“Grey…” Sungmin murmured as he clicked on the colour tab, reading the description of their chosen sofa again. “Don't you think it's a little too big, Master?”

“Hmmm…?” His alpha hummed, looking up at him without lifting his head from his shoulder. “You've asked that for like ten times, Sungmin.”

“But…”

“It will be fine. And for the tenth time, I like big sofas.”

“Okay…” Sungmin unconsciously pouted, hovering the cursor over the photos taken from different angles.

“Add it to the cart and save it,” his alpha said, hiding a yawn behind a big hand.

“Yes, Master,” He did as told, closing the laptop. “We should go home and rest, Master.”

“Are you tired already?”

“No, but you are, Master,” he answered. Even if the repeated yawns weren’t of any indication, he was pretty sure his alpha only managed a little sleep last night after the eventful weekend that gave his alpha much to think about.

His alpha's head lifted from his shoulder, the long blond strands tickling his neck as his alpha sat up. “Say, Sungmin,” his alpha took the laptop from his hands, placing it on the newly tiled floor of their upcoming house.

“Yes, Master?” He resisted the temptation to reach out and caress those platinum blond strands, eyes following the smooth strands that fell to frame his alpha’s face.

“Why are you still calling me Master?”

Sungmin blinked at the utterly serious face of his alpha, lost for words. If it had been a week before, he was sure his mind would have ran wild thinking that his alpha no longer wanted him and was revoking his privilege of addressing his alpha as Master. But the week had taught Sungmin about his alpha more than the first month had, and if there was only one thing that left an impression on him, it would be that his alpha wanted him right by his side. Additionally, the memory of the previous night where they sat on bed going through the revised set of rules supplied the context of the conversation. His alpha had patiently explained each revised rule, including the reasons behind the original ones, as those arms wrapped around his waist firmly. What seemed to be his alpha’s new favourite choice of sitting position topped his list too, though he wished at times that it was less relaxing than what it did to him. If he dropped his attention and leaned back against his alpha’s chest comfortably, he had no doubts that he would be asleep soon enough.

However, the conversation was way too important for him to fall asleep. And the topic of rules and discipline still put his submissive nature horribly on edge, despite how gentle his alpha’s tone and how soothing those touches around his waist had been.

“In addition to the general rules an omega is to follow, the omega is to comply with the following rules… One. The omega is to obey the final decisions of the alpha, though opposing concerns are encouraged to be voiced and would be taken into consideration,” Sungmin read, recalling that the first rule had originally been a simple “The omega is to obey all orders of the alpha”.

“I know you are kind-hearted and would do anything for others, but my role as an alpha is to lead and keep my people safe.” His alpha breathed against his hair, a shudder from the body behind him passing on to Sungmin. “That includes my mate. I hope you will always trust and respect the final decision I make.”

“Yes, Master…” He muttered.

“Do you understand what I’m saying, Sungmin?”

“Yes—” He paused, frowning as his alpha’s words sunk in. He understood what the role of an alpha is and how alphas were born to lead, but he didn’t understand why his alpha felt the need to explain it to him. It was instinctive to follow an alpha’s order; actually, defying it could be rather impossible especially when it was his alpha, and he had no thoughts of going against his alpha anyway.

“It means there will be times when we disagree. But you have to trust me to make the best decision for you, for us. I don’t want to make you do things against your will if I can, but somewhere along the way, I’m going to have to. And when it comes to that, I want you to trust my decisions and orders. Can you promise me that?”

“Master…” He tried his best to turn his head around to meet his alpha’s eyes, hoping to understand what exactly brought about this conversation. When he saw those brown irises, the conflicted emotions in them only enhanced his confusion. “I don’t—I am your omega. I will obey whatever you say…”

His alpha lifted him easily, settling him on the left so that they were now sitting side by side. “You already denied my request yesterday.”

Sungmin stiffened at those words, mind scrambling to gather exactly what request it was that he had rejected. And then he remembered, “I can’t promise you that, Master. I… I will do everything to protect you, including giving up my—”

“No.” The growl that left his alpha’s mouth startled him. Sungmin fought against the overbearing dominant aura, biting down hard on his lip.

