Yifan woke to his alarm at seven AM with a sense of grim determination. Today would change everything. Today he would stop taking the suppressants that had kept him hidden for twenty-two years, and begin the process of becoming what he truly was. The thought terrified and exhilarated him in equal measure.
Qingqing was already up, getting ready for her morning journalism seminar. She glanced at him with concern as he sat up in bed. "You look awful. Did you sleep at all?"
"Some," Yifan lied. In truth, he'd dozed fitfully between vivid dreams of burning and flying, of loving and dying. His mind felt fragmented, caught between Shen Yifan the student and the Phoenix he apparently was. The memories from his past life were becoming clearer, more insistent, bleeding into his waking thoughts like watercolors on wet paper.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Qingqing asked, applying mascara with practiced efficiency. "Because I'm your best friend, and you're clearly going through something major, and it's kind of killing me that you won't talk to me."
Yifan wanted to tell her. Desperately wanted to share this impossible burden with someone who knew him, who cared about him. But how could he? "I'm a legendary Phoenix Omega from supernatural mythology and I'm about to go into heat for the first time, which will attract every powerful Alpha in the region" wasn't exactly a conversation starter that would go well.
"Family stuff," he said instead. "From the archives yesterday. I found out some things about my parents that I'm still processing."
It wasn't entirely a lie. He had found out things about his parents. Just not the kind of things that had normal explanations.
Qingqing's expression softened. "Oh, Fanfan. I'm sorry. That must be difficult." She came over and squeezed his shoulder. "You know I'm here if you need to talk, right? About anything?"
"I know. Thank you."
After she left for class, Yifan remained sitting on his bed, staring at the small white pill case on his nightstand. Inside were the blue tablets he'd taken religiously every evening for seven years. The suppressants that kept him appearing fully human, that masked his scent, that prevented his Omega nature from manifesting.
His grandmother's letter had said they were failing anyway. That the Phoenix always woke up eventually, usually triggered by trauma or maturity. He'd experienced both—her death three months ago, and now, at twenty-two, he was certainly mature enough.
Skip tonight's dose, Mo Ran had instructed. Begin the process of emergence.
Yifan showered and dressed carefully, choosing comfortable clothes—dark jeans, a soft blue sweater, his favorite jacket. If today was going to be as momentous as he suspected, he at least wanted to feel like himself. He packed a bag with essentials, unsure if he'd be returning to the dorm tonight. Mo Ran's mountain address was several hours away by bus.
His phone showed a new text from an unknown number: "Library. Third floor. Ancient history section. Come alone. We need to talk before you go to Mo Ran."
Yifan's heart rate spiked. He knew, somehow, who this message was from. Those ice-blue eyes from yesterday had been haunting him, along with the memory of a love that transcended lifetimes. Long Tianyu. The Dragon King. His past life's bonded mate.
He should ignore it. Should go straight to the bus station and get out of Beijing before things got more complicated. But his feet were already carrying him toward the library, drawn by a pull he couldn't name or resist.
The morning air was crisp and sharp, autumn deepening toward winter. Leaves crunched under his feet as he walked across campus, and he noticed something strange—Alphas were watching him. Not obviously staring, but tracking his movements with interest they'd never shown before. Three different Alphas he passed took deep breaths as he went by, as if scenting something unusual.
The suppressants were definitely failing.
The library was quiet at this hour, most students either in class or still sleeping. Yifan climbed to the third floor, his pulse quickening with each step. The ancient history section was in the far corner, tucked behind rows of rarely-accessed texts about oracle bones and bronze age inscriptions.
And there, standing beside a shelf of Tang Dynasty histories, was the man from yesterday.
He was even more striking up close. Tall—easily six foot three—with aristocratic features that seemed carved from pale jade. His long black hair was pulled back in a style that looked both traditional and timeless, revealing the sharp lines of his face. Those ice-blue eyes fixed on Yifan with an intensity that made breathing difficult.
