"Can you remove the robe?" He did as he was told.

Coming from a rich family, Doctor Hen Li never had to witness the misery that some people had to go through. He has cured accidentally broken bones, really bad flus, prescribed treatment for high levels of blood pressure, but never something like this.

Hyunchul had all kind of marks in his body: bites, scratches, burns, cuts. He was ashamed to show his wounds, he had even been whipped. The doctor had to hold himself, stop himself from running out and killing those beasts with his bare hands.

"I... I have to check here too, can you take your underwear off?" The boy sat up and took it off. He knew that he had to spread his legs... and he did so, with difficulty and trembling hands. The doctor took in the scent first, the sight later.

He tried to look past the bruises that he had in there to see if his hunch was right.

"You are pregnant" The young man nodded.

--------

He was looking for Mi and Fei. He saw that Luhan was back from the woods.

"Where is Alfa Mi?"

"What? What about Joonmyeon?"

"Yifan!" Suho came. "What happened?!" The alfa looked at his brother in law.

"Go to the hospital, your brother needs you, take Kyungsoo with you."

He walked to the community center, if Mi wasn't back, he was going to talk to her.

"Noona, we need to talk."

---------

"Alfa..." The doctor called. Three heads turned to him. "We need to talk." They stood in the middle of a small patio behind the house.

"The children are in a pretty bad shape, they haven't been fed in a long time. "The father..." he had to swallow, "...he has been abused, really badly for a long time. The term 'their ' comes to mind." He lowered his head. "He is with child and doesn't know who the father is, which one of these three... animals."

"Poor thing, his days of misery are over now." Mi said. "He took care of one of mine, I'll take responsibility for him and his family." He said definitively.

"I... will help with that." Changmin added.

"Me too, he took care of Joonmyeon as well and my community is kind of small, we can take them too."

--------------------

After one day in the hospital, a day in which Yifan didn't show his face and nobody knew where he was, Joonmyeon has woken up.

He was very scared when he just woke up because of the baby and because he is an omega and even if he never really showed it, his nature makes him need protection and care from an alfa; from Yifan.

But Yifan wasn't there. Joonmyeon was used to this, used to bottling up his feelings and keeping on going, so that's what he did.

Yifan entered the hospital looking like a king, there was an aura to him, a feeling of authority. He had been calling Yixing on the phone to check on the health of his baby and Jonnmyeon, the doctor had  somewhat of an attitude on the line. The alfa was not really in the mood.

He felt the air thicken as he got closer to Joonmyeon's room, his brothers were there, Suho and the Great Alfa couple. Too many challenges to his (now weakening) authority.

"Joon..." he called the only one person he needed to see.

"Alfa..." his mate responded. Yifan wanted to get closer but he was stopped by Yunho. Yifan went on alert mode, he had to hold back, the Great Alfa's power was starting to show. The young wolf let his head hang low.

"We need to talk Yifan." Yunho sounded like his father when he was about to scold him.

"Sure." He said and sent a smile to his mate.

Yunho walked him out of the room and into an office, Yixing's.

"So, I've heard... no, I know some things; Mi told me. I wanted to hear the answer myself." Yunho said, he seems to be waiting for only one particular answer.

"You want to hear my answer or just one answer?" Yifan wasn't enjoying this. Yunho sighed.

"As an alfa, you have the absolute right to choose another mate, more so if Mi gave his... consent. I want to tell you in advance that if that would be your choice, Jaejoong and I are willing, and will do it... to take Joonmyeon with us to the main city, your child is still your heir and you will have the right to visit him and take him whenever you want. Joonmyeon already completed his task as your mate anyway." He said. A nice way to coerce but Yifan didn't like the tone nor the content of the Great Alfa's speech.

"I already solved my problems. I dont see why my personal life should be of your concern."

"If it wasn't because Mi was enough of a gentleman and might be crazy... this could've caused a war which would be my problem."

"That's not the case though. Like I said, everything is solved now. Joonmyeon and my child will stay with me and I will not take another mate." He sounded angry. Yunho sighed again.

