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The next few months are a whirlwind of stolen time and stupid grins.

Being with an idol and being a model yourself means your relationship lives in the shadows of airports, in the backseats of tinted-window cars, and behind the locked doors of hotel suites. But Jungkook, for all his cocky stage persona, refuses to let it feel secret. It’s not public, but it’s not hidden.

He takes you to all his favorite spots—the hole-in-the-wall noodle shop run by an old ajumma who pinches his cheek, the secluded hiking trail where he goes to think, the 24-hour PC bang where he destroys you at games and then kisses the pout off your lips when you lose. He never introduces you as his “friend.” To the people who matter—the trusted stylist noonas, his closest managers, the ahjussi who details his car—he says, “This is Y/N. My girlfriend.” The possessiveness in his voice isn’t aggressive; it’s proud.

You go to his concerts whenever you can. Not in the pit, but in the private boxes or side-stage areas. The moment the final bow is over and the lights come up, you’re there, slipping past security. He’ll be drenched, panting, glowing, and his eyes will find you. He’ll stride over, ignore everyone else, cup your face in his hands, and kiss you deeply, tasting of sweat and adrenaline and victory. “Missed you,” he’ll murmur against your mouth, and it doesn’t matter that a dozen crew members are watching.

He does the same for you. He shows up at your fashion week appearances, disguised in a cap and mask, sitting in the back. After the show, when you’re buzzing with post-show energy, a massive bouquet of your favorite flowers will appear in your dressing room with a simple note: For my Angel. -JK. He never leaves without finding you, pushing you into a quiet corner, and whispering exactly what each piece of your outfit did to him while you were on the runway.

At home, you carve out a normalcy that’s yours alone. He insists on being your “personal trainer,” which is just an excuse to put his hands all over you.

“Squat lower, baby,” he’ll say, his voice low behind you as you hold weights, his palms on your hips guiding you down. “Ass out. Yeah, just like that.” His touch lingers, becomes less about form and more about feeling. You’ll turn around, sweaty and annoyed, and he’ll be looking at you with such open heat that you drop the weights. The workout ends with you pinned against the gym mats, his mouth on yours, tasting of your shared exertion.

Cooking together is a disaster. You’re both too impatient, too competitive.

“You’re chopping that too big,” you complain, hovering over his shoulder.

“It’s rustic,” he argues, waving the knife. “And you’re burning the garlic.”

“I am not—oh shit.” You scramble to move the pan as smoke starts to curl up. He laughs, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind, nuzzling your neck as you try to salvage dinner. More often than not, you end up ordering takeout, eating it off the floor in front of the TV, his legs tangled with yours.

You bicker constantly. Over movie choices, over whose turn it is to do the dishes, over whether his new song is better than his last. It always ends the same way: with one of you shutting the other up with a kiss, which quickly turns into something more.

It’s sweet. It’s soft. It’s real. And then his world tour kicks into high gear, and your modeling contract sends you to Europe for a major campaign.

Three weeks. It’s the longest you’ve been apart since that first night. Texts and video calls are a poor substitute for the weight of him, the smell of him, the feel of him. You’re both busy, but the ache is a constant hum under your skin.

Present.

The show in Milan is a blur. You walk, you smile, you pose. Your mind is six thousand miles away, in an American city where he’s performing tonight. The moment your final look is done, you don’t even bother changing out of the closing piece—a delicate, blush-pink babydoll nightgown made of sheer silk chiffon. It’s meant to be ethereal and innocent. You feel anything but.

You have a notification. His plane landed an hour ago. He came straight here.

You practically run through the backstage labyrinth, the silky fabric floating around your thighs. You shove open the door to your assigned changing room.

And there he is.

Leaning against your dressing table, still in his airport clothes—a worn black hoodie and jeans, a cap pulled low. He looks tired, but his eyes when they meet yours are like struck flint.

No words. None. In three long strides, he’s on you. His hands are in your hair, tilting your head back, and his mouth crashes down onto yours. It’s not a hello kiss. It’s a reclaiming. It’s desperate, hungry, and deep, his tongue sweeping into your mouth like he’s trying to taste every second of the last twenty-one days.

You moan into him, your hands clutching at his hoodie, pulling him closer. He breaks the kiss only to breathe your name like a prayer against your lips. “Fuck, Y/N.”

His hands slide down, groping you roughly through the thin silk. He palms your breasts, his thumbs rubbing your nipples into hard points that are visibly outlined against the fabric. He squeezes your ass, pulling you flush against him so you can feel the rigid length of him straining against his jeans.

“Missed you so much,” he growls, his mouth traveling down your jaw to your neck, biting and sucking. “Thought about this every fucking night. This perfect body. My body.”

“Oppa,” you gasp, arching into his touch. “I missed you too. So much it hurt.”

“Show me,” he demands, his fingers finding the hem of the babydoll and pushing it up around your waist. His calloused fingertips dig into the bare skin of your hips. “You’re still wearing this? This pretty little thing?”

“I just got off the—ah!” He cuts you off by sliding a hand between your legs, finding you already soaked. “Jungkook…”

“Already wet for me,” he murmurs, rubbing slow, torturous circles over your clit through your panties. “Been thinking about this, huh? Thinking about my cock while you were walking out there looking like a fucking dream for everyone else?”

“Only for you,” you pant, your head falling back as his fingers push your panties aside and slide deep inside you. “Always for you.”

He works you with his fingers, curling them just right, his eyes locked on your face. “Say it again.”

“I was thinking about you,” you whimper, your hips rocking against his hand. “About this. About your cock. I touched myself in my hotel bed and pretended it was you.”

A low groan rumbles in his chest. “Fuck, angel. You’re gonna kill me.” He withdraws his fingers, brings them to his mouth, and sucks them clean, his eyes dark and unwavering on yours. “Mine.”

He turns you around roughly, bending you over the dressing table. Makeup brushes and pots clatter to the floor. Your cheek is pressed against the cool mirror. In the reflection, you see him behind you, shoving his jeans and briefs down just enough to free himself. He’s huge, thick and veined, already leaking. He doesn’t bother with a condom—you’re both clean and you’re on the pill, a conversation you’d had in a much sweeter moment weeks ago.

The broad head of his cock nudges against your soaked entrance. “This what you wanted while you were away?” he grits out, not pushing in yet, just teasing.

“Yes,” you breathe, pushing back against him. “Please, oppa. Need you.”

“My good girl,” he murmurs, and then he sheathes himself in one brutal, perfect thrust.

The air punches out of your lungs. He’s so big, stretching you exquisitely after the weeks apart. A ragged scream tears from your throat, muffled by your own arm.

He doesn’t give you time to adjust. He sets a punishing pace immediately, each snap of his hips driving you into the table. One hand fists in the silk at your back, the other grips your hip so hard it’ll bruise.

“Look at you,” he grunts, his eyes on the mirror. “Look at my fucking angel taking my cock like she was made for it.” The delicate babydoll is rucked up around your waist, the sheer fabric trembling with each impact. “Gonna ruin this pretty outfit. Gonna stain it with your cum.”

“Do it,” you moan, shameless. “Ruin it. I don’t care.”

He leans over you, his sweaty chest pressing against your silk-covered back, his mouth at your ear. “I’m gonna fill you up so deep, Y/N. Gonna pump you so full of my cum that it’ll be leaking out of you when you walk. For days. Every time you feel it drip, you’ll remember who you belong to.”

The filthy promise, the sheer possession in his words, sends a violent shock of pleasure through you. You clench around him, a high whine escaping your lips.

“That’s it,” he encourages, his pace becoming erratic. “Come for me. Squirt all over my cock. Let me feel how much you missed me.”

