Warnings: this chapter has pretty much everything to do with the parents and the abuse they made her go through.

---

Bogum:
Mom's going to call you but don't answer
I went to see her and dad on my own to talk about what you told me because I had a bad feeling about you coming with me
Don't answer them okay?
Turn off your phone if you can

I frown at my brother's messages after excusing myself from the table mid-meal - I wasn't very hungry anymore anyway - to answer him in Yoongi and Seokjin's bedroom, the suddenness of this turn of events making me feel incredibly uneasy, he confronted them without me?

Just what happened during that meeting that he doesn't want me to accept their calls?

Before I can even answer him, my phone begins to ring and indeed, here is mom calling me, just as he'd said.

Feeling uncomfortable about letting it ring like this, something I've never done before, I nonetheless listen to Bogum because he wouldn't have said that without a good reason, but when she calls again, and again before switching to dad, I begin to turn nervous and anxious, what did they say?

Me:
What happened, oppa?
Why do they keep calling me?

Bogum:
Don't worry about it, baby sis
Just promise me that you won't answer them.
Please.

I bite on my bottom lip when the screen shifts to mom trying to call me again, my heart's beating so fast that I need to sit down on the bed when my legs turn into jelly, what is he not telling me? How did they react after hearing about the situation? Did they get mad at him because of me?

Mom:
You disappoint me a lot, Park Y/N.
You weren't taught to rely on your second gender like this, are you looking down on us now that you're older and living on your own?
Did being an alpha finally get up your head? Did all that we taught you mean nothing in the end?
I thought you were different but I guess I was wrong, I can't believe you sent your brother to attack us in your stead.
I'm so ashamed to have a daughter like you

Reading her messages feels like a spear piercing right through my guts and my hands turn sweaty as my mind runs a mile an hour, what do I do with messages like those? Why did mom send me that? Why couldn't Bogum wait for me?

Bogum:
Don't even reply to her messages, she's acting up right now, dad too
I'll explain everything tomorrow, but stay away from them for now
Go to Woozi's for the night, okay?
Don't stay alone at home

Me:
I don't even understand why she would send me those messages... I didn't do anything
You have to explain what's going on tomorrow, oppa
I don't like being left in the dark like this

Bogum:
I know, Y/N, and I'm sorry. I should've told you before going but I didn't want you to go through that
I will tell you everything, I promise
Love you, sis.

I have time to receive a few more messages from mom and dad before I temporarily block them, but each of them are as hurtful as the last, though they also allow me to form a little bit of the current puzzle. I am inclined to believe that Yoongi was right after all.

If I had to guess... Bogum went to ask them if it's true that they willingly tried to manipulate me into being the perfect alpha, and everything went to shit from there because they weren't expecting to be exposed by their own children.

Knowing my brother, he probably used some harsh words on them after finding out the truth and scolded them, his being a beta meaning that he's not that reactive to other wolves' pheromones like I know I am.

Manipulating his emotions have a better chance of working on him than trying to manipulate his wolf would, and even that is not easily achieved with him, which is probably why he decided to go without me.

Mom and dad would only need to play with their pheromones a little to get me pliant beneath them, attentive to their feelings more than I would be to my own, an easy way to turn my anger into guilt.

They used that tactic often in the past when I wouldn't listen to them right away as a teen, it never felt... right, and I was always left feeling defenseless afterwards, exposed and naked in front of their unmet expectations.

That was... years ago though, it never happened again once I stopped being lazy.

No... that's not quite right.

Things changed only when I started to be more reactive to their every demands, when I stopped saying no, because saying yes willingly was better than being forced into saying yes with tactics that hurt me and my wolf.

It's like the illusion that followed me all my life just now found the strength to shatter to show me reality as it truly is, and was it always so ugly? Why couldn't I see it before?

"Baby? Is everything okay?".

I look up from my phone at those words to find Seokjin staring at me from the doorway, his eyes worried as he tries to make sense of what he's seeing, he couldn't resist but to come check on me at the overwhelming silence.

I swallow a hard lump before nodding my head, a smile forced onto my face before I hide my phone in my pocket, after which I push my weight onto my feet before walking up to him with what I want as a convincing acting.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for taking so long, I lost track of time. It was my brother, but everything's fine now" I explain while gazing into his sharp eyes, but since my pheromones are still too weak, it's useless to even try to cover up how I feel, not to this wolf who could very well be a pack alpha if he wanted to.

