Hoseok kept to a medium pace as he sprinted through the Whispering Woods. It was a denser part of the Woods; the trees were close-knit, the other shrubbery and flora overgrown – though still retaining its exotic beauty. It had rained that afternoon and the soil had that moist smell to it, the grey clouds still floated across the sky, nonchalantly blocking most of the moonlight that was the only source of guidance to Hoseok, even considering his wolf’s enhanced sight.

His fur coat was still damp and moisture clogged despite Hoseok expecting that it would have dried by now from all the running. However, that hadn’t been the case and now it weighed him down, the wet fur accompanied by his tiredness making his movements slower and more sluggish.

Hoseok had come from a particularly well-off noble family – well, maybe that was a slight understatement?

His father was currently one of the most prominent advisors on their King’s council. His mother had been a healer in the palace. She had been serving the royal family since long before the Queen’s death - before passing away herself, stricken by the plague that had broken out in the southern part of the kingdom and that she, along with a team of other healers, had been dispatched to contain. Hoseok had been around ten and Jiwoo six, making her barely retain any prominent memories of their mother.

It was that year, Hoseok guesses, that everything had started falling apart for the Jung family. Their mother was an only child and her parents - the Jung siblings’ maternal grandparents – had passed a few years earlier, leaving no relatives on their mother’s side. The Jungs came from a long line of imperial scholars and generals, Hoseok’s father’s generation also not disappointing. The young alpha’s eldest uncle – his father’s older brother – had been a renown general for the Lupa Kim Clan and his youngest uncle had been put in charge of the imperial treasury.

His eldest uncle had died on the battlefield only a year after his mother’s passing, the second uncle following the year after that, assassinated during an attempt by a rival kingdom to sabotage the kingdom’s treasury and resources. Hoseok and Jiwoo were left in the care of their father then, but since the man was almost always at meetings or court, the duty of raising Jiwoo had almost completely fallen to Hoseok. He didn’t mind – he loved his sister, she was an angel. Maybe sometimes too wild and crass – Hoseok totally takes the blame for cussing in front of her during her younger years; the unseemly vocabulary was already permanently imprinted into her mind – but an adorable angel nonetheless.

In turn, Jiwoo had helped ebb away the loneliness he had become accustomed to.

As a child, Hoseok was incredibly extroverted, inquisitive and rowdy. He would slip away from their mansion mid lessons and wander the markets, he would talk to old grannies and other kids his age and people of all ages in general. But as he grew and the people in the city became aware of his identity, the number of people who approached him with genuine friendship in mind had dwindled considerably, leaving him with only a few people he could confide in.

Hoseok had always been rather short and lanky so he was expected to present as a beta – it had come as a rather unexpected but nice surprise to all around him when he’d presented as an alpha instead, albeit a little late at fourteen. As he grew broader and his body became sturdier he finally came to a conclusion as to what he wanted to be in life – Hoseok decided to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and become an Imperial General. Thankfully, his father – who had by then become considerably withdrawn from both of his children and completely immersed in work – happily approved, showing him a proud smile, the first one since their mother’s death.

At fifteen, the young alpha then joined the recruitment for Imperial Knights and started his training under the mentorship of one of the current Generals whose family name was Song. Hoseok ended up being a natural; He was bright, fast, nimble and good with almost every kind of weapon - maces were definitely not his thing, thank you very much.

By the time his seventeenth year rolled around, Hoseok was an Imperial Knight of the highest rank. He was even considered a sort of prodigy.

But the immense praise for his talents never made him happy – after all, why would he be happy if there were no loved ones to congratulate him. Jiwoo was always elated and supportive, of course, but that was different. The King had been kind and appreciative too, and his mentor was definitely proud.

His father, however, had barely given him a clap on the back, an indiscernible look in his eyes that Hoseok didn’t necessarily like for some reason.

He would finally understand the meaning of that look some time later, though…

A few months into his seventeenth year Jiwoo presented as an omega. It was all well and good since no one minded. He once even overheard their father discussing with someone – he wasn’t able to see who exactly – how lucky Jiwoo would be if she ever got the chance to marry one of the princes, should they ever present as alphas. Hoseok didn’t question it then – why would he, when it was such a great match? Admittedly, he’s never met either of the princes but he hears stories all the time. The two of them were apparently unruly and unrestrained, but fast learners when they wanted to be. That unruliness was what hooked Hoseok’s interest – they seemed like people who loved to have fun and if anyone knew how to have proper fun in this city, it was the Jung siblings.

