Fallen General's Omega (BL)
Chapter 174: Yours

Chapter 174: Yours

Noelle leaned further into Thorne, the warmth of the water a soothing contrast to the storm of emotions churning within him. His eyes remained closed as he spoke, his voice trembling slightly with vulnerability. "I don’t even know how I fell in love with you," he admitted, a bittersweet smile curving his lips.

"When I came to that hill, all I wanted was a family of my own. After losing my mum... and with no alphas left in the village, you were my only chance. My only hope for something more. Someone I could call mine. A place to belong."

Thorne stilled behind him, his grip tightening around Noelle’s hand as the words sank in.

"When I first found you," Noelle continued, his voice soft and tinged with sadness, "you were barely more than a bag of bones. Dying, poisoned, and clinging to life by sheer stubbornness. You were so cold, so distant, but you were my husband, and I’d made a promise—to you and to myself. I nursed you back to health because it was the only thing I could do, the only thing I knew how to do. But somewhere along the way..."

Noelle’s voice faltered, and he opened his eyes, staring at the rippling surface of the water as if it held the answers to the emotions overwhelming him. "Somewhere along the way, I realized I’d fallen in love with you. Not because you were my husband, not because I had no other choice, but because you were you. You became everything to me. It wasn’t sudden. You just... snuck in and took over. Like you always belonged there, in my heart."

A soft, self-deprecating laugh escaped him as he shook his head. "It was so odd, loving you. And yet, it felt so right."

Thorne exhaled a shaky breath, his free hand coming up to cradle the back of Noelle’s head. His touch was gentle, his voice steady but filled with an intensity that sent shivers down Noelle’s spine.

"Then I owe my thanks to the Crown Prince of Aspen," Thorne said, his words laced with bitter irony. "For his treachery. For scheming to have you framed for my death. Because without that cruel twist of fate, you would’ve never come to me."

Thorne’s fingers, which had been idly playing with Noelle’s hair, stilled. Slowly, he intertwined them with Noelle’s, their joined hands resting on Noelle’s chest. The gesture was intimate, grounding, a silent acknowledgment of everything they had endured to reach this moment.

Noelle chuckled softly, the sound carrying an edge of disbelief as he thought back to the younger, more hopeful version of himself—the naive boy who had believed becoming an omega bride for a gold coin could change his life. He could see himself so clearly, standing there with dreams in his eyes and desperation in his heart.

"I was so foolish back then," he murmured, his gaze fixed on their intertwined fingers. "So hopeful. I thought marrying a stranger would solve everything. It could’ve turned out so much worse. What if you hadn’t been you? What if I’d been trafficked? Or worse, killed?"

He swallowed hard, his throat tightening at the thought of the dangers he’d narrowly avoided. And yet, even as the weight of those possibilities pressed down on him, he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

"But I’m glad," he said, his voice breaking slightly as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. "I’m so glad I made that choice. Because it brought me here. To you. To this."

Thorne shifted, his arms encircling Noelle more firmly, pulling him close until there was no space left between them. "You saved me," Thorne said, his voice raw with emotion. "I don’t think you’ll ever understand just how much. I was nothing before you, Noelle. Just a hollow man waiting to die. But you..." His voice cracked, and he paused, his forehead resting against Noelle’s damp hair. "You gave me a reason to fight. To live. To love."

Thorne’s gaze lingered on their intertwined fingers, his thumb brushing gently over Noelle’s knuckles. There was a quiet awe in his eyes, a reverence he couldn’t put into words. He still didn’t understand how fate had granted him Noelle, this radiant soul who had breathed life into his hollow existence. He knew he didn’t deserve this man, but that didn’t matter now. What mattered was making sure that Noelle never regretted his choice—not today, not tomorrow, not for as long as Thorne lived.

He would spend every waking moment proving himself worthy of Noelle’s love.

Noelle, meanwhile, studied their joined hands, his expression softer, more serene. His thoughts wandered back to all the moments that had led them here—to the boy who had taken a leap of faith for a life he couldn’t even picture, and to the man who had risen from the ashes of despair because of that boy’s stubborn resolve.

Thorne let go of Noelle’s hand, his fingers trailing upward until they found their way to Noelle’s neck. His touch was deliberate as he rested them on the smooth, polished surface of the collar, its embedded star gleaming faintly in the dim light.

"I spent half my fortune on this," Thorne said, his voice low and teasing, yet tinged with pride. "And my fortune, mind you, is not something to be taken lightly. If I were serious, I could run a small country."

Noelle’s lips curved into a smirk, his eyes alight with amusement as he looked up at his husband. "What do you want me to do? Applaud you?"

Thorne raised a brow, his fingers curling slightly to tug at the collar with playful intent. "Applause is optional," he murmured, a mischievous glint in his eye. "But I can think of other ways you could show your appreciation."

Noelle’s smirk widened as he leaned in, their faces mere inches apart. His voice dropped to a sultry whisper, rich with teasing affection. "You don’t have to make excuses if you want me, Thorne. You just have to ask."

The tension in the air shifted, thickening as the space between them disappeared. Thorne’s gaze darkened, a rare softness mingling with the intensity that always seemed to burn in his eyes when he looked at Noelle. "I don’t need to ask, my star," he said, his voice a low, possessive rumble.

"You’re already mine."

Thorne’s voice trembled as he broke the fragile silence between them, his tone raw, almost pleading. "My beloved star, I’m begging. Please, let me have you." The words came out hoarse, stripped of any pretense or hesitation, his desire and vulnerability laid bare.

Noelle tilted his head slightly, the flicker of a smile gracing his lips. His gaze softened, a mixture of fondness and amusement as he studied the man before him—his husband, his alpha, his everything.

"All you had to do was ask," Noelle murmured, his voice light but laced with something deeper. "I was wondering when you were finally going to."

Thorne’s breath hitched at the simple, teasing response, his heart pounding in his chest. The weight of longing he’d been carrying melted away as Noelle leaned closer, closing the distance between them.

"I’m yours," Noelle whispered, his words a quiet, unwavering promise. "Always."