14
It's a quiet morning, filled with the scent of honeysuckles and something warm and nice.
They're lying on the bed, tightly side by side, keeping an eye on the small dust particles dancing in the air with Jimin's hand resting right on top of Jungkook's. The alpha wants to desperately capture those smaller fingers in his own but he's afraid of crossing the line once more. He thinks he did that already enough last night.
Jungkook hasn't slept even for a minute and Jimin, although exhausted to the core, woke up only an hour after falling asleep to stubbornly keep him company. Their wolves are still on complete overdrive and the meeting looming in the near future, the one that's going to decide their fate, doesn't help.
Now, the lack of sleep probably won't help either, but Jungkook is slightly terrified of closing his eyes. The last time he did so, he woke up to an empty bed and the pain of that is still heavy in his chest.
Jimin's small fingers slip between his and the sweet scent in the air turns a tad bit sweeter, calmer. Jungkook automatically takes in a deep breath of the calming pheromones Jimin is releasing, and his wolf whines quietly, thankful for the omega's attentiveness.
"It's going to be okay, Jungkook. What's the worst that could happen to you?"
"Losing you."
It comes out easily, fast yet steady. The lack of hesitation is a surprise to the both of them – but the alpha thinks his answer makes Jimin smile, he just doesn't dare to turn his head to look.
"Mm, that would be unfortunate."
"Very."
The smile on Jimin's lips begins to fade and his hold on Jungkook's hand tightens for a moment before he lets go completely and moves his hand away. "Just... this time remember to put your pack first. I appreciate everything you've done for me, but—"
"Jimin", the alpha cuts him off, already knowing fully well how it's going to end. He finally gathers enough courage to flip on his side, facing Jimin, but the omega only stares straight up at the ceiling with lips tightly pursed together. It's kind of cute, kind of annoying. Which is, now that Jungkook thinks about it, pretty much Jimin's whole being summarized.
He kind of loves it, though.
"We're not going back there, okay? If you're only going to say that you're not worth it, then do us both a favor and shut up."
The omega's lips tug upwards. "Aren't you a sweet one."
"I know. Charming, isn't it?"
Jimin laughs and he sounds so incredibly fond it makes Jungkook feel all kinds of funny things. It's going to take a while for him to get used to the omega being so open and warm with him, but he's pretty sure he has no complaints about that.
But still, with all the fondness and warmth Jimin holds in his laughter, his words and his touch, his eyes are sad.
"Promise me one thing, Jungkook", the omega mutters after a moment, glancing at the other still watching him.
"Yeah?"
"Don't do anything that could cause harm to you, Seokjin or Taehyung. Unlike me, you have so much to lose."
Jungkook just rolls his eyes and suddenly leans over Jimin's smaller form, caging the omega under him. The other looks up at him with his pretty mismatching eyes wide with surprise, lips parted as if he was about to say something more only to have lost his voice midway. The gentle hue of red on his pale cheeks is beautiful.
"And you know what? Like I said, the worst thing would be losing you, so I'm not promising anything", the alpha says, diving down to nose at Jimin's neck, wanting that scent of rotten flowers to be gone. With a soft sigh, the omega tilts his head back a little to give him better access.
Once he's done scenting Jimin, Jungkook just decides to stay there, resting on top of Jimin. The omega giggles at that, wordlessly opening his legs so the bigger male would fit better.
"You've become bold, puppy", Jimin whispers, playing with the dark strands of Jungkook's hair. "Talking like that. Scenting me like that. One might think you actually hold feelings for me."
"Very funny", Jungkook growls quietly against the warm skin of Jimin's neck, but Jimin just throws his head back and laughs.
It's a nice sound.
In the end, when the meeting is finally about to start, it's Jimin who's at the brink of a mental breakdown and not Jungkook.
They've just been informed that only a few of Chaerin's most trusted men and everyone directly involved – meaning Chaeyoung, Jaehwan and Hyunwoo, more or less Seokjin and Taehyung as well – are to attend. It's slightly relieving to hear that most of the pack won't have to witness it, but Jimin seems terrified.
