SPRING; March

Friday -- Evening

Jungkook makes it upstairs quickly, yanking open his bedroom door only to be hit by a wave of pheromones. He couldn't believe that he didn't smell it earlier, especially since he knew it was coming from Jiyoo. The first thing he did was close the door. He shoved some dirty shirts in between the space at the bottom in a rush, not wanting any of Jiyoo’s pheromones to escape any more than they already have. Running up to the bed, he got down on his knees and frantically examined the situation.

Jiyoo looked absolutely miserable. Her hair matted her forehead as she cried, sweat and tears mixing together every time she moved. It didn't appear as though she was completely conscious though, making Jungkook even more worried than he already was.

“Jiyoo… Jiyoo-yah!” His voice almost cracks, desperately trying to wake her up. “Come on Jiyoo, calm down, please.”

Usually Jungkook’s dad was here to calm Jiyoo down whenever she had a nightmare, but he hadn't come back from his errand yet.

Only Jungkook could help her now. And if he failed, Jiyoo would only be left to suffer.

Climbing into the bed, Jungkook grabbed the blanket and ripped it off Jiyoo’s body. He didn't want her suffering more when she was already suffocating under his thick comforter. The next thing he did was prop her up on his lap. She sat on his thighs, head leaning against Jungkook’s shoulder as he had his arms around her, hoping that somehow a miracle would take place.

When nothing happened, Jungkook was on the verge of tears for the nth time that day. His hold around Jiyoo got tighter and tighter until he felt a small tap on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Namjoon standing in front of him. The rest of the guys were outside his bedroom waiting in the hall, though they peered in curiously to see what was going on.

Jungkook opened his mouth, but his words came out choppy and almost unrecognizable. “S-She won't take up a-and only my dad can wake her up and-”

“Relax.” Namjoon says, watching as Jungkook’s panicked state continued to make him shake uncontrollably. “Jimin, take Jungkook to the side.”

Doing as the leader said, Jimin gently guided Jungkook to the edge of his bed. Even as he’d been pulled away from Jiyoo, Jungkook’s eyes were still locked on her unconscious body. He had no choice but to let Namjoon help Jiyoo because he himself couldn’t do anything.

Namjoon wasn’t accustomed to this sort of situation and everyone could tell by the awkward way he was holding Jiyoo. With one arm wrapped around her shoulders, Namjoon used his free hand to cover her eyes. He had his own eyes staying closed to concentrate. Since the room was all Alphas besides Jiyoo, they could all feel it.

Alpha pheromones.

Namjoon grunted a bit, trying not to let his pheromones overwhelm Jiyoo, but still having them surround her like a cocoon. The longer he concentrated, the easier it was for him to coat her in a layer of his pheromones. Not only that, but her painful cries slowly lessened until she was sleeping soundly again.

“How did you do that?” Jungkook says softly, his eyes reflecting the relief he was feeling now that Jiyoo wasn't in pain.

Putting Jiyoo back down on the bed, Namjoon lets her head rest on his lap as he brushes the hair out of her face.

“It's the duty of an Alpha to control their Omegas.” Namjoon says, still looking at Jiyoo without looking away.

Jungkook didn't miss the small smile on his lips as he fondly looked down at Jiyoo. He also heard Namjoon’s words loud and clear, though his interpretation was anything nice. In his eyes, Jungkook could only hear about his own incompetence as an Alpha to care for Jiyoo as an Omega.

“She's not your pet.” Jungkook growls, upset that Namjoon would look at Jiyoo as anything other than a person just like them.

He makes a move towards Jiyoo, but watches as Namjoon pulls her towards himself instead. This makes Jungkook furious. “Let go of her!”

Namjoon does the complete opposite and instead holds Jiyoo to his chest now, her sleeping body appearing extra small compared to his much larger size. Instead of forcing his pheromones out in a defensive stance, Namjoon looks panicked. He was still holding Jiyoo and didn't appear to be wanting to letting her go anytime soon.

