“A-Alpha.” Liu Zuan pants and says, “You're the only person I want. Bond me.”
Shan Xianyan is a little surprised by the request. Bonding bites are often saved for married couples. Once a bonding bite is made, it lasts for life. Liu Zuan is asking to be with him for life and... he can't resist taking that offer.
As he gets close that his knot fully swells and locks him in with Liu Zuan, he leans down and violently bites Liu Zuan's scent gland in his neck to claim him as his. Liu Zuan yelps but it's not completely from pain but also from the intense pleasure. Shan Xianyan swears his vision blurs as he releases and coats Liu Zuan's insides.
He only releases Liu Zuan from his bite when his release is finished. He feels like jelly as he lays on top of Liu Zuan. To his surprise, Liu Zuan also came because he feels how damp it is on his stomach. Shan Xianyan's Alpha seems satisfied he got his Omega off. He feels like he accomplished something. Both of them pant and come down. Liu Zuan is mumbling something but Shan Xianyan can't hear what he's saying.
They're like that for several minutes before Shan Xianyan can coherently hear Liu Zuan ask, “May I reciprocate?” He means a mating bite in return. Weakly, Shan Xianyan tilts his head and Liu Zuan leans in to bite and pierce the skin where his scent gland is. It hurts at first and makes Shan Xianyan flinch but then a soft feeling of pleasure covers his body. It's almost like a second orgasm after his first and is very pleasant. When Liu Zuan pulls away and then they meet in another kiss, there's the slight metallic taste of blood. It's not unpleasant as either thought it would be.
Shan Xianyan can't pull out because of his knot. They're going to be locked together for at least thirty minutes so they decide to comfort each other. Liu Zuan purrs and strokes Shan Xianyan's hair and Shan Xianyan presses kisses where he can. It's pure bliss.
The bliss is broken when there's a knock on the door and Liu Zhaoxian's voice says, “Are you two done? Dinner is ready when one of you is ready to come to the door.”
Shan Xianyan growls at him. “I'll get it when I damn feel like it.”
There's no response from their caretaker after that. The next days will be spent in cycles of lovemaking until their mating cycles wear off. Shan Xianyan makes a mental note to get Liu Zhaoxian a gift for taking care of his mate and himself.
Once the knot deflates, Shan Xianyan pulls out and goes to get the meal left outside for them. Liu Zuan stops him with a hand to say, “I love you.”
Shan Xianyan is surprised at first but smiles and responds, “I love you, too.”
◆◆◆
When summer arrives, it's been a year since they arrived in Anxiang Valley and Nuo Fang is set to go home to Honglian Lakeside with his two Omegas. Even though Liu Zhaoxian is becoming much more heavily pregnant, he can still travel far enough to reach Youshen. Wu Shenxin helps Liu Zhaoxian mostly these days while Nuo Fang protectively guards his mates. Today, they're leaving without Shan Xianyan.
Shan Xianyan helps Nuo Fang pack an ox cart filled with the things of his mates. He's happy that Nuo Fang gets to return home and get his Omegas used to life at Honglian Lakeside. Shan Xianyan packs the last items and says, “I'll miss you.”
“I'll miss you, too, but you reap what you sow,” Nuo Fang says, jokingly. “You did exactly what Liu Zhashi told you not to do.”
Shan Xianyan sighs because he's right. Liu Zuan is pregnant. Apparently, the Liu clan Omegas are very fertile. Shan Xianyan laments, “You're right. I'm stuck here as punishment now but I can't be that angry since I have my mate with me.”
They had to hold another meeting after it is revealed Liu Zuan is pregnant. Madame Yang is furious and Nuo Feng'en is disappointed in Shan Xianyan. Liu Zhashi refuses to let Liu Zuan leave Anxiang Valley after already agreeing to let Liu Zhaoxian go to Youshen. So the compromise is that Shan Xianyan must stay in Anxiang Valley and marry into the LianyuLiu sect. If anything, Madame Yang seems to be relieved to get rid of Shan Xianyan since he is an adopted child she did not want. Nuo Feng'en added that visitation should be put in place so the family can see the children. Nuo Fang and his Omegas are to visit Anxiang Valley once a year and Shan Xianyan and Liu Zuan are to visit Honglian Lakeside with their child once a year. They come to an agreement and both sides seem to settle for the fact that this is their life now.
