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Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage - Lao Tzu
Winter had come early this year.
He preferred to hunt alone. Most of the wolves from the pack hunted in pairs, or as a group. It was easier - and safer - to bring down big game that way.
They could no longer shift like their ancestors, and moose antlers and bear claws were far more dangerous to their frail human form than to the powerful beasts they once were.
Jimin chose small game and solitude, even though no great acclaim came from lugging home rabbits and squirrels.
The woods were different when he was alone, especially when it was this cold. It was almost haunting, many bird species having begun their migratory flight, leaving the sparse trees silent and melancholy.
The Jolcham oaks were beginning to carpet the forest floor with yellow and vermillion leaves, as if preparing for the dull grey and white of winter with one last brilliant display.
It was unusually cold this year, and Jimin’s warm breath was ghostly with every exhale.
As the only omega hunter in the pack, his soft jasmine scent also served him well. He blended in with the other natural scents of the wilderness, and his prey, already distracted in their foraging, didn’t notice him until it was too late.
He looked down at his belt, where a single rabbit hung. The pack had been out hunting for hours, but even Jimin’s skill and experience wasn’t enough. The one rabbit he had come across was skinny, the forest not even providing enough for the foragers who were usually plump in preparedness by now.
He could only hope the rest of the pack had more success.
Jimin inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and letting his nose lead him to the target that he had been tracking. He raised his bow, notching an arrow and aiming for the hole in the reddish-brown tree trunk fifty feet away.
The squirrel whose scent he had followed here poked her twitching nose out first before cautiously leaving the safety of her burrow. Jimin inhaled again, breathing out slowly as he prepared to loose his arrow, when a loud crack of a breaking tree branch sounded in the distance, followed by raucous laughter.
The squirrel disappeared to safety and Jimin huffed his annoyance. His idiot packmates were apparently done with hunting in silence.
He headed in the direction of the laughter, ready to scold whoever was drawing so much attention to themselves. He came across the pack’s youngest three hunters. Barely presented, the two alphas stood over the crumpled form of their friend, a beta. None of them were skilled with a bow, so they had knives strapped to their waists.
“ What are you pups doing?” Jimin asked.
One of the alphas turned to him, his cheeks flushed. Perhaps from the cold, but most likely from embarrassment.
“Hunter Park! We…we were, uh…” Taehyun began.
“We were hunting! But then…” Kai, the other alpha, continued.
“I…fell. We couldn’t find anything to catch, so I was trying to find some eggs and a branch broke…” Beomgyu, the beta, muttered from the ground. He was holding his ankle, his face pinched with pain.
“Trying to find bird eggs? At the beginning of winter?” Jimin asked, his lips pursed and one eyebrow raised.
The young hunters withered under his gaze, their eyes to the ground. Their soft scents soured and Jimin wrinkled his nose, taking pity on them. He had a terribly inconvenient soft spot for the young ones.
“Well, anything worth catching in the vicinity has most definitely scurried away now thanks to the noise you were making, so you best take your friend back to the village and see Namjoon to strap his ankle,” Jimin continued.
“Yes, Hunter Park,” Taehyung and Kai mumbled, reaching down and lifting Beomgyu off the ground, shifting so his arms were wrapped around their shoulders. The three of them awkwardly shuffled in the direction of home and Jimin watched them go with a heavy sigh.
“You were pretty easy on them,” a new voice came from Jimin’s left.
He turned to see Hoseok and his hunting partner Yoongi. Both betas, they had been together for as long as Jimin could remember, and had finally mated last spring.
Hoseok’s quiver of arrows was almost full, his belt also hung with a meager single hare. Yoongi had a thin doe slung over his shoulders.
“This is their first hunt. They weren’t going to catch anything, anyway. Perhaps a few hungry winter evenings will teach them a lesson,” Jimin replied with a shrug.
“There will definitely be hungry nights ahead for all of us…the forest hasn’t been generous for weeks,” Hoseok sighed.
Considering their almost empty belts and the lack of fat on the water deer Yoongi carried, Jimin knew that he was right.
Winter was coming early this year, and they weren’t prepared. Their pack had grown significantly in the last eight months, with their pack alpha - Park Manshik - reluctantly taking in refugees from the Kim pack whose territory bordered their own.
From what Jimin knew after speaking to his new packmates, the aging Kim pack’s alpha - Kim Daeseong - had agreed to merge with the Jeon pack. It wasn’t uncommon for packs to combine to share resources, build their strength and of course introduce new breeding partners to continue to grow.
After the two combined, however, the Jeon pack alpha - Jeon Jaesung - had made it clear that their union was, in fact, a passive subjugation.
Jaesung was young and powerful, and had apparently taken leadership of the Jeon pack after challenging the former pack alpha to ssaum - a fight to the death. An archaic practice not seen since the days of their shapeshifting ancestors.
Soon after the packs merged, Jaesung declared his sole authority, naming the former Kim land as Jeon pack territory. Daeseong was too old to challenge him, and no others stepped forward, so just like that, the Kim pack was no more. As a small mercy, Jaesung allowed any Kim pack members who refused to swear loyalty to him the chance to leave peacefully.
Hoseok and Yoongi’s omega mate and pack healer, Namjoon, had grown up in the Kim pack before meeting the beta couple at a trade meeting and falling immediately, hopelessly in love. He still kept in touch with his former pack and so he begged Manshik to take in more than twenty of his defecting friends and family.
Jimin didn’t fear for his pack - at least, he didn’t fear that Jaesung would attempt to continue to expand his territory by threatening theirs. They were strong and numbered many. A harsh winter with two dozen new mouths to feed, however, was a threat they all took very seriously.
“It’ll be dark soon. You two head back, I’m going to stay out a little longer,” Jimin said.
Hoseok opened his mouth like he was going to argue, but Yoongi hushed him with a look.
“Alright, Min. See you soon,” Yoongi replied, huffing as he readjusted the doe on his shoulders and headed for their village.
Hoseok gripped Jimin’s shoulder, leaning in to scent him lightly in goodbye.
Beta wolves didn’t have a strong scent, and their pheromones didn’t have the same influence as an omega or alpha, so some didn’t communicate through scenting at all. Hoseok, however, had been raised by two omegas, and scenting was as natural to him as breathing.
Once his friends were out of sight, Jimin turned back to the forest. If they were going to fill up their winter larder before the cold truly hit, they were going to have to hunt further away from the village. Risky, considering that would take them closer to the Jeon pack border, and they would also need to leave earlier in the morning to ensure they weren’t traveling back through the dangerously cold forest after sundown.
He knew there was a small lake a few hundred meters outside of their hunting grounds that hadn’t frozen over yet, and he had hooks and fishing wire in one of his pockets. He would gut the rabbit on his belt for bait and hopefully bring home some eel or flathead.
The closer Jimin got to the lake, the more anxious his omega began to feel. It was unusual for his wolf and he to be out of sync, so he slowed down and closed his eyes, listening and sniffing the air for something out of place.
Jimin’s eyes flew open when he caught wind of what had put his omega’s instincts on edge. An alpha was close by, his scent unfamiliar and strange - muted somehow. Jimin snarled - an unknown alpha crossing into another pack’s territory could be considered nothing but a challenge.
He glanced over his shoulder. He could head back to the village and inform Manshik. The alpha would send out a group to confront the intruder. But…Jimin was already so close, and he could only smell one. He chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully, finally deciding. He didn’t need to bother the pack with this.
Jimin had always been thankful that Manshik and his pack had never held old-fashioned and prejudiced beliefs like many traditional wolves they had encountered. Though male omegas like Jimin and Namjoon were a little unusual, they had never been judged for their sub-gender, and when Jimin had announced his intention to become a hunter, he wasn’t questioned.
He knew that some of the pack thought he just wanted to impress Manshik. Not only was he pack alpha, but he was also Jimin’s uncle - his father’s older brother. Jimin’s parents had died when he was just twelve and still unpresented, and Manshik had taken him in. Perhaps Jimin did seek to make the alpha proud…but it was more than that, too.
As Manshik had never mated and had no alpha sons, one day the pack leadership would fall to Jimin. A pack omega was almost unheard of, and Jimin knew the responsibility was great, so he did everything he could to ensure the pack saw him as a capable provider and protector.
He vividly remembered the time a group of nomadic traders had visited their pack. All alphas, they had immediately assumed that Jimin had been chosen to welcome them as some sort of offering .
A wandering hand had resulted in a particularly bold alpha being pinned in the dirt underneath Jimin’s smaller frame, a sharp knife pressed to his throat while the surrounding pack members looked on with barely concealed smirks.
So yes…Jimin would handle this alpha by himself.
He followed the scent to a cave entrance just by the lake. A faint glow of a lit fire was coming from inside. Jimin readied his bow, just in case.
“You, in the cave! Who are you? This is Park pack territory,” Jimin called out.
Silence answered him.
“I can smell you. I know you’re an alpha and I know you’re alone. You’re on claimed pack land, either you leave, or…”
“Alright. I’m coming out. Lower your bow,” a voice cut Jimin off.
Jimin kept the arrow notched, but he lowered the bow and stepped back. He audibly gasped when the alpha stepped from the shadows into the light.
The reason for his odd, muted scent was immediately clear. At full health, Jimin thought he might smell like the lake in spring - like moss and sun-kissed pine trees - but the alpha was weak, his skin a sickly pallor. From the sight of his protruding collar bones and hollow cheeks, Jimin guessed from starvation. His hair was almost shoulder length and dull black, and the coat he wore would be far too thin to keep him warm for much longer.
Despite his ill appearance, Jimin could tell he was once powerfully muscled. He had big hands and he held himself tall and proud despite his surroundings.
“What are you doing on this land?” Jimin demanded, shaking off the pity he felt at the sight of the pathetic wolf.
The alpha avoided eye contact, clearly uncomfortable, his gaze drawn to the rabbit on Jimin’s belt. In response, Jimin growled softly.
“Take it easy, I was just looking. I don’t want any trouble,” the alpha held up his hands, placating.
“How long have you been here?” Jimin asked.
“Few weeks, I think. It’s…hard to keep time.”
Jimin was about to respond, when a small voice came from behind the alpha.
“Appa?”
The change in the alpha was immediate. His eyes flew wide in fear and he spun on his heel, rushing back to the cave entrance.
“Nara, I told you to stay hidden!”
Jimin gaped in shock as a pup, perhaps five or six years old, peered at him from behind the alpha’s legs.
“You have a pup?” Jimin exclaimed.
The alpha spun again, crouching in front of the little girl defensively, one arm raised to hold her behind him.
It made no sense - Jimin couldn’t smell the pup at all. He loved pups and spent a lot of time in the nursery at the village, so he knew what they smelt like before they presented - always a combination of their sire and their dam, with a smell that was uniquely wolf pup, like sugary milk.
Jimin stepped closer, one eye on the crouched alpha, until he could lean forward and sniff the air.
The pup smelled like the alpha, and…nothing. She had no milky scent, no notes of her missing dam. That could only happen if -
The realization hit Jimin and he reeled back, almost choking on his shock.
“She - she's not a wolf!” He cried, pointing his finger accusingly.
“What? Of course she is, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The alpha’s denial was vehement but his scent soured even more with potent fear and he was visibly shaking. His upper lip curled, revealing his sharp canines, and Jimin's omega responded to the silent snarl with a rumbling growl of his own.
“I’m not an idiot, I can smell - ”
“She's mine,” the alpha interrupted.
“She's clearly a half-breed! You mated a human?”
The alpha hissed, glancing at the child before looking at Jimin and pressing his finger to his lips in a desperate be quiet gesture.
Right. She was probably too little to understand any of that. Jimin grimaced, feeling guilty, but luckily the child seemed too curious about Jimin to be paying any attention to what they were saying. Big, brown eyes that looked exactly like the alpha’s peeked over his shoulder, curious and unafraid.
The girl looked healthy compared to the alpha - Jimin guessed that all he managed to hunt and gather, he gave to her.
“I didn't mate her mother,” the alpha replied quietly. “We just - I didn't know a child was possible. Her mother was raising her with the humans and I would check on them when I could, but…her mother got sick. I'm all she has left.”
“Eomma died,” the little girl interjected with a whisper.
The alpha turned to her, wrapping her in his arms. He began to scent the child and she went limp in his arms - perhaps the wolf in her was strong, despite her being half human.
Jimin stepped further back, sliding his bow over his torso and shaking his head, overwhelmed.
“I won't hurt a child, but you need to leave. You can't remain on our land. Go back to your pack, alpha.”
The alpha whispered in the child’s ear and she stayed where she was while he stepped forward, close enough that only Jimin could hear him.
“We can't. When her mother died, she left a letter explaining who…and what…I was. Someone from the human village brought her to me. When they found out what she was, nobody would take her, so…I did. I thought that my pack alpha would understand, but when he learned of her existence, he sentenced her to death . Called her an abomination . I took her in the night and ran. They will be looking for us. Another pack's territory is the only place we can safely hide.”
Jimin knew that there was mistrust between the species, but he never imagined that the humans would abandon a child because of it. And this pack alpha - to sentence a child to death because she was half human? Such cruelty was unspeakable.
Jimin sighed, his head beginning to ache. He didn’t know what to do. But it was getting dark, and he needed to return to his pack.
He looked down at his belt, and back at the alpha, who had moved back to crouch next to his child and was holding her again, whispering softly in her ear.
Jimin unhooked the rabbit from his belt and furrowed in his pockets, pulling one of his fishing hooks and a line free.
“Here.”
He stepped forward and dropped his bounty near the cave entrance.
“What are you doing?” The alpha gaped at the rabbit and then back at Jimin.
“What does it look like?” Jimin replied.
“I - don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
Jimin turned to leave, desperately hoping he came across another rabbit on his way home to replace the one Hoseok and Yoongi had already seen.
“My name is Jungkook,” the alpha blurted out.
Jimin turned back.
“Jimin,” he replied.
“Thank you…Jimin,” Jungkook replied with a bow of his head, his sickly scent still heavy with gratitude and relief.
With one final, worried glance, Jimin walked away from the alpha and his half human child.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
“She likes you, you know?”
Jungkook rolled his eyes at the gentle teasing, looking away from the confident, pretty omega who was blatantly staring at him from her seat beside the fire. His friend was right…she wasn’t being subtle.
He was almost twenty four, so he really should have been thinking about settling down with a mate, but that would mean trusting someone with his biggest secret.
Nobody in the pack knew about Nara. Her mother, Mirae, had begged Jungkook to keep it that way. He promised that nobody would try to take Nara away from her, but he knew she didn’t believe him.
Mirae hadn’t realized what Jungkook was at first. She thought he was just another village boy, out for a drink with his friends.
Wolves and humans avoided each other, out of fear and often outright animosity. Some humans didn’t even know of the existence of pack villages deep within their surrounding forests. They thought lowly of wolves, seeing them as dangerous and uncivilized - little more than tamed animals.
But the young are the same, whether human or not - foolish and naïve, sure to take risks and ignore the wisdom of their elders. It was almost a rite of passage for young wolves to sneak away to the human village and blend in, drinking and dancing with humans their own age.
Jungkook and Mirae were eighteen, both inexperienced, giddy from too-strong ale and then drunk on wandering hands and warm lips. She had led him to her father’s barn and straddled him on a hay bale the way she had read about in a book she found hidden under her older sister’s pillow.
Afterwards, she had asked him where he lived, and when he told her, her face paled and he could smell her fear.
The next time he saw her, months later, she was round and smelt like him so he knew even before she tugged him into a quiet corner and whispered in his ear.
She didn’t want anything from him, not even what he desperately wanted to give. The life growing inside her would be raised human, and he could visit if he really wanted, but not often enough for anyone to know.
She was beautiful, his Nara. She had his eyes.
“Well, are you gonna go for it?”
Jungkook realized his friend was still talking to him…talking about the omega that was still staring.
“I don’t think so,” he replied, turning away from his friend.
“Why not? Hot, easy omegas not your thing? You like a challenge?”
Jungkook rolled his eyes. Before he had a chance to respond, he heard a commotion coming from the main gates of the village.
He grabbed the arm of a beta who was hurrying from that direction towards the pack alpha’s cabin.
“What is it?”
“A human from the village. They have a child with them…” the beta replied, brushing off Jungkook’s hand and rushing away.
Jungkook frowned, rushing towards the gates, his heart beating wildly in his chest. His alpha was agitated, and he knew why before he even saw her.
“Nara!”
The little girl dropped the hand of the unfamiliar man holding onto her and ran towards Jungkook. He fell to his knees and opened his arms, breathing in her familiar scent as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His alpha rejoiced - his pup was safe with him again.
“Nara, baby, what are you doing here? Where is Eomma?”
At that, his daughter burst into tears, and Jungkook looked up at the frowning man, who simply pursed his lips and looked away.
Jungkook stood, pulling Nara up with him, her legs wrapping around his waist as she clung to him and sobbed into his neck.
“Where is Mirae?” Jungkook demanded.
The man cautiously eyed the wolves who had gathered, taking a step back towards the ground-tied horse they must have ridden here. He turned to Jungkook, his face impassive as he replied.
“She is gone. An illness took her. She was sick for a while and there was nothing that could be done.”
Jungkook’s head spun. An illness? But he had only seen them a few months ago. After settling in their new village, Jungkook trekked back through their old land, to Mirae's village near the northern coastline. He needed her to know where she could find him - though she had never once visited.
Had she seemed sick? Jungkook wasn’t sure. He had spent all of his visit doting on Nara.
“Mirae left a letter for her Eomma, informing her of the girl’s true origin. We thought it best that her real… people …take responsibility for her.”
The man’s voice dripped with disdain and Jungkook felt his throat burn with the effort of stifling a growl.
Jungkook opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, his pack alpha appeared at his shoulder. Jungkook could smell his agitation, and instinctively stepped away from him, his hand moving to cradle Nara’s head as he hushed her cries.
“What is the meaning of this?” The pack alpha demanded.
“I’m finished with my business here,” the human stepped back, hurrying to climb back into the saddle and sharply turning his horse away from the pack.
Without another word, he dug his heels into the horse’s flank and was off, leaving Nara and Jungkook surrounded by confused, agitated wolves.
“Who is that child, Jungkook?”
“Can’t you smell her? She smells like him -”
“She doesn’t smell like her dam…did JK mate with a human!?”
“SILENCE!”
The pack alpha’s command rang clear, the pack immediately quieting.
“Jungkook, in my cabin, now .”
~∘◦❁◦∘~
The sun had set by the time Jimin returned to the village. He had luckily managed to replace the rabbit on the way home, so at least he wouldn’t have to make up a story about where the original one went.
He wasn’t sure what he would even say, let alone how Manshik and the others would react if he told them the truth. If things weren’t so dire for the pack already, he was almost sure the strange alpha and his pup would be welcomed, but Jimin knew that Manshik privately already regretted agreeing to take in the Kim pack refugees.
It wasn’t personal, the responsibility of a pack alpha was just a heavy burden to bear. It was already going to take everything they had to keep everyone alive and healthy - even one extra mouth could be the difference between life and death for one of your own.
Manshik would never risk angering another pack by harboring a hunted alpha either, no matter how unfair the circumstances.
“You made it! You missed a meeting.”
Jimin jumped, his hand splayed across his heart.
“Hoseok, you scared the shit out of me!”
"That's some excellent wolfy senses, my friend,” Hoseok teased.
Jimin rolled his eyes, unclipping the rabbit from his belt and handing it to the young beta who had run across from the kitchens when she saw that Jimin had returned.
“Thank you, Hunter Park.”
Jimin returned her bow with a small smile, watching as she raced back to skin and gut his paltry offering.
“What was the meeting about?” Jimin turned back to Hoseok.
“Come, warm up by the fire and I’ll tell you all about it, roomie!”
“Roomie?”
They sat by the flames, drinking hot herbal tea as Hoseok explained Manshik’s plan for the winter.
Firstly, they were going to conserve both supplies and energy by limiting the number of homes they inhabited. They would use far less firewood and share body heat by sleeping in a small handful of cabins. Jimin, who lived alone as an unmated omega, would be moving in with Hoseok, Yoongi and Namjoon. Namjoon’s alpha cousin Seokjin and his beta mate Taehyung from the Kim pack would be living with them too.
Jimin wrinkled his nose. He supposed it was the best group he could hope for, considering he was so used to his own space and privacy. Better than living in the unmated alpha cabin that Hoseok told him had already been nicknamed The Knot Hut by its inhabitants.
