Cheung Qi clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
He forced himself to keep his breathing steady, swallowing the storm of emotions threatening to spill over.
No matter how angry he was, the man before him was more than his cousin and closest friend.
Hei Bao was the Pact Leader. Losing control in front of him would solve nothing.
For a long moment, silence filled the office until Hei Bao finally acknowledged him.
Sitting down the documents on his desk, the pact leader leaned back against the chair with a quiet sigh, crossed his arms over his chest, and regarded his third cousin with an unreadable expression.
A suffocating stillness settled between them.
"So?" Hei Bao asked calmly, his voice low and detached.
His dark eyes showed neither guilt nor regret.
"I killed her."
He tilted his head slightly.
"What of it?"
Cheung Qi stared at him in disbelief.
"So?" he repeated.
"My assistant from the club just called me. Two people from the Vampire clan have been searching everywhere for that woman." His voice gradually rose despite his efforts to remain calm.
"Do you honestly think the Vampire Clan is going to let this go after what you did?"
"I'd like to see them try," Hei Bao replied without hesitation.
His answer, however, only fueled Cheung Qi's growing frustration.
"Why are you so worked up over this?" Hei Bao added.
His tone remained calm, but there was an unmistakable warning beneath it.
"If I hadn't killed her..."
He paused, drawing in a slow breath as a dangerous glint flickered across his eyes.
"...then I would have become her puppet."
His jaw tightened.
"Would you rather watch me fall under that witch's control?"
The room fell silent again.
Cheung Qi wasn't asking because he doubted Hei Bao's strength.
He wanted answers.
"I'M ASKING IF YOU KNOW WHO SHE IS!"
His voice echoed through the office.
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted raising his voice.
Cheung Qi rarely lost his temper.
Among their generation, he was known for being patient and level-headed. But whenever his family or the safety of their people was involved, logic often gave way to emotion.
Twenty-four years had passed since the bloody conflict between the wolves and vampires finally came to an end.
Neither side could afford another war.
Too many graves already existed because of hatred.
Too many names had been carved into stone.
Cheung Qi himself had lost someone he could never replace.
Now, Hei Bao was the only elder family member he had left. The thought of losing the only family he had left made his chest tighten with fear.
"I've always let you do things your own way," Cheung Qi said, forcing his trembling voice to steady itself.
"Because I know you've been carrying centuries of grief."
His eyes slowly reddened.
"But enough is enough."
He shook his head.
"You've crossed the line this time. No..."
His voice cracked.
"You've gone so far that I don't even recognize you anymore."
He looked directly into Hei Bao's eyes.
"You're standing right in front of me, but you feel so far away."
His breathing became uneven.
"I don't understand you anymore, A-Bao."
His lips trembled before he forced out the question he had buried for years.
"When you finally find Lianhua again… do you really think he'll be proud of everything you've done?"
The office instantly turned cold.
A dense wave of dominant pheromones burst from Hei Bao without warning.
His inner wolf had been provoked.
The mere mention of his deceased husband struck the deepest wound he possessed.
Only then did Cheung Qi realize what he had said.
His face paled.
"I..."
His anger quickly disappeared, replaced by guilt.
"I'm sorry."
He lowered his head, unable to meet Hei Bao's gaze.
For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.
Hei Bao slowly closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before letting the breath leave his lungs in a controlled exhale.
When he opened his eyes again, the killing intent had faded, though the coldness remained.
"How could I not know her?"
His voice was measured.
"She was Rong Qiqiang's favorite toy."
A faint sneer crossed his lips.
"The woman that, despicable vampire trusted."
Cheung Qi's expression stiffened.
"So you knew..."
Fear settled deeper inside him.
"You knew exactly who she was, and you still killed her."
He swallowed hard.
"A-Bao..."
His voice softened.
"Are you trying to start another war?"
He took a slow step forward.
"The peace treaty between the wolves and vampires has lasted for over a century. Countless people died to make that peace possible. If this turns into retaliation..."
He looked straight at his elder cousin again.
"...everything we've protected could collapse."
His voice became hoarse.
"Have you thought about what will happen to our people?"
His eyes glistened.
"And Gou Feng?"
The young man's name lingered heavily between them.
"That kid only has us. You and me. If another war begins, he'll be caught in the middle."
Cheung Qi clenched his fists again.
"Do you even care anymore?"
His breathing hitched.
"Or..."
His voice became quieter.
"Have you already given up on finding and waiting for Lianhua?"
Instead of answering, Hei Bao laughed. It wasn't loud. It wasn't joyful either. It was a quiet chuckle that made Cheung Qi freeze.
"You should see your face," Hei Bao said with amusement.
