The Alpha's Mate

{17}

By the end of the day, Jaeyun was completely drained. His body ached in places he hadn’t even realized could hurt, and his limbs felt heavy from the intense training session. Hana had been thorough, showing him the basics of self-defense, but it was more physically demanding than he had expected.

As he dragged himself back into the house, he felt the weight of exhaustion settle over him like a thick blanket. His muscles throbbed, and the sweat from the hours of training clung to his skin, making him long for a bath. Heeseung, who had been waiting for him, stood up from the couch when Jaeyun finally appeared.

“You look like you’ve been through a war,” Heeseung said, half-teasing, but his eyes were full of concern as he quickly approached.

Jaeyun forced a tired smile, wiping his forehead. “It sure feels like it.”

Heeseung frowned, his protective instincts flaring again as he scanned Jaeyun’s exhausted expression. “See, this is what I was worried about,” he muttered, his voice softer. “You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

“I’ll be fine,” Jaeyun replied, though his voice was noticeably weaker. “It’s just… a lot more than I expected.”

Heeseung reached out, wrapping his arms around Jaeyun and pulling him into a comforting embrace. “You don’t have to do this if it’s too much, you know. I don’t want to see you worn out like this.”

Jaeyun leaned into Heeseung, appreciating the warmth and strength of his embrace. “I know, but it’s something I want to do. I just need to get used to it. Your mom’s a tough teacher.”

Heeseung chuckled softly, rubbing Jaeyun’s back gently. “Yeah, she can be. But still… don’t push yourself too much, okay? You’re important to me, and I don’t want you to burn out.”

“I won’t,” Jaeyun mumbled, his eyelids growing heavier as the comfort of Heeseung’s arms began to lull him to sleep.

Heeseung noticed Jaeyun’s drowsiness and smiled softly. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and into bed. You need to rest.”

Jaeyun nodded weakly, and Heeseung helped him upstairs, guiding him to the bathroom. After Jaeyun managed to take a quick shower, he stumbled back into bed, barely managing to pull the covers over himself before exhaustion fully claimed him.

Heeseung sat on the edge of the bed, watching over Jaeyun with a fond, protective gaze. He couldn’t help but admire how determined Jaeyun was, but seeing him so worn out made Heeseung even more protective of his mate. He leaned down, brushing a soft kiss to Jaeyun’s forehead before whispering, “Sleep well, my Luna.”

As Jaeyun’s breathing evened out and he drifted into sleep, Heeseung stayed by his side, silently promising to support him through anything—even if that meant standing back while Jaeyun fought to grow stronger in his own way.

The next morning, Jaeyun groaned softly as soon as he stirred. His entire body felt like it had been weighed down by lead—his muscles sore and stiff from the intense training the day before. The simple act of rolling over in bed felt like a monumental task, and for a fleeting moment, he considered just staying under the covers for the entire day.

But then, the thought of Heeseung crossed his mind. Jaeyun knew that if Heeseung realized how sore he truly was, he’d be pulled out of training immediately. And Jaeyun didn’t want that. Despite the pain, he was committed to learning how to protect himself. It was important to him, and he didn’t want Heeseung’s protective instincts getting in the way of his progress.

Taking a deep breath, Jaeyun forced himself to sit up, wincing as his sore muscles protested. He glanced over at Heeseung, who was still asleep beside him, his expression peaceful and relaxed. Jaeyun’s heart softened at the sight—he didn’t want to worry Heeseung any more than he already had. He knew how much Heeseung hated the idea of him training, so he had to keep his soreness to himself, at least for now.