Chapter 34: A Growing Fear

The office was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioning. Taehyung sat hunched over his desk, his eyes scanning the same line of text for the tenth time. His mind was far from the report he was pretending to work on. It wasn’t that his department was particularly busy—quite the opposite, actually. But the thought of leaving the office and potentially running into Jungkook made his chest tighten with unease.

He glanced at the clock on his desk. 10:47 PM. Time had slipped away from him unnoticed, and the building was eerily silent now. Most of his colleagues had left hours ago. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes fluttering shut. The soft glow of his desk lamp provided the only warmth in the cold, empty office. Before he realized it, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted off.

---

A gentle nudge on his shoulder startled Taehyung awake. His head shot up, and he blinked groggily at the figure standing before him.

“Excuse me, sir,” a kind voice said. It was the security guard, an older man with a warm smile and a flashlight in hand. “You’ve been here quite late. Are you alright?”

Taehyung rubbed his eyes, embarrassed. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” he said hastily, standing up and straightening his wrinkled shirt. “Thank you for waking me up.”

The guard chuckled. “No need to apologize. But you should head home now. You don’t want to miss the last train or bus.”

Taehyung nodded quickly, gathering his belongings. “Yes, of course. Thank you again.”

As he left the office, Taehyung felt a sense of relief. His plan had worked—he had successfully avoided Jungkook for the day. He stepped onto the quiet street, the cool night air brushing against his skin.

---

The streets were mostly deserted, save for the occasional car passing by. Taehyung walked briskly, his bag slung over one shoulder. The faint glow of streetlights provided little comfort as he made his way toward the busier part of town. Yet, a strange sensation crept over him—a feeling that he wasn’t alone.

He glanced over his shoulder, but the street behind him was empty. Shaking his head, he quickened his pace, convincing himself it was just his imagination. However, the unease persisted, sending shivers down his spine.

Stay calm. Don’t release your pheromones, he reminded himself, tightening his grip on his bag. The last thing he needed was to signal his anxiety and fear to whoever—or whatever—might be nearby.

As he approached a row of open shops, the presence seemed to grow stronger. He felt it behind him, so close that he could almost feel a breath against his neck. Taehyung’s heart pounded as he resisted the urge to turn around. Instead, he ducked into a convenience store, the familiar ding of the door chime offering a small sense of safety.

“Welcome,” the cashier greeted, her voice cheerful. Taehyung forced a smile, pretending to browse the shelves. His eyes darted to the glass windows, scanning the street outside. His breath hitched when he saw a figure cloaked in black standing just outside, its glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness.

He quickly turned back to the shelf, grabbing a random snack to appear nonchalant. His hands trembled as he opened his bag to retrieve his phone, only to curse under his breath when he saw the battery was nearly dead.

Stay calm. Think, he told himself, swallowing the lump in his throat. He considered asking the cashier for help, but before he could muster the courage, the cloaked figure stepped inside the store.

The cashier gave the figure a curious glance but said nothing. Taehyung’s stomach churned as he watched the person move toward the refrigerated drinks. He hastily paid for his item, his voice shaky as he thanked the cashier, and stepped outside.

---

The streets were darker now, and the comforting hum of distant chatter had faded. Taehyung’s steps quickened, his heart racing. He turned down a small alley, hoping to lose the figure. But the sound of footsteps behind him grew louder, faster.

Fear clawed at his chest as he broke into a run, his bag bouncing against his side. He could hear the footsteps closing in, and his breath came in short, panicked gasps.

Suddenly, he collided with something solid, the impact sending him sprawling to the ground. Pain shot through his back, but the fear was more overwhelming. He scrambled to get up, certain that he had been caught.

“Taehyung?”

The familiar voice froze him in place. He looked up, his teary eyes meeting Jungkook’s concerned gaze.

“Jungkook,” he whispered, his voice trembling. Without thinking, he threw his arms around Jungkook, clinging to him as if he were a lifeline.

Jungkook stiffened in surprise before gently patting Taehyung’s back. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

Taehyung couldn’t speak. The relief of seeing Jungkook, combined with the lingering fear, left him trembling in the alpha’s arms. For now, he didn’t care about avoiding Jungkook or the secrets he was trying to hide. All that mattered was the safety he felt in his presence.

Jungkook’s arms came around him immediately, pulling him close. “You’re shaking,” he murmured, his tone low and steady. “What’s wrong?”

Taehyung pressed his face against Jungkook’s chest, his breathing uneven as he struggled to form words. “Someone… someone was following me,” he managed, his voice cracking. “I could feel them… hear them. They were right behind me.”

Jungkook’s expression hardened, his sharp eyes narrowing as he glanced over Taehyung’s shoulder toward the darkened street. He didn’t release Taehyung, his arms tightening protectively around the Omega.

His glowing red and gold eyes scanned the darkness, piercing through every shadow and corner. The faintest trace of a scent lingered in the air—a distinctive, familiar presence that sent a spark of tension through him.

Jungkook’s grip on Taehyung remained firm, but he said nothing. He didn’t voice his suspicions, didn’t alert Taehyung to the lingering danger. Instead, he focused on grounding the trembling figure in his arms.

He released a wave of comforting pheromones, their warmth, and reassurance washing over Taehyung like a soothing balm. But beneath the comforting scent, there was a subtle undertone—a warning, a silent challenge to the unseen threat that lingered in the shadows.

Taehyung’s breathing began to steady, his racing heart calming as Jungkook’s scent enveloped him. He clung to Jungkook, the tension in his body slowly ebbing away.