Chapter Text
Hyunjin stood next to him, attentively watching the fight in front of them. Blood painted multiple parts of the stoned floor as punches, bites and kicks took place between the alphas.
“This is so pathetic. You could end both of them in a single punch,” Hyunjin murmured, resting his arm on top of the old chair’s backrest. It wasn’t a throne, no king would sit in a dirty, cracked, ripped-up armchair like that one, but from down there, the rest of the pack definitely felt a bit oppressed while looking up at their leader seated atop that pile of wooden pallets.
“They just need more practice out in the wild,” Bang Chan answered, a bored expression taking over his face and relaxed body, sitting back in his chair. His head was resting on one of his hands, and his elbow on the armrest. “And they need to practice, it’s not as if we can have weak alphas like them. My family’s legacy is at stake more than ever now,” the alpha added.
Hyunjin nodded. He felt the same. The Iron Fang pack felt weaker and weaker every day, and it wasn’t just because their alphas were lacking in training, but the product they sold lost its quality over the years. The fake suppressants illegally distributed by the Iron Fangs throughout Seoul used to be top tier when they joined the business, generations ago. But now, the product was just not the same anymore. The best cooks were dead and replaced by a new generation lacking in skills and intelligence.
In a society where suppressants were mandatory for every alpha and omega, heats and ruts turned everyone into savages, causing violence, abuse, and eventually death. People who rebelled against the law and believed in biological freedom had to take fake suppressants to cheat the monthly blood tests imposed by the State. The fake suppressants worked in a pretty simple way: the body responded as if the person were taking the real suppressants, producing the same chemical results in blood tests, but their actual effect on the body was the complete opposite of suppressing heats and ruts. Pleasure became more intense, as if they weren’t taking anything at all. It was a truly addictive drug. Perfect skin, perfect stamina, no physical pain, and enhanced sexual performance. A miracle. The fake suppressants were extremely lucrative and Bang Chan’s family ruled Seoul for decades.
Lately, though, the product had lost its near-perfect reliability. Users were failing their tests, and as a result, they were losing customers day by day. That meant losing both money and reputation.
Bang Chan, alpha leader of the Iron Fangs, was furious.
Because people weren’t just stopping taking their fake suppressants. They just went after a better one. A perfect one, actually. The best fake suppressant ever made, produced and distributed by Maison Velours, a new pack funded by an unbonded omega with annoyingly good ideas.
“You’re meeting Felix’s little forensic doctor tomorrow. This is getting ridiculous. These alphas can’t fight, and we can’t even sell proper drugs anymore. If I don’t do something, this pack is doomed. Prepare yourself.”
Hyunjin sighed. He definitely wasn’t ready to break into Maison Velours’ building all by himself. He could do it, of course. He was Hwang Hyunjin, Bang Chan’s omega, for fuck’s sake. But… the mission sounded important. Maybe the most important one he had ever been given. But it had to be done.
Lee Know, a street name for his real one, Minho, was Bang Chan’s younger brother, and he had broken his own arm to get information about the doctor. They had literally kept a Maison Velours pack member prisoner for days, a driver responsible for transporting their perfect product to other cities. Fake suppressants disguised as chocolate. Actual chocolate.
Because, of course, Felix wasn’t just an unbonded omega leading a pack. Under him, Maison Velours controlled production, distribution, and money laundering through a local chocolate factory that genuinely sold good chocolate. It sounded absurd, ridiculous, and annoying, but his pack was becoming richer and more powerful than the Iron Fangs.
And all of that thanks to one name. One valuable name. The talented hands and brilliant mind behind the quality of the new fake suppressants: Lazarus, Felix’s golden goose. A codename for Seo Changbin, a forensic doctor leading a twisted double life while working for Felix’s pack. What an irony.
Only members of the Maison Velours wolf pack knew his real name. And now the Iron Fangs knew it too. They had obtained all that information thanks to the poor driver they had tortured for days. He was definitely going to die. If he wasn’t already dead by the time they released him and sent him back home.
“And you want me to blackmail the doctor,” Hyunjin murmured, crossing his arms as he watched the alphas in front of him exchange bloody punches. “Threaten to expose him to the police. In other words, to his other boss.”
“As a last resort. Felix can’t know. I want him working for us behind the unbonded omega’s back. If you blackmail him, the doctor will definitely hate us. I want you to seduce him into working with me. I want him on his knees for you.”
Hyunjin chuckled.
“You have way too much faith in my seduction skills.”
“You’re smart, Hwang Hyunjin. You convinced me to fake a bond with you. And you turned out to be right. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I was too proud to see the truth: that I needed an omega, no matter how. You’re good with that mouth of yours,” Chan said, looking up with a smirk that made Hyunjin flush at the last comment.
“Yeah, whatever. I just needed someone to protect me. I was tired of running from alphas in rut.”
“You’re lucky I found you, that’s what you are. You’d be dead by now. Such a waste of this pretty face and hot body of yours. And I don’t think I’ll ever bond with anyone, it’s taking too long. There must be something wrong with me. At least people stopped asking why I was alone. You were right. I needed you in my life.”
“I never bonded either. Are you saying there’s something wrong with me?” Hyunjin asked, faking a pout. He enjoyed the compliments; they made him hard, and Chan knew that.
“No, baby. You’re perfect,” Chan murmured, his eyes drifting back to the fight. Hyunjin bit down on his lower lip, already turned on. Chan’s rut was affecting him more than usual this time. It was probably because his own heat was approaching.
It wasn’t as if they were romantically involved. They definitely weren’t. It was a fake bond, after all. They were just very close friends with mutual interests. Hyunjin wanted to live according to his philosophy in peace, without alphas chasing after him and bothering him every time he went into heat or they went into their rut. He just wanted to be left alone, that was all.
He hated the vulnerability, but the advantages of not taking real suppressants, on the other hand… they made it worth it. He felt alive. Suppressants were garbage. In Hyunjin’s opinion, they turned people into zombies. No emotions, no sensations. Being forced to become a sedated animal should be illegal. But if you didn’t take them, or if your fake suppressants failed the tests, you’d be arrested.
