Chapter Text
Walking through the town with its brightly colored ribbons and flowers would have been a much more enjoyable time if his feet weren’t aching and sore. Weeks on the road had been difficult but Yunho couldn’t bring himself to stop moving. To put as much distance between himself and his past as possible. He had crossed the border between kingdoms two weeks ago and managed to catch a ride with a traveler for few days. While the company had been pleasant, Yunho wasn’t eager to answer many of the questions thrust his way. Finding a solitary traveler wasn’t very common, especially one like Yunho. Thankfully, the man who picked him up off the side of the road didn’t seem to be bothered by it. Yunho’s lack of answers could have persuaded him to abandon him again but he didn’t. The old man had been kind enough to even give him a sack of food to help tide him over until he reached the town.
“Excuse me.” Yunho mumbled with a quick bow of his head.
He’d bumped shoulders with someone while trying to navigate the busy street. The man merely grumbled at him about young people having no respect and kept walking. Yunho sighed, but was grateful that was all it was. It seemed he’d managed to reach the town during a market day. The scents of fresh baked bread and roasted meat assaulted his nose. His empty stomach growled painfully and Yunho sighed as he rubbed it with his hand. He had to be careful with his money, not having much left since he’d left home. The food the old man had given him was still good, but Yunho found himself craving more. He stopped under a thin awning and pressed his back to the wall. Yunho dug out his leather pouch and counted out his coins. He frowned and leaned his head back, resting it against the rough wall behind him. He would need to figure something out to earn more money soon. He couldn’t continue for much longer like this.
A soft scent wafted through the crowds and drew Yunho’s attention. His wallowing cut short as he lifted his gaze to find the source of it. He couldn’t quite describe the mixture but he knew it was comforting. What home would smell like if he had one. It wasn’t the same as the food stalls that surrounded the market. Two men walked past and Yunho caught the scent again. He followed them with his eyes, intrigued. The scent wasn’t a strong one, per se, but enough for him to know these men were both Betas. Looking at them, Yunho found himself surprised. One was quite tall, much like himself. While the other looked small and slim like a lot of desirable Omega. But the fact he was male made Yunho push that thought away immediately. Male omega were so incredibly rare, he doubted he would ever meet one on the street.
The shorter man laughed at something his companion said and Yunho found himself entranced by the taller man’s smile. His cheeks pressed up into his eyes, turning them into crescents. His voice sounded deeper than Yunho expected and he felt a slight shiver down his spine. He straightened, flustered at his own reaction and quickly shook his head.
“No, calm down.” Yunho slapped his cheeks with his hands. He knew he didn’t have time to pine over someone he had merely seen in passing. He was a traveler; he wouldn’t see the man ever again anyway. Despite that, Yunho looked up to see him again and was disappointed to find the two men had disappeared. Yunho adjusted his pack on his shoulders and stepped back out into the street. He dodged around a few people as he made his way toward one of the stalls. May as well get something to take with him as he continued on his journey.
Yunho looked over the meat rolls and finally selected a couple he would be able to take with him. They should last him until evening and he would be able to eat two meals with them. He painstakingly took out the two coins the meat rolls cost and handed it over before the stall owner wrapped them in a cloth and handed it over. The woman was round faced and flushed from the heat of cooking all day, but she smiled at him as he reached for the rolls.
“Haven’t seen a Beta like you around here.” The woman smiled again as she eyed him up and down. “You know, my daughter—”
“Ah, I’m sorry ma’am, I’m just passing through.” Yunho stammered as he took the bundle in his hand. “Have a pleasant day.” He bowed his head and quickly disappeared into the crowd before she could attempt to continue her train of thought.
Yunho slipped down an alleyway and leaned against the wall there. He took a deep breath, savoring the moment away from the crowded street. He unwrapped the bundle he’d just purchased and ripped one of the rolls in half. He bit into it and had to hold back a moan of delight. The sound caught in his throat at the taste of the juicy meat on his tongue. It had been so long since he had eaten something this savory and he found himself aching to eat all of it in one go. Yet in a true show of self-restraint, Yunho managed to only consume the half-roll he’d torn off. He forced himself to wrap the rest back up and put it into the top of his pack for later. He took a long swig from his water pouch and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Yunho’s stomach seemed to settle down from that and he closed his eyes a moment to take it in.
“Hey, get your hands off.” A low voice drew his attention and Yunho instantly lifted his head again. His eyes darted toward the other end of the alley and he saw what looked like a group of men cornering two others. It was difficult to see from the distance and between the laundry that was strung across between the buildings. But the voice clearly sounded like he didn’t like what was happening.
“Just walk away, don’t get involved.” Yunho told himself. He knew he shouldn’t stick around. He needed to keep a low profile and just keep moving. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned to leave the alley when he heard the group laugh and another voice, higher pitched this time.
