Dear lovely readers,

Thankyou for blessing me with your kindness and patience. With my utmost effort and your love, I am here with another update. I hope you will like it💜.

The chapter got longer so please read slowly to understand the changing emotions with each scene.

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When the pulsating heart quivers in anticipation of the cold breeze, Jungkook realised that all of this could be a dream too. His fingers, which were clutching some fabric in a tight hold, had turned numb now. He couldn't feel the hold anymore, nor could he open his eyes.

In the dark abyss of his mind, thoughts start to reform the moments of the previous night. Jungkook inhaled sharply when another cold wave hit his naked shoulder. It seems like the wider shirt had fallen off from one of his shoulders while sleeping.

He snuggled into the warm blanket, the remnants of cold breeze leaving his body half awake. Each inhale was providing him with calm fickles of sandalwood but nowadays this scent has absorbed him so deeply that differentiating between the fresh aroma and faint residues is very…very hard.

Jungkook wished to raise his head and looked after the dawn of the day but he needed to live this dream for some more moments. All of this could really be some infatuation? But how could a dream let him snuggle in the Alpha's chest and sleep in his arms? How could a dream provide such surreal moments where he met the origin of his Alpha's soul?

The half slumbrous thoughts left Jungkook baffled beneath the blanket. He struggled to open his eyes because the fear of separation started to conquer, turning his eyelids heavier. It was the fear of facing the real world. It's unfair of the world how he can't live this peaceful illusion forever. It's unfair how his numb fingers couldn't feel the presence of any other body around him.

His supple body was waning towards the mirage of sleepiness again when his naked shoulder felt the caresses of warm breaths. His shoulder raised involuntarily, balancing the shivering by moving it away. As his shoulder moved back, warm breaths became faint.

The calmness of his blanket returned as Jungkook sighed away from the cold, although the world tilted on another axis when his mind registered the existence of those warm breaths.

His eyes fluttered open, mirroring the ceiling of the hanok, blinking and flickering away the blurriness as he looked towards his left. His vision filled with a mop of black hairs, curled and uncurled on the abandoned pillow behind the Alpha's head. The Royal Alpha was sleeping beside him and now, Jungkook understands why his hand felt numb all along.

It was because the Alpha's head wasn't lying on the pillow, instead his side temple was resting onto Jungkook's palm and the lushes threads his fingers were touching wasn't some soft fabric but Alpha's hair.

He pushed himself on his elbow, face hovering above the sleeping body. Jungkook blinked his eyes and let his mind revert some moments back.

The Royal Alpha is sleeping beside him.

His lungs sucked out an excessive amount of breath when he registered the happenings of the last night once again. His eyes didn't move from the Alpha's face as his body lived all the moments once again. The hot breaths left past his lips in a daze, his throat clogging as the overwhelming emotions surged forward.

Mate.

This is what the Alpha had called him last night. If someone can make a point to laugh, this word is only made up with four alphabets. But if that someone is Jungkook, he would like to elaborate the depth of these four alphabets in his life. And it wasn't even the words alone, the urgency in those grey eyes, those raw emotions, the need to feel the presence of each other, meant the world for him.

He would elaborate the meaning by further explaining his thumping heart that had stopped beating when the Alpha had called for him. The sleepy hue vanished as the warm pink covered his puffed up cheeks so early in the morning.

I missed you.

Jungkook closed his eyes and let his heart thump back at its regular pace. The Royal Alpha was still sleeping, eyes closed and face resting with no movement at all. Half of his robe was hanging around one shoulder while the other was bare, similar to the omega.

Jungkook covered his own exposed shoulder, brushing the red hue away from his skin. His eyes studied the closed ones and admired the way straight lashes had fallen around the sunken cheeks of the Alpha. The undeniable urge to bend down and count them one by one had him pull away from the sleeping Alpha.

He wanted to give reasons about what some words meant to him although he can't speak any of them right now. He moved his palm slowly, still numb but stretching beneath the Alpha's head. Jungkook knows that the Alpha is not much of a big sleeper except when his sleep leads him to his blank space. So he was careful when he moved his hand and pulled it gently.

His body was burning with excessive warmth, Jungkook realised that when he touched the earlobe of the Alpha. One star shaped jewel was dangling from it and during the night it must have rested on the Alpha's cheek because that honey filled cheek has a shape of this jewel engraved on it.

His eyes trailed forward as he laid beside the Alpha once again, with the raising gaze he saw the sharpest jaw before halting at the edges of the lips. So perfectly shaped and carved by the deities.

Jungkook wasn't aware of his staring but his mind flashed the memories of these lips pressed against his forehead and then his eyebrows. His lips parted when a large gulp of air entered his mouth as he stared at the Alpha some more.

His gaze must be hungry or a bit deprived as the overwhelming emotions spread a burnt behind his eyes. Jungkook didn't let his eyes blink in between watching the sleeping figure as it was his first sight of the day.

He closed the gap between their faces, nose pushing at the Alpha's forehead as he breathed the falling out breaths of the Alpha.

“Mate.” Jungkook whispered, completing the circle of the night with his low voice. The moment was heart thriving for him, where he perceived that they are not related by the holy courting threads around their wrists or the soul bond of their wolves.

In this real world, they are connected by their eyes, eyes that hold a similar dream now.

A dream of togetherness.

Jungkook has seen his shadows reflecting in the Alpha's eyes, and has felt the desperation of his breaths above his skin. He had been reading those grey eyes ever since the beginning of their married life. He has witnessed disgust, disappointment and vast blankness in them. However, now these glinting orbs tell another tale, a tale of belief that they can walk forward on a path which would lead them towards each other, instead of drifting them apart.

He couldn't be perfect in reading the Alpha's eyes but he couldn't be wrong either.

Jungkook watched the Alpha taking soft breaths from his slightly open lips and pulled back when his heart melted at the sight. With trembling fingers Jungkook pushed the blanket down his body and sat on the bed in a hurried motion, keeping his feet on the floor.

He adjusted the collars of the loose shirt once again before leaving the bed. Jungkook decided to not look back just so he could finish preparing himself for the day or he is afraid he might keep nestling himself in between the sheets and blankets that are filled with his mate's warmth.

In order to prepare himself, Jungkook needs to change his clothes. But instead of walking towards his closet, his feet strided on the floor till they stopped in front of the Alpha's wooden chest. With a fleeting gaze towards the sleeping frame of the alpha, he opened the chest slowly. Eyes shining with natural gleam when he saw some neat and clean piles of black shirts and pants.

Even if the colour of the shirts are the same, none of them matched with each other as they contained different kinds of cuts and designs. With bulging cheeks and shining eyes, Jungkook picked up a pair of fresh clothes. He walked towards the Alpha and crossed the bed to draw away the curtains of the bathhouse.

Inside the bathhouse, a small bucket was filled with water so he decided to wash his face as he had already taken a long dive yesterday under the waterfall. When Jungkook walked out of the bathhouse, he was adorning the clothes of the Alpha. The collars of the shirts were still loose, falling off of his shoulders whenever Jungkook moved his hand downwards. To cure the difficulty, Jungkook opened his closet and took out the small box that the Royal Omega had forced him to keep.

Finally, he will be using the contents of it. Not all but only one. He opened the small box and the brightness of shining jewels fell all over his face. The box was overbearing with a couple of hairpins, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, chains, anklets.

Jungkook caressed the diamonds above the edges of the box, eyes moving thoroughly to find something that would help him to hold the collars of the shirt in one place. His lips stretched in a smile when his finger hooked under a pearl choker, four parallel chains of white pearls connected with a big golden stone in the middle.

He took out the necklace and closed the box entirely before putting it back into the closet. His feet took him to the mirror next as he compiled the high collars of his shirt around his neck and raised his hands to place the necklace.

His face turned crimson when beneath the ruffled collars of the shirt, two red blotches shined brighter than the necklace. His fingers touched the reddish brown mark under the collars, forgetting the necklace which was still dangling around his neck, untied and unbalanced.

His gaze drifted away from the mirror and hands raised the collars to the highest, scuffles were touching the edges of his jaw when he tied the necklace above it. His fingers were trembling while securing the knot and heart was calming the soaring waves of shyness.

The shirt looked nice, However, he had to change the pants as the previous ones were much looser around his waist. He didn't look towards the sleeping Alpha when Jungkook picked up a sash and threaded his dagger into it to wrap them around his belt loops. His hands reach towards his scarf finally, he needs to wear it until the negotiations with the Strays finish for good.

Jungkook lifted his hands to tie the scarf above his nose but halted in the middle when he heard movements around the bed. He felt the tremors reaching upto his shoulders before falling all over his spine, his fingers turned clammy at the possibility of the Alpha awakening from his slumber.

