12
Jimin knows there's something wrong when Jungkook arrives to the infirmary one night, eyes glowing gold and a dark look fixated on his face. Taehyung notices the same as he sets down his cards right away, their game completely forgotten.
"Kookie? Did something happen?" the silver-haired omega asks quietly, worry heavy in his tone. It's the first time Jimin sees Taehyung act so seriously.
Jungkook doesn't answer him, just grumbles something angrily under his breath, and marches into the kitchen. Taehyung sends Jimin a concerned look the smaller omega answers with a confused one, before he gets up and heads after his friend.
Jimin is left alone by the fireplace. His hands twitch and his legs are itching to move, the wolf within him telling him to go and check if Jungkook is okay – check whether their alpha is okay – but a more rational side of Jimin thinks it's better to let Taehyung take care of it. They're friends and packmates after all, they most likely find more comfort in each other than he could ever offer.
He doesn't know. Comforting others isn't exactly a Park pack thing.
But as the clock ticks on and Taehyung doesn't return, Jimin's anxiousness keeps growing. In the end, he rises to his legs and lets his wolf control his steps all the way to the kitchen doorway.
His breath gets caught in his throat when he sees Taehyung and Jungkook, hunched over the kitchen table, backs turned to him and whispering between each other. One of Taehyung's hands is resting on Jungkook's back and the other playing with his brown locks, comforting him, and the way Jungkook doesn't seem to mind makes something ugly twist inside Jimin's guts.
How dare he, his wolf seethes, how dare he touch what is ours?
The blonde omega tries to swallow the lump in his throat and ignore the cold pain that seeps into his limbs slowly. It's hard to tear his eyes away from the scene in front of him, and although he tries to find some comfort in the fact that they're best friends for god's sake, a part of him knows that he'll never be able to even be that close to Jungkook. He's never going to mean anything to the alpha.
Because Jimin is, and will always be, an outsider.
No matter where he goes, he doesn't belong. And that's a simple fact – this is just a reminder. A reminder why he was never supposed to allow himself grow too attached to anyone.
It's a little bit too late now, but Jimin can try and ignore the ache within him. He buries his wolf's anger and desires, buries his own hurt, deep, deep into his heart. Then Jimin breathes, slowly in and out, and takes a step back. A heartbeat later, giving the two still murmuring into each other's ears by the kitchen table one last glance, he turns around and heads upstairs.
Jiwoo is just exiting Seungkwan's room and she gives him that warm smile she always does – as if she would accept him, as if she ever could – but Jimin barely registers it as he slips into his own room and closes the door behind him.
The room is dark and it's even darker outside. The moon is completely covered by clouds and the night has settled. Jimin doesn't bother to take off any of his clothes as he falls into the bed that suddenly feels a little bigger, a little emptier.
Jealousy, he decides, is an ugly feeling.
But what is even worse, is that Jimin is fully aware that no one will ever want him enough to ask him to stay.
He doesn't get much sleep. Jungkook usually spends the nights with him but not this time. Jimin waits for a while, although the doubt is already forming a big hole in his chest, but when the alpha doesn't come, he just turns his back to the door and tries to sleep. But all he can think about is how Jungkook probably just found another one's bed, perhaps Taehyung's, or maybe Jimin had simply done something wrong and the alpha didn't want to see him.
Good, a small voice in his mind whispers. The less attached you both are, the easier it will be to leave.
Because no matter what happens, Jimin is not staying. He knows he's not. Even if he begrudgingly admits that maybe he feels more than a little fond of Jungkook – and Taehyung and Jiwoo and Hoseok and maybe even Seokjin – he can't stay.
This isn't his home. He doesn't have the right to stay.
Jungkook is downstairs when Jimin stumbles into the kitchen the next morning. The alpha greets him with a bright look, as if last night hadn't happened at all, and most likely expects Jimin to sit down next to him like he nowadays always does – but the blonde just sighs and picks up an old piece of bread, his appetite completely gone.
Both Jungkook and Jiwoo give him a weird look.
"Little one", the healer quietly starts. "Is everything alright? You look pale."
Jimin snorts. "I'm always pale, Jiwoo."
"No, that's not true. Ever since you healed, your skin has taken a much healthier color." Jiwoo's slender, calloused fingers graze Jimin's arm but the omega flinches away from the touch. "Are you feeling sick right now? Has it been going on for long? Because it has been a good two weeks since your heat and Jungkook did knot you—"
The omega's ears turn red at the indication behind Jiwoo's words and he almost chokes on his bread. When he glances up, gaze sweeping past Jungkook, he finds that the alpha is already looking at him, eyes stormy.
