Chapter Text
“Now let’s thank the Moon Goddess for protecting us from all evil that’s lurking behind the confines of our modest village,” the priestess said with hands raised to the wooden altar in the modest wooden temple. The only thing that was standing out in this place was the beautiful silver ball at the top of the altar that was representing the goddess that the worshipers praised.
Taehyung clasped his hands together, closed his eyes and bowed his head, silently talking to the goddess and thanking her for all the good in his life. What no one knew and what he never dared to speak about to almost anyone was that sometimes he prayed to her for other things, things that his parents and most people in the pack would consider inappropriate and scandalous – he prayed to see the world outside of the village, because no matter how evil everyone was saying it was, he didn’t believe that. He believed that there was lots of good too and there were surely many beautiful things that he hasn’t seen in all twenty years of his life. He also prayed to find a good and loving mate, someone that he would truly love and that he had yet to meet. He prayed to find his True mate, even though everyone was saying those were just legends, he believed with all his heart that there was one out there for him, sometimes he felt it in his heart, he couldn’t explain it, but sometimes he felt like his True mate was calling for him, eager to meet him.
“Taehyung, let’s go have lunch,” his mother’s voice brought him from his thoughts and so he finished his silent prayer and rose from his knees from the temple bench and got up.
“Can I go see the grandmother later?” Taehyung looked at his mother with hopeful eyes.
“Maybe later,” she replied, not sounding very happy about it. Taehyung’s paternal grandmother lived in the pack village, but she lived near the confines and close to a big forest and his mum didn’t like it when Taehyung visited her. But her son was sometimes hard to tame, ever since he was a little pup, he was running away to visit his grandmother that he loved more than anyone in this world, they shared a special bond. But his parents didn’t like what things she talked about and taught to Taehyung, the whole village was whispering about her being a heretic because she had a different thinking from everyone else.
“We can talk about it at lunch,” his father jumped in: “But before we leave, there is someone who wants to talk to you.”
“To me?” Taehyung frowned in confusion.
“Taehyung, can I have a moment with you?” someone said behind him and when he turned around, he saw the pack’s main priestess that just held the service to their goddess.
Taehyung was confused, instantly thinking back to the past days and if there was something he’s done wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time his parents asked priestess to talk to him, but it was usually after he showered them with many questions that they deemed inappropriate. It wasn’t his fault that he was naturally curious and wanted to know more than he was told at school and at the temple. But he learned to be careful about what he talked about, he only shared his thoughts with his best friend Jimin now and with his grandmother, those were the only two people he trusted unconditionally and that never broke his trust.
“Of course,” he replied with a polite smile because that’s how he was raised and followed the priestess to the small hut behind the temple. He didn’t like that hut, there were just too many herbs that were suffocating him and even though he normally loved flowers and trees and nature in general, here in the warmth of the hut, it was too much, it always dulled his senses and it felt like he was bewitched.
He sat down when the priestess told him to and scrunched his nose when stingy smoke of some herb that was burning in a cup on the table filled his nostrils.
“Taehyung, I have known you since you were a little pup,” the woman spoke with a warm smile, but for some reason, it always made Taehyung feel slightly unsettled, there was just something about it that he didn’t like.
“You have grown into a handsome young man, you celebrated your twentieth birthday this winter, right?” the priestess continued.
“Yes,” Taehyung nodded.
“I will be honest with you about why I took you here to talk,” she leaned back in the chair, adjusting slightly her festive robe that was made from a fine fabric that was hard to find in the pack. Taehyung heard that it was from a place beyond their village and always thought it was a little hypocritical for the woman to preach about dangers that were waiting behind the boarders while she wore robes from those places.
“Your parents asked me to talk to you,” she added: “They are slightly concerned about you.”
“Concerned? Why?” the young man frowned.
“You are a young, healthy and handsome omega in your prime, yet you haven’t accepted any suitor and any attempts in courting. You are twenty, you are getting old, most people around your age are already mated and have pups.”
“I am not that old, there are people of my age and older that don’t have mates yet!” Taehyung blurted out with wide eyes, because that wasn’t a conversation he was expecting.
“Yes, but parents of those people didn’t ask me to talk to them, yours did,” the priestess said. Taehyung wasn’t that surprised, his parents did push him into finding mate and have children, it was a never ending conversation in their household.
