Chapter 3

Taehyung was inside a deep cave somewhere out the mountain, he was facing a waterfalls as he heaved. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

And then he felt the presence of someone else.

"Thought I'd find you here." Said RM

Taehyung closed his eyes tight. He did not want to talk to anyone right now. But the Alpha will not let this go. Taehyung became a threat to the pack tonight. It is the Alpha's role to sort things out.

"What happened would surely create clamor." Said RM. “I can hush them out… but I can’t shut them up.”

Taehyung let the water flow down his face and body, cooling his chaotic nerves.

"She shifted. We were expecting her to shift soon, there was nothing unusual there." Said Tae

"That's true." RM sat a few feet from Tae. "But at the same time... nothing was usual."

Tae took calming breaths. It is not good to get irate again, not when he is still trying to get hold of himself.

"A fire wolf. Nobody expected we still have a survivor." Said RM. "She's gifted just as you are, Taehyung. She will start to be part of the mission soon, now that her body is stronger, there is no more reason to keep her in here."

Taehyung sighed.

"Do what you must, you're Alpha." Said Tae

"What do you plan to do with her?" Asked RM

"Why do you ask me? Am I her Alpha?" Asked Tae, irritation in his voice.

"You want to pretend like you were the only one who noticed, but I tell you... some of us have figured it out. Jin is especially insightful. He would know by now. The girl shifted because of some intense emotion. And from what I heard, it's possessiveness." Said RM. "Jisoo is claiming you as hers."

Taehyung took several steps away from the waterfalls and sighed.

“She’s clueless.” said Taehyung.

"A new wolf will not just claim that, Taehyung. No one of us had claimed that. We take the Mate matter seriously." Said RM.

"She's new. She probably admires me or something and grown attached to me." Said Taehyung. "I have already made it clear to her. Jennie is the mate I chose. Jisoo will need to accept that."

RM shook his head.

"We are not humans, Taehyung. We do not just move on from feelings. Once you scent your mate, it will be like the air we breathe. It will be almost impossible to stay away. You've seen mated wolves before, you witnessed them. You can not think you are excepted from that." Said RM.

RM saw Taehyung's eyes changing color. That is always not a good sign when it comes to Taehyung. The Alpha stood up.

"I did not come here to dictate on you, although I can since you submitted to me as your Alpha. But from the years we've been together, I know you, Taehyung." Said RM. "You lost control earlier. Jisoo's wolf… Her presence triggered such a strong emotion in you that you couldn't contain yourself, you couldn’t control yourself. You forgot everyone else around you. You en-caged yourself and her inside that field so no one can intervene. You forgot the pack. It was only you and her."

Taehyung's jaws clenched. He did not need to be reminded of what a folly he had done earlier!

"Jisoo said she could smell the mating draw with you." Said RM

"She does not know what a mating draw is. And even if she does… She's mistaken." Said Taehyung.

"I saw your reaction when she shifted. I saw how you filtered the air... I saw how the new scent affected you." Said RM. "Your wolf knew it, smelt it... You know the draw has started."

"You're overthingking." Said Tae

"I hope I am. I hope this is just some foolish human emotions that Jisoo is going to get over soon. But hear me out Taehyung..." RM made his way towards the mouth of the cave. "If she's right that you two are mates... then you better know that a decision has to be made. A wolf only has one mate. You can't have them both. You will need to let one go."

"I only have one mate! And that was decided a long time ago." Said Tae.

And then RM left Taehyung alone.

------

It was deep into the night and Jisoo knew there is no escaping.

She messed up!

Jisoo saw Jennie waiting for her near the female cottage. With all the guilt eating Jisoo inside, she faced Jennie.

"We need to talk." Said Jennie, her arms around her chest.

Jisoo nodded.

They both walked in silence as they reached somewhere deep into the forest.

Jennie faced Jisoo. They stared at each other for a long time, neither knew how to start.

It was Jisoo who finally spoke.

"It's all my fault." Said Jisoo. "I apologize for everything that happened tonight."

Jennie sighed. She looked to be angry but also trying to control herself.

"Can you tell me what has gotten into you? I thought we were getting along well." Said Jennie

"We were." Said Jisoo. "You've been a really friendly person… you have helped me adjust to the life here. You, Rose and Lisa are the best roommates."

"Then what is wrong?" Shouted Jennie, clearly frustrated.

Jisoo bit her lip. This is really a conversation she wished to end soon.

