Welcome back
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Taehyung desperately longed for a hot bath and a good sleep after waving goodbye to Hoseok and tiredly dragging himself back into the main building. Patroling was actually more exhausting than Taehyung initially thought. Although they did not run into any enemies, a stray cat once brought fright to him.
The animal tripped over an aluminum box and Taehyung thought he was being ambushed. Hoseok was mocking him for the rest of the day saying that despite being a trueblood, he was the worst wolf he had ever met for being frightened by a harmless kitten. Among other things, that was also a reason why Taehyung felt so incredibly tired.
He hoped he wouldn't find Beomgyu in their room because he knew the boy wouldn't shut up. Taehyung didn't feel the strength to deal with him now. He just wanted to sleep.
Well, until he was seduced by a familiar scent. The second floor basically drenched with Jungkook's pheromones, completely narcotizing Taehyung. The trueblood didn't even think where he was going, his feet took over the control of his mind, just like when he first encountered this alluring scent. Just like then, his destination now was Jungkook again.
He found the omega in a small pink room. As he approached closer, he had to realize that Jungkook was not alone. A well-known female voice jerked Taehyung out of his trance. It would have been hard not to hear it as the woman was yelling at Jungkook.
"Congratulation, you just broke its neck!" The woman, whose voice Taehyung recognized as their Luna, said sarcastically.
Getting worried about who or what they might have killed, Taehyung moved closer to the door and peeked inside. It was certainly a playroom judging by the various toys that laid around on the floor.
In the middle, Jungkook and Luna stood facing each other. Taehyung couldn't see the woman's face because she was standing with her back to him, but from her voice and posture, he could tell she was furious. Jungkook, on the other hand, looked like he didn't give a fuck to this World. His gaze looked as bored as Yoongi's on an average Friday afternoon.
The boy sloppily held a doll in his hands, not bothered by the fact that the doll's head hung from his arm at a weird angle. He just stood there and listened to the woman's ranting.
"Can't you do anything right?!" The Luna shook her head and Jungkook let out a huge sigh. He looked down at the doll, then back to the woman in front of him.
"I don't get why I need to know this," he finally said, and Taehyung was actually surprised how deep his voice was. Somehow, it didn't match with his angelic face at all.
"Your heat is coming soon," was all the woman said but it was enough for Jungkook to understand the underlying message. His face darkened in a millisecond as he tossed the doll to the floor in anger. Though Taehyung knew it was just a toy, he flinched in fear when the doll met the hard floor with a dull thud.
"So you want Hobi to knock me up?!" Jungkook's voice roared like a clap of thunder throughout the small room, and Taehyung suddenly felt terribly uncomfortable eavesdropping. Yet he didn't move afoot as if his legs grew roots.
He was simply unable to take his eyes off Jungkook. The image of a fragile innocent omega he had in his mind seemed to slowly collapse as he watched the scene unfolding before his eyes. Jungkook was currently fuming with rage, it was clear on his face though he did nothing but looked up at the Luna with threatening eyes.
Jungkook was the only one who could do that. Everyone else would have been dead a long time ago if they dared to raise their voices against the woman. However, Jungkook was in an exceptional position. He was protected by his blood.
"That's sick," Jungkook spitted.
The Luna scoffed before taking a step closer to the boy. She pushed his chest with her index finger. "Listen here, little shit. You're an omega. It's your duty to provide an heir to your alpha. And you will just do that, understood?"
Jungkook didn't say anything, just sealed his lips into a thin line as if he was trying his best not to insult the Luna even further. He stared back at the woman for a couple of seconds before the Luna stepped back. "I had enough of you for today. Be ready for tomorrow. We will review everything. And I expect you to finally memorize how to fucking hold a baby without killing it in the process."
She turned around and was just about to start to walk out of the room but got stopped by Jungkook's soft voice calling after her. "Yeah, you must know a lot of ways how to kill your child."
Taehyung and the Luna froze at the same time. The woman slowly turned back and glanced at Jungkook's sickening smirk. "What did you just say?"
There was something threatening in the woman's voice that Taehyung had never heard before. He knew that Jungkook was never really close to his mother. If they could, they avoided each other. Jungkook was basically raised by Junghyun because their parents did not care much about the younger boy.
Taehyung had always found this strange because, as far as he was concerned, they were always kind to him. This current, irritated and scary side of their Luna was a whole new experience for Taehyung. But Jungkook seemed to be used to it. Despite the woman's tone, the mocking grin didn't disappear from his face. He tilted his head a little to the side as he continued.
"I bet you wish you have broken my neck when I was a child." That was definitely over the line but Jungkook didn't seem to be afraid.
Unlike the boy, Taehyung was shivering from the Luna's cold voice. "Watch your mouth, son! I can still break your neck. Any time."
But Jungkook's smirk just widened at that. It looked kind of sinister if Taehyung wanted to be honest. Like he was insane. "But then there would be no one who could keep your precious bloodline alive, right?"
