Sorry, I was gone for long. Work has kept me busy and I was kinda suffering with a writer's block for this one. Finally, I managed to figure out what I wanted to do lol. Here you go!

***

 Jungkook sipped his scotch, gaze intent on his father, who was absent most of his life. His father looked as if he hasn't aged a day since he turned forty. The others were right. There were so many similarities between them. Jungkook knew he inherited his looks from his dad, except for his eyes.

"You have your mother's eyes."

Out of all things he expected his father to say, that was the last thing he thought he would say. However, in that moment, he saw a little crack in the façade of the impassive mask he otherwise wore.

"Your father was deeply in love with your mother. He couldn't tolerate her passing," Aunt Kim's words replayed in his mind. "He couldn't stand her loss."

They sat in Jungkook's office. It used to be his dad's. Now, as he glanced at his father, he realized how much his presence alone changed the atmosphere in this space. It suited him more than Jungkook. His father looked like he belonged here.

"You didn't change this space much," his father commented as if reading his line of thoughts. "It's the same as I remember." He pointed at the desk. "Even the pens are the same, and they're arranged just like I used to."

Jungkook's gaze jumped to his face. "It was the only piece of you I had," he admitted. "Wanted to retain it as it is."

His father looked surprised, and he saw a flash of emotion in those brown depths. He nodded before glancing away. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."

Jungkook pursed his lips. He didn't know how to respond to that. There were times he wished he had his father closer, and their relationship wasn't like this. There were times he longed to have his father on speed dial. There were times he wanted to call his father and boast to him about all his achievements.

"You were gone," he whispered and glared at the scotch again. In the past, Jungkook wouldn't have dared to say these things out loud, but courting Jimin had taught him a lot of things. "You didn't even come for my graduation or any other things. You didn't call for birthdays. All I got was a fat cheque or some other expensive gift. I didn't want any of them. I just wanted you. To talk freely to you like Taehyung would do with his parents. I wanted you to be there for me like Uncle Daehyun was there for him."

His father looked guiltier than ever. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Jungkook asked. "Aunt Kim always said you were a righteous man and so different from my grandfather and the others before him. She would tell me I inherited most of your traits. If you were like me, I wouldn't abandon my only son and disappear like that. You were present in my life but weren't at the same time." He took a deep breath before glancing at his father. "Why? I need to know what forced you to stay away."

His father exhaled. "Your life was in danger," he replied after a long pause. "The pack's safety and the gang's existence were in line."

Jungkook frowned. "Tell me more. I know you were doing something even after I took over. I know it was you who ended the Black Mambas, and I know there is more that I don't know. Tell me everything from the beginning."

The smile on his father's face was fond. Something Jungkook was sure the others never saw often. "You're indeed my Hyewa's son. You speak just like her. My beautiful Hyewa," his father continued with a wistful smile. "She was the kindest, with a heart bigger than her palm. You even have her smile."

Jungkook's throat constricted. He didn't know how to act in front of this man. They never had an ordinary father-and-son relationship. As far as he knew, his father pretty much disappeared from his life after losing his mother. He was nothing more than a shadow who was there but wasn't.

At night, sometimes there would be traces of cinnamon and pine in his bedroom. That was all the traces of the older man he remembered. Then there were rare appearances during family dinners and festivities. He would sit at the head of the table and would ask a few questions. Their conversation would end there. Jungkook knew his father cared about him because he always had what he wanted, except for the man himself.

"You've grown up so well," his father said, eying him appreciatively. "I know we haven't talked much in the past and it's my fault. You may wonder why I'm back now."

Jungkook didn't respond. He didn't fancy this talk to be honest. He came only because his father asked him to.

"I never expected to be gone for so long," his father added. "Things were complicated."

"I don't know what you expect me to say," Jungkook said, staring at the amber liquid in his glass. "In the past, I've only met you as the pack leader and the member of the syndicate council."

His father nodded. "I know and like I said it's my fault." He exhaled. "There are things you don't know about. I called you here to tell you what I should have told you sooner." His face turned into an impassive mask one more time. "In fact, it wouldn't have affected you until a few months ago because this is my revenge. Not yours."

Jungkook frowned. "Revenge?"

His father stood and walked to the fireplace in his office, staring at the crackling fire. "Your mother and I met in one of the crime syndicate gatherings. She was the only daughter of the Choi clan. Their gang wasn't big, but they held some important territories here."

Jungkook was aware. Those territories had now become the central hub for the Dragons.

