This was the first time Kim Yongsun saw the intense and stern side of Jung Wheein. There wasn’t a shadow of the cheerful, agreeable and fun woman. Her long, straight red hair cascaded down her face, framing her heart-shaped face. Those faint grey almond-shaped grey eyes stared almost penetrating at her and the manager felt an urge to fidget. The commanding gravitas that she had was like Moonbyul, asserting a powerful and an invisible pressure in the room. The red-haired omega did not utter a single word after inviting her for a chat. She had leaned into her seat sophisticatedly, her back ramrod-straight and her head held high.

Yongsun would not question if this Jung Wheein before her belonged to a chaebol from her refined manners and powerful presence. This vast transformation of the agreeable and playful girl into this powerful and assertive woman had Yongsun straightening herself properly.

She cleared her voice and sat up rigidly. Her head hammered but it died down into a mummer, a faint distraction. Her exhaustion cleared slightly, enough for her to meet the stern gaze directly.

Tension skyrocketed as the silence lengthened between the two omegas for what it felt like an eternity. Yongsun could not help wondering why the younger omega was so solemn. Doldol told her that Wheein was very upset when she realised that Moon Byulyi had been taking care of him at night when she left for work.

Those red brows furrowed deeply. “Unnie, I’ll cut the case,” spoke Wheein, enunciating every word carefully and slowly, her tone unusually grave. She folded her arms across her chest, not breaking the eye contact. “I hate what you’re doing to my Byul Unnie.” Her lips thinned. “You’re playing with fire.” Her grey eyes gleamed dangerously with controlled anger.

A cold sensation sank into the pit of Yongsun’s stomach at her accusation. She stiffened visibly, her soft face tilted up in challenge. “What do you mean?” Her blond brows furrowed deeply. “It’s none of your business,” snapped the hurt manager, her temper flaring at once.

Wheein was unbothered by her anger. “It isn’t my business,” agreed Wheein smoothly, maintaining eye contact. “This game that you’re playing with my Byul Unnie, consciously or unconsciously, is damn dangerous.” Her grey eyes narrowed at her. “Unnie, you welcome Byul Unnie’s freely given warmth when you’re hurt. When you can stand on your two feet, you adopt the high moral ground, criticising Byul Unnie and shoving her away—"

“—It is your precious Unnie who is dangerous, not this game that you suggest that I was playing,” hissed Yongsun coldly. She jutted her chin defiantly, contesting her cruel allegations.

Wheein nodded sharply. “OK.” She crossed her legs. “Give me one example of Byul terrorising others that is unrelated to you,” challenged the red-haired omega heatedly, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She folded her arms across her chest. “Just one. You can give me any examples from Byul’s life—”

“—How can I? I don’t know Byul well,” countered Yongsun with equal heat, slapping her hands together. She took a deep breath and ran her hand through her blond hair roughly.

Wheein smiled faintly. “Why don’t I help you, Unnie? If you exclude her active duty, there isn’t a single example.”

Yongsun blinked owlishly at her, unable to believe the younger woman.

The red-haired omega smiled wryly. “Unbelievable huh?” A tongue was in her cheek. “It isn’t for anyone who knows Byul. After all, Byul Unnie is an accomplished and famous athlete in combative contact sport.”

The manager tilted her head in confusion.

“Byul Unnie needs to have a spotless reputation to represent in a combative contact sport,” clarified the red-haired omega at once, noticing her confusion. “In another words, she has never displayed any signs of uncontrolled hostility.” Her smile widened when Yongsun’s eyes enlarged.

“That astonishing huh, I know. Unnie, the hostile alpha that you know who destroyed a middle-sized chaebol, challenged Jinie to an alpha bout and nearly killed that ridiculous drunk landlord, is nothing like the stoic Moonbyul, the famed youngest CEO of our times and an Olympic winner in combative contact sport.”

Silence lengthened in the bedroom disturbingly.

Yongsun saw more counts of violent Byul that it took her a while to wrap her mind around the idea that the silver-haired woman was never a wild, aggressive and overly- territorial alpha. If Byul had never shown any perchance for violence then…

The blond omega sulked when she grasped that Wheein was condemning her for bringing out the primordial violent and chilling aspect of Byulyi’s personality. She opened , ready to protest at the unreasonable claim but she recalled her very first meeting with Byul. The silver-haired woman in rut had shown immense self- control, even though she was consumed by rut and the scent of drugs in Yongsun’s bloodstream. The younger woman waited for her consent before they shared a torrid and enjoyable night.