Seokjin stares down at me with a lack of reaction that doesn't help me to calm down, and then he hums before motioning for me to come with him back to the dining room where Yoongi is waiting for us, except that instead of heading for the table, he leads me to the living room.

He invites me to sit down on the couch, then sits in front of me on the coffee table with very little space between our knees, a scene that I already feel like fleeing, it feels like there's about to be a serious conversation about what happened to put me in this dazed state, and seeing the other alpha join us with furrowed brows is nothing to help.

"I'm not blind baby, I can see and smell that something is wrong so I'm going to give you two choices, alright? One: you can tell us about what happened, and depending on what you need from us, we can try to help you fix the problem, or we can simply listen and comfort you. Or two: we don't talk about what happened until you're ready to talk about it, but in exchange for that silence, you need to tell us what you need us to do now to help you feel better. Which one will it be?".

I stare at him with lost eyes, I've literally never been given such options before and it's throwing me off. Woozi never needed to ask because he can tell which one I need with his eyes closed while Bogum is more likely to pull the truth from my nostrils by force if he has to - he's never been very patient.

My emotions are into a complete turmoil as I gape at him while Yoongi sits down next to me on the couch, what do I need? Talking about what happened is not an option at the moment considering that I don't even have the whole truth myself, but if I don't talk about it, what do I need from them to help me feel better?

Seokjin sighs softly when he finds me unable to say something, he can see that speaking about it will not happen, not with how he saw me try to pretend like everything was just fine earlier, so he decides to help me figure out an answer for the second choice since he can tell that it's taking me aback.

"I'll give you examples for the second option, baby. It doesn't have to be something you need us to do to you specifically. We can give you a big hug if that's what you need, but it can also be... going on a walk outside, or going on a drive to who knows where. We can go to an ice cream shop or wander in a convenience store until you find something that you want.

It can be watching a movie right here, or we can go to the cinema to watch the first thing playing at our time of arrival. No matter what it is, it has to be something that can be good for you, something that can lighten the load on your heart, and if being alone is what you need right now, then you need to let us know because otherwise, we'll stick right here by your side".

Listening to him speak... it makes me realize how absolutely lucky I am to have people like them as my mates, and despite my attempt at remaining calm and in control of myself, I can't resist the tears that sneak past my walls to flow down my cheeks.

I really like being given the ability to choose what I want to happen for myself, and I like even more that not speaking about my problems doesn't mean that the rest of the night has to be bad and heavy.

I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hand, thankful for the space that I am given even though I can see that it costs them to not comfort me right this instant, and I sniffle lightly before giving them my answer after thinking about it well.

"I don't want to talk about it now because really... there's nothing to say yet, so if I have to go with option two... I want to rent a private karaoke room just the three of us. I don't know about you, but when I'm feeling bad, doing my worst at singing always ends up making me laugh and I think that's what I need right now".

Yoongi and Seokjin pause for a second before huffing a small smile, now that's a first, and they have to admit, it sounds very fun indeed.

"You mean to say that you can sing well, but will purposefully sing all the wrong notes just for the sake of it?" Seokjin needs to make sure that he understood that well, and when I nod my head with a little bit more of a spark in my eyes, his smile widens with a content hum.

He turns his gaze towards Yoongi, and when the latter silently gives his consent, the tall alpha makes a sound before standing up from the coffee table before offering me a hand to help me up as well, which I take with a slightly shy heart, I feel so small next to them.

"Let's do that, then, baby. Let's go do our worst at singing".

---

I have never laughed as much as I am currently experiencing as Seokjin gives his all to the song he chose for this round, the cracking to his voice making everything a thousand times funnier than when I do it, he's definitely a pro at this.

Yoongi is encouraging him with excited claps of the hands and the occasional participation for the chorus, and true to the goal of our presence here, he never fails to make sure he sounds his worst, the humiliation he would normally feel upon such an activity currently nonexistent because it's making me laugh and that's all he wants out of this outing.

We enjoy our mate's performance until the very end, a real superstar in the way that he sends kisses when he has moments of breaks to breathe, he's taking this very seriously and I have to say, he impresses me a lot right now.

When the song comes to an end, Seokjin turns to me with a proud glint in his eyes upon seeing the wide smile on our faces, it's like he was born for this.

