Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Jungkook: 10
Jimin: 12

The sound of the wind moving through the leaves of the trees was soothing for the both of them.

“Did you hear? They say Head Alpha Jeon has an omega lover from one of the rogues. And he had an alpha child from that omega,” the beta said, leaning back against the tree behind him as he looked at the omega in front of him.

“Is that so?” Jimin replied, continuing to press the neatly turned soil down along the edges. He glanced at his friend, his expression tightening slightly. “Head Omega Sooyoung must be very upset.”

Hoseok nodded in agreement. “Yeah. Especially since she doesn’t have a child of her own. Now she’ll have to accept that stray.”

Jimin carefully placed the seeds into the small trench he had dug and let out a quiet breath. “I feel sorry for the kid. Being thrown straight into this mess and forced to carry the responsibility of being the leader’s son. I hope he doesn’t suffer much.”

The beta sighed as well. “I’m not even sure how the pack will accept him. All of them love the Head Omega. I hope Head Alpha doesn’t try to cast her aside for that child and bring in some outsider instead.”

Jimin had finished placing the seeds and was covering them again with soil using the small tool in his hand. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his other hand, a faint, sorrowful smile on his face. “Alpha Jeon isn’t exactly known for his mercy. Who knows what will happen?”

It might not have been ordinary for two boys of twelve and thirteen to be discussing pack politics, but life in these lands was harsh, so it was only natural of them.

Like how until just last year, Jimin had been in one of the wealthiest and most respected families in the pack.

But of course that was before his father angered Alpha Jeon and was cast out of the pack with just his head over his shoulders.

Jimin never learned the full story. The only thing he knew was the way his mother was crying every night before bed, trying to hide her cries from him, and the way his father, on the night he was exiled, made him promise to take care of his mother from now on.

Maybe he was only twelve, but as he looked over the garden where he planted vegetables for the winter, he certainly did not feel like a child.

A lot had changed in a single year. Once, he had countless friends and was admired by everyone. He was a quite the popular and successful young omega too. But after that one night, he and his mother were forced out of their home and sent to an old cabin at the farthest edge of the pack’s territory, near the mountains.

Somewhere far away enough to never catch the Alpha Jeon’s sight.

Only one friend he had, remained: Hoseok. While everyone else slowly stepped out of his life, Hoseok had been the one to hold him while he cried, the only one who did not care that his name was tied to the Park family.

But Jimin didn’t like to dwell on the past anymore.

This hill, overlooking the mountain wrapped in green, where the leaves and shade of the largest cherry tree in the pack fell gently across the ground, brought him a measure of peace. Up here, he did not have to endure the pitying or scornful looks of others. Most days he tended his little garden. In his spare time he read, and sometimes he carved small wooden figures as gifts for his mother. Hoseok lived far away and could not visit often, but when he did, this place was quiet and gentle enough for the two of them to simply be.

Life was difficult indeed, but within that hardship, one could still find things to cherish.

🍃

The first time he saw the new alpha child, a month had already passed.

Like always, he had spent the day tending to his garden. Now he was cutting small branches to size with his little knife, shaping them so the saplings would stand upright. He was completely absorbed in his work.

Before winter came, it was important that he got enough yield from his vegetables. The warm meals he and his mother would eat depended on it.

It was around the hour when the harsh heat of noon began to soften, and he was working beneath the shade of the cherry tree he leaned against when he heard them.

“There he is, the lonely omega! Don’t get too close, he might bite you!”

When he lifted his head at the voice, he saw the same children he always saw. The one group of kids who enjoyed taunting him. For the kids living in the houses near theirs, Jimin and his pretty little garden had become a source of entertainment.

Every now and then, they would climb all the way up the hill just to ruin his hard work. It was a game to them. Who could dig more deep, who could ruin it better, faster? That was what their little game was about. It was about ruining the omega’s hard work.

When he saw that the group consisted of five or six of them, he immediately set the branch he was carving aside, gripped his knife tightly, and stood up. He didn’t care if they called him the cranky omega who chased children away. He would not allow them to harm his saplings right in front of him.

The boy who led them noticed Jimin stepping in front of his garden with a tense expression, then caught sight of the knife in his hand. He laughed and nudged the girl beside him with his elbow. “See, Joohyun? I told you. He’s completely lost it.”

Jimin measured the distance between them and raised his voice. “What are you doing here?”

He knew the girl called Joohyun. Compared to the others, she was more reasonable. She slipped away from the boy who had elbowed her and answered, “We’re not here to cause trouble, Jimin. We’re just showing the pack to Head Alpha’s son.”

Until then, Jimin had not noticed the one hidden among them. At her words, the group shifted, revealing the black-haired, red-eyed boy standing at the back.

The little boy’s face was blank. If anything, he looked like he was scowling. But the way his large eyes carefully wandered over Jimin’s small garden and the way he subtly sniffed the air made it clear that he was intrigued. He looked far cuter than Jimin had imagined. When they said a rogue alpha child, he had pictured someone much harsher.

Still, he did not want this newly formed little tour group anywhere near his lawn. So he spoke without hesitation. “There’s nothing to see here.”

He could see that his words irritated the sullen boy at the front. This one had always had an issue with him. Hanbin, that was his name. Jimin had once caught him and two of his friends stealing peppers from the garden. Since then, Hanbin disliked him openly.

“Oh, come on. Would it kill you to offer something from your tiny garden?” Hanbin said. His tone was mocking, but the irritation in his voice was obvious. “Or are you really that stingy? Guess your father never taught you anything, Park.”

It was clear he wanted to hurt him. And he was somewhat successful. But Jimin knew the name Park would follow him for the rest of his life. There was nothing he could do about that.

His silence must have satisfied the boy enough, because Hanbin laughed and slung an arm around Joohyun’s shoulders as they began heading back down the path they had climbed. “Let’s go, Jeon. There’s really nothing worth seeing here.”

Head Alpha’s son lingered as the others turned their backs and started descending. For a brief moment, he and Jimin locked eyes. Those large red eyes were truly mesmerizing. The bright color alone marked him as rogue. His mother’s must have been the same.

But the moment did not last long. Little alpha also turned away and followed the others down the hill, without much hesitation.

🍃

His garden was ruined.

The moment he stepped outside with a book in hand and his gaze landed on the sight before him, he almost lost his mind.

Hanbin and his little group were looting it. They were trampling his saplings with their filthy feet. Digging through the soil. Tearing his vegetables straight from the ground.

“What are you doing? Stop!” he shouted, but his legs felt slow as he ran. The book in his hand had already fallen into the grass. By the time he reached them, their hands and pockets were full of vegetables. The vegetables he had spent the entire summer growing with such care.

He ignored the tears gathering in his eyes and ran with all his strength, but they were already fleeing. Laughing, they raced through his garden and down the hill. The red-eyed son of Head Alpha was among them. He had only just arrived in the pack, a former rogue and the child of a forbidden relationship, yet he had been accepted immediately. And now, not even two months later, he was helping throw all of Jimin’s effort away.

What could Jimin even do?

He shouted after them. He cried. He even considered grabbing a stick and chasing them down into the pack’s center, but he knew that if he did, he would somehow be declared the one in the wrong.

No one would defend him or his mother. He was alone, completely alone, and now the vegetables he was supposed to bring home for winter would be wasted in the hands of the pack’s children.

He could not even bear to look at his garden.

He walked quietly to where his book had fallen, wiped his tears with his sleeves, and went back inside to curl up in his bed.

He could not step outside for a week after that.

🍃

“Did you hear?” the beta said, biting into one of the peaches he had brought.

Jimin reached out and took one for himself. “Do you have to start every sentence like that, my dear friend? You know I rarely hear anything.”

Hoseok leaned against the cherry tree, now beginning to lose its summer green. “Fair point.”

Jimin wiped the juice dripping from his peach with his hand, closed his eyes briefly in pleasure, and spoke. “So, what is it that I haven’t heard?”

The beta lowered his hand and pulled his legs closer, leaning in as if someone might overhear them on this deserted hill. His voice dropped. “The rogue omega wolf that Head Alpha brought to the pack has died.”

That shocked Jimin. She had only been here for three months. Why had she died? Was she the red-eyed boy’s mother? “Isn’t that Alpha Jeon’s son’s mother? Why did she die?”

He could not help feeling sorry. He knew better than most what it meant to lose a parent. Hoseok stared down at the ground, lost in thought. “I don’t know. But they say Head Omega Sooyoung might have had something to do with it.”

Jimin had already found it strange that Jeon’s son and his mother had lived so far from the pack’s center, so close to where he and his own mother stayed. But he did not want to believe that Head Omega could have someone killed. Not a child’s mother. The question left his mouth before he thought it through. “Then what will happen to the boy now?”

Hoseok shook his head and took another bite of his peach. “Head Omega doesn’t want him brought to the center. They say he’ll stay in his old house for now.”

Jimin stared at him in disbelief. “But how? He’s only ten, isn’t he? How is he supposed to take care of himself?”

Hoseok shrugged. If there was one thing they both knew about the pack, it was that things were not always fair. Now that the boy had no mother to protect him, he was being left to fend for himself. “I suppose Head Alpha will send him money and food. At least until Head Omega calms down. It seems like they don’t have many other options.”

Jimin fell silent.

Even if he had been among those who looted his garden, that wide-eyed boy did not deserve this.

Even before the little boy could try to accept his mother’s death, it seemed his father was abandoning him as well. A bitter taste rose in Jimin’s mouth. All of it felt painfully familiar.

Hoseok closed his eyes and let the wind play with his hair, lifting the peach in his hand and giving it a small wave. “By the way, these are even sweeter than your scent.”

When the scent of peach in the air seemed to turn sharp and bitter, the beta only laughed.

🍃

Everything was changing with a speed that was almost cruel.

Jimin was walking toward the busier part of the pack, where the merchants set up their shops, his arms full of the coats, scarves, and hats his mother had sewn all summer. They had prepared for the coming winter, and with the little money they would earn, his mother had promised to let him buy a book. Of course he would also get flour, sugar, eggs and the other necessities they had.

It was hard to hide how excited he was.

He was so excited, in fact, that he did not even care about the crowd around him or the pitying looks people gave him. In the Jeon pack, omegas finished their education at twelve, so he would not be going to school anymore. For the first time in his life, this winter he would stay home and help his mother sew. And even though most of his vegetables had been ruined by the children, he had managed to save some. They would still have warm soups and proper meals.

Maybe they were no longer as wealthy as before, but Jimin preferred to focus on what they still had.

He was genuinely happy.

But as soon as he stepped into the familiar shop where he had sold things before, that happiness faltered the moment he saw who was inside.

Hanbin and his friends.

Alphas went to school until fourteen, so he and his friends still had school this year. They were probably there to buy winter coats. Knowing there was no real way to avoid them, Jimin calmly placed the items he carried onto the counter and waited for the familiar shopkeeper. As much as he tried ignoring all of them, he could not help overhearing the voices behind him.

“Did you hear? Jungkook’s coming to our school too. I hope we don’t end up in the same class.” A loud scoff followed the hurried mockery. That was unmistakably Hanbin. Jimin would recognize that annoying voice anywhere.

“Honestly, just because we were a little nice to the kid when he first arrived doesn’t mean he’s going to stick to us, right? Why would we need some orphan rogue if even his father doesn’t need him?” He laughed as he said it. But Jimin only felt his blood run cold.

These children were not human. They could not be. How cruel, how insensitive they were? And Jimin could already see it now.

Everything that had happened to him when his father got exiled, would now happen to that rogue boy. It must have already begun. The humiliation. The exclusion. The constant belittling.

And from those who did not mock, the looks of pity. He knew all of it. He had lived through it.

And the thought of a ten-year-old child carrying the weight of something that was not even his fault made his chest ache. It was obvious already that school would become torment for the Head Alpha’s son, just as it had for him.

Hanbin and the others went on like that for a while. The ease with which they tore down someone they had once briefly welcomed was terrifying. They were so absorbed in their own conversation that they did not even notice Jimin standing there.

He managed to sell what his mother had made for a decent price. But the joy he had felt earlier was gone. So he decided to buy the book another day.

On his way back, as he walked toward the house at the very edge of the pack where he and his mother lived, he realized that Head Alpha’s son’s house was the second farthest from the pack’s center.

It was along his path. Just below the hill where they stayed.

An old cabin. It was obvious at a glance that it needed care. The old wooden doors were shut. The curtains were drawn tight. It looked as if no one was inside.

But Jimin could feel someone hiding himself there.

Chapter Text

Jimin knew he shouldn’t do what he’s been constantly thinking about doing.

Every time he had tried to do something kind in the past, he always ended up regretting it somehow. He knew that very well. But he simply couldn’t stop himself.

Even though he wasn’t going to school this year, he knew it’d already been a week since this year’s classes started. And not once had Jimin seen the alpha boy living alone in the house below the hill step outside.

Yes, him waking up every morning at the time people left for school and sneaking to the edge of the hill to watch the alpha boy’s house was a little strange. He could admit that. But he couldn’t help worrying. Especially after hearing the things his so-called “friends” had said about the boy.

Besides, the weather had started getting colder, and since he no longer had to tend to the garden too much, he had more free time on his hands.

The red-eyed son of Head Alpha Jeon hadn’t left that barely-standing shack since his mother died. The only reason Jimin was certain the boy was even living there at all was the shadow of a small candle he saw burning in the window at night.

When Jimin realized the boy wasn’t going to school, he stopped knitting his scarves near the cherry tree he usually leaned against. Instead, he began knitting somewhere he could see the house at the bottom of the hill. His eyes rarely left the old cabin these days. He just needed to see that the boy was okay.

But the boy never came outside.

Sometimes people Jimin recognized as workers for the Head Alpha came to the door, bringing things like food and money. But the boy never even opened the door. No matter how long they knocked or waited outside, he didn’t answer. Eventually they would just leave everything by the door and walk away.

And if you asked Jimin, waiting twenty minutes outside the door of a newly orphaned ten year old child wasn’t nearly enough.

He had also noticed that the Head Alpha himself had never come. Not once had Jimin seen him knocking on the boy’s door. He couldn’t stop the accusatory thought from creeping in. ‘Why wouldn’t a man visit his own son?’

The fact that even the boy’s own father didn’t seem worried somehow made Jimin worry even more.

As for the things left outside the door, Jimin had never once seen the boy open it and take them inside. But by the next day, the porch would always be empty. That meant the boy would only open the door when no one was around to see him, probably at dark.

After watching the same cycle repeat for a week, Jimin finally couldn’t take it anymore. So he added a little bit more flour to the cookies he and his mother was baking.

He’d told his mother he felt sorry for the boy living at the bottom of the hill, but she had warned him to stay away, her eyes tired and sad with worry. It was obvious she felt sorry too, but she was holding herself back. Her exact words being, “Do you remember what happened the last time we got too close to the Head Alpha and the things that belonged to him, my beautiful son?”

Of course, Jimin remembered. But even still, he couldn’t ignore it.

After his mother fell asleep, he set aside four or five ginger cookies and wrapped them carefully in a clean cloth he had found. He couldn’t put them in a container since his mother would notice immediately if one went missing. So the cloth would have to do.

He already knew the boy took the things left at his door during the night, so he slipped outside, bundled in his coat, trying to be as quiet as possible. He would just go down, drop the cookies and come right back.

Taking small steps to escape the bite of the cold night air, he started stepping down the hill. When he reached the door of the old shack, he could see the faint candlelight inside more clearly now. So… the little alpha wasn’t asleep yet.

Jimin smiled to himself, then carefully placed the cookies, still wrapped in cloth, on the chair sitting by the door. Now, came the part he had hesitated over the most.

His eyes drifted nervously to the note in his hand, but in the end he decided to leave that too. So it wouldn’t blow away in the wind, he lifted the cookies and tucked the note neatly underneath them.

The words on the note were simple, but Jimin knew they were the kind of thing someone going through a difficult time might need.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Jungkook. If you ever need anything, or if you just want someone to talk to, you can talk to me. I hope you like the cookies too.

– Jimin.”

Jimin didn’t even know if the little alpha would remember who he was. But if he did, the omega knew the boy would know where to find him.

After all, he had once stolen tomatoes from the garden just outside of Jimin’s home.

🍃

Well, apparently the little alpha really did know where to find him.

Assuming, of course, that the boy standing in front of him right now, throwing cookies at his feet, black hair messy and red eyes blazing with anger, was not an hallucination.

“I don’t need pity from someone like you!” the boy was practically shouting. Jimin was honestly, stunned.

Just like every morning that week, he had woken up early to check if the boy would go to school. He was about to head to his usual spot with a book in his hand when he opened the door and found the boy standing there, staring at the ground, clutching the cloth wrapped around the cookies and the note Jimin had written.

Not wanting his mother to wake up and hear them, Jimin hurriedly shut the door, grabbed the boy by the arm, and dragged him away from the house. But the boy yanked his arm free and threw the cookies to the ground. And then came the shouting part.

“Calm down. I’m not pitying you!” Jimin snapped back, his voice lower but just as sharp. He was still trying to lead them farther from the house, but the sight of his cookies scattered across the ground was making his blood boil as well.

“I don’t want your disgusting cookies. Don’t ever bring me anything again!” the boy kept yelling.

Well, that stung. But Jimin had known something like this might happen. No matter how much he had worried about the boy all this time, the truth was that he was still an outcast. And to someone like that, everything he did could easily seem repulsive.

And at the same time, he didn’t really have anything left to lose. So he snapped back with the same anger.

“If you don’t want them, fine, I won’t bring anything again. But this attitude of yours is incredibly rude! I only did it because I was worried about you. What you’re going through right now isn’t something easy!” Jimin said, never taking his eyes off the alpha’s red ones.

The boy’s cheeks were flushed with anger as he took a step back toward his house. Before that, he had already scattered the cookies, and now he threw the cloth they had been wrapped in to the ground with a sharp motion. “Then don’t worry. I don’t need your worry either. Just because you’re fatherless doesn’t mean you can understand me!”

The words cut into Jimin like a knife. They tore open the wound that had never truly healed. But this time, Jimin also heard the tremor in the alpha’s angry voice.

The younger one was hurting. It was obvious he wanted to hurt someone back because of it. It was in the way he stood, in the anger and heartbreak shining in his eyes, in the faint scent of bitter pine clinging to him. Every detail revealed how broken his heart actually was.

Even though the boy acted as if nothing affected him, as if he didn’t care about anything at all, he couldn’t hide the hurt in his eyes. The boy was in pain.

And that sight was painfully familiar to Jimin. It was familiar because he had once been exactly the same. When his father left, he hadn’t been able to accept it for weeks. He had lashed out at the people around him. Maybe that was also one of the reasons why he had lost so many friends during that time.

Jimin forced himself to calm down. There was no point to going after a wounded child like this. Fighting him would only make the alpha boy’s more aggressive, he knew that.

But he still couldn’t ignore the comment about his father. Grinding his teeth, he raised his hand slightly, his gaze fixed on the alpha.

“Listen to me, little alpha,” he said, his voice loud and clear. The boy’s red eyes locked onto his immediately. “First of all, stop talking about things you know nothing about. I’m not someone you can speak to so casually, and I’m older than you. You will show me respect or won’t talk at all. That’s one.”

As he spoke, he stepped closer to the alpha who had moved away. His index finger had risen without him noticing and was now pointing between them. The boy frowned, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, but he stood his ground. Stubborn, clearly.

“And also,” Jimin continued, “I know very well that you haven’t gone to school for a week, that you haven’t even left your house, and I know exactly what your old friends have been saying behind your back. So even though what happened to you was incredibly cruel, if you keep acting this aggressive and careless, you’re going to push yourself further and further away from the pack and from other people. You will become an outcast. And believe me, that’s not something you want in this pack.”

Jimin’s eyes were shining with sincerity now too. The arrogant child in front of him needed to understand what could happen if he didn’t pull himself together soon. Someone had to say it. And apparently, that someone wasn’t going to be the boy’s father.

The young alpha stood there frozen, shocked, but still listening to him.

Jimin softened his voice and his gaze. He lowered the hand that had been hanging in the air. Taking a step back, he wrapped his arms around himself, still looking straight at the boy. His voice was only slightly louder than a whisper now. “You’re all alone now, Jungkook. I hope you realize that. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

Then he turned around, pressed the book in his hand against his chest, and walked back into his house with steady steps.

He didn’t even realize the boy was locked in his place, still staring after him.

🍃

After that day, Jimin saw the boy going to school.

Even though the unpleasant encounter between them had left a sour taste in his mouth, he still couldn’t stop himself from waking up the next morning and looking toward the house below.

And to his surprise, he saw the younger boy leaving the house, holding several sheets of paper in his hands in a messy stack. He was finally continuing with his life. Jimin felt happy for the alpha.

After that, he decided it was time to return to his own normal routine. He would stop watching him like a creep.

Even though the weather was getting colder, it was still September, so he could sit outside without freezing. The leaves of his beloved cherry tree had started to lose their color, but spending his free time there reading books and tending to the flowers made the omega forget all his troubles.

Since he wouldn’t be occupied with school anymore, he would spend the entire winter knitting scarves, hats, and coats just like his mother. And with both of them working constantly, he could already feel that this winter would be easier than the previous ones.

In the Jeon pack, omegas usually didn’t work much. Even if they did, it was usually in jobs considered “easy enough for omegas,” but most stayed home to care for the house and raise children. Because their pack was relatively large and prosperous, most families could afford that.

But most families weren’t like Jimin’s. Him and his mother were alone, so they had to work.

They didn’t have an alpha leading their household, and the money they earned from knitting was only about half of what an alpha would make doing almost any job. Still, Jimin had always been someone who liked working and they weren’t big spenders anyways, so it worked it’s way out in a way.

At school, he had always been one of the best students. Even in the last year, even when he had been outcasted by the other students, he had still enjoyed it. Learning new things and expanding his horizons outside of the pack felt like a gift to him.

But even though he could never say it out loud, his real dream had always been to work in the Medical Tent.

Helping people, making their lives even a little better than before, was something he wanted more than anything. It was what he had imagined while studying. But circumstances changed things.

Omegas were only allowed to work there as assistants. Even though Jimin was certain he could do much more, he would have accepted even that position. But after his father left, everything had changed.

The idea of working somewhere where everyone either hated him or looked at him with prejudice, somewhere he would constantly feel the weight of their stares, now felt unbearable.

So he preferred to stay at home and sew, knit like his mother. It wouldn’t be a lie to say he felt a little bored sometimes.

Even so, he was always grateful for the small happiness they managed to keep, for the warm meals on their table, and for his mother’s strength.

Thanks to all that, even though the entire pack had pushed him aside and left him in loneliness, he was still able to start each new day with a smile on his face.

And because of that smiling face and his gentle spirit, whenever he saw someone who truly needed his help, he just couldn’t stop himself for offering a helping hand.

Chapter Text

Jimin, as usual, was sitting beneath the cherry tree, wearing his coat and trying to work on the knitting in his hands.

Actually, he had already knitted enough for the day, but he had nothing better to do. His garden was useless during the colder seasons, and he was no longer going to school, so he had devoted himself to a new fluffy scarf.

When he failed to cast the stitch properly, he grumbled, tossed the needle aside, and lay down on his back on the ground. Since the sun had begun to set, the sky was painted with many different colors and it was so pretty just looking at it. Still, he got bored pretty quickly from that too.

Just as he was about to give up on the knitting and go inside for a little nap, he heard a sound. Startled by his wolf instinct also, he immediately pushed himself up into a sitting position, trying to see who the unexpected visitor was.

The young alpha, who had clearly just climbed up the hill, was standing two steps away from him, staring with his red eyes. His face was expressionless and he was clutching a pile of messy notes tightly in his arms.

Right, Jimin thought. Today was the third day of school. Jimin didn’t even know if the alpha had ever gone to school before. Since he had previously been a rogue without a pack, he might have been having trouble adjusting to it. The silence between them was starting to make him uncomfortable when the small child finally spoke. “Why are you lying on the ground? Isn’t it dirty?”

Jimin brushed the back of his clothes and scooted back until his back rested against the cherry tree, smiling. “I wouldn’t call a few leaves and a bit of soil dirty.”

But the alpha continued to stare at him with those red eyes, still expressionless. It was as if he had a problem but couldn’t say it out loud. Which was strange. Usually no one ever said anything to Jimin and on the rare occasion they did, they wouldn’t think twice before yelling it to his face.

Still, deciding to be kinder to the small child who had just lost his mother, he asked gently, “Did something happen? Why did you come here?”

He could see that even his words and gentle tone was kind, the little boy was still hurt by the question. The small alpha’s brows immediately furrowed. His eyes, which had been fixed on Jimin moments ago, now seemed deeply interested in the leaves on the ground.

“As if I would come here if nothing happened! You’re making too much noise. I came to tell you to be quiet!” His voice cracked as he shouted, and his ears had turned bright red.

It was an obvious lie. Jimin knew he had not made a single sound. He had been sitting up on the hill alone, quietly knitting, while his mother slept inside. There was nothing that could possibly make any noise, for heaven’s sake.

But in that moment, Jimin began to read the other boy’s body language. He looked timid. Angry, but also shy. Truly like a small child.

Maybe he had not come here to complain about him at all, but because he simply didn’t want to return to the lonely cabin where he had once lived with his mother. He was still holding his notes in his hands after all. Living alone in the house where he used to stay with his mother must have been difficult. Jimin wasn’t even sure he himself could do it.

The irritation that had risen from the alpha’s shouting faded away, and he slowly stood up. “I’m sorry for being loud but I still have a little work left. The scarf isn’t finished yet. If you want, you can wait here with me until I’m done so you won’t be bothered once you go to home.”

He spoke softly and carefully. It was obvious that the small alpha was very proud and would never admit he was afraid of being alone. But maybe he would not refuse the omega’s offer.

Jungkook pursed his lips, his ears turning even redder, and nodded reluctantly as he lifted his eyes to meet the omega’s. “Fine.” He said with a frown. “But only until you finish your work. Just so you know, I’m only waiting because I’m very disturbed by your loudness!”

Jimin nodded in agreement. He left his knitting on the ground, and was now heading toward the house. “Alright. I’m going to get myself some warm milk. Do you want some too?”

“No! Just hurry up!” As he said this, the small alpha sat down at a spot not too far from where Jimin was lying, under the cherry tree, frowning as he looked at the knitting lying on the ground.

Cute, Jimin thought. The boy was very cute indeed. 

Then he went inside. Even though the boy was only two years younger than him, Jimin’s mind and heart saw nothing but a small child when he looked at the young alpha.

The milk he brought for both himself and Jungkook was finished before the sun had completely set, as both of them sat in the complete loudness (!) Jungkook was complaining about.

So was Jimin’s fluffy scarf.

🍃

Jungkook being bothered by the loud sound of Jimin’s knitting happened every day after school now.

The small alpha would come straight to where Jimin was sitting without even stopping by his own house, still holding his notes. He would lean against the cherry tree and wait for whatever Jimin was knitting that day to be finished. When it started getting dark, he would sulk a bit before heading back down to his cabin.

The alpha was quiet. It was clear he did not enjoy talking much. Sometimes he would get annoyed at Jimin’s questions or just answer the with a single word or a gruff. Sometimes he would not answer at all. But in the past two weeks, there had not been a single day when he didn’t come.

The only exception had been the weekend, when he hadn’t left his house. Even then, the omega had noticed that he still ate the meals the pack members left at his door. Yes, Jimin still had a bit of a spying problem.

The omega had grown used to his presence as well. The first time Jimin’s mother saw the small alpha sitting at the edge of their garden with her son, she had nearly had a heart attack. But now she had grown accustomed to it too. Recently they had begun eating dinner together in the evenings. Only after Jungkook finished his meal, he would return to the house below the hill. Because both Jimin and his mother knew that there was no warm meal waiting for the young alpha at home. Only the day old cold prepared food left at his door.

On the second Friday of the second week, when the alpha arrived again with his usual sulky expression, Jimin called out to him with a smile without even standing up. “Hey Jungkook, I think i’ll have a heart attack if I ever saw you come here with a smile for once.”

The alpha rolled his eyes as usual but said nothing else. He simply set his notes down on the grass and sat again. The coat he was wearing had started to become too thin for the new season, and the omega could clearly see that. But Jimin only had one idea about how to give this overly proud child a new coat without hurting his feelings.

Two days ago Jungkook had begun instinctively wrapping his arms around himself because of the cold. Jimin and his mother Hyejin had noticed immediately. And from the place where they usually sold the things they knitted, they had bought a coat that would fit the small alpha. It had been a little expensive, but they simply could not bear the thought of the boy shivering on his way to and from school.

Jimin spoke without lifting his eyes from the glove he was knitting. “Will you help me take our old clothes to the trash after dinner? I can’t carry them alone.”

Even though Jungkook was quiet and grumpy and always claimed he would not do things for others, he did them whenever someone asked. Jimin was hoping the same thing would happen now.

“No. Why would I care about your old things? Carry them yourself.” The alpha replied.

The omega only pursed his lips and continued focusing on the work in front of him. But he had already figured out the small alpha’s weakness. The boy could not stand seeing Jimin’s face fall.

And that’s exactly what happened. After ten minutes of overwhelming silence stretching between them, Jimin not talking and not even looking at the alpha, Jungkook suddenly stood up angrily. “Fine, I’ll do it! Stop sulking! You’re so whiny!”

Even though Jimin smiled to himself, he did not show it outwardly. He set his knitting aside and began walking toward the house. “Come on. Dinner should be ready.”

