ALPHA | BTS FANFICTION

Alpha - Blood Thirst - Chapter 36

Sora's POV

"Heesung-ah! Escort noona to the main street!" Halmeoni called for her grandson as we stood by the rusted gate.

"It's okay! Please take care of halmeoni~!" I smiled at Halmeoni's grandson as he hurried out of the gate to accompany me. He just returned home from school. It must've been an exhausting day, so I shouldn't burden him.

Halmeoni gave me a warm hug and we took a picture together before I said my farewell and left the alley to return to the main street. I chatted with halmeoni until her grandson returned home from his university. They warmly asked me to have dinner with them, but I declined and left because it was getting late.

Strut... Strut... Strut...

I turned to the left alley, expecting an exit leading to the main street but halted once I found myself on a tiny path. Huh...? I frowned at the unfamiliar location. Did I come the wrong way? I drew out my phone to check the map and followed the navigator when a notification popped up on the screen. No internet connection. I lifted my eyes to stare at the confusing alleys leading up and down the slope. Should I call Do-hwan? But there's no signal. Sighing, I lifted my phone above my head to search for the signal as I aimlessly walked through the confusing maze of identical alleys.

"Ah~ This is annoying. How are people living in this area without proper access to the internet...?" I grumbled, lowering my phone with a slight pout, and finally looked up to find myself standing at a dead end. Should I head back to Halmeoni's place to ask her grandson for assistance? I might get lost if I wander around. Sighing in defeat, I turned around to leave the area but stopped almost immediately once I noticed three men dressed in black clothing blocking the only path out of the alley.

They stood motionlessly with the black masks over their faces, only their eyes were visible. I nervously swallowed at the alarming presence of the strangers as they sharply stared at me and glanced at the dead signal on my phone. Are they here to rob me?! But I don't have anything with me!

"Y-Yah! W-Who are you!?" I shrieked when they suddenly charged forward.

The men didn't answer my questions as they cornered me against the concrete wall. I glanced back and forth to scan the area for another exit, but we were enclosed by the rusted fences. A man swiftly reached out to seize my arm, so I immediately shoved him away with a startled look. What's this!? Why are they after me!? The man scoffed at my resistance and tried to snatch my arm again. Are they the local thugs!? I yanked back with all my might, but he refused to release me.

"HELP!?- IS SOMEONE AROUND!- HELP!-" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I attempted to dash through the three men, but an arm found its way around my waist. My eyes widened in horror as the man yanked me backward with all his might. Fuck! He's crazy strong! I roughly swung my elbow backward to smash the man's face, causing him to grunt in pain at the impact. He loosened his grip, so I frantically scrambled toward the opening but was roughly hurled back by my hair. ARGH!

"URGH!" The man grunted in pain once I swung my balled fist at his face. SMACK.

He toppled to the side as I weakly slammed into the wall. I need to get out of here! All three men suddenly charged forward, so I violently kicked a guy in the chest and twisted another person's arm as he tried to seize my shoulder. Argh! I flung the other man aside but lost my balance as he gripped tightly onto my sleeves. I screamed in horror as a firm-gripped head locked me from behind to stop me from attacking the other guy.

"Ah!" I gasped as the person shoved me hard against the wall, firmly pressing my face into the coarse concrete. Shit! I'm outnumbered! I furiously kicked the wall with all my might to shove my body away, sending the both of us flying backward at the force. THUD. I groaned in pain as I roughly landed on the ground but didn't dare whimper and quickly scrambled onto my feet- THUMP.

Someone swung a solid object at my head, sending me tumbling onto the ground. I wailed in shock at the blunt force and lowered my head to find blood dripping from my head. F-Fuck...? My mind started swaying from the painful collision as I struggled to stand but was cut short when someone kicked me hard in the face. I felt my jaw cracking at the blunt impact. Thump.

The world stopped spinning around me... and I was suddenly sinking into the muted darkness of my dead mind.

Fast Forward

Huff... Huff... Huff...

I shakily fumed while recovering my consciousness with my blurry vision on the unrecognizable space around me. My head... it's throbbing in pain as the sticky blood drips from my chin and onto my clothes. I slightly shook my head to recollect my fuzzy mind while struggling to free my limbs... but my wrists were tightly secured behind my back as I sat on an uncomfortable chair. The room... was chilly... and there was a single light bulb above my head. The dim glare... just enough to cast me under the spotlight. Fuck... I'm so sore. I squinted at the unfamiliar dark room. Where am I...?

Creak. The door slid open, and a person appeared. I grunted with my wary eyes glued on the man as he stepped into the room with a leather belt. He was in his late 40s. Short neat gray hair and white beard. I couldn't recognize his face, no matter how hard I tried to recall his identity. But he looked somewhat... familiar...? Have we met before?

"Jang Sora," He chuckled, slowly stepping under the dim glow to reveal his devilish grin. He knows my name. So we've met before? But who the fuck is he?! I huffed, lowered my face to shake off the dizziness, and glanced back at him. Fuck... which alpha did this to me!? I'm tired of their fucking games!

"Who are you?" I grunted with a dizzy mind.

"The Black Phoenix," He smiled eerily.

I froze in my seat with my swollen eyes on his menacing energy as he tightened his grip around a black belt. I didn't know what the Black Phoenix was... but his presence alone was enough to paralyze my nerves. I felt my body stiffening in place until... my blood ran cold. A rapid flash of the fire incident suddenly reappeared in my mind, so I seethed in pain at the aching thumps in my head until I was entirely out of breath.

Fire... screams... smoke... fear... chaos... wooden doors...

The man chuckled and crouched before my restrained legs to observe the dirty smudges on my face as the heavy sweat beads... glazed my scratched cheeks. I gripped my fist in fear as he leaned his face forward to get a better look at my face. He was so close... I could almost count his deep pores.

The man had a few light freckles over his sunburnt cheeks. His face... entirely smeared with greasy oil. His lips were dark purple. As if he was suffocating. And his crooked teeth... gritting at me in... excitement- as if he was keen to see me... but I could feel it... his malicious intention towards me.

There was something in his eyes. A piercing darkness, digging into my soul. It's as if he could read my mind. I shakily maintained intense eye contact with the man. Why is he staring at me in such a way? As if I was some sort of... strange object he's been dying to possess? This is definitely not our first encounter. But who is he!?

The man chuckled and finally stood up, breaking the eye contact with me. Puff! I panted in relief until a few men suddenly opened the door and strolled inside to position a camera before me. The man rounded the chair to stand behind my back as I nervously examined the strange figures dressed in a hooded black cloak. A woman started recording me... so I uneasily gripped my fingers but jerked in shock when I felt the man sliding the leather belt around my neck.

"What are you doing?!-" I gasped but was instantly cut short by the shocking strain around my throat. I gagged in fright as he strangled me with the belt. Thump! Thump! I fearfully resisted the man until the chair scraped the floor, but my limbs were securely fastened with duct tape.

"The cursed child... must perish," He chuckled, suddenly yanking the leather harder, causing it to suppress the windpipe beneath my throat. I gasped and tilted my head backward in horror as he roughly compressed the leather around my neck. I whimpered and glanced at the dim red beam of the recording camera in fear. FUCK?! I CAN'T DIE LIKE THIS!

Hot tears began to trickle down my cheeks as I gagged in distress until I felt my hand shaking between the tapes. I closed my eyes to resist the pain and tried to speak, but the man only towed the belt harder until I felt the pressure pushing out my eyeballs and tongue. I sobbed in fear with my bulging eyes on his evil face above mine as the bright light... glowed above us.

A sore pain spread across my neck and up my chest, as my lungs violently begged for air, so I sniffled and clenched my jaw to resist the discomfort until I felt my temples pulsating on either side of my head. But no matter how desperately I defied his hostile acts... there was little I could do to save my helpless body from being murdered.

Wheezing in difficulty... I resisted for the last time, slightly jerking my body, but it was useless, so I stopped thrashing and slumped weakling on the chair, completely exhausted by the aching pain around my throat.

My head began to sway from side to side as my throat burned in pain until my mind grew hushed. I could almost hear my heartbeat... pounding in my ears as I struggled to breathe. And yet... nothing... not a single breeze of air was allowed to enter my throat... as I sat on the chair... helplessly waiting for death to accompany my soul.

My bloodshot eyes slowly dropped closed after failing to feed my deflated lungs with oxygen, and everything suddenly turned pitch black. I couldn't feel my body or process the thoughts in my head as I descended toward the terrifying abyss.

Puff... I felt a hot warmth over my face, so I fearfully turned around within the darkness of my mind to find... a gigantic phoenix symbol on the wall. I stiffened in place at the sight of thick blood... oozing between the brick and splattering onto the pool of dark fluid. My heart thumped in fear at the sight of the vicious creature.

I stood frozen with my eyes nailed on its sinister energy... until the cold chills pricked my skin. The entire wall suddenly erupted on fire- sending its deadly flames blasting in my direction. My eyes widened in horror as I remained paralyzed in my position.

My glassy... pupils... reflecting the scorching wrath of the firebird as it blasted toward me with its... red flames.

