Chapter thirty-five
Jungkook's last glimpse of Taehyung was to see his misty eyes and teary marks on his cheeks. It was as if someone had ripped the heart out of his chest and squeezed it right in front of his eyes, so hard he felt like the entirety of his innards had started bleeding.
The words 'I love you' continued to rant in his head on an endless loop, bringing him both a sense of solace and anguish. Solace, because he knew the omega's feelings were sincere and their love wasn't just an illusion, but something real, mutual and special.
Anguish, because he wished to say those three simple words to Taehyung in other circumstances. Not now when the crucial battle had finally begun, not now when the words sounded more like an inevitable goodbye than a love confession.
A life of higher joys was a life with more tears of all kinds. Every blessing was a curse. Only by accepting the curse in full measure could you receive the blessing in full ration. Jungkook loved Taehyung. And if he ever lost him, he would be destroyed. Taehyung was his greatest blessing.
Jungkook's eyes were filled to the brim with unshed tears, but he never let them roll down his face, though he wished to release every single emotion that thumped through him at this moment. The alpha swallowed down the overwhelming swirl of feelings and wiped away the tears with the back of his hand.
He focused his attention back on his surroundings, seeing the two wolves that were approaching him just a few moments ago now knocked down on the ground by Yumi and Jimin. How much he wanted to run up to his friends and embrace them in his arms, but the more he stayed there and did nothing to stop the war, the more people died under his stare.
And so, he ran. His footsteps were loud as he dashed into the cacophony of screams, shouts, weapons, and destruction. The heels of his boots hitting the ground heavy and purposeful. He didn't stop maneuvering through the woods, passing by multiple wolves running and growling, some huddling behind trees as if the rogues would disappear if they waited it out. An extremely powerful growl blasted from somewhere and shook the ground, but Jungkook didn't let himself stop.
Jungkook was panting by the time he reached the pack, heart wrenching at the sights of so much of the bungalows destroyed. Shops and stalls had crumbled down, all kinds of goods and clothing sprawled around and left abandoned as people must have ran for their lives.
And the bodies he had passed by in pools of blood—the alpha shivered, heart sinking thinking of just how many lives had been lost in the time they hadn't arrived.
Finally, he stopped in front of the pack house where the massive doors hung open, the sentries that were usually posted on each side of the entrance now lied with their backs leaning against the stone walls, lifeless and mutilated.
Jungkook gulped harshly, climbing up the steps, heart thundering even more as he neared the corpses. The young alpha knelt before one of them, careful not to touch anything, but roaming over the man's injuries in as much detail as he could. He examined the killer's handiwork with disgust. The face had been battered into an indistinguishable pulp, probably with claws or the blunt handle of a dagger.
"This wretch..." Jungkook snarled through his teeth, seething with resentment and need to kill.
Without wasting any more time, he raised up on his feet and walked past the doors, hands fisted tightly by his sides and inner wolf ready to rip the throat of the true blood.
The clatter of his steps resonated through the hall, echoing against the marble walls and stained-glass windows. Chandeliers lined the path from above, hanging from the high ceiling, glistening crystals alight with eternal candles burning inside.
Blood painted the walls in messy strokes, the feathered splatter of arterial spray. It dripped down the ramparts, pooling darkly into the carpet. As he approached the scene, the floor made a damp squelch noise, like water being pressed from a damp sponge, and viscous crimson liquid welled up warmly under his shoes. What had begun as a hallway now looked like an abattoir.
Jungkook willed himself not to feel fear, to stand tall and show a strength his allies would be proud of.
A slow, quiet chuckle filled the massive room. The alpha kept his gaze ahead, right on the lone figure sitting on the throne. The throne on which his father was supposed to sit, not this bloody murderer. As much as he loathed his own family, he would never compare his father to the man who stood opposite him with an evil grin plastered on his scarred face and eyes so red like the blood that was flowing through Jungkook's veins.
