Once the training is over, Jungkook only feels more lost than ever.

Exhausted and confused, he takes a walk through the woods to find peace and to allow himself to think. Jungkook shakes his head as he trudges slowly between the trees, unable to understand the reason why the Moon Goddess is giving him a male shifter as a mate when he had known for his whole life that he has only ever gotten attracted to females. For as long as he had known everything there is to know about fated mates, he has believed that his mate would be a female, knowing that he is straight.

As he wonders about the situation, he tries to recall ever having any moment in the past, a sign, an indication that he may have gotten attracted to another male shifter, only to find that there are none.

Years ago, he had even experienced something that was akin to what first love might have been. Which had made him even more convinced as to where his preferences in a mating partner lie.

The girl's name was Jihye, a female wolf who was just around his age and lived with her parents not too far from the packhouse. They had grown up together, had always loved playing in the woods with each other as kids, climbing trees and playing chase—the latter was done in both human and wolf forms once they were able to shift. Even if their adventures had always been done together with the other kids joining them, it was Jungkook who she had always chosen to stick with as they ventured into the places that adults had told them not to go to. He had developed a deep crush on the female wolf, and had once imagined the possibility of her becoming his mate in the future since they had gotten so well together. He held on to that hope for a long time, only to have his heart broken the moment she turned eighteen, just two months before he did, and she found her mate among the wolves living in the blacksmiths' area closer to the South border.

Ever since then, Jungkook had been careful about opening his heart and has been focusing on finding—and waiting—for his mate. Even the constant goading that Hoseok has given him about not playing around or dating freely like he has been hasn't managed to change his mind about waiting, though he wouldn't deny that he would often wonder what it would be like if he had played around for a bit. It isn't as if there are no females who haven't been attracted to him, especially since the day he was appointed as Captain. Perhaps if he had let himself loose a little, he would have been able to confirm if he would be pleased to share his bed only with a female.

The thought makes him jerk, and he quickly shakes his head. He silently chastises himself for even wondering about this when he may have truly found his fated pair.

Just like that, his mind wanders back to him again. Min Yoongi. He recalls the training sessions earlier as he observed the fox shifters closely after he asked them to show each of their skills. Yoongi's fox was small, not unlike the others, yet his muscles were prominent, showing that he has more experience in fighting while in his beast' form. The fox shifters he had worked with today had also demonstrated everything that he had learned from the Hollow Pride.

Well, maybe not everything, but most of the things that mattered.

Their agility had been one that the Hollow Pride has been mostly known for, as the pack had been working as spies by hire when they were not working as observers and special scouts for the surrounding packs of shifters in the North to protect themselves from Rogues or Hunters. During the hours of training, Yoongi had constantly caught Jungkook's attention with what he could do, as if he had intentionally put up a show for him to revel in. The way the fox carried himself through the battle training had been amusing, but his fighting skills and the agile moves he made as he encountered his opponents in the final sparring had completely amused not only Jungkook, but all the other spectators who had been curious about their first training day. He was fast, smart, and cunning—everything that made Jungkook feel even more intrigued, and to his surprise, awfully proud.

There is no doubt in his mind that the fox shifter—Min Yoongi—had felt the same connection to him and that he had also sensed the mating bond. And just like him, Yoongi has chosen to keep it to himself, hiding it from the others, most possibly because he is just as confused as he is at the moment, even if there is no indication of the fox being caught off guard upon seeing Jungkook.

He probably knows how to hide it well, he wonders as he continues his walk. Silently, Jungkook begins to wonder just how he is going to convince Yoongi to give them a chance to talk, to spend some time even for a minute just to have a conversation about their mating bond and to find answers.

As if fate has it, the familiar scent that has been haunting him drifts across the chill autumn breeze as it comes passing through the dense trees, stirring his senses and calming his restless wolf. Immediately, Jungkook simply stops moving. And he simply stands there, waiting, keeping his eyes looking forward beyond the trees where the scent seems to be coming from.

It takes minutes before Yoongi calmly steps out of the line of trees. His deep gaze falls on Jungkook, and for a second, his eyes flicker to silver just as Jungkook's beast pushes forward to welcome the other male.

"Hi," Yoongi hesitantly greets him as he slowly comes near, stopping himself only a few feet away from where Jungkook is standing, his hands clenching and releasing, showing Jungkook for the first time that the other male is just as restless as he is.

Still slightly startled by Yoongi's sudden appearance, Jungkook finds himself speechless at first, unable to say a thing but to stare at the fox shifter curiously. Then Yoongi takes a few more steps, stopping only when he is standing right in front of him, snapping Jungkook out of his stupor.

"H-hello, I was just about to—"

"I think we need to talk," Yoongi cuts him off before he can get a word in, and the wolf has no other choice but to nod.

"Right. Not here, though," Jungkook nervously says while looking around him. "My cabin is just on the edge of these woods. I live alone ever since my brother moved out."

