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“You stink, Glasses.”
Ryujin says with a look of disgust. Sayeon sniffs herself but can’t notice anything different. She wonders if it’s just Ryujin messing with her and decides to ignore it.
But Ryujin repeats the same thing over the next few days, and starting to get worried, Sayeon asks her cellmates in Cell 4 about it. Min stares at her blankly while replying that he doesn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Iseul sniffs the air and quickly shakes his head with a gentle smile, then asks what brought that on.
Sayeon, of course, doesn’t tell the truth and makes up an excuse instead.
She’s been noticing some strange behavior coming from the alpha. Those spiral eyes follow her everywhere. Ryujin’s irritation toward her isn’t unusual, but it’s become more frequent whenever they’re in risky situations. Not that they really are—Sayeon has everything under control, after all. With her gift, even if her teammates die ten times, she can bring them back with a snap of her fingers.
As the days go by, the stares turn evasive. Ryujin goes from watching her too closely to openly avoiding her. She does everything she can to finish the mission faster, turns down Juni’s invitations for drinks and free snacks—which is a luxury for blue ties like them. Even when Sayeon wakes up and looks to the side, she finds the bed empty, with no sign that anyone had spent the night there.
These behaviors, along with what Ryujin had said, planted a suspicion that one thing might be connected to the other. Later, when the day’s mission is done and everyone heads back to the room, Sayeon decides to confront Ryujin about her claim.
Curiously, that night, Ryujin isn’t in the room. So the alpha takes the opportunity to shower, and while she’s at it, she tries once again to see if she smells bad—but she senses nothing besides the soap and her own natural scent.
She starts questioning the situation more deeply. Ryujin is more sensitive to pheromones than Min and Iseul. So whatever she’s picking up on, it probably isn’t some kind of bad joke.
Sayeon gets dressed and dries her hair, but Ryujin still doesn’t show up. Just when she starts convincing herself that the conversation will have to wait until tomorrow, the door opens.
Ryujin looks at her, slightly surprised, before her expression shifts into a grimace.
“Take a shower, damn it,” she says irritably, raising her arm to cover her nose.
Sayeon almost feels offended—she had just gotten out of the shower, and Ryujin was still complaining. She’s about to point that out when Ryujin’s pheromones drift toward her.
They smell like cigarettes, irritation, and a third emotion Sayeon isn’t used to.
Her brow furrows, but she speaks, determined to have that conversation. “Ryujin. We need to talk.”
The alpha let out a mocking laugh and tried to walk past Sayeon toward the bathroom. That move irritated the alpha inside Sayeon, and she grabbed Ryujin by the arm. “Now.”
All of Ryujin’s stubbornness deeply provoked Sayeon’s inner alpha, which was urging her to put Ryujin in her place—to make her listen and respect her as the leader she was.
Ryujin looked from her arm up to Sayeon’s face, clearly annoyed. “Let me go. Now.” Sayeon could see the alpha’s gray eyes slowly turning red, but she didn’t loosen her grip—if anything, she tightened it.
“No. It has to be today.”
Sayeon caught a hint of frustration in Ryujin’s scent when she said that.
“I’m not talking to you while you stink like that, Glasses,” the alpha snapped, yanking her arm out of Sayeon’s grip.
Sayeon let her pull away, but inside, the feeling of being disrespected burned like wildfire. She laughed out loud, a raw, disdainful laugh that made Ryujin stop and look at her.
“You never listen to me, Ryujin.” The alpha had that look in her eyes—the one Ryujin would describe as manic. Or rather, predatory—as she stared at the other alpha.
Ryujin’s aura wasn’t much different from Sayeon’s. The air inside the room was oppressive, thick with alpha pheromones ready to clash.
“Why would I listen to a manipulative bastard like you?”
Something in Sayeon’s blue eyes darkened at that, and the next moment she had Ryujin pinned against the bathroom door. Her entire body pressed against the other’s, pushing in like a predator trapping its prey. Ryujin growled at the contact, trying to shove the alpha off her.
“Because I’m your leader, Ryujin. Isn’t that reason enough?” Sayeon asked with a sinister smile that made Ryujin’s instincts react automatically. The alpha kicked at Sayeon’s leg, throwing her off balance, but she hadn’t counted on being dragged down to the floor along with her.
The two of them were on the floor, with Ryujin on top. Her nose was wrinkled, as if she’d caught a bad smell. “Sayeon—”
The alpha didn’t let her finish, flipping their positions and pinning her down instead. “All you have to do is trust me. Is that so hard?” Sayeon held Ryujin’s wrists above her head, her face inches away.
Something in Ryujin’s expression twisted at the question, and a sharp pain shot through Sayeon’s head. She lost her balance and fell back onto the floor. Ryujin lunged at her again, grabbing Sayeon by the shoulders and slamming her down. A punch landed squarely on Sayeon’s face, making her grunt in pain.
“What kind of fucking question is that?” she sounded offended.
Sayeon didn’t fight back right away. She took in the situation. Ryujin was on top of her, eyes red and furious, releasing so many pheromones that it made her stomach ache.
Yes, she had let herself get carried away.
With a blood-covered smile, Sayeon snapped her fingers.
Snap.
Ryujin was standing in front of her again, and she smelled like frustration.
“I’m not talking to you while you stink like that, Glasses,” the alpha snapped, pulling her arm out of Sayeon’s grip.
Sayeon let her do it, forcing an innocent, confused expression onto her face.
“But I just took a shower,” she even tilted her head to the side.
That made Ryujin roll her eyes.
“Then you should take another one,” Ryujin said before stepping into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. Sayeon could hear the lock clicking into place.
The innocent expression faded, and Sayeon twirled a strand of hair around her index finger, thinking about what she should do to get a clearer answer out of Ryujin about the situation.
Only Ryujin could smell whatever scent she kept talking about, so Sayeon needed her to get any real information. She took a deep breath and walked over to her bed, sitting down.
She wasn’t going to give up on having this conversation tonight.
She just had to be patient and ask the right questions.
That’s it.
Ryujin gets irritated easily and is always suspicious when it comes to Sayeon.
The alpha waited for Ryujin, sitting on the bed. Using her heightened senses, she could hear the sound of the shower and the rapid beating of the other alpha’s heart. She could smell her too—cigarette smoke with a hint of fresh blood. When they first met, Sayeon had thought the cigarette scent was because the alpha was always smoking whenever she had the chance, but she had been wrong.
That was simply the natural scent of Ryujin’s alpha.
She took a deep breath, letting the smell fill her lungs. Even though she didn’t smoke, there was something about Ryujin’s scent that usually calmed her. But in that moment, what she felt was the opposite. A dull ache bloomed low in her abdomen, similar to cramps—except this time, it came with a burning heat as well.
