She's just getting comfortable when there's a knock on the door. A second later, Timo and Jade walk in.

"They haven't been tending to you, have they?" Timo asks, eyeing her again.

She thinks of lying but they'll catch on. They've known her for years now, they can read her like a book.

"No," she goes with the truth.

"Mel," she hates the softness in his voice because suddenly she feels like he's going to chide her, "I'm sorry," instead he apologizes, taking her hands into his.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"I shouldn't have supported this plan. Jade was right, they'll never be able to make you happy."

She glares at Jade, knowing he would have been going on about how unhappy she was with the whole thing, "It was never about finding happiness Timo. We needed allies."

"But isn't the price too much?" Jade puts in, unaffected by the glare he was receiving.

"Even if it is, it's a price I am willing to pay."

He gives her a glare of his own to which she's just as immune.

"Come here," she pulls Timo in, making him sit on the bed and wraps her arms around him, "I am starving."

He pulls her close, wrapping his own arms around her.

She feels her body buzz with acceptance, as if she's suddenly given a feast, "You can join too, you know," she smiles at Jade who wastes no time in climbing up and joining in their group hug.

She feels the warmth seeping from them and blanketing her, making her feel loved, wanted. The Omega in her almost humming due to the happiness.

Their scents relax her in a way that only they can and even though they are both betas, their love is so strong that she doesn't really need an Alpha.

But their happiness is short lived as the doors are opened once again giving way to a pissed looking Hakyeon and an irritated Leo with The Queen in tow.

"I thought I said you are to accompany Seohyun noona," there's a bite in Hakyeon's words and she feels Timo's arms loosen. Then he's sliding off the bed.

"We came to say goodbye," Jade makes no move to get away, he even tightens his grip on her shoulders, pulling her close.

Strangely that seems to irritate Hakyeon, "I think you've said enough of a goodbye."

"Yeah we have," with that he plants a kiss on her forehead and follows Timo's suit.

"We'll take you to them," Hakyeon says, throwing a glare her way, "Mother Royal, why don't you keep her company?"

"Very well son," and then the four makes move out of the room, leaving her with the Queen.

"You are not to engage in any sort of confrontation while there. The only thing you'll be doing is collecting information and making sure of Seohyun noona's safety," he instructs once they are far enough from the Queen's Chamber.

"You seem oddly fond of Lady Seohyun," Jade observes, distaste evident in his voice, "I wish you were half as concerned about Mel's safety."

"Jade!" Timo scolds but it's evident from his tone that he agrees with his companion.

"Is that how you talk to your king?" Hakyeon fixes the beta with a glare.

"You are not my king!" Comes the immediate reply, "We don't have a king, we have a Queen."

"And that Queen is my wife."

"Would've believed it if you treated her like that."

The nerve of that beta! He's ready to throw hands any second.

"Jade that's enough!" This time Timo's voice is sharp and Jade gives him a look of betrayal.

"No, it's not Timoteo!" Jade raises his voice, not giving a damn that's he's in somebody else's kingdom, in the presence of two Alphas. The only thing that matters is the woman lying in bed, bruises all over her, the woman he has loved since he was a child, "She'll die like this Timo, you know she will. She's starving," his voice cracks at the end. 

This is why he hates being a Beta, just as much as she hates being an Omega. They are both helpless.

"She's be fine. She's a fighter," Timo's voice is small as he answers, it's evident he isn't sure if his own words.

"If anything happens to her," Jade turns his attention back to the Alphas, "anything. I'll come for your blood. I swear I will," with that he turns and walks down the corridor.

"What does he mean?" Leo asks after a deafening silence, "He said she'll die like this. What does that mean?"

Timoteo looks at him with disbelief. But Leo holds his eyes, it's clear he isn't joking.

"How many Omegas do you have here, in your kingdom, my Lord?"

"I don't think there is any," comes the reply.

"None?" Again Timoteo is in disbelief. It is true that there are rarely any Omegas around anymore but for a kingdom to have none, it's his first time hearing that.

"No," Hakyeon says firmly, "We don't have any Omega in the Kingdom of United."

