Chapter Text
Taehyung wasn't listening at all at his excited best friend. Not that he wanted to be mean to him or anything else, his mind was just somewhere else as they were walking into the pack's village. He was smiling faintly to the giggling girls as they were waving at him, back straight and allure fierce. He was tall, broad and quite well built even if he hasn’t matured yet and people liked to compliment it.
He couldn't say he hated the compliment, in fact he loved them a lot, but wasn't really eager to hear them either. He hated being the center of all the attraction, and this was obviously added to the fact that they were walking shoulder to shoulder with Jimin, his smaller, pretty best friend.
They hadn't turned legal yet, but even without that everything was crystal clear. Taehyung would become a strong alpha, and Jimin of course will become a pretty omega. Taehyung hated that everything had already determined their rank even before the elders would present them to the tree of life, the one that chooses the rank of every little wolf the world was counting since decades. But he couldn't blame it on them, because everything couldn't be any more certain.
Taehyung was strong, tall, toned, tanned, handsome and manly, dominant meanwhile Jimin was small, thin, toned yes, but lean and fluid, gentle, delicate, cute and pliant. Totally the opposite.
« You should go say hello to her » Jimin smiled at his best friend as Taehyung caught in his vision the petite omega waving at him.
Taehyung growled but obliged anyway. He didn't hate the cute and gentle little omega, just hated the fact that his parents wanted them to mate immediately as Taehyung would pass the ceremony. Taehyung wanted to say no, but nothing could make him refuse.
There was a time, when he was much younger, that he would have had a good reason to refuse a mating this rich and good for the both of them. But this reason was gone like all the love he had been animated with before.
« Are you nervous for the ceremony ? » Jimin asked often, because he, was, and Taehyung could tell.
He'll respond that no, he wasn't, because there was any reason for him to be. He'll go to the ceremony, and then become an alpha, get praised by all the pack, and then mate with the little pretty omega, do his life, have pups, and die. Everything was already written and so Taehyung didn’t have any reason to be.
Sometimes he hoped he could have been able to mate with Jimin, but it wasn't good enough for his parents, because they wanted their son to mate with someone from another pack, to prevent eventual war in the future.
Like the one that had exploded some years ago between the Mountain pack and the River's one.
Taehyung remembered well when the war exploded. And he was always too angry to speak or even hear about this. Because this war had taken with itself all the things Taehyung cherished the most. And so his future too.
« Wanna go for a walk in the forest ? » Jimin smiled to Taehyung as he saw the younger was already bored speaking with his 'fiancé'. Taehyung nodded and followed his friend.
They walked, for hours, and Taehyung loved Jimin simply for that, because the older always knew when Taehyung needed silence and so just walked in peace, not disturbing the forest. It made Taehyung smile and feel at peace. He silently thanked his friend and let the breeze wander his mind away.
« Would you want to not become an alpha ? » Jimin asked as they were sitting near the river and Taehyung raised a brow.
« Why ? »
« I don't know, maybe you don't want to become an alpha, that's just a question » Jimin smiled and Taehyung frowned.
« You know I don't like when they say that even if the tree didn't decide yet. Don't be like them. » Taehyung sighed and Jimin lowered his gaze, looking at his reflection in the river.
« I know. But it's really obvious you know. I'm going to be an omega » he deadpanned and Taehyung patted his back.
« You don't want to be an omega ? »
« I... I just hate people picking on me because they know I'm weak » he breathed and Taehyung hummed. « And you, which rank would you love to get ? » Jimin asked and Taehyung reflected for a second.
« I don't care, actually. I don't give a fuck about it all, I don't want power or respect, I don't need a rank to have those.... but if I'm not an alpha and I can't mate her, my parents would be disappointed » Taehyung sighed and Jimin smiled knowingly.
« They just want someone to mate with someone of another pack. This doesn't have to be you. Neither does this have to be her »
Taehyung nodded and they startled as they heard a howl.
