Chapter 17 #2
I thought about it. The idea of being that close to them, of letting them scent me — it should have terrified me. A week ago, it would have sent me running.
I'd woken up surrounded by their scents, and it had felt like safety. Like coming home.
"How would it work?" I asked, my voice steadier now. "The scenting?"
"However you're comfortable with," Hwan said immediately, his golden eyes earnest. "We could take turns. One at a time, so it's not overwhelming. Just sitting close, or... I mean, scent glands are on the neck and wrists, so light contact there. But only if you want. Only when you're ready."
"You'd stop if I asked?"
"Immediately." Jae-won's voice was firm, his dark eyes holding mine. "No questions. No arguments. You say stop, we stop. Always."
They mean it, my omega said quietly. They really mean it.
I believed her. I believed them.
"Okay," I said slowly, testing the word. "We can try that. The scenting. But slowly. One person at a time." The relief that flooded through the room was palpable — scents brightening, shoulders relaxing, careful smiles spreading across faces.
"Thank you," Tae-min said, and the sincerity in his voice made my throat tight. "For giving us a chance."
"You earned it," I said simply. "With the letters. The food. The patience. You showed me who you are, and... I want to know more."
"There's something else I should mention," I added, remembering. "My friend Jeni. She's probably worried sick about me. I need to let her know I'm okay."
"Already handled." Hwan pulled out his phone, a small proud smile on his face.
"Tae-min got her number from the company directory since they have worked before…
. We texted her last night to let her know you were safe.
She wanted to come see you, but we told her to wait until you were awake and ready for visitors. "
I stared at him, warmth blooming in my chest. "You contacted Jeni?"
"She's your best friend," Tae-min said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, shrugging one shoulder. "Of course we contacted her. She deserves to know you're okay."
They'd thought of Jeni. They'd reached out to her, made sure she wasn't panicking. They'd taken care of not just me, but the people I cared about.
"Thank you," I said, and my voice came out thick with emotion. "I... thank you."
"You don't have to keep thanking us," Jae-won said gently, his hand reaching out to cover mine. "This is what pack does. We take care of each other."
Pack. The word didn't feel as scary as it used to.
"I should call her," I said, reaching for the phone Hwan was offering. "Let her hear my voice."
"Take your time." Min-jun gathered the tray and rose to his feet, his movements graceful despite his broad frame.
"I'll make more food for later. And if you want, we could all have dinner together tonight?
A proper meal, everyone at the table. No pressure.
Just a chance to start getting to know each other. "
"I'd like that," I said softly. His smile was like sunrise, warm and bright and full of hope. The others began to file out of the room, giving me space to make my call, each of them pausing briefly as they passed.
Tae-min squeezed my ankle gently, his touch warm through the blanket. "I'm glad you're okay."
Jin-ho paused at the edge of the nest, his dark eyes soft. "I finished the song. When you're ready, I'd like to play it for you."
Hwan leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead — so fast I barely registered it before he was pulling back, his cheeks flushed pink. "Sorry, I just — I'm really glad you're here."
Min-jun just looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable but warm, before dipping his head and following the others out.
Only Jae-won remained.
"You don't have to stay," I said, though part of me wanted him to.
"Nothing more important than this." He settled back against the pillows, close but not touching, his presence steady and reassuring. "Make your call. I'll be right here."
I dialed Jeni's number with trembling fingers, listening to it ring once, twice—
"Keira?" Her voice was sharp with worry, breathless and rushed. "Keira, is that you? Are you okay? They said you were safe but I've been going crazy—"
"Jeni." I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face, tears pricking at my eyes. "I'm okay. I'm really okay."
"Oh thank god." I heard her exhale shakily, heard what might have been a sob. "I was so scared. When you stopped answering your phone, I thought — I didn't know what to think."
"I know. I'm sorry." I swallowed hard. "I should have reached out sooner."
"Yes, you should have." Her voice was fierce, but I could hear the relief underneath, the way it trembled at the edges. "So? Tell me everything. Are they treating you well? Are you safe? Do I need to come there and threaten some idols?"
