"Today's rule we will be discussing shouldn't come as a shock to anyone sitting here, as it's a widely accepted precedent among all packs. That rule is to never cheat on your mate," Gyungho says, making a dramatic pause, "In any sense of the word, mind you."

Hearing the head alpha of Chrysalis say this, makes Yeosang and Wooyoung feel uneasy. Their stomachs toss and turn as they think about the acts of treason they've committed together.

Sunghee keeps his gaze on Wooyoung throughout the lesson. He thought he had smelt something on him last night when they were in bed together, but he couldn't place it exactly. He did notice, however, that his mate has been spending quite a bit of time with Yeosang. Sunghee kept brushing it off since they were best friends before the mating ceremony. Maybe they still were.

Wooyoung looks down at the floor as Gyungho speaks, remembering every word that Yeosang spoke to him the other night.

"I just wanted to hear your voice again."

"I've loved you for so long that I lost count of the days."

"You're the most extraordinary person I've ever met."

The words that haunt him most were the ones you always knew deep down, he just never wanted to accept them. That there was nothing they could've done to change what their lives have turned out to be. Although Riverside is not as strict as Chrysalis, they still have their own rules and values. Just as every pack does.

Yeosang keeps his hands placed nicely in his lap, having a small conversation with Dongwoo about what they did yesterday. Yeosang smiles brightly when he talks about the paper boat race the children had, and it makes Dongwoo happy to hear how excited Yeosang seemed about the whole thing.

Dongwoo thought he saw something a bit off about Yeosang, though, but when Yeosang told him about the young Chrysalis girl falling, he assumed that to be the cause. There's just something that's been different about him recently, even his scent has become a bit faint, but he's brushed it off since they're in close proximity with so many other wolves all the time. He tries not to worry himself, though. 

Dongwoo thinks about Yeosang being around a bunch of children and it warms his heart, knowing that one day their little family will be similar. He can't wait for the day when he sees Yeosang out there playing with their own children.

Kyelin jumps into the discussion and suggests that she and Dongwoo come visit the pack children with Yeosang someday instead of going to strength training. Dongwoo agrees quickly, the thought of seeing Yeosang interact with the children warms his heart and makes him forget about all of the offbeat behaviors he's seen.

Yeosang nods cheerfully, glad to see how well Kyelin fits in with them. She's opened up a lot more ever since the arrival of Yunho and Mingi.

Speaking of Yunho and Mingi... Where are they?

Yeosang turns his head to look around for the pairing, letting Dongwoo and Kyelin talk among themselves. He looks for a few seconds with no avail, but he catches sight of the tall couple in the back of the room. They're holding hands and can't keep themselves from nuzzling into one another's shoulders.

Yeosang chuckles to himself, knowing they must've come in a bit late today since they usually sit next to the three of them.

After lessons, Yunho and Mingi decide to skip out on going to strength training and visiting the pack children. They instead agree to go back to the boy's building together.

"Are you feeling okay, my love?" Mingi asks, rubbing down Yunho's back until he eventually rests in the small of it. He noticed how his mate's tension has been a bit high ever since yesterday and that's why he suggested that they spend the afternoon alone together before everyone comes back.

Yunho relaxes into Mingi's touch, the feeling of his touch always making him feel completely content, "I'm okay, Min."

Mingi hums and surprises Yunho by scooping him up into his arms so he can carry him back to their room, "Are you absolutely sure?" He tries again, knowing how stubborn his fated mate can be when it comes to revealing how he's really feeling.

Yunho's eyes shine as he studies Mingi's face, ending up nuzzling his own face into his mate's neck as he thinks, "I... might have used my powers," he whispers, hoping his love won't be too disappointed in him.

Mingi sighs, having known that this was coming. He could sense it. Anything that involved Yunho, Mingi already had a sneaking suspicion on -- since they're fated mates, their instincts with each other are heightened, almost scarily so. Mingi lays Yunho down on their bed after sliding the door closed with his foot, "Ah, I thought so," he hums, kissing down his mate's neck.

"You knew?" Yunho asked, shocked. He's always surprised when Mingi already knows what he's going to say sometimes. It's the worst when he's trying to surprise him, but it can hardly be called a surprise when Mingi can read him like a book. It's almost like he was the author.

Mingi hums again, his lips vibrating against Yunho's collarbone before resting on his mating mark, "Tell me the real story, Yun," he chuckles lowly, looking up into his eyes teasingly, "Or else there won't be any loving before the others come back."