He wore modern clothes today—an expensive-looking black suit—but somehow still managed to look like an emperor surveying his domain. Power radiated from him, subtle but unmistakable. The air around him felt colder, as if winter itself followed in his wake.
"Shen Yifan," he said, and his voice was exactly as Yifan remembered from dreams—deep, resonant, carrying the weight of centuries. "Or should I say, Phoenix? You're even more beautiful than I remembered."
Yifan should have been angry at the presumption, the possessiveness implicit in those words. Instead, he felt that same recognition from yesterday, that sense of coming home. His body wanted to move closer, to seek the Alpha's scent, to submit to the pull between them.
He forced himself to stay still. "Long Tianyu, I assume?"
A slight smile curved the Dragon King's lips. "You know me, then. Good. That saves time." He moved closer, each step measured and deliberate. "Your suppressants are failing. I can smell it—just barely, but it's there. Phoenix fire and autumn smoke, cinnamon and something indefinably sweet. In a few days, you'll be unmistakable. Every Alpha within a hundred miles will scent you."
"Why are you here?" Yifan managed, though his voice came out shakier than he'd intended. The Alpha's proximity was doing strange things to him—making his skin feel hypersensitive, his body temperature rise, his mind fog slightly.
"To claim what's mine." Tianyu stopped just outside touching distance, close enough that Yifan could feel the cold aura emanating from him, could smell his scent—winter frost, ozone before lightning, ancient stone. "You were my bonded mate a thousand years ago. You died rather than betray that bond. You promised to return to me, and here you are."
"I'm not her," Yifan said, echoing what he'd told his reflection last night. "I'm Shen Yifan. I'm not your past life mate wearing a new face."
"I know exactly who you are." Tianyu's eyes blazed brighter, showing hints of gold around the pupils—a sign of his true nature surfacing. "You're the Phoenix Reborn, yes. But you're also the soul I loved, the person who chose me freely when the whole world demanded otherwise. The same soul, Yifan. Just a different life."
"That doesn't give you the right to claim me now."
"No," Tianyu agreed, surprising him. "It doesn't. You must choose freely, just as you did before. But I will do everything in my power to make you choose me again. I've waited a thousand years. I can be very persuasive when motivated."
Despite everything—the situation's absurdity, the fear and confusion swirling in his chest—Yifan felt a laugh bubble up. "That's not exactly romantic."
"Romance can come later. Right now, I need to keep you safe." Tianyu's expression turned serious. "Mo Ran contacted you, didn't she? Told you to come to her mountain sanctuary?"
"How did you—"
"Because that's exactly what your grandmother would have arranged. Mo Ran is neutral, powerful enough to protect you during your first heat, and not aligned with any clan. Smart choice." He paused. "But insufficient. She can protect you from lesser Alphas. She cannot protect you from everyone who will come once they sense you fully awakened."
"And you can?"
"I'm the Dragon King. The most powerful Alpha in the Eastern territories. No one would dare challenge my claim on you—not directly, at least." He held up a hand before Yifan could protest. "I'm not demanding you bond me today. I'm offering protection while you transition, while your powers emerge. Give me that much. Let me keep you safe, as I failed to do before."
The last words were spoken with such raw pain that Yifan's breath caught. This wasn't just about possession or political power. This was about a wound that had never healed, guilt carried for a millennium.
"I need time to think," Yifan said. "This is all happening too fast. Yesterday I was a normal student. Today I'm apparently a legendary Omega with ancient powers and an Alpha who claims I'm his reincarnated mate."
"You don't have time," Tianyu said bluntly. "Your scent is already changing. By tonight, you'll be noticeably different. By tomorrow, unmistakable. You need to be somewhere secure before that happens."
"Then I'll go to Mo Ran's, as planned."
"Let me come with you."
"No." Yifan surprised himself with the firmness of his refusal. "I need space. I need to figure out who I am without an Alpha claiming possession of me."
