Moon's Beloved

The drive to Eclipse Entertainment was unusually quiet, save for Inseo's playful attempts to lighten the mood. Serin sat in the front seat, her gaze distant as she traced patterns on the car's window. Kairan, ever the silent observer, watched her from the corner of his eye, his presence grounding yet unreadable.

When they arrived, the familiar studio atmosphere helped ease some of Serin's tension. She quickly scanned the room and spotted Junghyun by the mixing console. He was focused on his work, the slight furrow in his brow betraying his concentration.

"Junghyun, what's wrong?" Serin asked, stepping closer. Her voice was laced with concern, her instincts as a protective older sister kicking in.

Junghyun glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "I need backup vocals" he said bluntly.

Serin blinked at him, the weight of the emergency sinking in. "You called me all the way here for that?" she asked with disbelief.

Junghyun nodded not even looking at her.

"You mean to tell me you called me all the way here for backup vocals?!"

He raised a brow, meeting her fury with calm indifference.

A tense silence followed as they locked eyes, both unwilling to back down. Serin's lips twitched in irritation, and Junghyun held her gaze with quiet defiance. Inseo, standing to the side, watched the standoff ,sensing the tension, covered his mouth to stifle a laugh.

"..."

"...."

"..."

"...."

Finally, Serin broke the silence with a sharp kick to Junghyun's shin. "Seriously, you idiot! You had me worried for this?"

He let out a soft, exasperated sigh, catching her wrist mid-swing as she tried to land another playful hit on his arm. His lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile as he held her hand still. "Stop it" he said quietly. "You're acting childish."

"You're childish" Serin narrowed her eyes, huffing in annoyance but relenting.

It was then that Junghyun's sharp eyes caught the puffiness around her eyes. His slight amusement faded as concern replaced it. He released her hand and tilted his head, studying her more closely. "You've been crying" he said, his voice dropping.

Serin stiffened, caught off guard. "I'm fine" she said quickly, averting her gaze.

Junghyun wasn't convinced. His gaze shifted to Kairan, who stood silently nearby, his imposing presence impossible to ignore. For a moment, his protective instincts flared as he connected the dots. Serin's puffy eyes, her evasive answer, and Kairan's uncalled presence, his unreadable expression—it all painted a picture he didn't like.

"I see sir you are here too? Do you have any thing to do with this? Cause.... if so then...."

Stepping closer to Kairan, Junghyun's usual calm demeanor hardened. "I don't care how much authority you have" he said quietly, his tone laced with an unmistakable edge. "If you hurt her, you'll answer to me."

Kairan, unimpressed, raised a brow but remained silent.

"JUNG!" Serin stepped between them, her hand on Junghyun's arm. "It's not like that. Stop."

Before the tension could escalate further, Inseo burst out laughing. "Hyung, seriously, calm down!" he said, practically bouncing on his feet. "He's noona's mate!"

Junghyun froze, his eyes snapping back to Serin in disbelief. "What?"

"Noona's mate! Noona's mate" Inseo was still bouncing ... Literally.

Serin sighed, shooting a glare at Inseo. "Can't you keep your mouth shut for once?"

Kairan rubbed his temple, clearly regretting his decision to accompany them. "Inseo" he muttered, his tone a mixture of irritation and exhaustion.

Junghyun's sharp gaze shifted between Serin and Kairan.

" I have no such thoughts of hurting her Junghyun, rest assure if I am the reason for her tears, I'll cut my head and throw it at you feet myself." Kairan said not leaving junghyun's eyes. Junghyun was quiet looking at him both releasing pheromones but not much to overwhelm others.

Junghyun's protective instincts warred with his sense of reason, but after a tense moment, he let out a resigned sigh. "Fine" he said quietly. "But I'm still watching you."

As the tension in the room began to dissipate, Serin suddenly frowned, her earlier frustration resurfacing. "Wait, Jung, why did you call him sir earlier?"

Junghyun glanced at her briefly. "Because he's my boss."

Both Serin and Inseo froze.

"What?" Serin's voice rose, her eyes darting between Junghyun and Kairan.

"You own Eclipse Entertainment?" Inseo asked, his jaw dropping as he turned to Kairan.

Kairan shrugged nonchalantly. "It never came up."

"It never came up?" Serin repeated, her tone incredulous. "Kairan, how do you conveniently forget to mention you own one of the biggest entertainment companies in the country?"

"I don't handle the creative side, only the business and crisis management. Why would it matter?"

"Unbelievable," she muttered, shaking her head. "And for your information, Mr. President, I work for your company as a hand and feet model. And I choreograph sometimes too."

For the first time, Kairan looked genuinely surprised. "How did I not know this?"

Serin shrugged nonchalantly " it never came up"

Before Kairan could utter a word, the door slammed open, and Ii Hyeok bounded into the room, his usual boundless energy filling the space. "Noona! Hyung!" he called out enthusiastically, moving to hug Serin.

But as he stepped forward, he felt an icy, oppressive aura settle over the room. He froze mid-step, his enthusiasm replaced by wide-eyed panic. Slowly, he turned to face the source of the aura—Kairan.

Ii Hyeok gulped and bowed deeply. "Alpha Kairan" he stammered, his tone nervous.

Serin blinked, confusion crossing her face. "Wait... you know Kairan?"

Inseo smirked, crossing his arms. "Well, he works for him."

"What?" Serin and Junghyun said in unison, their surprise evident.

Kairan raised a brow at Ii Hyeok. "I thought your work as a sniper was meant to remain confidential."

"A sniper?! A nurse being an sniper!?!?" Serin exclaimed, her gaze darting between Kairan and Ii Hyeok.

Ii Hyeok scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's a side job…"

"You can kill people but can't walk away from this FWB mess?" Serin retorted, raising a brow.

