Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

So kiss me as I am lost

Kiss me from within

Jump in, my red little fox

—Sufjan Stevens, “My Red Little Fox”

1. Woohyun

As the carriage rattled, Woohyun wondered if the trembling of his hands was because of the rough road, or if it was a mix of anxiety and excitement all rolled into one.

He looked at his companion in the cart, his friend and unofficial protégé Sungjong, who kept nodding off and readjusting himself on his seat, fighting off the tiredness that overtook him. They had run out of conversation a while back, and while the silence that enveloped them was comfortable, it was, for the lack of a better word, boring. Woohyun was pretty tired himself, for they had been on the road for hours, but he kept awake, watching over the younger man.

“You should lie down,” he told Sungjong after seeing him nearly knock his head against the glass. “Or come here, lay your head on my lap.”

Sungjong shook his head. “No, it’s fine. We’re almost there, right?”

Woohyun looked through the window. All he could see was the forest. “I don’t know. I feel like we’ve been on the road forever.”

“What? You should know.” Sungjong scoffed. “I’m too nervous to sleep.”

Woohyun hummed at that. That was the same thing he had said on the first day of the trip, a few moons ago. But it was a long way from the capital, and Woohyun had caught him napping here and there since then.

“Nonsense. Just come here. You’re supposed to look pretty and well-rested when you meet your future mate.”

He patted his lap again, and Sungjong, after debating with himself for a bit, finally gave in and switched seats, folding his legs as much as he could while resting his head on Woohyun’s thighs. Woohyun started fiddling with the strands of hair, looking for something to do with his hands. Sungjong sighed.

“Are you excited too? You’ve been to the North before, right? To the Fox Hall?” Sungjong inquired in a quiet voice. When he shifted, Woohyun saw a glimpse of his scent gland—the small, pinkish bump on the back of his neck peeking under his high-collar blouse. He noticed too that it gave a muted, citrusy scent when Sungjong relaxed.

Woohyun nodded, but then remembered the young omega couldn’t see him anymore, vocalizing a distracted, “Yes.” Excitement was certainly a way to describe it. “My father used to bring me on his business trips here, from the Wolf’s Den.”

“You used to play with the duke when you were both kids, right?” Sungjong asked, and Woohyun mumbled an affirmative again. “Tell me again, what was he like?”

Woohyun kept playing with Sungjong’s hair, hoping he would fall asleep. But alas, Sungjong had already asked this question before, when he learned Woohyun would accompany him on this trip as his personal escort, and Woohyun was apparently too vague in his descriptions. Still, he tried.

“I haven’t seen him in years, but he was nice. A reliable person you can count on,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “One time, when we were children, we snuck off into the forest…”

As he relayed the tale, speaking softly to lull Sungjong into a languid sleep, Woohyun thought of all the things he couldn’t say about the duke of the Fox Hall.

Sunggyu was his childhood friend, and then his rival at the academy. Before his parents passed away and he returned to the North as the rightful heir, he was almost something else.

Would've been a soulmate, too, if it weren’t for that dreadful night where Woohyun ruined everything. If it weren’t for their joke of a destiny, which ruled that Sunggyu would present as an alpha, and Woohyun—as both a scentless beta and captain of the royal guard—would escort the omega that would marry him.

*

2. Sunggyu

A loud horn in the distance announced the arrival of their guests on a cloudy autumn afternoon. Sunggyu closed his book and took off his reading glasses. Soon after, his brother Myungsoo materialized at the door of his studio, nearly vibrating with excitement.

“Are you ready to meet them?” he asked Sunggyu, who mustered a smile.

Myungsoo had been the one to suggest the idea to him in the first place, handling all communication with the noble houses in the Southern regions of the Hare Burrow and the capital, and picking a suitable mate for him. More out of a misplaced sense of duty than anything else.

After all, once Myungsoo had come of age and presented as an omega, they both knew the time would come for him to leave the Kim estate, and then Sunggyu would be all alone. Sunggyu didn’t mind as much as his brother; he was comfortable enough by himself, and still travelled occasionally whenever he had business to handle.

But then again, marrying and mating someone was what the world expected of him.

As they rounded the corner and walked through the hallway that led to the reception from the west-wing, he glimpsed the carriage. It stopped at the main entrance, and from there climbed out not his betrothed, but a person Sunggyu expected not to run into again in this lifetime.

He froze in his tracks.

Of course, he should’ve known. He had considered the possibilities when his brother advertised to the whole kingdom of Dal that the duke of the Fox Hall was looking for a mate and one of the few brave ones to volunteer had been the omega from a small but high-ranking family from the Hare Burrow, a territory contiguous to the capital. Because of his family’s close ties to the king’s lineage, it was likely that a member of the royal guard with a ranking of no less than that of a captain would escort him.

Sunggyu had thought himself a fool for even considering the possibility that it’d be Woohyun, of all people, since surely that guy would never want to step foot in the North again after what Sunggyu did to him.

And yet, standing by the steps of the carriage and speaking to the omega who still hadn’t stepped out, Woohyun was the embodiment of things that could have been.

“Brother?” Myungsoo called in a soft, confused voice.

Sunggyu forced his body to move. One step, then another.

“Sorry, I might’ve gotten dizzy from standing up too fast.” Wrong thing to say. Myungsoo was on his side, supporting him in a second. Sunggyu chuckled a bit. His brother had never met Woohyun and didn’t know what transpired between them, so he must’ve interpreted it as one of his occasional flare-ups of weakness. “I’m okay. I can walk by myself.”

“Are you sure? I can meet them and excuse you if you’d like,” Myungsoo said. Sunggyu could feel it then, the tinge of unease marring his brother's otherwise soothing scent. He steeled himself further.

“I can’t let you go there by yourself. Your handsome face will steal my fiance away.” He patted Myungsoo on the shoulder and moved forward, already comforted by his brother's worry. “If you haven’t done that through your letters to him.”

“Don't be silly, the letters were few, and you were the topic of all of them.” Myungsoo trudged behind him. “Besides, we’re both omegas.”

“Like that has stopped anyone before.” Sunggyu rolled his eyes. “I know it’s not the only reason, though. Where’s your knight?”

Myungsoo made a choking sound.

“Sungyeol is out there somewhere, and he’s not just my knight. Officially, you’re his employer.” He cleared his throat, clearly trying to move on from the topic. “Anyway, don’t overthink the situation with Sungjong. I’m sure he’ll be taken with you when you meet.”

“You think so?” Sunggyu smiled slightly at the compliment, forgetting about his worries for a second. He could hardly believe that; with someone like Woohyun by his side, the younger omega likely did not think kindly about Sunggyu.

A thought crossed his mind: what if they had come not to proceed with the wedding and mating rites, but to reject the proposal altogether? Though it was a long trip to the Fox Hall from the capital, it was still a possibility. Perhaps after this they would go back south. The Wolf’s Den, where Woohyun was from, wasn’t as far from here.

No, his rational side kicked in as they approached the entrance; they wouldn’t have come all the way here just for a rejection. It would be too humiliating for both parties.

It was also too late. Although he supposed there was never a wrong time to call off something of this caliber, preparations were already underway.

Like agreed upon through correspondence, they would spend one day resting and getting to know each other better, another one going through rehearsals while they waited for the most important nobles and their entourages to arrive, and the marriage ceremony and banquet would take place the day after that. Once the celebrations were completed, the couple would retire to complete the mating rites per tradition.

He relaxed, albeit only slightly, knowing that whatever stance he took would be obvious to the people around him because of his scent. As they arrived at the bottom of the steps that led into the main gate, just in time for Sungjong to set foot outside the carriage, he tensed again for a whole different reason.

