Jungkook adored sleep. From royal mattresses to training grounds, jungkook adored sleep.

Back then it was easier, to sleep. To flee. To float. To do everything but stay. Stay awake. Stay alert. It used to be much easier, to let the unknown take over. It was just him, after all.

Ready to fight. Ready to lose. Ready to be given up on.

But now, it wasn't just him. He had already brought too many people into his mess. Taehyung, by far, the most. And it isn't like Jungkook hadn't already known, for a while now actually, that he could if he wanted to and now at the latest, blame it on his stupid fate, quietly slip his way out and no one would be hurt.

Taehyung wouldn't be hurt.

But he couldn't.

Jungkook has thought about it, had even devised numerous run-without-looking-back plans. But then what happens to Taehyung? What happens when everyone gets to know the taehyung he does? What happens to Taehyung then?

He should sleep. It is late, quite late really. Has been an hour in the bed. Two since dinner, three since Ryejin's apology speech, three and a half since taehyung's absence at the art assembly and four since he has last seen the said king.

If general life inconveniences was the subject, Jungkook also recently discovered something faulty with his wolf. Some strange scent induced issues, out of his syllabus. So he has, currently, lot on his plate right now and any plans of an escapade for the greater good cannot be accomodated any longer. Not atleast in a short run of five months.

Hoseok, most definitely, wouldn't be happy once he hears his dear brother has been anything but remotely close to productive ever since he set foot in kaatru.

Shame, really.

Jungkook feels remorsed. Gravely remorsed in fact, but apart from the rogue attack, there didn't seem anything particularly abnormal or "war inviting" here at kaatru. Probably he has to wait until uvagai ends, he wrote back Hoseok last week.

He is stalling, Jungkook won't deny. But anyone in his place would. For taehyung, everyone should.

Jungkook ran a finger over the Ruby around his neck, has been doing so for the past hour. Ryejin's warning rung in his head again, no one enters without her permission. He knew it was addressed straight to him, no one else needed a curfew.

But Ryejin was hiding something. And probably it was the way taehyung lied to his face hours ago that Jungkook knew the king had asked her to.

It had to be about him. About his sudden seizure at the market, wasn't it? What else could it be? Was there more taehyung has been hiding from him? Like the archery field episode? Had something like that happened again? Was he injured? sick? running a tem-

let me see my omega

See? Something's wrong with his wolf. It keeps giving these stupid commands and this isn't the first time. The first time was when his wolf lost control-not cute considering the 23 years of practice that went into it-when they were doing tickle monster and somehow he ended up that close to Taehyung's scent glands.

Somewhere far up in his head he heard a faint "omega" and pretty much since then his wolf keeps losing conduct around taehyung. One whiff of his scent and his wolf is delirious.

Jungkook has tried, he has, and believe him when he says his entire curriculum on wolf control, but nothing has been working. The most they manage to do is slow it down. Probably until four or five whiffs until his wolf can go delirious again.

Resistance, slows it down.

But resistance, is easier said than done.

This meant putting up a distance between himself and taehyung, and the moving out really helped with that. Except, Jungkook has two legs which are fast. Very fast. And he is suddenly outside Taehyung's chambers, practically being drilled holes into by the guards.

"The king is resting, you're not allowed"

"I just need to see him once and then I'll be out," he reasoned, adding a quick, "before you can count to three!"

"No, Princess Ryejin has demanded not to let anyone," the guards shared a look and he knew what was to follow. "except her, inside"

He could feel his resistance wearing thin.

"I have princess ryejin's permission" little lies can harm no one.

"She has said not to let you in," the other guard repeated, "whatever you say"

Why can't they understand, he'll be back before Ryejin even gets to know! It wasn't just his wolf anymore, it was jungkook, he wanted to see taehyung! He wanted to see for himself that taehyung was alright. What if he was running fever like last time? What if he was having a seizure like this evening?

"I ask you gentlemen," he shifted glances between the two, and probably because they had noticed a shift in his tone or because his eyes had turned red, one of them gulped, "politely. One last time. To let me in without a fuss. Will you?" It came off more as a statement than a question, probably from impatience, or anger or both, "Or will you not?"

The guards exchanged looks, nodded and turned to him. "We won't, the princess has-"

Now Jungkook doesn't usually resort to violence, not after 23 years of learning how to not resort to it. But control is a flimsy string, a learnt concept. But hands? Been since birth, baby.

And he wasn't quite in the mood to run his brains and figure another way out. No, fuck that, he was the one who tightened security around the palace this evening, owing to the fest. It would only make him look dubious. There was only one way in now and he swore to make it as painless as possible.

"Ryejin's gonna hate me" He sprang a fist to one of their sides, snatched the spear from the other and struck one by one both their heads against its metal end, the unsharped one, obviously. Ryejin would kill him.

