Chapter Text
The gala glittered beneath golden chandeliers that hung from the ceiling like stars trapped inside crystal cages.
Luxury covered every inch of the grand ballroom. Expensive perfume mixed with the scent of aged wine. Diamonds flashed beneath the lights. Soft music floated through the air, weaving through the conversations of powerful people gathered beneath the massive ceiling. Anyone unfamiliar with the underworld might have mistaken the event for a gathering of wealthy socialites enjoying a glamorous evening filled with elegance and privilege.
They would have been wrong.
Because every smile in the room hid something dangerous. Every handshake concealed a threat. Every guest carried enough power to ruin lives with a single phone call, enough influence to make people disappear without leaving behind a trace. This was not a room full of businessmen and socialites. It was a room full of kings, predators, and monsters disguised in expensive suits and beautiful dresses.
And standing in the center of it all was Jeong Yunho.
The alpha towered over most people around him, his dark tailored suit looking expensive enough to buy an entire district, the fabric fitting him perfectly as it stretched across his broad shoulders and tall frame with effortless elegance. His expression remained calm and unreadable, the kind that made it clear he was in control and dangerous enough for everyone to understand it without being told. The scent of cedarwood, rain, and amber lingered around him, subtle yet unmistakable, enough to remind everyone nearby exactly who he was without him having to utter a single word.
People moved aside without even realizing they were doing it. Fear had a way of creating space.
Beside him, Jung Wooyoung looked like he belonged at the gala for completely different reasons.
Smaller than Yunho and significantly less intimidating at first glance, the omega carried himself with an effortless grace that made people underestimate him right before he ruined their entire evening. He wore a dark emerald suit that suited him perfectly, highlighting his beauty in a way that drew attention without him even trying. His scent carried notes of peach, honey, and a hint of champagne, sweet and inviting, while the smile on his face had the kind of charm that could coax confessions out of people or push them straight into disaster, depending entirely on his mood.
Wooyoung remained hooked comfortably around Yunho's arm. To anyone unfamiliar with them, they could easily be mistaken for a couple because of how naturally they stood together, completely at ease in each other's company after years of friendship.
Then Wooyoung leaned closer, lowering his voice just enough that nobody else could overhear.
“You know,” he muttered, looking around the ballroom with obvious disappointment, “this is one of the most boring galas I have ever attended. I do not even know anyone here.”
Yunho snorted. “That is because you hardly ever accompany your father when he attends these kinds of events.”
Wooyoung rolled his eyes dramatically. “Because they are boring,” he replied at once. “You do not even like galas either, and yet you still come.”
Yunho simply shrugged, his eyes still fixed on the crowd in front of them. “I have to.”
He hated attending events like this, but his reputation required appearances. Maintaining alliances required appearances. Making sure nobody got any bright ideas about challenging his organization required appearances.
“I still cannot believe Dad forced me to come here,” Wooyoung complained, shaking his head before letting out a long sigh.
Yunho glanced at him. “Do you want to go home already?”
Wooyoung grinned before shaking his head once more. “Let's at least stay until dessert. I heard the chocolate tart here is obscene.”
Yunho’s mouth twitched, almost forming a smile. “You just came for the tart.”
“I actually came for the gossip. The tart is just a bonus,” Wooyoung replied, letting out a soft laugh.
Wooyoung's behavior had never changed despite growing up surrounded by crime syndicates and dangerous people. While most children raised in mafia families learned how to hide their emotions and sharpen their instincts into weapons, Wooyoung somehow managed to remain completely and unapologetically himself.
“Choi is coming tonight,” Yunho said suddenly.
Immediately, Wooyoung perked up. “Wait, really?! Why did you not say that sooner?”
“Because you are annoying.”
“I am charming.”
“You are annoying.”
Wooyoung gasped dramatically. “I cannot believe this is how you treat your favorite omega,” he said, pouting as he clung even tighter to Yunho’s arm.
“You assume you are my favorite,” Yunho corrected, though a small smile appeared on his face.
“I know I am,” Wooyoung said confidently, pressing himself even closer to Yunho’s side.
Before Yunho could answer, movement near the entrance drew attention throughout the ballroom. Several heads turned, and whispers began to spread almost instantly.
Yunho looked up and immediately understood why.
Because Choi San had arrived.
Another alpha mafia boss. Another man whose reputation inspired caution throughout the underworld. San moved through the crowd with complete confidence, people greeting him carefully and respectfully as he passed. Tall, handsome, and composed, he carried the kind of steady alpha presence that naturally made people step aside when he approached. He also wore a dark suit that looked expensive enough to insult everyone standing within fifty feet of him, and the scent of black cherry, smoke, and cinnamon lingered subtly around him.
But Yunho barely noticed him, because someone was walking beside him.
Clinging to his arm.
An omega.
He was taller than San, beautiful, and completely unfamiliar. He looked slightly overwhelmed by the crowd, not frightened exactly, just uncomfortable, as if he did not belong among people like them. He wore a pale suit that should have looked too soft for a gala like this, but on him it only made him seem more untouchable, like moonlight poured into human form. His dark hair fell neatly across his forehead, his eyes moved carefully around the room, curious and observant, and somehow completely unaware of how many people had already started staring at him.
Including Yunho.
Wooyoung followed his gaze.
“Who is that with San?” He asked curiously, now looking toward the two people who had just arrived.
Yunho did not answer because his attention remained fixed on the omega.
The omega’s scent was difficult to detect beneath scent blockers. Only faint traces escaped, vanilla, sandalwood, and old books. Something warm and comforting. Yunho suddenly wanted to know everything about him. He felt an unfamiliar feeling, one he did not appreciate. Unfortunately, it refused to disappear.
Across the room, San finally noticed them. A grin appeared immediately on his face. He whispered something to the omega beside him, and even he turned to look in their direction. Their eyes met.
Yunho felt it like a strike to the ribs.
For a brief second, the noise of the ballroom seemed to disappear. The omega blinked and Yunho forgot how to breathe.
Now they were both walking straight toward them. The omega followed, still holding on to San’s arm, still looking uncertain, still looking out of place among mafia bosses.
And somehow that only made Yunho more interested.
When they finally came closer, San could not stop a grin from spreading across his face. “Well. Look at this. You are still alive.”
Yunho lifted a brow. “A disappointing observation.”
San laughed and clapped Yunho on the shoulder in greeting. The gesture was friendly enough to fool outsiders, but the pressure underneath it was old and familiar, the kind shared between men who had once measured each other with fists, knives and guns, then later decided that mutual respect was more efficient.
Wooyoung brightened immediately. “Hi, San,” he said, clearly happy to see someone he knew at the gala besides Yunho.
San’s expression softened the moment he saw him, the hard line of his mouth easing into something warmer. “Hello, Wooyoung. You look gorgeous.”
Wooyoung rolled his eyes, though his smile betrayed him. “You say that like you are not used to seeing me like this.”
“Well, because it is true,” San replied, still smiling.
The omega standing beside San also smiled softly, and the expression nearly knocked the air from Yunho’s lungs.
Beautiful.
Dangerously beautiful.
“I almost forgot to introduce you,” San said, remembering him. “This is Song Mingi. Mingi, these are my friends, Jung Wooyoung and Jeong Yunho.”
Yunho repeated the name to himself.
Mingi.
It suited him.
The omega bowed politely. “It is nice to meet you.”
His voice was deeper than Yunho had expected. Warm. Gentle. And suddenly Yunho decided, immediately and without hesitation, that he liked hearing it.
“Nice to meet you too, Mingi,” Wooyoung said. “So what family are you from?”
Mingi paused for a moment, as if surprised by the question, and Yunho noticed it right away. The omega did not answer immediately, because San cut in before he could.
“He is just a civilian, Wooyoungie. He is my plus one,” San said with a laugh.
Wooyoung’s eyes widened. “Oh. I am sorry. I thought you were part of our world too,” he said to Mingi. “You look like you fit in, you know, the posture, the face, all of it,” Wooyoung explained.
Mingi let out a soft laugh and simply smiled. “It’s okay, Wooyoung.”
And Yunho found himself staring again.
Damn it.
The omega’s laughter sounded genuine, unaffected, something rare among people surrounded by power and violence.
For the first time all evening, Yunho found himself grateful that he had attended the gala.
“So, are you two together?” Wooyoung asked curiously.
Both of them almost simultaneously shook their heads. “We are just friends, Wooyoung,” San answered, sounding almost amused by Wooyoung’s curiosity.
Wooyoung nodded, though there was a visible sense of relief on his face. “Good,” he said, then paused, realizing what he just said. “I mean, great—I mean, of course—I mean—I need to go eat the tart. Excuse me.”
He rushed through the words and quickly walked away from where the four of them were standing, not turning back once, with a faint blush still lingering on his cheeks.
San laughed at Wooyoung’s reaction, then carefully removed Mingi’s hand from his arm. “I will just go with Wooyoung for a bit,” he said, then turned to Yunho. “Please keep Mingi company, Jeong. Especially since there are a lot of dangerous people here.”
He clapped Yunho on the shoulder once more, then left without even waiting for either of them to answer.
Now Yunho and Mingi were left standing in the center of the ballroom, the noise of the gala carrying on around them like nothing had happened. For a moment, Yunho simply looked at the omega beside him. Mingi was tall for an omega, and unlike most of the ones Yunho had met before, he did not look delicate in the usual way people expected. If anything, at first glance he looked more like an alpha, if not for the faint traces of his scent and the softer way he carried himself. Yunho noticed the way Mingi's eyes wandered across the room as though he could not quite settle. He kept looking around at the crowd of dangerous people gathered for the gala, appearing curious but also slightly uneasy.
“First time?”
Mingi looked startled by the sudden question and turned toward Yunho, then gave a shy nod. “Yes.”
“You have no connection to the underworld?” Yunho asked next.
