Chapter Text
His inner omega gasped, making him turn around and face Crimson Flower’s lead alpha.
“Your Highness, I’m sorry for not introducing myself properly. Forgive me for my lack of manners.”
A deep but melodic voice came out from above him and Xie Lian gulped, before slowly moving his eyes upwards, tracing the lines of Alpha’s robes, redder than maples, wrapped around his huge, muscular body. A silver necklace caught his attention. It was round, with a couple of silver butterflies, their wings engraved with various swirls and flourishes. He wanted to reach out and touch one of them - they looked so fragile, was it even possible to be made from silver?
He couldn't wonder long, finally lifting his gaze to stand with Hua Cheng face to face. “I’m Hua Cheng. Crimson Flower’s Lead alpha. It’s an honour to meet you, Your Highness.”
Their eyes met. Xie Lian could swear he saw a wisp of gold shining in the darkness of Hua Cheng’s pupil. His eyes wandered for a bit on the eyepatch. It wasn't the right time to address it. He took a deep breath.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Lord Chengzhu,” He politely responded, tilting his head in respect.
Hua Cheng was a stunning young man. His skin was white, almost like snow, contrasting with loose raven locks that framed his face. His tall figure towering over Xie Lian, leaning slightly, probably for the omega’s comfort, so he wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed. Chengzhu’s face was small, his eye sharp, underlined with a red eyeliner, his long, black lashes making him appear somewhat softer.
“I hope we can get along, my Lord. I don't mean to cause any trouble,” Xie Lian smiled politely.
He could see the alpha opening his lips to respond, but then Feng Xin pushed himself between them, making the omega take two steps back, grabbing gently his injured hand.
“Your Highness, you should have come to me right after the ceremony ended,” the brunette alpha sighed, cleaning up his wound. His hold was soft, not meaning any harm.
Xie Lian watched him frown while focusing on bandaging his hand, before he shifted his gaze away, to Hua Cheng’s palm. To his surprise, the cut had already disappeared. His wolf’s regeneration must be astonishing, omega wondered.
The red clad man was staring at Feng Xin, visibly tense, his bland lips curled into a straight line.
“Thank you,” The prince smiled weakly, when the older man finished tying bandages into a small ribbon at the back of his hand. The man leaned into him, his lips brushing against Xie Lian’s beige ear, which twitched a little from the sensation.
“Watch out for him, your Highness. If anything happens, we will be near. Just call out for us,” Feng Xin walked away with a stern expression. His words made the omega’s guts twist before he slowly lifted up his gaze to Hua Cheng’s face.
Why was everyone talking about him like he was the worst kind of person? Xie Lian met various people, some best of the best, and others worst of the worst, and Hua Cheng didn’t feel like the second kind of them. Yes, he killed his brother, but he was forced to, wasn't he? At least that’s what omega knew from gossips. He should give him a chance. He took a deep breath, brushing his dark hair back.
“It’s a beautiful evening,” He hummed, looking away from the tall figure, up to the sky.
After all the gloominess during the day, right now there wasn't a single cloud. The moon’s white face was looking down at them, its white light mixing with the red glow from the lanterns. On a dark navy blue sky, stars resembled shining silver sequins tangled up in a soft fabric. This scenery made the prince feel a little bit better.
“Would you mind showing me around your territory, my Lord?”
Hua Cheng’s eye lit up, and a small, sly smile welcomed his lips.
“You must be a mind reader, your Highness. I was just about to suggest the same thing,” the Younger hummed, before offering the Prince his arm to hold onto.
Hesitantly, Xie Lian wrapped his own arm around it, their bodies slightly pressed against each other. The omega could feel the alpha’s body heat radiating off him. Alpha’s bodies were naturally warmer than betas and omegas, accustomed to more extreme conditions.
Their stroll was mostly silent. Red lanterns were hung over their heads, the smells of fried meat, boiled soups and sweet glazed fruits filling up the streets crowded with wolves celebrating. It wasn't hard pushing through them, the crowd was voluntarily parting before them, before their alpha and their future luna, paying them respectful bows or blessing them with incense and paper charms.
It felt… weird. Silver Leaf citizens never treated him like he was better. He worked with them side by side, earning respect with his hardworking personality and good deeds, and here… People were bowing to his feet just because he got engaged to their leader. It made him feel uneasy, a deep, weird sensation making his stomach turn, yet he smiled politely at everyone.
“Do you know the legend of the rise of the Crimson Flower, your Highness?” Hua Cheng’s voice cut right through the street bustle, instantly catching Xie Lian’s attention. He shook his head, looking up at the younger’s face. “It is said that many, many years ago there was a human kingdom in this place.” His tone was soft, as he looked up at the sky scattered with stars. “A fire broke out, killing everyone except for the Crown Prince. He was trapped in his own bedroom for decades, living only off his faith. Not that long after the fire, the kingdom slowly started disappearing in the foliage.”
