Prologue:
Jin's POV:
Five years old...
"No! Please! I want to stay with mommy!" I begged the man who had a hold of my wrist. "Don't take me from my mommy!" I tried to hold on to mommy's hand, but she just gave me a soft look.
"It's okay Jinnie. It's going to be okay." Mommy kissed my cheek and pried my fingers from hers. "Just go baby."
Shaking my hand, I went to reach for her again. "No mommy. Don't leave me!"
Slapping my cheek, the man then yanked on me harder, dragging me from the room. "Stop it! Let's go." No matter how badly I fought, the man wouldn't stop. He pulled me out of the building and shoved me into a white van.
The floor was roughly carpeted and I scraped my knees as he pushed me in, forcing me to crawl across to the other side. I huddled into a corner, wrapping my arms around my legs and burying my face in my knees. I had just lost my mommy and now I was truly alone.
Eight years old...
"Come on Jin. You're being adopted." Mr. Karu pointed at me and I shakily got to my feet. "The family that chose you has a daughter a few years older than you. You will be living with them from now on."
Mr. Karu's words surprised me. I had been in the shelter for the last two and a half years, ever since I was taken away from my mom. After being taken, I was kept in a dirty facility with very little food. About six months in, there was a raid by some government office. All the hybrids had been sent to a shelter where we were given medical exams, clothing, beds and food. It was a better situation than anything I had ever had.
Over the last couple of years, after I had been cleared for adoption, many people had stopped to look at me, but no one ever chose me. They always wanted cute hybrids, like bunnies and cats, not a marten. I wasn't as cute as the other hybrids, not as cuddly looking, so I was always overlooked. So when Mr. Karu told me I had been chosen, I was shocked that this was finally happening.
Mr. Karu led me into a waiting room where a couple was waiting for me. The man was really tall and had dark hair. The woman was quite a bit shorter. She had short curly hair and gave me a gentle smile when I walked in, her eyes filled with kindness. "Hi Seokjin. My name is Alexis. This is my husband CJ. You are going to be living with us from now on. How does that sound?"
Not sure what to say, I just nodded my head. The man put a hand on my shoulder and I couldn't help but flinching. His eyes turned sad as he looked at Mr. Karu.
"Jin here has not had the best of times with humans. So just be aware that he might be a little weary of you for a short while." Mr. Karu gave me a reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay Jin. I promise you."
Over the last two and a half years, I had grown to trust Mr. Karu. Whatever he said he was going to do, he actually did. It was the first time in my whole life that someone had made promises and kept them. Giving Mr. Karu a nod, I turned back to the human couple. "Hello. My name is Seokjin, but... but I like to be called Jin."
The woman gave me another kind smile and reached out a hand for me, which I hesitantly took. "It's very nice to meet you Jin. I do hope you'll be happy with us. Our daughter, Y/N, is just a few years older than you. She doesn't know you're coming and is going to be very surprised."
The idea of someone close to my age being around me made me happier than I thought it would. At the first facility, I wasn't allowed to speak to any of the other hybrids and at the shelter, they all got adopted so fast that it was hard to make any friends. Maybe this daughter would be my friend.
Alexis led me out to a nice car, something blue and big. She helped me into the backseat and made sure I was buckled in before getting in the front seat. CJ got in next to her, and after starting the car, pulled out of the parking lot.
As we drove, Alexis and CJ told me about the house we were going to. They said it was a big house and I would have my own room. I would be able to go to school like their daughter and join clubs or play sports. I was surprised at all the things they told me about. I never thought I would be able to have a life where everything sounded so good, but after going through so much, I just figured it was too good to be true.
Twelve years old...
"Give it back to me Jinnie! Stop being a bully!" Y/N chased after me, her tone irritated as I ran through the yard, holding onto the little pink notebook. "Give me back my diary!"
I reached the large oak, and using my hybrid instincts, quickly scaled the large tree, settling myself on a tall branch that I knew she couldn't reach. Opening up the book, I watched Y/N standing below me, hands on her hips, her eyes flashing in anger. "Let's see what we have here. Oh dear diary! Eric told me I was pretty today. He said he liked the way my hair was styled and how fancy it looked on me." I read the entry in a false, high-pitched voice, knowing it would irritate her even further.
"Really Jinnie? Why do you hate me so much?" Y/N's eyes welled up with tears and I couldn't help the guilt that swept over me. Out of everything else in the world, I hated seeing her cry. It broke my heart every single time.
I slowly climbed down from the tree, the little pink notebook held out as a peace offering. "I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry and I definitely don't hate you." My long tail wrapped around my waist, a show of submission to her that I normally didn't do.
Y/N snatched the book from my hand, the tears instantly disappearing. "Haha! Gotcha! I've been practicing crying for the lead role in Romeo and Juliet. Was it good?"