“Besides being friends with San?” Mingi tilted his head a little.
“Besides that.”
Mingi shook his head. “No,” he answered. “I work a normal job.”
“A normal job.”
“Yes, as a barista.”
Yunho only stared at him for a moment. “You know you are surrounded by crime lords right now.”
“I am very aware,” Mingi answered immediately.
“And you are not nervous?” Yunho asked, genuinely curious. Most of the people he knew would already be trembling if they found out they were speaking to a mafia lord, some became frightened, others struggled to hide their fear. Most people avoided eye contact altogether. Yet here was an omega standing in the middle of a room filled with some of the most dangerous people in the country.
Mingi smiled. “A little.”
“A little?” Yunho asked in disbelief, one brow lifting even as the corner of his mouth twitched with amusement.
“Okay. A lot,” Mingi admitted quietly.
That made Yunho let out a soft laugh.
The omega grinned and then stepped a little closer to him, and because of that Yunho caught even more of his scent, which for some reason felt far too addictive to him. It was almost the kind of scent that made him want to press his nose against the omega’s neck just to breathe him in properly.
“Do you think someone is suddenly going to start shooting in here right now?” Mingi asked innocently, still looking ahead as if the question were perfectly normal.
Yunho paused for a second, and the quiet laugh he had just let out deepened slightly. “No, Mingi. No one is going to start shooting,” he said with a faint chuckle. “When a neutral syndicate hosts a gala like this, there are rare agreements where bloodshed is forbidden, at least in theory. Everyone here knows the rules. No violence, no vendettas, no weapons. Anyone foolish enough to break the truce would be hunted by every family in the room.”
Mingi looked at him again. “So there will be no gunfire?”
Yunho shook his head, still smiling a little. “None.”
That seemed to let Mingi breathe easier, because his shoulders loosened somewhat, while Yunho kept watching his face. It was not just that Mingi was beautiful. It was the kind of beauty that made people stop and look twice, and Yunho found himself doing exactly that more and more often.
A few minutes later, a representative from the hosting syndicate approached Yunho.
“Mr. Jeong, may we speak with you for a moment to discuss some shipping routes?” the man asked nervously, especially when Yunho turned his attention toward him. The alpha's gaze alone was enough to make the man sweat. Particularly when Yunho clearly had no interest in talking to anyone right now except the omega standing beside him.
“Uh... I’ll just stay over there for a bit,” Mingi said suddenly before Yunho could answer the host. He bowed slightly, then walked away.
Yunho wanted to follow him, but he knew he could not just abandon the conversation, especially not when it involved something this important for him.
“Make it quick,” he ordered, his voice serious and firm enough to make the host pale.
“O-of course, Mr. Jeong,” the host stammered. “The private room on the second floo—”
Before the host could even finish explaining, Yunho cut him off immediately. “No. We will discuss it here,” he said, his attention was not on the host at all but on Mingi, who had stopped near a large window, now with a glass in hand, staring out at the moon outside.
The host had no choice but to speak, and Yunho half listened while answering when necessary, giving the occasional nod or quiet comment, but his attention kept drifting back to the omega. He watched him from a distance as if keeping guard, because if even one mafia boss got the idea to walk over to Mingi, Yunho knew he would not hesitate to step in.
And just a little while later, exactly what Yunho had feared happened, because one mafia boss did walk up to Mingi.
Hong Gihoon.
Yunho recognized him at once. Another alpha, another mafia boss, one of those men who smiled too easily and treated power like it was something he had been born owning. He had the kind of polished face that made people trust him too quickly and regret it far too late. Arrogant. Manipulative. Dangerous. Yunho had tolerated him from a distance for years, and even that already felt too close.
Gihoon leaned toward Mingi and said something Yunho could not hear, but he saw Mingi’s shoulders stiffen. Yunho’s gaze narrowed immediately.
The alpha smiled, slow and ugly.
Mingi shifted back by half a step, polite enough to make it look like nothing had happened, but Yunho noticed the discomfort right away. He saw the way Mingi tightened his grip on the glass. He saw the way he angled his body away, trying to create space without making a scene.
Gihoon said something else. His hand brushed near Mingi’s waist, not quite a touch, not quite an accident.
The omega’s mouth went thin.
At the sight of that, irritation flared sharply in Yunho. He wanted to break Gihoon’s hand so he would never be able to touch Mingi again, whether it had been accidental or not. He wanted to punch him in the face so he would stop smiling like that. And he wanted to rip out his eyes so he would never look at Mingi again.
“Uhm, Mr. Jeong?” the host called softly, trying to get his attention when he noticed the alpha’s aura growing darker by the second. Even Yunho’s scent was getting stronger.
"I'll send my right hand man once I've made my decision." Yunho said seriously, and then he crossed the ballroom with the confidence of a man who knew no one would stop him unless they had a death wish.
Conversations thinned as he walked past. The smell of perfume and liquor gave way to the darker edge of his own alpha scent, a warning that rippled through the guests nearby like the first breeze before a storm.
Gihoon noticed him first, and his smile immediately thinned.
“Jeong Yunho,” he said pleasantly, as if they were old friends and not men who would try to bury each other if given a good enough reason.
Yunho ignored him and looked at Mingi instead. The omega looked relieved.
Very relieved.
“Are you all right?” Yunho asked him.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Mingi answered softly.
Gihoon let out a low laugh. “See? He is fine, Jeong.”
Yunho turned his head slowly, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop by a degree. “I was not speaking to you.”
Gihoon’s expression sharpened, but Yunho did not care. He moved closer to Mingi, placing himself just enough between him and Gihoon to make the point unmistakable.
“If someone is making you uncomfortable,” Yunho said, his voice calm and level, “you do not have to stand here and endure it.”
The omega stared at him for a beat, then let out a quiet breath. His expression softened just a little. “That is kind of you, Yunho. But I am fine. I am just not used to his scent.”
Gihoon raised a brow, then after a few seconds he laughed loudly enough to draw attention from some of the people nearby. “Oh, I’m sorry, I did not know you disliked my scent,” he said, then looked at the omega in a strange, lingering way.
Mingi noticed it, and without thinking, he subtly moved a little closer to Yunho. It was not enough for anyone else to notice, but it was enough for Yunho to notice, and the possessive side of his alpha instincts immediately stirred. Dangerous.
Gihoon noticed as well, and he did not look pleased. Before he could push further, his phone buzzed. The alpha checked the screen, and his expression changed at once, amusement being replaced by annoyance.
“I have business to attend to.”
Nobody looked disappointed, especially not Mingi. “Jeong,” he said in farewell to Yunho, then glanced at the omega one last time. His gaze lingered a little too long before he finally turned and left.
The moment he disappeared into the crowd, Mingi exhaled, a breath he had clearly been holding in.
Yunho looked at him. “Are you okay?”
Mingi looked surprised by the question, then smiled softly. “I am fine. I just need some fresh air,” he explained.
“Do you want to go to the terrace to get some air?” Yunho suggested.
Mingi nodded and followed Yunho outside.
As they walked, their elbows brushed from time to time, until Yunho carefully placed a hand at the omega’s waist. He felt Mingi stop for a brief moment at the contact, and when Yunho looked at him, Mingi was already staring back. Yunho was about to pull his hand away, but the omega only smiled and leaned even closer to him.
When they stepped outside, there were only a handful of people on the terrace unlike the crowded ballroom inside. Most of them were busy with their own conversations, gathered in small groups. The night air was cooler, calmer, carrying the faint scent of flowers from the gardens below and the distant sound of the city beyond the estate. Compared to the noise and constant tension inside, the terrace felt almost peaceful.
The two of them sat at an empty glass table near the edge of the terrace. Yunho pulled out a chair and waited until Mingi was seated before taking his own seat beside him.
For a while, silence settled comfortably between them.
Mingi’s attention drifted back toward the moon hanging high above the city. Yunho found himself watching him instead. The moonlight reflected in Mingi's eyes, making them shine so brightly that it almost looked as though he had never seen the moon before tonight. There was something peaceful about the way he stared at it, something genuine that felt completely out of place in a world built on violence, power, and bloodshed.
"Thank you for saving me earlier, by the way." Mingi's voice broke the silence as he finally looked away from the moon and turned toward the alpha.
Yunho tilted his head. “Saved is a strong word.”
“You stepped in,” Mingi pointed out.
"You looked uncomfortable," Yunho explained simply.
Mingi took a deep breath before looking away again. “I'm just not used to people like that.”
One of Yunho’s brows rose immediately, curiosity appearing on his face.
“What did Gihoon say to you?”
Mingi did not answer right away.
“Nothing important,” he finally said. “He just wanted to get to know me. That's all."
Yunho studied him carefully for several seconds, watching the omega’s expression as if trying to decide whether he believed him or not. Eventually, he only nodded.
“Yuyu! I thought you abandoned me already!” Wooyoung suddenly appeared beside Yunho, making both of them look up. Behind him stood San, looking as calm as ever.
Yunho immediately rolled his eyes. “How was your tart?”
“It was fine.”
San snorted. “Fine? Even though you ate seven slices of chocolate tart?” he said, exposing Wooyoung immediately.
Wooyoung gasped and shot San a glare. “Sannie! You promised you would not tell Yunho!” he complained, which only made the three laugh.
Then San sat down beside Mingi and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay here? Did anyone bother you?” he asked his friend with obvious concern.
Before Mingi could even lie to San, Yunho spoke first. “Gihoon approached him,” he said seriously, which made both San and Wooyoung look shocked.
“Gihoon?” San asked in surprise, then quickly turned his attention to Mingi, but the omega only smiled a little at him as if to tell him that everything was fine.
“Wait, Gihoon? Hong Gihoon?” Wooyoung asked. “He's here? Wasn't he practically banned from galas after that information spread about him killing another mafia lord years ago?”
“Yup. That Hong Gihoon,” Yunho answered.
