[BL] Alpha, You've Got the Wrong Mate!

Chapter 258 — Grave of Crimson Roses

The journey felt shorter than Ren remembered. Perhaps because the last time, he had spent every moment desperately trying to hide from the delegation.

But now, there was no need for secrecy—no need to try to disappear behind the curtains of the carriage.

With Zayden’s arms around him the entire way, Ren simply slept, peaceful throughout the ride.

When the carriage finally came to a halt, the General gently shook the man from his deep slumber.

Ren’s eyelashes fluttered before he opened his eyes, looking around, momentarily disoriented.

"Are we already here?" he asked, raising a hand to cover his mouth as he yawned. A few tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, and he wiped them away, vision clearing.

Zayden hummed, releasing him from his hold.

"Wear your jacket," he said, taking the heavy coat from the hanger.

Ren stretched his arms as Zayden helped him slip into the thick fabric.

Then the alpha wrapped a black muffler around his neck, placed his hat on, and handed him his gloves.

While Zayden began putting on his own jacket, Ren giggled.

Confused, the General glanced toward him, trying to understand what was so amusing.

"Why are you laughing?"

Ren barely managed to stifle his chuckle, covering his mouth as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t.

"Well... usually, I am the one helping you dress—as your servant. But now you’re doing it for me. It’s... strange."

Zayden inhaled softly before smiling at the man beside him.

"Is that so?" he asked, though it wasn’t a question that required an answer. He continued, "Then that’s unfortunate—because from now on, I already told you, you’re no longer a servant. So refrain from saying that."

"I am no noble either, My Lord."

Zayden’s breath caught in his throat at the title. It had been a while since Ren began calling him by name, and he didn’t want that to change—not now, not when he had only just gotten used to it.

"Don’t speak like that," his voice was sharp, controlled—though something strange surged in his chest.

Ren’s eyes widened a little, surprised not by the words, but by the intensity beneath them.

Zayden met his gaze directly, no hesitation, no room for misinterpretation.

"You are not beneath me," he said quietly but firmly. "You are my partner. The person I love."

The carriage door opened with a heavy creak, cold air flooding in, but neither moved—not yet.

Ren’s breath caught.

Love.

Zayden had told him so many times, yet it still felt strange. As if Ren were living in a dream—one where he found love, again.

Just then, a face flickered at the screen of his mind. Lavender strands brushed by the warm breeze of summer, pale green eyes like shining stars.

Ilyan.

"I need to go somewhere," he said abruptly, rushing out of the carriage.

His boots sank into the mountain of snow, nearly up to his knees, but he didn’t stop. With quick steps, he disappeared into the forest, leaving Zayden inside the warm carriage.

"What?—Where is he going in such a hurry?" Zayden muttered, rubbing the back of his head, perplexed.

Once he stepped outside, he found Enzo standing a few meters away with Eiran beside him.

Their gazes clearly questioned him about Ren. However, he didn’t say a word—not when he himself didn’t know where Ren had gone. Although he did know one thing: Ren often slipped away into the forest before they left for the capital.

***

When he finally stood before the grave he himself had made, he stumbled. His knees buckled, sending him crashing onto the snow-draped ground.

He could barely see the red marks he had carved there—faded, softened, buried beneath the weight of winter.

Ren closed his eyes, drawing in a shaking breath as he called upon his power.

When he opened them again, the world turned into shades of black and grey—yet even then, the black string tied to the grave was visible. But now, it was faint compared to before, wavering like a dying flame.

Soon, he wouldn’t be able to see it at all.

Soon, even this final connection would fade.

Taking in another shaky breath, he whispered a spell. Flames began to flicker around his hands, warm against the cold breeze.

He lifted them gently toward the grave. The snow melted under the heat, revealing the hard soil beneath—bare, with no trace of herbs left behind.

Slowly, he brushed his hand against the cold ground. The image remained vivid in his mind—the dream where the man buried beneath the earth had visited him, telling him to move on; telling him he hadn’t sinned for loving someone else.