This lingering acid scent of spoiled milk and gore hurt his nostrils. He looked as dirty as he smelled; greasy hair that reminded Jungkook of a swamp clung to his sweaty forehead, grit between the rolls of his neck like he hadn't showered in days.
"Back off, kid." The young alpha found his voice sickening. He gnawed on his teeth a little, forcing himself to stay calm. The true blood captured his eyes, plunging them into the fiery pits of Hell, keeping him captive. "The head alpha is no longer in charge of this pack, so I suggest you give up now..." He made a short pause, adding more dramatism to the sentence. "Or have the same miserable fate as your friends."
Jungkook inhaled sharply, chills crawled up his spine, uprooting multitudes of goosebumps along his skin. Anger and fear were fighting a battle inside of him, the former urging him to defend himself, the latter advising him to run.
"You forgot about his son." The young alpha dared to take another step forward, the yellow of his eyes looked so fascinating, the edges smeared with this bright shade of gold. He wouldn't do him the courtesy of showing his fear, wouldn't beg for his life like he expected him to do. Today Jungkook was here to kill, not beseech.
There was dead silence for a stretch of nearly ten seconds and then the true blood laughed. A hearty, booming laugh as if someone had just told him the world's funniest joke. It was a funny action, to spare a laugh, morose though it may be, when you were in the midst of a war that had just begun, lurking the inner halls of a place that was echoed by the faint screams and battling of swords.
"Another Jeon bastard, huh?" The wild howl of laughter died out, being replaced with something even scarier. The true blood released a gust of air, smile slipping into a frown as he stood up from the throne and walked over Jungkook in a slow shamble. "I wonder if you will last longer than your father."
With every word this man uttered, Jungkook's heart sank more and more. He hated how slow and bittersweet the true blood's voice was, the little smile on his lips and his half-lidded eyes as he never looked away from him. Never stopped keeping eye contact, making every word feel like a threat built to stab him.
"Remember the name Chinhae, kid." Chinhae commanded, voice no longer playful, but threatening and nefarious. Jungkook saw just how cold the other man was. His piercing eyes seemed to bore a hole right through his skull. When he was standing only a foot away from him, the true blood ceased his pace abruptly and smiled at the young alpha with malicious glee. "Because– "
"Because this is the last thing I should remember before you kill me?" Jungkook chuckled at that, lips breaching out into a dangerous smirk as he shook his head with a challenging glint dancing in his orbs. "Yeah, this is not happening today." He said with a casual roll of his eyes.
Chinhae narrowed his eyes at him, forcing Jungkook to do so as well, and he was cautious in his eye contact now, irritation painted his face – it was so hilarious to see the ruthless true blood alpha so morbidly riddled with frustration.
"You asked for it, kid." Chinhae spat the words out with so much venom in his voice that it wouldn't be a surprise if he chocked on his own hatred. Then he attacked, and Jungkook deflected.
There was always a rush of inspired savagery that pulsed within an alpha's blood when in combat. It was normal, instinctual, and it was a feeling Jungkook knew well throughout his life. Being a warrior had heightened such an impulse, and though he clung to logic more often than not, there were times he couldn't contain the production of bloodlust that called to him. Facing the enemy, watching his lover be pushed around and harmed, all situations had just given him every provocation to react.
His hands teared into Chinhae's garbs, buttons popping off and bouncing from the floor when he managed to rip into the waistcoat. They had been struggling against one another for what felt like hours, but Jungkook suspected it had likely only been minutes. Several tense minutes that made them bite, claw, and snarl at the other, too incensed by the need to defend their honor.
The young alpha thought it was a foolish concept to care for, as honor was never something he actively fought for, but when he felt the willingness to protect his loved one, his friends...then he slipped into that role. Allowed his alpha to snap to attention, take over his rage and feed into the desire to keep everyone safe.
