Chapter Text
Jeongguk looks between the two trembling pups in front of him, neither of them daring to look up and meet his gaze. He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose before crouching down at their level. The pups look at him between their lashes, bottom lip caught between their teeth, just waiting for the scolding coming their way. Jeongguk lets out a small smile at that. Pups. They never learn. Jeongguk would know, he was one.
The alpha clears his throat. “Is there anything you two would like to say to me?” His voice is gentle, nothing compared to the voice he uses with older wolves. The two pups share glances, unsure of what to do or say. They shake their heads hesitantly.
“No? Nothing at all?” He asks again, a brow arched tentatively.
“We—” one of them starts, Minhyuk, the oldest of the two—and the most rebellious. He has always given Jeongguk a hard time, but the alpha tries to hide his content when the pup starts talking. “—we just wanted to go out.” He trails off, lowering his head again and a pout hanging heavy from his lips.
Jeongguk hums. “And whose permission did you have to do so? Because I certainly was not aware of the matter.”
“No one’s.” Jeongguk looks towards Minho, the youngest. He’s a bit quieter, but once you turn your back on him, he becomes fierce. Jeongguk secretly admires that, though he would never say.
“You two could’ve been hurt—or worse, you could've gotten yourselves killed.”
“We’re sorry.” They mumble in unison. Jeongguk heaves another sigh before he ruffles their hair.
“This will be the first and last time you two pull something like this, understood?” Jeongguk looks at the pups and the pair quickly nod. “Good. Run along now, I have matters to tend to.”
Jeongguk watches the pups leave his hut, the two boys elbowing each other in the process. He lets out a small chuckle at the sight. They remind him of when he was a pup, eager to do whatever his wolf told him to, no matter the consequences. He sometimes wonders if he had grown too fast.
He pushes the thought at the back of his head, figuring dwelling on the past would lead him nowhere. He gets up and dusts his cloaks, settling at his desk. He combed his brown locks with his fingers and realizes his hair has gotten longer, tendrils covering half of his ear. But if he was honest, he liked it like that. Jeongguk leans farther into his chair, an exhausted sigh escaping his lips. Jeongguk closed his eyes momentarily, exhaling deeply, the stack of papers messily placed on top of his desk draining all of his energy.
One of the many wonders of being a pack leader. Making treaties with other packs to keep the peace. Jeongguk always thought it was bullshit. They have their land and have no business scavenging others. He sighs again. He straightens his back, dreading having to go through all of them. He’s sure half of them are just the pack leaders offering their omegas for the alpha to mate, to ‘strengthen’ their alliance. Jeongguk has lost count of how many times he refused.
He’s not interested in a mate. Not now.
Then, a soft knock breaks him from his thoughts. Jeongguk stands from his desk, glancing at the orange hue filtering from his window. The sun is setting. Jeongguk chuckles. Only one omega he knows would dare come to his hut at this hour. He grabs hold of the handle and opens it, the smell of snow and vanilla immediately hitting his nose.
“Thought you would leave me to freeze out here.” Yugyeom says, tucking his hair behind his ear seductively. Jeongguk leans against the door frame, a smirk creeping on his lips.
“And have to hear your nagging later? I’m good.” Jeongguk saves himself from the formalities, simply moving to the inside again. The omega knows his way in by now.
Yugyeom looks back to see if anyone catches sight of him going inside the alpha’s hut. There’s no use, however, he will reek of him the morning after. In the confines of the hut, his scent is more prominent and if Jeongguk weren’t horny, he’d have a headache. Yugyeom’s scent isn’t all that pleasant to him. It’s too sweet.
“Lie down.” He commands and the omega is quick to comply, lying down in his furs, presenting himself to the alpha. Jeongguk tries not to groan. He’ll have them cleaned later. Jeongguk reaches the edge of the bed, placing his knee between the omega’s legs.
“H–Hurry,” Yugyeom says, squirming underneath Jeongguk, hole leaking in anticipation. Jeongguk is not one to take orders, so he takes his time, placing himself on either side of the omega. Jeongguk dips his head, mouth leaving open-mouthed kisses down the omega’s chest. He never goes above that. He ignores Yugyeom’s disappointment when he doesn’t reach his neck.
Jeongguk spreads Yugyeom’s legs, placing them on his hips. He stands to take his dick into his hand and Yugyeom gasps lightly. He can never get used to the sight. Jeongguk coats his fingers with the omega’s slick, smearing his length.
“I see you already prepped yourself,” Jeongguk says, half amused. Yugyeom was always so desperate. The alpha doesn’t complain, though, it just makes things easier. Less work for him.
