Seoha’s POV

Minjae returns to the living room with his left hand over his mouth still, and the right one over his stomach.

He looks pale, like he’s about to throw up again, and I stare at the phone with horror.

I just called Taesan to come home, I don’t understand what’s going on, why is that man with Sooin?

If he was horrible to his own grandchild, what will he do to that sweet little girl?

"Help..." Daeshin gasps but I don’t pay attention to him, my head is spinning with fear and worry.

"I can’t wait for Taesan" I say to myself and turn to jump over Daeshin’s writhing body to leave, but Minjae stops me.

"What is going on? Why is your ex-boyfriend bleeding out on my living room carpet?" he yells at me and I can’t help but whine lowly in my throat.

"I can’t explain right now, Minnie-ya, but Sooin is in trouble" I say, trying to leave again.

"Shin Seoha!" he yells and I stop, "it’s the mafia, okay?" I say harshly and his jaw drops.

"M-mafia?" he stutters.

"Yes, mafia, my whole life has been a mafia mess" I say and start to cry, covering my face with both hands.

"My father, my mother...Taesan...they’re all involved in the mafia" I say in a rush, and Minjae holds me tighter.

"So? Where the hell do you plan to go to? Huh? Do you want to get yourself killed?" Minjae asks and I feel myself getting weak with exhaustion.

No, I don’t want to get myself killed, but...Sooin.

"There’s a child in trouble right now, Minjae-yah" I say and wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.

"Sooin will get hurt if I don’t act...and, and I can’t let that happen" I say and he lets go of me.

"Can’t her father save her?" he asks and I shake my head, "I can’t sit back and wait"

I head for the door again when the phone starts to ring again, and I pick it up to accept the call.

"Are you listening?" the old man asks.

"Yes" I say in a small voice, afraid of him and what he might do.

"Taesan is here, but he’s useless, do you want to see a video?" he asks and my breath catches in my throat.

No...

"Come on, look, accept my video call" he says happily and I pull the phone back to see the screen.

I accept the call and my omega whimpers at the sight on the screen.

It’s Taesan.

’My mate’ my hurt omega whines possessively, and I don’t stop him, I let him roar for what is his.

In the video, the alpha is lying on the floor, chest to the ground and his back is covered in marks from whips.

"How...how can you do this to your own grandson?" I ask and Minjae comes to my side to look at the screen.

The sight repulses him and my best friend returns to throwing up in the bathroom.

"How? Hmm, when you have power, you will understand better" he says.

"Let him go" I whisper.

"I might have broken his leg again, oh, wait...they’re fine" the old man says and I stare at the phone with disbelief.

"You can save his life, I just want a small gift from you" he says and I whine in pain.

I don’t have anything...not even Taesan’s black card.

"What do you want?" I ask and Minjae grabs my hand again.

"Are you crazy? Don’t negotiate with these people!"

"I want the guitar" he says and I blink twice in confusion.

Guitar? What guitar?

"I’m sorry, but I don’t understand..." I say.

"Jaemin was never this stupid...what does Taesan even see in you?" he asks and I hiss into the phone, upset at how he’s questioning my alpha’s choice.

"I want your mother’s guitar" he says.

"What?" I whisper.

My mother’s guitar?

"That is too much...why would you want that?" I ask with shaky voice, "I want it because it’s important to me, do you really want all the details? How much beating can he take?"

"I’ll bring it!" I yell as he steps on Taesan’s back and I whimper at the sight, it looks sickening.

"I’ll bring the guitar, please don’t hurt him" I whisper and the grandfather sighs, "you have more sense than this stupid grandson of mine" the man says and the phone dings.

It’s a text message of his location.

"Tick tick omega, I don’t have all day and neither does your alpha" he says and I run into Minjae’s room.

"Seoha!" my best friend calls me, and I pick up the guitar with a protective growl at the back of my throat.

It’s hurting me, this is the only piece of my mom I have left, but Taesan and Sooin need me the most.

"Calm down and think" Minjae says and I shake my head.

"He’s going to kill Taesan!"

"He’s not worth getting in trouble for! There’s already a bleeding man in my living room, what do I tell the damn police?" Minjae yells and I stop.

"I love him, I’ll bear the consequences, just please..." I whisper and wipe off the tears with the back of my hand.

"He hurt you" Minjae says softly, "but he made me feel the most precious, he made me feel the most wanted...I’m angry at him, but..." I choke on my own tears and Minjae’s blue omega eyes flash.

He’s sympathizing with me.

"Fine, go with my phone, call the cops if anything goes wrong" he says and thrusts his phone into my hands.

I hold the device in my hands before hugging him tightly.

"Thank you" I whisper and run out.

As I rush out of the house, I meet Hanbin at the bottom of the stairs. His posture startles me and the alpha looks at the guitar in my hand.

"Don’t go" he says and I step backwards.

The look on his face is flat but terrifying.

"Hanbin-ssi, please let me through" I say and he comes closer.

"You are making a very big mistake, Seoha, don’t go to that man" he says and I realize that he’s also part of this.

Of course he’s a part of it, is there anyone around me that isn’t?

"What exactly are you?" I ask, trying to act strong and he takes a deep breath before responding.

"I’m the only one that truly cares about you, Seoha" he says and I shake my head, disagreeing with him.

"I’m Shin Hanbin, your half older brother" he says and I hold the guitar tighter.

No way...