15
There was a time when Jimin had nothing but love to give to the world.
Despite the way other pups and adults would avoid him and how his father rarely smiled and how his mother was never there, Jimin was a joyous pup with glimmering mismatching eyes and a wide smile that rivaled the sun itself.
He was a happy pup, with a heart too full of love in a world so cruel.
Until on one cold winter day, a shadow that would never quite leave him alone, swallowed all his warmth, his light and joy. After that day, Jimin was left with nothing but sorrow and only bits and pieces of love in his heart.
His hands were covered in the blood of his father, the blood of his mother and as his uncle, Park Minhyun said, half of the pack's. Because in the span of three days, the Park pack had lost over half of its wolves – some which Park Minyoung killed in her feral state, some which Minhyun executed to prevent anyone possibly loyal to the old pack-leader from trying to steal back the position, including his grandfather.
So Jimin, who was no longer safe anywhere else but within the walls of his grandmother's cottage, gave all of his love to his brother. Because Jihyun was a beautiful child, who did not need to see the blood in his hands.
Jihyun was the only one who didn't look at him differently.
Although his grandmother took it upon herself to raise her daughter's children, her kind eyes were always filled by deep sorrow and pity whenever she looked at Jimin. She had always been aware of the guilt he carried with him and despite her attempts at lessening it, Jimin is his mother's child. Stubborn to the core. He never accepted her help because he knew he didn't deserve it.
With a frail grandmother and a younger brother incapable of taking care of himself, Jimin had to become the alpha of the house. He had to learn to fight, to hunt, to skin an animal and make use of all of its parts, alone. And despite his struggles, Jimin excelled in what he did. There has never been any doubt about him being the descendant of two very powerful families.
Life was tough but still, he was good, okay with the life he led. That is, until he presented an omega at the age of seventeen. His presentation changed his body completely; it made him the perfect omega, lithe and compact, fair and soft around the edges.
Jimin became beautiful, so breathtakingly beautiful, and everyone noticed that.
Despite the history of his family, Jimin had quite a lot of suitors. And he even considered taking a mate from amongst them many times, because that would have meant stability and perhaps even some protection. But his wolf never accepted any and in the end, he turned everyone down.
It's not like any of them held any fond feelings for Jimin. They saw beauty, a new fertile omega, a powerful one, and they wanted that. And it's definitely not like Jimin ever held any fond feelings for any of his packmates. The only reason he would have taken one as his mate – hadn't his wolf interfered – was because of Jihyun and his grandmother.
Some of the betas and omegas his age begun to spread rumors soon after in their jealousy. Jimin had to listen how he had slept with this alpha and that beta, how he'd let alphas fuck him for food and wood, when in reality Jimin had never let another wolf in his bed. Even his heats, no matter how painful, he'd spend alone, scream his pain into his pillow and cry at the unfair world behind the locked doors.
Being Park Minyoung's child in a pack that learned to hate her, came with a lot of cons and very little pros. But at least he lived. At least his grandmother and Jihyun lived.
Things changed when Jihyun presented an alpha at the age of sixteen.
Jimin had seen it coming. His younger brother had long passed him in height and muscle mass, he showed all the signs of a young alpha – reckless and prideful, strong features and a dominant nature. But because Jihyun had never known their parents and swore loyalty to their uncle, Jimin thought nothing would change.
He was wrong.
Park Minhyun doesn't take any risks. The very day Jihyun's rut ended, only minutes after he had happily exclaimed that 'hyung, you don't need to worry anymore because from now on, I will protect you', they took him away.
His uncle isn't capable of having children of his own and to think that his dead sister somehow managed to have an alpha son, something he'd never have... it drove the man insane. Jihyun's existence was a threat Minhyun had immediately eliminated.
Jimin hadn't been able to do anything but scream and cry and at the very end, beg.
Because despite the way he had grown-up, despite his pride and beliefs, Jihyun always mattered more. And Jimin hadn't felt even an ounce of shame when he got down to his knees in front of the very man who dethroned his mother and killed his father and begged him to let his brother live.
"Don't be foolish", the man had simply said, sitting in the head alpha's chair, that once belonged to Park Minyoung and with her gone, defeated in such an unfair matter, should have belonged to alpha Park Jihyun.
"You would have faced the same faith if you hadn't presented an omega. I have no use for an alpha – you will at least make a good breeding bitch and continue this bloodline."
