Archive of Our Own

If there was one thing Jimin appreciated about his presentation as a nondominant wolf, as a beta, it would be his inability to fully pick up on all the scents surrounding him at all times. 

Busy hands worked around him in both excitement and anticipation with the late afternoon sunlight cascading in through uncovered windows as the town’s kitchen prepared a hearty meal for a dinner celebration. It seemed like every member of their pack had gathered to the very center of the town where the dining hall was held with how stuffy the kitchen felt. 

Scents intermingled with each other. Enticing and warm aromas of meat and roasts worked up one’s appetite but the sound of grumbling stomachs was masked by the sizzling in the large pans that had been pulled out for the special occasion and carried atop fires.

Not that something as small and faint as hungry stomachs would even sound through the thick barrier of chatter that echoed across the air.

They were all just so excited after the pack had gathered in front of the village clearing last night. 

Jimin tucked himself into the small corner of the spacious kitchen that had been designated as the dessert station and was glad he wasn’t able to identify the multitude of eager wolf pheromones that must be stinking up the room like alphas and omegas could smell. He could only faintly smell everyone’s scents but nothing strong that would send a headache pounding through his temples.

A hint of an unusual earthy and woody scent trailed around Jimin, piercing through the pleasant aromas of the kitchen, but he chalked it up to the freshness of the previous morning’s rainy scent mixing with the wet forest floor wandering in through the windows.

 A wide spread of rice cake dishes sat in front of Jimin resembling various shapes and consistencies. Some were bite-sized cylindrical shaped sticks dipped in honey and topped with sesame seeds while others were shaped as half moon songpyeongs filled with all kinds of stuffing for their pack to enjoy. As his other packmates assigned to the dessert island worked to add more sweets to the pile that was steadily growing in size, Jimin used the remainder of the rice dough to create different coloured flowers in reds, yellows, whites, and purples to add as toppers over the sticky moon desserts ready to be steamed over pine needles before they could be served.

Greasing his hands with a thin layer of sesame oil so the chewy dough wouldn’t stick to his palms, Jimin set out forming tiny petals between his fingers. 

Excited voices and words would often reach Jimin as he worked the dough, making him smile endearingly. Chatter about the upcoming Chuseok feast bounced from group to group, cluster to cluster, creating an air of anticipation that was also building inside Jimin with every new piece of dessert that he set down. 

There was an extra tinge of care everyone put to every food item because while the full moon festival was something his pack always celebrated, they all had more to show off this time around. 

Frying honey cookies on a nearby fire, Yoongi gently commented, “You would think we were celebrating a mating ceremony with how excited they all are.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. His lips curled up though, because Yoongi was right, this was exactly how gleeful the entire kitchen was many, many months ago when Yoongi and his partner had their mating ceremony. He shifted a little closer to the older man, wanting to get a hint of his warm omegan scent that was soothing even to Jimin. 

“We haven’t had visitors in a while, let them be!”

Yoongi huffed, “We don’t need to create a feast worthy of being a sacrifice to the Goddesses for a small handful of visitors.”

“Ah but Yoongi,” Jimin teased, “You know yourself how much alphas can scarf down food.” He pointed at the many trays of piled up dishes, “This will all get eaten in no time. Besides, it’s the moon celebration too.”

Truthfully, they had completed all the formal rituals the day before under the drizzling skies. Rain was auspicious so their pack was feeling particularly good as they checked off the list of required rituals. Praying to their ancestors, cleaning and trimming the sacred lands around them, and exchanging gifts with friends and family had all already happened. Tonight was more so to let loose and gather as a pack for a fun night of festivity. 

“Hoseokie was feeling tired from the hike and leading the alphas up the hill. He helped them carry a lot of their stuff so he was exhausted.” Yoongi said through a small pout, “He’ll probably enjoy how much effort we’ve put into this.”

And well, tonight was definitely a fun night of gathering under the bright moon but it was also about welcoming the three new alphas that were taking up space in their guest quarters a little further out into town. 

Their celebrations wouldn’t be so grand if it was only a few hours of letting loose but the Kim pack had to establish their community in front of the three lone wolves who had stumbled up the hill, atop where their town was located, and past the dense tree line that protected them from outsiders. 

It was true that Hoseok had exhausted himself, because he’d travelled into the forest a little while after the sun had set yesterday in search of the writers of a distressed message that was sent to their town. 

Some nights ago, the head alpha Kim had been greeted with something foreign wrapped in a worn out cloth. It had been addressed specifically to the leader and had somehow found a way to be delivered to him. 

Written on the cloth was a plea for help by a group of lone wolves, explaining that they had grown weak and sick from a harsh rainstorm that recently passed. Since all lone wolves were vulnerable to attack by rogue packs wanting to ambush them for their supplies, the group had put aside their pride, bared their vulnerability, and asked for assistance and safety from the Kim pack. 

They were the largest pack in the area, after all, and if these lone wolves had the Kim pack on their side, they were likely to be protected. 

The frayed cloth itself had been wrapped around a shabby dagger that looked like an incompetent tool but actually had a dangerously sharp blade useful for hunting small prey or hurting big threats.

It was an exchange—or rather, it was another instance of the men exposing their weak position by giving away one of their weapons as a peace offering that their leader readily and instantly accepted. 

Two moons later, it was right after Chuseok formalities concluded happily for the day. At the edge of sunset, just as the message had instructed, the head alpha’s son Namjoon had taken the role of finding the location also included in the note. Hoseok accompanied him as one of the many trained hunters in their pack. 

They were lucky the persisting drizzle had let up before they left.

They came back well into the night unharmed by any rogue groups who could have been waiting for them but they were exhausted nonetheless. Namjoon had balanced two sick men, clearly alphas who were almost as tall and buff as he was, on either side of him. While Hoseok stumbled through the town with a thick stack of belongings dragging on behind him and a third alpha who didn’t look as sickly pale as the other two but he definitely didn’t look like he could stand on his own either. 

Untangling from Hoseok, the alpha had staggered forward to where people were gathered waiting for them, taking both the head alpha and head omega’s hands and touching his forehead to their knuckles in gratitude. He’d even turned to Jimin and Yoongi standing next to them, having enough energy to bow deeply before he lost his balance. 

Jimin and Yoongi darted forward to catch the alpha, the choked sound the stranger let out and his heated skin left Jimin feeling an array of emotions he couldn’t place. 

All five alphas had crashed into a deep sleep soon after the arduous journey but while Namjoon and Hoseok jumped right into their daily duties the next morning, the other three still hadn't woken up after almost twelve hours. 

Jimin suspected they wouldn’t be opening their eyes for another couple hours at least. Or until nature or hunger called.

But that was what the meal preparation was for: to both celebrate Chuseok and congratulate Namjoon and Hoseok and welcome the new, temporary members of their pack. 

Villagers had been asked to treat the group like one of their own and Jimin was happy to oblige. 

He did, after all, still feel the alpha’s skin against him like a phantom touch. Curiosity was being drawn out of him in large waves but he shook those thoughts away. 

He turned to Yoongi, reassuring, “Hoseok worked hard. He might just forget to save some cookies for us.” 

A shy smile danced on Yoongi’s lips, “Yakgwa are his favourite sweets. I think he deserves it.” 

It was odd to see Yoongi so obviously smitten and affectionate. The omega was one of the many villagers of their age to commit to a mate and others had followed in rapid fashion as they expressed their pent up interests in alphas and omegas alike.

Communions like those tugged at Jimin’s heartstrings, especially when he watched a pair finally admit to their feelings and publicly begin courting each other with a scented first gift as per the long-standing Kim pack tradition, after years of naively dancing around each other. Just like Hoseok and Yoongi had. 

Though Hoseok and Yoongi were so obviously in love with each other for so long that sometimes Jimin forgot they weren’t childhood sweethearts who were born solely to love each other. Like soulmates.

But Yoongi was still more reserved than most mates were about their partners.

He must have been worried about Hoseok to be this openly affectionate.

Lightening the mood, Jimin joked, “Tell him to save at least five. Two for me and three for our guests.”

Yoongi stepped to the side and plopped a cookie that had already been soaked in honey onto a side dish. He placed it beside Jimin’s hands that were assembling the flowers after he’d formed all the petals. 

“One,” Yoongi teased.

Jimin snapped it up, oily fingers and all, and groaned at the first bite. He whined, “That one doesn’t count!” 

“Why do you get two and our sick guests only get one, hm?” Yoongi raised his eyebrows, “They probably need the sweets to raise their blood sugar.” 

“I wonder if they have sweet tooths,” Jimin suddenly said.

Every pack member had a sweet tooth. It was why one sweet dish was never enough for all of them.

The new guests would probably eat anything once they woke up though, Jimin reckoned. They must be dying of hunger even in their sleep.

The omega shrugged, “We don’t know much of anything about them. Hoseok left before I could even ask about their names.”  

“I guess we’ll find out soon,” Jimin said, distracted by the flowers taking shape under his hands.

━━━━━━━━━━━

i. an unidentifiable scarf (and scent) 

Seokjin, Taehyung, and Jeongguk were the names of the men residing in their guest quarters.

With the help of Hoseok–the unofficial tour guide whenever their town was met with visitors–they walked to the center of the town where a series of low fires were burning and benches and tables surrounded the grassland area for gathering.

It was a fresh, beautiful night with just the right amount of chill to enjoy warm soups, perfect for the pack to come together like this and enjoy each other’s company. 

The village’s blueprint was circular with the most important buildings like the dining and town hall, medical center, schools, shops, and other shared spaces protected at the very middle point while the housing was sandwiched between the center and the outer recreational area. This design made the walk from the guest accommodations to the space outside the dining hall fairly short, which Jimin was sure the trio appreciated from how worn out they looked even though they were refreshed and dressed in standard cotton sets and warm accessories made of furs. 

Head alpha Kim greeted the guests before the tallest fire with a booming voice, “Welcome to the Kim pack! I am honored to host you and my pack and I thank you for extending your vulnerability to us. I would like to return this to its rightful owners,” he held out a dagger to the trio, well-used and worn. It was the same one the alpha had received alongside the note. He was offering it back to the other wolves. 

His mate, the head omega, kindly continued, “Please feel free to stay as long as you desire. You are freely welcomed to our humble abode like it is yours too. I trust that you will be just as favourable to us as we are to you.”

Within the forest, it was unheard of to extend even an ounce of your generosity without expecting the same in return. The head omega wasn't cruel in suggesting a long lasting relationship with the wolves as favours were meant to be returned among packs. If he was inviting them into the pack, even if they were merely guests, it was to maintain a newly formed relationship with outsiders. 

Favours among packs, lone wolves, and rogues were the foundations of peace and prosperity that allowed them all to coexist in the same forest, after all. 

The three alphas bowed their heads in gratitude as they too understood the partnership being formed and cemented in front the members of the largest pack in the area. 

There wasn’t anything grand a packless man could do for the Kim pack but having an additional pair of eyes overseeing their members was just an additional film of protection that benefited them. 

It wouldn't be the first time one of their members was guided by wandering wolves during a trip or hunting.

Two of three men were barely getting by every second that they remained standing upright. They were also limping and wincing with every step, which was concerning. The third one deeply bowed and accepted the dagger with both hands, “Thank you. We are thankful you took us in. The Kim pack has our word that they will be safe as long as we are watching over them.”

It was the same man who had pushed through his exhaustion and greeted the pack with respect when they first arrived. 

Jeongguk.

He was young-looking, but also tall and built as expected from an alpha. He stood upright with an air of attractive confidence exuding from him as though he led his little group like a pack alpha even if they weren’t officially packmates. 

His eyes, big and expressive, would not stop darting towards the bench Jimin was seated at. 

Jimin squinted as Namjoon’s father joked, “Are you sure your friends can live up to your words?”

The man pulled his eyes away from whatever had distracted him and he bowed twice in succession as if making up for his friends who couldn’t do so. 

He reassured not only the head alpha but the entire crowd listening in, “I speak for myself and for my friends too: we will not take your kindness for granted.”

Many alphas would have bristled if they were verbally challenged like that. A small instance of jest would have turned into animosity or be mistaken for provocation that required retaliation.

The only challenge that the head alpha set up was seeing how they would receive such vague words.

The boy in front of them proved his group’s thankfulness and maturity by bowing his head rather than puffing out his chest. 

Celebration commenced soon after that with a toast between the pack leaders and a toast between Namjoon’s father and the boy who was introduced to the rest of them as Jeon Jeongguk. 

His friends were still too physically affected by the storm to participate in any of the introductions but Jeongguk happily introduced the taller one with features more handsome than Jimin could comprehend as the oldest one, Kim Seokjin. The third one–coincidentally the same age as Jimin–was just as handsome as his friend but his relaxed eyes and downturned mouth made him seem the most intimidating out of all of them. 

He also glared at anyone who looked at Seokjin for too long, seemingly protective of his sick friend even though his skin had lost all its color too. 

Jeongguk was the youngest and most winsome of them all, especially after a few glasses of rice liquor and heaping amounts of desserts piled on his plate that Jimin gawked at. But he was also the least sick of them all.

The rainstorm prior to Chuseok swept through the lands and seeped down as deep into the ground as to touch the roots of ancient trees. It wasn’t to be taken lightly from how the doors and windows of the buildings had been left rattling in the place of thunderstorms, the only sounds around them were that of fleets of rain pouring down and the harsh wind crying under the downpour. 

The Kim’s pack’s villagers were enclosed within their homes and rooms, an unfortunate turn of events forcing schools, shops, and even the dining hall to remain closed for an entire two days because one couldn’t even see what was two feet in front of them.

Those who preferred to share their meals in the dining hall had no choice but to switch their stoves on and cook warm meals themselves.

Someone being stuck, injured, or stranded in that condition was cruel to imagine. Jimin worried that Seokjin and Taehyung were more sick than they were letting on and he made a mental note to pull Hoseok or Namjoon aside to check in with them. 

Jeongguk, though, was stellar. He was guzzling down towers of meat and roasts, indulging in the soups and plethora of rice dishes prepared. 

The meal was spread out across multiple sturdy wooden tables to feed the hundreds of members of their pack but Jimin still felt nervous about something running out, especially with how unafraid Jeongguk was of satisfying his hunger. 

Jimin knew the guest alphas would be stuffing their faces with how hungry they must be. Even Seokjin and Taehyung who initially looked like they had no appetite had hobbled around the food spread and filled their plates. 

Jeongguk lingered at the dessert table closest to Jimin and his friends, picking out one of everything as pack members bought out instruments to liven up the night even more. 

Yoongi huffed beside him. He said to Jimin, “You worry too much. There are quite literally piles of food for everyone to choose from, they’re not gonna go to bed hungry.” 

Worrying his lower lip with his teeth, Jimin couldn’t stop himself from mumbling, “The tables are half gone.” 

“The night is half gone, Jimin-ah. Relax. Can’t you hear all of them groaning from their full bellies?” 

Their pack truly had no tact when they were given a good celebratory meal. The sounds that left their mouths were obscene and gross but Yoongi was right. Their fingers were slower to reach for more food. Instead of focusing solely on the meal like they had in the beginning, they were now distractedly picking on what was left on their plates–something to snack on between conversations. 

It was only Jeongguk who still hadn’t gotten enough of the food. 

But, no, that wasn’t right. He too was lightly nibbling on small bites and nodding appreciatively to himself. It was just that he couldn’t seem to stop himself from returning to the dessert table.

“Your rice cakes and hotteok were really delicious,” Yoongi said, noticing Jimin’s gaze on Jeongguk who was back and leaning over the sweets in concentration, “They must love it.”

Truthfully, he wasn’t a good cook. When he’d been taken in by the Kim pack at a young age after a group of rogues had attacked the small pack his parents were part of, Jimin had no assigned role that was useful for his new community. No way to repay the generosity of the Kim pack who’d kept him safe.

He’d spent most of his days in a trade shop in his old pack, an apprentice to the owner who never qualified him as anything more than just a side assistant to run errands for her. 

Roles were delegated to the alphas and omegas of the pack to maintain tradition so that alphas were assigned to highest ranking jobs because they were meant to lead everyone else while omegas were only seen as good for nurturing jobs like teachers and nannies. 

Betas like Jimin were invisible, so often disregarded during any conversation because they were neither dominant enough to be leaders nor pliant and fostering enough to take care of the kids of the pack.

Even in the town kitchen, alphas guided the entire show while omegas delivered what was asked of them. Betas, at best, cleaned up after everyone else.

So when Jimin was initiated into the Kim pack with an unfathomable amount of freedom in his hands, he knew he wanted to prove himself as useful and hardworking.

The issue was that Jimin had no knowledge beyond whatever was taught to him, which was essentially: nothing.

He tried many small jobs because of the infinite amount of patience that the Kim pack had for him and others like him. 

When he’d settled for the kitchen because it would allow him to prove himself every single day, the entire pack had only accepted him with smiles and hugs. 

Over weeks, Jimin learned about the mechanics of the kitchen, not only in terms of the equipment but also how everyone worked together. Then he experimented with every station before eventually settling on the one that made him—and apparently everyone else—feel the warmest: the dessert station. It was one of his favourite places to be in town, revealing his skills as a dessert chef. 

The journey, even when he joined the kitchen, was taxing and a daily learning experience, so Jimin bloomed under any praise he got or whenever someone appreciated his sweets by being unable to stop themselves from eating them. 

If he had a scent, it would be sickly sweet like honey right now.

As if Jeongguk could sense they were talking about him, he lifted his head, wide eyes immediately flitting to them.

Jimin leaned over into Yoongi’s space, trying to keep his voice down so that Hoseok, who had taken a seat on his omega’s lap, wouldn’t hear. He asked, “I don’t mean to sound conceited…but is it just me or does that alpha keep looking at us?”

Hoseok, ever the gossip, giggled and said, “Jeongguk looks like he wants to eat you right up, sugar.” 

Jimin rolled his eyes at the nickname Hoseok had given him after he’d joined Hoseok’s mate in the kitchen. 

“I didn’t even say who I was talking about,” he defended through a glare even though it was obvious.

Yoongi deadpanned, “That alpha has been dancing around this table all night trying not to make his staring too obvious. If you’re not talking about him then I might be concerned about your eyesight.”

“Maybe he likes you. This is his way of expressing his interest in you,” was the last thing Hoseok could suggest before the little girls he taught dance to barreled into their bench and pulled them along to dance.

Jimin snorted in disbelief but was happy to indulge in a night of singing and dancing like his.

His laughs were high and loud but inaudible against the sound of their pack making music together and singing old folk songs that have never been recorded aside from oral teachings. Bare feet slapped across the grounds, the pack swapping and twirling dance partners with the same love and care that they had for their mates. 

The beauty of their community was present in every little thing they did but tonight was also about proving themselves as a singular unit to the lone wolves who would eventually return to the forests. 

It was both familial and a power play on the pack leaders’ parts, knowing that word would spread about their pack and strengthen their status among other existing towns once the trio let the trees and plants hear about their experience here. 

Again, it was Jeongguk who took part in this tradition with the other alphas so worn out that it looked like it was taking all the strength for them to stay seated upright. 

He was dragged along to the makeshift dance floor, pretty omegas and taller alphas falling into his arms every time they switched partners. 

He existed on a parallel plane to Jimin—always in sight but never did Jimin get close enough to him to dance with. That didn’t stop him from catching Jeongguk’s eyes every so often because the alpha was always looking back every time Jimin’s gaze drifted to him. 

Pent up energy was expelled as the night went on.

Music and dancing continued but the longer it went on, the more invisible Jimin saw himself becoming. 

Partners were switched out for mates or the wolves being courted by them. 

Alphas and omegas danced in the center of their celebration just like they did after every mating ceremony. Those who were too young to consider mating just yet smiled adoringly, secure in themselves because they’ve never had to consider how their presentation would affect someone else’s attraction to them. 

They’ve never had to spend hours upon hours searching for just a few minutes of love. 

The sight should have made Jimin bloom with endearment but with every minute he felt misery make its way down to his core. 

A pang rang through Jimin’s body as every hand that left his went into another’s where they truly belonged. It was bitterly reminiscent of how, as Jimin grew up, his friends in the pack wandered off down their own paths and came back finding love without even looking for it. 

Jimin, who had been searching for love, searching for someone to love, was always pushed aside for a prettier, more nurturing omega that would satisfy an alpha, or a dominant, more commanding alpha that would protect an omega. 

And Jimin was just Jimin, he had nothing but himself to offer to others and that was never enough.

The Kim pack was largely different to the traditional one Jimin had grown up in, but all wolves relied on their instincts and instincts stated that betas like Jimin were just placeholders until a more suited alpha or omega came by. 

Jimin didn’t fault this ideology nor betas for not existing within a binary. He just didn’t know how not to fault himself for the crippling loneliness that weighed down on him and crushed his chest during moments like these.

There were many times that Yoongi had emphasised how little wolf presentation meant in this pack but that was difficult to see when love and mating reminded Jimin of how truly invisible he was meant to be. 

It was why it was so easy for Jimin to dismiss Hoseok’s remarks about Jeongguk moments ago. They all sounded like cruel jokes to Jimin now. 

He found it easy to back out of the crowd unseen. 

The celebration was meant to last into the late hours of the night so those that weren’t dancing were either dozing off at their seats or had retired for the night.