Even though the alpha followed him with a sulky expression, Jimin knew deep down that Jungkook preferred eating with them to being alone. The quiet child was a little strange and temperamental, maybe, but he had his own kind of language. It just took a bit of time to understand him.

🍃

“It fits you, so just take it and wear it!” Jimin shouted, waving the coat in his hands toward the small alpha.

But apparently, Jungkook was even more stubborn than him. “I’m not some beggar! I don’t want your old things! Go throw it in the trash!”

Jimin placed both hands on his hips, his brows furrowed as he spoke angrily. He could not believe they were arguing next to the trash bin. “What exactly do you think will happen if you go through the entire winter with that coat you’re wearing right now? You’ll get sick! And then who will take care of you?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Jimin already regretted them. But he knew it was impossible to take them back now. Saying something like that to a child who had no mother and whose father did not care about him was incredibly cruel.

He slowly lowered the coat, hundreds of apologies on the tip of his tongue, when he saw Jungkook’s red eyes filling with tears. And just like that, the words got stuck in his throat.

“Go to hell!” After giving the omega one last look, the alpha angrily threw the other things he had carried to the trash onto the ground, turned around, and walked toward his cabin.

As Jimin watched the small child’s stomping angrily, his chest tightened. Hurting him was the last thing he ever wanted. The omega had only wanted to give him a coat so he could get through the winter comfortably, but now he knew he had hurt the alpha.

That night, after neatly sorting the things that were meant to go to the trash, Jimin took the coat he had set aside for Jungkook and went down to the cabin at the bottom of the hill. He left it by the door. And next to it, another note.

“You can wear it or throw it away, that’s up to you. But if you keep it, this coat will keep you warmer. Since it’s already my old clothing, you don’t owe us anything too. I just didn’t want you to get sick. I’m sorry. 

– Jimin”

That day, while Jimin climbed the hill with a heavy heart and went to bed, the door of the cabin below opened and both the coat and the note were taken inside.

When Jungkook picked up the coat to try it on and saw the tag that had not even been removed yet, his eyes filled with tears once again that night.

He did not wear it that night. He couldn’t.

Instead, the small child fell asleep hugging the big coat to his chest. But throughout the following winter, he wore it every day on his way to and from school.

🍃

It had been a month since Jungkook started school. Which also meant it had been nearly a month since he began eating dinner with Jimin and his mother.

Every day the alpha went to school and after his classes he ate dinner with Jimin and his mother, then returned to his house to sleep. Even on weekends he started climbing up the hill to hang out and carved little sculptures from the cherry tree with a knife he carried. Even though the omega had only shown him how to do it once, the alpha had immediately understood and now he was constantly making things. He had even carved small figures of a squirrel, a mouse, and a bear, all exquisite. They were all displayed on the windowsill in Jimin’s house now.

Once again it was the last day of the week, a normal school day. Jimin had spent the entire day trying to learn how to knit a new type of hat from his mother. Now he was sitting under the cherry tree with warm milk in his hand, waiting for the alpha to arrive, bored out of his mind.

Just as he closed his eyes to feel the wind on his face, he saw Jungkook approaching from afar. The omega had gotten used to Jungkook’s presence so quickly, he could barely even remember the deep loneliness he felt from before. With smiling eyes, he waited for the small child to climb the hill as usual and toss his notes aside before sitting down as well.

But when Jungkook reached the door of his cabin below the hill, he violently threw everything in his hands in every direction and, without even pausing for a second, stormed inside and slammed the door shut.

The omega was already on his feet.

Something was clearly wrong. Even though Jungkook tried to act like he did not care about anything, he always carefully gathered his notes every day and took them with him. Throwing them everywhere on the wet dirty ground was not normal even for him.

Jimin quickly left his milk inside, told his mother where he was going, and began walking down the hill with slow steps. What could have upset the alpha so much?

When he reached the cabin door, he carefully picked up the scattered notes one by one from the ground. He even ran after a few that had been blown away. Then he returned to the door and raised his hand. He was going to knock.

He had never seen the inside of the house where Jungkook lived. The alpha never opened the door to anyone anyway. He only came back here at night to sleep and study. He wasn’t too keen on visitors.

Still, hoping he might open it, Jimin knocked. “Jungkook, it’s me, Jimin. Will you open the door?”

Of course, there was no response. Jimin decided to try once more. After knocking three more times, he spoke again. “Come on, open the door.”

“Go away!” The omega flinched at the voice that came from right behind the closed door.

“Hey, come on. At least come to dinner,” he said gently. Now that he knew the alpha was standing right behind the door, there was no need to raise his voice.

“I’m not hungry,” Jungkook replied quickly.

Too quickly. Too defensive. Something had definitely upset him.

Even though Jimin was frustrated now, there was nothing he could do. If he forced the small alpha, it would only backfire. So he calmly placed the notes on the chair next to the door and put a large stone on top of them so they would not fly away. He was just about to leave when he spoke again. “I left your notes by the door. Come anytime if you get hungry.”

He had just turned around when the sound of the door opening made him pause. When he slowly turned back, Jungkook was looking at him with tears streaming from his red eyes. And Jimin felt his chest tighten.

He was crying. The small alpha was crying.

Without thinking, he reached forward and gently touched Jungkook’s cheeks, now deeply worried. “What happened? Why are you crying? Did someone do something to you?”

The alpha shook his head and pulled away from Jimin’s hands, stepping back as he spoke with a deep frown. “I hate everyone! This place is full of disgusting people!”

Jimin thought the same thing, of course. But seeing Jungkook look so devastated crushed him. He nodded in agreement, his own brows furrowing with concern. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

When the alpha turned around and walked inside without saying anything, Jimin understood that he was supposed to follow him and didn’t linger more.

The inside of the house was spotless. Even though it was a very old cabin, everything was neat and orderly. There was a faint scent of lavender and the light pine scent that came from Jungkook, softer because he was still a child.

So, this meant that the alpha cleaned this place by himself at nights. Even though he was only ten years old, he could manage that.

When they went inside and sat down on one of the old couches, Jimin waited without saying anything.

He waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Jungkook rested his elbows on his knees and hid his face in his hands, crying a little more while they sat together. When he lifted his red eyes, he  instantly locked them onto Jimin’s. His voice was firm when he spoke. “Can you teach me?”

Jimin did not understand. “Teach you what?”

“The things they teach in class,” Jungkook said immediately.

His eyes were sharp, fixed on Jimin’s with determination. There was ambition in them, clearly wanting the omega to say yes.

But with that Jimin took a deep breath, relaxed and smiled. “Of course. Was that the problem? If you want, we can study together every day after dinner. I don’t really have anything better to do anyway.”

The alpha nodded agreeably to that.

And Jimin knew how difficult it must have been for Jungkook to ask for something like that. Even though he was just a child, he was stubborn about holding his head high, never asked Jimin for anything before.

It was obvious that whatever had happened today was related to his struggles at school. Maybe someone had mocked him. Maybe one of the teachers had said something. Jungkook did not seem like he wanted to explain what had happened, but he did not need to. Jimin would do everything he could to prevent this from ever happening again.

Smiling from where he sat, Jimin got up and moved to sit right beside the alpha. Even though the small child stiffened immediately, he wrapped his arms around the little body and pulled him close. Because he knew that if he did not hug someone who was crying, something inside him would die.

And for the first time, Jungkook did not push him away or try to escape. They sat like that for a while until the alpha quietly murmured from within Jimin’s arms.

“Thank you, Jimin.”

Chapter Text

Jungkook: 11

Jimin: 13

It had been a year since they started to hang out together, so their friendship also had completed its first year.

Jimin still remembered very clearly the day Jungkook had been annoyed by the sound of him knitting. After that day, came the days they spent working together, playing, laughing, eating, making little figurines… Time really passed so quickly.

The hottest part of summer had ended, and a new school term was about to begin now. Jimin had already turned thirteen, while Jungkook would turn eleven this year. That meant he still had three years left before finishing school.

With Jimin’s help, his performance in class had improved quite significantly. The omega remembered that when they first started studying together, the alpha truly had been a lonely rogue wolf that had known absolutely nothing about any of the Jeon pack’s classes.

For the entire first month the alpha had been there, Jungkook had been going to class barely able to read and write, and of course no one had noticed.

How fair was it to bully a child who had been trying to figure out reading and writing all by himself. And simply because he could not understand the lessons much more advanced than his level?

Even though Jimin had been furious about it, he also knew very well that the teachers only paid attention to the children of important families. The fact that Jungkook was the son of Head Alpha Jeon seemed to matter to no one anymore. It had seemed very strange to him, until one day he learned the reason from Hoseok.

Head Omega Sooyoung had insisted and ultimately succeeded about removing Jungkook from the line of succession. In other words, even though Head Alpha Jeon had no other sons or daughters, he had officially disowned his only son, Jungkook.

The pack elders and the other important families also had tried to oppose the decision, but no one had been able to change it. Even though Jungkook was a Jeon, he was no different now from an orphan who had lost his mother and whose father was nowhere to be found.

That was where Jimin and his mother had fully become part of the little alpha’s life, not trying to hold back at all anymore. Previously, Jimin’s mother had been afraid about angering the Pack Alpha Jeon by spending too much time with his son but since Jungkook wasn’t even legally his son anymore, they were all free.

That meant Jimin and Jungkook spending nearly every day together. They shared almost everything, they ate, studied, farmed, swimmed together all summer. By now, Jimin truly saw the grumpy alpha as a little companion.

But Jungkook’s personality really was a peculiar one still. He was such a quiet, sulky and easily irritated boy. What happened today was a perfect example of it.

Jimin was heading down to the well below to carry some water up the hill when he ran into Jungkook, who was coming back from school.

“Hey, Kook! How about helping me carry some water?” he asked, making sure to pout his lips so the little alpha would not say no.

Jungkook looked at him, then at the buckets in his hands. And after a hard second of rolling his eyes, he turned in the direction of his house. When he got close enough, he silently slipped the bag off his back and tossed it toward the door of his house behind him.

Jimin smiled as he watched the alpha come toward him and cheerfully held out the other bucket. “Thank you. Oh mighty alpha what would I do without you?”

Jungkook walked past him with quick steps and spoke without turning around. “You’re very lazy, Jimin.”

Jimin, long used to the alpha’s grumpiness, replied without caring much. “You should call me hyung you brat! And what laziness are you talking about? You’re being rude again.”

Jungkook turned his head without slowing his steps. When his eyes met the omega’s, he pursed his lips and began speaking in a teasing tone. “Jungkook, help me carry water! Jungkook, I can’t finish this coat today, help me! Jungkook, i need to dig deep but my arms hurt, can’t you do it?”

Jimin’s mouth fell open in shock as the alpha mocked him, but Jungkook was not finished. “Jungkook, my mom is going to make me clean the kitchen, let’s run away!”

With his cheeks turning red from embarrassment, Jimin tried to smack Jungkook’s back with the bucket in his hand, but the alpha was already running away with a wide grin, easily dodging the unfortunate bucket attack.

“I do not talk like that at all!”

Neither he nor the alpha believed his squeaky protest.

Laughing like that, and with Jungkook continuing to tease him, they did not even notice when they reached the well.

When they arrived, the laughter stopped and the real work began. Since the line for water was a bit long, Jimin hoped they would not run into people they disliked and who disliked them in return. Unfortunately, that included nearly the entire pack, so his hopes were not very high.

When it was finally their turn, the omega took the bucket from Jungkook’s hand and filled it as well. Two full buckets were heavy, of course, but if Jimin had known Jungkook would come with him, he would have brought four. Maybe we can come again this evening, he thought.

He held one of the filled buckets out to the alpha, but Jungkook was not even looking at him. Naturally, he did not see the bucket either.

No, the little alpha was frowning, his eyes fixed on something behind the well that Jimin could not see. “Hey, Jungkook! Take the bucket, please…”

At that, Jungkook’s eyes found his. And he silently took the bucket from the omega’s arms. But now Jimin was curious. As he picked up his own bucket, he asked quietly, “What are you staring at like that?”

“It’s nothing,” Jungkook said in a sharp voice.

Strange. Jimin had thought they were both in a good mood when they came here. Only now did he notice that the alpha’s pine scent had grown stronger.

After they took a few steps out of the line, Jimin turned his head toward the direction Jungkook had been staring at and finally saw who it was. It was Kim Jongin.

As soon as their eyes met, Jimin quickly looked away in embarrassment. Then he jabbed Jungkook sharply in the side. “Jungkook, look ahead! Why are you staring at Jongin like that?”

The omega had already quickened his pace. Finally, Jungkook turned his head toward him, probably because of the elbow jab. “How do you know that guy’s name? That alpha has been staring at you for ages.”

The redness on Jimin’s cheeks deepened at what he heard. He fixed his eyes on the water moving in the bucket he carried. “No… he probably wasn’t looking. You must have seen it wrong.”

The little alpha’s eyes were entirely focused on him now though. Unlike hurried steps Jimin was taking, his walk had slowed considerably as well. “Are you embarrassed? Why? Do you like that he’s looking at you or something?”

Now Jimin truly panicked. His eyes widened in shock and embarrassment as he looked at Jungkook’s red eyes and furrowed brows. Stepping closer to the alpha, he whispered fiercely, “Shh! Be quiet! People will hear!”

Jungkook, however, did not seem to care who might hear him. “Who is he?”

Even though the little alpha spoke with a seriousness and authority far beyond his age, Jimin could only think about how cute he looked with thise furrowed brows of his. They had already walked a bit farther away, and his embarrassment had faded slightly, so he answered quietly. “He’s just one of the alphas who used to be in my class.”

Jungkook kept staring at him as if he needed the answers to all his questions. “Then why were you embarrassed?”

Being reminded of it made Jimin blush again. He looked back down at the moving water in the bucket. “Because I used to have a crush on him. It’s nothing important.”

And with that, Jungkook stopped walking completely.

His sudden halt forced Jimin to stop as well. Standing in the middle of the street with buckets in their hands felt strange, and Jimin did not understand what the alpha was doing. Was he trying to embarrass him even more?

But Jungkook already had furrowed brows and those intense red eyes. Now he pressed his lips tightly together and looked extremely angry.

What was going on?

“Jungkook, will you walk, please? You’re going to draw attention!” Jimin said.

Only after Jimin’s eyes widened in panic did the alpha finally start moving again. Even then, Jungkook did not say a single word until they reached their homes. It was as if he had suddenly frozen with shock.

Jimin could not understand the tension that had appeared between them so abruptly, but he was used to Jungkook’s occasional strange outbursts and silences, so he did not say anything. When they reached the foot of the small hill, he spoke. “You can use the water in that. Just give the bucket back later.”

Even though he watched the little alpha with concern, Jungkook said nothing to that. Carrying the bucket in his hand, he simply headed toward his own cabin and closed the door shut.

When dinner time came, the alpha did show up to eat. But he sulked even harder than usual the whole time, quickly finished his meal without saying a single word, and after thanking Jimin’s mother without even looking at Jimin, he returned straight to his house.

The little alpha was in a bad mood again, Jimin thought. But since the omega was used to things like this now, he did not think too much about it and simply went to sleep peacefully.

🍃

When the next day came, the omega assumed that whatever had upset the alpha the day before would pass by now, so he waited for him again with buckets in his hands, this time right in front of Jungkook’s house.

When he saw from afar that Jungkook was still sulking, he realized that today was the day to get to the bottom of this unfriendliness. He could never truly get angry at a lonely eleven year old child anyways. What a grumpy little thing, he just thought.

When Jungkook saw him, Jimin lifted one of the buckets the same way he had yesterday and smiled. “Time to help me carry water, Jungkook!”

The alpha hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure, but after a while he seemed to give up and quietly began taking off his bag. After tossing it carelessly in front of his door, he reached for the bucket Jimin was holding out to him.

“You seem very cheerful today,” the omega said, pursing his lips. Jungkook did not like being teased, but Jimin could not help himself.

The alpha fixed his red eyes on Jimin as he spoke. “Do you want to go there again just to see that alpha?”

Jimin had taken exactly two steps before he turned back in shock from what he had heard. When their eyes met, his voice rose involuntarily from embarrassment. “What does that have to do with anything? We need water! That’s why i’m going!”

The alpha stared at him for two seconds as if trying to understand whether Jimin was lying or not. Apparently convinced, he turned and began walking toward the well without saying anything else.

After collecting himself from the sudden embarrassment attack, Jimin followed him quietly.

Did Jungkook hate Jongin or something? Was that why he had been in such a bad mood? Jongin had been one of the few people who never bullied Jimin, so he doubted that he had bullied Jungkook either, but maybe there were things he did not know. Seeing the alpha walking ahead without looking at him, he wondered if that might be the reason and spoke in a softer voice. “Do you have a problem with Jongin, Kook?”

When he noticed the little alpha’s jaw tightening and the faint pine scent growing stronger, he realized he had hit the mark. So he persisted. “Did he do something to you?”

He had barely finished the question when the alpha turned toward him again with furrowed brows.

“You can’t have a crush on that alpha.”

Jimin could already feel his cheeks beginning to flush again. For the love of God, how did this boy always manage to say things like this in the busiest parts of the street?

He quickened his steps and moved closer to Jungkook, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I said i USED TO have a crush! It’s in the past! Past!And keep your voice down immediately!”

The alpha matched his quickened pace, but his eyes never left Jimin’s face, studying the omega carefully. “You’re embarrassed again.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “Of course I’m embarrassed. Look at the things you’re bringing up in public.”

After that small argument, neither of them spoke. They quietly waited in line at the well, filled their buckets, and began walking back toward the small hill. Jungkook walked ahead while Jimin followed behind until he realized he would not be able to hold himself back any longer. “And why can’t I have a crush on that alpha?”

With that, the little alpha in front of him paused for a moment, allowing Jimin to catch up. With a determined face, Jungkook turned around and fixed his red eyes on Jimin’s as he spoke.

“Because when we grow up, you’re going to be mine.”

What?

This time it was the omega who stopped and this was literally the only thought Jimin’s brain could produce: What?

And then he burst out laughing.

This had to be a joke. The little kid standing in front of him could not possibly be staring at him and saying you will be mine.

“Why are you laughing?” the little alpha asked, looking at him with genuine confusion. His brows were furrowed even harder, and the pine scent had begun to intensify again.

Jimin finally managed to bring his laughter under control and while still smiling, he bumped his shoulder against the alpha’s smaller one. “I’m going to be yours? Is that right?”

Jungkook, meanwhile, was sulking harder than ever. His eyes did not leave the omega for even a second. “Yes. What’s funny about that?”

As they started to keep walking along the dirt path, Jimin suppressed his laughter this time, afraid that if he laughed any harder the little alpha’s temper would flare up even more. “Kook, you’re just a little baby. How could I possibly be yours?”

But it was obvious the alpha did not like anything he was hearing. While Jimin looked amused, Jungkook looked completely serious. His serious expression never faltered even for a second. “I’m an alpha, Jimin.”

Jimin nodded in agreement, but it was still obvious he found the whole situation funny, which only irritated Jungkook further. When they reached the bottom of the small hill, Jimin was still biting his lip to keep from laughing.

Just like yesterday, he assumed Jungkook would take the extra bucket and that they would part ways here. So he began walking toward his own house while talking. “You can keep the bucket. Bring it with yesterday’s one when you come for dinner, Kook!”

But this time Jungkook did not seem to have any intention of running off to his own house. Without even looking at the omega, he too had already started climbing up the hill toward Jimin’s house. The omega was surprised but did not say anything.

When they reached the door, Jimin set his bucket down and opened it. The alpha placed his own bucket beside it too. The omega was just about to thank him and go inside when he felt a hand on his arm.

This time Jungkook was the one looking down at the bucket on the ground with his red cheeks.

“You’re mine.”

And now Jimin was truly stunned.

He could not believe that the kid who had not even wanted to see him a year ago was now insisting on claiming him like this. Most likely, it was simply because Jimin was the only omega he saw and because he was still so young that he had developed a strange sort of crush.

But of course, Jimin would break this little delusion of his. Smiling, he spoke gently. “You can’t just say things like that to people, Kook. You have to ask them if they want to be yours first.”

Quickly, Jungkook lifted his eyes and met the omega’s gaze. The little alpha had incredibly large, striking crimson eyes. He was so cute. It did not match the things coming out of his mouth at all.

“Then… You’re mine, okay?”

Jimin laughed again without meaning to and slowly slipped his arm out of the alpha’s grasp. “It is not okay. You’re just my little baby.”

Then he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around the alpha’s small body, not even noticing that Jungkook had frozen completely as soon as he felt the omega’s soft touch.

When he pulled back, he reached up and ruffled the alpha’s hair with one hand, smiling. “Dinner will be ready in an hour. Then we’ll study together. See you later baby!”

When he stepped inside and closed the door, he was still smiling to himself. Jungkook was just so incredibly cute. He was only two years younger than Jimin, but in the omega’s eyes he really was like a baby.

But Jimin did not know that at the outside of that door, he had left behind a child whose cheeks were flaming, bright red, still unable to move even a single step from the spot where Jimin had wrapped his warm arms around him. 

Chapter Text

Two years later

Jungkook: 13

Jimin: 15 

“Come on, I know you really want this, Jimin. Just go talk to him,” Jungkook said, looking at the older boy.

While a warm breeze past through them, the two of them were under the cherry tree in front of Jimin’s house, pulling the unwanted weeds from the omega’s small garden.

A lot had changed in two years.

For one thing, Jungkook had grown taller than Jimin, and the alpha never missed a chance to make it obvious. He seemed to take particular pleasure in the way the omega rolled his eyes and shoved him away every-time the alpha would point it out. The traits of being an alpha had started to shape the young boy’s body too.

At the same time, Jimin’s omega traits had begun to show more clearly as well. His facial features were softer than before, and so were the lines of his body. Jungkook, on the other hand, had grown more muscular. Their secondary genders were making themselves known more and more. Time was passing very quickly.

“First of all, it’s not Jimin. It’s Jimin hyung,” he said, narrowing his eyes at Jungkook in a way he thought looked intimidating. Then he continued.

“And about what you said, yes, I do want to talk to him. But you know our situation, Kook. I don’t think I can do it. And even if i could, I doubt the pack would accept me.” As he spoke, he paused to tuck a strand of hair back behind his ear that had slipped free in the wind.

Jungkook looked up at him from where he was kneeling. “Jin hyung is really understanding. If anyone bothers you, he’ll kick them out immediately. And if someone says something, you can just tell me and i’ll take care of it. You know that.”

Jimin fixed his gaze on another weed and laughed quietly to himself. Jungkook and his possessive behavior… it never ended. As if he wasn’t just a thirteen year old boy. As if a child could ever stand against the entire pack’s hatred toward the Park name all by himself.

Jimin knew Jungkook was saying this because he valued their friendship as much as him, and it was sweet. But also, unrealistic. Jimin knew that. He had lived through it. Experienced his life in it.

But since he knew the boy in front of him would not accept any answer other than yes, he answered even though he still wasn’t sure about it. “Alright. I promise I’ll talk to Jin hyung. I doubt he’d take someone as inexperienced as me into the medical tent, but I’ll ask.”

Those words must have reassured the young alpha, because Jungkook finally tore his unrelenting gaze from the omega and returned to the work in front of him.

The clothes he was wearing had been sewn by Jimin’s mother. Since Jungkook was growing so fast, his clothes were constantly becoming too small and he always needed new ones. But because he had also managed to make Jimin’s mother love him like her own son, he never had any trouble in the getting new clothes problem.

Jungkook had a way about him that made everyone around him, admire him.

Once the alpha learned how to read, he made remarkable progress in his studies and quickly surpassed everyone in his class. He was a smart kid. And as he grew older, his face had begun to settle into sharper features, turning him into a very handsome young alpha. Even Jimin could see that much.

Jungkook carried himself with a quiet confidence, and that confidence was well deserved. Whatever he tried dabbling in, he succeeded in it. He was an extraordinary child. Jimin had been completely impressed by him. Even things the alpha had never encountered before, he figured out immediately after a few tries.

In the combat training that alpha boys began at only thirteen, he had already become something of a legend around the pack. It was as if he had been born with a knife and a sword in his hand.

For those reasons, even though he had been excluded and bullied in his first year, his popularity among the omegas and betas his age had grown enormously over the past two years. Whenever Jimin went down to the center of the pack alone, he would hear other teenagers talking about Jungkook. Omegas would always gossip about how much of a heart-stealer the young alpha was.

But only after he beat Hanbin, who was two years older than him, he became the most popular kid in the pack.

He had never told Jimin why.

But one day he came home from school with a split lip, and Jimin and his mother had nearly died of worry. Even though Jungkook insisted it was nothing serious, lf the alpha had not admitted that he had been the one doing the beating, Jimin would have gone down to the pack himself to find Hanbin and beat him up. Well, at least he would try.

It was almost unbelievable how no one wanted to be in the same class as the alpha before, things were completely different now.

Every day Jungkook came home surrounded by a group of people. Yet somehow he always said goodbye to them before reaching the cherry tree where Jimin waited for him with whatever knitting job he had or the book he was reading that day. He never let any of them come near either his house or Jimin’s, always carefully separating his two worlds.

Even though Jungkook was very careful with it, one of his friends always grinned and waved to Jimin from a distance, which to that omega smiled kindly in return.

But this was kind of bugging Jimin. Because maybe Jungkook was embarrassed to be friends with Jimin and that was why he was careful with this.

After all, the omega had suggested many times, “Why don’t you invite your friends too? We could all sit together and drink some tea or something.”

But Jungkook always found a reason to refuse. And eventually Jimin got the hint and stopped insisting.

Still, it hurt.

The idea that Jungkook might be one of the people embarrassed by him hurt. But since Jimin didn’t really have friends besides his mother, the young alpha, and Hoseok who lived far away, he couldn’t say much about it. It was Jungkook’s life after all.

But even though Jungkook had become popular and no longer had to spend every evening with Jimin and his mother, he was still there for dinner every day. He always came back from school, went up to wherever Jimin was; and whatever they ended up doing for the rest of the day, they did it together.

Jimin talked about the knitting he finished that day or the books he read, then he would make Jungkook lie down beside him and invent stories about the shapes of the clouds in the sky. Jungkook listened to all of it, quietly waiting for the omega to finish his stories.

Even though Jimin asked many questions about what the alpha did at school, Jungkook never gave many details about it. He would simply say it was fine and leave it at that. He didn’t study with Jimin anymore either. He handled everything on his own.

Maybe he wanted some privacy, some things to keep to himself. Or maybe he was simply not a very talkative child.

Whatever the reason, Jimin wanted the alpha to always feel comfortable around him, so he never pushed for more. He was satisfied with whatever Jungkook chose to tell him. Even though not knowing more about the alpha’s life and not being able to be there for him when things got a little hard was exhausting sometimes, Jimin knew Jungkook had always been like this.

The alpha preferred to keep most things about his personal life to himself.

For example, he’d never spoken about the passing of his mother or about how his own father disowning him. Jimin had tried asking once, but the alpha had visibly withdrawn into himself. After that, the omega never brought it up again. He thought that when Jungkook was ready, they would talk about it.

The only thing Jimin knew was this: Every year on the anniversary of his mother’s death, Jungkook wouldn’t come to their house for dinner. Instead, he would go into the forest and camp there alone for the night.

Since his mother had been a rogue before she came here too, maybe that was how he kept his connection to her, the omega thought.

But on the other hand, Jimin could never sleep until the young alpha returned to the pack the next day. Always worrying about something happening to the alpha outside of the pack grounds. Even then, Jimin never commented on something that was so personal to Jungkook and pretended like he never even realized what the alpha was doing every year.

🍃

One day, while Jimin was once again sitting under the cherry tree waiting for the alpha to return from school, he saw someone running toward him.

Since the distant figure was running straight at him without stopping, Jimin calmly set his book down on the ground and stood up, assuming the person wanted something. By the time he rose to his feet, the boy had already reached him. From the scent alone, Jimin could tell he was an alpha, and he was out of breath. “Wow.”

Jimin smiled nervously at the word that came out of the boy’s mouth. He was taller than Jimin and wore the same school uniform as Jungkook. Maintaining his politeness, Jimin spoke. “Did you need something?”

“No wonder Jungkook keeps you hidden. You’re insanely pretty,” the alpha said, his large brown eyes never leaving Jimin’s.

But the omega froze at that. He had never expected to hear something like that. His cheeks started to warm, and he lowered his gaze to the ground. “Ah, you’re exaggerating. I’m not.”

Pretty? No one had ever called Jimin pretty before.

When a hand extended toward him, Jimin lifted his head again and met the eyes of the alpha who was smiling widely in a charming way. “Hi! I’m Taehyung!”

Jimin smiled too and shook his hand. “Hello Taehyung. I’m Jimin.”

“Wow, Jimin, huh? I finally got to learn your name. The other guys are going to be soo proud of me,” he said, still grinning, though Jimin had no idea what he meant.

Trying to remain polite, he asked, “You’re one of Jungkook’s friends, right?”

Now that he thought about it, Jimin vaguely remembered seeing him next to the young alpha before. Taehyung looked like the guy who was always waving at him. He was just about to ask where Jungkook was when a grunting sound came from below the hill they were standing on.

Jimin turned his head toward it and saw Jungkook climbing up the hill with quick steps, his red eyes fixed on Taehyung. The deep scent of pine already reaching Jimin’s nose and burning in his lungs. The alpha smelt like he was fuming with anger right now.

Jimin’s own peach scent had already begun responding to Jungkook’s sharp pine scent, trying to release some calming pheromones as well when Taehyung noticed the alpha at the same moment. He immediately pulled his hand away from Jimin’s as if it had been burned and, even though the strange alpha clearly looked frightened now, he turned to the omega and winked. “Don’t worry, Jimin. I’ll visit again when your jealous alpha isn’t around.”

