-Angst
-violent scenes
-mentions blood

Jungkook's P.O.V.

The palace feels so unlike it nowadays.

The lords have all fled now that they know they have no power to make decisions for the kingdom. The same men who once waited with bated breath for my orders...the ones who would praise my words day n night...the ones who had pledged to accompany me at every step of the kingdom's decisions, are nowhere to be found anymore.

The palace is a mere hollow of bricks and columns...no voice echoes here anymore...no life blossoms...and in all this emptiness surrounding me, I have but only one person left standing by me.

I enter his chamber to see him standing quietly by the window, but the very next moment I could see his body tense to feel my presence.

"I was waiting for you at breakfast"
"I wasn't hungry" his voice is quiet and I trace the surging anxiousness within him.

"What are you so worried about?" My words hit against the silence in the room and Jimin speaks again without turning towards me.

"The ships...they are saying there are ships heading to Kleon from every land."

"That is understandable, there is nothing to worry about though...I have sent the news to hyung to welcome them" I sigh giving a nod as I remember the prophecy "it is a tradition among royals."

He finally turns around to look at me with curious eyes, and I decide to dissolve his fears.

"Although my father wouldn't approve of it but the truth is that their child is the first royal heir of Kleon" I see a little frown crimp his brow as his lips part, as if he had something to say but couldn't figure out how "they are coming to congratulate my brother."

I see Jimin gaze at me before he turns back towards the window.

"They must be unaware of what a tragic fate that pup will be born with" his voice sounds almost regretful, sad "being born different is a curse."

I could feel the anger in his words but I know it is only grief that has never been compensated that makes him this spiteful.

"Well..." I walk closer, going to stand by him to stare out at the scene of my land quietly forgetting about my presence behind these walls as they go about their daily chores as usual "being born ordinary is worse though...you're worth nothing no matter how grand you make your name sound...in the end they forget you because you're not good enough."

I feel a tightness in my chest as I speak the words, remembering the different forms of the same ugly fate that me and my brother have forever faced.

"But I am kinda curios to meet the kid" a smirk inadvertently takes over my lips as I chuckle thinking about it "I have read so much about the kind of power he will hold...feels like meeting a hero you have forever idolized."

"I don't see what's funny about it" he quips by my side, hand fidgety as he clutches hard at the hem of his robe and tries to look unaffected by my presence. I turn to him to see the lilac silk folds crimping pitifully under his stiff grasp...at times it amazes me to see how easy it is for me as an alpha to intimidate him...and how much of a cruel insensitive man I have been to use this against him.

"I am laughing at myself" the words slip out of my lips without a hint of hesitation "if I had claimed my mate, instead of trying to change my fate...it'd be my heir they'd be coming to bestow their hopes and fortunes upon...it'd be our pup who'd be hailed as the heir to the kingdom..."

I sense Jimin freezing by my side, his fidgeting stops as his gaze fixes on the window and I realize a moment later what he was doing as I feel an intruder among my thoughts.

And I smile to myself knowing what he is reading in my mind.

"Do you like what you see? It's only a figment of imagination though..." I intentionally taunt, although I have not yet learned how to do away with the burn in my chest that I feel every time the vision takes over me. I had gotten used to pushing down the desire to claim him, didn't allow myself to even fantasize about it...however, it's a natural instinct...an unspoken bond that keeps calling me towards him.

A line of tear dribbles down his eyes and he instantly rubs it away, his teeth pressing on his lips as he tries not to break into tears before he turns to glare at me "I will never understand you."

"That's really ironical for someone who can read minds" I smirk against his glare, and see him fume at me. I can feel the anger he harbours against me, the complaints he has held within him for so long bubbles up to make him this rude towards me.
It's all my fault though...fate truly is even-handed.

I rejected my mate and treated him the worst possible way...and now he denies to acknowledge me as his alpha, I deserve his rejection but I just wanted to know if he feels the same kind of guilt and self-scorn that I have felt since the day I brought him to Kleon.

All those years every day I looked at him, I felt pitiful and I had told myself every day that it was a sacrifice I was doing to give my land a golden future...a king has to take difficult decisions.

I wanted Jimin to hate me...I wanted my wolf to understand that the omega hated me, hoping that it would quiet down the constant need it felt for its supposed mate.

"Why?" His furious gaze burns into mine as he takes a step closer to me "why did you bring me here if you never intended to claim me?"

"You were a prize I chose...as a king and an alpha who won a war, I am allowed to do that" I speak the truth.

"Prize? You treated me the worst possible way" he growled through gritted teeth.

