Warning: #Violence!

Third Person's P.O.V.

"He has gone far beyond insolence now, I hope you're not going to be as blind to his schemes as your father Jungkook" the Queen Dowager's words were edgy and borderline angry as she spoke "how dare he abduct and hide the King's mate?! It's a sheer insult to your name and power! He's trying to denounce your strength as a King! I say he must be shown his place!"

Jungkook sat silently listening to his mother, his face as blank and unperturbed as usual yet one could trace the boiling ferocity within him if they saw how the veins stuck out strikingly at his forehead, his hands stiffly set on the gaudy arms of his seat, nails clawing aggressively to pierce through the rich velvet to hit at the wood beneath.

"Inform the hunters to break into the North Gate Castle and bring me my omega, tell them they'll be skinned alive if they fail" his voice was an order but oddly calm and measured as he waited for Hoseok to take his leave.

The large chamber was serenely decorated in warm colours, intricate threadwork depicted Kleon's proud history in the tapestries that hung on the walls, a charm of incense floated in the air and a nimble tune tinkled at the corner till the Queen gestured her attendants to leave.

"Taehyung is at the coastline now...so that means the omega is at his home unprotected. This would be a good time to attack" she smiled to herself "let's see if that whore Ha-yoon has it in her to protect the prince...she had forever been so proud about being an alpha woman, with her stupid learnings about medicines...she thought making salves would allow her to claim my place beside the King" the Queen Dowager spoke, her voice prim and sly as she scoffed but her gaze moved to see the silent wrath coursing through the young King.

"Do you think Taehyung knows about the myth related to the omega prince? He has taken him to his home after all. Goodness gracious the insult...the nerve to touch a royal! An omega that does not belong to him!" She sighed trying to calm her thoughts "Jungkook there is a possibility that the omega has been already...touched" she chose her words carefully not wanting to anger her son more than he already was, she stared at him whose eyes were darkly watching the fumes spuming and coiling up into the air from the burning incense "or even worse, Taehyung might have marked him...and if that has happ-" "I will kill them both" Jungkook spoke, his tone calm and decided.

She looked at him shaking her head "I don't think that will be possible, do you not remember the words of the sorcerer? Did you forget why you wanted that omega in the first place?"

Jungkook remained silent but one could see his agitation rising in the way his breaths had become heavier, chest heaving as he tried to control his anger.

"You had not expected this to happen, I understand that but unfortunately the plan that was supposed to ensure your reign and power over everyone, and especially the trueblood has backfired on you heavily. If you do not get to that omega, you can never think about challenging Taehyung, his trueblood will defeat you. However, as an omega myself, I do feel pity for the prince...they tried so hard to keep him from being hunted because of his unique gift and yet he has managed to get himself right in the middle of the storm."

"I wouldn't need to hunt him down if only he hadn't fled from the ship" Jungkook's words were sharp and cold "he would have been safe here, mated to me and I would have gotten what I wanted."

"But your entire plan will have turned futile if Taehyung has marked the omega. Only his mate would be able to take his immortality...you will be left with nothing-"

The moment the words were spoken Jungkook sprang up from his seat, hurling the table in front him to the ground as he held back his enraged alpha, eyes burning red in fury as he scowled at his mother.

"I don't care if he becomes immortal...I'll stab him a thousand times if that's what will put that trueblood down! Father should have listened to me when I told him to behead him!" He paced around the room, fists shaking as he snarled "it's all his fault! Father should have killed him the day he presented as a trueblood!"

"I did warn him that he wouldn't be able to keep Taehyung under control forever, see how defiant he has grown! He doesn't even bother about your place as a King! He tried to attack you! You...the royal head to whom he is supposed to bow down to! He threatened Hoseok saying he's not scared of you and will do as he pleases! Do you not understand what he is doing Jungkook?! He's challenging you! Challenging your position and your crown! I'm afraid someday soon he'll challenge you for the throne...his trueblood will tear your kingdom apart-"

"He won't" Jungkook gritted his teeth "he'll never take what is mine, not my throne...and not my omega! That immortality will be mine...and once I become invincible" he marched towards the fireplace at the other end of the room, the flames matching the colour of his eyes "I will challenge Taehyung for a much awaited duel" a smirk rose at the corner of his mouth "and it will be a match to the end...the end of him."

-

"Run" Ha-Yoon said before attempting to push away the cluster with all her might.

Before Jin could realize what was happening, a horde of people dressed in black and steel emerged out of nowhere.