They stepped off the street, on a gravel pathway going straight to a beautiful fountain made from dark, shiny hematite. A sculpture of two wolves was standing on top of it, the animals proudly gazing upwards, at the moon.
“Looking for a place to rest, a small pack of wolves found the ruins. They were sick and tired, having lost almost all of their pups during the long trip. Their last pup wandered off deeper into the ruins, picking up flowers, eventually finding the Prince’s chamber. At first, the pup wanted to scream, scared of humans that were tormenting wolves during these times, but the Prince didn't show any signs of hostility,” Hua Cheng stopped near the fountain, watching the moon’s reflection in a glistening, moving water. ”Tired of his life in loneliness, the Prince just lifted his hand, grabbing one of the white flowers from the bouquet, before transferring into it all of his vital energy, slowly disappearing from this world. The flower turned dark red, the colour of blood. When the pup brought it back to its parents, each of them ate one petal. It instantly healed them, and they decided to start a new pack in this place, using the flower’s petals to help others. It is said that it’s still here, somewhere on this ground, having magical abilities to cure any disease or even bring back the dead.”
Xie Lian didn’t know what to think about it. Where were the gods in this story? Did they just abandon the prince, even if his faith was so strong to hold him alive for so long?
“It was really generous of the Prince to give the wolves his life essence, even if that was just an accident,” The omega hummed, looking around.
The central garden grounds were dark and empty. Beside them, there was no living soul around, only splashes of water and an echoing music from the main street disturbed the silence between them.
“Are you tired, your Highness?” Hua Cheng asked, looking down at the older wolf pressed against his side.
His gaze was unreadable to Xie Lian. It was slightly warm, with an odd note of longing and something else. Something strong, something wild, that was so poorly hidden.
“I’m sorry,” Xie Lian felt like he had to apologise for his gloomy mood, looking away at the ground. “I am, just a little, my Lord.” He could feel Hua Cheng’s hand slightly shift, gently grabbing his own wrist, now, the warmth of his touch even more palpable.
“There’s nothing to apologise for, my Prince. Let’s head to the Paradise Manor. That’s where you will reside from now.”
They resumed their stroll, now going straight north. Over the treeline, on the horizon, the omega could see snowy mountain tops, towering over their territories, resembling silver spikes in the dark.
“With you?” He asked without thinking, making Hua Cheng stop for a second. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry when a weird expression swept over the alpha’s face.
“Yes, with me, but don’t worry, my Prince. You will get your own chamber,” It was really peculiar how the red-clad man could read his mind, always knowing what to respond to make him feel better.
Where was this crazy and malicious man he heard about? It really didn't make sense at all.
Crimson Flower’s Territory wasn’t as big as Silver Leaf’s, but it had great qualities. Da De river split it almost in half. Various arch bridges connected the Northern District with the Southern district, built from stone, full of bas reliefs depicting flowers and ancient beasts made by skilled hands. It looked old… were they remnants from the human kingdom that Hua Cheng told him about?
His attention was quickly grabbed by something else.
As they walked out the Northern District, past the treeline, a huge wooden building appeared before his eyes. Elevated, it was painted bright red, the luckiest colour. Its portal was facing south, the construction symmetrical, towering over other buildings that now seemed small next to the Paradise Manor. It had multiple stories, its roof tops were sharp, upturned, high walls supported with columns that had golden and black heads, carved with ornate symbols and ancient beasts.
Da De river was twisted left, flowing through the garden grounds of the scarlet building. When they stepped closer, up the stone stairs, Xie Lian noticed various red lanterns hanging up. Upon closer inspection, they were vastly different. Instead of golden symbols of luck painted on them, a silver paint glistened in bloody light, portraying small butterflies just like the ones on alpha’s necklace.
“Your Highness,” Hua Cheng’s low voice snapped him out of his reverie. Omega quickly turned his head to him. “Would you mind if instead of leading you to your chamber, first I would show you one more thing?”
The Prince wasn’t in the position to disagree, his faith now belonging to his alpha, so he nodded, letting the younger man to guide him by his arm through the hallways of Paradise Manor.
The interior was rich - full of screen wall art, depicting dragons swirling in the wind, and ancient wars. There were silky curtains in main hallways, the walkways having round shapes, resembling gibbous stages of the moon cycle. The spaces were big, visibly for the enjoyment of the civilians, walls lined up with panels with traditional chinese latticework, and occasional stands with ancient lacquerware and notable ceramics. The whole interior had a touch of modernity in the walls, stabilising the construction, with beautiful, crystal chandeliers. How did Hua Cheng manage such a big, beautiful place?
Xie Lian heard that his lair was a hellhole - with a throne made out of bones, hanged wolves from the ceiling and carpets made out of human skin, but it… It just looked mesmerising with such an amount of detail, putting the Blue Palace of Silver Leaf to shame with it’s decoration and size. His mom would have liked this place, the Prince thought.
