Chapter Text
Jungkook's POV.
"Taehyung..." His name fell off my lips on its own, and a strange relief flooded within me. The fear that'd strangled me like a python does to its prey vanished into thin air. The sight of him alone made me feel safe and secure, even though it was not how it was supposed to be; how could I feel secure with the one whose only intention was to hurt me?
He looked at me, his eyes softening for a brief moment, but then when Chris emitted a groan in pain, the prior rage crawled its way back. Once again, all I could see were those very familiar dark eyes of Taehyung and the flames of a wrath capable of destroying everything in a matter of a second.
"Chris Robinson," Taehyung spoke, his brows rising as if he was just acknowledging his presence. "One of the newly rising arms suppliers."
He stepped closer to Chris, who still hadn't managed to get himself off the ground.
"You were living a good life, man. Why? Why did you decide to do this to yourself?" The sympathy in Taehyung’s voice was not at all real. "Dared to touch something that is not yours—an act that you’d have to pay for with your life in return. Not a wise choice, buddy. Not. A. Wise. Choice."
Chris moved backwards, frantically dragging himself back as he shook in fear. "Alpha, it’s not like that. I thought he was just another of those toys. I did not know—"
"He is not one of those!" He growled. "And you should have fu¢king understood it the moment he said 'no', but you... not only did you manipulate him, taking advantage of the fact that he's not in his right state of mind, but you also stooped to the point of forcing him. You dug your grave with your own hands, boy. The moment you touched my man, it was a death wish, and your wish has been granted."
"Alpha... I’m sorry. I’d not have done it if I knew about him. You take my business, properties, or whatever you want. Just spare me," I could tell he was trying to get up, but his shaky legs and the lack of energy caused by the blood loss did not let him succeed.
"Business? Properties?" Taehyung chuckled. "I don’t do deals that are worth only pennies, Chris. Besides, it’d take me less than a week to make what you have made your entire life. Nothing in this fu¢king world will ever be equal to his worth. He’s mine, and whoever tries to hurt him shall be given death. Only death."
Without giving him another chance to speak, Taehyung kicked him in the face. He fell to his back with an agonizing wail and began begging for his life, but it did not affect Taehyung. He was not going to spare him.
"It’s ironic how people like you don’t think about the consequences of their actions, but later, for some stupid yet very common reason, they expect to be forgiven," Taehyung stomped his foot on the fingers of Chris's right hand that was not injured. Chris tried to free his hand but to no gain. "But what’s even more ironic is that you all are not truly regretting your actions; it’s just your fear of death talking, and if let go, you all won’t hesitate to commit the same crime all over again. Treachery runs in the veins of people like you."
"This is the hand you used to tear his clothes, didn't you?" He put more pressure on the fingers, and Chris's scream echoed throughout the floor. "Here goes your reward." The next moment, he shot right through the palm of that hand.
A gasp slipped past my lips as I looked at the scene unfolding in front of me. Another scream from Chris sounded through the place, but it halted in the middle, cut off by the sound of the next bullet being fired.
Taehyung had shot him right in the middle of his chest. Blood oozed from the wound, but there was no sign of movement in Chris’s body—not the rise and fall of his chest nor any further shout. His eyes were wide open, his mouth ajar, and there were blood spatters covering his face. He did not breathe.
He was dead.
Putting the gun behind his belt, Taehyung walked over to me. I was literally shaking from the shock and trauma. I could barely move or breathe properly; the whole event kept playing in my mind over and over again in an endless loop. If Taehyung hadn't come here on time, I could have been raped or even murdered.
He coldly opened his coat and slipped it around me, but something stopped him from pulling away. His body froze and he seemed alert as he caught a scent. He grabbed my face and smelled my breath. "You are drugged."
I couldn't say anything; I just looked at myself. My senses were not working; my brain had just stopped.
Taehyung’s anger reached its peak. "That basta*d drugged you and you couldn't even understand it? Are you that stupid?!"
"No, I'm not," it left my mouth on its own. "But I couldn't tell there was a drug in that wine."
If anything, my answer only served to make him even more enraged.
"You know what my biggest mistake was? It was purchasing you from that auction," he spat, his bitterness directed at me. "My life could have been so much easier, but no, I fu¢ked it up by myself." He bent down and lifted me in his arms, carrying me in bridal style as he headed down the stairs.
"I did not know..." I sobbed, unknowingly resting my head against his chest. "I did not know that his intentions were bad. It's not my fault that everyone I come across only wants to hurt me."
I felt his body stiffening upon my words, but he spoke anyway. "That’s... that’s your fu¢king problem. You think everyone in this world is an angel, whereas, in reality, each individual is a true demon hidden under a disguise. You are just too naive for this world, and you try to find good in everything."
I didn’t utter anything else. I let go of my tears, using his chest as a pillow that did not feel soft in any way. He indeed had a rock-hard chest, but for now, I had no other option than adjusting to this stone.
