Enhypen Fan-Fics

Enhypen Fics Masterlist

Started: 10/08/25

Last Updated: 6/3/26

Total Works: 27

Paloma (Enhypen Yandere)

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6.1

Chapter 6.2 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11

Chapter 12 Chapter 13

⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*

Paloma (Side Post)

How the Members View Each Other

Pt.1 Pt.2

⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Sunghoon

ཐིཋྀSunghoon's moodboard

Sunoo

ཐིཋྀSunoo's moodboard

Jungwon

ཐིཋྀJungwon's moodboard

Jay

ཐིཋྀ Jay's moodboard

Jake

ཐིཋྀJake's moodboard

Heeseung

ཐིཋྀHeeseung's moodboard

Ni-ki

ཐིཋྀNi-ki's moodboard

Mya

ཐིཋྀMya's moodboard

⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･༄⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁ ˖*:･

Make Me Look Good (OT7 x reader)

Character Intro

Categories: Allies, enemies, neutral.

How does Sunoo view the others?

[Sunoo and Heeseung- Netural ]

Sunoo does not really care about Heeseung's presence until the man does something to affect him directly ie: anything to do with Mya. Heeseung is more like a roaming guard in Sunoo's eyes. Kinda just there to make sure the 'inmates' don't kill each other. He does not feel intimidated by the older man at all, but he can respect the fact that Heeseung does a good job of keeping the others in check. Sunoo understands that Heeseung's words hold a lot of weight and he often uses that to his advantage against the other members.

"I propose a deal. You give me 2 hours of Mya's time uninterrupted, and in return I won't tell Heeseung what you all are scheming."

[Sunoo and Jay- Allies]

Sunoo believes that Jay is one of the few members that actually treats Mya like the princess she is. Even though he dislikes the fact that he has to share his mate, Sunoo does admire the older man's unwavering devotion. Jay is seen as an equal to Sunoo in many aspects outside of straight offensive power. Where the pink haired man can admit he lacks a bit. These two can often be seen chatting about future plans with Mya. They do have a habit of agreeing with each other a bit too much. Which can cause some problems since they won't let the other know when he's going too far with his delusions.

"Jay look at this vintage necklace I found in storage. It dates back to the 1930's...I agree, it would look lovely on our pretty mate."

[Sunoo and Jake- Allies]

Jake is seen as an unruly dog. Not necessarily a mutt, but one of those big fluffy golden ones. Jake is loyal and full of energy along with an annoyingly radiant smile. However, Sunoo has also seen this man covered in blood and grinning, talking about how happy Mya will be with the gift he found. After all, even house dogs occasionally kill rodents. He finds Jake's emotional outbursts to be amusing. Sunoo thinks it's interesting that someone could have so many of these so-called feelings naturally. Then he met Mya, and it all clicked. Maybe Harvey's mistake with Jake's limbic system was intentional, so Mya isn't left without someone to bounce her feelings off of.

"Oh? Ni-ki has said something to upset you again?.....No, go on. Your little rants are amusing. I need something to keep me occupied until pretty wakes up."

[Sunoo and Sunghoon- Netural]

Sunoo finds Sunghoon's fickleness to be an annoyance more than anything. His point was only further proven after witnessing how quickly the older dark-haired man switched sides after his attempt to break the blood bond backfired. Sunoo feels as though Sunghoon has always lacked conviction. Even back when they were test subjects, the man tended to agree with whoever in the room held the most power at the time. A trait that was only mildly irritating at the time now has the pink haired man watching Sunghoon a little bit closer. As he does not trust Sunghoon's newfound devotion to Mya.

"Do you ever think for yourself Sunghoon, or do you just wait until a new master gives you an order?"

[Sunoo and Jungwon- Enemies]

These two are very snippy with each other. Sunoo was one of the main ones upset at Jungwon, proclaiming himself as leader after Harvey's death. Sunoo strongly dislikes how cocky Jungwon is about being Mya's "primary mate" (once again, not a real thing. thanks, Heeseung). These two have very strong personalities. Sunoo does not like being told what to do, and Jungwon does not know how to function if he's not in charge. Many physical altercations have occurred between these two over the years, many ending with one of them dying. Despite that, there seems to be an unspoken ceasefire at the moment, mostly due to Mya's arrival and Sunghoon and Ni-ki's failed plan.

"I'm not quite sure who you're barking orders at, but surely it couldn't be me, right? If you want to feel superior, then go talk to Jaeyun."

Another one who Sunoo dislikes for being to arrogant. Ni-ki has always flaunted his power and status within test subjects hierarchy. It doesn't help that Sunoo's abilities are not made for combat. Ni-ki has tried to intimidate Sunoo for years because of this, but the pink haired man has pushed back everytime. Sunoo has been through too much and has carved too much flesh with his bare hands to be pushed around by "An overgrown lab rat with an over-inflated sense of self importance." Ni-ki's desecration of the bond has only made things worse. Sunoo now feels that Ni-ki is a threat that need to be eliminated. Not for his sake, but for Mya's

[Sunoo and Ni-ki- Enemies]

"Ni-ki? Why would I be frightened of him? An attack dog is still a dog at the end of the day. A dumb mutt doesn't scare me."

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─

How does Jungwon view the others?

[Jungwon and Heeseung- Allies]

Jungwon has a deep respect for Heeseung. He acknowledges the fact that the older male could very easily kill him if it weren't for his compulsion abilities. Even outside of that, Jungwon admires Heeseung's vast knowledge on topics from before Jungwon's time. Jungwon tries to learn as much as he can from the older, despite the dark-haired man not speaking much. He intentionally tries not to step on Heeseung's toes but does slip up occasionally as Jungwon's need to micromanage can sometimes take over. Despite that, the blonde knows that he's only in charge because Heeseung allows it, so he tries to act accordingly.

"Hyung, an unidentified male, has been seen talking to Mya on campus. Do you want me to look into it?....You'll handle it?....I could do it-. No? Ok."

[Jungwon and Jay- Enemies]

There's a long history of battles between these two spanning decades. Harvey literally had to keep these men separated for a whole decade before they could tolerate being in the same room. Jungwon believes that Jay is too lacking in skills to be as confident as he is. He also dislikes how Jay constantly questions his authority. Jungwon hates being questioned, and Jay does this a lot. Mostly to provoke the blonde into a reaction. The tension between them has only grown now that Mya is present. The fight for "primary mate" is now in full swing. Jungwon is determined to outclass Jay in every aspect when it comes to Mya's care.

"Although in your fantasies you may be the be the one in charge. However, this is the real world, and here I am, the one best suited for Mya's needs."

