Sorry, and Good News
sleek black needle ready to pierce the morning fog. Gao Tu and Shayou—Liang's fathers were already aboard, arguing over which designer sunglasses looked more intimidating for a beach arrival, while Hua Yong and Wenlang—Shen's fathers—were calmly sipping high-end coffee
The Kang twins and their dads, Dae-hyun and Ji-hoon, followed closely behind. The air in the cabin was thick with the scent of the new power alliance, but the tension between the heirs was a different beast entirely.
"Look at them," Shayou whispered to Gao Tu, a smug grin on his face. "They look like they spent the night wrestling a bear. And the bear lost."
"Shut up, Dad!" Liang grumbled, his face turning a bright, dusty red as he dropped into a seat. He was exhausted, but his scent—rich, dark, and thoroughly claimed by Shen—told the whole story.
The resort was a private slice of paradise—white sand and turquoise water. By midday, the six dads were already lounging under a fucking massive cabana, watching the waves. Min-ho and Min-ji were out on jet skis, their laughter echoing across the water.
Shen and Liang were further down the beach, away from the noise. Shen watched Liang toss a football into the air, his muscles rippling under the sun. He looked perfect. He looked like the King.
It’s time.
"Liang," Shen said, his voice cutting through the sound of the surf. "Sit down. We need to talk about the Mark. For real this time."
Liang caught the ball and froze. He sat on the edge of a sun lounger, his jaw tightening. "The temporary thing from yesterday? I know, Shen. It messed me up. I’m over it."
"It’s not just that," Shen said, sitting in the sand. "When an Enigma marks an Alpha permanently... your biology shifts, Liang. You won't have Ruts anymore. You’ll have Heats. Like an Omega. But there's more. You’ll actually gain 40% of my Enigma power. You'll have my abilities, my strength, added to your own. But during those Heats... you’ll be completely vulnerable. To me."
The silence that followed was fucking deafening. The only sound was the rhythmic thump of the football hitting the sand as it slipped from Liang’s hand.
Liang’s face went pale, then a dark, furious red. He stood up abruptly. He didn't yell. He just looked at Shen with a betrayal so deep it made the Enigma’s heart go fucking cold.
"An Omega's biology?" Liang whispered, his voice trembling. "You want to turn me into... that? I don't give a fuck about your 40% power, Shen! You want to take my Ruts? You want to take what makes me a King?"
"Liang, I—"
"Don't," Liang hissed, stepping back. "Don't fucking touch me."
He turned and walked toward the water, his strides long and angry. From the cabana, Hua Yong and the other dads stopped talking, their eyes tracking the Alpha as he stormed off. They had seen the whole thing.
Shen didn't follow him. He couldn't. He stood up, brushed the sand off his legs, and walked back to the cabana with a face like stone. He didn't look at his fathers. He didn't look at Liang’s fathers.
He walked straight to the ice bucket, grabbed a bottle of expensive red wine, and didn't even bother with a shitty glass. He slumped into a chair and took a massive, desperate pull directly from the bottle, literally drowning himself in it as if he could wash away the look on Liang’s face.
"Shen," Wenlang said softly, reaching out a hand.
"Not now, Papa," Shen rasped, his eyes bloodshot as he took another swig.
For the next four hours, the silence was brutal. Liang was a ghost on the shoreline, and Shen was a wreck in the cabana, finishing one bottle and reaching for the next. It was the silent treatment—the one weapon Liang had that actually hurt Shen more than fucking a punch.
It was nearly midnight when Liang finally moved. Shen was sitting on the villa balcony, staring at the moon through a haze of wine, when he felt a heavy presence. Liang stepped out, his eyes red-rimmed. He walked over and slumped into the chair next to Shen.
"I’m sorry," Liang rasped.
Shen turned, his violet eyes wide. "Liang..."
"I was mad," Liang swallowed hard. "I was fucking terrified. I spent all afternoon thinking about being weak. But then I looked at your papa, Wenlang... he’s the toughest man I know, and he did this for your dad. If he can do it and still be a badass, I guess I can too. I’m a fucking idiot for giving you the silent treatment. I just... I needed to grieve the old me for a second."