His fingers find your clit, rubbing hard and fast. It’s too much—the stretch, the friction, the dirty talk, the weeks of longing. Your orgasm detonates, a blinding, seizing wave that makes you scream and buck against him. A hot gush of release soaks his thighs and the floor, just as he promised.

He fucks you through it, through the spasms that milk him relentlessly. “One more,” he demands, his voice strained. “Give me one more. I need it.”

He pulls out suddenly, spins you around, and lifts you onto the edge of the table. He pushes your legs apart, his eyes devouring the sight of you—disheveled, flushed, silk torn, glistening with both of you.

“Wrap your legs around me,” he orders, and you do, locking your ankles at the small of his back. He guides himself back inside, a slow, deep re-entry that makes you see stars. This angle is even deeper. He rocks into you, his forehead against yours, his breath mingling with yours.

“I love you,” he whispers, the words raw and unexpected amidst the filth. “Fuck, I love you so much it terrifies me.” He kisses you, deep and soul-wrenching. “You’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” you sob, the emotional confession tipping you over another edge. Another, softer but just as intense orgasm ripples through you, a continuous pulse around his length.

With a broken cry, he buries himself to the hilt and comes. You feel the hot, pulsing rush of him filling you, just as he said he would. He holds you there, joined, trembling, as he empties himself inside you with soft, helpless groans against your neck.

For long minutes, there’s only the sound of your ragged breathing. Slowly, he pulls out. He reaches for a box of tissues from the table, gently cleaning between your legs, his touch reverent now. He cleans himself up, then pulls your ruined babydoll back down, smoothing the silk over your thighs. The stylist will probably grill you for ruining it but that is a problem for Future You.

He pulls you into his arms, just holding you, his face buried in your hair. “I’m gonna take you home,” he murmurs, his voice thick. “My place. For a whole week. I’m not letting you out of my bed.”

You nod against his chest, boneless and complete.

He kisses the top of your head. “Let’s get out of here.” He helps you stand, your legs wobbly. You grab your bag and a long coat to throw over the stained silk. As he opens the door, he laces his fingers through yours.

(the full version includes jungkook cooking for you, worshipping your body when you feel insecure and fucking you against the mirror as he praises you)

The Beginning - Alpha

“Jungkook is tasked by his father – current Alpha of the pack – to deliver you – an innocent omega – to your future husband, who purchased you through illegal omega trading offers and who is known to publicly torture omegas for sport. Problem is, you and he are former childhood best friends with too much tension to work through and Jungkook can’t stand his father’s disgusting business methods.” Genre: Werewolves!AU, childhood best friends to enemies to lovers!AU, Angsty Romance, Smut

The Wedding - Bonded

“You didn’t think that having Jungkook save you from an abusive arranged marriage by marking you would mean that you would have to marry him instead. Yet here you are. Bonded to him for life, with his father threatening to ban you if you fuck it up and with your marriage night one step away. It wouldn’t be that scary if you weren’t aware that his family doesn’t bond with omegas.” Genre: Werewolves!AU, forced marriage!AU, childhood best friends to lovers!AU, marriage night!AU, Angst, Romance, Smut

The Marriage - Scents

Any day now you would start to grow fur all over your body and your teeth would get pointy and you would feel the pull of the full moon.  

At least that’s what you thought, despite Namjoon telling you it would be impossible; all while laughing a pretty sound that both soothed you and annoyed you greatly. 

Being a Moonchild didn’t mean you were turning into one of them, the pack had explained, it didn’t mean you had dormant wolf genes or anything of the sort. You were still human by nature, but you had moon magic in your blood. 

You were a direct descendant of the Lost Princess and the centuries between you caused that same magic to grow muffled until you met Bangtan. 

Until you met Yoongi. 

Funny how just the thought of him made your insides chirp happily, how the simple soft opening of the door behind you made your whole body flush with excitement from being in his presence. 

You didn’t turn around when you heard him come in, you stayed where you were, staring out the window to the beautiful backyard below. You could see Yoongi’s mother running around to fix the tables and chairs and the staff she hired was bringing out food. 

“What’s wrong, princess?” Yoongi’s voice was a low rumble at your back as his arms wrapped around your middle. The new pet name felt familiar as if you’ve been hearing it your whole life, but Yoongi had just started calling you that. At least in this reality. 

“Nothing is wrong.” you sighed as you melted into his embrace. 

“You forgot that I can feel what you feel?” he laughed with what was a slight exaggeration. 

Yoongi couldn’t exactly feel your every feeling, but thanks to the mark on the side of your neck –the one Yoongi was skimming his lips over at this very moment–, he was a lot more in tune with your emotions, being able to read you like a book. There was also something about your scent that changed with certain sentiments.

“Right, the bond.” you rolled your eyes playfully, which he could see from the reflection in the glass in front of you. “How could I forget?”

Yoongi was grinning when you turned around to face him. 

“Is it because of the party tonight? ‘Cause I can call the whole thing off.” he offered, which had you scoffing out loud. 

“I know you’re dying to find an excuse to do that, but it won’t be me who gives it to you.” you were shaking your head as you walked away from him to sit on the edge of the guest bed you were currently sharing. “Your mother worked hard to put it together, and I’m still getting into her good graces.”

It’s been a month since you woke up from a crazy series of dreams that felt too vivid to be fragments of your imagination. A month since Yoongi saved your life by claiming you as his mate. And one week since you both came to Yoongi’s family town so you could be introduced to them. 

You knew that coming here was done partly because your pack felt like you needed some time alone with Yoongi, so the two of you could strengthen your bond. Secondly, it was part of wolf tradition that you needed to be formally introduced to Yoongi’s familial pack as his mate. 

The party that was being assembled right now was Mrs. Min’s idea, so you’d be officially introduced to the rest of the Min clan. Yoongi had told you it was also an excuse to show you off, which woke the protective side of him. 

Yoongi huffed. “What is it, then?” 

“I miss the pack.” you whined. Then your eyes widened and you tried to make it sound better: “Not that being with you isn’t enough… You’re my mate.” 

“But you love the others too, I know.” Yoongi was standing in front of you, and the same way he could share your emotions, you could pick up on his, too. If he was upset, you’d be able to tell. “You know I’m okay with that.” 

Everything was still very new to you, you were still learning how to navigate the whole ‘pack moonchild’ thing. The last thing you wanted was to hurt Yoongi or make him think that he wasn’t enough. You just couldn’t deny how being away from your pack for a whole week was starting to mess with you. 

It felt like something was constantly missing in your soul. 

It was kinda reassuring, you supposed, how you would be able to tell if Yoongi was jealous or bothered by the relationship you wanted to build with the others. 

“What else?” 

You nibbled on your bottom lip before admitting: “I want nothing more than to go back, but I’m also terrified.” 

“I know it’s going to be weird, but we’ll keep you safe.” Yoongi promised. It took you a few seconds for you to understand where his own concerns lay. He thought you were scared about going back to Seoul. “I’ll never let the southsiders get close to you again.”

You felt a little silly now, as you obviously had a lot more concerns than what was actually bothering you. You were about to go back home, your real home, you would no longer return to Dalju. 

The pack had a lot of things to settle in Seoul, they could no longer run from their problems, from their territory. And since the Southside wolves that were chasing you were now dead, you could all breathe easier in hopes that you would no longer have any problems with the South. 

“That’s not what I’m scared of.” you played with the end of the crimson colored band that was tied around your waist. “What if the pack suddenly resents me for picking you? What if they don’t want me anymore?” 

Yoongi laughed out loud, deep from his chest, complete with shoulders shaking. 

“Hey!” 