They froze for a second, swallowing thickly as those were unknown to them and shivered in fear.
« We should get back » Jimin hurried and Taehyung complied. Because as strong as he was, he wouldn't be able to protect Jimin because his wolf wasn't awake yet, and so fighting even against a beta couldn't be an option.
« What was that ? » Taehyung asked as they were back to the pack's village and alarmed as everyone was on their guard, running here and there to get everything back in the houses, the pups hidden.
« We don't know » Seokjin worried at his bottom lips as he was putting back in his house his flowers.
If they weren't perturbed at the moment, Taehyung and Jimin would have laughed at the older omega’s behavior. « It seems wolves from another pack came into the territory. Since the night's falling and that's the River's pack territory, we can't do anything for now. »
Taehyung throat seized at the mention of the Rivers' pack and Jimin stroked gently his back, motioning for him to follow the older in the house.
« You can rest here for the night, I'll notify your parents » Seokjin smiled as he closed all the windows and the door, turning on the light.
Taehyung was watching past the windows, it opened as he was breathing the cold air of April. It was just the beginning of the spring and he would find it wasteful to close all the windows. Thankfully they were upstairs so Seokjin wouldn't scold him for opening it.
Jimin squirmed in the bed and Taehyung looked at him for a second before focusing back outside. He was sitting near it, head on the wall, and couldn't distinguish anything in the darkness. He could hear some howls that were making his pup shiver in fear a little, but at the same time he knew everything would be alright.
Probably.
Seokjin was the most stressed-out out of all of them, because Namjoon was outside making rounds as he was part of the alpha's chosen to watch their territory for tonight.
Another howl was heard and he sighed. The only thing he hoped was that it wasn't another pack coming here to take the River's pack territory, or worse, that it wasn't Mountain's wolves that were here to take their territory. It had been years the land near the rivers was virgin, nude of any inhabitant, but Taehyung didn't want anyone to take this place back.
His alpha's pack had been a really good friend of the River's pack one, so even after all those years never had he taken some part of their territory, and even had recruited some of their packs' wolves to take care of all this deserted territory. And Taehyung was grateful of this.
« Taehyung ? » the little wolf jumped in place at the whisper, looking at Seokjin that was smiling to him, at the door of the room. He motioned the younger to come closer.
Taehyung followed him silently as they went down stairs, surprised as here, in the middle of the living room, was their alpha pack.
« Taehyung » the alpha smiled and Taehyung bowed in recognition. « I have something to tell you » was added and Taehyung frowned. « Actually, after Seokjin and the chasers that are out here to protect us, you're the first I'm telling it to » he added proudly and Taehyung swallowed thickly, wondering what was so important for him to come in the middle of the night to speak to him.
« Seokjin, let us please » and the omega obeyed.
Taehyung sat nervously in the sofa, in front of the older.
« Taehyung, you know that the war between the Mountain and the River packs ended two years ago? » he asked and Taehyung nodded.
Of course he knew.
One day, five years after the war had exploded, when he was only 19, a wolf came to their pack to announce to them that the clash had ended.
Because there weren’t any survivor from any of the packs.
So of course he remembered.
« Well, I have good news.
It seems there are survivor from the River's pack, and that's them here outside at our door »
Taehyung gasped at the news and widened his eyes in surprise.
This wasn't possible.
« Since you were the second closest with the pack, after me, I though it'll be good for you to know »
« How, how do you know ? » Taehyung asked, dumbfounded and the alpha hummed.
« You know that each pack's wolves have different paw prints? It was theirs. » was the response.
Taehyung looked at his palm. There was survivors. So there was a possibility too that-
« But » The alpha sighed, looking sorry « There were only trace of six people, two pup, a female and a male beta and two old alphas » he added and Taehyung's world crashed back down.
Just when he thought he could take his breath, it had been stolen from his lips. And even if the older in front of him wasn't voicing it, it was clearly meaning that he wasn't part of them.