Jimin quickly cleared his area, saying goodnight to those around him. He grabbed his coat and gloves before leaving in the direction of his housing.

He took the long walk and halfway through his journey, he stuck his hands in his coat pockets only to brush against a scarf nestled in there.

He didn’t recognize it when he pulled it out but it was warm and impossibly soft in his hands.

Feeling the urge to smell it, he brought it up to rub his nose against the fabric only to gasp into the thick wool when he breathed in a rich, deep scent of freshness, like that of the forest, and a little bit of a cool sharpness beneath that. 

Like peppermint, Jimin thought.

The scent sparked up little tingles in his veins, clouding him like he was slowly being doused with it. His body threatened to sag with how strongly it wafted through the air, legs stumbling on his walk. 

He swallowed, trying to ground himself but the scent was so strong that Jimin could taste it on his tongue, down his throat, going past his chest, and settling at the very bottom of his belly. It pooled there, warm and weighty and unlike anything he’d felt before. 

He spread his palm over his abdomen and groaned lightly at the blazing touch.

His hands trembled as he gently tied the scarf around his neck. When he put his face in the scarf hoping to take in the scent so deeply that it flowed along his veins, his breath stuttered during the inhale. It invaded his senses from the outside in, drowning him in it. 

━━━━━━━━━━━

There were nights when Jimin’s mind repeatedly looped thoughts about things he had no control over inside his head, creating a tangled mess that chased away any sleep that might find him. No amount of tossing and turning and fluffing up his pillows helped with the bouts of insomnia that randomly hit him. 

On those nights, Jimin preferred to soak under a steaming shower that calmed his wandering mind and turned him ruddy and putty. 

He decided to spoil himself even further tonight and bundled himself for the short walk to the shared bathhouse that was calling his name, the one no one really used because everyone enjoyed their private spaces much more.

At this time of the night, the streets would usually resemble a ghost town but Jimin could still make out voices in the direction of the town center.

He pulled the sleeves of his shirt over his chilly hands, his steps quick and steady with how familiar he was with this path.

Reaching the building that fit perfectly among the other wooden housing and stores around it, Jimin pushed the door open and welcomed the humidity trapped within the four walls. 

Another doorway separated the rest of the building, the air much stickier as Jimin walked past that too and entered the changing space with showers lining one wall and two doors to the right leading into different rooms on the other wall. There was a spread of cubicles at the very center of the room that held all their belongings, the furniture tall enough to serve as dividers for the shower area as the other side also had benches backed up against the wall.

At this time, the space was as empty as Jimin had expected it to be.

He quickly stripped himself bare aside from his underpants, choosing a cubicle to shove his belongings in. 

The scent of the scarf Jimin had worn around his neck sank into his pores like he was a magnet attracting it. While Jimin was rightfully confused about what kind of fragrant oil someone must have used to have the smell of the fabric be so refreshing and potent, it drenched him as if it was just another part of him.

He’d even decided to prolong his shower for the morning just so the smell could stay latched onto his skin but his sleeplessness had brought him to the bathhouse anyway. 

Reluctantly, knowing the scent was about to get washed away now, he slid open the door leading into the makeshift sauna and sank down into the seat lining the circular wall. 

The interior of the room was covered in a light-colored wood that was perfect to capture the moisture produced from the steam. The room was just small enough to comfortably fit three, maybe four, people but the space itself was meant to be relaxing and personable.

There was hardly any steam in the room right now, the air was just heavily sticky and warm, and so Jimin dropped two ladles of water onto the stones being warmed up at the very center of the space by a sauna stove. 

He let out a pleasant sigh as the water hissed and evaporated into a steam. His eyes closed and his head leaned back. 

The humid air allowed him to sag back as it sat comfortably on his body. The warmth was a perfect reprieve from the cold seasons that had slowly begun creeping through the forests through chilly mornings and nights. Autumn, with its fiery leaves and picturesque views, was Jimin’s favourite time of the year but the colder it got, the more Jimin found himself looking for warm cocoons to burrow himself in.

Condensation began to form on his skin, mixing with his sweat as the air toed the line of being suffocatingly hot and delightfully warm.

What Jimin thought was going to wash away the scent of the scarf only intensified it. It bloomed in the small room like it was physically diffusing between the walls and permeating the space. 

With every breath he took, he could feel the scent’s taste so vividly on his tongue that it was like he was filling his entire chest with it.

Was this what scenting felt like? 

As a beta, Jimin still had scent glands but they were as useless as so many other parts of him. He was unable to completely pick up on any scents, let alone feel the effects of scenting that alphas and omegas spoke so sweetly about. There was no way for him to mark or be marked by someone else. 

It was laughable to even think about scenting when the only experience Jimin had in the romantic area was a few experimental kisses as an unpresented teenager. There was also the occasional hand-holding before the omega he was with realised Jimin could never provide for them like an alpha could, or an alpha realised Jimin could never let his wolf instinctually submit the way an omega could. 

It didn’t really bother him because he had no reason to miss something he’d never known but if this was even an inkling of what scenting felt like then Jimin wanted to bask in something pleasant like this for as long as he was allowed. 

His mind slowly emptied as he breathed in evenly enough to be mistaken for being asleep. Thoughts that had been spiraling for hours quietened significantly so that Jimin’s sole focus was drawn to the rise and fall of his chest and the sound of the stones occasionally hissing.

He stayed there for an unidentifiable amount of time; it could have been minutes, it could have been hours. All Jimin knew was that he didn’t leave until his head felt cloudy from the subtle feeling of blazing heat that was beginning to seep down to his groin.

It was like the scent was tracing his body, moving from his nose which he’d rubbed against the wool, all the way down to his middle, and back up again so it could fog up his brain in pleasure.

His legs wobbled when he stood up.

He huffed, using the mirror to take in his flushed cheeks and reddened skin as if a pair of hands had actually explored his body.

Knowing he’d be washing up anyway, he didn’t bother with the towels that were set out.

Rather than taking the same door he’d walked through, he pushed through another adjacent to it. 

The view opened to an open space with two hot springs built into the ground and separated for alphas and omegas if they wanted. The inside of the springs were lined with wooden panels to keep the water insulated so they resembled tubs more than anything else. 

The air was immediately cooler in this room so a shudder ran through Jimin’s body. He took in a lungful of air that wasn’t as steamy and humid as the sauna room, nor did it smell like the freshness that had filled Jimin’s senses. It was refreshing after the sauna but Jimin felt his wolf stir inside him as it whined in loss.

Jimin paused as the door shut, both because he couldn’t remember the last time his wolf had been so forward in expressing itself and because in the furthest hot spring, and also the largest one, sat another familiar man. An alpha.

Jeongguk’s body was almost fully submerged in the water from which small amounts of steam rose in a cloud over it. His arms were spread out against the edge of the tub making his broad shoulders look even broader but the delicacy of his defined collarbones cut through every sharp edge of his body. He looked unreal under the low light of the bathhouse, his body commanding attention that Jimin couldn’t resist. His eyes were closed but Jimin knew he’d sensed someone coming in—his nostrils had flared when Jimin stepped in, bringing attention to how big his nose was, almost like he hadn’t grown into his features yet. With his hair wet and lightly brushing against his shoulders, he looked like just another young alpha from their pack.

But he wasn’t just another anything.

Not when Jimin’s feet unconsciously led him to the edge of the very same tub, completely bypassing the empty one. He was drawn to the figure resting in the tub.

Maybe it was because he was curious to a fault, or maybe it was because the closer Jimin got, the more he felt the scent return back to him from where it had evaporated when he entered the room.

 His heartbeat found its way behind his ears. He could hear it so clearly that he was afraid it would echo throughout this room.

He didn’t think twice before stepping over to the edge of the hot spring, first dipping his toes into the water and then his ankle and then making his way down the tiny steps until his body was fully submerged in the water. He settled directly opposite Jeongguk who seemed to be fighting to keep the relaxation he was wearing before. 

He gasped low and soft as the water settled under his chin. A quick realisation hit Jimin: it was like he was currently being lathered in that scent that wouldn’t stop following him. Rather than washing away, the scent clung so deeply to Jimin that he was sure he was drowning under its weight. It settled in his belly, pulling him down, down, down, his weak knees causing him to sag in the pool of water. The only thing keeping him up was the inside of the tub lined with seats. 

Jeongguk’s eyes fluttered open, his heavy gaze immediately finding Jimin and watching his every move. He looked at Jimin with recognition, like he knew it was Jimin before he even opened his eyes. 

It was the same way he’d looked at Jimin when he’d bowed on the very first night he came in, the same way hours ago when he’d initially stopped at their table to introduce himself among the celebration happening around them. He’d repeated Park Jimin when Jimin greeted him like he was getting familiar with the name on his tongue.

The scent heightened in the air, spicy and potent. 

Jimin’s voice was raspy as he broke the silence. He shakily asked, “H-How can—Is that your scent?” 

Because that was the only logical explanation, right? 

This wasn’t a superficial oil Jimin was smelling. These were defining pheromones that Jimin’s very wolf could recognise, could attach itself to like it was already so close to doing. 

Jeongguk cocked his head, an expression so innocent if it wasn’t for the way his gaze was pining Jimin to the spot. He didn’t look confused about Jimin asking about his scent as if he too could sense how his pheromones had cloyed the air. He asked, “Are you surprised about my scent?” 

Fuck. The deep richness of his voice caused a flutter in Jimin’s stomach. 

The beta’s eyebrows drew together, “This doesn’t make sense,” he muttered. He looked up at Jeongguk to gauge his reaction. The other man was bemused, pouty, pink lips curled up in a small smile. Watching his tongue slip out to wet his lips, Jimin began, “I don’t, uh, don’t understand. Can I—”

Can I what? Where was he going with that?

His eyes involuntarily fell on Jeongguk’s exposed neck, free of any blemishes except for the pretty moles marking his skin. 

He was being ridiculo—

“Do you want to get closer? To my scent?” 

It was asked in a strained tone. 

Jeongguk’s jaw was clenched and his expression controlled but Jimin found no hint of judgment in his voice.

He was asking a genuine question like he was ready to concede at Jimin’s rejection or bare his neck at his acceptance. 

Unable to find any words, Jimin nodded hesitantly. He was flustered beyond belief but his heart thudded in anticipation.

Jeongguk’s hands curled into fists before he removed his arms from the edge of the wood and placed them under water. He put them behind his back.

His head tilted ever so slightly and he did nothing else, as if waiting for Jimin to reach out to him on his own accord.

Jimin waded through the water slowly like he was tracking his prey. His eyes followed the firm line of Jeongguk’s body, the faint outline of his chest that he could see through the milky water. 

Jeongguk’s eyes were trained solely on him, expression hard from something like restraint but simultaneously soft and open as Jimin took his time crossing the space between them.

His stomach tightened, lips parting when the strength of the scent made his eyes water.

Standing toe to toe with Jeongguk, the pheromones grew so strongly that Jimin could pick out Jeongguk’s emotions from it. 

Jimin loved being a beta, he really did, but he wanted to sink into this scent and bask in it until time stopped. 

And so he did. 

He cautiously fit his face in the crook of Jeongguk’s neck. The space seemed perfectly carved out for him like he was a puzzle piece being slotted into place. 

His nose brushed against the dark mole there, once, twice, until he finally brushed against the scent gland calling to him.

He sharply inhaled, almost choking on the scent but unwilling to breathe in anything that wasn’t this amalgamation of smells. 

Something different joined the freshness of the air, something sweet and familiar like the desserts he so often worked with.

He had to contain a pathetic whimper in his throat as both scents coated the air, his head dizzy, dizzy, and yet he felt as though it wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough.

Sinking his face deeper in the space where Jeongguk’s neck met his shoulder, he instinctively pressed closer until his wet lips touched hot skin. His stomach churned at the touch, knees so weak that he had to place his palms against Jeongguk’s solid chest, nails digging in to ground himself. 

Pleasure dipped down low, low, low to his crotch.

Jeongguk hissed, almost growled, “Jimin.” 

It was enough to shake Jimin out of his stupor.

He quickly pulled back, the water splashing between them from the force of it. His wolf was on the verge of crying out inside him but Jimin felt like he was being doused in cold water, like he was being shaken awake from a dream.

Jeongguk’s hands shot out. 

Jimin wasn’t sure if it was to steady him or pull him back but he moved further away, uncaring about the tinge of sourness in the air.

“Y-Your scent,” Jimin stuttered, “It’s so—” good, Jimin wanted to say, you smell so good. He shook his head, “I found a scarf in my coat, that was yours?” But he didn’t need Jeongguk to reply to that question because the answer was obvious. And then: “How do you know my name?” 

Affronted, Jeongguk said, “I remember who you are. And yes.” 

All Jimin could think to ask was, “Why did you give me your scarf?” 

Jeongguk shrugged but his eyes glistened with a kind of nervousness that couldn’t be hidden, “Because I wanted you to have it.” 

“Why?” 

Jeongguk’s tone was weighed down by honesty when he answered, “You are the most beautiful person the forest has brought me to. Nothing has come even close to comparison and I had to make my intentions known.” 

From the tips of his ears, to his cheeks, to his chest, Jimin flushed bright pink but more than the heat colouring his skin, he was confused. 

Jeongguk narrowed his eyes, his expression matching the same apprehension on Jimin. He slowly asked, “Did I misunderstand the courting traditions of the Kim pack?”

Courting?

“Courting?” Jimin questioned. He tried not to let his tone be offensively baffling but the best he could do was swallow down his scoff. 

Jeongguk couldn’t pinpoint Jimin’s confusion, he continued with, “When I asked Hoseok-ssi, he said you didn’t have a mate and explained that courting in the Kim pack typically began with a scented possession as a gift. Did I get it wrong—” 

Jimin cut him off, “You came here as just a temporary visitor.” 

The water around them was beginning to lose its comforting warmth. Jimin felt shivers go through his body but he couldn’t tell if some of that was the doing of Jeongguk’s piercing eyes on him. 

Nodding, Jeongguk affirmed, “Yes. But I believe the forest had her reasons for helping me find you,” he dejectedly bowed his head, “I apologise, I thought you’d accepted my scent and that’s why you were…” he trailed off, gesturing to his neck where Jimin had traced with his lips. 

Before Jimin could implode in embarrassment, he pushed, “Jeongguk-ssi,” he pretended not to notice the alpha’s inhale at his name being spoken from Jimin’s mouth, “I don’t think you understand. I’m a beta.” 

The silence between them was palpable. Heavy and noticeable. 

An array of emotions could be found in Jeongguk’s expression but none of them were negative. Jeongguk didn’t look like he was upset at this information like Jimin expected. He didn’t seem like he was about to apologise for his forwardness and take back the words he had said.

All he did was shift a little closer with surety making his posture straighter. The water moved around them, little waves reaching Jimin and reminding him of their close proximity.

There was a sweet edge to Jeongguk’s scent. Jimin held his breath so he wouldn’t try to sway closer to the source.

Something settled in Jeongguk’s gaze, sure and confident when Jimin felt anything but.

When the silence between them went from awkward to uncomfortable—on Jimin’s end, at least—Jeongguk tilted his head curiously. He looked like a puppy but his voice was firm and commanding when he asked, “Can you feel my scent?” 

Feel, he said, and not smell.

Jimin nodded anyway because feeling and smelling were one and the same thing to him right now.

“Where?” 

On my tongue. 

“Everywhere,” Jimin whispered, more truthfully. 

“What does it feel like?” 

The more questions Jeongguk asked, the raspier his voice got.

Honestly, Jimin said the first thing he could think of, “Like the forest is touching me. Like she’s warming me.” 

There was something almost primal to Jeongguk’s scent. It was so closely tied to the earth, so sweet and fresh that Jimin wanted to sink his teeth in it. Coat the inside of his mouth with it. 

Jeongguk’s jaw clenched. He didn’t come any closer to where Jimin was soaking in the water. When he asked his next question, his voice was as thick as his syrupy scent between them, “Does your wolf accept my scent, then? Do you?” 

“I’m a beta,” Jimin reminded, because it had never been up to him whether he accepted or rejected courting gifts.

But that didn’t make any difference to Jeongguk as he kept waiting for an answer. 

Jimin looked away, his gaze vulnerable, “Yes,” and he didn’t know if it was his wolf or him answering. 

Jeongguk took a deep breath at that. He nodded, more to himself than anything, and made his way back to the edge where he then pushed himself out of the water.

His muscles flexed under the low light and showed a perfectly sculpted and broad back that tapered off into a ridiculously narrow waist. His arms were solid and painted with patterns like he’d had ink poked into him and made a canvas out of his skin. 

Jimin’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head, he nearly choked, when he realised Jeongguk was shamelessly naked. Following the attractive line of Jeongguk’s body, Jimin saw defined pecs and a thick cock between his legs for the briefest second before he turned his back to the beta. Even then, seeing the alpha’s round, firm ass wasn’t any better for Jimin’s sanity.

Fuck.

Drool pooled in his mouth. 

Almost at the door, Jeongguk looked over his shoulder and called, “Do you know that your scent is making my wolf feel like a newly presented pup right now?” 

“I’m a beta,” Jimin said but this time it wasn’t a reminder. It was said in confusion. In uncertainty. 

“Well there’s only one reason why I can pick up your scent then, isn’t there, little beta?” Jeongguk’s eyes sparkled. They were so big that Jimin could pick up on the amusement there even from a distance. Any formality and politeness he spoke with was replaced with a cheekiness that Jimin couldn’t mirror back.

He didn’t provide any more explanation before opening the door leading back to the shower room. 

Even as Jeongguk exited, Jimin couldn’t find any relief. He leaned back against the wooden panels but his body was wound so tight that the only thing keeping him still in the water was the exhaustion after he felt like adrenaline had been sucked out of him. Sleep made his eyes feel droopy and heavy so he didn’t stay seated in the water for too long after the alpha walked out but it was long enough that when he stepped out, all traces of the other man were gone.

Only the faint smell of his scent remained.

The shower he took thereafter scrubbed any foreign scent from him, leaving only the soapy, clean smell of the body wash he used. But as he walked home, he felt as if the crisp, earthy scent of eucalyptus and mint trailed behind him while Jeongguk’s words looped over and over in his head. 

━━━━━━━━━━━

Aside from celebrations like the previous night, the dessert station wasn’t always as busy as the rest of the kitchen. 

Naturally, desserts were more like treats than meals which is why Jimin had found comfort in it, and on so many days, Jimin would just spend the part of the morning in the back of the dining hall while having the rest of the day to himself.

And so, knowing there would be leftovers from last night, when Jimin woke up with Jeongguk’s words ringing through his head first thing as he gained consciousness, he decided to do something about the loop he’d been thrown in.

Bright early in the morning, Jimin stopped by Yoongi’s house to let the omega know he was calling out for the day and heading to the library instead. 

By this time, Yoongi’s mate was already out and about in the village, tackling one of the many duties that the sociable alpha had taken on. Jimin deflated slightly because he now had no way of satiating his curiosity regarding Jeongguk from Hoseok who might have some information on the mysterious alpha. 

Though, even if the alpha was home with his mate, Jimin wouldn’t know what to ask without sounding absolutely pathetic. 

Did Jeongguk ask about me? Do you know why this random lone wolf can smell my scent? Why can I smell him? Is this a cruel prank that Jeongguk is getting amusement out of?

Pathetic.

The library was the next best bet to take his curiosity to. 

Jimin knew that as a beta, there were some parts of him that were different from the dominant subgenders of alphas and omegas. But Jimin also knew that there were parts of him that couldn’t even relate to his fellow betas. 

A long time ago, when Jimin was newly opening up to Yoongi about his time in his old pack, Yoongi had called it repression. He’d told Jimin that while betas didn’t identify within a binary, they were still in-tune enough with their wolves to be able to gauge out their own scents and mildly pick up others’ scents and let their instincts drive them the same way others did.

Jimin, being an outlier in his old pack, had unconsciously repressed his wolf so that he was more human than wolf on most days, and almost entirely separate from his wolf instincts on some odd days.

So even though Jimin loved being a beta, he’d never really let himself be guided by his wolf.

When he got to the library, one of the many brick buildings in the center of the town, he knew to gather all the books about scenting and betas the building had to offer. 

Namjoon, the librarian and education facilitator of the Kim pack because he was the biggest academic advocate they had, walked around the building and helped him pull out hefty books. From ancient dictionaries to memoirs to fable collections, Namjoon dropped them down with a dimpled smile on the long dark wooden table Jimin settled on. 

Occasionally, he would let his voice find Jimin for some shallow chatter or to ask if there were any more books or sequels Jimin needed but for most of the morning, they spent their time on opposite ends of the table, going through the books they’d respectively picked out. 

Jimin won’t deny being a reader but he was always a lover of tales more than theory and so he skimmed through multiple books that were great sources of information but too factual to count for what Jimin was looking for. 

He stopped halfway through the day during the sun’s peak to have a light lunch meal that Namjoon ended up getting for both of them to share as they chatted about the recent events in the pack. 

Jimin tried to avoid all talk about Jeongguk so as not to give his flustered self away, but he couldn’t help become engrossed when Namjoon related back stories he’d heard about Jeongguk and his friends through the grapevine. 

