Chapter Text
There was two things to know about Kim Seungmin.
One, he was a beta – and was very happy like that, thank you very much – in a rich family who had connection practically everywhere, meaning that even if he wouldn’t inherit of the familial business, he would still live a peaceable and fulfilled life.
And two, his big brother, an alpha, was a huge jerk.
Don’t get him wrong, Seungmin loved his brother (more or less) but if Kim Wonpil was a least a little more serious about his life, then maybe Seungmin wouldn’t have to pass behind him everytime to fix his mistakes and bullshits.
But Wonpil preferred to go to parties and join a pack and run away in front of the sunset while Seungmin was forced to do all the work, to make up excuse for him to their parents, and to deal with all the family business work that Wonpil refused to do but needed to be done.
So here he was, Kim Seungmin, 21 years old, a beta and the second son of the Kim family, single and with a horrible character that leaved him with no friends.
He was happy like that, sure, but he believed he would even more happy if that idiot who served as his brother would take at least one thing seriously for once.
(Kim Seungmin was wrong.
Oh he was so wrong. If only he knew at that moment, he wouldn’t think that.)
*
“Minniiiiee!” Wonpil exclaimed while jumping down the stairs.
Seungmin didn’t even teared his gaze from the book he were reading, sitting in the couch of the living room, while his big brother was running toward him.
“If you fall, I will laugh.” He responded distractedly, knowing well that Wonpil won’t leave him alone until he had what he wanted.
“No you won’t.” His brother said, a smile on his face.
Effectively, Seungmin won’t, but it was not a conversation he was ready to have.
“What do you want.” He groaned instead, closing his book after putting a bookmark.
“Can I scent you?”
Seungmin posed for a moment, wondering if he had heard correctly.
Yes, it was common for family and close friends to scent each other, but him and his brother were never really close. Not at that point.
Or maybe before.
Before everything. Before his brother decided that he had enough. Before Seungmin grew too old for the image of the perfect big brother to still be intact.
“Sure...” He says nonetheless, because he would do anything for his brother (unfortunately). “Go on.”
He exposed his wrist to Wonpil, who seemed taken aback for a moment, like he was surprised Seungmin said yes.
He advanced slowly to the beta, and took his wrist hesitantly, looking up at him to see if it was still okay.
Seungmin nodded, and Wonpil gently rubbed their scent gland together, his scent completely drowning Seungmin’s own.
Then he did something Seungmin wasn’t ready for at all, he surged to him and gently took him into his arms.
What the fuck?
It was weird but Seungmin wasn’t one to deny affection, so he hugged back his brother, wrapping his arms around his middle and craning his neck so that Wonpil could scent the him properly.
In 5 minutes, he was completely encircled by the pine scent that emanated from his brother. He tapped lightly on his brother’s back to signify that it was enough, and Wonpil detached himself from Seungmin, a little sheepish smile on his face.
“Sorry.” He said softly.
Seungmin frowned, perplexed.
“That’s okay.” He responded, his voice flat. “Don’t you have a date with Sungjin-hyung? You’re gonna be late.”
Wonpil’s eyes comically widened, and he shot up on his feet, looking panicked.
“Shit, you’re right!”
Then he ran to the door, and escaped from the house, with only a ‘Love you, Min!’ for goodbye.
Well, that had been weird.
Seungmin sighed, and picked back his book, ready to dive into his lecture again.
*
Being waking up at 2 am by some shouting was not something Seungmin enjoyed, and yet, it was practically a part of his routine now. Whenever Wonpil went partying, he was coming back drunk, scented and the face bathed in tears. Sometimes one of his packmates was accompanying him, and others he was alone.
Tonight seemed like one of the first situation night, and Seungmin was furious.
Yes, they were probably drunk out of their ass right now, and yes they were older than him. Was that going to stop Seungmin from yelling at them though?
No. The answer was no.
He got out of his bed and put his dinosaurs slippers on (a gift from Wonpil), shivering slightly because of the difference of temperature between his heated bed and his room, plus the fact that he was very much in a crop-top he had stolen to his brother and mini-shorts for pajama.
He hesitated for a second, still shivering from the cold. But then a loud crash resonated in the house, and Seungmin decided that he had had enough. Thank god his parents were not at home right now instead of a business trip, either Wonpil could have said goodbye to all of his privileges.
When he arrived down the stairs, he spotted three dark figures moving in the living room. Without even thinking to take note of what they were doing, he furiously turned the light on, his hands folding into fists.
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” He yelled, making the three figures froze. “HAVE YOU SEEN THE HOUR!!!??? AND IT’S WHEN YOU COME BACK YOU FILTHY– what the hell???”
In front of him was three person who were very much not his brother nor his packmates.
They were all clothed in a weird black attire, with pocket everywhere and fitted tee shirt that let Seungmin how muscled (and dangerous) they were. The one who was in the middle of flipping the book Seungmin was reading earlier, standing in front of the couch, was tall, had flashy orange hair a fox-like aura accented by his hair.
The one who had been in the middle of picking up the pieces of a vase that he, indeed had dropped, was looking like an animal too. But more like a mouse or a squirrel, with his big cheeks and nervous come and go with his eyes between Seungmin and the third guy that seemed like the leader (?).
This guy was small. Smaller than Seungmin, clearly, but he had strong features and even more strongest muscles.
In what on earth–?
“Who are you? What do you want? How did you broke this vase??? And what the fucking fuck are you doing in my house at (he glanced at the clock on the wall) three in the morning?!” Seungmin blurted out in one breath.
“You know exactly why we are here, Kim Wonpil.” The one in the middle responded, looking angry, while the fox one was dropping the book and the squirrel jumped up on his feet.
“Wonpil-hyung?” Seungmin asked, confused. “He’s out with his pack. Now tell me why you thought breaking into my house was a good idea?”
His voice was ironic and cold now. It was the kind of voice he was using to talk to one of his father’s employees when they were trying to be too greedy.
“Excuse me?” The fox guy replied. “You think we owe you something!?”
“That’s not why we’re here.” The beefy guy interrupted. “Just give it back and we’ll leave.”
“What?” Seungmin asked. “What are you talking about? And why are you searching for my brother?”
The guy groaned, and glared at Seungmin who didn’t even flinch. His father was a hundred times worse.
“We know that it’s you, just give it to us!” The guy yelled, extending a hand.
“Give what!?” Seungmin replied in the same tone, feeling colder now that the adrenaline of the moment was gone.
The guy let out an angry huff, and threw his hands up.
“I’m not payed for that shit!” He exclaimed. “He won’t talk. We’re embarking him. Minho!”
“Wha–”
Seungmin didn’t even had the time to finish before a cold object was planted in his ribs and a dull burning sensation caused him to pass out in a pair of arms.
The last thing he saw was the guy with muscles in front of him taking a phone out, an annoyed expression on his face, like Seungmin was just a little inconvenient.
Was he really being kidnapped like that?
*
When he woke up, he didn’t opened his eyes.
That was the first thing his parents taught him, if you don’t know where you wake up, you don’t let whoever could be around know that you’re awake.
So that’s what he did. He regained consciousness slowly while keeping his eyes closed, tried to gather as much information as possible.
If he trusted the vibration of the floor, he was in a car, and one that seemed expensive with the way the leather smelled luxurious under him. His feet was tied as well as his hands behind his back, at least he hadn’t a gag on his mouth to prevent him from making noise. Maybe it was their first kidnapping
He was probably in the trunk of a car, and that meant that the faint voice he was hearing in front of him were the ones of his kidnappers.
He concentrated, trying to discern the words of the voices.
“– an-hyung. We got Kim Wonpil. He didn’t wanted to give it back and was acting like he was not him, so we just took him. Where do you want us to bring him?”
A pause, during when someone was probably talking at the other side of the line.
“Okay. Got it.”
“What did he said?” Another voice asked.
“To bring him at the house and that we’ll interrogate him here.”
There was a sigh, and then a ruffle, like someone was moving in their seat.
“If only he would have told where it is, you know Lixie hate when we bring people at home.” The voice continued.
Lixie. Seungmin didn’t knew this name at all, but he meticulously stored in a part of his brain for later.
“He probably won’t even see him, he would be in the basement.” A third voice spoke up. “And Felix know that it’s important anyway.”
Felix. So Lixie was probably just a nickname. Who were this guy? And where were they dragging him? A basement? Where was he going???
Suddenly a fourth person talked, their tone flat.
“We arrived.”
Seungmin immediately closed his eyes, he didn’t even realized he opened. A minute later the car stopped and he heard the sound of car’s door opening and closing again. Then footsteps on gravel and the trunk was abruptly opened, making the Seungmin involuntary shiver because of the cold air of the night.
Two muscled arms picked him up, and threw him across a shoulder like a potato sac. Seungmin realized that he was still in pajama, and his cheeks begin to heat up of embarrassment.
At least they didn’t took away his slippers.
To distract himself, he tried to pick a scent, or a hint of who could possibly kidnap him; but it seemed that they had put scent blocker on because even his fine beta nose couldn’t smell anything.
He cautiously opened his eyes, and saw a huge wrought iron gate closing in a loud ‘GLANG’.
There was a big alley, and some others house with garden that were very spaced the ones with the others. That was a rich neighborhood, for sure.
He didn’t had time to see more because the guy that was carrying him quickly went into the house, and Seungmin heard the sound someone locking the door behind them, just before he closed his eyes again.
“Binnie-hyung!?”
Seungmin didn’t stir when an excited voice resonated in the entry they were probably standing in.
“Hi, Hyunjinnie. Sorry, is Chan awake?” The one that carried him – Binnie so – responded with a laugh, in a lot gentler tone that he had talked to Seungmin with.
There was a sigh, and a ruffling meaning that whoever ‘Hyunjinnie’ was, had moved closer.
“Have you ever saw him sleep?” The guy responded. “And why exactly do you have a practically naked guy on your shoulder?”
Seungmin was so ashamed he could die right here at the moment, but his embarrassment was quickly shoved away when the assholes that kidnapped him seemed to be far more embarrassed than him, making weird noises of protestation.
“It’s Wonpil! He was like that when we found him!” Someone to Seungmin’s left responded.
“Mhm.” The guy didn’t seemed convinced. “Well he looks pretty cute at least.”
What???
“Hyunjin!” The same guy responded.
The named Hyunjin burst of laughter, and Seungmin heard someone huffing at his right.
“I was kidding, Sungie. But you have to admit that–”
He was cut when loud footsteps were heard in what was probably stairs and Seungmin heard another guy shuffling in front of the one that was carrying him.
“Changbin! Are you okay– is that Wonpil?”
A chuckle resonated next to Seungmin’s head and a voice that he never heard before spoke up.
“Always work, huh?” They said. “Let’s bring that into the basement before Felix wake up and got our asses for not respecting his ‘no kidnapping-rule’.”
Seungmin didn’t knew who was Felix but he was praying that they could come now and save him.
Of course, that didn’t happened, and Changbin carried him and started to go down stairs, his gloved hand resting on Seungmin naked back.
“I’m going with him, we don’t know when he’s gonna wake up.” He heard the guy – Chan – say to the others, before footsteps were heard, meaning that he was going down the stairs too.
Changbin opened a door and stepped inside, before dragging what seemed to be a chair and harshly putting Seungmin in it.
“Where did you find him? Nobody got hurt?” Chan asked in a worried tone.
“Nah, it was okay.” Changbin answered. “But he played the innocent like he didn’t knew who we were.”
A groan resonated, and Seungmin realized that, one, it was Chan who made the sound, and two, that alpha pheromones that smelled like ocean were starting to spread in the room, making it scenting like a very angry beach.
Yep, if it wasn’t obvious before, at least now, Seungmin had the confirmation. He was fucked.
Because he just got kidnapped by what seemed to be a gang, and that he was in the same room as an angry alpha while he was only wearing the most short and revealing clothes he had. Yay.
He slowly opened his eyes blinking under the harsh artificial luminosity of what probably was a cell.
Seungmin was sitting on a very uncomfortable chair that seemed to be in iron, with nothing else around, in the middle of a decrepit room, with red brick walls and a wooden door with the biggest lock Seungmin ever saw on it. He hoped it was not activated.
Two very buff men were standing in front of him, not sparring him a glance. He recognized the one at the right as the small muscled man with who he had argued with at his house. Probably Changbin.
The other was not really taller than the first one, but he was more imposing. The alpha pheromones were clearly coming from him. He was wearing a suit with a tie but without jacket, and Seungmin could see a nasty scar on the side of his neck.
“What did he said?” Chan asked, frowning.
“Dunno, some bullshits like he was not Wonpil or whatever. He should’ve been pretty desperate.” Changbin responded with a shrug. “But what are we going to do with him? You know we can’t really keep him here forever.”
“Felix understand why we’re doing that.” Chan replied, dismissing the subject. “Besides, if this guy tell where is it we’ll let him go. He don’t looks like he can put up a fight.”
“Yeah, by the way, are you sure it’s an alpha?” Changbin asked. “He very much look more like a beta, or even an omega and–”
“And he’s also very much awake.” Seungmin intervened before he could bite his tongue.
He mentally swore when he saw the two men whipping their heads toward him. The synchronization of the movement would have made him laugh if he wouldn’t have at the this close to throw up of nervousness.
Seungmin bowed an eyebrow, trying to look more confident than he was really feeling.
“Care to tell me where am I?” He asked. “And why the fuck am I here?”
“Shut up!” Chan growled, baring his teeth. “You have no right to talk!”
“Riiiight.” The beta responded in an ironic tone.
“Where is it?” Changbin asked, restraining Chan by taking his arm.
Seungmin sighed, and if he could, he would have massaged his temple to prevent the start of a migraine.
“If we’re gonna have the same conversation that we had at home, give up. My answer hasn’t changed.” He replied.
“You obviously know where it is!” Chan roared. “You’re the one that stole it!”
“Look.” Seungmin said, trying to keep his tone calm. “I’m clearly not the person you’re searching for. I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I just want to go back to my house.”
“Because you really think we believe you?” Changbin snickered. “I remember very clearly your scent, you can’t fool me.”
Seungmin frowned. His scent? He was a beta, his scent was practically inexisten–
That’s when it hit him.
The scenting session. His brother weird behavior. His rushed escape.
Just when Seungmin thought his brother couldn’t disappoint him anymore.
He almost laughed. Almost. Because the only thing that was risible right now was him.
What a fucking asshole.
What a fucking piece of shit.
Changbin mistook his silence for an agreement, and a satisfied sound escaped him.
“See? You ain’t fooling anyone.” He snickered.
“You’re a fucking idiot.” Seungmin replied.
In an instant, Chan was just in front of him, looking enraged and leaking angry pheromones from all the pores of his skin.
“You don’t fucking talk to him like that!” He growled, taking the collar of Seungmin’s shirt, bringing him just in front of his face. “Don’t you dare!”
“And how do you want me to talk to him: it’s the truth. I’m not Kim Wonpil!” Seungmin screamed back, right into his face.
That had the point of making Chan, looking completely astonished for a second, and Seungmin felt very satisfied at that.
“Oh yeah!?” Chan replied. “Then who are you!?”
Seungmin rolled his eyes.
“My name’s Kim Seungmin, you stupid. Wonpil is my big brother.”
That seemed to take them by surprise, and Chan let his collar go, while taking a step back.
“You smell like pine. And it’s clearly an alpha scent.” Changbin intervened, glaring at him.
“Yes, because we are brothers.” Seungmin spat, his voice thick with contempt. “He scented me this morning. I’m actually a beta.”
There was a moment of silence.
Then...
“Fuck!” Chan swore, his pheromones spreading again.
But this time, out of frustration.
Seungmin was pretty sure he could also smell the citrus that was probably Changbin’s scent, but Chan was too close to him for him to be really sure.
Changbin tried to speak again.
“You–”
“And how can you prove that, huh?” A new angry voice asked.
The guy that broke the vase at his house, with the big cheeks, was at the door, glaring at Seungmin, his grape scent making Seungmin a little nauseous.
“Do I really look like an alpha?” Seungmin replied, giving back his dark look to the guy.
The three men examined him up and down, and Seungmin felt his cheeks heating up again, feeling suddenly way too much exposed in his crop top and mini shorts.
“Well...” Chan started in english. “It’s right that he don’t really look like one.”
The squirrel guy rolled his eyes.
“Hyung, you really base your observation on that? It’s sexism.” He shot back in the same language as the other alpha.
“No, it’s a fact.” Changbin intervened with a broken accent. “Last time we saw Wonpil, he was much more muscular than that.”
Squirrel guy frowned and looked back at Seungmin.
“Even if it’s not him, we can’t just let him go. He said it was his big brother, he will tell everything.”
“I have an idea.” Chan said, with a look on his face that Seungmin decided that he didn’t liked at all. “If Wonpil care enough about him to scent him, he would care enough to search for him once he realized he disappeared.”
“You want to keep him in hostage?” Changbin asked, bowing an eyebrow. “Felix won’t be happy.”
Why exactly were they talking about that in front of him? Isn’t that a conversation you were supposed to do without your captive?
Seungmin was about to ask the question when he realized something.
They must think he didn’t speak english. After all, he was just a spoiled child with rich parent. A beta even. Why would they think he was speaking more than one language?
The thought made him grit his teeth. Assholes. Apparently mafias also were sexists and stupid. Even if it was actually playing in Seungmin’s favor, it was frustrating.
“Well we can do that, and if he turns out to really be Wonpil, I’ll have right, and I want no missions for a month.” Said squirrel guy, with a smile a little too big for the conversation.
Chan sighed, nodded, and turned to Seungmin to explain to him what was going to happen. But before he had the chance to say anything, a loud noise resonated outside the door and a half-naked alpha entered.
This one was far prettier than the others (in Seungmin humble opinion) with his blond hair and freckles scattered all over his face, but he was not going to lie, Seungmin was more looking at his abs than his face.
“Christopher Bang Chan!” He exclaimed, his voice shockingly deep.
But the name made Seungmin tilt and distracted him from the weird voice.
Bang Chan. Christopher. That was a mafia. Even Seungmin knew him.
He had read an article on him one time. He was the leader of the gang Stray Kids, and known for having only 7 people in his gang and still be the most dangerous mafia to exist in Korea right now.
Jesus Christ, why me?
Seungmin wanted to scream of frustration. His brother was fucking with his life by provoking the local mafia and he was paying the price??? What king of twisted game was fate playing?
“Felix!” Christopher exclaimed, seemed suddenly nervous. “You… you’re awake?”
Oh, so that was the guy that was against kidnapping. Maybe Seungmin could escape in one piece at the end.
“Yes I am.” The half naked man replied. “And I am also very angry.”
Chan grimaced, and opened his mouth to explain himself but Felix didn’t let him.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” He said, running toward Seungmin to undo his ties, completely ignoring the other alphas in the room. “It’s not– I specifically told them to–”
He started to grumble under his breath while detaching Seungmin, seemingly angry.
“My name is Felix.” He said in a gentle tone when Seungmin was finally free. “I’m really sorry about that. What’s your name?”
“Seungmin.” He answered. “Kim Seungmin.”
He heard squirrel guy scoffing and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
But Felix didn’t even seemed to mind the other alpha because he smiled widely at Seungmin, and nodded.
“Come with me. Are you hurt? Did they harm you? Do you need anything?” Felix asked while taking carefully Seungmin’s wrist and gently guiding him out of the room, not even sparing a single glance to the three other guys.
Seungmin blinked, trying to keep up with the question.
“Uh, no, I’m fine, don’t worry. But... actually...” He hesitated, while letting Felix take him in a dark hallway and stairs that made Seungmin thanking god he had his slippers. Either, he would be freezing even more right now.
“Yeah?” Felix encouraged him.
“Can I have clothes?”
Felix blinked, visibly taken aback, before his gaze traveled from Seungmin’s face to his clothes, or more like his absence of clothes.
Seungmin saw his face becoming so red a tomato would have been jealous.
“Oh.” He said, very accurately. “I– yeah. Yeah of course, I’m sorry.”
He looked very uncomfortable right now, and even if he had been nice so far, Seungmin took a little satisfaction at the sight.
What can he say? He was just mean.
And after everything he went through, he it felt like he deserved to stop pretending to be nice.