Jungkook would hate him if he was pregnant – but luckily, he isn't. Jimin would know if he was. And as he absently rests a hand on top of his lower stomach, fingers dancing on the scar hidden under the flimsy fabric of his shirt, he wonders if he can even get pregnant.
Probably not anymore. Not after what was done to his body.
"I'm not, I – it's not that", he tells Jiwoo. "I'm just stressed, nothing more."
"Stressed about what?" Jungkook speaks up for the first time, and Jimin might imagine this, but the alpha sounds... a little down.
Okay, scratch that, Jimin is definitely imagining the disappointed tinge in his tone.
"How much time I have."
Jungkook stops poking at the food on his plate, dark eyes fixated on Jimin. "Until what?"
"Until you let me go", Jimin answers the alpha's dark gaze head on. "Or until you kill me. Whichever."
Jungkook grips the fork so hard it actually bends a little and drags it over the metal plate, creating a loud screech that makes Jimin flinch weakly and Jiwoo cringe. His eyes are filled by sparks of gold and the omega gulps, fearing he might've made the alpha upset – but then Jungkook blinks his eyes a few times, the gold in them dissolving, and lets the fork drop on the table.
"Right."
Jimin almost smiles at the other's whiny tone and he's aware, without needing to glance at the knowing look on Jiwoo's face, that he's giving Jungkook that fond look again.
"Whatever happens, Jungkook, you know that it's alright, right? I'm not angry at you anymore nor do I blame you." I was never angry at you. Only scared of myself. "It's all on me – this is all my fault."
It's really his selfishness that, in the end, lead to his grandmother's death and him being brought here. If Jimin just hadn't put his own needs first, his grandmother, kind and beautiful Sohyeon, could still be alive – he could still hear soft murmurs of Snowflake and live knowing that at least one person in this world loved him. Even if his situation wouldn't change much, even if he'd still be surrounded by the hatred of others, at least she'd be here with him.
His wolf doesn't like the idea of never having met Jungkook – do you? – but Jimin is sure they'd both be happier if he had just been wiser and stayed in the mountains with the Park pack.
If he had just for fucking once been a good omega.
"Don't talk like that", Jungkook grumbles, picking up the fork and bending it back to normal again.
Jimin doesn't say anything to that; he just puts the bread back on the table and prepares to head somewhere else. The tension is obvious in the air and it's making his skin prickle uncomfortably – not to even mention Jiwoo's observant eyes on them. It's like she'd be looking for something, a sign or a fault, and Jimin feels too naked under both hers and Jungkook's eyes.
Too vulnerable.
"Last night", the omega stops by the table, right next to Jungkook. "Did something happen?" He noticed the dark bags under the alpha's eyes and can't quite stop the concern from slipping into his tone, his hand hesitatingly hovering over Jungkook's.
It's the alpha, in the end, that grabs a hold of it gently.
"Nothing, don't worry about it", he answers. The tension in his shoulders seems to slowly fade away, and Jimin too, feels like it's a little easier to breathe, Jungkook's familiar cedarwood scent clouding his mind.
But the painful ache in his chest doesn't go away. Somewhere within him, the ugly feeling of jealousy is still clawing at his insides.
Somewhere deep inside, he's both hoping for Jungkook to ask him to stay or tell him to go. He doesn't know which is worse.
"Some alphas were just talking shit", the brunette continues, mindlessly waving his other hand in the air. "And we got into an argument. They... well, I guess they got under my skin. But no fighting, Yoongi and Jaebum stopped us before anything could happen."
"Talking shit about what?" Jimin asks although he already knows the answer.
Jungkook's hold on his hands tightens, his fingers slipping amongst Jimin's. "You."
Ah, of course. The omega isn't surprised. "And did you argue against them?"
"I – yeah?" Jungkook gives him a bewildered look. "Of course, I couldn't just let them talk shit about you—"
"Why?"
The alpha freezes at his question and Jimin slips his hand away, instead crossing his arms over his chest in a defensive way. He swears he can hear Jiwoo mumble something akin to 'are you fucking serious' behind him – and yes, he's serious.
Jimin told Jungkook not to put him before his pack. Because if he picks fights with his own packmates, life is going to be hell for him even after Jimin's gone. The omega knows – oh, trust him, he knows.
"Why? What do you mean why?" The alpha jumps up suddenly, dangerously hovering over Jimin and he winces, hating the way he almost bares his neck in submission. But what he hates more, is how Jungkook is still looking at him with such gentle eyes.
