[BL] Alpha, You've Got the Wrong Mate! Chapter 320 — Mind Your Words

Rihaan rested his head on Soren’s thigh, his gaze softer than the oga had seen in the past.

"Please, tell why you are doing this. This is... outrageous," Soren murmured, trying to push the man off his thigh.

But Rihaan didn’t budge. He stayed pressed against Soren, fingers gripping his knee like an anchor.

"You tell —why are you doing this? Do you enjoy tornting this much?" the alpha breathed.

There was pain reflected in his eyes. The kind of hurt the oga didn’t know this man could feel unless it was related to his lover, Arav.

Soren let out a forced, dry laugh. "Pardon ? Why would I? I am simply trying to marry the person who suits best."

"And what of ?" Rihaan’s voice was low but sharp as he sprang to his feet, his gaze locking with Soren’s, hands pressing onto the armrests of the oga’s couch.

The question hit Soren like a sharp blade. For a mont, he was silent, perplexed, sitting there as if he had been transford into a statue. After a lingering silence, he parted his lips.

"What about you? You will be returning to your kingdom in a few days, right?"

Rihaan said nothing. Instead, he leaned in, pressing a soft, deliberate kiss to Soren’s lips, holding his cheeks with both hands so the oga couldn’t resist.

The gesture was so unexpected that Soren stopped breathing for a second, caught between shock and disbelief. His eyes went wide, his complexion turning pale as if he had seen a ghost.

When he blinked, reality snapped back.

A harsh slap echoed through the quiet hall.

"How dare you!" Soren pushed the alpha away, leaping to his feet before storming out of the room.

Rihaan looked at the figure fading into the distance, rubbing his stinging cheek. It was no weak slap.

"As expected of you," he mumbled to himself.

As Soren strode through the hallways, he bumped into sothing—or soone.

"Wow, wow, look where you’re going," a familiar voice ca from the front.

The oga lifted his gaze, finding his younger brother standing before him. Although it was a mont where he would usually smile brightly, this ti, he couldn’t even force a grin.

"Zayden," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The other man bowed to the Crown Prince—although they were brothers, palace employees always kept an eye on him. The smallest mistake could stir stupid rumours he didn’t want to deal with.

"What are you doing here at this ti?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest as he examined his brother’s pale complexion. "And you look as pale as if you’ve seen a ghost," he noted.

"Well, I—"

Before Soren could finish his sentence, footsteps echoed from behind them.

Both brothers turned toward the approaching presence.

It took less than a second.

Zayden lunged forward, grabbing Rihaan by the collar.

"You!" he snarled. "How dare you co here!"

"W-Wait!" Soren blinked, too stunned to react.

Rihaan, however, rely sneered, as though none of this concerned him—as though he weren’t being treated like a criminal in the middle of the palace. His gaze slid past Zayden, lingering on the oga standing behind the General.

"What are you doing here?!" Zayden demanded. When Rihaan gave no answer, his grip tightened and his voice rose.

"Zayden! Let go of him!" Soren frowned, pulling his brother back.

Zayden didn’t resist. He allowed himself to be dragged away, fully aware that causing a scene in front of the servants would only worsen matters.

"Why is he here?" he asked sharply, turning to Soren. Asking Rihaan was pointless.

"He is here because I told him he could stay," Soren replied.

But the mont his eyes t Rihaan’s, the mory of that kiss flashed through his mind.

He was no virgin. He had been with alphas before, yet this felt different.

Wrong.

Unsettling.

And it twisted his stomach in a way he didn’t like.

Perhaps it was because it had been aggressive. Forced. And with soone he didn’t love—or at least, that was what Soren wanted to believe.

No matter what, he had no right to kiss without permission.

"Why did you do that?!" Zayden snapped. "He rejected you!"

"It’s all in the past. Let it be," Soren sighed, gently patting his brother’s back in an attempt to calm him.

Zayden exhaled sharply, running his fingers through his dark-blue hair.

"Ugh... I just can’t accept this."

"He will leave soon," Soren said, then paused, as if suddenly rembering sothing. "Oh—by the way, the candidates for the Crown Prince’s consort have arrived. Did you co to et them?"

Zayden glanced at him, his frown deepening.

"There sure are a lot of things happening without anyone bothering to inform ," he taunted.

Soren forced a laugh.

"Please. You know I would’ve told you if everything hadn’t happened so quickly."

"Exactly. Everything is moving too fast for him. The Emperor just won’t give him a break," Rihaan cut in.

Both brothers turned to glare at him.

Rihaan blinked, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

"W-What? Did I say sothing wrong?"

"You are speaking of the Emperor," Soren warned, his tone firm. "Mind your words."

"Alright, alright," Rihaan muttered, rolling his eyes slightly to the side. He was trying to be understanding of Soren, yet he was the one being scolded.

Do they truly love their father that much?

All I see is a selfish man sitting on the throne, ordering his children around as he pleases.

Rihaan scoffed inwardly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Anyway," Soren said, turning toward his brother, "what brings you here?"

Zayden hesitated, his gaze flicking briefly toward Rihaan. He couldn’t ntion thatwoman in front of soone outside the imperial family.

Soren followed his gaze and understood at once. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a matter to be discussed openly. He gave a small nod.

"Alright. Let’s head to the audience hall," Soren suggested, offering a faint smile.

Zayden shook his head.

"I need to see the Emperor. Is he at court?"

Soren nodded curtly.

Without wasting another second, Zayden turned and hurried toward the eting hall.

Soren watched him leave, unease settling in his chest.

"What is going on...? For him to co all the way here without prior notice..." he murmured, perplexed. "Not that he gave any before but..."