Y/N POV:
After leaving Namjoon with Jin, I went down the hall to see Hoseok. The sweet fox was being released this evening and I wanted to see how he was feeling about everything. He said he didn't want to live alone, but I wanted to make sure he was completely okay with moving in with Jungkook, Jin and me. I knocked on the door to his room, smiling when I heard his eager voice telling me to come in. When I walked in, he was sitting up in the bed, a bright smile on his handsome face. "Hey Hobi. How are you feeling?"
Hoseok grinned, his face filled with excitement. "I'm feeling great. Is... is it true that I get to be released today?"
I nodded. "It sure is. Jin is going to take you home when he leaves and I'll be there later tonight." Hoseok had met Jin the day before so I knew he was comfortable enough to go with him. I had actually been surprised that Jin was so easily willing to let Hoseok live with us. I knew my mates were possessive and the fact that they were letting an unmated male hybrid live with us was strange. Unless... No! But could it be? I studied Hoseok for a moment, not sure how to ask the question without sounding weird.
Hoseok must have caught the look on my face because he started picking at the edge of the sheet, refusing to make eye contact. He kept looking at me then his eyes would dart away, seemingly worried about what I was going to say to him.
"Hobi? Is there something you want to tell me? Something I should know?" Hoseok shook his head and I went over to him, touching his hand gently before running a hand through his silky hair. "Are you sure sweet boy?"
Hoseok sighed then nodded. "Um... Y/N? I... I wanted to tell you... um..." Hoseok's words trailed off, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red. "YouremymatebutIwasafraidtotellyou."
I stroked a fuzzy ear, trying to calm the anxious hybrid. "Okay sweet boy. Let's try that again. But please calm down."
"Y/N? You're my mate but I was afraid to tell you." This time Hoseok's words were calm, a little shaky, but calm.
Nodding my head, I gave him a soft smile. "I kind of figured as much."
Hoseok looked at me in surprise. "What... what do you mean?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Jin can be a little possessive. I figured I was your mate when he agreed to let you move in." I patted Hoseok's hand before moving over to sit down in the chair next to the bed. "I was almost positive when he brought Kookie in to meet you. That's when I figured you were theirs too."
"Why don't you seem like it bothers you?" Hoseok's eyes were filled with confusion.
"Why would it bother me?" I squeezed Hoseok's hand, trying to lend him any bit of comfort.
"You're mated to a hybrid."
"So?"
"So you're a human and mated to a hybrid."
I stood up, releasing Hoseok's hand and pacing back and forth across the room. "Hobi, I know. I know who I am to you and I'm happy about it. Why would it bother me? Unless of course you... you don't want me. I know that hybrids can reject their mates." I couldn't stop the pang of worry that flashed through me.
"Why would I do that? Why would I reject you? How could I not want you? Who could be dumb enough to reject you?" Hoseok's voice grew higher in pitch as his questions spilled out.
I sighed, knowing he probably already knew about Jimin. "Um... someone already did. There are two other hybrids here and I'm sure they're your mates too." Namjoon suddenly came into my mind. "You can smell the other hybrid here too, can't you?"
Hoseok nodded his head bashfully. "Um... yeah. I could sense him as soon as he walked in. He's your mate too, isn't he?"
"Yeah. He said he is. Is that how it works? Everyone mated together?" Although I had studied hybrids and mates, this was one thing that was never really talked about.
"Yeah. In a mate group, everyone is mated together. If they're your mates then they're mine too."
I stood there in silence for a moment, wondering how this was all going to work out. Clearly if Hoseok was mated to me then he was also mates with Jimin and Taehyung. Those two had made it perfectly clear that they wanted nothing to do with me. I had been avoiding them and had not seen them since the day Jimin was so harsh with me. I knew it was best to stay away from them.
However, now with Hoseok and Namjoon in the mix, I knew things were going to be a little bit different. What would Hoseok and Namjoon decide to do? What about Jin? I already knew what Jungkook was going to do. Ever since Jimin and Taehyung had arrived, I could sense Jungkook pulling away from me. He hadn't climbed into my bed in three days and it hurt more than I wanted to admit. He had stolen a piece of my heart so quickly and now it was clear he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. I wasn't sure what I did, but I wasn't going to force him to be with me either. If he wanted to leave, I would wish him well and be happy for him. Even if it fucking hurt.
"Please stop thinking so negatively. Please. I'm not going anywhere. I want to live with you even if Jimin and Tae don't. I fully accept you as my mate. Please believe me." Hoseok's words were tense and his eyes were filled with worry when I turned my gaze to him.