“Sorry, I thought it was a joke.” Yoongi replaced his laughing with a soft smile, kneeling on the floor in front of you. “Them not wanting you is impossible. I’m your true mate–”

“Try not sounding so smug about that–”

“–but you bonded with them, too. You know this.” the way Yoongi was talking to you made you feel like a child, but maybe that’s just what you needed. “They love you. And I know for a fact they can’t wait for us to be back at the den.” 

You desperately wanted to take Yoongi’s words into your heart.

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.” despite the anxiety for what you might find once you got back home, the excitement you felt about seeing your pack was a lot stronger.

“We could get there tonight if we–”

“We are not skipping the party.” you interrupted before he could get any ideas. 

Yoongi’s nose scrunched and he got up from the floor with a warning: “Just know you might regret this before the night is through.” 

You understood, to a degree, why Yoongi was feeling slightly put off by this event. You could tell he loved his parents and brother to death, but it should be weird for him to be so close to his old pack again. You didn’t quite grasp all of the rules and pack laws just yet, but Yoongi was loyal to Bangtan, to his leader. You didn’t know what would happen tonight, if it came down to challenges and wanting Yoongi back. 

Mr. and Mrs. Min had been nothing but welcoming to you, despite your human condition, but they did mention wishing their son would live closer, that he’d come back to visit more often. As a dinner subject landed on having kids –because of course it did– Mrs. Min sounded really upset about the fact she wouldn’t be close enough to the nest to see them grow up.  

“Are you ready?” Yoongi asked you after his head tilted slightly towards the entrance of the room; a telltale sign that he was hearing something or someone approach. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” you accepted Yoongi’s stretched hand and used your free one to smooth the skirt of your outfit. 

It was the second time in your life you ever wore a hanbok; the first time being during the birthday celebration of Sol and Luna just two months ago. It didn’t surprise you that this was the attire chosen by Yoongi’s parents, as not only was their pack close to Hyejin's territory –as well as the sacred cave–, Yoongi’s family was a lot more on the traditional side than modern. 

Yoongi’s hanbok was a very dark blue with silver details; he’d borrowed it from his brother, so it was a little tight on his shoulders. Yours had been borrowed from Mrs. Min, as the dress code was told to you in such short notice that neither of you had any time to buy any new ones. 

Yoongi let go of a long breath and closed his eyes as he waited for–

“Oh, there you are!” Mrs. Min opened the door to the bedroom without knocking and you understood Yoongi’s aggravation. You had learned by now that she was the ‘my den, my rules’ kind of person. “The pack is starting to arrive, you should be downstairs to greet them.” 

“We were just on our way down, eomma.” your mate sounded tired, running a hand through his light hair. 

“You look so pretty, darling.” Mrs. Min ignored her son’s chastised tone to turn to you. With a harsh tug, she adjusted the red band around your waist so it would sit properly around your middle. “Just like I did when I married his father.” 

“This is your wedding hanbok?” you asked and sent a look of panic towards Yoongi.  

“Eomma, what are you up to–”

“Nothing at all.” the woman shrugged, taking a step back so she could look at the two of you at the same time. “But since we are on the subject, I do have a gift.”

Before Yoongi could protest, and his lips parted as he was about to, the woman lifted her left hand and took off the ring on her middle finger. It was thick and circular, made of moonstone with gold details all around. 

It was a beautiful piece of jewelry, like the kind you would see in the museums that exposed pieces from the Joseon era, but it wasn’t your style. Still, if Yoongi’s mother wanted to give you a gift, you wouldn’t reject it. Not when you knew how much offerings meant to their kind. 

“Eomma, Yn and I aren’t there yet.” Yoongi spoke before Mrs. Min could give you the small object. 

The few lines his mother had between her brows were more prominent when she frowned. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean we’re not getting married.” Yoongi’s answer had you understanding how that wasn’t just a ring, but what should be a family heirloom; an engagement ring. “We just got together, eomma, I brought her here so you could meet my mate, not so you could marry us.” 

“I’m confused.” the woman was clearly deflating and you didn’t like how Yoongi’s agitation rattled in your bones. 

“Yn wasn’t raised within our culture, I told you this.” he kept going and you couldn’t help but fidget on the spot. You were thankful he was standing up for the two of you, as marriage had never crossed your mind, but you didn’t like the feeling of letting his mother down. “Humans do things differently. We’ll take our time and then when we’re ready, I promise we’ll let you know.” 

“She’s wearing your mark, I don’t understand why she can’t wear your ring.” 

Yoongi, it’s okay. It took you a couple of tries to channel your mind-chat, but you were getting better. 

No, I warned her not to pull this shit. His reply came a lot smoother.  

Yes, but do you really want to get into this right now? You were already so different from them, definitely not the daughter in law Mrs. Min wished for her son. You knew there was a lot at stake here. 

“It would be an honor, Mrs. Min.” you told the older lady, who beamed and relaxed her shoulders. Trying to placate Yoongi, you said: I’ll just wear it for tonight. 

“Wonderful!” Mrs. Min handed you the ring like it was her most precious belonging and you couldn’t help but indulge in the prestige that it was to be gifted such a thing. You took it as acceptance, rather than the societal ties that came from a marriage. “Now come come, everyone is looking forward to meeting you.” 

You placed the ring on your finger, which sat a little too tight, but at least you wouldn’t have to worry about it falling and getting lost. When Mrs. Min turned around to lead the way out of the bedroom, you turned to Yoongi and slipped your hand into his. 

Thank you, sweetheart. He sounded a lot more relaxed just from your touch alone. I’m surprised at how good you are at handling her. 

What can I say? You tried to muffle your laugh as you both walked behind Mrs. Min, hoping not to tip her on the fact you were both having a conversation behind her back. Apparently parents love me.

Good luck when meeting Namjoon’s. 

You gasped and Yoongi laughed. You gave his chest a little slap: Now why would you say that? 

Yoongi just shrugged and scratched the tip of his nose as Mrs. Min looked over her shoulder to the two of you. You let the subject die as you reached the bottom of the stairs. 

The big foyer was completely different from the last time you’ve been here in the morning; filled with flower arrangements, thick candles and a fancy cloth on the floor that went from the front entrance all the way to the backyard. The house was a little drafty, thanks to the open doors, but being close to Yoongi meant you could take advantage of his unnatural warmth. 

You spent the next twenty minutes being introduced to people you wouldn’t remember the name of, making small talk with strangers and being on the receiving end of different reactions. 

The guests invited by Yoongi’s parents were either related to them by blood or by pack and it was easy for you to pick up on it from the different reactions you read from Yoongi. With family members, especially the younger ones, Yoongi was warm and wistful. But when he grew tense and standoff-ish, you knew they were his pack mates from before he left to join Namjoon. 

You tried your best not to catch too much attention to yourself, but you still stood out like a sore thumb. 

While Yoongi’s immediate family had been warned about your human nature and told about what you were –which you guessed was the only reason why you were accepted by them–, Yoongi had asked his parents not to tell anyone else about you being a Moonchild. Yoongi didn’t trust everyone from his old pack to keep that information secured and your pack was still learning about it themselves. 

It wouldn’t be safe for you if word got out that a different version of the legend was true, that there were still moon-children roaming around earth. You didn’t know if it would put a target on your back, if you’d be seen as a threat. 

So, at least for now, they wanted to keep it a secret. Just to keep you safe. 

Which meant you weren’t immune to the surprised looks and odd reactions when people realized that you weren’t a werewolf. No one was brave enough to say anything to your face and all it took was a couple polite words and the chance to smell your scent for them to settle. 

Much like it happened at the mating ceremony, no one was put off by your presence. If anything, a couple guests here and there lingered around you a little too much for comfort. 