Something flickered in Tianyu's eyes—hurt, perhaps, or frustration—but he inclined his head. "As you wish. But take this." He held out a small jade pendant on a silver chain. The jade was carved with intricate designs—a dragon and phoenix intertwined, exactly like the one from Yifan's dream.
"Is this...?" Yifan couldn't finish the question.
"The same pendant I gave you a thousand years ago when you accepted my bond. Yes." Tianyu's voice was rough. "I've carried it ever since. If you're in danger, if you need me, crush it. I'll come immediately, no matter where you are."
Yifan took the pendant with trembling hands. The jade was warm despite coming from Tianyu's cold aura, and the moment he touched it, he felt a spark of recognition, of rightness. Past life memory or just suggestion, he couldn't tell.
"I'm not promising anything," he said.
"I know. But you'll keep it. That's enough for now." Tianyu reached out slowly, giving Yifan time to pull away. When he didn't, the Alpha's cold fingers brushed his cheek with surprising gentleness. "Be safe, little phoenix. The world you're entering is more dangerous than you know."
Then he was gone, moving with supernatural speed that left Yifan blinking at the empty space where he'd stood.
Yifan clutched the pendant, feeling its weight in his palm. He should leave it here, refuse the implication of accepting anything from the Dragon King. But instead, he found himself clasping it around his neck, tucking it under his sweater where it rested against his skin like a warm promise.
He left the library in a daze, barely noticing the increased attention from passing Alphas. His mind was full of Tianyu—the way he'd looked at him, the pain in his voice, the careful control in every gesture. This was the being who'd gone mad with grief after watching him burn. Who'd waited a millennium for his return.
How was he supposed to resist that?
At the bus station, Yifan purchased a ticket for the mountain village nearest Mo Ran's address. The journey would take four hours. He found a seat near the back, grateful for the relative privacy, and tried to read a book on his phone to distract himself.
But he kept getting distracted by scents.
It had never been like this before. Usually, his suppressants muted his sense of smell to normal human levels. Now, everything felt amplified. He could distinguish individual scents from passengers around him—coffee, perfume, sweat, anxiety, desire. And Alphas... Alphas had distinct scents he'd never fully noticed before. Aggressive ones smelled like gunpowder and metal. Calmer ones like cedar and earth.
None smelled like Tianyu. None carried that intoxicating combination of winter and lightning that had made Yifan's body respond involuntarily.
Halfway through the journey, a Alpha businessman in his forties moved to sit beside Yifan despite several empty seats available. "Excuse me," the man said, his voice slightly strained. "I don't mean to be forward, but you smell incredible. Are you... are you unmated?"
Yifan's stomach dropped. This was starting already. "I'm not interested," he said firmly.
"I just want to talk. Maybe exchange numbers? I'm very successful, I could provide well for an Omega of your caliber—"
"He said no." An elderly Beta woman across the aisle fixed the Alpha with a stern glare. "Move along, young man. Let the boy travel in peace."
The Alpha looked like he wanted to argue, but something about the Beta's unwavering stare made him retreat to another seat. He kept glancing back at Yifan, though, clearly affected by whatever scent was beginning to emerge.
"Thank you," Yifan said quietly to the Beta woman.
She smiled kindly. "I raised three Omega children. I know that look—first heat approaching, suppressants failing. You're heading somewhere safe, I hope?"
Yifan nodded.
"Good. Keep your head down, dear. And if any of these Alphas bother you again, you let me know." She patted her large purse meaningfully. "I carry pepper spray that works on supernatural constitutions."
The rest of the journey passed without incident, though Yifan noticed more Alphas than usual seemed to find reasons to walk past his seat. By the time the bus pulled into the mountain village, he was tense and exhausted from maintaining constant vigilance.
Mo Ran's address led him to a trailhead and a hand-drawn map that had been included in his grandmother's documents. The path wound up the mountain for three miles, steep enough that Yifan was breathing hard within the first mile. The autumn forest around him blazed with color—reds and golds that reminded him uncomfortably of fire.
