𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐫 || 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐖𝐨𝐧

Chapter 7

Wonwoo spent the next few days stomping around the orchard, avoiding everyone and everything, but most especially the babies. He helped out where he could, appearing at Seungcheol’s side whenever there was work to be done outdoors. Otherwise, he kept to himself and kept his distance from Mingyu. Every time his thoughts turned to Mingyu and their training session, he could feel his blood boil. Alphas always thought they knew everything, that they could solve every problem. No matter what anyone else had to say about it. He wasn’t surprised that Mingyu was no different. He might not have been army, but he had the same arrogant mindset.

“You’re not going to make it boil any faster by glaring at it.”

Minghao’s voice startled him. He jumped and whirled around, his heart thudding, his whole body tense.

The beta frowned as he took an exaggerated step backward and held his hands up, palms out. “Just me. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I didn’t hear you come in,” he said defensively.

“Yeah, well, you were too busy trying to convey your silent hatred of the stove, weren’t you?” Minghao’s words were light, but his expression was a different matter. “Make a cup for me, will you? I’ll find us a snack. I’m sure there are some of those cookies Jeonghan baked yesterday hidden around here somewhere.”

Wonwoo made two cups of coffee while he tried to decide how best to extricate himself from the situation. He suspected Minghao wanted to talk, and there was nothing he wanted to do less right then.

“Ah, here they are.”

Minghao held up a tin, triumphant. “How about you and I take these up to my room? We won’t be disturbed.”

Wonwoo glanced longingly at the back door. “I was just…”

“Going to come upstairs and keep me company. I won’t take no for an answer.”

He looked at the beta, and then back at the door.

Freedom was mere steps away.

“It’s me or Seungcheol, Wonwoo. You have to talk to someone.”

His shoulders slumped. “Fine. Lead the way.”

“Nu-uh. I know you’ll be gone out the door the second I turn my back. You first. You know where my room is. I’ll be right behind you.”

Minghao’s bedroom was right next to the guest room Wonwoo was staying in. The guest room was very plainly decorated, whereas Minghao’s had a far more personal touch, including an armchair right next to the window. The beta gestured him into the armchair and perched on the edge of the bed, setting his coffee down on the bedside table.

“You’ve been here a few weeks now.”

“Yeah,” Wonwoo said softly. He was torn between wanting to come clean and tell Minghao everything, and wanting to run far, far away from all his problems.

“And you’ve barely said two words about why you came or how you ended up half-dead by the time you got here.”

“I wasn’t ‘half-dead,’” he protested hotly. “Just a bit cold and tired from traveling.”

“You were so exhausted that you passed out, you had a rainbow of bruises on you, and you’d walked for miles to get here.”

“Took the scenic route. It was a little longer than I’d anticipated.”

“At some point on that road, you knew you were in trouble. But you never tried to call, never asked for help, never even hinted you were coming here. If Mingyu hadn’t found you, if you hadn’t gotten as far as the orchard wall, you might have died out there.”