[Jungwon and Jake- Allies]

Jungwon is actually quite fond of Jake. He remembers how warmly the older one had greeted him when he was first dragged into the ballroom. It was a small act that stayed planted in the blondes mind even after decades are skin twisting experiments. Because of this, Jungwon gives Jake a bit more leeway when it comes to certain things. Jake is allowed to question him because Jungwon knows the dark-haired man is wired differently. He understands that what might seem necessary to him and the others might be viewed as "excessive" to Jake. Jungwon also admires Jake's ability to connect with Mya deeply on an emotion level. Jungwon can act. He can reflect, but to truly feel. That's something he hasn't unlocked yet.

"Hyung that sound Mya made. What is it?...Laughter? What did you say to make that happen? I want to make her laugh too."

[Jungwon and Sunghoon- Enemies]

This is another pair that never really got a long. Jungwon dislikes how Sunghoon tends to listen to everyone but him. He truly believes that the man does it on purpose to upset him (he does.) Sunghoon's betrayal of the bond has only made things worse as Jungwon has now seen the older man directly go against what he said. It's a crime that the blonde feels is punishable by death, but he holds back. Mostly because he does't trust the other to not go and tell Mya about whatever torture could have befallen him. Jungwon refuses to give Sunghoon any ammunition to poison his Dove's mind. So he settles on watching and waiting for the older mans to mess up again.

"Your faux remorse will not fool me. You broke your vow Sunghoon, and I will not let you forget that."

[Jungwon and Sunoo- Enemies]

Jungwon hates Sunoo almost as much as he hates Jay. Jungwon can at least pretend to be a untied front with Jay in the presence of Mya. Sunoo on the other hand takes joy in openly questioning Jungwon's authority. It irritates him to no end. He wants Mya to know that he is the one in charge, but Sunoo is always right there "offering alternatives" or referring to Jungwon as a clingy pet. Jungwon often wishes he could lay hands on Sunoo, but the older man does a good job of staying near Mya or Heeseung whenever it's convenient.

"Do you enjoy undermining my authority? It won't change the fact that I'm better than you."

[Jungwon and Ni-ki- Enemies]

As you can tell, there's a clear pattern of Jungwon disliking anyone who doesn't listen to him. Ni-ki is at the top of the list for openly disregarding his words. There was a time when Jungwon was terrified of the tall blonde. He still recalled the first time he saw Ni-ki transform. The sight of popping bones and black goo nearly made Jungwon vomit. However, things are different now. Now, Jungwon has a mate to protect, so he can't be fearful. That's way he's reacted so strongly to Ni-ki's attempt to break the bond. He believed that the taller male should have been the most excited to have Mya in the manor. The fact that he instead tried to get rid of her is appalling to Jungwon.

"Mya is everything we have been waiting for, and yet you tried cut the string that connects us to her."

Possessiveness: 9/10- Ni-ki believes that Mya should be thankful that someone like him is her mate. I mean, look at him - he's attractive, tall, strong, charismatic, and the list goes on and on. He sees Mya as an extension of himself. After all, he's gone through so much pain and suffering for her. It's only right that he be repaid with undying love and loyalty. He tries to act like he is unbothered whenever Mya is paying attention to another member (He is very much bothered. Why aren't you talking to him. Can't you see how cool he looks?)

Delusional: 9/10- Proud member of club delulu a long side Jay and Sunoo. However, Ni-ki suffers from delusions of grandeur to be exact. Genuinely believes himself to above everyone else, even other test subjects. Professes himself to be a deity of sorts, and Mya is only soul worthy enough to stand with him on the top of the mountain. Please do not compliment this man, you will never hear the end of it. However, he does get irritated because Mya does not feed his ego. Because according to her, he's "not that impressive" -_- .

Manipulation: 4/10- Ni-ki is physically imposing enough that manipulation isn't really needed. He has a very short temper as has killed many people on "accident" while interrogating them. Despite that, Ni-ki is a very good liar when the situation calls for it, and would not feel remorse if he had to use someone as a pawn. Especially since he already believes that other are beneath him anyway.

Violence: 9/10- Very aggressive when it comes to dealing with perceived threats. Especially when he is in his true form. Beware of iron-like claws and snapping teeth. He was the first of his testing batch, so Ni-ki has gone through the most trials and errors. He can remember the shifting and cracking of his bones when the entity first merged with his person. It's due to this that he becomes highly triggered at the sight of medical tools are at the mention of confinement.

Ability: [Redacted] and Gravity Manipulation.

More Info

Would he kill someone in front of Mya?

Yes, he would. Any scum dumb enough to try and harm his heart should be executed immediately. Mya should be impressed by his show of strength and dedication. After all, Ni-ki took the time to protect her. Be thankful (Please thank this man). "My heart is a very weak and fragile thing. She's all soft skin and red blood. Why would I let bacteria like you come anywhere near her?"

How much does the bond control him?

He's soooo unaffected. Just look- look at how unaffected he is (╥ᆺ╥;). He does not care at all that he can feel Mya having fun with the others. Ni-ki's pride and need to be viewed as the strongest leads to him fighting the bond the most. Unfortunately, instinct normally wins. This results in him looming in the corner of whatever room Mya happens to be in because "he lives here too," or leaving hand carved gifts at her bedroom door like a cat.

Would Ni-ki fight one of the members if he had to?

Of course he would. The only question is how messy the carnage would be. Ni-ki has no intentions of holding back at all against the members because he knows just how skilled they all are. Although that doesn't mean he's intimidated. Not a chance, Ni-ki is a deity among men. The fastest, the strongest, and Mya is his mate.

Pins and needles could be felt on Mya’s feet as she wandered aimlessly. Leaves crunching sharply underneath her bare feet was the only ambiance to her sudden late night stroll. Just yesterday, the backyard was a calming space for her as she recalled sitting under the gazebo. Now it was nighttime and the serene appeal from earlier was long gone. Overhead the clouds loomed like a threat, and the darkness was so deep that Mya could barely see in front of her.

“Where am I?” she said. “Did I walk too far from the manor?”

A cold gust of wind rushed over her as she briefly paused her steps to take in her surroundings. Only the shadowy outlines of trees greeted her eyes, as it seemed like even the moon was hiding from her. Not to mention the fact that there wasn’t a single animal in sight. No owls, or opossums, hell Mya would’ve even been happy to see a skunk. Anything that would have indicated that she wasn't alone would be much welcomed.

“How did I even end up out here?” she questioned out loud. The last thing she remembered was being smooshed between Sunoo and Jake. 

