It was of no surprise to Uta that his father and Noelle entered the house with an air of jubilation; however, the moment their eyes fell upon him, their expressions underwent an abrupt change.

"Son, I had thought you would be at the shop by this hour," remarked his father, a tinge of curiosity in his voice.

"No, I returned home earlier than expected," Uta responded. "I left someone to tend to the orders for today, as I decided to take half the day off."

"Ah, yes," his father continued, reclining into the couch after rising from his wheelchair, "I met the young lad earlier when we visited the shop. Quite the raconteur, I must say. The customers seemed to enjoy his company. And I must admit, it felt rather pleasant to venture out of the house."

"Bestie," Noelle chimed in, her voice warm with affection, "I took pops to the hospital for his routine check-up, and after that, we had ourselves a lovely date." Noting Uta's unsettled demeanor, she added with a teasing tone, "Had I known you would be home, I would have dragged you along."

"I tried calling, but you appeared to be unreachable," Uta interrupted, his voice laced with suspicion. "What's going on?"

"You needn't trouble Noelle with such trivial matters," his father interjected kindly. "I assure you, my health is in fine condition. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I should like a cup of tea before retiring for the evening."

"Dad, you've been out for nearly the entire day. I had hoped we might spend some time together, perhaps discuss certain pressing matters."

"As it happens," his father said, his tone softening with a hint of gravity, "I do have much to discuss with you. A few days prior, I met with your Omega for a brief conversation."

Uta's expression contorted into one of displeasure at the mention of Hun. Noelle, finding amusement in his reaction, chuckled lightly. "Why on earth would you meet that arrogant wretch?"

"Now, I see why you might describe him as such," his father replied, sighing. "His parents were notably discourteous during our brief encounter. It's quite disappointing they haven't changed their ways after all these years."

"You met with his parents?" Uta asked, his brow furrowed.

"I merely ran into them," his father explained, "but my primary intention was to speak with Hun."

"Dad," Uta muttered, irritation creeping into his voice, "please stop referring to him as my Omega. And Noelle, might you brew tea for everyone instead of standing there idly?"

Laughing softly, Noelle mocked, "What a temper, little champ."

Uta sneered at her jest, but then seated himself beside his father. "Surely you aren't still insistent upon that marriage proposal, are you?"

"I fear that is no longer a viable option," his father confessed, shaking his head. "It seems best that you and Hun remain mere acquaintances. However, you are an Almega now, and Noelle has graciously enlightened me on the nature of Omegas bonding to a particular Alpha's pheromones. I must admit, I do not see an easy path for you here. That young man, Hun, is a Dominant, and despite his parents' objections, he confessed to having grown rather fond of you."

Uta, though steadfast in his desire to distance himself from Hun, focused on the prospect of severing ties with him entirely. "Father, I no longer wish to continue the deliveries. I don't even know how or when the contract was breached, but I feel wronged as an Alpha. I'll gladly recommend another supplier to him."

"You may be able to walk away from this unscathed, but what of him?" his father inquired, his voice taking on a more somber note. "Noelle has informed me that it may take Hun some time to sever his bond to your pheromones. To think he has been absorbing them all these years... I cannot help but wonder why you allowed it. Dominance is not solely a matter of pheromones; attachment plays a significant role. In this regard, son, you bear some responsibility."

Uta remained silent, unwilling to admit to his father the deeper complexities of his actions. After all, it had been a calculated choice to scent the flowers with his pheromones to boost their sales.

Noelle, ever the opportunist, took the chance to tease. "Pops, Hun already fancies him, and he's under pressure to marry. Who else would be a better match than the Alpha he's grown attached to?"

Uta shot Noelle a stern look, but it only made her laugh more. "I told pops to keep the possibility open. After all, Hun seems like a decent enough fellow, and you two are already bonded."

"Bonded?" his father exclaimed, incredulous. "You mean to say...? But you have always spoken so adamantly about rejecting him."

"He went into heat!" Uta blurted out. "What was I supposed to do, fight a Dominant? It's a losing battle."

His father, clearly taken aback, replied hesitantly, "Well then... you are no longer purely an Alpha. Pregnancy is not beyond the realm of possibility..."

"Oh, relax, Pops," Noelle interjected playfully. "He got himself checked out afterward. But you know, there's still a chance with Hun."

"Enough, Noelle!" Uta snapped, his patience wearing thin. "He isn't pregnant."

"How can you be so sure?" Noelle shot back, her tone still teasing. "You said yourself you don't remember much of what transpired."

"That's enough!" Uta growled, his frustration palpable. "This conversation has gone far enough."

"Bestie," Noelle said, her voice softening as she addressed him, "Hun's attachment to you isn't something to take lightly. As an Omega, I understand his situation better than you might think. You cannot simply dismiss him, especially after everything that has transpired."

Uta groaned in exasperation. "I met him just the other day. I'm certain he came looking for dad, but when he saw me, he fled like a rabbit."

"He ran away?" his father asked, sounding puzzled. "Perhaps I misjudged him after all. I assumed he was no different from his parents."

"Dad, you're too trusting. He's not innocent."

Noelle, pouring the tea, teased again. "Bestie, for all the times you've complained about him, I've never actually seen him treat you poorly."

"You traitor!" Uta huffed, glaring at her.

"It's simply the truth," she said nonchalantly, placing two cups of tea on the table. "Now, would you like some tea?"

Just as Uta opened his mouth to respond, his father erupted into a hearty laugh, a sound that filled the room with warmth. Uta paused, watching his father with a softness in his gaze.

"Noelle," his father said between chuckles, "you must visit more often. We both enjoy your company immensely."

"I don't doubt it," Noelle replied with a grin. "Though I'm not sure your Almega feels the same way."

"Noelle!" Uta cried in protest.

"Alright, alright," she conceded, raising her hands in mock surrender. "But seriously, bestie, talk to Hun. If you like, I'll accompany you and mediate. I promise, I'll stay quiet unless things go awry."

"As if I would trust you," Uta muttered, shaking his head.