He looked at Shen, his silver-gold eyes shining. "I’m not ready yet. I still want to be the Alpha King at the next game without worrying about a Heat. But... I’m not scared anymore. And that 40% of your power? I'm gonna use it to make sure you never drink yourself into a stupor like that again."
Shen let out a long, shaky sigh, pulling Liang into his arms. "Whenever you’re ready, Liang. I won't mark you for good until you tell me you're ready, my King."
Liang leaned into the touch, his forehead resting on Shen’s shoulder. "Deal, baby. Deal."
The night air was still thick with the scent of sea salt and reconciliation as Shen stood up, his violet eyes dark with a sudden, predatory intent. He didn't say another fucking word, he simply hooked his arms under Liang’s knees and scooped the Alpha up into a bridal carry.
"Hey! Put me down, you possessive bitch!" Liang barked, though his arms immediately wound around Shen’s neck, his face flushing a deep, satisfied crimson.
As Shen marched down the hallway of the luxury villa toward their master suite, the doors to the adjacent rooms clicked open. Min-ho and Min-ji stepped out, leaning against their respective doorframes with identical, knowing smirks.
"Going for round two, Shenny?" Min-ho teased, wagging his eyebrows.
"I'd say stay hydrated, but we all saw Shen drowning himself in wine all afternoon," Min-ji added, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Try not to break the headboard, we’re trying to sleep."
"Go to hell, both of you!" Liang roared over Shen’s shoulder, flipping them off as Shen kicked their bedroom door shut with a definitive thud.
Inside, the moonlight was the only witness. Shen set Liang down on the edge of the oversized bed, but he didn't let go. He kept his hands locked on Liang’s waist, pulling him so close their heartbeats thrummed against each other.
"You scared the hell out of me today," Shen whispered, his voice a low, jagged rasp.
"Good," Liang breathed, his fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of Shen’s neck. "Now make me forget why I was scared."
It wasn't like the frantic, steam-filled encounter in the school showers. This was slow, deliberate, and devastatingly intimate. Shen stripped Liang with a reverence that made the Alpha’s breath hitch, his hands tracing every scar, every muscle, every inch of the skin he intended to claim for a lifetime.
When they finally merged, it was a slow, deep burn. Shen moved with a steady, possessive rhythm, his iridescent eyes never leaving Liang’s. He watched the way Liang’s pride melted into pure, unadulterated devotion, the way the Alpha King arched his back and sobbed Shen’s name into the quiet room. It wasn't just sex, hell no. It was a rehearsal for the Mark. Every touch was a promise that when the 40% power shift finally happened, Shen would be there to catch him.
"You're mine," Shen groaned, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin of Liang’s shoulder. "Ruts or Heats, power or no power... you're fucking mine."
"Always," Liang gasped, his fingers digging into Shen’s back as they hit the peak together, the world narrowing down to just the two of them and the sound of the crashing waves outside.
The next morning, the Power Couple and the Shadow Heirs were unrecognizable. Gone were the tactical scowls and the lethal auras.
The sun was high, and the beach was a chaotic mess of splashing water and shouting. Liang was currently sprinting across the sand, dodging a face-full of saltwater launched by Min-ho.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT! I’M GONNA BURY YOU IN THE DUNES!" Liang roared, laughing as he tackled the Beta into the surf.
Shen was sitting on a beach towel, wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and looking remarkably like a normal teenager for once. He was currently engaged in a heated argument with Min-ji over whose turn it was to go get the ice creams.
"I paid for the jet skis, Min-ji. The least you can do is walk fifty feet to the stand," Shen drawled, kicking a bit of sand toward her.
"I’m an guest, Shen! Hospitality 101!" Min-ji retorted, sticking her tongue out.
The six dads were watching from the cabana, a rare collective smile on their faces. For this one afternoon, there were no mergers, no Li family jerks threats, and no blood-stained documents. There was just Gao Tu and Shayou laughing as Liang tried to do a backflip into the water and failed spectacularly, and Hua Yong and Wenlang watching Shen actually look... fucking happy.
