The soft glow of morning filtered through the clinic windows, casting a gentle light over the room as Jimin paced outside Kkum’s room, his mind in a whirl of tension. Taehyung leaned against the wall, watching his friend struggle in silence. Eventually, Jimin stopped abruptly, turning to Taehyung with an accusatory glare.

“Why didn’t you tell her?” Jimin demanded, his voice strained. “About Jungkook being the Alpha of the Moonlight Pack?”

Taehyung met Jimin’s gaze with a level expression. “She was in shock, Jimin,” he replied calmly. “After everything that happened... she still believes Jungkook could be behind Jong-suk’s death. Telling her now would only overwhelm her more. She’s barely handling things as it is.”

Jimin clenched his fists but then relaxed, letting Taehyung’s words sink in. After a few moments of contemplation, he sighed. “You’re right. Let’s keep it quiet, for now. She’s got enough on her plate.”

The two stood in silence, their shared concern for Kkum deepening as they considered the next steps. “We need to get her back to the Lunae Pack,” Jimin said finally. “She’s not safe here—not with everything that’s happened.”

Taehyung nodded in agreement. “I’ll talk to her, and maybe we can help her see reason.” They took a deep breath, bracing themselves before stepping inside Kkum’s room, where she sat up, her gaze distant as if lost in thought. Jungkook was absent, and they took the opportunity to broach the topic with her.

Jimin cleared his throat softly. “Kkum,” he began, carefully choosing his words, “we’ve been thinking... It’s not safe for you here. It might be best if you come back to the Lunae Pack. You have family there, people who can look after you.”

Kkum hesitated, her fingers tracing patterns on the edge of the bed. “I... I don’t belong to the Lunae Pack anymore,” she murmured, voice uncertain. Her mind wandered back to the recent events that severed her ties with her former home, the reality sinking in that the Lunae Pack may no longer be where she fit.

Before she could finish processing her thoughts, the door swung open. Jungkook entered, his presence filling the room as he looked directly at her. “If you want,” he said abruptly, “you can stay here. In this Pack.” His words came out rushed, almost instinctively, catching everyone off guard.

Realizing how forward he sounded, Jungkook cleared his throat and hesitated before adding, “I mean… all of the Shadow Pack members will be staying with us until the renovations are complete. You’re welcome to join them, if that’s what you want.”

Kkum’s eyes widened slightly, and a wave of mixed emotions washed over her. She was no longer sure where she truly belonged. She nodded slowly, “I’ll... think about it.” The words barely left her lips before she noticed Jimin and Taehyung exchanging glances, their expressions riddled with uncertainty.

Jimin straightened and, after a brief pause, spoke up. “Jungkook,” he said, his tone steady, “can we talk outside?”

Jungkook glanced at Kkum briefly before nodding. The three men stepped outside, and the moment the clinic doors shut behind them, Jimin turned on Jungkook. “What was that?” he demanded, crossing his arms. “Offering her a place in your pack just like that?”

Jungkook smirked slightly, crossing his arms in return. “An Alpha doing his job,” he replied with a cocky tilt of his head.

Jimin scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “Oh really? Because it didn’t look like that to me.”

Taehyung nodded, backing Jimin up. “Exactly, and how do you explain what happened at the Shadow Community?” he challenged, his eyes intent on Jungkook.

Jungkook shrugged nonchalantly, though a trace of amusement flickered in his eyes. “That was just a normal reaction of an Alpha helping his people. You wouldn’t understand, Jimin—you’re still not an Alpha.” He finished with a smirk, clearly enjoying pushing their buttons.

Jimin bristled at the comment, his jaw clenching. “Oh, is that so?” he shot back, fists clenched, ready to take a swing at Jungkook. Before he could act on his anger, Taehyung intervened, placing a firm hand on Jimin’s shoulder.

“Let it go, Jimin,” Taehyung said, trying to diffuse the tension. He turned to Jungkook, adding, “Fine, let’s say we believe your... ‘Alpha duty’ excuse, but tell us, how can we trust that Kkum’s safety is truly in your hands?”

Jungkook’s face hardened, the smug look fading from his features. “That’s not your decision,” he replied icily. “She hasn’t even agreed yet.” His gaze flickered back to the clinic, then returned to Jimin and Taehyung. “And besides,” he added, a note of sarcasm slipping in, “as far as I know, she doesn’t belong to the Lunae Pack anymore. Maybe you should focus on your own pack.”

His words struck a nerve, and Jimin’s anger gave way to guilt, his shoulders slumping slightly. “We did care about her,” he replied quietly, regret seeping into his tone. “We still do.”

Jungkook scoffed, turning away as if the conversation had become tiresome. “Maybe if you had, she wouldn’t be here in this state.” Without waiting for a response, he strode off, leaving Jimin and Taehyung standing in silence, their thoughts clouded with guilt, regret, and a lingering question: Had they truly failed Kkum?

________________________

After the tense encounter with Jimin and Taehyung, Jungkook felt his patience thinning. He left the clinic, walking briskly back to his house, his mind racing. Once inside, he sent a quick mind link to Yoongi, his Beta. Meet me at my place, he commanded before making his way into his office, the dim room a contrast to the chaotic thoughts swirling in his head.

