Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jisoo let out a long sigh as soon as he walked into his office. He didn’t even bother doing anything else—he just went straight to his chair and dropped down into it, completely drained. It had been a long, tiring day. He had been running back and forth between surgeries and checking on his patients nonstop.

Now that his shift was finally over, he wanted to take a few minutes to relax in his office before heading home. Normally, he would stay a bit longer to finish paperwork or check on a few more things, but today had really taken a toll on him. All he could think about was getting back home to his mates and resting.

Earlier during his break, Mingyu had come to see him. They shared a quick lunch together, talked a little to unwind, and even had a nice coffee. But when it was time for Jisoo to return to the operating room, Mingyu told him he’d come back later to pick him up when his shift was over.

That’s why Jisoo was still waiting in his office now.

His car was parked outside in the hospital lot like usual. Most days, one of his mates would drop him off at work, and another would come to pick him up later. Honestly, he didn’t mind at all—especially on days like this when he felt way too tired to drive himself.

Just as he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a bit, there was a knock at the door.

He sat up a little and said, "Come in."

The door opened.

"Am I late?" Mingyu’s voice called out as he stepped inside and gently closed the door behind him. Jisoo smiled right away and stood up from his chair.

Mingyu walked over to him without hesitation, wrapping his arms tightly around Jisoo’s waist and leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. Jisoo instantly melted into it, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around Mingyu’s neck.

Mingyu kissed him deeper, one of his hands holding Jisoo’s waist while the other slid down to rest on his butt, pulling him closer. Jisoo gasped softly at the sudden closeness, and Mingyu took the chance to slip his tongue into Jisoo’s mouth, kissing him slowly and deeply.

Jisoo let out little gasps in between kisses, needing to catch his breath. Mingyu eventually pulled back from the kiss but didn’t move his hands from Jisoo’s body. He leaned his forehead against Jisoo’s, breathing softly as they stood there, holding each other in silence.

"You didn’t even let me answer your question," Jisoo whispered with a small smile, his voice quiet and warm. His words made Mingyu chuckle softly, amused by how gently Jisoo spoke even when tired.

"So am I late?" Mingyu asked again, this time speaking softly and brushing his nose lightly against Jisoo’s cheek.

"No, just in time. I just finished my last surgery for today. Pretty exhausted." Jisoo replied, slowly moving his forehead away from Mingyu’s. Instead, he rested his head against Mingyu’s chest, letting himself relax into the comfort of the alpha’s arms.

Mingyu held him close and started rubbing his back gently in slow circles, offering silent support. They stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, enjoying the quiet moment.

The room was calm and peaceful until the sudden sound of a phone ringing broke the silence. The sound came from Jisoo’s desk—it was clearly his phone. But Jisoo didn’t move. He stayed in Mingyu’s arms, too comfortable and too tired to go answer it right away.

"Answer your phone, love." Mingyu said softly, encouraging him.

Jisoo let out a small sigh but nodded. He slowly stepped away from Mingyu’s arms and walked over to his desk. He frowned when he saw the call was not from his phone but from the hospital phone.

Jisoo picked up his phone and held it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Doctor Hong?" a nurse's voice came through the speaker.

"Yes, this is him," Jisoo replied.

"Please come quickly to Emergency Private Room Number 3. Your nurse said it’s an emergency. It’s one of your family members."

Jisoo’s heart sank. A cold feeling rushed through his chest.

"I’m on my way," he said, then quickly ended the call.

"What happened?" Mingyu asked, already feeling something was wrong. He could sense Jisoo’s sudden worry.

"I’m not sure… A nurse just told me to go to the emergency room. She said someone from my family is there," Jisoo explained, his voice tense.

Mingyu's expression darkened with concern.

Without wasting another second, Jisoo turned and headed straight for the door.

Mingyu didn’t hesitate—he followed right behind him.

Both of them were praying that it wasn’t something too serious.

Soonyoung didn’t understand how things went wrong so fast. Just a few seconds ago, he was chatting with Chan like normal. Then, all of a sudden, Chan collapsed. One minute they were laughing, and the next, Soonyoung was holding Chan’s unconscious body in his arms. Chan felt dangerously hot—his whole body was burning up like he had a fever.

Panicked, Soonyoung kept shaking him gently, trying to get him to wake up.