"Head alpha Kim isn't that bad", Taehyung tries to soothe the smaller omega. "She's actually much nicer than any other head alpha I have met. Well, not that I've met many, but you know. I'm pretty sure she isn't out for your blood."
For someone who spends so much time with children, Taehyung is, even nicely put, really fucking bad at comforting.
They're right outside the hunter's hut but Jimin has stopped moving and his eyes are wide and wild, the scent of honeysuckles almost electrifying in the air. Jungkook can feel his wolf begin to stir again, an unsettling feeling passing over him, and if it wasn't for Seokjin's hand squeezing his shoulder almost painfully, he'd probably take Jimin's hand and run.
He doesn't know where but at this point, his wolf thinks anywhere else is better than here. Slowly, remembering all the tears Jimin lost last night, the human side of him is beginning to agree.
"Jimin, we have to go", Jungkook says, but he directs it at himself more than the omega.
The blonde just nods a few times, the look on his face becoming grim. "Just – one thing that you should know. Probably. I mean, definitely. You should definitely know this."
Jungkook doesn't think he's ever seen Jimin this nervous and it makes him feel sick.
"What is it?"
"It's... my name—"
"Dear mother nature, if you're now going to tell me your name isn't Jimin, then I swear—"
"No! It's not that." Jimin narrows his eyes at Jungkook. "Why would you even think so?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "We weren't the best of friends back then. You could've lied."
"I don't think even I'm capable of lying this long about my name, Jungkook."
"Is this really the best time to be arguing?" Seokjin cuts in swiftly, although he seems quite amused. Jungkook lets out a snort and turns back to Jimin.
"Okay then, what is it?"
But just then Namjoon steps out of the hunter's hut, an impatient look on his face. "What are you guys doing? Are you really planning on making us wait longer? Mother has been quite lenient with you until now but make her wait another minute and that's about to change."
Seokjin yanks at Jungkook's shoulder once before letting go, turning to leave after his mate. "Alright, this talk can wait. I'm not interested in pissing off the head alpha today."
Taehyung seems to agree because he slips inside right after Namjoon and Seokjin. Jungkook is about to follow when Jimin grabs his hand and wraps his other arm around the alpha's waist, hugging him tightly.
The distress is clear in his scent and Jungkook lets out a quiet sigh before wrapping his own arms around Jimin's smaller form, burying his nose in the blonde locks.
"If you wanted a hug, you could've just said so."
"Park Jimin", is what the omega answers, his voice muffled against Jungkook's coat.
The alpha pulls back like he would've been slapped.
"What did you say?"
The emotion he sees swimming in Jimin's mismatching orbs can't be anything but shame, and he can't even look at Jungkook in the eyes for more than a few seconds. "It's Park Jimin. My full name. I'm just telling you this before Hyunwoo can – you know, to save the shock."
Now the omega makes a move to head inside but Jungkook isn't having it. He yanks Jimin straight back into his arms, grabbing the omega's chin rather roughly to get him to look at him.
"Park Jimin", he repeats, disbelief clear in his tone. "Park Jimin of the Park pack. You mean to tell me that you're—"
"Jungkook, Jimin", a new voice interrupts and Jungkook turns his attention on the familiar figure standing in the doorway. He can barely stop the growl from escaping him, his wolf frustrated with being cut off midsentence, especially when he was talking with his omega.
Yoongi gives him an unimpressed look and completely ignores the glare thrown at him. "Get inside. People are getting impatient and this isn't helping your case."
The younger alpha clenches his jaw but nods anyway. "Right."
When he looks down at the omega in his arms, Jimin averts his gaze. He smells more upset than before and Jungkook's wolf whines, knowing it's his fault. He knows he shouldn't get so rough but maybe, maybe Jimin could've told him a little sooner that he is a member of the head family of the Park pack.
But that makes everything just more confusing. Why would the Park pack be so cruel to someone of Jimin's rank?
"Do you hate me now?" Jimin's soft voice brings him back to reality, the omega still refusing to look at him.
Jungkook sighs and tightens his hold on the other a little. "No. I don't hate you." I've never hated you.
How could he even? At this point, Jungkook's pretty sure Jimin has his whole heart in the palm of his hand.
