They had been on the road to the village for a long time. The journey felt endless, and they still didn't clearly know the exact path to Mystic Hollow. All they had were a few small clues to guide them.
Seo Joon had always lived alone since childhood. Silence and loneliness were normal—almost comfortable—for him. Even at the office, he only spoke when it was strictly about work. But today was different. Something inside him wanted to talk to Woo Bin. The problem was… he didn't know how to start. Because of that, a strange silence filled the car as they drove.
The road stretched endlessly ahead. The closer they got to Mystic Hollow, the emptier the path became. Only once in a while, a car would pass, but soon after, the road would go quiet again.
At last, Seo Joon broke the silence."Woo Bin, do you think we're on the right road? Will this road take us to Mystic Hollow village?"
Woo Bin replied directly, "Yes sir. Based on the information I have, this should be the right way."
It was already afternoon when the mountainous region began. Woo Bin glanced at the rocky terrain and said, "Sir, according to the information, once we cross these mountains, the village of Mystic Hollow should begin."
Seo Joon only answered with a short, "Okay," and went quiet again.
As evening approached, the atmosphere grew heavier. The road became completely deserted. No people. No cars. Not even a bird flying by. The tall trees on both sides turned into dark, scary silhouettes in the night.
Fear was clear on Woo Bin's face. He had never traveled such a creepy road before. Seo Joon noticed his unease and tried to calm him:"There's no need to be scared. Night makes everything look more terrifying than it is. We'll cross these mountains soon, and after that, the village will be close. Don't worry."
Seo Joon's words gave Woo Bin a little comfort. Maybe sir was right. Maybe he was only scared unnecessarily.
After a while, they finally crossed the mountains, but the road ahead turned rough and unpaved. The paved road had ended. On the side of the dirt path stood an old board. Its condition was terrible—covered in rust, dust, and spiderwebs. The words were faded, but the village's name could still barely be seen.
Looking at it, Seo Joon frowned."What kind of people live here? They don't even keep their own village sign clean. If it stays like this for a few more months, no one will even know this road leads to the village."
But Woo Bin stayed silent. He didn't reply. His eyes were fixed outside the window. The window beside him was half open, and his gaze was locked onto something—like a dark shadow running toward their car.
Suddenly, he quickly shut the window. As soon as he did, a terrifying face appeared in the darkness, rushing at them unnaturally fast.
Woo Bin's face turned pale. He shut his eyes tightly and, in fear, leaned straight into Seo Joon, gripping his arm tightly and burying his face in his shoulder. His whole body pressed against him as if Seo Joon was the only safe place left.
But just as that shadow reached the car—it vanished.
Seo Joon slammed the brakes and turned toward Woo Bin."Woo Bin! What happened? What did you see?"
But at that moment, something else stirred inside Seo Joon. Woo Bin's sudden closeness, his fearful scent, his warm body pressed against him—it was awakening something deep in Seo Joon that he had always controlled. His Alpha powers, buried for so long, began to surface.
His breathing grew heavy. Still, he asked, trying to stay composed, "Why are you so scared? What did you see?"
Woo Bin's voice trembled as he answered, "Something… something was running toward our car. I saw it."
Seo Joon glanced outside. The road was empty, completely silent. "There's nothing out there. Who would come here at this hour?"
But when Woo Bin finally lifted his face and looked into Seo Joon's eyes, everything shifted. Seo Joon's body burned with uncontrollable heat. His Alpha instincts were overpowering him. Without realizing it, his hand moved to Woo Bin's neck, pulling him closer—and then his lips crashed onto Woo Bin's.
The kiss was soft at first, then quickly grew intense. One hand gripped Woo Bin's neck firmly, the other pulled him tightly by the waist. Woo Bin's soft lips, his hot breath—it was addictive. Seo Joon couldn't stop.
Woo Bin's heart wanted to let the moment continue, but his mind screamed to stop. When the heat became unbearable, he pushed Seo Joon away, breaking the kiss.
Both of them were breathing hard. Seo Joon immediately realized what he had done. He turned his face aside, gripped the steering wheel tightly, and guilt filled his chest."Woo Bin… forgive me. Sometimes, because of my childhood illness, I lose control. I swear I didn't mean to. I don't know what came over me…"
Woo Bin took a deep breath. He had always suspected something, but now it was confirmed. Seo Joon wasn't suffering from any illness—he was simply unaware of who he truly was. Woo Bin thought it was time to tell him the truth.
Softly, he said, "Sir, you're not sick. This happened because… you are an Alpha."
Seo Joon's eyes widened. "What? What are you saying?"
Woo Bin gently took Seo Joon's hand in his own. The moment their hands touched, Seo Joon's body burned again, his breath quickened.
Woo Bin explained:"Whenever I'm close to you, your heat rises—it's your Alpha power. I'm an Omega, and you're an Alpha. Our scents are different, and they pull us toward each other. This attraction is natural. You didn't do anything wrong. It only happened because my fear brought me too close to you, and you lost control."
Seo Joon listened in shock. His heart pounded, his thoughts tangled. He couldn't believe it—him, an Alpha? Questions swirled in his head. Did my parents know this before? Is that why they always tried to hide me? Or were they unaware as well?
This one sudden truth left Seo Joon more confused than ever, trapped in riddles about himself he had never imagined.