GYEOM POV:

My soul twists and screams in agony with her, sees the pain she's in and shatters because there's nothing I can do to stop it, nothing I can do except stare helplessly at her. The sound of her pain, her torment is shredding through everything, tearing apart the room and I feel the bond between us taut, stretched out so far between us and feeling as if it's mere moments from snapping.

She's like this because I failed her. We failed her.

All the promises the two of us had sworn to each other before forming the bond sit uselessly on the ground, broken and destroyed. All those years and moments spent together flash past my eyes, cloud me with that feeling of happiness we'd once shared. I feel useless, utterly worthless as I look at her in pain and that's all I can do.

I was her family. I was her bloodmate. And yet I didn't even know she was in trouble until this happened...I knew I should've left the moment she answered the phone. Should have met up with her at her workplace, maybe if I had she wouldn't be lying here.

The sound of her screams pushes me to my knees and I desperately scrabble for her hand, hold onto it because as if it's my lifeline, but the absence of her usual warmth is a jolt to my system- the coldness in them and the pale pallor of her skin is unnatural, has never been something I associated with her.

My eyes raise to look at her cheeks, bloodless and without their usual hue of pink. She doesn't look like mallow without her pink cheeks, the cheeks that are always so soft and easy to make colour.

I feel the others shift and whilst I want nothing more than cover her away from everyone else, hold her close- everything inside me screams for them to do something, to stop her pain, to do their role as her mates and help her.

Someone make it stop. Someone make her screaming stop before mine joins her.

JB POV:

It feels like a vice grip is crushing my insides, lungs constricting and caving, heart sickeningly lurching and stomach rolling.

She's writhing and screaming in pain, her blood constantly seeping into the white of the sheets, staining them with her life force that steadily continues to pour out of her.

Looking down at her I feel like a failure. She was one of my own, she was ours and I couldn't protect her. All those bonds of protection, all those glamours and covers to mask her sweetness weren't enough to save her from this.

I don't dare rove my eyes down, knowing if I do I'll be sick.

It feels like time has purposely slowed, trapping me in this moment of endless torture, her scream ringing and echoing in my ears; a desperate sound for help that I failed to attend to before it got to this.

I feel my soul wither and shrink back in fear and sorrow, because she was one of mine and yet she's there suffering.

HOBI POV:

Her scream tears through the bond, piercing and powerful. My soul yearns to get to her, pushes me forward in a haze to get to her, to soothe her pain, to get rid of it, ability surging and thrumming in each nerve cell- ready and prepped to help her, to help our mate.

She needs to be treated. But hearing her screams makes me shudder and shiver and makes my brain short-circuit.

She's in so much pain, has been for so long, and we hadn't been quick enough.

The others are crowded around her, and slowly my hands reach forward as I lean towards her, try to allow my touch to help calm her, push a healing restorative into her to help counteract the burning agony of the venom taking place.

It works...minutely. Makes the scream less loud but the sounds of pain still remain.

I need more than just my healing ability.

"MJ ...MJ." I say, quieter at first and then louder, again. And the sound of hurrying footsteps is the only indication that he's arrived.

His hands are shaking and face is pale and grim.

He doesn't say anything to me but brushes gentle, painstakingly careful hands across her forehead murmuring healing spells. My eyes are trained onto each move, eyes red and attentive even as I push healing energy into her. I know the others are doing the same. And slowly the screams quieten down, become broken soft whimpers interjecting the silent air sporadically.

Slowly the violent shivers and spasms slow down, body exhaustedly sinking into the mattress, weakly shifting and stilling.

And though we've pushed the effects of the venom aside, made them barely noticeable I wince when I see the torn clothes, know the wounds under it still have to be treated.

A part of me hesitates, not wanting to bare my mate in her most vulnerable state to a group of other vampires, but I know just how much they mean to her, that they're family and I don't have the heart nor courage to tell them to leave.

They deserve to be here just as much as we do, probably more given how we failed her my mind quips sorrowfully.

MJ hyung's hands retreat but the silent bitter understanding in his face is answer enough. He knows just as well as I do, from making contact with her that her wounds need to be attended to.

And that's what makes me move.

Makes me carefully peel the torn blouse inch by inch, not daring to lose focus or shake as I remove the sodden fabric from her torso, hands easily tearing the seam with a loose light tug before moving it to the side.