"Jimin, I like—"
"Jungkook!" a familiar, cheerful voice cuts the alpha off and they all turn around just in time as Taehyung bursts into the room, Hoseok right behind him. "Jungkook, they did it!"
Who? Jimin tilts his head in confusion, but Jungkook seems to understand as he's already moving away, not even sparing the blonde omega a glance as he runs out of the house with Taehyung.
"What's going on?" Jiwoo asks, grabbing Hoseok before the beta manages to slip away as well.
"Namjoon and Jin, they—" the beta starts, almost incapable of speaking properly because of the wide smile on his face.
"Namjoon and Seokjin finally mated."
Jiwoo lets out a joyous sound and then she's hurrying out as well, dragging Hoseok with him and Jimin is left standing alone in the kitchen. His wolf lets out a disappointed sound that almost escapes him, but Jimin suppresses it in the last second before slowly heading after everyone else.
The infirmary door is open, cold air quickly filling the usually so warm house, but Jimin isn't bothered by it. And for the first time, it seems like the forest wolves don't mind the cold either, because Jimin can see a very large crowd of people gathering around the village center. The different congratulations and cheerful chattering can be heard loudly even to the infirmary.
Jimin leans on the doorway, arms still wrapped tightly around himself. He knows better than to step outside without Jungkook – not that he even wants to go in the middle of the forest wolves. Especially when they're celebrating something as beautiful and amazing as this.
Their future pack-leader has mated with an omega even Jimin can easily admit is beautiful and kind. Of course celebrations are in place.
There's a small smile tugging at his lips when he sees Jungkook bounce around his older brother, his smile so wide Jimin thinks it might split his face in half. Taehyung and Hoseok are there too, the silver head's laughter the loudest of them all. Seokjin is rubbing his neck with a hue of red on his cheeks, but his smile is warm and genuine, and his mate, Namjoon, is standing by his side with pride written all over his face.
They all look happy. And very much like they belong.
Jimin lets out a sigh, his smile slowly slipping away. He'll never have this. It's a miracle if he ever mates with anyone, if he even lives to see the flowers bloom again. He hadn't actually even given mating a thought before – before meeting Jungkook, before baring almost his all to the alpha, before having tasted what love could possibly be.
Now Jimin just wants someone. Someone – no pack, just someone, one person – to remind him that he's not alone, either.
But that's not right, now is it?
Because Jimin is alone. He has lost all of his family, he never had any friends, and whatever he has right now, here in Jungkook's pack, is only temporary.
The blonde omega turns to leave, feeling uncomfortable in the cold, watching others enjoy life to the fullest while Jimin lives every day wondering if it's his last. Jungkook might say that he's going to get him out of there alive – that he's never going to hurt him – but Jimin knows he has little power in the pack.
One could say that he's living on borrowed time.
He leaves the door ajar and heads upstairs and into his room, the only safety he has left. On his way, he passes Seungkwan's room and notices that the door is slightly open. He can hear soft murmurs and stops for a moment. It must be the kid's parents, Jimin thinks, and he's about to continue his way when he picks up the words.
"This is all because of that goddamn mountain wolf."
"I know, honey, but please, keep your voice down. Seungkwan needs rest", a softer voice interjects.
There's a growl and Jimin can't help but shiver at how angry it sounds. Barely restrained. "If that Jeon kid wasn't always latched on the omega's back, I would've already—"
"You have to calm down. I agree with you, that wolf is nothing but trouble – but you can't do anything about it. Alpha Jeon has the head alpha's and her son's favor, we can't go against them."
"One day, I swear—"
Jimin doesn't stay to listen anymore, his heart hammering loudly against his chest. He's scared that if he stays longer, they'll hear him and since he doesn't have that Jeon kid latched on his back right now, who knows what could happen?
The window in his room faces the village center. When Jimin sits down on the bed, wanting nothing more than sleep and never open his eyes again, his eyes inevitably find the still celebrating crowd outside – if anything, it has only grown larger.
The omega leans his head on the wooden wall and watches them, chewing on the inside of his cheek at the same time to try and distract himself from the overwhelming sorrow threatening to wash over him. Jimin spots Jungkook amongst the crowd, the alpha having calmed down a little but that bright smile is still fixated on his face.
He's never seen Jungkook this happy. Jimin doesn't even know if he has the right to see the alpha like this.
He also can't help but notice the tall woman standing next to Jungkook. She seems the calmest out of everyone, but the look on her face is proud and happy. The people around her seem to give her space, and Jimin knows, without even being by her side in person, that she must radiate power and authority.
