Marry Me?
It was mid-July, the sweltering heat of the city trapped behind the floor-to-ceiling glass of the W-H Corporation’s executive boardroom. This wasn't a meeting with parents hovering—this was the real deal. The S-G, W-H, and Kang companies were officially merging, and the four young CEOs were the ones holding the gavel.
Shen, Liang, Min-ho, and Min-ji sat around the obsidian table, their presence alone enough to make the air feel heavy. Yuki sat at the end of the table, his tablet open, his expression sharp and professional as he recorded the minutes. He wasn't just a friend anymore; he was the secretary keeping their empire from collapsing under the weight of their combined egos.
"The expansion into the European market is greenlit," Shen
Shen said, his voice cold and commanding. He didn't look like a teenager; he looked like a God at the head of a table. "The S-G and W-H legacies are locked. We own the supply chains, and as of this morning, we officially own the competition."
Liang leaned back, his violet-rimmed eyes scanning the digital ledgers. He looked effortlessly powerful, his new Enigma-enhanced grace making him look more like a King than ever. "The board was questioning the budget cuts. I told them if they didn't like the new numbers, they could pack their shit and leave by lunch. They stayed."
Min-ji smirked, closing her folder with a snap. "They know who signs the checks. We’re running this city, not the old guard."
Min-ho nodded, looking at the screen. "We’re ready for the full merger by the end of the month. We’ve got total control."
A week later, the city was buzzing with birthday preparations, though only a select few were in on the secret.
Shen stood in the center of the most exclusive jewelry store in the city, the air smelling of velvet and diamonds. Min-ji was leaning against a display case, looking unimpressed with a diamond-encrusted watch.
"Shen, focus," she sighed, checking her phone. "We aren't here for a watch. We’re here for the ring. You’ve got five minutes before the jeweler gets impatient."
Shen ignored her, his eyes locked on a set of custom-made rings in a black velvet box. They were obsidian-encrusted, with a thin line of violet-tinged diamond running through the center—a perfect match for the Enigma mark he’d burned into Liang’s skin.
"They have to be perfect," Shen muttered, his voice cold and precise. "Liang is my mate, and the mark on his neck isn't enough. I want a physical, unbreakable tether. Something that says he’s mine for the whole world to see."
Min-ji rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "They’re beautiful. And a bit terrifying. Very you."
In the mean time somewhere in town.
The private karaoke room at The Velvet Mic was suffocating, not because of the space, but because of the sheer density of Liang's irritation. The room was decorated in aggressive neon violet and chrome, reflecting the mood Liang was currently projecting. He was slumped on the leather sofa, a tumbler of whiskey in one hand, while Yuki sat two feet away, looking like he’d rather be audited by the tax office than endure another five minutes of this "hangout."
"The acoustics," Liang repeated, his voice dangerously low, dripping with sarcasm. "That’s what they said. The acoustics are subpar. Min-ho, who listens to death metal on 100% volume in his car, thinks the acoustics here are subpar."
Yuki blinked, adjusting his glasses. "I mean... maybe he’s become a connoisseur? People change?"
"People don't change that much in two hours, Yuki. They’re hiding something." Liang gestured with his drink. "And you know what it is, don't you? You’re a terrible liar. You’re sweating."
"I’m just hot! It’s July!" Yuki protested, though he looked like he was vibrating with anxiety.
Just as Liang was about to launch into a full-scale interrogation, the door to the private suite swung open with a bang. Shen stepped in, looking like he’d just walked off a runway—crisp button-down, sleeves rolled up, hair slightly tousled from the humidity. Following him were the twins, Min-ho and Min-ji, both looking far too energized for a group that supposedly had family emergencies.
"Did someone say the acoustics were bad?" Shen drawled, his Dark Chocolate scent bleeding into the room, instantly calming the sharp, jagged edges of Liang’s frustration. He didn't even wait for an answer; he crossed the room in two long strides, dropping onto the couch beside Liang and pulling him flush against his side. "Because I think the acoustics are exactly what we need to make some noise."
Liang didn't melt immediately—he held onto his grudge like a lifeline. He glared at the twins, who were currently busy ordering an absurd amount of champagne from the service panel.
"Family emergency, Min-ho?" Liang deadpanned. "Is your cat dying again? Or did the office building spontaneously combust?"
Min-ho laughed, a loud, obnoxious sound, throwing an arm around Yuki’s shoulder. "It was a… corporate fire drill! Very serious stuff. You wouldn't understand, CEO-King. We had to save the printer toner."