He was so focused on watching his footing on the rocky path that he almost didn't notice when the quality of the forest changed. The air grew denser, charged with power. The sounds of birds and insects faded to an unnatural silence. And then he saw them—wards, shimmering faintly in the air like heat waves, forming a barrier across the path.
Yifan hesitated. His grandmother's notes had said to press forward, that the wards would recognize Phoenix energy and let him pass. But what if they didn't? What if his powers hadn't emerged enough yet?
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward.
The wards parted like a curtain, welcoming him through. The sensation was strange—like walking through a waterfall of warm honey, slightly resistant but ultimately yielding. On the other side, the path continued upward to a traditional Chinese compound nestled against the mountainside.
The buildings were beautiful—gracefully curved roofs, red pillars, intricate woodwork that looked centuries old but perfectly maintained. A woman stood waiting in the courtyard, arms crossed, watching his approach.
She appeared to be in her fifties, though with supernaturals, age was nearly impossible to guess. Her hair was steel-gray, pulled into a severe bun, and she wore modern clothes—dark slacks and a crisp white shirt. But her eyes were ancient, dark and knowing, and she radiated the same kind of power Tianyu had, though expressed differently.
"Shen Yifan," she said. It wasn't a question. "I'm Mo Ran. Welcome to my sanctuary. You look like hell."
Yifan almost laughed. After the strange formality of Tianyu's speech patterns, Mo Ran's bluntness was refreshing. "It's been a difficult two days."
"It's about to get more difficult. Come inside. We have work to do."
The interior of the main building was a fascinating mix of traditional and modern—ancient wooden furniture alongside a state-of-the-art computer setup, meditation cushions near a flat-screen TV. Mo Ran led him to a comfortable sitting room and gestured for him to sit.
"Tea first," she said, pouring from a pot that had been waiting. "Then explanations. Then panic, probably. Let's get the basics out of the way efficiently."
Yifan accepted the cup gratefully, savoring the warmth. The tea was jasmine, delicate and soothing.
"Your grandmother saved my life sixty years ago," Mo Ran began without preamble. "Guardian business that went badly wrong. I owed her a life debt, which is why I agreed to her request to protect you if needed. I'm a dragon—Lesser Court, not royalty like Tianyu, but old and strong enough to hold my own. This sanctuary is neutral ground, recognized by the Council. No clan can attack here without massive political repercussions."
"Tianyu found me this morning," Yifan said.
Mo Ran's expression didn't change, but something sharpened in her eyes. "Of course he did. He's probably been watching you for weeks, waiting for the wards to fail. What did he say?"
"That I was his bonded mate in my past life. That he wants to claim me again. That he can protect me better than you can."
"All true statements, unfortunately." Mo Ran sipped her own tea. "Tianyu is the most powerful Alpha in the East. He could protect you from almost any threat. He's also obsessed with you to a degree that's unhealthy after a thousand years, possessive beyond reason, and convinced you belong to him by cosmic right. So yes, he can protect you. But at what cost to your autonomy?"
It was exactly what Yifan needed to hear—someone who understood the complexity of the situation without dismissing Tianyu entirely or rushing to condemn him.
"My mother's journal said I need to choose freely," Yifan said. "Not from biology or politics or past life bonds."
"Your mother was very wise. The Phoenix's choice matters—cosmically, politically, personally. It's not just about who you bond. It's about what that bond means for the supernatural world's power structure." Mo Ran set down her cup. "But here's what your mother probably didn't have time to explain: your first heat will be intense. Phoenix heats are legendary for their power. Every Alpha within a hundred miles will sense it. Most will be drawn to it. Some will lose all sense of restraint."
Yifan's hand unconsciously moved to the jade pendant under his sweater. "That's why I need to be somewhere secure."
