Jin POV:
I was shocked at the way Y/N had yanked her wrist from my grasp, the way she moved away from my touch as though she were afraid I would burn her. It was the first time in the twenty years that I had known her that she had ever rejected my touch. It was the first time she ever pulled away from me like that and it fucking hurt. More than I wanted to admit but I didn't know what to do. Why would she do that? What was going on? Why was she acting that way? I just didn't understand any of it and it was the first time in twenty years that I didn't even understand my best friend.
A quiet shifting from behind me and the scent of banana milkshakes filling my nose had me turning my attention to the hybrid on the bed: my other mate. Lost in my thoughts, I had almost forgotten about the hybrid behind me, but now with him in my line of sight, my attention was fully on him. My mate. We studied each other for a moment and I knew right away that he had figured out who I was to him, who he was to me. His eyes gave away nothing and I wondered what he was thinking.
Although I didn't know him at all, I was automatically drawn to the handsome hybrid and I wanted to pull him into my arms and kiss those pouty lips, the same exact feelings I had anytime I spent time around Y/N. However, I knew it wasn't the right time, the right moment, the right situation. I didn't want to scare him away before I even had a chance to get to know him. However, I did know he was stunningly beautiful. He had big doe eyes that gave him a sweet innocent look, pouty lips that looked extremely kissable, and thick chocolate colored hair that I wanted to run my fingers through. Even though he was malnourished, I could see that he was fit underneath his oversized clothes: a black shirt and black cotton pants – the standard clothes given to hybrids that are brought to the sanctuary. His tiny ears and thick tapered tail that hung over the side of the bed made him easily identifiable as an otter.
I directed my gaze back to his face and I could see him watching me carefully, his eyes worried. "My name is Jin. I'm a marten hybrid and a nurse here at Cherry Blossom Sanctuary." I kept my voice soft as I spoke to him, not wanting to spook the nervous looking hybrid that I knew to be my mate. I had been around enough anxious hybrids to know how to speak to them. Hell, I used to be an anxious hybrid until CJ and Alexis brought me into their home and introduced me to their beautiful daughter, giving me the family that I never thought I would have again.
"J-Jungkook." My mate's voice was deeper than I expected and I wanted to hear more of it. "You're... you're my mate, aren't you?" Although it was posed as a question, I knew he wasn't really asking me, just trying to understand it himself. I nodded my head and Jungkook's eyes went towards the door that Y/N had rushed out of and I could see the wheels turning in his head. "The human in here... Y/N... is she your mate too?"
I nodded again and even though I was a little surprised that she was his mate too, I had to admit I suspected it. It wasn't completely uncommon for there to be multiple mates in a group. However, a human mate was less common, especially in a mate group, but not completely unheard of. I had figured if she was mine, she had to be his too. Even though I had been extremely jealous of Sebastian, the idea of sharing a mate with Jungkook didn't sound terrible at all. "Yes she is."
"She seems... seems pretty nice." Jungkook's words were hesitant as though he were worried to admit it. "I'm not used to humans being so caring towards me."
Hearing Jungkook's words made my heart break a little, even though I shouldn't have been surprised. Hybrid abuse was still widely prevalent, happening to hybrids all over the world. Unfortunately, it wasn't just between hybrids and humans. As a nurse in the Sanctuary, I had seen my fair share of hybrids coming in with injuries caused by other hybrids and those were the cases that hurt the worst. And even though hybrids had more rights than ever before, and free hybrids had even more, it was still a tough life to live. The fact that I still was under Y/N's protective custody was enough to prove that. However, knowing my mate had been hurt caused something in me to clench in pain. It made me think of how the hybrid last night could have easily been my mate and the though hurt my heart.
"I've known Y/N for twenty years and she's never done a mean thing to me. Well except the time she pushed me into a pile of dog shit." Jungkook's eyes narrowed at my comment and I rushed to explain the situation, not wanting to give him a false negative idea of our sweet, caring, and compassionate mate. "I deserved it though. I stole her diary and showed it to the boy she had a crush on, the boy whose name filled up her diary pages. It backfired I guess since he kissed her." I could see the darkness in Jungkook's eyes when I mentioned the kiss, something I recognized as jealousy, and I patted his arm gently, loving the feel of his warm skin under my hands. "She was only 16 so it wasn't that serious. I don't think they even really dated. That guy is long gone."
A small smile appeared on Jungkook's face and I knew our sweet mate had already found a place in his heart just as quickly as she found a place in mine. "Do... do you live together?"
"Yeah. For the last seven years or so. Right after I graduated college, we moved in together. We have an apartment not too far from here." Knowing I needed to do my job still, I walked over to the cabinet in the corner and pull out a suture kit, along with a syringe of lidocaine to numb the area first. "I'm going to fix your stitches. I'm going to numb it first, but you'll feel a pinch from the needle."