« Nothing's sure and precise. Our chasers are tracing them to bring them here and help them if needed. »
Taehyung wasn't able to sleep after that.
The next days they were forbidden from going outside of the village, even less in the forest.
« Tae !!! what the fuck are you doing !!! Come here ! » Jimin shouted and Taehyung shushed him, growling.
« Shut the fuck up, they are going to hear us » he spat, muffling Jimin « You didn't have to follow me if you're this scared. » Jimin rolled his eyes to the sky.
Taehyung had sneaked outside of the village when the alphas weren't watching, and Jimin had followed him, of course.
It had been three days since the first trace of the wolves and the alphas hadn't found anything. Of course they hadn't. If they were really from the River's, and that they had survived, it had been maybe seven years they were hiding. They weren't going to be easy to find.
« Sorry to worry for your ass, you ass » Jimin cried-whispered back and Taehyung grinned to him.
« Okay okay, come with me if you want but I'm not going back » the taller snorted and Jimin groaned.
« Seriously. And if you find them, what then ? Do you think they are going to run into your arms ? How can you even be sure they won’t kill you, huh ? » he added and Taehyung tutted.
« First, I never said I was searching for them, who said I wasn't just up for a walk into the woods ? I'm a wolf after all »
« Yeah, you're absolutely not taking the path of their village, nope »
« Shut up » Taehyung pouted « and then, we're not enemy, why would they want to kill us ? Plus we're pup, not a menace to them » he added and Jimin shook his head.
« Traitors exist. And sorry, I might look cute and defenseless, you look like a brute, Tae » he crossed his arms over his chest and Taehyung sighed.
« They can't smell us, wolves can't smell pup from other packs. I promise, if anything seems weird, we run away, okay ? »
« You're lucky I love you. Our pack is going to kill us »
« Stop being so whinny »
« It's in my nature, ass »
Taehyung chuckled at that and begun to walk again, this time with Jimin following silently.
« Do you think.... he's alive ? » Jimin asked and Taehyung's heart inched at the mention.
« I don't know » because he really didn't. Even though their alpha had said he wasn't, a part of himself needed to have the physical confirmation.
He had passed many sleepless nights waiting for this ray of sunshine to come back to his life, he couldn't just abandon hope like that.
Hope.
It was the last thing he had left after him when his pack left at the beginning of the war.
They walked silently in the deepness of the forest, getting even deeper as they were already smelling the freshness of the river not far from them. It had been a while since Taehyung had come to this part of the forest and nostalgia came back to him by waves. Nothing could be heard for miles, and no wolves could be smelt.
« Didn't they already came here to see if there was someone ? » Jimin asked and Taehyung shrugged.
« Maybe they did two days ago, and didn't since »
« And why do you think they'll be here ? »
« Stop asking questions, Minie » Taehyung growled and the little wolf pouted.
Taehyung chuckled at that, ruffling his hair.
« We’re here » Taehyung breathed after some time and Jimin gasped as he looked at the village.
It was bigger than theirs, because before the war, the River's pack was bigger and stronger than theirs. They were beautiful and gentle, loving and everything was in harmony around them, they lived in symbiosis with nature and their inner wolf. They were a grand pack that every other land respected.
Until the war exploded.
Everything was in ruin, dirty and devoured by the forest, houses destructed, plants rooting on the roofs and even if it was beautiful, Taehyung gasped in horror. Everything was lost and had disappeared.
« Oh my god » he breathed and Jimin posed a knowing hand on his shoulder.
« Fuck ! » the cursed at the same time as they smelt it.
« I told you they were going to smell us ! » Jimin half shouted as they hurried inside the village to hide, even if they knew it was vain.
« That's an alpha ??? »
« That's Namjoon idiot ! » Jimin spat to him and they ran.
If Namjoon caught them, Seokjin wasn't going to let them live.
« Too late » they shrieked in unison with Jimin at the voice coming on their right and Namjoon was already holding them by their shirt's collar.