Hyunjin enjoyed his freedom, even if he ended up behind bars. He was in danger all the time, but before Chan, the danger had been different. Alphas on fake suppressants would fuck and fight anything that moved, and Hyunjin had been terrified because, after all, he was an omega. No matter how hard he trained, he couldn’t defend himself against an alpha in rut. The day he decided to quit the real suppressants and start taking the fake ones, he knew he would become a target. He was a young, pretty omega. The worst combination possible in their society. Add being a woman to that, and he couldn’t even begin to imagine the terror. He managed to survive a couple of months without a bond, until the night he thought he was going to die and Chan saved him.
Chan killed another alpha to save Hyunjin. He had been on the verge of being violently assaulted and killed right after, and then Bang Chan was there. After that, they formed a fake bond. Hyunjin knew Chan didn’t have an omega yet. On fake suppressants, you could tell just by the scent, or rather, the lack of one. There was no omega scent on him at all. So Hyunjin convinced him they needed each other, because Chan was a pack leader, and not just any pack leader, but the leader of the Iron Fangs. They were a traditional family. Chan needed an omega to keep his reputation and territory intact. An unbonded alpha on fake suppressants seemed weak, as if he were incapable of finding a match and claiming an omega for himself. Among people who believed in biological freedom and the importance of preserving their natural instincts, that was a basic rule.
It wasn’t a complicated argument. It was simply true. Chan had principles and was strong, loyal, and fair; but back then, he had been too proud to admit he needed an omega despite being unable to bond with anyone. Hyunjin had simply stated the facts and gotten what he wanted from him. They were both in their thirties now, and despite Chan’s pride still being very much there, he enjoyed reminding Hyunjin that the omega had been right. It was as if Chan liked reassuring himself that agreeing to the fake bond with someone as clever as Hyunjin had been one of the smartest decisions he had ever made.
A fake bond happened through a bite, and if it wasn’t stimulated, the connection would fade and people would notice the bond was fake. And for packs whose main philosophy was living free and true to their natural instincts, that was shameful. No one could know the truth.
And to stimulate a fake bond, there was only one way.
Yeah. Fucking.
It wasn’t a problem, though. Hyunjin thought Chan was hot and nice to him, and he was pretty sure Chan thought the same. They weren’t in love, of course, but they had to fuck every weekend for the scent not to fade. And when one of them was in heat or rut, it happened almost every day of the week because of natural reasons — they wanted and needed to.
That week, it was Chan’s rut.
That meant flirting a bit more than usual.
“Actually, you look hotter than your usual level of hot tonight,” Chan murmured, watching one of the alphas shift into his wolf form. A cowardly move during fight practice if they didn’t agree to it before. “I’ll ban you, shithead! If you kill him, I’ll kill you. We have fucking rules here!”
The wolf growled in Chan’s direction before taking another minute to shift back. The leader let out a deep breath.
“I’ll ban you from this pack, Jiho, I mean it. You have to obey my rules. You’re not blood-related to me, so I don’t give a fuck. You’re out if you do that again.”
The alpha nodded his head, eyes on fire.
“I’m sorry, I just think this rule is stupid. We’re supposed to be free and strong, to use our instincts, to practice them whenever we see necessary. Why wouldn’t you allow us to shift?”
“If you shift every time you’re losing a fight during practice, you’ll kill every alpha in here. I need my pack alive. I need all of you, we have work to do. If you wanna shift, you can drive far away from our headquarters and go into the woods practice there, you know that very well. Actually, I encourage this. You know that. It’s good to shift, it makes you stronger. But it has to be out in the wild, not in the city and not without warning your opponent. You’re practicing, damn it.”
The alpha only nodded, turning to his opponent again to resume the fight.
“This is boring,” Hyunjin grumbled. “And he did that to show off. His wolf still looks like a puppy.”
Chan smirked, eyes still on the fight.
“I have a better idea, actually.”
“I was waiting for this idea the entire night,” Hyunjin purred, biting down on the long nail of his thumb.
“You could have said you were bored before,” Chan said after a chuckle.
“You’re the alpha, I just follow.”
Chan stood up, stretching his body as he raised his arms, then walked down the makeshift stairs built from wooden pallets. He signaled for Lee Know to take his place with a simple tilt of his head. Hyunjin followed Chan down the stairs and out of the basement. All the Iron Fangs present watched them leave in silence.
They were basically royalty, to be honest. Everyone feared Chan, and everyone was captivated by Hyunjin’s beauty. One lustful glance in his direction was enough to make Chan visibly angry. And Hyunjin knew the jealousy wasn’t an act to make their bond seem more real. Chan was genuinely jealous of his omega. It was kind of funny how some parts of their relationship weren’t fake at all.
They walked up the stairs of the small abandoned building that served as the Iron Fangs’ low-profile headquarters and reached the first floor, where the living room was. They had managed to decorate it with rugs and old couches, but electricity wasn’t an option. Low-profile truly meant low-profile to Bang Chan. For meetings, they relied on candles, or sometimes an actual bonfire inside an old metal trash can.
Hyunjin took some time lighting up the candles with a tiny box of matchsticks he had in his pocket. The candles were spread on the top of boxes and a small coffee table. Chan removed his furry jacket and sat down on the couch. It was cold, but he was in rut, so it didn’t matter. Being close to him was already enough to feel warm.
“Come here already,” Chan grunted, throwing his jacket on the floor. He was sweating in spite of the 46 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
“You’re really going to make me break into Maison Velours alone? And talk to that sketchy forensic doctor?” Hyunjin pouted, walking up to him and sitting down on his lap, straddling him.
“You don’t want to?” Chan asked, slowly starting to open Hyunjin’s jacket.
“I mean, if you need me to, I’ll do it. You saved my life, you know I’ll do anything for you.”
“I won’t force you, but I’d be very grateful. You showed me many times that I can trust you with my life. I know we fake bonded, but you’re my soulmate. Or something close to that.”
Hyunjin fixed a few strands of his alpha’s hair.
“I feel the same. It’s just that this mission is on another level. I can manage most tasks when pack members are with me, and I know you like my performance because I always get what I want, but I’m still an omega.”
“I would go myself, but I’m busy with the new batch of drugs. I don’t have time.”
“I know. I’ll do it, but I can’t guarantee success.”
Chan chuckled, caressing Hyunjin’s thighs over his jeans.