The strange sensation had become frequent over the past few days. Sayeon had learned to ignore it. Normally, a cold shower would help ease it, but she had already taken one. Maybe Ryujin was right about taking another shower.
The sound of the door opening pulled the alpha from her thoughts. Ryujin wiped her face with a towel, and Sayeon’s blue eyes followed the droplets that trailed down the other alpha’s neck. She swallowed hard.
A faint humpf could be heard, and at that, Sayeon lifted her gaze to Ryujin’s face. She still looked angry and now avoided meeting Sayeon’s eyes.
The alpha watched Ryujin move around the room, dries her hair, and lie down on the bed with her back turned to her, as if she were ready to sleep. Sayeon stared at her back, thinking about how to start that conversation. There wasn’t an easy way—or one that wouldn’t irritate the other alpha. But that was fine.
With Sayeon’s ability, she could have this conversation as many times as necessary until she gathered enough information.
With that in mind, Sayeon cleared her throat before speaking. “What kind of scent am I giving off?”
Ryujin didn’t answer. Sayeon could hear the steady sound of the alpha’s breathing and knew she was awake—she just wasn’t responding because she didn’t want to. Well, she had expected that.
Snap.
This time, Sayeon let out a tired sigh, trying to sound frustrated. “Min and Iseul can’t smell this bad scent you keep talking about. Is it really that bad?”
Complete silence.
But Sayeon could smell the cigarette scent turning sour.
She lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, almost bored—and then—
Snap.
“Your scent isn’t that great either,” she lies, trying a new approach. “The guys don’t complain because they’re polite, but Iseul always tells me how oppressive your scent is.”
Another lie.
Even though Iseul was an omega and easily affected by hostile alpha scents, he hadn’t complained—though it had been obvious on his face.
She heard movement on the bed, as if Ryujin had turned to face her. However, Sayeon didn’t turn to look back and kept staring blankly at the ceiling.
“You’re lying,” Ryujin said with certainty. “I’d know if that were true.”
Sayeon laughed at that response.
Ryujin. Ryujin. Always so self-assured and arrogant. The alpha inside Sayeon begged to attack the other—to show her who was in charge. It was something Sayeon only felt when it came to that alpha. Min was an alpha too, yet Sayeon’s instincts never stirred around him. It was only with Ryujin.
With a sigh, she tried to calm the wolf inside her. After all, instincts were irrational—and she was the one in control.
“What are you laughing at, you psycho?” Ryujin’s voice rose with irritation.
“Nothing,” Sayeon laughed again, covering her mouth. “It’s just—do you really think they’d tell you? I’m the only one brave enough to say it to your face.” As she said that, she finally looked toward Ryujin, her smile fading into a serious expression.
Ryujin’s expression was a mix of disbelief and her usual exasperation—only sharper. Her hand gripped the pillow beneath her head tightly, as if she might use it as a weapon against Sayeon at any moment.
That brought the smile back to the alpha’s face.
“Shit,” Ryujin cursed. “How did this turn into being about me? You’re the one who smells like a bitch in heat.”
The smile vanished instantly. Sayeon looked genuinely startled, propping herself up on one elbow as she sat up.
“Wait. What?”
Now it was Ryujin who wore a smug smile—the kind of smile of someone who had just won a bet.
“That’s what you heard,” she shrugged. “You reek like an alpha looking for an omega to mate with.”
Sayeon paused to think. She had gone through rut before, and it had been hell—but it was still too early for that. She looked back at Ryujin.
“Is it very strong?”
She needed to know. How strong her pheromones were and whether they had affected anyone. Sayeon didn’t particularly like the fact that she had presented as an alpha. She would have preferred a thousand times over if her secondary gender had been beta, like Jaeil’s. Then she would be free of all this—free to chase her dreams without worrying about irritating instincts and ruts.
“That’s enough to irritate my nose,” she made a face. “You’d better take suppressants.”
That’s what Ryujin said before turning over again and covering herself up. Sayeon didn’t try to speak to her again. She was calculating what she should do next—and why she hadn’t thought of it sooner. That cramp… so that was it in the end.
Pre-rut, huh?
The best thing to do was take the suppressants and stop by the infirmary to inform Officer Ahn so the necessary measures could be taken. With that in mind, Sayeon got up, feeling a slight discomfort as she did. She sighed and walked to the bathroom, looking for the suppressants—only to find the bottle empty.
She remembers the bottle had been full—but that was a long time ago. Since she shares a room with another alpha, the two of them end up using it. Sayeon doesn’t know why Ryujin uses them too. She has tried to get that answer many times, and every single time the other alpha replied the same way, in a bored tone: “None of your business.”
That answer, of course, never stopped Sayeon from trying to uncover the real reason.
Well. The suppressants will have to wait until tomorrow.
Sayeon walks back into the room and heads straight to her bed, slipping under the covers. She waits a moment, listening to the steady rhythm of Ryujin’s breathing across the room.
Then she snaps her fingers.
Snap.
The sour cigarette scent lingered in the room, making the earlier cramp intensify. But unlike last time, Sayeon pulled the covers over herself and turned her back to Ryujin. She took off her glasses and set them on the desk before returning to the comfort of the sheets and soft mattress, clutching the stuffed rabbit in her arms.
With any luck, the cramp would be gone by tomorrow—and her scent wouldn’t be a problem anymore.
As it turns out, Sayeon Lee is not lucky.
In fact, she’s quite unlucky. That fact is confirmed the moment she wakes up with the sensation of burning alive. She feels her entire body overheated and her limbs sticky. Even before opening her eyes, the alpha kicks the warm sheet off herself and sits up in bed, seeing everything blurred from the lack of her glasses.
She realizes her breathing is unsteady and that the cramp that had once been mild has become almost unbearable. Sayeon fumbles around for her glasses, and when she finally reaches them and puts them on, everything comes back into focus.
Outside, it’s completely dark. Which means it’s still nighttime, and there are hours to go before the infirmary opens so she can get suppressants.
Amid the confusion clouding Sayeon Lee’s mind, the sound of steady breathing and the scent of cigarette smoke mixed with fresh blood call to her like a siren’s song. The eyes that had once been blue now glow in an intense teal.
The scent is enticing and pleasant, as if it were the cure for Sayeon’s torment.
She takes a deep breath, and the effect on her body is immediate—the pain eases, and something akin to delight spreads through her entire being. Wanting to feel more of it, Sayeon climbs out of bed. The floor is cold beneath her bare feet compared to the rest of her overheated body. She takes no more than four steps before her knees sink into Ryujin’s mattress.
