Zayden held the oga carefully in his arms. So carefully that Ren barely felt the alpha’s warmth through the pain consuming his body.
"Z-Zayden," Ren whispered.
He didn’t need the alpha to say a single word to understand what was happening inside his head.
Zayden was blaming himself.
For letting the oga remain in the dungeon for Gods knew how long. For the countless wounds on his body—the visible ones, and the ones that were not seen by the naked eye.
And for arriving too late, failing to protect his beloved.
"It’s alright," Ren managed to say, although every word hurt.
The bruises covering his body throbbed relentlessly. Even the places where Zayden’s skin brushed against his felt like they were on fire. The shirt wrapped around him offered little comfort, and more pain.
However, the oga didn’t want to complain and make Zayden feel worse than he might already be feeling.
"H-How can you say that?" Zayden choked out.
He tried to suppress the sob threatening to escape him, but failed. The tears running down his cheeks already revealed more than enough.
"I left you here." His voice cracked. "I believed them over you."
Ren slowly shook his head.
"No..."
Yet the movent only made him dizzy.
Zayden imdiately supported him, carefully guiding the oga against his shoulder. As though he were afraid Ren would break apart if he held him too tightly.
The alpha continued stroking his silver hair absentmindedly.
Neither of them spoke. The silence between them felt strangely peaceful despite everything.
A second passed.
Then a minute.
Eventually, Zayden realized he hadn’t heard Ren’s voice again. Concern imdiately gripped his heart.
"Ren?" He called, his voice low.
No answer.
Panic flashed through him. He gently pulled the oga back, wanting to check whether he was alright.
If he was even breathing.
Only then did he realize what had happened.
Ren’s eyes were closed. His breathing had slowed. His entire body had gone limp against him.
He had simply fallen asleep.
The sight made sothing tighten painfully in Zayden’s chest.
Just how exhausted had he been?
A soft sigh escaped him.
"Ren, you..." He bit his lower lip. The words refused to co out.
Then suddenly, he rembered everything.
The betrayals.
The countless questions that remained unanswered.
Yet none of it mattered right now.
Not when Ren looked as though he would collapse if left alone for another second—not when he had just lost consciousness. Not when his body was covered in evidence of what he had endured.
Carefully, Zayden slid one arm beneath his knees and the other around his back before lifting him into his arms.
The movent earned nothing more than a quiet murmur from the sleeping oga.
"I’ll bring you to a safe place," he whispered.
Then, holding Ren against his chest, Zayden left the dungeon and carried him toward his bedchambers.
Behind, the bodies of the knights lay lifeless. A pond of blood flooded the cell, and the alpha’s boots were soaked in it.
On the way out, he instructed the guards to clean up everything.
The soldiers exchanged a surprised look before bowing obediently.
It was the first ti they had heard of the Imperial General losing his cool. It would have been expected from other demons but him.
Never him.
So what could have driven him so upset?...
The n could only wonder. They didn’t have the courage or right to ask the Imperial General about it.
***
The fresh scent of musk stirred him awake.
Ren’s eyelashes fluttered before he slowly opened his eyes. His vision remained blurry, making it impossible to distinguish his surroundings. However, one thing was certain.
He was no longer in the dungeon.
His fingers brushed against soft silk sheets.
Imdiately, he froze.
A bed.
A proper bed. Soft, clean and comfortable.
This was not just any bed. It was a room in the palace.
Ren blinked repeatedly until his vision finally cleared. His jaw was tense.
Zayden sat on the floor beside the bed, his head tilted slightly as it rested against the mattress.
Even asleep, the dark circles beneath his eyes were visible. His dark blue hair was damp—he must have taken a shower before falling asleep like this.
A soft gasp escaped Ren. He imdiately pushed himself upright. The blanket on him slid to his hip.
This wasn’t right.
What was he doing here?
The rustling of sheets drew Zayden from his sleep.
The alpha stirred before lifting his head. The mont their eyes t, he straightened.
"You..." The word escaped him before he could think.
Within seconds, the alpha was on his feet.
Ren barely had ti to react before warm hands cupped his face.
Then ca the kisses.
Each was more gentle and warm than the previous.
Zayden’s lips pressed against the oga’s forehead, his cheeks, the corner of his eyes. It was as though the alpha needed to reassure himself that Ren was truly there.
Alive.
Ren instinctively leaned away each ti their lips touched.
Not out of disgust.
Not even out of anger.
He simply didn’t know how to react.
"Are you mad at ?" Zayden asked at last, reluctantly pulling away.
Ren shook his head.
"Then why are you avoiding ?" the alpha asked, his gaze filled with quiet complaints.
"I..." Ren hesitated. "I don’t know what to think about any of this." His eyes wandered around the room.
"This is your bedroom, isn’t it?"
Zayden nodded, frowning slightly.
"Then why am I here?" Ren let out a hollow laugh. "How does it make sense to bring a criminal into the Imperial General’s room?" The mockery in his voice was impossible to miss.
Zayden’s heart sank.
"Ren..." His brows furrowed. "I-I am sorry," he stamred. "Had I known they were treating you like that—"
"No, Zayden." Ren turned away. "It wouldn’t have mattered." The words struck Zayden harder than any blade. "You would have looked the other way regardless. Because you don’t trust people who break your trust twice, right?" His voice cracked.
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