DOTH Volume 4 Chapter 14.8

The wind scattered, leaving a long trail. Though tinged with spring, the air was too cold for light clothing. A normal person would’ve hunched their shoulders and hurried inside, but the man’s face showed no concern.

– Director.

Against the vivid cityscape embroidered on the dark night, his cold eyes seemed to drain it of color. No emotion flickered on his bored expression as he gazed at the view.

– Kim Jiwon sent a rough report today. He says the condition’s bad.

“How bad?”

A white cigarette rolled between long fingers, unlit, without a trace of ash.

– He said the wound’s festering… painkillers and antibiotics aren’t the same, apparently. It could rot if it gets worse.

“How long can he hold out?”

– He seems tenacious. It doesn’t look like he’ll die soon.

“Interesting. I wonder if a human body can rot like a slab of meat.”

The grim topic contrasted with his languid tone.

– Chief Nam Soohyun was joking about crows lurking nearby.

“Tell her to make a hole big enough for crows to come and go before saying that.”

Despite the horrific words, Director Yeon’s expression didn’t shift. Each time he glanced downward, the scar above the eyelid stood out sharply.

– I’ll relay that exactly. Oh, he confirmed pheromone shock too.

At last, the alpha’s lips curved faintly upward. When the pheromone glands collapsed, the body’s immune system would collapse as well. Even the strong physique that set alphas apart from betas would become nothing more than useless flesh. He wondered how long an aged alpha, with ruined pheromone glands, could withstand the violence, hunger, and thirst he had once endured with the strength of his trait.

“What about the other side?”

Director Yeon rolled a cigarette lazily between his fingers as he asked. The urge to smoke surged up, but he never considered striking a flame.

– Since it’s the U.S., it probably won’t arouse much suspicion. After all, it’s a country overflowing with drugs.

“He’s all the way to the U.S. because of a sex scandal, and yet he still couldn’t kick his filthy habits, huh.”

– He seems to think it was more about the firearms issue. Kang Seoui said living dirtily is his routine there that he barely notices anything wrong.

A breath slipped through his lips, closer to a sneer than a sigh. With money, buying a dominant omega to reach an alpha had never been particularly difficult.

– Thanks to that, breaking down his trait was easy. He’s still too drugged to realize it himself.

“Tell that person to play along just enough, then ghost him.”

– Understood.

“What about Shim Soocheon?”

Director Yeon asked his final question.

– He says he’s delivered results that will satisfy you, Director.

The men who had kidnapped Jung Heeyeon were most likely left half-paralyzed or missing pieces of themselves altogether.

“Our Team One Leader sounds quite confident.”

Kim Chulwoo fell silent for a moment, catching the weight of the order to return. Given that he was still at the company, Shim Soocheon was likely all prepared nearby. Instead of ordering for Shim Soocheon to be put on the line, Director Yeon spoke with calm authority.

“Tell him I’ll confirm with my own eyes.”

– Yes, understood.

The cigarette rolling between his fingers was crushed easily with a casual flick of his hand.

The plan was proceeding smoothly, without a single misstep. Jung Younggil was dying from pheromone shock, while the men who had abducted Jung Heeyeon had already paid a steep price. Though he intended to deal with them personally after confirmation, considering Shim Soocheon’s temperament, he was certain the results would be satisfactory.

Even Kang Seohyo, who had once tried to monopolize Jung Heeyeon, was unknowingly getting his alpha trait rot away. By the time spring arrived, he would be no different than a beta. Whether Sunha cast him aside for losing his trait or Kang Seohyo despaired and took his own life, it made no difference to Director Yeon.

– Will you be coming into the office tomorrow?

“I will be looking after my baby first.”

If there was one problem Director Yeon faced, it was Jung Heeyeon. He shifted his body slightly, his gaze cutting toward the living room visible from the terrace. Their eyes met for a brief second before that fair face turned away awkwardly. Though Jung Heeyeon had never outright avoided him, something had grown subtly different since the rut.

Director Yeon didn’t even bother to hear Kim Chulwoo’s reply before cutting the call. Tonight, he would find out exactly why his lover was acting so distant.

Stepping into the living room, he pressed a kiss lightly to the cheek of the omega sitting so quietly on the sofa, as though trying to hide from his own ferocity. Then, tapping his thigh, he called softly.

“Come here.”

