He moved even closer, their faces now inches apart. He could directly see every single emotion in Hua Ren's eyes.
Hua Ren’s breath hitched, his composure slipping. Sheng Fei’s gaze bored into him, as if trying to unravel his deepest secrets. At first, he wasn't really bothered because he figured that since nothing had happened to the village, the Emperor hadn't gotten word about the Rebels yet. He felt he could still explain himself and get off with a punishment. But now, if the Emperor reads that letter, he'd think he was a traitor and that was something Hua Ren could never accept.
Desperation clawed at him, and he struggled to keep his emotions in check.
“You’re wrong,” he insisted, but his voice wavered. He could not stop thinking about the messanger bird. There was still time. If he could escape now, he'd be able to stop it. "Like I said earlier, I just don't want unnecessary bloodshed. There are innocent people in this village. Not all of them are Rebels. Besides, the Chief and that old lady saved me. I want to repay their kindness."
Sheng Fei chuckled softly, a sound that was both mocking and oddly affectionate. "Really?” he asked, his tone laced with suspicion. “Then why did I see you with Qi Zhen earlier? Weren't you planning to take him to the Emperor?"
Hua Ren’s eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. He had completely forgotten about that.
Sheng Fei’s hand cupped his chin, forcing him to meet his gaze. “Tell me the truth,” he demanded. "What is making you so scared?"
Hua Ren’s resolve finally crumbled. His hands trembling at his sides. He was wasting too much time. “I am not a traitor.” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I never colluded with you guys to betray the Emperor and I never will. In fact, I would do anything for him.”
Sheng Fei’s eyes narrowed, a flash of anger sparking within them. He already understood why Hua Ren was scared. He wasn't afraid of the Emperor sending troops to wipe out the people of the valley. He was afraid of what the Emperor would think of him.
He released Hua Ren abruptly, taking a step back as he struggled to control his emotions. As an Alpha, even though there was no relationship between him and Hua Ren, hearing his mate talk about someone else like that made him jealous and angry.
“Anything?” Sheng Fei's voice was laced with icy anger. "Do you even realize what you're saying and who you're saying it to? I am your mate! Your Alpha!"
But Hua Ren remained unfazed. He couldn't grasp the depth of Sheng Fei's words, nor did he want to. As a defective omega, unable to perceive or release pheromones, the concept of a bond or mate was meaningless to him. So what if Sheng Fei was his Alpha? It didn’t change the fact that the only person occupying his heart was the Emperor. Why should he care about anyone else?
"Does that really mean nothing to you?" Sheng Fei asked, his voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and desperation. "Do you not feel it? The bond between us. Does it not affect you? Even if it's just a little?"
Even now, the bond pulsed within him, a tangible force that tugged at his very being, urging him to claim and mark Hua Ren as his own. The intensity of it made his teeth ache with the urge to sink them into Hua Ren's neck, to make him his forever. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest, and every muscle in his body tensed, yearning for the release that only Hua Ren could give. The magnetic pull was overwhelming, and it took every ounce of Sheng Fei’s willpower to keep his pheromones in check. He knew that with just a release, he could easily overpower Hua Ren, forcing him to submit. But that wasn't how a relationship should be.
An Alpha should never use his pheromones to control his mate—it was a violation, an insult to the sacred bond they were meant to share.
But Hua Ren didn't say a word and his silence was all the confirmation Sheng Fei needed. A bitter laugh escaped him, and he turned away, his fists clenched at his sides.
“How pathetic,” he muttered, more to himself than to Hua Ren. Here he was, having only his mate in his mind, thinking about ways to make their relationship work, but his mate, his very own Omega, was thinking about someone else.
Sheng Fei’s jealousy had been ignited, and he was not about to let this go. He turned back to Hua Ren, his expression hardening. “You think the Emperor cares about you?” he asked, his voice sharp. “Do you really think he sees you as anything more than a tool? A weapon to be used and discarded?”
Hua Ren frowned, his eyes narrowing. "So what if he sees me as a tool?" he retorted, his voice laced with defiance. "So what if I'm just a weapon to him? At least he sees me. He looks at me and makes use of me. I have no problem being used by the Emperor, so why should you? It is none of your business what I choose to do with my life or who I choose to follow. I will gladly lay down my life for the Emperor and this Kingdom. Like I told you earlier, Sheng Fei, I do not have an Alpha. Why must you make me repeat this to you?"
Sheng Fei was stunned, his heart feeling as though it had been stabbed by a hundred arrows. He could not believe what he was hearing. How could Hua Ren say such things when his own Alpha, his own mate, was standing right in front of him? He stared into Hua Ren’s cold, unwavering eyes, and realization struck him like a thunderbolt. Unless...
"You're in love with him," Sheng Fei sneered, his voice tinged with bitterness.
Hua Ren did not deny it. Instead, he met Sheng Fei’s gaze with an icy calmness, his silence speaking volumes.
Sheng Fei shook his head, feeling utterly pathetic. His omega, his mate, was in love with his own enemy. The truth of it twisted in his gut, a cruel reminder of how far he was from Hua Ren’s heart.