Jungkook ran as fast as his four wolf legs could carry him. Seeing the Kim cabin still standing just as he and Taehyung had left it gave him relief.
The duo slowed as they neared the cabin. Jungkook smelled nothing nearby other than the usual animals, so they took a few minutes to catch their breath. Well, Jungkook did.
He flopped onto the snow and sucked air into his burning lungs. "I haven't run that hard in a while."
Taehyung was still a bit on edge. "I'm going in. Don't relax out here too long, or you might be the next casualty."
Jungkook paused at the tense tone of his friend. He knew he was right, but the cold snow felt wonderful on his overheated body.
His mind hadn't forgotten what Hoseok said about Jaci being Jungkook's mate. Had he just been that stupid?
"Yes."
Jungkook groaned as his wolf answered loud and clear.
"Well, I don't think I'm the only one to blame here," he argued.
"You didn't seem too keyed into the whole mate thing either. But whatever. Now, what do we do?"
"Protect her."
Jungkook rolled over and got up on his feet. "That's what I've been doing, and look where it's gotten me. How many wolves can say they've been banished from their pack twice?"
He shook the snow from his fur and plodded up the steps to the cabin door, and nosed it open. As he walked in, his eyes immediately cut over to Jaci, seated at the kitchen table instead of resting in the bed.
His wolf urged him closer to her and had to see for himself that she was fine. Jungkook was too tired to argue, so he allowed his wolf to lead him over to her. He didn't even fuss when his wolf nosed Jaci's wound. It seemed to be healing instead of getting worse.
"Hey there," smiled Jaci, unable to keep her hands off the furry ears of the wolf.
Jungkook grunted his hello and went about getting humanly presentable again.
* * *
Jaci watched as the wolf pulled open the bottom drawer of the dresser and snatched out some clothes with his teeth. When he went into the bathroom and used his back leg to kick the door closed, she turned back to Sunny.
"I know he's a werewolf, therefore half-human, but seeing him be sentient in his wolf form still gets me every time." She wrapped her hands around the warm mug that Sunny had refilled with tea.
"Yeah, it is pretty funny to watch. You should see him when he gets all huffy and pouty."
Just then, Taehyung exited the bedroom in fresh clothes. "Where is Jungkook?"
"Here," said Jungkook, coming from the bathroom now fully human and fully dressed. His cheeks were rosy, and his eyes focused solely on one person in the room.
"Are you going to tell us what's going on now?" sighed Sunny, impatience filling her voice.
Taehyung's somber frown returned, and he continued with his tale. "Once we had reached Claret House, we saw the Luna dead on the deck. The alpha lost it."
Sunny's hands flew to her face, and she gasped. "Ga-Eun?"
"The lady that gave me the healing ointment?" Jaci's brow furrowed in concern.
"Yes," mumbled Jungkook. He came to stand behind Jaci's chair.
"Who did it, Tae?" Sunny's eyes became a deep red, and the air around her became heavy with feelings of anger and disgust.
"That's the kicker," said Taehyung, his own eyes mirroring his wife's. "It's a couple of Hunters. But not just any Hunters. We know one of them."
Sunny rose from her seat. "No. He let us go! Why would he return?"
Taehyung shrugged. "The Hunter Society doesn't like to leave loose ends. So either they are making him clean up his twenty-year-old mess, or he's rejoined them."
Sunny sat back down, and her head dropped into her hands. Taehyung moved behind her and gently massaged her shoulders.
"I know seeing this guy again might bring up a lot of bad memories, so I want you and Jaci to stay put. Jungkook and I will handle these Hunters."
"Who is this Hunter guy?" asked Jaci. She felt lost in the conversation.
Sunny shook her head and leaned up, looking at Jaci with glossy red eyes. "He worked with Professor North. They were trying to find a cure for vampirism. We met him during the time Tae turned me."
Her hand slid upwards to grasp Taehyung's wrist. He leaned down and kissed her head.
"He helped us, begrudgingly. But because Professor North trusted him, we did as well. However, by the end of our time there in Oklahoma, he was fighting his Hunter instincts to kill us all." Taehyung finished speaking and kissed Sunny's hair once more, then walked over to the kitchen window. His eyes kept scanning the landscape.
"I just can't believe Derrick would come all the way here. Why? He had no desire to join the Hunter Society again. Not after what they did to his lover."
"I'm sorry, what is his name again?" Jaci felt a cold shiver run down her spine.
"Derrick Fenton. He was a specialist in-"
"No," whispered Jaci.
"Are you okay? You're getting paler," said Sunny. She stood up and moved over to Jaci, placing a cool hand against her forehead.
"Derrick Fenton is my professor," said Jaci, her eyes wide with horror.
Sunny froze. "The one who made it possible for you to come here?"
Her tone became icy, and she backed up from Jaci a few steps. Jungkook caught on to her tone of voice and spoke up.
"Wait a minute, noona. You can't be thinking that Jaci was sent here to spy on us."
Taehyung turned around and looked at Jungkook and then Jaci.
"It's too much of a coincidence, Jungkook. Think about it." Sunny backed up further, and her angry stare made Jaci want to melt into the ground and disappear.
"He didn't want me to come. I begged him to let me come here. He was afraid something would happen to me," Jaci rattled off. She suddenly felt vulnerable as the only human in the room.
"Hyung, I don't think she's lying," protested Jungkook.
"Your judgment is clouded," murmured Taehyung.
