Eren froze when the bathroom door clicked open.
Adriel stepped out, robe loose at his waist, chest still damp, a towel slung over one shoulder as he worked it through his hair. The sharp bite of alcohol still lingered faintly beneath the clean soap scent, and it made Eren's chest tighten.
"You're still up?" Adriel asked, voice low, rougher than usual. His eyes cut briefly to Eren, then away, as if the sight of him by the bed was an annoyance more than a comfort. "You don't sleep unless I'm here now?"
"I thought something happened," Eren admitted, his voice caught between defense and concern. "You were in there forever."
Adriel's mouth curved, not quite a smile—closer to a smirk. "What, you thought I drowned? That's dramatic, even for you." He ruffled Eren's hair in passing, a touch too casual, before disappearing into the closet.
Eren stayed where he was, watching the empty doorway until his throat ached. He slipped beneath the covers, propping himself against the headboard. By the time Adriel returned in his pajamas, the silence was already a living thing between them.
They sat side by side, not touching, not speaking. Minutes stretched thin, like glass about to shatter.
Finally, Eren broke it. "Claude came by the office today," he said, voice small but deliberate. His fingers twisted in the blanket, betraying nerves. "He is the new chief designer… and he asked if I'd be her secretary."
Adriel stilled. His jaw set, sharp enough to cut. "No."
Eren turned his head, startled by the flatness of it. "What? Why not? Is it really so bad?"
"I'm not letting that happen," Adriel replied, calm on the surface, but there was a warning edge beneath it.
"He is not going to overwork me," Eren pressed. "And it's not like I'm useless—I want to be part of the competition. I've been saying that from the start."
Adriel's silence stretched. His gaze was unreadable, dark with something he wasn't saying.
Eren's chest tightened. He forced the words out anyway. "I'm not really doing much as your secretary, Adriel. Roen runs everything like clockwork—you don't need me there. You're just… keeping me close because I'm pregnant." He swallowed, throat tight. "If that's all I am, then what's left of me in your world? I didn't take this job just to nap in your office while you forget I'm there."
Something flickered across Adriel's face—gone as fast as it came. He leaned back against the headboard, eyes narrowing.
"You think I've locked you in here?" His voice was quiet, dangerous. Not a question—an accusation.
Eren shook his head quickly. "I didn't mean it like that. I just feel—"
"I don't trust him," Adriel cut in, gaze sharpening like a blade. "You know Claude was my ex. You've seen how he works a room. What do you think he'll do with you standing there—my secretary, and more than that?"
Eren's breath caught. "I don't think he's cruel enough to go after someone who's carrying a child…"
"He doesn't have to be cruel. Just clever. Precise." Adriel's voice was low, clipped, heavy with distaste.
"I want to do this," Eren said. He reached for Adriel's hand, his fingers brushing the Alpha's knuckles like a question. "Please."
Adriel's eyes dropped to that touch, lingering on the fragile curve of his wrist. The bond thrummed in the quiet, tugging at him despite himself.
"I won't be able to watch you," he murmured, and there was more than worry in it—there was fear.
"I don't need a guard," Eren whispered, leaning closer, his scent softening with determination. "You said I could write my own story, didn't you? Then let me turn the page. Don't hold the pen for me."
Adriel hesitated. His scent flared—storm and steel—but then eased, pulled into reluctant surrender.
"Fine," he said at last. "I don't want to cage you. But don't think for a second I'll stop worrying about you."
Eren's smile was small, fleeting. "I'll be okay. Oh—there's something else."
Adriel raised an eyebrow.
"Everyone out there… thinks Claude is your wife."
The words landed like a blade. Adriel's head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing. "What?" His voice cut sharp, glass splintering. He pulled his hand back without thinking.
The sudden absence made Eren's bond ache. His scent faltered, thinning with hurt.
"You didn't tell them?" Adriel demanded.
Eren forced a shrug, though it stung. "How could I? I can't just walk up and announce I'm your husband. They wouldn't believe me."
"You should've told me." Adriel's voice was quieter now, threaded with something raw. "That's not something you should carry alone."
"No," Eren said quickly, almost too quickly. "If they find out, they'll talk. I don't want to become someone they whisper about behind closed doors."
"That's not what matters to me." Adriel leaned forward, scent pressing heavy, protective. "Maybe it's time they knew…"
"No," Eren repeated—but his eyes betrayed him, softer, uncertain.
Adriel studied him for a long moment, as if trying to memorize the way he masked worry with a brave smile.
"What are you really afraid of?" he asked, voice husky, roughened by something he couldn't quite name.
Eren's throat bobbed. "I just… I don't want them to think I'm here because of you," he whispered. "I want to enter that competition because I deserve it. Not because they look at me and see only the president's Omega."
Eren exhaled slowly, steadying his nerves. "I don't want people whispering that I only got in because of you. I need to prove something—to them, but mostly to myself."
"I get it," Adriel replied quietly—then, without warning, he lowered his head into Eren's lap.
Eren froze, startled by the sudden intimacy. His hand hovered in the air before finally settling on Adriel's hair, tentative fingers brushing through the damp strands. The Alpha closed his eyes, his scent easing from sharp steel to something softer, warmer. The bond between them thrummed, tugging at Eren's chest until the ache in him loosened.
"You know," Adriel murmured, his voice low, lazy with exhaustion, "I don't care what people think. I'm their boss. They won't dare say anything to my face."
"I know…" Eren whispered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But I have something I want to prove, Adriel. So until then…"
"You want us to stay quiet."
He nodded slowly. "Yes."
Adriel's eyes flicked up to his, sharp even beneath his softened scent. "Are you sure you'll be okay with that? With everyone assuming Claude is still mine? That he's the one in my life?"
"I'm not weak," Eren replied, his fingers stroking gently along Adriel's temple. His voice was steady now, though his scent trembled at the edges. "I want to be someone who truly deserves to stand beside you. Someone they'll see and say, 'Of course he's his mate.'"
Adriel's lips curved into a quiet, amazed smile. He pushed himself upright, his hand sliding to the back of Eren's neck, warm and steady, his Alpha presence pressing close.
"You don't need to prove anything, Red," he whispered, his gaze holding Eren's like an oath. "You already are that man."
Then he leaned in, lips brushing Eren's with a reverence that made his whole body still. The kiss was unhurried, tender, threaded with the weight of their bond. Eren's lashes fluttered shut, his fingers curling into Adriel's collar as he kissed him back with quiet intensity. Nothing rushed. Nothing forced. Just truth in the way their scents intertwined, sealing a vow no one else would ever hear.