Chapter 2 : Sensitive Period Danger

Keith didn''t know how long it had been, but he finally saw a glimmer of light while struggling in his nightmare. His eyes slowly opened, and for a moment, he was dazed by the light.

It felt like the first time he met Austin, when Austin rescued him from a cold, dark basement. Back then, Austin had been so gentle, it felt unreal. The way he looked at Keith made him feel like Austin had loved him for a long time. He told Keith that no one would ever bully him again.

Keith remembered Austin once telling him, "You smell like gardenias. It''s nice."

At that time, Keith thought Austin liked his scent. Looking at Austin, he felt like Austin was glowing. He even wondered if Austin was a hero sent by heaven to save him and cherished the only person who treated him so well.

But within seconds, Keith was pulled back to reality by that cold, hard voice.

"You''re not dead, are you? Stop pretending."

The disdain in Austin''s voice brought Keith back to his senses. When he looked up, he saw Austin''s face filled with disgust and impatience.

Of course... Austin liked the scent of Frank Douglas, the smell of cream. He just thought Keith was similar.

Keith dragged his weak body out of the closet. When he stood up, he immediately felt dizzy and stumbled, falling to his knees. He looked up at Austin, who stared down at him indifferently, not even intending to help him up.

"From now on, stay here and don''t go anywhere. Not even a step."

Austin''s tone left no room for argument. He turned his back on Keith before he could say anything, as if he didn''t want to speak to him or even look at him.

But Keith still heard the only words Austin said, thrown out casually, "Fragile." Then he walked away without looking back.

Keith struggled to his feet, the pain in his leg making it hard to stand. His heart felt bitter as he wiped away the tears from his eyes and forced a smile.

Mr. Austin must be busy with his own things and can''t take care of him, so he doesn''t want him running around. Mr. Austin must still care about him, he must...

After all, the Austin he used to know couldn''t stand to see him sad.

That night, Keith sat on the couch, glancing out the window from time to time, like a puppy waiting for its owner to come home.

Keith wanted to go find him, even if it was just to take a quick look. That would be enough. But Mr. Austin had said he wasn''t allowed to leave the villa, so Keith stayed put, not wanting to make Austin worry.

But as he waited, Keith''s body started to feel very uncomfortable, becoming restless. His pheromones were spreading the strong scent of gardenias. This feeling meant his sensitive period had arrived.

Keith struggled to get the suppressant from the drawer. After injecting it, he felt a bit better, but this time was worse than usual. He could temporarily suppress his pheromones, but it wouldn''t last long. He needed an Alpha''s pheromones to calm him down.

Keith curled up on the couch, hugging himself as if it would bring some comfort. He looked out the window. Should he go find Austin?

But if he did, Austin would be angry. He didn''t want to upset Austin again. But... he was really suffering.

Keith picked up his phone and sent a message to Austin, desperately pleading for him to come home. No matter how many messages he sent, or even the few calls he made, the only response he got was the echoing dial tone in the silent hall.

On the other side, Austin looked at the familiar phone number, his previously cheerful expression turning sour. This little guy really was persistent. Annoyed, he hung up and blocked the number. He didn''t want to be disturbed by anyone right now.

As the call ended, a melodious voice like a silver bell sounded in front of Austin. "Was that your friend? Why didn''t you answer?"

Austin''s lips curved into a smile, his previous irritation dissipating. His deep eyes reflected Frank''s ethereal and delicate face, as beautiful as an immortal. He said gently, "It''s nothing, just a spam call."

Keith looked at the door, nervously rubbing the fabric of his sleeve. In the end, he decided to go out. Given his current situation, Austin would surely understand.

Following the phone''s GPS, Keith finally found Austin. He had intended to go in and see him, but as he approached the window, he was shocked to see an Omega sitting across from Austin. And from the side profile, he recognized him... it was Frank!

