Disgust washed over him, and a wave of nausea rose suddenly. Frozen for a mont, Winston quickly moved forward with a grim expression. Who on earth was it? Who dared to be inside his house?
The scent grew stronger, mixed with the pheromones of an Oga, making his head spin almost instantly. His steady pace broke into a run. Winston climbed the stairs three at a ti, reaching the second floor in no ti.
Yujin.
Only one thought filled his mind. Had sothing happened to Yujin? Was it a robbery? Was he hurt? Yujin, please, be safe...!
Winnie.
The ominous premonition that he might never see Yujin smiling brightly and hugging him as always chilled his heart until it froze solid. Fear made his breath quicken involuntarily. Winston, pale as death, flung open the bedroom door. A strong wave of pheromones rushed in, montarily clouding his vision.
He hurriedly covered his nose and mouth with one hand and blinked. Gradually, his sight cleared and he saw it—n on and around the bed, so completely naked, others partially undressed.
And there was Yujin.
In the exact sa pose as in the photo, utterly naked.
For a mont, Winston was dazed as if hit on the head by sothing. What was going on? What was happening now? My Yujin, why...?
“Winnie!”
Yujin’s desperate shout brought Winston back to his senses. Blinking, he saw Yujin’s terrified face calling out to him.
“Help , help , Winnie!”
Surrounded by n, Yujin was terrified, desperately calling for him. Only then did Winston realize what had happened: the house had been broken into. Not content with stealing things, they tried to defile Yujin.
There was no ti to think. Without hesitation, he rushed to save Yujin.
“You bastards, get away from Yujin right now!”
A fierce brawl broke out. Winston swung his fists rcilessly at the n attacking him. One’s jaw twisted with a single hit; another lost teeth. The fight was laughably easy and predictable. Winston quickly reached Yujin’s side. Now all that remained was to hold his lover and reassure him. And just as the long-missed face filled his vision—
“Winnie, behind you!”
Yujin shouted urgently. Suddenly, soone struck Winston’s back hard.
The world violently shook before his eyes. For the first ti, Winston staggered and nearly collapsed. Piercing screams from Yujin echoed. Winston shook his head fast and turned around. One of the n held a golf club, staring at him. Winston cursed under his breath and threw a punch, but another man struck him. This ti, Winston had no choice but to kneel.
“No, Winnie! Stop!”
Yujin, frantic, rushed to save him but was slapped across the face and sent flying. Seeing that, Winston tried to grab the man who hit Yujin’s cheek. That bastard wouldn’t die peacefully. Just as he aid a blow filled with burning rage and hatred—
A thunderous crack echoed loudly. A chilling silence settled amidst a faint echo.
...What?
A strange burning sensation flared in Winston’s chest. It felt like a sudden draft.
What was that?
Winston was puzzled but had no ti to think deeply. The n hesitated fearfully. Perhaps they were bewildered that things were not going as expected. Of course—they hadn’t expected Winston to appear so suddenly.
“You...”
Grinding his teeth, Winston reached out—but the man aiming a gun pulled the trigger repeatedly. Bang, bang, bang—loud shots pierced Winston’s body in several places. The n watching panicked, looking helplessly around with wide eyes.
“Aaagh!”
“R-Run! Get out of here!”
Suddenly, soone scread, and as if the scream was a signal, the n scrambled to flee. Winston turned to chase but his vision blurred and he slumped down.
“Winnie!”
Yujin scread, running toward ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) him, his voice full of tears as he repeatedly called Winston’s na. For so reason, Winston gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling, and he sat down leaning against the wall.
“What do I do, what do I do... Winston, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault, sorry...”
Yujin cried, hugging Winston tightly, repeating the sa words over and over. Why? Yujin was the victim. Why was he apologizing to ?
Winston truly thought so. Above all, right now, it was most important that Yujin was crying.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Between heavy breaths, Winston asked.
“Are you hurt anywhere, darling?”
He gently stroked his lover’s cheek, but soon grew puzzled. Yujin’s face was stained with blood. Winston’s hand moved to stroke his neck, shoulders, and arms. The bloodstains were spreading.
“Why... won’t the blood co off? Darling, where are you hurt?”
“You idiot, that’s your blood...”
Yujin, who had been barely holding back tears until then, suddenly burst into loud sobs.
“Oh, I see.”
Yujin cried, but Winston smiled.
“Thank God, you’re not hurt.”
He barely managed to say that much. Beyond the rapidly fading consciousness, only Yujin’s voice faintly echoed.
“Wake up, Winston! Snap out of it! Don’t...!”
I have to say I’m okay.
Yujin is crying. Because of . No, I have to hold Yujin and calm him.
...But no sound ca out.
Not even a finger could move. Like sinking into an endless swamp, he quickly lost consciousness. The last thing he rembered was Yujin’s desperate voice calling his na.
Winston regained consciousness three months later. At first, doctors said he might never walk again. But after a month of rehabilitation, he made hopeful progress. At best, he could move his foot a little and was told he might soon walk with crutches.
“I heard extre alphas have better physical recovery than normal people. That’s truly a blessing.”
Hearing the doctor’s words, Winston thought it was the first ti his constitution had worked to his advantage. At least he had avoided the worst-case scenario.
However, he was saddened that since waking, he had only t Yujin once. The first thing he asked after waking was about Yujin, but the answer was only that he was doing well. Of course, Winston couldn’t believe that. The family who constantly spoke ill of Yujin wouldn’t have cared for him while Winston was gone.
But Yujin had visited him once—of course, with other Campbell family mbers.
“Yujin, are you okay?”
“Winnie.”
At that first question, Yujin burst into tears and took Winston’s hand, bringing it to his cheek.
“I’m okay. You’re the one who’s hurt... Does it hurt a lot?”
“I’m okay too.”
“You say that, but you almost died!”
Their mother, watching, interrupted displeased.
“You almost lost him forever. Do you know how severe the bleeding was? He couldn’t even open his eyes for the past three months. And you say he’s okay?”
Seeing Yujin shrink and bow his head, Winston smiled and stroked his cheek.
“You’ll be up soon. No more pain, right?”
Actually, his whole body still ached terribly. But he couldn’t worry Yujin. Winston asked as casually as possible. Yujin hesitated but nodded.
“Yeah, it’s all good... The Campbells are taking good care of .”
“...Is that so?”
He couldn’t fully believe those words, but there was nothing he could do now. Instead, he spoke to the family.
“Please take good care of Yujin, Mother.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you got up and did things yourself? That way you’d both feel more at ease.”
His mother answered coldly as usual, but it was true. Winston was relieved she wasn’t being hypocritical.
“Alright then, everyone, let’s go. Visiting ti is over. Winston needs rest.”
That was the end of his visit with Yujin. Winston thought they’d et again soon, but Yujin didn’t co until Winston began practicing walking. In the anti, Winston fought endless pain and survived each day with dicine. His back pain relentlessly tornted him. Sotis the agony felt like his whole body was splitting apart. Whenever he thought it would have been better to die then, he thought of Yujin. He was the only one who could protect him.
And finally, Winston reached the stage of walking with crutches—without having seen Yujin.
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