A/N: There is mention of possible and darker themes, but nothing of that sort will happen
Also, there will be a bit of Jongyu at the end of this and the start of the next chapter as Jonghyun helps him through it all. Okay, I hope you enjoy this small update

          Jinki lets his hood fall from his head as he rides his horse harder to get to the caravan’s front after all the horses had stopped. The snow had stopped earlier that morning, the path was clear up the last mountain before they reached the valley the Choi Pack called their home. When they had packed up camp and headed out, Jinki had been told they’d make it back in less than two days and that he’d see the edges of the villages by the end of the day. Pulling the reins, his horse came to a stop beside Minho, who almost immediately looked over, smiling. “Why have we stopped?” 

          He lifted a gloved hand, gesturing toward the horizon. “There’s been an avalanche.  Either we wait it out or we take the harder path to the west around the mountainside. The path isn’t wide enough for the wagons.” 

          Panic began to form in his chest. “How long would those choices take?” 

          “About the same. Two additional weeks.” 

          “Two weeks?” He breathed out. His heat was due before then and if they weren’t going to be back in the pack, Jinki didn’t want to think about what that meant for their plans. “I was assured we’d arrive before my heat hit.”

          Minho slowly turns his head, realization dawning over his features. “How long?” 

          “I’m due in just under a week.” Soon his heat would descend over the camp like a lightning strike in a bare field of wheat. A shiver ran up his spine as he gripped his reins tighter. He knew what happened to unmated omegas who were unlucky enough to get their heat somewhere unsafe. Sure, his guards would do everything in their power to protect him, but what could they do if his future mate intended to go through with their agreement even out in the bitter cold of the mountain? Could they protect him from that?

          He whips his head back over to Minho when a hand gently touches his knee. The man’s big eyes are warm and kind, and the knot in his chest unwinds slightly. “Nothing will happen to you up here that you don’t consent to. I promise you that.” 

          “How can you promise me that?” His voice shifts accusatory without him meaning to, and he bows his head as he softens his voice in explanation, “I’m an unmated omega in a camp full of Alphas.”

          “Because if I single one of my men lay a hand on you they’ll lose it.” 

          “And what of your brother?” Jinki’s hands begin to ache with how tight he’s holding onto the leather of his reins, but he can’t make himself release it. “My fate lies in your brother’s hands. If he wishes to take me on his mountain top there’s little I can say or do to stop him.”

          “Do you want him to?”

          “What does that have to do with anything?” Gods, he wanted to vomit. His stomach churned uncomfortably as his thoughts spiral to the darkest of what-ifs.

          “Hey, lessen your grip before you hurt yourself.” Minho’s fingers are rough from callouses but warm. His touch is gentle and fleeting over Jinki’s knuckles, but it makes Jinki loosen his grip finally. “Do you want him to consummate your mating up here?” 

          “No,” Jinki squeezes his eyes shut, willing his hands to not shake. He takes a deep breath and meets Minho’s gaze once again. “No. I don’t.”

           “Then he won’t touch you. I hope you can trust my word on that.” Jinki against his better judgment found himself doing just that. Trust. Such a simple word with such heavy meaning. Something about Minho made him want to trust him and with a few more deep breaths, Jinki felt himself calm down slightly. At least his hands didn’t feel like they were leaves shaking in the wind. “I’ll let my Father know of the developments. Send someone to me for anything you may need to get through this, alright?” 

          “Alright.” Minho flashes another pretty smile before lifting his reins to guide his horse to the right. Before he could kick the side of the horse to move quickly, Jinki called out, “Hey Minho?” 

          Minho looked over his shoulder, twisting to look at him. “Yes?”

          “Thank you.”

          The smile on the man’s face widened, but all he did was nod his head once before turning back around and kicking the side of his horse. The snow billowed where the hooves pushed against the ground, trotting off to the distance where the Choi Chief was. 

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          Their best option was rounding back and making camp in the cave, setting up a separate well-heated tent for Jinki while he went through his heat. The further he was from the bulk of the men the easier this would be. Granted, the mated wolves wouldn’t be as affected, same as the Betas. It seemed most of Jinki’s guards were betas, and Minho wonders if that’s on purpose. As he waited for his brother and father to find him, Minho gazed back to where he had left Jinki. The man was surrounded by his guards, inside the tight circle with him was his beta friend and his two closest guards. From this distance, it was difficult to make out facial expressions, but his shoulders weren’t so taut with fear. Knowing he was being taken care of, Minho turned to focus on his approaching family. 