He could see Ha-Yoon trying to hold them back, not letting them cross the door as she yelled at him to flee, her gentle eyes were a fiery red at the moment and Jin's trance finally broke to realize she was actually trying to protect him...which also meant that these people weren't here for her but him.

His steps faltered as his gaze rushed through the room to look for an escape, and his restless eyes were suddenly drawn back again as he heard a pained groan leave the lady as she wrestled against them till they overpowered her and dragged her out. More black dressed figures appeared at the door now as they closed in making Jin fumble backwards as he tried to think how to get out of his current predicament in one piece.

Finding no weapon nearby he grabbed at the cutlery on the food tray left for him, wasting no time to use those as they charged at him.

A knife flew straight into one's head making the man drop to the floor abruptly and the others halted to understand what just happened when another dropped down, a fork stuck deep into one eye and they raised their gazes to watch the omega heaving and ready to face them with a handful of knives and forks, a thin rim of electric blue spiralling around his brown irises.

"Well, he did say you were gifted" one among them spoke up with wide wonderstruck eyes "however he never said that you're deadly" they grinned taking cautious steps nearer to the omega as they began surrounding him. Jin stepped back realising there were too many to fight against, he felt his back meet the drapes against the wall while his breaths fumed higher in anxiousness.

"Be assured Prince that we cannot hurt you, King's orders you see...but we need you to come with us. He'll be very happy to see that you haven't been marked yet"

Jin's eyes were alert and wide with fright, his head swapping this way and that in jittery reflexes, as he denied to let his guard down.

"Leave...and I will not hurt you" Jin warned making their eyes spark wider in surprise as mocking cackles erupted. These people weren't dressed as the palace guards, they did not look like the ones he had seen accompanying Hoseok at the coastline and this scared him more thinking who exactly were they?

"You sure are a spicy one...I see why the King is so concerned about getting you back" they had almost cornered him now and Jin knew no other way but to fight through the danger.

In the next second he pulled down the drapes, making the large silken fabric tousle and drop over them all, hoping to flee by surprising them and keeping them engaged. He desperately clawed through the confused mess of hands that sought to grab at him and angry curses that were being thrown at him till he realized he was away from the wildly tousling people underneath the curtain. He kicked and punched at some of them being furious at them for trying to abduct him and the grunts and groans the men uttered were pure music to his ears because yeah they fucking deserved it.

When he realized he now had the chance to escape, he instantly ran for the door but stopped when a dozen more stepped inside making the omega curse under his breath as he was turning about again only to come face to face with angry, bruised and glaring people who looked like they would gladly snap his neck.

"Shit!" Before the word had even completely left his mouth he felt arms grasping at his neck, rough hands holding his hands behind his back as they held him down.

"Th-This is pretty unf-fair if you ask m-me" Jin struggled to speak despite the hands almost choking his air ways "there's twenty of you fighting against only one me" he accused the injustice while trying to find a way to break out, if just once he could grab onto any one of them he'd just draw out on the energy to heighten his own.

"Bring him" they decided to ignore his words as they dragged him along, but the moment they turned towards the door Jin intentionally kicked down the man walking in front of him and took the chance of their short slip of concentration to free one of his hands that grasped another's arm as he smirked feeling the rise of his strength and senses as he drew voraciously from the other.

The rest couldn't actually understand what was happening until the man dropped senseless to the floor and they made the mistake of charging at him again.

The next few moments Jin was brutal, kicking and punching at them, grasping at hands which tried to hurt him and didn't let go till he saw them lifelessly tumble to the floor.

The troop began realising that there was something really unnatural about this omega since though male omegas were often gifted none were this blatantly lethal...and because they were endowed with the powers for self defence, no omega had the power to actually hurt anyone. Omegas were after all meant to be gentle caring nurturers....however, the one in front of them looked like a beautiful disaster...

"Damn you hell spawns...die!!"

They frowned at each other not understanding how on earth could an omega be this dangerously powerful.

"I didn't really want to do this...but I didn't expect that he would be so troublesome.." the leader among them stepped out now "we should have set up a trap, that is the first rule of hunting anyway".

He walked with steady footsteps to where Jin was wildly knocking down people and stood watching for a few moments before he spoke.

"Omega..." his voice was even, he didn't need to yell because he knew his words would make the omega's attention turn to him "I met your alpha sister, charming and very brave..."

Jin stilled, head instantly snapping towards the voice and one could easily see how enraged he was at the moment.

"Brave to the point of being foolish I'd say...I can see it runs in the family" he chuckled walking nearer now "I'm sure you don't want to know what the King has planned to do to her if you do not return to him before sunrise?"

