Always You(#0.5)

Part four...

"The moment I saw you I knew who you were to me and I pitied you, Song Jiyang. I could smell your innocence from a mile away. Could see your kindness. You didn't deserve to be tied to me. You say fate played a joke on me. No, it didn't. The joke is on you, Jiyang. Your pure soul is a part of my dark, rotten one. You got stuck with a psychopathic bastard." The denial was on Jiyang's lips but Haoxuan's hand covered his mouth, another hand coming to settle on the back of Jiyang's neck. "I was selfish to keep you by my side. And I am not going to apologize for it. I knew what Bowen wanted. I met you because I wanted to see the man who had put Bowen into such a rage. Then I saw you and I wondered what someone so kind and sweet had done to piss him off. If not me, Bowen would have gone to another to teach you a lesson. I know how fragile that Alpha's ego is. He wanted you hurt so he would have asked someone else to do this. I couldn't let that happen so I went with the stupid charade. I thought...you'll get to know me. See me for the twisted fucker I am and dump my ass anyway. I thought what we had came with an expiration date. I didn't hide who I was. I was unfeeling, cruel, a total bastard yet, you stayed. I wanted to do the noble thing and let you go, but I changed my mind. When you said you didn't want to get claimed initially, I saw that as a good thing. You had an entire year to get rid of me. Yet, you didn't. You are way more stupid than I thought. You actually fell for me. Every moment I spent with you pulled me in deeper until I forgot myself. There was no chance in hell I would have let you go after that, kitten. It wasn't the mating bond that made me stay. It was you."

"Today, even if we weren't mates, you wouldn't have gotten rid of me. If someday your true mate came along, I would have killed the fucker and buried his body in our damn backyard. I wouldn't lose a second's sleep over it. But, heavens must care for me in their way. You are mine. Only mine. I have never hidden who I am from you, Song Jiyang. You chose me the way I am. So, if you think that I'll leave this house without you, you are wrong." With those words, the Alpha went on his knees his eyes pinned onto Jiyang's teary ones. "I said it to you before, you were born to save me from myself, A-Yang. I am sorry for what I did. I lied to you about Bowen. Nothing after that was ever a lie, Jiyang. Nothing between us was a lie. Whatever good that exists in me, it's because of you. So, don't leave me. I love you, kitten. Please, don't let me go." Xuan had hoped that he would be hugged or kissed the next second. He was even prepared for Jiyang to turn away without a word but what he didn't prepare himself for was the punch that swung his way. "Ouch!", Jiyang hissed and Haoxuan pulled the man to him, caressing his fist. "Does it hurt? My jaw is too hard, kitten. What were you thinking?"  "I was thinking that I want to kick your ass!" The Alpha was sprawled on the floor the next second with balled fists hitting him. "First you let me think you didn't want me! You said all those awful things. Now you come to me with that stupid face and you want me to forgive you! I will kick your ass, Haoxuan! Punch you and kick you to death!!" "I said I am sorry!"  "It's not enough! You tried to break Zhan's door too? Are you crazy? First, you sneak into his house and then you break his door!"  "It's not my fault, I told you to open up! And I didn't break in. Zhan let me in. He even told me you were staying in the guest room."  Haoxuan heard a door open and saw Zhan come out with Yibo behind him and instantly asked the man to tell his mate the truth. "Zhan...Yibo. Help me. Zhan tell him it was you who let me in. I didn't break into your house." Jiyang was panting and turned to his friend for an answer who to Haoxuan's horror denied the entire thing! Punches rained down on him again but Haoxuan found himself smiling through it all. He knew he had him back. His kitten was going to forgive him.

"Come home with me, kitten", he pleaded unbothered that Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan were seeing him this way. He was not above begging or pouting if that's what it took to make Jiyang forgive him. There was nothing he was unwilling to do. "How will I know if what you said is true? You have been lying for so long. I don't want to go with you." For a second fear came back and Haoxuan pulled Jiyang to him. "Kitten, don't do this to me. You know I love you. I swear on my life, Kitten...I love you."  "I am going to stay with Zhan. You can go home. I will come back when I feel like it." Xuan didn't know his mate could be cruel. Seeing the wet lashes and the pink nose, Xuan found himself begging his mate again but Jiyang didn't budge. Xuan's face hardened and he uttered through clenched teeth, "I will stay here as well then. I am not leaving until you come with me." It was only after Zhan told them to leave that Xuan picked Jiyang up and hauled the man over his shoulders. A low laugh left Jiyang at the move but soon he was punching his back and crying to be left alone. "We will be out of your hair now. Let's see you tomorrow for Yibo's birthday party." The men nodded and Xuan observed the way Yibo pulled Zhan close. The mark on the Alpha's throat was clear and fresh and Xuan smirked at his Alpha. As he was walking out Xuan swatted Jiyang's ass laughing at the snarl that left the Omega.