Disgust and confusion had been Jimin's first feelings, followed quickly by hatred that has yet to burn out, even after all these years.
"I will never give an heir to a coward like you", he had all but sneered back at the man.
And when Jihyun never returned, even after the countless of days he and his grandmother spent waiting for him, Jimin swore he'd much rather kill himself than ever give birth to a child within the Park pack.
But Park Minhyun became quickly impatient – Jimin had reached the age of twenty-one, his fertility was at its highest, yet he'd break any man's nose if they got too close for comfort. His uncle begun to fear that if the omega wouldn't soon mate and have children, he'd die before having a proper heir, an heir that still carried their blood.
So Hyunwoo stepped into the picture. An alpha close to Jimin's age, powerful and loyal to Park Minhyun – his nose wasn't as easily broken as everyone else's and Jimin quickly learned that what an alpha wanted, they got it. It would be too much for their pride to have an omega say no and get away with it with no punishment.
There are certain herbs that can trigger an omega's heat early. It still makes nausea swim in Jimin's stomach when he thinks about how one night, he had been dragged into the pack-leader's hut and forced to drink this sweet smelling, but foul-tasting, liquid. It still makes him want to cry and scream, when he remembers the hands he had felt all over his body and how, despite the way his wolf howled for mercy, his body answered to the assault.
Perhaps he went feral, then. Jimin has never been quite able to recall what happened after he consumed the sweet liquid, but he had woken up in his grandmother's cottage with his stomach covered in bloodied bandages and body numb with pain.
"You almost killed the man", his grandmother had told him in a tone barely above a whisper. "Your uncle couldn't let it go unpunished."
The scar on his lower abdomen was his punishment. Because if he refuses to give his uncle the heir still of the Park bloodline he so desperately needs, Jimin will never give children to anyone.
He cut deep. The omega still doesn't know if it was deep enough to truly damage his womb but most likely – at least if the way his grandmother had cried was anything to go by. Without her, Jimin would have probably died, too. Because Minhyun is still a son of Sohyeon's, he showed mercy to his mother when she begged him not to damage Jimin's body any further.
Jihyun she couldn't save.
And in the end, Jimin couldn't save anyone. Not his father, mother, or any of those people his uncle had executed only because their loyalty rested elsewhere. And not his brother, not his grandmother.
Not even himself.
There was a time when Jimin had nothing but love to give to the world. But times change, and the world drained every bit of warmth from his heart until he was left with a cold, hopelessly deep hole in his chest.
But now he has found a home in warm golden eyes, and Jeon Jungkook is filled by nothing if not hope.
Jimin blinks his eyes open, his vision hazy and mouth dry. It's dark but warm, and there's a solid body resting right next to him. The air smells heavily like cedarwood and spices, and Jimin's wolf has never felt more contented.
He buries his head back into the pillow and is fully intending on going back to sleep, the stress from previous days having taken a toll on him, but then Jungkook's warm fingers come to play with his hair and Jimin can't quite resist taking a peek at the alpha.
Even in the dark he can clearly see Jungkook's smile.
"How are you feeling?" the alpha asks.
After retiring from the meeting with Chaerin, Jimin had been practically catatonic, overwhelmed by his memories and emotions. He's pretty sure his distressed scent had made everyone around him more than simply uncomfortable but Jungkook had been, of course, the most unsettled by the omega's state and took him home to rest, to his home, without another thought.
And there they have been ever since, sleeping in Jungkook's bed, wrapped around each other's arms, waiting for someone to call them back.
To say that Chaerin had been shocked to hear about the faith of the Park pack is an understatement. Jimin had given her so much new information that, in the end, she decided to retire for some time to think things through with her trusted men in order not to make any rash decisions. And therefore, until further instructions, Jimin and Jungkook are both safe and sound.
For now, they're okay.
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
Jimin leans into the hand petting his hair and hums. "Yeah."
The alpha doesn't seem to find any reason to doubt Jimin's answer, so he settles back down as well, continuing to run his fingers through the soft blonde locks until his breathing begins to slow down again.
But just before Jimin falls back into the land of dreams, there's a quiet knock on the door.
Jungkook stirs right away, growling lowly out of pure instinct as he pushes himself up and purposely hides Jimin's smaller body behind his. But when Seokjin's caramel-like scent reaches them, the alpha's body relaxes almost right away.