Jungkook let out a heavy growl. "What does everyone else seem to know that I don't? I don't think my judgment is clouded at all! I believe her! If he cared about her so much, why would he send her here alone and then follow with another Hunter? Wouldn't he make sure she was far away and safe before they started killing us?"
"What if he doesn't have a choice, Jungkook? What if he has to follow orders regardless of who is here? Not to mention, this girl has been bit by a werewolf. If she becomes one, he will want to kill her too!" Sunny's voice raised as she spoke.
"We don't know if that will happen," retorted Jungkook.
"We will in a few weeks when the full moon hits. Maybe then you won't be so ignorant to things."
Jungkook stared at Sunny, hurt spreading across his face. "What is wrong with you? Why are you acting this way? What happened to wanting to help her?"
"That was before I knew she was involved with Fenton," snapped Sunny.
Taehyung placed a calming hand on her forearm. "Sunny, we need more information. Let's think about this with a level head."
Sunny's red eyes snapped to her husband. "Do you not remember, Taehyung? He developed the serum that killed Namjoon."
Taehyung's eyes darkened. "I remember very well. But right now, we should stick together and fight him together."
"She's just the bait for us! She will lead him right to us, and what if we can't fight? What if the Hunter Society got their hands on that failed serum and decided to put it in their weapon arsenal? What if-"
"Enough!" cried Taehyung.
Jaci began to tremble, and it was not lost on Jungkook. He was still angry at Sunny for being so cold, but having been there twenty years ago, he knew why she was acting this way. He moved closer to Jaci and laid a hand on her shoulder. She immediately stopped trembling, and her shoulders relaxed.
"You need to snap out of this, Sunny. It's been twenty years. Nothing can change what happened. We must live on if we are to honor our dead. Now, we need Jungkook's help. We need all the help we can get. These two Hunters have a rogue she-wolf with them."
"It's the wolf that attacked Jaci," said Jungkook.
Sunny's gaze flew over to Jaci, and her expression seemed conflicted. She remained silent for a moment before walking to the bedroom and closing the door.
Taehyung sighed and rubbed his hands across his face. "I really thought we were past this."
Jungkook's eyes stayed locked on the closed door. He was still angry, but seeing how raw the past still was to Sunny gave him pause.
"I think she's just remembering the hurt," whispered Jaci, lowering her head to her hands. "I can't blame her for how she's reacting right now."
Jungkook's heart lurched as she whispered her words of understanding. His hand strengthened its hold on her shoulder just a bit more.
"I'm going to go be with her. Given that they weren't here waiting for us when we returned, I'm thinking they've gone somewhere to regroup and replan. Get some rest while you can. We can't be sure where they will turn up next." He turned on his heel and walked over to the bedroom door, opening it softly and disappearing behind it.
Jungkook heard soft sniffles coming from the girl seated in front of him, and he dropped to his knees beside her. "Jaci, look at me."
"This is why you should never force things to happen. If only I hadn't talked Dr. Fenton into letting me come. I should have just accepted his answer of no." Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her shoulders shook with her sobs.
Jungkook's heart ached, and he reached up and grasped her wet cheeks with his hands. "Look at me."
He turned her to face him, and he looked directly into her brown eyes. "Nothing would be any different. I'm glad you came. I'm glad you're here. If you hadn't come, I might never have met you, and I would have missed out on meeting my..." He paused as the word settled on the tip of his tongue.
"Why do I feel safer when you're here? I feel more at peace. Calmer. I don't even know you that well. How is this happening to me?" Jaci's eyes searched Jungkook's for answers to her questions.
Jungkook's face was covered in an expression of sadness. "I think I know what is happening to you, to us. Just trust me. I won't let anything happen to you. I won't hurt you, and I will die before I let anyone else hurt you. Do you understand me, Jaci?"
Her name coming from his lips was like a lullaby to her weary mind. Her eyes closed, and she nodded. "I don't know why, but I trust you."
Jungkook rose on his knees until he was eye level with Jaci. Her lips may be trembling, but they were calling to him like a siren to a wayward sailor. He found himself moving closer and closer, his own need to comfort her and to be comforted by her drowning out his voice of reason.
Their lips met gently at first, their introduction to each other tentative and cautious. But as they kissed, lights began to come on in the darkest parts of their minds and souls.
"We must protect her, Jungkook. She is ours. I can sense it."
Jungkook begged the wolf in his head to be silent. He was enjoying this moment. He was finding his own solace in her as he hoped she was in him.
Jaci's hands reached up and went around his neck, lacing themselves in the hair on the back of his neck. He felt her pressing into him more, and he felt elated. If she was truly his mate, he felt no sadness over the fact. It was as if they were made for each other, the way they fit together.
Jaci felt a wave of assurance wash over her. She truly did feel safe with Jungkook. Not just that he could physically protect her if need be, but that his presence itself brought calm to her heart and mind. She didn't understand it, but she wasn't upset about it.
Her rational thinking screamed for her to slow down, to get to know this man more before doing things like kissing him with such passion. But she slammed the door shut on her rational mind. Nothing had been rational since she had arrived on Blood Mountain. It was time she started digging up the answers to all of the questions she was now left with.
No more laying around being waited on. No more letting everyone else watch out for her. She needed to stand on her own two feet and be the strong woman she always wanted to be.
She leaned back from his hands and looked him in the eye. "I won't let anything happen to you either, Jungkook. We will fight together. And you better not die before I get my answers. But know this, I will be by your side. It doesn't make sense to me to be saying this, but being with you is where I want to be. Always."