Chapter Text
Taehyung was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally, as he swung his leg off the motorcycle and stepped into the chilly night. It was almost half past 2 a.m., and all he wanted was the comforting warmth of his bed, but life had other plans. Out of cigarettes, he found himself wandering the streets on an ungodly Tuesday hour, standing outside a gas station just to satisfy this small but nagging craving.
He removed his black helmet with a sigh, bracing himself against the crisp air that immediately reddened his cheeks. Each breath he exhaled formed visible puffs, a stark reminder of the cold that wrapped itself around him. Reaching inside his leather jacket, he fumbled for his wallet, only to realize, with mounting frustration, that he likely left it at home. Cursing the quaint gas station that stubbornly refused to accept Apple Pay—even in the 21st century—he cast a glance inside through the glass door.
There was the usual young omega behind the counter, the only soul present in the otherwise empty station. Her eyes always lit up with unmistakable affection whenever Taehyung stepped inside, cheeks flushing and words stumbling out in shy stammers. She was undeniably pretty, and clearly interested. A little flirtation might even earn him some free cigarettes—an idea that brought a sly smirk to his lips as he prepared to enter.
The cool night air bit at his skin as he lingered outside, tapping his fingers against the worn leather of his jacket. It was a routine he knew by heart—the hum of the flickering neon sign overhead, the quiet buzz of the late-night traffic a few blocks over, the easy confidence of knowing he held all the cards. He took a slow breath, letting the familiar, stale smells of asphalt and old exhaust wash over him, grounding himself before playing his part. He smoothed down his collar, adjusted his posture, and took a step toward the glass door.
Then, out of nowhere, something hit his senses—a scent so damn good it stopped him dead in his tracks. Vanilla and strawberries. It was thick, sweet, and hit him like a physical wall, pulling him in before his brain could even process it. His eyes flashed red as a sudden, heat-wave burst right in his chest, leaving him standing there for a second, totally out of it.
The alley was dead quiet, just shadows and stillness, until a faint noise snapped him out of the daze. A figure stumbled out from a narrow side street, coming up way too fast. The dim streetlights didn't give away much—just a blurry silhouette—but the sheer strength of that smell left no doubt.
That was the source.
The figure looked like a total mess—panicked, out of it, and completely thrown off the second they caught sight of Taehyung standing there. But even with the stranger’s eyes wide in shock, Taehyung was still way too dazed, way too high on the scent to react fast enough.
Then the figure tripped over their own feet. A sharp yelp slipped out as they started to go down—and that finally snapped Taehyung out of it. His instincts took over, and he reached out, catching them firmly by the waist right before they slammed into the ground.
Holy shit.
The second his bare skin made contact, a violent spark shot straight through Taehyung’s fingertips. It burned like absolute fire, racing up his arms, flooding his veins, and setting his whole body buzzing with a bizarre, intense energy. His breath hitched hard. Every single one of his senses went into overdrive.
An omega. There was zero doubt about it. Delicate, utterly vulnerable, but carrying a frantic urgency that Taehyung could feel vibrating deep in his own chest.
Time seemed to lag as Taehyung looked down. The omega was ridiculously gorgeous. Massive, dark brown doe eyes stared up at him, wide and terrified. He was breathing heavily through soft pink lips that were slightly parted, showing a glimpse of bunny teeth. Damp strands of dark brown hair clung to his sweaty forehead, and the alpha found himself taking in every single detail like his brain was forcing him to memorize it.
Then he noticed the rest. Fading yellow bruises marred the omega's face, sitting heavily right beneath his lower lip and dusting across his exposed collarbones. Dark, unmistakable handprints were bruised right into the sensitive skin of his neck. A sickening twist hit Taehyung right in the gut. It was a nasty, volatile mix of pure rage, fierce protectiveness, and something else he couldn't even begin to name.
The omega made the decision to rise up at that same time, albeit unsteadily and with a terrified expression.
"I-I'm so sorry," he said.
The omega apologized breathlessly, voice impossibly soft and his gaze darting over his shoulder every few seconds. Fear had completely taken hold of him, and the moment he realized the man he had crashed into was an alpha, panic flooded every part of him.