"Chan? Hey, Chan, wake up! What’s going on?" he whispered, his voice getting more frantic with each second. But Chan didn’t move. He didn’t even flinch.

The longer Soonyoung held Chan, the more his alpha instincts started to take over. He could feel something inside him stir—something protective, something desperate—and he didn’t know why. His heart was racing, and he was starting to lose control.

He glanced up—looking at Jihoon. The omega had just walked into the room at the exact moment Chan’s body gave out. But instead of running over to help, Jihoon stood frozen in place by the doorway. His eyes were wide in shock, and he wasn’t moving at all.

"Hoonie? Are you okay? We have to take him to the hospital. I don’t know what’s going on, and for some reason my alpha is restless." Soonyoung called out to him, hoping Jihoon would react. He needed Jihoon to move. To help. To do something.

Finally—after what felt like forever—Jihoon blinked. His voice was calm, but his body was visibly shaking as he walked toward them.

"Go grab a cab. There is no time to go to the parking lot. I will carry him down and we will go to Jisoo hospital," Jihoon said firmly.

Soonyoung nodded and helped lift Chan carefully onto Jihoon’s back. Jihoon staggered for a second but managed to balance himself. Without wasting a second, Soonyoung sprinted out of the room.

The dance practice room was only two floors above the main lobby, so Soonyoung ran down the stairs quickly, passing by people who gave him weird looks. But he didn’t care. He had no time to explain.

He ran outside to the street, heading straight toward the area where taxis usually waited. His eyes scanned the road until he spotted a cab nearby. He raised his hand, waving it quickly to get the driver’s attention.

The driver saw him and pulled over.

Just then, Jihoon made it out of the building too, Chan still on his back. A couple of security guards were following closely behind, trying to help. The scene caused a commotion—people walking by stopped, gasping, and many pulled out their phones to record.

Even though Jihoon and Soonyoung’s identities were hidden from the public, Chan had been seen before in public as a backup dancer. He was recognized immediately.

Jihoon reached Soonyoung, who quickly helped him get Chan into the backseat of the cab. Jihoon climbed in next to Chan, but as Soonyoung started to follow, Jihoon let out a sudden growl. It startled Soonyoung completely.

"Babe?" Soonyoung asked, stunned.

It seemed like the sound of his voice helped Jihoon snap out of whatever was affecting him.

"Sit in the front please. Cover your nose and try to not let your alpha take control," Jihoon said, voice low but urgent.

Soonyoung frowned, confused.

"Please do as I say," Jihoon added quickly, his eyes looking desperate.

Soonyoung nodded, not wanting to argue. He got into the front passenger seat like Jihoon asked and pulled his sweater up over his nose. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he trusted Jihoon.

Once the door shut, Soonyoung told the driver, "Cheongdam Hospital. Please hurry, we have someone sick." The driver gave a quick nod and began driving right away.

Soonyoung sat quietly, glancing in the mirror to look at Jihoon and Chan in the back. He kept his sweater over his nose, just in case. Chan was still unconscious, his face pale and soaked in sweat. His breathing was shallow. It was clear something serious was happening, and time was running out.

Jihoon, on the other hand, was trembling hard. His hands were shaking, his shoulders were stiff, and he refused to look at Chan. His eyes kept darting around the cab, focusing on anything but the unconscious boy beside him.

Soonyoung was getting more and more confused by the second. Something wasn’t right. He could feel it in the air.

It was almost like…

Like a pre-heat scent.

But if it was coming from Jihoon, Soonyoung would’ve known right away. He knew Jihoon’s scent by heart—and besides, Jihoon’s heat wasn’t even close to coming. So if it wasn’t Jihoon… then where was this scent coming from?

His alpha side was clawing inside of him, trying to break free, alert and agitated by the strange scent in the car. But Soonyoung fought hard to keep control. He kept his sweater over his nose like Jihoon had told him to do, forcing his instincts back down.

Thankfully, the hospital wasn’t far. They reached it in just fifteen minutes. As soon as the car stopped, Soonyoung pulled out some cash and handed it to the driver, quickly thanking him. Meanwhile, Jihoon opened his door and gently shifted Chan back onto his own back again, struggling just a little under the boy’s weight.

Soonyoung rushed over, ready to help him, but Jihoon shot him a look. A sharp one. It clearly said, Don’t come any closer.

