Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Jeongguk always knew his day would come. It was only a matter of time when his father, Head Alpha Jeon, finally picked out a mate for him. He had no reason to doubt his father's judgment. His brother had been matched under their father's guidance and fortunately, they were happily settled at the omega's pack. So Jeongguk knew, without a doubt, that his father's pick would be excellent. Except in Jeongguk's situation, it was slightly different. The Jeon pack had been grappling with shortage of food and essential materials to sustain the households for awhile now. Even their hunting packs weren't able to gather large games to bring back due to the threat of poachers and because of that too, they weren't able to venture out far in their wolf form in fear of getting hunted themselves. It was too risky. They had been foraging for fruits and smaller catches like hares and occasional boars but with a growing community, these meager efforts were far from enough.

That was the day Jeongguk's life was sealed by fate.

Head Alpha Jeon convened a meeting to seek assistance from a city pack that he had known for quite awhile. They had aided them during a particularly harsh winter providing bags of premium meat when food was scarce. It lasted them for a few months and Jeongguk still remembered the taste of it at the back of his tongue. The city pack was a wealthy, established pack that was capable of providing anything they needed. Literally everything and anything. From food, clothings, tools—seriously, just name it and they could deliver without hesitation. His father was grateful to have such a supportive ally to turn to in times of need.

Although the city pack had never requested for anything in return and only helped out from the goodness of their hearts, his father was compelled to show his gratitude. He presented them with a handwoven blanket, carefully crafted from the furs of a bear as a token of appreciation, which was ultimately declined with respect.

"You helped us so much, Head Alpha. Please accept our humble gift from the Jeon Pack. We are truly blessed by your kindness."

Head Alpha Park laughed with a smile. "Nonsense, Jeon. I've told you before, we don't expect anything in return. The best gift is the gift of peace between our two packs. We are truly honored to be lending a hand."

"I won't deny about the gift of peace. I'm glad we get along. But still, I insist on this." His father slid the handwoven blanket closer to Head Alpha Park's side of the table. They were seated in his office, a modern space perched atop a  towering high rise building made of seventy floors and Head Alpha Park was the CEO of a prestigious pharmaceutical company. 

The city life was different than that of a forest, a truth every wolf understood. It took about four hours of trekking through dense forest and an additional hour to reach the company building where Head Alpha Park worked. There were two distinct teams under its roof—one that managed human-related work involving the company's success and another dedicated solely to handling wolf matters. The Head Alpha had both under his care. 

Head Alpha Park sighed, sliding the blanket back to him. "It's okay, Jeon. But if you insist on returning a favour.." He turned in his chair, pondering deep in thought before fixing his gaze back on him. "There's one thing you could do for me. But you're free to decline, of course. There's no pressure."

"Anything."

"I want my son to marry into the Jeon pack. I believe you have two sons? I admired the way you raised them. I'm not entirely sure if alpha sons are easier to nurture but it's challenging with an omega. Sometimes." He chuckled lightly.

"I think I could convince Jeongguk into it. He isn't mated yet and I don't think he's seeing anyone too. I'll be sure to talk to him."

The two Head Alphas continued their conversation, getting to know Park Jimin's personality for a better understanding on why he was a headache to his own father. "Sometimes I just throw him some money to make him shut up," was what the Head Alpha Park had said out of his own mouth. It was hilarious, he thought. Head Alpha Park hadn't been present much when Jimin was growing up due to the demands of managing his company so he didn't have the chance to be involved in his upbringing and considering the Head Alpha's work was still taking precedence, he often gave in to Jimin's requests whenever he asked for anything. He figured an alpha mate could temper his strong-willed nature and softened his personality just enough to encourage him to submit.

When Head Alpha Jeon returned back to the pack, he met up with Jeongguk instantly. 

"Son, I know I'm asking alot. But I think it would do our pack good. The Park pack had been helping us willingly without wanting anything in return and I feel bad. I don't want to seem like I'm taking advantage, so would you consider this for me?"

Jeongguk blinked. "So you're asking me to return a pack's favour..... by marrying his son? That's kinda extreme. But I suppose I could be okay with that."

The Head Alpha sighed in relief when Jeongguk agreed without hesitation. As expected of a Jeon. He would never burden his son with such a request if it wasn't important. He pulled Jeongguk in a firm hug and thanked him.

"His father showed me a picture. Jimin's beautiful. Cute face, very soft features. He's probably your type. But you might have to work on getting along with him. His father said he could be a mouthful at times."

"He's an omega, right?"

"Yes, an omega."

"Then it's nothing my alpha can't handle."

A few days later, Head Alpha Jeon made the trek back to the city to meet up with Jimin's father once again to finalize the details of the wedding. He was delighted to hear the good news. It was a win-win situation. The Jeon pack would receive their necessities and Head Alpha Park got to marry his son off. They had planned for an intimate wedding in the lush garden of the Park's family penthouse, no less. Both packs were invited to attend the ceremony and witnessed the joyous union, symbolizing the strengthening of their alliance. They sat together, discussing for a few hours going over the details before returning home to share the plans with their sons.

"You're really going through with this? You're really getting married?" Namjoon had asked when him, Hoseok and Jeongguk were at the wood station, chopping woods to prepare materials for Jeongguk's new home. When they first heard the news, they were genuinely excited for him. Jeongguk wasn't the type to go around and looked for potential mates. He didn't even make the effort, so hearing that he would be married in two week's time was surprising and definitely a reason to celebrate.

"It benefits both parties so, why not? My father knows how to choose the best mate. Look at my brother, he's thriving. I've never been to the city but his father said Jimin would be moving in with me—here. So I need to impress the city omega."

That was the only reason they had dragged themselves out of bed at 5AM that morning. They needed the house to be completed and fully furnished before the wedding took place. Jeongguk couldn't possibly bring Jimin into one of the spare cabins. It would leave a bad impression and Jimin would definitely judge him for such an arrangement. 

"Have you seen him though?" Hoseok asked curiously. "What's he like?"

"I'll see him at the ceremony but uh.. Head Alpha Jeon said he's my type. I'm trusting my father on this. But he also said  it might take some work to get along with Jimin. Apparently, he could be a handful." Jeongguk shrugged.

"Well, your alpha likes a challenge." Namjoon smirked as he patted a hand on Jeongguk's shoulder. "You could handle him. Nothing a little loving won't put him in his place."

"We shall see."

ᯓ★

On the day of the wedding, Jeongguk and his father departed earlier than the others, accompanied by Hoseok and Namjoon. Head Alpha Park had commissioned a custom made wedding outfit specifically for Jeongguk to wear so they had to arrive at the penthouse ahead of the ceremony. He also wanted his future son-in-law to be acquainted with their house, considering it was huge and had many doors and hallways that could be confusing to navigate alone.  

"Big day today! Excited to finally meet him?" Hoseok nudged him on the elbow, wiggling his eyebrows playfully. The two alphas walked alongside Jeongguk while his father led the way at the front. Hoseok and Namjoon were basically his bodyguards in the forest, just in case they stumbled upon any unpleasantries that might arise during their journey. It was an important day and his father wanted to ensure Jeongguk remained unharmed along the way and that everything proceeded without a hitch.

"To be honest, kinda nervous." Jeongguk sucked through his teeth "I don't know what I'm getting myself into but I hope it's for the best." He couldn't control his nervous laughter as he scratched the back of his neck. 

"You'll be fine, come on! You're finally getting a mate. You've got a beautiful house back at the pack and fingers crossed, your type of omega as your father claimed." Namjoon patted him on the back to reassure him. 

The house was finally ready. He had stayed up all night making sure everything was perfect. The others had pitched in, helping to arrange the furnitures and hopefully the omega would be keen to step inside. He tried to pick up stuff that reflected a little of the city life—a modern take on city houses but he could only do so much with the materials he had on hand. He even added a scent diffuser to make it smell less....foresty. If Jimin hated the house—well he hoped he wouldn't.

Four hours of trekking later and they found the clearing that led to the paved roads of the human town where a man stood at the curb, leaning his back against a sleek, black limousine. Jeongguk remembered that his father had mentioned they would be picked up by a car to drive over to the Park's residence once they reached the city. Head Alpha Park wanted the best for his future son-in-law so that meant they didn't need to hassle themselves with public transportation. 

Hoseok and Namjoon stared in awe as they eyed the vehicle. 

"He's a rich fuck?" Hoseok whispered.

"A rich bitch." Namjoon muttered under his breath.

But Jeongguk had heard it all and Namjoon earned a smack on the back of his head, growling lowly at the Head Alpha's son. 

"I'm Min Yoongi from the Park's pack. Head Alpha had entrusted me with your safety to bring you to their home for the ceremony." Yoongi bowed slightly before opening the doors to the limousine, gesturing with one hand for them to enter. He was a soft-spoken gentleman, impeccably dressed in a tuxedo. If Jeongguk didn't know better, Yoongi could pass off as a mafia boss with that vertical scar running down his left eye. It must've been a brutal fight, he thought.

"A pleasure to meet you, Yoongi. Thank you for accompanying us today." Head Alpha Jeon said before getting in. Yoongi gave a small smile before he returned to the driver's seat and heading towards their destination. 

None of them had been in a limousine before but Jeongguk and his father who were seated side by side, tried to mask their excitement as compared to the other two alphas who were busy inspecting every corner of the interior. It was amusing to watch, like puppies discovering a new environment.

"Woah look!" Namjoon slid open a small compartment by his side. "They've got water here!"

The sound of the divider opening from the driver's seat startled them and Yoongi peered in as he stopped at a red light. "Feel free to grab a bottle if you need and make yourself comfortable." With a warm smile, he closed back the partition to give them their privacy once more. 

"Should we take one?" Hoseok asked Namjoon, who was just as lost as he was. 

"You dumb alphas, stop embarrassing us." Jeongguk hissed. "Are you that thirsty? His house probably has a fountain you could drink from. I am not giving you ideas, Namjoon. Don't even think about it." He added, giving a pointed finger at him. His father only stifled a laughter at the three younger pups' interactions. 

Forty minutes later, they finally arrived at the penthouse of the Park's residence. This is it. Jeongguk was about to get married off to an unknown omega that he had never met. This was either going to make or break him. The nerves started to churn in his stomach once again as the realization of what was happening slowly hit him.

"You okay, son? You look a little pale." His father asked as they followed behind Yoongi to the entrance. "Is it the city air?" He whispered closely to Jeongguk's ear. The smell of the city was definitely different than in the forest. Alot of scents get mixed up and it was overwhelming but he wished that was the problem instead.

"Yeah dude, you look like you're gonna pass out. You would probably be glad if I had that water from the car now, wouldn't you?" Jeongguk glared at Hoseok for making his untimely joke. 

"I'm fine. Just a little anxious." As they stepped into the penthouse, they were greeted with a sweet, floral scent that filled the air. The house was adorned with plenty of flowers around to give a fresh atmosphere. There were long hallways stretched before them and a staircase leading up to whatever rooms up there. 

"Head Alpha Park had requested for you to join him in the guest room." Yoongi gestured past the mahogany doors. "He'll be with you shortly." Jeongguk entered along with his father but when it was Hoseok and Namjoon's turn, they were stopped by Yoongi's arm.

"Except for you two. Head Alpha had specific instructions for the two of you to help out with the buffet table. Follow me." Jeongguk could see them muttering curses under their breath at the unexpected order as they left. 

The guest room was big. The bed was larger than his own at the pack and much softer. There was a vanity table with LED lights attached and a velvet armchair sat in a corner. He groaned internally at the comparison, knowing the house he had built was nothing compared to this luxurious taste. 

"Are you nervous, son?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, a little." Jeongguk clasped both his hand together tightly. 

"What are you thinking about?"

So many things.