He sees a familiar looking leather bracelet on her wrist, and just as the woman's glowing amber eyes turn towards the window, towards him, Jimin closes the curtains.
There's a bitter taste in his mouth and a tight feeling in his chest.
He knows who she is. He just hopes she doesn't know who he is.
The omega curls up in the bed, one hand slipping under the pillow to hold the two leather bracelets he had hidden there tightly in his grasp. He wraps the blanket securely around himself, almost like a protective barrier he wishes could hide him from the whole world. It smells a little like cedarwood and spices with a very weak undertone of jasmine and vanilla, and Jimin can't quite stop himself from whimpering, the sound quiet and filled with sadness, with longing.
For a moment Jimin had let himself hope – perhaps even want – to belong in Jungkook's arms, but the world isn't kind enough to let him down gently. No, the world lets him fall and shatter, leaves him alone to pick up broken pieces once again, and laughs at his pain.
People like him shouldn't hope for better.
It's been a while since he cried like this, hurt and alone. And right now, Jimin thinks he prefers this – no one should see him in such a vulnerable position. So the omega turns to muffle his sobs into the pillow, hoping that if anyone walks by, they won't be able to hear his screams of agony.
In his mind, he keeps on replaying Jungkook's last words to him before Taehyung interrupted them.
"Jimin, I like—"
"Like what?" the omega asks quietly aloud, squeezing the leather bracelets in his hand as more and more tears spill onto the soft pillow, clouding his vision. What do you like? Who do you like?
No one answers. Of course no one answers – Jimin doesn't even know if he truly wants one. He just curls tighter into himself and finally, after the exhaustion and pain become too much, he welcomes the darkness embracing him.
He's woken up by the door opening and closing softly, the scent of cedarwood growing stronger. Jimin keeps his eyes closed for a moment longer, hoping that the familiar presence behind him would take the fucking hint and leave – but no, he just hears Jungkook shuffle around for a while before the bed dips and he feels a warm hand come rest against his shoulder.
"Jimin", the alpha calls softly. "I brought you food. Jiwoo said you didn't come down for lunch or dinner even though she called."
The omega just whines quietly, pressing his eyes shut tighter, his throat a little clogged from all the crying, his eyes swollen and head throbbing with pain. "'m not hungry."
Jungkook sighs. "Jimin, you have to eat. You didn't really eat breakfast either and you'll only feel worse in the morning if you don't eat now."
Stop caring, Jimin wants to snap, but the thought of upsetting the alpha is too uncomfortable for him to do so, in the end. The blonde blinks his eyes open slowly, squinting in the darkness – it's so dark it must be midnight already, the moonlight seeping through the curtains casting the room in eerie light. Jungkook's brown eyes are watching him, a worried frown on the alpha's face.
It's hard to believe that just some hours ago, this same alpha was jumping around his brother in joy.
Jimin purses his lips. This is the effect he has on Jungkook.
"Just leave it, okay?" he says after a moment, tone scratchy. "I'm too tired."
"You've been sleeping all day."
"Doesn't mean I'm not allowed to be tired."
The alpha's frown deepens, and he reaches over to brush some blonde locks off Jimin's face, wanting to see his eyes better, but the omega moves his head away.
"Okay." Jungkook moves his hand away, trying to mask the hurt in his tone but Jimin still hears it clearly. "What's wrong? Did someone do something? Did I do something?"
"No. 'm just tired, really tired." That's not a complete lie. Jimin feels exhausted.
"But you've been crying."
Jimin grits his teeth together, hating how soft the alpha's tone has become. It makes his heart ache and yearn, and he feels like crying again. Jungkook must notice, because he lets out a distressed sound of his own and puts down whatever food he was holding before lying down next to Jimin. Strong, familiar arms wrap around him in a second and it takes everything of the omega not to melt into the touch.
"Don't cry, don't cry, I hate it when you cry", Jungkook mumbles, his distress rising at the same time as Jimin's body starts trembling in his hold. He presses his face into the soft blonde locks and breathes in the honeysuckle scent, trying to release calming pheromones, but all it does is make Jimin cry harder.
"I don't know how to make it better", the alpha whispers, sounding pained. "So Jimin please, don't cry, don't cry..."
Jungkook keeps repeating don't cry until Jimin falls asleep again, his drying tears leaving a salty trail on his cheeks.
Things don't get any better after that. It's like he would have been snapped awake, forced to face the reality, and Jimin realizes that no matter what, his time in the Kim pack is short. His time with Jungkook is limited.
