* * *

“I was going to use this. I was going to put it in the ginger tea that Allen drinks every day.”

“Why? Why would you…?”

“Why? Because I hate Allen. From the start, I’ve felt nothing but inferiority toward him because he has everything!”

“What… are you saying?”

“Everyone adores Allen. Everyone who’s turned their back on me worships Allen and only Allen!”

Remy’s voice grew louder, brimming with rage.

It wasn’t that he truly felt inferior to Allen—Remy had always been resilient, brushing off others’ whispers behind his back.

Perhaps it was his pity for the “Remy” in the original story, a character reduced to a pitiful villain devoid of any emotional depth, that gave rise to his fury.

It was an attempt to rebel against that unjust narrative.

“Now do you understand? Your childhood friend, the one you’ve cared for so much, is someone as wretched as this.”

“Remy, don’t say that. I’ve never thought of you like that, and I never will.”

“Never? Are you serious?”

“I mean it. I’ll never think of you that way.”

“Ha. Ashton… You still don’t get it, do you? You’re not even listening to what I’m saying!”

Remy shot up from the bed, standing upright.

He leaned close to Ashton, staring directly into his shaking pupils.

The sight made Remy’s chest ache for some reason, but he pushed it aside and gritted his teeth.

“Ashton.”

Remy tried desperately to push Ashton away, to make himself appear crueler.

He narrowed his eyes coldly and thought of every venomous word that could wound Ashton.

“So, from now on, listen carefully to—ah!”

Before he could finish, a sharp pain stabbed through Remy’s chest, stealing his breath and cutting him off mid-sentence.

“Remy?”

Ashton quickly caught hold of him, sensing that something was very wrong.

He held onto Remy’s trembling shoulders, trying to steady him, but Remy’s body seemed unable to support itself, collapsing further into Ashton’s arms.

“Remy. Are you hurt again? Where does it hurt? Tell me, Remy!”

Ashton grew frantic, fearing that Remy might lose consciousness again.

He tried to keep him upright, to elicit some response.

But all at once, Ashton froze, his body stiffening as if he had been struck by a thunderbolt.

The cause was the scent—intoxicatingly rich, a fragrance Ashton had never encountered before.

It was overpowering, like a bouquet of blooming lilies cradled in one’s arms—sweet and heady.

It stole Ashton’s breath, quickened his heartbeat, and sent his blood rushing downward.

“Remy…”

Ashton’s gaze locked onto Remy, who was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with every labored gasp.

Sweat beaded on his pale, tormented face, twisted in pain.

“Remy, you’re…”

As an Alpha of the highest rank, Ashton could immediately recognize the scent emanating from Remy.

It was a signal—unmistakable and undeniable.

“Your heat cycle… It’s started, hasn’t it?”

Remy let out a strangled cry, his body trembling as a wave of searing pain overtook him.

The agony felt as if he had ingested the Adeline extract himself—his insides clawing at him, his entire body ablaze with torment.

“Ahh…!”

Remy’s legs gave way, his body crumpling to the floor.

Ashton caught him just in time, holding him as he shuddered and writhed.

“Remy. Stay with me. Can you hear me? Remy!”

Though he knew it was futile, Ashton kept calling to Remy, gripping him tightly as his body sagged.

Eventually, Ashton had no choice but to lay Remy back onto the bed.

“Ah… Ahhh!”

Remy whimpered, overwhelmed by the unbearable pain that consumed him.

Even while lying on the bed, Remy couldn’t stop twisting and turning in agony.

Ashton, desperate to help, could only pat his back in an attempt to calm him down.

“Remy, please… Remy… calm down, Remy…”

Each time Remy’s body twisted violently, a sweet floral fragrance filled the air, intoxicating Ashton as much as Remy’s own distress overwhelmed him.

The pheromones emanating from Remy weren’t just fragrant.

They carried an intense, almost maddening desire—a carnal call craving an Alpha’s touch.

The effect on Ashton was devastating; every nerve in his body was alight with arousal.

Remy was experiencing his first heat as an Omega—a dominant Omega with particularly potent pheromones.

The overwhelming scent was more than enough to shatter Ashton’s composure.

He gritted his teeth, determined not to succumb, even as he felt the heat building in his own body.

“Haah! Haa… ngh! Ah!”

As Remy writhed in torment, Ashton’s control faltered further.

His gaze was inexorably drawn to Remy’s dampened pants, clinging tightly to the outline beneath.

Even that sight refused to leave Ashton’s mind.

He wanted to look away—needed to—but couldn’t.

“Wait here, Remy. I’ll get a wet towel.”

Breathing in any more of these pheromones was dangerous.

Ashton thought about opening the tent window to let in fresh air and dilute the oppressive scent.

He cracked it open, taking deep gulps of the outside air, trying to calm his body.

But Remy’s moans only grew louder, and the scent thickened.

The small amount of ventilation wasn’t enough.

“Damn it.”

Ashton clenched his lips, dipping a towel into a basin of water before turning back.

“Ahhng!”

Remy was thrashing in unbearable pain, his body drenched in sweat.

His face gleamed with a sheen of perspiration, and his pants were soaked with fluids, leaving a complete mess.

Ashton gripped Remy’s hand with one of his, using the other to wipe his sweat-soaked face.

The cool touch seemed to briefly bring some clarity to Remy’s hazy eyes, enough for him to recognize Ashton standing over him.

Despite his torment, Remy reached out weakly, longing for Ashton’s touch.

“Ashton…”

“Remy…”

Abandoning the towel, Ashton clasped both of Remy’s hands, bringing them to his cheek and pressing his lips to them.

He prayed fervently, with all his heart, for the heat to subside.

For Remy to be okay. For nothing irreversible to happen.

“Ashton… my body… it’s so hot… too much…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Remy. Just hang on a little longer.”

“It’s unbearable… down there… it’s too much…”

Remy’s voice, trembling with need, only made things harder for Ashton.

When Remy slipped his hands free, as if guided by instinct, and began to move his hips, Ashton could only watch helplessly.

The Omega, overtaken by his body’s desires, reached down, his trembling fingers seeking relief.

“Ahh… ngh…”

Ashton gritted his teeth, barely able to endure the sight.

Remy’s vulnerable, desperate state was more provocative than anything he had imagined.

And he had imagined it—he couldn’t deny that.

He had fantasized about having Remy beneath him, flushed and pleading, saturated in that sweet, intoxicating scent.

“Haa… Ashton… Haaah…”

It was maddening. Just watching Remy was enough to drive Ashton to his limits.

Remy’s torment, however, was far more primal.

While Ashton struggled emotionally, Remy’s agony was pure physical torment.

The searing heat consumed him.

His insides itched unbearably, like a fire roaring deep within.

Despite his attempts to ease the pain with his own touch, it wasn’t enough.

Something was missing—something only an Alpha could provide.

“Ahh!”

Remy’s body arched sharply, the sweat soaking him giving way to sticky fluids seeping through his pants.

His cries grew louder, the unrelenting need escalating.

“No! No…! It’s too much! It’s wrong! Something’s wrong!”

“Remy, calm down. Just breathe.”

“I’m going crazy… down there… it’s too much…”

Without thinking, Ashton pulled Remy into a tight embrace, running his hand along Remy’s frail, trembling back.

He whispered softly into his ear, his voice tender.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Remy. You’ll be okay. Just breathe, alright? It’ll pass…”

* * *