“You didn’t tell me he was so young,” he hissed to his brother, quietly enough for the others not to hear him from that distance.

“He is not that young,” Myungsoo replied in an equal voice. “Plus, he was among the first to say yes.”

He comes from a good lineage, is another thing his brother had said when he first presented the option to Sunggyu. Of royal blood.

Sunggyu shuddered at the memory. Economically and politically, that had seemed like a good enough reason at the time; merely something that would benefit their territory. His feelings toward the topic wouldn’t have mattered, so he didn’t have any.

Now, he wasn’t so sure.

Still, he plastered a smile on his face and strode forward to receive the newcomers with all the confidence he could muster.

“Well, if it isn’t someone I haven’t seen in years,” he said as soon as they came face-to-face with the other two men, going straight to shake Woohyun’s hand and wrapping his arms around the other’s leather-armored frame. Maybe he was overcompensating, but he wanted to emphasize just how much he’d moved on. He was happy to see Woohyun. Fifteen years had passed, after all. “Nam Woohyun himself. Nice to see you again.”

Two things hit him at once at the touch: the comfort of a familiar presence, of someone he once held so dear back in his arms—although in a half-hearted hug—and the fact that Woohyun lacked a scent. A beta.

The two revelations shook him at once, but for different reasons. Knowing he had to act fast, not to let it show, he turned to the person next to Woohyun and shook his hand more delicately, bowing at the same time. “And this is Sungjong, I suppose? Nice to meet you. I am Kim Sunggyu, Duke of the Fox Hall.

*

3. Woohyun

Dinner was not as difficult as Woohyun had expected it to be. However, it still presented its challenges.

Sunggyu barraged through their introductions earlier that day, with the confidence and charisma of someone with both birthright and biology dictating he would lead. Woohyun envied him to a fault, but was relieved as well. After all, while Sungjong’s family had notified the Fox Hall that the young omega would be escorted by someone from the royal guard, they hadn’t given Woohyun’s name.

This was per Woohyun’s advice, as well. Although he had only vaguely mentioned his connection to the duke, which made him the perfect candidate to accompany Sungjong even though he’d refused at first, he did not want to risk the omega’s chances in the event Sunggyu hadn’t simply forgotten about him but was still actively offended by what happened fifteen years ago. He kept trying to convince himself it would be fine; he could face Sunggyu again.

Sunggyu, who stood in front of him with his hand stretched for a firm handshake and the strong scent of oak enveloping them. Alpha.

Sunggyu’s brother, too, was perfectly charming. Sungjong had mentioned him a few times, gushing about his impeccable penmanship and surprising wittiness through writing. He was happy to make friends with the other omega who would soon be his brother-in-law.

Woohyun didn’t know much about the guy; he recalled Sunggyu mentioning him here and there when they were children, and then at the academy. However, with Sunggyu’s abrupt departure, Woohyun had lost all connection to the North.

Despite his reservations, introductions went decently, and soon enough they were escorted to the main hall, where the first of a series of banquets would take place over the course of the next few days. This one was simple enough for the four of them. Later, when other guests arrived, there would be a bigger one. Finally, after the wedding ceremony but before the couple stepped away to consummate their mating rites, they would have what Sungjong had described as ‘the grandest of all banquets that the North would see.’

That was the plan, at least, from what Woohyun understood, and yet he felt they had dined enough to feed the rest of the kingdom.

“And so he tells me, ‘I don’t think that’s a boar. What if it’s just a pig that’s been living in the wild for too long and got too big?’ and I say, ‘Well, what do you think boars are?’”

The table erupted in laughter after Sunggyu spoke. By this time, most of their food was gone, but the drinks were still abundant.

“And what did you do?” Sungjong asked, trying to stifle his laughter and shooting woohyun a mischievous look at the retelling of a story he was familiar with. In front of him, Myungsoo was still cackling loudly.

“Well, like I said, I had twisted my ankle, so I couldn’t move. But this guy had a small dagger,” Sunggyu said from his place at the head of the table, motioning towards Woohyun. “He had barely learned how to use it, but he still got in front of me. I told him there was no way he could face that thing on his own.”

Woohyun chuckled at the memory. While he had tried to remain cordial yet distant, Sunggyu wasn’t having any of it, bringing up stories from their childhood to keep the other two entertained. Not quite the reception he was expecting, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but for now he decided to play along.

“I was shaking like a leaf, but I thought it could keep it distracted long enough that Sunggyu—my lord—could run out of there. I didn’t know how bad it was.”

“So I end up yelling at him to give me the knife, and thankfully he does—”

“I did not want to face that thing—”

“—and praying I can at least slow it down a bit, I end up throwing it towards the boar.”

“I scream at him, like, ‘What’s wrong with you? That was our only weapon!’ But guess what?”

“I end up hitting it right in the eye. Poor thing screeched so loudly.”

Woohyun grimaced, drinking from his cup. He caught Sunggyu making the same face. “I think I had nightmares about that sound for years after that.”

“Me too,” Sunggyu added. “So we end up using that as a chance to escape. I could barely walk, and I was taller and bigger than Woohyun, but he still tried to carry me.”

“We didn’t get far. I think we just hid under a tree stump for the rest of the night, right?”

“Yeah, this guy couldn’t stop crying, and I couldn’t fall asleep, so we just waited until someone found us.” Sunggyu smiled, pointing his cup towards Woohyun again. Though embarrassed, he tried to reciprocate.

“I remember the talk our fathers gave to us. I was grounded for so long.”

“Me too. No more piano.”

“Or going outside.”

Sunggyu shrugged. “I did not care for the outside much, to be honest.”

“I cried when my dad told me he would be coming here for a hunting tournament, but would only bring my brother.”

“And I cried when I saw your dad and your brother, but not you.”

“Wow, you two were really close,” a voice broke through their exchange. It belonged to Myungsoo, who was looking at them with a pleasantly surprised expression on his face.

With that, Woohyun remembered his place.

Of course, the younger brother would be impressed by this exchange. Sunggyu probably never told him about Woohyun.

The duke took a big gulp from his cup and looked away, while Woohyun offered Myungsoo the best smile he could and tried really hard not to look back at Sunggyu. “Yes, we were.”

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Sungjong put his chalice down and gave a long, exaggerated sigh. “I am having a lot of fun, my lord, but it’s been a long trip and I’ll be really glad to see a proper bed tonight.”

Sunggyu faked a cough. “Right. Of course,” he motioned to the servants, who went out of the hall and came back with another person trailing behind them. Not any person—a tall, muscled knight. Alpha.

Woohyun tensed in reaction at the sight of the newcomer, feeling a sense of discomfort within his body, a certain the tension of his body in preparation for a fight.

It started from the moment he stepped out of the car, in all honesty, but he had told himself it was just his nerves. Now, though, something more concrete was shifting within himself, like alertness at an invader who was making his way to the table where the four of them had been so comfortable, even though rationally, he knew it was someone the owners of the manor knew and trusted. His attention was immediately on the two omegas, feeling like he had to watch over them to make sure they were safe.

For some reason, too, he worried about Sunggyu. He didn’t want the knight to interact with Sunggyu at all.

His skin felt itchy, like an odd-fitting suit for his bones. He felt the urge to growl. Luckily, no one paid attention to him and whatever weird reactions his body was having to the wine.

Woohyun tugged at his collar. He needed some rest too.

Sunggyu waved to the newcomer. “Sungyeol, would you mind escorting Sungjong to his chambers? We have a few long days ahead of us.”

