Kim Yongsun smiled, her mocha eyes gleaming with mirth at the way her pup, Kim Dopul was giggling from the way Ahn Hyejin was swinging him wildly around, his cheeks pink. “Jinie-ah, stop calling him Pulley,” chided the older woman as per her habit. She disliked this nickname her long-time best friend and charge had given to her son.

When Yongsun saw the way his remarkably blue eyes shone brightly with happiness, she could not help the radiant smile on her face as little indents appeared under her generous lips. Her gaze gentle as she threaded her fingers through the gleaming hair of her handsome and laughing pup. She was refreshed by the giggles of her flushed son filling the late afternoon air.

Her heart was at rest, all hard work was worth it.

She felt Hyejin sling her arm across her waist, tugging her closer to share this moment of unadulterated bliss together. “Aigoo! Look at what you did to my pup,” sighed Yongsun, exasperated. His short silver hair was messy from the roughhousing. She was hesitating between asking her charge to put her son down or let him enjoy this moment a little longer.

After all, they were so busy with work that they often ignore Dopul.

A breeze caressed her wavy and long blond hair gently, a much-needed relief from the heat. She was going to ask Hyejin and Dopul to go in the apartment when the smell of violent alpha pheromones hit her like a brick. Her nostrils flared, sensing that there was something familiar with the new scent.

The beautiful blond woman whipped her head and found herself staring at a very attractive platinum-haired woman, dressed in a crisp white dress shirt and a pair of slim black trousers.

Wow. She was just the older, female version of her Dopul. The aura that she emitted was nothing like her carefree son, it was intimidating, sending shivers down their spine. Her eyes were dark like obsidian as she lowered herself into a crouch with panther-like grace. The invisible pressure she was radiating was suffocating and it sent her senses ballistic.

Deep within Yongsun, the wolf purred, acknowledging this scent as the one that belonged to that wonderful alpha a decade ago. It was thrilled that they were finally reunited.

Yongsun gasped at once, recognising her at first sight.

What…What was she doing at her house?

Brief flickers of that wonderful night surged through her mind’s eyes. They were blurry at best, but she would never forget the sweet tenderness and the consideration of her lover. Her one-time lover turned a horrid evening into a steamy and unforgettable night.

Yongsun broke from her contemplation when the luscious singer pulled Dopul behind her protectively. Before she could stop her best friend, Hyejin slipped into a combative stance, snarling fiercely in return. The thick scent of spicy chill, saturated the air, pumped by the enraged Hyejin.

“Jinie—” She tried to grab the younger alpha but the latter had stepped forward, agreeing to the fight for dominance. She raked her hand through her blond hair worriedly.

Yongsun looked at her one-time lover who had sloped forward with panther-like grace and sighed, worrying her bottom lip. The two feral alphas were no longer open to reason, only wishing to settle this issue through violence. Her wolf purred happily, flattered that the alpha it had been waiting for was proving its worth to claim them.

The manager of the idol Hwasa, shove those foreign feelings away, feeling a headache developing. There was no way she could intervene since this was an alpha bout, two assertive and territorial alphas trying to determine their claim.

Yongsun’s nostrils flared again when she picked a faint thread of distress weaved under the sharp smell of hostility. She clasped her hands together, frowning.

Hyejin was circling around the hostile and well-dressed silver-haired alpha, snarling challengingly, goading the rival into making her first move. Her curvaceous body was taut, bracing for combat as she measured the other alpha up. Even in her feral state, she knew in a glance that she could not overpower her challenger since the silver-haired alpha moved smoothly like a veteran warrior.

The manager was flabbergasted at feral Hyejin’s challenge. Where was the calm and laid-back singer she had always known? When they had met a decade ago, this girl who had just graduated from high school, was so meek and mild that she had questioned her secondary gender. Ahn Hyejin was always a trailblazer, ripping the stereotypes like paper despite the intense discrimination she had faced for her smooth, sun-kissed skin, voluptuous curves and her secondary gender. She placed her hands on her waist in akimbo, worried.

Why was Hyejinie so insistent on this fight?

