ALPHA | BTS FANFICTION

Alpha - Light & Shadow - Chapter 38

Third Person POV

The crowd of alphas remained shaken over the stair landing with their bewildered gazes on the allegedly dead alpha as he stood beside the supreme alpha, who was turning pale upon his shocking appearance. Kim Taehyung glanced at Sora's terrified face with a startled look. He averted his attention to the young alpha in dread once he realized... he wasn't the only one witnessing Jae Yangcha's presence.

"You bastard!-" Taehyung roared, abruptly jerking forward to storm down the stairs... but halted almost immediately when Jang Sora swiftly stepped between him and the alpha.

Seokjin anxiously stared at the supreme alpha as she sternly stood her ground before Kim Taehyung's bewildered frown. Jang Sora suddenly took Yangcha's hand and tugged him down the stairs to steer the alpha away from the lurking predators, causing Kim Taehyung's eyes to widen in disbelief.

"Sora!" Taehyung called, racing down the stairs to chase after her. Yangcha gripped Sora's hand to secure her balance as they sprinted across the snowy garden, but the supreme alpha couldn't run far. Her high heels were stabbing the base of her feet and the chilly frost... stinging her bare shoulders as Kim Taehyung stormed after them with his dangerous darkness... amidst the swirling snowflakes.

Sora's POV

Thump! I gasped, stopping over the thick snow when Yangcha suddenly tumbled over the ground upon the blunt impact over his back. My eyes bulged open in horror once I spun around to find... Kim Taehyung... wrestling the alpha over the snow with his jaws clenched and rageful glower... nailed on the alpha.

Yangcha grunted at the top alpha's aggressive outburst and tried to sit up, so Taehyung roughly shoved his shoulder down and struck Yangcha's face with his rock-hard fist. Smack. Yangcha's head flopped to the side at the blow to his lower lips as Taehyung tightened his grip around the alpha's collar to restrain him.

"Stop!-" I snapped, hastily grabbing Taehyung's forearm to prevent him from striking Yangcha again but Taehyung roughly shoved me aside, sending me toppling onto the ice sheet in my puffy gown. 

"How dare you return before my face?! I'll make sure you die twice if one death isn't enough!" Taehyung roared, angrily thumping his fist over Yancgha's face repeatedly until blood streamed from the alpha's nostrils.

My eyes widened in alarm upon the bloody brawl between the alphas as Yangcha remained helpless on the cold ground without resisting Kim Taehyung. Why isn't he defending himself?! I scrambled frantically over the cold snow on my hands and knees while struggling to stand in my slippery heels, fearfully flinging my body forward to grab Taehyung's shoulders.

"I said stop it!" I screamed, hastily shoving Taehyung off Yangcha, sending him tumbling to the side.

"Yah!- He's a fucking killer!" Taehyung bellowed, wildly turning to glare at me as I frantically drew Yangcha into a sitting position. The alpha was dazed out of his mind, so I tearfully glared at Taehyung's fuming red face as the snow poured heavily onto us. The chilly breeze... turning my sensitive skin bright red with its harsh frost.

"Touch him again, and I will fucking kill you!" I screeched, possessively gripping Yangcha's wounded face with a dark glower.

Taehyung scoffed at my threats in disbelief as he sat on the snow... surrounded by the droplets of Jae Yangcha's blood. The crowd of alphas suddenly appeared in the garden, so I nervously hugged Yangcha's shuddering body to shield him from the society's prying stares. Yangcha grunted in pain, weakly shaking his head to recollect his scattered mind.

"Jang Sora! Why are you protecting that bastard!?-"

"I SAID BACK THE FUCK OFF!" I screamed, angrily shoving Taehyung backward when he tried to scramble toward Yangcha again. He slumped back onto the snow in utter shock, slightly widening his bewildered eyes to question my defensive reaction.

No one dared to speak as we stood under the light snow. I'll get him to safety first, or the crowd will attack him. I grabbed Yangcha's hand and hurled him onto his feet, so Yangcha weakly stood up while holding onto my waist for support. Jungkook frowned at us from the crowd... just as Do-hwan appeared with a team of guards.

"This doesn't make any sense! How are you alive?!" Hoseok gasped in disbelief as he studied Yangcha's healthy physique.

"Restrain him!" Taehyung ordered, signaling the guards with an uptight frown. I quickly tugged the alpha behind my back and shifted my dangerous glare to Taehyung.

"Touch a strand of his hair, and I'll fucking break your fingers!" I snapped, causing the guards to halt at my command. The men glanced back and forth between me and Taehyung, who were clearly infuriated by my threat but... were in so much shock... he couldn't grasp the situation but stared at me with a dark frown. Do-hwan grimaced at the tense atmosphere, suddenly strolled forward to seize Yangcha's weak body, and dragged the alpha away.

"Sora!-"

"Dare to harm Jae Yangcha, and I'll make sure you suffer an agonizing death!" I seethed at Taehyung when he tried to stop me.

Taehyung clenched his jaw intensely as he stood under the drifting snow until his eyes darkened at my determination... to protect a killer. I seethed in anger, dangerously shifting my gaze to the terrified crowd before turning in my gown to limp after Do-hwan, who was escorting Yangcha to the car. The crowd of alphas remained petrified over the snow after I unexpectedly cast my household's immunity over the infamous... Silent Killer.

A moment later.

Do-hwan carefully rested Yangcha's unconscious body onto my bed with an uptight frown as I instructed him. The man wouldn't tear his razor-sharp gaze from the injured alpha, so I quickly adjusted the room temperature to heat up the cold room. I slipped off my stabbing heels and kicked it aside. Clatter. The heels collided against the wall and dropped to the floor.

"Do not allow any visitors. Not even my parents-"

"Sora!" Do-hwan suddenly shouted at my face, causing me to halt at the man. I blinked at Do-hwan's strained veins over his forehead as he furiously fumed over me. The man was on the verge of exploding.

"Raise your voice at me again, and I'll-"

"Jae Yangcha will bring destruction to the household! This is absolute madness!-"

"I ONLY SURVIVED BECAUSE JAE YANGCHA SAVED ME! HE PERMITTED ME RETURN BEFORE THE HOUSEHOLD CRUMBLED SO I COULD DEFEND MY MOTHER IN THE COUNCIL! YOU FAILED TO RESCUE ME!- BUT IT WAS JAE YANGCHA- WHO- SAVED AND PROTECTED ME FROM THE BLACK PHOENIX! I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR HIM! AND HE'S THE REASON I EARNED MY RIGHTFUL SEAT IN THE COUNCIL!" I shrieked at Do-hwan in anger. The man pursed his lips in frustration and darted the alpha on my bed a murderous glare.

Do-hwan scoffed in discontent and stormed out of my room- BANG. The man slammed my door shut to express his disappointment. I shakily panted at his rude behavior and clenched my fists in the muted room. No one will protect the killer! Not even my family! I quickly locked the door and turned towards Yangcha's unconscious body, anxiously biting my lower lips with a racing heart. How long do I have before the vicious alphas corner me and the killer?

"Why did you show up?! I'm not ready to defend you!" I cried in frustration. I grunted and lowered my face to rub away my warm tears.

His appearance will initiate disorder within the council!

A moment later.

I sat with a blank mind as I gently dabbed the warm towel over Yangcha's lips to wipe the dried blood off his wounds and carefully treated the scratches on his face. I rubbed the cream over his split lips and bruised cheeks with my fingertip before pressing a small bandage on his forehead to seal a shallow cut. Sighing heavily, I straightened my back and sat in the muted room... dimly staring at his dark circles with a heavy heart.

Flashback

Third Person POV

The alpha grunted in difficulty as he carried the supreme alpha's dead weight over his shoulder while climbing the dim and stinky staircase until he landed on the fourth floor of a run-down apartment building. He unlocked the rusted door knob and stepped inside his dark flat in his soaked clothes after he battled the harsh rainstorm, merely escaping the Black Phoenix clutch with the supreme alpha.

Jae Yangcha carefully lowered Jang Sora onto an old mattress on the floor, causing her head to flop weakly to the side. He paused over her damp face while examining the bleeding wounds, and glanced at the friction burn around her vulnerable neck. The alpha shakily exhaled as he pulled off his soaked jacket, and rushed inside the bathroom to fill a bowl with water before returning to the mattress with a towel.

He soaked the cloth, gently wiping the dirt and blood from her swollen face and arms... but halted once he noticed the clear water turning murky with just a single dip in the bowl. He pursed his lips and glanced at the supreme alpha, troubled by the filth covering her precious skin. A bowl of water isn't enough to scrub her body clean.

"I have to wash you," He sighed, pushing the bowl away. The alpha strode into his cramped bathroom and filled his yellowish tub with cold water. He hurried back out to slip his arms under Sora's limbs and lifted her lifeless body off the mattress. Yangcha cautiously settled the supreme alpha into the tub and quickly exited the bathroom again to boil the water in a kettle before hurrying back inside to find... Sora shivering in her sleep.

"It'll be a bit cold. Bear with me, noona," Yangcha whispered, crouching outside the tub to adjust her head against the tile as he positioned her in a sitting position. The alpha carefully reached into the tub to pull her damp and dirty sweater off her head, carefully unbuttoning her jeans and slipping the drenched garments off her slender legs.