"And yet you didn't take the chance to leave when my brother offered to help you escape" I spoke staring down at him as I saw him paling, words vanishing from his lips and saw his anger fading abruptly as he realizes that I was aware of the things he thought he could keep from me.

I take a step closer, looming over him as I keep my gaze stuck on his "tell me...why didn't you escape? Why didn't you run away?"

I take another step closer, and he fumbles stepping back and blinking up at me.

"Were you scared that Do-Hwan would capture you again? Take you back to where you have been kept for years?" I feel my wolf growl within me as I think about it.

He stumbles back to take another step as I step closer, his breathing becomes rushed and he looks troubled when I get nearer, crowding him towards a wall. He flinches as his back hits the wall, a gasp slipping his mouth as I place my hands on either side of his head and stare down at him.

"Why did you come back when I let you go?" I feel my heavy words a hush against his mouth as I enquire.

He drops his gaze from mine, looking to a side as he chews on his lip and I had to tell my craving insides to focus instead of gawking at that.

"B-Because..." his lips quiver as a tear runs down his cheek "because I wanted to do to you what you did to me..."

And I froze before him, watching powerlessly as another tear dribbled down his cheek, and it hurt...it actually hurt to realize how worthless as an alpha I really am...I couldn't even pick up my hand to rub away his tears.

He said he doesn't want my help.

I had no right to want to help him and protect him after how I have been the reason he had shed tears so many times.

"Because...knowing that you are in pain without me and that your wolf cannot bond with another...feels like proper way to punish you" he looks up at me, and I realize that's not hatred blazing in his eyes but complaint for not being loved right "how you like it huh? Your wolf will keep seeking for me n I will keep rejecting you till I have seen you go through as much pain as you made me go through..."

"You will die if you keep rejecting me" I feel a growl building within me as I voice the words, lowering my mouth closer to his and yet he doesn't back away.

"What do you care about me dying huh? You are only worried that your wolf will keep feeling this emptiness forever...that your fears of not belonging to anyone will come true..." he snarls at me "you have rejected me for six years...and you can't even take rejection for six months?"

He speaks through his teeth, and I see the rage flaring in his icy blue eyes. It makes my wolf bare itself in challenge, my gaze threatening to turn red as I allow myself to give in to his call to be desired.

"Fine" my voice drops in tone "keep rejecting me...but don't lie to yourself" I feel a smile curving at my lips in its own volition as I see him gulp as he realizes that I can trace the lies he tries to tell me "in trying to hurt me, you are hurting yourself omega...you can't fool me with this game...I had played this for years and I know how much of a torture it really is..."

"I don't care as long as it hurts you too" he blurts out the words, scowling at me.
"Then you prove how you and I are the same"

His lips part as he tries to deny.

"Of all the people around me...I knew if I could really affect somebody, it was you...even if you hated me, you'd still be affected by me...in your anger and pain, I had the power to affect you as I pleased..."

He remains stunned, mouth gaping as he stares at me clueless.

"I agree it was sick of me...but you alone could see how brittle I was from within, and it angered me severely to know that...to know that I could fool all the world yet I remained a powerless block of incompetency to a mere omega's eyes...and I felt scared of being ridiculed" my voice breaks as I realize how easily he brought this out in me, how easily he could make me say all that I had forever held inside "I had to make sure you feared me...so that you'd never dare to do anything that I didn't approve...so that you'd fear the punishment I'd impose on you if you ever tried to betray me...or run away from me."

"Wh-Why do you hate m-me so much?" Tears lined his eyes as he asks me in his brittle voice, he looks conflicted as he waits for my answer.

"I didn't hate you" I voice and he looks even more confused "I hated myself...I was weak to face that"

I could not allow myself to hold you...to desire you...to show my need for you...and it broke me.

"And in my anger I broke you too" it was a twisted sense of relief to know that you too were in pain just like me, that you had to suffer along with me...that at least in our brokenness, we were together.

"Yes you did" he sobbed quietly, not trying to hide his tears anymore as he stood glaring at me while tears spilled incessantly down his cheeks "and I hate you for that".

"You say you hate me yet you don't want me to die" I grin at him, feeling amused at how hard he tries to defy me and give in to me "you say I am cruel to you and yet you left your home to help me recover...??"

"Why would I want you to die?" He gulps loudly as he mumbles in tiny, eyes instantly turning troubled as he tries to hide from me again.

"You want me to stay alive and keep craving for you...you want to hurt me and haunt me..." I am drawn to his scent as I realize my wolf roaring back at me with vengeance for keeping it tied down for such a long time "you want to see me weak and struggling for you" I press my nose to the soft spot below his ear and I feel him baring his neck to me on instinct, his strong fruity scent pierces into me "here's the secret" I whisper nibbling onto his ear and he gives out a sweet whine "I have been going through all of it for years...consider yourself lucky that I am not a brute who chases after an omega just because he can drive my wolf mad with need."

