The night air outside the drawing club felt heavier than usual, as if it carried the weight of unspoken words. Inside, laughter and chatter filled the room—but in one corner, North sat silently, his fingers tightening around the edge of his sketchbook.
Typhoon nudged him. “You’ve been staring at the same page for ten minutes.”
Nao leaned forward, voice softer. “It’s about Johan again, isn’t it?”
North exhaled sharply, his omega instincts restless under his skin. “He doesn’t trust me,” he said, voice trembling despite his effort to stay composed. “No matter what I do… he always thinks I’ll leave.”
Dao frowned. “That’s not true. Johan—”
“It is,” North cut in, eyes flashing faint gold—the sign of his wolf pushing forward. “Ever since that incident… he’s been controlling everything. Who I meet, where I go, even how long I stay here.”
Easter, sitting beside him, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You know why he’s like that, right?”
North’s expression softened for a moment, then hardened again. “Because I made a mistake once? Because I almost left him?” He laughed bitterly. “That was months ago. I stayed. I chose him.”
Typhoon crossed his arms. “And Johan?”
North didn’t answer immediately. His silence said everything.
Across town, Johan stood with his friends—Hill, Tiger, Arthit, and Tonfah—his aura tense and suffocating. An alpha’s dominance radiated off him, but there was something fractured beneath it.
“She’s not answering?” Tiger asked.
Johan shook his head, jaw clenched. “North isn’t picking up. He left the club early.”
Tonfah sighed. “You pushed him again, didn’t you?”
Johan’s eyes snapped toward him, glowing faintly silver. “I didn’t push him. I just—” He stopped, running a hand through his hair. “I just wanted to make sure he’s safe.”
Hill leaned against the wall. “You’re not protecting him anymore, Johan. You’re suffocating him.”
That struck deeper than Johan expected.
Because the truth was… he was afraid.
Afraid of losing North the same way he almost had before.
Months ago, North had nearly walked away from him—not because he didn’t love Johan, but because Johan’s alpha nature had overwhelmed him. Possessiveness had turned into control. And Johan had seen, for the first time, fear in North’s eyes.
That memory never left him.
And now, every time North pulled away—even slightly—Johan’s instincts spiraled.
—
That night, North didn’t go home.
Instead, he stood in front of a sleek condo building, wiping his tears before pressing the doorbell.
The door swung open to reveal Tan, his cousin, brows furrowed in concern. “North?”
North didn’t say anything. He just stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
Tan’s expression softened immediately. “Hey… what happened?”
Inside, Fang emerged from the kitchen. “Is that—oh.” He quickly approached, noticing North’s state. “Come in, sit down.”
North collapsed onto the couch, exhaustion taking over.
“I can’t do this anymore,” he whispered. “I love him… but it hurts.”
Tan crouched in front of him, gripping his hands. “Then stay here for a while. You don’t have to face anything tonight.”
Fang nodded. “We’ll take care of you.”
For the first time that day, North allowed himself to breathe.
—
The next morning, Phum and Pheem arrived after hearing everything from Fang.
Phum, always the calm one, studied North carefully. “You need a break,” he said. “Not just from Johan… from everything.”
Pheem grinned slightly. “Good thing my boyfriend already planned a trip.”
North blinked. “A trip?”
“To Boston,” Fang added. “Just a few days. Change of scenery.”
Tan smiled. “You’re coming with us.”
North hesitated—but looking at their faces, he realized… this was what he needed.
“…Okay.”
—
Back in the city, Johan was unraveling.
He hadn’t slept. Hadn’t eaten. His wolf was restless, pacing inside him like a caged beast.
“I need to find him,” he said, voice low.
“You won’t,” Arthit replied firmly. “Not unless his friends tell you.”
So they went.
When Johan stood in front of Typhoon, Nao, Dao, and Easter—with Hill, Tiger, Arthit, and Tonfah behind him—the air thickened instantly.
Alphas and omegas.
Power and resistance.
Typhoon crossed his arms. “Why should we tell you anything?”
Johan stepped forward, his voice breaking despite himself. “Because I need him.”
That… surprised them.
Easter exchanged a glance with the others before sighing. “He’s not here. He went on a trip.”
“Where?” Johan demanded.
“Boston,” Dao answered.
That was all Johan needed.
—
Boston.
Cold wind. Foreign streets.
And somewhere in that city… North.