With cautious eye movements, Jungkook turned around and his heart bloomed in peace to see the Alpha still sleeping… However, the position of his torso was changed, now fully bare to the ceiling. One hand spread over the empty space while the other was showing bulging biceps under the pillow.

He stared at his mate openly, noticing each thread of muscles visible on his built body. With his unfazed stares, he concluded that the Alpha's body wasn't carved differently from his own but what makes it different is the way he has maintained it throughout the years.

Jungkook averted his gaze when his stares turned into a shameless gaze. His ears turned red in guilt as he quickly fastened the scarf above his nose and closed the closet. However, his eyes betrayed him each time when he tried to avoid the presence of the Alpha. As if it was inevitable for him to keep looking at his mate, again and again. As if his eyes had kept deprived of his presence for more than an eternity.

He walked to the door with light steps and with each step his heart became heavier but he remembers the duties his mate had assigned him before he dived into his slumber. The Empress of Eclipse really can't afford to be an emotional mess in between the battlefield.

His gaze lowered as Jungkook bowed a little before opening the door of the chamber and leaving the Alpha sleeping on their bed. The dawn was rising and the day was peeking higher in the sky, dew drops falling from the leaves and wetting his hairs tied in a clean bun.

His feet were striking on the empty road of the Chinra, going down towards the Western Land. He just hopes when he reaches the land, he finds his hyungnims or heaven knows, he will be tracing these footsteps back to his hanok in a heartbeat.

~

The Commander smiled fondly when he entered the Royal omega's chamber and found him scolding his Sugar with a deep frown on his face. It happened because Yoongi had insisted on helping the omega in unloading the herbs and setting up the healing room with Jimin. But now, the Royal Guard of the Empress who has never missed his target with his weapons was struggling with remembering the names of the herbs.

“These healing herbs are for burning wounds, Yoonie! And those are itching herbs, I forbid you to put them together. I'm really missing my apprentices now.” The Royal Omega grumbled while wiping off the box and stacking the herbs once again, this time keeping them into separate boxes.

“At the end both will be applied on the skin and being a practitioner in herbs, all of your apprentices must know the basic difference of their shapes, I think we can still keep them together.” Yoongi used his factual mind, because during the battlefield all herbs are the same for soldiers. They would even roll on the mud and say it's healing, so he doesn’t think separation of herbs according to their size and shape should be necessary.

But in no way, he can voice it out. And to his utmost relief, The commander could see his misery as well as the Prince's glare towards the red-haired Beta, so before another banter of playful arguments could break-out, Hoseok stepped inside the chamber, “I am disappointed. You both abandoned me so early in the dawn just to sneak out for fighting like this?” He said while bowing to the Royal omega to which Jimin bowed back immediately.

“We are not fighting.” Yoongi said, a smile stretching on his lips when Hoseok took a seat beside him on the wooden bench. In front of them, a whole sack of herbs was unloaded, waiting for sorting and grading.

“You arrived at the pavilion way past midnight, Jung Hoseok-ssi. After knowing your submerged schedule, how could we wake you up prior to the Sun?” Jimin said, experienced fingers collecting the herbs in his palms before discarding them into their designated boxes.

The Commanders eyes filled with warmth when the Royal Omega recited his full name playfully. Only the lonely nights of parades know how much he adored and missed this voice. So with a content smile on his face, Hoseok indulged the omega, “I wouldn't mind accompanying my mates for an early chore, Your Highness.”

“But we would have. Remember the promise of our courting ceremony? Health, Love and Loyalty should be our first priority towards ourselves as well as the people of Eclipse.” Yoongi reminded the Commander as he walked towards the omega to arrange the filled boxes on the shelves.

The Commander made a noise of realisation at that but couldn't form any word over it because his mind took him towards the one man that he had always looked up to when he struggled with fixing his duties as the Commander of Eclipse and a mate of two special persons. He had always looked up to the Royal Alpha for being so stoic and disciplined towards his duties as the Emperor and balancing respectful and observing nature towards the Empress as well.

But things are changing now. The Commander could feel it in the behaviours of both Royal Alpha and Royal Luna.

His eyes stared ahead in nothingness when he asked his mates, “Is it possible to set both Eclipsers and your mates at first priorities in life? As a dignified member of the Army, shouldn't we be more inclined towards our duties? But then the guilt of losing promises and missing you both, crawls inside me. And when I get blessed to spend time with you, the guilt of losing my duties towards the soldiers, haunts me all the time.”

The Commander kept looking into the nothingness when he didn't hear any response from his mates. Jimin's fingers stopped while closing the last box and when he looked back towards Yoongi, he found him in a similar state around the shelves. Quiet and concerned. Jimin left the box on the floor and quietly washed his hands.

He nods towards Yoongi before walking towards the wooden bench. Jimin kneeled in front of the Commander, hands reaching and settling on his knees, a comforting touch. The soft touch brought Hoseok out of his misery as he looked down at the Royal Omega. He felt the bench pressed beside him only to see the red-haired Beta looking back at him.

“The answer to your question is… No. It's not possible to set both Eclipsers and us as your first priorities. While handling one, you are bound to lose the time with the other. We, as Royals, have chosen this life for our people and will be working for it till the next successors hold the commands in their hands.” Jimin says, his eyes assuring and face wafting warmth because it's the first time that the commander has decided to show his own fears in front of them, so he won't back down to assure him with his presence.

Yoongi let his fingers combined with the resting hand of the commander, “It's fortunate that we are able to take part in this battle altogether, we have missed you incredibly during your visit to Western Land. Even amidst the duties or alone, here we are able to feel you around us.”

Jimin nodded his head, finger itching to hold his mates’ combined hands but then decided to stay where he was.

The Commander looked at him and covered his hands with his own right above his knees, “ Sometimes the circumstances left me incapable of balancing everything and then the only escape I found is burdening you both with my thoughts.”

“It's not a burden at all.”

“How can you even say that?” Soon a hand covered the Commander's nape, a soothing pressure just above his scent gland. Hoseok twisted his neck towards Yoongi in acknowledgement, “ This. This is not a burden, mate. This is the luxury of our bond and I am sorry if you have felt that sharing things between us could be a burden on me or the Highness but I can assure you that the reality lies afar.”

Yoongi stretched his hand towards the omega and Jimin clasped his hand to raise it from the floor. He moved his feet until he took a seat on the Commander's lap, gaining his divided attention easily, “You have sacrificed your precious time for letting me and Yoongi know each other in a better way. You have left us behind to build a bond but do you know when our bond finally bloomed?”

Hoseok let his hands move, wandering around the small waist of the omega before gripping a hold over his hips. He secured his hands around the waist of the omega while his own waist bore the pressure of Yoongi's hand.

Jimin sighed in content when Yoongi scooted closer and squeezed his hand in assurance, “We used to talk about you, I used to share our memories with Yoonie. He always appreciated when he got to know a part of yours through me. And these feelings reside in all three of us.”

Jimin raised his free hand and caressed the tired Commander's face, “This bond is a blessing for me, Hoseok. When you arrived at the packhouse from your tour, I felt complete. You complete us. During the period of your separation, we used to yearn for your presence, to hear your minimal thoughts through mindlinks and now when you are so close to us, so close to me. You can't blame our contentment when you share your thoughts with us, even if your thoughts held murder of someone or political theories about the courtroom, I… I always bask in your presence with fascination.”

His small nose touched the Hoseok's sharp one, blooming a smile on their faces, “But it's just a bare minimum I could provide you both. As a mate, I should-”

It could be reflected as disrespectful behaviour but Yoongi decided to cut his mate's words instantly, “When it comes to you, nothing is bare but everything else beside you feels the minimum. This hunger will remain aggrieved, dear Commander of Eclipse.” He leaned forward and let his lips place a comforting kiss on his right cheek.

Hoseok closed his eyes and felt the most content in a while, his hands full of his mates. Mates that are here, assuring and comforting him instead of doing their responsible chores. He has spent decades for the people of Eclipse, taking care of each soldier and folks with all his strength and courage. Now life has kept him on the receiving end of this care and filled his arms with two beautiful mates.

Jimin blushed profusely when Hoseok looked at him with shining eyes but before he could brush the red hue away, his face moved towards him, noses crossing the bridge of each other. Jimin knows that the Commander never teases him before showing affection so he closed his eyes and welcomed the soft lips on his own.

His hand slipped over the Commander's nape and got tangled into Yoongi's. He inhaled the scent of the commander right from his nose and lips, their lips moving in slow and warm rhythm.

Yoongi wanted to divert his eyes away from his passionate mates but instead of this, his eyes were glued to their combined lips. He felt his own lips burning with pure need as he watched the Commander taking the omega's lower lip into his mouth entirely.

