AN: A random thought that occurred to me recently is this: You guys know about the plot points in dramas/novels where the antagonists try to ruin the MC in various ways to get with the ML. They think, ‘if X happens to MC, the ML will either ditch them or choose me cause potatoes.’ It sounds dumb when reading it but it occurred to me that in order to think such a thing, this method had to have worked at least once and that just saddens me.

*****

Jun Yibai wasn’t sure about how to feel.

Alpha’s were possessive, as he had heard, but how was one supposed to respond to such a declaration?

Thank you?

I feel the same way?

Neither felt right. As such, Jun Yibai put it on the back burner. He’d dissect this matter later on. He had a lot to think about now.

First things first, he had to talk to Yang Ru. If he didn’t reassure her soon, she was absolutely going to call the police about him being missing.

He’d already started the day out pretty well. He didn’t want to ruin it.

“Where is my phone?” Jun Yibai moved out of the alpha’s embrace to look for his clothes.

He didn’t see the glint of displeasure in the alpha’s red eyes as he watched his beta leave him without a response.

His master was very cruel but fuck did he love this bastard!

“My guys have it. I already called them up so they should be here to drop it off in a few minutes.” Chen Guiren said, his eyes never leaving the beta as he walked about the room. His eyes were hot and intense as he looked at the man. “Master should take a shower first. I don’t mind you having my scent on you but I might kill my own men if they get to enjoy it too.”

Chen Guiren’s voice was deep and rumbling like it was clawing its way from deep within him. Like a predator letting its prey notice it before striking.

Jun Yibai, the prey, knew better than to turn around. He was absolutely sure this guy would pounce upon eye contact. With his back turned, they were still master and servant.

If their eyes met now, he was absolutely sure he’d be prey.

“Don’t be gross.” He scolded, grimacing. Pinching the edge of his robe, he couldn’t help but notice how sweaty and gross he felt now. His underwear was a mess and he hadn’t had the chance to shower the night before.

He must smell gross, yet this weird guy acted like he didn’t.

He really wanted to hit the alpha just then.

“Moreover, how did you get my phone?” He asked, only now realizing he didn’t have his phone on him. Last night had gone by fast so its absence was completely unnoticed by him.

Then this morning happened and the last thing he’d been thinking about was checking his emails.

“You and the fox dropped them on the beach last night. Honestly, it's a good thing they didn’t get ruined in the rain before my guys got them.”

Again, Jun Yibai briefly contemplated asking why Chen Guiren’s guys were there AT ALL but refrained from doing so. Li Suren and Chen Guiren were both stalkers so he should just learn not to ask questions he’ll regret asking.

He headed to the bathroom, blocking the alpha from following with his arm.

“Tell Li Suren that I had something to do.”

“You’re leaving?!” He cried, that dangerous tone fading. Only then did Jun Yibai look at the alpha.

“Knowing Yang Ru, she won’t take anyone’s word but mine. At this point, she’ll probably demand I show up in person.”

It's a hassle to have to do all that but he couldn’t help but be glad he had a friend who was this concerned about his well-being. He’d do the same for her so how could he complain?

“Then I’ll go with-”

“No, you’re not.” He interrupted. “I need you to relay my message to Li Suren. Regardless of how you feel about it, I’m not going to do something so impersonal like leaving a note or texting. He's my friend, not a shameful one-night-stand.”

Though hadn’t he had the same thought the night before? It was a bit shameless to say such a thing now but Jun Yibai needed more time to decide where things were between the three of them.

So for now, it was hypocrisy all the way!

Chen Guiren, meanwhile, felt wronged. He finally got to get close to his beta and the man wanted to leave him behind.

How was that fair!?

“What if I don’t tell him?” He growled, feeling disgruntled by this. “I don’t want Master to go when we finally meet up again. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Are you going to disobey me?”

“Eh?” The alpha’s heart skipped a beat at the authoritative tone.

