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A/N: I imagine the huts in this story to be somewhat traditional huts / cabins like in medieval times but people living in the forest. So not modern.
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When Seoyeon enters the hut from the dense forest carrying a wild boar on her shoulder, Seoyeon's mother rolls her eyes at her sight. Though it doesn't go unnoticed by her, Seoyeon doesn't comment immediately. It's evident that her mother isn't thrilled about her having been out hunting again, one of the things she picked up from her father and her mother is anything but pleased about it. She's never been.
She lets out an annoyed sigh as she crashes dry spice in a mortar, throwing Seoyeon side glances. The present negative tension in the hut makes Seoyeon feel uneasy. She puts the boar down near the fireplace and gets rid of her thick fur before she starts to skin the animal. But no matter how much she tries to ignore her mother's glances, Seoyeon can't help but be bothered by them.
"You know, if you want to say something, you can do it," Seoyeon says with a hint of annoyance. She is suspicious about why her mother can't take her eyes off her. It has been the topic of conversation several times lately, and the problem is, Seoyeon tries, but it's not enough and things just don't seem to work in her favour lately.
"Seoyeon, you know why I'm like this. You've been working on this for years, and I can't see any progress. Lately, you've been going out to hunt even more as well. I don't know what your plan is to become head omega, but it's clearly not working. Seeing you skinning an animal in our hut instead of being at Jungkook's side just makes me assume you don't even try to become head omega anymore, nor that you have a plan in your mind. I'm sure you know how important it is to stick to it."
Seoyeon sourly clenches her teeth and begins to skin the boar more coarsely. Her mother's words repeat in her head. It makes her incredibly angry to know that she is right. Lately, she has not spoken what feels like ten sentences with Jungkook. First there were meetings with his father, then he had to go on patrol, or he didn't even notice her presence. If she thinks about it, it got worse after she talked to Donghyun in the hut and Jungkook caught her.
That day, the alpha seemed upset but also angry and had thrown her out of the hut. The whole thing had made her even angrier, whereupon she had tried to set up another plan with Donghyun, and she had incidentally unleashed another rumour about Jimin. Everything went wonderfully according to plan for Jimin to stay away from Jungkook as usual. After all, she is supposed to be the future head omega.
But why does she hate Jimin so much? In her eyes, Jimin simply possesses everything it takes to be head omega, and it makes her incredibly frustrated and panicked to see how close Jimin and Jungkook might become again. The potential chance that Jimin could have become (can still become) head omega, had she done nothing, was there. His beauty surpassed and enchanted everyone, always had. She despises how Jungkook was under his spell back then too, which made them both inseparable.
Not to forget Jungkook's rut. The first rut hit him out of nowhere back then, and Seoyeon was ready to be by his side. She had prepared for it. Since Jungkook presented later than other alphas and her, she had enough time to prepare and help Jungkook. However, to her confusion, Jungkook had kicked her out of the hut as he had done with his last rut, locking Seoyeon out with a lot of fuss. She realised why when his mother had sent her to fetch water, and Seoyeon could make out an odd word or two on the door. Jungkook hadn't blabbed out her name but Jimin's name and not just once.
It threw her in an emotional fit and made him hate Jimin even more. Somehow, her mother picked up on the tension between Jungkook and her. There were quite a few occasions she must have noticed.
"This isn't working. Let's go out to the market, there must be something you can do to repair your relationship, even if it's cooking soup. I told you several times to be careful of what you do and say if you want to be head omega," her mother complains in a low tone, attempting to focus on her work.
What are you blaming me if it was this bitch's fault! He hasn't talked to me for days.
Seoyeon's mother looks up and continues with a head shake, making Seoyeon furious. "This wouldn't have happened if you helped him through his rut."
She gets up from the floor and stands in a defensive stance, veins popping in her neck and hands balled into fists. "What did you want me to do? He threw me out, and I don't harass anyone!"
"And you think sitting here or going on a hunt makes it any better?" She huffs and gets up from the chair, striding to the kitchen and grasping something with her hand. Seoyeon recognizes them to be some spices she prepared recently. "Move and put on the fur. We'll go to the market. We'll exchange the spices for something you can use to cook for Jungkook."