For obvious reasons, I had to break the ice by going first when we got here a little less than an hour ago, but when I was done with my song, the alpha was next and made sure to do as many songs as he could because honestly, he's having the time of his life here, a lot more than Yoongi who decided to stop after three songs, that was his limit.

He plops himself down on the couch besides Yoongi and huffs softly before drinking some water to quench his thirst, he went all out for this one.

"I have to admit, this is a lot more fun than I anticipated. What made you begin such an activity in the first place, doll?" he asks after being satiated, and I hum when the two of them let their shiny orbs fall on me in sync.

"That was originally Woozi's idea. When I was younger... I used to get into fights often with my parents and I'd always go to his place to flee the heavy tension at home. It was harder to talk about how I felt back then, and he could tell that I'd feel trapped in my own body when it would happen, so he came up with that idea.

He'd just find my favorite song of the moment on YouTube and then completely butcher it with the worst performance I'd ever heard while encouraging me to do the same. It surprisingly helped me a lot so that became... our thing. When we have a bad day, we rent a karaoke room and we do our worst until our problems disappear".

I smile at the many memories that come back to the surface as I speak, this hadn't happened in a while because Woozi has been so busy studying for his upcoming exams. It feels good to let loose again, the cause of our being here already forgotten for now - singing never lets me down.

Yoongi observes me in silence before scooting closer to take one of my hands, the feeling of his fingers intertwining with my own a balm to my soul, he's always so gentle with me, I can still remember the feeling of his lips on my own and I would swoon right here and now if I wasn't still running on adrenaline after singing all those songs.

"Do you feel like your problems disappeared by coming here tonight?".

I look up to meet his gaze with a smile, the nod that follows enough to get a smile out of him too.

"Yep. I feel a lot better now thanks to you two. Thank you for doing this with me, going alone isn't the same, it doesn't work as well as going with other people".

He chuckles, shoulders held back with pride, it wasn't nearly as bad as he was expecting even though he didn't sing all that much. Watching us and cheering us on was fun too.

"Of course, anytime you need to change your mind, let us know and we'll do everything you want. I don't think my voice could handle that kind of thing every night though so... maybe try to have more good days than bad ones" he says with a teasing grin, and I let out a small laugh before agreeing, that does sound like the ideal plan.

"I'll keep that in mind. I have to say though, Seokjin was a natural at this. Was that your real singing voice?".

A gasp.

"Dollface, I'll have you know that I am an excellent singer, that was but a performance to cheer you up. Should I show you what I really sound like when I sing? I suddenly don't want to leave from here until you acknowledge that I am a good singer".

I giggle before motioning for him to go ahead while I rest my head on Yoongi's shoulder, I only heard them do their worst so what do they sound like when they do their best? I am curious, very curious to hear that.

Yoongi readjusts Seokjin's coat over my shoulders while the latter stands in front of the screen to select the song that will impress me, and when he finds the one, he makes a happy sound before winking at me.

The melody begins, and when he parts his lips to let out a melodious sound, I truly wish this moment could last forever.

---

I wake up in the middle of the night with a start, my heart pounding away as I slowly process that it was just a dream, that I am safe, safely cradled between my two older mates who are still fast asleep.

I breathe in and out deeply to calm my heartbeat, body eventually able to relax in their warmth again, and I rub a hand over my face as the dream plays out like a movie in my consciousness.

The nerves of not knowing what happened between Bogum and our parents really ended up giving me the worst nightmare possible.

My parents are peaceful omegas so the dream does feel like an impossible reality, which kind of... helps me to not freak out just yet. No matter how convincing it was, imagining them breaking havoc in my home just because they're angry... that would be really low of them, I don't think they would ever do such a thing.

Bogum asked me to not sleep at home because he didn't want them to hit on my door and force their way inside while I'm alone, I wouldn't have been able to not open it then and I struggle to imagine the things that they would say to make me feel bad about doubting their good intentions.

It does feel ridiculous that all of this is happening because I presented as an alpha all those years ago, things wouldn't be like this right now if I had turned out to be an omega like them.

Can't they just admit that they tried to force unrealistic expectations on me and then apologize so that life can keep going? It's not like I'm really... mad at them, I kind of understand why they would have done that.

Omegas have a natural instinct to preserve themselves, to keep themselves safe since they are at the bottom of the hierarchy, and since alphas are strong protectors, we end up being the best armor for them.

