𝔹𝕝𝕦𝕣𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕃𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤, Beomjun

003

Stupid omega, Yeonjun's brain has on repeat. Stupid omega, he thinks as he smacks at the branches sticking out in his way that take the brunt of his anger. Stupid omega, it echoes as he kicks at the long stalks of grass in front of him.

He was so annoyed after their encounter at the lake that he'd stormed off in a random direction, instead of towards home because he needed more time out to calm down before heading back, and now he's wet and lost.

His anger increases again as he blames it all on the omega. Stupid omega. Stupid omega. Stupid omega. He grunts in frustration when a twig he'd sprung free boomerangs and twangs him on the back, making his spin in that direction with an angry sneer.

He stops in his place, looking around at the forest. How far away is he? He's been through the majority of these thickets and doesn't recognise this area. It's thick and insatiably green. Green moss, green leaves, green frogs. Almost everything is green, except the tree trunks and the mud he kicks up in a tantrum.

Great, he's lost with no sign of a way out.

"My dear!" a voice calls out behind him, and he's forced to spin back around. Parts of his wet hair hit him in the face and stick to his cheeks but it's the least of his problems when he feels a head rush come along.

Yeonjun's brows pucker and his lips purse when he sees the culprit of the call. "Could you help me with these?" She holds up a collection of things in her hands and while Yeonjun wants to say yes, he notices what she is.

A witch.

He'd recognise the stereotypical grey, curly hair worn by an elderly woman anywhere. The only thing she's missing is a black cat or a pet frog.

Yeonjun's clan haven't had a good experience with witches, in fact, one had poisoned his mother while she was pregnant with him. Everyone was sure that in the slim chance she would make it, he wouldn't.

Luckily, they found an antidote and he did.

His survival is the reason people trust he'll make a good leader when he takes over. Surviving the attack of a witch as a foetus was something unheard of before him. And despite earning their respect by surviving being poisoned, he wants to prove himself to his clan like any other future head-alpha should.

Yeonjun screws up his face, guilty, and rubs the back of his neck like it's stiff from a long car journey. He looks around the green earth surrounding him and sucks in through his teeth.

"Sorry, I've got to get home." Yeonjun signals behind him by sticking his hand up in a fist with his thumb pointing in said direction.

"Aren't you lost?" she asks and Yeonjun tilts his head in confusion. His hair follows the direction of gravity. How does she know that?

"You're heading in the wrong direction if you're going that way." She points her bony finger to her right-his left-and tilts her head in that direction.

Yeonjun inhales through his nose in silent relief, he now knows his way back.

Though, as calculating as they are, it appears the witch has a reason to help, for leverage. "Now that I have helped you..." She pauses, thin and pale lips stretching into a harrowing smile. "You will help me." She holds up her things in both arms, weighed down by it even though moments ago she managed to shift all of it into one hand effortlessly.

Yeonjun doesn't pick up on that, although he doesn't plan on helping her anyway.

Admittedly, leaving her struggling on her own is cruel and makes claws attack his chest and fists punch his heart, but he's had a bad experience with witches and doesn't want to risk being tricked. The safest option is to leave her on her own.