It took the manager a while to realise that the singer must have seen the belligerent silver-haired alpha as a risk to her and Dopul.

Dopul!

Yongsun’s worried gaze fell on the confounded Dopul, staring at the two alphas snarling and hissing at each other ferociously while they circle around each other. He was rooted to the spot, on the edge of their fight, his silver brows furrowed. He simply could not believe that this conflict was unfolding before his eyes.

The wolf pup’s instinct was screaming at him to seek cover so that he would not come between the two feral alphas fighting for territory. Dopul balled his hands into fists, ignoring the instinct. This was his beloved Aunt Jinie and Byulyi.

“Stop,” whined Dopul as he sniffed at the sight of the alphas testing each other with false moves. “Why?” sobbed the silver-haired pup, falling on his knees. Why were they fighting?

Yongsun pulled her sobbing pup into her embrace firmly, kissing his head as she hid his face. She held tightly to him, cooing wordlessly. Dopul, however, drew his head from her chest, staring at her with teary blue eyes. “Mummy, please stop them. Please,” begged the little pup.

The blond omega’s heart shattered at the agony in his eyes. All she could do was to pull her pup even closer to her as if she wanted to absorb him, hoping that she could comfort him with her hug. Her heart broke even more when she could feel his hot tears on her shirt, soaking it.

This was an alpha bout and she could not stop it.

The two alphas encircled each other like wolves on a hunt dexterously, moving in boxer’s steps. It seemed like even the mildest alpha was raised to be able to assert themselves in a fight. Feral Hyejin seemed to be holding herself quite well as she tested the defence of her one-time lover.

“Baby, why are they here?” Yongsun asked, peering at her son. She had to wipe the tears away from his eyes as he hiccupped from crying.

“C-contract.”

His answer did not make any sense. Why would her one-time lover be here with Dopul for a contract?

Her gaze cut to the fighting alphas and noticed that the silver-haired alpha was unexpectedly cautious, eying Hyejin coolly as she assessed her skills while dancing away from her attacks nimbly. Her pounding heart calmed down slightly as she prayed for the best.

“Who is she?” The manager asked finally, worrying her bottom lip.

“B-Byulyi.”

OK, she had a name for her one-time lover.

With a yell, Hyejin charged at the Byulyi at full strength and speed, trying to catch her around her waist. The nimble CEO danced out of the way, putting some distance between her and the ledges for their safety. The upset singer, feeling slighted, tried to land a hit by following up with several punches and kicks.

However, Byulyi dodged every one of them, dancing out of her reach with lethal grace.

What the hell was this assailant waiting for?

Hyejin seethed openly when the next two attempts to overpower her opponent had failed spectacularly. She snarled, feeling like her challenger was toying with her instead of honouring this bout.

Yongsun continued to rub circles on Dopul’s back when she realised that neither alpha was hurt so far. She was befuddled by the prolonged fight, holding her son close. It seemed like Hyejin might actually lose it completely and attack Byulyi. Her prediction was correct. The dark-haired singer launched herself forward, ready to rip Byulyi into pieces.

Her heart stopped.

Out of a sudden, Dopul broke free from her hold completely and dashed towards the middle of the alphas, determined to stop them.

Yongsun’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest as she pursed after her agile and determined son who had found himself in the way of the charging Hyejin.

It was as if time had slowed down.

“No!”

Dopul realising that he was in danger, could only brace himself for the attack, squeezing his eyes close.

Another red-haired omega had thrown herself over Dopul first, shielding him with her slender body. 

Byulyi hurried, sidestepping the red-haired omega and Dopul and knocked the charging Hyejin at full throttle. The impact of their collusion sent them flying across the terrace towards the ledge.

“No!” Yongsun screamed, hysterical.

Somehow, Byulyi had the upper hand and slammed the hissing Hyejin on the green floor hard, stopping them from falling off the roof. She shifted nimbly, disabling the furious and feral Hyejin in a matter of seconds and forced her into a position of submission. Feral Byulyi did not even break sweat as she waited for the singer to concede. She pressed her forearm against the throat of Hyejin, choking the growling dark-haired alpha, waiting for her to surrender and recognise her dominance.

