CHAPTER 14

A week passed. Then the second. Still, Gaotu said nothing. Wenlang began to wonder if he had pushed the thought too far, if Gaotu had forgotten about it.

Then in the third week, in the dead of night, Wenlang was jolted awake by his phone buzzing nonstop on the nightstand. Half-asleep, he grabbed it, answering without looking.

"Hello...?" his voice was rough with sleep.

"Wenlang..." a breathy voice trembled through the speaker.

Wenlang's eyes shot open instantly. He glanced at the caller ID. Gaotu.

"Gaotu?" His tone was laced with worry. He sat upright, sheets falling around his waist. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Silence stretched on the other end, only the faint sound of Gaotu's breathing filling the line.

"Gaotu?" Wenlang pressed, anxiety rising.

Then a soft and hesitant reply came in.

"...Wenlang... I..." then the call disconnected. Shen Wenlang tried to return a few more times but Gaotu did not answer. Not caring that it was late, Shen Wenlang threw the cover to the side and jumped out of bed. Unease gnawed at him, any trace of sleep slipping away. With his silk black nightgown, he took the car keys and rushed out not wasting even a single minute to take perhaps a coat for the cold.

***

Gaotu curled tighter into himself, sheets clinging damply to his skin. His breath came in shallow bursts, chest rising and falling too fast. The sudden burn spreading through his body made him tremble. It had started so abruptly he barely had time to process.

His heat had begun.

His vision blurred at the edges, his throat tight. The first thought that rushed into his head wasn't suppressants or trying to ride it out. It was him. His trembling fingers reached for his phone almost by instinct. In that haze, only one name came to mind, Shen Wenlang.

He pressed the call button, holding the phone to his ear as he bit his lip hard enough to taste iron. The line connected, and he heard Wenlang's groggy but familiar voice.

"Hello...?"

Gaotu opened his mouth, but words failed. His throat tightened, and his voice came out broken, breathy, desperate.

"...Wenlang... I..."

The heat surged again, muddling his mind. He couldn't say it. Shame and fear tangled with the overwhelming need tearing through him. Before he could form another word, he hung up, the phone slipping from his hand.

He curled into himself on the bed, clutching the sheets as if they could anchor him. His heart was racing, his body was on fire, and his thoughts were a storm. He wanted Wenlang, but he was terrified of what that meant.

What if Wenlang came? What if he saw him like this, flushed, undone by instincts he couldn't control? What would he think? Would he give in out of obligation? He didn't want it like this. He wanted Wenlang to hold him because he wanted to, not because Gaotu's body demanded it.

Another sharp wave hit, ripping a choked sound from his throat. He clung to the sheets tighter, Wenlang's name whispering through his mind, over and over.

Shen Wenlang hurried up the stairs to Gaotu's apartment, his heart pounding louder than his footsteps. He didn't even realize he was holding his breath as he knocked several times before the door finally creaked open.

Gaotu stood there, one hand clutching the door handle, his body hunched forward as if every breath weighed him down. The dim light from the hallway spilled across his face, revealing flushed cheeks and unfocused eyes.

"Gaotu...?" Shen Wenlang stepped forward quickly, steadying him before he could fall. With his free hand, he reached back and locked the door behind them.

The moment he stepped fully into the room, the scent hit him, rich, heavy, unmistakable. His chest tightened. He didn't need anyone to tell him; Gaotu was in heat.

He could feel it through his clothes, the burning heat radiating from Gaotu's skin. For a moment, Wenlang froze his mind blank. He didn't know what to do, how he should act in that situation. But when Gaotu's soft voice called his name "Wenlang..." something inside him clicked into place.

He guided Gaotu gently to the bed, supporting him until he lay back against the sheets. Shen Wenlang's mind raced. He remembered the doctor saying suppressants don't work on him anymore. He needed to help somehow, to ease his discomfort.

"I'll get some cold water," he muttered more to himself than to Gaotu, rising from the bedside. "It'll help cool you down a little."

But before he could take a step, a weak hand caught his wrist.

"Wenlang... don't go."He froze and looked back. Gaotu's fingers clutched at him like a lifeline, his eyes glossy. Wenlang immediately sat back down and clasped his hand in both of his.

"I'm not leaving. I just need to get some water to help you, okay?" But Gaotu didn't loosen his grip. Instead, he tugged his hand closer, pressing it against his chest.

"No... stay with me. Please."

Shen Wenlang's throat tightened. The sight of Gaotu being so vulnerable tore at him. He brushed his thumb gently across the back of Gaotu's hand, voice low and steady.

"But you're burning up Gaotu...."

Gaotu shook his head weakly, eyes half-lidded. "... just don't go." There was nothing Wenlang could do.

The room was filled with Gaotu's scent. It was so strong it made Wenlang's head spin. It was naturally hard for any alpha to fight their instincts in moments like this. Especially with those soft, broken whimpers that escaped Gaotu's lips, unintentional and raw. Each one hit Wenlang like a spark. He swallowed hard, knuckles tightening around Gaotu's hand as if grounding himself as he released his soothing pheromones for him hoping that they'll help.

"Gaotu..." he whispered, voice rougher than he intended. Gaotu's only response was a shaky breath and a faint murmur of his name again, as if calling him closer, as if trusting him completely.

Wenlang exhaled slowly and shifted closer to the bed, brushing damp strands of hair from Gaotu's forehead.

"Help..." His eyes were half lidded as looked at Shen Wenlang pleading. That one word broke his control.

Wenlang's hand moved on its own, brushing over Gaotu's cheek. His skin burned under his touch, and the small, desperate sound Gaotu made pulled him in deeper. He cupped his cheek gently, making him focus.

"You know what this means right?" Gaotu's breath hitched, his fingers clutching weakly at Wenlang's sleeve.

"... Wenlang..." he whispered, voice shaky, but not pulling away.

Wenlang leaned his forehead against Gaotu's, closing his eyes as he steadied his racing heart. "I need to hear you. If you want me to stop, I'll stop. Just say it. But if you let me... then know I won't let you go after this."

Gaotu's breath came in shallow gasps. His fingers trembled as they gripped Wenlang's arm tighter, pulling him closer.

"I want you... Wenlang."

Those words nearly broke the restraint Wenlang was holding onto. He stared at Gaotu for a long moment, searching for any hesitation, any sign of doubt but all he saw was need and warmth. He brushed a hand through Gaotu's hair, his voice low. "Alright...I'll be gentle. I promise." Gaotu nodded weakly, his body leaning closer on its own