"Yes. But even here, you'll need help during heat. Omegas can't survive heat alone—the fever, the need, it's biologically dangerous without an Alpha to provide relief. I'm Beta, so I can't help with that. Which means you need to decide: who do you want with you when it happens?"
The question hung in the air, heavy with implications.
"Tianyu," Yifan said, the answer emerging before he could overthink it. "If... if it has to be someone, I want it to be him."
Mo Ran nodded as if this was exactly what she'd expected. "Because of the past life bond? Or because of him as he is now?"
"I don't know," Yifan admitted. "Maybe both. When I'm near him, something in me responds. Recognizes him. Wants him. I don't know if that's the Phoenix or me or if there's even a difference anymore."
"That's the question you need to answer. The Phoenix and Shen Yifan—are they the same person, or are you a new individual carrying an old soul?" Mo Ran leaned forward. "My advice? They're both. You're a continuation but also something new. Honor the past but don't be ruled by it."
"How do I do that when my body literally responds to him before my mind can even process it?"
"By making conscious choices, even when biology pulls you elsewhere. By remembering that heat is temporary but bonds are forever. By giving yourself permission to want him without feeling obligated to him." She paused. "Your first heat will likely start within two to three days, now that you've stopped suppressants. We'll monitor your temperature and scent. When it begins, I'll contact Tianyu—if that's still what you want."
"And if I change my mind?"
"Then I'll find another solution. There are professional heat attendants, Alphas who help unmated Omegas through heat without bonding or emotional entanglement. It's not ideal, but it's safe."
Yifan spent the rest of the afternoon learning about his emerging powers. Mo Ran took him to a training yard behind the compound and showed him basic exercises for controlling Phoenix fire. The first time he successfully summoned flame to his palm—golden-red fire that flickered without burning his skin—he felt a surge of rightness so profound it brought tears to his eyes.
This was what he was meant to be. What he'd always been, underneath the suppressants and false normalcy.
"Good," Mo Ran said, watching the flames dance. "Your powers are waking faster than I expected. Strong Phoenix. Your mother would be proud."
That evening, Yifan called Qingqing from Mo Ran's landline, knowing he owed her some explanation for his disappearance.
"Where are you?" she demanded immediately. "You missed all your classes, you're not at the dorm, and you're not answering your phone!"
"I'm safe. I'm in the mountains with... with a family friend. Dealing with some estate stuff from my grandmother." The lies came easier than they should have. "I might be here a few days. Can you cover for me with professors?"
"Fanfan, what's really going on? And don't say 'nothing' because I know you better than that."
Yifan wanted to tell her everything. Wanted to share this impossible reality with his best friend. But how could he drag her into the supernatural world's dangers?
"I promise I'll explain when I can," he said. "Right now, I just need you to trust me. Can you do that?"
A long pause. "Fine. But you owe me answers. Real ones."
After hanging up, Yifan felt the weight of isolation settle over him. He was cutting ties with his normal life, stepping fully into a world Qingqing couldn't follow him into. It hurt more than he'd expected.
That night, in the guest room Mo Ran had prepared, Yifan lay awake feeling his body change. His temperature was rising, hovering around 99°F according to the thermometer Mo Ran had given him. His skin felt sensitive, almost electric. And his scent—he could smell it himself now, growing stronger with each passing hour.
Phoenix fire and autumn smoke. Cinnamon and something sweeter, headier.
The scent of an Omega approaching heat.
He touched the jade pendant around his neck, feeling its warmth pulse against his palm. Somewhere out there, Tianyu was waiting. Watching. Ready to come the moment Yifan called.
Part of him wanted to crush it now, summon the Alpha, surrender to the pull between them and stop fighting the inevitable. But another part—the part his mother had believed in, the part that insisted on choice over destiny—held back.
When his heat came, when he needed help, then he would decide.
Until then, he would hold onto his autonomy for as long as possible, even as his body slowly betrayed him to biology's ancient demands.