Jiyoo on the other hand looked as though she was having another nightmare. Her pheromones made the air feel thick, causing the guys excluding Jungkook to start to act weird. Namjoon looked like he was having a life or death dilemma on whether or not he should let go of Jiyoo, while they had another problem. Taehyung had snuck his way in and was sitting on the floor near the edge of the bed. His face was pressed against Jiyoo’s leg, arms wrapped around it; he looked like a child holding his safety blanket.

“Namjoon! Do something!” Seokjin growls. His hand glued to the door frame and his knuckles were white. The wooden door frame cracked under his brute strength as he tried to keep himself under control despite the thick pheromones that were circulating in the room.

Pheromones were a funny thing. Definition wise, they’re a chemical emitted in order to affect another’s behavior or physiology. This is why Alphas were able to order those around them to do things in their favor, or even cause someone to pass out from a dizzy spell. This doesn’t mean that their pheromones didn’t reflect their inner emotions as well. Jiyoo was having a nightmare and was desperate for someone to save her.

Thus being the reason why all seven Alphas felt the uncontrollable urge to make her pain go away any way that they could.

Jungkook feels Jimin’s hands tighten around his arms and turns around to find the latter with his eyes squeezed shut. Looking around the room, everyone was starting to feel affected by Jiyoo’s pheromones. Namjoon and Taehyung were starting to get into a fight over who could hold Jiyoo while Jimin looked like he was attempting to hold his breath altogether.

Seokjin was still standing by the door, except now his whole body was blocking the way into Jungkook’s room. Behind him stood Hoseok and Suga, who were digging their fingers into Seokjin’s arms as they tried to get past him.

Although Jungkook was the most desperate to get to Jiyoo, he appeared the most calm compared to the rest of the guys.

“Please, help me… Jungkook...”

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Jiyoo after hearing her constricted voice. The only one that moved was Jungkook.

“Jungkook get back here!” Namjoon shouts.

But Jungkook didn’t listen. He had Jiyoo in his arms and the only thing he could think of was to take her out of there.

“She’s too warm…” Jungkook thought, his mind panicking even more after seeing her sickly state.

Bolting out the door, he shoved past Suga and Hoseok and dashed down the hallway to the stairs. By now the rest of the boys were starting to regain their senses, but Jungkook saw someone he hadn’t expected following him in hot pursuit.

It was Jimin. He appeared as though he was trying to hold himself back, but still dragged his feet down the hallway. His face was sweaty and Jungkook saw an animalistic side of Jimin that he’d never expected to see in his life. Jimin seemed like the nicest out of all of them and yet, Jungkook knew that if Jimin caught up to them, it might be the end for him and Jiyoo.

Looking down at Jiyoo, her face was still contorted with a painful expression. She was clinging him to now though, her small hands gripping his shirt and stretching the thin fabric.

Taking one last look down the hallway, Jungkook saw Jimin and Suga pushing each other into the walls as they fought one another as to who went first. Jungkook especially didn’t want to be caught by Suga and spun around on his heel to head to the stairs. He took two steps at a time until going halfway when he’d heard Seokjin’s voice.

“A hospital won’t help her right now. You know this Jungkook!” Seokjin screams, but his voice didn’t sound vicious. Instead, it sounds like he’s the one in pain.

Jungkook just hoped the reason for that wasn’t because he took Jiyoo away from them.

“Get back here, you little head.”

Jungkook sees Suga at the top of the stairs now. He looks furious, but instead of looking at Jungkook, his eyes are locked on Jiyoo’s unconscious body. His pupils are dilated and he’s rushing towards them at an alarming speed.

Since Jungkook was only halfway down, his only option was to jump the rest of the way down. It wasn’t too hard, especially since Jiyoo was so light. Suga was just about to follow Jungkook to the left to head to the front of the house when Jungkook had turned right instead.

He booked it to the sliding doors and slung Jiyoo over his shoulder before using his other hand to yank the door open. Jungkook was only able to take a couple steps out before he felt Suga’s hand gripping into his shoulder. Jiyoo was already back in Jungkook’s arms, so if Suga wanted her, then he’d have to go around Jungkook to get her.

