The fireplace inside the grand hall of Tierkrieger Isness had been lit and was roaring, emanating heat throughout the large room. Paintings depicting the history of the werewolves hung in heavy gilded frames that reached from floor to ceiling. Four heavy chandeliers lined the ceiling, beaming soft lighting to the stone floors.
Aydan pulled some large wing-backed chairs over to the fireplace. Afterwards, he helped Taehyung with getting Jungkook seated and comfortable before he went to ready their rooms.
Jungkook eased down into the red velvet chair and sighed in relief. The ride over had been a bit bumpy while passing over the more rural roads. It jostled his wounds and made him long for a seat that wasn't moving,
Jaci sat at his knee, keeping her eyes focused on him, seeming to assess his well-being for herself. Jungkook's mouth pulled upwards at the corners and he reached a hand over to card his fingers through her thick fur.
"You don't need to worry. I'm healing. I'll be fine, as long as I have you at my side."
"I can't rest. I'm worried."
"Don't worry. I'll be fully healed in no time. And I will always protect you."
"I think you are the one who needs the protecting."
"Touché. But it would hurt my manly pride."
"Psssh. Pride be hanged. I will always protect my mate."
Jungkook chuckled and it caused Sunny and Taehyung to pause.
"They're doing that thing again, aren't they?" muttered Taehyung with a scowl.
"I happen to think it's sweet," smiled Sunny, reaching her hand across the gap between their chairs to hold onto her husband's hand.
"Yes, well, I feel left out," grumbled Taehyung.
"Hyung, green isn't a good color on you," said Jungkook, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
Jaci turned her large head and looked at Taehyung smugly, rumbling a low sound that resembled a laugh.
Taehyung rolled his eyes and lifted Sunny's hand to his lips. "Kids," he murmured against her cold skin.
Sunny laughed softly and shook her head. She settled down into her chair, the fire making her feel a bit sleepy. Not necessarily because of the warmth, but because of the rhythmic dancing of the flames. She was soon woken from her drowsiness as Ayden returned, his brown dress shoes clipping across the floor.
"I've readied several rooms upstairs. I chose rooms that were on all sides of the castle so we can be aware of what's coming, even though it's rather too dark to see, I'm afraid." He walked over to Jaci and laid a set of clothes on the arm of Jungkook's chair.
"I brought you something to change into. I'm sure you do not wish to remain in this form for the duration." He smiled kindly and walked back towards the door. "Now, if you would all please follow me."
***
Jaci felt relieved to be on two legs again. Shifting into her wolf form was traumatic at first, and while she enjoyed her intimidating presence, she felt useless to Jungkook. He needed human hands and feet to help him right now. Not a clumsy wolf.
She smoothed out the creases in the fleece shirt and matching pants. They had little owls and foxes on a baby blue background. They were adorably whimsical and Jaci wondered how they had ended up here in the first place, but it was not time to look a gift horse in the mouth. Giving herself a once over in the mirror of the bathroom, she turned the handle of the door and walked out into the impressively large bedroom.
A massive four poster bed sat against the middle of the far wall, complete with a royal blue canopy atop the four intricately carved posts. At the base of each post was a very detailed carving of a wolf. Each seemed to be a different individual, but all had a stately manner about them and a regal look in their eyes.
Jaci was not trying to focus on the ornate details of the room, but instead, focus on the man laying on the left side of the bed. She walked over and gingerly lowered herself down into a seated position beside him.
He was awake, and his eyes never left her as she approached him and sat down. His hand reached out and grasped hers, holding it tenderly but tightly, as if his life depended on her. And it very well did.
"How are you feeling?" Jaci said softly.
Bright, dark brown eyes looked back into her own and a smile greeted her in reply. "I'm doing better, actually. I can feel my body mending itself as we speak."
Jaci's nose crinkled. "That sounds terrible."
Jungkook laughed, but winced as his chest shook too much. "Don't make me laugh," he whined.
Jaci giggled and held his hand tighter in her own. "I've been worried about you."
Jungkook's demeanor sobered and he looked at her thoughtfully. "You never need to worry, even though it's nice to be worried over. I'm strong. A little poison and a gaping wound can't keep me down."