The plump cheeks of Yongsun became hot at once at that sheer memory. She shook her head to get her mind out of the gutter. Out of a sudden, she realised that she had no other reasons to justify herself.

The sense of being attacked faded.

The injured manager inhaled sharply, blood drained from her face. Was…Was it true? She felt like she had lost her bearings suddenly when she finally confronted the truth. It felt like losing her footing on a slope and falling right on her face. Her shoulders slumped at once, her head bowed deeply. “I…I encouraged her huh.” Yongsun muttered, disenchanted.

The blazing fire had gone out in the eyes of the stubborn Yongsun. Wheein’s heart ached. Challenging Yongsun’s precepts and urging the older omega to confront the truth had been her goal but she still hurt with her.

It was a necessary evil for the older woman to see that she also played a very important and active role in shaping this unique relationship between Byulyi and her.

The soothing and gentle blueberry fragrance that saturated the bedroom comforted the disillusioned Yongsun. A lump of emotions formed in Yongsun’s throat. “Why are you telling me this, Wheein?”

Wheein smiled with sad fondness at her. “Unnie, I just want you to understand this peculiar situation that has developed between Byul Unnie and you and be set free.”

Yongsun blinked at her, puzzled.

The beautiful red-haired omega gave an absent shrug. “This concerns more than just you and Byul Unnie. It will affect Pip who is growing very fond of Byul Unnie.” She sighed. When she realised that Byulyi was the sire of Pip, her heart broke for them for this strange situation that prevented their reunion. “Besides, I know that it is difficult to navigate this bizarre relationship. It feels like you’re trying to find your way through the fog.” She took Yongsun’s hand gently, her gaze kind. “I hope that this helps you to clear that haze so that you can find your way. Unnie, things really don’t have to be so complicated. When you are more certain of things, Byul Unnie will settle down.”

The injured blond woman lowered her head, frowning. “How is this situation uncomplicated, Wheepup?” She asked in a whine. “I have never thought that I would meet the sire of my pup. It was just one unforgettable night ten years ago.”

“But that isn’t the issue, is it?” Wheein asked gently, her gaze knowing. “Besides, the Moon alphas are one-of-the-kind.” She smiled wryly, shaking her head lightly. “I should have guessed that Pip was a Moon, but he did not have the characteristic aloof and haughty personality. After all, we met Pip for the first time when he walked up to Byul Unnie to comfort her in a room full of crying pups.”

The blond manager blinked continuously since it was such an odd thing for Dopul to do. “Wait, Moon alphas. How are they different from other alphas?”

Wheein grinned dryly. “How different is Pip from Jinie?”

Yongsun frowned. “I thought it was simply just difference in character,” elaborated the manager thoughtfully. “Doldol is highly independent and far too mature for his age so he doesn’t get along well with his peers.”

“Is he also very protective of you?” Wheein added, looking like she knew a secret that Yongsun did not.

The injured manager nodded stiffly. “It took Byul and I to convince him to go to school tomorrow. That pup wanted to remain here to watch over me.”

Wheein sniggered and shook her head lightly. “Such a Moon alpha.”

Suddenly, Yongsun saw the parallels between Byulyi and her charming Dopul. Her son was only stubborn, hostile and unreasonable when it came to her welfare. She recalled how Dopul came between her and the former landlord without hesitation when the scum tried to get fresh with her. Doldol was a wolf cub with a heart of a lion, unafraid to provoke a brown bear. He even attacked the older man at least four times bigger than him valiantly, hissing and snarling menacingly. The sudden viciousness of her usually calm and cheerful son had alarmed her so much that she did not wish to even want to recall that episode.

Her heart stopped.

Yongsun inhaled sharply. “Does fear or the sense of helplessness feed the Moon alpha’s ferocity?” She waved her hands animatedly. “They will get very aggressive and violent.” She thought of the haunted look on Byulyi’s face when she shared that she had often lose control of herself after she had met her.

The red-haired omega smiled thinly. “Ah huh.”

The blond omega slumped into the bed in complete disbelief. Her mind whirled with all the unjust accusations she hurled at the younger woman. “I…I must have—”

“—Unnie, that’s not that important,” interrupted Wheein kindly, stopping her from spiralling into her dark moods. “What’s important is how you’re going to deal with Byul Unnie in the future. Unnie, if you’re uncomfortable with spending any time with her, you should tell her soon rather than leaving her in this uncomfortable impasse.” Her gaze became inscrutable. “There is also the issue of Pip too. I don’t know how you are going to work out an arrangement for him. You’ll probably have to really think about the welfare of Pip too.”