A month later, however, he heard news of the eldest prince, Kim Seokjin’s presentation. An omega. When he first heard the news he’d only chuckled to himself, thinking that if Jiwoo would ever actually have a chance of marrying into the royal family then that chance now completely depended on the younger prince, Jungkook, since the eldest prince was an omega. However, that thought seemed so innocent compared to what his father was plotting.

“The Crown Prince is a ing omega! All my plans have gone down the drain now!”

Fate must have been secretly pulling the strings that night for Hoseok couldn’t sleep and had ventured to the lower floors of the mansion when he heard voices and then coherent sentences as he got closer to his father’s office. The door was closed, but he still lingered by the wall outside – he did not like the tone with which his father had spoken nor did he appreciate the way he had just insulted the eldest prince’s dynamic. His own daughter was an omega, so what was the man’s problem? But then his mind immediately latched on to the word ‘plan’.

“That is actually to our - your – advantage, do you not think so, Jung?” the voice sounded familiar but Hoseok couldn’t place it. He couldn’t match a name or a face to the voice.

“How come?” He heard his father question, curiosity and something like hope mixing together in the tone.

“Isn’t your eldest an alpha?”

Hoseok was confused. How was he involved in this? Whatever this might be. There was silence on the other side of the door and Hoseok strained his ears so as to not miss even the quietest of words and then his father finally spoke.

“Oh…” It came out in a low whisper, the surprise in the tone apparent. “You mean to say…?”

“Yes, Jung, why not?” The other person started. “We were planning to make your daughter the next King’s consort anyway, but now that it turned out this way wouldn’t it be better to focus on your son instead?.”

And that was when Hoseok had left, darting across the rooms on the lower floor to reach the stairs and finally lock himself in his own chambers.

He understood it then - understood everything; The strangers coming in and out of their mansion at odd hours, his father’s secrecy, the older man’s constantly growing greed that had become apparent to Hoseok as he became older. He had been scheming to make the Jungs a part of the royal family. The easiest way to dig his claws into the royal bloodline until then had been to make Jiwoo the consort, so her progeny would be of imperial blood. But now, now he had a better option.

His father’s new goal now would be to wed his son to Prince Seokjin, thereby, making Hoseok the next King, should the current ruler pass or retire. Hoseok made a vow that night – he swore to Lupa that he would do everything in his power to ruin all of his father’s plans.

When Hoseok turned eighteen, he was officially appointed as a General of the Lupa Kim court. The youngest general in history!, everyone had cheered. Hoseok, however, was on a mission – a mission to foil his father’s ruthless plans which, as he’d come to unveil since that fateful night, are much more terrible than just making Hoseok the next King.

Since assuming the position of General, Hoseok’s been attending the daily court meetings, as is customary. He’s finally managed to catch brief glimpses of the two princes – both handsome boys, but now distraught over the Queen’s recent passing. Prince Seokjin, especially, was quite a cunning and clever character, judging from what Hoseok’s observed of the prince.

Hoseok’s father was now the eldest Prince’s tutor but the young General could clearly see how much the omega prince actually detested the man. The Prince’s craftiness and their evidently mutual dislike for advisor Jung caused Hoseok some relief for he now had a potential ally in the palace should he ever need inside help.

For now, however, he had to gather evidence to prove his father’s potential…treason.

It was why he was heading north now, to the Northern-most kingdom on the Ancestral Land beyond which lay only a small strip of the Whispering Woods and then across a small meadow, the vast and seemingly endless Lands of the Fey through which no wolf has ever ventured and returned.

Estimating his speed and the time he’s been running, Hoseok concludes that he is quite near the border of the kingdom in question, perhaps another day’s sprint and he should be able to reach there. However, he has to stop in his tracks when an obstacle presents itself to him in the form of a dead groove of trees and plants that are nothing but a withered tangle of branches and sharp thorns. He thinks he sees buckthorn, honey le and maybe Bougainvillea – he’s not so sure.

The groove stretches left and right for as far as he could see from his current position, meaning it would take him quite a while to go around it. It’s almost midnight and Hoseok doesn’t want to take a detour.

Despite the evident risk of injury due to the thorns, he thinks going through the withered mass is the fastest path.

He shifts then, into his human form, and dresses into the clothes he’d been carrying with him in his supply bag that had been clutched between his jaws. He’s smaller in this form and it would be fairly easier to find an opening in the thorns.