Jungkook was quick and his reaction time was just milliseconds faster than Suga. He’d managed to brush Suga off and to the side of their house, the latter being in hot pursuit.

Suga was still fast though, he’d lurched forward and gripped onto Jungkook’s arm before pulling him back. To Suga’s annoyance, Jungkook was empty handed.

He only managed to see Jiyoo’s long hair flowing in the wind before her body was submerged under the water of Jungkook’s pool.

Jungkook only realized what he had done when everyone had been gathered outside and were yelling at him about his stupidity. He’d actually thrown Jiyoo into the pool. His body wouldn’t move no matter how hard he tried, leaving him to only stare at Jiyoo’s unmoving body under the water.

Taehyung was the only one that moved in an instant after seeing what damage had been done. Not bothering to take off his clothes, he dove in after Jiyoo. His arms pushed desperately against the force of the water to swim downwards where Taehyung’s heart shattered at the sight of Jiyoo’s body laying on the pool floor. He’d managed to loop his arms under her body before pulling her back up to the surface.

From there, everyone had started to move again. Seokjin helped Taehyung pull Jiyoo out of the water. His face was more worried than angry, any sign of his annoyance being replaced with his worrying for Jiyoo. Taehyung laid Jiyoo down flat on her back and began pumping her chest at an even pace. Her pale skin and blue lips made Jungkook want to cry.

He knew he was the cause of her current state and felt the guilt eat away at him.

“She’s not waking up. Why is she not waking up?” Hoseok asked impatiently, his arms crossed as his foot continued to tap at the rate of Taehyung’s compressions.

Nobody wanted to assume the worst, but looking at Jiyoo made it hard to not think about it.

She looked like she was going to die.

The most frustrated person out of all of them was Taehyung. He had been the one that was doing chest compressions for almost a minute now, and yet Jiyoo still hadn’t woken up. The only other thing he could think of to save her was to forcefully put air into her system, but he’d been avoiding her lips since he smelled her pheromones the first time up in the treehouse.

He’s not an idiot. Taehyung knows that anything involving Jiyoo’s body was off limits because of Jungkook. And if he were to kiss her now, in front of all of the pheromone crazed Alphas, he was sure to get a beating from at least four of them even if it was to save her life.

And that was if some of them were feeling generous.

Taking one last glance at her lips, Taehyung made up his mind. He stopped doing chest compressions and instead tilted her head back, his fingers gently opening Jiyoo’s mouth as he his lips nervously.

Just as he’d expected, the others weren’t happy to see him attempt mouth to mouth.

“What the hell are you doing?” Suga hisses, his fingers digging into Taehyung’s back as he just winced at the pain.

Taehyung could already feel the Alpha pheromones from everyone behind him. Backing away from Jiyoo, Taehyung managed to feel a foot pressed against his back before he was kicked into the pool. Jungkook might've been in shock earlier from seeing Jiyoo in distress, but there was no way in hell that he'd let Taehyung get that close to Jiyoo- hence why Taehyung was the unfortunate one to get kicked right back into the pool.

Going down on his knees, Jungkook grabbed Jiyoo’s shoulder and gave her a prompt shake. “Jiyoo! You need to wake up!”

“That's not going to work.” Jimin said nervously. His hand was covering his mouth as he bit his lower lip from the anxiety of the situation.

Jungkook ignored him and pulled Jiyoo into his arms. Holding her tightly, he closed his eyes and began to concentrate.

He's never tried projecting his pheromones out as a barrier before. Jungkook only used his Alpha pheromones to ward people off. Having to use his abilities to nurture someone was a whole other story. Taking a deep breath, he imagines himself in a quiet place.

Jungkook pictures himself sitting in a white room, only instead of it being a hospital, he sees Jiyoo with him. She's holding his hand and has a smile on her face. He can see moving, but Jungkook can only focus at how nice she looks in the lighting of the room. Jiyoo’s cheeks were slightly rosy, but still full of color.