The door was locked as expected and he found the keys dangling against one of the guards' sword sheaths. These guys needed to be more creative badly.

The door opened to an immediate hallway, whose farthest left led to Taehyung's bedroom. He would know it in sleep. The decorations of art day still hung from the walls, little diamond cut mirrors reflecting his form.

The place smelled like Taehyung, all his resistance flew out of the window. He quickened his pace, albeit quiet, taehyung must be sleeping.

The elder's scent kept growing stronger the closer he came to the end of the corridor, and Jungkook felt queasy. Taehyung's scent has never been this strong, not even when he was inches away from his face at the necklace shop. Something twisted in his gut, like a warning and grew with every step he took.

Jungkook usually tended to these instincts, warnings. But not today, not when he knew taehyung wasn't alright. He could be running a cold or a fever or worse could be caught in another seizure like last evening. Jungkook would rather have his head chopped than have taehyung face any of those all alone.

He took a sharp turn around the corridor and almost slipped before he held onto one of the window curtains. The rain had turned heavier and the floor was wet. None of the lamps were lit here and he had to grope his way unscathed to Taehyung's bedroom.

The elder's scent kept growing until he was by the door where it felt as strong as it would be if jungkook were right by his scent glands. What was wrong with taehyung

He didn't knock, a single sliver of light wafted through the gap between the doors. It was open. Jungkook took a sharp breath in, and the king's scent clouded his senses.

A lone lamp lit the entire room and wasn't obviously enough. Taehyung's scent almost fogged the entire place and he heard nothing except irregular breathing and rain.

He walked in, more confident now that he knew this place from the back of his palm.

The lamp wavered more than it burnt however the room looked nothing like how taehyung's room would even in the poor lighting. The blankets he had neatly folded that morning were strewn to the ground, his bed looked awful with duvets hanging down it's frame and the balcony doors were open turning floor near it wet from the rain.

He collected the blankets, threw them over his couch. Pulled the duvets down slowly, in case taehyung were nestled among them. When he realised the king wasn't, he deserted the bed, and went to close the balcony do-

"Tae?" He almost slipped against his firm grip on the door, "taehyung?"

Jungkook slowly inched towards the silhouette, soaking under the rain. He desperately hoped it wouldn't be taehyung despite chanting his name under his breath.

"Taehyung," he took a shaky breath in and his gut painfully twisted in his abdomen, "tae, is that you?"

The rain was heavy, it was hard to keep his eyes open. The silhouette tossed around a bit, then stood up unsteadily. He probably imagined it from desperation but Jungkook could swear he saw a pair of purple irises. His heart dropped.

"Taehyung? My kin-"

"Leave" if it weren't for his wolf ears he wasn't sure he would have heard that. However it was not what taehyung said that caught his attention, but the way he said it. Almost as if it was choked out of him. He looked around for the perpetrator, but the night was dark and drenching the town for a month's harvest.

"Taehyung, come inside, " he drew one step forward, hair dripping wet. "lets talk inside" the elder took one back, and wavered at his feet.

"Taehyung, you aren't alright," he was almost yelling over the rain, he knew that, but nothing mattered except taehyung. He looked too weak, too spent, barely could even open his eyes. "listen to me, look at me, taehyung, just this once, listen to me"

He took a slow step forward and held a hand out. "come in, please, it's just me"

Taehyung took two startled steps back, eyes flying open. When they did, Jungkook didn't imagine the black flecks over purple. Oh taehyung

His wolf growled, an instinctual sound of order rose up his throat. No, no he won't order Taehyung now. He won't give in to his wolf that soon. This is taehyung, he would listen. He would listen to Jungkook.

"i promise i will leave," he lied, he won't. He can't. "Come inside, it's cold. You're cold"

Taehyung looked like he could faint anytime, however held to the balcony railing for life. His grip was tight enough to dent the metal there and Jungkook noticed a few other such dents across the railing. He took another slow step towards the elder, "i won't bother you again, come inside taehyung, please"

Taehyung tried opening his eyes, even hooded they looked distant and hostile. But Jungkook wouldn't leave, he had come prepared for everything. "jung hyuk," taehyung spoke in long sighs, between two shaky breaths in and out. "p-please leave"

Every word chewed up a little life out of him, and he had exhausted almost all of it when he was done asking him to leave. Taehyung's grip fell, and his knees gave in. Jungkook rushed closer, held him by his arms.

Taehyung looked even miserable from this close. Uncombed locks falling over his eyes, lips having turned a sick purple, skin an unhealthy pale- Jungkook felt his mouth run dry.

He pushed a few strands out of his eyes,
"Taehyung?" The elder seemed to have actually fainted. His breathing was so weak, Jungkook would've heard nothing if it weren't for his wolf senses. He ran a slow finger over the rings under his eyes.