The knight stopped at a respectful distance from the table and bowed. Good.

“I should go, too. I need to be up earlier than our main couple, after all,” Myungsoo said, standing up.

Woohyun finished his drink and nodded. “Me too.”

Sunggyu’s scent soured almost imperceptibly. Woohyun knew that changes in scent were often hard to explain and could not be equal to a specific feeling or another. The crisp oak-wood undertones from earlier, when they were recounting their childhoods, could’ve meant anything. The change in Sunggyu’s scent, like ashy, dull tree bark, did not intrinsically equal disappointment.

But his pouty face did. That had not changed in years.

“It’s late,” Woohyun said, as a means of ‌explanation no one asked for. He nodded towards the knight. “I’m guessing I will be sleeping in the same quarters as your men?”

Sunggyu stood up too. He swayed a little. They all did. “Nonsense, you are a guest too. Sungyeol, take Myungsoo and Sungjong to their respective rooms. I’ll get this guy to his chambers.”

The knight bowed again, silently waiting for the two omegas to get out of the table and join him. Under the pretense of helping Sungjong stand up, Woohyun asked in a low voice, “Will you be fine on your own?”

Sungjong looked at him weirdly. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Then, his eyes glinted as he smiled, lips jutted out. “Are you worried about me? Already missing me?”

The loud bang of cutlery hitting the floor startled everyone in the room except one person.

Sunggyu cleared his throat. “Ehem. Sorry, I must’ve drunk more than I thought. How embarrassing.”

He leaned down to help a servant, who materialized next to him in a second, pick up his cup. The wine spilled on the floor was a lost cause.

“As we said, it is late.” Woohyun let go of Sungjong’s arm, embarrassed at himself for thinking for a second there was anything else behind Sunggyu’s actions. “Lead the way, my lord.”

*

4. Sunggyu

Sunggyu knew the Kim estate was somewhat lugubrious, for the place was (although well-maintained) very ancient. Its construction dated to a good few centuries ago, shortly after the old world died and was rebuilt. He was used to it, though, so he had never felt that the long, narrow corridors were as eerie as that moment. Perhaps it was the silence between the two men that made the walk feel eternal. He wondered if the place no longer felt familiar to Woohyun.

“I heard your family couldn't come,” Sunggyu said, grasping at anything to kill the silence. “Have you seen them recently?”

Woohyun looked slightly startled, like he was surprised Sunggyu was talking to him again—a stark contrast to their almost-camaraderie in reminiscing from just a few moments ago. Then again, they were both well-educated on public pleasantries and etiquette; all alone, though, there was no need to keep up the facade.

“My father was visiting the capital when we departed, so we didn't get to meet,” Woohyun replied with disinterest. At least that’s what Sunggyu guessed he sounded like; it was hard to read his stance; after all, he had no scent. That was another thing Sunggyu was dying to ask him about. “You probably see him more than I do.”

“The Wolf’s Den is closer to us than it is to the capital,” Sunggyu commented lightly.

“That’s true.”

The silence was stifling, but at least they were getting close to the guest room for Woohyun. Sunggyu racked his brain to come up with ways to continue the conversation. How have you been? Was too cliché. Are you happy where you are? Too direct. Why are you a beta? Did you never present? Do you forgive me for what I did all those years ago? Do you hate me? Have you thought of me as much as I have, all this time?

At the end, he settled on, “Sungjong is a nice boy. Very polite. I heard his family will be here tomorrow?”

“Most of them except his father. He's sick, so he can't make the trip.”

“Bit of a shame to miss his son’s wedding, huh?” Sunggyu added, content to have some semblance of conversation, though rather meaningless for him, until the other flinched at his words. He rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean."

“Right…” Woohyun trailed off. At last, they arrived at the door, their stiff, forced conversation dying down.

Before they could bury it at last, though, Sunggyu felt he needed to open his mouth again.

“Have you known Sungjong for a while?”

“Some time,” Woohyun replied, looking at him. He had a smile on his face like earlier, during their dinner. It hurt that it was at the mention of Sungjong. “I taught at the academy for a bit. The poor kid was hopeless with a sword.”

“Fencing?’ Woohyun nodded in response. “Really? They made you an instructor?”

Woohyun snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Best in my class. How could they not? But I only teach occasionally. My duties as the captain of the royal guard consume most of my time,” he boasted.

This had been a point of contention for them when they were at the academy. Although Sunggyu was his upperclassman, always ahead of him in their theoretical lessons, physical education and fencing classes were a different matter. What Woohyun lacked in strength, he made up for in stamina and skill.

Sunggyu was only slightly above him then, but now he was sure Woohyun was better than him in every way. Had they continued training together, who knows how they would’ve stacked against each other? But there was no use in thinking of what could’ve been.

Sunggyu had left; didn’t write, didn’t visit. Too embarrassed to face what had happened, he isolated himself in his manor and sent his brother on any errand that required him to step foot in the capital.

Woohyun must’ve caught all the thoughts that were spiraling through his head, or perhaps he was thinking the same, because his smile dropped. His arms uncrossed, but he was still guarded.

“Anyway, it’s getting late and busy days await us,” Sunggyu said, patting Woohyun on the shoulder. He wanted to say so much, felt almost bold in the privacy of the empty, dimly lit corridor, but his cowardice still held him back. “Sleep well. Let’s continue catching up tomorrow.”

He was turning away, trying to stop himself from continuing to make a fool of himself with his forced small talk, when Woohyun said, “Yes, goodnight, my lord.”

Sunggyu spun back before he could think, grabbing onto Woohyun’s hand when he heard that. He tried to keep his tone light, but couldn't quite manage it. “Stop calling me that.”

“Sir?” Woohyun repeated, pulling his hand free. Trying to, at least, since Sunggyu wouldn’t give in. His features looked harsh in the dim light, the placating smile he had been wearing all day long gone.

“Why do you—you never—” Sunggyu didn’t let go. Pulled them closer, instead. He paused to gather his thoughts and added, “I would never expect you to.”

Woohyun shrugged. “I didn’t know you as the duke back then. I don’t know you as anything but that now.”

Sunggyu tightened his grip, crowding him slightly, his smile fraying at the edges. “Come on, now. It’s just me.”

“No, that was fifteen years ago. We pretended for a bit tonight, but that's over,” Woohyun warned. “You should know better.”

Years ago, ever since they were young, Woohyun had always been the most hot-headed of the two, rash and emotional. Sunggyu was the voice of reason, perhaps because he was slightly older, or because he felt responsible. Now, years later, it was like their roles had reversed. Woohyun was right, but Sunggyu didn’t want to see it. Didn’t want to think that those were his actual feelings.

“So this is it, we go back to being strangers?” he asked, hesitant. Woohyun didn’t speak, but pressed against the door and Sunggyu’s body, he didn’t make any attempt to move.

“That's what you decided.”

That hurt, but Sunggyu didn't want to let it show. Instead, he said, “Then why are you here?”

They looked at each other for what felt like an eternity until Woohyun looked away, scoffing.

“What do you want me to say?” He asked. “You know I'm following orders.”

Wanting to use his command as an alpha but unable to find the courage for it, Sunggyu pressed on, “But why you, of all people? Why couldn't it be anyone else?”

“Sungjong is… a friend,” Woohyun muttered.

“That's quite the trip to make for a friend,” Sunggyu replied, bitterness escaping from his lips.

