A hazy consciousness and a parched throat left him with an overwhelming craving for an Omega's pheromones and comfort.
This beast-like instinct often made Cassian loathe his own gender as an Alpha.
With his eyes half-closed, he could see the Beta he had met a few times carefully reaching out to touch his forehead. Cassian had always detested being touched by others; frowning, he reached out to block the hand.
"Don't move."
But perhaps because his movements were slowed by the Rut, the youth's palm had already settled against his brow.
The person's hand was just like his appearance—cool, yet soft to the touch—and carried a unique scent of roses.
Cassian was dazed for a moment. He felt the burning sensation in his neck gland intensify, and he even began to feel a primal hunger for that rose scent.
He abruptly swatted the hand away, his tone icy. "Stay away from me."
The words had barely left his mouth when the youth bit his lip, looking at a loss. "I'm sorry... I just wanted to see if you had a fever."
Cassian could see the reddened back of the hand he had struck and the way the youth's fingertips clenched in embarrassment. Yet, despite his rudeness, the person remained gentle and good-tempered. He was clearly so stunningly beautiful, yet he was delicate and easy to handle.
A thought suddenly popped into his mind: He's quite easy to bully, like a soft piece of dough.
The next instant, Cassian frowned at his own thought. He looked down and muttered, "It's not a fever. It's my Rut."
The Rut...
Seo Eun Woo froze for a second before his ears turned a deep shade of crimson.
In a daze, he caught the scent of a foreign but not repulsive sandalwood fragrance, which aggressively began to occupy the cramped space.
So it was the Rut; no wonder he was so resistant to being touched.
But truly, what a coincidence.
Eun Woo lowered his eyes and took a few steps back, quietly waiting for the rescue team.
However, after only about ten minutes, the man's condition grew significantly worse. His face turned pale, veins protruded from his forehead, and dark red blood began to drip from his clenched fist.
"Sir?"
Hearing the voice, Cassian frowned and forced himself to focus, lifting his eyes to look at Seo Eun Woo.
Seo Eun Woo was half-kneeling in front of him, his handsome face filled with worry. His deep red lips parted slightly. "Sir, if the Rut isn't soothed in time, it will damage your gland."
Seo Eun Woo said softly, "I can help you."
Gland damage could drive both Alphas and Omegas insane. There were only two ways to soothe it: inject suppressants... or use Omega pheromones for comfort.
Cassian's voice was hoarse. "Do you have suppressants?"
He saw a look of hesitation on Seo Eun Woo's face. After a moment's pause, Eun Woo reached a hand to the back of his neck and moved slightly. A rich rose fragrance instantly permeated the entire space, intertwining with the sandalwood.
It was the scent of Omega pheromones.
Cassian paused before asking, "You're an Omega?"
Perhaps seeing the usually cold and dignified Cassian looking so confused, Seo Eun Woo bit his lip and smiled, no longer as restrained as before. He gave a soft "Mm."
Seo Eun Woo moved a bit closer. He reached up to brush his hair aside, tucking the strands covering his neck to one side to reveal his jade-white nape.
In his peripheral vision, Cassian instinctively saw Seo Eun Woo's neck. In that fair, soft spot, there was a small, protruding piece of flesh tinged with crimson. It made one want to...
Cassian frowned and withdrew his gaze, just as Seo Eun Woo said with a smile, "Do I not look like one?"
Look like what...? An Omega?
Cassian thought that, indeed, he didn't quite look the part. Omegas were usually pampered and used to being the center of attention; they were often arrogant and willful.
But Seo Eun Woo was gentle, had a great temper, and was very good at taking care of people.
Most importantly, Seo Eun Woo's appearance didn't fit the "cute" stereotype of the Omega community. He was tall—nearly reaching the height of a Beta—with features that were exquisite to the point of being breathtaking. His cold, elegant gaze didn't match the general perception of an Omega.
He was very special.
"It's alright," Cassian replied.
The two unfamiliar pheromones intertwined, effectively soothing the discomfort of the Rut. But a strange chemical reaction caused Cassian to suddenly frown again.
Something wasn't right.
He looked up at Seo Eun Woo.
Sure enough, Eun Woo's face was flushed. He kept his head down and remained silent, but even his ears were red. "How are you feeling?"
Startled by his name being called, Seo Eun Woo looked up blankly. The rims of his eyes were red, the tip of his nose was pink, and his mouth was slightly agape. "Ah?"
"I—" Eun Woo's lashes fluttered. "I feel a bit hot."
Cassian's expression turned strange. "Your Heat has started."
At that moment, the atmosphere in the elevator became eerily and extremely ambiguous. What else could an Alpha in Rut and an Omega in Heat do when trapped together?
Only intimacy, soothing, and marking.
"I..." Seo Eun Woo stood up and hurriedly pressed the emergency button. After a pause, the voice on the other end said, "Hello, sir, we are so sorry..."
Eun Woo's head was spinning; he could only vaguely understand that due to another emergency, the rescue would be delayed.
He turned to lean against the elevator wall, trying to take a deep breath to calm down, but all he could sense was the mixed scent of sandalwood and roses. To him, this scent was practically an accelerant.
His legs felt weak and his head felt light. With a soft "Ah," he stumbled. But instead of the floor, he was caught in a firm embrace.
"Are you okay?"
The man's deep, rich voice exploded near his ear. Seo Eun Woo furrowed his brows slightly and lifted his peach-blossom eyes. "Sir, I... I'm not in a good state right now. I might affect you. You should stay away from me..."
He was still remembering what the man had said earlier.
Now, Eun Woo's condition was actually more severe; the area around his gland was red and swollen, and his eyelids were flushed from the heat.
The man spread his overcoat on the floor, letting Seo Eun Woo lean halfway against the corner.
Seo Eun Woo seemed very afraid of troubling others. He kept trying to back away despite his neck being entirely flushed. He forced a smile and said kindly, "I'm sorry... I've inconvenienced you again."
In truth, it was just a small helping hand; there was no need for such constant gratitude.
Is he that unaccustomed to receiving help?
Cassian thought of what Eun Woo had said earlier—if an Alpha's gland wasn't soothed, it would be damaged. The same applied to an Omega, perhaps even more severely.
Before he could do anything, Seo Eun Woo pulled an Omega-specific suppressant patch from his pocket. He peeled it open and lowered his head to apply it. "The patch can hide the pheromones."
"Your Rut has just eased. It wouldn't be good if it was... triggered by mine again."
But doing this would only make his own Heat even worse.
Cassian watched him expressionlessly as he did something he knew would harm his own body.
"Hmm?" Seo Eun Woo looked up at the person who had snatched the patch away.
He saw Cassian take a fountain pen from his folder and graze his own palm. Droplets of blood containing pheromones began to seep out.
Cassian raised his hand and held it in front of him, saying calmly, "No need to thank me. Consider this a return for the fish soup."