Saying nothing, Yoongi simply nods and gestures for Jungkook to lead the way, and they both begin to make their way towards Jungkook little home. Ever since his father had retired, Jungkook had decided to give his parents the privacy that they needed, and built the wooden cabin in a secluded spot within these woods. Though he hasn't been completely isolated from the others, as Beta Taehyung and Hoseok have also built their cabins not too far away.

Despite his mind being completely hazy with the change of events, Jungkook manages to reach his cabin in no time. His heartbeat races as he lets both of them in, closing the door behind Yoongi to seclude them from the world and let their secrets come out.

For a moment, neither of them can speak. All they can do is stand there in his living room, staring at each other, until Jungkook releases a nervous chuckle. "This is awkward," he says, as he tries to decide what to say to his 'mate'. He knows that this is a delicate matter, and he needs to thread things carefully. "You can feel it too, can't you? The mate bond."

Yoongi doesn't immediately answer until he finally nods. "I've sensed it on the day I came in."

"You look awfully calm for someone who has met his mate," Jungkook tries to joke with a wry grin, causing the other shifter to raise his eyebrows.

"And what do you say about yourself? You didn't seem to have any trouble leading us back there too."

Jungkook cannot help but laugh. If only he knew just how hard it was for me to keep it together, he wonders, as he responds with, "Touche." They fall into another awkward silence right after, before Jungkook finally asks the most important question that seems to be hanging above their heads, "Have you ever been with another male before?"

Yoongi's face scrunches as if he is in pain while he also looks thoughtful for a moment. Jungkook tries to see if there is any hint of disgust in his eyes, and he cannot decide if he should feel relieved about it, though he can still see Yoongi's confusion written all over his face. "No. Never. Never been curious to be with one either," Yoongi finally says, before looking tentatively at Jungkook and asks, "How about you?"

Feeling unresolved more than ever, Jungkook shakes his head. "I've never been either. Actually, I've never tried to date anyone. But I am certain that I've never felt attracted to a male before."

Yoongi keeps his gaze on Jungkook for a moment longer, before the furrowed brows on his face soften and he firmly nods. "Good. Then that settles it."

Jungkook frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that this was obviously a mistake," Yoongi calmly answers him with a shrug, though his voice comes out sharp with his irritation when he adds, "Surely, this is nothing but a trick of fate."

At one point, Jungkook wants to agree with him. But there is another part of him that refuses to believe that either Fate or the Moon Goddess had somehow made a terrible mistake of putting them together. "Maybe," he says, completely unsure about it. He takes a deep breath and tells himself that Yoongi might be right, but his wolf is fighting against him at the thought of letting this go and rejecting Yoongi as his mate. Not before he can finally figure out what exactly is going on. So he looks up to Yoongi once more and tries a different approach. "But you know—we were given to each other for a reason and we'd be fools to simply look past that fact and throw this chance away."

Yoongi looks away, shaking his head in denial, even if he still has the deep thoughtful look in his eyes as if Jungkook's words are slowly getting through to him. But as he looks up to meet Jungkook's gaze once again, the wolf knows that he has somehow made his decision.

"This is a mistake," Yoongi says, keeping his eyes void of any expression despite the way he keeps clenching his hands as if he is holding in pain. "I'm sorry. I think it's best to ignore this since we both know this is going nowhere."

Weeks have passed since the first training for the new pack members and the afternoon when Jungkook finally had the chance to talk to Yoongi. Weeks of him questioning if their decision to simply ignore the bond is truly the best idea. And those weeks truly haven't been great.

Ever since Yoongi walked out of his cabin that afternoon after asking him to ignore their bond and to do nothing about it, Jungkook has been functioning like an autopilot, keeping up with his duties while letting the days float without expecting much of anything to happen. It has seemed as if he had lost every bit of hope and he is simply working to survive each day without losing his grip on reality.

The days after their conversation had gone as normal as they possibly could. Jungkook still leads the training for the new pack members, while Yoongi didn't show any grievance when he was placed in the group that was specifically handled by Jungkook instead of being placed under the other Enforcers.

Week after week, Jungkook finds that it has become harder and harder to ignore the mating bond, as the more they spend their afternoons together—despite only on the training grounds with Yoongi sparring and Jungkook leading—the stronger the pull between them becomes. The invigorating scent that belongs to his 'mate' continues to grow potent that Jungkook can always follow Yoongi's trails and know where he has been even if they have not crossed paths.

At the same time, Yoongi just keeps avoiding him, acting as if nothing has ever happened and the conversation they had shared had simply cemented their decision to simply move on. Except when he had thought it would somehow resolve on its own, it has only left Jungkook feeling completely uneasy, knowing that something must be done to resolve this issue.

Pacing back and forth on the training grounds as he waits for the pack members to arrive, the uneasiness he has been feeling only intensifies when he realises what today entails.

The breeze picks up, bringing chill into the air around him, reminding him that a month had passed. The full moon is around the corner, signalling the time for their annual pack assessment trial. To prepare the new pack members for the event, Jungkook had scheduled a trial mock-up for his group to join, allowing the fox shifters to spar against the lion shifters that Beta Taehyung has been training to fill in the void for the South Borders' guardians. Not all of the new members are required to join, of course. But as one of the warriors, Yoongi had volunteered to represent his clan, and to simply test out just how much progress he has acquired ever since he had followed all the training under Jungkook's watch.