Jaci smiled gently and looked down at their clasped hands nestled together in her lap. "I sure hope not. In my head it seems crazy to think this, but I honestly don't know how I would live on without you now. Please be careful with your life. I... I need you," she finished, her words trailing off into a faint whisper.
Jungkook grunted as he struggled to sit up, but he managed without too much pain. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against Jaci's temple. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent which had changed into something quite pleasant to his senses. A mix of vanilla and ginger. It gave him comfort and livened up his senses.
"You smell delicious," he whispered with a smile.
"I do?" she questioned. "I can't smell anything but you right now."
"And what do you smell?" he said, pulling back to observe her side profile. He grinned as her cheeks took in a rosy hue. It was adorable.
"Pine... Rain..."
"Are you saying I smell like a wet dog?" teased Jungkook.
Jaci shook her head and giggled. It was like music to Jungkook's ears.
"No, more like a forest that's just had a warm spring rain. It's fresh, crisp even. It's just...really nice."
"Hm, I smell really nice. Can't say I've ever been told that before."
Jaci looked over at him from under her eyelashes. "I happen to think it's very nice."
"Well, I'm glad you think so. Do you wanna know what you smell like to me?"
Jaci looked back down at her lap and slid the tip of her tongue out to moisten her lips. "Is it... bad?"
"Of course not. I already told you that you smell delicious," he said with a laugh.
"Delicious? That's usually reserved for food."
"Mmhm. You smell like vanilla and ginger to me. It's the right combination of warmth and life. I wish I could bottle it up and keep it on me at all times."
His eyes took in a serious look and Jaci found herself pinned to her seat by them.
"So, you're saying you want to eat me?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent.
Jungkook laughed and groaned as it caused his chest some pain. "You're too good for this world, Jaci," he said, laying back against the satiny blue pillows. "And even though I want to make a few jokes about this, for the sake of your dignity, I won't."
Jaci blushed. "I'll just assume you like my scent."
"And you would be correct, but only partially. I do like your scent, but not only that, I absolutely love your scent."
"Is this a mate thing?" she asked softly.
"I think so," he replied.
Jaci nodded her head slowly and looked out across the large room. "This place is kind of cool and yet creepy all at the same time. Don't you think?"
Jungkook hummed. "I must confess I wonder how Zephyr acquired it and kept it so meticulously."
"I think Aydan probably has a hand in the upkeep," laughed Jaci.
"I think you're right," said Jungkook with a grin. "Do you have to go back to your room?"
Jaci turned her head and smiled softly. "Yes. You need your rest."
"But remember, I heal faster if you're next to me," he pouted.
Jaci rolled her eyes and giggled. "Okay, fine. I'll stay. I'm actually very tired and this bed feels too nice to make the effort to get out of it."
"That's the spirit!"
"Oh shush," she laughed.
Jaci settled down under the top blanket, letting the others keep a barrier between her and Jungkook. She rolled onto her side facing him, folding her arm up under her head.
Jungkook turned his head towards her, admiring how beautiful his mate was in both forms. "Today, when you shifted, I was amazed at how beautiful you really were. I mean, I know I saw your wolf in whatever limbo world we were in, but to see it in person and feel your fur under my hands... I can't describe how it felt and how beautiful you were."
Jaci blushed, a shy smile spreading across her face. "She is very beautiful."
Jungkook frowned. "She is you, Jaci. You two are one. You are her and she is you. Your wolf may have its own voice and opinions, but you are both the same being. Never forget that."
Jaci noted how passionately he had just spoken, and she took his words and filed them away under important things she should never forget. "I won't. I promise. It's just hard to wrap my head around the fact I can become such an amazing creature, and then turn back into this," she said, waving her free arm over her form.
"It is amazing. But you never cease to amaze me, Jaci," he said, his voice soft and tender.
Jaci found herself drowning in his dark eyes and at that moment, she could think of no better way to go.
***
"I suggest you open this door now," growled Zephyr.
"Why would I open the door to someone who clearly wishes to kill me?" said Jiho quickly.
Zephyr had had enough. With all the strength he had, he shoved the door and it slammed backward, smashing Jiho behind it.
"Oof," she grunted.
