Chapter Text
“Be my omega,” The alpha towering over him growls, successfully breaking goosebumps down Jeongguk’s neck. From the tone itself, he can tell that it’s not meant to be an offer.
Known for his brutish ways even amongst the alpha community, Li Xuan is anything but relenting when it comes to getting things done his way and in this case, it’s Jeongguk.
For as long as he’s been in the Central Unit, Jeongguk’s never heard of the alpha showing even the slightest interest in any potential mates, so long story short, he didn’t see this coming.
Clasping his hands together instead of accepting the fur coat, Jeongguk bites his bottom lip before bowing his head down. “I’m sorry,” he puts on a brave front, trying not to look like he’s about to shit his pants in fear when really, he’s one nerve away from sprinting for the nearest toilet. “I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?” Xuan clicks his tongue, sounding more annoyed rather than angry. As if Jeongguk’s rejection is a mere nuisance to him.
“Li Xuan I… I barely know you and,” Jeongguk gulps the thick bile piled up in his throat. He thinks he’s gonna be sick. “I’m sure you’re a great alpha, but I just can’t. I’m so sorry.”
The alpha obviously does not take it calmly, flinging the coat at Jeongguk in his frustration. “Shut up and accept it- I don’t have time for your games.”
Now flustered and utterly scared for his life, Jeongguk folds the fur and offers it back to the latter with trembling hands. “I mean it, I can’t be your omega. I’m sorry, really I am.”
At his words, Xuan finally stops pacing. His sharp features loses its previous frustration and morphs into something more livid. His thick eyebrows pull together into a frown, moving the gruesome scar across his left eye as it does.
Jeongguk feels himself shrink before the tall, demeaning wolf but manages to stand his ground, careful to not make eye contact.
“You pretty bitch,” Xuan laughs dryly, “Think you’re too good for me? Huh?”
“No,” Jeongguk stops himself from spitting the word out, “I just-”
“Think you’re all that just ‘cause some alphas think you'd make a good fuck?”
Jeongguk doesn’t think twice and hurls the heavy coat at the other’s face, hot anger and indignation filling his veins. “Look. A no is a no,” he repeats, this time more crudely, “You can’t change my mind by insulting me. It doesn’t work like that.”
When he turns to leave, Xuan’s hand holds him back, his vice grip almost cutting off the circulation in the omega’s hand. Jeongguk can’t help but to panic at the threat looming around him. “No, no you don’t get to leave after mouthing off like that,” Xuan hissed next to his ear, “Omegas who act out of line should be put in their place.”
A shiver runs up Jeongguk’s spine and he grits his teeth, intimidated by the other’s infamous reputation.
“And you should too,” A gruff voice appears behind them, “What kind of alphas pick on omegas? Don’t be a dick just ‘cause you’re butt-hurt.”
Hearing Yoongi’s voice, Jeongguk’s fear melts right off of him. His friend must’ve heard about the ruckus when Li Xuan dragged him outside to talk. “Yoongi!” he exclaims in relief, trying to twist his wrist out of the alpha’s hand.
Xuan frowns and tightens his hold, snorting when he catches sight of Yoongi, who is at least a head shorter than him.
“Piss off, beta,” he snorts, “Keep out of my business.”
Yoongi scowls, though his demeanour remains lax. “When you mess with that kid,” he points at Jeongguk, “you just made it my business; I’m his unpaid and grossly underappreciated babysitter.”
“He can’t be serious,” Jeongguk deadpans. It’s very like Min Yoongi to dismiss the overall mood of any situation.
Ignoring him, Xuan focuses his rage at the blond haired interruption, “What are you gonna do? Challenge me?” he smirks condescendingly, “You won’t make it out alive.”
“Oh please, I’m not that dumb,” Yoongi drawls, seeming unimpressed, “Hoseok will do the honours.”
Something shifts in Xuan’s face and his fingers twitch around Jeongguk’s reddened wrist. At the slight opening, Jeongguk yanks his arms and breaks away from the large wolf.
“Won’t he be thrilled to hear this,” the beta grins, “A challenge for Anubis himself? That’s a real hoot.”
Xuan growls subtly, a rumble reverberating from his chest. He casts one look of disdain at Yoongi and another one of sheer hatred at Jeongguk. The alpha breathes in deeply before turning to leave.