I feel his hands grabbing at my shoulders, nails digging onto my flesh as he tries to fight the need of his omega to push me back and I abide, pulling my mouth away from his neck.

"You...I-I know you don't desire me" the words sound like a complaint on his lips "you always told me to suppress my heats."

I pull back laughing to myself and see how flushed his face was "it was essential that you suppressed your heat when you were around me"

He slowly turns back to look at me, and I smirk seeing the confusion in his eyes.

"Or else there would be no stopping my wolf from claiming you."

I see his face flush into an even more red as he instantly drops his gaze, and my eyes catch the way he pulls his bottom lip in between his teeth.

I realized my cravings for him were getting out of hand now that I have been allowing my wolf free around him. My body leaned closer to his on its own, and my mouth brushed over his, and soft hush of breath slipped out as he let his bottom lip free. I saw his eyes gazing at my mouth, before they closed as I captured his lips in mine.

It was a boon in itself that he didn't move away...didn't push me back but when I felt him kissing me back, I realized I had hoped right...there was hope for forgiveness...there was hope he'd accept me...hope that he'd look beyond the brutal oppressor I had been to him.

"Mhmm" he whimpered as I pressed my mouth further on his, my greed getting the best of me as my wolf basked in the feeling of having its mate acknowledge it back, finally.

We still stood, my hands pasted to the wall before I used one to grasp at his jaw, to tilt his head to deepen the kiss and he hummed again, parting his mouth to let me slip my tongue in, and just then I heard an attendant knocking at the door.

"There's news from the North Gate castle sent by your royal advisor Sire"

He breaks away from the kiss turning away and I turned about gritting my teeth. Although the beta is one among the handful of faithful attendants who still cherishes me as their royal head, one of those who keeps forgetting that I am not the king any more, neither is hyung my advisor.

"What is it?" I speak walking to the door and he hands me a scroll, bowing deeply before he leaves and I roll it open.

Jimin comes to stand by my side as I read it.

"What is it about? The incoming ships?" His voice is low but worried.

"Well...I guess it's time to celebrate..." a frown draws at my brow as I read through it "the pup's arriving early."

Taehyung's P.O.V.

"It's t-trying to t-take ov-er, I don't th-think I can f-fight it" Jin whimpers trying to bite down the building wail of pain as I lay him down.

"Don't be scared" mother speaks coming around in haste "it's natural for your omega to try to do that, it knows exactly what the pup needs-" "No...don't give in, you can't give in darling" I remind him, sternly defying her words as I caress him, but I realized my trials to soothe him right now are rather futile.

Mother frowns at me "are you out of your mind? It's going to be easier for him with the birthing if his omega is in charge"

"It's dangerous because it might not be his omega which seeks control" I argue "he has to be in control or it could be a disaster."

Jin writhes on the bed, a scream breaking out of him as tears spill down his face, making mother, me and every attendant around to crowd about him.

"Yuna! Midel! Get a basin of warm water in here and send the ajhumma in!" Mother orders loudly before turning towards where I was trying to tell Jin not to fall weak to his omega's intention to overpower.

"H-How do I stop it? I-" he sobs, gritting his teeth.

"Just don't let it take control...you cannot let it take control-" "Stop repeating the same thing! I know that! But how?! Owww!" Jin cries out while fuming against me and I am not sure why he is yelling at me when I am trying to help.

Mother hurries over to hear us.

"You!" She spoke scowling at me, anger flashing in her eyes "get out...you're not helping!"

I was about to argue with her, although honestly I have zero idea about childbirth and can't really help but only knew that my scent can help my mate calm down. However, Jin spoke up before I could.

"N-No...please s-stay..." his fingers wrapped around my wrist to tighten, and I could sense the pain and anxiety coursing through him "I'm sca-r-red..."

I lowered myself beside him, cupping his face "look at me" I spoke over his pained whimpers as I held his face to make him see into my eyes "this will pass...you're strong, I know you can get through it...everything will be fine...I promise" my hands caressed his back to soothe him as I could, shudders constanly rushed through his body and his muscles spasmed as waves of pain coursed through him "don't let it win...trust your alpha, I won't let that spirit hurt you" I run my hand over his temple, brushing his sweat-matted fringes to a side as I cradle his head to my chest. My scent will help him calm down, it will ease the process and I feel my wolf getting anxious and apprehensive to see my mate in pain.

