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The tea was too bitter again. Shen Wenlang hated this conversation about how much work Gao Tu had already transferred over to the secretary team. He hated that Gao Tu was leaving him. Maybe he should just give Gao Tu that damn 15% of the company. He was going to need to deal with the incompetence of everyone else if he let Gao Tu go.
Why was Gao Tu so determined to take care of that stupid Omega while his own health was so fragile? It bothered Shen Wenlang. How could Gao Tu think of leaving of his job when Shen Wenlang knew Gao Tu's sister also currently relied on his paycheck? Shen Wenlang wished he could convince Gao Tu to at least leave that Omega that was weighing him down. But even if he couldn't convince him to leave that Omega, how could Shen Wenlang do anything for Gao Tu if Gao Tu left him? At least now he could at least provide Gao Tu the money he needed and had his presence during the day.
He tried to make himself sound like it wasn't a big deal when telling the cowering little beta who Gao Tu was trying to train to be his replacement that it's okay if they take a bit longer for the handoff. He knows that Gao Tu probably doesn't have that much paid time off left with how much time he's taken both to take of himself, his sister, and that heat sick Omega.
He didn't expect Gao Tu to come in to his office at that moment and so neatly unravel everything that Shen Wenlang tried to do to keep him for just a little longer. Why did Gao Tu want to leave him so badly? Gao Tu looked like he was half a second from bolting out the door if Shen Wenlang made any move towards him. But he had to try. He was going to lose him anyway at this rate.
Shen Wenlang wasn't paying attention to anything else other than the other man in front of him as he stood up to try to get closer to Gao Tu. In his haste to catch him he tripped on the edge of his desk and fell forward. Shen Wenlang was usually more coordinated being an S-Class Alpha. But this time he failed to catch himself and was about to sprawl undignified all over the floor in front of both Gao Tu and the other secretary. Unexpectedly he felt a pair of arms catch him and cushion his fall.
Gao Tu hadn't exactly prevented his fall, but instead just fell with him. He didn't have any momentum when lost his balance so it wouldn't have been a bad fall even if it just landed on the floor. It didn't look it had hurt Gao Tu either. In fact, Gao Tu looked surprised by his own actions but otherwise just fine. He tried to untangle himself from Shen Wenlang, but Shen Wenlang wasn't going to let him go now that he was in reach. Before he thought more about it, Shen Wenlang hugged Gao Tu to him both of them sitting on the floor in an awkward looking pile of limbs.
That was when he noticed it. It must have been the reason why Gao Tu tried to stay away from him. The strong smell of blue sage. That Omega's scent. Stronger than it had even been on Gao Tu. Shen Wenlang internally howled in jealously at what that must mean. How dare that weak Omega be allowed to leave his scent all over Gao Tu this way.
Shen Wenlang was normally a very controlled man when it came to his pheromones and his emotions. He hated when others were careless and let their every emotion and thought be felt through pheromones. Because of that he tried very hard not be careless himself. But this was too much, he unthinking released a single strong wave of angry, distressed, and suppressive pheromones. He instinctively wanted to overcome that scent that was on Gao Tu with his own scent. He never would have done something so shameful and childish but he was being pushed towards the edge with this unknown but always present Omega going this far but never fully committing or claiming Gao Tu.
His own action had surprised him today but he was unprepared for what happened next. He would have thought that Gao Tu wouldn't have been affected by his pheromones, in the same way the other beta secretary barely noticed them. Even with Gao Tu's asthma and sensitivity, such a short bust of pheromones, even if it was strong, shouldn't have been very noticeable. But instead, his pheromones were answered by Gao Tu’s. The blue sage scent didn't disappear like he expected, it wasn't overpowered by his own scent, but instead the smell of the blue sage softened and answered his jealously with a soothing fresh note.
"President Shen! Secretary Gao!" The female beta cried out. There was enough drama in front of her even without her being aware of the extra layer going on in terms of the pheromones in the air. Shen Wenlang had forgotten she was in the room. "Are you two okay! That looked like a terrible fall!"