As the pack members begin to arrive, Jungkook keeps his eyes on Yoongi, finding the fox shifter still acting aloof around him as if he is nothing but another pack member that he needs to pay his respect to. It annoys Jungkook during training days like this, and for the most part, it is making his wolf feel the pain of rejection, even if the words have yet to be said out loud to make it happen.

After a small briefing and a short warm-up, Beta Taehyung appears with his group of trainees and the sparring soon begins. Jungkook stays mostly calm during the first three fights, keeping his cool gaze on to inspect his group members as they fight against any lion shifter appointed to be their opponent.

Then he loses his cool the moment Yoongi steps up for the next fight.

His mask must have slipped for a moment and his body may have grown stiff at the sight of Yoongi stepping foot at the center circle, because it draws Taehyung's attention who subtly turns to him.

"Something wrong?" he asks, while Jungkook bites the insides of his cheeks to hold back a growl when Yoongi's eyes meet his.

"No, everything's fine," he says, nodding at the Beta to have him continue.

"Min Yoongi?" Taehyung asks the fox shifter, to which Yoongi nods. "You will be facing Donghun, as he is currently at the same level as you are."

Yoongi remains calm as the lion shifter enters the circle while Jungkook's heart dips. The lion shifter is young and a bit older than Jungkook, probably the same age as Yoongi, except his body looks stiff and ready, while his eyes seem determined to win. Jungkook had noticed the shifter a few times during training and knows just how well the lion can fight. He watches the lion moves along the circle, sizing up his 'mate', and he is left lost for words when Taehyung instructs them firmly,

"Let's begin!"

Everything happens so fast that Jungkook can barely catch up.

Both shifters have chosen to remain in their human form instead of shifting as they fight each other, and it makes Jungkook nervous when he knows that Yoongi fights much better in his fox form.

Despite having gained muscles and strength after weeks of training, Yoongi still appears lighter compared to Donghun, and for a moment, the fight seems uneven. Yoongi uses his agile feet to escape a few blows, quickly returning each attack with his own punches aimed at the lion's face and torso. He manages to stand on his ground for a moment, but the lion is quick to figure out Yoongi's footwork and swipe his feet to make him take the first fall.

Get up.

He bites his tongue to stop himself from shouting, though it does seem as if Yoongi can feel him giving him the push that he needs, when Yoongi makes a flip to get up and faces his opponent again. But the lion has gotten a good read of his movement, and is quick to continue his attack.

Jungkook's body tenses as Donghun swings a punch at Yoongi before he manages to get right back up on his feet completely, hitting the unsuspecting fox right on the nose. Clenching his hands by his side, Jungkook can feel his wolf fighting for dominance inside him. The wolf snarls in the back of his mind, worry and anger mixing into one, while the beast wants blood for the injury that Yoongi has received.

It doesn't matter if shifters heal quickly and Yoongi would leave this fight without so much of a scar. Jungkook can still catch the sight of the blood dripping on Yoongi's face, can still see the fox wincing in pain, since no matter how much a shifter heals, the pain remains real.

Whether or not Yoongi is his true mate, the last thing that Jungkook wants is to see him hurt. A growl escapes him as the beast inside him begs for a chance to retaliate when Yoongi receives another punch straight on his nose. The wolf is ready to jump into the fight and defend the shifter that he has claimed as his other half, while Jungkook continues to feel conflicted, as his beast' emotions wash over him, taking over his own.

Why does it have to be him?

The words keep repeating themselves inside Jungkook's mind, and no matter how many times he asks the same question, he is nowhere nearer to getting an answer. It isn't as if the Mood Goddess herself would somehow give him the answer or whisper it in his sleep either, but he needs to know. He needs to understand. Because there is no way he can simply do what Yoongi had asked him to and ignore everything when he feels so strongly like this from seeing him fight and getting hurt from it.

Just then, Yoongi turns to him and their gazes meet each other. Jungkook has no idea what Yoongi sees on his face, but there is no doubt that his wolf has come forward. Judging from how sharp everything seems to his eyes, he knows for sure that his eyes had glowed golden and Yoongi had caught sight of it. Whatever it is that Yoongi has seen when he looks at him, it has snapped something on the fox. Yoongi's eyes flicker to silver as he growls in anger, as if Jungkook's reaction to his fight is pissing him off, and he throws a hard punch at Donghun's head as if to unleash his anger that seems to be aimed at Jungkook, not caring how it seems to trigger Donghun to fight harder against him, retaliating with a few hard punches that sends the fox a few steps back and stumbling.

Jungkook's hackles rise in agitation as the sparring continues. He can barely swallow down the low growl forcing itself to come out of his chest. Even if the two of them have barely acknowledged the bond between them, he cannot help but feel the sudden sense of protectiveness toward the fox shifter.

That is when he finally realises that they may have been too late if they want to ignore the bond. Before either of them even had the chance to realise it, today has only proven—without a doubt—that the bond has come in full effect, pulling the two males together as one.