That's what we learn at school, that's what we grow up hearing every day of our life until we reach adulthood, it's not uncommon for wolves to think that way as I myself was forged on those beliefs.

Those ideologies are all so deeply rooted into our minds that when we end up straying from the path chosen for us, the people around us feel unsettled and uncomfortable since it clashes with what they know to be a fact.

My work was one such variable that displeased my parents, as well as many other wolves who grew up by my side. When our teachers began to ask us what we'd like to do in the future, it was taken for granted that alphas would say what is expected of them - business owner, leader, president, doctor, anything that can bring fame to the family.

Anything that can help to make an impact on the world, to show that we can care for our pack, that we can be worthy of being called their alpha.

When came my turn to talk about my life plan, I was the only one who said that I would rather paint and have a small, easy job that would pay enough to support my hobby. I knew that it wouldn't be taken with smiles, but I had underestimated the impact of my decision that day.

My parents were called over to school the same day, where they were asked by an entire board of teachers as well as the director if they never encouraged me to push myself so that I would too follow the path given to alphas, and not the path of omegas.

I don't know what was their response to their questioning, all I know is that I never got the same reaction again when I would show them my art after that.

Being an alpha is hard, because people around you act like they know better. They tell you how you should think, what to say, what to eat, how to love, and then they get disappointed when you fail at one of those, because an alpha doesn't fail, there's no space for failure when you have to take care of those same people.

My parents tried their best to raise me into a good person, but as omegas raising an alpha, the pressure for them was big too. Maybe that's the source of the problem, or maybe it only made something that already existed worse.

Being an alpha is very hard, it's not something I would recommend to anyone, ever. When I hear people talk, especially humans, about how alphas are cool and dependable, that if they had to be reborn as a wolf, they would definitely go for that second gender, I always cringe.

They don't know what they're talking about, my pain is not something I want them to romanticize, it's not something to be glorified. I have met very few alphas in my life who looked... well in their skin, but maybe it's because my current generation hasn't experienced growing up in a pack a lot.

I think humans are to blame for that. Monogamy is so highly prioritized by them that wolves end up feeling ashamed when they have to say that they're part of a pack, that they have multiple mates. It's something that I find very sad because wolves and humans are not the same, why should we feel the need to mimic them just to appear normal?

I don't know why my parents decided to leave their pack instead of having Bogum and I with them, all I know is that that in turn most likely impacted my brother and I negatively. If we had grown up with betas and alphas by our side, our life probably would have been a lot better.

I exhale deeply when I feel a headache begin to take place in my skull, there goes my sleep, there's no way I can fall asleep again when I've activated my brain so much with all these thoughts.

Seokjin seems to react to my current state even in his unconsciousness because soon, he scoots a bit closer before nosing at my scent gland with a gentle puff of his pheromones, arms closing around me to keep me safe from an unknown danger, something that makes me melt despite my nerves.

It's... crazy, how fast I adapted to sleeping by their side. Cuddling and getting ready for the night were two very different things for my brain, and I did struggle a little to reach a point where I could finally fall asleep between the two of them, but now, the simple thought of sleeping alone makes me want to hiss in dislike.

Going back home will feel weird for the first time in forever, me who normally cherish my alone time. Things should go back to normal after the initial adrenaline of meeting my mates has passed, or so I hope.

With Seokjin's soft soothing, his coffee scent so soft and sweet to my nose right now while Yoongi's sea wraps around us like a grounding force of nature, I manage to doze off again into a light sleep, only to wake up again when my phone begins to ring from my bag in the corner of their room.

I'm tempted to ignore it in favour of staying in their arms, but when the call ends only to resume again, my instincts quickly become alert because calling once can always be a spam, but twice, and in the middle of the night? It has to be something important.

The strength I need to use to force my way out of Yoongi and Seokjin's embrace abruptly wakes them up, but I'm too focused on getting to my bag when it's the third call that makes my phone ring, and to see the number on the screen has me frowning, because why is my landlord calling me at this time of the night?

"Hello?" I answer with some remaining sleep in my voice, and the amount of noise that greets me from the other side of the line appears incredibly abnormal for the hour it currently is.

"Y/N, finally. I'd normally apologize for calling like this in the middle of the night, but I was myself awoken by the police calling me after one of the building's residents called them. Are you far right now? Because you might want to come over to see if there's anything you can get from your apartment, someone busted the door and trashed the whole place, it's a real mess over here".

