Rin stirred awake to the soft light seeping through the curtains. His lashes fluttered, and for a moment, he simply lay there, feeling the faint warmth lingering on the sheets. When his hand reached instinctively to the other side of the bed, his fingers met nothing but cool fabric. The familiar presence that usually filled that space—the quiet, steady weight of the Alpha—was gone.
His brows furrowed faintly. Slowly, Rin sat up, the blanket sliding down his shoulders. His gaze lingered on the empty side of the bed, an odd heaviness pressing against his chest. Then, like a wave breaking through calm waters, the memories of last night flooded in.
The kiss.
Kael's voice, rough and low, whispering that he was his.
Rin remembered how everything had felt hazy, unreal—how his thoughts had blurred until he couldn't count how many times Kael's lips had found his after that… the memory softened. He only recalled being lifted, laid gently on the bed, strong arms wrapping around him, before sleep pulled him under.
Rin's expressionless face slowly shifted, color blooming across his cheeks until it spread down to his neck. He buried his face between his knees, trying to steady his breathing. The cool morning air felt sharper now, stinging against his flushed skin. He didn't know how to face Kael—not after that.
A quiet groan escaped his lips as he muttered to himself, almost relieved, "It's good he's not here…" He hugged his knees tighter, unsure whether the unease twisting inside him was embarrassment… or something else entirely.
As much as Rin didn't want to face Kael that morning, luck clearly wasn't on his side. Just as he buried his face deeper into his knees, the soft click of the door echoed through the room. His head shot up. Standing in the doorway was Kael, tall and calm as ever, his eyes immediately finding Rin curled up on the bed.
Rin froze. Only his eyes and the tips of his red ears were visible from behind his knees, but it was enough to betray every thought he was trying so hard to hide.
Kael's lips twitched, a chuckle escaping him as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The deep, warm sound made Rin's blush deepen until even his neck turned pink. He quickly looked away, fixing his gaze on the window like it had suddenly become the most fascinating thing in the world.
Kael crossed the room and sat down beside him, the bed dipping slightly under his weight. Rin didn't move, but the faint tremor in his shoulders gave away how tense he was. Kael reached out, his hand gentle as it cupped Rin's cheek, turning his face toward him. Rin stiffened at the touch but didn't pull away. Their eyes met—Kael's calm, steady gaze locking onto Rin's wide amber ones.
"Good morning," Kael said softly.
Rin blinked, caught off guard by the simplicity of it. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Kael leaned closer, pressing his forehead against Rin's and closing his eyes. Rin's breath hitched at the sudden intimacy, but gradually, his muscles relaxed, and he too closed his eyes, letting the silence fill the space between them.
"I'm sorry," Kael murmured.
Rin's eyes opened slightly, confusion flickering in them. Kael's gaze met his once again, serious and soft all at once. "I should have asked your permission before kissing you," he said quietly.
Rin's eyes widened a little, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Then, with a faint calmness that surprised even himself, he replied, "You don't have to apologize." His voice was quiet, steady. Kael's expression softened, a rare, gentle smile forming on his lips.
That smile—calm, handsome, genuine—made Rin's heart skip.
He wasn't used to seeing Kael like this, wasn't used to seeing anyone look at him like that.
Kael leaned forward again, pressing a light kiss to Rin's forehead. "Freshen up," he said. "Breakfast is ready. The others are waiting."
Rin nodded silently, still blinking as if processing what just happened. Kael didn't move immediately, watching him with amusement. When Rin still didn't move after a few seconds, Kael smirked and said teasingly, "Unless… you'd like me to help?"
Rin's head snapped up, his face turning crimson as he scrambled to his feet. Without a word, he bolted for the bathroom, nearly tripping over the blanket in his haste. Kael chuckled, the deep sound filling the quiet room.
He looks like a startled kitten, Kael thought, shaking his head with a faint smile before standing up.
Downstairs, everyone was already gathered around the table, but the atmosphere was oddly heavy with unspoken thoughts. It was Ari who finally broke the silence.
"Hey," he whispered, leaning forward with a conspiratorial tone, "did any of you notice it too?"
Everyone turned to him. Talon frowned. "Notice what?"
Ari looked around dramatically, lowering his voice. "You know… something between Kael and Rin."
That caught everyone's attention. They all leaned in slightly. Tobi was the first to nod. "Actually… yeah. I thought it was just me. There's definitely something going on."
Kanji folded his arms, thoughtful. "You mean how Alpha Kael always goes to Rin's room at night?"
Rowan perked up immediately. "Oh! I saw that too!" he said, eyes wide. "Remember that night we went to knock on Kael's door to tell him about the raid, but he wasn't there? Then we knocked on Rin's door and Kael opened it!"
Everyone gasped in unison. Lucas frowned, trying to reason it out. "They might've been discussing something important," he said flatly.
Tobi arched an eyebrow. "Important, huh? Then why was Rin rubbing his eyes like he just woke up when Kael opened the door?"
Lucas went silent.
Ari let out a dramatic gasp while Kade smirked. "Well, well… sounds like there's more to this than we thought."
Even Milo, who rarely joined in gossip, leaned forward this time. "You're all forgetting something," she said calmly, making everyone look at her. "The room Rin's been staying in—it's Kael's. And Kael never shares his room. Ever."
Jax grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Then I say we find out. If something is going on, it's our business too. Might get interesting."
Everyone nodded in agreement, some more eagerly than others.
So when Rin and Kael finally entered the dining room, the air changed. Rin immediately felt it—their stares, the awkward silence that followed, the way everyone suddenly looked away when he met their eyes. He frowned slightly, uncertain what had just happened. Kael, meanwhile, didn't seem to notice—or maybe he simply didn't care.
Rin quietly sat down beside him, feeling the strange tension in the air. Whatever was going through everyone's minds, he had a feeling this breakfast was going to be… complicated.