The Alpha's Mate

{7}

Heeseung never thought he would fall in love. Love was a concept he had always avoided, something his father had drilled into him as a weakness. "Never let your emotions control you," his father had said. "Love makes you vulnerable." It was a lesson Heeseung had learned well, shaping him into the aggressive Alpha he was known to be.

But now, walking beside Jaeyun, everything he had believed about love felt like it was crumbling. Heeseung’s heart had started to change in ways he never anticipated. Jaeyun wasn’t a weakness—he was something else entirely. The feelings Heeseung was experiencing were powerful, but they didn’t make him vulnerable. Instead, they made him want to protect Jaeyun with everything he had.

Heeseung couldn’t stop thinking about how much Jaeyun had been through, how much pain he had endured. He felt an overwhelming desire to be the one to shield Jaeyun from all of it, even if it meant going against everything his father had taught him.

For the first time in his life, Heeseung was beginning to realize that love didn’t make him weaker—it made him stronger. And as he looked at Jaeyun, he knew he could never let him go.

Heeseung walked beside Jaeyun, his thoughts swirling in a way they never had before. Each step they took in silence seemed to amplify the realization that had been creeping up on him for weeks—he was in love. It was strange, unfamiliar territory, and part of him wanted to fight it, to shove those feelings back down where they couldn’t interfere with the life he had built. But every glance at Jaeyun, every flicker of fear and vulnerability in his eyes, made it impossible to ignore.

Heeseung’s father had always been ruthless, the kind of Alpha who saw emotions as a liability. He raised Heeseung to be cold, strong, and untouchable. Emotions like love, affection, or care had no place in his father’s world, and Heeseung had followed that path for most of his life. But Jaeyun changed everything.

As they walked, Heeseung couldn’t help but replay Jaeyun’s words in his mind—the fear of being controlled, of being hurt again, just like his parents had done to him. The anger simmered beneath Heeseung’s calm exterior. He hated that anyone could make Jaeyun feel that way, that anyone could take someone as precious as him and leave him so broken.

Without thinking, Heeseung slowed his steps, turning to Jaeyun with a mixture of intensity and gentleness in his eyes. He needed Jaeyun to understand what was happening inside him, even if he didn’t have all the words to explain it.

"Jaeyun," Heeseung began, his voice quiet but firm. "I know I’ve been… aggressive. Maybe even scary to you. But I swear, I’m not like them." He paused, struggling to say something he had never told anyone before. "I wasn’t raised to understand love. My father... he taught me it was a weakness, something that would make me vulnerable. And for a long time, I believed him."

Jaeyun looked up at Heeseung, his eyes widening at the sudden vulnerability in the Alpha’s voice. Heeseung had always seemed so unshakable, so strong, that hearing this side of him was almost shocking.

"But I’m starting to think he was wrong," Heeseung continued, his eyes never leaving Jaeyun’s. "Because every time I’m with you, I don’t feel weak. I feel like I would do anything to keep you safe, to make sure no one ever hurts you again."

Jaeyun’s breath caught in his throat. Heeseung’s words were raw, and for a moment, Jaeyun could see the struggle behind them—the years of suppressing emotions, of being taught to see love as something dangerous.

"I’m scared too," Heeseung admitted, his voice softening. "But I don’t want to lose you because of my past. You’re not a weakness to me, Jaeyun. You’re everything."

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. Jaeyun looked into Heeseung’s eyes, seeing the conflict, the sincerity, and the love that he had never expected to find there. It wasn’t the aggressive Alpha that he feared standing before him—it was someone who was willing to fight against everything he had been taught, just to be with him.

Jaeyun’s heart softened, the fear loosening its grip, if only for a moment. Heeseung’s words stirred something in him—hope. Maybe Heeseung could be different. Maybe, together, they could both heal.

"I don’t know if I’m ready yet," Jaeyun whispered, his voice trembling. "But I’m not saying no. I just… need time."

Heeseung nodded, the softness in his expression still present. "Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere."

And for the first time, Jaeyun felt a sense of peace. Maybe, just maybe, this love wasn’t something to be feared after all.