Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 84: Why Should I Trust You Now?!

Kieran feels a tightening in his chest, the emotions swirling inside him like a storm he can’t control.

His fingers twitch as he reaches out, gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from Ace’s face.

The touch is so soft, tentative, as though he’s afraid of breaking something fragile. He doesn’t want to scare Ace, doesn’t want to make him feel cornered or pressured.

But he can’t ignore this pull toward him. He’s spent so much time denying it, pushing it down, convincing himself that it wasn’t real. But now, with Ace lying beside him, so trusting, so open, Kieran knows the truth.

His feelings for him are undeniable. They are powerful. They are more than just a claim, more than just fate_ it’s love. And that’s the part Kieran has been too afraid to admit, even to himself.

"I’m sorry," he murmurs under his breath, though he knows Ace can’t hear him. But the words feel good to say. "I’m sorry for everything. For pushing you away. For not letting you in. I didn’t know what to do... but I do now."

Kieran shifts slightly, positioning himself so he’s closer to Ace.

His breath catches in his throat as he looks down at the young man who’s unknowingly captured his heart.

He can’t keep pretending he doesn’t feel this, that it’s not real. This is real. Everything about this moment is real.

He watches as Ace shifts slightly in his sleep, the smallest smile curving his lips. Kieran’s heart skips a beat.

It’s a small thing, just a fleeting expression, but it means everything to him. Ace is here, beside him, despite everything that’s happened.

Kieran brushes his thumb gently across Ace’s knuckles, his chest tightening as he leans in closer.

He can’t help himself, not when Ace is so close, so perfect in this moment. His eyes fall to Ace’s lips, and for a brief second, Kieran wonders if it would be too much to kiss him.

If it would make things worse or if it would be the one thing that finally mends the rift between them.

He doesn’t know.

But right now, all he can do is wait, wait for Ace to wake up, for the moment to feel right. And when it does, he’ll tell Ace everything.

"I’ll make it right," Kieran promises softly to the still room, his voice thick with emotion. "I swear, I’ll make it right."

Kieran leans back against the headboard, watching Ace sleep, feeling both overwhelmed and at peace.

He doesn’t know how to fix everything, how to make Ace believe in him again, but he knows that right now, this moment, is a beginning. And that’s enough.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Kieran feels a flicker of hope.

Maybe, just maybe, they can find their way back to each other.

The soft rays of sunlight filter through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room.

The air is thick with the scent of fresh linen and lingering warmth, a comfort Kieran hasn’t felt in a long time.

Ace stirs, his eyes fluttering open, the shift in his body noticeable as he begins to pull away. Kieran’s heart lurches in his chest.

In an instant, Ace jerks away from him, sitting up with wide, panicked eyes.

His breath hitches, his pulse quickening as he looks at the bed, at the sheets tangled around them.

At Kieran.

"What—?" Ace’s voice is still thick with sleep, but there’s a sharp edge of panic behind his words.

He glances down at himself, as though checking if the world around him is real. The tension is palpable.

The room feels heavier now, a sudden and awkward silence filling the space between them.

Ace doesn’t even look at Kieran as he swings his legs off the bed, attempting to rise.

"Wait!" Kieran’s voice comes out softer than he intends, a plea, an instinct to stop him from walking away.

He pushes himself off the bed in one fluid motion, his body still stiff from the aftereffects of battle, but the urgency is greater than the pain.

Ace freezes for a moment, his back to Kieran, as though he’s weighing his options, unsure whether to turn and face the man or continue walking away.

The silence stretches between them, heavy and thick with unspoken words.

"I have somewhere to be now, so I should go," Ace says, his voice breaking slightly. He doesn’t turn to face Kieran, instead moving toward the door. His steps are slow, deliberate, as if each movement takes more effort than it should.

Kieran takes a step forward, but his body protests. He winces, the dull ache of his injuries reminding him of the battle he fought just yesterday. But the pain is nothing compared to the agony of watching Ace walk away from him.

"Ace," Kieran says again, more firmly this time. "Please, can we talk?"

Ace halts mid-step, his body tense, shoulders rigid.

Kieran can feel the walls Ace has built around himself, the uncertainty in every movement.

He doesn’t blame him. After everything, Ace has every right to walk away, to distance himself.

But Kieran won’t let that happen. Not now.

Kieran steps toward him, his steps slower than he’d like, but his voice, when it comes, is steady. "Ace, please."

Ace turns slowly, his eyes scanning Kieran’s face. There’s a flicker of something_ hurt, confusion, maybe even fear_ before it all gets masked with a distant, almost cold expression.

"Am not ready to talk to about anything," Ace says, his voice softer, but the determination in his words is clear.

Kieran feels his heart tighten at the words, at the way Ace looks at him as if Kieran’s presence is a reminder of everything that went wrong.

The walls between them, built by his own hand, feel insurmountable now. But Kieran knows he has to try.

He moves forward once more, his hands outstretched, wanting to bridge the gap, wanting to reach Ace in a way words never could. "I know I’ve made mistakes. I know I hurt you. But I... I am ready to fix what I’ve done. Please, Ace."

Ace’s breath catches, and for a brief second, Kieran sees the hesitation in his eyes, the conflict raging inside him.

But then, Ace shakes his head, trying to keep his distance, trying to hold onto the resolve he’s built.

"I just don’t get it," Ace whispers, more to himself than to Kieran. "Why should I believe you now? The days you held me in your arms I thought_ now this is it, he will stay with me. But what did you do?!"

Before Kieran can respond, his eyes fall to the ground, and in that split second, his heart races.

His mind spins with a thousand things he could say to make Ace stay, to make him believe. But the words don’t come.

The silence hangs between them for a long moment before Ace looks up at him, still unsure, still distant.

But there’s something else in his gaze now_ a flicker of curiosity, maybe even a small amount of hope.