Wooyoung immediately leaned closer to Mingi, concern written all over his face. “Are you okay, Mingi? He didn't do anything bad to you, did he?”
Mingi let out a soft laugh at Wooyoung’s reaction. “I am okay, Wooyoung. Nothing bad happened,” he said, then his gaze subtly shifted toward Yunho sitting beside him. “It is a good thing Yunho arrived.”
At the same time, both Wooyoung and San slowly turned toward Yunho who was still sitting there with his usual serious expression. Then, without warning, Wooyoung threw his arms around Yunho’s head.
“See, even though you are a murderer, I know you are actually a good person, Yuyu! I am really glad I became your friend,” Wooyoung said intensely while still clinging to Yunho’s head, and the alpha struggled to pull his friend’s arms away from his face.
Mingi and San could not help laughing at the two of them. A few people nearby even turned to look at their group because, from the outside, they probably looked like they did not belong there at all.
“The fuck, Wooyoung! If you don't stop, I'm going to shoot you,” Yunho threatened his friend, but the omega did not budge.
“Guns are not allowed here, and I know you cannot do it,” Wooyoung said, then finally let go of the alpha’s head.
Yunho gave him a dark look, but he knew it had no effect, so he just fixed his messy hair instead.
“I can,” Yunho replied while still staring at Wooyoung, “and besides, even before I point my gun at you, I already know Choi’s gun will be pointed at me,” he added, then smirked and leaned back in his chair.
He noticed his friend’s cheeks turning red, while San, who had gotten dragged into it, was now smirking. “Good that you know, Jeong,” he said, crossing his arms.
That only made Wooyoung blush even harder. “Sannie!”
Mingi and San laughed again, while Yunho could only roll his eyes, though even he could not fully stop the small laugh that escaped him. Yunho knew his friend had feelings for San, and he also knew San felt the same way about Wooyoung. What he did not understand was why the two of them still had not confessed, especially when it was already obvious from the way they acted around each other.
Yunho looked at Mingi again, and the omega was wearing a big smile. Mingi must have felt his gaze, because he looked back at him too, and that bright smile on his face slowly turned into a soft one.
The four of them kept talking for the rest of the night, and more than once people on the terrace glanced at them in surprise, clearly shocked to see two terrifying mafia alpha bosses laughing with the omega son of another feared boss and one unfamiliar omega as if they were not all at a gathering full of dangerous people. It almost looked like they were not even at the kind of gala they had originally come to attend.
And during that conversation, Yunho and Mingi kept looking at each other every few minutes and smiling at one another, as if something important was quietly starting to form between them, even though neither Yunho nor Mingi realized it yet.
They knew that both of them would remember that conversation, because it was the moment everything changed.
Two years later, San and Wooyoung got married. Yunho wondered why it took them two full years before they finally tied the knot, but he also understood that their relationship had not been easy from the start, because first, Wooyoung's father had been incredibly protective of him. Wooyoung was the only omega among his siblings, and his family guarded him fiercely and second, Wooyoung’s father did not like San at all. But San still fought for his love for Wooyoung, he had stayed beside Wooyoung, he had proven himself over and over again and thankfully, in the end, Wooyoung’s father finally gave in.
During that time, Yunho was still busy with his own organization, but whenever he had free time, he would visit the café where Mingi worked as a barista. Sometimes he would invite Mingi out whenever they both had a free day, and other times he would wait until the omega finished his shift just so he could take him home to his small apartment. That was also how Yunho got to know Mingi even better. He learned that Mingi was orphaned, that his parents had died in an accident, and that Mingi blamed himself for what happened, which was why he rarely talked about it, and Yunho never forced him.
He also learned that Mingi had been homeschooled, but he had not been able to finish his education because of what happened to his parents. He had no choice but to stop and find a work just to support himself. He also never really had friends while growing up, which was why it had been such a big deal when he met San one day after the alpha bought coffee at the café where Mingi worked.
And even though their lives were so different, Yunho never stopped loving Mingi, and Mingi never stopped loving Yunho either, even though he knew exactly how dangerous and complicated the alpha's life was. Yunho did not know whether the omega was simply very brave or whether he had just gotten used to San’s kind of world, which was not all that different from his own. But one thing he did know was that he would protect Mingi for as long as he could, and nobody would ever take him away.
One year after that, Yunho and Mingi got married too.
Afternoon rain tapped softly against the black tinted windows of the armored car, the sound almost calming if not for the suffocating tension sitting heavily inside the vehicle.
Yunho leaned back against the leather seat with one leg crossed over the other, his broad shoulders stiff beneath the dark coat draped over him. The smell of smoke, expensive whiskey, and blood still lingered faintly inside the car from the meeting that had just ended, and his jaw flexed slowly as his fingers drummed impatiently against his knee, each tap sharper than the last while he waited for the final signature.
Across from him sat the trembling arms dealer they had spent the last two hours cornering. The man looked pathetic now. His lip was split open and stained red, his collar soaked from both rainwater and sweat. His breathing came out unevenly while his shaking hand hovered over the papers in front of him, terrified of making a mistake and even more terrified of what would happen if he refused.
Then finally, Yunho spoke.
“Sign it,” he said quietly, his voice low enough to make it even more terrifying. “Or I’ll let the rats chew on your fingers tonight.”
The man visibly paled.
He did not hesitate again after that.
The pen scratched frantically against the paper while Yunho watched without blinking, his cold eyes unreadable beneath the dim lights of the vehicle. Once the final signature was finished, the man immediately shoved the documents forward as if desperate to get them away from himself before anything else could go wrong.
Yunho did not smile. He never smiled during deals like this. There was nothing satisfying about fear anymore. Not after years buried in blood, power, betrayal, and corpses.
Yunho leaned back slightly before tilting his head toward his right hand man seated beside him.
“Jongho.”
Without hesitation, Choi Jongho reached forward and collected the papers, calmly sliding them back into a sleek leather case as though this had been nothing more than an ordinary business meeting instead of a death sentence waiting to happen.
“Burn the rest,” Yunho ordered without sparing the dealer another glance.
“Yes, boss.”
The door opened immediately. Cold rain scented air rushed inside the vehicle, carrying the smell of wet asphalt, distant smoke, and the city beyond.
Yunho stepped out first.
A guard was already waiting nearby with an umbrella ready for him. His polished shoes splashed against shallow puddles as several guards instantly straightened at attention the moment they saw him emerge. Another armored SUV waited nearby with headlights glowing through the curtain of rain. Meanwhile, Jongho gave a quick order to one of the guards standing at the side, then followed Yunho toward the other vehicle.
The deal was finished.
His shoulders ached from meetings. His head throbbed from listening to greedy men speak in circles for hours. Every muscle in his body carried the heavy exhaustion that came after suppressing alpha pheromones all day.
All he wanted now was to go home and be with his husband.
He wanted to walk into their penthouse and bury his face against his omega’s throat until Mingi’s scent settled the rage clawing beneath his skin. He wanted to hear Mingi complain softly whenever Yunho crowded him against the kitchen counter after a long day. He wanted those pretty, breathless sounds his omega always made whenever Yunho gently bit against the scent gland hidden beneath the mark on his neck.
The thought alone eased something inside his chest.
For a moment.
He stepped into the other SUV, and one of his guards quickly shut the door behind him, sealing him back into silence. He loosened his tie slightly before reaching for his phone. The bright screen lit his sharp features, casting shadows beneath tired eyes. He expected the usual messages from his omega, quick updates, small notes, random pictures, little things that always softened the edges of his day.
But when he unlocked it, the screen remained empty.
No messages.
No missed calls.
His brows slowly furrowed.
Mingi always texted him. Whether he was taking a walk, buying snacks, or simply sitting at Choi’s place, Mingi always kept him updated. Not because Yunho forced him to. Never that. Mingi simply liked keeping him informed because he knew Yunho worried easily when it came to him, especially after they got married.
Without wasting another second, Yunho pressed the call button and lifted the phone to his ear. The line rang once. Twice. Three times. Too long. Then voicemail.
Yunho’s expression darkened instantly.
He pulled the phone away before calling again, this time more impatiently. His thumb tapped sharply against the screen while the alpha inside him became increasingly restless.
Voicemail again.
Beside him, Jongho subtly straightened after noticing the shift in pheromones leaking from his boss. The rich scent of rain, cedarwood, and amber slowly thickened inside the vehicle, carrying the sharp edge of an alpha growing agitated.
“Call Mingi,” Yunho ordered Jongho coldly.
Jongho nodded without question and immediately pulled out his own phone. “Yes, boss.”
The younger alpha dialed quickly while Yunho stared out the rain-covered window, his knee bouncing faintly with irritation. The car remained silent except for the rain and the ringing from the call.
Then several seconds passed and Jongho slowly lowered the phone.
“He’s not answering,” he said carefully.
Yunho’s gaze sharpened. “Call again.”
Jongho obeyed immediately.
Still nothing.
The atmosphere inside the vehicle became suffocating.
Yunho unlocked the surveillance app connected to their penthouse security system. His thumb moved quickly through the camera feeds. Empty kitchen. Empty living room. Empty bedroom. No sign of his husband anywhere.
Yunho’s brows pulled together harder. “Where the hell are you,” he muttered under his breath.
His omega never disappeared like this.
A heavy silence settled inside the vehicle as rain continued striking the windows harder now.
“Track his phone,” Yunho snapped.
Jongho already had a second device out. His fingers moved quickly across the screen before his expression darkened slightly. “It’s offline, boss.”
The air inside the car changed instantly.
Yunho’s pheromones exploded violently before he could stop them. His throat tightened, and the unease inside him twisted into something darker and far more violent.
“Fuck.”
His hand clenched so tightly around his phone that the expensive casing creaked beneath the pressure.