"What do you want, hyung?" Jungkook calls and a second later, the door opens and Seokjin's annoyed face peeks in.
"I was just wondering if you two brats wanted something to eat. You've been holed up in here for hours so I thought you might be hungry and made dinner." The elder omega pauses, a thoughtful look on his face. "Though, I must admit I might've gone a little overboard with it, so I had to ask for more dinner guests."
"Oh", Jimin lets out a quiet, unsure sound only Jungkook hears. But the way his scent wraps both him and the alpha in a tight, almost protective cocoon is enough to message his discomfort to Seokjin as well.
Jungkook rests his warm hand on Jimin's knee, a small attempt at trying to calm him down. "Who did you invite?"
"Oh, just Yoongi and his family and Hoseok and Taehyung", Seokjin tells, offering an apologetic smile to the smaller omega. He had been well-aware that Jimin might feel a little uncomfortable with more people but at the same time, Seokjin hopes getting to know their close friends would help the omega to settle down with them. "And Joonie, of course. But he's harmless."
Jungkook lets out a soft snort. He thinks he and his brother have a little different definitions of harmless.
"We'll be there in a moment."
Seokjin beams and his sweet caramel scent turns even sweeter with his joy. Jimin almost smiles at this, but the dread filling his stomach keeps his lips tugged downwards.
As soon as Seokjin has closed the door after him, Jungkook tackles him back down on the bed, rubbing his nose along the scent glands on Jimin's neck. "Calm down", the alpha mumbles, gentle but firm hands holding the omega from squirming away. "They're all good people. Yoongi-hyung might come off cold first but he's truly a softie. You'll like him, I'm sure. And you know Hoseok-hyung and Taehyung already."
"I..." Jimin hesitates, curling his own fingers around Jungkook's brown locks, holding the alpha against himself a little tighter. "I'm just..."
"I'm here", Jungkook cuts him off quietly. "I'm not going anywhere. You're not alone."
For some reason, the alpha's words are enough to calm down the nervous beat of Jimin's heart. Maybe it's his calming scent that leaves him feeling fuzzy and warm, or maybe it's the certainty in his tone, the gentleness of his touch – but Jimin believes him. He trusts him.
It's scary how ready he is to give his heart to Jungkook but even more than that, it's weirdly nice. It's nice to be able to rely on someone after all these years of fighting for a day more.
Jungkook lifts his head a little to gaze into Jimin's mismatching eyes. His brown eyes are inviting and warm, small specks of gold swimming in them and Jimin thinks he's never seen anything prettier.
"Okay?"
He smiles hesitantly but it's a smile, nonetheless.
"Okay."
He kind of expects Jungkook to kiss him then. Jimin knows, from the way the alpha's eyes flicker down to his lips and his scent intensifies, that he'd want that. And Jimin would let him, too.
But Jungkook just smiles and shakes his head softly before leaning down to press his warm lips against Jimin's forehead instead. It would be a lie to say that the omega doesn't feel a little disappointed, but at the same time, he's not entirely sure his poor heart could take it if Jungkook did decide to really kiss him.
They've never kissed outside of his heat. Jimin wonders if it'll feel different when they finally do – or rather, if they do.
But well. Jungkook looks at him with such fond eyes and Jimin feels so warm, his chest feels so light, that he's pretty certain they will. And he's pretty certain that it will feel a little different, too.
He wouldn't mind that.
Jungkook's family is a noisy one, Jimin must admit. If he thought that Hoseok and Taehyung together were a disaster, add Seokjin, Yoongi and Namjoon into the mix and you've got something else entirely. It's been a while since he's been around people who are so... lively.
But it's funny, it's endearing, and Jimin feels at ease in his seat next to Jungkook, even though he's practically surrounded by strangers.
It's weird, really. He and his grandmother had stopped having dinner together after Jihyun's death; they couldn't bear sitting down by the small kitchen table when one of the chairs would forever remain empty, so they had simply eaten whenever, most of the time alone in silence.
But there are no empty chairs in the Jeons' table. Even if two of them once belonged to Seokjin and Jungkook's parents, to a woman with wide innocent eyes like their youngest son and to a man with mischievous smile like their eldest, they've now been filled by different people. Seokjin and Jungkook found a new family.
Jimin admires them for that and wishes he could've done the same.