He watched their tongue peaking out before immersing across each other. Their eyes were closed and the lewdity of the scenes was surging Yoongi on his toes. With the way their lips were moving and expressing the emotions, he concluded that it couldn't be their first kiss. It couldn't be their first time where their lips are moving and the omega was losing his strength.

It will be a mystery to solve another time because right now his tongue wants a taste of the omega as well. His hand reached in between the two passionate mates and got a hold of the omega's jaw. The kiss was broken smoothly when Yoongi wipes their lips with his thumb and twisted Jimin's face towards him.

The Royal omega couldn't even open his eyes before all of his air got sucked right out of lips. All the energy that Hoseok's tongue had left above his own was getting drained by Yoongi. The omega gasped when his waist got pulled and Yoongi made him sit on his lap, his hand was still placed on Hoseok's face but lips were devouring the saliva of red-haired Beta.

Both of their chests were heaving in the absence of air when Hoseok leaned over Yoongi's ear and whispered, “ Let him breathe, Sugar.”

Yoongi broke the kiss and witnessed the dizzy eyes of the omega, his thumb caressing Jimin's lower lip before placing another kiss, a soft one, on it. The omega nuzzled his face into Hoseok's neck as Yoongi rubbed his back in a soothing way.

The Commander looked at the Beta and Yoongi needed no words to dive for his lips. Yoongi groaned beside the Royal Omega and Jimin felt tremors all around his body. His fingers clutched both of their hands and eyes watched the kiss turning from passionate to lewd. He whined when Yoongi bit over Hoseok's lower lip and stretched it outwards, breaking the kiss.

“Are you still afraid of burdening us with your thoughts?” Jimin asked quietly.

The Commander smiled widely, “No. But I might need this treatment every once in a while to keep these thoughts away from my mind.”

Yoongi chuckled beside him and shook his head before pulling away while adjusting Jimin on his lap by his waist, “But have we done anything wrong? How did these thoughts come into your mind?”

“No. You both never do anything wrong. It's just the values and priorities that are piling up the guilt inside me.” The Commander said and pulled both of them towards him, sliding on the wooden bench.

“Why so sudden?” The Royal Omega asked.

Hoseok released a breath of fulfilment while explaining, “I just witnessed my mentor changing his priority. Not changing per say but diverting or settling them again. So, It left me wondering if I'm even capable of doing that or the guilt of leaving you both surpassed it too.”

When Jimin heard the word ‘mentor’, he sat up straight in Yoongi's hold, “What did the Emperor do now?”

The Commander shook his head comfortablely, smiling at the sudden outrage of the omega, “ Something he always does, surprised me with his wisdom.”

“How?” Yoongi asked.

“Yesterday night, a response letter arrived from Strays. I mindlinked the Royal Alpha as I was advised to inform him after receiving new altercations over the border. So I asked if I should deliver the letter to the premises of Chinra or if he wanted to come to Western Land. However, his answer left me amazed.”

“Why? What did he say?” Yoongi wanted to ask but Jimin was very eager with large wide eyes.

“I can't leave my chamber, Commander. These are his words that left me speechless. It's the very first time that His Majesty has declined something so surely.” 

Yoongi's eyes widened to hear his mate and Jimin's lips were parted in an inaudible gasp. Hoseok raised his hand and pushed his mouth shut before chuckling at their comical reactions, “And the declination alone didn't carry the amazed part, it was his voice. His voice wasn't carrying helplessness, Your Highness. It carried assurance as if he was more sure of declining his duty than leaving his chamber.”

“Is Jungkook alright? I mean what if he declined his responsibilities because of any health issues regarding Luna?” Yoongi couldn't help but feel worried for the Empress.

However, when the Commander squeezed his fingers in assurance, he felt his heart beating in light notions, “I had asked the same because it wasn't just natural for him to deny my request. I asked about Luna's health. He said, "Luna is sleeping.”

Yoongi frowned at Hoseok in response but a big smile bloomed on the Royal Omega's face and stood up from his seat. His fingers caught another empty box and started to do his chores, once again. But this time, he was quick to separate the herbs and fill them inside the boxes.

“Why are you smiling like that, Your Highness.” Hoseok asked.

Jimin blushed heavily and looked at his mates, “I have some plans with Jungkook today. I can't wait to hear what happened last night. It must be something good if they have decided to spend it together.”

Yoongi and Hoseok both changed their features into a knowing stare before bursting into small laughter, “Are we invited on your schedules, Angel?”

“Any nose pokers are strictly prohibited, Sir.” The Royal omega grumbled while stacking the boxes on the shelves. The lapels of his green hanfu protected his cheeks from bursting further when his mates laughed behind him once again.

“Hmm poking or not, it's really Unpredictable of the Majesty to deny such a dutiful task. I just hope they have settled the cold war between them, Jungkook looks stressed these days.” Yoongi says as he resumes his work beside the omega.

“Cold war? What kind of cold war are you talking about?” Jimin asked, noticing the way the red-haired Beta stilled beside him.

Hoseok noticed the tense shoulders of the Beta and focused on him, “ What are you hiding, Sugar? You are yet to tell us why you agreed to replace His Empress during the negotiations with Strays?”

Jimin shifted the last box on the shelf and turned towards Yoongi, “I am sure Jungkookie wants to know the reason as well. But instead of meeting him and communicating, you have decided to avoid him.”

“I'm not avoiding him.” Yoongi exclaimed.

“Yeah. And that's why you requested His Majesty to appoint one of his friends as Luna's safeguard instead of you.” Hoseok pointed out immediately and received a head affirmation from the Royal Omega.

Yoongi bites his lips while pretending to clean the shelf and stack the boxes again on it, “I have made a promise, haven't I?I will tell you once this battle withers and we reach our packhouse.”

“We are not pressuring you to tell us right away, Yoonie. We are just reminding you that ignoring Jungkookie is not the solution. Maybe convince him in a similar way as you convinced us to wait till we move back to the packhouse or you can choose to tell him here first, we can always wait.” Jimin comforted the tensed Beta as he approached him to hold his hand.

“I am unable to convince him of anything. He has many ways of asking one question, sooner or later I will be trapped in his words.” Yoongi sighed in defeat and soon felt an arm around his waist, “Then you shouldn't delay, Sugar. Whatever reason you hold, I am sure your brother will understand.”

“It's the values of-”

Yoongi wanted to express some of his thoughts when Hoseok whispered in between them, “Someone is coming.”

And his analysis turned out to be true when the door of the infirmary opened and a man wearing a white hanfu entered with a wide smile on his face, “Jimin-ah, It's refreshing to see you early in the morning.”

The man greeted the Royal Omega and Jimin returned his smile right away, his hand slipped out of Yoongi's hold as he traced the path of the room and hugged the man, “Kenji! Where have you been? I thought my brother had confined you in the premises of Chinra.”

The man laughed and hugged back the Royal Highness, subtly ignoring the way the red-haired Beta raised an eyebrow at their interaction.

Hoseok pulled the Beta towards the wooden bench again, his arm kept holding his waist in a comforting way. Or one can say he was stopping the Beta from disturbing the Royal highness. He knows this man after all, Kenji, one of the childhood friends of the Emperor. He had spotted this man in a countable number of wars throughout the journey as the Commander of Eclipse but he was yet to see this kind of interaction between him and the Royal omega.

So he waited patiently till the friends decided to break the hug and laugh loudly. He heard the man saying, “ As if I would hold his orders above my wish. I wanted to see you and here I am. Early in the morning at your service.”

The statement made Jimin giggle again, “Tell me about the territorial tour with our Luna? Have you behaved properly?”

The memories alone made Kenji scoff in the broad daylight, “I haven't seen someone behaving so stubbornly in a while and you are accusing me of behaving properly? He has a thick skull, Jimin-ah. And he absolutely doesn't listen!”

“Awh then you must have really enjoyed the company.” Jimin said while pointing towards Kenji's shoulder.

“Did he just say awh? Awh? What does that even mean?” Yoongi turned his face and whispered to Hoseok. The commander tapped his lower back to compose his persona but his own eyes twitched when the man looked at him and smirked happily.

“Jimin-ah, won't you introduce me to your mates?” Kenji asked.

“You are lucky enough to find them here with me, they are the most occupied people of Eclipse.” The Royal omega snitched whole heartedly and welcomed Kenji inside the infirmary.

Jimin looked at his mates and his eyes turned mischievous to soft once again, blush reaching down to his collarbones, “You must have known the Commander of Eclipse, Jung Hoseok-ssi. And the Royal Guard of the Empress, Min Yoongi.”

“Good morning, Gentlemen.” Kenji bowed and to his respect both of the responsive males stood up as well. Hoseok greeted him with equal enthusiasm while Yoongi tried to return his polite smile with full force.

“Finally the Royal Highness of the Eclipse has blessed to have his mates around him. However, In your absence I had taken utmost care of your mate with all of my bones.” Kenji received a playful glare from Jimin and Hoseok's arm tightened around Yoongi's waist.

