Stepping out of the cave, Song Yu couldn’t calm down—he had a persistent sense that something was about to happen.

00: Master, patrol team at your 4 o’clock.

Forcing down his irritability, Song Yu quickly returned to where he’d thrown the jacket.

The bloodied jacket had been shredded by the rats until it looked like a rag.

He put on gloves from his pocket, lifted the torn jacket, and walked back toward where they’d encountered the omega.

This planet has a huge day–night temperature swing. Daytime is hot; the thick scent of blood carries far and makes one nauseous.

On the ground was a large pool of blood, with some remains of the three betas’ tissue and clothing.

Song Yu tossed the jacket into the blood and had 00 report on the patrol’s position.

00: The patrol is at 8 o’clock. Based on their movement, they’ll reach the area in 10 minutes.

Ten minutes? Song Yu hesitated between waiting and turning back.

Leaving Rong Shi alone with that omega was too risky. If he lost control and had 01 open the cage—

“Am I being stupid?” Song Yu muttered to himself. “Leaving that damned rabbit there at a time like this—”

If anything went wrong, the consequences would be more than they could bear.

No one else was around. After confirming several times that Song Yu was indeed talking to it, 00 spoke up, slow and earnest:

[00: Master, don’t worry. For the energy stone, brother absolutely won’t open the door.]

Song Yu: …

Putting it that way… he suddenly did feel more at ease.

Ten minutes later—just as 00 had predicted—the patrol really did head that way.

“There’s something there!”

Someone in the patrol shouted.

Song Yu sat on a tree branch, leaning against the trunk, watching them surround the bloodstain.

Someone crouched to check—

“This chest tag’s theirs, no doubt!”

“This jacket has a serial number—it’s 203’s.”

The patrol leader, a slicked-back, middle-aged beta, swept his gaze over the mess, covered his nose, and snapped impatiently, “Useless trash!”

Beside him, a younger crew-cut beta turned his eyes from the blood.

“Good thing it was just a spare. If it’s gone, it’s gone.”

“Easy for you to say,” the leader grumbled. “How much does it cost to raise a spare to this age? Dead before he was even of use—who’s eating the loss if not us?”

“He’s dead already. What’s the point of saying this now?” the crew-cut beta retorted. “At most they dock our performance bonus.”

“I’ve got no bonus left this month!” the leader fumed.

Spare? They meant that omega?

Face cold, Song Yu endured their prattle. Even after they left, that was the only useful clue he’d picked up.

[00: Master, another patrol is approaching the cave; they might pass the entrance.]

“Shit.” Song Yu cursed, dropped from the branch, and ran back immediately.

Inside the cave, Rong Shi sat against the wall, sweat soaking him through.

He’d injected himself with an inhibitor, but it wasn’t doing much.

The longer Song Yu was gone, the more agitated he became, completely unable to settle.

Why would he crave an alpha’s pheromones?

The question filled his mind, impossible to resolve.

No matter how much he liked someone, pheromonal repulsion between two alphas was instinct.

The stronger the alphas, the stronger the repulsion.

Yet he felt none of it.

Only two possibilities made sense: either Song Yu actually wasn’t an alpha, or Rong Shi was deeply familiar with Song Yu’s pheromones—so familiar his body instinctively accepted them.

But both possibilities were effectively zero.

He knew better than anyone that Song Yu was an alpha. That wasn’t in question.

And being “familiar” with his pheromones was absurd.

From the first time he’d smelled Song Yu’s pheromones at basic training, there’d been no repulsion—only a peculiar sense of nostalgia.

But in the previous life they’d never met. Even if they had brushed past, they wouldn’t have inhaled each other’s pheromones.

Love at first scent?

The thought flashed by; Rong Shi himself found it ridiculous.

There’s no such thing as “love at first sight” in this world—at least not for him. He wouldn’t like someone for no reason, much less be moved by an alpha’s pheromones. He wasn’t deranged.

Footsteps outside the cave snapped his thoughts.

They drew closer—a dozen people at least, by the sound.

Rong Shi drew his sidearm, racked the slide, slipped behind a boulder at the entrance, and his eyes went cold.

“Smells like pheromones in here?”

“A little bitter—203, right? Only his pheromones are this weird.”

“Three rounds of modification will leave aftereffects.”

“Tough luck for him. Every mission target ended up dead or crippled. As soon as he’s rebuilt, he has to be rebuilt again.”

“Enough chatter. You two—check the cave.”

He heard someone cut off the gossip. Two sets of footsteps approached.

Just as Rong Shi was about to move, mutant rats cried out outside—short, sharp, and aggressive.

“Damn! Scared me to death. Which team is sweeping over there?”

“Bin’s group?” Someone answered. “They’re probably going head-on with the rats.”

A ringtone chimed; Rong Shi heard someone say, “What? You found the body? … 203? … Damn! Then we’re done here.”

The two who were stepping into the cave were called back.

“Let’s go—no need to search. Bin’s already found 203’s body.”

