A/N: Here's the extra chapter for all the loyal readers of Stay! Hope you enjoy!
Jungkook POV:
"Come on Ben. Give me one more. One more." The polar bear hybrid seated on the weight machine lifted it once more, completing the set. When he looked up, the pride in himself was evident on his face. Ben, one of my customers, had come in wanting to strengthen himself a little. He had started out with being able to do two sets of eight but we had worked up to three sets of fifteen and the elation was clear on his face. "Nice work! See? I told you we would get you there. It just takes some time and patience."
Ben grinned. "Thanks JK. I appreciate it. I wasn't... I wasn't sure if I was ever going to be able to do the full workout, but you... you got me there."
I waved a hand in dismissal. "Nope. You got yourself there. This was all you. I just showed which steps to take."
Thanking me again, Ben ducked his head in embarrassment, happy to get done what he needed to do. "Alright JK. See you next time." I gave him a wave as he headed towards the locker room.
Stretching out my back, I groaned in relief. I love what I did, but it was definitely hard work, especially when the weights got too heavy or my clients' arms suddenly lost strength and I had to grab the weight suddenly. I tried to make sure I wasn't pushing them too hard, but sometimes it happened unexpectedly.
Ben was my last client for today so I was eager to leave. Normally I didn't leave until later, but my last client canceled due to a personal event so I was out of the gym a couple hours earlier. I had asked Jin if I could come to the sanctuary, see him, see Sehun, maybe be able to see Y/N.
After we had visited with her, things had been okay. I had texted her a couple of times asking about her day and she had responded, but her answers were polite, as well her questions about my day. I missed the way she used to be with me, sweet and affectionate, loving and gentle. She was still nice, but it was the same kind of nice that I saw her use with patients, not with me, never with me. I wanted to tell her I was sorry and that I was still so much in love with her, but I didn't know how. How do I apologize? I knew I needed to push my pride down and do what was right, but it scared me just the same.
Leaving the gym, I got in my car and drove to the sanctuary. As I parked in the lot, I tried to pull myself together. When I entered the sanctuary, the combined scent of my two mates filled my nose and I wanted to bask in it, pull them in my arms until I was covered in their scent and they were covered in mine. The bond was so strong, the pull to go to them so strong, that I didn't understand how I had been able to resist Y/N for so long. The need for her rushed over me and I wanted to kiss her, touch her then fill her with my pups.
Her scent grew stronger as I walked towards the nurse's station. She was seated at the desk and a panther hybrid I didn't recognize was leaning against it, his eyes on her. I tried to push down the wave of jealousy that swept over me, seeing another hybrid so close to my mate was not okay with me and I had to stop myself from rushing over there and yanking him away from her.
When I approached, I didn't miss the way Y/N's eyes lit up. "Hi Jungkook. I didn't... didn't know you would be here today."
Although her smile was sweet, my heart shattered a little at the way she called me by name. Once she had found out who she was to us, she had called me Kookie and I had been her Kookie. To still hear her say my name was devastating. "Um... yeah. I came to see Jin."
"Oh... well... Jinnie's in the office. You can go in if you want." Y/N's smile was sad and I couldn't help but understand why.
"Aww... my sweet little nurse. Why are you so sad?" The panther moved closer to her, his eyes gleaming.
Y/N pushed his arm gently, a grin on her face. "Don't be silly Emery. I'm... fine."
The sight of my mate touching another hybrid made me so angry, but I knew I didn't have the right to protest at the moment. I would have to earn my place back in her life and in her heart, a place I wanted so desperately that it hurt. "Can... can I see you before I leave?"
"Of course." Y/N grinned and I felt good knowing I put that smile on her face.
Giving her a final smile and a wave, I made my way down the hall towards Jin's office. The door was open and when I peeked inside, my handsome mate was sitting there, filling out papers, a frown on his face. He looked up as I entered and the frown disappeared. "Hey Kook. You made it!" Jin stood and came over to me, pulling me into a hug and kissing my lips softly.
"Yeah. I did. Who's the panther with Y/N?" I couldn't stop myself from asking the question and I knew Jin felt the same when his eyes narrowed.
"Ugh. That's Emery. He's one of my patients, but he spends more time trying to get close to Y/N than anything else. It makes me fucking crazy." Jin walked back to his desk and flopped down in the chair, crossing his arms, the agitation clear in every part of his body. "There's... just something about him that makes me uncomfortable. I hate when he's near Y/N, but I don't know what to do about it."
I sighed and went over to Jin, wrapping my arms around his shoulders from behind resting my head next to his. "I know how you feel. She was... she pushed his arm and I wanted to drag her away. The idea of him being so close to her scent, to it covering him, to have that sweet chocolate covered cherry scent on him makes me so angry and I hate it."