The alpha looks so calm while she’s asleep. She even seems… smaller. Her expression is relaxed, without that usual suspicious frown. Sayeon hesitates for a moment before touching her to wake her. A part of her knows all of this is irrational—that she should go back to her own bed and sleep so morning will come faster. But the part of her that aches to feel more of the other alpha’s scent, to touch any part of Ryujin’s body, is stronger and makes more sense right now.
So what she does next is slip beneath Ryujin’s blanket, burying her nose in the curve of the alpha’s neck—and the reward is immediate. The scent reduces the pain to nothing, and Sayeon lets out a soft murmur of pleasure.
The scent seems to grow stronger in a specific spot higher up, and that’s where the alpha focuses—breathing it in obsessively. She tangles her legs with Ryujin’s, grabbing her by the waist in search of more closeness. Ryujin’s body feels so small against Sayeon’s hands, and so soft. One of her hands slips under the pajama shirt, touching her stomach.
That’s enough to wake Ryujin, and the first sign of it is the way her breathing turns uneven, followed by the sudden rigidity of her body.
The position changes drastically, and Sayeon finds herself beneath Ryujin like earlier. But this time, instead of pure anger, the gray eyes are filled with shock.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Lee?” she says in a hoarse tone, with less venom than usual.
Sayeon doesn’t respond, as if she hasn’t heard a single word the alpha said. Her teal eyes are far more interested in Ryujin’s neck.
Still in shock, Ryujin can feel it—it’s soaked into every corner of the room and now it’s on her too; citrus and pepper. It’s the scent she had been noticing over the past few days. Before, it had only been a fraction, but now? It’s pungent, almost overwhelming, sending shivers all over the alpha’s body.
“Your scent,” Sayeon demanded, pulling Ryujin down by the shoulders, pressing her nose close to her scent gland.
Ryujin trembled at the action, shoving Sayeon down and staring at her in disbelief.
“Have you lost your damn mind?” The alpha touched the spot, as if that could protect her from Sayeon’s atypical behavior.
Sayeon’s expression shifted to anguish at being pushed away like that. Everything she wanted was right there, on top of her, pulling away and denying her even a bit of comfort. When the tension in her abdomen returned, Sayeon switched their positions and instinctively pinned Ryujin beneath her.
Ryujin let out a small, startled yelp at the sudden change.
Sayeon wasted no time pinning Ryujin’s hands above her head, lacing her fingers tightly with hers. Sayeon’s hand was larger, almost completely covering Ryujin’s.
She lowered her face, breathing in the scent of cigarette smoke and fresh blood growing stronger. Sayeon gently brushed her nose there. “You smell good, Ryujin.”
Ryujin was speechless, trapped beneath Sayeon. In disbelief at the entire situation. Having the other alpha’s nose so close to her scent gland was dangerous, but no less pleasurable. She could feel everything—the way Sayeon’s overheated body pressed against hers, the subtle shift in the alpha’s scent as it changed from contentment to arousal.
That made her eyes widen as she struggled beneath her.
“Fuck. That’s why I told you to take the suppressants.” The more Ryujin tried to move, the more Sayeon resisted, pressing her back down against the mattress.
Sayeon inhaled Ryujin’s scent with slow curiosity, unhurried, discovering new spots along the alpha’s neck.
She spoke casually, “They’re gone.”
“What?” Ryujin asked angrily, shuddering when Sayeon’s nose brushed against a sensitive spot.
Sayeon pulled back, intense teal eyes staring at her. “The suppressants are gone.”
Ryujin’s body went rigid when she heard that, but unlike her, Sayeon wore a smug smile on her lips. “Your scent is better than them anyway,” she shrugged before returning her attention to Ryujin’s neck.
“Wait. Wait,” Ryujin said, failing to pull away from the alpha who was now brushing her lips near her scent gland, sending shivers through her body. “Damn it,” she muttered in a defeated tone when she realized that in this state, Sayeon was stronger—and if she wanted out of this, she would have to use her gift.
For a moment, she relaxed, staring at the ceiling in boredom before feeling Sayeon’s lips right over her scent gland. She trembled. That spot had been itching ever since she’d been attacked by the alpha.
Her alpha growled, trying to get Sayeon off her.
The scent of blood in the air shifted—fresher. Sayeon lifted her eyes at the exact moment red lines flashed between them, wrapping around her arms, hands, and neck. Ryujin’s gaze was focused, and blood trickled from her bitten lower lip.
Sayeon’s instinct—her alpha—saw that and imagined what it would taste like in her mouth. She licked her lips and tried to lean closer, but the lines restrained her, tearing a growl from her throat.
“Enough of this shit,” Ryujin glared at her, a hand at her neck. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but I’m not an omega.”
“You don’t have to be,” Sayeon said, a covetous look in her eyes.
Ryujin dragged herself back, sitting up on the bed. Sayeon’s scent wasn’t bad, it was just too strong. The thing was, it wasn’t strong for everyone—only for her alpha, who treacherously liked it. Which was ironic, since most of the time her alpha reacted spitefully toward Sayeon. Ryujin had always bragged about how in sync she was with her alpha, after hearing from classmates about the conflicts between their instincts and their own thoughts.
It seemed she wasn’t so different from them after all.
And that was a pain in the ass. Because over the last few days, Sayeon’s scent had been getting stronger. They used scent patches, and even when Sayeon was wearing one, Ryujin could still smell her clearly. So clearly as if her nose were pressed right against her scent gland. It was irritating—and even more irritating to know that none of her classmates besides her could smell it.
If it were just the scent, Ryujin could ignore it without much of a headache, but the smell caused sensations that were anything but welcome.
Sayeon is the head of Cell 4, but there are moments during missions when Ryujin wonders how someone so intelligent can have such low self-preservation. Of course, she’s there to save her ass before something worse happens. But with the added factor of that enticing scent, Ryujin’s alpha has become protective. Yesol always praised her for it, telling her that it was an alpha’s duty to protect the weaker ones. However, Sayeon isn’t weak—she’s an alpha and can handle herself. Or at least she should be, but Sayeon is terrible at hand-to-hand combat.
The alpha noticed, though, that this desire to protect came at random moments. For example, during a normal conversation among their classmates when Taeho started arguing against Sayeon’s ideas. Or when they went to grab a snack and Daehee and Tsubaki gathered around Sayeon, touching her as if they were that close. And the strangest of all, in Ryujin’s opinion: while Sayeon slept peacefully, unaware that she had kicked off the blanket and was cold because of it. In that moment, Ryujin felt the urge to get up and cover her, but once she realized it, she turned over and forced herself to sleep.