Yoongi's lips stretched a bit more, “His highness has shared his awfully alone memories with us, pardon my wits but I think crude bones corrode with time.”

Kenji's laugh turned hysterical as he inclined towards Jimin, “The shorter one is fierce, how come the Royals fall for these red-hair genes?”

“Kenji!” Jimin slapped his arm to which Kenji responded by holding the Royal omega by his shoulder. And they started to talk. However, they are talking pretty much loudly but Yoongi and Hoseok's ears has muted the conversation long ago.

They could only see the movement of their hands and the smiles on their faces, In between their awfully long conversation Yoongi looked towards Hoseok and mindlinked, “ He is getting close. Really close.”

“And crossing the line.” The Commander completed his sentence.

“What weapon do you hold in your clothes?” Yoongi asked, now focusing on the childhood friends once again.

“A knife, a belt and a sword.” Hoseok informed, already loosening his arms around the Beta and dragging the knife out of its sheath.

Yoongi grabbed its handle and stared evenly at the man, “Where?”

The commander wanted to recite a normal part of the body, where it would hurt only as a warning but then that man looked towards him with the familiar smirk evident on his face and Hoseok ordered, “Right in the middle of his eyes.”

As soon as Kenji moved his gaze away from them, Yoongi threw the knife towards him with an accurate force. But the years of experience in wars have made Kenji immune towards such attacks. He felt the sound of wind changing towards his right and in swift motion, his whole body bent towards the left.

The moment held the accident of the time because behind the man, Jungkook entered the infirmary but before the knife could slice open his head, he caught it in between his fingers like a wooden toy.

All of their gazes settled on the Empress as Jungkook stared at Yoongi. He looked back at the Royal Omega and then his gaze travelled to Kenji, his shoulders releasing the tough pressure in a single breath when he saw them standing together, “You can't kill bones with a knife, hyung.”

Jungkook shook his head and threw the knife at the Commander who caught the knife by handle and settled it into its sheath.

“What just happened?” Kenji asked as he looked towards Jimin. The Royal omega was just staring at his mates in pure horror. Eyes blown wide and a frown itched in between his brows. So Jungkook decided to answer instead.

“He must have noticed my presence and started to practise our casual routine. Hyung always tries to catch me off guard.” A series of taunts were threaded perfectly into the sentences of the Empress as he looked at the red-haired Beta.

“Do all the Lunar folks carry such practices?” Kenji commented

Yoongi couldn’t hold his taunting gaze so he looked around and with a nod towards his mates, he walked to the door and left the infirmary.  The Royal omega's eyes turned passive as he watched his mate ignoring his advice to communicate with the Empress instead of ignoring him. But then the Commander left the infirmary in a muted silence as well and it left Jimin utterly confused.

Jungkook finally looked at Kenji and greeted him, receiving a small bow in return, “ Not all folks but warriors do. We have to be prepared for such attacks in the past.”

“In the past? And why is that? Did Lunar always fall into the pits of trouble?” Kenji asked with genuine curiosity this time.

“Not troubles but wars. We have often sent troops for support.” Jimin replied and moved from his position before going towards the shelf, “My schedule is fixed for the entire day, Kenji. As you are here, could you please send this medicine to Nami?”

“What happened to him? Why does he suddenly need the medicine?” It was absurd how the territory of Kenji's focus changed entirely. Jimin held a small smile on his face as he held the medicine out to Kenji, “His arms got blisters from burns.”

It was funny how Kenji gasped before his eyes hardened with a frown, “Blisters? He hates them. What was he even doing that got his arm burnt?”

“He didn't mention the details. You should inform me too if he tells you the reason.” The Royal Omega advised as he closed the boxes on the shelf and went towards the Empress.

Kenji enclosed his palm around the medicine a bit tightly and thrusted them inside the waist pocket of white hanfu. His mouth twitched around a scoff, “Borrowed skin and he can't even take care of that! Owh a wanker wizard!”

Both the omegas eyed the man till he stepped out of the infirmary while throwing the profanities of several types. Jimin laughed at his hurtful reaction while closing the infirmary, “Shall we proceed towards Gigeré forest, Luna?”

“Yes, we should. But I have a request for you, Hyungnim.”

“What happened, Jungkookie?” The Royal omega asked while shutting the shackles of the doors.

Both the omegas took a right turn and started to walk on the path that will further take them to the Gates of Gigeré forests. Jungkook checked the scarf on his nose once and said, “ Please have mercy on my hyungs. I don't think they can handle this torture of yours. Especially Yoongi Hyung, he becomes possessive towards his people.”

The statement halted the Royal omega's steps in the middle, his eyes held concern when he looked towards the Empress, “But what torture? I haven't done anything, Luna.”

“Moments ago that sudden attack was meant for Kenji, thankful to his accurate reflexes he has saved himself or we don't know what could have happened.” Jungkook said. But instead of getting worried about his mates, the Royal Omega's face turned crimson.

“But why did he attack Kenji like that?” Jimin asked, not meeting Jungkook's eyes.

Jungkook looked around and started to walk again and Jimin followed the Empress right away, “When I entered the room, Kenji was standing really close to you. Or maybe it could be some other reason. But I saw their draining control, you should be careful, Hyungnim.”

Jimin blushed heavily as a wide smile spread on his face. He brushed his hairs out of his forehead and looked towards the path. Butterflies raised high into the lungs of the Royal Omega before diving down to his abdomen.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Jungkook asked suspiciously.

“Today I have been feeling a new emotion, Jungkookie,” The Royal omega confessed, “I realised that sometimes your mate's misery can also give you a jittery feeling of butterflies.”

The statement left Jungkook in utter confusion, “How? Shouldn't we feel empathy towards their emotions?”

“We should but I am unable to put this feeling into words. It's peaceful as well as thrilling, concerning as well as chaotic. Have you felt like this before?” Jimin knows his words must be coming out in riddles but he is doing his best to define this feeling in his heart.

The question made Jungkook ponder on his thoughts. But his heart has never felt peace when he had found the Alpha in misery or in a stance of disturbed mind. He shook his head as both of them decided to map the journey in a congenial silence.

The dew drops have started to evaporate with the Sun peaking out of the heavy clouds. The shaking leaves on the branches were sending a message of an early rain. Jimin brushed off the lapels of his hanfu and hid his fists inside it, “But they shouldn't feel possessive against Kenji. He had always been my friend since the start or more of like an elder brother in the absence of Taehyung. He protected me from Ella when she was about to punish me for setting her shop on fire.”

“What? You set her shop on fire?” It was endearing for Jungkook to think how long the Royals have been living this saturated life. He wonders if he remembered their memories of the past like the passing autumn or the passing days. Or remember their old days only in the number of years and not in detail.

“There was just a mindless mistake in the magic she taught me, I recited the words a bit slowly and the meaning changed entirely and suddenly I was standing in the middle of a burning shop. Kenji protected me and saved me from the fire. I scared everyone that day and he promised me to trust him as I trust Taehyung. From that day, I accepted him as my friend and Ella appointed him as my spell corrector while I visited her shop. There was nothing else other than friendship.” Jimin said as he entwined his arm with Jungkook's and walked together.

“But… In Apex Dunes, Kenji said something about you… and it was entirely different from the relation you behold within yourself.” Jungkook was in dilemma if he should bust the theories of Kenji's crush on the Royal Highness like this. But in the long run, if the talks somehow affected the bond of the triplets then he won't be able to forgive himself. So he decided to lose the strains of his mind when Jimin looked at him suspiciously, “What did he say?”

Jungkook looked ahead and bit his lips under the scarf before replying faintly, “He was shocked that you are blessed with mates now. Even confessed his feelings about you in front of the Alpha, blaming how the Alpha has restrained him from proposing to you in the past.”

Jungkook stopped in his tracks when instead of getting amazed by his disclosure, the Royal Omega started to laugh. He untwined their arms and crossed them over his chest in offence while Jimin held his stomach and covered his mouth to stop his laughs.

The Empress tilted his neck in wait while Jimin patted his chest to calm down with a huge smile on his face, “Was Nami also there?”

Jungkook blinked his eyes and nodded, “Yes. Why?”

“Ah this fool. He has no such feelings for me, Jungkookie. His mate is Nami. And Kenji is bones over heels for him. That must be his new manoeuvre to tease Nami.” Jimin explained vaguely because the confused eyes of Jungkook were looking way too adorable.

The revelation shocked Jungkook, making his eyes dilated to no extent, “They are mates? But the Royal Alpha acted as if…so he….uhh played along with Kenji? Why?”

The Royal Omega sighed overwhelmingly, stretching his sigh a bit too dramatically, “Don't let me start on their story, Nami and Kenji, they are literal fools in love, Jungkookie.”

