bound by instinct

chapter 5

Gu Rong's breath caught in his throat as he looked into Chen Xin's eyes. The sight of him—disheveled, sweat-slicked, and trembling with need—was almost too much to bear. His Alpha instincts screamed at him to take, to soothe, to help Chen Xin find the release he so clearly needed. But Gu Rong, ever the gentleman, clenched his jaw, fighting against the pull with everything he had.

"I..." Gu Rong's voice was strained, thick with the effort it took to remain composed. He shook his head, his grip tightening around the pitcher.

Chen Xin's hand tightened around Gu Rong's wrist, his eyes pleading, but Gu Rong gently pulled away. He couldn't do this. Not like this. Not when Chen Xin was like this—desperate, needy, and not in his right mind. Gu Rong refused to take advantage of his friend, no matter how much he wanted to help.

"I'm here, Chen Xin," Gu Rong murmured softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "But not like this."

He turned away, walking to the table with deliberate slowness, though his entire body was trembling with the effort of holding himself back. He poured a glass of water, his movements robotic as he tried to regain control. The scent of Chen Xin's slick still hung in the air, thick and intoxicating, but Gu Rong forced himself to focus on the simple task of fetching the water, his hands steady even as his heart raced.

Chen Xin watched him, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. He didn't know what he had expected—maybe for Gu Rong to turn around, to touch him, to finally give him what he needed. But even in his desperation, he knew Gu Rong was doing the right thing. The Alpha was too noble, too loyal to ever take advantage of him. And yet, that knowledge only made the ache inside Chen Xin worse.

The moment hung between them, heavy and unspoken, as Gu Rong returned to his side with the water. He handed the glass to Chen Xin without a word, his expression carefully blank, though his eyes flickered with barely-contained desire. Chen Xin's hand shook as he took the glass, and as their fingers brushed, another jolt of electricity shot through him. He nearly dropped the glass, his body trembling with the effort of holding himself together.

"Thank you..." Chen Xin whispered, though the words felt hollow, empty. The water wasn't what he needed.

And yet, Gu Rong stayed. He sat beside him, his presence solid, unmoving, a quiet comfort in the storm of Chen Xin's heat.

Gu Rong sat nearby, his back stiff, his posture rigid. He tried to keep his distance, his attention focused on maintaining composure, but the scent of Chen Xin, ripe with need, was impossible to ignore. The room pulsed with it, stirring instincts Gu Rong had kept buried deep. His Alpha nature screamed at him to act, to offer comfort, to claim. But he fought against it. He had to. This wasn't just about instinct. This was Chen Xin—his friend, his rival, his equal.

Chen Xin's breaths grew more ragged, his hand pressing against the thin fabric of his undershirt as if trying to push away the unbearable tension inside him. His body had never betrayed him like this before, not since his first heat, and the intensity of it left him feeling powerless. No amount of training had prepared him for this—this helplessness, this ache that went beyond mere desire. The more he fought it, the more it consumed him, pushing him to the edge.

"Gu Rong..." Chen Xin's voice broke the heavy silence, hoarse and trembling. His eyes, glassy with pain and frustration, found the Alpha's back. He couldn't keep doing this. The words hung on his lips, pleading in a way that was unlike him. "I... I can't..."

Gu Rong tensed at the sound of Chen Xin's voice, and his fingers dug into his thighs as he fought to keep himself under control. The urge to turn around, to offer the comfort Chen Xin was silently asking for, gnawed at him. He could feel the strain in his muscles, the pull between duty and instinct tearing at him.