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this is how the war is won (5/5)

Fandom: Guardian (镇魂) Ship: Kunwei (Kunlun/Shen Wei) Words: 8.1k Tags: YOHE AU (Canon AU set in YOHE), omegaverse, omega!Shen Wei, alpha!Kunlun, heat!fic, Porn with Plot, First Kiss, misunderstandings, virgin!Shen Wei, courtship rituals, enemies (of circumstance) to lovers, hurt/comfort & fluff, Starcrossed Lovers, omega!Ye Zun

Summary: Haixing is finally able to turn the tide of war in their favour when they capture Heipaoshi and find out the infamous Dixingren general’s darkest secret: he is an omega. Can General Kunlun protect Shen Wei from a forced bonding? Or will taking him as his own destroy their burgeoning romance?

Read here on Ao3. Ch1 || Ch2 || Ch3 || Ch4 || Ch5

A/N: content warning for more attempted non-con in Ye Zun’s part.

Sorry this chapter took so long! OTL hopefully the extra-length is some consolation?

***

Fu You was right to worry, Da Qing acknowledged as he watched Kunlun help Heipaoshi onto his warhorse. After Kunlun's display of putting his own desires above the concerns of the Alliance, she had asked Da Qing to keep a close eye on the general. He should let her know they were leaving the base under the cover of the night, Kunlun's entourage sneaking off in ones or twos to meet up with the rest of the general's army. Lady Fu was the chosen leader of the Yashou, as such it was Da Qing's duty to inform her of this development. Instead, Da Qing stepped forward, out of the shadows and under Kunlun's heavy, assessing gaze.

"Where to?" he asked brusquely, leaping up and transforming into a cat mid-air, landing on Kunlun's shoulder with light paws.

"The troops, and then the Rebellion's headquarters," Kunlun told him bluntly. Da Qing kneaded the shoulder guard under his paws in contemplation, noting how Kunlun's customary fur was still draped over Heipaoshi's shoulders. Anyone else would assume Kunlun was seduced by his new omega into leaving the Alliance, but Da Qing knew Kunlun. More than that, he trusted him. Whatever he was up to, Kunlun had his reasons.

"Lead on, then," he decided magnanimously. He might be a Yashou, but his loyalty lay with his oldest friend first and foremost. Kunlun was his chosen person, his owner, and it was his honour as a cat to walk the same path.

Kunlun paused. "You're sure, Da Qing?"

"What kind of question is that?" Da Qing complained, tail swishing agitatedly.

Kunlun laughed and heaved himself up onto his horse behind Heipaoshi. Da Qing dug his claws into Kunlun’s cloak, holding on fast. Kunlun wrapped one arm around Heipaoshi’s waist, the omega leaning back against his chest. The other hand grabbed the reins, and then they were off, Kunlun urging his horse into a fast trot, soon to be a gallop the moment they were far enough away from the camp.

This close, Da Qing could smell the scents of heat and bonding on them both. Frowning, he leaned over Kunlun’s shoulder, sniffing. Heipaoshi’s heat smelled fresher than it should if it were simply lingering traces. Sweat beaded the omega’s skin, and when he turned to meet Da Qing’s curious look, Da Qing could see his pupils were blown wide, hidden by the hood.

Da Qing reared back in shock. “Why are you letting your omega leave the nest while he's still in heat?”

Kunlun's mouth drew into a thin line. "Time is of the essence."

"So why don't you leave him here?" Da Qing wrinkled his nose. "Or if you don't want to let him out of your sight, you could send me to deal with it?"

"It's complicated," Kunlun replied tersely, "Heipaoshi's presence is required for the plan to work."

"Plan, what plan? Do you even have a plan?" Da Qing huffed, swiping at Kunlun's head with his paw, careful to keep his claws retracted. "Idiot. You do remember half of your lieutenants are alphas, too, right?"

Kunlun growled deep in his throat. "I'm not letting them touch him."

"It's a risk we'll have to take," Heipaoshi whispered, quiet and determined. "We need to act now, before…"

He trailed off, turning his head to lay on Kunlun's chest. Below his paws, Da Qing could feel the reassuring rumble running through the general. He kneaded the shoulder contemplatively. Well. He supposed he was happy for his friend that his mate agreed with his priorities, although how easily he gave in was suspicious in and of itself. Still, personally he was of the opinion that they were both being unnecessarily dumb about it. No way would bringing Heipaoshi along go over well with Kunlun's men.

They regrouped with a handful of Kunlun’s loyal soldiers at the foot of the hill. Luckily Da Qing had the foresight to command only betas to join their escort—Kunlun better thank him with lots of fish later. Smaller groups were easier to hide from patrols, yet heading towards Dixing’s territory just the three of them would’ve been suicide, especially with the newly mated pair distracted. And Da Qing learned self-preservation from the best, right after the meaning of loyalty.

About halfway through their journey to the army's camp, Kunlun called for a stop.

"Da Qing, bring the horses to the river for a quick drink and rest," he ordered, already sliding off his horse. Heipaoshi slipped with him, boneless and only held upright by Kunlun's tight grip on him. Still, he protested.

"I can keep going."

"Well, I can't," Kunlun shot him down, wrapping his free arm under his omega's legs and pulling him up into a bridal carry. His brow was furrowed in concern, his gaze sharp despite the pupils blown wide by lust. "Not with you smelling like this."

