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Hoseok Taehyung is exceedingly quiet during dinner, his mind likely still reeling from the events of this afternoon. Upon entering the office earlier today, hyungwon's voice popped into my head, warning me to not believe a word the visitors said, especially not the young Alpha named hyunwoo. "He lies," hyungwon whispered before flooding my mind with a sickly scene of a woman attempting to seduce taehyung but failing and claiming he raped her. He then showed me his torture at the hands of his brother. It was a lot of information to process at the time, but I knew my mate was innocent even before hyungwon revealed the events to me. Taehyung would never harm anyone. He is a man who has seen the ugly side of people, and a man who has faced rejection after rejection. Despite all of his pain, however, he is never cruel. He is kind and patient, loving and nurturing, strong and beautiful. He is a man worth fighting for...and I will fight for him until the very end. Jiwon also seems to sense his anxiousness and attempts to sign with him but he shakes his head at her and does not respond, keeping whatever turmoil he's feeling to himself. It makes me angry to think his former Gamma would even try to take hima back. How dare he set foot in aquariver and try to guilt trip him into fighting? "Eomma, why is appa sad?" Min-jun whispers to me as he stuffs the last bite of his breakfast in his mouth. "He had a really rough day," I reply, pushing away his hair and kissing his forehead. "He just needs some time alone." Min-jun wipes his hands and curiously stares at taehyung who seems lost in his own thoughts as he picks at his food. Without a word, min-jun climbs off his chair, bouncing on his toes as he walks to my mate, stopping just before his chair and resting his chin on the arm rest. "Can we build a fort, appa?" Min-jun asks. Min-jun's voice startles taehyung for a moment but he quickly composes himself and picks up our son, setting him down on his lap. No words are exchanged as taehyung holds min-jun in his arms, his hand gently cradling min-jun's head and massaging his scalp. After many years of being alone, it is a beautiful sight to see a man hold my baby with so much love and care, as if he were his own. It is a comforting thought to know min-jun will be loved not only by Jimin and I, but by ji-won and taehyung as well. Should something ever happen to me, min-jun will always have a family. "Min-jun, time for a bath," I tell him, min-jun shaking his head at me. "Taehyung will build your fort and we can come join him when Its done" I said, min-jun again shook his head, it is only after taehyung gives him a stern look that min-jun finally climbs off his lap and begrudgingly follows me up stairs for a bath. When we return downstairs, taehyung is far more relaxed, having tucked away his emotions as he and ji-won adjust the last of the bed sheets over some chairs. "D-done," he smiles nervously as I carry min-jun in for an inspection of the fort. Satisfied with taehyung and ji-won's construction skills, min-jun scrambles inside, burying himself under a pile of pillows and blankets. "Can you read me a story?" he asks taehyung, patting the space beside him. Before anyone can answer, however, the sound of a knock at the door startles all of us. I hand taehyung the book and answer the door, finding changkyun waiting outside. He smiles sheepishly, shifting his weight on his feet. "I know it's late...but there's another visitor here for taehyung," changkyun sighs. Why couldnt they just leave taehyung alone? I wonder, shaking my head disapprovingly. "Can this wait until morning?" I ask, stealing a glance at ji-won and my mate currently trying to entertain min-jun. "Taehyung's not done processing today's earlier visit and the last thing he needs is more drama. Tell whoever it is to leave him alone." "I wouldn't be here if it weren't urgent," changkyun responds. Hesitation makes my fingers itch to slam the door in changkyun's face and run to hide taehyung away from everyone, but I know these foolish thoughts will do us no good. It is best to get this over with now, so I step aside and let changkyun in while I ask taehyung to instruct ji-won to put min-jun to bed. "Actually, ji-won should come along too," changkyun interjects. "Hyungwon says this pertains to her as well." Taehyung furrows his brows in confusion, but he does not question changkyun and grabs min-jun and his coat. The four of us anxiously follow changkyun to the pack house, min-jun yawning heavily in taehyung's arms as we make our way to the dining room. We find hyungwon and minhyuk already sitting at the head of the table while a mysterious man sits with his back facing us. Upon entering the room, I notice ji-won grow tense, her hands instinctively grabbing taehyung's bicep and pushing both him and I behind her like a shield. Tears fill her eyes as she holds her defensive stance, the man turning around to face at us. His salt and pepper hair is well groomed and combed up and to the side, his graying hairs the only real indication of his age. His deep-set eyes are framed by two thick brows that make the gray in his irises pop. A thin layer of stubble grows on his sculpted jawline and there is a pair of dimples on his right cheeks. He is quite handsome with an air of dominance surrounding him. He must be an Alpha, I tell myself as he eyes our family closely. "Hello, taehyung," he says verbally in a voice rich like velvet. Taehyung does not appear to know who he is, but it becomes apparent ji-won does...and she does not like him.. The man rises to his feet, ji-won pushing us towards the exit as if she were afraid of the man getting any closer. He only chuckles softly to himself and steps back to give us some room. "I'm afraid I do not yet know your name," the man apologizes to me, a small smile on his lips. "Hoseok," I reply, the man repeating it to himself. "Pleasure," the man says. "I am ga-eul, Lee ga-eul"
