*this takes place after chapter one!

They stand there within each other spaces, Jeongguk having graciously moved away just a bit, but close enough that their breathing are in sync with one another.

If this moment were a year ago, Taehyung knows he would have been trying to smoother Jeongguk with small kisses all over his face, a smile on his lips as the flutter behind his throat comes out as a giggle because his alpha would been radiating happiness.

Except now,

Now Taehyung reeks with fear, tear stricken with grief on his cheeks as he stares at the alpha’s collarbones.

Unable to move because he doesn’t know what Jeongguk would do if he were to move an inch and it terrifies him.

The alpha before him is nothing like the Jeongguk he left behind a year ago, one he fully believes he barely recognized at the time, his eyes feel heavy as he subtly takes in the scent of his mate and it smells…of nothing.

The anger from before is still there, but the scent he once had…the scent of home, of comfort, is no longer there – which is impossible because the link to their bond is open now, Taehyung should be able to take in Jeongguk’s natural scent.

Taehyung makes a confused sound, his eyes lifting to look at Jeongguk who was already looking back as if he never intended to look away.

“Let’s go home.” Is all he says before he turns away, not before he grasps onto his arm, tugging him up on his feet.

-

The night is breezy as the omega stumbles out the bar, shoulder bloody as the wound heals on its own, he feels exposed as he is guided towards the suv waiting for them to take them home.

Shame fills him as no one looks towards him as they all stand there in case Taehyung tries to make a run for it, which is unnecessary he knows his place, his eyes feel heavy with emotions as he walks next to his mate who speaks not a word.

The air is heavy with anger coming from all five of his mate’s lieutenants, though no one is looking their way, Taehyung could feel the disagreement, disgust, of his presence.

He could feel himself shrinking within himself, the hostility being blatantly shown is all so new and it feels so wrong, but this was all his own doing.

Taehyung is the one who took the step forward in betraying not only Jeongguk, but the rest of the club – it was only fair they would come to hate him too.

Though that does not stop him from looking at the one person who has always remained by his side, as equals as well as best friends.

Jimin

Taehyung catches sight of him, his steps involuntary slow down once he does, he could feel his heart in his throat because Jimin looks so different.

His hair is longer, freshly dyed which Taehyung has a hard time believing because Jimin was the one who was always against the idea – the idea of smothering his scent in case he finds someone he is interested in, because all they would smell is chemicals.

His lips part, wanting, no needing to call out to his best friend (does he even have the right to say that now?), but the words catch in his throat when their eyes meet

Pure unadulterated anger is all he could see reflect in Jimin’s eyes, there is not a single sign of warmth nor any of any sign of relief from the other – all he could feel is the same type of resentment the others held for him.

Taehyung…doesn’t have anyone.

He no longer has anyone in his corner,

And why would he? Why would Jimin find any relief of finding him, he who broke his arm without a second thought or remorse at the time.

“Taehyung.” Jeongguk calls out as Taehyung forces himself to look away from those hateful eyes to face the alpha. “Come on.” There’s a small tug as they both continue to walk, and belatedly Taehyung realizes he had stop walking to stare at Jimin.

-

The silence is suffocating, the only noise in the car were the tires beneath them as they sped through the highway.

Taehyung stares straight ahead at the seat in front of him, eyes unseeing as the reality of the events that happened merely hours ago has begun to set in.

The immense pain on his shoulder is the only thing he is aware of, the one thing that sent shivers down his spine as it brought the reality on that this was happening.

There was no escaping from this.

The familiar place the omega had for almost a year is now gone, no one is there to save him.

He could feel the eyes of his alpha on him, drinking him in, but Taehyung recedes into the safe space of his mind, to block off the reality until it was time he stood out the moving van,

Unable to deal with the situation.

Jeongguk could feel the heavy judgment come from around s, could feel the disagreement of how things were handled.

None too happy of the condition the omega was in before they took hold of him, having for themselves smell just exactly what Taehyung has been up to.

The smell of some lowlife beta seeped into Taehyung’s skin, it took everything within Jeongguk to not inhale the scent and to track down the bastard who thought he could touch his omega and get away with it.