All the cabins further out from the heart of the village would be closed up…even the rut and heat cabins situated much deeper in the surrounding forest. Any alpha or omega going through their cycle would be moved into a cabin just a little further away when the time came, whether it be by themselves or with their partners.
Secondly, Manshik had the same thought as Jimin - they would hunt further out every day for the next two weeks, doing everything they could to fill their larder before the lakes froze over and the forest animals went to ground for good.
Jimin sighed, leaning into Hoseok as weariness made his bones ache. He would spend one last night alone in his own cabin before moving in with the others.
He was almost asleep on Hoseok’s shoulder when a heavy weight jostled him from the other side. Taehyung had plonked himself down with a bright smile, reaching for Jimin’s tea without asking and taking a sip before handing it back.
“You’re welcome,” Jimin drawled.
He liked Taehyung. They had bonded immediately over their mutual love of the pups in the nursery.
“So, we’re going to be housemates! You don’t snore, do you?” Taehyung asked.
“I don’t know,” Jimin replied with a shrug. “I’ve never actually spent the night with anyone.”
“You…you’re…wow, that’s…that’s cool,” Taehyung stumbled over his response and Jimin realized straight away that the beta had misunderstood.
“I mean…I’ve spent the night with someone. They just…didn’t spend the whole night. So I dunno if I snore.”
Taehyung laughed in somewhat awkward understanding and Jimin rushed to change the subject.
“How were the pups today?”
“Precious, as usual,” Taehyung replied.
The pack had fifteen pups between the ages of one and ten, five of whom had arrived with the Kim pack. The nursery was run by the pack dams, but everyone helped out when they could.
“Oh, Sahi asked after you! She mentioned that you promised to teach her how to do a cartwheel,” Taehyung continued.
Jimin smiled. Sahi was six years old and full of the kind of energy that made Jimin tired just watching her.
Come to think of it, Sahi looked a lot like Nara. The smile slipped from Jimin’s face as he thought about Sahi spending winter in a dingy cave, pack-less and almost certain to fall ill…or worse.
“Are you alright?” Taehyung asked.
Jimin shook his head, blinking away the miserable images that were not his problem .
“I’m fine. Just tired, I guess. I think I might turn in for one more decent night’s sleep before I start bunking with you gross lovebirds.”
“Hey, we’re not gross!” Hoseok cried, indignant.
Jimin cleared his throat and stared across the flames, raising one eyebrow until Hoseok and Taehyung followed his gaze.
Yoongi and Namjoon were sharing one log seat, wrapped around each other as Yoongi softly licked into Namjoon’s mouth, completely oblivious to everyone around them.
Hoseok could hardly bring himself to look embarrassed - in fact, if anything he just looked thrilled as he stared at his mates.
“Get it out of your system before we have to live with you,” Jimin joked as he stood up, ruffling Hoseok’s hair and tickling Taehyung under the chin.
“‘Night, Min,” his friends chorused, and a few other wolves seated around the fire waved goodnight as well.
Back at his cabin, Jimin closed the door behind him and leant heavily against it. Tomorrow he would sit down with the hunters and talk about their best options. For now, he just needed to rest.
Determined as he was to focus on himself and his pack and what they needed, the last thing Jimin thought of before he slipped into sleep was Nara and Jungkook, thin and cold, huddled around fireplace embers…all alone.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jungkook jerked awake, reaching for Nara instinctually. She was still fast asleep, comfortable on the soft bear hide he had swiped the night they made their escape. It wasn’t quite big enough for the both of them to fit, so Jungkook had adjusted to sleeping on the ground.
The fire he kept burning all night was still flickering softly - he had to wake regularly to feed it, otherwise they would freeze in their sleep.
He wondered briefly what had woken him before he heard another sharp crack, followed by the familiar fwump of a snow-laden branch hitting the ground.
Oh no, not snow already. So early…
Jungkook rolled to his feet and padded out to the cave entrance, his heart sinking as he saw the blanket of white.
No, no, no…
A shiver wracked his body and Jungkook fought the tears that burned at the back of his eyes. He had to keep it together.
At least last night he had gone to sleep without the painful cramps of an empty stomach. The rabbit Jimin had left them was skinny, but there was still plenty left for him after Nara had her fill.
He had managed to catch a few fish as well - the snow would keep what he didn’t smoke fresh for a couple of days. A silver lining, he supposed.
Jungkook knew he was on another pack’s land, but he hadn’t picked up any recent scents near the cave he chose. Weeks of eating poorly and having no connection with his pack had dulled his senses and weakened his connection with his alpha.
Yesterday, he had smelt Jimin approaching at the last minute - soft jasmine and the uniquely enticing pheromones of a strong, healthy omega - and watched him from the shadows before his lilting voice demanded that Jungkook show himself.
The look of thinly veiled shock on his face when Jimin had realized what Nara was had rankled Jungkook’s alpha. How dare this omega judge his child? But Jungkook was in no shape to challenge anyone - both he and his alpha knew it.
Jimin’s mercy…pity, more like…had been another blow to Jungkook’s ego, but he could hardly say no to a good meal.
The weaker he became, the harder it would be for him to hunt. If the snow had already arrived, the lake would be frozen soon and the gifted fishing line would become useless.
Jungkook had been thinking about their bleak future for days and had made up his mind - he would take Nara to the small human village near the eastern coastline. Nobody knew her there. If he dropped her outside a school or a home for children in the dead of night, she would be taken in and cared for.
He would never return to his old home. They may accept him back into the pack without Nara and assume that he carried out the death sentence willed by the pack alpha, but Jungkook would never be able to forgive them…or himself.
He would become rogue, and probably be alone for the rest of his life.
But Nara would be safe.
Jungkook turned to wake Nara. It was best they left as soon as possible. He hadn’t even taken a step before the sound of a throat clearing made him whirl around again, canines bared.
“Whoa, it’s just me…” Jimin took a step back, hands up and open, passive. “You didn’t smell me coming?”
Jungkook flushed, defensive, but mostly just embarrassed.
What was he supposed to say? I haven’t eaten properly in weeks and my alpha is as weak as I am, so feel free to keep sneaking up on me…it does wonders for my ego .
“I was…distracted. If you’ve come because your pack alpha wants us gone, don’t worry. We’re leaving.”
“I didn’t tell my pack about you. I came to…wait, where are you going?” Jimin replied.
“The human village to the east. Nara will be safe there.”
Jungkook didn’t bother telling the omega his plans for himself.
“That village is days away. Even without a child, you’d struggle to make the journey in your condition. There aren’t many decent caves between here and there either…what will you do when the snow begins to fall in earnest?”
Jungkook turned away again before Jimin could see the tears in his eyes.
What choice do I have?
“That’s why I’m here,” Jimin replied.
Jungkook didn’t even realize he had asked his desperate question aloud. He wiped his eyes and turned around again. Jimin was shuffling awkwardly, worrying his bottom lip with slightly crooked teeth, frowning as if he wasn’t sure about what he was going to say.
“We have heat and rut cabins outside our village…a decent hike away, for privacy,” Jimin began. “Our pack leader has moved all of us into smaller quarters for the winter to conserve energy, and anyone in heat or rut will use a cabin closer to the village center. For the next few months, the cycle cabins will be completely abandoned.”
Jungkook was holding his breath, waiting for Jimin to elaborate…waiting for him to clearly voice something that sounded too good to be true.
“You and the girl…you can stay in a cabin for the season. You’ll still have to hunt whatever you can find, but I’ll do what I can to bring you what my pack can spare. It won’t be much…but at least you’ll be warm and dry.”
Jungkook stepped forward swiftly and fell to his knees at Jimin’s feet. He reached for the omega’s hand and squeezed it tightly, so overwhelmed he couldn't yet choke out a thank you .
He looked up and Jimin was staring at him, wide-eyed. Jungkook was so close that even in his weakened state he could smell how conflicted Jimin was. He dropped his hand and stood up, stepping back.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to touch you without asking. I just…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.”
Jimin wrinkled his nose, but a small smile played on his lips.
“It’s just a stinky old cabin, it’s no big deal.”
“It’s everything ,” Jungkook replied fervently.
Jimin huffed, shrugging his shoulders.
“Well. I need to get back, but I’ll take you there now if you’re ready?”
Jungkook nodded, scoffing inwardly. He had a bear pelt and a six year old to pack. Shouldn’t take long.
Nara grumbled when she was woken, but immediately brightened at the sight of Jimin.
Jungkook tried to keep her away so she didn’t bother him, but trying to keep a lonely child away from a new person to talk to was impossible.
Jungkook rolled up the pelt and flung it over his shoulder, grunting at the weight. Two months ago, Jungkook could heft two or three full grown bear pelts with ease. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jimin watching him, clearly debating offering to carry it for him. Thankfully, he didn’t. Jungkook wasn’t sure his alpha could take any more humiliation.
He asked Nara to pick up the fish, but when she began to whine that they were disgusting and the eyes were staring at her, Jimin collected them with a barely concealed grin.
Jungkook and Jimin walked in silence, Nara chattering enough for all three of them. With every misplaced step that sunk her feet in deep patches of snow, she squealed, equally delighted and shocked at the cold.
Jungkook watched as Jimin seemed to glide across the ground, every step silent and careful, feet planted surely on hidden tree roots and steady rocks, as if the omega could see beneath the layer of white.
Jungkook was not as graceful, the heavy weight of the pelt and the exhaustion from keeping up with Jimin’s fast pace making his breath come heavily, and loud. Embarrassing, but not enough to erase his joy at where they were headed.
“What kind of tree is this?” Nara asked.
“Prickly Ash,” Jimin replied.
“What about this one?”
“Tigernut.”
“What about this one?”
“Jolcham Oak.”
“What about…”
“Nara, enough,” Jungkook interrupted, frowning at his little one with a shake of his head so she would know he was serious.
“I don’t mind,” Jimin spoke quietly, laughter in his voice.
“See how you feel after the fiftieth question,” Jungkook grumbled in response.
“You sure are a curious little bug,” Jimin said to Nara.
“I like bugs!” Nara exclaimed, to everyone’s amusement.
Thankfully, Nara was relatively quiet for the rest of the journey, distracted by a game of her own design that allowed her to only step in the patches of sun on the forest floor - a difficult task, given the trees that cast shade from their sparse branches almost everywhere, even without most of their leaves.
At a particularly large patch of shade, Nara whined, holding her arms out for Jungkook to carry her to the next sun-kissed rock. He sighed, about to drop the pelt on the ground and help, when Jimin dropped the fish and stepped in, holding his arms out to Nara in silent question. She smiled brightly at him, so he lifted her under the arms and made a loud whooshing noise as he flew her over the shade to her destination.
Nara continued on her way and Jungkook smiled, nodding to Jimin in thanks. It was silly, really, how emotional it made him to see another wolf treat Nara with such kindness.
Thankfully, the cabin appeared soon after, probably moments before Jungkook was going to have to swallow his pride and take a second to rest.
The cabin was small and unwelcoming, no chairs decorating the front porch, nor light in the frosted windows.
It was still the most wonderful thing Jungkook had seen in weeks.
Jimin led the way, opening the front door and stepping over the threshold, pulling aside the dusty curtains and letting light spill into the small room.
There was a fireplace with a large pile of wood stacked next to it, and one large bed with a single straw pillow and what looked like a buck pelt rolled up on the end. A single chair was by a small, round table, and a carved wooden chest was in one corner.
“So, this is it. The chest has a pot. You can boil snow so you never run out of water. There’s a couple of bowls and chopsticks in there, and some preserved food. Dried apple and mango slices, rabbit jerky, and rice. Things that are easy to cook and eat because…well, you know…”
Jungkook felt his cheeks warm, just a little. Of course he knew. Heat and rut cabins would be full of supplies to make the haze of a wolf’s cycle as practical and uncomplicated as possible.
“Won’t your pack want these supplies?” Jungkook asked, nodding at the chest even though his mouth was watering at the thought of so much food.
“Nobody really knows how much is left of what’s stored here. I’ll take back a little and say that I cleared them out, so then nobody else will come looking,” Jimin replied.
Nara was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the full sized bed and peering out the window into the bright morning.
“We get to live here now!?” She cried.
“Not live…just stay…for a while,” Jungkook replied, cupping her cheeks and pressing a kiss to her nose.
“I’ll head to the other cabin and bring over most of the supplies left there too. As for other food, you’ll have to hunt. Almost everything will be gone to ground soon, but you can dig for dens once you regain a bit of strength.”
Jungkook knew that Jimin didn’t mean to insult him, but his alpha still bristled. It was a small mercy that Jungkook was still too weak for his agitated pheromones to be noticeable.
Maybe Jimin could tell just by the look on his face, because in the next moment, calming pheromones blanketed the small cabin. Jungkook inhaled deeply and a shiver ran down his spine. There was no other word for that scent than healing .
Before he could embarrass himself, Jungkook turned to Nara.
“Say thank you, sweetheart.”
Nara bowed, smiling sweetly as she thanked Jimin.
Jimin bowed back, before turning to the fireplace.
“Let’s get this lit, hmm?”
Some neat stacking of small twigs, larger logs and the strike of a sharp flint later, and a warm fire was crackling, brightening up the dreary space.
“I won’t have it lit all the time,” Jungkook murmured. “I don’t want the smoke to draw attention.”
“We’re far enough away that you should be fine, especially when the snow is falling…it’ll obscure the smoke, y’know?” Jimin replied.
A small moment of awkward silence hung in the air before Jimin shuffled towards the door.
“I need to get back, but I’ll drop by with some more supplies as soon as I can.”
“Please…you’ve already done more than enough. We’ll be fine. Won’t we?” Jungkook turned to Nara, who was staring intently into the fire, the flames flickering in her dark brown irises.
Jimin smiled at her, and Jungkook thought the omega looked quite fond. Perhaps he liked pups. Maybe he even had one of his own. Jungkook knew almost nothing about him, after all.
He found himself quietly hoping that might change, no matter how unlikely it was.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jimin had woken before the sun that morning, the smell of snow exciting his omega. He had always loved snow. There was something so otherworldly about it, the way it blanketed the forest in silence.
Though it muffled footsteps once amplified by the crunch of fallen autumn leaves, snow was no secret keeper, with even the softest steps leaving an obvious path for friend and foe alike.
His immediate joy had quickly been replaced by worry as he remembered what he had fallen asleep stressing about - the alpha and his child, hidden away…but for how long?
Early snow was practically a death sentence for them.
He thought of the pack pups, warm and safe, and then thought of Nara…curled up beside a dying fire, a hacking cough wracking her small frame as her appa watched on, helpless.
Perhaps he had a flair for the dramatic, but Jimin was probably right.
He felt horrible lying to his pack, but he couldn’t just turn his back on wolves who needed help. Manshik’s decision to close the heat and rut cabins for the season was fortuitous…one might even say fateful. Jungkook and Nara would be safe and warm there.
His mind made up, Jimin dressed and slipped out of his cabin while the sun was still down. The cold was biting, but he needed to be back for the pack hunter’s meeting before lunch.
The touch of Jungkook’s hand when he fell at Jimin’s feet in gratitude sent a shiver down the omega’s spine. He knew he had made the right decision when he learnt that Jungkook was planning to take the child to the Eastern human village. Neither of them would survive that trip, and Jungkook must have known that.
Jimin’s guilt was almost completely gone as he watched the young family take in the shitty old heat cabin as if it were a glittering palace.
Surrounded by the security of a warm home for winter, Jungkook’s entire demeanor changed. He watched Nara dart around the cabin with a fond smile, and his shoulders relaxed with a heavy exhale, like he could finally breathe properly again. Nara’s welfare was clearly all that mattered to him…he was a good father.
Jimin couldn’t help but notice in the flickering firelight that Jungkook was beautiful too, with a sharp jaw, piercing dark eyes and perfect cupid’s bow lips. A strong, attractive alpha like him must have had many offers to mate, and Jimin found himself wondering if he left anyone behind when he fled.
Not that that was any of his business…
“Alright, well…bye then,” Jimin said, smiling as Nara jumped up from in front of the fireplace to stand at her appa’s side.
Jungkook turned to him, bowing low.
“Of course, thank you again. I could thank you a million times and it still wouldn’t be enough.”
Jimin waved off his thanks and stepped outside the cabin into the crunching snow. Jungkook and Nara followed to see him off.
“Well, enjoy your fish dinner,” Jimin stood there awkwardly before giving them a little wave and cringing at himself. Nara waved enthusiastically back and Jungkook seemed to be biting his lip so he wouldn’t laugh.
Jimin turned and began to walk away, before he heard Jungkook cry out.
“Nara, no!”
Jimin turned just in time to see the child throw herself at his legs, wrapping her arms around him.
Jungkook rushed forward to grab her, but Jimin held up his hand.
“It’s okay.”
Nara looked up at Jimin, her eyes bright.
“Hey, you smell too!”
Jimin choked on a laugh.
“Uh…a bad smell?”
“No…you smell nice! Like flowers. Appa smells like the trees, did you know that?” Nara replied.
“Yes, I did know that,” Jimin grinned.
“My Eomma didn’t really smell like anything…neither did my friends or the doctor or the lady who sold us our food. Appa said it’s because he’s not like Eomma. It’s because he’s something different. Are you something different? I smell like Appa, I think, so I guess that means I’m different too…”
Nara spoke quickly without taking a breath, so she inhaled sharply when she finally stopped and Jungkook snorted with laughter behind her.
“Nara, baby, leave Jimin alone…”
“Maybe that’s why Halmeoni didn’t want me to stay with her after Eomma died,” Nara continued, her voice very small all of a sudden.
The smile dropped from Jungkook’s face and Jimin’s chest ached at the pain that replaced it.
He wasn’t sure of the specifics of what happened when the humans learnt of Nara’s origins, but what he assumed made his blood boil. For her own grandmother to reject her…this little girl deserved so much better.
Jimin gently pulled Nara’s arms from around his legs and knelt in front of her.
“Hey, look at me, little bug. Being different just means you’re unique, and special. Your Halmeoni didn’t let you go because of anything you did, or anything you are. She let you go because she knew that the only person in the whole world who could love you as much as your Eomma loved you would be your Appa.”
Nara beamed, satisfied. Over her shoulder, Jungkook mouthed thank you with tears in his eyes.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
It took surprisingly little time for Jungkook to gain some of his former strength back. Jimin returned the next day with more rations from the other cycle cabin, so there was quite a large supply of rice and dried foods - enough to ensure that Jungkook and Nara would eat well enough for at least a few weeks.
Certainly better than Jungkook had expected to be eating. The first night in the cabin he had boiled a pot of snow and made enough rice seasoned with wild rosemary to fill their stomachs and ensure a blissful night's sleep.
Jimin bought a few items of winter clothing as well, shrugging off Jungkook’s overwhelmed gratitude.
“I brought you both some things to wear…you must be getting tired of washing what you own and waiting by the fire until they dry.”
“You really didn’t have to…”
Jimin tsk’d, refusing to accept his thanks. Stubborn.
When Jungkook began to crave fresh meat a week or so later, he made Nara promise to stay in the cabin as he ventured out into the quiet, cold forest.
His senses beginning to improve, he finally sniffed out a shallow fox den built into the side of a hill. He focused, closing his eyes and stilling his breath as he listened for the slow heartbeat of the hibernating creature inside.
The earth was thankfully not frozen through, but still his fingers were gnarled with cold by the time he trudged home with their dinner. He had been gone for most of the day, prey scarce and mostly buried too deep to reach, so he hoped Nara had listened to him and stayed put.
He smelled Jimin before he saw him, the omega’s soft, floral scent making his alpha perk up, curious.
When he stepped inside the cabin, Nara was perched in Jimin’s lap, regaling him with what sounded like a story about the time Jungkook had taken her fishing, over a year ago now, when he had visited her at the human village.
“…and appa moved so quickly! The fish was swimming around his feet and his hands were a blur!”
“Your appa sounds like an excellent hunter,” Jimin nodded sagely, looking up and greeting Jungkook with a smile.
“Hi, Appa! Look who’s here!” Nara squealed, waving her hands towards Jimin as if Jungkook could have possibly missed him.
Jungkook beamed, his scent sweetening, as it always did when he was around his little girl.
Jungkook saw Jimin’s nostrils flare and his eyes widen almost imperceptibly. Jungkook knew that his scent had begun to heal, no longer muted and sickly from hunger and relentless worry. He was reconnecting with his alpha more and more each day, and the wolf in him recognised Jimin’s sharp gaze: the omega appreciated his scent.
Jimin’s gaze flickered to Jungkook’s hands and he gasped, gently removing Nara from his lap before rushing to Jungkook and inspecting his fingers closely.
