Chapter Text
The forest edge shimmered with the first light of dawn, a fragile glow piercing the dense canopy as Baekhyun lay crumpled against the damp earth. His platinum-blonde hair was a tangled mess, streaked with mud and leaves, clinging to his sweat-dampened forehead. His round glasses hung crookedly, magnifying the terror in his large, doe-like eyes as tears streaked down his porcelain cheeks.
The slight curve of his two-month pregnant belly pressed against the worn fabric of his sweater, a secret now laid bare in his flight. The air carried the sharp tang of his omega scent—floral and sweet, now tinged with the faint musk of pregnancy—mingling with the earthy aroma of the forest.
Footsteps crunched through the undergrowth, deliberate and heavy, and Baekhyun’s breath hitched as a towering figure emerged from the mist. Park Chanyeol loomed above him, his 6’1” frame a monolith of power, his dark jacket stretched taut over broad shoulders honed by years of brutal conquest. His chiseled jaw was set in a hard line, his piercing eyes glinting with a cold, ruthless edge as they raked over the omega. The smoky musk of his alpha presence rolled out, a suffocating wave that silenced the morning birds, and Baekhyun shrank back, his delicate hands clutching at the ground.
“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol’s voice rumbled, a low growl that vibrated through the air, carrying the weight of absolute authority. He crouched, his large hand seizing Baekhyun’s arm with a grip that bordered on cruelty, yanking the omega to his feet. Baekhyun gasped, a soft whimper escaping his full, rosy lips as pain shot through his slender frame. His small hands flailed, grasping at Chanyeol’s sleeve for support, the fabric rough against his trembling fingers.
“I… I had to run,” Baekhyun stammered, his voice fragile, laced with desperation. “They wanted to use me… to hurt you. I had nowhere else to go.”
Chanyeol’s lips curled into a faint, predatory smirk, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the omega. Internally, his mind churned with dark satisfaction. The rival pack’s runt, pregnant with his child, had fled to him—a perfect snare to draw them into his grasp. He wouldn’t voice it, not yet, but Baekhyun’s vulnerability was a lure he intended to exploit, a silent trap set by the omega’s own fear.
“You’ve made your choice,” he said, his tone harsh and unyielding. “Now you live with it.”
Baekhyun nodded, his large eyes searching Chanyeol’s face for a hint of kindness, finding none. The alpha’s grip tightened, and with a single, fluid motion, he lifted Baekhyun into his arms, cradling him against his broad chest. The omega’s head lolled, his platinum-blonde hair brushing Chanyeol’s jaw, and the faint scent of pregnancy intensified, stirring a possessive instinct Chanyeol buried beneath his brutality. He strode forward, his boots crushing the undergrowth, his mind fixed on the stronghold ahead.
The journey ended at the rugged outskirts of Chanyeol’s territory, a fortress of weathered stone and towering wooden beams that loomed like a predator’s lair. The pack’s perimeter was alive with activity—alphas patrolling with weapons in hand, betas hauling supplies, their movements swift and silent. As Chanyeol approached, carrying Baekhyun, the air shifted. Not a single eye met his, not a voice dared to rise. The pack froze, their fear palpable, a tangible force that pressed against the morning air. Baekhyun, nestled against Chanyeol’s chest, felt it—a shiver running down his spine as the omega scent of submission and dread wafted from the gathered wolves.
Chanyeol’s presence was a storm, his reputation as Alpha Prime a legend carved in blood and conquest. No one questioned the omega in his arms, no one batted an eye at the faint bulge beneath the sweater. The pack knew better—Chanyeol’s word was law, his brutality a shadow that silenced dissent. Baekhyun’s large eyes darted around, catching the averted gazes, the tense postures, the way hands gripped weapons a little tighter. Fear hung thick, and he realized it was for Chanyeol, not him. The alpha’s power was absolute, and Baekhyun, despite his own terror, felt a strange safety in that dominance.
“Clear the way,” Chanyeol barked, his voice a whip crack that sent the pack scattering. The path opened, and he marched through, Baekhyun’s slight weight a mere burden in his arms. The stronghold’s interior was cavernous, the walls lined with furs and the faint scent of pine mingling with the musky traces of alphas. Chanyeol carried Baekhyun up a narrow staircase, the stone steps echoing with each step, until they reached a corridor flanked by heavy wooden doors.
He stopped at a room adjacent to his own, kicking the door open to reveal a sparse chamber. A narrow bed sat against the wall, its frame creaking under a thin mattress, a single chair in the corner, and a small window letting in slivers of light. The air was stale, the silence oppressive. Chanyeol set Baekhyun down on the bed, his movements brusque, and stepped back, his towering frame filling the doorway.
“You’ll stay here,” he said, his tone cold and commanding. “Don’t leave. You’re under my watch now.”
Baekhyun’s hands clutched the edge of the mattress, his delicate wrists trembling as he nodded. “Th-thank you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, his large eyes glistening with unshed tears. The gratitude was genuine, a lifeline thrown to the alpha who’d saved him, but Chanyeol’s expression remained hard, his mind calculating. The omega’s dependence was a thread he could pull, a lure to draw the rival pack into his territory. He wouldn’t say it aloud, but Baekhyun’s presence was a bait he’d set, his harsh care a means to an end.