Jae Yangcha paused to stare at the dark bruises... over her fragile flesh with a slight frown. There was a palm-size bruise just below her ribcage, a few cuts over her hips, and a swollen ankle on her left foot. His chest stirred with an uncomfortable sensation as he stared at the supreme alpha's almost naked body. Yangcha felt a rush of anger boiling within his system as he thought of the brutal abuse she had to endure. He shouldn't have left her at the slaughterhouse for so long. Jae Yangcha didn't strip her naked and left her undergarments on for privacy reasons.

He lowered the shower head to rinse the sticky dirt and blood off her body, quietly running his fingers over her face to rub the water from her nose and gently spraying the water at her cleavage to remove the debris. Yangcha rubbed the cheap soap bar against his palm before massaging the foam over her cold skin to disinfect the wounds, causing the supreme alpha to seethe in pain at the prickly stings.

She grunted with her eyes closed. Yangcha halted in fear of hurting her. He patiently waited until she calmed down, gradually easing her slight frown, and relaxing her tense muscles again. He resumed his activities and sprayed the cold water over her red skin to wash off the soap. Yangcha switched off the shower head after ensuring she was clean and got up to grab a fresh towel. It took him over half an hour to completely clean her up.

The rusted drainage... turning dark and murky as the water slowly... drained through the clogged sewer. He dabbed the soft towel over her wet flesh to dry her skin, lifted her body out of the tub, and walked out of the bathroom to place her almost bare body on his mattress again.

The alpha got up to rummage through his messy wardrobe, eventually pulling out an oversized shirt and shorts. He kneeled beside the mattress again and glanced at the supreme alpha's plump cleavage intensely. He swallowed, shifting his eyes from her distracting breasts beneath the soaked bra, and carefully lifted her head to slip the loose T-shirt over her head, carefully pulling it down to cover her exposed torso. Yangcha slightly tilted Sora's body to the side, reached under the shirt and unclasped her bra. He then laid Sora on her back over the mattress, pulled the straps off her shoulders, and finally drew out the soaked undergarment from underneath the shirt.

Yangcha placed the towel over her crotch to cover her lower body part and reached under the sheet to pull down her panties. He carefully slipped the thin fabric from her ankle before pulling his fresh shorts up to her hip bones. The alpha sighed and removed the towel from her crotch in exhaustion after changing her without exposing her private parts.

"Are you cold?" Yangcha spoke between his peeling lips as she weakly shuddered over the mattress.

Her fingertips were wrinkled from the cold bath and her lips... turning blue after her system failed to regulate her body heat. Yangcha felt her burning forehead worriedly as she shivered beneath him. The alpha grabbed her wet bra and panties to put them away in the sink and strolled out to search through his drawers again. He drew out a worn-out sock from the messy pile and knelt at her feet to adjust the wool over her feet, finally spreading the blanket over her body to trap her remaining warmth.

Jae Yangcha grabbed his first aid kit from the shelves and sat on the floor beside the mattress. He pushed Sora's sticky hair away from her face, exposing the injury on her neck and gently rubbed the smooth cream over the wound to cure it. He treated the tiny scratches on her face and lifted her shirt to expose her bruised stomach. The alpha placed an ice pack on the purple bruise... and worked his way downward to bandage the cuts on her thighs and shins. Finally, Yangcha ripped one of his shirts apart to wrap the fabric around Sora's dislocated ankle. He tightly tied the cloth to secure her feet and got up to place the kit away.

The alpha deeply exhaled after mending the damages inflicted on her body and entered the bathroom to shower, eventually stepping out in fresh clothes. He turned off the boiling kettle over the small stove and poured the water into a mug with cool water.

Yangcha sighed heavily every few minutes to ease the stuffiness within his chest, finally sitting down beside the supreme alpha's lifeless body as she calmly breathed under the thin blanket. Jang Sora wasn't shivering anymore and blood had returned to her face as the soothing warmth nurtured her vulnerable body. She softly stirred in her sleep and turned to the side, so Yangcha grabbed the fallen ice pack to place it on her swollen ankle.

The alpha grabbed two painkillers, crushed the tablets with a spoon, and mixed it with a tablespoon of water. He crawled over Sora's body to lift her head upward, forcing her to gulp the liquid painkiller with her head tilted against his chest. The supreme alpha coughed in discomfort while grunting in her sleep as she struggled to swallow the bitter substance.

Yangcha wiped her lips dry and rested her back on the pillow. The alpha inhaled in relief after he cared for the supreme alpha, slowly lowering his aching body to lie on the cold floor beside the mattress. He turned on his side with his forearm tucked under his head to stare at Sora's injured wrists without blinking in the dark room.

_________________________

Sora's POV

My eyelids suddenly flung open at the abrupt awakening, expecting to be blinded by the natural bright light. However, I couldn't see anything... but the darkness beyond my gaze. Am I dead? I didn't dare budge and remained on my back until my pupils adjusted to the absolute darkness... and I found myself... sleeping in a pitch-dark room. I blinked at the moldy ceiling above me and drifted my gaze after the traces of water leakage. Thump. Thump. I heard something pounding against the wall but didn't dare move... fearfully averting my eyeballs from side to side to scan the unfamiliar space with a restless feeling. I sniffed the foul air with a baffled mind.

It smells like... damp clothes.

My body didn't ache anymore... and I somehow felt really comfortable under the thin sheet. After ensuring I was alone, I raised my wrists above my face in darkness to examine the metallic cuff. There were cotton bandages beneath the cuff to protect my injury from the friction. Where am I? I rubbed the bandage around my neck and slowly pushed my body off the mattress until I noticed the warm teddy bear socks on my feet.

There was a bandage over my left knee and on my right shin. My left ankle was securely wrapped with a torn cloth. Creak. I sat stiffly in place as the door slid open, and a man came strolling inside the dark room. He didn't seem to notice me as he placed a bag down on the floor and turned to pour himself a cup of water. The man exhaled heavily after gulping the water by the drawer with his back turned on me. I sat stiffly with my intense gaze on the person until he turned in my direction. He abruptly halted once he found me... staring at him from the mattress without blinking.

I couldn't tear my eyes off his face but stared at his familiar facial structure in absolute silence. How is it possible? Jae Yangcha died. He's brain-dead. I blinked to recall the rainy night. He saved me. I saw Yangcha's face that night and fainted out of shock. He's not a dream. But a reality that I can't seem to grasp. The dead shouldn't wander the living realm, so why is he here? Yangcha stood stiff in place as he stared at my pale expression, waiting for me to react, but I couldn't move my paralyzed body, so I blinked a few times to ensure I was awake.

"Am I dead?" I asked, finally speaking to break the tension within the room. Maybe he's haunting me? Or maybe... I'm dead too? That's why I can see him? Yangcha swallowed and slowly knelt down to sit on the floor beside the mattress. He didn't dare touch me because he was afraid I'd panic and scream out of fear. I'm not frightened of him. Just... confused by his existence. Isn't he buried deep in his grave? I saw his corpse.

"Does your wound hurt?" He asked, nodding at my neck. I pursed my lips. He can speak. What the hell...? Seokjin claimed... Yangcha passed away.

"How... are you alive...?" I asked while searching his dim eyes.

Yangcha's youthful face chubs were gone, replaced by gaunt cheekbones. It's as if... he's starving himself.

His once youthful and pale skin... was darkly tanned. It's as if... the sun's heat had burnt his precious skin. There were light freckles over his cheeks.

His hair... wild and messy... unlike his usually groomed soft strands.

I studied the visible dark circles under his eyes and glanced at his peeling lips. He looks... ill. Yangcha didn't look like the dead corpse I saw at his gravesite.

He looked... extremely... worn out.

Yangcha didn't answer my question regarding his baffling existence and got up to switch on the lights, so I squinted at the bright light, slightly lowering my face to avoid the blinding gleam. He calmly picked up the plastic bag, placed it on the stove, and made instant noodles for me as I sat motionless on the mattress, too afraid to shift my gaze away from his presence.

The alpha eventually settled a steaming pot on the floor after about twenty minutes, carefully separating the soggy strands into a plate. I sat in silence to inhale the savory scent but didn't dare avert my eyes away from the alpha. He was so... scruffy... it appeared as if he was homeless on the street.

"You should eat," He muttered, lifting the noodle with the chopstick to my lips, but I refused to let him feed me and stared at him in utter silence. Yangcha paused at my stubbornness with a slight frown and sighed, lowering the chopstick back into the bowl after failing to make me digest the cheap ramen.

"I don't want to eat," I muttered, quickly laying back down.

"Noona. You've been unconscious for three days," He exhaled. It's his voice. It's definitely Jae Yangcha. This doesn't make any sense!

I closed my eyes and turned to sleep on my side, facing the wall with my cuffed wrists tucked beneath the side of my face. I heard Yangcha sighing at my dismissal, but he didn't press me and quietly ate the noodles in silence. I wanted to get up and leave the place, but I knew... he'd never let me escape. The only way to deal with the silent killer is to remain calm because he feeds on fear.

