Here is the end guys. I couldn't stand how it stood and I wanted a proper ending. Thank you all for sticking with me till the end. I must admit I struggled a lot in some places. There were hardly any comments and the pairing itself is not that popular but I loved writing it and I enjoyed everyone of your comments. This chapter is dedicated to all those who upvoted subscribed and commented on this story. Without you, I would have given up long ago.

It has been a week since they had returned to their own homeland. The whole pack had welcomed Jongin with relief and love. Things have been frenzied for a few days but eventually settled down. Kyungsoo and Jongin had a long talk and Jongin had assured the omega that he had nothing but friendship with Suho and that they have done nothing but share a bed and a few kisses for pretence.

Suho had not returned with them because he had to go to the council with Yukimaru to further plan on the college. If anyone wondered why Jongin was not with him, no one voiced it because Yifan had already said that Jongin will have to return to his alpha duties in the pack. 

Jongin was resting by the lake when Xiumin came by. One look at the younger alpha and the elder knew that Jongin’s thoughts were far away.

“Jonginah, come home, it’s getting late.”

“Hum…”

“Jonginah?” Xiumin sat down next to the younger alpha and patted his back.

“Are you alright Jongin?”

“I think so.”

“That is not being alright Jongin. I know you have been through a lot but it’s all in the past isn’t it?

“Yes hyung, it’s all in the past but the past seems to have taken something and now I am missing it.”

“It will become better Jongin. I know you are missing Suho, but he is where he should be and you are where you should be.”

“Am I really where I should be hyung?”

“It’s a question only you can answer Jongin. Besides he is coming back right. He has a college to build doesn’t he?”

“Yes hyung, I just… I miss talking to him, though I can still feel him in my head, it’s not the same. I hope he is taking care of himself and enjoying his time.”

“You still feel him?” Xiumin asked him in surprise.

“Yes of course” Jongin looked puzzled.

“How strongly do you feel him?”

“Hum… I can catch faint emotions like surprise, sadness and happiness. But I can’t talk to him or understand what he is thinking. Sometimes I can tell he is thinking of me but that’s it.”

Xiumin stared at him for a full minute.

“What hyung? Stop staring.”

“Jongin… you do realize that Suho is in a country across the sea right?”

“So?”

Xiumin sighed. They sat in silence for a while until Xiumin spoke again.

“Jonginah, I have been meaning to say this. I am sorry ok. I… whatever you went through, it’s all my fault”

“What are you talking about hyung?”

“If I had not asked you to bond with Suho, you wouldn’t be in this situation? I kind of thought that since you and Kyungsoo hold the weakest bond, it will be easier for you to bond with Suho.”

Jongin the elder alpha and shook him by the shoulder.

“Never say that again hyung, if you had not had the presence of mind to suggest it at that time, Suho will be dead. I wouldn’t have had the chance to get to know Jun and that would have been such a loss hyung. He is my best friend hyung and I am so glad I bonded with him.”

“Yeah… friend.” 

Work around the pack was hectic. The burnt down store room had to be rebuilt and their perimeters secured further. After Takashi, the pack realized the importance of a good defence. Hence barbed wires and out posts were set up along the borders. All this meant that Jongin had very little time to think. Usually, two alphas and two omegas started out to one section of the border and laid out fences throughout the day. Given that Jongin, Sehun, Kyungsoo and Baekyhun were the ones who didn’t have much to do, the task fell on the four often. Sometimes Luhan and Chanyeol would come along, sometimes Sehun who was experiencing a painful maturation period would be replaced by Yixing, but Jongin as the alpha leading the job was always there.

It was a windy day and the team included the addition of Tao apart from the usual four. They were quietly working along the stretch with gloved hands when suddenly Jongin dropped the hammer is surprise. He narrowly missed Tao’s feet who jumped away in fright.

“What the hell Jonginah, be careful?”

Jongin just stared into the distance and his mouth slowly formed into a frown. He then shook himself with a laugh and picked up the hammer again.

“You know you are being creepy right.” Baekyhun

“Yeah… let’s move along.”