« The fuck, you two, can't you just listen to some orders from time to time ? You’re what, five ? » he growled at them and Jimin whined in fear.
« I told him not to, but you know how this idiot is, stubborn ? » Jimin pleaded and Taehyung stared at him.
« Thanks for the support » he groaned and Namjoon couldn't restrain a grin.
« You didn't have to follow him, Jimin »
« Thanks hyung, I already told him that » Taehyung agreed and Jimin pouted.
« Seriously guys, do you know how you're parents are going to kill me for not watch- »
« Shut up ! » Taehyung whispered, placing a hand to Namjoon's mouth and the older rose a brow, letting go of their collar.
« Can't you smell ? » he added and removed his hand for Namjoon to smell.
« That's them ! » Jimin breathed and Namjoon was going to jump on the wolves coming when Taehyung dragged him by force to hide behind a house.
« Shut up hyung, they might have smelled you already » he growled, him and Jimin hugging him tightly to try to cover some of his smell with their own.
« I... can-n't b-breath » he choked and Taehyung hugged his head tighter on his chest.
They looked past the wall discreetly, watching as they heard some step coming to them.
« …. the fuck do you think they're tracing us ? »
« Hyung, it's not possible, they can't be chasing us to beat us, we were friends ! »
« I don't know, this is just too strange.... why suddenly try to find us ? »
There was five wolves walking here, in the middle of the village and Taehyung felt a little relieved as, in fact, they were from the Rivers.
« Can you smell ? »
« An Alpha from the Forest's pack » the older alpha responded and Taehyung groaned silently.
Of course they'd smell Namjoon.
« It's weak, recent, but weak. He might be far from now » and Jimin breathed in relief. They weren't caught.
Taehyung strutted the little pack and bit his lips in discomfort.
There was a female, a beta, like their alpha had predicted, two older alpha, in their thirties maybe but none of them was their old leader, and a pup. But he wasn't here.
His heart inched in sadness, and then he froze, frowning.
He had said there was two pup.
He stared at Jimin that was frowning to him in sadness because him too probably thought about the fact the older they searched for wasn't here, but then he saw the frown over Taehyung's face.
"What ? » it wasn't even a breath, just a move of lips and Taehyung was going to respond when he smelt it.
This sweet odor he hadn't smelt for so many years but will never forget.
It was as fresh as the morning dew, lingering as salty and sweet than the caramel on his tongue and was burning his throat like hot honey.
And there, as the second pup appeared, here, following the tall black haired boy was this wolf that had haunted Taehyung's dream for so many years.
And Taehyung cried, tears rolling down his cheeks in both relief and hurt.
Because he was here, in front of him.
But it was an alpha.
Taehyung was only five when they promised themselves to each other. He had escaped from the villages, like he had done oh so often, and had climbed on a tree under to impress the older wolf from the River's pack. He was the only one from the other pack to be able to smell Taehyung, which was rare but only proved that they were really close friends.
This day, Taehyung had called for him on the tip of this branch, crying and sobbing loudly because he couldn't get back. The older had heard him and ran to him, fearing that the younger was wounded, but had laughed loudly as he had seen his friend stuck like a scared cat on the tree.
« Jump, Tae, That's not that high ! »
« I-I c-can't, Hyuuuung, help meee » he was sobbing heavily and the older laughed just harder.
« You're so cute. Seriously, next time, don't climb if you can't get down ! » he had scolded gently.
« Should I go get Namjoon ? » he had asked and Taehyung had refused, of course, because calling Namjoon would have meant making Seokjin come and scold him so strongly like that good older brother he was.
« No ! Don't leave me hyung !! » Taehyung cried even heavier, making the other pup sigh.
« Come here, Tae » he had asked softly, opening his arms wide « Jump, I'll catch you »
« You can't ! »
« I can, so jump. You don't have confidence in me ? » the older had smiled sweetly.
And of course Taehyung had confidence in him, so he had just jumped.