________________________

The Present

Third Person POV

The security department bustled loudly as the echoes of the security commands, violent keyboard clackings, and consistent ringtones vibrated within the packed room. The chief guard, Choi Do-hwan, held an emergency meeting with the team of S.W.A.T members as the remaining guards tracked hundreds and thousands of security footage on the street to search for the missing supreme alpha.

"She never left the sixth section," Jungkook pointed out as he reviewed the footage with the guards.

"Jang Sora never left the slum. There was no movement in and out of the place either. How is it possible?" Jimin frowned at the screen. The experts tried to track the alleys leading to the main streets, but there were no abnormal movements. Only the locals were seen leaving the paths, and there were no suspicious vehicles or people within the neighborhood.

"She never left the slum," Sungho muttered as the guards switched between the footage on the large screens to locate Sora's presence.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

The team answered the calls to contact and update the local security on her possible whereabouts... but there were no indications of her whereabouts. The alphas immediately lifted their heads from the desktop screen once a flood of S.W.A.T members stormed through the department.

"The government has authorized a search warrant," Do-hwan sternly informed the security within the department as he pulled on his gear and stormed out of the office with his men.

Meanwhile.

"Taehyung! Where are you going-"

"I'm joining the mission to search for her," Taehyung stormed through the corridor with his loaded gun and a cap over his head as his mother chased him.

"You can't be involved! Let the guards deal with the problem!" Mrs. Kim grabbed her son's arm to stop him. Taehyung took a deep exhale to neutralize the burning heat within his chest and turned to face his mother with a dark frown.

"The supreme alpha is in danger. Do you wish to-" Taehyung tried to scold his mother but was cut short when she clasped her hand over his lips. Mrs. Kim suddenly pulled her son into Sora's empty room and closed the door for privacy reasons. The woman let out a shaky exhale as Taehyung unsurely observed his mother's restless behavior.

"The Jang plans to eliminate us," Mrs. Kim calmly spoke. Taehyung searched his mother's face unsurely.

"They can't get rid of us. I'll make sure of that-"

"Aera will marry Sora off to Sungho, and we'll be left with nothing! Taehyung- The contraction renewal will take place in a few months!" Mrs. Kim snapped, firmly grabbing Taehyung's forearm as she anxiously stared at her son's blank face.

"What are you trying to say?" Taehyung frowned at his mother.

"The Jang never appreciated our efforts! They tried to eliminate our household after Jungkook's birth mother died! Don't you remember?! The Jang will seize Park Jihyun's power from us once Sora marries Sungho. Even Jeon is at risk! And the Park will not survive without us! Aera is retrieving the late supreme alpha's assets from all her alliances to merge her power under Jang Sora's name! But without the supreme alpha... The Jang won't be able to snatch the assets from us," Mrs. Kim gritted to persuade her son. Taehyung grew quiet, uneasily pondering his mother's intention.

"Are you saying... you won't interfere with her disappearance and hope... she dies? So we could inherit the Jang's assets?" Taehyung questioned, dumbfounded by his mother's claim.

"As long as... the contract doesn't expire and we can prove Jang Sora's death... we have the right to claim the Jang's contracts. The Chul won't be able to interfere because they're under the Jeon's control. Taehyung, the world is in our favor!" Mrs. Kim tightly gripped Taehyung's forearm with her determined gaze trained on the alpha's neutral face.

Taehyung stared at his mother in silence to contemplate the risk his mother is pleading him to take. If Jang Sora dies... He's the only household entitled to withdraw her assets, and the Kim will be untouchable in the council. Kim Taehyung can easily tame the Chul with the supreme alpha's power and assert his dominance within the society.

Her death will reap a promising reward for his household, but it was a deadly gamble.

"Eomma-"

"You will become the next supreme alpha. Kim Taehyung. This is your only chance to seize the throne of immunity," Mrs. Kim nervously stared at her son's blank expression. The alpha stood with a slight frown after he heard his mother's reminder of... how... easily... he could... ascend the hierarchy rank without any hindrance.

It's a free ticket to the most desired position within the society. But will he take it?

"We'll have to find her corpse to prove her death," Taehyung sighed, patting his mother's shoulder, and turned to leave through the door. Mrs. Kim pursed her lips worriedly as her son strolled away to join the security team outside the mansion.

A moment later.

A middle-aged man stood, smoking a cigarette outside an alley by a rusty door as a few thugs rushed in and out of the entrance. A woman greeted the guests as she strolled down the stairs and headed inside to deliver packed meals to the gambling den. Men and women were screaming and cursing over their cards. A fat man loudly roared in contentment while standing over the desk with a cheap cigarette between his lips. He smugly chuckled, happily bending down to collect the hard cash he made as the other players grunted in discontent after losing their money to the game. A few other gangsters... were singing and drinking in one of the run-down karaoke rooms.

"Ah~ I'm fucking lucky today~! Should I pay a bitch to screw tonight~?" The man grinned, nastily licking his cash after he won the card game.

"Sit down, you fat pig!" A woman snarled, causing the man to chuckle at her irritated face. He lifted his glass of beer to gulp the low-grade liquor and sat back down- CRASH! The heads within the room snapped towards the stairs leading from the entrance at the startling sound... to find the male bouncer tumbling down the stairs. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. The man slammed hard onto the basement ground, followed by the footsteps of heavy boots.

"POLICE! POLICE! THEY'RE RAIDING THE DEN!" Someone shouted, startling the thugs within the dim space.

The ordinary man's eyes flung open as the room erupted into chaos. People started screaming and shouting at each other over the gambling tables as the gangsters fled for their lives, but before they could escape the site... a tall man stormed down the stairs with his dark energy, followed by a flood of armed men in well-equipped gear. Thud... Thud... Thud... His powerful footsteps... sending a surge of vibration throughout the cramped space... until everyone froze in place at the man's powerful presence.

Kim Taehyung dangerously marched down the stairs with his black boots, tight black jeans, and a leather jacket with a cap secured over his head as he led the team of armed men. The gambling man suddenly seized the stash from the table and fled through the back room as the women raced away to alert the boss of the unexpected intrusion.

"WHO ARE YOU-" A buff man sprinted toward the second rank alpha with a chair, but Taehyung effortlessly lifted his leg- THUMP.

The alpha slammed the base of his boots against his chest, sending the man flying backward. CRASH. The thug collided with the glass fridge, causing the door to shatter from the impact. The room suddenly grew hushed as the victim grunted on the ground with his hand clasped over his aching chest. The other men froze in shock at the scattered shards and glanced at the deadly alpha as he towered over them with his pitch-black pupils and hostile darkness.

"WHO DARE INTERRUPT MY OPERATION!?- YAH! I BRIBED THE CORRUPTED POLICE TO ENSURE A SMOOTH OPERATION!-" A gangster suddenly appeared with a cigar in the corner of his lips. The man showed no fear and stormed up to Kim Taehyung, who stood in his place with a blank gaze. The boss raised his left eyebrow to examine the alpha and glanced at the armed men behind the alpha's back with a disapproving look.

"We have acquired a search warrant. Cooperate with the authority," Do-hwan announced loudly as he lifted the official file above his head.

A group of thugs suddenly flooded the room to back their boss with their weapons as the squad of guards stood sternly behind Taehyung. Some were holding knives... while others clutched onto shiny machetes. The leader glanced at the paper in Do-hwan's hand and back at Taehyung's intimidating stare unsurely before glancing at the injured man, who was vomiting blood on the floor after enduring a single strike from the alpha.

A moment later.

The once-swarming gambling den was emptied in less than ten minutes after the authority's arrival. The gamblers and alcoholics were evacuated from the basement, leaving behind the thugs responsible for the den to face the interrogation. Do-hwan strode ahead of his men as they followed the leader through a shady corridor and down into a dark underground basement. Do-hwan halted to stare at the shady room as they stood on the top of the stairs with the boss.

"Wae..? Are you fucking scared of the dark?" The thug leader chuckled, strolling down before Do-hwan, so the man signaled a few guards to stand by on the top floor.

Taehyung stormed after the thug and strolled down the corroded metallic stairs filled with dim red lights until they landed on a damp basement. There were no windows, so there was no light source except for the flickering light bulb hanging from the leaking wall. Do-hwan frowned at the concrete barrier while scanning the leakages from the tunnels above their heads. Taehyung rubbed his sore nostrils as the foul odor numbed his nerves.

"Is this a joke?" Do-hwan asked as they stood in the stinky room. The thug chuckled and walked toward a massive metallic door to draw the heavy lock. Creek... The lights suddenly flickered, exposing a deep tunnel behind the doorway. Taehyung hardened his stare at the ankle-height flooded underground tunnel and strode forward to examine the secret passage.

"Careful there, young man. The sewer water will ruin your expensive boots," The thug chuckled, smugly nodding at Taehyung to stop the alpha from stepping into the tunnel.

"Where does it lead to? Is the government aware of the passage?" Do-hwan asked as he inspected the deep tunnel.

"Of course, they're aware. They constructed an underground bunker and an escape passage beneath the city during the war. They covered most of the tunnel but this one... it's still here. The government probably forgot about it," The man nodded. Do-hwan took pictures of the tunnel as the other guards entered to examine the place.

