"You are my fated mate."

Ren’s head snapped up, his frown deepening. Just earlier Zayden had promised—sworn—that he would never touch him.

And now... this?

"Fated mate?" He repeated, the word not foreign but rather buried at the back of his mind.

"This is your fated mate." A voice echoed in his head and his stomach twisted.

The General shook his head.

"Wait, No. Yes, I mean—" he paused, trying to remain composed, his chest racing rapidly as if it would explode.

"I-I know you are marked. I swear, I didn’t mean to say that—" He broke off, pressing his hand against the bridge of his nose. The scent filled his lungs, clawing at his mind, turning thoughts into mere fragments.

Was this... the power of a fated mate?

Ren’s fingers dug into his own shirt, tugging as though he could rip the suffocating heat away with fabric alone. His body trembled, desperate, aching for an alpha’s touch. The suppressants should have worked. They always worked.

So why wasn’t it working now?

"Ren, wait! I will get the physician." Zayden’s voice rose, harsher than intended. He hesitated before reaching out, catching Ren’s hand, holding it still.

"I-It’s so hot..." Ren panted, his pheromones flooding the room, wrapping around Zayden like chains. He couldn’t think about anything the General said now. His mind clouded with only one thing.

To mate like an animal, as they used to say.

Ren grabbed Zayden’s hand, pressing his cheeks against it. The chill on his burning skin relieved him briefly. But that wasn’t enough.

The General bit down on the inside of his cheek until he tasted iron–blood filled the inside of his mouth. Every nerve screamed at him to embrace him, to dig his teeth on his nape. He had dreamed of this—countless times, nights when the longing was unbearable—but now?

Now, Ren wasn’t himself. At first, the servant didn’t let him lay a finger on him.

However, over the years, as if Ren had also felt the bond, he hadn’t pushed him away in disgust as he initially did.

Yet, just moments ago he had flinched from the thought of being touched by him.

Zayden took a deep breath although unsteady. He needed to finish this before it ended him. Slowly, he pulled his hand away.

"I will give you my pheromones to calm you, alright?" His voice dropped low, almost trembling.

He spread his scent carefully, eyes closed, a steady stream, close but not too close. A pillow was shoved between them as they sat one arm away from each other, a frail barrier, but it was all he could manage.

The soft chill began to reach Ren, his ragged breaths evening out, his trembling slowly easing. Yet even as the heat dulled, his body still betrayed him—he stripped his shirt away, then his pants, fighting Zayden’s hands when they tried to stop him. The General forced himself to look aside, jaw tightened, refusing to watch. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

At last, the suppressants began to take effect, dragging Ren’s body toward stillness. He lay on the bed, lashes fluttering, vision blurring, breath quieter. This was no ordinary medicine—it was the Temple’s, one crafted only for him. It always forced his heat symptoms to fade. But tonight, more than the bitter drug, it was Zayden’s scent that soothed him to surrender.

Ren’s muscles slowly eased, sleep pulling him under.

Only then did Zayden dare turn his head. The sight of him—bare, vulnerable—pulled the air from his chest. A gasp tore free before he quickly took off his coat and draped it over Ren’s frame, then tugged the blanket up to cover him fully.

At least his pheromones on the coat would help Ren once he woke up.

Exhaling shakily, Zayden dropped onto the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands. His cock throbbed painfully against his trousers, hard and unrelenting. He pressed his palms harder into his eyes, shaking his head.

This was going to be hell.

He looked around, searching for a washroom. His eyes moved over the closets, the large bed, the tall wardrobe, the night tables lined with lamps, the couches and the table set before them. Finally, his gaze stopped at a door tucked away in the corner.

"Of course, the palace has one in every room," he sprang to his feet and sighed in relief, carefully stepping inside so as not to wake Ren from his sleep.

He had always thought that if he ever met Ren during his heat, a lot would happen between them as fated mates—but nothing had. How was that possible? Zayden hadn’t taken action because of Ren’s will, but as an omega, shouldn’t he have lost his rationality?

A sour taste filled his mouth. Just how much did someone have to love another to remain this loyal?

Is that alpha his fated mate, too? Is that why he doesn’t react to me? Zayden wondered.

***

The carriage halted before the royal palace. A knight clad in silver armor dismounted his horse, kneeling at the carriage door with his hand extended. The door swung open, and a man with long, dark hair—streaked with a few strands of grey—stepped down, placing his hand upon the knight’s palm.

"Come out," the High Priest ordered sharply.

Then, a young man exited the carriage. His dark curly green hair framed his sharp jawline, his thin body wrapped around a blue and white suit.

The knight did not move to assist him; he stood up the moment the High Priest had fully stepped down.

The three paced through the hallways, heading towards the guest rooms until a group of guards stopped them.

"Who are you?" They demanded.

"You insolent!" The knight growled, stepping forward toward the High Priest.

The elderly man raised his hand, shaking his head.

"Is this how you treat your guests in Revhara?" He asked, voice laced with a mocking tone. But the question wasn’t meant for the guards because his gaze shifted toward Enzo.

Enzo averted his gaze as if he hadn’t heard him at all. He picked at his nails, relentlessly trying to keep calm. The sight of this man stirred rage in his blood. However, he couldn’t act upon them.

"Your Holiness?" Henry, who had stepped out of his bedroom to fetch some water for Loti, whispered. "Y-You have arrived?" He forced a smile.

"Why don’t you look so happy, High Priest XIX?"

Henry flinched, shaking his head quickly. He couldn’t possibly tell him that he saw someone who resembled Raniel. That would make things between the two countries worse than they already were currently. After all, Raniel was Hianshu’s most treasured possession.

Although he sensed something peculiar about Henry, Charles didn’t prey. He gently patted the young man’s shoulder.

"Did something happen when you were on your way here?"

Chills ran down his spine as soon as Charles touched his shoulder. He couldn’t lie to him. He could detect it without even looking.

"Y-Yes."

"Oh?" Charles grinned, amused.

"And you all, go away," the knight stated, noticing the guards had been paying too much attention to the conversation between High Priest X and High Priest XIX.

The guards bowed before stepping away against their will. They were close to uncovering something!

"If we could have stayed longer, then all this delegation drama would have ended."

"I know, right? We could have gone to the Emperor and told him about their evil plans."

The others nodded.

"But what happened on their way here?"

"Rumors spread that the General was injured."

"The Imperial General?!" One gasped.

"I am not sure if it’s true. It’s only rumors. He was fine when he came to the palace," another shrugged.

"Well. Hopefully they are here for peace..."