“Are you okay?” Taehyung asked after clearing his throat. Even then, his voice came out rougher than he intended.
“Jeongguk! Come back here!”
Before the omega could answer, another alpha emerged from the mouth of the alley.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and strikingly handsome, looking to be somewhere in his late twenties. But there was nothing comforting about his appearance. His crimson eyes burned with fury, his nostrils flared, and both hands were clenched so tightly into fists that his knuckles had turned white.
The omega instantly stiffened beneath Taehyung’s hand, which still rested lightly against his waist. His breathing became ragged, tears welling in his wide, dark eyes. They trembled as they met Taehyung’s gaze through thick lashes, silently pleading for help.
For a split second, Taehyung forgot everything else. Those eyes…They were impossibly beautiful, vast enough to remind him of an endless night sky filled with stars.
The approaching alpha stopped a few feet away. His scent hit Taehyung immediately—a heavy blend of dark cedar and spoiled lemon that made his instincts recoil. The stranger seemed slightly taken aback seeing another alpha, as he forced his posture to relax and his eyes to go back to a dark color.
Without a second thought, Taehyung stepped forward, placing himself squarely between the alpha and the trembling omega. His own eyes flashed a deep crimson as instinct took over, and a powerful surge of protectiveness crashed through him, fierce enough to leave him breathless. Anger followed close behind, hot and blinding.
Before he could stop himself, comforting pheromones spilled into the air.
Behind him, Jeongguk shivered violently, instinctively pressing closer to Taehyung’s back as if trying to disappear into his broad frame.
“Is there a problem here?”
The voice wasn't aggressive. It was calm, measured, and dripping with authority. The unknown alpha stepped out of the shadows, dusting off his jacket with unhurried grace, a striking contrast to the red eyes and clenched fists he carried just seconds before.
Taehyung didn’t move an inch. “I should be asking you that,” he replied coldly. “Who the fuck are you to have an omega running away in the middle of the night?”
His jaw was clenched so tightly it ached. None of this made sense. Taehyung had never reacted like this before—never felt his entire body hum with a protective rage so potent it bordered on lethal. Every nerve screamed that the omega behind him was in danger, and that no one was laying another hand on him.
The stranger didn't lose his temper. Instead, a condescending smirk touched his lips as his eyes swept over Taehyung, writing him off in a single glance.
“Ah,” the alpha said, rolling his shoulders and sliding his hands into his pockets. “Right. I get how this looks. But you’re sticking your nose into something you know nothing about, man. You don't even know him.”
Taehyung remained silent, his pulse thrumming in his ears.
“I’ve known him for years,” the stranger continued, his voice dropping into a fake, conversational calm—like a guy trying to explain a simple problem to a nosy bystander. “He’s family. And right now, he’s off his meds, having an episode, and needs to get home.”
Jeongguk flinched so violently behind Taehyung that the contact sent a jolt straight through Taehyung's spine.
“No,” Jeongguk whispered, his breath hitching. “I’m not… please, no…”
The stranger’s smirk vanished—just for a fraction of a second—replaced by a look of sheer annoyance. He looked past Taehyung, locking eyes with the terrified omega.
“Cut the bullshit,” the stranger muttered. It wasn't yelled, but the threat under his breath sliced through the air like a blade. “Stop making a damn scene. You’re making this way harder than it needs to be.”
Jeongguk shrank back even further, clutching the fabric of Taehyung's shirt.
Taehyung’s expression darkened, his alpha roaring under his skin. “You don’t get to manipulate him like that.”
The stranger scoffed, rolling his eyes as if Taehyung were just a minor annoyance he had to swat away. “Look around, man. Late at night, dark alley, a frantic omega covered in scrapes because he can't keep his feet under him… and you, acting like a hero in front of his actual guardian. Think about how that plays out if anyone shows up. Mind your own business and walk away while you still can.”
The air grew impossibly thick as opposing pheromones flooded the narrow street—Taehyung's suffocating rage clashing against the stranger's cold, suffocating dominance.
The stranger took a deliberate step forward, the smugness fading into pure aggression. “Get out of my way.”
