The finals went… better than he expected in his miserable state. Youngjae and Taehyung were worried about him, he knew, but they didn’t have much chance to force it out of him due to exams. Good thing he had studied in advance or else with the way his omega was being a pain in the and his mind circling back to Mark at every given moment, nothing was going inside his head- he would have definitely failed.

He didn’t understand what happened with their last confrontation, why was Mark so angry? What caused that reaction? And why did it hurt so much?

Jaebum was waiting for both of them to meet at the discussed place, then they would snag Lucas and meet Jungkook outside the campus. They planned to go to a water park, it was spacious and a friend of Jungkook owned it, so they had a huge pool for themselves. They asked Lucas if he was okay coming with them since he is only familiar with Jaebum and Youngjae. The beta didn’t mind, ever so extrovert, and was excited on the prospect of the ‘personalized pool’- something that got him through his exams.

“Hyung!” Youngjae shouted, grinning like a maniac as he made his way towards Jaebum, with Taehyung in tow. “How was your exam? Damn it was hard, hyung. Thank god, it’s over”

“Hmm, I did okay, I guess.” Jaebum chuckled “What about you, Tae?”

“I also did good, thanks to you of course” Taehyung replied gratefully, Jaebum had tutored him since he was well aware of first year’s subjects. He was about to say something but then he saw Mark and his group marching the hallway, chattering in themselves, paying no heed to several heads turned to them in awe. Jaebum gulped, nervousness filling his gut as he saw the handsome alpha laughing at something Jackson Wang said. They passed by him, Mark not even sparing a glance which Jaebum knew Youngjae noted as the beta looked at him in suspicion. Mark never not greeted or noticed him.

He felt a pang of hurt in his heart-

No, today was a good day and he will not ruin it, nope.

“What the hell was that, hyung?” Youngjae demanded, yeah, he was definitely angry.

“What?” Jaebum smiled weakly.

“Don’t give me that, hyung. Why did that ignore you?” Youngjae almost growled, about to cause a scene. Jaebum grabbed his hands and made their way to the University’s gate. Okay, so he might have skipped some details about the confrontation with the elite.

“Jae, calm down please?” He prayed Lucas would already be at the gate, waiting because he didn’t want to talk about this. He doesn’t even know what he was feeling, alright!? And, okay, another bad idea. They were nearing the gate when he saw Mark, Jaehyun, Jackson, and two females- he didn’t bother remembering names of- just outside, leaning on their ‘Ferraris’ and seemingly waiting for someone.

“Let me go and give him a piece of-”

“Youngjae, please. I will tell you everything, just calm down for now, please.” He pleaded, Youngjae was about to protest when Lucas lunged towards them, jumping on Jaebum- legs wrapped around the omega’s waist.

“Hyung! Hey!” He beamed happily. Jaebum ruffled his hair affectionately, the beta’s smile being infectious.

“How did you do on your exam, Luc?” Jaebum asked once the beta was off his body. Lucas grunted, displeased at the question.

“I will pass” he shrugged. Jaebum felt eyes boring at his head, too terrified to turn, he took a deep breath and hoped to have the strength.

“Jaehyun is letting you go with us?” Youngjae asked Lucas, amused. With what he saw, the alpha was pretty possessive of the beta, though the only one he didn't mind Lucas hanging out with was Jaebum.

“Of course, and he was okay since it was Jaebum hyung”

“Does he forgot that I am an alpha?” Jaebum wondered, it was weird how Mark’s pack never became territorial around him, does their wolves automatically realized he is of no threat? He sighed, damn he wanna go home.

“Jaehyun hyung says… with how much you and Alpha Mark eye-fudge each other, he has no reason to be concerned” Jaebum choked at Lucas’s word, his eyes unconsciously going to Jaehyun far from them, who was looking at them too, attentively.

“I-I w-what-”

“Who is making you shutter like a ?” Jungkook’s voice came from behind. The alpha got out of the car and walked towards them. “Oh wait, you are a ” Jaebum smacked his head for that comment making Jungkook groan in pain.

“Brat” he muttered.

“I did! Hii! I am Wong Yukhei but you can call me Lucas” Lucas extended his hand to Jungkook, who appraised him and cautiously accepted.

“Jeon Jungkook, protector of Jaebum hyung’s virtue”

“Yah!!” Jaebum elbowed the younger alpha, annoyed at his irritating yet true comments.

“Oooh, I didn’t know many alphas like you, Jaebum hyung”

“He-uh- n-no-” Jaebum was at a loss of words, what the hell is this situation even? “Jungkookie is an idiot and he doesn’t like me-”

“And here I was, sworn to love and protect you foreve-ah! Hyung, it hurts!”

“Then stop spouting bull” Jaebum facepalmed. “That idiot is my childhood friend, and he is strictly into omegas right now” He rolled his eyes.

“That I am” He shot a filthy grin at Taehyung’s direction who flushed in embarrassment. “Hey” He turned to Youngjae.

“Yoo, Jungkook. What’s the plan?” Younjae asked.

“Well, the park’s gonna be free in the evening, like 4 or 5 pm. We have a few hours to kill so I was thinking let’s eat first and then we will pack our bag with needed stuff and head to the water park.”

“Okay, that works with me” Jaebum nodded. Taehyung agreed too.

“We will have to travel back to the dorm, wouldn’t it be troublesome?” Youngjae inquired.

