It was the seventh day of the cold war between Declan and me. Then, the car accident happened. He rushed to the hospital. I sat on the bench outside the ER, seemingly unharmed. The person being resuscitated inside was the Omega he had brought home seven days ago. "Noah, you better pray he's okay." Declan was trembling with rage, his voice freezing the air around us. "If he isn't, I will make you suffer ten times the pain he’s feeling right now." So, like a criminal awaiting sentencing, I sat there. Imprisoned on that cold metal chair by my own Alpha. I didn't realize that my internal organs had ruptured. I didn't realize my abdominal cavity was slowly filling with blood. I didn't notice... until it was too late. 1. I didn't feel the pain at first. After the violent impact, there was only a persistent numbness and stiffness spreading through my limbs. "Sir?" A young nurse walked over, pointing to my forehead. "You're bleeding. Let me bandage that for you." I shook my head. The nurse frowned. "Are you sure? You should get a full scan after a crash like that. Some injuries aren't obvious at first, but internally—" "Noah!" A familiar, commanding voice thundered from the other end of the corridor. A top-tier Alpha in a black trench coat strode toward me, bringing a gust of winter chill with him. His aggressive, S-class pheromones flooded the hallway, the invisible pressure sending the nurse scurrying away in fear. Declan stopped in front of me. Looking down, his voice was dark. "Why?" "What?" I looked up at him. My thoughts were sluggish. I didn't process what he meant. Declan stared at me, his eyes devoid of warmth. "Just because I brought Caleb home, you wanted to kill him? Is that it?" So, that’s what he thought. He thought I crashed the car on purpose to kill Caleb. "I didn't." I lowered my head. "I mind him. I hate him. But I never thought about killing him." Declan didn't hesitate. He roared, his anger palpable. "Then why are you sitting here without a scratch while he’s in there fighting for his life?!" His words made the world stop. A coldness rushed from my limbs to my chest. I tilted my face up slowly. My voice was raspy. "So... the one dying should be me, right?" But Declan... I am your Omega. Just because I’m alive, am I automatically the villain? "Noah, you better pray he's okay." Declan ignored my pale face. "Otherwise, I will make you pay back every ounce of pain he suffers, ten times over." My heart felt like it had been flash-frozen. It physically hurt. I turned my head stiffly, refusing to look at him. "If I give you my life in exchange for his, would that be enough?" Declan looked impatient. "I told you. I let Caleb stay in the guest house because he has a severe gland disorder. He needs my pheromones to stabilize his symptoms temporarily. We are not—" "Excuse me." Two police officers walked over. "Are you Mr. Noah Vance?" I nodded. "Yes." "We just came from the crash site. We have some questions. Is now a good time?" The other officer added, "We towed your vehicle. The driver's side is destroyed. You must have taken a hard hit. Are you sure you're medically fit to answer questions?" Before I could speak, Declan looked at me, frowning. "Noah, are you injured?" 2. Declan’s gaze swept over my forehead. "It's just a scratch," he scoffed. "Compared to the person dying inside, it's nothing." I smiled. It was a self-deprecating smile, born of exhaustion. Right. Compared to Caleb, I was nothing to Declan. "I'm fine," I told the officer softly. "Ask away." "Mr. Vance, why did your vehicle suddenly veer into the statue?" "Brake failure," I whispered. "As we neared the hospital, the brakes just... stopped working." "When was your last inspection?" the officer asked. "Last month," Declan interjected, his voice deep. "His car is serviced by professionals every quarter." The officer took notes. "Where were you taking the passenger, Mr. Caleb Ross?" "To the hospital." "Don't lie!" Declan snapped. "Caleb's check-up isn't scheduled for today." I explained, "He suddenly felt sick. He begged me to drive him." "Impossible," Declan cut me off. "Caleb is terrified of you. He avoids you like the plague. Why would he ask you for help?" He glared at me. "Besides, you're hostile toward him. I don't believe you would willingly drive him anywhere." "I'm not lying." I closed my eyes, my voice trembling. "He said if I didn't drive him, he'd call you. He’d beg you to take him." "I... I didn't want you to take him." Declan frowned. "Why?" My lips parted, but I said nothing. Why? Because you are my Alpha. Because I love you. Before we even got married, I had loved you for a long, long time. "Do you remember the moment of the accident?" the officer asked. "After the brakes failed, we picked up speed. There was a red light ahead. People in the crosswalk." "I had no choice. To avoid the pedestrians, I slammed the wheel to the right." I frowned, trying to recall through the fog in my brain. "But I specifically maneuvered to protect the passenger side. He shouldn't be in critical condition..." My thoughts cut off abruptly. I looked at the officers blankly. "Are you... do you suspect me too?" "Sorry," the officer said. "The investigation is ongoing. We cannot rule out foul play yet. You cannot leave the city until we close the case." The police left. The corridor returned to a deadly silence. I felt incredibly tired. I leaned my head back against the wall and asked Declan calmly, "Do you really want to send me to prison?" If I went to jail for reckless driving, you and Caleb could finally be together properly. Declan sat next to me, his expression grim. "You did something dangerous and despicable. Isn't prison the punishment you deserve?" I gave a tired laugh. "Yeah..." Punishment. Because I was despicable. I used my family's connections to become Declan's Omega. I naively thought he would eventually love me. The silent companionship, the carefully prepared meals. The way I offered myself like a sacrifice whenever his Rut hit. Looking back, it was all a joke. "Noah." Declan interrupted my thoughts coldly. "You can actually smile right now? I overestimated