Too shocked to answer, I remain silent for a concerning amount of time, and my landlord needs to check his phone just to see if I'm still on the line.

"I know it's very sudden and you're still probably half-asleep, but the lock isn't working anymore so until we get that fixed, anyone can get in right now. The police officers have a few questions for you as well, so really, it'd be great if you could come over soon".

It takes me everything to gather enough brain cells to form an answer, and even then, it's incredibly short and simple, but it's the best I can manage as I try to process the information, because... did my dream end up being the reality? Was it my parents or some strangers?

"I'll be there soon, sorry for the trouble".

"Alright, thanks. I'll see you there, then".

Yoongi and Seokjin are now seated in bed with a confused frown on their faces, did they hear that well? They aren't sure right now, everything happened so fast and they haven't fully woken up yet, but they can tell that something's wrong with the way I'm frozen where I am, the speed of my heartbeat not quite fitting with what they're seeing.

"Sweetheart?".

Yoongi's husky voice startles me and I look back to find the two of them staring at me, I should've known that they wouldn't remain asleep after the way I jumped out of their arms and off the bed.

"I... uh... I have to go back home" I blurt out blankly before packing my few belongings in my bag, and my first reaction when I see my keys is that I won't even need them this time to get inside my home.

"What happened, doll? What was that call about?" Seokjin asks next, concerned as he begins to get off the bed to join me, and I can only make a sound as I walk past him and out of their bedroom to reach the entrance where my shoes are waiting for me.

"My landlord called and said that someone wrecked my place and that the police wants to ask me questions. I have to go get... what's still intact? I think my things are broken" I answer, a little dizzy by all that's going through my head, thoughts going to my painting materials, my canvases, how much was ruined?

The two alphas follow behind me with musky scents seeping out of them in stronger waves, who would dare do that to me? Is there a link with what happened last night that I didn't want to tell them about?

"We'll come with you" Yoongi informs me as he grabs his shoes and keys, a snug jacket that he makes me wear because the nights are always a little chilly, and Seokjin grabs whatever else he considers necessary before accompanying me outside of their unit and down the stairs, his hand over my waist grounding me a little, it's easier to lean into him than it is to make sense of what's going on.

Because I need to know if they really could be behind this, I unblock my parents once sat in the car before sending a message to my brother to let him know about what transpired at my place, and as the messages begin to chime in, of which a few come from Bogum who says that he'll be there as soon as possible, my guts sink to the ground.

Mom and dad just had to send me messages that spoke as if I ruined their life, as if I stole their hopes and dreams and stepped on them right under their nose, and I don't understand half of the things they sent, I just know that apparently, I'm a messed up child and an even worse alpha, that I'll never be up to their standards.

As if I'm a product they have to rate from one star to five. They made it sound like I'm not even worth the two stars they were hoping I could be, that though they knew five would be too big of a dream, they still had hope that I would at least succeed at being a passable alpha.

I lock my phone's screen before dropping it in my bag, mind feeling empty and full at the same time, how do I swallow this bitter pill? What kind of dam did Bogum's words break open when he went to see them?

I didn't know that they thought so lowly of me, or that they hated alphas altogether for that matter.

From what they sent me... they left their pack because they hated having to follow the pack alpha, they hated having alphas around them, as if that was similar to being stuck in a cage.

They tried to make me into the perfect alpha because then, maybe it would've been easier for them to love me.

I bring a hand to my mouth to hide the wobbling of my chin, knowing that there's no hiding anything from my two mates in this small enclosed space when my scent speaks of my pain. Their messages explain so many things that I didn't want to see before and I don't know what to do with that information anymore, what is there to do?

I want to see my brother, my real family. How long has he known about this?

When we reach my apartment complex, the flashy lights on the police cars further mess up with my state, and it's with a mix of a headache and dizziness that I step out of the car with Seokjin's help to reach the officers waiting nearby, Yoongi on my other side with a protective stance - they can both see that I'm not okay and they don't know what else to do except guide me to the best of their abilities.

I can't find the strength to focus anymore on what I'm seeing and hearing by the time we reach their group, everything blurring together in such a way that it feels like I'm watching a dream, I can't even tell what I'm doing here anymore and I really would rather be anywhere else but here where there's too much going on.