"But I'm a human Hobi." I couldn't help how sad the words sounded, couldn't stop the pain that filled my voice.
Hoseok grabbed my hand as I paced near his bed. "And that doesn't matter to me. You've been nicer to me than most anyone I've ever met, human or hybrid. It doesn't matter if your other mates decide they don't want you. I will love you enough for all of them. I promise you. You trusted me when you didn't have to so please trust me now."
Nodding my head, I gave Hoseok a tentative smile. His words sounded so sincere and I couldn't help but put my faith in the handsome hybrid. "Okay Hobi."
A knock on the door had us both turning to see Jin standing in the open doorway, a grin on his face. "I take it you told her?"
Hoseok nodded. "She knew anyway. What hybrid would let an unmated hybrid come and live with him and his mates?"
Jin nodded. "True. I didn't even think about that." He turned to me, a grin on his handsome face. "I overheard your conversation with Hobi. He's right Y/N. It doesn't matter to us if you're a human or hybrid. We accept you as our mate and I'm definitely not letting you go. And from the sounds of it? Neither is Joon. He wants you too."
I couldn't help but feel a bit silly at how selfish I had been. I was lucky enough to have Namjoon, Jin, and Hoseok. If the other three didn't want me then there was nothing I could do about it. Did it fucking hurt? Of course it did, especially considering I had feelings for Jungkook, but I wasn't going to force him to be with me.
The man in question stepped through the door, a hesitant smile on his face. I turned, giving him a small smile. "Hi Jungkook. I wasn't expecting to see you here."
Jungkook shrugged. "I figured I would go with Jin to take Hobi home."
I nodded in response, noticing he was uncomfortable with me there. Giving Hoseok a quick peck on the cheek, I ruffled his fuzzy ears. "I've got to get to work. Have fun settling in and I'll see you in the morning." I turned to Jin and gave him a hug, pecking his lips in a quick kiss. "Be nice to Hobi, okay?" I ran a hand through his silky hair, grinning when he leaned into my touch. Not wanting to make Jungkook any more uncomfortable, I settled for giving him a smile and a wave. "Um... see you Jungkook." He said nothing and just nodded, so I hurried out of the room before my heart could break any further.
Jungkook POV:
As soon as Y/N left the room, I knew I fucked everything up and fucked it up completely. It was the first time I heard her call me Jungkook and not Kookie since we first told her we were her mates. And the easy affection she showed me was gone. I could feel my heart breaking as she gave both Jin and Hoseok kisses but left me with only a wave and that polite smile she used on patients. I knew it was my entire fault. After Jimin put the idea of her eventually not wanting me in my head, I slowly began to pull away from her. I wanted to sever the bond we had built so she couldn't do it and it was clear now that it was a big fucking success.
I looked over at Jin, but he said nothing. He told me before that he refused to get in the middle of whatever was going on with Y/N and I, that it wouldn't change anything with him and me, but he refused to choose between us. I couldn't say I blamed him since they had known each other for twenty years. A bond like that is hard to break, whether it's hybrid or human. I wanted to ask him now how to fix things with her, but it was clear by the look on his face that I was on my own when it came to Y/N.
Hoseok avoided my glance too and I could see he was disappointed in me. Jin had told me about Hoseok's experience with the hybrids coming into the sanctuary and how Y/N was the one who helped him, the one who calmed him down, the one who protected him from other hybrids. It was just another example of how sweet and caring she was. She didn't see him as hostile; she saw him as scared. I had wanted to talk to Jimin about at least getting to know her, but it was clear he had absolutely no interest in her, no interest in forming a bond with her so I just decided to leave it alone, not wanting to put a strain on the new bond.
Jin turned to Hoseok, giving him a grin, his face filled with enthusiasm. "You ready to go home?"
Hoseok nodded, the excitement clear in his pretty eyes at hearing the word home. "I sure am." Hoseok's smile dropped as a look of confusion suddenly came across his face. "Where... where will I sleep? Y/N says the apartment has two bedrooms."
"Um... this is something I talked to Y/N about earlier. I'm going to move into the bedroom with her and you can share with Jungkook for now. The bedroom Jungkook and I have has two beds so it will give you some of your own space." Jin tucked his hands in his pockets as he explained the new sleeping arrangements and I could see his reluctance in his voice.
What? This is the first I'm hearing about this! What the fuck? Why does Jin get to sleep with her and not me? I couldn't stop the feeling of jealousy that washed over me, but knew it was my fault. I had pushed her so far away from me that when it came time to change rooms, me moving in with her wasn't even an option.
Hoseok pouted a bit and I could see he wasn't entirely pleased with the option. "Do I get to sleep with her at all?"