“You’re bleeding. You need to sit by the fire,” Jimin fussed.
“I’m fine, I need to prepare this,” Jungkook replied, motioning to the fox he was still carrying and turning to head back outside so he could skin and gut their dinner.
“I’ll do that, you warm up your fingers before you lose one of them,” Jimin snapped, surprising the both of them if Jimin’s quiet gasp was anything to go by.
Jungkook raised one eyebrow. Being ordered around was not something he was used to. Jimin met his challenging gaze and lifted his chin, clenching his jaw and waiting silently for Jungkook to respond.
Jungkook felt his alpha stir, but surprisingly not in anger. His wolf was…happy? Jimin must have taken the soft sweetening of his scent as acquiescence, because without another word he took the fox from Jungkook’s hand and stepped outside.
Well…that was strange.
Jungkook shook his head, taking a seat by the fire and inspecting his hands more closely. The hard ground had left bloody scrapes as he dug through the earth, and the warmer his hands became, the more they ached.
“Appa…are you okay?” Nara asked, her voice quiet as she settled on the floor beside him.
“Yes, baby, I’m fine. My hands just got a bit cold. Were you okay without me?”
“I was bored, but I collected some more rosemary and I made a snowman outside, and then Jimin came to check in on us. He brought you something, look!”
Nara jumped up and grabbed a coat from the end of their bed. It looked to be hand sewn from a thick pelt, with a fox fur collar. It was beautiful, and looked very warm.
“Oh! That’s…wow. Just give me a moment, Nara. I need to speak to Jimin alone, okay?”
Jungkook ignored the pout on his daughter’s face and stepped outside, following Jimin’s tracks in the snow to a table and tanning rack that was set up behind the cabin. The omega had laid the fox over the end of the table and pulled a sharp knife from his belt.
“Why did you bring me that?” Jungkook asked.
“What?” Jimin looked around, clearly confused.
“The coat.”
“Oh. That. Well…I thought you might need something warmer, if you were going to keep hunting through the season,” Jimin replied with a shrug.
“Surely someone from your pack could use it?” Jungkook pushed.
“Do you not want it?” Jimin put his knife down and turned to Jungkook with a frown. “I told you I would help when I could. I can’t take much from my pack, but one good coat and some old clothes isn’t going to be a problem.”
Jungkook stepped closer and Jimin inhaled again, his jaw clenched.
Was Jungkook imagining it? This strange tension between them?
“I didn’t mean to offend you. Of course I’m grateful. I just…don’t really understand why you’re doing all of this. We’re not your pack, you don’t owe us anything. I just…I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, I guess,” Jungkook admitted, his eyes on the ground.
There they were again - calming pheromones, swirling around him like a caressing breeze.
He looked up and Jimin was looking at him with something like pity, but less offensive somehow.
“I know it’s been a long time since you trusted anyone. I don’t really have a reason I can explain. I just…don’t like to see anyone suffer. Especially…another wolf who's just doing their best to take care of their pup,” Jimin replied, his voice soft.
Maybe that was it. Jungkook’s faith in other people had been shattered the day that he ran away with Nara.
“I owe you the truth. You’re risking a lot to help me, so you should know who we’re hiding from. They’re more dangerous than you know.”
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jungkook followed the agitated pack alpha into his cabin, Nara still clinging to him, muffling sobs into his neck.
Jaesung turned to Jungkook, his lips a grim, thin line.
“What is this?” Jaesung snapped.
“What is…what?”
“That thing. What have you done, Jungkook?”
Jungkook’s alpha roared in his chest and he felt a growl slip past his lips.
“This is my daughter…not a thing .”
“It’s an abomination. You will return it to the human village tonight or it will be dead by morning,” Jaesung spoke so flippantly, as if he was discussing a stray mutt.
“She is your niece , Hyung, what are you even saying!?”
“She is no family of mine. You have disgraced yourself and your pack. You have embarrassed me.”
“She is my blood, so that makes her your blood, brother,” Jungkook hissed.
Jaesung raised himself up to his full height, his chest puffed out and his canines glinting, sharp and threatening as he snarled at Jungkook.
“I am the alpha of this pack and I make the decisions. You and I being of the same sire has never made us close, and it means nothing now. You defiled yourself by laying with a human and now you must live with the consequences.”
“Hyung…please,” Jungkook begged, tightening his hold on his little girl.
“You can call me Alpha from now on,” Jaesung sneered, turning his back on Jungkook - a clear sign for him to leave.
Other wolves - his friends - were gathered outside Jaesung’s cabin, waiting for answers. Jungkook bared his teeth, making his way through the small crowd to the healer’s cabin.
Inside he found the pack healer, Choi Eunji, and the former Kim pack alpha, Kim Daeseong.
Jungkook didn’t know much about what went on with the Kim pack leadership. He wasn’t privy to the decisions Jaesung and the council made.
Jungkook thought that because he was a strong, capable alpha, that he would be granted a place in pack leadership, but Jaesung disagreed. Something about not wanting it to look like Jungkook was granted a position just because he shared a sire with the pack alpha.
Their sire had died on a hunt when Jungkook was very small, and he barely remembered the stern, stoic wolf. He and Jaesung had been raised in separate homes by their dams. Some of their pack didn’t even realize that they were half-brothers.
All Jungkook knew was that shortly after Jaesung had taken over leadership of the Jeon pack after challenging and defeating their former pack alpha, he had announced that they were merging with the Kim pack further inland.
They had only been there for a few short weeks before, after many secretive meetings, Daeseong had stepped down as Kim pack alpha and Jaesung had taken over sole leadership. The next day, two dozen Kim pack members had packed up what they could carry and left, though Jungkook didn’t know where they went, or why.
Daeseong had stayed behind, though Jungkook had noted that the confident, proud manner in which he had stood when he welcomed the Jeon pack to his village had diminished somewhat.
The aging alpha spent most of his time assisting in the healer’s cabin, or sitting silently by the fire with other members of the formerly-Kim pack.
Daeseong and Eunji both turned to Jungkook as he rushed into the cabin, their eyes widening as they saw Nara, still held tight in his arms.
“Kook-ah, what’s going on? Who is this?” Eunji asked.
“Noona, this is my daughter, Nara. Please, you must help me. Hyung says she can’t stay, but she’s mine…maybe if you talked to him for me? Tried to convince him?”
Eunji was well-respected, surely Jaesung would listen to her…
The healer stepped forward, reaching for Nara and brushing her hair away from her tear-streaked face. She sniffed the air carefully and her eyes widened.
“Jungkook! She is half human!?”
“Yes, she is, but that doesn’t matter, does it? She’s still mine . She is half of me !” Jungkook cried.
Eunji was already shaking her head, stepping away from them.
“Jaesung won’t change his mind…not about this. You know how he feels about humans. He won’t even let us trade with traveling merchants like other packs do.”
“But…”
“You mustn't ask this of me, please Jungkook,” Eunji whispered as she turned away.
“Child,” Daeseong said, “you must take her and never return.”
“What? No…this is my pack…there must be a way…”
Daeseong stood and moved with sudden urgency to Jungkook’s side, gripping his shoulders tightly. His dark chocolate scent was bitter, almost acrid.
“Listen to me! Your pack alpha is not the wolf you grew up with. He is capable of great cruelty.”
Eunji was listening to their conversation, her breath shallow and even her mellow beta scent potent with fear.
“Daeseong is right. Jaesung is not your hyung anymore Kook-ah. You must do what he told you,” Eunji whispered, silent tears shining in her eyes.
Jungkook gazed between them, his own scent choked with fear and despair.
The human who brought Nara here had made it clear that she was not welcome with the humans - if her own halmeoni wouldn’t take her in, surely no stranger would. He couldn’t return her to her village.
Would Jaesung really put her to death? What had he called her? An abomination …
Jungkook couldn’t risk it.
Winter was fast approaching and he had nobody to help him, but he had no choice…
“Can she stay here for a short while? I need to handle a few things.”
Daeseong nodded, gently taking Nara from Jungkook’s arms. She was all cried out and limp with exhaustion, so she went peacefully.
“I will come back when it’s dark.”
“Will you take her back to the human village?” Eunji asked.
Jungkook controlled his scent, letting nothing of his intentions bleed through. He would have to lie now, so Eunji and Daeseong wouldn’t be punished.
“Yes. I’ll return her and be back as soon as I can.”
They couldn’t know that he was going to take her and run. That he would hide in the territory of another pack while he figured out what to do.
That he wouldn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to the wolves he had known his whole life.
But his Nara would be safe with him.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jimin was quiet as Jungkook finished telling him how he took Nara in the night and ran, desperate to get far enough into another pack’s territory that Jaesung wouldn’t follow once he realized that Jungkook hadn’t left in the direction of the human village.
“You’re from the Jeon pack?” Jimin finally spoke. “Your brother is Jeon Jaesung!?”
“ Half -brother…we have different dams. But yes. He is…was…my pack alpha. The only family I had left.”
Jimin sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it.
“I’ve heard stories of him challenging the former Jeon pack alpha to ssaum . Of him taking over the Kim pack. My pack took in their refugees,” Jimin revealed.
“Oh, I wondered where they ended up. That’s very generous of your pack alpha. The stories you heard…they’re all true. I didn’t know about it though. I thought we were merging with the Kim pack, I didn’t realize Jaesung was going to take over like that, I swear…”
Jungkook found himself desperate for Jimin to know that he was nothing like his half-brother.
“I believe you. I’m sorry your pack alpha betrayed you like that,” Jimin sighed.
“I was the one who betrayed my pack,” Jungkook muttered.
“What? How?” Jimin looked incredulous.
“I had offers. Mating offers, I mean. It was my duty as a healthy alpha to make the pack stronger. But after Mirae, I didn’t really - I mean, I was just…busy,” Jungkook finished lamely, mortified that their discussion had somehow veered into him revealing his inexperience.
The truth was, getting Mirae pregnant had sort of put him off sex for a while, and then he was preoccupied, thinking about Nara, and then he just - never met anyone else he could see himself mating with. There were plenty of beautiful wolves in his pack, but none of them interested his alpha.
If he was being completely honest with himself, his alpha hadn’t even been interested in Mirae, but apparently when you were young and drunk, your dick was less picky.
“Bullshit,” Jimin spat.
“What!? I was busy!”
“No, not that. I mean it’s bullshit that you betrayed your pack. You’re not a breeding stud. It isn’t some sort of duty to find a mate and have pups if that isn’t what you want. A good pack leader would know that your happiness is the most important thing.”
Jungkook huffed out a laugh and shrugged.
“I guess I didn’t have a very good pack leader.”
The silence between them was thoughtful for a moment, when suddenly Jimin's scent sweetened and his smile turned a little coy.
“So…you’ve really only slept with a human?”
Jungkook sputtered out a strange choked noise in response.
“I - no! I slept with someone else. Twice. They were a close friend and we…well, you know,” Jungkook shrugged.
“Experimented?” Jimin asked, not even trying to hide his smirk.
“I guess you could call it that.”
“Wolf, though? Omega?” Jimin continued to pry.
“No. Beta. I’ve never…oh my goddess, why am I even answering you?”
Jungkook knew his face was as red as a tomato.
“You’ve never been with an omega? So, you’ve never knotted?”
“I’ve knotted! I’ve had a rut, you know. I’m twenty four!” Jungkook was mortified, but still eager to prove…something.
Alpha’s didn’t knot outside of their rut unless they were with an omega, so no, he hadn’t technically , actually knotted another person, but he knew what a knot felt like and he could imagine …oh, and now he was getting turned on.
“You’re a menace!” Jungkook cried, earning himself a full-bodied laugh from Jimin.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…I’m just teasing…” Jimin said as he stopped laughing, but Jungkook knew he was biting his lip to keep from starting up again.
“Well, now you know about my embarrassing lack of sex life. It seems only fair that you tell me something personal about yours,” Jungkook replied with a huff.
“There’s not much to tell, really. I’ve never been serious enough with anyone to consider mating, but I’ve bedded my fair share of willing flings.”
“That’s not embarrassing ,” Jungkook whined.
“Jungkook, being inexperienced isn’t something to be ashamed of,” Jimin replied.
“Tell that to the alphas I grew up with,” Jungkook grumbled with a roll of his eyes.
“It’s always a competition with silly alphas, isn’t it? Fine, since we’re sharing extremely personal things, my, uh…my heats are particularly unpleasant. It’s always much easier if I have someone to help me through it, so that’s where a lot of my experience comes from.”
Jimin’s cheeks were pink and Jungkook swallowed audibly.
“That’s,” Jungkook cleared his throat, “…that sucks. About your heat being hard I mean…not about sharing it with someone. I’ve never had anyone to help during my rut. We didn’t have cabins especially for them either.”
Jimin’s eyes widened in surprise.
“What does your old pack do, then?”
“Head out into the forest…find an abandoned den or a cave or something and just…wait it out.”
“That’s barbaric!” Jimin cried.
Jungkook had to agree. He had no pleasant memories of his ruts, just hazy, nightmarish memories of taking himself in hand, curled up cold and alone, doing his best to satisfy the almost violent need that coursed through him.
His scent must have soured because the next moment, Jimin had dropped the knife he was holding and stepped closer, his calming pheromones dizzying as he reached for Jungkook, squeezing his shoulder.
“I’m sorry you had to go through it alone. That’s…I don’t even have the proper words. It’s despicable that you weren’t cared for during such a sensitive time.”
The hand on his shoulder burned and Jungkook inhaled deeply, letting himself be comforted.
It had been so long since he and his alpha had connected to another wolf, he worried he would burst into tears and Jimin would think he was even more pitiable.
“Thank you. I’m sorry to just dump all that on you. You must think I’m a mess,” Jungkook stared at his feet.
Jimin’s hand dropped from his shoulder, but to his surprise he felt the omega’s finger under his chin, tilting his face upwards so their eyes met.
“You’re not a mess,” Jimin murmured. “Losing your pack is a significant trauma. I can’t imagine what it’s doing to your alpha. Please be gentle with yourself.”
Jimin seemed to realize he was still touching Jungkook’s face, so he stepped back, his cheeks still pink. The same pink as his lips, actually. Not that Jungkook was looking at his lips .
Jungkook opened his mouth and closed it again, unsure of what to say and trying really hard to control his scent.
He was saved from replying by the sudden shock of a snowball breaking right on his cheek, wet ice dripping down his shirt collar, his adrenaline spiking so quickly his head spun.
Jimin hid his mouth behind his hands, a delighted laugh spilling out as he looked over Jungkook’s shoulder.
Jungkook spun with a gasp to see Nara bent over, laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.
“You little rat !” Jungkook cried, lunging forward.
Nara screamed, turning on her heel and darting away. Jungkook was upon her in three short strides, grabbing her around the waist and flinging her up into the air. Her screams turned into elated giggles as Jungkook put her back on the ground and began tickling her in earnest.
“You’re gonna pay for that!” Jungkook reached for a handful of snow but Nara was too fast, twisting out of his grip and running back towards the cabin.
“Jimin, help me!” Nara cried.
Jimin appeared suddenly, one eyebrow raised and a tightly rolled snowball prepared in his hand.
“Get behind me, Nara!” Jimin ordered, ushering the giggling girl behind his legs.
“When did this become two on one!?”
Jungkook held up his hands in surrender, stepping forward slowly, keeping one eye trained on the snowball Jimin was aiming at him.
“Don’t come any closer, I’m armed!” Jimin warned.
“Do it! Throw it!” Nara stage-whispered, peeking at Jungkook with a cheeky smile so wide her cheeks must have hurt.
“I’m afraid I have my orders,” Jimin shrugged, giving Jungkook no chance to respond before winding back and pelting the snowball directly at his chest.
While Jungkook sputtered, indignant, Jimin and Nara turned and raced back to the cabin, slamming the door shut and erupting into laughter when Jungkook started banging on the door.
Jungkook was panting, still weak and quick to lose his breath, but it was the first time in what felt like forever that he was truly happy.
His scent swirled around him, fresh like pine needles and vibrant moss-covered rocks that lined a sunlit forest lake. From inside the cabin he could smell Jimin’s scent blossoming too, jasmine with notes of honey and flower pollen. Together they smelt like a spring day, and Jungkook knew at that moment that it was a sign they would survive the winter.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jimin was screwed.
He was nearing the village, desperately smelling himself to see if he actually smelt like Jungkook, or if the alpha’s scent was just stuck in his nose.
They hadn’t touched that much, had they? He had to be honest with himself, Jungkook hadn’t touched him at all, but Jimin and his foolish, sappy omega had reached out twice, desperate to soothe.
He couldn’t help it, it was just so awful. He had already despised Jaesung after what the Kim pack wolves had told him, but knowing how he treated Jungkook and Nara made his blood boil.
It was bad enough that he made Jungkook delve into difficult memories, but the alpha ended up smelling painfully embarrassed when he revealed that he was sexually inexperienced.
Jimin didn’t think there was anything wrong with that, obviously, but he was absolutely mortified at his omega’s reaction - the wolf in him was, to put it bluntly, fucking ecstatic. Blaming his omega was the only way Jimin could excuse the way he teased Jungkook. Okay, not teased. Flirted. He could own that. He flirted .
It wasn’t like he saw Jungkook as some sort of challenge… but the thought had popped into his head, completely unbidden, of what it would be like to be the one Jungkook knotted for the first time.
And well, the thought was enticing. An alpha’s first partnered knot was a heady experience, or so Jimin had been told. He had never partnered an alpha through their first - they were typically quite overwhelmed, and an unmated omega would be too tempting.
Being someone’s heat or rut partner wasn’t seen as a strictly romantic arrangement in Jimin’s pack. Just as there were dams who ran the childcare, and wolves who were healers or cooks, there were others who were available to assist omegas or alphas with their cycle if they didn’t have a mate or lover. Asking a close friend was also common, and done without any underlying meaning.
So why did thinking about sharing a cycle with Jungkook feel anything but meaningless?
He had to get himself under control. He barely knew Jungkook. He was hiding his existence from his pack, for goodness sake. Did that make it all a little more taboo…and intriguing? Maybe. But Jimin was a mature adult, he wasn’t living some sort of romantic fantasy.
But if he was …wasn’t it all so terribly storybook? It didn’t help that Jungkook looked like a fairytale prince, and the healthier and stronger he became, the more Jimin’s omega was drawn to his alpha.
He really needed to get a hold of himself.
Jungkook and Nara would be fine for a while now. There was no need to check up on them again.
Jimin was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize he had reached the village until he bumped into Taehyung and Seokjin, who were heading from the greenhouse to the kitchens.
“Jimin! Hi! Where have you -”
Taehyung stopped speaking, reacting to the way Seokjin immediately stiffened, sniffing the air curiously and tilting his head to the side as he stared at Jimin.
Jimin stepped back, releasing his own pheromones to thicken the air between them and hopefully mask -
“Oh my goddess. Oh MY GODDE -”
Jimin lurched forward and slapped his hand over Seokjin’s mouth. Seokjin promptly licked his palm, smirking when Jimin snatched his hand away. Taehyung stared between Jimin and his mate blankly.
“Please don’t yell whatever you were going to yell. Although, I don’t know what you would yell, because there’s nothing worth yelling about.” Jimin tried for aloof with a shrug of his shoulders.
Seokjin just stared, a knowing look on his face.
“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Taehyung asked.
“Smell him, yeobo,” Seokjin replied.
Taehyung smiled, stepping closer to Jimin and inhaling deeply. His beta senses were not as attuned to scents, so it took him a moment longer before his eyes flew wide again and he stepped back, his curious grin morphing into a shocked grimace.
“Jimin, why do you smell like a Jeon pack alpha!?”
“Shit, look…it isn’t what you think. Please let me explain,” Jimin asked.
Taehyung was still scowling, but he took Jimin’s hand with a huff and dragged him back towards the greenhouse, Seokjin following along, his face carefully blank.
The three of them stood close together in the herb patch, the pair letting Jimin explain everything - from the moment he had found Jungkook and Nara in the cave, to their heated conversation earlier.
When Jimin was done, he bowed deeply to his friends.
“Please, please keep this to yourself. I don’t want to put Manshik in a position where he has to feel guilty about putting the pack before a pair of strange wolves. We don’t have the resources to care for two more, but I just thought…as long as they were warm and safe this winter…”
“Are you sure Manshik wouldn’t make room?” Taehyung asked. “He was so generous with our pack when Namjoon asked him to take us in.”
“It’s not just the extra mouths to feed. If the Jeon pack alpha found out that Manshik had taken in Jungkook after he disobeyed him, it could give him reason to attack.” Jimin replied.
