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Chapter Text

The human world is wonderful and there are countless undiscovered things, which one cannot even imagine. So many different kinds of animals, plants, insects, trees, flowers have yet to be explored. But what humans do not see is that yet another world exists, which is just like theirs but also so different they might not recognise it anymore. Land and water are the same, it even has the same country boarders; they are simply called regions instead of countries. This other world, however, is still quite untouched, left as it is because no one claims to possess it. It belongs to the creatures that live there and those creatures do not intend to harm the sacred earth they live in. Small fairies fly through the sea of leaves, trying not to get their wings entangled in silk trees. Spirits roam through the air, playing hide and seek with shadow tigers, though the spirits always win because they can turn invisible. Mermaids sit on the beach, enjoying the sun as much as they can handle it without drying out, chatting leisurely, having fun. This other dimension is different from the human world, yet also similar, in a way humans might not even realise. Both worlds belong together and the human world is protected by some of the creatures in that world. Although the other dimension is untouched compared to the human world, it is not perfect. The spirits that emerged to protect humans only came to life because there was a threat from the other dimension, a threat to the humans.

Vampires. Vicious demons with sharp fangs and red eyes that lust for human's blood. Without it, they die a slow and painful death. Vampires did not choose to be this way and not all of them are brutal. In fact, they can be very social and enjoy each other's company. They are so much stronger and faster than a mortal being because they are indeed immortal. However, they are not dead. Their hearts are beating and they have blood pumping through their veins. If they did not need human blood to survive, they would not be that different from their prey. Though, maybe they are a little different. Their most natural form is when they do not have to hide their fangs and if they can show their glowing red eyes, reflecting the colour that they thrive on. It is the form they are born in, if they are born vampires. Those vampires differ from turned vampires, humans that died with vampire blood in their system, because they possess a special ability, a skill only they can use. For some, it is something as simple as being compelling, for others it is something more complicated, such as telekinesis or the ability to teleport. Those abilities are only for born vampires and they are difficult to control, thus, numerous vampires cannot use their skills properly or not at all. They aren't perfect either. The sun is their weakness; too bright for their sensitive eyes, though, it does not kill them. Regardless of all those things, some vampires might not even be evil in their hearts but because it is very difficult to control their thirst, they will attack humans and once they have bitten one, there is no way to heal them or make them forget what happened, so the only option is to kill them.

The vampire's mortal enemy, the one that protects the humans from them, is the werewolf. Humans may have legends about them being violent and scary, but in truth, they are very peaceful creatures that want to save the human race from the blood-thirsty demons. However, they are not so different from them. Similar to the vampires, the werewolves live with one another but for them, it is necessary. Werewolves feel lonely without at least one of their pack members near them. They also have different forms, their human form, their wolf form and their most natural form, the half-human form. When they are in that form, they do not have to suppress their animalistic instincts but they still remain human. While being in that form, their eyes glow amber and the eight sharp canines are showing; their nails are also sharpened. What differentiates werewolves from vampires is their absolute loyalty towards their loved ones. They follow their leader, their alpha, no matter what; they cannot refuse an order. But this loyalty is not forced. It is the most natural thing for them and they show affection through this behaviour. Unlike vampires, they seek human contact, want to interact with them, become friends, fall in love, imprint. Imprinting is their most sacred bond, whether they imprint on another wolf or a human, the partner cannot be hurt by anyone. When a werewolf imprints, his entire being changes; he can feel his partner's struggles and pain, feel what they feel. This bond, though, is one sided and it is always sad when a wolf has to silently watch his loved one be with someone else. Even the other dimension can be cruel, sometimes. Just like the vampires, werewolves also have their weaknesses. For them, it is the full moon. Different from the vampires and the sun, the moon actually makes them stronger; so strong, they struggle to control their powers and they could threaten the lives of humans. That is why the werewolves that live in the real world retreat into the other dimension to prevent having to hurt a human being. But sometimes, they cannot enter the dimension in time and lose control and it is even worse, when it is an alpha because his bite can turn a human. Werewolves are kind-hearted creatures – most of the times.