"What if I don't like him? Then what?" There was no mistaking the worry laced in his tone. When his brother had been married off to his mate, he had met his omega beforehand to talk and see if they could share a bond. For Jeongguk's case right now, he was about to see his future mate for the first time on the wedding day itself. No fair. 

"Do you trust me, Jeongguk?"

Jeongguk met his father's gaze silently. "I do."

"Then you have nothing to worry about. You'll just have to be patient. I know he'll love you, the way you would love him." He gave Jeongguk a warm hug, nuzzling the tip of his nose on Jeongguk's cheek to scent and calm him. "I only choose the best for you, son."

"Head Alpha-a-a!" Jeongguk felt embarrassed at his father scenting him like he was still a small child. Luckily, Hoseok and Namjoon weren't around to witness that or Jeongguk would not hear the end of it. 

Soon enough, Head Alpha Park had joined them in the guest room, bringing a garment bag in his hand. It must be his wedding outfit. 

"I'm glad to see you made it safe and sound here. This is a custom made hanbok that we've specially designed for you." He said, passing the garment bag to Jeongguk. "It has a unique embroidery on the tag. Jimin has one too. You'll be wearing one with Jimin's name on it. I thought it would be a nice sentiment. Anyway, I'll be stealing your dad for a moment. I want Jimin to meet him. We'll see you at the ceremony, Jeongguk."

Head Alpha Park gave him a hug, as if already welcoming him into the family. "Our butler would be by to give you a house tour."

Once they left Jeongguk alone in the massive room, he decided to take a closer look at the hanbok. He laid it on the bed and carefully unzipped the garment bag, unveiling hints of gold and purple. Jeongguk's jaw dropped once he fully removed the outfit and held it in his hands. It was stunning. A royal purple long vest adorned with intricate floral designs and a lustrous texture, accented by a gold border running down the middle. It was paired with a matching jeogori top and baji pants to complete the ensemble. He glanced at the tag on the outfit, and there it was—embroidered in black thread with precision: 지민. Would Jimin have one just like this in his name too? 

A knock on the door paused his train of thoughts. He glanced over to see the butler, Jeongguk presumed, waiting for him by the doorway. He quickly tucked the outfit back in so as not to ruin it before greeting the man with a polite nod.

"Hi! I'm Jeongguk."

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Kim Seokjin. I''ll be giving you a house tour for your convenience so you'd be more familiar with the areas around this place. Come along." Jeongguk followed closely by his side. 

"Did anyone run by you the itinerary for today?"

Itinerary? 

"Uhh... I'll be getting married later and I assume that's it?" Seokjin didn't have any reaction to it, keeping his face forward as he walked. 

"After the ceremony, you will be having a photoshoot by the flower arch at the patio followed by a private dinner at the garden for the two of you to bond. You will be spending a night here with your mate and tomorrow morning, you will head back to your pack with Jimin."

"Okay, great." Jeongguk was already starting get a headache from walking past so many doors and processing the small itinerary he had going on later. He had originally thought it was just an intimate wedding but maybe Jimin wanted it to be a little more fancy with the photos and dinner. 

"This right here is our kitchen. Down ahead is Head Alpha Park's study room. Across the hall is our wine storage room. Now let's go."

Seokjin was very brief with his tour and when they got up the stairs, he had shown Jeongguk his room. "This is Jimin's room, which will also be your room for the night."

The door was closed but Jeongguk could definitely smell the faint scent of peach wafting from the room. It was intoxicating and his alpha stirred with curiousity. Was it Jimin's or another scent diffuser?

"The room comes with an ensuite bathroom and bathtub for your use. But we also have another guest bathroom if you walked straight ahead."

Afterwards, Seokjin had showed him the patio where the beautiful flower arch was displayed, and their garden where the ceremony would be held. A small garden table and chairs were already set up for their dinner later. There was less than an hour left before Jeongguk needed to get dressed and prepared. Seokjin had guided him back to the guest room where he first arrived so he could changed into his outfit for his big moment.

The time has officially arrived to meet his mate.

ᯓ★

If Jeongguk had known that the Head Alpha's son was a celestial beauty, he would've courted him long ago. Jimin was simply magical. His porcelain skin was simply the resemblance of an angel—radiant, plump and flawless. He replayed the ceremony in his mind. When Jimin stepped forward to him, Jeongguk swore he could've seen a faint, luminescent glow surrounding him like an aura, as though the heavens above had descended their most purest guardian in the body of Park Jimin to be his destined mate. 

The ceremony unfolded smoothly. They had exchanged their vows and oh, how sweet and gentle Jimin's voice was and the alpha recalled how he had to lock his knees to keep himself steady from melting to the ground. Jimin had luscious lips which made concentration slightly impossible for Jeongguk at that time when he was constantly distracted by it. Their photoshoot went well despite the fact that Jeongguk had to refrain himself from the overwhelming desire to sink his teeth in his mate's tender skin when they stood close for a photo. Then, there was his scent. Jimin's peachy smell was captivating and spellbinding, making Jeongguk lost in the craze of fruity sweetness that he had to force himself numerous times to break free from the trance and look in the camera. 

They didn't speak much during their dinner like Jeongguk had hoped. But he seemed kind and not like what his father had mentioned. As expected of a family of their status, the meal was elegant. They had steak with a side of mashed potatoes and vegetables. The only two things Jeongguk had learned from that short dinner was that; Jimin hated carrots and he preferred someone else to cut his meat for him. 

And after that, Jimin was nowhere to be found.

While the party buzzed on, Jeongguk had found himself wrapped in conversations with Hoseok and Namjoon but his focus kept slipping when his eyes scanned the area for his new mate. He had spotted his father and Head Alpha Park speaking to their pack members, formally welcoming one another as part of the same family. 

"I am not accompanying anyone else to a Park's wedding anymore, man. I am done with that shit. I thought I came here to be Jeongguk's bodyguard but they made me lay out cupcakes on a table!" Hoseok huffed out in annoyance. 

"But you know what, at least their cupcakes were nice." Namjoon said, licking the cream before taking a bite of the dessert in his hand. "Anyway, congratulations again, Jeongguk! You're married!"

Jeongguk smiled tenderly. "Have you guys seen Jimin?"

"Dude, we were there! Of course we've seen him!" Hoseok lightly slapped his shoulder. "You lucky bastard. He's a really pretty omega. Sucks he's not a forest wolf, I would've bite him like a treat."

Jeongguk growled at the way the alpha spoke about his mate and Hoseok raised both hands up in surrender. "No, I meant he disappeared after dinner. I can't find him."

"Relax, he's probably in his home. It must've been a tiring day for the both of you. You should get some rest too. Head Alpha Jeon said we'll be making our way back tonight. You're leaving tomorrow, right?" Namjoon asked as he finished the last bite.

Jeongguk nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow morning. I'm gonna go find Jimin. Thanks for being here today. I'll see you guys back at home then!"

He jogged off towards the penthouse and he could hear Namjoon's faint shout from behind, "put some pups in him, Jeongguk!" to which the alpha raised a middle finger at him in response. It would be great to have some alone time with his mate and talked before bed. Jeongguk's not in a rush to start a family but even he couldn't fool himself if he said he didn't want to be intimate with Jimin tonight. A kiss would suffice. He just wanted to be near that peach scent once more and maybe bury his nose in his neck if Jimin's up for it. His wolf was a little impatient and Jeongguk could feel the restless energy.

He got changed in the guest room into his pyjamas, courtesy of the Park's, before ascending up the stairs to Jimin's room. Their room now. There were already two large suitcases outside the door, sat neatly against the wall. Wow, Jimin sure has alot of things to bring. The peachy scent in the air was strong which meant Jimin must be inside. He turned the knob to step in and froze. To his delightful surprise, Jimin was half dressed in his bathrobe that had slipped to his waist, revealing his delicate moon tattoos trailing from his nape all the way down his spine. Jeongguk felt hypnotized at the sight.

"What the hell?!" Jimin glanced over his shoulder when he smelled the presence of sandalwood lingering in the air, quickly pulling up his robe to cover his modesty. "How long have you been standing there? Do you forest wolves not have doors to knock on in your house or something?"

There he is. 

"Sorry, my bad." Jeongguk closed the door behind him and sat on the edge of the bed with a smile. "I was looking for you. Thought my mate had ran off on his wedding day." He figured he would try his best with some light humour to cool the fire.

Jimin sat in front of his vanity and gently patted on some skincare on his luminous skin. His vanity was identical to the one in the guest room except Jimin had LED letter initials that glowed softly at the top of the mirror and small polaroids pinned on one side, featuring him with somebody else. They looked close but Jeongguk didn't want to pry into it so early in their relationship.

"I was feeling tired so I left for a bath."

A brief silence hung in the air. Jeongguk looked around the room from where he was seated, taking in every corner. The place was pristine and immaculate. A familiar doubt crept in his mind as whether the house he had built was impressive enough for Jimin. 

"Are you ready?"

Jimin's eyes flicked up to the mirror, meeting Jeongguk's gaze from the reflection as he paused mid-brush. He narrowed his eyes at what he assumed Jeongguk was referring to. "I don't know what you think is gonna happen tonight, but sex is off the table."

Jeongguk chuckled. The omega was cute when he was confused. He playfully pouted. "Ah, dammit. But no, that's not what I'm talking about—moving to the forest." Jimin turned around from his seat with a raised brow. "You're moving to the forest, Jimin. To live with me."

Jimin widened his eyes in shock. "I'm moving?! No. No, no, no! My dad didn't say anything about living with a forest pack!" He stood up to pace the floor, not knowing what to do with the information. "You're lying."

Jeongguk shrugged. "If I am then why would your suitcases be outside?"

"They're not yours?" Jimin groaned in exasperation. "I'm gonna go find my dad and clear this mix up." He stomped out of the room and Jeongguk caught a glimpse of his mate's inner brat that spilled out the moment he yelled dad! across the hall. A little dramatic but Jeongguk couldn't help the amused grin tugging at his lips. It was kind of hilarious, and cute if he had to admit. Oh, he was going to have fun with this one.

He laid in bed comfortably, letting the pillows cradled his head. It was tremendously soft and it smelled just like Jimin. He couldn't resist burying his nose in it, inhaling the scent, wishing it was Jimin's neck. Fuck. His alpha was aching for more. Just then, the sounds of the commotion outside reached his ears where Jimin and his dad talked about the arrangement. The moment Jeongguk stepped out of the room, Jimin came clutching onto his shirt with his small hands and a pout, giving his best puppy eyes.

"Tell my dad I can't live with you in the forest."

"Sorry, baby. But I want you to live with me and our pack." He brought a finger to graze Jimin's cheek as he smiled. The omega only frowned and rolled his eyes before returning back to his room.

"You doing okay so far?" Head Alpha Park asked as he smiled warmly. Jeongguk knew what he meant. 

"Yeah, it's been....entertaining."

"Let me know if you need any cash to shut him up, I'll be sure to give you." Head Alpha laughed and gave him a firm hug. "Welcome to the family, son. Take care of yourself and take care of Jimin too. He's alot of work but I promise he's lovable. Just—if you can, bring him down a notch."

"Thanks, Head Alpha. I'm looking forward to spend my life with him."

"That's good. And you can call me dad, Jeongguk."

When Jeongguk returned to the room, Jimin was already dressed in his idea of pyjamas—an oversized sweater that fell just below his bum and Jeongguk prayed he was wearing something underneath or he might lose his mind. He climbed into bed, laying on his side to face his mate. 

"Are you wearing—" Jeongguk pointed over to his legs, to which Jimin lifted up his sweater to reveal a pair of black, satin shorts beneath before pulling it back down. 

"Pervert. And what are you doing here? Your room is downstairs."