“Jaesung is definitely dangerous. I understand, I just don’t want you to have to keep this secret to yourse -”
“You need to cut ties with him,” Seokjin interrupted.
“Wh-what? Why?” Taehyung asked.
Jimin studied Seokjin. The alpha’s scent betrayed his calm façade, the cinnamon notes of his blackcurrant scent bitter and overwhelming.
“You weren’t there when Jeon Jaesung took over our pack. I was in the meeting rooms, I heard his carefully worded threats. Daeseong had no choice but to step down. Jaesung is vicious, and cruel in a way that I imagine our warrior ancestors were. If he seeks to find this alpha of yours, and learns that you’ve been hiding him away and helping him, he’ll punish your whole pack.”
“Hyung,” Taehyung murmured, leaning in to brush his nose against Seokjin’s scent gland, trying to calm his alpha.
“Respectfully, Seokjin-hyung, they’re already in one of our cabins, and I can’t ask them to leave now. They have nowhere to go. They’ll be gone by spring. The Jeon pack won’t risk coming onto our land, not in winter while the forest is so unforgiving anyway.”
Jimin wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince more - Seokjin or himself.
“But you’re already struggling with attraction to him. Can you really stay away, now? Can your omega?” Seokjin pushed.
Jimin sighed, chewing on his bottom lip. That was a question he wasn’t ready to answer.
“Can you keep this a secret, or not?” Jimin finally asked.
“Yes, of course,” Taehyung was quick to answer. Seokjin sighed heavily before nodding his agreement.
“You need to bathe before you go back into the village though. You stink,” Seokjin said, bluntly.
“Hyung can scent you!” Taehyung offered.
“Tae, no -”
“Uh, no, thank you -”
Jimin and Seokjin shuffled awkwardly and Taehyung rolled his eyes at them.
“Alphas and omegas are so weird…”
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jungkook sat on a bench (well, a fallen log he had dragged over) just outside the cabin door, whittling away at a piece of firewood, slowly shaping it into a horse shaped friend for the bear family he had already carved for Nara. It was late, and freezing cold, but the jacket Jimin had gifted him kept him warm.
Nara was fast asleep inside. She had curled up in front of the fire on their old bear pelt, and whined when Jungkook tried to move her to the bed, so he just left her close to the warm, flickering flames.
The depths of winter were as cold as expected. Every day Jungkook was thankful for the shelter of their cabin and stores of rice. He still ventured out every day to search for fresh prey, but he came home empty-handed more days than he didn’t.
They hadn’t seen Jimin for longer than a quick visit in six weeks or so. He dropped in occasionally to check on them, but every absence from his pack was noticed, so he only stayed for long enough to see that they were eating well enough and didn't need any help.
Jungkook missed companionship almost as much as he missed a reliable food source. Wolves were not meant to be solitary creatures, and his alpha pined for the closeness of a pack.
The small moments he had shared with Jimin on his sporadic visits were revitalizing, as if the omega’s presence had breathed life back into him. There was something between them - his alpha knew it - and in another life, Jungkook would have acted on it.
Every day, a foolish part of him wondered if Jimin would return and perhaps stay for longer this time. He had no right to want for such a thing…Jimin owed him nothing. The omega had already done way more for them than he needed to. He had given Jungkook hope. More than that - a chance at survival.
Knowing that his child was safe for the moment was almost enough to make Jungkook forget that their situation wasn’t permanent, and he still had a difficult decision to make come spring.
His alpha was physically back to full strength now though, warmth and good sleep doing him almost as much good as regular food. Every day he worked out, going for runs in the snow or strength training. Nara thought it was hilarious when he used her wiggling body as weights.
It was his heightened senses that smelled Jimin coming long before he heard the crack of a twig underfoot.
The elation of his alpha was almost embarrassing.
“You’re back,” Jungkook murmured, standing up to greet him.
Jimin stepped into the low light thrown from the fireplace through the cabin window.
“I thought you might be sick of rice,” Jimin said in lieu of a proper greeting.
He handed Jungkook a woven basket filled with small bread rolls and a handful of peppers and cherry tomatoes.
“Oh, thank you! You’re sure you can spare them?”
Jungkook picked up a tomato and brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply. His mouth watered at the fresh scent. Jimin’s pack must have a greenhouse…nothing planted outside could survive this cold.
“They’re my own rations. I saved them up for you,” Jimin replied.
Jungkook frowned. That felt wrong in a very primal way.
“Oh no, no…I don’t want you going without, not because of me. Maybe I’ll just keep one tomato for Nara, but…”
Jungkook tried to hand the basket back and Jimin smiled at him, fond but exasperated.
“I wouldn’t have given them to you if I didn’t want to. Please, take them. You have to think of yourself too, y’know? You need to be strong for Nara, after all.”
Jungkook sighed and accepted Jimin’s decision, although his alpha was grumbling.
“So, how have you been?” Jungkook asked.
He sat down again, shuffling to the side so Jimin could share his bench. Their thighs pressed together and Jungkook subtly sniffed the air, satisfied that Jimin seemed content and healthy.
“Oh, same old, really. The pack pups are going a little stir crazy being cooped up inside most of the day. It’s just too cold for them to explore the forest like they usually do. It was nice even just to walk here to be honest - quiet, for a change.”
Jungkook hummed, encouraging Jimin to keep talking.
“Remember I told you we were conserving energy by using less cabins? It’s just the first time I’ve lived with anyone else since I presented and was given my own space. It’s, well, a little lonely to be honest.”
“Lonely? Living with other wolves?” Jungkook asked.
“I’m living with mated wolves. It never usually bothers me, but seeing them all curled around each other at night. It’s just a reminder of what I don’t have,” Jimin replied.
His scent was a little melancholy, and Jungkook ached to reach for him.
“Yet,” Jungkook said instead.
“Yet?”
“A reminder of what you don’t have yet .”
Jimin smiled, bumping Jungkook’s shoulder with his own, his scent sweetening.
Success , Jungkook thought to himself.
“How is Nara?”
“She’s doing better than I probably would in her position. She’s pretty brave and understanding for a kid. I know she misses her old home, with her things and her friends, but she rarely complains. Sometimes she gets really clingy, and just needs to be held. I think she’s thinking of her Eomma then,” Jungkook answered.
“Do you?” Jimin asked.
“Do I what?”
“Think of her Eomma. You lost someone too, after all.”
“Ah. I don’t really, to be honest. It felt like a kick to the gut when I learnt about Mirae’s death, but we were never more to each other than that one night. She was always scared of me, I think. The way most humans are. I’m surprised she let me be in Nara’s life at all,” Jungkook explained.
“I can’t believe her family and friends hate wolves so much that they would reject a little girl,” Jimin said, his scent souring.
“It’s not hate, I don’t think. Just fear, and lack of understanding. Jaesung is that way about humans too. I don’t know why. I was young when our sire died, but from what I’ve been told, he never thought much about them one way or the other. Maybe Jaesung’s dam hated humans for her own reasons and passed that on,” Jungkook replied.
“Well, Nara’s better off with you now, anyway,” Jimin said, nodding his head like he’d never been so sure of anything.
“Hungry and bored, in an old cabin in the middle of winter, with no village, no pack, and no other family except an alpha wolf who has no idea what he’s doing half the time?” Jungkook scoffed.
If Jungkook thought about their current circumstances too hard, he would drive himself mad with guilt and worry.
“Hey, look at me,” Jimin said, poking Jungkook sharply in the thigh.
“Ouch.”
“I wasn’t lying to Nara the day I brought you to this cabin. Whatever the horrible real reason her halmeoni wouldn’t take her in, my explanation is still true. She’s half wolf, and she’s half yours . Nobody in the world can love her and understand her the way you do. Everything’s a mess right now, but she is with the right person, Jungkook.”
Jungkook held Jimin’s gaze, gratitude too big to put into words, so he let his scent speak for him. Jimin breathed in and smiled, his own scent sweetening in return. It was the most connected Jungkook had felt to another wolf - and to his alpha - in a long time.
Jungkook longed to reach for Jimin and…he didn’t even know. Hug him? Scent him? Just…touch him. But he didn’t want to cross the line, so he leaned back instead and changed the subject.
“Where do your friends think you are now?” Jungkook asked.
“I slipped away while they were asleep. When they wake up, they’ll think I just went hunting early. Not that they’ll be expecting me to bring anything home. The winter has been as unforgiving as we thought it would be.”
“Oh, I have some fish you can take with you! Nara and I hiked along the stream the other day and found a patch of ice thin enough to crack and drop a hook through,” Jungkook pointed at the side of the cabin, where a few carp were packed in ice in a hollowed out tree trunk.
“I’m supposed to be the one bringing you supplies!” Jimin said with a laugh.
“Hey, I can be a provider too! That’s what alpha’s are supposed to do, after all.”
Jimin looked at him properly then, his focused eye contact overwhelming.
“You’re a good alpha,” Jimin murmured.
Jungkook’s tongue felt dry and useless in his mouth as he tried to respond.
“I - you - thank you,” was the best he could come up with.
Jimin snort-laughed, inelegant.
“Smooth.”
“I can be smooth!” Jungkook exclaimed.
“Sure, sure,” Jimin nodded patronizingly.
Jungkook let his pheromones spike, earthy and sharp as he leaned in closer, smirking when Jimin’s jaw dropped and his pupils dilated.
“I can be smooth, Omega,” Jungkook murmured.
“You - I - yeah, I believe that -” Jimin visibly gulped.
Jungkook leaned back and as the air between them cleared, Jimin shook his head like he was coming out of a daze.
“So tell me about your friends,” Jungkook changed the subject again.
“Friends,” Jimin blinked, clearly still off-kilter. “Right, um…friends. Well two of them you might know, actually. They’re from the Kim Pack. Seokjin is an alpha and Taehyung is his beta mate.”
Jungkook frowned, trying to remember. He hadn’t had much time to get to know all the Kim pack members before Jaesung took over and some of them left. He did pay attention to most of the alpha’s though - it was fairly instinctual behavior.
“Seokjin…Seokjin…oh! Right. Tall, handsome, spicy berry scent…his mate is really beautiful and friendly, right? Wavy black hair?”
“Yeah. That’s them. Taehyung is really beautiful.”
Was Jungkook imagining it, or was Jimin a little miffed?
“I mean, you’d know all about that,” Jungkook added.
“About what?”
“Being beautiful…”
Jimin burst out laughing, throwing himself to the side and slapping Jungkook on the shoulder.
“Stop that!” Jimin cried, still laughing.
“I told you I could be smooth,” Jungkook replied. “C’mon, tell me about the rest of your friends before you melt into a puddle because of how smooth I am.”
Jimin rolled his eyes, but the smile on his face was still brighter than the light shining from the fireplace.
“Well, Yoongi and Hoseok are a pair of beta mates. Hoseok is really encouraging and loves to make people smile. Yoongi is quiet and watchful…he always knows the right thing to say. They’re both my closest hyungs…I grew up with them. A couple of years ago they went to a trade meeting and met Namjoon, an omega from the Kim pack. They fell in love, and Namjoon mated them. He’s our pack healer, now.”
“Is he the only other male omega in your pack?” Jungkook asked.
Before Jimin, he hadn’t actually met a male omega before. They were rare, and some stories of their ancestors didn’t paint them in a favorable light. There was an old - completely ridiculous in Jungkook’s opinion - belief that omega’s were somehow the weaker sub-gender.
That prejudice against omega’s wasn’t common anymore, but it did exist. It seemed like Jimin’s pack didn’t feel that way at all, but Jungkook’s former pack had a few older members with foolish, bigoted ideals.
“Yes, it’s just the two of us. Did you have any in your old pack?” Jimin asked.
“No, you’re actually the first I’ve met,” Jungkook replied.
“It doesn’t…I mean, you’re not…bothered?”
“Of course not!”
Jimin smiled, clearly pleased with Jungkook’s passionate denial.
“I’m glad. I’m lucky, my pack has always been really progressive. It’s a really beautiful village. We raise our pups as a community, we all do our fair share of work no matter your position in the pack, and our leadership has always been open to be questioned. My pack alpha is my uncle…my appa was his brother. One day the pack will be mine, but if anyone has an issue with that, they can always put themselves up for consideration.”
“I think you’ll be an amazing pack omega. I certainly wouldn’t challenge you,” Jungkook said with a grin.
“You could try ,” Jimin replied, another full-bodied laugh tumbling out of him.
Jungkook’s yawn caught him by surprise, but he supposed they had been talking for a while.
“I’ve kept you up so late, I’m sorry,” Jimin reached out and grabbed Jungkook’s forearm.
The touch felt like an accident and the most natural thing in the world at the same time, and Jungkook’s head was spinning. His alpha was so interested. Obviously Jungkook was interested too, but he was trying so hard to be cool and not weird.
“It’s late, and it’s just going to get colder. Why don’t you stay here?”
Jungkook stood, offering his hand to Jimin.
That wasn’t weird, was it?
Jimin didn’t pause, or look at him strangely, so Jungkook breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Thank you. I can sleep on the floor,” Jimin replied, standing up and following Jungkook into the cabin, his hand so soft in the alpha’s grip.
“No need,” Jungkook nodded towards Nara, still fast asleep in front of the fire.
He envied the way she slept. The wildest thunderstorms couldn’t wake her.
“Oh…”
Jimin looked at the wide bed, his eyes darting to Jungkook and away again.
All his confident teasing the last time they were together, and now the omega looked completely overwhelmed. Jungkook bit back a smile.
“You don’t mind sharing a bed, do you?” Jungkook asked.
“No. Do you mind?” Jimin replied.
“I don’t mind at all. You look a little nervous,” Jungkook teased.
Jimin’s jaw dropped and he frowned.
“I’m not nervous. I’m very happy to share a bed with you.”
“Oh, are you now?” Jungkook asked, pressing his hand to his chest, pretending to be scandalized.
“You’re incorrigible and I’m going to ignore you.”
Jimin bent down to take his boots off and Jungkook did the same before crawling into the bed and holding his hand out.
Jimin took it, following him onto the lumpy mattress - really just sheets the pack bought from human traders, stuffed with straw - and laying down beside him.
“So, we’re sharing a bed,” Jungkook said.
“So we are,” Jimin replied, his smile a little shy again.
Jungkook wrapped one arm around Jimin's waist and pulled him closer - a respectable distance, but close enough to mean something.
“Is this how your friends hold each other when they sleep?” Jungkook asked.
Jimin pulled his lower lip between his teeth and chewed on it, his eyes searching Jungkook's.
“Hmm…no. It's more like this…”
Jimin slid one leg between Jungkook's and shuffled closer, wrapping one arm around his broad shoulders and playing with the long black curls at the nape of his neck.
“You won't be lonely tonight, then?” Jungkook dared to whisper his question against Jimin's lips.
In response, Jimin pressed their lips together properly, a chaste kiss that had Jungkook's alpha roaring with approval.
When Jimin pulled back, Jungkook smiled at the ring of bright blue around his irises. He knew his own eyes were ringed red.
“Goodnight, Omega.”
“Goodnight, Alpha.”
Only minutes later, Jungkook felt Jimin relax in his arms, and he let himself succumb to sleep as well.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jimin was positively floating. He wouldn’t have been surprised to turn around and see no trace of his steps in the freshly fallen snow.
He had woken first, confused for a moment before he remembered who the arms wrapped around him belonged to.
Jungkook was spooning him, one arm under his head like a pillow, the other wrapped around his waist, hand splayed across his stomach in a possessive way that made Jimin’s breath quicken.
He tried to wriggle free unnoticed, but as soon as he moved Jungkook woke with a start, squeezing Jimin closer for a moment before remembering himself and letting go with a shy smile.
Nara had woken moments later, thankfully after they had separated - that would have been an awkward conversation to start the day. Jimin had boiled a pot of water to bathe in so he could regrettably wash Jungkook’s scent from his skin. His clothes still smelled like the alpha, so he would have to avoid getting close to anyone else until he could change.
Jungkook had distracted Nara with breakfast before walking Jimin outside. He ducked around to the hollowed out tree log and tugged three large fish from the packed ice, tying them together before approaching Jimin and hooking them on his belt.
“Thank you,” Jimin smiled.
Jungkook stepped back, wringing his hands together.
“You have no idea how much my alpha wants to scent you before sending you home,” Jungkook admitted.
“I want that too. Last night meant a lot to me,” Jimin replied.
Meant a lot was probably an understatement. Jimin wasn’t going to say anything because he didn’t want to pressure Jungkook, but his omega had well and truly claimed the alpha.
“It meant a lot to me, too. You mean a lot to me, Jimin. Not just because of what you’ve done for us.”
“You mean a lot to me too, Jungkook. Nara as well. We’ll work this out, okay? I just…need a little time.”
“Take all the time you need. We’ll be here,” Jungkook tilted his head towards the cabin with a smile.
Jimin turned and walked away. He could feel Jungkook’s eyes on him, and if he swayed his hips a little more than usual, well that was his business.
He was almost home, caught in dizzying daydreams about Jungkook’s soft lips and thick biceps that just kept getting bigger , when he heard the frantic hiss of his name.
Seokjin was at his side before Jimin could blink, grabbing him by the elbow and leaning in to sniff at him aggressively.
“What are you doing ?”
Jimin tried to yank his arm away but Seokjin was too strong.
“Jeon pack are here. They’re looking for Jungkook. You need to let me scent you,” Seokjin whispered frantically.
“What!?” Jimin cried.
Seokjin ignored him, leaning close to press his nose to Jimin’s scent gland. He leaned in closer still, rubbing their cheeks together, his scent pungent and overwhelming, smothering any trace of Jungkook.
Jimin whined, his omega beginning to fret, wrong, wrong, wrong repeating over and over in his head.
“Wrong…w-wrong alpha,” Jimin murmured.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry…ssh…” Seokjin replied, his voice deep and soothing, his alpha doing his best to calm Jimin’s omega down.
Jimin felt like his skin was crawling. The urge to turn and run back to Jungkook almost brought him to his knees.
“C’mon, you need to keep it together.”
Seokjin shook Jimin lightly by the shoulders, peering down into his eyes until Jimin focused on him.
“You with me?” Seokjin asked.
Jimin took a deep breath, and then another, until the pressure in his chest released and he could let his own scent push through Seokjin’s.
“When did they arrive?” Jimin asked.
“Only moments ago. Kai ran to get Manshik. Can you control your scent if they question you?” Seokjin replied.
Jimin hoped so. Jungkook and Nara’s safety depended on it.
They entered the village together, Taehyung skipping over to them casually, a bright smile on his face but his eyes betraying his worry.
“You brought fish! Yum!”
Taehyung grabbed Jimin’s hand, tugging him over to the kitchens. Jimin glanced at the front gate of the village, where Manshik was speaking to two imposing wolves. He couldn’t smell them from where he was, but Jimin bet they were alphas.
Safely inside the kitchen, the fish handed off to the beta working on lunch, Taehyung turned to Jimin.
“You smell like Hyung…I wonder why that was necessary,” Taehyung said with a silly wink.
Despite his stress, Jimin couldn’t help but laugh.
“You can’t smell…anyone else on me?”
“I’m not the best one to ask…let’s go see Joon!” Taehyung replied, turning Jimin around and marching him back outside.
They were halfway to the healer’s cabin when Manshik’s voice stilled them.
“Jimin, can I see you for a moment?”
Taehyung gripped Jimin’s hand and squeezed tightly, muttering under his breath.
“You got this…”
Jimin nodded, gritting his teeth and turning on his heel, pasting a smile on his face as he watched Manshik approach with the visitors.
“Jimin, this is San and Mingi from the Jeon pack. This is my nephew, Jimin.”
Manshik finished his introductions and moved to stand beside Jimin, one hand moving to grip his shoulder fondly.
Jimin bowed, inhaling deeply as he did so. As he suspected, they were both alphas. The visitors bowed in return. San seemed more relaxed. He studied Jimin with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes while Mingi’s gaze darted around the village, his posture tense and aware.
“Jimin, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Manshik tells us that you are one of the pack's best hunters and will one day lead the pack. You must know a lot of what goes on in your village,” San began.
“I suppose so,” Jimin replied. “May I ask why you have journeyed here in the middle of such a cold winter? Surely the frozen forest didn’t make it easy for you.”
“We were sent here with some urgency. Our pack alpha’s younger brother has gotten himself in a bit of trouble. He has kidnapped a human child and disappeared.”