Jin turned his head and pecked my cheek. "I know. It's..." Jin's voice trailed off and I knew the conversation was frustrating him. "How was she when you saw her?"
Shrugging, I moved around the chair and plopped down in his lap, grinning when he let out a soft 'oof' at my weight hitting his thighs. I was the same height as Jin and several pounds heavier, but at the moment, I needed his comfort. Jin pulled me into a hug, giving me what I so desperately needed. "She was... polite, but when I told her I wanted to come see her before I left, she said... she said okay." Letting out a deep sigh, I leaned against Jin's chest. "How do I make it better?"
Kissing the top of my head, Jin hugged me tightly. "You have to apologize Kook. You hurt her and hurt her bad. You should have known from the beginning that she would never hurt you. She loves you. So much."
His words stunned me and I lifted my head to look at him. "She... she still loves me?"
Jin grinned then booped my nose. "Of course you silly otter. She never stopped loving you. Don't you remember the plans for happily ever after we had? She never stopped wanting those." Jin sighed, the sound tired and weary. "Yes she has all of us, but no one can take the place of you. No one."
I felt my heart lift at his words. Was it possible I still had a chance? Was it true that she still loved me? It seemed too good to be true, but I knew Jin would not lie to me. "Should... should I talk to her?"
Nodding his head, Jin grinned. "Yes. Tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel. You know her. She's going to take you right back into her arms." Giving me a gentle shove, I stood up, looking at him strangely. "As a matter of fact, she should be heading to her office right now for her break." Jin gave me a knowing look and I knew he was trying to tell me to go now.
Swallowing hard, I felt the nerves build up in my stomach. Was it even the right time? "Um... okay." I leaned down and kissed his lips. "I love you Jinnie and... thank you."
"No problem my little mate."
Leaving Jin's office, I looked towards the nurse's station and didn't see Y/N or the damn annoying panther. I followed her scent and ended up standing in front of her office. When I looked in, she was alone, sitting on the chair, her head leaning back and her hands rubbing her eyes. "Y/N? Are you... okay?"
Y/N looked up at my voice and her face lit up in a smile. "Jungkook? I thought you were visiting Jinnie."
Stepping into her office, I closed the door behind me. "Um... actually can I talk to you?" Y/N nodded, her eyes worried and I moved to stand in front of her desk.
"Is everything okay Jungkook?"
I sighed. "No. No it's not. I miss you. I... I fucked up." Once I started, the words wouldn't stop, spilling from my lips like an erupting volcano, like a tidal wave. "I was... was so afraid when Jiminie mentioned you not loving me anymore and I was so scared it was going to happen. I'm not blaming him because I knew better. I should have known you would never do that to me. I should have known you would never hurt me. I love you so fucking much and I want to be with you. I want to come home and sleep next to you. I... I just love you and I'm so fucking sorry for being a stupid emotional hybrid. I just... just want you to love me again." At the end of my tirade, I just sagged. I hadn't meant to spill all of that, but I just couldn't help it.
"You're not a stupid emotional hybrid." Y/N's words were soft and when I looked up at her, she had a small smile on her face. "You're a sweet, smart, amazing man who just let his fears get the better of him. I... I understand why you did it. I'm human, I know. I know I don't feel the bond like you do, but... but it doesn't mean I can't fall in love. I fell in love with you and I never stopped loving you."
The scent of chocolate covered cherries grew stronger and when I looked up, my mate was standing directly in front of me. Reacting purely on instinct, I yanked her forward into my arms, letting her scent envelop me for the first time since this whole mess began. "I... I love you so much. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Unable to stop the tears, I let them fall as I sobbed into her shoulder. "Please. Please forgive me."
Y/N's arms wrapped around mea and held me close. "Aww my sweet Kookie. It's going to be okay. We're... we're going to figure this all out."
The sound of my name, the name she called me, had my heart filling up with so much love and so much hope that it threatened to drown me. Leaning back, I studied her face, the sincerity of her words clear in her beautiful eyes. "I love you so much. So much that it kills me to be away from you."
I couldn't stop the grin that crossed my face when Y/N leaned in and kissed my nose, saying the words that made me believe everything would be okay. "I love you too my Kookie."
Hoseok POV:
"Alright Jiminie. I'm heading out." Jimin came hurrying over as I called his name, wrapping me in a hug and pecking my lips. After they had come over to the house, I had seen a huge change in Jimin. He was happier and usually had a big smile on his face. I didn't want to be the one that says I told you so, but I knew it was because of his interactions with Y/N. He was slowly getting closer to his human mate, realizing he had been wrong about her from the beginning, realizing she wasn't the monster he believed her to be.