"I told you to open it," he growled as he passed the door and stalked into the apartment.
With his hands planted on his hips, he turned and faced her, his eyes blazing like fire. "You aren't just some pathetic halfbreed, you're also a lowlife scum of a snitch!"
Jiho had shut the front door and fearfully walked back into the apartment. "A girl has to do what she can to survive."
"Oh, you make it sound so honorable," sneered Zephyr. "I just had to make myself look like some weasley coward in front of God and everyone, just to come here. No, madam, you will not make your life out to be something honorable. I always knew you were working in the shadows, but I never imagined you were a snitch for the Society."
Jiho stood up to her full height and folded her arms across her chest. "Surprise," she said sarcastically.
Zephyr dropped his head back and sucked in a long breath. "Stop being flippant. I just spent my evening trying to save a wolf's life because your little friends decided to play dirty. You do not get to be flippant."
Jiho blinked and his words gave her pause. "All I did was give them the location, I had nothing to do with what they did after that."
Zephyr stared at her incredulously. "Nothing to do with it?! It's all your fault!"
"I had no choice!"
"You had every choice!"
"You don't understand. They will kill me if I don't do what they ask."
Zephyr laughed darkly. Turning his body to face Jiho, his fingers slowly sprouted his claws. "I don't think you have to worry about that anymore."
Jiho backed up a few steps, her own claws growing from her fingers, her vampire fangs now protruding from under her upper lip. "You may be a full-blooded werewolf, but I have the best of both worlds."
Zephyr smirked and poised himself for battle. "Yes, but at least I don't have a guilty conscience weighing me down."
"No? I find that hard to believe coming from you," snarled Jiho. "Wolves like you don't live with consistent integrity."
Zephyr snickered as she circled the room, her red eyes never leaving him. "Sounds like you've done more than just snitch for the Society. You've become indoctrinated by them. Let's stop with the chatter, half-breed. I have important matters to attend to after I'm finished with you."
And with that, a bloody fight commenced.
***
"Master?" Aydan opened the locked back entrance door and was surprised to see Zephyr standing on the other side.
"Nice to know you doubt me," deadpanned Zephyr. He pushed past Aydan and into the castle kitchen. He trudged over to the sink and turned on the warm water, submerging his blood covered hands into it.
"May I ask what happened?" Aydan asked hesitantly.
Zephyr shook his hands off in the sink and grabbed a towel hanging on a hook nearby. "I took care of a problem."
Aydan looked perplexed when Zephyr turned to face him. "I'm very sorry for doubting you."
Zephyr cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. "It just means my act was believable, Aydan. Don't feel too awful about it. How are our guests? Tucked in for the night, I hope?"
Aydan cleared his throat and stood straight. "Yes, I made arrangements... after you left. Jungkook is growing stronger by the second."
"Good," sighed Zephyr, leaning back against the sink counter. "I'm going to get some rest. I suggest you do so also as our enemies will strike any moment. Call in some of the pack to help patrol the grounds while we sleep. Hopefully, those Society idiots will have the common decency to wait until morning to come and correct their mistakes."
***
Jungkook slowly opened his eyes and looked around the unfamiliar room for a moment. Once he remembered where he was, he relaxed back into the pillows and sighed. His chest felt better. In the dim light of the early morning, he could see the wound was fully closed now, still pink and puckered around some edges. Truth be told, he felt like a brand new wolf.
His head turned to his left and he saw Jaci, sleeping peacefully beside him, her knees pulled up, one arm folded under head. He couldn't help but smile. She had stuck by him throughout his healing, even coming to his defense from the assassins when they tried to finish him off a second time. He slowly rolled over onto his side to face her, being careful not to wake her up.
She was bathed in the blue light of the dawn and he casually thought about how blue looked good on her, just like it did in her eyes when she shifted. Her dark brown hair was spread over her shoulders and he reached over and picked up a lock of it. It was soft, like he imagined it to be. But something was different about it. He looked closer and the hair coming from behind her ear was as white as fresh snow.
His eyes widened and he found himself leaning closer to get a better look. A gasp and a pair of eyes greeted him, making him slowly shrink back.
"What are you doing?" Jaci murmured, looking at him suspiciously.