I lifted my head off the pillow after briefly falling asleep. Is he asleep...? The room is dark again. I carefully rolled over the mattress and glanced to the side... expecting him to be asleep... but instead... I found Yangcha lying on the cold and hard floor with his arm tucked under his head. My heart thumped in a panic once I realized he was staring unblinkingly at me on his side. He looks like a possessed person with the blank and vacant gaze. He didn't speak and stared at me in the darkness, so I gulped and awkwardly turned away to stare at the stained wall again.

Fuck. He's creepy.

I dozed off after remaining stiff on the uncomfortable mattress until Yangcha left the apartment early in the morning, so I quickly sat up in bewilderment. Should I leave? Or should I call Do-hwan? I hastily got up from the mattress with my cuffed wrists and tried to open the door, but it was locked. Right... It's not that easy to escape.

Sighing heavily, I turned to stare at the small window, strolled over to it, and tugged the curtain aside. Where am I...? I halted once I found myself staring at the brick wall of the opposite alley. I glanced down the building to find... Yangcha strolling down the small street with a gray hood over his head. The window is sealed with a lock. I slumped on the floor to stare at the messy room with a slight grimace. I'm definitely not in Seoul.

Should I scream for help? The unknown men might find me again. I scanned the room with a dim expression. What's bothering me the most is... why... is Jae Yangcha alive?  I might not know how he's walking freely instead of rotting in his casket... but I must stay composed until I figure out a way out of this place.

Fast Forward

Days and nights passed by... and Yangcha would return home late at night and leave early in the morning. He'd attempt to feed me the soggy ramen every day, but I refused and only drank water until I was too weak to move on the mattress.

"No-"

"Noona! You have to eat! Stop starving yourself!" Yangcha roared at my face. He suddenly grabbed my cheeks to stuff the ramen inside my mouth, so I whimpered and leaned against the wall in tears as he forcefully fed me.

"Don't touch me" I snapped, shoving him away. CLATTER. The plastic bowl violently collided against the wall... causing the ramen to spill all over the floor.

I pursed my lips in fright as Yangcha shifted his dark gaze to the mess and glanced back at me with his dangerous pupils. The alpha slowly picked up the remaining ramen inside the bowl and turned toward me again as I cowered in the corner of the room. He grabbed my cheeks, roughly shoved the ramen inside my mouth, and covered my lips to make me swallow it. I stared at him in tears and chewed the food until I finished the bowl because I was too afraid... of upsetting him again.

Yangcha huffed and got up to shower in the room after feeding me. I glanced at the scissors on the cabinet and quickly scrambled for it. The alpha suddenly stepped out of the bathroom in his shorts without his shirt on, so I quickly crawled back to the mattress, slipped the scissors under the blanket, and fired him a sharp glare. Yangcha sighed at my resentful expression but didn't confront me and turned to pull a shirt over his muscular torso. I huffed in discontent while glaring at the plain wall.

He stayed up to watch the outdated television and finally went to bed after a while, so I gripped the scissors under my sheet with my dark gaze glued to the wall, waiting for the opportunity to attack him. Should I fight my way out of the room? I can't stay like this! The room is suffocating me!

Sniffles. I blinked out of my thoughts. Sniffles.

Yangcha made a strange sound, so I slowly lifted my head off the pillow to find him... sitting in the corner of the room with his face pressed against his knees. I sat up on the mattress with a slight frown. The alpha cried in silence with his arms wrapped around his knees. Why is he crying?

My tight grip gradually relaxed around the scissors as I watched him sulk in the corner of the room and glanced down at the scissors blade with a conflicted grimace. He didn't hurt an inch of my hair. How can... do this to him? I pursed my lips and laid back down with the scissors. He eventually stopped crying after ten minutes and got up to use the bathroom... so I deeply exhaled and laid still with a blank stare at the moldy ceiling. Sora... maybe you should talk to him? You have to return home.

Thump. I heard a soft thump from the bathroom... as if something heavy dropped to the floor. The room suddenly grew hushed as I listened to the running faucet from behind the bathroom door. Shaaaaa~! The water kept running for over ten minutes... and there was still no movement. I frowned and sat up on the mattress in the dark.... until I noticed water seeping frown under the bathroom door.

"Y-Yangcha?" I called in a small voice, unsurely crawling over the mattress to stare at the leaking water. He didn't respond, so I halted to wait for another few minutes. The room started flooding the longer I waited... and my heart started pounding in fear. I quickly got up from the mattress, stepped over the cold water on the floor and tried to open the door, but it was locked.

"Yangcha?!" I snapped, thumping my fist on the door. He didn't answer my call.

"Shit!" I cursed, trying to force my way through the door.

"Yangcha! What's wrong?!" I screamed, angrily kicking the door with all my might, but the door wouldn't budge. I gritted my teeth and took a few steps backward with my fists clenched.

"ARGH!" I screamed, sprinting toward the door- BANG! I slammed into the plastic door with my right shoulder. The rough impact... sending me tumbling into the bathroom. THUD! I groaned in shock after slipping over the slippery tiles and colliding into the tub- but my eyes immediately widened in horror at the sight of Jae Yangcha... lying unconscious on the dirty floor.

"Yah!?- What's the matter with you?! Yah!" I snapped, grabbing his pale face to slap his cheek, but he remained unresponsive. I pursed my lips and lifted my face to the overflowing faucet over the sink. I cursed under my breath, switched off the running water, and stumbled out of the bathroom to search his drawers until I found a small key.

I quickly fit the key into the lock to uncuff my wrists before rushing towards the door to unlock it with the key I seized from his jeans pocket. I have to leave! This is my only chance! I should contact Do-hwan and- I quickly scurried down the dark corridor and bolted down the staircase... but halted abruptly without an explanation.

My mind suddenly turned blank. Something made me stop. So I stared at the dark staircase with an uneasy feeling. I gripped the railing as I stood on the stairs with a blank face.

Sora... You should leave. The dead... should remain dead. I slowly turned around to purse my lips at the dim floor above in dread. It's either I leave now... or never. What if he traps me forever?

I glanced back down the dark staircase... leading to my ultimate freedom.

Sighing heavily... I skipped down the stairs to flee the building after Jae Yangcha collapsed.

A moment later

Third Person POV

Jae Yangcha's eyelids suddenly swung open. His sensitive pupils... harshly greeted by the bright light beam over his head, causing the alpha to squint his sore eyes in discomfort. He froze on the bed.... as he listened to the hushed chatters around him and glanced to the side to find a nurse... adjusting his IV drip by his side. The alpha jerked into a sitting position in horror.

"Sir-"

"What am I doing here?!-"

"Sir! Please stay calm-"

"Where is she!? Noona!?- No- No- No!" Yangcha shoved the nurse aside when she tried to calm him. He snatched the needle out of his veins and frantically scrambled out of the bed, causing the other patients to stare at him with a startled look.

"Sir! Please remain calm! You're not well-"

"Noona! You can't betray me! Noona!- Where is she?!-" Yangcha screeched in distress as he ran barefoot through the corridor in his medical attire. The nurse gasped in shock while chasing him through the corridor as the alpha frantically raced away with his eyes bulging open.

"Sir?!" A doctor shrieked when Yangcha suddenly wobbled to the side and collapsed weakly onto the bench. The alpha grunted in pain and tried to get back up with the doctor's assistance. His head... spinning like a whirlpool.

"Don't touch me!-" Yangcha grimaced, furiously fighting his dizzy mind as he shrugged the doctor's arm off his shoulder- but abruptly halted once he looked up to find... Jang Sora... standing in the corridor with a box of apple juice in her hand. The supreme alpha stared at the pale alpha with a startled expression as the nurse helped him back onto his feet. Yangcha kept his tearful gaze on her without blinking while struggling to catch his breath.

He thought she left him.

Sora's POV

"Thank you," I smiled at the nurse. She assured me of the situation, so I sighed and returned to sit by Yangcha's bed. He intensely stared at me as he sat on the bed with the IV drip hooked to his wrist. Yangcha didn't speak and lowered his gaze to the apple juice in his hand. The doctor and the nurse had to escort him back to his bed after he tried to run away.

"Mild malnutrition. You haven't been eating the right food," I muttered, bitterly staring at Yangcha's somber expression. Yangcha chewed his inner lips, finally lifting his restless eyes to meet mine.

"Why didn't you run from me?" He asked, skeptically frowning at my decision to remain by his side. I didn't leave the building to flee... I went to get help because I couldn't carry him alone. Yangcha is much bigger and heavier than me, so I asked the neighbors to call the ambulance.

"It wouldn't make sense for me to leave you in a flooded bathroom after you saved me from death," I answered. Yangcha unsurely gripped the apple juice.

"I don't have the money-"

"Don't worry. I covered the medical bill. I left earlier to sell my bracelet at a pawn shop. The man gave me 300,000 won," I smiled, showing him the remaining cash in my hand. I paid the bills at the front desk and decided to grab an apple juice from the vending machine until I found him racing through the corridor with the nurse.

"Your bracelet is worth two million won," He grimaced. I chuckled and patted his hand to assure him. Yangcha frowned at my gentle strokes. He's... startled by the comfort I was offering.

