Chapter Text
"Now my omegas, let me do your moon markings. Jimin, remember, you must be under the moon at her peak, it's when she will bless you with her gift." Their mother spoke to the three of them.
Taehyung pouted softly, "Mother, why can I not go ahead and do the ritual? I reach the age in just 9 days. Will I really have to wait an entire year?!"
The woman sighed softly, "I'm sorry my love. If you do it before your 20th year, you risk the chance of the blessing not taking and the Moon rejecting you. Then you will be without our family's only gift."
Jungkook rolled his eyes, "It's not like it's a good gift to receive. It might as well not even be a gift. I mean, what is the benefit really? Everyone in the pack looks down at us for it and we have to miss the end of the festival for it."
Their mother looked up from Jimin's back and reprimanded the boy sharply, "You will not talk about our gift that way, young man!" Her tone made the young omega hang his head in submission, "Our gift is the only one like it in any pack there is. Its power may not be as obvious as strength or as what some people consider useful nowadays like smell, but it is an indescribable feeling when she blesses you with her markings. You will never feel alone as long as the moon is in the sky. You will never feel lost or hopeless. Even if great tragedy were to strike you, you will find comfort in her glow."
Jimin looked back at his mother while she painted the phases of the moon on his skin with the ritual ink, "It's ok Mother, Jungkookie is still young. He just doesn't understand. Poor thing hasn't even presented yet. He'll learn."
The woman smiled at her eldest, "I know my dear. Are you excited?" She suddenly remembered , "Oh wait! What will you be asking the Moon for tonight at the festival? With the ritual right after it may just come true!"
Jimin felt flutters in his stomach at the question, "I- I think I'm going to ask for a mate. A proper one. One that will mark me as theirs."
The older woman smiled, the lines at the edges of her eyes becoming more prevalent with each passing day, "Oh, I remember when I was your age. I didn't ask for a mate, but I asked to be a mother. Within the year the Moon brought me your father and months later you." She recalled the story before looking at her middle child, "And then she brought me you, just months later! I was blessed by her shine. And I hope the same will happen for you all tonight. The Winter Solstice festival is a magical time."
Jimin sighed, "I just wish we had time after the Solstice festival. Being forced into the omega's nest for hibernation won't be helping me find a mate any time soon."
His mother nodded, "Yes, it is a shame. Especially since you won't get to experience the winter months with your gift. It's much stronger during this time of year, but the Pack Alphas have been right. I remember when I was a little girl, omegas were found dead every day. Now we are safer and it's easier to keep the whole pack fed." She smiled, "This Pack Alpha has just been wonderful too! We haven't had an omega die of an attack or starvation during the winter in five years!"
Jungkook frowned , "I don't care!" He groaned, "I can't stand hibernation. I want to be out in the forest, breathing fresh air, feeling the sun and moon on my skin!"
The woman laughed quietly, "That's your father in you. But don't let the Pack Alpha hear you speak like that; he wouldn't like it." She was quiet for a moment before looking back at her son, "How has your father been recently?"
Jungkook shrugged, "Not sure. We haven't seen each other much. He doesn't have time for the children that aren't useful to him."
His mother couldn’t stop the snarl that made its way to her lips, "Bad alpha. What kind of alpha doesn't spend time with his pups! All of them! Not just the alpha ones!"
"Mama, it's not just because I'm an omega." Jungkook sighed .
The woman looked at him, "This is why you resent our family gift! It's because of him!" she said, exasperated, before finishing the ritual markings on her oldest.
Jungkook curled in on himself slightly, "No one wants to be with us, mama."
Their mother put the ink down and walked to her youngest, "That's not true, my love! Look at your brothers! After they presented, they have had alphas trying to court them every other week!"
Taehyung rolled his eyes, "They aren't courting us for anything special, Mother. They aren't looking to become mates or even breed. They just want to use us for our heats."
Jimin snorted , "Or worse, their ruts."