But Jungkook combined their arms again and started to walk enthusiastically, “I am ready to hear the story whenever you start to recite it. No pressure, Hyungnim.”

Jimin giggled at his reaction and pushed his black hairs back from his shoulder, “Taehyung played along because Kenji never told Nami that he is Kenji's fated mate.”

“That's so foolish. But this is how Kenji sounds exactly. But why?” Jungkook commented.

“Nami is a wizard. When Ella took Nami under her care, he used to live inside his cabin only. Then Taehyung and Sang befriended him and invited him to the Eclipse. There… Kenji met Nami for the first time.”

“The story holds the thrilling parts as well.” Jungkook was listening carefully as both of them kept walking.

“I can't bear to tell you how many courting gifts Kenji had prepared for Nami but when he got to know that Nami is a wizard, things got changed.”

Their entwined arms untangled as Jungkook started to walk slowly, indulging himself in the story, “ Why? Was he disappointed?”

Jimin shook his head, gaze covering the shreds of sadness leaving the shine behind, “Not disappointed but scared. Scared of society. The roots of Eclipse weren't strong enough to accept a witch or wizard as a fated mate of a wolf. He was scared for Nami, scared if he would be treated as how Ella was once treated.”

Jungkook felt the sorrow of the couple as he eyed Jimin helplessly while the Royal omega continued, “He kept the secret to himself but Taehyung was fast to catch his longing stares towards Nami. Nami caught that too and highly anticipated the time when Kenji would talk to him. He used to like him back then. But then Kenji broke his heart, he threw a rumour in the air about his affair with the neighbouring lady. And then much more. He portrayed a picture of himself in Nami's eyes, a flirtatious man who switches his partners like he does with each of his hanfus.”

“It couldn't be a solution to the problem. Hate is a much stronger emotion than affection.” Jungkook said, his eyes saddening for the happenings with Nami in the past.

“As if Nami would be able to hate him. It wasn't only affection, Jungkookie. Larger than the affection, there is one more emotion that we feel towards our mates. Love. Devotion of being with the one that has made for us stood larger than these heartbreaks but for that… Nami had to forgive Kenji for his lies, for his deeds but he never got to know that he had the rights to do that. He didn't know that he could grab Kenji's hand and ask him the questions that were breaking their fragile bond. Kenji kept him unaware, kept him far…far away from the dangerous society of the Eclipse.”

Jungkook felt the hurt, his eyes blinking rapidly to keep his thoughts at bay, “Didn't Alpha do anything for them?”

“Taehyung proposed that Kenji should start living in Ella's Village. He promised that he would talk with Ella and she won't let anyone harm Nami or him. But Kenji denied, during that time the hunting of five gems was the talk of the Eclipse and authorities were pressuring Taehyung, the new heir of Eclipse, to submit the name of his group members. And Kenji didn't want to leave his side so he denied Taehyung's proposal.” Jimin explained while clutching his hanfu when memories flood past around his eyelids.

“Later, Taehyung added both of their names as his group members. At that time, His Majesty didn't know that he was actually writing their destiny and death. Together.”

Jungkook gulped around nothing, the scrolls of time could hide many vicious things inside the ink of destiny. Those who get blank pages are unfortunate and those who get ink on their pages are considered to be fortunate. But how fortunate could Nami and Kenji consider themselves when the scrolls of their destiny were destroyed in the firepit of the Royal sword.

“It's so unfortunate.” Jungkook said as he looked down, “Now that they have crossed the bridge of body and soul, why is Kenji still keeping the secret from Nami?”

“Because old habits die hard, Your Empress. He has become habitual of annoying Nami, I don't know what always wanders in his mind but he has told me how confident he is that even if he confessed to Nami, Nami won't forgive him now.”

“Coward.” Jungkook breathed and the Royal Omega agreed with him, “He wasn't able to stop the tragedy of the past but he can stop the burning of their hearts.”

“Do they still have hearts? I apologise, I was just-” Jimin waved off his hand and let Jungkook dwell on his thoughts, “Yes, they have. They always borrow skeletals and skin but their souls remain the same.”

“I hope they aren't giving you a hard time. Just ignore their presence if they become too much to bear or complain to Taehyung, he would seal their mouths shut.”

“At first, I was sceptical about their behaviour but then Alpha warned them.” Jungkook says, looking around the bushes that have started to thicken as they approach the forest.

“As he should. I'm glad that Taehyung has decided to share this part of his life with you, with his rightful mate. Has he been good to you? If not, you can change the chambers with me. The way Yoonie and the Commander have behaved, I believe they deserve to travel around the territories of Chinra and Mosnic for the nights.” The Royal omega indeed has a way with his words because just a few moments ago he was reciting the saddest love story of the past and now his eyes held the misery of his mates but lips held the words of torment.

“You can accuse me of being biased towards the hyungs but it could be their first time to harm someone like that. They don't know the past, don't know the life you have lived without them with your friends and Royal family. Moreover, didn't protection come as our first instinct? Would you admonish them for using their instincts?”

The Royal Omega looked towards Jungkook with sharp eyes, “Since when have you started to talk so sweetly? Has something happened behind my back?”

Jungkook brushed the fringes of his red hairs away from his forehead and looked ahead, “ Nothing has happened. We…the conversations take more time now, we have started to listen well.”

“You have always listened to everyone, Luna. I won't want to pressure you for the details but please don't compile anything inside your heart, let your thoughts burst, let your heartbeats shaken, let him hear the words you have always wanted to say to him, hate or love, say it all.”

Love.

Jungkook didn’t hold the omega's gaze as they kept walking on the path but his cheeks lifted upwards, eagerly falling out of the scarf, “ I can't hold his gaze properly now. I think I was braver in the past but now his eyes… They are changing, Hyungnim. As if I have started to see the Alpha's eyes for the first time.”

Jimin nodded his head with a knowing glance,“ I can understand. I had always carried the void of longingness inside my chest, Jungkookie. When I met the Commander for the first time, I felt the universe colliding and falling apart altogether. I didn't know he was my mate at that time, eight years ago but when I saw that concern in his eyes. He was worried for me, His Prince…. Was about to walk barefoot on the grass. And it wasn't for the first time that the guards of the palace showed concern towards their His Highness but when the several guards turned into one person… one person that looked at me as if he wanted to protect me from the sharp blades of that unharmful grass, and it took my breath away.”

The Prince kept talking, mind roaming in the thoughts of his mates. The Royal omega was so immersed in his memorable tales that he didn't notice that the Empress was no longer walking beside him.

Jungkook halted in his steps when the talks of the Royal omega turned into noise and his ears focused on the churning leaves behind him. He couldn't move when he perceived the scent of the man from afar. His eyes could see the waning figure of the Royal Omega but his eyes weren't quite focused on him. His chest heaved anxiously because suddenly his ears could hear everything around him.

The rustling of the clouds above his head hindered the path of the Sunlight. Jungkook looked down on his feet and soon his eyes landed on the clothes he was wearing. A pool of shame drowned Jungkook in the middle of the forest. What was he even thinking before wearing Alpha's clothes so openly? What would Alpha think about him now?? The pearls around his neck became heavier to the point that Jungkook was unable to breathe properly.

His gaze again fell on the gates of the Gigeré forest. Hearing the footsteps, the Royal Alpha seemed to have some distance left before he matched the pace with him. If Jungkook pulls his best race, he could secure himself behind the gates of the Gigeré forest or behind the small shoulders of the Royal Omega or the bushes of the dense forest!

His nostrils flared when Jungkook felt the scent coming closer, frantic eyes ordering him to run but his feet proved to be static on the path.  He couldn't comprehend why this is happening to him, why his heart was palpitating on sole thoughts of matching eyes with his mate?  Why did the tremors around his body start to torment him?

Jungkook perceived that presenting himself as the mate of the Royal Alpha is not a peaceful task. It's much easier to run after the position with longingness but it's equally harder to live alongside it. Even in his wildest thoughts, Jungkook hasn't assumed himself in that position yet. The position where he could hold his mate's hand and match his watchful eyes.

He can't just look into those orbs and witness the shadow of himself inside them. He can't just look into those orbs and let them become his safe place. His entire body will be doomed to nothing if he gets addicted to that disastrous gaze.

The steps kept coming closer and Jungkook wished for the sky to fall down on the Earth or the ground to fall apart in between them just so he could save himself from the Alpha. He can't face him while adorning his clothes. He was clearly, profusely, miserably out of his mind when he decided to put himself in such an embarrassing situation. 

His heart leaped out of his chest when he heard the footsteps behind him. The sandalwood scent soaring in waves as if the hustling leaves were picking and spreading its charm all over. He couldn't hold his head high and hide his features behind the confines of the scarf. When the shadow of another presence fell over his nape, his eyes fell closed in anticipation.