The air shifted as Junghyun quietly returned to his work, Kairan seated beside Serin, observing the chaos with mild amusement.

Ii hyeok remained silent lowering his head, Inseo shrugged nonchalantly. "He is okay with it. Besides, he can date other people."

"Oh, really?" Serin shot back, folding her arms. "How can he date when there's someone likes you? You can't just ignore his feelings. Maybe it is better if dates that girl"

Inseo's brows shot up. "What are you talking about?"

"You know who I mean" Serin replied. "She likes him, and they could make a great match. Maybe even get married."

Inseo's eyes narrowed, his face reddening. "He's my mate, noona! My mate!"

Serin's expression hardened. "Then act like it!"

The two siblings started bickering loudly, their voices overlapping in a chaotic mess.

Inseo, frustrated, threw his hands up. "I can't settle! He's an omega!"

The studio fell into tense silence after Inseo's outburst, his words hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break. Serin crossed her arms, her sharp gaze fixed on her younger brother, while Ii Hyeok stood off to the side, his head bowed and his hands clenched tightly.

"Inseo" Serin said, her voice calm but carrying a warning edge, "what are you even saying?"

"I'm saying what's true!" Inseo shot back, his frustration bubbling over. "I can't settle down! He's an omega, noona. It's.....it's different for us alphas!"

Serin's jaw clenched, and she stepped closer to him, forcing him to meet her piercing gaze. "Different for you? What does that even mean? Are you listening to yourself right now?"

Inseo faltered for a moment, but his defiance returned. "He's not like me! He—he's soft, and—and—"

"And he's standing right here" Serin interrupted coldly, her tone like ice. "Look at him, Inseo. That's your mate you're talking about. The one person the Moon Goddess chose for you. And you're treating him like this?"

Ii Hyeok's shoulders tensed, but he didn't lift his gaze.

Inseo's hands balled into fists. "You don't understand, noona. I'm not ready for this. I don't want to be tied down!"

Serin took a deep breath, reigning in her frustration. "You think I don't understand? I raised you, Inseo. Do you think I don't know what's in your heart?"

Her words hit their mark, and Inseo hesitated, his gaze dropping for a moment before he looked back at her.

"You don't get it" he said, his voice quieter now but still firm. "You were always so strong, so perfect. You didn't have to deal with—"

"I didn't have to deal with what?" Serin cut him off, stepping closer. "With being hated by our mother? With being told I was too different, too much, too weak yet too powerful to be loved?"

Inseo flinched, but she didn't stop.

"You think you're the only one she tried to poison with her twisted ideas?" Serin's voice cracked slightly, but she kept her composure. "She hated me too, Inseo. She hated everything I represented. And I fought tooth and nail to prove her wrong. She hit junghyun because my powers were supposed to be for an alpha him, but he didn't have it she made his childhood a hell!!!. Don't you dare use her lies as an excuse to push Ii Hyeok away."

"I told you, noona, it's not the same for me!" Inseo shouted, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and desperation.

Serin crossed her arms, her sharp gaze cutting through him. "And I told you, Inseo, that's a pathetic excuse. You're running away, and for what? Because you're scared? Because our mother poisoned your head with her nonsense?"

Inseo flinched at the mention of their mother but quickly fired back, "You always act like you know everything, like you're so perfect! But you don't understand what it's like for me! I can't just__"

"You can't just what? Love your mate? Accept the bond the Moon Goddess gave you?" Serin's voice was firm, unyielding. "What are you so afraid of, Inseo?"

"I'm not afraid!" he yelled, though the crack in his voice betrayed him.

Serin took a step closer, her tone softening but still resolute. "Then stop acting like a coward, Inseo. Look at Ii Hyeok. He's standing there, waiting for you to stop being an idiot and see him for who he is....your mate. The one person who's meant to complete you."

Ii Hyeok's head snapped up at her words, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears, but he remained silent.

Inseo's gaze darted to his mate before he turned back to Serin, desperation clear in his eyes. "You don't get it, noona. I can't—" He paused, swallowing hard. "I won't end up like Junghyun!"

Serin froze, her eyes narrowing. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Inseo hesitated, then, with a burst of anger, he blurted, "Mother was right about Taejung, wasn't she? He left Junghyun heartbroken. What if—what if Ii Hyeok does the same to me? What if—"

"Don't" a low, dangerous voice cut through the air.

Everyone turned to Junghyun, who had been silently watching from the corner. His expression was calm, but the sharp edge in his voice made the room feel colder. He rose from his chair, slowly and deliberately, his aura heavy with restrained fury.

"Don't you fucking dare involve Taejung in this" Junghyun said, his voice deadly quiet.

Inseo faltered, his eyes widening. "Hyung, I didn't mean—"

"Don't!" Junghyun interrupted, stepping closer. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "You don't know anything about what happened, so keep my mate's fucking name out of your mouth."

The room was silent, the tension suffocating. Even Ii Hyeok looked uneasy as Junghyun's usually composed demeanor cracked.

Serin, sensing the shift, stepped between her brothers. "Enough, both of you" she said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension.

Junghyun's jaw tightened, but he didn't say anything further. Serin turned to Inseo, her eyes blazing.

"Inseo, stop hiding behind other people's pain to justify your own fear" she said sharply. "You're not Junghyun, and Ii Hyeok isn't Taejung. Stop making excuses and take responsibility for your actions."

Inseo looked away, guilt flickering in his expression.

"And as for Taejung" Serin continued, her voice softer, even sadder now, "you don't know the whole story."

Junghyun's head snapped toward her, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell is that about, Noona?"

Serin hesitated for a moment, then sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Taejung didn't leave because he wanted to... He was forced to leave."

The words hung in the air like a bombshell, leaving everyone stunned.