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Wenlang was rushing. He was running late. It was never good when he had to rush.
Through a series of unfortunate events, he'd missed his train. This had left him no choice but a taxi, which, of course, had been an even more perfect option when he got inside and found that his driver was trying to give himself heat stroke at seven thirty in the morning.
He'd started sweating. The bane of his existence. Just like most others of his designation, when he started sweating, his scent came out in full force. He winced at the thought, praying that the combination of his suppressants, the patch on his neck, and the unscented everything he wore would hold.
He stumbled out of the taxi as soon as he could, rushing into the office building with quick steps. He clocked in as quick as he could and rushed toward the kitchen to start boiling off some water. A quick check to his watch told him he was already behind. He was supposed to have the tea to his boss already. Great.
He hovered over the tea, watching it with an eagles eye. It only seemed to make it take longer. Finally, the water turned the right color and he could pour out a cup and load it onto a tray.
He started toward the bosses office, giving friendly smiles to those that he passed. His smiles were returned with bright greetings and, in most cases, the overwhelmingly flowery scents of omega's. He was thankful for the scent neutralizers he kept on him, preventing the overwhelming pheremones from getting stuck in his system. It made it easier for him to keep his face smooth. Having long learned to control any possible reaction he might have, he could usually avoid the worry, but lately most omega scents had been irritating his system more than usual. There was only one scent that never seemed to bother him.
He gave two quick knocks to his bosses door before pushing it open and ducking inside with the tea. He nudged the door shut with his foot before moving forward with purpose. He did his best to be quick, hoping to get past any questions on his tardiness. Luckily for him, his boss was on the phone. Unlucky for him, a quick snap of fingers and a point was enough to keep him in place.
Gao Tu, his friend since high school and now his boss, was leaning back in his sleek black chair as he spoke. His slicked back hair caught Wenlang's attention, the style exposing the smooth column of his throat and framing his soft face in an attractive manner. It left his scent free reign to flow out into the office. God, his scent.
It hit Wenlang like a freight train. Soft sage filled his nose, warming his chest and sending his shoulders into a calmed droop. He felt himself relaxing before his mind could catch up. He snapped back to himself quickly and folded his hands behind his back to hide his clenching fists.
Gao Tu smelled better and better every time Wenlang saw him. The thought was alarming, sending the alpha part of his brain into an overwhelming snap of mine and take him before anyone else can. He shoved that part of his brain down as far as he could.
Wenlang had been in love for ten years, since the two were in their last leg of high school. He struggled with reading his own feelings for a long time, trying desperately to understand what was wrong with him, because that kicking between his ribs wasn't natural. It couldn't be. He'd chalked it up to another side effect of his pheremone disorder, even going so far as to mention it to his doctor in passing. It wasn't until he'd been witness to another alpha making a pass at Gao Tu that he'd realized what was going on. The tug of Jealousy and fear in his chest had served to decode the ache he'd felt for years.
It was an unfortunate realization for him. He already understood his place was to serve at the omega's side. He would have no chance of anything more. Gao Tu was everything Wenlang wanted. Wenlang was everything that Gao Tu hated.
After a moment, Gao Tu finished his phone call. His sharp eyes turned to scan over Wenlang, glasses slipping to the bridge of his nose. He looked so perfect like that, holding all of the control in his hands. Silence settled for a few moments before he hummed, "You're late."
Wenlang nearly preened at the words, his mind screaming out. Yes, keep that attention on me. Look at me, no one else. He caught himself quickly, pinching his side with a reminder to his alpha that this wasn't the type of attention they wanted. He was being scolded, not praised. After a moment, he cleared his throat, clenching his fists tight enough that he was sure there would be marks on his palms from his nails. "I missed my train. It won't happen again."