Of course, she couldn’t. She went out to smoke and ended up smoking about three cigarettes before feeling that urge ease.
Ryujin’s attention returned to the present when the room was filled with a pungent odor of sour scent and distress.
In front of her, Sayeon stared at her with an expression twisted in agony, as if she were suffering. Teal eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she tried to break free from Ryujin’s hold. The sight left the alpha speechless, the memory of the night Juni scolded them for fighting flashing before Ryujin’s eyes as if it were happening all over again.
Just like that night, Ryujin didn’t know how to react. She had seen Sayeon cry before—twice, three times counting this one. Based on those experiences, the alpha expected her to stop as soon as she realized she was crying. But unlike the previous times, more tears streamed down Sayeon’s cheeks, while the odor grew stronger, drawing a displeased hiss from Ryujin’s alpha.
“It hurts.”
Ryujin’s alpha stirred even more at those words, urging her to do something about the situation. To let Sayeon go and rub her wrist against her scent gland. That would bring relief to both of them, and it would feel so good to breathe Sayeon in freely.
Her brow furrowed with the confusion of sensations she was feeling in that moment. Her rational side and her instinct locked in a battle over what she should do.
“Ryujin, it hurts,” she repeats. “Make it stop.”
The essence is turned off almost immediately, and Sayeon collapses onto Ryujin’s parted legs, hands gripping each thigh to steady herself, the lower alpha’s body warming under the touch. Sayeon sniffles and wipes away her tears, casting a disoriented look in her direction.
That action makes Ryujin come to her decision.
“Shit, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she said before sinking both hands into Sayeon’s shoulders to steady herself. The latter had a dazed expression on her face, as if her brain had shut down and her instincts had taken over. If it were any other moment, Ryujin would have made a joke, but now she kind of finds it cute—the way Sayeon leans into the touch when she brushes her fingers against her cheek, closing her eyes like a cat being petted.
Ryujin clears her throat when she realizes what she was thinking, sliding her caresses down to her neck, touching every inch of skin she could before returning to her cheek.
Sayeon makes a sound at the touch that makes Ryujin stop immediately.
Did she hear that right?
Was Sayeon… purring?
She resumed the caresses and the sound repeated; a low, resonant noise that was steady and seemed to come from deep within Sayeon. An involuntary smile formed on Ryujin’s lips as she thought to herself that the alpha didn’t look like a control freak when she was like this.
Sayeon’s hand wrapped around Ryujin’s wrist, teal eyes following the alpha’s every move with careful attention, afraid the contact might be cut off.
Something inside Ryujin ached and, quickly—almost to prove she wouldn’t pull away—she acted on instinct more than anything else. She pressed two fingers against Sayeon’s scent gland. A pleased moan slipped from the other alpha at the contact. The purring grew louder, and the smell in the air shifted—turning sweeter, pure satisfaction flooding the dorm room.
The sound and pheromones worked wonders on Ryujin’s alpha, encouraging her to continue the caresses with less hesitation. She gently rubbed her fingertips there.
Sayeon squeezed her eyes shut, purring deeply. One moment her grip on Ryujin’s wrist tightened, and the next she pulled her forward into a tight embrace, tilting her head in an attempt to catch Ryujin’s scent.
With the sudden closeness, Ryujin felt intoxicated by the fragrance surrounding her and didn’t react at first—her hands frozen at Sayeon’s waist as she tried to process the fact that she was being hugged. Not by just anyone, but by Sayeon Lee.
How long had it been since she’d last been hugged? She couldn’t remember—and honestly, she couldn’t think straight even if she tried at that moment. Not with the other alpha holding her possessively, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of Ryujin’s neck and guiding her head toward her scent gland.
A moan slipped immediately from the back of Ryujin’s throat. The scent was so fresh at first, with a hint of warmth at the end—something she thought suited Sayeon perfectly. She finally reacted; her hands gripped the other’s waist tightly, indulging in the freedom of burying her nose right over the scent gland, feeling exhilarated by how good it was. Ryujin had never smelled anything as intoxicating as Sayeon in her entire life.
And it seemed her alpha agreed, because now Ryujin felt something rising from deep inside her—something steady and resonant, very similar to the sound Sayeon had been making before.
Purring.
She’s purring because of Sayeon.
Because of Sayeon Lee’s scent.
If she were in her normal state, that realization would have made Ryujin shudder for entirely different reasons than the ones coursing through her now. But at this moment, she doesn’t care. The only thing that matters is keeping Sayeon as close as possible—letting their scents curl together, intertwine, and blend into something new. A combination she could easily grow addicted to.
She sinks one hand into the skin at Sayeon’s waist—it’s warm, and the other alpha shivers, leaning into the touch as if welcoming it. Her fingers glide upward, slowly tracing every stretch of skin she can reach.
At the same time, she feels soft kisses against her neck, mapping a burning trail until they stop right over her scent gland. Unable to hide it, a moan slips from her lips. She tries to pull away, but the attempt is so weak that the other alpha continues, her licks and kisses unrelenting.
Ryujin’s nails dig into Sayeon’s flesh, and that seems to please her. The kisses shift—turning into gentle nips instead.
“Sayeon,” it came out like a reprimand—weak, breathless.
Sayeon growled, her grip tightening to keep her in place.
“Just a little more, Ryujin,” she said against her neck, her voice low and rough, sending intoxicating sensations straight between Ryujin’s legs. It should have sounded like a request—but it felt more like a command. One that Ryujin’s alpha was more than willing to surrender to, because in that moment, it felt right. Being marked by an alpha with a scent like that was her alpha’s dream.
But unlike her alpha, Ryujin didn’t want to be marked in this kind of situation.
Not like this.
“Seriously,” she protested as the bites grew harsher, tugging at the back of Sayeon’s shirt in an attempt to pull her away from her neck. “What the hell, Glasses.”
She activated her essence, biting her lip once more as she managed to direct it toward Sayeon’s mouth and neck, forcing her away from her own throat. Then she moved her hands—pinning them behind Sayeon’s back. The only thing Ryujin didn’t restrain were her legs.
Sayeon looked at her with kicked-puppy eyes, as if she might burst into tears at any second, muttering something Ryujin couldn’t quite understand.
The alpha sighed at that, a hand coming up to her neck as she thought about the mess that could’ve happened if she’d let her instincts take over. Sayeon would have marked her—and then what? They would be—
Another, more urgent whimper pulled her out of that spiral.
Trying to clear her head, Ryujin closed her eyes—which was a mistake. All she could sense was their combined scent hanging thick in the air. Need, anguish, and arousal tangled together, wrapping around her and seeping into her skin as if they were her own emotions.
Part of them were.