Then, it was like a dam had broken. Woohyun grabbed onto Sunggyu's coat lapels, tugged at him until they were a breath apart. “For the first time in fifteen years I hear from you—not directly, of course, because what I did to you was so unforgivable that you ran away and never spoke to me again—and what is it about? You're looking for a mate? Don't make me laugh. And he's so much younger than you. Why are you marrying him, of all people?”

Sunggyu narrowed his eyes at Woohyun's words. He hadn't run away; things were more complicated than that. And yet he never bothered to explain.

Instead, he zeroed in on the mention of Sungjong again. “What is it to you who I marry? Do you hold any affection for him?”

“For him?!” Woohyun repeated, scandalized.

He let go of the fabric he was bunching up in his hands, but only to grip Sunggyu's face and drag it towards his, pressing his lips in a harsh kiss that had them both reeling. Sunggyu gasped, off-kilter, and Woohyun used that moment to push his tongue inside, the grip of his hand on Sunggyu's cheek and neck almost bruising. He tasted of wine.

Although confused, Sunggyu made no attempt to push him off. Welcomed the intrusion, in fact, fighting back with as much enthusiasm as he was receiving, but before he could fully relax into the kiss, if what they were doing could be classified as such, Woohyun pulled away.

He was breathing harshly, right in Sunggyu's face, and he smelled—well, he didn't have a scent per se, but there was a certain spark coming from him, making the hairs on Sunggyu's nape stand up. It was a challenge to his natural authority.

Woohyun took advantage of his moment of confusion again and pushed him off.

“Go to bed, my lord,” he said, rubbing his lips. They were plump, glossy even under poor lighting. Sunggyu wanted to taste them again. “Goodnight.”

Sunggyu heard the word ‘bed’ first, and it took him a second to get the full meaning of the sentence.

“But Hyun—”

“Good night,” Woohyun repeated, louder, as he opened the door to his room with a swift motion and closed it right in Sunggyu's face, leaving him alone in the hallway.

*

5. Woohyun

Woohyun slept poorly, if at all. Such a shame to think that this was the first time in a few days where he could rest in a decent bed, and he wasted it on tossing and turning the entire night.

At first, he thought he wouldn’t even be able to make it to the bed. He had stayed frozen, pressed to the door even after hearing the footsteps leaving, and was convinced that Sunggyu would be back with his personal guard to throw him out.

Then, when nothing happened, he had taken a few shaken steps and collapsed on the warm furs that covered the soft-feathered bed. Sunggyu wouldn’t do that to him. Not with the way he’d given in, oh-so-slightly, before Woohyun came to his senses and pushed him away.

He didn’t know why he had initiated a kiss anyway. Back and forth, all night long, he thought of the moment over and over again, torturing himself with the words he said, the words he didn’t, and worst of all, with a low-simmering arousal that had started at some point during dinner and culminated at that moment, in the safety of his room, after tasting what he thought he never would again.

Sunggyu’s scent put him on edge, especially when he pressed Woohyun against the door and demanded to know why Woohyun was there. It wasn’t particularly pleasant, not in the soft way an omega like the duke’s brother or Sungjong’s scent were. Lemon pie and whipped cream. Nice, but completely unappealing to Woohyun. In Sunggyu’s case, it was more of earthy tones; oak and moss on a crisp autumn day. It felt both challenging and desirable, despite his rational side telling Woohyun that it couldn’t be.

He had long-since resigned himself to the fact that he would never present, would stay a scentless beta. Over the years, he was thankful he didn’t feel the primal urges that troubled alphas and omegas alike. And yet, the heat he felt as he dipped his hands inside his trousers and began to stroke himself, thinking of the duke, was unrivaled to anything he’d felt in his thirty-something years of life.

Every side of Sunggyu he saw in the course of the day came back to mind. His laughter, his anger. The years had been kind to him. Whether it was the northern wind or the likely seclusion at his estate, Sunggyu’s appearance stayed fair and well-kept. Good on the eye, soft to the touch.

Woohyun groaned and bucked his hips. His mind was spinning with thoughts of Sunggyu, so regal and yet familiar when he stepped out of the manor to welcome them, and then with his red ears and wine-stained lips as they dined. Charming as Woohyun remembered, and meek to a fault too. Not when he confronted Woohyun, though. When he recoiled at Woohyun using his title instead of his name. Was he looking for that familiarity, too? Did Sunggyu still want him as much?

Imagining a world where he did, Woohyun allowed himself to reach his climax. Better yet—a world where instead of pushing him away, Woohyun dragged him into the room and to the bed.

He came to his senses with a mess all over his hands, gasping as the warmth of Sunggyu’s body against him left along with the wild thought of how their scents would mix together, if they could. None of it was real to begin with; they were all part of his delirious mind. When he was done, overwhelming guilt came back to him tenfold.

As he cleaned after himself with a handkerchief nearby, treacherous tears spilled from his eyes. What he wanted didn’t matter. What he’d done was a major transgression, and there was nothing more to it than that.

Sunggyu was right in asking… Why was he here? Accompanying Sungjong felt more and more like an excuse, considering what he’d just done. He didn’t think he could ever face either of them again.

He watched as dawn broke, light filtering through the windows, and concluded that he would leave that same day. There was no reason for him to stay any longer. He’d follow through with his orders to deliver Sungjong; no one said he had to stay for the actual wedding. When he took on this job, Woohyun thought it would do him good to see this chapter of his life close with his own eyes. Now, he didn’t think he could stand to remain at the Kim estate any longer.

However, as he exited the room and stumbled into the hallway, he realized it wouldn’t be a simple task to do. A servant, already on his way to Wooohyun’s room, approached him with the news that the duke and his companions—that is, his brother, his fiance, and the tall knight from the night before—were getting ready for an outing and sent for him.

With a smile that he knew didn’t reach his eyes, he thanked the servant and asked him to guide him to where the rest of the party was.

*

“So… what’s going on with you?” Sungyeol, the tall knight, commented from his side. “You look… Rough.”

Woohyun could tell he wanted to say ‘you look like shit’ but held back out of respect, maybe. How nice of him.

They’d been riding through the woods for a while, trying to find the clearing that Sunggyu liked to visit often in search of a pleasant spot to stop for supper. An old knight rode alongside Sunggyu at the front, followed by Sungjong and Myungsoo, who chatted animatedly among themselves. Behind them, surrounded by a few servants travelling on foot, Sungyeol and Woohyun covered the rear.

The forest was exactly as Woohyun remembered it.

The Fox Hall was an expanse of land enclosed between the northern mountains and thick forests and ruins, the last which were bisected only by a thin road that connected it to the rest of the kingdom. It effectively served as a fortress before the old world died. It also owed its name to the unusual population of foxes roaming through the woods; the guardians of that land.

And it was beautiful.

During his childhood, Woohyun spent his own share of time in the woods by the Wolf’s Den, his father’s territory—north of the capital, but south of the Hall. But they were not like this.

The weather was more temperate, with different vegetation. Winters weren’t as harsh as they were at the Hall, though it still did not compare to the mild, seaside climate of the capital. The Fox Hall was still something else, though, and when spring came, snow melted from the mountains and revived the forest, injecting life back into flora and fauna alike.

In autumn, the harvest season, the leaves turned into various shades of red and orange, the most common one ochre red. Woohyun thought they matched Sunggyu’s hair.

Woohyun reigned his thoughts back and turned to look at Sungyeol.

“I didn’t sleep as well as I should’ve, last night,” he said, once again putting a smile on his face. Sungyeol didn’t seem to buy it, so he dropped it.

“It’s not just that,” the knight replied. He seemed to remember their hierarchy then. “If I may comment on it… sir.”

