The room was formally decorated in an array of colors. Candles were lit and the tables were set with all types of food. There were a few maids holding a tray of glasses that contained light colored liquor and a few gusts roamed the tables mingling and talking with one another.
Mingi was surprised to find the same people he witnessed arguing before, calmly talking and eating amongst one another. The King left his side to talk to the King from Jeon kingdom and the alpha wasn't sure if he should follow him. He noticed all the other assistants dispersed in the wide room and decided to keep his distance.
San stuck right beside Tae Oh as his assistant was busying herself with some sweets at a farther table. He felt the familiar tingles in his toes and turned to find the Han King walking towards them. The King slightly eyed him snobbishly before bowing.
"I'm sorry about your mother. I was unaware," he spoke.
Tae Oh lightly nodded as an answer.
"Are you really trying to become King? Surely it won't be easy."
Tae Oh nodded a bit more serious than before.
A small smirk tugged at his lips and he pat the omega's shoulder causing San to flinch.
"Lets hope it goes well then."
Seonghwa was feeling a bit happy this morning. Hongjoong had bought custard for dinner yesterday and made his favorite for breakfast. He was currently wearing his shoes, getting ready to leave when Hongjoong stopped him. Seonghwa tilted his head a bit confused as Hongjoong wore his shoes as well.
"I'll drop you off," he smiled.
Seonghwa felt his heart rate increase and his cheeks tinted.
"But why?" He couldn't help but ask.
"Because I want to," Hongjoong replied.
They didn't talk much on the way but it wasn't completely awkward. The alpha asked how everything was going and Seonghwa answered the same.
When they reached the palace's medical center, Hongjoong turned to face the older and smiled. He used his hand to pull him into a hug and just barely scented him.
"Make sure to always do what you want to do ok?" He said as he pat his back, the other rubbing his wrist.
Seonghwa was a little confused by the emotions he was feeling. The past few weeks have been hard on him and he's practically distanced himself from the younger to refrain from telling him what happened.
His eyes started to water as he placed his hands around the alpha to return the hug. He wanted nothing more than to forget everything that was happening and explain everything to Hongjoong but he couldn't. He was so close to becoming a doctor and he felt it'd be a waste to throw it all away.
Hongjoong became worried when he heard the beta sniffle and attempted to move back but Seonghwa only held onto him tighter. He quickly wiped his eyes and put on a bright smile for the alpha.
"Ok!" He chirped.
Though it wasn't completely sincere, it made Hongjoong happy. He felt like Seonghwa was slowly returning to his old self.
Jongho didn't know why but the air felt different. There was an ominous feeling in the atmosphere but he had no idea what to make of it. Especially since there was no reason for him to feel this way.
He pulled Yeosang in closer and hugged him tightly. The last time he felt like this, the omega had been abducted. It made him scared and he only held the blond tighter.
Yeosang stirred awake feeling a little constricted. He tried to speak but it was a little hard with the alpha squeezing him so he tapped his shoulder. Jongho slightly loosened his grip but refused to let him go. Yeosang suddenly felt sad and scared. He wasn't sure why until he realized the emotion was a bit distant. It wasn't his feelings.
Jongho snuggled his face into the omega's neck and let his head rest there. He had a lot to do today but he suddenly didn't feel like doing it anymore. Yeosang was more important anyway.
"Buttercup? Is something wrong?" The omega asked becoming a little worried.
Jongho only shook his head against him. It was peacefully quiet and Yeosang began to caress the arm that was wrapped around him. He smiled when he noticed the feeling slowly dissipate.
Yeosang turned his head a little to gaze at his alpha but was only met with red hair.
"Bear? What's wrong? Are you ok?" He asked again, his voice deep. The alpha blushed at the pet name and hid his face again for a few seconds.
"I'm fine," he breathed into his neck.
"As long as you're here I'm fine."
Yunho had completed most of the assignments he had set for himself and had just finished checking on the soldiers. He asked Joongi to supervise them and shape Hansung into a great leader.
He passed by the dungeon and decided to check on the prisoner the leader had brought. When he reached the cell, he became a little anxious as the room was dark. The guard that led him to the cell, lit a lamp and hung it up so the prince could see better.