Yugyeom moans when he feels the tip of Jeongguk’s length in his entrance, arching into him. The alpha thrusts into him in one go. He knows the whole pack can hear Yugyeom’s moans.
“Keep quiet,” He says in between thrusts, and Yugyeom nods fervently, biting his hand. Jeongguk keeps an unforgiving pace, just chasing his own orgasm. The omega is tight around him and after a few more rocking of his hips, the omega shivers beneath him, coming all over his chest.
Jeongguk comes a bit later, but he never does it inside. Yugyeom’s scent becomes sour unconsciously, but he never reproaches Jeongguk anything. He knows the alpha won’t give him a pup.
Jeongguk finds himself more often than not having the same dream sometimes. It always starts with him deep inside the unforgiving woods, his feet bare, the only thing covering them being the white snow. But for some odd reason, he never felt cold. His upper body was exposed, his loose trousers being the only piece of clothing on him.
Soon after he realizes what he was wearing, he’d hear cracking sounds echoing all over the woods, making him forget his clothes—or lack thereof. He would snap his head towards the sound, his senses heightened, his wolf attentive to any possible threat, but such a thing never came.
Then, he sees another wolf hiding in the shadow, his emerald green eyes grounding Jeongguk in place. He hated that dream because it was the first time it made Jeongguk feel like prey.
Jeongguk stepped closer, his wolf anxious to know—to see the being that is able to make him feel so vulnerable, but as soon as he was a step away from finding out, he would wake up in cold sweat, panting.
“Are you alright?” Jeongguk woke up to a weight on his chest, then he remembered he had called for the omega the night before. Yugyeom. He was looking at Jeongguk through his lashes, concern swimming in his eyes. Jeongguk was no fool, he knew the omega has feelings for him, despite Jeongguk telling him not to fall for him. He was stubborn and Jeongguk guessed he always found that attractive about him.
“Just a bad dream.” He says, sitting up, making Yugyeom untangle his arms around him. “Why are you still here?” Jeongguk’s back was to him, but he could smell the disappointment in his usually sweet scent.
“Thought you might’ve wanted me to stay a bit longer.” Yugyeom mumbles, fiddling with the sheets at his lap.
“If I had wanted it as you said, I would’ve asked. I don’t remember asking you.”
Yugyeom bites his lip. “Why do you let me in if you’re going to be an ass to me the next morning?”
“For the same reason you always keep coming back. No one is forcing you.” Jeongguk says tiredly, a hand coming to rub his temple.
“Don’t—don’t compare me to you. I don’t have a stone where my heart is supposed to be.”
Jeongguk chuckles. “If I’m so bad, then why do you come to me every time I call for you?”
“Because I fucking care for you.” Yugyeom’s distressed scent is making him dizzy. Jeongguk stands up, his back and ass to Yugyeom.
“We are not mates, Yugyeom. I told you the first day, that I will never hold romantic feelings for you and you agreed. If it’s going to be a problem, let me know so I can find another omega to fuck.”
Yugyeom doesn’t say a word, the only thing doing the screaming is his scent, desperate for an alpha to soothe it. For a moment Jeongguk thinks he’ll have to deal with his crying, but the sounds never come. He looks over his shoulder and to his surprise, Yugyeom is already getting himself dressed. Jeongguk should do the same.
Yugyeom throws him an ugly glare as he bumps into his shoulder, storming out without muttering another word. Jeongguk runs a fervent hand through his hair. Why couldn’t omegas keep their feelings in check? For fuck’s sake. Jeongguk should’ve known better.
Yugyeom’s father was a close friend of Jeongguk’s family, hence Jeongguk and Yugyeom having known each other since they were pups. The alpha was never much of a talker, he still isn’t, but that never stopped Yugyeom from sticking to him. He would follow Jeongguk everywhere and even though Jeongguk liked his own space, he didn’t mind his company. That was until they both presented. Yugyeom’s first heat was the talk of the whole pack because everyone thought Jeongguk would be the one helping him through it. He still remembers his father’s disappointment when Jeongguk told him he had no interest in the omega. Jeongguk knew his father wanted to see him mate a good, fertile omega and Yugyeom just happened to meet those expectations.
“Yugyeom, I can’t mate you. We don’t see each other in that way.” Jeongguk had gone to Yugyeom’s cabin to set things straight and the omega had mistaken his visit. His face fell immediately upon hearing the alpha’s words.
“ We …” Yugyeom emphasized, his sweet scent turned sour. “That’s a bit far-fetched, don’t you think?”
