Chapter 9
Minji paced, everything about the entire idea was a little dodgy. Siyeon meeting Yoohyeon? In her current state? She wasn’t entirely sure about the entire idea. But Bora was keen on showing the new alpha that the omegas weren’t bad.
“She needs to be socialized if you wish to bring her out of the room more often..” Bora whispered.
Minji was the first to enter the room, seeing the alpha already focused on her before glancing back out the window. It seemed she wasn’t caring about the intrusion, but the second the younger princess stepped in, Siyeon turned and watched her carefully. Letting out a low growl before Bora walked in.
“Oh my…” Yoohyeon whispered, taking a step back into her alpha.
Bora stepped in front of her, putting a barrier in between the two before letting out a low growl of her own. Both princesses were shocked at the act of aggression from the smaller alpha, but they immediately noticed Siyeon was starting to back off, avoiding Bora’s gaze.
“She’s clean…” Yoohyeon whispered. “Did one of the servants clean her?” She asked, looking at her sister.
“No, I cleaned her,” Minji answered quietly. “I didn’t wash her hair… I’m still afraid to take off her muzzle…” She admitted.
Bora took note of what the princesses spoke about, knowing that this alpha was terrified of them. She was more afraid of them than anything else. Even if she didn’t show it.
“Come,” Bora took Yoohyeon’s hand, leading her closer to the alpha. She felt the resistance and frowned at her mate. “She needs to know…” the alpha frowned.
“Bora… She…” The omega looked between her and the new alpha, seeing that the latter was seated on the floor, still avoiding the smaller alpha. “Okay…” She knew the chain of command with alphas… Bora was the one who had been here the longest… It made her the dominant alpha since she was technically above Siyeon now. Whatever Bora said, Siyeon had to listen.
Siyeon could smell the new scent. She was curious actually. It smelled a little off, almost as if it was protecting something. When she finally looked over, it made sense now. She could see the second princess and saw how Bora treated her.
“You’re with pup,” Siyeon whispered, looking toward the second princess.
“I am,” Yoohyeon spoke quietly, unmoving from her spot.
It made sense to Siyeon now. Why Minji wanted an alpha. The younger omega was already bearing children for the kingdom while the elder wasn’t.
Her aggressive stance shifted into a passive one, looking away from all of them before letting out a small huff. Her eyes closed, trying her best not to think too much about the strangers in her room. She was tired. So tired…
They left eventually, and Minji showed up again at noon, dragging the alpha out of the room and into the gardens. They walked slowly, and the omega continued to talk about nothing while the alpha barely paid attention.
“Do you want that off?” Minji asked, pointing at the muzzle that had yet to leave her face that day. Siyeon didn’t answer, not wanting to say yes and then the muzzle stayed on. “Come…” Minji held out her hand, waiting for the alpha to approach her rather than walking up to her and making her submit without a second thought.
Siyeon hesitated, taking small, careful steps toward the omega before she felt both hands unlocking the stupid contraption that was locked over her head.
Minji hoped that her nerves were at bay. But she couldn’t help that her fingers were shaking at the entire action of unlocking the muzzle. She turned the few locks, pulled the leather belts, and slid the muzzle off, watching her take in a better breath before opening her eyes.
The omega could feel her heart skip a beat at the sheer sight of this alpha. Being this close without the muzzle was dangerous, but she could finally see Siyeon for what she was. For who she was.
Bora explained that Siyeon was different without the muzzle on. More open, curious, calm…
She failed to mention how gorgeous she was.
Minji could see the sharp features, the way her entire face was framed with her hair… Everything about her screamed a perfect alpha, but she was deemed aggressive. Which meant no one wanted to deal with her. People wanted beautiful submissive alphas… not aggressive ones…
“What are you looking at?” Siyeon frowned.
Her voice snapped Minji’s trance, forcing her back into reality before she ended up being frozen in her own time. She blinked a few times, shaking her head before muttering a quick nothing and deciding to continue their walk.
It was different. So much different. Minji could see the little smile Siyeon had when she saw a few birds fly overhead. The small smile when she saw a few squirrels chase each other through the grassy patches… Everything about her did scream differently.
They rounded the last corner together, Minji watching her slowly lag behind while eyeing the palace. She knew that the alpha assumed the muzzle would go right back on her, but she didn’t want to… She needed to show the alpha she could trust her…
“Do you promise to be nice?” Minji frowned.
“Nice?” Siyeon asked while following closely behind her now.
“No more aggressive… I’ll keep the muzzle off if you promise…” Minji pleaded silently, hoping the alpha would at least try.
“I… Promise…” Siyeon whispered.
“Good… then I’ll send a servant in to bathe you again. This time, to wash your hair.”
The omega ran to her sister, seeing her in the study with a few rolls of parchment and books scattered on the table. Bora sat on the floor nearby, her hands busy with wool string and creating what looked to be a blanket.
“Yoohyeon!” Minji squealed while running into the study.
“Hm?” The younger princess didn’t even bother to look up at her, her entire focus being the opened piece of parchment in front of her.
“I took her muzzle off,” The elder smiled.