His wolf spirals into agony at the realization, knowing that at the end of the day, the alpha will never be theirs, and it leaves Jimin to wallow in sorrow as well, the human side of him trying and failing to make it better.
Because while he knows he can survive this, he can survive without a goddamn alpha by his side, his wolf cannot stand the thought of being alone anymore. Not after having felt what it's like when you're finally cared for, cherished and maybe just a little loved.
It's constant battle in his mind and Jimin feels like he's always in pain that is far worse than anything he's ever felt before.
He ends up taking his frustration out on the wrong people too. His wolf practically despises Taehyung, seething whenever the silver-haired omega makes an appearance, especially if Jungkook is present as well, and Jimin feels mortified – so he stays clear of the other omega. And he keeps pushing Jungkook away too, desperate to show himself that he doesn't need him. It ends with the alpha finally taking the hint and staying away the days.
But at night, Jungkook always returns. Always asks Jimin not to cry in that sad, pained tone. Always falls asleep holding him.
It breaks Jimin's heart. Slowly, he thinks, it's breaking his mind too.
And he thinks it's breaking something in the alpha as well.
This torturous circle continues on until one night, Jimin finally snaps. He can't put himself through another day of these ugly feelings, another day of such insecurities and hatred – and a much bigger part of him realizes that he can't put Jungkook through another day of this either.
It needs to stop. He needs to go.
Jimin wakes up in the middle of the night, Jungkook's arm loosely slung over his waist, the alpha deep asleep. It's been another rough day for him, listening to his packmates mock him and completely incapable of doing anything about it. It will change in the morning, however – Jungkook will have nothing to worry about anymore.
He can go back to the life he had before Jimin came to flip his world upside down.
It's fairly easy for the omega to slip out of his grasp, Jimin humming softly under his breath when Jungkook makes a noise of discomfort at losing the warmth next to him. When it for a moment seems like the alpha is about to wake up, he begins to sing and just like that, a familiar melody filling the room, Jungkook stays asleep.
Jimin stops singing and smiles. "You're a good alpha, the best alpha I've ever met", he whispers, running his hand through Jungkook's soft brown locks. His smile falters a little when the other leans into his touch.
"And that's why you deserve someone just as good."
Someone who just isn't Jimin.
The blonde leaves the room with quiet but shift strides, only a thin coat wrapped around his shoulders. He's planning on changing forms as soon as he's out of the village so there's no need to pack anything – if everything goes well, Jimin will be back at the mountains in less than two days.
And maybe, if he isn't executed right away, then maybe he can stop the Park pack from coming back to the forest.
Maybe, just once, Jimin can be good and do something right.
Stop. Please stop, his wolf whines within him as he comes to the infirmary door, hesitating for a second or two before opening it and slipping out. He sure as hell doesn't know if he'll even make it out of the village, but Jimin is fast in the snow – if anyone notices him, all he has to do is transform and run.
He's good at that. Running.
Running away from your alpha, his wolf seethes. Pathetic.
Jimin ignores it and closes the door behind him. So far so good.
He looks around, mismatching eyes searching for danger, but the night is quiet. If he picked the right time, he might get out without the night patrols sensing a thing. Jimin starts running, his steps light but quick, his body familiar with the snow. Before he even knows, he's already at the edge of the forest.
He glances back. The infirmary is one of the biggest houses and it stands tall amongst the rest, all windows dark and the door firmly closed. Jimin's heart aches, and his wolf is crying, howling in despair within him, but he can't. He can't go back.
Jimin wasn't able to save his own family. But maybe this time he can save Jungkook from the pain a future with him could bring upon the alpha.
Maybe he can save himself, too.
With that thought in mind, the omega turns around and runs into the forest.
He follows his sense of direction, heading towards the north, towards the mountains. As soon as the village is out of his view completely, swallowed by the dark, tall trees, Jimin stops to listen. All he can hear are the rustling of small animals and the wind. It's the time to change.
But he's only managed to slip the coat off him when he hears a cry. A child's cry.
Jimin freezes, the blood in his veins turning into ice. He goes quickly down on his knees, hoping to have some cover but comes quickly to the terrifying realization that whoever it is could possibly already be aware of his presence. Jimin isn't under the wind.
There's another sound, still a child's, but it's no longer a cry. It's a soft whimper that awakens something within Jimin. Or rather, within his omega.
A parental instinct. The need to protect.
He tries to suppress it, tries to tell himself that it's not my problem, not my pack, but it's a weak argument. Because he's still on the Kim pack's territory – Jungkook's pack's territory. The crying child is from the alpha's pack, could be a pup of his friend's. Could be one of those pups Taehyung and Hoseok brought to the infirmary.