"Correction. This is our room now, according to Seokjin." There was a flicker of annoyance that crossed Jimin's face knowing he had to share his bed with the alpha. He didn't even bother to hide his frustration when he grumbled and grabbed a bolster from behind, placing it firmly in between them as a barrier.

"Are you serious, Jimin?" The omega didn't respond. Instead, he got under the blankets and turned the other side.

"Come on," Jeongguk pulled the bolster away and scooted closer over to him. "Let me scent you, sweetheart. I can tell you're overwhelmed today."

"Are you crazy?"

"Not really."

"You smell like forest. I don't want that." Jimin said as he turned his face behind. 

Ouch.

Jeongguk was rendered speechless. At the end of the day, Jimin was still going to smell of forest when he lived with the pack. But the alpha wanted to put his scent on him, had to, because Jimin's scent was intense and he didn't want anyone approaching his omega and smelling that fresh and fruity aroma without recognizing him as Jeongguk's mate. He knew that bite marking was off limits for now, just as sex was, so he needed to make Jimin smell less like an omega and more like his.

"I have to scent you, baby. If not today, then tomorrow before we leave. I can't have you walking into our pack smelling like a fruit, waiting to be devoured by rowdy alphas. Okay? Do we have a deal?" Jeongguk's voice remained calm despite giving little choices for the omega. 

When Jimin didn't respond, he reached out closer to him, putting a hand on his slim waist, only for it to be swatted away lightly. "Fine. You can scent me tomorrow. And only if you put back the damn bolster in between us. I'm not risking your limbs all over me."

"We're mates afterall, babe. You're technically mine to touch." Jeongguk giggled before getting a death stare from the omega. "I want a kiss goodnight. If you're not letting me hug you tonight, let me kiss you."

"Cheek only."

"No. Lips." Jeongguk's voice was firm this time, tired from negotiating with his mate on his first night. He needed his sleep as well since they would be trekking a journey tomorrow and he could already predict the complaints that would come. "We're not sleeping until I get to kiss you. You can play hard ball all you want."

Jimin knew better than to delay his own beauty sleep. He was already ready to end his day if not for his demanding mate. With a low growl of frustration, he propped himself up on one elbow and planted a small, quick kiss on Jeongguk's lips before returning back to the comfort of his pillow, covering himself up to his ears with the blanket.

"Sweet dreams, my love." Satisfied, Jeongguk went to bed with a happy heart.

The next morning, Jeongguk stirred awake, stretching his limbs with a wide yawn. Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. It was probably still early in the morning but they needed to get up anyway so they could reach the pack by noon for lunch. It would also be a good idea to have an early head start considering Jimin's unpredictable nature. They couldn't afford to trek any later than planned as the forest would get dark quickly and it would be too dangerous to continue their journey. 

His peripheral vision caught onto something beside him.

"Oh my Moon Goddess...fucking help me." Jeongguk muttered under his breath as soon as he turned his head. Jimin was asleep but it was the position in the way he slept that made the alpha want to set himself on fire and perished. Jimin was laying on his front, hugging a pillow in between his body and his ass was sticking up on full display. A perfectly shaped, round bum. His sweater had ridden up during the night, exposing his smooth back and those satin shorts clung in a way that did nothing to ease Jeongguk's torment. It was a posture commonly seen in young pups but he didn't realize that even adult omegas tend to sleep in that manner.

Look away, look away.

Jeongguk was startled when there was a sudden knock on the door. Two seconds longer and Jeongguk might have to deal with a stiff tent. He rose to his feet and opened the door to a familiar face. Seokjin stood outside with a cart neatly arranged with toasts and orange juice.

"Good morning, Jeongguk. I hope you're well rested. This is the menu for our bed and breakfast this morning."

"Hi, Seokjin. Okay, great. Um, we'll be downstairs."

Seokjin stood there unimpressed. "It's called bed and breakfast. You will sit in bed and eat the breakfast from there."

There was something chilling in the way he spoke and Jeongguk suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and slipped back into bed once again as Seokjin arranged the trays for their meals. It was hard enough to please his own mate and even his butler had an attitude. 

"Jimin? Babe, wake up. It's time for breakfast." The alpha gave a gentle shake on his mate's body to rouse him up from his sleep. Jimin groaned softly, turning his head away and sank his hips down onto the mattress, causing his ass to jiggle. Jeongguk inhaled sharply as he closed his eyes, pinching his nose bridge and trying to regain control. It jiggled. The alpha muttered curses under his breath for not being able to touch him yet. 

"Jimin-shi, breakfast is here." Seokjin couldn't careless that the man was still asleep and just placed the tray above his body, caging him in between. 

"I don't wanna eat." Jimin said sleepily when he turned his face to Jeongguk's side. Once the butler finished setting up, he pushed the cart to one side of the room and left. 

"You need to eat, baby. Sit up."

"No. I'll eat later."

"There's no later. Later we'll have to trek our way back to the pack. And you promised to let me scent you this morning so we're rushing for time." Jeongguk started eating his toast, cutting them in pieces before shoving into his mouth. When he was almost finishing his meal, Jimin was still sleeping. 

"Jimin, come on, your breakfast is getting cold. Will you wake up for me, please?"Jeongguk resigned when the omega didn't move. He cleared his space and placed the tray back on the cart. "I'm gonna take a shower and when I come back, you better be eating. Or I swear I will pull you on my lap and force-feed you, babe."

He heard the omega grumbled into his pillow and a satisfied smile plastered on Jeongguk's face. 

When he got done showering in their shared bathroom, Jeongguk came back to an empty bed. Jimin wasn't there and his tray sat on the cart with a half-eaten toast. Just as he got dressed, Jimin strolled in smelling like ripe peaches and it took every ounce of self-restraint in the alpha not to pounce on him like a predator. His hair was undone and it was soft and tousled and Jeongguk must've stared at him for awhile until Jimin caught his attention.

"What?"

"N-nothing. Just—Were you not hungry? You didn't finish your food." Jeongguk sat back on the bed as he watched his mate brushed his hair in the mirror.

"I don't eat much in the morning."

"Hmm. Come here, wanna scent you so we can leave soon." Jimin stood at the side of the bed where Jeongguk was, and stretched an arm in front of him. "What is this?" The alpha asked, puzzled. 

"You can scent me on my wrist."

Jeongguk blinked once. "Sit on my lap, sweetheart." Jimin looked at him with a bored expression. "Lap. Please." Jimin rolled his eyes and took a seat carefully on the alpha. They might be mates but they were still complete strangers who hadn't shared a bond yet. While Jeongguk was confident, Jimin was a little more hesitant. 

"Look at my omega," Jeongguk grabbed Jimin's arm closest to him and looped it around his neck. "So pretty, and smells so good." He used the back of his fingers to gently rub against his soft cheek as he gave his praises. "How did I get so lucky, hm? Kiss."

"No."

Jeongguk chuckled softly. He pressed his nose against Jimin's neck, nuzzling on his scent gland slowly and dragging the tip of his nose along the sides, occasionally nudging under his jawline. His smell was intoxicating and consuming. It was thick and delicious and Jeongguk felt himself slipping under its spell. He digged deeper into the skin, burying in his throat and brushing against his chin. Jeongguk loved it so much, his wolf was howling in satisfaction. He could sit here for hours just scenting Jimin and taking in his beautiful smell. His hands gripped firmly on Jimin's waist and he felt his wolf slowly losing control.

"Baby..." Jeongguk licked over his scent gland and he could hear the omega let out a soft gasp. He continued lapping on it and kissing it lightly until he was sure Jimin was trying to control himself when he suppressed his moans. 

He dragged his tongue across the opposite side, pressing a firm kiss over the wet patch. Jimin's scent had sweetened, which meant he enjoyed it. His omega was mushy in the head when Jeongguk's pheromones clouded him. He peeked at Jimin's expression and sure enough, his eyes were shut tight and lips in a bite. Jeongguk kissed tenderly across his throat before nuzzling back into the scent gland and kissing it once more. The moment his canines brushed against Jimin's skin, it made the omega flinch and pulled back. 

"You're not biting me right now." The omega growled with a pair of fierce eyes. The once blissed out omega was now back to his bratty self. "Are you done? I smell like trees already."

"I'm gonna put my mark on you these days." Jeongguk gave a quick kiss on Jimin's lips, catching him off guard. "But yes, I'm done. You smell like me now. I love it."

Jimin scoffed and stood up. It was time to leave the penthouse already. Jeongguk halted in his steps when Jimin just stood in front of his suitcases outside the door. "I'll pull them for you, don't worry."

The omega turned to look at him with a pout. "Where are we staying?"

"In our new house."

"Is it a penthouse too?" 

"It's a....luxury cabin, but trust me, you'll love it." Jeongguk gave a quick peck before he started pulling on Jimin's suitcases. "Now, come on, let's go. Your dad's waiting downstairs."

They made their way down to the first floor where Head Alpha Park, Seokjin and a few of the staff had gathered as they waited for the couple to arrive to say their goodbyes. Jimin was putting on a brave face when he hugged his dad last, trying not to let the tears spill. Jeongguk couldn't tell if he was grieving about parting ways from his family or the lavish life that came with the penthouse and assistance it provided.

"Takecare, son. Be a good mate and listen to your alpha." Jimin scowled. 

"Come visit us, dad." Jeongguk said.

Head Alpha simply nodded and waved goodbye as they stepped out the door where Yoongi was already waiting for them outside with his limousine. He assisted the alpha with the suitcases before opening the doors for them and a minute later, they pulled away from the penthouse and were finally returning home to the Jeon pack. 

ᯓ★

They reached the pack just past lunch time, the sun casting dappled light across the forested grounds. Jeongguk hauled the suitcases across the main grounds. They would've arrived earlier if Jimin hadn't kept complaining to rest every hour. It was either that or coaxing him to keep going when he rooted himself stubbornly to the ground and not wanting to move another step, saying, "I wanna go back to the city." Jeongguk saw it all coming ever since his denial the previous night about moving to the forest. Regardless, Jimin made it to the heart of the Jeon pack territory and that was all that mattered. 

"It smells different here." Jimin mumbled with a scowl. It was probably the heat and exhaustion since the sun was scorching right now and the omega probably needed his rest. 

"It can get a little intense for the first time. You'll get used to it. Let's go see my father. We can rest there for awhile."

They walked a little further and the omega started groaning once again. It was a bit of a walk to reach his father's cabin. They passed by several pack members where they exchanged warm greetings with Jeongguk mainly, since his omega wasn't in the mood for conversations but he still offered a small smile. Not to mention some of the unmated alphas that had caught a slight whiff of Jimin's scent and whistled at him daringly in front of his mate. Jeongguk shot them a warning glare when his wolf was irritated.

"This is why I needed to scent you and put my mark on you, baby." Jimin didn't respond as they reached his father's cabin. Jeongguk gave a firm knock on the door where he was then greeted by his father, who pulled him straight into a hug.

"Son, it's nice to see you've made it back well! Oh, Jimin, you look exhausted. It's quite a journey, isn't it?" Head Alpha Jeon hugged him in a warm embrace before gesturing for them to come inside. 

"Good to see you too, Head Alpha Jeon." Jimin bowed slightly as he stepped in. 

His father helped to park the luggages with Jeongguk by the door before whispering to him. "You didn't put a mark on him yet?"

"We're working on it." Jeongguk mumbled back. They sat down and chatted while getting their rest and his father was glad at how the ceremony went smoothly. Head Alpha had mentioned to Jimin how he was a perfect fit for Jeongguk and vice versa. But it was mostly pack talk between Jeongguk and his father involving the hunting pack's recent activities. Jeongguk could see Jimin's restlessness from the corner of his eyes and how he kept fidgetting non-stop. Jeongguk kept the conversation short and excused themselves after that. 

