The sound of Felix's voice broke the spell.
Jake pulled away from Mika like he'd been jabbed by a cattle prod, stumbling back a step as guilt flooded through him like a tidal wave. What the *hell* was he doing?
He had Felix the person he loved more than anything in this world laying vulnerable and hurt in a hospital bed no more than a hundred feet away... and here he was letting some random kid seduce him in the hallway while the man he loved watched.
What kind of person was he?
Jake turned back toward Felix, face pale and expression stricken. "Felix, I can explain"
But Felix was already backing away, eyes wet and shoulders shaking subtly. "Don't," he repeated, voice thick with tears. "...Just go."
"No, sweetheart, please," Jake pleaded, taking a step forward. "I swear, it didn't mean anything. You have to believe me"
Felix shook his head, eyes dropping to the floor like he couldn't bear to look at Jake. "I saw"
Jake took another step forward, desperate now hands reaching out as if he could physically bridge the distance between them. "Please, let me explain"
"I *saw*, god damn it!" Felix choked out. "I saw you standing there... letting that kid touch you like you wanted it"
"I didn't *want* it," Jake protested, voice hoarse with desperation. "It wasn't like that, I swear"
Felix finally glanced up, and the betrayed look in his eyes nearly crushed Jake's heart. "Then what *was* it like, huh?"
"Baby, I..." Jake opened and shut his mouth, struggling to find words. How could he explain this without sounding like a complete jackass?
"I..." Jake swallowed hard, mind racing trying to formulate words that could fix this. "I didn't mean to he was just... he was flirting and I was... and I let my instincts take over for a bit but I *swear* I didn't want it."
Felix inhaled slowly, like every word was another blow. Even like this, pale and weak, there was a fire blazing in his eyes. "You *let* your instincts take over. You let yourself listen to your hormones instead of your goddamn head."
"I was *weak* for a second," Jake admitted, voice low and raw. "But it didn't go anywhere I stopped it as soon as I realized what was happening."
Felix snorted bitterly, clutching the IV pole tighter. "Yeah? Then why did your shirt still have four buttons undone?"
Jake looked down swore under his breath. He hadn't even realized...
That small detail the proof hanging right there on his body cut deeper than any words could.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, stepping closer despite Felix flinching back. "It was a mistake a stupid, *selfish* one and I regret it already more than you'll ever know."
"So you're sorry because you got *caught*." Felix's voice was sharp as a knife's edge cutting straight through any excuses. "You're sorry because I saw it happening. If I hadn't walked out and interrupted, who knows how far you would've let it go."
The silence that followed was heavy as lead crushing any protests Jake might've voiced. He knew Felix was right. If he'd been left alone to his own devices, he might've let things go too damn far.
"I-" Jake started, but the words died halfway up his throat.
How could he say *yes* admit that, left alone, there was a chance he might've let things go further?
But how could he say *no* deny the truth that was still *glaringly* obvious from his half-undone shirt?
Felix was watching him like a hawk waiting for the answer that would either break this or save it.
Jake opened and closed his mouth twice before finally whispering:
"Yeah... Yeah, I think I might've."
The moment the words escaped his lips, Jake felt the ground shift beneath his feet.
Felix stared at him for a long moment, lips parted not with surprise, but with quiet pain. Like it hurt to hear those words, but he'd half-expected them all along.
"So if I hadn't walked out," he said slowly, "you'd have gone through with it. With some... random Omega, in a damn *hospital hallway*?"
"No," Jake said quickly too quickly. He stepped forward, eyes desperate. "I mean... *yes*, I might've let it go too far if you hadn't stopped me but that doesn't mean I *wanted* to go through with it."
Felix blinked slowly, expression unreadable.
Jake ran a shaky hand through his hair. "You're the only one I want," he whispered, voice breaking. "It was my instincts reacting my control slipping for a second but my heart? My soul?" He pressed a hand to his chest. "*Only ever yours.*"
"You're all I think about," Jake continued, voice low and rough. "Every goddamn moment of every goddamn day, you're the first thing on my mind in the morning and the last thought in my head at night. You're the one I want at my side, the one I want to share my life my *everything* with. My instincts might have gone a bit haywire for a second, but my *heart*? My heart will *always* belong to you."
"I *swear*," Jake repeated, voice thick with desperation. "Please believe me. I'm sorry I'm *so damn sorry* I let myself slip. But that wasn't *me* in that hallway just now. It was my instincts being a moron and I'm sorry you had to see it."
Felix didn't reply at first, just stood there silently with an unreadable look on his face. His hands were trembling and Jake could *see* how hard he was holding himself back from falling apart.
