129: 3.69 Is It Time?

3.69 Is It Time?

The day of Princess Rosemane's execution arrived without a hitch. For her severe crime of harming the Emperor and the mastermind of bombing case in her half-brother's wedding, Princess Rosemane's execution would be done in the middle of the City Square, shown to the public as a warning and assurance that the law was fair and she would receive her due punishment regardless of her status as a Princess. 

As soon as the dawn broke, she was paraded along the street, limbs chained securely without any chance of breaking free. She looked pallid, her eyes hollow as if she was left with only an empty shell. The public's outrage peaked at her appearance and some of them began to throw rotten eggs, vegetables and tomatoes at her. Rosemane flinched when the tomato hit her squarely on her forehead, the red juice running down her body like blood. 

The situation turned rowdy and Elite Guards worked in attention to keep the crowd under control. Curses were hurled, one was more cruel than the other. Nonetheless, the horse omega didn't even give a response. She kept walking, walking and walking, as if her soul had flown out somewhere.

"We don't have to watch it if you don't want to," Lu Yizhou said with a deep frown between his brows. 

Oliver was entering the fourth month of his pregnancy. The baby bump grew larger, enough for Oliver to receive curious gazes everytime he went out. And Oliver was proud of it. He always made sure to wear fitting clothes and leggings instead of the maternity gown which he loathed with his all — "Oh come on. It makes me look like an inverted cone!" He complained and batted his lashes coyly. "Don't lie, Altair. I know you like how my ass looks when I'm dressed like this." — he was so insistent that Lu Yizhou was bereft of choices. 

Oliver loved his baby, a lot. Lu Yizhou could see it from the watery sheen on his eyes everytime the bump grew a bit larger, the way he stroked his belly and talked to it, the way he hummed and read to it everyday, the way he always playfully nudged the bump to Lu Yizhou's back and imitated adorable baby voice, and the way his eyes sparkled as he talked about how their baby's appearance would be most of the night before he fell asleep in Lu Yizhou's embrace — "I told you it will be a she! And she will have your eyes, your wings and my ears!" He'd said excitedly. Lu Yizhou merely hummed in response, he would agree to whatever Oliver said.

The baby hadn't even formed fully yet, but Oliver had been exuding such a strong maternal love that Lu Yizhou was sure that he would bite the hands of anyone who dared to stare at his belly longer than necessary. Not that Lu Yizhou would ever allow that to happen.

One thing which Lu Yizhou was relieved of was that Oliver no longer felt nauseous as soon as he entered the second trimester. He could eat normally again and Lu Yizhou couldn't describe how good he felt to see more flesh growing on Oliver's cheeks, arms and inner thigh, making the omega's body soft and squishy all over. Lu Yizhou felt like he could melt every time they made love and he sank into Oliver's tender warmth. His mind would go numb and only the swirling euphoria chorused in his blood. He really couldn't get enough.

Oliver was happy, safe and healthy. But it didn't mean that Lu Yizhou would allow him to see such a bloody and gruesome scene. There was no need for them to be present for Rosemane's execution thus he had Derek connect the live video so that Oliver could watch it within the safe comfort of their home — after Oliver's repeated plea, of course. If it went according to Lu Yizhou 's wishes, he would prefer Oliver not to know anything at all. Oblivion was bliss, as the saying went.

However, he saw the flicker of determination on Oliver's eyes and knew that he wouldn't be able to change his mind. "I want to," he inhaled deeply. "I have to see this to the end."

"Very well," Lu Yizhou sighed. They were currently lounging in the bed so he pulled Oliver closer so that they were sitting front to back. Oliver's body went pliant as soon as he leaned back onto Lu Yizhou's chest and he tugged on the Alpha's arms to circle around his body. Lu Yizhou complied, placing a palm right across the baby bump as a gesture of comfort.

The hologram screen in front of them was showing the scene of Rosemane being brought up to the podium where she was forced to kneel down in the direction of the Emperor who witnessed everything from a distance. 

Emperor Bernard nodded. "Start."

The executioner climbed up to the podium, carrying with him a large, long laser blade. Rosemane's expression didn't change but she flinched as soon as she felt the presence of the executioner looming behind her.

Lu Yizhou tightened his arms around Oliver but the omega mistook it as an act to soothe. "I'm okay." He chuckled, albeit a bit weakly. "I know this must sound a bit cruel, but I think she deserves it for what she has done. To me, to everyone else…and to you."

Lu Yizhou denied firmly. "You aren't cruel at all."

"Hmph, you flatterer!"

[666: Okay, Host. Calm down, don't panic. We got this. Aaaaah, is it time yet?! Why does it take so long?! 666's heart can't take this!]

Lu Yizhou let out a slow exhale. [I am not panicking. You are.] 

[666: I AM?!]

In a few minutes, Lu Yizhou would know whether he would be ejected from this world or…he would be able to keep staying by Oliver's side. His attention had long been wrenched away from the screen, opting to stare at the omega from behind instead. Lu Yizhou took in the sight in front of him almost greedily and if he could see himself in the mirror, he would definitely be shocked by the amount of emotions in his usually impassive silver eyes. 

The executioner lifted his blade.

"Oliver." Lu Yizhou called out softly.

"Hmm?" Oliver answered without looking away from the screen, clearly distracted. "Don't bother to draw my attention away, Altair. We have talked about this, remember? It's just one second. Derek will cut off the video after this. I will be fine."

"Oliver, I—" Lu Yizhou placed his chin on Oliver's shoulder and closed his eyes at the same time when the blade swung down and severed Rosemane's neck cleanly from her body. An uproar raised soon after from the crowd present and the screen abruptly turned away, replacing the bloody sight with Derek's face. 