They were making their way to the cabin now, which was slightly deeper into the pack's territory, where all the freshly built homes dotted the landscape. Some were fully furnished while others stood incomplete with their skeletal frames. But the area had a vast of space and more lush greenery around them, and it was much quieter compared to the outer compounds. 

"How much longer?"

"Just ahead, babe. When you see a gray cabin, that's ours."

Jimin did see a gray cabin coming into view at least two minutes later. It was easy to distinguish since every house was different in colours and sizes. Jeongguk's cabin had it's own charm of picket fences bordering the porch to mimic that modern city vibe. He had a rocking chair on the front too with a standing lamp for reading days. 

Jimin stood by the entrance as he opened the door. "It's not a penthouse."

Jeongguk sighed. "It's not, baby." He pulled the suitcases into their room. When he stepped back out into the living area, Jimin was wandering around, his eyes flitting over every corner as he inspected the place. Jeongguk couldn't tell if he liked it or not but thankfully his scent didn't turn sour so there was still hope that the cabin was acceptable in his eyes. Although, Jimin beared alot of questions.

"Our room doesn't have an attached bathroom?"

"No, sweetie, it's separated."

"There's no television?"

"There isn't, babe. But we have books."

"Where's the other bedroom?"

"We'll be sleeping together, baby. In this one bed."

Jimin didn't have the confident that he was going to survive here. He missed his home. He missed the city and it had only been half a day. Most importantly, he missed his room that had his vanity and his bed that smelled like him and this bed smelled different. 

"Babe, come here." Jeongguk took his wrist and climbed into bed. "Can we rest for awhile? We'll go grab some food later." The omega complied and laid on his back next to him and it sent a wave of relief through Jeongguk when he didn't refuse.

"I know it's alot to take in, Jimin. But I promise you, I'll guide you through it." Jeongguk said as he propped his elbow on the pillow, resting his head in his palm as he looked at him. 

"But um, can we also talk about our mating marks? You're my mate and I wanna claim you so everyone knows you're mine."

"Ugh, are alphas always this possessive?" Jimin grimaced. "Was scenting me not enough?"

"Was it enough for you? You were enjoying it this morning." Jeongguk teased, recalling how satisfied the omega looked when he scented him. Jimin only turned his face away when he felt the blush creeping in. He did enjoy being scented. Maybe it was just himself that was restraining his inner wolf from lunging forward. He didn't want to feel comfortable too soon just because they were married. 

"Fine, no marks yet. But tonight, we're sleeping without a bolster barrier. I'm hugging you and scenting you again."

Before Jimin could retort, a knock echoed on the front door. Jeongguk leaned down to kiss his forehead before getting off. It was Namjoon and Hoseok. They came by with lunch after hearing Jeongguk was back home. Jeongguk didn't realize how much he missed his friends and hugged them tightly, and it had only been one night. Jimin remained in his bed to rest despite hearing they had guests over, and even when his alpha had called him to join them, he simply refused, turning his face into the pillow.

"Did you pup him? Is that why he's not coming out, because he's tired?" Namjoon giggled in his whisper, not wanting Jimin to hear the conversation.

"For fuck's sake, Joon. He's tired because its been a long journey." Jeongguk rolled his eyes in annoyance. 

"But did you guys fu-?" Hoseok chimed in.

"Fuck? No. Fight? Well, we banter." 

"Ahh, so they banter." Hoseok mimicked the way Jeongguk had said it with a small chuckle. "How are you liking him so far?"

"Oh, I like him. Very much. I think we'll get along well." Jeongguk smirked as he spoke with confidence. He was well aware of how his mate behaved and acted like a spoiled child. It was clear his little quirks were going to be something the alpha had to work around. Jeongguk had plans to spoil him too, like the good alpha he was, and put a leash on his attitude. 

"I know that smile from a mile away. You're planning something." Namjoon cocked an eyebrow. "Well, I hope you have a happy marriage just like your brother. You coming for a hunt tomorrow?" 

Jeongguk nodded. "I won't miss it. Gonna bring back a bear for my mate if we get lucky." 

As Namjoon and Hoseok left the cabin after a brief goodbye, Jimin stepped out of their room. Jeongguk hardly noticed his presence when he unpacked their lunch. It was time they had some food, the alpha was starving and he had plans for the omega later. 

"You're going for a what tomorrow?" Jimin asked as he stood in the kitchen where Jeongguk was preparing teas for them. 

"Hunt, baby. I work with the hunting pack sometimes. I'll bring back a bear for you if I catch one. Isn't your alpha impressive?" Jeongguk laughed at his own comment as he ushered Jimin back to the table so they could have their meal.

"You're leaving me alone? What am I supposed to do in this place?"

"I'm gonna give you a little tour tonight, show you the different work areas where you can help out." Jeongguk looked at his mate warily. "You do know you'll have to do something right?"

Jimin looked horrified for a moment, eyes wide and not registering what he just heard as Jeongguk casually took a sip of his tea. Was Jeongguk saying he had to work? What kind of work could there possibly be? 

"Can't I just follow you?" Jimin played with his food for a moment, hesitating in the conversation.

Jeongguk shook his head quickly after swallowing. "Baby, you're from the city. You need to get accustomed to the forest and the environment. You setting foot with the hunting pack is a little risky. If you're not eaten by a bear, rest assured the other alpha members will hunt you instead. And I will have to bring back a couple of injured wolves."

"You'd be jealous?" Jimin's eyes glinted with mischief as the corner of his lips tugged in a smile and it was setting off an alarm in his alpha's head. 

Jeongguk rested his arms on the table, staring at Jimin dead in the eyes and his expression was serious that it made something in Jimin keen. "Don't test me." His voice was low and deep and the omega could almost hear that growl rumbling from the back of his throat. 

"Eat your food, please and we'll see the rest of this place." Jeongguk held his wrist and guided Jimin to feed his spoon to his mouth. 

It was almost evening when they finally set off from their cabin. The skies were slowly turning dark as night would approach in a few hours. They made their way to the main grounds where most of the stations were. The omega seemed to be in a good mood when Jeongguk handed him furs to wear since it was slightly chilly outside. Jimin hadn't stopped brushing it with his hands since he worn it. It was fox furs and it was soft. Jimin beamed at it and he even allowed Jeongguk to slip an arm around his waist.

Jimin couldn't help but feel happy—whether it was due to a full belly, or that the weather was cooling down or if he had just taken a good power nap, but one thing was certain: he wanted to keep holding onto the furs.

They made their first stop at the infirmary where Omega Shin was still busy tending to some of the wounded wolves. Injuries were a common part of life here, be it minor or major. Most of the time, Omega Shin was busy with overconfident, arrogant alphas who bit off more than they could chew by taking on games too large for them alone. Jimin looked around the place as Jeongguk introduced them. The smell of open bottled disinfectants hung thick in the air and it made his nose cringed and there were tools everywhere on the table, tools Jimin had never seen before.

Besides that, the infirmary currently housed some injured alphas on their beds that had bandages wrapped around their limbs and bodies. Despite their injuries, they managed to catch Jimin's attention and throw a flirtatious smile or a wink his way. So annoying. Jimin rolled his eyes at their poor attempt to flirt and he could already hear Jeongguk growling and tugging at his waist.

It was no wonder his alpha bugged him with a mating mark. Still, it was just a little fun to see his mate get worked up.

"So, what do you think of the infirmary? Think you can handle some blood and stitches?" Jimin shrugged as he patted his furs.

"Even if I can, think you could handle the flirty alphas in there with me?" The omega teased with a smirk and it only made Jeongguk's expression turned hard for a moment. 

They went to the kitchen next by the dining hall. It wasn't a good timing to visit when the kitchen crew were busy prepping for dinner soon. No matter what, Alpha Kim never turned away a guest. He congratulated Jeongguk once again, excited to see him with his mate before his eyes. Jimin tuned out the conversation since it didn't involve him much and he knew a kitchen was not a place fit for him. Too hot, too tedious and too rushing. Jimin liked taking his time, slow and easy. He didn't like working under pressure, even though all they did was cut up ingredients here and there, cooked and boiled meats—no, Jimin preferred to eat them than make them. 

Afterwards, he was brought to the wood station. There wasn't anyone around at the area, possibly on break. All Jimin could see were stumps and thick branches, plenty of wood shavings on the ground and large tools laying everywhere. 

"You know," Jimin frowned the moment Jeongguk stood in front of him, his hand resting at his waist a little more firmly as he closed the gap between them, which made Jimin pressed his hands on the alpha's chest to give some space. "If you ever decide to have pups one day, I could build us a crib. Your alpha's pretty good with his hands." He winked.

The moment Jeongguk leaned in to kiss, Jimin raised an index to his lips. "You're getting ahead of yourself there. Why would I ever want pups? They're a mess." 

Jeongguk grabbed his finger and kissed his wrist, right on the scent gland and he immediately noticed how it made Jimin lax. "I think you could be slowly persuaded. We have all the time to explore that." Jimin just scowled at that, not wanting to know what else the alpha wanted to explore.

Jeongguk did explain a little bit of the work at the wood station and it wasn't much except for making furnitures or building houses—something Jimin never imagined himself doing. And speaking of pups previously, they headed for the pack's nursery where it mostly involved omegas doing the job. Jimin had known that omegas tend to be more nurturing than alphas and betas, more gentle and motherly, but Jimin saw no traits of that in him, at least not towards young pups. He knew he had an attitude and it wasn't made for a place like the nursery. He would most probably make the pups pick up his bad behaviours before he could try to educate them. 

Before they knew it, they were already sat in the dining hall for their dinner before the encroaching night time. Jimin was adjusting to the pack's food, fiddling with his utensils as he stared and contemplated to put it in his mouth. He was very used to Seokjin's meals and now thinking about it, he missed it alot. It wasn't that bad, it was just something he didn't normally eat. Everytime Jeongguk helped to feed, Jimin let out a low snarl when he hovered the spoon in front of his mouth. 

"Eat, sweetheart. I don't want you hungry." Jimin listened after awhile. He clutched onto his furs and opened his mouth. 

"I can't find the bathrobe." Jimin looked through their cupboard where the alpha had helped to unpack the clothes and the rest of his stuff. The omega wanted to take a shower since his scent was mixed up as it mingled with the unfamiliar smells of the pack and he hated that he didn't smell of his usual peachiness. "Jeongguk, where's the bathrobe?"

"We don't have one, babe. But we have towels." The alpha was comfortably seated under the blanket on their bed with a book in his hand. He didn't bother to spare a glance, already knowing what Jimin was looking for the moment he said 'shower'. 

"But I need a bathrobe." Jimin complained from the edge of the bed. 

"The towels are fine. You don't need one."

"You think your father could bring us some from the city?"

Jeongguk closed his book with a snap as he inhaled sharply. Oh, Jimin was serious with that. He couldn't tell the reason why his omega specifically needed a bathrobe. What was wrong with just towels? "No, I don't think so. If you're gonna whine again, I'm stepping in with you."

Jimin groaned loudly before stepping out to the bathroom in defeat. 

"Are you sure it's safe to sleep in here?" Jimin came back from his warm shower, smelling more like himself again and it drifted through the room—warm, peachy sweetness floating to Jeongguk's nostrils and it made him crave. He towel dried his hair in the mirror, dressed in his version of pyjamas again and this time it was an oversized tee, covering to the bottom of his ass. 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you don't have high tech security here." Jimin lifted the blanket on his side of the bed, hugging the furs that he had carefully placed there earlier after they came back, before sliding in it. "There could be robbers, or wild wolves that would break down the doors."

"You'll be fine, sweetie." Jeongguk sat closer to him, one hand on his thigh but his movements paused when Jimin rambled somemore.