Their mother sighed, "Just, don't let that make you resent the family gift. It- it's special. So much more than any of you know."
Jimin smiled as he hugged his mother from behind, "I'm excited for tonight, Mother. I'm ready to become one with the moon and connect to our ancestors. And Jungkookie," he stood straight and went to his brother, "Our gift is special. It's unlike anyone else's. Even if no one else understands it, it's something that bonds us to the most sacred of symbols."
Jungkook nodded as he looked at his brother, "I- I know."
Jimin smiled at him, "Ok, want me to do your Solstice paint while Mother does Taehyung's moon markings?" His little brother nodded , "Alright, what would you like for the upcoming year?"
Jungkook sighed , "Just want things to be different. Ready for this year to end."
Jimin thought for a moment, "How about some yew trees? They symbolize death to the old year and birth to a new one."
Jungkook nodded to his brother, "That sounds exactly like what I need."
"Jimin, are you ready for the festival?" his mother called.
Jimin looked at his reflection in the mirror. His skin was adorned with paintings of beautiful vines of ivy, snaking up his arms and curling around his neck. He had spent the last three hours painstakingly painting each detail.
Tonight needed to go perfectly. Every Winter Solstice, when the Moon was at her peak, the pack believed that a single wish would be granted to each that bathed in her light. The wish must be expressed through symbols of nature painted on the skin. The beginning of the painting tradition has been lost to time, but it's become a beloved part of the ritual.
Under tonight's moon, Jimin's wish would be for a mate, for love. He chose ivy as his symbol because it represented everything he wanted in a mate: devotion, fidelity, and loyalty.
Jimin was proud of the paintings on his skin and loved how the ink of the moon phases on his back could be seen through the backless top he was wearing. He walked out of his shared bedroom and met his mother and brothers in the communal space of the den.
His mother gasped when she saw his skin, "Oh Mimi, it's beautiful." She walked over to him and held his arm as she looked closer at the paintings, "The Moon will surely grant your wish tonight. You will have a mate within the year!"
Jimin smiled shyly, "I can only hope."
He saw the small rosemary plant on her shoulder, it symbolized fidelity and remembrance. It was the same plant she had been wearing since his father passed away when he was just a child. A grieving wish that she never quite let go of.
He looked to his brothers. The youngest was decorated in the Yew trees, red berries spotting green leaves, covering only his right forearm and hand so it would be visible even with his winter furs on. Taehyung had markings of birch trees on his arms, he had explained to Jimin earlier that he hadn't had much to wish for so he just hoped the new year would bring him growth, so the older omega suggested the trees.
His mother spoke again, "Jimin, remember your furs! It's going to be cold, and you'll already have to have so much skin showing during our ceremony. Don't want any of you getting sick!"
Jimin pouted, "But mother, all my hard work will be covered. They must be in the moonlight for my wish to be granted."
His mother pressed her lips in a line, thinking, "Ok, wear your furs but don't let them cover your shoulders and maybe upper arms."
Jimin nodded, satisfied with this compromise, and wrapped his furs around his forearms, letting them drape behind him, "Ok! Come on we don't want to be late for the festivities!" He chirped excitedly.
The family left their den and went to the middle of their pack's land. It was an open area that had been transformed and decorated with dark greens, blues, and whites for tonight's festival. When they arrived, the sun had just set, and the Moon was out in all of her glory. The streetlights flickered with candles as the pack slowly arrived. Soon a few hundred people gathered on the land, talking, laughing, singing, and dancing.
Jimin was smiling as he danced with his brothers as they sang an old winter song that was passed down through generations. Laughing brightly as the youngest tripped over his feet, still learning the ancient dance. Music filled the air, drums, and strings, as the moon climbed higher and higher.
A few hours after the sun had set the music quieted down and the roar of the pack lessened. Jimin stopped and looked around, seeing what was causing it.
He looked in the direction that some of the people around him were looking and he saw the man in the pack's ancestral furs. The furs only belonged to the Pack Alpha. His arrival meant the feast was about to begin and thus why some decided it was time to quiet down.