There was an audible sigh before his alpha calmed down again, the hands shifting up and down his arms calming him as well. “You see what I mean? You have your own opinions on certain issues and I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, no, but I want you to promise me that you would leave the final decision to me.”

Sungmin thought carefully in silence before answering. “If it doesn’t involve your safety, I can promise you that.”

“Sungmin—”

“Master…” He slipped his fingers into his alpha’s hand. “If anything happens to you, I—” A low whine cut him off at the possibility that filled his head.

“And if anything happens to you, I will be the same too.”

Sungmin raised his head, staring quietly at those forlorn eyes of his alpha, wondering whether what was the “same” to his alpha was the same to what he was thinking. He didn’t have to wonder further, because his alpha made it clear for him in the next moment.

“And so we fight. At least in this, promise me you will fight to stay with me, to come back to me. Else, I will hunt you down to the ends of this universe and heaven and hell and wherever, just to pull you back. Because there is no me without you.”

Sungmin tightened his grasp, unaware of how his nails were digging into his alpha’s hand as the multiple tides of emotions overwhelmed him. It took him probably longer than a minute before he was sure he wouldn’t break into cries the moment he opened his mouth, but his alpha waited, patiently waited until he whispered, “I promise.”

The ensuing smile on his alpha’s face filled him with such warmth that for the first time in his life, it occurred to Sungmin this was what having a mate felt like, what having a mate meant.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

The remaining revision of the rules had gone rather smoothly compared to the very first, and Sungmin had been so warm and contented at the end of the conversation in his alpha’s arms that he didn’t realised that his alpha wanted him to change the title he had been using by revising the second rule to “The omega is to address the alpha as ‘Master’ in public and at formal events”. He thought his alpha was just giving him permission because his alpha thought he would like it, but he had continued to use “Master” partially out of habit and with the thought that his alpha would like it instead.

“Am I not allowed to when we're alone?” He asked cautiously, nibbling on his lower lip.

“Of course you're allowed to,” his alpha said with an amused smile, thumb reaching out to gently free his lip from the torment under his teeth. “In fact, the alpha in me likes it. But I, I think I will like it better if you can address me more… personally when we're alone.”

“Master…?” Sungmin enquired, hoping for his alpha to elaborate.

“Kyuhyun,” his alpha corrected. “Even Kyuhyun will do for now.”

Sungmin fought against the temptation to bite his lower lip, knowing the hand resting against his cheek would immediately stop him. He avoided his alpha's intense gaze, dropping his line of sight to his own hands as he tried to garner courage to voice that name. He didn't know why it even needed courage; even if he had used to find it awkward how the name rolled off his tongue previously, he was never afraid to say it. After all they had gone through and those affectionate words they shared, fear shouldn’t be the emotion he experiences upon having to call his alpha’s name.

“Min,” his alpha whispered. The shortened nickname had been making its appearance more and more often recently. “You can be comfortable with me. It's okay.”

The way his alpha had shortened his name reminded him of the way he had tried to call his alpha “Kyu” previously, the way his alpha would leave his name at the end of his notes. Slowly lifting his head, he whispered back, “Can I call you… K-Kyu?”

His alpha didn't answer his question, but the eagerness in those eyes said it all.

Nudging his cheek against the warm palm, he whispered with closed eyes, “Master… Kyu.”

“Just Kyu.”

“Kyu,” he breathed out, sourness rushing to his nose. He was sure the tears would try to escape the moment he opened his eyes, and the happiness in his alpha's voice as his alpha said “again” sent the heat flooding his chest.

“Min, call me that again, please.”

“K-Kyu,” he said, slightly louder though his voice wavered. Unable to resist the temptation, he opened his eyes, and the beautiful smile on his alpha's face sent him mirroring it.

Strong arms wrapped around him lightly yet firmly, the gentle caresses as though cherishing a precious baby. “Min, I really don't want to, but I need to leave for work in the afternoon.”