“Don’t touch me! Leave him alone!” The higher voice yelled angrily.
Yunho froze in his steps. He balled his fists and squeezed his eyes shut. He needed to keep walking. He needed to stay out of it. It wasn’t his business. He tried to keep going. He really did, but the next yell was quickly cut off and Yunho knew he couldn’t ignore it anymore. Whoever was in that alley was in trouble and Yunho couldn’t in good conscience let it be. He knew he would likely regret it later, but something in him told him he needed to help.
He moved quietly down the alley, hoping to catch the men off guard. He could hear them laughing mixed with pained grunts. One glance between two drying sheets and he could see a man on the ground, curled up to protect his stomach as two men were kicking him. Despite that, he seemed like he was trying to kick at someone else. Yunho’s eyes widened when he noticed one of the men he’d seen not that long ago was held up against the wall. One of the attackers had his hand on his mouth, while the other held his wrists together above his head.
Yunho’s heart raced in his chest. He caught the clear scent of ‘Alpha’ from the group of men and felt a shiver run down his spine. He swallowed hard, knowing he wasn’t going to come out of the altercation unscathed. But the way the two men were being treated didn’t allow Yunho to leave it alone.
“Look at you, so small and fragile like an Omega.” The man holding the smaller of the two smirked as he nosed at his scent gland. “Bet if I bitched you, I could make you one.”
The smaller man glared at him and thrashed his body just enough to dislodge his hand. He bit into the meat of his palm and the alpha howled from the pain. “You’d die before you could even try.” He spat once his mouth was freed. Yunho was momentarily stunned but quickly spurred into action when he saw the Alpha raise his hand to slap the man who’d bitten him. He was too far away to stop the action, but decided that being quiet wasn’t good enough anymore. Surprise wouldn’t matter much if he was too late.
“Leave him alone!” The taller, still on the ground yelled angrily. Despite his pain he was more concerned for his companion.
“What are you going to do about it, Beta?” Another said as he kicked the man particularly hard. “Is your tiny Alpha going to come and save you? He rarely even leaves that mansion of his.” The men around laughed.
“That’s enough.” Yunho yelled as he whipped a sheet out of his way. The still damp fabric was ripped from the clips holding it on the line and dropped to the ground. Yunho would have felt bad for ruining the laundry but couldn’t focus on that in the moment. He found himself faced off with four Alphas. Each one broad and muscular and clearly used to being the top of the food chain. One of the men kicked the man on the ground again before he turned to look at Yunho.
The smaller one kept trying to get away from his captor but was held fast, this time, the man’s hand was on his throat, squeezing. Yet he stared Yunho down with a fire in his eyes. The Alpha was clearly upset at being interrupted.
“The hell do you want?” One of the men asked. He spit something on the ground that he’d been chewing on and Yunho wrinkled his nose in disgust.
“Move along, leave them alone.” Yunho tried to make himself look bigger. He wasn’t surprised people assumed he was a Beta. He didn’t have much of a scent. He wasn’t broad and well-built like most Alphas, and he most certainly didn’t look like an Omega.
“Who’re you to tell us what to do?” The man with the smaller captive smirked. He nipped at his throat and laughed at the way the man snarled in reply, only to be choked again.
Yunho worried he would pass out if he was held like that for too long. His eyes flicked between the three other Alphas, trying to decide the best course of action. He didn’t have a weapon on him, he’d lost it when he lost his footing trying to cross a rapidly flowing river a few days ago. Luckily most of his supplies in his pack had remained intact. He wished he’d taken the time to buy another dagger as he watched the men start to approach him. He held up his hands placatingly and backed up a few steps.
“Just a traveler passing through. Just let those men go and we can all go on our way.” Yunho tried. He knew it wouldn’t work, but he had to give it a shot anyway. His stance drew the unoccupied Alphas toward him. He wanted to put as much distance between them and the men they’d been attacking as possible.
“Just a traveler huh? Sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.” The biggest Alpha centered himself with his two companions at his shoulders. Yunho watched them carefully. When the first lunged for him, he instantly took to his instincts.
Quick on his feet, Yunho was able to dodge the man and used his own momentum to propel him into the wall behind. A sickening crack reached Yunho’s ears as the man’s skull hit the unforgiving brick wall. He winced at the implication. A cry of rage startled him just as the two others rushed toward him. Angry their friend had been injured and not about to be shown up by some stranger whom they assumed would be weaker than them. In terms of raw strength, they would have been right. Yunho didn’t have much muscle mass, but his lithe form was deceptive. He’d grown up learning to fight from one of the men who worked for his Uncle. He had been like an older brother to Yunho until he died. Yunho learned to be fast on his feet and use his height and reach to his advantage.