Those two species hate each other and fought over how to treat humans, ever since the beginning of time and they could not be stopped. That was why yet another dominant species evolved – the witches. They are the most similar to humans and thus, are able to protect the bridge between the two worlds. To prevent the two species killing each other, they became the rulers of the other dimension. Werewolves accepted their presence because they knew the witches wanted to protect the humans as well. However, the witches tried to also make peace with the vampires, which made the werewolves mistrust them. Time passed and the witches started to develop a certain mistrust towards the werewolves as well. Now, the werewolves are in hiding; no one has seen them for a long time and it is the witches fault.

Although the witches are powerful and the rulers of the other dimension, they, of course, cannot be perfect. Their magic always has a weakness, each spell has a loophole, because they are mortal and no mortal being can wield that much power. Furthermore, their magic is bound to their element. A witch, both male and female, has a natural element which can be controlled without spells, hand signs or other tools of magic. There are the four elements fire, water, wind and earth, whereas earth is split into two different types, namely nature and rock. One would think that was the whole story, but just like the vampires are bound to blood and werewolves are bound to the moon, the witches are bound to their element and it also determines who they are. Rock witches are loyal, exceptionally strong, but not impulsive because they listen to what the earth tells them. In a battle, they are the ones that are in the first row because they can defend themselves the best and are also the most robust. Nature witches, on the other hand stay, in the back because they are the healers. Those witches have a very special connection to the earth and understand more about the two worlds than a normal human doctor ever will. They are kind-hearted by nature and seek to help others in every way possible. Being not as strong as the others, it really is wise for them to stay in the back, especially because they keep the others alive by healing them. Then, there are the wind witches, which are naturally smart and strategic geniuses. Normally, those are the leaders in the society because the can keep calm in difficult situations, even if it looks bad. They also stay focused and are more serious than the other elements, except maybe rock types. When wind types are the serious, water types are the opposite. They get distracted easily and they do not take things very seriously; they are the beauties and get envied easily, however, they are very social and want others approval. Talking about their flaws can provoke them and because of that, they can lose their cool and act irrationally. But never as much as the fire witches. Because of their element, they are very impulsive and their mood changes quickly. They are, though, the strongest ones, when they can control their element, which is not as easy as for the other types because fire is difficult to understand and control. When they are able to control it, however, they are nearly untouchable. All witches also possess another power, a sixth sense. They can feel the spiritual aura around other supernatural beings. All, except werewolves because they are similar to humans and humans do not have a spiritual aura. Werewolves do have aura, witches just cannot detect it.

Even though the witches are in control of the other dimension, there still is a war going on. Not an open war but a silent, unfair one. A war that involves the witches and the oldest clan of the vampires. The other world might be untouched compared to the human world, but it is not less violent. It used to be; there was a time of absolute peace between the witches and the vampires, while the werewolves were also quiet, but that was a long time ago.

Witches started to gather in one place per region and they created one protected city in each of those regions. At first, every witch could live in those cities, but over time, they developed conditions in order to be able to live there and so, the witches in the cities became privileged. After some of the vampire clans made peace with the witches, they were also allowed inside. In those cities, academies were founded to provide a possibility to learn how to control their element and learn how to fight, in order to stand a chance against their enemies. Like that, two ways of life emerged. One could either live inside of the city barrier and live a peaceful life, or one had to survive without the help of trained witches, outside the barriers, without protection.

Maybe, the two worlds are not as different anymore as they used to be. The only difference is that the other dimension is supernatural and they know both worlds, while humans are oblivious to the other world, even though it causes a huge threat on them.