Woohyun scoffed, “Go on.”

“It’s hard to explain, but it’s like… your presence is challenging me?” Sungyeol said. “Like I can feel your hostility towards me.”

“Sungyeol, right?” Woohyun replied with a question of his own, narrowing his eyes. “How old are you?”

“Uhm, 25, sir.”

A little over a decade younger, then.

“And how long have you been a knight?” he went on. “What was your training like?”

“We all learned here, by the duke’s orders. My superior,”—he motioned towards the old knight riding next to Sunggyu—“taught me and my younger brother. The duke knighted me about two years ago.”

Woohyun hummed. “Did you know I trained alongside your duke back at the academy? Upon graduation, I got accepted into the royal guard and became the captain. Even teach there, sometimes. I’ve led campaigns down in the South. I outrank you,” he listed off. “You may think that because you’re an alpha, I would feel challenged, but it’ll be years before you’re in my league.”

Woohyun glanced around when he was done, discovering they had lagged behind the group, and even the servants who were usually surrounding them left. While the others were still within a reasonable distance, they were no longer within earshot, so at least no one would interrupt.

Sungyeol looked at him, the confusion on his face at Woohyun’s questions replaced by irritation. He even rolled his eyes. “See? That’s exactly what I mean.”

Woohyun scoffed, trying to mask it as a laugh. He gripped the reins of his horse a bit tighter. “Did you not listen to anything I said?”

“No, I did. Ouch,” the alpha said, touching ‌his breastplate, faking pain. It annoyed Woohyun even more. “Even though I’m an alpha, I know you’re more experienced. So why do you feel threatened by me?”

“I don’t feel threatened by—” Sungyeol cut him off with a snarl. It was minor, barely anything above a huff. Usually, anyone other than an alpha would recoil, submit. And yet Woohyun tensed, grimaced, feeling the urge to reply with one of his own.

“See? You’re doing it right now,” Sungyeol said, dropping the act and smiling at him as if nothing had happened. “You’re not an alpha, but you wanna fight me like one. Why?”

Woohyun looked away, embarrassed and unwilling to continue the conversation. It was like everyone was determined to ask him questions he couldn’t answer these days. He sighed, embarrassed at having fallen for such an obvious bait, and forced himself to calm down.

“You might be right. I’m far too tense, and I don’t know why,” he admitted in a quiet voice. “I may be coming down with something.”

Sungyeol made a small sound of victory at Woohyun’s admission, but immediately frowned. “Then we can’t have you getting close to Sungjong.” Hastily, he added, “I mean, the lords.”

Woohyun frowned, wondering when the knight had gotten so comfortable with Sungjong to get on a first-name basis with the omega, but he was no longer in the mood for conversation. He looked at the group in the distance. They were still within sight, already dismounting in the clearing. As if on cue, Sunggyu looked back, searching for them, and waved his hand when he spotted them. It was merciful of him to pretend nothing out of the ordinary had happened last night, but that didn’t make it hurt less.

Sungyeol waved back, but Woohyun’s hands stayed put, gripping the horse’s reins so tightly it stung. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be close to them at all.”

But keeping his distance didn’t work. As the day progressed, Woohyun started feeling worse. He couldn’t stomach any of the snacks, and the thought of accompanying the alphas to hunt made his stomach churn, so he offered to stay behind with the omegas.

Even Sungjong questioned if he was okay. Poor Sungjong, with troubles of his own, like how he kept trying unsuccessfully to braid a flower crown for his betrothed. Eventually he got a decent attempt, only for it to come undone as he put in the last details. His soon-to-be brother-in-law had to step in to assist.

Before ultimately deciding to leave along with the knights, the duke had tried to humor the young one, but it was obvious they couldn’t connect. Though polite and welcoming, their conversation still felt slightly forced, like that of an older relative who struggled to catch up with the youth.

Once Sunggyu had left, though, the chatter became more amicable between Myungsoo and Sungjong, with Woohyun listening in the back. They chatted about anything and nothing as Myungsoo helped braid the crowns—far quicker and more skilled, but patient enough to teach without reprimand. The older omega often went on trips to the south as an envoy, so they talked about life at the capital. Tales of Sungjong’s time at the academy, which was something Myungsoo didn’t get to experience thanks to his private education, also filled the afternoon while the alphas were away.

Resting against a tree trunk, slowly boiling inside his leather armor despite the chill autumn air, and wholly resistant to the omegas’s efforts to include him in the conversation (though he did accept a flower crown), Woohyun stayed silent the whole time.

When the alphas returned with their game in hand, leaving it to the servants to prepare, Sunggyu walked up to them with an excited glint in his eyes and proudly declared that he had gotten a boar. Granted, it was a small one, but after last night’s story, it felt like a funny coincidence.

Although Myungsoo and Sungjong’s excited cheering was exactly what he should’ve wanted, he turned to Woohyun right as he said it, waiting for the beta to react. Woohyun couldn’t look him in the eyes, though; the expand of chest peeking behind his loosely tied strings was too much of a distraction, the lean frame wrapped in expensive furs too stunning. He felt feverish, out-of-sorts, so all he did was look away and fake a cough.

“Good job, sir,” was all he could say.

The worst came when it was time to return.

They had to make the trip back before it got dark. After all, the next day would be the rehearsal of the ceremony, and a small banquet for the guests who came in early and would stay overnight. The wedding would take place the day after that, so everything had to be ready, and the protagonists of such an event needed to be well-rested. Plus, some members of the party claimed it smelled like it was about to rain.

While earlier in the day he managed fine with his view dimming and darkening here and there, Woohyun realized things were more serious when his vision began to blur once the manor was within sight. At least he was doing a pretty good job staying upright during the ride back, but Sungyeol kept asking if he was falling asleep while riding, drawing the attention of the others in the group. Even Sunggyu had looked back a few times.

But no, he couldn’t have been looking at him. Or if he did, it was out of caution for the good of the party. Woohyun was just hallucinating at this point. Then why did his gaze burn? Why did Woohyun feel so naked under it?

“Hey, take this,” he rasped, throwing the reins to Sungyeol the best he could once he felt they were close enough to the stables. He could feel himself losing consciousness, and he didn’t want his horse to spook and step on him or injure others.

Thankfully, the alpha reacted quickly enough to catch them in time. The movement made Woohyun dizzy, though, and too weak to keep going, he felt himself slump sideways, sliding off the saddle. At least he didn’t feel the impact, as he passed out before he hit the ground.

*

6. Sunggyu

Sunggyu felt it in his body before he saw it.

It started with a scent. The smell of rain had started at some point in their trip. Unusual at this time of year, and growing stronger as the day passed. First it was like soft, wet soil, fresh as morning dew. Then, it was like a brewing storm, electricity in the air, but nothing quite happening yet. But at this point it felt like a downpour upon them—except the sky was clear as usual, the autumn moon peeking over the horizon. Now, he realized it was coming from Woohyun.

He’d been a fool not to see the signs: the mood swings, the irritability. They thought he hadn’t noticed, but he’d heard Woohyun snapping at Sungyeol earlier that day, though he couldn't tell what they were discussing, only the heated sound of their voices. Not to mention the… events of last night. The signs were clear.

Woohyun was presenting as an alpha, and this was his first rut.

He heard it then: the thud against the floor, and Sungyeol's worried yell of, “Sir!”

Woohyun's body lay on the ground, but it wasn't long before a string of servants came to his aid. Sungyeol led his and Woohyun's horses away from the scene to avoid complications. Sunggyu didn’t think about it, dismounting his horse as fast as he could and rushing to cradle Woohyun’s form, hoping the other hadn’t hit his head.