Jungkook nodded and I pulled up a chair to sit by his head then pulled on a pair of gloves. After preparing some gauze, I quickly snipped the previous stitches and mentally cursed the nurse who had done them last night. It looked like they had done them half asleep, drunk and in the dark. That's how bad they were. I pressed a piece of gauze to the area to staunch the blood that oozed out then quickly gave him a few shot of the lidocaine, not missing the hiss that escaped his pouty lips or the way his fists clenched the bed sheet beneath him. I hated the fact that I caused him any pain, but I knew it had to be done.
After giving the lidocaine a chance to kick in, I quickly redid the stitches, making sure they were tiny and neat, wanting the scar to be as small as possible. His face was so handsome that I didn't want to be the cause of disturbing that beautiful strength that was so prevalent. After I finished, I stood up, pulled off the dirty gloves, and washed my hands, tossing the bloody trash into the red bin in the corner and dropping the empty syringe from the lidocaine into the Used Sharps box hanging on the wall.
"What... what happens now?" Jungkook's question was soft and I almost missed it, but I turned around to see a concerned but hopeful look on his face.
I shrugged nonchalantly, but inside my heart was racing, worried that he was going to reject me, reject Y/N. "That all depends on you. When you are well enough to leave here, the Sanctuary can help set you up with an apartment, help you find a job, help you get back on your feet. That's option number one."
"What's option number two?"
"Well, Y/N will soon figure out that you're my mate. So when you feel ready to leave here, you move in with us. We figure out a way to tell her she's our mate and we all live happily ever after." Although I would accept whatever option Jungkook chose, my heart was begging him to want to live with us, to accept us as his mates, to want to spend his life with us.
Jungkook grinned, his two front teeth peeking through in an adorable smile that made my heart melt and my stomach erupt into butterflies. "I choose option number two."
Jungkook POV:
Ha! Happily ever after my ass! Fuck that shit! Jin's idea of happily ever after did not happen like he had said. It had been ten days since I left the sanctuary and moved in with Y/N and Jin. Just like Jin had said, Y/N had absolutely no problem with me moving in. When we said I was Jin's mate, she gave us a smile and said that of course I was welcome to live there. However, her words said one thing but her tone and tight smile said another. I hadn't said anything about it, choosing instead to keep quiet. Jin and I had agreed we were going to wait for a bit to tell Y/N about being her mates. We didn't want it to be something we sprung on her all at once. We figured we would give it a week or so then let her know what was happening.
However that time never came. I had been hired at a gym as a personal trainer and it was hard work that I loved. Jin and Y/N had both been working the day shift so it worked out nice. We all got off at roughly the same time and had dinner together then Jin and I would move to the sofa for a movie. It usually ended with us snuggled together. We had tried to get Y/N to join us for a movie but she more often than not refused, instead choosing to lock herself in her room. Jin couldn't understand what was going on, telling me that they used to do this all the time, that Y/N had always been extremely affectionate. They would cuddle all the time, even sleep in each other's beds. I was disappointed to say I saw nothing of that. In the ten days I lived there, Y/N hadn't touched me once. And as much as my body called for her, I refrained from reaching out for her, even when I wanted to.
A week after I moved in, Y/N abruptly switched her shifts, taking over the evening shift. She would be leaving the apartment as I came home, not coming in until after 1 in the morning. Jin saw her even less than I did since their shifts didn't overlap. He tried to catch her at work, but she always used needing to catch up on work as an excuse. Jin was hurt because she even switched her office. The office they had shared for the last seven years was now occupied by Jin and a male cheetah hybrid nurse that worked the day shift with Jin.
I was beginning to believe that Jin was wrong about things ending well for us. It seemed clear to me that Y/N had no interest in either one of us and it fucking hurt. One Saturday afternoon, I was snuggled up to Jin on the sofa, telling him exactly how I was feeling. Y/N had hurried out a little while ago, saying she was heading to the library for the afternoon. She had rushed out the door before we could speak, the avoidance in her manner clear.
"It's going to be okay Kookie," Jin said reassuringly as he ran a hand through my hair. "We just need to be a patient a little while longer. It's going to be a lot for her to take in and we need to make sure she is ready to hear it."
Knowing he was right, I nodded my head, twisting my fingers into his shirt. "I know. I just... I just want to tell her so we can start our life with her. I need my other mate Jinnie. I do."
Jin tipped my chin up to look at him, his dark eyes full of compassion and understanding. "Trust me. I know you do. I feel it too. We're going to figure this out." Leaning down, Jin pressed his lips to mine, the plush softness feeling incredible against my own. When he nipped my bottom lip, I opened my mouth to him and he slipped his tongue in my mouth, deepening the kiss. He had kissed me before, but never with this needy type of aggression. I could feel my cock harden beneath the thin sweats I wore and knew I wanted nothing more than for him to touch me.