Apparently, like the Kim pack were the strongest and largest around the area, Jeongguk and his two alpha friends were similarly renowned for their strength in living outside of a pack while connecting to the foundations of their wolf instincts. Although they were lone wolves, Namjoon said, there were tales of them bouncing from village to village and offering favours and harsh labour so that they were almost always protected in the forest under the guise of the debts of gratitude the packs had built up. 

That explained the ridiculous build on Jeongguk Jimin saw last night.

The meal quickly disappeared between the two hungry men and they immediately went back to studying the books waiting for them.

After skimming a handful of other texts, Jimin landed on a well-crafted collection of folklore bound together by expensive-feeling leather. He flipped through the book, smiling at the short stories and accompanying artwork that were clearly meant to be read to young pups. 

When he landed on a story about fated mates, he didn’t think much of it. 

The tale of soul ties had been passed down from one generation to the next, a fairytale concept that Jimin remembered his late mothers reading to him as a child. They were meant to be optimistic stories encouraging the personal desire for love, and as a child, Jimin had been enarmoured by stories of alphas and omegas coming together to celebrate love as two souls who were fated to be together. 

Reality was much different than that, Jimin realised the older he got, but the idea was sweet and wholesome, and Jimin wasn’t as jaded as to dismiss this story scornfully. 

A small smile remained on his face as he flipped through the pages. 

Only when one of the characters began resembling Jimin, did Jimin pause in confusion. 

A beta–personally dubbed as scentless and undesirable until she came across an omega from a different pack whose scent wouldn’t stop following her. The pages showed two souls slowly recognising one another as the beta learned to tune into her instincts because an invisible string tied her to someone else for the first time in her life. A story about a beta admiring her wolf and its bond to another omega without comparing it to the norm of alpha-omega relationships that existed around her. 

Jimin pressed his lips together when the story ended with the two wolves marking their love with a mating ceremony. A true fairytale ending.

He took in a deep breath, eyes rapidly blinking as he read and reread the last pages numerous times. 

There was a noticeable pit in Jimin’s stomach. He didn’t want to relate himself to a folklore meant for temporary entertainment but Jeongguk’s words came back to him at frightening speed.

“Well there’s only one reason why I can pick up your scent then, isn’t there, little beta?”

What did Jeongguk mean by that?

He lifted his head and tentatively asked across the table, “Namjoon-hyung?” He spoke with additional respect knowing that, while their pack brushed over using honorifics unless one personally desired it, he was still talking to the future head alpha, “Do you believe in–in fated mates?”

Namjoon cocked his head. 

Jimin wasn’t particularly close with Namjoon but he always admired the conversations he had with him. Namjoon was just such a thoughtful person who put care into the words he spoke, like every word was a piece of him that he was giving away. 

He answered after a few moments of careful thought, “I do.”

He wanted to ask why, why someone as intelligent as Namjoon would fall for such baseless grounds meant to pacify pups, but his throat constricted from a lump forming there. 

As if sensing the question on Jimin’s tongue, Namjoon explained, “Wolves like us already exist outside of the norm, subverting what science and history has recorded in the books filling this library. Isn’t it comforting to know that the earth and the universe, our bodies and spirits, will quite literally bend and fold itself to ensure that our soul meets the one it is most compatible with on this land?”

There wasn’t any more reading Jimin could digest after that. When he walked to the housing area that evening, dipping between alleys to take a longer way home, he did so in a daze but the weight of the folklore collection tucked inside his coat was difficult to stray his attention away from. 

━━━━━━━━━━━

ii. birth flower 

Coming back to the kitchen with the intention of being more productive after the confusing set of days he’d had, Jimin could more confidently say that he was distracted by the scent of alpha. 

Or one particular alpha at least, the same one who was sitting atop a counter, his legs swinging like a little child. 

Jimin’s nose wrinkled at the onslaught of the rich scent and caught the attention of his omega friend.

Yoongi leaned in and murmured, “He was here yesterday, too, you know? I think he was waiting for you. Kept asking where the pretty beta was.” 

Jimin scoffed at the teasing, pretending like his heart rate wasn’t picking up in his chest. He glanced at the alpha from the corner of his eye, “Is that why my kitchen smells like a mini forest has grown in it?”

“My kitchen, I’m the senior here,” Yoongi pointed out. A pause. And then his gaze whipped back to Jimin, “Wait, what? You can smell him?” 

In quiet embarrassment, Jimin failed to answer the question but knew he had stunned his friend who was privy to Jimin’s dormant instincts, even more so than the other betas of the pack. 

Jeongguk visibly brightened in Jimin’s peripheral when he pulled off the scarf around his neck, recognising it as his own but Jimin paid him (and the flutter in his stomach) no mind.

It seemed that those two days weren’t off-chance flukes and that Jeongguk had indefinitely become a part of the kitchen.

A quick check up by Hoseok at the infirmary–because along with being a trained hunter and dancer, Hoseok was also a trained healer–confirmed Jimin’s suspicions that Jeongguk’s two alpha friends were worse for wear than they were letting on. 

After prodding and insisting, Yoongi mentioned that the alphas finally caved and told Hoseok about a heavy tree branch that had snapped during the sheets of rain and violent wind, and fallen on top of the two wolves who’d been out hunting extra food to suffice for the rainstorm. 

When a soaking Jeongguk found them and dragged them to a nearby cave, they were still in their wolf forms. Although this form had helped with rapidly healing their fractures and broken bones, they were still in constant pain and had underestimated the damage from that night.

Hoseok had immediately admitted them to the emergency wing of their infirmary, temporarily moving them into a ward so they could heal in better conditions and with skillful eyes carefully watching over their recovery. 

This meant that Jeongguk had infinite time to spare which he passed by trailing around Jimin in the kitchen. 

His excuse was that he coincidentally chose the kitchen when the head alpha had suggested he pick up some tasks around the pack to pass time as his friends healed. 

Jimin didn’t believe him but that meant confronting and questioning the actual reason Jeongguk appeared in the kitchen well before he did every morning, and so he silently nodded and accepted the enthused pup-like alpha that was always one step behind him. 

The first few weeks consisted of Jeongguk quietly settling on a counter in an isolated corner where he wouldn’t bother anyone. He watched the members of the Kim pack with piercing eyes as if committing the sight of them working together as a well-oiled machine to memory. Something dangerously close to fondness occasionally lined his gaze when he saw something he liked. 

Which was often Jimin. 

Jimin sharing his duties with Yoongi. Jimin celebrating when a recipe he’d been practicing for many moons finally coming together. Jimin taking on special orders for birthday celebrations because only the most important members’ birthdays were publicly celebrated. Jimin reaching up on his tiptoes when a bag of sugar was placed on the highest shelf. 

Jeongguk would jump off the counter then, pressing against the air directly above Jimin’s back and retrieving the bag for him. 

“Let me help,” he murmured right beside Jimin’s ear before reaching over him. 

He didn’t stop with his small acts of service after that. 

The dessert station was coated with Jeongguk’s scent from the moment Jimin walked into the room. 

His gaze went from shifting around the entire place to solely following Jimin, looking for a moment he could jump in to be of service. His hands took control of the prep work Jimin loathed, sharpening knives when Jimin grew frustrated with being left with the most dull blades, offering soft towels when Jimin worked up a sweat, even going as far as dropping to his knees when he spooked Jimin so much by spawning up behind him that Jimin squeaked and dropped the armful of orange peels he’d been taking to the food waste bin. 

Rather than a member of the station like Jimin was, he became Jimin’s assistant who taste-tested all failed recipe attempts, and cheekily stepped behind the beta the moment he pulled an apron over his head to tie a knot around his waist before Jimin could reach back himself. 

Conversation flowed between them, stilted at first and then laden with comfort once Jimin’s shoulders stopped stiffening up in the alpha’s vicinity. Small droplets of Jeongguk poured into Jimin’s hands and Jimin bottled them up in the deepest parts of him where his wolf resided. 

He got to know Jeongguk like this: through small talk about their previous night and planning the next day’s recipe; through favourite colours they preferred their clothes in (monotonous colour schemes for both of them) and favourite meals they could eat for an entire month (deep fried cutlets for Jimin and any kind of meat for Jeongguk); through gentle recollections shared about their late parents and excitable memories about the friends they surrounded themselves with; through slips of honesty that charged the space between them and shared silences that Jimin basked in.

It was impossible to not notice the way Jimin’s quiet wolf was becoming more and more noticeable just like the folklore he’d read. Everyday, Jimin came closer to accepting the ridiculous reality of his wolf being tethered to Jeongguk in some cosmic way, guiding his instincts and feelings but he tried his best to stay collected and reasonable in the presence of Jeongguk knowing he couldn’t get too close to the other alpha. Not if wanted his heart spared when the guests eventually left. 

Time gave way to the cold end of autumn. Thick socks, gloves, coats, and scarves were brought out of the back of drawers, though Jimin found himself constantly gravitating towards a particular scarf with a scent that was fading frustratingly fast. All around them, leaves began falling and then crumbling in crispy sounds under the weight of their feet. Flowers that were persisting against the weather were withering until limp stems were the only things remaining as well as a few bushes that were fighting with all their might to stick around for as long as they could. Preparations for the coldest time of the year began with meal kits being prepared for distribution among houses and families but preparations also began for the final annual celebration to welcome winter. 

Every year, the Kim pack held a mock competition in which hunters set out in their wolf forms to the forest to prove their worth by hunting the biggest kill, the biggest prey. Although it was friendly, competition invited many zealous hunters to take to the forest with their pride in line. It was both an ego boost and also a way to encourage as much hunting as possible for food and fur before they had to pause during snowstorms and cruel weather.   

Every handful of years, Jimin would join the group of hunters just for competitiveness of it all; there was talk this year about the lone wolves taking part too but that would require the men to stay for longer than they’d probably imagined.

Not that Jeongguk looked eager to leave if the way his attention was hyper-fixated on Jimin was anything to go by. 

The packmates had begun taking notice of the budding bond between the two wolves but Jimin was quick to brush off such rumours like they were flecks of dust on his shoulder. 

By now, wolves in Jimin’s shoes would have begun publicly courting each other with heavy intent, but there was internal pushback that allowed Jimin to let his human body take control of the situation rather than letting his animalistic mind succumb to the connection he could feel his wolf drawing to the alpha. 

It was endearing, he agreed, and therefore also dangerous for Jimin’s weak heart but it was fine, he told himself. He reasoned with himself that fostering a crush for a handful of weeks before Jeongguk and his friends went back to their regular routine wasn’t the threat his head was making it out to be.

As long as he didn’t indulge in it or encourage Jeongguk’s own crush (because Jimin was in denial but he wasn’t blind or oblivious) was fine. 

One afternoon, maybe three weeks after the three visitors had made space for themselves in the Kim pack, a flower-bunch entered Jimin’s line of sight, straying Jimin’s attention to the man holding them.

The sun had begun dipping in goodbye for the day and while the rest of the kitchen was still softly bustling and preparing for dinner, Jimin and a small group of others had dusted their hands for the day. In the small backroom where they kept all their belongings, he was wrapping up and getting ready to leave, fingers buttoning up his jacket, when Jeongguk presented a haphazardly wrapped bouquet of carnations, bright pink like Jimin’s cheeks surely were. It ended up being placed directly under Jimin’s nose because of Jeongguk’s enthusiasm but even still, Jimin couldn’t smell anything that wasn’t eucalyptus. 

Around Jimin was a choking cloud of Jeongguk’s scent, ridiculously sweet from his excitement but mixed with a hint of smokiness from nervousness that was also evident on his face. 

Something that was both familiar and foreign joined that scent but Jimin pushed down what he was now recognising as his own dormant scent. 

He coughed, looked around at Yoongi and his other packmates who’d slowed down what they were doing or stopped altogether, and coughed again, “Um.”

Jeongguk rambled, his shifty eyes moving to and away from Jimin’s flushed face, “Hoseok-ssi–” Jimin was going to kill Hoseok, “–mentioned that establishing my intent to court you was followed by gifting birth flowers.”

Between many instances of small talk and conversation passed between them, they’d shared their birthdays with each other. A bright and genuine smile had sat on Jimin’s lips when Jeongguk pouted about Jimin’s birthday passing mere days before he walked into the Kim pack. 

Jeongguk, unfazed by the attention they were getting, continued sincerely, “I couldn’t find any spirea that were still in bloom but got these instead,” he nudged his chin towards the pink blossoms. His voice dropped from how softly he was speaking, “My mom told stories of how she would gift the same flowers to my dad. When she was courting him, she told him that she whispered her wishes to the petals hoping he wouldn’t forget her. I thought it was fitting because I have the same desires: I hope you don’t forget me.”

“Oh my God,” someone choked from behind Jimin. 

Jimin regained his composure so fast it was like a bucket of ice-cold water had been thrown over his head. He snatched the flowers if only so it wasn't being displayed by Jeongguk to the entire room, and then pulled Jeongguk by the wrist towards the exit. 

The heat between their skin was hard to ignore but Jimin did it anyway.

Taking them to a nearby alley beside the building, Jimin spun Jeongguk in front of him and tried not to combust with how it felt like Jeongguk was literally wrapping himself around him. That stupid fucking scent Jimin felt himself getting addicted to with every day that passed. 

“What are you doing?” And before Jeongguk could answer, he continued, “You can’t do that in front of everyone. They’re gonna get the wrong idea.” 

Jeongguk blinked like the cute fucking puppy that he was and Jimin sighed. 

Again he didn’t give Jeongguk a chance to say anything; he took a look around them, irrationally self-conscious about someone looking at the scene like it was their personal form of entertainment. He asked Jeongguk, “Are you doing anything after this?” Jeongguk shook his head. “We need to have a talk, you’re coming over to my place,” Jimin decided because there was no way in the deepest parts of hell that Jimin was going to stand in the middle of the streets and risk embarrassing himself if someone from his pack was listening in.

Especially if this was some kind of prank.

He didn’t wait for Jeongguk’s affirmation, simply weaving between alleys and backstreets to avoid the risk of anyone in the central-most part of town seeing his flustered self.

Jeongguk followed behind him politely, the pit-pat of his steps far slower than the drumming Jimin could hear in his heart. 

At the silence between them—because Jeongguk was a talker once he grew comfortable in the space he was in—Jimin foolishly and subtly sniffed the air around him to gauge the alpha’s emotions but couldn’t pick up on anything that was saccharine and syrupy.

It frustrated him—Jeongguk’s carefreeness and shamelessness, his audacity and borderline insolence, his determination and courage, it all frustrated Jimin.

It reminded him of everything he wasn’t and so by the time they reached the area Jimin’s hanok was located in, Jimin was so furious that he turned the key in his door with force. 

He slipped off his shoes at the doorway, leaving Jeongguk to do the same and turned the short corridor that led him into his living room.

As soon as he saw the book lying forgotten on the dark wooden table at the center of the room, he (carefully) dropped the flowers beside it and whipped back around to see a startled Jeongguk.

He looked out of place in Jimin’s house, or maybe it was that so much of Jimin was monotonous and routine that anything new made him immediately uncomfortable.

Jeongguk’s eyes flicked around the room, catching sight of the vast living room decorated with different shades of wood and accompanied by a brown brick wall that was perfect for trapping heat during winter months. A sturdy staircase sat next to a sliding door that housed the kitchen and separated it from the general open space, something that Jimin was lucky enough to snatch up when he did, especially because he preferred not having his entire place smell like sugar and spices when he cooked. Going up the stairs was the raised platform serving as Jimin’s bedroom that Jeongguk peered at briefly before his eyes darted back to Jimin. 

He followed Jimin’s line of sight to the table but quickly looked back when Jimin took a deep breath and pressed, “What did you mean? At the bathhouse when you said there was only one reason you could smell my scent, what did you mean?” 

Jeongguk shifted on his socked feet, a step forward, another and another until he could look down at the same story the book was opened up to.

“Fated mates…” Jeongguk read from the text.

Jimin interrupted, “Are not real.” 

Jeongguk narrowed his eyes in a challenge, “Are uncommon.” 

A myriad of thoughts passed through Jimin’s head, all falling back on the question of why another intelligent person around him was considering fairytale concepts.

He scoffed but knew he looked too shaken up for any scorn to actually come through in his tone, “Are you that desperate for a mate, Jeongguk? Is your alpha that desperate that it’ll settle for lore created about betas for pups?” 

Jeongguk’s scent exploded between them, so violently potent that Jimin’s eyes watered from it. A sharp tinge of spiciness and sourness loomed over the initial sweetness and completely covered it. There was a dangerous edge to his scent like wafts of angry fields and raging winds as they battled the pour of rainstorms. It washed over anything and everything Jimin owned, cloying his senses and surroundings so that everywhere Jimin looked, felt, tasted, heard, smelled, there was Jeongguk waiting for him.

He didn’t let the piercing fierceness in Jeongguk’s eyes deter his thoughts. He said, “There are plenty of omegas out there, you do not need to show me pity and entertain yourself with fairytales.”

Jeongguk’s jaw clenched, the lines of his face so sharp that Jimin was afraid he would cut himself if he got any closer. 

“You have my scarf on,” Jeongguk breathed.

Jimin looked down in confusion realising he’d unbuttoned and tossed aside his coat but failed to do the same with the scarf. 

Jeongguk rounded the table with cautious steps, his body language careful like he was pacifying a frightened animal, and took a seat without invitation on the plush chair matching the dark colour of the table. 

Jimin couldn’t help but mimic the movement among the haziness of his emotions. 

“I’ve learned to…” Jeongguk said, “to listen to the trees when they talk during my time in the forest. Tales that seem ridiculously childlike have proven to be true; those marked as facts have proven to be false. Fated mates are dismissed because their bond is so similar to that of mating that they’re talked about as one and the same thing. Have you heard of rejected bonds?” Jeongguk asked.

Jimin’s eyebrows furrowed, caught off guard at the question but he nodded nonetheless because rejected bonds were cautionary teachings to warn pups about the improbable but entirely possible danger of one’s wolf rejecting a mating bond.

Jimin hadn’t seen the consequence play out yet but he knew about it.

“Have you ever wondered why that was?” 

The beta sharply inhaled, understanding where Jeongguk was taking this conversation, “No.” 

“Fated mates are uncommon,” Jeongguk stressed, “because so often they’re hidden by mating bonds. Wolves subconsciously recognise who they are fated to be with without understanding the severity of the connection so when they mate, they think the strength of their relationship is because their wolves accept the other person. It’s more easily evident between a beta and another wolf. Betas’ scents are typically dormant or faint but become potent and recognisable to a true mate. Like yours did to me and mine did to you when you put on my scarf. This connection is harder to recognise between alphas and omegas when they’re already susceptible to most scents. When one goes against this fate, mating bonds are rejected.” 

“So they’re punished?” Jimin interrupted. “They’re punished for making free choices over blindly agreeing to whatever is written for them in stone and betas are punished with dormant instincts until a charming wolf comes to swoop them off their feet. Does that sound desirable to you? Is that why you think this,” Jimin motioned a trembling hand between their bodies, “should work out? So you won’t have to deal with a rejected bond in the future?” 

Dejection was noticeable in Jeongguk’s scent, “You think very lowly of me.” 

“I don’t,” Jimin honestly answered, “I think you’re an ideal alpha that so many omegas would happily accept your attention on. They already do,” he said, referring to the pretty omegas who swooned every time the alpha looked in their direction. “You don’t have to sympathise with me and give me pity affection because you think it’s your duty to agree with fate.”

Jeongguk pushed his tongue into his cheek further outlining the attractive profile of his face, “You forget that you had my scent on you before I knew you were a beta. I’d made my desire clear when my alpha recognised you as someone it wanted and howled like a pup the night I met you. Tied to you through fate is just an added bonus for me–a confirmation that my instincts led me to the right place. Fate or not, you can call it whatever you want, but I’m doing this because me and my wolf desire it. Not because I’m obligated to.”

Blinking the stinging in his eyes away, Jimin noted in a thin, weak voice, “You’re awfully calm for having just found out you have a fated mate.”

Jeongguk lifted himself off the chair. He stalked closer to Jimin, watching him with the same intensity of tracking prey but gentleness sparkled in his eyes and washed away any fear Jimin had of Jeongguk’s figure growing closer. 

Like he was recognising the cracks in the walls Jimin constantly surrounded himself in, Jeongguk tenderly affirmed, “I’ve spent years of my life hoping every one of my actions would lead me to the soul I knew I was tied to, wherever they were. There’s no point in me fighting something I’ve wanted all this time but if you want me to do some of the heavy lifting during your fight then I will gladly do so–so long as my days can pass in your scent and you can walk around marked with mine.”

He pushed a fist into the back of the couch Jimin was settled on, leaning down so he was at eye-level—on ground level where Jimin was after having toppled and fallen from the weight of everything he’d learned about himself. Everything he was coming to accept. 

Jeongguk’s other hand playfully tugged the scarf Jimin still hadn’t taken off. 

Warmth drizzled down Jimin body in slow rivets at both Jeongguk’s words and his presence, so lewd but so intoxicatingly inviting.

“It doesn’t smell like you anymore,” he whispered, looking up at Jeongguk. It was as if he was making a final feeble argument, like dismissing the idea of having Jeongguk’s scent on him would deter Jeongguk’s mind. 