Jin's hands trembled a little before he let the half dead soldier in front of him go, he could see that they were trying to threaten him by using Jisoo as leverage now.

"Good...I see you're smart as well" he praised gesturing his men to tie up his hands "don't anger the King and everything will be fine, he's a patient man but you won't see him putting up with disrespect" they pulled at the chains they had used to restrain him and Jin silently followed, fear and anger raging within him still. When they pushed him inside the carriage he realised they had hurt and restrained Ha-Yoon as well, and Jin felt guilty knowing that it's because of him she too had to face such a dangerous situation.

"I'm sorry...it's my fault that you all got in trouble" he could see how brutally the attendants had been beaten up, most of them bleeding and and wailing in pain, some lifelessly lay on the floor and a few shell-shocked and silently shuddering.

Ha-Yoon did not reply to that, her cut lip was bleeding and the elegant green silk gown was torn at a shoulder, her chocolate curls were a mess as she watched Jin with blank eyes.

Jin could see that she was scared, and it scared him the more to think what sort of a monster the King actually was to strike such fear in everyone.

But what he did not understand was she wasn't actually scared for herself, she was scared to think of the consequences that her son was going to suffer for being so brazen to have had the audacity to touch the King's mate and bring him to North Gate.

They had even found him in Taehyung's chamber and she knew Jungkook would not be happy about it, she knew very well how much the boy hated Taehyung and was also aware what a hot headed alpha her son was as well! She couldn't think what would happen when her son would receive the news of their abduction and how he would react to see his home turned upside down by the hunters whom the King had set after the omega.

Jin didn't know how to react when the carriage finally halted after hours. Lady Ha-yoon hadn't spoken a word to him throughout the ride and that made him feel even more guilty. He wished his hands were not tied behind him, then he could have offered to heal her wounds.

But his thoughts were cut off when she finally spoke "there is always a choice" her face was turned towards the little curtained window "they know how to be put fear in people, however the choice to feel afraid of them or rebel against will always depend on you."

She turned her gaze to look at him now and Jin could see the shattered hope in her eyes, it was in pieces but it was still there for rebellions are built on hope.

The door of the carriage opened and Jin could see a horde of palace guards waiting but his gaze fixed on the man behind them who was approaching the carriage, his strides long and proud. He was dressed in elaborately gold-worked silks, the crown glinting against the morning light. Jin knew who that was, and he knew that he was in trouble from the way those blank eyes seemed to be charged with thunderbolts right now. Alongside him walked the shrewd General and the kind-hearted omega who looked very troubled at the moment.

He saw the others halt by the guards as the King walked nearer, the black-clothed men moving away from the carriage now as Jungkook gestured them to stand back.

Jin gulped, instinctively coiling away he saw the King halt right in front of the carriage, his breathing calming a bit while his eyes ran all over him making him feel uncomfortable.

"Can you walk? Or will I have to carry you, omega?"

Jin couldn't tell if that was a query or a taunt "I can walk"

He saw him take a step back waiting for him to come down and Jin took a shaky breath, his eyes shortly glancing at Ha-Yoon before he got up. It was a bit difficult with his hands tied behind him but he managed to step down without faltering.

"They had to chain your hands?" Jungkook's eyes moved towards the hunters with a frown as he tried to understand why thirty able-bodied men needed to restrain an omega in iron bounds, he didn't like the idea of them being oppressive to his mate...after all Seokjin was a royal, and more importantly the omega was his Royal Consort.

"My lord I implore you to not question our means, and would humbly request you not to remove those chains from his hands till he has submitted to you" Jin ducked his head a bit, glaring at them as if to say he was only protecting himself against them when he used his hands.

Their words made Jungkook frown harder.

"Aram I'd like to speak to you in private later but for now let us get my mate settled in" his gaze came back to Jin "I'm sure he's had a fun adventure having wandered around Kleon for days in his own free will...doing whatever he pleased. God knows where he had been, what he had eaten and with whom he had slept...I'm so eager to know" he smiled at the omega but Jin could see the threat in those words remembering now that he probably still smelled of Taehyung, being dressed in his clothes and being practically smothered in his scent.

He realized it'd be better not to speak as he felt Jungkook's hand grasp at his arm as he guided him up the stairs and through the long pavilion to head inside the palace.

"M-My sister..." Jin wanted to know where she was "I want to see her" his voice was almost a gentle request, he was scared if Jungkook would actually hurt her.