Jeongguk could feel the animosity coming from Namjoon as well as Yoongi, the two having witnessed the effects of what Taehyung has done.

They all felt as if Jeongguk allowed Taehyung to get away from the punishment the omega truly deserved,

Which the alpha agrees with, having a forced mating bite is a gentle way of claiming the omega once again.

There were many ways this could have gone, ways that would have Taehyung come to despise him.

It would have been well deserved though, because every single time Taehyung would bed someone else that was not Jeongguk, he would feel it until it ended – ing felt how much his omega seemed to enjoy it.

It became too much at one point, where Taehyung would have with someone every night, causing Jeongguk to ultimately close off his own connection.

In the end, it no longer matters anymore of how Jeongguk dealt with it, though just the thought of the smell that covered his omega just recently burns,

They were all done with the dingy town, a sour memory that will fade after time.

Jeongguk will make sure Taehyung will only remember of their happiest memories, of how much they love each other.

The second mating mark will make sure of it.

Well Jeongguk would like to think it would be that easy, but he knows his instincts would never let the betrayal go.

It would always simmer beneath his skin, clawing from time to time in the back of his mind any time he would look at his mate.

Their bond is weakened due to the amount of time spent of apart, due to the fact that Taehyung shut his connection on his own (even now Jeongguk could feel small tinges as the omega tried once again to shut him out, but it would be proven useless in the end), the infidelity on behalf of his mate has done.

Time would only tell if they would be able to fix who they were before that winter night,

Jeongguk doesn’t know whether or not if he would be able to speak to his omega for some time, time until he could reign in his emotions.

Taking in a breath, he turns to look at his mate, it doesn't mean he could no longer fathom touching his mate.

Stunning is one word that would describe the male before him, beautiful is another and he takes pride in knowing this is his mate.

The alpha felt as he were a starved man, as he took in the sight before him wanting and needing to reach out to touch his mate – to reassure himself that Taehyung was here and this wasn’t a dream.

A cruel dream that would plague him almost every night before the day arrived where he would find his Taehyung once again.

And so he did, Jeongguk slowly reached out and curled his fingers around the ends on Taehyung’s hair,

His eyes flickering towards the omega to see any reaction and sees none.

He doesn’t question it, otherwise guilt would consume him, as he rubs the strings of hair together with a small smile.

Taehyung has grown his hair just like what he had wanted in the past,

There were many changes to his omega since a year has slowly passed.

One that specifically stood out to the alpha was the healthy weight Taehyung has put on, his cheeks filling naturally instead of the gaunt face he would normally see

It caused a small pang of regret? Remorse? Failure?

He doesn’t know, but what he does know is that the only reason why Taehyung’s skin glowed, his weight healthy was because he wasn’t by Jeongguk’s side.

It says so much about the amount of stress his mate has gone through to remain by his side, it screams at Jeongguk that he failed as his partner.

Swallowing, he leans forward and basks in the familiar scent he could now freely enjoy – one of home, safety.

The smell of vanilla with a hint of gardenia tickles his nose and it was the scent that causes him to wrap his arms around his mate, his mate who is finally and rightfully at his side once again.

It tears through the silence instantly,

Taehyung who has remained frozen in his seat once he was guided inside, one who feels more vulnerable more than anything at the moment – could not stand to be touched.

Not by anyone, not even Jeongguk.

Though it tears him inside, Taehyung shoves the alpha’s arm aside, lips curled into a snarl. “Do not touch me!” His breathing is rapid as he wraps his own arms around himself, a pathetic attempt to protect himself.

Taehyung doesn’t want to succumb and allow Jeongguk the freedom to hold him, to be intimate with him – Jeongguk does not deserve that in his eyes.

Jeongguk stares at him, mouth parted in surprise at the display, and Taehyung is so sorry right then and there-

A low emitted growl distracts Taehyung, the sound a warning, a threat towards the omega.

Taehyung curls within himself because he has forgotten that it was not just he and Jeongguk in the moving vehicle, it was the two mated pairs and his lieutenants.

