He didn’t realize when he had fallen asleep.

When Ren slowly opened his eyes, no sunlight greeted him—no blinding rays, no warmth spilling across his face. He blinked a few times, his vision gradually sharpening as the room came into focus.

A firm grip around his body made him let out a soft groan. He could barely breathe.

Ren tried to turn, but the arm holding him was stronger than he had expected. Frowning, he forced himself free and twisted around, ready to glare at whoever lay behind him.

All his irritation vanished the moment he saw Zayden.

His eyes were closed, lips slightly parted, sharp nose pressed into the pillow, his expression unguarded in sleep.

Ren blinked, confusion washing over him.

Why was he here?

Zayden was supposed to return a day later—or so Halein had told him when she came to inform Hannah about the General’s absence.

Biting his bottom lip, Ren gently tucked a few strands of dark-blue hair behind the alpha’s ear.

As if sensing the movement, Zayden caught his hand before he could pull away. His eyelids fluttered open, a lazy grin forming on his lips.

"What do you think you’re trying to steal?" Zayden murmured, his voice hoarse from sleep. He coughed lightly, clearing his throat.

Ren said nothing. Instead, he reached for the jug on the bedside table, poured water into a glass, and held it out to the alpha.

Zayden narrowed his gaze slightly.

It seemed Ren wasn’t ready to speak to him yet.

...Did he not remember what had happened last night?

Zayden took a slow breath, breaking the silence.

"You... you slept well?" His voice was soft, almost hesitant, but the question hung in the air.

Ren didn’t answer. He simply shifted slightly, taking the glass from Zayden’s hand and placing it back on the nightstand. Then, he sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on some invisible point beyond the room.

Zayden leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I—" He paused, searching for the words. "I wanted to tell you something..."

Ren’s gaze flicked briefly toward him, cold and unreadable. He had thought that the moment Zayden returned, he would tell the alpha about the condoms. But did it matter anymore? Their... relationship was slowly breaking anyway.

Zayden didn’t believe that Ren loved him. So why should he try to make him believe it?

"Ren. Are you listening?" Gently tapping the omega’s shoulder, Zayden tried to catch his drifting attention.

The omega often spaced out, lost in thoughts no one else could see.

"Yes?" Ren’s voice came out softer than Zayden expected.

"I am sorry for what happened before I left," he began, inhaling sharply. "I shouldn’t have said the things I said."

Ren blinked, confused. Clearly, he was the one who should have answered him properly and fixed things. So why was Zayden apologizing?

The alpha didn’t say a word. He pulled the blankets from his legs, then stepped onto the cold floor on bare feet. Circling the bed to face Ren, he knelt down and reached for the omega’s hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it.

"I should be the one to say this... I am sorry. I apologize. I don’t... whatever you feel, I..." He had wanted to say he didn’t care, but that would only make the omega believe he truly didn’t. "Don’t leave me," he managed to say, his voice cracking under the weight of his own emotions. "Please."

Perhaps he had grown selfish, like any other alpha. Perhaps he had become everything he hated and never wanted to be—an alpha who only wanted to claim an omega.

Yet here he was, on his knees, begging, despite possessing all the wealth one could dream of.

Ren finally shifted, his eyes flicking up to meet Zayden’s. His voice was soft and hesitant.

"I... I apologize for not answering your question that day," he murmured. "I was... afraid."

Zayden’s brow furrowed. "Afraid?" His tone sharpened slightly, disbelief mingling with concern. "Afraid of what?"

Ren swallowed, looking down at their entwined hands. His fingers fidgeted slightly.

"What if you thought I only said I loved you because we had sex?" he began, his words barely above a whisper. "What if you thought I was just an omega who needed an alpha, so I was using you?"

He hesitated, breath trembling. "Or if I said otherwise, you would have been the one to leave me. Then—then—" His lips trembled, and he stopped himself.

Zayden rose to his feet and pressed his forehead against Ren’s.

"Say it," he demanded gently. "Whatever it is, I can handle it. I need to know, Ren."

The omega’s silver hair brushed against Zayden’s face as he exhaled shakily.

"I... I am afraid I will never be enough," he admitted. "That I will always be thinking of him..." His voice cracked at the last words.

Zayden’s chest tightened.

"Ilyan?" he whispered, almost to himself.

Ren nodded slightly.

"I loved him... deeply. And even though he is gone, sometimes—sometimes I feel like I will never forget him completely."

Zayden closed his eyes, pressing a gentle kiss to Ren’s temple. His hands tightened slightly around the omega, almost possessively.

"Listen to me," he murmured. "I don’t care about the past. I only care about now. About us. You are here. You are with me. And I am not going anywhere."

Ren’s lips parted, his eyes glistening, as if he had been holding back tears for years.

"Even if I make mistakes?"

"Especially if you do," Zayden replied, his voice firm yet tender. "Because one never abandons their beloved. And you, my dear, are my beloved. I will always be by your side."

A soft smile formed on Ren’s lips, but tears began to slip from his eyes before he realized it.

"R-Ren! Why are you crying?" Zayden panicked, pulling back as if he had done something wrong.

The omega looked up. The tears didn’t stop.

Oh dear. This reminded him of Ilyan. But this time, his heart didn’t ache. It was beating—for Zayden. Because of the words he had spoken.

"They’re happy tears," Ren said with a bright smile.

Zayden stared at him in awe. It was the first time he had seen such a radiant smile on Ren. Without realizing it, he was grinning from ear to ear.

With a gentle motion, he wiped away the tears from the omega’s cheeks.

"If you say so. I would hate to see you cry from sadness or pain."