"She doesn't know anything" Jungkook's reply was sharp "and I'd like if it stays that way. You can meet her tomorrow...we have something very important to care of for now" his grasp got tighter as he headed through the long hallways.

Jin realized they had been walking for a while now, every column looked like the previous one, every turn and every staircase just the same, it was impossible to remember how many turns they had taken, how many stairs they had climbed and how many darkwood doors they had passed to finally turn to a broad hallway.

"What a-about the Lady who came with me? Where-" "You need not worry about that" the words were rather an order to maintain silence.

The train of armed guards who had been following them stopped at the entry and the hallway was peopled with more guards, differently dressed in white and red uniforms, the King's personal attendants flocked there as well and Jin realised they were now probably close to the chamber for the King.

A pair of huge heavy wooden doors opened and he was pulled inside, the room was befitting to be a King's but truthfully Jin had never felt this scared.

"We will talk about how to do away with your defiance later" Jungkook let go of his arm but his tone had changed from the calm and thoughtful to a scary low "for now I will overlook the shame you have brought to me by fleeing your responsibility and you will behave and do as you are expected to"

Jin stood stiffly not meeting his eyes, every word of threat from the King's mouth made him want to revolt but he held it in as best as he could thinking about the safety of his sister and himself.

"Jimin!" The yell made Jin flinch as he saw the doors open instantly, the one omega he knew he could trust in here appeared and Jin sighed feeling a bit better...however, the respite was very short lived.

"First...wash him thoroughly...I can't stand the stench of the trueblood on him" he spoke through gritted teeth, anger spilling out despite his strong restraint to look composed.

"Yes I will do that right away my lord" the voice was a feeble squeak as Jimin stood bowing, waiting for the King to leave so that he could follow the order.

Jungkook turned to Jin again "did you let him touch you?" The tone was gentle however Jin wasn't very assured about it, he remained silent knowing he could smell Taehyung on him. But he flinched feeling the King's hand grasping painfully at his jaw, and the more he struggled against it the harder Jungkook dug his fingers into his skin "I asked you a question omega, and when I ask a question I expect an answer!!"

"N-No" Jin fumbled "I did not let him touch me"

Jungkook went silent before pulling Jin closer, his grip still unfailing on his jaw "then why do you stink of him? Did you forget that you're supposed to be the King's mate? Do you have no honour as a royal?! Did you think I'd be glad to know that my mate has been frolicking around with filthy commoners?? Spending days and nights in the lowly camps surrounded by a hundred other alphas?! Huh!??"

"Well, from personal experience the camp felt way better, I was treated as a human being there, unlike now" Jin spoke back feeling agitated to hear Jungkook accusing him of having no honour.

Before he realised what happened he felt his head snap to a side, pain stinging at his cheek as his eyes watered.

"Learn your place before you talk back to me omega!" Jungkook thundered eyes flaring a deep red as he glared at Jin, he eyed at the dirty tattered soldiers attire, Kleon's insignia that Taehyung wore on his chest standing out on the pale tunic and it infuriated him more to think Jin was actually wearing Taehyung's clothes.

"Get these off of him...immediately!"

Jungkook was fuming now, his usual control almost lost "and dress him up in the clothes I have arranged for him. I want him to look like a royal consort when I mark him"

Jin's head snapped up, eyes wide as he stared in disbelief at Jungkook to think he was actually going to force him to submit to him.

"Why do you look so surprised omega? Don't you remember the reason you were brought to Kleon...our kingdoms would flourish so well, I can almost see it. You're going to make me an invincible monarch...nothing will be able to hurt me or stop me ever again." He walked nearer, hand reaching out to caress the bruise he had just created, making Jin flinch back.

"You will dress as my betrothed, and I will claim you and put my mark on you tonight..." his touch was softer this time as he caressed the reddened cheek and Jin glared at him through moist eyes "obey and I'll make arrangements for you to meet your sister tomorrow, if you feel up to it in the morning."

Jin's eyes watered to hear him and he looked away trying not to show the disgust and hatred brewing within him. He didn't even want a mate, especially not an alpha who was intent on trapping him and hurting him.

The threat was clear in Jungkook's voice, he could only meet his sister if he accepted the marking...if he didn't resist to getting forcefully mated...if he agreed to the imprisoned life he knew he was going to have from now on in here.

á na márië.

[A\N] why do you think I named the story Mirage of the Moon?

Just a fun questionnaire to feed my curiosity...I simply want to know what you think about it 😅

Stay safe and healthy everyone ❤️