Jin laughed at Hoseok's question. "One thing you will learn quickly about Y/N is that she loves to snuggle. She doesn't mind who climbs in her bed. Kookie... Kookie used to almost every night and she never minded." His last words came out soft and I knew he didn't mean to share that tidbit of information.
Jin's words felt like a knife to the heart, but I knew it was true. I had gotten in bed with her almost every night when she came home from work. I would climb in behind her and pull her into my chest, feeling the love wash over me when she would give me a kiss before falling asleep in my arms. There was never a single time when she asked me to go back to my own bed, never a time when she refused me. Just gave me an indulgent smile and cuddled in close.
Turning to me, Hoseok studied me for a second. "Jimin said you're going to move in with him and Taehyung. Is that true?"
Knowing the topic was sensitive between Jin and me, I just simply nodded, not really wanting to talk about it. I didn't miss the hurt in Jin's eyes, but he said nothing. It was something we had talked about, but I knew we would never agree on. He said nothing would change between us, but I was worried it already would. He was still just as affectionate with me as before, never pushing me away like I did to Y/N, but the worry was there in the back of my mind. Would he eventually decide he didn't need me anymore? He had Hoseok, Y/N and this Joon guy he told me about when he called. Would he really still want me too? Would any of them?
Jin sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "I know what you're thinking Kookie. Stop. No matter what you decide, you're still my mate, still our mate. That's not going to change. I still love you no matter what. I don't have to like your decisions, but I will support you." Jin grinned when I threw myself in his arms, hugging me tightly. "Hobi, Joon and I will come and visit you so don't worry about it."
He didn't mention Y/N and I couldn't stop the flood of hurt that flowed over me like a tidal wave, one that threatened to drown me. I knew Jin was going to do whatever he could to protect Y/N, even if it meant keeping her away from me. The thought of losing my human mate hurt and fucking hurt bad, but I just couldn't seem to push Jimin's words from my mind. He had put the thought into my head about her eventually leaving me and I just couldn't stop thinking about it.
I stayed there for a moment, wrapped in Jin's arms as he talked to Hoseok about the apartment we all shared. He mentioned some of Y/N's cute little habits and I couldn't help but smile sadly, knowing soon I would no longer be able to see those things: her messy bed head on Saturday mornings, the way she would wiggle in her chair in excitement when Jin made her waffles on Sundays, the sleepy smile she would give me when I kissed her in the middle of the night, the way she kept trying to bring stray kittens home, even though the apartment had a no animal policy, the way she would shut off her alarm and snuggle deeper into the blankets, wanting just five more minutes.
As he spoke, the smell of raspberry sherbet filled my nose and I turned to see a handsome man with peach colored hair, fuzzy ears, a fluffy tail, and beautiful dimples standing behind me. I knew right away this was the mate Jin was telling me about. The man hesitated as he stepped into the room. "Um... sorry to interrupt, but... I could s-smell all of your scents from down the hall."
Jin grinned and waved him into the room, releasing me. "You're not interrupting at all. Joon, this is Hobi and Kookie." He pointed to the two of us. "I was hoping to introduce you to Hobi before we left."
Namjoon's smile dropped. "Left?"
Nodding his head, Jin gestured towards Hoseok. "Hobi here is moving in with Y/N, Kookie and me."
"You all live together?" I could see the envy in Namjoon's eyes and knew it was only a matter of time before he wanted to join them.
"Yes. Y/N and I have shared an apartment for the last seven years. Kookie moved in a few weeks ago and Hobi is joining us today." Jin rubbed his chin in thought. "However, since the lease is coming up on the apartment, it might be time to start looking for a place for the four of us."
I went to correct Jin and say five, but realized he wasn't including me in the count and it hurt more than I wanted to admit. I hadn't even moved out yet and he was already making plans without me. I tried to remind myself that this is what I wanted, but part of me kept whispering "liar."
At Jin's words, the smile reappeared on Namjoon's face. "Do you think... think Y/N would want that? Would she want me to live with her?"
Jin nodded, a bright smile on his face. "Of course she would. She invited Hobi to live with us before she even found out she was his mate. Why don't you come over this weekend and we can talk about it with Y/N?" At the words weekend, I could see the disappointment in Namjoon's eyes and knew he was hoping for it to happen sooner. Jin must have noticed the same thing because he gestured towards himself, Hoseok and me. "We're taking Hobi home. Why don't you join us? We can order some food and get to know each other?"
Namjoon nodded excitedly, making us all grin in return. I was more than happy with Jin's idea. It would give me a chance to feel like I was still part of their group, make me feel like I hadn't completely fucked everything up.