“I haven’t found anyone that I’d be interested in, I want to mate out of love,” he mumbled.
“I understand that, Taehyung,” the woman nodded: “But if you give no one a chance then how can you find out if you can love them?”
“Love should come easily, no? It shouldn’t be something you’d have to find out.”
“Love has many faces and sides, sometimes you mate with someone and don’t love them at first and it comes later.”
“I don’t want that though,” the omega frowned reluctantly.
“Just give it a chance, Taehyung, you know what I preach in our temple, children should always obey their parents, your parents want to find you a suitor so that will happen,” the priestess said with finality.
Taehyung gave her a small glare: “Is that all? Can I go now?”
“Yes,” she nodded and watched him leave with careful gaze. She’s always had a feeling that this pup was going to cause problems.
Taehyung was irritated, angry and sad. His parents weren’t bad people, but sometimes he had a feeling like they didn’t really love him, like they wished he was different and like they wanted an obedient son instead of the one that they got. They didn’t like his curiosity and open mind, that’s why he was so close to his grandmother, because she was the only one that truly loved him and understood.
He found his parents outside the hut and went to them, but didn’t speak and didn’t even look at them, instead he just continued walking towards their house. It wasn’t even a house, it was a rather small cabin, but he was lucky enough to have his own room at the very least, some of his friends weren’t that fortunate and slept with the rest of the family in one room.
They sat down for a lunch that his mother prepared before they went to the service, but he didn’t speak a word. He could tell that they knew that he was angry and part of him felt bad about it, because he was taught to always respect his parents and his elders, but he couldn’t help himself, he didn’t like it when he was treated like a little child or like a person without feelings.
“So Taehyung, the priestess talked to you about some matters,” his father spoke when they finished the stew.
“Yes, she did.”
“I am sure you have some thoughts about it.”
“My first thought is why did the priestess have to talk to me instead of you? If you want something, tell me,” the omega said.
“We have talked about this before, but you don’t listen,” his mother jumped in.
“I do listen, but I don’t think your request is necessary,” Taehyung retorted.
“You are twenty years old, Taehyung, it is time for you to settle down, we can’t feed you forever,” his father said with hard gaze.
“Is that what it’s about? I can take care of myself then.”
“That’s not how it works, you need a mate to take care of you.”
“Why? If my mate was an omega, we’d take care of each other, I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” Taehyung frowned. He was head-strong and he could take care of himself, he didn’t need anyone to do it for him. Sure, his omega side craved to have someone that he could rely on and that would make him feel taken care of and protected, but if he ended up with another omega, he wouldn’t have that anyway.
“Then you can be with a beta,” his mother said.
“I have a feeling that you have someone in mind,” Taehyung said slowly, because somehow he understood this conversation was heading somewhere, it wasn’t just about some potential, imaginary mate. It wouldn’t be the first time either, since he turned seventeen, his parents have been trying to find him a suitor, but Taehyung hated the idea of being with someone he didn’t choose by himself. And to be honest, there was no one in their village that he’d be interested in, he knew everyone, they weren’t a big pack, and there just wasn’t anyone that would give him strong feelings and around whom he’d feel butterflies in his stomach. He knew most people thought it was stupid to be so romantic, but he didn’t want to settle for anything less than a big love.
“We talked to Jaeho’s parents and they expressed desire to have you as their son-in-law and Jaeho’s mate. Jaeho is interested in you too, he’d like to start courting you,” his father revealed.
“Jaeho? Never!” Taehyung grimaced.
“He is a good match, he is few years older and strong and respected, anyone would dream of a mate like him.”
“But I don’t like him, he is rude!”
“If you gave him a change, if you got to know each other, maybe you’d change your mind,” his mother tried to reason.
“I don’t need to try to get to know him better, I know what he’s like and how he is to people, I don’t want someone so mean,” Taehyung protested. He knew Jaeho, just like everyone, and he didn’t like the beta. He was three years older and he was handsome and strong, yes, but he wasn’t nice, Taehyung’s didn’t like the way he treated omegas and younger people, he was too arrogant and proud and those weren’t qualities that he would appreciate in a mate.
“We are not telling you to get your permission, it’s already settled,” his father said with finality: “We made a deal with his parents and he will start courting you and you will accept his advances.”
“I won’t.”
“You will do as we say, that’s our last word.”