The moment he finished speaking, he grabbed his backpack and ran down the other side of the hill toward the forest.

Jimin watched him go with concern. Then a voice came from right behind him. “What did he say? What did he say to you?”

When Jimin turned around, biting his lip, he saw the alpha standing there breathing heavily, obviously out of breath from the fastest climb Jimin has ever seen in his life, the alpha’s eyes were wide with anger and his brows furrowed.

Jimin laughed. “What’s the problem? He’s just your friend.”

“Did he do anything inappropriate? Did he say something to you?” the alpha asked again, grabbing Jimin by the arm and looking straight into his eyes.

Jimin laughed at how worried he looked. What was the big deal? Jungkook knew Jimin could talk to people, didn’t he?

“He said i was veeery pretty... And he’s right, you know? What can the poor kid do when i’m so mesmerizing?” Jimin said, puckering his lips and raising his brows in a teasing way that made it clear he was joking.

But the moment Jimin finished his sentence, Jungkook’s scent suddenly grew much heavier, and the omega’s breath caught in his throat. How could a thirteen year old’s scent be this strong?

Jungkook took a deep breath after hearing that, seemingly trying to calm himself down. But his eyes locked on the omega while he talked. “Go inside. Now.”

Jimin did not understand. Why was meeting Taehyung such a big deal? Jungkook’s friend was technically his friend too. But before he could even ask his questions, the alpha had already let go of him and started running in the direction Taehyung had fled.

Jimin was indeed about to go inside to drink some cold water after all that nonsense when he heard Jungkook shouting while sprinting down the hill.

“RUN, TAEHYUNG. RUN FASTER.”

🍃

One year later

Jungkook: 14

Jimin: 16

Jimin was very happy.

After much consideration and self doubt, he decided to listen to Jungkook’s advice and gone to talk to Jin about working in the Medical Tent.  And it had been a whole year now that he had been working in his dream job. To Jimin, it truly did feel like a dream come true.

Every morning he said goodbye to his mother, went early to the Medical Tent, and helped treat patients for the day. Well, he had only recently started working with patients. Before that, his duties had been gathering herbs for medicine and preparing different solutions. But still, working under Jin and the Head Healer Suho was truly wonderful.

They were both very good people. They never treated Jimin being a Park as a problem, and they constantly taught him things so he could improve. Jimin too, always worked with all his strength so their efforts would not be wasted.

Jungkook’s training after school ended around the same time Jimin finished his work. So when the alpha finished practice, he would stop by the Medical Tent, and they would walk home together. Along the way, Jimin would chatter nonstop about the patients he had seen that day while also listening the little snippets Jungkook was willing to share with him.

The alpha’s life was going very well too.

Among the young members of the pack, no one could beat him in archery, sword fighting or combat. He could easily defeat even older alphas. He was practically becoming a legend around the pack. Now not only his peers but the whole pack became aware of the Pack Alpha’s illegitimate kid being the strongest alpha their pack has ever seen in years.

Jungkook fame got so big that sometimes there were even omegas who followed Jungkook all the way to their house. Jimin was truly proud of him.

But he also still warned Jungkook not to start dating until he finished school to not cause any drama in any classes he was taking.

Even though the alpha had spent that entire conversation sulking and he clearly did not want to talk about any of this with Jimin, someone older had to say it. And since his parents weren’t around… Jimin had no choice but the break the ice around the uncomfortable conversation topics!

Life really hadn’t been this good in a long time. Until, of course, suddenly everything began to get harder. Wasn’t that what older wolves always said? Every good thing eventually had to come to an end.

It was another ordinary school evening, or an evening shift for the omega. Jimin, his mother, and Jungkook were eating dinner together when someone knocked hurriedly on their door.

Even that was very strange, because they would never have visitors. And certainly not after the sun has set.

His mother wiped her mouth nervously and stood up, hurrying for the door as Jungkook and Jimin immediately followed behind her.

When they opened it, Taehyung was the one standing there, completely out of breath. The moment the door opened, the alpha’s eyes found Jungkook’s. “Jungkook. They’re coming!”

After they pulled Taehyung inside and gave him a glass of water to sit and calm down, he explained everything.

The Head Omega Sooyoung had died.

With her death, the elders of the pack had begun pressuring Head Alpha Jeon to acknowledge his only son, Jeon Jungkook, once again. And before the late Head Omega’s funeral had even taken place, they were already coming to take Jungkook back to his father.

To his same father who hadn’t come to see him even once since the day Jungkook lost his mother.

Taehyung’s father held a high rank in the pack, so the moment the alpha heard the news, he had run straight to his friend, to warn Jungkook. To give him a moment to say goodbye to Jimin.

Because most likely, Jungkook would have to move to Head Alpha Jeon’s side of the pack now. And he would move immediately.

That night, Jimin felt his heart break for the first time. His mother’s eyes were filled with tears too.

But even if they looked at Jungkook with teary eyes, both of them knew this was what was best for the pack. Jungkook was truly an exceptional alpha. If he became the next leader of the pack, he would do a better and fairer job than most.

But… Jungkook was silent. He thanked Taehyung for coming to warn him, sent him off quickly to not draw any unnecessary attention to his friend, then sat there quietly, lost in thought. And it did not take long before their door was knocked on again.

That night, the same men who had once left food and money at their door years ago took the alpha away.

Only after Jimin and his mother hugged him tightly, of course. Whispering encouragements to the young boy’s ears. Patting his back lovingly.

They knew him going to live near his father was no exile. They would still see each other, they would technically still be in the same pack. But they also knew their lives would never be the same again.

Jungkook would no longer live in the little house beneath the hill. Now he would live in the center of the pack, in the biggest and most magnificent tent, beside his father. He was moving to the very place where Jimin and his mother had once been driven out.

At first, getting used to it was proving to be very difficult.

Since he took the role of the Head Alpha’s son again, his “practice” was no longer with other alphas in the pack, but in a more private area where he could learn from the best warrior alphas from the pack. But every day, Jimin caught himself waiting for the alpha to come see pick him up after his practice. It was a habit. It was their habit. Jimin did knew better, but he still looked at the door, waiting to hear the quiet steps shyly stooping outside of their tent. Waiting for Jimin to step out so they could walk home together.

He was missing Jungkook. He was missing him a lot. The omega had gotten so used to him that being without Jungkook felt weird now.

But even though the alpha could not come every day anymore, he still tried his hardest to come have dinner with them at least a few times a week. And whenever he came, Jimin noticed a fire in his eyes that had not been there before.

Since Jungkook had always been someone who didn’t share many details, he didn’t talk much about what he did while staying with his father either. But he did say that he was improving much faster now and that he could easily defeat even older alphas in combat.

Jimin and his mother were both very proud of him. Even if this changes things a lot.

Back when they used to go fetch water from the well, the omegas and betas who were admirers of Jungkook only walked behind them but now, they practically rushed ahead to greet the young alpha, to talk to him, give him small gifts even.

Wherever Jungkook went, all eyes were on him. Every mouth talked about how glad they were that the Pack’s future was him. Every omega, beta swooned over him. Every alpha younger than him, looked up to him.

Over time, Jungkook’s visits to Jimin’s became less frequent.

Eventually, came a time that the alpha could only come about once a week. According to him, his training had grown much more intense. And the extra classes he had to took about leading and history were laying heavy even for him.

Sometimes Jimin felt sad watching the small alpha he once saw as a baby struggle with such enormous responsibilities. But whatever Jungkook wanted to do with his life, both Jimin and his mother supported him completely.

Meanwhile, Jimin himself had grown much closer to Jin at the Medical Tent. Hoseok had also started working at a bakery nearby, so they were seeing each other more often now. He was way more social than he ever was, and he loved his job as well.

Still, Jimin missed Jungkook.

Very much. Every day, sometimes multiple times a day. His thoughts often wandered to what the pine-scented boy was doing right now.

One day the alpha came with a necklace in his hand, a broken tip of a wild boar’s tusk hanging from it. With his red ears and shy gaze, he handed the gift to Jimin.

“My first kill,” he said while carefully moving the hair around Jimin’s neck to lock the necklace around it.

It was a little barbaric, but it probably meant something very important to the alpha, Jimin could tell. The omega had once heard from an old friend that for rogue wolves, first kills held great meaning.

So this must have been valuable to Jungkook too, Jimin thought before speaking. “Thank you so much, Kook. I’ll never take it off.”

When he saw Jungkook’s red eyes brighten at those words, Jimin’s heart warmed as well. So he reached out without thinking and gently stroked the cheek of the boy who was now taller than him. He talked softly, “When did my baby grow up enough to hunt down his first prey?”

Jungkook took the hand on his cheek into his own and stepped closer to Jimin. “I’m not your baby. I’m your alpha.”

There had been some distance between them lately, but this big possessive baby was still the same, the omega thought. So he just laughed it off and pulled his hand back.

Jimin never took that necklace off. Not once.

Not until the day Jungkook left.

Head Alpha Jeon decided to send Jungkook and several other promising warriors, Taehyung among them, to a distant pack with harsher conditions to complete their training.

Four years of brutal training.
Followed by two years living among packless groups. Six years in total. A full six years.

When Jungkook first told him he was leaving, Jimin cried right there in front of him. His mother cried too.

But as Jungkook explained that it was necessary if he wanted to become the future leader of the pack, if he wanted to improve his training, those large red eyes of his were shining with excitement.

What could Jimin say to that?
He couldn’t say anything. And he didn’t.

He swallowed all his sadness, he ignored the sound of his heart aching, wiped his tears, and wrapped his arms around the alpha. Tightly hugging him.

On the day Jungkook left, everyone had to say their goodbyes to the parting wolves at the other end of the pack.

Normally neither Jimin nor his mother would try to go there. They tried to stay out of the center and other ends of the pack. After all, there were still many people who hated the Park name. Jeon family being the first ones.

But Jimin had to see Jungkook leave. So he went.

Holding back his tears to not make this parting harder for the young alpha, he quietly hugged him one last time. “I’m going to write to you. If you don’t reply, I’ll get super mad! Got it?”

Jungkook only smiled to that. Then he reached for the necklace around Jimin’s neck, his smile never fading. “Don’t take this necklace off. And please… wait for me, Jimin.”

But now even his eyes were shining with sadness. Jimin met his gaze and nodded approvingly. Then, trying to ease the tension between them, he laughed. “You still haven’t learned though, you need to call me hyung! If even a kid like you can’t show me respect, my life is doomed already.”

Jungkook raised his eyebrows mockingly as well, but the look in his eyes was serious this time. “I’m not a kid anymore.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “You are to me.”

At those words, the alpha stepped back. His brows were now drawn together. “Do you honestly see me as nothing more than a little brother?”

Jimin smiled. Of course he did. But he also knew Jungkook wanted to look like this big, strong alpha. Even he was shorter than him, the alpha never liked the fact that he was so cute. He would always throw tantrums and sulk all day whenever Jimin called him baby.

So as the omega tried to suppress his smile, tears threatened to spill from his eyes from the memories of their childhood. “Of course you are.” He whispered, “You’re my strong little baby.”

Then, he wrapped his arms around the alpha’s neck, pulled him closer and left a small kiss on his cheek. “Go safely and come back to me safely. I’ll be waiting for you, Kook.”

But Jungkook froze from the kiss. And before Jimin could pull away, the alpha was already grabbing him by the arms and pulling him closer. Way closer than they have ever been before. Their foreheads were almost touching.

When their eyes met, the alpha’s pine scent grew much stronger, and Jimin’s peach scent responded in return.

Jungkook closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Clearly inhaling the omega’s scent, looking like he was trying to memorize it.

Embarrassed, Jimin quickly glanced around to see if anyone was watching them but thankfully everyone else was busy with their own goodbyes.

But then, he felt Jungkook’s breath against his ear. And the alpha’s words were the thing that managed to stole his breath away. “I’m not your baby. I’m your alpha, Jimin.” He whispered. “When I come back and leave my mark on you in front of the pack, you’ll understand what I’ve known all along.”

With that, Jungkook leaned down and placed a small kiss on Jimin’s cheek as well. But his kiss lingered and his touch even burned.

Without another word, Jungkook turned around and ran toward the group that had already begun to move. The bag in his hand swung behind him as he ran.

Jimin could say nothing. With his tears finally free to stream down his face, he simply watched the alpha leave.

Jeon Jungkook, the sole heir of the Jeon pack, the stubborn little alpha, had managed to left him breathless for the first time in their four years of friendship, just from a few words from their farewell.

His still racing heart competed with the deep sadness rising inside him. But besides all this, the omega knew one thing for sure.

No matter what happens, Jimin would count every single minute, every single day, month, year… until the day the alpha returns would come.

Chapter Text

6 years later

Jimin: 22
Jungkook: 20 

“Ah! It hurts! It really hurts!”

Ignoring the beta’s shouting, the omega kept pressing alcohol-soaked cotton onto the wound. “If you don’t stop moving and whining, it’s going to hurt even more, hyung.”

“You have no heart… is this how you treat your only friend?” Hoseok pouted, looking at Jimin as if trying to gain sympathy.

But of course, the omega didn’t care in the slightest. Ignoring Hoseok’s cries, he found a bandage to close the wound. The beta had split his eyebrow open by walking straight into the bakery door where he worked. And since the Medical Tent was empty except for the healers, they could talk freely about how dumb the beta had been.

“If I had a friend who knew how to look where he’s going and walk properly, maybe I wouldn’t have to act like the only responsible person around here…” Jimin muttered.

Interrupting his whining, a voice suddenly came from behind them. “You two, stop fighting and go home early to get ready! Today’s the big day!”

Both Jimin and Hoseok turned to look at Jin, who was standing behind them with a wide smile. Hoseok rolled his eyes. “Of course it’s a big day for you. You’re finally going to reunite with your precious Namjoon, hyung. But I don’t see how that concerns us.”

Jin’s cheeks turned red at the beta’s words. He tried to hide it with his hand as he walked over and smacked Hoseok on the forehead. “You’re too shameless aren’t you? I don’t have anything ‘precious’ like that!”

The beta sulked, rubbing his forehead, but Jimin couldn’t hold back his laughter at that. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Jin. “So the alpha you’ve been exchanging letters with every month, the one you’ve been waiting for this whole time, the reason you rejected every alpha in the pack… he’s not that precious to you, did i hear that right?”

This time, Jin’s ears turned bright red as well. He lifted the same hand again. “Do you want to get hit too, Jimin?”

After laughing and joking together for a while, Jimin finally decided to leave since he was done with his work for today. Hoseok followed him, saying he’d walk him home. The omega knew exactly what the beta’s real intention was, but he didn’t say anything about it.

They were coming back today.

“How are you?” the beta asked. Their steps were slow, and it was obvious he was choosing his words carefully about the sensitive topic at hand. Jimin felt a warmth in his chest at his friend’s thoughtfulness.

And to answer his question… How was he really? Well, he knew the answer to that. He was miserable. He kept his eyes on the pebbles on the ground so it wouldn’t be obvious he was lying. “I’m fine, of course. It’s been a long time, hyung.”

“I know, but it’s your first time seeing him face to face. You must be feeling something.”

Under the beta’s soft gaze, the omega felt like he couldn’t breathe, but he didn’t let it show. “Of course I’m not that excited. I’m still a little upset. But like I said… it’s been a long time. I’m sure he had more important things to do.”

They had already reached the house he shared with Jin. Ever since his mother had practically forced him out so he could live his own life, he’d been staying with the older omega. It was close to the Medical Tent and his mother’s house, so it worked out well enough for him as well.

Realizing he couldn’t handle his friend’s worried look any longer, Jimin forced a smile. “I’m fine, Hoseok. Don’t worry.”

The beta nodded slowly. There wasn’t much they could do about the situation anyway. “Alright. Then you’re coming to the festival with me tonight.”

Jimin had known the beta would insist. The entire pack had been eagerly waiting for the return of the warrior alphas. Unfortunately, he was no longer one of those people, even though he once had been. “It’d probably be better if I didn’t come.”

Hoseok placed a hand on his arm and tilted his head. “Jimin…”

The omega didn’t say anything else. He gave one last bittersweet smile, then pulled back and opened the door to his house. He knew Hoseok would understand. And most importantly, he didn’t want to cry in front of him. But the moment the door closed behind him, the tears he had been holding out the entire day began to fall on their own.

Damn it, Jimin thought. He thought he had moved on, that he had accepted it, but he hadn’t. Their return was turning everything upside down again.

The thought of seeing him again hurt. Even after all these years, even after six years of silence. It all felt like a very cruel joke on him.

When Jungkook left, Jimin had been affected by it far more than he had ever expected.

He had gotten so used to the young alpha, spending time together, eating together, even fetching water from the well… The thought of not seeing Jungkook for six years had felt like torture. He even believed the gods above must have been angry with him to punish him like this.

Still, he had comforted himself with the thought that the alpha needed this to improve himself, that it was something he truly wanted, that the future leader had to be strong. These sacrifices were for the good of the pack. It had been difficult for both Jimin and Jungkook to lose their closest friend, but they would find a way to adapt. Jimin trusted the alpha completely.

So when his letters didn’t receive a reply at first, he assumed they hadn’t reached him.

It really was strange. Jimin clearly remembered how he couldn’t hold back his tears while writing the very first letter. He had carefully written everything that had happened in the pack during the month Jungkook was gone. He told him how much both he and his mother missed him, how eagerly they were waiting for the day he would return stronger. He even mentioned how he had watched the clouds alone, just like they used to, and told him the story he had made up about the shape of them.

But that month, no reply came from Jungkook.

Jimin was sure the letter hadn’t reached him. Maybe the messengers had dropped it, or it had gotten mixed up with someone else’s. Maybe they didn’t even go as far to the pack where the alpha was training, even though they claimed they did.

So he ignored the lack of a response. He ignored not hearing anything about what Jungkook was doing. And he waited patiently… until the second letter also went unanswered. But after two months without a single piece of news from the alpha, it started to weigh on him.

At night, he fell asleep playing with the necklace Jungkook had given him. In the mornings, the first thing he did was check with the messengers to see if a letter had arrived for him.

By the third month, his patience had run out. When he handed over the letter, he was much more careful with it. He had written “Jeon Jungkook” in large letters on the envelope. He had firmly warned the beta who would carry it, making sure it reached the right person, making sure it would never be lost on the way.

He was bothering the poor boy so much that the young beta had started to avoid him whenever he saw him around the pack.

But Jimin didn’t care. If it meant hearing even a single word from the alpha, he wouldn’t hesitate to bother anyone.

There was no reply in the third month either.

Jimin was getting tired of stopping by the messengers every morning before going to work. But the hope inside him hadn’t faded. He was so sure that his letters weren’t being delivered to Jungkook.

There was no reply in the fourth month either.

Alright, Jimin thought. Maybe his letters weren’t reaching the alpha, but couldn’t Jungkook still write something to him? Had the young alpha never once thought of him? While Jimin felt his absence almost every day, while whenever he sat under the cherry tree he kept seeing Jungkook returning from school in his mind… was the alpha really that busy? Too busy to remember him even once, to write even a single letter?

Even so, he ignored his hurt. Jungkook was younger than him, after all. Maybe, since he hadn’t seen Jimin’s letters, he thought Jimin wasn’t writing either and felt upset about it. Jimin had to be the bigger person.

In the fifth month, there was still no reply.

Jimin was starting to feel embarrassed, honestly, stopping by the messengers every morning and being met with their pitying looks. He was sure that, in their eyes, he looked like a pathetic omega who couldn’t get a reply from the alpha he loved. Of course, none of them knew how close he and Jungkook had been. They didn’t understand their relationship, he thought.

But still, Jimin had started to feel ashamed.
And the day, he decided to stop came a week later.

That day he woke up a little earlier than usual. After learning once again that there was no letter for him, he headed to the Medical Tent before sunrise and ran into Seokjin on the way. The older omega was also going to the messengers.

Jimin greeted him with a smile, then continued on to open the Medical Tent early. By the time Seokjin returned, Jimin was sweeping the floor with a twig broom and noticed the letter in his hand.

They weren’t that close back then, so Jimin didn’t know much about the older omega’s personal life. He didn’t want to pry, so he looked away. But Seokjin kept staring at the letter in his hand with a shy smile. And that’s why Jimin couldn’t hold back anymore. Smiling, he asked, “Who’s that letter from, hyung? You’re smiling way too pretty for it.”

Seokjin must not have realized how he looked, because he quickly hid the letter behind his back, his ears turning red with embarrassment. Jimin just laughed softly, focusing back on sweeping. “Alright… you can keep secretly exchanging letters with your secret admirer. I didn’t see anything.”

“It’s not like that! He’s just… a friend.” Seokjin brought the letter back in front of him, fidgeting with its edges, his eyes fixed on it.

Jimin raised an eyebrow, trying not to smile. “If you say so.”

But Seokjin quickly added, his ears still red, “He really is just a friend! It’s from Kim Namjoon. You know him, the Chief Advisor Kim’s son!”

That made Jimin pause. He couldn’t stop his brows from furrowing. “Kim Namjoon? But isn’t he one of the ones who left for training with Jungkook’s group?”

Seokjin nodded, then smiled again as he looked at the letter. “We’ve been exchanging letters every month since he left. He must get bored, sometimes he writes almost every week.”

The broom slipped from Jimin’s hand.

Without noticing Jimin’s reaction, Seokjin walked inside toward the section where they prepared medicinal herbs. But for Jimin, the world had already started spinning.

If Namjoon could write to Seokjin every week, that meant letters were reaching the pack where Jungkook was training. And not just reaching, they were going regularly and properly. Seokjin was in constant contact with Namjoon.

But Jimin hadn’t received even a single letter from Jungkook.

Feeling like he might collapse, he grabbed onto one of the nearby beds and sat down. He needed to calm down.

All this time, he had been certain Jungkook wasn’t receiving his letters. For five months, he had explained the silence that way. He thought the messengers were lying, that they weren’t actually going as far as to where Jungkook was training. Maybe they never even took his letters beyond Jeon territory, Jimin always thought bitterly. Even with that belief, he hadn’t been able to fully understand the silence from Jungkook.

But if Seokjin’s letters were reaching Namjoon, and Namjoon’s were reaching Seokjin…

Jimin stood up. He would go to the messengers one more time today. As he walked the familiar path, he kept thinking, it’s not like that. It can’t be like that. 

But when he turned the corner and locked eyes with the beta he always handed his letters to, the beta immediately turned away and started walking off, clearly avoiding the omega. So Jimin quickened his pace. “Zhang! Wait! I just want to ask something!”

He could tell the beta had heard him with the way he lowered his head and waited for Jimin to catch up. When the omega stood right in front of him and saw that familiar look of pity in the messenger’s eyes, he swallowed the lump in his throat and asked the question he had been too afraid to ask for months. “My letters… did you see with your own eyes that Jungkook received them?”

The beta looked away from Jimin’s hopeful, desperate gaze and took a deep breath. “Jimin… I’m sure he’s just very busy. Seeing you hurting yourself like this is upsetting all of us too.”

Even though he already knew the answer, Jimin asked again. “Did you hand them to Jungkook yourself?”

This time, the beta met his eyes, swallowed, and placed a hand on Jimin’s shoulder. “Every time I went to that pack, the first letter I delivered was always yours. And every single time, I made sure Jungkook received it directly, just like you told me to.”

If you asked Jimin today how he finished work that day, how he got home, what happened afterward, he wouldn’t be able to tell you. The only thing he knew was that he cried until morning that night.

He just couldn’t understand it. He couldn’t understand why Jungkook wasn’t writing to him. In every letter, Jimin had written how much he wanted to hear about his life, how he had to write back, how he was waiting. There was no way Jungkook didn’t know he was expecting a reply.

And since all the letters had reached him, it meant Jungkook simply didn’t want to write back.

Why? Jimin wondered. He searched for countless reasons but couldn’t find one. Had he done something wrong? But they had parted on good terms. Had something happened that he didn’t know about? What was the problem? What had he done to deserve not getting even a single word for five months?

Even though he cried all night, in the end he convinced himself that maybe Jungkook was just too busy with his harsh training to write back. Because the Jungkook he knew would never do something hurtful like this. He would never intentionally hurt Jimin. He valued him just as much as Jimin valued the alpha.

They had shared hundreds of dinners, counted hundreds of clouds, carried hundreds of buckets of water together. They had wiped each other’s tears, comforted each other in hard times, celebrated together in happy moments. Their friendship was stronger than five months of silence. Jimin knew that. He believed that.

For a year, Jimin kept writing letters every month. And for a year, he kept stopping by the messengers every day to ask if a reply had come. Even though he felt embarrassed, he didn’t care what people thought at that point. There were only a few people in his life he truly cared about, and the young alpha was one of them. So he would do his best not to lose him.

For a year, not a single letter came. Even though Seokjin received letters almost every week, written in fresh ink and sometimes decorated with different dried flowers, Jimin didn’t even receive one.

Even though it hurt, even though his heart was breaking, he didn’t give up.

In the second year after Jungkook left, he still kept writing letters every month. He wrote about the changes in the pack, about his mother, about his own life, about the things he knitted, about new things he learned while making medicine. Even though he knew every letter would go unanswered, he still wrote with the same care as the very first one.

But in the second year, he stopped going to the messengers to check for replies. He was certain none would come. And even if by some small chance one did, he had become familiar enough with Zhang and the others, so they all knew where to find him.

At the end of the second year, one of Jungkook’s old friends from the pack came to the Medical Tent after falling ill. As they talked, the topic of Jungkook’s success in training came up. Shocked and surprised with what he was hearing from the alpha’s friend, Jimin couldn’t help but ask how he knew all that.

Even though both his heart and mind devoured every bit of information about the young alpha with hunger, his curiosity outweighed that hunger this time.

And when the alpha’s friend said all of these information about Jungkook’s life was from a letter written by Jungkook himself, Jimin stopped. The realization sinked in his stomach, and hurt behind his eyes.

Jungkook was writing letters to his old friends. But in the two years he was gone, he hadn’t written a single one to Jimin.

The letter Jimin sent that month became his last. And after that, he never wrote another word to the alpha again.

Chapter Text

Jimin, sitting in the farthest corner from the great fire where everyone had gathered, pitied himself as he watched all the celebrations and all of his friends dancing. Truly, he was so unlucky that he couldn’t even managed to avoid coming here.

After Seokjin and Hoseok’s VERY HEAVY insistence, he was now at the grand festival held for those returning from training, just like literally everyone else in the pack, even though this was the last place he wanted to be right now.

Even his mother had come and was talking in a corner with another omega woman. And getting that woman out of her house was nearly impossible so this only proved the fact that this was a celebration attended by the entire pack and since he had two very persistent friends on his tail, he really couldn’t escape either.

It had been years.

Jimin had no idea what Jungkook even looked like now. The last time the omega saw him, Jungkook was just a fourteen year old, an excited young alpha candidate.

So he was sure a lot had changed in those years. They had definitely changed Jimin a lot too.

His hair, once short, had grown long like the other omegas. It was now long enough to tie at the back. He was still young, but the baby fat on his face was gone. His lips had become more defined, his skin softer. Jimin was a true omega now. All his facial features had settled into their respective places and he looked prettier, even he knew that.

As he exchanged glances while holding the roasted corn in his hand, he knew he had no appetite to eat it. He had only taken it because it was being handed out to everyone. When it became obvious he wouldn’t eat it, he threw it into a nearby trash bin, then sat far enough away so his friends couldn’t drag him into dancing by the fire again. This was proving to be a long evening.

When his eyes lazily drifted to the great fire in the center, his ears began to echo with the sudden booming sound of large drums, coming from the pack’s entrance. And he immediately knew, this could only mean one thing.

They were coming.

Since he was at the far back, high seats, he could already see the large crowd, further down the path that opened into the center of the celebrations. A large group was approaching, many horses, and on them the young men he assumed were the long-awaited alphas.

The music that filled the night around them just moments ago had quietly vanished, replaced only by the loud drums. Everyone stood up, the dancers paused and all eyes turned toward the entrance. Jimin’s too, of course.

At the very front, on a massive horse, rode an alpha nearly as large as the horse itself. His long black hair fell over his face, his chest covered only by a large fox pelt, otherwise bare. He carried himself upright. This man looked intimidating. The parts of his chest not covered by fur were adorned with a selection of tattoos, and he had an aura Jimin had never encountered before. You could tell he was powerful just from the way he sat on the horse and how he guided others around him. The other alphas of the group followed him into the center of the great square while Jimin finally stood up as well. His curiosity managing to overcome his stubbornness.

They all wore furs similar to the one the leading alpha wore. Most likely, these were from animals they had hunted during the past two years while living among the packless. Jimin knew this was in accordance with tradition of the pack.

They weren’t many of them though, only about twenty alphas at most. Jimin really tried but couldn’t even remember how many had originally left. He was far too occupied with sending Jungkook off to notice anyone else back then. He laughed bitterly to himself.

It had truly been a long time.

But still, he couldn’t stop his curious eyes as they involuntarily searched for Jungkook among the riders. As his gaze moved across each figure on horseback, he couldn’t find the guy with the big eyes he remembered. They all felt like strangers. Where was that boy?

As they moved further in and approached the fire with their horses, the intimidating alpha at the front grabbed the knife at his side and leapt down from his horse in a single motion. While standing tall, he quickly swept his gaze over those around him and pushed his long black hair back with his free hand.

And for Jimin, time stopped right then.

He would recognize those red eyes looking out at the crowd anywhere. Even from afar, even barely able to see in the darkness of the night… he recognized them. But this just couldn’t be real.