His clammy hands clutched the scuffles of the shirt in between his palms, eyes scrunching shut in the middle of the bright day. His knees were ready to fall on the ground when he heard the feet stopping behind him. With his frozen feet, Jungkook knows that there is no escape now. So he lowered his head and accepted the shame for the next forthcoming years.

Then he heard the feet moving behind him, covering a half circle from his right before standing right front of him. However, the steps didn't stop, the sharp noise of boots kept resonating all around Jungkook as if the Alpha was making round circles around his silhouette.

Juhgkook doesn't lift his head nor does he open his eyes. His lips parted when a faint breath fell behind his nape as the Alpha moved and stood right in front of him, “Early risers shouldn't be falling asleep in the middle of the road.”

The voice was gruff and Jungkook could picture the Alpha's grey eyes staring blankly at him but he was yet to witness it with his own eyes. With no strength left in his palms, the scuffles left loose as he nicked on his fingers, wetting his lower lip in nervousness, Jungkook replied, “I'm not sleeping.”

A sharp inhale was heard from the male and it reminded Jungkook that he shouldn't be standing like a sculpture in front of the Emperor. His eyes fluttered open but his gaze remained on the ground as he bowed to the Alpha, “May the day bless you with peace.” He greeted him with a polite wish, gaze still boring holes on the ground.

Jungkook’s eyes were flickering in between their boots as if he wanted to measure the distance in between their feet just by looking. The Alpha kept standing in front of him, taking the entire presence of his persona bit by bit.

The omega's stomach churned wildly inside him as he heard that voice again, “ It's still dawn, Your Grace. The day hasn't started yet.”

But Jungkook had seen the Sun peaked just below the clouds, he corrected his scarf over his nose as he looked sideways with slanted gaze. The day was truthfully approaching the dawn but here the insolent Alpha was tormenting him with his words.

Or was it a conspiracy that Alpha pulled to uplift his gaze from the ground? Or were they really discussing the time of the day? All of these questions vanished from his brain when the Alpha's boots retreated back from his vision. Jungkook raised his chin till his eyes covered the flattened pants of the Alpha but then quickly dropped it on the ground again.

“The letter from Strays has arrived in response. We should act on the command and decide the strategy before my departure.”

Departure.

The word wretched all of the butterflies Jungkook once felt inside his body. His head sprung up in urgency, worried eyes blowing wide. And that's when his gaze caught the grey ones. The Alpha was still looking blankly at him but then he took one step behind and his eyes blinked with warmth.

Jungkook's lips released a cold gasp behind the scarf as he asked the Alpha, “What was written in the letter?”

“They have invited us for negotiations on their land the day after tomorrow.” Taehyung said but before the omega could take a sign of relief that the departure still lies afar, the Alpha destroyed his thoughts with his next words, “However, granting them more days for negotiations could prove to be a nuisance. So I have sent the declaration of our arrival. We’ll be leaving for the Strays in a few hours.”

Our.

We.

Right. The Alpha and his hyung.

“Oh.”

The omega sounded sad, Taehyung observed his eyelashes resist the blinking as he gazed on the ground once again. But then the notions arrived where the lashes got closed and opened with a determined stare, “ Then we should not delay further. Such delation could lay the grounds of another attack.”

Taehyung nodded his head and held his hand towards the empty path, “The commander is preparing for the departure. Meanwhile, Brother-in-law is waiting for you in their pavilion.”

That reserved gaze held Taehyung's eyes once again, “For me? Why?”

The Royal Alpha watched as the concerned gaze of the omega turned sharp. The words held an unsaid accusation but the Alpha moulded his palms back and stepped closer to the omega before replying, “ To adorn a forged Empress, the presence of the real one is required. You need to reflect and teach some values of your persona to the forged Empress.”

“Not Empress.” The sharp gaze of the omega was now turning fierce and Taehyung's fingers urged to pull his scarf down but his palm moved towards the omega's hand instead. Not touching or holding just hovering above the omega's left hand.

One twitch of Jungkook's fingers and his hand would be held by the Alpha but the omega was holding his breath as he watched the Alpha taking one more step towards him and spoke just above his face, “Then what should I call him, Your Grace? None of the names justifies the place of my mate and the Empress of the Eclipse as precisely as The Empress does.”

Jungkook looked elsewhere in the forest, roaming his mind to the farthest name his thoughts could deliver, “ What are the other names?”

“Luna?”

“No.” The fierce gaze again matched Taehyung's eyes as the omega looked towards him.

“Your Grace?” The Royal Alpha suggested again.

Jungkook hesitated before his head declined in a shake, “No.”

“Jungkook?”

And the omega looked at him in response as if he was calling him not suggesting another name. Taehyung blinked his eyes and clasped his hands behind the back, dropping the suggestion right away.

“How about Your Excellency? Or His Lordship? Or uh Your Highness? Or it could be some abbreviation that mates use for each other.”

“And what could that be?” Taehyung asked as he tilted his head towards the omega.

Jungkook pressed his lips together and rubbed his fingers above each other, “Mates often use different endearments while calling each other. I heard uh-” He brushed his cheeks from above the scarf and avoided Alpha's eyes before speaking, “One time I heard the Commander recalling Yoongi hyung as Sugar.”

“Should I call him Sugar as well?” It was an innocent question but it was solely enough to push that glare at the edge of the omega's eyes.

“There could be more common endearments, everyone used them for their mates.” Jungkook suggested.

“What's mine?”

The question hindered Jungkook's thoughts altogether as he stood stunned in front of the Alpha, “Eh?” He used his clammy hands to push down the scarf abruptly and asked, “I have always called you Alpha.”

The flushed face of the omega disrupted the small conversation but soon the Alpha replied,“That's not… This is the title of my rank. Eclipse holds hundreds of Alphas’ under its packhouse.”

The silence stretched in between them as they kept staring at each other. Jungkook struggled with the scarf to put it back over to his nose but the knot was now stucking at the nape and the scarf couldn't reach properly above his lips.

In the muted silence of the moment, Taehyung unclasped his hands and reached forward only to move behind the omega. Amidst the questions and the Alpha's presence behind his nape, Jungkook left flabbergasted. The restraints on his tongue melted along with the first touch of Alpha's fingers on the scarf, “I don't call other Alphas’ by their rank. Only you.”

My Alpha.

When he didn't hear any disappointment from his mate, Jungkook only focused on the fingers on his nape when he heard the Alpha's voice again, “I think I found the solution then. Mayhaps I should call Brother-in-law as my Omega.”

Jungkook turned sharply towards the Alpha, eyes bulging wide with fury. The Alpha's hands were now hovering around the omega's face. He watched as the omega bit the corner of his lips to press down the fury of his eyes and spoke again, “Stop doing this, please.”

Taehyung's eyes travelled down to those bitten lips over the omega's chin before eyeing the necklace around the omega's neck. Eventually he realised that just by wearing his shirt, the omega has converted it into an epitome of elegance, “And what is it that I am doing?”

“You are making me furious with your suggestions. You are purposely suggesting the names that belong to me and my wolf. You are-” His breath sucked away when the Alpha took the last step and cupped the omega's neck.

“I am?”

Who? Jungkook thinks hard, tons of thoughts flushed in his mind but none of them looked suitable to fit in the order of what he was going to say. His lips gaped as he stared at the Alpha opening the knots of his scarf.

“You are insufferable.” When Jungkook finally found the words, he had to push them out of his lips because if he didn't, these words would have lost their path in the abyss of those grey eyes.

He watched closely as the tick around the Alpha's lips happened so slowly, “You are standing in front of him, drenched in my scent from head to toe. And I am insufferable?”

The saliva spasmed in Jungkook's mouth as he gulped thickly, fist tightening when a reddish hue rushed and rested high on his cheeks. His eyes betrayed him when they couldn't hold the Alpha's gaze and fell down; meanwhile the Alpha couldn't move his eyes at all.

The omega felt fingers under his chin before his face matched with the Alphas’, “Before my departure, isn't it only fair if you would give me something of yours?” The Alpha asked.

But what does even Jungkook own that doesn't belong to the Alpha already? He has nothing else left on his sleeves to donate and bless his mate with something. Jungkook breathed when the Alpha put the scarf above his nose and cradled his nape to tie a soft knot behind his head.

Their eyes talked with no sound around them, one was concerned while one was demanding, “When will you be back?”

Jungkook wanted to ask this question without sounding helpless for a while now. But at the end, He is helpless against those clear eyes of the Alpha that has started to talk to him now.

Taehyung tied the scarf and pulled his hands back but none of them pulled their bodies away from their positions, “Depending upon the quality of negotiations, a day or two might take us to know their intentions instinctively.”

Jungkook doesn't know what his eyes said but the Alpha's hand held him by his waist in response, “ You would be too occupied to notice my presence, Luna.”