Soonyoung froze. His hands lifted mid-air, unsure what to do. But after a second, he took a step back and nodded. If Jihoon wanted space, he would give it. Instead, Soonyoung turned and ran toward the hospital entrance to get help.

As soon as he stepped inside, he spotted a familiar face.

"Noona!" Soonyoung called out, waving his arm.

Nurse Jieun, turned around at the sound of his voice.

"Soonyoung?" she said, walking over to him quickly.

"Where is Jisoo? Our friend fainted," Soonyoung said, out of breath.

Jieun’s eyes widened, and she glanced over his shoulder—just in time to see Jihoon entering the lobby with Chan on his back. Jihoon’s face was pale, but his steps were steady. The moment she saw them, Jieun turned and called out to the other nurses.

Within seconds, a few nurses rushed over with a mobile bed. They carefully helped transfer Chan off Jihoon’s back and onto the stretcher.

"Human?" Jieun asked Soonyoung as they followed behind.

He shook his head quickly. "No," he said.

Jieun’s face turned serious. She moved fast, running to one of the nearby nurses. Soonyoung stayed close.

"Private room. They are famous people," she whispered to the nurse, who nodded and gestured for two others to help.

The nurses began pushing the bed through the hallway quickly. Jihoon followed close behind, looking worried and still unsteady. Jieun walked beside him, and Soonyoung stayed just behind her.

"What happened? And what is he?" she asked Soonyoung as they moved.

"He’s a beta," Soonyoung answered. "We were just talking normally when he suddenly passed out. His body was sweating a lot, and he felt so hot, like he was burning up. I don’t understand what happened. Jihoon also hasn’t been acting like himself. He keeps telling me to cover my nose and stop my alpha from taking over."

Jieun frowned deeply, her face tight with concern.

They reached the private hospital room, and the nurses carefully lifted Chan from the stretcher onto the main bed. Machines were brought in quickly, and a doctor rushed into the room, heading straight for Chan.

But before he could get close, Jieun stepped in front of him and blocked his path.

"I will call Doctor Jisoo," she said firmly.

The doctor blinked in surprise, his expression annoyed. "Excuse me? I was the one called in. He is my patient," the man argued, trying to step around her.

But Jieun didn’t move. "He is Jisoo’s patient," she said again, voice sharp and unwavering.

The doctor looked more frustrated now. "I said I was called in first. Let me check on the patien—"

"We are family of Jisoo. I want him personally to check on my friend, so please leave," Soonyoung said, stepping forward.

The doctor turned to glare at Soonyoung, his jaw tight. But after a second of silence, he scoffed and walked out of the room.

"Please call Doctor Jisoo," Jieun told one of the nurses. The nurse nodded quickly and left to find him.

When it was only Jihoon and Soonyoung left in the room, Jihoon turned around slowly, his eyes tired and full of something Soonyoung couldn’t read.

"Leave." Jihoon said.

Soonyoung frowned deeply. His heart dropped a little hearing that word from his own mate—the one who usually never pushed him away. This didn’t feel like Jihoon at all.

"What-" Soonyoung began to say, confused and hurt.

"Please Soonyoung." Jihoon said, his voice shaking now. A few tears rolled down his cheeks as he turned his face away, like he couldn’t even bear to look at him.

Soonyoung was completely lost. He didn’t understand anything that was going on. But what scared him more was how strange and distant Jihoon was acting. This wasn’t like him at all. Worried, Soonyoung tried to take a step closer to comfort his mate.

"Soonyoung," Jieun suddenly spoke up, turning her head slightly while she continued checking on Chan. Her tone was serious and gentle. "I don’t know what is going on. But one thing for sure, Chan isn’t a beta. He is an omega and currently going through pre-heat. So I advise you take Jihoon’s words and leave."

Soonyoung froze completely. His whole body stiffened. He blinked several times, glancing between Jieun and Jihoon in disbelief.

Huh?

Pre-heat?

Who?

Chan?

"Noona he is a beta-" Soonyoung said, trying to make sense of what he just heard.

"He is an omega Soonyoung. Please leave. Your alpha won’t be able to handle his scent." Jieun said firmly but kindly.

Soonyoung was still confused, everything happening too fast for his mind to keep up. But he nodded slowly and turned around, walking towards the door.