The prisoner's head hung low against his arm that was raised up and chained to the wall. His other arm was distorted and was barely attached to his shoulder.
"Hey!" Yunho called but there was no reply. He called him again and when he was met with silence, he motioned for the guard to do something. She moved forward and poured a bucket of water on him but there was no response. She jabbed his dislocated shoulder causing his arm to contort even more.
It was a bit weird to Yunho. Judging from his position and the way his body was responding, he knew the beta wasn't unconscious but he wasn't completely sure. He also didn't want to do anything until his father arrived so he decided to just leave it at that.
Mingi felt a bit stuffed simply by the tension in the room. It was direly silent and everybody seemed to have their eye on the person across from them. He stood right beside the King, his hands crossed behind his back.
Kwangsoo entered the room with a small smirk. He easily became serious and sat down at his chair. The maid behind him handed him his notes and he firmly tapped it against the table.
"Let's begin shall we?"
The next half hour was used to brush up upon all the topics that were discussed days prior. Once everything had been mentioned, the maid offered him another set of papers.
"We will now begin the voting session," Kwangsoo stated.
He immediately started asking questions warranting a few hands from different royals. There were a few questions that involved a royal thus rendering their vote useless. In cases like this, Kwangsoo would sometimes raise his hand to input his own opinion.
Mingi was quite surprised to find how insincere so many people were. Discussions that were once adamantly disagreed upon by many now had majority of their hands raised. It made him a little frightful. He had already calculated in his mind the possible outcome of most of the discussions but it was now completely useless. His thoughts were disrupted by the next question.
"All in favor of air alpha Lee Joongi, leader of the special forces called the Golden Tigers, previously known as the Gray Wolves, ascending as King of Baek, raise your hand."
Mingi stared intensely between everyone feeling very anxious. It disappeared as soon as it arrived as everybody raised their hand. He smiled confidently, a sense of pride coursing through him. The next question wiped it away completely however.
"All in favor of earth omega Tae Oh being crowned as King of Kang kingdom upon request of late Queen Sora as stated in her will, raise your hand."
Soojin was the first to raise her hand and Woohyung was quick to follow. A small smile appeared on the omega's face as he witnessed the Queen of Park Kingdom raise her hand. Tae Oh had conversed with her at the banquet and he really enjoyed it. She didn't rush him when he was writing and even offered words of encouragement. He liked her.
The last to raise their hand was the Han King. Mingi had waited for Kwangsoo to raise his hand as well but he never did.
"So what's the resolution?" Soojin asked breaking the dreadful silence.
Kwangsoo placed the papers on the table and sighed.
"Not much of a mediator am I?" He chuckled.
"It's not that I don't agree with the idea, I just feel as though it can easily go left. As you've mentioned, he's rebuilt his whole kingdom from scratch so it's beneficial to him but how about others? Just because you've made it easier for him to be King doesn't prove he's completely capable. There's still a few holes that've yet to be filled," Kwangsoo explained.
"So what should be done?" Soojin queried.
"I say we propose an alternative. Why don't we have him act or even claim the throne for a few months and see how it goes. If he does well, he ascends and if he doesn't, then we find somebody more fitting."
Soojin wasn't very content with the idea. She felt the beta's reasoning to be foolish.
"And it's even better because if he does well, he's setting a perfect and clear example that an omega is completely capable of ruling," Kwangsoo added.
Woohyung nodded showing that he agreed with the idea and Hera followed suit.
The mediator made eye contact with the omega and asked him.
"Is that fine with you?"
Tae Oh didn't love the idea either but he figured it was better than nothing and that he didn't have much of a choice. He slowly nodded when he made up his mind and Kwangsoo clapped his hands together.
"Then it's decided!"
He stood up and bowed for the first time since he arrived.
"I now announce the ending of the formal Royal meeting."
"The plan is simple. Set the traps. Set the people free and blow it up. Got it?"
"Yes captain!" They all said in unison.
"Ian you ready?" Kyro asked.
The boy nodded. He closed his eyes and breathed out before holding both Wooyoung and Fati's hand. His eyes glowed a light blue and he became imperceptible. It was achingly slow but soon enough, both Wooyoung and Fati slowly became unapparent as well.
