The air in Haicheng was heavy and damp, carrying a briny tang of sea salt mixed with the cloying, sweet fragrance of tropical flora. The lingering, ambiguous afterglow from their high-altitude flight had not yet fully dissipated when Silas Shen stepped onto this restless land, bringing with him his perennial, icy composure.
The hotel shuttle dropped them at a boutique, design-forward hotel overlooking the sea. The lobby was paved with pale grey marble, and beyond the massive floor-to-ceiling windows lay a churning, cerulean coastline.
Silas stood at the front desk, one hand resting on the handle of his suitcase, while the other instinctively reached back toward his nape. The area was still pulsing with a faint, hidden heat. The humidity of Haicheng seemed to magnify the intrusive sensation of the Alpha's pheromones, making his entire body feel wound tight.
"Hello, checking in. The reservation is under Silas Shen." His voice remained cool and aloof, like a shard of ice dropping into a basin of lukewarm water.
The receptionist offered a practiced, sweet smile, her fingers dancing rapidly across the keyboard. After a moment, her movements stilled. Her brow furrowed slightly, and a look of profound apology washed over her face.
"Mr. Shen, I am incredibly sorry. Because the scale of the National Biomedical Forum has exceeded all expectations, the hotel has encountered a systemic overbooking issue. Regarding the two Executive Single rooms you originally booked... one of them is currently undergoing emergency repairs due to a burst water pipe. Unfortunately, every five-star hotel in Haicheng is currently at full capacity because of the conference."
Silas's fingers tightened abruptly around the suitcase handle, his knuckles turning a pale, ghostly white from the sheer force.
"And so?"
"And so, we can currently only provide you with the one Executive King Suite that was successfully held." The receptionist carefully observed Silas's darkening expression. "As compensation, we will waive all your dining expenses for the next three days and provide complimentary rooftop SPA vouchers. Would that... be acceptable?"
Silas's face turned cold instantly. The atmospheric pressure radiating from him dropped so sharply it felt as if the tropical greenery in the lobby might wither on the spot.
One room.
A King-sized bed.
He could practically feel the magnetic field radiating from Hunter Huo, who was standing half a step behind him in a deceptively obedient posture. At this moment, Hunter was emitting a pulse of energy that could only be described as "barely contained."
Silas took a deep breath, fighting to maintain his professional poise as a professor. "Is there truly no other way? Even a standard twin room would suffice."
"I am truly sorry, Mr. Shen. Since it is peak academic season, even the budget hotels in the surrounding area are fully booked."
Just as Silas's mind began racing—even considering whether he should just rough it in the conference center's lounge for three nights—a "sympathetic" sigh echoed from behind him.
Hunter was currently pinching his own thigh with brutal force, using the sharp jolt of pain to suppress the frantic urge for his mouth to curl upward. He knew with absolute certainty that if he laughed now, he would likely never be allowed inside Silas's bedroom for the rest of his life.
He cleared his throat, adopting an expression of earnestness mixed with a hint of grievance. He leaned toward Silas, his voice lowered as if he were afraid of stoking the flames of Silas's anger.
"Professor... how about this? I'll go find an internet cafe outside and crash there for three nights? Your health hasn't fully recovered yet, and you've only just been marked; you shouldn't overexert yourself."
Silas turned his head, looking at him with deep suspicion.
Hunter's eyes were as pure and clear as a mountain spring. His soft, messy hair shimmered with a golden luster in the rays of the setting sun, making him look exactly like a loyal Golden Retriever worrying over its master.
"An internet cafe?" Silas scoffed coldly. "Do you want the entire faculty to know that I brought an assistant on a business trip only to drive him to a gaming den for the night?"
"Then..." Hunter lowered his head, his long, slender fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of his shirt. His voice grew even smaller, carrying a hint of nearly humble hesitation. "What if... I sleep on the floor? Or the sofa is fine, too. You take the bed, and I'll just stay by your side. Assistant Lin said I'm here to take care of you. If I let you stay alone and your stress-response syndrome flares up during your rut... I'm worried..."
He had intentionally mentioned the "stress-response syndrome."
The words of rejection died in Silas's throat. He was painfully aware that due to the temporary marking that had yet to be metabolized, his physiological fluctuations were indeed volatile. If he were to lose control in an unfamiliar environment, he would truly need the scent of a familiar Alpha to stabilize him.
Even if that Alpha was currently playing the part of a saint while harboring a nest of wicked thoughts.
"...Open the room." Silas spoke the three words almost through gritted teeth.
Hunter's eyes flashed with a spark of brilliance for a split second, a light so fast it was almost impossible to catch. He nimbly whipped out his ID and handed it to the receptionist, his movements so swift it seemed he was terrified Silas might repent and flee in the next second.
"Wonderful, here is your keycard. Top floor, Room 2808. The ocean view is unbeatable." The receptionist exhaled in relief, handing over the card with a smile.
As the elevator ascended, the scents of cold fir and sun-drenched orange inevitably mingled once more in the cramped, narrow space.
Silas stared at the shifting floor numbers, his heart beating even faster than it had earlier on the plane. He could even hear Hunter's breathing behind him, which had grown heavy from a surge of over-excitement.
"Professor, don't you worry. I'm a heavy sleeper. Once my eyes close, I'm out like a dead pig. I absolutely won't disturb you." Hunter winked at Silas in the elevator mirror, his smile far too radiant.
Silas ignored him, silently reciting various biological laws in his mind to keep his focus.
However, the moment the door swiped open, Silas was still shaken by the sight before him.
It was indeed an "unbeatable ocean view." The floor-to-ceiling windows faced the sea directly, with moonlight already beginning to scatter silver across the waves. But in the center of the room, that massive bed, draped in pristine white silk linens, looked exceptionally... ambiguous under the soft ambient lighting.
To make matters worse, a complimentary bottle of champagne and two deep red roses sat on the nightstand, perfectly matching the mood.
Silas stood at the threshold, his suitcase wheels carving heavy tracks into the carpet. He didn't feel like he was here for an academic conference; he felt like he had followed this student here for a honeymoon.
"Professor, this sofa is quite large!" Hunter charged into the room first, flopping onto the deep grey armchair to test the bounce of the cushions. He looked back at Silas with a grin. "See? If I curl up a bit, I can sleep here without taking up any space at all."
Silas looked at those impossibly long legs that seemed to have no place to go. Because the sofa's length was limited, Hunter's knees were hiked up high, making him look utterly cramped and pitiful.
"You..." Silas started to say something, but he saw that Hunter had already reached into his backpack. He pulled out the tube of ointment he had been carrying and placed it primly and neatly on the nightstand.
"Professor, why don't you shower first? Sitting on a plane for half the day must be uncomfortable." Hunter looked up, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Silas looked at the ointment, then at the Alpha who had seamlessly stepped into the role of a "housekeeper." That iron-clad wall in his heart seemed to lose another brick to the salt-tinged sea breeze.
Without a word, he grabbed his change of clothes and entered the bathroom.
The frosted glass door blocked the view but could not stifle the sound. Listening to the rhythmic splashing of water from the shower, Hunter, sitting on the sofa, finally lost his composure.
He sank back into the cushions, covering his face with his hands as a silent, near-manic tremor of laughter shook his frame.
"A neighbor's proximity..." he murmured to himself. In the gaps between his fingers, his eyes glowed with a predatory, lupine hunger. "Silas Shen, you're the one who told me to stay."