bound by instinct

chapter 4

Gu Rong stiffened at the sound of Chen Xin's voice, his body going rigid. He didn't turn around, his back still facing the bed, but Chen Xin could see the tension in the set of his shoulders, the way his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Gu Rong was doing everything he could to maintain his composure, to be the gentleman he always was. Even in the face of his friend's suffering, he remained silent, controlled.

Chen Xin shifted again, his body wracked with tremors as another wave of heat rolled through him. The slick wetness between his thighs grew more pronounced, soaking through the thin fabric of his undergarments. His skin was flushed, his nipples hard and aching beneath the tightness of his shirt, each breath coming faster and more shallow as he struggled to keep from crying out.

"Please..." he whispered again, the word escaping him before he could stop it. His eyes, hazy with pain and need, locked onto Gu Rong's back. He didn't know what he was asking for—relief, release, or just for Gu Rong to stay by his side and help him through this—but the need was undeniable.

Gu Rong's muscles tensed visibly, and for a moment, it looked as though he might turn around, might come closer. But then he forced himself to take a deep breath, the sound heavy in the quiet room. He rose from his seat, his movements stiff and deliberate, and walked toward the small table where the water pitcher sat.

"I'll get you some more water," Gu Rong muttered, his voice tight with restraint. He didn't look at Chen Xin, didn't dare meet his gaze. His Alpha instincts were screaming at him to turn around, to respond to the scent of Omega slick in the air, but he fought it, his loyalty and respect for Chen Xin stronger than any primal urge.

But Chen Xin, in his restless state, couldn't bear the thought of being ignored, of being left to suffer alone. He reached out, his fingers trembling as he caught Gu Rong's wrist just before the Alpha could move past him. "Gu Rong... please..." His voice was hoarse, desperate, though he still didn't know what he was truly asking for. His silver eyes, glazed with heat, met Gu Rong's, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop.

Gu Rong froze, his heart hammering in his chest. Chen Xin's touch, light as it was, felt like a branding iron against his skin, burning through his resolve. His eyes locked onto Chen Xin's, and for the first time that night, he truly looked at him. The sight of Chen Xin—disheveled, drenched in sweat, his chest rising and falling rapidly—was almost too much to bear. The scent of Omega slick was thick in the air, and the raw need in Chen Xin's eyes stirred something deep within him.

But Gu Rong, ever the gentleman, clenched his jaw and forced himself to pull away from Chen Xin's grasp, his eyes dark with desire and frustration. "I... I'll get the water," he repeated, his voice strained. He turned quickly, breaking the intense eye contact as he hurried to fetch the water, his body taut with the effort of holding himself back.

Chen Xin watched him go, a faint whimper escaping his lips as he curled in on himself once more, feeling the ache of unfulfilled desire and the sting of rejection in equal measure. He didn't know what he wanted—what he needed—but he did know that Gu Rong was the only one who could give it to him. And yet, the Alpha remained just out of reach, a source of comfort and torment all at once.

Each second felt like an eternity. His body screamed for something, some kind of release, but even that seemed out of reach. His mind, normally sharp and disciplined, was a haze of need, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, the desire clawed at him, desperate and relentless.

He turned his head to look at Gu Rong, whose back remained stiff and straight, the Alpha carefully keeping his distance. Chen Xin could feel Gu Rong's restraint, see it in the tight line of his shoulders, the way his hands were clenched into fists at his sides. The scent of his Omega slick had grown thick in the room, far too potent to ignore. Despite the soul power suppressing it from the outside world, inside this space, it was suffocating—hot, heavy, and laced with pure need.