The Shadow's Inheritance

Chapter 13: The Fragile Truth

Chapter 13: The Fragile Truth

The interior of the armored transport was a sterile, unforgiving cage. The dense soundproofing filtered the roar of the high-performance engine into a dull, hypnotic thrum, leaving only the sound of strained, uneven breathing and the silent war of pheromones. The cabin air, usually pristine, was thick and volatile, saturated by the conflicting scents of raw Alpha dominance and suppressed Omega fear.

Jungkook occupied the space like a force of nature, his massive form still encased in the dusty black tactical gear, which now felt less like protection and more like a symbol of his brutal, physical authority. He sat so close to Taehyung that the Alpha's thigh pressed heavily against the Omega's. Taehyung, cuffed and trapped against the cold, high-grade leather, fought a losing battle against the instinctive collapse of his will. The scent of cedarwood and iron—hot, smoky, and absolutely demanding—was suffocating, a primal weight crushing the defiance he had worn like armor for five long years.

Jungkook was no longer shouting. His voice was a deep, gravelly vibration that resonated through the confined space, far more lethal than any yell.

"Look at me, Wife," Jungkook commanded, his head tipping slightly. The move wasn't violent, but the pure, focused Alpha will behind it shattered Taehyung's ability to resist. The Omega's head snapped up, forced to meet the predatory burn in Jungkook's dark eyes.

"Tell me about the secrecy," Jungkook resumed, his voice low and quiet now, yet far more dangerous than his earlier rage. He reached out, his knuckles brushing the bruised skin on Taehyung's neck where he had left his possessive mark minutes earlier—a calculated, slow, agonizing touch. "Every checkup, every morning sickness, every ultrasound—you hid it all. Did you not once consider that my son deserved to know his lineage?"

Taehyung flinched away from the touch, finding no escape. He was trapped not just by the cuffs or the vehicle, but by the overwhelming truth that stood inches away. Yet, The Shadow refused to break. He met Jungkook's gaze, his own eyes burning with cold, liquid resentment.

"Did you consider my feelings when you brought that Beta model to our study?" Taehyung retorted, the acidic memory tasting like ash on his tongue. He spat the words out, fighting the urge to whimper under the Alpha pressure. "You gave me five years to produce an heir. Five years of shame and medical failure. You defined my worth by my fertility, then threw me away for Enzo." He forced a brittle, painful laugh that was choked off halfway. "I decided that the Deluca lineage was no longer worth the price of my dignity. I claimed my freedom and my child."

The sheer, breathtaking audacity of the retort, coupled with the mention of Enzo's name, hit Jungkook like a physical blow. The Alpha King's jaw tightened, the muscle twitching violently under his tanned skin. The controlled scent of his Alpha dominance faltered for a half-second, replaced by a spike of raw, undeniable, consuming jealousy. It was a sudden spike of sour, burning smoke that flooded the cabin.

Enzo. The convenience. The transactional lie Jungkook had told himself to survive the emptiness Taehyung had left. He realized, with agonizing clarity, that the Beta model, and later, the Omega Enzo, had only ever been a placeholder—an object of utility to stabilize the Deluca empire. Now, faced with the breathtaking beauty and defiant hate of the wife who was his true other half, every moment he had spent with Enzo felt like a self-inflicted wound.

Jungkook released a harsh, ragged sigh that tasted of regret and violence. He moved suddenly, leaning in until the warm, musky air from his body engulfed Taehyung entirely. He lifted his hand from the seat and clamped it over Taehyung's cuffed hands, pinning them to the Omega's thigh. The heavy warmth of the Alpha's skin instantly burned through the suit fabric.