The dorm was silent. Too silent.
Klan stood frozen in the living room long after Kael stormed off. His chest felt heavy, his mind spinning with everything that had just happened. Lior's words still echoed in his ears like poison:
"You're wasted there. With me, you could be more than a pretty face standing in Kael's shadow."
He hated it. Hated that part of him—some small, broken part—had wondered if Lior was right.
When Klan finally gathered the courage to move, he headed toward the hallway to go to his room. But the moment he turned the corner, a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, slamming him gently but firmly against the wall.
Kael.
The Alpha's amber eyes burned like molten fire, his jaw tight, his breath coming in sharp bursts as if he'd been holding it in.
"What the hell were you doing out there with him?" Kael's voice was low, rough, and it sent shivers down Klan's spine.
"I told you," Klan stammered, his voice shaky. "He came to me. I didn't—"
"You didn't what?" Kael stepped closer, his body towering over Klan's, the heat of him pressing against the omega like a storm. "You didn't tell him to leave? You didn't think maybe you should run the other way?"
Klan's eyes widened. "I did! I told him I didn't want anything from him!"
"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?" Kael growled, his grip tightening on Klan's wrist. "Why did I have to find you like that?"
Klan's chest heaved, his heart pounding like it wanted to escape. "Because I didn't want to cause trouble for the group!"
Kael froze.
Klan swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "I didn't want you to look at me like I'm a burden. Like I'm the reason everything's falling apart." His gray-blue eyes glistened, his words breaking apart. "I already feel like I'm standing in your shadow, Kael. I didn't want to make it worse."
Kael stared at him—really stared—and something inside him cracked.
"You think you're a burden?" His voice dropped, raw and shaking. "You think I would ever see you like that?"
Klan opened his mouth to reply, but Kael didn't let him.
He slammed his other hand against the wall beside Klan's head, caging him in completely. His face was inches from Klan's now, his amber eyes blazing with something Klan had never seen before.
"You drive me insane," Kael said, his voice harsh but his breath trembling. "Do you know what it's like, watching you smile at someone else? Watching him—Lior—talk to you like he owns you?"
Klan's breath caught. "Kael…"
"I can't stand it," Kael whispered, his forehead dropping against Klan's for just a second, his voice breaking. "I can't stand the thought of losing you."
Klan's heart stopped. The air between them was thick, electric, charged with something dangerous and undeniable.
"Kael…" Klan's voice was barely a whisper. "Why… why do you care so much?"
Kael's eyes locked on his, burning like wildfire. And for the first time, Kael didn't hold back.
"Because you're mine," Kael said, his voice deep and trembling with truth.
Klan's breath hitched. His lips parted, but no words came out.
Before either of them could move, a door down the hall opened. Tavi's sleepy voice called out, "Hyung? Klan? Why are you—"
Kael stepped back so fast it was like the spell shattered. His jaw clenched, his eyes still burning, but his voice was steady when he muttered, "Go to bed."
Without another word, he turned and disappeared into his room, leaving Klan standing against the wall, his knees weak, his heart in chaos.
Because you're mine.
The words wouldn't stop echoing.
And Klan didn't know what scared him more—that Kael had said it… or that he wanted it to be true.