't close enough to ask. That and he knew they were still on and off work. He couldn't disrupt their income just for himself.

Just as he was wondering what to do with himself, he got a call from his mother, asking if he was coming home for the break.

Jun Yibai was considering it. He hadn't seen his parents in months and while video calls eased the distance, seeing them in person was better. He did miss them.

That and distance would help clear his thoughts.

Once he agreed, his mother brightened up immediately, telling him that she had already started tidying up his room in case he chose to stop by. This was something she did regularly, hoping he'd drop by unexpectedly but wanting him to always feel welcome.

Hearing this, he felt a pang of guilt, realizing he'd really kept his distance all this time.

He ended the call with a promise to visit more and moved to pack some things. As he did so, he realized that there were a lot more of his things in the apartment than Li Suren's. The omega's room, which he tended to avoid most days, looked more like a guest room than his own.

He had made himself at home very quickly it seemed. Yet the other two rooms looked like they could be vacated at a moment's notice.

He wondered briefly if it had anything to do with the fact his room was the largest of the three but pushed the thought away.

The next day, he got on the bus heading to his parent's house. He could have flown but that would cost him money he couldn't afford just then so he took a bus. It was a long, tiring drive but left him with plenty of time to think.

Think about how to proceed with his goals.

Think about what kind of relationship he wanted with Chen Guiren and Li Suren.

Think about how to deal with the fallout of his parents finding out.

It was a lot more than he had ever anticipated when he'd chosen to let those two into his life.

He liked them after all.

Both of them were sleazy fucking liars but unfortunately, he still felt affection for them. He couldn't even deny the truth of Li Suren words.

Had he known, he would have never let them get any closer. Fake or not, an engagement was a promise. Something to be respected and honored.

Of course, those two, who knew him so well, would know the beta's thoughts on the matter.

Just like he would do anything to hide his father from them.

He didn't want to lose them because of him.

Jun Yibai let out a breath, feeling a headache coming on.

This was too stressful! Why did he have to make excuses for them!? They lied to him yet here he was, playing defense for them.

He had to remain firm and make things clear. Reasonable or not, lies are lies. If he let it go now, they'd keep doing this over and over again.

If he got bit by the same untrained dog twice, could he still blame the dog or his own foolishness?

***

His mother met him at the bus stop, beaming with excitement. She hugged and greeted him enthusiastically, making him feel all the more guilty for not visiting sooner.

What kind of son made his parents feel like a visit was a special occasion?

His mother asked about his studies and if he'd made any friends. He avoided mentioning their secondary sex, since he knew his mother would relay all his words to his father.

It was, at most, a lie by omission.

Still, she seemed glad he'd made more friends. She'd worried that he'd feel out of place in such a prestigious university, especially as a scholarship student. Rich people tended to go to such places and they were known for looking down on those with less money. She worried that they would harass and bully him.

Jun Yibai thought about all the rumors spreading around about him and the blatant harassment he'd faced from Li Min. While annoying, nothing was getting in the way of his studies just yet. Since he didn't stay in his dorm anymore, his roommate couldn't frame or disrupt his life.

If not for Li Min showing up at the party the other day, he'd have completely forgotten there was a harassment campaign against him.

So he was being honest when he reassured his mother. "It's nothing, mom. Just normal jabs between classmates."

Mother Jun nodded, feeling better. While she knew her son was strong and reliable, she couldn't help but worry since he was so far away. She hadn't wanted him to move to another city but knew boys tended to be more independent.

She briefly wished she had had a girl as well so she could have someone to dote on.

As the pair waited for their taxi, Jun Yibai realized it was just the two of them.

"Where's dad?"

"He's at home, getting ready."

Ready? Was his visit so special that his father felt the need to prepare himself?

Seeing the questions in her son's eyes, Mother Jun chuckled, stroking Jun Yibai's head.

"We were planning on having dinner with some old friends tonight." She explained. "If you aren't tired from the trip, would you like to come with us?"

Ah, so he wasn't the guest of honor but a plus one?

With his spirits mildly dampened, he tried to reply politely. "If you guys already had plans, I'd hate to intrude."

He was a bit tired, after all.

But his mother, with a surprising amount of stubbornness, refused to let him go. She insisted that an extra chair was all that was needed for him to attend. That he'd be alone in the house with nothing to eat if he stayed home.

The fact that Jun Yibai could cook for himself and had known how to for many years was apparently ignored by the person who taught him to cook.

Yet he didn't dare speak those words, since it was his mother. Obviously, he was going to this dinner, regardless of his feelings on the matter.

He just didn't think it'd be his mother who would weaponize her status as an elder today. She was usually very mild-mannered.

This made him curious as to why she was so insistent about this.

The pair took a taxi home, where he was rushed to the bathroom to wash off all the grime he'd accumulated on the way there. Once clean, he saw a set of casual but very nice clothes waiting for him on the bed.

His suitcase was noticeably absent despite him having set it on his bed before.

His curiosity was shifting very quickly into dread.

***

His dread was very warranted, it seemed.

Upon arriving at the restaurant with his parents, Jun Yibai saw who they were eating with. A couple who looked to be close in age to his parents. The man was large, making it clear that the friendship was probably a work one with his father. The woman was delicate but sat with a confidence that spoke of a certain upbringing.