And I know despite all the promises I make, I am still unaware about how to battle with an enemy whom I cannot defeat...cannot harm...cannot kill...

I have forever fought without the fear of my death but that was till I claimed you, and then...you alone became the master of my fate.

Jin lets out another piercing scream, beating his legs in agony as I watch the attendants get busy to help. The room turns to become a rush of loud voices and Jin's screams while mother ordered everyone around.

"Seokjin-ah, breathe...you have to be strong for your pup, I know it hurts but you need to push... use your strength..." her voice is deep as she caresses his belly, and Jin tries to bite down his screams and tears as I watch him grit his teeth and follow her instructions.

There's so much blood.

Being brought up to kill, I have never flinched at the sight of blood. I'd say it is because of my wolf's aggression that I have always been an extremity of either burning anger or frigid heartlessness...I had forgotten softness because it never served me.

However, right now I feel so troubled, so helpless...so guilty.

He writhes again, sweat drenching his body as his grip on me turns punishingly harsh as he gives out an ear-splitting scream before dropping back against me. Jin looks exhausted, a constant groan of pain hanging on his lips as I watch his eyes threaten to flutter close.

"Is he okay?" I panic when I see my mother looking distressed as she mutters something under her breath "mother talk to me, what's going on? Is he okay??!"

"He's tired, and he's using half his strength to keep his omega under control...trying to force down his natural instincts...it's taking a toll on him" she declares sounding angry with me before turning to pass further instructions to the attendants.

They rush about in haste and I try to keep Jin from blacking out.

"Jin" I pat at his flushed pink cheeks, pecking at them as I intentionally let my pheromones out to soothe his pained grunts.

"I-It hur-tss..." "Open your eyes darling, you cannot give up now" I whisper, pressing my lips to his temple as I clutch at his feeble wrist to pull his hand and set his palm to my chest "take from me and heal yourself love."

He breathes against my neck, a whimper slipping quietly before he opens his eyes to stare up at me. Those doe-eyes blurred with tears, pain and exhaustion made his features turn pale, his face a mess of sweat and warmth burning his skin, his hairs ruffled into an unruly clomp and yet he looks just as divine as the day I first set my eyes on him.

I never believed that beauty could exist in destruction.

Then I saw you.

And your eyes told stories with dangerous beginnings and lost endings...where every page was breathing with glorious colours of your unvoiced rage, your untold complaints and your incorruptible soul.

Yes, in all your colours...you are beautiful to me...

"Good...you're doing so much better" I press my mouth on top of his head as he clutches hard at my hand, biting down a whimper as he tries to push again.

"I wan-t him t-to be saf-e" he weeps clutching onto my shirt, his eyes desperate as he reads into my fears as well "if the w-worse happens, I want you to s-save him...I'll do everything I can to not l-let the spirit harm h-him" he stutters, gasping through his sobs "prom-ise me...promise me, even if I-I lose, you'll protect him...protect him, ev-en if you can-nnot protect me...

He pleads before me and I feel my very soul catch fire, my breath hollowing out of my body as I realize what he is asking of me and my wolf howls within, grieved with the emptiness brought in by the very thought of losing its mate.

"Shut up" I try to gulp the anger down, my insides complaining against his insensitive demand "you don't need to think-" before I could even rebuke him for demanding such a thing from me, the door is thrown open and Jimin rushes in and his wide panic stricken eyes set on Jin.

"I heard Seokjin went into labour" he huffs walking over to where I sat holding my mate to myself, as I growl at him. His scent is annoying my wolf at the moment.

"How dare you enter here without permission?!"

Jimin denies paying heed to my threat, as well as the attendees trying to shove him away.

"A decision has to be taken...it is either you put the spell or-" "This is not the time!" Mother cuts in to tell Jimin, she knew the foreign scent was affecting Jin "whatever you need to say you can do that after awhile...we're in the middle of an emergency!"

Mother shoves him away again, focusing back on Jin who was still in pain and could barely understand whatever was going around being too busy in focusing his strength into the situation he was trapped in.

"This is a greater one!" Jimin was shaking his head, resisting her from pushing him out "the spell to seal the spirit might work! Just like it had for Seokjin once!"

He turned towards me, seeing me watching him with an anxious frown as well "you cannot kill Arcana but only your command can free it from Seokjin...however, the moment you do that there is a possibility that the spirit will try to take your child as its vessel, which we cannot allow to happen...Arcana will become invincible if it takes its perfect vessel".

Mother stopped, frowning in anger "what are you talking about?! Making up stories to fool us again?! You betrayed us last time and took Seokjin to the enemy castle!"