"I couldn't bargain with the man because I needed to hurry back. I was afraid the hospital would reject your treatment," I shrugged.

Yangcha didn't seem as strained anymore after we chatted in the hushed room. The doctor requested that he stay at the hospital overnight, and we finally left the building with a package of prescribed pills in the morning. Yangcha led me back to his apartment building in an isolated area. Well... the rent is probably cheaper here.

"Are you hungry?" He asked after locking the door.

"We're in Daegu?" I asked, lifting my wrists toward him.

"Wae?" He glanced at my wrists unsurely.

"Aren't you going to cuff me?" I asked, willingly raising my wrists. Yangcha pursed his lips and glanced at the flooding room with a slight grimace. The mattress, the drawers, and even the television were soaked.

"I didn't want to cuff you due to your injuries, but I was afraid you'd leave my side. You didn't leave me last night, so I won't restrain you. Noona, please just... let me speak first. You know I won't hurt you," Yangcha gently pushed my hands downward. I stared at him sadly and glanced at the flooded room.

A moment later

"Yah!!?- You're really annoying! It will cost so much to repair the room! The rooms below are complaining because of the leakage!" The landlord complained as she checked the flooded room in disbelief.

"I'm sorry- I promise I'll pay you back-"

"You owe me the rent fee for over three months now!" She snapped at Yangcha. He briefly glanced at me with an embarrassed look as the landlord cursed in disbelief.

"Uh- will this... compensate for the damage? It's a top-grade flawless clarity diamond imported from Russia," I quickly took off my necklace to show the woman. She dimmed her eyes at the sparkly pendant and glanced at Yangcha's pale expression.

"Noona- No- I'll handle-"

"You're such a nuisance!" The woman snatched the necklace from my grip and strolled out of the room. Yangcha tried to stop her from leaving with my necklace, but I grabbed his hand and gently pulled him back.

"Noona- The necklace-"

"It's fine. You shouldn't live in this environment anyway. The walls are moldy, there's no airflow through the window and the water is dirty. You'll never recover if you keep living in this condition," I shook my head. Yangcha apologetically stared at me, so I sighed and glanced at the mess in the room again.

Everything is wet and damaged. He can't live here or he'll suffocate to death. 

A moment later.

Beep. I pushed the door open and strolled inside the vacant place as Yangcha followed me with a cardboard box full of his belongings. I asked him to pack his essential items. The alpha blinked at the spacious apartment with his mouth half open as I switched on the lights and pushed the blinds aside to let the lights into the room.

"Do you own this place?" Yangcha asked, carefully settling the box on the coffee table.

"Eomma got it for me while I was working at the orphanage. No one will find us here," I answered. Yangcha nodded with his mouth ajar and sat down on the comfortable couch with a weak smile.

"Why are you so good to me? Everyone wants me dead," Yangcha chased his gaze after me as I adjusted the air conditioner on the screen.

"You never hurt me. Why should I hate you? It's not like the society is any better than you. We've all got blood on our hands," I shrugged, walking towards Yangcha. I used to think of him as a child, but he's all grown up now. He's a man.

"What's this?" Yangcha asked, shifting his startled eyes to me as I handed him the key card.

"You can use this apartment. It's yours," I pushed the key card into Yangcha's palm. The alpha pursed his lips and glanced at me with a slight pout. He's still cute... but he's a dangerous player. I ruffled his wild hair and turned to check the bedroom.

I should be fine... as long as I don't provoke him.

A few days later.

"Does it hurt?" I paused as Yangcha flinched before the mirror.

"No. My scalp is a bit sensitive... especially the scar," Yangcha shook his head.

I lowered the electric razor to his hair and gently trimmed off his tangled hair strands. Yangcha claimed he's been using cheap body soap to wash his hair because he didn't have money to buy shampoo. A handful of his hair fluttered to the bathroom floor as I gently slid the razor over his head. Yangcha sat shirtless before the mirror, so I briefly smiled at him and finally turned off the razor.

"Do you like it?" I asked while staring at the visible scar on the side of his left scalp.

"I feel lighter," He chuckled at his buzz-cut hair. I didn't shave his head all the way down to its root. He asked me to leave about a centimeter of his hair so he wouldn't feel too bald. I dusted the scattered hair strands off his shoulders with a towel and left the bathroom, leaving Yangcha to clean up the mess.

Why didn't I contact my parents, and why didn't I leave?

Yangcha asked me to stay by his side until he was ready to speak with me. I'm afraid society will kill him if they uncover his existence, so I agreed to stay by his side. Besides, he might get upset and slaughter people again if I run away without his knowledge. He's not a person I should underestimate, not after I watched him defeat Taehyung in a fight.

"Seokjin knows I'm alive," Yangcha muttered. I stopped chewing the rice in my mouth and lifted my eyes to stare at him with a startled expression.

"What?" I asked while blinking at the alpha. Yangcha rubbed his buzz-cut hair nervously.

"Seokjin freed me so he could accuse Kim Taehyung of murder," Yangcha replied. I scoffed in disbelief. Seokjin knew this entire time...?

"But why-"

"Well... I threatened him... with his confiscated contracts. Seokjin didn't dare defy me because he was afraid I'd destroy the evidence of his contract," Yangcha dimmed his eyes.

"Does he know your whereabouts-"

"Of course not. I disappeared and never contacted him again. Kim Seokjin knows I'll someday return to you so... that's the reason... he's staying close to you... because he thinks I handed his contracts to you. He's after you for his power," Yangcha sighed.

Seokjin faked Yangcha's medical records to announce him as brain dead to accuse Taehyung of murder...? We all had a rough time with the murder trial... over Jae Yangcha's death. But it was Seokjin's scheme to break our households? But Taehyung got lucky and won the trial? So Seokjin had to back down? He knew... Yangcha would never leave my side... so he kept following me around. All those times... he was stalking me... did he hope to catch me with Yangcha?

"What about the unknown people...? How did you convince them to trade for me?" I asked, bitterly changing the topic. Yangcha chuckled softly.

"I told you my parents were obsessed with your households. I dug into my parent's confidential files and... apparently... they were searching for Park Jihyung's heir. Many witnesses... claimed the first lady was pregnant although they were unsure... if she successfully gave birth or not. I dug into their past dirt and found out... There is in fact... a cult run by Bogum's uncle to oppose the alphas. They call themselves the Black Phoenix. The cult planned on attacking you... so I captured the heir ahead of time to secure my bargaining power. Just in case... they hurt you. They did... so I offered to trade the heir for you," Yangcha shrugged. I stared at the alpha in disbelief.

"Park Bogum?" I frowned. My boss...?

"Yup. I kidnapped your boss," He nodded. My heart sank. What the heck?! So the man... who took Bogum that night from the hospital was Yangcha!? And he's been torturing Bogum since?!

"Did you torture him-"

"No. I fed the heir and kept him locked up at an abandoned farm. I only beat him up after the Black Phoenix live-streamed your torture," Yangcha confessed. I stared at the alpha with a disturbed feeling. And I suddenly didn't want to eat anymore.

This is... too much. I'm overwhelmed. Yangcha unsurely glanced at me as I grabbed the beer can to chug it. I thirstily swallowed the liquor and tossed the can away before popping open another one to fill my system... until my mind grew numb.

The alpha stopped speaking after I grew a bit tipsy, so I poked the leftover food on the table with my chopsticks while staring at the soggy fries without blinking. Yangcha sighed at my somber mood and got up to clear the table as I sat blankly in the living room. Exhaling heavily, I leaned over the table to rest my head on my arms.

What should I do? I thought Seokjin genuinely cared about me, but it was his primary motive to retrieve his power because he knew Yangcha was faithful to me? Does he really like me... or is this all just another power game? Seokjin claimed he didn't want to hurt me... but he released Yangcha and accused Taehyung of murder to break the Kims, knowing Kim Taehyung's defeat would also destroy my household. Yangcha did the dishes and left to shower in the bathroom.

"I got something for you on my way from work," Yangcha placed a paper bag on the couch. I lifted my flushed face off the coffee table in surprise.

"You barely made any money. Why did you buy me a gift?" I mumbled while opening the bag to find a neatly folded silk.

"You usually wear silk gowns because your skin is easily irritated. I noticed you scratching your back, so I figured I should get a piece for you," Yangcha muttered. I pulled the golden silk out with my lips pursed. He's so thoughtful. The alpha eagerly stared at me as I rubbed my thumb over the thin fabric.

"Thank you for the gown," I smiled. Yangcha's eyes flashed brightly at my approving smile. He's cute. I got up from the table and left to shower in the bathroom. I finally pulled on the new gown but halted in the mirror once I noticed something... strange... about the grown.

"Is it comfortable?" Yangcha asked as I strolled out of the bedroom to find him sitting in the living room. The alpha is watching a movie. He turned off the lights... so the apartment is flickering brightly with the colorful beams from the screen.

"I think you bought the wrong gown," I chuckled, walking up to the alpha in the loose fabric. It's not the best quality silk... but it's pretty comfortable.