Chapter Text

The sound of leaves gently brushing against each other filled the air, fairies whispering and giggling in the background, enjoying the soft spring breeze. Water spirits were playing with baby frogs at the river bank, teasing them a little, until they had enough and jumped back into the water. The grass was still a little damp because it was still quite cold at night, so the forest spirits tried to avoid getting wet and walked behind the black haired boy who was flattening the grass with his steps. He looked determined, yet somehow a little sad; flowers were in his hand. The spirits were already used to him visiting from time to time, he had done so for nine years. Nearing his destination, the boy stopped, turning around, making the spirits panic and within a second, they had disappeared. Chuckling, he continued his walk. It was too easy to scare spirits sometimes. He arrived on a small glade, the morning sun had not yet shone on the grass so it was still covered by a layer of rime, and he crouched down in front of a square rock on which a name and a date was engraved. The boy put down the flowers and touched the stone, sighing heavily as he already felt his eyes dampen.

         "Good morning hyung" the boy began, sighing again, his voice weak "it has been quite a while, since I've last been here. For that, I am sorry but me and my team have been on an undercover mission and we only just returned yesterday."

The boy smiled a little but he could not really bring himself to be happy. At least not when he was standing in front of the grave of the person that had saved his life, the man who had sacrificed his life for him, who had died in the boy's arms. Once again, the boy sighed. Whenever he visited the grave of his brother, he remembered the past and how he even got into this world called the other dimension.

He was six at the time. His mother did not pay attention for a second and that said boy, his name was Jungkook, was fascinated by a butterfly and followed it. He did not notice that he accidentally had walked through an opening – a portal – that led into another world, another dimension. He only noticed, when he was picked up by people and they tried explaining where he was and why he was there. But they were speaking another language and Jungkook could not understand. Finally, a Korean appeared and was able to make Jungkook stop crying.

         "What's your name, little boy?" the man asked gently, comforting him by patting his head affectionately.

         "J–––Jung–––kook. Jeon Jungkook" he sobbed but he felt a little safer now that he was able to understand someone.

         "Listen carefully, Jeon Jungkook. I will explain to you where you are, but you have to listen really well, can you do that for me?"

Jungkook rubbed his eyes and nodded. The man told him that he had slipped into another dimension that had always existed but humans simply did not know and he was only able to pass through the portal because he had something called the witch gene. Normally, when people died a natural death, they would be reborn in this dimension but because Jungkook had the witch gene, he could enter the world through the portals. Of course, at that time he did not understand, yet, the man continued to explain he could stay in this world, while also living in the human world, but they really wanted to find out what element type he was. Overwhelmed by all of it, Jungkook just kept nodding and they performed an element ceremony and suddenly, everyone was interested in him. He noticed how the Korean man was arguing with someone. In the end, Jungkook was dragged to the forest by the Korean man, whose name was Yugyeol, and was sent back into the human world. However, after a few days, Jungkook got curious and went back to the portal and started living in both worlds. Yugyeol never took him back to the place where he had argued with the others. Time passed and Jungkook learnt English and it was about a year after he had entered the other dimension, when he asked Yugyeol about what had happened back then.

         "Why do we live in the woods and not with the others?" he asked when they sat around the bonfire of their camp.

Yugyeol looked at him with cautious eyes, but then nodded slightly.

         "That is a long story. You know, the place where we were that day. It's a big city where many witches live and it is protected by a barrier, so other supernatural beings cannot enter. In there, there is something called the international academy. There, they teach you how to control your element—"

         "What was that again?" Jungkook interrupted.

         "The element you can learn to control without any other tools of magic."

         "What element am I?"

         "You're a fire witch, Kookie. But that is really, really rare. We thought that they were extinct, that's why Jun, our current headmaster because the real headmaster is in his deep sleep, wanted to force you to stay here and never return to the real world but I was against it. That's why I got you out of there."

         "Why are fire witches extinct? What is a headmaster? What is a deep sleep?" he asked confused.

Yugyeol chuckled and patted Jungkook's head.