Taehyung felt like crying, he couldn’t defy his parents, it was against everything he’s been taught since he was a little pup, that’s just how their society worked and it wasn’t unusual for parents to find mates for their children.
“If you’ll excuse me, I am leaving,” he got up, unable to stay any longer because he was so upset, he needed to find some consolation and he knew he wouldn’t get it here.
“Where are you going?” his mother asked.
“To see grandmother,” the omega informed them, she was the only person he wanted to see right now.
“We didn’t give you the permission,” his father retorted.
“In all respect, I didn’t give you my permission to decide about my life and a mate, yet you did that, so I won’t ask for your permission to go see her,” he shot back and without waiting for anything and without turning back to look at them, he stormed out of the house and ran away. There was a big clearing where all the houses and pack buildings were standing, but his grandmother didn’t live there with everyone. She had a small cottage right at the edge of the pack village and that’s where he headed.
He was angry and sad and felt helpless, because he had a feeling that he wasn’t going to be able to get out of this. It looked like his parents were determined to give him to Jaeho, so it was final. He didn’t want the beta though, he didn’t want anyone that he didn’t choose himself and he didn’t want anyone that he knew he could never love because he wasn’t nice.
By the time he made it to the cottage that was surrounded with flowers, bushes, trees and herbs, his lungs were hurting, but he paid it no mind. He was happy that he was there, it often felt like his grandmother was the only person that cared about him, apart from his best friend Jimin.
He felt instant relief and warmth when he saw her. She was in her vegetable garden, taking care of the little plants. It was spring and she just planted them about two weeks ago, Taehyung was helping her.
“Taehyung-ah,” she said without looking at him when she heard rustling of grass.
“How do you always know it’s me?” the omega asked.
“No one else sneaks up on me like this,” the woman chuckled and finally looked at him with that warm smile of hers that had the ability to make everything instantly better.
“Do you want a glass of lemonade?” she asked when she got up and wiped her dirty hands in her apron.
“Yes, please.”
“Sit down and wait for me then.”
Taehyung obeyed and sat on a chair in the shadow of a big cherry tree that just started to blossom, it was definitely one of his most favourite places in the world.
The grandmother came back five minutes later with homemade lemonade and a plate of cookies she surely baked this morning, Taehyung had no idea how she did it, but her baking goods were always fresh when he came.
His grandmother was the best person in the world, he was spending lots of time with her when he was a child, back then his parents didn’t mind. But when he got older and more curious, they didn’t like what things they talked about together, they told Taehyung that she was putting weird things in his head and didn’t want him to spend time with her. But Taehyung didn’t listen, he always found time and opportunity to come see her, often without his parents knowing.
“Do your parents know that you are here?” she asked since she knew about the situation.
“They do, they weren’t very happy about it, but I don’t care,” the omega shrugged.
She didn’t say anything, she just filled two glasses with the lemonade and then sat down on the other chair so there was a table between them.
“Did something happen?” she asked when she finally could give him proper attention.
“Well, they are still trying to find me a mate.”
“And you are not happy about it.”
“Of course not, you know I want to find someone by myself,” Taehyung sighed. They have talked about these things, his grandmother knew how he felt and she also knew about the attempts of her son and his wife to find Taehyung someone.
“Then maybe you should be trying harder to find someone, if you did, they wouldn’t insist for you to mate with someone they choose,” she offered.
“But there isn’t anyone that I’d like here, everyone is stupid!”
That made her chuckle softly and fondly, but then she spoke: “You have to find someone here though, Taehyung-ah, you know that, where else do you think you could find a mate?”
“Maybe somewhere else?” he said, biting his lip.
“Taehyung-ah,” she sighed. That was a topic they went through before as well, she knew her only grandchild had an adventurous spirit and that he was curious about the world outside.
“It can’t be bad outside, I don’t believe it, there are good people everywhere,” Taehyung argued.
“There are also lots of bad people too and you are too sweet and vulnerable.”
“I am not stupid though, I can take care of myself.”
“You think that because you have never left the safety of our village, here you are strong, but I am not sure it would be the same out there,” the woman reasoned.
“I am just not sure that I want to spend the rest of my life here, I believe there is something good out there,” the omega admitted. He knew it was basically a heresy to want to leave the village, they have been taught at school and at the temple to never leave the safety and that there were bad things out there and also bad people, people that Taehyung was very curious about - alphas.