Their voices had lulled her into what she thought was going to be a light sleep. Clearly she was wrong, as everything after she closed her eyes was a complete blank. After letting out a sigh, Mya decided to walk near a tree and stay put.

There’s no point in wandering around and becoming even more lost. Once the sun comes up it’ll be way easier to see where I’m going. She thought to herself.

Feeling a bit more secure now that she had a plan. The young woman then stuck out her right arm in front of her body, and began to wave it from side to side like a pendulum.

Mya mused, Now which way should I go?

“Eeny, meeny, miny~...”

Crack

A sharp snapping of a twig could be heard coming from her left. Sudden yet intentional in its force. For so long the only sounds outside were Mya’s own feet and voice, so the unexpected noise caused her to nearly jump out of her skin. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she slowly took steps to her right. Hoping to avoid whatever was trying to approach her. 

Rhythmic crunching of leaves and twigs continued as Mya made her retreat. Her jaw was clenched shut as her restless eyes tried to make out some type of shape from the darkness in front of her. It was through this rapid scanning that she began to see multiple small white lights glowing softly in the dark. 

Eyes.

Her mouth suddenly felt too dry, then wet at the realization that there were multiple people, no- things staring at her. Mya swallowed heavily while trying to get a hold on her nerves. The young woman currently had no clue where she was, and if she got eaten or murdered. No would notice-

Jay, he would help me. He has to know where I am. Mya hoped to herself as she took another step away.

Unfortunately, the beings in front of her seemed to have read her thoughts. As they began to hiss at her in shrill tones.

“Datus, Captus. Datus Caputs.”

“What?” Mya stuttered as she stumbled backwards and slammed back first into a tree. The impact resonated like a vase shattering.

“Datus, Captus. Redde illud” the shadows continued chanting. Their voices were sharp like nails on a chalk board.

Not liking the sound of the foreign phrases being thrown at her, Mya turned on her heels and bolted as quickly as she could. A sharp pain immediately pierced her right sole as her foot slammed on the ground. She briefly stumbled before regaining enough balance to continue running. Sounds could be heard behind her as she ran. Shouting had now replaced the hissing.

“Mya!” The muffled voice of a man could be heard yelling.

However, she chose to ignore the monster's effort to lure her. Mya continued to sprint through the overgrown garden. Her lungs ached as she pushed herself to keep moving, and the pain seeping through her right foot was almost unbearable. Despite that, something told her that if she stopped moving, then she would surely die. Because of this, the young woman continued to flee. Cold marble floors greeted her feet with every push.

Cold floors, I thought I was outside? Mya thought. 

Confusion mixed aggressively with terror as her eyes continued to tell her mind that she was still in the backyard. Branches grasped at her arms like fingertips. One of them managed to snag her sleeve causing her to let out a scream.

“Mya, wait!” a different voice called out to her.

Suddenly, she was wrapped up in arms as she felt her body being rotated away from something.

“No! No-don’t touch me! Pl-please…Jay! Jay help me please.” Mya cried out as she thrashed around in the arms holding her. Her legs kicked wildly as her arms were pinned useless at her sides.

“No..please-” she choked out before her body gave way to sobs.

(POV Switch)

Jay held Mya tight in his arms so she couldn’t harm herself. He had been walking towards the bird cage on the third floor in an attempt to check on her. After feeling a serious shift in the blood bond. Jay had expected to find her feeling unwell still due to her migraine from earlier. Instead he was greeted by the sight of his mate nearly flinging herself from the main staircase. In an attempt to escape something. Now, he and the others could only watch as their love completely broke down in his arms.

He turned his head to look at Mya’s tear-soaked face as she thrashed around. For a brief moment they locked eyes, but something about her gaze implied that she was looking right through him. That was something that scared Jay more than he was ready to admit. The mere thought that his mate could be looking at him, but was unable to truly see him, made his stomach churn.

“I’ve got you, you’re okay, I promise.” Jay whispered as he held a still thrashing Mya in his arms.

“What the hell happend?” Jake asked. He had been right on Jay’s heels as they chased down Mya. The latter was looking at her with wide eyes filled with emotions Jay didn’t have the capacity to deal with.

“Jungwon, do something.” Heeseung demanded while gesturing at the blonde man who was running up the main stairwell. All of the lights in the manor were now flickering on and off in a sharp staccato. 

Heeseung couldn’t help it. Mya’s terror was palpable as it carved its way through their bodies like a jagged knife. He knew that something must have scared her, and the second Heeseung discovers the culprit he’ll make sure they suffer a fate worse than death. For now, he could only watch as Jungwon knelt in front of a still sobbing Mya. Carefully the blonde began to emit a scent of sandalwood and camomille, a blend specifically designed to calm the nervous system.

“Shh, it’s okay Dove. Let's try to take some deep breaths.” Jungwon suggested while placing a tentative hand around her right ankle.

A suggestion, while well intended, did not necessarily work as Mya flinched briefly at the contact. Causing Jungwon to apologise as he looked down at Mya’s foot. Only to notice a small shard of glass protruding from her sole. He frowned slightly at the realization that his mate was injured. Jungwon then pinched the glass between his thumb and finger before starting to pull it from Mya’s foot. Mya coiled up at the sensation as she whimpered slightly.

“I know, I know it hurts, please just let me help.” Jungwon pleaded as Mya moved her foot away from the blonde man.

“Watch it.” Heesung warned as he loomed behind Jungwon. “Your job is to make her condition better, remember.”

“I know what I’m doing.” Jungwon retorted before continuing to murmur soft words to Mya.

“If you did your job properly, she wouldn’t be in this position.” Jay replied while adjusting his hold on the woman in his arms.

Mya’s sobs had died down to soft sniffles. However, tears continued to run down her face, and she still had not spoken. Fortunately, despite the silence she had stopped fighting Jay's hold, and was now latching onto him like he would disappear if given the chance. 

Jungwon quickly glanced at Mya’s face before quickly reaching down to remove the glass from her foot in one swift motion. Luckily, the movement seemed to go relatively unnoticed by his mate. Her only response was an involuntary jerk of her right leg.

“Perhaps that’s advice you should give to yourself Sir. Baku.” Jungwon countered without looking away from Mya. “This was clearly driven by high emotional activity in her amygdala.”

Jay’s eyes narrowed at Jungwon before he looked down at his mate who was currently staring absently at something on the wall behind Sunoo.

“It was both of your jobs to keep her safe. You’ve both failed her.” Heeseung stated. Lights twinkled around him like a warning.