“Wheepup, I’m still injured,” Yongsun added in a whimper. She bowed her head, conceding that it wasn’t fair to Byul or Doldol if she did not come to a decision soon. “I will give this matter some thought.” For now, she wasn’t going to restrict Byulyi’s access to Dopul since the former respected her decisions. “I want to see Doldol. May I?”

The red-haired omega nodded, knowing that it was impossible to stop the emotional blond omega from leaving the bed. She was probably trying to find her bearings by centring herself with the presence of her pup. She fetched a wheelchair for the older woman, surprising the manager.

“Are you sure this isn’t a hospital?” Yongsun asked, flabbergasted. The building seemed to be so well-equipped and well-staffed.

“No. It’s hard to explain this place,” decided Wheein after several moments of contemplation. She helped Yongsun on the wheelchair gently, trying not to jostle her too much. “Any nausea or giddiness, Unnie?”

“Are we in the main residence of the Moons?” Yongsun asked instead.

Wheein chuckled warmly. “Don’t worry, Unnie. We aren’t anywhere near there. You and Pip are safe here.”

Yongsun noticed that Wheein seemed to be avoiding the topic about this building. The younger omega pushed her towards the exit of the bedroom effortlessly.

“Wheepup, would you know where Byul would put Doldol?”

The red-haired omega sniggered, covering with a hand. “Unnie, it’s quite difficult to miss his bedroom. You’ll see.” She did not have to push Yongsun far when they stumbled into a beautiful door painted in deep sky blue. 

Yongsun’s eyes were attracted to a cartoon depiction of a little boy with silver hair lying on the grass, gazing at the stars and the moon. They brightened when she noticed a blond hair woman dressed in T-shirt and jean lying next to the little boy. Her smile fell when she noticed that a cartoon depiction of a woman with starlight hair standing a distance away from them, watching over them. She reached to touch the cartoon drawing of Byul gently, her expression inscrutable.

Wheein sighed, shaking her head lightly.

“Why are we gazing at stars?” Yongsun asked finally.

“I’m not too sure why,” answered Wheein, a bit amused that she had become Yongsun’s encyclopaedia to Byul. “Stars do have a special meaning for Unnie,” elaborated the red-haired omega absently, studying the bright twinkling stars on the door. “Her name originated from the sky filled with glittering stars at the very moment of her birth,” replied Wheein, tongue in her cheek. “I learnt that from Lady Moon. The Moon clan was not ready for a little female alpha.”

Yongsun tilted her head in confusion. “Why? I’m sure that Lady Moon could do a gender reveal when she was pregnant with Byul.”

“They did, Unnie. They thought it was a boy. It did not help that the Moon chaebol had no girls for at least six generations.”

“How did they react when they realise that they had a healthy alpha girl?”

“Overjoyed of course,” chuckled Wheein, her single dimpled deepening. “I heard they threw a party that lasted a week just to commemorate Unnie’s birth. The Moon clan celebrates the birth of their pups in a big way.”

Yongsun became silent at once. Her Doldol was a Moon and if he was recognised by Byul, he would be celebrated just for coming into existence. Her heart ached for her son. Most people around her including her family disparaged her son. “What about pups born out of wedlock?”

Wheein was silent for several heartbeats. “Unnie, I don’t think I’m the best person to talk to regarding this.” She sighed. She felt Yongsun holding her hand and squeezing it.

“I’m sorry, Wheepup. You’re right. I should have this conversation with Byul. Let’s just go in. I’m eager to see the interiors.” She was curious at how Byul would design Doldol’s bedroom. Her eyes fell on the distance between Byul and them depicted on the door and her heart ached, wondering if this was how the younger woman thought of them.

Wheein opened the door easily and wheeled Yongsun into a spacious and soothing bedroom brightened by the most spectacular, mesmerising night sky. Thousands of small LED light twinkled against the deep blue background, recreating the sky from the southern hemisphere. They were programmed to dim and flicker occasionally just like stars in the distance. Among them were star-shaped smart lights dangling from the ceiling, turned off for better sleep hygiene.

They were awe-struck by the intricate details that shaped this bedroom. It felt like they were stepping into another world, a surreal and idyllic world of dreams. Across one of the deep blue walls was a shooting star in glow-in-the-dark paint, soaring across the wall. Yongsun was certain that it would be a surprise for Doldol when he turned off the lights. The injured manager simply smiled faintly, her heart filled with warmth.

