"Nothing happened. You just stripped yourself naked because you were too hot. I merely put you to bed," Zayden said.

Ren blinked, eyes widening.

"I... I—WHAT?"

"And don’t worry," Zayden added with a smirk, "I didn’t see anything you didn’t enthusiastically show me yourself."

Ren’s soul nearly left his body.

"You—!! I—!!" The red tint on his cheeks deepened in embarrassment.

Zayden laughed softly, stepping closer and brushing Ren’s hair aside. His voice dropped, warm and sincere beneath the teasing.

"I promise, Ren. I didn’t touch you. I only took care of you."

Ren finally looked up at him, eyes flustered but relieved.

"...You’re terrible," he whispered.

Zayden’s smile softened.

"And you are adorable," he chuckled.

"And... I believe you wouldn’t touch me without my permission. If you were that kind of alpha, I would have known."

Ren smiled softly, reaching for Zayden’s hand and gently placing it against his cheek.

Zayden blinked, surprised. That was... a very cute thing to do.

He swallowed, his thumb brushing Ren’s cheek just a little longer than necessary. Then, his finger grazed against the omega’s soft coral lips.

"Ren..." he murmured, leaning closer. "Can I kiss you?" He looked into Ren’s eyes.

Ren blinked, stunned for a moment—then his brows knit together as if Zayden had just asked the most unnecessary question in the world.

He shook his head.

"Don’t ask."

Zayden narrowed his eyes as if he didn’t hear correctly.

"Huh?"

Ren’s ears turned pink as he looked away, lightly gripping onto Zayden’s hand.

"Just do it," he muttered. "Kissing... is something you don’t need to ask permission for."

The words hit Zayden like a spell. His breath caught, heat rushing to his ears. His heart raced rapidly—like it was going to burst out of his chest.

"Ren..." he whispered, voice trembling with how much he was holding back.

Slowly—carefully—he lifted Ren’s chin with his thumb, leaning closer. Then he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against Ren’s.

An electric tingle shot through him, sharp and overwhelming—like being struck by lightning, or brushed by divine magic itself.

Ren didn’t pull away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Zayden’s neck, pulling him closer, eyes closed.

Neither of them dared to part—as if they had been starved for this moment for far too long.

Zayden’s eyes fluttered open for a brief second, catching the sight of Ren’s trembling eyelashes. His lips curved, but he didn’t break the kiss. Instead, he gently slid his tongue into Ren’s mouth, causing the omega to flinch.

Ren opened his eyes widely. He broke the kiss abruptly, gasping for air, his entire body burning as if it had been set on fire.

"Are you alright?" Zayden asked, gently cupping Ren’s face between his hands.

Ren nodded, smiling softly.

"I am fine... just surprised."

Zayden’s thumbs brushed his cheeks.

"Did I go too fast? I am sorry... I—"

"No," Ren murmured, lowering his gaze for a moment. "I just... didn’t expect it to feel like that."

Zayden blinked.

"Like what?"

He wouldn’t help but wonder if Ren didn’t like it. His teeth sank into his bottom lip, waiting for Ren’s answer.

Ren hesitated, ears turning red. He slowly looked up before continuing.

"...Like my whole body forgot how to breathe."

Zayden froze—then laughed quietly, leaning his forehead against Ren’s.

"Good. I felt the same," he locked gaze with the omega.

Ren huffed a small laugh of his own, lightly gripping the fabric of Zayden’s shirt.

"Then... you can kiss me again."

Zayden’s breath hitched.

"You are going to kill me at this rate," he whispered.

"How?" Ren asked but didn’t receive an answer.

Instead, Zayden leaned in once more, kissing him deeply.

Ren didn’t know how long they kept kissing. It felt endless—warm, slow, and almost desperate, as if neither of them could ever get enough of the other.

Their pheromones slowly filled the room, the sweet orange-blossom scent mixing with Zayden’s fresh, musky alpha scent. The heat burning under Ren’s skin didn’t vanish, but it settled—calmed—every time he inhaled even a little of Zayden’s pheromones.

His fingers curled into the fabric of Zayden’s clothes, pulling him closer without thinking, letting instinct take over where words failed him.

Zayden responded just as eagerly, his hand sliding to the back of Ren’s neck, guiding him gently, careful not to overwhelm him.

Ren’s mind grew hazy—not from the kiss alone, but from how right it felt. From how natural it was to be held like this. From how safe it felt to feel Zayden this close. He couldn’t even imagine this a while ago.

A sudden knock rattled the door. Both of them froze. Then, they quickly pulled away.

"Who is it?" Zayden asked.

"Dad? Why are you in Papa’s room?" Eiran spoke from the other side of the door.

Ren’s eyes widened. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Eiran," he whispered, panic flashing across his face.

Zayden straightened immediately, stepping near the door and turning his back.

"You can get changed."

Ren scrambled off the bed. With unbelievable speed, he snatched the nearest clothes he could find, pulling them on with trembling hands.

His hair was a mess, his lips swollen, his cheeks flushed—he looked exactly like someone who had been very thoroughly kissed.

"Are you done?" Zayden asked.

"Yes," Ren answered.

The General reached for the door first, inhaling once to calm himself before opening it just a crack.

"Oh, how nice it is to have a son," he murmured under his breath. "Perfect timing as always."

He opened the door a little wider, letting the little boy in.

Ren shot him a glare so sharp it could kill. He clearly heard Zayden and understood the sarcasm.

Zayden pretended not to notice, kneeling in front of Eiran.

"What’s wrong, little one?"

Eiran pouted.

"We didn’t have dinner together yesterday. So we should have breakfast together!"

"You are right," Ren said, walking toward the child. He gently patted his head.

The boy leaned into his father’s stomach, hugging him.

"Yay!"

Zayden watched them fondly, leaning against the doorframe with crossed arms, quietly smirking.

"Very cute. But you interrupted—"

Ren narrowed his eyes at him.

"Not. A. Word."

"I didn’t say anything," Zayden replied, far too innocent. "But just so you know, we will continue later."

Ren’s ears burned crimson in a flash.

Eiran blinked, gaze shifting from one to the other.

"Continue what?"

Ren nearly choked on his own breath.

"N-Nothing! Absolutely nothing."

Zayden laughed quietly, unable to help himself.

Eiran looked between them again, suspicious in the way only a child could be.

"...Papa, why is your face red?"

Ren’s body stiffened.

"It’s not red," he forced an awkward smile.

"It is," Eiran insisted, tiptoeing to poke his father’s cheek.

Zayden turned his face away, shoulders trembling with the effort not to laugh.

Ren shot him another death glare—one that only made the General grin wider.

"Eiran," Ren said, clearing his throat, "why don’t you go wait in the dining hall? I will change properly."

The boy nodded eagerly and skipped out of the room, humming.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, Zayden closed the door slowly, carefully, so it wouldn’t make a sound.

The moment it clicked shut, Ren tapped Zayden’s shoulder with the back of his hand.

"You," he hissed.

Zayden caught Ren’s wrist with ease.

"What? I didn’t say anything inappropriate."

"You were about to."

"I was," the General admitted without shame.

Then he tugged Ren closer by the wrist, lowering his voice.

"I swear I am trying to restrain myself, Ren."

Ren tried to look offended, but his breath betrayed him—shaky.

"You... you are so..." He couldn’t finish.

"And you are cuter when you panic." Zayden brushed a thumb over Ren’s still-swollen lower lip.

"I hope you will let me pick up where we left off soon."

Ren swallowed hard, unable to form a comeback fast enough.