The rain had finally come to a stop, just as about Taehyung had fainted at his feet. He remembers the elder telling him how often as a kid he would fuck up the weather when he was angry. Jungkook could imagine a little taehyung, bringing havoc. Bringing a flood. Bringing fire. Taehyung was capable of anything.

He lifted the elder, carried him to his bed, took a towel and began drying his hair. Once satisfied he brought a comb from some compartment in Taehyung's dresser and wove it through his locks. He was used to tangled hair considering his own curly ones, however it was easy to comb Taehyung's. His were straight, long and soft, so soft.

By the time he was done, Taehyung had tossed around in the bed more than he slept. So jungkook considered lighting up a few more lamps for heating the room up. A little elemental magic could harm no one, so he turned up the flames to burn brighter.

It was quite late into the night, not that Jungkook was an early sleeper or riser, but it looked like it was slightly past midnight. He should've slept by now, tomorrow was the day of colors. Or today, if it was past midnight.

Taehyung was still restless; he brought his own blanket and threw it over the other's duvet. The elder almost disappeared under the heap of blankets, however his scent still hung heavily in the room. If jungkook were to let his senses a little more loose, Taehyung's scent showed no signs of toning down; if anything it had only grown.

Jungkook walked over to his customary couch, tomorrow was a big day for both him and taehyung. Everyday of uvagai was, and knowing how much taehyung loved the festive, it was quite concerning how he didn't attend the celebrations last night. Has he been under the rain since then? Why? What was wrong with his scent glands? Why did he sound that weak?

Jungkook doesn't remember sleeping much, no scratch that, he didn't sleep. He just remembered staring at Taehyung tossing and turning over the 4 layers of blankets he spread for him and thinking.

Jungkook had raided the palace library, gone through its every book on wolf history. But none of them have a cure for taehyung, hell, none of them have anything even remotely related to whatever taehyung was going through.

He even tried flipping through books on forbidden methods of black magic, however most of its pages were torn and the untorn ones gave no useful information. He still had 3 more days of uvagai to go, to figure out something for Taehyung. Jungkook will. He will t-

His wolf let out an alarmed cry.

Jungkook hardly remembered what happened next until he felt like he had woken from an unfulfilling nap. Right next to Taehyung. Somehow the elder wasn't alarmed by their proximity, as he was. But Jungkook was certain he wasn't this close to Taehyung before this sudden shift. Even taehyung had woken up, was this shift because of him?

Taehyung leaned in, wordlessly.

They kissed, long and hungry. His hands shamelessly moved under Taehyung's shirt to rub circles, patterns. The elder was warm, his skin sticky with sweat. Jungkook felt hot himself. The last he remembered the weather was stormy and cold, he had even surged the flames up with his ma-

Taehyung climbed onto his lap, and smashed their lips. More longer, more hungrier. Jungkook tasted taehyung like this was the first time. They left no parts of their mouths untouched, unbitten. A thin string of drool bridged their lips when they parted, gasping for air.

He took taehyung in like this, over him. Jungkook has seen him a hundred times, and he would do this a hundred times over. Taehyung leaned in, kissed, pulled his hair- it was clear, he wanted something from him. Wanted him. Jungkook gave in, take anything. everything.

As if he heard him, Taehyung grabbed him by his robe, pulled him closer, kissed and kissed. Everytime they ran out of breath, they would pause, take one huge breath each, and dive back in again.

Taehyung dipped lower from his lips, bitten to a ripe red. He licked, bit, tore his robe apart, licked and bit. Jungkook threw his head back, take anything. His skin burnt everywhere taehyung touched, bit, breathed, kissed. Jungkook moaned, unrestrained.

Taehyung was scented like roses, like sweat, like desire. Everything fell into one perfect maddening spin; taehyung taehyung taehyung

Taehyung kissed his way up his chest to his lips, occasionally biting, scratching. Jungkook plunged to connect their lips again, taehyung was endlessly ravishing. Over him, under him, beside him, everywhere.

He kissed him, long and messy and then kissed him until his chin, the first bite somewhere below his jaw was deliriously delightful. It didn't draw blood, but did leave a mark. It would soon turn as purple as taehyung's darkened eyes.

Jungkook went lower and continued, a bite and a kiss, a bite and a kiss, a bite and a kiss. Taehyung moaned, back arched and breath hitched. He turned his neck for wider access and jungkook carried on like a ritual-a bite and a kiss.

His arms knew where to hold, where to reach-and he memorized all of taehyung's curves, little scars, one dark mole beneath his belly button. He dipped lower from his clavicle, to leave a mark right above one of his nipples. But Taehyung tugged his hair, and guided him lower- a loud guttural moan when he licked the hardened skin.

He sucked, bit, licked, kissed-every part of him demanded to be worshipped. His hands left his waist, and dipped under his waist band. Taehyung's breath hitched, and he gripped his shoulders hard enough to leave indents.