A model of a moon was the centrepiece of the bedroom at night, casting a soft and dreamy glow in the bedroom. When they scanned the room, they realised that every piece of furniture was designed for children. They seemed almost whimsical, inspired by celestial wonders. A library that looked like a set of glittering white stairs to the stars on the ceiling were packed with books.

Wheein was simply spellbound by the ingenuity of storing books on every step, which made the library easily accessible by a child. All Doldol needed to do was to climb the needed steps to reach the books on the tallest shelf.

Further into the bedroom, a soft white rug was in the middle, right under the closed sky roof. It seemed to be the reading corner since there were also bean bags in deep blue. On the wall was another cartoon image of the family of three finally together: Byulyi and Yongsun were holding the hands of Dopul, swinging him into the air as they strolled towards the bookshelves. A delicate and beautiful white study table along with a child-friendly chair was connected to the mesmerising bookshelves.

Yongsun was not surprised by the familiar titles of books on the shelves since they were Dopul’s favourites. She could tell that her son had a lot of input in the selection of books too and she wondered how many secrets he was keeping from her.

A beautiful child-sized bed crafted to resemble a celestial carriage completed the furniture in the bedroom. The two omegas cooed at once: Byulyi was curled on her side, sleeping, was tucked under the soft quilt of stars and moon. The CEO must be favoured by the Moon Goddess since she was blessed with alluring, delicate and distinctive facial features. Her well-sculptured brows were fully relaxed and she looked awfully young. Those cherry-shaped lips looked so soft and kissable that the manager longed to close the distance and taste them. Her heady gaze made its final pit stop on her angular jaw and chin. How could anyone had any business looking so attractive?

A tuft of silver hair above the blue quilt caught her attention. It was the only sign of Dopul, his small body concealed by his protective sire who had curved around him.

Could anything be cuter than this?

Yongsun’s eyes stung at the very sight of Byulyi cradling Dopul protectively in bed. Despite their fleeting acquaintance, the older omega was familiar with the deep sense of security that came from being in her embrace. Somehow, she believed that they could even weather the perfect storm if the younger woman simply held her.

A lump of emotions formed in Yongsun’s throat. She covered with hand, muting the sniff. No matter how close Hyejin was to Dopul, the wary pup had never permitted another person to be so physically close to him while he was asleep.

The two omegas held their breath when Byul started to shift restlessly, her deep breathing becoming shallow. She cracked an eye for a moment and smiled sleepily at the sight of Dopul burying his face against her chest. She snuggled closer to Dopul, resting her chin on his head. Her eyes soon closed as she relaxed, slipping backing into slumber.

They released a collective breath when they realised that the silver-haired woman had fallen back sleep. Wheein, without asking for permission from Yongsun, wheeling her out of the bedroom swiftly.

“Wheepup—” Yongsun was surprised that the younger woman did not leave her in the bedroom.

“—Unnie, please leave them to be,” pleaded Wheein in an anguished whisper, unshed tears in her eyes. She fanned her eyes with her hand, trying to stop herself from crying. She in a deep breath, centring herself. “I… I’ve never seen Unnie sleeping so peacefully.” She gave a teary smile.

Yongsun’s stomach knotted unpleasantly. “How would you know?” Her tone was harsher than expected. She could not help wondering if the formerly engaged couple had ever sought comfort in each other.

The red-haired omega seemed to be able to read her mind. “Oh Unnie, it’s nothing like that.” She waved absently. She tucked her red hair behind her ear, smiling sorrowfully at her. “We still share a suite at the Moon’s but we have different bedrooms.” She gave an absent shrug. “It’s more of my suite than Unnie’s. After all, she has only been back for a slightly more than a month.”

Once again, Yongsun had a lot of questions. “Wheepup, you said that Byul had never slept so peacefully?” She did not realise that the soothing effect of cradling a pup applied to the sire too.

Wheein nodded glumly. “Unnie has very terrible nightmares.”

The manager grimaced, recalling that Byulyi was still trying to acclimatise to civilian life after being on the front line for ten years. “Should we just stay just in case she has a nightmare?”

The red-haired omega shook her head lightly, beaming. “Unnie was truly relaxed.” Her single dimple deepened. “It’s really such a miracle and blessing that Pip somehow stumbled into the path of Unnie upon her return. I was so certain that Unnie was so jaded