"I will be right there!" Lee Myeong-gi shouted, his voice echoing slightly in the hallway as he hurried toward the door. He was half-annoyed at the persistent ringing of the doorbell, feeling that whoever was on the other side could have been more patient. However, as he swung open the door, his irritation quickly morphed into a look of shock.

Standing before him was none other than Jeon Jungkook, the well-known Legacy Alpha, whose reputation preceded him. Myeong-gi hadn't expected a visit from someone of Jungkook's prominence, especially not at his home. The sudden encounter felt surreal; he struggled to find his voice, stuttering, "Jeon Jungkook?"

The seriousness of the situation hit him as he took in Jungkook's intense gaze, which held authority and annoyance. Realizing that he was staring, Myeong-gi swiftly bowed his head, a gesture of respect ingrained in him as a Beta. "I am sorry. How can I help you, Alpha Jeon?" he managed to say, trying his best to communicate his respect.

Before he could fully comprehend anything else, Myeong-gi was blindsided by a sudden, sharp pain in his knee. It felt as if a sledgehammer had struck him, causing him to collapse onto the floor in shock and agony. Dazed and confused, he barely had time to brace himself as another blow came, this time to his head, rendering him flat on his back. He groaned, the taste of blood soaking his mouth as he struggled to regain his strength.

Myeong-gi felt a heavy presence looming over him as the world around him spun as Jungkook stepped into the house, the door swinging shut with a powerful thud behind him. He strode over, his movements swift and predatory, before crouching down to grab Myeong-gi by the collar of his shirt, lifting him slightly off the ground.

The cold look in Jungkook's eyes was apparent. "I'm glad I don't need to introduce myself to you," he said, his tone low and menacing. "Now, explain to me why you have been talking with my Omega."

"Your Omega? Who is that? I don't know your Omega." Myeong-gi choked out as confusion swirled in his mind. He struggled to grasp the extent of what had just been thrust upon him, but before he could fully process it, Jungkook drove a knife deep into his thigh, eliciting a piercing scream that echoed in the halls of his home.

"Kim Seokjin, does that name ring a bell?" Jungkook demanded. "Why are you talking to him?" Just as it seemed he would give Myeong-gi a chance to respond, Jungkook changed his mind. He grabbed the Beta's injured knee, applying pressure and reveling in the sight of him writhing in agony, and tears spilling in a desperate outcry.

"Let this be a warning to never lay a hand on what belongs to me. If I ever catch wind of you talking to Seokjin again, it will be the last sound you make!" Jungkook announced as he plunged the blade of his knife deep into Myeong-gi's knee, a sinister glimmer in his eyes. "He is mine, and mine alone!"

As he extracted the knife from Myeong-gi's knee, he straightened up and retrieved a handkerchief from his jacket to wipe the blade clean. He looked down at the Beta, who writhed in pain, and a smile crept onto his face. Ever since he had heard the Beta's voice over the phone with his Seokjin, he had anticipated this moment.

Gaining access to Seokjin's phone and call history was easy, and it didn't take long for him to start cleaning up Seokjin's contact list. One by one, he would ensure no Beta in existence would dare make a move toward his Omega.

******

Seokjin's Pov:

******

After sending yet another house over to JK for his review, I let out a sigh. I had truly lost track of how many homes I'd sent him in the past month, and aside from a brief thank you, there had been nothing else from him. I knew he was busy focusing on his recovery, and I tried to convince myself that this was the reason for his lack of response. Still, a nagging guilt crept in, whispering that perhaps he was choosing not to use my services anymore, which I could completely understand considering everything he'd been through. It would just be nice if he'd come out and say it instead of leaving me in the dark while I continued to put in the work.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed, leaning back on my sofa. This was my struggle, getting too wrapped up in my own thoughts and jumping to conclusions. Here I was, worrying about how he might be feeling when he was probably just dealing with the pain of his gunshot wound. I hated that I tended to turn everything back to myself. It wasn't my intention, but sometimes I just couldn't help where my mind wandered.