When someone tries to talk to me, I look at the ocean of people in front of me, unable to tell who spoke or even who is speaking right now, every lines of every shapes moving unevenly and making me feel sick, and it's also all Seokjin can take before he's gently pushing my face against his chest with a protective hand behind my head to keep me there, there's no point in forcing an answer out of me when I've fully gone and logged out at the moment.

The next thing I know, he's lifting me off the ground with his other arm before making me sit in some stairs away from the lights and noise where it's going to be easier for me to come back to him, and Yoongi stays behind to take over with the officers despite his lack of knowledge of the situation.

Seokjin cups my cheeks to help me focus on him, fingers stroking my skin to ease me back slowly, and though it takes him a few attempts, I eventually manage to make sense of his words, and it's so hard, as if I had to physically crawl out of this dream that keeps me trapped in my own body, I thought that would've stopped after I finally got to move out of the family house but I guess I was wrong.

"There you go, my good girl. Are you back with me now? Can you hear me?" Seokjin asks me, baby hairs pushed out of my face as he smiles lightly at me, he can tell that I'm not all there yet from my glossy eyes but at least I'm more responsive now.

I nod my head slowly and he heaves a sigh of relief before signing to Yoongi that I'll be fine, after which the alpha follows my landlord and a police officer inside my apartment to see the damage, the questions will have to wait for now.

He keeps rubbing my skin to ground me in the now and here, his eyes taking in the movements happening nearby when another car parks by the building, and the man that he sees walking out has such a striking resemblance to me that he can guess instantly that we are related.

He gets something out of his own bag with a hum, and I let my gaze fall on him only to find him already smiling at me, he hasn't left me alone even one second and... it feels good, I'm really glad that he's here to watch over me.

"Drink some water for me, baby, okay? Take your time. Yoongi is having a look inside your place in your stead so you don't have to worry about it, and I think your brother is here too, he's talking with the officers right now" he explains what's happening that he can see while handing me a fresh bottle of water and I accept it with a little noise, Bogum is here?

My mate stays by my side like he's some sort of guardian to keep an eye on me, and watching Yoongi walk out of my apartment with a single bag in one hand makes his jaw tick, maybe it's a good thing that I don't get in after all when he sees how angry our mate is.

There are a few more minutes during which not much happens, but then I hear the crunches of rocks and mud coexisting underneath feet and when I look up to find Bogum kneeling at my feet after Seokjin gives him the space, my eyes immediately fill with tears when he leans in to hug me tightly, he's here...

"I'm glad you weren't home when this mess happened, sunshine, I'm sorry that it had to happen at all. How do you feel? The last hours have been a lot, haven't they?" he asks me gently, his eyes creased with worry when he notices my barely existent pheromones, how exhausted am I to have reached that point? He feels like he failed his baby sister.

The scents of two strangers on my skin are currently stronger than my own, and he feels torn between being grateful that I had two alphas with me and being on his guards, it hasn't even been two weeks since the last time we saw each other and yet, this is happening. Since when? Why didn't I tell him?

I nod my head to answer him before melting back in his embrace, head tucked under his chin where it's safer, and his scent helps to ground me a little, it's the smell of family, of love, fresh citrus soft on my nose while his beta pheromones work to soothe me due to our close bond.

"Did you delete the messages you got from mom and dad, Y/N? Can you let me see?".

Uncertainty takes over at his question, is it alright for me to show him? This feels... private, for some reason, like I would be betraying my parents again if I did, but I nonetheless agree to give him my phone so he can look through the messages I received, because I feel like he's in a better position to deal with this mess right now.

Seokjin walks a little closer to have a look as well, unable to help it after hearing and seeing what he did, and the two wolves go from tensed to enraged in a matter of seconds when they read through mom's messages first.

They can see when I blocked and unblocked them because there's a gap between some messages, but what I received before I made that move leaves Seokjin feeling incredibly restless, because he didn't know that that's what I was reading before he asked me if I was alright earlier, he just went with the flow without knowing that I was processing such words.

"Bubs... that's really not how I wanted you to learn of that. I'm sorry, Y/N" Bogum whispers, voice full of guilt as he sees that mom told me how she always hated me, our parents really decided to lay it all out in the open, no more secrets to bear without any consideration for how I would take it.