This was exactly why Yunho had wanted guards permanently assigned beside Mingi, not because he wanted to control him, but because he knew what kind of world they lived in. He had enemies everywhere, men who smiled during meetings while planning assassinations beneath the table, men who shook hands while imagining where to bury a body and men who would gladly use an omega to send a message.
But Mingi hated feeling watched.
He hated bodyguards following him while shopping, while meeting friends, or while doing something as walking around the park. He once complained that it made him feel like a prisoner instead of a husband. And Yunho, weak only when it came to Mingi, had eventually given in because he could not stand seeing his omega upset.
His chest suddenly tightened at the thought, then his mind immediately spiraled toward the worst possibilities.
Was this a hit? A warning from one of the other organizations foolish enough to challenge him? Or was this something worse, a mistake committed by someone who did not value their life enough to understand what it meant to touch his omega?
Then suddenly, another name surfaced in his mind.
Gihoon.
Yunho’s expression hardened instantly.
That alpha.
That fucking alpha whose eyes always seemed to follow his husband whenever they crossed paths at galas and gatherings. At first, Yunho had forced himself to stay calm because from the beginning he knew Mingi had caught Gihoon’s attention. But over time, the way Gihoon kept looking at the omega only grew worse. The amusement whenever Mingi’s name came up in conversation. The hidden possessiveness beneath fake politeness. The way Gihoon always seemed interested whenever Mingi was mentioned. And Yunho had tolerated it because he knew Mingi disliked Gihoon, partly because of his scent but mostly because Mingi never looked at Gihoon with anything other than disgust and irritation.
So he had tried not to think too much of it before.
And now his husband was missing.
“Take me to Gihoon,” Yunho ordered sharply.
The driver immediately stepped harder on the accelerator. Rain hammered violently against the windshield as the car sped through the city. Beside him, Jongho remained silent, though the younger alpha’s expression had already turned grim. He understood exactly what this meant.
If Gihoon had truly touched Mingi, there would be blood everywhere before sunrise.
Gihoon’s headquarters stood in the center of the city like a monument to arrogance. Black marble walls, golden lights, and luxury dripping from every corner made it look like the building itself wanted everyone to remember how rich and untouchable its owner was.
Yunho stepped out of the vehicle without waiting for an umbrella. Rain soaked lightly into his coat while Jongho followed closely behind him.
The guards near the entrance visibly stiffened the moment they recognized him.
One of them forced out a nervous smile. “Mr. Jeong, Boss Hong is not accepting visitors tonight.”
Yunho kept walking. “I wasn’t asking.”
The guard moved hesitantly to block his path.
Yunho paused and stared at him coldly. “Move,” he ordered firmly.
“Sir, please understand, we were given strict ord—”
Yunho grabbed him by the throat before he could finish speaking. The man slammed violently against the wall, hard enough to crack the marble behind him. The scent of dominant alpha pheromones exploded through the entrance instantly, and several guards around them froze in place.
Yunho leaned closer slowly while the struggling alpha clawed weakly at his wrist.
“I said,” the alpha growled, his voice terrifyingly calm, “move.”
The second guard immediately opened the doors without another word. Yunho shoved the man aside and stormed inside like a coming disaster.
The massive room smelled heavily of expensive liquor, cigarette smoke, and alpha pheromones. Gihoon sat behind a luxurious desk in the center of it all like royalty lounging in a throne room. One leg was crossed lazily over the other, a drink rested in his hand, and silver chains glinted beneath the low lighting.
He looked completely unbothered.
“Well, well,” Gihoon drawled with an amused smile. “Look who forgot his manners.”
“Where is he?” Yunho demanded immediately.
Gihoon lifted a brow innocently. “You’ll need to be more specific,” he said lazily. “I entertain a lot of company, Jeong.”
Yunho stepped forward violently enough for the desk to shake when both his hands slammed against it.
“My husband,” he growled. “Where is he?”
Gihoon’s lips curved slowly into a smile. “Oh? Trouble in paradise already?”
Yunho’s eyes darkened dangerously.
“What makes you think I’d know?” Gihoon continued casually, clearly amused to see Yunho like this.
“Because you keep watching him,” Yunho shot back immediately. “You think I would not notice the way you look and act around my omega?”
Gihoon chuckled softly before taking another sip of his drink, then leaned back slightly. “Maybe I miss what was mine.”
Everything inside Yunho stopped. The room suddenly felt suffocatingly silent.
“What the fuck did you just say?” His voice dropped into a whisper, dangerous in its restraint.
Gihoon stood slowly from his chair, amusement gleaming openly in his eyes now. “Oh, you didn’t know?” he asked mockingly. Then he put on an expression of false shock and hurt, like he genuinely pitied Yunho. “I thought you already knew the truth. I thought your husband told you,” he said, then slowly stepped closer until he could look Yunho directly in the eye before grinning again. “That sweet little thing of yours? We had a past, Jeong. Mingi and I were very close… intimate, in fact. Long before you even marked him, or should I say, before you even met him.”
Violent alpha pheromones exploded instantly through the room.
Several of Gihoon’s guards immediately tensed, and Jongho, standing behind Yunho, subtly moved his hand toward the gun hidden beneath his coat.
Meanwhile, Yunho saw red.
Before anyone could react, he grabbed Gihoon violently by the collar and dragged him forward hard enough for the glass in Gihoon’s hand to shatter against the floor. Gihoon’s guards instantly raised their weapons. Jongho did the same without hesitation.
Yet despite the chaos, Yunho looked utterly unafraid.
“You’re lying!” Yunho growled, his knuckles turning white. “My husband would never like you, Hong. He can barely stand your scent. The moment he smells you, he moves away. Then you want me to believe you two had a past?!”
Gihoon only smirked wider despite the dangerous grip crushing his collar and the murderous pheromones filling the room. He could feel Yunho’s rage, and he seemed to enjoy it.
“I’m not,” he replied softly. “And it pisses you off, doesn’t it? Knowing your pretty omega once screamed my name instead of yours.”
That did it. It was as if every ounce of irritation and hatred Yunho had for the alpha finally snapped. He swung his fist immediately but another hand suddenly caught his wrist before the punch could land.
“Enough.”
The voice cut through the room with sharp calmness.
Both alphas turned sharply.
San stood between them with the exhausted expression of a man already sick of everyone around him. Dressed entirely in black, he looked almost relaxed despite the guns pointed in every direction.
Which made him even more dangerous.
“Jeong,” San sighed tiredly, still holding Yunho’s wrist firmly, “if you punch him right now, we are going to have to start a war.” His eyes flickered briefly toward Gihoon and he gave him a look. “And wars are fucking annoying.”
“Choi,” Yunho snarled, his voice sharp, “get the fuck out of my way if you do not want to get dragged into this!”
San ignored the murderous threat aimed at him. Instead, he casually pulled out his phone and shoved it against Yunho’s chest.
“Use your brain first.”
Yunho snatched the phone irritably before looking down.
A picture filled the screen.
Wooyoung was smiling brightly inside a baby clothing store while holding tiny folded outfits against his chest, and behind him stood Mingi, busy looking through some baby clothes.
Completely fine and safe.
Yunho blinked. For the first time since arriving, his rage faltered.
“Your husband’s with Wooyoung,” San said flatly. “They went shopping for baby stuff. Wooyoung’s pregnant, remember?”
Yunho stared silently at the picture. “Baby... stuff?” he repeated blankly.
“Yes,” San answered, then let out a long breath and walked over to Gihoon’s table to take a sip from the alcohol the other alpha had been drinking earlier. “Clothes. Blankets. Probably more expensive shit for the baby.”
Gihoon snorted quietly from beside them.
San continued before another fight could start. “Then your omega wanted sweets, so now they are at the café where Mingi used to work,” he said before taking another sip. “So stop growling like a dog before you destroy an entire building just because your husband did not answer your calls.”
Yunho’s fingers slowly loosened. The suffocating pressure of his pheromones finally eased, at least a little.
Gihoon watched the reaction carefully before smirking. “Should have guessed your omega would crave sugar, especially lately,” he mused lazily while adjusting the collar Yunho had wrinkled moments earlier.
Yunho immediately shot him a murderous glare.
“Say one more thing about him,” he warned coldly, “and war will not be the only thing you will hate.”
Then he turned sharply toward the exit, but before the doors closed behind him, Gihoon’s voice rang out again.
“He never told you what family he actually came from, did he?”
Yunho stopped walking instantly. The tension returned immediately. Slowly, he turned back around.
“What do you mean?” he asked angrily, clearly confused, and before he could move closer again, San stepped in front of him and grabbed his arm firmly.
“Don’t listen to him,” San said seriously. “You know what kind of person he is. He is a manipulative liar, he is just trying to get under your skin.”
But Yunho kept staring at Gihoon, and instead of looking afraid, the alpha only smiled back at him. Yunho wanted to believe San, because San was right, Gihoon was a liar, and he would do anything just to get what he wanted. But there was something about that smile that felt different this time, and Yunho hated how doubt quietly planted itself inside his chest.
Eventually, San managed to pull him away before things escalated again.
Behind them, Gihoon’s smug expression slowly disappeared. Something colder replaced it because he knew exactly what he was doing. That one sentence alone had been enough to plant doubt inside Yunho’s mind.
Gihoon sat back down with a hard, irritated motion, his thoughts already turning dark. “It’s time,” he murmured to himself.
The ride from Gihoon’s headquarters to the café felt unbearably suffocating.
Rain hammered endlessly against the windows, cars passed like ghosts beneath the storm, and distant thunder rolled softly through the city. Inside the vehicle, silence settled heavily into every corner.
Jongho had remained behind to deal with the injured guard Yunho had slammed against the wall earlier, leaving Yunho alone in the backseat with San, who had climbed into the SUV without so much as asking for permission.
“I sent my driver somewhere else,” San had said earlier without an ounce of guilt. “I’m riding with you.”