"Did it work? Heavens can y'all see me?" Wooyoung jumped excitedly.
"What am I doing right now?"
"I'm pretty sure you're waving your hand in my face," Kyro deadpanned.
"Shit. It didn't work?"
"No you're just plainly obvious," he muttered.
"Anyways, good job Ian. Now both of you must be very quick. This only lasts.. how long Ian?"
"8 minutes," the beta replied.
"Ky, we've docked," Kira reported.
"Good. Let's go."
Jasmine held Fati and Wooyoung's shoulder while Ian clutched her shirt and she vanished. Jain and Kyro both wore their masks and descended the ship leaving Kira, Layla, Kei and Julian to watch over the ship and keep lookout.
When Jasmine appeared in the corner, a tall alpha immediately darted his head towards her. Fati and Ian quickly dispersed, their mind focused completely on the mission but Wooyoung was a bit worried.
"What do we have here? A water beta?" The alpha snickered.
Ian didn't want to speak and ruin the plan so he ran back and pulled Wooyoung away.
"She can handle herself let's go," he whispered.
The alpha turned his head to them and Ian visibly flinched but thankfully remained invisible. He smelled the air and sure enough there were other scents but he was confused as he couldn't see them. Before he could completely dwell on the idea, Jasmine punched him to distract him and instantly vanished.
Wooyoung began placing the traps in all corners of the building. As he did so, he came across a few alphas discussing something that caught his attention.
"Is it finished?"
"Not yet. I still need to test if it'll work."
"So when wi-"
"Sir! I think we're being infiltrated," another voice said suddenly. Wooyoung was sure it was the alpha from before.
"Are you sure? By who?"
"A water beta..no I think ...water betas.."
"Then why are you just standing there? Hurry and turn on the switch."
"Yes sir!"
Wooyoung became a bit apprehensive at that. It was suddenly quiet and as he was about to leave to the meeting spot in hopes to warn the others, he heard something else.
"Switch?"
"Yea, the beta blocker. It weakens any beta with an ability in a 3 mile radius of this building."
Wooyoung's eyes grew wide as saucers and he didn't wait another second. He only had two more traps and quickly placed them in different spots before running. He was sure by now, that the effect was going to wear off anyway as it's been a little over five minutes but he was worried for Jasmine and Kyro.
He passed by a huge and buff alpha who was quick to grab his shirt simply by his scent. The alpha picked him by the shirt and leered maliciously at him even though he couldn't see him. It frightened the omega and for a second he couldn't move.
"Rilo what are you doing? Gear up!" Another alpha told him when he noticed him standing there seemingly holding nothing.
"But Nik, I cau-"
Wooyoung managed to kick him in the private's before he could finish and when he involuntarily let go, he ran. He reached the meeting spot with barely 2 minutes left and found Fati already there. By the time Ian finally joined them, a loud blaring sound could be heard throughout the building.
"Shit!" Wooyoung cursed.
"What is i-" Ian choked on his words and slowly began to morph in and out of color. Jasmine appeared but fell to her knees feeling a little dizzy.
"What's going on?" Fati whispered loudly as she came back into view along with Wooyoung.
"It's the beta blockers I think," Wooyoung replied.
"The what?"
"Sir! Over there!" An alpha pointed at them.
"Shit! Run!"
They all ran as quick as they could, unsure of where they were going. Ian wasn't feeling good and when Wooyoung noticed, he picked him up and continued running.
"This way," Fati ordered, remembering the spot on the blueprint.
They turned a corner and found an exit but as soon as they were about to reach it, Wooyoung felt he couldn't breathe. His heart was beating abnormally fast and he suddenly lost balance. He fell to his side, dropping Ian and clutching his stomach.
The omega had no idea what was going on but he felt so sad and alone. He sucked in a breath and choked out a scream when he felt a sharp pain in his side near his heart.
Fati turned around to find both her friends on the floor in pain. Shocked and confused she immediately ran back and picked both of them up. Jasmine reached the exit but was startled to find a few alphas guarding it. She pulled out her revolver and shot them but the sound only alerted more and soon enough they were surrounded.
"We're fucked."
A/N: Uhmm...I'd say I can explain but I'm not really sure I can actually...haha 😅
-K.