"HEY SHENNY! WATCH THIS!" Liang shouted from the waves, standing on Min-ho’s shoulders.
"IF YOU FALL, I’M NOT DRIVING YOU TO THE HOSPITAL!" Shen shouted back, but his smile was blindingly bright.
For a few hours on a Sunday in March, they weren't the future of the Beijing underworld. They were just eighteen-year-old seniors, enjoying the sun before the real world called them back.
The cabin of the private jet was bathed in the golden, late-afternoon sun as they climbed high above the coastline, heading back toward the sprawling skyline of Beijing. The atmosphere was light, filled with the hum of the engines and the low murmur of the six dads discussing the week's successful merger over glasses of vintage scotch. Min-ho and Min-ji were crashed out in the rear lounge, exhausted from a weekend of sun and fucking silly chaos.
Shen’s phone vibrated against his thigh. He pulled it out, his iridescent eyes sharpening as he read the caller ID: Kang Main Office.
He didn't say a word. He simply stood up and caught Liang’s gaze across the aisle. With a subtle jerk of his chin toward the private sleeping quarters at the very back of the jet, he gestured for the Alpha to follow.
Liang, sensing the shift in Shen’s energy, unbuckled his seatbelt and trailed behind him. The heavy soundproof door clicked shut, sealing them into the small, luxurious cabin.
Shen hit the speakerphone. "Report."
"Mr. Hua," the Kang family’s lead secretary spoke, her voice crisp and devoid of emotion. "The paperwork is finalized. Wei has been officially expelled from St. Jude’s. His family’s scholarship has been revoked, and a permanent restraining order has been filed. He is barred from entering any varsity sports program in the province, and his name has been blacklisted from the athletic registry. He is done, sir. For good."
Shen’s jaw tightened with a dark, lethal satisfaction. "And the school property?"
"Security has his biometric data. If he steps within fifty feet of the gates, he will be detained. You and Mr. Gao will not see him again."
"Good work. Send the confirmation to my father’s legal team," Shen said, then ended the call.
The room fell silent. Liang was standing by the small porthole, the clouds rushing by outside, his expression a mix of relief and lingering shadow. Shen stepped forward, closing the distance, and wrapped his arms around Liang’s waist, pulling him into a tight, grounding hug. He buried his face in the crook of Liang’s neck, inhaling the scent of salt and home.
"It’s over, Liang," Shen whispered against his skin. "Now, no one will touch you ever again. I made sure of it."
Liang let out a long, shaky breath he’d been holding since Friday morning. He leaned into the hug, his large hands gripping Shen’s back. The weight of the vulnerability didn't feel so heavy anymore when he knew he had a beautiful monster like Shen guarding the gate.
"Thanks, Shenny," Liang murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I mean it."
They walked back into the main cabin, hand-in-hand, their shoulders squared. The dads looked up, sensing the change in the air. Even the twins stirred from their nap, sensing the shift.
"Update?" Hua Yong rumbled, swirling his drink.
Shen looked around the room—at his fathers Wenlang and Hua Yong, at Liang’s fathers Gao Tu and Shayou, and at the Kangs.
"Wei is officially a fucking ghost," Shen announced, his voice ringing through the cabin with absolute authority. "Expelled, blacklisted, and barred from the city’s athletic programs. He’s finished."
"FUCK YEAH!" Liang roared, punching the air as the tension finally snapped.
Gao Tu let out a triumphant laugh, clinking his glass against Shayou’s. "That’s my nephew! I told you he’d handle it!"
"A toast!" Dae-hyun shouted, signaling the flight attendant. "To the new kings of Beijing! Let’s see who else is dumb enough to try us now."
The rest of the flight was a celebration. The Power Couple sat together, Liang’s arm draped over Shen’s shoulder, watching the city lights of Beijing begin to twinkle below them. The war wasn't over—the Lis were still out there—but for tonight, they were untouchable.