Jieun's point of view

Pain.  The first thing I'm aware of is a pain like fire all over my body.  The second thing I'm aware of is the fact that I'm curled up as a wolf, which, in and of itself isn't that uncommon.  What is uncommon is that I can't pull the pieces of myself back together to shift.  All I get is more pain and a pathetic sounding whine from my throat.

     “Don't try to shift.  It's dangerous in your condition.”

The voice is nice.  It's soothing and calming, and I want to listen to it.  Maybe I'm dead.  Maybe, just maybe, I've done enough good in my life, and this voice is an angel come to take me to heaven.  Maybe then all this pain will stop.

      “Are you awake?” the angel asks me, and I want to say no.  If I'm awake it means that I'm not dead.  It means that I'll have to face whatever pain this is.  I'll have to face my pack, and that's not something I'll be ready to do anytime soon.  So, I don't respond.  I go back to sleep.  When I'm asleep, this can all be a dream.  When I'm asleep the pain will go away.

------

 I'm not sure how much time passes until I'm awake again.  It could have been hours, days, weeks.  However, when I wake again the pain is less.  It's almost tolerable.  Almost, but not quite.

     “Are you awake this time?” the same angelic voice asks, and I want to tell it no.

 Blearily, I open my eyes just enough to see that the voice doesn't belong to an angel, as I'd originally thought, but a man.  Another wolf, by the scent of him.

      “Oh, good!  We were all worried.  I'll have to tell Namjoon and Yoongi right away!” he says before rushing off, allowing me to shut my eyes again.

 About a minute or so later, I hear footsteps approaching me, and then another voice.  I open my eyes to look at the three men approaching me.  One of them is the man I saw earlier.  The one with the gentle voice.  The other two, however, scream 'alpha' in both appearance and scent, and I feel myself start to tense up.  They seem to notice because the shorter of them with black hair stops where he is while the other alpha approaches me calmly.

      “Hey... it's nice to see you awake,” he says calmly, looking me over.  I'm sure that I look terrible, given how I feel.

 I just look at him warily, a faint whine escaping my throat.  Whatever this alpha wants, I wish he'd just get it over with.  He looks at me with a pitying glance.

     Well, screw him, I think.  I don't need anyone's pity, especially not some alpha.

 He must have noticed the switch in my mood because he holds his hands up in an 'I surrender' motion.

     “Hey, it's alright.  Just calm down.  My name is Namjoon.  I'm the head alpha of this pack,” he explains calmly, holding his hand out for me to sniff, but instead, I glare at him.

If the last thing I need right now is an alpha, then a head alpha is even worse.  However, he just keeps watching me, a clearly puzzled look on his face.

     “You know,” he begins again, clearly trying to get me to calm down, “you nearly scared poor Taehyung half to death.  He found you on a routine perimeter sweep last week and we all thought you weren't going to make it.”

So, it's been a week.  A week since all hell broke loose.  Funny, it feels like longer.

     “Hoseok's been out of his mind with worry.  He was the first one there once Tae howled for backup.  I've never seen him so torn up,” Namjoon continued.

Who?  Who the hell is Hoseok and why would he be concerned about some half-dead omega?  Namjoon must see the confusion in my eyes because he simply chuckles.

     “Of course, you wouldn't know yet,” he says, a smile gracing his, admittedly handsome, face before he turned to the other alpha.

     “Yoongi, why don't you go and get Hoseok.  Tell him she's awake.”

The shorter of the two, who I now know is called Yoongi, nods and leaves the room.  At this point, I'm beyond confused, and none of my questions are being answered, so I decide to go against what I was advised and shift.  The whole process, which usually takes seconds and feels as natural as breathing, takes me much longer this time.  The pain is excruciating, and by the time it's over I feel like I'm going to pass out.

     “Are you insane?!” the kind wolf from earlier gasps.  “Didn't I tell you not to?!  You probably just reopened all of your wounds,” he keeps scolding me as he rushes around to inspect my back.

     “It's much easier to communicate this way,” I shrug, not too concerned with torn stitches right this second.  Namjoon shakes his head at me before tossing a sheet at me so I can at least protect my dignity a bit. 