I laughed, the sound watery but real. "They're treating me well. Really well, Jeni. You were right. About all of it."
"Wait, what?" Her voice pitched higher with surprise.
"You were right," I repeated, glancing at Jae-won, who was watching me with soft eyes.
"They're not what I was afraid of. They're actually.
.. they're kind. Patient. They've been taking care of me, and they did research on soul sickness so they'd know how to help, and they even contacted you because they knew you'd be worried. "
"Oh my god." Jeni's voice was thick with tears now. "Keira, you're actually giving them a chance?"
"I'm trying." I wiped at my own eyes with my free hand. "I'm still scared. But I'm trying."
"That's all I ever wanted for you." She sniffled loudly. "When can I see you? I need to hug you."
"Soon. I'll text you."
"You better." Her voice softened. "I love you. I'm so glad you're okay."
"I love you too," I said. "Thank you for not giving up on me."
"Never," she promised. "Now go rest. Let those alphas take care of you." We said our goodbyes and I ended the call, setting the phone aside with a shaky exhale.
"She sounds like a good friend," Jae-won observed quietly, his thunderstorm scent calm and steady.
"The best." I looked at him, studying the lines of his face, the patience in his eyes. "She's been telling me for years that I don't have to do everything alone. That bonds don't have to be cages."
"She's right." He tilted his head slightly, a strand of dark hair falling across his forehead. "But I understand why it took you time to believe it."
"Do you?" The question came out more vulnerable than I intended.
"I think so." He shifted slightly, turning to face me more fully. "Fear isn't logical. You can know something is true in your head and still feel the opposite in your heart. It takes time for those to align."
I studied him for a long moment. "You're not what I expected," I said softly.
His lips quirked into a small smile. "Is that good or bad?"
"Good." I reached out, tentatively, and placed my hand over his.
His skin was warm, his fingers calloused in a way that spoke of guitar strings and hard work.
"Definitely good." His smile widened, something like wonder flickering in his dark eyes.
He turned his hand over, let our fingers intertwine, held on like I was something precious.
"About the scenting," I said, my heart beating a little faster. "Could we... could we try? Just a little?"
His breath caught, his scent spiking with hope before he carefully controlled it. "Are you sure?"
"I want to see if it helps." I swallowed. "And you took care of me…I think I can say I trust you now." The words hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning. I trust you. Three words I hadn't said to an alpha in twelve years.
"Okay." His voice was rough, thick with emotion. "How do you want to do this?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "I've never... I don't know how it works."
"It's simple." He shifted closer, slowly, giving me time to pull away. "I'll put my wrist against your neck, where your scent gland is. Our scents will mix. That's all it has to be."
"That's all?"
"That's all." He held up his free hand, showing me his wrist, the pulse point where his scent was strongest. "May I?"
I nodded, my heart pounding. He moved slowly, so slowly, lifting his wrist toward my neck. I could smell him more intensely now — thunderstorm and petrichor and rain on hot pavement. His wrist made contact with my neck, just below my ear, and—
Oh.
It was like a circuit completing. Like a key turning in a lock.
His scent flooded through me, not just around me but intome, mingling with my own in a way that made the bonds in my chest hum with contentment.
The low-level ache I'd been carrying — so constant I'd stopped noticing it — eased significantly.
A sound escaped me, something between a gasp and a sigh.
"Okay?" Jae-won's voice was strained, and I realized this was affecting him too. His eyes had gone slightly unfocused, his breathing shallow.
"Yeah." My voice came out breathy, unsteady. "That's... that really helps."
"Good." He pressed slightly closer, his wrist warm against my neck, his scent surrounding me completely. "Tell me when you want to stop."
I didn't want to stop. That was the surprising thing. I wanted to stay here, wrapped in his scent, feeling the bonds settle into something peaceful instead of painful.
"A little longer," I murmured, letting my eyes drift closed. "Just a little longer."
"As long as you need," he promised, his voice soft. "I've got you."
We've got you. The words echoed in my mind — the same ones he'd said in the park, when he'd found me on that bench. The same promise, repeated and reinforced.
This time, I let myself believe it completely.