When the social interaction became too much for the two of you, you escaped into the backyard for some fresh air. 

That’s where the party was happening, but everyone was a lot more interested in mingling and eating, rather than paying attention to you and Yoongi. 

The Min’s home was in the middle of a suburban area, away from other neighbors and with a beautiful small forest around it. Yoongi had taken you into it when you first arrived, just to show you the secret hiding spots where he and his brother used to play when they were growing up. 

“I’m going to miss this. All this nature.” you thought out loud when it was just you and Yoongi in a corner. “I don’t know how you guys live without it.”

“We miss it, too, but we have our ways.”  

You raised an eyebrow. “What ways?” 

“You’ll see.” Yoongi chuckled as if he was into an inside joke that you weren’t. 

“Well, at least I am excited about seeing your house.” which Yoongi could notice by the quick beating of your heart as you told him.  

“It’s your house now, too, sweetheart.” he corrected, and it was your turn to feel his excitement. “And you’ve been there before.” 

You scoffed, shaking your head. I’ve been there once, in the middle of the night after Kook, Tae and Chim smuggled me in after I was attacked by the southsiders.”

A low growl escaped between Yoongi’s lips, no doubt coming from his alpha. Yoongi’s cheeks turned slightly pink as if embarrassed about his own reaction, but you enjoyed it quite a lot.  

“I’m excited to see our home. Our den.” you changed your words, trying to distract the alpha from bad memories. And just to tease, you whispered: “I’m going to make it nice and cozy.” 

Yoongi’s lids lowered as his eyes flashed yellow. The new rumble from his alpha was a lot more exciting and it had your heart picking up its pace. 

Don’t threaten me with your nesting right now, or I’ll throw you over my shoulder and take you upstairs. It was Yoongi’s inner wolf warning you, you just knew it. 

You leaned closer, lips ghosting Yoongi’s ear as you pretended you were just innocently kissing your mate’s cheek: “Then you shouldn't threaten me with a good time either.” 

One of Yoongi’s arms wrapped possessively around your waist and you realized you missed this. Being close to his family meant Yoongi had to behave, so he kept his wolf in check most of the time. 

If only he knew how much you craved their wild side. 

“Yoonie!” a voice was coming from behind Yoongi, so his hold on you loosened until his arm dropped from you. 

You saw a tiny woman that looked a lot like Yoongi himself, but his nose was more round and his lips were more petal shaped. Your mate recognized her right away, with a contagious happiness that had you smiling for no reason. 

“Imo!” Yoongi greeted her while opening his arms. 

It was his aunt, you realized. 

“Oh, it is so good to see you home.” the woman almost disappeared in Yoongi’s embrace. 

You froze. 

Your whole body flushed with an inexplicable cold sweat because there was someone else with Yoongi’s aunt, someone you hadn’t seen before she moved out of the way. You didn’t mean to stare at the older woman sitting on the wheelchair, gaze glossy and lost as if she wasn’t even here. 

“How are you? How’s aunt Yesoo?” Yoongi kept talking to his aunt, you could barely hear what they were saying at this point. 

“We’re so good. She’s doing really well lately, which makes me happy.” the woman turned around to motion to her sister. Yesoo. “This must be your lovely mate.” 

“This is Yn.” Yoongi’s touch on your back broke you out of your stupor, his eyes were concerned and you could tell the fine hairs in his arm were standing up as if he was on high alert. “Sweetheart, these are my aunts Ji-in and Yesoo.” 

“Hi, it’s so nice to meet the two of you.” you hoped they didn’t notice the tremble in your voice as you politely bowed to them in greeting.  

As if triggered by your voice, the older woman in the wheelchair moved her eyes and settled them on you. You knew right there that she was recognizing you, too. She sucked in a breath and her lips parted as if she wanted to speak. Out of instinct, you held onto Yoongi’s arm as your breath got caught in your throat. 

Yesoo let out a strangled cry, upper body twitching and catching her sister’s attention. The woman rushed to soothe her, looking at you and Yoongi apologetically. 

“Excuse us, she’s probably hungry.” Ji-in informed you while rushing to the back of the wheelchair. “We’ll talk to you later, pups.” 

You stared at the green grass below your feet as you bowed again, not wanting to upset Yesoo any further. As soon as they were out of sight and you were alone with Yoongi again, you emptied your lungs and filled them back with a gasp. 

“Yoongi–”

“I probably should have warned you, but I didn’t think they would be here.” Yoongi rushed to explain in a quiet tone. “They are my mom’s sisters, and aunt Yesoo is the oldest.” 

“Did you ever show me pictures of her? Of Mrs. Yesoo?” you knew you sounded frenzied and Yoongi could damn well hear your heart in your throat.  

“No, I don’t think I even have any.” Yoongi was standing in front of you now, protectively shielding you from the rest of the backyard. “Why? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“A ghost from my past, maybe.” a delirious laugh left your lips as you tried to make sense of what was going on. “I’ve seen her before, Yoon. I’ve met her before, I’m sure of it.” 

His hand held the side of your face as he searched your eyes. “How would that even be possible?” 

“My dreams… She’s been in them.” you spoke only above a whisper, waiting a few seconds for Yoongi to understand which dreams you were talking about. “Your aunt… She was one of the wolves in your pack. I mean, your pack from the past–”

How could this be happening right now? For a second there, you thought that it might just be an impression, that maybe you were mistaking her for someone your imagination conjured up. 

But that didn’t explain how Yesoo recognized you, too. 

“Are you sure my brother shares you with his pack?” 

The voice came from almost nowhere and startled you. Looking to your right, hand frozen in the air from picking up your lemonade cup from the table, you noticed Yoongi’s older brother. 

“He does.” you brought the cup to your lips, needing a sip even more now that Jae’s question had your throat drying out. “Why?” 

“He’s been staring daggers into anyone who looks at you for longer than five seconds.” the man chuckled and you found yourself doing the same, looking for Yoongi in the crowd and finding him talking to his father a few meters away. 

“Well, our pack is pretty peaceful.” you told him with a chest full of pride. “They bickered a little during courting, but it was all in good fun.”

Jae nodded like he understood, but his eyes were still studying you. Almost as if judging something you couldn’t exactly point out. As far as you could tell, Yoongi’s relationship with his older brother was a close one. The fact your mate told him about the sharing was enough proof of that. 

“They are all alphas, correct?” he asked and you nodded. “Interesting.” 

You didn’t mean to sound indelicate, but your curiosity was bigger than that when you asked: “What are you?”

“You can’t guess?” 

You took another sip of the refreshing beverage before placing it back down on the table to look at your future brother in law with your full attention. Jae was a pretty laid back guy, as far as you knew him, someone easy to talk to. He wasn’t intimidating like the alphas you’ve met, but he also wasn’t as soft edged as other omegas. 

You opened your mouth to speak a couple of times, but stopped short in doubt. 

Taking pity on your inner turmoil, he said: 

“I’m a beta, dear sister.” 

“Oh!” you couldn’t help but gasp, eyebrows shooting to your hairline. “I never met a beta before.” 

“It’s a pleasure to be your first.” Jae winked. 

The way the man laughed and looked over your shoulder, straight to your mate, made you wonder if Yoongi was cursing him out for the obvious innuendo. You didn’t feel any type of way about it, not even offended as you knew Jae was only trying to get a rise out of his younger brother. 

“But that doesn’t surprise me, we’re a lot smaller in number than alphas and omegas.” he continued. “While alphas are usually headstrong and possessive, and omegas are caring and nurturing, betas are the mediators.” 

“Mediators.” you repeated, wanting to hear more. 