     “That's Seokjin, by the way.  He's our healer and a damn good one at that.  He's the one that brought you back from what seemed like the brink of death,” the alpha explains.

I look at the omega tending to my newly reopened wounds.

     “T-thank you,” I say, but my voice is rough and cracked from not using it for so long.  I clear my throat and try again.  “Thank you,” I say again, more clearly this time.

     “Don't thank me, it's my job,” he says, still not looking up from my back, but I can hear him muttering about re-stitching a few wounds.

     “But... I'm not even in your pack,” I muse, still in awe.  My pack's healer would only help pack members.  Anyone else found on our territory was executed.

I'm about to say something else, but Yoongi had just returned, and the sight of the alpha he'd brought with him makes me stop in my tracks.  He's gorgeous, with a long face framed by straight brown hair and his eyes are a gorgeous dark brown that I can see myself getting lost in.  His beautiful, plush lips are currently turned up in a wide smile that reminds me of a sunny day.  Then I catch his scent, so perfectly masculine, musky, and woodsy.  It makes my brain short circuit, and the only thing I can think of is 'mate'.

The man, Hoseok, is staring at me in disbelief, and he is by my side in a second, hand grasping my own in a vice-like grip.

     “You're awake,” he breathes, eyes scanning my face.

I can't say anything.  My brain is still caught up on the fact that my mate is here, sitting inches away from me and grasping my hand in his own, so I simply nod.

     “Are you in pain?” he asks, eyes flickering to where Seokjin is finishing up fixing the last of the wounds I'd opened.

I think for a second.  The wounds still hurt, and whatever disinfectant Seokjin is using stings, but I'm not focusing on that.  It's easy to ignore, considering everything.

     “A bit, but it's manageable,” I whisper, biting my lip and glancing at his face.

     “So...”

I'm brought out of my daze by Namjoon, who clearly still has questions he wants to be answered.

     “So?” I reply, turning my attention to the alpha.

     “So why don't you tell us your name?” he suggests.

Oh, right.  This pack still doesn't know anything about me except that I'm some omega that they found half-dead on their property.

     “My name is Jieun.  Lee Jieun.  I'm from the Shadow Pack, and I ran away.  So, they tried to kill me,” is my explanation. 

     “Why did you try to run?” Yoongi's voice comes from the other side of the room.  “I mean, I know the Shadow Pack is kind of... harsh... but why try to run when you knew they would come after you?”

     “Because I'm an omega,” I answer, not fully understanding what he means.  Of course, I'd run after presenting as an omega.

     “You ran because you're an omega?” Hoseok asks quietly from behind me.  “Why?”

     “When you're in the Shadow Pack and you present as an omega, you're taken away for breeding stock.  It's hell, from what I've been told, and the only thing that can save you is your mate.  Except, since omegas aren't allowed out of pack borders most don't find their mates,” I explain, still unsure of how they don't know all of this already.  Isn't that how all packs are?

     “Oh my god,” Seokjin is the first to break the silence, his voice low.

Hoseok squeezes my hand even tighter, watching me with sad eyes.

     “Why are you all so shocked?  Isn't that the way it is in every pack?” I ask, confusion working its way into my voice. 

Yoongi responds first, looking at Seokjin.  “Omegas... omegas are so much more than breeding stock.  Especially in this pack, but in most of, if not all the major packs.  We love our omegas in Bangtan.  I hope you understand that, especially since you'll be joining us.”

I take a moment to soak in his words.  Will I really be welcome in their pack?  From what I've seen, they're very tight-knit.  Almost more of a family than a pack.  Will I really be welcome?  I'm just an outsider, my only connection is my mate, who I only met moments ago, but already know I won't be able to live without.  Almost as if he can read my mind, Hoseok wraps his free hand around my waist and pulls me closer to him.

     “Of course, you're joining us.  If you want to, that is,” my mate speaks, looking directly into my eyes.  It's almost too easy to believe his words.  He's making it seem like he wants me here.  Like I belong here.  And my mate wouldn't lie to me, right?  I think I had read somewhere that it's nearly impossible to lie to your mate.