Since the security of Yongsun and Dopul was at stake, Hyejin refused to cave in as her face turned red.

“Byulyi, let her go now,” spoke the beautiful blonde omega in a calm voice, staring intently into the obsidian-black eyes of the feral Byulyi as she approached the alphas guardedly. “You’re going to hurt Hyejin, my good friend.” She seemed to have the full attention of feral Byulyi as the latter tried to determine if she was lying.

The red-haired omega approached them, carrying the crying Dopul. “Unnie, please. Please let go of Hwasa,” begged the other omega, burying the face of the crying Dopul into her chest so that he did not have to witness this violence. “Unnie, please. You’re scaring Pip. This isn’t you. Please stop now.”  

The combined scents of distress from two omegas and a pup cleared some of Byulyi’s rage and her single-lidded eyes slowly returned to that remarkable blue. Her gaze vacillated between Yongsun and the hidden Dopul and she scowled.

It was never her intention to scare Dopul or her one-time lover.

The CEO loosened the arm over the throat of Hwasa and the latter could finally breathe properly, coughing hard as she tried to fill her aching lungs with sufficient air. Byulyi released the coughing singer from her hold completely, her attention fully on the quiet Yongsun, trying to figure that blond omega out.

Feral Hyejin had caught her breath finally, glaring at the hostile intruder who had put her in a chokehold. Without a warning, she turned and slashed her dagger-like, long nails across the cheek of Byulyi and leapt out of the way.

“Unnie!”

“Jinie-ah, Stop!”

The singer frowned when the attack did not even bother the silver-haired alpha at the slightest. Her opponent seemed to be more interested in Yongsun. She snarled menacingly, upset that her opponent still had her eye on her best friend.

The silver-haired alpha did not respond to her violence and backed down, creating a respectable distance between them. Hyejin’s eyes widened when the proud alpha sank into her knees, baring her neck as a sign of complete submission.

Yongsun expelled a breath she did not know she was holding, relieved. She felt like she had lost some years of her life watching these two alphas fight. Next to her, the red-haired omega had relaxed visibly.

Their relief did not last long.

The wolf in Hwasa recognised the complete submission of this powerful silver-haired alpha. However, she was still high on the fear of the power of this intruder. Without a warning, she launched herself at the kneeling alpha and clawed across her exposed neck, her vulnerable spot.

Blood gushed down the neck of Byulyi as she gritted her teeth from the pain. She kept her head bowed, her body relaxed as she remained on her knees, the humiliating position of complete surrender.

“Byul!” Yongsun ran towards Byulyi at once, concerned. The manager stopped before her, staring at her bleeding cheek and her neck helplessly. “.” She searched her pockets anxiously and found nothing. The rivulets of blood turned Byulyi’s starch-white collar into an eerie, deep and dark red.

Hyejin was shocked out of her feral state. The singer blinked owlishly, uncomprehendingly. She stumbled backwards in fear and fell on her bottom.

“Unnie, why didn’t you avoid that?” The red-haired omega had already release Dopul and rushed to help the bleeding CEO. “All that stupid honour!” hissed the fearsome, petite red-haired omega, pumping out distress pheromones. She searched Byulyi’s body roughly and found a clean handkerchief from the pocket of her trousers. “Idiot.” She pressed the cloth against her neck hard, trying to staunch the copious bleeding.

Yongsun had pulled Dopul into her arms when the other omega released him, equally distressed. She had never thought that Hyejin would take advantage of Byulyi’s surrender to hurt her. “Should we just call for an ambulance?”

“No, it isn’t necessary,” decided Byulyi calmly, taking full control of the situation by pressing the handkerchief on her own neck. She stared intently into the familiar brown eyes of the beautiful blond omega who was still embracing Dopul close to her chest.

It was the same set of eyes that haunted her at night occasionally.