"I am not lying!" Jimin struggled, as mother called the guards to take him outside "you don't understand! The danger is far greater than you can imagine! The tapestry!" he struggled vehemently, and I was rather startled to see him so panic-stricken "the reason why the tapestry is left incomplete is...once Arcana let's itself out, it will be the end of everything!"

My attention is brought back to my groaning and screaming mate as he shrieks and collapses against me, and a little cry floats in the air as gasps spill to see mother holding the tiny squirming child in her arms.

All of us, including the guards stunned to see and stared wide. The entire room had frozen and I saw Jimin staring at me with an unknown fear in his eyes.

"Give him to me" Jimin forces his way nearer despite their trials to stop him "let me take the child away, I will keep him safe...that's a promise."

My insides cave at the words as my wolf gets overprotective about what is mine to protect. I see Jin still passed out against me, while my mother stays busy to calm the child down.

"Have you gone crazy?!" She argues "the child will die without Seokjin's care!"

"He doesn't know how to care for a pup!" Jimin takes a step closer, his eyes an icy blue as he too argues back.

"Well, he can learn! There's no way I'm handing my grandchild to a conniving omega like you!"

"Mother" I am honestly troubled, I don't know what to do...I cannot let Arcana take my son as a vessel...neither do I have the strength to watch our pup taken away from us when I haven't even held him in my arms.

She turns to me, holding onto the baby very protectively as she denied to let Jimin even have a glance of him.

"He might be your child but I will not let you take such a terrible decision Taehyung...at least think about Seokjin, you cannot-" "It is for his safety that we need to do this" my heart feels like it just turned to a dead weight as I spoke the words and saw mother pause at her words, she frowns at me as I trace dejection in her eyes.

"You cannot do this" she implores again, vehemently shaking her head as she keeps the child clutched to herself "it will break him Taehyung, it will break him just as much as the spirit's cruelty will...it breaks an omega to lose its pup."

I feel agony choke my throat, my mind and heart in a duel of its own as I pull my gaze away from the pup to check on my still unconscious mate.

"I will tell him why I had to do it" I try to argue, knowing that he will be upset with me nonetheless...but the pup will be safe, he will live...how do I endanger my mate's life knowing Arcana will kill him in its greed to get the pup?

"He has to understand" Jimin speaks up, before he turns to mother again "and so do you, this is not just about them and the pup...that child can ruin everything if Arcana get its control over him!"

"Shut up!" Mother growls at him "he's just a new born baby!"

She walks up to me and I try not to look at the child, the decision is hard as it is...I don't want to make it more difficult for myself.

"Mother please" I literally plead to her, pressing my eyes close and wish I could even stop hearing that little cry he was still spilling, the stuttering mewls made my wolf churn within, as it cursed at me for even daring to be this blatantly heartless.

"Hold him...he's your child Taehyung...at least for once, hold him"

The urge to see him takes over me as I see mother hold her arms out so that I could take him from her.

I turn to her, and see the tiny soul squirming and crying...probably seeking for Jin and I feel an odd guilt within me to be cruel enough to think I could just shun him away from the people and the care he needs at the moment.

She comes closer to hand him to me, and I give up on my resistance.

"You should find a name for him" she speaks handing him over to me and I melt into the sense of how endearing it feels to hold him in my arms as I gaze down at my child, bundled up in a swathe of cloth to keep him warm. He squirms, giving out a mewl before dunking his face into my chest and hums contently. His cries fade out almost instantly, as he nudges his little head against me.

"He's so small" my voice is a whisper.

How the hell can he be dangerous?

I cradle him closer...I have never felt this responsible to hold something, the bond is natural...the care n protectiveness I feel for him is innate. My trueblood basking in the glory of holding my heir in my arms, the future of my blood...the one who will carry the honour of my name.

But my delight bursts as a voice sends chills down all of us present there.

"I warned you trueblood...when time comes, you give me my freedom...and my vessel"

I turn to look at Jin, the cover mother had put on him slips off as he rises from the bed and walks closer to me. His naked body showed how every bruise had healed and I could trace the insignia of double infinity glowing on his wrist as he extended his arm towards me.

"My vessel is here...release me from this body...give what you owe me" his eyes are a blazing white as his gaze stays solely on me, before focusing on the child in my arms.

I had never imagined sharing the birth of our child like this, I want my mate to share what I feel at the moment to hold our pup...I want my omega to tell him what a wonderful gift we have given to our bond. I want these terrifying encounters to stop...but I know the spirit is relentless in its greed for what it seeks.

Mother shrieks in fear to see Jin like this and before I could warn her, she tries to stop him.

And that was the beginning of horror.

"NOO!!" I growl, arms instinctively protecting my child as I lunge at mother to watch Jin turn his threatening gaze towards her, and in the blink of a minute she dropped to the floor, lifeless...her breath of life vanishing into the air before I could save her.

"I have taken away all of her life source energy...she's not dead, but dying" he speaks looking pleased.

I froze feeling utter fear and grief take over me.

"STOP THIS!! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO??!"

I had watched Arcana destroy hundreds of men, and right now I feel so stupid to not have anticipated that it could be just as terrifying.

"Give me him" he speaks in that same flat tone again, eyes coming back to settle on me, and he repeats the same words again "release me...my true vessel awaits me."

I feel my wolf fuming and seeking revenge for what Arcana had just done...I couldn't process the scene that I had just witnessed.

"You cannot let him take his vessel" Jimin speaks, his voice rigid with fear as well "it intends to punish all of humankind for whom it had received the punishment...he will use your pup to destroy everything."

"Quiet insolent omega"

I see Jin's eyes move to set on Jimin, and I feared that he was about to kill Jimin as well as I saw him fume at the omega.

"STOP! JUST FUCKING STOP!!" He freezes in his spot at the command and glares at me instead but he knows that he cannot kill me just yet...at least not until I have released him from Jin's body.

The pup breaks out in a loud cry with the commotion going around, and Jimin urges me to hand the child to him but I am very sceptical about parting with him at the moment...I don't know whom to trust.

I feel my wolf struggling to be let out, feeling territorial and high key worried about what Arcana could do to my mate in its greed for revenge.

"Taehyung...the pup-" I hear a voice at the door and see hyung freeze to see the situation. I rush trying to tell him to run before the spirit could harm him when I feel a piercing pain in my chest to witness exactly what I had feared.

Hyung dropped just as lifelessly as mother.

I feel anger over take me and instantly my trueblood takes over, my gaze burning with the rage and pain I felt within. I sense Jimin falling to his knees as he fails to hold against my trueblood's pheromones.

I feel like ripping the one apart who had dared to harm my mother and my hyung but had to constantly remind myself that it is my mate who I'd harm if I try to attack Arcana now.

"Release me" he repeats in the same monotonous tone.

"SILENCE!!" My voice is a growl as I thunder at his audacity to tell me what to do, and although he falls quiet yet he gazes at me just as unmoved.

I look at the child in my arms, crying his lungs out as he whips his little limbs, probably feeling overpowered at the current surrounding.

Since I didn't have any option, I decide to let Jimin take care of him for now. I am much too troubled to care for him now but before I could hand the kid the voice erupts again.

"No filth shall touch my sacred vessel"
And I realized what it meant as the room is left to become a hollow of pale bodies heading towards their deaths while his threatening white gaze stayed sternly on me.

I lose my composure now, growling as I threaten him for daring to overstep my limits. Within minutes he had fatally wounded three people...my mother, hyung, Jimin...he had ruined my home...and yet it didn't look like he was bothered about what he had done...and I fear he'd kill without mercy till he gets what he seeks.

"I WILL NOT RELEASE YOU" I declare staring straight at him, my blood-red gaze burning against his "I WILL NOT GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT...TILL YOU BRING THEM BACK"

A soft laugh erupts at his mouth, although he looks annoyed and he walks closer in a slow gait as he steps over the stuff that had tumbled down due to the chaos that the room had just witnessed.

"Why bring back those not needed?" He smiles at me, before turning towards the cabinet and opens it to drape a robe over himself, his actions had no rush or worry "I will take what I want trueblood, I have dreamt this a long time ago...written in stars as mortals say" he turns around and I see him twirling a dagger in his hand "two options...I kill this body, I free myself and I take over my vessel"

He speaks and I realize that he meant to do what he said.

"But you see...I like him, I don't want to kill him" he sighs "so you can have him. Release me...you take your mate, n I take my vessel, n you make more kids with him...good bargain?" He grins at me as if whatever he said was supposed to be very amusing, however, currently his words are annoying the hell out of me.

However, I realize he is resilient right now...and I need to work with my head if I want to win this.

"See, the truth is I know that you're not going to kill Jin's body to release yourself...if that worked then you could have released yourself way before" I smirk to see his jaw tighten at my words "so, here's a third option" I speak after reeling my trueblood in "the child is useless to you till he presents, and you cannot really take him until I command you"

He watches me wordlessly, face devoid of any expression but I could sense the anger boiling within him.

"Let's have a deal instead...you heal the three people and let things go as it forever has, and I will release you the day my son turns four and presents."

I feel a gnawing fear creep into my heart as I say the words.