"You're persistent," Chinhae laughed, too enthused for a man currently pressed into the ground, blood dripping down the side of his lip. "I'll give you that, kid." His fist slipped from Jungkook's grasp, connecting with his jaw, and earning enough time between hits to flip the alpha away, toppling them over and taking control of the fight. "You know," he breathed. "I saw this raw, untamed power in you. And beyond that, something truly special. The potential of your bloodline." There was amusement in his eyes, swirling black pools of conceit that made Jungkook vibrate with indignation. "A new true blood."
"Shut up..."
Feeding off the enraged swell of irritation in his chest, the young alpha managed to toss Chinhae off him, watching in delight as his body collided with the marble in a sickening thud that likely did less damage than appeared. The true blood huffed out a pained grunt, turning onto his hands and knees and glaring back at him with clear distaste. Their eyes met in challenge, but Jungkook dared to glance to the side, teeth gritting when he saw Chinhae's sword not too far off from him. It laid right in the middle of their feud, almost like a holy grail to the cause but even before he made a move for it, he heard the true blood breathe out a strained laugh.
"You still think that you can kill me?" The man regained his footing, swaying on his feet before leaning over in preparation, ready to cease Jungkook's attempt to rush him.
The young alpha felt that snap of anger burst between them, his body nearly moving on its own accord as he bolted for the weapon, fingertips barely brushing the hilt of the sword before he was being tackled onto his back, head colliding with the ground in a painful drop. Chinhae straddled his hips, palms encircling his throat and wasting no time to gloat as he applied pressure, watching in utter satisfaction as Jungkook wildly clawed at his wrists. The burn was agonizing around his neck, and he tried to kick the man off, but his thighs only managed to shift uncomfortably beneath Chinhae with every attempt of a breath he made.
"I was mistaken, I fear." The true blood growled, his hands now tightly strewn across Jungkook's neck, fingers drawing patterns over his carotid artery. "I thought you would be the one to snuff it out. Alas, you are no true blood. You are just a child who listens to this wannabe of an alpha."
An image of Taehyung flashed through his mind, but he forced himself to give Chinhae an indifferent look.
"Shut up!" Jungkook growled, the man spoke so apathetically about the omega that his blood burnt. Anger a broiling, scorching heat that made his vision go red for a moment as he struggled to breathe.
"Look at you! So weak, not even able to protect your pack–"
"Let him go!"
Chinhae paused in his taunting, averting his gaze to the entrance of the hall where the same omega from two years ago stood. "Ah, you must be Soojin's mate." The true blood heaved, hands loosening around Jungkook's neck and allowing him room to suck in a wild inhale. The young alpha used the time to crawl out from under him, glaring right back as he massaged around his neck, undoubtedly feeling the skin bruise from the force of the man's hands on him. Taehyung still stood proud by the doors; dagger steady in hand.
Nausea roiled inside Jungkook's gut at the sight of the omega. "No!" He screamed, so loudly and for so long he felt his throat burn raw with pain. "Get away from here, Taehyung! Run before he–"
"Enough!" The true blood's tone was sharp and almost hysterically dark; the kind of tone which would cause a deep ocean of fear to bestow its salty suffocation upon someone. "I had enough of you! Submit!" The shadowed energy writhing around him grew thicker with each passing second.
On an instant, Jungkook bowed his head at him, feeling the true blood's command seeping in through his veins, blocking any sense of self control. It was just like the first time he saw him – the dominant aura, the ineluctable urge to submit to the higher rank. It was terrifying.
Taehyung, on the other hand, continued to stand there. Though his whole body was shaking so violently, and his knees were that close to buckling up under the pressure of the order.
Chinhae smirked. With slow steps he started to make his way over the omega. The loud clatter of his heels meeting the cold marble bounced off the concrete walls.