Heipaoshi blinked, his gaze hazy under the hood, cheeks flushed from the fever. Da Qing could smell his heat, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, and knew he was still in the throes of it. They really shouldn't be traveling at all. Any alpha worth their salt would be able to smell Heipaoshi coming from a mile away downwind.

Ignoring his omega's weak objections, Kunlun shrugged off his cloak and laid it out some ways from the road where they were hidden by the brush. Da Qing wrinkled his nose and determinedly turned his back on the pair. There was no need to burn that image into his mind. Bad enough he could never forget how they smelled after mating, he didn’t need to watch.

Neither did anyone else.

He ordered their escort to stand guard, eyes narrowed and making sure they all turned their backs on the coupling. The state they were in, Kunlun would be tempted to claw their eyes out if they so much as caught a glimpse of his vulnerable mate. Plus, it was only right to preserve Heipaoshi's dignity. While an alpha losing control and ravaging their omega publicly was common enough, Kunlun was too restrained in his actions, carefully padding his chosen spot into a makeshift nest. Ensuring his omega’s comfort, even as he quickly and efficiently went about taking him, clothing barely out of the way and covering his mate from view with his own body.

No, this wasn’t a loss of control. Kunlun genuinely cared for Heipaoshi, surprising as it seemed.

It made sense to Da Qing, though. After all, he recognized the omega’s scent. It was the same scent clinging to Kunlun whenever he came back from a rendezvous with his secret lover, the omega he’d been panting after for weeks now. The very same omega that came to Kunlun’s camp, leaving him a trail to follow. The one that had Kunlun sighing and pining and, most significantly of all, turning down offers from the camp's omega companions.

Of course, if Da Qing had known it was Heipaoshi his friend was lusting over, he’d have raked him over the coals. And yet… their camp hadn’t been attacked, despite Heipaoshi clearly knowing where to find it.

Perhaps their attraction was mutual. Kunlun deserved a mate who loved him as devotedly as he clearly did.

Afterwards, they made quick work of the last leg of the journey, and Da Qing realized to his surprise that Heipaoshi had been holding on by a thread before Kunlun forced him to take a break. With the heat temporarily tamed by their recent mating, Heipaoshi's gaze was much clearer, more alert; the tightness around his eyes smoothed out, his posture straightened and he seemed less reliant on Kunlun's help to stay seated. Although they still kept cuddling close, neither of them ready to be separated.

They galloped into the army's camp at the brink of dawn, their arrival announced by the patrols they passed on the way. The night shift greeted them, gathering around the party in a tight ring. A murmur went through the crowd as they laid eyes on Heipaoshi's iconic cloak, but they quickly shut up and fell into parade's rest under the general's sharp glare. The omega stuck to his alpha’s side instead of the customary three steps behind as Kunlun marched through the camp, issuing instructions to the servants until they arrived at the general’s tent. Kunlun ushered Heipaoshi inside first before turning to Da Qing.

"Gather the lieutenants in the command tent," Kunlun ordered, and Da Qing shot him a thoughtful look, but did as told without protest.

The command tent was erected in the middle of the camp as usual, a small area with a map on a table in the middle. Little clay figurines detailed the Alliance's and Rebellion's respective positions, troop movements and encampments both confirmed, abandoned, and rumoured. The soldiers muttered amongst themselves, theorizing about this recent deployment. They'd been holding the frontline alongside most of the Alliance's armies, only rotating out the injured and waiting to mobilize if new intelligence about the Hallows reached them. Until Kunlun received his mysterious message and left without a word, taking only a small honour guard with him.

The murmurings quieted down as Kunlun entered the tent, holding up the flap for his omega to follow.

Heipaoshi was unmistakable, now wearing his armour that Da Qing had spent the better part of the day chasing down. Many had wanted to keep a piece as a trophy, but not strongly enough to pick a fight with General Kunlun. Now kitted out in his customary battle robes with Kunlun's fur draped over his shoulders, Heipaoshi struck an intimidating figure.

Then he lifted his bowed head, eyes flitting over the crowd behind his mask, and pulled down the hood.

The effect was immediate.

As one, the gathered lieutenants inhaled, Heipaoshi's heated omega scent permeating the tent's air. As some of them were alphas themselves, a low, interested rumble started up from several throats only to be cut off by Kunlun's threatening growl, a possessive arm draped around Heipaoshi's waist. The soldiers backed down fast, too well trained and General Kunlun too well-respected to challenge him openly.

Da Qing's attention, however, was caught by the familiar beads braided into Heipaoshi's hair.

It was one thing for Kunlun to claim Heipaoshi as his omega, a warbride. An alpha could have as many concubines as they liked, and he assumed that was the assumption the council made when they agreed to Kunlun's choice. The beads, however—they told a different story. They declared Heipaoshi as part of his family, his wife, his one true mate. Da Qing considered the consequences for a heartbeat and decided he had to be present when Kunlun defended his choice to the Empress. The fireworks would be spectacular.

"As you see, our circumstances have changed," Kunlun announced to the lieutenants, ushering his omega towards the center table ahead of himself before crowding in close behind him. "With Heipaoshi by my side, a unique opportunity arises. One we must avail ourselves to post-haste, less the rebels start to suspect."

Heipaoshi frowned down at the map, then reached out to adjust several of the suspected rebel camp markers, switching some out for the figurines meaning certainty and taking others off completely or changing their positions. Kunlun's attention was caught by his movements, dark gaze intent on his omega. He leaned in over Heipaoshi's shoulder, sniffing at his neck, mouth hovering above the bite marking his claim.