One of those innocent, smiling children, who have yet to experience the bad in the world.
With a quiet sigh, Jimin gets up and heads to the direction of the quiet noises. In the back of his mind, he knows he won't make it out without being caught anymore.
He finds a young girl sitting under an old tree, her small arms wrapped around her frail body, head resting against her knees as she cries. There doesn't seem to be anyone else around, the Kim pack's scent heavy in the air, but Jimin feels like they're being watched – whoever it is must be under the wind, but in his human form his senses are awfully limited, so he doesn't know for sure.
"Hey, little one", Jimin calls out in a soft, gentle tone. The girl lifts her head up right away, fear written all over her face.
The blonde omega doesn't approach her, instead preferring to sit on the ground a few meters away to help her not feel threatened. He also keeps his hands firmly placed in front of him, keeping a gentle smile on his face and forces his scent to stay calm and inviting.
Jimin can absently recognize the girl. She is one of those kids Taehyung brought to the infirmary, one of the quieter ones – Chaeyoung, if he correctly remembers.
"What are you doing here all alone?"
The girl eyes him for a second longer, searching for any signs of threat, but when she doesn't seem to find any, she answers. "I-I wanted t-to help m-mommy... to h-hunt..."
"Yeah?" Jimin smiles and the girl, Chaeyoung, nods. "That's very nice of you. But in the middle of the night? It's not very safe."
"B-but I wanted t-to surprise him and it's o-our territory..."
"Wolves aren't the only danger in these woods. You could've met a bear, little one, they don't care about whose territory this area is or not. I think you should start to head home; your mommy must be very worried about you."
She nods, more fat tears spilling on her cheeks. Jimin notices that she's covered in small scratches and her clothes are soaking wet from the snow. She must be freezing.
The omega takes off his coat. "Here", he throws it to the child. "Put it on. You're freezing and we can't have that, now can we?"
For a moment, Jimin is sure she will reject it – because he is a stranger after all, no matter how inviting and comforting he might've made his scent – but then she sniffs the air around it and suddenly yanks the coat to her chest.
"I-it smells like J-Jungkook..."
Oh. Jimin tilts his head in amusement. He didn't know she knew the alpha.
"That's because it's his coat", he explains softly. "Don't tell him this, but I kind of... stole it from him."
Chaeyoung gasps. "That's bad!"
He lets out a laugh, feeling a little reassured when the child wraps the coat tightly around her body and stops crying, even daring to now glare at him.
"Taetae told me Jungkook doesn't like sharing clothes. You shouldn't steal them, he'll get mad", Chaeyoung pouts and Jimin barely suppresses another laugh.
"I know. He's said that a few times to me." But never truly denied him.
Realization dawns on Chaeyoung's face. "You – you're the mountain wolf!"
Jimin grimaces when he notices that the tinge of fear has returned to her voice. "I – yeah, I am, but I'm not going to hurt you. I wouldn't hurt anyone from Jungkook's pack, I just—"
A low growl interrupts him and Jimin's heart drops into his stomach. The wind has changed direction.
The scent of mint and cold fresh air fill his lungs. His wolf whines, low and quiet, forgetting Jungkook for a moment to focus on the new threat at hand – a threat much worse than any heartbreak.
Alpha, the wolf within him warns. Pack.
Jimin jumps up from his position in a blink of an eye, running to stand in front of Chaeyoung, his own heartbeat loud in his ears as he searches for the source of the new, but still so familiar scent. The child behind him lets out a whimper and Jimin can smell her fear, the scent heavy in the air, but he doesn't have time to comfort her.
He's here.
He hears the cracking of bones mending back together, followed by a chuckle. "Well", a rough voice says and then slowly, a pale man walks out of the shadows. Jimin holds his breath, his muscles tensing and preparing to run. "Didn't think I'd see familiar faces here, but if it isn't the little Snow White."
"Hyunwoo", Jimin growls back.
The man before him is tall and muscular, even bigger than Jungkook, and his smile is as menacing as Jimin remembered. Having just switched from his wolf form, he isn't wearing anything, but the cold doesn't seem to bother him – no, it's probably much colder up in the mountains currently. If anything, he seems completely relaxed.
Jimin bets it isn't the first time Hyunwoo has stepped into the Kim pack's territory. And to think he managed to get this close to the village on his own...
"What are you doing here?" Jimin asks, shielding Chaeyoung with his body. Hyunwoo must've been watching the child for a while now, and Jimin knows that behind those dark grey eyes lie nothing but ill thoughts. He can't let the man get to her.