"Oh?- "

"This is a maternity gown for pregnant women," I drunkenly laughed. Yangcha's face flustered in embarrassment after I showed him the loose belly part.

"I should refund it-"

"It's fine. I like it. Don't bother," I giggled, slumping on the couch beside Yangcha. It's the thought that counts. The alpha didn't live with me for long, but he remembered my needs and went as far as doing... everything in his power to make me feel comfortable. Yangcha glanced at the gown on my body with a weak smile, so I exhaled and glanced at the movie on the screen.

We grew hushed within the cold and dark room.

Yangcha kept peeking at me from the side, so I hugged my knees and turned my face to meet his curious gaze. Does he have something to say? The alpha jerked in a panic and glanced at the screen with a flustered face after getting caught peeping at me. Smiling, I examined his buzz-cut hair and glanced at his defined jawline.

He grew up well. If only... he wasn't involved with the murder case... Yangcha would probably be a popular alpha with his handsome visuals. Just like Jeon Jungkook. He appeared very scruffy when we first met because of his wild hair and dark eye bags... but he looks much better now after visiting the hospital and receiving proper treatments. The alpha is still tan but his skin seems healthier now.

I'm actually relieved... that he's alive.

He's too young... to die early.

A person should be given second chance to restart their life.

"It tickles..." Yangcha muttered, turning to stare at me as I softly traced my fingertip over the surgical scar on the side of his head.

"Did it hurt?" I asked curiously. Yangcha touched his scar and glanced at me again.

"Yeah. It hurt a lot, but it's alright now," He nodded.

"Noona... really thought... you died. I felt very sorry, but there was nothing I could do. After all, you got into all the trouble because I... couldn't handle my own affairs," I muttered with my tilted head rested on my knees. Yangcha quietly stared at my face as the TV lights flickered before us.

"I'll do anything for you. Noona, even if I die... I'll die to serve you. I don't have a reason to live anymore... not without my power or parents, but I won't waste my life either. That's why I chose to live a miserable life... waiting for an opportunity to cushion your fall whenever you need me. Only... then can I be at peace," Yangcha smiled. I lowered my hand from his scar and smiled at him. The alpha didn't blink and stared back at me with his usual tender gaze.

Jae Yangcha wasn't born a killer. He kills... because he's determined to satisfy me. He believes his life holds no purpose aside from... devoting his loyalty and obsession to me. So he's willing to drench himself in blood... as long as... it keeps me clean and pure.

He's a soul that can easily be exploited because he'd do anything... in the name of love.

"You're the only... person... in my life... to prove to me... that... I deserve to be loved. I often thought about your words after your passing. You weren't wrong. Why did I submit to people who don't care about my well-being? Why is it that I don't prioritize myself? It's exhausting. Why is it that I seek comfort in men... who couldn't treat me right? Did I hope they'd change for me? They'll never change. And I was a fool for lying to myself and desperately defending their hurtful actions... confusing it... as a form of affection," I sighed. Yangcha studied my face with his lips pursed.

"Even during your darkest times... Please remember you'll forever be the person I love. You just have to call for me... and I'll be your shadow... following you everywhere you go because noona... a shadow can only exist with the presence of the light and that's you," Yangcha sadly smiled. I chuckled at his sweet words.

"You're a certified womanizer," I teased. Yangcha smiled, briefly glancing at the television screen until his cheeks turned rosy red. He turned back to meet my eyes, so I smiled and raised my eyebrow when he wouldn't look away.

Yangcha suddenly leaned forward, and before I could process the situation... I felt his lips on mine. Smooch. I sucked in my breath at his tender stroke and unconsciously gripped the cushion... at the presence of his soft pants on my face. The alpha slowly pulled away and opened his eyes to search my startled expression. Silence. We didn't speak and stared at each other in the dim room.

He suddenly got up from the couch with a flustered face and strolled away to sleep in the bedroom, leaving me dumbfounded before the screen. I pressed my lips together and glanced at the opened bedroom door. He kissed... me?

I glanced back at the movie on the screen with a blank stare, but no thoughts crossed my mind. I couldn't move or speak, so I remained stiff in place as the actors on screen argued with each other. The movie suddenly ended after I zoned out on the couch. I eventually switched off the screen and left to sleep in my room.

It was a one-bedroom apartment, so I had to share the bed with Yangcha. He never really touched me inappropriately and would sleep on his side of the bed. I slowly slipped under the blanket beside him as he slept with his back turned on me. Is he alright? Why did he suddenly leave like that? I exhaled, turned the opposite way and closed my eyes until I fell into a deep sleep.

I shouldn't think too deeply about it. Yangcha has always been open with his feelings, and I'm not surprised. He probably couldn't hold back and did it without thinking.

Yangcha left the apartment early the next morning to avoid me after the incident between us the night before. And I was left alone with nothing to do at the apartment. I'd briefly leave the apartment to buy fresh ingredients and return home instantly because I was afraid of being recognized.

Should I return to Seoul? It's been almost two months. My parents must be worried about me.

Should I give Do-hwan a call? The guards will barge inside the apartment... and Yangcha won't have any place to reside at.

I anxiously paced back and forth in the apartment to contemplate my thoughts. Should I leave him here? I'm sure he'll come to me when he needs me.

Should I leave a note?

I restlessly stared at the warm meal on the table after I cooked his favorite dishes. Should I eat the meal with him and leave afterward? What do I do...? I glanced at the ticking clock on the wall. 8:00 PM. He's late today... Did he wait for me to fall asleep? Yangcha asked me not to leave his side without informing him, but I feel restless. The society is probably tearing my household apart without my presence. I should return.

"Fuck..." I jerked awake from the couch after accidentally falling asleep while waiting for him. I stretched my arms and glanced at the cold meals on the table. 11:20 PM. He's not home? I chewed my fingers anxiously as I thought about my decision. Eomma can't handle the council without an heir.

And so... I made my decision to leave the apartment. I'm afraid... I won't be able to depart once I see Yangcha again. The sadness in his eyes... will soften me.

Jae Yangcha rescued me out of pure determination to ensure my survival.

I switched off the apartment lights, closed the door, and strolled down the stairs with nothing on me but a few cash notes in my pocket. I'll take the night bus to Seoul.

Sighing deeply, I exited the building into the empty street and walked down the sidewalk with my hands in my pocket. It's best if I return now. I'm uncertain... if Yangcha will remain composed forever. He might get upset if I insist on leaving, and he might restrain me again... so this is the safest method. I'll leave the apartment for him... so he'd at least... have a roof over his head. I strolled towards the main streets to search for a taxi and turned down the block until I spotted Yangcha chatting with a store owner on the side of the road. I quickly dodged his view to hide behind the tree as he chuckled at the woman.

"Aigo~! You shouldn't eat expired food! It's not good for your health!" The woman smacked Yangcha's back.

"The food isn't spoiled yet! Thank you!" He bowed at her with a gimbap roll clutched in his hand. The woman shook her head and turned to close her shop as Yangcha strolled in my direction with the half-eaten gimbap in his hand.

"Oh! You cutie~! Are you hungry?" The alpha suddenly halted once he spotted a stray cat sitting on the side of the store. I uneasily peeked at Yangcha as he crouched over the black cat. He glanced at his gimbap with a slight pout.

"I'm full. You can have it," Yangcha smiled, carefully placing the gimbap roll down for the cat while chewing on one side of his mouth. The cat meowed adorably at the alpha and lowered its head to bite the food, so Yangcha chuckled and stroked the cat's head. I pursed my lips and slowly... stepped out of the tree to observe his gentle nature.

He's a kind soul. What went wrong? Perhaps... it's the corrupted society?

Jae Yangcha was always... a tender-hearted human being until... he was attacked by the killer. He lost his family in a split second. And was left alone to wander within the darkness of the cruel society.

They wanted to slaughter the orphan for his power.

The society didn't care about his well-being. It was their intention to kill the weaklings. Maybe... Yangcha didn't have a choice?

It's either he kills to survive... or they kill him for his power.

"Oh?- Noona! What are you doing out here at this time?!" Yangcha gasped once he noticed me standing at the end of the block. I didn't blink as the alpha stood up and jogged toward me with a bag in his hand. I blinked out of my thoughts and averted my gaze to study the bright beam on his face. His cheek dimples... it's back. 

"H-Huh- I was just- you were late, so I thought I should wait for you here!" I stuttered, making up an excuse to avoid being suspected. Shit.

"It's not safe! The Black Phoenix might capture you again! Don't worry about me! Oh- I got you sweet tangerines from the market!" Yangcha cutely nudged my shoulder and lifted the tangerine bag to show me. I nodded stiffly and ended up... following him back to my apartment. Maybe... I should tell him... the truth. Yangcha quickly took a bath and happily returned to eat the warm meal after I microwaved it for him.

"You shouldn't eat expired food. You'll fall sick again," I sighed. Yangcha softly hummed as he peeled the tangerine and placed it before me.

"It's alright! Expired food is free and the secret is... it's not actually expired yet! I've been eating it every day!" He beamed. I sadly stared at the bright sparkles in his eyes. The good soul... it's still in him. Yangcha... is this your mask? Do you put on a show in front of me... just so you could lighten my mood...? He cluelessly smiled and lowered his head to slurp the warm soup. I glanced at the tangerine in front of me.