"What are you thinking about?" Jungkook's warm breath ghosts over Jimin's right ear and the omega sighs quietly, unconsciously leaning more towards the alpha's inviting warmth.
"Nothing. Just... you and your brother are pretty strong, aren't you?"
Jimin glances at the alpha next to him, head resting on his shoulder and Jungkook, although seeming quite confused, offers him a gentle smile.
"I don't know why you're suddenly saying that but believe me, Jimin, you're pretty goddamn strong too", he whispers, poking Jimin's forehead with his nose and the omega can't help but giggle at the loving gesture. Somewhere inside, his wolf purrs happily and for a moment there, Jimin swears he can feel Jungkook's wolf too.
It feels like raging fire, like flames would be licking his skin, and it leaves him feeling a little scared, a little breathless and warm. Very warm.
And if Jimin really concentrates, staring deep into Jungkook's eyes, he can almost hear the alpha calling out for him.
Suddenly Taehyung clears his throat, his joyous strawberry scent turning sour, and the conversation around them dies out. Jimin's mismatching eyes flicker from Jungkook to the other omega and the earlier feeling of dread returns to his stomach when he realizes that Taehyung is staring straight back at him.
"I get that there was a silent unanimous decision not to bring this up... but seriously, what are we going to do if head alpha Kim sides with Jaehwan?" the silver-haired omega asks quietly but due to it being completely silent now, it feels like he'd be saying the words right into Jimin's ear. "It's not an impossibility and we all know it. Jaehwan has authority in the pack. Have you two thought about what you're going to do if that happens?"
Jimin bites the insides of his cheek and leans away from Jungkook. He doesn't allow himself to react to the way the alpha's scent intensifies a little at that, obviously trying to lure the omega back.
He doesn't think Chaerin is going to execute him or Hyunwoo – even though he doesn't exactly know her, he sees enough of his father in her to believe she wouldn't do anything rash like that. But Jimin wouldn't blame her if she does decide to banish him from the Kim pack alongside Hyunwoo. He doesn't have anything to give her, quite frankly her pack hates him, and Jimin doesn't even think he could ever get used to living in the forest.
So truly, what is there to even think about?
"If that happens, then I'll just leave—"
"No", Jungkook cuts him off in a low tone. Jimin barely spares him a look, knowing not to try and reason with the brunette about things like this – instead, he directs his attention on the others, even glancing at Namjoon whose amber eyes are watching him curiously.
"The thing is, Kim Chaerin can't kill Hyunwoo unless she truly wants to go to war with the Park pack. He's the best candidate for the next pack-leader so my uncle wouldn't take losing him lightly. I don't think she can do anything but let Hyunwoo go with a warning and someone needs to make sure he really does leave this area. Despite, I think the reason my pack has been invading your territory isn't because they're trying to pick a fight but because they truly are just looking for me."
"What for?" Yoongi asks, giving him an incredulous look. "From what you told us at the meeting, he doesn't seem to value you that much. Why go through all this trouble to get you back if, in the end, you're nothing but a threat to him?"
Jimin purses his lips and looks away. He knows exactly why his uncle wants him back to the Park pack.
"He can't have children of his own. I don't know if I can have children of my own. With my grandmother now dead as well, he and I... we're the very last of the Park blood. You'd think he'd do anything to preserve our bloodline but seeing as both me and my brother turned out to be failures and his everlasting hatred for my mother, he's made it clear that the family dies with him."
The blonde omega lets out a soft hum at the thought of dying by his uncle's hand. It doesn't disturb him as much as it probably should, but Jimin has had years to get used to the thought of eventually being killed off the same way his brother was.
If he's completely honest, he thinks Park Minhyun is right. The family should die with them – they're not worthy to be the head family of any pack and he can't make his uncle's doings better in any way. He can't erase the pain the man has inflicted on his packmates, can't give back the lives his mother took.
"There will be no Park pack at the end of this winter", he says quietly, pulling his knees up to rest his cheek against them, eyes finally falling on Jungkook's tense form. "Even if Chaerin sides with us, with me, the problem with Hyunwoo remains. She can't risk the whole Kim pack to save the nephew she doesn't even know."
"But you're innocent", Hoseok points out. "Head alpha Kim isn't going to send you to your death, blood related or not. She isn't like that."