Gao Tu leaned forward in his seat, eyes rolling as his fingers wrapped around the tea cup on the tray. There was a delicate sort of grace in his movements, betraying the underlying confidence and control he held under the surface. Wenlang's breath stuttered at those long fingers tapping the side of the porcelin. Gao Tu lifted the cup to his lips, blowing gently across the surface of the tea, his eyes peering sternly up at Wenlang through his lashes. "I told you to stop taking the train. If you need money for a car just ask." He paused for a moment to take a sip from his cup before tilting his head, "Or you could always move out of your shabby apartment. I don't like having you so far away anyways. I'll pay for it."
"No!" Wenlang slammed his mouth shut, teeth clicking together as he mentally berated himself. His mouth had run faster than his mind, an unfortunate trait he'd never quite learned to control. He gave a sheepish look to an amused, though clearly frustrated, Gao Tu. "Sorry, I didn't mean to...well...thank you," Wenlang sighed, frustration bubbling up as he failed to find the right words. Why couldn't he be good with words like other alphas? He'd pay anything to be one of those smooth talkers a d not the bumbling mess he was. "I can't move. I need to be closer to the hospital for my family." The flimsy lie burned in his mouth. It didn't matter how many times he'd given it. He hated lying to Gao Tu. But the alternative, telling Gao Tu the truth about his fears of living any closer to the man that he did...he couldn't do that. He was terrified that his rut, the mate seeking syndrome, would make him do something stupid because of the proximity. He was already chaining himself up during his ruts and blockading his door as an extra precaution and the thought of Gao Tu knowing that, knowing what he wanted and how much control he lacked, it made him feel sick.
Gao Tu took another sip of his tea, a satisfied humm leaving his lips as he did. It had taken time, but with the man himself as his teacher, Wenlang had finally gotten the hang of prepping the tea just how Gao Tu liked it. The burst of relaxed and happy sage pheromones filled the air, immediately calming Wenlang's nerves. He felt light and airy, almost as though he'd never been tense in the first place. It was so nice. He wanted to bask in those pheramones for as long as he could.
"Well," Gao Tu shifted topics easily, not a hint of the frustration Wenlang knew he was feeling at the refusal in his tone, "now that you're here, I need you to prepare meeting room two. We're having a meeting with ShengFang Biotech at twelve." Wenlang felt his body tense.
"That wasn't on the schedule." He tried to hide the clench of his jaw and the snap that his alpha was trying to slip into his words. ShengFang...did that mean...?
"It's rather sudden," Gao Tu rubbed at his temples before giving Wenlang a soft smile. "A special favor called in this morning for Sheng Shaoyou."
Wenlang could feel a possessive rage flooding him at the confirmation of who exactly would be at the meeting. Sheng Shaoyou. That cocky arrogant s-class alpha. Wenlang hated him. More importantly, he hated how much Gao Tu seemed to like him. "Mr. Sheng," he tried to hide the bitterness in his mouth, "Should I prepare a mask for you?"
"No," Gao Tu spoke casually, his eyes turning towards some papers on his desk like he wasn't crushing all hope Wenlang had beneath his perfectly polished shoe. "I can stand his scent long enough for the meeting." His face was soft for a moment, too soft. "But do have someone scheduled to clean the room when we're done."
Wenlang nodded slowly, a lump forming in his throat. No mask, of course. Sheng Shaoyou was the only exception for Gao Tu's rules, for his preferences. That rum-tinted orange scent, like fucking toilet cleaner, Wenlang hated it. It always managed to cloy at his senses and rile up his own alpha, desperate to challenge with his own s-class pheremones despite how it might disregulate his system. He hated that scent and he hated that Gao Tu didn't seem to mind it.
Wenlang took a steady breath before asking, "Of course. Can I ask why Mr. Sheng is making an appearance?"
Gao Tu turned to look at him, a furrowed to his brow and a curious look in his eyes. His nose wrinkled as he looked Wenlang up and down, like he was trying to get a read on him. Wenlang found his breath caught in his throat at the stern scrutinizing look. His mind raced with the possibility that he'd said something wrong or his scent had flared out, revealing himself to Gao Tu.