« Hyung, will you marry me when we're older ? » Taehyung had asked as the other was drying his lips, his trembling from the shock just stopping. They were lying in the grass and it had never felt this good to little Taehyung.
The older had just hummed.
« Would you like that Tae ? »
« Of course !! » Taehyung was grinning by this time, head up to look at the other and gifting him his bright big boxed smile.
He received a sweet kiss on the cheek by the other.
« Then that's a promise, Tae, one day you'll be my pretty omega, and I'll be your alpha »
« Why would I be the omega ? » Taehyung had pouted, making the older laugh.
« Okay, You'll be my beta then ! »
« And why do you have to be the alpha ! »
« I'm your hyung, of course I'll be the alpha ! »
« You're mean, why can't we be both alpha ? » the older had frozen at that.
« Taehyung-ie, alphas can't mate together. Don't you want to be my mate ? »
Taehyung shook his head.
« I want to be. So I'll be you're omega or your beta, and you'll be my alpha hyung »
« That's a promise »
They were five and six when they promised.
They were forteen and fiveteen when they broke this promise.
« A war exploded, Tae, you have to understand. The River's pack is leaving as quickly as they can, the west pack’s coming for them. »
« No, he can't ! » Taehyung had run outside the doors of the village that night, braving all the interdictions, braving all the punition that'll happen after just to reach the river's pack's village.
And he as he had arrived here, they were already leaving, most of them already disappeared from the perimeter.
But he was here, pleading for his mother to let him go.
« HYUNG ! » Taehyung had screamed, seeing the other’s face morphed in pain, looking at him.
« TAE ! » but he was dragged by an alpha, him trashing around just to kiss Taehyung a last time.
« HYUNG ! » Taehyung was screaming while trying to catch up with them, but they were too quick for his pup's feet. He was only fourteen.
« I PROMISE ! TAEHYUNG, I'LL BE BACK, SO WAIT FOR ME, I'LL BE BACK ! »the teenager was screaming again and again.
But then they disappeared and Taehyung was left alone in the darkness of the night, his heart screaming out his distress as he was feeling as if he was torn apart.
« HOSEOOOK ! » but the older was already far gone.
« Can't you smell it? » Hoseok suddenly said, frowning as he could clearly smell this odour, even though the others frowned too, shaking their head.
It was sugary and fruity, smelling like flowers and sun's shower, maybe life in the ocean too and like candy.
« There is something is the village- » but his voice faded as he saw this body moving from behind a house, arms limps on his side as the boy was standing in the middle of the houses, staring directly at Hoseok.
His face was strained with tears, bottom lips quivering and even though he was thirty good centimeters taller than the last time, that he was more broad and toned, his skin tanned and all the trace of the little pup he used to play with disappeared, he recognized him.
And his heart sized, he didn't know anymore if it was in joy or in fear, in nostalgia or in regrets.
The only things he knew was that Taehyung was standing maybe ten meters away from him.
« H-Hoseok » he hiccupped and the older need nothing to let go of all the things he was holding and to run to the younger's direction.
And he felt like the war was finally really over only when the softness of the body he loved to hug was back between his arms, this scent he had forget filling his nose and life fulfilling the emptiness of his chest.
They rested for maybe two minutes just like that, pressed against each other, but for them it felt like an eternity and Hoseok was brought back down to earth as he heard his alpha growl in defiance, only noticing here the two new heads that had popped from behind the house.
« It's alright, we don't want any harm » the taller -the alpha- said, smiling and Hoseok gasped, pushing Taehyung gently away from him.
«Namjoon? Oh my, look at you! » Hoseok smiled and Namjoon grinned.
« I could say the same. You're so skinny, how did you manage to turn into an alpha » he laughed and it seemed that everyone relaxed.
Taehyung was blushing, ears burning red. Hoseok was here, he was alive, and he wasn't letting go of his hand, even though he was speaking with the others.
« God, Jimin! You're gorgeous! And I love your hair colour » the older alpha was joking, Jimin jumping happily to them as Namjoon was far gone greeting and salutation the other's member of the little River's pack.