“We’re here, your Highness,” The alpha stopped next to the black door with Taotie painted on them, its big gaping mouth open, full of teeth. The man shifted, opening them before Xie Lian.
Inside was an armoury. The omega’s eyes lit up at the sight of all the weapons hanging up on the walls, some showcased inside glass cabinets. Swords, scimitars, daggers, whips, flails, and even magical fans, full of grace and colour. At first, he was scared to even touch them, his tail wagging nervously, as he looked back at Hua Cheng. The man of course knew what was on his mind, his lips slowly curling in a smirk, as he nodded.
Xie Lian ran his fingers over the cold blade of a steel greatsword, its hilt decorated with floral ornaments.
“It’s for you, your Highness. Take it as… an engagement gift,” Hua Cheng’s voice made him shudder, not expecting him to speak out.
“It’s too big of a gift. I can’t accept it, my Lord,” he quickly declined. With all of these weapons, probably collected over hundreds of years, from different parts of the world, even if his heart called for it, he couldn’t just say “I want it”.
“You can, your Highness. I just want to ask for one thing in exchange,” Xie Lian’s ears moved, as he heard footsteps. He turned his head, the red clad man now standing just behind him, his whisky scent now detectable for the omega. What was weird, the manor didn’t smell like alpha at all. The Prince could smell various wolves, but not his fiance, which was odd, since the younger probably lived here. “I would like you to have dinners or suppers in my company, depending on our schedule. It’s just one meal a day.”
The proposition surprised the omega. He frowned a little, but didn’t really have a reason to say no, so instead, a courteous smile appeared on his rosy lips.
“Sounds fine with me, my lord,” He wanted to bow, but a big hand stopped him, gently catching his chin, lifting his head up. As their skin made contact, Xie Lian sighed at the warm sensation of sparkles rolling through his body. Their eyes met.
“Please, drop the honorifics. From now on, call me San Lang. Does that sound fine with you, gege?” Hua Cheng’s words weren’t sensual at all, yet his face burned, his heart racing at the sudden “gege” that escaped from the alpha’s lips.
He let out a weak “yeah” as he took a step back so his body could relax a bit, this proximity with Hua Cheng definitely not doing him any good.
This wasn’t a great idea, because his foot got twisted, and his back hit one of the cabinets. The glass shattered, and if it wasn’t for the alpha’s quick reaction, his hands grabbing him by his waist and pulling him back, he would have been pierced by a handful of weapons falling off the shaken up wall. With his face pressed into the younger's muscular chest, he could only thank his bad luck.
“I’m-I’m sorry, my Lor-San Lang!” He quickly apologised, ashamed, pulling away and covering his face with his hands. Did he really just wreak havoc in an armoury that was Hua Cheng’s gift for him? He just wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole.
“It’s okay gege, someone will clean this up,” San Lang’s reassuring voice made him feel even worse. The alpha seemed to notice it, his big warm hand reaching out to caress his back. “It’s not a big deal, I know you’re tired. Let’s go.”
WIth a resigned huff, he just took Hua Cheng’s extended hand, letting him lead him out of the compartment. With just a wave of alpha’s hand, a masked youth appeared from the shadows, swiftly passing them and closing the door behind them.
He laid back his ears, lowering his head and watching younger’s black tail bob with every step he took up the stairs. The second story was full of residential chambers. It was smaller, but still spacious, just like the room they entered. Its main colour was white and gold. It looked just like it was made especially for him based on his bedroom in Blue Palace, back in his father’s pack.
On the centre of the western wall was a big bed with sheer light canopy, placed on a pedestal. On the side were open doors leading to the walk in closet. Some bookshelves, lit up candles and a coffee table next to a sofa, a dressing table, a big TV and a radio tower. His baggage was left next to the bed.
“Where are Feng Xin and Mu Qing?” He asked timidly, rubbing his tired eyes as he looked around, wondering about his friends.
“Don’t worry, gege. I will make sure they have a warm place to stay,” He let Hua Cheng lead him onto the bed. “Rest now. You’re safe here.”
He really wanted to believe it as he laid down onto the clean, white sheets, smelling like laundry detergent. He closed his eyes for a moment, listening as alpha’s steps were getting further away, until he left the room with the click of the door. Then, Xie Lian sat up, sighing, and decided to unpack first.
His thoughts were full of the mysterious alpha. He really did not understand who he really was.
All these stories, about being a cold blooded killer… there should be a seed of truth, yet Hua Cheng didn’t seem heartless. Yes, he could feel the strength emanating from him, but being strong didn’t always mean being a bad person.
While lost in thought, folding his clothes and putting them on shelves took him some time. After that, he showered in the bathroom connected to his bedroom, changed into his nightgown and went back to bed, turning off the lights and blowing out all the candles. He was afraid that if he left even one still lit up, he would cause a fire. With a worried mind, he finally laid under the fresh duvet, closing his eyes, his tired body relaxing almost instantly as his head hit the pillow.
Little did he know that this night wouldn’t be a restful one.