Jeon Jungkook, sole heir of the Jeon Pack, the strongest alpha among his peers, now walked straight from his horse toward the Head Alpha Jeon and the Council of Elders seated across the fire. Of course Jungkook would be at the front. He was the heir, so he was at the front. Jimin should’ve known that, but he only felt like he was losing his mind.

This tattooed, muscular, seriously scary man that was covered in layers of fur had nothing to do with his little Jungkook.

Jungkook had once been nothing more than a stubborn, red-eyed little alpha kid. At least, that was how Jimin remembered him.

Then who was this? If he hadn’t seen those peculiar red eyes of his with his own, he would never have believed it was him. Was this really the same boy he used to tease for being grumpy, the same one he once smacked on the back with a bucket they were carrying to the well?

Judging by the astonished murmurs and shocked gasps around him, Jimin knew at least he wasn’t the only one left speechless by Jungkook’s jaw-dropping transformation. Everyone was in shock.

“Is that really Jeon Jungkook?”

“What happened to him? He looks terrifying! Did you see how he looked at the crowd? He looks so serious and scary.”

“He might be scary, but didn’t you see how unbelievably handsome he got! God, I feel sorry for the omegas in the pack. This young man is going to break all of their hearts!”

And just like the guy next to Jimin had said, all the omegas in the pack were indeed fixated on Jungkook, breathlessly watching the young alpha’s every move. And Jimin was also one of the omegas that still couldn’t take his eyes off the alpha. Jungkook truly had become so handsome and charismatic.

Comparing the person he saw now that was kissing his father’s ringed finger with an educated and respectful bow; to the quiet boy he had embraced with all his warmth six years ago sounded almost like a joke.

After a while, as the other alphas reunited with their families, the music slowly began again, and people returned to dancing and celebrating. Jimin sat down again once the food also started being served.

Various stews and drinks were being brought to the tables near Head Alpha Jeon. It was clear that this celebration would last until morning. After all, Head Alpha Jeon was celebrating his only son’s return. Thinking about the hangover cases that would arrive at the Medical Tent tomorrow made Jimin momentarily sigh. The people were drinking way too much for his liking.

Jungkook was now seated comfortably beside Head Alpha Jeon. The Head Alpha sat on a large cushion with a throne behind him, while Jungkook sat next to him, knees apart, taking way too much space but probably seeing nothing wrong with it. Jungkook’s father was also an imposing man with black eyes, black brows, and a large build. Like his son, he was wrapped in high-quality furs as well. Head Alpha demanded respect just with his presence. And the eery resemblance between father and son was undeniable, the guy sitting next to the Head Alpha was indeed his son.

No matter how much Jimin tried, he just couldn’t take his eyes off the alpha. Even when he looked away for two seconds, he found himself staring sneakily at him again. So, to distract himself, he decided to go sit beside his mother. Since he was still quite far from the center, he felt safe, but he had seen what he needed to see. And there was only one true way to escape chasing those red eyes he couldn’t pull away from: leaving.

He really didn’t want to stay here any longer. His heart was beginning to ache at the sight of the past he was trying desperately to leave behind.

Jimin wouldn’t be able to handle witnessing just how much Jungkook had grown and changed after completely severing every bond between them. Maybe this was the right decision for the alpha. Maybe he did truly freed himself from Jimin by ending their friendship.

After all, Jimin would forever remain a “Park,” the son of an unwanted criminal. And Jungkook was the son of the man who had exiled Jimin’s father. Perhaps the alpha had seen the name “Park” as a burden, and that was why he ended things between them. Jimin could only guess since he never even got an answer as to “why”.

Whatever the reason was, the alpha had changed a lot in his absence. Jimin couldn’t see a single trace of the little boy he used to know now. Maybe the fact that the person he knew no longer existed could the ache in his heart, Jimin thought, unsurely.

“Mom, I’m leaving,” he said, and started walking back toward the house he shared with Jin without looking back, knowing his mother would try to stop him if he lingered but he failed to be fast enough. Because just seconds later he was turning back when his mother tightly grabbed his arm and looked at him with raised brows, firm and unyielding. “If you think you’re going anywhere without i see you eat something, you’re throughly mistaken, Jimin. I haven’t seen you eat properly in days!”

“Mom…” he whined, already knowing he would never win this battle. If there was one thing his mother was stubborn about, it was food. She would never let him leave without seeing him eat something. So knowing this was a lost battle, he let out a deep sigh.

Was this really the worst night of his life? Even if he could ignore the aching of his still broken heart, it certainly felt like it.

Since the celebrations were still in full swing, maybe no one would notice if he quietly went to the center, grabbed some food, and left. Yes, he’d just go quickly, take something and get out. When he glanced at Jungkook from the corner of his eye, he saw the alpha looking around with a serious expression, one hand resting on the knife at his thigh, loosely grabbing it probably out of habit. Jimin quickly looked away again.

The last thing he wanted was to lock eyes with the alpha who, by the way, might not even remember him and have his heart break even more. Jimin could already feel the damage, if those once warm red eyes looked at him empty now, would do to him.

At least not tonight, he thought to himself. He would do everything he could to prevent that from happening.

Slowly stepping into the crowd, he made his way toward the food. When he spotted Seokjin at the side, talking with his oh so beloved Namjoon, he smiled at the couple. Seokjin deserved to be happy and judging by the way the alpha looked at him like he had hung the stars in the sky, he would be.

Of course, that also meant Jimin would likely be homeless after the mating season next month, since the older omega would probably want to mate now since his alpha was back.

Without lingering any longer, he reached the people serving food. He still had no appetite at all, cursed himself for throwing out the corn before showing it to his mother. But he clenched his teeth and took a plate anyway, just to show his mother he was indeed going to eat. He had some stew served and was about to grab some bread when his hair came loose.

Great, Jimin thought. With his long blonde hair now flowing in the evening breeze, tying it up while holding a plate would be torture. He was about to calmly set the plate on a nearby table when he turned at the sound of a voice behind him.

“Would you like some help with that?”

When he turned slowly and their eyes met, Jimin recognized the alpha immediately and smiled. “Taehyung.”

Taehyung had changed just as much as Jungkook.

His dark blond hair had grown longer, falling in waves down his back. Many parts of his body, and even his face, were now covered in tattoos, just like Jungkook’s. Though he still wore his usual cheerful smile, he had matured like a true warrior alpha. And with his features settling with age, he had become much more handsome as well.

“You’ve grown,” Jimin said with a smile, handing him the plate.

Taehyung reached for the bread and placed some onto it, smiling as he did. With a quick wink, he spoke. “So have you! You were always beautiful, but I didn’t expect you to become this dashing, Jimin.”

“Ah, you never learned to call me hyung. You and Jungkook always managing—” as he started to rant, Jimin suddenly stopped himself. He hadn’t even registered the compliment the other alpha gave him. The only thing on his mind had been Jungkook, so his tongue slipped his name easily.

Talking to Taehyung had suddenly pulled him back six years, to when the alpha had still been small… when they had been close. He just spoke without thinking, as if nothing between them had changed. Realizing his mistake, he fell silent. From the look in Taehyung’s eyes, he knew the other alpha had noticed too.

Without saying anything, Jimin slipped his hair tie onto his wrist and gathered his hair. After quickly tying it into a low loose bun, he reached out again and took his plate back. “Thank you.”

Taehyung leaned forward slightly and gave a respectful (and exaggerated) bow. As he straightened from it, he smiled again. “Always at your service, Head Omega.”

And just before Jimin could respond, he turned sharply and disappeared into the crowd of dancing people as quickly as he had come.

“Head Omega?” What the hell was this kid saying?

Taehyung had always been a strange one, but even for him, that was a bit much. Still, Jimin didn’t have the time or energy to dwell on this nonsense. Holding his plate, he turned to head back, when suddenly, the feeling of being watched made the hairs on his neck stand on end.

He had never felt anything like it before. It was as if nothing in the world mattered more than this moment. Something inside his omega stirred to life, alert and vivid with vigor. He didn’t even understand what was happening, but his body did. And he knew… even before lifting his head he knew, but he couldn’t stop himself.

When he finally lifted his head, the person his eyes met was none other than Jungkook.

His long black hair was brushed back now. Showing his forehead, looking even more grown like this. The alpha was leaning slightly against his seat beside his father, his jaw clenched as he was staring directly at Jimin.

Startled with shock, excitement, nerves… Jimin almost dropped his plate. Those large red eyes, there was no doubt the alpha looking at him was Jungkook.

No matter how much he had changed, grown, trained, become scary, none of it mattered. Those big red eyes were still his.

Jimin felt it in his whole body, the immediate pull, the want to be near the alpha. He had missed him. So, so much.

Even though he was angry at Jungkook, deeply hurt by him, even though he knew the alpha didn’t care about him at all and had broken his heart… what the omega truly wanted was to swallow his pride, to not give a fuck about anything and wrap his arms around the alpha in front of everyone.

He wanted Jungkook to tell him everything he had been through, he wanted to lie side by side on the grass under the stars like they used to, and he wanted to listen to him all night. He wanted everything between them to remain as they had left it.

But nothing was the same anymore. Jungkook had made his stance toward Jimin very clear. And Jimin, who was used to not being wanted in many places in his life in this pack, had learned not to stay even a second where he wasn’t wanted.

So he took a deep breath, pulled his eyes away from the alpha’s intense gaze that was still locked onto him. Gripping his plate tightly, he turned his back and walked toward his mother with quiet steps.

Chapter Text

“I don’t see anyone chasing after you other than me anyways, Jimin. Don’t you think it’s time you dropped the hard to get act, huh?”

Jimin knew the alpha behind him very well. It wasn’t his first ride nor it would be his last. Hanbin had been bothering him for years. “You’d be happier with someone else, Hanbin.”

Since the man behind him also had anger issues, Jimin didn’t want to cause a scene in the peaceful yet busy Medical Tent right now. So he took a deep breath and continued arranging the herbs in his hands, trying to look even busier.

“There’s only one month left until the Mating Ceremonies begin. You’re already twenty-two, your best years are long behind you. And there’s no one who wants to be bonded with you anyway. So stop playing this game with me.” Each of Hanbin’s words felt like a knife wound in his chest. As cruel as they were, there was also some truth in them. Jimin would never be bonded. He knew that.

As long as he was a ‘Park,’ the son of a traitor, no one would want to bond with him. It was a reality the omega had long accepted. So even though the alpha’s words hurt, he tried to ignore them.

But when he felt his arm being grabbed and himself being forced to turn around, his eyes met the alpha that was glaring angrily at him. “I’m just saying, sleep with me. It’ll be fun for both of us! Why are you being so fucking stubborn about this?”

As the harsh words reached his ears, his patience finally ran out. Even if it caused a scene, he was about to shove the alpha away with all his strength, but before he could, one of the man’s friends yanked him back sharply, dragging the alpha away to the door. “Have you lost your mind Hanbin? You said you wouldn’t do this after he came back!”

Even though Jimin didn’t understand the words, he felt relief as he freed himself from the alpha’s grip. He stepped back and quickly headed inside, toward where Seokjin was. He just wanted to get out of that environment.

Inside, he ignored the other omega’s worried “Did something happen?” and simply sat down, taking a moment to breathe. He had been dealing with Hanbin for years; the alpha hadn’t been any more irritating or hurtful than usual. He was used to it. So he couldn’t understand why his eyes burned with unshed tears. He took a large sip of the water Seokjin handed him.

It was only after ten minutes that he managed to come out from the back. There was no sign of Hanbin or the friend who had dragged him away. He took a deep breath and went back to tending to the patients in the tent.

🍃

“One month left! Oh my god, one month and I STILL have no hope!” Hoseok said as he lay under the cherry tree, his head resting on Jimin’s lap. The omega smiled at his friend. “If you don’t sit up and eat that plum properly, the pit is going to get stuck in your throat.”

At that, Hoseok lifted his head and leaned back against the cherry tree on the small hill, just like Jimin, biting into the plum in his hand. “So not only have I been single all this time, I’m going to waste another year! God, what did I do to deserve this? What am i being punished for Jimin?”

As the omega listened to his friend’s thirtieth complaint about the Mating Ceremony, he was somehow not bored at all. “I’m sure you’ll meet someone very handsome soon and be very happy, Hoseok.”

The beta looked at him with pursed lips and hopeful eyes. “Do you really think so? Will I really meet someone?”

Jimin smiled and nodded. “Of course! Who could find anyone better than you?”

The beta finished his plum and tossed the pit down the hill, letting out a deep sigh. With the arrival of summer, tiny daisies had bloomed everywhere. The cherry tree had borne fruit, and around where they sat there were left-over cherries dropped and nibbled on by birds. Jimin picked one up and started playing with its stem.

Being under this tree had started to bring him a quiet sadness in recent years. It reminded him of the young alpha he was trying to forget.

“Ah, wouldn’t it be amazing if I ended up with one of those new-comer powerful alphas? They’re all so strong, muscular, and cool! Unfortunately, I’m sure they’re all after omegas,” the beta said, now lying on the ground beneath the tree, watching the leaves sway gently in the breeze.

Ah, yes, it has been a week since the alpha’s had returned.

Just as Hoseok said, they all looked incredibly strong. It must have been from the years of harsh training they’d gone through, their features were sharp, their arms were muscular and they were very skilled. Since their arrival, every morning they trained in a newly set-up area beside where the younger alphas practiced. Jimin had heard countless stories from his patients about how capable and impressive they were.

The alphas would go to training early in the morning, and afterward, some would guard the pack’s surroundings while others went hunting. Some helped the older alphas with tasks within the pack, like building tents. Wherever they went, they became the center of attention for the pack’s omegas.

And among them, without question, the most popular was, of course, Jeon Jungkook.

Everywhere Jimin went, he heard the alpha’s name. There was no escaping it. Everyone, and absolutely everyone, talked about the young, powerful heir of the Jeon Pack. People either wanted Jungkook, or wanted to be Jungkook. There was no other option.

Since his return, the alpha had helped with the pack’s internal tasks like the others and had also gone hunting. From what Jimin heard from his patients, Jungkook hunted more animals than anyone else, could carry eight buckets of water at once, and had no rival in the morning drills.

Well, it didn’t surprise him. Jeon Jungkook had always been an extraordinary child. Jimin already knew how talented he was. Even the little sculptures the alpha had made as a child, still standing by his mother’s window, were proof of that.

Despite all this, Jimin hadn’t crossed paths with Jungkook even once since the day they made eye contact when he first arrived.

Well, he was indeed making a deliberate effort to avoid it. He didn’t even go near the center, never going out either, spending his days only between the Medical Tent and the house he shared with Seokjin. He had even visited his mother only after a week.

He absolutely didn’t want to go outside and run into the alpha, at least not until he got used to his presence here. Not until the ache in his heart grew strong enough to withstand the cold intensity of those red eyes.

Jimin was sure the alpha didn’t remember him. He had thought about it on the way home that day, clutching the plate tightly after visiting his mother, almost as if he were fleeing. Jungkook was probably so busy with his new life that he had already forgotten Jimin’s existence.

The omega thought it didn’t matter anymore. The alpha had entirely different responsibilities, after all. The weight on his shoulders must have been immense. It was only natural that there was no room left in his life for Jimin.

He would learn to accept it somehow. But he needed time.

Mimicking his friend, he set aside the cherry stem in his hand as he lay down beneath the tree. He closed his eyes and focused only on the gentle breeze moving through his hair.

Life was cruel, distance could grew between you and your friends even if you’d never expect it. Life would teach you to live without the people you once thought you couldn’t exist without. And Jimin was no exception, he would learn too.

🍃

That day, the Medical Tent was more crowded than ever. A wild boar had attacked the hunting party, and Head Healer Suho, Seokjin and Jimin were exhausted trying to tend to the incoming wounded. And of course, nearly all the herbs they used for medicine had run out.

It didn’t take long for Jimin to grab a large basket and head just beyond the pack’s borders to gather herbs, after all, it was impossible to resist Seokjin’s pleading eyes. Since it was starting to get dark, he knew he had to hurry. Fortunately, the place he was heading to wasn’t far.

As he followed the familiar dirt path, the merchants in the pack were beginning to pack up their goods. Soon, a large fire would be lit in the center, and dinner would be served. Jimin could already feel his stomach growling.

Normally, either Seokjin or Jimin would bring food home and they’d eat together. The omega had never liked eating in the center. But with Namjoon’s arrival, he could already feel that was starting to change a little. He would probably eat alone from now on.

Humming a tune under his breath, the omega approached the pack’s border and smiled when he saw one of the now-familiar guards. He lifted his free hand in greeting. “Hi, Jaeyun! How’s it going?”

Jaeyun smiled back. “Same as usual. Going to gather herbs again, Jimin?”

The omega nodded. He was about to pass by without lingering when the beta spoke again. “Don’t stay out too long though. The sun’s setting, and the hunters said they’ve been seeing a lot of wild boars around today. Be careful.”

The omega nodded reassuringly, offering a small smile. “I’ll stay close. I won’t be long.”

And with that, he quickly followed the path he had long memorized. He had come here maybe a hundred times. The herbs weren’t always this plentiful, but the weather had been good lately. So he found himself in a good mood as he gathered mint first.

His basket was already half full, but rosemary was scarce. He had only found five or six sprigs at most and that wasn’t nearly enough. He pouted as he pondered. He had been so focused on his task that it took him a while to notice both the thinning herbs and the deepening darkness. He had been lulled into a false sense of calm by the forest.

Now it was almost completely dark, he realized that. But he also remembered a spot deeper in the forest where rosemary grew abundantly. It was a little risky maybe, but they needed rosemary badly. He could already imagine Seokjin’s pout if he returned without it.

So he hurried deeper into the forest. Since he had no light with him, he had to be quick. Luckily, it didn’t take long to find what he was looking for.

He began filling his basket with the herbs again, a small smile forming on his lips with satisfaction. It was almost completely full now. The job was done. He stood up, brushed off the parts of his pants that had touched the ground, when a loud scream from behind made him flinch.

The pounding footsteps and the rising, animalistic cry were exactly what he had feared. He didn’t even need to turn around to know. It was the sound every child in the pack had been taught to run from.

But when he finally swallowed his fear and looked back, about ten trees away, he saw it, a wild boar charging straight at him, its massive brown body barely visible in the darkness, its eyes gleaming.

Clutching the basket to his chest, the omega wrapped his arms around it and started running as fast as he could. But he could hear the boar keeping up with him.

Damn it, he thought. Was he really going to die like this? Trampled and eaten by a wild boar?

He hoped he was getting closer to the pack’s territory. But the truth was, it had gotten so dark and he had gotten so lost while chasing herbs that he could barely see where he was going. He ran toward what he hoped was the right direction, trying to catch the pack’s scent near him and also not to crash into the trees around him.

But Jimin could hear it getting closer.

His breath was ragged, his hair slipped free from its tie and flowed wildly as he ran. The basket was starting to slip from his arms.

He really was going to die.

The sounds in the darkness grew louder. Even as his legs ached, he forced himself to keep running, until his foot caught on a tree root.

The basket flew from his hands first. Then, he hit the ground, hard. 

Before his body could even process the shock of the fall, he pulled his legs in tightly, bracing himself for the impact of the animal that was about to crash into him. It was right there, he couldn’t see anything, and he was terrified. As his lips silently whispered every prayer he knew to the Moon Goddess, he turned his head and opened his eyes to witness his final moments.

But the blow never came.

Within seconds, a figure appeared behind him, and before his stunned eyes, it caught the boar by his horns and threw it into the darkness as if it weighed nothing.

Where the omega had expected blood and pain, there now stood an alpha.

Even before the man turned around, the deep pine scent filling his nose told him exactly who it was. But when his eyes met those red ones, his breath caught in his throat.

Jimin couldn’t even release the breath he had been holding, his heart was pounding wildly.

When did he came? How had he found him? Jimin had no idea. But at the very moment he desperately needed someone to save him, the alpha came.

He had escaped death, only to find himself lying there, weak and vulnerable, in front of the very person he had been running away from. As if he were as pathetic as the alpha thought of him.

Was it worth it? Jimin wasn’t even sure.

Chapter Text

Jimin stared at the hand Jungkook had extended toward him as the alpha said, “Are you hurt, omega?”

Omega? Was he really going to call Jimin omega? 

As if all those years they had shared meant nothing, as if they hadn’t spent the best years of their childhood together. It truly seemed like alpha didn’t remember him anymore.

And that hurt. It hurt so much. More than the pain of hitting the ground, more than the scare he just had.

He had considered that possibility, had even thought he had accepted it deep down, but now that it stood plainly in front of him, he just couldn’t accept it.

While Jeon Jungkook had brightened and warmed the lonely days Jimin endured with his presence, it seemed Jimin had meant nothing to the alpha. It seemed like the time they spent together had only been valuable to the omega. Only Jimin had seen them as close friends, while to the alpha he had most likely never been more than an ordinary acquaintance.

Hoping the night’s darkness would hide his welling eyes, he pulled his gaze away from those red eyes still watching him expectantly. He ignored the alpha’s outstretched hand as well.

As he placed both hands on the ground and slowly stood up, he took a deep breath. Crying right now would be pathetic. He didn’t want to humiliate himself any further in front of someone who had never cared about him, someone who had ignored his letters for two years and trampled on his pride like it was nothing. As he walked toward the basket that had fallen from his hands, he spoke. “I’m fine, thank you.”

When he hooked the basket onto his arm and turned around, Jungkook had already withdrawn his hand. He looked like he was about to say something. But after keeping his serious gaze fixed on Jimin for a moment with furrowed brows, he turned his head and started walking silently toward the path leading to the pack. It felt familiar. The alpha had always been quiet. Even as children, he could sit for hours without saying a word. But now, Jimin didn’t, couldn’t, find it cute.

Was that all what the alpha was planning to say to him? Jungkook had returned a week ago, after six years, after the day they had parted while holding each other tightly… This was the first time they had met again, while Jimin had nearly been brutally killed by a wild boar, and this was all he would get from him? A dry “are you hurt, omega?” Not even his name? Seriously?

Whatever bond they had, it must have ended the day Jungkook left for training, and Jimin was starting to realize that. He tried to hold back his tears. So he took another deep breath and followed the silent alpha, lifting his face toward the sky. The stars and the moon were beginning to appear after the setting sun. He tried to calm down.

It was hard to walk in the darkness. He could barely see ahead, so he focused only on the back of the young alpha. His eyes were drawn to him anyway. Even though Jimin managed to keep his mouth shut to preserve at least a bit of his pride, his omega was desperately urging him to make up for the longing he felt toward the pine-scented, red-eyed alpha, trying to memorize every detail with his eyes.

Jungkook wore a thin black top that matched his black hair. With training and age, his already broad shoulders had grown even wider, stretching the fabric tightly. He wore the standard black trousers all alphas did. Since he was here at this hour, he must have gone hunting as well. The two rabbits hanging from his side made that clear.

He had probably sent off the larger prey with the others and gone for one last hunt on his own. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have found Jimin.

The omega knew he was lucky the alpha had been there to save him. Without Jungkook, he would probably be nothing more than a corpse torn apart by a wild boar over some rosemary. Yet instead of feeling grateful, instead of clinging to Jungkook’s arm and crying in fear, instead of thinking of ways to thank him… he only felt sad.

Even though he tried to hide his deep sadness sweeping into his scent, he had no idea if he was succeeding. And no matter how hard he tried, he  just couldn’t bring himself to say words of gratitude to the man who felt both so distant and so close.

As they approached the pack, the lights at the edges widened his field of vision. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, realizing he was finally safe.

Jungkook continued walking ahead confidently, head held high, shoulders back. Watching his back, Jimin realized once again how different he was from the boy he used to know. He now had every quality expected of an alpha who would lead the pack. He was tall, strong, charismatic. For God’s sake, he had taken down a wild boar alone, and he did it easily as well. He was perfect in every way. The withdrawn, irritable, stubborn boy Jimin had known had turned into a reliable, powerful alpha that was set to lead their pack confidently. Jimin understood very well why the entire pack was captivated by him.

Now that they were close to the pack’s borders, he reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the alpha and laughed quietly to himself. Why was he so fixated on someone who didn’t care about him? He wondered what Jungkook would think if he could hear his thoughts. Would he pity Jimin for clinging to his childhood memories even after all these years? Or would he see his soft heart as weakness and look down on him?

When they approached Jaeyun, Jimin saw the beta running toward him with concern. Ah, he must look like a mess, the omega thought. The first time Jungkook saw him up close, his hair was loose and messy, his clothes were covered in dirt, exhausted from working all day and he was shocked to his core too. Perfect.

“Jimin! What happened to you? Are you okay?” the other said as he reached him. When Jimin slowed down for the beta to catch up, Jungkook, who had walked ahead without looking back even once, also stopped.

Jimin forced a smile. “I’m fine, Jaeyun. You were right. I should have been more careful about those wild boars.”

He was smiling, but he wasn’t happy at all. Still, he smiled. Jaeyun looked genuinely worried and stepped closer. “I told you not to wander off! What if something had happened to you?”

This time Jimin laughed out loud. It hurt. Holding out the basket toward the alpha who hadn’t moved even a centimeter, he spoke. “Luckily Alpha Jeon was there, he saved me.”

At the mention of his name, Jimin could see Jungkook slightly turn his head, his red eyes locking onto his face. But not a single word came from him. Jaeyun glanced at Jungkook and gave a tense smile as he spoke. “I’m glad you’re okay. And thank you, Alpha Jeon.”

The alpha responded only with a look. It was a bit intimidating. He would fix his red eyes on you without saying a word and would make you tense up involuntarily. He had been like this before too, yes, but what once felt cute now only felt unsettling.

For God’s sake, why wasn’t he speaking? Was even hearing Jimin’s voice too much for him?

Jaeyun must have thought the same, because he pulled his gaze away from Jungkook with a strained smile and turned back to Jimin. He stepped closer, took the basket from his hands, and draped an arm over his shoulder. Just then, a deep growl rose from the alpha who hadn’t spoken until now.

When Jimin turned his eyes toward him, Jungkook was frowning, his unsettling gaze fixed on the beta, his teeth clenched as he growled. He kept growling until Jaeyun quickly pulled his arm back as if burned. The moment the beta withdrew, Jungkook tore his gaze from them as he turned toward the pack grounds and walked past them swiftly without a word.

What had just happened?

Jimin looked at the beta in confusion. They were both in shock. Jungkook’s growl had been terrifying. Jimin’s skin prickled, he shook with terror and he could see the beta wasn’t any different.

The omega let out a small laugh, trying to ease the tension between them, but Jungkook was already gone.

Unable to make sense of what had happened, they slowly walked toward the pack and parted ways at Jaeyun’s post. The beta still seemed shaken, and honestly, Jimin couldn’t blame him.

As he walked toward the Medical Tent, he tied up his hair and steadied his breathing. With the herbs in his hands, he managed to slip into the back room without drawing attention in the crowded space.

After sitting for a while, calming down, and fixing his appearance, he began crushing the rosemary he had gathered with great effort. His mind buzzed like a beehive with everything that had happened just minutes ago, yet he felt almost in a trance.

After all, he still had to treat those injured by wild boar attacks. Including himself.

🍃

Jimin had been trying to ignore a pleading Hoseok saying, “Please, please, please, come on!” for two hours now. Life was hard for Jimin. Even though he scrunched his face for what felt like the millionth time, it was clear his friend wouldn’t stop insisting until he got what he wanted. Sitting on one of the chairs in the back room where the omega was grinding herbs, Hoseok kept rambling while swinging his legs back and forth. “You don’t even eat with Jin hyung anymore, you’re alone every evening. There are three weeks left until the Mating Ceremonies! I have to find someone this year, Jimin. Friends help each other with this kind of stuff you know!”

The omega let out a deep breath. Yes, there were three weeks left until the Mating Ceremonies. It had also been three days since Jungkook saved Jimin from the wild boar. For those three days, Jimin had tried every day to push the image of the alpha’s red eyes out of his mind, but it was useless. Every night when he tried to sleep, he saw those eyes fixed on him. Every night, he saw that same gaze, saw the way Jungkook clenched his jaw and growled when he stood beside Jaeyun.

Since Namjoon had arrived, Seokjin had started eating with the alpha almost every day. At first, Jimin wasn’t sure if the older omega felt guilty about leaving him alone, but with the Jimin’s insistence, Jin went anyway. Love, happiness, and affection were important things, and even if Jimin couldn’t have them in his own life, he always wanted the older omega to be very, very happy.

Of course, that meant Jimin now ate alone at home every evening.

After leaving the Medical Tent, he would go to the center early, get his food, then quietly return home and eat. After that, he would take a nice shower, comb his hair, sleep, and wake up to a new day. His life was simple, but the omega was happy. It was peaceful and it was more beautiful than he had ever dared to hope.

The pack had, at least to some extent, started to accept him as someone separate from his father’s shadow. Some still kept their distance in the Medical Tent, insisting on Seokjin or Suho instead, and some occasionally made pointed remarks, but he could handle that much. As long as he could keep working here, earn enough for himself and his mother, and spend time freely with his friends, Hoseok and Seokjin, Jimin was happy. And now, that friend of his was crating his problem.

Hoseok wanted them to eat dinner together at the center so he could charm one of the alphas who had returned from training. But for Jimin, the idea of eating every day in a place full of bad memories, where he knew Jungkook and his father would also be among the pack members, felt like death. And no, he was not exaggerating.