An owl hoots somewhere in the distance and he can hear the crickets chirp. The chilly northern wind blows, causing some of the dried twigs and branches to shift and sway as he carefully ventures through the groove, trying his best not to cut himself too much on the thorns. It’s when he hears it – a weak whimper, pained and barely loud enough to be perceived by Hoseok’s wolf ears. The alpha freezes in place then and he can feel his heart rate speed up as his mind runs over the various possibilities as to the source of the noise. It doesn’t seem threatening though.

Another light breeze picks up then and a gust of wind blows by his face. It brings with it a slight whiff of honey and ripe orange. At first, Hoseok mistakes it for the lingering scent of the withered honeysuckle plants around him, but then, he cannot distinguish any ripened orange trees around him – and does honeysuckle actually smell like honey? He doesn’t know - which makes him curious and he slowly trudges along the direction where the fragrance was seemingly coming from. The alpha sniffs the air again when he feels closer to the source and recoils sharply, almost falling backwards at the pure fear, agony and distress that permeate the air.

There was an omega nearby, clearly hurt and afraid.

He looks around, searching frantically for the poor soul. His heart shrivels up with sadness and his throat tightens up at the raw distress. Hoseok’s never felt such heavy emotions before, especially not the negative kind.

He moves the vines on the forest floor, pushes through weaving bushes of thorns all the while ignoring the cuts he gets on his palms and along his arms. His wolf is anxious and can’t correctly pinpoint the other’s location and the scent seems to now engulf the whole area, making it even more difficult to navigate.

“Please…” Hoseok calls, his loud voice cracking as tears start rolling down his face from all the negative energy his wolf feels in that place. “Where are you? I want to help!”

The wind blows again, spreading the scent and confusing him further. Hoseok groans, feeling helpless but then the clouds above shift and a beam of pure moonlight filters through the gnarly branches and onto the forest floor catching a sliver of pale flesh – a hand – just as Hoseok finally hears someone.

“H-Here…”

Hoseok sees the hand twitch then, just barely, but he is already stomping his way towards the bony outline of it, uncaring of the sparks of pain that shoot up and down his body as the thorns rip up his clothes and dig into his flesh.

“It is okay…I’m going to help get you out from under there now.” He whispers soothingly as he crouches by the pale hand and just barely grazes the skin of it with his own fingertips, reassuring the other of his presence.

It takes time and patience and lots of silent sobbing on Hoseok’s part as he keeps hearing the pained whimpers and cries of the omega but he finally manages to uncover the shifter from under the sharp, spiky vines.

He gasps at the ghastly view before him.

The omega was clearly male, lying on his back with one of his hands – the one Hoseok had seen earlier– outstretched behind him at an odd angle. He is clad only in a pair of loose, ripped bottoms that are caked with mud and grime. His bare feet, arms and torso as well as his face are pale and littered with cuts, the skin blue and black with bruises.

The man is undeniably malnourished, the bones of his ribcage protruding visibly. His eyes are barely open, but as Hoseok nears him and tries to touch the omega the man hisses at him, his eyes glowing blue and warning him off. Despite the omega’s terribly weakened physical state, Hoseok realizes that the man before  him must be incredibly strong mentally; if not he wouldn’t have been to survive in such a state. The alpha wonders what had befallen the man for him to end up this way but he doesn’t ask, for right now his first priority is getting the omega to safety and treating his injuries.

“Shh…It’s okay.” He says softly, not wanting to scare the man any further than he probably already is. “I’m not going to hurt you. But I do have to touch you so we can leave here and get you somewhere safe, can I do that? I want to help…” He waits as the man’s eyes study him, simultaneously tired and alert. At last, the pale, lithe being before him nods.

“Please…”

The alpha wastes no time as he contemplates the best way for him to carry the omega and deciding that the other is probably too weak to hold on tight if he were to get him on his back, Hoseok winds one arm beneath the man’s knobby, bony knees and the other further up his back and lifts carefully. The omega hisses and whimpers and whines in his arms but one of his hands still clutches tight onto Hoseok’s robes – well, as tight as he could manage in his state.

It takes them a considerably long time to emerge on the other side of the groove, Hoseok’s body covered in even more cuts than before since he’d wanted to protect the omega from any further injuries as much a s possible. The man in his arms seems to be staying awake only through sheer willpower, not completely trusting the alpha with himself despite Hoseok’s help. The General looks around, unsure of which direction he should head in. The canopy is sparse here and more moonlight filters through, illuminating the forest and making it just a tiny bit easier for him to navigate. A sparkle of light catches his attention and when he shifts a particular way he swears he could see something in the distance, just above the canopy.