There was no blood, thankfully. Sunggyu lost all strength to move, but he knew he couldn’t stay there for long. Woohyun would wake up soon anyway—aggression and excitement taking hold of his body in ways he wouldn't be able to control. For the sake of others, Sunggyu had to hand him over to the guards aiding them.

Sungyeol came back in time to take Woohyun from his arms. As if out of his body, he heard himself barking orders. Take him to the special room. Call the doctor they had in-house. See that he’s not hurt. Lock the door. Keep Sungjong and Myungsoo, and any other omegas, away. He would check in with their medic after Woohyun was seen and see what they could do. Everyone else had strong instructions to turn themselves in for an early night.

Things were under control, he told himself, escorting both Sungjong and Myungsoo inside. Maybe he said it out loud at some point, trying to ease the worry with a soothing scent. It couldn’t quite work if he was as worried as both omegas, though. Maybe even more.

“I knew there was something wrong with him today,” Sungjong said, almost weeping. “I should’ve said something.”

Sunggyu felt pity for his fiance, who he knew he’d been neglecting considering they were soon to be married, but couldn’t bring himself to comfort him like the omega needed. Myungsoo, it seemed, was better equipped to deal with this.

“We all noticed, but we couldn’t have known,” he said, a hand over Sungjong’s shoulder, scent light and conciliatory. Sunggyu thanked him for it.

“Maybe you should stay together tonight,” Sunggyu suggested. He attempted a smile. “There’s nothing to be worried about. Tomorrow will go on as planned, but perhaps you’ll feel more at ease?”

He directed his question at Sungjong, who looked away, but didn't speak. Myungsoo cleared his throat. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something. Can I go with you?”

Sunggyu didn’t like the idea of Myungsoo accompanying him, but his brother looked resolute, and in all honesty, he didn’t want to meet with the doctor on his own. “Okay, let’s go see Dongwoo and then we can talk. But after that it’s either here or your room, you hear?”

Myungsoo nodded, and together they stepped back into the hall. He ordered one of his men to station outside Sungjong’s room for extra measure, but he didn’t think there would be any need. The place he had asked Sungyeol to put Woohyun in was built for these situations. Located in the basement, it locked from the outside and contained any scents that could put others in distress.

However, as they neared the base of the staircase, the strong whiff of rain assaulted his senses and put him on edge. He knew their basement was damp; after all, the manor was centuries old, and there was a molding problem they supposedly got rid of in the spring, but this was something else.

He pushed his brother back as a presence walked up to them. Thankfully, it was just Sungyeol, whose scent was soon overwhelming with protectiveness the moment he picked up on theirs—on Myungsoo's, really. Overall, a terrible mix of steel and rain.

“Go back upstairs. I’ll be with you in a second,” he told his brother, but looked at Sungyeol. He didn’t have to say anything to the knight, knowing he would stay with Myungsoo until Sunggyu returned.

Once he knew Myungsoo was out of reach, he stepped forward. There was a force that repelled him, though, something primal that told him there was only trouble ahead. He ignored it.

At last, he made it to the door, just in time for the doctor to close it and lock it, pocketing the key and muffling the scent. Sunggyu was familiar with the room. Despite the somberness of the basement, which Sunggyu suspected was used as a dungeon centuries ago, he trusted the remodelling of the inside made it feel a tad more homely. Though his own ruts were infrequent and short, he still relied on the place for everyone else’s comfort. His brother, who was more regular with his heats, and any guests they had, though infrequent, also spent a few days here each time.

The one who assisted with watching over them, of course, was the doctor. Dongwoo was an odd man, but an amicable beta. Considered mad by some, and admired by others—like Myungsoo—to a degree, Sunggyu thought of him as a somewhat esoteric person who fulfilled his duties, and that was enough. He had hired him to be their onsite physician before Myungsoo presented, mainly because he did not want his brother to face the challenges he had. The other reason was that he was worried about his own sporadic spells of weakness that affected him throughout the years, although they hadn’t found a cure for it yet.

“How is he?” he asked Dongwoo, who turned to greet him. Knowing him, the smile on his face could spell both disaster and good news.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, my lord,” he said, adjusting his round specs, “except that this one is quite the late bloomer.”

“He chose the perfect time, I would say,” Sunggyu replied, thinking of their schedule ahead, though at this point he wasn’t even sure what would happen. “And the fall? He didn’t hit his head too badly, did he?”

Dongwoo shook his head. “He’s fine. You know a carriage could run over an alpha in rut and nothing would come of it.”

Sunggyu let out an exhale. “Can I see him?”

The smile on the doctor’s face twitched, if only a little. He shook his head.

“Not the best idea. He’s somewhat coherent, though aggressive. Seeing you—or any alpha, really—could agitate him further,” he explained. “It’s best to leave him as is. Your men will bring him food and guard the door for the next few days.”

“Days?” Sunggyu echoed. His own ruts lasted a night or two at most. Was that out of the norm?

“Remember, it's his first time dealing with this,” Dongwoo said, leading Sunggyu away from the door. “And as he is presenting so late, it will take him a while to adapt. His senses… the energy within him…”

He trailed off, eccentric as usual, making wild motions with his hands. Sunggyu tuned out the explanation, looking back at the closed door and thinking of Woohyun secluded in that space. As they approached the stairs, he considered an idea that made his stomach churn.

“What if he had someone? If we looked for an omega… companion for him?” Forcing the words to leave his mouth felt like such a task, but it was the solution that made the most sense.

He thought of Sungjong only because he was technically Woohyun’s protegé, but the thought of considering his fiance for something like this didn’t sit right with him. Besides, Sungjong was too delicate, too inexperienced, to deal with an alpha in rut. Though perhaps he’d be willing, if Woohyun was as dear to him as he seemed.

No.

Sunggyu discarded the idea immediately. He couldn’t let it be.

He looked at Myungsoo, then, having a heated conversation with Sungyeol in hushed voices, and felt repulsed by the mere thought. The idea was also completely discarded when they both suddenly turned to him, falling silent at the same time. Sunggyu didn’t know what that was about, but he figured it had something to do with Myungsoo wanting to talk to him.

Then perhaps a servant… or a paid service of sorts… There could be someone at the village nearby who would be willing. He hated every single one of those options, and yet they had to be considered.

Luckily, Dongwoo pulled him out of his spiral. “He refused. That was my first suggestion, and what I’d still recommend, but he didn’t want to.”

Something akin to relief flared in his chest, followed immediately by the guilt of placing his own feelings, if only for a moment, before Woohyun’s current state.

Sunggyu pictured the other alpha in the room again: out of control of his body, unable to rid himself of an ache so deep it could not be cured by anything other than a company he wouldn’t be able to find—one that Sunggyu was depriving him of.

It pained him to think of Woohyun like that, when there were so many unresolved things between them, and after last night, after Woohyun proved to him there was something they could rekindle, he didn’t know what to do.

He looked back at the basement.

“What if his companion wasn’t an omega?” he muttered impulsively, the words leaving his mouth before he realized.

Dongwoo nearly tripped over the step in front of him, the last one to reach the top. “Eh?”

Sunggyu turned back right away and caught him in time to stop the doctor from going face-first onto the floor.

“Forget it,” Sunggyu said in a rush, flushing with embarrassment and nearly dropping the other man. “Forget I said anything. Thank you for your help. Good night, doctor.”

Dongwoo looked like he still hadn’t regained his balance properly and wanted to say more, but Sunggyu didn’t want to stick around to listen.