They were both hard, and wet. Jungkook began with a tentative, very tentative touch, all the hunger slowing down to let taehyung feel comfortable. He paused, looked up at Taehyung and almost felt dizzy. Taehyung looked godly, his hair had come undone and forehead beaded with sweat like pairs of crystals.

Taehyung looked down at him, purple irises almost quizzical. So he mouthed, "can i?" Taehyung held his shoulders tighter, and breathlessly whispered "please"

Jungkook didn't need to be asked twice, he picked up on a rhythm faster than he intended. Few strokes in, taehyung thrusted his hips forward and they easily slipped into a comfortable speed. The room was clouded with roses, desire, laboured breaths and Taehyung's moans. Jungkook felt himself getting wetter as the speed grew and somewhere along the smudged lines he pulled taehyung down and kissed him like a starved beast.
Jungkook felt like one.

His mouth ran dry when Taehyung threw his head back, moaned the loudest, and came in thin white strings; his whole frame shuddering violently. Taehyung nuzzled into his nape and his slow breath and fast pulse, beat at his ears.

Jungkook slumped against the head board and his hands instinctively wrapped around taehyung. He took a deep breath and shivered when the cold air blew in from within the window gaps. Taehyung shivered, again.

He gently placed the elder on the bed, walked over, locked the windows tighter and pulled the curtains together. When he breathed in again, the room's scent had shifted from roses to hillside, like forest mist in the colder part of the year. Jungkook smiled.

Taehyung's scent strangely never stuck to one, shifting from sandalwood to roses to hillside to meadows-it shifted as Jungkook liked it to. It made taehyung irresistible, even from body scent.

Jungkook looked around, and realised they had made a huge mess-blankets, duvets, pillows, robes, cum stained sheets. He picked up both their robes, and used his own torn one to clean up the sheets, before throwing them both into the bin. They were both torn beyond repair anyway.

The shift in the air seemed to have un-shifted itself, like someone had physically unknotted the tension. Albeit however light the air felt, Jungkook didn't. He tried remembering anything that happened before the shift, however any blurry remains of it ended right where he left it-by the couch, staring at a very very sick taehyung and thinking of unavailable cures.

It felt like an unfulfilling nap, like someone had shaken him awake right when he had just slipped into it. Maybe he had actually fallen asleep and sleep walked? But he had no history of doing anything subcon-

Oh no. His wolf.

Fuck.

His wolf must have taken over control. How unguarded was he? What did it do now? Whom did he-no it kil-

you might want to fix that before i answer, as if by command all his blood went south, he was still hard. but no, we didn't.

It was maybe relief, or mostly the dull ache between his legs, but he didn't bother to correct the 'we', quietly slipping into the bathing room. Halfway into the bath, he sensed taehyung's scent change-it wasn't roses, or hillside, it was just this heavy presence in the air that made his wolf cry in alarm. Again.

This was the same scent as before, then. Before the roses, before the shift, the scent when he came looking for taehyung. It was the same, just as intense if not, now more. Jungkook hastily pulled on his robe.

His wolf cried again, a guttural noise halfway between angry and despaired.

The bathing room spun in his vision, he held the nearest support. No no no he can't lose control again, there was no guarantee his wolf wouldn't hurt taehyung this time around. The elder wasn't in a good shape, he has lost control over his scent glands and he looks-he looked sick.

Jungkook felt his gut twist, his wolf rather shouted at his ear. Let me help my omega. It was a command. His body, rather unguarded, charged to the door.

Wait n-a wave of taehyung's pheromones crashed on him just as he opened the door, and his wolf whimpered. The room spun round and round, Jungkook held to the door frame.

"Resistance is like art, its not all physical work. It can only be in your head until you make it grow onto your body-teach it whom to listen, learn and obey"

Resistance, or wolf resistance has always been his least favorite subject. There wasn't anything particularly interesting to it for it to be so plainly exhausting. And it was honestly, one of the last subjects, he ever imagined would come to actual use for someone like him.

But taehyung's scent was strong, stronger that the kind of simulations his mentor trained him with. His wolf yelled over and over again at his ears to stop this and help taehyung. He looked over to where the elder was, Taehyung had the sheets bunched up in white fists and kept trashing around.

If jungkook concentrated enough, against his wolf, against the faint buzz of taehyung's pheromones, he could hear him weakly cry a string of pained noises. He sounded so soft, so weak, Jungkook almost fell to his knees. He had never heard Taehyung this helpless.

Jungkook rushed to the king, he can't take this anymore. He took a seat beside him, held his quivering palm and said as softly as he could, a shaky "hey"

Taehyung blinked his eyes open, irises rapidly shifting blue, hazel and brown. He looked confused, then slowly his gaze changed. His eyes changed colors faster, so fast he couldn't catch the order. Then finally, when they settled it was a darkened purple and taehyung leaned for a kiss. His wolf melted into silence.