Hoseok walks slowly, careful of not jostling the omega in his arms too much. He’s thankful that the other was in his human form because it would’ve been challenging to move him otherwise. The alpha hears the trickle of water in the distance and prays to Luna that it’s a stream so he could get the omega some water to sate his thirst and clean the wounds. The sparkle he’s seen earlier ends up being the reflection of the moon by the spires of a building, a sort of temple that has been almost entirely buried under soil – likely a result of a land slide from the hills just beyond - and mud sans a single high, ornate window with colored glass panels. The panels are large and one of the lowest is broken, leaving just enough space for Hoseok to crawl inside, the omega still in his arms.

The moonlight beams through the fractured window panes and the colored glass casts squares of shaded light patches over the temple’s floor; the light is just enough for Hoseok to scan the area. He sighs in relief when he spots no animals around and proceeds to clear some space on the ground by shuffling around some twigs and leaves using the soles of his boots. He then crouches low and gently lays the man down.

Hoseok still hears the water so whatever the source is, it must be near. But as he stands and turns away to leave, the man’s hand darts out with incredible precision and grips his ankle with unexpected strength.

“Do-Don’t leave...” the voice is hoarse, deep and raspy and Hoseok briefly wonders if the man’s usual voice is just as deep or if it is only the result of being parched. He kneels beside him and unwinds the omega’s long, thin fingers from around his ankle, gently holding the hand in his own as he speaks in a soft voice.

“I will be back.” He says, but the omega doesn’t look like he believes him so he continues. “You need water – and a healer to look at you. At best, I would be able to only clean your wounds but we don’t want them to get infected, do we? I will not abandon you, I swear by the Luna.” The hand slips from his own almost lifelessly and Hoseok slightly panics before the omega gives him the smallest of nods. The alpha smiles reassuringly and takes off his robes, draping them over the omega. The dark haired man stutters out a sigh and finally closes his eyes.

Hoseok watches for a moment as the man’s chest raises and falls subtly, indicating that he was still breathing. He turns around then and swiftly makes his way out of the temple.

***

He finds the spring quite quickly. It’s not a large one, just a thin trickle of water that flows along the rocks from an elevated ground and collects in a small pool. It looks clean though and Hoseok feels relief for a fleeting moment before it strikes him that he doesn’t have anything with him to carry the water.

He tries to take some water into the cup of his joined palms but it’s useless because it won’t stay in and it’s not enough anyway. He decides to look around instead so he takes off his clothes and shifts.

Before setting out on his journey, Hoseok has heard of an outbreak of an illness in a village somewhere not too far from where he was now and so, he decides to try his luck and heads north-west – away from his original destination and in the direction of the coast. He keeps running without a sense of time, his mind is only filled with the quiet whimpers of pain the omega had let out. Belatedly, he realizes that he hasn’t even asked for the shifter’s name. His heart clenches painfully, almost squeezing all air out of him when he thinks he might never know it should the omega die before his return. He has half a mind to turn back but then the bruised and cut skin flashes before his eyes and he ventures on – going back without healing supplies would be no better than just leaving the other to die.

The sun had begun to rise over the horizon. Hoseok couldn’t actually see it, being surrounded by trees on all sides, but the way the sky was starting to light up was indication enough. It has been at least four hours then, since he started heading this way. He’s almost lost all hope, all but resigning on going back to spend the omega’s last moments with him, but then he hears it – the sound of wheels rolling over the ground.

He dashes in the direction of the sound at full speed and a short run later finally emerges onto a narrow dirt road. There, a bit ahead of him on the road, he spies a few horse-drawn carts, maybe half a dozen people walking on foot beside the carts and then a single gilded carriage.

The shifters sense him as he approaches and surprisingly, they are armed with swords which they point at him. He doesn’t know if he should be offended at the swords pointed at him or if he should be glad that whoever resides inside the carriage is important enough to need guards – which ultimately means that they must have at least some healing supplies.

He keeps some distance so as to not aggravate the other shifters and bows low, hoping one of them would come forward so he wouldn’t need to shift in order to communicate with them. One of the guards parts from the loose semi-circle in which they stand before him and starts walking towards Hoseok but the door of the carriage flies open and somebody jumps down, forgoing the steps and landing gracefully on his feet. The guard that had come forward looks like he is about to say something but the other shifter – who Hoseok identifies as an alpha – raises a hand.