Taehyung didn’t budge.
“I’m giving you one chance to walk off,” the alpha added, his voice dropping low and sharp. “Move.”
A deep, warning rumble escaped Taehyung’s chest before he even realized he’d made the sound. “No.”
The stranger’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing into calculated slits as he realized Taehyung wasn't falling for the act or backing down.
“You’re an idiot,” the stranger muttered.
He didn't bother arguing anymore. He simply stepped into Taehyung's space, using his frame to block the sightline from the main street, and threw a swift, brutally precise strike straight for Taehyung's jaw. The blow landed with a dull crack, making Taehyung’s head snap to the side from the sheer force, staggering him back a step. Instinctively, his hand flew to his mouth, and when he pulled it away, his fingertips were stained with blood.
His eyes darkened to a terrifying pitch.
The stranger immediately reached to grab Jeongguk's arm, already turning his back—assuming the hit was enough to keep Taehyung down. He miscalculated.
Before the stranger could lay a finger on him, Taehyung grabbed him by the collar and drove a heavy fist straight into his face.
The man’s head snapped back, but he absorbed the hit, staggering back two steps to catch his balance. Instead of panicking, he immediately dropped into a sharp, trained stance, guarding his face and slipping inside to drive a swift counter-punch straight into Taehyung's ribs.
The strike hit hard, but Taehyung barely flinched. Driven by sheer rage, he caught the man's forearm mid-strike, shoved him hard against the brick wall, and delivered a punishing hook to his jaw.
The stranger took the brunt of the impact, his head cracking back against the brick. He tried to throw a knee to break Taehyung's frame, but Taehyung was faster—blocking the strike and landing another hard, heavy right across the man's face.
Blood sprayed against the brick wall. The stranger’s footing slipped under the brutal, relentless pressure, but even as he absorbed the blows, his eyes remained terrifyingly cold and calculated. He didn't yell. He didn't plead. He simply tucked his chin, used his forearms to shield his head, and tactically yielded ground, letting Taehyung’s momentum push him back toward the alley mouth.
Taehyung backed him straight out into the open street, entirely overwhelming him. He grabbed the man by the jacket, shoving him back so hard the stranger stumbled over the curb, barely keeping his feet under him.
The man wiped a smear of blood from his split lip with the back of his hand, his breathing heavy, but his expression disturbingly calm for someone who had just taken a beating. He adjusted his collar, looking at Taehyung with quiet, icy contempt.
“You just made a massive fucking mistake,” the man said, his voice deadly quiet, completely devoid of panic. He glanced up at a security camera near the intersection, as if mentally logging the entry in a report, before fixing Taehyung with a sharp glare. “I suggest you think long and hard about what you do next.”
Taehyung took a step forward to finish it, his knuckles bleeding, his chest heaving as his alpha screamed for complete submission—Until a broken sob echoed from the shadows of the alley behind him.
The sight punched the breath straight from Taehyung’s lungs. The burning rage in his veins evaporated, replaced instantly by an icy dread.
His hands slowly unglenched at his sides.
A few feet away, the stranger straightened up with slow, deliberate precision. He didn't slouch, and he certainly didn't look defeated. Wiping a fresh trail of blood from his split lip with the back of his hand, he casually adjusted his jacket, smoothing down the lapels with cold, methodical control. His eye was already beginning to swell, but his expression remained completely detached—the face of a man who viewed the entire encounter as a minor, temporary delay on a long ledger.
He looked past Taehyung, his gaze settling on the trembling form curled against the brick wall.
“You’re making a mistake, Jeongguk,” the man said quietly, his calm tone more unsettling than if he’d raised his voice. “You know how this ends. Keep running, and I won’t bother keeping you alive.”
The threat hung poisonous in the damp night air. Without another word, the man turned on his heel and walked away into the shadows of the main street, his footsteps steady and unhurried—the stride of someone entirely confident that time and authority were on his side.
Taehyung didn't chase him. He couldn't.
Every territorial instinct screamed at him to tear after the threat, but the sound of raw, choking gasps behind him anchored his boots to the pavement.