“Oh?” Yoohyeon finally looked up, seeing the metal contraption still in her sister’s hands. “Oh, you really did,” She whispered.
“Her face is so… So… Gorgeous… Yooh… She’s the most beautiful human being in the world!” The princess gushed.
Bora kept her head down, smiling at the gushing of the princess as she worked. She was happy the omega was talking to her, but she was worried that the alpha wouldn’t. She knew the promise the princess made with her parents and this alpha was really her only shot at happiness… She hoped the two would find a connection.
“I sent a servant to bathe her properly tonight. She deserves a good bath,” Minji smiled.
“Oh good, maybe she can start dining with us as well,” Yoohyeon chuckled. “The day she does, please let me be present. I would love to see our parents’ reaction to her kneeling at the table,” She smirked.
Siyeon sat in another wooden tub, letting the warm water soak into her skin. The servant behind her took her time with her hair, humming a familiar tune she had heard a million times growing up back in the compound. She couldn’t help but feel homesick, thinking of her family.
The servant reminded her of her mother. Taking care of her and washing her to make sure she didn’t look like she barreled through piles of dirt. But she always came home dirty after long days of playing with the other alpha kids, and her mother was always right there to make sure she was clean before bedtime.
Now she was a full-grown adult, tearing up at the memories of her family while this servant cleaned her. She fought back the tears, not wanting to cry right there. She wasn’t a little pup anymore. She was an adult.
Her hair was completely washed and rinsed and Siyeon felt significantly better. Her hair didn’t feel as heavy, and it just felt so much better.
“You have a dirty face…” The servant frowned before taking a rag and dipping it in the warm water. Siyeon watched her closely, feeling the gentle scrape of the cloth rag against her cheek, immediately triggering the same memory of her mother doing the same thing when she was young.
She couldn’t stop the few tears that escaped. The scent of the alpha reminded her too much of home and the gentle touch reminded her too much of her mother. She pushed her face deeper into the servant's palm, sniffling slightly before she heard a small sigh.
“You’re okay…” the servant whispered. “It’ll be okay.”
Siyeon sat in her room that night, eyeing the bed when the door cracked open, revealing the same alpha that came to visit her every night with dinner.
“Wow, you cleaned up nice,” Bora smiled while sitting down in front of the younger.
It was quiet. Siyeon was never much for conversation, but now she was entirely too quiet, and barely eating.
“You should eat more… I know you aren’t used to it, but…” Bora glanced up, seeing the tears starting to flow down her cheeks. She didn’t say a word, only pulled the alpha into a tight hug and let her cry everything out.
The breaking of alpha was a long process. Usually, they go through it a few times before they are finally tamed… She had no idea if Siyeon had ever gone through it before. If this was her first, then she needed to be careful. The first break was always the hardest and a lot of emotions were packed into it all.
“How many times did you break?” Siyeon sniffed.
“Three,” Bora answered truthfully. “The first was after a few weeks of being in the facility… The second was when I was brought here… Third right before my binding ceremony…” She frowned. “I still get the itch…” She sighed.
“So you aren’t fully tamed yet…” Siyeon frowned.
“No, just docile,” Bora shrugged. “The oracle said my last breaking will be the final,” She frowned. “But she also said it would be my worst yet…”
“Oracle?” Siyeon tilted her head, staring at the other alpha.
“The religious spectator that gives them knowledge and wisdom,” Bora shrugged. “I thought it was a bunch of garbage until the binding ceremony… The countless meetings I had with the oracle and Yoohyeon… She predicted everything… Right down to the same words I used on Yoohyeon…” She whispered.
“Words?”
“My breaking… She said I would lash out at her… And I did…” Bora shuttered at the thought. “It was horrible… And then I hit my rut…” She groaned. “So it wasn’t a fun time,” She sighed.
Siyeon nodded her head, still feeling the raw emotion in her throat. She didn’t like the feeling. She didn’t want to be broken. She really didn’t…
“I’m exhausted…” the younger alpha muttered.
“Breaking takes it out of you… It’s a million emotions packed into one,” Bora chuckled.
She watched as the younger leaned back against the stone wall, her eyes fluttering shut as she tried to keep herself awake.
“Have you slept on the bed?” Bora asked. It had been almost two weeks and she always looked stiff. The alpha shook her head, and Bora let out a sigh. “You should try it. It’s very comfortable,” She smiled.
“Have you slept in a bed?” Siyeon asked.
“Every night.”
Siyeon eyed the bed long after Bora left, seeing the untouched linens, and frowned. If Bora slept in a bed every night that meant it was okay. It had to be better than sleeping on the stone flooring… But stone flooring was a lot better than the dirt she was used to at the facility.
She reached out, touching the material of the top blanket before pulling her hand back. It was a little scratchy but that had to be a lot more comfortable than stone right? She slowly got to her feet, pulling herself up and onto the bed, feeling the plush underneath her. It was an odd feeling of comfort. The entire bed was conforming around her rather than her conforming to the floor.
She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to sleep in a bed… The last time she slept in a bed she was just a kid…
She saw the pillows and placed her hand on them, feeling the soft feeling.
It was just for a night. She wouldn’t even move the blankets. She would lay on top of it. Just to see if she would like it.