Irony, hypocrisy, Jin doesn’t know what to feel anymore.

In all of Jin’s 29 years of life, he had never felt this devastated and useless before. He was a beautiful child, a determined teenager and now a responsible calm adult. No matter how worse any situation got, he would keep a steady mind and avoid panicking. No matter what problem came his way, he knew he would be able to overcome it.

Nothing could ever stop him.

But today was the first time he felt this helpless. It’s as if there’s not a single voice of courage left inside him. For the first time he has resigned to his fate instead of fighting for himself because he’s just so fucking tired and exhausted.

He gave himself a moment to just blankly think. About all the past happy memories he shared once in this village, with his grandparents before they sadly passed away due to old age and his fun memories with his supporting beautiful parents. Tears slid down the side of his red blotched cheeks which created an uncomfortable trail of wetness as they reached the shell of his ears.

Everything hurt and Jin doesn’t know whether it’s because of the burning lashes on his skin or the betrayal his poor heart had to witness today.

Yoongi’s father was once everything to him. He was his father’s college mate and there on their friendship grew. They even had children at almost the same time, just a three-month age gap between him and Yoongi. There would be times when Jin’s father would get a little too busy and he would drop Jin off at Yoongi’s house for a playdate and Hobeom would gladly take in the responsibility.

Hobeom had once treated Jin like his own son, like his own blood. But now, he’s nothing to him and that’s what hurts Jin the most, he likes to believe. He still worries for Yoongi and Jimin. Did they reach the hospital safely? Was Jimin okay? He hates Hobeom from the bottom of his heart but deep down he knows he won’t hurt Yoongi physically because as his only son, he means a lot to him. But as an asset to the family or like his son? Jin doesn’t want to know or think about that.

The 29-year-old writhed uncomfortably in pain as he felt his limbs getting roughly tied over a straw bed, the rough edges of the dried gas fueling his burn when they touched his exposed raw wounds. The stretch was very much so uncomfortable, as if they were testing till how far his limbs could be strained. His senses were even more heightened provided that currently he was blindfolded.

And very much so naked.

Jin doesn’t remember exactly how he got into this position. His past memories felt fluid with everything messed up. The last thing he vividly remembers was seeing Hobeom’s relieved face before he was dragged into the depths of the unforgiving wilderness of the mountains.

To his utter surprise and disbelief, he was brought to the very cave he had once saved the tiger cub before almost 20 years. He remembers very clearly, as if suddenly hit by a wave of nostalgia of a little him, crying while saving a brutally injured tiger cub. And that’s when the realization hit him like a thousand bricks.

The very same eyes, the purple glowing ones which turn into yellow slits whenever Jin made eye contact with the tiger. The tiger spirit had already claimed Jin when he was just a mere cub and he a child. Before 20 years, the tiger cub had already imprinted on Jin and his soul had already been claimed. It was just a matter of time that Jin came back to his village to finally complete the claim laid on him.

Realization hit like a wave that it was never a coincidence of him coming back to his village. It had always been the tiger spirit’s call for his mate, for his bride. Now that he thinks about it, he can finally understand why no one in Seoul was willing to help him open his clinic there. His medical license was never getting approved in the main city. It was not getting issued for practice anywhere else but this small unknown village.

Jin gasped in horror, his throat constricting in fear, disbelief and betrayal. Breathing became a chore and it took him a painful moment to realise that he was having a panic attack.

But his predators? They were solely focused on delivering their sacrifice, not once caring that Jin’s skin was turning pale from the lack of oxygen, not caring that Jin was crying pathetically and that his legs had given up. They never bothered when his delicate ankles were getting bruised from all the rough manhandling and that the stones were sharp. That was all he remembered happening before his exhausted aching body gave out into the hands of his predators, his kidnappers.

And now, the cold hair of the night hit his bare body making his hair rise and goosebumps spread all over his exposed body. He was gagged with animal leather skin and he couldn’t help the bile that rose in his throat from the decaying stench of the skin. And judging by all the murmuring, Jin assumed there were many men around him. How many though? He has no idea.

There were just so many hands touching every inch of his skin, massaging his whole body with a rich essential oils and scented flowers, Jin couldn’t help the whimpers and screams of protest that left his throat miserably. He just wanted to go home. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like a sacrificial animal. No matter how much he tugged at the rough jute ropes till his wrists bled or how much he screamed while he thrashed around in plea, a beg to just release him, to ask for his freedom because Jin just wants to go home, no one heard him.

It all fell to deaf ears.

Without food in his stomach, there was only so much Jin could physically fight for. His body was starting to give up.

And maybe his mind as well.

Maybe Jin needs to start accepting his fate that his life had already been claimed. It was never his to begin with. He belonged to the tiger spirit. Sometimes he wondered whether he was the first to be the bride or were there others before him? Is this what each and every victim felt before their impending doom? The feeling of despair to have your freedom of life snatched away from you, as if it never belonged to you in the first place? The feeling of knowing that you would never get to see your own loved ones anymore? Only eternal darkness.