I shrug a little before resting my head on the cold metal railing guarding each sides of the stairs, no strengths in my body to keep me up and standing, I really want to snuggle back in my mates' bed with them hugging me, I don't want to be here anymore.

"I don't think there would ever be a good way to tell me about that, oppa. At least now, no one's having to pretend anymore" I utter before sighing deeply when Seokjin sits down by my side to pull me over his lap for a tight hug, he's so glad that he got to meet me before this happened and not much later.

What if I was home when this happened? What if I was left on my own while I'd receive all these hateful messages from the people who raised me? He doesn't want to imagine it, but he can somehow already tell that I would've been properly broken. I'm too soft for that kind of hate.

He kisses my forehead when I snuggle deeper into his warmth, arms tightening around my frail form, he really wants to take me out of here now.

Bogum takes in the sight of the two of us with a weird look in his eyes, and when Yoongi joins us after putting the bag he got from my home into the car, my brother's eyes narrow in suspicion, these are the two scents that stick to my skin like glue and...

"My little sister... who are those two alphas? You never told me that you were dating someone".

Yoongi and Seokjin both clear their throat at the same time, they can't go and have their voices crack when trying to make a good impression to my brother, they would forever remember their failure if they make a fool of themselves in front of me.

"Min Yoongi, and this is Kim Seokjin, we are Y/N's mates. It's nice to meet you...".

"Park Bogum, and likewise. I didn't know that my precious sister had met her mates. Since when?".

"We work in the same touristic district as her in Amberton, Yoongi and I opened our store to the public yesterday morning and met Y/N when she came to have a look with her friend Woozi, that was our first meeting".

"Hm. I see".

Bogum glances at my droopy, sleepy form in the older alpha's arms and sighs. "Omegas drained her dry again, right? That's why she's like this?".

Yoongi nods with a grimace of dislike. "Yeah, that, and she also protected a young omega from an alpha in rut. She needs to sleep so that she can recover and being here is only getting in the way of that. What the fuck happened here anyway? Her apartment is... I have no words, there wasn't much I could recover that made sense to take back with us".

My brother's citrus scent turns bitter, and he needs to take a deep inhale just to keep calm, swearing like a madman into the black sky will not change what happened, nor will it help me.

"I'm pretty sure it was our parents. I went to meet them last night alone to talk about the abuse, I didn't want my baby sister to come with me because I knew they would have used cheap moves to get her on their side, and as I expected, it went terribly. They got really mad, to a point that I began to fear for her safety. I told her to not answer their calls last night and to not stay at home either, I didn't know what they'd do to her if they met.

Everything's so messed up, I didn't want to believe that they'd go so far but... I contacted their old pack alpha because I wanted more answers and he wasn't happy at all to hear about them, even less so when he learned of what they did to my sister. Apparently, they were very... manipulative when they were still part of his pack, they wouldn't listen to any of the rules, that kind of thing. He kicked them out because they kept hurting his mates - their mates. This shit makes me fucking sick, for real".

I rest my cheek against Seokjin's shoulder with a deep inhale of his coffee scent to keep my nausea under control, they did what? They had more mates? For a pack alpha to kick out two of his own mates to protect the others... they must have been very bad omegas. To think that they were my parents...

Yoongi's growl rumbles out of his chest, just how messed up is this? He hasn't heard often of a situation where a pack alpha had to take such a drastic decision, and it must have been the hardest thing he ever did, while also being the easiest. Not everyone ends up with good mates, but this... this is worse than a lot of the things he heard in the past.

"So what happens with that now? What will the officers do?".

Bogum shows him my phone.

"I'm going to screenshot the messages she received from our parents and send them to my number, that's probably going to act as some proof to interrogate our parents about this incident, then I'm going to make sure they can't get in contact with us again, they're vile and I don't want my sister to become their victim again, I've had enough of that shit and I'm sure she feels the same.

I'd appreciate you two looking after her in the meantime, she can't stay here and I know Woozi's own place is too small for her to stay any longer than for a sleepover. I live a few hours from here so it wouldn't make sense to take her back with me, I was nearby this time because I was staying in a hotel for the night, I wanted to see her in person before going back home".

Both of my mates nod their heads at the same time, and Yoongi speaks up next.

"You don't even need to ask, of course we'll keep her with us, I don't think that will be a problem for her either. She's our baby and we intend to take good care of her so you don't have to worry about that, she deserves the best and that's what she'll get from us".

