"Y-yoongles...S-stop."

Yoongi's fist stopped mid-air saving Jungkook the excruciating pain when the deep oceanic voice called out weakly.

"T-tae?"

"H-hyung, s-stop. D-don't hit K-Kooks..."

"Taebear, are you alright?" Yoongi was quick to get his little brother off Jin's lap as he hugged his brother's body and squeezed the hell out of him.

"Hyung, too m-much." Taehyung was still gasping for air as he whispered for Yoongi to release his strong grip.

By now, all the males apart from Jungkook have gathered around the brothers who were still on the floor hugging each other.

"I don't know what happened but someone please let me know or else my mind will explode right this instance. Why am I still in a fucking old pair of underwear and outfit?" Jin looked down at his body and scrunched his nose in disgust.

"Hyung, there is something we need to tell you." Jimin wiped his tears as slowly his breathing became normal again watching all the important people in his life are well...alive and here with him.

So, Jimin took the trouble to go through all the happening since the second Namjoon yelled from the room catching all their attention to the moment they were outdoor, dealing with the bastard Jay.

"Holy shit! That dickhead put wolfsbane in my mint ice cream? No one messes with my food! I'm going to kill that fucker."

"Hyung stop, he is dead." Hoseok held back the angry Jin who was ready to run out the door to hunt down the person who dares to mess with him.

"He what?"

Hoseok was the next person to take the charge in explaining what happens and how they were all broken with the thought that they lost Taehyung in the process too.

"Is that why Yoongi beat the shit out of my brother?" Namjoon pointed at Jungkook who was still standing at the corner with a bloodstained face as each drop of his fresh blood dripped to the floor. His eyes were puffed up as he was keeping his gaze on no other than his only mate.

Taehyung slowly peeked through his brother's arm and shivered when he felt Jungkook's gaze on him. His heart breaks with the sight he took. Jungkook was looking like a bloody mess.

"Hyung." The brown head signalled his brother to release him which Yoongi refused.

"Please." Tae begged his brother to let him go from his embrace. Yoongi rolled his eyes for he knows that Taehyung is probably going to walk towards Jungkook who he is still not very fond of.

"Fine."

"Thank you."

With Yoongi's assistance, Taehyung slowly climbed onto his own feet and steadied himself as he felt a whirlwind in his head gently pushing him to tumble forward.

"Careful bun."

Taehyung was tumbling forward when Jungkook's speed acted right on time to catch his mate right in his arms.

"Thanks." Taehyung sounded too polite and Jungkook hated it. The warmth and love they shared days ago were long gone from Tae's voice.

The rest of the males watched them with mixed emotion. No one knows for sure what is in the bag for these two mates. Are they even still considered at mates? What happened in the dark forest and what is Jungkook not telling the rest?

"Jungkook. I can understand it's been a tough time for us all. Although I was dead, I can tell that you guys went through a whole lot to be here now. But Jungkook, I think you need to fill us in coz some parts in this story doesn't make sense to me. Starting from how is Jay dead and Tae is unharmed?"

"Jin hyung is right. We still don't know how did Jin come back to life. I know till the part about me losing my life coz he is my mate. I thought we were dead, so what happened after that?"

Namjoon wanted to know as well. He can brain most of the parts being told but he can't understand how did Tae is still alive if his soul was bound to Jay who is dead.

"That's because Taehyung's soul was never bound with the bastard. He is my mate, he still is and forever will be." Jungkook let go of his hold on Taehyung's waist as he moved back a little. The raven head can't handle the coldness in Tae's behaviour without breaking down.

He needed some distance to remain sane to finish his part of the story. The emptiness without Jungkook's arms around his waist makes the brown head sulk as he stood where he was.

"Let's take our seats, I'm losing my balance after all the headaches we have been through." Jimin was the first to grab Taehyung as they both settled on the bed. NamJin took the double couch while Hoseok sat beside Jimin on the bed as Yoongi remained standing. The older was still bothered as he stayed close to his little brother.

All of them waited for the raven head to start speaking. In which, Jungkook did but not without stealing his glance at Taehyung making the brown head's heart race.

"When we left to the dark forest, Jimin and I came across a lot of hurdles and detours. It was like we were lead to the wrong direction on purpose. After much struggle, we did manage to reach the dark cave where Yoongi said we can locate Euria."