“We can act as the managers of a pack. Help omegas raise their kids, be the voice of calm to rampage alphas.” Jae waved the air with a flourish. 

“That sounds super important, how come every pack doesn’t have one?” 

“To put it simply, there aren’t that many of us around. We are a rare gene,” despite his relaxed disposition, you noticed the small scratch to the tip of his nose; a nervous tick you recognized from Yoongi. You understood why when he revealed: “Betas are sterile.” 

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s okay, just means eomma won’t be bugging me for grandchildren.” Jae didn’t even give you time for the meaning of his words to settle before he added: “But I guess, between the two of us, you’re the real rarity, aren’t you, moonchild?” 

You didn’t know how to answer that, but thankfully you didn’t have to as Yoongi joined you with a rough bump against Jae’s shoulder. 

“Excuse us, sweetheart,” Yoongi held his brother by the back of his neck, much like you’ve seen Seokjin and Hoseok do to the youngest ones of your pack. Glaring at Jae, he warned: “Appa wants to talk to us both.” 

“I’m sure he does.” Jae laughed as if he didn’t buy it for a second. “I was just having a harmless conversation with your mate. It’s important she bonds with your family–”

Yoongi’s warning growl even made you a little concerned. Jae, however, threw his hand back in a laugh before lifting his hands up in surrender and walking away in the direction of the main house. 

“Sometimes I think I’m the older one.” Yoongi was shaking his head in disbelief, lips pressing into a thin line when you giggled. “I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

“Don’t worry about me.” you offered him a smile before taking a step closer to him kiss the corner of his mouth. “But don’t be gone too long, or someone less related to you might want to keep me company.” 

You better watch it, little human. The alpha warned, exactly who you’ve been aiming to rile up. 

“Or what?” 

Yoongi didn’t answer you with words, reaching for the back of your neck to hold you in place when he fixed the angle and pressed his mouth to yours. You grinned because he was falling into your trap, gasping as you felt his bite to your lower lip. 

Behave. 

I promise. You scrunched your nose cutely. 

That was Yoongi’s cue to walk in the direction his brother had just gone, leaving you alone again. 

All things considered, this party could be a lot worse, you decided. While the older members of Yoongi’s familial pack continuously threw cautionary looks your way, you learned to ignore them. The only thing that bothered you was the chills at the back of your neck that you would get every now and then, as if you were being watched. 

Everytime that happened, you knew exactly where it was coming from. 

As if on cue, you turned slightly to your left, to where you had seen Yoongi’s aunt last, and there she–

Oh. 

Shit. 

Aunt Yesoo’s wheelchair was sitting empty on the spot closer to the porch where she’d been all day. You couldn’t help but to be filled with dread as alarm bells rang inside your head. This gathering had been going for hours and you hadn’t seen the old lady move much or even say a word, looking more like a wax figure than a real person. 

You started to look around, maybe aunt Ji-in had helped her to the toilet or another family member was caring for the lady, but you couldn’t see her anywhere. Your panic started to rise when you found Mrs. Min laughing with Ji-in and no sign of their older sister. 

The forest. 

You couldn’t see anything past the line of trees that led into the backyard’s forest, but you knew. Your intuition was screaming at you that aunt Yesoo was in there somewhere and what could you do? Call someone else to go look and risk acting crazy if you were wrong? Or ignore your gut feeling and risk her getting lost or hurt if you were right? 

Yoongi. 

You called, but your mind was too fuzzy for you to properly reach your mate. You could never use the bond communication in long range situations before, you didn’t think you could do it now. 

Just go, it will be fine. 

The voice in your head felt a lot like your own, so you decided to follow it. 

You didn’t know where you were going when you broke the clearing and stepped into the forest, hoping that the sun stayed in the sky a little longer so you wouldn’t find yourself lost in the darkness. 

Your mate will find you. They’ll always find you. 

You kept telling yourself that, Yoongi could track you down in a minute, by your scent alone. As soon as felt something was wrong, his protective ass would come running after you. Yeah. You’d be okay. 

Just a little more. 

Your feet were leading you based on intuitiveness alone. Birds were chirping high up in the trees and leaves were crunching beneath your feet as you rushed. 

There! 

Aunt Yesoo was standing in a gap between trees, her frail and fragile body trembling as if it took her great effort to have walked this far. If she wasn’t a wolf you didn’t think she’d make it. 

“Hello?” you called and Aunt Yesoo obviously heard you when she started to turn around. 

It would be like a scene from a horror movie if this wasn’t someone you already knew. Even if you couldn’t know her. 

“Can you come with me?” you offered in a small voice as you approached her in soft steps. “Let’s get you back home–”

“It’s you. Isn’t it?” her voice was coarse and thick with lack of use, eyes filled with unshed tears. “Did you see them? Did you see my babies?”

Your heart broke in tiny pieces as the pain behind her questions. You had to swallow the lump in your throat as you gave her a nod.  

“Bring them to me!” it was like a switch had been flipped and the woman became hysterical. “Bring them to me! Bring them to me!”

Out of self preservation and instinct alone you flinched and took several steps back when Aunt Yesoo rushed towards you. Her body started to contort itself as if she was about to turn and you panicked. 

You might be a moonchild, but you’d never outrun a wolf! Debilitated or not. 

In a blink the woman was on you. 

Her nails pressed against the skin of your arm and everything went black. 

Want to know what happens next? Check out Moonchild Season Two on the membership pages! The second chapter is out today.

It was subtle at first, just enough for you to write off as something you imagined with everything else that's going on. You figured that maybe you were just projecting your tension and stress onto everyone else – but no, it became obvious soon enough that wasn't the case.

Namjoon and Hoseok were jealous.

You were overjoyed when you learned that Jimin had done good on his promise and apologized to Taehyung. The afternoon they spent together did wonders for the lingering resentment that Jimin carried with him. You know that the cat hybrid won't be able to change the way he feels overnight and that's not something you expect of him either, but seeing Jimin actually relax in Taehyung's presence made a few tears spring to your eyes. You genuinely didn't know if that day would ever come and at times, you didn't even dare to hope for it.

It was as if the house itself let out a sigh of relief as the last gap between the packs was finally bridged, the air becoming easier to breathe every time Jimin flashed Taehyung a smile that wasn't snarky or strained. But with every fleeting touch or comment shared between the two of them – it was like the dark cloud hanging over Namjoon and Hoseok's heads only grew larger.

The two have acted like Taehyung's shadow over the past few days, always hovering nearby. They've been behaving weirdly possessive, barely letting their youngest packmate interact with any of the other hybrids in the house and making sure to scent Taehyung at every possible moment.

Perhaps you would've found it concerning if it wasn't obvious just how guilty they feel about what they're doing. Namjoon's gaze has been apologetic whenever he's pulled Taehyung away from conversations, his ears flat against his silver hair. Hoseok's tail has been firmly tucked between his legs as he's lured Taehyung away from playing games with Jeongguk and Jimin, a frown constantly tugging at his lips.

You can only assume that Namjoon and Hoseok are feeling insecure about their bond, and horribly so. You've been giving them space to figure it out on their own, not wanting to interfere with something so personal; but at the rate this is going, you're worried it might end up creating an even bigger rift between them.

With the two canines so caught up in their own guilt and insecurity, you don't think they've realized that Taehyung has been acting just as odd. Whenever you all share a meal, the fox hybrid stacks his plate so high with food that you fear it's going to topple over. Hardly any of the food actually goes into his own mouth, his fork constantly hovering near Namjoon or Hoseok's mouth to feed them the abundance of meat he's piled up. Even from across the table, you've been squirming under the intensity of the way Taehyung watches their mouths whenever they take the bite he offers them, something pleased and hungry in his gaze. Not only that, but the fox hybrid has been absolutely preening from their undivided attention, happily following along whenever his hyungs drag him off to their den for another scenting session. He's been taking full advantage of their sudden clinginess, constantly asking for cuddles or hanging off either of their backs.

