FLASHBACK ENDS. This is where she goes nuts and this part is connected to the future updates.

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[PRESENT]

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Jungkook's heart pounded in his chest as he burst through the hospital's sliding glass doors, almost slipping on the pristine floors before steadying himself. He looked like a wreck with his still wet hair disheveled and all over the place. He had grabbed the first thing he saw in the closet and rushed out with his phone and cards.

The baggy pants and the checker sweatshirt wasn't a match made in heaven but that would do given his predicament. His breath came out as ragged gasps as he rushed to the reception desk.

"Ha Kwan, regular omega with a head injury," he inquired.

The front office staff looked skeptical. "Um...sorry, sir. I think you must be mistaken. We don't take in regular wolves. You should be heading to the Seoul National Healthcare for regular wolves."

Jungkook shook his head. "No. He must have arrived in an ambulance just now. Dr. Jia made all the arrangements. Please check your system once."

"I'm sorry, sir. But Dr. Jia doesn't have any regular omega as her patients. Our hospital doesn't allow—"

"I'm her patient," he cut her off. "I came here with Mrs. Park Hye-Jin before. My name is Jeon Jungkook. Just look at the records for once. It's fucking urgent."

Jungkook wasn't someone who cursed out loud that easily but situations like this had no restraint over his patience. This receptionist was giving him the usual bullshit and he was in no mood to put up with it today.

He could tell he was garnering a lot of attention but that didn't deter him. "Look," he insisted. "Please. It's a matter of life and death. Do you have to think about our societal differences even in this situation? It's just gonna take a couple of seconds."

"What's your friend's name again?"

"Kwan. Ha Kwan."

The receptionist went to check the system with a frown and nodded curtly. There was a trace of surprise on her face before she looked back at him. "Ha Kwan, age twenty-one?"

"Yes." Jungkook felt his breath whoosh out.

"He's in the emergency care unit." She typed away. "It doesn't specify the reason for his admission or his status as a regular wolf. It just says emergency admission permitted by Dr. Jia. Are you his guardian?"

"Yes," Jungkook replied without hesitation.

"Alright. We've been waiting for the guardian since his arrival." She glanced at him. "You must know that regular wolf health insurance isn't accepted here and this is not standard healthcare. Our hospital requires one million won security deposit for any regular wolf who wants to access the high end treatment offered here, especially to afford a doctor like Jia. So you have to pay the prices set by this hospital management in advance." She smiled tightly as she produced a printed bill. "Please pay it in advance so your friend can continue to receive uninterrupted treatment instead of getting shifted to the Seoul Standard Healthcare."

Jungkook glared at the beta who looked indifferent and judgmental. If it was some other time, he'd have had no option but to plead for mercy. But now he had not one but two alphas backing him up. One was his brother. He swallowed tightly.

"I'll pay," he said, grabbing his wallet and flipping through the black cards inside them. There were three. One from his alpha, one from his brother and one from his future mother in law. His own account was also being set up and now he understood why it was necessary to have his own team at his disposal. The omega clenched his jaw as he slid his alpha's card across the counter. "Here. You can charge the bill to this card."

The beta's eyes widened and all the smugness seemed to evaporate from her face. She eyed the card, reaching for it with trepidation. "Park Jimin?" She read out loud.

"That's right," he said. "That's my alpha."

She looked suspicious but smiled anyway. "Sure, sir. Please wait while I process the payment and fulfill the standard procedure of the hospital. We will require you to sign the consent forms as a part of the procedure." She produced a token. "Here's your token. Your number will appear here when it's your turn."

Jungkook nodded curtly and grabbed the small circular token before going to the waiting area. He continued to text with his friends, getting updates on Kwan. Duri was outside the emergency care while Cho, who just arrived, headed there. His other friends were on the way. So he waited for his turn.

His heart raced with fear for his friend and his mind brought up all the past trauma associated with the hospitals. The last of his teen years were spent in hospitals caring for his beloved father, who still passed away despite all the attempts to save his life. The memories were never pleasant.

