My Fierce Beta Husband is Surprisingly Sweet | Chapter 66 | The Breaking Storm | Novela.app

Chapter 66 - The Breaking Storm The night air of Zhennan City was crisp, carrying the faint, lingering scent of rain and the distant hum of late-night traffic. As Li Zi stepped out of her parents' home, the warmth of the family hearth seemed to cling to her clothes, a comforting weight against the evening chill. Her conversation with Li Shian and Yan Yan echoed in her mind—a soft, resonant chord of unconditional support. For the first time across two lifetimes, the jagged edges of her relationship with her parents had been smoothed away, replaced by a profound, quiet gratitude. She was no longer the rebellious girl fueled by resentment; she was a woman who understood the fragile value of the people standing beside her. The drive back to the house on Xi’an Street was a blur of neon lights and deep shadows. Li Zi gripped the steering wheel, her thoughts drifting to Li Zhenting. The doctor’s warnings about his physiological instability—the possibility of his Alpha traits shifting toward a Beta or even an Omega state—loomed in the back of her mind. It was a biological anomaly, a rare consequence of his unique constitution, and it lent a sense of urgency to their plans. They weren't rushing into marriage for the sake of a certificate; they were racing against the ticking clock of his own body. When she finally pulled into the driveway, a strange silence greeted her. Usually, the house felt alive, even in the quietest hours, but tonight, an oppressive stillness hung over the entryway. As she pushed the door open, the silence was shattered by a sound that made her heart skip a beat. It was a low, ragged gasp, followed by the unmistakable splash of water. The noise was coming from the bathroom. "Ting-ge?" she called out, her voice tight with a sudden, inexplicable dread. There was no verbal reply, only the sound of labored breathing. Li Zi dropped her keys on the console and hurried toward the source of the noise. The door to the bathroom was slightly ajar, a sliver of dim light spilling onto the hallway floor. As she stepped inside, the air hit her like a physical wall—thick, humid, and saturated with a scent so potent it made her head swim. It was the scent of Li Zhenting’s pheromones, but they were distorted, stripped of their usual calm strength and replaced by something raw, wild, and desperate. In the large bathtub by the window, Li Zhenting was submerged in water that had grown tepid and clouded. He was curled into a defensive fetal position, his broad shoulders trembling with such violence that the water slopped over the edges of the tub. His skin, usually a healthy tan, was flushed a terrifying, feverish crimson. "Ting-ge!" Li Zi cried, rushing to the edge of the tub. She reached down to pull him up, but the moment her fingers brushed his shoulder, she gasped. He was burning—not with the dry heat of an infection, but with a radiating, visceral fire that seemed to pulse from his very core. "What’s happening? Look at me!" Li Zhenting’s head lolled back, his eyes unfocused and glazed with a sheen of agony. His consciousness was slipping, drowned in the tidal wave of his own biological upheaval. When he finally managed to focus on her, his pupils were so dilated they nearly eclipsed the irises. He didn't speak; instead, he lunged forward with a primal desperation, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He clung to her like a drowning man, his wet clothes instantly soaking through her blouse. His breath was hot and ragged against her skin as he inhaled deeply, seeking the soothing notes of her Ink Orchid pheromones. "A... Zi?" he whimpered, a sound so vulnerable it broke her heart. "I’m so hot... my neck... it’s burning... everything is..." He grabbed her hand, his grip bruisingly tight, and guided it toward the back of his neck. There, beneath the damp hair, his scent gland was swollen and hard, throbbing with a frantic rhythm. "I want... please..." he rasped, his voice cracking with a need that transcended words. "Bite me... mark me... I can't take it anymore..." Li Zi froze, the reality of the situation crashing down on her. This wasn't just a fever. The "differentiation" the doctor had spoken of was happening now, a violent restructuring of his very being that was forcing him into a state of absolute, agonizing susceptibility.