I won't bother keeping you alive.
The words echoed like a death sentence. That wasn't the bitter venting of an ex or a relative; it was the cold, clinical promise of someone who knew exactly how to make a person disappear.
Taehyung turned back toward the alley, taking a single step forward—and stopped cold.
He spun around and hurried toward Jeongguk, dropping to one knee beside him. “Hey,” he said gently. “Hey… you’re okay now.”
He kept his voice as soft as he could. “He’s gone. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
No response.
Jeongguk didn’t even seem to hear him. The omega continued rocking back and forth on the icy pavement, his fingers digging so hard into his own arms that his knuckles were white. His breathing had become frighteningly erratic, short, desperate wheezes that barely filled his lungs.
Taehyung took a cautious step forward, lifting a hand to offer comfort. “Jeongguk?”
Nothing.
The moment Taehyung’s fingers brushed the damp fabric of Jeongguk’s hoodie, the omega recoiled violently with a terrified, shattered cry.
“No!” His voice was raw, torn from his throat. “Please…”
Jeongguk wasn’t looking at him. His eyes were unfocused, blown wide with absolute, primal terror, staring straight through Taehyung as though he wasn’t even there.
“Please don’t…” The words dissolved into unintelligible, breathless whimpers.
Taehyung froze, his hand hanging suspended in the cold air. The color drained completely from his face, a sudden, suffocating ice flooding his veins.
Omega space.
He recognized the signs instantly—the complete psychological retreat, the loss of rational thought, the pure, blind instinctual terror. He knew it all too well. Memory flashed behind his eyelids: shadowed corners, frantic hyperventilating, helpless cries, and the suffocating panic of trying to help someone who couldn't see who he was.
His heart violently hammered against his ribs. A cold sweat broke out along the back of his neck as phantom panic threatened to choke him.
Not again. Please, God, not this again.
“Fuck…” His hands hovered uselessly in the air, trembling. He forced himself to step back, putting distance between them, but his own breath was catching in his chest. “Jeongguk? Can you hear me?”
Nothing. The omega continued shaking so violently his teeth chattered between muffled sobs.
“…Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Taehyung dragged a shaking hand through his hair, his fingers clumsy as he yanked his phone from his pocket. The air felt too thin. He needed someone who knew—someone who could ground him before he completely lost his head.
He dialed Jimin.
The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times.
A sleepy, muffled voice finally answered. “…Tae?” Jimin sounded barely conscious. “Do you know what fucking time it is?”
“Jimin,” Taehyung choked out, his voice tight, laced with a raw edge of rising panic. “I need help.”
The tiredness vanished from the line instantly.
“…Taehyung? What’s wrong? What happened?”
“I—I don’t know,” Taehyung stammered, his eyes darting frantically around the empty alley, then back to the boy on the ground. “I found an omega. He was running from another alpha—he’s covered in bruises, Jimin. The guy attacked me, I fought him off, but now—”
His breath hitched, the words catching in his throat.
“Tae, breathe,” Jimin said, his tone shifting, suddenly far more alert. “What’s happening now?”
“He’s… he’s gone,” Taehyung whispered, a dangerous tremble in his voice. “He won't look at me. He’s shaking, he’s hyperventilating, and when I touched him—”
A sharp, audible intake of breath came over the line.
“Taehyung,” Jimin interrupted, his voice dropping into a register of terrifying, absolute seriousness. “Stop touching him.”
“I’m not! I backed away, I swear I’m not touching him—”
“Listen to me very carefully,” Jimin cut in, his voice fiercely commanding now, laced with a sudden, protective panic of his own. “Do not reach for him again. Do not move closer. Just get back.”
“Jimin, he’s terrified, he’s—”
“I know what state he’s in, Tae!” Jimin snapped, though the fear in his voice wasn't directed at the omega—it was for Taehyung. “You know how this goes. You know how quickly this can turn sideways if someone sees you. Don't force him to move. Don't touch him unless he reaches for you first. Do you hear me?”
Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing down the dry lump in his throat. “I hear you.”
“Where are you?”
Taehyung quickly rattled off the street name, his voice barely holding together.