"Oh, just taking a casual night troll", Hyunwoo shrugs his shoulders and grins at the omega. "Searching for lost little lambs. What about you, Snow White?"
The nickname is daunting, something his pack's alphas have always loved calling Jimin alongside with disgusting things like whore or slut – half-blood, half-blood, half-blood – but he doesn't let it get to him. Instead, Jimin tilts his head towards Chaeyoung.
"We're going to run", he whispers to the frightened girl. "I can't take him down, so we're going to run back to your pack, alright?" There's nothing more Jimin can do.
He doesn't wait for her answer, just takes a step back towards her, and turns his attention momentarily back to Hyunwoo.
"Oh, me? I was just making my way back home." He feigns nonchalance, trying to keep Hyunwoo from getting angry because he knows, from experience, that things can get real ugly real fast with this particular alpha involved.
Hyunwoo snorts, amusement obvious on his face. "Really? Because I was starting to wonder if you had just decided to stay here."
Something dangerous has started to seep into his tone and Jimin takes another step back, reaching one hand out for Chaeyoung and the child grabs it right away, squeezing tightly. He can feel the way she trembles like a leaf in a storm, her fear clouding his mind and it awakens that parental instinct within him again – but this time it isn't gentle like warm water. No, it's hot and angry, fierce and powerful like fire.
Jimin won't let her get hurt.
"I wouldn't have been surprised, you know", Hyunwoo continues on, his words sharp and angry. "Half-bloods are like that, after all."
The alpha's grey eyes flash in cold blue. "Traitors. Just like your mother fucking was."
The moment Hyunwoo starts to morph into a wolf, Jimin spins around towards Chaeyoung. "Grab a hold of me!" he commands before changing forms, his snow-white wolf finally free after months.
By then, Hyunwoo has already changed and lunges at Jimin, but the omega is faster – as soon as Chaeyoung wraps her small arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into his fur, he jumps on the move, barely dodging the alpha's claws. Jimin doesn't waste time, his feet small but fast and strong, letting him get a good amount of space between him and Hyunwoo.
Chaeyoung whimpers against his neck but doesn't let go, and Jimin becomes all the more determined to make it back to the village.
He knows it's bad – he's leading Hyunwoo directly to the Kim pack's weakest spot, right into the heart of their territory, but Jimin doesn't know where else to go. If he didn't have the child with him, he would have led Hyunwoo back to the road and fought with him – and most likely died – but Chaeyoung's presence changes everything.
Jimin has to make it back.
His small size turns out to be his advantage. Jimin slips past the trees and bushes much faster than the big alpha wolf behind him, despite the extra weight he's carrying, and relief washes over him when he begins to see the houses hidden amongst the woods.
We can make it, we can make it, we can make it.
They're barely within the village area when something hard collides with Jimin's back and sends the omega flying into the snow, Chaeyoung screaming into his chest. Pain sears through Jimin's right hind leg and he knows he's twisted it, but he gets up quickly anyway, disoriented eyes looking for the cause of his fall.
Hyunwoo is growling at him only a few meters away, his eyes glowing electric blue with shards of red, and to his utter horror, Jimin can see that he's almost completely feral. Somebody obviously didn't take an omega escaping an alpha that well.
But Jimin has already won. They made it.
Slowly, keeping his eyes fixated on Hyunwoo's growling form, Jimin sets Chaeyoung down and pushes the child towards the houses. "Run", he snaps at the girl, who still clings onto him, wishing she'd understand.
But Chaeyoung keeps her hands firmly locked around Jimin's white fur, fear rendering her immobile, so when Hyunwoo charges at them, the omega has no other choice but to literally throw her away before taking the brunt of Hyunwoo's anger.
The alpha bounces onto him, obviously going for Jimin's neck in the hopes of breaking it, but the omega isn't new to fighting – he jumps out of the way just in time and answers Hyunwoo's growls with his own, furiously baring his teeth and claws.
"Traitor!" the alpha snarls at him, but before Jimin can answer, there are wolves all around them. He screams in surprise and pain when suddenly two alphas are on him, completely uncaring as they dig their claws and teeth into his fur, and distantly he can hear Hyunwoo's loud growls and screams.
"Stop! You don't understand – please!"
No one listens to him. Absolutely fucking no one.
In his last effort to get some respite, Jimin changes into his human form, curling tightly into himself on the cold snow. It's against every pack's policy to go against a defenseless omega and he hopes, honestly begs, that Jungkook's pack isn't any different.