“Look at yourself, you’ll make that doctor beg to cook for you. He’s probably a virgin, working for the police and Felix simultaneously. Who has time to fuck working that much?”
“If he really is a forensic doctor, he’s probably on suppressants. I won’t have any effect on him. A zombie, like all the ones who take it.”
“Oh, but you will. He’s still human, with eyes to see this beautiful, pleading face of yours. You can definitely do it. You’ll make him want to work for me.”
“And if he’s unbothered? We have to consider it. Do I jump straight into blackmail?”
Chan finished opening Hyunjin’s jacket and pulled it down slowly, thinking.
“No. There’s something else he could want from us.”
“Which is?” Hyunjin asked, throwing the jacket on the floor behind him.
“Not money, nor protection or autonomy to work on his own. He already has all that from Felix. We have something Felix doesn't have. Our fake bond.”
“What?” Hyunjin frowned, now completely confused.
Chan sighed, still seeming to consider what was on his mind.
“I’m willing to let him study us. We managed to keep a fake bond working for ten years. That doctor will probably drool over the chance to study our bodies. He won’t find a fake bond this old anywhere else. Most people don’t have reasons to fake bond. Don’t you think a biology freak like him would want to study us?”
Hyunjin thought for a few seconds.
“That’s… smart, actually. Yeah, he would. But… he will know about us. No one knows, not even your brother. And if he tells Felix…”
“I don’t think he’ll risk losing this opportunity. He won’t tell Felix. I’m telling you, he will want to study us. You, to be more precise.”
“Me?”
“Yes. If you agree to meet him a few times so he can do whatever he needs to do to collect data. I’m willing to let this doctor study even our pack. Felix’s pack is not like us, they are all on suppressants, I know that. They would rather be rich than free. Felix is obsessed with efficiency and structure, I’ve been thinking about it. I never met him, but the way his reputation grew so fast with the doctor’s product, you just know this omega is not getting in heat. You don’t build an empire like his by surrendering to instincts. He doesn't have time to lose. Nor him or his pack. They just sell the drugs, Hyunjin, they don’t care about the true philosophy behind it.”
Hyunjin slowly nodded. Chan really took time analyzing the situation, that was why he was their leader. He knew what he was doing and what needed to be done to put Felix in his place. The Iron Fangs were meant to be on top, not only for their product but for their philosophy that survived generations.
“I’m putting you back on the top of the game, don’t worry,” Hyunjin murmured, holding his face with both hands and kissing his lips. “You’re so hot when you have a plan.”
Chan growled, grabbing Hyunjin’s hair and pulling his head back. He kissed his neck and reached the fake bond mark, between neck and shoulder. His lips brushed there gently. That mark was precious to him. It was his mark, the physical proof that made Hyunjin his. Their secret.
“Let me fuck you real good tonight,” Chan whispered against his skin, making Hyunjin get goosebumps. “You deserve a treat before your mission. I wanna make you howl when you come for me.”
Hyunjin chuckled, starting to unbutton his own jeans while his neck was now being devoured.
🧪🧪🧪
Hyunjin took one last drag from his cigarette before tossing the butt onto the ground and crushing it beneath his shoe. The Maison Velours building was intimidating, with its tall, sophisticated architecture and the fancy logo stating exactly what it was for, but Hyunjin had spent the last hour of the rainy night repeating to himself that he was an Iron Fang omega, and not just any omega, but the leader’s omega. This mission was easy. No one could do it better than him.
Even Hwang Hyunjin needed a motivational mantra before a mission. And this one in particular was going to be a matter of acting more than anything else. A true performance. Every actor needs time to prepare mentally.
The omega snorted at his own thoughts. He did indeed perform a lot. It was a fun job.
He observed the entrance from across the street, standing beside an empty café, until he was sure all the workers were gone. It was past 10 p.m., and only a security guard remained inside the entrance hall. Pulling the hood further over his head, he crossed the street and took the stolen access card from his back pocket, the one they had forced the kidnapped driver to hand over.
The Maison Velours driver had also told them that the doctor worked at night, on the top floor, in a lab everyone in the building except for the pack believed was used to create new chocolate recipes. In reality, it was where the high-quality fake suppressants were manufactured. The workers hired to handle the chocolate were just ordinary people with no idea the cartel even existed. Poor things. Felix was evil. Then again, Hyunjin could be even worse if that unbonded omega wanted to play with people’s lives like that. He was going to steal Felix’s golden goose and show him that you don’t mess with the Iron Fangs’ reputation. You stay out of their way.
Hyunjin touched the card against the reader on the glass door and pushed it open. The security guard immediately looked up from his desk. The omega removed his hoodie and smiled.
“Good evening,” he murmured cheerfully. The guard frowned. “Rainy night!”
“Can I help you?” the sedated alpha asked, clearly uncomfortable with Hyunjin’s pretty face. That beauty really had its effects even on alphas who took real suppressants.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m a cook. My dear friend Felix sent me to help Lazarus with the new batch. There’s a lot of work to do, and lately he hasn’t been able to handle it alone. Demand is definitely increasing, everyone loves the chocolate. It’s so tasty! I’m proud of my friend. Have you tried it?”
The guard took a few moments to process the information dropped by Hyunjin so naturally.
“Oh, yes. It’s… it’s very good. I was just eating a bar.”
“Really? Do you still have some?”
“Sure,” the guard said, reaching for half of a Maison Velours chocolate bar wrapped in its own red and gold packaging on his table and giving it to him. “Sorry, it’s half-eaten.”
“You’re an angel, my stomach is empty. Got a lot of work to do tonight!”
The guard flushed and smiled, bowing right after. He watched Hyunjin take a bite while using the card again to cross the line of turnstiles before the elevators. When he entered one of them, he clicked the very last number, floor thirty, and waited.
He did it. He passed through security easily. Oh, man, Hwang Hyunjin was something else! He just couldn’t be humble about himself. Such a good actor. Chan was going to be so proud later when he heard every word of what had happened that night.
Hyunjin was still chewing the first bite of the chocolate, and it was tasty indeed. It made him roll his eyes in disbelief and annoyance. Felix did everything right, apparently. It almost made Hyunjin curious about what he looked like. Since Maison Velours was a new pack, the Iron Fangs had never actually seen him, only heard stories. A real-life confrontation would be very interesting. Hyunjin had to be there if it ever happened.
