Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Daniels soft side.
The candle lighting, the bed design that looked mostly for honeymoon, even the paintings—everything was in his taste, even his favorite color and aesthetics.
How did he get this so right?
"This is beautiful... oh, better than what I always pictured my room to be." Daniel jumped, letting his guard down as he leaped like a teenager onto the bed, landing on the soft mattress that sank beneath his body and embraced him warmly.
He laughed at the bouncing bed.
"Oh, so bouncy!!!" Daniel exclaimed, too happy to frown further.
Alex just closed the door, dragged a chair from the corner, and sat down, watching him check out the room.
Maybe Daniel didn’t realize—or maybe he was just too excited to think too deeply—but Alex was the one who told Xylander how to design the room. Back at the Raven Lair, he had taken time to observe Daniel. Even when he was still an apprentice_ Adrian student and trainee, Alex noticed the little details of what caught his eye and what he secretly admired.
Eventually, he identified Daniel’s favorite style—something Daniel rarely showed openly. Only on a few occasions had he glanced at designs back in Adrian’s garden and wished his room could be like that. Alex had caught that dreamy look more than once. So, when the time came, he finalized with Xylander exactly how the room should appear.
True to his observation—Daniel loved it.
Daniel got up from the bed after laying on it and sat down, eyes still scanning the room, until he noticed a bookshelf filled with novels.
Oh, fuck.
No... it couldn’t be novels, right?
He rushed to it, scanning the shelves, and immediately recognized books he had been dying to read.
How? This wasn’t just coincidence anymore. First, the floral design he loved so much was in the room. Then the peach color he had always wanted was splashed perfectly across the walls. And now—books.
Nobody knew he loved books. He had always kept it hidden because his father had called it a waste of time and resources. Instead of a man preparing to be an overseer of the household, Daniel was caught reading fairytales. His father punished him for it, flogged him, and reminded him brutally of how "unmanly" it was. He was forced to forget reading altogether.
But now... it was all here.
He felt tears pricking. One of his other talents had died because of a dreadful accident, and his love for reading had been beaten out of him. The punishments haunted him to this day. Yet here, standing before the shelf, that old longing returned.
Daniel outstretched his hand and pulled a book—a huge novel titled Once Upon a Snow Kingdom. That was his childhood favorite, the only story where the heroine was so strong-minded that, even through trials and tribulations, she never bent.
Not to the abusive male lead, not to her scheming friends and family. She was abandoned, rejected by society, but she stood strong until everything began to change for her.
Maybe that was why Daniel related to her so much.
Kendra Malachi...
His role model. He couldn’t count how many times he had reread that book. And now, here it was again.
He needed to know how it got here. Someone had been too precise in observing him—or maybe even reading his mind. The latter seemed more possible. Only one person came to mind.
Alexander McQueen.
The only soul he had caught countless times watching him too intently.
"How did you know???" Daniel finally asked, his voice breaking the silence.
Alexander smiled.
"I knew you’d figure it out. That’s why I like you, young man—because of your wit and smart ass. As for the book, I didn’t know until I was treating you from the scorpion sting," Alex revealed.
"You were muttering in your sleep. You said how much you missed books, and you even talked about your old favorites—especially this one, and another titled Dangerous Passion, I think." Alex explained further.
"I couldn’t find the other, but this one—I called Xylander, and he arranged for it to be brought tonight. I don’t know how he managed, but he seriously got it." Alex smiled, still seated in the chair.
Daniel froze like a statue, body stiff, eyes glued to the figure before him.
Why did he keep confusing him? If he was this thoughtful, then why betray him in the first place? He just didn’t get it. He wanted to see Alex as genuine—but he was finding it hard.
Neither could he fully trust Xylander. What men had done to him had left him hopeless about that gender altogether. And now... here he was, recognized and cared for by not just one, but two prominent males. It didn’t feel like a game anymore.
"Alex, why? What are your intentions with me? Because I find it hard to see you as genuine again," Daniel asked bluntly, still clutching the book to his chest.
Alexander stood from his seat, walked toward Daniel, and began to circle him—coming so close that Daniel felt his breath slowly stolen away.
"It’s simple," Alex purred, his breath brushing against Daniel. "To see you grow into someone strong and independent. To watch you destroy your enemies. To stand by my good friend Xyle, and protect you both until I die. Isn’t that genuine enough?"
His pheromones were heavy—scent of winter air. This wasn’t the usual Alpha scent. It was commanding, powerful, yet strangely mild and soothing. That was Alexander: different, strange, and weirdly calm.
"So, you’re willing to protect me till the end of the world?" Daniel questioned, making Alex step back a bit.
"That’s if you stay with Xylander. I won’t tolerate anything that breaks my guy’s heart. As long as you both are together, your protection is in my hands." Alexander decreed.
It was at that moment Daniel saw a different side of Alexander. Beneath the cocky, superficial exterior was a man dedicated—maybe even kind, in his own twisted way.
"Okay, fair enough." Daniel returned the book to the shelf and let his eyes sweep once more across the golden walls, the ceiling, and even the golden floor, which, in his mind, shone brighter than his future.
All of this felt too good to be real.
"So... I’m getting married tomorrow," he muttered sadly, remembering that his parents would never be there.
"One more thing, Alex. This is the only thing I’ll ask of you." Daniel turned toward the bed, speaking with his back to him.
Alexander nodded, waiting. "And that is?"
"Don’t tell Xylander I’m an omega. Not yet. I still need to sort out myself and come out clean on my own. I hope you understand." Daniel asked softly. He still needed to understand how Alex even knew his real surname and rank, and whether he knew more about his family. For that, he wanted to investigate properly—on his own.
Alexander nodded. He knew it wasn’t his place to reveal Daniel’s secret. It was up to Daniel, so he wouldn’t interfere.
"My mouth is sealed, Dan. Now go to bed. Just a few more hours, and your single-ass day is over." Alex joked, pointing at the bed.
"Off to sleep, will you?" Alex added, his tone like a father figure.
Daniel rolled his eyes dramatically, flopped onto the bed again, and stretched out his hands.
"You did great, Alex. One day, your reward will come," Daniel muttered, slowly drifting to sleep under the candlelight and the dim red glow.
Alex shook his head. "Just a ’thank you’ wouldn’t hurt..." he chuckled at Daniel’s strange way of showing gratitude.
It was cute. Maybe in the future, Daniel would learn to appreciate people’s efforts in his life—and learn how to confide in them.
Alex walked to the light switch, about to turn it off, when Daniel’s sleepy voice stopped him.
"Leave it on, Alex..."
Alex glanced back at Daniel’s beautiful sleeping features.
What a beauty.
"Happy married life, beauty..." he whispered, locking the door and lying down on the long couch opposite the bed, watching Daniel drift deeper into sleep.
Unknown to Alex he is probably the only one getting to see this side Daniel. Probably for ever.