Seoyeon's mother puts on her fur coat and steps out of the hut without another word into the sunlight on a winter day, leaving the door open for Seoyeon. She can only snort in disbelief and be quick to catch up to her.
The walk to the market is silent and tense. Neither Seoyeon nor her mother says anything too deep in their thoughts. Seoyeon wonders what her plan is for making food. She's not sure if that's the solution to make Jungkook talk to her like he used to. He might not be swayed by some portion of food, so she must come up with something else.
Her mother is the first to break the silence as they approach the market. Small tables are put out with either food or some utensils and pack members walk around to look for things they can exchange. "Being a good omega for the alpha is one rule, and that means you should take care of how you look; you always have this prideful mind to go out hunting and come back dirty instead of doing more inside tasks. I told you; you should learn more about how to cook and take care of an alpha. You're so close to being head omega. You're the daughter of the most powerful hunter in this pack, you can't fail."
"You're being forgetful. I'm the daughter of the most powerful hunter in this pack, and my father's blood runs through my veins. Being a hunter is who I am. I get being head omega is important. However, don't you think that by allowing myself to be seen as a powerful head omega that people would eventually be more than envious of, I can also be seen as an example?"
Seoyeon wants her to agree. She's a strong omega, a strong woman and independent, but just like now she wants to be reassured or wants her mother to agree. Her mother is someone important to her and her agreeing on something Seoyeon said can be important to her.
Seoyeon's mother, on the other hand, keeps quiet and doesn't glance at her once. She's aware her mother doesn't like her returning home dirty, but hunting, especially with her father, is an activity she enjoys and is very much proud of. She just wishes her mother could see this just as much and accept it's a part of her.
"It makes sense," her mother eventually mutters, even if indifferent and interrupts her thoughts. "Let's see what you have here that you can use for cooking. He would certainly enjoy a hearty meal, even if you might disagree. Alphas like it when you cook for them and give them little gifts."
Displeasure bubbles up inside her, and she tries to suppress a loud growl. It makes her sad to be ignored like this and to be taught better instead. After all, she is her daughter, and her mother should at least listen to her and reassure her she can be a good head omega even with hunting, no?
Nevertheless, her mother appears to be mainly concerned with re-establishing the bond with Jungkook, which hasn't been as strong as it once was, and Jimin is to blame. Why can't he be born in a different pack?
"Have you heard about Jungkook's mate? Seoyeon?"
"What about her?"
Seoyeon's posture straightens, her muscles visibly tightening as they approach one of the tables. While her mother picks up something, thoughtfully examining it, Soyeon barely pays attention to her. Her eyebrows that pull together and down create a forehead crease like in a pensive expression.
A queasy feeling builds in her stomach, and she doesn't dare look at the people talking in whispered voices. They are certainly looking at her and would break off the conversation if they made eye contact and Seoyeon wants to know what they are saying about her. She wasn't aware that there were rumours about her.
"Someone saw her getting thrown out of his hut. Jungkook seemed to be mad and in his rut. The person said they didn't spend their rut together."
"Oh my- but haven't they been together for years now?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't that strange? Usually alphas seek their omega. Makes me wonder if she is not the one to be head omega. Do you think it has happened more than once?"
"Well...what's even more strange is the person swore they heard her loudly yelling that they've never had sex. I'm not sure if it's true. But honestly, it serves her right. She has always been the one to look down on you just because of her father."
Seoyeon shakes with violent anger as she makes eye contact with a pack member in front of her who must have heard them whispering too. Her lips pull back, looking the elder omega dead in the eyes. This is not how she imagined this day to go. Her hands clench and unclench with newfound rage that's boiling in the pit of her stomach. The sour smell of fear from the omega standing across her, hits Seoyeon's flaring nose, through which she slowly yet forcibly expels all air.
Growling lowly, something deep inside her snaps and she turns her back to the omega, mouth pinched and wrath tingling in her veins. She can't let that sit on her. She has to stop the truth about their fight from going around-one way or another, and she knows exactly where to go. Seoyeon storms off, gaze lacking warmth, full of defiance and blinded by rage and her mother's calls to come back dissipate from earshot.