Yugyeom walked closer to him and it only made Jeongguk take a step back. “Yugyeom.” Jeongguk warned, but the omega didn’t listen to him, he just kept approaching him, bottom lip caught between his teeth.
“You know, I thought that if I followed around enough, you would have realized my feelings for you. Guess I didn’t try hard enough.” Yugyeom knew Jeongguk wouldn’t do anything to hurt him and took that to his advantage.
Jeongguk closed his eyes, jaw set tight. Yugyeom was testing his patience and he wanted Jeongguk to break. Jeongguk was not about to indulge him. “Yugyeom,” he warned again, but Yugyeom only hummed as he caressed Jeongguk’s sides. “Stop it. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Oh, no Jeongguk, you would never.” Yugyeom slotted his knee between Jeongguk’s legs and the alpha’s patience was running thin. “What kind of alpha would that make you?” Yugyeom took his lobe inside his mouth and Jeongguk placed his hands on his waist, pulling him down.
“You’re starting to get on my fucking nerves, Yugyeom. Stop wasting my time and tell me what you want.”
“You already know what I want.”
“And I already told you, I am not giving you my bite. I’m not the alpha for you.”
Yugyeom scoffed, “Oh, please. Spare me from that ‘you deserve better’ bullshit. You’re the only alpha for me, Jeongguk. Why can’t you see that?” Yugyeom held onto him again, this time more desperate.
“Alright then. You’re not the omega for me.” Jeongguk knew he was being harsh, but the omega was relentless. He was given no other choice but to say those cruel words. He knew how deeply that could hurt an omega’s wolf. Not being desired by the alpha you want is the worst that could happen to an omega.
“I’m not asking for your bite,” Yugyeom spoke up again and Jeongguk’s eyes widened. “I’m just asking you to fuck me when I need it.” The omega’s voice came out strained at the end. Jeongguk fought the urge to groan. Yugyeom did want his bite, still does, but because he refused to be rejected, he lied saying he just wanted to lay with Jeongguk.
Jeongguk decided to humor him. “So what you’re suggesting is that we fuck with no strings attached?”
Yugyeom nodded, albeit hesitantly. Jeongguk grabbed his hands and that made Yugyeom look up at him. “Are you aware of what you’re asking me right now?”
Yugyeom nodded again.
Jeongguk grinned. “Okay then. We will lay together.” Yugyeom beamed at him at that. “But, since we are not going to mate, you cannot reprimand me if I lay with other omegas. I don’t belong to you and you don’t belong to me. I will do what I want.”
Yugyeom looked like he had lost, like he had regretted asking Jeongguk anything altogether, but it was too late. “Yes.”
“If your jealousy starts to become a problem, I will put a stop to this immediately. I will not harbor romantic feelings for you Yugyeom, so you best do the same.” It hurt saying those things to the omega. Jeongguk didn’t think of himself as an asshole, but he had to make sure Yugyeom understood what he was asking of him. Plus, he cared for Yugyeom as a fellow pack member. He wouldn’t want to have bad blood with any of them.
Laying with another wolf in such an intimate way that is not with your mate is a dangerous thing to do. Reckless, even. Yugyeom agreed regardless.
“Very well.” Jeongguk decided to press no further and headed for the door, but Yugyeom caught his wrist.
“Are you not going to stay the night?”
“No, I am going to sleep in my own cabin. I am too tired and your scent won’t let me sleep.”
“Ah, I see.” Yugyeom let go of him. “I hope you rest well.”
Jeongguk hummed as he turned around. “You too.” Was all he said that night before he left for his cabin.
Jeongguk should’ve known it was a mistake. He should’ve known Yugyeom wasn’t going to be able to keep his feelings in check. He was a fool. Now, he had to pay the consequences.
As soon as Yugyeom leaves, a shiver runs down his spine. The door. He closes it and gets hold of his robes, putting them on as quickly as he can. He’s never been a fan of the cold. Funny because he lives surrounded by fucking snow. Once he’s dressed, he hears distant voices coming from outside his hut. Jeongguk looks through the window to find ten wolves assembled, seeming to be discussing something. Their faces tell Jeongguk it’s not about a good fuck they had the night before.
He opens the door of his hut rather harshly and that’s enough to get their attention. Jeongguk goes down the steps to approach his men. “What’s the meaning of this?” He inquires and all of them share nervous glances, hesitant to speak up.
“Someone better start talking right now.” Jeongguk warns and that seems to do the trick, one of his men stepping forward. Hoseok. The alpha wasn’t much older than Jeongguk and he was a good fighter, Jeongguk had to give him that.
“There’s a rogue wolf by the river.” Hoseok confesses.