Bogum gazes at me once more before humming softly.

"I can see that. I'm relieved to see that her two mates can see what she truly needs, and not what she should need. I always had a feeling that she's more likely to need being the one cared for than the opposite, she was never meant to be the pack alpha that she was always told to be".

Yoongi makes a small sound as his eyes take me in too, orbs full of love as he sees how I let myself bask in our mate's warmth without an ounce of shame.

"Being a pack alpha is not given to everyone. It's not... something that whoever can decide for you, nor is it decided by yourself - it's a role that is given by your future pack wolves who can't be the leader that they need. It's a lot of responsibility to be given, but it's also an honor when it does happen, considering that the alpha is open to take on that role.

Other second genders and humans can say whatever they want, but they don't understand how being an alpha works, how hard it is, there's nothing easy that comes with it and we all have our strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else. She doesn't have to worry about that with us, we're not going to force her on a path that is not made for her".

Seokjin caresses my back gently when I begin to squirm a little in unease, because the simple thought of being made into that role makes my entire soul fight against it, even more now that I have met my mates.

I wouldn't have had a choice if I was the only alpha in the pack, but that's not what ended up happening, thank goodness.

"Seokjin would be a good pack alpha, I felt that he had that aura around him the first time we met, even now, it's safe and loving" I utter softly as I snuggle into his neck, and the alpha's heart melts with adoration as he leaves another kiss onto my skin, do I really think that way of him?

Yoongi smiles softly. "I agree, sweetheart, he would make a very good pack alpha. What do you think, Jin? We're going to have to think about it anyway since it's not just the two of us anymore. It doesn't matter that we're three alphas, it's always good to have someone leading the pack and I will admit, I'm not sure that should be me".

A purr begins to vibrate against my face and I feel my lips twitch into a small smile. I think Seokjin likes the idea, and to have him so open to the idea of being my pack alpha makes my own wolf very happy.

"Well... if the two of you think that I should be your pack alpha... I will graciously accept, thank you for trusting me with this. We can talk more about the details later, but for now, I think it would be good for us to go back home and sleep while we still can. Is there anything that is required from her, Bogum?".

My brother shakes his head, the relief so visible in his eyes and scent that Yoongi can't resist but to squeeze his shoulder gently, he can see that it means a lot to my brother to see me in good hands like this.

"No, the officers are about to leave themselves, I'll head to the police station later in the morning to talk about some of the paperwork that needs to be done about this, but then I intend to walk her through the steps for what needs to be done about her apartment, she'll have to call her home insurance company and I know it can be stressful. At what time do you finish work tomorrow, sunshine?".

I twist my neck to properly look at my brother with a sheepish pout. "I... I'm not going to work tomorrow. They don't know yet so I'll have to call later in the morning, but I'm dropping the job. I'll be working with Yoongi and Seokjin from now on, they have a books and art supplies store, that'll be a better environment for me".

Bogum glances at my mates with renewed gratitude before smiling at me as he kneels close enough to cup my face between his warm hands.

"That's good, baby sis, very good. Let's spend the day together then, okay? I can come pick you up for lunch once I'm done with the law matters, we can have some fun going to the mall to decompress and then we can do some of the important calls, what do you think?".

I nod my head without hesitation, we haven't had a day like that in ages so that sounds really fun, and he kisses my forehead before standing up feeling more at peace with leaving me behind.

"Alright, give me a minute so I can transfer the pictures and talk with the officers who stayed behind, I'll bring your phone back when I'm done".

We observe as he leaves our group to get done with his few tasks, and Seokjin decides to take that time to stand up from the stairs, my body still cradled in his arms because he does not intend to let go until I'm back in the car.

"I'll get the car started in the meantime, babe. The wind is cold so I'll sit her in the back with the blanket, I'm sure she'll fall asleep in the blink of an eye, she can barely keep her eyes open anymore" he says to Yoongi before accepting the keys from him, and I blush when the latter caresses my cheek softly.

"Yeah of course, I put her bag of belongings on the left seat so put her in the other side. I'll be back soon, baby, try to rest in the meantime, you don't need to stay up like us, we'll bring you to bed once we're back home".

Back home... I like the sound of that.

My eyes close against my will before I can answer him, but I do have enough time to feel his gentle peck on my lips before I log out for the rest of the night.