AOA 89

I looked at Baek Mugyeong beside me, half in disbelief. He, too, had his gaze locked in the direction where Baek Yeongseop was fighting. His eyes gleamed like a predator ready to pounce on its prey.

That was an immediate red flag.

“Baek Mugyeong-ssi.”

I called his name, but he didn’t respond. If he jumped into the fight now, it would be a disaster.

“Snap out of it.”

I shook his arm in panic. Slowly, he turned his head toward me. His eyes were sharp, like a finely honed blade. It made my skin crawl and my scalp prickle.

I couldn’t tell whether Baek Mugyeong had come to his senses or not. But I didn’t have time to wait.

“Let’s go. Now.”

Deciding I couldn’t leave it to chance, I grabbed his hand and pulled. His palm felt hot, like a furnace.

“…Jeong Minchae?”

“Yes, it’s me. Come this way.”

When I tugged with more force, Baek Mugyeong finally moved, his body stiff as stone until then. Just then, an alpha dove into the fray.

Pushing through the crowd of betas murmuring and spectating, I led Baek Mugyeong out of the art museum building.

Outside, there were others who seemed to be alphas and omegas. Im Songyoon and the women who had been with her were all deathly pale. Several men who appeared to be alphas were shaking their heads.

“Are you okay?”

In a quiet corner, I checked on Baek Mugyeong. His face looked a bit paler than usual.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Really?”

“Thank you, Jeong Minchae. You can let go now.”

That’s when I realized I was still holding his hand. His palm, which had been burning hot, was now back to normal.

Feeling a bit awkward, I let go.

“Hey, do you know what happened back there?”

Even though the mood had become a bit strained, I asked out of curiosity, just in case.

Alphas and Omegas often couldn’t control their pheromones depending on their mood. It was especially bad with alphas. I could understand Baek Yeongseop getting hit and reacting with irritation by releasing pheromones. But seeing four alphas unleash pheromones at once was a first for me.

What was even stranger was how omegas fled like avoiding toxic gas, while the alphas looked ready to charge in and ended up brawling.

“Alpha Hazard.”

“Alpha Hazard?”

It wasn’t a familiar term, but I remembered what it meant. It was when alphas lost control and fought among themselves.

Alphas typically hated the pheromones of other alphas. When a worked-up alpha was provoked, they instinctively emitted pheromones and rampaged. Half-losing their mind, they’d beat down any nearby alphas and go berserk. Then other alphas would get swept up too. On the flip side, omegas would flee in terror.

I’d read about a case in the US where over ten alphas got entangled in a fight, several ended up dead, and it caused a huge incident. I never thought I’d witness something I only knew as theory happening right in front of me.

Baek Mugyeong glanced at the museum building and sighed.

“It happens sometimes. Since Baek Yeongseop’s involved, it’s going to be noisy.”

His explanation made me come to senses. This kind of incident hadn’t happened before my regression. Back then, Baek Mugyeong and I had just greeted Im Songyoon and left, so we had no idea what happened afterward.

But if alphas had gone berserk and fought, the rumor would’ve spread somehow. Even if the Daesong Group’s secretariat blocked the press, they couldn’t silence all the witnesses.

“How do you stop it?”

“A beta has to step in. Or wait until they tire themselves out.”

Since betas aren’t affected by pheromones, they could intervene. But the real problem now was dealing with the aftermath.

As I looked at the museum, where the scent of pheromones still wafted like a stench, Baek Sujin approached.

“So that’s where you were, Mugyeong. Are you alright? You were close by.”

Baek Sujin looked just as pale.

“I’m fine. What about you, Aunt?”

“I’m okay. I was a bit farther away. What about you, Minchae? Omegas are sensitive to this stuff. Some even fainted.”

She pointed to a bench where a woman was collapsed. I recognized her as the wife of the pharmaceutical company CEO introduced earlier.

“I’m fine too.”

They say omegas feel fear during an alpha hazard, but aside from thinking the pheromone stench was strong, I felt nothing.

When Baek Yeongseop picked a fight and called me a freak, I hadn’t even felt much. I must really be immune to alpha pheromones. Even when alphas like Lee Jeonguk or Baek Yeongseop suddenly released theirs, I didn’t react at all.