"I seek the first born...I will take no other" he voices strictly, gaze piercing into mine.
"Fine, you want my first born...you can have him."

He stares at me, anticipation thick in his gaze as he judges if I am trying to play him but everything I said is true...the pup is actually of no use to him yet...at least till he presents.

If he presents as an alpha then he wouldn't have any exceptional powers to help the spirits' intentions anyway.

"I think I am being very reasonable here"

But if the child presents as a male omega...things could get tricky then, and from the looks of how eager the spirit is to claim him, I fear what other curious anomalies he might have been born with.

"If you try to fool...I will first kill your mate and then you" he warns with a fiery gaze pointed at me before he turns to rejuvenate the three lying pale and lifeless on the floor. I check on them after the spirit was done and was assured as I traced their pulse come back to steady.

"Remember your word or I can take away all I have given you"

"I am not going anywhere, neither are you" I chuckle at his aggression towards me, honestly thinking if it is because of Arcana that Jin was driven to become mine, then I should be thankful to it...the spirit had got us together with the sole intention of acquiring our first born "you have survived with me for almost a year now, what's four more eh? You might even begin to enjoy this" I tease and see it still glaring at me with the same unbothered look.

"Your quarrels bore me...and him" he speaks pointing towards his body "a hard to deal naïve fool."

I chuckle, well...it isn't wrong.

It was hours later when everyone finally got back to their senses, and while mother and Jimin spoke without a pause about what had happened, Jin had no clue.

"They died?" Jin gasped, eyes frantic as he looked at me in question.

"Almost" I corrected, caressing his back as I try to soothe him out of his heavy guilt. I know how much it hurts him when the spirit uses him to harm others.

"Arcana brought them back after I made a deal with it" I spoke the words instantly making me feel that maybe it was too much for Jin today already, he has been through a lot.

"What deal?" His curious big eyes come to settle on mine and I sigh telling myself that it isn't something I could keep him safe from, I'll need to tell him one way or another.

"The spirit has sworn to not create any chaos neither will it hurt either of you if..." I gulp the words to see how scared Jin looked, and I could tell he knew it was something he would not be able to accept quietly "we let the spirit take the pup as its vessel once he turns 4 and presents."

His face held the shock he felt to hear that, his lips parted and yet he couldn't figure out what to say and a grunt of complaint and hurt was all that he could give out before spilling tears and fuming in anger.

"And you accepted that deal?" He sounded utterly startled to know that I had accepted it, like he wished I'd have a grand duel and defeat the spirit...because that's what I am supposed to do as his alpha and as the father of our pup.

"Yes I did" I spoke and he looked agitated with my answer, scowling at me before he pushed away from me to head towards the washroom, and I follow after him, trying to explain but he denied to listen to any explanation I had to give.

"You made a deal to give away our child?!" he glares at me through the mirror at the wall, his face burning red with anger.

"You think that was intentional?! It was about to kill all of you!" I spoke taking a step closer to where Jin stood and realise I'm getting angry, not at Jin but at the thought that my mate thought I hadn't been cautious enough before making such a deal.

"I told you to protect him! If it was me or him...I told you to protect him!"

"And right now I have both of you...safe and sound! Don't teach me how to protect what's mine! I am an alpha...I know how to do that!"

"Apparently not" he spits the angry remark, whipping about to let me see the seething rage in his eyes "I don't care what deal you have made...but I am not giving up on my child, ever!"

"Well that's actually the plan!" I blurt trying to let him know that obviously I wasn't going to let our son get taken away from us.

"What plan?!" "I'd tell it to you, if you stop your yelling and listen to me!"

"Well, tell me...! Or I swear I am going to banish you"

Wait ....what?! He threatens to do what even my father hadn't dared to do! This omega...I swear!

"Banish me?" I inquire confused.

"Yes...because you've become good for nothing, and you're making stupid decisions..." he grumbles angrily, turning back to wash his hands another time...a futile attempt to avoid my scowl.

"You seem angrier with me than trying to understand the fact that I am not really the enemy here"

"I don't know how that head of yours work...but if you ever again make such deals about our child...I swear I will fight you" he turns back to confront me, face taut with anger still as I loom nearer and smile down at him.

"You will fight me?" I ask, my hand sliding around his waist as I pull him against me.

"Yes...I will fight you and I will make sure I win so that you do not make stupid decisions like these ever again."

"So eager to dominate over me eh?" I chuckle at the way his cheeks puff out every time he gets angry, I steal a peck of that puffed cheek "you will be the ruin of me, won't you?"

"Yes" he speaks, battling my gaze with a stiff stare as he tries not to give in to the play of my hands on the curve of his hips "does that scare you?"