         "Let me start at the very beginning, then. There once were three dominant species in this world. The vampires, the werewolves and the witches, the latter two had an alliance. There were a vampire and a witch royal family. They always were at war over the control of the different regions and over the way how to treat humans. The vampire king had two sons, Cain, who was the older, and Aiden and they lived on the British Isles, which were also ruled by vampires at the time. The witch king, his castle was situated in Italy, had a baby girl, but he hid her from the world because he was afraid that she would get hurt. She grew up to be a water witch and when she was six years old, the vampire king and his two sons came to the witches' castle to make a peace treaty and he found out about the witch princess. At first, nothing happened and they really had peace for a while. But three years later, the king and the sons visited once again, this time declaring war. After seven years, the princess was already 16 and a master of her element and combat, it was still war and the witches' army was getting weaker, so the princess snuck out of the castle without her father's approval and travelled to the battlefield. On the way, she met a vampire and they fell in love but he disappeared right before the battle. They, however, met again, on the battlefield because the vampire turned out to be the younger vampire prince, Aiden. Still, the princess succeeded in defeating the vampires and forced the king and his sons to accompany her to the witches' castle to sign a peace treaty. However, this peace treaty had the condition that the princess ought to marry Cain, the crown prince. She was forced to live with them and she was very unhappy. But the biggest problem was the she and Aiden were in love. It's quite tragic, if you think about it. Eventually, they gave in to their love but Cain noticed it and threatened the princess. The witch king was furious, when he found out about it and demanded that the princess had to return to her home but then, Aiden confessed his love for the princess and so did she and they eventually were allowed to marry and formed the first alliance between the witches and the vampires. The werewolves, however, felt betrayed because, you must know, vampires are their mortal enemies, thus, they felt betrayed and broke the alliance because of the union of the couple. The princess, who was now queen, banned Cain to the far East of the world. For a few years, there was peace and the couple had a baby girl which turned out to be a fire witch. Then, however, Cain came back and wanted vengeance for them taking away the throne from him. He invaded the castle and killed the royal family. The queen had asked the werewolves, if they could help them, but they refused because they still felt betrayed. Luckily, the royal child was able to flee because the queen had told the girl's teacher to take her away, so the royal bloodline survived. For a century, Cain was ruling and there was chaos all over both of the worlds but then, the descendant decided to take back control because otherwise the humans would be enslaved. After taking back the rule, the descendant founded the first academy, which is now the international academy, in order to train witches properly, so they could defend themselves strategically. The descendant's teacher became the headmaster and the descendant took off to live his own life and for a while, there was peace again. More academies were founded and cities evolved around them because the academies are protected by a barrier. That original headmaster is still our true headmaster but because he is  over 800 years old, he casted a spell to slow down his aging. But the weakness of his spell is that it thrives on his physical strength. That's why he needs to sleep 10 years, every 50 years to restore his strength. That's why we have a replacement at the moment. Anyhow, for a while, they thought Cain's clan was defeated. He wasn't, though. He made it his purpose to hunt down all fire witches because he knew that the descendant would always be a fire witch and that is why, you are such a rare case, Kookie. We didn't know fire witches still existed, so that's why they want you to stay at the academy. But they can't force you and I won't let them."

Back then, Jungkook was completely blown away by that story, even though Yugyeol had left out the brutal truths, such as Aiden getting burnt alive after his brother had tortured him in front of the queen. But what he understood was that he was safer with Yugyeol, who slowly became a brother figure for young Jungkook. Another year passed and Jungkook started learning how to fight, although he was not really that good at it. He preferred to play hide and seek with forest spirits or drawing with fairies to be praised by Yugyeol. Jungkook felt grateful to Yugyeol that he did not force him to try and control his element and just enjoy the wonders of the other dimension. Thinking back, it might have been better, if Jungkook had already started learning to control it, but at the time, he simply loved being with Yugyeol, listening to stories of the other dimension, watching him play with water, creating bubbles, making them fly around and pop over Jungkook so it would start raining for a few seconds, because Yugyeol was a water witch. Sometimes, he would purposely freeze a part of the nearby lake, so Jungkook could ice-skate on it, which angered the water spirits because they were not pleased by the sudden coldness. But Jungkook would just laugh it off and apologise by singing to them, which always worked because water spirits loved music and Jungkook had a beautiful voice. Time passed and Jungkook started growing up just a little, asking more questions about the other dimension and what kinds of creatures there were. He was not a nature witch but living in the woods made him pay more attention to the little things that other witches missed and the creatures of the forest also did not fear him nor Yugyeol because they respected them, at least most of the time. They were happy with how things were, until it all fell apart, when Jungkook was nine years old.