“I’m going to lose my damn mind,” the lament slips out easily. She opens her eyes to find teal ones staring back at her, full of pleading. “Don’t look at me like that. This is all your fault, dumbass needy alpha.”
Fighting to ignore the sensations crawling under her skin, she tries to remember what would help Sayeon regain some control. They’d already exchanged scents—that should’ve been enough, shouldn’t it?
Then she remembers the small detail she forgot.
“Fuck it.”
She lifts her wrist toward Sayeon’s neck, and Sayeon follows the movement without looking away.
“I’m going to do this, and if you behave, I’ll let you go. Got it?”
Sayeon looks at her when she hears the question.
“Can you even understand me?”
A nod is enough to draw a relieved sigh from the alpha.
“Good girl. Now stay still.”
The scent thickens with the proximity; desire burning in the air. Ryujin curses under her breath and presses her wrist against Sayeon’s scent gland, watching the exact moment Sayeon’s eyes flutter shut and her body relaxes against the bed.
She isn’t the only one affected.
A sense of fullness floods Ryujin’s body, drawing that sound from her again—low and steady—which seems to trigger Sayeon’s alpha in return. Sayeon begins to purr as well.
“Damn it, Sayeon.”
Ryujin throws her head back, closing her eyes and letting the sensation take over for a moment. Sparks of pleasure scatter through her mind and trail down her spine, and it feels so, so good that she finds herself wanting to repeat it again and again.
She opens her eyes to the dull sight of the ceiling, then lowers her gaze to Sayeon—who looks like she might be enjoying it just as much, if not more.
“Look at you, Glasses,” the nickname sounds almost like praise. “That look on your face suits you better.”
At the sound of Ryujin’s voice, the other alpha opens her eyes, looking at her in brief confusion before recognition settles in. Even through the haze clouding her senses, Ryujin can see it—an affectionate smile curving Sayeon’s lips.
“Freak,” Even as she says it, the corners of Ryujin’s mouth lift into a grin.
Teal eyes gleam as Sayeon tilts her head toward the offered wrist, eyes half-lidded. The sight does dangerous things to Ryujin’s body. It’s been happening for a while now—that slow burn low in her abdomen that, depending on what Sayeon does or what sounds slip from those lips, travels straight between her thighs.
Maybe it was time to give in to that feeling.
In the blink of an eye, she shut off her essence, and Sayeon’s body was free. Her hand immediately went to Ryujin’s wrist, a pleased moan slipping from her lips at the comfort it brought.
Ryujin’s mouth went dry at the sight, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.
She wanted to do something—touch Sayeon anywhere, everywhere.
A sigh pulled her from her thoughts. When she looked at the other alpha, a predatory smile curved those lips, making her swallow hard.
One of Sayeon’s hands fisted in the fabric of her shirt, and in the next second she was on her back, pulling Ryujin down onto her chest in a clear display of dominance, drawing a startled sound from the alpha above her.
All she can think about, with her palms braced on either side of Sayeon’s head, is how beautiful she looks.
Dark blue hair fanned across the mattress, her face relaxed and satisfied, teal eyes fixed on her as if Ryujin were worthy of admiration—like she were something to be treasured. The thought makes her heart skip, heat rushing to her cheeks.
This position is intimidating.
Mostly because of the way she’s being looked at—like she’s being stripped bare, every barrier and secret peeled back and examined by Sayeon’s sharp, perceptive mind. And it makes sense that it would be her.
Who else could do that if not her?
Ryujin’s been on top of Sayeon plenty of times before—most of them during fights—but this is different.
Now her skin tingles, desire spreading through her body like a slow, lethal poison.
In the end, was that what she’d been feeling when she accused the other alpha of smelling? That irritation over the past few days—was it actually just the urge to breathe her in?
Her eyes drift down to Sayeon’s lips, staring at them, her mouth going dry all over again before she lifts her gaze—
Only to find Sayeon staring at her lips, too.
Oh.
Surprising them both, Ryujin leans forward and presses their lips together.
The kiss is eager, a little clumsy, but filled with want.
Sayeon freezes for three full seconds.
That’s all it takes for Ryujin to pull back immediately, hands planted on either side of Sayeon’s head as she stares down at her with wide, guilty eyes. After all, she’s the more clear-headed of the two right now. Sayeon hadn’t verbalized anything about wanting to kiss her. Typical alpha behavior—just like Yesol used to complain about for hours on end.
Her fingers clutch the bedsheet beneath her, regret flooding in fast and heavy.
She starts to pull away.
“I’m sorry—”
She’s pulled back down, and then Ryujin feels Sayeon’s soft lips pressing against hers, arms wrapping around her neck to keep her close.
The way she’s being kissed back—eager yet inexperienced, almost adorably so—makes Ryujin’s body relax, melting against the other alpha’s. Their limbs press together as if trying to fuse into one. And she’s warm. Every sliver of exposed skin feels feverish against her own.
A shiver runs through her at the possessive grip tightening in her hair at the nape of her neck—a commanding hold, guiding her to deepen the kiss.
And who was Ryujin to refuse?
Ryujin gives in to the kiss, following Sayeon’s lead, chasing the tongue that curls around hers and occasionally nips at it, before daring to bite Sayeon’s lip in return, drawing a soft whine from her.
The taste of iron blooms in her mouth, and Ryujin devours it like a vampire starved for blood.
Sayeon’s blood.
Sayeon moans and writhes beneath her, accidentally lifting a leg and causing friction against Ryujin’s clothed pussy.
“Ah,” she moans against Sayeon’s lips, breaking the kiss.
Arms pull her back down, eager lips pressing along her chin while Ryujin pants, trying to keep herself from rolling her hips against the other alpha’s leg.
“Ryujin.”
“Wait.”
But the alpha doesn’t wait. Her hands slide down Ryujin’s waist and tug her forward by the hips, dragging Sayeon against her thigh, creating a mutual friction where Ryujin’s thigh is caught between Sayeon’s eager hips.
The rush of pleasure blanks out Ryujin’s mind as it spreads through her body, leaving her legs weak for a moment. The way Sayeon is moaning, murmuring broken words, and grinding against her like a bitch in heat awakens something fierce inside her—a need to pull even more of those sounds from her, to give Sayeon pleasure until her mind turns to cotton.
Ryujin’s pussy throbs, and she can’t hold back when she rolls her hips against the thigh being offered to her, burying her face in Sayeon’s neck as she feels just how good the friction is.
“Holy c—”
Sayeon moans as she tilts her hips upward. “That’s it,” she sounds so satisfied that Ryujin’s alpha growls in approval.