I lean closer to whisper "what if I say it excites me?"

"You are unbelievable" he groans under his breath, trying to push away "I'm angry with you...a lot angry"

"Let me help you forget about it" I grin against his ear as I see it turn a full red.

"S-Stop it...I need to go, I need to learn how to tend to the pup...I need to-" he comes up with a series of duties to run away from my grasp and I chuckle to see him fumbling and fidgeting.

"I was talking about the plan on how to defeat Arcana...that will help you forget your anger against me" he blinks at me before turning a fuming red, his ears burning as well as he ducks his head to hide the embarrassment.

"Oh...I thought...you-I" he stuttered and confused himself more before deciding to just flee the scene and I laughed to myself.

Of course I have a plan...I am a trueblood alpha, I don't accept defeat...ever.

It was after dinner when we could finally get the time to sit together with our child. Mother and the attendants have been fussing a lot over him...he is going to become a spoilt brat if they keep coddling him like this all the time.

However, Jin seems to enjoy it and calls me to see every little move the kid made...it's a little annoying but kinda cute...okay, I agree it is really cute.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Mother asks as Jin instantly stares up at me from the pup cradled in his arms, and I sigh. The entire evening he has fussed over the 'proper' way to hold a child and wouldn't let me hold my son because apparently I am not 'soft enough'...I am trying really hard to accept his tantrums but I am this close to losing my patience.

"Hyung suggested one" I spoke focusing on the conversation instead.

"And I kinda like it" Jin voiced instantly before giving me an un-amused look "way better than the names you suggested...those rhymed with your stallion's name."

"Well, it's just a name"

"Ok..ok...can I hear what he suggested?" Mother cut in to stop us.

"Kian" Jin speaks

"Ahh" she smiles "a fitting name for a future ruler...where I am from, it means a ruler of a realm."

"I like it because it sounds like the merging of our lands...Kleon and Eulan~Kian, cool right?" He beams at her and she nods, coming over to play and coddle over the pup yet again.

It was later into the night that I could finally get the chance to sit with the pup, all by myself.

My son squirms in my hold, babbling quietly as his eyes gaze curiously at me before he breaks into a toothless smile and I can't hold back my amusement to see such unbroken wonder and abundant affection in his eyes for me.

"Are you regretting what you had to do?"

The question made a shiver run through me as I picked up my head to stare at hyung standing at the doorway, and I am wordless as I try to find my voice.

"It was the best I could think of at that moment...but I believe we'll find a way...we have to"

Although, I am a little worried because I cannot really believe that something so fragile is destined to become my invincible heir...is supposed to bring about an apocalypse.

"You don't know what it took to keep you safe..." I whispered as he tried to clutch at my fingers, drooling on himself as he giggled again while I tried to rub away the drool "clumsy little immortal."

He has Jin's endearing smile...but unlike my mate's innocent brown eyes, he has a hint of aggression and arrogance in his dark eyes and I can tell without a doubt, that's all me.

"Only time will tell what you will become..." I know we will have to wait till he turns four to even understand what he will present to be...or what powers he is gifted with "but let me tell you a little secret that nobody ever tells us...it is not fate that determines who you become, but your actions".

"Nice conversation you got going there...I bet he understood what you just said" the voice takes me by surprise and I instinctively curse.

"What are you doing here fuc-" "Whoa language dad! You got a little one now" he pretends to looks shocked and I want to curse him even more for his weird dramatics.

"Oh mah lord, thank goodness he didn't take after you...he's such a cutiepie!" He giggles leaning in to get a closer look at the child.

"Stop being ridiculous, and don't talk to him like that...its disrespectful" I frown feeling disturbed to hear him coddle my son as if he's a dog.

"He's a baby! How else do I talk to him? You want me give him the news about the archers at the coast?"

A cackle of mirth drew my attention to my son again, his dark eyes glinting with something bizarre...as if he understood what we had just spoken.

"He's already laughing at you" I grin at Hoseok "he truly is my son."

"Man...I swear you're the weirdest alpha I know" "Well, that's exactly how I feel about you"

The little one breaks out into another giggle, making happy noises as he beats his legs at my chest and watches the fuckface with a large smile before he blows more spit bubbles.

"I have a feeling he's gonna be a brat" hyung laughed at my side.

"I'd be surprised if he isn't when his parents have been the ones' who happened to unsettle the entire world" Hoseok spoke plopping down to take a seat by his side "I'm curious what future awaits us when this one grows up."

á na márië.

[A\N] kill me for the torture I am making you go through? Or let me live a little more to see where it ends?

👀

Bye!

💜