Tainted

Chapter 22

Third person POV

Y/n was in the kitchen, making tea. She and Taehee were in her room for tea time. She turned to the cabinet to grab some cookies. And that's when someone else entered the kitchen. Her nose picked up a scent so she turned around.

"Alpha." She bowed at him.

"I told you not to do that, Y/n." Jihoon sat at the counter.

Y/n slightly frowned when she saw something on the young alpha's cheek. "What happen?" she asked. Jihoon frowned.

She pointed at his cheek.

"Just a slight cut. Nothing big." He told her. He then got down from the counter top and grabbed a glass of cold water. Y/n couldn't help but to stare at him. It's true that they're not on good term with each other but she still cares for him. He's her mate after all. She wants to run her fingers on the cut, she wants to kiss the cut, she wants to be the one to clean the cut for him and wish for his recovery but she didn't.

She only stared at him.

Just then another figure walked into the kitchen. She looked up and frowned, "Minghao oppa?" "Yes, angel?" Minghao sat on the kitchen island. Y/n walked to him, "You hurt yourself. What ...happen?" she asked him as she looked at the cut near his lips. "Oh this?" Minghao touched the cut. "Nothing, angel. Just a ....friendly spar." Minghao said.

Y/n frowned. She then turned back to Jihoon. He was glaring at Minghao in anger. Then she turned back to Minghao. "Did...you two...fight?" she asked. "You could say that." Minghao answered.

"But why?" she asked.

"He should know his limit. No one touches what's mine!" Jihoon hissed. "You didn't treat her well!" Minghao stood from the stool.

"Beta!" Jihoon didn't want to use his alpha's voice. 

"You two...are fighting... for Minseo?"

"Hell no!" "No!" both Minghao and Jihoon snapped their heads towards Y/n. "But she belongs...to you right...alpha?" Y/n asked.

"No! No, she's not! But you are! You are mine!" Jihoon said. Y/n's was surprise. She definitely didn't expect that. She thought that they were fighting because of Minseo. Maybe because both of them were present in Jihoon's reading room yesterday.

But his words...

You are mine

It brought a little excitement to her. Cliché but she felt like thousands butterflies were flying in her stomach.

"Well, she's not yours! She obviously didn't want you." Minghao said.

Y/n turned to him, "Minghao oppa... can I talk to you about...this later, tonight? I ...need to speak ... with the alpha."

"Alpha or not, I won't forgive him if he hurts you, Y/n." Minghao then turned around and walked out from the kitchen.

Y/n looked at the alpha. "Tell me about it."

"He wants you to be her mate, Y/n!" Jihoon blurted. Again, she didn't expect that. To her, Minghao is like an older brother whom she loves and cares. "Of course I would burst out! You are my mate. I can't let other wolf to mate you!" Jihoon added.

Y/n didn't like this at all, not a bit. His scent is a mixture of distress, anger and defensive. She doesn't like this scent at all.

She walked to him and tugged on the hem of his shirt. "Calm down, alpha." She whispered. "No one's else ... going to mate... me. I'm yours alone." "You're only saying this to calm me. But you won't even give me chance, Y/n. You want me to love you for you but you didn't let me try." Jihoon spoke. This push and pull situation is getting on his nerves.

"Well...maybe you should do the ...same. If you really want me, you...should push Minseo...away when she hugs you...when she touches you. Because just like you, I don't want anyone else... to touch what's mine." Y/n finally said what she wanted.

She has been wanting to say that to Jihoon.

Both of them looked at each other.

"Okay. I'll make sure she stays away from me but I have to make sure Minghao doesn't get too close to you as well." Jihoon said. Y/n nodded, "Okay."

"And Y/n... can I scent you? I want Minghao to know you belong to me." Jihoon asked.

Scenting your mate is like unofficially marking your mate. This usually can be done only by an alpha. It is done by rubbing the alpha's scent all over the other mate so that everyone knows they're mate. And Jihoon really want it to happen.

But to his dismay, Y/n shook her head. "I can't let you." she looked at him. "If you do that, the others will...know too." "Why do you want to keep it a secret?" Jihoon frowned. "I don't...I want...everyone else to know...but not now." Y/n answered him.

He nodded. "I will wait for that day, Y/n."

Y/n knocked on Minghao's room.

"Come in."

She heard Minghao's voice from inside. She twisted the door knob and walked into the room. Her eyes landed on Minghao, who's sitting on his bed with a glass of red wine. "We...need to talk." She said.

Minghao patted the empty space on his bed, "Come here."

Y/n walked to him and sat next to him on his bed. "You're...okay?" she asked him. He nodded, "Yeah, I'm good. What about you?" he asked her back. "Not sure...yes maybe." She was hesitate.

Minghao took another sip of his wine. Y/n pressed her lips into thin lines, thinking whether she should tell him or not.

"So what is it that you want to talk about, Y/n?" Minghao asked her first. She looked at him, "I talk to...alpha Jihoon. And he told me about you." she said. "And I am serious about it, angel." Minghao looked at her.

"Minghao oppa...I appreciate that...but oppa...I only see you as a big brother." Y/n finally told him. She doesn't want any misunderstanding between them. She played with her fingers, "I do...loves you and cares for you... but as a brother. Not more than... that. I'm sorry." She apologised to him.

Minghao sighed, "I kind of expecting that." He looked away from the omega. "You know, during our friendly spar, I asked him to reject you because I told him he'll cause you more pain than happiness. You know what he said to me?"

Minghao turned to look at her again. "Even until his last breath he will never reject you. He admit being a jerk to you but he said he'll do his best to win your heart."

Y/n listen to him intently.

"And you too, Y/n. I know deep down inside, you want him too. Your reaction in his reading room yesterday proved it. Doesn't matter how many times you want him to reject you, your heart doesn't want that. You want him and no one else." Minghao added.

Minghao gently took her hand in his. "So promise me, Y/n. Listen to your heart. It's time. Doesn't matter if you're an omega and he's an alpha. None of that matter. It's your heart. You get to decide, not the society."

"I want you to be happy, Y/n."