Sensing a headache flaring to life, Timo massages his temple, "Okay. There are a few basic things you need to know then. First, their body is fragile but their emotions are what makes it fragile. They need affection just as much as they need food. They need to be touched, to be hugged, any sort of physical contact. The more intimate the touch, the better for them."

"How typically Omega," Hakyeon says with distaste.

"So if she doesn't get the...the....affection, what happens. She dies?" Leo whispers.

"Not right away, but eventually yes," Timoteo answers and then changes the topic, "Second is the heat. You know about that right?"

The two nod in return.

"She could barely control herself during heats and her pheromones would make you lose control, so it's better to give her suppressors. I'll have some sent over."

"Timo!" Jade screams from the staircase, "Move your , we don't have all day!"

"Coming," he shouts back, "Let's go Lord N, Lord Leo."

Hakyeon leads them towards the stairs and down, towards the North entrance where Seohyun and the others are already waiting.

"Let's go," Seohyun orders as the others join them.

"Stay safe noona, don't get in trouble and come back soon," Hakyeon says because that's what he always says when she leaves.

She smiles at him, confident and pretty, "I will," she says, just like she always does, "Don't I always?"

"Why don't we set out tommorow seeing how you two have things to talk about?" The repulsion is clear in Jade's voice.

"You'll get killed one day because of lack of your manners," Hakyeon warns, he's starting to hate the beta.

"You wish," Jade challenges, "hurt me and she'll paint this palace in blood."

"You think she'll be able to defeat an Alpha army?" Hakyeon asks with disbelief.

"Oh she won't even lift a finger, your Alpha army will do it themselves."

"Jade!" Timo is reprimending him again.

"What ever, let's go," with that he moves through the garden and crosses the bridge, intentionally knocking over the trees in the outer perimeter.

Seohyun goes after him after giving Hakyeon another smile, the others following suit. Timo is the last to leave.

"Oh and Lord Hakyeon, you don't need to be so jealous," Timo speaks up as they cross the garden.

"I am not jealous," Hakyeon retailiates, a bit too sharp for his liking.

"Yeah, you are not Yeon," the sarcasm in Leo's voice is spot on.

"I am not!" He's not jealous.

"Yeah that's why you were ready to rip those two apart the moment you saw them touching her. And don't for one second think I didn't catch on it."

"Tell the others," he changes the topic, "about her special needs. Hyuk will be ecstatic and Ken moves skin ship as it is." He's pretty sure Ravi and Leo will have no problems either.

Only him and Hongbin will be the ones to never touch her.

"What are you doing?" She asks, trying to slide away from the man trying to crawl his way into her bed.

"I am here to give you company," Leo says, getting comfortable under the covers, "it must be boring sitting here."

"No it's not," she replies, shifting to the edge of the bed, "I am fine."

"Still," he shifts closer and she almost falls off the bed.

"Careful," he's pulling her back by the arm, placing her against his chest, "get some sleep," he commands in a soothing voice, and she finds her eyelids dropping.

She scolds herself for feeling safe in his arms, surrounded by this smell. She shouldn't, she definitely shouldn't. But as he tells her to sleep once more, she can't help but fall asleep dreaming of six princes who fight for her.

"Keep your temper in check Jade, they would've killed you!" Timo scolds the younger as they get comfortable in the small room they've been assigned.

"She would've killed them as well," he defends.

"And if she gets in trouble because of you? Because of how you treated them?"

"They aren't exactly pampering her right now!"

"Jade, don't let your feelings cloud your judgement. I know you want to have her but that's impossible. Stop making things difficult for her," Timo knows how Jade feels for her, everyone knows. But just because you love someone, doesn't mean they are meant to be yours, not on a world where power means safety and only the Alphas have the power 

"I want to have her?" Is that what they think? "I love her Timo, I've loved her for years now. Much before any of them even knew of her existence, much before he knew of her existence! Yet when he came around and swept her off her feet, I backed off. I, never once said anything bad about him because he treasured her because he made her happy!"

"Jade....."

"Don't belittle my love for her hyung. As long as she's happy, I'll stay quiet, but if she's hurt, I won't hesitate to kill. Because I love her. It's okay if I can't have her, as long as she's happy."

Then he moves out of the room, slamming the door shut and leaving his hyung behind.