Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 213

Koi furtively glanced at Ashley, his heart pounding. He didn’t know what Ashley was thinking, making it difficult to speak. As Koi just kept watching for a reaction, Ashley finally opened his mouth after a long silence.

“You tried to come here for ten years?… Since then?”

His voice was absurdly quiet. At the calm gaze fixed on him, Koi unconsciously swallowed dryly and averted his eyes. Confirming the answer with that reaction, Ashley fell silent again.

“Ash.”

The image of a much younger boy, calling his name and smiling, flickered in his vision. The boy who always ran towards him, the slender, small body that fit in his arms, even the lips that shyly met his.

“I like you, Ash.”

Ha, a hollow breath escaped his lips. With a self-deprecating sigh, Ashley spoke.

“So?”

A chilling silence descended. Under everyone’s gaze, Ashley turned his head towards Koi. Their eyes met, and he narrowed his eyes, twisting his lips into a sneer.

“You weren’t there when I needed you most.”

In an instant, the color drained from Koi’s face. Ashley continued slowly, still sneering, as he looked at the pale Koi.

“How long do you think I waited for you? How do you think I felt, sitting alone at that train station, just waiting for you to come?”

He chuckled, a mirthless sound. Of course, Ashley was the only one laughing. He shook his shoulders as if he couldn’t bear it, then asked, his voice still full of mockery.

“Aren’t you too late?”

“This bastard, really.”

“A-Al!”

Koi, who had hastily stopped Ariel from standing up with clenched fists, quickly spoke.

“Ash is right. My coming here was all my own doing, and it has nothing to do with Ash. It’s not something Ash needs to take responsibility for or worry about.”

Ariel stared at Koi in disbelief, then turned her gaze back to Ashley.

“Then you’re saying it means nothing to you that Koi has always kept you in his heart?”

At Ariel’s words, Ashley merely continued to stare at Koi, not answering immediately. Ashley slowly opened his mouth, looking at the trembling eyes that were anxiously watching him.

“Didn’t I tell you? Whether Koi likes me or not isn’t important.”

Koi’s face grew ashen, and sparks flew from Ariel’s eyes.

“You stubborn son of a bitch!”

“Al!”

Koi cried out urgently, but Ariel was faster. The former amateur boxing champion’s fist slammed into the former high school ice hockey MVP’s jaw. Ashley staggered violently, Koi covered his mouth, and Bill clenched his fist, silently exclaiming, ‘Yes!’

But that moment didn’t last long. Ashley’s eyes turned black, and pheromones boiled throughout his body.

“This…”

A vein throbbed on Ashley’s forehead as he sprang to his feet, but he hesitated the moment he saw his opponent glaring back at him. Ariel was a woman, and Koi was Koi. His only remaining option was Bill.

“Wait, this is too much! I didn’t do anything!”

Seeing Ashley immediately grab a hockey stick and charge at him, Bill cried out, his face pale with fright. He pleaded desperately, but Ashley’s decision didn’t change. At that moment, Bill rushed towards his savior.

“Koi, save me!”

At Bill’s sudden action, desperately grabbing Koi and squeezing his large body behind him, Ashley narrowly changed the direction of the stick. The stick swung wildly, creating a fierce gust of wind that lightly ruffled Koi’s hair. Ashley quickly retracted the stick and reached out, snatching Koi. As Koi stumbled, dragged along as he instinctively tried to shield Bill, Ashley immediately pulled him into his arms and pressed him, his face pale.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Koi nodded, bewildered, but Ashley still ran his hands over his entire body, repeatedly checking. Only after he was sure Koi was unharmed did he finally sigh in relief, then immediately pulled Koi into his embrace and lashed out at Bill.

“You bastard, what are you doing? Using Koi as a shield, are you crazy?!”

Bill, who had been watching the couple’s sickening display with a look of utter disbelief, finally erupted in belated anger.

“Then should I hide behind Al? Who else is here to protect me besides Koi? You’re the crazy one! Why do you always come after me?!”

“Koi is pregnant!”

Silence followed Ashley’s shout. Ariel’s eyes widened in surprise, and Bill’s anger also evaporated. Both simultaneously turned their gaze to Koi, who was deeply nestled in Ashley’s arms. Bill was the first to speak.

“What are you talking about? Koi’s pregnant?”

“Don’t lie, you swindler.”

Neither Bill nor Ariel believed him. But thanks to that, Ashley’s anger subsided. Ashley’s eyes slowly returned to their usual violet, and his pheromones also receded. A faint smile appeared on his lips, as if he couldn’t bear the joy of the thought alone.

“Koi is pregnant. And it’s my child, of course.”

Ariel’s eyes now turned to Koi. At her questioning gaze, Koi averted his eyes. With the most certain proof, Ariel’s rage exploded.

