Just a few minutes away from the house, far enough that the lights were dimmer, the street quieter, the air emptier.

Jonah had no idea where they were anymore.

At first, the cool night air had been a relief against his flushed skin, a welcome escape from the suffocating warmth inside. But it didn’t take long for that relief to fade. Exhaustion settled deep into his bones, weighing down his limbs until they felt unbearably heavy. The pounding in his head softened into a dull ache, still there, still persistent, leaving him unsteady as he leaned heavily against Won while they walked.

Jonah's eyes drifted closed. ‘Just for a moment,’ he told himself.

Darkness came easily, swallowing the world until only the faint echo of their footsteps remained.

Awareness returned slowly, dragging him out of the haze.

Not because he wanted to wake, but because something reached him first. Familiar enough to catch, unfamiliar enough to unsettle.

Several Alpha phenomena, actually. They pressed against his senses like a warning he couldn't quite process through the fog in his brain.

Right then, Won’s steps slowed, almost imperceptibly at first. Then stopped altogether.

Jonah frowned faintly, eyes fluttering open at the sudden halt. “…Won…?” His fingers tightened slightly against Won’s shirt as his gaze lifted and froze on the path ahead.

A group of Alphas stood there. Like they had been expecting this.

Their expressions were wrong, too relaxed, too knowing. One of them smirked openly, eyes dragging over Jonah’s unsteady form in a way that made his stomach twist.

‘Run,’ his omega mind shrieked.

“…Who—” Jonah started, voice barely above a whisper.

Before he could finish, the arm around him slackened and vanished. For a split second, Jonah didn’t understand. Not until a rough hand grabbed his arm, crushing his wrist, bruising where it gripped.

“Got him.”

The force yanked him forward, pulling him completely out of Won’s hold.

“—ah!”

Pain shot through his arm as he stumbled, balance already fragile. His body lurched toward them, vision spinning again as his shoulder was seized by another grip.

Jonah gasped, turning toward the source of the pain, and found himself staring up at the tall Alpha with the cruel mouth.

Now he was trapped at the center of them, five alphas closing in from every side, like a fragile flower crushed deep into the mud, delicate petals lost beneath something merciless and suffocating.

“There we go,” the Alpha murmured, his grip bruising as his fingers dug into Jonah’s arm. His other hand slid up, seizing Jonah’s chin and forcing his head back.

Jonah had no choice but to meet those dark, starving eyes.

“Been waiting for this.”

Their scents flooded the air, pressing into his lungs until breathing felt like drowning.

“Let me go!” The words tore from his throat, sharp and desperate. “Won! WON—” He twisted against their hold, searching for his best friend, for the boy who had held him just moments ago, who had promised to take care of him.

But Won remained where he was, right where Jonah had been torn away from him, watching it all unfold without a single protest.

His face was blank. Like someone had reached inside him and scooped out everything that made him Won. His hands hung limply at his sides. Those warm, kind eyes that Jonah had looked into a thousand times, now slipped away, settling somewhere on the ground as if he couldn’t bear to look at him.

‘Why?’

Jonah's struggles weakened, his body going cold despite the alpha's heat pressed against him. “Won?” he breathed, and this time it wasn't a scream. It was a question he was terrified to have answered.

Won’s gaze flickered just once before dropping again. His hands clenched at his sides. For a moment, it looked like he might step forward.

But he didn’t.

“I have no other choice.” The words were broken, barely held together. “If you can... please forgive me.”

Everything inside Jonah went still. His eyes widened, shock slicing through the haze of dizziness.

‘WHAT?’ That didn’t make sense.

Suddenly, he became painfully aware of the Alphas around him, ones he hadn’t even considered he would have to deal with, since Won had been right there. But now, hearing those words, the danger hit him like a punch.

His gaze snapped to each of them, cataloging faces he knew too well.

The one gripping his arm was the vice president. And the others… his so-called friends. Memories of past confrontations flickered violently through his mind. How he had crushed their inflated egos without mercy, made them bite back their arrogance when they’d dared to corner him or push their luck.

A low chuckle cut through his thoughts.

“Well,” the vice president, Yun drawled lazily. “That was easier than expected.”

His eyes flicked toward Won, amused. “You did good,” he said, voice dripping with mock approval. “Didn’t think you had it in you.”

Jonah thrashed against the alpha’s grip, but it was useless, every movement only tightened their hold. His gaze flicked desperately back to Won, pain and disbelief warring in his eyes. He could barely hold himself together.

“What—what is he talking about…?” His voice trembled. “Won—?”

But Yun spoke again, cutting him off. “Oh, you didn’t tell him?” he tilted his head, feigning surprise before smirking. “That’s cruel.”

Won’s jaw tightened. “Stop.”

But it was too late.

Yun’s grin widened, sharp and cruel. “Your sister’s free to go, by the way. We’re done with her.” He waved a hand dismissively, as if brushing off something worthless. “Your part is over. From here on, we’ll handle this stubborn… pretty little brat ourselves.”

Missing pieces fell into place with sickening clarity. Hesitation in Won’s voice when he had asked about his sister. Overly careful, measured answers.

It all made horrifying sense now, the vice president had manipulated Won, forced him into this by threatening or harming his sister.

For the first time since this nightmare had begun, Jonah stopped struggling. Because if he fought back, if he tried to break free, it might put Won in danger or worse.

Better to endure it himself, he decided, than let anyone he loved get hurt because of him.

To be continued...