It takes a long, painful minute until the alphas stop, taking a few steps back from the pale omega. Jimin keeps his arms around his head and doesn't raise his gaze, trying to get the trembling of his body under control – he can feel multiple open wounds, the snow under him turning red from his blood, but nothing seems too deep. He knows it still looks very ugly and he's fucking freezing, practically at the point of hyperventilating.
"You've got some guts", a new voice speaks and Jimin lets out another cry when someone yanks his head up, rough fingers curling around his soft blonde locks. "Taking advantage of our kindness like that – this was your intention all along, wasn't it?" The man, that alpha Jimin remembers from the time when he snapped at him at the infirmary, shakes him roughly, uncaring of the omega's pain.
"Tried to fucking kill one our pups and brought an unknown alpha to our village", he seethes, dropping Jimin back down only to attempt to kick him on the face, but the omega is fast enough to shield himself with his arms.
"No!" he cries back and receives another kick, this time to his stomach. "I didn't – I didn't try to kill anyone! Please, you're not listening—"
"Shut up, you disgusting mountain wolf. I knew we shouldn't have trusted alpha Jeon's judgement on you – he's still too young, too soft. Couldn't even recognize the enemy after sleeping with him." Jimin sobs in pain and agony as the alpha kicks him again, forcing him to cough out blood. "At least I hope you were a good fuck because omegas like you are only good at that – being a fucking slut."
No, no, no, it wasn't like that! he wants to scream, but Jimin can't find his voice anymore.
But it's not like anyone would even listen to him. No one ever listens to him.
The omega stifles his sobs into his bruised arm and waits for another blow, maybe to the head this time. Maybe they'll hit him hard enough for him to lose consciousness – or even die. It is a very painful way to go, very humiliating and wrong in all ways, but Jimin is tired.
He's tired, he's cold and he's scared shitless. He's alone.
And no one fucking listens to him.
Suddenly the scent of cedarwood and spices fills his senses. Jimin's wolf perks up, whining quietly, trying to search for the source and reluctantly, Jimin moves his head a little too, looking at the crowd surrounding them. He notices Hyunwoo, lying on the snow somewhere close, unmoving, notices Chaeyoung hiding behind the legs of a small male omega, notices Taehyung and Hoseok, both looking horrified and finally, finally Jimin's eyes fall on Jungkook.
The alpha is staring straight back at him, the look on his face unreadable. Jimin's heart shatters at how... emotionless he looks.
He doesn't care, his inner wolf howls in betrayal, and the omega feels new tears begin to form in his eyes, his arm desperately reaching for the alpha.
He has never wanted to hold his hand this bad, but Jungkook doesn't react.
And all Jimin wanted was to just hold his hand one last time, just for a heartbeat he wanted to hold his hand because he's scared, he's cold and he's so scared and he's going to die, why can't Jungkook just hold his hand, why can't the world let him at least have that?
"Ah, alpha Jeon", the man still hovering over Jimin calls, almost sounding amused. "Just on time, aren't we? I was just wondering what way we should let this little one out of his misery. Would snapping his neck be too nice?"
Jungkook's brow twitches and something cold swarms into his eyes. Jimin lets out a ragged sob as two hands make their way around his neck, firmly holding his head in place, but he keeps his gaze on Jungkook.
"P-please", he chokes out, trying to at least awaken something, just something, in the alpha. Something to tell him that Jungkook doesn't hate him. "Please, I didn't – J-Jungkook, I didn't—" he's cut off by his own pained scream when the alpha on him begins to twist his neck, one of his hands slipping under Jimin's chin.
He's going to do it, the omega thinks, knows, and yet he still can't tear his eyes away from Jungkook. Yet he's still reaching for him.
You said you believed me. You said you wouldn't hurt me.
The hold on his chin becomes tighter. There's nothing Jimin can do anymore, so he stifles the small fire within him, the part of him that doesn't want to die, and closes his eyes, taking in a pained breath, the taste of cedarwood, spices and jasmine mixing with blood on his tongue. Then he waits for the darkness to come.
But it never does.
Instead, the weight on him suddenly disappears alongside with the hands holding his head and Jimin falls back on the cold snow with a thud, his mind reeling and adrenaline pumping in his veins. He's alive.
But then who—
The omega looks up. The scent of cedarwood is thick in the air and a tall, dark brown furred wolf stands right next to him, growling dangerously. It sends cold fear down Jimin's spine, but he doesn't move, confused eyes locked on the wolf.
"J-Jungkook...?"
The wolf turns to look at him and Jimin gasps, freezing completely. Jungkook's eyes are crimson red.
He had gone feral.
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