The sentence sat heavy in the air like a boulder as Jungwon looked down at where his hand was gently wrapped around Mya’s ankle. Heeseung was right, they had failed. They had managed to cause Mya more emotional stress in 42 hours than she had experienced in her entire life. Protection, pleasure, and servitude was the oath they had taken. 

Carved out in their once red blood, yet it was now recklessly forsaken. Perhaps, Harvey had been right. They weren’t ready yet. Just the thought that the old man had been correct was enough to make their chests fill with shame. Jay and Jungwon looked at each other briefly as both of them knew they couldn’t argue with Heeseung’s words.

“Hyung, rapidly flashing lights can increase feelings of anxiety.” Jungwon said quietly.

“Then I guess you should do what you were made for.” Heeseung answered through gritted teeth. Lights continue to blink steadily throughout the manor.

Jungwon nodded his head slightly before whispering something to Mya that got her to slightly loosen her grip on Jay’s sleeve.  Jay then used a hand to gently move a braid away from Mya’s face, and was shocked to see her blinking up at him with recognition. 

“Jay?” Mya whispered, voice cracking softly.

Jay shook slightly as he felt the bond flood with relief. 

“Yes, I’m here. I’m right here.” he reassured while caressing her face with feather-like touches.

“I was lost…outside. I’m not sure how I got out there.” Mya muttered, sounding slightly unsure of herself. “I think there’s monsters in the yard.”

  “Pretty…you were inside the whole time.” Sunoo explained gently. The pink haired man knelt down so he was eye level with his mate.

“You fell asleep in the office, and we carried you back to your room of choice.” He continued while reaching out to twist one of her braids around his finger.

“What causes nightmares?” Sunoo asked telepathically.

“Triggers can include; stress, viewing frightening content, anx-” Jake started as he took a seat on the floor next to Sunoo.

“Interfering with dark magic.” Heeseung stated out loud, causing everyone to look at him.

“What?” Mya asked while attempting to sit up properly. However, her effort was halted by Jungwon gently pushing her back into Jay's arms.

“Yesterday at 14:00 Ni-ki and Sunghoon snuck down to the basement like the roaches they are, and defiled the sacred bond linking us to you.” Heeseung detailed. The tall man was now pacing back and forth, “Now, 13 hours later you are displaying symptoms of mana poisoning.”

It was only two words, but the weight behind them was enough to still the atmosphere. For a few seconds no one spoke. Then Jake rose to his feet, and all hell broke loose.

“I knew it! I knew they couldn’t be trusted.” Jake shouted. Thunder crackled outside as he turned to look at Ni-ki and Sunghoon who stood at the bottom of the staircase.

They had both followed the screams the same, as everyone else but it seemed like there was some type of border keeping them from coming closer to Mya.

“Jungwon said her amygdala was displaying high emotional activity. That has no connection to…to what we did.” Sunghoon defended, though he looked unsure as he spoke.

 While he was addressing the men in front of him, his eyes never left Mya’s figure. She was still laying curled up in Jay’s arms. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears.

“What exactly did you two do? You were so sure of yourselves yesterday.” Jungwon chided, “Now you can’t even speak clearly.”

“It’s not our fault that she gets scared easily.” Ni-ki deflected while shuffling uncomfortably in place.

“Are you seriously acting obtuse right now?” Sunoo scoffed from where he knelt on the floor.

“Correlation does not equal causation.” Sunghoon responded.

“Do you hear yourself right now?” Jay questioned, voice low but equally as upset as the others.

Words trampled over each other as the men argued. Old grievances from decades ago were brought up as the stairwell became a verbal battle ground. Mya was the only reason why things hadn’t become physical yet. Even though emotions were high and lines were being drawn. No one wanted to be the first one to draw blood in front of their Dove. Heeseung stood back, pacing like a caged lion at this point. There was too much happening at one time.

Everyone was displaying newfound emotions, and his mate was in dire need of emotional regulation. As well as a possible purification spell. He could feel his head beginning to ring due to the overwhelming sensory input. His members were yelling at each other while Mya was still sniffling on the floor. Not to mention that a storm was starting to brew outside once again thanks to Jake.

“This was not supposed to happen. We were supposed to follow protocol, but there’s no protocol for this.” Heeseung muttered to himself while digging his nails into his palms. 

It was a small attempt to reign himself in. Destroying more light bulbs was not going to help Mya’s condition. A brief memory floated into his mind. One of Harvey Delroy Sr. sitting battered and bruised in the isolation room.

“You think you know everything now, don’t you? You’ve been in this manor for how long #550…three decades, maybe four?” Harvey slurred slightly before spitting out blood. “Let's get something straight. You know nothing, because you are nothing.”

The old man burst into a fit of laughter before it was interrupted by a round of coughing. “Bring her to the manor early if you must. Just know that nothing awaits you but failure.”

No, no I can’t fail. I swore on his dead body that I would suc-

“Quiet!” a voice shouted. Loud enough to interrupt Heeseung’s spiraling thoughts.

He turned around to see Sunoo standing on his feet. The sudden outburst was enough to gain the group of men's attention.

“It’s clear that we are all experiencing a flood of emotions that we do not have the ability to process properly, and it is clouding our judgment." Sunoo continued. “Mya’s wellbeing is vital, so whatever it is you all are feeling right now, turn it off and focus on our mate.”

Sunoo looked around the room and observed Jake standing on the stairs. He was using his body as a shield between Mya and Sunghoon. Jay, on the other hand,  was looking at Sunoo as if he wanted to argue but couldn't find any words as his mouth opened and closed twice. Slowly the tension began to leave the room. Not because the conflict was resolved, but because the men were almost physically stuffing it into an imaginary box to deal with later. 

Lastly, he let his gaze settle onto Mya and was surprised to see that she had somehow managed to fall back asleep during the chaos. Her face looked peaceful and Sunoo briefly wondered how she could feel so comfortable being surrounded by them. He quickly dismissed the thought as there were still important things to settle.

“Since you all want to act like animals, then I will be the one to give you orders.” Sunoo stated as he adjusted his suit jacket.

“Jay and Jungwon will escort Mya to the bird cage immediately and conduct a full assessment of her physical and emotional wellbeing. They will oversee all aspects of her care until otherwise necessary.” The pink haired man finished speaking before looking over at the two men he’d just pointed out.

Jungwon pressed his lips into a thin line. Clearly disliking how he was being spoken to. However, before he could respond, Heeseung's voice floated in from behind him.

“You will do what is necessary.” Heeseung asserted.