My throat clogs up at the dark ruby blood that pools on her abdomen, that spreads and stains her skin with its dark thickness.

"Towel hyung." I murmur to Jin hyung who wordlessly passes me a clean white towel. Bit by bit I gently dab at her abdomen, wincing when the fabric becomes stained red easily, clearing off the stains so I can see the wounds. It begins to frustrate and tear at me when the blood continues to seep out in thick rivulets, soaking another towel and then short-lived relief when finally I begin to see the damage that lies under it.

I have to close my eyes and steel myself against the sight I'd briefly glimpsed before opening them again, MJ hyung who'd been pulsing out a numbing spell towards her abdomen freezes, chokes.

Because piercing into her abdomen are five entry wounds, deep. As if a hand has gouged into her abdomen to try and tear it apart, spaced out in the shape of a hand.

My blood boils and seethes at the image of the man who'd we'd barely spared a glance to- the vicious pleasure that had glinted in his eyes.

"Calm yourself Hoseok-ah. Not now." MJ hyung says firmly, forcing me to push aside the anger.

He's right. Not now.

My fingers drift over the wounds, to cleanse the area- coming back sticky red before I slowly begin the long process of stitching them up, feeling the pain from my mates cloud my mind, hands careful and precise- not daring to tremble and cause even the slightest harm to her as I stitch her abdomen up. 

I wince and flinch and pause everytime she whimpers as I attend to her, freeze in worry that it's hurting her and only continuing when she stills again.

I hear a pained choked cry, hear a soft murmur from behind me.

Kookie. But I know he's being reassured by one of the others. That he's fine.

And then MJ hyung gently dabs up the blood that had seeped up and welled out before I'd managed to stitch the wounds up, hands careful as he wipes her clean. And then the two of us send out a numbing healing energy that'll push the pain aside that she doesn't stir from it.

Her face even unconscious expresses her pain, the pinch between her brows, the whimpers that bubble out her lips and eyes that rove under shut eyelids as if reliving the horror again and again.

Joon and Yoongi hyung silently take the bloodied towels and used equipment away, faces shadowed with pain and horror as they retreat, a brush of them against me, comfort in the smallest ways.

I stop for a minute, breathe deeply as I try and figure out how to attend her wounds on her back, without jostling her or putting pressure on her body in any way.

But Jin hyung steps forward at the same time as Jinyoung does.

"I'll hold her." he says firmly and softly.

And then Jinyoung's trembling hand holds out a tonic.

"It'll give her deep sleep. So she won't feel discomfort." He says, voice strong and sure and so tender.

I take the vial from his grasp, smile shakily at him in thanks before opening it, bringing the mouth of it to her lips. They don't part but then Yugyeom brushes a soft hand against the puncture marks at her wrist, peering tearily up at us and then she exhales, her discomfort slightly eased, soul comforted by her bloodmate and her lips open. I cradle her head up as I tilt the vial into her mouth, letting the liquid slip down her throat with ease.

My lips brush a kiss onto her forehead, tears stinging at my eyes because the nightmare isn't over. It's still far from it.

Jin hyung carefully takes her, lifting her away from the blood-stained sheets and the two of us gently manoeuvre her onto her stomach, placing her carefully into his arms, her body placed onto his, as he sits up, stretched out onto the bed.

The back of her blouse is now dark and entirely saturated in her blood. JB steps forward, seeing the shakiness in MJ hyung's composure, Eunwoo comes to hold him even as tears continuously pour down pale cheeks.

"Hoseok-ah..." Yoongi hyung murmurs, giving me an offer...to do it himself. But I shake my head. I need to help her, and so take a few deep breaths before leaning out to grasp her shirt, hands stained immediately.

MJ passes me scissors and I snip away the shirt, slowly and carefully taking it off, mindful of the open injury we're about to face and mentally bracing myself for it.

Hyung freezes from where he's looking at her, eyes spilling over with tears, fluttering shut to block out the sight. Behind me I can hear Minnie cry, sniffling as he holds onto someone, a small murmur of '(Y/N)' slipping out his lips.

There's a muttered sound from somewhere, a few sharp intakes of breath and then the sound of someone being sick, knees hitting the floor and a cry of 'Tae' from Joonie's mouth.