"I'm serious. You don't even have burglar alarms if someone passes through the door. We could get attacked! And I don't wanna die here tonight, I still wanna see my dad again, and I still have so many things I want to do! I don't feel safe—I just—it's a bad idea to sleep tonight—"

"Baby...Baby, listen to me." Jimin's fruity scent had turned faintly sour the moment his worries took over. Jeongguk held his face in between his thumb and index, turning to look at the alpha. "I say this with alot of love and respect. Shut up."

He turned Jimin's face away, making him bare his neck and Jeongguk started to scent him, to get rid of that sour smell and calm his nerves. The omega instantly melted when he felt Jeongguk trailing his nose at his scent gland, leaving feathery kisses over it. Jimin gasped softly when Jeongguk squeezed his thigh, his pheromones shooting out to surround him and eased his anxieties for tonight. His mind was instantly a blur when Jeongguk's sandalwood scent hit him. He felt his worries melting away and he slid down, laying on his back against the mattress, letting the alpha took control. 

Jeongguk didn't hesitate. He rubbed his nose all over his neck, lightly nibbling at the skin gently and nosing under his jaw. It was getting better, Jimin's scent was coming back. Jeongguk kissed over the side of his neck before licking over and over again at his scent gland. Jimin tasted delicious. He slid his hand underneath Jimin's tee, rubbing at the side of the waist and over his tummy. Jimin was letting out satisfied moans—small hm's and ah's that were pleasing to the alpha's ears. 

"I'm not letting anything happen to you." Jeongguk whispered against the soft skin. "You're safe with me, omega." He felt his alpha losing control when he let out a low growl as he lapped on his collarbone and without thinking twice, he started to suck on that sensitive spot. 

Maybe Jimin's wolf was delirious as well because despite the firm grip he placed on Jeongguk's forearm, Jimin was whimpering in pleasure. He whined a little louder, clutching Jeongguk's shirt. Jeongguk was relentless, not wanting to let go but the moment he did, his teeth was quick to suck on another spot, confident to leave the omega bruised and claimed the next day. 

"Mine." He growled. "Mine, baby. Mine." He licked over the bruises and kissed them. When he pulled away, Jimin was lost in the high, cheeks flushed with his eyes shut and a small pout as he continued to coo. Jeongguk pressed a firm kiss on his lips. "Feel better?"

Jimin's eyes snapped open once his omega retreated back happily. He felt embarrassed for losing himself like that and now the alpha was smiling like an idiot as he hovered on his side like he accomplished a goal. Jimin didn't say anything. He hugged his furs and turned on his side, away from Jeongguk. He felt the alpha leaned closer, a heavy hand resting on his waist as they laid together in silence, back to chest. Jeongguk nuzzled against his nape, whispering goodnight. As if all the tension from before disappeared, Jimin's heart had settled and he slowly drifted off to sleep along to the sounds of Jeongguk's heartbeat. 

ᯓ★

What Jeongguk didn't know won't hurt him. Except he had been getting feedbacks everyday about how his mate had done at the station when Jimin had tried volunteering. He never knew his little "city princess" was just really bad with work. The fact that Jimin never brought up to talk about it made Jeongguk think everything was fine, only for it to be the total opposite. The pack leaders weren't upset with Jimin per se, they were more stunned and surprised how Jimin could fail at such a small task. 

When Jeongguk had left him one morning to head out hunting with the rest, he had dropped off Jimin for kitchen duties. He assumed nothing could go wrong. It was a straight forward task consisting of peeling, stirring, washing of those sorts. He was surprised when Alpha Kim found him after lunch privately to "talk about his mate." He knew Alpha Kim was being nice when he said Jimin was still adjusting to the duties even when Jimin accidentally burnt an entire pot of soup and the team had to scramble just before lunch time. Jeongguk apologized profusely on his mate's behalf. 

But that was the beginning of his nightmare.

Maybe cooking wasn't his strong suit so Jeongguk made Jimin volunteer at the wood station instead. Just simple wood chopping shouldn't be too difficult for him. The alpha's main worry was Jimin injuring himself. But he soon realized Jimin was nowhere near danger when he stopped by and saw his mate sitting atop a table, just swinging his legs as he watched the others laboriously chop wood. 

"Hi, baby. Is it very....relaxing here?" Jeongguk chuckled nervously as he approached him.

Jimin shrugged. "It's too tiring. But I chopped that stump there." Jimin proudly pointed to a half-chopped stump with the axe still lodged in it. 

Jeongguk rubbed his temples and breathed in deeply before looking back at him and smiled. He patted his knee lightly before walking over to Hoseok, who was perspiring from his back. Someone else was working twice as hard in Jimin's place. Jeongguk stood silently beside the alpha.

"Did he do anything other than half chopped a stump the entire day?" Jeongguk mumbled. 

Hoseok wiped the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand. "He sat there looking pretty." He nudged his chin in Jimin's direction, who was still sitting on the table, peeling at his nails. "Everybody just gawks at him and nobody could deny that pout whenever he said he's tired and wants a break. They just ended up doing his work."

"And how long has he been on a break?"

"I don't know, man. Maybe two hours over?"

Jeongguk rubbed his face with one hand in frustration. "Hoseok, I need him to do something. He needs to find his talent. He can't have people coming to his aid all the time just because he can't or won't do something."

"Maybe this isn't his place."

The following day, Jimin tried out at the nursery. It should be easier than anything else. Just playing with the pups. No sorts of physical exertion that was demanding, no burning of anything and Jimin could sit and look pretty while keeping an eye on the little ones. Jeongguk was wrong again. Omega Sei had mentioned to him how the pups were fearful of Jimin, that he had a sour scent around him whenever the pups came up to him and asked for play. Jimin didn't like being climbed on by multiple pups at once, so he snarled at them and now they kept their distance, feeling frightened. 

"Oh my Moon Goddess..." Jeongguk muttered to himself and glared at Jimin, who was waiting by the door. He walked over to the pups and hugged them when they came with outstretched arms. "I'm so sorry, babies. Omega Jimin was having a bad day today. He didn't mean to get angry."

Jeongguk's last resort was for Jimin to do well at the infirmary. Considering he was an omega, if he was not born a teacher then maybe he was a born a healer. Most of the omegas he knew were great with medicines and patchwork. Maybe that was Jimin's forte. Wrong. While Jimin did the simple tasks of sterilizing their equipments or washing the used cloths, he also did the one thing he wasn't supposed to do. 

He licked their wounds.

"What's the big deal?"Jimin sat on the side of the bed, trying to understand why his alpha was fuming. He was standing in front of him and glaring at Jimin with his hands on his hips. If looks could kill, the omega would be dead by now. Shouldn't he be thankful that he did any work at all today? In fact he worked smarter. 

"The big deal is that they don't do that at the infirmary. We don't lick a stranger's wound, baby! Do you know how intimate that gesture is? It's reserved for mates. Like you and me."

"But my dad said it heals faster when we lick them. There wasn't a need for so much medicine when I could just do that instead." Jimin argued. He remembered his dad telling him that when he was a pup. When he had a bad fall, his dad licked his wound clean and he was better the next day.

Jeongguk grumbled in annoyance before he let out a big sigh and dropped to his knees in front of the omega. "Sweetheart, we're married. We're mates and your dad is right. But wound licking is something done between pups and their parents or someone you have a bond with. Would you be happy if I lick another omega's scratch?"

Jimin frowned and he turned his face away sharply before he mumbled. "You don't work at the infirmary."

"I'll take that as a no." Jeongguk leaned up to kiss a spot on his neck. "Don't do that again, please. You should only be doing that to me. Your mate." He trailed his nose down the side of Jimin's neck to scent him and more so to calm himself. His frustration slowly dissipitated once he was hit with that familiar peach that he loved so much, planting loving kisses on his skin.

Jimin couldn't focus. His mind was troubled. He would usually melt under Jeongguk's touch and drift away in his scent within seconds but this time, his anxieties got the better of him. 

"Wanna kiss you tonight." The alpha whispered. "I need to help Namjoon with something later, you think you'll be okay alone?"

"Hm."

Jimin had already made up his mind. 

Jimin was no stranger to gossips. In the city, it was practically a way of life. They thrived on gossips and dramas and always chasing the latest tea. But when Jimin was the particular tea this time, it wasn't so much fun. Back home, his high status could squash any kinds of rumours or kill off any drama tied to his name. When he was suddenly dragged to an unfamiliar environment in the forest, his rank meant nothing. 

He had kept it to himself when he heard people talking about him—how he couldn't do a single thing right, that he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and they pitied the Head Alpha's son for having to deal with him. Did everyone expect him to know how to navigate this world, especially when the city and the forest were two different places? Was it his fault he came from a wealthy family and everything was simply handed to him? He had his talents in the city but none of them seemed to matter here.

He had decided. He was going to leave.

Jimin had packed only one suitcase full of his clothes and the fur Jeongguk had given the previous night. If he was going to go back home, he needed to travel light to make his journey easier. Though he wasn’t great with directions, he hoped he could follow the forest winds that might eventually guide him to the human roads. Jimin hauled the suitcase to the front door and with a deep breath, he pushed it open.

"Where are you going?" Jeongguk's face was shocked when he stood at the porch, seeing his mate standing in the doorway with a luggage in his hand. 

Jimin hesitated. He thought he could make it out without being noticed and he never would've thought for Jeongguk to come back so soon. "Home. The city."

The alpha let out a disbelief laugh as he stepped closer. "You were going to leave me, all of a sudden?"

Jimin rolled his eyes. "I'm only leaving the pack. I don't belong here, you know that."

"You're leaving the pack and me, did you forget that I live here too? What's going on, what made you so upset?"

Jimin didn't respond. The alpha was only delaying his time and he needed to get going if he wanted to make it back to the city. He tried to force his way past Jeongguk but the alpha’s broad frame blocked the entire exit. Despite Jimin's efforts, he couldn't get him to budge an inch.

"Get back in, omega." Jeongguk said calmly. There was an intimidating growl that slipped his mouth when Jimin persisted. He snapped the handle of the suitcase down and left it there when he turned on his heel and stomped off in a fury to the bedroom. He knew the alpha would pick it up anyway. 

"What's going on?" Jeongguk came in, rolling the suitcase to one side as he looked over at Jimin who had already covered himself fully underneath the blanket. "Babe. I need you to talk to me." He climbed onto the mattress from the other side, sitting beside him.

Jimin pulled down the sheets with a smack of the hand and kept silent. After a brief moment, he finally spoke. "There's no point of me being here. I can't do anything. Everyone's just talking about me so I would rather go back to the city so i can have my old life back. I bet you're not happy with me around either." Jimin's peachy smell had turned rancid from his anger boiling. 

"Baby, that's not true! I'm your mate, Jimin. I'll always be happy with you around. I know things aren't the same like it was in the city, but you shouldn't give up. I'm not giving up on you, I believe in you. I don't care if you're not good at certain things, I'm here to provide and care for you no matter what. I don't expect you to do anything for me, sweetie. I just want you to feel the same, like I do for you." Jeongguk breathed. He brushed a hand through Jimin's black strands. 

"If I hear anyone speaking bad of my mate, my precious omega, they'll get an earful from me. Okay? Nobody talks about my baby like that." He whispered. Jimin just listened. He felt just a little better knowing his mate was there to support him. He looked up at the alpha through his lashes, his frustration simmering down and his fruity aroma was coming back. 

Jimin sat up against the pillows, his face serious as he looked at Jeongguk. "There's one more place I haven't tried. Let me be a hunter for a day. I think I could be useful." Typically, omegas served as healers when accompanying the hunting pack. They carried medicines and bandages, tending to anyone injured during the chase but they never participated in the hunt itself. Jimin's request was a little odd and he could see the hesitance forming on the alpha's expression. 

Jeongguk sighed. "If that's what you wanna do, then I'll bring you along the next time. You'll stick with me so I can have eyes on you at all times." He smiled when the omega agreed in silence. "But only if you let me kiss you."