Taehyung kissed him like he had been starved of this for years, it hadn't been hours yet. He bit his lips, licked the blood off the wound, and left a string of saliva when they parted. He caught taehyung's eyes flickering colors, and it was almost like a battle. When the war ended and it had settled to an earthy brown, taehyung looked scared. Jungkook was jolted back to reality.

"Sorry i didn't mean -i only wanted to hel-"

"it hurts," taehyung sounded nothing like the person he had seen on the throne yesterday, "s-so much" Every syllable that left his mouth exhausted him, he turned progressively breathless to the end. Jungkook tightened his palm around taehyung's.

"What's going on? Just tell me," he couldn't hear his own voice, it sounded distant and shaky. All he cared was Taehyung and taehyung looked so so scared. "i promise, taehyung i swear i will do anything to make it go away"

Taehyung gritted his teeth, probably another wave of pain rolling in.

"h-hea-" he didn't complete whatever he wanted to say, muffling another pained noise between his teeth. Jungkook's grip around taehyung's palm loosened.

The heat. It was all the heat. The pain, the pheromones, the hunger. It all pieced together perfectly-all the obvious that Jungkook hadn't seen.

And he had let it all happen. He let all that happen between him and taehyung just because he forgot to have his guards up. He did something to Taehyung when he wasn't even in his right mind.

Jungkook untangled his palm around taehyung. This couldn't be it. He can't undo whatever he has done. When Taehyung wakes up tomorrow, he will certainly detest him. He will realise Jungkook, if not restrained, is just a primal beast hungry for sex and food.

Jungkook walked backwards until he hit something, probably his couch and slumped against it.

Taehyung trashed in his bed, eyes turning shades of purple and cried out, the loudest he has. "it hurts, please!"

Jungkook blinked at Taehyung. Please what? Help him? In what manner? He knew anything that he did to help taehyung now, they would regret tomorrow. He won't repeat his mistakes, Jungkook fisted his palms, letting his nails dent his skin.

"please" taehyung begged, looking so disoriented-

His wolf growled. He could imagine the beast baring it's teeth to him.

Taehyung shuddered again, more violently than before. "Alpha," Jungkook bit his tongue down "please" Taehyung's eyes watered, turning from a dark shade of purple to blue.

"Resistance is only simply until you let it. As long as you breath correct and keep patient, like every elemental magic, resistance can also be mastered"

Another half attended lecture on wolf resistance. He breathed in, Taehyung's scent intervened-this wasn't working, he needed something stronger to back him up.

"Magic stems from emotions. Their nature, intensity, presence are all made of emotions"

A strong emotion-Taehyung groaned, twisting the sheets in his palms. His airways stung inside him, Jungkook felt breathless.

His wolf, stomped within the walls of his head. I won't let you breathe. On cue, his breathing staggered, he tried swallowing mouthfuls of air but still gasped for it. He held his throat, swatting at invisible hands choking him down.

Jungkook only needed a strong emotion, something not related to Taehyung. Why was this hard? He scratched at his neck, which he was sure would leave marks atleast for an hour.

He could feel his resistance bleed through the cracks even if it wouldn't let his wolf take complete control. Jungkook fell to his knees about halfway between Taehyung's bed and his couch, spots blinding his vision.

A strong emotion, he just needs ONE strong emotion.

His airways stung, lungs burnt and he turned to look at Taehyung. The elder looked on the verge of screaming the kingdom awake. But his eyes were on him, they were always on him, and they begged him, Stop resisting me, please, just this once.

Jungkook turned away, almost violently. Am sorry. His wolf snarled, squeezing his lungs dry.

A strong emotion-just a strong emo-

He forced the memory of his first kill back, an innocent guard. He had only wanted to stop him from escaping the palace.

This was back when his wolf frequently lost control and went rogue, sometimes worse enough to kill someone. This soldier, oh jung bae, was his first. And last, but Jungkook wouldn't be so sure about it.

He remembers, that day, like it is yesterday when he shifted back to his human form to find a dead body beside him and blood dripping from his face, palms. He had fainted, maybe from over exertion, or overwhelming guilt. He had locked himself for days in his room, no food, no water, no sleep-even if he did he woke up screaming every time.

Jungkook doesn't remember the other times he went rogue, mostly because his father assured there were no casualties, however the palace workers would still shiver when he walked past them.
But then he was immediately made to train, much earlier than normal wolves, and soon it was all in the past.

Now, a decade later, the memory still isn't hard to bring back. It seared right through much older wounds. The blood, the shock, the odour, all of it came flooding back and even reminded his wolf of the days it starved. When Jungkook made it starve.

His airways opened up, and he gulped a lump of bile down his throat. Jungkook was still scared to open his eyes, find taehyung hurting and let all this resistance go because he would rather have taehyung hate him instead. So he kept them shut, and thought of the guard. The poor innocent guard. His blood. The stench of death. Or his kill.