She had frequent flashes of her impromptu rut a decade ago, the memory keeping her sane in the most terrible nights during her active duty. This pair of eyes held the same concern as they once did. The CEO inhaled deeply and smiled when she detected with the familiar scent of sunshine. “You’re my Taeyeon,” whispered Byulyi so softly under her breath that Yongsun had to strain to hear her.

Her sun.

That was Byulyi’s nickname for her.

Spicy chili scent saturated the air again. “Stay away from them,” yelled Hwasa, standing up once again to stand between Byulyi and her friend protectively.

“Jinie-ah, it is OK,” reassured Yongsun, reaching to touch the shoulder of her best friend gently. That casual affection earnt a lethal glare from Byulyi. The CEO looked even more menacing with bleeding claw marks on her cheek. She did not know if she ought to laugh or cry at the possessiveness of this alpha. After all, all they had shared was just a night. She was surprised when the red-haired omega stepped between the two alphas, exasperated.

“Please stop,” stated Wheein, annoyed. She stretched her arms out and kept the two alphas at distance. “I’m sorry for not introducing earlier.” She shot a glare at the bleeding alpha. “We mean no harm, Hwasa-ssi. Unnie and I are here at the request of Dopul.” She reached for her pocket to withdraw two cards and handed one to Hwasa and the other to Yongsun.

The name card was very stylish.

Moon Defence

Acting CEO Jung Wheein.

“Ms Jung?” echoed Yongsun, looking at the red-haired omega who presented the cards to them. She was carding her fingers through the silver hair of Dopul gently, calming the worried pup. “What business does Moon Defence has with my Dopul?”

“Pulley, are they really here because you invited them?” Hyejin asked finally, turning to look at the pup.

“His name isn’t Pulley,” amended Yongsun, narrowing her eyes at her charge. She was going to have words with her after their guests had left. “And that’s Byulyi, right?”

Wheein blinked owlishly, surprised by the casual use of Byulyi’s personal name. “It is but—”

“—Yes, I’m Moon Byulyi,” interjected Byulyi at once, her unblinking gaze never leaving Yongsun. “Maybe, we should talk inside.” She rose from her knees elegantly, still applying pressure on her neck.

Dopul, who was held close to the stomach of Yongsun, finally wiggled free from the embrace of his mother. His eyes widened like saucers when he finally saw Byulyi. She was in a terrible state, her cheek looked like it was clawed off by an animal and she was still bleeding profusely from the wound on her neck. “Byul,” cried Dopul, leaping into the embrace of Byulyi, uncaring that she had blood everywhere.

Byulyi returned his embrace at once, her vision filled with his silver hair, the same silvery hair she had. She took a deep breath, memorising his unique scent of milk and sunshine. Gentle warmth spread in her chest as if she was soaked in tepid warm ocean water. She crooned, a sound that captured her happiness and affections, nuzzling against the head of the upset pup.

“I’m so sorry,” whimpered Dopul, hugging her waist tightly. “I didn’t think—”

Byulyi took his hands gently and lowered herself to Dopul’s eye level. “—Pip, it isn’t your fault.” She stared into teary eyes of blue, the same shade of blue of her eyes. “I’m fine.” She was proud that the pup had compassion and courage. “These wounds look a lot worse than they really are, especially this one. “She pointed to the wound on the neck. “It’s on the artery, one of the main veins that carries blood.”

Dopul stared at her bleeding wound and went into her embrace again, comforting her. He curled his arms around her neck cautiously, trying not to touch the wound. Byulyi, amused by his gentleness, chuckled fondly. No one had ever treated her like a fragile being, except for this adorable pup.

“I’m sorry to worry you, Pip.” The CEO threaded her fingers through his silver hair gently, savouring the silkiness of his hair. The pup buried his face into her neck, calming down. “Let me show you, Pip,” grinned Byulyi, gold dancing in her sapphire eyes. She held the pup with one arm and stood up effortlessly, making sure that none of her blood would get on his person.

The frown on Dopul’s face relaxed but he eyed the soaked handkerchief worriedly. “Byulyi, you still need to change your shirt.”

“I should have something for you,” spoke Yongsun, clearing her voice to hide her sniffing. Pressure had built behind her eyes when her pup embraced the injured alpha. Never in her wildest dream had she imagine her son reunited with his gentle and kind sire. She hugged herself loosely and walked towards the apartment first.