After that Namjoon succeeded to convince them that they didn't want any harm and that they should follow him to their pack to check if they were alright and if they didn't need anything.
Taehyung and Jimin didn't get scolded as they went back, because of the fact that they were still pups allowed them to not represent a danger for the other pack and so had allowed to approach them. For the first time, it had been useful, but Taehyung couldn't care less about all of that. Because Hoseok was here.
He was here, after seven years.
He didn't even remark the pretty omega that'll be his after the ceremony, not seeing her as she waved at him as they returned to the village, not even remarking Seokjin or his parents. Nothing, he could only see Hoseok, and the tears wouldn't stop to fall.
« Here » Hoseok breathed as he wiped his tears away « Stop crying, you're going to get a headache » he grinned, his hearted lips grazing in this beautiful smile that Taehyung had missed.
He laughed softly, even though he cried heavier at that and Hoseok sighed.
He rested silently after, listening not that carefully as the remaining members of the River's pack were speaking with his leader. He was surprised he had been allowed in, but Hoseok and he were on the back, with the pups, and they didn't move in the slightest.
He learned, somewhere in the middle, that one of the pups was Jungkook, remembering vaguely about the pup younger by two years that he had seen one or two times back then before the war but they were so much he couldn't remember, Hoseok telling him they got close when they lost their parents in the war, four years ago, and were like brothers now.
He learned too that out of all the members, they were only the seven of them left, or it was what they concluded as they didn't find any others.
« We can't be an official pack anymore, we're too little » the older alpha -Joon Hyung- said and his beta - Taehyung learned that too – agreed.
« We can always arrange that, combine our pack to help you prosper » Taehyung's leader said.
« Thanks, Jin Young »
Taehyung remembered well Joon Hyung. He was the son of the old pack leader, the best friend of his own pack leader, so of course, they were really close.
Taehyung was satisfied as they ended deciding that for now on they'll rest in the village until a stable situation, and that they'll find a solution.
This night Taehyung didn't leave Hoseok, anyway, Seokjin had proposed to give one of his two rooms for them. Jungkook was supposed to sleep here with Hoseok, but the boy had offered to let them rest together and had been gently accepted in Taehyung's house instead of Taehyung himself.
Hoseok admitted it was probably because he had spoken often about Taehyung to the pup.
Taehyung had blushed and chuckled at that.
It had been one week since they had returned and Taehyung was finally getting over the shock of seeing the older back.
« So the ceremony is in two weeks, right? » Hoseok asked as they were laying in the tender grass of the meadow, not far from the river. It was their favourite place when they were younger and Hoseok insisted for them to come here.
« Y-yeah... »
«Nervous? »
« Not really, I think » Taehyung responded weakly, humming as the wind was making his hair dance in harmony with the grass.
« Jin Young hyung says you'll make a perfect alpha and that he hopes you'll be a candidate for the pack leader place, later, when he'll be too old. »
« It's in so many years, why does he speak about it » Taehyung sighed « plus, the tree didn't decide yet. Nothing says I'm going to be an alpha » he added and he sensed Hoseok’s sadness.
« Everyone's saying it, Tae. Just look at you. You're broader and taller than me, probably stronger too.
Even Joon Hyung says it » Hoseok breathed and Taehyung turned his head, looking back at Hoseok who was staring at him.
« I think you'll make a beautiful alpha too » he smiled faintly and Taehyung felt like crying, for no reason.
« Do you want me to become an alpha ? » he asked weakly and Hoseok just shrugged, looking at the sky.
« I..... Your parents presented Hye Rin to me » Hoseok dropped and Taehyung froze at the mention.
He had almost forgotten. « She's really gentle and so cute... She's from the West, right? »
« Yeah.... » Taehyung whispered.
« I think she's perfect for you » Hoseok smiled.
And Taehyung wanted to say that no, she wasn't. He wanted to cry.