Keith was so stunned that he forgot about his physical discomfort, staring blankly at the two in the restaurant. He didn''t even realize when his cheeks became wet.

Frank was dressed in a white suit, his features somewhat similar to Keith''s but more refined and beautiful, with an air of nobility that made him seem a perfect match for Austin.

In contrast, Keith felt he had nothing to offer besides a few similar features to Frank. He always seemed to upset Austin. Seeing them together, he felt even more inadequate.

They were chatting and laughing, with Austin completely dropping his CEO demeanor in front of Frank. "You broke up? What happened? Did he bully you?"

Hearing Austin''s concerned words, Frank''s smile turned a bit bitter. "After being with him for so long, I realized he only wanted my money. Now that he has it, he''s gone."

Austin''s eyes showed a hint of pain as he gave Frank another piece of meat, gently patting his head to comfort him. He didn''t even notice the subtle joy in his own eyes.

Through the glass, Keith clearly saw Austin tenderly serving Frank, sometimes even feeding him directly. For Keith, such treatment was a distant memory.

Watching Frank''s sweet smile as he accepted Austin''s feeding, Keith was reminded of his past self. Back then, Austin was just as gentle and doting. But now... he only saw a fleeting softness in Austin''s eyes when he played the piano.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, Keith turned and walked away, feeling desolate.

Frank didn''t react, but Austin caught a familiar scent of pheromones. He knew immediately who it was. Wasn''t he told not to come out? Damn, what a hassle.

"Frank, I have something to take care of. I''ll have someone come and settle you in a bit," he said, heading outside.

Keith''s pheromones were leaking uncontrollably, attracting the attention of several Alphas on the street, their faces showing greed.

One particularly bold Alpha approached Keith, looking rough and untrustworthy. He reached out to grab Keith.

"Hey there, little Omega. Walking alone during such a time, are you trying to seduce someone? Why don''t you come with me? I''ve got plenty of money."

Keith took several steps back in fear, curling up and trembling like a frightened little rabbit. He quickly covered his mouth and nose as he smelled the pheromones the Alpha was deliberately releasing. But this only made the Alpha come closer, and Keith, feeling weak, was about to collapse.

This only made the Alpha more arrogant, reaching out to touch Keith inappropriately. Keith''s eyes reddened, and tears began to fall, making him look pitiful yet strangely exciting to the Alpha.

Keith shut his eyes tightly in fear, but instead of feeling the disgusting touch, he heard a scream. When he opened his eyes, he saw the Alpha curled up on the ground, trembling in pain. Just as the Alpha was about to curse, he looked up and saw Austin. Recognizing who he was dealing with, the Alpha didn''t dare say a word and fled with his tail between his legs.

Seeing this, the other Alphas who had been eyeing Keith backed off. After all, Keith belonged to Mr. Montague, and no one dared to mess with him unless they were tired of living in Kyoto.

"What made you run out here?" Austin scolded coldly, his irritation evident. He didn''t ask if Keith was hurt or care about Keith''s sensitive period.

Keith, however, thought Austin was concerned about him, and his sadness lessened a bit. "I''m in my sensitive period... It''s really uncomfortable, and the inhibitors aren''t working..."

Austin''s cold expression softened slightly. He took Keith home and used his pheromones to calm him. Keith leaned against Austin''s chest, smiling contentedly. This was enough for him.

It had been so long since Austin had held him like this.

But soon, Austin received a phone call and answered it almost immediately. "Mr. Montague, this Mr. Douglas seems to be your friend. He''s been experiencing some discomfort and has been vomiting. Could you..."

Before the caller could finish, Austin said, "Got it. I''ll be right there."

He then looked back at Keith, his face expressionless. "I''ll have someone prepare the inhibitors. Stay put."

Keith lowered his head, listening to the sound of Austin''s footsteps growing distant. His fingers twisted the hem of his shirt, and his bangs hid the tears that kept falling from his eyes.

Of course, he still cares more about him.