Nuo Fang helps his pregnant mate onto the cart and Wu Shenxin follows. With a sigh, Nuo Fang says to Shan Xianyan, “I'll see you in six months.”
“See you in six months.” Shan Xianyan says that but then the emotions hit him. He won't get to see his adoptive brother every day. He feels tears prick at his eyes and soon Nuo Fang is also crying. They hug suddenly and the tears flow freely. They hold each other for a while because they won't see each other in what will seem like forever.
“Our children will get to see each other in the summer and winter. We'll see each other again.” Nuo Fang says.
When they pull away, Shan Xianyan wipes his eyes and nods. They reluctantly say goodbye and Shan Xianyan watches Nuo Fang leave on the cart with his Omegas. When he's out of sight, Shan Xianyan makes his way back inside Anxiang Valley. His future changed a lot in a year but he's willing to follow the path that has been carved out for him. He has Liu Zuan so what else could make it better?
Part 2 – Blossoms of the Future
All of Anxiang Valley is tense in anticipation. In the beating heat of August, the Liu clan is waiting for news of Liu Zhaoxian giving birth to Nuo Fang's child. He is due any day now but what has the clan on edge is that previous news they received from Youshen of the Omega's condition. He had been ordered to have bed rest by the midwives in the last month of his pregnancy because of complications. If he strained himself too much, they said the lives of himself and the baby would be in danger. Because of this news, it’s a waiting game to see what happens.
It's been almost two months since Nuo Fang left Anxiang Valley with his Omega mates, Liu Zhaoxian and Wu Shenxin, and Shan Xianyan does feel a little lonely without his adoptive brother by his side. However, Shan Xianyan made his own bed so he must lay in it, so to speak. Shan Xianyan has a mating bond with the brother of Liu Zhaoxian, Liu Zuan, and is expecting a child with him.
Look, Shan Xianyan didn't intend to get Liu Zuan pregnant but his rut and Liu Zuan's heat snuck up on both of them and neither were able to prepare with cultivation-made birth control and simple abstinence was out of the question. Shan Xianyan promised Liu Zhashi he would not get an Omega pregnant after Nuo Fang did but it was a promise that wasn't very realistic in the first place. If Shan Xianyan and Liu Zuan hadn't formed a mating bond, Shan Xianyan would have been exiled from Anxiang Valley for such blatant rule-breaking and broken promises. Liu Zhashi is furious but there was nothing he could do about it. Breaking apart a couple that has a mating bond could drive both mates into a deep depression. In some cases, a depression so deep that it leads to death from lack of self-care and pining. Liu Zhashi loves his son too much to cause him such pain so he had a compromise made; Shan Xianyan must marry into the LianyuLiu sect and live there the rest of his life.
If Shan Xianyan weren't bonded to Liu Zuan, being stuck in Anxiang Valley for the rest of his life would be a living hell for the free-spirited man. However, the bond changed something in him. Being able to feel what Liu Zuan feels and the strong love he feels for Shan Xianyan makes it impossible for him for dreaming of ever leaving Liu Zuan's side. The two are inseparable from the bond. Getting to marry Liu Zuan once the baby is born is just the icing on top of his situation. He may be nervous about becoming a parent so young in life but he has Liu Zuan to help him. He's not as scared as he thought he would be.
Shan Xianyan is encouraged by the Liu clan to start wearing the attire of the sect but he has declined to until he's officially married to Liu Zuan. He wants to keep some part of his past life right now, not ready to entirely commit to the clan lifestyle. Liu Zuan doesn't question it because his mating bond makes him able to empathize with Shan Xianyan even if he doesn't entirely agree with his mat
e's actions.
Right now, while waiting for news about Liu Zhaoxian, Shan Xianyan is holding his mate close and scenting him with a calming aroma. Shan Xianyan's scent already is reminiscent of rain during a storm but it's less sharp when meant to be calming. While Liu Zuan might be taller, the Omega seems to somehow fit in Shan Xianyan's lap and rest his head on his mate's shoulder while wrapping his arms around him. Shan Xianyan is content to hear his mate gently purr from being comfortable in his arms, pleasing his inner Alpha. Liu Zuan's eyes are closed but he's just relaxing.
