???? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???????? [[?.?.? + ?.?.?]]

Taehyung who is unaware of what just happened comes out of the shower to notice new items placed on the table.

It is a note and a rose.

Furrowing his brows, Taehyung reads the note.

"If I could love you, I would but if I couldn't, I wish to at least protect you. The rose isn't important but what is hidden inside it will help you escape from the other alphas and also, from myself."

Taehyung looks inside the rose to see two pheromone-suppressing pills lying between the rose buds and gasps in shock before bursting out in tears.

Someone has brought a miracle to him.

In year 3610, there was a phenomenon in which the omega in the game made it through unscathed by successfully hiding from the alphas until they eventually killed one another off in competition.

With this pills, there is a heightened chance in which Taehyung can repeat history by evading the attention of all the alphas in the game - he just has to outlive them now.

But the thing is - who gave these pills to him?

Certainly not the people from the capitol, they wouldn't want to destroy their own game like that.

Could it really be that one of the alpha contestants that gave this to Taehyung with the intention to sacrifice himself?

Suddenly, Taehyung feels immensely hopeful and emotional.

Though the note was written anonymously, Taehyung can still catch onto the lingering scent of Jungkook through it.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, allowing the dominating scent to invade his senses.

Taehyung is unexpectedly soothed as if he is inside the embrace of this alpha.

He decides to remember this alpha's gentleness.

"Thank you..." Taehyung mutters to himself gratefully, feeling protected for the first time ever since his name is announced as tribute.

***

On the day of the event, Taehyung secretly consumes the pills.

Among the cheers of the spectating crowd in the stadium, all he hears is the beat to his own palpitating heart.

Taehyung is so nervous and scared but at least he feels a tiny bit safer because of the alpha he doesn't know is named Jungkook.

Eventually, the alphas leave the sickening stadium first to descend into a simulated playing arena to familiarise with the pseudo forest-like setup.

Jungkook along with the 99 other alphas are stunned to see that everything looks so real.

The sky looks so real, the mountains looks so real and the water bodies, trees and animals all look so real.

Jungkook has to keep reminding himself that all these are fake.

This is all an indoor simulation made from advanced technology with cameras everywhere to detect their every move.

Every move of theirs is under surveillance.

Jungkook rolls his eyes and scans the area to familiarise with the environmental details.

The game hasn't officially start but tension is already dominating the entire region because the alphas all know that once the announcer screams "begin!" - they will really have to start killing one another.

An hour later, Taehyung is sent into the arena a fair distance away from the alphas' locations and the game officially begins.

"3 2 1 begin! May the odds be in your favour," the alphas and Taehyung hear the announcement blasts from the simulated sky above and immediately enter a fight-or-flight mode.