In the same soft tone, Jeongguk murmured, “I know. It’s been driving me crazy to smell my scent leaving you. Can I scent it again? I want you to smell like me.”

For some reason, Jimin nodded minutely. He listened and tipped his head back into the couch with a shiver working its way down his spine. 

Jeongguk leaned in with care knowing the fragility of Jimin’s state right now. His nose hovered over Jimin’s cheek, a heavy inhale accompanying the pause he took over Jimin’s skin. A rumble from the deepest parts of his chest left Jeongguk before he was dipping down in a frenzy and nuzzling against Jimin’s neck with the scarf between their skin. 

Even though Jimin knew it was the scarf he was scenting, he couldn’t stop imagining the feeling of Jeongguk’s wet mouth, his cold nose dragging against the scent glands in his neck that he’d always deemed as useless. Spiced eucalyptus pressed between their bodies, the sweetness of what Jimin was recognising as his scent fighting against Jeongguk’s scent but failing because of how laxly and pliantly Jimin sank into his seat. 

On the side of Jimin’s neck was a dull throb, like having Jeongguk this close wasn't nearly enough, like he wanted Jeongguk to press his rounded nose directly onto his gland, to sink even deeper than that so he made a place for himself under Jimin’s skin. 

There was a whine trapped at the very base of his throat that he refused to let out but he wasn’t sure he would be able to hear it through his thundering heart anyway. 

The scarf began to smell as strongly as it had on the first night Jimin pulled it around himself. Entirely and wholly of an alpha Jimin was making space for in his chest.

The moment shattered too quickly, though Jimin couldn’t identify how much time passed with Jeongguk pressed against his neck, when a satisfied Jeongguk moved back to speak against his skin. 

“I’ll leave now before our control slips and I will continue my efforts to prove myself. If you want me to stop, you are going to have to say it with your words but do not misconstrue my intentions. It wounds me,” Jeongguk breathed beside his cheek, truth and mischief evident in his voice in equal parts.  

“What happens when you leave? What happens to me, then?” Jimin asked.

Jeongguk shook his head, swaying forward so that his lips almost met Jimin’s skin, “You don’t need to worry your pretty little head about that. I’m here right now, am I not?”

━━━━━━━━━━━

iii. a knife (and some more flowers)

Jeongguk disappeared the next morning for a handful of days.

Jimin tried not to let his heart sink down to his feet after spending his night replaying and reconciling with Jeongguk’s promise, his scarf shamefully tucked under his pillow, but he couldn’t help but deflate when the morning passed without Jeongguk in sight. He should have expected that, he supposed. Interest always only met him fleetingly before something more vibrant caught the other’s eye–Jimin was used to this. Just because the sting was harsher and more unkind this time didn’t mean that Jimin didn’t know this feeling well.

And yet by the fourth day that Jimin walked into the kitchen with no sign of Jeongguk except for the stale, fading scent of eucalyptus lingering in the air and walked out that evening without Jeongguk waiting at the door to bid him a soft goodbye, he felt himself fall into a disarray. He felt something inside him pathetically close to missing the other alpha. 

There was also frustration building up inside him. A promise that he unknowingly made to himself to not let the alpha affect him so deeply was being broken and Jimin couldn’t even blame Jeongguk for that. It was his own fault for opening up to the syrupy words and believing them.

So fucking much for Jeongguk being here right now.

To calm himself, and also maybe to remind himself not to sway under the alpha’s charm and insistence, he paid the infirmary a visit. His omega friend joined him, expecting to surprise his mate Hoseok there so they could walk home together when he wrapped up.

The Kim pack always walked with their heads high from pride because of the town they’d built from the ground up. Even so, the infirmary was one of their most modern and advanced buildings that Jimin always found himself in awe of. The brick structure spanned wide over the ground and three floors tall towards the sky–their tallest building yet. Each floor opened up to a reception desk for easy navigation with all three also containing fully staffed trauma centers for emergencies and shared and private wards for members to stay overnight as long as they would like. A lift mechanism was installed for accessible travel between floors along with the spiraling staircases that Jimin and Yoongi took two at a time to reach the third floor where Seokjin and Taehyung were held. 

The third level was unofficially labeled as the one housing the healthiest patients and therefore also the ones with least priority; the first floor was kept almost entirely for emergencies so people could be brought in and treated quickly and effectively without having to worry about the slow lift or climbing the stairs. 

When the two walked towards the shared ward the wolf at the reception had directed them to, Jimin wasn’t expecting to see the most fragile and sick-looking alphas but he also wasn’t expecting to see the two alphas curling into themselves from bright laughter with Hoseok practically falling off the chair from his cackles.

There was a pit opening up in Jimin’s stomach–he found himself feeling upset after not seeing Jeongguk beside his friends, and then getting even more upset at himself when he realised he’d come here hoping to see Jeongguk.

Yoongi clicked his tongue beside Jimin, attracting his mates attention almost as soon as they rounded the doorframe. Jimin was sure the alpha must have given himself whiplash from how fast he turned his head. 

The omega stepped up to the back of Hoseok’s chair, curling a big, warm palm around his throat so he could pull Hoseok’s head back and dip down to give him a lingering kiss, slow and deep—an act so intimate that Jimin’s ears heated and he diverted his gaze around the room. Despite the small prickles of envy he felt, his chest tightening uncomfortably hot, when he saw his closest friends so perfectly in love like in the stories he’d been read to as a pup, he was still inexplicably happy for them. He’d come to accept that he wasn’t the audience for those stories, but in spite of his slightly jaded experience with love, he was happy some fairytales were written to narrate the real human experience of love like the one between Yoongi and Hoseok.

Their public affection was a little much sometimes, though, like whenever Yoongi was overcome with boldness, and shredded off his reservations during rare moments to mark his mate as his, uncaring for whoever may be watching. 

A slick sound hinted at the pair separating and then Yoongi questioned “Is this what you get up to when I let you leave the house, hm?” 

“Actually,” Hoseok perked up, remembering something, “the kids and I went out to the town outskirts for practice today and they helped me pick out the last of the flowers still blooming for you. They’re in my office right now.” 

“Was the school dance studio not big enough?”

“Fresh air,” Hoseok declared, standing up from his chair, “is the best antidote to increase productivity.”

Without a second glance, Jimin noted, betrayed, Yoongi followed Hoseok towards where said office was located and left him alone with the two strangers in the room. 

In that moment, he also recalled Jeongguk’s last gift for him, blooming flowers he picked out before winter storms buried them under sheets of snow. He twisted his mouth to the side, a pang of frustration running through him because of how affected he was by Jeongguk’s absence. 

At the same time that the couple left, the ridiculously handsome Taehyung let out a low whistle, turned to Seokjin’s bed, and asked, “How come you don't greet me like that after a rough day of work?” 

Seokjin rolled his perfectly shaped  eyes—seriously, was everyone around Jeongguk also just ridiculously handsome?—and said, “And what hard work do you want me to give you a kiss for?” 

Jimin’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, his eyes darting between the two men like he was watching a game of ball. 

Taehyung pouted and stretched alluringly, ensuring Seokjin caught the strip of skin he revealed, “Does keeping the weight of that fallen tree off your leg mean nothing to you? I practically broke my leg to keep you safe, you know? I didn’t get sweet affection for that.” 

“Well, my big, bad alpha, it’s good we have the gracious Kim pack to take care of that now, isn’t that right Jimin?” Seokjin deadpanned but Jimin wasn’t paying attention. 

His gaze was fixed on Seokjin’s neck, following the contours under the yellow glow of the hospital lights to find the trace of a mating bite he expected to be there but all he saw was a long length of unblemished skin.

There was a quiet sense of familiarity between the two alphas’ bond, evident in their lingering glances and affectionate words but none of the sweetness was artificial. Taehyung spoke with a sense of clarity that suggested his pain was an afterthought, only second to Seokjin himself. And yet there was no mating bite to suggest a claim between them, no mark to confirm the unconventional relationship between them Jimin could see.

 Jimin swayed on his feet like he didn’t know if he wanted to step closer for a better look or not but a low, warning growl stopped him in his tracks. 

On the other bed, all traces of jest were gone from Taehyung’s face. His back straightened and although his bandaged and wrapped leg peeked out from under the bedsheets, he looked like he was gearing up to attack. “Lower your eyes,” Taehyung commanded. 

Seokjin sighed just as Jimin’s eyebrows pulled together at the territorial action. “Taehyung…” the other alpha warned, nose flaring from the pheromones in the room Jimin couldn’t pick up. 

But Jimin spoke over him, his tone cautious from confusion and not wanting to come off as offensive, “Are you two…mates?”

Taehyung scoffed, not even giving Seokjin a chance to open his mouth, and spat out, “Are you always so rude with your curiosity? Why do you want to know?”

Honestly, Jimin answered, “I’ve never seen…”

Seokjin cocked his head then, his eyes studying Jimin’s face like the answers to his own questions were written there. After a pause, he shook his head, “We’re not mates.”

A flurry of questions passed through Jimin’s head all at once. He looked at Taehyung–so defensive and protective like Jimin had known aggressive alphas to be around their omegas. But Seokjin and Taehyung didn’t fit in that binary norm, just like Jimin didn’t. 

They weren’t an alpha/omega pair like Jimin knew the norm to be to be.

The beta helplessly turned back to Seokjin, something Taehyung must not have liked because Seokjin hissed from the scent that had to be permeating the air, body straining not to reach out to the other alpha and offer comfort. 

“Did Jeongguk not tell you about Taehyung and I?” Seokjin asked, the beginning of a grin on his face, “That’s funny because you’re all he talks about to us.” 

Jimin truthfully shook his head, ashamed. Jeongguk surprisingly had shared so much about himself and yet nothing at all. It was disorienting to have the endearing alpha so close to the most vulnerable part of his body just days ago and then realise he knew close to nothing about the only family he had.  

But then Jimin thought about how he knew that Jeongguk’s favourite colour was the rich green of trees in spring after flower petals had fallen to the ground. How Jeongguk had also been part of a tight-knit pack that was ravaged by rogue wolves during a storm similar to the one the three lone wolves were caught up in; it caused an irrational fear of storms in him he felt embarrassed by. How he met Seokjin and Taehyung as a pup who still didn’t know his subgender and grew up under their guidance when he did present as an alpha. How he liked his own scent because he preferred fresh coolness over flowery smells but still liked Jimin’s scent the most of them all. 

Another scoff left Taehyung, this one more amused and less scornful, “Lover boy had better things to focus on, hyung.” 

Jimin flushed all the way down to his toes, opening and closing his mouth before accepting he had no defense for that. 

“Leave him alone, he’s shy,” Seokjin chided, as if his eyes weren’t glinting mischievously.

Which was a kind way of putting things. 

He continued to explain, “Taehyung and I have been together since we were…young. Since we knew what it meant to be together.” 

Jimin blinked, “Together?” 

It wasn’t that Jimin hadn’t seen two wolves grow together and form a stronger bond. Presentation was different for every person and so while one wolf could present as their subgender as early as eleven, others passed eighteen years without presenting. In a community that was built off of bonds and attachments, it was impossible to wait until one’s presentation to express affection so Jimin had seen his friends start courting each other before they even knew what courting entailed. But still, within those pairs existed a binary—an eventual alpha/omega relationship that was the only standard Jimin knew. 

Taehyung said, adjusting himself on the bed and sneaking a sideward glance at Seokjin, “We’re not mates but there really isn’t anyone else out there for us. I think our wolves would reject anyone else.”  

Seokjin observed Jimin uncomfortably closely. It felt like the alpha was peering through his skin and attempting to read his soul. His voice had a soothing quality to it when he said, “Bonds like ours are common in the open forest. The only strictness that’s enforced is among organised packs, which is really a shame. They’re only limiting themselves to a made up rule that has no real substance.” 

“It must be restricting for you here. You must be ready to go back to the forest soon,” Jimin gently said, bowing his head in apology. 

While the concept of unconventional relationships were new and jarring to Jimin who had not only been confined to traditions but also forced into them in his old pack, he didn’t see the two alphas as anything other than two people who quietly cared for each other. It was evident from the first day they made themselves vulnerable and put aside their pride to ask for help from a pack they didn’t know. 

It made sense for Jeongguk, then, to be so forthcoming about his feelings, so accepting of love and connection that didn’t adhere to the strict, traditional rules Jimin grew up with and confined himself in.

Before him, Taehyung pursed his lips and considered Jimin for a moment. “Why would we be going back?” 

Jimin stuttered, “Um…because you’ll be healed soon and you can all return back to how it used to be?” 

“Are you kicking us out right now?” Taehyung raised his eyebrows.

“What he means to say,” Seokjin pointedly said, “is we’re not leaving. Not anytime soon. I mean we’ll go back to the forest every now and then but we’re not leaving. What I said about restrictive packs is true but the Kim pack has been nothing but kind and welcoming to us even as we didn’t hide our relationship with each other. There’s worse out there.” 

Jimin knew all too well of what kind of ‘worse’ was out there.

“You’re gonna keep coming back?” he drew his eyebrows together. 

“We’re staying.” 

“You’re staying? Here? At the Kim Pack?” Jimin asked to confirm. 

Seokjin and Taehyung both nodded and then the older man said, “We basically have new houses to move into once we’re healed.” 

Taehyung huffed out an amused breath and added, “We’d have to drag Jeongguk kicking and screaming to even get him past the hill point. His wolf would start wrecking the forest floor if he had to physically be more than five minutes away from you at all times.” 

Heat crawled up Jimin’s cheeks, sitting at the highest point of his face that he couldn’t hide from the teasing men. 

Seeing the genuine surprise and confusion on Jimin’s face, Taehyung mumbled, “Seriously what do you guys talk about if he hasn’t even told you we’re staying?” 

And, well. It wasn’t like Jimin could say that his brain was so fogged up from having Jeongguk’s scent so close to him, consuming his senses until he was delirious from it, that he couldn’t be sure what Jeongguk had said when Jimin mentioned him leaving. He didn’t have the strength to press Jeongguk for answers when he felt minutes away from imploding in on himself.

Not long after that, Jimin bid the pair goodbye, unsure of whether the questions he came with were answered or just got stacked atop even more questions.

At the door frame just before leaving, Jimin slowly looked back and asked, “Do you believe in true mates?” already knowing the answer he would get. 

On the way to Jimin’s hanok, Yoongi leaned into his side and asked, “Were you there to ask for their blessings or what?” 

Jimin spluttered, tongue twisting around the words he couldn’t seem to form, “What? What are you talking about?” 

Yoongi tugged at the scarf around his neck and Jimin had to mortifyingly contain the urge to flinch away from the touch because he didn’t want anyone else touching it. “You might not be able to tell but you smell like alpha every time you walk out of your house. The entire pack is waiting for what happens next,” he shrugged, casual and collected as if Jimin hadn’t spent years laying his insecurities about his relationship with love before the omega. “I just assumed that was the next logical step with the courting thing going on, seeing as they basically adopted Jeongguk as their son.” 

Jimin wanted to tell Yoongi he could tell what he smelled like, that he folded the scarf under his pillow so Jeongguk could travel his way to Jimin’s dreams too. He wanted to ask is that allowed? Was he allowed to think about courtship and blessings when all he’d known was fleeting interest before people realised their instincts clashed with his, just like Jimin suspected was happening with the elusive Jeongguk right now. Was he allowed an entire pack’s support when he was no less than a servant at his last one?

Instead of voicing any of that, he burrowed his nose in the wool and carefully inhaled a lungful of eucalyptus.

━━━━━━━━━━━

Rounding the alley corner he always took towards his home, Jimin almost scared himself out of his skin when he nearly walked face first into a broad chest.

He flinched back and made eye contact with a very amused Jeongguk, devastatingly gorgeous with the skin peeking under his coat glistening from a warmth that was rare to find as the sun started dipping earlier and earlier every day. His scent seemed more potent like it was blooming under anticipation and something Jimin couldn’t place in its sweet undertone. 

It made Jimin angry. It made him wholly and completely frustrated to see Jeongguk so…

So fine.

So okay.

So handsome. 

All while Jimin’s wolf had been withering away from all the unanswered questions he kept piling onto it every day that passed with Jeongguk still nowhere to be seen. Which was embarrassing because it was only a week long disappearance but Jimin had grown used to seeing Jeongguk in his peripheral, his scent trailing after Jimin like it was his second shadow.

It was unfair for Jeongguk to be so casual in front of him right now.

The alpha rocked on his feet now, his scent immediately engulfing Jimin like it was hugging him in apology, and said, “Hi.” 

Jimin huffed because if he didn’t roll his eyes he would smile and he didn’t want to give in so easily. “Hi.” 

Jeongguk titled his head in question, strands of his wavy hair unhooking from behind his ear and falling forward to frame his face. Under the sleepy sunlight, he looked like the embodiment of the Moon Goddess herself, so worthy of devotion and care. 

He didn’t let Jimin’s sour mood deter him from pulling his hands from behind his back where Jimin didn’t notice they were hidden. Jimin had to rapidly blink away the distraction that was Jeongguk to make sense of what he was holding.

“Spiraeas aren’t in bloom anymore but I still wanted to honour the tradition so I made them,” Jeongguk softly explained, nudging the flowers in his hand that weren’t real but were hand crafted to near perfection. 

Ashamed of the stinging in his eyes, and also reminiscent of the day Jeongguk had popped up with flowers before, Jimin turned around and led them down the short path towards where his hanok was located. The walk was brief because while Jeongguk wasn’t creepily waiting directly outside his house, he also hadn’t been waiting too far from Jimin’s place. Jimin took quick steps to speed it up even further. 

Jeongguk diligently followed in silence and worsened the thick lump in Jimin’s throat. He battled with himself, unsure if he should lean into the silly joy he felt after seeing the alpha again or into the frustration of every change happening around him that completely washed over him after seeing the alpha again.

The hesitance with which Jeongguk had first walked behind him was no longer there. His eyes didn’t stray to study the layout of the house this time. Instead he was completely focused on Jimin who stumbled out of his shoes and practically stomped his way to his living room.

Only for a second, he looked away and caught the drying pink flowers laid out on Jimin’s center table and gave him a sweet smile. 

Jimin still hadn’t taken the flowers from Jeongguk’s hands and before he could, Jeongguk noticed with squinting eyes, "You're not wearing my scarf anymore.” 

Jimin shook his head, “No,” he said petulantly, and then, “And I told you not to do that in front of everyone. They’ll get the wrong id—”

“I’m not giving anyone the wrong idea if it’s pretty clear what my intentions are. You haven’t told me to stop pursuing you,” Jeongguk challenged. He shrugged off his coat and let it land with a quiet thunk on Jimin’s couch.

Taking steps closer until he stood almost toe to toe with Jimin, he presented his flowers again. Clusters of tiny white flowers were gathered and bunched up into a bouquet with a pretty silk ribbon tying the stems together. Upon closer look it was clear that every petal, every leaf, every bud, every stem was handcrafted with the nicest coloured paper that the crafting store created for binding books or for the fun art classes in the town’s school. 

Still, Jimin didn’t reach out to take them, he tilted his head back to look at the taller man and argued, “You weren’t around for me to say no to.” 

Jeongguk’s expression faltered for a brief second before he was standing up straighter and asking, “Are you upset with me?”

But Jimin didn’t have a clear answer to that. He pursed his lips and only added to the list of questions falling between them, “When are you leaving? When are you going back to the forest?”

Jeongguk pushed his lips into a pout, confused. “I’m not,” he slowly answered, “Why would I want to leave? I thought Taehyung-hyung already told you that, he said he did.” 

It was that flippant explanation that caused Jimin’s frustrations to boil over. The tightness in his chest that was being dangerously coiled snapped. His voice raised involuntarily, “Exactly! Taehyung told me you weren’t leaving, I had to find this out from your friends. How am I supposed to take your efforts seriously when I’ve been expecting you to leave all this time?”

There was an expression of pure upset on Jeongguk’s face at that, “I told you I’m here right now–”

“I don’t care about right now,” Jimin pressed, his voice cracking from embarrassing desperation, “You said that before too and then I didn’t see you for days after that. What else am I supposed to think when you’ve been staying here as a guest this entire time? I expect you to leave.” 

Jeongguk clenched his jaw, the same kind of frustration sneaking into him too. Good. It was about time. 

His mouth twitched, drawing Jimin’s attention to the mole below it but before Jimin could get distracted he firmly explained, “I was with the crafters this whole week. I didn’t leave.” 

“You didn’t tell me that. All I’ve known is people leaving so there was no other way I could’ve seen it any differently,” the beta said, almost shivering under the weight of Jeongguk’s scent. 

“That’s not me. I wouldn’t just leave after this,” Jeongguk stressed, his fingers pointing between their bodies.

Jimin’s hand darted out to cover Jeongguk’s own where it was still holding onto the flowers. He clutched onto the other man’s arm where ink swirled on his skin, and hissed, “Then say it. If you’re gonna stay, say it.” 

Searching Jimin’s eyes with clarity on his own, Jeongguk brought his other hand up and rested along Jimin’s neck. His big palm engulfed Jimin’s scent gland and only then did Jimin realise there was a second scent pushing back against Jeongguk’s for firmly. It had grown like smoke in the air, pungent and pronounced but before Jimin could try to make sense of it, his focus drifted to the eucalyptus in their air. 