My hands still from where I'd been peeling the blouse of but Jin hyung's voice washes over me.

"He's fine. He's fine Hoseok-ah. Focus on      (Y/N). She needs us." He murmurs.

And then when my hands finish removing the blouse, the soaked ripped cloth falls to the side, eyes widening at the sheer damage done.

From her right shoulder down to the middle of her back are deep scours, two of them tearing open her flesh, ragged and open and bleeding profusely. My stomach threatens to empty itself at the sight and JB staggers in the corner of my eye, feet stumbling and eyes wide.

"It needs to be cleaned first. Properly." MJ says tightly.

And with slow hands that rove into my vision, begins to dab the area with a clean cloth, disinfecting it.

But the moment the cloth touches her raw shoulder, she writhes, back bowing and a guttural cry tearing past her lips.

Hyung reacts immediately, hands gently holding her still as he rubs her uninjured shoulder and part of her back, the touch settling her somewhat- unconsciously recognising it as her mate.

My own hand had darted out to capture MJ's wrist, stilling it, eyes burning red.

"Stop. You're hurting her." I said, instincts screeching to move him back even as I logically knew that it would sting, burn- but to the extent of piercing through her unconscious state was worrying.

She stills and doesn't move after that, not as we both disinfect the wound thoroughly and slowly begin the long task of stitching, dabbing up blood and tending to the long gashes. I note that the two are placed out symmetrically and realise with a shock that he tore his fangs into her, tore deep through her.

There's a deep growl, primal and raw and it comes from several sources but the strongest, most shocking is when my head whips back alarmed to see Kookie trembling furiously in Yoongi hyung and Jimin's arms, shaking furiously, eyes profusely red and fangs emerged. The tendons in his neck bulge out and he's struggling. Struggling to see her so injured, so hurt.

He's trembling violently and Eunwoo hurries over, pressing their foreheads together, blocking the sight of her temporarily as he helps his friend through it.

"Kook focus. Listen...she needs you to be fully aware to help her." he mutters, even as his voice shakes and he holds him.

But when he steps away, Kookie looks considerably calmer even as his eyes remain glued onto the horrific sight, the deep instinctual growl has lessened. Slowly fades out.

And when we're done, I slump back exhausted, feeling drained both literally and mentally. My healing energy splutters weakly and dim inside me, like a flickering flame- stores depleted.

And Jin hyung is crying onto her, his bent head hiding her face.

But she'll heal. That's guaranteed. The injuries will close up and once she wakes as a vampire, they'll heal quicker.

And I look down to the blood that dries on my hand, cakes my nails, and stains my clothes. I look at the sheets and know that we can't keep them, not wanting to keep the memory of how they'd changed colour rapidly under our injured mate.

"She'll be fine. She'll be fine." I repeat and soon it feels like some of the tension in the room lessons, postures slump over each other and clutch at each other for comfort.

I slowly step off the bed, almost staggering until a pair of arms catch me.

I look up to see Tae.

"Let's get you cleaned up hyung." He murmurs, drawing me away from the room even as his own steps mirror mine; slow and lingering, unwilling to leave her behind.

But I know she's got five mates who won't dare leave her side, who will protect and look after her.

So I let myself be led away, with the intention of rushing back.

(ANOTHER ANGSTY PAINING CHAPTER, I'M SORRY! BUT I HOPE THAT DESPITE ALL THE LONG DRAWN OUT PAIN, YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH SHE MEANS TO ALL OF THEM AND HOW NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM ARE LEAVING UNTIL SHE'S FINE. I FEEL SORRY FOR ALL OF THEM AND HONESTLY I COULDN'T SURVIVE IF SHE REACTED BAD SO MY LOVES WHO WERE WORRIED- BE ASSURED I WON'T DO THAT TO YOU OR TO MYSLEF! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AND JUST EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO ABOUT THE CHAPTER! WE'LL BE FINALLY GETTING TAE'S POV IN THE NEXT CHAPTER- ALL SHALL BE REVEALED MY LOVES, HAVE PATIENCE AND TAKE CARE! STAY SAFE!)

The world is constantly changing and evolving, let our hearts be the things that remain firm and strong and the same.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3