"Your Highnesses, Princess Rosemane's execution has been completed."

"Thank you, Derek." Oliver's voice faltered in the end. He cleared his throat and continued with a firmer voice. "Then I will leave you to do your job."

Derek bowed in respect, decisively training his gaze on Oliver and not his Royal Highness who had his face buried on the crook of the omega's neck. "As you wish." The screen turned dark and silence reigned in the room.

"Altair?" Oliver shook the Alpha's arm. "What's wrong? Did you want to say something earlier? Sorry I was distracted. I will listen to you now, okay?"

Lu Yizhou was silent, immobile. His whole body went rigid.

"Altair…?"

Inside his mind, 666 was also silent. It was so still that he could hear his own heartbeat and Oliver's. One beastman and one system held their breath as they awaited the system notification. 

Five seconds… Thirty seconds… One minute… It didn't come.

The corner of Oliver's mouth twitched, amused as he reached behind to tug on the Alpha's hair. "Altair!" He laughed, bright and carefree although the corner of his eyes were faintly red. "You can't be sulking now, can you?"

[666: HOSTTT!!!!] The system exploded in cheers.

[666: THERE'S NO NOTIFICATION FROM THE MAIN SERVER!!!!!]

[I know.] Lu Yizhou closed his eyes and let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding. He didn't hear the dreaded notification in his head so… it meant that he could stay here until the end, right?

[666: YESSS!!! CONGRATULATIONS, HOST!!!]

"Altair?" Oliver looked concerned now from the lack of the Alpha's reaction. "Are you okay?"

Lu Yizhou slowly, slowly turned to him and breathed out, "Oliver."

"Hmm?" 

"Oliver."

Oliver burst out into a fit of giggles. "What's wrong, my Alpha?" 

Lu Yizhou silently engraved the sound into the deepest recess of his mind and swallowed it into his stomach. Such a sonorous and heavenly voice to hear. He wished he could hear it everyday. And he could. He could do that; waking up to Oliver every single morning and hearing him laugh. He had gotten what he wished for. Lu Yizhou was overwhelmed by such strong feelings that he felt like he was going to explode. He had no idea that he was capable of it and certainly, his mind wasn't equipped with the knowledge of how to deal with it. His blood was sizzling under his veins and he had to say something, do something, anything. Yet in such an important moment, his brain chose to go blank and shut down abruptly.

"Hey, talk to me." Oliver's voice brought him out of trance. "Do you feel unwell?"

Lu Yizhou shook his head and finally moved his heavy-as-lead arms to hug Oliver closer to him. "Oliver," he breathed in the familiar scent of the omega. His voice was muffled, and it came out way more vulnerable than he would like it to be. "Can I stay with you? Forever?"

Oliver was confused at the sudden switch to the heavy topic but still answered nonetheless. "Of course, you silly Alpha." Then he frowned. "Why are you asking that kind of question? Do you plan on going somewhere?"

"No." Lu Yizhou felt a smile beginning to form on his lips. It was a foreign sensation and he savored it. The true, genuine happy smile that made his eyes crinkle. "I won't go anywhere. I'm going to stay here with you. Forever."

Oliver grinned, the corner of his eyes turning wet. "En, forever."

"Can I ask something of you?"

"Hmm?"

"Bite me."

Oliver's eyes widened when the Alpha suddenly bared his neck. He inhaled sharply. Omegas baring their necks for their Alphas wasn't unusual because that was the act of submission, a proof that they were willing to submit under the Alpha and to be their mate for life. But for an Alpha to bare his neck… Oliver—no, even the whole world hadn't heard of that before. It was disconcerting, Alphas were meant to lead, not to bow.

Oliver's voice trembled as he spoke. "A—Altair, what are you doing…?"

"Will you mark me?"

Oliver whispered in disbelief. "But you're an Alpha."

"I want you to bite me. Mark me." Lu Yizhou tentatively grasped the omega's hand and squeezed. "You're my other half, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes, I am…" Oliver was dazed. Lu Yizhou lowered his head down even more and there it was, the smooth expanse of the Alpha's neck spread out in front of his eyes like a lavish cuisine that he could dig into. And God, his gland. The Alpha gland that wasn't supposed to be marked. But he had asked Oliver to do it… had asked Oliver to leave a mark on his body which couldn't be erased until the end of the time. 

Oliver licked his teeth, feeling the tingling ache on them. He could feel his canine growing. His heart pounded so hard that he could hear it in his ears. He wanted this. Heck, he didn't even realize how much he yearned for this until now. He wanted to bite the Alpha and leave his teeth mark on his body. Oliver tremblingly held onto his shoulders and asked once again. "A—Are you sure?" 

"Oliver," Lu Yizhou said quietly, admonishing.

"Okay, okay, I am gonna do this…" Oliver took a deep breath and leaned in. Slowly. He gave time and space for the Alpha to back out yet he didn't. Oliver felt lightheaded as he opened his lips to lick on the place where he was going to bite. He felt the Alpha shudder under his touch and instinctively stroked his shoulders to comfort. Oliver counted to five in his mind and still got no words of refusal, thus he threw caution to the wind and sank his teeth into the Alpha's gland.0

The chilling taste and sweetness of his Alpha's pheromones exploded in his mouth followed by a tang of metallic rust. Oliver tasted salt in his tongue and only then did he realize that he was crying. Out of happiness. 

He slowly pulled away and licked the fresh wound, sniffling. "How… How are you feeling? Does it hurt?"

Lu Yizhou slowly straightened up and the corner of his mouth twitched when he saw Oliver's tear stained face. Wiping the omega's damp cheek with his thumb, he answered softly. "It's perfect."

Right, everything was. For the first time ever in his life, Lu Yizhou was peaceful.

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