         "I think that is as much as you should remember right now, Jungkookie. Don't go any further today, we just got back" a deep voice interrupted Jungkook's train of thoughts and made him look up to him.

The blonde haired guy was standing behind him, one hand on Jungkook's shoulder, squeezing it a little to comfort him. He looked worried, watching Jungkook closely, knowing exactly where his thoughts were going just a second ago. After one final look at his brother's grave, he got up and shrugged off the blonde guy's hand.

         "I told you to stay out of my head, Namjoon-hyung" he complained, it sounded more like a whine than a complaint, though, and started walking back.

The sun had reached the glade by now and the grass had gotten wet because the rime had melted, so each step Jungkook took made a tiny little noise. Namjoon chuckled a little, before he also started walking, following Jungkook.

         "I told you, I can't help it, if you're that emotional. It overwhelms me as much as it overwhelms you. Even if I try to stay out of your thoughts and you know, you also keep me out, but when you're like this, you are drawing me in" Namjoon explained, sighing a little, scratching the back of his neck.

Jungkook joined, but his sighing sounded annoyed. He knew Namjoon was right but sometimes, Namjoon's ability was too much to handle. But he was used to it by now, having known him for nine years now. He had met Namjoon on the day his brother had died and he was the only one who was able to calm Jungkook down. Namjoon was a half breed, thus had an ability, just like vampires did, and his ability was to read thoughts. And he was the only one who could really understand Jungkook's fears back then. He was special, just like Jungkook, being one of the few half breeds that could control his blood thirst, even at such a young age. Half breeds were one type half vampires, the type that was frowned upon. The accepted type, they were called half ones, were born part more witch because the mother was a witch, while the father was the vampire. They inherited only small part of the strength and speed of their vampire side but they did not lust for blood. However, because they were more witch than vampire, they did not possess an ability, like the born vampires. Half breeds, on the other hand, being just as much vampire as witch, also inherited the thirst for blood and they could not survive without feeding. With that, more strength, speed and an ability followed but there was a major disadvantage. Having a witch's body, they were not designed to withstand or control their supernatural needs, so it was much more difficult, nearly impossible, for a half breed to constantly control themselves. That was why they had the image of being animalistic and scary, so people did not usually accept them. But Namjoon was a special case. He had always been able to control himself very well, yet people still feared him, even though he was an exceptionally talented wind witch. If it had not been for him, Jungkook would have never entered the academy. He was Jungkook's first friend at the academy and they got very close very quickly. Namjoon helped him train because he was really the only one who could help because there was no one else that knew how fire witches control their powers. Namjoon did not either, but he at least could see in Jungkook's thoughts what it felt like and thus, try to help him with it.

         "You are so nostalgic today" Namjoon suddenly laughed.

Jungkook instantly turned his head and glared at his friend.

         "Could you stop reading my mind!?"

         "I'm used to you shutting me out but it's refreshing to get an insight of your thoughts once in a while" Namjoon argued, a little smirk hidden behind an innocent smile.

Laughing, Jungkook shook his head.

         "And of course I'm nostalgic. I always am, when I visit hyung's grave."

         "I still think it's not good for you to visit him so often. It only makes you sad" Namjoon said in a more serious tone.

         "So what? We just came back from a month of undercover work, of course, I'll visit him" Jungkook answered defiantly.

         "Okay, okay, I get it, I'll stop poking around, now. Let's just get back, I need to finish our mission report and you promised Taehyung-ah to train with him, before he goes back to the real world."