"Mingyu is here. Don’t let him in. Only Jisoo." Jieun spoke to Soonyoung. 

Soonyoung nodded once more and gently shut the door behind him. He sat down on the nearest chair right next to the room, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. His hands were shaking. His mind was spinning with so many questions—questions he had no answers for.

"Soonyoung!?" a familiar voice called out. He looked up quickly to see Jisoo and Mingyu running down the hallway toward him.

Mingyu reached him first, crouching in front of him with wide eyes and grabbed Soonyoung’s shoulders.

"What's wrong are you alright?" Mingyu asked, concerned.

Jisoo arrived a second later, his gaze sweeping over Soonyoung as if checking to see if he was hurt.

Soonyoung looked up at them both, overwhelmed. He swallowed hard and spoke.

"It’s Chan. He is inside with Jihoon and Jieun noona. You should go in." he said to Jisoo.

Jisoo gave him one last look before nodding and rushing into the room.

Mingyu looked like he was about to stand and follow him in, but Soonyoung reached out and gently pulled him back down. Then he leaned his head onto Mingyu’s shoulder.

"We can’t be in," Soonyoung murmured, voice low and tired.

He felt Mingyu’s hand slowly begin stroking his hair, trying to calm him.

"Why?" the younger asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Chan is going through pre-heat. He is an omega." Soonyoung said softly.

Mingyu’s hand froze in Soonyoung’s hair. His whole body went still.

"Huh? Chan is what?" Mingyu asked again, his voice full of disbelief.

"He is an omega." Soonyoung said quietly.

"But he is a beta?" Mingyu said, his voice shaky now like he didn’t know what to believe anymore.

"That’s what I thought. But it seems... we don’t know much about Chan like we thought we did." Soonyoung whispered, his voice heavy with emotion.

He buried his face deeper into Mingyu’s neck, trying to breathe in his scent. The younger alpha instinctively released calming pheromones, wrapping Soonyoung in a warm, safe feeling. And for just a moment, Soonyoung allowed himself to relax against Mingyu, even though his thoughts were still racing.

Jisoo had no idea what to expect when he walked into the room. But he definitely didn’t expect to be hit by such a strong scent of pre-heat. It was overwhelming and sharp, impossible to ignore.

His eyes immediately landed on Jihoon, who was standing in the corner of the room. Jihoon’s whole body was visibly trembling, and he was drenched in sweat. Something was very wrong.

Jisoo’s eyebrows pulled together in concern. Pre-heat? But that wasn’t Jihoon’s scent… he knew what his mate smelled like. This was someone else.

"Are you in pre-heat?" Jisoo asked softly, stepping closer to Jihoon.

"Not Jihoon. But him," Jieun answered, making Jisoo snap his head in her direction. She was standing near the bed, pointing to someone lying there.

It was Chan.

Chan? Pre-heat? That couldn’t be right.

"You're mistaken, right?" Jisoo said, his voice uncertain as he looked between her and the bed.

Jieun gave him a tired, almost annoyed look, like she had already explained this too many times.

"Look. He is an omega. In pre-heat. It makes sense now why he told you all he’s a beta—he’s been taking suppressants. But they’re failing, and that’s why he’s like this. And please, check on Jihoon. The way he’s reacting isn’t normal either. Something’s definitely going on with him," Jieun said while preparing an IV to help lower Chan’s fever.

Jisoo was trying to wrap his head around everything. He kept looking back and forth between Chan on the bed and Jihoon standing frozen in the corner. His brain was working overtime.

He finally walked over to Jihoon and gently placed his hands on his mate’s shaking shoulders.

"Hey. Love. Tell me what’s going on. Is his scent affecting your omega instincts?" Jisoo asked quietly, trying not to push too hard.

Jihoon closed his eyes. A few silent tears slipped down his cheeks. Jisoo was quick to wipe them away with his thumbs.

"Hoonie? Please… if there’s anything you can tell me to help, I’m really worried," Jisoo whispered again, his voice soft and comforting.

Jihoon didn’t speak out loud. But then Jisoo heard it—Jihoon’s voice through the mindlink.

'Soulmate.'

It was clear. Certain. Jihoon had said it in his mind, and Jisoo heard it loud and strong.

Shit.