He wanted this Jiyoo back.

“Jungkook!”

And he had never been that happy to hear Jiyoo’s voice until this moment.

“Oh thank god.” Seokjin lets out, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding in.

“It's okay Jiyoo, it's gonna be okay.” Jungkook hushes, because he knows that they weren't out of the woods just yet.

When Jiyoo went into her little episodes, there was always a and a release. They got over the back in Jungkook’s bedroom, but the release has yet to come. He can hear the others discussing amongst themselves behind him. Jungkook doesn't need to listen to the others to know why they were so confused.

After Jiyoo had a nightmare and she was conscious, she always has an emotionless state of mind, as if time stopped along with her. Jungkook vividly remembers her telling him that it's because she doesn't like crying in front of him due to having gotten into a fight before about it. He got mad because he thought Jiyoo didn't want to trust him. The reality was that Jiyoo just didn't want to look like the sad little girl from the first day when they met. After they talked about it, Jungkook realized it was because of the way that she was raised.

Jiyoo wasn't allowed to cry and was beat if she did.

Jungkook imagined it countless amounts of time; Jiyoo as a child as she stayed emotionless after being yelled at by her parents. He hated the thought of it and unconsciously squeezed her body tighter.

“Hey Jungkook,” Hoseok calls out nervously, “Is Jiyoo supposed to look all… Dead and stuff?”

Jungkook sighs, but nods anyways. “Just be lucky she isn't really dead.”

“I could be saying the same thing to you.” Namjoon says, his voice sounding really upset.

None of them forgot about Jungkook throwing Jiyoo into the pool. It was hard to forget, especially since they had two freezing teenagers on their hands now.

“I don't know why he kicked me in too.” Taehyung grumbles, earning death glares from a bunch of the others as he climbed out from the pool.

“Sorry Jungkook.” Jiyoo whimpers. Her voice cracked. Her body was soaked, but her eyes were the only thing that stayed dry. “I'm really sorry.”

“Don't be.” Jungkook mutters, brushing Jiyoo’s hair back with his fingers. “Just be happy because you're here now.”

Jiyoo nods and only then does she feel it. Her clothes were sticking to her body and she felt her body begin to shiver from the cold. “W-Why is it so cold?”

“Jungkook threw you into the pool?” Hoseok says unsurely. “Did you not know?”

Jiyoo buries her face into Jungkook shoulder, but everyone can see that she was embarrassed from her red ears. Namjoon gives Hoseok a little shove before going down on one knee in front of Jiyoo. Jungkook turned around to look at Namjoon and turned Jiyoo so that she was cradled in his arms and sitting on his lap.

“It's like Jungkook said. Just be happy you're here, okay?”

She doesn't understand why Namjoon is being so nice to her, but she nods anyways. Namjoon gives Jiyoo a small smile and ruffles her hair a bit, earning a little squeak from Jiyoo who had been surprised by the friendly action.

For some reason that she wasn't aware of, Jiyoo feels the need to give Namjoon a small smile back. Namjoon was elated by her gesture and moves closer, but was stopped by Jungkook, who had turned his body so that Jiyoo was just out of Namjoon’s reach.

“Jealous much?” Hoseok teased.

Both Jungkook and Namjoon felt as though Hoseok’s jeers were directed at them, causing them to tell him to shut up. Hoseok fakes his surprise and complains to Jimin who just had an exhausted smile on his face.

Looking at the others, Jiyoo can only continue to smile a little. It was their first nice moment despite having a rough start. She glanced up to look at Jungkook and watched as he continued to tell Namjoon to go away. He had a small grin on his face too, signaling that he was playing around. Knowing he was comfortable with the new guys made Jiyoo happy.

Jungkook’s happiness made her happy too. And if Jungkook liked the others, then she told herself that she would give them a chance as well.

A/N: This chapter came out a lot nicer than I expected! I'm hoping you all liked it as much as I did ^^

REWRITTEN FROM ORIGINAL <6/9/18>