“A rogue?” Jeongguk muses. If there really is a rogue wolf by the river, the packs from the south would’ve seen him first and taken care of him. “Did you kill it?” Jeongguk asks and Hoseok shakes his head.
“No. It’s injured, sir.” Jeongguk arches an eyebrow. He was starting to get annoyed.
“Then why would I waste my time on a dying rogue wolf Hoseok, hmm?” Hoseok bit his lip, unsure.
“He’s…. he’s a black wolf, sir.” Jeongguk’s body tenses. What the fuck is a black wolf doing all the way up here? Jeongguk heard many stories about black wolves growing up, stories about how they’re vicious and unforgiving. How they go berserk every full moon. Fuckers hate the cold too. But if there was something Jeongguk was certain about, is that they never travel alone.
“Take me to him.” He demanded. Jeongguk wanted to witness for himself what a black wolf was really like, to see if all those stories they told him as a pup were true.
“What do you mean he escaped?” Namjoon screamed, none of his men daring to look him in the eye. “I leave for two weeks—two weeks—and you mean to tell me he simply escaped?”
“We tried to stop him sir… he killed fifteen of our wolves.” One beta says, fear still present in his voice.
Namjoon stopped in his tracks, grabbing the beta by the collar. “Fifteen and yet he still managed to get away.” Spit landed on the boy’s face and Namjoon shoved him off, effectively making bump into his alpha comrade. “Where’s Taehyung?” Namjoon asks, teetering on the edge of madness.
“H–He left too sir.” The alpha helping the beta on his feet said, voice quivering in fear, but this time of Namjoon.
That was it. Namjoon’s last straw. He was about to land a punch square at one of the alpha’s faces, but before his fist could make contact with the alpha’s nose, another beta came storming in.
“Sir, your father calls for you.” The beta says out of breath and everyone grows silent. Namjoon steps away, closing his eyes momentarily.
“Leave, all of you. Now.”
Without a second thought, Namjoon’s men left him alone where they held captive their prisoners. He took a deep breath. He was becoming his father and he didn’t like it.
Namjoon exits the cells after calming himself down and heads for his father’s hut. He knocks before he enters. “Father.” He calls.
“Come in.” He hears his father’s raspy voice and he can tell he’s angry.
“Father—” But his words die in his throat as his father slaps him right across the face. Namjoon’s head is to the side and he breathes hardly to his nose, clenching his fists to calm himself down. “Sir—” Another slap. The echo could be heard all over their village.
“You will speak when I tell you to.” His father says, massaging the hand he just used to slap Namjoon with. His father goes back to sit at his vast desk, a deer head hanging on top of him for décor. He remembers the day Namjoon had gifted it to his father. Back then he so desperately sought for his approval. Now, all he wants is to rip his throat out. Namjoon’s jaw is clenched, but he knows better than to disobey his father, so he waits. “Very well. Speak.”
Namjoon exhales through his nose, his nostrils flaring, but he musters a calm tone nonetheless. “I know you’re upset, but—”
“Upset?” His father laughs, but it’s short-lived as he stares sternly at Namjoon. “No, I’m not upset son. I never should’ve trusted you with such a task. This is my fault for believing my own son could handle it.” His words are dripping with mockery and Namjoon’s alpha is starting to see red.
“I will make things right. I’ll find him and Taehyung.” Namjoon assures, sounding confident of himself.
“You better, because if you don’t son,” His father stands up in front of Namjoon and leans into his ear, “I’m afraid you won’t have a pack to return to.”
“Yes, father.” He says through gritted teeth and then he leaves his father’s hut, feeling nothing but rage coursing inside of him. Fuck his father. Fuck the black wolves. And fuck Taehyuhg.
The alpha groans, big hands covering his face. Jimin could be anywhere by now and the idea of the omega wandering around hurt made his alpha uneasy. He needs to know where he is and he needs to know it now. Namjoon steps out of his hut, shifting into his wolf. Nobody dares to come near him when they see his brown beast. They all step aside, making way for Namjoon to go through. A low growl erupts from the back of his throat before he lungs forward into the deep woods. Jimin’s citrusy scent still lingered in the air so he shouldn’t have problems tracking him down.
It hurt, it really fucking hurt, but he had to keep running. Those bastards got him good, but he got them better. Jimin could still feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins as he remembers the face of horror they sported before he ripped their necks with one bite. They were so fucking weak, but outnumbered, Jimin was bound to take a scratch or two. If broken ribs and a sprained paw can be even considered a scratch.