Jeongguk pressed closer, the gland on his wrist so close to the one on Jimin’s neck.

He stated, “A hundred times. I would say it a hundred times if you wanted to hear it, Jimin. I will say it today, and tomorrow, and every day that I’ll be here because I’m staying.”

Pushing into the touch, Jimin mumbled, “I don’t get why.” 

Jeongguk chuckled, a blinding smile on his face that was breathtakingly beautiful. “You don’t?” 

Jimin shook his head.

“Don’t you feel that pull inside you?” the alpha asked, drawing his hand down so it covered Jimin’s heart, “Don’t you feel your wolf asking for me? It’s all I feel all the time. Why wouldn’t I want to chase that pull?” 

A shuddery breath left Jimin. He swayed forward until his forehead landed on Jeongguk’s shoulder, the other man gently catching him as he saw the fight leaving Jimin.

“I don’t know if I’m allowed. I’ve never been allowed to want something so much,” Jimin whispered in the space between them, letting Jeongguk catch the words that had been plaguing him. 

In the time they’d gotten to know each other, Jimin had dropped small pieces of his past and wondered if Jeongguk ever caught onto them—pasts that taught him about invisibility and inflicted insecurities even if Jeongguk looked at him like Jimin was all he saw.

A heartbeat worked fast and hard between them—Jimin didn’t know if it was his or Jeongguk’s or the melody of both combined.

“There’s very little I wouldn’t allow you to do, Jimin. You’re allowed to take from me as much as you want,” Jeongguk said with conviction. “Just please…can you trust me?”

“And if I ask you to stop, would you leave then?” Jimin asked because he needed to know. He needed to know if Jeongguk only felt entitled to him because they were caught in this fairytale concept even though his first actions with the scarf already disproved that.

A tinge of bitterness washed over the scent permeating through the walls of Jimin’s house. 

Jeongguk said, “Then I would stop. But no I can’t leave, I don’t know how I would stop myself from crawling back to you every time. If the sidelines is where you want me then the sidelines is where I will be. As long as I can still look at you.” 

A long moment passed while Jimin tried not to let his overwhelm consume him, “Why are you so nice?” he mumbled into Jeongguk’s shirt.

“Nice isn’t really what I’m going for with the whole courting thing,” Jeongguk joked.

Jimin let out a wet chuckle, only then noticing his blinking eyes that were keeping pathetic tears at bay. To Jeongguk he whispered, “Slow. I’ll get there soon but I’ll be slow.” 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Jeongguk made a point to say, “so I don’t mind the wait. Does that mean you’ll take my flowers?” 

Lifting his head with a tentative and slightly apologetic smile, Jimin said, “Yeah…yeah, Jeongguk.” 

He tried reaching for the flowers but Jeongguk stepped back. He had a sheepish smile on when Jimin looked at him in question.

He took another step back then another and another until the back of his legs hit the couch, “I wasn’t at the crafters for a week only making you flowers,” Jeongguk said. He plopped down on the couch, patting the seat beside him twice before grabbing his jacket he’d folded over the armrest. 

When Jimin joined him, he was holding a long wooden box in his hands. Sliding the top open revealed a sharp, pristine kitchen knife atop a bed of straw. Its hilt was a dark rosewood colour that looked to be hand carved to its perfect shape. The shining silver blade that followed the hilt was wide but thin and engraved with winding flowers along the body, each flower engraved with precision and technique Jimin had never seen before. 

He ran a gentle finger along the carvings, marveling at the texture he felt. 

When he looked up, Jeongguk was watching him with the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile. 

“Did—Did you make–?” 

“Make this?” Jeongguk finished, “Yeah, I’ve sharpened blades and shaped hilts before but the carvings were new to me. I worked with Namjoon for that, he has some resourceful books in his library.” Similarly to Jimin, Jeongguk also ran a finger down the carvings in admiration. Their fingers brushed at the tip and a jolt of electricity moved between their skin. “The flowers are a little off center on the blade but…I wanted you to have something of mine when you’re working in the kitchen.” 

Jimin leaned closer over Jeongguk’s lap. The blade glinted under the soft sunlight pouring in through his windows. “What kind of flowers are those?” 

They weren’t the spiraeas that Jeongguk was still holding onto nor the carnations from before.

“Orange blossoms,” Jeongguk answered with a deep breath.

Orange blossoms, Jimin repeated in his head. Something about that sounded familiar but he couldn’t place why.

And then, Jeongguk was saying, “It’s your scent. Orange blossoms and brown sugar—sweet.” 

Jimin froze. Every time he felt a second scent intertwining with Jeongguk’s in the air, he knew it was his own that was being pulled out of its repressive state but it wasn’t distinct enough for Jimin to note. He’d never even considered putting a name to his scent, no one had gotten close enough to do it for him either. 

Like he could tell, Jeongguk explained, “It’s most evident when whatever block you have around your wolf gets lifted for a little bit. My old pack used to have many sweet orange trees in our town that I used to love playing around so I recognised what it was immediately. It was why I was so quickly enamoured with you.” 

“Are there times you can’t smell my scent?” Jimin asked to which Jeongguk nodded with a kind smile. “And you still…?”

Jeongguk answered the silent question Jimin was posing with a resolute, “And I still do.”

The beta slowly reached for both gifts. He faintly dropped the wooden box on his lap and brought the artificial flowers to his nose, not expecting a scent but laughing softly when he inhaled a lungful of eucalyptus. 

“It’s beautiful. Both of them. Thank you,” Though no words were enough to express what he was feeling at that moment. 

The stars in the entire fucking sky lit up in Jeongguk’s eyes. His scent sweetened until it was thick and syrupy and perfect to sink into. But before Jimin could do exactly that, he asked, “You’re accepting them? Right?” 

“Yeah,” Jimin let out a slow breath because it wasn’t just the gifts he was accepting.

Jeongguk’s shoulders slumped as tension physically poured out of him. “You’re not gonna ask me to stop?” he confirmed.

Through the sudden emotion catching in his throat, Jimin reached for Jeongguk’s hand and said, “No, Jeongguk. Of course not.” 

━━━━━━━━━━━

iv. prey

Just like the days leading up to Chuseok, the winter celebration brought on a sense of anticipation that could be felt by every wolf of the Kim pack. Between the slow hours at the dining hall, the kitchen was steadily making progress on all the winter preparations that had been decided on for this season. Trusting the cold weather to keep the food frozen and preserved, the kitchen’s work load was increased by the day so that every member of the pack was accounted for if a sudden storm took them by surprise and left them unable to operate the kitchens.

Wolves began flocking to the training grounds at the furthest edges of their town to get themselves worked up and ready for a full day of hunting in the forest. Hunters like Hoseok, Namjoon, Yoongi, and Jimin were eventually joined by the three new alphas unofficially part of their pack, training their fellow members as the winter festival was underway. Skills and tips were introduced to the trainees when the lone wolves detailed their time alone in their forest—it was an opportunity they used to bond with the pack and get affiliated with the members, not yet establishing that they were intending on staying but not hiding it either.

Especially with the grand efforts Jeongguk made to grow closer to Jimin, more than he already had. 

After leaving Jimin with two more gifts to add to his growing collection, Jeongguk made a point to be even more mindful about clinging to Jimin, constantly in the beta’s line of sight and letting Jimin know exactly where he could be found whenever he wandered off somewhere. Any subtlety that remained between them was completely gone, and even though it was mortifying to have even more of Jeongguk’s attention than before, Jimin found himself pleasantly basking in it.

With the Kim pack being one of the largest and strongest packs in the general forest area, Jimin found there to be less scrutiny and nosiness among the members, especially compared to his previous pack. Members were more amiable and open, yes, but they also valued their own privacy and independence, evident from the unbelievably big housing section to give everyone the option of individual houses. 

But still, it was almost impossible to escape whispers.

It started off as unnoticeable–glinting eyes that followed Jimin when he was in close proximity to Jeongguk or hushed yet excited whispers when Jeongguk did something bold in front of an audience. Word spread like wildfire in the woodland until Jimin finally understood Yoongi’s words about the entire pack waiting for what came next, their anticipation just as palpable for this as it was for the winter festival.

Overthinking the entire situation—as expected from Jimin—he had wondered if everything was happening too fast, if everything around him was changing too quickly for him to make sense of.

When he’d mentioned these concerns to Jeongguk, the alpha had only pulled Jimin closer by the scarf he’d scented again before leaving Jimin’s house, and said, “Time moves differently for our instincts. It’s even nonexistent sometimes. So no, I don't think this is moving too fast. If you want me to slow down then you can ask and I’ll gladly wait until you think you’ve caught up.”

Jimin had stayed quiet, because what could he have said that wasn’t an embarrassing mumble of something nonsensical?

Not wanting his own doubt to creep into Jeongguk, Jimin stepped up his own efforts. In lieu of grand expressions of affection, he started off small by spending the last hour of every day in the kitchen making something specifically for Jeongguk. 

The man had a big appetite and an even bigger sweet tooth so Jimin took advantage of that by coyly and silently working around the kitchen towards the end of the day and packing his sweets up in a small little box to give to Jeongguk. Every day, the pair took the same route to Jimin’s house as Jeongguk walked Jimin home and with the festival approaching the walks got longer and longer with exhaustion dragging their steps. Sitting on the front porch steps of Jimin’s hanok every evening, he was greeted with scrunched eyebrows and a big frown but it took him a few times of experimenting with new recipes to find out that Jeongguk’s angry face was also his approval face. 

Jeongguk was so fucking cute, Jimin wanted to die because of it. 

The small efforts seemed to be enough for Jeongguk, though, who preened with a blush high on his cheeks every time Jimin unfurled his hand with a new box of candy on his palm. 

Because as a beta Jimin couldn’t exactly scent something of his to present to Jeongguk, he’d settled on this small act for now but Jeongguk lit up under the attention nonetheless. 

Their bond grew stronger but gentler as the days got closer to the festival and by the time the sun rose up to announce the day of hunting, it was clear that there was no sense of duty or respect for fate guiding their relationship but a genuine connection that didn’t rely only on a soul bond.

Their bond was more subtle than not, presenting itself as instinct and intuition rather than guiding their decisions for them like Jimin came to expect. It meant that Jeongguk’s affections for him were real and true irrespective of their bond.

Ultimately, he couldn’t deny his infatuation with the other man.

He was so ridiculously smitten that he constantly felt them as butterflies in his chest. 

It was a wholly unknown feeling for him and it was fucking dangerous to feel the attachment forming so strongly between them but for the first time Jimin thought the fear was worth having what he had with Jeongguk.

The day of the final annual festival arrived with a dimly lit sun and a clear dull sky. Hunters flocked to the tree line at the edge of the hill and the head omega commenced the day with a proud voice, “The Kim pack’s last annual festival is meant to be a competition but also a celebration of another year passing. Be on the lookout for your fellow hunters and treat them as the competitors that they are. We’ll be waiting for you to return safely.” 

Zealous hunters began tiptoeing into the woods, some shedding their clothes right at the outer edge of the town while others jogged further inward and waited it out. 

Crossing his arms, Jimin watched with a smile as Yoongi and Hoseok shifted into majestic wolves spanning tall and wide and nearly the same size as the other. As an instinctual and primal part of themselves, the first thing they did was huddle close and nuzzle into each other’s neck to get closer to their scents. The honey brown of Yoongi’s fur was a direct compliment to the rich brown of Hoseok’s and after they then drifted off further into the forest, Jimin watched in awe, seeing how closely aligned the two were—a pack and family on their own even as they were part of something much bigger. 

A soft nudge caught Jimin’s attention. He lowered his eyes to see a similarly stunning wolf beside him. It was massive, quickly reaching Jimin’s ribs when it stood up tall but when it was lowering itself to ground like it was now, it sat at about Jimin’s thigh. Its fur was the colour of snow, thick and soft and like it would feel insanely warm under Jimin’s fingers. Its eyes, black as the night sky, peered up at Jimin before it hit its snout against Jimin’s legs. 

Eucalyptus was the most intense it had ever been.

Jimin crouched down, his hand faltering in the air for a brief second before he let it fall into the white fur. “Jeongguk,” he whispered.

Jeongguk let out a happy huff and pushed into Jimin’s touch with a force he couldn’t recognise as a wolf.

A loud giggle left Jimin. He moved his hand through the fur in a soothing motion and then lifted it up to rub his fingers over Jeongguk’s ears. 

The wolf’s tail wagged like a puppy. 

The fur around his ears was long just like Jeongguk’s own hair was and Jimin swore that if he stared at Jeongguk in this form for long enough, he’d start seeing the man’s features on it. 

“You’re so pretty,” Jimin murmured, “Pretty pup. I like your fur,” he felt brave enough to say, admiring the softness of the light coloured fur that was so in contrast to the dark look Jeongguk carried with him all time. Standing next to him, Jimin’s own wolf would be of a rich black and Jimin instantly thought about how complimentary they would look together, just as Yoongi and Hoseok had. 

The physicality of own wolf had come as a surprise to everyone around him; his naturally blonde hair alluded to a yellow wolf but he’d shifted into something large with completely black fur—a phenomenon unlike anything else others had known before. The same kind of uniqueness showing itself in Jeongguk was a blindingly obvious sign towards their compatibility. Jimin almost considered shifting just to see what he would look like next to Jeongguk. 

Whenever Jimin did shift, the primal, relaxed part of him was so prominent in leading his instincts that anything said to him was a blur in that moment. He hoped it would be the same for Jeongguk as he leaned down to drop a soft kiss behind his ear. Another one behind his other ear then between his eyes then on his nose. 

He undid the thin scarf around his neck, different from the one he usually wore, and loosely tied it at the base of Jeongguk’s leg, proud of how it looked like Jeongguk’s white fur had been marked with Jimin’s touch.

Newfound energy took over Jeongguk. He rose up to full height and with a final nudge against Jimin, he ran into the woods with another grey wolf trudging behind him.

Glancing to the side, Jimin saw a healed Taehyung watching the two wolves, the other one clearly being Seokjin, until they were out of sight. He turned to Jimin and flashed the beta a roguish grin and teasing wink that Jimin couldn’t help but blush at. 

“What?” Jimin defensively asked.

“Not gonna join your boy?” asked Taehyung.

Jimin sniffled, “I have work.” 

Taehyung’s smile widened, “Then are you sad Jeongguk isn’t gonna join you?” 

Fumbling for his words, Jimin managed to get out a “no” before he turned on his heels and walked towards the central town.

There wasn’t much to do as they waited for the hunters to return, truthfully.

Every year Yoongi and Jimin alternated going out to hunt so one of them could watch over the kitchen unless they both really wanted to go together. After Jimin had spent time hunting last year, he was more than happy to stay behind in the kitchen this year, even if it wasn’t entirely necessary. The kitchen was meticulous and also excessive when preparing for winter so Jimin knew he could have just pulled out something from their growing preserves and gone hunting too, but he liked the quietness of the kitchen that came with this festival. 

Movements were languid and slow, voices hushed but growing in loudness once the first person there let out a booming laugh. It was a carefree environment in the kitchen that had been misplaced for a while as they worked harder than before to stock up for the winter.

As per tradition, the kitchen languidly waited for the first hunter to return back and prepare fresh meat for the night which usually came from the head alpha’s hunt. In the meantime everyone lazed around while Jimin worked on slowly creating dense mooncakes alongside his fellow packmates for the night. 

Hunters stumbled back to the town one by one throughout the day, pats on their backs and warm congratulations greeting them as they added their prey to the competition. The Kim pack was gifted with rabbits, elks, hares, calves, and deer for meat, a pile of fish for preservation purposes, birds and their eggs to nurse in their coop for the more desperate days, vegetation and fruits that would create perfect soup blends, and beavers and cubs for fur. With every new hunt, cheers were louder and the town grew more excited. Wolves began running up to the tree line and waiting for their mates and families to return, giving them tight hugs of joy when they did. 

Per the rules, hunters had to return to the tree line by sundown to celebrate the last autumn full moon and get considered for the competition and so by the late afternoon, there were enough hunters back to make guesses about the winner. When evening rolled around, the top contenders in running with the largest hunts had already been tentatively selected. 

Jimin watched with a distracted smile, rocking on his feet and searching over the trees, when some of the last hunters trotted up with prey between their teeth. Lounging close by with his back against a tree was Taehyung. He looked entirely unbothered that Seokjin was still caught up in the forest with Jeongguk—the last two wolves still not back—but Jimin couldn’t find it in himself to reflect the same kind of calm.

Distantly, there was a part of Jimin that wanted Jeongguk to return in time to prove himself as part of the pack too, so when he saw the pure white of Jeongguk’s wolf finally approaching in the far distance, Jimin’s chest expanded in joy. 

Seokjin, who was shifted into a large, entirely grey wolf that stood taller than even Jeongguk, led the way back dragging an enormous elk along with him.

From somewhere behind Jimin, Taehyung let out a slow whistle of appreciation as the wolf sauntered forward in the slow, measured steps of a predator. The wolf’s ears twitched on its head as it followed every small sound around it, its damp snout up in the air to catch the trail back to town. Seokjin walked up the path in a fashion that was entirely primal and instinctual, and readily protective of Jeongguk who followed close behind.

Jeongguk, on the other hand, was…a sight to behold. Despite Seokjin’s protective presence, Jeongguk walked with a confidence that could lead the lands of the forest as he came into view with not one, not two, but four foxes limply hanging from his muzzle. Deep red colour was smeared and streaked across his face as evidence of the attack but it could also be seen in the piercing gaze in his eyes as he watched every movement around him and kept his eyes upright and alert for any kind of unnatural sound that could be deemed as dangerous. The long length of his body, too, rose and fell rhythmically as the most animal part of him led him back to the town. 

Reaching the edge of the town, hunters were meant to trek inward and present their prey to the waiting members of the Kim pack and the head alpha and omega. Seokjin did just that, eliciting a low gasp as everyone seemed to realise just how big and impressive the kill was. Almost the size of his own body, Seokjin dropped the elk at the head alpha's feet and nudged it closer with a proud huff. The older alpha moved past the surprise of the sheer size and let out a hearty laugh, a speechless and thankful nod following to show he’d accepted Seokjin’s catch.

Seokjin shifted back quickly after that. Because, as a lone wolf, he was more comfortable not being as modest as the Kim pack, he didn’t mind the brief nudity in front of everyone before Taehyung was strolling forward with a set of clothes.

Close behind Seokjin, Jeongguk had dropped his own catch to the ground. Not because it was heavy or impractical, but because the wolf first searched through the pile to pick out a thick, healthy hare Jimin hadn’t even noticed, and repeated the same process Seokjin had. 

Jeongguk was met with a lot more confusion from both the leaders of the pack and the other members but the head alpha nodded to signify his acceptance nonetheless and waited to see what the white wolf was up to. 

With a huff Jeongguk backed away to his pile of foxes and moved them around until he could fit them in his muzzle again. A low grunt left him when he lifted the lifeless foxes up, his sharp eyes finding and tracking Jimin like he was now the prey. 

The drumming beat of Jimin’s heart sounded in his temples. He waited with bated breath as Jeongguk crawled forward in front of an innumerable audience watching his every move with rapt attention, and stopped right where Jimin’s feet were tethered to the ground.

Lowering himself to the ground in a show of submission, Jeongguk let his mouth fall open and presented his hunt to Jimin.

A murmur broke out among the crowd. 

Old traditions had been dissolved with every advancement that came along the Kim pack’s way but the most common sign of courting existing generations before Jimin was born, was the act of proving yourself by showing you were a provider for your potential mate. The tradition itself had been replaced by more cultural ones that were personalised to each pack so most members of the Kim pack didn’t even consider fulfilling or attempting this particular courting ritual. But it still remained a primal act of admiration that connected man to wolf. 

Jimin stood stunned in front of everyone he ever knew and tried to find the words to express what he was feeling for this ultimate show of devotion.

Jeongguk could have easily stuck with initiating himself into the pack by being an enthused participant of the annual festival but he chose to reveal himself completely. He proved to Jimin that joining the pack wasn’t just something he was considering, but a concrete fact that everyone could hold him accountable to. 

In a daze, Jimin crouched down. His eyes drifted over the prey that should have been disgusting and grossed him out but he was struck with an overwhelming sense of affection and want for the man that Jeongguk was. A warm, weighty feeling pressed against his groin and Jeongguk’s scent, so intensified in this form, didn’t help the beginnings of arousal that Jimin felt at Jeongguk’d sheer display of command and confidence like alphas were known to have. His heart almost exploded in his chest from how far it was expanding just so it could hold the emotions Jeongguk evoked in him. 

He eyed the wolf watching him with considerate eyes, gauging his reaction. 

“Is this for me?” Jimin whispered so that only Jeongguk could hear.

He held a palm out that Jeongguk immediately pushed his face into with a satisfied yip when Jimin leaned into him instead of pushing away.

Knowing Jeongguk couldn’t answer like this but wanting to get his questions out anyway, Jimin asked, “You’re so brave but what if I’d said no, hm? Didn’t you think about how that could have hurt your pride?” 

Jeongguk huffed out a whimper. He shook off Jimin’s hand until he could take two of the beta’s fingers between his teeth and press down with a gentle hold. The same canines that had ripped through animal skin and bone so he could gather them as a courting gift now playfully held Jimin’s finger. 