“You better not show your face anywhere I can see it,” He warns Jeongguk off.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Jeongguk shoots back with acrimony, rubbing his bruised wrist with his other hand.
When Xuan finally stalks off in anger, Yoongi steps closer to Jeongguk, examining his bruises and hissing when he sees the bright red, inflamed area. That’s gonna stain for a while.
“Not so good with rejection eh?” Yoongi hums as he guides Jeongguk back to the omega housing.
The younger one laughs, “Is that a trend with alphas?”
“Must be, since it’s the second time you’ve been manhandled this week, but I wouldn’t know,” Yoongi shrugs, “Never turned Hoseok down before.”
“Ah, I hate this,” Jeongguk winces when his skin burns, still too sensitive to touch.
Yoongi frowns, drawing the younger wolf closer to his side as they walk down the cobbled path to Jeongguk’s dorm. The beta sighs, “Why do you keep rejecting all those alphas anyway? The one last month- Yuta? Yeah. He’s a decent wolf, although not an alpha, and he took your rejection like a champ.”
“I don’t know,” Jeongguk huffs, “None of them felt right to me.”
“You’re such a romantic, you know that?” Yoongi scoffs in amusement.
“Yeah and now I’m paying the price.”
The older wolf whistles lowly, “Seokjin’s going to absolutely freak at that.”
And Yoongi’s words prove to be correct when they arrive at the omega housing. Seokjin, who has been pacing in front of Jeongguk’s door, almost screams as he runs over to them.
“Jeon Jeongguk! Are you okay? Oh my God, are you hurt?” he worries, looking the latter up and down to search for any signs of pain, “Someone told me Li Xuan was speaking to you is that true? If he did anything to you I swear to-”
“Seokjin, calm down. I’m fine,” Jeongguk reassures, hiding his injured hand slightly behind him. Yoongi notices with much amusement.
The older wolf narrows his eyes suspiciously at Jeongguk before his face falls into regret. “Ah, Jeongguk I’m so sorry. I should never have left you all alone when all the alphas are not in their right minds. We all know how they get when it’s nearing Full Moon. Thank goodness Yoongi was around.” The beta sends a mock-salute to Seokjin at the mention.
“Don’t sweat it,” Jeongguk laughs to lighten the other’s mood, “I know you’re busied with the preparations for the incomings. The welcoming party is tomorrow after all.”
Seokjin evidently perks up at that, “Yes! I can’t wait to take in fresh omegas- we need new faces to spruce things up around here.”
“Don’t forget betas,” Yoongi chips in, “Although I can definitely live with less alphas around.”
Jeongguk’s face scrunches up in confusion, “But… you’re basically living with an alpha…”
“Oh. That,” Yoongi rolls his eyes, “But Hoseok’s different. The only time I ever let him boss me around is in bed.”
Seokjin throws him an unimpressed look. “Anyways, new faces are always great. The Centre Unit gets colder and lonelier with all the couples moving out to their new homes.” He sighs, “Maybe that’s why we’re all so touchy around this time.”
Jeongguk nods, thinking of how he first moved in from the Outer Unit, leaving his family behind in the process. He’d been a meagre age of 19 when he first arrived, lost and clueless in the crowd of wolves.
It’s the norm for wolves that have come of age to move out of their homes and enter the Central Unit to be trained and educated along with their own class. Jeongguk comes from a strong line of omegas, although never having presented as one, but his older relatives have all proven to stick to the trend, so he was no exemption. As soon as he arrived, he was placed in the omega class- fitting in right away as he was raised to.
Jeongguk is happy he got to find his friends and he can’t imagine for it to be any other way.
“Hoseok is worried about the incomings, though,” says Yoongi suddenly. “Something about his wolf being restless.”
“What?” Seokjin tilts his head, a subtle frown adorning his otherwise perfect features, “Anubis is?”
Jeongguk turns to face the beta, “That can’t be a good sign.”
“Well no shit,” the blond points out, “Why the fuck would an Elder Wolf be restless?”
The tall omega hums, shrugging up his broad shoulders, “You can never know with Hoseok.”
“I think he knows. He’s just not telling me.”
Yoongi says the words with a little bitterness to his tone and his friends notice the minor detail right away. They rarely ever talk about it, but they know how much the beta worries for his mate.