Jimin doesn't know what she's like and he doesn't care. "You don't see the bigger picture. Innocent or not, it's one wolf's life against dozens. The risk is simply too big—"
"She's not sending you back to the Park pack", Jungkook growls, interrupting Jimin mid-sentence. The omega flinches at the aggressiveness of the other's tone and inside, his wolf is whining in an apologetic way, feeling sad that they have made their alpha upset. "And even if she does, I'm not letting you go anywhere alone."
The thought of Jungkook following him back to the mountains with him reminds Jimin of his nightmares, especially the one where instead of his mother's it was Jungkook's, whose heart Park Minhyun ripped out on that cold winter day. It sets fire to something angry and protective inside of him, followed by fear.
"You can't come to the mountains", he hisses, eyes flashing in warning. From the corner of his eye, he can see the rest shifting, obviously uncomfortable, but Jimin can't find it in himself to care. "You'd be killed right away."
"That's better than living and knowing that I let you die when I'm capable of making a difference—"
"No one is capable of making a difference! Someone's going to die either way and it's my pack, my problem, you don't have a fucking say in the matter."
"I do because you're my mate!"
Jimin reels back in surprise, the angry flame in his chest dissipating before being replaced by something even warmer. It's awfully silent around them and Jimin can feel multiple gazes on them, but he can't remove his own eyes from Jungkook's golden ones.
"I – I'm—" He closes and opens his mouth, then repeats the action again and again, like a fish on dry land, but he can't find any words to say.
His mate. Jungkook just openly declared Jimin as his mate. In front of his family.
His fucking mate.
What the hell is Jimin supposed to do? He never thought that anyone would say that to him, that anyone would call him their mate, but Jungkook said it like it's the most obvious thing in the world.
And considering all the bullshit about them being destined mates, maybe it is – to others, at least. But to Jimin no, it's not. Definitely not.
After a moment, the gold of Jungkook's eyes begins to bleed away to make way to their usual chocolate brown color, and the alpha turns his whole body away from Jimin. His familiar scent has turned sour and his anger is still clear in the way he holds himself, and Jimin wants to do something, to touch him, to say it back – but he can't.
"I, uh... I'm sorry I asked", Taehyung whispers when it becomes obvious that neither Jimin nor Jungkook is about to say a word more. His brown eyes are filled by sadness when the blonde omega turns to glance at him.
"You're both tired, this is no time for serious talk like this", Seokjin chimes in awkwardly, getting up to start picking up dirty plates and glasses. "Let's just wait until Chaerin calls you back, she'll know what to do—"
"Actually", Namjoon speaks suddenly, sounding surprisingly calm despite the potent, hostile scents in the air and the argument that just took place right in front of him. "Mother might already have a resolution. And this one might not involve any deaths at all."
That piques the interest of them all, everyone except Jungkook turning their eyes on the head alpha's son.
"But how..." Jimin frowns. He's thought this through many times, but he doesn't see an outcome without someone losing their life – most of the times that someone being him.
Namjoon's curious eyes bore into him and the alpha smiles. "It's actually quite simple, in the end. We have to put head alpha Park into a situation he can't back out from, and both mother and I've understood that he's a very prideful person, isn't he?"
Jimin snorts. "Like any alpha."
The older man just chuckles, his eyes glancing at Jungkook whose eyes are still fixed on some spot on the floor.
"Tell me", Namjoon then says, straightening his posture with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "What can no alpha back out from?"
There's a long silence with Jimin trying to wrap his head around Namjoon's words. His uncle might be batshit crazy but not stupid – the omega doesn't think they could set up any kind of trap for him, being as paranoid as he is, Park Minhyun will be extremely hard to fool.
Surprisingly, Jungkook is the one to answer.
"A duel."
When he finally looks up, meeting Namjoon's gaze head on, his eyes are glimmering in that pretty shade of gold again that Jimin both loves and hates.
"You're going to challenge head alpha Park Minhyun to a duel."
It seems like he and Jimin have the exceptional skill of upsetting each other in any kind of situation. This night too, was supposed to be a nice dinner spent with close friends, but in the end it had turned into a heated argument that ended with Jungkook practically declaring his love for the omega.
Which is just great, of course.
"You can't be any more embarrassing, can you?" Yoongi snickers at him as they march towards the alpha's own home, Jungkook, Taehyung and Hoseok a little behind the black-haired alpha and his heavily pregnant mate.
Junghwa scolds Yoongi gently before turning to send a warm look to Jungkook. "Yoongi doesn't mean it, Jungkook-ah. It was just..."
"Fucking hilarious", the older alpha offers, making Jungkook's cheeks turn bright red and Junghwa smacks her mate rather harshly on the arm.
"Unexpected", the female omega says with a glare directed at Yoongi. "I could see that the boy was shocked, to say the least."
"Yeah Kook-ah, maybe don't yell it to his face the next time. Jimin looked like you just butchered someone in front of him", Taehyung laughs quietly behind him, quickly hushed by Hoseok.
Truth to be told, Jungkook isn't truly bothered by how he had said it to Jimin. Yes, he would have preferred to name the omega as his mate somewhere private, quietly and in a not-so-aggressive way – but what's done is done and it's not like he was lying.
Jimin is his mate. His wolf will never accept another omega now that they've met and Jungkook's human side won't either. He doesn't doubt that anymore.
But what bothers him, is that the omega didn't answer him. Aside from the few words he stuttered out in his shock, Jimin hadn't said a word to him after Jungkook's abrupt declaration. Now, the other had opted to stay and help Seokjin wash dishes while Jungkook walks their guests home. Or, cools off, as his brother had told him to do.
A cold hand comes to massage the tense muscles of his neck and Jungkook looks up from the snowy ground to meet Yoongi's dark grey eyes.
The older alpha offers him a small smile. "Don't worry too much, okay? Anyone can see that he has feelings for you as well. But you know, just for the future, don't be so aggressive. We've just learned that he's been oppressed for years – by alphas, if I may add. His first instinct is going to be withdrawing."
Jungkook sighs and rubs his eyes tiredly. "I know, hyung. I know. And I understand."
A rare gummy smile makes its way onto Yoongi's face. "Good, kiddo. Now go back home and make things right."
With quick hugs and byes – and a few more snickers from Taehyung – Jungkook turns back to follow their footsteps home. Taehyung's obnoxious voice and Hoseok's bright laughter accompany his short journey back to the cottage but as soon as he sees the small figure sitting by the porch, under the yellow light of the lantern Namjoon had hung earlier, he stops.
Jimin looks up from the ground, arms wrapped around his thin figure, and smiles weakly. Jungkook hates the look of sorrow in his eyes.
"Are you an idiot?" the alpha grumbles, making his way to the omega. He takes off his own coat and wraps it tightly around Jimin's narrow shoulders, scolding him quietly under his breath. "You'd think that you if anyone, should know better than to leave outside without proper clothes."
"I don't have proper clothes, Jungkook."
The alpha stops, hands freezing on Jimin's shoulders.
The other is right. The last time he had just borrowed Jiwoo's old coat, but Jungkook should probably get him his own one. "I'll talk to Hoseok tomorrow", he says, removing his hands before sitting down next to the omega. "His father is the tailor, so I can ask him to make a coat for you."
"Thanks."
Any other time, Jungkook might've teased Jimin for thanking him so easily like this – because the omega never does it – but the pain is a little too evident on Jimin's tone for him to joke about anything.
Jimin doesn't think he's going to stay long enough for a coat to be made for him.
"What are you doing outside?" Jungkook quickly changes the subject before the conversation can completely die and Jimin withdraw from him, like Yoongi had warned.
The smaller man picks at a stray thread hanging from Jungkook's coat, his small fingers red from the cold. "I was thinking about visiting my grandmother. And your parents. It's been a while."
It has. Jungkook hasn't visited the grave in a while, either.
He stands up and dusts some snow off his pants. "Let's go then, before it gets colder." He offers Jimin a hand, which the omega takes after little hesitation and to Jungkook's relief, he doesn't pull away from his hold as they begin to make their way to the grave.
Jimin's hand is cold, but small and soft. It fits into Jungkook's warm, bigger and calloused one perfectly.
The omega picks up winter honeysuckles on the way, the flowers and leaves frozen but it's all he can find and soon enough, the grave is covered in frozen flowers. "I can't wait until spring comes", Jimin mumbles as he kneels down. "Then you and Seokjin can decorate the grave with even more flowers."
"You can too."
"Jungkook—"
"I know", the alpha cuts him off and he feels familiar annoyance bubble in the bottom of his stomach, but he tries his best to keep his scent neutral and tone soft. "You don't think you'll live long enough to see the flowers bloom again, but that's – that's not going to happen. Namjoon is going to challenge your uncle to a duel and win, and then you can sever your pack bond with them. And I'm not going to let you die. I promise I won't."