Heipaoshi, as if drawn by an invisible force, turned his head to bare his throat while meeting Kunlun's gaze with half-lidded eyes.

"As far as I remember, this should be where the rebel troops are now," Heipaoshi murmured, his lips almost brushing Kunlun's. "However, my intelligence is a week old at this point."

"Still better than what we had, xiao-Hei," Kunlun breathed, leaning in to nuzzle at Heipaoshi's cheek, rubbing his scent over his omega's skin possessively, as if they didn't already reek of one another. Da Qing was judging Kunlun and his terrible life choices.

"They may have changed plans assuming I would break under torture," Heipaoshi pointed out rather too reasonably for the way he was swaying towards Kunlun. "We must be cautious relying on my information when we execute our plan."

The lieutenants shifted uneasily at the words 'our plan', exchanging dubious looks. Da Qing watched, but Kunlun was too distracted by his new mate to notice the restlessness growing amongst his soldiers. It was up to Da Qing to get them back on track, apparently. He deserved all the fish after this.

“So, what is your plan, oh great leader?” Da Qing called out, loud enough to interrupt the pair, the question everyone wanted an answer to but no one else dared to ask. If he were in cat form right now, his tail would be swishing in annoyance. “I assume you have something figured out already.”

“Ah? Of course!” Kunlun exclaimed, shooting him a grin. “It’s simple really: We’ll pretend xiao-Hei caught me.”

“Pretend?" one of the lieutenants muttered under their breath, a ripple of nervous laughter spreading through the gathering. This time, Kunlun took note, his eyes narrowing sharply in warning, even as he pasted on a good-natured grin, as if to turn the tone of doubt into teasing amongst comrades.

"Captured. Taken prisoner. Whatever you want to call it," he amended, gesturing with his free hand. The other still laid possessively over Heipaoshi's hip.

“So, here’s the plan,” Kunlun announced, spreading his free arm wide in a grandiose gesture. “Xiao-Hei will take us to the rebellion’s headquarters, telling them he managed to capture General Kunlun and his men. Our ropes will be loosely tied and easily shaken off once they let us inside. From there, we will take over the base from the inside.”

A nervous titter went through the crowd, interest roused at the prospect. To take the rebel’s headquarters… that would be quite the feat indeed. If they could trust Heipaoshi not to lead them into a trap.

Kunlun dropped his arm, eyeing the group seriously. "This mission is volunteers only. Despite our advantages, it will be dangerous. But if we manage to pull this off" —his hand cut through the air with finality— "we're done. No more war."

This announcement was met with the rustle of clothes as the lieutenants shifted in place, the speaking looks exchanged both excited and dubious. An end to the war… no one could quite imagine it.

The third-in-command stepped forward, arms crossed and bushy brows furrowed. As an alpha, she butted heads with Kunlun often. However, she was good at staying just shy of pushing the general too far, a careful balancing act of respect and challenge that allowed her to rise in the ranks rapidly. More than that, she had earned Kunlun’s respect in turn by proving intelligent and reliable.

“Is this action sanctioned by Lord Ma Gui?”

Kunlun met her challenge with a narrow-eyed stare. “Why does it matter?”

Da Qing wrinkled his nose. If Kunlun were clear-headed instead of heat-addled, he would've chosen his words more carefully, he thought ungraciously.

“Lord Ma Gui is the Alliance’s chief strategist,” she returned calmly, not backing down. “With all due respect, General, infiltrating the rebels’ main base is a risky endeavour. Yet you suggest it now, after bringing Heipaoshi into our camp without warning.”

“I have claimed him as my omega, he has every right to be here,” Kunlun shot back, his grip on Heipaoshi tightening possessively.

The third-in-command snorted. “And is Lord Ma Gui aware you brought such a dangerous enemy into your ranks?”

“The council ordered Heipaoshi bonded.” A shocked murmur ran through the crowd, but Kunlun ignored it, his gaze fixed on the alpha challenging him. “Are you Ma Gui’s soldier, or mine, third-in-command?”

“Yours,” she replied without hesitation, raising her chin. “Which is why I’m asking: why the secrecy?”

Kunlun bared his teeth, and the third-in-command returned the gesture, a challenge in every tense muscle. The air simmered with tension, on the brink of turning ugly. Da Qing took a careful step back, in case a fight broke out, readying his internal energy for a transformation. The alphas’ staring contest continued, Kunlun’s jaw twitching as a subaudible growl started up, and even Da Qing couldn’t tell which of them started it.

“For me.”

The words broke the strained silence, catching everyone’s attention. The growl broke off, and Heipaoshi turned in Kunlun's arm, looking up at him from under his lashes. His eyes were shadowed by the hood, but Kunlun stared back at him, transfixed.

"General Kunlun has been remiss in his duties," he said solemnly. "We are bonded, however, I have yet to receive a gift." Heipaoshi reached out, picking up the figure marking the rebel chief's position. He stared at the figurine for a long, tense moment, turning it over and over in his fingers. Finally, he looked up, meeting Kunlun's gaze with a resolute expression. "I want Zei Qiu's head."

A shift went through the gathered lieutenants, a hiss of surprise. No one had expected Heipaoshi to be out for his leader's blood, but already speculation was circulating in cut-off whispers and speaking glances. Whether the chieftain had offended his primary enforcer or Heipaoshi was grabbing the chance to raise his own position by establishing his alpha as the new leader, the use of that title—Zei Qiu, the betrayer—was enough to cement him firmly on Haixing's, or at least Kunlun's, side. They quieted down at Da Qing's glare, everyone watching the general and his mate with bated breath. Kunlun himself only had eyes for his omega, leaning forward intently.