Yunho's cheeks burn red as his eyes meet with his alpha's, "M-Mingi..." he gasps when Mingi trails his fingertips down the sides of his body, "No one saw me do it."

"Mhm, mhm... Except for the person you healed, yes?"

Yunho nods, but he can't hold back his smile when one of his mate's hands reaches his own, their fingers instantaneously intertwining, "It was when Namjoo fell," he reveals. Yunho told Mingi about the situation with the young Chrysalis girl's fall.

Mingi uses his free hand to traipse along the bottom of Yunho's shirt hem, lifting it slowly, "She probably didn't realize what was happening with the pain clouding her judgement, so Namjoo likely just thinks of you as the man who helped her."

"She didn't look scared," Yunho assures.

"That's good, my love," Mingi climbs back up to hover above Yunho, his shirt now revealing his mate's smooth chest he loved so much.

Yunho sat up slightly so Mingi was able to remove his shirt with ease before Yunho also took Mingi's off. He loved the feeling of being skin-to-skin with the one he loved so dearly.

"Now where were we?" Mingi asks, pressing his lips back onto Yunho's where they fit so perfectly. The gods and goddesses truly blessed Mingi in this life, he knows he couldn't ask for a better fated mate. Mingi would give anything for Yunho to live and be happy.

Yunho uses his free hand to run his fingers through Mingi's hair as their kiss deepens, their lips parting slightly to allow their tongues to meet in the middle. The sweet dance that they do together sends the most heavenly sparks through both of their bodies that neither of them could ever get used to.

Yunho squeezes Mingi's hand as he wills him to put more of his weight onto himself, loving the way it feels like their bodies become one when he does so.

"I love you more than the moon loves the sun," Mingi sends through their mind link as they kiss.

"And I love you more than all of the stars in the sky, Min," Yunho sends back, his mind filling with joy when Mingi smiles into their kiss.

Never did Yunho ever think he could love someone as much as he loved Mingi. He didn't believe his heart had the capability of a love so wide, it was wider than the sea, wider than the lengths of all the galaxies. He couldn't ask for more in life. Yunho knew that with Mingi by his side, he would be nothing but happy the rest of his life.

~

Yunho and Mingi are walking out of the boy's building to go watch the sunset together by the river when they're stopped in their tracks by a select choice of words directed towards the alpha.

"I still can't believe that beautiful omega would still accept him after all that destruction on his own pack. I mean, didn't you hear that he was actually the one that killed Essence's alpha?"

Mingi whipped his head around, getting sick and tired of having to hear all of these blasted rumors about him and his mate. His gaze falls onto Sunghee, the owner of the words. He also sees how Wooyoung's eyes widen at his mate's words, really wishing he wasn't there right now.

"Excuse me?" Mingi says, trying to keep his tone down, not wanting to get too angry.

Yunho quickly squeezes Mingi's hand, really not wanting to cause a scene, especially with all of the Chrysalis members walking around outside. One of them is bound to see if there would be an altercation.

"I was just telling them about how much of a coward you are," Sunghee chuckles and Mingi is about to grab him by the shirt collar, but is too late.

Hongjoong and Jongho both had interrupted and shoved Sunghee to the ground, "Leave him alone," the two of them growled together, apparently having the same idea as the other.

Sunghee makes a subtle 'oof' when he hits the ground, flicking his eyes over to see a few of the Chrysalis girls' shocked expressions, so he decides to whine in "pain" as if the two alphas that pushed him down actually hurt him.

Yunho notices Sunghees acting and also the way one of the Chrysalis girls runs off, coming back quickly with the head alpha's mate, Hyejin.

"What is going on here?" Hyejin asks, looking between the boy on the ground and the two boys standing in front of him.

Sunghee starts off first, "These two here thought it would be wise to push me down, Miss Hyejin. Isn't that right, baby?" He looks over at Wooyoung, but Wooyoung is frozen. Mingi and Yunho are his friends. He would never back up Sunghee on this one and he shot pleading eyes over to them, hoping they wouldn't ping him as guilty by association.

"Is this true?" Hyejin turns her attention towards Hongjoong and Jongho and they open their mouths to say something, but there's not much they can contradict. They were the ones that pushed him down.

"Yes," The two say in unison.

Hyejin grits her teeth at the situation, "You two do realize that this sentences you two to receive a mild punishment, yes?"

Hongjoong bites down on his bottom lip, nodding towards her. Jongho also nods, but he glances over at Hongjoong with venom in his glare. He didn't want a punishment, much less with this fool. He's having much too many flashbacks of the last time they were punished together.

