Wedding bells?

It was almost noon when Asahin finally stirred awake, the golden sunlight filtering lazily through the curtains. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft light as he took in the empty bedroom. Kaylen wasn't there. He had told Asahin the night before that he'd be gone the entire morning, but still… waking up alone left a hollow ache in his chest. Especially after last night.

Asahin stretched beneath the plush blanket, the smooth fabric brushing against his bare skin. Oh, right — he was naked. A flush crept up his cheeks as memories of the night before surfaced. After their shower, Kaylen had suggested they sleep like that, skin against skin. Asahin, who usually preferred the comfort of at least a T-shirt, had agreed without hesitation.

What the hell is wrong with me? He sighed, rubbing his forehead. First, I asked him to keep his dick inside me a little longer, and then I agreed to sleeping buck naked, clinging to him the entire night? His fingers curled into his hair. Have I always been this needy? This… skin-starved?

With a groan, he forced himself to sit up, the blanket slipping down his chest as cool air brushed against his skin. He needed clothes. Asahin's gaze drifted to the closet, where a neat row of clothes waited for him. He'd left the Valmoor estate with nothing but the clothes on his back, but Kaylen had apparently thought of everything. Not only had he provided an entire wardrobe, but he'd also given Asahin a new phone and a bank card to cover anything else he might need.

The gesture warmed him — and embarrassed him. He was the older one, yet this twenty-two-year-old was practically treating him like he was his sugar daddy. The thought made his ears burn. But… It was nice. Having someone take care of him, not because they expected anything in return, but because they wanted to. That kind of tenderness had always felt out of reach in his old life. 

It was hard to deny that Kaylen was… well, quite the catch. Rich, devastatingly handsome, a generous lover — and somehow, genuinely interested in him. After everything Asahin had been through — loss, pain, betrayal — maybe fate had decided to throw him a lifeline. He wasn't naïve enough to believe things would stay perfect forever, but right now? It felt like a blessing.

Dragging himself out of bed, Asahin picked out a pair of soft black pants and a gray T-shirt. He grabbed the clothes and headed to the bathroom. A hot shower sounded like exactly what he needed. He half expected his body to protest after last night's activities, but aside from a faint soreness around his hips, he felt surprisingly good. No swelling, no lingering pain. Maybe it was an omega thing. Back in his original world, he was always left sore and aching after sleeping with someone. Of course, none of those guys had been as considerate as Kaylen. Or as… big.

Asahin's ears went red as the memory hit him. Seriously. Get a grip, he scolded himself, shaking his head under the spray of water.

Once dressed and feeling more awake, Asahin decided to make lunch. Cooking sounded grounding, and he was suddenly craving something familiar. Fried chicken and beer. Thankfully, Kaylen's kitchen was well-stocked — the guy seemed to have thought of everything.

As he marinated the chicken and prepped the batter, his thoughts drifted to Kaylen again. Would he be home in time for lunch? Cooking for someone felt strange after years of taking care of himself, but it also… warmed something deep inside him.

By the time he sat down with a plate of crispy chicken and a cold beer, Asahin was feeling more at ease. The first bite sent a rush of salty, savory goodness over his tongue, and the beer followed, crisp and bitter. It tasted almost exactly like the beer from his original world. 

Full and a little drowsy, Asahin wandered over to the couch and sank into the cushions, grabbing the remote. He hadn't had much time for TV since arriving here, but he'd caught a few news segments on his phone. Nothing too different from his old world — politics, scandals, the usual chaos. Flipping through the channels, he settled on a murder mystery movie and let his head sink back against the cushions.

Ten minutes in, his eyelids grew heavy. The low hum of the TV mixed with the warmth of the room, lulling him into sleep. He drifted off completely until a wave of heat surged through Asahin's body, dragging him out of sleep with a sharp breath. His chest tightened, and for a disoriented moment, he couldn't tell if it was a lingering dream or reality.

His heavy eyelids fluttered open, and the fog of sleep lifted just enough for him to realize that Kaylen was wrapped around him, his strong arms locking him against his body. Kaylen's body radiated an unnatural heat, like he was burning up from the inside. His breath was warm against Asahin's neck, and the faint scent of tobacco and alcohol clung to his skin.

"You stink," Asahin mumbled, squirming in his grasp. His nose crinkled as the mix of smoke and liquor hit him hard.

"Sorry," Kaylen's voice was low and groggy, his lips brushing lazily against Asahin's neck. "It was… a difficult morning."

Asahin's brow furrowed. "Why? What happened?"

Kaylen's eyes remained closed, his expression faintly troubled as he murmured, "I asked your father for your hand in marriage."

Asahin's entire body jolted like someone had doused him with ice water. "What?!" His voice shot up an octave, and he pushed against Kaylen's chest, forcing him to loosen his grip. "What the hell are you talking about?"

With a groan, Kaylen sat up on the edge of the sofa. His dark hair was disheveled, falling over his gray eyes, which were hazy and a bit bloodshot.

"Explain," Asahin demanded, jumping to his feet rather agitated.

Kaylen rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and sighed. "I told my grandfather that I've broken up with Darrien and that I'm in a serious relationship with you. As expected, he wasn't thrilled. But what can he do? I'm the first-class alpha of the Morrison family — the first in centuries. He can't disown me, and he can't afford to alienate me."

Asahin crossed his arms. "So, in other words, you have the upper hand no matter what?"

Kaylen smiled faintly. "Exactly."

"But when did we even discuss our relationship?" Asahin narrowed his eyes, his voice sharp. "I don't remember you asking me to be in a relationship, let alone marry you!"