“Save your thanks,” Chanyeol snapped, his voice cutting. “You’re here because you ran, not because I wanted you.” The words were harsh, a shield for his internal plans, but they stung Baekhyun, who shrank back, his porcelain skin paling further. Chanyeol turned, slamming the door behind him, the sound reverberating through the room.
Minutes later, the door creaked open again, and a beta entered, his posture submissive, his eyes fixed on the floor. “Alpha’s orders,” he muttered, setting a tray of bread and water on the chair. “You’re to be monitored.” He retreated quickly, leaving Baekhyun alone, the weight of surveillance settling over him.
Through the thin wall, he could hear the low rumble of Chanyeol’s voice, issuing commands to his pack, the tone brutal and unyielding. The omega’s heart raced, his hands moving to his belly, feeling the faint flutter of life within. Chanyeol’s child, a bond that tied him to this harsh alpha, filled him with both dread and a fragile hope.
Baekhyun rose, his legs shaky, and moved to the window. The view revealed the pack below, their movements precise, their fear of Chanyeol a living thing. He pressed his forehead against the cool glass, his breath fogging the pane. The alpha’s dominance was a shield, but also a cage. He sensed the pack’s terror, the way they avoided his room, their whispers silenced by Chanyeol’s presence. It was a power that both protected and imprisoned him, and Baekhyun wondered if he’d traded one danger for another.
The day wore on, the room growing dim as the sun climbed higher. Baekhyun sat on the bed, his sweater pulled tight over his slight bulge, his large eyes tracing the cracks in the stone walls. The door opened again, and Chanyeol entered, his presence filling the space like a storm. His dark hair was disheveled, his jacket dusted with dirt from the morning’s patrol, and his eyes were cold, assessing.
“Eat,” he ordered, nodding toward the tray. His voice was a growl, lacking warmth, and Baekhyun flinched, reaching for the bread with trembling hands. Chanyeol watched, his posture rigid, his mind a fortress. The omega’s vulnerability was a lure, drawing the rival pack closer with each passing hour. He’d let them sense Baekhyun’s scent, let them come, and he’d crush them. His care—ensuring Baekhyun ate, rested—was a means to keep the omega strong, a bait in prime condition.
“Thank you,” Baekhyun said softly, his voice melodic despite the fear, his large eyes lifting to meet Chanyeol’s. The alpha’s expression didn’t soften, but a muscle twitched in his jaw, a subtle sign of the internal conflict he buried. The omega’s gratitude, his delicate sweetness, was a thread he could pull, a way to bind him without words. He stepped closer, his shadow falling over Baekhyun, and brushed a strand of platinum-blonde hair from the omega’s face, his touch rough but deliberate.
“Don’t get comfortable,” Chanyeol warned, his tone harsh. “You’re here because your pack failed you. That’s all.” The words were a lie, a shield for his plans, but they left Baekhyun nodding, his hands clutching the bread as if it were a lifeline. Chanyeol turned, his boots echoing as he left, the door locking behind him with a heavy click.
The night brought a chill, the room growing cold as the fire in the hearth beyond the wall died down. Baekhyun curled on the bed, his sweater pulled over his knees, his large eyes fixed on the ceiling. Through the wall, he heard Chanyeol’s voice, a low rumble as he spoke with his betas, the words indistinct but the tone brutal. The omega’s heart pounded, his hands resting on his belly, feeling the faint kick of the life within. Chanyeol’s child, a bond that tied him to this harsh alpha, filled him with both dread and a fragile hope.
He sensed the pack’s fear, the way the betas who monitored him moved with hushed steps, their eyes averted. Chanyeol’s dominance was a force, a brutal shield that kept the stronghold in line, and Baekhyun was caught in its shadow. He whispered to the darkness, to the child, “Will he protect us?” The question hung unanswered, his vulnerability a silent lure that drew Chanyeol’s attention, a trap the alpha was already weaving without Baekhyun’s knowledge.
The door creaked open, and Chanyeol entered again, his presence a storm in the dim light. His jacket was gone, revealing a scarred chest, his dark hair falling into his eyes. “It's time for you to sleep. Tomorrow you can clean yourself up,” he ordered, his voice deep and assertive, but his gaze lingered on Baekhyun’s form, the slight bulge, the trembling hands. Internally, he noted the omega’s dependence, a bait growing stronger with each passing day. He stepped closer, his hand brushing Baekhyun’s hair back with a harsh tug, a gesture meant to assert control.
Baekhyun flinched, then leaned into the touch, a soft sigh escaping him. “Thank you for helping me,” he murmured, his voice breaking the silence.
Chanyeol’s jaw tightened, his brutal nature warring with the omega’s sweetness. He pulled back, his expression cold, but the flicker in his eyes betrayed a plan taking shape—Baekhyun’s presence would draw the rival pack, and his harsh care would keep the omega compliant, a lure set by the omega’s own fragility.
“Quiet,” Chanyeol snapped, his tone cutting.
“Rest, or I’ll make you.”
The threat hung in the air, but Baekhyun nodded, curling tighter on the bed, his large eyes following the alpha as he left. The door locked again, the sound of a final seal on his confinement, and Baekhyun lay still, his heart racing. He felt his belly, a reminder of the life tying him to Chanyeol, and though the alpha’s harshness chilled him, the promise of protection lingered, a thread of hope in the shadow of command.