Encouraged, she crashes back into Sayeon’s lips in a kiss more aggressive than before, full of teeth and sharp little bites, as if trying to claim her, to taste her completely. Sayeon moans into her mouth, parting her lips so the other alpha can devour her however she wants—take as much as she desires.
Sayeon’s hands remain firm in their mission, guiding the movement that quickly grows more frantic once Ryujin fully joins in.
With every roll against Sayeon’s thigh, Ryujin’s hesitation melts into a blazing heat, surrendering to the urge to keep grinding against her.
Sayeon’s trembling fingers tightened in a firm grip on Ryujin’s waist, a sheen of sweat forming on her legs from the effort of keeping up the friction against her thigh. Suddenly everything felt hot. At the same time it was enough—and it wasn’t. She needed more contact. Ryujin’s fingers right there between her legs, where the ache pulsed the strongest.
Sayeon let out a needy sound, squeezing the other’s waist.
Ryujin laughed softly at that, breaking the kiss with a bite to her lower lip so she could focus on the exposed skin of Sayeon’s neck that had caught her attention. She started with slow, unhurried kisses, making Sayeon tilt her head to the side as if inviting her to explore further.
The alpha’s teeth itched at the sight, Sayeon’s scent turning sweeter, more tempting by the second.
Ryujin growled and pulled her face away abruptly.
Sayeon growled in response, using her strength to her advantage to shift their positions, straddling Ryujin’s thigh in a frantic rhythm. Both of her hands slid up to pin the alpha’s wrists above her head, eyes shut tight as she bit down hard on her own lip. Her breath brushed hot against Ryujin’s chin.
Ryujin’s heart started racing at the move, feeling herself grow wetter at Sayeon’s desperation as she chased her release, as if using only her thigh would be enough to make her come. Ryujin lifted her hips in search of more contact, rewarded with a sharp jolt of pleasure from the motion.
Being at someone’s mercy didn’t sit well with Ryujin’s alpha—unlike her human side, which was melting into the bed at the implication of being the reason for Sayeon’s pleasure. Of being the one satisfying her needs.
Sayeon’s lips brushed along Ryujin’s neck as she released her wrists, sliding her hands beneath the white shirt and touching her small boobies in her palms. The alpha shuddered, and her hands immediately found Sayeon’s hips, guiding her into an angle that would stimulate them both at the same time.
They both moaned at the shift, pleasure building slowly inside them, turning addictive to the point that their movements began to grow restless and unsteady.
Intense kisses were pressed along Ryujin’s neck, her mind turning hazy from the overwhelming stimulation as she breathed in Sayeon’s intoxicating scent, pulling her harder against her thigh and feeling the alpha’s wet spot soaking through the fabric against her leg. She lifted one leg without a single coherent thought beyond the need to grind back against Sayeon.
The movement drew out a needy growl from Sayeon, who broke off the kisses to moan against the skin of Ryujin’s neck every time her clit brushed against her thigh. She squeezed both of Ryujin’s breasts, making her gasp at the sharp wave of newly discovered sensitivity.
Ryujin had never really ventured into discovering which parts of herself were sensitive. She didn’t even have the habit of touching her breasts when she masturbated. Usually, she came from rubbing her clit—more practical and more pleasurable too. She had experimented with fingering herself before, but she hadn’t felt as much pleasure as she did when rubbing her clit.
She wonders if it was the same for Sayeon. Or if she preferred being filled with fingers. Ryujin’s eyes squeezed shut at the image that painted itself in her mind—the alpha touching herself in secret, fingers thrusting deep inside her pussy in a frantic rhythm. How many fingers would she use? Ryujin never went past two, and hers are short compared to Sayeon’s. Maybe she had tried three.
The little voice in Ryujin’s head whispers that Sayeon probably had an easier time finding that spot that made her mind melt. She wanted to know what Sayeon’s expression would look like when she came like that. She wanted it to be her fingers sliding in and out of her wet cunt—to be the reason behind the alpha’s orgasm.
“Fuck.” She guided Sayeon’s hips with more force, fingers digging into the alpha’s buttocks to ground what she was feeling, her limbs beginning to tremble as a sheen of sweat spread across her body. The other alpha’s body started trembling over hers too, her movements turning erratic as Ryujin strained to keep her moving against her. She felt the pressure build to the point of being impossible to ignore, moaning at the overwhelming pleasure. All she knew was that one second it felt too good, and the next her mind burst into blank, her entire body shaking as every fiber of her being vibrated with crushing pleasure.
Sayeon seemed to be in a similar state because her moan turned higher, sharper, and Ryujin couldn’t tell who was trembling more—herself or Sayeon. Not that she could really focus on anything happening around her at that moment.
A few seconds pass and the alpha sighs, limbs going slack against the bed. Ryujin feels the vibration of Sayeon’s voice, probably saying something she doesn’t quite understand. It doesn’t take long for her to realize what it is, because in the next moment sharp teeth sink into her scent gland. Her eyes fly open at the wave of pain and pleasure injected into her veins, her hands weakly trying to push Sayeon away.
Sayeon moans possessively, sinking her teeth in even deeper and tasting the fresh blood straight from Ryujin. Her hips move lazily against the alpha’s thigh, chasing a second orgasm of the night. With the pressure in her lower belly building again, Ryujin figures she’s going to have a second orgasm too—and it feels like it could happen at any second, because the pain from the bite has almost completely dissolved into overwhelming delight, as if that bite carried some kind of aphrodisiac.
Her mind drifts into that cloudlike state, devoid of any rational thought beyond the primitive desire to return the bite and become one with Sayeon.
Ryujin feels like she’s saying something, but she can’t quite catch what it is. Maybe the alpha’s name, or begging for Sayeon to let her bite her back too. Ryujin doesn’t know why because the second orgasm hits her harder than the first—her heart pounding violently, limbs shaking uncontrollably, and something dampening her sleep shorts.
Her body trembles for a moment before finally calming down. Sayeon’s body keeps shaking for longer, struggling to catch her breath. Ryujin brings a hand to the alpha’s back, as if congratulating her for something. In return, she’s rewarded with Sayeon’s wet tongue licking over her skin before pulling her teeth free. It stings a little, but it’s nothing unbearable. The licking continues, and Ryujin moans at the contact, not doing anything to pull away—in fact, she tilts her head back to give the alpha more room.
The purring is back.
Ryujin laughs at that, realizing she’s purring too.
“You’re so stupid sometimes, Sayeon,” she murmurs, her fingers sliding up into Sayeon’s hair, lazily combing through it.