Kaylen's eyes widened slightly as if the realization had only just dawned on him. His mouth parted, but he hesitated. "But… we slept together… and I… I really like you. No—" He swallowed hard. "I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Asahin stared at him in stunned silence, his thoughts spiraling. Love? Had they just skipped over dating and confession and jumped straight into a marriage proposal? They'd slept together once — once — and suddenly Kaylen was talking about spending the rest of their lives together?

"Hold on a second," Asahin said, stepping back and raising his hands. His chest tightened as a complicated knot of emotions formed there — confusion, disbelief, warmth. "Aren't we going too fast?"

Kaylen's eyes grew hazy, his flushed cheeks betraying his vulnerability."I...I don't know. But why wait more?"

"Are you drunk?" Asahin narrowed his gaze.

Kaylen gave a sheepish smile. "Not drunk… Just… tipsy. I'm not very good with alcohol. Your father and my grandfather… They made me drink."

Asahin closed his eyes and drew in a slow, steady breath, trying to stop the whirlwind unraveling inside him. He couldn't deny it—he had feelings for Kaylen. Real feelings. But were they as intense as Kaylen's? He wasn't so sure. How could Kaylen possibly know, with such bone-deep certainty, that he loved him—that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him? They barely knew each other.

Well… that wasn't entirely true. Asahin knew a lot about Kaylen—details etched into his mind from the novel he had been thrust into. But the novel had already betrayed him more than once, leaving him adrift in uncertainty. The Kaylen in front of him was no longer the predictable character from the book. He was real—raw and unpredictable—and Asahin could no longer rely on the story's framework to understand him.

"Asahin…" Kaylen's voice was low and warm. 

Asahin opened his eyes to find Kaylen's gaze heavy upon him, slate gray eyes darkened by the low light and the weight of unspoken words.

Asahin exhaled and knelt before him, resting his hands on Kaylen's knees. "We don't know each other well enough," he said gently. His voice sounded too soft for how hard his heart was hammering. "We're young. We haven't even gone on a proper date. I—"

Kaylen's eyes fluttered shut for a second before reopening, pupils dilating as if he were struggling to focus. Then he reached for Asahin's hand, cradling it between his own.

"You don't understand," Kaylen whispered. "There's never going to be another one like you for me." His breath faltered as he pressed a trembling hand to his chest, right over his heart. "I feel it here. You're the one."

Asahin almost rolled his eyes. What was this? The climax of a poorly written romance drama? If anyone else had said something so shamelessly corny, he would've laughed in their face. But Kaylen's expression was so unguarded, so painfully earnest, that Asahin felt his stomach twist. He believed it. Kaylen truly believed it.

"I like you too," Asahin admitted, his voice steady but his hands shaking slightly. "But I don't know how far I'm willing to go with this relationship. Boyfriends? Sure, we can try that. I feel enough for you to put a label on this." His gaze sharpened. "But marriage? I…don't know about that."

Kaylen's hand cupped his cheek, thumb stroking tenderly along his soft skin. "I'm sorry. I was desperate. This was the only way I could think of to protect you. I needed them to know how important you are to me—that they can't harm you. I… just want to keep you safe."

Asahin's eyes softened despite himself. "How did you even convince them to switch from Darrien to me so fast?"

Kaylen's lips curled into a wry smile. "My grandfather thinks I'll take another omega besides you—a first-class one. And your father, though not thrilled at first, realized the political value of our union was still intact. As long as the Valmoor and Morrison bloodlines are united, the details of who stands at the altar don't really matter."

Another omega… Asahin's jaw tightened. Polygamy was common among the elite in this world. His father wouldn't care about broken promises as long as the alliance remained intact. Darrien could easily be repurposed for some other political gain.

"But I won't," Kaylen said, cutting through his thoughts like a blade.

Asahin's gaze sharpened. "You won't what?"

Kaylen cupped both of Asahin's cheeks between his hands. "I won't take another. Ever. You're the only one I want." His thumb brushed over Asahin's lower lip. "You're my true mate. No… my soulmate."

Then Kaylen leaned down and kissed him.

The kiss was unsteady—hot and tasting faintly of alcohol—but beneath the haze of whiskey and smoke was something deeper. Kaylen's lips trembled with need, with vulnerability. With quiet, desperate devotion. Asahin melted into the kiss, his fingers curling in the fabric of Kaylen's shirt. His head swam, caught between the heat of Kaylen's mouth and the chaotic thrum of his own heart.

Kaylen tasted like vanilla and spice and bitter whiskey—but beneath it all was the unmistakable taste of love and fear. A trembling, intoxicating cocktail of vulnerability and longing.

How was he supposed to respond to that? Rejecting it felt impossible. Deep down, Asahin knew he wanted Kaylen. Maybe not marriage, but he didn't want to let go. In his old world, he'd never felt this deeply for anyone. This was new. Strange. A bit terrifying. Like waking up to find out you were pregnant after your first time or after a one-night stand.

Except this wasn't some one-night mistake. This was his reality now. An omegaverse. Might as well dive into the madness headfirst.

Kaylen broke the kiss, breathless, his forehead resting against Asahin's. His lips curled upward faintly. "By the way…"

Asahin's eyes opened warily. "…What?"

"We're getting engaged next week," Kaylen said casually.

Asahin's heart nearly stopped. "What?"

"You heard me." Kaylen's smile widened.

Asahin's mouth fell open. "Kaylen!" he shouted, scrambling backward.