Hanuel’s POV

Yeon’s hand leaving my body was the last thing I felt.

I don’t know how long ago it has been, but I still feel it vividly, it feels like being choked to death by invisible hands.

My alpha whines in my chest while my body tries to take us out of shut down.

’He is the fucking heir to the Hwang throne’

I hear those words even after everything went black and the darkness swallowed me up, it dragged me down but I fought and lost for Yeon.

I want to apologize.

Deceiving him was never my intention, fear of losing him...even though I never had him...or will ever have him is the worst thing that can ever happen to me.

I’ve never wanted someone to see me, and to approve of me harder than I’m doing with him...a man I really don’t know.

"Hurry and wake up" a small male voice says and I groan to force myself awake, as I open my eyes, I stare up at the white ceiling above me.

I swallow and it feels like I’m pushing down ash and dirt.

"Hurts" I say with dry mouth, my tongue feels heavy, my head feels even heavier, the room smells of antiseptic and worried omega pheromones.

Mom?

"Mom?" I call for my mom and the omega scoffs, "it’s me" Yeon’s voice says and I turn my head to look at him.

The simple act is a struggle, but I look at him and he’s sitting far away from me, he looks tired and there is a first aid box in front of him.

I try to sit up and the pain in my lower stomach forces me back down, it hurts so bad, my head spins as I remember why I’m lying here.

That doctor stabbed me...Yeon shot him...Jisung told him who I am.

Oh...no wonder he’s staying away from me. I’m a monster. The monster that has been hurting him.

"Yeon" I say his name, even though my voice comes out croaked, he doesn’t seem to mind, he just keeps looking at me.

"Why didn’t you tell me you are a Hwang?" he asks and I squeeze the sheet under me, I wish I can change my name right now for him, wish I can show him that the branding slapped on me doesn’t match.

"I can..I can explain" I whisper before pushing myself up, my entire body hurts and Yeon moves backwards till he’s pressing against the wall.

"D-Don’t move!" he stutters, holding out his hand, holding a knife in it, his teeth are bared and his eyes blue.

He’s scared of me, the omega that has called me names is scared of me...

"I couldn’t tell you because I knew you’d act like this" I whisper my answer and start to cry.

It’s not from pain, it’s from seeing him look at me like that, seeing how he is trying to get away from me.

"I’m sorry, I-I’m sorry" I say and bow with my head to the floor.

Yeon’s POV

He’s not a bad person.

I just know it, I can’t prove it, but I know it...I watch the alpha sob with his forehead to the floor.

In this posture, his stitching would tear, I can tell that he’s in obvious pain but doesn’t move from that position.

He keeps chanting that he’s sorry, over and over again, a full grown man, crying and shaking like a baby in front of me.

His scent is sharp and bitter, the pain is strong enough that I am forced to cover my nose, I can already smell the blood leaking through the bandage I put on him.

"Forgive me" he pleads and I get up to sit next to him.

He doesn’t look up, not even when I place my hand on his back, his skin is hot to the touch, and he would get worse if he doesn’t stop.

"Hanuel" I call his name and he cries even harder.

"I didn’t mean to deceive you, I just wanted to be near you, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry" he cries and my omega whimpers for him.

I believe him.

He has had many chances to hurt me, but he has never touched me.

Even when I asked him to tattoo my skin, he did it gently...like I’m a precious canvas, not a broken and strange omega.

Not at the river, not at the tattoo shop, not even now.

"I’m sorry" he whispers and I force him to sit up, holding his face on my hand.

His entire face is wet with tears and snot, his eyes are flooded with even more tears, like he will spill over any minute.

"You owe me explanations" I say and he nods, "and you owe me fresh bandages" I say and he nods again.

"Don’t just nod, say something" I scold and he wipes at his face with the back of his hand, smearing more tears across his face.

"Yes, I’ll get you the bandages and- and I’ll explain" he says, his deep voice is scratchy so I reach for the bottle of water I brought in case he woke up.

"Here, drink and start explaining" I say, handing the bottle to him and he takes it from me, hands shaking as he gulps it down.

"Go on, explain" I say softly and he starts to talk.

His father is clueless of my situation, his mother is offended, he wants to be Lord so he can change it all.

He’s sorry, deeply sorry.

"Good then, be Lord, who knows, you might be the reason for omega salvation in this cursed word" I tell him and he nods, his eyes are still wet, but he’s looking at me like I hung the moon.

I don’t want to look at him, he makes my heart skip in a silly way, I spent hours fighting in my head and came to the conclusion: his name is not him.

This boy...this tall boy is a good man.