From the knowing, sad, looks you've seen passed around in the other packs, it's clear to everyone but the canines that they're reaching a point they can't return from. The feelings they've been hiding are going to come to the surface soon, for better or for worse. Your only hope is that when the time comes; they will finally be brave enough to confess how they really feel.

You spring forward in your chair as a soft knock sounds at your door.

"Yes?" You call out.

"It's me," Soohyun opens the door enough to slip in. You can already tell from the disappointed scrunch of her brow that she didn't have any more luck than you did trying to contact Hajoon and the others.

"I'm guessing you had no luck either?"

"No," Soohyun shakes her head. "It's like they've all fallen off the face of the earth! I'll keep trying and I do have a few contacts in law enforcement that I can ask for help, but you know it's very limited what we can legally do to get ahold of someone."

"Right," You sigh, offering her a weak smile, "Thank you for trying. Even if we can't reach them directly, there has to be someone out there who knows something."

"I'll let you know the moment I get any updates," Soohyun promises.

She pouts as she notices how exhausted you look, "Would you hate the world a little less if I go bring us some coffee and pastries from the bakery across the road?"

"Yes. I think something filled with chocolate would make me so full of love that I'd even propose to you for being ever so kind," You give her your best imitation of Taehyung's puppy eyes, batting your eyelashes for extra effect.

Soohyun rolls her eyes, laughing as she opens the door and says, "Careful, Y/n. You shouldn't be throwing out love declarations so recklessly. I don't think your housemates would appreciate it."

You feel yourself flush as she throws a knowing look at your throat, the area not so inconspicuously covered up by yet another scarf. The hickies hidden there pulse under Soohyun's gaze and you have to resist touching your neck to make sure that none of them are showing.

"Please go," You groan, waving a giggling Soohyun out of your office.

There may be weird tension at home but that hasn't stopped any of them from making sure that you're properly scented and marked every day. It has just made things a little more.. complicated.

You rub your face, shaking off any thoughts of the boys as you throw the phone at your desk another glance. You pick it up with a grimace, typing in the first of the four numbers you now know by heart.

Maybe they'll pick up this time.

Only a few more days pass before it becomes glaringly obvious that the canines can't postpone their talk anymore.

You're snuggled up on the couch with Hoseok and Taehyung, the latter resting his head in your lap as you mindlessly play with his orange locks. The dog hybrid has tucked himself into your neck, barely keeping an eye on the TV as he breathes in your lovely, fresh scent. You've only been home for an hour, all too ready to just relax on the couch for the rest of the evening (and the whole weekend, if you can manage) when Yoongi walks into the room, freezes, and sputters, "Shit, it smells like pre-rut in here."

"What?" You look at him with wide eyes, feeling Taehyung stiffen under your touch.

Yoongi scrunches his nose, his puffed-up tail swishing behind him as he says, "Actually, it doesn't just smell, it reeks."

Hoseok leans back just as Taehyung scrambles up from your lap, the two of them staring at each other dumbfounded. Taehyung tucks his tail around his waist, gnawing at his lip as he asks, "But hyung, aren't we a month away from our rut?"

The dog hybrid's ears are pulled back, his expression clearly panicked as his gaze jumps around the room. "We should be, I– I don't know! I have been feeling a little off lately but I thought it was– uhm, something else."

Hoseok is spared any further explanation as Namjoon walks into the room, a tray of drinks and snacks in his hands. He pauses next to Yoongi as he takes in the sudden distress on his packmates' faces, something that wasn't there just a few minutes ago.

"What's going on?" The low rumble attached to Namjoon's words makes your hair stand on end, his posture screaming defense as his eyes sweep across the room.

"Calm down, big guy," Yoongi rolls his eyes. He takes a step closer to Namjoon, just enough to properly single his scent out from the heavy smell in the living room. He recoils back just as fast, hand covering his nose as he says, "Yeah, that's definitely pre-rut."

"Pre-rut?" Namjoon echoes, his expression just as surprised as the other two. The wolf hybrid's tail slowly begins to tuck between his legs as he thinks, the explanation behind his sudden possessiveness and excessive jealousy suddenly making a lot of sense.

Yoongi swoops in to grab the tray as Namjoon's hands begin to shake, seemingly holding his breath as he walks over to deposit it on the coffee table. Yoongi gives you a look, one that says you know what to do, before he turns with a shake of his head and hurries out of the room.

Judging by their reactions alone, it's clear that none of the boys had noticed it creeping up on them early. It makes sense, you think, considering how preoccupied they seemed with their own feelings. It would be easy to blame any strong emotions on being worried about their bond and not because their ruts were approaching a month too soon.

But, even if they're not ready for it, it seems that time has run out for them.

"Guys.." You clear your throat, "I think you need to have a serious conversation about your bond. It's not really my place to say, but I don't think it'll be healthy for you to go through your ruts without doing that first."

You push yourself off the couch, giving them some space. "Would you like me to stay, or do you want some privacy to talk it out alone?"

"Stay," Hoseok shares a look with his packmates, wringing his hands in his lap as he says, "You might as well hear all of it. There's some things you deserve to know about."

"Okay," You nod, giving them what you hope is a soft, comforting smile, "Should we go to your room? It might be more comfortable to do it there."

You doubt that any of the other packs would venture out to the living room right now with how heavily saturated it is with the canines' scent, but it's probably better to just eliminate that chance altogether. They deserve some peace and quiet for the no doubt difficult conversation they're about to have.

You gently usher them to their room as they all agree, keeping a steady hand on Namjoon's back to move the alpha along. He's dragging his feet along the floor, slowing himself down as much as possible to prolong the inevitable. His head is ducked as you enter their room, his tail pressed firmly between his legs as he takes a seat on the end of the bed. Taehyung takes the spot next to him, leaving space for you and Hoseok at the head of it.

The silence that settles over the room is deafening. They all keep their eyes glued to different sides of the room, their anxiety and fear so strong you don't even have to be a hybrid to be able to pick up on it.

You notice Namjoon's fingers twisting into the fabric of his trousers, his knuckles white from the pressure. His ears have been half-pulled back since he entered the room but now they're flat with his hair, pressed against his skull. Namjoon screws his eyes shut as a rattling breath leaves his lips, the seal he had put on his feelings finally cracking under the pressure it's been under for so many years.

His expression crumbles as he curls in on himself, hands covering his face as he whimpers, "I'm so sorry I couldn't keep my promise."

"Hyung," Taehyung lets out a teary whine as he crawls over to Namjoon's side. He wraps himself around the wolf hybrid's back, rubbing his nose against the back of his neck in an attempt to soothe him.

"What do you mean?" You delicately ask.

"I can't keep pretending that I'm fine, that my f-feelings aren't there," Namjoon stutters over another whimper. "I know that it was necessary in the beginning, I was fine with staying friends and I respected the decision we made – our.. our promise. We had enough on our plate with becoming a pack and trying to stay afloat in the horrible homes we got adopted into."

The wolf hybrid lets out a shuddering breath, his body so small in Taehyung's embrace as he meekly continues, "Our instincts had us stuck in fight mode for so long that there was no room for anything else. But ever since we returned to the shelter and Y/n brought us home, gave us a safe space, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it – how much I want something more from our bond. I can't keep pushing my feelings away anymore, even if they're wrong. I just want to love you. Properly. Wholly, as mates."