While Yunho tousled with the two remaining Alpha, the smaller Beta was fighting for his life in an attempt to just get another breath of air. He kicked at his attacker but his movements were weaker due to his lack of oxygen. He could see black spots in his vision and panic was setting in. He couldn’t see his Bonded and had no idea where he was. The backs of his hands were scraped and bleeding because of the wall behind him. The alpha never let go of his wrists as he choked the life from him, nose buried deep into his scent gland and relishing the sour notes of distress that flavored his naturally bright scent. He could hear the sounds of the mysterious stranger fighting somewhere beyond, but his fading vision made it impossible to see who was winning.
Just as he was about to lose consciousness completely, the Alpha who pinned him was suddenly ripped away from him.
“Wooyoung!” That familiar deep voice he loved so much burst passed the rush of blood in his ears as his body collapsed. The comforting scent of cedarwood filled his senses as shaking arms wrapped around him.
“Mingi…” Wooyoung coughed. His vocal cords felt like they’d been nearly crushed and his voice felt like sandpaper as it scratched out of his throat. He looked up at his Bonded, glad to see he was there. Mingi’s face was dirty and a cut marred his left cheek. He would likely have bruises by the end of the day.
“Are you okay?” Mingi asked as his hands fluttered around Wooyoung in search of injury. He completely ignored his own pains in his worry for the younger.
“’M fine.” Wooyoung felt tired but knew he couldn’t allow himself to sleep just yet. He noticed the sounds of fighting seemed to have stopped. He tried to look passed Mingi to see the outcome, his scent souring at the thought the Alpha’s may come back.
Mingi followed his gaze a moment and caught sight of Yunho standing there, leaning against a wall with his hand. Blood dripped from his nose and he wiped it with the back of his hand, breathing heavily. Both Beta were apprehensive at the man’s lack of scent but didn’t let it get to them too badly just yet. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
“You okay?” Yunho panted out once he noticed the two looking at him. He staggered a bit in his exhaustion. For a while there he was certain he wouldn’t beat the last man he fought. His lack of proper diet had done a number on his stamina. He felt relieved that both were upright and awake.
“Thanks to you.” Wooyoung managed. He pat Mingi’s shoulder, despite the elder’s worry and sat up a little more. His body ached from being slammed against the wall but he didn’t let it stop him from checking on Mingi.
“You’re hurt and you worry over me.” Wooyoung chastised him as he looked at the taller man's tattered clothes. He clicked his tongue with worry before he carefully kissed Mingi’s bruised lips. “Seonghwa is going to be so worried.”
Mingi looked a little guilty for a moment but shook his head. He didn’t quite trust the stranger standing at their backs, but he figured it was safe enough since he’d helped them just moments ago. The fight had given Mingi the chance to finally get up. The Alpha who had trapped Wooyoung seemed to have forgotten about him and Mingi was able to pull him away and lay a solid punch to his jaw.
“They were going to—” Mingi tried to reason but was cut off by another kiss. Wooyoung’s scent remained sour despite his attempts at calming his Bonded. The attack had clearly rattled him, but he was trying his best to not show it.
“I’m alright.” Wooyoung pressed his forehead to Mingi’s a moment then looked up. His eyes found the exhausted stranger and he opened his mouth to thank him again for his help when he noticed movement to the side.
One of the Alphas wasn’t done yet and was rushing toward where Mingi and Wooyoung were huddled against the wall. The glint of metal in his hand made Wooyoung’s heart race and his body freeze. Mingi’s back was vulnerable and neither could move fast enough. In a blur, the tall man who’d helped them shoved his body between them and the Alpha. His back slammed against Mingi’s which nearly crushed Wooyoung against the wall. A pained cry registered in the youngest Beta’s ears but he could do nothing to see what happened.
Mingi managed to push his hands against the wall, protecting Wooyoung as best as he could. The Alpha was kicked away and Yunho lunged after him. The knife, now in Yunho’s hand, was quickly stabbed into the man’s stomach. It was purely instinct and self-preservation. Yunho hadn’t even realized he’d done it at first. Adrenaline kept him upright until the Alpha painfully shoved him off from straddling his hips. One of his companions hurried and pulled him up while the other carried the unconscious man on his back.
Yunho supported himself on his hands. He felt so much more tired now and wasn’t quite sure why his side hurt so much. He turned to look at the two men against the wall. His face was pale but he managed a soft smile of relief. “I’m glad…I got there in time.”
“M-mingi!” Wooyoung tried to scramble away from him as the tall stranger fell sideways and landed on the ground. Blood seeped into his shirt and onto the ground.