Gao Tu started to answer but Shen Wenlang interrupted. "We are fine. You can go Secretary Ming. Gao Tu will help me from here you can go."
"Should I bring someone to help?" She asked.
"No," Shen Wenlang growled out. "Just go. Close the door on your way out."
Shen Wenlang didn't pay her any mind as she stepped around them and gently closed the door. He was never great at dealing with rumors. Mostly because he just ignored them until they died. He had thought it through it bit more he would know he was going to ignite the fires of the rumor mill with his actions. But his mind wasn't on that, something in Shen Wenlang told him that if he let Gao Tu now, he would never catch up with how fast Gao Tu could run.
Every line in Gao Tu's body was tense and ready for movement. He would bolt the second Shen Wenlang gave him a chance. Gao Tu often pulled away from Shen Wenlang when he got too close. Shen Wenlang would always leave an escape route for Gao Tu because he trusted that Gao Tu would come back eventually. No matter how demanding or how much he said the wrong thing- Gao Tu would eventually come back into his orbit.
He had trusted in that ever since he found Gao Tu again working at his company after they part ways due to the end of high school.
But he couldn't trust that now. Not with the fact that the smell of blue sage wasn't one that was left behind by someone else, by some shadow of an Omega that never left Gao Tu alone.
He was holding Gao Tu. He was close enough to know.
"This is your scent." Shen Wenlang had to say it out loud or it might not be true.
Gao Tu scent got stronger again but this time sharper worried but clearly stronger version the blue sage that always seemed to be just faintly on everything he owned. "No- I don't know what -" Gao Tu tried to deny it.
"Gao Tu are you going to deny it even now? When I can smell you? When you just used calming pheromones on me?" Gao Tu grew silent and still at that. In the past Shen Wenlang would have to rely on anything from Gao Tu to signal to him what Gao Tu was thinking. A small smile. Gao Tu looking at something important in the room. If he didn't tell him what was important Shen Wenlang had a hard time figuring out what Gao Tu was thinking. But he didn't need it this time. He could smell it clearly. That lovely scent.
"When?" He asked hoarsely. He isn't sure which question he's asking.
When had Gao Tu presented? When had decided to hide that he's an Omega? When had decided to stop hiding? When was he going to tell Shen Wenlang any of this?
He didn't know if he even wanted any of these questions answered. Did Gao Tu hide to get close to him like Hua Yong did to get close to Sheng Shaoyou? No that couldn't be it. Gao Tu thankfully didn't have Hua Yong's insane personality. Even with this he wouldn't have done it just for that. He was too responsible, too steady.
The scent of blue sage changed to a sharper spiky note as Gao Tu tried to get his arms between him and Shen Wenlang. He struggled briefly to try put distance between them but Wenlang gripped the back of Gao Tu's jacket and held him so that there wasn't any space between them. It meant that he couldn't see Gao Tu's face this way. That was probably good, it seemed Gao Tu was more honest this way.
"Gao Tu why didn't you tell me when you presented?" Shen Wenlang didn't mean to sound angry. He was a little angry. This person who was so close to him had been lying to him for so long. But he didn't want to sound angry. He realized that the spiky scent added to the blue sage was fear and that Gao Tu was distressed and scared of him.
For possibly the first time in his life Shen Wenlang used his pheromones to try to calm someone down instead of fight them off. He waited with the patience of a hunter. Letting the scent of iris mix with the blue sage. Gao Tu finally stopped fighting him and in small almost defeated voice that was directly next to Shen Wenlang's ear said.
"Being an Omega wasn't safe when I was growing up. It was safer to be a Beta. Besides you don't like Omegas."
Shen Wenlang buried his face into Gao Tu's shoulder. He was angry at himself for every time he said sometime that made Gao Tu scared to tell him something this important. He was angry at Gao Tu for taking him at his word and not considering Shen Wenlang's actions and he tried in so many ways to support Gao Tu in the only way that Gao Tu would let him. His anger was quickly replaced by shame the smell of wilted iris grew stronger and Shen Wenlang loosened his grip on Gao Tu.
