“If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll eat you.”

“Eat what? If you’re hungry, go eat food!” I muttered, rubbing my tingling forehead, and grumbled my way into the kitchen.

For the next week, Wei Heng and I went out every day to work on the mural. Once I got the hang of it, I could finish an entire wall in just two days.

One morning, I made breakfast but didn’t see Wei Heng come downstairs. He usually got up earlier than I did, practicing military exercises in the yard before having breakfast. I had to go upstairs to call him.

Wei Heng was lying in bed, looking tired. I felt his forehead.

“Are you running a fever?”

I fetched a thermometer to check. His temperature was a bit high, but not enough to be considered a fever.

Wei Heng said weakly, “I’m fine… I just need to rest for a bit… You should go ahead without me.”

“Alright. Breakfast is ready, eat it when you wake up.”

I didn’t think much of it and rushed out the door. Without Wei Heng following me today, I felt a little off, like something was missing. My mind was elsewhere, and I didn’t make much progress with my painting, barely completing half of what I usually did.

By noon, the sky had darkened, and a gust of wind swept through, signaling an impending storm. I quickly gathered my supplies and hurried back home. As soon as I stepped inside, the rain began pouring heavily outside.

The house was dark, and the breakfast on the table remained untouched. Was Wei Heng still asleep?

I ran upstairs and burst into his room, ready to wake him up.

“Wei—”

A dark figure suddenly lunged at me, hugging me tightly. His burning body enveloped me, and his hot breath grazed my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Wei Heng? What’s…”

Before I could finish, he bent down and bit me hard. My lips were ravaged by his intense kiss, leaving me completely stunned and confused.

Wei Heng pulled me toward the bed and pressed me firmly underneath him.

It finally hit me—his susceptibility period had arrived!

Alphas go through this phase three to five times a year. While Wei Heng was unconscious, his bodily functions weakened, causing it to occur about twice a year. Now that he was fully recovered, the susceptibility phase had returned more intense than ever.

His pheromones must have started to change days ago, but being a beta, I hadn’t noticed.

My clothes were being torn apart, and with my strength, resisting him was as futile as an ant trying to shake a tree.

Fear took over, and I tearfully pleaded, “No… please, no! I’ll get you a suppressant!”

Wei Heng gasped, “No… no suppressant, I want you…”

“You can’t! I can’t handle this! I’m a be—”

The rest of my words were devoured by his kiss.

I tasted salt in my mouth.

Realizing I was crying, I was shocked. I had always prided myself on never shedding tears, no matter the humiliation. The last time I cried was when my father passed away.

I never thought Wei Heng would push me to my breaking point.

Noticing this, Wei Heng loosened his grip on me.

I trembled, wiping the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand.

Wei Heng, his veins bulging on his forehead and neck, was clearly fighting his desires. In a pained voice, he asked, “Do you hate me…? You don’t want me?”

I shook my head, my voice choked with emotion, “I don’t hate you… I’m… scared…”

I never hated Wei Heng, not once. I always knew how I felt. But I was too afraid to accept him. I didn’t have the courage to fight against the world for him.

Sensing my hesitation, Wei Heng’s movements softened. Gently stroking my face, he reassured me, “You don’t have to be afraid. Leave everything to me… I’ll protect you…”

Could I trust him?

I didn’t have many choices left.

Fine, I thought. I had nothing to lose, after all. I might as well gamble everything on this.

Slowly, I closed my eyes, and Wei Heng kissed me again, this time far more tenderly than before.

An alpha during their susceptibility period is terrifying.

For two days and one night, we were locked in that moment.

My entire body ached as I lay curled up in bed, wrapped in the blankets.

Wei Heng, on the other hand, seemed fully recovered. He even went out to buy a fish and made soup for me.

“An old lady helped me clean it. I added ginger and cooking wine. Try it.”

He carefully brought me a bowl of fragrant, milky-white fish soup, feeding it to me with a spoon. I drank it slowly, one sip at a time, filled with emotion.

A dignified Major General of the Empire, the eldest son of the Wei family, was cooking soup for me. Truly—

Damn him!

After everything he put me through, my back was sore, and my throat hoarse from all the yelling.

With a raspy voice, I said, “Change the bed sheets. Wash them while the sun’s still out…”

“As you wish!”

“And the laundry from the past few days, wash it all.”

“As you wish!”

“Clean up the leaves in the yard too…”

“As you wish!”

Hmm, not bad. If I don’t boss him around now, when will I?

After a day of rest, I returned to painting the next morning. Only a third of the mural was left, and I needed to pick up the pace.

Since his awakening, Wei Heng’s true nature as a shameless flirt had fully emerged. Whenever we were alone, he’d seize the opportunity to cuddle and kiss me.

He even moved his pillows and blankets into my room, shamelessly asking to sleep with me.

Alphas really are insatiable. I worried about whether my small frame could handle his constant demands.

Thankfully, I’ve always been in good shape, and so far, our compatibility in that regard was pretty high.

If I were an omega, I probably would’ve been pregnant by now. Luckily, being a beta, I didn’t have to worry about that.

Even if things didn’t work out between us, there wouldn’t be any lingering consequences… at least, that’s how I comforted myself.

As June approached, my mural was nearly complete.

One day, while I was busy plastering the wall, Wei Heng was crouched beneath the scaffolding, mixing paint for me.

An elderly man suddenly came running up to ask for his help:

“Little Wei! My boat’s run aground! A few people have tried pushing it, but it won’t budge. Can you give us a hand?”

I quickly urged him, “You should go.”

With his great strength, Wei Heng was perfect for the task.

Setting aside his brush, Wei Heng followed the old man.

I finished the mural on my own.

After placing the final stroke, I moved the scaffolding aside and activated the photo system on my wristband to capture the mural’s overall effect.

While I was taking pictures, I noticed two young boys, carrying fishing rods and baskets, running by in the distance.