Chapter 99: Who told you it was yours?
"Then let’s part ways for now." Michael said. "I didn’t say I wouldn’t accept you when you come for me in the future. For now... I’d like to pretend that the Noah in my life was just a dream and I am back in reality."
"You’ll suffer." Noah said, looking at him with worried eyes.
"Yeah, but it’s far better than the suffering I’ll go through if I wait for you endlessly with no direction of what was right or wrong, checking my phone every hour and every minute if you left a message, staring at the door, waiting for you to walk in. If I imagine you were never in my life, it would be more bearable than having to wait like this, Noah."
His eyes teared up.
"Noah, do you know? I can do both. I can decide to suffer while thinking your existence was a dream and I can also suffer while waiting for you. And it’s because... I love you way more than I love myself. You made me this way so tell me. What should I do?"
Noah knew this. He knew but he wished Michael would wait for him. He wished Michael would look forward to his calls and watch the door, waiting for him even though he knew he wouldn’t come.
He was being selfish, he knew.
But that was what his heart desired.
And with the thought of a baby coming, he just couldn’t imagine how Michael could live without him. No, how would he even react to the news?
Before that, he needed to get Michael checked just to be sure and not give him false news.
So many things needed to be done.
"Then, if you won’t wait for me," Noah said. "At least, never forget me. Keep me in your heart, at least."
"Pft, that’s a given." Michael said. "I never said I was going to move on, though. So, if that’s what you’re worrying about, then you don’t have to. I... I may not use my every day waiting for you, but my arms and doors are always wide open for you. So..." He hugged Noah, pressing his head to his chest. "...once you’re done with what you’re busy with, then come back to me. I’m begging you, Noah. Don’t forget about me and leave me hanging. You have my heart in your arms right now. So, take care of it." He kissed the top of his head. "Don’t let it slip. It’s fragile." He smiled.
Noah held Michael. He didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to leave Michael even one bit. He just... He just wanted them to be happy.
"I won’t." Noah said. "I won’t let it slip. I’ll hold it tenderly and... I’ll make sure to return with it in my arms." He held Michael closely. "And when I do, we won’t need to be apart anymore."
"Alright, I’ll hold you up on your promise." Michael said and then kissed him.
Sebastian saw this and realized this was his cue to give them some space. He headed out and stood outside the door.
They kissed for a while, their breath getting heavy and Noah’s hands roaming inside Michael’s shirt.
This might be the last time they get to share each other’s heat and fall into pleasure, drowning in ecstasy. After now... After now... And now they longed to hold each other more than before.
"Michael," Noah called as they parted their lips. "I love the ring."
Michael blinked and recalled he had ’stolen’ the ring.
"Who told you it was yours?" Michael asked him and Noah laughed.
"Who else would it belong to?" He asked. "It’s not even your size."
"Do you know if I bought it for my big toe?" Michael asked but that was such a funny joke that Noah laughed.
"Then, consider it stolen." Noah said. "I’ll apologize to your big toe some other time." He pressed his face on Michael’s neck, nibbling on it and causing Michael to shudder in excitement. "What about you?" Noah asked. "I see you’re still wearing it. Do you like it?"
Michael knew he was referring to the bracelet that was still on his wrist.
"I’m just wearing it." He said, looking away as his ears flushed.
"I’ll take that as a yes," Noah said and blew on his ear.
"You already know so why do you still ask?"
"Just because." Noah said.
He took a long time picking out Michael’s present. That was why he took longer than he should have the previous night. He almost didn’t make it in time before twelve but he was able to find something that would look good and not too flashy on Michael.
"Thank you, Michael." Noah said, hugging him once more. "For everything."
"Don’t say it like this is goodbye." Michael said. "We’re just parting always temporarily."
"What will you do while you’re alone?"
"I didn’t know." Michael’s gaze turned soft as he thought about it. "Maybe I’ll travel around the world."
"That’s a good..." Noah suddenly paused. Wait, that wasn’t a good idea.
If he was pregnant, he couldn’t move around like that. What if he got hurt? No, more than that. How would it look if a pregnant man was moving from place to place?
People would stare. They would judge. He couldn’t put Michael through all of that.
But even then, this was a variable that the elders must never know. If Michael did stay and give birth, the elders would find out one way or the other and try to get the child.
If they got the child, they could get rid of Noah without thinking twice and then raise the child into the perfect Alpha like they wanted.
Once that happened... The elders’ circle would definitely remain and... Everything would definitely go wrong.
Noah gulped.
Then, was the only way to avoid such a thing from happening to her rid of the baby?
Because once the baby was born, even if they couldn’t get rid of Noah, the elders would definitely get rid of Michael.
A life without Michael was going to be hell.
Did he have the power to protect them yet? The influence of the elders’ circle was still large and it would take a while before he could enact his own authority thoroughly.
Now, he was regretting waging war on them so early. He just never expected Michael’s condition to be due to pregnancy.
If he did, then he would’ve acted submissive till he could secure Michael in a safe house and have him give birth there, out of the knowledge of the elders.
He made a mistake.
"Michael," Noah called, squinting his eyes.
"What’s wrong."
"Have you ever thought of what you would do if you found out you were pregnant?"
