Beautiful

4 - Hostile Encounters

Every day, Mina walked from her home to her aunt's shop. The sun was barely rising when she would head out. Hugging her father and kissing her mother on the cheek before leaving the house. She would get there early, opening the shop's back door and sneaking in to begin cooking. She opened the doors promptly at six, getting the usual rush of busy workers wanting their doughnuts and other breakfast related items.

"Hard to find people like you Mina." Daniel, a regular, smiled at her.

"Thank you." Mina smiled.

Usually by ten when the rush was normally over, Mina had a half full tip jar and was already working on the lunch rush items. And that was when her aunt would usually walk in.

"Always so early." Her aunt scolded her with a small smile.

"It's nothing." Mina smiled at her. Her aunt walked passed her, pressing her lips against Mina's temple.

"I meant what I told you. Go to school to be a master baker." She whispered. "Your parents would love it."

"I don't know... I just... I dont want to go to school and then not know." Mina shrugged her shoulders, honestly afraid of straying from her usual routine. Her aunt noticed the tension, easing away from the topic.

It was late when Mina started her walk home. She had stayed later to help her aunt close the shop since her afternoon help had called out. She held onto her bag tightly as she walked. It was different walking back home after the sun set. More people out this time.

"Look what we have here." Mina heard a low chuckle. She didn't stop, she kept walking. Her heart rate accelerating. "Come on omega. Slow down." A large hand grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around and pinning her against the wall. She let out a yelp, feeling sudden pain in her back. "Disobedient little thing aren't you." He chuckled.

A disgusting odor had hit her nose. One that she knew all too well from her family. The strange alpha was in a rut, and it didn't help that he was drunk. She held her breath, trying not to submit. She kicked him, clawed at him, but wasn't strong enough.

"Feisty Little Omega." He smirked. "I like that."

Eve paced in the living room. Constantly checking her phone for both the time and any missed calls or messages.

"She should be home by now." She had never felt this kind of fear before. None of her children ever came home past curfew. None of them. David stood up from his seat, attempting to calm her down.

"Maybe she made some friends. Mina is a homebody, so she could have just forgotten." He frowned.

"No. Mina is a good girl..." Eve whispered. "She would've messaged one of us." She frowned, checking her phone again.

"How about I take Jeongyeon out with me to look for her. You and Nayeon stay home, just in case she walks in." He whispered. Eve nodded, feeling a little better than someone was going to look for her daughter.

David and Jeongyeon took to the streets, taking Mina's usual path to the bakery. Both of them attempting to find her scent anywhere.

"Anything?" David asked.

"Nothing yet." Jeongyeon frowned. She didn't know why Mina would pull such a stunt. She was an omega. Not an alpha. She walked passed a darker alley, peeking down quickly. She went to check somewhere else when she heard whimpering. She strained her nose, really only smelling a strange rut smell, but then she caught it. The faint smell of coconuts. "Mina!" Jeongyeon shouted, running down the alley. David heard her shout, and followed his daughter.

"Did you find her?!" He yelled. Jeongyeon stopped in her tracks, seeing her baby sister laying on the disgusting floor. Her face looked like it had been attacked, her clothes ripped...

"Mina..." Jeongyeon frowned while kneeling next to her. Mina let out a soft whine, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"I'll kill him." David growled. "Jeongyeon take your sister home."

"Dad I think she needs a doctor..." Jeongyeon frowned while looking back at Mina. "She's bleeding... And in a lot of places..." David held back a growl. The feeling of wanting to kill the alpha that did this to her... It was going to have to wait.

"Call your mother. Tell her we found her... I'll... I'll call the police." He finally sighed.

Word had circled around, everyone in town knew what happened to Mina that night. Police were on the look out for the alpha that had done it, David taking matters into his own hands and scouting with his brother, searching for the same scent.

Mina hadn't gone back to the bakery in a few days, terrified out of her mind of even stepping foot outside. Her nest in her room had significantly gotten bigger, barely any room for any other person even if they tried.

"Mina... You need to eat darling..." Eve whispered while holding a plate of food in her hands.

"I'm not hungry..." Mina whimpered from under her blankets. Eve frowned, pulling the few blankets away from her.

"I know.. But you need to eat to keep your strength up." She sat herself next to her daughter, waiting for her to come out of her blanket nest. "I guess I'll just eat without you then." Eve shrugged, pushing the food around in the bowl.

Mina could smell the soup, triggering a growl from her stomach. She was hungry she just didn't want to eat. She watched her mother put the spoon in her mouth, slightly upset that she was eating without her. She sat up, scooting herself closer to her mother.

"Thought so." Her mother smiled. "Here. Open." Her mother fed her little bites, making sure she ate enough to be satisfied.

She wasn't going to show it, but she didn't want Mina to ever leave the house without the company of an alpha now. Someone who could protect her in case it happened again. She hated that her daughter had to go through all of that. And she vowed right there, her daughter was going to be the most protected out of all of them.