His wolf whimpered, he had blocked all his senses to the memory with its odour, stomach pinching hunger and nightmares. It worked, it was working wonders, now all he had to do was find a way out of Taehyung's chamber with eyes shu-

"Alpha, please, it hurts!" He paused in his tracks, bit his tongue, let his tears fall and shook his head. He knew taehyung would see it, but Jungkook can't face taehyung like this. He would need barrels of resistance for it.

"please, please, please" Another string of cries, "it hurts"

Why doesn't he understand? Jungkook doesn't want to do this. He would never leave him alone, but Taehyung, you will regret. He will regret so much tomorrow, when this heat ends, Jungkook cannot run then.

He pressed his palms against his ears, held them through his wolf's deafening howls. There was only one way Jungkook could help him and it was to flee the place. If he stayed, he would only be a threat.

Jungkook almost felt like when he was 10, untrained and a menace to himself. It was his mostly his wolf, but he was too young to understand that. Just as how he didn't understand why the guard wouldn't wake up even when he kept healing his wounds.

Jungkook had tried healing someone he had killed with the same two hands.

His wolf barked, it won't be distracted anymore. But Jungkook wasn't armed with anything to fight a part of himself, no one had ever had to design such a weapon and so didn't. Jungkook only could shut his eyes tighter, press his palms closer to his ears and pray he wouldn't do anything to Taehyung that he'd regret even if he lost control.

He rocked himself back and forth, like this. For hours, minutes, seconds- Jungkook didn't know.

When he finally did peel his eyes open and pull his palms away, there was only silence. A maddening stillness to everything, time, air.

Taehyung had fallen asleep, or had probably fainted. His heart beat slower than usual and his breathing was still fast. His pants carried a huge wet patch, much wetter than before and Jungkook pitied taehyung because he knew how they were.

His ruts are twice more painful than normal alphas and used to be as worse as getting him chained to his bed. But Jungkook would never repent his father for that, if he did, now he doesn't anymore.

Taehyung's scent seemed like it had subsided, however Jungkook felt like most of his senses were still stuck in the memory which could be the reason why. The silence was unnerving, even when the wind battered at Taehyung's windows.

Jungkook realised he should leave now. This might be his only chance.

But then Taehyung would be alone. A stray stand of hair fell over Taehyung's eyes and he reached to push it away-but repelled himself. No, if he woke taehyung he would only do more harm than good.

But if he leaves, taehyung would be alone.

He would be all alone by himself going through the next round of painful episodes whenever he wakes up. Jungkook knows the drill. Of all the people, he knew the drill.

But taehyung was an omega, he must have had his fair share of heats, right? Maybe he knows the drill too. All jungkook had to do here was to trust taehyung, and walk out of the room. Just trust taehyung.

Jungkook stood up, waverly, he had made up his mind. Trust taehyung, right? He can do that. He walked over to the door, his feet dragging. Trust taehyung. He pulled open the door, it was suddenly heavy. One last glance. Trust taehyung. He stepped out, one more glance. Trust taehyung.

The moment he shut the doors behind his back his wolf whimpered, it had sensed the lack of proximity, the wall in between. Jungkook took quick steps, he was trusting taehyung and so should his wolf. The floor was still wet and he almost slipped twice but caught himself.

His wolf pounded at his skull, his legs, his arms, everywhere. Almost dragged him back to Taehyung's bedroom, slamming him from wall to wall. Here's where you should go. He needs you.

Jungkook breathed, in and out. In and out. He pushed himself off from each wall and reasoned to his wolf, he doesn't need me, he needs no one. His wolf protested: no, his omega needs help. Jungkook wasn't sure if he should draw a line between taehyung and his omega and say taehyung didn't or fuck this and go help the elder because he can already sense his scent grow in the air.

No no, he slammed his head against one of the corridor walls. The guilt from before coiled in his stomach, Jungkook winced. He would never think of any such thing again. He will leave this place for good. There was only one right thing to do and that was, leave.

That was the only right thing. Yes. That should be the only right thing, right?

Jungkook held his head in his palms, where was all this coming from? He had to leave, it was final. His wolf was barely capable of doing any good to him let alone do any to Taehyung. There was nothing he could do except hurt taehyung if he stays. If not that, then he was only likely to make things difficult for him. Having an alpha near and resisting is twice as worse.

But would leaving him alone be any better? His rationale, almost as if it was suddenly breathed back to life, demanded. Honestly, Jungkook didn't know.

Taehyung doesn't need him. He must have dealt with so many such heats before. This should be nothing new, right?

His wolf stopped fighting, started pleading instead, please please please don't leave. No affirmation consoled his wolf, nothing consoled Jungkook. He gave up the battle, let his hands push down the doors, let his feet walk in. Let himself be near taehyung.