Jimin closed his eyes and said a silent prayer when Jungkook mentioned the old lady's name.

"She was so wounded and exhausted when we found her. Jungkook was the one who found her first. I was delayed a few minutes. After I met her, she was gone in a flash."

"Jimin is right. I found her at the corner of her sanctuary as she was battling with her life. When I approached her, she knew who I was. That's when she placed her hand on my forehead and blessed me with a sight which helped me to reach Taehyung on time at the Crusader's land. Euria also showed me mentally about what happened to her and how Jay and Katerina tortured her for the truth about binding Taehyung's ace healing power forcefully to someone who is not his mate."

The raven head's eyes remained in the colour red as his inner wolf was still refusing to let go and give the human self full control. Jungkook's wolf is being on guard, just in case if anything else is bound to happen.

"I saw through Euria's sight about what will happen if I don't reach the scene on time. I was terrified about letting my mate to be bounded with someone else apart from me. Euria showed me the possible endings if I fail to reach on time."

"Did she also show you what was happening to Jin and Namjoon back home?"

Hoseok asked, out of his curiosity.

"I was only given a choice to choose one sight. It's either how to reach Taehyung or get a cure to save Jin."

"And you chose your mate." said Namjoon as he narrowed his eyes at the raven head. "I couldn't be more proud than that, you chose well Jungkook."

Yoongi rolled his eyes at Namjoon's compliment on Jungkook. "He sure did, God knows how I would have ripped his head off if he didn't decide to pursue his mate."

"Yoongi...not now please." Jimin held his mate's hand as he pleaded silently for Yoongi to suppress his anger. The older didn't mutter a word but his shoulder sunk a little showing Jimin he is more relaxed now than he was a second ago.

"So. After fulfilling Euria's wish in burning her body in her cave, I rushed to the Crusader's land with Jimin. That's when I found Jay in the middle of completing the ritual by seconds away from uniting his blood as a sacrifice with my mate."

Every single time Jungkook's mouth confess the word 'my mate', it sends shivers down Taehyung's spine. He feels so giddy when the possessiveness oozes out of Jungkook. Strange, but he loves it.

"How did you stop that?" Jin wanted to know all the details.

"I cut my flesh with a tree branch as I was running along the woods so when I reached the ritual ground, I jumped forward to distract Jay while I ensured to leap over the wood where Tae's blood was already split so that I can drop my blood from the cut on my leg."

Jungkook lowered his head as he tried to hide his legs full of wounds. Those battle scars stood out proud as it was a nick of time in which he manages to secure the ritual by combining his and Tae's blood.

Hence whoever that was to spill their blood on the surface of the wood after that will not be able to bind their soul with Taehyung as it only takes one alpha to seal the bond. And it was Jungkook.

"Is that why you left me and run off by yourself when we were nearing the Crusader's pack?"

Jimin was pissed when Jungkook left him all alone once they were approaching the enemy pack. But now he understands that it was due to the dire situation that they were under.

"I had to Jimin. If I was late even by a fraction of a second, I would have lost my mate, my love. Euria showed me through a vision the kind of destruction Jay was planning once he lifted the curse on his pack. We wouldn't have survived."

"So you knew his purpose of wanting to bond with Taehyung?" Hoseok clarified as he gained more insights into the problems that seem to be solving.

"I did. I found out through Euria. She saved her last breathe for us to find her. She knew we will come by shortly after she was being attacked as the time was near."

Yoongi closed his eyes as a single tear fell off the corner of his eyes. He surely will miss the kind old saint lady who helped him when he was clueless about the powers that Taehyung held.

"I'm glad you arrived on time Jungkook. You never failed to make us admire your ability to pull things through."

Jin was sniffling softly after hearing all the dramas he has missed while staying dead.

"I still can't believe that fucking Jay is the head alpha of Crusader and he poisoned me so that I can die. Thank God Taehyung was back here on time."

"B-but I didn't do anything. I didn't perform any rituals to awaken your dead souls."

Taehyung was still in shock about how did the NamJin couple manage to come back to life after being announced dead.

"You did it Tae."

The brown head looked over at his mate and heard his soothing voice as Jungkook watched him longingly.

