Jax's POV
I leaned against the cold metal wall in the small storage room on Deck 9, my heart beating fast. This was the only place Theo and I could meet safely these days. The lights were dim, and the hum of the ship's engines felt louder than usual tonight.
Theo arrived a few minutes later. He slipped inside quietly and locked the door behind him. The moment our eyes met, I felt that familiar pull in my chest. He looked tired but still so handsome. His light brown hair was messy, and his broad shoulders were tense.
"Hey," I said softly.
"Hey," he replied, his voice low. He walked closer but stopped a step away from me, like he was afraid to get too close too fast.
We had been seeing each other for almost three months now. Three months of stolen moments, secret meetings, and constant fear. Two Alphas together, it still felt strange sometimes, but with him, it felt right.
I reached out first and took his hand. His fingers were warm and slightly rough from work.
"How was your shift?" I asked.
"Long," he said. He squeezed my hand. "I kept thinking about you the whole time. It's getting harder to hide this, Jax. Today my father sent me another message reminding me about the 'proper mating' he wants to arrange when we reach Earth."
I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I pulled him closer until our bodies were almost touching.
"I know," I whispered. "My family keeps sending me pictures of Omega girls from good packs. They keep saying it's time for me to 'settle down like a real Alpha.'"
Theo rested his forehead against mine. His breath brushed my lips.
"I don't want any of them," he said quietly. "I only want you. But every time I think about telling them the truth, I feel sick. Two Alphas… they'll say it's unnatural. They'll say we're broken."
His words hurt because I felt the same fear.
I cupped his face with both hands and made him look at me.
"We're not broken," I said firmly. "What I feel for you is real, Theo. When I'm with you, I feel calm. I feel like I can finally breathe. I don't care what our families think. I just… I don't want to lose you."
Theo's eyes softened. He leaned in and kissed me. It started gentle, almost careful, like he was scared someone would walk in. But slowly it became deeper. His hands slid around my waist and pulled me tighter against him.
We kissed for a long time in that small, hidden room,slow, emotional kisses filled with all the things we couldn't say out loud. I could feel his heart beating fast against my chest.
When we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathing heavily.
"I'm scared," Theo admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared that one day we'll have to choose between this and our families."
I hugged him tightly, burying my face in his neck. His scent,strong, warm, and comforting, surrounded me.
"Then we'll choose each other," I said. "I don't know how yet, but I'm tired of hiding how I feel about you. Captain Vael knows about us. He said he might introduce us to someone soon who can understand. Someone who's also hiding."
Theo pulled back slightly, surprised. "Really?"
I nodded. "He's been different lately. I think he has his own secret too."
We stayed in each other's arms for a long time, just holding each other.
Maybe we weren't completely alone after all.