Little Pink Starfish

Su Liang was half-lying on the hospital bed. Because of the allergic reaction, his joints and muscles were still stinging.

This made his complexion appear somewhat pale.

When he heard the metallic sound of the door opening and closing, Su Liang turned his head—and then met Lu Taipan’s gaze.

“Mr. Si…”

The moment he saw Lu Taipan, Su Liang completely ignored the protest of his aching muscles and joints, instinctively tensing up.

A flush quickly spread over the boy’s pale face. His eyes widened in shock, staring straight at Lu Taipan with a hint of panic in his expression.

Su Liang wasn’t prepared to face Lu Taipan right now.

He hadn’t forgotten what he’d done before he passed out. He had no idea what kind of impulse had driven him to do something so unbelievable—he had actually kissed Lu Taipan forcefully in front of everyone.

And he had even bitten the man’s lip and drawn blood.

After waking up in the treatment room, every time Su Liang recalled that moment, he wanted to curl up and dig a hole in the floor to hide.

“I’m sorry, I must have lost my mind back then, so I…”

Su Liang panicked and blurted out.

But Lu Taipan looked very calm, as if he hadn’t noticed the boy’s embarrassment and unease at all.

The Serpent Lord walked straight to Su Liang’s bedside, his gaze fixed on him.

Compared to Su Liang’s panic and shame, Lu Taipan looked extremely steady and composed, unmoved by anything.

“There was an issue with your gender,” Lu Taipan said after a moment of silence. Only those closest to him might have noticed the slight change in his voice.

“You might be… a very rare type of Omega.”

After relaying what the medical officer had told him in the simplest, clearest way possible, Lu Taipan clearly saw the boy in front of him freeze.

The blood drained from Su Liang’s already pale face.

He clutched the bedsheet tightly, his knuckles turning white.

“There’s no other option?” Su Liang suppressed his emotions and asked word by word. He was doing his best to stay calm, but his voice still revealed a hint of fear and helplessness.

“There should be other ways to treat pheromone allergy, right? If we use another Alpha’s pheromones, can we avoid pheromone dependency? For example—”

For example, using synthetic Alpha pheromones. In clinical use, synthetic pheromones also showed good results.

Su Liang had never thought he might suffer from pheromone dependency. With how busy Mr. Si was, if someone constantly needed his comfort and attention, it would be a huge burden.

Not to mention, Su Liang didn’t believe Mr. Si would want to witness such an embarrassing situation either.

But before Su Liang could finish speaking, he suddenly saw the cold, ice-like man in front of him lean down, trapping him within his arms.

The rest of his words were swallowed—devoured—in a wet, entangled kiss.

【Mr. Si?】

Su Liang only managed a muffled sound before his entire body was heavily pinned to the hospital bed.

Lu Taipan’s presence became overwhelming in that moment. Beneath the tightly fitted combat uniform, his shoulders were broad, his chest and waist covered in rock-solid muscles.

The Serpent Lord’s hands were also very large. With just one, he could pin both of Su Liang’s wrists down.

His thighs were firm like steel, braced against Su Liang’s waist, completely locking the boy in place.

The Alpha’s previously cool and cold incense-like scent now burned like fire.

Was it because of the severe pheromone allergy? When Lu Taipan pressed down, Su Liang felt that his previously numb skin had suddenly become extremely sensitive.

Every bit of airflow made him shiver and tremble uncontrollably.

This was the most intense, violent kiss so far.

If the previous beast was only teasing its prey, playing with it until exhaustion, this time it had completely shed its disguise.

For the first time, Su Liang understood how terrifying it was to be completely suppressed by such a powerful Alpha—like he’d be swallowed whole the next second.

…So dizzying, so powerless to resist.

And for the first time, he learned that someone really could cry from being kissed too harshly.

That person was—himself.

His mind blanked, vision blurred, and time seemed to stop.

Eventually, Su Liang realized he could breathe again—only then did he notice Lu Taipan had finally let go.

His heart pounded like it was about to burst from his chest. Su Liang swallowed a whimper and looked at Lu Taipan, eyes wet.

He barely managed to prop himself up, and just as he opened his mouth to speak—

“I’ve gone back on my word.”

Each word from Lu Taipan rang out, and Su Liang could feel the weight in every syllable.

“I told you before, if you ever felt uncomfortable, you had the right to stop me from pursuing you. But now, I have to take back that promise—because I simply can’t do it. I can’t stop. I can’t give you up.”

“Because I’m… that kind of Sigma-type Omega?”

Su Liang asked weakly, trembling slightly as his lashes fluttered.

“Because you’re Su Liang.”

Lu Taipan gave a low chuckle. His chest vibrated lightly with it.

“You’re distracted, Xiao Liang. I told you before—I like you, regardless of your gender. Whether you’re Beta, Alpha, or Omega, I would still like you. Even if you’re Sigma. Honestly, I wish you were just a normal Beta. That way, I might’ve been able to keep up the act a little longer.”

“Mr. Si? I—I don’t understand…”

“I’m not polite. I’m not disciplined or restrained. I lied to you from the start. The truth is, I meant every word when I said I wanted to imprison you and make you mine. If Lu Zhizhao dares pursue you, I’ll kill him. If those damned upperclassmen from Xingchuan University try anything, I might kill them too. Anyone—anything—that distracts you from me, I’ll be jealous of. And I’ll destroy it. I want you to only look at me. Only love me.”

Lu Taipan’s fingertips gently brushed Su Liang’s cheek.

When the boy first arrived at the Serpent Nest, he had been terribly thin. Only after staying here this long had he barely gained some weight. His skin was extremely smooth to the touch—soft, delicate, the kind that made one want to treasure him, but also left the impulse to leave countless marks behind.

“Xiao Liang, they weren’t wrong. I really am a monster.”

As he spoke, Lu Taipan smiled—gentle and steady, as always. But his eyes were deep and dark, like tunnels to an abyss.

…That beast he had released earlier had never returned to its cage.

Just the slightest trigger could send him into a frenzy again.

Lu Taipan stared unblinkingly at his beloved.

Such a beautiful, delicate youth—features like a painting, aura warm and sweet. Even without a special gender identity, he would still attract countless admirers.

Now, if news spread that he was a Sigma, anyone—anyone at all—could come and try to mark him.

From now on, Lu Taipan wouldn’t only need to guard against Alphas. Even Betas and Omegas would become threats. The whole world had changed. Lu Taipan could already imagine countless greedy eyes staring from the darkness.

Anyone could snatch away the one he loved most from his arms. Even though he knew it was just his own imagination, Lu Taipan still couldn’t tolerate it.

That possessiveness, which had been fermenting in his heart since hearing the medical report, finally exploded.

For the first time, Lu Taipan experienced this level of loss of control. He didn’t rage. He didn’t lose his mind. He didn’t destroy the ship. He didn’t clash with the other vipers.

But something deep inside his soul had changed forever.

Something had shattered the cage of his self-control, becoming twisted, mad, and dark. And Lu Taipan had no intention of fighting it.

…He had become that thing.

Hearing Lu Taipan’s confession, Su Liang’s eyes flickered. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.

“Mr. Si, I…”

But he still didn’t manage to finish—because Lu Taipan kissed him again.

That kiss was greedy, forceful, lingering—just like before.

The kiss left Su Liang dizzy, nearly fainting. Lu Taipan seemed to sense this and always let go right before Su Liang reached his limit.

After a long, long time, that endless kiss finally came to an end. When they separated, Su Liang’s face was covered in tears, his body completely limp.

“No… not again…”

The moment Lu Taipan let go, Su Liang almost instinctively murmured.

Lu Taipan stared down at the youth beneath him, eyes full of desire, but also tinged with pain.

He lowered his head and buried his face in Su Liang’s neck.

“I’m really sorry.”

The man who had just seemed so powerful now finally showed a hint of vulnerability.

“Before you reject me… can I hold you a little longer? Just a little.”

Hot breath tickled the side of Su Liang’s neck.

Su Liang lay there for a long time before regaining enough strength to speak. He looked helplessly at the pale ceiling, feeling the man’s weight on him.

Then, he quietly said, “Your lip…”

Not talking was better. The moment he spoke, even he was startled by the sweet, raspy tone of his own voice.

He steadied himself and forced out the rest of the sentence.

“Does your lip hurt?”

“It doesn’t.”

Lu Taipan touched the tiny wound on his lip, then replied.

A few seconds later, Lu Taipan’s pupils suddenly contracted. He sat up straight and stared hard at Su Liang.

“You didn’t refuse.”

Lu Taipan said in disbelief.

Su Liang: “…”

The boy who had just been kissed until he was dazed avoided eye contact, face flushed.

He didn’t dare make a sound. He could only turn his head away and avoid Lu Taipan’s gaze.

But such an attempt to reduce stimulation—was ultimately useless.

Soon, Su Liang’s lips were once again stained with the heat of the other man’s kiss.