Yet the guilt still surfaced, unbidden, at times.

"I am sorry," Ren mumbled, his golden eyes glistening with tears.

"What are you doing?" a soft, familiar voice asked, lowering himself beside the crying man.

Not realizing Zayden was there, Ren quickly shut his eyes, shifting their color as fast as he could. His heart raced as if it might leap from his chest at any moment. For a brief second, his vision blurred from the fear of being caught.

Just as he nearly toppled backward, a firm arm wrapped around his shoulders, steadying him.

"Are you alright?" Zayden asked, his voice thick with worry.

Only then did Ren let out a soft sigh of relief, brushing away his tears. He opened his eyes, offering a small, gentle smile.

"Yes," he whispered.

"Why are you crying?" The alpha frowned, his thumb brushing the lingering tears from Ren’s cheek. "I feel... like shit," he muttered under his breath. "Whenever I see tears in your eyes."

"O-Oh. Well..."

"And what is this place? I have seen you come here but..." Zayden didn’t continue, letting the omega explain himself.

"This... this is Ilyan’s grave," Ren said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Zayden’s eyes widened, disbelief and shock flashing across his features.

"What...?" he murmured, hesitantly glancing at the soil, then back at Ren.

He had never imagined this could be a grave. The last time he saw this place, it had been a field of red roses, vibrant and alive, like drops of blood scattered across a dreamlike garden in the endless green of the forest.

Now, beneath the hard ground, beneath the quiet silence was... a resting place for someone Ren had clearly loved with all his heart.

Zayden’s chest tightened, the sight stirring something deep and too familiar within him. He had expected grief, yes—but not this quiet, aching devotion, this fragile, trembling attachment.

Ren’s fingers traced the outline of the frozen earth, a shiver running through him.

"I come here... sometimes," he admitted. "To remember. To... apologize. Even though he wouldn’t want me to."

Zayden said nothing, only remained still, letting his presence speak instead of words.

Ren’s crimson eyes flickered up at the alpha, and for the first time in a long while, he didn’t feel the weight of solitude. Even here, even amidst the sorrow, Zayden was with him.

"Ilyan," he whispered, lowering his gaze immediately. "Look who is here," he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You told me to give him a chance. And I did."

Zayden hesitated before bowing slightly, as if showing respect to the man lying beneath the earth.

Noticing the awkwardness, Ren stifled a chuckle and rose to his feet.

The General looked up at him, confused.

Without a word, Ren extended his hand. His finger tips had turned red. He had kept his gloves in his jacket’s pockets in case he needed to use magic. And, he indeed, had to.

Understanding that the omega wanted to help him stand, Zayden took it, careful not to put any weight on the other man.

"You sure act like I am fragile," Ren muttered, nodding.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" Zayden asked, raising an eyebrow as he stepped backward, moving ahead of Ren.

"Also... how did you find me?" Ren asked, as if recalling a thought he had nearly forgotten.

"Ah—" Zayden gasped, pointing toward the ground.

Ren tilted his head and looked down, noticing his own footprints pressed into the snow. Of course—in winter, nothing was easier than following someone’s trail.

"Why do you come here... to apologize?" he asked softly.

Ren blinked, unsure how to respond.

"You didn’t do anything wrong by moving on," Zayden continued, voice gentle but steady. "Life... life moves forward. You can’t stay alive without anyone by your side. So... you did nothing wrong."

Slowly, Zayden reached out, taking Ren’s hands in his own. He held them firmly, yet tenderly, his gaze locking onto Ren’s with quiet insistence, as if trying to anchor him to the present instead of his past.

Ren forced a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

"I wouldn’t have apologized so much if it were as simple as that."

Zayden’s eyes narrowed, studying him carefully, trying to read the meaning behind the omega’s words.

"Then... why?" he asked, unable to find an answer.

"Your friends..." Ren began, and Zayden immediately stiffened, pulling his hand away. His chest tightened.

Don’t tell me he’s going to use it against me...

His jaw clenched, worry gripping him like a vice.