Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 449: Three Seconds Of Silence

Counting from the time he stepped into the house last night, He Juan had been exposed to Mu Yuze’s pheromones for nearly seven hours.

From the faint, barely perceptible scent initially, to the overwhelming and dizzying explosion it had become, He Juan had managed to keep his Alpha in check. Not only did he not allow his Alpha to take control, he had not even let a strand of pheromones out of his body! If there was a competition for Alphas with the strongest self-control, no doubt He Juan would break the world record!

But now...

When he heard the boy’s trembling and desperate voice calling out to him, when he sensed the overpowering waves of pheromones crashing over him, and when he felt the boy’s possessiveness toward him... He Juan’s breath stuttered and his head was overcome with dizziness.

Was it because he had only slept for less than two hours all night? Or had he underestimated the depth of their bond?

Because right now, He Juan felt like the self-control he was so proud of was hanging on a thin line.

He bit down on the tip of his tongue and forced himself to sober up. Snap out of it, He Juan! he chided himself severely. What are you thinking? Take a good look at him. This is Mu Yuze. Xiao Ze!

For the second time in his life, He Juan felt an overwhelming crisis in his mind that compelled him to run away. First, it was when he stood by his sick and unconscious little brother’s hospital bed, the day after their parents were murdered. He vividly understood that this fragile life would depend on him from now on and oh... how heavy of a responsibility it was. So heavy that the sixteen-year-old He Juan wished that he could abandon everything and go someplace where he did not need to pretend to be strong.

Growing up, He Juan thought that nothing could ever faze him like that time anymore. But oh boy, how wrong he was. Now twenty-six, he actually felt the same urge— with a different person, in a completely different context.

Somehow, He Juan wanted to laugh at the sheer incredulity of this whole situation.

Mu Yuze would never know, in those three seconds of silence, how powerful of a meltdown He Juan was experiencing.

But when all was said and done, He Juan had gotten used to masking his emotions. In a flash, he armored himself up and gently patted Mu Yuze’s head, speaking with a composure that surprised even himself. "Don’t cry. It’s okay, Xiao Ze. Crying will only make you feel worse, so don’t cry, okay?"

He Juan could not blame a boy who had not learned to control his pheromones yet. At this moment, the only person who could give Mu Yuze comfort was him, and the only person whom the boy could lean on was also him. Now that Mu Yuze was thrown into his life-changing situation, it was natural for him to yearn for the company of the person closest to him... and hence, the wild and uncontrollable pheromones.

It did not mean anything at all, so get a grip of yourself, He Juan!

Alas, while he could control his mind, he had no way to control his instinct which wanted nothing but to claim this person for himself. Clenching his jaws tight, He Juan forced his feet to move toward the window. He pulled open the curtain and pushed the window open, allowing fresh air to pour into the room saturated with pheromones. It was then that he noticed his body was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

He turned and flashed a dazzling smile at Mu Yuze, as if the boy’s manifestation had not nearly crumbled his entire world apart. "Can you wash up by yourself? I’m sure you’re hungry. Gege will go out and buy us some breakfast, okay?"

Mu Yuze, being the ever sensible boy he was, nodded in response. He wiped the tears on his face and stuttered out with a red face, "I–I can. Sorry, Gege and... thank you."

He Juan’s gaze softened. He walked over to ruffle Mu Yuze’s hair like he always did, "Silly boy, what are you saying sorry for?"

With that, he returned to his room, changed into a fresh set of clothes, grabbed his keys and wallet, then drove away from the house. He stopped by the nearest pharmacy and asked the clerk to pack up everything an omega might need – gland patches, scent blockers, heat suppressors, and more. Every time the auntie behind the counter recommended an item for omegas, He Juan immediately bought three sets without hesitation.

"Newly manifested omega?" The auntie asked, to which He Juan responded with a simple nod. However, she was not satisfied and continued to ask with a gossipy tone, "Someone from your family?"

He Juan’s hand momentarily paused as he retrieved his wallet, but it was a fleeting pause that went unnoticed. "...Mn," he offered a strained smile. "My family."

The auntie sighed and added two more packages of gland patches to the bag. He Juan blinked in surprise. He was about to inform her that she had given him more than what he had purchased, but then she spoke again.

"It’s a little bonus for you. Aiyah, it’s so tough to be an omega nowadays. Even though the new prime minister is also an Omega, society doesn’t seem to have changed at all. Take good care of your family member and protect them well. Don’t forget to buy more beddings and blankets for them to nest with..." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

He Juan fell into a daze as the auntie continued to nag at him. Nest... that’s right, he needed to prepare nesting materials for Mu Yuze. His little mate must have the best, he deserved all the best there was in the world.

He Juan offered a sincere thanks to the auntie before leaving. Checking the time, he floored the accelerator harder and drove straight to the breakfast stall they usually frequented, buying two portions of porridge and soy milk. After that, he hurried home for fear that Mu Yuze would be waiting for him.

And sure enough, He Juan had just crossed the lawn with huge bags in both hands when the door swung open, revealing Yuze behind it.

"Gege, you’re back..." The depth of his dark eyes lit up as soon as he saw He Juan, and a relieved smile bloomed across his face. The scent of his pheromones rushed to He Juan, sweet and enticing, they sang to him like the cry of an oriole.

The boy seemed to have just finished his shower, as his skin was flushed in a faint pink hue. Water droplets clung to his hair to cascade down his skin. His lashes looked particularly black and glossy with dampness. Under the morning sunlight, he was akin to a budding flower in spring, one that would undoubtedly blossom and flourish into a charming one. He looked so...

...pretty, the word popped up in He Juan’s mind, unbidden.

As soon as the weight of that word registered into his mind, He Juan’s eyes darkened. He realized that— the time for him to be Mu Yuze’s protector was coming to an end.