Chapter 40 - The Fox Is In Denial, The Wolf Reaches Acceptance

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Chu Yun's footsteps sped up the further away he got from that cramped closet and the man inside it.

It was imperative that he reached the door to the courtyard as soon as possible. His hands were shaking as he pushed open the doors leading outside. He sucked in a greedy breath the moment the crisp night air hit him.

All of him was on fire. The lower half of his face was covered in Xiao Zai's blood, so was the back of his hand from trying to rub at it.

He knew people were looking at him, that was part of his plan. He wanted them to think Xiao Zai had dragged him into a closet and had his way with him.

It would have made Xiao Zai look good. 

But somewhere in there Chu Yun had lost the plot, he had come really close to actually letting Xiao Zai have his way with him.

What was that all about? 

He noticed Xiao Zai was attractive in a sort of distant, matter-of-fact way, it didn't mean he was actually attracted to him, right?

Right.

It was all because of his confusing sweet scent. Even with the alcoholic tang, it reminded Chu Yun too much of omegas' back home.

How long had it been since he'd gotten laid? Too long by half.

And there were no brothels in Haolin, fuck.

The cold air was doing its job, slowly but surely Chu Yun's composure was returning. It was fine, nothing had happened. He was acommitted by a brief bout of madness that had made him entertain the thought of marking Xiao Zai, but he had regained full control of his mental faculties now.

He heard someone call his name, when he turned around he saw Hua Nanyi coming for him with his white rabbit fur cloak in her arms.

She wrapped the cloak over Chu Yun's shoulder with a hiss. "It's cold outside, what if you get sick?" Her eyes climbed up the red stains on Chu Yun's white collar all the way up to his stained mouth and chin. Her gasp was audible. "What the fuck happened to you?" 

Chu Yun would rather die than admit what happened in the closet.

"That's not important, did you find what I asked you to?"

Still shocked by the state he was in, she nodded. "Yes, it wasn't easy, for some odd reason the King is discreet with his affections."

Chu Yun didn't find it odd at all. The late Queen Consort died in childbirth, a tragedy, to be sure, but suspicious considering her high number of prior miscarriages. Gu Wei might or might be involved with his oldest son....The King of Zui would have to be an idiot to broadcast who his favourites were. 

"We'll talk more about this at home," Chu Yun said, eyeing the guards patrolling the courtyard and the few people milling about. "Good job."

The night was getting colder and Chu Yun had gotten all he wanted out of it. It was impossible for him to go back inside in the state he was in. 

"I'll go back first, come with me," he said, looking out in the direction where he thought he carriage was. "We'll send the carriage back for Xiao Zai."

Chu Yun knew it could damage the illusion he had worked so hard to craft that night, but he needed to wash Xiao Zai's blood off himself and get his thoughts in order. He felt as if his brain was being cooked in a low simmer.

That was when a sudden idea struck him. He placed a hand on Hua Nanyi's shoulder and said, "on second thought...."

---

Xiao Zai had no idea where Chu Yun had disappeared to. He wanted to leave as soon as possible. He tried to clean the blood off his mouth as best he could but it only ended up leaving a smeared mess behind.

Chu Yun was crazy, absolutely insane, and if Xiao Zai closed his eyes he could still see his blood-red smile. 

Apparently Xiao Zai's cock was into crazy, because he could feel it twitch at the memory alone. What an unfortunate thing to learn about oneself. 

After walking circles around the hall, he finally saw Chu Yun's servant, who ran towards him as soon as their eyes met.

For some reason she stopped a few paces away from Xiao Zai and sucked in a sharp breath, as if she was gathering strength.

"His Grace asked this humble servant to inform his Highness that he has returned to the estate first to prepare himself to his Highness' liking," the woman said, projecting her voice so that everyone in their immediate vicinity could hear every word. 

The flush high on her cheeks told him it was Chu Yun who had put her up to this.

She cleared her throat. "His Grace looks forward to serving his Highness tonight as well."

Xiao Zai closed his eyes and counted to ten.

He was going to have a very serious conversation with Chu Yun when he got home.

---

Predictably, Chu Yun was in no way 'ready to serve' him when Xiao Zai got home. He was instead freshly showered, eating a meal in his bedroom, with his hair loose all the way down to his waist.

"Back so soon?" Chu Yun asked, biting daintily on a sticky rice finger-cake.

Xiao Zai glared at him. "What was that all about?" he asked, pointing at the door where Chu Yun's servant was standing. 

Chu Yun gave him a look from beneath his long lashes. "I want to make sure you're king, if this is the way I have to do it so be it."

"Why? Why are you so convinced that this is the only way for me to earn support?" 

It rankled, somehow, that Chu Yun thought he had to be the one to get Xiao Zai on the throne, because he was too incompetent to do it on his own.

He also hated the idea of anyone throwing in their support with him because they thought he had subjugated his husband to his whims. Xiao Zai wasn't that kind of alpha.

Chu Yun popped the rest of the cake into his mouth and licked his fingertips clean. Xiao Zai followed the path of his red tongue despite himself.

"Idiot," Chu Yun said, his sticky lips shaped the word almost lovingly.

"Your father wanted to humiliate you by marrying you to another alpha, and a Xin alpha at that." His eyes narrowed in exasperation.. "You have to show the court you're not so easily humiliated."

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