“And maybe that’s for the best,” Seokjin says, ignoring Yoongi’s glare at him. “We all know how you panic.”
The beta gasps, a hand on his chest, “I do no such thing.”
Choosing to not add oil into Yoongi’s fiery temper, Jeongguk tries changing the subject. “Of course,” he appeases, sending Seokjin a look, “That’s why you’re leading the tour for the new betas tomorrow, if I heard correctly.”
The mention successfully gives Yoongi something else to dread over. He rolls his eyes, flicking a hand, “Oh, that. I just hope I don’t end up losing a kid,” a violent shudder runs up his neck, “Hoseok has this absurd way of making it look like it’s my fault.”
Seokjin scoffs and this time, Jeongguk doesn’t put it against him. Yoongi really is a piece of work.
Welcoming events are always held during the full moon. Jeongguk remembers the first time he walked into the Centre Unit. The moon was bright and yellow above them. He looks at the group of new omegas from where he is sitting. Seokjin is leading them inside through the barrier, consoling some of the wolves who are crying from the separation.
It feels nostalgic to see them shedding tears, from both sadness and unfamiliarity. Jeongguk himself was overwhelmed the first time he crossed over, thinking that he wouldn’t be able to contact, much less see, his family again. But it was explained later that they could go home for holidays or for any family emergencies. Funnily enough, Jeongguk doesn’t feel the need to come back home after some time. He is quite happy with the friends and community he’d surrounded himself with.
“Look at them, I could just pinch their cheeks,” a girl mumbles next to him. Jeongguk huffs a chuckle, sharing the sentiment. They’re sitting next to a window as they wait for the professor to show up. Everyone is stealing peeks and glances out of the window, observing the new wolves as they step into campus grounds. Jeongguk can hear some of the girl omegas tagging the new wolves, no doubt as potential mates. It’s only ever done for fun but these things can sometimes lead to a fight.
Jeongguk ignores them to stay out of it.
When the alpha group crosses the barrier, Jeongguk’s classmates start buzzing between themselves. He can see through the glass that Kim Namjoon, a senior of his, is guiding them. Namjoon is one of Hoseok’s closest alpha friends. He looks out for them and Jeongguk admires him for it; having had a tiny, little crush for the alpha at the start of the year. He quickly backtracks out of that one though- Seokjin saw him first.
And Yoongi still wonders why he has such high standards for his mate.
“Anyone you fancy?” the girl from earlier speaks again, wiggling her eyebrows. Her name is Seungwan, Jeongguk remembers, but somehow everyone calls her Wendy instead. He shakes his head with a smile, “No, not yet. You?”
With a grin blooming on her face, she looks over Jeongguk’s shoulder and reaches out a hand to point at someone from the group of alphas. “Do you see her? Oh, you must! She’s got these gorgeous set of eyes…” Wendy sighs, making Jeongguk squint harder through the window. “She’s the tall one right there. Long, straight hair… Lupa! She’s practically perfect.”
“You don’t even know what she smells like yet,” Jeongguk teases, watching the giddy smile on her face.
The female omega hums distractedly, “She probably has a wonderful scent- Gosh, this is so unfair!”
He laughs at her perplexed expression but soon enough, the professor finally arrives and the amusement dies on his lips. The class takes some time to settle down and meanwhile, they take attendance. Jeongguk has to remind Wendy to raise her hand when she’s too busy gushing at her new dreamboat.
The lesson starts with a quote, as always, and Jeongguk finds himself writing out notes and occasionally doodling when his hands itch from boredom. Wendy is still stealing glances out of the window, withering when she can’t spot a particular alpha. The group would already be led into the buildings by now, being shown the location where the dorms and classes would be.
The professor yaps on in front about the territorial nature of wolves, describing the Geography of the Four Cardinal Packs and how they came to be. Jeongguk tunes out after their discussion reaches the Northern Pack. He’s read about this before.
The packs are initially formed by the four Elder Wolves; each a spirit of livelihood. Each Elder Wolf has their own base territory. His Eastern Pack for instance, has Anubis, the Noble Wolf of the East. And just like his pack, the other packs have their own Elder Wolves.
“Before peace, there was a territorial war that happened between the Four Packs…” his professor suddenly pauses, noticing the knock on the lecture hall’s door. “Yes, do come in.”