"Have you seen her?" Taehyung asked, lifting his phone to show the man a picture of the supreme alpha. It was a picture of Sora on the island. She was... brightly smiling at Taehyung in the grape garden with a flustered face after getting drunk. The man squinted to observe her face, unsurely tilting his head to recall his lost memories.

"I'm not sure...? She's a fucking pretty bitch though. What is she doing here in this sewer?" The man smirked, shaking his head with a doubtful look. Taehyung frowned at his clueless response, so Do-hwan sighed and pushed an envelope into the man's chest.

"Cooperate with us while we're being generous," Do-hwan warned. The man chuckled and opened the envelope to check the bundle of money before lifting his smug face to smile at Kim Taehyung.

"There are a lot of customers, so it's a bit hard to remember everyone. Some days... it's empty and other days... I get a lot of illegal movements. I'm not responsible for the activities, of course. I only charge my clients fees if they want to cross the tunnel. You'd have to give me a specific date," The man shrugged.

"Last Friday at around 9:30 PM. She disappeared in the alley," Do-hwan informed. The man glanced at Sora's picture again and frowned at the tunnel.

"Huh. I only had a group of customers that day- AH! That's right! Those strange men! They were dressed in black!- Black masks! I charged them 100 thousand won each to use the passage! They came empty-handed and left with a body. It was a woman... but I didn't see her face because they had a bag over her head," The man gasped at the chief guard.

"Was she wearing this set?" Taehyung asked, lifting the picture of Sora standing with halmeoni before she was abducted. The man stared at her black jeans and beige-colored sweater before glancing at the green charity vest.

"I remember black jeans... but her sweater was covered in blood," The man shrugged. Taehyung rolled his eyes in discontent at the useless answers and glanced at the sewer with an uptight look.

"Taehyung-" Do-hwan called, but the alpha impatiently stormed inside the tunnel, stepping into the dark murky water without hesitation. Splash. Splash.

"Yikes... he must be a rich mother fucker. Those boots are darn expensive. The tunnel doesn't flood unless there's a rainstorm. It should drain tonight," The man stared at Kim Taehyung as he strolled through the tunnel to search through the shallow sewer water.

"Bring the investigation team-"

"Hey! Mr. Police!- You said you won't interrupt my operation-"

"Stay quiet and let us deal with the matter, or I'll shut down the place for good!" Do-hwan snapped at the man.

"That's unfair!-"

"You're operating a gambling den and allowing drug dealers and possibly killers through the tunnel! The punishment alone is enough for you to receive a life sentence!" Do-hwan snapped at the thug.

The man grunted and glanced at Taehyung in annoyance, who suddenly lowered his body to pick up something from the murky water. Do-hwan paused by the entrance as Taehyung lifted the green vest upward. The dirty water... dripping from the soaked fabric. Taehyung stood in silence to inspect the vest and slowly lifted his face toward the guard with a grimace. The alpha returned to the door and handed Do-hwan the wet vest.

Jang Sora.

Her name was printed on the tag. Do-hwan furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at the clueless thugs. Taehyung rested his dirty hands on his hips and glanced at the tunnel darkly. The supreme alpha did leave the slum the same night, but it wasn't over the visible roads. They took her through the underground tunnel... leading to the outskirts of Seoul.

The guards and authority seized control of the gambling den to investigate the tunnel for a week as the armed men busily rushed back and forth through the tunnel to search for possible clues... but there was no camera footage at the exit... leading into the wood at the other end of the tunnel. All the traces were covered by the time the team reached the wilderness.

The households operated days and nights, through the scorching sun during the day and the chilly frost during the night... to hunt the supreme alpha, but she was nowhere to be found. The abductor did not contact the households... and there was no news of her disappearance.

Fast Forward

Mrs. Jang sat restlessly at the council's meeting venue after her daughter disappeared. The entire society was swept up by the shockwave after the news leaked... regarding the missing heir. The supreme alpha had vanished without a trace. Her guards and the alphas search for her in the slums for the entire night, but she is never sighted by anyone.

The local police went from door to door to investigate the disappearance, but even the locals... were unaware. Seokjin restlessly tapped his feet as he sat at his desk. Taehyung spitefully glared at the alpha from across the room for losing the supreme alpha. Jungkook was dozing off on the desk after spending the past nights searching for Sora. No one... within the room seemed to focus on the moderator. They concluded the meeting after an hour, so Taehyung grabbed the file and quickly walked down the stairs.

"Oppa!" Hwa-young called, getting up from her seat beside Sungho to chase Taehyung. He dismissively passed her, so she grabbed his wrist to stop him from striding away. Taehyung halted and coldly glanced at her firm grip on him.

"Let go-"

"Why are you avoiding me!?" Hwa-young cried, causing the other households to pause at their arguments. Taehyung gritted his teeth in discontent, despising her for drawing unnecessary attention from the crowd.

"Hwa-young. Now isn't the time to speak about your personal matters. The Supreme alpha is missing-"

"So what?! My marriage has been postponed for months! But no one seems to care! Why is everyone so worked up after she's gone for a few days?! She probably ran away from home again!" Hwa-young snapped at her brother. Sungho pursed his lips in horror at his sister's thoughtless exclaims.

"Yah-"

"Talk to me! Why are you so childish-"

"I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU ALRIGHT?! STOP BOTHERING ME!" Taehyung angrily bellowed at her face as Hwa-young stubbornly held his arm. Hwa-young's eyes immediately flushed with tears.

"You said you'd marry me-"

"I DON'T FUCKING WANT TO MARRY YOU ANYMORE!" Taehyung angrily shoved her aside and stormed down the stairs. Sungho immediately grabbed his sister, so she burst out crying as the room remained hushed. Taehyung darkly stormed down the stairs with a sharp frown when the room's speaker suddenly blasted an ear-splitting sound.

"What the fuck-" Jungkook cursed, covering his ears in disbelief. Taehyung halted at the strange static nose as Seokjin grimaced on the opposite stairs. The black screens within the room suddenly flickered. The room grew hushed as they stared at the blurry black-and-white footage.

"What's wrong with the audio!? I'll go deaf!" Minho snapped as the sound screeched all over the room. The moderator attempted to disconnect the screens and sound system, but it didn't work. Flick. The screen suddenly lit up with clear footage and the speaker instantly grew hushed, leaving the alphas with ringing eardrums.

The entire elite room became muted as they stood with baffled stares at the person on the screen. A woman... sat on a chair in a dim room with a man behind her. Her hair was soaked in sticky blood... and she was bleeding heavily through the clothes. Her eyes were swollen and her lips were bruised.

Kim Taehyung's evil-infested darkness was suddenly replaced with fear... as soon as he recognized her familiar features. Seokjin gasped, stepping forward as Jungkook's jaw dropped open in horror. Jimin slowly stood up from his seat as Namjoon remained stiff by the door. Yoongi and Hoseok stood beside each other with their bulging eyes nailed on the screen as Mira nervously hugged Minho's arm.

"Sora!?" Minah gasped, stepping forward with an anxious frown.

"What's this!? Why is my daughter-" Mr. Jang snapped but halted when the man slipped a leather belt around Sora's vulnerable neck. Taehyung unconsciously jerked in horror as the man tightened the strap around her throat. Sora's distressing whimper filled the room as she sniffled in pain, causing the room to tense up at her dire situation.

"N- no- no! No! no! What the hell-" Jungkook shrieked, pushing Taehyung aside to rush toward the screen.

"WHAT'S THIS!? STOP THE MADNESS! HOW DARE YOU HURT THE SUPREME ALPHA- I ORDER YOU TO HALT YOUR TREACHEROUS ACT!" Mrs. Jang burst into tears. She frantically rushed towards the screen but was held back by Mr. Jeon.

"Urgh!- Hmmp!" Sora sobbed as she gagged and coughed intensely with her head tilted toward the light above her head.

"This is a live stream. It's everywhere..." Jimin whispered, lifting his phone to show Taehyung, who was darkly frowning at the footage.

"STOP IT! WHOEVER YOU ARE!" Seokjin roared angrily as the man strangled the supreme alpha with the leather belt.

She helplessly thrashed with her bounded limbs until the scraping sound filled the room. Taehyung stood with a racing heart as... Jang Sora desperately hyperventilated for air, weakly twitching and jerking on the chair... but failed to free herself.

The thick leather curling... tighter... and tighter around her neck to restrain her windpipe.

Mrs. Jang screamed in agony after her daughter suddenly collapsed from the torture. Her body suddenly eased... and her head flopped lifelessly to the side. The taunting whimpered stopped. Her tears ceased and she remained... stiff and motionless with her wrists and legs tied to the chair.

Jang Sora abruptly stopped breathing... and Kim Taehyung suddenly couldn't breathe... as well.

Switch. The screen suddenly turned blank.

Kim Taehyung stood with his frightened pupils glued to the screen until he felt a sharp contraction in his chest. A burst of darkness violently penetrated his chest... viciously expanding its dangerous icy sensation until the forceful chill jolted up his neck to numb his skull with the evil. His pupils dilated, turning pitch black as his veins bulged from the pressure of the overflowing evil within his system.

No one moved.

No one blinked.

No one dared to breathe.