Not keeping the alpha waiting any longer, Jimin dropped down to press a kiss between his eyes and murmured, “Thank you, my pretty pup. You’re gonna make an ideal alpha, how lucky am I,” into the soft fur, uncaring if Jeongguk even heard his words. 

Jeongguk didn’t have a reason to stay in his wolf form after that so he shifted back and the rest of the festival commenced as it always had. 

Excited wolves bounded up to Jimin who couldn’t look Jeongguk in the eye after the man had risen up completely naked and prioritised taking the beta’s hand to press a kiss to his palm before finding clothes to cover himself. 

Jimin wore a high blush on his cheekbones and spoke over the speeding of his heart to those gushing after Jeongguk’s public courting. Whenever his eyes strayed to sneak glances at the alpha unravelling his insides, he noticed the same blush on Jeongguk’s cheeks too. They danced around each other in a practiced waltz until finally inching closer together between shy smiles and starry gazes. 

The world existed around them as they created one of their own.

It didn’t come as a shock to anyone that Seokjin was crowned as the winner of the mock competition by hunting the largest, most plentiful elk that night, and as such he was granted a free favour he could use to his advantage at any time.

He strolled back to the table and settled back next to Taehyung after being called to the center of the crowd by the head alpha. Sitting beside him was Namjoon happily getting acquainted with the new trio of alphas joining their pack, and opposite them sat Jimin, squeezed between Jeongguk and Yoongi with Hoseok on Yoongi’s other side.

Seokjin wiggled in his seat when Taehyung pressed a congratulatory kiss to his cheek before turning to Jeongguk and mentioning, “I was expecting you to be more competitive today. When it’s just us who have a competition, you treat it like a life or death match, what happened today?”

Namjoon and Hoseok chuckled in good nature as if their competitiveness didn’t have them pouting when Seokjin won.

From beside Jimin, Jeongguk shrugged. His shoulders brushed against Jimin in an act that was too forced to be composed and collected. He said in a warm tone, “I wasn’t really trying to win anything. I just wanted to prove myself as a worthy and reliable mate.” 

Jimin’s blush returned with full blown intensity, making him feel lightheaded. He hid his stupidly giddy grin in his scarf and tried not to melt in a puddle of warmth right there.

As the conversation progressed, Jimin found himself tuning out everything aside from every inch of his and Jeongguk’s bodies pressed close together. Glancing up to make sure no one was paying attention to him, he pulled his arm under the table and searched for Jeongguk’s hand. The first touch of the alpha’s warm skin sent a tremble down Jimin’s spine and he felt Jeongguk’s scent grow in sweet intensity when Jimin linked his pinky with Jeongguk’s as if making a promise for something much bigger. 

━━━━━━━━━━━

v. a (scented) blanket 

Jimin was embarrassed. 

Not of Jeongguk or by Jeongguk but of how Jeongguk awakened the dormant butterflies in his stomach and set them free through side glances and adoring smiles that caused never-ending flutters in his chest.

The annual winter festival wasn’t just an initiation of Jeongguk’s place in the Kim pack—solidifying his stay when the head alpha accepted the lone alphas with warm, welcoming arms and even crowned them as rightful winners in the competition—but it was also a public and intentional declaration of his devotion to Jimin. 

The entire sentiment set Jimin’s heart on fire and it took him close to a week to be able to look Jeongguk straight in the eye again, not that Jeongguk made that easy with how he leaned into or bowed his head into Jimin’s line of sight so the beta had no choice but to acknowledge the alpha’s close proximity. 

Jeongguk still continued to be conscious about taking things slow like Jimin had asked but he also refused to hold back on his affection publicly and privately. Days passed with Jimin basking in the attention and giving it back in equal parts, always giddy when he managed to fluster Jeongguk in the same way that Jeongguk flustered him. His shyness melted away into internal resolution and it showed in his quiet confidence around Jeongguk expanding further and further until Jeongguk was often spotting a blush more than Jimin was. 

It was exhilarating and equally as daunting, like working his way up to a high and expecting a swift fall to come with every step forward he took. 

Jeongguk made sure to reassure Jimin that if a fall did come, he’d be waiting with his arms and body open, ready to break his fall with a warm hug. Jimin tried his best to reflect the same sentiment and hoped Jeongguk wasn’t doubting his own intentions because of how slow he was to catch up, although that didn’t seem to be a problem that even crossed Jeongguk’s mind. 

The first time Jimin presented Jeongguk with a flower, not a tiger lily but orange just like his birth flower was, Jeongguk had nearly combusted on the spot. It seemed like he held Jimin on a pedestal that Jimin found himself wanting to be worthy of standing on and before he knew it, two entire moon cycles had passed with increased efforts on Jimin’s end, opening himself up to trust Jeongguk like the alpha had once asked. 

One evening after the kitchen and dining hall had wrapped up dinner for the night, a knock arrived on Jimin’s door. 

He looked up from the book he was reading. 

As the months descended towards winter, the winds overhead had begun signaling a dangerous storm that failed to come, a built up energy that was bound to expel soon. Jimin could hear the warnings of it right down as it pushed against the doors and windows of his hanok, rustling the bare branches of trees and kicking up the dirt on the ground and letting the sound carry through the walls. 

Not wanting to keep the other person waiting in the chill, Jimin jumped up from his seat and walked to the door. 

Pulling it open, he didn’t know who to expect but his mouth dropped open when he came across a flushed Jeongguk, his milky skin blemished with pinkening ears and nose, looking adorably snuggly at Jimin’s front step. 

“Jeongguk-ah?” Jimin murmured in surprise. He reached out for Jeongguk’s hand and began pulling him in quickly, “Come in, come in. It’s cold, why are you out in the cold?”

The alpha let out a soft chuckle, openly accepting Jimin’s fussing with a small grin. 

Jimin reached up to push Jeongguk’s hair behind his ear, taking the lobe between his fingers and rubbing the skin so it warmed slightly. It elicited a cute shiver from Jeongguk and Jimin smirked knowing that it was only partially because of the temperature change. 

“Mm, warm,” Jeongguk hummed. 

“Want a blanket?” Jimin asked in an overly endearing tone from seeing Jeongguk’s eyes flutter close and sway into Jimin’s space like a magnet to metal. 

Jeongguk let out a pleased rumble that was rich and deep, and Jimin found himself glad Jeongguk’s eyes were closed and he couldn't pick up on Jimin’s own shiver. 

“Yes, please,” Jeongguk politely agreed. 

Jimin led them to his living room where they seemed to collide so often. He pulled Jeongguk down beside him and covered the man’s shoulders in the blanket Jimin had been covering himself with the entire evening. 

The man pushed into the plush seat, getting comfortable and letting out cute sounds of happiness that Jimin held dearly to his heart. 

He pointed at the basket Jeongguk came in holding, curiosity evident in his voice when he asked, “What’s that?”

Jeongguk pulled it to his lap at the question. He drummed his fingers over the top, not in nervousness but to prolong time and tease Jimin. 

In the time they’d gotten to know each other, he learned all about how impatient and curious Jimin could get. 

Jimin huffed with a playful roll of his eyes but he couldn’t keep up the false pretense when Jeongguk’s mischievous smile looked so endearing. 

Still, he crossed his arms and pushed his plush lips out into a pout knowing Jeongguk had the resistance of a flower stem.

Jeongguk folded at a new record of half a second and smiled toothily with his nose scrunching. He bounced in his seat and tapped his palms on the basket one final time before conceding and pulling it open. 

There was paper wrapping covering the top but before Jeongguk pulled that aside, he explained, “There’s no point in proving myself as a provider if what I hunted doesn’t provide for you, so…” 

Long, gentle fingers pulled the thin paper aside to reveal what was underneath. Neatly folded to fit into the basket was what looked to be a blanket and Jeongguk confirmed this by brushing a palm over the top before moving to pull it out. 

Jimin’s mouth dropped open. He dazedly helped push the basket aside so Jeongguk could lay the blanket on his thighs and give Jimin a moment to process the scene. 

Made of thick orange, white, and black fur was a warm throwover that resembled the same colours of foxes that Jeongguk had placed at Jimin’s feet some weeks ago. Jimin gasped as he reached for it and tangled his fingers through the soft tri-coloured material. It was the same kind of softness of the stray calico cats that always stumbled in his pathway and rubbed up against his legs. Bending his head, Jimin caught the thick scent of eucalyptus wrapped around the blanket as an additional layer of cocoon, Jeongguk’s scent made tangible now. 

“Is this…?” he rasped, the scent trapped in his throat. 

Jeongguk answered with a proud, “I made it with the fur from the foxes I hunted. Their fur is supposed to be long and fluffy, great for insulation and holding warmth. They’re not as warm as sea otters but we’re pretty far from the sea and there was no way for me to hunt them in the lakes nearby. With the incoming storm I wanted to make sure you had–”

“Jeongguk,” Jimin interrupted the boy’s ramblings. Jeongguk’s focus immediately locked in on him, his glossy eyes wide and enchanting as they always were. But Jimin had had enough of watching Jeongguk from a distance so he warned, “I’m gonna kiss you now,” and when he found no hesitation in Jeongguk’s gaze, he let himself fall forward knowing that there were steady arms waiting to catch him. 

Jimin swerved away from the alpha’s mouth to press a lingering kiss to the corner instead. He felt Jeongguk’s sharp and shaky inhale before moving to the other corner for another kiss. He stopped right below Jeongguk’s lips to kiss the mole there that had caused many distractions for Jimin in the time he knew the man.

When he pulled back, he could see a pained kind of restraint etched into Jeongguk’s features. 

“Please,” Jeongguk whispered, leaning forward and then moving back again like he was crashing against an ocean of waves.

Jimin let the skin of his lips caress Jeongguk’s. “Say it again,” he asked, an insistent need inside him to hear the tremble of desperation in Jeongguk’s tone again.

With even more plea in his voice than before, Jeongguk asked, “Please.” 

They collided like a storm meeting the sea. 

Jimin met Jeongguk with fisted hands and iron grips. He held Jeongguk’s chin in one hand, his other balling up the collar of Jeongguk’s sweater, pulling Jeongguk closer like he wanted his own body to mold into Jeongguk’s. His wild hands were fueled by the adrenaline rushing through him, dancing up Jeongguk’s body and holding his face for one moment before tangling in his hair the next moment and using the grip to tilt the alpha’s head just the right way so that Jimin could swallow the groan of satisfaction leaving him.

Pliantly, Jeongguk let himself be handled. A battle of strength that Jimin shouldn’t have even considered was willingly given up to him by the alpha melting into the rough touches, his thick, warm arms wrapped carefully around Jimin’s waists and hands rubbing up and down Jimin’s sides as he mapped out the curve of the beta’s arched back. 

Pulling back enough to move the basket and scented blanket to the side, Jimin then climbed over the space between them and into his lap, slotting himself into the space made for him and allowed himself to take.

He hooked a hand on the back of Jeongguk’s neck and sunk into a slick kiss louder than the dizzying speeding of his own heart. His fingers tangled into Jeongguk’s hair until the alpha knocked his head against the back of the couch and let his body lose any shred of strain that had been holding him.

His hands immediately found the dips of Jimin’s waist, not grabbing and pulling like Jimin was but just resting there as a gentle pressure. They slid down to Jimin’s hips as his mouth opened invitingly for the tongue Jimin was using to lick over the plumpness of his lips. He held onto Jimin when the beta felt arousal spread to his groin and guided his movements into a smooth back and forth rocking motion. 

Adjusting himself on Jeongguk’s lap, Jimin gasped when he felt the thick outline of Jeongguk’s cock pressing against his thigh and broke the kiss with a wet sound.

“Fuck,” Jeongguk mumbled, hard breath washing over Jimin who was pleased at the sight of a flushed Jeongguk in a disarray. His hair spotted the evidence of Jimin’s hands and his swollen lips a deep pink from the slick kisses he still chased after. “I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m with you.” 

Holding Jeongguk’s jaw in a grip he couldn’t loosen, Jimin started peppering kisses along his jaw. His wolf clawed at the walls of his chest the closer he got to the temping glands adorning Jeongguk’s neck. He let his breath wash over the vulnerable point and revelled in the goosebumps erupting on Jeongguk’s skin.

“Good, I like you like this. It’s not fair if I’m the only one who’s a mess,” he declared, basking in the ‘you have no idea’ that Jeongguk mumbled, and then asked, “Do you really think I’m your true mate?” 

Jeongguk fought the blush on his cheeks and let his hand travel up Jimin’s chest to rest over his wildly beating heart, “Can you feel it?” he asked instead, “Do you feel the pull of the invisible string tying me to you? It’s like even this close is not close enough.” 

In a tone that was bordering a whine, Jimin said, even though Jeongguk's scent was burning the back of his throat, searing him from the inside, “I want to drown myself in your scent. Nothing is ever enough.” 

Jeongguk bared his neck, an act of submission that no alpha is meant to show but he wasn’t just any alpha. He wasn’t like the alphas who Jimin had seen in his old pack, treating omegas like properties and betas like slaves. He wasn’t like the alphas in this pack who showered their members with pleasantries but fixed their eyes on only omegas, leaving betas to feel invisible in a completely different and naive way. 

Jeongguk had reached inside Jimin and plucked the strings of his heart with devotional fingers. At every unknown and scary step, Jeongguk let himself be the beacon of light on the shore when Jimin felt himself getting stuck in a frightening loop of battling against waves stronger than he would ever be. 

He didn’t just lay down in vulnerability but he ripped himself open so Jimin could use the string tying them together as an anchor and pull himself out of the abyss he’d tucked himself and his wolf into. 

Jimin didn’t take this moment lightly. He softly cupped the back of Jeongguk’s neck and let his wet mouth brush over Jeongguk’s scent gland. An explosion of a eucalyptus smell became the air that Jimin breathed and he sank into the cloudy feeling as the scent invaded his body like it always did. 

“Thank you for the gift,” he belatedly remembered to say but was unsure if Jeongguk even heard his words.

His mouth dropped open, tongue darting out to taste the scent that had tipped his entire world over and called to his wolf that had been sitting trapped in his chest. It howled inside him now, a groan rumbling out of him when he felt, more than heard, Jeongguk’s panting, his chest rising and falling right against Jimin’s own. Choked moans were sounded out and Jimin lost track of what sound was his and what sound was Jeongguk’s. He lost track of where he ended and where Jeongguk started. 

Scenting came instinctually to him. Once the taste of Jeongguk coated his entire mouth, he pressed even harder against Jeongguk’s skin to rub his nose repeatedly over the gland. He welcomed the alpha’s swirling scent around him and let the block around his own scent be pushed to the side. The intermingling of their scents had both of their grips tightening and pressing that much closer to eliminate any space remaining between their bodies. 

The arousing pleasure in his gut only worked up even more, the rocking of his hips finding a steady rhythm in tune with the way he moved his head, the way moved his mouth. Jeongguk’s cock that Jimin had caught a glimpse of before, now pressed insistently against his thigh when Jeongguk’s hips repeatedly kicked up to get more friction. It was maddenly pleasurable to fill the space around Jeongguk’s body knowing he’d been made with Jimin on the Moon Goddess’ mind and he’d been made with Jeongguk on her mind.

In the vastness of the entire forest, Jimin finally found the spot where he belonged. 

He pulled back with a sharp intake of breath, noticing his grip in Jeongguk’s hair that had tightened painfully.

“Sorry,” he gasped out. His body swayed with the urge to dive back down, to take Jeongguk’s mouth again and brand him with Jimin’s name. A flare of possessiveness ran through him so suddenly that he shivered under Jeongguk’s hold, under Jeongguk’s sharp gaze that mirrored the same want in them. “Sorry,” he repeated, smoothing down Jeongguk’s head, “I’m sorry, didn’t mean to hurt you.” 

Jeongguk quietly and in a haze murmured, “Feels good. The sting makes it feel like you’re still touching me.” 

Jimin groaned low in his throat and stopped fighting what he desired. He moved to kiss Jeongguk again, slow and languid like they were suspended in time. He parted his lips when he felt the press of Jeongguk’s tongue, moans stuck in his throat at the firmness of Jeongguk under his lips, how measured he was with his mouth but also how larger than life he could be—his strength showing when he guided the kiss and Jimin was rendered pliable in his arms.

He pulled back with a tug on Jimin’s bottom lip after what could have been minutes or hours. Pressing swift, small pecks to Jimin’s mouth still, Jeongguk rasped, “I should have given you a blanket before if this is what it took to make me break through to you.” 

Jimin broke out into a grin. Jeongguk’s ministrations didn’t stop. He left a fat smooth on his two front teeth even though he too was smiling. 

He said honestly, “I wanted to kiss you after you returned from hunting.” 

“You should have,” Jeongguk pouted.

Jimin swiped his fingers over the reddened skin of his swollen-sensitive lips. He lowered a kiss there. His lips met the tip of his finger that didn’t want to stop feeling the throbbing of Jeongguk’s mouth under it and he said, “I don’t think I want everyone else to see you like this, pup. Your blush, your clouded eyes,” he paused and pointedly sank into Jeongguk’s lap further so he could feel Jeongguk’s arousal against him again, “this. It’s all only mine, isn’t it?”

Jeongguk hummed pleasantly at the nickname. His eyebrows scrunched together as he knocked his head back and helplessly stared at Jimin. “Kiss me again,” he pleaded. 

Jimin’s own throbbing lips curled up into a smile. “Say it,” he demanded. 

Jeongguk’s pretty eyes fluttered shut and Jimin didn’t mind falling into the endless night sky Jeongguk held in his gaze when he prettily begged, “Please.”

━━━━━━━━━━━

+ i. jeongguk  

Jimin’s eyes were glazed over, a faraway look in them as his thoughts wandered back to when he’d felt Jeongguk pressed tightly against him. It was the early morning just before Jimin walked over to the town kitchen and his fingers were drifting over his lips like he could feel the ghostly touch of Jeongguk on them when a knock greeted his door. 

It had only been a few days since Jeongguk surprised Jimin at his hanok, since they’d crashed into each other with a force so strong that it rattled Jimin’s bones. He wasn’t ashamed to admit he’d missed the alpha since then.

After that night, the town had woken up to a sheet of snow covering their streets and buildings with dusting of white still falling to the ground and dancing with the rough winds. Many years in the pack taught him that storms like these meant wolves could snuggle up in their houses and wait for it to pass, so unlike his previous pack that expected hierarchical duties to be maintained in all circumstances. 

Jeongguk had dropped off the blanket at the best possible moment because Jimin spent the last couple of days shrouding himself with the fur and getting up only to cook thick soups and healthy roasts. Just like all the other pack members, he had a storage of preserved food and meal prep boxes but lazily stirring aromatic pots just added to the cozy atmosphere.

He also finally got to use the knife Jeongguk had gifted him because he’d refused to take it to the kitchen and risk anyone else touching it. 

The only thing Jimin was missing was Jeongguk himself.

It was pathetic that three days of being enclosed in his room had him pouting and grumbling but having Jeongguk somewhere near him for months got him used to the alpha’s presence. And he just simply liked having Jeongguk around.

It was a shame Jimin hadn’t seen the younger boy under the first snow; he would look fucking adorable with snowflakes caught in his eyelashes and splotches of pink across his skin from the cold, but that was fine because they were all set to return to their duties today. 

The beta practically lunged to the door hearing the knock but his smile froze on his face when he opened the door to another alpha instead. Kim Taehyung. 

The other man was leaning against the wall, the corners of his lips curled up in an amused smile. He took the time to look Jimin up and down, gaze lingering on the blanket over Jimin’s shoulders he hadn’t bothered to shake off. 

The scent radiating off of him was palpable, an alpha’s mark that was impossible to ignore.

Jimin had to resist the urge to toss the blanket as far away from him as possible.

Reflexively, Jimin peered behind Taehyung as if expecting Jeongguk behind him only for him to say, “It’s just me, sorry to disappoint.” 

Jimin cleared his throat though that would do nothing to clear away his embarrassment. He bowed his head like he should have already done and said, “Sorry. Um, would you like to come inside?” he gestured questioningly behind him.

For a few seconds Taehyung watched him with a scrutinising look. 

Jimin’s heart stuttered in his chest, a flurry of thoughts running through his head about why the alpha might have shown up to his doorstep. About whether he’d overstepped in some way. He wondered if pushing his intimacy with Jeongguk a step further was too much too soon but then he remembered how that kind of conservatism wasn’t practiced in the Kim pack—the once lone wolves were even more progressive than the Kim pack so it couldn’t be that Taehyung was here to chastise Jimin for kissing Jeongguk.

Eventually, as Jimin held his breath, Taehyung shook his head. He asked, “You’re heading to the kitchen, right? I’ll walk with you.” 

“Oh!” Jimin perked up, “Yeah I am.” 

The sharp gaze in Taehyung’s eyes softened. “That’s okay with you, right?” he made sure.

A thrill of excitement found Jimin, he’d never hung out along with the other two alphas since they crashed into the Kim pack and Jimin was keen to get to know the people closest to Jeongguk. He said, "Of course! Just let me grab my stuff, I’ll be right back.” 

Taehyung waved his hand, "Take your time. I’ll wait out here.” 