Briskly, she walks to Donghyun's hut, where she has been many times before. The sour scent of berries spreads in the air and Seoyeon has a corded neck as she opens the door and looks around with narrowed eyes. "Donghyun, where the hell are you?"
The rich and strong amber scent turns sour almost immediately, which Seoyeon entirely ignores as she feels and absorbs nothing but anger. The alpha's shoulders stiffen, posture straightening up at eye contact with him. On the spot, he freezes while organising some fur on his bed. Seoyeon, however, is not much bothered by this.
The next second, she is already striding towards him and his bed, merely stopping a few centimetres before him. "Donghyun, I want you to do something. That slutty healer is about to destroy my relationship, and now everyone is talking about me! I'm so damn angry; I can't stand it! Donghyun, we have to think of something that would make him rethink what he's doing! The things we've done so far don't seem to have worked."
Donghyun appears like he's contemplating to answer, fingers fumbling with the furs in his hands and eyes flickering with uncertainty. "Seoyeon, I don't know if this is a good idea."
"What do you mean? You always listened to me, Donghyun! You were always by my side and helped me put plans into action. Why are you acting like a coward now? Did the slut get you on a leash? Is that why? I want you to punish Jimin! I want him to feel that he shouldn't mess with me. Make his life a living hell!"
Donghyun takes a step back and shakes his head, but Seoyeon quickly notices and steps back into his comfort zone. Despite it causing Donghyun to growl, it does nothing for Seoyeon to back down. She's determined to get what she wants. No matter what.
Donghyun crosses his arms, lifting his chin sharply and appearing willing to challenge Seoyeon. "That's what we've been doing all this time and I'm not a coward, Seoyeon. I may have been someone that used to do your little bidding, but I'm done. I've realised everything we've done was wrong and you're sick if you're willing to continue. I simply shouldn't support you when you cause harm to others."
Seoyeon wants to extend her claws. Refusing to break eye contact and back down, a deep growl escapes her throat, pressing a finger to Donghyun's chest in accusation, voice sinister as she replies, "So you're betraying me, is that the plan? After all, we've been through together? You were supposed to be on my side! I thought you and me, we were going through this together."
"I may have been on your side, but I don't want to be anymore. I no longer want to be part of your evil plans and hurt Jimin. I don't want to lie and manipulate anymore, and I don't think Jimin deserves it either," the alpha says confidently, drawing himself up to full height and throwing her a judgemental gaze to let her know neither does he back down. He doesn't let the opportunity pass to push back his shoulders and jut his chest out and signal alpha dominance.
"So it's true, Jimin does have you-"
Donghyun forces out a laugh. "It's funny that you say that and blame him again when you were the reason I went along with it in the first place. What exactly has he done to deserve your hate? He always minds his own business, and you're so obsessed with him; it's fucking scary! So no, I won't be any longer the puppet you can order around. I don't know why I thought I'd stand a chance with you. I was so stupid and blind to thinking you were a good partner. You are selfish and just don't grant anyone peace and happiness. I wish you would never become head omega. If people knew this is their future head omega, you would never be able to make it that far. You don't deserve that title."
"Watch your fucking mouth! You're just as weak as Jimin! I thought I could count on you, but apparently, I was wrong. I'll handle this on my own! You will regret turning against me!" Seoyeon exclaims, nostrils flaring before she turns her back to him, keeping a tense posture as she storms back to the door, only stopping when Donghyun shouts after her.
"I don't believe I'll regret it, and don't you dare harm Jimin!"
"What then?" She asks, face flushed and blacking her teeth. "What do you have on me? Who will believe you? I know I have a lot on you, and if you don't want me to tell you, you'll be quiet. I'll have to think of a way to teach that dirty no-good Omega a lesson. You don't get to tell me what I can do and not do. Never did."
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A/N:
Well... that was a big bomb. What do you think will happen next?
Honestly though 👀 did you expect this to happen? No? Me neither.
A big thank you to Lucilia for outlining the ch with me and a big thank you to Scarlet. 💜🙌🏻
Please don't forget to vote and comment as it gives me motivation to continue
Check out my new fake dating story "Falling" : )