With no room left to argue, the blonde man nodded quietly. He then looked at Jay before speaking.

“Bring Dove to the bird cage and help her get settled. I will go and retrieve the necessary human medication from storage. We need to rule out the possibility of a common cold.” Jungwon instructed somberly before standing up. He then walked down the main stairwell completely ignoring Sunghoon and Ni-ki as he headed towards the storage room.

Jay looked down at Mya before asking Sunoo to help him maneuver her to be carried properly. The pair worked quietly to make sure she wasn’t awoken. Once Jay was on his feet with Mya cradled in his arms, Jake came up the stairs to approach them. The storm maker ran a gentle knuckle down their mate's cheek before muttering something about checking on her later. Heeseung, appreciating the quiet, approached in order to give Mya a once over before nodding his head in approval. Once the okay was given, Jay made his way towards the bedroom on the third floor. Walking carefully, with his heart sleeping soundly in his arms.

After watching Jay disappear around the corner with Mya, Heeseung turned to address Ni-ki and Sunghoon.

“We need to discuss the repercussions of your actions.” Heeseung announced.

“There’s nothing to discuss because we aren’t responsible for her condition.” Ni-ki argued from where he stood at the bottom of the stairwell.

Sunoo huffed while running his hands through his hair. “Mana poisoning is a very serious condition-”

“That you are unsure she even has.” Ni-ki interrupted. “I will not be punished on the basis of ‘what ifs’.” 

Ni-ki then walked towards the front door and attempted to open it. Only for the heavy wood to be stuck firmly in place.

“Open the door Jake.” He demanded while giving the handle a sharp tug.

“No. You don’t get to cause chaos and then run away.” Jake responded while pointing a condemning finger at the tall blonde.

“Careful.” Ni-ki threatened as he turned his head to look at Jake.

Who in response, pulled a jagged flash of lightning from the sky and made it crash into a distant tree.

“Open the doors.” Heeseung spoke. “He can run as much as he wants. Consequences will always be right behind him.”

Although he did not agree with the older man's words, Jake let out a deep sigh before releasing the mental hold he had on the front door. The remaining four members simply watched on as Ni-ki hauled the door open, and walked out of the manor and into the stormy night. His absence left only Jake, Sunoo, Heeseung, and Sunghoon who looked as though he was forcing himself to stay put. Sunghoon's eyes flickered briefly across the men in front of him. Who were all staring at him with pure disdain. 

“Body 2 of protocol section 2b covering interpersonal conflicts states; “In the case of one or more members engaging in behavior that directly or indirectly affects the subject's health the remaining members can vote to have the culprit removed from the subject's proximity indefinitely.” Sunoo recited while glaring at Sunghoon.

The words washed over the condemned man like a wave as Sunghoon started to come to terms with his situation. Unexplained muscle tension started to creep into his shoulders while he felt his heart rate beginning to elevate. His brain racked over the numerous possible causes for these physical reactions, but he kept coming back to something loosely defined as guilt. Even the word itself made Sunghoon feel nauseous, but he knew if he had any chance of making things right with Mya. He first needed to get back into the good graces of the members. 

“I’ll accept any punishment deemed necessary by the group.” Sunghoon conceded, shoulders slummed in a way that made him appear much smaller than he was.

“Your punishment is not contingent upon your consent. Until further notice you and Ni-ki will have no unsupervised contact with Mya.” Heeseung sneered before storming off in the direction of the ballroom.

Heeseung's words lingered in the air as Sunghoon stared at his feet, like they would make the outcome different. Jake however, was still scowling at him like an angry dog waiting to attack. Noticing the tension, Sunoo walked over and placed a firm hand on Jake’s shoulder.

“How about we go prepare some soup for our princess. She might be hungry when she awakens again, and something light will be gentle on her stomach.” Sunoo suggested with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Jake, on the other hand, lit up at the mention of being helpful to Mya and agreed quickly to Sunoo's plan. Thus the pair strolled to the kitchen, leaving Sunghoon alone at the bottom of the stairwell. Worst of all, he was now left alone with his thoughts.

(POV Switch)

[Location- Third Floor Bedroom]

A heavy silence filled the bedroom as Jungwon took Mya’s temperature with the thermometer. It was obvious to anyone with functioning eyes that Mya was not doing well. She was sweating slightly from her forehead, yet shivering underneath the blankets as though she was freezing. 

“101.5 F.” Jungwon said quietly as he gently removed the device from Mya’s mouth.

Jay’s brows furrowed at the words. They have read Mya’s medical files forwards and back. She has caught colds before, but a fever was something extremely rare for her. Their Dove could be bedridden for days if they don't act quickly, and if this is something worse. If this was mana poisoning-no Jay didn’t want to think about that right now. Unfortunately, they needed to consider all possibilities even the ones they wished didn’t exist.

Mya’s eyes fluttered open as she pulled the thick blanket up to her chin. Her teeth were chattering slightly, despite her increased body temperature.

“Thanks for helping me out.” She said with a slight smile.

“There’s no need to thank us.” Jungwon answered while sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“You should try to rest Dove.” Jay suggested. “You need it.”

At the mention of falling back to sleep, Mya tensed up as she shook her head rapidly. 

“No-no, I’m fine really. I’m actually wide awake, don’t worry.” She deflected while sitting up in the bed.

The two men glanced at each other, both picking up on the slight increase in their mates heartbeat. Jay then moved closer to where she was seated, and placed his hand on top of her own.

“It’s okay to be frightened of what you saw.” He said softly.

Mya’s eyes snapped up towards him as they quickly filled with tears.

“I’m sorry.” She murmured while using her other hand to wipe at her tears.

“Never apologize for feeling frightened.” Jungwon said. “The mind is very good at deception.”

Mya nodded her head in agreement before dabbing at her cheeks.

“I’m scared of what I’ll see when I close my eyes.” Mya admitted with a whisper.

“Then we will stay by your side, and if your dreams start to feel too real. We will be right here to keep you grounded.” Jay promised.

“I’m not normally like this, I promise.” Mya gasped wetly. “I’ve dealt with worse.”

“We know. We know you’ve had worse pain inflicted upon you, okay? Crying doesn’t mean weakness.” Jungwon reassured her. His head leaned down as he spoke until his breath brushed Mya’s temple with every word.

“Crying just means that you can feel, and I think that’s a very beautiful thing Mya.” Jay added while using his free hand to help dry her tears.

Mya’s breaths were frenzied, and her mouth was agape. Liquid salt streamed down her face as a sound similar to ‘thank you’ tried to escape her lips.