Byulyi, sensing the dip of Yongsun’s mood, followed her swiftly into the apartment. She was determined not to leave the manager alone.

With the departure of Byulyi, Yongsun and Dopul, Wheein and Hyejin were left on the terrace alone. The red-haired omega glanced at Hyejin and smiled coyly. She was amazed that the singer was even more beautiful in person. The deep blue trench coat and the white leather boots gave her an air of elegance. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Hwasa-ssi. Don’t worry too much about Unnie’s injuries. She had challenged you first. Besides, you were right to think that we were threats to Ms Kim and Dopul.”

The singer had not expected Wheein to be so understanding, trying to assuage her guilt. She smiled sweetly. “Just Hyejin please.” Her cheeks pinked. She inhaled deeply, reflecting on her actions. “Wheein, I am at the wrong too. It wasn’t honourable for me to attack Ms Moon after she had surrendered.” She lowered her head in shame.

Wheein’s gaze became sympathetic. “Hyejinie, I believe that is the result of being in a feral state. I understand that you were overwhelmed by Unnie. She has that effect on everyone,” chuckled the red-haired omega dryly. “It’s not your fault since you had no idea that we were guests of Dopul and it was the most strategic way to protect Ms Kim and Dopul.” Seeing that the singer still felt guilty, she squeezed her shoulder. “I don’t blame you. Unnie won’t blame you too.”

Hyejin relaxed at once, realising that the red-haired omega understood her circumstance. She made a face. “You may have forgiven me but it doesn’t mean that Unnie would let me off the hooks. Unnie is my manager.”

Wheein chuckled humourlessly, brushing her red hair away from her face. “I can empathise with that. We’re in the same boat. Unnie is going to scold me for my recklessness.” She paused, searching for the words to explain her relationship between Unnie and her to Hyejin. Normally, she would have introduced Unnie as her fiancée but she was reluctant to lose this connection with this interesting woman. “It’s complicated,” decided Wheein finally, giving an vague shrug.

Hyejin smiled shyly at the red-haired omega, unlike her confident persona. “I guess you’ll have to fill in the details later. Unnie is my manager, but she is also my closest friend since I moved to Seoul to chase my dream. It’s quite a tale.” They fell into step together, walking towards the apartment slowly.

“Was that before you made your debut eight years ago?” Wheein asked, interested.

“Oh?” Hyejin turned to looked at her meaningfully. Her eyes glint impishly. “Wheein is that sort of fan who knows everything about their idol huh.” She clasped her hands behind her back, grinning.

“Aigooo! I’m leaving you behind,” harrumphed Wheein, frowning.

Hyejin broke into a smile at the adorable pout on the red-haired omega. Seeing that she was really upset, the dark-haired woman took her hand boldly, coaxing Wheein to meet her gaze. “I’m honoured.” The singer rested her hand on chest. “It’s flattering that anyone would take so much time to know about me.” She smiled reservedly.

Wheein blushed at this shy Hyejin. Her heart accelerated, finding Hyejin more attractive than her female fatale persona. She squeezed Hyejin’s hand in return. They entered the apartment in companionable silence and stumbled into a strange and charged atmosphere.

Byulyi was sitting at the dining table, her dress shirt partly ed to reveal more of her skin. She sat still, permitting Yongsun and Dopul to fuss about her. The mother and pup had decided to divide and conquer by taking on wound each. Yongsun was working on the injury on her scent gland while Dopul cleaned the one on her cheek. The heated gaze of the CEO had never left the beautiful blond omega even for a moment.

Wheein recognised Byulyi’s besotted gaze at first sight, pleasantly surprised. She had never thought that her Unnie would have feelings for someone else since her cousin. The thrilled omega grabbed Hyejin’s hand, stopping the singer from joining them at the dining table. “Unnie is in love.”

The singer’s gaze fell on their joined hands briefly, amazed by the warmth of the contact. She had never believed in soul mates but she could not deny that inexplica