The alpha leaves a soft kiss on Jimin's temple and holds him for a second longer before finally loosening his hold. The scent of honeysuckles turns slightly sweeter and warmer, and Jimin doesn't let go of Jungkook's hand.
"Alright. Let's get this over with."
Kim Chaerin is spinning a hunting knife in her hands when Jungkook and Jimin finally enter.
She greets them with a cunning smile and she's sitting in a chair covered in animal furs like a queen sits on her throne, her long hair free of the usual braid, running down her shoulders like the mane of a lion. There's an unsettling glint in her amber eyes and the aura around her screams dominance – Jungkook can't hold her gaze for longer than a few seconds, max. Jimin doesn't even look at her.
Minseok and Chaeyoung are just leaving as they enter. It seems that they have already shared their part of the story and the elder omega obviously doesn't want to get his child any more involved in this. He only offers a fleeting smile to Jungkook and curiously eyes Jimin before quickly ushering Chaeyoung out.
"Glad you decided to finally join us, alpha Jeon", Chaerin speaks as soon as her younger brother is out of the hut. Her blazing eyes flicker to Jimin.
"Omega Park."
Jungkook's mouth goes dry and Jimin squeezes his hand so hard he's probably cut off the blood circulation in his fingers.
So she knows.
Jimin doesn't seem surprised. The look in his mismatching eyes is distant.
It's completely silent for a moment. Jungkook can feel everyone's eyes on them, some judging, some surprised and some curious. The hut is only open space from the inside, the ground covered in wood and old leather and fur for a makeshift floor. There are two fireplaces with fire currently burning in only one, so it's quite chilly inside. Usually there are no chairs or tables, but now some have been brought for the participants – it's obvious that the meeting won't be a short one.
The unknown alpha who had attacked them last night, is kneeling on Chaerin's right side, hands tied behind his back and head held down. There are droplets of blood on the wood under him and Changmin, the vice leader of the pack, is holding a knife to his throat with a blank look on his face.
Jiwoo and Namjoon stand on the head alpha's other side, Yoongi right behind them. Jaehwan is standing next to him. Seokjin and Taehyung are by the fireplace and the rest of the wolves present are scattered all around them. As soon as Jungkook and Jimin are fully inside, Jaebum comes to stand in front of the exit, an apologetic smile on his face.
If things go wrong and they need to run, it's obvious that they won't be able to leave without a fight.
"Seems like alpha Jeon has healed you. I was a little worried about that, taking into your condition, omega Park, but it seems like he did a good job. It's marvelous, this bond of yours." Chaerin slides a gentle finger over the knife's blade and smiles softly. "It's been a while since the last time the moon goddess blessed us with destined mates."
Jungkook chokes on his own spit and Jimin goes completely rigid behind him.
Destined mates?
Chaerin lowers her knife, her observant eyes taking in the pair's reactions. "Ah. You two didn't know." She glances at Jiwoo with a raised brow. "Didn't you tell them, healer Kim?"
"I tried", Jiwoo answers, shooting an accusing look at Jungkook. "But alpha Jeon here wouldn't stay put long enough to listen."
A spark of annoyance flares within Jungkook's chest. He believes that this is what Jiwoo had tried to tell him last night but honestly, had he been even a minute late, Jimin could be dead now. The young alpha almost barks this fact out, but Jimin grabs him by the forearm and wraps his sweet scent around him like a thick blanket, calming his annoyance in mere seconds.
Jungkook is thankful for that. It wouldn't be very wise to act so temperamental in front of people who're about to judge whether he can stay and whether Jimin lives or dies.
"If you're calm now, alpha Jeon, perhaps you'd like to hear what destined mates exactly mean", Chaerin's voice cuts through his thoughts, full of mirth. She has completely set her knife down, the sharp object resting on her crossed legs now.
And of course she'd sense the turmoil within him, even Jimin's quick comfort isn't fast enough to fool a pack-leader's intuition.
"I – yes, of course, head alpha", Jungkook lowers his gaze and the small omega behind him releases his hold to instead lean on him, peeking at the powerful woman over Jungkook's shoulder.
The alpha swears Chaerin's smile widens a little at that and the amused look in her amber eyes turns into something fond.