He wanted to ask Hoseok if he had forgotten about their promise.
But they weren’t pups by this time, and so he realized only this day that maybe it was an innocent promise that, now that they were older, didn’t mean anything anymore.
Anyway, Taehyung would become an alpha, and so was Hoseok, so they couldn't be together.
« It seems that in the end, they are going to allow them some beta and omega, the ones of our pack that'll agree. Even from other packs, Jin Young hyung asked the West and the East pack if they wanted to help. » Jimin rambled as they were cleaning « some beta and omega already agreed. Even some family said that they'll be happy to let their pup turn River's packs’ wolves during the summer, as it's allowed. And so when they get their wolf rank, they won’t be from the Forests anymore. Actually, I'm surprised how many of our pack agreed. Many Omegas are running after Hoseok hyung too » the smaller pup giggled, trying to tease Taehyung and Seokjin scolded him silently before they both noticed Taehyung was lost somewhere else.
«Tae? » Seokjin called softly, letting go of the soap and patting Taehyung’s wet thigh. « Is everything alright ? » the older added and Taehyung snapped back to earth.
« Oh, yeah, thanks » he mumbled and Seokjin frowned.
« You're nervous for the ceremony today ? » he asked and Taehyung shook his head.
« No, it's alright » he smiled faintly « We should wash before all the hot water's gone » he added, turning on the water.
Seokjin and Jimin giggled, playing with the water. It was their last showers all together. Because if everything turned well, Taehyung would be an alpha, and so couldn't wash together with two omegas.
They were waiting in rank for the ceremony to begin, them being revealed by pack's group, classified in the position they were 'supposed' to be. The omegas presented to the trunk, near the elders, the presumed beta's and unknown ones in the centre, and the presumed alpha's behind them, encircling them to 'protect' the pack.
Taehyung was watching the tree with anxiety. It was so tall, covering past all the others, the clearing encircled with upper plate where all the families, alpha's pack and pack's members were to cheer the new matured. No pup was accepted in the perimeter except those that were going to get their rank today.
Taehyung felt like he was in an arena, he couldn't see the bottom of the tree, neither the group under it, but he could hear the acclamations each time a turning was done, and as their group was slowly going forward, he was feeling very nauseous.
« Tae, you're alright? » Jimin asked as it was almost their turn and Taehyung looked at his friend.
« I can't, Jimin, I can't » He panicked, trying to get out of the rank and Jimin was holding him firmly.
« What are you saying, Tae ? » he whispered as they were gathering attention and Taehyung was having cold sweats.
« I don't want to become an alpha » he dropped to his best friend and Jimin froze for a second.
Before smiling sweetly.
« Breath, Tae. » he grinned, eyes teary because it was the first time since long Taehyung was actually voicing one of his envy, one of his needs, one of his fears and it was like seeing back alive the little Tae from before.
« Everything is going to be alright » he added, and his voice was so soft that Taehyung felt himself relax as they were dragged under the tree.
He heard his mother cheering for him; Seokjin here too for him and Jimin, Namjoon not far from. The elder watched them one by one, voicing out the prediction of each of their rank if they had one, and the ones that didn't have any got in the centre, with the beta.
« Alpha » the old woman said as she saw Taehyung and the tall boy panicked as Jimin was dragged near the trunk, with the few omegas, and him at the end of the group.
The boys around him were as tall or smaller than him and his hope to not get this rank seemed to disappear with the seconds.
He turned his head a last time as everyone was positioned, waiting for the tree to blow to them their strength, and he caught this mind-blowing smile.
Hoseok was here, smiling peacefully at him and Taehyung's anxiety left him. And he let himself get washed by the waves of love and power the tree was blowing to them.
Taehyung didn’t feel good.
It wasn't only because of the heavy silence that had fallen in the arena, no. It wasn't either because of all the stares turned to him, the gasps and the shocked faces that the elders were wearing. It wasn't the hungry glares of the alpha's right next to him or the beta's in front of him. Or Jimin’s alarmed stare as the pretty omega eye's was shinning in fear.
