Darrien's Perspective

Cass lay stretched out before the crackling fireplace, his long lashes resting against his cheeks, his chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. At first glance, he appeared to be asleep, but Darrien knew better. There was a subtle tension in his body, a quiet alertness that told Darrien he was only resting his eyes. The flickering flames cast a warm glow over his features, painting his light-almond skin in hues of gold and amber, making him look almost untouchable. Almost.

Darrien stepped closer, the soft padding of his footsteps barely making a sound against the plush carpet. He lowered himself onto his knees beside Cass, hesitating for just a moment before reaching out and taking his hand. Cass's fingers moved slightly at the contact, but he didn't pull away.

"You're not sleeping here tonight," Darrien murmured, his voice low and firm. "Come to bed."

Cass's eyes fluttered open, dark pools of hesitation meeting Darrien's unwavering gaze. There was defiance there at first, a familiar resistance that made Darrien's chest tighten. How many times had Cass broken the tension between them, backing away when things got too intense? When their bodies were too close together? When their eyes lingered upon one another for too long?

But then, with a quiet sigh, Cass gave in. Without a word, he sat up and followed Darrien into the bedroom.

When they reached the bed, Cass perched on the edge, his posture uncertain, as though he were unsure whether to lay down or leave . Darrien moved without thinking, stepping between Cass's legs and cradling his face in his hands, his thumbs brushing lightly over his cheeks.

"What are you—" Cass started, but his words were stolen away as Darrien leaned in, pressing his lips to his in a tender, deliberate kiss.

Cass stiffened in surprise. Darrien felt the way his breath caught, the way his fingers instinctively curled against the sheets as if anchoring himself in place. 

"I'm sorry," he murmured, pulling back just enough to speak and brushing a thumb over Cass's lower lip. "For what I said that day. For the way I treated you. I never saw you as beneath me. I never once thought of you as a lowly beta. If you were an alpha, a beta, an omega…it wouldn't make a difference. I would still feel the same way about you."

Cass inhaled sharply, his expression unreadable. "Sir—"

"I told you, I'm not your employer anymore."

"Young master—"

"No." Darrien shook his head, leaning in until their noses nearly brushed. "Say my name. I want to hear you say my name."

Darrien's heart pounded like a drum, a mixture of nerves and anticipation coursing through him. The hours of waiting, the torturous uncertainty, and the overwhelming relief of seeing Cass safe and whole had ignited something reckless inside him. He didn't want to hold back anymore. He refused to. 

Emboldened by the maelstrom of emotions swirling in his chest, he leaned in closer, tilting his head just slightly before slipping out his tongue and running it slowly, deliberately over Cass's lips.

The reaction was immediate. Cass tensed up, a gasp betraying his surprise. Darrien could feel the heat radiating from him, so enticing and inviting. 

"Darrien," Cass uttered in a low tone, "Are you sure about what you are trying to do?"

Upon hearing his name spoken by Cass for the first time, Darrien felt goosebumps all over his skin.

"Yes," Darrien replied, leaning in and licking his lower lip again.

Then, suddenly, Cass moved—one strong hand sliding to the back of Darrien's neck, fingers threading into his hair, while the other splayed against his lower back, drawing him closer.

Cass parted his lips, allowing Darrien deeper access before claiming his tongue with a hunger that sent shivers cascading down Darrien's spine. He sucked him in, their tongues tangling in a dance both tender and unrelenting. Cass's own tongue curled and flicked, exploring the heat of Darrien's mouth with an intensity that left him breathless.

Darrien barely registered when his pheromones began to spill into the air, thick and heady. He hadn't released any kind of pheromones in a long time—not since that night, when Rex attacked him. Yet now, with Cass's lips devouring him, his taste lingering like the richest indulgence, his body surrendered instinctively. The room grew dense with the sweet, intoxicating scent of his desire, and he felt the shift in Cass—how his breath hitched, how his hold tightened as though trying to drink in every ounce of Darrien's presence.

Cass's tongue pushed deeper, stroking, savoring him like something he never wanted to let go of. Darrien had never been kissed like this before. Not even by Kaylen. No, what he had shared with Kaylen had been a mere brush of lips, a hollow imitation of intimacy. This—this was something else entirely.

Darrien met Cass's fervor with equal passion, their mouths moving together in a feverish rhythm. When Cass moaned—a low, helpless sound against his lips—heat pooled deep within Darrien's core. Another wave of pheromones flooded the space between them, thickening the air with raw, unfiltered need.

"You smell like honey," Cass murmured against his lips, his voice rough with longing. He pulled back just slightly, enough to trace kisses along Darrien's jaw, then lower, his lips grazing the sensitive skin of his collarbone. "You taste like it too…" he continued, his breath warm against Darrien's flushed skin. "I've never smelled this scent on you before."