The shifter standing in front of him is clearly a teenager just like himself and Hoseok spies the insignia of the Park family of Aelia on the cloak the boy wears over navy blue robes. Hoseok huffs out a breath, feeling relieved because the Park family has always had a good reputation in court.

The blonde boy crouches before him and puts out his arm, wrist up – no hesitation whatsoever, neither in his movements nor in his eyes. The link between them opens up as soon as the mild scenting is over with and Hoseok all but pleads the boy.

“Thank you - for trusting me so readily. You belong to the Parks of Aelia, don’t you?” the boy nods, urging him to continue. “I am Jung Hoseok, General for the Lupa Kim Clan. I’m in dire need of your assistance, young Park. I have an injured omega in my care and would like to request that you lend me some of your herbs and perhaps, a healer, if you have one travelling with you.”

The boy’s eyes go wide at the mention of an injured person but then he swiftly stands and smiles at Hoseok.

“You are in luck then, General, because I, myself, am a healer. And a damn good one for my age, if I may say so.” He chuckles at the last of his words. “Now then, where is your friend? Is he nearby? Because I don’t sense any other shifters around here.”

“He is four hours that way.” Hoseok replies, pointing in the right direction with his snout.

“Four hours, you say?” Park asks and Hoseok nods in response.

“My Lord, We cannot delay our journey back by four hours. Your mother-“

“Oh shush!” Park cuts off the guard before he can finish. The boy doesn’t look too pleased. “Mother will understand. More like she needs to. A life is at stake here and it’s much more important than sitting around back home. She has to stop babying me so much, for Luna’s sake! I’m fifteen and an alpha.” His face scrunches up and he looks as though he’s had to iterate these same words numerous times. The guard shuts up and moves to stand back. “I will take what I need with me and as for the rest - I’m leaving it to you.”

“But-…yes, my Lord.” The guard acquiesces at last and starts shouting orders to the others. In no time, there are sacks stuffed full of herbs and small pots filled with ointments, pastes and spare cloth at their feet.

“Lets set out, shall we, General Jung?” Jimin gestures in the direction Hoseok had pointed in earlier and the older alpha nods.

“Thank you, for doing this.”

“It is my pleasure to help you.” Jimin says, removing his robe as he heads behind a thicket of trees so he could shift in private. “Oh, and how rude of me! I don’t think I’ve given you my name yet; I’m Jimin. Park Jimin.”

***

Hoseok looks around the ruins of the temple as he has nothing else he could possibly do at that point. Some distance away, Jimin is leaning over the unconscious omega as he dips a wet cloth into a shallow bowl filled with water from the spring and cleans the shifter’s wounds.

Judging from the position of the sun in the sky overhead, Hoseok assumes it must be around an hour before noon. However, though the sun is almost at its peak, the inside of the ruins is still only dimply illuminated as the only light is the one streaming in from the single window.

The roof of the temple is vaulted and high, hidden in the shadows where the light is unable to reach. The walls are cracked, with green moss growing over the surface and vines growing out of the soil in the cracks. A few cobwebs litter the corners. Once upon a time, the place must have been vibrant and extravagant but now the ornate, metal sconces on the wall are broken and the paint has long faded to a dull, muddy color.

“I’m finished.” Jimin calls, standing up and stretching after being on his knees and haunches for so long.

Hoseok stands from where he’d been sitting and walks over. The omega is still asleep, chest raising and falling at more regular intervals than it had been before. He’d been awake for a brief few moments when Jimin and Hoseok had arrived in the late morning but passed out as soon as the elder alpha made him drink some water.

Hoseok’s eyes dart across the omega’s bandaged body. Jimin had done a great job at cleaning and bandaging the wounds, a splint is affixed to the omega’s broken left leg by a cloth and the general only hopes that the bones heal well.

“Thank you, once again, for coming out of your way and doing this.” Jimin waves him off. “Is there nothing else we could do, though? When, do you reckon, will he awake?”

Jimin shrugs after giving it a brief thought. “I’ve done the best I could so the wounds definitely won’t get infected and that is the most important thing here. As for when he will awake…well, I cannot say for sure but it may take a few days. He’s tired – both mentally and physically – and needs plenty of rest.”

Hoseok nods in understanding. “As long as he is no longer in mortal danger.”

“He’s not. I assure you.” Jimin stresses, giving the General a friendly pat on the shoulder before going to pack his supplies. “But anyway,” the younger alpha lets out an exasperated huff, “Contrary to what I’ve told my guards, I actually do need to head back. My mother’s sure to punish them if I’m not there in time to stop her. Do you think you can take over from here?”