“Damn, that’s it then?”

“Seriously?”

“This is a level‑4 danger zone. With his scrawny frame, being bitten to death at the base gate would be considered lucky.”

“Dead’s better—spares him the suffering.”

Sweat rolled from Rong Shi’s brow to his chin. His vision wavered in and out. With effort, he restrained the violent surge in his chest and didn’t fire.

Modified three times? 203? They meant the omega with the mole on his chin?

Wasn’t that one engineered specifically to target him?

No.

Rong Shi panted against the rock.

He was only a few months into his first year at the academy. Even if they’d set their sights on him, they couldn’t have produced a 100% match in just a few months.

More importantly—he’d barely released pheromones in public. How did they even calibrate it?

Footsteps sounded again outside; Rong Shi tensed.

Song Yu had waited for the patrol to move off before recalling 00 from the rat pack.

He could take those few easily, but making a racket would be a headache. If it put the base on alert, the rest would be much harder.

00, still in the guise of a venom-bee provoking the rats, zipped back to its master.

[00: Master, did I do it right?]

“Mm. Very good.” Song Yu strode into the cave. “Next time, turn into a rabbit for me—”

Passing the big rock at the entrance, he glanced toward where Rong Shi had been sitting—no one?

A gust rushed his ear; instinctively he dodged—then relaxed as the familiar scent hit him.

The next moment, he was pinned to the wall and kissed.

Rong Shi laced their fingers and kissed him hard—making up, thoroughly, for those few minutes apart.

When he was tugged into the wall, Song Yu braced for a bruised back—but at the last instant, Rong Shi controlled the force.

“You’re going to kiss me breathless,” Song Yu teased, steadying his breathing.

A thumb brushed the damp corner of Song Yu’s mouth. Rong Shi’s voice was very low. “Too slow.”

“They were dragging their feet.” Song Yu pulled him to sit inside and relayed what he’d heard. “I don’t fully trust their chatter. Whether it’s aimed at you or just coincidence—we have to get into the base to confirm.”

Rong Shi: “Spare?”

Song Yu: “Mm. On the face of it—replacement stock, I’d guess?”

A spare rebuilt three times, with aftereffects causing pheromone abnormalities? Rong Shi frowned.

Could that omega’s 100% match with him really be an accident?

Song Yu reached for his pack to grab a towel for him—then noticed it was open, and his change of clothes was draped over Rong Shi’s pack.

“You took my clothes—” Halfway through, he knew why; the corner of his mouth curled up.

Rong Shi realized too; his expression snagged.

“I was just checking if you mixed up your clothes.”

“Oh—” Song Yu tossed the bag aside, smiling with suggestive delight. “And? Did you check thoroughly?”

Trying for composure, Rong Shi wrapped him up. “Mm. Definitely your scent.”

Song Yu lifted the shirt and sniffed. “Funny—I only smell your sweat.”

Rong Shi: “…”

His susceptibility periods had almost never had symptoms; with inhibitors, he’d never been affected. Now, all the unspent reactions were breaking at once—hard.

Dusk fell. They decided to spend the night in the cave.

Song Yu had 00 turn into a metal wall that masked the entrance and simulated the surrounding rock, cutting the light.

The omega in the cage still didn’t wake—either overstimulated or exhausted.

A small fire crackled before them. Song Yu leaned back into Rong Shi’s chest, sorting the leads 00 and 01 had gathered.

“Xiao Yu.”

“Mm?”

Arms around his waist, chin on his shoulder—“Just calling you.”

How many times had he said it now? Song Yu found it funny—and unbearably tender.

“If you want to bite, you can.”

Rong Shi frowned. “No biting.”

The wood popped in the flames.

Rong Shi breathed at his neck—then couldn’t help a small, gentle nibble.

If not for this second life, he would never have known how thoroughly an alpha could undo him.

Feeling him nuzzle toward his gland, Song Yu simply popped his collar and bared the nape.

“Here. You want it?”

Rong Shi’s pupils constricted; he tugged the collar closed. “Don’t move.”

“…”

Two minutes later—

“Xiao Yu.”

“Mm?” Song Yu answered lazily, eyes on the display.

Rong Shi kissed his exposed gland. “Just rubbing. No biting.”

“…If you want to bite, then bite.”

“I won’t bite,” he insisted.

“…”

Ten minutes later—

“Xiao Yu.”

“Mm?”

A feather-light graze at the gland. “Just one bite. Very gentle. Won’t hurt.”

“…”

A rabbit in susceptibility is clingy beyond reason—and still tries to be restrained, yet can’t.

He wanted to pin this damned rabbit down and rub him senseless.

After being kissed and nibbled long enough, Song Yu yanked his collar wider. “Hurry up. If you don’t bite—I will.”

“…………”

__

Author’s Note:

Cat Song, irritable: Are you biting or not? [brandishes claws]
Bunny Rong, aggrieved: I’ll bite, I’ll bite. [wife is so fierce]