His mood plunged at the sound of that. Sungmin knew his alpha didn't have all the time in the world to keep him company, even if he wished that they need not do anything at all except spend time together like they did for the past two weeks. But duty calls, and it was only right for an omega to let his alpha go without worries. “I'll be fine, Mas—” he caught himself abruptly at his alpha's clearing of throat. “I'll be fine alone, Kyu.”

“Not alone.” His alpha pulled away, patting his cheek. “Dongwoon and the rest will keep you company.”

Sungmin nodded, wondering if it would be better having to deal with someone else aside from his alpha or being alone. He didn't want to sound demanding and clingy, but he still couldn't stop himself from asking, “When will you be back?”

“I'll go after lunch at Ahjumma’s and I promise I'll be home in time to eat dinner with you.”

“Okay… I'll cook dinner and wait for you then.”

“Min,” his alpha lifted his chin. “I need you to understand this is not a one-off thing… I need to go to work tomorrow afternoon too, and this will only get more frequent. We'll slowly adjust back to our previous life routine and I hope you can go back to school eventually. Will that be… okay with you?”

“School?” He voiced with uncertainty. School meant seeing his friends, his enemies, his alpha's enemies. And he wasn't sure even if he would be able to handle his friends without panicking. What if his panic attacks act up in school? He would utterly embarrass his alpha again. “M-Master, I don't think I can—”

“It's okay, it's not now,” his alpha held his cold hands, rubbing gently to warm them. “We'll do it when you're ready. I'll be there with you, and I know you will be able to do it, no matter how long we will take to get there.”

At his alpha's encouragement, he could only smile and nod, even if his heart was racing.

~--~

The jealous alpha in him wanted to explode when he was woken up by the muttering of his omega. “S-Siwon… No, Siwon… p-please, please don't.”

He had never wanted as much to rip Choi Siwon into pieces. But he realised it was all a misunderstanding when his omega’s soft mutterings turned into deranged screaming. “Please! No! Don't hurt him—no!”

Kyuhyun shifted his arm up from where it laid against his omega's waist, planning to shake his omega awake by the shoulder. But the ensuing cries stunned him.

“No! I swear if you touch my alpha, I'll kill you! I'll kill you all—No! Master—Kyu! K-Kyu! No-no-no-no-no. Don't!! I said don't touch him! No! P-please! I'll do anything! Just stop! Stop!”

“Sungmin…” He patted his omega's shoulder lightly, but the latter flinched sharply.

“No! Stop! Stop!”

“Sungmin…” Kyuhyun turned his struggling omega around forcibly, patting the cheeks wet with tears.

“P-please, no—Mas-Master. I'm sorry-no!”

“Sungmin! Open your eyes!” Kyuhyun raised his voice, chest aching at those heart-wrenching cries. “It's just a dream. Wake up!”

“M-Master… no…” Sungmin whimpered. “Master…”

He yelled his omega's name at the same time a loud scream escaped Sungmin, and those eyes finally flew wide open. Kyuhyun was stunned once again by the raw fear and desperation in those usually bright eyes, recovering only when those eyes seem to recognise him.

“M-Master…” His omega whispered airily, this time directed at him instead of the alpha in the dream.

“Yes, I'm here,” Kyuhyun rubbed his omega's sweaty neck. “It's okay. It was just a dream, Min—”

He gasped at the force knocking into him, pausing for a moment before wrapping his arms around the figure clinging onto him.

“Master, you're okay. You're s-safe—” Another whimper escaped his omega, the tears quickly wetting his t-shirt.

“Yes, I'm okay. And you're safe too. Shhh,” He hushed his omega's sobs, rubbing circles on the back wet with sweat.

“I thought—” His omega's words were interrupted repeatedly by the crying. “Thought—they k-killed you, M-Master—and Siwon too—the silver knife—”

“We're alive, Min. Siwon-ssi is safe too.”

His omega shook his head, those scared teary eyes lifting to look at him. “If you're gone, I—They tied me up and made me w-watch.” His omega shuddered, as though still living the incident. “I tried but