Still, I didn’t feel the need to get tested. Even if something was wrong with me, I was fine with it. Being sensitive to alpha pheromones would only make life harder.

“You’re tough. That’s good then. Mugyeong, this thing, alpha hazard, right? Alphas exploding with pheromones?”

“Yes.”

“It will be a headache to cover it up.”

Despite her words, a subtle smile spread on Baek Sujin’s face. Rather than worrying about how to deal with the situation, she looked delighted that Baek Yeongseop had messed up.

Baek Yeongseop was the poster boy for trashy third-generation chaebols. He’d mellowed with age and wasn’t as wild anymore, but this was serious.

Getting involved with a woman who already had a lover, getting her pregnant, and pushing for an abortion was questionable enough. But for her boyfriend to come and cause a public scene? That was definitely a problem.

The alphas brawling in Daesong Group’s museum was another huge issue. Especially since it happened during a major exhibition, it would be a stain on Director Im Songyoon’s name.

It was widely assumed that Baek Jaehan and his only son, Baek Yeongseop, would inherit the Daesong Group. But if this kind of owner risk continued, that assumption would have to change.

Many companies had disappeared from history because of one poor decision by their owner. Even a conglomerate as big as Daesong wasn’t immune if these incidents kept piling up.

Chairman Baek Jinseok had already put Baek Mugyeong forward as a rival to Baek Yeongseop. He’d even promised to hand over DS Motors if he gave him a great-grandson alpha. That alone showed Baek Jinseok wasn’t planning to pass everything to Baek Yeongseop.

He wasn’t about to put all his eggs in one basket.

With that in mind, I glanced back and forth between Baek Mugyeong and Baek Sujin as they chatted.

Ambitious Baek Sujin was doing a stellar job running the Daesong hotels and department stores. Sure, she’d have to quit the moment Baek Jinseok gave the word, but her reputation was excellent.

If Baek Jinseok bent even slightly on his preference for males and alphas, Baek Sujin and her children could become viable alternatives to Baek Jaehan and Baek Yeongseop. Especially if the focus was limited to the hotels and department stores she already managed, the odds were good.

This was clearly a great opportunity for Baek Sujin.

For Baek Mugyeong, though, it was hard to tell. He wanted to return to the US, but judging from Baek Yeongseop’s recent antics, that seemed unlikely. If I were Baek Jinseok, I’d give DS Motors to Baek Mugyeong.

Of course, if that happened, divorce would be off the table.

One accident caused by Baek Yeongseop, and all the future plans were at risk of crumbling. I barely held back a sigh.

Nothing in this world came easy.

“Jeong Minchae.”

“…Yes?”

“You should head back first. There are still a lot of alphas inside. It’ll take some time.”

Baek Mugyeong had stopped talking with Baek Sujin and addressed me. I had been lost in thought and responded a beat too late.

There was something I needed to discuss with him today. If I went back now, who knew when I’d get the chance to see him again.

“I’m fine. I’ll stay.”

I had to settle things today, no matter what. I looked at him, and Baek Mugyeong gave a small nod.

Before long, a police car arrived.

The situation was escalating fast. I couldn’t begin to imagine how this incident would alter the future.

*

An ambulance came shortly after the police car. Paramedics tended to the unconscious, but the police weren’t allowed into the museum due to security intervention.

Im Songyoon acted decisively. She evacuated all visitors from the museum, closed off the building, and smuggled Baek Yeongseop out.

No one knew his condition. But seeing the other alphas who had fought with him being carried away with broken limbs and bloodied faces made it easy to guess.

It didn’t take long for the situation to be brought under control. By then, most of the onlookers had already fled the scene in their cars.

I hadn’t seen my stepmother before the police arrived. She must have left early. Just to be sure, I called her to confirm she was safe. It wasn’t because I was worried, just to avoid being blamed later. My biological father would definitely scold me about checking in on the adults.

Im Songyoon, who had been half out of it earlier, quickly composed herself and didn’t stay long either. Baek Sujin and Baek Mugyeong offered to help, but she firmly declined and said she’d handle it herself.

That gave me a chance to speak with Baek Mugyeong.