*Alternative title - The author cried several times while writing this, please forgive her*

"Sannie?" He asked in a small voice.

San turned his head to look at his mate, his love, his life. "I'm ok..."

Wooyoung moved so he could sit on San's lap, straddling him as he wrapped his arms around San's neck. "It's going to be ok. Either way... It's going to be ok San."

"How can you be so sure? You know it could kill you." San stared at his chest, afraid he would burst into tears if he made eye contact.

But Wooyoung lifted his chin and San felt his heart melting at the soft smile he saw on his omega's face. "Because I have survived a lot that should have killed me. And because I'll have you by my side to give me strength." He leaned forward and connected their lips.

San let out a little whimper as butterflies erupted in his stomach, same as they did every time he kissed his mate. He fell back on the bed so his legs were still bent over the side, bringing Wooyoung with him. They kept their lips locked together for several minutes before Wooyoung finally pulled back and rubbed the side of San's face. "I love you."

"I love you too." San whispered, pushing himself into a sitting position again while keeping Wooyoung on his lap. Then he grabbed the glass off the table and stared at the milky white liquid. It had an almost iridescent look to it, the only thing that made it look different from milk...

He let out a short sigh, then passed the glass to Wooyoung.

The omega took in and also paused. "To us." He whispered, locking eyes with San one more time before gulping down the drink.

—

The first few weeks went by must as they had expected. Wooyoung had an awful time keeping the potion down. He threw it up a few seconds after trying to swallow it almost every time. And it just grew worse as weeks turned into months.

But that wasn't the worst part...

It was the screams.

The blood curdling, heart-wrenching screams that followed.

They seemed to echo throughout the forest, bouncing off every rock and tree.

"NO!! NOOO!!"

"Youngie, please." San begged trying to keep his voice calm for the sake of his mate. It as almost impossible though... He hated watching Wooyoung thrash on the bed beneath him.

"San, he needs to take it." Jongho growled, adjusting himself so that he could hold Wooyoung's arms above his head.

The older alpha nodded, the faintest of whimpers escaping him as Wooyoung tossed his head back and forth. "Please, Youngie, you wanted this. Think of the baby."

His omega sobbed, trying to curl into himself as if it would hide the pain his body was going through. Wooyoung attempted to open his mouth to accept the potion, but he couldn't keep it open for long before another sob shook his body. "I-I c-c-can't. S-Sannie, please d-don't make me!"

Beautiful, pleading eyes looked up at San, making him pause. Everything inside of San screamed for him to obey his mate's wishes. The last thing his wolf wanted to do was cause it's Soulmate harm...

Jongho seemed to sense this and quickly moved both of Wooyoung's hands into one of his own, then used his other hand to grab Wooyoung's jaw. "Come on, please Woo." He said through gritted teeth.

Wooyoung screamed again as Jongho forced his jaw open. "NOOO!!"

It took a second for San to collect himself, but he managed to tilt the bottle of white liquid over so it started pouring down Wooyoung's throat. He did it quickly, dumping the entire thing so that Jongho could force the omega's mouth shut.

Muffled coughing followed. Horrid, liquid coughs that gave away just how much Wooyoung's body was fighting the potion.

"Baby, please." San asked weakly. His hand shook violently as it moved to pinch his mate's nose...

Whimpered protests almost made him stop, but he knew he couldn't.

He had promised... Wooyoung had made him promise to force him to take the potion...

And every second of it killed San more and more, almost as if he were the one taking it.

Oh how he wished he could take it instead.

Seeing the tears rolling down the sides his omega's face while choking on the liquid in his mouth ripped San's heart into twisted little strands.

He could sense the pain coming from Jongho, too. His love for the little omega in front of them was just as strong, and seeing Wooyoung suffer like this... it was affecting both of them more than they'd like to admit.

Eventually, Wooyoung forced himself to swallow. He gasped for air when Jongho finally let go of his jaw, only to roll to the side and throw up everything he had taken. It thankfully landed in the bucket that was always kept at the side of his bed now, but that wasn't always the case.

And unfortunately, that meant the struggle started all over again...

"No! Please! PLEASE!! I can't take it anymore! It hurts too much!" Wooyoung cried out. He managed to slip from Jongho's grasp and roll onto his side, clutching his stomach. "It burns! It BURNS!!"

