Do-hyun's world was a blur of scent and need. The last vestiges of his control shattered, and the primal alpha instincts he had held so tightly in check were now demanding release. The cedar scent that filled the room was overpowering, a tempest of protective fury and possessive desire.
His hands, which had been trembling with rage for what was stolen from Jaemin, now shook with a new, all-consuming ache. He could only see one thing, one person: the omega before him—his omega.
Jaemin could almost see the exact moment when Do-hyun let go, the iron grip he'd been holding over his body finally snapping. A shudder ran through the alpha, his broad shoulders hunching, his body tensing as if bracing for a tidal wave. The sharp lines of his face softened, contorting into an expression of profound agony.
Jaemin watched the transformation, tension giving way to a different kind of understanding. The cold, dangerous man was gone, replaced by a feverish, desperate alpha. Do-hyun's eyes were hazed over with a raw, desperate want, but a sliver of the man he knew remained, fighting against the tide. This rut was not born of simple desire. It was a direct result of Jaemin's confession, of the emotional and physical betrayal that had been inflicted upon the man Do-hyun had just claimed as his own.
"Do-hyun," Jaemin whispered again, but the name was lost in the sound of his ragged breaths.
With a sudden clarity, Jaemin realized what he had to do. His own past was a wound, but Do-hyun was bleeding for him. He would not let this man suffer because of another's sins. He would not let the mark of a thief continue to haunt him.
He reached out, his hand shaking slightly as he rested it against the side of Do-hyun's face, tracing the sharp line of his jaw.
"It's okay," he said, his voice stronger now as he unconsciously echoed Do-hyun's reassurances to him during his heat. "It's okay. I'm here."
He tugged on Do-hyun's hand, coaxing him to lie back against the pillows even as he gently drew off his clothes. The alpha's body was a furnace, radiating a heat that was almost unbearable, but Jaemin leaned into it, wrapping his arms around Do-hyun's neck and pressing his face into his shoulder. The scent of cedar engulfed him, a storm that he willingly walked into. His own scent of sweet, soft cherry blossoms, mingled with it, offering a soothing counterpoint to the raging torrent.
Do-hyun shuddered at the contact of Jaemin's bare skin on his, a low groan rumbling in his chest. His arms came up, holding Jaemin to him with a powerful, protective grip as he buried his face in the crook of Jaemin's neck, inhaling deeply. His lips found the warm skin just below Jaemin's ear, and he bit down gently, not with the force of a claim, but with the tenderness of a new beginning.
"I'll never leave you," he mumbled into the skin, a desperate mantra.
Under the warmth of Do-hyun's breath, the soft brush of his lips, Jaemin understood the words not just as a promise, but as a plea for healing. This was about a new bond being forged, one that was built on trust, not deceit. With the touch, the fear that had coiled around his heart dissolved, replaced by a sense of profound relief. He was not only giving comfort; he was finding a home in Do-hyun's arms.
Jaemin gave in, finally letting himself be held. He felt the alpha's fingers stroking the sensitive skin on his neck, right on top of the old, faded mark. This was the most intimate touch he'd ever experienced, not because of what it was, but because of what it promised: a future where he was safe, loved, and protected.
The air crackled with the smell of surging cedar, a scent that was uniquely and overwhelmingly Do-hyun. It was the scent of his alpha, no longer restrained, no longer held in check. Jaemin felt himself pulled in, drawn by a gravity more powerful than anything he had ever known. Yet, this wasn't the violent, tearing pull he had once feared. It was a slow, tender unraveling, a promise whispered on the currents of the scent.
Do-hyun's hands, so often held in check, now traced a path of pure reverence. He didn't just touch Jaemin; he explored him, as if mapping a new world he had only ever dreamed of. Jaemin's breath hitched as Do-hyun's thumb gently brushed the curve of his hip.
He saw the desperation and need in Do-hyun's dark eyes, and for the first time, the old shadows of his past felt faint and distant. The soft, sweet scent of his own cherry blossoms filled his senses, mixing with Do-hyun's sharp cedar. The pain of betrayal, the cold chill of abandonment—they were ghosts, unable to compete with Do-hyun's radiant, consuming heat.
Jaemin's own hands, which had so often been clenched in self-defense, now found their purpose. He threaded his fingers through Do-hyun's thick, dark hair, pulling him in, not out of fear, but out of an overwhelming, all-consuming need.
Their kiss wasn't a question or a plea; it was the shattering of the last wall, a tempest of pent-up need and rediscovered trust. Do-hyun's lips were a searing brand against his own, a declaration that all the waiting, all the longing, had finally culminated in this moment. Jaemin responded in kind, with an eagerness that shocked him. His body was no longer a cage of painful memories; it was a vessel, finally ready to give and to receive.
With a shiver, Jaemin came up on his knees, moving to straddle Do-hyun's hips. He felt a profound sense of purpose in this act, taking control of his own body and this moment. He glanced down, seeing the rich, dark shade of Do-hyun's eyes which were locked on him, an expression of undeniable animalistic desire layered with profound awe and tenderness.
When he finally sank down onto him, Do-hyun let out a sound that was practically primal. His face twisted in what looked like intense pain as he flung his head back against the pillows, his fingers gripping trembling grooves into Jaemin's hips.
Jaemin gasped at the fullness of Do-hyun inside him. As he began to move, clumsy with inexperience, Do-hyun lurched forward to wrap his arms around his middle, holding him close as his lips lavished a trail of careful, reverent kisses all over Jaemin's body—his chest, his neck, his throat—each kiss and point of contact a jolt of pleasure as they began a beautiful, untamed plunge into a new reality where fear held no power and only they existed.