A flaming Phoenix appeared on the screen... extending its fiery wings before the crowd of elite players.

.

.

.

The storms of vengeance have arrived with the wrath of the firebird.

The predator... soaring dangerously over the pack of powerful wolves within the destructive storms to prey on the petrified crowd beneath its deadly flames.

A moment later.

"Is there any news?!" Mrs. Jang sobbed as the elders gathered in the living room after fleeing the disorder during the council meeting.

Jungkook wildly ran his fingers through his hair as Jimin paced back and forth within the room with his hand tucked under his chin. They finally saw the supreme alpha after her disappearance through the screens... but she was in a dire condition. Taehyung calmly stood with his eyes on his parents, who seemed unbothered by the chaos... and glanced back at Mrs. Jang's tearful eyes as her husband comforted her on the couch. Imo was sobbing by the corner with the maids after she heard the news.

"They contacted us!" Do-hwan roared, bursting through the front door in bewilderment to inform the worried crowd. The elders and young alphas grew tense.

"W-What?! Is Sora alright!?" Mr. Jang stood up in terror.

"They said they will return Sora if we hand over Jihyun's heir!" Do-hwan announced. The elders froze at the absurd request. The man unsurely stared at their stunned expressions.

"Jihyun doesn't have an heir," Mrs. Kim dawdled. Do-hwan's face turned pale.

"What?" The man asked.

"Park Jihyun never had an heir. He died in the fire with his wife," Mrs. Kim calmly explained. Do-hwan stood in shock, unsurely frowning at the dreadful elders, who seemed as lost as he was. The guard wasn't aware of Park Jihyun's history. Mrs. Jang sobbed in defeat and lowered her face to press her palm against her face.

"How are we supposed to trade a nonexisting heir for the supreme alpha!?" Jungkook whined, turning to slap his forehead in disbelief. No one uttered a word as they struggled to initiate a solution to save the supreme alpha.

The room grew hushed as the elders listened to Mrs. Jang's soft sniffles and glanced at each other in dread. The leading household finally received a deal to safely bring the supreme alpha home... but it was in exchange for a person that doesn't exist.

They were still at a dead end.

Thus far, it was the only news they received from the unknown people. Kim Taehyung frowned hard with his arms crossed over his chest as he thought about his childhood... to recall Jihyun's last moment. An heir? He couldn't remember anything... about the late supreme alpha having a child with his average wife.

_______________________

Kim Taehyung sat in the bustling lobby of the corporation, staring unblinkingly at his phone screen with his eyebrows furrowed. The community page was hacked by an unknown source.

RETURN PARK JIHYUN'S HEIR OR THE SUPREME ALPHA SUFFERS A TRAGIC DEMISE.

Taehyung stared at the bold text with a slight frown as the employees passed by, slowing down to peek at the alpha. The city couldn't seize control of its network since last night after they were hacked... and almost every secured site was hijacked. Articles... after articles of the fire incidents were published to blame the supreme alpha household and her alliances for Park Jihyun's death.

A FAMILY FILLED WITH BLOOD LUST AND TWISTED SECRETS.

Taehyung stared at the red links and clicked on the article about the fire incident. The source claimed the anonymous alphas overthrew Park Jihyun to seize Park Chul Seok's assets for themselves. The alpha sighed in frustration, shut off his phone with a headache, stood up to leave through the entrance, and headed to the university.

Every head turned after Taehyung as they gossiped about the unknown source, even at the school premises. The alpha didn't bother and strolled up to the meeting room to update the other alphas on his project, but they too... weren't focused on Taehyung's reports.

"You were one of the survivors of the fire incident, right?" Mira smirked, curiously leaning over the table. Taehyung halted to stare at her smug expression as he stood before the screen.

"You may leave if you're here to-"

"Isn't it weird? How all the anonymous heirs survived the fire? Except for Park Jihyun's heir? The pillars survived... except for the one true heir?" Minho chuckled. Taehyung clenched his jaw as he darkly stared at the couple. He glanced at Yoongi and Hoseok, who were dully staring at him, and Namjoon, who was scribbling on his notebook with an unbothered look.

"The incident was a mere accident-"

"But rumors say... Jihyun was Ga Aera's ex-lover... and she was extremely heartbroken after he cheated on her with the average woman. If I was Mrs. Jang, I'd kill the mother fucker too," Mira scoffed. Taehyung rolled his eyes at her nonsense, grabbed his files, and left the room.

The society shifted its sole attention to the top three households, endlessly questioning their legitimacy in the council after the unknown source revealed the information on the community platform. Jungkook and Jimin were instructed to remain home because the elders were afraid they'd be the next target, and only Taehyung was allowed to leave the walls to fulfill his duties.

The elders couldn't come to an agreement with the unknown source to bring Jang Sora to safety because they were clueless about Jihyun's nonexisting heir. And so... Sora remained missing for another week. Do-hwan could no longer contact the source after the elders failed to meet their terms.

And as the day passed without the supreme alpha presence... the households became more and more vulnerable to the council's allegations.

The wolves got greedier and began to swarm the households with their baring fangs and sharpened claws.

Knock. Knock.

Mrs. Jang lifted her puffy eyes to the door as Kim Taehyung stepped inside her office at the mansion in casual clothes. The woman wiped her tears and glanced at the alpha as he sat on the couch facing her desk.

"Did you kill Park Jihyun's heir?" Taehyung asked. Mrs. Jang frowned at the alpha.

"He doesn't have an heir," Mrs. Jang refuted. Taehyung sighed.

"So why are the anonymous people declaring his existence? You were the only person closest to Jihyun," Taehyung muttered. Mrs. Jang clenched her jaw in discontent as she recalled her memories with the late supreme alpha.

"Park Jihyun cheated on me with the average woman and married her without my knowledge," She shrugged. Taehyung frowned to think about the situation.

"Give me access to the past records. Everything related to Park Jihyun and his wife," Taehyung sighed. Mrs. Jang glanced at Taehyung unsurely.

"Aren't you hoping for Sora's demise to snatch the supreme alpha title from her?" Mrs. Jang bitterly eyed Taehyung.

"The problem stays between you and me, not Sora. She's clueless," Taehyung muttered. Mrs. Jang scoffed.

"Wae? Are you regretting it now because she's gone?-"

"The only way for her to stand strong is for me to distance myself from her," Taehyung muttered.

"So you're playing the bad guy? Pain doesn't work on everyone the same way. It might have conditioned you to love her harder, but pain is Jang Sora's greatest weakness," Mrs. Jang muttered. Taehyung blankly stared at the woman and stood up. She finally slipped Taehyung the key to the confidential room. The alpha excused himself and left for the storage room to check the files and finally retrieved all of Jihyun's records to study them in his room.

_______________________

The Elite Meeting

"The supreme alpha failed to disclose the fire incident documentation! Her household's authority should be withdrawn temporarily to be investigated!" Mira snapped across the room.

"We are Park Jihyun's direct allies! The households are entitled to inherit his assets!" Mr. Jeon fired back at Mira.

"All three households survived the fire except for the supreme alpha and the first lady! It could've been a scheme to seize Park Jihyun's power!" Mr. Jung argued as Hoseok nervously sat beside his father.

"We've provided the alliance contract! Isn't it enough?!" Jungkook frowned at the council.

"But there were no contract transfer documents-"

"Park Jihyun died! How are we supposed to obtain his signature?" Jungkook argued, cutting Namjoon off.

"The community platform has been hijacked by an anonymous source, claiming the Jang, the Kim, and the Jeon killed Park Jihyun, the first lady, and his heir to acquire Park Chul Seok's assets because the anonymous household did not approve of the average blood," Mrs. Min bitterly countered.

"That's absurd! Park Jihyun doesn't have an heir! The first lady was ill for years!" Mr. Jang argued in irritation.

"How are you trusting the unknown source so easily?" Jungkook scoffed in disbelief with his bitter gaze on the desperate crowd.

Kim Taehyung averted his eyes to Kim Seokjin. The Kim's probation period was finally lifted after six months. And yet, Kim Seokjin didn't utter a word to defend Jang Sora. Taehyung glanced away in discontent as he stared at the live update of the security department on his phone. He's been tracking the team's performance days and nights.

A month eventually passed with an intensive effort to save the supreme alpha. The security team worked day and night, fighting to trace her whereabouts with the assistance of the government to raid almost every route across the nation. Yet they couldn't locate a trace of her. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. And although her family prayed for her quick return, the second month passed without an update.

The security team eventually grew exhausted from their mission to save Jang Sora, and her parents were on the verge of losing their sanity due to their daughter's disappearance. The longer she was gone, the more likely she was presumed dead.

Her absence within the society had lured out the hungry wolves from the darkness.

The alphas knew a household without a standing successor faced the terror of being devoured by the pack. And consequently... the predators started attacking the Jang to claim the vacant seat. Left and right. Days and nights. From dawn until dusk. The Jang had to hire legal specialists to deal with the news and circulating rumors as the society challenged their legitimacy on the power throne.

Jang Sora was the pillar in her household... without her presence, even her alliances began to tear away from the Jang. The Kims felt optimistic after Sora's disappearance, so they stayed hush about the matter.