San covered his mouth with a hand in an attempt to stifle his sob.  He just couldn't hold it in anymore... His vision blurred with tears while he watch Jongho swing around to force Wooyoung onto his back, then straddle his hips.

"Woo, please!" The alpha begged. "You're going to hurt yourself! We are just doing what you asked us to do!"

The omega wouldn't listen to him. He shook his head back and forth violently, almost as if he was trying to snap his own neck.

A few seconds later, the door burst open and Maria can rushing in with Hongjoong at her side. She gave San one passing, sympathetic glance before sitting on the bed next to Wooyoung. "Honey, I need you to take a deep breath with me." She leaned forward to gently stroke his cheek.

The second San's shoulders started to shake, Hongjoong was at his side to pull him into a bone crushing hug. "Shhh." He said gently, trying to give San some peace of mind.

But San knew it was because that's all Hongjoong could manage right now...

Wooyoung continued to try and break free from Jongho's strong grasp. "I can't! I can't!" His screams we're getting hoarse and rough. "NO!!"

"Wooyoung listen to me." Maria placed her hands on his cheeks and turned his head so they were forced to look at each other. Her eyes flashed a beautiful, vibrant blue as she called forth her wolf for the first time San could ever remember seeing. "You need to keep fighting."

The omega froze beneath her, his eyes turning gold in response. Then he opened his mouth to accept the next dose.

"Good boy." Maria gave him a kind smile and rubbed his cheeks. "Good boy." She then brought another bottle up to tip its contents into Wooyoung's mouth.

He tried to throw it up instantly, but Maria was quick to force his jaw shut once more.

This time he was forced to swallow and fight through his need to purge.

It lasted too long... San hated watching his mate jerk and twist and flop on the bed underneath Jongho, who kept ahold of his arms to make sure he didn't hurt himself.

Hongjoong stayed the entire time, gently rubbing the back of the younger's head in an attempt to comfort him.

And it did, if only a little.

Minutes that felt like hours passed in complete and utter agony as everyone waited for Wooyoung to stop. His whimpers were gargled, his entire face was damp from tears and sweat, and his chest heaved from breathing heavily through his nose for so long. But eventually he started to breathe a little slower and his eyelids started to flutter.

Soon, his breaths became soft, slow, and even once sleep claimed his weary body.

Maria let out a soft sigh while removing her hand from the omega's mouth and moving it to gently rub Jongho's arm. "You can relax, Dear. I think he will sleep for a bit now." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke.

When she stood, she turned to face San with a look that tore him apart. Fear and anguish.

He shook his head, whining just a little, and clutched at his own shirt that he hasn't realized was now soaked in his own sweat.

Hongjoong shushed him again, his pheromones intermingling with Maria's in an attempt to calm San down.

The first to speak next  was Jongho. "Maria?" He murmured while carefully climbing off the bed to stand next to the beta.

She looked down at her name and slowly jerked her head toward the door. "Let's talk outside."

San didn't like that. He didn't like any of this. His entire body started to tremble with the anticipation of what was going to be said.

He gave his mate a lingering look, checking over everything to make sure he really was ok right now before letting his alpha take him outside.

The light from the main house spilled onto the lawn, trying to pierce the gloomy night closing in around them.

Even outside, San felt like he was suffocating. He clutched at his chest, tugging on his shirt and clawing at his skin.

Everything was so wrong...

"San." Maria came over to him and pulled his hands away from his body. Her gentle, smooth fingers danced over his skin and a soft warmth began to flow through him. "San, Honey, I need you to stay with me."

The alpha whimpered, causing his lower lip to tremble. "It-t's n-n-not-t w-work-king..."

Silence. Agonizing, truthful, frustrating silence answered his statement.

Then he broke it by letting out a wail as he collapsed into Hongjoong's waiting arms. It took all of his alpha's strength just to keep him upright...

The back door of the house slammed open, and soon Yunho was running to join them while Mingi stood in the door, not wanting to stray too far away from the new parents in the house just in case they needed help.

But his concern flowed through the pack link, joined by Seonghwa and Yeosang from where they were resting or nursing in their rooms.

"What happened?" Yunho asked. He went straight for his mate, who had sunk to his knees and was just staring at the door separating the pack from Wooyoung. "What's wrong??" He fell to his knees as well, hissing a little from the pain in his back. When no one answered him, all the color drained from his face. "No..." He started to shake his head back and forth. "N-No... Please..."

Maria closed her eyes and took a step back from San. "Things aren't looking good." She said softly. "I wish I could say otherwise, but... he should be showing some form of progress by now."

"What can we do?" Hongjoong asked. Strength entered his voice, showing the confidence of a head alpha in his pack's time of need. He would be strong for them when they couldn't do it themselves. "There must be something. This cure exists when we thought there was none, there must be something else."

San watched as Maria's eyes darted back and forth while she searched through her memories. The strain was written all over her face... this was hurting her just as much as the rest of the pack.

"I can't think of anything." She said, her shoulders dropping in defeat. "But I'll check the books again to see if maybe I missed something."

Hongjoong nodded in thanks, but there was no point... Her saying that was just a guise to try and give them all false hope, for she had already spent hours reading and rereading all three books in their possession.

A few moments of silence passed before San felt a tug on his bond. He hurried to the cabin door and opened it to see Wooyoung staring at him with weary eyes. "S... Sannie."

The alpha was rushed to his mate's side and crawled into bed with him, wrapping him up and pulling him close. "I'm here, my love. I'm here."

"S... Sorry..." Wooyoung's voice was weak and his breathing labored... It was horrible to listen to and it made San want to shut out the world.

"No, Baby, no..." He whispered instead. "You don't need to apologize for anything."

"M-My... fault..."

San bite his lip hard to hold back his on coming sobs. There was so much he wanted to say, and even more he couldn't. Every word, every thought... they killed him a little bit more.

Especially because that's exactly what was happening to his mate.

He could feel it now.

Wooyoung was dying...

The cure... the blasted cure... it was eating him from the inside out. After everything the little omega had survived...

So instead, San pressed a watery kiss to the top of Wooyoung's head and hugged him as tightly as he dared.

He could feel the younger attempt to nuzzle into his chest. It would have been endearing if it wasn't another sign that he was loosing the battle for his life...

The next few hours were filled with short visits from their pack.

One by one they came in, wanting the chance to say anything they could.

San had moved so he was laying between Wooyoung and the wall. He never let to of his omega, feeding off the connection. The very thought of missing any time now...

Surprisingly, Wooyoung was with it through all the visits. He barely moved or spoke, but he was able to give small smiles did his best to give comfort where he could.

It was so like him... still trying to take care of the others...

During this time, he was able to meet both Gunner and Riley. His eyes lit up at the sight of both babies and he regained some of the color in his face when they were set down next to him so he could lift a shaky hand to rub one finger against their cheeks.

"Uncle Youngie?" Avayla whispered from where she was holding Seonghwa's hand during their visit. "When are you coming back to the house?" Her voice was so tiny as she spoke, both Seonghwa and Mingi turned their heads away as they fought the oncoming tears.

San felt pain flow through their link. Every single shred of it... Yet somehow Wooyoung managed to smile at their precious Ava. "Soon, I hope."

She looked up at Seonghwa, watching the way tears rolled down his cheeks in unending waves. "Mama?"

All the older omega could do was turn into Mingi, who pulled both Seonghwa and Avayla into a hug.

Before they left, they each gave Wooyoung a kiss on his cheek or forehead and tried to fill the room with as much love as they could.

Hongjoong and Yeosang's visit was almost the same, although Yeosang was crying before he even stepped inside and couldn't keep himself contained very well. His alpha pressed soft kisses to the side of his head to try and comfort him.

When he could finally take a little bit of a breath, the beta kneeled next to Wooyoung and leaned over to rest his head next to the younger's. "I-"

"I know..." Wooyoung whispered.

The sweet smell of honey started to fill the room, showing how hard of a time Yeosang was having controlling his own emotions. Normally Wooyoung's would have spiked with it naturally.

San wished it would... but his lavender scent was fading more and more as the minutes ticked by.

Eventually Hongjoong had to pull on Yeosang's shoulder to get him to stand, giving him his own chance to lean over and nuzzle his nose against the omega.

Wooyoung giggled.

It shattered San's world and he could no longer hold back the tears.

His Wooyoung was still there enough to giggle in a situation like this... How could that be? How could he do that to any of them?

Even Hongjoong couldn't hide his soft sob. "I love you, Youngie." He whispered.

Wooyoung turned his head just enough so he could brush his nose against Hongjoong's neck. The alpha shivered and sobbed once more, succumbing to his instincts of being scented by one of his pack.

It was a touching moment that shouldn't have happened like this...

With one final parting look, the couple took their new son away and left the door open for what would definitely be the hardest goodbyes.

San tightened his grip on his omega when he felt Wooyoung start to tremble in anticipation.

The pitter-patter of little feet in the grass was the first noise to reach their ears. Then Theo was climbing into bed to sit on his knees next to Wooyoung's chest. He leaned forward to press a hand to Wooyoung's cheek, concern written all over his precious little face.

"Hey Theo." Wooyoung's voice trembled, yet he was able to give a small smile to try and reassure the boy.

His parents stood like ghosts in the door, both extremely pale except for their red, swollen eyes. It was like they were afraid to get any closer.

San understood why. Each step they took would bring them closer to the hardest goodbye they could imagine right now.

Uncle Woo?

Everyone froze and sucked in a breath.

Uncle Woo? What's wrong?

San lifted his head up to stare at the little boy in front of him. "Did he...?"

Yunho took a couple of large steps to crouch next to the bed, then placed a hand on the back of Theo's head. Theo?

Mama! His eyes lit up and he jumped off the bed and into Yunho's arms. Mama, I heard you!!

The crying from everyone started all over again as they celebrated hearing Theo speak for the first time. It was easy to see that Yunho was having a hard time being excited about it just as much as he was struggling with keeping any sort of emotion under control.

Next to him, his alpha's cheeks were stained with new and old tears. He looked at his son with nothing but pride in his crinkle eyed smile. Son.

Theo turned to him and beamed. Papa!

Your voice is beautiful. Wooyoung's voice filled their heads, instantly breaking the celebration. It was so frail...

Uncle Woo...Theo squirmed in Yunho's arms, trying to get back to the omega. What's wrong?

How could they even begin to explain it?

Pain filled the room, making Theo shrink in on himself a little and lean into Yunho's shoulder.

"Y-Young-gie..." Yunho's voice cracked in his attempt to speak. The pain, the loss, the agony he felt was written all over his face. He was loosing his best friend, and he didn't know how to say goodbye...

"Take..." Wooyoung took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Take care... of... of Sannie... for me..."

Both Yunho and Jongho leaned forward to place a hand on the omega, desiring any sort of connection with their precious friend.

San on the other hand... San's grip loosened as all will to hold on left his body. His eyes focused on one little freckle on the back of Wooyoung's neck.

"Love..." The omega's voice grew weaker the more he spoke. "I love... you both... Love... all... of you..."

"Woo..." Jongho whimpered and pressed his forehead against Wooyoung's.

His heart started to beat just a little faster at the connection with the other alpha had always kept a claim on his heart. "Promise..."

"I do, I promise..." The younger whispered.

The softest of sighs came from Wooyoung and it felt like he sank into the bed a little more.

Jongho and Yunho exchanged a devastated look. There wasn't much more that could be said... and it was too hard to say the words that truly needed to be spoken, because if they were... that would make everything so much more real.

So they both took their turn to press long, tear-filled kisses to Wooyoung's head and cheeks before they left the mated pair alone.

Which San appreciated. To an extent...

He still couldn't get his arms to work. He knew he should be hugging his mate, comforting him, giving him all the love in the world.

But...

He could feel it.

All of it...

He could feel the life slowly leaving the love of his life as Wooyoung's body succumbed to the failed cure.

"San..."

The alpha managed to respond with a small hum.

"K... Kiss... me?"

Chills rocketed through San. He couldn't control his emotions, but he could fulfill his mate's wish.

San worked as fast as he could while still being careful to roll Wooyoung hover so they could face each other. Just that movement alone was enough to drain what little color was left in his face, if that was even possible, but his eyes still managed to sparkle when they found his alpha.

Then San leaned forward to press their lips together. Even with the current situation, butterflies immediately erupted in his stomach, as they always did whenever he kiss Wooyoung.

The connection they had was one that would never be broken. It was meant to be something that would stand the test of time, prevail against all odds, defeat any foe.

But now... it was breaking. Along with San's heart.

He could taste the salt from his tears in the kiss and it almost made him pull away. But kissing Wooyoung had always been one of his favorite things, and soon he wasn't going to be able to do it anymore.

His kiss grew hungry and urgent. He finally regained control of his arms, using them to press their bodies together.