“Not if we go to Luna Café,” Jungkook said. The café was five minutes from their dorm, though that means extra road for the trip, that was okay, they had a whole day anyway.

“What about you?”

“My bag is in the car” Jungkook smirked.

“Oh! I packed my bag too!” Lucas added gleefully, raising one of his hand for a high five before he realized Jungkook may not reci-

The alpha high five-ed him back, making Lucas happy.

“Wow, both of you are already prepared” Jaebum laughed. “No matter, let’s not waste more time.” The group walked outside the gate, to where Jungkook has parked his car. That was when Jaebum sneaked a glance at the elite alpha, surprised to find him staring back. And there was the same repressed anger in his eyes.

Jaebum didn't know what to do, he felt his heart breaking a little at that. 

~*~

“So, hyung” Lucas started when they finally settled in the café, ordered their food, and relaxed “You wanted me to ask around about the pack, right?”

“Hmm yes. Did you find anything?” Jaebum didn’t tell Lucas yet, knowing the beta won’t be able to hide much from his alphas.

“Yep, I asked Jaehyun hyung about the pack dynamic books or guides I could refer to, he wanted to know why but I managed to dodge it. I talked to the librarian lady in the Art Building.”

“Hani noona?” Youngjae asked, Lucas nodded in confirmation.

“So, uh, of course, omega cannot form a pack.” He saw their face shift in dismay, confused but he hurriedly added “But there is a concept, powerful omegas who have or are imprinted can, so when they find people they trust and love like family, they can initiate a pack but it will be official when their alpha comes in the picture.” The silence dawned when Lucas completed. They were looking at each other, puzzled.

“P-powerful omegas?”

“Yeah, true mates or elite omega maybe? She gave me a book but I couldn’t look into it because of exams”

“What about a mate of an elite alpha?” Youngjae asked mischievously when he recovered from the startling information. Jaebum threw the napkin at him, hitting him square in the face.

“Oooh yeah, that could definitely be an option”

“Who the did you imprint on, hyung?” Jungkook asked, the urge to smack him came again but Jaebum resisted.

“It has to be someone in the University since all this started here” Youngjae informed dutifully. His friends were annoying, Jaebum concluded. Lucas looked between them, unable to comprehend what they were talking about.

“It better be a good alpha” Okay, that deserves a hit, before Jaebum can hit him, Jungkook moved out of reach, sticking his tongue out childishly.

“Yes, our dad should be a good guy” Taehyung backed him seriously, surprising Jungkook delightfully while Youngjae cracked up laughing and Jaebum hid his face in embarrassment, what is even- nevermind.

“Though logically, it has to be our favorite elite boi” Before Jaebum can consider murdering his best friend, the waiter interrupted them.

“Your order, sirs” She smiled politely, putting the ordered dishes in front of them respectively. “Anything else?”

“One elite alpha fo- ow!”

“No, thank you” Jaebum gave her a ‘please don’t get weirded out by these idiots’ and ‘I am normal’ smile. She nodded and left, not before giving them a look.

“You guys need to pipe do-”

“How do we find if our fav elite boi is hyung’s mate?”

“I don’t like him” Jungkook grumbled.

“Shut up, Jungkook, this ain’t about you” Youngjae retorted “It’s about making hyung’s one-sided love, two-sided”

“Whatever” Was the- was the alpha pouting?

“I think mates can be recognized by scents, right?” Even Taehyung was indulging in this!

“Hyung’s blocker stop his scents but also stop him from scenting so… we need to kidnap our fav boi and let-”

“Okay okay, that’s enough” Jaebum stopped them, their plans seemed to get wilder with each sentence.

“Yes, please, I don’t understand what you all are saying.” Lucas pouted with puppy eyes, saddened because he was being excluded.

“This is what happens when you discuss me” Jaebum glared at the trio, his hands caressing Lucas’s back soothingly, comforting the beta pup. “Sorry about them, Luc”

“I think Lucas can help if he knew,” Youngjae said loudly, eyes twinkling.

“Absolutely no-”

“Right, he is close to his group too, right? He can be our insider”

“This is not a spy mission” Jaebum was exasperated with them at this point.

“Hyung is right,” Taehyung said “We need a direct approach”

“Taehyung-ah!?” That was a betrayal, a clear betrayal, Jaebum mouthed 'traitor' at him, who replied with a shy but frolic smile.

“I donno why but he keeps getting hotter” Jungkook whispered to Youngjae, a whisper that was very audible as Taehyung blushed. Youngjae laughed lightly, winking at the omega- the not pretending omega he corrected mentally.

“Can anyone tell me already!?” Lucas was frustrated at their not-so-hush-hush conversation. Jaebum thanked the moon for the empty café because, with the way this is going, they are gonna announce to everyone he is an omega.

“Yes, of course,” Jungkook smiled brightly but he didn’t say a word after that. Youngjae looked at him, telling him to continue but Jungkook pointed at him. Youngjae muttered fine under his breath.

“Well, Lucas, our amazing boy, we need your help to find out if Mark Tuan is Jaebum hyung’s mate so we can finally have this pack official”

“….”

“I think you broke him, Youngjae”

“He will live, Jungkook”

“Are you okay, Lucas?” Taehyung asked with concern, seeing the beta still hasn’t said anything, eyes widened.

“Alpha M-Mark- mate? Hyung’s? Hyung is-is an alpha… -mate? What? I- what?”

“Yep, definitely broke him”

“Shut up, Jungkook” Youngjae glared at the alpha “Luca