"I will serve it to you on a silver platter," he swore.

For a moment, it looked like they might kiss, caught up in each other’s eyes and forgetting their audience. Then Heipaoshi pulled back, cleared his throat and turned back to the map.

“There’s a lookout camp approximately here,” Heipaoshi informed them, setting a marker at a spot near the foot of the mountain range. “It’s not far from there to the headquarters, and…” Heipaoshi turned in Kunlun’s arm, biting his lip. “Some of the soldiers stationed there should be loyal to me over the chieftain. Several of them owe me their lives.”

Kunlun nodded, tapping a finger to his lips with the hand not wrapped around Heipaoshi’s hip. “It would help to sell our scene. Even the mighty Heipaoshi is unlikely to capture several skilled Haixingren on his lonesome.”

Heipaoshi’s lips quirked into a small smile before smoothing out into a serious expression again. “I will scout ahead, see how many are willing to help us. We will meet you in the woods here and travel the rest of the way together.”

Da Qing’s eyebrows flew up, and he glanced at Kunlun to gauge his reaction. To his surprise, the alpha rumbled agreeably, absent-mindedly rubbing their cheeks together as he surveyed the map over Heipaoshi’s shoulder. Da Qing would have expected him to protest letting Heipaoshi out of his sight, not because he cared what the Alliance’s council might think, but because they were freshly bonded and alphas were notoriously difficult to separate from their omegas during the honeymoon phase.

“General, you can’t honestly consider letting Heipaoshi go alone,” one of the lieutenants protested. Kunlun’s gaze sharpened, zeroing in on the speaker. Waiting for him to make his argument, dangerously still. “At least send a squadron with him to keep an eye on him.”

“It will be difficult to explain why I arrive with a Haixingren guard,” Heipaoshi pointed out calmly, eyes focussed on the map. “It will be easier to convince those who trust me to follow without interference. Besides, those who aren’t loyal to me will be tipped off by their presence.”

“You make good points, xiao-Hei,” Kunlun agreed with his omega, gaze not wavering from his lieutenant. He arched his eyebrow, daring him to come up with a rebuttal.

The lieutenant sputtered, and perhaps lacking survival instincts, he did indeed continue. “It could be a trap! What if he leads the Dixingren to ambush us?”

"I trust him," Kunlun retorted, baring his teeth and curling protectively around his omega, who lowered his head. "If my word is not good enough for you, you may leave now."

“General!” The man took a step forward, blanching as Kunlun snarled. He dropped to his knee, bringing his hands up before him and lowering his head into a bow. “I’ve sworn my allegiance to you, General Kunlun. But what reassurance do we have that he is not playing us, playing you? His heat scent still lingers, can General Kunlun assure us that he’s thinking clearly?”

There was a murmur of agreement, although no one else dared to voice their support vocally. Heipaoshi licked his lips, glancing from Kunlun to the gathered lieutenants, gauging their mood. There was some uneasy shifting still. Only time would appease those concerns, however. Da Qing wrinkled his nose and met Heipaoshi’s questioning gaze with a shrug.

“If I might make a suggestion, alpha?” Heipaoshi murmured, his tone overly demure and reconciling. Playing up the part of omega to restore the soldiers’ confidence in their general. “As a compromise, perhaps Da Qing could accompany me? That way, you may all rest assured that I’m not running away or” —his lips twisted up into a smirk— “planning anything nefarious behind your backs.”

“Xiao-Wei,” Kunlun whispered, quietly enough that Da Qing’s sensitive ears were likely the only ones to pick up the switch in address. “You don’t have to—”

“I know how much it costs you to let me go, especially now,” Heipaoshi replied equally quietly, nuzzling Kunlun’s cheek in turn. “I’m thankful. But this will make it easier on you, too. You trust Da Qing. And he’ll be able to sneak inside the camp as a cat unnoticed, without giving my change in allegiance away.”

Kunlun glanced towards Da Qing, who met his gaze steadily and shrugged. “I don’t mind. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your mate safe for you.”

Something in his words—the open acknowledgement of their mating, perhaps?—caused a spike in the heat scent. Kunlun barely spared a moment to agree to this action, his fingers tugging on the belt. With horror, Da Qing realized it wasn’t just lingering heat – Heipaoshi was still in the throes of it. The signs of another wave coming up were all too clear to Da Qing’s sensitive cat nose.

He cleared his throat and raised his voice.

“Alright, everyone out!”

Da Qing started shooing the lieutenants towards the tent’s entry flap. There was some shuffling, a couple questioning glances shot his way, inquisitive looks at Kunlun and his mate, who were lost in their own lovers’ world. Some of the lieutenants tried to linger, but the scent of an aroused alpha and omega pair quickly permeated the air inside, so they finally hurried on. Nobody wanted to be caught staring by a territorial alpha when his mate still carried traces of heat scent.

Da Qing was the last to leave, chancing one more look over his shoulder.

Heipaoshi was bending over the map, hips canted up and legs spread, with Kunlun pressed up behind him. The alpha was leaning over his omega, one elbow on the map, his free hand gathering the fall of ink-black hair and pulling it to one side to nuzzle at Heipaoshi’s bared throat. The beads in his braids glinted in the candlelight.