“I-I think so…” he tries to sound sure, but Hoseok has no experience with medicine whatsoever so he’s a little afraid to be left alone with the omega. What would he do if the shifter’s condition deteriorates? “Are there any particular things I should pay attention to?”

“Not much at all, actually.” The blonde shakes his head. “The soup should last you at least a couple of days since it’s fairly cold now and it won’t spoil easily, so make sure to feed him a bit when he wakes up. Make him drink lots of water and keep an eye on the ties around the splint – if they come loose while he shifts around do retie them tightly else the bone won’t align itself correctly while healing.” Hoseok makes a mental note of everything.

“Thank you for everything, Jimin.” He bows slightly and Jimin rushes forward to make him stand upright, stressing that such politeness isn’t needed between them since they are friends from now on. “I hope we meet again soon, though hopefully, under better circumstances.”

“Likewise.” The blonde smiles, eyes crinkling and turning into crescents, and in turn pulling a similarly bright smile from the elder.

***

It takes another whole day for the omega to finally wake up.

Jimin leaves almost immediately after finishing his treatment and giving some more instructions to the elder alpha. He makes Hoseok promise to write him a letter once the omega awakes and everything is better. Hoseok readily acquiesces because it’s the least he could do to at least marginally repay the younger.

As he waits for the pale man to regain consciousness, Hoseok covers the omega with his robe to protect him from the chill and goes out to hunt. He comes back a couple hours later - having succeeded in catching two rabbits and a doe – and makes a fire. Not too close to the omega though, as he doesn’t want the man to choke on smoke in his sleep.

He skins a rabbit and roasts it on a thick twig that he cleans and sharps with one of his daggers to make a skewer. The alpha then ladles some soup into a small bowl Jimin had left there earlier and heats it over the flame.

Hoseok covers the top of the bowl with a clean cloth to keep away the insects and bugs and then saunters back to where the omega lies asleep. It’s evening now, and the high window casts strange shadows onto the pale skin of the man’s face as Hoseok studies him.

The omega has soft, dark eyebrows and a small button nose that Hoseok finds endearingly cute. His hair is red – the shade somewhere between dark cherry red and deep brown; it looks incredibly soft even with the grime that Jimin hadn’t been able to clean away. The man has a sharp jaw line but his face still looks soft and squishy, even his closed eyes look soft. But Hoseok has seen the fire in them and he wants to see more of that spark.

He stays like that and waits for time to pass. His eyes follow the lines of the omega’s features, the fluttering of his eyelids as he dreams, the cute pout of his slightly parted lips. He’s just short of being bewitched by the sight of the man before him and as his mind wanders, his hand unconsciously reaches for the man’s fringe where a few strands of silky hair have fallen over his forehead when the omega had shifted slightly. Hoseok’s fingers move back the hair and it’s just as silky as he’s imagined it would be; his fingertips just barely brush over a sliver of skin then-

There’s a twitch in the omega’s jaw, his eyes snap open - furious and glowing blue – and he surges forward with his claws. Wait….claws? Was partial transformation still even possible for shifters in this day and age? But Hoseok is sure of what he sees, it’s definitely claws – and the pain he feels moments later is a testament of proof. Hoseok jumps back from the oncoming assault, scrambling to his feet. He feels blood trickle down the side of his face and neck and his hand shoots up to his ear – the upper part of it is thorn but thankfully the damage is only external.

The omega tries to stand but the man’s leg prevents him and he hisses, both from the pain and as a warning to Hoseok to stay away. It seems like he doesn’t recognize the alpha.

Hoseok throws up his hands, indicating he means no harm to the other. “Hey…calm down. It’s okay. My name is Hoseok – I brought you here yesterday. Do you not remember me? Take a deep breath and think, hm?” he softly urges the man. The omega’s fingers are still elongated into sharp claws and he tries his best not to stare lest the other feels offended. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He adds, wincing at the sting of his torn ear.

The omega sniffs the air and his brows momentarily shoot up to into his red fringe. Hoseok watches as realization dawns on the man and the blue in the omega’s eyes slowly ebbs away, a sad look overtaking his face as he notices the condition of Hoseok’s ear.

“I-“ the omega coughs, his throat too rough and parched to speak properly. “I am terribly sorry. I…I just reacted on instinct – I didn’t realize what I was doing.”

Hoseok sees tears start to build in the omega’s eyes which are still fixed on his ear. He shakes his head, trying to smile reassuringly and make the other feel as comfortable and safe in his presence as possible.