Nodding, Jungkook continued walking through the forest, until they arrived at a old stony gate that seemed to stand in the middle of nowhere. But those who lived inside the city knew that it was one of the many side entries that opened up the barrier. The only thing they had to do, was touch the gate and as long they were registered as a citizen of the city, the barrier opened for a few seconds. As soon as they went through the gate, it got quiet around them. There were far fewer forest creatures living in the forest behind the barrier, so naturally, there was less noise. After a 15 minute walk, the forest started to open up and the first few houses started to appear. They were still in the rural area but they came across some of the citizens. The farmers were always very kind to them, sometimes offering them some food, after they returned from the woods, already knowing those two for a long time because Jungkook visited his brother's grave, ever since he had entered the academy. People outside the academy did not know about Jungkook being a fire witch or about Namjoon being a half breed. For them, they were just another two trainees from the academy. Jungkook and Namjoon quickly greeted the farmers but then had to get on. After another 15 minutes they arrived at the first bus station that let into the city. As they rode into the city, the landscape stayed rural for quite a while, only slowly turning more urban. At first, they passed many fields with various kinds of vegetables, crop or something similar. Then, as they got closer to the middle, the houses started to get more modern and instead of lonely farm houses, there were neighbourhoods, stores, shopping areas, etc. It was the biggest area that was protected by a barrier, the city of the region humans called Great Britain, so naturally, it took them some time to get into the city centre, where the international academy was situated. It was on a hill and stood out as the last old building between all the skyscrapers of the city centre. It was an enormous medieval castle-like building from the outside with a huge area around it, but from the inside, it was very modern, renovated and updated to the newest standards.

It took the two witches an hour and a half, until they finally arrived on top of the hill, walking through the huge entrance gate. Here, people knew exactly who they were. The two guards at the gate nodded sternly, acknowledging their return. Even though they belonged to the academy, they were outsiders, in a way. Not only because Namjoon was a half breed and Jungkook was the only fire witch they knew of, but also because they were ridiculously talented. Normally, a witch entered the academy with 16 and the training lasted four years and then, the aim was to get into one of the 20 teams. Those teams were responsible for protecting the dimension and each academy had 20 of them. Each team had a captain, which often was a wind witch because of their strategic mind, and two lieutenants, which almost always were rock witches.  Team 1 was the strongest of them and did the most difficult task and the higher the number got, the easier tasks the teams did. Many witches were in training but only a few of them actually made it into the teams, so being good was essential. But Namjoon and Jungkook were not even in training and they had also been in the academy way earlier than with 16, so naturally, all trainees were envious that they had been favoured like that and all the team members felt threatened because they were already so strong – actually, stronger than most of the teams. They also felt threatened because after the true headmaster had woken up and met them, he valued them a lot and created a special team for them, which he called Special Force. In the beginning, it was only Jungkook and Namjoon, but a year later two others joined. They were similar to them; they both were special in their own way. They were taken in by the Korean academy, when they were really young and the two of them were exceptionally close to each other, plus they had the same mother tongue as Jungkook and Namjoon. They were called Yoongi and Taehyung. Yoongi's parents had been team members of Korean's team 3 and had been killed by allies of Cain's clan. So the academy felt responsible for the child that was left behind, because Yoongi was already reborn in this world and did not have a life in the human world anymore. Additionally, they knew Yoongi was talented.  Taehyung, on the other hand, stumbled into a portal, just like Jungkook, but his parents were witches that lived in the real world and they thought that it was a good idea for their son to already start the training. After those two had joined, it was awkward for a while but they were soon getting along. In fact, Jungkook and Taehyung especially became good friends. When they got into puberty, they started acting up and those two were sick of others underestimating them because they were young and inexperienced, so they developed an attitude towards people who treated them as children. People started calling them the devil twins because they sometimes were that rude two older members of the academy. Yoongi and Namjoon were more mature. They were always very respectful towards their seniors and studied hard to participate in academy decisions. Namjoon, however, discovered another side of himself. Growing up, his vampire side became stronger and he somehow had to let out all the frustration and tension he got from withstanding his urge to feed, so he turned to other methods. Soon, he had the reputation of a player because he slept around so much. In the beginning, they were girls but he noticed that it was not girls he was interested in, but men. Luckily, the international academy was very liberal and there was no such thing as homophobia. Still, everyone knew about his adventures and not everyone accepted that.

Jungkook and Namjoon went straight to their team's practice room to not let Taehyung wait any longer. Even before they entered the room, they were able to hear Taehyung's signature laugh and Yoongi's signature swear words. Both Jungkook and Namjoon chuckled, when they joined them.

         "What did you do this time?" Jungkook asked, fist bumping Taehyung, taking off his jacket.

         "I just won against him in direct combat, so I now won against him one time more than he did against me" he said proudly, a cheeky, rectangle grin painted across his face.

         "I even had to heal him" Jin suddenly said and appeared at the door, "he insisted because he didn't want you guys to see his bruised eye."

Jin was the last one to join Special Force. Unlike Yoongi and Taehyung, he only joined the team two years ago, when Jungkook was 16. He was the eldest one, so Yoongi was a little reluctant at first but because Jin was very kind-hearted, which was natural for a nature witch, they accepted him very quickly. But for Namjoon it was different. Jin's presence was very intriguing. The very first time they had met, he had nearly lost control of himself. Jin's blood had a special fragrance, Namjoon had never smelled something that good before. But it was not only that. Jin was handsome. He was tall, had full lips and his gentle nature made his entire being appear very elegant. But the most intriguing part was that, unlike pretty much everyone else, Jin was not faced by Namjoon's flirting whatsoever. On the contrary, it made him feel uncomfortable, that was why Jin distanced himself from Namjoon as best as possible. With all the others, he got along fine but he really felt weird whenever he was left alone with Namjoon. That did not stop him from trying, though. His eyes immediately landed on Jin, as soon as he had entered, checking him out from head to toes. Jin just rolled his eyes and straightened his back.

         "I am going home now. My parents think I am returning from a university trip, so I better not be late" he excused himself and left quickly after that.

Namjoon sighed, the rest chuckled.

         "When are you going to give up? Aren't you supposed to be the smart one of us? You should see that you don't have a chance. Don't make this even more awkward. You, as our captain, should get along with everyone of us" Taehyung asked half jokingly, half seriously.

         "If I could only read his mind. I could swear that there is something about him that draws me in on purpose" Namjoon said, leaning his head to the right.

As everything in this dimension, Namjoon's ability had a weakness. He could not read the thoughts of nature witches because their brain worked differently and that was something he was not used to. Normally, if he courted someone, he knew what that person liked, what preferences they had. This time, however, he was in the dark.

         "Welcome to our world. This is how normal people live, without being able to creep into someone's mind" Jungkook commented, grinning a little.

         "It's still so new to me to not see what a team member is thinking. But anyway. I need to write our mission report now. I see you all later. Or tomorrow, depending on what you're doing today" Namjoon informed the remaining three, ignoring how bold they just were and then excused himself.

Taehyung and Jungkook burst into laughter, falling down to the ground. Even Yoongi laughed hard, the silver haired rock witch calmed down first.

         "Jungkookie, please teach him a lesson. He thinks he's unbeatable now."

Taehyung chocked at that comment, knowing that Jungkook would never turn down such a challenge, being the competitive soul he was. Not that Taehyung was weak, in fact, he was very strong, just like everyone in Special Force, but Jungkook was on another level. Especially because he knew how to provoke Taehyung and when he felt provoked, he tended to lose focus. Already grinning mischievously, Jungkook got up and started stretching.

         "Jungkookie, don't go too hard on me. I'm already tired now and I just wanted to train a little bit" Taehyung whined but when Jungkook looked at Yoongi, they just grinned at each other and had a silent agreement.