Shaking his head, Da Qing let the flap drop and ordered two betas to guard the entrance.

***

Ye Zun wasn’t worried for gege.

Gege had abandoned him in his moment of need. If he didn't worry enough to return for his didi's heat, clearly he wasn't worth even a moment of concern. Nevermind that gege's own heat tended to sync up with Ye Zun's. They were twins, after all.

Ye Zun had been a sickly child, and growing up changed nothing for him. Regular meals and the warmth of braziers helped keep his illness at bay, something Ye Zun was grudgingly grateful to the chieftain for. Gege had been given decent accommodations at the secret headquarters, and as he ascended the ranks of Dixing’s army, he had been afforded more and more privileges.

Not that gege was there all that often to enjoy his spoils, too busy fighting on the frontlines. Hence, Ye Zun was usually the only one to make use of the amenities and servants assigned to Heipaoshi.

And yet, gege always made sure to return in time for their heat, to protect Ye Zun and ensure his own secret stayed hidden. However, lately gege sometimes carried the scent of an alpha with him on his return. He wouldn’t speak on the subject, just hiding that soft smile that drove Ye Zun up the walls. Whoever had seduced his gege wasn’t, couldn’t be worthy. Surely gege had to know that. And if he chose an alpha… the chances of them being willing to take in a sickly omega not even their own was minimal.

Gege had promised to always take care of Ye Zun. He couldn't, wouldn't—

Except, this time, Ye Zun had gone into heat and Shen Wei was nowhere to be found. Their first heat since gege had met that good-for-nothing alpha, whoever they were, and all his promises were forgotten in favour of—

Ye Zun growled, cutting off that line of thought. So gege had found someone he’d rather spend time with, so what? It wasn’t like Ye Zun depended on gege’s presence. He could fend well enough for himself. So could gege. There was no reason to worry.

"Laoban!" A servant hurried inside his tent and Ye Zun tensed, his heat scent spiking. But, no – the servant was only a beta, not a danger. Ye Zun exhaled shakily, then pasted on a haughty expression as he whirled around to face them.

"I wonder, are you forgetful or disobedient? Did I not ask, specifically, not to be disturbed?"

His drawl was silky with repressed heat, his patience worn thin from the constant struggle against his instincts, the burning need to be taken and the cramps shuddering through him. The servant fell to their knees, bowing low.

"Mercy, laoban!" the servant cried, forehead pressed to the ground. "I— there are prisoners at the gate. This one wishes to carry Laoban's command to the guards on how to proceed."

Ye Zun's temples throbbed. Rubbing circles over them, he allowed his annoyance to leak into his voice. "Must I handle every little detail myself? What do I even have subordinates for!? Send them to the labour camp for all I care!"

“B-but L-laoban…” The servant flinched under his glare, cowering. “It’s– It’s Heipaoshi. He has returned.”

Ye Zun froze.

When the heat had started and there was no sign of gege, Ye Zun had done his best to hide from the rest of the camp, but somehow, the old chieftain had found out anyhow. He’d given Ye Zun one day of reprieve, sent servants with warm food and a hot bath – wooing him, in hindsight – before he made inquiries on the second day. Casual questions at first, about what he knew of gege’s mission, how long he supposed Heipaoshi would be delayed.

And Ye Zun had answered him, cautious and wary, too aware of those hungry eyes devouring him. He made sure to carefully emphasize how useful he was to the camp, how it was his strategies that had won them recent victories — and how powerful his twin was, how terribly inconvenient it would be to incur his wrath should anyone choose to touch Ye Zun in this vulnerable state.

The chieftain had thrown his head back and laughed.

“If I claim you as my mate, not even Heipaoshi would dare move against me!” he had declared. “You should be happy to be useful for once, my little night lord. I wouldn’t even consider you for a consort if your brother wasn’t so attached to you. Once I’ve taken you, he won’t dare hurt me, less he might hurt you.”

His weak struggle had only amused the chieftain, his logic failing to sway the greed and fear in the chieftain’s eyes. Because he was afraid, afraid of what gege would do to him. Already assuming Heipaoshi must be plotting behind his back to take over the leadership, and Ye Zun hated, hated how wrong he was.

The only one plotting against him was Ye Zun, but the chieftain would never understand, never suspect the powerless weakling.

This oversight would be his downfall. Ye Zun swore he would kill him or die trying.

But only after the chieftain was done with him. The truth was a bitter pill to swallow, mingling with the gut-wrenching fear as the chieftain tore at his clothes, easily ignoring his feeble attempts to fight back. Perhaps, he’d thought, the reason gege is so powerful is because he’d gotten all of Ye Zun’s dark energy in the womb, and left none for Ye Zun to defend himself with.

“Then do whatever Heipaoshi orders to be done with his prisoners,” Ye Zun heard himself saying, distorted and muffled, as if he was swimming underwater. “And send my brother to report to me. No one else may enter my tent until he’s here!”

Heat was still coursing through Ye Zun, and surely his brother wasn’t doing any better. He needed to get them both to safety, so they could defend themselves. He was under no delusions that the camp only accepted his command under the assumption that gege would take over for him once he returned. Gege was respected and feared both – and Ye Zun had no scruples taking advantage of his reputation, nor the obvious care and favour he showed to his younger twin.

When Ye Zun told them Heipaoshi would do this, want that, they believed him.