          “Has Lee's convoy been told of the developments, son?” 

          “Yes Father, but there’s more.” He made sure his shoulders were squared, hands lose around the reins in his lap, and kept his voice steady even as nerves bubbled in his chest. He knew neither of his family would take the news well. Especially his brother. “Jinki is due for his heat in less than a week.”

          Myungdae’s brows lifted as their father spoke, “Well, then we must set up a private tent for the agreement to come to-”

          “No consummation of the mating will be taking place on this mountain,” Minho cleared his throat as both Alphas stared knives into him. “He agreed to mate in the safety of our pack’s home, not on frozen ground.” 

          “The agreement was for his earliest heat to be used. I have a right to complete the bond.” Myungdae then grumbled quietly, barely heard over the sound of the wind and horses around them. “He should be lucky we’d give him the privacy of a tent.” 

          Before Minho could even think through the spike of fury rising through him at the comment, their Father smacked the back of Myungdae’s head. “He is to be your Mate. Treat him with respect.” 

          “I gave him my word he’d not be touched. That’s the end of this conversation.” Minho gripped his reins tighter and tugged, turning his horse to the left, “Now if you excuse me, I have to get the men ready to return to the cave.”

------

          Jinki ducked under the flap held open for him and gently kicked off his shoes just inside the tent. Jonghyun was close behind him, eyes following the Alpha across the room. “I hope this will work out. It’s the best we could do.” 

          He expected the thin tarp underneath his feet to be cold from the ground but was pleasantly surprised to find the furs soft against his skin and warm to the touch. In the dim light of the lantern in Minho’s hand, Jinki could see more than enough pillows were provided along with blankets and furs for the cold. “It’s more than I expected. Thank you.” 

          “I’ll let you get situated.” Jinki was aware that Minho and Jonghyun were quietly talking outside of the tent, but he paid them little attention. He trusted Jonghyun with everything in him, so whatever he thought was important he didn’t need to know. Instead, he knelt slowly into the center of the tent and ran his fingers over the soft furs laid out. It wasn’t the safety of his nest back home, but it was comfier and easier to relax in than what he feared had been the outcome waiting for him. The flap swished as it fell close again, but he made no move to get up. He knew Jonghyun’s scent almost as well as his own. 

          “Everything alright?” 

          “Huh- yeah. I wanted more information about what they’re doing to protect you from their end.” Jonghyun wiggled off his furs as he sat in front of him, smiling as he patted Jinki’s knees. “Believe it or not, I trust Minho to keep his word. Something tells me he’s the only reason you’re not mating this time.”

          “What makes you say that?” 

          The beta shrugged, glancing at his lap for a moment. “The way I keep catching Myungdae looking at you, the pheromones coming off of him. He’s angry. Possessive.” 

          Thinking about how much Minho had done for him made his chest warm and a soft smile pulling at his lips. Even if his mating to Myungdae never ended up being the loving relationship he hoped it could grow to be, Jinki had a feeling that he’d always have a friend in the younger Alpha. “I didn’t want it to come to fighting to protect me. Whoever is responsible for this has my utmost gratitude.”

          As silence fell, Jinki pulled a pillow into his lap to tightly hug it into his chest, chin pressed into the concave top. His skin was beginning to tingle, heat settling in his core, and Jonghyun’s bottom lip was looking a lot more interesting. In the past, he had spent his heats intertwined with the beta more times than not, but others Jonghyun had helped him through them without ever touching him ually. He wasn’t sure which, or either, would be used this time. Myungdae probably wouldn’t find another pleasing him through his heat instead acceptable, but the comfort and safety Jonghyun brought almost made Jinki melt at just the thought. 

          He squinted as that bottom lip thinned out before realizing it was because Jonghyun was chuckling. “You’re staring.” 

          “It’s the hormones. I apologize.”

          “That’s quite alright.” Jonghyun leaned back on his palms, his fingers curled slightly in the furs under them as he gazed across at Jinki with a gentle expression. “How do you feel?” 

          “It’s close. Maybe midday tomorrow at the latest.” 

          “How do you want to do this one?” 

          “I don’t know.” He mumbled, suddenly fatigued as his eyes fought to stay open. “As long as you’re here.” 

          “I won’t leave. I promise.” 

          But Jinki already knew that. Jonghyun was always there, regardless, always.