𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 || 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐊𝐰𝐚𝐧

Chapter 27

Vernon jumped out of the truck the second Seungcheol slowed to a stop. He jogged through the rain and into the packhouse.

“Kwan?” he asked Joshua when he met him in the hall.

“I saw him outside with Duke and Jack not that long ago,” Joshua said.

“I think they’re in the living room.”

“How’d it go?”

“It was rough on him,” Joshua admitted. “But he held up well. The detectives will be in touch again in a few days. I’d say Kwan is in dire need of some food and comfort right about now.”

“Coming right up,” Vernon promised. “Just as soon as I can get him back to the cottage.”

He continued through the house, finding Duke and Jack in the living room but no Seungkwan.

“Have you seen—”

“He took off for the cottage twenty minutes ago. Said he needed a nap. He looked exhausted and a bit upset, actually.”

“Damn it,” Vernon said softly. “Thanks, I’ll head back now.”

He got the keys from Seungcheol and called to Seokmin as he left, dashing out to his truck. He hoped Seungkwan had reached the cottage before the rain started. His unease grew the closer he got to home. This wasn’t the first time Seungkwan had taken off back to the cottage for refuge. But this felt different.

He parked by the door and jogged inside. Before he’d even stepped foot in the door, he knew Seungkwan wasn’t there. He checked the omega’s bedroom.
His bags were missing, all his clothes gone.

“Kwan?”

There was no answer to his yell, but he knew there wouldn’t be. He checked the rest of the house. There was no sign of him and no sign that he’d ever been there, not even a note. He was gone, and Vernon didn’t understand why.

Checking his watch, he headed back to the front door. Seungkwan hadn’t planned to leave, of that he was sure. So he couldn’t have been gone that long, and he had to be on foot. There was only one cab service in town, and they didn’t like to come out this far on a whim.

Vernon jumped back into his truck and drove out of the driveway, turning left toward town instead of right toward the packhouse. If Seungkwan had gone this way, he’d only be a mile or so up the road thanks to being weighed down with bags and hampered by all the rain.

He spotted the omega before he’d even reached the next crossroads.

Seungkwan was trudging along the side of the road, his head down, a hood thrown up to shield him from the rain. Vernon drove ahead of him and pulled in, jumping out of the car and jogging back to him.

“Kwan? What are you doing? Where are you going?”

The omega glanced up, his eyes flashing with fear before anger overtook it.

“That’s none of your business,” he snapped, trying to walk past Vernon.
“Leave me alone.”

His response left Vernon stunned and confused.

“Kwan, I don’t understand. Talk to me. What’s happened?” He stepped closer, blocking the omega’s path.

“You lied to me,” Seungkwan yelled. “That’s what happened.”

“I haven’t lied to you. Just stop and talk to me. We can sort this out.”

“No, you’ve said enough. Feeding me all that crap about ‘falling for me’, about wanting more, when all that time you knew I was a Keeper. You didn’t want me; you needed an omega to anchor your pack. And when you find a better one, I’ll be back where I started.”