Seokjin appears behind the door, smiling politely and apologizing to the man who was speaking. Jeongguk perks up at the sight of his friend and realises that it must be the group of new omegas being shown their classrooms. He’s proven right when the professor allows them in and a herd of new faces enter the class, filling the lecture hall with their scents and energy.
Jeongguk scans through the bright, young faces. He scrunches his nose when an odd scent hits him. It stands against all others- strangely distinctive and familiar, like a song he’s danced to in a hazy night, a person he knows with a name he cannot place. The intensity of the scent suddenly rises tenfold, and it’s smothering him, overwhelming his senses.
It’s a mixture of warm vanilla with a slight hint of ambery depth. Jeongguk’s eyes wandered frantically around the room to locate where it’s from. His mistake is inhaling the fragrant smell of flowers, filling his lungs with the sweet scent. Jeongguk’s vision is turning unclear, a bit hazy as a result.
Jeongguk knows something is not normal the moment he feels his inner wolf snap. The thing is, he’s never heard from his wolf all his life. Even his parents assumed that he was a late bloomer and never made a big deal out of it, but here it is now, Jeongguk can feel it anxiously fidgeting, telling him to get a move on and find the source of the scent.
He growls under his breath, fingers scratching slightly against his desk. He can feel Wendy’s confused stare next to him, hear everyone’s whispering, but he can’t smell anything aside from the infuriatingly addictive scent.
Jeongguk follows his guts and whips his head around towards where the scent is the strongest and is silenced by the sight that greets him; It is a boy, jittering and maybe just as anxious as he is, judging by the restless look on his face. Jeongguk can only describe it as catharsis when their eyes meet, and suddenly, the boy is all he can see.
Something flashes across his eye and the buzzing of his classmates become louder, now that he’s standing in front of the boy. Jeongguk doesn’t remember how he got there, but he will remember the boy who looked like his eyes held the answers to life, who smells of roasted vanilla; sweet but a little bitter around the edges. Who he can only think of as his mate, except…
“Alpha,” the boy before him speaks, his voice quivers with the amount of effort used to say it aloud. Jeongguk notices that his eyes are now of a bright, oceanic blue. Vast and promising. It is almost enchanting to see his own eyes reflected against them, golden irises against blue. Like the sun shining over the sea.
He ignores the pandemonium in the background and focuses on the boy’s deep and powerful voice. He could listen to it forever. Jeongguk can listen to it in his bed moaning out his name, in the bathroom singing without a care in the world, he can wake up to this voice every morning and never get tired of it. It was for Jeongguk and Jeongguk alone.
Without realising it, his hands are already circled around the other and he brings him closer. Jeongguk closes his eyes and lowers his head to nose against the other’s neck, right under his ear, breaking goosebumps onto the boy’s lightly tanned skin.
“Mine,” he says, not really processing his own words or actions. It’s as if his body has a mind of its own.
“Yours,” the boy replies almost immediately. His hands cling against Jeongguk’s slender waist, settling on top of the juts of his hip bones. The word brings something out of Jeongguk. The constant palpating of his heart in his chest turns into something less tame, something more chaotic.
“My mate,” he whispers, breathing catching on the other’s neck. He feels how the other wolf tenses under his touch. It’s quiet between them, and Jeongguk doesn’t miss the soft whine the boy muffles under his breath.
Jeongguk’s eyes are getting heavy, his mind is fogged, and breathing is slowly proving to be difficult. His mouth moves surely, carefully towards the boy’s scent glands. He can feel the slight sting of his canines growing out of his gums. Before he knows it, they’re already breaking gently through the omega’s smooth skin.
The hands around his waist squeeze tight, clenching at the pain as he pushes in deeper, making sure it would scar just right. From how hard he was squeezing, the boy’s knuckles must have turned ghostly white. Jeongguk hums into the other’s neck, letting the scent invade his senses and Jeongguk feels like he’s intoxicated, relishing in the way their scents mix together. Jeongguk’s slightly sweet, woody scent combined with the other’s ambery vanilla.
Slowly, he retracts his fangs and leans away from the other’s space. Jeongguk sees the dazed look on his face, how his lips part open and his eyes droop low with something heavy. He pulls up his hand so that his fingers can ghost against the scar he left on the boy, licking it clean when blood trickles out of it. The boy in his hold shudders each time he does. By now, Jeongguk’s lips must be stained red.
