"Tiwa!" His bandmates shout excitedly as he arrives at the dressing room and closes the door behind him. His heart thumps heavily in his chest as he clings to the door, not realizing his bandmates are standing in front of him with confused looks on their faces. His mind races about what would occur if he didn't manage to evade the alpha.
A chilling sensation runs through his spine as he remains on edge from the recent encounter with a crazy alpha who attempted to capture him just moments ago. He swallows hard and looks over at his bandmates, his eyes already searching for his brother. He needs him. He fucking needs him now.
Once he finds Jaran getting out of the bathroom, he seeks to approach him, but his legs remain quiet. It feels like his feet are rooted to the floor, unable to move. Despite his best efforts to push through the fear, he stands still, helpless, and frustrated.
Jaran runs over and pulls Tiwa against him, feeling the shiver in the younger one's body. When he understands what is going on, he holds Tiwa's weight and drags him to another empty room. He sits on a chair and pulls Tiwa into his lap, holding him tight and rocking him back and forth.
"H-He..." Tiwa stutters, removing his glasses and spilling more fresh tears as he recalls the worst moment. The words stop in his throat in fear, so he buries his face in the crook of Jaran's neck and breathes in the scent to calm his nerves. "...Chasing me!"
Jaran clenches his fist in anger but tries to control himself, not wanting to scare Tiwa away. Even if he tries, his nature forces its way out and shows his emotions by clutching his little brother tighter and clawing the soft skin. The warmth from him radiates the fire of frustration and resentment that burns within.
Desperately, Jaran separates himself from Tiwa and offers him a gentle smile. "Hey," he says softly. He tilts Tiwa's chin and gently wipes away the tears, attempting to provide comfort. "You know I'm here for you."
Tiwa averts his gaze and flinches slightly, but Jaran insists on making eye contact again. He wipes away the remaining tears and offers a gentle nod before throwing himself on Jaran, wrapping his arms tightly around him. "I'm scared," he admits vulnerably.
"Why do you scare?" Jaran asks, soothing Tiwa's back and tracing circles on it. "He's nothing. Now and then! Whenever he gets in your eyes that I'm not with you, please imagine me with you. Nothing will scare you away."
Tiwa pulls away and looks Jaran in the eyes, giving him a slight nod. He admits his brother is right. He doesn't fear anything if Jaran is with him. It is convenient to imagine some things. He was good before Pravat got into his life. And he will be even better if he doesn't get caught in Pravat's eyes again.
Shortly after, they exit the room and instruct their bandmates to gather their belongings before leaving. While heading toward the car, Tiwa notices Pravat scowling and fixing his gaze on him. The anger is exactly what Tiwa had anticipated—wrathful and genuine fury. Pravat's fiery nature is both a strength and a weakness for him as an alpha who is unable to control his intense emotions.
With passion, liveliness, and boundless energy, Pravat approaches everything he does with the utmost seriousness, whether it be love or hate. He puts his entire being into action; it's ingrained in his very nature. That's why Tiwa knows after what he has done, Pravat will be relentless in coming after him like a vigilant hawk. He knows it. It doesn't change anything.
Jaran glares at the sight of Pravat, fists clenching at his sides, but Tiwa holds him back from creating any drama. They quietly get into the car and sit in comfortable silence. Their hearts are beating rapidly for various purposes.
Breaking the silence with a soft voice, Jaran asks, "Aren't you nervous?"
"Nope, I'm going to be that bold, outgoing, friendly guy like you!" Tiwa replies with a small smile, trying to reassure Jaran and alleviate his worries.
"That's what I want from you, Tiwa." Jaran smiles sheepishly, raking his fingers through his little brother's soft hair that falls slightly over his face.
"I love you, brother," Tiwa responds, squeezing Jaran's hand lovingly from across the console of their sleek maroon vehicle. It is their very first car, and ever since they brought it from home, they haven't left it alone.
***
Pravat growls low in his throat as he passes by Wasan Panthong, a fellow alpha, who used to give him headaches just like 'The Prides of Music'. His mind is stuck on what happened earlier. He can't believe that he let a tiny omega skid out of his hands. He underestimated Tiwa, not expecting him to be so clever.
Wasan stops, turning on his heel and puffing out his chest in a show of dominance, not knowing what's going on. He thought that Pravat began to fight with him voluntarily. "Growl at me one more time, boy, and see what happens," he says coldly.
Pravat steps forward, a red haze clouding the edges of his vision. "What are you going to do, you hillbilly shit?" He forcefully shoves Wasan against the wall, pressing his forearm onto the other alpha's throat.
Wasan laughs. "You're no better than an omega, bitch."
"Bitch!" Pravat snaps, grabbing Wasan by the neck and throwing him to the ground. He pounces on top of him, landing three quick left hooks to the jaw. "What did you call me?! I ain't a bitch!" He roars, his knuckles splitting against Wasan's teeth as blood stains the other man's face.
In his daze, he barely hears Faisol screeching for security behind him as he continues making ground beef of Wasan. "Get off of him, Pravat! Now!" The manager orders. "Security!"
Strong arms pull Pravat off Wasan, blood dripping from his knuckles and claws. "Pravat, stop it. It's over. You don't want a murder on your head, do you?" A deep, familiar voice cut through the alpha's rage, causing him to wilt in his grasp on the securities. "This is your first strike. One more…"
Pravat rolls his eyes and watches as the securities tend to Wasan, who is spitting blood on the ground.
"You will pay for this, idiot! You will pay!" Wasan laughs, wiping blood from his busted nose. He pushes the securities away as he rises unsteadily to his feet. He staggers toward his car to patch his wounds and plot revenge.
Pravat clenches his fists and turns to Faisol, who is shouting mindlessly with a fire burning in his eyes. "What the hell did you think you were doing?! Attacking another alpha unprovoked like that? Are you trying to prove that I'm wrong by selecting you? Because if that's what you were trying to do, it would prove it, Pravat."
Pravat looks away in anger and scowls at Wasan, who is starting the car furiously. It seems like the other alpha is going to hit a truck or tree in a few minutes. He shakes his head and glances up at Faisol, who is glaring at him with narrow eyes.
"You're becoming more volatile during your rut that remains unfulfilled. If I witness another incident like earlier, I will have to take drastic measures to ensure the safety of others. So, either find a mate or find someone to satisfy your needs; it doesn't matter who. Just have someone by your side during your ruts." Faisol shouts, jabbing a finger into Pravat's chest.
Pravat swats the hand away and growls in response. "I don't need someone! I have someone very close to my heart." He scoffs and storms out of the place, flinging a one-finger salute in the manager's direction.