“It will heal. I often go to battle and sustain injuries far more serious than this one so it’s nothing for you to cry about. Instead, how would you feel about having some water first, and food? You must be thirsty and hungry.” He gestures towards the bowl of fresh water by the fire pit and then to the small bowl of soup that has miraculously remained untouched and in one piece. The man considers his words, eyes flitting from the water to the soup, and then nods his head – just enough for Hoseok to catch the minute movement.

The alpha pours some water into a third, smaller bowl and tentatively reaches out his hand to pass it to the man. The claws – thankfully, holy Luna – recede, and the omega takes it from his hand, gulping it down greedily. He looks into the bowl curiously and then bites his lip as he quietly speaks. “Ma-may I have some more?”

Hoseok smiles and nods his head vigorously, hopping towards the larger bowl and setting it down before the omega, implying with his hands that he is welcome to help himself to it as much as he needs.

Something serene overtakes the air around them and everything proceeds slowly but smoothly – no more injuries. The pale man drinks his fill and then tentatively accepts the bowl of soup, which he finishes greedily. A cold breeze takes up and he shivers, Hoseok’s robes having fallen off of him when he’d suddenly woken up and attacked the alpha. Hoseok bends down to retrieve them and after dusting it off he offers the robes once again, which the other accepts shyly.

Despite the earlier display of strength, the omega is rather meek and quiet. He doesn’t talk too much – only asks questions like how has it been since you brought me here?, who treated me? Why are you here? Who are you?

The man still seems skeptical and wary of Hoseok but weirdly, Hoseok doesn’t want him to be. He wants the man to be comfortable in his presence and speak his mind, share his thoughts with the alpha.

“My name is Hoseok.” He introduces himself, inclining his head. Although, he must have probably already said his name at some point, he realizes. “I am an Imperial General in-“ the man freezes then scrambles several feet back, eyes wide and alarmed. Hoseok’s mouth stays open mid-speech but no sound comes out.

“Are-are…..do you come from the Northern kingdom?” the pale shifter stutters out.

Hoseok immediately concludes that whoever it is that had harmed the omega must hail from afore mention territory. Rage bubbles up inside him. Exactly how many evil deeds does the Northern kingdom’s people partake in? First it was aiding his own father in his conspiracies of treason against the Lupa Kim Clan, then he discovered their involvement with the slave trader packs and now this…Oh! Hoseok mentally prays to Luna, hoping that that is not the case with this shifter but the omega must see it on his face because he curls in on himself, closing his eyes and biting his lip until it starts to bleed.

Hoseok crawls closer, his hand hovering just in front of his face but not risking to touch the other, “Don’t do that, don’t hurt yourself…” he murmurs and the man releases his lip from between his teeth, tongue darting out briefly to swipe at the pinprick droplets of blood. Despite his genuine worry for the omega, Hoseok’s eyes still follow the movement of the pink muscle, the soft bow of his now moist lips. He shakes his head. “And no, I don’t belong to the North. I serve the Lupa Kim family.”

The omega’s eyes soften and there’s just the hint of a smile. “It is my home too. I live in Aelia city – or used to.” The expression sours immediately and so does the scent. It smells like rotten fruit and Hoseok scrunches up his nose. The man notices the action and collects himself as best as he is able to. “Sorry…”

Hoseok shakes his head. “If I may…may I know your name? And perhaps what has happened to you. I don’t dare to assume, but if what I’m thinking of is what really happened to you then it is a heavy crime that is punishable by the Laws of the Ancestral Lands. If the King of the Northern territory is aware of the evil deeds that transpire within his kingdom, then he is liable to stand before a council and answer to all the pack leaders and other kings on the Lands.”

The omega snorts. It’s loud and derisive – scornful and disgusted. His face is a mask of rage and his body trembles slightly in anger. “Oh, he knows alright! His own son has a whole ing harem of omega and beta slaves.” The omega grumbles and spits some more profanities that make Hoseok’s eyes bulge and his lips twitch from holding back his sudden urge to laugh at the litany of swear words. The omega catches him though, and shuts his mouth, blushing profusely and startling Hoseok even more with the continuous shift in attitude between pure, fiery confidence and quiet meekness.