"We're discussing the experimental medicine for gland cancer." He narrowed his eyes at Wenlang again, an annoyed huff leaving his lips as he asked, "Why do you need to know?"
Wenlang found himself relaxing, eyes scanning the pouty look on his bosses face. It was unfair how cute he was. It was unfair how quickly he could put Wenlang at ease. "I need to know what papers to prepare. I'll have your tea ready and Mr. Sheng's usual coffee order as well."
Gao Tu glared at him again, another huff leaving his lips as he leaned forward against his desk. "You know his usual coffee order?" His eyes trailed up and down Wenlang's body for a moment, his scent flaring with something Wenlang couldn't quite identify. "Don't tell me? Wenlang do you have a crush on Sheng Shaoyou?"
Wenlang blanched at the idea, horror spreading through his body at the idea of having a crush on that arrogant prick. His horror must have been easy to read, because when he looked back at Gao Tu the man had an amused smile on his lips, his scent now something much more recognizable. Playfulness. Wenlang realized suddenly that he was being teased. He gave a quick, but thankful, huff at the realization. "Don't even joke like that, you know my thoughts on Mr. Sheng."
Gao Tu gave another laugh, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. You're just so easy to rile up. He stood, that playful smile still on his face as he started to circle around the desk. His mouth opened, as though he planned to speak, when suddenly he froze. Confusion tugged at his features for a moment before he lifted his head, carefully sniffing the air. Wenlang watched him, nerves picking up as the seconds went by. Finally, he couldn't help himself and took a careful whiff of the air as well. He knew as soon as he smelled the air what was happening. It was his own scent, leaking through the suppressants.
His heart caught in his chest as Gao Tu looked up at him, a look of anger and something akin to betrayal on his features. Wenlang could feel himself start to sweat again, nerves increasing his heart rate until there was a steady beating in his ears.
"Didn't you say you were late for the train this morning? Why?"
Wenlang gave a nervous laugh and shifted, hoping that his jacket would grab enough of his scent to keep more from spilling out into the air. "I spilled some food on my clothes. Had to go change, that's all."
Gao Tu raised an eyebrow. "That's all?" He grew quiet for a moment, jaw clenching as he stepped closer to Wenlang. The anger in his scent was suffocating. "The change of clothes clearly wasn't enough to get rid of the smell of "food" on you." Wenlang felt his heart drop to his stomach as Gao Tu's face curled up in disgust, his glare burning against skin. "Wenlang, you know how I feel about alphas, and you dare to come into my office smelling like one?"
Wenlang struggled to breathe at the disappointed phereamones that rushed against him. After a moment, he managed to choke out a weak, "Gao Tu..."
Gao Tu scoffed, forcing the words back down Wenlangs throat. He must have been choking. Was he choking? He had to be, there was no other explanation for the pressure he felt and the growing dimness in his vision. "Go, clean yourself up. You smell disgusting. That scent, Iris, its nauseating."
Wenlang felt his whole body grow heavy, wilting like a dying plant as the words slammed into him. What else had he been expecting? It wasn't the first time those cruel words were shoved down his throat and he had no doubt that it wouldn't be the last. Of course, he was no exception to Gao Tu's hatred of alphas. The only exception to that seemed to be spiked orange and arrogance. Wenlang would never be anything more than a nauseating iris in an orchard of sweet smelling fruit.
He nodded, "Of course, sir. My apologies." He turned, quickly making a break for the door. He needed to get away from the sweet scent of sage and the weight of hatred on his back.
"Wenlang," Gao Tu's voice was sharp, yanking him to a stop and forcing him to turn around. He kept his eyes and head low, afraid Gao Tu would be able to read everything he was feeling on his face. "Don't ever come into my office with the scent of an alpha on you. I expect better from you."
Wenlang thought he might die as the words stabbed into him. He didn't show it, he just nodded. "Yes, Mr. Gao."
He retreated from the room, tail between his legs. There was no other outcome. Not for them. Wenlang was an alpha, and there was nothing Gao Tu hated more in the world than an alpha.