The omega shook his head slowly, not accepting the Alpha’s theories at all. Because he has always noticed Alpha’s presence despite his state of mind. His presence is engraved into a large part of his heart.

“I only have wishful prayers for your return. Nothing else.” The omega said instead.

But the Royal Alpha had some other thoughts on his mind that had no relation with wishes and prayers, “Shouldn't the judgement of the Empress be only fair for all? What if I would dare to ask something else?”

Jungkook wanted to pull away and raise his head but the grip around his waist didn't feel loose at all. So he kept staring at the Alpha with a confused frown, “What would the Royal Alpha need from me?”

“Do I have the right to grasp that thing before my departure?”

Taehyung waited for Luna's permission while Jungkook waited to let his mind understand the request of the Alpha. He couldn't stop his head which moved in motions of agreement. However, the Empress regretted his actions gravely when the next moment, the Alpha pulled away from him. His waist felt bare even under the layers of cloth, emptiness of cold spread all around his fingers. The tremors were back as the Alpha showed the path ahead of him, “We shall not make them wait any longer.”

Jungkook's feet moved but his heart couldn't feel the movement. A sudden emptiness engulfed him, showing the fear of a stranded soul. The Alpha was walking beside him, their steps matching as they walk but Jungkook hadn't felt so far away before.

He eyed the Alpha's arms, one was clasped over the back while the other was just hanging around his hips. Now Jungkook has done enough deeds that have caused him sheer embarrassment later so one more…. wouldn't become the reason for his death. Right?

He can mourn his embarrassed persona while waiting for the Alpha's arrival but for now, his hands need to capture a hold of the Alpha. Or with these tremors in his fingers, he would lose all of his control.

So Jungkook acted on his instincts by reducing the distance and coiling his one hand around the Alpha's arm. The abrupt action must be absurd for the Alpha but Jungkook was thankful when he didn't show any oppressive reaction.

The Royal couple continued to walk back towards the Western Land and not even once they thought about the Royal Highness who had entered the Gigeré forest long ago. Jungkook must have noticed his absence when they watched some people of Western Land coming towards him. He tugged the Alpha's arm to gain his attention.

When the Alpha looked at him, he asked slowly, “Hyungnim was with me. Have you informed him about my absence? Would he be alright in Gigeré forest?”

“Byungs are already there. They will take care of the forests in my absence. And Jimin will return to the Western Land before the Sunset.”

Jungkook's shoulder rested with a sigh but his heart remained unsettled. He doesn't know where this feeling is coming from? The feeling of keep walking ahead but leaving everything behind. His fingers tightened the grip around the Alpha's arm as they walked the crowded path close to each other. He would not let the fear of tomorrow ruin their presence.

~

When Taehyung decided to bring the Omega back to the Western Land. He hadn't assumed their walk to be a silent one. Considering the unpredictable nature of the Empress, he always had the uncountable questions on his mind. But today's silence left Taehyung a bit sceptical about the omega's behaviour.

If he connects the links of the Empress's behaviour. It reminds him how that concerned gaze of the omega converted into a feared one when he declared the news of his departure. But what is this fear that haunts him whenever Taehyung talks about his departure?

He can count the moments on his fingers where his mind stores the memory of the Empress holding him by his hand or the arm but it never felt so cold before. Is it because of the approaching winters or the tremors he felt on his arms are the evidence of something else.

He had dropped the Empress at the front gate of the Western Land while saying, “Brother-in-law will meet you inside their pavilion, I'll be waiting at the door once you change the attire.”

Be careful with your walk.

He wanted to say but couldn't hold his words in place when the omega moved and entered the gates without any response. The Empress has never left him unanswered like that. The unattended walk of the omega weaved concern on the Alpha's brows. However, He will be departing in a few hours for the negotiations but a long part of his mind wants to understand the misery of the omega first.

Everything seemed fine in the morning except the emptiness of the bed. But knowing the habits of the Empress, Taehyung knew where he would find him at the end. But the turning of the events must have changed the emotional ambiance of the omega.

His fear could be larger than the need of the time but they can't hold that fear above the lives of the people. He needs to make the Empress aware of his surroundings so that he would be able to take care of himself too, not just the people of Western Land.

When Jungkook entered the pavilions of His highness, his disturbed mind couldn't notice the presence of the red haired Beta in the corner. A large partition was made with several curtains, he chose the other corner and started to discard his clothes silently.

Yoongi saw the blurry image of the Empress from behind the curtains and cleared his throat a bit too loudly. It seemed like the Empress hadn't noticed his presence or he simply didn't want to talk to him, which Yoongi accepted. He accepts his mistake and even feels remorse towards his absurd behaviour but he is yet to gain enough courage to talk about the reason as to why he agreed to go for the negotiations with the Royal Alpha.

Jungkook discarded the scarf first and then untagged the ties of the necklace. A sad frown covered all of his features as he started to unbutton the loose shirt. Ear buzzing and eyes watering, he isn't sure what is happening anymore?

Yoongi turned his back towards the omega and started to undress his own clothes. However, the crucial silence was eating him up. He sighed loudly and cleared his throat one last time before forcing his hanbok over his head, “Are you upset with me?”

Yoongi asked and he was sure his voice was louder than the guards patrolling outside their chamber. When he didn't receive any replies, Yoongi tried to have a conversation once more, “ I'm sorry for not being responsive towards you nowadays. The new surroundings are succeeding in occupying us. I mean I didn't want to ignore you but I am ashamed to accept that I hadn't had courage to explain the things. But I will tell you everything once we return from the negotiations. I have made this promise to my mates as well. Are you listening to me, Luna?”

But the said Luna was now unfolding the untouched hanbok on the shelf and started to wear it. The silence left Yoongi utterly confused but instead of preying over the Empress, he decided to get dressed as well. His dress will be a golden hanfu with pearled earrings, chosen by his mates and approved by the Alpha's friends. The shiny colour will attract people's eyes towards the dress than his face. But they have decided to use the scarf as well for much protection.

And as for the Empress in Western Land, he would be free to wear anything here. He would no longer be needed to hide his face and just have to be a bit careful with the surroundings till they returned from their departure.

“We will be back in a day or two. The Commander said that the Alpha has decided that only three of us will be departing on this journey. Will you be able to balance all the regions by yourself? His highness and Alpha's friends will be here but you will be in command in the absence of Royal Alpha.”

At this point Yoongi doesn't know if Jungkook is listening to him or not so he keeps sharing his thoughts one by one. He lifted the fake hairs made from the fox's furs and tucked it under his ears and behind the nape. The Royal omega's students are indeed talented to create this fiasco full of red hairs.

He completed his look by tying a scarf that covers his mouth, going up to his nose and then getting tied behind his nape. He wouldn't have picked up the small noise of the Empress if the chamber hadn't fallen silent but he heard the bare voice clearly.

“Hyung.”

Yoongi turned towards the curtain wall and found the Empress standing in the opposite direction, only his back visible to him as he whispered,“Yes.”

He walked towards the omega and removed the curtains from the middle, “What happened, Jungkook?”

Luna shook his head and turned towards his brother, “Nothing. I just wanted to wish you a safe journey. While being in the premises of Strays, take care of yourself and others as well.”

Yoongi couldn't control his smile as he witnessed the concerned gaze of the omega, “Why would we be concerned about the protection when the almighty Royal Alpha of the Eclipse will be there with us?”

He was genuinely teasing his brother but his smile turned into a frown when the omega spoke with urgency, “Anyone can have a bad day, hyung. And Alpha has many aspects that always demand his attention. He could be occupied with things while conversing or his mind could be drawn towards some strategies when  Strays would take advantage and try to harm him. I am just humbly asking you to take care of each other.”

Yoongi stepped towards the omega to comfort him but with a surprised gaze, he watched the omega retracing his feet back from him. And the red haired Beta understood the situation immediately. He raised both his hands in the air and took a step backwards, “I'm no threat to your mate, brother.”

He watched Jungkook struggling for words as the omega looked around the pavilion anxiously, wide eyes drowning in fear and anxiety, “Jungkook-ah, Do you realise that your mate is an immortal? He will return to you safely.”

Jungkook's entire gaze turned towards the Beta as he shook his head frantically, “Anything can happen, Hyung. I don't know where these thoughts are coming from? But I don't want him to face trouble while being away in an unfamiliar place.”

Yoongi could understand the omega's concern but he can't leave him anxious in his pavilion where he thinks something will happen to his mate, “Aren't you a soldier? In the hierarchy of titles, His Majesty occupies the title of a soldier as well. Both of you know how to fight and protect yourself and your people.”