“Liu Zuan, are you excited to be an uncle?” Shan Xianyan tries to make conversation.
Liu Zuan opens his eyes, stops purring, and responds, “I'm worried whether my brother and my niece or nephew will live. Bed rest is not a good sign a month before the due date.”
He knows what his mate means. Liu Zhaoxian's pregnancy seemed to be going smoothly until recently they found him coughing up blood and his qi energy was all off. Since then, the midwives in Anxiang Valley have been watching Liu Zuan a lot more carefully as well to make sure he's not experiencing any complications even this early in the pregnancy. Liu Zuan is due in late November to early December but it’s possible that the Liu brothers might both be susceptible to complications.
Shan Xianyan hums in thought before saying, “It will be okay. Your brother is strong. Perhaps it's just because it's a first pregnancy for him. I'm sure you will do well and not have any complications-”
“What if I do?” Liu Zuan interrupts him. His sandalwood scent reflects worry and distress.
“... We won't know until the time comes. No matter what happens to you, I will raise the child. If something happens to the child, we still have each other to get through this. We will work around anything that life throws our way. We're mates, right?” Shan Xianyan meets his eyes and gives him a confident look despite not feeling the same on the inside. He asks, “Has anything happened to make you concerned?”
Liu Zuan looks away and responds dubiously, “Not exactly.” He must feel Shan Xianyan narrow his eyes suspiciously because he continues, “My qi has been off but the midwives have told me it's normal. It... feels like a second set of qi inside me. I'm not sure if you can imagine it but I can feel our child inside me and it makes this so much more real.”
It takes Shan Xianyan a moment to understand what he means but when he does, he can only offer a small smile. Liu Zuan is nervous about becoming a parent like he is. Both are eighteen years old and are already going to be in charge of raising another human being. Feeling another set of energy inside oneself must feel really foreign. However, he does sense Liu Zuan isn't telling the whole truth. There's something else there that he's simply not willing to disclose and Shan Xianyan decides it's better to let his mate have some secrets as long as they're not harming anyone or himself.
As they hold each other, Shan Xianyan reflects on another change that happened. Bonded mates have their own living quarters in Anxiang Valley, just like how single Alphas and Omegas are separated into two different housing areas. Their new home has three bedrooms; one is currently being used as a study, one is being turned into a nursery, and one is their own bedroom. Having a home with his mate is really pleasant. He knows that this will be the home he will raise his family in and it does make him realize that he needs to make up for his past behavior to Liu Zhashi since he's going to need the man's guidance now that he's adjusting to becoming a member of the Liu clan. This change really cements that he's part of the Liu clan now, living with his mate and expecting a child that will be born into the sect.
When there's a loud knock on the door of their home, Shan Xianyan and Liu Zuan separate from each other and head to answer the door. Liu Zuan sets a hand on his modestly-swelled belly as he stands behind Shan Xianyan, who opens the door to reveal a disciple of the sect at their door. The disciple looks concerned and greets, “Senior Shan, Senior Liu, I have news about Liu Zhaoxian.”
Both men are wide-eyed and Liu Zuan steps forward, ahead of Shan Xianyan, and asks, “What is it? Is my elder brother okay?”
The disciple swallows and answers, “He almost died but he survived the birth. He gave birth to a boy. There is no name yet because Nuo Yaoren has said that he will wait until his mate has woken from the forced sleep.”
Shan Xianyan and Liu Zuan tense hearing that. He's alive but in a forced sleep? Shan Xianyan asks, “Is the baby okay? Why is he in a forced sleep?”
The disciple fiddles with his bracelet and informs, “The child couldn't get any air... if that makes sense. They had to remove the child by slicing him open. He's in a forced sleep so he does not die from the amount of pain he would be if he was awake.”
Shan Xianyan feels himself go cold hearing that and immediately looks at Liu Zuan. As he suspects, his mate is wide-eyed with horror while clutching his own belly. That wasn't what Liu Zuan needed to hear when he's already scared about giving birth. Shan Xianyan tries to release a calming scent to ease his mate's fears but he also gets irritated and dismisses the disciples with, “That's enough. You're dismissed unless there is anything positive to report.”
“O-Of course, Senior Shan!” The disciple hurries off after that, leaving them alone at their home.