“Are you?” Jun Yibai pushed, walking up to the alpha. Chen Guiren couldn’t help but take a step back. “You were such a good boy before. Why are you trying to make trouble for me?”

“I-I’m not!” He denied it, pleading for understanding. “I just-”

“What happens when you disobey?”

He shivered, feeling himself getting h again. “I get punished.”

“And if you obey?”

The alpha’s eyes go hot, searing the beta’s with his desire. “I get rewarded.”

“Right. So, which do you want? Will you make things troublesome for me?”

“…N-no, Master. I’ll be good.”

Jun Yibai smiled, proud of his alpha for being good. It was very cute.

He turned and left the room, leaving the dazed alpha to stare after him. By the time he’d recovered from Jun Yibai’s ‘persuasive argument’, the shower had already started.

For a moment, Chen Guiren considered bursting in to join him. He’d showered before but he wanted to have as much fun as he had with Li Suren.

But then he remembered the beta’s words and remained seated.

If he was good, he’d be rewarded, right?

***

Jun Yibai exited the shower 10 minutes later, feeling refreshed.

It had been an eventful few hours.

Upon exiting, he spotted a bag hanging off the doorknob with brand-name clothes within. He feared what kind of clothes he’d been offered.

Li Suren and Chen Guiren had expensive tastes and it often left the beta in awkward situations when the random shirt he chose to wear turned out to cost a year's salary.

Still, it was a kind gesture so he couldn’t be so rude as to decline.

As he left in his new clothes, he found Chen Guiren in the living room area talking to someone in a hushed tone. While he didn’t catch any words, the beta could hear the mild growl in his tone.

It was probably a work thing.

He knew Chen Guiren was involved in some… probably illegal stuff. His family’s business might be clean on the surface but considering how often the alpha got into fights, he was sure his family business gave him a lot of opportunities.

He never asked and didn’t plan on doing so.

It was, as of the current moment, none of his business.

As such, he walked past them, ignoring any tidbits he might have picked up if he cared enough to listen in. He doubted the alpha would hide anything if he tried.

As he was walking, he spotted his phone on the counter.

There was a series of buzzes that told him that someone was trying to contact him.

5 messages from Hanyu, 3 from his parents each, and 45 from Yang Ru.

He was a popular guy this morning it seemed.

He gave Yang Ru the all-clear message, knowing she was probably too busy at the moment to notice his reply.

His parents were just checking in, though his dad wanted him to come visit when he was free to do so. He hadn’t seen them since he moved to a new city.

Part of him wanted to tell them about how things were going but considering how his dad was, he knew he wouldn’t take all the ‘drama’ in his life the way Jun Yibai did.

To him, it was taken in stride.

His dad, however… he’d have other thoughts about it.

Jun Yibai didn’t want to have to argue with his dad so he gave them both a vague assurance that he’d come visit as soon as he was able to.

Hanyu was interrogating him, excitedly begging to know how his ‘totally-not-date’ went.

Nosy bastard.

Just as he was about to reply, he felt a weight rest on his shoulders as a pair of arms curled around his waist.

“Don’t you have work to get to?” He asked, not even bothering to look back. “That conversation looked important.”

Chen Guiren grumbled wordlessly into his shoulder, not looking up.

“Is it too difficult for you to deal with?”

“No, but…”

“But?”

The alpha’s arms tightened around him, making him gasp for a second.

“How were you going to reply to that omega guy?” He suddenly asked, changing the subject. “Were you going to mention me?”

Ah, he was so subtle with his subject change. Jun Yibai rolled his eyes.

“I was planning on telling him that my night was ruined by a horny dog bursting into my room.” He shot back, pushing the clingy man away. “It kept humping my leg and disturbing my sleep.”

“Oh? Then perhaps that dog should beg for forgiveness~”

Chen Guiren was being much more openly affectionate now, letting his hands wander shamelessly under his shirt.

“Don’t you have work to do?” He challenged, stopping his hands. “Work I can’t interfere with?”

Chen Guiren flinched, looking a bit worried.