“I don’t even understand how you’re going to find someone while eating. Everyone there is just eating…” he grumbled, even though he knew very well he was about to lose this battle. He didn’t have the strength left to resist the beta any longer. When his gaze met the man’s pouting lips and puppy eyes, he sighed.

“Fine. We’ll go to the damn dinner.”

He couldn’t help but laugh as Hoseok let out joyful screams and started jumping around him. This beta was truly crazy.

🍃

“Oh my god! He looks so handsome too, oh, oh, what about that one?” Hoseok said, tugging at his arm, completely unaware of how ridiculous they looked.

Jimin tried not to drop the plate in his hands as he whispered through clenched teeth. “For God’s sake, Hoseok, if you don’t pick a place and sit down, I’m taking this plate and i’m leaving!”

The beta must have been intimidated by Jimin’s tense look, because after their small bickering, it didn’t take long for them to sit down.

It was a beautiful summer evening. The sky was clear, a light breeze was blowing. The large fire burning in the center illuminated everything brightly under the stars.

In every corner, alphas, betas, and omegas sat together eating. The last time Jimin remembered attending these meals was with his family before his father was cast out.

That was why the place now filled him with melancholy. The warm taste of the food he had eaten in his happy childhood lingered in his mouth. The laughter he shared with his father, the way his mother’s blonde hair used to sway in the wind before it suddenly turned white from stress after his father left, the way he ran around the big fire with his friends… There was a reason he had stubbornly avoided this place for years. He had lived very good, very peaceful days here.

But now, he hadn’t seen or heard from his father in years, and his mother’s smile was no longer as sincere. Even the fire didn’t seem to shine the same way. Still, he couldn’t say no to his friend.

At least the place they sat was far from where Alpha Jeon was. The last thing Jimin wanted was to add Jungkook to the storm of emotions he was already dealing with. He hadn’t seen the alpha anyway, but he had also tried not to look too much. The omega still hadn’t forgotten the effect of those red eyes on him.

While they ate, Hoseok kept staring at the alphas coming to get food. Even though the beta’s comments were mostly about how impressive, muscular, and amazing they all were, Jimin didn’t feel like looking at any of them.

Not that any of them would look at him anyway. And even if they did, his omega had rarely been interested in any alpha so far. For some reason, none of them felt right to him.

He was quietly nearing the end of his meal when he looked up and saw that the beta had barely taken two bites. His nerves flared up again, so nudging beta’s shoulder, he spoke, “Hoseok! You haven’t even touched your food because you’re busy watching the alphas! Eat it already!”

The beta pouted but started spooning his porridge reluctantly. Jimin closed his eyes and leaned his head back slightly. It had been another exhausting day. Since most of his medicine stock had run out, he had spent hours grinding herbs in the back room. His neck hurt. The breeze helped a little though. The thin fabric he wore made him feel the coolness.

“Maybe don’t leave your wanted neck so exposed like that, Jimin. Some of us might not be able to control ourselves.”

The omega’s eyes snapped open, and when he saw the alpha in front of him, he rolled his eyes at the mocking tone. As the alpha moved to sit beside him, Jimin picked his plate back up from where he had set it aside. Noticing Hoseok’s eyes darting rapidly between them, he gestured toward the beta. “Taehyung, this is Hoseok.”

Then he turned his hand toward Taehyung. “Hoseok, this is Alpha Kim.”

The long-haired, tattooed alpha shifted his gaze from Jimin to the beta. Hoseok did the same. With his usual boldness, Taehyung took the beta’s hand and, under his surprised gaze, kissed it. “Nice to meet you, Hoseok. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a beautiful beta.”

Jimin didn’t even need to look to know his friend was turning red from head to toe. He prayed silently that he wouldn’t embarrass himself. “N-nice to meet you too.”

Good, Jimin thought. A little stuttering, but not terrible. Then Hoseok continued. “You’re very handsome.”

Jimin shot a disappointed look at the beta while Taehyung smiled. Realizing what he had just said, Hoseok only made things worse. “I-I mean! That’s not what I meant! I mean, of course you’re handsome, but not like that, I just—”

Jimin wished the ground would swallow him whole, but Taehyung seemed thoroughly entertained. “So I am pleasing in your eyes, huh.”

Then he turned to Jimin, raising one eyebrow. “You never mentioned you had such breathtaking friends Omega Park. I’m hurt.”

First of all, Jimin didn’t think he and Taehyung were that close. And since he was Jungkook’s closest friend, Jimin had developed a certain irritation toward the mocking alpha. He also wasn’t sure he wanted to hand over his dear friend to one of these unreliable alphas.

Sitting between them, Jimin took one last look at their hands resting way too close together over his plate and the way they looked at each other. With a defeated sigh, he knew he needed to leave. So he put on the most sincere smile he could manage, stood up, and spoke in a cheerful voice, “I’m going to get some water. Have fun!”

As he hurried away from them, he caught Hoseok staring at him with wide eyes, but he only blew him a kiss from afar, mouthed “Be careful!” with a frown, and walked toward where the empty plates were placed, laughing.

After all, Hoseok had been desperate to find an alpha. And Taehyung was an alpha, one of the most handsome ones at that. He didn’t feel guilty at all for throwing him to the wolf.

Still chuckling to himself, and sneaking a glance to see they were still talking, he actually went to get water. He had left his plate, successfully completed his mission of finding Hoseok an alpha. There was nothing left now to stop him from quietly going home.

He filled his glass, then quickly drank it. He was much thirstier than he had thought so he quickly filled another one.

The moment he turned around though, he walked straight into the body in front of him. Since he hadn’t even swallowed the sip in his throat yet, he started coughing. At the same time, the glass in his hand tipped over completely.

He had spilled all the water on the person in front of him, and the glass slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. Thankfully, he had stuffed some leftover cloths from the meal into his pocket. In a panic, he rummaged through his pockets at lightning speed, pulled them out, and had already started wiping the places he had soaked as he spoke. “Ah, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.”

As Jimin hurriedly and anxiously wiped the person in front of him, he didn’t notice the sudden silence around him. Or the deep pine scent surrounding him.

But when he lifted his eyes and saw the red eyes staring at him, he dropped the cloth in his hand and instinctively took a step back.

Could someone really be this unlucky? Of all people, he had spilled water all over Jeon Jungkook.

Wonderful, Jimin thought. He was also aware that the people around them were watching this reunion of the two former friends with sharp eyes. The people who already adored him would surely love him even more now, he thought bitterly. Knowing he had to diffuse the situation as lightly as possible, he let out a tense laugh and picked up the fallen glass and cloth again.

It seemed like he couldn’t do anything but embarrass himself in front of this alpha. First, he had been found covered in mud while fleeing from a wild boar, and now he was a clumsy fool who couldn’t even carry a glass of water. He cursed himself inwardly. People probably even thought that he did this intentionally to get the attention of the oh so popular Alpha Jeon.

But then, without breaking his composure, he set the glass down on the back table, took out a clean cloth he had embroidered himself, and, gathering all his willpower, lifted his head and met the alpha’s eyes. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t on purpose. You can dry yourself with this and keep it.”

As he extended the cloth toward Jungkook, his hand trembled, and even though he knew everyone was watching them, he didn’t step back. He hadn’t done anything wrong. It really was an accident. But the alpha didn’t move. He just looked at the omega with his usual unreadable expression.

Jimin was just about to give up, pull his hand back, and get the hell out of there when the alpha’s hand reached for his and his long, tattooed fingers wrapped around Jimin’s.

The omega’s eyes dropped first to the fingers touching his, then slowly lifted back to the alpha’s gaze that hadn’t left him. He gently and cautiously pulled his hand back. The way the alpha looked at him, it was as if he was trying to make up for the words he didn’t say by speaking with his soul. But Jimin looked away and took a deep breath. Then, without lingering any longer, he quickened his steps and forced himself onto the path leading from the center to his home.

When he finally closed the door of his house, he leaned his back against it and tried to steady his breathing, unable to make sense of how his heart had started racing from just a single touch of Jungkook’s hand.

The alpha had such an aura that, with just his gaze, his posture, and the slightest touch, he could stir his omega in ways Jimin was sure he should absolutely not be stirred. What was his foolish omega even so excited about? Being ignored for all those years? Being ignored even after the alpha came back?

He knew that if he didn’t get rid of these thoughts immediately, his heart would be broken. He knew that nothing but pain awaited him from dwelling on this. So he ignored his racing heart and let himself fall into the arms of sleep without much delay.

Chapter Text

As Jimin passed by the omegas chatting among themselves saying, “Which fabric should I wear! Oh God, I’m so excited!” he couldn’t help but smile.

The entire pack had been swept up in the excitement of the Mating Ceremonies. Even those busy with work had at least a small smile on their faces. It was as if even the air had grown warmer with it, and the flowers had begun to spread their scents more generously.

They had entered the final twenty days. Which meant the festival celebrations would begin tonight. It was true that everyone, from the oldest to the youngest, was very excited for this night.

During the first three days of the celebrations, all alphas and betas in the pack who intended to participate in the Mating Ceremony would step into the ring and fight until they defeated their opponents. This allowed them to prove themselves to the omegas they wished to bond with and show that they were strong and capable mating partners. Although these matches were usually relatively calm, in some years, when alphas who deeply disliked each other faced one another, it would turn into bloody fights. Jimin hoped no one would get hurt this year. He didn’t want anyone to be harmed for no good reason.

As he entered the bakery where Hoseok worked, he held the fabrics he had brought for his friend under his arm. They had agreed to dress the beta as beautifully as possible this year. His friend was already very cute and handsome, but they were going to make him even more breathtaking.

Their goal for tonight was to see at least one Mating Gift at Hoseok’s door.

Mating Gifts were given by alphas or betas to their partners that they hoped would run for them in the Mating Run that would take place at the end of these twenty days.

In other words, if an alpha or beta liked an omega or a beta, they had to leave a gift at their door every day for twenty days during the Mating Ceremonies. These gifts could be anything, big or small. It was enough that it expressed the alpha’s interest in the omega.

Over the years, so many gifts had been left at the door of the house Jimin shared with Seokjin that he couldn’t even remember the exact number anymore. All of them were for the older, pretty omega.

Alphas and betas alike, regardless of gender, always fell for Seokjin. It happened so often that it had become a joke among them. Seeing the older omega just once seemed to be enough to fall in love with him. But of course, the older omega only had eyes for Namjoon.

Jimin, on the other hand, had never received a single gift before. That was why the Mating Ceremonies had never become more than an ordinary festival for him.

Even though he knew that somewhere deep inside, his omega longed for an alpha who would love and protect him, he had grown very used to suppressing that desire. Because of that, there was a certain comfort in not having even the smallest bit of hope.

He placed the fabrics he brought beside the beta. They finalized their plan to meet in the evening, and with a smile on his face, Jimin bit into a freshly baked pie Hoseok prepared for him and returned to the Medical Tent.

But the scene waiting for him there was far from pleasant. He could already tell that his good day was about to turn sour very quickly.

Hanbin, with his loose dirty shirt hanging from his form, his dirty blonde hair covering his forehead with the position, was sitting on one of the beds near the entrance with one of his friends, watching the door. When Jimin quickly glanced around, he couldn’t see Seokjin. And the Head Healer Suho was busy dealing with three patients at once.

Great, the omega thought. That meant there was no way he’d get help while dealing with this cocky alpha.

Even though he tried to walk inside without looking in their direction, he hesitated when he was called from behind. There was no escape anyway. He could tell just from the way the hairs on the back of his neck stood up when he saw that man. What could he even do?

“Hey Jimin! Where are you running off to like that?”

Jimin absolutely didn’t want to deal with this man or his friend. But he also didn’t want to cause a scene and become the one who ruined the first day of the Mating Ceremonies. So he slightly turned his head and spoke. “I’m just putting my things inside. Is there a problem? Why are you here?”

As he walked inside without stopping, he could hear the other alpha and his friend following him, making him curse quietly under his breath. When he set his belongings on the counter and turned back, Hanbin was leaning against the door watching him, while his friend observed them with a smug smile. “I came so you wouldn’t get your hopes up waiting for a gift from me tonight. You know, our relationship isn’t like that.”

The alpha winked and smirked. Jimin had no idea what kind of relationship they supposedly had but if the alpha seriously had come just to say “I won’t give you a gift,” then that was incredibly low even for him. Crossing his arms, he leaned calmly against the counter. “I understand.”

But his reaction clearly didn’t matter to the other man. Without losing his smile for even a second, Hanbin pushed himself off the door and stepped closer until he was right in front of Jimin. The omega was barely even breathing now. He was tense. He knew he could shove him away and run, but it wouldn’t take long for the alpha to chase after him angrily and cause a scene. He knew that so he only clenched his teeth.

This was one of the reasons Jimin endured Hanbin’s behavior without showing much resistance. The alpha was worse than many others in the pack. He was aggressive and prone to violence. Once, he had even tried to beat an elderly alpha and had been forced to do trash duty for four weeks because of it. There was no predicting what he would do or how he would react. And that honestly scared Jimin a little. Becoming the obsession of a maniac with anger issues was not something pleasant.

Refusing to meet the man’s gaze, he turned his head to the side. But when he felt fingers on his neck, he immediately looked back at Hanbin in alarm. Fortunately, the alpha had only pulled out the necklace that was tucked under Jimin’s clothes.

Holding the necklace in one hand, he brushed his thumb over the tooth hanging from it. His gaze stayed fixed on it. Jimin gripped the counter behind him from the tension. The alpha was far too close.

But the omega was frozen in shock from the sudden close proximity.

Without letting go of the necklace, Hanbin looked into Jimin’s eyes and continued speaking. “Because of this necklace, they always told me to be afraid of you, that you were untouchable…”

The friend behind them had now turned his back and was practically standing guard in front of the back room. Jimin swallowed nervously. What untouchable, what fear was this man talking about? That necklace was just a keepsake he hid gifted by an old friend. What kind of nonsense had this lunatic made up in his head this time, he thought bitterly.

When the alpha suddenly leaned even closer and the hand at his side reached up to touch his cheek, Jimin pulled back toward the counter as far as he could. He was trembling now but still couldn’t make a sound as Hanbin’s cold fingers started to stroke his cheek.

“But I can touch you, can’t I? Even if you won’t be the one I’ll mark, come watch my fight tonight. Come see how strong I am and let me convince you to spend the night with me.”

Gathering what little strength he could, Jimin turned his head away, forcing the alpha’s hand to fall from his cheek. His hands gripping the counter had turned completely white. He took a shaky deep breath. He knew he needed to pull himself together immediately and he had to get out of here. It had been a long time since he felt this trapped. The situation reminded him of what he had gone through when his father was first exiled from the pack.

He closed his eyes and inhaled, and the pine scent filling his nose brought his mind back into place.

Hanbin must have smelled it too, because he quickly released the necklace in Jimin’s hand and stepped back as if he had been electrocuted.

His friend was gone. The moment he saw the owner of the pine scent, he must have disappeared. Hanbin also turned around and was about to head quickly toward the door without letting those red eyes linger on him, but he froze when his arm was grabbed.

Jimin could only watch them trembling as he held onto the counter. He had gone completely pale.

There wasn’t a single expression on Jungkook’s face. He was just staring at Hanbin with deadly eyes and a scent sharp enough to make the omega struggle to breathe. Jungkook yanked the other alpha closer by the arm and leaned down to his ear. From where he stood, Jimin could see how tightly Jungkook was gripping him, enough to hurt.

“You’ll learn the consequences of not listening. See you tonight, Hanbin.”

The words came out slowly, but his tone made it obvious that their meeting tonight would not lead to anything good. Just as Hanbin had made Jimin tremble moments ago, now Hanbin himself was trembling in fear. Still, Jimin could see the shorter alpha trying to preserve his pride. He straightened his shoulders and nodded as he pulled his arm free.

Then he quickly left the Medical Tent, and Jimin finally allowed himself to close his eyes and lean back against the counter. His breathing was only just beginning to steady. Even he could smell the sour peach scent in the room. He was still in shock.

Hanbin had always been irritating, but he had never touched him before. Turning around, Jimin opened the tap, took water in his hand, and washed his cheeks, still trembling. As if washing would erase that disgusting man’s touch. He washed it several times in a row before placing his hands back on the counter and lowering his head. His eyes were filling with tears.

What had he done to deserve this? Being targeted by that alpha was so unfair. And Jimin couldn’t even properly defend himself. Because he was wary of how the pack would treat him if he stood up so much, because he was wary of Hanbin’s instability… he hadn’t even been able to push him away. Thoughts flooded his mind, enough to make him want to tear at his hair, when he startled at the voice behind him.

Right. Jungkook was here.

“What did he do?” the alpha asked, but Jimin didn’t even turn toward him. Why would it matter to this alpha? Why would Jungkook care whether Jimin was okay or not? Why would he care what Hanbin had done?

Hearing his footsteps approaching, Jimin turned his head slightly and spoke sharply to stop the alpha from approaching. “Don’t.”

Damn it, his voice had come out shaky, like he was about to cry. He clenched his hands. Why was Jungkook here again? Why did the alpha always appear at his worst moments? Why was he never allowed to keep even a little bit of his pride?

He wiped his tears with one hand, then turned his back again and crossed his arms. “Why are you here, Alpha Jeon?”

He lifted his gaze and met the red eyes. Even though he was still struggling, he tried to stand upright. When he noticed Jungkook’s eyes drifting to the exposed necklace, he quickly tucked it back into his blouse.

The alpha really didn’t need to see that. He didn’t need to know that Jimin was still carrying a memory from years ago around his neck. But he had already seen it and there was nothing the omega could do about it anymore. Besides, it was doubtful Jungkook would even remember the necklace he had given with his own hands. After all, they were talking about a man who didn’t even remember Jimin.

Jungkook stayed where he was. He had probably kept his distance because Jimin told him not to come closer but he still looked angry and terrifying. “What did he do to you, omega?”

Omega. That damned word was enough to get on Jimin’s nerves again. The alpha wasn’t even calling him by his name, he called him just like a random omega. Jimin let out a humorless laugh for that. “Why do you care?”

Jimin could see Jungkook clench his teeth and turn his face away with that. But he didn’t care. Jimin had never mattered to the alpha, so why should he care now?

Jungkook stood there for a while longer with his face turned away. It was obvious he was trying to control his anger. Then, without turning toward Jimin, he extended the cloth in his hand to him.

It was the cloth Jimin had given him to dry himself at the first night they went to dinner near the fire. Jimin’s own embroidery was still on it. The alpha must have washed it because It was now completely clean.

Jimin was sure he had told him he could keep it. But apparently Jungkook couldn’t tolerate having anything that belonged to Jimin. Well, that wasn’t surprising. He bit his lower lip and reached out to take it. “Thanks.”

Just as he was about to pull his hand back, Jungkook’s hand grabbed his wrist, and Jimin’s eyes were drawn, unwillingly, back to those red eyes now fully fixed on him. The alpha’s brows were furrowed. His jaw was still tense from clenching his teeth, and there was something unhinged in his gaze. The pine scent surrounding them seeped deep into the omega’s senses. When he spoke, his words were slow and deliberate, just like before, and each one sank into Jimin.

“He’ll pay for it.”

Then he didn’t linger any longer. He let go of Jimin’s hand and left as abruptly as he had come. But the place where he had held him felt like it was burning.

Jimin, on the other hand, was far from being able to process what had just happened within minutes. With trembling hands, he sank into the nearest chair he could find and buried his head in his hands.

Why had a day that started so beautifully turned into something so ugly?

🍃

Jimin didn’t tell anyone about what happened in the back room. Not about Hanbin, not about Jungkook. He just wanted to forget everything and enjoy the Mating Ceremonies.

Tonight, after the fights, the first gifts would be left at the recipient’s doors. He would focus only on that. So even despite the exhaustion of the day, he couldn’t stop the smile that appeared on his face as he looked at his restless beta friend.

Hoseok looked incredibly beautiful. He was wearing a stunning outfit made of brown tulle fabrics. The pants wrapped perfectly around his legs, and the loose embroidered belt highlighted his waist. The blush on his cheeks made his naturally rosy skin stand out even more.

Jimin wasn’t saying it just because he was his friend. Hoseok really was the most beautiful beta in the pack.

“If you think I didn’t get you an outfit too, then you don’t know me at all,” Hoseok said, now holding up a white tulle outfit in front of Jimin.

Jimin chuckled to himself. His friend was truly adorable. “We both know I won’t find anyone… you didn’t have to go through the trouble.”

The moment he saw Hoseok’s lips pout and his brows knit together, he realized he had said the wrong thing, but it was too late. Just as the beta was about to start scolding him, Jimin quickly jumped up, grabbed the clothes from Hoseok, and smiled sweetly.

“Okay, okay, don’t be mad, Hoseok. I’ll go try it on right now. See, I’m already going.” He said as he quickly rushed into the other room.

They had so much fun even while getting ready to watch the evening fights that Jimin didn’t even notice the time passing. Soon enough, he was already walking arm in arm with the beta toward the central arena. Everywhere was crowded. After greeting his mother, Jimin got two bowls of sherbet for himself and Hoseok and headed to their seats.

Together, they observed the entire pack and gossiped, a lot. It was so much fun honestly and the evening itself was cool and pleasant. Jimin was also enjoying himself with watching Hoseok’s cheeks flush just from spotting Taehyung in the distance.

Even though the embroidered cloth he had put back in his pocket reminded him of the alpha every time his hand reached into his pocket and brushed against it, it was still good enough.

When the two of them spotted Seokjin in the crowd, shining in his blue outfit, talking to Namjoon with his head lowered and ears reddened, their hearts warmed. They suited each other so well. Seokjin looked like he was practically floating. Tonight, there would definitely be a gift from Namjoon at their door.

Jimin hadn’t even lost his smile yet when he saw the Head Alpha Jeon, followed by Jungkook, taking their place at the front of the arena with the elders of the pack. The alpha was no longer wearing the simple clothes from the morning. Now he had heavy furs on. He was carrying his own hunts on his shoulders. As it was a major symbol of status, proof of how strong a warrior he was.

Jungkook’s words from the morning echoed in Jimin’s ears. He had told Hanbin, “See you tonight,” and told Jimin, “He’ll pay for it.” It was almost funny, but also quite sad. Maybe the alpha had already taken on the burden of his future role and said those things because he didn’t want any misconduct in his pack. Who knew?

Ignoring the sour taste in his mouth, Jimin fixed his gaze on Taehyung, who was stepping into the center of the arena. The other alpha was smiling widely as always. He also had furs on his shoulders. But while Jungkook looked intimidating and distant, Taehyung was the complete opposite, warm and approachable.

Spreading his arms wide, Taehyung shouted loudly, “Jeon Pack, welcome to the start of the Mating Ceremonies, to the fights!”

Whistles, cheers, and applause rose from all around Jimin. Everyone had smiles on their faces. Jimin smiled too.

As Taehyung continued speaking loudly while circling the arena, he said, “Tonight, our alphas and strong betas will show their skills to impress the ones they love, to win their hearts and earn their place in the Mating Run! I can see everyone has been waiting for this day with excitement,” he paused, then shouted, “SO ARE WE READY?”

Loud cheers erupted again, and this time Hoseok cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted too. Jimin laughed to himself. Even just looking at Taehyung made the beta’s eyes sparkle. How quickly he had fallen in love.

Was love really something that simple?

Taehyung smiled around at everyone and clapped lightly before turning and gesturing toward Head Alpha Jeon. “Our Head Alpha and his heir Alfa Jeon Jungkook will also be watching the fights with us and will present rewards to tonight’s winner. Since everyone is ready and excited, let there be little blood and lots of fun… LET THE FIGHTS BEGIN!”

Chapter Text

As the night went on, the victorious fighters approached those they had their eyes on for this Mating Season with proud smiles and confident strides. The defeated, on the other hand, drank sherbet with sulky expressions all night, yet the overall atmosphere remained lively, no serious injuries had occurred. When Namjoon went over to the fighters side of the bunch, Seokjin also had parted from him and was now sitting with Hoseok and Jimin.

As the night progressed, it was time for the final matches. With confident steps and a smile toward the audience, Taehyung entered the wide arena, followed by Namjoon, who, though slightly more reserved, held his head high and fixed his gaze on Seokjin. They exchanged gentlemanly smiles as it was obvious they were friends. But neither of them seemed willing to lose.

As the two alphas circled each other, the sound of instruments and the firelight surrounding the arena made the whole scene seem to glow. Jimin held the trembling hands of his friends on either side. Hoseok’s eyes were locked on Taehyung, and Seokjin’s on Namjoon. Jimin smiled, he wished he could have someone to look with worried eyes like that too.

When Jungkook came to mind, he shook his head. Somehow, his thoughts always drifted to him. It wasn’t hard to guess why. He was an omega, after all and of course he would admire the strongest, most handsome young alpha in the pack. It was nothing more than a childish admiration, a spark that would never turn into love like what the others had.

While he was lost in his thoughts, Taehyung had already taken Namjoon down, pinning both his arms to the ground with a smile. With two sharp beats of the drum, the winner was declared.

When Hoseok jumped up with a shout, Taehyung winked and blew him a kiss from where he stood in the arena. Jimin smiled, at least the beta would be getting a gift tonight.

Meanwhile, Seokjin, opened his arms to embrace a Namjoon that had slumped shoulders and a permanent pout on his lips as he approached. With a playful smile, he waited, and when Namjoon reached him, he wrapped his arms around him.

But the alpha spoke with shame. “I disappointed you, Seokjin… You deserve so much better than this…”

Even from where he sat, pretending not to watch, Jimin could see the loving smile on Seokjin’s face. As the omega gently stroked the Namjoon’s hair, he responded, “Ah, you foolish alpha… Do you really think I’m with you because of your fighting skills? Really? You’re forgetting that you’re one of the three people in this pack who actually understands mathematics.”

While they were lost in their own world, and Hoseok was squeezing Jimin’s hand hard enough to bruise it because he still couldn’t handle Taehyung’s flying kiss, Jimin’s gaze drifted back to the arena. And this time, what he saw wiped the smile right off his face.

It was Hanbin. Laughing loudly, striding around with his shoulders thrown back, combing his long brownish hair to the back. His confidence was unmistakable.

Jimin knew how hard he was to defeat. Before the alphas that came from the training had arrived, Hanbin had definitely been the strongest alpha in the pack. But he was also a bully, a rough and cruel bully, so he certainly wasn’t liked. Even as he strutted around showing off, people tried their best to ignore him. Still, the alpha looked around and shouted, “Come on, you bunch of cowards! Is there no one strong enough to face me?”

Jimin saw it at the same time as everyone else did.

Jungkook, who hadn’t moved an inch since he arrived to watch the fights from the Pack Leader seats, was now standing up. He shrugged off the furs on his back as whispers began to ripple through the crowd.

Jimin saw Head Alpha Jeon grab Jungkook’s arm and say something with a frown. It was truly odd, Jungkook wasn’t supposed to join the fights. Unless there was someone an alpha wanted to claim, they weren’t allowed to participate.

But when Head Alpha Jeon gave a nod and let go of his arm, a sharp pain pierced Jimin’s heart.

So there was someone Jungkook wanted to claim.

Without hesitation, the alpha began walking toward the arena with firm steps. The once-bold Hanbin, who had been circling the center confidently, now stood tense. Jimin smiled faintly, seeing a crack in Hanbin’s giant ego was satisfying at least.

The entire pack held its breath, focused on the match ahead. Whispers spread everywhere. Why had Jungkook joined? Who did he want to claim? Wasn’t he far too strong for Hanbin? As Jungkook’s bare body emerged from beneath the furs, many omegas’ scents sweetened. Jimin felt his stomach churn, but he still couldn’t take his eyes off the two in front of him.

Hanbin seemed to shake off his fear, he squared his shoulders again, lowered his head, and locked his eyes on Jungkook. Jungkook, on the other hand, remained relaxed, his hands tucked into the pockets of his wide trousers, chin raised, watching his opponent from the corner of his eye.

Everyone held their breath. Seokjin pulled Jimin forward into the front rows. This match was important and now it was right in front of them. And on the count of three, it began. And it began fast.

Hanbin attacked first. He was good, he moved without hesitation, he swung a punch at Jungkook’s face very quickly.

But Jungkook calmly stepped aside, letting him stumble forward with his own momentum. It was humiliating, and it was obvious Hanbin felt it as he turned back. So he tried again and again, throwing multiple punches at Jungkook’s face. While the heir to the Jeon Pack, Jeon Jungkook simply dodged each one with minimal movement.

He wasn’t even taking his hands out of his pockets. He was deliberately embarrassing the other alpha.

Despite Hanbin’s relentless attempts, none of his attacks landed. Not his kicks, not his punches. Jungkook avoided them all, and he even looked bored.

From the corner, Jimin noticed some of Hanbin’s friends whispering, “Back off!” Hanbin only briefly glanced at them but turned back angrily, fixing his eyes on Jungkook again. But now, realizing it was enough of a show now, Jungkook was also taking his hands out of his pockets, folding them in front of him as he looked at Hanbin with a mocking smile. “You’d do well to listen to your friends, weakling.”

But as soon as the words reached him, Hanbin (always one of the ones moving with his emotions rather than his rationale) roared and lunged at Jungkook. But this time, the seemingly relaxed alpha didn’t dodge. He only defended himself, grabbing the other one by the shoulders while he didn’t even move from where he stood.

The imbalance in strength was obvious. Hanbin couldn’t even make Jungkook budge. And for someone as arrogant as him, that was unbearable. So with a furious shout that broke through almost the entire pack, he threw his entire body at Jungkook and, breaking the rules, wrapped his hands around his throat, leaving everyone in shock.