Min-ji flopped down on the other side of Liang, poking him in the ribs. "Don't be such a grumpy old man. It’s your birthday week! You’re supposed to be celebrating, not interrogating your best friends like a secret service agent. Shen, keep your Alpha on a leash, he’s biting everyone’s head off."
Shen chuckled, his hand sliding down to rest firmly on Liang’s thigh, his thumb tracing slow, possessive circles. "He’s just hungry. And maybe a little needy because he misses his pack."
"I am not needy," Liang growled, though he leaned into Shen’s touch despite himself.
"Prove it," Shen challenged, grabbing the microphone and shoving it into Liang’s hand. "Sing. You want to grill us? Fine. But you have to earn it. One song. If you suck, we stop the interrogations."
Liang looked at the microphone like it was a weapon. "I’m not singing some pop garbage."
"Then don't," Shen smirked, leaning into Liang’s ear, his breath hot against the skin. "Sing something... intense. Something that fits the King."
The music started—a slow, brooding rock ballad with a bassline that thumped deep in the chest. Liang stood up, the movement fluid and predatory. He didn't look like a CEO in a karaoke booth; he looked like he was about to command a battlefield. As he started to sing, his voice—deep, gravelly, and laced with that raw, rewritten power—filled the room. It was magnetic.
Min-ho and Min-ji started cheering, adding their own terrible harmonies, turning the room into a chaotic, loud mess. For a few minutes, the tension melted. The "CEOs" were gone, replaced by four people who were about to change the world, and currently, absolutely terrible at keeping a secret.
When the song ended, the room was buzzing. Shen stood up, clapping, his eyes locked on Liang. "See? Not bad for a grumpy Alpha."
"I’m still not convinced," Liang said, but his eyes were soft. He grabbed Shen by the collar, pulling him down for a kiss that was both a challenge and an invitation. "You guys are acting like you’ve got a bomb hidden somewhere."
"Maybe we do," Min-ji winked, grabbing her coat. "But it’s time to go. We’ve got reservations."
"Reservations?" Liang frowned. "I thought we were staying here."
"Change of plans," Shen said, taking Liang’s hand and interlacing their fingers. "The acoustics at the beach house are better. And I think... I think you might like the birthday gift we’ve got planned."
Liang let himself be pulled toward the door, his heart hammering against his ribs. He still didn't know what the fuck was going on, and part of him wanted to throttle them for the lack of transparency. But as he looked at Shen—really looked at him—he saw that unmistakable glimmer of anticipation in those iridescent violet eyes.
"The beach house," Liang muttered, a small, genuine smile finally breaking through his hard exterior. "If you lot have ruined my favorite rug with catering spills, I’m firing all of you."
"Yeah, yeah, sure you will," Min-ho chirped, pushing them out the door. "But first, you have to get there. And let me tell you, Birthday King... you aren't ready for what’s waiting."
Liang felt the cool air hit his face, the Dark Cedar scent of his own pheromones mixing with the salt air drifting from the coast. He didn't know what was waiting for him, but as Shen squeezed his hand, a surge of possessive heat flared in his gut.
The merger was done. The Lis were erased. And now, for the first time in years, the only thing he had to worry about was surviving the night.
"Get in the car," Shen whispered, opening the door for him. "Your birthday hasn't even started yet."
Liang slid into the seat, his eyes never leaving Shen’s. The suspicion was still there, but beneath it, the excitement was beginning to roar. "If I’m disappointed, Shen, I’m taking your company from you."
"Deal," Shen laughed, sliding into the driver’s seat. "But trust me, Liang... you’re going to love this."
As the engine roared to life and they sped away from the city lights, Liang watched the blurred streetlamps fly by. He was the King of the city, he was the Enigma's mate, and he was absolutely, hopelessly walking into a trap—and for the first time in his life, he couldn't wait to see what happened next.
The drive to the beach house was a blur of neon city lights fading into the dark, rhythmic pulse of the ocean waves. Liang leaned back, his eyes fixed on the road, his heart strangely calm. He was still waiting for the "trap," but as the massive, glass-walled beach house came into view, illuminated by strings of fairy lights and glowing lanterns, the "trap" looked suspiciously like the best birthday setup he had ever seen.
"You guys," Liang muttered, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips.
The driveway was packed. As they climbed out, the doors swung open, and the entire "Council of Six" stood there—Hua Yong and Wenlang, Gao Tu and Shayou, and the two Kang parents. The second Liang stepped onto the deck, the roar went up.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALPHA!"
Liang stood frozen, stunned. It wasn't just a party; it was a production. The backyard had been transformed. A pristine, raised stage stood to the left, framed by cascading white orchids and violet spotlights. In the center, a massive, long banquet table had been set, laden with high-end spirits, platters of fresh seafood, and enough expensive champagne to sink a yacht.