"The proposal to our mating was purely business." His father exhaled. "The Choi clan had no male heir and wanted to strengthen their bloodline. Our marriage united our clans. It was one of the most important acquisitions Dragons had ever made."

Jungkook knew this story. He heard it from Aunt Kim several times. As far as he knew, there were no love matches in the pack. Every marriage was arranged and planned by the elders. Even he and Jimin started courting because of Taehyung's insistence. Then it turned out to be more.

"We didn't know your mother was sick until she was carrying you. There were no symptoms. She used to be tired all the time, but it was chalked as the discomfort associated with her pregnancy. Around six months into the pregnancy, she started complaining about her migraine," his father continued. "She was diagnosed with a tumor in her brain, but we couldn't operate immediately because of you. We had to wait. In the eighth month, her pain became unbearable, and we had no choice but to take you out. You were born prematurely."

Jungkook listened intently.

"She was taken into another surgery immediately that saved her life, but according to the doctors, she needed at least two more followed by other intensive treatments to be completely cured." His father's expression turned sullen.

Jungkook swallowed. So it was curable, but she didn't make it because someone had killed her.

"Our marriage might not be a love match, but a few months into the marriage, I truly fell for her and cherished her. She was everything to me. You were conceived because of our love, not because of responsibility. She was so excited to become a mother. It was all she would talk about," he said with a distant look. "She loved you with all her heart, Jungkook."

Jungkook glanced away. His heart felt heavy, and he mourned for a mother he had never seen.

"Then we diagnosed her with this illness. We were struck by one tragedy after the other," his father said. "We lost Kim's family's two precious children. Their little moons. Hyewa and Areum would talk for hours about their children. She called you her little sun. They would wonder how they could bring our families together if you were to mate one of the omega sons."

Jungkook's throat constricted.

"Hyewa was devastated when she learned the two children didn't make it. She was still hospitalized waiting for her next surgery, you see."

"What happened?" Jungkook's voice cracked.

"She didn't make it," his father's voice rang with pain. "She died before the surgery."

Jungkook blew out a pained breath. His mother was a sore topic. Even if he didn't know her, it didn't lessen the pain or how it made him feel.

"A year later, there were disturbances in the gang. I...I found out your mother's death wasn't natural."

"What?"

His father turned to face him. "Someone killed her in the hospital." He clenched his jaw. "There was restlessness, and things were happening all around us. The nanny I hired for you tried to drown you, and Areum found you both on time. Areum killed the nanny to protect you and took you under her care. Daehyun was my second-in-command, but the loss of his two still born and the responsibility to take care of you on top of that took all his attention away from the gang and pack affairs."

Jungkook stood. He went to stand beside his dad. "What did you do?"

His father shook his head. "It was a difficult time. I couldn't trust anyone else with you. So I forced Daehyun to take over the gang for me. I tightened the security around him while trying to find the person behind all this. I could no longer afford to sit behind this table and run things. I had to be on the field."

He eyed his father's side profile. The man still watched the fire dancing with an unreadable emotion. "Did you find them?"

A vicious smile curved the edges of his father's lips. "Yes."

Jungkook's grip clenched around his cup. "Tell me they paid for what they did. Tell me they suffered."

"They did." His father's eyes glinted with the hint of his surfacing wolf. He turned to meet Jungkook's gaze. "And I made it painful. I made sure they regretted everything and suffered, begging me to kill them. I tortured him for a year and treated him enough so he wouldn't die of infection or bleed out. Then hurt him again. A buddy of mine lent me some maggots. I watched as they ate him alive. I avenged your mother."

Jungkook cringed, but there was also a sick satisfaction inside of him. "Good," he growled. He would forgive his father now. The man might have abandoned him, but both in his and his wolf's eyes, he had redeemed himself by avenging his mother. "Who was it?"

His father exhaled. "The Chois had an illegitimate son no one knew about. When he learned it was united with the Jeons, he protested but couldn't do anything because he had no rights. A few didn't like the Choi clan being absorbed into the Jeon clan. They didn't want to lose their power."

Power was everything in their world. This was why they always got rid of loose ends when they acquired another gang. "What's his name?"

"Choi Yeong-Cheol."

Jungkook frowned. That name sounded familiar, but he didn't know when he heard it. A few years ago, there were rumors, but they never came to his attention.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you were too young, and you deserved to have a childhood that didn't involve the dangers of this line of business," his father replied. "I promised Hyewa that I'd keep you safe and away from all this. Besides, this was my fight. So I thought whatever it was, it should end with me."