The thirtieth floor took him to a long corridor with many glass doors and empty conference rooms. Weird. The lab wasn’t there. He frowned, slowly walking down the corridor and looking around. At the very end of the corridor, to the right wall, there was a discreet wooden door with no sign in it, with a simple doorknob and nothing else.
He smirked as he tried the doorknob. It opened, revealing a dark staircase leading upward. With a satisfied smile, he started climbing the stairs. As he reached the next floor, he realized it was actually a hidden top floor. The corridor was empty, with only a single metal door at the end. How was this floor completely concealed from the outside? You couldn’t even see it from the street.
Hyunjin crossed the corridor slowly, noticing a small slit in the metal door.
Tsk, tsk. So careless, doctor.
He slowly pushed the door open and stepped into the wide room. He couldn’t see much of it because shelves blocked most of his view, but through the gaps between the chemical bottles, he could make out worktables scattered everywhere. A few lights were on, and a small radio was playing Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones. Yeah, he definitely wasn’t alone.
The sound of a trigger clicking made Hyunjin freeze before a smirk slowly spread across his face.
“What do you want?” The doctor’s voice was deep, warm, and dangerously composed. Way too attractive for someone pointing a gun at him.
“But of course you saw me through the security cameras somewhere in a computer or a phone,” Hyunjin murmured, finally turning to look at him. “Careful, doctor. Pretty sure the government wouldn’t like you pointing a state-issued weapon at people inside your little illegal lab.”
That alpha was hot. Damn. He did not expect that detail. Hyunjin tried to swallow without losing his composure. He had big, almost innocent round eyes and a small mouth with plump lips. A cute yet manly face and… big arms. Yeah, he definitely worked for the police. He had to have some kind of physical training, just in case.
“Tell me who you are and what you want right now, or I’ll shoot. You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Pleased to meet you. Hope you guess my name,” Hyunjin said, quoting the song lyrics and making the doctor flush instantly. Cute. He was a fan of The Rolling Stones and was probably surprised Hyunjin knew it. “Oh, and I know. I’m really not supposed to be here. But here I am.”
He bowed low in an overly theatrical manner. “Hwang Hyunjin, at your service.”
“Not enough.”
Hyunjin tilted his head to the side, still smirking. He blinked twice as he quickly considered his next move.
“How aware are you of other packs selling the drug?”
“I know there are others,” the doctor replied cautiously, his finger still tense against the trigger. His eyes narrowed as he studied Hyunjin from head to toe, trying to figure out whether he was insane or not. “Which pack are you from?”
Hyunjin’s smirk widened. Pride curled warmly inside his chest at the mere opportunity to say it out loud.
“I’m Bang Chan’s omega. The Iron Fang pack.” He tilted his head slightly, watching the flicker of recognition cross the alpha’s face. “I’m sure you’ve heard of my lovely alpha.”
“What does he want?”
The question came out softer this time, though Changbin still hadn’t lowered the gun. The radio continued playing softly in the background, filling the silence stretching between them.
Hyunjin sighed dramatically, biting down on his lower lip. The excitement of this meeting with a hot cop was hard to suppress. Honestly, he had expected someone far less attractive considering the exhausting double life the doctor lived. Someone constantly working like that shouldn’t have had the time to take such good care of himself.
And the unusual warmth radiating from him was making Hyunjin’s heart race. He wanted to get closer, to breathe him in properly. The scent was delicious, addictive even. During the few seconds before it was his turn to speak again, he caught himself imagining the doctor shirtless, and the thought sent goosebumps down his skin. The sexy song in the background still playing wasn’t helping either. Hyunjin enjoyed his rock n’ roll as well.
His gaze briefly flickered toward the metal door behind him before returning to the doctor.
“Can you lock the door? We need privacy.”
“Of course not. Get it over with, omega.”
Hyunjin grinned at the last word. Hot.
Yes, he thought, I’m an omega and you’re an alpha. Want to do something about it? I fake bonded, you know. I’m still out in the wild, technically vulnerable to the effects of attractive alphas. Bang Chan doesn’t have to know about it, and he probably feels the same way about attractive omegas anyway, so who cares?
His mind was on fire. The last time this had happened was… never, actually. Chan was hot, sure, but this felt different. The alpha standing in front of him made Hyunjin want to tear the world apart just for the chance to touch him.
He was panting, for Christ’s sake. What the fuck. Keep your shit together, Hyunjin. Back to your mission.
“I’m here because I think you’ll want to work for us.”
The doctor shook his head immediately, almost instinctively. His grip on the gun tightened again.
“No. Get out. Now.”
Hyunjin hummed softly, completely unbothered by the threat pointed at his chest.
“But you will,” he said smoothly. “Trust me.”
He took two slow steps toward him, making the doctor tense. Changbin frowned instantly, and for the first time since Hyunjin had entered the lab, the gun wavered slightly in his hand.
The omega smirked. There it was. Nervousness.
“Can you lower the gun? I won’t hurt you.” Hyunjin’s voice softened, a bit sweet. “I just wanna talk. I promise I’ll leave after you hear me out and give me your answer.”
The doctor’s jaw tightened. He looked tense, broad shoulders stiff beneath the white lab coat clinging to his body.
“Last warning,” he said, his deep voice rough with irritation and now clear nervousness. “I’m gonna shoot you.”
Hyunjin tilted his head slightly, studying him with amusement.
“Could you shoot me?” he asked quietly. “I don’t think you’d shoot an innocent omega like me.”
A humorless scoff escaped the alpha immediately.
“You’re not innocent.”
Hyunjin pouted at that accusation. Slowly, he lowered his gaze to the chocolate bar still resting in his hands and brought it closer to his face. He took another slow bite, deliberately letting a smear of melted chocolate stain the corner of his lips.
Then he began chewing lazily, eyes lifting back to the doctor beneath long lashes, deceptively innocent.
“Want some?” Hyunjin offered, slowly licking the corner of his lips, eyes on the doctor. The action made the alpha gulp, hands shaky holding the gun.