“A-are you mad?”

“If I was mad, I’d hit you.” He replied, walking around the alpha. “You’ve done nothing to piss me off enough to deserve my fists. Anything less is way too troublesome.”

Chen Guiren didn’t mind being hit though. He liked how upfront his beta was with his anger.

Yet he really couldn’t talk about Li Suren with him right then.

If his nose was right, things would get troublesome soon and he had to prepare for it without Jun Yibai around.

“I got my guys to drive you back,” Chen Guiren explained, pointing to a pair of bodyguards nearby. “I’ll bring Li Suren back myself.”

Jun Yibai frowned, not expecting such proactive attention toward the omega. “For business?”

“That too.” He grumbled, scratching at the back of his head.

Jun Yibai briefly considered asking but knew he’d get no answers. He’d have to wait and see what this all came to later.

Right now, he had to meet up with Yang Ru.

***

Sometime later, Jun Yibai found himself looking out the backseat window as he was taken back into the city.

The night away really was worth it in the end.

He had fun with Li Suren and while Chen Guiren breaking in was a surprise, it hadn’t been too bothersome.

All in all, it’d been a good date.

The aftermath, however, was a bit annoying.

He glanced forward, just barely catching the darting eyes of the bodyguards up front.

They had been sneaking glances at him the whole way yet said nothing. Jun Yibai hadn’t expected or wanted a conversation but being stared at was annoying.

He wasn’t some attraction to gawk at.

Just as he was getting sick and tired of them, he received a notification on his phone from Yang Ru telling him where they could meet. He’d originally offered to meet up with his university but according to her text: I can’t go back into enemy territory right now.

He had so many questions but knew it was better to ask in person.

As such, he let himself off, surprising to two as they scrambled to follow him.

“M-Mr. Jun, please allow us-”

“I’m not going to tell you how to do your job but if I or my friend spots you lurking about, I will make trouble for you with Chen Guiren.” He warned, narrowing his eyes at the pair. “Is that clear?”

“Y-yes, sir!” They stammered out, taking a step back.

Jun Yibai said nothing more, walking into the cafe Yang Ru had chosen. It was cozy and elegant, fitting for a place frequented by those at OO University. The coffee was phenomenal so the pricing was worth it.

Soon enough, he spotted Yang Ru sitting by the wall, waving him over.

What was curious was that she wasn’t alone.

“Song Yang, what are you doing here?” He asked as he approached, cocking a brow at that beta.

He hadn’t seen Song Yang since high school. The beta had kept up his attempt at being the beta king of the school and made quite a few enemies along the way. How he got out of those scrapes, Jun Yibai never cared enough to look into.

He only later learned that Song Yang had a rich background, so his crazy antics rarely got ot of hand.

Jun Yibai was also sure that the alpha who always stuck by him was one reason he hadn’t ever gotten into too much trouble.

Speaking of, that alpha was rarely apart from Song Yang so why was he alone now?

“It's nice to see you too, Jun Yibai.” The man shot back, leaning back on the chair. “I see no reason why I can't be here. Yang Ru is here so of course I’ll be here too.” He declared arrogantly as if it were an honor for him to be there.

Jun Yibai just stared.

From his position above the two, Jun Yibai could see a red spot just barely hidden from view on the beta’s neck. He could even see some bite marks when the man turned his head.

Ah, that's why he’s here. He thought, rolling his eyes. He wondered if he should tell Song Yang about who he saw lurking nearby while he was in the car.

Nah, let it be a surprise.

He sat down beside Song Yang, knowing it would push things along faster.

He didn’t dislike Song Yang per se but he definitely would rather deal with anything else but this guy. Literally anyone else.

“He was with me when I got your text this morning and insisted on coming with me,” Yang Ru grumbled, glaring at the other beta. “He interrupted my time with Bunny! If he weren’t my future brother-in-law, I would never-”

“Who are you calling ‘brother-in-law’?!” Song Yang argued, glaring right back at her. “You and Xinshui are not married so when did you become my family?!”