"I failed, tae," he whispered, like even the wind mustn't hear him, just taehyung, "what should I do?"

Taehyung was still fast asleep, and looked impossibly smaller than Jungkook ever remembered. Maybe taehyung was always this small, his little omega.

Jungkook pushed away the stray strand of hair bothering them both, and heard his wolf softly purr in content. Taehyung looked peaceful like this. Painless.

But Jungkook knew it would come. He knew that pain always find a way back around. If not now then sometime soon, and it was never pleasant. Each time was worse than the last. But this time, he wanted to be prepared.

"I am scared," he admitted quietly, both to him and taehyung.

But he can face it with taehyung, right?

Right. For now, the first step of the plan was to let taehyung rest. He remembered when his father would drop by at nights during his ruts, sit beside him and leave only when the room was saturated with his calming pheromones. When Jungkook would wake up, he would sniff around just to catch the remains of candles and books.

He smiles and took a seat beside taehyung on the bed, held his palm, drew patterns on his knuckles while he filled the room with his calming pheromones. Soon the room smelled halfway between a freshly rained meadow and some kind of flower he didn't remember his father telling the name of.

This was good. If only this heat could end this way.

Taehyung shifted in his sleep, almost as if he heard him think. Jungkook pulled his hand away from Taehyung's, like a reflex. His scent grew in the air and more than carrying a particular fragrance, it made it's presence known. Soon taehyung was awake and his own wolf disquiet.

The pain came way faster this time, probably as intense. It had him shuddering, right as it set in. Jungkook shut his eyes, but his wolf thrummed at his ear like a faint buzz-the same words over and over.

He needs help, i can hear him. Let me help him. This is my omega, let me help him.

It droned on: protective, possessive, almost desperate. His wolf has never sounded like this before, never this persistant. 23 years of taming this beast, and not once has it almost fell to its knees to beg Jungkook of something.

Can't you see? It is my protector. Our protector.

And when it does it's something abou-what? What was that? Where did that co-no why would his wolf ever come up with something as bizzare as that? There was no possibility that it could ever happen. Right? Taehyung could nev-never be his...his-his-

"bercahaya" his wolf finished, factually.

Jungkook stood up and almost threw his own back against the nearest wall, put as much distance as he could between him and the king. This wasn't happening. Taehyung could never be his soulmate. This wasn't real, this wasn't really happening.

He rubbed a palm down his face. If this is a nightmare, someone please wake him up.

Taehyung was now fully awake and his scent all over the place. He had propped himself up against the headboard, eyes more hooded than before. They drowsily shifted from purple to blue to hazel and brown. He occasionally cried from pain, but mostly just napped against the wooden frame.

Jungkook cautiously scanned the elder. Taehyung couldn't be his soulmate. He Couldn't be his bercahaya. This was the last thing he wanted. His wolf was probably only confused. Maybe this heat thing had fucked up its systems.

Yes, maybe. Maybe. But if that was true, his body should be feeling so, right? His wolf was, after all, him. Or atleast a part of him. By now his body must have given a gut twist, maybe a lump in his throat, just anything to disagree with his wolf. But it was quiet, delighted in fact. He felt shivers up his arms, a kind of warmth in his chest.

What was even happening

His wolf, already having sensed taehyung awake now demanded him to help. But Jungkook only stood and watched the elder in disbelief. This wasn't happening.

His mind reeled back to their first meeting against his will. Taehyung and his fast reflexes, taehyung's face in the water, all the times he quietly admitted taehyung's beauty to himself. Then the banters, the flirtings, the failed flirtings, kisses. The hints look like they had all just been right there.

Jungkook felt stupid. Things had escalated so fast and he hadn't bothered questioning why. It never once, atleast once, occured to him that this could all be fated because it was paced that well, right? So now it was just right there, right before him: Taehyung and him were fated.

Fated, what a choice of word. Even now it was probably fated for him to fuck taehyung out of his heat.

All of his life was a goddamn script. Fated. Was it making a good play atleast? Maybe. Or maybe whoever's watching it doesn't care. They probably know the story too.

Now taehyung will love him back, and they will live a little happily. Maybe till uvagai, or till whenever irul regains all his lost energy. And then he will kill taehyung, and Jungkook will put him to a 100 years of death sleep. Then he will go insane and kill people, and finally get his spirit taken away by the moon goddess.

All scripted. All predicted. "Not the happiest ending, though. Could've been better" the audience leave their seats, dissatisfied.

Jungkook's vision blurred, the elder's scent tasted bitter in his tongue.

This, no, this is not how he would lose taehyung. Not to someone's wicked script. Not like this, not-

"hu-hurts" his eyes snapped to Taehyung, and he winced against himself. The elder looked painful. He had curled up into himself, and his pallor almost looked one with the sheets. His lips still bled between its dry cracks and forehead permanently drawn in a frown.