Now he sat comfortably against the leather seat with one arm resting lazily near the window, looking far too relaxed compared to Yunho.
Gihoon’s words repeated inside Yunho’s head over and over again.
Mingi had never lied to him, especially if it was about something important. Even before they got married, Mingi had always told Yunho everything about himself. Whenever there was something Yunho wanted to know, Mingi answered honestly. Yunho had believed him because there had never been any reason not to. The omega had never given him a reason to doubt him.
But now, doubt poisoned his thoughts that had once felt solid.
“You’re grinding your teeth too hard,” San suddenly muttered without even opening his eyes.
Yunho turned sharply toward him. “What?”
“You’ve been chewing on your jaw for the last ten minutes,” San replied. “You’re going to crack a tooth at this rate.”
Yunho looked away irritably.
“Mingi’s fine, Jeong,” San added after a moment. “You’ll see him in five minutes.”
Yunho did not respond.
For a brief moment, he looked at San again.
He knew that even though he was married to Mingi now, San had been Mingi’s friend first and had known him far earlier than Yunho had. Part of him wanted to ask whether he knew anything about Mingi’s life that he had never told him, or if San knew details about the accident that had killed Mingi’s parents.
But he held himself back, his fingers tapping against his knee again, harder this time.
The driver finally pulled to a smooth stop outside the café, the sleek black vehicle blending almost seamlessly into the rainy evening. Warm golden lights glowed softly behind the café’s glass windows, casting reflections against the wet pavement like tiny pools of melted sunlight.
Inside, people laughed quietly over steaming drinks and half-finished desserts. Couples leaned close together while sharing pastries. Families crowded around tables while children pointed excitedly at colorful cakes displayed behind the counter.
For a few seconds, he simply stared through the rain-streaked window. He suddenly remembered the days when he would visit Mingi whenever he had free time, or the evenings when he would wait for him to finish work before taking him home.
He stepped out of the car first, shutting the door harder than necessary. He did not even wait for his driver to get out and hold an umbrella over him. Rain misted against his dark hair and coat while San climbed out more leisurely from the other side, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as though none of the tension from earlier had ever existed.
The tiny bell above the entrance chimed softly the moment Yunho stepped inside.
Warmth immediately wrapped around him.
The café smelled like buttered pastries fresh from the oven, roasted espresso beans, melted chocolate, caramel drizzle, and vanilla cream. Soft music played quietly from hidden speakers overhead, but the peaceful atmosphere cracked almost instantly the moment people noticed who had walked in.
Several customers froze in the middle of taking a bite. Others carefully lowered their cups onto their tables. Even the workers behind the counter visibly stiffened.
Because Yunho did not belong in places like this. He entered carrying violence with him like a second skin.
The suffocating weight of dominant alpha pheromones rolled through the café despite how tightly restrained he kept them. It pressed against everyone instinctively, making weaker alphas lower their gazes while omegas subtly shifted closer toward their companions.
San walked in behind him a second later, equally impossible to ignore.
Then Yunho saw him.
His Mingi.
The tightness in Yunho’s chest immediately twisted painfully.
His omega sat near the counter beside Wooyoung, long legs crossed comfortably beneath the small café table. His body leaned lazily back against the chair while soft laughter spilled from him at something Wooyoung had just said. Half eaten cake sat in front of him alongside four empty dessert plates, and a small smear of chocolate cream stained the corner of his lips.
His cheeks were slightly flushed from warmth and sugar, making him look so painfully alive, so untouched by the darkness that haunted the mafia world.
God, he was really so beautiful.
But instead of rushing forward, Yunho froze.
He stood rooted to the spot, watching. Because Mingi had not answered his calls. Because Gihoon’s words still burned in his ears. Because for the first time in years, he felt like maybe he did not know everything about the man he loved.
Then Wooyoung noticed them first.
His eyes lifted toward the entrance before widening briefly in realization. A grin immediately spread across his face as he nudged Mingi lightly beneath the table.
“Our husband’s here.”
Mingi turned immediately.
And the second his eyes landed on Yunho, his entire face lit up so brightly it almost hurt to look at him. “Baby!”
Just like that, the tightness crushing his lungs loosened. Yunho crossed the café in three long strides. He did not care about the staring customers or the whispers that followed him. The moment he reached the table, he crouched directly in front of Mingi without hesitation and cupped the side of his face carefully in one large hand.
His thumb brushed gently against Mingi’s cheekbone while Yunho stared at him like he needed visual proof that his omega was truly safe.
“You didn’t answer your damn phone,” Yunho muttered roughly. He tried to sound annoyed, but the crack in his voice betrayed him completely.
Mingi’s expression softened immediately. “I left it in the penthouse,” he admitted quietly, guilt flickering across his features. “Low battery, so I did not bring it anymore. I did not think you would worry this much.”
Yunho let out a slow breath before lowering his forehead against Mingi’s, his eyes closing briefly. The familiar scent of vanilla, sandalwood, and old books wrapped around him instantly, calming the violent restlessness that had been tearing him apart since earlier.
“Of course I worried,” he whispered hoarsely.
Mingi’s fingers gently curled around the sleeve of Yunho’s coat.
“Sorry,” he murmured softly before rubbing their noses together affectionately.
That tiny gesture nearly destroyed Yunho on the spot.
Behind them, San casually dropped into the empty seat beside Wooyoung and immediately rested a hand against his omega’s stomach beneath the oversized sweater before leaning in to kiss Wooyoung briefly on the lips. Then, without asking permission, he stole one of the macarons sitting on the plate.
“They’re going to start making out in public again,” San muttered flatly while chewing.
Wooyoung smacked his arm lightly. “They’re cute. Leave them alone.”
San looked unimpressed. “They’re disgusting.”
“You’re literally obsessed with me, Sannie,” his omega shot back immediately.
“That’s different.”
Meanwhile Yunho ignored both of them completely. He slipped off his heavy coat and carefully draped it over Mingi’s shoulders, tugging it closed around him despite the omega immediately protesting.
“You’re cold,” Yunho murmured while rubbing his hands firmly up and down Mingi’s arms.
“I’m fine,” Mingi insisted, though he instinctively leaned into the warmth anyway. “I just wanted something sweet. Really sweet. Like ridiculously sweet.”
Yunho narrowed his eyes slightly. That was strange. Mingi liked desserts, sure, but not usually this intensely.
Still, he did not question it.
Instead, he pulled Mingi closer against his side possessively, one strong arm wrapping firmly around the omega’s waist as though afraid someone might snatch him away the second he loosened his grip.
Then, without warning, he grabbed the fork from Mingi’s hand and calmly scooped up a large bite of chocolate cake, eating it himself in one motion.
Mingi blinked in disbelief. “…Hey! That was mine!”
“You’ve had enough sugar,” Yunho replied flatly while licking a trace of chocolate from his lower lip, still looking at his husband. “Your teeth are going to rot.”
Wooyoung burst into laughter while San quietly smirked beside him.
Mingi crossed his arms with an offended pout. “I was craving it.”
Yunho leaned closer suddenly, his deep voice dropping low enough that only Mingi could hear him. “I’ll give you something better to crave later.”
Mingi’s entire face instantly turned bright red.
“Yunho!”
Yunho stared at him intensely. The possessiveness sitting beneath his gaze made Mingi’s breath catch slightly.
“You scared me,” Yunho admitted quietly.
That immediately softened Mingi’s expression again. A small guilty smile tugged at his lips.
“Sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t think I needed permission to go out.”
“You don’t,” Yunho said firmly at once.
His hand moved gently to tuck loose hair behind Mingi’s ear before his fingers brushed lightly over the omega’s scent gland beneath the mark on his neck.
“Just don’t disappear like that again,” Yunho continued quietly. “Or I swear to God, I’ll burn down every café in this city looking for you.”
Mingi rolled his eyes despite the obvious fondness in his expression.
“You’re overreacting. I’m perfectly fine, baby.”
“He’s not, Min,” Wooyoung interrupted immediately while setting down his drink. “Did you know this man once bought me an entire bakery because I mentioned craving bread during one of our meetings?”
“That was me,” San corrected.
Wooyoung blinked in confusion before turning toward his alpha. “Wait. Really? How was that you when I only told Yunho about it?”
“Yunho told me,” San muttered while resting his chin comfortably against Wooyoung’s shoulder. “And of course, who am I to refuse buying you bread?”
Then he pressed a soft kiss against Wooyoung’s cheek, and the omega immediately looked pleased with himself.
Meanwhile, Yunho suddenly stood from his seat, gently pulling Mingi up with him. “We’re going home.”
Mingi frowned immediately and pointed toward the unfinished cake still sitting on the table. “But I’m not done eating.”
“I’ll buy you the entire shop.”
Wooyoung laughed loudly at that. “You’re such a possessive bastard, Yuyu.”
Yunho did not even attempt to deny it. His eyes never left Mingi for more than a second. Even now, one arm stayed firmly wrapped around the omega’s waist while his thumb absentmindedly brushed circles against his side like he needed constant reassurance that Mingi was still there.
But despite the tenderness bleeding through every movement, Gihoon’s voice continued echoing inside Yunho’s head.
He never told you what family he’s from, did he?
The thought soured everything again.
San must have noticed the subtle shift in Yunho’s mood because he eventually stood up as well. “We should go too,” he said casually. “Wooyoung’s feet are swelling again.”
Wooyoung blinked in surprise before immediately glancing down at his feet. “They are?”
The alpha looked down briefly. “They look like muffins.”
Wooyoung slapped his arm instantly. “That’s rude, Sannie!”
San only smirked slightly.
Soft laughter spread around the table, easing the atmosphere once more, but Yunho remained tense beneath it all. His hand stayed firmly pressed against the small of Mingi’s back protectively while guiding him toward the exit.
Yunho and Mingi left first.