Jimin watched the man. He had boots and loose black pants on, but his chest was bare. This wasn't unusual for the Pack Alpha. At every Winter Solstice, his chest was bare so the beautiful painting of an oak tree would be showered in the moonlight. It was the same every year, the oak tree. It symbolized everything a Pack Alpha needed: strength, stability, endurance, fertility, power, justice, and honesty. A powerful symbol for a powerful man.
He took his seat at the head of the table that the pack elders and any other notable pack members sat at.
Taehyung leaned over and whispered to his brothers, "Pack Alpha Yoongi is looking particularly good tonight."
The brothers smiled; all the omegas knew their Pack Alpha wasn't just the most desirable because of his position of power but because he was also one of the most handsome alphas in the pack.
Jungkook shook his head, smile still on his lips but he was looking at a different alpha who was sitting near the end of the head table, "He is, but do you see Namjoon? Isn't he the most beautiful alpha you have ever seen?" The young man practically swooned.
Jimin smiled at his brother, the omega has had a crush on the alpha since he was a pup but when Namjoon presented at age 16 Jungkook had been head over heels for the alpha. Something about seeing the man turn into a mature alpha made the omega fall hard. Or maybe it was the way the alpha seemed to always flash those pretty dimples his way when they passed each other.
"It will happen soon Jungkookie. Just imagine it, you'll present soon, and you will enter your first heat. I'm sure if you asked him, Namjoon would love to help you through it." Jimin spoke.
The young man flushed pink but before he could speak a loud voice called for attention. They looked to the table to see one of the elder alpha standing, "Please all, find your seats."
The crowd filled the long wooden banquet tables. The family found themselves closer to the front this year, benefits of arriving early.
The elder man spoke again, "This is a time of celebration! For we as a pack have survived another year, all thanks to our Mother Moon and our strong pack leader, Min Yoongi."
The crowd let out short hollers while banging the table with their firsts, a sign of respect and praise for their Pack Alpha.
The man continued to speak, "With the winter Solstice also comes the hibernation of our omegas. As usual, the feast is dedicated to them for they give up their winter months for the betterment of the pack. We thank you and wish you a restful hibernation." The man bowed to the crowd before sitting down.
Next, an elder omega stood. She spoke loudly, "We thank you as well, alphas and betas alike. Without your protection, we would be subject to the brutal winter months that in the past have led to many omega deaths. We wish for your safety in the coming months. She bows as well before taking her seat once more.
Next is an elder beta, "We now would like to thank the Pack Alpha. Without you, the feast before us would not be possible and without your guidance, we would not be able to survive the year. As a symbol of the life you bring to our pack, we place the evergreen branches onto you." The beta picked up a crown made from branches of an evergreen tree and placed it upon the alpha's head. Once he was back at his place the beta bowed and sat down.
Next, it was time for their Pack Alpha. He was a man of few words so during the festivals, when it was his time to speak, the pack listened intently.
"My pack, without your hard work we would not have made it. Omegas, your tireless work foraging has not gone unnoticed. The work you do to provide us with the best of furs to keep us warm in the winter is greatly appreciated. The pups you bear, that bring life into the pack, are perhaps the greatest of your gifts to us.
"Alphas, your work during our hunts is admirable. Your protection at the borders of our land is exemplary. And your dedication to your Pack Alpha is recognized and truly valued.
"Beta's, your work on all fronts, whether it be with the alphas or omegas, will always be something we are all grateful for. Your dedication to taking care of us all and helping us when our instincts take over is honorable and I would like to offer a personal thanks to you all."
Yoongi took the chalice in front of him and raised it, "I hope for the Moon to give you all of her blessings and grant whatever it is you may wish for in the next year." He tilted it to his lips and drank from it.
Jimin was watching him intently as he spoke, his eyes wandering over his chest to see the paint. It was truly beautiful work, done by only the best in the pack, but what caught his attention was when the alpha's furs fell off of his shoulder, exposing his upper arm. What Jimin saw made his heart beat hard in his chest.