Though Jungkook staggered for a brief moment under the sudden weight on top of him, the lazy but mocking smile on his face instantly turned dangerous, as if he had wanted this to happen. And just seconds later, Jimin understood why.

Jungkook pried the hands off his throat with both of his own, then wrapped one hand around the other alpha’s neck easily. Then, he lifted Hanbin up like he would to a bug stuck to him. He was only using one hands to do squeeze the neck of the alpha and lift him up at the same time.

Gasps of astonishment rose from the crowd as Hanbin clawed at the hand around his throat. He clearly couldn’t breathe. Jungkook, however, was no longer smiling. Pulling the alpha closer to his face, he spoke in a low but clear voice, making sure all the other fighters near the arena also heard him.

“If you touch him again, I’ll take your breath away for good.”

Then, just like he had thrown the wild boar when he saved Jimin before, he hurled the man to the edge of the arena in a single motion. It was obvious he was still angry, though he was trying to restrain himself. Taehyung quickly rushed near Jungkook, throwing polite smiles around to ease the tension while also trying to calm the tense alpha who had his eyes still locked onto the body he threw away.

Hanbin on the other hand, lay where he had landed, clutching his throat, still unable to breathe. His face and neck had turned crimson. Jungkook must have squeezed hard, if he had held on a little longer, he might have killed him. His strength was unbelievable and terrifying. Seeing Head Healer Suho breaking the crowd and quickly approaching the alpha, Jimin felt relieved. At least he didn’t need to go help Hanbin himself.

Everyone had leapt to their feet now, and Jimin had been pushed forward along with them. Seokjin was shouting wildly beside him, cheering the winner. Jeon Jungkook, the sole heir of the Jeon Pack, was a true legend in combat, that was a fact and he had just proven it in the arena in front of everyone.

But to Jimin, it was just too much. There had been no need to injure Hanbin that badly. He had already won. Why did he go that far to embarrass and mock the other alpha in front of the whole pack?

Could it have been because of Jimin? That thought appeared in his head suddenly. Because the alpha had said “If you touch him…” Did he meant Jimin by that? Had Jungkook really done all that to protect him, like he used to?

His thoughts nearly pulled him away from everything around him, until Jungkook suddenly turned and began walking toward where he stood with Seokjin.

Jimin felt his gaze lock with the alpha’s red eyes. There was a burning fire in them. And with that look alone, it felt like he could set Jimin ablaze too.

When the omega clutched onto the person beside him, he realized Seokjin was also watching Jungkook. Without breaking eye contact, Jungkook raised his right hand to his forehead in a brief salute with a faint smile on his lips, nodding his head in their direction. And then turned and walked back to his father’s side.

Jimin stood frozen in place with that.

Had Jungkook dedicated his victory to him or was he imagining things now? His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the alpha’s retreating figure, mouth falling slightly open.

It couldn’t be for him… right? Of course not. Alphas only dedicated victories to omegas they intended to claim. And Jungkook wanted nothing to do with Jimin.

Right? Wasn’t that the case?

Then why had he looked at him like that? Why had he saluted him? What did all of that mean? And why was everyone around him staring at him too? Had they all seen what Jungkook done?

He felt like he was going to lose his mind. So, to stop himself from thinking any further, he said goodbye to Seokjin and quickly pushed through the crowd to find Hoseok. The beta was also looking at him in shock. Grabbing his friend’s hand, Jimin led him away from the center toward their home, feeling the hatred radiating from the surrounding omegas deep in his bones.

They must all think that their precious Jungkook wanted to claim someone as worthless as Park Jimin. But that was impossible.

Right?

🍃

Tonight, the gifts would arrive. Seokjin’s gifts. None would come for Jimin. He was ready for that.

And yet… a small hope had taken root inside him. Damn it, after what he had seen in the arena, he couldn’t help but think maybe Jungkook truly had such an intention about courting him. Something warm had awakened inside his omega with the alpha’s intentional gaze on him after his win, and that warm feeling wrapped itself around him like it was preparing to be chosen, to be courted and claimed. Jimin had never felt this fuzzy feeing in his previous years.

Normally, he would wait with Hoseok, gossip all night and hope to get gifts meant for the beta so they could open them together. But tonight, for the first time in his life, he said he was feeing kind of sick and went home instead.

So to say he had no hope for a gift this Season would be a lie. He was silently waiting now, he dared to hope. He wanted Jungkook to give him a gift.

He didn’t know when he had started seeing the younger boy as a true alpha, or when his feelings had begun to shift into something beyond friendship. Or even how had he ended up like this, knees drawn in, sitting quietly by the small fire, intently listening to the noises coming from outside of their home?

Jimin heard many sounds. Gifts, big and small, being left at their doorstep. That was tradition in their home anyways. They were usually all for Seokjin. The prettiest omega in town though wasn’t even here to receive them, but still, they came. But Jimin hold his breath and waited patiently, letting all the gift-givers lay their presents without interruption.

It was nearing midnight now. Considering they woke at five every morning, it was very late. Surely, anyone who intended to leave a gift had already done so, Jimin thought. So after pouring himself a glass of water, he decided that it was time to open that door.

Whatever he found, he wouldn’t be upset, he told himself again and again. Expecting a gift from Jungkook was too much. He knew that. They weren’t even talking, it would be absurd even. So he calmly decided that he wouldn’t be hurt if he wouldn’t see anything.

Jimin had just set his water glass down when a loud thud came from just outside the door, startling him. A massive gift had just been dropped there, he could tell by the sound alone.

The one who left it didn’t linger though. The noises quickly went farther away but Jimin still stood frozen, staring at his full glass. He was afraid to open the door now. Who would give such a large gift on the very first day? What even was it?

So he decided to wait even longer.

Half an hour passed but Jimin just wanted to be sure no one else would come. And since it was past midnight now, everyone had returned home. It was deafeningly quiet now.

Taking a deep breath, he finally drank his water and walked to the door. Even while grabbing the handle, his hands were trembling. As he slowly opened it, he covered his nose with one hand to block out the flood of alpha pheromones, as leaving one’s scent on gifts was tradition to identify the giver.

His eyes immediately went past the dozens of small gifts in front… and landed on the massive creature behind them.

And he screamed.

Stumbling backward, he tripped and fell onto the ground loudly. What even was that?

Gripping the door behind him, he pulled himself back up, still trying to understand what he was seeing. Moving cautiously, he circled the large animal lying on their ground. Then, he saw its bloodied head and inhaled sharply in shock.

It was a brown mountain bear.

An incredibly deadly animal, nearly impossible to hunt. Its fur alone could provide enough money for an entire winter, and its meat was just as valuable. Who would be reckless and strong enough to hunt something like this alone?

As Jimin circled it, he noticed the scarf draped over it. A blue and yellow striped, wool scarf. One of which he had given to Seokjin. The bear was the older omega’s gift.

But when the deep scent of pine filled his nose again and his knees gave out instantly, he also knew he was going to be in deep pain this Mating Season.

Because he knew the scent that clinged to the scarf. He knew it too well almost. It was Jeon Jungkook’s scent. And the scarf that wear that scent belonged to Seokjin.

Jungkook’s intention was clear, he had chosen Seokjin and wanted to claim the older omega like so many other alphas in the pack. He too had probably fallen in love with the pretty omega.

Jimin didn’t even realize the tears streaming down his face until they hit his trembling arms. His eyes glazed over all the other gifts on the deck and yes, it was clear, they were all for Seokjin.

Not a single gift had come for Jimin. Again.

What a fool he had been to expect anything from Jungkook. Again. 

Even though he knew better than to trust him, knew the alpha didn’t care about him anymore, he hadn’t been able to stop himself from foolish wish-fullness. One small gesture at the fight had been enough to fill him with hope.

But Jimin didn’t, couldn’t understand. If Jungkook wanted to claim Seokjin, then why had he saluted Jimin after the match? Why had he looked at him?

Then, suddenly, it all clicked.

Seokjin had been right beside him during the match. Right there.

Of course, it had all been for him from the start. Jungkook wasn’t looking at Jimin, he had been looking at Seokjin, saluting the older omega. Not him. 

And Jimin, like an idiot, had thought all of that was meant for him, had run home like a naive little child, waiting for a gift that wasn’t going to be his anyway.

He didn’t even try to wipe his tears or hold himself together. He knew Seokjin wouldn’t return tonight. So he carried the gifts inside one by one. Even the bear. He struggled with that, held onto the door for support, but he managed to do it somehow.

After bringing everything inside, and locked the door behind him, he finally could curl up in bed and pray for these Mating Ceremonies to end quickly this year.

Because if his heart was going to hurt this much for all twenty days… Jimin would rather die than suffer through this pain.

Chapter Text

“What’s with the smile? Looks like you finally dropped your gift, huh, big alpha?” Taehyung grinned as he wrapped an arm around the alpha beside him and pulled the other closer. It was well past midnight, but both of them had stayed out late trying to find the best gift for the ones they had their eyes on. Jungkook nudged Taehyung in the waist with his elbow, but kept smiling.

Taehyung stepped back and walked backwards until he stood in front of him. His body was covered in blood from the deer he had caught, but he did not care. He knew the cute beta he had in mind would love it. “What did you hunt? I lost you in the forest.”

They had already reached the fountains now. Jungkook straightened his shoulders, lifted his chin, and spoke with a proud look in his eyes. “A brown mountain bear.”

Wow, that actually surprised Taehyung. As he washed his arms with the cold water, he turned to the alpha with raised brows. “How could you possibly hunt a bear alone? Are you insane?”

Jungkook kept smiling quietly as he washed his arms. Even the scent of pine in the air felt lighter, fresher. Taehyung almost burst out laughing at the sight of him.

The mighty alpha friend of his was on top of the world because of the incredible gift he had managed to bring to the omega he loved. This huge, bear-hunting, terrifyingly strong man who could take down alphas with one hand had his heart held by a tiny omega. It was honestly hilarious. And Taehyung made sure to tease him as much as he could. As he finished washing his arms and pulled off his bloodied shirt, he spoke. “So? What reaction did your precious Jimin give?”

Also holding the shirt in his hand, Jungkook paused. He stepped away from the fountain and straightened up again. “Weren’t we not supposed to see their reaction? Weren’t we just going to leave it and go?”

Taehyung bit his lower lip slightly to hold back his laughter. He had a certain smugness on him for being the only one who knew how naive Jungkook actually was beneath that appearance. “Well that’s how it should go. But you could have bent the rules and hidden somewhere far away to watch. I did not leave Hoseok’s door until I heard his scream, for example.”

The beta had been really cute. When he opened the door and saw the huge deer, he had jumped in place and clapped his hands to himself. It had brought a warm smile to Taehyung’s face.

He had always been a bit of a flirt, but this beta’s innocence and the way his eyes sparkled were already making him feel something different. His wolf also could instantly tell the connection they were going to share so he hunted the beta down after meeting him and tried to flirt his way to this gift and it seemed effective too. Now he just had to wait for the Mating Run.

Jungkook, on the other hand, was affected by what Taehyung said and was now staring at the ground, probably silently tearing himself apart thinking why did I not wait. Even his pine scent was fading slowly. God, whenever it came to Jimin, Jungkook’s world always came to a stop.

Knowing he should not torment his friend any further, Taehyung threw an arm over Jungkook’s shoulder and spoke. “Forget it. Now that you have given Jimin your gift, he must have finally understood that despite your thick-headedness, you actually do want to mate him. He will probably come watch you training or something and you two can finally talk it out, huh? And that way I wouldn’t have to deal with your sulking face on the days you couldn’t see him, right?”

Jungkook lifted his head and fixed his red eyes on Taehyung. “Hyung.”

The other alpha did not understand. Tilting his head, he spoke. “What?”

Without breaking eye contact, Jungkook continued. “You will say hyung after his name. Jimin wants to be called hyung.”

Taehyung forced himself not to roll his eyes and pulled his hand off the alpha’s shoulder with a tense grin. What he heard was not surprising. But he knew Jungkook could become terrifying when it came to Jimin, so he simply nodded approvingly. “Of course, Jimin hyung. Got it!”

That seemed to satisfy Jungkook. He nodded and took off his bloodied shirt too. They had training early in the morning the next day, so they needed to shower and go to sleep immediately. Besides, both of them were tired from the hunt.

After walking silently to their cabins, they parted ways, and the night quietly turned into morning.

🍃

The first day after the gifts were left, it was almost tradition that if the omega or beta who received the gift was also interested in the gifter, they would come to see the other person. It did not have to be a meeting, even a brief moment of eye contact from afar was enough. And Taehyung was in a great mood when he saw Hoseok, shyly lifting his head and greeting from a distance, looking at the place where the alphas were training. He could not stop grinning. Life really was beautiful. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, flowers had bloomed. It was a perfect Mating Season to mate.

But the dark cloud of depression right behind him was slightly poisoning his bright day. That part sucked.

Seeing Jungkook, whose hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat and whose body was flushed from not stopping for even a second since morning, take down yet another alpha in two moves, Taehyung knew he had to step in before there were no alphas left to guard the borders that evening. He placed his hands on his hips and took a deep breath. This would not be easy.

Because even though it was already afternoon, Jimin had not come. And as the hours passed, Jungkook’s hopeful glances toward the road leading to where the omega worked had hardened, turning instead toward the alphas training with him.

Taehyung did not understand either. Why had Jimin not come? He had seen the way the omega looked at Jungkook, and the necklace he carried around his neck. He was sure Jimin wanted to be mated with the alpha just as much. But still, training was almost over, and Jimin was nowhere to be seen.

The sound of another body hitting the ground snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned toward the scene in front of him. Jungkook had already gotten back up, ignoring the alpha lying on the ground, and was calling the next one forward with a single hand.

Even from the corner of his eye, Taehyung could see the called alpha at the side trembling. He took another breath and placed his hand on Jungkook’s shoulder. The alpha’s red eyes immediately found him again, but Taehyung kept smiling, hiding his tension. He had seen what this man could do in the camp, and he had no intention of drawing the anger of an upset Jungkook onto himself. “That is enough for today, Jungkookie. Look, everyone is exhausted already.”

As he gestured toward the pile of collapsed alphas, Jungkook’s gaze followed. He had probably not even realized how many he had taken down in his frustration. Without a word, he brushed off Taehyung’s hand and walked toward one of the towels on the ground. As he picked it up and draped it over his shoulders, Taehyung followed him. He made sure to keep his voice low and stay close as he spoke. “Maybe he didn’t know he was supposed to come. Do not lose hope so quickly.”

Jungkook did not say anything, but he tilted his head slightly. It was clear he was listening. Thanks to his intimidating presence, Taehyung was the only one who could get close enough to talk to the guy. Everyone else had grown more and more afraid of the Pack heir over time.

After wiping himself with the towel, Jungkook’s eyes drifted back to the road leading to Jimin. He took a deep breath.

He looked sad. Very sad. Taehyung had never seen him like this before. He picked up a water container from the side and handed it to him. Jungkook drank it in one go. Then, without taking his eyes off the road, the alpha spoke. “Why did he not come?”

Taehyung could not help but purse his lips. He did not know either. “Like I said, maybe he does not know he was supposed to come. I don’t think he has ever flirted with anyone before.”

Jungkook suddenly turned his head sharply toward him. “I am not flirting with him. I want him to be my mate.”

Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Fine, you are not flirting. That still does not change the fact that Jimin is not here.”

Jungkook started sulking again. He was like a giant baby, one who could never properly express his emotions or thoughts. “Did your beta come?”

This time, Jungkook’s gaze held curiosity as he looked at Taehyung. Taehyung nodded with a smile. Hoseok did come.

But now Jungkook looked even more sulky. He set the water container aside and leaned back against the stone behind him, facing the road. “Then Jimin hyung must have known he was supposed to come. Hoseok hyung is his closest friend.”

Taehyung sat down as well, crossing his legs. He was looking at the road too. If only Jimin appeared even now, it would make his day so much better. But the omega was still nowhere in sight. Suddenly irritated, he turned to Jungkook. “Maybe he would have come if you had replied to his letters!”

Even with an expressionless face, Jungkook met his eyes. “I couldn’t reply. You know why.”

Taehyung felt like if he heard this nonsense about protecting Jimin one more time, he might just explode from frustration and die. He could never understand the alpha. “Just because you exchanged a few letters, your father would not have kicked Jimin and his mother out of the pack, right? He already knew you were friends before!”

Jungkook’s gaze dropped to the ground. He picked up a stone and rolled it between his fingers as he spoke. “You don’t understand.”

Taehyung was not going to drag this out since they had had this conversation a million times before, but he would never understand how his friend was digging his own grave with his own hands. “I do not understand because you do not explain.”

After listening to him, Jungkook leaned his head back against the stone and let the sunset light move freely across his face. “The time will come.”

Taehyung leaned his head back as well and spoke. “Maybe he did not come because you are always acting all mighty mysterious and never properly show your interest.”

At that, Jungkook straightened up again. His gaze locked onto Taehyung. “How could i not shown my interest? Ever since I arrived, I couldn’t take my eyes off him, I am barely stopping myself from going to him every day, and every time I see that guy Hanbin, I have to close my eyes to keep myself from killing him on sight. Is this me not showing it?”

Taehyung opened his eyes and met the red angry ones in front of him. But the tanned alpha’s words to his friend were clear. “Have you ever talked to him?”

Jungkook looked like he was about to say something, but after a moment, he turned his head away. He didn’t. He knew it, and so did the man beside him. But the alpha just could not talk to him. “It is not that simple.”

Taehyung spoke as if the red-eyed alpha’s internal despair did not matter at all. “I think it is that simple. How are you, Jimin? I am fine, Jungkook, how are you? I am fine too. I missed you so much, I counted the days until the day I would come back would arrive. Will you be my mate?”

Jungkook nudged his teasing friend with his elbow, smiling despite himself. “I did not count the days.”

At that, Taehyung immediately pushed himself up and looked at the other alpha with raised brows. “Jeon Jungkook! I do not care if you are the only heir of our pack, I will break into your room and steal your tracking journals, just so you know!”

Now Jungkook was embarrassed. Taehyung could see it. The man who had just taken down nearly twenty alphas was now staring at the stone in his hand, flustered. “Shut up.”

As their teasing settled, Jungkook leaned back again, closing his eyes as he spoke. “I just don’t want to talk to him when I still can’t explain everything.”

Taehyung let out an unamused laugh. “But it looks like if you do not talk to him, Jimin will not be convinced either. If you cannot find a way to communicate, you can forget about mating him in this Ceremonies.”

Jungkook let out a dry laugh. “I thought maybe the bear would convince him.”

This time, the other alpha actually laughed. “Personally, I would be convinced. You really are a bear of a man.”

Even though Jungkook smiled to that, his face was still heavy with sadness. Of course, he was aware of the possibility of rejection, but he had hoped for the opposite. He had hoped Jimin would be waiting for him just as eagerly as he had been waiting to see him.

“I will wait for you, Kook!” the omega had said. But when Jungkook returned, he had only been able to see him as a distant silhouette. And just seconds after their eyes met, Jimin had turned and walked away.

It had hurt. But he knew he deserved it. He knew he had disappointed the omega by never replying to his letters.

But he had no choice. He had seen with his own eyes how Jimin had been excluded, how he had been isolated from the pack. He had also seen that the omega had only just started to adapt again. He refused to be the reason Jimin was pushed away once more because of his father’s meddling.

Not until the day Jungkook could confidently carry out the plans in his head. Until then, the alpha could not be close to him.

But he was dying. Every day he could not see the omega, he was dying inside. Every day he couldn’t go to him, couldn’t ask how his day had been, has been actual torture.

That was why he had been so excited for the Mating Ceremonies. He had spent days trying to decide on the perfect gift. Maybe he could not talk to Jimin right away, but he wanted his gifts to reflect what his heart always knew. Even though he knew he had no right to court him after years of silence, he wanted Jimin. As a friend, as a companion, but most of all, as his mate.

He desperately wanted the man he had been madly in love with since he was ten years old.

Jimin was the most beautiful omega in the entire pack. Without question. The smartest, the most respectful, the kindest too. Even his gaze could warm your heart. During the time they were apart, Jungkook had fallen asleep with the warmth of the kiss the omega left on his cheek before leaving, and he had woken up with it.

But now, his omega, the man he loved, was not accepting his gift.

Even as he tried to ignore the ache in his heart, he had taken his frustration out on the other alphas. It did not matter, he thought. He would bring something better.

Until Jimin accepted him, he would leave a better gift at his door every single day.

Maybe he couldn’t answer the questions Jimin was wanting to ask yet, but he could still try to prove that he was hopelessly in love with the omega and hope to convince him.

Now there was determination in his eyes. He couldn’t, wouldn’t give up this easily.

Tonight’s hunt had to be even harsher than yesterday’s.

Chapter Text

Four days had passed since the start of the Mating Ceremonies, meaning four long days of Jungkook leaving gifts at Jimin’s door.

Each time, the alpha prepared his gift with a extreme care. He spent the whole day thinking about what to do, carefully left his scent on the presents, and when placing it down at the end, his hands trembled as he set it by the door.

But Jimin never looked happy. And with each passing day, Jungkook could feel himself falling apart.

On the second day after taking Taehyung’s advice, after placing the deer he had hunted, he hid nearby and waited to see the omega pick up his gift. He had to wait a long time, too.

When Jimin finally opened the door about forty five minutes later, wearing pajamas with his pale blond hair falling over his shoulder, Jungkook actually thought he might die just from seeing the omega like this. His heart started beating so fast at the sight of Jimin that he worried the sound might be heard outside. Still, the alpha stayed silent and waited. He expected to see some surprise, shock or maybe even happiness in the omega’s expression.

But with a cold and blank face, Jimin first took inside the gifts other alphas had left for Seokjin, then with the same expression, he pulled the deer Jungkook left inside with some difficulty. Seeing that, the alpha thought he should bring smaller gifts. He did not want Jimin to struggle in any way because of him.

But then, the door closed.

As Jungkook stared at the closed door, his heart still didn’t calm down, and he was worried truly now. Because Jimin did not look happy at all.

The pain that pierced his heart kept him awake that night.

Maybe Jimin did not want him after all. He had not come to see the alpha, and for two days he did not even see the omega anywhere. Jimin wasn’t even attending the usual evening meals. Jungkook didn’t want to think about this possibility but… was the omega avoiding him?

Was he avoiding him because he did not know how to reject Jungkook? But why? Why was he rejecting him?

Until he reached an age and strength where he could trust himself as a capable alpha, Jungkook had pushed himself relentlessly in training because he didn’t believe he even deserved a chance with Jimin before that point. He was stronger than all the alphas in the pack, he was in love with the omega enough to do anything and everything for him, and according to the other alphas, he was not bad looking either.

Why, Jungkook thought all night. Lying on his back and staring at the ceiling, that was all he could think about. The only thing that came to mind was how the omega had always been wary of his father and his unanswered letters but those would not be a problem. Jungkook was ready for those. Jimin just needed to wait and see.

But Jungkook knew that he certainly didn’t want to wait another year to be mated to the omega. He needed Jimin by his side, so he refused to give up. Even if Jimin was not interested for now, the alpha believed he could change the omega’s mind. What lay ahead was definitely worth it. If necessary, he would hunt a bear every day during these Mating Ceremonies.

But beyond hunting and preparing nice gifts, he had no idea how to win over an omega who was acting indifferent to him.

On the third day, Jimin came to dinner with Hoseok. Jungkook finally felt like he could breathe a little. Even while quietly eating with his friend, the omega seemed to glow.

Throughout the entire meal, the alpha could not take his eyes off him, even though he knew others had noticed.

But Jimin did not look in his direction, not even once. In fact, the omega barely even lifted his head. He ate his food, said something to his friend who was exchanging flirty glances with Taehyung, then got up and left.

He did not even look toward where the alpha was sitting.

When the fourth day passed in a similar way, by the morning of the fifth day Taehyung could feel his patience running out. Everyone was looking at him with pleading eyes to stop the man who had been knocking down every alpha in front of him like a soulless machine for the past four days. He sighed, then went over to Jungkook, who was getting ready for training, with the warmest smile he could master plastered on his face.

“Jeon, what are you doing, my friend?” he said, placing both hands on his hips. Jungkook did not understand the question, so he raised one eyebrow, and replied, “What do you mean? I am getting ready for training.”

Yes, that was exactly what Taehyung feared. Without losing his smile, he continued, “What training, Jungkook? Do you think there is any alpha left who can fight you?”

After finishing his sentence, he nodded toward the group of alphas gathered together, their faces and bodies covered in bruises. They were all watching the two of them. It was obvious they did not want to get beaten again today. Taehyung got his ass handed over to him yesterday too, and it had not been pleasant in the slightest.

Jungkook glanced at the alphas indifferently, then as he continued wrapping his hands with white bandages, he looked back at his friend and said, “How will they get stronger without proper training? There is no place in the pack for weak alphas.”

Yes, Taehyung thought, just like the others. If he did not do something quickly to calm Jungkook down, they would all end up stuck in the Medical Tent again today. His own split eyebrow still hurt. The bastard showed no mercy.

After Jungkook’s words, he nodded at the alphas who were looking at him with fearful eyes, as if to say, leave it to me. It was time to step up. Lowering his voice, he got even cloer to Jungkook as he spoke.

“If you don’t join training today, I will ask Hoseok what Jimin thinks about you tonight.”

That was enough to stop him. The alpha’s hand, who was holding the bandages, froze mid air. His earlier indifference vanished instantly, replaced by seriousness by the offer. And Taehyung already knew he had won. A victorious smile settled on his face.

Without turning his head, Jungkook asked, “You will ask tonight?”

Taehyung nodded, and the alpha in front of him watched him closely.

Jungkook looked at his wrapped hands and the shirt he had taken off with hesitation, but Taehyung knew all of that was pointless. This big baby, who had been walking around with his lips pouted, wondering why Jimin didn’t like him, was too desperate for even a single piece of information to refuse this offer. And that’s exactly what happened.

Not long after their little talk, Jungkook closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he was already unwrapping the bandages from his hands.

Seeing that he had given up, everyone in the back tried to hide their relief, but Taehyung could clearly see them letting out a deep sigh. No one would get beaten today, thankfully. The alpha winked at them proudly, but suddenly Jungkook grabbed the bandages he had removed, turned around, and fixed his red eyes on the group that trembled under his gaze, speaking with a harsh tone.

“I am out today. Everyone, train among yourselves.” As he made eye contact with each alpha one by one, he looked truly terrifying. “But if I see even one of you slacking, tomorrow’s training will be even harsher than yesterday. Consider yourselves warned.”

Then he turned his back on those watching him breathlessly, picked up his clothes, and before leaving, looked at Taehyung one last time.

“Find me after dinner, Taehyung.”

Taehyung nodded sweetly, then watched Jungkook’s back as he left the center. Unlike his usual confident self, the alpha walked with his head lowered and his shoulders slumped.

Love really could drive a person mad. It made a strong and stubborn man like Jungkook, drop training for a day, just for the sake of a few words.

🍃

“What did you say?” Jungkook’s crazed red eyes and the sharp scent of pine in the air were enough to make even Taehyung stutter.

“He sees you as his little… b-brother.”

And with that, the man in front of him pressed his lips into a thin line. Under Taehyung’s tense gaze, the alpha smiled with furrowed brows and ran his tongue over his teeth. But there was no amusement in it. After a humorless chuckle, he spoke. “His brother, huh? His little brother, at that?”

Now it was Taehyung watching the irritated alpha with pursed lips. When he had asked Hoseok what Jimin thought about Jungkook, he had not expected this answer either. Reaching out to his friend’s arm, he stepped closer and spoke. “Jungkook, you used to be really close. If you think about it, this actually shows how much he cares about you.”

He immediately fell silent when he felt the alpha’s sharp gaze on him. A laugh almost escaped him, but knowing it would only draw all of Jungkook’s anger onto him, he quickly shut his mouth.

The man in front of him ran his hands through his hair, walked a few steps, and took a deep breath. They were at the edge of the forest with the pack, preparing to hunt again for that night’s gift. There were a few others around, but everyone was busy with their own concerns. Suddenly, Jungkook turned sharply, tugging at his hair as he spoke while staring into the forest.

“It has been six years. Six years ago, before I left, I told him I am not his goddamn baby, I am an alpha. Damn it!”

As he stepped closer to Taehyung, his eyes locked onto him. “How much more do I have to grow for him to see me as a capable alpha, huh? What am I supposed to do?”

Taehyung averted his gaze and licked his lips, tense. What could he even say? Honestly, Jungkook was the most beastlike alpha he had ever seen. And yet if Jimin still could not see THAT GUY as an alpha, what could anyone do? Little brother my ass, Taehyung thought also.

Lost in his thoughts, trying to figure out what to do, he suddenly noticed Jungkook was drawing the knives he kept from his sides and was throwing them into the trunk of a tree in front of them. The first knife sank in with a loud thud, making Taehyung flinch. Yes, now they were dealing with an angry Jungkook, not a sad one. Great. It was getting better and better!

Jungkook muttered to himself. “Maybe I should go to his house right now and prove how much of an alpha i am, ha? Then he’ll see who his little brother actually is.”

That was Taehyung’s cue to step in. Taking a deep breath, he clasped his hands behind his back and carefully approached the man who was now throwing the knives he was taking from his ankles.

“And how exactly are you going to do that? What will you do when you go to his house? You cannot even talk to him, for God’s sake!”

Jungkook shot him a sharp look, but the alpha knew he was right. So he clenched his jaw and turned back to the knives.

Well, there was also this slight problem. Jungkook was… inexperienced. The alpha had absolutely no romantic or sexual experience. None at all.

