Sheng Fei’s gaze softened, but his anger and jealousy still simmered beneath the surface. “You’re a fool, Hua Ren,” he said quietly, his tone almost pitying. “You do not even know the kind of man you're following. The kind of man you're willing to lay down your life for."
"I know very well the kind of man he is," Hua Ren replied, his voice firm. "I have watched him since I was young. I know him. It is you that I do not know."
Sheng Fei shook his head, a mix of frustration and longing in his eyes. "If you could just allow yourself to feel our bond, you would know every bit the man I am." This was the main reason he was ready to accept Hua Ren. Being so close to him earlier allowed him to perceive the kind of person Hua Ren was. Powerful, kind, noble with a strong sense of justice. The bond never lies. If his mate was a bad person, he would know. Why couldn't Hua Ren see it? Or was he choosing not to?
Hua Ren understood what Sheng Fei was talking about. He felt it seven months ago on the battlefield and he felt it hours ago when he was held in Sheng Fei’s arms but now, he wasn't willing to feel it. He didn't want to. To him, Sheng Fei was a rebel and he was evil through and through. Only his Emperor was good.
He wanted to leave. He wanted to focus on getting back to his Emperor before its too late. Knowing the speed of a messanger bird, it would only take another hour to reach the Kingfom.
Seeing Hua Ren's indifference to his words made Sheng Fei feel a crushing weight settle in his chest, a deep sense of defeat washing over him. It was painful enough to have his mate reject him, but to know that Hua Ren's heart belonged to another man—his enemy, no less—was unbearable. The fire of anger and jealousy that had been simmering within him began to flicker out, replaced by a hollow emptiness. He couldn’t bear to look at Hua Ren anymore.
In one night, he found and lost his mate.
Without a word, Sheng Fei reached for a knife on the table, his movements deliberate but without malice. Hua Ren instinctively stepped back, his eyes wide with fear, but Sheng Fei didn’t care to correct the misunderstanding. He simply approached and, with a swift motion, cut through the ropes binding Hua Ren's hands.
“Leave,” Sheng Fei commanded, his voice flat, his gaze averted. He couldn't bear to look into those cold white eyes.
Hua Ren stood frozen, confusion evident in his eyes as he stared at Sheng Fei. The sudden change in the man's demeanor was disorienting. Why would he suddenly let him leave? Wasn't he the one insisting that he was his Alpha?
“I said leave!” Sheng Fei barked, his voice rising with anger, making Hua Ren flinch. “Before I change my mind and claim you as my mate with or without your consent.”
The threat hung in the air like a blade, sharp and unyielding. Hua Ren didn’t wait for Sheng Fei to reconsider. Without another word, he turned and fled the room, the ties between them severed as swiftly as the ropes that bound him.
Without hurting anyone, he managed to steal a horse and galloped out of the village at full speed. By the time he started to see the large palace building, the sky was already getting bright.
As Hua Ren approached the palace, his heart pounded in his chest. He could only pray that he had made it in time because he hadn't had a single glimpse of the messanger bird on his way. But as he stepped through the gates, he was met by a group of stern-faced soldiers who blocked his path.
"The Emperor awaits you," one of them said, his tone flat and unyielding.
Hua Ren's stomach twisted with dread. He could already tell that they knew everything. He was too late. The Emperor had received the letter. He swiftly got off his horse and made his way to the Emperor with the guards in tow.
The walk to the Celestial Dragon Hall felt like an eternity. Hua Ren felt like turning around and fleeing so many times. He wanted to see the Emperor and explain himself but he was also scarred of the Emperor's rage. The Emperor had never been angry with him before. He had never so much as scolded him or yelled at him before but Hua Ren had seen the Emperor do it to others and it was not a lovely sight.
When the doors finally opened, Hua Ren’s eyes fell upon the Emperor seated on his ornate throne. The Emperor was dressed in resplendent vermillion robes, intricately adorned with golden sequins that caught the light and shimmered with each slight movement. His dark hair was gathered and tied up in a traditional top knot, the style accentuated by a gleaming golden crown that held the regal arrangement in place.
The Emperor's expression was grim, a deep frown etched into his features as he glared at Hua Ren. His eyes, dark and piercing, were filled with an intensity that sent a shiver down Hua Ren’s spine. The tension in the air was thick, and the weight of the Emperor’s gaze made Hua Ren’s heart pound in his chest.
Even though he couldn’t smell it, Hua Ren could sense the overwhelming presence of the Emperor’s oppressive pheromones filling the hall. The air was thick with tension, causing even the Alpha guards to grit their teeth and break out in a cold sweat, struggling to breathe under the weight of the Emperor's aura.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Hua Ren dropped to his knees, bowing low before the man he secretly loved. "Your Majesty," he murmured, his voice trembling. Although the Emperor’s pheromones had no effect on him, Hua Ren instinctively reacted as if they did. It was a skill he had perfected over time, allowing him to blend in seamlessly and avoid arousing suspicion.
The Emperor's gaze bore into him, sharp and unforgiving. "Leave us," he commanded, and the guards happily exited the room, leaving the two alone in the large hall.
Hua Ren did not dare to raise his head nor did he dare to speak. His heart was trashing against his chest in fear of what the Emperor was thinking about him. Even if he wanted to explain himself, he didn't know where to start.
The Emperor’s voice shattered the silence, cold and laced with disappointment. "My Ivory Warlord, I trusted you. I believed in your loyalty, your unwavering devotion. Yet here I am, reading reports of your betrayal. You, of all people."