Cheung Qi stared at him in disbelief.
"You've really lost your mind."
His brows knitted tightly.
"You think this is funny?"
At that question, the smile disappeared from Hei Bao's face.
He slowly rose from his chair.
Each step toward Cheung Qi was calm, unhurried, yet carried invisible pressure.
When he finally stopped before him, he smiled faintly.
"I do."
His voice remained gentle.
"I find it amusing that after all these years… my precious little cousin still lets his emotions lead him."
His gaze sharpened.
"You haven't changed at all."
Cheung Qi instinctively stiffened.
Hei Bao leaned slightly closer.
"And I'd appreciate it… if you stopped putting words into my mouth."
The air exploded. An overwhelming surge of dominant Alpha pheromones flooded the office.
The pressure immediately struck Cheung Qi like an invisible mountain.
His knees slammed against the floor.
"Ugh—!"
And, his lungs refused to expand. Every breath became a struggle. Cold sweat soaked his back as his wolf instinctively submitted before a superior Alpha stood in front of him.
Hei Bao looked down at him. His golden eyes glowed faintly with authority.
"A-Qi."
His voice carried unquestionable command.
"Do you understand?"
Cheung Qi helplessly glanced at him, but couldn't force out a reply.
He could only nod repeatedly while gasping for air.
The oppressive pressure gradually weakened.
"Good."
Hei Bao's tone softened.
He crouched in front of his younger cousin and placed a hand between his shoulder blades, slowly releasing a gentler wave of pheromones to calm the pain his dominance had caused.
His expression finally became serious.
"The woman I killed wasn't simply Rong Qiqiang's mistress."
His eyes narrowed.
"She was his spy."
Hei Bao's voice turned cold.
"For months, she infiltrated my territory under the guise of business dealings. She gathered information on our pact, monitored our movements, and waited for an opportunity to strike."
He paused before continuing.
"And when that opportunity came… she attempted to place me under witchcraft."
A dangerous smile appeared on his lips.
"She failed."
His hand slowly withdrew from Cheung Qi's back.
"So tell me, A-Qi..."
Hei Bao's gaze became piercing.
"If someone infiltrates our home, conspires with our enemies, and tries to enslave your pack leader… What punishment do you think they deserve?"
Cheung Qi lowered his head.
His heartbeat gradually steadied as realization settled over him.
This had never been about revenge. Nor had it been another reckless act driven by grief.
Hei Bao had acted because an enemy had crossed the line first.
The room fell into silence once more.
This time, however, the silence carried understanding instead of conflict.
Cheung Qi remained on one knee, his breathing uneven as the lingering pressure of Hei Bao's dominant pheromones slowly faded.
His chest rose and fell heavily. Cold sweat clung to his forehead, and his hands trembled from the strain his wolf had just endured.
After several moments, he finally managed to steady his breathing.
A weak cough escaped his lips.
He lifted his head, his face still pale from the ordeal.
"A spy... sent by the Vampire Leader?" he asked hoarsely, disbelief evident in his voice.
Hei Bao looked down at him.
The anger in his eyes had long since disappeared, replaced by quiet remorse.
Without saying a word, he pulled a neatly folded red handkerchief from inside his worn coat, and gently wiped the sweat from Cheung Qi's forehead.
His movements were slow and careful. Each gentle touch carried an apology he was too proud to say aloud.
"Yes," Hei Bao answered.
"She was Rong Qiqiang's spy."
Cheung Qi remained silent.
He knew Hei Bao. His elder cousin was not someone who apologized with words.
Instead, he expressed regret through actions only those closest to him could understand.
Hei Bao had always been like that.
He might appear cold, ruthless, and impossible to approach, but those he truly considered family knew there was a gentleness hidden beneath that hardened exterior.
His gaze lingered on Cheung Qi's exhausted face. A trace of guilt surfaced in his eyes.
No matter how reckless this brat could be, Hei Bao had never truly been angry with him.
How could he?
After Cheung Qi's parents died, Hei Bao had taken him in when he was only fifteen years old.
He had watched the stubborn boy grow into the capable man sitting before him.
Over the years, their relationship had gradually become less like cousins and more like brothers.
Family was not defined by blood alone. Sometimes, it was built through the countless years spent protecting someone without expecting anything in return.
Hei Bao clicked his tongue softly before muttering,
"I wouldn't have gone that far if you hadn't provoked Leo."
His tone carried more resignation than irritation. He was referring to the wolf sleeping peacefully inside him now.
Cheung Qi let out a tired laugh.
"That wasn't you."
He looked up with a weak smile despite his exhaustion.
"It was Leo."
Hei Bao rolled his eyes.
"Don't encourage him."
Even so, the corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly.