Jaemin woke up to the sound of loud yelling at his doorway. 

He'd decided to skip school that evening. Jaemin wasn't sure if he could face anyone: definitely not Jeno, but not Chenle, or Jisung, or Renjun or Donghyuck either. Just thinking about talking to any of them made him feel nauseous. 

Honestly, he wanted to ing throw up anyways. He'd passed in and out of sleep all night but in the moments when he was awake...he just felt like . Like disgusting, horrible, . 

But now, he didn't have the energy to think of any of that. He was too focused on the screaming outside of his front door. So bleary eyed, Jaemin stood up, standing by the door to his room to listen in. 

"Jungwoo, Yukhei, I-I'm sorry but I don't know what's going on..." Taeyong spoke loudly but calmly. Jaemin froze. There were any number of reasons that Jungwoo and Yukhei could be here. But, there was always a chance they were there for him. 

"Well then, I'll explain it to you," Jungwoo answered in sticky sweet voice. "Our very kind, sweet son Jeno got his heart broken in the cruelest way possible-" 

"He's been crying all night!" Yukhei yelled, interrupting. 

"By your  of a son," Jungwoo finished. 

"Hey! Don't you dare ing call my son a !" Taeyong growled. Jaemin had never heard his alpha father go so....alpha in his entire life. Jaemin still listened by the doorway, frozen, eyes wide, shaking. 

"Taeyong, Taeyong," Ten said, desperately trying to calm his mate down. "Pick your battles. Pick your battles." 

There was a pause before Taeyong spoke again. He did sound more calm, but Jaemin could still hear his barely concealed range. 

"Fine. We'll talk with Jaemin about this. But if I find out that Jeno's in the wrong too..." 

"We'll figure that out if it happens," Ten finished for his enraged mate. 

"I don't think you'll find that to be the case," Jungwoo mumbled before Yukhei and him walked away. Ten slammed the door behind them. 

"," Jaemin heard Ten breath out. "What are we going to do?" 

"Talk to him. What else can we do?" 

"He told me a little bit about this last night..." 

"Let's just go to his room," Taeyong mumbled. "We can discuss all this later." 

Jaemin dashed back to his bed, crawling under the covers, pretending he was asleep. But every nerve in his body was on fire, he was trembling, he felt sick. 

A knock came on his door. 

"What," Jaemin answered, and both of his parents walked in. 

Jaemin couldn't remember the last time both of them were in here. It wasn't since he was very, very little and it wasn't like this: they both looked exhausted, worried, terrified. Jaemin didn't know what to do. 

"J-Jaemin..." Taeyong stuttered. "Can we talk to you about something?" 

"About the Jeno thing?" Jaemin answered. Yeah, he was sort of pretending before that he hadn't heard their conversation with Jungwoo and Yukhei. But now, he wanted to get this over with. He felt uncomfortable, overwhelmed. His brain couldn't function all that well. 

"I know you told me a little bit last night. But could you tell both of us everything? Just so we can figure out what to do," Ten spoke.

Jaemin sighed. "Fine." 

So he did: he told his parents about the plan he put in place, his seduction of Jeno, Jeno's confession, their time as promised mates, Jaemin's knowledge of his heat coming, and the break up. He was loathe to explain this. Saying it all out loud made him feel absolutely sick, but what was the point in hiding any of it now? It would just get his parents into even more trouble in the pack. And they didn't need that. 

Jaemin didn't tell them about how he felt though, negative or positive feelings toward Jeno. Honestly, he couldn't quite answer that himself. Dealing with the Jeno thing, what he felt and what he lost, was a battle he knew he had to face alone. 

When Jaemin explained everything, Ten and Taeyong shared a look before looking back at their son. 

"So...you haven't had a heat yet." 

"No," Jaemin clarified for Taeyong. 

"So...you didn't mate with him, no mark. Did you two do anything...otherwise?" 

Jaemin winced; it was unbelievably awkward to talk about with his dad he never talked to. But he told the truth. "No we didn't. For him that didn't seem to matter because my heat was coming anyways..." 

"Okay, okay. I see. But...you guys promised to mate?" Taeyong asked. 

"Yup. Promised mates," Jaemin curtly explained. 

"Jaemin...that's a big deal, you know," Ten said, soft yet disapproving. 

Jaemin crossed his arms and leaned back. 

"It's a meaningful thing, even though it doesn't seem like as big of a deal as something permanent and visible like the mating mark," Taeyong spoke. 

"It's just words. I didn't mate him," Jaemin mumbled. It was more for himself than anyone. The guilt and shame was setting in. Maybe if it was just words it would've hurt Jeno less, and therefore hurt himself less. 

"Jaemin-" 

The omega teen just sighed over his alpha father's words, leaning against the wall in the corner of his room. He curled up in a ball, his arms were still crossed. He didn't want to do this anymore. He felt sick. 

Ten and Taeyong shared another look as Jaemin stared at the floor. 

"W-we're gonna discuss a few things, so we'll leave you alone for a few minutes."

"Sounds good," Jaemin cooly answered. 

So with one last lingering glance from both of them, Ten and Taeyong got up and walked away, shutting the door behind them. 

A few tears slipped down Jaemin's cheek. He felt like : he felt like for Jeno, he felt like for his parents: their energy and their reputation, and he really felt like for himself: didn't anyone give a  why he did what he did? 

But that wasn't the point. He hurt someone, someone he ended up caring about, a lot. 

He just didn't know what to feel, what to do. 

So he sighed, hearing the chatter of his parent's discussion, and he forced himself to get up. Like earlier in the morning he put himself by the doorway, trying to listen in. 

He was shocked by the sound of crying, definitely on Ten's part, and Taeyong's soft murmuring to try and calm him down. 

"It's okay, it's okay," the Head Alpha gently spoke. 

"I...I...I'm just such a bad parent. I'm sorry..." 

"No, no Ten. No, you did your best, please..." 

"I'm so bad, I'm so bad, I made our son so jaded, so hateful of alphas even the good ones...I told him the stories of my youth...I thought I put it in a way that was just a story, or even a cautionary tale but he thought it was all a good thing...he did this to be like me, Taeyong. Not anything else..." 

"Oh Tennie...my Tennie...you just did what you thought was best. And you aren't a bad parent! You never know how your child is going to take thing. He's kind to his friends, and smart, and really independent...he just made a mistake. Every child makes them. And it doesn't mean it's your fault." 

Ten hiccuped but Taeyong's words seemed to calm him down. And somehow, they calmed Jaemin down a little too. 

He was shocked, a little bit. He'd never heard his father speak like this. He was...he was acting so kind towards his omega father. And even towards himself, through his words. It was a little strange. It made him feel even more sick. 

"And...And I know maybe things would have been better if I was home more...if I could have taken care of you, both of you and spent the time with you that you both deserve..." 

"Taeyong," Ten answered with a sigh. "You did your best to, you know. Until the famine started, you were home more than the average alpha, despite being Head. And once the famine hit...what could you do?" 

"I dunno. I just wish things were different. I wish I could have watched him grow up." 

Jaemin's heart panged at that and he raced back to his bed, sitting down in the corner of the room again. But, that's when he received another knock on the door. 

"Come in," he mumbled. To his surprise it wasn't Ten that carefully stepped in, but Taeyong. Jaemin looked up. "H-Hello." 

"Hey Jaemin." Slowly, he made his way to the bed, sitting down beside his son. "I know the last conversation we had didn't go so well...but I wanna try again. Really." 

Jaemin just sighed, and Taeyong sighed back. 

"You know, I don't think this kind of behavior is like you. It's not like you at all. You're not a mean or cruel person, which is why this whole thing is surprising. It's so unlike you." 

"How would you have any idea what I'm like?" Jaemin snapped back, refusing to look his father in the eye. 