San’s driver had texted saying their errands were finished, so San and Wooyoung stayed behind to wait for pickup while Yunho took Mingi home himself.
Outside, the rain had softened a little. Streetlights reflected beautifully against the wet pavement while sleek cars passed beneath glowing city lights. The cool night air wrapped around them immediately, but Yunho barely seemed to notice. He kept one large hand wrapped tightly around Mingi’s the entire time, fingers intertwined firmly.
Mingi glanced toward him several times throughout the drive.
He noticed the subtle twitch in his husband’s jaw. He noticed the way Yunho’s eyes darkened whenever his thoughts drifted somewhere dangerous, somewhere heavy. Even the grip around his hand kept changing every few seconds, tightening unconsciously before loosening again, as though the alpha was grounding himself through touch alone.
Even the scent pouring from him felt wrong.
Usually, Yunho smelled warm and rich to Mingi, the kind of scent that always made him feel safe no matter how dangerous the world around them became.
But right now, that scent was sharp.
Restless.
Possessive in a way that made Mingi’s chest tighten with unease.
Still, he stayed quiet during the ride even though he wanted to ask what was truly running through Yunho’s mind, but he knew his husband well enough to understand that forcing answers out of him too quickly would only make Yunho retreat further into himself.
So he waited.
He waited until they stepped inside the sleek marble lobby of their building, the polished floors reflecting the soft golden lights above them. The night guards immediately bowed their heads the moment they saw the couple enter, though their eyes briefly flickered toward Yunho’s expression before quickly looking away again.
Even strangers could tell when Yunho was in a dangerous mood.
The private elevator opened with a soft chime. Mingi stepped inside first, Yunho following close behind him.
Then the doors slid shut.
Silence immediately swallowed the space whole.
The elevator slowly began ascending toward the penthouse at the very top floor, smooth and quiet beneath their feet. Only the faint hum of machinery could be heard between them.
Mingi leaned lightly against the mirrored wall, stealing another glance toward his husband.
Yunho stood motionless beside him.
One hand tucked into the pocket of his pants, the other still wrapped tightly around Mingi’s fingers. His gaze remained fixed on the glowing floor numbers above the elevator doors, expression cold and unreadable.
The silence stretched longer.
Until Mingi finally could not take it anymore.
“Are you okay, baby?” he asked softly.
His voice was careful, steady despite the nervousness curling in his stomach.
“You’ve been quiet the whole time,” he continued.
The alpha did not answer immediately. For several long seconds, he simply stared ahead, jaw tight enough to ache.
Then slowly, he turned his head toward his omega, his eyes unreadable. “I went to Gihoon’s.”
The words landed like a blade sliding cleanly between Mingi’s ribs. His body instantly froze. His lips parted slightly, but no sound came out at first.
“Do you know what he told me about you?” Yunho asked seriously. “That you used to be with him.” His voice was not loud, but it was quiet in the way that carried danger, like a blade pressed too close to skin.
Mingi swallowed hard before lowering his eyes briefly. “…I didn’t think it mattered.”
“It does, Mingi.”
The sharpness in Yunho’s reply cut through the elevator instantly. His pheromones spiked harder inside the enclosed space. Thick alpha scent flooded the air heavily enough to make Mingi’s instincts react immediately. Heat curled low in his stomach automatically, omega instincts responding to the possessiveness hidden inside Yunho’s scent.
Then his alpha finally turned completely toward him, dark eyes fixed entirely on his face.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Yunho asked. “Why did you lie to me?”
The question hung heavily between them.
Mingi slowly turned toward him too, his fingers tightening around Yunho’s hand instinctively, like he was afraid his husband might pull away if he loosened his grip even slightly.
“Because it was over,” Mingi said honestly. “And because he’s not important to me anymore.”
Yunho’s jaw flexed again. The muscles beneath his neck visibly tightened.
He suddenly remembered the day they first met at the gala, Mingi looking uncomfortable while surrounded by all those people, Gihoon showing up in front of him, the conversation that followed, the way Mingi kept avoiding him afterward, and the strange looks Gihoon kept giving. He wanted to believe it was all in the past and it no longer mattered.
But he could not stop the jealousy clawing at his chest.
“…Doesn’t feel that way,” he said.
Pain flickered briefly across Mingi’s face. He stepped closer instinctively until barely any space remained between them.
“…I choose you, Yunho,” he whispered softly. “Every single day.”
For a moment Yunho simply stared at him. Then the alpha exhaled heavily and dragged one large hand through his damp hair, frustration evident in the motion.
“But you were his before.”
Mingi’s expression hardened slightly at that. “Were,” he pointed firmly. “Past tense, Yunho.” His voice steadied more with every word. “You know what Gihoon was like? Obsessive. Possessive in the worst way. He thought loving someone meant locking them up where nobody else could reach them.”
Yunho’s throat moved as he swallowed. “He still looks at you like he owns you.”
“He doesn’t,” Mingi replied immediately. There was certainty in his voice now, sharp enough to challenge anyone who doubted him. “Not anymore, and I will never be his again.”
Yunho studied him quietly for several long seconds before speaking again.
“That means San wasn’t your only connection to the underworld.” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Is that why you didn’t run away even though I’m mafia?”
There was a pause.
Mingi’s fingers tightened almost imperceptibly.
“…Yes, and because I love you, Yunho,” he admitted softly after several seconds. “And… actually I only knew a little about your world... believe me.” His gaze dropped toward the floor. He could not look Yunho directly in the eyes anymore.
And Yunho noticed the hesitation and the slight tremor hidden beneath his voice. His instincts screamed that Mingi still was not telling him everything. He could feel that there were still missing pieces, things Gihoon knew that he did not. But despite the growing frustration tightening inside his chest, the alpha forced himself not to push further.
Instead, his voice softened slightly, though disappointment still lingered beneath it.
“Even so,” Yunho said quietly, “you should've told me, Mingi.” His thumb slowly brushed against the back of Mingi's hand. “I'm your husband,” he murmured. “Your alpha. Your mate.”
The words hit harder than anger ever could.
Mingi sighed softly, guilt flashing clearly across his face now. “I know,” he whispered.
Slowly, he stepped even closer until their bodies nearly touched completely. Then he tilted his head upward and pressed a soft kiss against Yunho's lips.
“I'm sorry,” Mingi whispered against his mouth. “I shouldn't have hidden the truth about Gihoon from you.”
Yunho closed his eyes briefly. His chest burned with too many emotions at once.
Anger.
Relief.
Jealousy.
Fear.
Need.
He wanted to ask more questions. He wanted to demand answers about the things Gihoon had implied earlier. About whatever history Mingi still refused to fully explain. But the scent of his omega surrounded him too completely now, carrying a faint sweetness from the desserts earlier. And beneath it all was the comforting scent of Yunho's own mark resting permanently against Mingi's gland.
Mine.
The possessive thought surged violently through him.
Before he could stop himself, Yunho suddenly grabbed the back of Mingi's neck firmly and pulled him into a harsh kiss that stole the air from both of them. Their mouths crashed together desperately, all bruising lips and uneven breaths, the kind of kiss born from fear and possessiveness rather than tenderness.
Mingi gasped softly against Yunho's mouth, but instead of pushing him away, his fingers curled tightly into the collar of Yunho's shirt, dragging him closer as if he needed the alpha just as badly.
Their pheromones flooded the enclosed elevator almost instantly.
Yunho's scent deepened into something dark and overwhelming, wrapped tightly around possessive alpha instincts. Meanwhile, Mingi's omega scent bloomed sweeter beneath it.
“I should punish you for keeping secrets from me,” Yunho growled against his lips, his voice rough and low.
Mingi actually smirked despite how breathless he sounded, his fingers tightening further against Yunho's chest. “Maybe you should,” he whispered teasingly.
The elevator dinged softly behind them, almost mocking the tension consuming the space, but neither of them paid attention. Clothes shifted beneath impatient hands while kisses grew rougher and deeper, desperate enough to blur the line between anger and relief.
By the time the elevator doors opened onto the penthouse floor, they were still tangled together, breaths uneven and bodies pressed close enough for their heartbeats to blend together. Yunho lifted Mingi effortlessly into his arms, and the omega instinctively wrapped his legs around the alpha's waist while laughing softly between kisses.
“Still mad?” Mingi murmured against his mouth.
“I am,” Yunho answered honestly before biting lightly at his lower lip.
The short walk down the hallway barely felt real.
Moonlight spilled through the massive windows lining the penthouse, silver light stretching across marble floors while the city glittered below them. Their mixed scents trailed heavily behind them, thick enough to cling to the walls.
Mingi hit the wall first, his back arching as Yunho's lips found the sensitive skin of his neck. The omega's head tilted back, lips parting with a soft sound.
“Yunho...” His voice cracked on the alpha's name, breathless and needy.
“I should make you beg for leaving your phone behind,” Yunho muttered against his throat, his voice gravelly with restraint. His teeth grazed lightly over the sensitive gland, enough to make Mingi shiver hard in his arms. “Maybe I should keep you in bed for a week,” he continued darkly. “Until you forget how to walk out the door without telling me.”
Mingi laughed breathlessly despite the heat rapidly rising between them.
“You're angry and horny,” he teased weakly. “That's honestly terrifying, baby.”
Yunho smirked darkly against his skin. “Say one more thing and I'll knot you right here.”
Mingi's head fell back against the wall, his eyes fluttering. “Y-you promise?”
The alpha's chest rumbled with a dangerous chuckle. He carried his omega straight to their bedroom, not bothering with the lights. Moonlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, painting the room silver.
They barely made it to the bed before Mingi was pushed down onto the sheets. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his lips already swollen from kisses. Yunho hovered above him, breathing in his scent. Tracing hot kisses down his chest, down his toned stomach, until his mouth reached the waistband of his pants.
“You smell sweeter tonight,” Yunho murmured against his skin, inhaling deeply. His lips brushed lower in a teasing motion.