The small body crawled into his lap, straddling him face-to-face. The clinginess was the same as always, yet Director Yeon easily sensed the subtle shift in Jung Heeyeon’s demeanor. Even while nestled so closely, his lover avoided his gaze, lowering his lashes instead of looking him in the eye. The tense line of his lips and his puffed cheek betrayed some hidden sulkiness, yet this lover of his made no move to voice it.

At last, Director Yeon decided to play his own game.

“Heeyeon. Are you falling out of love with this Director?”

“Pardon?”

Only then did the soft brown eyes flick upward to meet his own. Director Yeon, feigning sorrow, spoke in a slow, mournful tone.

“You hardly look me in the eye anymore… Did I make my baby cry too much during rut? Have you grown tired of me?”

“N-no, it’s not that.”

Jung Heeyeon fidgeted, anxious. Director Yeon looked so genuinely hurt that he quickly leaned in, lifting his hips to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. Yet the Director’s hand moved faster, cupping that soft cheek before his lips claimed Jung Heeyeon’s own. The night air had left his skin faintly cool, but the tongue that pressed inside was burning hot.

“Ngh…”

Even the lightest kiss made Jung Heeyeon’s waist tremble, his body still raw from enduring the full force of the alpha’s rut. Instead of a long, tangled kiss, Director Yeon thoroughly explored every corner of his mouth before capturing the small tongue in a tender suck and finally pulling back. The reddened lips, glistening with saliva, were achingly sensual.

“You haven’t grown tired of me?”

“Pardon? N-No. I like you, Director.”

“Then why does it feel like you’re avoiding me? Are you tired because of the rut? Did I make you cry too much?”

Director Yeon asked while patting Jung Heeyeon’s hip. Considering how he had pushed him to tears during the rut, the tone was far too gentle.

“Director…”

At that coaxing voice, Jung Heeyeon hesitated before his lips trembled. His body had indeed been exhausted. Their sex had lasted for days, position after position, until he cried outright. He cried from how strong an alpha’s thrusts were during rut, and he cried because the pleasure was overwhelming.

“Mhmm, Director?”

The man’s face was as tender as if he had never been rough. His languid eyes, the slight upward curve of his lips, the relaxed expression—yet Jung Heeyeon couldn’t forget the feral gleam in those same eyes. Remembering it made him swallow hard. It wasn’t so much that he was afraid of Director Yeon, but the heat of that night came rushing back, leaving a faint ache in his fingertips.

“…You lied to me.”

Even as he felt that gentleness, Jung Heeyeon let slip the words he had been hiding in his heart for days. Once spoken aloud, his pent-up hurt surged out, and he lowered his head.

“Lied?”

The unexpected word made Director Yeon falter. He held Jung Heeyeon close, his other hand cupping that soft cheek, tilting it up to face him. The sight of a tear-brimmed, tender face stabbed through his nerves like a blade.

“You said we’d keep going until we made a baby, but… you never finished inside me.”

His hand froze against that fair, delicate cheek. Director Yeon took a moment before answering.

“…Is that why you’re upset?”

“Yes. I was upset.”

Jung Heeyeon knew full well that outside of heat, the chances of pregnancy were nearly zero. But that wasn’t the point. The fact that Director Yeon kept pulling out gnawed at him. His thoughts kept spiraling, was it because the director didn’t want to have a baby with him?

“Heeyeon.”

Director Yeon fell into thought, wondering how to soothe his young lover. He hadn’t expected Jung Heeyeon to feel hurt over him not finishing inside. An alpha’s instinct to impregnate his omega thrilled at the bold words, but fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, he wasn’t in rut now. If he had been, he would have likely tied and spilled into his omega without restraint, just to breed him.

“If I knot you outside of your heat, you’ll get hurt.”

“Pardon? No, I won’t. Dominant omegas don’t get hurt easily. And I heard if you’ve imprinted on me, it’ll be even safer…”

“Imprinting or not, you’re so small. You can barely take me as it is, how could you not get hurt?”

“…Then why did you say we’d keep trying until we had a baby?”

The innocent question made him narrow his eyes slightly. He hadn’t been in his right mind during his rut, and in that state, such words had slipped out. ‘Yeah. Until we make a baby.’ Truthfully, it had been nothing more than a sly whisper meant to devour Jung Heeyeon completely.

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