Jimin kept his face impassive, breathing deep and slow and controlling his scent the way Manshik taught him when he was just beginning to hunt. Kidnapped ? How dare they outright lie . Manshik’s hand, still on his shoulder, squeezed gently.
Breathe…in…out…
“How awful.” Jimin replied. “Unfortunately I haven’t seen any new faces recently. Especially not a wolf with a kidnapped child. We’ve been doing our best to just survive the season.”
“Of course. You hunt though. Perhaps you’ve seen signs outside your village of someone in hiding?” San pressed.
“All I’ve seen when out hunting lately is snow. I had some luck fishing earlier today, though. As for the pair you seek, I don’t know of anywhere that would be safe to hide in this weather. Perhaps they headed towards one of the human villages?”
San’s jaw clenched.
“Perhaps you’re right.”
“Well, I do hope you find what you’re looking for,” Jimin said with another small bow.
“You don’t mind if we search the surrounding forest for a while before heading home, do you?” San turned to Manshik and asked.
Jimin bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted iron, but his scent remained calm.
“Actually, I must ask that you return home. When spring arrives you may return, and we shall grant you an escort to search our territory. I can’t have you on our land without one of our own, and I won’t risk the health of my pack members in this cold to do anything but hunt for our food. You understand, of course,” Manshik replied, his tone firm but pleasant.
San’s insincere smile slipped from his face, and beside him, Mingi scowled.
“Our alpha will be displeased that you refused to help us,” Mingi snapped.
“Well, your alpha is free to take that up with me upon season’s change.”
Manshik’s tone was no longer pleasant, and his smokey scent was overpowering, as if they had all stepped too close to a burning campfire.
San and Mingi shrank back, their own scents mellowing, and Jimin was reminded of what a powerful alpha his uncle was.
The Jeon pack alphas turned and swiftly left the village. If they had tails, they would have been cowed between their legs.
Manshik whistled and suddenly Seokjin and another Park pack alpha, Wonho, arrived at his side.
“Follow them to the border. See that they return to their territory.”
They nodded grimly, Seokjin glancing at Jimin before they left.
Jimin closed his eyes, relief almost dizzying, until Manshik squeezed his shoulder again, harder this time.
“We need to talk.”
Jimin followed Manshik, his heart in his throat. They walked past the healer’s cabin and Manshik poked his head inside. Over his shoulder, Jimin could see that Yoongi and Hoseok were inside with Namjoon. The betas often spent time with their mate during the day while Namjoon pottered around the cabin making salves and occasionally heading into the forest to restock their supplies.
“Will you three join us for a moment, please?” Manshik asked.
They followed, Hoseok shooting Jimin a confused look. When they were all inside Manshik’s cabin, the pack alpha turned to Jimin.
“I believe you have something to tell us, child. I thought I would save you the bother of telling it twice, considering your bond with these three. Taehyung and Seokjin know already, I assume?”
“How - ” Jimin began.
“I wouldn’t be a very good alpha if I didn’t know that something was going on with my own pack, now would I? Taehyung in particular has a terrible poker face. I know you’re keeping something from me, and I assume it has something to do with our guests.” Manshik replied.
Jimin thought he had been so careful. His eyes fell to his feet as they burnt with tears.
“I’m sorry , I didn’t want to burden you with this.”
“Min, what’s going on?” Hoseok stepped closer, wrapping one arm around Jimin’s shoulders and squeezing him close.
“Those alphas who were here, looking for a runaway alpha from their pack? I know where he is. I found him a few weeks ago, in a cave on our land. I offered him shelter in one of our cycle cabins. He’s staying there now, with his child.”
Namjoon exhaled sharply, exchanging a weighted glance with Yoongi. Hoseok frowned, but he didn’t let Jimin out of his embrace.
“But the Jeon pack alphas lied! Jungkook didn’t kidnap the child. She’s his . She’s half human, half wolf. Her eomma died and the humans didn’t want her, and Jungkook’s pack alpha told him that she was an abomination , and if he didn’t take her back to the humans, she would be put to death! Jaesung is a monster . I had to keep them safe!” Jimin rushed to explain.
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Manshik asked.
“I knew we would barely have enough supplies to last our own pack for the winter, and, worse, I knew that we could get in trouble for hiding Jungkook from his pack. I thought I could keep the secret and nobody else would be at risk. I shared supplies with them, but only the forgotten stores from the cycle cabins, and my own rations.”
“Why didn’t you tell us ? We would have helped you carry the burden,” Hoseok said, glancing at Manshik. “Sorry, Hyung-nim…”
“Don’t apologize for being loyal to your loved ones Hoseok-ah,” Manshik smiled fondly.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry that I lied to all of you. I just wanted to do the right thing by everyone.”
Jimin slumped against Hoseok, letting his tears spill over and run down his cheeks.
Admitting his secret to everyone was difficult enough, but Seokjin’s lingering scent on his skin was driving his omega wild, like he had been doused in suffocating perfume that made his skin burn. All he wanted was to fall into Jungkook’s arms and have his alpha scent him until he felt right again.
But Jungkook wasn’t his alpha and everything was a mess.
Hoseok wrapped his arms tighter around Jimin’s shoulders and Yoongi moved to his other side, wrapping the both of them up. Namjoon knelt at Jimin’s feet and leaned in, pressing his forehead to Jimin’s and letting his calming pheromones swirl between them. For a moment, Jimin felt completely calm and safe, like his pack had blanketed him in love and peace.
Jimin inhaled deeply as his packmates pulled away.
“So, what now?” Jimin asked.
Manshik seemed to consider his answer for a moment.
“If what you say is true, your new friends must be protected from their former pack. I won’t bring them here and put our pack at risk, I’m sorry child. But they can remain where they are for the season.”
The relief Jimin felt was dizzying.
“Thank you, uncle . Please, I need to tell Jungkook that they came looking for him. I won’t be gone long.”
Jimin could have sworn his uncle was hiding a smile as he nodded his agreement.
“We’re coming with you,” Yoongi said, his hand on Hoseok’s shoulder.
“We are?” Hoseok asked, clearly surprised.
“I’m sure Jimin would like a little privacy while he fills Jungkook in. We can watch the little one…and meet this alpha who has captured our Min’s heart.”
Jimin felt his cheeks warm as everyone stared at him, Yoongi with a shrewd smile on his face.
“How do you always know everything ?” Namjoon asked his mate fondly.
Yoongi just shrugged.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Later that day, Jungkook was putting the finishing touches on the biggest snowman he and Nara had ever made, when his alpha was suddenly on high alert. He turned towards the surrounding forest, a growl rumbling in his chest, before Jimin burst out of the trees with two unfamiliar wolves at his side.
“Jimin!” Nara cried, running towards him.
Jungkook watched as Jimin masked the worried look on his face with a smile and bent down to wrap his arms around Nara, squeezing her tight.
“Hey, little bug,” Jimin ruffled her hair fondly as he let her go.
Jungkook stepped forward, eyeing the strangers cautiously.
“Jungkook, Nara…these are my friends Hoseok and Yoongi.”
Nara waved, smiling brightly, and the wolves waved back. One of them - Hoseok - had a bright, heart-shaped smile and twinkling brown eyes. Yoongi was clearly his mate, hovering close by and keeping one eye on Jungkook.
Jimin grabbed Nara’s hand and walked her back to Jungkook.
“Nara, I need to talk to your Appa for a minute, okay? Do you think you can show Yoongi and Hobi how to build a snowman even bigger than this one?”
“Yes!” Nara squealed, delighted.
Children were so trusting.
Jimin grabbed Jungkook by the hand and tugged him towards the trees, not even glancing behind as Hoseok and Yoongi dived right into snowman making and a rousing discussion about their favorite type of flower.
If Jimin trusted these wolves, Jungkook would trust them too.
They trudged through the snow until they couldn’t hear Nara’s delighted chatter anymore, and then further still, Jimin pausing every now and then to listen carefully. He seemed satisfied when they were far enough away that they had complete privacy, although Jungkook was still thoroughly confused as to what was going on.
“Jimin - what - ”
Jungkook’s breath was knocked from his lungs as Jimin swung him around and shoved him into a wide oak trunk.
“Please scent me,” Jimin begged, “scent me first and then I’ll explain everything.”
Jimin was crowding him against the tree and for the first time since his hurried arrival, Jungkook was able to smell him. He smelt like another alpha - the vaguely familiar scent of Seokjin - and the wolf in Jungkook snarled, the sharpness of his jealousy taking him by surprise.
Questions caught in his throat and Jungkook was overcome with the need to do as Jimin asked - to scent him until he was coated in Jungkook’s mossy pine scent.
They rubbed against each other, breathing heavily, Jimin scenting him back until all Jungkook could smell was their combined spring scent; until the forest fell away and all he could see was Jimin’s bright omega-blue eyes and full lips, mouth open as he panted.
Jungkook grabbed Jimin by the nape of his neck and tugged him closer, licking into his mouth and whining when Jimin latched onto his bottom lip and bit down.
They needed to slow down - Jungkook needed to know what was going on - but Jimin’s scent was driving him wild. His lips were so soft and he was pressed against Jungkook from his chest to his thighs.
His scent was off though - worried - and Jungkook could hear his heartbeat rabbiting out of control inside his chest.
Jungkook summoned all the self-control he possessed and pulled away.
“Jimin, Jimin, wait…what’s going on?”
Jungkook tried to put distance between them but Jimin followed his lips, kissing him senseless until Jungkook could barely breathe.
“Jimin…baby… Omega .”
Jimin’s eyes flew wide and he pulled away, breathing heavily.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I just…I got carried away.”
Jimin’s cheeks were pink, but his eyes had returned to their deep brown.
“It’s okay,” Jungkook replied. “Just tell me what’s going on.”
Jimin took a deep breath as if to gather himself for a moment and Jungkook waited patiently, tucking Jimin’s hair behind his ear and letting his pheromones swirl, soothing, between them.
“Two alphas from Jeon pack came to our village looking for you. They arrived just as I got back. That’s why Seokjin scented me so heavily - to hide your scent.”
“ What ? Who? What did they say, exactly?”
“Uh…Mingi and San. They said they were looking for their pack alpha’s younger brother. They lied , Jungkook; they said you had kidnapped a human child.”
“I doubt very much they were lying. That’s probably what Jaesung told them. They were good friends though…I’m hurt that they believed him,” Jungkook sighed. “What else?”
“I told them I hadn’t seen you, or any sign of you, of course. They asked if they could search for you themselves but Manshik denied them. He told them they could come back in the spring and someone from our pack would accompany them. Seokjin and another of our alpha’s escorted them back to their border.”
Jungkook closed his eyes, relief flooding through him. They were safe for now at least. His relief was short-lived however.
“But, what about you!? Did you get in trouble? Why are your packmates here?”
Jimin smiled then, and he stepped closer to Jungkook.
“I told Manshik and my closest friends everything. I mean, not everything . But…nobody was angry. You’re allowed to stay here. Manshik won’t risk challenging Jaesung by bringing you to our village, but you’re still safe. Hoseok and Yoongi came with me to tell you so that they could keep Nara occupied.”
Jimin wrapped his arms around Jungkook’s waist and hugged him close, his chin resting on Jungkook’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry about before,” Jimin continued, murmuring in Jungkook’s ear, “I just - my omega was so upset, smelling like another alpha. I really needed you to scent me. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to - ”
Jimin paused, his arms squeezing Jungkook tighter.
“Didn’t mean to what?” Jungkook replied softly as he rubbed soothing circles on Jimin’s back.
“Jungkook - I - my omega - heclaimedyou…”
Jungkook huffed out a laugh, pulling back and tilting Jimin’s chin upwards. To his surprise, the omega’s cheeks were flushed red and he wouldn’t look Jungkook in the eye.
“I didn’t catch that last bit,” Jungkook teased.
Jimin whined and tried to bury his face in Jungkook’s chest again.
“Nuh uh, talk to me…” Jungkook caught Jimin’s chin, holding him still while he rubbed their noses together. “Please?”
Jimin sighed shakily, squaring his shoulders.
“My omega has claimed you,” he enunciated slowly and carefully, looking Jungkook right in the eyes now. “I want you. I want you to be mine .”
Jungkook’s cheeks hurt with the grin that spread across his face as he leaned in and pressed their lips together, his scent blooming as his alpha rejoiced. He pulled away and cupped Jimin’s cheeks in his hands.
“Yes! Yes, I want that too. I want to be yours. You’re my omega; I’ve never been so sure of anything.”
Jimin smiled so brightly his eyes disappeared into crescent moons. Jungkook pressed their lips together again in a sweet, soft kiss.
“This changes things,” Jimin said as he pulled away. “You’ll join our pack, but first we’ll need to settle things with yours.”
“Jaesung will see it as a challenge if Manshik allows Nara and I to join your pack. It’s stupid, but that’s how he thinks.”
“Manshik is a good alpha,” Jimin replied. “He won’t let anything happen to innocents, especially if they’re claimed by one of his own.”
“If Manshik offers us a place in the Park pack, Jaesung will use that as a reason to challenge his leadership and expand the Jeon pack territory. Even if things don’t go the way Jaesung wants, there’s still a chance that members of your pack will be hurt. I won’t let that happen. There’s only one thing I can do, now.”
“What do you mean?” Jimin asked with a frown.
“I will challenge Jaesung to fight me, one on one. If I win, he’ll leave Nara and I alone and never approach your pack again.”
“I know you’re strong, and I believe in you, but I have to ask - what if you don’t win?” Jimin asked.
“If he wins, he may banish me…or more likely kill me. With me punished, hopefully he will leave Nara alone. You’ll take her, won’t you? Keep her safe?”
“Of course I’ll keep Nara safe, but Jungkook, what do you mean he would kill you? You’re his brother. And you’re a wolf. Does he have no respect for the life of another alpha?”
Jimin’s hands were fisted in Jungkook’s shirt, his scent bitter with fear and anger.
Jungkook was struck with gratitude that Jimin had grown up in a pack surrounded by support and love. His compassionate, principled omega couldn’t imagine being led by such a power-hungry, immoral alpha. It made Jungkook even more determined to keep him safe.
“No, he really doesn’t. He doesn’t respect me. He only respects power. And he only understands a challenge. He knows nothing of loyalty, or family. This is the only way, Jimin.”
Jungkook pulled Jimin close, wrapping him up in his arms and squeezing him tight.
“I’m coming with you.”
Jimin’s words were muffled in Jungkook’s chest.
“What? No, you’re not,” Jungkook pulled back, shaking his head, suppressing a growl.
Absolutely not - he could almost hear his alpha.
“You are my alpha. I will be there to support you when you challenge another. I’m not asking, Jungkook. I’m telling you, I’m coming with you.”
Jimin’s eyes flashed blue and Jungkook felt his alpha rise in response. They stared at each other, neither willing to budge, until the energy between them became more heated…hungry.
“ Omega …”
Jimin raised one eyebrow, his jaw set. Jungkook had never been challenged by an omega like this before and he gritted his teeth before he was tempted to snap them at Jimin’s neck.
“Do it,” Jimin murmured. “I dare you.”
Jungkook’s head spun. He could feel his breath quicken as Jimin stepped closer.
“Jimin…what’s happening?”
“My omega wants your respect.”
“I - I do. I do respect you. I just want to keep you safe.”
“I’m going to lead my pack one day…hopefully with you by my side, Jungkook. You need to know before this goes any further that we will be equals . I can hold my own. I need to know that you can too,” Jimin leaned in to whisper, his lips soft against the shell of Jungkook’s ear, “and I can take anything you can give me, Alpha .”
The double meaning behind Jimin’s words sent a thrilling chill down Jungkook’s spine.
He reached for the nape of Jimin’s neck and squeezed, a growl rumbling in his throat. He didn’t really know what he was doing. His alpha was pushing him to take control, but…was that what Jimin wanted?
“I need - I don’t really know what to - I don’t want to disappoint you…” Jungkook let honesty stumble awkwardly from his lips and Jimin’s gaze softened.
“You could never disappoint me,” Jimin murmured. “Just let your alpha lead you. What do you want me to do?”
Jungkook wanted to be strong. He wanted to protect the omega in his arms. He didn’t just want to be in control, he wanted - needed - Jimin to trust him to take over.
“I can’t…I mean, you don’t have to…”
“ Tell me , what does your alpha want?” Jimin pushed, his hand pressed to Jungkook’s chest.
“Submit,” Jungkook whispered.
“What?” Jimin leaned closer, a smile whispering at the corners of his mouth and Jungkook suddenly felt like he was being played with.
“I want you to submit , Omega,” Jungkook replied, louder this time, and he felt his alpha throw some power behind his words.
Jimin’s eyes fluttered shut and Jungkook was immediately overwhelmed by the sweetness of his scent. Jasmine and honey was so thick in the air that he could almost taste it, and Jungkook realized with a sharp intake of breath that Jimin was leaking slick.
Jungkook leaned down and mouthed hot and wet over Jimin’s scent gland. Jimin sagged against him, tilting his head back more to give Jungkook better access to the flawless line of his neck. The thought of sinking his canines in and leaving a mating mark made Jungkook’s cock twitch in his pants.
In a daze, Jungkook pulled away and turned Jimin around, swapping their positions so Jimin was pressed against the tree. He dropped to his knees and looked up, silently waiting for Jimin’s frantic nod before he undid the omega’s tight leather pants and tugged them down, freeing his half-hard cock.
“This is how you make me submit , Alpha? Get on your knees for me?” Jimin asked.
Maybe he tried to sneer but his chest was heaving and his scent was dripping with anticipation.
Jungkook smirked, and instead of replying he reached between Jimin’s legs to the crack of his ass, parting his cheeks and slipping two fingers inside his leaking hole without warning. At the same time he opened his mouth and leaned in, letting Jimin’s cock slide along his tongue.
“F-fuck!” Jimin cried out, his knees buckling, forcing Jungkook’s fingers deeper inside of him.
Jungkook hummed, holding Jimin steady, his mouth watering as Jimin’s cock began to fill out and harden fully inside his mouth. He worked quickly, his fingers thrusting in and out mercilessly, the wet sound muffled by Jimin’s whimpering gasps every time Jungkook curled his fingers to press against his prostate.
When Jimin’s thighs began to shake and Jungkook tasted the tang of precum on his tongue, he stopped, letting Jimin’s cock slip from his mouth and pulling his slick-soaked fingers free.
“Wha - what? No, no don’t stop,” Jimin cried, whining as he tried to tug Jungkook’s face back to his groin.
Jungkook stood up instead, pulling his own cock free, the tip flushed dark pink and already wet. His heady pheromones were obviously affecting Jimin, the omega swaying slightly, his eyes bright blue as he bared his neck and avoided Jungkook’s eye.
“Alpha, please,” Jimin murmured, turning around and gripping the tree trunk with his hands as he bent over, his glistening cheeks spreading so Jungkook could see his hole clenching around nothing.
Jimin began to purr, a pure omega sound, as he swayed his hips and presented himself to Jungkook. The perfect act of submission that made Jungkook’s alpha roar in his chest.
Jungkook gripped the base of his cock where his knot was already beginning to swell, the skin warm and tingling. He rubbed his cockhead over Jimin’s rim, letting the swollen tip breach only to pull out again, watching as slick dripped out and ran down Jimin’s taint towards his tight sac.
Jimin looked over his shoulder, his eyes clouded over, his purring getting louder as he released thick, aroused pheromones. Jungkook knew he was past speaking, his omega entirely in control as he wordlessly begged.
Jungkook opened his mouth to speak but a choked snarl came out instead, and he knew his alpha was about to take over. He pressed his cock to Jimin’s rim again, this time pushing in slowly, moaning as the tight, wet heat engulfed his shaft. He bottomed out with a sharp cry and then he felt himself slipping away as his alpha truly awoke for the first time.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jimin came back to awareness slowly, his hands aching from gripping the rough tree bark. He was standing upright now, his pants still around his ankles, Jungkook still knotted and locked inside him. His back was against Jungkook’s heaving chest, the alpha murmuring nonsense in his ear.
The moment Jungkook had towered over Jimin, his cock heavy in his hand and his dominating alpha pheromones surging, Jimin had become overwhelmed by something beyond the desperate desire he felt - for the first time in his life, he had felt complete peace at the thought of letting his omega take over and submit.
Even in the depths of his heat, with a partner he cared for, he had never once lost control of himself and let his primal wolf - his most base instincts - lead him.
When Jungkook had finally pressed inside him, Jimin had come untouched, his cock spilling white that disappeared in the snow at his feet. Jungkook hadn’t stopped, fucking him through overstimulation, holding tightly onto Jimin’s hips as he rolled his own in deep, slow thrusts.
