The night was quiet again.
A soft breeze moved through the trees outside, rustling the leaves like whispers. The moonlight spilled across the stone floor, painting silver lines across the room.
Kai sat near the window, legs pulled to his chest, staring out at the stars.
He couldn't sleep.
His magic still hummed in his veins, calmer now, but never fully silent. Ever since the training earlier, something inside him felt open—raw, like a door that couldn't close again.
Behind him, the door creaked open gently.
Lucien stepped inside, barefoot, dressed in a loose black shirt and pants. His hair was damp, like he'd just washed away the day. In his hand, he carried a mug of tea.
"I thought you might still be awake," Lucien said softly.
Kai gave a small smile. "I can't turn it off."
Lucien walked over and handed him the tea. "It's not something you turn off. But it'll get easier."
Kai held the warm cup between his palms. The heat helped.
Lucien sat beside him, leaning against the wall with a soft sigh. For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't heavy—it was quiet in a good way. Like the world had paused for just them.
After a moment, Kai asked, "Is it always like this? The power?"
Lucien tilted his head. "Not always. Sometimes it feels like part of you. Other times, like it's something watching from the inside. It depends on how much pain or peace you've lived through."
Kai looked at him. "You've lived through a lot, haven't you?"
Lucien didn't answer at first.
Then he said quietly, "More than I talk about."
Kai hesitated, then asked, "Will you tell me?"
Lucien turned to him, surprised. He studied Kai's face for a moment—like he was checking if Kai really wanted the truth.
Then he looked away again, toward the window.
"My curse isn't like yours," Lucien began. "It's not glowing light or shaking earth. It's... silence. Emptiness."
Kai frowned. "I don't understand."
Lucien gave a soft, sad smile. "I was born bonded. My first omega was chosen for me when I was twelve. She was kind. Quiet. We didn't even touch before she was taken away."
Kai's breath caught. "Why?"
"Because my bond didn't connect," Lucien said. "It rejected her. My power knew before I did—she wasn't mine. Not truly. She could've died if we forced it. That's how I learned the bond has its own mind."
Kai swallowed. "So what happened?"
"My family was furious. They thought I was broken. They tried to pair me with others. Over and over. But every time, my bond rejected them. I couldn't feel heat. Couldn't trigger it. Not until…"
He paused.
Kai's heart beat faster. "Not until me."
Lucien nodded. "The moment I touched you... it was like waking up from a hundred years of nothing."
Kai didn't know what to say.
Lucien's voice dropped to a whisper. "The curse, as they called it, is that I was born with a sealed bond. Cold. Untouchable. Most alphas live in heat cycles, drawn to power, to their omega. I lived without it. Empty. Waiting."
He looked at Kai again, eyes dark but soft.
"And now you're here."
Kai's cheeks warmed. "That sounds more like fate than a curse."
Lucien gave a small laugh. "Fate is just a prettier name for a long, lonely road."
They sat quietly again. The night wind drifted in through the open window. Somewhere in the woods, an owl hooted softly.
Kai turned his face toward Lucien. "Does it still feel like a curse?"
Lucien looked at him, really looked. "Not with you."
Something thick settled in Kai's chest.
He looked down at the tea in his hands, then whispered, "I thought I was cursed too. When I was young, things around me would break. Lights would flicker. I'd cry, and the whole house would shake. My family told me to hide it. To fear it."
Lucien reached out gently, fingers brushing Kai's.
"You're not a curse," he said. "You're a storm learning how to love."
Kai blinked hard, emotions rising sharp and fast. He didn't want to cry. Not now. Not in front of Lucien. But something about those words—a storm learning how to love—cracked something open inside him.
Lucien saw the change and didn't push. He just stayed there, beside him. Close. Warm. Safe.
After a moment, Kai asked quietly, "Do you still feel the bond now?"
Lucien's voice was a low murmur. "All the time. Like a fire under the skin. But gentler now. It doesn't hurt anymore."
Kai nodded. "It feels like... gravity."
Lucien smiled. "That's exactly what it is."
They sat like that for a long time, their fingers barely touching.
Not a kiss. Not a claim.
Just two people carrying pieces of themselves into the open, hoping the other would hold them.
Eventually, Lucien stood up slowly.
"You should try to rest," he said, voice soft.
Kai looked up. "Will you stay?"
Lucien hesitated only for a breath, then nodded. "Only if you want me to."
Kai moved aside slightly, pulling the blanket open.
Lucien joined him on the floor near the window, shoulder to shoulder, back against the wall. No pressure. No rush. Just presence.
The stars above them burned quietly.
Kai leaned his head on Lucien's shoulder.
And for the first time in years, he didn't feel like something broken.
He felt like he was home.