"Snowflake", she calls, tone softer than the young alpha has ever heard before. "You've returned to me."
Returned...?
"What?" Jungkook turns to look at Jimin, but the omega's face is stony and unreadable. It doesn't even seem like he heard the alpha's question. The only indication that he's still present with them, mentally that is, is the anxious way he's twisting the back of Jungkook's shirt with his ice-cold hands.
The alpha, although very confused, can't help but begin to release calming pheromones, his wolf's anxiousness rising at the same time with Jimin's.
Jimin's hold on his shirt loosens. The omega's mismatching eyes finally meet Chaerin's.
"If it's Kim Yoojoon you're looking for, he's dead."
The name Kim Yoojoon doesn't say much to Jungkook, other than that he could quite possibly be a member of his pack – or was, if he's dead now. But to Chaerin and Jiwoo, and to some of the older wolves present, Kim Yoojoon seems everything but a random name.
The look on the head alpha's face is a mixture of sorrow and anger, and if Jungkook wasn't looking at her so intently, he wouldn't have noticed the way Jiwoo squeezes her shoulder for silent support. But Chaerin is much more in control of her emotions than anyone else the young alpha knows, and she gets herself back together quickly.
"Snowflake—" she starts, but Jimin cuts her off.
"Don't call me that." There's a heavy pause before the omega adds, his tone a little sadder and a lot quieter. "Please."
For some reason, Chaerin doesn't seem offended for being interrupted by an omega from another pack. She does, however, seem to have some objections on her tongue, all of which Jiwoo gently cuts off.
"Before we dive into that subject, we should talk about destined mates", the healer says, her smile gentle but the hold she has on the pack-leader's shoulder is tight, comforting. "If you don't mind, head alpha Kim."
The said woman seems conflicted for a second or two before nodding. "Go ahead."
Jiwoo turns to Jungkook and Jimin right away. The panic must be written all over their faces by now, but the healer just smiles kindly, the affection clear in her eyes. "You two needn't worry, it's nothing bad. Destined mates are something very rare but valued. You're different from the rest of us."
"Do you really think I want to be any more different than I already am?" Jimin hisses at that, tone defensive. He has let go of Jungkook by now, taking a full step back. It makes some of the other wolves present restless, low growls echoing through the hunter's hut, but Chaerin silences them with a calm raise of hand.
Jungkook understands the omega's defensiveness. Without parents and having been raised by his omega older brother and well, basically Namjoon's father, the pack has seen him as someone different from the rest for years – he's the boy who killed his parents. And now with Jimin in the picture, he's an abnormality within the forest wolves.
And being abnormal is never a good thing amongst wolves.
However, Jimin's abnormality, how he's mismatching in all possible ways and nothing Jungkook is used to, is nothing but beautiful. The alpha wishes he wasn't the only one capable of seeing that.
"Being destined mates isn't something frowned upon, Jimin. Actually nowadays it's nothing but a myth, a tale told by some of the elders, but even before it became that, those destined together were never poorly treated", Jiwoo tries to calm down the agitated omega but her words are nothing but fuel to the fire.
"So you're saying that I never had a choice?" Jimin's tone has turned from angry to pained, and Jungkook's alpha whines pathetically, wanting – no, needing to know how to make it better for their omega. But he can't even sense Jimin's wolf, the other has completely shut him out.
"Are you saying that because the moon goddess decided so, I can never..." The omega's tone fades into nothing but a weak whisper, his sorrowful eyes glancing at Jungkook. "That I can never love anyone but Jungkook?"
Jiwoo shakes her head. "You can fall in love with whoever you want to, little one."
"But it wouldn't be the same, now would it?"
The sad way Jiwoo smiles as an answer says it all.
"No. Your omega was made for Jungkook's alpha, just as much as his alpha was made for your omega. You two can separate ways and fall in love with whoever you want, you can decide to never see each other again and live a good life—"
"But?" Jungkook raises a questioning brow at the healer. He's starting to feel sick at his stomach.
Although his wolf is elated to know that Jimin's wolf was made for them, is perfect for them, Jungkook's human side can't agree as much. Because if this was all predestined, if this was all something that would have happened no matter what, where does it leave them? What part of this is genuine?
Can Jungkook ever say that he loves Jimin because he wants to, because he genuinely fell in love with him – or will those words just be something fed to him before he even knew what a mate was.
"But you'll always be missing something. You'll always be missing someone", Jiwoo answers him. "You will never be complete without each other."
Jungkook kind of wants to scream. Jimin looks like he wants nothing more but to cry.
"You don't expect us to be happy about this, right?" the alpha asks in a low tone, trying to glare at the healer but truly, he must look like a kicked puppy. "You don't really expect us to be happy to know that this was never in our hands, that all of this was predestined, that my love for him is not genuine—"
"It has always been in your hands, alpha Jeon", Chaerin interrupts him rather sharply.
Without even realizing it himself, Jungkook had become quite worked up, and although he can't smell his own scent, from the looks of it he must be releasing pretty strong and hostile pheromones in the air. Jimin's hand is hovering close to his own, the look on the omega's face unsure but concerned. It's obvious that he wants to comfort the alpha but doesn't know whether he's wanted or not.
It's stupid, really. Jimin is all Jungkook wants. He just wants to know whether it's genuine or not.
"There's only so much to the blessing of the moon goddess. Maybe you were made perfect for each other, crafted to fall in love, to be the perfect mates... But that's all", Chaerin continues, covering Jungkook's scent with her own, soothing one. "You didn't find Jimin by that tree because you were destined to do so. You didn't bring him here because you were told to, alpha Jeon, it was your own decision. Despite, the moon goddess's blessing only affects your wolf, not your human."
"And we all know that you and Jimin suppressed your wolves until the very end", Jiwoo adds with an amused smile. "Now, try and tell me you didn't feel something towards him even before you trusted your wolf with him."
Jungkook can't find his voice and the healer gives him a knowing look before rolling her eyes. Jimin's hand finally slips back into his and the alpha holds on tight.
Chaerin looks at their intertwined hands and smiles. "The human and the wolf are like two sides of the same coin. You're different but at the same time, you do need each other. I can't completely deny that some part of your affection towards each other comes from your wolves, but it is still a part of you, alpha Jeon, omega Park. Your wolf is still you – those feelings are still yours."
Her amber eyes are warm and Jungkook doesn't think he has to worry about her ever hurting Jimin.
"You're just slightly more compatible than the rest of us and I don't, quite frankly, see anything wrong in that."
"Of course you don't. You and your pack have always supported freaks like them", a new, low voice says, and Jungkook's gaze snaps at the alpha kneeling next to Chaerin. He has raised his head, although Changmin is still holding a knife to his throat, and his icy blue eyes are on Jungkook for a moment before moving to Jimin.
The alpha smiles mockingly, a trail of blood running down his chin. "Should've known you'd choose a forest wolf, Snow White. You're too much like your mother."
"Shut up, Hyunwoo", Jimin growls straight back. "You don't know one thing about her."
"I know enough", the alpha, Hyunwoo, spits out.
"Oh, do you really?" Chaerin asks with a bored sigh. She leans on her hand and picks up the hunting knife again, spinning it in her other hand, dangerously close to Hyunwoo's ear. "Do you really think you know Park Minyoung?"
"Wait..." Namjoon cuts in with a frown. "Park Minyoung... as in the Park pack's head alpha?"
"Former", Jimin and Hyunwoo grit out at the same time, the omega then adding: "Former head alpha. She's been dead for the past sixteen years."
Quite murmurs echo through the hunter's hut and for the second time within an hour, Chaerin's face twists with something sorrowful. "I see. I should've figured. Minyoung never wanted to live in a world without Yoojoon. Was it an accident that took their lives? I find it hard to believe anyone could have ever defeated Minyoung, and she'd never let anyone past her to hurt her mate."
"No", Jimin mumbles, looking at his feet. The look of sorrow on his face matches that of Chaerin's. "It wasn't an accident."
"She lost a duel for the head alpha's position", Hyunwoo cuts in. "There was no way we could've let her live after that."
The sorrow dissolves from Jimin's face in less than a second, replaced by burning hatred. The electric blue of his other eye is almost mesmerizing but the flakes of crimson red swimming in it are alarming. It's Jungkook's first time seeing Jimin feel so strongly about something.