"You really thought we’d leave you to spend your birthday in a karaoke box, you idiot?" Gso Tu laughed, clapping a heavy hand on Liang’s shoulder as he pulled him into a crushing hug.
"It was a decent guess," Liang defended, his defensive wall finally crumbling as he looked around at the faces of his pack. "You guys are terrible actors. Bad acoustics my ass."
"We are professionals," Shayou insisted, winking at the Kang parents. "We just had to ensure the acoustics of this place were top-tier."
The dinner was a chaotic, beautiful mess. Six dads, four young CEOs, and a Secretary who refused to sit still, constantly checking the schedule. The banter was relentless. Wenlang and Shayou were trading old stories about their own younger years, their jokes landing so well that Liang found himself laughing, his head thrown back, completely forgetting the stress of the Li family erasure. He felt lighter than he had in years—the rewrite was settled, the power was his, and he was surrounded by everyone who mattered.
Halfway through the meal, while Liang was mid-laugh at one of Wenlang’s sharper jabs, Min-ji leaned into Shen, her elbow catching his ribs.
"Go, Shen," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the clatter of silverware. "Your time to shine. Don't look like a nervous wreck or I’m telling him you cried in the car."
Shen didn't say a word. He stood up with the grace of an apex predator, his chair scraping softly against the deck. Liang didn't even notice; he was too busy laughing at something Shayou had just said. Shen slipped into the shadows of the house, his face unreadable.
A moment later, Min-ji slipped out after him.
Inside the quiet sanctuary of the beach house foyer, Shen was pacing. The Enigma who had stared down CEOs and dismantled families without breaking a sweat looked like he was about to face a firing squad. His black shirt was crisp, his jewelry catching the ambient light, and his iridescent eyes were flickering with an uncharacteristic, frantic violet.
"So, ready to shine, Enigma?" Min-ji asked, leaning against the doorframe, crossing her arms.
Shen stopped pacing, running a hand through his hair. "Shit, actually... I think for the first time in my life, I’m freaking out. What if he says no? Or I don't know, I stutter in my speech? Or I forget the lyrics to the song? Fuck, Min-ji, I’m an Enigma, I shouldn't be sweating like a teenager."
Min-ji walked over, her face softening. She reached out, adjusting the collar of his shirt, ensuring the black and iridescent violet glimmers were catching the light perfectly.
"Shit, Shen, the Enigma is actually freaking out for once," she teased, though her tone was gentle. "Oh, Shen, the way you’re thinking is stupid. Liang loves you more than anything, more than he shows it. And you won't fuck up anything. You’re an Enigma, Shen—you don't stutter, you don't fail. Show him what an Enigma can really do. Now get up there."
She gave his shoulder a sharp, bracing squeeze, then turned and headed back outside to her seat, leaving Shen alone to take a final, deep breath.
Outside, the music suddenly changed. The ambient noise dropped, and a soft, melancholic but beautiful melody began to play. All eyes turned to the stage.
Shen walked out. He looked lethal and elegant, the light catching the violet in his eyes. He didn't rush. He stood center stage, the microphone standing like a monolith in front of him.
"I’ve spent a lot of my life calculating risks," Shen said, his voice booming over the sound system, smooth and terrifyingly confident. "I’ve spent my life controlling variables. But the biggest risk I ever took... the only one that mattered... was the day I decided to rewrite the rules of my own life for the man sitting at that table."
He looked directly at Liang. The entire room went silent.
"This song is for the only person who ever made me want to be more than a God," Shen added. "This is for my Alpha."
He began to sing. His voice was perfect—a rich, deep, resonant baritone that carried the weight of everything they had been through. It was raw, soulful, and completely stripped of the Enigma coldness. The dads were visibly impressed, Hua Yong nodding with a small, proud smile, while Wenlang looked like he might actually weep into his wine.
When the final note faded into the ocean breeze, Shen didn't step down.
"Liang," he called out, his voice steady. "Come here."
Liang stood up. He felt the eyes of the entire party on him, but all he saw was Shen. He walked to the stage, the walk of an Enigma-marked King, his heartbeat thrumming in his ears. He climbed the steps, and Shen reached out, taking his hand.
Shen dropped to one knee.
The gasp that swept through the crowd was audible. Liang felt the air leave his lungs.
"We’ve fought wars, we’ve changed our biology, and we’ve rewritten our futures," Shen said, pulling the black velvet box from his pocket. The obsidian ring with the violet-tinged diamond caught the moonlight, looking like a shard of the night sky. "They say an Enigma is destined to walk alone, that we’re meant to be singular. But I found that isn't true. I found that my power is meaningless unless I have someone to share it with."