Jisoo turned to look at Chan again, his expression shifting to something more serious. He let out a slow sigh, rubbing his face with one hand.

What were the chances? Out of all people… the boy their whole pack had been quietly growing fond of turns out to be Jihoon’s soulmate.

Jisoo pulled a chair over and gently guided Jihoon to sit down on it. Then he turned toward Jieun again.

"Sedate him. Use midazolam or something similar to calm his system and let his body rest," Jisoo said, his tone steady and calm.

Jieun blinked at him, a little surprised.

"Why?" she asked.

"He’s Jihoon’s soulmate," Jisoo explained. "His pre-heat isn’t just a normal one. It started because he met Jihoon—his body is reacting to Jihoon’s scent. Even though he’s been using suppressants, it wasn’t enough to stop this. And it’s hurting him, Jieun. Badly. And it’s also hurting Jihoon. He can feel it too."

Jieun finally seemed to understand. She nodded, turned to the tray, and prepared a small dose of midazolam, a fast-acting sedative often used in emergencies. She injected it into Chan’s IV line carefully, monitoring the dosage.

Within a few minutes, Chan’s body stopped trembling. He had fallen into a sedated, unconscious state—but his scent was still present, and he was clearly still in pre-heat, just no longer actively suffering.

"I’m going to pull him out of pre-heat," Jisoo said quietly.

Jieun’s eyes widened.

"Are you out of your mind? That’s dangerous!" she said.

"I know," Jisoo replied calmly. "But what’s more dangerous is letting him stay in pre-heat while his system is full of suppressants. He won’t make it through that kind of strain. And Jihoon won’t either. Their bond is too fresh, too raw. They’re feeling everything."

Jieun hesitated, then nodded slowly. She moved to the medicine cabinet. Every room had one—locked, secure, and only accessible to werewolves and vampires trained to care for their own.

She unlocked it, took out the emergency suppressant-neutralizing agent, and returned to Chan. She carefully measured the dose and administered it orally, helping him swallow while making sure his breathing stayed steady.

They waited.

Within minutes, the signs began to show. Chan’s flushed skin started to cool down. His tense muscles relaxed, and his scent, while still there, wasn’t overpowering anymore. He looked like he was finally resting—deeply asleep and no longer in pain.

Jisoo looked at Jihoon, who suddenly gasped like he could finally breathe properly again.

Jisoo quickly moved toward him.

"Can you talk now?" Jisoo asked gently. Jihoon gave a small nod, then suddenly burst into tears and stood up to wrap his arms around Jisoo. Jisoo hugged him back tightly, rubbing his mate’s back in comfort.

"I yelled at Soonyoung. I didn't mean to, but—"

"Shh. I know. That was your omega reacting. It got possessive because someone else got too close to your soulmate. I understand. You're okay now." Jisoo whispered softly.

Jihoon nodded, pressing his face deeper into Jisoo’s chest, seeking warmth and comfort.

Jisoo could tell Jihoon was completely drained. He must’ve been holding his omega back the entire time, probably until they reached the hospital. But once they got here, he lost control. Jisoo had realized something was wrong the moment Jihoon used the mindlink earlier—his omega had taken over, and he couldn’t even speak because of how much pain he felt from Chan.

"Want me to call your mates in?" Jieun asked gently from the side.

Jisoo looked at Jihoon, waiting for his answer.

"Yea," Jihoon said, his voice trembling.

They heard the door open, then close again after a few seconds. Soon, Jisoo could smell Soonyoung and Mingyu approaching. Their familiar scents filled the room.

"Hyungs?" Mingyu called out carefully.

Jisoo loosened his hold on Jihoon, gently wiping away the tears from his cheeks.

"Is Chan and Jihoon okay?" Soonyoung asked, his voice filled with worry.

Jisoo looked at them and gave a small, reassuring smile.

"He’s okay now. I had to pull him out of pre-heat," he said calmly.

Soonyoung and Mingyu’s eyes widened in shock. They both immediately turned to look at Chan lying unconscious in bed.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Mingyu asked, still staring at Chan.

"It is. But in Chan’s case, it was safer than letting him go through three full days of heat while his body was reacting badly to all the suppressants he's been taking. And... it was also for his soulmate’s sake." Jisoo looked toward Jihoon as he said the last part.