It was obvious in his expression, he supposed, because Dongwoo laughed nervously and stuttered, “A-ah, yes, good night, my lord.”

There went one unresolved matter, and as for the other one…

Sunggyu hurried to his office, followed by Myungsoo and their knight, who stayed behind when the brothers entered the room. Though the nudge he gave the omega wasn’t missed, or particularly subtle. They really had to do something about that insubordination of his.

He sat down in his chair, elbows over the desk, and motioned towards Myungsoo. “Speak.”

His brother didn’t seem fazed by his curtness. It was getting late, and Sunggyu’s day had been, to put it lightly, a mess.

“What do you think of Sungjong so far?” he asked.

Sunggyu looked up, surprised that this was the starting point in their conversation. “What do you mean?”

Myungsoo shrugged, playing with his hands. “Well, the rehearsal is tomorrow. The wedding will be the day after. And then, the mating rites. Are you confident that you’ll be able to go through all that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Sunggyu replied with a question of his own, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ve followed along with everything I’m supposed to.”

“That’s the problem. You’re only following along. You’ve barely spoken to Sungjong since you met him,” Myungsoo explained, hands over the desk and towering over Sunggyu. His tone wasn’t harsh, but he was serious. “Do you want to do this at all? Do you picture yourself living next to him when you can’t stop looking at the captain? Yes, I noticed. You didn’t even tell me about him, and now we have to keep him in the dungeon because he's going through his first rut?”

“It’s not a dungeon,” Sunggyu grumbled. After an awkward pause, he added, “I had it remodelled.”

Myungsoo looked at him, rage behind his widened eyes. His brother had acquired Sunggyu's matter-of-fact way of seeing things and perfected it when convenient for him, but sometimes he showed his emotional side too. Sunggyu would almost think of the sight as cute if he weren’t so tired and frustrated already.

Eventually, Myungsoo gave in and looked away.

“Should we cancel the wedding?” he asked.

Sunggyu nearly jumped out of his seat. “What? No! I promise I’ll be better. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Woohyun. I’ll put more effort from now on.”

“You must’ve had your reasons, I know. It’s not about that… It’s just that you shouldn’t have to put in more effort. I just want you to be happy,” Myungsoo said. “And Sungjong too, I just feel so bad for him.”

Sunggyu frowned. Again, the conversation had turned to the young omega. “You’re bringing up Sungjong a lot. What’s going on?”

Myungsoo turned again and stared at him for a bit, less heated this time. Then, he flopped onto the chair behind him.

“I just…” he started, with his hand on his chin, like he was trying to cover his mouth. “I really like him.”

Sunggyu blinked, eyebrows climbing up to his hairline. How had he not noticed?

“What?”

“Nothing has to come of it, of course. I wouldn't do that to you. But he’s, you know. I look at him and feel like time stops until he smiles.” Myungsoo paused, rubbing his face with both hands. “I’m sorry, I know it’s not making a lot of sense.”

Sunggyu thought of Woohyun, then. Of the silly jokes he made back at the academy, of the tricks he played on Sunggyu when they were young. He thought of that very afternoon, when Sunggyu told them about the boar, expecting to get an acknowledgement, a smile—anything to show that this was a nice recall of memories they both treasured. He thought of the hurt he felt when the young alpha only muttered a non-answer and called him by his title again, widening the gap between them once more.

“No, I understand,” he said, deflating on his chair. Myungsoo peeked at him from under his hands.

“You do?”

Sunggyu nodded, reining his thoughts back to his brother’s issue instead. “You’ve been exchanging letters all this time, and now that you finally meet, he’s perfect. For you.”

“But not for you?” Myungsoo said with a tinge of hopefulness in his voice, scent milky and pure.

Sunggyu nodded, biting his nail. Having to think of solutions instead of mindlessly dwelling on his feelings always made him feel better, if only for a bit.

Omega marriages, though uncommon, were not as frowned upon as, say, two alphas, or an alpha and a beta. However, with both of them coming from noble lines, it would be tricky for Sungjong's family to accept the change without taking offense to it. And there was another matter at hand.

“What about your knight? Wasn’t he courting you?” He asked, watching the tips of Myungsoo’s ears turn scarlet.

“Like you would allow that,” Myungsoo scoffed. Sunggyu had to give him credit for that; as much as he wanted his brother to be happy, that relationship was something that had to stay in the shadows. It was a bit surprising, though, when Myungsoo continued, “He’s also, uh. He’s quite fond of Sungjong, too.”

He did not elaborate further, but Sunggyu didn’t need him to. He realized that must have been what they were discussing while Sunggyu was downstairs. And that afternoon, too, Sungyeol had made a show of killing a buck and taking it back slung over his shoulders to the omega pair, for which he received a chorus of impressed cries. That, combined with Woohyun's rejection, had made Sunggyu’s young boar seem even less impressive, and his pride hurt a bit.

An omega marriage and their alpha knight. Sunggyu snorted lightly. That solved the issue of an heir, he supposed. Perhaps even more than one, which would leave him free.

Free to… what, exactly?

Sunggyu looked at his brother again, who couldn’t read his thoughts, thankfully, but seemed to consider they were heading in a positive direction. Still, it was too rushed of a decision, and with the guests already on their way, quite a change from what they’d arranged.

“Don’t get too hopeful,” he warned. “We’ll have to discuss this with Sungjong’s family too. They should be here tomorrow, though his parents are not coming.”

“I know,” Myungsoo said, his scent souring. “I’ve been thinking of that too.”

“The guests will be in for a surprise. We may need to delay… all this,” he motioned around them in representation of all the preparations the manor had gone through. Then again, they were things they could work through. “If that’s what would make you happy, we can do anything. Not tonight, though. It’s getting late, and my head hurts. Let’s continue this conversation tomorrow.”

Myungsoo took that as his cue to leave. Despite Sunggyu’s warning, his scent brightened, at ease. Frothed milk on top of a hot drink. He stood up, bowing lightly. “Yes, yes. Goodnight."

“Good night,” Sunggyu waved him off, turning towards the window.

“Don’t stay up too long,” his brother said before closing the door. “And take it easy. It smells like a forest fire here.”

Sunggyu scoffed, standing up to look through his office window; like he could sleep.

*

For a while he stood there, staring at the sky. Myungsoo, as the one making the arrangements for him, had read up on a bunch of texts regarding the importance of the mating rites taking place under the full moon, so they had tried to time it as best as possible. Now it all seemed for nothing.

It was decided; he couldn't marry Sungjong. He wouldn't.

His thoughts drifted back to Woohyun again, to what the other alpha was going through, and recalled the past with bitterness.

His own first rut had been rough, to put it lightly, though traumatic was perhaps a better word to describe it.

Back at the academy, the day started normally, except for the mild discomfort he felt in the morning. He still remembered the slight fever, the shivers—remembered chalking it up to a cold.

The problems arose when he met Woohyun during drills that afternoon, who challenged him to a fencing duel. It was routine at that point; Woohyun would push, Sunggyu would accept, and at the end they would face each other with ferocity and determination to win, all with the spirit of fair play. The results were always mixed, but if sometimes—only sometimes—Sunggyu paused slightly before the last strike, leaving himself open just a tad for Woohyun to score a point, no one needed to know.

That day hadn’t been the case. The fight had been more intense than usual, going beyond the standard rules of fencing, and even after their instructor and fellow peers tried to pull them away, Sunggyu had snarled and kicked, trying to tackle down and strike Woohyun with more than the sword.