“You are not understanding, Hyung. Alpha tends to divert his mind when the urge of killing someone appears in front of him. He loathes Strays and I think those people could attempt some tricks that ultimately withdraws Alpha's attention and what if instead of killing those people he decides to divert his mind and Strays take advantage of the situation? It could be dangerous for-”

Yoongi understands what's happening with the omega, he truly understands so he raised his hands once again and nodded his head, “You are absolutely correct, brother. I understand. I promise my attention will be on His Majesty, I won't let anything happen to him. The Commander is going with us. And you know that his discipline and dignity will keep him on toes during the departure, nothing will be able to escape his sight.”

With a content sigh he watched as the omega's face loosened up the lines of worries but with each passing moment, the omega was getting paler and paler. He knew that Jungkook tends to regress with his omega's bond whenever he is either close to his heat or his instincts are troubling his brain.

He can't ask the omega about his heat because it could release more anxiety in Jungkook. So he decided to approach the best way, “How about I send you little notes of updation every once in a while? You will be able to read the situation through the mindlink, it would help you restrain the instincts of Kookie as well.”

“Do you really think all of these anxious thoughts are coming from my instincts?” Jungkook asked.

And the red-haired Beta knows that the omega wasn't mocking him. The fear in his eyes was showing genuine concern for his mate, “Yes. It could be a possibility. But it could be something else as well, we can find that out although you'll have to help me a bit.”

“Would you please stay here for some moments?” Yoongi requested the Empress.

“Why?”

“Just for a few moments, Jungkook-ah. I will be going outside now. Dress properly, yeah?” He tapped Jungkook's head affectionately while handing him the upper layer of his hanbok. Jungkook was wearing the pants and undershirt when he found out that he is yet to wear its upper robe. He clutched the fabric in between his fingers and sat on the cushion.

Jungkook doesn't remember at what moment Yoongi left the pavilion or if he had closed the curtains or not. The robe was long forgotten on his lap when his mind raced to the miles while his body remained sitting on the cushion.

Before leaving the premises of Eclipse, he should have known that he would become a hindrance in the works of the Alpha. Not every other time but why this departure had to happen now. Yes, his Alpha had informed him all beforehand but what would he tell his omega now that he is on the verge of exploding with all the concern and anxious thoughts.

His breath came out laboured when his mind started to give visions to his thoughts. He enclosed his palms over each other and tried to focus on other things but his entire body flinched when clouds thundered in the sky.

Before he could recover from the tremors in his spine, the sky started to pour down a heavy rainfall. He could hear the crowd shifting around, some people enjoying the downpour while some rushing back to their hiding spots. Everyone was rushing all around the western land. He could hear the thumping of their feet, going back and forth till the silence fell over all around him.

However, The rain couldn't help his anxiety as it always does, instead it sucked away the remaining air from his lungs. In search of that air Jungkook left the robe on the cushion and went towards the window. He tried to exhale his thoughts out of the window but the sorrowful view of the rain pulled him back towards the emptiness of the chamber.

The falling droplets of the rain reminds Jungkook the night of showering hailstorms where the Alpha cured the tremors of his hands for the first time, that warm embrace was enough to keep him away from every frosty gust.

He knows that it's not the perfect time for his heart to feel like this. He can't be disheartened with the fact that His Majesty will have to leave him behind every once in a while. Sometimes it will be a trip to another land, sometimes a tour to the opposite pole or sometimes wars. It was written in their destinies to keep falling apart when the distance starts to reduce a little bit.

Jungkook's heavy gaze lifted towards the sky and his heart feared as it watched the gloomy atmosphere. He knows that it's not the perfect time but since when has he occupied something perfect in his life? So when his eyes welled up with the tears, he urged the sky to cry with him.

Why did things have to take different turns when they have finally started to converse with each other? Why will he have to see the Alpha depart to another region while he will be here with the strangers. He knows his mind has started to brush up the worst case scenarios but he doesn't know how to stop them now.

He pushed up his hands and wiped up the cheeks when he heard loud footsteps on the pavement of the pavilion. Jungkook hadn't had much time on his sleeves to do something when the curtains of the pavilion separated and the Alpha stepped inside. Drenched from head to waist, the Alpha's face was dripping with water. He flicked his hair back to let the excessive drops fall on the dry floor.

Wandering grey eyes caught the image of the omega behind another wall of a curtain and didn't hesitate to pull them apart. However, when those eyes traced the clothes of the omega, Taehyung looked down before turning his face in the other direction.

The omega was wearing the hanbok pants which was tied with a thread around his waist and an undershirt that was covering his inner clothes but the outer shirt was still lying untouched on the cushion and Jungkook paid no attention to it when he moved closer to the Alpha.

He lifted his own towel from the cushion and extended his hand towards the Alpha, “You should change your clothes.”

The voice caught Taehyung's attention immediately as he took the towel from the omega. This time those grey eyes wandered, wandered around the edge of the omega's shoulder where a heap of red hairs were resting comfortably, around the coiled arms hidden behind the thin cottons.

He raised the towel to rub his hairs when he noticed the red eyelids of the omega. His hand stopped in the middle when his feet took him forward till he stood in front of the omega, “What happened to your eyes?”

And just like the water swarms over the banks of the river, Jungkook's eyes got overwhelmed with another wave once again. He blinked his eyes rapidly to enact indifferently but then the Alpha was putting the towel down and when those warm hands cupped his cheeks, Jungkook's lips trembled in pain.

“Luna?”

Taehyung's thumb moved under the eyes of the omega, caressing the puffed up cheek when the tears spilled out of the omega's eyes. The Royal Alpha pulled him closer, he would have tucked his head below his chin if it's clothes weren't drenched in rain but hopefully the omega's is reacting to the touch over his cheek.

“Your cheeks looked paler. When was your last heat? Have you had another after the triggered one?” Taehyung doesn't ask one but three questions from Luna while Jungkook shook his head rapidly in the response of all,“ No. But I had talked with Hyungnim, he said the triggered heat disturbed my regular cycle. It might take time for my body to heal for the regular cycles to come.”

“Then what could be the reason behind such dull eyes?” Taehyung asked and the sharp edge in his voice was urging Jungkook to stand on his toes to apologise, “Nothing happened. It might be my heart, acting like a coward just before the departure.”

Taehyung raised his thumbs and wiped those puffed cheeks clean before pulling down his hands, “I won't agree with that… Your eyes are holding fear, Your Grace. Is there something I should be aware of?”

Jungkook diverted his gaze when the cool breeze passed beneath his ears, “ I would just… Your departure came out so abruptly, I wasn't prepared enough.”

Recognising the grave mistake, Taehyung asked with furrowed brows, “what would have prepared you enough? Time? Thoughts? Words?”

The Royal Alpha asked while turning around to unbutton his soaked shirt, his eyes looked out of thw window to see the troops again taking their designated positions amidst the rain.

Jungkook mulled over the thoughts of the Alpha as his eyes kept staring his bare back. His cheeks warmed up when the Alpha picked up the discarded shirt of Jungkook and started to wear it.

It is used.

He wanted to say but his vocals were crushed by those fingers who were now buttoning the cuffs of the shirt around his wrist. He watched with warm eyes as the Alpha adjusted the collars and picked up his necklace next.

With defeated shoulders Jungkook walked towards the Alpha and placed his head on one of his shoulders. He felt the Alpha moving his arms to tie the necklace over the collars of his shirt. The Alpha looked gorgeous with the shining jewels but nothing compared to his soft eyes that were staring back at him from sideways.

Jungkook moved his head from the Alpha's shoulder to the center of his back, “Maybe Time? I might have gather some courage l, enough courage to remain alive till I will be able to see you again. Because there are thoughts… of something happening where I won't be here to look at you anymore and it…”

Taehyung shushed the Omega with a whispered sigh and moved around to cup his face with both of his palms, “ Nothing in this world can even try to take you away from me, Luna. Either they will sacrifice their life or I will burn them. Your soul was found… to be trapped with mine.”

“And as I have said, you will be too occupied to think about me. Be brave for us, Your Grace. There is a war ahead of our people and this time shall pass, We have to win their peace and happiness.”

Snuggled in between those warm hands, Jungkook did his best to provide a nod of affirmation but his greedy heart made his arms coiled around the Alpha's waist before pushing his head into his chest, “ I am brave. Trust me.”

I do.

Because where the news of departure could shred apart the omega's heart, the Empress is still willing to carry the protection of their people on his shoulders, still wanting to pay the respect to his designation and hold the burdensome but dignified crown on his head. His own heart breathed and expanded to the fullest when the omega rubbed his chin under the necklace unconsciously.

It wasn't a sin when the suppressed thoughts of his mind won the battle with his tongue and let the Alpha speak, “I do.”

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What could be the thing that Alpha might demand from Jungkook before his departure?

Thankyou so much for waiting for me💜 I hope you have enjoyed the chapter.

Good night, lovely readers💜

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜.