Joey, the guy I was chasing, called me. “My little brother’s back in the country. My family’s throwing a party for him. I’ll take you, introduce you to everyone.” I glanced down at the Alpha currently buried against my scent gland. He lifted his head, gave me a slow wink, and the corner of his mouth curved into a smile. “Oh, we’ve already met.” His voice was a low murmur against my skin. “Stop chasing that scumbag brother of mine. Look at me instead.” “I might be younger than him, but I’m bigger in every other way that matters.” 1 Joey said he was craving Spicy Rabbit Skewers from that one place across town and told me to go get them for him. After waiting in line, I finally got back to the private room, only to hear the conversation drifting from inside. “Joey, man, you’ve been stringing Asher along for a year. You ever gonna actually say yes?” Joey’s voice was lazy, arrogant. “What do you know? I love watching him act like my personal lapdog.” “You think I’d actually get with a low-grade Omega like him? It’d be humiliating.” Someone else chimed in, “True. Who knows if he can even have kids.” Joey continued, “Besides, it’s fun keeping him on the hook.” “Every time he begs me for a temporary mark, he’s exactly like a dog.” Another voice asked, “So after all this time, have you slept with him or not?” “He’s got a temper, sure, but damn, he’s hot.” Joey shot that down. “Nah. A guy like Asher is too much trouble.” “Sleep with him once and I’d never get rid of him.” “But,” he added, a smirk in his voice, “it’s not like the thought hasn’t crossed my mind.” The room erupted in laughter, followed by a stream of crude, disgusting jokes. I stood frozen, unable to move. This wasn’t the Joey I knew. The Joey I knew was… different. He’d told me, “I’ve had insecurity issues since I was a kid. I need you to chase me for a while, to make me feel safe.” So I did. For a whole year. When he gave me a temporary mark, he’d praise me. “Asher, you’re so sexy.” He’d accept my gifts, let me dote on him like it was his birthright. The flirting, the suggestive touches—they were constant. I thought we were already a couple in all but name. All that was missing was a formal confession. I never imagined that in his eyes, I was just a dog he could summon and dismiss at will. That he’d never even considered being with me. What a two-faced bastard. I tossed the Spicy Rabbit Skewers I’d waited half an hour for into the nearest trash can and kicked the door to the room wide open. 2 Everyone inside jumped, startled. “Asher? What the hell? Use the handle, don’t kick the door.” Joey looked at my empty hands, his brow furrowed. “Where are my skewers?” I grabbed the nearest wine bottle and smashed it on the floor. Then I strode forward and slapped Joey hard across the face. “Skewers my ass!” I spat. “You’re the goddamn dog, Joey.” “Remember when your rut was so bad you begged me to release my pheromones? How is that any different from a bitch in heat?” “I’m done playing your games!” Joey’s face turned ashen, the public humiliation stinging him. I turned and walked out. Behind me, their disgusting conversation followed me into the hall. “Dude, you not gonna go after him?” Joey just laughed. “Even a cornered dog will bite back. He’s just blowing off steam.” “Let him. He’ll come crawling back tomorrow, apologizing.” Someone else piped up, “Alright then! Let’s drink.” “Assholes.” I muttered. Like hell I would. Fucking scumbag. I wandered the streets aimlessly. I’m a low-grade Omega with a pheromone disorder. When my heat hits, suppressants don’t work. I need the mark and soothing pheromones of a highly compatible Alpha. Joey and I had a 90% pheromone compatibility. I thought it was fate’s way of making up for all the other shit it had put me through. Joey had even shown interest in me so many times. He’d given me a temporary mark once. I hadn’t even asked; he’d offered. And now, to hear him talk about me like that… Fuck! This wasn't a blessing. It was a pile of shit. An Omega with my looks could have any top-tier Alpha he wanted. And speak of the devil, one just appeared in front of me. Tall, handsome, wearing a dark gray overcoat and a striped scarf. Straight out of a K-drama. “Hey there,” he said with a charming smile. “Maybe you should consider me instead?” 3 I was already pissed off. “Who are you talking to?” I snapped. “Who are you calling ‘hey there’?” “You, of course,” he said, his tone teasingly intimate. “My name is Liam. I’m Joey’s younger brother.” I scoffed. “Get lost. The sight of anyone with your family name makes me sick.” He put on a wounded expression. “My brother’s a scumbag, but I’m not.” “Is it too late for me to change my last name?” Such a smooth talker. I ignored him and was about to call a cab when a strange heat flared at the back of my neck. Fuck. Of all the damn times. My heat was here. 4 My pheromones flooded the air, uncontrollable. Liam’s expression changed instantly. He whipped off his overcoat and draped it over my shoulders. “I’ll take you home.” I shoved his hand away. “I don’t need your help.” I fumbled for the emergency suppressants and pills I always carried, but I knew they were useless against my disorder. Liam pulled a wallet from his pocket, showing me his IDs. “Asher, I’m really Joey’s brother. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you. The most important thing right now is to get you somewhere private.” He was right. The street was crowded. An Omega in heat could cause mass panic. Liam led me to his car. In the enclosed space, the sweet scent of osmanthus bloomed around me, thick and overwhelming. Veins pulsed on Liam’s forehead. I tried to inject another dose of suppressant. “Get out of the car,” I ordered him. He snatched the injector from my hand. “It’s not working. Stop. You’re only going to cause permanent damage to your body. And don’t take the pills either, they’ll ruin your glands.” How did he know so much? As my frustration mounted, another scent entered the air. Pine. Clean and fresh. The ache in my glands instantly subsided. It was working. Liam spoke carefully, “I released a little of my pheromones. Is that helping?” I nodded. It was. But it wasn’t nearly enough. The brief moment of calm gave way to an even more desperate craving. My eyes fixed on Liam’s lips. A primal urge, a raw desire, shattered my reason. I bit my tongue, hard, the coppery taste of blood a fleeting anchor to sanity. It held for a few seconds before the tidal wave of instinct crashed over me again. I must have been out of my mind. I met Liam’s eyes. “Give me a temporary mark.” 5 Turns out, Liam was all talk. He had to confirm with me three times before he dared to lean in. The scents of osmanthus and pine collided, tangling together in the small space of the car. My body went limp. Through a hazy blur, I felt Liam gently wipe a tear from my cheek. When had I started crying? My phone buzzed insistently against my leg. A series of texts from Joey. 【Alright, that’s enough. You really embarrassed me today.】 【Your heat is coming soon, isn’t it? Apologize to me, and I’ll give you a mark.】 I let out a bitter laugh and blocked his number without a second thought. A moment later, his call came through. “My little brother’s back in the country. My family’s throwing a party for him in a few days.” “You should come. I’ll introduce you.” I glanced at the Alpha currently nuzzling my scent gland. He lifted his head, gave me a slow wink, and smirked. “Oh, we’ve already met.” “Stop chasing that scumbag brother of mine. Look at me instead.” “I might be younger than him, but I’m bigger in every other way that matters.” “Oh, and by the way, our pheromone compatibility is one hundred percent.” Joey’s voice crackled from the phone. “Hello? Asher? Who’s that talking to you?” I ignored him and quickly hung up. I looked at Liam with renewed interest. “Is that so? Why don’t you strip and let me see for myself?” Liam’s ears instantly turned bright red. He glanced around nervously. “Here? I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “Asher… maybe we should get a hotel room?” I just stared at him. “You said we have one hundred percent compatibility?” It sounded like a complete lie. But remembering how I’d lost control just moments ago, a seed of doubt was planted. My self-control had never been that weak. I dragged Liam to the hospital. It was the same doctor as before. He held up the report, his eyes wide with amazement. “One hundred percent compatibility! This is a one-in-a-century match! You two are a match made in heaven, soulmates!” I felt nothing. Doctor, if I remember correctly, you said the same thing about my ninety percent match with Joey. Liam, however, beamed, praising the doctor. “You have a way with words, sir.” It was late by the time we left the hospital. “See? I didn’t lie, did I? One hundred percent,” Liam said proudly. “How did you know?” He gave me a mysterious smile. “That’s a secret.” “A man over 25 is basically 60, and my brother is already 24.” “I’m only 20.” “Ninety percent and one hundred percent aren’t even in the same league. You should be with me. I’ll be your medicine, free of charge.” He was rambling, a chaotic mix of boasting and pleading. I was confused. “What’s in it for you?” “I like you. Give me a chance to pursue you.” My eyes darted away, my heart suddenly beating in a strange, erratic rhythm. How could I refuse a cure that had literally fallen from the sky? Liam was taller than Joey, and handsomer. And a one hundred percent match. It would be a crime against nature not to say yes. Fate had slapped me, then offered me a piece of candy. “Okay,” I said. Liam’s face lit up. “Asher, I’ll be your dog from now on.” The word “dog” made my blood boil. “Don’t be disgusting. What’s with all this dog talk? Your brother is the dog.” “Okay, okay!” Liam said quickly. “Then from now on, I’m your cat.” I was speechless. 6 A heat lasts for several days. Since he was my “medicine,” I took him home with me. Liam’s scent filled every corner of my apartment. Looking back, it was the calmest, most comfortable heat I had ever experienced. Once it was over, I kicked him out. As he was leaving, he said, “Asher, even though we’ve already met… I still hope you’ll come to the party.” He looked at me with wide, pleading eyes, as if he’d burst into tears if I said no. In the end, I agreed. The party was held in the garden of his family’s estate. The moment I arrived, I saw Joey and his pack of cronies. When Joey spotted me, he smirked. “See? What did I tell you? He came crawling right back.” I pretended not to hear and let my gaze find Liam, who was dressed in a sharp suit. He started walking towards me, but Joey grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. Joey looked over at me. “Asher, come here. Let me introduce you to my little brother.” “He was studying abroad for the last couple of years. Just got back, he’s a junior now. At our alma mater, actually.” Liam and I shared a small smile. I spoke slowly, “Nice to meet you. You’re much more handsome than your brother.” A grin tugged at Liam’s lips. Joey looked awkward. “Asher, stop being difficult.” He turned back to Liam to introduce me. “Bro, this is a classmate of mine from university. He’s also the one pursuing me.” I immediately corrected him. “Let’s be precise. Formerly pursuing you.” Joey’s arm snaked around my shoulder. “Don’t mind him, he’s been in a mood lately.” I shrugged his arm off. Joey studied me for a moment, then said, “Why do I smell osmanthus on you? Hey, Liam, isn’t your scent osmanthus?” I gave him a half-smile. “Maybe it’s my new cologne.” Joey seemed to relax. I didn’t linger. I was wandering around, bored, when someone pulled me into an empty room. Liam buried his nose in my neck. “You have my brother’s scent on you.” “Yeah? So what?” I asked. “I don’t like it. Let me cover it up.” Before I could react, Liam released his pheromones. As if that wasn’t enough, he wrapped his arms tightly around me. Damn, maybe he really was a dog after all. So territorial. 7 When Liam said he would pursue me, he wasn’t kidding. He sent food, flowers, and expensive gifts every few days. “You don’t have to send me gifts,” I told him. “Where does a college student get this kind of money?” He puffed out his chest. “My dad is rich, and I know how to make money too.” …As a hardworking Omega, I had no comeback for that. With Liam as my personal medicine, my pheromone disorder was no longer an issue. I was more focused and energetic at work than ever. One Friday night, I was curled up at home watching a movie when someone knocked on the door. I opened it to find a drowned little puppy on my doorstep. No, a drowned little kitten. Liam was soaked to the bone. He looked at me with pathetic, pleading eyes. “Asher, can I please stay with you for a bit?” According to his story, he’d gotten into a fight with his roommate. Then he’d had a blowout with his parents at home. Basically, he had nowhere else to go. I was skeptical. Fearing I would say no, he added, “I’m very clean, and quiet. I won’t bother you. Oh, and I can do chores. And cook.” And just like that, I let him stay. I had to admit, the kid could really cook. “How does a rich young master like you know how to cook?” I asked him over dinner. “It’s one of my hobbies.” He peeled a shrimp and placed it in my bowl. Fair enough. After Liam moved in, my life didn’t just remain undisrupted; it actually improved. He had no bad habits and was emotionally stable. The only downside was his tendency to walk around the apartment shirtless, showing off his well-defined muscles. One evening, he came out of the shower, bare-chested as usual. I was about to scold him when I noticed something was off about him. He quickly shut himself in his room. I knocked on the door. “Liam? What’s wrong?” His voice came out strained and broken. “My… rut is here.” I was speechless. Liam took a few days off from school, took suppressants, and locked himself in his room. I went to work as usual. When I got home, I noticed my pillow and a set of my pajamas were missing from my room. I pushed open Liam’s door. All my missing things were piled on his bed. The kid was nesting. A weak-looking Liam lifted his head from my pajamas and pleaded, “Asher… can I have just a little of your scent?” Before I could answer, a loud knocking came from the front door. It was Joey’s voice. “Asher, you home? Open up.”
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