"Soul-soulmate?" Mingyu repeated in disbelief.

"Chan is my soulmate," Jihoon said softly, standing beside Jisoo now.

Jisoo noticed the way both alphas froze, turning to Chan again like they were seeing him in a completely new light.

"No wonder you were acting like that..." Soonyoung mumbled under his breath.

"I’m sorry. For yelling at you," Jihoon said quietly, looking at Soonyoung.

Soonyoung gave him a gentle smile and stepped closer, pulling Jihoon into a comforting hug.

"I get it now, baby. You don’t need to apologize. You did the right thing. Your omega was protecting his soulmate by not letting me get close to him."

Jisoo smiled softly as he watched them, his hand gently rubbing Jihoon’s back to keep him calm.

"Why did his suppressants fail now?" Mingyu asked after a moment of silence.

Jisoo turned to Jihoon.

"Did you put on scent blockers today?"

Jihoon shook his head. He always put them when he goes to work, just for protection, only today he didn't cause he wasn’t gonna stay for long in the studio.

"Exactly. I don’t know how long Chan’s been taking suppressants, but it must’ve been for a long time. And now, his body is breaking down because of it. When his omega caught Jihoon’s scent at the company, it reacted instantly. It tried to push past the suppressants to reach its mate. And with the stress from dance practice on top of that, his body hit its limit. Jihoon’s scent triggered the pre-heat."

"Yeah… he collapsed the moment Jihoon walked into the room," Soonyoung said, remembering the moment clearly.

"I need to call Seungcheol," Jisoo said.

"He’s already on his way. Jihoon’s picture carrying Chan is all over the news. Our mates saw it. Seungcheol messaged saying he’s coming right away. I told him chan is an omega," Mingyu explained.

"Good," Jisoo replied, just as the door opened. A few nurses came in, carefully pushing a second hospital bed into the room. They bowed politely before stepping out, and Jieun followed in behind them.

"It’s for Jihoon," she told Jisoo, who nodded. Jiuen smiled and left the room.

"Chan won’t be waking up for a while. Maybe days," Jisoo said, turning to Mingyu and Soonyoung. "And I’m sure Jihoon’s omega won’t even allow him to leave the room. So I want you both to head home. Let our mates know what happened so they’re not left clueless or confused. I’ll wait here for Seungcheol and explain everything to him."

Soonyoung looked like he wanted to protest but was too tired to fight. Instead, he leaned down and kissed Jihoon on the lips, then did the same to Jisoo. He walked over to Chan, ruffled his hair gently, and gave his forehead a light kiss.

Mingyu followed right after. He hugged Jihoon and kissed his head, then did the same with Chan. Finally, he turned to Jisoo.

"Take care of yourself. And take care of them," he said softly.

Jisoo nodded, and Mingyu kissed him before both of them left the room.

Jisoo turned to Jihoon.

"You okay?" he asked.

Jihoon gave a small nod.

"Just trying to process everything. An hour ago, I was just an omega with eleven mates, and now there is a soulmate." he said with a tired smile. "Seungkwan’s dream about us meeting Chan came true faster than anyone expected," Jihoon said.

Jisoo chuckled softly.

"Come on. Lay down in the bed. You’ve been feeling everything Chan was going through. That must’ve taken a huge toll on your body."

Jihoon nodded and walked over to the bed, lying down carefully.

Jisoo sat beside him, glancing over at Chan. He hadn’t expected their first meeting to happen like this. None of them had. But fate had its own plans. And Jisoo could already tell—this situation was going to get more complicated before it got easier.

The soulmate bond. The heat. The omega instincts. It was a lot to take in. And more than anything, Jisoo needed Seungcheol to arrive as soon as possible. He needed help figuring things out. Especially one thing…

He needed to know what kind of suppressants Chan had been taking—and how long they had been damaging his system.

"You know… I felt him the moment he stepped into the company," Jihoon said suddenly. Jisoo turned his eyes toward his mate. "I didn’t know what was happening to me. I kept trying to ignore it until I got dizzy. That’s when I went to find Soonyoung. And the second I reached the room, his scent hit me all at once. That’s when I knew… he was my soulmate."

Jisoo gently ran his fingers over Jihoon’s shoulder.