Mingi stared wide-eyed as he realized the man had been stabbed. He must have gotten the knife after it impaled his stomach and fought with his bleeding wound. He let Wooyoung move away from him. He followed with his own arm wrapped around his battered and bruised ribs.
“Shit, he’s bleeding badly.” Wooyoung stripped off the jacket he was wearing, not caring that the expensive fabric would be ruined. He pressed it to the man’s wound and tried to staunch the bleeding. “Can you have the carriage meet us?”
“What- you want to take him with us?” Mingi asked with widened eyes. He wasn’t sure how Hongjoong would react to them bringing an unknown person to their home. Especially with the others there. They didn’t really have a way to warn their head Alpha ether.
“We can’t just leave him here.” Wooyoung hissed. He coughed again and looked at the man’s rapidly paling face. “Hurry, I don’t know how badly wounded he is!”
Mingi was hesitant to leave his side. After the attack out of nowhere, he didn’t think Wooyoung was safe on his own. But the way the man lay on the ground looking deathly white made Mingi move. He picked up his battered body and hurried to the entrance. He looked around and grabbed one of the errand boys passing him. He pressed a gold coin into his hand and told him to fetch the carriage at the end of the road. The boy looked at him with wide eyes then nodded and ran off to do as he was asked. Relieved, Mingi hurried back to the alley and knelt next to Wooyoung.
“I told you to get the carriage.” Wooyoung’s voice cracked. His hands were covered in blood. The fabric of his jacket was already soaked through.
“One of the errand boys is getting it. They’ll be here soon.” Mingi took off his jacket as well and pulled Wooyoung’s hands away to place it on top of the already soaked material.
Wooyoung looked at his shaking hands covered in crimson. Mingi knew it reminded him of the time San had been attacked by bandits during one of his trips. He’d turned up with blood soaking the side of his trousers, driven by sheer will to return home. Wooyoung had found him in front of the house, collapsed and bleeding on the ground. Mingi would never forget the desperation in his screams for help.
“It’s okay. He’ll be okay.” Mingi tried to keep his own mind from wandering. Luckily, it didn’t take long for their carriage to arrive. It pulled up at the entrance to the alley and the driver rushed to their sides.
“Master, what’s happened?” The older man asked with worry. He noticed the blood on Mingi’s cheek and on Wooyoung’s hands.
“We were attacked while shopping. This man here risked his life to help us.” Mingi explained. Wooyoung snapped out of his thoughts and jerked his head toward the two men.
“We need to take him home.”
“Master Wooyoung, I don’t think—”
“I don’t care! He could die because of us. Please Lee.” Wooyoung looked at him with wide eyes, glassy and filled with worry.
Mr. Lee looked at the two Beta he was in charge of driving into the town. He worried his lip between his teeth a moment then sighed and nodded. He knew that the head of the house wouldn’t appreciate the surprise, but he was a benevolent man and would likely be willing to help someone who protected two of his Bonded loves. He swallowed then nodded his head.
“Let’s get him into the carriage then.” Mr. Lee bent down to help Mingi tie the sleeves of his jacket around the man’s waist. Moving him only made the blood seep faster but they needed to do something to keep the fabric against his wound as they carried him together to the carriage.
Wooyoung jumped in first and helped drag the taller man’s frame inside. He laid him on the floor and yanked one of the blankets from the bench and pressed it to the wound just as Mingi climbed inside and the door closed. The carriage started forward and both men had to brace themselves from lurching sideways.
“It’ll be okay. He’ll be okay.” Wooyoung kept saying to himself as he tried to keep the man from bleeding out. It wasn’t a quick journey home and Wooyoung feared it wouldn’t be fast enough. He could smell Mingi’s musky scent growing slightly stronger in an attempt to help calm him down. Wooyoung appreciated it much more than he could articulate.
Wooyoung’s mind swirled with emotions the entire ride back to the mansion they called home. It was nearly the size of the royal palace a few hours’ ride away. Why would this man decide to help them? Why would he risk his life for two strangers he’d never met. Even going so far as to block a blade with his own body. He didn’t understand it. But what made it even more difficult to understand was the worry and concern that Wooyoung was hit with. He’d seen people injured before. One of their guards had been killed in front of him during the first few months that Wooyoung started seeing San. But he hadn’t felt the sheer panic he felt in these moments. Worried the man would die before he could even learn his name.
Mingi moved behind Wooyoung and pressed his chest against the smaller’s back. His large hands helped to hold the blanket against the other man’s wound. The warmth of his body seemed to help the younger calm down enough to sweeten the bitter sourness to his scent. It wasn’t back to the bright and cheerful bergamot that Mingi loved so much, but it was a start. He just hoped they would make it in time and he could properly thank the unconscious man who had undoubtedly saved his life.