Chapter 287: Chapter 287: No One Will Question You
Being on his best behavior at the Military for so many days was the absolute limit of his patience.
The Omega’s body was suddenly pulled into the Alpha’s embrace.
While Aaron Xavier wasn’t as tall as Chase Shaw, he was by no means short. As he held Zoe Pierce from behind, he had to bend down only slightly for his lips to reach the side of her ear.
Once the door was closed, Zoe Pierce grew bolder.
She let Aaron Xavier hold her from behind.
She pressed against Aaron Xavier’s chest, her long hair rubbing against it a few times. "I’m all yours for the next few days."
Aaron Xavier was thoroughly captivated.
He almost instantly forgot the hardship of his long wait, beaming as he asked, "So, what about my reward?"
Zoe Pierce immediately rolled her eyes.
She gave Aaron Xavier a push, broke free from his embrace, and walked away, saying, "Play games with me."
Even after recovering her memories, playing games was a rare pastime for Zoe Pierce.
She didn’t love gaming as much as she did when she had amnesia, but with her schedule packed with classes and physical training, her free time was constantly shrinking. Now, she cherished any opportunity to play.
Aaron Xavier chuckled, following behind Zoe Pierce and asking again, "What about my reward?"
Zoe Pierce irritably pushed him again. A blush crept across her cheeks as she glared at him and said, "We’ll see about that tonight."
Having gotten his answer, Aaron Xavier immediately zipped his lips.
Zoe Pierce took out the collection of games he had given her before; she had brought them all with her when she moved.
Her fingers began to calibrate the equipment.
"Has Justin Lewis said anything yet?" they chatted idly, sitting on the rug.
Aaron Xavier grunted. "But he’s been keeping a low profile lately."
The investigation ultimately petered out within the month.
But the Military now has its eyes on that group of Beta council members.
"For the next few months, at least, it should be difficult for them to make any moves." The Military was watching them like a hawk, desperate to get key evidence from this group of Betas.
Zoe Pierce handed the calibrated gaming headset to Aaron Xavier and picked up another for herself. Suddenly, she asked, "What if one day the Military starts watching us?"
She felt a faint wave of anxiety. She was now realizing that changing pheromones every three months wasn’t such a good thing.
A single check-up from the Military could expose the secret of these three-month intervals.
During their last few physicals, no one had paid any attention to her pheromones.
’If anyone looked closely, they’d know. On Harvestfall, it was Nathan Lockwood. On Planet E-987, it was Chase Shaw. And Aaron Xavier’s connection to me was already exposed back on Planet B36.’
’And now it’s Aaron Xavier’s turn again.’
’No matter how I rack my brain, I can’t think of an explanation.’
Aaron Xavier looked at Zoe Pierce, his lips tightening. "Are you saying you don’t want to be marked anymore?"
His voice was a little plaintive.
Zoe Pierce had already finished calibrating the gaming headset with practiced ease, but she only held it in her hands instead of putting it on.
"I don’t have any better ideas yet," Zoe Pierce sighed softly.
Her gaze lifted to meet Aaron Xavier’s. "Besides, we haven’t been caught yet, have we?"
’They were walking a tightrope.’
’While they weren’t breaking any laws, they were definitely violating social norms.’
Aaron Xavier moved closer and said in a low voice, "As long as we reach a high enough position, it won’t matter even if we’re discovered."
He no longer used that plaintive tone, but spoke with a calm, steady voice.
Zoe Pierce turned to face him.
Aaron Xavier met her eyes. "My father is the perfect example."
He suddenly reached out and pulled Zoe Pierce into his arms, setting aside the headset she had given him.
"Zoe Pierce, things aren’t as bad as you think."
Saying this, Aaron Xavier sounded so mature it was almost unlike him.
"Do you really think they haven’t noticed anything?"
"A beautiful and capable Omega, and four equally top-tier Alphas."
"All so young... how could there not be sparks?"
"Everyone knows we treat you differently," Aaron Xavier said, holding her a little tighter. "But they just think we’re still young, and besides, we know how to be discreet."
’They handled their relationship with her discreetly.’
"We are the rising stars of the Federation, a symbol of friendship between the Federation and the Empire, and the future successors of the Military."
Aaron Xavier saw the look in Zoe Pierce’s eyes and chuckled. "Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t think I’m the type to say these things, do you?"
’I don’t know about other things, but if you’re talking about making trouble, that I know about.’
For a moment, Zoe Pierce didn’t know what to say.
’She had known about Aaron Xavier’s family background for a long time, but to have it used as a source of comfort in this way was still a bit...’
"A lot of people are hypocrites. It’s not that most people don’t know what’s going on; they just pretend they don’t, because there’s no need to rock the boat."
Aaron Xavier said quietly, "Right now, no one is going to burn their bridges with us over something like this."
He nuzzled his nose against Zoe Pierce’s neck again. "Besides, we’re dating one at a time. Perfectly normal."
’What twisted logic.’
’Dating in a three-month rotation... how was that in any way normal?’
"Don’t worry. If any problems come up, we’ll be by your side immediately. Whoever’s pheromones you’re carrying at the time will be your boyfriend."
Aaron Xavier even did the math for Zoe Pierce. "We’re only twenty-two now. Ten years is all we need, Zoe."
"Given the current situation with the Xenobeast Tides, it might not even take ten years."
"We’ll rise high enough. These aren’t fundamental issues." He finally couldn’t resist pulling Zoe Pierce around to face him in an embrace.
His tone softened. "Still worried?"
"If you really don’t want to be marked, that’s okay too." His forehead rested against hers.
’His mix of tough talk and tenderness left Zoe speechless.’
She took the initiative, leaning in and ending the conversation with a light kiss.
’It was just a sudden worry that popped into my head because I was thinking about Justin Lewis being watched.’
After the light kiss, she pushed herself back a few steps, picked up her headset, and put it on. "Alright, I get it. Let’s play."
Her movements were so fluid that they cut off Aaron Xavier’s desire to deepen the kiss.
’Unless he took that headset right off her.’
A smile tugged at the corner of Aaron Xavier’s mouth as he put on his own gaming headset. "Alright, what are we playing?"
A patch of woodland appeared in their vision. Zoe Pierce said, "Farming."
Aaron Xavier: !!!??
Apparently, a pristine forest had also appeared in his line of sight.
Zoe Pierce had already changed into the tattered clothes provided by the game. Her sleeves and pant legs were rolled up, and she was holding an axe.
"Today’s goal: chop down trees, plant crops."
Aaron Xavier’s expression was complicated. He looked down and saw that upon entering the game, the system had also assigned him a set of tattered clothes.
"We’re not fighting Xenobeasts?"
Zoe Pierce shot him a glance. "Haven’t you killed enough of them during the Xenobeast Tides?"
In the past, this was the kind of game Zoe Pierce always played. ’I can’t be fighting Xenobeasts in a game, too. That’s not playing; that’s just more work.’
She pulled Aaron Xavier down to sit on the grass. Behind them was a giant tree so wide it would take more than ten people with outstretched arms to encircle it. She pointed to an empty plot of land in front of them. "We’ll build our home here, and we’ll farm over there."
"Aaron Xavier, we fight Xenobeasts so we can have a life like this, right?"