Mingi stiffened slightly. His fingers dug into the sheets.
“Like your heat's coming,” the alpha muttered, his voice muffled against the skin of his stomach. His nose pressed to the soft curve of his hip. “But it's different. Stronger. Sweeter.”
Mingi's eyes widened. His heart thudded against his ribs. “I-it's not,” he stammered quickly, his voice breathless.
Yunho lifted his gaze, eyes narrowing slightly. “You sure?”
“Yes,” Mingi whispered, too quickly.
Yunho didn't believe him. Every instinct screamed otherwise, but his hunger for his omega drowned out the suspicion. Especially when Mingi tugged him back down into another kiss, warm hands sliding into Yunho's hair while omega pheromones wrapped around the alpha heavily enough to cloud his thoughts again.
And just like that, suspicion drowned beneath need once more.
Then he tugged Mingi's pants down slowly and deliberately, savoring every inch of skin revealed. His mouth followed, kissing over his hip and down the curve of his thigh.
The omega whimpered, loud and unrestrained.
“Sensitive?” Yunho asked, his voice a low growl, his tongue teasing dangerously close.
Mingi's breath hitched, his back arching beautifully. “Y-yes… you’re teasing me—”
Yunho's lips curved into a feral smirk. His voice was guttural and possessive. “No. I'm not teasing, baby. I'm claiming.”
Yunho's lips trailed lower, heat and need radiating off him like a furnace. His tongue licked over the sharp curve of Mingi’s hipbone before dipping down, teasing the sensitive skin of his inner thigh. The omega shuddered violently, a loud moan spilling from his lips.
The omega shuddered violently, a loud moan spilling from his lips.
“Y-Yunho…” Mingi gasped, his hands reaching down instinctively, tangling in his husband’s dark hair. His back arched beautifully, legs trembling where they framed Yunho's shoulders.
“You’re trembling already,” Yunho muttered darkly, dragging his teeth lightly against the delicate skin. His voice was low, guttural, dripping with hunger. “I’ve barely touched you.”
“You’re… ahh… teasing me on purpose...” Mingi's voice broke as he bit down on his lip, his cheeks flushed crimson, his eyes glossy with arousal.
Yunho chuckled against his thigh, the vibration sending sparks up his omega’s spine. “I told you, baby. This isn’t teasing.” His eyes burned as he glanced up through his lashes, lips hovering just shy of Mingi’s cock. “I’m claiming.”
And then he swallowed his cock.
Mingi’s cry echoed off the bedroom walls, his hips bucking up helplessly as Yunho’s mouth enveloped him in hot, wet heat. His fingers fisted tighter in his husband’s hair, his thighs clamping instinctively around his head, but Yunho’s massive hands pressed them down, pinning him open with ease.
“Y-yun! Oh my god—ahhh!” Mingii moaned, his voice high and desperate, his body arching helplessly.
Yunho groaned low in his throat, the sound reverberating through his omega’s cock, making Mingi gasp louder. He pulled back slowly, his lips glistening, his tongue dragging upward along his cock slowly.
“You taste so fucking sweet tonight, baby,” Yunho growled, licking his lips like a predator. “Sweeter than sugar. Sweeter than that cake you were eating earlier.”
Mingi’s face burned, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Y-yunho… please, stop talking and… ahh—do something!”
Yunho’s smirk was feral. He plunged back down, his throat working around his omega, taking him deeper this time before sliding two fingers into the omega’s hole, which was already wet from slick. Mingi’s legs kicked against the bed.
“Yun! Too much—too deep—ahhh! Please don’t stop, don’t stop!” Mingi’s voice cracked into a loud moan, his nails dragging across Yunho’s scalp, pulling his head closer instead of pushing him away.
Yunho pulled back again just enough to growl against his slick skin. “That’s it, scream for me. You’re mine, Mingi. Not Gihoon’s. Never fucking his.” He said it while continuing to thrust his fingers in and out of the omega.
Mingi whimpered loudly, his thighs trembling, his body slick with sweat. “Y-yes… yours! Only yours! Baby, I’m...”
Yunho sucked harder, his teeth scraping lightly, then curled his finger against his prostate, sending Mingi over the edge. The omega’s back arched violently, eyes rolling up, his voice breaking into a scream as he came, his body convulsing beneath his husband’s hold.
Yunho swallowed every drop, his hand gripping Mingi’s shaking thighs firmly, holding him through it while his other hand continued slowly moving in and out of him. Only when his omega slumped back against the pillows, panting and flushed, did he pull away. His lips glistened, his tongue darting out to clean the corner of his mouth.
“So sweet, baby” Yunho rasped, crawling back up his body, pressing wet kisses along his stomach and chest until their lips met again. Mingi moaned into the kiss, tasting himself on Yunho’s tongue.
“You’re a beast,” Mingi gasped against his mouth, his voice shaking but teasing.
Yunho growled low. “And you love it.” He took Mingi’s hand and slid it down, pressing it against the bulge in his own pants. “You feel that? That’s what happens when you keep secrets from me. I’m gonna ruin you, Mingi.”
Mingi’s breath hitched, his legs spreading wider instinctively, his voice breaking louder. “Do it. Please, Yunho… claim me, ruin me, I don’t care. Just don’t stop.”
Yunho tore his pants off in one motion, his cock heavy and hard, pressing against Mingi’s entrance. He dragged the tip across the omega’s hole slowly, smearing slick against him.
Mingi moaned louder, his voice desperate. “Stop teasing, just fuck me already!”
Yunho’s smirk was dangerous, his voice a growl. “Careful what you beg for.”
Then he thrust in, hard.
Mingi screamed, his nails digging into Yunho’s shoulders, his legs locking around his waist as his body stretched around him.
“Y-yunho! Oh god, you’re so deep—ahhh! Fuck! So good, baby...” His voice was raw, unrestrained, echoing through the penthouse.
Yunho groaned, his face buried against Mingi’s neck, inhaling his scent deeply. “So tight for me… you always take me so fucking good, Mingi. My perfect omega.”
He pulled back only to slam in harder, each thrust shaking the bed against the wall. Mingi’s voice grew louder with every movement, his moans turning into cries, his body writhing beneath him.
“Yes! Right there! Ahhh... don’t stop… faster, baby, harder, pleasepleaseplease!”
Yunho growled, thrusting into him harder, deeper, each movement claiming him more violently than the last. His teeth grazed the mating mark, making Mingi scream, his body clenching tighter.
“I’ll keep you like this forever,” Yunho snarled against his skin. “Pinned under me, begging for my knot. I’ll fuck you until you can’t think of anyone else. Until even the memory of Gihoon is burned out of you.”
Mingi sobbed out his name, his voice breaking. “I-I don’t care about him… I only—ahhh want you! Yours, always yours, Alpha!”
Yunho’s hips slammed harder, the wet sounds of their bodies colliding echoing with Mingi’s cries. He kissed him roughly, swallowing his screams, biting his lips until they were swollen.
“You’ll take my knot tonight,” Yunho growled. “I’ll fill you up so deep you’ll never forget who you belong to.”
“Gonna cum, baby… fuckfuckfuck!”
Mingi’s eyes rolled back, his body tightening around him as another climax ripped through him violently, his scream shattering the air.
Yunho’s thrusts grew more brutal, his pace relentless as the headboard slammed against the wall with every movement. Mingi’s voice was already hoarse, but his cries still tore from his throat, high and desperate.
“Baby—ahhh! Wait, you’re too much—I-I can’t—!”
“Yes, you can,” Yunho snarled, his hand gripping the back of Mingi’s thigh, folding him in half to drive in even deeper. The omega’s body shook with every hard thrust, his toes curling, his nails leaving angry red lines across his husband’s shoulders.
“You’ll take every inch of me, Mingi. You’ll take my knot. Don’t you dare think about holding back.”
Mingi sobbed, his voice breaking. “Yes! Please claim me!”
Yunho’s growl was primal, animalistic. He drove into his mate with savage force, each thrust dragging a scream out of Mingi. Sweat dripped down his temple, his muscles straining as his cock swelled inside the omega, the base thickening.
Mingi felt it, his eyes going wide, his voice trembling with panic and lust. “Y-yunho your knot—it’s… ahhh—it’s swelling!”
“That’s right,” Yunho rasped against his ear, his teeth grazing the mating mark again. “You’re going to take it. You’re going to lock around me and scream my name until your throat is raw. And everyone in this city will know you belong to me.”
“Yun! Ahhh—so big—!” Mingi wailed, his legs convulsing around Yunho’s shoulder, his body struggling to adjust as the thick knot pushed against his rim.
Yunho didn’t give him time to think. He forced his hips forward, stretching him wider, until with a final desperate cry, Mingi’s body gave way.
The knot popped inside.
Mingi screamed, his head thrown back, his body arching violently as the intrusion overwhelmed him. Tears streamed down his flushed cheeks, his nails clawing Yunho’s back bloody.
“Too deep—fuck! Too much! Yunho, baby! I-I’m gonna break!”
Yunho bit down hard on his mark, muffling his own roar as his knot locked them together. His cock pulsed, throbbing violently as hot spurts of cum flooded deep into Mingi’s womb.
“You won’t break,” Yunho growled into his skin, grinding against him as he kept spilling. “You’ll take it. Take every fucking drop. You’re mine, Mingi. Mine.”
Mingi’s body convulsed helplessly, his walls milking his husband as his own climax ripped through him again. His scream was guttural, ragged, his voice cracking as he came hard around Yunho’s knot, trapped and trembling.
The bed rocked with their movements, the sound of slick, skin, and desperate cries filling the air until finally Yunho slowed, his chest heaving against Mingi’s.
He stayed buried deep, knot swollen inside, locking them together.