The allies... patiently waited for the opportunity to claim the power seat from the most powerful household.

Mrs. Jang dully strolled into the meeting room within their mansion walls after dinner to settle at the wooden table with her husband. Mrs. Kim blankly stared at her ally and glanced at Mr. Jeon, who was staring at the table with an unblinking gaze. Mr. Park and his wife unsurely glanced back and forth in the tense atmosphere as the Chul waited for the other households to speak up.

"We cannot sacrifice the households to the council," Mr. Kim finally exhaled after everyone settled down. Taehyung sat in silence as Jungkook frowned at the Kim's suspicious intention.

"The council has no right to strip us of our power," Mrs. Jang lifted her sharp stare to Taehyung's father.

"But they can silence our voice in the council. The council might vote to eliminate the entire households," Mrs. Kim replied.

"Suggest a feasible solution," Mr. Jang nodded at Taehyung's mother. Mrs. Kim glanced at her husband and back at her son with a stern look.

"If the society is pressed on eliminating our authority, it has to be the Jang-"

"That's ridiculous. The Jang is the supreme alpha's household. The society may not restrict our authority in the council," Mrs. Jang immediately shot down Mrs. Kim.

"The Jang is the only household without a presentable heir. It has been over two months since Sora disappeared. For all we know... she might not be alive," Mr. Kim argued.

"My daughter is alive!" Mrs. Jang seethed, furiously snapping her deadly glare at the Kims. Sungho and Jimin nervously exchanged glances as the most powerful woman spitefully glared at Taehyung's father.

"We have no information on her welfare to prove her existence! The society will attack the household without an alpha! The alliances can't risk the attack, so only one household should be sacrificed!" Mrs. Kim tensely gripped her fists over the table. Mrs. Jang exhaled heavily with a glowering look as Taehyung's mother insisted on sacrificing the supreme alpha's household to the hungry wolves.

"So are you suggesting that the Jang take the fall for the society's outrageous allegations?! Over a dead supreme alpha's demise? Park Jihyun died because his plan to eliminate us backfired!" Mr. Jang refuted, fiercely firing the Kims an infuriated frown.

"The Jang should transfer the power to the Kim before the society seizes the assets. The transfer will secure the late supreme alpha's power. It was Park Chul Seok's wish for the anonymous alphas to preserve his assets, so we must obey his command and keep the power intact no matter what. The contract will expire soon. The alliances will withdraw from the Jang to safeguard the supreme alpha's assets from being robbed by the greedy society," Mr. Jeon exhaled, lifting his dull eyes to Mrs. Jang.

"Minhyuk! The households must stick together, or the society will tear us apart! Did you think the council would let you live in peace after attacking the Jang? They will use Park Jihyun as an excuse to eliminate all the households as long as we possess his power! Park Chul Seok assembled the anonymous alphas so we'd be an unbreakable trinity, but you want to break us apart and foolishly flee for your life?! You'll never outrace the council alone!" Mrs. Jang fired Jungkook's father a glowering look. The man grimaced and lowered his eyes to his hand with a conflicted look.

"But your sacrifice will buy us more time. Aera and Beomseok-ah~! The Jeon and The Kim have served your family as the leading household for decades. And we've each made a sacrifice to help you achieve stability. The Jang should return the favor and protect the alliances in return for storms we've shielded for you in the past to keep Sora safe," Mrs. Jeon sorely spoke up beside her husband. The Jang swallowed tensely and glanced at the Park and Chul after her most trusted allies agreed to use her household as the armor to shield their households from the attacks.

"Sungho-"

"The Chul is the Jeon's ally, so we'll obey the Jeon," Mr. Chul sighed. Mrs. Jang gripped her first in difficulty. She glanced at the Park in desperation.

"The Park will side with the Kims," Mrs. Park sighed. Aera sat in silence with her resentful eyes on the alliance after they turned their back on her and her husband.

"How are you so frightened of the council when we're not even the culprits behind Park Jihyun's death?" Mrs. Jang suddenly chuckled, tilting her head at her alliances.

"But we possess no proof to clear our names, and the presence of Park Jihyun's heir will threaten Jang Sora's title as the supreme alpha," Mrs. Kim restlessly countered. Aera suddenly burst out laughing, causing the elders to frown at her strange outburst with uneasy feelings.

"Ahaha~! You're afraid of a non-existent heir...?" Mrs. Jang questioned, lifting her intimidating gaze to smile at Mrs. Kim's frustrated expression.

"Although Park Jihyun never had an heir... we can't be certain with the possibilities-"

"The first lady was ill for two years after their marriage. An heir? She couldn't even get out of bed and would hallucinate days... and nights," Mrs. Jang smiled at the elders. The room grew muted as Aera curiously raised her eyebrows to observe the timid alliances.

"The heir may actually exist," Taehyung muttered, placing a file on the table.

"Is that so?" Mrs. Jang smirked.

"Park Jihyun forbade the alphas and staff from visiting the first lady a few months after their marriage. I reviewed the first lady's medical records, and it turns out... her report was undocumented for six months. You claimed Jihyun immediately married the average without your knowledge, and the supreme alpha, Park Chul Seok... agreed to wed the half-blood to the average. Why? You may ask. Park Jihyun might've accidentally got the woman pregnant when he was cheating on you. And the average woman was likely already pregnant before their marriage. Jihyun had to marry her because of the pregnancy, so he concealed the news because he knew society would never welcome his average child. He assigned a specific maid to care for the first lady during the six-month period after their marriage, and no one was allowed to see her. The medical records showed up again after the 6th month. This indicates... the first lady could've been pregnant for three months before the marriage and had given birth during her solitude from the outside world. There were rumors about the first lady bleeding non-stop... so that must be the reason. She fell ill afterward... as mentioned in the reports," Taehyung explained. The entire room grew hushed as they listened to the alpha's theory.

"Jang Sora is the legitimate heir, and I will not allow the council to shatter the household over a dead man's affair with an average. I believe the alliances have another motive... and that is to overthrow the Jang. But I won't let it happen. Each... and every one of the households is... contracted under my authority. And therefore... no one is allowed to flee their post in the game, or I will... ensure you face the dire consequences of breaching the terms and conditions," Mrs. Jang slowly rose to her feet with her deadly stares on the pack of powerful families.

The Kims and The Jeon nervously stared at Jang Sora's mother in fear as she firmly asserted her dominance over the households. The woman glanced at her husband, so he got up and left the meeting room with her, leaving the alliances in dread after they failed to defeat her in the argument.

___________________________

Taehyung sat quietly at his work desk to review the reports from the directors when the secretary entered the office to inform him of his mother's visit. The alpha straightened his body as Mrs. Kim strolled inside the room with Chul Hwa-young. Taehyung uneasily glanced at his fiancée's dark expression and back at his mother.

"What brought you here?" Taehyung asked, getting up from the desk to approach his mother. Hwa-young didn't greet Taehyung and sat on the couch with her arms crossed.

"You should apologize to Hwa-young," Mrs. Kim nodded at the woman. Taehyung glanced at her annoyed face as she stared at the floor with a slight frown.

"For what?" Taehyung asked, earning a glare from Hwa-young.

"Taehyung. She's your fiancée. She has the right to be upset. I'm here today to set the wedding date," Mrs. Kim sighed.

"I told you I will not marry unless I'm ready-"

"The Jang collapse will pose a massive threat to alliances once the society seizes the supreme alpha's assets to disseminate it amongst the other households. You have to merge with the Chul to withstand the society after Jang Sora is eliminated," Mrs. Kim grabbed her son's arm, pleading him to consider Chul Hwa-young as his life partner.

Taehyung stood in the silent room and glanced at Hwa-young again. The council will be untouchable once they seize the supreme alpha's power and the alliances combined... won't be strong enough to dictate the society. The Kims knew the Jang would never fall alone, so their only option to resist the council was the marriage between the households. The Chul might pull out of the short-term alliance to side with another household, and Taehyung knew his mother had given up on courting Jang Sora.

It's every man for himself now.

"But if Jang Sora returns before the contract expires... the council won't be able to seize the Jang's assets. The society may only eliminate a household without an heir if their seat remains vacant for three months. And we haven't found her dead body yet. Do you truly wish to gamble your frail trust with the Jang and abandon them...? After all... I made a bet with Sora and if I win... she'll have to marry me. If Jang Sora is alive... I will beat her in the game, and our household will be secured," Taehyung calmly explained.

"You made a bet to marry her?!" Hwa-young gasped, standing up in disbelief.

"I told you multiple times-"

"You touched my body and then claimed you don't want me-"

"Chul Hwa-young. Did you think I was oblivious to your ridiculous scheme? You? Showing up out of nowhere to wreck my relationship with Sora? It's all too cynical. The society is against my marriage with Jang Sora because... we'd be too powerful together. Tell me. Why is it that... you want me when you're clearly obsessed with my cousin?" Taehyung asked, smirking at Chul Hwa-young. Her eyes abruptly flashed in fear, startled by his statement.

"W-What-"

"Jeon Jungkook. You've had your eyes on him for a while now. But you chose to marry me. Why? Because you're jealous of Sora...? Because she has all the attention? Or perhaps... you knew I'd reject you? And the elders will feel sorry and offer Jeon Jungkook as your groom instead?" Taehyung questioned, lifting his thick eyebrows.