"Why does it come with terms and conditions..." Jimin groaned in annoyance as he threw his head back.

Jeongguk giggled softly as he cupped Jimin's cheek with one hand before his nose attached at his neck to scent him as usual. That soft, warm peach scent. He had been craving for it since he left Jimin that afternoon. One whiff of his intense smell and it threw Jeongguk off the grid, his inner wolf stirred restlessly, wanting to claim him then and there. But he decided to take it slow to avoid crossing boundaries just in case the omega reacted harshly. He roamed his hand from the cheek down to his chest, brushing over his nipple where Jimin let out a soft gasp. Jeongguk kept moving his hand further down to his waist, sliding underneath the fabric to touch his skin. 

He trailed kisses along his neck, up to his jawline, alternating between soft licks and tender kisses. He sucked gently on Jimin's skin, right below his jaw. His alpha was getting hungry and it growled and growled until Jeongguk's hand tightened on his waist. Jimin's scent was beginning to get sweeter and there was a faint trace of arousal in the air. It only fueled Jeongguk's desire when the omega's moans were just as beautiful as the way his skin tasted. His nails started to dig into the flesh and Jimin winced under the pressure. Something flipped in Jeongguk's mind. Maybe it was the wolf taking control or his need for more, he grabbed and pulled Jimin onto his lap with a startled yelp. 

Jeongguk crashed their lips together roughly the first time, sucking on those thick, luscious lips that had kept him distracted since day one at the wedding, and he was finally tasting him. Jimin was a delightful feast, from the curves of his lips to the warmth of his kiss. It was pure bliss to be able to kiss his omega. Jeongguk pulled him by the nape, deepening their kiss where he started to lick and traced the corners of his mouth and exploring the back of this throat. Jimin moaned into it, seemingly satisfied with the way his alpha pleased him. His hands automatically wrapped around Jeongguk's neck, whining softly for more. 

The alpha's scent of musky sandalwood was thick in the air and Jimin knew he would reek of him. In that moment, he didn't mind. He let it happened. He wanted to bask in the safety of it. Jeongguk’s free hand rested on the small of Jimin’s back, just above his ass. Jimin had two weak spots—squeezing his nape and squeezing his ass and he prayed Jeongguk didn't try to figure it out by tonight. He wouldn't allow it either. Instead, he licked back into Jeongguk's mouth, twirling their tongues together and exchanging spits before sucking on it. The sounds he made were obscene and he felt the alpha chubbing up in his pants from the mere audio.

Jimin pulled back, panting slightly as he rested his hands against Jeongguk's chest to prevent them from kissing again. "Do you alphas get worked up so easily? A simple makeout session gets you tense?" He rolled off his lap and laid beside him. 

"When my omega is you then, yes." Jeongguk leaned in closer to kiss his shoulder. "You don't know how lucky I feel to have such a beauty like you to call mine. I love those lips. So beautiful." He kissed him on the lips once, softly. 

"Whatever." Jimin was being a hypocrite when he already felt slick dribbling down his thighs. 

ᯓ★

As promised, Jimin did join Jeongguk on their next hunting trip. It was his first time to meet the hunting pack—a small group of six—four alpha hunters and two omega healers. Leader Alpha Yun was surprised to see Jeongguk brought his mate today. Jimin saw the hesitance in his face when he spoke with Jeongguk while the rest prepared for the hunt. Everybody knew his mate was a city wolf and there were mixed feelings of his presence. But this was his only option left to prove himself. He couldn’t admit defeat without giving it a fair try. If he really couldn't make himself useful and bring back a catch, he would convince his alpha to let him go home. 

Only then would there really be no point in staying here. 

"Even the leader doesn't believe in me, right?" Jimin mumbled when Jeongguk came back to him.

"He's just worried for your safety, like I am. So stick close with me, okay? Stay with the pack. Also, I just realized this would be the first time we'll see each other's wolves." Jeongguk gasped softly with a smile at the exciting thought as he rubbed his back. 

"If you for a second think that this would be a chance for you to see me naked, think again." 

Jeongguk leaned closed to his ear. "Hmm...but that one day would come, sweetie. We're mates, just in case you forget." 

Jimin smacked a hand against his chest, his brows forming a frown at the unexpected comment. Well, that one day could wait. Leader Alpha Yun called the group to gather and explained their plan for the day. They were heading west, where the chances of catching deer were higher, but it also posed a risk of encountering bears, so they had to remain vigilant for each other’s safety. Jimin was determined to hunt down atleast one deer. Everyone took their positions to shift, pulling off their clothes to fold neatly on the ground. Jimin stood behind a tree to cover himself. He wasn't used to being naked in front of others even when it was a common thing among wolves. 

But he was soon distracted. His eyes caught Jeongguk's back as he peeked behind the tree. He was large, muscular and without a doubt, carried the strength of an alpha. He must've worked out alot to achieve such a godly body. The muscles along his back rippled as he moved. Jimin never realized just how big his arms were. Sculpted shoulders and thick biceps and it definitely amplified the tattoos on his skin. He stared for awhile longer, his front coming into view with his washboard abs and toned pecs and it was making Jimin delirious. How did Jeongguk build himself like that? His figure was amazing. When the alpha finally pulled down his pants, Jimin swore he almost squirted himself at the sight of Jeongguk's length.

Fuck.

The alpha was massive, his soft cock just hanging in between his legs like it was a common culture to be naked in the forest because they were wolves after all. He wondered for a minute how it would feel inside him when Jeongguk was fully hard and erected. Would it even fit in him? He did get a feel of him the other time when they kissed but he was barely at his maximum. His thoughts were soon interrupted when Jeongguk shifted into a magnificent black wolf. His midnight fur constrasted sharply with his body, soft and sleek as he shook his coat, getting ready for the hunt. His sandalwood scent was even stronger in this form and Jimin could smell it clearly from where he stood. 

"Shit!" He whispered to himself as he quickly pulled off his shirt and bottom to fold and lay them by the tree. Everyone else was already out there in their prime wolf forms and Jimin was the last to emerge from behind the tree in his snowy white fur, gleaming in the light. Jimin loved his wolf form. He could easily disguise himself if they were in the snow and white was a perfect colour on him. When he stepped forward, he felt the weight of the glowing eyes on him. There were a few growls and snarls, the others trying to process that it was Jimin instead rather than an intruder. All the other wolves had darker furs, in shades of gray or brown but the omega stood out the most like a fleeting ghost.

"You're an angel, Jimin." Jeongguk's voice echoed in his head. His eyes were a bright crimson orange and the alpha looked very majestic matching with his obsidian colour. He touched snout with Jimin's before rubbing himself on him to scent. 

"You're not bad yourself." Jimin huffed out an air.

"Stay close to me."

They set off, sprinting into the quiet woods with only the sounds of branches snapping underneath their paws. Their breathings mingled with the winds as they moved fast in their tracks. It was exhilarating, Jimin thought. Back in the city, Jimin used to train himself, running a couple laps on his two legs to build his stamina but running in his wolf form was much more freeing. He was enjoying it—the heightened smells and sounds flooding his senses were like ecstacy to his brain. Why didn't he run more often in his wolf?

"You're doing well, babe!"

"I know!"

His four legs were carrying him through the forest floor incredibly fast, jumping over hurdles seamlessly like nothing could slow him down. He glanced over to his side and Jeongguk was keeping pace, evident in his ragged breathing. His black fur almost a blur, camouflaging with the forest itself at the speed he was going.

Jimin's ears perked up and he smelled something unfamiliar in the air. It was very faint but he knew his snout didn't betray him. 

"Wait! Jeongguk, stop!"

But it was too late when Jeongguk eventually halted in his tracks in a rush and turned to look at Jimin, leaves scattering around his paws from the momentum. The sounds were getting louder, like small feet scurrying in a frantic rush and just then, a wild boar charged out, slamming straight into Jeongguk's body. The alpha stumbled back with a wince but the boar was long gone out of sight just as quickly as it had appeared. Everyone was momentarily stunned, either at the unexpected boar or the fact Jimin heard it while they were running together.

"Jeongguk, are you okay?!" Jimin called out as he ran forward to him and checked his body for injuries.

"I'm fine, babe. It was just a knock but I'm good."

"Jimin, that was impressive! I don't think any of us caught onto it. Good job, omega." One of the alphas, a greyish brown wolf had praised him, a small purr ignited in Jimin, feeling good on his first hunt already. Before Jeongguk realized it, he was baring his teeth and a low snarl rumbled in his throat as he watched their interaction. He couldn't help but felt a little protective when someone else praised his omega.

"Let's keep moving." Jeongguk said with a hint of bitterness.

They eventually made it to the West, moving slowly behind the trees so as not to startle any potential preys nearby. Jimin began to understand the hunting pack's strategy, splitting into two groups with each pair of hunters accompanied by a healer. It just so happened that the other hunter following Jimin's group was the greyish brown wolf which he had learned by now that his name was Ryojin. He was awfully close to Jimin and it made his alpha feel uneasy.  

"If you hear anything, let me know."

They crouched behind a tree, their eyes locked on a small deer grazing unaware, oblivious to its fate. Jeongguk stayed closed to Jimin as they hid in silence. Knowing that Ryojin was keeping eyes on them, Jeongguk licked his mate's face playfully causing Jimin to emit a low, annoyed growl towards him. It was the wolf equivalent of a peck on the cheek, still Jimin wasn't expecting to be kissed during a serious moment. To him at least, it was serious. To Jeongguk and the rest of them, hunting was second nature. And because Jeongguk had done this a million times, he lunged forward with precision and speed, catching the deer by its neck with his powerful jaws and clamping down decisively. The poor thing struggled for a brief moment. It eventually laid lifeless on the ground.

It was....captivating to see his mate hunt. Beautiful, even. It wasn't a sight that Jimin had seen so very often and this version of Jeongguk left him utterly enthralled.

"Alpha's good, isn't he? Caught you a little deer." Jimin couldn't help but felt his heart fluttler a little at those words.

"Watch your mate be better than you." 

Jimin did, in fact, deliver. While the rest of the alphas managed to secure their own kills, Jimin was determined to demonstrate his own worth. They were heading back towards their pack, dragging their carcasses against the ground when Jimin heard a movement. His body tensed, his neck straightening as his ears twitched, honing in on a faint sound. He sniffed out the air, lifting his snout higher and higher as he followed the scent trail. 

"Baby, let's go."

"Did you smell that?"

"I did." Jeongguk sniffed the air. "But we've got our catches for today."

"Gazelle."

Jimin turned a deaf ear, his eyes scanning between the lush of green ahead and he caught the subtle movement of leaves rustling and that was all he needed to spring into stealth mode. He crouched down immediately and hid himself, straying away from the group. 

"Jimin! You have to follow the rules. We've got enough. We need to go—Jeongguk, get your mate." Alpha Yun growled, though the voice in his head was somewhat calm, withholding his frustration.

"Baby, come on, let's—" The alpha's sentence was abruptly cut short when Jimin bolted ahead without warning. In Jeongguk's vision, his mate looked like a little small and blurry cotton ball, bouncing off between the tree trunks, occasionally disappearing and reappearing in the greenery. "What the fuck...." 

The alpha watched in awe. Jimin was fast, like a lightning bolt. He was fearsome in the way he ran, the way he jumped on the trees to gain a better momentum with a push of his legs. None of them had thought of hunting like that. 

"Where the hell did he go?!"
 
Worry started to rise among the wolves, their scent turning bad when minutes ticked by without any sign of Jimin. How big was the gazelle? Did he manage to catch it? Did something happen to him? But their thoughts stilled when the bushes ahead began to shake as if something was stalking toward them. The pack instinctively dropped into defensive stances, muscles tensing as their teeth bared in anticipation of a fight, growling from their throats. Just then, their scent of confusion filled the air.