“Take your time love, we’re not going anywhere.” Jungwon muttered before briefly pressing his lips to Mya’s left temple.

Relief flooded the bond as Mya allowed herself to be comforted by Jay and Jungwon. The trio stayed seated on the bed as Mya’s sobs slowly dwindled into occasional sniffles. While they were grateful that she was calming down. What they really needed was for her to fall asleep so Jay could rid her of those horrid dreams.

“She needs rest, Jungwon.” Jay said to the blonde man.

“I’m well aware of that.” Jungwon retorted before looking around the room as he thought. Once an idea came to mind he then addressed their mate.

“Could I give you a hug Mya? It looks like you could use one.” Jungwon asked while opening his arms slightly.

If he could get Mya to directly inhale his pheromones she would fall asleep quickly. Then Jay could devour whatever nightmares were plaguing her mind. Jungwon smiled softly as he watched Mya’s eyes widen at the suggestion. 

She’s always so shy about affection despite craving it so deeply. He thought to himself. 

Jungwon remembered their brief hug underneath the gazebo earlier and he was filled with anticipation at the prospect of having his mate in his arms once again.

“A hug? Uh…sure. Thank you Jungwon.” Mya said while scratching the back of her neck.

 She then awkwardly shuffled closer before leaning head first into Jungwon's chest. Jay, despite feeling jealous couldn't help but admire how small Mya looked in the blondes arms. Warmth spread through the men's veins as their mate settled into the embrace.

“Are you feeling comfortable, Dove?” Jay asked while leaning over slightly to see her face. Which was currently smushed against Jungwon's chest. 

The blonde was emitting a blend of pheromones designed to make Mya drowsy. A mixture which was clearly working as Mya’s brown eyes fluttered shut as she melted further into Jungwon's arms.

“Mmph fine.” Her voice came slurred as she let out a yawn.

Jay couldn’t help but look on fondly as Mya drifted asleep. Eventually her breathing evened out. That is when Jungwon decided to take the opportunity to address Jay. 

“ I know we’ve had our differences over the years, but Sunoo was right.” He said. “We need to put that aside and focus on protecting Mya.”

Jay looked away from his sleeping mate and towards Jungwon.

“She isn’t displaying any symptoms of a cold besides an elevated temperature." Jay pointed out.

“I know.” Jungwon replied firmly while tightening his hold on Mya.

“If this truly is mana posioning…then we need to get a hold of the situation quickly.” explained Jay.

“I know.” Jungwon answered, but this time he didn’t sound so sure of himself.

[-Minor Time Jump-]

Two Days. It had been two whole days since Jay had caught Mya right before she tumbled down the main stairwell. Ever since then, she had basically been on bed rest. Although her condition had not gotten worse, it certainly was not improving. Sleepwalking was a new part of her nightly routine, but thanks to Jay and Jungwon refusing to leave her side. She never made it past initially sitting up. The nightmares had disappeared fully. Courtesy of Jay consuming them the moment he smelled a change in the air around her.

Everyone had quickly diagnosed that Ni-ki and Sunghoon’s attempt to break the bond had negative effects that no one had planned for. Despite Jungwon and Sunghoon purifying the basement afterwards. Most likely, they weren’t fast enough, and some residual magic energy had managed to affect their Dove. However, Mya didn’t need to know all the details, and that’s where Jake happily came into play.

“It’s just stress Mya. You’re just really, really stressed. Yeah?” Jake chattered while arranging a variety of vitamins and fruits onto a tray.

“Stress? You really think so?” Mya asked from where she remained seated in her bed. Currently tucked into bed as her right foot was still healing from the glass shard.

“Of course!” Jake chirped as he walked over with the tray. “Stress affects everyone differently, and sometimes manifests in physical ailments.”

He then placed the tray on the bedside table before handing Mya a bowl of fruit. Which Mya accepted with a small thank you before popping a grape into her mouth. Jake smiled softly as he watched her eat slowly. The fever had broken halfway through the first day, and the men were determined to keep it that way.

If only we could get you to stop wandering off every time you close your eyes. Jake mused to himself.

“You know-” Mya started before pausing to finish chewing. “I’ve been stressed before, but I’ve never started sleepwalking because of it.”

“Well have you ever found seven men trapped in your house before, or watched a man get impaled by a chandelier?" Jake countered as he reached over to steal a grape from Mya’s bowl.

His mate tilted her head to the side as she processed Jake's words.

“Hhmm…fair enough.” She conceded before continuing to eat her fruit.

Jake smiled at his successful redirection before reminding Mya to drink a full glass of water with her vitamins. 

Meanwhile Ni-ki and Sunghoon were still on a strict ‘Mya ban’ so to speak. Due to the others hovering around her constantly and the injury on her foot. The pair had not caught a glimpse of their mate since they last saw her sobbing on the floor. Sunghoon surprisingly had taken his punishment in stride. As he was well aware how much more severe it could have been. He has continued to focus on his personal mission of getting back into the good graces of the members. Because of this helping with small tasks around the manor was now a part of his daily routine.

“Dove is becoming restless. I’ve heard her trying to tiptoe down the stairs twice today.” Heeseung announced from where he leaned against the kitchen counter.

Sunghoon's eyes flickered across the group. Jungwon was brewing a fresh pot of tea while Sunoo was chopping green vegetables on a cutting board. Many thoughts ran through the dark haired man’s mind at the thought of Mya being restless. Does that mean she’s uncomfortable? Would she try to leave them?

She can’t leave. I haven’t had a chance to redeem myself. He thought.

A mocking image of Mya driving away from the manor in her car entered Sunghoon's head and it was enough to make him grit his teeth. Despite this he knew he was in no position to complain, so he waited to see what his members were going to say.

“Sometime outside would do her well. We don’t want her to become resentful of our care.” Sunoo said while sliding the chopped veggies into a glass bowl.

“Mya has expressed slight discomfort with the property’s vastness.” Jungwon informed as he turned around to face the others.

Sunghoon’s mouth turned down slightly at the implication that Mya was still being affected by the events a few nights ago. The air in the kitchen started to harden with unspoken tension, as he could tell that this was another thing that he and Ni-ki were being blamed for.

“I thought I told you and Jay to do your jobs.” Heeseung remarked after pushing himself off the counter to stand at his full height.

“We are.” Jungwon took a quick breath. “Hyung, Mya has not had any further nightmares since the initial incident. However, you of all people should know that the body has a tendency to remember what the mind can’t.” The blonde finished before turning off the stove so the boiling water could cool.