“I’m coming right now,” Jimin said firmly. Taehyung heard the immediate rustle of blankets, the clatter of keys, and footsteps moving fast. “Keep your distance, keep your voice low, and don't panic. I’m almost there.”
The line went dead.
Taehyung lowered the phone with a numb, trembling hand. He remained crouched a few feet away on the cold pavement, his heart slamming against his sternum, staring at the shattered omega and praying to God that this nightmare wouldn't end the way the last one did.
The omega continued rocking back and forth, arms wrapped tightly around himself as quiet, broken sobs escaped his lips. Every now and then, incoherent words slipped between shaky breaths, too soft for Taehyung to make out.
His face was flushed crimson, streaked with tears, his eyelashes damp as they rested against swollen cheeks.
Taehyung could do nothing but watch. Helpless.
A crushing sense of dread settled deep in his chest, so overwhelming it made it difficult to breathe. His entire body still hummed with that strange current of electricity, refusing to settle, every instinct screaming that something was terribly wrong.
He had never felt anything like it.
“Taehyung oppa!”
Taehyung’s head snapped up. The young omega who worked the late shift at the gas station came jogging toward them, her wide eyes locking onto the scene with growing horror.
“What happened?” she gasped, skidding to a halt a few feet away. “You’re bleeding!”
Only then did Taehyung register the throbbing in his jaw and the metallic tang on his tongue.
“It’s nothing,” he muttered, roughly wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. “Go back inside.”
“But…” Her frantic gaze darted past him to Jeongguk, whose tremors had only worsened. “Should I call the police? Is he okay? He looks—” She swallowed hard, her voice dropping. “He looks terrified.”
“I’ve already called someone.”
“My oppa works with the department, I can call him—”
“No.” The word sliced through the air far sharper and firmer than he intended. Taehyung caught himself, softening his posture just enough to keep from scaring her. “I have help coming. Please… just go back inside. It’s not safe out here.”
The girl hesitated, her eyes bouncing between Taehyung’s rigid frame and the sobbing boy curled on the concrete. Reluctantly, she nodded. “…Okay. Just… stay safe.” She hurried back toward the glass doors, casting anxious glances over her shoulder until the automatic sliders clicked shut behind her.
Barely two minutes later, bright headlights swept across the damp pavement as a silver sedan pulled sharply up to the curb.
Before the engine could even kill, the passenger door flew open. “Taehyung!”
Jimin hurried over, clad in oversized gray sweatpants and a heavy black hoodie that was unmistakably Yoongi’s. His blond hair was a chaotic nest, and heavy sleep clung to his features, but the exhaustion evaporated the second his eyes landed on the scene.
Upon seeing the state of the boy on the ground, Jimin’s expression completely fell.
He didn't make a sudden move. Instead, he slowly sank down into a crouch a few feet away from the shivering omega, carefully positioning himself so he didn't block any exit routes.
“Hi,” Jimin said softly, his voice dropping into a low, soothing rhythm.
No response. Jeongguk just kept rocking, knuckles white against his arms.
Jimin didn’t push. “My name is Jimin,” he continued, making no move to reach out. “I’m an omega, too. And I’m not going to touch you.”
Silence stretched across the alley, thick and fragile.
“You don’t know me,” Jimin murmured, “and that’s completely okay.” He waited, allowing his words to settle. “I know you’re terrified right now.”
Jeongguk’s rhythmic rocking slowed, just a fraction.
“I know everything feels too loud. I know your mind is spinning.”
A ragged, hitching breath escaped the younger boy.
“And I know your instincts are telling you that you’re still in danger.”
Slowly, carefully, Jimin allowed his scent to thread through the cold night air—not pushing it, just letting a subtle, comforting wave drift forward.
Warm vanilla. Fresh linen. Safe.
“There aren’t any alphas near you except my friend,” Jimin murmured gently. “And he’s keeping watch. He won't let anyone close.”
Taehyung remained grounded exactly where he was, fighting every single territorial urge screaming at him to move closer, to wrap his coat around the boy, to cover him completely. He kept his breathing even, playing the role of a silent sentinel.