Even though intimacy was common among wolves, if you had been obsessively fixated on the same omega since the age of ten and could not reach said wolf, then staying untouched was your only option. That was exactly the case for Jungkook. He had never even held another wolf’s hand, so to speak. And that was why he was being so fucking weird about everything romantic now, at least that was Taehyung’s hypothesis.

From the outside, Jeon Jungkook was the kind of man who filled every omega’s dreams, yet in reality he was so innocent that Taehyung sometimes questioned how an alpha like him even existed. And his friend desperately needed help now, since he was so bad at this.

So, Taehyung exhaled and spoke as he stepped closer to the knife-throwing maniac. “Look, him seeing you as a brother is obviously not ideal. It is actually pretty bad. I mean, if Hoseok saw me that way, I do not even know what I would do. It would probably drive me fucking crazy…”

As Jungkook turned toward him, his sharp gaze found him again, and Taehyung’s voice caught in his throat. Right, he still was not helping. Angering a man holding knives was madness. So he got to the point.

“What I mean is, we need to do something so he stops seeing you as that kid from years ago and starts seeing you as the strong, capable alpha you are now. We need to break that cute image he has of you and show him you can be someone more intense, more seductive.”

Jungkook was now collecting the knives he had thrown into the tree. Even without looking at him, Taehyung could tell he was listening. His pride might be hurt right now, but Jungkook was not someone who gave up easily. That was why he was listening. After all, Taehyung had always been much better at these kinds of things.

Meanwhile, Taehyung was deep in thought. With a hand on his chin, he paced slowly, muttering to himself. It was time to use all his years of experience in seduction.

“Hm, let’s think. How can an alpha who cannot even speak properly impress an omega? What do omegas fall for? It has to be something bold too, something that will surprise him so he cannot just label it as brotherly… what should we do, what should we do?”

As he circled Jungkook, muttering, the alpha had calmed down a bit and was now simply spinning his knives in his hands. He truly was terrible with emotions. He had no idea how to express himself properly.

If he could, Jimin would not still be calling him his brother after all these years.

With that thought, his mood instantly soured again, and he started throwing the knives toward the ground this time.

For a while, Taehyung’s storm of thoughts and Jungkook’s frustrated knife throwing continued like this. One by one, the other alphas had entered the forest. Now only the two of them remained, and quite some time had passed.

After thinking for a while, Jungkook turned to the man pacing around him and spoke seriously. “What if I bathe in the blood of the animal I hunt and give him tonight’s gift like that?”

The other alpha could not hide his shock. His mouth fell open, his brows furrowed in horror. He was so stunned that he paused completely, even his hand dropping from his chin. “What?”

Jungkook looked at him with raised brows, as if he genuinely thought it was a reasonable idea. Taehyung was about to lose his mind. “What? My mother used to tell stories about rogue alphas impressing omegas like that when I was little.”

Taehyung began to question how this thick headed man had ever been close to Jimin in the first place. Raising both hands helplessly, he spoke. “Jungkook, I am saying you need to be sexy, intense, seductive, and you are saying you should cover yourself in animal blood and stand in front of him. Are you trying to drive me insane or is it just a byproduct!?”

Jungkook fixed his sharp red eyes on him and replied irritably. “What could be more seductive than a strong alpha that is not affected by the blood of what he hunts?”

Taehyung groaned, waving his hand in the air as he continued pacing. “Stop, just stop. I’ll figure something out.”

Even though Jungkook pouted more at having his idea dismissed, he was at least smart enough not to do something Taehyung disapproved of. He knew the other alpha was skilled at this, always knowing exactly what to say and what to do. He had always envied that.

After a while, Taehyung was still muttering to himself. “It has to be subtle, but sensual. He needs to understand it is directed at him the moment he sees it… but what? Wait a second.”

When he suddenly stopped and turned to Jungkook with an overly wide grin, the look in his eyes was anything but reassuring. “What did you say Jimin smells like?”

Jungkook answered without hesitation, though his tone was suspicious. “Peaches?”

Nodding, Taehyung brought his hands together and started rubbing them, his grin now permanent. “Oh Jungkook, you owe me big time.”

Then he stepped closer, placing both hands on the alpha’s shoulders, locking eyes with him as he spoke with a sly grin. “I know exactly what you need to do.”

Jungkook looked at him in confusion, but it did not take long before the two disappeared into the forest, discussing the details of the master plan to woo Jimin.

Chapter Text

“Look, he’s staring at you again. I’m telling you, every night we come here, he never takes his eyes off you for even a second, Jimin!” Hoseok whispered, nudging his friend’s head with his elbow to make him look up. But it was useless. Park Jimin was not going to lift his head.

He didn’t want anything to do with the man who left gifts for another omega and broke his heart.

Five days had passed since the start of the Mating Ceremonies. And every night, Jimin found increasingly extravagant gifts from Jungkook at the door of the house he shared with the elder omega.

To be honest, the first two days had been hard. He had been so upset that he hadn’t even gone to work.

Even though he had always thought of Jungkook as a childhood friend, it seemed that somewhere deep down he also believed the alpha’s parting words, “When I come back and leave my mark on you in front of the pack, you’ll understand what I’ve known all along.“ That was what Jungkook had told him all those years ago.

He hadn’t even realized it himself, but the truth was simple, he had been expecting something. That was why accepting the gifts meant for Seokjin had hurt so much.

But he had more or less pulled himself together now. After all, Jimin had made it this far on his own, and he had a relatively happy life. The life he dreamed of when they were children simply wasn’t meant for him. It had been a far-fetched hope anyway, and now that hope was completely gone.

Even though the omega had finally managed to clear his head a little and had started getting used to Jungkook’s presence and all his silence, the alpha had been making his life difficult these past few days.

For the last three evenings, he hadn’t taken his eyes off Jimin during dinner. Honestly, Jimin had no idea what Jungkook’s problem was, and he thought he was doing a good job ignoring his gaze, but what really irritated him was that people around them were starting to talk.

The members of the pack seemed to believe that something was going on between them, just because the head alpha’s precious heir watched Jimin every night, and that gossip especially bothered the omega a lot.

Even this morning in the Medical Tent, two perfectly healthy young omega girls had pretended to cough just to call him over, and while he was examining them, they had asked ridiculous questions like what was going on between him and Jungkook. It was absurd, so absurd that Jimin felt like laughing out of frustration. There was absolutely nothing between them. He didn’t understand why Jungkook kept staring at him either. While he was already trying not to think about the alpha, the suggestive looks from others were not helping at all.

Even though he had told Seokjin about Jungkook’s gifts, just as Jimin had expected, the elder omega didn’t care in the slightest. His heart belonged only to Namjoon, and he didn’t even see anyone else. It was ruthless, honestly.

But nothing had rattled Jimin’s nerves as much as what happened on the evening of the sixth day.

Just as a normal evening in the pack, they were eating together at the center while Hoseok flirted with Taehyung from afar when suddenly his beta friend paused while eating and spoke in clear shock. “Oh my god, Jimin… I can’t believe this right now.”

Jimin turned to his friend with questioning eyes, but the beta’s gaze was fixed in the direction where the omega knew Jungkook was sitting. He wasn’t going to look. Calmly, he asked, “What’s going on?”

When Hoseok looked back at him, Jimin noticed that the people around them had also started turning their heads toward him. Now he was beginning to feel uneasy. What was actually happening?

When his friend insistently gestured toward Jungkook’s direction, Jimin decided to accept defeat. He would have to look this time. What was it that had shocked everyone and made them turn toward the alpha?

As soon as he turned his head that way though, his eyes immediately found them. Red eyes. Just like every night, Jungkook was already looking at him.

The alpha sat there in his leather hunting clothes, with furs draped over his shoulders. His black hair fell over his forehead as if trying to hide his eyes. The metal hilt of his sword was visible at his side. As always, he was impressive looking, but today there was a harsher look in his eyes. Jimin could feel every hair on his body stand on end as he looked at him.

He looked relaxed, leaning back like that. What was different from the other days that had shocked everyone? Jimin couldn’t understand.

Until he saw the large fruit in the alpha’s hand.

The omega couldn’t look away, and neither could Jungkook. As the alpha brought the peach to his lips and took a large bite, his eyes remained locked only on Jimin. When the juice ran down his chin, he wiped it with his other hand, then raised his brows, lifted the peach slightly and smiled towards him.

He smiled at Jimin.

But with that, the omega immediately dropped his gaze to the food in front of him, his cheeks were burning and it suddenly felt like the air had grown much hotter. Now he understood why everyone was watching them in shock. Jungkook must have lost his mind.

Setting his meal aside, ignoring the stares and his hands trembling with embarrassment, he grabbed Hoseok by the arm, pulled him up, and quickly dragged the beta away from the center.

It felt like boiling water had been poured over his head to his entire body. What Jungkook had done was so bold, so crazy that Jimin felt completely stunned.

Once they had gotten a bit away from the curious eyes and he realized that the alpha’s red gaze was no longer following him, he leaned against one of the huts nearby and spoke, still in shock as he looked at Hoseok. “You saw what I saw too, right?”

The beta nodded, biting his lower lip to keep from laughing. Trying not to bounce in place, he came closer and said, “Jimin! You know what that means! I was suspicious when Taehyung asked last time, but… Jungkook is definitely into you!”

Every omega had a unique scent. Everyone in the pack could smell it, but only those very close to them or the alpha who had marked them could speak about said scent. Making a reference to an omega’s scent in public was extremely scandalous. It almost always implied sexual desire.

And that was exactly what Jungkook had done. Hell, what he did was even worse. While eating the fruit that made up Jimin’s scent, he hadn’t taken his eyes off him for a second. The message was clear to anyone with eyes. The alpha wanted Jimin. 

After forcing himself to steady his breathing, Jimin noticed a few people passing by glancing at him and whispering, and he knew he was totally screwed.

Now the entire pack would definitely think Jungkook liked him. His eyes found Hoseok as he spoke. “What is he trying to do? Why is he acting like he’s interested in me in public while leaving gifts for Seokjin every night? Does he think this is funny or something?”

Hoseok shook his head, his expression turning serious. “No, I don’t think he would joke about something like this. He wouldn’t go that far.”

“Then what’s the goal? What does he want from me?” The embarrassment and tension from before were starting to turn into anger now. What was Jeon Jungkook trying to do? If he hadn’t personally brought inside the rabbits Jungkook had left at Seokjin’s door just last night, he might have believed the implication that the alpha liked him. But he knew what was happening behind closed doors.

Only Hoseok, Seokjin, and Jimin knew that in the entire pack. But now, all the omegas in love with Jungkook would think their real rival was Jimin. Great.

Was there really no other fruit, for god’s sake? And the way he looked so serious while eating it, then him smiling like that while lifting the peach… It was definitely a message. There was no other explanation. But why? Why did Jungkook enjoy messing with him? Was he really supposed to believe that a man who hadn’t even managed to say a proper word to him since he arrived would suddenly declare his desire for Jimin in front of everyone?

But he knew deep in his heart that his omega wanted to believe it. He cursed angrily. His own scent had grown overly sweet in response to the alpha’s actions. His body was reacting involuntarily. Even if he was being deceived, even if he was being played with, he couldn’t control his body.

But this last thing was just too much, Jungkook had properly managed to turn all of Jimin’s sadness into anger now. Not wanting to meet or talk to the omega was one thing, but mocking him in public? That is where Jimin drew the line.

Without saying a word, he sent Hoseok home despite his worried looks, and turned his own steps toward the cabin where he knew Jungkook was. He was so angry. Who did that alpha think he was? Everyone had a limit, and Jimin’s had completely run out tonight.

People returning from dinner were still looking at him strangely. He didn’t let that stop him. When he reached where the alpha was staying and noticed the light inside was already on, he took a deep breath.

Yes, he would go in now and finally confront Jungkook. The peach incident had been the last straw.

He hesitated one last time before knocking, but didn’t linger any longer and knocked firmly. Once, twice ( :D ) , three times…

As he heard footsteps approaching the door from inside, he held his breath, preparing himself to face Jungkook when— “Taehyung?”

The other alpha looked at him with the same surprise on his face, but it only lasted a moment, and it turned into a smile. Glancing back at Jungkook inside, he opened the door fully and invited Jimin in as he stepped out. “Excuse me! You two clearly have things to talk about, alone!”

After saying that, he winked at the omega and disappeared within seconds. Jimin stared after him for a moment but when he managed to turn back, Jungkook had somehow appeared right in front of him. Too close for his comfort. For a second, it felt like he was about to bump into the alpha, but he steadied himself and stepped back.

Taehyung’s presence had distracted him enough that he had almost forgotten his anger, until his eyes fell on the peach that was STILL in Jungkook’s hand. Oh, his anger came rushing back instantly.

Closing the door behind him without turning, he took a deep breath and paused. His eyes met Jungkook’s, which were already on him. The alpha also looked surprised to see him, and his own pine scent had intensified.

While Jimin had been thinking about confronting Jungkook, he had apparently ignored the fact that he was going to barge into the alpha’s home uninvited. Now, he felt out of place. What was he even doing here? Storming into the alpha’s house was a bit much.

Just as he was about to explain himself, Jungkook walked toward the couches at the back and sat down. Then, with a smile, he gestured to the seat next to him. “Sit.”

Jimin shook his head, and Jungkook brought the peach to his lips again without taking his eyes off him.

Feeling like he would die if he saw the same thing again, Jimin quickly threw both hands up in the air and shouted, “Wait, wait! Put that down! What do you think you’re doing, Jungkook!?”

The alpha’s relaxed attitude only made him angrier. Even though Jungkook lowered the peach for now, he kept watching him with a smile. “What am I doing?”

Jimin could feel his patience being tested. Pointing at the peach with one hand, he spoke. “You- this- the peach- what does it have to do with anything? W-why to me-?”

Damn it, he couldn’t remember ever being this tense while talking to Jungkook, but right now even forming a sentence was difficult. The man sitting there, leaning back on the couch and watching him while squeezing the fruit in his hand, had nothing to do with the child he once knew.

Jungkook had once been nothing more than a stubborn, red-eyed little alpha kid. At least, that was how Jimin remembered him.

But the eyes staring at him now were unfamiliar… they were dark, dangerous and far too hungry.

Finally crossing his arms, ignoring his own sweetening peach scent against the pine scent filling the room, he spoke. “You know exactly what you’re doing. Since when do you love peaches so much?”

Jungkook shrugged calmly. A faint smile still lingered on his lips. “I’ve always loved them.”

Oh, that stirred his omega wrong immediately. Damn it, where did that sudden joy came from, the thought that “our alpha likes our scent” suddenly popped in his mind. But even as warmth spread through his body at Jungkook’s easy words, he tried to remain serious. “Do you love them enough to eat them while looking at me in public?”

Honestly, Jimin expected denial. He expected Jungkook to say, “No, I’m not looking at you, why would I?” He needed to hear it. Desperately, he wanted his omega, which kept sweetening his scent, to hear that rejection. But the alpha simply kept smiling. “Yes.”

Yes. The alpha had said yes. He wasn’t even denying that he was watching him. Jimin wanted to ask, why are you watching me? What do you want? What does your gaze mean? But he couldn’t. The words were stuck in his throat. So instead, making one last effort to clear up the misunderstanding among the pack, he spoke. “People are getting the wrong idea. Can’t you eat them at home or something?”

At that, Jungkook’s brows lifted. The alpha stood up, tossed the fruit in his hand into the air and caught it, then started walking toward him. His gaze was piercing, it was breath-stealing. It didn’t leave Jimin for a second. Without thinking, the omega took a step back while Jungkook spoke. “Why should I care what people think, Jimin? If I desperately crave peach, I should do whatever it takes to get it, shouldn’t I?”

Then he tossed the fruit into the air once more, caught it easily, and brought it to his lips, taking another deep bite without taking his eyes off him for even a second. Jimin could feel his breath hitch, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from following the juice running down Jungkook’s chin. Jimin was about to—

Shit… he was about to get wet. 

He needed to get out of here immediately, or the most embarrassing moment of his life would happen right there. So he quickly stepped closer to Jungkook, speaking in a rush with furrowed brows. “If you even think about eating those peaches in public one more time, whatever happens next is not going to be my responsibility, Jeon!”

Then, without even seeing Jungkook’s narrowed eyes and intoxicated smile behind him, he turned and rushed out the door.

He had come too close. Too close to losing control in front of Jungkook, like a desperate, horny ass omega unable to hold himself back.

Even when he rushed home within minutes and threw himself into the bathroom to get clean, not even the cold water could calm the heat burning in his cheeks now.

Chapter Text

Jungkook. Was eating a peach. Again. 

Even though Jimin turned his furrowed brows and irritated gaze toward the alpha, it didn’t seem to matter to the other man. When their eyes met, Jungkook had only smiled at the omega and continued his eating.

Everyone. Was. Watching. Them. Again. 

The omega took a deep breath. Then, as he turned to his friend who was looking at him with worried eyes, he set his food down as he spoke. “I’m leaving.”

When he felt Hoseok’s hand on his wrist, he turned to the beta. “Ignore those people, Jimin. Finish your food first, then you can go.”

But Jimin was so angry that even his hands were trembling. The weight of all those eyes watching him and following his every move was suffocating him. “Sorry, I’ll see you later.”

Just like last night, he walked away from the center as if escaping, trying to take deep breaths. He had warned the alpha just yesterday. Told him to stop. Even threatened him. But of course, the mighty Jeon Jungkook decided to keep watching Jimin while eating those damn peaches, making people misunderstand their relationship. But Jimin’s threat hadn’t been empty. So now, he knew what he was going to do…

He was going to steal Jungkook’s peaches.

He wasn’t going to let the alpha confuse him or play games with him. Maybe Jungkook just wanted to mock him, maybe he wanted him only in a sexual way like Hanbin did, but either way, Jimin wouldn’t accept it.

It wasn’t even peach season. Since he couldn’t understand where the alpha was getting them from, he had given in to his curiosity that morning and gone to the kitchen. A friend who worked there told him that the alpha had requested the fruits from the heir of the Min Pack, a nearby ally, and that they didn’t even have any left in their own pack. The last peaches had been sent over. That information was very useful now. Because it meant that if he stole what they had, there would be no more peaches.

And Jimin would be able to eat his dinners without the entire pack watching him.

Jungkook had them placed in one of the cold rooms in the kitchen, locked inside a box so they wouldn’t spoil. Since dinner was being served now, the kitchen would be relatively empty. As he headed there, he kept his eyes on the ground. A light breeze brushed his face, the layers of his healer robes fluttering behind him as always.

When he reached for the door of the wide kitchen, dimly lit by a few candles, he tensed. No matter how much it was Jungkook’s fault that he was doing this, what he was about to do was still stealing something that belonged to someone else, and it was the first truly criminal thing Jimin was going to do in his life. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

The kitchen, lit by a few unsnuffed candles, thankfully, was empty. But the candles also meant someone could return at any moment. So he had to be quick.

He didn’t want to get caught stealing something that belonged to the oh mighty heir of the pack.

As he moved toward the cold room, he hoped the door wouldn’t be locked. Sometimes it was. But tonight, it wasn’t. He smiled to himself. It seemed the Moon Goddess listened to some of his prayers after all.

His kitchen friend had told him where the peaches were kept, but not exactly where inside the cold room. Once inside, he straightened his shoulders and tied his hair back to look through the stock better.

This peach eating nonsense was ending today.

🍃

“Whaaat?! What did you say you did?” Hoseok sat at Jimin’s kitchen table, staring at the nearly twenty peaches his friend had placed in front of him, mouth wide open.

Jimin, meanwhile, was grinning. He reached for one of the fruits and took a bite. “I stole them all.”

Hoseok grabbed one too, turning it in his hand as he laughed. “You’ve seriously lost your mind, Jimin…”

The omega smiled at his astonished friend and leaned back against the wall. “What? Was I supposed to let everyone think Jeon Jungkook wanted to eat me?”

Hoseok raised an eyebrow. “Maybe he actually did wanted to eat you though?”

Jimin shook his head, though his smile had turned stiff. He took another bite of the fruit. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know about the gifts that come every day.”

The beta lowered his gaze to the fruit in his hand, turning it as he spoke. “Yeah, but it’s really strange. Taehyung keeps implying Jungkook might be interested in you. Jungkook never takes his eyes off you. And I’ve never even seen him look at Seokjin hyung once. Why the hell is he bringing him gifts?”

Jimin raised his brows and took a deep breath. His appetite had suddenly disappeared. He set the fruit down and sat across from his friend. “I don’t know. Maybe he just enjoys making fun of me. I mean, I wrote him letters for years like an idiot without ever getting a reply. He might think I have feelings for him.”

Hoseok looked at him curiously. “Do you?”

Jimin swallowed. His throat had suddenly gone dry. Fixing his gaze on the table, he spoke. “What difference does it make?”

Then he met his friend’s eyes, a bitter smile on his face. “I’m the son of a traitor. I can’t mate with anyone anyway.”

“Jimin! Don’t say that,” Hoseok frowned, placing his hand over Jimin’s on the table. “You’re the most beautiful, kind-hearted, hardworking omega in the pack. What your father did doesn’t define you. The pack has accepted you. It’s not like before. Of course you can mate with someone.”

Jimin smiled and shook his head, but his eyes had already filled with tears. He was used to hearing these comforting words from his friend, who simply couldn’t stand seeing him upset. But he knew there was nothing Hoseok could actually do. Reality was far from those words.

He had been born as his father’s son, and he would die that way. His mother and him were both doomed to watch happiness others enjoyed easily, from so close, yet never touch it.

Even if a miracle happened and someone wanted to mate with him, Head Alpha Jeon would never allow it. The hatred the old man felt toward his father had never faded. Jimin could see it in his expression every time he looked at him or his mother. At first, he had even wanted to exile them along with his father. Only the elders had stopped the Pack Alpha Jeon, begged mercy on their behalf.

Because he knew that every time the Head Alpha looked at him, he saw his father. And because of that, they would never truly be accepted.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts. He had already thought about these things enough. So now he simply focused on the peaches on the table and smiled.

Many things in Jimin's life might not have gone as he wanted. But today, he had managed to get a small revenge on the man who drove him crazy.

After chatting with Hoseok, he finished the peach he had left half-eaten. He brought in the usual gifts that arrived every night and, for the first time in a long while, fell asleep peacefully.

🍃

The next day, a week before the Mating Ceremonies, Jimin stepped out of the Medical Tent toward evening, exhausted. It had been a busy day.

Thanks to the alpha himself, now everyone in the pack was awfully curious about his relationship with Jungkook.

His *nonexistent* relationship with him.

So instead of just treating patients, he had spent the whole day dodging intrusive questions.

Thankfully, now the night was falling. He would go home, change, and then meet Hoseok for dinner. Since there were no more peaches, the dinner staring while eating unforbidden fruit problem had been solved. He smiled to himself. He never would have guessed his first act of theft would be stealing fruit.

As he reached his door, he set his bag aside and started searching for his key. It was somewhere in there, buried among the spare clothes he had brought home. Just as he found it and placed his bag down, he froze at the presence behind him.

The clear scent of pine filled his nose. Even without turning, he knew it was Jungkook.

Without giving anything away, he placed a faint smile on his face and turned toward the gaze watching him.

The alpha must have just finished training. His body was covered in sweat, his thin shirt clinging to him, black hair falling over his forehead. His already strong scent was even more intense now.

When Jimin met his eyes, Jungkook raised a brow, looking serious. “Where are my peaches?”

Jimin could feel people passing by, watching them with curious looks. So even though he smiled tensely, he grabbed the alpha’s arm and pulled him into the narrow space beside the house. He didn’t want to give people more to talk about.

Once they were alone, Jungkook stood with raised brows and crossed arms, clearly waiting for an answer. Jimin, though secretly proud of his victory, was determined to act clueless. Pursing his lips, he spoke.

“Your peaches? How would I know where they are?”

Jungkook tilted his head and smirked at Jimin’s coy act. But when his eyes met Jimin’s again, they were shining with unspoken things. “Oh, come on, Jimin… you used to lie better than that.”

Jimin had no intention of backing down. Crossing his arms as well, he replied, “You should call me hyung.”

Jungkook’s lips curled into a mocking smile. Taking a step closer, he said, “Alright… hyung.” The way he said it was not respectful though. He was teasing the omega, it was almost… flirty?

Jimin straightened his posture, but the look in Jungkook’s eyes, his scent, his closeness… it was already starting to stir his omega side again.

“You stole my peaches, didn’t you?” The alpha had suddenly come even closer. His arms were no longer crossed. Jimin instinctively took a step back until his back hit the wall.

Damn. Being trapped between a wall and a tall, handsome alpha was definitely not a good idea.

Frowning at the alpha standing so close, he spoke harshly as he could, “Why are you so obsessed with them anyway? Why do you need them that badly?”

Jungkook nodded. “I just do.”

His deep, rich, alpha scent was everywhere, surrounding them. Even his scent smelled powerful, capable, dizzying. Jimin could feel his head starting to spin, so he could only mutter one word back. “Why?”

Jungkook’s mocking smile turned softer with that, and the look in his red-eyes… for a second there, Jimin recognized those eyes as the little kid from all those years ago. “I told you. I’ve always loved them.”

The alpha said it so simply. I love them. 

But the way his large eyes looked at Jimin as he said it was the thing that was making the omega’s heart race.

Jimin nervously licked his lower lip, and that was a mistake. Because Jungkook’s predator-like gaze immediately dropped to his lips.

And that was exactly when Jimin started to stutter. He could feel his body heating up. “I-I didn’t steal them. I don’t know where they are.”

“Hm…” Jungkook said. But he seemed almost dazed now. He had gotten very close to Jimin. The eyes that had been sharp just seconds ago were now hazy, drifting over the omega’s lips, his entire face, as if memorizing every detail. The alpha licked his lips, and Jimin’s gaze dropped to them too. The lick lasted only a second but his hungry eyes were still fixed on Jungkook’s lips, studying every detail, when the alpha spoke in a near whisper. “If they’re not with you, then why can i still smell the sweet scent of theirs?”

Jungkook’s eyes found Jimin’s, clearly looking for answers now. And for Jimin, time stopped right there.

Yes, he had stolen the peaches, but they were at home. What smell was this man talking about? Just as he was about to voice that exact thought to the hazy-eyed, parted-lips alpha, he realized.

He was wet again.

And this time, it was so much more than the other day. He hadn’t even noticed. It must have happened when Jungkook got so close.

The scent the alpha was talking about wasn’t coming from the peaches Jimin had stolen.

It was coming directly from Jimin.

His breath hitched at the realization, shame washing over him as he felt his cheeks flare up all over again. Damn it, was this really the effect the alpha had on him? He lowered his head instantly, wishing the ground would just split open right there and swallow him whole.

Even though Jungkook noticed the omega lowering his head and the flush on his cheeks, the alpha still hadn’t understood what was happening. Not until Jimin grew even wetter from the alpha’s insistent closeness and the tight space they were in, grabbed onto Jungkook’s arm in embarrassment, and turned his face away.

That was when it clicked for Jungkook.

The omega shrinking into himself, the pink flush on his cheeks, the intoxicating sweet peach-like scent in the air.

His omega had gotten wet for him. Jimin, the man who filled his dreams, had gotten wet for his alpha.

Almost without realizing it, his hand moved to Jimin’s waist, pulling him closer as if his body was no longer under his control. The space between them was now almost gone.

Jimin, startled by being pulled forward so suddenly, grabbed onto the alpha’s arms and lifted his head. The way Jungkook looked at him now held a fire he had never seen before.

As Jungkook leaned in closer, he spoke. “Ah, fuck… this isn’t from the peaches you stole. No, It’s not. Is it?”

Jimin bit his lip with nervousness as the teasing smile on Jungkook’s face had completely disappeared, replaced by something lost, something overwhelmed. The alpha leaned closer to the omega’s neck, closed his eyes and took a deep breath through parted lips. His grip on the omega tightened as he did so and Jimin’s body was now fully pressed against his.

Jungkook opened his eyes. They were deep now, they were hungry.

The alpha instantly pushed them both back against the wall, and he quickly grabbed Jimin’s chin while turning the omega’s face to the side, bringing his own face down to the scent glands at the omega’s neck.

And with that hold of the alpha, the hunger, Jimin couldn’t hold back the soft sound that escaped him. “Ah…”

But apparently, that sound seemed to snap whatever restraint Jungkook had left. The hand gripping Jimin’s waist tightened harshly, sure to leave marks. Then he let out a low growl against the omega’s neck. Warning, exciting, exhilarating…

A moment later, the alpha’s warm tongue was insistently pressing against Jimin’s scent gland, devouring the intoxicating taste of the scent, licking the delicious spot.

Jimin bit down on his lower lip to suppress a moan, but his hand had already moved to the back of Jungkook’s neck. “Ah… Jungkook…”

He could tell from Jungkook’s scent and from how the alpha kept quietly growling during all of this exchange that the alpha was starting to lose control. The pine scent of his had turned wild, overwhelming, making Jimin’s omega react even more intensely. Being trapped in the alpha’s arms and the wall, being licked so intimately like that, made it impossible to think clearly.

Jungkook’s tongue gave way to his lips now. One hand still holding Jimin’s chin, he began pressing  hungry kisses along the omega’s clear neck.

Jimin’s fingers tangled into the alpha’s hair at the nape of his neck, tugging slightly, and in that moment all he wanted was to tilt his head back completely and give the alpha what he clearly wanted. The alpha’s hand gripping his waist, the lips on his neck, everything felt unbearably good.

He was both mortified and overwhelmed by how good it felt, so much so that he almost forgot they were outside.