Waiting with uncertainty killed him from the inside. Every second ticked away felt like the sound of a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Every time his phone vibrated with a new text or a phone call, Jungkook tensed, fearing the worst. As of now, there was nothing he could do but wait.

His mind was a blur. It decided to conjure every moment he spent with Kwan in the past. The thought of losing him alone was unbearable. He was there throughout his father's ordeal, even taking over his shifts at the last minute so he wouldn't lose the job. Kwan had been his pillar of support morally and physically so he didn't know what he would do if something were to happen to Kwan.

Kwan's alpha Siwoo was informed and was on his way. Kwan's parents were also on their way, but his treatment couldn't wait. His knees bounced and he chewed at his bottom lip as he stared aimlessly at the floor. He was lost in his thoughts when he felt someone tap on his shoulder.

Did his friends arrive already?

He glanced up only to see three uniformed cops surrounding him. "Excuse, sir. Can you step aside with us for a moment?"

Jungkook stood with a frown and pointed the index finger at his own chest. "Me?"

"Yes, you."

One of the omega cops put a hand around him, guiding him away from the waiting area. "We're just going to have a talk."

"A talk?" Jungkook's frown deepened. "Is it about my friend Kwan?" he asked innocently. "My friends said it was an accident and he slipped on the stairs."

The cops cast him a glance and one spoke up. "We don't know anything about your friend Kwan. But what we do know is that you're a thief, who steals people's black cards and pretends as if you have no clue how illegal that is."

They stopped midway between the reception counter and the waiting area, in the wide hallway.

"What?" Jungkook blinked. "I didn't steal them."

"Hand me your wallet, please." One of the cops demanded. "We were told you have more cards in there."

Jungkook pulled out his wallet and handed it to the guy. "I'm a student. The card belongs to my alpha."

The cop sifted through his wallet. "Your alpha." He quirked a brow. "Just how many alphas do you have, boy?"

Anger and irritation surged through Jungkook and he clenched his jaw. "Just one. Park Jimin." He notched his chin.

"But that isn't the name here." He pulled out a card. "Kim Taehyung as in actor Kim Taehyung?" He cocked a brow. "Boy, you got some serious skills."

"Sir, I request you do not jump into some imaginary conclusion and peg me as someone I'm not," Jungkook said in a stern voice. "You may call the respective owners of the card to verify the authenticity."

The cops scoffed and one burst out into laughter. "He's good," the omega cop said. "He sounds so innocent that I almost believed him."

"He also seems to believe in that bullshit," the alpha cop grimaced. "Listen, sweetheart, we understand your predicament. Your friend is in need and you're trying to help, but stealing has some serious consequences, especially if you mess with the purebreds."

Alarm blared through his entire system as he registered what was happening. His alpha wasn't here to handle the situation and even Aera hasn't arrived yet. He didn't think he could get into trouble for this. He used Jimin's card because he had a valid explanation for that. Jungkook glanced around, watching every gaze in the room fixated on him and swallowed.

"Wait." He grabbed his phone. "I can call my alpha," he suggested. "Video call. He can confirm I'm not a thief." He tried to dial Jimin's number but the alpha cop confiscated his phone.

"No phone calls. You have the right to remain silent." He cuffed him. "We will talk in the station."

"What?" Jungkook tugged at the restraints. "You can't do this. You didn't even try to verify my claims. At least let me call my lawyer. Please..."

Another pushed him from the back. "Keep walking. Don't cause a scene here. We will charge you with public disturbance too."

"What?"

Jungkook gasped as they began to drag him through the long corridors, heart pounding in his chest just as one of his friends burst through the hospital doors. It was Eui. "Call my alpha," he mouthed. "Now!"

The cops who were pulling him away didn't notice him because they were too busy talking among themselves about all the paperwork laid ahead of them and how the youngsters these days were brazen to commit a crime like this.

Eui, whose eyes were wide like saucers, nodded furiously before running outside the hospital and disappearing from their plain view.

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A/N: This was the cliffie I was hinting at before taking a break but no one took me seriously 😂 I wanted to post more, but it'll lose the suspense if I dumped everything at once. Will be back in two days. Bye-Bye.