Shen looked up, his eyes glassy and vulnerable. "Liang... you’re my mate, my Alpha, and my equal. I don't want just the bond, and I don't want just the nights. I want the rest of the fucking life. Will you marry me?"
Liang’s vision blurred. The tough guy, the Alpha King, the man who had survived a rewrite that would have killed a lesser man—he started to cry. Thick, hot tears tracked down his face, and he let out a choked, broken sound.
"Yes," Liang sobbed, the word barely a whisper, then louder, firmer. "Yes."
Shen stood up, his own composure cracking as he slid the ring onto Liang’s finger. It fit perfectly, a jagged, beautiful piece of obsidian that anchored the violet light of the mark on his neck. Then Liang slid the other one on Shen's finger. Liang reached out, grabbed Shen by the lapels, and crushed their lips together. The kiss was desperate, possessive, and electric, a seal of a contract that transcended blood.
The crowd erupted. Dads were cheering, the twins were screaming, and Yuki was visibly wiping his eyes with a napkin.
Then came the cake—a three-tier masterpiece of dark chocolate and violet frosting, brought out by the staff.
Liang pulled back, still crying but grinning like a man who had everything, his hand still gripped tight in Shen’s.
"You did all this?" Liang laughed, wiping his cheeks. "The speech, the ring, the song?"
"Every bit of it," Shen whispered, kissing his forehead. "And the night’s not even over yet."
They stood there, surrounded by the pack, the waves crashing in the distance, the rings catching the light—a promise made, a life claimed, and a celebration that was just getting started.
The party didn't end when the cake was cut; it transformed. The music shifted from upbeat, celebratory pop to a low, heavy, thumping bass that matched the tide crashing against the shore. The Dads were well into their second bottle of vintage whiskey, and the twins, Min-ho and Min-ji, were currently debating the merits of the corporate merger with a very tipsy Shayou.
Gao Tu leaned back in his chair with a grin, watching his son—now marked and powerful—laughing with Shen. "You guys are acting like you’ve conquered the world," Gao Tu remarked, his eyes soft. "Which, I suppose, is true. But honestly, watching you two? It makes me feel ancient. Shayou, look at him. He actually looks happy."
Shayou nodded, a proud smile on his face. "He’s found his match. And Shen... he’s a good boy. A terrifying boy, but a good one."
Shen sat at the edge of the bonfire, his arm slung heavily over Liang’s shoulders. He looked satisfied, his iridescent eyes tracking the way the firelight danced on Liang’s new ring. The group began trading stories, the mood shifting from celebratory to something more intimate and eerie as the night wore on.
"You want a real story?" Shen asked, his voice dropping into that low, Enigma rumble that made the hair on everyone’s arms stand up. "I’ll tell you about the Void-Walkers. The first Enigmas. They didn't just rewrite DNA—they were rumored to rewrite reality."
"Oh, here we go," Wenlang murmured, amused, patting Shen’s hand.
"It wasn't a myth," Shen continued, his face perfectly serious, the firelight casting deep shadows over his sharp features. "There was an Enigma, decades ago, who realized he could hear the heartbeat of the earth. He started hearing whispers in his sleep. Not from people, but from the gaps between seconds. He said that if you stare into a mirror long enough at 3:33 AM, you don't see your reflection. You see the thing that's currently wearing your skin. And if you blink? It swaps places with you. He spent his final year screaming because he knew he was the reflection, not the man."
Yuki shivered, pulling his jacket tighter. "That’s… that’s fucked up, Shen."
"It gets worse," Shen went on, his gaze drifting to the black ocean behind them. "He started finding things in his house that he didn't own. A tooth. A lock of hair that wasn't his. He realized the thing was trying to build a body. And one morning, he woke up, and he couldn't remember his own name. He looked in the mirror, and the man inside smiled at him. He was trapped in the glass. He’s still there, watching us right now."
Min-ho looked visibly unsettled, checking over his shoulder at the dark sliding doors of the beach house. "Okay, that’s enough. That’s actually terrifying."
Even Shayou looked a little pale, glancing at the dark expanse of the beach. But Hua Yong, didn't even flinch. He didn't even look up from his drink. He just let out a dry, dismissive scoff.