He knew they would be after him so he had no other choice but to keep moving in the cold and hope he didn't die in the process. Luckily for him, his wolf had no plans for dying, and quite frankly, neither did Jimin. He didn’t know how long he had been running, but blood was starting to gush out of his sides again and he felt numb. Jimin stopped under a big tree, it’s shadow dark enough to shield him for now.
He licked at the wounds his snout could reach, his wolf making a low whine at the pain. He needed rest, lots of it, but this is the best he could do for now. Shifting to his human form is possibly the last option in his mind. Jimin rests his weight against the thick trunk of the tree, deciding he was going to rest just for a little while before going on the move again. He settles his head to the side of his paw, his large black tail covering most of his body from the cold.
Sleep doesn’t come easy though, not for Jimin. The gash at his sides hurt more than any pain he had ever felt, but he has to move if he wants to survive. So he does. With every bit of strength left in his body, Jimin stands up and his claws dig into the snow once again. His ears perk up at the faint noise from the distance, then it starts to take shape in his ears. Water. And Jimin is sure as hell thirsty right now. With all the strength he can muster, he forces his body up and starts walking to the body of water up ahead.
As soon as he spots the creek, he’s so desperate to taste the water in his tongue he doesn’t mind the cold in his fur as he dives in. The water does wonders inside Jimin’s dry throat and when he thinks he’s drunk enough, he submerges into the water completely, letting the water clean his dark fur. It feels good; those bastards never bothered to allow Jimin to clean his fur, letting him rot in his own piss and defecation. The mere thought of them made his blood boil. Jimin gets out of the water, now standing on the other side of the border. He should be far from the south packs by now, he should have time to escape.
The question is, where would he go? No one will want a black wolf in their pack. They will kill him before he even steps foot into their territory. Of course, Jimin wouldn’t go down without a fight, but if he can avoid fighting, he will. He’s tired of fighting. He’s been doing it all his life and it’s not like he asked to be born what he is now. His mother warned him what his life would be like when he grew up, that there was no place for a black wolf anymore. Jimin, being the innocent pup that he was, didn’t want to believe it. He refused to think that the world that he lived in was so cruel.
He learned the truth the hard way.
Jimin and his parents after days of traveling stumbled upon a village. It was covered in snow like everything else was, but Jimin thought it was the most beautiful thing ever. There, Jimin could smell other wolves, pups, just like him. Jimin was overjoyed, his small body trembling in excitement. When he attempted to dash forward, his mother’s paw trapped his black tail under it, halting Jimin to a stop.
“Eomma?”
Jimin watched as his mother’s wolf approached him slowly, careful to not attract any attention to them. His father had taken a few steps forward, to check if anyone had detected their presence yet.
“My sweet pup, I know how excited you are, how eager your wolf must be to meet other pups like yourself and just let go, I know, but you mustn't run. You don’t know what type of dangers lie ahead.” She pauses to look at Jimin’s curious green eyes and her ears flattened. “Appa and I will speak to the leader to ask them if there’s space for us. Don’t go anywhere, understood?”
Jimin tilts his head in confusion but nodded all the same. He moved back behind a thick trunk tree, thick enough to hide his small figure. His mother gave him one last look before she and his father made their way into the pack grounds. Jimin watched their retreating silhouettes intently, his wolf still restless. His tail was wagging behind him and his black ears were perked. He was overthrown with the idea of being part of a pack, to belong.
Hours passed and there was still no sign of his parents. Jimin had tried to keep his eyes open, but the tiredness inside his body won him over. That was until he smelled another scent that didn’t belong to either of his parents. It smelt like earth. Jimin immediately stood up, the hairs of his back standing as he showcased his fangs, ready to sink them into the curve of a neck if he had to. But no such thing happened. The figure emerged from the shadows and it was another pup. He was in his human form. Jimin didn’t shift into his. He backed away, but the boy in front of him just took two steps forward.
“It’s alright, I won’t hurt you.” The boy said and it was the first time Jimin had heard another boy speak. His voice was beautiful, it was music to his ears and it grounded Jimin in place. The boy smiled at him. “Can you shift back to your human form?” He asked and Jimin did a small nod in response. Jimin thought of his mother then, how upset she would get if she knew her son was talking to a stranger, even if the said stranger was another pup.
“Your fur color is beautiful. It’s my first time seeing a black wolf.” The boy spoke again, stepping closer to him and breaking Jimin from his reverie. The boy’s eyes were dark brown and they were full of wonder. Was Jimin the cause of that? If Jimin could blush in his wolf form, he would have definitely done so at those words. Jimin backed away again, his hind coming into contact with the pine tree he was using to hide. So much for hiding. “Can I touch you?” He asked softly and Jimin nodded again, hesitant.