Kyungsoo looked at him pensively from the side. Things have not been the same at all. Jongin had changed so much and he could feel a distance born by experience between them. Jongin was as affectionate as always, but he had other things than Kyungsoo in life. He had someone in his head and he was constantly distracted. When they broke for lunch, Kyungsoo sat next to Jongin and watched as that distant look took over his features once again.

“Jongin…”

“Jongin!”

“Huh, yeah Kyungsoo, were you talking to me?”

“Suho?”

“Yeah, I think he is upset about something. He has been unusually angsty for a few days now. I am just worried about him.”

 “You sound like you love him Jongin.”

“What! I just want him to be happy Kyungsoo-ah. I don’t want him to feel lonely or sad. I want to be his best friend and an alpha who is there to help him when he needs one. I know I am young and nowhere as mature as Kris or Xiumin hyung, but I want to try and be a better alpha who can protect him. People stare at him because of his scars but he is beautiful to me and I want others to see that and appreciate him. I want him to appreciate himself and love himself. He deserves so much Kyungsoo-ah and I just want to try and give him at least a fraction of that.”

Kyungsoo smiled and gave a bitter laugh. 

“Do you know why you feel all this about Suho hyung?”

 “I am his friend not to mention he is our pack’s omega. Of course I will feel that way about him”

Kyungsoo snorted despite the tears that were pooling in his eyes.

“Idiot. You love him more than that.”

“What are you saying Kyungsoo? I love you, Suho is just my friend.”

“Hahaha! Like I said, you are an idiot.”

“Kyung…”

“Tell me Jongin. Did you ever want to be a better person for me? Do you worry so much about me being lonely?

“Kyungsoo… of course I…” Jongin trailed off.

“I have been lonely Jongin, ever since you chased after Suho, I have been so lonely. Did you see that? I am a fool for you Jongin, that’s why I waited and waited, but now I am angry that I wasted my time on you. All those things you said in the trial, all the nights you spent with that , you were cheating on me weren’t you?”

“Kyungsoo, stop it. I never…”

“Stop lying you mut…” Kyungsoo was in a red rage and he raised his hand to hit the alpha but unlike the other times, Jongin held his hand in a strong grip. He stood to his full height towering over the omega.

“You know I am not lying and stop talking like that about Suho hyung.”

The world tilted in its axis for Kyungsoo, not once had Jongin stood up to him when he was angry and it showed how much Jongin had changed.

“It would have been better you know. It would have been better if you had slept with him. At least I will know that it’s carnal. I could compete with that, but this, this bond between you, I don’t think I can fight that Jongin.”

Jongin deflated and crumpled on himself.

“What are you saying Soo?”

“That we need a break from each other. You are not the Jongin I loved and I am not the one in your thoughts now.”

Chen had found Jongin that night lying on a rock staring up at the stars.

“Your brother is worried you know.”

Jongin did not reply. A teary eyed Kyungsoo had stormed off after their spat. Jongin did not have the courage to go back home just then. He had too much on his mind and too many things to resolve in his head. He was first angry at Kyungsoo, but now he realized how the omega would have felt. He had been talking nonstop about Suho and he had been paying less and less attention to Kyungsoo.

“You know I don’t remember that well the first time I saw your brother. What I do remember is the moment I fell in love with him?”

“Huh?”

“Do you remember when you fell in love with Kyungsoo?”

Jongin raked his memory and couldn’t come up with an answer. There were so many good memories between them, so many moments that he couldn’t say when exactly he fell in love with the omega.

Chen waited and then asked

“Do you remember when you fell in love with Suho?”

Unbidden and striking moment came to his mind. The moment when Jongin and Yixing had been walking back from shopping and he had seen Suho’s tiny figure bent and peering into the lake among the vast expanse of brown grass and of Suho’s innocent eyes as he stared at Jongin who broke the crude mask Suho was trying on.

“I… I just feel protective about him hyung.”

“Love can be protective Jongin. I am no expert in love but I know that for Yixing, I will kill, lie, die and live. All I am saying is, it’s alright to change, it’s alright to be a scoundrel who breaks off an engagement than be a bastard and lie to yourself and someone who loves you.”

“Hyung… do you think I love Suho?”