"Yifan..." he said in a softer voice. "Joonmyeon is a good person, he really, really doesn't need your pity. I know what you went through when Fei left, this could be your only chance to be truly happy. I already talked to Joonmyeon... he has no problem."

"He wants out?" He snapped.

"No, he wants what he's always wanted; to not be a burden." Yifan looked down.

"He is not a burden. I was... wrong and stubborn, I refused to let go for too many years. I was wrong. I don't pity him, I don't feel guilty and I don't love Fei." It was the first time in his life that he said it. Yunho looked at him for a long time. Thinking.

"Okay..." he paused, "...but I'll be watching you. Him and Suho have always been everybody's responsibility. Plus, I'll ask him and we will do whatever he wants."

"Deal."

-------------------------------

Yunho and Jaejoong went inside Joonmyeon's room and stayed there for a long time. Jiaheng, Luhan and Yifan waited outside. Yixing was there too, he was stinky angry.

"Would you stop that?" He asked the doctor.

"Would you?" Yixing said and left before causing more trouble, just in time for the "great" couple to come out.

"He wants to talk with you honey." Jaejoong said.

-----------------------------

Yifan sat by the bed, he had never been so happy to see Joonmyeon. His mate looked so tired, he was so pale and his lips almost purple. Still, he smiled when he saw Yifan.

"How are you feeling?" He asked while sitting on the bed.

"I'm fine but I want to see our baby the most... they wouldn't let me stand yet." He pouted. Yifan held himself.

"When you are better, I will carry you there." He said and his mate's eyes lit up.

"Have you seen him?"

"No, they haven't let me either. It's too early... I think." Joonmyeon nodded. "So..."

"So..."

"You talked to Yunho."

"Yes, and they said I could go with them." Joonmyeon said carefully.

"Okay. Do you... want that?"

"I love our town. I was born here and my brother is near, I've never lived in the city... but, if... I think that you and noona also need your space." He said without looking at his mate.

"Space for what?"

"For... I know about the letter."

"I won't do that. I won't take another mate. If you want to leave, you have good reasons though."

"Why won't you... take another mate?"

"Cause I already have one... the best I could have. I'm sure of it now. I was slow. I am... slow."

"Maybe... but you can have the one that you want as well."

"I can have the one that I want and I'm here trying to recuperate that person; the mate that I want, the one that I love." Joonmyeon looked away.

"There's no need to use such big words. You, as an alfa, can take another mate. Alfa Mi is giving Fei up. I won't oppose your union with her, as your friend, I know that it is what you've always wanted. Our baby and I can have a quiet life either way."

"Would you stop? Just stop. Look, I made a mistake, okay. I was stupid and childish. I want to make it right..."

"I don't need your pity, Alfa."

"Pity me then! I need you, I want to only be with you and our baby. I don't want another mate. I don't give a damn about what Mi feels, or the way you look or whatever I said in past. Hear me well when I say, I WANT TO BE WITH YOU... but if you want to go with Yunho... I won't do anything."

"I... I... Are you sure?" Yifan sighed.

"You love me?" Yifan smiled.

"Do you?" Joonmyeon shyly nodded and the room started to smell like burnt sugar again.

"Don't do that, it's hard to resist." Joonmyeon giggled.

"Don't resist then." He teased and Yifan went for a kiss.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you." He said in between kisses. "I'm so sorry..." he was overwhelmed, happy, angry. Joonmyeon started to cry and sob.

"I was so scared." He finally admitted and held his mate tight.

"It's fine now... they won't hurt you." Yifan held back.

"T-they... they called me m-m...monster... all the time!" He cried hard.

"You are not... you are not a monster, baby..." Yifan was trying not to cry too.

"...and they said... s-s-said... that the baby was too..."

"Neither of that is true and you know it, don't think that. Never, ever again will this happen, I won't ever let anyone look down on you or our child."

That was it. Now, Yifan kind of fell into the realization that he had to change his way of leadership, his personal relationship, and his life in general. These past weeks have been so life altering and he needed to embrace the changes. He was going to be a leader that everyone looked up to. Now, he has a son and he has to be some kind of example, right?