The boy’s hands raked all over his midnight black fur, eyes glistening. Jimin later learned the boy’s name was Taehyung, that he had just presented as an alpha, and that he was the second son of the pack leader. “My hyung’s name is Namjoon. People are scared of him, but he’s really just a big baby.” Taehyung was resting his body against Jimin’s torso, playing with his tail. Jimin just listened to him, carefully and intently.
“What brings you here all the way to the south?” Taehyung had asked him and Jimin stirred behind him. The boy leaned back and his eyes widened comically when he realized what was happening—Jimin was shifting. Jimin’s bones cracked, falling back into place. Taehyung’s eyes never left him. The snow kissed his naked skin and Jimin shivered as he looked up to meet Taehyung’s gaze. The boy’s mouth hangs open, but he quickly regains his composure as he strips off his coat, draping it around Jimin’s shoulders.
“Thank you.” Jimin whispered, clutching onto the rather warm fabric around him. Taehyung sat down next to him and Jimin welcomed the warmth. “Jimin,” he breathed out and Taehyung turned to him. “That’s my name.”
Taehyung smiled, his boxiest one yet. “Jimin.” He repeated, tasting the name on his tongue.
The two boys got lost in conversation as if they had known each other for years. It had sure felt like it. Jimin liked Taehyung, he made him feel at ease and Jimin didn’t want to let go of that. Taehyung must’ve liked him too because he kept Jimin close as he spoke. Jimin had finally found that friend he had always yearned for.
After what felt like hours, distant sounds of voices took shape in Jimin’s ears and he recognized one as his mother’s. Jimin squinted his eyes and Taehyung followed his line of sight. His parents were back in their human form, fully clothed, and they were accompanied by two other wolves, both walking on either side of them. Jimin left the comfort of Taehyung’s side and clutched the fur coat around his body tightly as he walked up to them. His mother was the first one to see him, opening her arms so Jimin could run into them. Jimin did just that and something had told him they had finally found a home.
Taehyung stood behind him and Jimin reached for his hand, taking it in his. The alpha introduced the other two wolves as his father and his hyung, Namjoon. Jimin didn’t care who they were, he would like them regardless for giving him a pack to return to. Jimin thanked them thoroughly, tears welled his eyes as he did so. Not long after, the pack leader offered them a hut to sleep in and some clothes for Jimin. The omega had never seen such fine pieces of clothing before, then again, he barely even used clothes. Jimin marveled at almost everything his green eyes landed on. His parents looked at him with eyes full of love. They had finally found a home.
Days went by, and Jimin fell in love with everything he saw. He wandered and wandered, his eyes never getting enough. The pack members were often offering him the goods they sold as a welcome gift, for the new pup. Jimin’s heart felt so full. He would take all the gifts up a small hill, plumping himself down against a tree to get comfortable, and finally, getting a taste of what he had been given.
Jimin, lost in the sweet scents of the freshly baked pieces of bread, didn’t perceive the extra scent that mingled in the air. Patchouli.
“Enjoying yourself?” Spoke up a voice and Jimin looked up expecting it to be Taehyung. It wasn’t. It was the first alpha son.
Namjoon.
He was taller than both him and Taehyung. His build was broader too. But his face… his face screamed gentle. His soft eyes and cute dimples didn’t intimidate Jimin. On the contrary, it eased his omega, just like Taehyung’s alpha did.
“These are delicious.” Jimin said, moving a little bit to the side so the alpha could sit. Namjoon arched a brow at him but sat next to Jimin seconds after. Jimin smiled at him, rosy cheeks full of the contents of the bread. Small crumbs adorned his lips.
Namjoon looked away, clearing his throat as he felt his cheeks burn. He wasn’t eating anything warm.
Truth was, Namjoon couldn’t tear his eyes away from the omega. The moment he saw him, he knew Jimin was undoubtedly the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He had black hair that shone blue when exposed to the rays of the sun, rosy cheeks that grew whenever he smiled too hard—which was more often than not, deep emerald green eyes, and luscious lips. Everything about Jimin was so captivating.
His blood would boil watching Jimin smile at Taehyung so widely, so happily. He wanted that for himself. He wanted Jimin.
“Do you wish to try some?” The omega’s silky voice brought him back to reality.
“No, it’s okay. You can eat them all.” I’m okay with just watching you was left unsaid.
“Thank you.” Jimin was so bright it hurt to look at him too much. Namjoon loved the burn nonetheless.