The older men of the tribe spread their sacrifice further open to lather the struggling man in rose milk before cleansing his body with water from the river which was believed to be very pure as it had been blessed by the deity himself. He was being groomed as if he is a lamb getting ready for a sacrifice, although Jin couldn’t really find it in him to find the fucking difference. He felt violated in every possible way because even though he knew that they were following some sick ritual, there were some touches he could distinctly recognize that weren’t innocent, that weren’t following the rituals honestly.

Jin wanted to gasp for air as gallons of water were just blatantly poured all over his aching body and since his mouth was tightly gagged, leaving no room to breathe except through his nose, breathing became near impossible.

He could vividly hear the cannibals chant a prayer which sent chills down his spine. They sounded nothing but possessed, as if praying to satisfy their god was the sole reason they lived. Not once did they pause to take a breath and it was disturbing the way they spoke with such unity.

This was real.

It was really happening to him. Jin smiled bitterly to himself, not bothering with the drool that spilled from his mouth. No, he wasn’t going to question as to why only him? Why not someone else instead of him? No one deserves this, no matter how bad the person may be.

The outcasts never bothered to dry the quivering man as they untied the tough loops from his hands and legs before hauling Jin up to his naked feet, the sharp jagged rocks piercing through the soft skin of his sole making Jin cry out in pain, his plea muffled. He couldn’t feel his legs, they were bereft of any energy. Only pain. And before he could stagger and fall, he froze when he felt a sharp dagger digging in on the skin of his lower back as a warning making Jin stand up straight, his spine upright and erect in fear of making a mistake.

He knows his now tender body won’t be able to handle any further pain and mistreatment.

“Move” Just one word, a command.

It took Jin a second too long for their liking to realize he was asked to do something on his own and not that he would be dragged like a rag doll here and there. Jin let out a surprised squeak when the dagger was pushed in a little with force till the point a single drop of blood spilt from the new wound formed. Such fine was the tip of the blade. Without the sense of direction due to his sight compromised, Jin shakily breathed in as he staggered a hesitant step forward, the dry crunch of leaves echoing in his ears as the only source of trust that he is safe.

“Keep going straight. It is now time. Move”

How long he walked, Jin has no idea. With immense difficulty, from falling and scraping his knees to tripping over twisted vines which grew here and there from the wet ground, Jin was then forced to stop when a gentle hand grabbed his elbow. “Kneel to the ground, our god will be here any moment. And listen to me very closely because I will say it only once- Do not do anything to displease him. You’re the bride, he won’t kill you but he will kill us. But mark my words- I will fucking hurt you so bad, mess you up to the point you won’t be able to recover before I die” The leader of the tribe snarled in his ear, disgust dripping through his heavy baritone voice; every word whispered slowly with gravity making sure that Jin heard each word clearly. The bulky man then kicked the back of Jin’s knees to make his stagger and fall to the ground on his knees. Jin gulped thickly as he tried to pull his sob back that clogged his throat, knowing that whatever the man said, he fucking meant each and every word.

The cold winter air and his wet body did nothing to stop the fear and dread he was feeling at the moment. His insides churned in anticipation of what was going to happen to him in just a few minutes. He could never forget the tiger spirit’s face. A face so sculped, it felt like a sin to even look at his face. The thick curly black hair, fringes that fell beautifully over his temple. His eyes ever so expressive. They could never hide the want, the need, the lust, the obsession and probably the love the god felt for his human. No matter how much Jin wanted to deny, deep down he knows there’s a small part where he quivers for what the tiger god has to offer him. The sick and twisted part of him wants to feel what his mate was going to do to him. The wild look in the deity’s eyes trembled Jin with want, with need. He wanted to feel what it would like to burn in the flames the god walked upon.

“Shh, shh. Does anymore hear that? “

“Hear what?”

“Keep quiet! Listen closely”

With the blindfold blinding him, Jin could only helplessly rely on his sense of hearing. Apart from his heavy shaky breaths and a raging heartbeat, he managed to pick up another sound that whispered through the darkness engulfing him. It took a moment for him to understand, to recognize.

The tiger’s growl.

Immediately he heard excited gasps as all the men fell to their knees, bowing deep in respect with their temples touching the wet earth, murmuring praises for the long life of their idol, of their god.

Every inch of Jin’s body screamed terror, his muscles begging to just run. But Jin knew better than to do that.

There was no point.

Hence, no matter how much the tribals snarled at him to bow down and give his future mate the respect he deserves, Jin kept his head high with confidence and his face fierce because he knew he had nothing to lose. He would be taken either way.

The heavy thumps just kept getting louder and for a few moments Jin thought they were his own heartbeats but when he felt a heavy warm breath fan his face, the man knew that this was it.

It is time.