And so Jimin darted back inside and got himself ready for the day. Pulling on enough layers to sustain the short walk to the kitchen, he then grabbed a few accessories and found himself making a pitstop at the kitchen. In no time, he was opening the door again and stepping over to the other side. 

Pulling a scarf around his neck he heard a “ready?” and nodded to Taehyung who was in the same spot where he’d left him.

Jimin began leading them the path he always took in the mornings and Taehyung was happy to follow with his hands behind his back, boots childishly digging into the snow with every step. He almost stumbled on a kick when Jimin held out his hands with a tall flask between them.

He explained, “It’s medicinal tea that I make in bulk every winter to ward off colds and fevers. It’s boiled with ginger, black pepper, mint, cardamom, cloves, orange rind, and honey for sweetness. I filled up the flask with the tea blend for you and Seokjin, all you’ll have to do is warm it up before you drink.” 

Taehyung let out a puff of laughter but there wasn't anything mean about it. He lowered his head and accepted the flask with a “thank you. We’ll drink it well.” 

Jimin smiled pleasingly, an extra bounce in his step after his offering was accepted. 

A few silent minutes later, Taehyung jokingly mentioned, “You didn’t spare some for Jeongguk,” since Jeongguk had a room right beside Seokjin and Taehyung’s. 

Tucking his face in the scarf that belonged to the very man, Jimin stuttered, “O-Oh, um. I was gonna—”

“Planning on giving it to him yourself?” Taehyung raised a shaped brow. He had on that mischievous smile that was always present around Jimin. 

“Yeah.” said Jimin abashedly because there was no point in hiding his intentions when they were practically written across his forehead for everyone to see.

 “Actually…” Taehyung began, tipping his head to the sky and letting the stray flakes of snow still falling catch on his skin. He was a beautiful sight under this cool weather and it only made Jimin miss Jeongguk more. He burrowed further into the scarf and listened. “You might not be able to give that to him so soon. That’s why I came to see you.” 

A million thoughts raced through Jimin’s head, the loudest ones being fueled by his insecurities that were still convinced Jeongguk would up and leave one night.

“What do you mean?” He cautiously questioned and tried to stem the worry about Taehyung pulling the ground from under Jimin’s feet after he’d just started learning how to stabilise himself. 

Taehyung seemed to notice Jimin's apprehension and quickly explained with a wave of his hands, “It’s nothing bad! Sorry, that sounded concerning but it’s nothing bad. I just meant that Jeongguk asked me to tell you that he was, um, starting his rut. So he won’t be able to see you for some time.” 

Jimin staggered in his step. His head whipped towards Taehyung at a speed that could have given him whiplash. A desperate need to alleviate some of the pain that came with heats and ruts came over Jimin. “What? Is he okay?” 

The alpha was quick to appease his worries, saying, “Yes, he’s fine. He just woke up with a high fever this morning so it’s still just the prerut but Seokjin-hyung is there to watch him and help him.” 

Jimin pressed his lips together. He focused ahead on the path before him again, silent for a few seconds because he was afraid that the first words out of his mouth would be an irrational kind of possessiveness that didn’t belong in this situation, not when the more pressing matter was about how Jeongguk was doing.

And yet…

A dark cloud of jealousy forming above Jimin’s head at the thought of someone else helping his Jeongguk had him feeling bitter and upset. His wolf whined inside him, withering quietly as Jimin imagined how Seokjin could be helping Jeongguk during such a vulnerable time. The only comfort Jeongguk could get during a rut was if he was intimately connected to someone and the picture sent a bolt of possessiveness up Jimin’s spine, wanting no one else but him to touch Jeongguk. 

From beside him, Taehyung tutted. He said, “Whatever you’re imaging, you need to stop. Like hell would I let Seokjin help another person like that.” 

Jimin blinked, caught off guard, “But you said…” 

Taehyung rolled his pretty eyes, “Yeah, Seokjin’s helping him stay fed and hydrated. We usually both help keep Jeongguk’s fevers down and cuddle up in his nest if he wants.” 

A soft breath left Jimin. He whispered in endearment, “He nests?” 

“He tries,” laughed Taehyung, “The best he can do is pile blankets and clothes together and sleep on top of them. Says his omega mother used to build them for him when he was younger so he could be surrounded by his parents’ scent while he slept. He’s been doing them since we found him. So, you know,” he cheekily bumped into Jimin’s shoulder, “If you want to give him something to add to his nest and something to focus on during his rut, I’d be happy to take it to him.” 

Jimin’s cheeks warmed. His lower lip was caught between his teeth, heart thumping inside his chest, and then he dismissively said with a clearing of his throat, “Yeah, okay.” 

As they got closer to the dining hall, Taehyung slowed his steps down and turned to Jimin, a small grin adorning his lips. “Something triggered his rut to come early by the way, I don’t suppose you would know what that could be?”

Jimin choked on his next inhale as images of him rocking against Jeongguk’s cock came back to him, a push and pull that they let dissolve between their flushed skin with great effort. His breath wheezed out of him through short coughs that, paired with the wind picking up speed, brought tears to his eyes. 

A large hand thumped him on the back. Between his hacking, he could pick up on muffled chuckles that Taehyung was barely trying to hide.

Jimin turned to him, scandalised. 

Taheyung’s laughter pealed out of him and he said, “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t know how else to bring up the topic and I wanted to know from you how you and Jeongguk were doing. He’s told us all about it but I wanted to hear it from you too.” 

Composing himself, Jimin rasped, “I mean you could have asked just like that.” 

Taehyung huffed, air puffing out in front of him as smoke, “That would make me sound too much like his father.” 

“Well, if you’re concerned about what my intentions are with him then I can assure you that I only want him to be happy. If there’s anything I can do to make him happy then I’ll do it,” Jimin confidently confessed. It was all he had to say about his relationship to anyone who wasn’t Jeongguk and Taehyung seemed to understand that. 

The alpha bit down a smile, “And how are you feeling about the true mates thing now?” 

Jimin’s chest rose up as he took a deep breath. He watched his pack mates getting ready for the day all around him. There was a couple in the far distance walking the same direction who he recognised to be Yoongi and Hoseok and he smiled at the sight, now devoid of hints of jealousy for the first time in a long time. His thoughts strayed to Jeongguk as they so often did but he didn’t try to push them away anymore. He answered, “Truthfully it’s all been so easy that I forgot about it when I’m with him. But…I’m getting there.” 

A large part of his concern was rooted in the idea that Jeongguk only found himself attracted to Jimin because they were written in the oldest stones of the forest. But just like Jimin, Jeongguk's ease and comfort around him made him forget all about the phenomenon that brought them together. Only in moments of heightened pleasure and intimacy did they both feel the tie between their wolves like it was a tangible thing linking them together.

Jeongguk had proved himself beyond any tie, beyond any bond, and Jimin was working hard to do the same. 

Taehyung watched him for a second before nodding resolutely, a nod of agreement and approval that Jimin tucked closely to his chest.

They walked in relative silence after that and as the dining hall came into view, Hoseok dropping off Yoongi at the building, Jimin watched their interactions and remembered, “You know, my hyung thought I was coming to seek your blessings when I came to see you and Seokjin at the infirmary.” 

Taehyung followed Jimin’s gaze, grin widening at that, “He’s a cultured man.” 

Jimin knew that during their time here, Jeongguk and Seokjin had settled into the pack warmly. There was the obvious consensus that because the wolves had been lone wolves and independent up until now, there was going to be a period of adjustment that the Kim pack had to be patient for. 

Appreciating the patience, the alphas had explored all kinds of jobs and duties with Jeongguk sticking to the kitchen because he wanted to stick to Jimin, and Seokjin joining Hoseok on his wild and varied duties all around the pack. But it was Taehyung who was still caught in a limbo he couldn’t seem to shake. 

The one place he hadn’t visited yet was the kitchen and so Jimin bashfully turned to the alpha and asked, “Would you…like to meet him and join us in the kitchen today? If you’re not busy, we’re gonna be making sweet, brown sugar syrup and nuts pancakes today to fight the cold.” 

Taehyung looked taken aback at the offer, his usually drowsy eyes widening in excitement for a second, “I would—I’d love to.” 

━━━━━━━━━━━

Jimin did end up sending Jeongguk something. He filled up another flask of the same medicinal tea and paired it with a thick blanket of his own and asked Taehyung to deliver them to Jeongguk.

The falling snow finally let up and left the town with the scene of all barren trees having been decorated by little piles of snow taking the place of dried up flowers and leaves, the urge to create a snapshot of the moment high in Jimin’s chest. After ensuring the storm had passed for now, children and adults alike took to the streets to scoop up the cold ice in their hands and chase each other between this alley and the next, and everyday Jimin walked out to see new shapes and structures made from the snow lining the path, 

Taking Jeongguk’s place in the kitchen for now, Taehyung began joining the rest of the members in the kitchen, seemingly appreciating the organised chaos of the place but there was also a part of Jimin that thought the alpha had grown fond of Yoongi and wanted to keep coming back to see him. It was an innocent kind of affection that bloomed between them and Jimin instantly recognised it in his younger self who’d also latched onto the stoic and composed omega when everything else seemed to be confusing. 

Around a week after Taehyung showed up at Jimin’s doorstep, he was joined by Seokjin in the kitchen too with the explanation that “Jeongguk wanted to be alone for today. His rut might be longer than usual.”

A handful of things could attest to why that was, especially since the alpha must have moved past his prerut and was now fully experiencing a rut and everything it included. 

Partially out of concern because he’d overhead Seokjin talking about how this rut was particularly painful for Jeongguk to spend alone, and partially because Jimin’s wolf was distraught that he wasn’t with Jeongguk right now, Jimin had snuck into the restroom right before they’d wrapped up for the day. He scented his scarf now that he was getting the hang of it, so it created the perfect blend of forest as Jimin and Jeongguk defined it. Honeyed and floral, and fresh and woody. 

Just like with Jeongguk, scenting came naturally to Jimin and the more he practiced it, the easier it was for the block on his wolf to lift it could instinctively guide Jimin as all wolves were meant to do. It wouldn’t stick for long and it especially wouldn’t stick to Jeongguk but he hoped it was a temporary reprieve.

An incessant need built inside him, to be with Jeongguk, to touch Jeongguk, to alleviate the effects of a rut in the way only a mate could do—only Jimin could do for Jeongguk. 

So before Seokjin and Taehyung parted ways that evening, Jimin gave them a bashful smile and asked the two alphas if they would be willing to deliver the scarf to Jeongguk. It was the next best way he could be with Jeongguk, if not physically present. 

Jimin knew he could do it himself having visited Jeongguk’s room at the guest quarters a handful of times, but he didn’t think it would be safe or painless to be so close to Jeongguk when the alpha was half delirious with want at all times. 

There was no guarantee that Jimin wouldn’t take one look at the man and resist the impulse to present himself on his hands and knees and ask Jeongguk to take him at the doorstep, before they could even make it inside. Desire that was being contained spilling over into the spaces and cracks all around them so that everything they knew would be coated by them. 

Jimin bowed his head in thanks when the two men took the scarf from him, and from the looks of Taehyung’s wide, teasing grin directed to him the next morning, Jimin had made the right decision. 

The next handful of days passed routinely but they ended with Jimin wrapped up in the blanket Jeongguk had made for him and surrounded by his persistent scent, so much so that when he woke up he still carried it on him. The blanket was scented so thoroughly and even after two weeks, it was just as intense as the very first day but Jimin liked that when he walked outside, it still clung to his skin like a mark. 

It was a shame he couldn’t mark Jeongguk in the same way as a beta. 

The days dragged on, time rendered meaningless without Jeongguk by his side as cliched as he felt thinking that. He’d finished one book and started another in the almost two weeks since he last saw Jeongguk but there was very little of the text he actually retained. He kept going back to the collection of short stories he still had, the fairy tale resembling his reality more and more with every passing day now that he could physically feel the natural tug between him and Jeongguk. 

A feeling of longing expanded inside Jimin, growing and growing and growing as a large presence he couldn’t ignore because even when he didn’t mean to, the one thing constantly on Jimin’s mind was when he’d see Jeongguk next. 

It was the longest he’d gone without seeing the alpha and it was the longest he would ever want to go without seeing him if he had any say in it because it was mortifying to realise how smitten and attached he was to the other man. 

There was also the inkling of irrational fear inside him that expected Jeongguk not to return; almost as if, while Jimin was learning how infatuated he was with Jeongguk, Jeongguk was realising the opposite and preferred to be away from Jimin instead. 

But he knew how baseless that was so he did his best to soothe the worries that got louder by the day and focused instead on the clench of his chest every time he imagined seeing Jeongguk again. 

It was pathetic but he didn’t mind it so much if it was also paired with the all-consuming giddyness that came every time he thought about Jeongguk. 

On the night of the new moon, exactly two weeks since Jimin last saw Jeongguk, he felt the sudden urge pulling him towards the bathhouse, so similar to the feeling he’d felt on the lone wolves’ first night in the Kim pack. Knowing that hunch had led him to the most precious part of Jimin’s life, he didn’t ignore it and found himself bundling up for the walk there. 

Like he’d expected, the streets resembled a ghost town at this time of the night. He tucked his face into the fur of his coat and trudged through the snow that had grown softer in the days after the storm. Basking in the chill that Jimin couldn’t get enough of, his steps were slow but steady from familiarity. 

He reached the building and let out a pleasurable exhale when the humidity floating idly in the air latched onto him. The other door leading to the shower space got pushed open and Jimin quickly debated hopping in the shower to warm his body up from the cold that crept up his skin but ultimately decided against it. 

Just the thought of basking in the humidity of the sauna and submerging himself in the steaming hot springs was enough to get him to swiftly strip himself bare aside from his underpants and shove the rest of the belongings in the nearby cubicles waiting to be used. 

Eucalyptus was blossoming all around him, a familiar presence that trailed after him and had chosen to stick to his pinkening skin as if it was dousing his entire being. Jimin welcomed it knowing that the scent only grew bolder under steam and sticky air. 

He chose the closest of the other two doorways to the sauna and settled with a sigh and his head knocked back along the seats lining the rounded walls of the room. 

Unlike most times Jimin used the sauna and walked into the room to find the air dry but heavy from warmth, there was a wetness to the room today that suggested someone else had used the space and let the wooden walls capture the moisture expelled from water droppings on the sauna stones.

Jimin shivered, picking up hints of something familiar and thick in the air that radiated from his skin, Jeongguk’s scent from his blanket growing in intensity as Jimin sagged back into the wall for some time that he could not keep track of. 

As the humidity met his cool skin and covered it in a layer of moisture, Jimin gulped down inhales so deep that they helped Jeongguk’s scent caress the edge of his soul. He felt like he was being consumed by Jeongguk even as the alpha was nowhere near him, he felt like Jeongguk was brushing his nose against his scent gland and scenting him with the purpose of claiming Jimin as his, him as Jimin’s. 

Sleeping butterflies began waking in his stomach–the need to see Jeongguk, hold his hands and kiss him again, overwhelming his senses. The thought of Jeongguk consumed him until it was all that his cloudy mind could conjure up. 

Long waves of dark hair tangling in his hands. Sharp eyebrows that were softened by wide, doe eyes that saw Jimin even when he didn’t see himself. A big rounded nose that pressed against Jimin’s cheek whenever he pushed forward to kiss Jeongguk. A pink, pink mouth with an enticing lower lip that fit between Jimin’s teeth like it belonged there. A strong neck speckled with moles before it broadened out into wide shoulders and a back rippling with muscles. A sinfully small waist that Jimin’s arms itched to wrap around. And thick, meaty thighs that Jimin’s entire body wanted wrapped around him. 

“Fuck,” Jimin murmured as he pushed his thoughts away and stood up on weak legs. 

If he looked into the mirror, he would see the clear beginnings of arousal evident in his blown out eyes. 

He pushed open a door other than the one he’d walked through. 

The inviting sight of the two hot springs was one that was familiar to Jimin and so was the tremble going through his body when he stepped into the cooler, refreshing air that didn’t feel as suffocating as the sauna–especially with a rich scent constantly following him. 

What Jimin realised, as he stepped into the room, was also how familiar the sight of Jeongguk was, submerged in the largest spring with his arms spread out at the edge of the tub while presenting the mouth-watering sight of the alpha’s body glistening wet. 

Jeongguk’s hair fell in loose waves over his face but they weren’t enough to cover his edged eyes piercing straight through Jimin, commanding Jimin’s attention but not knowing that everyone else faded to nothing when Jimin looked at him

He looked fucking unreal. So beautiful under the warm glow of the room that casted a golden tint over his skin. 

Jimin knew he wasn’t going to leave this bathhouse without tasting Jeongguk on his tongue. 

There wasn’t any kind of hesitation in Jimin’s steps as they led him down a path familiar to him, drawn to Jeongguk like that was his only purpose of coming to this bathhouse in the first place. 

“Jeonggukah,” he whispered under his breath, the sound caught between the splashing of water as he stepped over the wooden edge of the hot spring and walked down the tiny steps until he was completely engulfed in both the hot water and Jeongguk’s scent that was the most insistent here.

Jeongguk’s eyes fluttered, the sharp edge of expression on his face causing Jimin’s knees to weaken. It worsened when he ordered, “Come here.” 

There was a scratchy tone to Jeongguk’s voice that Jimin recognised to be from disuse and enduring the effort of his rut. 

But it was also from seeing Jimin, the beta knew, because he felt the same weight of this moment curl instead him and settle at the very base of his stomach, pressing in, in, in, and intensifying the feeling of arousal inside him.

“Are you feeling okay after your rut?” Jimin asked, moving back against the lining along the wall and ignoring Jeongguk’s words.

He didn’t know if he was ready to have Jeongguk in his arms yet. Although it seemed like Jeongguk was not in rut anymore, the after effects still had to be staying with him and Jimin wanted to prolong this feeling of distance that was amplifying every emotion his heart was capable of.

Jeongguk’s scent grew with a coating of spice. Potent and alluring. 

He answered, clearly distracted, “Yes it was fine. Jimin—”

“I heard it was longer than usual. It must have taken a toll on you,” Jimin cut him off.

Even covered by the water, Jimin could make out the movements of Jeongguk’s chest rising up and down. The alpha clenched his jaw and then poked his tongue into his cheek, the sight enough to cause most people to bow their heads in submission but Jimin looked at the man straight on.

“It did,” Jeongguk eventually confirmed.

Wading a little closer and letting the natural flow of the water push and pull him, Jimin stopped trying to keep up an act of pretense and said, “I missed you,” he hesitated before revealing, “I was scared. Some part of me doubted that I would see you again. It was irrational but I…I want to be with you all the time now.”

He hadn’t intended on telling Jeongguk this, now or ever, but it felt right to open his heart up to the alpha who’d only ever been open with Jimin. He also knew that Jeongguk's answer was something he already knew; it was just his own insecurities that he had to push past during moments like these. 

Jeongguk’s eyes fell closed. His head tipped back so he could knock it back along the edge but Jimin’s focus drew to the long line of his throat. He didn’t have to agree with the sentiment for Jimin to get that he felt the same way. 

He pushed closer with a thundering in his heart, everything else aside from Jeongguk’s voice soundless to him. 

It was seemingly the same for Jeongguk because he prettily gasped and snapped his eyes open when Jimin stopped in front of him and reached for his shoulders. 

Because of the lining along the wall that doubled as seats, it was easy for anyone to sit down and completely relax in the water. It was also easy for Jimin to climb into Jeongguk’s lap and let his legs wrap around Jeongguk’s side, noticing only then that Jeongguk was naked again and only a thin layer of fabric separated them from touching.

Jeongguk wrapped his arms around Jimin’s waist.

“It’s okay to doubt me, I’ll just prove myself until your trust in me overshadows your doubt,” he sweetly uttered, his sugary voice sending Jimin’s heartbeat skipping several beats at once. Smitten, smitten.

Jeongguk said everything he already knew but the small murmuring of irrational words in his head finally lost their voices. 

He used a soft touch to push Jeongguk’s hair away from his face, carding through the strands and swallowing down a pleased rumble because of how pliantly Jeongguk sank into the touch and pushed into his hand. 

“I knew I would find you here,” Jimin breathed and understood how true the statement was. There wasn’t a physical pull he could use as proof but it was more like a calling that had reached him and guided him to Jeongguk. 

There wasn’t a doubt inside Jimin that it wasn’t Jeongguk’s own desires finding its way to him and beckoning him.

Jeongguk ducked his head down, nose brushing directly above Jimin’s neck and seeing goosebumps come alive firsthand. 

“It must have known,” Jeongguk vaguely said.

But Jimin understood perfectly that he was addressing their bond and agreed, "It must have.” 

“Both times we’ve met here, you’ve smelled of me,” Jeongguk breathed, his exhale stuttering over Jimin’s skin. 

Voice hinting at a whine, Jimin said, “I wore the blanket for hours and pretended you were actually scenting me. It drove me insane—it wasn’t enough.” 

Earnestly looking up at Jimin, Jeongguk asked, “Do you want me to scent you?” 

Jimin rocked forward, the tease of his lips brushing against Jeongguk's, making his belly tighten, “I want you to kiss me.” 

Scrunching his eyebrows like he was in actual pain, Jeongguk helplessly gazed up with eyes blown wide and, Goddess, Jimin wanted to ruin this man. Be ruined by him. Have it all with him for as long as eternity was written for them. 

