TATMFL - 30

Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her lungs burning as if they might burst. But the fear of confirming Hye-sung’s safety drove her forward, leaving no room to stop. 

Ra-on had no awareness of whether she crossed the crosswalk at the right signal or properly apologized to someone she bumped into along the way. 

Only when Hye-sung’s apartment building finally came into view did Ra-on slow her pace, her pounding heart echoing in her ears. 

Ironically, the closer she got to his place, the more her unease swelled instead of subsiding. It grew heavier with every step. 

And then… she arrived. 

The lights in Hye-sung’s apartment were off. 

“Huu...” 

The trembling in her voice betrayed her anxiety as she exhaled sharply. Swallowing the bitter saliva that had pooled in her mouth, Ra-on dialed his number again. She tried to rationalize that he might be too unwell to turn on the lights, but her hands still shook uncontrollably. 

“Why aren’t you answering…” 

She gnawed on her lips nervously. 

Just as she passed the final alleyway leading to Hye-sung’s building, something made her head snap abruptly toward the darkened alley. 

The alley was pitch-black, untouched by the glow of the streetlights, and so ominous that it felt daunting to even step inside. 

Yet, despite her fear, Ra-on found herself drawn toward it, almost as if in a trance. 

Her hand, gripping the phone tightly as the automated message began to play, turned ghostly white. Her chest tightened painfully. 

“Ah...” 

Finally reaching the end of the alley, where the streetlamp illuminated the scene beyond, Ra-on’s eyes widened to their fullest extent. Her trembling lips parted in shock. 

As she instinctively took a step forward, swallowing her ragged breath— 

“Hss!” 

A scream tried to escape her lips, but a hand clamped over her mouth just in time. 

“Shh—” 

A chillingly low voice whispered into her ear. 

“As I always think, you really have no fear, underclassman.” 

The man holding her firmly by the shoulders pressed his lips against her ear, his damp breath brushing over her earlobe. 

“Do you have any idea how dangerous this place is?” 

Ra-on’s mind was too overwhelmed to register that it was Do-kyung restraining her. His words didn’t reach her through the haze of panic clouding her senses. 

All she could see, all she could feel, was Hye-sung lying crumpled on the ground amidst five men. 

His body, already weakened, had clearly resisted fiercely. His face was battered beyond recognition. His eyelids were grotesquely swollen, his cheeks bruised an angry shade of blue, and his mouth smeared with fresh blood. 

“Ahh... ah, ugh, hnn...” 

A whimper escaped through the fingers covering her mouth. 

At that moment, a cruel, snickering laugh erupted from the group of men surrounding Hye-sung. One of them kicked Hye-sung’s face lightly, as if mocking him. 

“If he’d just accepted his situation quietly, he wouldn’t have ended up like this. Look at him, his pretty face ruined.” 

“The guy who specifically targeted his face shouldn’t be talking.” 

The man who had been scolded crouched down and grabbed Hye-sung by the hair, yanking his head up. He then buried his nose into the nape of Hye-sung’s neck and inhaled deeply.

“Haa...” 

The man pawed at his own lower body, sniffing incessantly around Hye-sung’s earlobe. Then, panting, he began loosening his belt. 

“Should I go first?” 

“You bastard. Anyone who sees you would think you’re in heat.” 

“Finish up quick and get out. If it gets too loose, it won’t be fun anymore.” 

“You bastards, always rushing me.” 

Chuckling, the man bared his teeth and sank them sharply into Hye-sung’s shoulder. 

“Huk!” 

A groan escaped Hye-sung’s lips. His flushed, feverish face trembled with a mix of pain and arousal. 

The man tore open Hye-sung’s shirt carelessly, as if unbuttoning it was too much effort. 

And then— 

“...!” 

As Hye-sung’s pale skin was exposed in the dim light, Ra-on’s body convulsed violently, instinctively surging forward. She clawed at Do-kyung’s arms, trying to break free and rush to Hye-sung’s side. 