Jimin emerged from the bushes, his white fur streaked with crimson down his chest as he dragged a heavy carcass in his mouth and dropping it in front of his paws. He panted from the exhaustion as he stood tall over his catch with pride.

"Told you I'm better." If only Jeongguk could see that shit-eating grin on his face right now.

Since Jimin's first successful hunt had proven his worth, he began joining more hunts alongside his mate—bringing back games like antelopes and large deers when the days were good, while on tougher days, they made do with jackrabbits and small fawns. Jimin's hunting skills only sharpened the more he went out. He was superb at what he did—his ability to track sounds, follow scents and strike with precision. His kills were swift and ferocious, and since then he had been the talk of the pack where some cheeky alphas had the nerve to flirt with him upfront, vying for his favour and hoping to claim him as their mate. It only fueled Jeongguk's irritation, albeit being proud of his omega and his growing reputation. 

"You're becoming a little too popular for my liking, babe. Can you tone it down a little?" Jeongguk teased.

"I can't help it if I'm good." Jimin said proudly as he tilted his chin up.

That was exactly Jeongguk's concern. He had been keeping his annoyance well-hidden when Ryojin seemed to hover around Jimin. Did he not know that Jimin was married, or did he simply choose not to acknowledge that just because he didnt bear the mark of a claimed mate? Either way, the alpha wasn't too happy with the way Ryojin interacted with him. There should be mutual respect and boundaries between alphas and their claimed mates. Jeongguk had noticed it a few times—the way the alpha hunter would gently prod on Jimin's body with his snout as if to ask if he was okay after a hunt. He never did that with the others. While the couple had been keeping eyes on each other's safety, there was always Ryojin—to annoy the fuck out of him.

Jeongguk's frustration reached a breaking point one day when he butted heads with him, baring his teeth in a warning snarl. Someone had to put him in his place if he thought it was acceptable to lick Jimin's face out of sheer excitement after he caught a fox. Jimin was taken aback as well, emitting a low growl that rumbled through the air, telling him to stand back down because that definitely crossed the line. 

"You didn't really have to butt his head though." 

Jimin was cutting up some fruits at their cabin that evening when Jeongguk appeared fresh from his shower. It had been a slow day for their hunt. They only managed to bring back a couple of rabbits and that single fox. The alpha was feeling rather antsy after what happened. He couldn't just stay still and accepted the fact someone actually dared to be affectionate with his mate. What if it happened again?

"I needed to tell him I was upset. He crossed the line doing that. You can't possibly expect me to be nice when someone else was kissing my omega even in his wolf form." Jeongguk hugged him from the back, sliding his arms around his waist and resting his chin on Jimin's shoulder. 

"He's just a pup." 

"Does it matter, babe? A knothead is a knothead. Can't have anyone else touching you." Jeongguk kissed his shoulder and trailed up along the side of his neck. "You're all mine to kiss and touch, okay? I mean, I know my omega's hot and all but still that's no excuse." Jimin couldn't hide the smile tugging at his lips when the alpha expressed himself.

"What if you can't control your jealousy, hm? Gonna clamp your jaw on someone's face then?"

Jeongguk chuckled softly. "Well, if it comes down to that then you'll know what kind of alpha I am. But isn't it nice to feel protected?" He tightened his embrace on the omega's body, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Jimin had proven himself time and time again to be an exceptional hunter. He never missed, never too early or too late to pounce on them. And Jimin's kills were always the messiest, ruining his coat every damn time that he needed to get a thorough soak in the lake. Once everyone had shifted back to their forms, and were fully clothed, they settled under the shade of a large tree to rest before heading back to the pack. Jeongguk had just finished putting on his clothes when his eyes landed on Ryojin who was having a conversation with Jimin. Ugh, why is he always there? He couldn't stand it. He knew the hunter was just flirting with him just because he was a pretty omega, smiling and laughing and touching his arms. Jeongguk was seething at the sight of it, so he made his way over to him.

"Nice catch today, babe."

He stepped in between them and casually cupped Jimin's face and started kissing him with fervor, sucking and teasing before his tongue slipped into his mouth with unrestrained passion. The omega was caught by surprised by the unexpected intimacy. Public displays of affections weren't frowned upon in the Jeon pack, in fact, it was common to see wolves cuddled up with their partners and making out sometimes but Jimin hadn't expected this from his jealous alpha.

"Mmph—Jeongguk...Wait—" The alpha didn't let him speak. Everytime Jimin parted his mouth to talk, Jeongguk would licked into his mouth again, shoving himself down his throat. Jimin gave in, hands gripping on the flesh of his waist with hunger as he moaned into the kiss when that thick sandalwood surrounded him. His conversation earlier was forgotten. 

"Um.. I'll catch up with you another time, Jimin." Ryojin finally spoke up, stunned with Jeongguk's bold act as he retreated with hurried steps, feeling so embarrassed. 

"I'm sorry!" Jimin responded when he managed to pull away from the kiss. "What was that for? Do you wanna live in my mouth or something?" Jimin wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before folding his arms.

"Was I interrupting you?"

"Yes, we were in the middle of a conversation where I was getting compliments. You could've been nice about it though."

Jeongguk growled, unimpressed with his answer. "Was kissing me not nice?" He raised an eyebrow.

"We were just talking, Jeongguk. Relax." Jimin scoffed. "You didn't have to go all alpha on me, claiming me in broad daylight and what not. Are you gonna knot me the next time an alpha speaks to me?"

"I probably should, right? Since they can't seem to understand that you're mine. Plus, that pup was flirting with you. I know a cheeky alpha when I see one, baby. And that one wants to step over my head and get in your pants." Jeongguk stood behind the omega and pulled him down to sit on the grass comfortably between his legs, as he leaned against the trunk of a tree. They still had an hour left to rest before they needed to drag their carcasses home.

"Sweetheart.." Jeongguk wrapped his arms around the omega, clasping his hand at the front. "I don't know how it works in the city—I don't think there's much difference, but your mate will always be protective of you. I'm so happy being married to you so I wanna keep you for myself. Not saying you can't have friends, I just mean that as your alpha, I can get easily triggered so my protective side comes out to protect what's mine."

"I know, Jeongguk." Jimin sighed. "So annoying."

The alpha noticed a small smile from him as he said it. "Annoying only because I love you. Don't be mad at me, hm."

"I'm not mad at you—but I will be if you keep talking. I wanna sleep for awhile." Jimin said, leaning his head back onto the alpha's shoulder as he closed his eyes to relax. He felt Jeongguk trailing his nose along the side of his neck to take in his sweet scent for a brief moment before moving to nuzzle in his hair, burying his face in the soft strands and eventually falling asleep too. 

Jimin had managed to convince Jeongguk to draw him a bath after their hunt that morning, claiming that he still reeked of death and blood, even after trying to wash up by the river.

"I want a milk bath." Jimin stood at the door as Jeongguk turned the faucet open to let the water fill up. 

"What?"

"You know, like the Goddesses. They sprinkled some petals around and they add really nice essential oil for that therapeutic feeling. I used to indulge in that in the city."

Jeongguk chuckled. "Maybe if you had told me that way in advance, I could prepare something like that for you. But we're short on time, sweetheart."

"Aren't you supposed to meet my needs, you know, married and all?" 

Jeongguk scoffed. "Aren't you supposed to listen to your alpha? You're lucky I even draw the bath for you. If I was a mean alpha..." He smirked before walking up to Jimin to give a chaste kiss on his forehead. "Hurry up and get cleaned, we need to eat before lunch time is over."

When they entered the dining hall together, Jeongguk realized just how much of a persistent alpha Ryojin was. He had saved them a seat to eat together. It was so obvious in the way he spoke with Jimin, acting all tough and manly and Jeongguk almost retched at the sight of it. He was a few years younger than the omega but that didn't mean he could use being a pup as an excuse to get closer to his mate. Jeongguk realized how Jimin's scent grew sweeter whenever Ryojin praised him. The alpha was internally rolling back his eyes and when he couldn't take it, he finally spoke up.

"Are you bored?" Jeongguk asked with narrow eyes. "You seem to thrive giving my mate your attention and showing him with praises."

"Jeongguk." The omega growled lowly, squeezing a hand on Jeongguk's thigh as a warning not to escalate it. 

"I'm sorry—I didn't think it would make you uncomfortable. I mean, I'm just trying to make friends here." He said nonchalantly.

"There's friendly and there's flirty. You happened to be the latter." Jeongguk hissed. 

"Jeongguk, enough." This time, Jimin said it much firmly, his scent slowly turning into something unpleasing. "I'm sorry, Ryojin."

"That's fine. I should get going anyway. You guys have a good day."

Jimin wanted to retaliate at the alpha but before he could get another word out, Jeongguk's hand firmly gripped the back of his neck. It was equivalent to a wolf biting down on another's neck when they misbehaved or needed to show dominance in a situation. 

"He was testing my patience, babe. And so were you, getting all peachy whenever he compliments. Tsk." Jeongguk's eyes weren't happy but his expression immediately shifted into confusion when Jimin grew lax in his hold, eyes soft and glassy and if the place was much more quieter, he could hear the tiny, tiny whimpers of his omega.

"Oh—did that neutralize you or something?"

Jimin swallowed and gently removed Jeongguk's arm from the back of his neck. "Don't ever do that again. Not in public." His cheeks were painted red and the alpha knew what he was referring to. When they got back home, Jimin kept thinking about that feeling when Jeongguk had squeezed him. It was his spot. It was as if all the worries and tensions had floated away, like the stars above had lifted his burdens off his shoulders and for the first time since they were married, Jimin felt like submitting. 

He shuddered for a moment at that thought. Blame his sensitive spot for making him feel that way.

"Baby.." Jeongguk sat with him on their sofa while the omega was reading, draping his arm on the backrest as his index brushed the side of Jimin's neck and his other hand massaging his thigh. "Wanna mark you up."

Jimin ignored, not wanting to entertain the idea yet. But silently thinking, maybe Jeongguk wouldn't get so overprotective.

"Can we talk about what happened at lunch?" Jeongguk's voice was soft and Jimin eventually closed his book to give the alpha his attention.

"What about it?"

"I was just protecting you earlier, okay. I didn't mean to snap. But he was being too obvious, I had to step in. I can tell how happy you were with the praises."

Jimin sensed the slight sarcasm in his last sentence. He glared at him. "Was it so wrong for me to feel happy? If an omega praises you for being a strong alpha, you wouldn't puff out your chest in arrogance? I really doubt it."

"You're right, I probably would for a minute. But I know for a fact that you'd get jealous too if that happens and you'd react just a tad worse than I did."

Jimin wasn't oblivious to it. Whenever they had their meals in the hall or made their way across the main ground to anywhere even, he noticed some of the omegas giggling and gushing whenever they saw Jeongguk. But his mate never spared a glance their way and he never spoke too long with them and eventually returned his focus to Jimin. The omega quietly basked in his attention when the others were watching them, feeling proud that Jeongguk was his. 

"No, I won't. And if that happens, then maybe you should spoil me more." Jimin said with an angry pout, looking away from the alpha.

The expression only made for Jeongguk to chuckle, completely endeared by it. "My baby wants to be spoiled more? It's no problem. But it comes with a price. Let me mark you, please."

Jeongguk moved his fingers to his nape and gently stroked the skin there. In a silent invitation, Jimin leaned his head towards Jeongguk and the alpha was quick to catch him by his lips before he changed his mind. They kissed slow and passionately, savouring each other's taste off their tongues. The way Jeongguk teased with his hand on his neck made Jimin ache. If only the alpha would slide his fingers to his nape and squeeze him again. Even so, he was still pleased, Jeongguk's warmth and beautiful phereomones wrapping around him like a blanket and all he could feel was the comfort of his mate.