Sunghoon looked between the men before his mind gave him an idea. Perhaps a stupid idea, but one that could possibly make Mya happy even from a distance.

“What if we made the backyard more presentable?” Sunghoon suggested. His voice came out much quieter than intended. Nevertheless, it is still heard by sharp ears.

The other three turned to look at him with expressions ranging from blank to mildly curious, so Sunghoon decided to take the lack of immediate rejection as an excuse to keep talking. 

“Human minds are innately fearful of the unknown. It’s natural that she would be wary due to how unkept the land is.” Sunghoon rambled. “There are over 50 acres of overgrown trees and plants. Surely something could be done right?”

Sunoo’s brows pinched together as the dark haired man finished speaking. While Jungwon nodded his head slowly as he mulled over Sunghoon's words.

“Dove has always wanted a garden.” Jungwon recalled.

At the positive reception, Sunghoon’s eyes lit up as his mind ran through all the possible landscaping designs Mya might enjoy.

There’s French country, formal, Japanese, woodland, or-

“Fine.” Heeseung said dismissively. “This was your suggestion, so you will be in charge of this project.” 

Sunghoon’s mouth opened slightly at the chance he was being given. He wasn’t stupid, he was well aware that he was being tested. 

“I will oversee your selection of landscapers. If our princess wants a garden then it needs to be the best one, made by component workers.” Sunoo declared, gesturing towards Sunghoon with a knife holding hand.

“I’m unsure what the fuss is about, all plants are the same.” Heeseung drawled as he reached behind Jungwon to finish preparing Mya’s tea.

“Would you say that to Mya?” Jungwon asked while moving out of the way.

Heeseung's eyes slid to meet the blondes. “I would.” He responded dully.

Sunoo shook his head slightly at the taller man before teasing.

“No, you wouldn’t.”

(POV Switch)

[Location- Employee Housing]

Ni-ki marched up the walkway of the small house with a purpose. He hadn’t seen Mya in two days now since the others had her couped up in the bird cage. Ni-ki didn't appreciate how the others banded together so quickly to label him as a threat. What pissed him off the most though, was how easily Sunghoon flipped in the face of pressure.  

That coward. Flipped belly up like a dog at the mere possibility of being forgiven. Ni-ki sneered to himself as he stepped on a twig harder than necessary.

There was nothing to be forgiven in his eyes. Because he didn’t do anything wrong. Ni-ki was the first of his testing batch, the fastest, strongest. Mistakes aren’t in his programming. If something was wrong with Mya, then it had to be due to some other factor. Not him. Right?

The bleach blonde man stepped onto the porch and raised his hand to know on the door. Only for it to swing open before he even made contact. Taehyun was revealed to be standing there in his usual security uniform. His dark eyes scanned over Ni-ki analytically before speaking.

“This is an unscheduled visit.” Taehyun stated. “Leave.”

The shorter male then moved to close the door in Ni-ki’s face.

“Wait.” Ni-ki demanded while slamming his hand on the door to stop its movement.

The two engaged in a small battle of strength with the poor door being used as a measuring tool. Taehyun’s eyes began to melt into an auburn hue as he applied more force against the door. Noticing that he wasn’t going to let up anytime soon. Ni-ki decided to just state his reasoning for showing up.

“I need to talk to you about something important.” Ni-ki explained.

Taehyun however, decided to take advantage of the fact that the blonde had let up slightly in order to speak. He then gave the door a sharp push causing it to slam directly in the taller man's face.

“No.” The guard answered flatly from inside the house.

Ni-ki growled in frustration as he felt his teeth starting to sharpen. Why is no one willing to hear his side of things? Frustrated hands ran through his hair before he opened his mouth again.

“It’s about Mya.” He exasperated, arms falling dramatically by his sides at the admittance.

At that moment Ni-ki watched as Taehyun opened the front door and looked at him with sharp eyes.

“You have 30 minutes to explain yourself.” He informed without moving to the side so the blonde could enter the house.

A sigh of relief exited Ni-ki’s mouth at the opportunity to finally be heard. He walked over towards the stairs and sat down before explaining. It was like a dam had broken and once the blonde started talking he couldn’t stop. He told Taehyun everything from him and Sunghoon stealing Harvey’s grimoires and their failed spell casting. All the way up to Mya’s breakdown a few nights ago.

Taehyun stood silently in the doorway as Ni-ki spoke. His face remained blank as usual. One would almost think he wasn’t listening if it wasn’t for the occasional tick of his jaw, whenever Ni-ki gave details about the attempted bond breaking.

Eventually, the younger man's words slowed to a halt. As he looked over his shoulder to gauge the security guards reaction.

“So, that’s what happened.” Ni-ki finished while placing his hands onto his knee before standing.

Taehyun’s head tilted slightly to the right before he spoke. “You came here uninvited, to tell me all of this because…?”

“Because you’re highly intelligent #548. If you come with me to the manor and speak to the others you can convince them that mana poisoning is not the cause of Mya’s current state.” Ni-ki explained while gesturing towards the other man.

“If you tell them it isn’t mana pointing, then they will believe you-” 

“I cannot.” Taehyun interrupted with a firm shake of his head.

Ni-ki scoffed at being cut off before regaining his focus.

This guy. He thought while rolling his eyes.

The blonde then spoke, “I know our groups are to be uninvolved with each other, but-”

“I cannot tell them that it isn’t mana poisoning because that would be a lie.” Taehyun clarified while stepping onto the porch and closing the door behind him.

Ni-ki felt as though a boulder had been dropped in his gut at the older man’s words. It was in fact residual dark magic affecting Mya’s health. He felt his lips twitch as he opened and closed his mouth while trying to find the right words. An insult, and rebuttal, anything that could have lessened the weight of Taehyun's words. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind as the image of Mya sobbing on the floor entered his mind with the force of a punch. He had done that. He had been the one to cause that outcome. Ni-ki stumbled slightly before sitting back on the porch stairs with an ungraceful thud. 

“You came here for a conversation right?” Taehyun started while looking down at Ni-ki with auburn eyes. “Well now it’s my turn to contribute.”

“What you and Sunghoon have done is an egregious display of arrogance and selfishness. Using unsanctioned dark magic in the presence of an unprotected human was reckless and quite frankly stupid.” The guard continued as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Ni-ki looked away as his shoulders slumped forwards. Taehyun’s words were running in his head like a bell.

“I just wanted us to be free.” His words came out as a soft whisper, like he didn’t think he was allowed to speak such a sentence.

The sharp sound of a tsk came from Taehyun’s mouth as he shook his head.

