As soon as they left Enzo’s room, Soren bid his younger brother and his servant—or whatever Ren was now—goodnight.

Zayden stayed silent until they reached the corridor, then said quietly, "I’ll escort you to your room."

Ren didn’t refuse. He simply nodded, his footsteps quiet beside Zayden’s. He followed the taller man, as if it were a cursed habit, although their relationship had changed.

The silence stretched between them, heavier than before. The hallways seemed too long, the moonlight filtering through the tall windows, dimly brightening them. It was well past one in the morning—no servants in sight, no sound except their breathing.

"Are you mad?" Zayden asked suddenly.

"Why would I be?..." Ren narrowed his gaze, walking a little faster to catch up with Zayden.

"I haven’t been able to give you time because of all this."

"It’s alright..." Ren lowered his gaze.

"It’s not," Zayden sighed. "Maybe we shouldn’t have come to the capital. Had it been in my territory, no one would have—"

"It’s alright, Zayden."

Zayden’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing his name in that soft, gentle tone. His heart began to race, faster now, his cheeks heating up.

"... I am sorry," he murmured.

Ren glanced up at him, puzzled. "For what?"

"First of all—for not giving you enough time."

"You were busy. And... I really am not mad at you."

If anything, Ren was relieved he’d managed to avoid Zayden until his guilt over killing Charles had dulled a little. He didn’t regret it—no—but he had vowed to himself that he wouldn’t kill anyone again.

"And secondly, I should have asked you," Zayden said after a pause. "About coming with us—to visit the capital."

Ren tilted his head slightly.

"Do you not want me to go?"

"...It’s not that." Zayden’s gaze shifted away, searching for words that didn’t seem to come easily. "I just... You are not my servant. You shouldn’t feel obligated to do everything I tell you."

"Oh?" Ren asked, tone soft but teasing. "Then what am I?"

Zayden frowned, his steps faltering.

"What do you mean? I thought we agreed—you would give me a chance. To be your partner."

"In crime?" Ren’s lips curved faintly, though his eyes expressed no humour.

"...You have started saying some interesting things."

Without warning, Zayden reached out, his hand slipping around Ren’s waist, pulling him close.

Ren’s eyes widened. The sudden warmth, the closeness—it caught him off guard. He knew Zayden was a rather reckless person—the kind of person who did as he pleased but he hadn’t touched him without permission—yet.

"What are you doing—?"

"Why?" Zayden whispered, leaning close to Ren’s ear, his breath brushing the omega’s skin. "I haven’t done any of the things I should be able to do now." His eyes softened.

"What do you mean by that?"

Zayden shook his head.

"Nothing..."

Ren swallowed before asking.

"Then... Would you be my partner in crime then?" His voice was steady, though his racing heartbeat threatened to betray him.

"Certainly. Whatever you wish," Zayden said, his tone unexpectedly lower than before, "and your partner... as in your lover, too."

He leaned in, eyes fluttering shut—only for his lips to land just beside Ren’s. He blinked, surprised.

How did I miss...?

He wondered, baffled.

Ren stifled a chuckle, gently cupping Zayden’s face before pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

When they pulled back, Zayden lowered his gaze, flustered.

"What’s wrong?" Ren asked quietly.

"...You are good at kissing," Zayden muttered, the tip of his ears turning scarlet red.

"And you aren’t," Ren replied calmly, his tone laced with amusement.

Zayden bit the inside of his cheek, eyes flickering up.

"Are you mocking me?" He demanded, eyebrows raised as if he were pitiful.

Like a puppy...

Ren thought, biting his lips to stop himself from laughing.

"No. But... for someone who has spent his rut with plenty of people, I didn’t expect that."

Zayden froze, then exhaled slowly. "I would never kiss someone I don’t..." He hesitated, then finished quietly, "love."

He lifted a hand, brushing his fingers against Ren’s cheek. His eyes traced the omega’s face—every line, every curve.

The burning desire within him awoke, his body growing hotter with every passing second, but he forced himself to stay calm—his jaw tightening as he fought the urge to take things further.

He refused to act like an alpha such as Charles. It had taken him so long to finally be able to hold Ren without the omega resisting—he couldn’t risk it all for foolish, selfish desire.

Slowly, he released Ren from his hold. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Your room is here," he said quietly, only then realizing they had been standing right in front of it.

Ren blinked, equally surprised to find himself just a few steps from the door.

"...I will go then," he whispered, fingers brushing the handle before he pushed it open and stepped inside.

He turned back, gaze softening. Zayden still stood there, motionless in the corridor like a statue—his tall frame bathed under the bright glow of the moonlight, eyes distant yet fixed on Ren, as if he didn’t quite want to leave.

Do you want to come inside?

The words burned at the tip of Ren’s tongue but never escaped. He bit them back, knowing too well what would happen if he did. If Zayden crossed that threshold tonight, he might lose all restraint—his carefully guarded secrets, his composure, everything he had fought to keep buried might slip.

So Ren stayed silent.

Zayden finally blinked, exhaling softly.

"Goodnight," he murmured before turning away, his footsteps echoing down the empty hall.

Ren remained still at the door, heart pounding. He peeked out from the door, watching the figure disappear into the darkness while the sound of his steps faded completely.

Only then did Ren shut the door, pressing his back against the wood, whispering to the empty room—

"Goodnight... Zayden."

His voice trembled despite himself. Was it because of how close he had been to Zayden—or for another reason? He didn’t know. But one thing was certain: Zayden didn’t know how to kiss.

A soft chuckle escaped Ren’s lips.

"How cute..." he whispered, a faint smile tugging at his mouth.