Chapter 3. The Absent Alpha

Seungri opened his eyes slowly, just enough to avoid being dazzled by the strange brightness inside the room. The light and the discomfort spreading across his body were painful to him. But it was more confusing the fact he didn’t know where he was or what was he doing there. The room was brightly lightened, to the point he believed there should be some artificial light bulbs pointed directly at his face. Besides him, a computer was beating rhythmically and in synchrony with his own heart. But the room wasn’t one of a hospital but a small room, more close to how a hotel room would look like, with a kitchen, a living room, and two aligned beds.

The sound of something brushing his sheets startled him and made him turn his face to the source of such sound. A pair of honey eyes looked at him with unbelievable kindness. The angel girl smiled at him as if her presence wasn’t something to be surprised of.

“Hello there!” she welcomed him, moving her pair of pinkish wings with delicacy behind her and her hands arranged some of the bandages around one of his legs. Bandages that he hadn’t noticed were there until then. Then, the angel moved to arrange the pillows behind his back and helped him sit on the bed comfortably. “I’m Dara, your assigned Krevati,” she introduced herself with a silky voice and smiled again, with a natural kind of smile only possible to be found in angels like her, Krevatis.

“Where am I?” Seungri coughed, surprised by how scratchy his voice came out, and raised a hand to his throat, confused.

“Shelter 365, at the eighth quadrant,” she answered immediately and when she noticed Seungri was still looking extremely confused, she added, “Your wagon was attacked two kilometers away from the entrance of the quadrant this morning. One of the Alphas brought you to our emergency room; you were transferred to this, your assigned room just two hours ago once you got treated. A scratched leg, a broken wing and intoxication for inhaling smoke,” she made a recount of his wounds and medical condition and lifted her eyes again to stare at him calmly.

“Daesung?”

“Oh!” the Krevati gasped and laughed silently before staring at the closed door of the room. “He will be back soon. Probably went out for some food.”

“What… What happened?” Seungri asked again. Because, sincerely, he couldn’t remember a thing; not being attacked, not being carried to the shelter by an Alpha, not nothing and it was confusing and scary and Seungri tried to ease his anxiety but was failing too bad. He was about to have a panic attack but then Dara extended her right hand and ran her thin fingers through his hair. Her touch and fingers did achieve their goal and soon Seungri regained his composure.

“I’m not good at explaining some things. You’ll have to wait for a bit longer until your Alpha comes and explains things to you,” she whispered, raising the corner of her lips. “But you are safe here and if you need anything just ask for my name at the front desk, or push this button, and I’ll be here as fast as possible,” she said before retrieving her hand and bowing. “Welcome to Quadrant eighth, we’ll try to make your stay as good as possible,” she exclaimed before leaving the room with a kind smile.

Seungri tried to remember something, once he was left alone. Nothing came to his mind but a bunch of disorganized images that made no sense whatsoever. Who had attacked their wagon and why? It wasn’t the best way to start their journey, to be fair, and if those things were what he should expect, Seungri was re-evaluating his expectations. Though he didn’t have any opportunity to reevaluate. Not even three minutes later two angels came inside the room, making a big chaos and juggling with big carton boxes between their arms.

Daesung was the first one to notice he was awake and he almost dropped the bags he was carrying if not for the quick reflexes of the angel by his side, who caught them on time. Daesung ran to where Seungri's bed was and grinned.

“Seungri!”

Daesung looked healthy enough, at least healthier than him, Seungri thought when he saw how Daesung’s wings and legs and arms looked unharmed. They looked as normal as how they had been when they had first met. The blonde angel sat at the edge of his bed and looked at him with such an affectionate stare it took a while for Seungri to remember they had just met hours ago.

“Hey,” he greeted back, his throat still scratchy and he averted his eyes to stare at the angel that was still standing at the door. If Daesung was tall, the other angel was enormous. Big wings, a broad back and a hint of aggressiveness radiated from every one of his pores, even his mere way of standing was intimidating.

Daesung, though, extended a hand to the angel, inviting him to come closer without any hint of terror. The other angel, even though there was awkwardness imprinted in his face moved closer as if he couldn’t say no to Daesung and sat next to him, making his mattress sink further.

“Seunghyun, this is Seungri. Seungri, this is Seunghyun. My A-Alpha ” introduced Daesung to each other.

The stronger Alpha extended one of his big hands towards him casually, once Daesung was finished introducing both of them. Seungri merely looked at the stretched hand is if it was some kind of dangerous something he had been taught to avoid at all costs.

“Oh! Come on! I saved your life little angel. I’m not a damn demon for you to be scared of me!” stressed the angel rolling his dark eyes and shook his hand forcing Seungri to move.