Keeping his arms around me, Jimin leaned back a little. "Where are you going after this? Kook and Tae are working late. Do... do you want to go get a coffee?" His eyes were hopeful and I couldn't help but grin at him.
"Well I'm meeting Jin, Yoongi, and Joon for dinner. How about you join us?" They had an incoming hybrid at the sanctuary, one that was said to be a little hostile and Sehun had asked Y/N if she would stay since she had the best beside manner when it came to working with hostile hybrids.
Jimin hesitated, his eyes worried and unsure. "Will they be okay with it?" Even though things were getting better, I could sense Jimin's uneasiness.
Pulling him close, I kissed his plump lips, giving him the reassurance he needed. "Of course. You're out mate silly. We love spending time with you. You should know this by now."
His grin returning, Jimin nodded. "Okay. I would like that. Are we meeting Jin at the sanctuary?" I knew Jimin was asking that question not because of Jin, but because he wanted to see Y/N. Just like the rest of us, Jimin had fallen for her, whether he wanted to admit it to himself or not.
"Yes my little mate and Y/N will still be there too since she is working late with Sehun." Jimin's eyes narrowed a fraction at my words and I could tell the mention of Sehun bothered him.
"I... I wasn't... I mean... I..." His words trailed off as his cheeks turned red and I wanted to tease him about his bashfulness but then he changed he subject. "Why... why are Y/N and Sehun so close? They seem way closer than friends."
I could hear the hint of jealousy in Jimin's voice and I knew he needed to know the truth about Sehun and Y/N's relationship, but I couldn't do it. "Um... if you want to know about their relationship, you need to talk to Y/N. She'll tell you, but it's a little more complicated than you think it might be."
"He's not... not going to take her from us, is he?" The anxiety was clear in his face, in the tension in his small frame. "I... I just don't want to lose her before I can even get her to love me."
"Aww little mate. Don't you worry about that." I hugged him close to me, wanting to erase the fears and uncertainty I saw in his face. "Our mate is exceedingly loyal. It's going to be okay." I didn't miss the way he said he wants her to love him, but I didn't bring it up either.
Jimin nodded and I knew my words had comforted him, at least a small bit. However, I knew the trust was going to be something that needed to be built up even more between them. From the love that flickered in Jimin's eyes when he spoke about her, I knew it was something that he would work on.
Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Jimin and I left the studio, driving the short distance to the sanctuary. As we drove, he talked about how excited he was for the Fine Arts Festival coming up. It was something his group had been working hard for and even though he hadn't been at the studio very long, it was clear he was talented. Very talented. It made me wonder why he hadn't tried to dance professionally, but then I realized why. Although it was better now, the number of hybrid dancers in professional groups was still very limited.
When we walked into the sanctuary, the scent of my mates immediately filled my nose and I took a deep breath, letting it fill me, letting it soothe me. I could see Jimin doing the same next to me and when he caught the scent of Y/N, I could see the love and a little bit of lust fill his eyes. It was clear he loved all of his mates, but there is something about a female mate that calls specifically to you and it was definitely calling to him.
I didn't see Jin right away, but Y/N was standing next to Sehun, her eyes happy and her lips turned up in a soft smile. When she caught sight of me, her eyes brightened even further. "Hobi!" My heart fluttered as she called my name, the sheer elation in her tone clear.
Jimin stepped out from behind me, almost hesitantly. "Um... hi Y/N."
Y/N's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected sight of Jimin, but they turned soft as she smiled at him. "Hi Jimin. Are you here to see Jinnie?"
"And you." His words came out automatically and I felt my heart flip at the sweet interaction between the two. It was clear that Jimin was ecstatic as she said his name, as she spoke to him so kindly, as she smiled at him.
Y/N blushed and I went to comment on it, but a panther hybrid appeared behind her, one I didn't recognize. I could see the uncertainty on Sehun's face as he approached and I could sense he wanted to pull her away and protect her, the urge to protect her overcoming his need to be nice to a patient. "Nurse Y/N? Can I talk to you?"
Sehun went to protest, but Y/N reached over and squeezed his hand, a gesture that made Jimin's eyes narrow out of jealousy. I knew the familiarity between the two bothered him and I wanted to explain the situation, but it wasn't my story to tell. "Sure Emery. We can go right over there."
Y/N gestured for Emery to follow her and I couldn't help but wander closer, needing to know why this panther wanted to talk to my mate. As soon as they were far enough away, Emery touched her arm gently. "So... umm... You know how hybrids have mates right?" Y/N nodded and my stomach clenched, not liking where this conversation was going. "I wanted to tell you that you're my mate."
I looked over at Jimin and I could see the same surprise mirrored in his face. There was no way at all that this could be true. If he were her mate then he would be mine too. I could not catch a scent from him so I knew he wasn't telling the truth.
"Are you sure?" Y/N asked.