Yang Ru had spent months chasing Xinshui. The omega was a shy one and unused to attention from others. Moreover, he was being so passionately pursued by a beta female!

His cousin, Song Yang, had made sure no alphas messed with him so he was unused to romantic attention. Yet when the beta’s back was turned, his cousin was swept off his feet by a brazen beta female.

No one dared mess with Xinshui, as Yang Ru had a notorious reputation and a lot of blackmail. Song Yang, while he wasn’t as strong as the kings, could make things very difficult for others.

The two were a pair of bandit chiefs vying for the attention of the pretty commoner.

It was amusing if not a bit of a hassle.

“So why are you still here?” Jun Yibai asked, glancing out the window behind Song Yang. “You like Yang Ru so much you can’t stand to be apart?”

Song Yang and Yang Ru froze, both sharing a look of horror. Their mouths were agape, trying to speak the words of pure disgust and denial but no words could come close to the feelings in their hearts just then.

“I went to meet up with a professor Xingxing had told me about. He teaches at OO.” He explained, gulping down a glass of water to wash away the nausea he felt at the beta’s suggestion. “Yang Ru was heading over so I hitched a ride.”

“Yet you stuck around afterward?” He pressed, narrowing his eyes at Song Yang. “Are you planning something?”

Song Yang was the type to get into all kinds of troublesome situations. He had a special skill for stirring things up in ways only he could.

“What? No way, I'm not that free.” He declared, sitting up and giving Jun Yibai a determined look. “I was asked to find some fresh talent for my family to invest in.”

“Like a scholarship?” Yang Ru guessed, leaning back.

“Yes. I want to get a leg up since my older brother is back.”

Jun Yibai didn’t know a lot about Song Yang’s family life. Li Suren had mentioned it once in passing. The fight for succession in his family was messy since there were a lot of kids in the Song family. The few rumors that managed not to get covered up about them were crazy.

He’d always assumed Song Yang was the eldest, considering his arrogance but it turned out he did have older brothers.

“That's why I came.” Song Yang continued, pinning Jun Yibai to the spot with expectant eyes. “I wanted to ask Jun Yibai to let me present him to my father.”

“I’d rather not.” He retorted instantly.

If what little he’d heard from Li Suren was right, he definitely didn’t want to get involved with that bullshit.

“Come on! You’re the smartest guy I know but we both know that won’t get you far.” He reasoned, tapping his fingers on the table. “What you need is connections. Graduating from a good university isn’t going to mean anything if no one hires you afterward.”

Jun Yibai clenched his fist at the insinuation, even though he knew it was true.

They lived in a meritocracy. Talent and skill were the key to getting anything in this world. It was fair in theory.

But that was only if the world was made up of betas.

In this world where there were alphas and omegas, talent alone wouldn’t get you the spotlight. There were plenty of talented people so one needed a leg up to stand above the crowd. It wasn’t even cheating since going to OO University provided many opportunities to gain connections.

That's what Li Min was trying to do by getting an investor.

It's just that Jun Yibai didn’t want to grovel and beg for attention like a starving dog. He had more pride than that.

But pride alone, unfortunately, wouldn’t get him far.

He could ask Li Suren or Chen Guiren but that felt like he’d be dirtying their relationship. They were friends and… whatever this morning meant.

He refused to use people he’d come to like in such a way.

Song Yang, on the other hand-

“Fine but you are paying for the whole thing.” He snapped, looking away. He didn’t know if he was going to show off like a prize at a dog show or what but regardless, he would not let it go without some repercussions on Song Yang.

The beta grinned, looking ecstatic.

“That's great! Thank you so much, brother Jun~” He cried, staring at Jun Yibai like he was his greatest savior and he took the beta’s hands in his own. “With you, I know I’ll get Father to acknowledge me. I won’t have to kowtow to that clingy guy any-”

“Shit!” Song Yang cursed suddenly, jumping back in his seat. Before Jun Yibai could question him, he heard a deep voice cheerfully call out.

