So that was how Hayce had found him in the cell after 665 followed Ehlian in. That was why he used to come back from the gym early whenever Grasson was snooping around their cell.
That… eased something inside his chest, like another thin layer of ice cracking and melting away.
He was an idiot. Hayce must have done the same for his previous omegas, for everyone in his pack. It meant nothing. They weren’t a couple, there weren’t mates, they weren’t lover—
“For once, stop thinking and sleep,” Hayce murmured, his breath skimming across Ehlian’s neck.
A shiver ran down Ehlian’s spine, but he did what he always did. Repressed it. Ignored it.
Slowly, he emptied his mind and closed his eyes.
*
And then it happened again.
And again.
Night after night, he found himself tucked tightly into Hayce’s arms. There came a point when Ehlian no longer had to ask. It became second nature for Hayce to scoot closer once the lights went out, sharing his warmth.
Each time, Ehlian swore it would be the last night he let himself fall asleep in Hayce’s embrace. He shouldn’t get used to it. He shouldn’t let himself go. His wall of defence had to stay intact, high and impenetrable.
But it felt so nice. So warm. He could allow himself this… this indulgence. Just for now. That was harmless… wasn’t it?
But this was as far as he’d let it go.
He’d never let it tip past this point.
Chapter 10
On your knees.
Ehlian tried to shove the memory away, burying his face in the pillow. His mind was still fogged with sleep, but the memory lingered like a shadow. The heat between his legs was almost painful. He pressed his aching cock against the sheets, desperate for relief.
That’s how you want it?
A soft, helpless moan slipped from his throat.
The pillow, the blanket, the sheets—everything smelled like Hayce. Ehlian was drowning in it, the musky, earthy scent that could drive any omega insane. The ghost of strong arms still lingered on his skin. They had no weight, only the fading warmth of his touch, quieting him. Igniting him.
Eventually, you’ll come to me.
No. He would never go to Hayce.
Ever.
A faint noise stirred the air. Muffled footsteps on the carpet. The quiet rustle of clothing.
They pulled him fully awake, and he blinked his eyes open.
Hayce’s figure sharpened in the dim light. He stood at the end of the bed, slipping a clean shirt over his back, the skin still marked with faint creases from the sheets.
Ehlian froze, cold rushing through his veins. Did Hayce hear him? Had he been lying there in silence beside him while Ehlian fumbled against the mattress, desperate for relief yet never reaching it? Had he felt Ehlian’s desire through the pack bond, sharp and heavy and desperate?
Ehlian stared at Hayce’s back rigidly, waiting, half-expecting him to turn and say something.
But Hayce didn’t glance his way as he finally spoke. “It’s still early. You can sleep longer if you want.”
Gods, why did it sound like Hayce was speaking like… a partner? Like his alpha? Like they shared a home, and Hayce was just slipping off to work.