     “A-are you sure?” my voice is timid, but I need to make sure they aren't just agreeing because I happen to be Hoseok's mate.

     “Of course.  We'd love to have you join Bangtan,” Namjoon speaks this time, the confidence and finality of a head alpha clear in his calm voice.

     “Oh, um, okay then.  I would love to join your pack.”

- - -

It seems like a million things start happening at once.  Yoongi told Hoseok, or Hobi, as they sometimes called him, to go get some clothes for me, as I'm still being covered by just a sheet.  Soon I'm dressed in a large t-shirt which droops off my shoulder but smells pleasantly of my mate, and the smallest pair of shorts they could find, which I'm told belong to an omega named Jimin.

Shortly after, with Seokjin's approval (“So long as you're careful,”), I'm being lifted onto Hoseok's back and carried down to the living room to meet the rest of their, I mean, my pack.  When we get there, the pleasant flow of conversation is silenced, and I hear a bright voice say, “Oh~ you're awake.”

     “Um, yeah.  Nice to meet you guys,” I mutter, hiding my face in Hoseok's back, my fingers gripping his shoulders.

He chuckles, sitting down and pulling me around to sit on his lap.  I'm a bit surprised by his forwardness, however, nobody blinks an eye.

     “Guys, this is Jieun.  Jieun, this is –,” Hobi is immediately cut off by the same voice that greeted me earlier.

     “Ooh, let me do introductions!”

Hoseok sighs but nods his consent as his fingers play idly with a strand of my hair.

     “Right, so starting with me!  I'm Taehyung, and this grumpy face right here is my mate Yoongi.  He looks intimidating, but he's really just a big teddy bear,” Taehyung begins, earning a disgruntled 'hey' from his mate, which the former opts to ignore, continuing with introductions.

     “The omega over there with the pink hair is Jimin.  He’s a sweetheart, but don’t be fooled by his size. He can still kick some if he needs too,” he continues, gesturing to who I now know is Jimin.  He is very small, just a few inches taller than me.  He’s also got an adorable blush on his face, although that may be more to do with the fact that the alpha whose lap he’s sitting on just wrapped his arms around Jimin’s waist and is pressing kisses onto the back of his neck.

     “Next would be Jungkook, who is Jimin’s alpha.  Once again, don’t be fooled by his size, he’s actually the youngest out of all of us… even though he never seems to remember that fact.”

I nod, looking over in the pair’s direction again.  Taehyung is right, Jungkook is easily one of the tallest of the group, and definitely the most muscled.

     “Finally, we have Namjoon and Seokjin, but you’ve already met them,” Taehyung says, picking back up where he left off.  “Namjoon is the pack alpha.  He can be a little overprotective sometimes, but it’s really just because he loves us.  Seokjin is his mate and he’s basically the mom of the group.  He means well, even if he nags a lot, and he’s a really good cook,” he finishes, ignoring the indignant huff from said omega.

All I can do is nod, looking around the room at all of the faces of my pack mates.  Most of them are smiling, but Seokjin is watching me with concern on his face.

     “Are you sure you’re ok?  You look really pale.  Maybe you should take a nap while I fix something to eat,” the eldest suggests, eyeing me warily.

I’m about to tell him that, while I appreciate his concern, I’m ok.  However, when I open my mouth to speak, a yawn comes out instead.

     “That’s probably a good idea,” comes Hoseok’s voice from behind me, his arms wrapping protectively around my waist.  “Come on, I’ll take you up to my room and we’ll come get you when lunch is ready.

Nodding my head, I yawn again.  The fatigue from everything that’s happened apparently still weighing on me.  Before I can say anything else, however, I’m being lifted onto my mate’s back again.  This time, though, I’m too tired to say anything in protest.

 

---

Sorry for the sudden ending, you guys... I'm still not very good at ending chapters yet.  This story will bounce around to different member's povs, so stick around.  Let me know what you think.  I'll try to post frequently, but I'm currently working full time and going to school, so it's kind of hard to devote time to sitting and writing.