It was then when someone gasps and Jeongguk is quickly snapped out of his reverie.
Everyone is circled around them, eyes wide with confusion. The room is dangerously silent. People are whispering to each other, the shock evident on their faces.
Jeongguk feels the dead weight of the boy drop on his shoulder and panics. The horrifying realisation coursing through him that the newbie just collapsed on him. No, that he had just marked an omega who then collapses on him. Oh, Anubis.
The professor, who is still there apparently, looks at him in awe. The old man is completely speechless as Jeongguk busies himself trying to support the other boy’s weight.
“And that, class,” the professor slowly says, his eyes widened with wonder, “was a rare and ancient occasion of imprinting. Only 2% of the wolf population get to experience it, so consider yourselves lucky to be able to witness what just happened here.”
Jeongguk’s mind blanks out at the implications of his explanation. “Im… Imprinting?” He turns to look at the head resting on his shoulder, still blissfully unconscious. Imprinting is an ancient phenomena, a practice that diminishes over time and can only now happen when you meet a wolf who’s compatible with you in every way. A soulmate, one would say.
Jeongguk cannot believe his ears.
“Yes, Jeongguk!” The man says, rejoicing, “Congratulations, by the way. The Head Alpha will be thrilled to hear of this wonderful news!” he jumps, already leaving for the door.
“But… but I’m an omega…” Jeongguk sputters, feeling his world tip over, “I can’t possibly be a… his alpha.”
The professor dismisses his words with a wave, beckoning Seokjin (who’s still standing frozen in his spot) to help with Jeongguk’s case. “Can you take care of them for a while, Seokjin?” the man asked, “I need to inform Head Alpha of this matter.”
“O-of course, sir,” Seokjin stumbles over his wording, “Yeah. I’ll look after them.”
Before Jeongguk can say anything, the professor is already out the door. He curses under his breath and shrugs the boy’s unconscious body further up, a better position to carry his weight. Seokjin is still observing him with conflicted eyes, looking him up and down in disbelief.
“Oh, come on Seokjin. You don’t really think I’m an alpha do you?”
The older wolf crosses his arms guardedly in front of his chest, “No, but you’re starting to smell like one,” he points out with a scrunch of his nose, “and you’ve just marked an omega so…”
Jeongguk’s eyes zero in on the drying scar on the boy’s neck and the feeling of dread rises up in his stomach. No, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be. It shouldn’t even be possible but if it is, why hadn’t it happen earlier in his life? Why now?
“Seok… Seokjin,” his hands start to tremble, their grip weakening around the boy’s- his mate’s body, “please hold him for a…” he swallows the bile clogging his throat, “just a while, p-please, I need to…”
Seeing the younger wolf practically falling apart, Seokjin aids him and takes the unconscious omega in his arms, supporting his head with a hand. “Taehyung,” he pauses to see Jeongguk’s quizzical expression directed at him, “His name is Kim Taehyung. Thought you should know.”
Jeongguk’s breathing turns rapid, “Right… uh, right. I’ll go now. Th-thanks.”
Seokjin sighs, sending him a look of sympathy as he dashes out of the lecture hall. Jeongguk sprints, not stopping until he reaches the toilet. Panting, he walks up to the sink and turns on the tap to splash cold water all over his sweaty face. Jeongguk flinches at the differing temperature and sighs, planting his hands on either sides of the sink to support his upper body.
He looks up and faces the mirror, finding his reflection staring back. His skin is paler than usual but the sweat isn’t as obvious now that his entire face is wet. His lips are a dark red, and so is his chin. A faint stain of the boy- Taehyung’s- blood. The crimson is stark against the white sheen on his face, smudged and dirty. He looks like a monster- feels like one, really, after doing all of that to Taehyung when none of them were in their right minds.
Violently, he starts scrubbing his lips and chin, just so that they’d hurt. It was dirty. He was. Jeongguk cuts the edge of his lips with a careless scrub and the taste of iron falls onto his lips. It reminds him of Taehyung’s, how he’d lapped it all off the other’s neck like he was no better than an animal. How it streamed down his tanned skin because of what Jeongguk did to him.
He spits out the blood from his mouth but it is too late, Jeongguk realises as he scrabbles around to open the door of a cubicle. He doesn’t even think twice about the consequences of getting near a public toilet as he crouches next to it, tasting the acid as it leaves his system and into the toilet bowl.