"You’re amateurs," Hua Yong rumbled, his voice cutting through the fear like a knife. "That’s a classic misdirection. You want a real story? I remember the era before the laws were written. I saw an Enigma erase an entire mountain range from memory because it was in his way. He didn't build a body, Shen. He erased the concept of existence from his enemies. He looked at a man and simply... forgot he was there. And the man didn't just die—he ceased to have ever been born. His parents forgot him. His house vanished. The world recalibrated to remove his footprint."
Hua Yong looked at his son, his eyes cold and unamused. "That’s real power. Your ghost stories are cute, kid. But fear? Fear is knowing that someone can delete your entire history with a single thought. Don't waste my time with mirrors."
The silence that followed was heavy. Hua Yong sipped his whiskey, completely unfazed, while the rest of the party sat in stunned, terrified silence.
Liang laughed, breaking the tension. "God, I love this family. We’re all psychopaths."
By 2:00 AM, the party was winding down. The Dads had retired, and the twins and Yuki had stumbled off to the guest wing. Shen and Liang stood on the balcony, the salt air stinging their skin.
"Real story," Liang whispered, sliding his hands under Shen’s shirt, feeling the heat of his skin. "You scared the shit out of Min-ho."
"He needed a reality check," Shen smirked, pulling Liang into the house. "Besides, I wanted you all to myself."
They didn't make it to the bed. The door to the master suite clicked shut, and the world outside ceased to exist.
Shen slammed Liang against the door, the wood groaning under the impact. This wasn't the slow burn of the rewrite anymore. This was the raw, unbridled hunger of two equals who finally had nothing left to prove.
"My King," Shen rasped, his scent of Dark Chocolate becoming so heavy it was intoxicating.
Liang didn't say a word. He acted. He ripped Shen’s shirt open, buttons flying across the room, and dragged him down into a kiss that tasted like whiskey and desperation.
They fell to the floor, a tangle of limbs and teeth. Shen moved to pin him, but Liang flipped him with a terrifying, fluid grace, climbing on top of him. He straddled Shen’s hips, his new Enigma power humming under his skin, making him feel invincible.
"You're mine," Liang growled, his voice a guttural command. "Everything. The ring. The bond. The sex. It's all mine tonight."
Shen’s eyes widened, a dark, primal lust flickering in his violet irises. He reached up, grabbing Liang’s waist and hauling him down. "Show me, Alpha."
Liang didn't need to be told twice. He stripped Shen bare, his hands shaking with urgency. He grabbed Shen’s dick—thick, pulsing, and dripping with pre-cum—and guided it. There was no hesitation, no rewriting protocol. Just pure, dominant need.
He lowered himself onto Shen’s dick, taking every inch of him in one smooth, agonizingly slow slide. Shen let out a roar, his head arching back.
"Fuck," Shen gasped, his hands clawing at Liang’s back, leaving deep, jagged marks. "You feel so good. You’re so fucking tight."
"You want tight?" Liang hissed, grinding his hips down, forcing Shen deeper until they were fused at the hip. "I’m going to make you forget your own name."
They moved together, a blur of motion. Liang was dominant, his hips snapping with a force that made the floor shake. He took control, setting the pace, riding Shen with a hunger that bordered on violent. Shen didn't mind; he loved the way Liang’s new power made him fight back. He reached up, gripping Liang’s ass, his fingers digging into the muscle, massaging him, dragging the friction out until Liang was sobbing, his head thrown back.
"Take it all!" Shen shouted, his voice cracking. "Claim me, Liang!"
They were slamming together, the sound of skin on skin echoing in the room like gunfire. Liang’s dick was rock hard, rubbing against Shen’s stomach, slick and throbbing.
"I’m going to ruin you," Liang promised, his voice a low, dangerous rasp. He pulled himself off, then it was Shen's turn to be the one pinned to the bed. Then he started to move sliding into Shen.
He sped up, his thrusts deep and punishing. Every time he hit Shen's prostate, Shen would lose his mind, his body twitching, his scent going haywire.
"Do it!" Shen screamed, his own dick twitching as he reached the edge. "Finish it!"
Liang didn't hold back. He gripped Shen’s hair, forcing him to look at him, and plunged into him one last, massive time. The friction was unbearable. The pleasure was blinding.
They shattered together.
Liang roared, his body convulsing, his cum flooding Shen’s inside. Shen came seconds later, his roar tearing through the penthouse.
They collapsed, panting, sweating, and tangled in the sheets. Shen pulled Liang down against his chest, his heart hammering against Liang’s.
"My Alpha," Shen whispered, kissing the mark on Liang’s neck, the obsidian rings catching the moonlight one last time. "We’re finally home."
Liang just hummed, his eyes drifting shut. The merger was done. The Li family was buried. And for the first time, he didn't need to be a King. He just needed to be Shen’s.