When the disciple is gone, Shan Xianyan turns back to his mate and tries to relax him. “Liu Zuan, at least your brother will live-” He doesn't get to finish because Liu Zuan hugs him tight and is shaking. He can feel the fear and worry his mate feels and all he can do is hug back and try to comfort him. Shan Xianyan imagines how much worry Nuo Fang and Wu Shenxin must feel right now and it might not amount to the collective distress of the Liu clan right now. Regardless, he's here for his mate and will do anything to make sure his pregnancy stays easy.
Shan Xianyan doesn't want to admit it but he's scared something might happen to his own mate. He doesn't know what he would do if he lost Liu Zuan.
They spend the rest of the evening together, both stressed about the news. Shan Xianyan makes dinner and he makes sure Liu Zuan can get to sleep before he does. Once his mate is asleep, he gets some paper and writes a letter to Nuo Fang because he knows the Alpha will need all the support he can get. He wants to ease his own mind by making sure his adoptive brother has support in this hard time.
◆◆◆
Nuo Fang,
I hope you're doing well. We received the news about Liu Zhaoxian and Liu Zuan is worried the same may happen to him. I'm trying to reassure him that he will be fine but even I am not completely sure myself. By the time this letter reaches you, I'm sure that I will be able to soothe my mate's worries but I know that you have to live in the hell of not knowing if your mate will be okay. I guess I'm writing this letter to assure you that your mate will recover and be there for you, your child, and Wu Shenxin.
In other news, Liu Zhashi says that my wedding to Liu Zuan will be in the spring or summer after the birth of our own child. He wanted me to ask you when you planned to marry your Omegas so our weddings aren't so close that our families will be torn on whose to attend. I personally don't mind either but spring might be out for me because my yearly rut will likely return in the spring. Are you okay with marrying in the spring so I can tell Liu Zhashi that my mate and I can in the summer?
I also heard that Wu Xinshi will be visiting soon to discuss your marriage to Wu Shenxin as well. I hope he doesn't kill you. That would be really unfortunate, especially since Wu Shenxin will be off his suppressants for a whole year around the time of his next heat. That actually brings up a good question I have. Will you be having a child with Wu Shenxin as well? I'm not saying it's required but I think it would be interesting to say the least.
I wish you all the best.
From, Shan Shui
P.S I want to reiterate that I hope Wu Xinshi doesn't kill you. I know he wasn't happy about his brother being exposed as an Omega and Wu Shenxin being mated to you was like a slap to the face for him. I wish you luck.
As Nuo Fang finishes reading the letter, he sighs. H
e is glad Shan Xianyan cares enough to send him a letter but it doesn't soothe his mind much considering his mate is still in a forced sleep until his wound heals enough to not have pain that is unbearable. Liu Zhaoxian is not getting worse but Nuo Fang has been on the verge of qi deviation from worry just because he can't be by his mate's side. If his son and Wu Shenxin weren't by his side, he would lose control. The midwives and healers won't let Nuo Fang see his mate, making things even tenser.
However, he considers the future that Shan Xianyan brought up. He would love to marry his Omegas next spring if Liu Zhaoxian recovers enough. But, the main issue to that will be Wu Xinshi. Wu Xinshi is really against his brother mating Nuo Fang and the fact they have no mating bond mark only pushed him to send the Nuo clan aggressive (not passive-aggressive, just plain aggressive) letters demanding his brother return to the JinmaoWu sect. Nuo Fang let his mother and father handle the diplomacy between the two sects since he's sure he would just anger the sect leader more by responding that he has no intention of giving Wu Shenxin up and he doesn't quite understand Wu Xinshi's anger in marrying off his brother in the first place.
Really, he has no idea because Wu Xinshi never really cared what Wu Shenxin did as long as he hid his identity as an Omega. It's not Wu Shenxin's fault that he had his first heat because of Nuo Fang. From what he understands about the JinmaoWu sect is that their sect is known for killing people who present as Omega in their sect because being Omega is considered 'weakness'. So, why would his brother even bother getting angry when Omegas are lower than dirt in their clan anyway? Shouldn't he be happy to get rid of the Omega in their clan by marrying him off? Nuo Fang has no ill-will towards any Omegas and he thinks Wu Xinshi's thinking is backward considering what he knows about the sect he's from.
Scents of Sandalwood and Rain Page 4