As he settled into his chair, Jungkook exhaled heavily, a rare moment of vulnerability in the empty room. Kyro, his wolf, had been restless, snapping and growling with a need that bordered on desperation since the moment they’d pulled Kkum from that burning cabin. Kyro’s furious, possessive growl—MINE, MATE—still echoed in Jungkook's ears, a constant reminder of what he wanted but couldn’t allow himself to have. The longing and rage Kyro felt every time he saw her, the barely-contained desire to keep her close, was slowly wearing on him, fraying his control.

The memory of Kyro’s panic while Kkum lay unconscious, the fear that had struck him so deeply it felt like his own life was slipping away, was undeniable. Jungkook had forced himself to keep his distance, but it didn’t stop Kyro from wanting to protect her—no matter how much he tried to resist. Even in the clinic, every time she stirred, Kyro had ached to be closer, to hold her and assure himself she was okay. And then Jimin had brought up the idea of taking her back to the Lunae Pack. The thought had ignited a deep, primal fear that left Jungkook tense and anxious.

Lost in thought, he barely registered the knock at his door. "Come in," he called, his tone more weary than he intended. Yoongi entered, eyes sharp with curiosity and concern as he took in Jungkook’s troubled expression.

"Is everything okay, Alpha?" Yoongi asked, his voice cautious.

“Tell Yeonjun to prepare accommodations for the Shadow Pack members. Make sure they all have a place to stay,” Jungkook replied firmly. “If we run out of space, they can use the spare room in my house.”

Yoongi nodded but didn’t leave, his gaze lingering on Jungkook with an intensity that prompted a sigh from his Alpha. “What?” Jungkook asked, resigned.

Yoongi leaned forward, his voice low and probing. “What happened in the Shadow Pack, Jungkook? You were... different there, as if something had snapped inside you.”

Jungkook looked away, jaw tightening as memories resurfaced. He hadn’t planned to tell anyone about Kyro’s reaction, but he knew Yoongi wouldn’t let it go. “Kyro’s been acting strangely,” he began, reluctant but resolved. “It started days ago. But when we saw Kkum trapped in that cabin... something inside him snapped. When I pulled her from the fire, he…” Jungkook hesitated, but there was no point in hiding it. “He claimed her, Yoongi. He called her ‘mate.’”

Yoongi’s eyes widened as the realization set in. “So… Kkum is your mate?” His voice was barely a whisper, laced with shock and understanding.

Jungkook nodded, the weight of the truth settling heavily between them. “Yes. And there’s no denying it now.”

Yoongi processed the revelation, then asked, “Does she know?”

“I don’t think so,” Jungkook replied. “She’s been through too much. She’s barely processing the present, let alone something like this.”

Yoongi studied him carefully, a question clear in his gaze. “What are you planning to do, then? Kkum’s mate… he was Jong-suk, Lunae’s Beta. She’s grieving him, Jungkook.”

Jungkook exhaled sharply, trying to shake the uncertainty. “I’ll treat her like any other Shadow Pack member,” he said, his voice cold and measured, a tone that felt foreign even to him.

Yoongi frowned. “And what if she realizes it, Jungkook? What then?”

Jungkook’s jaw tightened, the answer bitter on his tongue. “Then... I’ll reject her.” The words tasted of acid, but he forced them out, his gaze steely.

Yoongi’s face darkened, fists clenched tightly at his sides. With a sudden, furious motion, he slammed a fist onto the table, the impact sending a shudder through the room. “Are you serious, Jungkook? You know better than anyone what rejection feels like. You nearly died from it. And you’d willingly do that to her?”

Jungkook’s Alpha voice cut through the tension, harsh and unyielding. “Do as you’re told, Beta Min. Get everyone settled in.” He looked away, dismissing the conversation as he fought to bury his emotions. “Make sure every Shadow Pack member has a cabin. If there’s no room, they can use mine.”

Yoongi’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing in frustration. He gave a terse nod, his voice strained. “Understood.” With that, he turned and left, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving Jungkook alone with the turmoil he tried so desperately to contain.

Sitting back in his chair, Jungkook clenched his fists, as if squeezing hard enough would somehow extinguish the fire Kyro kept reigniting within him. He had endured rejection, had survived the shattering pain and brokenness of losing a mate. He’d sworn never to go through it again. And yet here he was, his resolve weakening each time he remembered Kkum’s face, her presence stirring something in him that went beyond his control.

He wanted her close, but the thought of losing her was more terrifying than anything he’d faced. Rejection seemed like a safer option, even if it meant another piece of himself breaking in the process. Jungkook closed his eyes, pressing his fingers to his temples, trying to silence the voice in his head, the voice of Kyro, of himself, of every aching part of him that wanted to claim her, protect her, love her.

But instead, he reminded himself of his resolve. She doesn’t need me. And I don’t need her.

Yet, even as he tried to bury the thought, a small part of him whispered back, unrelenting in its defiance: But maybe... she’s already yours.

________________________

Dear Readers,

THANK YOU for picking up LOVE REKINDLED! I hope you love and enjoy it as much as I did while writing it.

Don't be a silent reader, if you enjoy it please do like and comment.

Until next time, stay wild, stay sassy, and remember: sometimes the best way to deal with your feelings is to write them down... or yell at a wall. Your call!

Love you all! ❤️
lavendermiso <333

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