"A duel? You've got to be fucking kidding me – a duel is a fair fight but there was nothing fair about what happened. You killed my father and drove my mother mad, and as if that wasn't enough, you just had to take my brother away too—"
"Shut it, omega", Hyunwoo growls, his voice laced with an alpha's authority. It silences Jimin completely and the omega falls on his knees with a whimper, clutching onto his head in pain.
It takes Jungkook a moment to realize that Hyunwoo used his alpha voice on Jimin – that another alpha, an alpha threat to his whole community, just used his alpha voice on Jungkook's omega, his mate.
He kneels down next to Jimin and literally yanks the omega into his arms, shielding him with a low growl that reverberates through his very being. The wolf within him has never felt more threatened and the way Jimin keeps clutching onto his head in obvious distress doesn't ease his growing agitation.
It's forbidden for an alpha to use their alpha voice on omegas or betas because of the damage they can cause – there are cases where the weaker party has literally been driven to the brink of insanity. Had this alpha used it on any omega, Jungkook would've been pissed, but the fact that he had the guts to use it on his omega makes the edges of his vision blurry with red.
Kill him, kill him, kill him, the wolf within him snarls.
Suddenly Namjoon and Yoongi are there, the taller of the two alphas blocking Jungkook's view of Hyunwoo while Yoongi rests his hand on the back of Jungkook's neck, demanding submission from the younger alpha.
"Calm down", the black-haired man growls quietly. "I'll fucking kick your ass if you go feral now and make us go through last night again."
Jimin whimpers in his hold, burying his face against Jungkook's chest and the way he's holding him, arms wrapped tightly around the alpha's waist, is all that stops him from gutting Hyunwoo alive.
But before he can verbally answer Yoongi or even begin to calm down his wolf, Chaerin's already quite overwhelming presence heightens. The powerful scent of leather and something fiery fills the hut, the head alpha's command for the rest to submit forcing even Jungkook's enraged wolf to yield.
"That's quite enough", Chaerin says calmly. However, the storm raging in her amber eyes and the hostility in her scent betray her calm demeanor. She's outraged.
"I'm usually a very patient person", the head alpha continues, but the way she slams the hunting knife on the chair handle says other. "But you're testing my patience, alpha. Not only are you a trespasser on my pack's territory and threatened to kill one of my nieces, it seems that you're also involved in the death of my brother, his mate and quite possibly, my nephew. Next time you want to speak, I suggest just keeping your mouth shut."
Hyunwoo is completely still, Jungkook doesn't think he can even see his chest moving. Not that he even cares.
"Now." Chaerin turns her burning gaze back on him and Jimin. Surprisingly, her eyes soften the slightest. "Snowflake, I want to hear your story."
Jimin tenses up in Jungkook's arms and for a moment, the alpha is sure he's not going to answer, but then slowly, he turns around to glance at the head alpha.
"From the very beginning?" Jimin's voice is barely above a whisper.
"Well, perhaps I should make some things clear first." The female alpha offers Jimin a small smile before straightening her back and clearing her throat to make sure everyone is capable of hearing her, loud and clear.
"I expect everyone to be aware of the fact that the Kim pack and Park pack were once good allies and had my father not cut of our ties out of pure pettiness, I'd like to think that we'd be in a much better place nowadays. I know that there's a rumor, saying that one of my siblings was killed by a Park wolf, leading to my father cutting all ties with the mountain wolves, but that wasn't it."
Chaerin tilts her head a little, warm amber eyes now eyeing Jimin in an almost curious way. Somewhere deep in those eyes, Jungkook sees love and acceptance, recognition.
"My brother, Kim Yoojoon... he wasn't killed by a Park wolf – he fell in love with one."
The head alpha's words make Jungkook look at Jimin, who's already looking back at him with mismatching eyes full of hesitation. The smile twitching on the omega's lips is apologetic.
For the first time, instead of simply seeing the warmth of home in one of Jimin's eyes and the calming darkness of the universe in the other, he sees summer and winter, two worlds that weren't supposed to clash but still did – and ended up creating something oh so beautiful.
Breathtaking.