Even as he tried to gently pull the alpha back by his hair, Jungkook’s grip only tightened. Between kisses, he brushed his nose against Jimin’s scent glands, marking him with his own scent. His clear, strong pine scent slowly blending with the peach, making their shared arousal even more clear as well.

It felt too good.

But from the low, uncontrollable growls slipping from Jungkook, Jimin could tell the alpha was very close to completely losing it. Even though everything he was doing felt incredible, Jimin knew he had to stop this. They were in the middle of the street for God’s sake.

He stroked Jungkook’s hair and spoke softly.“Jungkook… let me go.”

But the alpha didn’t hear him. He was busy leaving small bites to the omega’s neck, to the exact spots where he kissed the omega.

Jimin struggled not to make a sound. This was dangerous. Very dangerous. If they didn’t stop, he could even go into heat. “Jungkook… enough.”

When his words went unheard again, worry finally set in. The alpha’s instincts had probably taken over completely.

Shit. He had practically seduced the guy with his  peach-scented slick.

“Alpha please, stop.” He moaned helplessly.

That, Jungkook heard.

Pulling back from Jimin’s neck, which he had marked all over now, he truly looked completely out of it. His black curly hair was a mess, his breathing was uneven, his eyes were still hazy.

Jimin, on the other hand, was completely flushed with embarrassment.

As the hand gripping his waist slowly loosened, Jimin could see Jungkook starting to come back to himself. The alpha really had lost his control for a moment there.

He had smelled Jimin’s slick… and lost control immediately.

Jungkook slowly took two steps back. The expression on his face, conflicted and affected, was indescribable now. He licked his lower lip, then lifted his gaze to meet Jimin’s.

He gave a small, shy nod. Then he turned and walked away slowly, his ears tinged as red as his eyes.

That night, two big dead bears were dropped in front of the omega’s door.

And Jungkook never asked about the peaches again.

Chapter Text

Shame.

That was exactly what Jimin felt as he looked at his reflection in the mirror before leaving for work that morning.

His neck was full of bruises, variety in colors but mostly in deep purple.

Last night felt like a dream. Jimin couldn’t fully grasp that it had actually happened. His mind couldn’t quite comprehend how the alpha had completely lost himself in Jimin’s scent and ended up leaving these marks on the omega’s neck. But as he ran his fingers over the bruises above his scent gland, feeling his cheeks grow warm, he also knew he wasn’t complaining.

What was this? What did it even mean? He had no idea what was happening, but the omega inside him had clearly taken pleasure in the way the alpha had possessively marked him, as if claiming him. When he washed the pine scent off his body last night, Jimin had almost cried. His omega wanted to walk around the pack carrying that scent for everyone to notice and see, which was absolutely unacceptable.

But of course, even after all that, Jungkook had still left a gift for Seokjin at night. Two big bears at that.

Jimin felt like he was going to lose his mind. He forbade himself from thinking about Jungkook. The alpha was nothing but a huge confusion and disappointment.

Despite it being summer, he tied a scarf around his neck. It didn’t match his outfit at all, and he knew his friends would question it, but explaining  the marks on his neck was the last thing he wanted right now.

He took a deep breath, slung his bag over his shoulder, and closed the door.

It was going to be a long day.

🍃

The medical tent was much quieter than usual today. So Jimin was happy to have run into Seokjin while he was sitting in the back room drinking tea. Ever since Namjoon arrived, Seokjin hadn’t come home, and they hadn’t even had a chance to talk. Jimin raised his brows with a smile and spoke. “So, hyung… how’s it going with Namjoon?”

The older omega’s ears immediately flushed red, though he tried to act nonchalant as he brought his tea to his lips. “Well… even if he keeps tripping over nothing as if he is unable to carry that big brain of his and ends up hurting himself, he’s a good guy.”

Jimin knew the older omega was embarrassed, but his own smile only widened as he took a sip of his tea. “Just good, huh? If he’s only ‘good guy,’ then why haven’t you been home for a week?”

“Hey!” Seokjin shouted, now picking up and throwing one of the towels at him. Jimin dodged it, laughing as his voice echoed in the small room. “Where’s your respect for your elders! And I do come home at night!”

Jimin bit his lip to stop himself from laughing and glanced down at his cup. “Mm… Sure you do.”

“If you wanted me to whoop your ass, you could’ve just said so, Jimin. Why are you making this hard for both of us?” Seokjin said, now standing up and clasping his hands together in mock menace.

Still laughing, Jimin stood and wrapped his arms around the older omega, pulling him back down to his seat. “Okay, okay… I won’t tease you anymore. I’m sorry, hyung.”

Now both of them were sitting again, sipping their tea with amused smiles, when Seokjin broke the silence. “But I really am coming home today. I miss our place.”

Jimin raised a brow. “Or you ran out of clothes.”

Seokjin let out a deep sigh. “I miss our place AND I ran out of clothes.”

But suddenly, as if he remembered something, the older omega across from him straightened up. His eyes gleamed differently as he looked at Jimin. “So, Jimin? It’s your turn to talk now. What’s going on with you? I’ve been hearing things you know?”

Jimin couldn’t stop his mouth from falling open in shock. “What? You? The least gossipy person I know heard things about me? What could you possibly have heard?”

The other raised and lowered his brows. He was blunt with it. “Namjoon saw you and Jungkook making out yesterday.”

Jimin slammed his cup onto the table completely stunned. “What? When? How? Wha do you mean making out?!”

Now it was Seokjin’s turn to be amused. Leaning back in his chair with his cup in hand, he spoke. “How should I know? Or are you going to say it’s not true? And should I also pretend like I wouldn’t know why you would wear that huge fucking scarf in the middle of summer?”

Jimin froze in shock. The flush of embarrassment spread from the back of his neck to his cheeks.

Damn it. Getting caught by Seokjin was one of the last things he would’ve wanted. And what kind of explanation could he even give? That he had a complicated situation with the man who kept leaving Seokjin mating gifts?

He bit his lip and looked at the other with anxious eyes. “There’s really nothing between us. It was just… a strange, spur of the moment thing yesterday, that’s all. Please don’t feel uncomfortable.”

Now Seokjin looked confused, frowning slightly as he met Jimin’s worried gaze. “Why would I feel uncomfortable?”

Jimin shrugged. He was right, actually, Seokjin didn’t care about anyone but Namjoon. Jungkook leaving him gifts and kissing Jimin at the same time wouldn’t bother the older omega at all.

But suddenly, Jimin felt a pang of sadness. The bubble of happiness he’d been in since last night seemed to deflate slowly. “I don’t know. There’s just nothing between us, that’s all.”

“Okaaay…” Seokjin said, now watching him with a confused and concerned expression written all over his face.

Just then, Hoseok burst into the room with a loud shout, startling both of them and snapping them out of the strange conversation. The beta was practically bouncing as he waved an enormous bouquet of flowers in his hand.

“Look at the flowers Taehyung left for me to join the run! Oh my God! OH MY GOD I WANT TO EAT HIS FACE!”

And of course, rest of the afternoon was spent with both Seokjin and Jimin listening to Hoseok gush about what an amazing mighty alpha Taehyung was.

🍃

As Jimin walked home in the evening to get ready for dinner, his mind was still stuck on what had happened around this time yesterday, right outside his house. If Namjoon had seen them, then others might have too, right? It was seriously embarrassing.

He had just reached the door he shared with Seokjin when he noticed it, right in front of him, on the ground; A bouquet of the most beautiful blue and white flowers he had ever seen, wrapped in white fabric and tied with a blue ribbon.

A small smile formed on his face as he bent down. They smelled so good that warmth spread through him.

They were so, so beautiful. And since blue was Jimin’s favorite color, these rare blue flowers meant even more. Whoever had found them must have gone through a lot of trouble.

His eyes caught the note attached beneath the bouquet. He wondered which admirer of Seokjin it was this time. But as he unfolded the note and read it, his breath caught in his throat.

The nearly written note was from Jungkook.

“They may not be as breath-taking as you are, but I did my best. I couldn’t get you out of my mind since yesterday. Join the Mating Run for me. I’ll be waiting for you, my omega.

—J. Jungkook” 

But Jimin only realized he was crying when a teardrop fell onto the paper in his hands. Still kneeling there, he rested his chest against his knees and read the note over and over again.

He spent the all day trying to keep his hands drifting to the scarf he wrapped around his neck, the scarf that was covering the alpha’s marks on there, while also trying to hide his cheeks that grew redder with embarrassment every-time he remembered what happened, here Jungkook was, saying he had been thinking about Seokjin since yesterday. The same day they had shared a moment.

He quickly wiped his tears, picked up the flowers, and went inside. Just like the other gifts that didn’t need to be taken to the kitchen (the bear, squirrel, rabbit, etc.), he placed this one on the table in Seokjin’s room. The older omega was coming home today anyway, he could decide what to do with it himself.

But it would still be better to give him the note beforehand. If Jungkook didn’t see the bouquet in front of the house, he might assume Seokjin had already taken the note, hence, agreeing to his wishes. Besides, there was no telling when, or even if, the other would come home. So Jimin decided to give the note to Seokjin at dinner.

He quietly changed his clothes, tightening the scarf around his neck even more, as if it could erase what lay beneath it. Then he took the note he had set aside, slipped it into his pocket, and headed toward Hoseok’s house.

Every time he hoped for something more, he faced grueling disappointment. And he was way too used to it now.

🍃

At the dinner, Jimin could feel Jungkook’s eyes on him again but he didn’t lift his head. There was no need. Nothing about the alpha’s behavior made sense anyway. He tried to quietly eat, but his throat felt tight, making each bite sit heavy in his mouth. When he noticed Hoseok watching him with concern, he spoke without turning his head. “I’m fine. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t look at me like I’m a kicked puppy.”

The beta let out a deep sigh. “Don’t give Jungkook’s note yourself. You’re bot his messenger. Give it to me, I’ll do it.”

Jimin shook his head, still staring at his food. “I don’t care.”

He was just about to lift his head and smile at Hoseok to ease his worry when he saw Namjoon and Seokjin entering the area. Good. It was time to get rid of the note that had been burning a hole in his soul and pants.

Leaving his plate behind, he stood up and smiled at the beta. “I’ll just get over with it and come back.”

As he walked toward the older omega and his partner, the two had just reached the large fire and were getting their food. He waited nearby, but he didn’t want to hand over the note in front of Namjoon. That could lead to misunderstandings. It would be best to pull Seokjin aside.

Once they had their food, he approached from behind and tapped his friend’s shoulder. Seokjin smiled when he saw him. “Ah, Jimin! You were here too?”

Jimin nodded, and Seokjin immediately turned, pulling Namjoon by the arm. The alpha looked confused for a moment before Seokjin spoke. “Namjoon, this is my roommate Jimin, the one I told you about. Jimin, this is Namjoon! I can’t believe i’ve never got the chance to introduce you two.”

The alpha’s expression softened as he extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jimin. Seokjin speaks very highly of you.”

Jimin smiled and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too.”

Turning back to his friend, he tried hard to keep his smile in place. “I actually came to talk to you about something private. I hope you don’t mind if I borrow your omega for a bit, Namjoon?”

Seeing both Namjoon and Seokjin blush and turn their faces away at the word “omega” warmed his heart. They were truly adorable, just two people head over heels in love. Life could be so simple and happy sometimes.

He would never have what those two had.

His smile faltered for a second with the sudden uncomfortable thought rolling in, but Seokjin was already pulling him aside. Finally, Jimin thought. He would be free of this weight.

Seokjin looked at him with pursed lips, his eyes curious and concerned. “I was going to come home tonight anyway. Did something happen? You’re making me worry.”

Jimin let out a humorless laugh. So he couldn’t hide it that well after all, he had managed to worry both Hoseok and Seokjin with his grim expression.

“It’s nothing important actually. I just wasn’t sure if you’d come home tonight, so I thought I’d give it to you now. Jungkook seemed to put effort into it so I figured it should at least reach its intended.” He swallowed, reached into his pocket, and quickly handed the note to the omega, who looked at him in confusion.

Seokjin took the note, still frowning. But Jimin felt relieved. At least he no longer had to carry the Mating Run call note from the same man who had broken his heart.

As Seokjin opened it and read it carefully, his frown only deepened. Then he looked up at Jimin with a confused expression written all over his face. “Okay, but… why are you giving this to me?”

Jimin pursed his lips. “Jungkook left it at your door today, with a blue bouquet attached to it. I brought the flowers inside with the others and put them in water, but I thought you might not have a chance to see the note on time. So i brought it with me.”

He smiled politely, and turned to leave after that, but stopped when Seokjin grabbed his arm.

What now? Why was this taking so long? He was already feeling bad about this, all he wanted to do was get over it.

“Jimin okay but i don’t think this note is for me. You realize that too, right?”

Jimin froze with that. Turning back, he saw Seokjin frowning. “What do you mean it’s not for you? Jungkook has been courting you with gifts since this Mating Ceremonies had begun. Of course it’s yours.”

Seokjin stared at him, mouth dropped open, and in shock. “What? What are you even talking about right now?”

Jimin stared back, equally confused. “The day after the first night of the Mating Ceremonies. I told you about all the gifts left for you at the door, and their senders. You said it was fine if I brought them inside? We had this conversation hyung!”

Seokjin shook his head in disbelief. “Honestly i barely remember that conversation but i’m pretty sure you said Jungkook’s gift was to you! I’ve been dying to ask you about him but since you kept quiet after that i thought i shouldn’t meddle!”

Jimin nearly shouted in reply. “No! I definitely listed his gift as one of yours!”

Noticing people starting to listen in, Seokjin grabbed his arm and pulled both of them further away from the center. He looked confused and serious now. “Jimin are you kidding me right now? Why would Jungkook leave me gifts? Him and I are friends. If something like that was happening, don’t you think I’d notice?”

Jimin shook his head stubbornly. “No, I’m sure. The first day, the scarf I gave you was on the bear he left. It was your scarf and the gift was to you!”

Seokjin frowned. “What scarf? The blue and yellow one you knitted?”

Jimin nodded quickly. “Yes. The one he left on the bear for you, his scent was on it too. It was clearly a mating gift meant for you!”

Seokjin’s eyes widened. “That scarf isn’t mine.”

Now it was Jimin’s turn to frown. “I gave it to you. Of course it’s yours!”

Seokjin crossed his arms, clearly irritated. “You said the first night of the Mating Ceremony, right?”

Jimin spoke. “Yes.”

“A week before that, when Namjoon had a sore throat, I took that exact scarf to his place to wrap the medicine I’d applied. When I left today, it was still folded on the head of his bed in his room. So tell me, Jimin, if that scarf has been with us for two weeks, how could it have been on the bear Jungkook hunted?” Seokjin finished with a serious look in his eyes, and Jimin could feel himself starting to tremble. Then where did the scarf at home came from? Whose was the one Jungkook had left?

Seeing how shaken he was, the older omega stepped closer, wrapping an arm around him as he spoke softly. “I’m really sorry about the misunderstanding baby, but i’m sure Jungkook didn’t leave those gifts for me. He left them for you.”

Then he opened Jimin’s hand and placed the note back into his palm. “This note is for you too. He wants you to run in the Mating Run. He wants to mate with you. He loves you.”

Jimin shook his head. His eyes filled with unshed tears again, but his voice came out firm. “No. That’s not it.”

He stepped back, slipping out of Seokjin’s hold. He was starting to feel irritated too. Seokjin was only making things more confusing. If Jungkook really loved him like he said, wouldn’t he speak to him about it? Wouldn’t he say something to Jimin after all these years? Wouldn’t he come to see him?

Then suddenly, the distinct scent of pine reached behind him, and he froze.

Ten steps away, Namjoon and Jungkook were walking nearby, talking as they passed close to where they stood. This was it. The perfect opportunity. He would show Seokjin just how wrong the older omega was.

With quick steps, he grabbed Seokjin by the arm and pulled him toward the two alphas, roughly wiping his eyes at the same time. The older omega followed without much protest. The two alphas noticed them approaching and turned in their direction, slowing their steps as well.

Jimin let go of Seokjin’s arm and fixed his gaze on Jungkook. The alpha’s face was unreadable, but one of his brows had lifted with clear confusion. Raising the note in his hand so Jungkook could see it, Jimin spoke.

“Jungkook, can you tell us that this note, and all the gifts you’ve been leaving, are for Seokjin hyung?”

His eyes flicked briefly to Namjoon, who was watching in shock, and to Seokjin, who rolled his eyes, but he didn’t waver. When he looked back at Jungkook, the alpha met his gaze with those red eyes and spoke, each word clear. “No, because they belong to my omega.”

Jimin smiled. Just as he had thought. Even though his heart ached, he kept that smile on his face as he turned fully toward Seokjin and raised his brows. “I told you.”

But Seokjin stepped closer instead, still frowning, his eyes now fixed on Jungkook. “And who is your omega, Jungkook?”

Jimin rolled his eyes, and then the alpha’s voice filled his ears.

“Jimin.”

And with that, Jimin turned his head so fast he thought he might fall. His mouth fell open in shock, brows knitting together as he met Jungkook’s gaze. His voice came out sharp. “Stop joking.”

At that, Jungkook grew serious. Both his brows lifted as he stepped closer, closing the distance between them. “Why would I joke?”

Jimin hesitated. They were all looking at him. Namjoon, Seokjin, Jungkook. It felt like his patience was being tested. He pressed a finger against the alpha’s chest as he spoke, his voice thick from holding back tears. “Jeon Jungkook, if you’re playing with me, if this is some sick, funny game you alpha’s think so funny, I swear I will…”

His hand was caught midair as Jungkook grabbed it easily. When his eyes met the taller man’s, the alpha stepped even closer. His gaze burned just like it had the day before. “Didn’t I tell you when we were kids that when I came back I would mate you in front of the whole pack, hyung? I told you I wasn’t your little brother, I was your alpha. You are mine. You always have been mine. What game are you talking about?”

Everyone around them seemed to disappear. There was only Jungkook, wiping the tears from Jimin’s eyes with his own hand, looking at him with red eyes filled with everything Jimin had been too afraid to hope for.

“All the gifts are yours. And I am yours too, if you’ll have me.”

Chapter Text

“All the gifts are yours. And I am yours too, if you’ll have me.”

As his eyes stayed fixed on the man in front of him, Jimin only then realized that Seokjin and Namjoon beside them had disappeared, leaving the two alone. He could also feel his world beginning to close in on him. He reached for the hand on his cheek and held it between his own fingers. “Why?”

Jungkook was looking at him now with a softness in his eyes for the first time after he came back. There was no stupid games this time, there was no miscommunication. Only what lay in both of their hearts.

Afraid of drawing people’s attention away from the food and the fire, and onto them, Jimin grabbed Jungkook’s hand tightly and pulled him toward a clearing that looked secluded enough. He ignored the ringing in his ears. He ignored the warmth of the hand in his. When he thought they had gone far enough to hide from curious eyes, he turned around and faced the alpha again.

He repeated his question, firmer this time. “Why? You, who didn’t talk to me since you arrived, who walked out of my life without a single explanation, suddenly left me courting gifts? How was I supposed to know you thought about me?”

Jimin felt like he was supposed to be happy. Wasn’t this what he had wanted? Every night, as he took in the gifts he thought Jungkook left for Seokjin, hadn’t he wished they were for him instead? Then why was there a lump forming in his throat now? As he looked into the alpha’s worried eyes, shining even in the dark, nothing in his mind made sense about this.

Shaking his head, Jungkook stepped closer to the omega again. “I thought it was obvious that the gifts were for you. Who else could it be? It was always you.”

Jimin bit his lower lip at the alpha’s words, trying desperately to slow down the tears rolling down his cheek. Jungkook, on the other hand, was unexpectedly gentle with him. He kept brushing away Jimin’s falling tears with his fingertips, stepping closer to the omega without even noticing. From the quiet scent of pine around them and the worry furrowing the alpha’s brows, the omega could tell Jungkook was distressed about this too.

So he whispered towards the alpha. “It was always me?”

Jungkook took the omega’s hands in his own and lifted them, bringing them to his lips. As he placed a small kiss on them, he nodded in affirmation.

Jimin knew he should not give in this easily, but his soul seemed to finally understand what was happening. His omega realizing that the alpha they wanted desperately, also wanted them back. His heart began to beat as if it would break out of his chest, and he started to believe the pleading look in the eyes of the man holding his hands to his lips.

But there was still so much Jimin did not understand. What happened in these past years needed more explanation. As he slowly pulled his hands back, he tried to keep his stance firm. He frowned and spoke again. “What about the letters? I’ve waited for you but you never wrote me back. I didn’t even get a single letter from you.”

The memory of his younger self, going to the post office every morning for two whole years with great excitement, only to return with disappointment every time, just could not leave his mind. Jimin remembered his stubborn refusal to give up, even when he received no reply, just to hear a single word about how Jungkook’s life was going.

But honestly, Jimin was happy.

The omega in him was truly happy that Jungkook’s alpha saw Jimin as worthy enough to want to mate with him. It felt as if the common air he had been breathing for years had only finally reached his lungs. He was trembling with happiness from the tips of his fingers to the strands of his hair. But unlike his omega, his heart… his heart was still deeply hurt by Jungkook, not as an alpha, but as the friend he had once been.

At the mention of the letters, Jungkook’s eyes dropped to the ground. He raised a hand to the back of his neck as he spoke. “I will explain that too. Just give me some time.”

Time? What time? Why could he not explain it now?

“Then what about you not even talking to me? You ignored me even after you came back.” Jimin said, even though he was barely receiving any answers to his questions. Jungkook had been back for a month, for God’s sake, yet he had not come to Jimin even once of his own will, if you don’t count the time he accused the omega of stealing. If the alpha loved him enough to want to mate, then why had he not come?

Jungkook lifted his gaze from the ground and met the omega’s eyes again. He looked serious, but also troubled. This time, his chin was raised and his shoulders were squared as he answered. “I wanted you to see me as an alpha.”

He paused, then continued without breaking eye contact with the man much shorter than him. “I wanted to show you that I could be someone capable, someone worthy as your partner. A strong, reliable, useful alpha. An alpha worthy of you.”

He kept speaking while gazing into the omega’s soul. “I thought that if I came to you, if I got too close like before, you would see me as your baby or your brother again.”

The omega’s mouth fell open in shock with that.

Was that really it? The reason the alpha had not even said hello after arriving, the reason he made Jimin think he had even forgotten his name and only called him as “omega,” the reason for this excruciating silence?

Did the mighty heir of Jeon Pack, Jeon Jungkook, really just wanted to be seen as an alpha from Jimin’s eyes?

Anger flared within the omega. “Are you serious right now? That was such a ridiculous thing to do, Jungkook!”

Raising his index finger, he stepped closer, pressing it against the alpha’s shoulder. His voice came out strained because of the lump in his throat. “Do you have any idea how much you hurt me? Huh? How much I believed I had lost you? That you did not even remember me or our memories together?”

He stepped even closer while Jungkook took a a step back, clearly agitated. “Did you really think hurting me like this was worth it? Just so I would see you as an oh so strong mighty alpha so i could mate with you? Was that more important than what did our friendship meant to you?”

Jimin’s words seemed to affect Jungkook as well. With every sentence that left the omega’s mouth, the alpha’s squared shoulders sank a little more. It was as if he had never thought about any of this, as if he had never considered that staying away from Jimin would hurt the omega. But Jimin only kept going. “If you had run to me, hugged me, apologized, even if you had acted like a baby and fallen asleep in my arms, I still would have chosen you, you idiot alpha! That guy was the one who I loved in the first place!”

He couldn’t hold back his tears. Even though the corners of his eyes were red from too much crying and his voice had grown hoarse, he continued. “I didn’t even have another option besides you anyway. I would always choose you. You know that better than anyone! You were the one with millions of options between us, not me! Why did you let your alpha pride hurt me? Do you have any idea how much I cried thinking about you, while missing you so much that i couldn’t even sleep on your birthdays while you were gone, wondering if you’ve been well?”

Jungkook reached his hands out toward Jimin, wanting to ease the omega’s pain, to hold his heart and help the one he loved most as the omega slowly collapsed to the ground. But when it came to emotions, he was no different from a block of wood, and all he could do was watch with worried eyes. He sank to the ground as well, quietly. His reaching hands still hesitating i. The air between them while his anxious gaze did not leave Jimin for even a second. “What do you mean i had millions of options? That was always you.”

When Jimin pursed his lips in confusion and saw Jungkook’s furrowed brows and serious gaze lock onto him, he said nothing. But he could already feel whatever the alpha was about to say would not make things better.

Jungkook spoke slowly, unsurely now. “Before I left, I threatened all the alphas in the pack about you. I gave you my claiming necklace to keep them away, to warn them even when i was away. You can’t even imagine how many people I had to fight with to keep them away from the most gorgeous omega in the pack. You don’t know how hard i tried to hide you for myself.”

Jimin sat there on the grass, his hands pressed into the cold, hardened ground of the night, trying to process what the alpha was saying. At the edge of the forest, the two of them were crouched on the ground, starved for each other’s words, but the weight of what the alpha had said was just too much.

“What do you mean you fought them to keep them away from me? What are you even talking about?”

For years, no one had shown interest in Jimin. For six long years, he had not received a single gift at any Mating Ceremony. Because he was “Park’s son.”

Wasn’t that the reason?

Without saying anything, Jungkook turned his hardened jaw toward the forest but his pine scent had sharpened now. Jimin felt like he could not breathe in the possessive pheromones pouring out of Jungkook.

All these years Jimin spent thinking he was someone who could never be loved, that it was because he was inadequate, ugly, because of his father was a criminal. Thinking that during the times when everyone looked at each other with affection, he would never deserve that kind of love, would never be able to mate, would never have children…

Thinking that no alpha could ever want him other than short sexual flings… Was Jungkook the reason for all of that?

The alpha had no right to do that. Had no right to lay his claim on the omega without ever telling Jimin anything about all of this.

“Did you tell people that no one but you could show interest in me?” His voice came out as a whisper. He could not believe the alpha would do something like that. It would be so selfish. Jungkook wouldn’t have done it… right?

But the alpha did not even look regretful. As he turned his red eyes from the forest back to Jimin, his words were sharp and accusatory. “Why, did you want another alpha?”

“What?” It came out as a whisper of shock on Jimin’s lips too. “Jungkook, do you even realize what you’re saying? No one has the right to choose my alpha for me. You know that, don’t you?”

Jungkook’s eyes, already furrowed, began to fill with tears. This huge man was kneeling in front of the omega in the darkness of the forest and his eyes were welling up. He truly looked hurt now. “What, you don’t want to choose me that badly that you’re angry I stopped the other alphas? Is that it?”

Jimin could not believe what he was hearing. But this time, the tears in Jungkook’s eyes began to fall. The alpha reached out with a serious look, took Jimin’s hand, and fixed his intense gaze on the omega. “Even if you can’t see me as an alpha, I’ll show you, hyung. I’m stronger, more capable than every other alpha in here. Even if you don’t love me that way, even if you had your eyes on som-someone else…”

He swallowed. It was clear the words coming out of his mouth was hurting the alpha but he did not stop. “…even if you found someone else while i was away, mate with me. There’s no alpha who could beat me in the pack, no one who will take better care of you than I will, no one more willing to lay everything they have at your feet. Just be with me, accept me. Be mine and i’ll be yours forever, that’s all I want.”

The weight of what he was hearing pressed down on Jimin so heavily that he could not even move. He just stared with tear-filled eyes at Jungkook, who was practically begging him to mate.

Jungkook had really kept Jimin selfishly to himself, making the omega believe he would drown in loneliness for all his life, for years. He had most likely threatened every alpha who was interested in Jimin. Now the omega could remember Hanbin’s friend saying, “Have you lost your mind? You said you wouldn’t do it once he came back.” They must have been talking about Jungkook. They were afraid of him.

Pulling his hands away from the man who was pleading to him, Jimin spoke without breaking eye contact. His voice was stronger this time. “You don’t even know what you did wrong, do you?”

The confusion in Jungkook’s eyes was already an answer.

Jimin let out a small laugh to himself, then, under the alpha’s gaze, he pushed himself up from the ground and brushed the dirt off his legs. “Thank you for seeing me as valuable enough to want to mate with, Alpha Jeon. And also for the gifts that I didn’t even know were mine all this time.”

Taking a deep breath and pulling the cold air into his lungs, he felt hollow. Maybe some parts of his soul had drained away with his tears. Who knew? “But even if I respect you as an alpha who wishes to mate with me, I cannot overlook that you valued the passion of love above the affection of our friendship and didn’t care about hurting me just to appear as more of an alpha to me…”

Even as he saw the pain in Jungkook’s eyes from where he knelt, he continued. “…and that you took away my chance to choose my own alpha by threatening people without even asking me. You laid your claim on me without even telling me. And because of this, I don’t think I can mate with you.”

Even though he could sense the sharp sting of pain in the alpha’s scent, he was hurting just as much. “I wish you success in this Mating Ceremonies. There’s no need for you to leave me any more gifts, Alpha.”

As he walked away, he heard Jungkook calling out after him, but he did not, could not turn back. He avoided his friend Hoseok, who was trying to catch up after seeing his swollen eyes from crying.

He made his way home.

Alone.

He was deeply hurt. What weighed on him was not the sadness of being unloved. It was the hurt of never being respected.

He did not have much trouble falling asleep that night. Even though the cold of the ground where he and Jungkook had collapsed together still lingered in his hands and the aching scent of pine that had filled his nose when he rejected the alpha would not fade from his thoughts, the exhaustion of disappointment worth of years was enough in itself.