His nausea is a lot more bearable after emptying his insides, but the smell is putrid and it’s making his head spin. Jeongguk reaches for the handle and flushes it all away. He sits back against one of the cubicle's walls, trying to calm the trembling of his finger by burying his face into them.
It can’t be real. If he was an alpha, his parents would have known somehow… somebody would have noticed at some point. It just cannot be. He’s never presented before and now they’re telling him that he imprinted? It’s madness- it can’t be right.
He’s still curled up on the floor when the door to the toilet opens and a knock is heard outside his cubicle. “Jeongguk?” calls Namjoon’s voice, “You in there?”
He only manages a sob at that, muffling his mouth with the palms of his hands. Namjoon seems to understand either way, “Take your time, it’s okay. Just- come out whenever you’re ready okay? We can’t stay here much longer, it’ll disturb the omegas,” he says the last part gently, “and we need to see the Head Alpha. Hoseok he… he asked me to escort you there.”
“A-am I in trouble?” Panic is heard from Jeongguk’s voice.
Namjoon is quick to assure him though, “No! It’s no such thing. We’ll just talk about the arrangements for your new, uh, circumstances. You haven’t done anything wrong, Jeongguk.”
And maybe hearing those words from someone is exactly what he needs right now. Jeongguk takes in a few deep breaths and rubs his palms against the tears on his cheeks. Defying the older wolf would be futile- it’s not like Namjoon will leave him alone if he refuses to go. “Can I have some time? Please?” he asks from inside the stall, still shivering and shutting his eyes, “I need to sort myself out.”
“Of course. Like I said, anytime you’re ready.”
Jeongguk almost blanches at that. He’s nothing close to ready.
As the Head Alpha and the descendant of Anubis, Hoseok spends his days dealing with the council to manage all the affairs of the Eastern Pack. Jeongguk has seen him rushing around the temples with a few of his counsellors trailing behind. As Namjoon walks ahead, Jeongguk studies the four tall, structured buildings around him. The one facing east is Anubis’ temple, where Hoseok usually resides. Most wolves only visit it whenever there is a funeral, him being the spirit of death and all.
The temple facing north is Conri’s temple. Jeongguk has gone there several times, mostly to ask for the Elder Wolf’s blessing whenever he faces a problem. The spirit of wisdom has helped him during those times. He’s visited Lupa’s temple too, the one facing south. He and all the other omegas used to go there and pray for love and future mates, since it is the wolf of motherhood.
It looks like his prayers are granted with Taehyung’s appearance in his life, although he hasn’t the slightest idea on how to feel about it.
The one temple he never frequents though, is Fenrir’s. The Fierce Wolf of the West. The western temple is always surrounded with soldiers and alphas, asking for protection and safety from the spirit. If ever a war breaks out, Fenrir will be the Elder Wolf they depend on. A few of the alphas step out of the temple, giving him funny looks when they pass by and catch onto his scent.
Jeongguk holds his breath and walks closer to Namjoon, not wanting to be left behind. They walk into the temple of Anubis and Jeongguk tries to ignore the chills running up his spine at the cool air of the darkened space. As they walk to the back, Jeongguk sees some wolves mourning over their loved ones, howling in unison around a covered body and burning incense. Jeongguk looks away and focuses on Namjoon’s footsteps in front of him.
Anubis’ giant statue sits in the middle of the room, where a shrine was built for it. The wooden body is expertly carved to reveal the taut muscles of the canine deity, plastered and painted black to symbolize the colour of Anubis that also represents death and decay, as well as the fertile soil of the Nile and regeneration. The eyes are set with calcite and obsidian and lined with gold. The nails are silver, and the ears and collar are gilded. It’s hard to keep his eyes off of it as he walks by.
Namjoon leads him over to a back room, drapes of rich blue silk serving as an entrance. Jeongguk holds the fabric aside and sees Hoseok sitting behind a desk, his sharp chin leaning on top of his palm in thought. Across him, from Jeongguk’s view, is the back of a blond head. It’s Taehyung.
“Ah, Jeongguk. Nice of you to join us,” Hoseok greets cordially, smiling a wide one at him, “Taehyung and I here were just talking.”