Jungkook's eyes cut to the side and he leaned his head to the side. "Not being a creep, I assure you."
Jaci grinned and rolled onto her back, stretching out her arms and legs with a groan. "I'm going to assume you were being a creep."
Jungkook gasped in shock and sat up. "I really wasn't!"
Jaci laughed at his strong protest. "I'm kidding. I have to admit I would probably be doing the same thing if you were asleep and I was awake."
Jungkook watched her cheeks flame a bright pink and it caused a playful smile to spread across his face. "Oh really?"
Jaci rolled back onto her side and grinned up at him. "I mean, do you have any idea how handsome you are? How would I be able to stop myself?"
It was Jungkook's turn to blush and he slid back down onto his pillows, facing his mate. "I would hope that you wouldn't," he said softly.
"I probably wouldn't be able to, even if I tried," Jaci replied.
"I look forward to that," smiled Jungkook.
Jaci laughed shyly and leaned her head closer to him. Jungkook met her and their foreheads connected. Warmth seeped one into the other and the close proximity along with the physical connection caused their wolves to sigh with utter bliss.
Jungkook's eyes were closed as he breathed in a tantalizing wave of vanilla and ginger. He interpreted that increase in scent as Jaci enjoying their closeness. He would understand if she did, because it also calmed and relaxed him.
Jaci was enjoying the scent of her mate as well, remembering the pines from Blood Mountain and the snow that covered Taehyung's side of it. Jungkook's scent invigorated her and woke her brain up from its morning fog. Perhaps it somehow emboldened her as well, because she felt drawn to doing something that felt impulsive and forward.
While his eyes were closed, she lifted her head and leaned over, breathing a kiss onto his cheek. As if he were reading her mind, Jungkook's head turned, bringing their lips together in a gentle, unhurried kiss.
Jaci felt so drawn to Jungkook that it filled her with excited anxiety. Now, instead of just her brain being awake, her entire body was awake. Her hands moved of their own accord, cupping Jungkook's cheeks softly. A soft moan came from her, surprising even herself. She pulled back, eyes wide, and cheeks warm. She looked down into Jungkook's face and saw his eyes pulsating with gold. Something inside of her flipped and she lowered her face to meet his with a bit more urgency this time.
Jungkook saw Jaci's eyes ebb between blue and brown and he could tell her wolf was waking up. He had felt the light scratching at the back of his mind with every move that brought her closer. His wolf was hovering just under the surface, begging to claim what he already knew was his.
Jaci's lips were soft, smooth, and sweet. Jungkook had no desire or willpower to stop her from kissing him. He forgot all about his wounded chest, the danger drawing close, and even where he was. His mind was focused on what was tangible in front of him - this woman, who was also his long-awaited fated mate.
With a swift and determined movement, Jungkook gripped Jaci's waist and flipped their positions. Her hair splayed across the pillow beneath her head, making a dark halo around her. Jungkook kept his weight up on one arm as he looked down at the beautiful woman now beneath him. She was breathtaking. His heart swelled with a feeling he could only describe with one word - love.
Jaci was admiring the man above her, her own heart beating out a message that she was all too happy to hear. How could she have denied herself this feeling for so long? She cared beyond all caring for this man hovering over her. His well-being had become her top priority, and the entire idea of working and living alongside him for the rest of her life thrilled her to the core. It didn't hurt that he was beyond handsome. So, while looking into the golden eyes of her mate, she breathlessly uttered the words she knew came from deep inside her heart.
"I love you."
Jungkook's face broke into a bright smile and his eyes searched hers for any indication that she had said it out of duty or obligation. All he saw in those brilliant blue eyes was sincere emotion that was mirrored in his own. Leaning down, he pressed a firm, yet gentle kiss to her lips, relishing in how her arms wrapped around his neck.
Their wolves were howling inside and more than excited that their hosts had finally confessed what had been so evident to them. Sweet kisses became more heated as quiet "I love you's" were murmured between them over and over.
However, this moment of intimacy was not to last. With a hurried knock, and not waiting for a response, Aydan burst into the room. His eyes were flashing and his tone was raspy and rough. He was close to shifting and it put both Jungkook and Jaci on high alert.
"They're here. Get ready."