Seungri still cautious, shook hands with the angel. It was strange but comforting, the way the evident strength of the Alpha angel did not reflect on the way his hand locked his own. As though the Alpha's protective instincts could overcome all the aggressiveness evident in him, and were able to smooth his movements when he was in front of a weaker angel such as him. Seungri lifted his eyes and saw nothing but safety in the alpha eyes. Would it feel the same with his own Alpha? And that question was what made Seungri realize what the Alpha angel in front of him had just said.

“You-You saved me?”

Seunghyun nodded almost proudly, released Seungri’s hand and straightened his back. “Hmm,” he nodded nonchalantly. “I rescued you, both of you,” he clarified stressing over the word “rescued” and “both” and gave them a goofy smile.

“He went back for you,” Daesung added almost proudly, leaned his weight to where the alpha was and looked at Seunghyun with such adoration Seungri narrowed his eyes completely dumbfounded. Why was Daesung looking at a complete stranger like that?

Seunghyun, adding up to Seungri’s bewilderment, petted through Daesung’s hair and softened his eyes gifting him a smarmy smile, “You asked me to,” he explained. And Daesung gave into the touch of the angel so naturally, Seungri thought he would throw up if they kept doing that –whatever that was- in front of him.

“So that means... My Alpha?”

That question seemed to be the clue for Seunghyun to avert his eyes from Daesung, grow serious again and tighten his lips.

“I don’t know, and that’s a good damn question,” he affirmed, brows furrowed. “I thought he or she would arrive soon or later to the shelter but it’s been almost seven hours and no one but your Krevati and Daesung have asked for you. I swear, when he or she shows up, I’m gonna shove that angel irresponsibility through his or her lazy . You'll see,” Seunghyun said with narrowed eyebrows, crossed his arms annoyed and stood up, pacing for a moment through the bedroom.

So that meant his alpha hadn’t shown up? Seungri couldn’t help to raise his right hand and touch the mark imprinted on his skin. The edges of the pair of wings remained defined and both colors, white and black, still tattooed his pale skin. Could it be that his mark wasn’t working? Maybe if he could fix it.

“I don’t think the mark is the problem,” observed Seunghyun staring disinterestedly at the mark on the younger’s pale wrist. “I’ll fly back to the alpha camp tonight. I can’t promise much but will see what I can find out about this lazy alpha of yours.”

“Thank you,” bowed Seungri, truthfully relieved, “For everything.”

“It is my work,” replied Seunghyun and moved towards the kitchen not giving more importance to the subject. “I’m hungry.”

Daesung stood up too, giving a comforting smile towards Seungri and a look that said “we’ll speak about this later” and moved to where the Alpha angel was already rummaging through the bags and emitting low groans when he couldn’t find anything he could just open and eat.

They all ate in relative silence. Seunghyun was too invested in his own food to give any of them any attention. Daesung was interested in doing and re-doing the bandages of Seungri’s hurt leg and Seungri remained silent because he knew none of the angels present wanted to discuss, as badly as he, the attacks and the fact no one had come to “rescue” him, as Seunghyun had recalled.

Seunghyun finished the last bowl of rice and meatballs and stretched his wings and looked at Seungri for an instant with his intimidating semblance.

“I’ll come back tomorrow morning. Don’t go wandering around you two. The quadrant is not safe until we say so.”

He was about to leave but Daesung, with that sweet personality of his, stopped him (from) by his wrist and stammered.

“Will you be safe?”

And Seungri couldn’t help to feel a hint of jealousy at the way Seunghyun knelt in front of Daesung and despite his strange personality, smiled and Daesung’s hair with fondness.

“Of course, I will. Do you maybe doubt about my abilities as a soldier? That hurts my pride, you know?” and with a smirk, he left the room.

Daesung didn’t wait any longer to volunteer on helping him remember what had happened once he wasn’t under the influence of that Alpha angel anymore. He told him about the way a group of demons had stopped the wagon and started to ignite the wheels of the train. How the Krevatis had tried to defend the younger angels and demons from being taken but the demons were stronger and had burned one or two of the Krevatis’ wings in their attempt to get closer to the youngsters. And especially how it felt to call your Alpha, or at least that was how Daesung named it, the sensation running all over his arm suddenly and unexpectedly.

“It overwhelms you,” he whispered staring at his mark.

“Did you see them, the demons who attacked us?”

Daesung shook his head and took the empty plates over the edge of the table to the sink at the back of the kitchen. “I heard them, but they moved too fast.”

“I never guessed it was this bad, the hate between species,” Seungri murmured. He had grown up treasuring and accepting the theories and ideas of his grandfather. Ideas about how peace could be something possible to reach between angels and demons. He had read books, some of the bravest authors in Shinshi had written about “the medley”. But burning someone’s wings? It was unheard of for him.

“But there were demons with us,” Daesung