Mingi’s eyes were glassy, his lips swollen and wet, his voice a hoarse whisper. “Y-You’re insane… Yun… you nearly killed me.”
Yunho kissed him roughly and possessively, licking away his tears. “You love it.”
Mingi gave a weak, breathless laugh, still trembling. “Maybe I do...” His arms wrapped tightly around Yunho’s neck, his voice breaking into a soft whine.
Yunho’s gaze softened slightly, though his dominance still lingered in his voice. He pressed their foreheads together, his hand caressing Mingi’s flushed cheek.
“You’re my everything, Mingi,” he whispered roughly. “No one. No man, no mafia, no Gihoon will ever take you from me. I’ll destroy them before I let them try.”
Mingi’s heart thudded in his chest, his throat sore from screaming, but he smiled weakly, pressing a soft kiss against Yunho’s lips. “You better keep proving it, Yunho.”
Yunho chuckled darkly, his knot still swollen inside him, keeping them locked together. “Oh, I will. Over and over, until you can’t walk tomorrow.”
Mingi groaned, hiding his face against Yunho’s neck with a muffled whine. “You’re impossible...”
He smirked, stroking his omega’s hair. “And you’re mine.”
Yunho did not sleep that night.
Even though the penthouse was quiet and dark, with city lights glowing faintly through the floor to ceiling windows, his mind refused to rest. He lay awake with Mingi curled against him, the omega’s breathing soft and even, his lashes brushing his cheeks as he slept. A faint smile lingered on Mingi’s lips, the kind he often wore after eating something sweet or after being kissed until his body melted into Yunho’s arms.
Yunho’s hand hovered just inches above Mingi’s stomach, pausing over the spot he had noticed earlier. Before falling asleep, Mingi had pressed his palm there absently, almost protectively, before murmuring something about still wanting to try that chocolate cake from the café again. It had seemed like such a small thing, just a craving, something normal for his omega, but for some reason it stuck in Yunho’s mind like a splinter he could not shake.
He closed his eyes, but sleep did not come. His thoughts kept circling back, looping endlessly like a broken record. He could still hear Gihoon’s voice from earlier, that smug, self satisfied tone that carried an edge sharper than any blade.
“He never told you what family he’s from, did he?”
Yunho’s eyes opened, staring at the ceiling.
Why the hell would Gihoon say that?
Yunho clenched his jaw, staring into the shadows above. He hated this feeling. He could face down rival syndicates, dismantle entire cartels, and walk away unscathed, but lying next to the man he loved most in the world, he felt powerless.
Morning came eventually, sunlight bleeding into the room in faint golden streaks. The scent of warm butter and sugar drifted through the air. Yunho rose, showered, and wrapped a towel loosely around his neck before padding barefoot into the kitchen.
The sight waiting for him eased something inside his chest, even if only for a moment.
Mingi stood barefoot at the stove, humming under his breath while flipping pancakes. He wore nothing except Yunho’s oversized black hoodie, the sleeves falling over his hands and making him look even smaller than usual. His hair was still messy from sleep, and there was flour dusted lightly on one cheek.
Yunho walked up behind him and wrapped both arms around his waist, pulling him close before pressing his face into the curve of Mingi’s neck.
Mingi laughed softly. “You’re clingy this morning.”
Yunho’s lips brushed his ear. “Is it a crime to be clingy with my husband?”
The omega tilted his head back slightly, smiling despite himself. “Of course not.”
Yunho’s eyes drifted to the table. It was a disaster. The table was covered in sweetness, chocolate syrup, caramel drizzle, powdered sugar, and even a small bowl of chocolate chips. He raised an eyebrow.
“Still craving sweets?”
The omega hummed in affirmation. “Mhm.”
“Baby, it’s barely morning. You’re going to give yourself diabetes at this rate,” Yunho muttered, though his tone was more teasing than scolding.
His husband leaned back into him “No. You’re just paranoid.” He murmured with a faint pout.
Yunho sighed, resting his chin on Mingi’s shoulder. “Still, you need to eat real food and not just sweets.”
“This is real food, Yun,” He looked so offended that Yunho almost laughed, then he stole a quick kiss and mumbled against his husband’s lips. “Just let me have this for today, please.”
Yunho smiled, then softly kissed his omega on the cheeks. “Okay. Just this once. After that, you are eating vegetables for lunch and dinner,” he said, and laughed at the reaction on his husband’s face.
Later that day, Yunho had San stop by the penthouse. Wooyoung collapsed dramatically onto the couch the second he walked in, groaning loudly while holding his lower back.
“This baby hates me.”
“The baby does not hate you,” Mingi said with a small laugh, bringing him a pillow to tuck behind his back. “You just walked for hours yesterday.”
Wooyoung shot him a glare. “Your idea, Minnie. You dragged me to every single rack of onesies in the entire city.”
Mingi crossed his arms, feigning innocence. “I got you free cakes yesterday, Youngie. Do not test me.”
The other omega sulked into the pillow while Mingi brought him sliced fruit, fussing over him like a mother hen.
At the bar counter across the room, San leaned against the polished wood, lowering his voice so the omegas could not hear. His eyes drifted toward Yunho, who stood with a drink in his hand, gaze heavy and distracted.
“This is about what Gihoon said yesterday, isn’t it?”
Yunho’s jaw tightened. He did not answer right away. Instead, his eyes flicked toward the couch, where Mingi was now laughing softly as Wooyoung fed him a piece of fruit in return.
Finally, Yunho said quietly, “San, has Mingi ever told you about his past?”
San blinked. “...Nope.”
“You’ve known him for years, before we even met,” Yunho pressed.
“He minds his own business, Yunho,” San shrugged. “And so do I.”
Yunho exhaled sharply, frustration seeping out of him. “I still cannot believe he and Gihoon ever had a relationship. And then he implied something like he knew Mingi before. Claimed they were...”
“Fucking?” San cut in bluntly, his expression unreadable.
Yunho’s jaw clenched hard, his knuckles whitening around his glass. Then he looked at San. “You knew?”
San let out a breath. “Look, Yunho. Whatever I know about Mingi stays with me. I do not have the right to tell you, even if you are his husband.” He paused, then continued, “But I can tell you this. Mingi’s life was not easy before you met him. Not even close. If he can’t tell you everything yet, then try to understand that. One day he will tell you himself, especially because he loves you.”
Yunho’s silence was heavy. His chest burned with conflicting emotions. “I know that already. He is my husband. He chose me. And that alone is enough for me. But the fact that Gihoon still wants him, and worse, that he knows something I do not, it is eating me alive.”
“Then face it,” San said simply then took a sip from his drink. “He is an ex. You are the husband. So fight for Mingi.”
That night, after San and Wooyoung had left and the penthouse had gone quiet again, Yunho’s thoughts still would not settle. While Mingi was in the shower, humming to himself, Yunho’s phone suddenly rang on the table.
Jongho: Boss, I finished what you asked me to do.
Yunho stood at once and slipped the phone into his pocket, just as Mingi came out of the bathroom wearing a robe and drying his hair with a towel.
Mingi blinked. “Where are you going, baby?” he asked when he noticed Yunho looked like he was about to leave.
His husband walked over and kissed him on the cheek. “I just need to take care of something for a moment,” he said.
Mingi looked confused. “Oh... um, okay. Will you be gone long?” His hand lightly grabbed his husband’s arm.
“Maybe,” Yunho answered, now he kissed him on the lips before walking toward the door. “I’ll be back before you fall asleep.”
The omega just watched him still looking a little confused by how rushed his husband suddenly seemed. “Okay, be careful...”
He did not get to finish because Yunho had already left. Without thinking, Mingi rested a hand on his stomach and slowly rubbed it while looking at the door where his husband had gone. He let out a slow breath, then glanced down at his belly and smiled faintly.
Meanwhile, Yunho had already stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement. While he waited inside, he could not stop pacing in place.
He knew he should not be doing this. This was his mate, his husband. But a part of him could not stop. He knew Mingi was not telling him everything, and he knew San had been right when he said Mingi would tell him the secret someday, but Yunho still could not stop himself. He had to know why.
He let out a deep breath, unable to completely suppress his pheromones.
When the elevator doors opened, Jongho was already waiting outside, holding a laptop bag. The two of them walked straight to an office at the far end of the basement. It was a place even Mingi had never been allowed into. Before anyone could enter, Yunho’s fingerprint was required, which meant only he could go inside unless he personally brought someone with him. The room was soundproofed, shielded from surveillance, and off grid. It was his most secure space. This was also where they held most of their meetings about his business.
“What did you find?” Yunho asked at once, pouring himself a drink and sitting heavily behind his desk. He knew Jongho was skilled at hacking into restricted databases and pulling up files that no civilian could access.
Jongho placed the bag on the table and took out his laptop, then connected it to a projector. A few moments later, the projector screen lit up with the information he had gathered.
Yunho straightened in his seat and studied the screen carefully, reading the information about his husband.
Song Mingi.
Date of birth. Place of birth. Nothing unusual. On the surface, everything looked clean. Too clean.
“Sir Mingi’s records are spotless,” Jongho began, looking toward Yunho. “Almost too spotless, in fact. There are no obvious inconsistencies, no public links to anything suspicious, and nothing that would immediately raise alarm to an outside eye. But that kind of perfection usually means someone wanted the record to look ordinary.”
Then Jongho scrolled deeper. Hidden layers appeared. Encrypted files. Sealed records.
“I used every resource at my disposal,” Jongho said, “my underground network across continents, every database I could reach, every contact that still owed me a favor.”
And then Yunho saw it.
S-Class Protection Tag - REDLINE FAMILY.
Yunho’s blood ran cold.
Redline.
A name whispered in the shadows, more myth than reality. A bloodline so old and ruthless that few dared to speak it aloud. They were royalty in the criminal world, an untouchable syndicate at the very top of the chain.
And Mingi, his sweet, stubborn omega, was part of it.