It was dead quiet for a moment. No one moved a muscle from their positions, no one took a single breath. And before Jin could question anything in his mind, he let out a scream of terror and confusion as was hauled over a very sturdy shoulder, hanging almost upside down, arms helplessly dangling. Everything spun and he felt nauseous at being hurled so suddenly and with such force. He screamed as he thrashed violently, trying to do everything possible to delay his impending doom. But the man never budged. He never even twitched a single muscle.

“Rise my followers” The voice made everyone freeze. It was a voice that one would hear at the depths of the deep-sea oceans, it could be heard in the depths of undiscovered caves in the unforgiving thick wilderness, in the nights of raging thunderstorms. A voice so deep, so baritone yet so soft that would make any man fear as well as fall to the deity’s feet for their blessings, for eternal salvation and peace.

“My god!”

“Oh my, it’s the god himself!”

“First time he has shown his true self, we have been blessed!”

Jin heard various cries of the men who hooted in joy and he knew most of them were even literally crying. The man wondered bitterly; how could a god bless them for hurting so many innocents unless the god himself may be nothing but a demon.

“You brought me my mate and I possibly cannot thank you enough” The tiger spirit spoke, voice so emotionless that it disturbed Jin greatly. He knows that the god was thanking the cannibals and although he couldn’t place a finger on it, there was something awfully wrong with the situation. “I had imprinted on my beautiful mate, right in front of this cave when he had bravely saved me from poachers back in the day. Those miserable humans murdered my mother and I was next in line, I was just a helpless injured cub. No one heard my cries, my pleas but this man did. And that was the day I had vowed that he will be my first and only mate. Our souls shall unite as one on this auspicious night of the full moon and we shall be bound for eternity.” He continued, “Never have I ever felt a soul so pure and honest and that’s what entices me. Kim Seokjin will be my mate for life. May you spread his name as far as you can because that’s what he deserves. A true sacrifice to be my bride deserves an award of heroism and great bravery because he held his head high no matter how frightening the situation must have been.”

There was a brief pause and Jin thought that his speech was finally over but when he spoke next, it sent panic down his spine as if he already wasn’t in one.

The deity tilted his head slightly, his piercing purple slit eyes raking over all the ten villagers’ greedy faces, anger looming in those flaming orbs, “But… I never once have asked you to bring me my mate when it is my duty to bring him. Have I ever asked you? I do not remember doing so. It’s my mate we’re talking about. And to top on that, you…you hurt him. His soles are bleeding, his wrists are lashed and he has tears in his eyes. Who… Who gave you the permission to touch what is mine?”

Deafening silence never felt so loud before. From his shoulder, Jin could vividly feel the panic and fear rushing through the frozen bodies of the men. And it was terrifying with how calm and softly the tiger spirit spoke, never once raising his voice.

The leader of the tribe staggered to the ground, not once caring with how a sharp stone jabbed through his skin and started to beg for mercy, his folded hands shaking violently, “Sire, my god! We only did what we felt we needed to do to please you. We do this every time and we thought this time was no different! Oh please forgive us! We wanted your blessings and goodwill! Please spare us!”

That hit a nerve, “Spare you!?” The deity roared out in anger making everyone turn white. The earth shook as thunder scattered through the dark cloudy skies. The winds picked up alarming speeds and nothing could have prepared the mortals present at the scene. “You filthy humans have touched my bride, my mate. Threatened him, violated him! And even after knowing that he is my mate, you dare touch him. You mortals are greedy and you have lust dripping from your impure souls. You do not mess with what is mine. And now…you shall atone to your sins” The sprit whispered the last few words and every plea fell silent.

Someone then whispered brokenly, “Tigers…”

That’s when Jin felt like dying. Agonizing screams echoed through the forest as the man-eating tigers emerged from all corners of the jungle, trapping the cannibals in a helpless circle, snarling at them. They made an eye contact with their master who emotionlessly nodded. That was the only order they needed before pouncing on the tribals.

Jin screamed at the top of his voice not once caring how it hurt his vocal cords when he heard the mortifying sounds of limbs tearing, bones crunching and the gurgling screams of the outcasts as they were getting eaten alive. He’s do anything to not hear all that was happening around him. “Little mate…my beautiful Jin, listen to their screams my love. This is what happens when someone disrespects their god. You are my god, You are going to be worshipped like the pure soul you are, the beautiful mate you are of mine. No one messes with what’s mine” Although Seokjin couldn’t physically see, he knew the god was looking at him with something akin to wonder and admiration. It made him feel sick that something inhuman was holding him.

If someone had told Jin a year ago that he was going to be the bride of a dangerous god, he would have laughed it off as a joke.

But it was not a joke.

It is the reality.

And before Jin fell unconscious, succumbing himself to the darkness, that was when he heard the last whisper, “And my name… is Kim Taehyung.”

A/n- 2 more chaps to go! I might make this a seperate fic altogether.

And yes I'm alive, just inactive because life happens lol . Hope you all are doing okay 😊

Till then TNTies 💜