However, if they smelled gege's omega scent now, before it could be explained away as lingering traces from Ye Zun's heat, they might lose all that hard-earned respect to greedy alphas infighting. Because whoever managed to subdue and claim Heipaoshi would surely be the next leader. The situation was too fragile, they could not be discovered at this stage.

Ye Zun paced up and down in gege's tent, twisting his fingers into knots inside his sleeves.

The flap opened, and Ye Zun was about to snap at the servant for ignoring his orders, when he realized that for one, the person entering was an alpha and for another—he recognized that outfit from reports. The alpha was wearing Alliance garb. Ye Zun’s mouth snapped shut, heart beating rapidly in his chest. He reached for that well of power inside him, panicking when he couldn’t grasp the dark energy immediately, but then gege stepped into the tent. The alpha turned to gege, murmuring something too quiet for Ye Zun to hear past the blood rushing through his ears, and gege…

Gege looked exhausted.

Good, the vicious side of Ye Zun thought. He deserves to be punished for leaving me behind.

The alpha barely spared Ye Zun a glance, all of his attention on gege. He reached out and cupped gege’s cheek, and Ye Zun bristled at the way the alpha rubbed his wrist along gege’s jawline, rubbed his scent over gege’s skin. Marking, claiming, and Ye Zun didn’t understand why gege wasn’t pushing him away, was instead lowering his head submissively.

“I’ll stand guard,” the alpha murmured, stepping back and turning his back on Ye Zun, hand landing on the hilt of his sword as he stationed himself at the entrance to the tent. Ye Zun bit his lip, eyeing the alpha’s armour, wondering how to best angle his knife to get past the padding. If gege was too weak to fight, he needed to be fast, not give the alpha a chance to retaliate… distract him long enough for the two of them to escape, injure just enough to keep him from coming after them—

Then gege looked up, meeting Ye Zun's eyes, relief writ large on his masked face.

"Di," he gasped, stepping forward, arms wrapping around Ye Zun, squeezing him close, and Ye Zun… Ye Zun tried to resist the part of him that wanted to melt into gege, to cry and complain about everything that happened. The young, childish part of him believing that gege would protect him, would make everything alright.

He could smell the heat scent on gege, mixed with the same alpha scent he'd been carrying on every return. Inside of Ye Zun, the rage grew.

"Where were you?" he rasped, clinging to gege's robes, fingers twisting in the cloth. His throat was hoarse with suppressed tears but he wouldn't, couldn't leave himself that vulnerable, not before he knew why.

“I’m sorry,” Gege said helplessly, his hold on Ye Zun tightening. “I was captured. I couldn’t— I came as soon as I could.”

Ye Zun pulled back, and opened his mouth to say… he forgot the words as his gaze was drawn to gege's neck, staring in rising horror, at the still fresh mark over his scent gland, half-hidden under gege’s robes. He could smell the alpha on him, of course, but he'd thought— Captured. The word reverberated inside his head. Gege was captured and forced into a bond by the Alliance. The missing pieces slotted into place, the picture finally making sense.

Of course. Gege would never abandon him willingly.

Ye Zun glanced up from under his fringe, eyeing the alpha’s back. Gege’s bondmate. Stabbing wouldn’t work, then. The alpha must be using the bond to keep gege from attacking him, keeping him docile, or perhaps his instincts wouldn’t allow him. Ye Zun didn’t know and didn’t care, excitement bubbling up in his chest, power tickling at the back of his throat. Here was something gege couldn’t do, needed help with. For once, Ye Zun would be the one protecting gege.

“I can eat him,” Ye Zun breathed into gege’s ear, too quiet for the alpha to hear. In his arms, Gege tensed, then pulled back.

“What?” Gege’s brow furrowed, and Ye Zun grinned back at him giddily.

“I can get rid of him for you.” At gege's searching look, Ye Zun's grin widened. "Just like I got rid of the chieftain when he—"

Ye Zun cut himself off. No, gege didn't need to know about that, how close Ye Zun came to being forced into a bond himself in gege's absence. He had enough to deal with, no need to remind him of his own awful experience by bringing up Ye Zun's ordeal. Unlike gege, he managed to fend the unwanted alpha off, after all.

"I ate him," Ye Zun continued instead, clasping gege's hand to his chest, letting him feel his heart beating strong and hale for the first time in his life. The dark energy coursing through his chest, ready to devour at his command. "I awakened my power, Ge, and ate him."

Gege's brow furrowed, and he exchanged a look with his the alpha, who glanced back at them questioningly. Gege shook his head sharply, turning back to Ye Zun. "Zei Qiu is dead?"

Ye Zun pulled back, frowning at gege. Zei Qiu. The name the Alliance gave their chieftain. Traitor. Why would gege call him by the title their enemies used, rather than ‘leader’ as he usually would?

"Ge?" Ye Zun took a cautious step back, glancing between his brother and the Alliance soldier who bonded with him. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

“Ah.” Gege blushed and ducked his head, a pleased smile on his lips. Ye Zun stared at the sight. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw gege smile, not with the strain of their situation pressing his lips into a thin line turning the expression into a grimace. Now he glanced over his shoulder, that genuine smile lighting up his face as he gestured towards the alpha standing guard. “This is Kunlun.”

Ye Zun felt his veins freeze.

“Kunlun,” he echoed, the blood rushing from his face as the implications sank in, leaving him light-headed. “As in General Kunlun?”