But instead of releasing her, Do-kyung tightened his grip around her waist and chuckled darkly. 

“Lick.” He slid his tongue into Ra-on’s ear and whispered seductively: 

“Shall I help him?” 

“Huu...” 

Ra-on panted heavily, tears streaming down her face. 

“Just one word, Ra-on-ah.” 

His tone was smooth and persuasive, like the serpent tempting Eve with the forbidden fruit. 

“If you say it, I’ll save Ji Hye-sung from this hell.” 

The lips that had been biting and sucking on Hye-sung’s shoulder slowly moved downward, leaving vivid marks on his heated skin. 

“Ugh...” 

Do-kyung hummed a tune, unfazed by the nails digging painfully into his arm beneath his shirt. The suppressed sobs and hot breaths against his palm only fueled his arousal further. His erection pressed firmly against Ra-on’s hip as he asked again: 

“Shall I help him?” 

Ra-on’s tear-filled eyes squeezed shut tightly. 

Finally, the delicate chin held firmly in Do-kyung’s grasp trembled faintly before nodding. 

Do-kyung’s eyes gleamed with triumphant satisfaction as he felt Ra-on’s submission fall fully into his hands. 

With a sharp bite to her earlobe, sealing their contract, he pulled her close and whispered, “I’ll be right back,” before striding confidently toward the group. 

Sauntering out of the shadows, he deliberately made a show of picking up a stone lying at his feet, the sound echoing loudly in the tense air. 

The whistle of the wind was followed by a loud crack! as something shattered. 

“What the hell?!” 

One of the men collapsed, blood streaming down his head. The others, who had been focused on Hye-sung, turned their attention to Do-kyung. 

Pheromones surged off Do-kyung’s body as he walked toward them, a cruel smile playing on his lips. 

“Huk...!” 

The closer they got to the extreme alpha’s overwhelming pheromones, the paler their faces became. The oppressive weight pressing down on their lungs made it impossible to breathe. 

Do-kyung tilted his head slightly, his expression cold and calculating.

“If you’re going to crumble this easily, it’s no fun at all.” 

As soon as his nonchalant words ended, Do-kyung slammed the back of one man’s head into the wall. 

Gah! The man collapsed, blood spurting from his mouth. Without a second glance, Do-kyung casually tossed his head aside and immediately turned to the man who had exposed himself in front of Hye-sung. With a swift kick, he struck the man’s temple. 

“Ugh!” 

The man let out a final scream before collapsing unconscious. Do-kyung stared disdainfully at the grotesque bulge between the man’s legs before raising his foot again. 

KRAK! 

“AHHHHHHHH!” 

The rigid pillar that had stood moments ago now hung limply, its broken form visible in real-time to Ra-on’s horrified eyes. 

There was no trace of pity in Do-kyung’s expression, despite being fully aware of the pain such an injury would cause—pain he himself might have felt as a man. 

In the next instant, another man lunged at Do-kyung with a knife aimed at his back. But Do-kyung effortlessly caught the blade with one hand. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly at the shocked face of his opponent. 

“You need to learn how to hold a knife properly.” 

With a sharp tug on the wrist holding the knife, Do-kyung grabbed the man’s neck with his free hand and snapped it without hesitation. His movements were seamless, devoid of any remorse or pause. 

In the blink of an eye, three men were incapacitated, leaving only two. 

Glancing briefly at the remaining two men wielding knives, Do-kyung acted as if they didn’t even exist. Instead, his gaze shifted elsewhere. 

By now, Ra-on had managed to pull Hye-sung into her arms, supporting him weakly. 

“Hye... Hye-sung-ah, open your eyes. Please? Hye-sung-ah...” 

Her trembling hands hovered uselessly in the air, unable to touch his horribly swollen face. She was sobbing uncontrollably, almost hysterical. 

At that moment, as one of the remaining men swung his knife in desperation, Do-kyung casually caught the man’s arm mid-swing and spoke: 

“Take him to the hospital.” 

“Should I take him to Professor Yang?” 