"It took me a moment to snap out of it. But then I realized Soonyoung was starting to lose control of his alpha instincts too. I had to step in. If I didn’t, Soonyoung could’ve slipped and tried to claim Chan right there."

"You did the right thing," Jisoo whispered. "You handled it exactly how you should’ve. Now rest for a bit, okay? When he wakes up, we’ll figure out everything together."

Jihoon nodded.

"Lay with me?"

Jisoo smiled, laying beside Jihoon and pulling him close against his chest. Jihoon snuggled into the warmth, finally feeling safe.

And it turned out Jihoon wasn’t the only one who needed rest—because it didn’t take long before Jisoo also drifted off, both of them falling asleep peacefully next to their unconscious soulmate.

The hospital was completely silent. The kind of silence that only happens late at night. It was already past midnight, and the floor they were on was private, reserved for special patients. There were no nurses walking through the halls, no announcements, and no beeping machines nearby—just the stillness of the night and the two of them sitting quietly on the bench outside a hospital room.

"Hey, you alright?" Jisoo’s soft voice broke the silence, pulling Seungcheol out of his deep thoughts. Seungcheol blinked and looked over at him. Jisoo's eyes were filled with concern.

They were seated outside the room where both Chan and Jihoon were sleeping. They didn’t dare to open the door or speak loudly. The last thing they wanted was to disturb them. The two inside who are omegas. And not just that—something even more shocking to Seungcheol—they are soulmates.

When Seungcheol first rushed to the hospital, he hadn’t been given much information. All he knew was what he saw on his phone—pictures of Jihoon and Chan flooding the internet, spreading fast across the news. Everyone was talking about it. Minghao and Jeonghan were the only ones still awake with him when the news broke. They had both seen the same images, the same headlines.

At first, Minghao and Jeonghan wanted to come with him. They were just as worried. But Seungcheol had told them to stay behind and look after the others while he went alone to figure out what was happening.

He had driven straight there, barely thinking, just acting on instinct. Mingyu had called him with one important piece of news—that Chan was an omega and had gone into pre-heat.

That alone had been shocking. None of them had known Chan was an omega. But then, once he got to the hospital and found out that Chan was Jihoon’s soulmate, it was like the ground had dropped out from under him. He hadn’t been prepared for that at all.

No one had seen it coming. None of them had even considered it as a possibility.

But as he sat there now, thinking back, things started to fall into place.

"It make all sense." Seungcheol said suddenly, his voice low but certain. Jisoo turned toward him, curious.

"What?" the beta asked gently.

"Jihoon. He’s been telling me about this sweet scent he’s been picking up on us ever since that party at castle. And when we started spending more time with Chan, Jihoon would smell it even stronger. He talked to me about it. During those last few weeks when he closed himself off, he told me his omega felt jealous. Like... in a way where he wanted to meet Chan before any of us did. I told him maybe Chan had a close omega friend and that was what he was smelling. But now it makes totally sense. Jihoon’s omega wasn’t jealous of Chan’s friend. He was jealous because we were hanging out with his soulmate when he hadn’t even met him yet." Seungcheol explained, his voice quiet but firm.

Jisoo took a moment before nodding slowly, piecing the story together in his mind. It all fit now. The tension, the confusion, the scent Jihoon always talked about.

A heavy silence followed. The hallway felt even quieter, like the air itself was holding its breath. Then Seungcheol gently reached out and placed his hand on Jisoo’s thigh, grounding himself.

"What now?" Seungcheol asked, his voice tired and uncertain. He looked completely drained—mentally and emotionally.

Jisoo let out a long sigh and leaned his head against Seungcheol’s shoulder, offering a moment of comfort.

"First. I need you to call Jaebum. I need more information about Chan, because it doesn’t look like he’s going to wake up anytime soon. I need to know exactly what kind of suppressants he’s been using so I can give him the right treatment. And I also need to know how long he’s been using them. Even after he wakes up, he won’t be himself right away. He’s going to need complete bed rest. His omega side is in a battle right now, trying to fight off the suppressants. And since I pulled him out of pre-heat too quickly, that’s another thing his body needs to recover from. He’ll probably stay asleep most of the time. It’s going to take him at least a month to fully heal." Jisoo explained carefully.

"But he has exams?" Seungcheol asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

"That would have to wait. He won't be able to do them." Jisoo replied calmly.

