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

Chapter 320 — Mind Your Words

Rihaan rested his head on Soren’s thigh, his gaze softer than the omega had seen in the past.

"Please, tell me why you are doing this. This is... outrageous," Soren murmured, trying to push the man off his thigh.

But Rihaan didn’t budge. He stayed pressed against Soren, fingers gripping his knee like an anchor.

"You tell me—why are you doing this? Do you enjoy tormenting me this much?" the alpha breathed.

There was pain reflected in his eyes. The kind of hurt the omega didn’t know this man could feel unless it was related to his lover, Arav.

Soren let out a forced, dry laugh. "Pardon me? Why would I? I am simply trying to marry the person who suits me best."

"And what of me?" Rihaan’s voice was low but sharp as he sprang to his feet, his gaze locking with Soren’s, hands pressing onto the armrests of the omega’s couch.

The question hit Soren like a sharp blade. For a moment, he was silent, perplexed, sitting there as if he had been transformed into a statue. After a lingering silence, he parted his lips.

"What about you? You will be returning to your kingdom in a few days, right?"

Rihaan said nothing. Instead, he leaned in, pressing a soft, deliberate kiss to Soren’s lips, holding his cheeks with both hands so the omega couldn’t resist.

The gesture was so unexpected that Soren stopped breathing for a second, caught between shock and disbelief. His eyes went wide, his complexion turning pale as if he had seen a ghost.

When he blinked, reality snapped back.

A harsh slap echoed through the quiet hall.

"How dare you!" Soren pushed the alpha away, leaping to his feet before storming out of the room.

Rihaan looked at the figure fading into the distance, rubbing his stinging cheek. It was no weak slap.

"As expected of you," he mumbled to himself.

As Soren strode through the hallways, he bumped into something—or someone.

"Wow, wow, look where you’re going," a familiar voice came from the front.

The omega lifted his gaze, finding his younger brother standing before him. Although it was a moment where he would usually smile brightly, this time, he couldn’t even force a grin.

"Zayden," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The other man bowed to the Crown Prince—although they were brothers, palace employees always kept an eye on him. The smallest mistake could stir stupid rumours he didn’t want to deal with.

"What are you doing here at this time?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest as he examined his brother’s pale complexion. "And you look as pale as if you’ve seen a ghost," he noted.

"Well, I—"

Before Soren could finish his sentence, footsteps echoed from behind them.

Both brothers turned toward the approaching presence.

It took less than a second.

Zayden lunged forward, grabbing Rihaan by the collar.

"You!" he snarled. "How dare you come here!"

"W-Wait!" Soren blinked, too stunned to react.

Rihaan, however, merely sneered, as though none of this concerned him—as though he weren’t being treated like a criminal in the middle of the palace. His gaze slid past Zayden, lingering on the omega standing behind the General.

"What are you doing here?!" Zayden demanded. When Rihaan gave no answer, his grip tightened and his voice rose.

"Zayden! Let go of him!" Soren frowned, pulling his brother back.

Zayden didn’t resist. He allowed himself to be dragged away, fully aware that causing a scene in front of the servants would only worsen matters.

"Why is he here?" he asked sharply, turning to Soren. Asking Rihaan was pointless.

"He is here because I told him he could stay," Soren replied.

But the moment his eyes met Rihaan’s, the memory of that kiss flashed through his mind.

He was no virgin. He had been with alphas before, yet this felt different.

Wrong.

Unsettling.

And it twisted his stomach in a way he didn’t like.

Perhaps it was because it had been aggressive. Forced. And with someone he didn’t love—or at least, that was what Soren wanted to believe.

No matter what, he had no right to kiss me without permission.

"Why did you do that?!" Zayden snapped. "He rejected you!"

"It’s all in the past. Let it be," Soren sighed, gently patting his brother’s back in an attempt to calm him.

Zayden exhaled sharply, running his fingers through his dark-blue hair.

"Ugh... I just can’t accept this."

"He will leave soon," Soren said, then paused, as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh—by the way, the candidates for the Crown Prince’s consort have arrived. Did you come to meet them?"

Zayden glanced at him, his frown deepening.

"There sure are a lot of things happening without anyone bothering to inform me," he taunted.

Soren forced a laugh.

"Please. You know I would’ve told you if everything hadn’t happened so quickly."

"Exactly. Everything is moving too fast for him. The Emperor just won’t give him a break," Rihaan cut in.

Both brothers turned to glare at him.

Rihaan blinked, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

"W-What? Did I say something wrong?"

"You are speaking of the Emperor," Soren warned, his tone firm. "Mind your words."

"Alright, alright," Rihaan muttered, rolling his eyes slightly to the side. He was trying to be understanding of Soren, yet he was the one being scolded.

Do they truly love their father that much?

All I see is a selfish man sitting on the throne, ordering his children around as he pleases.

Rihaan scoffed inwardly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Anyway," Soren said, turning toward his brother, "what brings you here?"

Zayden hesitated, his gaze flicking briefly toward Rihaan. He couldn’t mention thatwoman in front of someone outside the imperial family.

Soren followed his gaze and understood at once. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a matter to be discussed openly. He gave a small nod.

"Alright. Let’s head to the audience hall," Soren suggested, offering a faint smile.

Zayden shook his head.

"I need to see the Emperor. Is he at court?"

Soren nodded curtly.

Without wasting another second, Zayden turned and hurried toward the meeting hall.

Soren watched him leave, unease settling in his chest.

"What is going on...? For him to come all the way here without prior notice..." he murmured, perplexed. "Not that he gave any before but..."