Claimed by the Crown | Taejin

12. Chapter Twelve

Jin struggled to slide his shirt over his head with only one hand, his other wrist encased in a cast. As he grappled with the fabric, he suddenly felt a commanding presence in the room. Suddenly, the shirt was yanked from his grasp, and he found himself staring directly into Taehyung's eyes.

Taehyung's gaze shifted to the white plaster cast encasing Jin's wrist, his brows furrowing with concern. "Is it broken?"

"No, the doctor said it's best to keep it wrapped to avoid accidentally hitting it against anything that could make it worse since it's badly bruised."

"That's good; at least he's doing his job right. One less problem for me," Taehyung mumbled.

Jin stood in silence, observing Taehyung's disheveled appearance. He couldn't help but notice the specks of red stains on his clothes, prompting concern. Jin wondered if the stains were blood, but he hesitated to ask, not wanting to intrude and ask what he probably shouldn't.

It had been two days since he last saw his Alpha, and he figured he must have been outside the kingdom, which probably explained why he looked the way he did.

"Your brother is coming by today. I would recommend you dress in something more appropriate," Taehyung said as his eyes trailed down Jin's half-naked body. "I won't be able to join you during your initial meeting with him as I have something to attend to, but I will be back for dinner. Under no circumstances should you share with him or anyone that you are pregnant!" Taehyung firmly warned and pulled Jin toward him.

His hand slipped down to Jin's waist, holding him closely as he continued. "After he leaves, we'll have a conversation about the things you've been hiding. If you don't want a repeat of your previous injury, I expect you will tell me everything."

Jin's heart began to race as his Alpha's dominant eyes bore into his. "I'm not hiding anything," he said in a nervous whisper.

Taehyung's fingers dug into his waist, sending a jolt of immediate pain through him. He winced as the pressure intensified against the scar at his hip. "Don't lie to me, Seokjin. It will only cause you more pain," Taehyung warned, his grip persistent.

"I wish you would believe me. I am your Omega..."

"No," Taehyung exclaimed angrily, his voice filled with frustration and disbelief, "you are a liar."

Feeling the immense weight of Taehyung's anger bearing down on him, Jin leaned forward and buried his face into the comforting curve of his Alpha's neck. In the midst of the tension, he struggled to find the right words, finally managing to plead, "Please remember that I am carrying our child, and you are my Alpha."

With Jin's words, Taehyung felt frustrated but tried to calm himself. His hand loosened its grip, and he took a deep, steadying breath. "I don't need a reminder about either of those things!" he exclaimed. "What I need is for you to be honest with me. I can't protect you or our heirs if you are not being honest, Seokjin!"

Jin gently eased himself back, creating a slight distance between himself and Taehyung, who held onto him tightly. "I want to be honest with you. But, I struggle to recall much of my past, and even the memories I can recall are difficult to express in a way that won't upset you. I can sense that you see me badly, which hurts me because that's not who I am..."

"How can I see you in any other light when you arrived here fully aware of your pregnancy and engaged in a relationship with another Alpha? Especially when you were supposed to be saving yourself for me!

An Omega who is meant for me should have never done something like that! Your sole purpose in coming here was to embarrass and tarnish my reputation. You were determined to strip me of my rightful crown!" Taehyung raised his voice, his anger resurfacing.