Chapter ten

"I will always love you, f-forever."

Taehyung's eyes flew open as he felt his body being shaken awake. He could feel a pair of hands reach beneath him to hoist him up into a sitting position before his brain could process where he was and why he was drenched in cold sweat.

He turned his head towards the source of the hand that was supporting his back, only to find Jungkook kneeling beside him, wearing a very worried expression.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly because Jimin was sleeping right next to them on the mossy ground.

Judging by the way his body was quivering so violently in the alpha's hold, he was everything but alright. It took a long second to blink away the fires that still burnt in his vision, still melted away at his skin, but soon enough he could see Jungkook's face looking down at him in the darkness. 

Taehyung's nightmares always ended with him waking up in a panic, struggling to breathe. The years waking up alone would always be the hardest nights of his life, when all he could possibly crave were the warm arms of his mate. Instead, he got nothing but cold silence amid the darkness.

But now.

Now, you aren't alone.

The omega looked around his surroundings, disoriented. He saw tall trees, starry night sky and dying embers of a campfire. Cold sweat was running down his nape and forehead, his breathing was a bit ragged and he needed some time to calm down before gathering up the strength to speak again.

"I'm okay." Taehyung stuttered, even though he noticed the disapproving looks Jungkook was sending his way.

"You don't look okay, pup." The alpha said, placing his warm hand flat on his forehead.

Taehyung fought back the soft purr in his throat, eyes growing heavy with the desire to submit at the call of his little nickname. The term of endearment soothed him in ways he hated and desired, creating a cloak of their affections he only laid with when he felt too weak to fight back.

"I'm fine, Jungkook. Stop it." The omega tried again, moving backwards to increase the distance between them. Just now he came to realize that Jungkook wasn't in his wolf form like he used to be few hours ago. He trailed his gaze down to the alpha's body, feeling how his cheeks heated up at the sinful sight. "J-Jungkook, you're naked."

The alpha became aware of the fact he was completely naked without a single layer of cloth to cover up his body. He lowered his head in embarrassment, his ears acquiring a bright shade of red. "S-sorry, I couldn't wake you up in my wolf form, s-so I had to shift back." He mentally scolded himself for stuttering in front of the omega.

Taehyung shook his head quickly and took off the leather coat he was wrapped in, handing it to Jungkook. "Here, put it on." He said with his hand outstretched for the alpha to take the cloth, meanwhile looking at the other side to avoid eye contact.

The alpha grabbed the jacket from his hands and threw it over his shoulders, making sure to hide most of his private parts so he wouldn't have to witness another episode of embarrassment. It wasn't like he was ashamed of his nudity, in fact, it was in their nature to ignore it.

"Thanks." Jungkook mumbled quietly and sat down on the dirty grass, sighing softly.

Tonight was his turn to stay awake and watch out while Taehyung and Jimin were taking some rest. Going to the pack would take them approximately seven days in a gallop if we include the small breaks they had every once in awhile. The forest at night was a frightening place. The thick black darkness of the woods swallowed them, their way lit only by faint moonlight and acute knowledge of these trees. Reality seemed wild and distorted, somehow – brought to life by their imagination.

Jungkook tried to listen carefully, noting how Taehyung's breathing was a bit fastened than usual, meaning he was still awake and very conscious.

"You kept saying his name." the alpha suddenly said, breaking the silence.

The reason why they were both wide awake in the middle of the night was because Taehyung couldn't stop repeating the name of his mate. Jungkook grew so worried when he saw him whimpering on the ground, chanting the same word over and over again like a mantra. The next thing he knew was his hands placed gently on the boy's shoulders, trying to wake him up.

The omega was startled for a second, then he came back to his sense and snuggled more into himself, chin resting on top of his knees that were pulled closely to his chest. His gaze raised sharp, lids lowered over his eyes and they appeared narrowed. "I did?" he asked nonchalantly, even when his heartbeat was a little irregular.

Jungkook hummed softly, eyes darting over Jimin's sleepy figure. The silver fur of his wolf looked ethereal under the moonlight.

The alpha thought back to the night at the porch when Taehyung's words tumbled out and he was met with the sight of his crystal tears. They hadn't talked about it since then, no one had enough courage to open up the topic. There was no resentment in Jungkook's heart, instead it was as if a burden had finally been lifted, as his mind was graced with clarity. Like two vines that had grown into each other over the years, they would always be together, in person, in spirit, in the silent gasp scattered about in life. And Jungkook knew he would be always there, throwing caution to the wind, every time Taehyung was in trouble and needed him.

"We haven't talked about it." Jungkook pointed out, keeping his voice calm and patient, not wanting to look like he was pushing Taehyung into something.

The omega's body stiffened, and his jaw clenched, this time entirely privately but Jungkook saw it, saw his brows jump a little and his teeth press together on instinct, saw his body jolt forward the tiniest bit and then relax back different.

"I don't want to talk about it." Taehyung said, dismissive as his eyes glanced away.

"Then why did you tell me about him that night?" Jungkook insisted, knowing he was overstepping some boundaries, but his curiosity got the best of him. He wasn't about to be deflected that easily.

Taehyung's eyes returned to his, bare and wide and glossy. The alpha wondered how his gaze could be so unintentionally piercing this early in the morning. He blinked once and it became more pointed, summoned a notion of intention, and he straightened up from where he sat, licked his lips, and started, suddenly so conscious of himself and Jungkook and this conversation. "I don't know." He answered with a simple shrug of his shoulders.

Jungkook breathed in through his nostrils, fist clenching and unclenching repeatedly, the scent of strawberries smelt kind of sour at this moment.

"Is that all?" he asked, eyeing him warily, noticing how uncomfortable the omega looked under his expectant stare.

"What else do you want to know?" The words came out rather rudely from Taehyung's mouth, tone harsher than he'd intended, and he was yet again retreating himself back into his shell, his face completely devoid of any emotions.

"I care about you, Taehyung!" The alpha argued, raising his voice a bit to show off his frustration.

Jimin's left ear trembled slightly, indicating the alpha was close to waking up, and Jungkook instantly cursed in his head for being so reckless. When his breathing turned back to normal and they both made sure he wouldn't wake up any time soon, Taehyung opened his mouth to speak again.

"I don't need anyone's care." He hissed. The omega was glaring, deep and knowing, and it raised the hairs on the back of Jungkook's neck.

The alpha wanted to scoff at his words. "it's my choice who I want to take care of." He said this very matter-of-factly.

"Why? Why do you care?" Taehyung asked, voice curling, arching, cruel in the way it shaped itself to be high and haughty. "Because I'm a simple omega and can't take care of myself?" he was snarling now, canines bared and eyes flashing that sky blue of his wolf.

And Jungkook said nothing. He blinked at the declaration, swallowed nothing in his throat and stayed yet still and useless. But he didn't avoid his eyes, looked at him headstrong and persistent and the fixation of his pupils into Taehyung felt strangely like anticipation.

"Stop acting like you care," the omega's tongue clicked, and head cocked in rhythm as his countenance altered. "I don't need it."

Jungkook remained silent, nodding his head to show he had understood everything, and the topic could be dropped down. He had so much to say on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to proceed with it because of the bile that rose to his throat and his guts that dropped to his feet.

Without saying another word, Jungkook shifted back in his wolf form and took the thick coat between his teeth. With slow steps he walked back to Taehyung and put the cloth in his lap, then turned his back to him and continued to stare ahead of them.

Of all the times, this was the most forlorn he had ever felt.