Your lips wobble at how utterly distraught Namjoon looks. He appears crushed at his own confession, like he tried his best to pretend he hasn't been in love with his packmates for years; like he really thought he would be able to bury those feelings forever and never talk about them again.

"Joonie hyung," Taehyung murmurs, plastering himself so tight to Namjoon that it looks like he's trying to merge them together. Like he might be able to take some of Namjoon's pain away if he just gets a little closer.

You glance over at Hoseok as you hear him let out a sniffle, a tear running down his cheek before he reaches up to wipe it away. Your heart clenches at the devastated expression on his face, his gaze pained as he watches Taehyung comfort Namjoon.

You offer him your hand for some silent comfort and the dog hybrid latches on to it immediately, his grasp tight around your fingers.

"It's my fault you've both been hurting so much, I'm so sorry," Hoseok whispers brokenly. "You both respected my wishes and allowed me to heal and grow at my own pace. I– I can't thank you enough for that."

"I was too much of a coward to bring this conversation up again even though I knew it was my responsibility – that you were waiting for me to be ready. It should have happened a long time ago, I was just.. scared. I couldn't help but think that maybe your feelings had changed, that I had waited too long and you both had moved on."

You squeeze Hoseok's hand as he adverts his eyes, the dog hybrid blinking away the tears clouding his vision. You long to pull all three of them into your arms and soothe their hurt, but you know that the only remedy for their wounds is each other.

"No, hyung!" Taehyung gasps, his protest accompanied by Namjoon's panicked, "Never!"

"You had all right to. I did hold you both back, I robbed you of years you could have spent as mates if it wasn't for me," Hoseok lets out a sad sound, his torn gaze turning to you as he explains, "My file didn't mention this because the shelter thought it would make me look aggressive and un-adoptable, but the truth is that I was used in fighting rings."

Hoseok's grasp around your hand grows tighter as if he's afraid the confession might make you run away.

He gives a sour, humorless chuckle as he gestures to his ears and tail, "As you can tell, my breed isn't exactly fighting material. They didn't care about that though, they just needed someone who would lose easily. And I did – in the beginning. Eventually, I got so tired and angry of being beaten up day after day that I started fighting back; I had picked up enough that it was easy to land a few punches here and there when I needed to."

Your blood feels like it has turned to ice, your pulse thundering in your ears. Fighting rings?

"They didn't like that, though. I was supposed to lose, to be an easy win that would give them money, and getting good at defeating those they pitted against me wasn't part of that deal. So they tried to get rid of me – they almost succeeded too."

Hoseok leads your intertwined hands to the edge of his shirt, the tips of his fingers curling around the hem. He hesitates as he goes to lift it, his ears flattening against his head as he lets out a shuddering breath.

"It's okay, Hoseok," You reassure him, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"No, I–" The dog hybrid swallows thickly, "I trust you. I want to show you, it's just.. difficult."

"Okay," You murmur, squeezing his hand, "Take your time, there's no rush."

Hoseok seems to become lost in his own thoughts for a moment, his chest expanding and deflating with a few deep breaths. He eventually turns his head to the side, adverting his eyes to the floor as he finally pulls his shirt up, exposing the side of his stomach to the room.

You can't help the horrified gasp you let out as you take in the deep scars running up and down his abdomen, the healed wounds white and raised against his tan skin.

"Hoseok.." Your voice trembles as you utter his name, heartbroken over all of the pain he must have endured in the past all by himself.

The dog hybrid carefully pulls down his shirt again, covering his scars from view. He gently squeezes your hand in return, just enough to get your gaze to meet his as he flashes you a strained smile.

"Luckily for me, one of the workers at the shelter had been tipped off and found me before it was too late. It... well, it took a long time before I was able to trust anyone, before Joon and Tae were able to break down my walls. They made me feel normal again, like my past didn't define me. I wanted to become mates even before our first attempted adoption, but the string of terrible people who tried to take us home just built my guard higher and higher. It made me realize that I wasn't emotionally or mentally ready for it yet – so they agreed to wait until our situation was better. Until we all felt safe."

You swallow around the heavy lump in your throat, too stunned to formulate a reply. You never expected that Hoseok would have this kind of past. That he's still such a bright and cheery hybrid despite all the abuse he went through. You can't even imagine the amount of strength and resilience Hoseok has to escape a situation like that and still be able to open himself up to others afterward.

"It didn't take long for us to settle in here, despite the uh, disagreements we had at first. I've been ready for a while to take our relationship a step further, but I just couldn't make myself do it. I'm so sorry I let my fear hurt you," Hoseok whimpers as his eyes flicker over to his pack, his ears flat against his head.

"Stop apologizing, Hoseok," Namjoon lets out a strangled growl. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Taehyung gently pulls away from Namjoon's back, his tail swishing nervously as he repositions himself on the bed. He looks at both of his hyungs, his expression so earnest and filled with admiration that it's no surprise when he blurts, "I love you both."

His cheeks turn rosy as he fiddles with his fingers, "I was more than happy waiting for you hyung, but I need to say it just once. I want to mate you. Both of you. I've been dreaming about it for years."

"Tae," The tight grip Hoseok has around your fingers goes lax at Taehyung's confession. His lips part in surprise, a little hope brimming in his eyes as he only finds honesty on his packmate's face.

You see Namjoon reach up to discreetly wipe his eyes, a beautiful smile blooming on his lips as he's finally allowed to say, "I love you too, Taehyung-ah. And I love you, Hoseok."

He rests one of his hands on his chest, covering his heart. "I love you both so much that it hurts sometimes, but it's a pain that I gladly accept. It's a reminder of how much you mean to me. I still want to be your mate, nothing has ever changed for me."

"Okay," Hoseok whispers.

He takes a deep breath, squaring his shoulders to look them both in the eye as he softly says, "Then, please be my mates? I love you both too much for our pack to only be platonic. I don't want to miss out on anything anymore – I want everything with you."

You give the dog hybrid's hand a final squeeze before you let him go, happy tears clinging to your lashes as you watch him move down the bed toward his pack. Taehyung throws himself into Hoseok's arms the moment he's close enough, digging his nose into his hyung's neck to scent him properly. He lets out a purr as Hoseok scents him back, his orange tail swishing happily behind his back as he's drenched in one of his mates' scents. The fox hybrid eventually leans back to cup Hoseok's cheeks, his eyes sparkling as he asks, "Can I kiss you, hyung?"

Hoseok immediately ducks down to capture Taehyung's lips with his own. His tail wags as he presses sweet kisses to the fox hybrid's mouth, overjoyed that they're finally sharing something real. The few pecks the pack usually shared during ruts were restrained and careful, never lingering for too long. But now – now they have free reign to show their love as much as they want.

It's the blur of a gray tail moving back and forth that makes you glance over at Namjoon, the alpha looking positively overwhelmed with fondness as he watches his two packmates kiss. He can't stop himself from reaching out for them, running his fingers through their hair or down their backs as he leaves behind a trace of his own scent, letting it intermingle with theirs.

Taehyung purrs louder as he senses Namjoon. He detaches his lips from Hoseok's with a wet pop, his pupils blown wide as he turns to face his alpha.

"Hyung," He says coyly, grabbing Namjoon's arm to pull him into the spot in front of Hoseok. "I want to see my hyungs kiss."

It's almost as if Namjoon has been waiting for permission to finally let go, his last string of self-restraint snapping as he surges forward to slot his mouth with Hoseok's. The dog hybrid makes a pleased sound as their lips meet, his hands wrapping around Namjoon's neck to pull him closer. Hoseok cards his fingers through the long strands, using it for leverage to slow or speed up the kiss as he wishes. The alpha melts into it, completely pliant as he runs his hands over Hoseok's body, content to finally have his packmate in his embrace.