Jungkook had pulled Jimin upright as his thrusts became more erratic, one hand fisting the fabric of Jimin’s shirt and the other reaching for Jimin’s cock.
Jungkook thumbed at his slit, a distraction while his knot swelled, pressing insistently at Jimin’s rim. When Jungkook finally locked inside, Jimin came again with a sharp cry, and when he clenched around Jungkook’s knot, the alpha howled as he started coming too, spilling so much of his hot seed that Jimin could feel it leak out around his popped knot.
Now they stood together, Jungkook still mouthing at Jimin’s scent gland, his sharp canines grazing the soft skin.
Jimin let his head loll back against Jungkook’s shoulder, listening to the alpha’s quiet whispers between each soft press of his lips.
“Mine - my omega - my sweet, beautiful omega…”
“All yours, Alpha,” Jimin smiled.
Jungkook inhaled sharply, as if Jimin’s words had broken the spell he was under.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“Not at all. How did your first knot inside someone feel?” Jimin teased.
Jungkook’s softening cock twitched in response and Jimin laughed, wincing when he pulled at the slowly deflating knot.
“I’m sorry…this wasn’t a very romantic location for our first time…not to mention the easiest place to wait out a knot,” Jungkook mumbled into Jimin’s shoulder.
“We needed each other. I don’t care where, I just care that it was you, and it felt right,” Jimin replied.
Jungkook reached between them, tugging gently and groaning when his knot slipped free. Jimin glanced over his shoulder and gasped when Jungkook dropped to his knees, pulling his cheeks apart and licking at his tender hole. The alpha was thorough, his tongue probing warm and wet past Jimin’s rim, lapping up the combined mess of his come and Jimin’s slick.
Jimin willed himself not to get hard again - they needed to get back to the others - but Jungkook made it difficult by staying on his knees, soft moans spilling from his mouth as he continued eating Jimin out long after he was cleaned up.
“Jung - Jungkook…ahh…you need to…”
Jimin reached behind himself and tugged at Jungkook’s hair, pulling him away from his ass.
“Believe me, I could let you do that all day, but we need to go.”
“I know, I’m sorry. You just taste so fucking good.”
Jungkook stood up, wiping his mouth and chin with his hand and then wiping that on his pants, smiling sheepishly.
Jimin slid his pants back up and straightened his shirt, running his hands through his hair to make himself a little more presentable before he began to lead them back.
“I don’t want you to think I took us so far away because I expected that,” Jimin began.
That wasn’t entirely true. He wanted to be scented thoroughly by Jungkook and maybe a part of him knew it would lead to something else.
“Even if you did have that in mind, I’m certainly not complaining,” Jungkook replied.
When they got back to the cabin, Hoseok was inside with Nara on his lap, animatedly telling her a story that seemed to involve dragons and a fairy queen. Yoongi was by the fire, cooking up some rice with dried chili.
When Jungkook and Jimin stepped inside, the beta couple wrinkled their noses, Yoongi disguising a sharp bark of laughter as a cough.
“You took ages, Appa! But it’s okay, Hobi-oppa has been telling me stories,” Nara said.
“You were gone a pretty long time,” Yoongi teased.
Jimin swung at him, growling playfully when Yoongi blocked his attack with a wooden spoon.
“We should be getting back, yeah?” Hoseok asked.
Jungkook remained silent but his scent soured. Jimin reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly.
“No, don’t leave!” Nara cried.
She ran to Jimin and threw her arms around his legs, hugging him tightly for a moment before pulling away.
“Hey, you smell like Appa!”
This time Yoongi didn’t bother trying to hide his laugh, and Hoseok joined in. Soon, all four adults were laughing while Nara looked on in confused curiosity.
“Alright, Nara. Say goodbye and thank you to Yoongi and Hoseok for playing with you,” Jungkook said.
She dropped her bottom lip, but complied, hugging everyone before taking the spoon from Yoongi and clumsily continuing to stir their dinner.
“I’ll come back first thing tomorrow, alright? We still need to talk about the next step,” Jimin said.
Jungkook’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, but he pulled Jimin close and hugged him tightly, scenting him and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.
“Is it extremely corny to say that I already miss you?” Jungkook murmured.
“Yes,” Yoongi replied dryly, yelping when Hoseok playfully slapped his shoulder.
“A little, but I’m okay with it,” Jimin replied.
He breathed in Jungkook’s scent for another moment before pulling away with a sigh. His omega was confused and bitter that they were about to leave their alpha already. When he reached the door and turned back, Jungkook’s eyes were ringed red, so Jimin knew his alpha was struggling too.
“This will all be sorted soon, okay?”
Jungkook nodded, his jaw clenched. Jimin followed Yoongi and Hoseok out of the cabin, and made it five steps before he heard the door open again. Jungkook was wrapped around him before he had a chance to turn around.
“Jimin…I think I'm in love with you,” Jungkook whispered in his ear.
Jimin turned around in the alpha’s arms, embarrassed to feel his eyes burning with tears until he saw that Jungkook was glassy-eyed too. He pressed a kiss to Jungkook’s lips, and then another, and another, before he forced himself to pull away.
“I love you, too, my alpha.”
As he walked back to his village, Jimin felt like his heart was unraveling a little more with each step, like it was made of string that Jungkook held the end of. As he curled up in his bed alone later that evening, he splayed his hand across the empty space in his chest, and fell asleep dreaming of meeting Jungkook again and weaving his heart back into place.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jungkook hadn’t slept a wink the night before, his alpha too wound up to calm down without Jimin in his arms. It gave him plenty of time to think, and by the time Jimin arrived to talk about their plan, he knew what he wanted to do.
Jungkook waited until Nara was distracted rolling snowballs and stacking them beside the house (“For our battle later!”) He tugged Jimin close, scenting him and breathing in his soft scent that still carried remnants of Jungkook’s own.
“I want to go tomorrow. Get this over with so I know that you and your pack are safe. I assume you still plan on coming with me?” Jungkook asked.
“I’m afraid that’s not negotiable,” Jimin replied.
“Not even if I turn my puppy eyes on you?”
Jungkook looked down, staring up at Jimin through his thick lashes, his eyes open wide as he pouted.
“As adorable as that is, I’m still coming with you,” Jimin laughed.
Jungkook sighed, his heart heavy even though a part of him was grateful he would have someone by his side.
“Alright then. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I was hoping your friends could come and watch Nara again.”
“I’ve been thinking about that too, and I already asked them. Hoseok and Yoongi are in - they’ll be here late this afternoon. I thought it might be a better idea to move them and Nara to our other cycle cabin. That way, you and I can stay here tonight and leave at first light. If Jaesung sends someone to follow our trail back to this cabin while we’re dealing with him, they’ll find it empty.”
Jungkook couldn’t resist pulling Jimin close again and kissing him softly.
“I’m so in love with you. Thank you for thinking of everything. My head’s a mess today.”
“You look exhausted,” Jimin replied.
“I didn’t sleep last night. I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
“You need to rest properly if you’re going to challenge Jaesung tomorrow,” Jimin said. “Have you thought about that? What you’re going to say to him?”
Jungkook shook his head, turning away and watching Nara stack snowballs. No matter what he said, he knew Jaesung would accept his challenge - his pride would forbid him from backing down. Jungkook knew he needed to say goodbye to Nara, should the worst come to pass.
He didn’t know how to say that, either.
“Can I just…hold you, tonight? I know I’ll sleep well with you safe in my arms.”
“We will be all alone in this cabin tonight and you just want to hold me?” Jimin replied, a cheeky smile on his face.
Jungkook growled playfully, squeezing Jimin’s hips, digging his nails in just enough for Jimin’s scent to spike.
“Don’t make me think about that when I can’t have you for hours yet.”
“Are you losers ready to get snowballed?” Nara interrupted them.
Jungkook turned to see her standing in front of her mountain of snow balls, hands on her hips. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt from the collection of warm clothes Jimin had brought for them, but of course it was way too big, so on her it was a dress that hung past her knees.
She looked like a happy, playful little girl. It was all Jungkook wanted for her - happiness, safety and joy.
“Who are you calling a loser ?” Jimin replied, crouching down in a defensive position.
“The losers who don’t have any snowballs!” Nara cried, picking up her first one and lobbing it at Jimin’s head.
Jimin ducked to the side, moving like water, and Jungkook was reminded of their journey to the cabin and how lithe and quiet the omega had been, moving through the forest like a true wolf.
Jungkook was so busy staring at his lover that Nara’s second snowball caught him by surprise, hitting him squarely on his right arm.
“You can’t use that arm now!” Nara yelled.
“What!? That’s a terrible rule!” Jungkook yelled back, about to keep arguing when another snowball connected with his left leg - this one thrown by Jimin.
“It’s a great rule, and you can’t move your left leg now either,” Jimin said, dancing a strange victory dance in place, pointing and laughing at Jungkook with a brilliant smile on his gorgeous face.
By the time the last snowball had been thrown, Jungkook was kneeling in the snow, both of his legs useless and only one arm to make and throw his own ammunition. He had been hit in the face multiple times, so he wasn’t allowed to talk.
Jimin was hopping on one leg with one arm behind his back, and Nara wasn’t allowed to talk either, but she still had the use of all her limbs. Jungkook felt unfairly targeted and suspected that he was ganged up on, which was denied vehemently by his opponents.
They bundled into the cabin, stripping off their wet outer layers and stoking the fire back to life to cook lunch. Jimin curled up on the bed with Nara, combing out her hair with his fingers and then braiding it off her face with practiced ease.
“You’re good at that,” Jungkook observed.
“I get a lot of practice with the kids at the village.”
“You live with other kids?” Nara spoke up.
Jungkook’s heart sank at the clear longing in her voice.
“Yeah,” Jimin answered her gently, “you’ll get to meet them one day, I promise.”
Jungkook wouldn’t have had the courage to make such a promise, but Jimin sounded so sure.
“Are you someone’s appa?” Nara asked.
“Well, no, but in our village, we all share the responsibility of raising the children. It’s sort of like one big family.”
Jungkook could tell that Jimin was trying to explain without going into detail about the wolf side of things, so he spoke up.
“Nara, you remember I told you that Jimin and I smell different because we have a wolf inside of us? Well kids that live in wolf villages are called pups, and their eomma and appa are called their dam and their sire.”
“Oh! I didn’t realize that you had talked to her about…” Jimin flailed his hands, motioning between himself and Jungkook, “that’s amazing that she knows.”
Jimin turned back to Nara. “Well, in our village, the dams all raise the pups in the nursery together. If you need help with something, or a hug, or you have a question, you can ask anyone. Everyone in the village takes turns teaching the pups something. We all take care of each other.”
“So it’s like having lots of eommas and appas!” Nara exclaimed.
“Yeah, it kinda is,” Jimin smiled brightly at her enthusiasm.
Nara sobered all at once, the smile slipping from her face. She fiddled with her fingernails and started kicking her legs on the ground.
“I wanna go to the village now .”
“Soon, Nara , ” Jungkook replied.
“No, now !” Nara yelled, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring daggers at Jungkook.
Nara had been so incredibly well behaved through this entire, stressful few weeks. It was like she knew she had no choice but to just deal with what was happening. Kids were so resilient when they had to be.
Kids who were beginning to feel comfortable and safe also felt safer being honest about what they wanted - and a lot less pleasant when they didn’t get their way. If storm clouds could be brewing above his daughter’s head, they would be.
It seemed as good a time as any to stop the storm in its tracks and explain to her what was coming, so Jungkook kneeled at her feet. He reached for Jimin’s hand and the omega squeezed his fingers in silent support.
“Nara, I have to tell you something. Tonight you’re going to have a sleepover with Hobi-oppa and Yoongi-oppa. It’s going to be a fun adventure! And tomorrow they’re going to play with you too, because Appa and Jimin-oppa have to go and do something very important. When we’ve finished the important thing, we will come and find you, and bring you back to the village so you can meet your new family. Does that sound good?”
“Why can’t you do the important thing now ?” Nara whined, though her arms uncrossed and her feet stopped their agitated stomping.
“Because sometimes things that are the most special are worth being patient and waiting for,” Jungkook replied, his eyes finding Jimin’s.
“Fine,” Nara huffed with a roll of her eyes.
Jungkook was not looking forward to the sass that came with teenage girls if this was a preview.
They shared a quiet lunch and then lay in bed telling stories and answering Nara’s endless “what’s your favorite…?” questions until Jungkook heard footsteps approaching through the forest.
He frowned when he realized he was hearing three sets of footsteps, and with one of them was the distinct scent of another omega.
“Don’t worry, it’s just Namjoon - Hobi and Yoongi’s mate,” Jimin reassured him.
Jungkook opened the door and Nara ran out from behind his legs. She slid to a comical stop when she caught sight of the third guest. Namjoon was tall and well-built - if Jungkook had seen him from a distance, there’s no way he would have guessed he was an omega.
Despite the fact that he was physically the largest of the three, Yoongi and Hoseok still stood a little closer together, blocking Namjoon from view. Jungkook doubted they even knew they were doing it - it was instinctual to guard an omega from an unfamiliar alpha.
Jimin moved to Jungkook’s side, his scent soft and calming.
“Don’t worry guys, he doesn’t bite,” Jimin teased.
Hoseok softened, leaning down and opening his arms to Nara, who flew into them. Yoongi flushed pink, stepping aside. Jungkook bowed to Namjoon, who bowed back with a genuine smile.
“It’s good to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Namjoon’s voice was deeper than Jungkook expected, too.
“It’s good to meet you too. Thank you - all of you - for doing this. Jimin explained what we were planning?”
Yoongi nodded.
“Shall we make tracks for the other cabin?” Namjoon asked. He held up a hessian bag and shook it. “I brought apples, cinnamon, flour and butter. We’re making pie!”
“I love pie! I’m Nara. You smell really pretty!” Nara burst out, letting go of Hoseok and moving to stand at Namjoon’s feet.
Namjoon’s cherry blossom and coconut scent sweetened as he beamed down at the little girl.
“Why thank you! I love the braid in your hair,” Namjoon replied.
Nara and her babysitters turned to leave. Jungkook made to follow them, but Jimin held him back.
“I thought it best we didn’t track our scent with them. Is that alright? We can stay here all together for a little longer?”
Jungkook knew his scent had soured and he tried to get it under control. Nara’s nose had become more sensitive lately and she was beginning to be able to pick up on how he was feeling without words.
“No, you’re right. And I don’t want them getting settled in after dark…they should leave now,” Jungkook replied.
He dropped to his knees and held his arms out.
“C’mere and hug me goodbye, my sweet girl. You’re going to have the best sleepover, and I’ll see you soon, okay? Save me a piece of pie?”
Nara ran to Jungkook, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing him tight.
“I love you, Appa!”
“I love you too.”
Jungkook let go reluctantly and bit his lower lip to keep from crying as Nara hugged Jimin’s legs goodbye as well. She ran back to Hoseok’s side without looking back and took his hand, offering her free hand to Namjoon who took it with a smile.
She was so innocently carefree that Jungkook’s gut twisted with guilt. Was he supposed to make it more obvious that this was a serious goodbye? Or was it better to just let her hold onto this worry-free happiness for a while longer? If he won, she would be none the wiser, but if he lost…did he just rob her of meaningful last words that would help her carry on without him?
Yoongi stepped closer to Jimin, leaning forward so their foreheads pressed together.
“Be careful, Min.”
“I will,” Jimin replied.
Yoongi turned to Jungkook and held his gaze.
“Keep him safe.”
Jungkook swallowed, nodding sharply.
“Always.”
When his daughter and Jimin’s packmates were out of sight, Jungkook crouched down and buried his face in his hands, letting his tears fall.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jungkook's scent was so achingly sad that Jimin was beside himself. He pulled Jungkook up off the ground and gently guided him into the cabin and up onto the bed, curling around him and letting the alpha cry in his arms.
Jimin closed his eyes and focused on releasing his most soothing pheromones, blanketing the both of them in honeyed jasmine, his chest rumbling in a soothing purr. He leaned over Jungkook’s curled up form and mouthed over the scent gland in his neck, letting his teeth graze against the skin and then soothing with his tongue.
Jungkook’s sobs subsided and he turned in Jimin’s arms, burying his face in the omega’s chest and inhaling deeply.
“Tell me what you need,” Jimin murmured.
Jungkook mumbled something incoherent in response.
Jimin smiled, hopelessly fond.
“I missed that, silly, sleepy alpha…”
“I just need you, Jimin.”
Before Jimin even had time to respond, Jungkook was snoring softly.
Jimin must have drifted off to sleep as well, because when he opened his eyes it was dark outside the cabin. The fire was still burning and Jungkook was like his own personal heated blanket, wrapped around him the way he was.
He reached for Jungkook, gently brushing his hair behind one ear. The alpha looked so serene in his sleep. As if he felt Jimin watching him, Jungkook’s brow furrowed and his eyes opened, unfocused and confused until he remembered where he was.
Jimin inhaled deeply. Jungkook’s scent was still muted and melancholy.
“Oh, I fell asleep. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry - you needed it. I slept too,” Jimin replied. “How do you feel?”
“Embarrassed,” Jungkook admitted.
“What? Why?”
Jimin shoved Jungkook onto his back and climbed into his lap, straddling his hips and looking down at him with a frown.
“You know - I got so emotional,” Jungkook replied, avoiding Jimin’s eyes.
“Excuse me, if we’re going to be together, I want you to let me see all of you.”
His last three words were punctuated by jabbing his finger into Jungkook’s chest.
“Can’t you see that it’s hard for me to look weak in front of you?” Jungkook snapped.
Jungkook tried to roll Jimin off his lap, but Jimin pushed his hands away, squeezing Jungkook’s hips between his thighs and steadying himself.
“I know what you’re doing, and it won’t work. You’re not pushing me away, so don’t even bother trying,” Jimin snapped back.
Jungkook softened immediately, finally looking into Jimin’s eyes.
“I’m not trying to push you away. I never would. I’m sorry, I’m just…scared. And worried because I didn’t say goodbye to Nara properly. What if I don’t come back and -”
“Stop!” Jimin interrupted. “That’s not going to happen.”
Jimin refused to doubt Jungkook for one single second.
“I wish I was as sure as you.”
“You’re a powerful alpha, you need to believe in yourself,” Jimin replied.
He began to rub his hands in soothing circles on Jungkook’s torso, from his wide shoulders to his firm pecs, down the defined ladder of his abdominals to his hips, squeezing softly, and then back up again.
The more he rubbed, the warmer Jungkook’s body began to feel. Jimin paused at his chest, thumbing his nipples through the fabric, smiling as Jungkook exhaled with a little more force.
When Jimin made eye contact again, Jungkook’s eyes were ringed red and his mouth was open, panting a little. Jimin readjusted so he was sitting firmly on top of Jungkook’s soft cock. He continued his massage as he began to roll his hips, the whisper of friction enough to have Jungkook groaning.
“Jimin - ”
“No. Who am I to you?”
Jimin felt Jungkook begin to harden beneath him, the alpha’s scent spiking with arousal.
“...You’re mine.”
“Who. Am. I?”
Jimin felt himself slick, the air between them sweetening. He was hard in his pants, the pressure of Jungkook’s clothed cock sliding under his ass driving him wild.
“My omega ,” Jungkook moaned, gripping Jimin’s hips and flipping him over so fast that Jimin’s head spun.
“Yes, I’m your omega, so make me feel like one, Alpha .”
Jungkook bent down and crashed their mouths together, no finesse, all tongues and teeth and swallowed whimpers. He sat back on his knees and ripped his shirt off before undoing Jimin’s pants and tugging them roughly down his legs.
Jimin barely had time to take his own shirt off and throw it across the room before he yelped as Jungkook lifted his legs, bending his knees back towards his ears, leaving him completely exposed. Before he could speak, Jungkook’s tongue was licking warm and wet across his hole.
“So good…tastes so sweet…” Jungkook mumbled, hot breath tickling where Jimin was already so sensitive.
Jungkook settled on his stomach, Jimin’s thighs resting on his shoulders. Jimin threw his head back and moaned weakly when Jungkook licked and sucked at his rim, the sound obscene as he drank down the slick that Jimin could feel dripping out of him.
Jungkook let go of Jimin’s waist and brought his hands between them, moving his thumbs to either side of Jimin’s hole and pressing , opening him up, working his tongue inside and starting to fuck Jimin with it.