Jimin tugged at his shirt and moaned a little into the kiss as if to communicate his neediness. He moaned a little louder before pulling away to look into the alpha's eyes, making sure Jeongguk caught on to his message. Luckily for him, he did. Jeongguk squeezed the back of his neck and the omega instantly relaxed, a soft gasp leaving his lips as Jeongguk licked across his throat and gently guided Jimin's back onto the sofa. He kissed and kissed, wanting to inhale and swallow every bit of his peachiness that had captured him. He lapped his tongue on the scent gland, nibbling gently on it. 

"Mine to mark right here." Jeongguk whispered, and without a second thought, he broke skin on him. 

He felt the omega whimpering underneath him, clutching onto the back of his shirt as he evened out his breathing. It was a little painful than he had expected. But just as quick as Jeongguk had marked him, he was quick to soothe the ache as well, licking over the wound to make it hurt less. He gave a small kiss over Jimin's lips as he pulled away and hovered above him, admiring the mark on his skin. Jeongguk smiled, knowing that everyone would be able to see his mark now anywhere he went. 

"It suits you." Jeongguk touched the freshly bite wound with his fingers. It was a beautiful addition to Jimin's skin and the alpha was proud of it. 

But Jimin seemed to care less about that when his eyes were somewhere south on Jeongguk. The alpha was hard and it was visible through his pants. Jimin cupped the bulge with his hand, gently squeezing at him as he gazed up to meet Jeongguk's eyes—half lidded with a subtle desperation for more. 

"You sure, baby?" Jimin nodded, biting his own lip. Clothes started to pile on the floor within seconds and Jimin was already wetting the couch with his slick when the alpha continued kissing him again. His lips were red and swollen by now, lovingly abused by his mate. Jeongguk couldn't stop licking over the bite mark as he frotted against Jimin.The omega could feel just how big and heavy he was while the pleasure seared through his skin. He wrapped his arms around his waist as if to put more pressure into it. It felt like heaven for him. With Jeongguk's panting and his efforts to keep going while brushing their cocks together, only made his hole ache. He felt empty there. 

"Put it in.. put it in, fuck." Jimin moaned out. He had been dripping for so long that a pool of slick gathered beneath his ass, already soaking into the fabric of the sofa.

Jeongguk listened. He straightened his body, held his thick cock in his hand and admired for a second just how beautiful Jimin looked with a shiny hole that was leaking for him. 

"So beautiful." Jeongguk smiled as he prodded the entrance with his tip, pushing deep enough for Jimin to take the head fully. The omega groaned in satisfaction as he was stretched. The slide in was easy since Jimin was wet enough and it took some time for him to get accustomed to the alpha's length. Jeongguk stilled as he hugged Jimin, curling his arms across his back to embrace him tight. When Jimin was finally comfortable, Jeongguk started to move his hips, slowly at first before he picked up his pace. 

Jimin was practically howling, the bliss that spread through his entire body was nothing he ever felt before. Jeongguk knew how to please him, knew how to angle himself to hit his sweet spot and he pounded relentlessly when Jimin's moans grew louder. It had been awhile since the omega was fucked like that and it easily sent him into overstimulation. When Jeongguk pulled out, the omega was trembling underneath him. It only drove him insane knowing how good he had pleased him. He slid his wet cock back in, snapping his hips with a passion to make his omega cum. Just as he thrusted back in, the omega started shaking again.

"Cock's so good for you, sweetheart?" Jeongguk smirked. In that moment, Jimin wished he could smack that smile off his face. 

"Should've fucked me sooner with a cock like that, alpha." Jimin turned around, presenting his ass while on his knees. It was a breathtaking view for Jeongguk when Jimin's lubricated hole dripped with slick, hanging in a line from his hole. 

"Yeah? Maybe I should breed you already." Jimin didn't have time to respond to that when his voice was caught by Jeongguk's length entering him once again. The grip on his waist was consumed with possessiveness as the alpha made sure he took every inch of him. After a few more thrusts, Jimin's thigh were uncontrollably quivering, moaning Jeongguk's name this time as he panted from being overstimulated. Jeongguk pushed his cock back in again, already at his limits and after some deep thrusts in, they both came together. 

ᯓ★

In the months that passed, their bond had grown stronger. While Jimin proudly wore his alpha's mark, flaunting it in front of the other alphas, Jeongguk was also claimed by his omega. To Jeongguk's happiness, Ryojin and the other alphas hadn't been flirting with him as well. It all worked out in the end, though Jimin was still the occasional city princess with his demands but his mate was more than happy to indulge him. He even got a bathrobe after making Jeongguk asked his father about it. They received some supplies from the city and a small portion of it was for Jimin from his dad like body creams, cashmere scarves and scented body soaps that were crafted from city wolves themselves. 

"My dad's visiting us next week!" Jimin eagerly showed Jeongguk the letter while they were unpacking his supplies. He didn't manage to return to the city during his time there since he was actively participating in the hunting pack. He was learning and improving day by day. "If you want anything from the city, you should just tell him to get it for you when he comes."

"I've already got what I want from the city." Jeongguk wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him closer to squeeze on his ass. "And it's right here."

"Jeongguk..." Jimin gasped softly at the touch as he bared his neck. "That's my weak spot, you dummy." 

That afternoon, Jeongguk had spent his time at the wood station, helping to build some furnitures for the land as well as for his own house. It had been awhile since he picked up a hammer and meet his friends. It was a nice change from all the blood and stealth mode required during a hunt. 

"Where's the princess?" Hoseok asked as he sawed a plank of wood.

"He went for a hunt this morning. Ever since he came back home to clean himself, he's decided to clean the house as well."

"Is that what I think you're making over there?" Namjoon questioned. While Jeongguk had helped with parts of the houses, he had been silently making a crib as well. He wanted to surprise Jimin with it when the time was right. "Are you guys pregnant?!"

Hoseok dropped his saw and widened his eyes the moment he heard Namjoon asked. "What?! You didn't fucking tell us?"

"We're not fucking pregnant, okay! I would've told you guys anyway. But I'm thinking....of having a pup. I just don't know if Jimin is ready for that. I'm pretty sure his dad's gonna hit us with that question when he comes anyway."

"Aw, Jeongguk. You wanna be a dad." Hoseok cooed and hugged him, patting him on his back. 

"Fucking hell man." Jeongguk laughed as he tried to push him off. "It's not a big deal!"

"What's not a big deal?" A familiar voice came from behind him. Jeongguk turned around, a warm smile on his face when he saw his favourite person making his way towards him. "Hi, alpha." Jimin stood on his tiptoes to press a small kiss on Jeongguk's lips.

"Hey, babe. We were just talking about your dad coming and how I think he might ask us that family question."

Jimin grimaced. They hadn't had that talk yet and Jimin had a vague idea how Jeongguk would feel about it. It dawned more on Jimin on whether he was comfortable to start a family soon. "I don't even wanna think about that. Will you come home soon? I'm starving but I wanna stay in tonight."

"I'll be done soon and then I'll make us dinner."

It was finally the next week and Jimin's dad was arriving today. Jeongguk had cooked a meal for all of them to enjoy later while Jimin had been cleaning for hours to make sure everything is perfect. They had told the hunting pack that they were expecting visitors so they opted out of the hunt for the day. In the end, they spent their free time in their room, scenting each other until they fell asleep. Nothing was more comforting than having their favourite scent wrapped around them. 

When afternoon rolled in, they went to the main ground to greet Jimin's dad at the entrance. It had been such a long time since they last met and the omega threw his arms around the Head Alpha in an embrace. But his dad wasn't alone. Jeongguk vaguely recognized the other man that was standing beside him and judging from his strong earthy scent, he was definitely an alpha too.

"Missed you, dad." Jimin said as he pulled away. "And hello to you too." He gave a hesitant smile towards him as they exchanged greetings.

"It's nice to see you again, Jimin. Sorry I missed the wedding."

Jimin stood closer to his mate, clasping their hands together. "Jeongguk, this is my friend, Taehyung." The two alphas bowed their heads slightly in respect. 

"Anyway, Jeongguk prepared us a meal at the cabin. I'm sure you're hungry, dad. Shall we?"

The four of them set off to their house. Jimin was happily chatting with his dad as they walked ahead, leaving the two alphas behind them in awkward silence. Jeongguk found it odd how Jimin had never mentioned about Taehyung. Now that he recalled, he was the guy in Jimin's polaroid pictures. The ones that were stuck to his vanity when he had visited Jimin on their first night after the wedding. He shook off the thought.

"How long have you known Jimin?" Jeongguk figured he might as well start a friendly conversation and try to get to know him. If he was here, it meant that his presence was important to Jimin as well. 

"Just like 5 years or so. We used to be close but I hope we could patch back our friendship like old times." Taehyung smiled. "I heard he wasn't expecting to move to the forest?"

"Yeah, he had a mini meltdown about it. But he's adjusted so well here, I'm really happy."

"I'm glad. He's always loved the city. Sucks he couldn't live there instead." Taehyung shrugged. "I wouldn't have forced him to live in the forest though."

That was weird.

As soon as they got to their cabin, they sat at the table and dug into their meals while Jimin shared stories of his time with the Jeon pack. He brought up about the fact that he was now in the hunting pack with Jeongguk, that he loved running around the forest and catching their preys. Jeongguk also cared to reminisce about the times Jimin struggled with his other volunteer works which made his dad laugh. His dad was both surprised and proud of Jimin for being a hunter, especially when it was a stark contrast to his personality. Head Alpha Park had expected his son to end up in the infirmary at least. But given his stubborness and fierce attitude, a hunter was a better suit for him.

As expected, the topic of family came up, and Head Alpha Park couldn't help but ask when they would give him a grand-pup. The question was met with nervous laughter from both Jimin and Jeongguk. While the alpha was more than ready to take on the role of a parent, Jimin however, had some uncertainties.

"Aren't you more happy that I'm doing well here than asking for a grand-pup? Isn't that more important? Me, your son?"

"Of course I'm happy that you're doing well. I wouldn't lie about it, I do want a grand-pup. You're my only son, Jimin. Do you plan on making me wait forever?"

The omega groaned. He looked over at Jeongguk who was already sporting a smirk across his face. "Stop getting ideas. But we can... talk about it, okay." He said softly with a smile. 

They talked a little more about the city life and his dad's work and how they were currently aiding the Sun pack with some resources. Taehyung, who had been listening, mentioned how he was now the proud owner of an art gallery in the city. He always had an appreciation for the art, the abstract paintings and all the quirky ones as well. It was only natural he would establish one under his own name. 

"I need to use the restroom, son. Will you show me the way?" 

Jimin escorted his dad to the bathroom, leaving Jeongguk and Taehyung at the table. Just as Jimin was about to speak, his dad grabbed his arm, cutting him off.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring him here. He insisted on coming." Head Alpha whispered. 

"It's fine, dad. It's been a year anyway. We haven't spoken since too."

"Does Jeongguk know about him?"

"I've never brought it up."

Jimin's dad had planned to stay at the Jeon pack for a week, taking time off work to visit his son. What Jimin hadn’t expected, however, was for him to show up with Taehyung. It was clear that Taehyung would be staying in one of their guest cabins as well, and Jimin couldn’t help but feel a wave of anxiety wash over him. He didn't know why Taehyung had decided to show up now, of all timing. He had invited him to their wedding and Jimin had assumed by his absence that he probably no longer wanted any part in his life. His main worry was his mate, who was clueless about this stranger in their house and Jeongguk probably thought they were just old friends. He hadn't decided how he should bring up the topic or if there was a need to, considering he would only be around for a week.

What Jeongguk didn't know won't hurt him. He certainly didn't need to know right now that the man in their house was Jimin's ex-boyfriend.