"Don't you dare think that I've forgiven you", Jiyang hissed and Xuan smiled knowing that Jiyang already had. But, he still let his Omega make a fuss. "It's okay. You don't have to forgive me now. Take your time." Jiyang was placed on the bed and Xuan kneeled before the man again resting his chin on the Omega's lap. It had been a long day. "You are so sure of yourself, Wang Haoxuan."  Xuan laughed at the words gazing back at his mate. "I am sure of the fact that you love me to bits, kitten. It's the one thought that helps me sleep better at night. So, you can pretend to be angry. Throw as many tantrums as you want but you'll do it here. In our home. In our bed."  A sigh left Jiyang knowing he had lost the battle and he pushed Xuan's head away, laying on the bed on his side. Xuan's warm body cocooned his and a soft kiss was placed on the mark on Jiyang's throat. "You have no idea how scared I was when I found out. You are the last person I expect to hurt me, Haoxuan. You should have told me sooner."  Arms tightened around Jiyang just as Xuan mumbled another apology. "I didn't know how to. You were going to get pissed. I didn't want that." "What about him?" A hot rush of anger coursed through their bond and Haoxuan's voice was vacant as he said, "You don't have to worry about that. He won't bother you anymore."  "Did you..." Jiyang didn't complete the sentence and Haoxuan kissed his mate's head responding to the question. "He is fine. But he knows he won't be if he makes me angry." Jiyang heard his phone ping and stretched over to grab it, staring at the message from Zhan. "They claimed each other!" Jiyang turned to Xuan with a wide smile and Xuan's lips curled as well. "Of course, they did. Why do you look surprised? You were sure they would end up together."  "I knew it but I hadn't expected it to happen so soon. Wait a minute, Yubin-ge's calling." Haoxuan covered his eyes with his forearm knowing what was coming.

"Yubin-ge. You finally called."  Haoxuan heard the Alpha on the other end ask if Jiyang was okay and a teasing smile embraced Jiyang's lips. "If I tell you I am  not, what will you do, ge?" The man spluttered on the other end causing Xuan to laugh. "Now that things aren't good between me and Xuan, do you want to ask me out? I am brokenhearted, gege. You can-" A beep came from the other end and Jiyang started laughing. "You enjoy teasing that man too much", Xuan grumbled pulling Jiyang back to him and Jiyang smiled. "I like seeing him all flustered. You Alphas act so tough all the time. It's fun to see you guys get embarrassed." "You don't tease me." Jiyang pulled back, staring into Xuan's eyes. "With that thick skin of yours, what can I possibly do to embarrass you? The one thing I can do to you is scare you shitless." The reminder of the shitty day he had had made Xuan shudder. "I don't want to think about this day again. You are becoming cruel, kitten. You didn't shower with me today, you were so mean to me, we didn't go for our lunch date, and on top of that, you hit me today. You are cruel."  Seeing his mate pout, Jiyang patted the Alpha's cheek. "I think so too. It's because of you. Your psychopathic tendencies are rubbing off onto me." Jiyang had hoped for the Alpha to laugh but a somber look on Xuan's face instead and he shook his head gazing into Jiyang's eyes. "You can never be like me, kitten.  You are too good for that."  "You say a lot of bad things about yourself. I don't like that."  "These thoughts only strike me when you are not with me. With you, I can hide from the truth. Without you, the truth burdens me. There's no good bone in my body. The entire world can vouch for that." A humorless chuckle left Xuan but his mate didn't share his amusement pulling the man into his chest instead. Jiyang had stopped asking Xuan to stop saying these things. The cruel words were too deeply engraved within his mate. The way to heal his Xuan's scars was to love him. Jiyang knew he had a lot of work to do. His Haoxuan had been through so much, it was Jiyang's responsibility to care for his mate. "Xuan?" "Hm?"  "I don't want you to be good to the world." Xuan raised his head looking at Jiyang with questioning eyes and Jiyang palmed his face. "I need you to be good to me. Just me. Can you do that?" A deep kiss was the response he got from his mate. "That'll be as easy as breathing for me. I'll be good to you for life, kitten."  "Good. That's all I need."