Hoseok coughs to clear his throat, and in a more serious voice enquires, “So, I’m guessing you were taken from Aelia to be part of this…harem?” The omega nods. “How did it happen? And how did you-“

“Yoongi.” The omega says, eyes meeting Hoseok’s just for a moment before flitting away to look at his own clasped hands that lay in his lap. “My name. It’s Min Yoongi.” Hoseok nods, smiling wide, and Yoongi smiles in return – just a tiny smile but it makes butterflies flutter inside Hoseok’s chest. He doesn’t know this omega – this Min Yoongi – but he wants to get to know him, wants to know everything about him. The happy parts, the sad ones, the confident part that makes him cuss with such amusing fluency, the shy side of him that is so endearing and cute. He doesn’t exactly know why he suddenly feels this way about a literal stranger, but he’s also never felt like this before. He doesn’t question it, however, because whatever this is, this growing attraction he feels – it feels cosmically right.

“Alright. Yoongi.” He tries the name and it rolls off his tongue so smoothly, like music. He shakes his head again, calming his heart as he threads carefully, not wanting the other to recollect anything that might be too traumatic. But who is he kidding? All of it probably is – terribly traumatic and scary. “Were you, then? Made to be part of the harem?”

Yoongi nods. “I…I was in Aelia, my whole family lives there. My parents are very strict and traditional – they never let me out much and I had few friends, probably only Nam-“ he cuts himself off, then continues. “Everything was going as usual but then one day my father came home in a hurry and locked himself in his office along with my mother. I could hear them talking and arguing but I was in my room, on the floor above, so I couldn’t make out what they were speaking of.

“Then my mother burst into my room a while later and told me to pack. She never answered my questions as to where we were going, just took my luggage and the two of us got into one of our family’s carriages.”

Hoseok nods and hums along to indicate that he is paying attention. The small details arrange themselves in his mind, trying to fill the spaces of the missing puzzle pieces. Yoongi moves on with his narration.

“I remember that we didn’t get too far before our carriage was attacked. Mother was killed trying to protect me but what actually had me scared was the fact that the attackers were my father’s men.

“The Northern king’s son apparently caught sight of me at some festive event and decided he wanted to have me. That ing bastard. The nerve!

“I suppose he’s made some sort of deal with my father in exchange for me but I was never told what it was exactly. I wouldn’t…well, spend the night with the son no matter what ways they tried. I stopped eating and drinking for fear that they might mix something into the food. They kept me prisoner at the castle and beat me every day. It was all I could do - not fall asleep lest they take advantage. I barely had any food or sleep in the approximately one month that I spent there before I managed to escape. One day, my wolf just snapped and then, well-“ he gestures to Hoseok’s ear and the alpha understands. The partial shift ability is a result of Yoongi’s wolf trying to save him.

“This is just preposterous!” Hoseok exclaims when Yoongi seems like he is finished. “How ing dare they!?” There’s silence and he looks up to see Yoongi looking at him intently. “What is it? Is something the matter?”

Yoongi blinks, shakes his head. He straightens his spine and rolls back his shoulders. The omega looks like he’s resolved himself to something. For some reason, Hoseok feels apprehension crawl up inside him. He’s almost dreading of what Yoongi will say next. The omega’s scent is pure rage mixed with confidence and determination.

“What punishment will the King and his men face should this come to light?”

“An indisputable death sentence. They will go in the most painful and torturous of ways.”

Yoongi’s face morphs into a grin. His eyes are sharp and there is an evil glint in them. “I know you’ve helped me a lot already-“

“Nonsense, that-“

“Please, hear me out, Hoseok.”

Hearing his name being said by Yoongi for the first time shuts him up. He regrets it immediately, though.

“You’ve done so much already, but I would like another favor if possible. “ Hoseok nods, presses Yoongi to continue. “You saved my life and if not for you I would have surely been fodder for the wild animals already. I’ve decided - I don’t have anything to repay you with so from now on, I’m completely yours. I will follow anything you say and-“

“What!? No! Yoongi, wait-“

“Listen!” The voice echoes deep and loud inside the ruins of the temple. Hoseok falls quiet. He will let the omega finish speaking and then he can reprimand him for what the other is clearly implying. He doesn’t want to own Yoongi. He wants to get to know him and be his friend. Yoongi doesn’t need to repay him for anything, especially with his own freedom. “I just want this one thing - I don’t care about anything else.”

Hoseok waits patiently as Yoongi takes a deep breath and looks him in the eyes as he says his next words.

“I want revenge, Hoseok. I want to be the one to personally kill the King of the Northern Kingdom and his son.”

Hoseok’s jaw drops and he just sits there, staring at the determined look on Yoongi’s face.

***