"You two will report to the center building tomorrow morning, is that clear?"

Again, the two boys nod as Hyejin walks away.

Sunghee chuckles, crossing his arms once he's back to standing up and he goes into the boys' building without saying anything else, just a smug look on his face. Wooyoung looks back and forth between the small group of boys and his mate walking off and his chest is pounding. He does a small bow hoping that they know he's sorry for Sugnhee's actions and then he follows after his mate.

Mingi nods towards Wooyoung as he goes after Sunghee and then he turns his attention towards Hongjoong and Jongho.

"Thank you guys, really. I feel bad for getting you two into trouble, though," Mingi says apologetically, hating how his temper almost overflowed in that moment with Sunghee. He's been better about keeping it under control after meeting Yunho, the love of his life, but sometimes everything can get to be too much for him.

Hongjoong flashes a smile, "It's no problem, Mingi."

"Yeah, I hate the way that kid acts," Jongho scoffs, looking back to where Sunghee walked off to with a glare in his eyes, "I don't know why Wooyoung chose him as a mate."

Hongjoong nods, "Wooyoung is much too good for him, I swear it."

Yeosang and Dongwoo walked up in that moment and heard about what they said, so he thought he should clear the air about a few things, "He, uhm... He didn't have a choice," Yeosang says to them.

Jongho tilts his head in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"In Riverside, we have a process that kind of chooses our mates for us. Or, rather, we get a small pool to pick from due to certain conditions," Dongwoo explains, wrapping his arm around Yeosang lovingly.

Yeosang nods, "We only had two choices..." He says solemnly, remembering back to the day when they got their results back and saw their two alphas' names staring back at them.

Jongho hums lowly, "That sounds stupid..."

Hongjoong nudged him roughly with narrowing eyes, "Be respectful. This is why Alpha Daesung even allowed us to come here. You're so closed-minded."

Jongho growls under his breath and crosses his arms, muttering something as he turns around and goes into the boys' building. Hongjoong had thought he heard something about him saying how he's dreading tomorrow because he has to spend the whole day with Hongjoong.

"I don't think it was so bad," Dongwoo smiles down at Yeosang, admiring how beautiful he looks with his grown-out hair. He would always ask him if he was okay with having his hair that length, but Dongwoo loved it. Dongwoo remembered how his hair was similar the first time he ever saw Yeosang and how much he adored it.

Yeosang smiles back widely, letting his body and head lean into his mate's chest, trying not to let the guilt override the happiness Dongwoo brings him. He has a lot he needs to think about for sure... Yeosang can't bear to hurt Dongwoo, but the inevitable awaits him.

The boys talk for a while more before they all go back to their rooms. Yunho doesn't stop giving Mingi loving gestures and saying sweet things to him until they finally fall asleep that night.

~

"How could you do that, Sunghee?" Wooyoung scolds, referring to the way he was talking about Mingi earlier.

Sunghee shrugs it off as he lays back into bed, letting his back lean against the bed frame, "It was just a joke, Woo, chill out."

Wooyoung cringes slightly at the nickname, hating the way it sounds on his tongue. He stays quiet for a moment while he dresses into his pajamas.

"Woo?"

Wooyoung looks over at Sunghee with an angered look, "I can't believe you would say that to Mingi... He's our friend, Sunghee."

"Yeah, your friend maybe, but he's not mine. I hardly know the guy," Sunghee hums, tying the strings on his pajama pants.

"He's been nothing but kind to us, him and Yunho. You know that he didn't kill Essence's alpha, Sunghee," Wooyoung mumbles.

Sunghee scoffs and sits back up, "You're kidding, right? His pack destroyed the grounds of Essence, you know. You've seen the damage, Wooyoung. That was Bloodbane, Mingi's pack."

"You're so stupid sometimes..." Wooyoung utters under his breath as he sits down on the bed with his mate.

"What?" Sunghee's voice gets a bit louder, his anger having built up over the past few days and he knows it's about to spill out, "What did you just say?" He asks, but his heart sputters when he sees the way Wooyoung flinches at his voice. Sunghee turns his full attention to Wooyoung and studies him, still smelling the faint scent of vanilla surrounding his mate.

That's not Wooyoung's scent.

He's been smelling it on him for a while now since he's been back, but he didn't think anything of it -- or he didn't want to. Sunghee knows who has the scent of vanilla and it sickens his stomach to always be smelling it on his mate. The one thing that bothered him most about it though was how oddly strong it was the day he got back.

Why was it so strong, Wooyoung...?