“Yang~” A deep but faintly familiar voice growled from behind Jun Yibai. He turned, seeing the one he’d spotted a few blocks away from the cafe some time ago.

Fu Ruxing, a dominant alpha, was huge. He towered over most people, making them feel small. The other patrons were gawking at him, looking like they wanted to climb him and kneel at his feet in equal measure.

He was certainly handsome, but Jun Yibai had spent some time with the alpha in high school and knew where his interests lie. If it wasn’t connected to Song Yang in some way, Fu Ruxing had no interest in it.

Just like now. At this moment, despite there being two other people at the table, Fu Ruxing never took his eyes off Song Yang.

“There you are. I must have missed you this morning.” He continued, cornering the beta who tried to seek an escape route only to be blocked in by the neighboring tables. “Did I not work hard enough last night?”

“X-Xingxing, don’t mess with me!” He snapped back, pushing the alpha onto the chair. Considering the size difference, that ‘push’ was optional. “I won’t need to ask for your help anymore now that Brother Jun is here to help me.”

“Brother Jun?” He snarled possessively, eyes narrowing for a moment.

Oi, don’t drag me into your lover's quarrel!

For the first time since his arrival, Fu Ruxing turned to look at the other two betas at the table. He gave the shocked Yang Ru only a brief glance before settling a hateful glare onto Jun Yibai.

Jun Yibai, having gotten used to the intensity of an alpha, remained calm and stared back. After a minute, a brief flash of recognition appeared in the alpha’s eyes.

“Classmate Jun?” Fu Ruxing guessed, tapping his chin. “Jun Yibai, right?

“Fu Ruxing.” He greeted back casually. “I’m so glad you remember me.”

Fu Ruxing visibly relaxed, pulling Song Yang close and resting his hand casually on the beta’s waist. “There’s not a lot of beta’s that have been scent marked as heavily as you.” He leaned down and nuzzled the beta in his arms lovingly. “Other than my Yang, of course.”

“Fuck off, Xingxing!” He snapped back, trying in vain to distance himself. “Brother Jun is going to help me with my father!”

“Song Yang, don’t test my patience,” Fu Ruxing warned, his tone deepening slightly. “If you want a brother to rely on, I’m right here. Just ask and I’ll help you with anything.” He leaned down to whisper something else in Song Yang’s ear. Whatever was said, it made the usually brazen beta flustered and shivered in his arms.

“You shameless pervert!” Song Yang jumped from his seat, his face burning red as he ran away. It was not a dignified exit, as the man tried to leave the cafe but hit almost every chair on the way to the back where the bathrooms were.

Fu Ruxing grinned, staring after him like a cat watching its meal scurry about in its grasp.

“So cute~” He chuckled.

“I should go make sure he’s okay.” Fu Ruxing got up, his eyes never leaving the door that Song Yang had escaped to.

This left the remaining two beta’s at the table, watching the tall man slip into the back room with a few whispers and a pair of black-suited guards keeping anyone from following after them.

“That was weird.” Yang Ru marveled, looking a bit embarrassed. Both were reeling from some secondhand embarrassment. “Are alphas usually like that? I thought only omega’s got that clingy.”

Considering that Yang Ru’s parents were both omega’s, Jun Yibai was sure she’d seen what an omega’s possessiveness was like but never an alpha’s.

Jun Yibai's only experience was with Chen Guiren, so he knew that a lot of stuff had happened just then. He doubted the hand he saw Fu Ruxing slip under the table had been touching anyplace innocent.

“Yeah, they can be very troublesome when they think their target is getting away from them.” He replied, recalling his interactions with Chen Guiren. While the alpha was generally submissive, he was the type to get very clingy.

While that time in the car was the first time they’d ever gotten so intimate, there had been times when he’d find himself cornered in staircases or dragged into waiting cars by the man. He’d growl and demand to know why Jun Yibai was spending so much more time with Li Suren than him.