Joon, who had appeared out of nowhere, gently lifted Hye-sung from Ra-on’s arms. For a brief moment, he wrinkled his nose at the omega pheromones emanating from Hye-sung, but his usual stoic expression quickly returned as he glanced at Ra-on. 

Her face was a mess, tears streaming down as she gasped for breath. While Hye-sung clearly needed medical attention, Joon thought Ra-on herself looked like she was on the verge of collapse and in need of care. 

But then— 

“Leave her here.” 

Do-kyung, who had already taken the knife from the man, casually stabbed it into the side of his head and straightened up. 

No one else was left standing. 

Wiping away the blood splattered on his cheek with a careless swipe of his hand, Do-kyung grinned, revealing his teeth. His pupils, fixated on Ra-on, contracted sharply with excitement. The pheromones that had been overwhelming the surroundings grew even thicker, more intense. 

Passing by Joon, who instinctively stepped back, Do-kyung gently cupped Ra-on’s cheek. 

“We’ve got something to do, don’t we, Ra-on-ah?” 

──────────── 

The place Do-kyung brought Ra-on to was a hotel. 

Instead of heading toward the usual cocktail bar, they moved in the opposite direction, arriving at a room on the top floor. 

As soon as the door opened, Do-kyung pushed Ra-on against the wall and seized her chin. 

“Ah!” 

The force pressing down on her lower lip forced her mouth open involuntarily, exposing the reddish flesh inside. 

Through the gap between her clenched teeth, her trembling inner lip retreated in fear. Do-kyung greedily eyed it before thrusting his finger into her mouth.

Warm, humid breath enveloped his finger as it invaded her mouth. 

Startled by the sudden intrusion, Ra-on clenched her teeth tightly, refusing to allow further entry. Her fiery glare warned him not to push any further, but Do-kyung only laughed with amusement. 

She had shed so many tears in such a short time that her eyelids were now flushed red. But her attempt to intimidate him with those tearful eyes only served to excite him more—a fact she seemed oblivious to. 

With a sly grin, Do-kyung continued to prod at her soft lips with his finger. 

“Beautiful.” 

Ra-on’s face twisted in anger and disgust. 

Unfazed by her reaction, Do-kyung tilted his head slightly and leaned closer. 

“Ra-on-ah.” 

“...!” 

Instead of waiting for a response, he lightly brushed his lips against hers before pulling back. 

“Looking at me like that only turns me on more.” 

His voice dripped with raw heat. 

“You... you sick bastard...” 

At such close proximity, their noses nearly brushing, Ra-on finally spat out her curse, unable to hold it in any longer. Her trembling hands, pressed firmly against her thighs, betrayed her fear. 

“Hmm.” 

Do-kyung let out a soft hum, his lips curling into a satisfied smirk. 

“Provoking me like this is actually quite entertaining.” 

He grabbed her tightly clenched fist and yanked it toward his crotch, placing her palm firmly against the hardness there. 

“Ahh...!” 

The foreign sensation—hot and unyielding—against her palm froze Ra-on’s body stiff. Overwhelmed, she instinctively tried to pull away, as if touching something filthy, but she couldn’t. Do-kyung tightened his grip on her hand, pressing her palm even harder against him. 

“Huu...” 

His darkened eyes gleamed with desire as he exhaled a ragged breath. 

“I’m in a bit of a rush right now.” 

“Let... let go of me!” 

Ignoring her struggles, Do-kyung effortlessly subdued her resistance and dragged her into the bedroom. With a firm shove, he pushed her down onto the bed. 

The softness of the mattress beneath her back made Ra-on’s face pale with dread. Watching her reaction, Do-kyung climbed on top of her. 

“If you resist any more, I’ll just toss Ji Hye-sung back to them.” 

“…!” 

As her shoulders tensed under his touch, Do-kyung began to slowly rub them, leaning in to exhale hot breath against her ear. 

“Good girl.” 

His feigned gentle tone simmered with burning lust.