The alpha’s nose buries itself against her skin, sending a shiver down Ryujin’s spine as the licking gradually slows. They stay like that for a long time, with no sense of whether a minute or half an hour has passed. It’s only when Ryujin’s mind clears a little that reality strikes her like lightning—Sayeon had bitten her. All the calm is replaced by a freezing panic. Several pessimistic thoughts clash in her head, fighting to see which one will make her spiral first, and she feels her limbs stiffen, bracing herself for whatever might happen next—
Sweet citrus scent fills her lungs, pulling her out of those spiraling thoughts. Wide eyes turn to Sayeon, who is sleeping peacefully with her cheek squished against Ryujin’s shoulder, showing no sign of being in pain. Her scent radiates satisfaction and calm.
Ryujin’s brow furrows, confused about everything that just happened. Something inside her melts despite the urge to be annoyed—but she can’t. Not when she knows Sayeon didn’t do it with intention. She had needed help.
Fingers brush gently over Sayeon’s cheek. Like this, Ryujin thinks, she looks more her age. The bite still tingles, but the alpha’s mind decides to leave that for later.
A problem for future Ryujin.
What matters now is carefully moving Sayeon so she won’t wake up, laying her head against the soft pillows and covering her with the sheet. She wonders whether she should go to another bed or stay with Sayeon.
Which is silly, because this is her bed—but the alpha stole it.
“Needy thief,” she curses without any real venom, deciding to go with the first option.
But she doesn’t even take two steps before Sayeon’s voice stops her.
“Stay.”
Ryujin stops but doesn’t turn around, her hand clenching into a fist. Her heart is racing and she doesn’t know what the right decision is. They had just… The best thing would be to keep her distance and deal with it tomorrow. The bite tingles again, a reminder of what could happen if she joins Sayeon.
“Please. Stay.”
It comes out fearful and hoarse, with the kind of fragility found in the voice of a child begging her mother not to leave.
Something Ryujin knew well—what it was like to be left even after asking someone to stay.
How could she leave Sayeon like this, in that state?
You can’t, her alpha whispered in her minds.
That familiar ache pulsed, and Ryujin took a deep breath, trying not to let her scent betray how affected she was. Sayeon’s scent, once calm, had turned sour.
She sighed and turned on her heels, met with the sight of a vulnerable Sayeon staring at her in fear. All the fight drained from her body, and Ryujin sat on the edge of the bed, watching as the alpha shifted to make space for her to lie down beside her.
“God. You’re really pathetic.” Ryujin slid into the space offered, pulled the sheet over both of them, and closed her eyes, determined to sleep.
But Sayeon had other plans.
Her arms wrapped around Ryujin as she pressed her head against her chest, rubbing her face there—and that’s when Ryujin realized she was scenting her.
“No fucking way.”
Sayeon grumbled and tightened her hold on Ryujin. “Don’t go.”
“I’m not. Relax that clever little head of yours and go to sleep.”
Ryujin nestled closer to Sayeon. Her heart was beating fast, and there were a lot of things she would have to think about later—but for now, she chose to sleep.
Maybe Sayeon is lucky.
She’s starting to think she is, because when she wakes up the next morning, the first thing she registers is the softness of the mattress beneath her and the absence of that lingering ache low in her abdomen. Sayeon also feels warm—but it’s the kind of warmth you get when arms are wrapped around you from behind and legs are tangled together. With steady breathing brushing softly against her nape, sending occasional shivers down her spine, and the scent of cigarette smoke and fresh blood everywhere—especially on her—radiating tranquility and satisfaction. Which is exactly the situation she’s in right now—
Wait.
Cigarettes and fresh blood?
She opens her eyes and sees everything blurred. Moving slightly, she realizes that the arms holding her aren’t a product of her half-awake mind. She turns to look over her shoulder and, even without her glasses, she can recognize the purple hair. Sayeon also freezes when she notices there’s another bed on the other side, which means she’s in Ryujin’s bed.
What happened? she asks herself, forcing her mind to remember what had happened last night. As she thinks it over, Sayeon searches for her glasses, finding them on top of the desk and putting them on. Her vision clears, and now she can look more closely. The room seemed normal as always; the only “strange” thing was the amount of pheromones in the air.
Sayeon makes an attempt to remove Ryujin’s hand from her waist, but meets resistance as the grip tightens, keeping her in place. With a sigh, she waits a bit until Ryujin relaxes again before trying once more, this time more carefully. She manages to slip free and, very carefully, walks to her own bed, grabbing Mr. Kiki to replace herself. Sayeon returns and places it under the other alpha’s arms.
Ryujin shifts. Sayeon holds her breath. Then she snuggles into the stuffed bunny, scenting it and relaxing immediately.
The tension in the alpha’s shoulders melts away, and she walks in slow steps to the bathroom, closing the door cautiously. It’s only when Sayeon locks the door that she lets out her breath, her back pressed against the wall to anchor herself.
What was that? Ryujin hadn’t—
She brings a hand up to her neck, touching her gland and feeling it swollen beneath her fingers. A chill runs down her spine, and Sayeon moves to the mirror, staring at the spot with wide eyes—only to find—
No bite.
Sayeon slumps over the sink, gripping it as a weight lifts from her shoulders and the air comes easier into her lungs. She turns on the faucet, lowering her head to splash water on her face, and when she lifts it again, she gets a new look at her face and neck.
Well, no bite—but there were hickeys along her neck, and very close to her gland.
Hints of scarlet painted her cheeks at the thought that—oh. She remembers. Ryujin helped her with the pre-rut pain, and they kissed.
She splashes more cold water on her face, not caring when some of it spills onto her white shirt. Actually, why did it suddenly get hot? And why does everything smell like Ryujin?
With trembling fingers, she pulls off her shirt, leaving herself in just her bra and sleep pants. Her reflection stares back at her; shock roots her to the spot.
Memories of last night hit her like lightning, and suddenly she can feel the phantom sensation of Ryujin’s lips on hers; the weight of her body and the hunger the other had when kissing her back.
Sayeon also remembers one small detail that makes her body freeze; the feeling of her teeth sinking into the flesh of Ryujin’s neck.
Sayeon had marked Ryujin.
Which was completely immoral and unacceptable, and Ryujin probably hated her now. She should. But Sayeon had woken up wrapped in the warmth of Ryujin’s arms holding her.
Sayeon touches her lips, reflecting.
It’s not like moral thoughts were passing through Sayeon’s mind right now. That burning sensation was taking over any rational thinking.
Even knowing it was wrong, she begins to squirm, removing her bra and tossing it in a random direction. She can feel the discomfort returning too, less intense than yesterday but no less difficult for Sayeon to handle. It’s not enough, she thinks before lowering her pants along with her underwear, and with a glance she can see the damp stain on the fabric, shivers running down her spine.
