Noah's POV
Noah exhaled shakily.
"That's where I met Aiden Frost," Noah said.
Diamant's eyes darkened at the name.
Noah continued.
"Some bullies cornered me one day. They called me disgusting. A freak Omega. They said dominant Omegas were arrogant."
Noah's voice dropped.
"They were going to hurt me."
Diamant's fingers curled into Noah's waist.
"But Aiden came," Noah whispered. "He saved me."
Diamant didn't speak.
Noah's expression turned distant.
"He was charming," Noah said. "He was smart. He acted like he was different. He acted like he didn't care about status."
Noah let out a bitter laugh.
"I believed him."
He paused.
"From then on… we became friends."
Noah's voice became quieter.
"And I fell for him."
Diamant's gaze softened slightly, but the tension remained.
Noah swallowed.
"He told me he loved me," Noah whispered.
Diamant's voice was low. "And it was a lie."
Noah nodded slowly.
"It was," Noah said. "But at the time… I didn't know."
Noah leaned back into Diamant's chest again.
"I worked part-time jobs," Noah continued. "To pay for college tuition. I was exhausted all the time, but I kept going. I didn't want to lose what I fought for."
Noah's voice trembled.
"Then I got another scholarship for being the best student in the examinations."
Diamant's fingers stroked Noah's hair again, slow and comforting.
Noah continued, voice strained.
"Years later Aiden graduated.
He convinced me to let him mark me," Noah whispered. "He said it would protect me. That it would show I belonged to him.
That it would keep other Alphas away."
Noah's eyes closed.
"I loved him. So I agreed."
Diamant's jaw clenched, but he stayed quiet.
Noah exhaled shakily.
"Months later, Aiden got a job offer in another city," Noah said. "It was his dream job. I was happy for him."
Noah's laugh was hollow.
"But after that… he changed."
Diamant's voice was sharp. "How?"
Noah hesitated.
"He became colder," Noah whispered. "He started treating me like I was… like I was lucky he even looked at me. Like I was a tool he could use."
Noah's voice broke.
"And then he left."
Diamant's gaze turned murderous.
"He abandoned you," Diamant said.
Noah nodded.
"I still tried to excuse it," Noah admitted quietly. "I thought maybe he was stressed. Maybe the new job was hard. Maybe he still loved me but didn't know how to show it."
Noah's lips trembled.
"I was stupid."
Diamant's voice cut through instantly.
"You weren't stupid."
Noah looked up at him.
Diamant's eyes were intense.
"You were starving for love," Diamant said. "And he fed you crumbs."
Noah's throat tightened.
He couldn't speak.
He just stared.
Noah had never heard someone describe it so perfectly.
Noah swallowed and continued.
"After my I graduated, i worked more part-time jobs," Noah said. "I kept trying hard. I kept trying to survive."
He exhaled.
"And then I interviewed for your company."
Diamant's brows lifted slightly.
Noah smiled weakly.
"And luckily… I got the job."
Diamant's voice was firm.
"Not luckily."
Noah blinked.
Diamant stared at him, gaze unwavering.
"You nailed the interview," Diamant said. "You earned that position. You didn't stumble into it."
Noah's chest tightened.
Something warm spread inside him.
He hadn't realized how much he needed to hear that.
Noah whispered softly, "Thank you…"
Diamant's fingers lifted Noah's chin gently.
His voice dropped.
"I'm sorry," Diamant murmured.
Noah blinked. "Sorry?"
Diamant's expression tightened.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Diamant said quietly. "When you were being beaten. When you were locked away. When you were starving. When you were forced to survive alone."
Noah stared at him, stunned.
Diamant's eyes were serious.
"I'm sorry no one protected you," Diamant said.
Noah's eyes burned.
Then he let out a shaky laugh.
"Diamant," Noah whispered.
Diamant's gaze softened.
Noah reached up, touching his cheek.
"You didn't know me back then," Noah said gently.