"I understood from Euria that your power of healing can be performed in any form. The ingredient to your healing equation is very simple Tae. It's all about your self-awareness and your pure heart. I assume from the moment you held both Joon and Jin in your hands and you cried our sincere tears, it healed them. Every single part of you is a source of healing Taehyung. You passed out due to the exhaustion of bringing back two souls to life. That's why I know that you're not hurt, you're still alive coz I am."

Jungkook was right. Indeed, Taehyung is a vessel where the power of healing flows through his body. When he was holding onto both Jin and Namjoon, his tear was the source of healing he channelled to cleanse the pair's body and revive them fresh as new.

The elements which played a huge part are water and earth. Water being the form of cleansing that was produced through Taehyung's tears to wash off the poison while Earth took part as the breath of fresh new life which gave both Namjoon and Jin their life back.

"Wow...Taehyung you're something special."

Jimin side hugged his friend, grinning ear to ear although his pink cheeks and puffy eyes stayed as evidence from his earlier hysterical state.

Taehyung was amazed by his own ability to do. Yes, he has to learn how to properly connect with his powers but as a starter, he did a bloody good job.

"My baby brother is destined for so much more. You're so special Taebear." Yoongi presser a soft kiss on Taehyung's brown locks as the younger wrapped his arms around Yoongi's waist who was still standing guard by his side.

"I guess that solved all our questions with answers, isn't it? I'm never gonna touch mint ice cream ever again." The oldest of them all cursed. After all, it almost cost his life forever.

"Told you babe, mint ice cream is a no no." Namjoon shakes his head vigorously.

"You guys don't seem like you're back from the death." Jimin shakes his head in disbelief.

"Well, we are all living to see another day so why don't we just pick ourselves up and get freshen up? I'll see what can I prepare for dinner. But before that, I need to shower. For that, please kindly get all your cute butts out of my room."

Jin quietly urged everyone to leave his room alone as the older can't stand another minute without cleaning his body.

"I'll bring Taehyung back with me. I don't see a point staying here any longer."

Yoongi was quick to decide as soon as all five of them made their way out of NamJin's room.

"Yoongi, can you please stay? It's been a lot these days. I want you here." Jimin started to be clingy as he held onto his mate right in front of Taehyung and Jungkook.

"Can I ask something?" Taehyung asked meekly towards the trio mates. To which, Jimin lazily nodded as his body was catching up on the tiredness that led them through the dark forest and the unexpected battle.

"Are you guys..."

"Yes we are. Yoongi is my mate and Hoseok is Yoongi's mate. Before we found Yoongi, both Hobi and I always had a very faint connection towards one another. He has always had a sense of protectiveness over me. We never understood until the day we finally met Yoongi as he is the one that connected the dots between us. So yea, to answer your question Taebear, we are all mates."

Taehyung's eyes widened. He has never seen three people in a relationship, this is his first and it happens to be his brother's.

"I'm happy for you guys." The brown head offered them a genuine smile and hugged all three males as his true alpha growled lowly at the corner, watching Taehyung hugging the rest and not him.

"Thanks, Tae." Hoseok was exceptionally shy standing in between the two shorter mates.

"So...we will kidnap Yoongi for a bit. I missed them both so much. Why don't you just spend some time freshening up and meet us for dinner? Let's say in 4 hours?" Jimin suggested happily.

"There is no bloody way I'm leaving my brother in the hands of that asshole."

"Yoongi. Jungkook still is Taehyung's mate. Don't be an ass now. Let's go. I'm tired and I need a shower." Hoseok boldly pulled his mate with the help of Jimin as Yoongi continued to yell and threatened Jungkook.

Too bad, one alpha is not a match against two warrior betas who so happen to be your mates who give you a threatening and puppy looks to keep you with them. In the end, Yoongi gave in after disappearing to the room. Let's say they got busy to continue talking.

And then, there were two. Left alone at the hallway fidgeting with awkward tension.

"I'm gonna shower."

Taehyung bolted the scene, running to the upper floor. Maybe he didn't realize where he was going due to the nerve cells in his body and butterflies clouding his brain as he ran right into the raven head's room without a clue.

.
___________________________________________
⚜️
I hope all broken hearts are amended and you guys will love me again. I told ya I won't disappoint.
Never planned to kill Tae anyways.
Just a little knocking out.
I still have one more little surprise
(I'm not talking about smut scenes. Just saying).