The ride to the Lunae Pack’s territory was quiet, the atmosphere within the convoy heavy with unresolved tension. Jungkook, Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, sat at the front of the group, his posture rigid and unreadable as the wind whipped past them. His pack members rode silently behind him, each one aware of the gravity of the meeting they were on their way to. His father, the former Alpha, was just behind him, his presence a weight on Jungkook’s shoulders.

Today, they would meet with the Alpha of the Lunae Pack to settle the long-standing tensions between their packs. The rivalry had reached its peak after the death of Lee Jong-suk, the Alpha’s son-in-law and a prominent member of the Lunae Pack. It was no secret that the Moonlight Pack had been blamed for the attack that killed him, an attack Jungkook had been linked to, despite his innocence. He knew the truth now. It wasn’t his pack that had orchestrated the attack, but the Shadow Pack—a rogue group known for sowing discord between established packs. They had set up the Moonlight Pack, framing them for the slaughter. But the damage had been done. War had almost broken out, and the fragile peace between the packs was hanging by a thread.

This meeting was Jungkook’s opportunity to clear his pack’s name and set the record straight. But he couldn’t deny the gnawing sense of unease in his chest. Even though he was sure the Shadow Pack was responsible, the Lunae Pack had lost one of their own, and pain like that didn’t disappear easily.

Jungkook’s hand tightened on the reins, his jaw clenched. He could feel his wolf, Kyro, pacing restlessly inside him, the tension between them palpable. Kyro had been almost silent since the day their mate had rejected them. That wound still festered deep inside Jungkook, and he had built walls so high that even his wolf couldn’t break through them. He had buried the pain, refused to let it consume him, but the scars had never truly healed.

She had been everything... until she wasn’t.

Jungkook’s mate had rejected him without hesitation, already marked by another wolf and carrying that wolf’s child. It had broken him in ways he hadn’t thought possible, the bond between them severed before it had even had a chance to grow. He had let her go. He had accepted her rejection. But what had shattered him entirely was when he found out she had died—killed by rogue wolves alongside her mate while they were traveling to the city. At first, he had thought it was his pack’s doing, the Moonlight Pack, acting under some misguided order. But when he had dug deeper, he discovered the truth. It wasn’t his pack that had caused her death.

It had been the Shadow Pack.

The memory made his stomach twist, the guilt and grief mixing into a sickening knot in his gut. He hadn’t been able to save her, even though she hadn’t been his to save. But he couldn’t change the past. All he could do now was make sure nothing like that happened again, to anyone else.

The horses trotted along the dirt path that cut through the dense forest on the outskirts of Seoul. The cabins dotting the woods were a mix of old and new, each one belonging to members of various packs who preferred to live away from the hustle of pack life. It was peaceful out here, removed from the politics and the violence. For a moment, Jungkook let himself relax, breathing in the fresh, cool air of the forest.

But then, he smelled it.

A scent so intoxicating and overwhelming that it pulled him to a halt. He stopped, sensing his wolf sudden change in demeanor, but Jungkook barely noticed. The smell hit him like a tidal wave—rich, warm, with a hint of something floral and wild, like the forest after rain. His wolf, Kyro, surged forward, growling in his mind.

"Jungkook"

Jungkook froze, his heart skipping a beat as the word echoed in his head. Kyro hadn’t spoken in months, not since their mate had rejected them. But now, the wolf was awake, and his presence was stronger than ever.

"Jungkook"

The word came again, more forceful this time, and Jungkook’s pulse quickened. He scanned the surrounding trees, his senses sharp, trying to pinpoint the source of the scent. His father and the rest of the pack had continued ahead, unaware that Jungkook had stopped. He didn’t call after them. Whatever this was, it was something he needed to handle alone.

Without a word, Jungkook get off his car and handed the keys to a nearby guard. “Go ahead,” he muttered, his voice low but commanding. “I’ll catch up later.”

The guard looked confused but nodded, letting everyone know about that, as Jungkook turned toward the woods. The scent was stronger now, pulling him in a direction off the path. His steps were silent as he moved through the underbrush, his instincts guiding him closer and closer to the source.

Kyro was restless inside him, pushing against the walls Jungkook had built, clawing to be let free. But Jungkook held him back, his mind racing. This wasn’t possible. His mate had rejected him. She was dead. There couldn’t be another.

But there is. Kyro growled, the wolf’s voice filled with a hunger and desperation Jungkook hadn’t heard in a long time.

Jungkook’s heart pounded in his chest as he moved through the trees, his eyes sharp, scanning every inch of the forest. And then he saw it—the cabin. It was small, tucked away in the trees, almost hidden from view. But the scent was coming from inside. He could feel it, like a thread pulling him closer, tugging at something deep within him that he hadn’t known was still alive.

He stayed hidden, crouching in the shadow of a large tree, watching. His heart raced, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. And then, the door to the cabin opened.

A woman stepped out, her movements slow, deliberate, as if she were lost in thought. Her hair fell in soft waves around her face, and her eyes—one a striking shade of purple, the other hazel green—caught the moonlight as she stared off into the distance. She looked troubled, her brow furrowed, and Jungkook could feel the weight of whatever was on her mind pressing down on her.

And then, Kyro snapped.

“Mine!”

The wolf growled, loud and clear, breaking through the walls Jungkook had spent so long building.

Jungkook staggered back, his breath catching in his throat as Kyro pushed forward, fighting for control. His wolf was feral, desperate to get to her, to claim her. But Jungkook fought back, his hands gripping the tree beside him, trying to hold on to what little control he had left.

No, Jungkook thought, his mind reeling. It can’t be. Not again. Not after what happened.

But Kyro didn’t care. His wolf had found something it wanted—something it needed—and it wasn’t going to let go.

Jungkook’s pulse thundered in his ears as he watched the woman. She stood there for a moment, her eyes scanning the trees as if she sensed something. But she didn’t see him. Instead, she took a deep breath, shaking her head slightly as if to clear her thoughts, and then turned back toward the cabin.

But before she disappeared inside, his wolf—kyro—growled fiercely, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that sent a shiver down Jungkook’s spine.

“Mate!’’

Jungkook’s breath caught in his throat, his mind spinning as the truth hit him like a freight train. This woman—this girl he had never seen before—was his second chance mate.

And she didn’t even know it.

As the door to the cabin closed behind her, Jungkook leaned back against the tree, his heart racing, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. His mate—the one he had thought he would never have—was right in front of him. But how could he claim her? How could he after everything he have been through. How could he let fate decide his destiny again.

But none of that mattered now. Not to Kyro. His wolf was already howling in his mind, desperate to get closer to her, to make her theirs.

Jungkook closed his eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath. He couldn’t let this happen. Not now. Not yet. Not ever. He can't go through that pain again. He can't let that happen. The pack depends on him. He can't go through that loss again he'll be not be able to get up again.

But as the scent of his mate filled his lungs, he knew one thing for certain.

This will be very difficult to control Kyro.

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Authors note:

Dear Readers,

THANK YOU for choosing LOVE REKINDLED. I hope you love reading it as much as I did while writing it.

Don't be a silent reader, comments won't hurt me.

Love,
lavendermiso <333

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