He finally sighed and lowered it, realizing Hyunjin would only get more annoying if he didn’t listen. It was that, or killing him.
“I knew it. You’d never kill me,” Hyunjin said with a satisfied smile. He finished the chocolate with another bite, and the doctor watched him in silence as he chewed. “After we talk, I actually think you’ll start protecting me,” the omega added, his mouth still full of chocolate.
The doctor scoffed again, but his face and neck were noticeably flushed. Sweat glistened along his temples.
“You don’t need protection. If you came here alone, you can clearly take care of yourself. And you already have your alpha. I’m sure his reputation for violence and territorial aggression is enough,” the doctor muttered with a sigh as he pulled open his unbuttoned coat and holstered the gun at his waist.
Hyunjin’s eyes watered at the simple movement. God, he was hungry for him.
“The fact that I don’t need it doesn’t change the fact that you will want to,” Hyunjin said, glancing at the door again. “Lock it, please.”
The doctor rolled his eyes but took a few steps to the door, locking it by typing numbers on a screen next to it.
“You really unlocked the doors for me. A trap.” Hyunjin grinned slowly. “That’s hot, doctor. Or should I call you Lazarus? Or… Changbin?”
The doctor’s head snapped in his direction, his brows immediately furrowing.
“How…” He let out a sharp breath through his nose. “Fucking hell. Did you kill someone for that information?”
Hyunjin shrugged lightly, his face faking being offended by the accusation.
“Of course not. We only kill to defend ourselves. Or…” His lips curled into a twisted smile. “To make a message clear. You’re not that important.”
But he was, obviously. Hyunjin just didn’t need him realizing that yet. And killing one of Felix’s pack members would’ve been unnecessary. Starting a war this early wouldn’t benefit the Iron Fangs at all.
“So… torture is acceptable to you?” Changbin asked carefully, watching him with a mix of disgust and curiosity.
“Oh, yes.” Hyunjin smiled shamelessly. “Torture is perfectly fine. It gets the job done.”
The doctor raised his eyebrows in disbelief before shaking his head slowly, as if trying to understand what exactly had walked into his lab that night.
“Okay,” he muttered at last. “Tell me what you want already. I don’t have all night.”
“I want you to cook for me,” Hyunjin said simply, biting down on his lower lip as he stepped closer.
Changbin didn’t move, but his eyes instinctively followed the omega’s movements as Hyunjin slipped both hands into the front pockets of his jeans. The T-shirt beneath the unzipped fabric rode up, exposing a strip of skin across his lower stomach.
That tiny detail held the doctor’s attention for a few dangerous seconds.
Then Changbin smirked.
“It won’t happen,” he said, only then realizing Hyunjin had gotten far too close. Changbin immediately took a step back, retreating deeper into the lab and weaving between the shelves lined with chemicals and scattered equipment.
Hyunjin followed after him out of pure curiosity, noticing with satisfaction that the doctor still hadn’t told him to leave.
Changbin stopped beside a cluttered table overflowing with documents, folders, and messy spreadsheets. He started organizing the papers with quick, restless movements, clearly trying to redirect his attention elsewhere.
“I’m already busy with Felix. He provides me with everything I need,” he muttered without looking at him. “Tell your alpha to find himself a better cook.”
“Oh, no. I don’t want another cook.” Hyunjin’s voice dropped into a low purr as he kept moving closer and closer. “I want you.”
The doctor finally noticed just how little space remained between them and abruptly turned around. His hips pressed against the edge of the table behind him, trapping him there between scattered documents and the approaching omega. His wide eyes flickered nervously over Hyunjin’s face.
Hyunjin laughed softly despite the ache building inside him.
Because it hurt not to touch him now that they were only centimeters apart. His arms throbbed with the effort of staying still, blood roaring loudly in his ears. Every instinct screamed at him to close the distance completely.
“You can’t have me, sorry,” the doctor said, though his voice came out uneven and embarrassingly shaky.
Hyunjin smiled at that. Slowly, carefully, he softened his expression into something deceptively innocent.
“Can I call you ‘Changbin’?” he asked quietly. “Only between us. Socially, it’s Lazarus. Don’t worry.”
Changbin gulped hard before giving a nearly imperceptible nod.
“Good,” Hyunjin murmured, pleased. “Changbin… I have something you might want.” He tilted his head, eyes glittering with confidence. “No. Actually, I’m sure you’ll want it.”
“I… I doubt that.”
Hyunjin’s smile only widened at the hesitation in Changbin’s voice.
“Have you ever heard of fake bonding?”
Changbin frowned immediately, and for the first time since Hyunjin had cornered him against the table, it was as if the alpha finally snapped out of whatever spell the omega had wrapped around him. Curiosity quickly replaced the nervous tension in his expression.
“Of course,” he answered, crossing his arms slowly. “It’s almost a myth. Biologically difficult to achieve and even harder to maintain. Not particularly necessary in our society either. People who take real suppressants don’t care about bonding, and the ones taking fake suppressants usually just bond with their actual partners.”
Hyunjin chuckled softly at that explanation, clearly entertained.
“Yes. But…” He leaned in a bit, enough for Changbin to catch his scent again. “What if I told you I’ve been maintaining a fake bond for ten years?”
Silence filled the lab instantly. Even the music from the radio suddenly felt distant.
Changbin stared at him with a blank expression, a poker face despite the tension returning to his jaw.
“And why would you do that?”
“Well… it’s a long story. I needed it to survive, and so did Bang Chan. He’s not my bond. I’m unbonded.”
Changbin went completely still for a few seconds, visibly processing the information.
What happened next would’ve been hilarious if Hyunjin weren’t painfully hard already.
The doctor frowned deeply before suddenly grabbing Hyunjin’s face with both hands. His fingers were warm against Hyunjin’s skin as he used one thumb to pull down the skin beneath his eye, studying his eyeball with a comical intensity.
“You’re fake bonded,” Changbin murmured, excitement taking over his voice. His eyes were practically shining now. He pressed a hand against Hyunjin’s forehead to check his temperature with eager fascination. Hyunjin was enjoying the touch too much. “Where’s the bite mark? Show me the bite. Are you in heat? Is he in rut?”
“Calm down, baby,” Hyunjin said with a breathy laugh as he pulled away. He needed to keep the doctor wanting more. Bang Chan’s orders.
The sudden distance seemed to frustrate Changbin immediately, because he took another step closer without even noticing it himself. Hyunjin raised his hand to stop him.
“Stay back. You only get to put your hands on me if you agree to cook your fake suppressants for the Iron Fangs.” His voice softened again, turning persuasive. “Behind Felix’s back. He can’t know. No one can know.”
Hyunjin’s eyes were fixed on the alpha’s face, a penetrating stare to make himself clear.
“Just you, me, and Bang Chan.” A small smile curled on Hyunjin’s lips as he remembered Lee Know would inevitably end up involved too. Chan’s younger brother was his right-hand man, after all. “And maybe his brother, but that’s not important right now. It stays between us.”
Changbin stared at him for a moment, visibly trying to process the proposal without getting distracted by Hyunjin standing far too close again.
“Cook for you…” he repeated slowly. “I mean, for the Iron Fangs. In exchange for what?”
Hyunjin’s grin immediately turned brighter, playful.
“Well, I’ll become your lab rat, silly. You’ll get to study my fake bond. Bang Chan is actually willing to let you study the entire pack.”
At that, Changbin’s expression shifted again, scientific curiosity flashing openly across his face. Hyunjin almost laughed at how easy the doctor was to read when biology was involved.
“And we can shift, you know,” Hyunjin added proudly. “We pay a price for freedom, but it’s worth it.” His eyes glittered with something feral. “Being wild has its perks.”
“Can you shift?” Changbin asked, his eyes sparkling now. His mouth hung slightly open in disbelief and unmistakable excitement.
Hyunjin let out a soft chuckle at the doctor’s reaction.
“Of course. My wolf is over six feet tall.” Pride slipped naturally into his voice. “And my fur is soft and healthy. My strict diet does wonders. Hunting and eating freshly killed prey helps a lot too.”
Changbin went completely silent after that, visibly distracted for a full minute as he seemed to imagine Hyunjin’s wolf form in detail. His gaze lingered on the omega’s body again, thoughtful this time, analytical. He was a scientist studying him.
“You’re the real deal,” he murmured at last, sounding genuinely impressed. “I should’ve realized it the moment you walked in. There’s nothing normal about you.” His brows furrowed as his mind clearly started putting pieces together faster and faster. “Ten years fake bonded, you said?” His voice lowered with fascination. “And how many years of shifting and hunting?”
“What we do should be normal, doctor,” Hyunjin replied with sudden seriousness. The topic was serious to him. “The Iron Fangs are just brave enough to live freely.”
Changbin still looked stunned, his mind probably racing through every scientific implication behind Hyunjin’s existence alone.
“Same amount of time,” the omega continued, answering his questions. “Ten years of shifting and hunting.”
“Fuck,” Changbin breathed out under his breath, eyes slowly traveling over Hyunjin’s body from head to toe again, as if he were suddenly looking at something dangerously rare. He was amused. Hyunjin smirked at the attention.
“Now?” he teased. “Can I start undressing?”
Changbin blinked hard, visibly forcing his thoughts back into place.
“I’ll do it.”
Hyunjin’s grin widened immediately.
“Fuck me? Really?”
A strangled noise escaped Changbin before he shook his head quickly.
“No, God.” Despite the denial, his face flushed all over again. “Cook for the Iron Fangs. I’ll do it if you let me study you and your lifestyle.” His eyes gleamed in excitement. “My drug could reach levels of quality nobody’s ever seen before with the kind of rare data I’d collect from you.”
Hyunjin smiled slowly.
The mission was complete. He had done it.
“I’m glad we have a deal,” Hyunjin said, extending his arm toward Changbin for a handshake.
The doctor’s brows twitched into a brief frown before he grabbed the omega’s hand firmly. The strong, warm grip sent a sharp wave of electricity through Hyunjin’s body.
And then he was suddenly pulled forward.
Changbin actually pulled him closer. Easily. One quick movement and Hyunjin’s entire body was centimeters away from the doctor.
“Let me see your mark,” the doctor asked, looking up at him with wide, eager eyes. Though shorter than Hyunjin, there was something unexpectedly dominant about him whenever biology became involved, as if scientific curiosity overpowered every other instinct in his body.
That doctor was insane. As insane as Hyunjin, if that was even possible. The moment science became involved, Changbin transformed completely. Hyunjin could barely see the trained cop anymore beneath all that obsessive excitement.
“Let’s discuss the details first, doc.”
“Yes?” Changbin answered immediately, too politely, like he was afraid the omega might suddenly disappear before he could ask another question. He was practically already on his knees for him. Too fucking funny.
Hyunjin chuckled under his breath.
“You’re such a puppy. Where exactly are you planning to cook for us? You can’t suddenly double production in this lab. Felix will notice.”
“Back in my own lab, obviously.”
Hyunjin blinked.
“You have your own lab?”
Changbin looked genuinely confused by the surprise.
“Do you think I sleep here?” he asked dryly. “Yes, I have a lab at my house.”
“House?” Hyunjin repeated, suddenly interested.
“Yes. It’s not in Seoul. About an hour away from here.”
“Of course it is,” Hyunjin muttered with amusement. “Let me guess. Middle of nowhere?”
Changbin nodded calmly.
“There are woods around it.”
Hyunjin went quiet for a second, staring at him carefully now.
“You live in the woods?”
Another nod.
“An hour from here?”
Changbin nodded again, slower this time, clearly unsure where the conversation was heading.
“And you never noticed us?”
“Sorry?”
“We hunt there,” Hyunjin explained casually. “That’s where we train outdoors. We hunt, shift, and fight in wolf form in the woods an hour away from here.”
Realization slowly crossed Changbin’s face, though he still looked distracted by the information overload Hyunjin had dumped onto him in the last ten minutes.
“I…” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Most of the time, I’m inside my lab.”
“Of course you are,” Hyunjin murmured, searching through his memory. A familiar image suddenly resurfaced in his mind: a huge glass mansion he occasionally spotted between the trees while hunting after shifting.
His eyes widened slightly.
“Don’t tell me that ridiculously fancy glass mansion is yours.”
Changbin hesitated for half a second before shrugging.
“It’s possible.”
“God. You really did choose to live far away from everyone.” Hyunjin was genuinely impressed. “You’re not very social, are you? We always wondered who lived there, but we never saw anyone.” He smirked faintly. “Nice place, though. Guess the drug money pays well.”
Changbin snorted at that.
“The Iron Fangs’ cartel money is older than ours,” he pointed out. “I’m pretty sure you live in luxury too.”
“Oh, Bang Chan owns a penthouse. Nothing impressive compared to that mansion,” Hyunjin replied with a careless shrug. Then he studied the alpha. “So you really are part of Felix’s pack? You’re not just working for them?”
Something shifted in Changbin’s expression at the question. The excitement faded, making exhaustion show through.
“I didn’t really have a choice,” he admitted quietly. “I’m too connected to them not to be. I’m their secret.” His lips pressed into a thin line for a second. “At this point, they consider me part of the pack.”
Hyunjin watched him carefully in silence before speaking again.
“And you’re not scared of cooking for us?”
Changbin held his gaze this time without hesitation. There was something unsettlingly sincere about the determination in his eyes now. Hyunjin felt himself drawn even deeper into the doctor’s magnetic pull.
“I’ll deal with my own demons later,” he said calmly. “Your biological data is far more important.”
“They could kill you for this. You know that, right?” Hyunjin asked more quietly this time. “Treason is serious in this business. I just want to make sure you understand all the consequences.”
Changbin nodded slowly, his chest rising and falling with each deep breath. Up close, Hyunjin could see the conflict flickering behind his eyes, buried beneath all the excitement.
“I can’t…” Changbin ran a hand through his hair, visibly struggling to organize his thoughts. “If Felix ever finds out, he’ll have to understand. Knowledge comes first for me. Biology.” His voice wavered slightly before steadying again. “He knows that very well.”
Then his gaze locked onto Hyunjin with sudden intensity.
“I can’t let you go.”
The sentence slid through Hyunjin’s body like a warm hand against his spine, pulling him closer by instinct. God, he wanted the doctor now. Badly enough that continuing the act was becoming difficult. He could feel himself reaching his limit. At any moment, he knew he might stop pretending entirely.
Something primitive had awakened inside him, something hungry and restless that he couldn’t explain properly. It had to be because Changbin was an alpha. Because Chan’s rut had already left him sensitive and overheated.
That had to be it.
“I don’t think he’ll understand, my dear. This is the cartel,” Hyunjin said, forcing himself to think rationally again.
Changbin bit down on his lower lip, his gaze dropping to the floor beside Hyunjin’s feet. For the first time since the omega had entered the lab, he looked genuinely vulnerable. Scared, even.
“Then you’ll have to…” He frowned before looking back up at Hyunjin.
Something about the fear hidden in the doctor’s eyes hit Hyunjin so hard it made his stomach twist painfully. The reaction was immediate, instinctive. He answered so quickly there wasn’t even time to think.
“I’ll protect you,” he blurted out.
Changbin’s eyebrows relaxed at once, like another invisible wall inside him had crumbled.
Hyunjin blinked, suddenly aware of what he had just said.
“I mean…” he corrected himself quickly, clearing his throat. “We will. The pack.” He forced a confident smirk back onto his face. “Felix doesn’t stand a chance against us. His pack takes suppressants. He has guns, but we shift. He can try.”
Changbin nodded slowly and swallowed hard. He was panting now too, chest rising unevenly beneath his shirt. His eyes wandered over Hyunjin again in that same intense, obsessive way, studying him from head to toe like he still couldn’t fully believe he was real. The omega had a feeling the doctor was going to do that a lot from now on.
“Can I see the bite mark, please?”
Hyunjin nodded slowly and started removing his hooded jacket. Changbin immediately grabbed a stool for him, positioning it carefully right in front of himself.
“Sit down,” the doctor added.
Hyunjin obeyed without thinking too much about it, still holding the jacket in one hand. Changbin took it gently from his fingers and placed it aside on the table with surprising care. The omega reached for the collar of his shirt, trying to pull it down to expose the bite mark on his shoulder, but the fabric was too tight around his neck.
“I think I’ll have to…”
“If you don’t mind,” Changbin murmured quickly, though his eyes never left him for even a second.
“It’s okay,” Hyunjin answered, suddenly feeling nervous.
The confidence from earlier had vanished so abruptly it annoyed him. He felt like a completely different person now. Vulnerable, restless, exposed. But strangely safe too.
Slowly, he pulled the shirt over his head. Changbin took that piece of clothing as well, placing it neatly beside the jacket before finally looking back at him fully.
They were both panting now. The doctor tried not to stare at Hyunjin’s bare torso, but the omega knew exactly the kind of body he had. A hunter’s body. Slim, but strong, carved by years of fighting and running through the woods in wolf form.
Hyunjin raised a hand to touch the mark on his shoulder, but Changbin suddenly seemed to snap out of whatever trance he had fallen into. He stepped closer immediately, stopping right in front of him. Far too close again.
“Do you mind if I touch it?”
Hyunjin shook his head, suddenly aware of how dry his throat felt.
The doctor’s warm fingers brushed against the bite mark, and something strange instantly shot through Hyunjin’s body. A sharp sting spread beneath his skin like an electric shock. So painful he grabbed the front of Changbin’s lab coat with both hands on pure reflex.
Changbin looked alarmed immediately.
“Sorry. Does it hurt?”
“It shouldn’t,” Hyunjin breathed out, slowly letting go of the lab coat. “It’s been ten years.” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Sorry.”
“Is he in rut right now?”
Hyunjin nodded once.
“That could explain it,” Changbin murmured, though he didn’t touch the mark again.
But it wasn’t that. Hyunjin knew it had nothing to do with Bang Chan. It was the doctor.
Changbin stared at the mark for a few quiet seconds longer before speaking again, his voice softer now.
“It’s… it’s actually quite beautiful.”
“What?” Hyunjin frowned, looking up at him from the stool while the doctor stood right in front of him. Changbin’s gaze remained fixed on the mark.
“Well… it’s visual proof of the pact you made with him.” His voice had gone softer again, absentminded with fascination. “Through biology. That’s incredible.” He leaned closer, eyes carefully analyzing every detail of the old bite. “Look at the cracks around it,” he murmured. “They spread like veins beneath the skin. It’s as if his influence rooted itself inside you… claiming you.”
Hyunjin noticed Changbin’s nose twitch faintly at that last word. His lips twitched too, quickly, almost looking like a grimace.
“You like it?” Hyunjin asked quietly.
“Very much.” Changbin finally looked up at him again, eyes dark with curiosity. “Your connection to him… what does it feel like?”
Hyunjin hummed thoughtfully.
“I don’t know. It’s been years.” He shrugged lightly. “I’m used to all of it by now. I know when he’s in danger, and he feels the same about me. I can find him just by scent no matter where he is…” His voice trailed off awkwardly for a second. “And… well.” He glanced away briefly before looking back at the doctor. “You’re the scientist here. You probably know that for a fake bond to keep working, we have to…”
“Yes.” Changbin nodded immediately. “You have to stimulate the connection.”
“Yeah.”
“Weekly?”
Hyunjin nodded once.
“And how do your heats work?” Changbin continued, fully absorbed. “It varies from omega to omega.”
“Hm… I usually nest at home.”
Changbin nodded slowly while his eyes wandered over Hyunjin’s torso again, carefully studying every scar and mark scattered across his skin.
“Lots of scars,” he observed quietly.
“Lots of hunts and fights,” Hyunjin explained with a small smile directed at him.
It wasn’t a smirk this time. He wasn’t acting anymore. It was a genuinely soft smile, and realizing that scared him a little.
“Does he… is he violent?”
“With me? No.” Hyunjin shrugged. “I mean, during sex things can get a little rough, especially when my heat and his rut sync up.”
The answer made Changbin flush immediately. Color spread all the way to the tips of his ears, though he avoided Hyunjin’s eyes entirely as he moved around the stool to examine the omega’s back more closely for a few quiet seconds. Hyunjin stayed silent while the doctor inspected him, oddly content just feeling his attention move across his skin.
“Nails?” Changbin murmured eventually as he returned to stand in front of him again.
Hyunjin raised his hands obediently.
“Are they actually useful at this length?”
“Yeah.” Hyunjin flexed his fingers. “They’re thicker and stronger than regular human nails because of my diet and the constant shifting.”
Changbin took one of Hyunjin’s hands between both of his. The warmth felt so absurdly good that the omega’s eyes fluttered shut for a second. Carefully, the doctor ran his fingertips over the sharp nail tips, completely absorbed by the discovery.
“You’re fascinating,” Changbin murmured under his breath, voice low with genuine awe.
“Thank you,” Hyunjin answered, though his own voice came out embarrassingly shaky.
He couldn’t stop staring at the doctor’s focused expression, completely captivated by the way Changbin looked at his body with open fascination.
“Next time, can you…” the doctor began, finally lifting his gaze from Hyunjin’s hand to his face. He blinked once before swallowing hard. “Can you shift for me?”
“Yes,” Hyunjin breathed out immediately, his heart beating so violently it felt deafening inside his chest. For some reason, hearing that request come from Changbin sounded strangely intimate. Almost obscene. Heat rushed up his neck and across his face.
“It has to be outside,” he added quickly. “I’m too big.”
Changbin slowly let go of his hand, and the sudden loss of warmth made Hyunjin frown before he could stop himself. He wanted the touch back. The emptiness of his free hands was painful.
“Come to my lab this weekend,” the doctor said softly. “There’s enough space in the woods around the house.” He hesitated briefly before adding, “I work during the week. Day and night.”
Hyunjin nodded silently, unable to stop staring at him.
“Whenever you need me, I’ll be there.”
The doctor stared at him, quietly taking him in. The silence stretched between them, but somehow it didn’t feel awkward at all. To Hyunjin, it barely felt like time was passing. They probably stood there staring at each other for at least a full minute before Changbin finally spoke again.
“I’ll have a batch ready for you to take back and start selling,” he said softly. “Don’t worry.”
“Does Felix ever go there?” Hyunjin asked suddenly.
Changbin frowned at the abrupt change of subject, clearly not expecting the question.
“Where?”
“Your house.”
“Only if I invite him.”
Hyunjin tilted his head. “Do you?”
Changbin gulped and blinked slowly, visibly caught off guard by the question.
“Why?”
Hyunjin took a slow breath before answering.
“He can’t see me there,” he said quietly, immediately realizing that wasn’t entirely true. The real answer to that last question sitting heavily in his chest was different. He wanted to know what Felix was to him. An unbonded alpha and omega working that closely together could easily end up involved somehow. Bonds meant less among people taking suppressants, but relationships still existed. People still slept together. Dated. Wanted each other.
“He won’t,” Changbin answered firmly, snapping Hyunjin out of his thoughts. “You don’t have to worry about that.” His voice softened slightly afterward. “If I need to meet him, it’ll be somewhere far away from my house.”
Hyunjin nodded slowly, oddly relieved by the answer.
“Okay, we have a deal,” Hyunjin said, wrapping his arms around himself. Changbin’s eyebrows lifted immediately as he noticed the omega was cold. Without saying anything, he grabbed Hyunjin’s clothes from the table and handed them back to him. “Thank you.”
“My lab isn’t as cold as this one,” Changbin said with a small, gentle smile.
Hyunjin smiled back automatically while pulling his shirt over his head again.
“That’s good,” he replied, and both of them chuckled softly at the awkwardness of the exchange.
“I’ll let you get back to work now.” Hyunjin zipped up his hoodie before looking back at him. “Can we meet five streets away from here early Saturday morning? Do you drive?”
“Yes, I drive.” Changbin nodded. “I can pick you up five streets away from here. Just be there before sunrise.”
Hyunjin nodded once, noticing the doctor following him all the way to the metal door.
“You got a favorite Stones album?” Hyunjin asked suddenly, genuinely curious.
Changbin looked surprised by the question, but an excited smirk immediately appeared on his face as he typed the password to unlock the door.
“Of course. Let It Bleed. Yours?”
“Some Girls.”
Changbin’s grin widened slightly. “Great choice. I’ve got the vinyl collection.”
“I’ll definitely be checking that out, doc,” Hyunjin replied smoothly as he stepped backward into the corridor. “See you this weekend.”