It was a very strange sight, seeing a pair of such contrasting auras.

But that all paled in comparison with the third person who sat between the pair. A beautiful young lady who wore a light layer of makeup and dressed like a porcelain doll. She looked surprised to see him but was polite enough not to show it.

"Ah..."

Jun Yibai finally realized what was going on.

"Good evening, madam, sir." Jun Yibai greeted them, not wanting to be rude but only half caring at this point. "

"Oh, please! Don't be so formal." The woman chuckled, waving off his words. "My husband and your father are brothers in all ways but blood. Please, feel free to call me Auntie ~"

"Auntie. Uncle." He addressed them obediently, not looking up.

The man - Uncle, he supposed - was not a man of many words, only offering a hand for him to shake. The handshake was firm, as if he was testing Jun Yibai's strength. While Jun Yibai wasn't interested in passing any test, pride made him give the man a firm grip back.

The man pulled his hand away, nodding approvingly.

Jun Yibai inwardly sighed as he and his parents sat down.

Despite it being clear what the elder's intentions were, they started the dinner with pleasantries and introductions. The girl's name was Jia Li and she was close in age to Jun Yibai.

His mother claimed that she was a childhood friend of his that moved away when he was young. Whether what she was saying was true or not was hard to say. How would he disprove his own mother?

It took a while for him to realize just how much both their parents were boasting about their child. Whether it was to make the children more interested or to coax the parents was anyone's guess.

Either way, their intent was obvious: they were trying to set him up with Jia Li.

He looked up, seeing the girl give him a questioning look. While no words were said, it was clear she had finally realized what was happening.

He grimaced and shrugged, continuing to eat his food. His words would mean nothing to them. Elders often worried about their descendants, nagging their children to get married and have children so that 'they can have a full life'.

Jun Yibai had no issue with this. He wanted kids of his own one day but he'd be damned if he did it because his parents started breathing down his neck. Still, he remained unphased by the elders' numerous attempts to get them talking.

Jun Yibai had been a loner his whole life. He wouldn't be forced to be social at his age.

***

In another city, high above the masses crowding the streets, a man stood at the window, staring down at the indistinct darkness below.

From below, this man looked to be on top of the world. Yet upon closer inspection, one could see the deep bags under his eyes and the slouch on his shoulders.

This man, Chen Guiren, was reading the report given to him by the men he had secretly following Jun Yibai. While they might be in the middle of a fight, the alpha refused to let anything slip past him.

Yet the latest report didn’t make him feel any less concerned.

He’d left town and immediately went on a blind date?!

Sure, it was set up by his parents but still!

Chen Guiren wanted to rush over, burst in on the dinner, and loudly declare that Jun Yibai was his. That he was going to knot him, impregnate him and make the world know that the only one taking the beta's dick was their omega.

Yet he knew better than to do that. The last time he’d seen the beta, he’d made it clear that he didn’t want to see either of them until they were forgiven.

Chen Guiren wished he’d had made some contingency plans prior to this, meant for them to ‘bump’ into each other without the other getting mad. But they had no shared classes and since they had different majors, there was no real excuse to run into each other.

That kind of long-term planning was Li Suren’s specialty.

Speaking of the omega.

Chen Guiren closed the messaging app he used for his security and checked the monitoring app he’d installed to observe Li Suren.

Li Suren was falling into his heat, which usually left the man horny, frustrated and to be honest, really sexy. It was why he was always kept separate from the omega at those times. While Li Suren needed his pheromones to keep calm, if Chen Guiren caught his scent, he’d break the doors down to get him.

Even now, with the barest whiff of Li Suren’s sweet scent, he wanted to claw at the door but not to fuck him.

He turned on the voice feature on the app to talk to Li Suren.

“He said he’d forgive us so why are you crying?!” Chen Guiren shouted, feeling frustrated at the scent of a rejected omega. Li Suren was buried in his nest, made up of the softest blankets and pillows but lying on some random assortment of clothes.

The omega glared up at the camera with reddened but dry eyes. “I’m not crying!”

No, he was just filling the apartment with the scent of an omega in distress. Despite Jun Yibai being a beta, Li Suren was instinctively acting like a rejected omega. His scent was a beacon for anyone nearby that he wanted to be comforted.

He desperately needed it.

It was driving him, as his alpha, crazy. He wanted to ease his omega’s worries and soothe him but he was just as stressed out.

He wanted their beta too. Despite his omega being right in front of him, his alpha felt ansty, prowling the edges of his mind as if trapped in a cage.

This was the worst possible time to be having a fight. Usually, they could keep their instincts in check by calling Jun Yibai, tricking themselves into thinking their beloved was just nearby but out of sight. It didn’t comfort Chen Guiren nearly as much as Li Suren but seeing his omega calm and content made up for it.

Today, they had nothing. Hell, Chen Guiren had the knowledge of Jun Yibai being on a blind fucking date. It probably would go anywhere, since this was Jun Yibai they were talking about but his alpha didn’t get that. No, all it knew was that someone was trying to steal its mate from it and it wanted to break skulls.

Male or female, regardless of the secondary gender, all were considered competition and his alpha refused to allow anyone to even think about taking what belonged to him.

*****