THE ALPHA'S CARE

"Hush, my little star, you're safe now." Aaron murmured, his voice a low rumble as he wiped a stray strand of sweaty hair from Kael’s forehead.

Later that day, Kael awoke to the now-familiar ache throbbing in his lower belly. He blinked, the opulent surroundings of Aaron's guest chamber still foreign, a stark contrast to Alaric's austere room. He wanted to move, to curl up and hide, but his limbs felt leaden, unresponsive. The heat, a burning tide, was already beginning to rise again.

He managed a weak groan, the sound barely audible.

The door to the chamber opened softly, and Aaron entered, carrying a large tray laden with food. Kael watched him, his heart doing a painful little dance of gratitude. Aaron’s brow furrowed in concern as he took in Kael’s pale face and glazed eyes.

"Hey, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?" Aaron asked, his voice laced with worry.

Kael attempted a smile, but it faltered before it could truly form. "Tired," he rasped, his throat dry. "And… sore."

Aaron didn't press further. He knew what was happening, the torment Kael was enduring. He gently placed the tray on the table beside the bed, already laden with a spread of fruits and pastries. It was clear Aaron had personally arranged the setting, choosing to trust no one else with ensuring Kael's comfort— protective much. Even now, he added a bowl of freshly diced melon to the spread.

He approached the bed, his movements deliberate and tender. "Here, let me help you sit up." He carefully supported Kael's back, propping him up with pillows. "Just try to eat a little. You need your strength."

Aaron picked up a piece of melon and offered it to Kael. Kael gratefully accepted, the cool sweetness a small comfort against the fire raging within him. But before he could swallow the first bite, a sharp, agonizing cramp seized his abdomen. He gasped, his grip on Aaron's wrist tightening involuntarily.

His body thrummed with need, a primal instinct overriding everything else. He clawed at Aaron's sleeve, whimpering, his gaze unfocused and desperate. Aaron’s Alpha scent was intoxicating, a lifeline in the storm.

Aaron immediately understood. The heat was intensifying, consuming Kael. He reached out, grasping Kael's trembling hands in his own. "Kael, look at me. Breathe. Please, breathe."

Aaron could hear the desperacy in his voice but his words proceeded to get lost in Kael's mounting distress. The Omega in him was screaming for release, for comfort. He instinctively sought out the source of the Alpha's scent, burying his face in the crook of Aaron's neck, nibbling and sniffing at the prince’s scent gland.

Aaron froze, every muscle in his body tensing. Kael's actions were a direct plea, a raw and undeniable invitation. His own wolf stirred within him, a possessive growl rumbling deep in his chest. The tantalizing scent of Kael's distressed Omega was almost unbearable. His body screamed to respond, to claim, to ease the burning need.

He gripped Kael tighter, struggling to maintain control. The air grew thick, heavy with unspoken desire. "Baby…" he choked out, his voice strained.

Kael only whimpered in response, pressing closer, his need escalating.

"Please— please don't make me do this," Aaron pleaded, his voice thick with internal conflict. He knew the consequences, the potential devastation that would follow if he gave in to his instincts. "If I lay hands on you with such intention, my wolf would lay claim on you. You'd be mine, not Alaric's, and I'll fight him to death in order to make sure of that. Do you want me and Alaric to fight each other to death for you? If you want that, I'll make sure of it."

Kael seemed to register a fragment of Aaron's words. He pulled back slightly, his eyes wide and filled with pain. “Help me,” he begged, his voice barely a whisper. "Alpha… please."

The word, “Alpha,” spoken with such raw desperation, nearly shattered Aaron's resolve. But he clung to the last vestiges of his control. He couldn't betray Kael, couldn't exploit his vulnerability, even if every fiber of his being screamed for him to do so. "Kael, please," he whispered, his voice laced with agony.

"Alpha will stroke your back, and you will feel a little better. Focus on spelling out my name," Aaron instructed gently, guiding Kael’s hand to his back. He wrapped his arms around Kael, holding him close but carefully avoiding any suggestive contact. He began to slowly and rhythmically rub Kael's back, trying to soothe the tremors wracking his body. “A-a-r-o-n." He spelled out his name, each syllable a small victory in the battle against the encroaching heat.

Gradually, Kael's frantic movements subsided. He focused on Aaron's voice, on the steady rhythm of his hand against his back. The pain was still there, but it was momentarily dulled, pushed back by the presence of the alpha.

After a long while, when Kael seemed a little calmer, Aaron coaxed him to eat again, holding a spoonful of mashed fruit to his lips. "If you eat, Alpha will help you out when the next one hits," he promised, his voice soft and reassuring.

Kael, exhausted but trusting, swallowed the food.