Seungcheol let out a long sigh, rubbing his face with one hand. He knew Jisoo was right. Still, it didn’t make it any easier. So much had changed so quickly. And now, all they could do was wait—for Chan to heal.

"And Jihoon?" Seungcheol asked, his voice softer now, almost hesitant.

"For now. He needs to stay with Chan. Even if it’s awkward for their human sides their omegas sides need to be together. Especially after Chan wakes up Jihoon has to be there. And for now. I can't have alphas around Chan." Jisoo explained, looking serious as he spoke.

Seungcheol frowned, not fully understanding.

"Why?" he asked, genuinely curious and concerned.

"Jihoon omega is still adjusting to all of this. He even snapped at Soonyoung a few times. He is protective of his soulmate who is fragile at the moment. I can tell Jihoon is really hating how his omega is behaving right now but he can't do anything about it." Jisoo said honestly, his tone calm but firm.

Seungcheol nodded slowly as he listened. He could imagine how conflicted Jihoon must feel—watching himself act in ways he normally wouldn’t, just because of instinct and bond. It had to be hard.

"You know. I really felt bad when I pulled Chan out of the pre-heat." Jisoo suddenly admitted, his voice quieter now, almost like a confession.

Seungcheol looked at him confused, not understanding why Jisoo would feel guilty.

"Why? It was the best thing for him." Seungcheol replied, trying to reassure him. But then he noticed it—the faint shift in Jisoo’s scent, something that only happened when he was feeling emotional. Something was weighing heavily on his chest.

"I wasn't thinking about him. Not even a bit. My whole mind was thinking about Jihoon, my mate who was in pain because of him. It didn’t even cross to me that it’s better for Chan. I was just worried about Jihoon. And I feel like a shitty person right now." Jisoo admitted, his voice tight, like he was struggling not to cry.

Hearing that, Seungcheol gently shifted his position and moved Jisoo’s head off his shoulder so he could look him in the eye.

"Look. No one is judging you here. You never met Chan. And Jihoon is our mate. Of course you would do anything in your power for him. But I know you, Jisoo. Even if it was for Jihoon, you would have never gave something to Chan that would harm him in order to save Jihoon. You did the right thing. Your heart was telling you to take care of your mate, but your mind knew Chan was a patient. And you did your job as a doctor and a mate." Seungcheol said with quiet confidence, trying to comfort him.

Jisoo didn’t say anything at first, but a single tear slid down from the corner of his eye. Seungcheol reached out and gently wiped it away, giving him a soft look. He knew Jisoo was carrying a lot of guilt, but he also knew he didn’t deserve to.

"Hey how long have you been awake for?" Seungcheol asked Jisoo, looking at him with concern. Jisoo looked exhausted—dark circles under his eyes, his posture slumped.

"I don't know. Only managed to sleep 30 minutes before you arrived." Jisoo replied with a tired sigh, rubbing at his eyes.

Seungcheol sighed deeply, clearly not happy with the answer.

"Come on go lay beside Jihoon. Get some sleep." he said gently, not leaving room for argument. Jisoo looked like he wanted to say something back, but he was too tired to fight it. He simply gave a weak nod.

Without saying another word, the two of them quietly walked back into the hospital room. The lights were off, the machines steady and calm. Jihoon was still fast asleep, curled up on the bed.

Jisoo carefully climbed into the hospital bed and gently lay beside Jihoon. He pulled Jihoon close to his chest, holding him like he needed that touch just as much as Jihoon did. Jihoon unconsciously leaned into him, seeking the comfort of his mate even in sleep.

Seungcheol didn’t join them on the bed. Instead, he grabbed a chair and sat beside them, watching the three of them closely. His eyes were mostly on Chan.

With Chan being Jihoon’s soulmate, everything will change. There was no way they were going to let him out of their sight now—especially not after what had happened. If they had been protective before, they were going to be even more so now.

Chan looked so delicate lying there. His face was pale, his body still not fully recovered. Seeing him like that made Seungcheol’s heart tighten with worry. And the worst part? The danger wasn’t over. Whoever was behind all of this—the person hurting their pack—was still out there.

Seungcheol knew time was running out. He needed to move faster. He had to find out who was behind it before anyone else got hurt. Before Chan, or Jihoon, or anyone they loved, ended up in danger again.