Namjoon moves to stand next to Hoseok, who tells Jeongguk to take a seat. Sitting side by side like this lets Jeongguk smell Taehyung’s scent. It’s a bit duller now though, the vanilla is comparably more bitter.
He glances at the wolf next to him, noticing his delicate features and smooth, flawless skin. Well, almost flawless. Now there’s a crescent shaped bite mark right under his jaw. Jeongguk winces at the sight, feeling guilt punching him in the stomach.
“A pair of imprinted mates, how odd,” Hoseok drawls on with interest lining his words, “Do you know how long it’s been since the last imprinting incident?”
“About… 120 years,” Jeongguk answers quietly, “I’ve read it somewhere.”
Impressed, the Head Alpha nods, “So you have. 120 years… wouldn’t expect it to happen again after all that time, do we? I almost didn’t believe it when I heard about it earlier.”
“I’m having a hard time believing it too,” Jeongguk mumbles, hearing a scoff from Taehyung. He looks up to find Taehyung staring at him. His sharp eyebrows are bent in a frown. Before he can figure out why, the omega turns his gaze away, going back to ignoring his presence.
Well that was pleasant.
“Right, so what we’re gonna do now is move you both to the couple housing,” Hoseok declares, taking in Jeongguk and Taehyung’s incredulous expressions in stride, “I know Taehyung’s only in his first year, but considering that he’s already marked, he’s not allowed to stay in the omega dorms. That goes to you too, Jeongguk, now that we’ve learned of your alpha status.”
“But…” Taehyung growls lowly, his deep voice remains emotionless as he speaks, “We’re not a mated couple. You can’t just throw us in there and consider it a job well done. Sure he’d planted this mark on me but I haven’t returned the sentiment!”
Jeongguk’s eyes widened at the other’s words, his hand coming up to touch his own neck, feeling the smooth, unblemished surface of it. Taehyung is absolutely correct. Jeongguk’s wolf is livid though, pacing around angrily. Why does mate not want us? It keeps on barking in protest. Jeongguk grits his teeth in annoyance and wills his wolf to quit it.
“Taehyung, you can always mark Jeongguk whenever you feel it’s appropriate, but we can’t do anything about your mark,” Hoseok reasons patiently, “We can’t let you be amongst other unmarked omegas, since you now carry Jeongguk’s scent with you. An alpha’s scent.”
Jeongguk tries to not let the words get to him but he couldn’t help recoiling a bit into himself. Right, that’s what he’s supposed to be now. Those are the shoes he’ll have to fill and walk in from here on out.
Taehyung grumbles when he backs down, aware that he's fighting a losing battle.
“I’m not marking him,” Taehyung’s voice is full of contempt now. Jeongguk steals a glance at the wolf and feels himself freeze over when Taehyung’s eyes flash blue, almost alarmingly metallic, before turning back to their usual brown. “He’s not even an alpha, so how can he be mine?”
His wolf cries out at the words and all Jeongguk wants to do is to lock him up somewhere far away so his mind could be at peace. Jeongguk closes his eyes in weariness and wishes for it all to be over.
“It’s not my fault okay, I never knew it’d turn out like this,” Jeongguk says, a harsh edge to his voice.
“Oh– so you think I scheduled an appointment to get my neck looking like this?” The omega snaps back, “Do you think I like being branded as someone’s property? So much that I won’t be allowed to enter a fucking dorm I was assigned to?”
Hoseok clears his throat, ending the argument short for the sake of punctuality. “I’m sorry, guys. You’ll just have to work it out between yourselves. Here are the keys to your new place,” he slides the item over the desk, “Oh, and don’t worry about your belongings. I had some wolves move them so they’ll be settled in soon enough. Any questions?”
Taehyung raises his hand.
“No?” Hoseok smiles, “Off you go then. Try to not rip each other’s throats out, please.”
Infuriated, Taehyung huffs and stands up from his chair, turning away quickly out of the room. Jeongguk sighs when he picks up the keys in his hands. He better show Taehyung where their place is at since the other wolf is still new to the Centre Unit.
When the pair of wolves left, Hoseok turns to Namjoon.
“Handsome couple, aren’t they?”
The older wolf snorts under his breath, “Very charming.”
Hoseok chortles, remembering Taehyung’s sour expression and Jeongguk’s distraught one. “So that’s what soulmates look like.”