"You should cook proper meals," I shook my head.

"Noona... What's wrong? Are you sick? Why aren't you eating???" Yangcha asked, curiously staring at me from across the table. I gripped my fingers under the table as I bit my lower lips.

"I think it's time for me to return...," I pursed my lips. The lights in his eyes immediately dimmed as he sat, unblinkingly staring at me.

"You want to leave?" He asked. Yangcha tightened his grip on the spoon.

"What do you need from me? I'll give it to you once I return to Seoul. Oh? You saved me so-"

"I only wanted to ensure your safety. Did you really think I saved you because I needed something from you?" Yangcha fired me l a hurtful expression, causing my chest to ache in discomfort.

"I can't stay here forever. I didn't want to leave without a proper goodbye, so-"

"So you made the last meal for me? So you waited for me on the street for the last time? So you walked me back home for the last time...? Is it your way of saying goodbye?" Yangcha asked, keeping his stern stare on my face until warm tears filled his torn eyes. I opened my mouth to speak, but he scoffed, hastily leaped from the table, and stormed away. I gripped my hand as Yangcha marched into the bedroom and slammed the door shut. Bang.

Fuck. I knew he'd get upset.

I sighed in defeat at the ongoing conflict within my head and closed my eyes to recollect my thoughts. Of course, he has attachment issues. He has no one left... aside from me.

I collected the leftover meals to place them in the fridge and did the dishes before opening the door to enter my dark room. Yangcha was sniffling on the bed... but he wasn't lying on the mattress. The alpha sat against the headboard with his face lowered. I pursed my lips and carefully closed the door. Sighing heavily, I rounded the bed to sit beside him in the silk gown he bought the other day.

"Yangcha... don't be like this..." I whispered, gently reaching out to wipe his tears, but he slightly turned his face away to avoid my touch. I halted with a dark frown and lowered my hand to hold his warm fingers instead.

"You left the apartment this evening- to leave me? You should've left without telling me," Yangcha muttered in a hoarse tone. I gently rubbed his knuckles and lowered my face to catch his eyes.

"But I didn't. I came back with you because... I didn't want you to think I was abandoning you. Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean... we can't see each other again," I sighed. Yangcha clenched his jaw and lifted his burning face with his eyebrows furrowed. I suddenly felt really sorry... at the sight of his dripping tear streams.

"How am I supposed to see you when everyone... wants me dead?" He mumbled. I sighed, closed my eyes, and leaned over to pull him into a comforting hug. He didn't resist and let me hold him.

"I'll protect you. I promise... but I can't do that right now. I need to attain power in the council to fully grant you security," I sighed while patting his back. Yangcha stopped sniffling and buried his face against my shoulder, calmly breathing against me, so I rubbed his lower back to console his hurting soul. The last thing I need is to make him my enemy. I can't turn him into a monster again.

After all, monsters aren't born... they're made by the ruthless society. 

"I don't want to live like this anymore... I miss my parents. I miss you. I hate it... living in the dark. No one will accept me. How am I supposed to live like this? I feel like I'm sinking into a deep abyss. I should be dead- but here I am... suffering endlessly in the dark shadows. I feel helpless without you because what's the purpose of my life if it's not to serve you?" He sobbed, shakily gripping my shoulder. My heart thumped painfully, so I pulled away to cup his cheeks. He blinked at me with a slight pout.

"You told me... I'll always have a person... who will love me unconditionally even during my darkest times, right? Well. You have to remember... I'll always be the light in your life. Wherever you go... I'll always illuminate your path so you won't feel scared in the darkness. Okay...?" I sighed while rubbing his firm cheeks to comfort him.

Yangcha pursed his trembling lips as he stared at me with a torn expression, suddenly clutching my face and tugged me forward. What the hell?- I gripped his shirt in shock as he firmly pressed his lips against mine. He didn't pull away. The alpha tilted his face to fit his nose beside mine and parted his lips... startling me with his unexpected invitation.

"Yangcha-"

"I love you- Noona- I love you so much-" Yangcha shakily whispered against my lips with a difficult frown. I took a shaky exhale... but before I could respond to his desperate call... he leaned forward again to suffocate me with his lips. I gripped his muscular shoulder as he ran his fingers through my hair.

My heart started pounding out of control once I felt him coiling his arms around my waist... pulling me forward... closer and closer to him... to shorten the gap between our bodies.

Although I was hesitant at first... my body... gradually surrendered to his love strokes. I eased my muscles and circled my arms around his neck as he deeply kissed me. Yangcha inserted his tongue into my mouth after ensuring I was comfortable, so I panted and slightly leaned backward to catch my breath, but he pulled me right back in, muffling me with his steady rhythm.

I finally gave in to his desperation and let my heated body guide my clouded mind. Yangcha slowly lowered my body onto the mattress and climbed over my body as I held onto his nape, gently rubbing my thumb under his prickly hairline. He wouldn't detach his lips from mine and held me captive under him, so I gripped his shirt and tried to turn my face to the side, but he clutched my cheeks, persistently pressing his wet tongue against my lips until I let him inside my mouth.

"S-Stop- Yangcha- please-" I whispered, grabbing his jaw to push him away once I noticed him growing slightly impatient. He pursed his moist lips, pulling away to examine my conflicted frown as I sprawled on the mattress.

"D-Did I- go too far-"

"Sit up a bit. Calm down, will you? Your heart is racing out of control," I patted his chest to push him away. His heartbeat... it's thumping like crazy against the base of my palm. Yangcha bit his lower lips and sat up as I requested.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, guilty eyeing me as I sat up to face him with a troubled expression.

I exhaled deeply, grabbed the silk on either side of my waist, and slipped the gown off my head to reveal my bare body. Whip. I tossed the silk aside. Yangcha's face instantly flushed bright red as he stared at my exposed breasts. The alpha shifted his startled eyes to my flushed face.

"I thought you were experienced? Why are you so stiff?" I asked, gently grabbing his loose shirt to lift it off his head. Yangcha swallowed intensely, so I smiled and pulled down his waistband. He lifted his hips, slid off his pants, and tossed them aside until he was... sitting in front of me with nothing on. I smiled at his rosy red cheeks and slowly laid back on the mattress in my panties.

"I- I don't know- I didn't feel this way when I was with Haerim noona..." Yangcha stuttered.

"Be a man," I teased, opening my arms for him. Yangcha unsurely reached out for my body and lowered his bare body over mine, so I hugged his broad shoulders as he planted his soft lips over mine again. Still... Yangcha remained tense. He wouldn't lower his naked body onto mine and remained hovering over me as we made out on the bed. It was as if he was afraid to touch my body.

"Noona- I can't breathe-"

"What's wrong with you???" I scoffed after he jerked away with a bright red face. Yangcha pursed his lips and sat up stiffly with his hands clasped over his bare crotch. I glanced at his pulsating pecs and back to his frightened expression. Is he panicking?

"I don't know- I'm hard but- but you- you're making me nervous-"

"Sit against the bed head," I sighed, gently patting his hand to comfort him. The alpha nodded and sat naked against the board until I climbed his lap to sit facing him. He funnily gripped his crotch to cover himself. Huh? He imitated the intimacy but he's as stiff as a board now? I lowered my face to watch him hide his bulge.

Yangcha didn't dare lower his gaze, stubbornly keeping his eager eyes on my flushed face and intensely stared at me. Why is he so timid? I cupped his warm cheeks and leaned forward to press my lips against his. Softly pecking him in the attempt... to calm his racing heart. He's... feverish. The alpha huffed uneasily... with every stroke he felt on his lips, so I smiled and inserted my tongue inside his mouth, carefully lowering my hands to remove his fingers from his manly bulge.

"I love you-" He whispered. I pulled away to stare at his affectionate frown with my eyebrows raised and gently lifted my hand to graze my thumb... over his parted lips. Is he nervous...? His timid response is weirdly arousing my deprived nerves.

"You can touch me," I encouraged as I sat on him. Yangcha gulped and glanced at my perky breasts before lowering his eyes to my panties.

"But- but you're so perfect- I'm afraid I'll taint your body-"

"Is my body an object?" I frowned at his flushed face. Yangcha clenched his jaw and intensely swallowed while gripping the mattress on his sides.

"No- no- but-"

"Then don't be afraid to touch me. You have my permission... which means... I'm willing to let you hold me however you like," I whispered. Yangcha nervously stared at my naked body and shakily lifted his hand to place his warm fingers on my right breast. He gently kneaded my chest, so I pursed my lips and leaned forward to kiss his lips again.

Yangcha eventually eased his body as we made out in the dark room. We took it slow and steady... because I knew... he was very anxious. The timid alpha huffed in difficulty after pulling away to catch his breath and lowered his face to press his parted lips against my hard tips while sitting under me. I gasped a little at the ticklish sensation of his wet tongue while rubbing his buzz-cut hair with my head tilted backward as he sensually nibbled and sucked onto my sensitive breasts until a jolt of warm sensation expanded within my crotch.

"Are you okay?" Yangcha asked as I shuddered at his pleasurable strokes. He lifted his sparkly eyes to watch me bite my lips in difficulty, so I nodded. 