As Jin continued to kiss me, he slipped a hand underneath the hem of my shirt and I moaned into his mouth at the feel of his hands on me. They were large and warm and felt so incredibly good that I couldn't help but squirm underneath him. A short gasp behind me had us breaking apart and when I turned, Y/N was standing behind us, a look of hurt on her face, the pain coming from her was so palpable that all I wanted to do was pull her in my arms and kiss her until the pain faded.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt. I-I just came back to get ready for a date." The words rushed out of her mouth and she hurried into her room, shutting the door behind her.
A date? She was going on a fucking date? NO! This could not be happening! I turned to Jin and noticed the same look of shock, anger, and jealousy that I knew was reflected on my own face. I wanted to bang on her door, demand she break the date then pin her to the bed and fuck her until she knew nothing but Jin and me. When I went to stand, Jin grabbed my arm, forcing me to sit.
"No Kookie. You can't go rushing in there. You have to remember she is human. She thinks about things a little differently than we do." Jin's voice was reassuring as he spoke and I knew deep down he was right. Hopefully this date wouldn't work out.
***
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! It was currently 12:30 AM and Jin and I were seated on the sofa, waiting for Y/N to arrive home. It had been a week since her date with the unknown stranger and she was currently out with him again, for the fourth time. Who the fuck goes on a date four times in one week? And it wasn't like she was talking to us about it. Oh no! She was still barely speaking to Jin and me. No. We had to hear about it from Sehun. Apparently after dinner the other night, Y/N and her date had gotten along so well that they agreed to meet for lunch on Tuesday then a coffee date on Thursday. Now here we were waiting for Y/N to get home from her fourth date with this fucker.
A key in the lock had us both turning towards the door as our mate stepped in, obviously trying to be quiet. When she turned to see us both on the sofa, her pretty lips parted into a perfect little O of surprise. "What... what are you doing up?"
"Waiting for you." Jin's answer was simple and to the point. "We needed to talk to you but you've gotten exceptionally good at avoiding us."
Y/N blushed and it was a dead giveaway that she was deliberately trying to stay away from us and it fucking hurt. "Um... well... I need to talk to you two anyway."
Jin's eyes widened in surprise and what looked like hope, but the tight set of Y/N 's mouth worried me and I could see right away that this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. "Okay. You first." His voice and eyes were soft as he looked at her and I could sense the love for her that flowed from him in waves.
"Okay. I... I think it's time for me to move out." Y/N's voice was soft but confident as she spoke and I could tell this was something she had been thinking about for a while. The realization of that caused my heart to plummet to my feet.
Jin sat there, mouth dropped open, his eyes wide in shock and betrayal and I was frozen, unable to move, not wanting to believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. I was the first to gain my ability to speak and the words came spilling out of me like an erupting volcano. "No! No! Please! Don't leave us. Don't leave me."
Jin jumped up and grabbed her hands, hanging onto her like a lifeline. "Why? Why are you doing this? Why do you want to leave? Why? What did we do? What did I do?"
My heart broke at the pain on my other mate's face and I could see Y/N try to subtly tug her hands free, but Jin held tightly, unwilling to give in. "Jin please understand. You and Jungkook... you need your space. You two are mates."
This was not the way we wanted her to find out about all of this, but I could see it was time. Whether she was ready or not, we needed to tell her the truth before she left us for good. I hesitated, not sure how to begin, but knowing we needed to say something before she disappeared from our lives. "You're... you're our mate too." Shit! I didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but I couldn't stop the words from spilling from my lips.
Y/N's face paled at my confession and my heart dropped to my feet. "W-what? Are... are you sure?" She stuttered through her words, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of us.
Jin squeezed her hands, his eyes full of longing and adoration as he looked at her. "Yes. I'm sure. I've known for the last ten years. I realized it when you came home for my graduation. I... I just didn't know how to tell you. I was... was afraid you would reject me, not want me."
A soft smile appeared on Y/N's lips as she studied Jin's face. "You're really sure?" When Jin nodded, Y/N turned to me, her eyes full of worry for me and how I was reacting to all of this. "But... but what about you Jungkook?"
I moved over to stand near her and reaching for her hand, needing the closeness of my mate, needing to feel her touch. "You're mine too. I've known it from the day I met you. We..." I gestured towards Jin and myself, "know it's a lot to take in, but we... we hope you can eventually love us. Because we love you so much already!"
Y/N gave us another smile and when she showed no signs of resistance, Jin pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to hers. As I watched my mates, a feeling of euphoria came over me, knowing that this was what was meant to happen. When Jin pulled back from Y/N, there was a slightly dazed look in her eyes. I moved to her side, gathering her close. "Oh my sweet little mate. You didn't forget about me, did you?"
Shaking her head, Y/N gave me a soft smile and it was all the encouragement I needed. I dropped my head down and captured her lips with mine. Her scent surrounded me and the feeling of her lips on mine were enough to cause my cock to harden in my pants. As much as my instincts were calling for me to strip her down, bury myself in her and breed her, I knew it wasn't time. This was my mate and she needed to be adored, loved, pampered. Judging by the grin on Jin's face, I knew he couldn't wait to do exactly that.