“F-fuck, Alpha, Alpha , oh my goddess - ah - ah…”
Jimin felt lightheaded, forgetting to breathe. His cock lay hard and heavy, curved across his stomach and twitching helplessly, precum dripping all over him. All he could hear was Jungkook’s feral growls and the squelch of his tongue. They had only just started and Jimin was about to come…
Jungkook slipped two fingers inside Jimin without warning and Jimin arched off the bed, screaming as he came, clenching down on Jungkook’s fingers and spilling white ropes over his chest.
Jungkook sat up, slick dripping from his chin, but he kept his fingers inside Jimin, adding a third and continuing to thrust them inside him. Jimin started to squirm, oversensitive, but Jungkook used his other hand to pin him down.
“No…another,” Jungkook bit out.
Jimin felt tears leak down his temples and into his hair. Jungkook’s fingers rubbed over his prostate relentlessly, until the discomfort Jimin was feeling burnt away and his toes curled as a second, weaker orgasm was pulled from him, his softening cock twitching with barely any spend.
Jungkook pulled his fingers free gently and leaned down to press a kiss to Jimin’s lips. Pity he was too utterly wrecked to kiss back. Jungkook bent lower, licking at the cum that was splattered all over Jimin’s torso, groaning like he was licking up the best thing he’d ever tasted.
When Jimin was clean, Jungkook nuzzled into his neck, scenting him. Jimin could feel the insistent press of the alpha’s heavy cock on his hip.
“You need a break, sweetheart?”
“Hmm…depends how you want me. I’m always ready for you, but if you want me to ride you until you see stars, you’ll have to wait until my legs start working again. I think you broke me,” Jimin murmured.
“We have all night, you can ride me later,” Jungkook smirked, manhandling Jimin onto his stomach and spreading his legs.
Jimin crossed his arms under his head, getting comfortable while Jungkook stripped out of his pants and settled over him, rubbing his cock between his cheeks, coating it with slick. They both moaned when Jungkook slid inside his hole, bottoming out without stopping.
“Gonna knot me, Alpha?” Jimin asked.
Jungkook was thrusting inside him slow and deep, rolling his hips and pausing every time he was fully sheathed inside, satisfied little hums rumbling in his throat.
“Maybe. Maybe I’m just gonna stay here forever, feeling how warm and tight you are. So wet, Omega…smell so pretty…”
Jimin flushed, inexplicably shy, considering Jungkook was on his way to giving him three orgasms before he even knotted.
“You like that, Omega?” Jungkook leaned in, his whole body pinning Jimin down, his scent spicy and aroused as he whispered in Jimin’s ear. “You like hearing how much I love your hole? How I want to live between your legs, lapping up your slick, feeling that puckered rim give beneath my tongue?”
“Oh - Jungkook - ”
“You wanna hear how being inside you, feeling you squeeze around my cock makes my alpha feel? Hmm?”
“Y-yes…yes, please tell me,” Jimin begged.
Jimin was almost drooling, his mind as stimulated as his body.
“Makes him feel possessive , Omega,” Jungkook thrust a little faster, a little harder as he continued, “makes him feel like you belong to him…and he belongs to you.”
Jungkook let his sharp canines graze over the scent gland in Jimin’s neck.
“Makes him want to bite you. Fill you up with come again and again and again so anyone who meets you can see and smell that you’re claimed .”
Jimin shuddered, his cock filling out again as Jungkook continued to thrust inside him. Jungkook ran his fingers through Jimin’s hair before grabbing a handful and tugging his head back, arching his back and exposing his neck.
“You’re so beautiful. Would look so beautiful with my teeth buried in your throat.”
Jimin moaned as Jungkook licked across his scent gland and then bit down gently a little lower, where his neck met his shoulder. The sharp sting followed by Jungkook’s soothing tongue tipped Jimin over the edge again and he came with a cry.
Jungkook hissed as Jimin clenched around his cock and he pulled out, letting go of Jimin’s hair and rolling him over, kissing him softly as his orgasm ebbed away.
Jimin felt like he was floating. When Jungkook pulled away he whined, puckering his lips, hoping for another kiss. His handsome alpha complied with a fond smile.
When Jungkook seemed appropriately distracted, Jimin rolled them, pinning Jungkook to the bed again.
“Your turn, my love.”
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jungkook knew his scent was brimming with pride, his alpha cocky at having made his omega come so many times. He had almost come with Jimin that third time, but he wanted to wait until they were knotted together.
The look in Jimin’s eye made him think that would be sooner rather than later.
His beautiful omega didn’t waste any time, positioning himself over Jungkook’s lap and reaching behind himself, grabbing Jungkook’s cock and guiding it to his hole.
Jungkook moaned as Jimin sat down, wet warmth squeezing him tight again.
Their first time, when Jungkook’s alpha had completely taken over, Jungkook was barely lucid when he knotted inside Jimin, pushed up against a tree, outside in the frozen forest. They were both utterly driven by their instincts, more animal than human.
Now he was lucid, staring up at the beautiful omega riding him slowly, rolling his hips while he stayed seated in Jungkook’s lap.
“You’re so beautiful,” Jungkook murmured.
Jimin flushed pink, preening as he reached for his own chest, playing with his nipples while he closed his eyes and threw his head back with a moan. He was performing for Jungkook, his pheromones thick, his soft cock beginning to thicken again.
“Mmm - you feel so good - I’m gonna use your pretty cock until you stuff me full of your knot. Can you feel it, Alpha? I can feel it…”
Jimin reached between them and Jungkook’s mouth fell open with a low moan as he watched his knot start to fill while Jimin caressed the base of his cock.
“There it is…there’s my knot…”
Jimin started to bounce, his thighs tense as he sat up and slammed back down again, building up a rhythm. Jungkook watched in awe as his shaft moved in and out of Jimin’s clenching hole, shiny with slick that dripped over his knot onto his lap.
Jungkook knew he wouldn’t last much longer. He stared, his mouth watering as Jimin’s rim started to stretch around his knot, and he couldn’t help but start thrusting his hips, pulling a choked cry from Jimin as he finally locked inside him.
“Can you give me one more, Omega?”
Jungkook reached for Jimin’s cock, tugging in time with his stunted thrusts. From the way Jimin was mewling, Jungkook’s cockhead must have been rubbing against his prostate. They rolled together, whimpered moans and breathless panting all Jungkook could hear until Jimin started purring, the sound driving his alpha wild.
With one final twist of Jungkook’s wrist, Jimin curled into himself, sobbing as he came for the fourth time. He clenched down hard on Jungkook’s inflated knot and the alpha followed him over the edge, coming with a silent cry, holding Jimin’s hips hard enough to bruise as his vision went white.
Jimin collapsed on Jungkook’s chest, his whole body shaking. Jungkook held him close, his chest rumbling with a soothing purr. He closed his eyes as he felt Jimin’s breathing slow and let himself drift off to sleep locked inside his lover.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Jimin woke first. They hadn’t moved all night, with the exception of Jungkook’s cock softening and slipping out of him. They were sort of disgusting, the both of them covered in dry come and slick, but Jimin couldn’t bring himself to care. His body ached in all the best ways.
Jungkook didn’t stir until after Jimin had heated a pot of water and used an old rag to clean the both of them up. The pelt they had fucked on probably wasn’t salvageable and the cabin was going to smell like their combined scents for weeks.
When Jungkook opened his eyes, he reached for Jimin, pulling him into a kiss and scenting him even though Jimin already smelt drenched in alpha.
They ate a quick breakfast, Jimin letting Jungkook feed him. He watched as the alpha’s pupils dilated every time Jimin licked his fingers clean.
All too soon, there was nothing for them to do but leave.
Neither led the way. They walked side by side, anticipation quelling any desire to talk.
They walked a large circle around Jimin’s village, eager to make sure Jungkook’s scent wasn’t detectable anywhere close to it. They had almost left it behind them when a whistle made their heads turn. Jungkook stilled beside him, his scent alert.
Before they could speak, Seokjin and Taehyung appeared through the trees.
“You forgot something,” Taehyung said in lieu of greeting.
“What?” Jimin frowned.
“Us!” Seokjin threw his arms wide, smiling brightly.
“Oh, he’s cute Min. I never really got a good look when we were packmates,” Taehyung stepped closer to Jungkook, eyeing him appreciatively.
Seokjin cleared his throat.
“Don’t worry yeobo, nobody is as cute as you,” Taehyung said with a cheeky smile at his mate.
“Tae, what’s going on?” Jimin pushed.
“We’re coming with you to the Jeon pack,” Seokjin said simply.
“No, you’re not,” Jimin argued.
Seokjin raised one eyebrow, and Jimin wasn’t sure whether it was Seokjin his hyung or Seokjin the alpha that was irritated.
“Hyung, please. It’s not safe.”
Taehyung rolled his eyes.
“Well, gee, I wouldn’t have guessed that challenging a deranged pack alpha was potentially unsafe. We definitely didn’t think of joining you to, maybe, even out your odds a little,” Seokjin replied, his sarcasm as biting as his scent.
“This fight is mine alone,” Jungkook finally spoke up.
“Yes, yes, you’re a big, strong alpha and you don’t need anyone’s help and blah, blah, proving yourself, blah, blah, something about your ego. But, the thing is,” Taehyung stepped closer to Jungkook, his usually sunny disposition replaced by something cold and hard that Jimin hadn’t seen before, “Jimin is one of us. He’s chosen you, so you’re one of us now, too. Leaving the Kim pack wasn’t my choice. Leaving my friends, my home…it was hard, and it hurt. But I did it so that we could be free. I’m not going to sit and twiddle my thumbs waiting to hear if the alpha who took my pack from me has taken even more.”
Taehyung stared Jungkook down. Seokjin stood beside him, his scent bright with pride and adoration as he watched his mate.
To Jimin’s surprise, Jungkook…smiled.
“Okay,” Jungkook replied with a shrug.
“Okay?” Taehyung chirped, clearly expecting more of an argument.
“You’re right. I have to challenge Jaesung on my own, but you have every right to stand beside me and show him that you found your feet with a pack you’re willing to protect. Jimin is lucky to have the both of you,” Jungkook replied, “and I’m lucky, too.”
“So let’s go then, shall we?” Seokjin clapped his hands together, turning on his heel.
The forest was still and silent as they trudged through snow drifts and around the edge of a small range of rocky hills that signified the beginning of Jeon pack territory. From there, the pack village wasn’t far. Jimin had visited it to trade when it still belonged to the Kim pack. Under its new leadership, no such trading continued.
The closer they came, the more Jungkook’s scent soured. When the village was just up ahead, Jimin stopped walking, pulling Jungkook to his side.
“Can you give us a moment?” Jimin asked Taehyung and Seokjin.
“Shall we turn off our wolfy hearing?” Taehyung quipped.
Jimin just glared until the mated pair turned away and walked a little way ahead.
“Look at me,” Jimin gripped Jungkook’s chin, forcing their eyes to meet. “I’m right beside you. I know you didn’t want that - you didn’t want to put me at risk - but I know I’m supposed to be here to support you. I love you, Jungkook. We’re going to get through this, and then we’re going to pick up your little girl and bring her home, and you’re going to mate me and we’re going to get our happily ever after. Do you believe me?”
Jungkook’s eyes searched Jimin’s and his scent sweetened at what he saw.
“Yes. I believe you,” he replied.
Jimin leaned in and kissed Jungkook with all his might, licking into his mouth, not pulling away until he needed to breathe. Jungkook looked a little dazed, smiling softly as he stared at Jimin’s lips.
“Good. Then let’s get this over with.”
Jimin took Jungkook’s hand and they caught up to Taehyung and Seokjin. When the four of them approached the Jeon village gate, Jungkook moved in front to lead the way.
“Kook? Holy shit, is that you?”
Jimin recognised the alpha that was guarding the gate. It was Mingi, the jittery alpha who had visited the Park village. Out of the corner of his eye, Jimin saw a young wolf who had been standing just inside the gate turn on his heel and run deeper into the village.
“Mingi,” Jungkook bowed, “it’s good to see you, man.”
“I wish I could say the same, Kook. What, did you hear we were looking for you?” Mingi asked.
“I did. Seems my big brother has been telling lies about me,” Jungkook answered.
“Kook?”
Another voice came from behind Mingi, interrupting the tension between them.
A beautiful wolf with dark eyes and wavy brown hair that fell past her shoulders ran towards them. She threw herself into Jungkook’s arms and he squeezed her tight. Up close, Jimin could tell that she was an omega. She had a fresh mating bite on her neck, and her lemon scent was mixed with alpha pheromones that were vaguely familiar.
“Hyejin! I’ve missed you. And what’s this!?” Jungkook pointed to her mating mark. “You and San finally mated!”
San, that was it. The scent was familiar to Jimin because it belonged to the other alpha that had visited the Park village.
“A week ago. We, uh…sorta had to,” Hyejin blushed.
Jungkook looked confused, but Jimin’s sensitive nose could tell right away.
“You’re pregnant,” he blurted out.
Jungkook’s eyes bugged out of his head, but he reached for Hyejin, hugging her again.
“That’s amazing news. I’m so happy for you,” Jungkook said.
“By the look of things…or should I say smell , we both have good things going on,” Hyejin replied, one eyebrow raised as she glanced at Jimin.
“Of course, sorry…Hyejin, this is Taehyung and Seokjin,” Jungkook introduced them quickly before turning to Jimin, “and this is my omega, Jimin.”
Hyejin bowed before offering her wrist to Jimin. Scent sharing between omegas was a sign of trust and bonding, so Jimin was deeply surprised, given what he assumed the Jeon pack had been told about the uncooperative Park pack.
He didn’t want to be rude, however, and Jungkook seemed to be very close with Hyejin, so Jimin extended his wrist in return. Soft jasmine and bright lemon swirled together between them, and the omegas smiled brightly at each other.
Mingi was watching all of this with a confused frown on his face. He didn’t have a chance to say anything more, however, as the next moment a large group of wolves appeared at the gate.
In front had to be Jaesung. Jimin could see the similarities their mutual sire had passed on to them. Jaesung and Jungkook were built similarly, with the same cupid’s bow lip and sharp jaw. Jaesung’s eyes, however, were beady and spaced too far apart - nothing like Jungkook’s big brown pools that held the stars when he smiled.
“Come to accept your punishment, little brother?” Jaesung asked with no preamble.
“No, Jaesung,” Jungkook inhaled deeply, “I’ve come to challenge you.”
Jaesung scoffed, looking around at the wolves who surrounded him, clearly hoping for a reaction. Some of them acquiesced, laughing hollowly, like Jungkook had said something hilarious.
“You dare challenge your pack alpha?” Jaesung spat.
“This is no longer my pack. And you stopped being my pack alpha the moment you sentenced my daughter to death,” Jungkook replied, his voice strong and loud.
The surrounding wolves began to murmur, staring between Jaesung and Jungkook with confusion.
“Shut up,” Jaesung growled, glaring behind him, scaring his pack into silence. “You dared bring a filthy half human into our pack and expected me to just accept it? You’re pathetic, and your alpha should be ashamed.”
A snarl ripped from Jungkook’s throat and Jimin immediately reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly.
“And who’s this? A bitch you’ve managed to convince to raise your disgusting hybrid with you?” Jaesung continued, leering at Jimin.
Jimin could feel Jungkook ready to spring forward. Even Seokjin’s scent had spiked with anger, and Taehyung was growling under his breath. The only thing Jimin could think to do was…burst out laughing.
The unexpected sound shocked everyone.
“Oh, you’re really pathetic, aren’t you?” Jimin said to Jaesung, more of a statement than a question.
“What did you just say!?”
Jaesung stepped forward and his scent reached Jimin’s nose. It was acrid - pine, like Jungkook’s, but not fresh. Almost like rotted leaves and wood decomposing on the forest floor.
“I said you’re pathetic . You had to lie to your alphas to send them after Jungkook, telling them he kidnapped a child. Even now, when the truth is out, the best you can do is throw insults at his daughter and his omega. You can smell your pack, can’t you? Their doubt and confusion? It’s because they know what kind of alpha you are. They know how you took control of the Kim pack. You threatened an aging alpha and kicked out the ones who could actually challenge you under the guise of showing them mercy. They left because they wanted to avoid bloodshed, but you - you’re all for violence, aren’t you?”
Jaesung was bright red in the face, his scent choked with rage.
“Well, here’s your chance to get a taste of that violence.” Jimin continued. “Jungkook has challenged you. Will you hear his conditions and accept his challenge like a true pack alpha?”
Jaesung was still seething, but he shifted his gaze from Jimin to Jungkook.
“Speak, then.”
“I challenge you to fight until one of us surrenders. If you win, I will accept the consequences, be it servitude, banishment or death. If I win, you never step on Park territory again, and you leave my daughter Nara and I to live in peace. Either way, you leave Nara alone - with or without me, she will be raised by the Park pack.”
Jungkook finished speaking and the surrounding wolves began to murmur again. Jaesung silenced them with a glare, before turning to Jungkook.
“I accept your challenge and your conditions with one addendum. I challenge you to ssaum .”
Shocked gasps echoed all around. Even the aggressive looking alphas that flanked Jaesung stared at him in confusion.
Jimin glanced at Jungkook and was surprised to see what looked like resignation and disappointment on his face.
“You really are so bloodthirsty, aren’t you Jaesung? You would kill me, or have me turned into a killer, for what? Your ego?”
Jaesung clenched his jaw, his eyes defiant.
“Do you accept?”
Jungkook sighed, looking at Jimin and taking his hand, squeezing it tight.
“We’re about to begin a life together. If I don’t die at his hand, can you forgive me for taking the life of another alpha?”
Jimin kissed him, chaste but firm.
“ When you win, there will be nothing to forgive. He brings his fate on himself.”
Jungkook nodded before turning back to Jaesung.
“I accept.”
Jaesung smiled, a cruel and sharp thing that further reminded Jimin how different he was to his half-brother.
“We’ll see who the better alpha is. Meet at the training grounds tonight. I will send a messenger when it’s time,” Jaesung announced, spinning on his heel and heading back into the village.
The gathered Jeon pack wolves lingered, confused and concerned gazes flickering between their old packmate and their alpha.
San appeared then, out of breath, running to Hyejin’s side and squeezing her close before turning to Jungkook with a frown.
“Looks like I go out hunting and miss all the action. What are you doing here?”
Hyejin pressed her hands to her mate’s chest and leaned in to scent him, but it was Mingi who stepped forward to answer him.
“We were lied to, San. Jungkook never kidnapped anyone, the kid he took was his own.”
San’s eyes widened. He glanced at Jimin then, his eyes widening in recognition.
“You! You’re from the Park pack. You said you hadn’t seen Jungkook, but now you smell like him?” San’s focus shifted to Seokjin and Taehyung. “And you! You’re former Kim pack.”
Mingi chuckled, and Hyejin leaned in to smother San in calming pheromones again.
“Silly alpha, calm down,” Hyejin murmured, before turning to address them all. “We have a lot to catch up on. Let’s share a meal in our cabin.”
Jungkook nodded, taking Jimin by the hand as they followed his old friends past the village gates.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
“This place looks so different,” Jungkook said.
He turned in a circle, checking out the cabin where Mingi and San used to live together along with two other wolves. San had obviously been given the cabin when he had mated Hyejin, and the space had been transformed with a woman’s touch.
The chairs were covered with warm throws and knitted blankets, and little trinkets covered every surface, including vases that Jungkook assumed would be filled with flowers come spring. Gone were the animal skulls that hung above the fireplace and in their stead was a beautiful canvas that Jungkook knew Hyejin had painted herself.
“It looks better, you mean,” Hyejin said with a smile, winking at San from where she sat curled up next to Jimin.
Jimin looked comfortable, if not a little confused. Jungkook was sure that omegas behaved differently in the Park pack. From what Jimin had said, omegas were treated no differently there, and friendships were most likely based on actual connection.
In the Jeon pack, it was much more common for wolves of the same sub-gender to group together, especially omegas. Hyejin was simply behaving the way she had been raised.
They had eaten together in relative quiet, their wolves getting used to each other. Taehyung was particularly attentive to Seokjin, whose alpha wasn’t very happy about having two strange alphas around his mate.
When the pheromones in the room weren’t so combative, Jungkook knew it was time to talk.
Mingi avoided any preamble, flopping down at the dining table next to San with a heavy sigh.
“I can’t believe he challenged you to fight to the death.”
“Are you really so surprised?” San asked. “I mean…he’s done it before.”
“What did happen with your former pack leader?” Seokjin spoke up from where he sat curled up by the fire, Taehyung lounging across his lap.