To his credit, Wooyoung did what he could to keep up, until it became to much work for his weak body. He let San do as he pleased, laying there and accepting each and every kiss, gentle nip, and nuzzle against his skin.

For what felt like hours they stayed like this. Wooyoung would whisper when he could, San would share as much love as he possibly could, praying, wishing... hoping it would be enough...

A black veil fell over San's world the second he felt Wooyoung's heart finally stop.

He wanted to scream, to beg, to plead, but he was just... numb.

Numb to the pain, numb to any thoughts, numb to time...

He had no idea how long he laid there holding his mate without a single thought in his head, but when Hongjoong came to... to handle things, San gave a low, threatening growl.

The alpha held his hands up in submission, his forehead scrunched in concern. "San, it's ok. It's just me."

Another growl came from deep within San's chest. His wolf was taking over in the worst way. No one was going to touch his mate. Not now, not ever.

He moved quickly so that he could crouch over Wooyoung, his eyes turning a bright, vibrant red.

"San, I know you're upset, but we need..." Hongjoong's voice caught in his throat. "Please, Sannie, please don't fight me on this."

The words made sense, they really did, but San just wasn't at a point where he wanted to listen. He wouldn't budge from his position.

His mind was far enough gone that he even swiped at Hongjoong when he tried to get too close...

It took both Mingi and a distraught Jongho to drag him away from Wooyoung's body. They had to cross his arms over his chest and sandwich him between their bodies while Hongjoong pulled a blanket over their precious omega.

Now San screamed. He yelled as loud as he could, fresh tears rolling down his face as he fought to get free and run to his mate once more. "How could you?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" His voice cracked from the strain he was putting on his voice.

"S-San..." Jongho whispered, still struggling to keep the older alpha contained.

"We were supposed to be together forever... Why would you chose to leave me?! WHY!!!"

The force of his scream made San go lightheaded and his knees gave out underneath him. Mingi caught his weight easily and carried him into he main pack house where he was taken to the room he had stayed in with Wooyoung.

His omega's lavender scent was everywhere... It provided a small sense of comfort, but it also made the heartache even worse.

For days San stayed in his bed, nuzzling into the sheets, the pillows, and into every piece of clothing Wooyoung had ever touched, desperately searching for... for something.

Wooyoung was gone... forever...

He couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. Nothing was right anymore.

The only time his pack was able to get him out of his bedroom was when they had a small service for Wooyoung...

They buried him under the tree they had carved their initials in. It was almost ironic, doing it there... His final resting place was beneath the tree that had been marked at the beginning of their journey to find the very thing that ended up killing him.

San barely remembered the day. He spent it standing away from the others, staring at the ground, and only partially hearing Hongjoong and Maria say a few things. But the tears never stopped.

His pack would try to help him, get him to eat, even just talk to him, but San... San was just a shell now.

He was nothing without Wooyoung.

Even if it weren't for the Soulmate bond, he felt like he would be in the same exact position.

Half of his heart, his soul, was just... gone.

"San, please, we are all worried about you." Yunho's voice drifted over him one day. It was hallow the normal cheer gone from it. They had all been effected by the loss. The pack just wasn't the same...

And he was only dragging them down.

He knew he was never going to be the same. Deep down... he knew... His mind had grown slow and dull. Nothing made him happy anymore. Nothing was the same.

And the day he could no longer smell the lavender scent that had somehow kept him going, it was all over...

No one fought him on his decision, in the end. They had a feeling it was coming. Very little was known about Soulmate bonds, but Hongjoong and Yeosang understood more than the others what San was feeling.

The goodbyes were painful but... fulfilling in a way. He was giving his family some form of closure, just like when they had come to say goodbye to Wooyoung.

Which was the last thing San did.

He went to Wooyoung's grave and fell to his knees beside it. His fingers dragged through the dirt as if it would allow him to feel his mate once more.

Not a sound left him. It didn't feel right. But he knelt there for a long time, trying to find peace within his own heart.

One last chance...

Eventually, the numbness continued to take hold.

With one final, deep breath, San stood and stripped himself of his clothes. He folded them as neatly as he could before laying them at the base of the tree.

Then he closed his eyes and truly let himself go.

The alpha shifted into his soot colored wolf form, letting his wolf take over completely as he tilted his head back and let out a long, sorrowful howl.

His final goodbye before he vanished into the trees.