"Hah~ I'm alright~!" I assured, cupping his jaws so he lifted his face and pressed his lips against mine again. I played with his red earlobes as he sensually wrapped his slick tongue around mine.

Yangcha gradually skidded his hands down to my fleshy hips and slipped his fingers under my panties fabric to massage my buttcheeks as I arched my back over his thighs. He gently tugged my panties aside and pushed his hard tip against my crotch, so I gripped his shoulders with my lips ajar as he slowly penetrated me. Yangcha moaned against my shoulder as I steadily lowered my hips... over his crotch to take him inside me.

"Hah~! Noona~ You're so warm inside- Hah~!" He grunted as I grind my crotch over his to fit his hard shaft inside me.  The alpha moaned in distress and leaned back against the bed head with a flustered face as I pressed my palm against his hard pecs, gently lifting my hips and lowering my body to intensify the pleasure.

"You look like you're constipated..." I laughed at Yangcha's concentrated frown.

"My body is burning so much!" He grimaced as he held my hips to secure my balance. Thump. Thump. I steadily bounced over his lap to increase the friction inside my throbbing canal. Hah~! It's been so long since I got intimate~! Yangcha bit his lips in difficulty, eventually leaning forward to suck on my breast again. I shuddered at his gentle nibbles and hugged his head against my chest while riding his hard cock. Why is he so hard? He's filling up my inside!

I dug my fingers into his back muscles and shuddered at the hot pleasure between my dripping wet crotch. Yangcha suddenly pushed me backward to make me lay on my back. He quickly readjusted his position between my legs in a missionary position. I gripped his firm waist as he pushed his way inside me again, so I huffed with my legs spread under him and tilted my head over the mattress in anticipation as he steadily thrusted between my legs until my body burned with the smoldering heat.

The alpha grunted in difficulty as he lowered his buff trunk over my feverish body, so I clutched his head and pulled him against my neck. Fwop. Fwop. He grunted, thrusting deeper inside me until I felt my crotch... melting at the presence of his bulge.

"Are you alright???- Your body- It's burning- HAH~! Ah! Yangcha~! Hngh~! Hngh~!" I whispered, but moaned in distress when he suddenly quickened the pace of his thrusts to intensify the pleasure between my legs until my back arched over the mattress. I wrapped my legs around his hips with my face buried against his shoulder until I felt my inside muscles clenching around his hard bulge to the point I couldn't breathe as the repeated thumps... of pleasure stifled my voice.

"Shit- Noona~ I love you- I fucking love you- Ah- Ah! Hah!-Noona!- I'm cumming!- URGH!-" He grunted, suddenly pulling out of me, so I gasped, quickly rubbing my face in distress as he grabbed his raw bulge and jerked off over me until his semen ejaculated onto my stomach. SPLURT.

I panted heavily as I watched the overwhelmed young man grunt over me with his face screwed in discomfort. His thick discharge... dripping from his swollen tips and onto my bare crotch. Yangcha shakily fumed and lowered his face in exhaustion with his hands pressed on either side of my body. Why is there so much semen? I lifted my head to stare at the mess on my moist stomach.

"You came fast..." I chuckled. Yangcha quickly scrambled off the bed to grab the tissues and hurriedly wiped his sticky semen from my stomach.

"No... I'm still hard," He shook his head. I sat up in shock to examine his hard bulge in disbelief. Yangcha pursed his lips in embarrassment as I sat with my legs spread open. Chuckling, I leaned forward to kiss his sweet lips and pushed his shoulders down until he flipped under me.

"I'm not done either," I patted his chest and slipped his hard bulge back inside me. Yangcha held onto my hips as I steadily rode him with my face lowered and lips pursed in difficulty... at the presence of his raw meat, thrusting repeatedly between convulsing inner nerves.

"Noona. Are you seeing anyone at the moment?" Yangcha questioned while gazing at me from the pillow.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"You are?" He frowned at me with a startled look.

"I'm seeing a dead man," I chuckled. Yangcha's face flushed red at my joke. He broke into a weak smile while rubbing my cheeks, so I arched my back and thumped over his hard cock until our wet flesh slapped against one another. Squelch. Squelch. Yangcha suddenly sat up on the mattress to hug my body.

Weakly smiling, I cupped his cheeks and gave him a breathy kiss while grinding my groin over his... until our sweaty bodies throbbed in extreme pleasure. He moaned with his eyes closed as the burning sensation scorched our strained nerves. The alpha sensually rubbed my arched spine to help me bounce over his lap, so I lowered my face to bury it against his sweaty shoulder.

"So... are we lovers?" He asked. I pulled away to stare at his difficult frown while rocking my soaked slit over his textured pubic hair. The man didn't shave, so he's quite hairy... but I don't mind.

"Not yet. You and I... we're lost in lust right now," I shook my head and pecked his lips. Yangcha weakly smiled and nodded in agreement. He leaned against my chest to squeeze my breast, making me moan in pleasure as we listened to each other's unstable breath... fuming shakily within the dark room as I pleasured our bodies with steady thumps and thrusts... until we messily orgasmed our discharge onto each other's moist body... within the humid and steamy dark bedroom of my apartment.

Fast Forward

I sleepily stirred under the blanket while searching the cold bedsheet for the presence of Yangcha's warmth... but he was nowhere to be found, so I opened my eyes to stare at the empty bed. Where did he go? It's barely morning. I grunted and rolled over- but shrieked in a panic once I found Yangcha sitting on the floor beside the bed with his chin rested over his arm. He was staring at me with a faint smile.

"Did I scare you?" He innocently blinked as he tilted his head over his forearm to admire me. I huffed and rubbed my swollen face in disbelief.

"Why are you watching me? You should sleep," I grumbled, groggily turning on my side to stare at his handsome face.

"I like to watch you sleep. Your face is a bit puffy... and it's cute," The alpha shrugged. I searched his eyes sleepily and glanced at the hickey on his neck.

"It's creepy to watch someone sleep. Come here," I mumbled, extending my arm over the bed to grab his wrist. Yangcha smiled and got up from the floor to crawl onto the mattress, so I wrapped my arms around his firm waist and drew his sturdy trunk onto mine. We're both still naked.

"You said we shouldn't be lovers, so I was a little hesitant. It didn't feel right to hold you while you're asleep," He mumbled, lowering his hard abs over the blanket as I remained underneath him.

I softly chuckled as he snuggled his nose against my neck to tickle me. Yangcha's body is... very toned. He's fitter than the high-rank alphas, but I couldn't tell because he always wore loose clothes. I patted his head with my eyes closed as Yangcha laid over my body with his arms encircled around my neck.

"I usually lose all of my body heat after sex, so I'm always cold afterward. Share your warmth with me. Just a little bit," I mumbled.

Yangcha smiled, lifted the blanket off my body, and slipped underneath with me. He gently lowered his naked body back onto mine until our bare flesh rubbed against one another, making me exhale in relief. He didn't speak and remained over my body to offer me his warmth until I fell asleep again.

__________________________

A few days passed since our intimacy, but our relationship didn't escalate. Yangcha seemed brighter and cheerful, and I was somehow very calm around him. It wasn't awkward or anything. We just accepted whatever happened between us. I thought the alpha would get greedy and try to get intimate with me again... but he didn't.

Yangcha respected my boundaries and didn't touch me without my permission. He didn't even ask me to have sex with him again and would go about his day as usual. He'd leave for work in the morning and return home on time. The alpha was afraid... I'd leave his side again if he stayed at work for too long.

Day after day... He'd return home with a gift for me. It was nothing much, but he'd always bring something home for me. Some days, it's his usual tangerine... other days it's a single flower... and sometimes, he'd bring me apple juice in the kid-size carton. He's really cute.

"Oh- Who's this pretty lady?" A man in his late 40s greeted me with a bright beam as I walked towards the warehouse filled... with buff men as they heaved the goods into the trucks.

"I'm here to see Yangcha," I smiled, nervously gripping the package in my hand.

"Yangcha??? Who are you?- He left earlier for a break- Oh! Yah! Yangcha! A pretty lady is here to see you!" The man fired me a confused look before turning to scan the bustling warehouse for the alpha.

The man funnily waved his hand for Yangcha's attention, so I turned to find him standing in the corner with a cigarette between his lips. The alpha glanced at the man and glanced at me in surprise, startled by my unexpected presence. He smokes...? He quickly put out the cigarettes and jogged toward me with a confused look.

"Noona! What are you doing here?" Yangcha asked, unsurely approaching me. The men within the warehouse suddenly nudged each other with wide grins as they watched Yangcha walk up to me.

"You forgot your supplements at home... and I brought you lunch," I smiled, lifting the bag to show him. Yangcha's face suddenly flushed red.

"Oh!? Are you his older sister? You don't look alike though!" A man asked, curiously smiling at us.

"Ani! We're not siblings- she- she's my- ugh- I call her noona-"

"I'm his girlfriend," I chuckled, gently grabbing Yangcha's forearm, causing his eyes to widen in disbelief. Yangcha gawked at me with a dumbfounded expression. The men funnily gasped.