It was this cold sweat running down his spine. His shivering and his trembling legs. He felt weak on the knees and those red eyes on him were making him want to whine. He was feeling all hot too, burning from everywhere as his skin was tingling, calling for something that wasn't here.
And his wolf was speaking to him, clearly, fierce and mischievous, clearly warning him that if he didn’t run right now, something bad would happen.
He took a step back, avoiding the pain he was feeling deep in his bones but the move made all the alphas jolt.
« Taehyung, you're alright ? » he heard a voice call, maybe one of his friend but as the beta, he knew raised a hand the young alphas begun to snap at him, growl possessively and Taehyung clearly felt in danger.
He had heard that newly turned alpha was unstable and couldn't control themselves well. He had heard a few things about the turning ceremonies too, like how from time to time some could fight due to their need for submission, it ending with some profound wounds and blood, but no death to deplore.
Or how some omega didn't get longer than a few seconds after being turned unmated.
« He's mine » one growled loudly in the crowd and there was a wave of panic and attack, the elder getting out of the way and Taehyung could clearly see he was screwed, trying to run away.
And as he thought his life was done for, his parents and Seokjin screaming to him to run away for his fucking life, as his pack leader and the River's one had jumped in the area, ready to make submit the new alpha's of their pack, all Taehyung's pain flew away, two strong arms enveloped him securely.
Everything went silent again, alpha's stopped in their track and Taehyung was shivering in fear at the murdering aura the boy pressed against him was emitting.
And oh god he was feeling only now how strong his alpha was.
« This omega is mine. I'll tear anyone’s gut from their belly that'll try to claim the contrary » Hoseok's voice was deep and thick, threatening and the newly turned alphas' whined in fear, backing a little.
Taehyung sobbed in relief, gasping as he felt himself getting lifted from the ground.
Air clashed with his heated skin and they had left the arena, leaving all of them to their problems as Hoseok was bringing Taehyung gently to the village.
To the River's village.
« Calm, please Tae » Hoseok breathed in his ear as he was sobbing, getting laid gently in the older's bed, Taehyung recognizing the little house he had used to come to play back when he was little. They had rebuilt a part of the village and he was happy to see it was part of this.
« H-Hoseok » he hiccupped and Hoseok shushed him, chuckling, kissing his tears away.
« It's okay, I get you, you might have been really scared, but everything's finished, Tae » he added, kissing the boys cheeks and Taehyung calmed, doing grabby motions for Hoseok to hug him, things the older responded to immediately.
« Oh my god, you did so well, Tae » the older added, while kissing the other’s face « so, so well, I'm so happy » he added and Taehyung's wolf felt overwhelmed.
« W-why, I wasn't supposed to turn into that, how did I manage to ? » he sobbed, both in joy and relief and Hoseok hummed, nuzzling his head into the crook of Taehyung's neck to hum his omega's scent.
« Because you were supposed to be mine since the beginning, Tae » Hoseok muffled in his neck and Taehyung chuckled.
« You've returned »
« I always keep my promise, no? And so did you, Tae »
« I've always been yours, hyung » he breathed and Hoseok nodded, nosing at his collarbone.
« Mine » he repeated.
« Do you think my parents are going to be angry at me ? » he added ad Hoseok raised his head, smiling at him, caressing his cheeks.
« I asked them, before the ceremony. I asked them if you turned into anything else other than an alpha if I could have you. They said that they would have asked it to me, anyway » he grinned and Taehyung’s heart melted.
« I thought you had forgotten about our promise »
« I couldn't » he smiled « I couldn't » he repeated, leaning slowly.
And Taehyung melted as their lips touched for the first time ever.
It was his first kiss, at 21, and he couldn't care less because he was Hoseok's, and so this belonged to him too.
And this night Hoseok became his alpha, and Taehyung became his omega.
Even without the mating ceremony, this truth had, was, and would always be.