Little did he know that the light that once raged uncontrollably around Jimin was going to die out soon.
It happened when Jimin turned sixteen-cycles old. His birthday also happened to be on the night of the full moon.
“Jimin-ah.” His mother had called him from the inside of their designated cabin and once Jimin heard his mother’s calling, he bid Taehyung goodbye.
“I’m here, Eomma. What is it?” His mother cupped his cheeks and kissed both of them softly.
“I just wanted my pup close.” She smiled.
“Eomma,” Jimin groaned, but a smile tugged at his lips. “I was playing with Taehyung-ah. I was beating him.” He pouted and his mother only cooed at him.
“I know, my sweet pup. Your father and I have something important to tell you.” Jimin frowned slightly as he waited for his mother to continue.
“Jimin,” His father started, “Do you know why we always tell you to hide on the night of the full moon?”
“Because it’s dangerous and other wolves might try to kill me.” Jimin answered quickly like he had heard so many times before.
“Yes, my son, that is correct. But do you know why?”
Jimin shook his head.
“We are black wolves, Jimin. Legends say we weren’t supposed to exist, that we are an abomination to our kind. Do you know why your mother and I disappear on the night of the full moon?”
Jimin shook his head again.
“To make sure our wolves don’t take over. Your mother and I got lucky that we found each other because if it weren’t for the fact that we are mated, we would become slaves of the beast that we harbor inside us.”
Slaves of the beast? What beast? Jimin must’ve looked as confused as he felt because his father spoke up again.
“Tonight, Jimin, you will give into your wolf and completely disregard your voice of reason. The only thing on your mind will be how good it would feel to sink your fangs into something and hear it crack. ”
Jimin felt mortified after hearing his father’s words. “Father… I would never do such a thing. I don’t want to kill.” His voice trembled and his mother held him tight.
“I know you wouldn’t son, but your wolf is capable of anything. It’s him I do not trust.” His mother made a noise of disapproval at his father, but he dismissed it. “We’ve talked to the pack leader and he understood the situation we are in. He was kind enough to let us stay even after we told him what we were. I am not going to let you ruin that.”
Jimin felt scared; he feared himself and his wolf and uncertainty consumed him whole. He had finally found a home and he didn’t want to lose it—he wouldn’t be able to bear it. Then, three alphas stormed in the room. All of them locked eyes on Jimin as if he was a danger to everyone in the pack. He didn’t want to believe that he was.
“Take him.” His father said and he looked away the moment the alphas approached, not bearing to see his son treated like the animal they didn’t believe they were.
Jimin didn’t protest, he let himself be taken. The alphas weren’t gentle with him even though he was an omega, but that wasn’t the thing that hurt the most. The look on his mother’s eyes when she and Jimin locked eyes was what broke him. She looked at him as if she felt sorry she had given Jimin that life.
Jimin wished he could’ve told her that he was glad he had brought him into the world, even if the world wasn’t glad Jimin was in it.
As his father said, Jimin turned into a beast. He shifted into his wolf the moment the moon reached its peak. The three alphas that had brought him to the cell guarded him, but they feared him. Jimin could smell their fear. He pulled at the shackles around his back paws, the drag against the metal loud. His fangs were throbbing and he needed to sink them into something— anything.
With a lunge forward, one shackle broke free and it was not long before the other one was loose. Jimin broke both shackles and the three alphas stared at him with jaws opened.
“Call—” But the words died in his throat as Jimin connected his jaw with his neck. He was standing too close to the cell. His lifeless body fell to the floor, and the other two alphas were too shocked to move. Jimin snarled, fangs red as the blood of their packmate dripped off of them.
“Open it,” one of them whispered, voice shaky and unsteady.
“Are you fucking crazy? He will rip out our guts the moment we open it.” The other one hissed.
“Do you want to live?”
The other alpha hesitated as if living wasn’t in any of his options, but he agreed.
“Okay, then do as I say and open it. Slowly.”
The alpha approached the cell lock, legs shaking with every step. Jimin watched intently, his fangs were still on display. His father had told him he would lose all voice of reason, but he was wrong. Jimin knows what he’s doing. He killed the other alpha simply because he molested his mother without his father knowing. Jimin had caught him in the act and had silently vowed he would pay. He paid the price with his life.
When the alpha opened the lock, Jimin immediately tackled him, big paws crushing his chest. He snarled down at him, saliva falling on his face. The alpha clenched his eyes shut as he accepted his fate. The bite never came. That was a warning.
