Seoha’s POV

"Aren’t you going to rest?" I ask my best friend who is monitoring me like a cat.

Minjae is leaning over the counter and eating kimchi straight out of the jar, it’s the one he stored a while ago for jjigae.

"You want me to rest so that you can sneak out and chase after your beaux" he states with a dry expression on his face and I sigh.

My head is aching less, the dizziness is not as severe as earlier, but I am laying on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket.

"I’m not sneaking out" I mutter with a scowl and he eyeballs me.

"You were such a good teenage boy" he tsks and I scoff.

"I am older than you by a year"

"Shh I’m pregnant" he says and I shake my head, snuggling into the couch and pulling the blanket above my head.

My body still feels the pressure of Taesan’s strong thighs under me, and the way his arms wrapped around my stomach, keeping me closer to him.

It hasn’t been over four hours since he left, and I miss him terribly, completely forgetting that I had an anxiety attack at work.

’It doesn’t matter, alpha took care of us’ my omega says softly, he sounds proud and happy despite my illness.

My body relaxes at my omega’s words, and I open my end of our mating bond for the first time in days, feeling for the alpha.

And unlike what I expected, his side of the bond is open.

I purr softly as the feeling of the alpha’s calmness floods me.

It’s not like he’s waiting for me, but his calmness is overwhelming...I might be imagining things, but the calmness feels a bit eerie.

’Maybe alpha is working’ my omega guesses and I shut my eyes to take a nap.

It doesn’t take long before I fall asleep, and then I start to dream about silly things, about magical creatures.

A floating spoon, a dancing lamp, purple clouds and a giant orange animal.

A tiger.

The tiger climbs on a mountain and it sits there like it belongs up there, swishing its long tail side to side.

’You’re so...big’ I say to the tiger, and like it’s possessed by a human, it turns its head to look at me.

My body locks in place as I stare at it, terrified but at the same time, fascinated by it...

It growls at me, like it’s communicating something to me, and I turn my head to look behind me.

Like magic, I am standing on the mountain, and I can see everything under us.

’Oh...’ I say, watching the way people walk around, the way cars drive by slowly, the way animals run around.

’That’s...beautiful’ I say to myself and the giant tiger growls in return.

The growls sounds like it doesn’t find the sight as beautiful as I do.

’I will swallow it all up’ the tiger says in a voice that makes the hair on my skin stand.

He sounds so much like Kang Taesan.

’You won’t do that’ I dare to counter it and the tiger gets up, stalking towards me with slow, predatory steps, the exact same way Taesan walks.

Is this tiger my mate?

’You won’t’ I say again, straightening my back and looking him in the eye.

’There are mothers that haven’t loved their children enough to be absent in their lives, there are children that haven’t experienced their parents’ love’

The tiger stops in front of me like it’s listening...and I know he’s listening.

’Sannah...if you swallow them up, the world will be filled with people like you and me...people who fear to love’ I say and he growls, coming closer to me.

He can’t hurt me...he won’t hurt...

I close my eyes in fear, folding my hands into fists by my side, and saying a silent goodbye prayer.

But I don’t get hurt.

Instead, I feel the furry face of the tiger pressing against my face, and I hug him, pushing my limit and ignoring my fear.

A knock wakes me, and when I turn around, I see that Minjae has gone to his room.

The knock comes again and I hear him getting out of bed, putting on his slippers and cursing the person under his breath.

"I’m not expecting anyone" he says, rubbing at his eyes sleepily, "are you?"

"No" I say, looking at the clock on the wall.

It’s just three PM.

"Huh" the tired omega says as he goes to open it, and there’s silence for a moment.

It feels just like the day Taesan sent a man to bring the card after the night in the hotel, so I sit up with worry.

"Minnie?" I call and he steps out of the way, revealing a very happy Sooin standing next to a worried looking Jisu.

"Sooin?" I ask with surprise, waking fully as she runs into the small apartment, giggling and waving her hands.

"Daddy!" she calls, jumping on my body, and I hold her while asking Jisu questions with my eyes.

"Minjae-ssi has big tummy" Sooin says with awe and I laugh, briefly forgetting my concerns.

Taesan must have brought her...right?

"Hi pup, how was your day?" I ask softly.

"Daddy are you sick?" she asks eyes round as she takes in the sight of me lying under my blanket.

"Hmm, just a little" I say and she gasps.

"Daddy, don’t get sick anymore, I will take care of you" she says with a cute pout and I hug her again, kissing her head.

"I won’t be sick anymore, I promise" I say and she kisses me on my cheek just like I did for her.

"Okay, cute baby, come take off your shoes" Minjae says from the door and Sooin goes to him to take her shoes off, bouncing happily as she goes.

"Jisu, what’s going on? Where’s her dad?" I ask quietly and the girl looks at me with in her eyes.

"I don’t really understand, but I think something is happening...he left earlier in the day" she says, brows pinched together in concern.

The Jisu I know is always excited to gossip, but right now, she feels very different.

"Dad said I can sleep over with you!" Sooin yells, rejoining us and I force down the fear blooming in my chest.

Was that why the alpha felt so calm earlier? Is that way I had the dream?

"Hug me!" the little pup demands, climbing into my lap and nosing at my warm skin.

"Baby, sit gently" I say to her as I wrap my arms around her, simultaneously feeling for Taesan through our bond.

Closed.

Our link is closed.

Something is terribly wrong, Taesan sent Sooin here for a reason, he would never carelessly let his pup leave the safe space of his home.

’Please...please Kang Taesan, don’t do anything stupid’ I pray to the moon goddess.

"Is everything okay?" Minjae asks and I blink twice, plastering a smile on my face.

"Y-yes" I say.

I do my best to act like everything is okay, until night comes and everyone is asleep.

My acting comes to a stop when I hear a knock on the door, and when I open it, I find Taesan standing there with his sword in hand.

"Where is Sooin?" he growls at me, teeth bared and eyes red with alpha rage.