"Taehyung, sweetie! What are you saying-"

"Her sketchbook. It's filled with Jeon Jungkook's portraits," Taehyung bitterly sighed and turned away as Hwa-young stood with a flustered face. Mrs. Kim glanced at Sungho's sister in surprise as Taehyung sat back down at his work desk.

"You're an asshole!-"

"That night. It wasn't me who you were targeting. It was Jeon Jungkook. He claimed he wanted to swim at the beach after dinner, so you went there to wait for him... and I happened to be at the wrong place," Taehyung smiled at Hwa-young, whose face flushed even redder.

Kim Taehyung... only suspected something bizarre about his encounter with the woman at the beach after recalling the incident for the past months. Why would a woman with a wounded ankle walk that far to swim in the ocean? When she can't even swim? Alone? In the dark?

Taehyung realized... Chul Hwa-young... has been watching Jeon Jungkook. Waiting for him to notice her and would sulk after he dismissed her presence. Brief glimpses... she'd a peek at the alpha and look away. The night Sora left to use the restroom during dinner... Taehyung left the venue after he finished his meal... and Jeon Jungkook drunkenly walked down the stairs with him until he spotted Hwa-young limping in difficulty.

Hwa-young knew the half-blood was drunk.

She seized the opportunity to lure the half-blood, but Taehyung accidentally fell into her trap, so she had no choice but to settle with the Kim's heir to avoid suspicion.

Flash Back

"Are you alright~?" Jungkook drunkenly strolled down the stairs to help Hwa-young stand up as she crouched on the floor with a swollen ankle.

"I'm fine. Sora eonni offered me her cream earlier," Hwa-young smiled. Her cheeks flushed bright pink as Jungkook carefully held onto her arm. Taehyung slowly walked down the stairs after his cousin.

"I'll help you to your room," Jungkook drunkenly smiled while holding her upper arm. Hwa-young pursed her lips and limped away with Jungkook as Taehyung stopped by the opened window on the third floor to stare at the garden below.

"Should I meet up with Sora at the beach? She wanted to swim," Taehyung muttered as he gazed at the calm sea while checking her whereabouts on his phone until Jimin strolled down the stairs. Sora's location was somewhere in the garden, so Taehyung knew she wasn't in their room.

"Jungkook! Where are you going!?" Jimin called, calling for his friend as he strode away with Hwa-young.

"Wait there! Let's go swimming at the beach! Wait for me in the garden!" Jungkook shouted at Jimin and turned the corridor with Hwa-young. Jimin chuckled and stood beside Taehyung with his rosy red cheeks.

"Can you ask Sora to meet me at the beach too? She's in the garden," Taehyung nodded to Jimin.

"Sure~!" Jimin sang and turned to walk down the corridor. Taehyung made his way down the stairs and headed to the beach alone as Jimin left to wait for his friend in the garden.

But Jimin and Jungkook never made it to the beach that night because they were both drunk.

Park Jimin convinced Jungkook to head back inside after he vomited in the bush. And therefore, Jeon Jungkook took his friend back to their room. Chul Hwa-young wasn't aware and limped towards the beach, hoping she'd meet Jeon Jungkook there, but Taehyung showed up instead.

And they were ultimately caught up with each other in the dark sea.

A drunk man who thought he was embracing his lover and a desirous woman ended up tangled in the net Chul Hwa-young set up to trap Jeon Jungkook.

End of flashback

___________________________

Three months... after Sora's disappearance.

The entire elite council flared into chaos as the household screeched at one another over the supreme alpha's status. Mrs. Jang snapped at Kim Namjoon for suggesting the vote option to eliminate the Jang. Taehyung lowered his head in frustration at the commotion as the alphas lost their temper. He couldn't concentrate but listened to angry voices and arguments.

"How dare you abuse your power and refuse to vote! It's been exactly three months since she disappeared! A household may not stand without an alpha!" Mrs. Jung argued from across the room. Hoseok nervously rubbed his chin as his parents opposed the most powerful household.

"Jang Sora is not dead! You have no proof!" Mrs. Jang snapped back at the council.

"The council must vote regardless of her wellness! The Jang does not have sufficient information to prove their innocence concerning Park Jihyun's death!" Namjoon's father roared.

"That's enough! Let's vote!" Minho's father snapped, glancing at the moderator to signal the timid man. Mrs. Jang gritted fiercely as the man launched the poll on the screen. The household immediately cast their votes on the live display.

"Shit..." Jimin cursed as 60% of the council voted to launch the elimination trial.

"Aera!" Mrs. Jang called for his wife when she angrily stormed down the stairs, passing the households to leave the council. Taehyung glanced at the woman, then at his parent's smug smile, and back to the Chul, who was worriedly staring at the result. They didn't dare click on the screen.

"Every household must cast their vote! You can't leave, or the poll will be disqualified!" Minho snapped at Mrs. Jang as she stormed towards the door. Taehyung sighed in frustration and got up from his seat.

"Taehyung!?-" Mrs. Kim gasped after Taehyung switched off their screen, refusing to vote.

"Jungkook-" Mr. Jeon wildly turned to his son as Jeon Jungkook got up after his cousin. Jimin nervously stared at his conflicted parents as they hesitated to vote. Sungho sighed and leaned back in his chair without voting as Taehyung and Jungkook strolled down the stairs.

"Open the door!" Mrs. Jang demanded, but the guard refused to budge. He stared blankly at the woman's fuming red face.

"It's only fair for the council to cast the votes! Please take your seat!" Mira's mother shouted. Mrs. Jang turned to glare at the poll as the vote rose to 68% and shifted her dark glare to the stubborn guard again.

"I SAID OPEN THE DOOR! HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY MY ORDER!?" Mrs. Jang screamed, angrily stepping forward to confront the guard as Taehyung and Jungkook stood behind her back. Yet the man stood stiffly with his hands behind his back to block the path.

"THE JANG MAY NOT LEAVE!" Minho bellowed within the noisy venue. Mrs. Jang directed her glowering eyes to Kim Taehyung as he stood behind her with a dull expression.

"Taehyung! We can't vote without you- TAEHYUNG?!" Mrs. Kim called for her son but shrieked in shock when the powerful alpha suddenly withdrew a gun from his trousers pocket. The room gasped in horror as Kim Taehyung darkly lifted the barrel towards the stern guard by the door.

"Open the door," Kim Taehyung sternly ordered. Jeon Jungkook glanced at his cousin with a startled look as he threatened the guard.

"Yah! Weapons are forbidden! Are you nuts-" Jimin gasped as he sprinted down the stairs to approach his friend. The guard nervously glanced at the bewildered council and back at the loaded gun barrel before his face.

"The council may not authorize the vote if a top member is absent and the council does not possess the rights... to keep the council door closed. Open the fuck up... or I'll fire at your skull," Taehyung lowly gritted with the gun directed at the man's forehead.

Mrs. Jang glanced at Taehyung's dark energy with a startled look. The room remained tense in the muted room as the guard waited for the order from the higher rank- Creak. The man flinched in a panic when the door suddenly slid open without him touching it. He wildly spun around in a panic to stare at the person behind the door.

Kim Taehyung stood with the gun raised as another person appeared behind the door after drawing it open. Mrs. Jang's eyes bulged open in disbelief as Jungkook's jaw dropped in the presence of the person. Jimin halted on the stairs after running down as Sungho straightened his body in shock. Seokjin gripped the desk and Namjoon remained stiff as he stood at his section. Mira blinked in disbelief as Minho covered his mouth. Minah didn't budge but sat beside So-young with her horrified gaze on the opened door.

The elite room was instantly silenced by her shocking appearance. No one dared to budge or move as the person stood by the opened door with a blank face. Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows, unsurely lowering his arm to put down the gun as Mrs. Jang stared at the person... with her tearful eyes. The woman shifted her blank gaze to the active polls on the screen again. 75%. She stared at the increasing digits and back to the petrified mass before her.

The person stepped forward.

Thud... Thud... Thud...

Taehyung turned his head after her pale face with parted lips. Jungkook remained frozen in his place as she strode inside the room with her unblinking eyes fixed on the widescreen. The households held their breath, intensely watching her storm straight toward the moderator, who was just as stunned at his desk. The chubby man stared at the woman as if he had seen a ghost as she approached his desk and quickly stepped aside. The woman lowered her hand to click the live poll and enabled the edit option.

"Vote again," Jang Sora's dull voice echoed as she lifted her dilated pupils to inspect the hushed crowd within the room. No one dared to budge as the supreme alpha stood at the desk, displaying little to no emotions. The numbers on the screen suddenly declined significantly in her presence as the household switched their votes.

70%... 67%... 63%.... 58%.... 50%... 43%... 37%... 22%....

Jang Sora calmly stood at the podium as she waited for the household to cast their votes. Jeon Jungkook immediately scrambled up the stairs with Jimin to vote at their desks, so Taehyung quickly spun around and headed back to his parents on the second row.

17%...

Mrs. Jang signaled her husband. He nodded at his wife and pressed on the screen at his desk.