"Like I said... It's all my fault. You did nothing wrong." Said Jisoo.

And then Jisoo saw Taehyung come into view. He was standing on a tree branch several feet behind Jennie. He was shaking his head as if telling Jisoo to not let Jennie know.

Jisoo felt her chest breaking. Taehyung is protecting Jennie. He did not want Jennie to know that they could possibly be mates. Taehyung had chosen to make Jennie his. That means Jennie couldn't know that Jisoo is drawn to him. It will affect their relationship, Jennie may even decide to distance herself from Taehyung. Jisoo could see the sheer misery in Taehyung's eyes as Jisoo decided what to do. The urge inside her is strong, the urge to let Jennie know that Taehyung is hers and that no promise made in the past can change the truth.

But she can't do that.

Not when Taehyung's pain claws into Jisoo's own soul. She felt it... his turmoil... the raging emotions in him... she can not do anything to him that will cause him grief. Clearly, her feelings for the the man is beyond just the physical… he has gotten too deep into her.

"Do you like him? Do you like Taehyung?" Asked Jennie

Jisoo took a while to answer.

"I ... perhaps have some feelings for him." Said Jisoo

"Perhaps? You went havoc ealier!" Said Jennie.

"Then it isn't just a tiny feeling, all right?" Jisoo sighed. "Look… I like the guy, ok? I am perhaps attracted to him, he saved my life before... perhaps I admire him. But it was wrong of me to say anything about it, not earlier, not ever. I should have kept it to myself."

"You like Taehyung..." Jennie repeated as if in disbelief.

"Look, it's normal... you shouldn’t be shocked. That guy is a walking hotness…”

Jisoo bit her lip hard. She shouldn’t really be saying this in front of Jennie.

“Anyway that is not going to happen again. From the time I arrived here I already knew what the real score between you two are. I was wrong to even feel anything. I created a scene earlier. It was so wrong of me... It's probably the shifting... It messed me up big time." Said Jisoo. “The emotions were skyrocketing… I couldn’t… I couldn’t contain it inside me.”

"Taehyung and I are close friends." Said Jennie

What is Jennie saying?

"No Jennie." Jisoo said calmly. "You only try to convince yourself that you two are merely friends. I don't know why you're the only one who hasn't accepted what you are to Taehyung."

Jennie closed her eyes tight.

"You are his world, you know." Said Jisoo, her eyes across the trees to where Taehyung was. Jisoo knows he could hear her. And she wants him to hear her every word. "And I don't want to come in between you. I will forget whatever foolishness I am feeling. This... I am pretty sure this is nothing serious. Soon... I'm pretty sure I will get over this soon."

"I don't want us to have problems in the pack." Said Jennie.

"So do I." Said Jisoo.

Jennie sighed.

"I need to rest, it's been a rough day." Said Jennie. "Especially for you, Jisoo. You should rest too."

Jisoo nodded.

"I just need a little air..." said Jisoo. “I’ll stay here for a while.”

Jennie nodded and left Jisoo. Jisoo saw Taehyung leaving the tree following Jennie. He's probably worried what to do with his lady love.

Jisoo sank on the ground in exhaustion. She does not know which hurt more, all the bones in her body felt like they wanted to explode... but why is the pain in her heart trying to compete with killing her tonight?

"That was a really noble thing to do."

Jisoo knew she wasn't alone, her sense of smell has gotten way better. But she did not expect the Beta to approach her.

"What I did tonight . There is nothing noble in creating a problem." Said Jisoo.

Jin sat beside Jisoo.

"You did not tell Jennie about the mating draw." Said Jin.

Jisoo's eyes widened.

"You… How…” Jisoo looked away. “Don't even mention that."

"Deny it then." Said Jin.

Jisoo tried to stand up but Jin pulled her back down.

"You're exhausted. You need to rest for a minute." Said Jin. "I hate carrying unconscious women. They make my good looks go to waste."

Jisoo sighed as she rolled her eyes. She sat beside Jin.

“Serial killer image does not suit the dashing angel image I like keeping.” said Jin.

Jisoo smiled.

“You could really pull humor into your looks whatever the situation, huh?” asked Jisoo

Jin shrugged.

“That’s what my looks are for.” said Jin.

Jisoo sighed.

"Have you... felt the mating draw?" Asked Jisoo

Jin grinned.

"If I did... I would not be here. I would probably sniffing after my mate." Said Jin, winking.

"There is so much