Jimin left them, paws unconsciously dragging him to where his mother was. He didn’t know why he couldn’t shake off the feeling something was off. Then, he smelled it coming from his cabin. Blood. He broke the door open and his wolf howled in pain at the sight. His father’s body laid on the floor and around it, a red pool of blood. He was stabbed to death.
“Jimin?” His mother’s weak voice called and Jimin immediately turned around and his mother was resting her body against the wall, her hand clutching to her side. “Jimin.” She called again and Jimin licked at her wounds. Small whines left his throat as he was slowly losing his mother. He felt useless, hopeless. He couldn’t do anything to help her. He wasn’t there to protect them.
“Who did this to you?”
His mother smiled at him. Even at the verge of life and death, his mother still managed to smile at Jimin like she always had. His heart ached. “M-My sweet pup. We underestimated you. You’ve grown to be a great wolf.” Her weak hand caressed his black fur and Jimin closed his eyes. He wanted to remember what it felt like to have his mother’s warm hand on him for the last time.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you. I swear to you, I will not rest until I make them pay for what they did.” He wanted to hold his mother. He wanted this night to end.
“The world is a cruel place Jimin. I’m sorry I have to leave you alone in it…” His mother’s voice trailed off, her body no longer being able to move.
“Run away Jimin, and never return.”
Her hand turned cold.
Exhaustion pulled at his muscles with every step, but he couldn’t afford the luxury of stopping. Jimin knows that Namjoon is on him and he won’t rest until he finds him. He just needed to walk a little bit further and he’ll be in the north packs’ territory. The blood had dried out on his fur, but the pain was still there, reminding Jimin what it felt like to be him.
The day bled into night and Jimin lost track of how much he has walked. He was too worn out to care. He knew he had to shift to his human form soon, but if he did, the human side of him would never be able to withstand the pain his wolf is going through. He’d die within seconds. Jimin didn’t come all this way to die just like his parents did. Jimin just needs to recover and he’ll be back. He still has lives he needs to take.
As if the gods had listened to his silent plea, water could be heard in the distance. Jimin follows the sound, his will to live keeping him on the move. Jimin had crossed that river many times before as a pup. He would hide his scent every full moon there, just like his parents instructed him to do so. The river was so safe because it was the only thing diving the south packs from the north. His parents would always tell him how proud the pack leaders were; neither of them liked to step foot in someone else’s territory if the circumstances didn’t deem it necessary.
Fuck the pack leaders and fuck their pride. Jimin reaches the river and drinks from it first. The water is cold against his tongue, but it’s just what he needs. The cold will numb his pain. He doesn’t think twice before he dives into the water once again. Jimin is so tired and so close to letting himself drown and put an end to everything, but images of his mother’s last breath flash through his mind, igniting the fire of hatred that lived inside of him.
He lets out a growl as he steps out of the icy water, his paws clawing at the snow. Jimin shakes his body to dry himself but immediately regrets it when he feels like he’s getting stabbed at the sides. He can rest. Namjoon won’t be able to track his scent for now and it gives Jimin enough time to be able to catch his breath. He lies down next to a tree and all energy drains from his body. His breathing is weak and if anyone were to find him like this, he wouldn’t stand a chance. But he’s just so tired. His eyelids feel heavy and Jimin feels like he’s losing a battle with himself. His head rests on the cold snow and he tries to focus his attention on something, to keep his eyes open.
Distant noises make his ears move to the direction it’s coming from and he should get up and be on the move again. The noises start to take shape in his ears and Jimin makes out five different voices. Impossible—how did they find him so quickly? Jimin attempts to get up but falls back onto the snow. It’s futile. He’s too injured. He can’t take them all.
I’m sorry, Eomma, Appa.
Soon, steps could be heard approaching him. Jimin’s vision was blurry, his eyes threatening to close and never open again at any moment.
“That’s him.” One of them says and the one standing in the middle steps forward. Jimin’s first instinct is to stand up and attack, but he can’t move, the pain has taken all over his body, rendering him immobile. Jimin tries to focus on the wolf approaching him and the prominent smell of sandalwood engulfs his nose. He’s an alpha and probably so is the rest.
The alpha’s golden eyes zero-in on him as he crouches to Jimin’s level. He takes in Jimin’s state and Jimin can’t believe he’s going to die like this. He would’ve at least liked to go down giving them hell. From the corner of his eye, Jimin can see the alpha’s hand lower down and a growl leaves Jimin’s throat.
The alphas behind him shift, but the alpha in front of him halts them with a hand to the air. Jimin hears him chuckle. The alpha stands up, leaving his strong scent behind. Jimin’s eyes are too tired to follow his figure.
“Take him.” That's the last thing he hears.
Then, he sees black.