Jimin turns to look at him and his mismatching eyes glimmer brightly in the moonlight, the smile on his face all but fond. "You don't have to promise me anything, Jungkook."
"But I already did. And I will say it again – I won't leave you, Jimin, and I won't let you die. I know I keep fucking up, I keep hurting and scaring you, but it hurts me that you're so ready to throw your life away when you haven't – when you haven't even really lived at all."
Now the omega frowns, unsettled by Jungkook's burst of emotions. "Kookie..."
"Life has so much more to offer than what you've experienced so far. The years you've spent in the mountains, tormented by your packmates, that wasn't living. It was nothing but a cage."
"How is your pack any different from mine?" Jimin asks quietly. "They hate me as much as the Park pack. Even if by some miracle I could stay here with you, no one will ever accept me—"
"We don't have to stay", Jungkook counterattacks, rendering the omega silent. "There's life beyond the forest as well."
Jimin stares at him silently for a long moment, chewing on his bottom lip nervously. "You mean... you would actually leave your own pack for me?"
"Jimin, I would do anything for you."
I would die for you in a heartbeat.
"You're my mate", he continues, tone turning even softer if it's possible. He kneels next to the omega and takes his hand in his, smiling when Jimin intertwines their fingers. "Of course I would leave for you, I'd do it without a second thought. I might be rash, and we might bicker all the damn time, but I know what I want."
And he wants a future where he can hold Jimin's hand without being afraid of letting go.
"Do you really mean it?" His voice is barely above a whisper and right then and there, Jimin looks more vulnerable than ever before.
He turns to look at Jimin, their noses touching. "I mean it—"
Jungkook can't even finish his sentence when there are a pair of plush lips against his own, Jimin's body crashing into him with enough strength to make him fall back. But he's quick enough to grab a hold of the omega and keep him right there, pressed against him, warm and safe in his arms.
When Jimin begins to draw away, his scent wavering nervously in the air at the lack of proper response from Jungkook's part, the alpha yanks him right back, furiously pressing their lips back together.
A small embarrassed squeak escapes the omega's lips, but it quickly turns into a content sigh that Jungkook swallows down greedily. He feels warm, so incredibly warm despite sitting on the cold ground and not wearing a coat – Jimin's body against his is like a wildfire and Jungkook can't get enough, he can't and won't let go.
Something wet falls down on his cheeks and runs down to his lips, the sweet taste of honeysuckle turning salty from Jimin's tears.
Jungkook pulls back slightly, hands coming to cup Jimin's face in concern. "Baby—"
"I'm so sorry", the omega whispers, moving to mouth the words against Jungkook's cheek, frantically scenting the alpha in the process. "I'm so sorry for being a bad omega, I'm sorry for being so stubborn and so difficult, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry—"
Jungkook says nothing to that, just pulls Jimin tighter against himself and lets him cry out his hurt, the pain he has held inside for years, scream his agony in the crook of his neck. He hates the hot tears he can feel falling on the bare skin of his neck, hates how Jimin's whole body trembles with his sobs, hates how frail the omega feels in his arms.
But at the same time, Jungkook knows that it's better to let it all out than hold it in. He knows that he must let him cry now, so he can smile tomorrow.
So, tonight Jungkook lets Jimin fall apart but only with the promise of building him back up again.
"Tell me", Jimin says in between the hiccups running through his body, head still buried against Jungkook's neck, mouth moving against the alpha's heated skin. "If I now asked you, if you love me, would you say yes?"
A soft rumble vibrates through the alpha's chest and he rests his own head against Jimin's, breathing in the honeysuckle scent he has, over the past months, come to love.
"I would", Jungkook answers.
Jimin is quiet for a couple of heartbeats, before he takes in a sharp breath and wraps his arms tightly around the alpha.
"Do you love me, Jungkook?"
He doesn't hesitate.
"Yes."
"Will you love me tomorrow?"
"Yes, yes I will."
"More than today?" Jimin asks.
"More than today", Jungkook nods. "Tonight, I love you more than yesterday but less than tomorrow."
The omega hums and it takes a moment for Jungkook to realize that he has long stopped crying. After some time, he presses a soft kiss on the side of Jungkook's neck.
"I love you too."
Jungkook just smiles.
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