The fact Li Suren would say the same thing sometimes made him feel like the two were a pair of headphones constantly nagging him.

Still, it was really cute. Both of them had their way of clinging to him and while annoying in the short term, when he thinks back on it, all he felt was delight at memory.

“What made you all happy?” Yang Ru questioned, pulling him from his thoughts.

Shit, had he been grinning? He must have looked dumb.

Seeing his lack of response, Yang Ru pouted, glancing over at the door that Song Yang and Fu Ruxing had run into.

“Those two aren’t coming back, are they?” She noted.

“I doubt they are even in the building anymore,” Jun Yibai replied, relieved at the change in subject.

Jun Yibai had seen how the alpha looked at Song Yang. It was the same way Chen Guiren looked at him. Fu Ruxing might be more patient than Chen Guiren but both were dominant alphas so he knew Song Yang would be busy dealing with a jealous man right then.

He gave the man a brief moment of condolences before tossing any thought of their later interaction out of his mind.

“We should go.” He suggested, feeling the atmosphere of the cafe shifting slightly. Those two had caused quite a scene and staying would just lead to problems.

He could already see a few people eyeing them, probably wanting to ask about what had just happened.

Yang Ru nodded, following him out of the cafe. Bother of them felt relieved that no one was following them or anything, though Jun Yibai saw the two guards looming about.

“Speaking of,” Yang Ru turned to him with that sly cat-like face of hers. That expression usually didn’t bode well. “You never told me who you were with all this time. Your roommate was useless but your friend told you on a date. And what's this about you being scent-marked?”

Shit, he’d forgotten about this.

Damn that Fu Ruxing for leaving him in such a mess!

“I was on a date… sort of.” He admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed. He’d denied it was a date all up until this morning. It was clear from Hanyu’s report that no one had believed him. “We spent the night at a hotel since he wanted to watch some fireworks.”

“Oh? And you stayed because you couldn’t go home, right?” She guessed. “You were too far to get home on your own?”

His silence was all the admittance that she needed.

She chuckled, clearly amused by his grumpy silence.

*****

For those interested in more Toxic ML’s in the world of BL:

Minmotion Syndrome - Omegaverse. Omega debt collector buys a young alpha in debt as a toy. Alpha ML is surprisingly chill for the most part. Later scenes get pretty dark so watch out. MC and ML get along as well as one would expect from such a setup.

Low Tide in Twilight - Omegaverse. Omega MC is in deep debt and Alpha ML takes advantage. ML is a piece of shit and the MC is a tired, overworked hothead. Very toxic relationship and there is an attempted unaliving scene in the first chapter so heads up.

Devil's Temptation - I’ll be honest, I’m not really sure what this comic is about. It has a lot of smut and the comedy is great but plot-wise? I’m not too sure. What I got was this: The world is made up of people with animal characteristics. MC is an owl and the ML’s are snakes. Snakes can bind people to them via pheromones. The basic gist is that MC and ML #1 are like oil and water but co-workers. One night, they bone, much to both of their horror. They try to ignore it but that snake-binding thing makes MC require his presence/sex. MC # 2 is their boss and the one MC kinda likes so they both “share” the MC.

For those who want non-toxicity:

Moon of the Demon Realm - A twinkish incubus bewitches the burly demon king and tops him. Not a lot of chapters out right now but not bad if you're into small tops.

Cold Blooded Beast - MC is mourning the death of his work/crush when he shows up days later, alive and faints, turning into a snake. MC takes ML home and houses him until boning happens. Dudes a snake so we have some hemi-action.

Totem Realm - After a trip abroad in which she is almost attacked by her guide, MC is then attacked by natives and tied to a rock. She is rescued by a 7-foot-tall, long haired adonis who offers to help her get home. All the guys are hot, the chicks are hot and there is a healthy amount of boning since MC has experience. Basically Virgin tarzan x Smol Maneater. Note: for some reason, there is an all-ages version so if you wanna see real action, you gotta search for it.