Jungkook looked away, he wasn't going to stand and watch this again. The stark contrast between the earthy brown of the headboard and Taehyung's skin was enough to run his mouth dry.

He filled the room with more of his calming pheromones. He wasn't still certain if they were working, but atleast they helped himself from getting carried away. Jungkook ran his head through any solutions he could find, except the obvious. However none struck his-

Shift. Let us shift.

Jungkook didn't hesitate to deny that, he won't be letting that happen. He would never let taehyung anywhere near that beast just because someone wrote about it and died. Any wolf could comfort their mate in their true form, but he doubted his own was capable even the mildest breeze of it.

He certainly wasn't doing this. There was no assurance it would even work. It was someone's unfinished book on soulmates, why the hell should he trust that?

He is in pain. Our omega is in pain.

His wolf sounded so soft he doubted it came from his own wolf. It had been years since he had let the beast break his control barrier, the last time he did, it was during some war with the Aranyans. Even then it took 3 days of chaining him in his room to get it built back.

Control barrier was exhausting to build or rebuild for that matter. He almost blacked the last time. How was he to trust such a beast around taehyung?

I promise i will behave.

There wasn't a single bone in him that trusted his wolf. Not now, not ever. But this was about Taehyung, wasn't it? Maybe his wolf will behave for his sake, maybe he would never have to draw that line again. Just a little trust, maybe not in his wolf but in taehyung. He believed the elder can soften even a stone, what measure was his wolf?

The beast inside him shivered, can we shift?

When had been the last time his wolf sounded this hesitant? When was the last time it stood and asked him for permission?

Yes, but i stay.

He demanded this reassurance. If anything were to go wrong, he must be allowed to know. He must be allowed to control.

His wolf, surprisingly, didn't fight. They shifted, and maybe taehyung must have heard his bones cracking too. Once he had fully shifted he waited, more out of habit than mistrust, to be thrown out of his conscious. All the times when he came back, he only did to blood, pain, or both all over.

This was a huge leap of faith. So huge, if jungkook tripped he would fall like never before.

But his wolf didn't pounce. This isn't war, his wolf supplied and he dumbly agreed despite waiting for his wolf to pounce.

The creature, almost with a sort of dismissive shake of its head, walked over. He heard his own paws pad the floor, the wood creak and taehyung's quiet whimpers of pain unbearably loud.

He raised his walls of resistance the closer his wolf walked over to Taehyung. He wasn't sure what he expected as he stood there, but nothing prepared him for taehyung's warm warm hand on his forehead. The elder's fingers crawled between the thick batch of fur, and his wolf purred. Even Jungkook let loose, all this resistance, all the fight dying out.

When he opened his eyes back, there was a quirk of taehyung's lips upwards and Jungkook felt like a hundred burning suns.

"Hi"

It felt different, to link taehyung in his wolf form.

"hurts" taehyung replied, almost inaudible. It had been the only word he has spoke for more than an hour now, however he heard something else too even if Taehyung's lips didn't necessarily move. "mother knew" or "it finally happe-"

Shit, he was doing it again. He was breaking into taehyung's mind like he did during the duel, again. Jungkook immediately made a mental note to keep his wolf's "soulmate" powers in restraint for now.

They climbed onto the bed, and he reflexively raised his guards. The bed creaked under the creature's weight and Jungkook almost reconsidered his decision. But the beast gently curled up near taehyung, his nose nuzzling into the elder's and wrapped its tail over him like a blanket.

Both of them hummed, satisfied.

Up this close, Jungkook realised taehyung will always be pretty. His skin had lost almost all its color, making his moles stand out. He stupidly counted them to himself, three. His eyes had sunken, lips lost lustre but still taehyung looked heavenly.

This really was his mate, his own person. His protector, omega, bercahaya, whatever you want to call him.

Taehyung fell asleep, except for the occasional shivers and moans. This close, he sensed the pain as it came and went. If he focused hard enough, he could even feel it himself.

He remembered, from one of his older curriculums, that this was exclusive to soulmates. Sharing each other's pain. Jungkook wasn't sure he was feeling even a fifth of it, since it was as mild as a bug bite. But then, taehyung wasn't aware that they were soulmates yet. So however hard he tried, he was limited by the laws of nature.

Regardless, he trained hard enough to the spots where he knew the pain was insanely intense. Still, it was only bug bites. He kept trying until he fell asleep, too exhausted.

When Jungkook woke up the next morning, taehyung wasn't in the bed, or anywhere in his chamber.

______________

A

/n: whew it's been so long and believe me when i say i hate myself. But i hv been in such a huge writer's block i feel severely insecure even publishing this after a hundred editings.

hope it was worth the read tho 🥺

also tysm for the 15.5K guys there is no way I would've ever imagined myself hving any of this if not for your support! I hv no world's really, literally none except a bunch of thank yous over and over again 🥺🥺