"Yah! You never told us you had a girlfriend! She's so pretty too~! No wonder you've been glowing up so much lately~! You must be taking great care of him~!" The elderly man smacked Yangcha's shoulder, causing the alpha's ears to turn bright red as blood surged up to his face. 

"Actually... he's been rushing home early lately!" Another man chuckled until Yangcha turned stiff. He bit his lips awkwardly.

"Can I borrow him for a second?" I smiled at the men while clinging to Yangcha's forearm.

"Take him for as long as you want!" The elderly man laughed. I chuckled at their encouraging smiles and lifted my face to scan Yangcha's poker face.

A moment later.

"Are you okay...?" I asked, lowering my face to examine Yangcha as he quietly ate from the lunch box on a bench. He's been weirdly quiet. Yangcha swallowed the food and glanced at me.

"Why did you introduce yourself as my girlfriend?" He asked, unsurely searching my eyes. I frowned at his strangely upset expression.

"Shouldn't I have done that? Wae? The men seemed eager, so I-"

"Ani. It's just that... I'm uncomfortable," He muttered while shaking his head. He lowered his eyes to the spoon as he chewed on the left side of his mouth.

"Why?" I blinked, cluelessly staring at Yangcha's sulky expression. I thought he'd like it.

"Because you clearly said we can't be lovers, and I don't want to hope for too much. It's better... if you treat me like you always do. Like a younger sibling," Yangcha shrugged. I glanced at my hands in silence. Oh. I thought Yangcha would play along with me to tease the men... but he's unhappy with my joke.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. Yangcha abruptly stopped chewing and glanced at my gloomy expression. He pursed his lips, unsurely gazing at me curiously, but I didn't return the glance and stared at my feet in silence.

[Jae Yangcha Official Picture Reference]

"Are you mad at me?" He asked, innocently tilting his head to search my sulky face.

"No," I shook my head. Yangcha blinked at my neutral face with an unconvinced expression.

"Then why are you-" Yangcha asked, scooting closer to me, but I immediately shifted away. The alpha halted to stare at my withdrawal with a startled look. He abruptly stopped chewing at my attitude... leaving a side of his cheek puffy... and his greasy lips slightly parted.

"Nothing-"

"Noona! What's wrong!? Why are you suddenly sulky-" Yangcha asked, grabbing my wrist unsurely. I tugged my hand out of his grip, but he wouldn't release me and placed the lunch box aside. He fully turned to face me on the bench, but I didn't look at him.

"I said nothing is wrong-" I mumbled, lightly shoving his chest away. Yangcha grimaced, suddenly grabbing my waist to pull me back, forcing me to face him with his eyebrows furrowed.

"What's the matter?" He asked, glowering at me with an intimidating look. I didn't answer but stared at him until his gaze shifted to my lips. Yangcha suddenly leaned forward, but I quickly clasped my hand over his mouth to stop the man from kissing me.

"No. I don't like the taste of cigarettes," I muttered. The alpha stared at me without blinking with his arms secured around my waist as I firmly covered his lips. We grew hushed.

"Do you want to leave me again? Is that why you brought me lunch?" He asked. I huffed and shoved him away in annoyance, so Yangcha grimaced at my attitude and fired the lunchbox a sour look.

"I told you you forgot your supplements! I already cooked lunch, so I figured I should pack some for you!" I whined. Yangcha gripped his fists without touching the remaining food.

"Stay with me for another month. Just one more month, and I'll let you go. I promise," He muttered, gloomily staring at his hands. I sighed.

"I'll leave only when you let me go, but it doesn't mean we'll part forever. It's just that I have to assert my dominance at the council. My household will collapse without me, and believe me... if I could... I would bring you back with me," I sighed. Yangcha grew hushed. He suddenly grabbed the lunch box and shoved the remaining rice into his mouth until his cheeks were stuffed. I sat quietly by his side.

"Aigo~! Sorry for the interruption, but we really need his muscles at the site~!" The elderly man appeared, walking up to us with a smug expression. My face flushed bright red at the man's teasing smile until Yangcha started choking on his food, so I quickly handed him a water bottle and patted his back to ease his discomfort.

Fast Forward

Yangcha eventually returned to his work after finishing the lunch I prepared, so I headed back to my apartment alone with the empty bag and did the chores until Yangcha arrived home with a box of sweet rice cake for me. We had dinner together, and I finally exited the bathroom after showering in the maternity gown he got for me... but halted once I noticed Yangcha slamming the drawers shut. Slam! He wildly turned to look at me with a startled look.

"What are you doing?" I asked, unsurely eyeing his pale expression. Yangcha's face flushed red as he stood with his hands behind his back.

"N-Nothing- I was just sorting your clothes-"

"Yah. You're acting suspicious. What did you do???" I asked, strolling across the room with a slight frown. Yangcha tried to dash past me, but I grabbed his arm to hold him back. Fwip! Yangcha swiftly hid the item behind his back. He's bad at acting...

"Nothing! Noona- seriously-"

"Show me-" I snapped, tugging his hand forward, but Yangcha stubbornly stepped back to keep the item hidden- Clatter.

We both froze in our position. I glanced down at the small package on the floor. He pursed his lips with a startled expression. Huh..? Yangcha grew stiff as I lowered my body to grab the square-shaped wrapper until my lips parted in disbelief... so I shifted my eyes back to his frightened puppy eyes. He awkwardly glanced back and forth between the item and back at me.

"Noona- Let me explain-"

"A condom?" I asked. Yangcha pursed his lips.

"It's just-"

"Do you have more?" I nodded at his hands that were still hidden behind his back. Yangcha flushed even redder as he guiltily slipped his arms from behind his back to show me the box of condoms. I quietly stared at the plastic wrappers and looked up at him again.

"Noona! I swear I didn't want to do anything suspicious-"

"Then why did you get it-"

"Just for precautions! Oh-? I promise I didn't intend to have sex with you! I'm just- afraid things will escalate again- and I might get you pregnant!" Yangchca whined, grabbing my wrist to convince me with his cute excuses. I stared at him in silence until his face drained in fear. He didn't dare blink but stared at my disappointed face.

"We don't need it. I'm fine doing it raw," I sighed, pushing the package back into his hands.

"But- you might get pregnant-"

"I got the pills. Don't worry about it," I sighed. Yangcha bit his lips adorably as he clutched the packages between his massive palms. I loosened my hair and turned to smile at his timid behavior.

"Noona... I really don't want to burden you and I really didn't mean to-"

"Come here," I beckoned after sitting on the bed. Yangcha gulped nervously and walked up to me, so I patted the mattress. He unsurely sat down as I weakly smiled at his anxious face. I grabbed the condoms to place them away and finally turned to face him.

"If you like me that much... stop treating me as some sort of... divine entity you're afraid to touch. It's very uncomfortable," I sighed.

"But I really respect-"

"I know. But you're making it weird for both of us. Oh? View me as a person— A woman. Your lover," I shook my head.

"Lover?" He repeated, uneasily staring at me.

"Yeah. Treat me as a person you love... not a god you worship. That's the only way for me to bond with you," I nodded. Yangcha pursed his lips with a troubled frown.

"But you deserve more-"

"Everything you did for me is more than enough. I can feel it, your love. I can see it too, your devotion. I'm aware, Yangcha," I sighed. The alpha glanced at the condoms on the nightstand and glanced at my lips. Slowly, he leaned forward to kiss me again. I didn't stop him, nor did I pull away. I patiently sat beside him as he pressed his lips against mine.

"I can only treat you as a love interest... only if we're lovers because as long as there's a boundary between us... I'll always put you above me... as an untouchable entity. The boundary you draw... shouldn't be on the same level, noona. That's why other men can easily invade your territory... but how can I invade yours when you're high above me? I can only admire you from below... and I can never ever... reach for you unless you reach for me first," He muttered, drawing his flustered face away. I quietly searched his dim eyes and leaned forward to peck his lips.

"And so... if I reached for you. Will you stand by my side? On the same level?" I whispered. Yangcha searched my neutral face until his cheeks flushed red. The alpha smiled and leaned forward to kiss me again, but he didn't pull away this time and hugged my waist to draw me closer. I giggled against his passionate strokes and circled my arms around his neck to pull him closer.

"I swear... I'll make you the most powerful woman," He panted, pulling away to rub his nose against mine. I chuckled with my eyes closed.

"And I'll let you rise to my side once I attain power," I nodded.

Yangcha smiled, gently caressing my lips once... and then leaned forward again to nudge his damp lips against mine, requesting my approval of his invitation... to which I accepted and responded with my parted lips. My heart thumped steadily at his tender strokes as I coiled my arms around his buzz-cut head, fondly grazing my fingers over his prickly roots... and tugged him closer to shorten the gap between our heated... bodies.

Maybe it isn't so bad at all... to love the villain who will destroy the world for me...?

Rather than loving the hero... who will sacrifice me for the pack...?

________________________

I thought I couldn't finish the chapter today! But I did! Ahahahah! Did you enjoy the chapter?! And how are you feeling so far? XD I'm just as lost tbh haha! Thank you for waiting for me! I love you guys! <3 Please take care and I'll be back!!! <3