“You are free. From the moment Harvey was killed you were-no we were all free.” Taehyun said.

Ni-ki felt the familiar ting of defense start to bloom in his chest at the security guards words. Easy for him to claim freedom when he and his group are no longer bonded to their mate.

“Hypocrite.” Ni-ki accused while clenching his hands into fists.

“Pardon?” Taehyun replied, voice deeper than normal as his brow quirked up at Ni-ki’s remark.

“I said, you are a hypocrite.” Ni-ki repeated as he rose to his feet.

“Don’t talk to me about freedom after you have already successfully severed the bond between your group and your mate.” The blonde ranted as he felt his top incisors grow in length.

“Why was your breaking of vows celebrated while ours isn't?" Ni-ki demanded while gesturing between himself and the other man.

“Don’t speak about what you have not experienced.” Taehyun warned through gritted teeth. The guard took a step further onto the porch, and Ni-ki could feel the phantom sensation of four other pairs of eyes watching the altercation.

Despite that he refused to back down.

“Experience what? Life without being tethered to someone.” Ni-ki was ranting now. Pacing back and forth across the porch like a wild animal. “Is it so wrong for me to not want my mate to be Harvey’s granddaughter?”

“Mya is an excellent choice for a soul mate despite her lineage.” Taehyun answered while unfolding his arms.

“Yet his second daughter was not good enough for you?” Ni-ki chided as he stopped pacing to look the guard right in the eye.

At the mention of his previous mate, Taehyun’s entire demeanor shifted. His facial muscles twisted in a way Ni-ki had never seen on the latter. He watched as the man's nostrils flared as his lips set into an ugly sneer.

“You truly are the most idiotic thing I've had the displeasure of meeting in my entire life.” Taehyun spat out while pointing his index finger at Ni-ki’s chest. “Breaking that bond was one of the most difficult things we’ve ever done.”

“You still did it.” Ni-ki rebutted, reveling in the fact that he had gotten one over on the older man.

“Do you know why we did it?” The guard asked, tilting his chin up slightly.

Ni-ki rolled his eyes before shrugging. “That information was classified, but I’m sure it’s because she wasn’t as good of a lay as you all hoped.” He answered, feeling proud of himself at his response.

Prick thinks he’s better than me-

“It was because she beat us.” Taehyun said flatly.

His spark anger was now gone as if simply having to utter the words took all of his emotions. Ni-ki’s eyes widened as he processed the words. The thought of his seniors leaving the cruelty of Harvey only to be handed over to his equally cruel daughter, knocked the air out of his lungs.

“The abuse was constant. Beomgyu received the brunt of the punishment because he is the smallest of our group.” Taehyun continued, his eyes vacant as he recalled unwanted memories. “Severing the bond was our only chance to have peace.”

Ni-ki took a slow step backwards as he looked at the ground. Harvey had always made it seem like Taehyun’s group were simply ungrateful. Now the blonde felt like a fool for ever believing that to be true.

“I…I didn’t kno-”

“It wasn’t your business.” Taehyun snapped, a quick fire of anger filled his eyes as looked at Ni-ki. “You acted based on pride and half-truths. Now you’ve damaged something that cannot be fixed.”

The blonde felt as though the ground had been swiped from under him as he reeled from Taehyun's words.

No, no that can’t be right. I can fix it. Their mate is still alive. Some far off state, New Hampshire, or was it Jersey? Ni-ki’s mind rambled as he shook his head rapidly.

“Your mate. She lived after the bond was broken, correct?” He asked while gesturing towards the dark haired man.

Taehyun closed his eyes briefly before speaking.

“No, she is deceased. She has been for over a decade now.” Taehyun informed while opening his eyes.

“She flung herself from her apartment balcony.” He finished.

Taehyun's eyes stayed trained on Ni-ki as if he was waiting for the taller man to put the pieces together himself. Which the latter quickly did. The disfigured flesh screaming with the same pitch of Mya’s voice entered Ni-ki’s recollection. As well as the conversations he heard of Jay telling Heeseung about Mya almost falling from the staircase. Ni-ki had always believed that correlation did not equal causation, but he also would have to be an even bigger fool to ignore this much overlap.

“Did she say anything to you after the bond was broken?” Ni-ki asked quietly, already knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

“There were notes left about shadowy figures demanding to give back what she took. At the time we believed they were simply demented ramblings from an equally demented woman.” Taehyun revealed while shifting his weight slightly. 

Ni-ki squeezed his eyes closed as he remembered Mya speaking to Jay that night on the staircase.

“I think there’s monsters in the yard.”

“I take it this all sounds familiar to you.” Taehyun's voice rang out. Pulling Ni-ki from his thoughts.

The blonde glanced at him quickly before looking down. Taehyun shook his head once in acknowledgement before walking over to Ni-ki in slow methodical steps. Only stopping when they were once again face to face. The dark haired man then leaned forward slightly before speaking.

“Let me make something clear #550. When Mya hits the ground, me and my members will not help you clean her up.” Taehyun monotoned. “Her death will be yours to remember."

Ni-ki pressed his lips into a thin line, as he racked his mind with possible solutions.

“The bond…it’s not completely destroyed.” Ni-ki mumbled. Holding on to the fact that he felt the warm hum of Mya’s presence running through his veins.

“Is that so?” Taehyun asked while standing up straight and turning to walk away.

“That means there’s still a chance.” Ni-ki said hopefully.

“How would I know that?” Taehyun asked as he opened his front door before tuning around. “Show up here uninvited again,...and I’ll kill you.”

With that the door shut. Not with a dramatic slam, but with a very intentional quiet that only Taehyun was capable of. Ni-ki remained standing on the porch for a few minutes as he tried to gather his thoughts. Separating them into mental boxes of ‘deal with later’ and ‘urgent’. Right now the first thing in the urgent box was figuring out how to keep Mya from ending up like Harvey’s second daughter. This part was going to take the most research as he needed to look through hundreds of spell books.

Briefly, he considered informing the others about this plan, but that means telling them that their mate was at risk of taking her own life. That information was far too risky for the others to have at the moment. They were already spiraling at the simple suggestion of Mya having mana poisoning. However, to confirm it, with Taehyun's experience as data, was like asking for property to be destroyed.

No, Ni-ki would handle this on his own. He's the strongest and he’s been at the manor longest. That alone makes him more than capable of repairing the damage to the bond without assistance. The members will then end the flimsy exile placed on him, and Mya will be thanking him for his hard work and dedication to saving her life.

Everything will be fine. I can fix this on my own. Ni-ki thought to himself as he began to walk back towards the manor.