The sound of an alert on my phone jolted me from my thoughts, exactly what I needed. When I noticed that the email was from JK, I quickly sat up on the sofa and opened it. This was the first time he'd emailed in a while.

---

Dear Seokjin,

I hope you've been well. I wanted to take a moment to apologize for my recent lack of responsiveness. As you know, I've been focusing on my recovery, which has required a lot of time and energy. It hasn't been an easy journey, and to be honest, I've found myself in a bit of a slump lately. I had initially predicted that the recovery process would progress much faster than it actually has, but I'm learning that patience is key.

I've been meaning to express my appreciation for the homes you've been sending my way. I appreciate you keeping me in the loop, and I'm excited about visiting them in person soon. However, I'm currently feeling a bit overwhelmed with my situation, so I was hoping you could help me narrow down the options.

If it's not too much, could you recommend your top five homes based on your judgment and what you think would suit my needs? I would be really grateful. It would help me greatly to focus on just those particular options, as browsing through all the homes right now is too much for me to handle.

Thank you so much for your support during this time. It truly means a lot to me. I hope you've also been taking care of yourself.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Thanks,

JK

---

I reread his email multiple times, and guilt washed over me once again. I had been consumed with my own thoughts while he was dealing with such pain. It was hard to imagine what he was going through. I've never had a serious injury, let alone being shot, so I can't imagine what that must feel like.

I wish there was something I could do to help him, but I can't shake the feeling that I might be the last person he'd want to see. Although he had asked me out before, I sensed that he regretted it, understandably so, especially given how professionally he had replied to my email. I can only imagine that with every painful day he endured, his feelings of anger and regret about meeting me multiplied.

Trying to push those heavy thoughts aside, I forced myself to respond to his email.

---

Hi JK,

You really don't need to thank me. This is the least I could do. I'll gladly help you narrow down the top five houses and share my thoughts soon.

On a separate note, I'm sorry to hear you're in a slump and recovery is taking longer than expected. I can only imagine how difficult your days must be. I know I might not be the best person to help right now and may even be the last person you want to see, but if you're open to it, I'd love to come by and prepare dinner for you one evening. If that's not a good idea, please just let me know. I want to do something to help you, even if it's just in a small way.

Take care,

Seokjin

---

I locked my phone and pushed it aside. I was pretty sure he would turn down my invitation, but I couldn't ignore the terrible feeling of guilt inside me. I still hadn't found the courage to tell my brother anything, and I doubted I ever would.

*****

Jungkook's Pov:

*****

"How cute." A smile spread across my face as I read Seokjin's email. Each day that passed without a word from me had evidently sparked more thoughts of concern and perhaps guilt in him.

I couldn't say I was surprised. While my distance hadn't been deliberate, the way he had been pondering over my well-being was endearing. I could picture him fretting, perhaps imagining me confined to a bed, struggling to move while dealing with an injured leg.

Little did he know, the one nursing an injury wasn't me. It was his so-called lovers who had occupied a space in his life that should have rightfully been mine. The thought of the parade of willing Betas catering to his needs during his heats felt like a dagger to my heart. No amount of revenge on my part could heal that pain.

I recognized that I was partly to blame for not making my presence known sooner. I'm still unsure what caused the delay between us and why our paths only crossed at this moment. The weight of this delay and my inability to find him earlier, the thought of how he had subjected himself to the touch of those lesser Betas, caused anger to boil within me, intertwining with a deep sense of betrayal.

Yet, despite all my anger, I could sense a shift within myself. I had progressed in addressing my feelings, particularly the jealousy that once consumed me. The more I worked through eliminating those Betas, the clearer the vision of our future together became.

His recent email made his desire to see me clear. His offer to prepare dinner for me was unexpected but delightful. The thought of Seokjin, my Seokjin, stepping into my home, the territory of an Alpha, was both laughable and endearing. It felt like a twist of fate, a sign that our paths were uniting again.

A sinister chuckle escaped my lips as I entertained his offer; he was coming home, exactly where I craved him to be.