As he walked down the stairs with me in his arms, everyone’s stare turned to us. The music stopped, and all the chatter amongst the guests halted as well. The uncomfortable amount of attention drawn upon us was fueled by the fear that Taehyung’s presence sprouted within them.
"Pete," he let out, his voice loud.
It was just one straight command, and I saw the same man who had thrown the party come rushing towards us through the crowd.
"Yes, Alpha... what's the matt—" He did not complete his sentence as his eyes fell on me.
"Chris Robinson, one of your guests, tried to touch my mate," Taehyung said. Gasps were heard throughout the room when that one specific word—'mate'—left his mouth.
"Alpha, please do not worry. I'll take action against him right away, I'll—" Pete stated almost immediately, but he was cut off.
"I shot him dead," Taehyung said with a straight face. Not even a drop of emotion was there, and that was terrifying.
This was the second time gasps were heard, but just like before, nothing affected Taehyung. Pete looked too shocked to say anything.
"Handle the investigation if the police come. State it as a well-planned murder by an intruder, and if it goes out of hand, just talk to my Beta. Those officers will be removed from the path as well."
"No, Alpha. That won't be needed, I'll take care of everything," Pete stammered.
"Good to hear that. The party was good. Thanks again for the invitation." With that, he walked out of the place with me.
---
The ride to the mansion was full of silence and cold glances from Taehyung towards me. I rested my head against the car door, looking through the glass, discovering a sudden want to disappear into the darkness. My body was going cold for some reason—maybe an effect of that drug—but why my emotions were making such a big mess was a mystery I couldn't solve.
As I held Taehyung’s coat tighter around myself, my hand accidentally slipped into its pocket and I found something which, for that specific moment, turned out to be good news for me—his hip flask. I lightly shook it, hiding it from Taehyung’s view as he was invested in a smoking cigar. The flask was nearly full.
A smile tugged at my lips, and I opened the bottle before I gulped down the liquor like water. It was strong; the bitter taste and the burning feeling that went up and down my throat were proof enough. Whether I could handle this or not was a debate I kept for later. I only focused on drinking it up, however, before I had finished even half of it, a hand yanked the bottle away from me.
"What the fu¢k are you doing?" He looked at me in both disbelief and annoyance.
I felt angry. I didn't know why, but I just felt like slapping the shit out of Taehyung at that moment. "Give it to me!" I tried to reach for the flask, but he moved it away.
The look he gave me was similar to one you'd give a lunatic. "You have seriously lost your damn mind," he glared at me. "Sit. Still."
"No, give it to me!" I once again moved to grab it, but this time what he did was completely contrary to my imagination. He opened the window and threw the flask away.
"It's gone. Now shut your damn mouth and sit still."
Tears gathered in my eyes on their own. I couldn't believe he just did that to me. "How can you be so emotionless about this? All I wanted to do was to drink," I sniffled. "You are just so selfish and cruel to me for no reason. What have I done that you won't even let me drink? Was that drink worth that much?!"
"What?" For the first time ever, I saw a Taehyung who looked genuinely confused.
"I can't deal with you anymore, you never try to understand me. You always do this to me, snatch away the things I need," I cried.
"Jungkook, you are fu¢king drunk and drugged already," his jaw clenched. "And you want more alcohol?"
"Yes, I want it! But you blew my opportunity away!" More tears rolled down my cheeks. I might have looked like the stupidest person on earth for crying because I missed the chance to drink more when I was already beyond drunk. But at that moment, nothing was more hurtful than Taehyung throwing that flask away.
Taehyung let out a groan of annoyance and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking almost on the edge of losing it. "Fine. You'll get to drink once we reach the mansion. Now stop crying like a kid," he grunted.
Hopes rose within me, as well as mistrust. "I don't trust you," a frown settled on my face as I wiped my tears.
"You have no other way, so either you trust me and get the chance or keep crying like this and get nothing in the end."
As much as I hated to admit it, it was true. I had no other way. So, reluctantly, I agreed and shifted back in my seat. On the good side, my sadness evaporated, but on the bad side, my body temperature dropped even more. I rubbed my hands together, trying to keep myself warm.
"What happened?" Taehyung asked, noticing my discomfort.
"I'm cold," I said, my voice coming out shaky.
Taehyung released a sigh and grabbed my arm before he dragged me all the way close to him and settled me on his lap. He pulled me near so that I could nestle my head under his chin and bury my face into his neck, basking in his warmth. He used his other hand to shift my legs over the seats, aiding me to get comfortable before he embraced me in his arms as if to make sure I didn't move away—a step I'd call unnecessary because, at that moment, I did not want to be anywhere else.
"Fu¢king mess," he muttered, rubbing my back over the coat and occasionally my hands to keep me warmer.
"I'm not a mess," I uttered, snuggling closer and stealing his body heat. "You are. You are the mess over here and no matter how I try to fix you, you never listen." I fisted the fabric of his shirt as I shifted even closer. He allowed it, letting me press my cheek against his chest.
He did not push this mini-argument further. Instead, he just held me like that, silently letting me get restful in his warmth for the rest of the ride.