Jeongguk stuttered, “My rut is still—I don’t think I’ll be able to control myself. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop just there—”

“It’s okay,” Jimin cupped his jaw and felt the chiseled line under his palm, “It’s okay, kiss me. I want you to take what you want.” 

“What if it’s too soon for you?” Jeongguk turned his head to press his lips to Jimin’s hand.

“It won’t be,” Jimin reassured, but made no move to push forward like he wanted to.

If Jeongguk truly wanted them to stop here then Jimin would back off. If Jeongguk was unsure of how to progress past this then Jimin wouldn’t push him to move. He wouldn’t jump into this part of their relationship unless he knew Jeongguk was ready to jump with him.

But then Jeongguk hooked an arm around his neck, and plump lips met his own.

Jimin sighed into the kiss, feeling the same kind of relief he felt after coming home after a long day. 

He moved his lips languidly, lazily, against Jeongguk’s and savoured the slow moment as they greeted each other without needing explicit words to do so. He went limp in Jeongguk’s hold, trusting the man to hold him up which Jeongguk did by curling a muscular arm around his waist, pulling him close so their chests were flush against each other.

Jimin gasped feeling Jeongguk’s body so solidly against his own and Jeongguk took that moment to lick into Jimin’s mouth and deepen the kiss with a loud groan. 

“Missed you,” Jeongguk choked out between kisses and dove in with a fervour that had Jimin’s head reeling. “Feel so good against me.” 

The beta matched the intensity with his own and pushed closer, even with the space between them being as limited as it was. Their tongues curled around each other, slick and wet just like the sounds between them. He tilted his head and found purchase on Jeongguk’s shoulders when Jeongguk licked into his mouth at toe-curling angle, pressing harder and harder at the simmering of arousal inside him. 

He trailed a hand down the alpha’s shoulders, his biceps, where ink created patterns he still hadn’t asked about but knew he had all the time in the world to do so. So he dug his fingernails into Jeongguk’s muscles instead and let out broken moans of pleasure at the firmness under his hands. 

Jeongguk’s scent thickened like molasses and trapped Jimin to his chest, not getting enough of the intoxication he felt when it felt like the scent was making its way into his mouth and down his throat, meeting his own scent that was trapped inside of him.

Jimin pulled back and panted out. “Did you—did you think about me during your rut?” 

He tilted his head to accept the smattering of kisses Jeongguk mapped out across his jawline and down his neck.

With conviction, licking over Jimin’s scent gland and letting the beta be covered by him, Jeongguk said “You were the only clear thought in my head,” 

Jimin moaned lowly at a hot lick against his gland, “Wanted you. Wanted to be there with you.” 

“Me too,” Jeongguk whispered, “But it wouldn’t have been safe.” 

Dropping his head back, Jimin protested, “Want you now, pup,” and emphasised it by sinking down harder into Jeongguk’s lap and bringing notice to the alpha’s heavy cock thickening up.

“Jimin—” the alpha’s mouth dropped open, choking on the nickname.

Jimin didn’t hesitate to capture his mouth in a heated kiss that came with the promise of something much more addictive. There was a strong desire inside him for Jeongguk to hang off of his every word, every touch, every move—an addiction that made Jeongguk see only Jimin, although he wasn’t far from that right now. 

He pushed down on Jeongguk’s length, easing up for a drawn out second before pushing down again and creating a tantalising rhythm fueled from their desperation.

His own cock throbbed in the confines of his underwear but it was a mind-numbing pain so good that Jimin ached to chase the feeling. 

Up close, Jeongguk’s scent was suffocating but Jimin pulled back enough to latch his mouth onto his scent gland where it was the strongest. He let his canines scratch over the overly sensitive patch of skin and gave tiny bites that had Jeongguk shuddering over and over again. The scent, more like a physical touch than a smell, settled on his tongue, behind his teeth, down his throat, on his skin like a mark. Like a claim.

Drool pooled in his mouth, his mind clouded with the single-minded desire to sink his teeth over the alpha’s scent gland and claim him with the mark of a mate as Jeongguk should always be wearing. Not a single wolf should be able to look at Jeongguk without seeing Jimin’s bite mark on him. 

Jeongguk’s eyes, already so black, darken even further and trembled with an animalistic kind of need that should have faded with his rut but only seemed to intensify with Jimin on his lap. He wrapped his big arms around Jimin even tighter, pulled him that much closer so that every breath they took was one they shared, heavy with Jeongguk’s scent and coaxing out the orange blossoms of Jimin’s own. 

Arousal surged inside Jimin at a speed that could rival time. He slid his knees apart and settled more heavily over Jeongguk’s cock, grunting when their crotches aligned and Jeongguk rubbed against his own cock and stomach with each roll of their hips. 

The underwear standing between them was just for show. With every grind, he felt every inch of Jeongguk’s swollen cock, bulging with prominent veins and reddened from frustration, against him. Searching for friction to alleviate the pain–or enhance it, Jimin didn’t know–he couldn’t stop the helpless rocking of his body. He sank down into Jeongguk’s lap again and again and imagined how close he was to sitting on Jeongguk’s cock and being as close to him as physically possible. 

It had him panting, the need to find a soft surface so Jeongguk could flip them over, press Jimin’s face into the plushness and press his leaking cock into Jimin’s hole. Or maybe he would lay on his back and let his arms fall above his head while Jimin used his cock to derive his own pleasure. 

Or maybe, Jimin wondered with a shudder, Jeongguk would be the one pushing Jimin down and riding him with an expression of blissed out arousal on his face, his big cock uselessly bouncing between them from the force of his thrusts. 

At a particularly hard and intentional grind down, the water loudly splashed when Jeongguk kicked his hips up and used his grip on Jimin to pull him down to meet the thrust. 

“Min-ah, I’m gonna–” Jeongguk moaned, the endearment jolting Jimin and causing his grip over Jeongguk’s flushed skin to tighten. He dug his nails in and reddened the skin further but through the pained hiss the alpha let out, Jimin could see the glazing over of his eyes as he gave into the pain. 

The beta dragged a hand down Jeongguk’s front, stopping to swipe a thumb over Jeongguk’s dark nipple just to hear the choked sound he let out. He followed the path of Jeongguk’s toned skin, the ridges of his abs so deliciously solid under Jimin’s palm that he wanted to dig his nails in just to see the crescent moon marks he would leave behind. 

Moving to Jeongguk’s hip, Jimin paused right beside Jeongguk’s cock, teasingly leaning down to brush a kiss under Jeongguk’s glistening eye. 

When he finally circled his hand around the base of Jeongguk’s cock right where his knot would expand, the alpha keened, jerking forward and twitching in Jimin’s hold. 

Jimin’s wolf preened at seeing its mate succumbing to pleasure so openly but it also whined because…

“Wanna scent you,” Jimin whimpered, the rocking of his hips and friction against his clothed cock making him feel like he was losing his mind. He practically cried out, “I can’t scent you–wanna mark you up in my scent so–” he gasped when Jeongguk’s hand covered the one around his cock and began frantically thrusting into the hold, “s-so everyone knows you’re mine. ‘S not fair.”

“Min-ah–” Jeongguk growled. 

“Fuck, you can’t c-call me that right no–”

But Jeongguk spoke over him, delirious and chasing his pleasure with harsh thrusts that had Jimin’s stomach tightening. His voice was deep and gruff, a jolt of pleasure going through Jimin because of the rough tone, “Wanna scent me?”

“Yeah,” Jimin whimpered, realising he could come just like this. Just like this in his underwear as Jeongguk used his hand as a sleeve. 

“You can,” Jeongguk reassured, words stumbling into each other, “You could–could mark me with your cum. It’ll stick. Everyone will be able to smell you on me.”

Jimin whined high in his throat, the sound guttural and sending his teary eyes rolling back. “I can’t–f-fuck Jeongguk, can’t hold back.”

Curling his arm around Jimin and holding him still–Jimin whimpering as he was drawn away from the toe curling friction–Jeongguk looked up with pleading eyes just as wet as Jimin’s and said, “I’m so close, Jimin-ah, please. Please can I come? T-Then you can use my mouth and mark my neck with your cum, hm?”

Jimin’s cock throbbed. He gasped, dropping his forward until his mouth met Jeongguk’s shoulder. He bit down on the skin there to muffle the sob that embarrassingly wanted to break out of him but Jeongguk pulled his head up with a grip in his hair. 

“Answer me,” Jeongguk ordered, eyes dropping down to Jimin’s wet lips, swollen to oversensitivity. “Let me come, Min-ah, and then you can mark me.”

He sounded more like the alpha he was meant to be: commanding and dominant but there was an edge of a whine in his words that placed all sense of control in Jimin’s hands.

The beta’s hips involuntarily kicked up and his hand nudged his covered bulge, water splashing around them and diving over the edge with every harsh movement. 

A single tear dropped down his cheek and Jeongguk watched the sight with reverence, his hand tightening around Jimin’s over his cock so that it was a tense hold that the alpha pushed into with a slow rhythm. 

“Please,” Jimin begged. He brought his fingers up to brush against Jeongguk’s lips, feeling the soft plumpness and imagining it around the most heated part of his body. “Please want you so bad–”

“Hold still,” Jeongguk grunted, taking Jimin’s words as the confirmation that they were. 

In the tight ring their hands formed, Jeongguk thrusted slowly but at a rough pace, jostling Jimin on his lap. 

“A-ahh,” Jeongguk moaned, rolling his hips up like he was drunk on pleasure. He moved his thumb along Jimin’s so they were both swiping along the flushed red head of his length that Jimin could see even through the water. 

They both looked down to watch the way Jeongguk chased a high that was nearing closer with every moan, every grunt, every groan, he let out–eucalyptus so spicy and heavy in that air that it could have replaced the oxygen they were breathing in. 

Sweat formed on Jeongguk’s brow, his jaw clenched and muscles rippled from how he maneuvered Jimin like a doll and stole pleasure from Jimin’s hands that rightfully belonged to him. 

The closer Jeongguk got to reaching the addictive high, the harder Jimin’s heart pounded like it could feel Jeongguk’s pleasure as his own through the single thread tying them together–but it was one stronger than any force out there. It heightened Jimin’s own arousal and he was scared he would come with Jeongguk without getting to mark him. 

But then a rough swipe over the head of his cock had Jeongguk choking on a whine and trembling violently. He rolled his hips up to bury himself in the hold of their joint hands.

Jimin panted next to his ear, “Come on, pup, come for me,” and he drowned in the intoxicating sound of broken moans tearing past Jeongguk’s throat as he was driven to an orgasm, his body seizing and shuddering when their hands curled around the sensitive head of his leaking cock. 

Eyed rolled back, Jeongguk didn’t notice the mewl Jimin let out as ecstasy exploded behind his eyelids and felt Jeongguk’s climax running through him too because of their bond. He sobbed silently, feeling a pleasure that wasn’t his own but belonging to him anyway. His cock throbbed, so overwhelmingly hard that even the rocking of the water was too much for his sensitive erection.

He scrambled to pull off his underwear which wasn’t an easy feat with Jeongguk still distractedly holding him in place as he recovered from his orgasm. 

A piercing cry left his mouth and caught Jeongguk’s attention. 

He knew he must look pathetic: a flushed face from the heat surrounding them, swollen lips that he couldn’t stop biting to muffle his sounds, tearful eyes that caught all the overwhelming rush of tears begging to fall, his body humping into Jeongguk’s torso and brushing against the man’s sensitive length, causing him to hiss. 

“J-Jeongguk,” Jimin pleaded through a sob. “God, please. Need to come, I’m so close, I’m sorry–”

Jeongguk hushed through the harsh breaths he gulped down, “Shh, it’s okay.”

The alpha was a sight to behold, an otherworldly kind of beauty with his muscles lax from the effort that it took to reach this high. His wet skin must have begun pruning at the tips of his fingers but the rest of him looked like he had been doused in liquid gold; the sight pulled at Jimin’s heartstrings–igniting something devotional and lewd inside him.

There wasn’t an inch of the alpha’s skin that Jimin wanted unmarked by his own scent. His territorial need felt primal, animalistic, coming from the depths of his wolf who had begged him to put a mating bite on who the second half of his soul was made of. 

More than orgasming, it was that specific need that Jimin wanted to fulfil. The need to claim Jeongguk as his, like fate had intended, but also as his own body wanted it.  

Even in his exhausted state, Jeongguk didn’t keep Jimin waiting for too long. 

Helping Jimin out of his underwear, he mapped out Jimin’s strong thighs with big palms that had Jimin’s muscles tensing, and then guided Jimin up and out of the water so he was seated on the edge while Jeongguk remained in the water. 

Still catching his breath, Jeongguk kissed up Jimin’s trembling leg with adoring attention. He let his wet lips glide along Jimin’s inner thigh, pushing and holding Jimin’s legs open again with a firm grip when they jerked close. 

Jimin’s stomach tightened, unable to handle anymore teasing but basking in Jeongguk’s tender touches. He caught his lower lip between his teeth but it didn’t contain his deep moan when Jeongguk rested his head tenderly on his thigh and his mouth latched over the scent gland at the highest point on Jimin’s thighs. 

“Close, pup,” Jimin warned and carded his hands between Jeongguk’s hair, now damp from sweat. 

Jeongguk thankfully didn’t keep the teasing up and tended to the arousal swirling in Jimin’s gut. He pulled his lidded gaze away from the length and locked it with Jimin. All he did for a second was let his breath wash over the base of his cock, a gentle touch that wasn’t a touch at all. 

But then he dropped a kiss at the very base and Jimin fucking sobbed. He curled into himself as the pleasure had his legs trembling while Jeongguk created a path of kisses up the hard, frustrated shaft. When Jeongguk reached his head, his eyes fluttered pleasantly when Jimin’s cock leaked an embarrassing stream of precum onto Jeongguk’s waiting lips. 

“Close, Min-ah?” Jeongguk’s voice was airy and hushed but rough with lust like he was feeling exactly what Jimin was feeling. 

Jimin nodded with a whimper. He used his grip to push Jeongguk’s head down in encouragement, get him closer.

Jeongguk pumped a loose hand down Jimin’s cock once, twice, and then he dipped down to lick a stripe from the base to the head. He wrapped a warm, wet mouth around the tip and coaxed a moan out of Jimin that was so strangled and stuttered that someone else would have thought he was in pain. 

Jeongguk, though, understood it as motivation to sink his mouth down the entire length until his lips wrapped around the base and then he pulled off until his plump lips closed only around the head, suckling there for a prolonged second before bobbing his down again and creating a steady rhythm. 

“O-Oh, that’s it, pup, making me feel so good,” Jimin whimpered and was rewarded with a deep rumble that sent the vibrations swirling around his pleasure. 

His cock wasn’t as thick or long as Jeongguk’s but it had enough size to it that Jeongguk accepted him in his throat with a gag. Tears pulled to his eyes and added another sparkle there that heightened the pleasure in Jimin. 

The wet heat was maddening, gripping every inch of Jimin so he felt it from the strands of his hair to the tips of his toes. Just like Jeongguk did, it licked his insides with a pressure that could take Jimin apart and put him back together all the same. He found himself getting lost in the warmth and chased Jeongguk’s retreating mouth with a shallow thrust of his hips. 

In no time, he was close to barreling over the edge.

Jimin grasped at the hair strands and found himself saying, “You look gorgeous like this.”

Which Jeongguk did. He looked unreal bending over to take Jimin farther down his throat with every bob of his head even as the tears gathering in his eyes began spilling down his cheeks one by one. 

When the alpha swirled a wet tongue over the slit of Jimin’s tip, Jimin cried out and snapped his hips up only to hear the sound of Jeongguk gagging again. He barely managed to stop himself from coming right then, too out of it to apologise for his roughness. 

“F-fuck, pup,” he whined, “Do that again. It feels good, so wet for me.”

He groaned when Jeongguk happily obliged, head dropping back and eyes rolling up as his stomach tensed. He felt himself unraveling with every soft suck, every slick sound as Jeongguk made out with his cock. 

“Gonna come,” he warned and was met with a harsh suck that basically pulled the orgasm from him.

Reaching forward to fist a hand tightly in Jeongguk’s hair to pull at the roots, his other hand grasped the base of his cock and he felt the first of the cum spurting out of him. Jeongguk caught the beginnings of his orgasm in his mouth with a moan, high and affected, that only intensified the feeling of his climax. But Jimin roughly pulled him off by his grip, sadistically finding pleasure in the wince Jeongguk gave him, and finished with the rest of his cum landing on parts of Jeongguk’s face and clavicle. 

Sleep-addled eyes blinked up with a flutter at Jimin, the gloss in them so innocent but they contrasted the mess on his face and on his sensitive, raw lips that had been stretched around Jimin. 

Jimin’s fingers had a mind of their own, letting go of his overly stimulated cock and swiping over the cum under Jeongguk’s eye instead, smearing it against the tear caught there and smelling his scent bloom on Jeongguk’s skin. He kept his rough hold in Jeongguk’s hair and watched his face as he moved to the other cheek and did the same. Taking the small dab of his release remaining on his thumb, he brought it to Jeongguk’s lips only to be met with the sight of Jeongguk’s jaw slacking. 

Pooling in his mouth was the lewd mix of his own saliva and Jimin’s cum. 

The mating of orange blossoms and eucalyptus erupted around them, his scent so rich and potent that it was unbelievable to imagine a time when he didn’t know what he smelled like. 

Like he was possessed, he pushed the tip of two fingers inside Jeongguk’s wet mouth with a shy blush and coated his fingers with the slick. He pulled Jeongguk’s head back farther and trailed his fingers down the alpha’s chin and throat, and found the scent gland on his neck that he’d grown an addiction for. 

He marked Jeongguk like that, with his fingers rubbing into the gland and panting when Jeongguk smelled more and more like Jimin. Like Jimin’s. His wolf yipped in joy inside him, a feeling of belonging washing over him that no one but Jeongguk could bring him. 

Gauging the alpha’s reaction, Jimin couldn’t help the small moan when Jeongguk went slack in his hold and blinked his eyes closed so that his pretty eyelashes brushed against his cheeks. His chest heavily rose up and down but his body was pliant, perfectly engrossed in the feeling of Jimin’s scent washing over him.

Jimin pushed his fingers back in Jeongguk’s awaiting mouth and repeated the same process on the other side of his neck, claiming a mark on Jeongguk because he was the only one allowed to do so. He swallowed down the drool pooling in his mouth when he swiped over the cum on Jeongguk’s clavicles and felt the alpha shudder beneath his touch. 

“Like a necklace,” Jimin whispered in reverence. “A necklace of my scent. They won’t be able to get close to you without feeling me on you.” 

Jeongguk moaned, eyes fluttering open and looking up at Jimin with eyes blown wide. Glistening and aroused.

Again, Jimin curled his fingers inside Jeongguk’s mouth, nearly giving himself another erection from the flare of possessiveness inside him. 

He let go of Jeongguk’s hair to wrap his arm loosely over his throat instead. His other dipped down, down, down, thumb catching against Jeongguk’s nipple that instantly hardened under his touch.

“Swallow, pup,” he ordered.

A groan rang in the air as he brushed his coated fingers over Jeongguk’s nipple again at the same time that Jeongguk’s throat obediently bobbed beneath his palm. He didn’t know if the sound erupted from him or the alpha but any clarity he had remaining was now gone. 

His canines ached under his gums, whining and ready for a mating claim that would marry their scents together indefinitely.

There was the urge to drown every inch of Jeongguk in his scent, in his mark, still simmering inside him but he guided Jeongguk back enough to fall back into the water. 

The desire to wrap himself around Jeongguk was stronger so he immediately threw his arms around the other man and sighed when Jeongguk’s arms found their rightful place around his waist. He tucked his head into Jeongguk’s neck and hummed when he smelled their married scents on his skin rather than only eucalyptus. 

His thundering heart that was running against time for as long as he knew it, began to slow down when he fell into the hug. A layer of safety washed over them, one that only existed around each other. With each other. The incessant tugging pulling him–his body, his wolf, his heart, his soul, everything he’d been neglecting for so long–to Jeongguk finally quietened. He was right where he belonged: in the arms of his true mate and in the arms of the one his wolf and heart most desired. 

Jimin murmured into the embrace, “I wanted to bite you, make you my mate.”

The alpha’s palms fit in the dips of his waist, rubbing up and down as the exhaustion of reality started drifting over them. “I would have bared my neck for you.” 

Jimin shivered. He let his nose brush over Jeongguk’s scent gland and smiled when he smelled himself so clearly on Jeongguk. “That makes my wolf really happy to hear.” 

Jeongguk clicked his tongue, “Good.” 

Jimin relaxed in the hug with gentle satisfaction washing over him. He knew that soon they would have to leave, to get out of the water so it wouldn’t make them sick as the outside chill seeped into the building, but he basked in Jeongguk’s presence for a little longer. 

When sleep was closer to him than consciousness, he breathed into the divot between the alpha’s neck and shoulder, “Jeongguk, Jeongguk. What would I have done without you?”

It was meant to be a rhetorical question but Jeongguk answered with sincerity that Jimin could feel inside himself through their bond, “If we didn’t meet, I would have spent a thousand lifetimes searching for what was written for me. If it was you I was meant to find, I would tear the forest apart until I did.”