Gao Tu startled when felt that Shen Wenlang's wasn't holding him so tightly. He almost pulled away but the distress from Wenlang was something that he didn't expect and it pulled at him. He had never purposefully used his pheromones. Living his life using suppressants since he was first presented as child meant he had no practice at this. But he didn't need to be practiced at this because he and Shen Wenlang were so compatible. Back at the hotel room, the lust from one of them feed the other until it grew uncontrollable for either of them. Here Shen Wenlang's hurt pulled at Gao Tu's desire to sooth. Gao Tu's worry pulled at Shen Wenlang's desire to protect.
Gao Tu's instincts told him that if he didn't run now, he wouldn't be able to, but how could he run with the smell of wilted iris surrounding him.
"Wenlang, let me go." Gao Tu continued to keep his voice soft. "The smell must be awful for you." If he could get Shen Wenlang to back away from him, he could still do it and run. He could protect his child that way.
But Gao Tu shouldn't have relied on his past knowledge of what Wenlang had said. He didn't know that Shen Wenlang was only so vocal about disliking the smell only because he was jealous and angry that if he wasn't careful, he would find the smell sweet.
Shen Wenlang didn't let Gao Tu go. Instead, he swiftly bit at Gao Tu's clothed shoulder near his neck. Not exactly on the glandes producing the blue sage scent and not hard enough to mark but a silent intent to claim if given half a chance. He didn't know any quicker way to say that he liked the way Gao Tu smelled and that he wasn't going to let go over this.
"Wenlang!” Gao Tu gasped in shock and found himself once again held tightly.
"This Gao Tu's scent. There isn't any other Omega." Wenlang said as if that explained his actions. And to Shen Wenlang he realized it did explain everything for him. If this was Gao Tu, then this was what Shen Wenlang wanted.
All Shen Wenlang had to do was deal with that usurper Omega that tricked him at the hotel and everything would be fine.
He nuzzled into Gao Tu's neck happy with his own realization. He noticed that Gao Tu had stiffened again but thought it was just because it was new for him to so physical with Gao Tu. Shen Wenlang isn't used to presenting calming pheromones but he releases his iris scented pheromones as he rubs at Gao Tu's back.
Gao Tu shakes his head and tries to push Shen Wenlang away again. But Shen Wenlang refuses to be moved away.
"Shen Wenlang, stop think about this. You don't even like Omegas." Gao Tu tries again.
Shen Wenlang moves to hold both of Gao Tu's wrists in his hands. He looks directly in Gao Tu's eyes and says it for the first time out loud. "I like Gao Tu."
Gao Tu's eyes widen and his shoulders sag. "What am I going to do with you. You're so stubborn."
"Be mine. My Gao Tu." Gao Tu hadn't actually asked it as question but Shen Wenlang answered him like it was most serious question in the world. "Whatever you want of mine is yours."
Gao Tu stares at Shen Wenlang directly as if trying to find something. Shen Wenlang doesn't know what he's looking for. Apparently, he's never really understood what Gao Tu wanted from him at any point in the whole time he's know him but that doesn't change anything for him.
Gao Tu finally squares his shoulders back up and after taking a deep breath. "I want to keep the child."
It clicks like a firework being lit in Shen Wenlang brain. Gao Tu said he was leaving to take care his Omega's child. Gao Tu was the Omega. Gao Tu was pregnant. Not only that, but his mind flashes to holding these wrists against the bed in X hotel. The broad shoulders he pushed down into the bedding were the same one he looks for every day.
"Wenlang?" Gao Tu sounds worried. Was Shen Wenlang too quiet for too long? He shouldn't worry Gao Tu like that. The blue sage barely spikes with Gao Tu's confusion, when Shen Wenlang pulls both of them up to rush over to desk. Gao Tu is forced to follow pulled by Shen Wenlang's grip on his wrist. The entire time Shen Wenlang was emitting calming pheromones. Shen Wenlang sits back at his desk and pulls Gao Tu into his lap before picking up his desk phone to call the HR department.
"I need you to stop work on Gao Tu's resignation papers and get him reinstated to everything. And then I need you to start work on his maternity leave."