There were no alphas living in their village, there were only betas and omegas, because alphas went feral a long time ago. They were wild and violent beasts that couldn’t live in any civilized society, they were very dangerous and if anyone left the safety of the village, they might get in trouble. There were no alpha pups being born in the village because only an alpha could conceive another alpha, only they carried those genes.
But Taehyung always had his doubts, he couldn’t really explain why, he wanted to believe everything he was taught, but there was a part of him that couldn’t accept that all alphas were really dangerous.
“Did you and grandfather love each other when you mated?” Taehyung changed the topic a little. His grandfather died when he was a little boy, he didn’t remember him much.
“No,” his grandmother admitted: “Our parents put us together, but he was a good man and over the years, we have developed mutual respect for each other.”
“But you never loved each other,” Taehyung pointed out: “I don’t want that, I want to find love, grandma, and there are only few couples here in the village that have it.”
“I understand you, Taehyung-ah, but that’s how life is.”
“A while ago I heard…some people said that you liked someone before you mated with grandpa,” the omega said carefully. He’s wanted to talk about this topic sooner, but he never really found the courage, he had no idea if his grandmother wanted to talk about it.
“People say lots of things,” she replied ambiguously, looking away.
“They said that when you were young, you met a stranger that came from outside…they said he was an alpha,” Taehyung revealed what he knew. When he learned that, he was shocked, but it also suddenly made so much sense why so many people in the village were keeping their distance from his grandmother. She was very much like Taehyung, she had her own mind and she was doubtful of many things and if she was even involved with an alpha, that explained even more.
“That’s a long time ago,” she eventually said, looking in the distance.
“But it’s true,” Taehyung breathed out: “What happened?”
“You don’t need to know, Taehyung-ah.”
“Please.”
“I was very much like you,” she sighed as she gave up and started telling her story: “I was very curious and often wandered around the boarders of our village. One day I went to the forest behind the village.”
“That’s prohibited!”
“Yes, but I went there. And that’s where I met him.”
“An alpha?”
“Yes, he was in his wolf form, so huge and with glowing red eyes,” she continued and Taehyung stared at her with open mouth, trying to picture the scene. They weren’t learning much about alphas, but he knew they were apparently very big and their eyes were red in their wolf form, while betas had blue eyes and omegas amber.
“We started meeting in the forest and we talked…I liked him and I think he liked me, but then villagers found out.”
“What happened?”
“He was chased away and threatened to never come back and so he didn’t. Then my parents set me up with your grandfather and the rest is history.”
“But…did you love the alpha?” Taehyung wondered, feeling suddenly sad.
“I don’t think so, but I think I might have if we were given more time,” she smiled sadly.
“But they are feral, how could you even talk to him?”
“There are things that we are taught that are not exactly true,” the woman revealed and it was clear she was hesitant because she knew everything she said or did had bad effect on her grandson, or at least that’s what everyone thought. She added: “Maybe there are some feral alphas, but the one I met was nothing like that, he was gentle and smart and educated.”
“So…what they teach us is not true?”
“I never said that.”
“So you don’t regret that you didn’t have a chance to get to know him better and find out if you could love him?” Taehyung asked: “What if he was the love of your life!”
“I will never know and there is no point in wondering. I think that everything happens for a reason, honey,” she smiled and took his hand: “If I didn’t mate with your grandfather, I wouldn’t have your father and he wouldn’t have you, so I don’t regret anything, because the goddess gave me you.”
“I still don’t want to mate with Jaeho,” Taehyung sighed, feeling hopeless again: “I don’t think I could be happy with him, I just…I believe that there is someone for me out there, a True mate.”
“True mates are extremely rare, darling, even if you went to search the world, you might never find him,” his grandmother said: “Maybe you will mate Jaeho, maybe someone else from the pack and you might never truly love them, but you know what?”
“What?”
“You will love your pups more than anything, no matter who their father or mother is,” she said with a kind smile, squeezing his hand that she was still holding: “And they will give you grandchildren, just like I got you and that is what happiness looks like.”
Taehyung thought about it, maybe his grandmother was right, maybe it was that simple and maybe he would never find love with a mate, but he would love truly and deeply when he had children, maybe that was the only kind of love most people experienced in their lives. It was sad, but if that was the reality, was there really something that could be done? But should he give up and stop searching for the love of his life? Was there even someone like that for him out there or was it all just wishful thinking?