Taeyong swallowed, staring guiltily down at the floor for a few long moments before speaking. "I'm sorry, Jaemin. I'm really sorry. Do you know how badly I've wanted to be there for you all of these years? And you know I was there, when you were little. I remember taking you to the forest to go look at the plants and the animals...playing with those little wooden toys Xiaojun's mom always makes, for hours and hours...picking you up from school and just listening to you talk about your day, and your friends, and school...those are my most precious memories, Jaemin. The happiest days of my life were the days I spent with you when we were younger. It was a deal Ten and I worked out: he was hesitant to have pups at all, so I promised to be the primary caretaker of you. It was what I always wanted, ever since I was young. You think I became Head through the votes of alphas? Well... that was the plan, at least, until all the stressors from the pack happened, especially the famine. And Ten was unprepared to take over, and I was upset about not being able to spend much time with you anymore. So it was hard on all of us. Look....I know things are different now. You're older, almost all grown up now. The pack looks way different than it did when you were young. But I want to be close again, like we were when you were young." 

Jaemin sighed, looking at his lap. "But don't you hate me? Don't you wish I was an alpha?" 

"Who said that? Who ever said that to you." 

"Everyone. Kids at school... adults too, when they thought I wasn't listening, and sometimes even when they knew I was. I should have been an alpha to take over your line as heir. I'm the pack disappointment. To everyone... but mostly to you." 

Taeyong sighed, deeply. "None of that is true Jaemin. Not a single word." 

"But what about your legacy as Head?" 

"There are many, many things in this world that mean way more to me than being Head. Ten is one of them, you're another. Even before you came around, my dream of having a family was far greater than my dream to be Head Alpha. I love pups, I love children. I always wanted to have one of my own. Status never mattered to me, not one bit. Maybe... maybe they feel that way about your status. Sadly I can't control how people feel, even if they're wrong. But I've never felt that way. But they don't know us, they don't know me. They don't know how I feel about my child. And how I feel is that I am so, so proud of you."

"Even after the Jeno thing?" Jaemin asked. He didn't even notice the tears streaming down his face. 

"Yes, even after that. I'm not proud that you did that, but I'm proud of you as a person. And now I can even understand, a little bit, why you did what you did. Even if it was wrong. But everyone makes mistakes... even me." 

As Taeyong spoke, Jaemin pondered everything. His father... his father was so sweet, so kind, so understanding, things he was sure he wasn't even capable of being. He couldn't even think of it as a lie; Taeyong was just being so sincere that Jaemin had to believe him. 

It reminded him of Jeno. Sweet Jeno who always did everything in his power to understand his pain, and treat him with empathy and kindness. Most alphas were bad, Jaemin still thought. But some were good. Donghyuck and Jeno were good. And Taeyong was good too. 

With that the tears began to flow freely, Jaemin's thin omega body wracked with sobs. And he let his father give him a tight hug. 

"I just wanna be close again, Jaemin." 

"I'm sorry," Jaemin choked out. "I'm sorry to you and Jeno, I didn't even give you guys a chance." 

"You were hurt, Jaemin. You were hurt that I was never around and all the alphas from school treated you just horribly, Ten told me that. So you felt alone, like no alpha loved you. Which is not true. It could never be true. And you made mistakes but you were hurt! You were hurt." 

And Jaemin just cried in his arms, the weight of years of pain slowly, but surely, falling off of his shoulders. There was still a lot of hurt inside of him. But now, he was realizing, it wasn't a forever kind of pain. He could fix it. 

"I care about you, dad. I care about you and Jeno," Jaemin finally admitted, after he was calm enough to speak again. It was the scariest thing he could have spoken. The two alphas who's love he wanted the most, who he pushed away the most, who he was most afraid to be vulnerable with. Two alphas he'd never let himself give a about. But now he had to admit it. They were precious to him. 

"I know. I've always known, Jaemin. Don't worry." 

Just then, a knock came at the door, and then again, quickly after. 

"You can see who it is," Jaemin mumbled, releasing his dad from his hold. 

"Sorry, I think Ten went out, let me just see who it is..." 

"It's okay," Jaemin mumbled softly, and let his father go to the door. A few moments later, he heard the sound of low speech from the front of the house. 

"I don't know if that's a good idea... why do you want to talk to him?" Taeyong asked the mysterious person at the door. 

"Please...I'm not here to yell at him or be angry. I just need to talk to him." 

Jaemin's eyes practically bulged out of his skull: it was Jeno.

Taeyong sighed. "Fine. Just.... please be gentle, alright?"