"I-I-" Wooyoung stutters, feeling how his heart starts to quicken in pace at Sunghee's raised voice, "I said that you're stupid."

Sunghee growls, "And why is that, huh? Because I don't want to associate with trash like him that will bring me down? I don't even want you to be around him, Wooyoung. You've been different since we got here and I can't stand it."

"Different how?" Wooyoung asks, not wanting to acknowledge the horrible things he said about Mingi. He wants to try and deflect the conversation elsewhere, but he could never have prepared himself for where their conversation would lead to afterward.

"You've been spending so much time with that omega friend of yours, you know, the little one. So much time that I can smell him on you, Woo," Sunghee says bitterly. He never liked Yeosang much at all.

Wooyoung's eyebrows furrow at his mate's words, "Yeosang is my best friend, Sunghee," He asserts, but his voice weakens when he continues, "I... I only smell like him because we're always together after lessons when we spend time with the pack children..."

"Then why don't you smell like any of the others? Never once have you smelt like Yunho or Seonghwa or any of them!" Sunghee's voice keeps rising in volume, "You come back here to me reeking of vanilla and it's repugnant, Wooyoung. Where did that incredible jasmine scent go? It's being completely masked and- and... Th-There's no reason for it to be that strong unless he's been touching you, Woo."

Wooyoung's sitting on his knees now, his eyes filling themselves to the brim with tears as he stares at Sunghee while he talks.

He knows.

He knows.

"Has he been touching you?" Sunghee gets up to be facing Wooyoung, putting his hands on his shoulders, "H-Has he?" His voice waivers, choking back the tears of anger that threaten to come out, "Tell me, Wooyoung!"

Wooyoung's never seen Sunghee like this in the whole time they've been together. Never has he once seen his mate cry - or almost cry. The way his voice stutters when he talks breaks Wooyoung down, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks as he falls into his mate's eyes.

"We..." Wooyoung hesitates, feeling how his mating mark on his neck burns with the thoughts of Yeosang and what they did. It ignites in pain the longer he stares into Sunghee's eyes, seeming into his soul. His wolf is feeling just as pained as he continues, "We slept together..."

Sunghee isn't sure he even heard Wooyoung right when he just barely catches the words he said through the loudness of his own thoughts.

"You what...?" Sunghee manages to get out, feeling the agonizing burning coming from his own mating mark. His wolf is overcome with anger, his eyes unable to stop flashing between a deep crimson and his normal brown. He feels as his grip on Wooyoung's shoulders tightens, causing his mate to slightly wince.

Wooyoung's head is so distracted with conflicting emotions, he doesn't even notice the burning intensifying on his neck, "Yeosang and I, w-we slept together," He says again, his voice shaking, even more, this time around as he sees Sunghee's reddened eyes.

An uncomfortably long silence fills the room while they sit there together, Sugnhee's grip still tightened around Wooyoung's shoulders as his head drops to look at the covers below them.

"Right here...?" Sunghee asks, venom interlacing his words as he speaks.

Wooyoung nods, not sure if Sunghee can see him, but there's no way he would be able to get any more words out.

Sunghee can sense his mate agreeing to his question and his wolf growls vehemently within him, wanting to come out. He wants for Sunghee to shift, so he can rip him apart. Sunghee tries to hold his wolf back, prying his hands off of his shoulders and instead onto the covers of the bed. In moments, the covers are ripped and he yells out in anger as he stands up from the bed.

Wooyoung scoots himself back to the headboard and curls himself into a ball as he sobs silently while watching Sunghee tear apart their room.

Sunghee destroys all of the furniture in the room, leaving it broken and in shambles on the floor much like his heart. He keeps shaking his head, trying his hardest to keep his wolf at bay before he comes out and hurts Wooyoung.

Wooyoung is left shaking on the bed, the lamplight flickering from all of the movement and destruction and his eyes only fill with more fear when Sunghee finally turns his attention towards him.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Wooyoung cries, his face twisted into despair.

Sunghee finds himself walking over to Wooyoung with his hand held out to grab him, but he stops himself mere feet before reaching him.

"Stop."

"Stop."

"Stop."

Wooyoung hears Sunghee mumbling to himself, his breathing becoming erratic as he backs away from Wooyoung slowly. His wolf is going to come out. He has to get out. He has to stop.

Wooyoung's fear clouds his thoughts, his eyes blurred from all of the tears, but he doesn't miss the slamming of their bedroom door after Sunghee leaves the room.

Wooyoung is left alone once again...

Shaking and crying...

Wondering what he could've done differently.

End of Chapter Twenty Four