For a couple of seconds, the Luna didn't say anything. Then she finally turned around and walked away from Jungkook. Taehyung immediately hid behind the wall, pretending that he was just walking by and didn't listen to their whole conversation because that would be so inappropriate.
"So you know your task," the woman snarled before leaving. "Good, don't forget your place and memorize what we have learned. We don't have much time left."
With these last words, she finally stepped out of the playroom and Taehyung was just in time to catch the disgusted look on her face before she covered it up with a bright smile.
For a tiny moment, surprise flashed across her face as her gaze landed on Taehyung in the hallway. However, as fast as it came, it disappeared just as fastly. The Luna smoothed out a non-existent crease on her tight black dress and came closer to Taehyung with elegant steps. That cheerful, dazzling smile never left her face, making Taehyung wonder how honest it could be. The woman almost exploded from anger barely a minute ago.
"Taehyung, darling," she said in a jingling voice. It was so different from the one she used with Jungkook. She became a totally new person. "What are you doing here?"
Thankfully, Taehyung was able to come up with a reasonable excuse fast enough. "I'm looking for Jimin."
The woman's radiant smile just pulled even wider at that. "Oh sweety, he doesn't live here anymore. He moved together with Yoongi on the fifth floor."
"Oh..." Taehyung was pretty proud of himself for his acting skills because he genuinely looked surprised. Then he flashed a smile too. "Thank you, Luna."
"You're welcome, sweety," she lightly patted his right cheek before walking away.
Taehyung, deep in his thoughts, watched as the woman slowly disappeared at the end of the hallway. Taehyung had always marveled at the beauty of the Luna, but that admiration seemed to fade after he took a glance at her successor. Taehyung knew there were so many reasons why he shouldn't compare Jungkook to the current Luna, yet he couldn't stop the thought that Jungkook was a thousand times more beautiful in his eyes.
Sure, the omega was a brat even when he was a child, so Taehyung had reservations about what kind of Luna he would become, but hearing this conversation, he was no longer sure that even the woman was suitable for the role.
For a pack, the Head Alpha was their leader, the one who showed them direction, while the Luna was their support and reassurance. Taehyung didn't feel supported or reassured at all after what he heard.
After the woman disappeared from his eyesight, Taehyung turned back toward the room. Jungkook was still where he had been before, but now he squatted down, resting his chin on his knees while gently stroking the doll's face with his index finger.
Now that the Luna was no longer around, Jungkook seemed calmer. The anger disappeared from his face, just like any other emotion as he stared down at the baby with blank eyes. Buried deep in his own thoughts, he didn't even notice Taehyung, who in the meantime took the courage to enter the room.
Jungkook looked mesmerizing in the setting sunlight. His blonde curls slightly obscured his black doe eyes. The beige sweatpants and protruding cardigan he wore were in perfect harmony with the boy's bright colors. When he was so calm, Jungkook really looked like an angel.
Taehyung stared at him as if he was enchanted by Jungkook's beauty, not really realizing how long he dared to linger his eyes on someone else's omega. He only diverted his gaze from the boy when Jungkook did something unexpected and Taehyung was unable to hold back a deep giggle erupting from his throat. Jungkook's finger wandered from the doll's face to its belly and poked the soft tummy of the toy exactly three times before Taehyung's baritone voice made him flinch in fright.
Taehyung immediately fell silent when Jungkook jumped into a standing position, his black doe eyes wide with surprise. But before he could say anything soothing, Jungkook returned to his former emotionless manner by himself.
"Oh, it's just you," he mumbled. He probably didn't mean Taehyung to hear that, but the message reached him anyway.
Taehyung tried to hide his disappointment with a tight-lipped smile. Jungkook has always been happy in the past to meet Taehyung. As a matter of fact, in their childhood, Taehyung and Jimin could barely escape from the younger as he constantly followed them everywhere. But Jungkook, like everyone else, grew up and didn't seem interested in Taehyung anymore. He wasn't that mischievous child anymore.
Jungkook bent down and grabbed the doll from the floor. It was an old fabric doll with red yarn hair and black button eyes that eerily reminded Taehyung of Jungkook's doe eyes. Jungkook smoothed a stray strand from the doll's face before carefully placing it back on the shelf where the other toys were too. Without the Luna, Jungkook was very affectionate.
Taehyung wanted to say something, but nothing came to his mind. He just watched as Jungkook softly ran his finger through the toys before turning back to him. His eyes still didn't hold any message as he glared at the trueblood.
"Why did you come back?" There was nothing obnoxious in his voice, yet Taehyung could not interpret the sentence any differently than he was not welcomed here. And it hurt him a lot. It doesn't matter that Taehyung was at the top of the hierarchy and Jungkook was at the bottom right now, they were good friends as kids. The elder hoped it hadn't changed. It looked like he was wrong.
He folded his arms in front of his chest as he slowly leaned on the doorframe. Jungkook was still standing in the middle of the room, rays of light filtering through the window behind him drew a holy crown from his blond hair. Taehyung really couldn't describe it any other way than as mesmerizing.
"Don't you want me to be here?" he asked back and Jungkook looked down at his white slippers.
