A Fragile Rescue

It was a moment ago when everything seemed fine to Kang Sunghwa. He would lie down in his comfortable bed after taking some diphenhydramine and suppressant, maybe?

Anything but now.

The cool night air swept through the dimly lit street as Sunghwa stood over the unconscious figure, momentarily stunned. His heart still pounded from the close call. The screech of tires and the violent thrum of his car's engine still echo in his ears. The boy lying before him looked small, frail, and utterly out of place on this desolate road.

Sunghwa's sharp gaze took in the silver hair and the delicate features of the Omega before him.

"Shit...!" Sunghwa muttered, kneeling beside the young man. The intensity of the Omega's scent hit him like a wave, raw and almost unbearable with his rut simmering just beneath the surface. The man gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, trying to maintain control.

"Hey, wake up." Sunghwa lightly tapped the Omega's cheek but no response.

There was a scent of blood coming from the boy, though faint, yet undeniable.

Sunghwa then checked on the young man's body; his breathing was shallow, his chest barely rising and falling. His clothes were torn, dirt and blood stained his pale skin.

Sunghwa was sure that he managed to avoid the boy in time and not hit him with his car. But why does he have injuries? the man asked himself in confusion.

"Come on, kid," he muttered, softer this time.

The man pressed two fingers to the boy's wrist. The pulse was weak but still there, giving Sunghwa a little bit of relief.

He then glanced around the empty street and thought. Leaving the boy here, vulnerable and hurt, clearly wasn't an option. He could call for help; an ambulance, maybe?

But something deep in his gut urged him otherwise as the Alpha's protective instincts immediately surged to life.

What if this Omega was on the run? The thought of sending him to a hospital, potentially exposing him to danger, felt wrong. And there was no guarantee help would arrive in time, not in this part of town.

Sunghwa cursed under his breath. The police were also out of the question; he knew how they'd treat an unaccompanied Omega found in such a state.

Meanwhile, his penthouse was close. It was closer than anywhere else that could offer safety and immediate care. And he could handle the Omega's injuries until he woke up. It was a calculated and rational decision, despite the deep stirrings in his chest that had nothing to do with logic.

"You're coming with me," he murmured, sliding his arms beneath the boy's limp body.

The Omega was light, barely a feather in Sunghwa's arms, and the fragility hit him in a way he hadn't expected. His protective instincts flared stronger than before. As he carefully placed the boy in the passenger seat, the Omega's sweet scent filled the car, intensifying his rut. Sunghwa gripped the steering wheel tightly. He had to stay in control.

Driving with one eye on the road and the other on the Omega, Sunghwa fought to suppress the primal urges rising within him.

Come on, Kang Sunghwa! he said to himself. This kid needs help, not another Alpha's desires thrust upon him!

"Just hang on, Sunshine," Sunghwa whispered. The affectionate term slipped out naturally as if the Omega's soft presence had already earned it.

Minutes later, Sunghwa arrived at his high-rise. He swiftly parked and scooped the Omega into his arms again. The doorman glanced at them with curiosity, but Sunghwa silenced him with a sharp glare. No questions. Not now.

In the quiet of the elevator ride, Sunghwa couldn't shake the gravity of the situation. His Alpha instincts were on high alert, but his concern for the Omega outweighed everything else.

Something about this boy, beyond the sweetness of his scent, felt different. It was deeper than the man could understand, not yet.

Inside his penthouse, Sunghwa laid the Omega down on the expansive couch in the living room. He then immediately fetched his first-aid kit and examined the wounds. Luckily, there were no serious injuries other than minor wounds, but all of them needed cleaning.

Sunghwa's hands moved in a steady precision. As a fighter, the man was accustomed to handling injuries. But this time, his touch was surprisingly gentle without any aggression that usually accompanied his rut. The fierce attitude he showed a while ago mysteriously disappeared and was nowhere to be found.

As Sunghwa continued to work, the Omega stirred and fluttered his eyelids, a soft groan escaping his lips.

The man paused for a moment. He watched the boy closely, but the figure was still not fully awake.

"Heh. Strange kid..." he chuckled and caressed the boy's cheek softly.

Sunghwa then looked at the boy's porcelain skin and his silver hair. He wondered why a foreign Omega like him wandered on the road in the middle of the night. It was such a nonsense.

What should I do with you? Sunghwa asked himself, feeling unsure about the stranger before him. But one thing that he knew, the boy needed rest for now.

Suddenly, a noise broke the quietness in the room, making Sunghwa freeze and his senses on high alert. It was an unmistakable thump coming from the hallway. His eyes flickered toward the door, then back to the Omega. What if danger still lurked?

He stood up, moving cautiously toward the door. He'd been so focused on the Omega that he hadn't considered whether whoever or whatever had caused the boy's injuries might still be out there. His protective instincts kicked in again. Whoever had hurt this Omega would have to go through him first.

The thump came again, louder this time. Sunghwa's grip on the door tightened. He'd deal with it, but his mind kept drifting back to the Omega on his couch. Vulnerable, fragile, and somehow… important.

This Omega was now his responsibility, and Sunghwa wasn't about to let anything or anyone harm him again.