Neither of them had a scent by that point, and yet the lingering smell of something unpleasant that he couldn’t name clung to Woohyun. Instinctually, he knew Woohyun had gotten the scent stuck to him from his previous lessons with an underclassman that Sunggyu didn’t know and didn’t want to know. There was no way he could disclose what had made him so agitated, though, so Sunggyu stuck with a rushed apology through gritted teeth and left.

He hadn’t counted on Woohyun thinking there was something personal against him, though. That night, when the young man pulled him out of his dorm and towards the courtside, growling about competition and superiority, Sunggyu knew he had to explain. There was no time for that, though, when Woohyun threw a wooden sword at him and began striking.

By that point, Sunggyu’s nerves were fraying, like a string about to snap, and Woohyun still smelled all wrong. Yes, Woohyun was famously the one with the temper, but Sunggyu could get on the same level. He wanted to grab Woohyun by the neck and rub the skin there until the scent disappeared, until no one could tell it had been there. Or better yet, until it was replaced by—

Instead, he picked up the sword and swung, wanting to project the hurt he felt.

The wooden swords were soon abandoned, replaced by their fists. Sunggyu kicked and scratched, playing dirty in retaliation whenever Woohyun did the same.

Such was the violence that the kiss was unexpected.

It had happened so fast, but Sunggyu remembered it all in painful detail: the way they rolled along the courtside until he found himself nearly victorious, pinning Woohyun to the wall, until the world tipped over its axis. He didn’t expect the other to trip him, pulling them down together until Sunggyu was secured, straddling Woohyun's hips while the younger man pulled him by the hair and, and—

There were many things that had been feeling wrong with Sunggyu that day, but when Woohyun pressed their lips together (with force, almost stinging) it was like his spirit was finally aligned to his body. He melted into the kiss, hands coming up to grab Woohyun by his jaw as the other let go of his hair, but only to wrap his arms around Sunggyu’s waist. It felt perfect, like they fit together, until an unknown force tore them apart.

“Found them!” said the voice belonging to a guardian or custodian of the school—which was something he'd realized in retrospect. At that moment, though, Sunggyu only remembered hazy shapes, unyielding arms caging him and pulling him away when all he wanted was to stay with Woohyun.

They couldn’t afford a scandal like that at the academy, though, so what the staff did was go through a hasty explanation of his presentation and initial rut, and send him to the dungeon—a proper dungeon, not what Myungsoo liked to call their special room.

In there, all he could think of was Woohyun. The heat of his body, the taste of blood, the softness of his lips. Those things looped together inside his mind, and he couldn’t do anything about it. As much as he tried to seek relief through his own touch, it wasn’t enough. His limbs felt too heavy, body tense and disgustingly warm.

And to make things worse, when he was finally clear of mind and free from his rut, there was a letter from the North waiting for him. It discussed his parents' health situation because of a streak of disease roaming through the area, and called for him to return home immediately. He'd set off as soon as he was done reading, not even sparing a moment to let anyone but the administrators at the academy know.

But it was useless; by the time he'd arrived, they had passed.

Over the years, he had learned to live with his decisions and the circumstances that led to them, but sometimes, on nights like these, he wondered what would've happened if he had talked to Woohyun before leaving. Had the school admins even told him? Sunggyu barely understood things himself.

Maybe Woohyun would've gotten it, maybe even joined him on the journey back home. With his brother far too young to understand the situation, Sunggyu would've liked to have someone by his side as he stepped into the role he was supposed to play after his father's passing. Then again, once the dust settled, it was far too late, and as he let time pass without reaching out to the other man—too personal to share in a letter, too embarrassing to say in person—he grew comfortable with the idea they weren't meant to meet again.

A knock on the door interrupted his reminiscence.

He startled, looking back at the grandfather clock on the side of the room, illuminated only by the full moon. The candle they lit when entering the room had long since gone out, and the hour on the clock made no sense to him. Myungsoo had left a while ago.

“Who is it?” he asked, wondering for a second if he’d invoked Woohyun with his thoughts before he realized how ridiculous that sounded.

“Excuse me, sir. I wanted to continue our conversation from earlier today,” Dongwoo said from behind the door.

“Come in,” Sunggyu said, sitting back in front of his desk. As instructed, the doctor entered the room and closed the door behind him, carrying an oil lamp with him. “Though I thought we were done. Is everything okay?”

Dongwoo rubbed his hands nervously, the lamp he was holding swinging with that nervous energy of his. “It is, sir. I just couldn’t go to bed without speaking with you again. There’s something I’ve been thinking about, and I’m afraid I might’ve made a miscalculation, you see…”

“Get to the point,” Sunggyu cut him off, already feeling his headache returning, and with a worrying pang in his chest. What else could be going wrong?

“I’m getting there, I’m getting there,” Dongwoo said, looking serious this time. It looked like it took him a second to find his thoughts again. “I might’ve misjudged you, and left some things out for what I thought was my patient’s sake. But you have to understand me. I always thought of you as a rather conservative individual. After all, you’re quite the fearless leader of this region. Handling business in the north requires a strong will. So I thought it would be… offensive to bring this up… until you said something that caught my attention.”

“Dongwoo,” Sunggyu repeated, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The point.“

“When you asked about your… friend. The captain. Looking for a companion who’s not an omega, did you have someone in mind?”

This time it was Sunggyu who was stumped. He stayed silent, wondering what Dongwoo expected as a response. “…And if I did?”

The doctor broke into a smile.

“I’m not here to make any judgments, my lord,” he said, shaking his head to emphasize. “The well-being of my patients is all I care about.”

“So do you think it would be helpful for him?” Sunggyu found himself asking, giving in too soon. “If someone could assist?”

“It would certainly make it less painful, yes. The thing is, my lord, it can’t be just anyone,” Dongwoo replied. “Again, forgive me for omitting this piece of information; you’ll have to understand my reasons. But he called for you.”

Sunggyu heard the last words and felt something shift inside of him. Like the room was spinning, but only within his skin. Outside, he was as still as a statue.

“Me?” was all he could choke out.

Dongwoo nodded. “It’s… unconventional, but not impossible, and if both parties are in agreement, who knows, could be fun.” Leave it to the eccentric doctor to look at things from such a perspective. “It has been a long day for you, though, and if you decide to go through with it, even longer. I, err, have something that could help, but only a bit.”

He stepped further into the room and reached inside his pocket to pull out a container, a small perfume bottle that had likely been repurposed. He left it on the desk, within the duke's reach, and stepped back.

Sunggyu grabbed the bottle and tilted it, watching the viscous, transparent liquid swirl inside. There was no need for confirmation; he knew immediately what it was. Before losing any conviction, he nodded to himself and decided he could go through. However, Dongwoo could read his intentions, so he spoke up again before Sunggyu left the room.

“I would advise you to prepare yourself beforehand, though,” the doctor said, coughing into his hand. “I don't think the captain would be able to wait when you're with him.”

Sunggyu felt his face warming up immediately when he understood Dongwoo's words. He looked at the door, and then back at his office desk. Hiding in the comfort of his room for this would be the most ideal, but that was on the other side of the manor. Thinking back to Woohyun, he didn’t think he could afford to stall.

He nodded, feeling his resolution overcome his shame. Dongwoo fanned himself to get rid of his awkwardness.

“I shall wait for you downstairs. You know, having the key to the room, and all.”

Sunggyu watched him leave, clutching the vial to his chest, and turned to his desk. Before he set to the task, he had enough of a mind to leave a note for his brother. Above it all, he was sorry he'd have to leave Myungsoo to deal with the consequences of his actions. There would be questions in the morning, and he wouldn't be able to answer any of them.