Each sentence was like a punch to the gut. He'd known how much pain and misery Jin was in—or he thought he had—but hearing him say it aloud made it that much more real. Ahn-Bo had known a bit about the pendant: that it controlled Jin in some way to do the Collector's bidding. Sometimes, it would hurt him as punishment. But he hadn't been aware how intrinsically linked it was to Jin himself. "I’m bound to it, to him, body and soul." The wolf's entire body stiffened. Every cell in his body rejected the statement with conviction. No. Those were his. Body. Soul. Jin. They were his.

Ahn-Bo stood his ground against the tirade until the very end. The final hit had been the one to knock the wind from him. The most unexpected ones always hurt the worst. Perhaps if Jin had worded things differently, it wouldn't have triggered the fierce need to protect and claim what was his. He crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly, the robe still fisted in his right hand. The sleeves brushed the stone floor, dirtying the pristine fabric.

The wolf let out a single, harsh laugh. "You're a fucking idiot, jagiya." He calmly emphasized the word, a thick layer of steel beneath his words. "I'm never leaving without you. Never." Now it was his turn to take a step closer. "You belong to me, Jin-a. Body, soul, heart—all of it. Understand?"