* * *
To be honest, at first, he didn’t even realize this guy was an Omega.
His features were sharp but not overly delicate.
His height was about the same as Wookyung, and his demeanor was different from the Omegas he had encountered before.
Most of the Omegas Wookyung knew—whether it was his Omega father or the ones at work—had a soft, gentle air about them.
Not all of them, of course.
But there was something unique about Omegas—so much so that even Betas, who couldn’t detect pheromones, could usually tell at a glance:
‘Ah, that person’s an Omega.’
“P-please… h-help me…”
The man clinging to me now, gasping for breath, had none of that presence.
Even his wet eyes, parted lips, and flushed cheeks didn’t come off as seductive.
Rather, he just looked… sick. Like he had eaten something bad.
“Hi… hngh… hck… ngh…”
But the strange, breathy moans he let out, and the way something kept dripping onto the floor…
That made it impossible to mistake him for a Beta.
“…A heat cycle?”
Was that what this was?
The Omegas Wookyung knew usually took sick leave when their heat cycle approached.
So, it had been a long time since he had seen this firsthand.
Wookyung only ever witnessed strangers on the street acting weird, making me wonder, ‘What’s up with that person?’ before hearing someone nearby click their tongue and mutter:
‘If they’re going into heat, they should just stay home.’
“Y-yeah… but… it’s because of those bastards… They forced out my pheromones… hngh…”
So, his guess was right.
But it wasn’t voluntary.
His lips, trembling in frustration, had been bitten so hard that blood was trickling down.
“Where the fuck did he go?!”
“Is he over here?”
Angry voices grew closer.
The Omega in his arms let out a panicked whimper.
“H-hngh…!”
As expected, the Omega clinging to Wookyung trembled violently, as if experiencing a seizure.
Seeing that, Wookyung felt certain that letting him run into those shouting men would be a terrible idea.
His eyes swept over the surroundings.
The sleek, pristine hallway, befitting such a high-end bar, unfortunately offered no place to hide.
“This way.”
If hiding wasn’t an option, the next best thing was moving somewhere more visible.
That way, the other party wouldn’t be able to act recklessly.
For now, he needed to get out of this hallway and head toward the main hall, where there were more people.
“Ah, no… not that way…”
The man, who had seemed to be quietly following along, turned pale upon realizing which direction Wookyung was headed.
“It’s actually safer where there are more people.”
“Hhic… b-but… hh… pher… pheromones… I can’t… control them…”
His speech was slurred, barely coherent, making it difficult to immediately grasp what he was trying to say.
“Pheromone control… ah. Because of the heat cycle.”
Only then did Wookyung understand—the Omega’s pheromones were running wild.
If the omega encountered another Alpha, the situation could escalate further.
Then where should he go?
This was a dilemma.
He definitely couldn’t take the Omega to where his coworkers were.
There was an Alpha among them as well.
Leaving the Omega alone to seek help wasn’t an option either.
“There you are.”
While he was hesitating, the pursuers finally caught up.
Wookyung turned toward the voice.
Their eyes were bloodshot, and their clothes were disheveled—an utterly disgraceful sight.
It didn’t matter how expensive their outfits or accessories were.
Their demeanor alone made them look pathetic.
“Who the hell are you?”
On top of that, they were clearly drunk—their words were slurred, and the stench of alcohol wafted over despite the distance between them.
Everyone knew dealing with a wasted idiot was pointless.
And judging by their expressions, talking wouldn’t get him anywhere with them either.
Wookyung racked his brain, trying to figure out how to get out of this mess.
“Hhic, hhic… hhh…”
The Omega who had sought his help started trembling uncontrollably.
He swayed as if he were about to collapse, his complexion deathly pale, his eyes unfocused.
Drool dribbled down from his lips as if he had lost all control over his body.
“Hey.”
Wookyung tried calling out to him, but the Omega only let out strange, shaky breaths with no real response.
“Ack—wait, hey!”
Why was he pressing his body against him like that? And—seriously, stop!
Startled, Wookyung tried to push the man away, but for some reason, the Omega only clung to him more desperately.
“Huht… ah… d-do something… p-please… hhaa…”
To make matters worse, the Omega began blurting out words that anyone would easily misinterpret.
Wookyung instinctively glanced at the Alphas who had followed them.
“Oh? You little shit, do you even know who you’re messing with?”
What came in response was an even harsher string of curses and the heavy sound of approaching footsteps.
It was obvious what would happen if they got any closer.
“You! Don’t move. If you take another step, you’re dead.”
One of the bloodshot-eyed Alphas growled as Wookyung cautiously stepped backward.
‘Not that listening to them would make me any safer.’
He thought it, but he didn’t say it out loud. He already knew this situation was far from good.
If only he had his phone, he could call for help.
But as luck would have it, the Omega clinging to him had it in his pocket, making that impossible.
“Hand him over.”
They were treating a person like an object.
Worse, even if he did what they wanted, there was no guarantee they would let him go.
“If I do, will you?”
Wookyung had to ask. As expected, they didn’t answer.
Instead, they exchanged glances, silently communicating.
That alone told him everything—this wouldn’t end well for him.
“Yeah, that’s not happening.”
And yet, they had the audacity to demand it so brazenly.
Wookyung made his decision quickly.
Since the Omega was in no state to react, it was up to him to act.
“Hey! Stop right there!”
Ignoring their shouts, Wookyung hoisted the Omega under his arm and bolted.
Of course, his speed was significantly hindered.
But if he could just reach the main hall, he might have a chance—
“Ugh!”
A long arm suddenly shot out and yanked the collar of his shirt from behind.
In an instant, his head was forcefully pulled back, his upper body arching from the sheer strength.
“Where do you think you’re running off to?”
A menacing growl, thick with the stench of alcohol, echoed in his ear.
The unbearable smell and the sharp pain made Wookyung instinctively wince.
“Ahh!”
The Omega was also dragged away, snatched up by another one of the men.
But Wookyung had no time to worry about him.
“Ugh, let go!”
He struggled to pry off the hand gripping him.
“You’re dead meat tonight.”
His body was slowly being dragged backward.
A deafening warning alarm rang in his head. If he didn’t do something now—
“H-help—!”
“Ah, this little shit. You’re really getting on my nerves.”
Just as he tried to shout, another hand clamped down over his mouth.
“Mmph…!”
With both his nose and mouth covered, his breathing became difficult.
Wookyung thrashed, struggling to break free.
“Stay still, will you?”
How the hell could he?
He knew exactly what they were planning to do to him!
This was insane.
He had just tried to help someone, and now he was the one in danger.
His already exhausted body, worn down from overtime and sleepless nights, was rapidly losing strength.
If this continued, something truly terrible would happen.
He needed to come up with a solution.
Just then, his phone, still in the Omega’s pocket, began vibrating.
“Where’s that sound coming from?”
“Ignore it. Probably just a call.”
The drunken men didn’t seem to care.
But Wookyung desperately hoped it was one of his coworkers looking for him—or at the very least, another guest at the bar noticing something was wrong.
They had already passed the restroom and were now approaching a hallway corner.
Once they turned, they would be completely out of sight.
‘Damn it, why is this place so complicated?’
He hadn’t even realized this section existed.
Apparently, the main hall was an open space, but there was also a separate private area on the opposite side, likely explaining how the disoriented Omega had ended up stumbling into him earlier.
But that didn’t matter now.
What mattered was getting out of this.
“Just let me go—!”
As they passed the first private room, a door suddenly swung open.
A man stepped out, locking eyes with Wookyung.
Wookyung’s eyes widened in shock.
“Wookyung?”
It was Director Choi.
* * *