Darrien shuddered, threading his fingers through Cass's hair as Cass buried his face in the curve of his neck, inhaling deeply, possessively. A smile flickered across Darrien's lips.

"That's because I have never released these pheromones before," Darrien said, his fingers lingering through Cass's thick, dark hair. His touch was gentle, reverent, as if he was memorizing every strand, every sensation beneath his fingertips.

Cass lifted his head, eyes wide with disbelief. "Never?" he whispered.

Darrien chuckled softly, the sound warm and intimate. "These are love pheromones, Cass," he explained, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper. He leaned in, his lips brushing against Cass's ear. "An omega only releases them when he feels something profound for his partner. When he's in love." To punctuate his words, Darrien nipped lightly at Cass's earlobe, a teasing bite that sent a visible tremble through the man beneath him.

Darrien pulled back slightly, just enough to meet Cass's gaze. The emotions reflected in those dark eyes were staggering—a swirl of shock, longing, hesitation, and something dangerously close to surrender. It made Darrien's heart race. He was both captivated and undone.

Cass parted his lips, but it took him a moment to find his voice. "But… how can you… love me?" His voice was small, tentative, laced with the kind of disbelief that made Darrien's chest ache.

Darrien blinked at him, momentarily stunned. Then, frustration flared in his gut. "What kind of question is that?" he asked, his tone carrying a bite of exasperation. "Why can't I love you?"

Cass hesitated,"Because… because you're way out of my league. I have nothing to offer someone like you."

Darrien's hands curled into fists against Cass's chest before he let out a sharp, frustrated sigh and buried his face against Cass's shoulder. "Damn it," he hissed. "Why the hell did I ever say those stupid things to you? Cass, please… I already apologized! I need you to forget what my stupid, reckless mouth spewed that day. The only reason I pushed you away was because I was trying to protect you!"

"Protect me?" Cass echoed, his voice cautious. "Protect me from what?"

Darrien pulled back, eyes stormy with emotion. "From my mother," he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. "She's cruel, Cass. I was afraid that the moment she found out about the breakup, she would search for a scapegoat—and that scapegoat would be you. I couldn't stand the thought of her hurting you in any way. So I did the only thing I could think of. I pushed you as far away from me as possible."

Cass remained still, silent, as if he was processing the weight of Darrien's words. Then, quietly, he asked, "You did all that… because you cared about me?"

Darrien let out a shaky breath. "No," he said, voice steady now. "Because I love you. And tonight, I finally admitted it to myself." He lifted his head, gazing into Cass's dark eyes with nothing but honesty. "It's okay if you don't feel the same way. I don't expect anything from you anymore. Frankly, I'd be content if you just… don't hate me."

Cass i breathed sharply, his hands gripping Darrien's arms as though grounding himself. And then, slowly, he pulled Darrien closer, pressing his forehead against Darrien's chest, letting out a quiet, almost trembling sigh.

"I didn't feel hurt by your words because they were true," Cass admitted, his voice hushed. "I'm just a beta with nothing to offer. An orphan who doesn't even know where he came from. I'm older than you, plain in every sense, and utterly unremarkable. Someone like you—so rare, so precious, so powerful—you belong in the heights of society, not tangled up in the dirt with someone like me."

Darrien let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "The heights of society?" His voice dripped with derision. "Cass, have you forgotten? I've spent my entire life in that world. Luxury, prestige, high-class alphas and omegas, the finest clothes, the most exquisite jewels. Do you know what it was like? Do you think it made me happy?" He cupped Cass's face between his hands again, his gaze fierce, unwavering. "Would someone who was content with all that run away? Would they abandon their own name just to be free of it?"

Cass swallowed hard, his dark eyes flickering with uncertainty, but Darrien didn't let him retreat.

"You," Darrien continued, his voice softer now, yet filled with conviction, "are the best person that I have ever had in my life. That look in your eyes when you see me—so full of care, of warmth—I wanted to protect it. And at the same time, I was selfish. I wanted it all for myself. I've never longed for anyone the way I long for you, Cass. And I've never loved anyone before." He leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to Cass's forehead, lingering as if imprinting the moment into his soul.

Cass stared at him, stunned, as if trying to process words too unbelievable to be true. "But what about…Kaylen Morrison?" he asked hesitantly.

Darrien sighed, his lips twitching into something between amusement and regret. "Kaylen?" He scoffed. "I never loved Kaylen. And now, I realize I never would have. That relationship…it should have never happened. It was a mistake."

"But—"

"No buts." Darrien pressed his forehead against Cass's, their lips mere inches apart. "I want you to kiss me. I want you to make me yours. I want to feel you inside me." His voice dropped to a whisper, heavy with longing. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Cass stared at him, his breathing uneven. And then, finally, he pulled Darrien into his arms, crushing their lips together in a desperate, consuming kiss that left no room for doubt.

Darrien melted against him, surrendering completely.