[BL] Alpha, You've Got the Wrong Mate! Chapter 323 — Happy Tears

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 tis, his vision gradually sharpening as the room ca 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 mont 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 ca 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 movent, 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 seed Ren wasn’t ready to speak to him yet.

...Did he not rember 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 so 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 sothing..."

Ren’s gaze flicked briefly toward him, cold and unreadable. He had thought that the mont 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 oga’s shoulder, Zayden tried to catch his drifting attention.

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

"Yes?" Ren’s voice ca 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 oga’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 oga believe he truly didn’t. "Don’t leave ," 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 beco everything he hated and never wanted to be—an alpha who only wanted to claim an oga.

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 et 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 oga 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 . 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 oga’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, sotis—sotis 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 oga, almost possessively.

"Listen to ," he murmured. "I don’t care about the past. I only care about now. About us. You are here. You are with . 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 ford 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 sothing wrong.

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

Oh dear. This reminded him of Ilyan. But this ti, 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 ti 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 oga’s cheeks.

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