The uninvited stinky smell

"And that should be enough evidence." Han finished off explaining his newest discovery. "I will also be leaving this to you. Let me be first to know once you get hold of the fingerprints left."

"That's fantastic, Han. Thank you and of course, we will do that," Lynn replied, a tint of relief hung in his tone, relief that they finally found something after hitting the wall for so long. 

"It's nothing, really. I am merely doing my duty." Han glanced at the clock. "Do you have anything else?"

"Oh, no, it's been a calm week, surprisingly. The murderer isn't acting up yet." The gray-haired Alpha shuddered when the idea of another new corpse came up. "You should go home and get some rest. And maybe a shower too." He added sheepishly. 

"Oh, come on, Lynn…" Han whined. "It can't be that bad, right?" Trying to prove his point, Han took a deep sniff from the cuff of his white shirt. 

When he couldn't smell any, he pulled his trench coat he had laid on the couch and placed it on his nose. Still, he couldn't decipher the pungent smell. His mind probably couldn't break it down to him as he had become one with the odor. 

Pouting at the apologetic smile Lynn was sending him, Han's dark brown eyes wandered towards Derek, who was sitting so silently on his chair, sipping on the steaming hot Earl Grey tea, which was very unusual. 

He had grown so accustomed to the noisy and easy-going guy Derek was that he sometimes foresaw the cheerful demeanor that the golden-eyed Roderick always kept up professionally. 

He hadn't said a word at all as he listened to Han laying out the newest evidence. Han would bet half of his assets that everything said here went through Derek's left ear and came out from the right as he had this dazed look on his face. 

Not to mention, the filter must be working exceptionally well that nothing seemed to stick in his head. 

Exhaling loudly, Han pulled on his trench coat, making a move to leave, except his department was interrupted rudely by a door slamming open-- 

Causing Han to jump, startled, followed by a yelp on the other side, where Derek had scalded his thigh-- Thank God it didn't land on his precious jewels-- with the hot tea. 

"Uncle Lynn! I overheard the maids talking about a stinky old man"-- A certain smelly inspector blanched-- "walking freely in here!"

Another younger black-haired Roderick had decided to announce his presence by kicking the door open with a panicked look on his face. 

"Listen here, you punk--" The oldest Alpha almost snarled. It was a close call for his lovely asset. He still needed it, thank you very much! 

Except, just as he was about to scold, a soft touch, a gentle dab to his burning thigh made him choked on his words. 

Staring down, Derek's widened eyes were faced with a worried looking Lynn who was on his knees, trying to wipe off the stain by dabbing a handkerchief, which was Lynn's as he noticed the slightly familiar symmetrical pattern on the small red cloth. The gray-haired Alpha's hand was dangerously close to his crotch and Derek's entire body immediately flush bright red. Heat filled his cheeks, blooming from his ears, face, and down to his neck. 

"What are you doing?" He breathed out softly, tone high, almost coming out as a whisper. 

"I'm cleaning you up, doesn't it hurt? The burn?" Lynn answered worriedly from his position, still dabbing on the area, drying it. "I will prepare another suit for you right away, My Lord." 

Derek inhaled and exhaled shakily. With both hands still on the desk, Derek clenched his hands, curling them tightly into a fist as his nails dug into his palms, creating crescent dents on them. He was silently cursing himself for acting so childishly, like a horny teenage boy. 

It was even worse when he noticed how much Lynn's presence was affecting him so much, while the other man was so unaffected, unaware of the dirty things Derek wanted to inflict on him. 

"Old man--" 

Feeling a tick appeared on his head, Derek stood up suddenly and slammed his palm down on the mahogany desk. His turn to startle the occupants inside. "You brat! Knock before you come in!" 

Feeling unfair for being told off, Zeke retaliated. "Be glad I haven't used the window yet!" 

"What did you just say?!" 

And that was how the Roderick household started their morning again. 

XXX

Jian Yu's heart was bound to escape him if he stayed any longer in the training hall. 

From the moment he arrived to assist Lady Clement in her swordsmanship, he could feel it. That unmistakable twinge, at the back of his neck. The twitch in his hands, the jump in his pulse, something crazy was about to take place. 

His instinct proved to be right the moment the cerulean-eyed Princess of the Zero Family opened her mouth and spouted absolute nonsense. 

"My Lady, please." 

The thin blade of the rapier sword swung across Huang Jian Yu's head, which he ducked in time to avoid it. 

"My La--" The silver-haired Beta ducked another incoming attack, this time aiming from his left. 

"My Lady, please. You can't do this to me," Jian Yu stressed out, gritting his teeth as he instantly threw himself backwards in a flip to escape the continuous swinging sent by Clement. 

"You can't just register me as you please, My Lady. Who will watch over you when I go down onto the arena?" 

The boots Clement wore clacked loudly against the ceramic floor of the training hall as she spinned gracefully only to launch another attack. Her long black hair that was held up high in a ponytail swung around to accommodate her movements. 

"You sound like you are confident about your skills," Clement calmly said, however, the words came out a little breathy as she panted. Sweats had gathered and dripped down her forehead. Her chest was heaving up and down despite her effort trying to look calm and collected. 

"My Lady…" Jian Yu felt the urge to whine, to show his displeasure. Sweats, too, had pooled underneath the suit he wore. Even though it was winter, his body was heating up from all the movements. 

The female Alpha stopped her action and turned to face Jian Yu, her long hair fluttering behind her. Sapphire eyes blazed hotly like jewels that lit brightly under the night as she raised her hand, pointing the rapier sword at him. 

The tip of the thin blade stopped right under the silver-haired Beta's nose, making him go cross-eyed. 

"I have never doubted your skills before. Why don't you go and prove yourself to me? Show me what exactly you are made of and try not to disappoint me. If you do, I will--" 

Clement caught herself, almost saying something she shouldn't be saying at all. 

"You will?" Jian Yu trailed, tilting his head to the side confusingly. 

Clement gulped nervously. "Nothing." 

She slipped her hand, the one not holding the rapier, into her bangs to brush them back as the wet hair had stuck onto her forehead and it was distracting her. "Grab a sword." 

"Huh?" 

"Here I come. Don't say I didn't warn ya." 

"H--huh? Wait!"