13%...

The room grew hushed at the final result after the entire council pinned their votes. Jang Sora shifted her vacant gaze to the odd number on the screen and back to the petrified households before her with a blank expression... until fear loomed over the council. The supreme alpha clicked on the households... that voted to eliminate her.

Kim Namjoon    Eliminate

Lee Mira               Eliminate

Kang Minah        Eliminate

Shin Minho         Eliminate

And lastly... Sora's eyes landed on the final vote.

.

.

.

Kim Seokjin       Eliminate.

The supreme alpha averted her gaze to Kim Seokjin as he sat stiffly in his seat... keeping his guilty face on her. He gulped and glanced away to avoid her cold stare. Jang Sora dimmed her eyes and shifted her gaze to the hushed crowd as they waited for her to speak.

"Case closed. Those who wish to oppose the Jang must step forward after the meeting," Jang Sora spoke dully. She switched off the screen, rounded the desk, and strolled out of the council, leaving the alphas frozen in their seats as they watched her walk through the door with an unbothered reaction.

She came and left... like a breeze of wind, stinging the society with her icy cold pricks.

"Are you okay?" Do-hwan nervously waited by the door. Sora nodded and walked off with her bodyguard. He quickly pulled the car door open for her. She slipped inside and buckled her seatbelt just as a flood of alphas rushed out of the building to chase her. They didn't expect her unannounced return to the society.

"Take me to the mansion," Sora ordered. Do-hwan nodded, reversed the car, and drove out of the property as Sora stared at Kim Seokjin with an empty gaze. He was staring at her with a pale expression as he stood amongst the crowd. The guard steered out of the gate and tore through the road to escort the supreme alpha back to the mansion at her request.

Screech. Do-hwan abruptly halted by the mansion's door, so Sora pushed the door open and stepped out, causing imo eyes to bulge in shock as she held a vase by the door. CRASH. The valuable item slipped from her hands and smashed against the floor as Jang Sora strolled past her without acknowledging the woman and stormed inside the mansion.

She walked straight into the corridor and headed directly to her room. Sora pushed open her door and walked straight toward her drawer. Thud. She pulled it open and halted to stare at the item without blinking. Slowly, she withdrew it from the desk before shifting her dark gaze ...to her reflection in the mirror as the darkness... consumed her.

Jang Sora... clenched the item within her grip and lowered her hand to slip it into her pocket. She turned around and sternly strode out of the vacant bedroom... just as Kim Taehyung raced down the hallway with a bewildered look. He halted at her presence. Jang Sora stopped dead in her tracks as he observed her body and face in extreme confusion. He couldn't understand her perfect condition.

The two alphas... stood staring at each other without budging until the loud silence drummed in their ears.

"Prepare for your defeat," Jang Sora spoke up.

"What?" Taehyung frowned.

"I have six months left to overthrow you in the game, so make sure to fight with all your strength," Jang Sora exhaled, walking forward with an unbothered look. Kim Taehyung stood stiff in his place as she brushed by him.

And for the first time... Taehyung realized... he wasn't talking to Sora.

Her energy... it was dark... and cold. A sweep of goosebumps rose all over Kim Taehyung's body as the icy frost stung his skin.

He quickly turned to speak with her but sucked in his breath once he noticed... The thick vapor of the darkness... engulfing the supreme alpha's body.

The alpha stood paralyzed in his place.

__________________________

Flash Back

Sora's POV

The dark abyss gradually grew lighter as the faint light source penetrated the thick haze to lighten my surroundings with its dim glow. Grunting softly, I opened my blurry vision to stare at the familiar room with an aching head. Why am I still alive? My throat is so sore...

Sniffling, I lowered my face in exhaustion. I couldn't turn or lift my head because of the wound around my neck. Murmurs. My heart thumped in fear once I heard movement within the room, and my ears suddenly picked up the audio of low chatters. I didn't dare move my muscles and remained motionless with my head flopped downward as the men argued within the room.

"-It may be a trap!-"

"The heir is in danger, sir-"

"Are you sure it's him?!"

"He's been missing for over a month!-"

"Can you confirm his identity!?-"

"Yes, sir! The culprit sent the videos and photographs of the heir-"

"What does he want-"

"The culprit is willing to trade the heir for her-"

"Her?! But I can't-"

"Sir! The heir's will not live for long if we keep him locked up with the motherfucker-"

"Fuck!"

I softly bit my lower lips in fear to stifle my voice... with my sticky hair dangling messily over my head as the angry footsteps marched towards me. I'll play dead, or they'll torture me again. The man suddenly snatched a handful of my hair and yanked my head backward to expose my face, so I screwed my face in pain as the stinging ache surged all over my bruised neck from being strangled. I weakly stared at the man's face in tears as he resentfully seethed over me.

"When is the trade?" The man grunted while glaring at me.

"Tonight-"

"What?!" The man scoffed at his men in disbelief.

"I'm afraid... we provoked the culprit with the live stream. They demand that we return her alive tonight, or they'll kill the heir," The men nervously replied. The man sneered in discontent and glanced down at me again. I pursed my swollen lips as he lowered his bloodshot eyes to glare into my soul. I don't understand... Why is he so angry with me? What crime did I commit for him to be this upset with me?

"You're a lucky bitch," He spat, spitting his warm spit at my face. I flinched at the wet splatter and closed my eyes as he roughly released my hair, making me whimper in discomfort.

My body... is aching all over... and my throat... is stinging so much. The men suddenly drew a dark bag over my head to cover my sight. I stiffened in a panic, fearfully turning my head in the darkness as they freed the ropes from around my limbs. What's going on???? Are they releasing me!?

"Argh!" I cried, violently tumbling to the floor after they shoved me off the chair. I grunted in pain as the men grabbed my free wrists to bind it again, and I was suddenly hauled onto my feet, but I couldn't stand due to my paralyzed nerves. Thump.

I wobbled back onto the ground. My legs are numb from sitting for who knows how long! The men hastily seized my upper arms and heaved me back onto my feet. I softly groaned as they dragged me forward with the bag over my head. I tripped, stumbled, and wobbled in difficulty, yet they didn't care and hauled me through the secret place like a bag of trash.

"You better behave, or I'll fucking crush your skull!" A man warned, aggressively shoving me into a compartment. I shakily grunted on the seat, turning my head from side to side in fear as I desperately opened my eyes to peek through the ragged bag. We're in a vehicle. Sora. Someone is going to save you! So don't upset them!

I swallowed... and sat composedly with my tied wrists rested over my lap. The loud engine roared to life, and we suddenly jerked forward, so I closed my eyes as the men and women chatted around me. My head began to sway again until I lost consciousness.

I'm losing too much blood.

A moment later.

"AH!" I screamed in shock when a strong force flung me off the vehicle while I was unconscious. I tumbled hard onto the soaked ground as the heavy downpour drummed over my body, causing me to seethe in pain as the water pierced my opened wounds.

Someone clutched my collar, aggressively yanking my weak body onto my feet and dragged me over the ground. I whimpered and stumbled after the man in a panic. Where are they taking me in the rain!? Snatch. I squinted, startled by the swift movement after he snatched the bag off my head, exposing me to the heavy shower. I blinked away the blurriness and shook my head repeatedly to shake the rainwater out of my eyelids.

"Are they here?" A man asked. I didn't dare look up at the guy beside me as he held onto my collar, so I nervously glanced at the surroundings around me. We're in a deep alley. Where am I...? What's happening...? My chest rapidly rose and fell as I struggled to contain my pounding heart. Sora! You have to stay calm!

"They said they will release the heir in one of the alleys. And we have to let her find her way to them," The guy replied. Who...? Who's saving me?

"Ten minutes. If we can't find the heir within the time stamp, we're killing the bitch," The man ordered. The guy beside me firmly nodded at the order and tightened his grip around my hood. He forcefully grabbed my chin to tilt my face upward, so I looked up at the scarred-faced man in tears as he squeezed my jaw between his fingers. I tried not to blink as the harsh downpour showered over my pale face. Shaaaa~! The man glared at me from under his raincoat.

"You better run for your life because after ten minutes... we'll come for you, and I can assure you... you won't live to see tomorrow. Don't you dare scream for attention, or we'll slaughter the witness," He gritted. I bit my trembling lips in tears as the cold rainstorm pounded over us. The man angrily shoved me forward, so I quickly turned toward the confusing alley... but my aching feet suddenly wobbled, and I ended up tumbling over the dirty ground. SPLAT. I cried in pain as my ankle twisted to the side.

"TEN MINUTES," The man shouted. I cried in distress, weakly got back onto my feet, and limped down the confusing alleys alone with my frightened eyes on moldy concrete walls. I sobbed and turned left... and then turned right... until I was at another intersection. Where am I supposed to go!?

I aimlessly dragged my aching feet through the maze of confusing alleys until I was completely soaked from the cold downpour. My body stung uncomfortably due to the severe wounds... and I was shivering to the point I could no longer feel my numbed fingers... but I didn't give up and splashed over the shallow puddles to search for my savior. I have to find the person before they find me. Keep walking, Sora-

"We found the heir!" Someone screamed from the alley beside mine. I halted in place, eyes widening in horror as I heard footsteps racing down the path to my right, so I grunted and sprinted into the left alley. I gripped my tied wrists and ran as fast as I could to avoid the flock of men. Thump! Thump!