“It’s something only you can answer Jongin. All I can say is, bonds like yours don’t happen without a reason. A bond you can feel across continents is not to be taken lightly. Maybe you both have a deep friendship; maybe you both love each other. Only you know the answers. My only advice is, be honest with yourself.”

Days went by and Jongin was lost, Kyungsoo had officially broken off the engagement and had left to spend time with his uncle’s pack. The pack at the moment was divided. Xiumin, Sehun, Chen, Yixing and surprisingly Yifan were sympathetic to him. The others were giving him the cold shoulder.

“Jonginah, can you fetch that box of nails at the top for me.”

Sehun and Jongin were helping Xiumin organize the storeroom. Winter was coming and soon it will start snowing. Repairs in the dwellings were being made in haste. Jongin stretched to the top shelf to pull the box of nails. Just as his fingers griped the box, a sharp pain shot through his head. With a scream, Jongin went down clutching his head. He felt like someone was ripping his head open and teasing out the nerves. The last he heard was Sehun screaming for help.

Jongin woke 3 days later. Even before he was fully conscious he knew what had happened, a sob escaped from his throat alerting Yixing to who was dozing nearby.

“I can’t feel him hyung, I can’t feel my Jun anymore.”

All Yixing could do was hug his brother tightly and hold him close.

Days went by as Jongin recovered. But he was not the carefree alpha anymore. They say absence make the heart fonder. Jongin missed Kyungsoo who had been his rock all these years. But he realized that he missed him more as a companion and friend. Their bond was dormant as of now but it was there somewhere within him. Someday, Kyungsoo will forgive him and maybe they will be friends again. But ironically, the one he thought of as his friend was the one he missed as if he lost a piece of his soul. Every turn he took, every voice he heard sounded like Suho in his mind. He arms felt empty without the tiny omega in them. But most of all, his mind felt barren without the bond. He didn’t know if he will ever recover from the loss of his Jun.

Surprisingly, it was Sehun who made Jongin see what he had to do.

“You know, I am going to look for Suho hyung soon.”

Jongin looked surprised.

“Why?”

“Well, I like him a lot. I didn’t say anything before because I was just a pup. But now I am a man and given that you are still hear mopping, I think I will find him and try my hand at being his alpha.”

Sehun’s answer was so far out of left field that Jongin could only blink.

“What!”

“Suho hyung is strong. What he needs is a strong alpha who will support him in life? So I will go and find him and be his pillar of strength.”

“You do realize how cheesy you sound don’t you.”

“Yeah, so what, for Suho hyung, I will go to the ends of the earth. I don’t see you doing anything about it. You are just sitting here and crying your eyes out.”

“It’s not that Sehun, I am… I just don’t want to know if he …”

“Stupid Jongin, what if he is alive and waiting for you?”

Suho had been on his feet for almost 16 hours and he could even feel his bones creaking. He was so weary and tired that his eyes drooped on their own will.  Jongin would hold him close and force him to rest. He could almost feel the alpha’s warm breath against his neck.

“Go Suho, go home and rest.” Akirasan’s gentle voice woke him up from his thoughts.

“Hai sensei.”

“I didn’t mean for today Suho, I meant go home to your pack and alpha. This hospital had worked without you and it will continue to stand as long as I am alive. I fortunately have no plans of dying soon. So, go home to where you belong and stop haunting my hospital.”

“Sensei?”

Bony hands gently pushed of black hair from his forehead.

“You look exhausted Suho and I for a fact know that you are yearning for your alpha. You have done enough work here. It’s now time for you to go home.”

Suho laughed mirthlessly.

“Go home to what sensei? I love an alpha who is already in love with another. I don’t have a home sensei, I will wander this earth homeless and alone till my dying days and I have made my peace with that. Just give me a few days sensei, I will find somewhere else to go.”

Akirasan looked at Suho sadly.

“My foolish boy. What have I done to you? I only wanted you to be independent, not dead in the heart. Trust me Suho, love happens to those who seek it. Do you think a bond as strong as yours is possible without the hearts consent? We are men of science Suho, it is us who know for a fact that there are somethings beyond our understanding.”

“The bond is broken and Jongin is free. There is nothing more sensei.”