Diamant's jaw clenched, as if the logic didn't comfort him.
Noah smiled through tears.
"But you're here now," Noah whispered. "You're protecting me now."
Diamant's gaze flickered.
His voice turned quiet.
"I should've found you sooner."
Noah's heart squeezed painfully.
He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Diamant's.
"That's not how life works," Noah whispered. "But… I'm glad you found me at all."
Diamant's arms tightened around him.
And for a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Because some silences weren't empty.
Some silences were full of things too heavy for words.
Noah closed his eyes.
And for the first time in his life…
When he thought about his past, it didn't feel like a chain around his neck.
It felt like a scar.
Still painful.
Still ugly.
But no longer bleeding.
Because now, he had Diamant.
And Diamant wasn't just an Alpha.
Diamant was the first person who looked at Noah and didn't see a commodity.
He saw a person.
A fragile one.
A stubborn one.
A beautiful one.
A wounded one.
But still…
A person worth loving.
Diamant's lips brushed Noah's forehead softly.
Noah shivered.
Then Diamant whispered, voice deep and low, like a vow carved into stone.
"Noah…"
Noah hummed quietly. "Mm?"
Diamant's fingers slid through his hair.
"I will never let anyone lock you away again," Diamant said. "I will never let anyone touch you like that again."
Noah's eyes filled again.
Diamant's voice became colder.
"And if anyone tries…"
Noah cut him off softly, pressing a finger to his lips.
"No killing," Noah whispered.
Diamant blinked.
Noah's lips curved slightly.
"I know you're capable," Noah said. "But… I want you safe too."
Diamant stared at him.
Then, unexpectedly, he let out a small breath of laughter.
A real one.
A warm one.
Noah blinked, surprised.
Diamant pressed a kiss to Noah's finger, then murmured against it,
"You're too soft for this world."
Noah smiled.
"And you're too dangerous," Noah whispered.
Diamant's eyes gleamed.
"But I'm your dangerous," Diamant murmured.
Noah's cheeks warmed instantly.
He buried his face in Diamant's chest again, embarrassed.
Diamant's hand rubbed Noah's back slowly.
And in that moment, Noah realized something that made his chest ache with emotion.
Their love wasn't perfect.
It wasn't clean.
It wasn't a fairytale.
It was made from broken childhoods, stolen warmth, scars hidden under smiles.
But maybe…
That was why it mattered more.
Because they didn't love each other as people who had lived easy lives.
They loved each other as survivors.
And survivors didn't love lightly.
Survivors loved like it was the last light in the world.
Noah's voice came out small.
"…Diamant?"
Diamant hummed. "Yes, love."
Noah hesitated.
"…Do you ever wish you were different?" Noah asked quietly. "Not cold. Not distant. Not… the ruthless Alpha everyone fears?"
Diamant was silent for a moment.
Then he whispered, voice almost thoughtful,
"No."
Noah blinked.
Diamant's hand moved to Noah's neck, fingertips brushing over the fresh mark he'd given him.
"But I wish," Diamant continued, "that the world hadn't forced me to become this."
Noah's breath caught.
Diamant's lips pressed to Noah's hair again.
"And I wish," he murmured, "that my mother could have met you."
Noah's chest tightened.
He whispered, "I think she would've loved you, Noah."
Diamant's arms tightened around him.
Then, quietly, Noah felt Diamant bury his face into Noah's hair.
And for the first time, Noah heard it.
Not a sob.
Diamant would never allow himself to sob.
But a breath.
A broken breath.
A silent crack in a man who had carried too much alone.
Noah held him tighter.
And for a long time, they stayed there.
Cuddled on the couch.
The muted movie forgotten.
The world outside irrelevant.
Because for the first time in both their lives…
They weren't alone anymore.
Not truly.
Not ever again.
And yet…
Somewhere in the city…
Aiden Frost had vanished.
And Evan Leigh was already stepping into the shadows to drag the truth back into the light.
Whether the world liked it…
Or not.