You feel your cheeks flush as you watch them, your fingers picking awkwardly at your trousers as you wonder if it's time to go. While their intentions were sweet by inviting you, it feels like you're intruding on a moment that should be private. It doesn't matter if you wait a few hours before you bring up their rut again. Your heart feels like it can burst from the relief and joy you feel at finally seeing them all together; after all, the boys have been pining over each other for years and they finally just found out that it's reciprocated, so you don't blame them in the slightest for being a little caught up in each other. And you want them to be, they deserve that.

They also deserve to experience this alone, without the prying eyes of a human that doesn't fully understand what it means to go from a platonic to a romantically involved pack.

Just as your eyes glide over to the door, your feet moving to push off the bed, you find yourself caged in by Taehyung, the fox hybrid blocking your exit. He shakes his head as if he knows what you're thinking, grabbing your hands firmly in his.

He runs his thumbs across your knuckles, his eyes twinkling under his long lashes as he shyly ducks his head and says, "I really like you too, Y/n. I know our relationship is newer and that you entered it knowing what we all want from it down the road, but I just want to say that I can't wait for the day that you're our mate too. Being like this is more than enough for now, we'll wait however long it takes until you feel ready, but I just wanted you to know that it's something we want. Desperately."

Hearing Hoseok let out an affirmative sound, you glance over Taehyung's shoulder. There's a happy flush spread across the top of the dog hybrid's cheeks, his lips kissed red. He mindlessly rubs the back of Namjoon's neck, the alpha leaning into his touch as they both look at you.

"Tae is right," Hoseok smiles, "We really do like you a lot, Y/n."

"We do," Namjoon confirms, a deep content rumble sounding from his chest, "We're not saying this to rush anything, we just want you to know."

"Thank you," You give them all a fond look, your heart racing from their thoughtful reassurance and declaration. "I really like all of you, too."

You grin as you see three tails picking up speed. Feeling a gentle peck against your knuckles, you look back at Taehyung. The fox hybrid rubs his face against your skin, turning your hands to allow him easier access to your wrists. He sniffs loudly as he inhales your scent, happy little yips leaving his mouth as he drinks it all in.

While it's sweet that Taehyung enjoys your scent that much, you can't help but notice that the flush in his face is beginning to look a little too intense for it just to be shyness; his hands feeling abnormally warm around yours.

"Tae," You squeeze his fingers, "It feels like you're slowly heating up, so we really do need to talk about your rut before it progresses too much."

The fox hybrid lets out a petulant whine, nipping at your skin to show his displeasure.

"Come here, pup," Namjoon grabs Taehyung around the middle, sliding him back on the bed until he's pressed against the wolf hybrid's chest.

Taehyung grumbles under his breath, his ears flicking back with annoyance from being separated from you. It isn't until Namjoon runs his nose along Taehyung's throat, scenting him, that he calms down. The fox hybrid melts in Namjoon's arms as the alpha uses his fingers to turn his jaw, pressing their lips together. Taehyung looks dazed, almost awestruck, when Namjoon finally pulls away.

"You're right," The wolf hybrid says, rubbing his cheek against Taehyung's, "We do need to talk about it."

"How, uhm, how do you want to do it? I know we've talked about me helping you before, but maybe it would be best for you to experience this one alone as mates first?"

"No," Hoseok's voice is firm, the corner of his lip tugged down in displeasure. "We want you to be there – to join us."

"It would feel incomplete without you," Taehyung pouts, his gaze still clear despite the obvious signs of rut setting in.

"You're part of our pack too," Namjoon adds, flashing you a smile that shows off his dimples, "It wouldn't feel right to do it alone. Our instincts would never settle knowing you're so close but so far out of reach; and I don't think our hearts would, either."

Your stomach flutters with anticipation, your heart racing at the past memories that bubble up to the surface. Since you have spent one rut with Jeongguk and Seokjin you somewhat know what to expect, but you also know that the boys are very different and their dynamics during their rut will likely be that way too. You're spending it with only predators this time around, so while you don't know for sure, you suspect that it might play out a little differently anyway.

"If you're sure, then yes. I would love to spend your rut with you," You smile back. "How long do you have left until it sets in? Do you need me to go out and pick up anything?"

Your mind is already running a mile a minute, trying to make a list of everything you need to get done. You have to tell the other boys, for starters. You do suspect they already know, but it doesn't hurt to have a little chat with them. After such a busy week, it would be nice to spend some time with them before you're locked away for the rest of the weekend. Though you suppose you're lucky this time, there's at least no need for awkward phone calls to Soohyun to make her rearrange your schedule and take time off work.

"Don't leave," You startle at the growl in Namjoon's voice, the wolf hybrid looking just as shocked at the sound he let out.

He awkwardly clears his throat, giving you a bashful smile as he says, "I mean– Please don't leave the house. I don't think my protective instincts could handle it right now and I'm not exactly in the, uh, soundest of minds to join you outside."

"Of course, Joon, I won't go anywhere," You promise. You have to stifle back a giggle at how cute he looks, his shoulders visibly slumping with relief from your agreement.

Hoseok slips off the bed, offering you a hand to easily pull you up on your feet. He cups your face with his other hand, running his thumb across your cheek as he smiles apologetically and says, "It'll hit tomorrow morning, most likely. But you should sleep here tonight just in case, if that's alright with you. The strong reactions we've had so far today make me think it might set in a little faster."

"That's not a problem at all," You reassure him. "I know we all planned to have a big dinner together today, but you don't have to join if you'd rather spend some time together alone or if it feels like too much with your instincts. I can always bring you some food here."

Hoseok shoots a quick glance over your shoulder, "We'll join you. Probably not for long because we know we smell, but Seokjin hyung has been raving about all of the food he and Yoongi hyung were going to prepare so it feels like a shame to miss out on it. You can spend your evening as normal, just don't forget about us when night comes, yeah?" He grins.

You gently shove his shoulder, "I would never."

"Good," He ducks down, pressing his lips against yours in a fleeting kiss, "You should hurry out. I can hear Jeongguk pacing around outside the door. The poor bun must have made tracks in the carpet by now."

"I'll see all of you in a bit then," You squeeze Hoseok's hand before you turn to leave the room, letting out a laugh as you see Namjoon and Taehyung lined up neatly beside the bed, both waiting for their own kiss before you go. You readily comply, your heart skipping a beat at how sweet they are.

You soon find yourself closing the door to the canines' room behind you, jittery energy thrumming under your skin. You've barely taken a step before you're tugged against a firm chest, strong arms wrapping around your waist. Letting out a surprised noise, you tilt your head back, just enough to look Jeongguk in the eye.

"Noona," He whines. "Yoongi hyung told me what happened. Are you going to join them?"

"Yeah," You pat his chest, flashing him a smile as he pouts, "It would only be right, wouldn't it? Considering I joined you and Seokjin first."

"I know," He nods, his pout persisting. "Doesn't mean I'm not going to miss you though."

"I know," You echo, "I'll miss you too."

You reach up to card your fingers through his hair, embracing him easily as he tucks his face into your neck. The long inhale he takes of your scent abruptly cuts off, his arms going slack around your waist.

You hurriedly take a step back as he lets out a choked sound, his wide eyes meeting yours as you put some distance between you.

"Are you okay?" You ask, checking him over for anything that might be wrong.

Jeongguk's ears are standing straight up on his head, his nose scrunched up as he stares at your neck. "Wow," He says, "Yoongi hyung was right. They really do smell."

You rub your forehead with a sigh, hiding your smile as Jeongguk waves his hand in front of his nose.

You have a feeling dinner is going to be an interesting affair, to say the least.