Unclaimed (Xianwang)

Hidden Fears

'Soulmate' was never a word Meng Yao was taught to believed in. No one has a fated mate......though there was a part of him that wished he had a fated alpha of his own. But he never allowed himself to dwell on it; he was either busy with boxing practice or watching his mother struggle to raise him alone. Her words echoed constantly: "Never depend on anyone but yourself." So he learned to rely on himself for everything. He didn't know a thing about his father until his mother passed, and he was sent to live with him. His father already had married and the couple were desperately trying to conceive but couldn't. Many people knew about this and their acquaintances often said, "Isn't it lucky for you, your son coming back to you now? You finally have a child!"

But this so called father of his and his omega were very rude to him. Ironically, the same couple who openly made donations to temples and charities for the blessing of a child treated Meng Yao as though he didn't belong. He remembered one day an elderly beta woman smiled at his father and said, "Meng Yao, your eldest son is such a sweet child. You might be really happy to have him, I know how much you wanted a child and he is your own son so.."
Even before the old woman could complete his father interrupted with "God knows whose child it is.... Who knows who all that slut slept with."
The alpha had told that right in front of Meng Yao who just stood there wide eyes looking at the person who should be providing him a home, love and care. It was a shame he couldn't do anything at that time but just listen to this and keep quiet. Feeling helpless, he stood there as memories of his smiling mother and her struggles went through his mind but he could say nothing, he was dependent on his father and how he wished no other child should go through such a situation.

For a time, he held onto the hope that not all alphas were like that, that maybe, one day, he'd meet someone who truly cared and loved him. Growing up Meng Yao only realized he never is gonna find someone special.....soulmates were a myth, especially after he got to know what Lan Wangji had to go through....he had confirmed it.

Meng Yao has always been kind and many has tried to take advantage of it since a very young age. To this day, Lan Wangji was the only good thing that came out of his kindness.

Meng Yao had never been interested in any alphas and the feeling seemed to be mutual, at least that's what he thought and walking beside his best friend who was so beautiful, attracting all kinds of alphas...he was invisible to them. Don't get it wrong, Meng Yao had seen so many alphas and did think many of them were handsome, but none had left an impression...... until that day at club when he woke up on that strong shoulder. He only remembered bumping his head against something solid and the next thing he knew was that he was resting his head comfortably on a strong of an alpha, who was extremely handsome. The alpha had caught his attention a little more than any others did..... everything that shines isn't gold..... the more he spoke to the alpha made the omega in him wanted that alpha to claim him if he was ever planning to be claimed.

Liu Xichen quickly caught Meng Yao's interest in a way no one else had. Unlike other alphas, he didn't show his dominance or try to assert control or tried to take advantage of Meng Yao. Xichen seemed considerate and calm, qualities that fed into Meng Yao's own longing for connection. He seemed different and his omega instinct responded by screaming "MINE, MINE, MINE".

Most alphas he saw would grew irate if an omega didn't comply with their whims, when they don't get the omega they want in their bed, under their control. No alpha has ever wanted to have a warm meal or a calm conversation with Meng Yao the way Xichen did. Which only made the love-struck omega inside go head over heels for this man. The more Meng Yao engaged with him, unknowingly, every single time the omega fell deeper, feeding into his feelings and his conscious self didn't try to stop it either.