"Time's up! Search for her now!" Someone roared by the intersection. My heart thumped in fright as I wildly threw my body behind a stack of cardboard just as a group of men passed by the dark alley, slamming my body hard into the wet wall. Thump! I quickly clasped my hands over my mouth to hush my frantic whimpers with my eyes closed. Pitter... patter... pitter... patter. The alley grew hushed again. I heard a distant shouting, so I carefully peeked from behind the piles to scan the empty path as I struggled to control my shaky breath.

"Shit!" I cursed, quickly scrambling onto my feet, and raced off in the opposite direction.

"Argh!" I screamed as a man appeared out of nowhere with a black hood over his head. I abruptly stopped over the murky puddle in a panic as he stepped out from the shadow to face me. Thump. Thump. My heart pounded hard against my chest so hard... I could hardly breathe as he stood fixed in his place.

"There she is!" Someone roared from behind me, so I wildly spun around to find another guy sprinting in my direction. I cried at his presence and turned to bolt down the dark alley to my right, fleeing through the rain in tears to escape the murderous men. I dodged a shop sign and quickly turned into another alley- SPLAT. I groaned in pain as my muddy sneakers slipped over the pavement. The force sent me skidding hard over the rough concrete, but I quickly got back up with my aching ankle while gripping the slippery shop sign.

"Found you bitch!" The man suddenly appeared, quickly racing towards me with a wide grin.

"Stay away!" I screamed, quickly crawling over the damp ground to escape him, but the man grabbed my ankle and roughly dragged me over the dirty ground with all his might. CRACK. I wailed in shock at the unbearable pain around my ankle as he intentionally twisted it. He madly chuckled at the sound of my pathetic whimpers and towed me down the path, so I wailed in extreme pain while clawing the ground to stop him from dragging me away.

"I'll reap the biggest award if I bring back your head! But you're a pretty bitch, eh? Should I fuck you first? Or should I kill you and then fuck your corpse!?" He grinned, evilly crouching over me. My eyes bulged open in fright as he drew a knife from his pocket, swiftly flipping the blade at my neck.

"ARGGH!" I screamed, roughly raising my feet to kick his face. SLAM. I struck him hard with the base of my shoes. The man groaned in shock and tumbled backward as the knife flew out of his hand and collided with the metallic shop door. I quickly sat up on the shallow puddle and tried to crawl away but didn't get far. He angrily tackled me back onto the ground. THUMP!

"You stupid bitch!- I will choke you until your eyeballs pop out of the sockets! Then I'll- fuck your holes with my dick!" He roared, roughly pinning my aching body onto the wet ground. I tried to sit up but he forcefully shoved my shoulders down and strangled my throat with his bare hands. I coughed in difficulty, hastily trying to thrust his chest away, but my bleeding wrists were securely tied together.

The man grunted with a wicked smile as he tightened his slippery fingers around my wounded neck, causing me to gag from the pressure. I cried in pain and thrashed under him in distress to free my restrained body. Sora! You need to scream for help!

The cold downpour mercilessly drummed onto my face, blurring my sight with the cold fluid as I cried in despair. I tried to shout... but no voice escaped my lips. My vulnerable windpipe... entirely blocked by the force around my throat. And my chest... burning from the lack of air. I began to hyperventilate... within his deadly grip as my saliva dripped from the corner of my opened mouth.

My leg muscles suddenly contracted painfully, making me jerk at the unbearable cramp until the aching pain intensified in my head. The man chuckled like a madman over me as I stared up at his ugly face with burning eyes while gripping desperately onto his fingers to stop him from suffocating me. SLASH!

I blinked the warm tears out of my eyes with my mouth ajar as a swift movement appeared beside the man. His evil smile suddenly stiffened, replaced by a frightened look as a splatter of warm blood sprayed onto my face. My eyes dilated in horror as the man sat over me with a knife snuck to the side of his neck. His body grew stiff.

"Urgh-" He grunted, suddenly releasing my neck from his deadly grip. The man shakily lifted his hands to the knife handle... lodged deep in his neck in horror as I remained frozen on the ground, too frightened to budge but gawked at his pale expression.

A dark shadow... suddenly appeared behind him... so I shifted my terrified gaze to find... the person in the dark hood. The man weakly wobbled to the ground as he struggled to breathe, so I quickly sat up with my terrified eyes glued on the unexpected presence as the person stepped over the bleeding man.

The thug lifted his shaken pupils to the unknown person in fright. I shakily backed away from the person... who stood... towering over the man under the pouring rain. Shit! I need to leave! I quickly crawled over the murky puddle on my knees to scurry away- but halted in dread once I found the tall wall looming above me. A dead end. My heart sank in fright as I stared at the solid brick wall before me. Lips trembling, I glanced back at the injured man but stiffened in shock when the hooded person snatched the knife from his neck.

STAB.

I screamed, flinching in absolute fear as the person slit the man's throat open with a single slash. The person roughly kicked the man's chest, sending him rolling onto his back. THUMP! The man groaned in pain as he choked on the floor with his hand clasped over his torn neck. I unconsciously backed away on the ground until my back collided with the damp wall. I loudly whimpered at the presence of the unknown person until my body shook out of control.

The hooded person slowly crouched over the wounded thug as he gagged on his own blood. His limbs twitched uncontrollably with his bloodshot eyes trained on the person crouching over him until blood seeped from his nostrils and ears. The wounded man stared at the killer in fear as the person played with the knife, rotating the bloody blade swiftly between his fingers. STAB!

I sat... paralyzed... as the person aggressively punctured the knife into the man's injured throat... forcing the blade deeper into the center of his vocal cords and slowly... he dragged the knife downward... to slit open the man's chest... down to his stomach... until the dark blood gushed out of the open wound. The man screamed in agony as he painfully thrashed over the bloody puddle until a severe seizure seized control of his damaged nerves.

I couldn't react and knelt speechlessly in the dim alley to watch the dark blood... spill from his torn flesh... spreading across the dirty ground and streaming away with the cold rainwater. My body remained petrified. My heart stopped beating. My mind was entirely blank, and I could no longer... feel the sore aches over my body.

I couldn't do anything but stare at the bone-chilling scene without blinking. 

The injured man suddenly convulsed violently and jerked from side to side as he gagged on the thick blood in his mouth, spitting out the warm paste as the person withdrew the blade from his ripped organs... leaving him... bleeding helplessly in the dark alley.

The rain poured harder on us as I remained defenseless on the ground, fearfully watching the man choke in extreme agony until his eyes bulged open and his chest suddenly inflated for the last time... as if to take his last breath and- Slump. He stopped thrashing and suddenly flopped to the damp ground. Still. I didn't blink as the dangerous hooded person slowly rose to their feet after murdering the man in cold blood. He tossed the knife aside- Clatter. I flinched at the sound of the blade colliding with the concrete pavement and fearfully hugged my knees with my burning pupils on the killer.

The person suddenly turned his head in my direction without moving his body to stare at me, so I gripped my fists and huddled against the corner of the dead end with my tearful gaze trained on the darkness beneath the hood. I couldn't see the person's face... but I could sense it... the menacing evil... seeping from his tainted soul.

Thud... Thud... Thud...

The person calmly strode forward... making me shudder with every splash of his steady steps over the shallow puddles. I tried hard not to whimper under the cold storm and gripped my numbed fists in fright. Badum. The figure eventually paused over me... so I fearfully looked up at the darkness under the hood as... the killer crouched before my soaked face.

I helplessly whimpered and hugged my knees in fear while fighting to keep my soaked lashes apart as he lowered his body and tilted his face slightly to meet my frightened gaze. Still... I couldn't make out his distorting features. Fwip. He carefully drew the black hood off his head, causing me to stiffen in place.

"Hic-" I covered my mouth to muffle the hiccup.

I immediately held in my shaky breath as I stared at his evil-infested pupils with my unblinking tearful bloodshot eyes. The person squatted darkly before me as I remained stiff and petrified by his alarming presence until the clamorous thunder... drummed violently over the alleys.

A flash of brightness flicked over the sky to illuminate the pair of dark brown eyes and defined facial structures. My heart stopped pumping... and my blood suddenly blood ran cold as my head pulsated intensely... until I felt super... light-headed. My vision unconsciously grew blurry again due to the swelling tears... yet I refused to look away from his piercing stare... until my lips trembled severely.

We remained under the relentless rainstorm... staring at each other without blinking until my system shut down my overwhelmed body... and I suddenly tilted to the side. Flop.

Everything turned pitch black... and I was once again... lost in the dark abyss.

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EARLY UPDATE! The gif above must be your reaction! Hahaha! XD

I had an exam this morning but I'm home now and I really really wanted to update this chapter out of pure excitement so here it is! (I smacked the shit out of my keyboard all afternoon hehe because my head was overflowing with the plots) It's what you guys wanted right?! Are you excited?! I am excited! Thank you so much for being patient with me! I love you guys! <3

Who is the ace player~~~? 😉 I wonder who~~~? *dance happily*