“You don’t have to look at me,” Jimin whispered. “Just listen to my voice.”
A few agonizing seconds ticked by.
Then, the violent shaking racking Jeongguk’s frame began to yield. His gasping breaths, while still uneven, started to draw a little deeper into his lungs.
“That’s it,” Jimin praised softly. “You’re doing so well.”
Jeongguk’s white-knuckled grip on his own arms loosened, his fingers trembling as they uncurled.
“Can you hear me?”
A tiny, almost imperceptible nod.
Relief hit Taehyung so violently his knees felt weak. He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief second, forcing the tension from his shoulders.
“You’re safe,” Jimin repeated gently. “No one’s going to make you move. No one’s going to yell. And no one is going to hurt you.”
Slowly… Jeongguk lifted his head from his knees.
His eyes were heavily glazed, wide and unfocused as they swept aimlessly across the pavement before finally coming to rest on Jimin. A flicker of disoriented confusion crossed his tear-stained face.
“…H-huh…?”
“There you are,” Jimin offered a small, tender smile. “Welcome back.”
Jeongguk blinked heavily, the fog in his mind clearing just enough for reality to crash back in. His gaze drifted past Jimin, settling squarely on Taehyung.
The moment their eyes locked, a sudden, suffocating tightness seized Taehyung’s chest. That same strange, electric pull thrummed through his veins—heavier this time, almost demanding.
Jeongguk stared at him for a long, unreadable moment. Then, as if the sheer adrenaline keeping him upright finally gave out, his eyes rolled back, and his shoulders sagged.
He crumpled forward.
Taehyung moved before his brain could even process the action, lunging forward to catch him just inches before his head hit the hard asphalt.
Jeongguk didn’t flinch at the contact. Exhausted beyond measure, he simply collapsed into the space, burying his face weakly against the crook of Taehyung’s neck, his body going completely limp. Taehyung’s arms wrapped instinctively around him, cradling the smaller boy against his chest.
Jimin watched them in total silence.
He took in the way the terrified omega had instinctively collapsed straight into Taehyung’s space—and the subtle, fierce possessiveness with which Taehyung now held him. Something heavy and unexplainable shifted in the air. The skin on the back of Jimin’s neck prickled with an eerie sense of realization.
It took several long, quiet minutes for the frantic beat of Jeongguk’s heart to settle against Taehyung’s chest. The faint tremors in his limbs slowly died down until he was completely still.
Eventually, a sudden wave of self-awareness seemed to hit the boy. With obvious hesitation, Jeongguk pulled away from Taehyung’s chest, his face flushed hot with shame. He pushed himself onto his feet, though his legs wobbled dangerously under his weight.
He immediately dropped his chin, staring intently at the ground, utterly mortified by his own breakdown.
“…Thank you, Jimin-ssi,” he whispered, his voice hoarse and tiny.
He paused, shifting his weight nervously, before turning slightly toward the larger man.
“…And… thank you…” His tear-rimmed eyes flicked up to Taehyung’s face for a split second before darting right back down to his scuffed shoes. “…Alpha.”
Something in Taehyung’s chest tightened painfully. The word shouldn’t have affected him, yet it did. That strange ache settled deeper beneath his ribs, accompanied by the same unsettling current that had been running through him ever since he’d first laid eyes on Jeongguk.
He couldn’t explain it, wasn’t sure he wanted to.
Jimin, meanwhile, watched Jeongguk with quiet concern, his gaze lingering on the darkening bruise across the omega’s cheek and the redness around his swollen eyes.
“You can stay with me tonight,” Jimin offered gently. “It’s only me and my partner at home. If you need space, I can always send him to spend the night at Taehyung’s.”
Jeongguk’s eyes widened. “Oh—no.” He shook his head quickly. “I couldn’t possibly impose.”
“It wouldn’t be imposing.”
“I… I’ll stay with a friend tonight.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “But thank you.”
Silence settled between them.
Then Taehyung spoke. “Do you know that alpha?”
His voice came out rougher than he’d intended, the anger beneath it impossible to hide. Jeongguk flinched so violently it made Taehyung instantly regret his tone.