“You piece of trash, how dare you impregnate Koi?!”

She wanted to punch Ashley again but couldn’t because of Koi. Bill flinched for a moment, but Ariel slammed her fist onto the wooden table in front of her instead of Bill’s stomach. Bang, a loud sound echoed, and Ariel glared at Ashley, grinding her teeth.

“Koi, move. I need to hit that bastard one more time.”

“W-wait, Al. Don’t do that, I’m fine.”

Koi urgently tried to stop her, but nothing changed. Bill, still bewildered, interjected as the two glared at each other, as if ready to devour one another, with Koi between them.

“What do you mean Koi’s pregnant? Koi’s a Beta, isn’t he?”

“You be quiet, Bill.”

Ariel spat, still glaring at Ashley. Leaving Bill, who had no choice but to shrink back again, Ariel asked fiercely, as if about to pounce.

“So what are you going to do? You’re not saying you’re going to impregnate Koi and then abandon him, are you?”

Of course, if he did, Ariel wouldn’t stand idly by. She vowed to use every means at her disposal to seize his assets and give them to Koi, when Ashley spoke, still at ease.

“I have to take responsibility, since I made Koi an Omega.”

“What?”

“What did you say?”

“What?!”

Following Koi and Ariel, Bill also shouted. Facing the three bewildered people, Ashley stared at Ariel with narrowed eyes.

“You should have known that already, shouldn’t you? You said you were with Koi when he went into heat.”

Bill stared at Ariel with wide eyes. But instead of explaining the situation, Ariel turned her displeased face to Ashley and replied.

“Yes, I knew. But what do you mean by taking responsibility? What does Koi being an Omega have to do with you?”

To the returned question, Ashley answered calmly.

“Because he must have mutated due to my pheromones.”

He was certain. Most people would probably think so. If Koi hadn’t met Angel, he would undoubtedly have believed it too.

But his conjecture was completely off the mark. And Koi wasn’t the only one who knew that fact.

Ariel glanced at Koi, and Koi also flinched in surprise, then furtively looked around. Ashley, sensing the unusual atmosphere, frowned. And finally, even Bill noticed the strange tension.

“…What?”

Ashley spoke in a low voice. A hint of tension appeared on his usually relaxed face, as if he had a premonition of an unwelcome situation. Ariel and Koi exchanged glances again, and when Ariel nodded, Koi swallowed dryly, took a deep breath, and opened his mouth.

“Um, well.”

He spoke with a faint tremor in his voice, finding it difficult.

“My becoming an Omega has nothing to do with you.”

The furrow in Ashley’s brow deepened further. Koi hesitated, stammering.

“It wasn’t a mutation due to your pheromones… I actually presented normally. I mean, I know, it’s much later than usual, but what I mean is, well.”

“Koi isn’t a normal Omega, he’s an Extreme Omega.”

Ariel, who had been watching, couldn’t bear the frustration and interjected, dropping a bombshell.

Koi gasped, inhaling sharply, and Ashley froze. Bill also looked at them in surprise, then belatedly shouted.

“What are you talking about?!”

Bill asked, frustrated, but no one answered. A silence heavier than ever descended between them. In the stiff atmosphere, where even the air seemed to stop flowing, no one even breathed. Only Bill, frozen along with them, busily rolled his eyes, trying to grasp the situation.

“…What kind of bullshit is that?”

Ashley finally spoke after a long time. Bill flinched at his words, uttered with a grinding of teeth, as if squeezing his vocal cords, and even Ariel felt a chill run down her spine. Koi was also speechless, when Ashley rasped.

“Stop spouting nonsense, Ariel. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Why not?”

Ariel, regaining her composure, challenged him.

“Why doesn’t it make sense? Is there something wrong with Koi being an Extreme Omega?”

“Ha.”

Ashley let out an exasperated sigh. He shook his head in disbelief, then glared at Ariel with terrifying eyes and spat.

“Koi being an Extreme Omega, do you think that makes sense? It’s impossible, absolutely.”

“So why is it absolutely impossible? I’m telling you, Koi is an Extreme Omega.”

Ariel’s voice rose involuntarily in frustration. Ashley sneered, as if mocking her maddening exasperation.

“How can you prove that?”

As Ariel faltered, he continued.

“Extreme Omegas don’t show up in genetic tests. They come out as Betas. There’s no way to prove someone is an Extreme Omega.”

Ashley’s belief was firm. But in his words, Ariel found her answer.

“Did you test Koi’s genetics?”

Ashley laughed off Ariel’s question indifferently.

“Is there a need to? He’s pregnant, so he’s obviously an Omega.”

“I did. No, we checked.”

Ariel spoke with conviction.

“Koi was a Beta.”

“More bullshit…”

Ashley didn’t believe Ariel’s words. As he cursed with a face full of disbelief, Ariel cut him off.