And sadly, something not many accept. Obviously Jimin's pack didn't. Obviously their pack didn't either, if the former head alpha had cut all ties with the Park pack simply because one of his children fell in love with someone he wasn't supposed to.
It isn't so hard to understand Jimin's behavior anymore. Jungkook just wishes he could be the one to kiss away his scars.
"You'd think that with the alliance that we had, my father would have accepted my brother's choice of a mate, but he didn't", Chaerin continues with a sigh, rubbing her temple in frustration at the memory.
"And then, when it became apparent that Yoojoon and Minyoung were expecting a child, my brother was no longer safe here. I thought that by helping him escape to the Park pack, I'd give him and his children a safe future – with Minyoung not only being the head alpha, but also the strongest alpha around this area, I really thought I had made the right decision. And for the next five years, on the coldest day of winter, I'd go out to meet him by the lake."
Her sorrowful eyes focus on the blonde omega in front of her. "Until one day, he didn't come."
"I remember that", Jimin says, rubbing his throat absently while frowning. "He wanted to go – I think he was trying to drag me with him, but then they, they—" The omega cuts himself off, shrinking into himself as the memories of his father's last moments played in his mind.
If Jimin concentrates hard enough, he can still hear his father's scream for Minyoung only for no one to answer, and then there had been this strange gurgling noise and the snow at Jimin's little feet had turned crimson red.
"They just slit his throat open right there – no warning, nothing. They didn't even give him a chance to fight or leave, and I couldn't – I couldn't do anything."
The way Jimin has started to squeeze his own throat in obvious anxiousness alarms Jungkook, and he reaches out to gently pull the omega's hands down, trying to release calming pheromones, but Chaerin's scent has begun to turn more hostile and it's almost impossible for anyone else to control the atmosphere.
"When mother finally arrived, she went feral. It was worse than with Jungkook – she just killed anyone who came in the way, omegas, betas and alphas alike. Children, even. She was mad."
Jungkook has heard some stories of the great leader of the Park pack. She was told to be a fearless alpha as beautiful as snow, as deathly and cold as ice, and other packs rarely dared to cross her path. If an alpha as powerful as her went feral... then it must've been a bloodbath.
"Then how did they stop her?" Namjoon asks, mirroring the dark look of his mother's. "Jungkook turned back because you were calling out to him and you are, essentially, his mate – but if your father was already dead, then how—"
"They used you", Chaerin interrupts Namjoon, eyes boring into Jimin.
The blonde omega looks ashamed and the way his sweet honeysuckle scent turns rotten with his sorrow makes Jungkook want to get on his knees and beg for him to smile again.
"They didn't force me to", Jimin tells quietly. "I just – when I saw her killing all those people, the people she was supposed to protect... I couldn't let her do that. Without father, I was alone with my younger brother, I needed her back and I thought they'd let her live. But the moment she turned back, they killed her. My mother's brother killed her and declared himself as the new head alpha of the Park pack."
Jimin turns to look at Chaerin and his mismatching eyes are filled by tears that quickly spill over, shattering Jungkook's heart in the process.
"Ultimately, I killed her. I killed my mother. Can you forgive me for that, head alpha Kim?"
It's silent for a long moment and Jungkook can feel Jimin's anxiousness increasing. The look on Chaerin's face is unreadable.
Until suddenly, the woman smiles again. "You did what you had to do, Snowflake. You were just trying to protect the pack you considered yours and like you said, you thought they'd let her live. You didn't know that your uncle never had any intentions of letting her out alive. And knowing Minyoung, I think she was just relieved you stopped her when you did. She always held her pack on the highest pedestal, after all."
Jimin thinks about her empty blue eyes and the crimson flower that bloomed under her, and wonders what could have happened if she had put her mate first instead. How many things would be different now, had she given her everything to her mate and family instead of her pack?
How different would Jimin's life be, had Park Minyoung loved Kim Yoojoon enough to leave the mountains behind?
It makes him wonder if Jungkook would ever leave the forest behind for him.
He shouldn't.
But when Jimin looks down at the way the alpha is holding his hands, both gently and carefully but at the same time still so securely, he thinks that maybe, maybe there's a chance.
Maybe.
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