Chapter 70: Red fabrics... rejection.
Seoha’s POV
I follow behind the alpha, keeping my hands in front of me, and my face straight.
My heart is bursting with happiness from being kissed by him. It is a conscious kiss, not a rut forced one, not a rage controlling one.
Just a kiss.
He takes a turn around a corner, and I follow, watching his broad back and the way he walks with a slight limp, and that’s when I remember his wounds.
"Taesan-ssi...how are your wounds?" I ask when we finally stop in front of a door, "Taesan-ssi?" I call and he looks at me briefly, "you’re here to work, not to nurse" he says like he didn’t kiss me minutes ago.
This man.
"You shouldn’t have kissed me then" I mutter under my breath and as soon as he unlocks the door, he drags me in, shuts the door and slams me against it with his hand behind my head.
My scent leaks out of my scent patch, and his eyes drop to my neck, I gulp at the look on his face, he looks like he’s seconds away from giving in...
Give in to what?
"Do you want me to never do it again?" he asks and I shake my head rapidly, stupidly wanting him to repeat the action again and again.
"No" I whisper my answer and I see the flicker in his dark eyes, like he’s too close to making a decision that will change too much.
"Have I told you you’re a trouble magnet?" he asks with his eyes roaming my face and I nod; my cheeks are starting to heat up from the proximity.
"I swore I’d never touch you again" he says, he seems like he’s saying it to himself instead of me, and brings his head down, touching his nose to my forehead.
"I shouldn’t have had you that night" he says and curses under his breath.
"It’s impossible to not want to...the bond...the m-" I say, wanting so bad to address the elephant in our room.
"Don’t say the word, fuck, can’t you see how hard I’m trying to avoid it?" he asks, he doesn’t want me to call us mates.
"I don’t want you to avoid it" I say, feeling brave from the soft touches, the soft words and the night in his room.
"You won’t die by my hands" he says like he has an experience with it...but I know, I know he wouldn’t hurt me.
"You are not killing me, Taesan-ssi...you...you’re helping me" I say, out of breath as I tilt my face upward, sharing his air and craving his eyes on me.
He suddenly lifts his hand and I flinch instantly, the look on my face makes him step back, "your brain knows to fear me" he says, it sounds almost pained.
Why is he rejecting me and sounding hurt by it?
"I-" I start and he raises his hand to stop me and I flinch again.
"Did that bastard ever hit you?" he asks and I shake my head, he lets out a shaky breath that sounds too much like...relief.
"You" he says pointedly and my omega whines in pain, alpha isn’t seeing us as good enough...Daeshin never saw me as good enough...dad never saw me as good enough.
"You will make this easy for us" Taesan says.
"You and I will complete the deal, you stole from me and you are paying, Sooin wants you...we do this till she forgets why she called you daddy in the first place" he says and puts his hands in his pocket.
I don’t want that.
I don’t want Sooin to forget me, I don’t want to ignore the mating pull, I wish Minjae was here, he would know what to say instead of just staring like a fool.
"Can you work right now, omega?" he asks and I shake my head no, "no, I need a break, please" I say breathlessly and he nods, giving me permission to leave.
I leave the room and go back into the hall, keeping my head down to hold back tears, I don’t want to cry where everyone will see.
"Seoha?" a familiar voice calls and when I look up, it’s Junho, the beta looks worried as he approaches me and shields me from passing workers with his body.
"Are you okay?" he asks, looking me over like an older brother protecting his younger one, "yes..." I say, choked up by tears.
"You’re not okay, did he hurt you?" the beta growls and I shake my head, laughing softly, he sounds like he would punch his own boss for my sake.
"Did he?" he asks again and I hug him, just needing the comforting touch, "no, not like that...I just miss my best friend" I murmur into his chest, and he remains stiff as I sniffle.
"Er...what’s their name?" he asks and I pull back, squinting at him, "don’t do anything scary" I say and he pushes me off him gently.
"No promises, you’re our family now, if Taesan doesn’t do his duty, we will" Junho says and pats my head.
Family...something Taesan and I never had growing up...maybe that’s why the moon goddess gave us to each other.
"I’ll get to work now, I feel better" I smile at the beta, and he gives me his handkerchief, "if he bothers you too much, tell me, okay?" he says and I nod.
I return to the room I just left and find Taesan in front of a mannequin with red silk draped over it.
"You’re back" he mutters without looking up and I go closer to stand next to him, like always, the conversation we just had is ignored like it never happened.
"Yes"
"I bought this fabric a year ago, I haven’t had time to design" he says and walks in a circle around it, "it’s beautiful" I whisper.
"Design something for it, show me your worth and we’ll make this position more than a slap on Daeshin’s face" Taesan says and I look at his face.
"I don’t want a position just to spite someone...that will make me exactly like him" I say and Taesan shrugs, "then prove that it’s made for you"
"Sit, you have years of Mountain Atelier history to catch up with" the alpha says and gestures to the only seat in the room.
His own chair.
"Sit" he says and nods, and just like when he gave me his cane, it feels like it means more than just sitting.
He’s kicking me out and pulling me in...no, dragging me in.