One of their major opponents, a leader of the Alliance. The human who could go toe to toe with gege despite having no powers to draw upon, the clever strategist who kept outsmarting Ye Zun’s suggested plans, who infuriated the old chieftain more than any of the other Alliance leaders. That Kunlun.

And now he was standing inside their tent, in the middle of Dixing’s secret headquarters, past their defenses. Gege was exhausted, and Ye Zun… Ye Zun didn’t know why he’d bring the enemy to the heart of their camp.

“Yes,” gege said, meeting Ye Zun’s shocked stare with a soft, imploring gaze. “He’s my alpha, Di.”

The alpha – Kunlun – walked closer, settling a hand on gege’s shoulder possessively and glancing between the two twins curiously. Ye Zun felt his stomach drop. He could smell their combined scent, gege’s omega heat scent and the alpha’s corresponding rut scent, entwined from their bonding. He knew that scent. It was the same smell gege had been carrying the last time he’d returned from the frontline, stopping by their shared tent to change clothes before meeting with the chieftain. To hide the scent, but he couldn’t hide it from Ye Zun.

This was the same alpha, the one that had been courting his gege. Nausea rose in Ye Zun’s throat.

“You chose him?” Ye Zun whispered, horrified.

Gege blinked, as if startled. His smile slipped, and he inclined his head, expression serious. “I did.”

Ye Zun stumbled another step back, barely keeping his balance as he stared at his brother and his— his— his mate. The betrayal stung, worse than being abandoned to fend off the chieftain by himself, to endure whatever humiliation he had planned for Ye Zun. Gege couldn’t have known Ye Zun would awaken his powers just in time to save himself, and yet gege had chosen—

“Di?”

Gege had the audacity to sound concerned, after he abandoned Ye Zun to his fate, chose this stupid alpha, chose their enemy, Heipaoshi’s great nemesis over his own twin. And now gege dared to follow after him, hand reaching out as if to grab him by the elbow, brow furrowed. Ye Zun swallowed, rage rising up from deep within him, icy cold and dark. As if he had any right.

“You said you were— did he force you?” Ye Zun’s thoughts were a whirlwind of chaos, a note of pleading slipping into his voice. He needed to hear it from Shen Wei himself, needed to know the truth. Whether he was taken from Ye Zun’s side by force—or if he left willingly to be with his mate. The alpha’s gaze was burning a hole into the side of his face, and Ye Zun wanted to turn away, to hide, but there was nowhere to run, not until he knew for sure…

“It was my choice,” gege denied the accusation, his voice firm and reprimanding. Ye Zun flinched back, heart pounding in his chest.

“No,” he whispered, agony squeezing tight around his throat, turning his voice raspy. It couldn’t be. Gege couldn’t have…

“Di…” Shen Wei gentled his tone, holding out his palm for Ye Zun to take, an offer he could only stare at bleakly. “I claimed him first.”

The admission shot straight through Ye Zun’s heart, his gaze snapping up to stare at his brother in horrified betrayal as he confirmed his worst fears. But who could blame Shen Wei? Gege had been patient with him, but Ye Zun had always been useless, an anchor dragging him down. Of course Shen Wei would move on with his life at some point. It was inevitable.

“Are you alright, Di?” And still, gege was pretending to be concerned. Why? What was the point? “Di, you’re shaking.”

He was. Ye Zun paused, dropping his gaze to his trembling hands, bringing them up in front of his chest. He hadn’t even realized. How like gege to notice. He opened his mouth, only for his chest to heave, his throat tightening up, and Ye Zun couldn’t breathe, just like so many other times before, fighting his body to obey him, he’d thought awakening his powers would cure him—

Arms wrapped around him, a hand curling around his neck protectively. Ge.

“I’m here, Di,” gege assured him, his free hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. Ye Zun made a noise, and, oh. The illness wasn’t seizing his chest, he was crying. He hadn’t cried since the chieftain took them in, had learned too quickly that it only brought gege pain when he did. Why was he…

“I’ve got you, Di. I’m not going anywhere, not without you. I came back, didn’t I?”

The words didn’t make sense, but they made it easier to breathe. Ye Zun buried his head in gege’s chest, clinging to his robes. Inhaling the mingled scent of bonded alpha and omega pair, taking in the new notes mixed in with the familiar smell of gege, of safety.

“I came as soon as I could. I’m sorry it took so long,” gege continued, pressing his cheek against Ye Zun’s temple. They were kneeling on the floor, Ye Zun realized dimly. He had no recollection of when that happened. The fingers along his spine were soothing, but there was a gnawing beast inside his chest, an important question he needed to ask, if only he could find the air to voice it.

“He tried to take you, didn’t he?” Kunlun asked, his voice quietly subdued. Ye Zun blinked, gaze darting in his direction, making sure the alpha hadn’t snuck up on him. Kunlun hadn’t, keeping a careful distance. He raised his hands to show himself unarmed, his gaze dropping to Ye Zun’s wrists. Ye Zun followed his gaze, realizing his sleeves had ridden up in their embrace, displaying the bruises around his wrists. “Zei Qiu. That’s why you killed him, right?”

“I…” Ye Zun’s throat clicked, and he averted his gaze from gege’s face, the expression too painful to watch. Ye Zun swallowed, then narrowed his eyes at gege’s stupid alpha. “What does it matter to you?”

“Aiya, Ye-di, we’re family now,” Kunlun drawled, his eyebrows arching up pointedly. “Of course I care. Xiao-Wei would be devastated should anything happen to you.”