“If you don’t believe me, you check it yourself, what Koi’s genetics are. It’s simple, isn’t it? If you go to the hospital, it takes two days at most, or 30 minutes if you pay more. Why don’t you do it right now?”

Ariel, having regained her usual composure, glared at Ashley and asked.

“You seem desperately trying to deny that Koi is an Extreme Omega, but why? Isn’t it better for you? They say Extreme Omegas are the ultimate dream of Extreme Alphas, but are you different? Or.”

She narrowed her eyes, adding with a suspicious expression.

“Is it a problem that ‘Koi’ is an Extreme Omega?”

Silence fell once more. No one spoke. Koi had only been anxiously watching for a reaction until then. He dared not look at Ashley’s face, but he gathered his courage and cautiously raised his gaze.

Ashley didn’t even look at Koi. At his continued demeanor of only glaring at Ariel, Koi felt a hollow ache in a corner of his heart.

“…Ash, is that true?”

After swallowing dryly, Koi spoke with difficulty. He felt the arms still holding him flinch. Koi looked up at Ashley and asked again.

“Is it… because it’s me that you don’t like it? Would it have been better if I was a Beta?”

To Koi, whose eyes were faintly teary, Ashley spat out violently.

“Don’t be stupid, I don’t care what you are.”

“Then why are you denying it so much?”

Ariel interjected again. Ashley wanted to strangle her if he could, but it was impossible. His temples throbbed, and his mind was a tangled mess. Feeling his fingertips tremble, Ashley opened his mouth, then closed it again.

His reason was already accepting the fact. There was more than enough evidence. The answer to the countless questions he had felt until now was only one. The fluctuating pheromone scent, the absence of a womb back then.

It wasn’t that his brain was wrong, or that he was crazy and hallucinating, but it was truly.

“That can’t be.”

Ashley’s voice trembled faintly. As if his very being was collapsing, his eyes, his lips, his entire body began to tremble.

“My Koi can’t be like that.”

“Ash.”

Koi, flustered, called his name. The strength drained from Ashley’s arms, and he stumbled back. Standing away from Koi, Ashley stopped moving and slowly looked around. The only pheromone scent in the air was his own.

“If Koi is an Omega, he should have a pheromone scent.”

He mumbled to himself, as if rambling. Seeing him, Ariel spoke.

“Because he’s an Extreme Omega, he can control his pheromones…”

“Shut up!”

Ashley turned his head from Ariel, who had silenced herself at his harsh shout, and stared at Koi.

“There’s no reason for you to deliberately hide your pheromone scent from me.”

He continued, as if trying to force himself to believe.

“Koi just mutated, and that’s why his pheromone scent is weak. That’s all.”

“Ash…”

Koi called him again, but Ashley stepped back abruptly. Koi, who was about to approach him, froze in place.

“It’s not, is it?”

Ashley asked, forcing a smile onto his lips.

“Ariel’s spouting nonsense, right? You don’t lie to me, do you?”

“Ash…”

“Koi.”

Ashley’s face was horribly contorted.

“Tell me it’s not true.”

He pleaded so desperately. But Koi couldn’t say anything. Silence fell again.

Ashley, who had been staring at him with trembling eyes, slowly shook his head.

“This isn’t real.”

“Ash.”

“It’s a lie, it’s a lie!”

He shouted fiercely, then suddenly gasped. Koi cried out in surprise as the large body fell forward.

“Ash!”

“Hmph!”

Bill let out a short cry of surprise, covering his nose with his arm. Ariel also widened her eyes and stepped back. Ashley, who was hunched over, gasping for breath, had eyes that were stained with a dazzling golden light.

“Ash, what’s wrong? Is something wrong with your body again?”

Koi cried out urgently. But Ashley was no longer in a state to answer. Was he unable to control his pheromones?

Bernice’s words came to mind, and a chill ran down Koi’s spine. The sudden fear that flooded him reminded him that Ashley’s brain was damaged because of his pheromones.

“Ash, Ash! Come to your senses, Ash!”

He hastily cried out, pulling out his phone, but his hands trembled, and he dropped it. Koi quickly rubbed away his welling tears and picked up the phone. He had to call Bernice. That was the only thought in his mind. She was the only one who could resolve this situation.

“Ash!”

Suddenly, Ariel shouted. Koi, who had just pressed the button and brought the phone to his ear, instinctively turned around and gasped as if screaming. Ashley staggered up and was heading towards the door.

“Ash, wait! Where are you going?!”

Koi didn’t even wait for the call to connect and ran. He tried to grab him, but Ashley violently pushed him away. By the time Koi, who had stumbled badly, regained his senses, Ashley was already gone from the room. Flustered, Koi hastily tried to follow him outside but couldn’t even see his shadow. All that remained was Ashley’s pheromone scent, much stronger than usual.