The Jeon pack members looked at Jungkook, waiting for him to answer. That was understandable, he supposed. It was his family story to tell.
“Before Jaesung, the pack was led by our older cousin, our sire’s nephew. We didn’t know him very well - he was a lot older. I dunno, I guess Jaesung didn’t like the direction he was taking the pack. He wanted to begin trading with the human villages more…try and integrate a little. Jaesung wanted to go in the other direction. He was all about keeping our wolf heritage sacred. I guess that’s why he was so angry when he found out about Nara.”
Mingi and San exchanged a weighted look.
“Why didn’t you tell us, Kook?” San asked. “About Nara.”
“Mirae - Nara’s mother - didn’t want me to. It’s as simple as that.”
“You didn’t think we’d have your back?” Mingi asked with a hurt frown. “Especially when Jaesung threatened her and you felt like you had to leave.”
“What would your options have been? Help me argue with Jaesung? Potentially start a war in our own pack? Run away with us? Come and starve with us in our one bedroom cave until Jimin luckily stumbled across us?” Jungkook replied.
He was agitated. Leaving his friends behind had been anything but easy, but it wasn’t their fight. Jungkook didn’t want someone else to suffer because of him.
“You didn’t even give us the options!” San exclaimed. “Instead your brother lied to us and made us doubt who you were. It was a mess, Kook.”
“I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. You know I did it to keep you out of trouble.”
Jungkook looked at all three of his old friends, willing them to see that he meant it.
San drummed his fingers on the table before he stood and approached Jungkook, wrapping his arms around him and squeezing him tight. Mingi stood a moment later and joined them.
“Look at these silly alphas,” Hyejin said with a laugh.
The three of them pulled apart to see the rest smiling at them fondly.
“So, that was where you went when you disappeared every few months?” Hyejin asked. “You were visiting your little girl.”
Jungkook nodded before he continued answering Seokjin’s question.
“Anyway, Jaesung challenged our cousin to fight to the death, I guess as a statement, about bringing back the more traditional ways. He fought dirty. He was about to lose when he threw dirt in our cousin’s eyes, blinding him.”
“Coward,” Seokjin said through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, well, it worked.”
“It won’t work a second time,” Jimin spoke up.
“No. It won’t,” Jungkook replied, holding Jimin’s gaze.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
They should have taken the opportunity to get some rest before midnight but, in truth, they were all too wired to sleep.
Instead, Jimin shoved Hyejin over a little and waved Jungkook over to his other side, holding his hand while their small group exchanged stories and properly caught up about what had been happening since Jungkook left.
Apparently, aside from the older, more conservative pack members, Jaesung had no real friends in the Jeon pack. His hostile takeover of the Kim pack had, of course, turned half of them against him, but it also brought his true character to light, and many Jeon pack members now saw him for what he was - a cruel, arrogant wolf with no honor, and no genuine interest in the wellbeing of his pack.
The threat of harm coming to the weaker members of the pack kept anyone from challenging his leadership. Hyejin believed that Jungkook arriving the way he did meant that change was just around the corner.
“You’re celebrating a fight I haven’t even won yet,” Jungkook chastised her.
“You’ll win! I know it,” she replied with a shrug.
Her scent was pure and light, as if she hadn’t a single doubt. Jimin felt his eyes burn as he reached over and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Hyejin chirped in surprise before hugging Jimin back.
Sometimes naivety is just hope, amplified.
“Excuse me, as the only beta in the room, I must insist on being included in omega cuddles,” Taehyung announced, sitting himself down awkwardly in Jimin’s lap and throwing his arms around the both of them.
Jimin and Hyejin laughed as Taehyung wormed his way into their embrace, muttering about how betas needed affection too.
“Whoa, way too many wolves on the one seat!” Jungkook complained, though Jimin could smell how content his scent was, only the barest trace of underlying worry about what was to come.
San made them all herbal tea (the delicate, floral tea leaves and beautiful matching cups were clearly Hyejin’s collection) and they drank together, talking quietly for a while longer. In the middle of Mingi telling a story about Jungkook’s first attempt at hunting as a young, unpresented wolf, a hurried knock sounded at the door before footsteps ran away.
Jungkook sighed and stood up. Jimin immediately joined him, squeezing his hand tightly. He could hear Jungkook’s heart beating much faster than usual, but the alpha’s scent was controlled and calm.
“I guess it’s time.”
The rest of them stood, but Jungkook turned to Hyejin.
“Not you.”
“Excuse me?” Hyejin exclaimed, her lemon scent souring.
“I don’t want you to be stressed. It’s not good for you,” Jungkook nodded towards her still-flat stomach.
“You think I won’t be stressed sitting here by myself waiting to hear what happened?”
San stepped forward and Hyejin spun towards him, pointing at him before he even opened his mouth.
“Don’t.”
“I - ” San began.
“No. I’m coming too.”
Jimin turned to Jungkook, smoothing out his furrowed brow with his finger and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
“Haven’t you learnt yet? There’s no point arguing with an omega who loves you.”
Jungkook sighed heavily, eyeing San with one eyebrow raised before he shrugged.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
They got to the door of San and Hyejin’s cabin when Jungkook turned back to all of them.
“I need you all to promise me something.”
Jimin had an idea of what was coming next, but he waited patiently.
“I need you to promise that, no matter what happens, you won’t interfere.”
Jungkook looked at all of them, but his gaze landed on Jimin.
Seokjin, San, Mingi, Taehyung and Hyejin all murmured their agreement. Jimin chewed on his bottom lip, debating whether or not the answer Jungkook was looking for would be the truth.
He stepped closer to his alpha, whispering even though everyone else would easily hear him.
“I don’t know if I can promise you that. I mean, I might be able to, but my omega is a different story. I want to let you fight, and I believe in you, but if Jaesung fights dirty…I can’t lose you, Jungkook.”
Someone stepped forward. Warm hands gripped his shoulders and Jimin could tell from his scent that it was Seokjin.
“Nobody will interfere. I’ll make sure of it.”
Jimin spun on his heel and frowned at what Seokjin implied. His old friend stared back, a sad smile on his handsome face.
“Doesn’t seem very progressive does it? The whole alpha pride thing. But it’s important, Min. It’s honorable.”
Jimin fought the urge to roll his eyes even though he knew Seokjin was right.
He turned back to Jungkook and reached for his hand.
“Let’s go.”
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Adrenaline was pumping through his veins as they approached the training grounds. Jimin had his hand in a vice grip. The omega was trying to control his scent, probably for Jungkook’s sake, but it bled through anyway, jasmine burnt by anxiety.
Jaesung was waiting for him in the sparring circle, and at least half the pack surrounded him, gathered around the edge to watch.
“I’m surprised you showed up,” Jaesung crowed.
Jungkook stopped just inside the circle and glanced at Jimin, who was wearing a similar confused expression.
“ I’m the one who challenged you,” Jungkook replied.
The crowd tittered, and Jaesung snarled until they quieted.
“You challenged me to a fight, but tonight you face death ,” Jaesung spat.
Jungkook rolled his eyes, not bothering to respond as he turned to Jimin instead.
“Thank you for being here. You know I didn’t want that at first but…you give me strength.”
It was true. Jimin’s very presence made him feel powerful, like he could do anything if his omega was behind him. Jimin was a reminder of what he wanted most - a life of safety, and love, for himself and for his daughter.
Jungkook slipped out of the winter coat that Jimin had gifted him and carefully folded it, handing it to San before reaching for Jimin.
Jimin pulled him close and kissed him as passionately as if they were back in their cabin all alone, licking into his mouth and tugging on his hair, grinding their hips together. Jimin pulled away first and pushed Jungkook further into the circle, his eyes flashing blue.
Jungkook’s alpha came forth in response and his scent sharpened as he turned to face Jaesung.
“Rules?”
“Just two. No weapons, and only one of us leaves this circle.”
They danced around each other, Jaesung deliberately letting sharp, aggressive pheromones roll off him in waves, willing Jungkook’s alpha to submit. It was useless - if anything, the suffocating smell just made Jungkook’s alpha more angry and eager to attack.
Jaesung was fighting for his pride, but Jungkook was fighting for something far more valuable.
It had been a long time since Jungkook had been in a physical fight. When he was younger they all trained in hand to hand, sparring together for fun, and sometimes for respect. It was mostly for fitness though, and to keep their defenses sharp for hunting.
The adrenaline-charged energy between them now reminded Jungkook of a hunt he was on years ago, when he and San had been so focused on the scent of the buck they were tracking that they had stumbled unexpectedly across a enormous bear, similarly out searching for a meal.
The startled beast could smell the threat that Jungkook and San posed and the three froze in a tense standoff until the sound of Mingi approaching broke the tension and the bear ran off.
San and Mingi weren’t fighting at his side now, and the animal in front of him was far more calculating and unpredictable.
Jaesung moved first, cutting across the circle and swinging at Jungkook’s head. Jungkook bent his knees and ducked out of the way, hands up ready to defend as Jaesung went on the offensive again, this time jabbing at Jungkook’s ribs with an undercut.
His fist landed and Jungkook grunted, dropping his elbows to protect against a second hit just in time as Jaesung jabbed at him again.
Jaesung kept attacking, bringing his knee up towards Jungkook’s gut, but Jungkook blocked it with both hands and threw an elbow at Jaesung’s jaw while he was off balance.
It connected and Jaesung stumbled backwards, snarling viciously. He attacked again and Jungkook continued to defend, realising that Jaesung was going to wear himself out quickly if he kept being so aggressive.
Every punch Jaesung threw, Jungkook blocked with braced forearms, or avoided with swift feet, dancing out of the way. He thought of Jimin as he moved, lithe and agile.
Jaesung stopped attacking for a moment, his chest already heaving. He looked over Jungkook’s shoulder to where Jimin was standing and winked. Jungkook frowned and followed his leering gaze, realising too late that it was a feint and Jaesung distracted him on purpose.
Jungkook turned back in time to see a glint of silver between Jaesung’s knuckles before his fist connected and Jungkook’s left eye exploded with searing pain.
He stumbled backwards, hissing as he pressed a hand to his eye. It came away red, and Jungkook could feel blood dripping down his face. Jaesung was hopping from foot to foot in front of him, fists up, a cocky snarl revealing his sharp canines. Jungkook squinted out of his good eye, but the silver he thought he was saw was gone.
He sensed a ruckus behind him and he could hear that Jimin was upset, but he couldn’t afford to look away again. Jaesung rushed him but Jungkook was ready, dodging out of the way and aiming a sharp kick at the outside of Jaesung’s knee, dropping him to the ground.
Jaesung got up, his eyes ringed red and wild with anger.
“You know what I’m gonna do when you’re dead?” He spat. “I’m gonna take that pretty little omega of yours for myself. See how quickly he submits on a real alpha’s knot.”
Jungkook scoffed, honestly surprised Jaesung would attempt to bait him like that.
“Jimin was right. You are pathetic.”
Jaesung snarled in response and shook his sleeve out, the movement so subtle Jungkook almost missed it, but there was that glint of silver again.
Before Jungkook could even speak, Jaesung lunged at him, fists flying wildly and his scent almost nauseating it was so bitter.
Jungkook blocked one, two, three wildly thrown punches, then Jaesung brought his knee up again and as Jungkook moved to block it, Jaesung jabbed at Jungkook’s good eye and the same searing pain took his breath away, this time a little higher, just above his eyebrow.
Jungkook stumbled backwards, blinded for a moment as fresh blood flooded his vision. He wiped at his right eye with the back of his hand.
Before Jungkook could speak, he heard a feral snarl from behind him. He turned to see Seokjin and Taehyung holding Jimin back, the omega hysterically clawing at them to get out of their grip, his bright blue eyes trained on Jungkook.
“Alpha!” Jimin screamed.
Jungkook’s alpha came forward to calm his omega, and in that moment he felt Jaesung approach from behind him. Jungkook dropped into a crouch, spinning his leg out in a semicircle and knocking Jaesung off his feet. He scrambled onto Jaesung’s lap, pinning him to the ground and reaching for his hands.
Jaesung roared, struggling to free himself but Jungkook held on, prying his fingers apart. A razor sharp blade with a small curved handle fell into the dirt.
Jaesung went limp as Jungkook stood up, towering over him.
“You hid a blade in your sleeve. You cut me…tried to blind me.”
Angry murmurs began to trickle through the wolves surrounding them.
Jaesung scrambled to his feet, his eyes wild as he looked around. His eyes fell upon the discarded weapon and as he moved to pick it up, Jungkook kicked it away.
Jaesung growled, his scent burnt with shame and potent rage. He rushed Jungkook again, but Jungkook’s vision was red - from his alpha, now, not from blood - and he roared in Jaesung’s face.
“ Enough! ”
The power behind his command caused Jaesung’s legs to buckle and he fell at Jungkook’s feet.
Jungkook looked around at the pack that surrounded them. Half of them had their eyes lowered; some had also fallen to their knees.
Jimin appeared by his side then, his scent wild with concern but also syrupy and thick with arousal.
Jaesung looked up at the pair, his rotten scent muted…defeated.
“What are you waiting for?”
“Get up, Jaesung,” Jungkook replied.
Jaesung got to his feet. His half-brother. Former pack alpha. A wolf he respected, he supposed…a long, long time ago.
“I won’t take your life today.”
“What? Why not?” Jaesung asked.
“Because that’s not the kind of alpha I am.”
“You’re weak, even in victory,” Jaesung hissed.
Jimin scoffed then, taking Jungkook’s hand and squeezing it tight.
“No, his mercy shows his strength.”
“There’s no place for you here anymore, Jaesung. You know you need to leave,” Jungkook continued.
“This is my pack ,” Jaesung argued.
He turned around, arms outstretched as he seemed to wait for someone - anyone - to come to his defense.
No one stepped forward, the silence deafening.
Jaesung spat on the ground at Jungkook’s feet before turning around and heading back to the village. The pack avoided his eye, even his former supporters turning their backs on his retreating form.
Jimin stepped closer, his beautifully familiar pheromones a balm to Jungkook’s racing heart. He reached for Jungkook’s face, hissing with worry as he inspected the damage.
“You need to see the pack healer straight away.”
“Do something for me first?” Jungkook asked.
“Anything,” Jimin replied.
“I know I’m a mess right now…but kiss me?”
Jimin laughed, his eyes disappearing into half-moons as he pulled Jungkook in for a soft kiss.
The pack slowly approached, a circle forming around Jungkook. Jimin frowned, looking like he was about to tell them all to back off until Jungkook’s injuries were attended to, but Jungkook gently hushed him, pulling him close before addressing the waiting wolves.
“You all witnessed what happened here. Jaesung will no longer be the leader of this pack.”
“Will you replace him?” A gruff, older alpha asked.
Jungkook looked at Jimin.
Replacing Jaesung as pack alpha would mean being separated from his omega, or asking Jimin to leave his pack and come with Jungkook.
Neither was something he was willing to do.
“No. I will meet with the elders and we will discuss what comes next. I won’t make the decision for you - I don’t believe any single wolf has that right,” Jungkook replied.
Jimin remained silent, but his scent spoke volumes.
The pack members trailed off, some hurrying back to spread word of what they had just seen to the rest. Jungkook and Jimin’s close friends stayed behind, Hyejin pulling Jungkook in for a hug and tsk’ing at the wounds on his face.
“ Now can we go see the healer?” Jimin pressed.
He was asking a question, but he had clearly already made up his mind as he grabbed Jungkook’s hand and tugged him back towards the village.
Jungkook followed, the weight that had fallen from his shoulders made him feel like he was floating.
~∘◦❁◦∘~
Epilogue ~ ten years on.
“Alpha...sorry to bother you... Alpha? ”
Jungkook groaned into Jimin’s neck.
“Gee, I think someone is looking for you,” Jimin whispered.
“Nobody’s home,” Jungkook called out.
“Ignore him, he’s just slick drunk,” another voice replied that sounded suspiciously like Taehyung.
“Hey!” Jungkook cried.
“I mean…he’s not wrong,” Jimin was still whispering, a satisfied smirk on his face.
Jungkook growled playfully, leaning down to lick across the mating bite that decorated Jimin’s neck.
His mate wriggled beneath him, his breath catching. Still so easy to rile up after all these years.
“Careful, wouldn’t want me to start something I don’t intend to finish and leave you here wanting more,” Jungkook threatened.
Jimin flipped them, rubbing his bare ass suggestively over Jungkook’s soft cock before standing up and walking away, glaring over his shoulder.
“Please…all it takes is a look to have you begging at my feet.”
Jungkook really couldn’t argue - his pack omega was irresistible.
He stood up and dressed, making sure Jimin was covered up too before flinging their cabin door open. Taehyung stood there, shit-eating grin on his face, while one of the pack omegas stood beside him, flushed red and clearly mortified.
“‘Sorry to bother you, Alpha, but San sent me to tell you that the pups are ready for the hunt.”
The omega bowed and ran away before Jungkook could remind him that he didn’t need to call him that - hyung or Jungkook was fine. Being mated to the pack omega afforded him more formality than he really liked.
“And what are you doing here? Other than embarrassing poor messengers,” Jungkook asked.
“I’m here to steal your mate for the day since mine is going with you,” Taehyung replied, sliding past Jungkook into his cabin and running to Jimin’s side, taking the tea he was offered with a grin.
Jungkook watched them with a fond smile before he stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
He had built their cabin by himself (okay, Yoongi and San helped. Seokjin had brought a picnic blanket and lay under a tree most days, declaring himself the build manager who offered advice without actually helping.)
Jimin had taken over Manshik’s leadership role almost five years ago, just as the Park pack and Jeon pack had finished merging, the road between their two villages finally complete.
After Jaesung had been banished, Jungkook met with the Jeon pack council members, including former Kim pack representatives and his trusted friends San, Hyejin and Mingi.
After much discussion, the role of pack alpha was handed back to Kim Daeseong, with deepest apologies for how his pack had been treated under Jaesung’s leadership.
Manshik and Daeseong had quickly agreed to merge their packs, and they began to move closer together, building a road and new buildings until they were one beautiful, vibrant village.
When Jimin took over as Park pack omega, Daeseong had made the decision to step down and retire alongside Manshik. The now combined Park-Jeon pack had voted, and it was decided that Jimin and Jungkook would lead them together.
Nara had been accepted with open arms by the pack pups, and growing up around wolves had sharpened her own senses, so much so that it was often forgotten that she was half human.
She became particularly close to Sahi, one of the pups that Jimin had always been fond of. Sahi had just turned sixteen and presented as an alpha - the hunt Jungkook was about to lead would be her first.
The drive and determination Sahi had would serve her well - she spoke all the time about wanting to be pack alpha one day. She had begged Jimin and Jungkook to take her under their wing and teach her all they knew about being leaders.
Jungkook would never say anything until Nara was ready to confide in him, but he suspected that her friendship with Sahi had become something more. She even wanted to come on the hunt today, and Jungkook begrudgingly agreed.
He rounded the corner of the path to the kitchens, where the older pups were gathered with a handful of experienced hunters ready to supervise. Hyejin was kissing San goodbye, their ten year old son trying to drag her away to show her something while their eight and five year old girls played tag in a circle around her feet.
Mingi’s omega mate Yunho stepped in, waving his hands and doing a silly dance to get the attention of the pups before corralling them over to where the rest of the pups were learning to peel and cut vegetables for soup.
Nara saw Jungkook approaching, breaking off from the group to run and jump into his arms. She had only recently moved out of their cabin, wanting to move in with her friends.
He missed her more than he thought he would, although living alone with Jimin certainly had its perks.
“Good morning, my baby.”
“ Appa , I’m not a baby,” Nara whined.
“You’ll always be my baby,” Jungkook shrugged.
Nara rolled her eyes, but she had a smile on her face as she skipped back to Sahi’s side, who waved enthusiastically at Jungkook.
“Alright, everyone look at me! Should be easy, I’m very handsome after all.”
That was Seokjin, of course.
Jungkook stood back as his friend explained how the day was going to go - what they were hunting, and the roles everyone would take.
He looked around at his pack. Yoongi, Hoseok and Namjoon were already on their way past the village gates, wicker baskets in hand as they went to forage for healer ingredients. If they came back late, smelling like each other with grass stained clothes, Jungkook would only tease them a little.
Winter had been forgiving, and their stocks were already replenished. Soon Jimin would take a small group to the human village to arrange a trade. Trust between them and the humans had taken a long time to build, but they were getting there.
Jungkook had everything he had ever wanted. His daughter was safe, and happy. He was mated to the most beautiful omega he had ever seen.
Spring had come early this year.