Jimin shot him a warning look.
Jeongguk swallowed. “…Y-Yes.” His fingers twisted together nervously. “I do.” Another pause. “He’s…” His voice cracked. “…my stepbrother.”
Taehyung stared at him. For a moment, he genuinely thought he’d misheard. “…What?”
Jeongguk’s shoulders curled inward. “It was my fault,” he murmured. “I made him angry.” His voice was flat, almost rehearsed. “I did something I shouldn’t have.”
“Jeongguk.” Taehyung’s jaw tightened. “He just threatened to kill you.”
The omega visibly shrank. “I know.”
“No.” Taehyung took a step forward before catching himself. “Don’t say ‘I know’ like that’s normal.”
Jeongguk remained silent.
“He chased you through the streets.” Silence. “He hit you.” Silence. “He threatened your life.”
Jeongguk’s eyes filled with tears again. “I…” His voice trembled. “I shouldn’t have talked back.”
Taehyung felt something inside him snap. “No.” The single word came out sharper than intended. “You don’t deserve that.”
Jeongguk instinctively took half a step back.
Jimin immediately stepped between them—not because he thought Taehyung would hurt Jeongguk, but because he recognized the fear beginning to creep back into the omega’s expression.
“Easy,” Jimin said quietly, glancing at Taehyung. “He isn’t arguing with you.”
Taehyung closed his eyes for a second before exhaling slowly. “…Sorry.”
Jeongguk gave a tiny nod but still wouldn’t look at him.
Jimin gently changed the subject. “At the very least, let us drive you to your friend’s house.”
Jeongguk shook his head immediately. “I can walk.”
“No, you can’t,” Jimin replied.
“It’s not far.”
“Jeongguk.” His tone remained soft, but firm. “It’s almost three in the morning.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“You won’t.”
“I don’t want to bother anyone.”
“You’re not.”
“I really—”
“Please.” Jimin’s voice was almost pleading now. “Just let me make sure you get there safely.”
Jeongguk hesitated. His fingers fidgeted with the sleeve of his hoodie as he stared at the ground.
After nearly a minute, his shoulders slumped in quiet defeat. “…Okay.” His answer was barely audible. “I’ll accept a ride.”
Jimin smiled warmly. “Good.”
He glanced toward Taehyung. “I’ll take him.”
Taehyung nodded automatically, though every instinct screamed against letting Jeongguk out of his sight. It made no sense. He had known the omega for less than an hour, so why did the thought of him leaving felt… wrong?
Jeongguk slowly made his way toward Jimin’s car before stopping beside the passenger door. As though sensing Taehyung watching him, he looked back, their eyes met once more for only a second.
Jeongguk gave the smallest, shyest bow. “…Thank you.”
Then he climbed into the passenger seat.
Jimin waited until the door was closed before walking over to Taehyung. “You should get that lip looked at,” he said, nodding toward the dried blood on Taehyung’s chin.
Taehyung barely acknowledged him, his eyes remaining fixed on the car.
“…He’s not okay.”
“I know.”
Taehyung finally looked at his friend. “What if that alpha’s waiting for him?”
Jimin sighed. “I’ll make sure he gets inside safely.”
“And tomorrow?”
Jimin was quiet for a moment. Then he rested a reassuring hand on Taehyung’s shoulder. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
There was meaning behind the words. Not just about Jeongguk, about everything that had happened tonight.
Taehyung nodded silently, watching until Jimin’s car disappeared around the corner.
Only then did he realize the strange ache in his chest hadn’t faded. If anything…It had only grown stronger.
He leaned back against the cool metal of his bike, staring into the dark street where the car had disappeared. He tried to take a deep breath to clear his head, but it was useless. That intoxicating mix of vanilla and strawberries was already burnt into his memory, pulling at something deep, raw, and dangerous inside him. But it wasn't just the scent lingering in his lungs; it was his wolf, thrumming under his skin, restless and demanding.
He was supposed to go home and sleep, but as his heart hammered against his ribs, Taehyung knew one thing for sure—he wasn't going to get a single second of rest tonight.