With that Suho turned and walked out of the room. The hospital was still buzzing with activity but Suho hardly noticed. An unnamed sadness overwhelmed him and he had the urge to curl up and cry. He held himself together enough to pack his things and step out into the evening. It was snowing and there was hardly anyone on the streets. He felt so bereft and lonely that he choked on the feeling. He would give his entire lifetime if only he could feel Jongin’s arms around him one last time. He sat on a bench on the way and drawing up his knees he buried his face in their fold and cried his heart out. His fingers toyed with the cold pearl anklet as if trying to remember those gentle hands that fastened the clasp.

“If this is how you keep your promise, then I don’t think I can ever trust you enough to send you anywhere alone.”

Suho startled and looked up. In front of him crouched down on the pavement was the alpha he loved the most in the world.

“Have you seen a tiny omega who broke his bond and ran away from his alpha” Jongin asked with a grin.

Suho launched himself at the beloved alpha and smothered his face into the warm chest. The smell of the alpha surrounded him just as much as broad warm hands that pulled him close.

“My stupid stupid Jun, what am I supposed to do with you.”

“I just wanted you to be happy.” Came the mumbled reply from somewhere within the chaos of arms, limbs and winter jackets.

“I am happy, believe me, now that I have found you, I am so happy.”

“Really?”

“Really. Now let’s go home?”

In the years to come, Suho had found his place in wolf history as the first omega chancellor of an educational institution. For an unassuming quiet omega, his strength and perseverance surprised so many and soon motivated others to join hands in establishing the college again. But if someone asked Suho how he managed to become so successful, he still stammered and mumbled that he was just doing what he can to help others. Jongin to everyone’s surprise had taken up a course on accounting and administration. He had jokingly said that with a mate as gullible as Suho, someone trustworthy must look into the book keeping. Honestly, Jongin had wanted to do something that complemented his Jun’s work so that he can keep an eye on him. The omega had a tendency to forget himself in his work and often forgot about meals or sleep. Thankfully, their broken bond had slowly started to mend and with time Jongin will be able to tell if his mate needed him. Until then, he can always pop in during classes and drag his omega for a cuddle and a nap.

It has been three years since Jongin brought home Suho. But they had not mated yet. Out of respect for Kyungsoo, the pair had decided to wait until the other omega found a mate. Tension had been high in the initial days of their return. Not many were happy about Jongin choosing Suho over Kyungsoo and it had come up for discussion often until one days Kyungsoo himself had a put a stop to all that.

“I do not forgive either of you for what you did to me, but I admit that if my bond with Jongin was so easy to break, then it was not meant to be. None of us chose this, but it is what it is.”

Kyungsoo was the omega of a ruling family and as such had many suitors, but he rejected them all. In the end, he didn’t have the need to search far. Yukimaru who had been keeping in touch with the pack requested Kyungsoo’s hand in marriage. It had started as a strategic alliance partnership but Yukimaru knowing Kyungsoo’s history had admired his boldness and soon fell hopelessly in love. He had courted him for a year with lavish gifts and thoughtful gestures, enough time for Kyungsoo to fall in love.  

“They look like royalty don’t they?” Chen mused

“Yeah, Kyungsoo looks regal. I suppose he was never meant for a humble alpha like Jongin.” Yixing said fondly

“Your brother is regal, just in a peasentish way. Look at him, laughing with his mouth full of food.” Chen pointed out

Yixing laughed, “I don’t know what Suho sees in him.”

“Only they will know.”

“Are you happy now?”

Suho turned to his alpha and nodded with a full on eye smile. Jongin couldn’t help pull the omega into his arms and kiss his head. Over the years the scar on Suho’s face and neck had stretched and smoothened out but to Jongin, Suho was impossibly beautiful. His Jun had so much love to give that Jongin was still surprised by the intensity somedays. Sometimes he felt like he held a delicate butterfly in his palms and if he squeezed just a bit hard, he would hurt his Jun but then Suho often proved that he was made of steel and he can bear the weight of his alpha on his own when needed.

With Kyungsoo’s wedding there was only one thing left to do. Jongin went down on his knees with a simple silver ring and asked

“Can you say you love me?”

His answer was an arm full of his omega, his Jun, ready to stay for the rest of his life.