And what he has just done is the ultimate display of disrespect, because how dare he be ungrateful towards his alpha – his alpha who has spent months looking for him, who only has nothing but love for him.

His alpha who he has embarrassed time and time again since he has left and is now doing it once again in front of s.

“You piece of !” Someone, it sounds familiar but Taehyung doesn’t want to know who, growls from behind them. “How ing dare you-“

Taehyung does not care when he bares his teeth, eyes squeezed shut, as a silent way to show he will not apologize for his actions.

The tension rises at the display, disbelief coating the air as they all looked towards Taehyung,

It was becoming dangerous for the omega,

“Enough!” The voice booms to cut the tension, dominance filling the air to calm those around them, the tone causes Taehyung to flinch involuntary.

“You,” Jeongguk says as he looks back from behind them, eyes narrowed in a threatening manner, lips quirked downward. “Apologize, Namjoon.”

It only takes a second for Taehyung to realize the command wasn’t for him to apologize to Namjoon, but rather for the beta to apologize.

A bubble of bewilderment is felt as he opens his eyes, his gaze going straight to Jeongguk who has moved closer despite the moment a few minutes ago as if,

As if Jeongguk was trying to shield Taehyung away, away from the supposed threat.

“Namjoon,” Jeongguk repeats himself, his lips curling up as he sees the defiance in his subordinate eyes, “Do not make me repeat myself.” Do not test me.

Namjoon averts his gaze away from his leader, through clenched teeth he apologizes, “I am sorry, Taehyung.” The name curls around his lips in displeasure.

“Shove that apology up your ,” Yoongi calls out in a huff, his arms crossed over his chest from where he sits in the front, his body lax.

The grey alpha knows the apology is as disingenuous, the beta merely crawling on his knees with the apology to save face with Jeongguk.

Taehyung whips his head towards the older alpha, his eyes widening in surprise because even though the words were crude – it was a way to almost say that Yoongi was on Taehyung’s side, which confuses the omega.

If anyone who has the rights to want his head on a stick other than Jeongguk and Jimin, it would be Yoongi.

Yoongi who has been by his mate’s side for years now, Taehyung stares at the other for a moment longer before turning his attention towards his alpha.

Who is staring down at him, Taehyung presses his lips into a thin line at the attention, but he no longer curls within himself.

Seeing the display of action, Jeongguk slowly reaches forward and when Taehyung shows no sign of moving away nor of discomfort – does he gently the soft skin of his cheek.

“I will make myself perfectly clear,” The tone is gentle as he continues to hold Taehyung’s cheek, “If anyone disrespects Taehyung, if anyone so much as becomes a threat to Taehyung, will face death.”

Jeongguk adverts his gaze to look back at those from behind, his eyes glinting darkly, “Does everyone understand.”

Taehyung stills under the touch, hearing the threat for those who serve under Jeongguk surprises him – of course the omega knows his mate would always be there to protect him, he would never have any doubts regarding that.

Though he could never have imagined Jeongguk would threaten those who are close to family to him, those who willingly gave their lives and who are fiercely loyal to Jeongguk.

Yoongi is the one to break the silence, splitting the skin on his palm open while doing so, “I understand, leader.” He says as he holds out his hand that now drips with blood.

Jeongguk looks towards his right hand man, a ghost of a smile on his lips as they shake hands – there was no need for the leader to spill his own blood.

The others join in soon after, all the while Taehyung remains silent.

Jeongguk, seemingly satisfied as the palm of his hand is filled with scent of each of his lieutenant’s blood, turns to face the window where Taehyung currently is looking out at.

The alpha could see the loss of blood on the omega’s face once a sign indicating they were close to the city passes by, his lips form a smile as settles closer to Taehyung.

“Welcome home, Taehyung.”

There will be no chance of escaping

♡

Sorry this one is a bit late!

Last week was a little to hetic, but I hope you enjoy this chapter (・・；)

no promises on the next update, but it is ready! it just depends on my schedule when its uploaded lol

anyway, thank you so much for reading!

and thank !! you !! to the new subscribers for giving this mess a chance!

one day i will rewrite everything so it links up better orz

have a wonderful week!