Once Kael was resting more comfortably, Aaron knew he had to leave. His control was hanging by a thread, and he couldn't risk jeopardizing the fragile peace he had managed to create. "I need to step out for a moment," he said, his voice carefully neutral. "I'll be right back."

Kael nodded, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and lingering heat. He was grateful for Aaron's presence, for his restraint, even though a small part of him, the Omega part, longed for something more.

Aaron strode out of the chamber, the need to escape the suffocating atmosphere almost overwhelming. The weight of his barely-controlled desires pressed down on him. He needed to clear his head, to regain his composure. He took a turn into the palace gardens, hoping the fresh air would help.

As fate would have it, he didn't get far before he encountered Alaric. The Alpha Prince stood in the middle of the path, his face a mask of barely suppressed fury.

Alaric’s nostrils flared as he took in Aaron’s scent profile. The undeniable scent of his Omega clung to Aaron, a blatant declaration of intimacy. Jealousy, raw and potent, surged through him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Alaric demanded, his voice dangerously low.

Aaron met Alaric's gaze, his own expression cool and unyielding. He had anticipated this confrontation. "I believe the meaning is quite clear, Prince Alaric," he replied, his voice laced with a hint of defiance. "Your Omega needed assistance. I provided it."

"He is my Omega," Alaric snarled, stepping closer.

Aaron chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "A rather strange way you have of showing it, isn't it? Leaving him alone in his heat, bedding a consort while he suffers? You should thank the moon goddess that I'm a considerate man, and most importantly, I adore Kael so much, otherwise, your Omega would have been milking my knot so well he'd end up pupped up before his heat ends. And it'd be a great win because I and my kingdom would be overjoyed to have an heir from such ethereal Omega."

Alaric stiffened, Aaron's words hitting him like a physical blow. Shame and regret washed over him, but he quickly masked it with anger. "You dare speak to me like that? He is none of your concern."

"Oh, but he is," Aaron countered, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I made it clear to you last time– I will be right around the corner if you don't treat Kael right. I consider him much more than a friend, he doesn't know that but I'm making it clear to you. And I will not stand by and watch you neglect him. You treat him like he's the cause of your predicament. What kind of Alpha are you?" Alaric could sense Aaron’s anger with every word that rolls off his tongue and it stings him to know that another Alpha is more protective of his mate and to make it worse, his mate was being protected from him. Just how terrible is he?

The tension between the two Alphas was palpable, a coiled spring ready to unleash.

Aaron stepped back slightly, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "And while on it," he added, his tone laced with a mocking sweetness, "let's not forget the big upcoming engagement ceremony. I mean , it's a big deal for both our kingdoms, isn't it? See you around, brother-in-law."

With a final, mocking bow, Aaron turned and walked away, leaving Alaric seething in his wake.

Back in the chamber, Kael was feeling slightly better. The edge of the heat had dulled, leaving him weak and drained but at least not writhing in agony. He was sitting up in bed, sipping a cup of lukewarm tea, when Aaron returned.

“Thank you,” Kael said softly, his voice still hoarse. “For everything. For not… for not taking advantage of me.”

Aaron sat down on the edge of the bed, his gaze gentle. “I would never do anything to hurt you, Kael. You deserve kindness and understanding, not exploitation. I hope no man ever lays underserved hands on you, mate or not. You deserve intimacy in its purest form.”

He paused, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "It wasn't easy, Kael. You have no idea how difficult it was to restrain myself."

Kael reached out, taking Aaron's hand in his. "I know. And I am grateful. More than you can imagine. I swear I didn't mean to be this much of a burden."

“You don't have to be. I wouldn't hesitate to be in even a worse situation, for you. So don't even think for a second that you're being a burden.”

Kael’s lips stretched into a weak yet sincere smile, “I wanted to let you know that if it had happened— if you had done it, I wouldn't have blamed you, I wouldn't have regretted it or hate it, I'd have showered myself in the thought that an Alpha found me worthy… But I'd rather lose myself to pain than lose my most prized possession— your friendship, it's my most prized possession.” Aaron couldn't form any sensible response so he pulled Kael closer and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. 

As they sat there, a fragile peace settling between them, another wave of heat washed over Kael, stronger than before. He gasped, his body trembling, and instinctively melted into Aaron's arms, seeking comfort and relief.

“Aaron…” Kael called out barely audibly but Aaron heard him.

“I'm here,” Aaron held him close, his jaw clenched, his body rigid with the effort of control. He could feel the heat radiating from Kael, the raw need vibrating through him. But he knew he couldn't back down now. He had made a promise.

He stroked Kael’s hair, his voice a low rumble against his ear. “Alpha will get you through this one,” he murmured, his words a dangerous promise hinting at boundaries about to be crossed. His touch lingered just a fraction too long, an unspoken acknowledgement of the desire that burned between them.