There, on the inside of the Pack Alpha's bicep, was a painting of an ivy leaf. It was in a different style than the oak tree on his chest. It was rough and a little sloppy, but Jimin had studied the plant long enough to know what it was meant to be.
His eyes flashed up to the Pack Alpha's face and widened when he saw the man already looking at him. He was sure his cheeks heated up but the warmth he felt came from the painted ivy leaves on his shoulders.
Their eyes lingered for too long for the omega to assume the alpha had only glanced over to that side of the courtyard, but Jimin couldn't let himself think of what it could have meant. He wouldn't even let his mind drift in that direction.
"Come my dears! The Moon's about to reach her peak!" Their mother led them away from the festival and to their den. Instead of going inside, they went behind the building.
In between the two evergreen trees planted behind their den laid a large white fur with a midnight blue cloth in the middle and on the cloth, there was a bowl of water.
The woman led Jimin to the setup, "Here my dear, on your knee." She guided him onto the fur, "Let me take this." She took Jimin's winter fur off his shoulder, exposing the ink on his back. She went to stand in front of Jimin while the two younger boys stood behind him. She looked at Taehyung and Jungkook, "You two kneel as well. Jimin, do you remember what we practiced?"
Jimin felt excitement in his chest as he nodded, "Yes mother."
The woman smiled, pride welling in her eyes, "Ok," she looked up to see the moon at her peak, "Then it's time my love."
She shed her own furs so the permanent markings on her back were uncovered, "Under the night sky many, many years ago our ancestors were found by another species. These animals hunted our kind, chasing us to near extinction. It was dangerous to travel during the day, for our enemy could find us and the night was so dark our ancestors could not navigate. It was during the coldest of winters, when the future held a promise of extinction, that one of our ancestors prayed to the moon to guide us. To lead us to safety and watch over us.
"It was after this prayer that our ancestor's eyes turned silver and their back was graced with the phases of the moon. She had sent a message to our ancestors telling them that she would guide us, she would protect us, and she would watch over us. With her light she gave our kind three gifts. The ability to see at night, the unrivaled skill of hunting, and, best of all, she gave all omegas the ability to bear pups. It was her blessing.
But she gave our ancestral line an even stronger gift. A blessing we carry with us in the markings on our backs. The markings she graces us with when we reach the age that our ancestor was when they pleaded for her guidance. And now, we welcome a new member into the Moon's light." She looked at Jimin as his cue.
Jimin took a deep breath as he hunched over on one knee, letting the moon shine on the ritual ink. He spoke the words of their ancestor's prayer with pride and respect, "Moon, I call upon thee, I beg thee, listen to my plea. Guide us with your bewitching light for we need it. Protect my people, my kind, with the darkness of night. Watch over us as we continue through this journey. We need you now more than ever. Take me as an offering, my heart, my body, my soul. I give it to you in exchange for your love and favor."
As he finished the prayer the air around him changed. He opened his eyes and looked at the water before him. It was moving in a uniform sway, like it was being pushed and pulled by some invisible force. He felt a warmth envelop him and he heard two gasps from his brothers. He looked up at his mother to see her standing with tears in her eyes. She motioned for him to stand.
"Now that you have received your gift, cross over to be with your ancestors and kneel." She said.
Jimin knew what to do as she had told him previously. He stood from his spot and walked around the bowl of water and knelt on the other side of it.
His mother walked beside him and knelt next to him. She dipped a small cloth into the water and spoke once more, "With the water blessed by the Moon you are now one with her." She took the wet cloth and wiped the ritual ink away revealing the permanent markings on his back.
When the ceremony was complete, he and his mother stood. She looked at him, "How do you feel, my love?"
Jimin took a deep breath, "I-I feel- I feel comfort. Like I have this love and care surrounding me."
She nodded as a few tears fell and smiled brightly, "That's exactly right. That is our gift."