Jungkook exhaled. "But I still lost my dad in the end." He went to sit on an arm chair. "I wish you had told me, and I didn't have to be all alone while I grew up."

His father looked remorseful. "I underestimated Yeong-Cheol. He was backed up by someone powerful. Someone who had more resources to bring us down. I had to keep you away in case something happened to me."

Jungkook's thoughts raced. "The Black Mambas," he whispered. Suddenly all the puzzle pieces seemed to fall into place one by one. "Did they have something to do with Jimin?" He sprang to his feet. The glass in his grip broke under the force of his grasp, and he threw it at the wall. "What do you know?"

"When I heard Taehyung was back with his omega and that they were blood bonds, I naturally did some digging," his father answered. "I saw the reports and dug into Jimin's past." He turned to face Jungkook. "Had to ensure my son wasn't being deceived." He strode to the couch, crossing his legs elegantly. "Found out why Taehyung was on the run."

"What else?"

"At first, I didn't think much about Minhyuk's interest in Jimin. But his men weren't just after Jimin; they were also after Taehyung, knowing that Taehyung was from the Jeon clan. The minister's family wanted Jimin, and they were ready to pay a good sum to get him alive. As for Taehyung, it was personal. Because touching Taehyung meant, touching one of us."

Jungkook frowned. "He had many opportunities when they were abroad."

"Taehyung was clever and always careful. Minhyuk tried, but Taehyung was always a step ahead of him. That attack in that hotel might seem like a normal event, but Taehyung had a bounty on his head. Jimin and Taehyung were separated purposefully. They were booked for different events. Minhyuk was going to kill Taehyung that night."

Jungkook sucked in a sharp breath. So Minhyuk had two purposes that night.

"But Taehyung didn't stay longer in the event as planned. He rushed out as soon as he received Jimin's call. So Minhyuk decided to take Jimin first and then planned to use Jimin to lure Taehyung. Jimin was Taehyung's weakness, you see. However, the slip happened because Minhyuk's men didn't stick to his plan. When they saw Jimin, they wanted him for themselves. They didn't know Minhyuk's plan and lingered in the hotel room. Taehyung went to the hotel room instead of the trap they were going to set for him."

"Then Jimin called me," Jungkook whispered.

His father nodded. "Minhyuk wasn't expecting that. Since Taehyung was estranged, he thought he would have enough time to get rid of him. And the minister's family would take care of Jimin. It's a win-win."

"So Minhyuk know who Jimin was."

His father clicked his tongue. "Nope. Jimin was just another business deal to him. Minhyuk knew the only way he could get Jimin without drawing attention was to court him. The minister's family was hell-bent on having him alive. Taehyung was a personal vengeance." He put his glass of alcohol away. "Minhyuk might have unexpectedly become the new leader of the Black Mambas. He became a boss easily, but he soon learned how hard it was to keep the position. Other people were waiting to claim his throne. They all know who killed their former boss but have no proof. Also, Minhyuk didn't have the respect of everyone. He expected them to turn against him anytime given a chance, so he had to work hard to remain a boss."

"Killing Taehyung would have strengthened his position and instilled fear among his men," Jungkook said.

"Exactly."

"So what about Jimin? When did you figure out?"

"Daehyun keeps me informed. I couldn't allow you to face the council alone and throw you to the Hyenas. I know you're capable of that. But I had to be there and ensure no one could harm my son or my family in my watch." He stood, pushing his hands inside his pocket. "I brought a little present for your mating, by the way." He smiled.

Jungkook's heart raced. "Where is it?"

"Dungeons." He smirked. "The old doctor and the mid-wife who assisted Areum with her delivery are waiting." He patted his shoulder with a gentle squeeze. "Jimin is your mate. This revenge is yours."

Jungkook nodded stiffly. "Thanks, dad." He took a deep breath. "I forgive you."

His father's expression cleared, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"I forgave you the moment you said how you avenged my mother. My wolf agrees. I won't force you to stay, but if you want me back in your life, you have to work for it. Maybe you could make it up by being there for your grandchildren when it's time." Jungkook whirled around, leaving him behind. "Jimin would love that."

Hope you liked it!

I'm trying to finish the ongoing fics one by one. Endless Love is almost nearing the end. It's a social media + written fic if anyone is interested.

Jimin finds about his husband's lost love through his old diary and sets out to fulfill his deepest wish.Inspired by a tamil movie - Sillunu Oru Kaadhal.Angst with happy ending.