your sense of shame." A strange, dull ache began to spread from my left side. I clenched my fist, pressing it against my ribs. I called his name softly. "Declan." Ignoring his cruelty, I asked carefully, "Do you regret marrying me?" 3. I knew I would marry Declan when I was nineteen. "Noah, count your lucky stars," my stepmother sneered. "If you hadn't presented as an Omega, the Sterling family would have canceled this engagement immediately." "With Declan Sterling's status, even top-tier Omegas would kill to stand next to him." I thought I was lucky, too. Not because of the wealth. But because I could marry the man I had silently loved for years. But the happiness didn't last. Before graduation, Declan found me. He didn't recognize me. He looked at me coldly. "I need you to reject the engagement." "You can blame it on me. Make up any reason." I stared at my shoes, digging my nails into my palms. "Can I ask why?" Declan laughed. He looked at me like I was a child. His voice softened. "You're an Omega. It's better if it comes from you." I was mesmerized by his sudden gentleness. "Is it because you're in love with someone else?" "No." His eyes darkened. "It's because I just broke up with him." I found out later. The person he broke up with was Caleb. I married Declan anyway. I thought: He's single now. What if? What if he learns to like me? If, after a year, he still doesn't love me, I'll initiate the divorce. Just let me stay by his side for one year. But humans are greedy. Once I was by his side, I wanted the hugs, the kisses, the Marking. I wanted him completely. I even deluded myself into thinking he liked me a little bit. "Hah." Declan scoffed beside me. "If I knew you were capable of this, I never would have compromised. I never would have honored that contract." So, he regretted it. I wanted to laugh it off and say, It's okay. I'll talk to the elders. We can annul it. But I couldn't smile. The pain in my abdomen was escalating. I bit my lip to stop a groan, but my body betrayed me. I slumped sideways, my head hitting Declan’s shoulder. He didn't dodge. Instead, he grabbed my arm roughly. "Sit up!" He looked furious. "Noah, are you acting pitiful now?" I tried to straighten my spine. I shook my head. Weakly, I asked, "Can you buy me a bottle of water?" "Why?" Declan eyed me suspiciously. "Trying to distract me so you can run away?" "No." I breathed through a sharp wave of pain. "Then... I'll go to the restroom." Once I stood up, the pain became bearable. Maybe it was just muscle strain from the crash tensing up. I went to the bathroom and drank tap water from the faucet. I was so thirsty. I splashed cold water on my face. Looking in the mirror, I lifted my shirt. To my surprise, a massive purple bruise was blooming across my left abdomen. It was shocking to look at. Did I hit the console during the crash? I couldn't remember. I dropped my shirt. Declan appeared in the reflection behind me. Before I could speak, he frowned deeply. He turned to the hallway and shouted: "Doctor!" 4. A doctor arrived quickly. Declan pointed at me. "Get him a water." Then he looked at my wet shirt, his expression cold. "What game are you playing now? Get out here and sit down." He dragged me back to the cold metal bench. He sat next to me, guarding me like a prisoner. That was fine. I thought bitterly: When Caleb comes out, Declan will send me to prison anyway. This might be the last time I get to talk to him. I drank the whole bottle of water. Suddenly, dizzy spells hit me. My strength evaporated. "Declan." I leaned back, whispering. "There's something I've wanted to apologize for. I didn't listen to you back then. I didn't refuse the engagement." My heart was pounding violently. I gasped for air. "I lied to you. I said I tried... but I didn't. I was so happy I could marry you." "How could I refuse?" Declan looked at me with confusion. I smiled weakly. "Declan, I've loved you... for so long." "You probably forgot, but we met years ago." We met at my house. My father's company was taking off. He threw a lavish party. My new stepmother—a washed-up Omega actress—moved in with her son, who was three years older than me. My father slapped me in front of everyone because I refused to call them "Mom" and "Brother." The boy, eleven years old, smirked at me from his mother's arms. During the banquet, the boy threw leftover fat and bones into my bowl. I tried to leave. He cornered me in the hallway, forcing me to kneel and call him 'Brother.' I glared at his chubby face. "Get lost." He raised a hand to hit me. I kicked him in the stomach. He fell, wailing like a banshee. I saw Declan then. He stood at the end of the hall. He was taller than me. He had an Alpha inhibitor patch on his neck. He looked cold. I braced myself for him to tell on me. But Declan stepped over the crying boy. "Shut up," he whispered to my stepbrother. "Unless you want to die, tell them you fell." Then he looked at me. "Nice kick." "Go. You're safe now." Declan said I was safe, and I was. My stepbrother never messed with me again. And I never forgot Declan. "Later, we went to the same university." I smiled, though my eyelids were too heavy to keep open. "I was so happy. I tried to manufacture 'accidental' meetings. But every time I stood in front of you, I couldn't speak. I was such an idiot." My head lolled to the side. I whispered, "I've always been stupid, haven't I?" "I thought you'd remember me. I thought you might like me. I thought... you'd believe me." My forehead rested against Declan's shoulder. This time, he didn't push me away. "What is your goal with this story?" Declan’s voice was ice. "I fulfilled the marriage contract. You should be satisfied. I'm just helping a sick friend. Why are you acting like this?" When I didn't answer, Declan grabbed my shoulders and sat me upright. "Noah! Why can't you sit still?" He frowned, looking stern. "What is wrong with you? Are you dizzy?" "I'm just tired." My voice was a breath. "Let me sleep for a while. Just a little while..." "Noah—" I closed my eyes. I didn't hear what he said next.
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