"Babe, please," Jake pleaded softly, taking one cautious step forward. "Say something. I'm begging you. Anything. Yell at me, scream at me, hit me... I don't care. Just don't look at me like that, all shattered and broken. *Please*."
Felix opened his mouth, swallowed hard and finally croaked out: "How can I trust you won't do it again?"
The words hit Jake like physical blows. Gods, he'd really done a number on Felix's trust, hadn't he? It was breaking his heart to see the doubt in that beautiful green, to see the question written all over Felix's face: *How do I know you won't throw me away?*
"I'll prove it to you," Jake said fiercely, taking another step closer. "I swear, I'll do whatever it takes to earn back your trust. Just... *Please* give me that chance."
Felix watched him silently, chest rising and falling a little faster. Jake could practically see the thoughts warring in his head the part that was still angry, still hurt, still questioning... and the part that wanted to believe, that wanted to cling onto the last shreds of hope.
Felix swallowed, throat moving visibly and for one terrifying moment, Jake was certain this was it. It was over. It was
"Promise me something," Felix croaked.
"Anything," Jake said instantly, stepping forward hands twitching at his sides like he wanted to reach out and touch, but didn't dare.
"Promise me... you'll never let someone else touch you like that again." Felix's voice was small now, fragile like a child asking for reassurance in the dark. "Not even if I'm not around. Not even if your instincts scream for it."
Jake didn't hesitate.
"I swear," he breathed, hand pressed flat against his chest as if pledging on his own heartbeat. "No one touches me but you. No one *ever* again."
Felix stared at him a long moment then slowly nodded.
And just like that? The smallest crack of hope returned to those green eyes…
Not fixed not yet but *willing* to try
And right now? That was enough
Jake felt some of the tension ease from his shoulders as Felix slowly relaxed, the hope in his eyes flickering to life like a candle in the dark. It wasn't everything he still might've just shattered this relationship beyond repair but at least there was a chance now; a small flicker of forgiveness. *He could work with that.*
Jake took another cautious step forward, heart pounding. "Baby... can I come closer?"
"Yeah," Felix whispered after a long pause voice barely audible.
Jake moved slowly, carefully, like approaching a wounded animal. When he reached the bedside, he didn't touch just stood there, eyes locked on Felix's face as if memorizing every breath.
Then, softly: "I love you."
Felix flinched not from fear, but from feeling it so deep it hurt. His lips trembled. "You scared me."
"I know," Jake said, voice breaking. "And I'll spend every day making it up to you."
A tear slipped free down Felix's cheek.
Jake finally reached out brushed it away with his thumb and leaned in until their foreheads touched.
No words now.
Just breathing together.
*Rebuilding.*
Jake pulled away slowly, eyes roaming over Felix's face one more time as if to reassure himself Felix was still there, still real.
Then his gaze caught on something, and his expression darkened.
Mika was standing in the doorway. Staring directly at Jake.
Something glowed in the kid's eyes. Determination. Purpose. *Hunger.*
Mika stepped forward, ignoring Felix completely. His scent surged through the room cloying, sweet, and *deliberate* now like syrup poured over hot coals. "You didn't finish what we started," he murmured to Jake, voice thick with implication. "You don't have to pretend you weren't tempted."
Felix stiffened instantly in the bed heart monitor spiking as his breath caught in his throat.
Jake's jaw clenched so hard it ached.
"Get out," he growled lowly the warning laced with something dangerous.
Mika only smirked wider. Took another step closer.
"Or what? You'll throw me out?" He tilted his head. "But I'm just an Omega... harmless." Another step" And you're such a *big*, strong Alpha... surely one little Omega can't make you lose control?"
Jake's hands curled into fists at his sides as heat flared beneath his skin the pull of pheromones like chains trying to drag him down.
Felix's voice cracked through the tension: *"Jake..."*
Pleading
Terrified
On the verge of breaking again
That one word snapped something inside him
Not not again
Never again
With slow, deliberate movements that radiated power rather than rage Jake stepped forward until he was towering over Mika eye-to-eye
Then spoke two words
**"Leave now."**
His voice wasn't loud
But it thrummed with authority so deep it made the air vibrate like struck steel
For the first time?
Mika hesitated
Something primal recognized dominance when faced with it and instinct screamed: *run*
He backed away one step then another and finally turned tail and fled without looking back
Silence returned quickly but heavy this time
Broken only by shallow breaths and beeping monitors counting seconds too slow for all that had just passed between them
Jake stood there a long moment, shoulders heaving with quickened breaths. *Damn instincts.* He could feel how hard his body had wanted to act how tempting it had been to just give in and follow that desire to *take*.
But he hadn't. He'd kept control.
Because every fiber of his soul belonged to the man watching him with wide eyes from the hospital bed.
Trembling, he turned back to him. "...You okay?"