A sigh of relief escaped her, but the wave of need hits her as she remembers what else they had done. The way Ryujin’s breathless moans sounded delicious in her mind and how her thigh was missed by the alpha’s pussy that pulsed, craving contact.
Scandalous.
Ryujin had looked beautiful beneath her while taking what Sayeon gave her. The memory of her barely trying to push her away when she bit her was arousing her to the point of feeling her cunt throb.
Sayeon opened one of the stalls, turning the shower to the coldest setting, letting out a sigh when the water fell over her head, running down her shoulders and back. She braced one hand against the tile, her forehead resting there as she looked down.
A cold shower will help calm this down.
More memories came to Sayeon’s mind, and she clearly remembers the maddening sensation of being marked back. Of wanting Ryujin to touch every corner of her body, to be less decent and take advantage of her for her own pleasure. That Ryujin would slide her hand inside her pants and—
Her legs press together, the water not doing much to put out the fire that was growing and spreading to every limb of her body.
She shouldn’t be doing this.
And yet Sayeon slides her hand down her stomach toward the space between her legs. Pressing two fingers experimentally against her clit, massaging gently. A jolt of pleasure hits her, and that motivates her to continue, rubbing with more pressure—using circular motions
The way it feels so good makes her part her folds with her fingers, returning to stimulate her clit again. Playing like that for a while.
That was very good.
It would be even better if it were Ryujin’s fingers touching her there, sinking into her flesh and hitting that spot that was rarely stimulated. What would Ryujin’s touch be like? She knew the alpha was good with her fingers and strong. So would it be a fast and deep touch?
Sayeon tests it, sliding two fingers into her vagina, feeling herself tighten around them as if trying to push them out. And she imagines they are Ryujin’s fingers, going deep and pulling out, feeling how hot and wet she was at that moment.
The phantom of Ryujin’s imagination behind her, naked, pressed against her body while she fingering her, feels so real in that moment that Sayeon speeds up her rhythm, tilting her hips back.
Maybe Ryujin would choose to go slower. Testing Sayeon’s patience. Not going deep enough to hit the spot, but enough not to leave the other alpha empty. Which was how she felt at that moment; so empty.
What she needed were Ryujin’s fingers inside her, the rough treatment and her lips on her skin.
The fantasy leaves Sayeon desperate and she loses her composure, feeling the burning in her stomach grow. It doesn’t take long before starts making noise; wet and almost loud enough to rise above the sound of the shower. Not that Sayeon is aware of how loud she’s being at the moment, since her pulse is pounding in her ears and all background noise has disappeared from her mind.
Her mind filled with nothing but the imagination of being fucked by Ryujin.
She thinks about how Ryujin’s gift could be useful for that too. To keep her still and at the mercy of whatever Ryujin wanted to do with her; Sayeon hopes it would be something cruel and that it would hurt. That it would hit her as hard as the other’s fists hit her and force her to stop thinking, to stop worrying and feeling any useless emotions other than absolute pleasure.
The burning low in her stomach starts to get worse and she knows she’s almost there, but chooses not to stop.
Maybe Ryujin would say a few rude words, about how someone as proper as her could be so desperate to get fucked. Showing no mercy if Sayeon were to climax, going further and stimulating her even more. Her body shudders and the pleasure grows, almost bursting. She uses her grip to rub her clit, her legs trembling with the motion, but Sayeon wants more, she wants to feel more of it.
She needs more of it.
She needs Ryujin fucking her the same way she hits her. Without mercy, with passion and hard.
“So desperate for my fingers, Glasses? I knew you were a needy whore.”
The imagined Ryujin says, and Sayeon curls her fingers, aiming at the exact spot, and it’s enough to send her over the edge. Her whole body trembles with overwhelming pleasure, and she feels her fingers being squeezed tightly, pushing them deeper to savor the wave of her climax a little longer. She trembles for a few more moments, her breathing uneven, and all she can hear is the loud pounding of her heartbeat.
Her pussy is sensitive and she lets out a moan as she slides her fingers out, feeling every part of her body slowly relax while a sweeter citrus scent fills her lungs.
Sayeon stays there for a moment with the cold water running over her, as if it could wash away the evidence of her dirty secret. When she turns off the shower and steps out of the stall, coming face to face with her own reflection in the mirror, reality hits; she had touched herself in the shower thinking about Ryujin, an alpha, who was in fact sleeping just a door away from her.
Guilt and shame are poured over her like a bucket of cold water, making her look away from her reflection to gather her dirty clothes and throw them into the laundry basket before reaching for a towel.
Sayeon took her time drying off, lingering while drying her hair, afraid that when she left the bathroom she would find Ryujin awake. She had always been good at seeing right through Sayeon and, with a single look—and sniff—would know exactly what she had done inside the bathroom.
“Come on, Sayeon. You can do this. Any sign that she noticed you did something you weren’t supposed to, just snap your fingers,” she lets out an awkward laugh, adjusting her glasses as she looks at herself in the mirror.
Her reflection stares back at her; cheeks flushed and an expression of someone who was hiding something.
With a decisive sigh, she straightens up and casts one last look at the mirror, walking in steady steps toward the door, feeling her palm sweat as she touches the doorknob and turns it open.
Sayeon is met with an unsettling silence and the sight of Ryujin still lying in the same position she had left her in. That does not calm her—on the contrary, it makes the air come in with difficulty and all her limbs grow rigid with a single thought; she cannot wake up. I can’t make any noise or she’ll wake up, and if she wakes up she’ll find out what happened.
With light steps, Sayeon manages to reach the wardrobe without Ryujin showing any signs of waking. She feels the irrational fear that at any moment the other will wake up, which her mind counters with just snap your fingers. Except Sayeon doesn’t want to go through that situation multiple times. She wants to succeed on the first try.
Sayeon took out something comfortable; a turtleneck sweater to hide the hickeys and bites, and a pair of jeans. Once dressed, she cast a look at Ryujin, who was still sleeping peacefully, clutching the stuffed bunny as if she were still holding the alpha.
She bit her lips and walked toward the door, a mantra of “I’m sorry” echoing in her mind as she headed there. When Sayeon unlocked the door and opened it slightly, she heard a noise behind her. She froze instantly and waited, only to hear Ryujin’s sleepy voice say:
“…told you. I’m here, don’t worry.”
Sayeon’s heartbeat shot through the roof when she heard that, immediately looking in the other’s direction and finding her asleep. She felt a pain in her chest and a desperation to get out of there as fast as possible, so she did, not caring much whether she had closed the door too hard on her way out.
What mattered at that moment was going to the infirmary to take care of this problem, so she wouldn’t put her roommate at risk again.