"It's not about me, Tae." The old nickname rolled out of Jungkook's pink lips as easily and sweetly as if those eight years hadn't even happened. Maybe Taehyung misunderstood and Jungkook didn't want to insult him. Maybe he was genuinely curious as to why Taehyung came back.
The trueblood's features softened and his mouth twitched into a tiny smile. So Jungkook was still the old sweet Jungkookie. This somehow encouraged the older.
"I missed you guys. I missed my pack," Taehyung explained. It was the truth. He had nowhere else to go. His only other option was to stay with Bang Sihyuk, but that possibility didn't even cross his mind.
Jungkook said nothing for a few seconds, he was just further analyzing his slippers. When Taehyung thought he wouldn't even react, he looked up again. Taehyung wasn't sure, but he seemed a little sad.
"You shouldn't," he finally said. The trueblood felt something move inside him. Some indescribable urge to make the boy happier. He wanted to lock Jungkook into his arms and comfort him that everything would be fine. Although he had no idea what was bothering the omega so much.
"You should leave as long as you can," Jungkook added. He nervously played with the sleeve of his cardigan but his gaze never left Taehyung's. "Believe me, you don't want to belong here. This place's rotten."
Taehyung was sure Jungkook was talking about the war. The trueblood was really shocked by the news, he loved peace, but he couldn't turn a blind eye to the fact that the Bae pack took advantage of their trust. They had to pay for it. Plus it was a good opportunity to take power over all of Busan once and for all. A war always involved casualties but Taehyung was willing to sacrifice his life for his pack.
"It's okay, Jungkook," Taehyung tried to calm the younger with a smile. He also stepped a little closer, pushing himself away from the doorframe. He looked deep into Jungkook's eyes as he bowed down for him, shocking the omega with that. "I know war is not easy, but I am ready to fight the enemy. I'm ready to defend you, Luna."
Jungkook's pretty pink lips fell agape and his black bambi eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. For seconds, he just opened and closed his mouth, unable to say anything. He was obviously surprised by Taehyung's sudden declaration of loyalty. Especially because he wasn't even a Luna yet.
But he managed to come down from his shock somehow and shook his head, making his wavy blond strands dance around his beautiful face.
"No," he said softly and Taehyung raised himself up in confusion. "I meant that you, personally, should not be here."
It was a little offensive to Taehyung but he has already learned not to judge Jungkook's choice of words at the first time. So he just tilted his head in confusion and waited for Jungkook to explain it further.
The younger, on the other hand, stomped nervously in the middle of the room, digging his bunny teeth deep into his lower lip as he thought. He was in a kind of silent fight with himself as if he was thinking about whether to tell Taehyung the truth or not.
Probably the not-telling part won because the next sentence only confused Taehyung's already cluttered mind even more.
"They are not who you think they are."
Taehyung's eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead in a deep frown. "What-"
"I would also leave if I could," Jungkook cut him short quickly.
Taehyung's confusion gradually turned into rage. How could their future leader say he would leave his pack - his family - if he could?! Was really nothing sacred to the Jeon brothers anymore?
Jungkook was no different from his filthy brother.
"Just like Junghyun did?" Taehyung spat with a grimace on his face.
Jungkook was taken off guard by that but he quickly regained his composure. He didn't sound - not even a little bit - angry when he said. "You shouldn't talk about things you don't know about, Tae. You have no idea what Hyung did."
"I have a pretty nice guess, though." Taehyung was angry that Jungkook would have been able to betray his pack too. Just like Junghyun did. Were they still in contact perhaps? And did the Head Alpha know about this?
"And I'm utterly disappointed in you that you would do the same."
Jungkook let out a chuckle at that. His face was adorned by a soft smile. Maybe that was the first time he saw a genuine smile on the younger's face since he returned. "Don't worry. I have a good reason to stay. Unlike you, I have something that binds me here."
He was just about to walk past Taehyung and leave the room when the trueblood's deep voice stopped him again. "Oh, yeah. The heir."
Jungkook visibly froze at that. He stared ahead into pure nothingness as the meaning behind those simple words slowly sunk into his mind. Taehyung also knew that Jungkook understood what he said. He basically just revealed that he was eavesdropping.
When Jungkook spoke up again, his previous soft voice was gone and he responded in a similar way as he talked to the Luna. A shiver ran down Taehyung's spine at the omega's sudden change of mood. He noted not to get on his bad side ever again.
"Yes, the heir," he gritted between his teeth and sent a death glare at Taehyung. "Because omegas are only good at being fucked by mighty alphas, right? It's good to know that you were also successfully brainwashed. I apologize for worrying about your safety. You were right, you really belong here."
The omega's monologue was poison to Taehyung. He immediately regretted everything he said. He didn't think that way. He knew the Jeon pack couldn't stand omegas, but he personally had nothing against them. He felt fond of Jungkook too.
He felt physical pain because of Jungkook's angry behavior. He wanted to say something to ease the tension between them but Jungkook was already halfway out of the room. He only turned back to say a sarcastic 'welcome back' before disappearing from Taehyung's sight for good.