Perhaps sensing Ye Zun’s apprehension, gege ran his fingers through Ye Zun’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple. “He helped me, Di. He snuck me out of the Alliance’s camp after the first wave of heat was over. He brought his army here to help me free you.”

Ye Zun glanced at Kunlun from between the curtain of his hair, mulling over those words. Maybe he had gotten the wrong impression, maybe it was gege who had wrapped their enemy around his fingers and kept him on a leash, hard as it was to believe. It would bear keeping an eye on because gege could be stupidly trusting despite everything, but that’s what he had Ye Zun for.

Pulling out of gege’s arms, Ye Zun wiped his face with his sleeve and straightened his shoulders. First things first. He needed to know what mess they were in before he could get them out of it, then he could ask gege pointed question how he ended up in Kunlun’s lap.

“Army?” he echoed, gaze darting to Kunlun before settling on gege’s face. “You brought an entire Haixingren army to our headquarters?”

“Ah.” Gege gave him a flustered look, sitting stiffly upright. “Since Zei Qiu is dead, we should probably command our people to stand down.”

Our. Ye Zun shot Kunlun a quick glance at that, but he didn’t even seem to notice the phrasing. Or perhaps he was truly unbothered by gege claiming his soldiers as his own.

"Sounds good," Kunlun agreed, rocking back on his heels as he regarded Ye Zun. "Anyone we need to watch out for? Someone who's not happy with your take-over?"

Ye Zun shook his head. "Most of our people will follow Heipaoshi without second thought, wherever he leads them." Ye Zun arched an eyebrow at gege. "Most of them expected him to overthrow the old chief sooner or later. We just waited for the catalyst that would push Ge over the edge."

"Ah, I see, I see." Kunlun's eyes crinkled, watching gege with a fond expression. Something like jealousy twisted in Ye Zun's chest, tangled with a feeling of validation.

"The hardcore loyalists I've already dealt with," Ye Zun continued, trying not to linger on that thought. He couldn't tell if his stomach was aching from heat cramps or all the Dixingren he had consumed. "Everyone else has accepted my leadership in the interim, in Heipaoshi's stead. Now that you're back, you should make an announcement."

"Announcement?" gege repeated, wrinkling his nose. He'd never liked being in the spotlight much. Ye Zun rolled his eyes.

"Well, for one, you should clarify the state of your… alliance with General Kunlun." Ye Zun waved an impatient hand. "Your goals for the Dixingren here, if they're allowed to leave, what you intend to do about the Hallows, what to expect from the near future. If you have any plans for those waiting to return to Dixing."

"Return?" Kunlun interjected, having nodded along to the previous points. Now his brow drew together into a frown.

"We don't have access to natural portals right now," gege explained, his eyes wide and hopeful as he met Kunlun's gaze. "Not since we lost the battle at the cliff."

"Easily half of our forces are made of those able-bodied enough or with useful powers, who fight to secure safe passage for their loved ones," Ye Zun added, sneering derisively. "It's not like most of them even liked the old chief, he was just our best option in a terrible situation."

"...right," Kunlun said slowly, stroking his beard and looking thoughtful. Ye Zun rolled his eyes, turning to gege to interrogate him on their strategy so he could work out a quick speech for him, when Kunlun continued, "That should be an easy enough term to grant in the negotiations."

"Negotiations?" Ye Zun questioned, glaring suspiciously at the alpha.

Gege nodded. "Yes. We're going to negotiate a ceasefire, and then a treaty between the three races. No more war, Di."

Ye Zun stared at his twin in disbelief. The world had been at war as far as he could remember, even before their parents died. It was the reason they sought out the old chief, looking for a safe haven, a meal to eat in a world ravished by famine, plagues and turmoil. Ye Zun was aware how his brother had sacrificed himself, sworn his service to the chieftain and worked himself to the bone, to justify Ye Zun's inclusion in the deal. Even as Ye Zun picked up more and more work behind the scenes – learning strategy, battle tactics, logistics, everything he could advise on from his sickbed if necessary – the chieftain did not relent, pushing Heipaoshi to his limits. It was greed, but also fear: Heipaoshi was much more powerful and popular amongst the lower ranks. The chief was afraid he would lead an uprising, and to keep Heipaoshi in check, he held Ye Zun practically hostage.

But the old chieftain wasn't the only reason the war persisted. Resources were scarce and fought over as fiercely as territory. Not to mention those who fought for vengeance, to avenge the death of a lost one. Ye Zun didn't see those go away just because gege declared an end to the war, even if Kunlun exerted his influence in the Alliance similarly.

Yet gege stared at him, so much hope and tentative joy for a peaceful future in his face. Ye Zun ached for his brother, forced into the role of warrior, of figurehead for a scared people, forced to deal death and punishment when at his core, his brother was inclined to mercy. Kindness, a rare thing in their cruel world. His strong sense of responsibility didn't allow him to lay down arms, to leave and start a family far away from the fighting. But this way…

This way, gege could fulfill his duties without regret.

"It won't be easy," he warned and saw gege set his jaw in determination. Sighing dramatically, he surrendered to the inevitable. "Fine, fine, I'll help."

There was much to be done, and he didn’t trust gege alone with his alpha, not while they were still in heat. Which begged many more questions – how had they been travelling? – but Ye Zun pushed them to the back of his mind. So gege was deadset on securing their people a future, fine.

Ye Zun would ensure that it would be one gege could be happy in.

#yohe au

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