"I always am, sir," Jeno answered. 

Jaemin's brain short circuited as Taeyong directed Jeno to his room, a short knock coming a few seconds later. 

"Come in." And there was Jeno looking just as dead as Jaemin felt. But Jaemin couldn't look at him yet, the shame seeping into his bones. Taeyong was different: he hadn't really, really hurt his father, and it was his dad after all. He had to love him. But with Jeno...he'd really, truly hurt him. And Jeno had no obligation to love him. 

"I-I'm sorry it took me this long to come," Jeno started, standing at the doorway. "I just fought with my parents." 

"Over what?" Jaemin mumbled. 

"Did you hear their fight with your parents?" Jaemin nodded. "I didn't like that they called you... that. I'm sorry about them. They mean well. They can just be a bit overprotective at times. But, I think they'll forgive you soon."

Jeno stepped closer and sat down in front of Jaemin. Jaemin still couldn't look. He still didn't know what to say. 

"What about you?" Jaemin practically whispered. 

"Well...here's what happened after we parted ways, yesterday. I went home and cried for hours and hours. And then when all my tears were gone, I thought. I remembered everything you've been through and all the pressures you've had to face. I remembered how sincere you were during our time together. Maybe not at first, I know that, but by the time we became promised I know you meant everything. So I...I realized I had to talk to you again before things got set in stone. And I forgave you hours ago," Jeno admitted, as easy as that. And Jaemin sobbed. "Even though it was your plan all along; Ten told me when we passed each other on my way over here, I think I know you well enough now to say that this kind of thing isn't you. You were shaking so hard when you broke up with me." 

Jaemin was shaking again now, wave after wave of crying. And so slowly, hesitantly, Jeno wrapped his arms around Jaemin, holding him tightly to his broad alpha chest. And Jaemin felt warm, safe for a few moments before pushing Jeno away and dashing to the other side of the room. 

"Get away from me!" He cried, still shaking and crying. "I don't deserve you. I don't deserve alphas like you or Taeyong in my life." 

"It's not true," Jeno spoke, ever gently. He walked over to Jaemin and rubbed his shoulder. "You've been through so much. It's hard enough just being an omega already. It's felt like almost everyone in the world was against you, ever since you presented. It's been hard. You've been hurt. And...I hope this doesn't come off as creepy, but I've been noticing you, for a long time. I've seen the hurt you've gone through, and...I always just wanted to protect you, take care of you. Like a good alpha. I was always just too nervous to approach you because you're so bright and beautiful, until you asked me to lunch that day."

Jaemin swallowed and unfurled himself a little bit, letting Jeno step in closer. "I don't deserve you," Jaemin mumbled. 

Afraid Jaemin would run away like the last time Jeno tried to hold him, Jeno just placed his big alpha hands on top of Jaemin's. "Did you mean what you said yesterday?" 

Slowly, Jaemin shook his head. 

"Did you want to be with those alphas?"

Jaemin choked a little. "I felt disgusting just talking to them." 

"Do you...still not want to be promised to me anymore?" 

"Jeno, I lied yesterday, everything between you and I was so real but I don't deserve it. I don't deserve any of it, and I sure as hell don't deserve to be promised to you anymore." 

"You made a mistake. Does that mean you don't deserve to be loved anymore?" 

Jaemin didn't answer. If it was anyone else in his shoes, he'd so no, absolutely not. But for himself, he didn't think he deserved it anymore. 

Jeno sighed, realizing what was in Jeno's thoughts. "Well then...I don't care what you think. I want to love you, no matter what you think you deserve. As long as you let me." 

And suddenly, just like when Jeno had first confessed, Jaemin launch himself across the space between them to give Jeno a massive hug. He buried himself in the crook of Jeno's neck, still tearing up. 

"I didn't want to go through with it," Jaemin admitted, very quietly. "But Ten told me my heat was coming soon. And I didn't wanna mate you in the context of this plan." 

"But it's all out in the open now. That context is gone." 

Jaemin sighed softly and Jeno held him tightly, finally relaxed in his grip. 

"If you have your heat...should I still come over?" 

Looking up into Jeno's eyes...the omega slowly nodded.