But fate had other plans.
Because North never made it safely through that trip.
—
It happened fast.
Too fast.
A case of mistaken identity.
A mafia group targeting someone else… and taking North instead.
—
When Johan landed in Boston with his friends and their omegas, he was already on edge. But nothing could have prepared him for what Fang said when they met.
“…North’s missing.”
The world went silent.
Johan blinked slowly. “What?”
“He was taken,” Fang said, voice shaking. “We don’t know who or why.”
For a moment—just one moment—Johan looked completely lost.
His knees nearly gave out.
Hill caught him. “Johan—”
“No,” Johan whispered. “No, no, no…”
His wolf howled inside him, a raw, agonizing sound.
Tiger clenched his fists. “We’ll find him.”
Tan’s eyes were already red. “We have to.”
Arthit’s voice turned cold. “Whoever did this… won’t survive.”
Behind them, the omegas—Typhoon, Nao, Dao, Easter—stood together, fear evident in their eyes.
Easter whispered, “Please… let him be okay.”
And for once… even the strongest alphas felt helpless.
—
The search began immediately.
Contacts were called. Information was traded. Every second felt like a lifetime.
Johan didn’t stop.
Didn’t eat.
Didn’t sleep.
“Anything?” he demanded, voice hoarse.
“Not yet,” Tonfah replied.
Hours turned into a day.
Then—
A lead.
One of Johan’s men called.
“We found a location.”
Johan didn’t wait.
“Let’s go.”
—
The warehouse stood isolated.
Cold.
Silent.
Dangerous.
Johan, Tan, and Arthit moved in first.
The fight was brutal.
Raw.
Unforgiving.
Johan’s alpha instincts took over completely—he was no longer just a man. He was a storm. Every punch carried desperation, every move fueled by fear.
“WHERE IS HE?!” he roared, slamming the mafia boss against the wall.
The man laughed weakly. “Too late—”
Johan didn’t let him finish.
—
Meanwhile, Tan forced open a small, locked room.
The door creaked.
And his heart shattered.
“North…”
His baby cousin… bruised, unconscious, trembling even in stillness.
Tan quickly removed his jacket, wrapping it around him. “It’s okay… I’ve got you…”
He carried him out, hands shaking.
When Johan turned—and saw North in Tan’s arms—
Everything stopped.
His breathing.
His thoughts.
His world.
“…North?”
His voice broke completely.
He stepped forward slowly, as if afraid this was a nightmare.
Arthit stood beside him, silent for once.
Johan reached out, touching North’s face gently. “I’m here… I’m here…”
For the first time since arriving—tears fell.
—
The hospital room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Everyone had gathered.
No one spoke much.
They just… waited.
When North finally woke up, his eyes were filled with fear.
He flinched at every movement.
Cried at every sound.
Until—
“Hey… it’s me.”
Tan pulled him into a hug.
North clung to him immediately, sobbing. “Tan…”
“You’re safe,” Tan whispered. “I promise.”
Slowly… North calmed down.
And fell asleep again.
—
Days passed.
Healing began.
Physically first.
Then… emotionally.
Pheem and Fang told North everything.
How Johan had reacted.
How he had broken.
How he hadn’t stopped searching.
North listened quietly.
“…He came for me?”
Fang smiled softly. “He never would’ve stopped.”
—
Two weeks later, North stood by the window.
Stronger.
But still fragile.
“Call him,” he told Phum and Tonfah.
They didn’t hesitate.
—
Johan arrived within minutes.
When he stepped into the VVIP room, everything felt… still.
North stood there.
Alive.
Safe.
Johan’s voice trembled. “North…”
North looked at him, eyes soft. “You came.”
Johan laughed weakly. “I always will.”
Silence lingered.
Then—
“I’m sorry,” they both said at the same time.
North smiled faintly. “You first.”
Johan took a deep breath. “I was scared. I still am. But… I hurt you because of it.”
North stepped closer. “And I ran instead of staying and fixing things.”
Johan shook his head. “You were suffocating.”
“…But I still love you.”
That was all it took.
Johan pulled him into a tight embrace, holding him like he might disappear again.
“I love you too.”
—
By the end of the second week, the hospital room was filled with laughter again.
Everyone had gathered.
Food, teasing, chaos.
Life.
North leaned against Johan, smiling softly.
And for the first time in a long time…
Everything felt right.