My eyes narrowed at her actions. This little weasel! How could she trick me so badly? She stood there flipping through the book, an amused smile on her face. What a brat! When she turned her attention to Alexis calling from the house, I seized the book from her hand and took of running again. This will teach her to trick me!
Fifteen years old...
"Do you really have to leave?" I couldn't help the tears that spilled down my cheeks as Y/N packed the last of her luggage in the car. My best friend, my confidant was leaving for college and I hated the idea of her leaving me behind. "Can't you stay here and go to college here?"
Y/N brushed a hand over one of my rounded ears, stroking the soft fur. "Don't be sad my Jinnie. I promise I will come back and visit you soon." She wiped the tears from my cheeks and I wound my tail around her wrist, holding tightly, never wanting to let her go. "And plus you still have Felix here and soccer starting in the fall."
"But Felix isn't you." My lips turned down into a pout, but I knew it wouldn't work. She had long since grown immune to the puppy dog eyes I would give her. They worked especially well when I first arrived, convincing her to play with me.
"I will facetime you and text you all the time. You wont even know I'm gone."
"But it's not the same." I knew pleading with her was useless, but I couldn't help it. I hated the idea of her leaving me, not knowing when I would see her again.
Y/N stroked my ears again, giving me the little pieces of comfort she knew I needed. "Oh you silly boy. It's going to be just fine. I swear it to you. I'll be back before you know it. Plus, you'll be able to tell me all about your date with Irene."
I let out a small chuckle at the mention of Irene. She was the small forward for the school's girl's basketball team and had been my crush since the 7th grade. Now three years later, I was getting ready to take her on a date. She was one of the prettiest girls in had ever seen, long black hair and dark eyes, and I was thrilled to know she was interested in me.
"Yeah I guess, but I'm still going to miss you. So much." I couldn't stop the tear that slipped down my cheek.
Y/N pulled me into a hug. "I know and it's okay. I'm going to miss you too my Jinnie, but I promise I will see you soon."
Eighteen years old...
"Congratulations Jinnie!" Alexis wrapped an arm around my shoulder, studying the diploma in my hand. "I'm so proud of you."
I gave Alexis a hug, knowing without her and CJ, I would never have been able to do this. But here I was, graduating high school and heading off to medical school to become a registered nurse. I hadn't even thought about plans for my future until I came to live with CJ, Alexis, and their daughter. At the thought of their daughter, I could feel the tears sting the corners of my eyes. She hadn't been home since the summer before I started my last year of high school. She was finishing up nursing school and decided to spend Christmas with her boyfriend, Sebastian.
Sebastian was a nice guy, I guess. I had met him when she brought him over the summer. He was polite to me and we kicked around a soccer ball in the yard. He played forward for their university's soccer team and had offered to give me some tips. I readily accepted and was picked up for the varsity team. Playing for the varsity team was enough to get me an athletic scholarship to university, something I was immensely proud of.
I was missing my best friend more than usual lately. It was hard to believe I had been living with them for ten years. The time had gone by so quickly, a lot faster than I wanted it to and it made me sad when I thought about it sometimes. I knew that once I left for college, things would drastically change, even though CJ and Alexis said it wouldn't. Even in just the last three years, my relationship with my friend changed. We used to spend a lot of time together, watching movies and cuddling on the sofa, but since she started dating Sebastian, things changed. I guess it was the right thing to do since my relationship with her used to drive Irene crazy. She would get so jealous about the closeness we shared, but it wasn't really something that could be helped.
Automatically, my eyes searched the room for Y/N, but I knew she wasn't coming home for another three weeks. She had said she would try and get her for the graduation/goodbye party CJ and Alexis were throwing for me, but at the last minute, found out she couldn't leave. CJ was just bringing me a slice of cake when the most delicious scent filled my nose. It was like the sweetest chocolate with a hint of cherry, reminding me of the chocolate covered cherries that Alexis buys me every year for my birthday.
I felt the fur on my tail stand up and my skin suddenly felt like it was on fire, wanting to melt itself right off my body. I knew the signs, had been expecting them since I turned 18 right before Christmas. My mate was nearby and I knew I needed to get to them.
A familiar musical voice carried across the house, making my ears perk up. I knew that voice! Y/N wasn't supposed to be here yet! All thoughts of finding my mate disappeared as I searched the room, my eyes flashing over people's faces and darting away when I realized they weren't her. A smile from the other side of the room caught my attention and I cut off the person talking to me, needing to greet my friend. As I moved closer, the scent of chocolate and cherries grew stronger and I tried to ignore it, wanting to put her first. Stepping directly in front of me, Y/N embraced me, the scent I had been searching for enveloping me like a warm hug, like a soft kiss, like coming home. My fog-riddled brain could only think of one thing: MATE!