Every fiber in Taehyung's being screamed at him to do something. To lounge at the true blood and throttle the life from his evil body with his bare hands. But that strong stance and familiar red eyes and unflinching gaze all combined to paralyze him in some awful way, freezing the omega to the spot in an agony of indecision and immobility.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" He asked when he finally stood in front of Taehyung, hand reaching up to hold his chin in a harsh grip, pressing his thumb so hard that it made the omega squirm. "Not submitting to an alpha's order. Soojin always seemed to forget about the fact his mate was nothing more than a simple omega."
The tears welled up in Taehyung's eyes, ready to be spilled. He tried so hard to resist Chinhae's order, to ignore his inner wolf that begged him to submit. It physically hurt him to disobey an alpha. All this time he walked against his nature and tried so bad to resist anything alphas had said to him. But no omega was strong enough to fight against it. Sooner or later, the pressure would become too much, and the true colors of their kin would be exposed.
"I shall tell you how enticing you are. You are like the child of moon. Destined to be marvelous, giving others hope in times of struggle. However, while the moon is up there to spread light and opulence." Chinhae pointed with his hand up to the glass ceiling, specks of afternoon light cradling through the transparent surface. "The moonchild suffocates in his own misery."
Taehyung was shaking, either from fear or from the pain that came with the itch to submit, a strand of sandy hair swishing across his face. Despite his blurry vision, he managed to recognize the monster from his past. The monster who took everything from him and continued to take so greedily.
"Put this dagger down. It doesn't suit an omega to hold weapons." Taehyung felt his tears slip by even when he trained his face into something stoic. Unwillingly, he loosened his hold around the dagger's handle, letting it fall to the ground.
The true blood's lips quirked up in a satisfied grimace, watching in relish how the hot tears rolled down the omega's beautiful face. Majestic, indeed. If it wasn't for the rank, he would gladly welcome the boy as one of his warriors.
"Good boy..." Chinhae trailed off, leaning in to fan his disgusting breath over the shell of Taehyung's ear, noting how the omega visibly flinched at the sudden proximity. "Now...what should I do with you?" He murmured to himself, releasing a tired sigh, as if he weren't enjoying this twisted scenario where he played the role of the mighty villain. "Should I kill you or should I mark you?"
At the mention of marking Taehyung's pupils immediately swelled up in size and he tried to pry himself away from the true blood's hold, but Chinhae had his arm coiled around his waist, preventing him from escaping.
His words conjured up the most unspeakable images in Taehyung's mind and he could feel bile rising in his throat, he wanted to vomit, he wanted Chinhae's hands off him, he wanted to leave his own body and just fly away.
"Chinhae, stop," Jungkook said quietly, the naked plea lingered in his tone. It took him every bit of willpower to voice out these words. "Let him go, please."
The true blood barely spared him a glance, more focused on the white skin that asked him to sink his fangs there and posses over the omega. "Too late for bargaining, kid." He spat out, taking a fistful of Taehyung's blonde hair to tilt his head to the side, exposing more of his neck.
Jungkook wanted to scream, to shout, to kill. So many emotions ran through him yet not even one had the power to free him from the burdening order. And when Taehyung looked at him, so calm and so brave, that burning determination in his eyes, the alpha felt something cracking in him. And it almost broke him completely.
"I hope this will finally shut your mouth up." Chinhae rasped in the omega's ear before sinking his fangs in the unmarked skin of his neck, coaxing an agonizing scream of the boy that shuffled and trembled in his arms.
It was instant, the scream that was forced out of his lungs from sheer pain alone. Taehyung was enveloped in cold, a freezing, burning cold as pain riddled him, were away at him and every part of his body. So cold, trapping every cell of his blood in ice, thousands and thousands of prickles of freezing burning pain encompassing him from all over. Numbing, intoxicating, a roaring so loud in his ears as the force of the unasked mate bond flushed into his veins, unraveling him and every little bit of his mind.
It was in that moment he heard Jungkook yelling his name. It was a scream of love, the most beautiful scream in the universe, and it was the last sound Taehyung heard before a bloom of hot and perfect whiteness spread out before him and his world ended forever...