Emery nodded, his eyes filled with something I couldn't understand. "Yes I'm sure. Every time you come into a room all I can smell is chocolate covered cherries."
My mouth dropped open in surprise. Could it really be true? How would he know her scent if he wasn't her mate? The only way he could know that she smells like chocolate covered cherries is if he was her mate. How could it be he is hers but not mine?
Jimin turned to me his eyes worried and his full lips turn downed in a pout. "Is this true? Can you smell him?" I shook my head and Jimin's eyes hardened.
I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. There is something definitely wrong here. As part of a mate group, we would all be mated together. This panther saying he was her mate? It had to be a lie. How he knew her scent I didn't know, but I was going to find out.
"Hey Y/N." I move to her side, wanting to establish my place and make sure this panther knew who he was dealing with, and put my arm around her. "What's going on?"
Emery's eyes glared at me as I spoke and I knew right away that he was lying. "Um... Emery said I am his mate." She looked at me trying to figure out if this was all true.
"Oh? Is that so? Interesting." I turned my attention to Emery. "Hi. I'm Hoseok. I'm one of her mates. This is Jimin. He's another one. So is Jin and we have four others at home." Narrowing my eyes, I focused on the panther in front of me. "It's funny, though, but I can't smell you. Like I can for every other single hybrid in our mate group."
"I'm not sure about it. All I know is I can smell her." Emery looked over at Y/N. "And she smells like the sweetest dessert ever."
Y/N flushed at his words and she ducked her head. The sight of this other hybrid making my mate react so cutely pissed me off and I wanted nothing more than to punch him in his handsome face. "Well, I... I need to talk to Sehunnie and Jinnie about this since I really... really don't understand it all." I felt a sigh of relief at her words when I realized she wasn't just going to take this hybrid at his words.
Unfortunately, Emery wasn't having any of it. His tail reached out and wrapped around her wrist and I wanted to rip the damn thing off. How dare this fucking panther touch my mate so sensually? Who the fuck did he think he was? "Don't you trust me Y/N?" His lips turned down and I watched Y/N falter, not wanting to hurt the panther's feelings.
"It's not that Emery. I just... there's a whole group of people to think about. I need to talk to all of them first." Y/N's voice was firm but soft as she attempted to pull away from him.
Emery sighed and released her. "It's... it's okay. I understand." He looked down, his eyes sad. "I... um... I was just so happy to find you that I guessed I moved too quickly."
Y/N pulled him into a hug and I had to stop the growl that threatened to spill from my throat. "Aww Emery. Don't be sad. I just... I need to figure this all out, okay?"
Grinning at me over her shoulder, Emery nodded, his arms coming to wrap around her and pull her close, his nose nuzzling into her neck. "Thank you for being so kind. I always wished my mate would be sweet and you are... you are perfect."
Y/N pinched his cheek then released him. "You're too sweet." Turning to me, she gave me a hug then kissed my cheek. "I'm going to go talk to Sehun. I'll send... send Jin out." Y/N hesitated then reached up and stroked one of Jimin's ears and I watched the rabbit melt into the touch. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"
Jimin nodded and I watched the emotions play across his face. "Okay." With a moment's hesitation, Jimin reached forward and pulled Y/N into a hug, nuzzling his nose into her neck, a clear sign of love and affection. He was covering himself in her scent and I recognized the action immediately.
Giving us both a final wave, Y/N turned to leave. We watched her walk down the hall and when I turned my attention to Emery, he had a smug smile on his face that I wanted to punch off. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but cut the shit. She's not your fucking mate." I couldn't stop the snarl that accompanied my words, but Emery just smiled at me.
"If she wasn't my mate, how would I know her scent?" Emery cocked an eyebrow at me and I clenched my fists, not knowing how to argue it.
"We don't know how you know her scent, but we're not fucking stupid." Jimin's voice was soft but filled with fury and I knew he would do whatever necessary to protect our mate.
Emery just shrugged, unbothered. "I don't know what you're talking about. What? Are you afraid I'm going to take your human mate? She's so pretty, isn't she? I can just imagine how beautiful she would be filled with my cubs, but that's a thought for another time. See you guys later!" With a last smug grin, Emery sauntered down the hallway, whistling to himself.
As he left, Jimin turned to me, his eyes filled with concern and the agitation causing a frown to appear on his beautiful face. "He's not really her mate, is he?"
I shook my head. "No. There's no... there's no way. We'll... we'll figure it out. Let's go talk to Jin." Nodding, Jimin reached out and I took his hand, not missing his sigh of relief as my tail wrapped around his wrist, a silent display of comfort. We would figure this out. If this panther thought he could come in and steal my mate, steal our mate, he had no idea who he was dealing with. And I was only too happy to show him.