After a minute of stretching, Jungkook  took a deep breath as he crouched down slightly to centre his weight. Then, he closed his eyes for a second and exhaled; he always did that before a fight. It slowed down his heartbeat and made him focus on what was about to happen. Opening his eyes again, he was only focused on the target in front of him that was Taehyung. Jungkook had a very special way of fighting. He never started the fight and he stayed defensive for quite a while, until he had observed his opponent long enough to judge how strong he was. Even though he already knew how Taehyung fought, knew all his techniques, his style, Jungkook still didn't try to land the first punch. Neither of the two witches moved for a few long seconds but then, Taehyung got impatient and shot forward, going for the obvious approach. Jungkook smirked, dodging the first punch way too easily. Stopping Taehyung's fist right in front of his face, he pushed it down, forcing Taehyung's arm to turn, pushing him down to the ground.

         "One point for Jungkookie!" Yoongi commented, when Taehyung tapped the ground three times to signalise that Jungkook should let him go.

Very pleased with himself, Jungkook released him, but this fight was far from over. Instantly, Taehyung was up on his feet again, going for the next attack and this time, Jungkook was rather unprepared. He just barely managed to duck away and he had no time to focus because Taehyung continued to attack. It was a game of dodging and advancing and even though Taehyung landed some blows on Jungkook, the latter always kept the upper hand. It somehow looked elegant. They were so fast that an untrained eye would not see that they were actually punching each other. For them, it would probably look like they were dancing because it indeed looked similar to an aggressive dance. This continued for a while, until they finally were so exhausted that the two witches collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily, muscles aching.

         "I won" Jungkook said proudly, yet awfully tired.

         "You always do" Taehyung sighed and turned around to pat his head.

         "Don't you dare!" Jungkook warned teasingly and rolled over so he was on top of Taehyung to straddle him, "I'm not a child so don't go pat my head. I just beat you, so you're in no position to do that."

Jungkook was very serious. He hated it when people treated him like a child and as he grew up, he started go get violent towards people who did that. That was another reason why other academy members avoided him. But the Special Force members only used this point against him and teased him with it. While Jungkook glared at Taehyung, all the latter could do was laugh hard. In his eyes, Jungkook was just too cute being angry; at least this kind of angry. Everyone knew that if Jungkook was really angry, no one should get near him. Yoongi just watched those two with a fatherly smile and shook his head.

         "Okay, you lovebirds, it's enough. Taehyungie, remember, you wanted go back, so go call your parents and tell them you're coming" he reminded the water witch.

Both Jungkook's and Taehyung's heads shot up at Yoongi's comment and Jungkook got up immediately.

         "Eww, hyung!" they said simultaneously.

But Yoongi just teased them. He knew very well that the two youngest team members were just exceptionally close, not romantically, though. In fact, each one of the Special Force members were irritatingly close to each other and outsiders did not know what to make of it. But Special Force did not really care about that anyways. Taehyung excused himself and quickly left, leaving only Yoongi and Jungkook in the room. They continued training but instead of fighting, they did some strength exercises. Even though Yoongi did not look like it, he was the most physically strong among them because his element gave him so much more strength than the others.

         "Are you sleeping here tonight or are you going back as well?" Yoongi asked after a while.

         "I don't know yet. You know I live alone in the real world, so I might as well sleep here. But I will get back to skype with my parents. I bet they're wondering why I haven't called in a month" Jungkook explained, "but I have to study. Maybe I'll end up staying in the real world. I don't know yet."

Jungkook studied art in Seoul, even though his family lived in Busan, so they rented a one room flat for him because they did not want him to live in the dorms. Little did they know that Jungkook had a third home: the flat he shared with the rest of Special Force's members.

         "Take some time off, if studying gets too hard. You know the headmaster understands."

         "I know he does, but I like it here and up until now, I can still handle it" Jungkook ensured him with an honest smile.

         "Don't overwork yourself."

         "I won't."

         "Good. Now go, you should study" Yoongi ordered and Jungkook obliged, saluting as he left the room, laughing at his own action.

After leaving the practice room, he made his way to the portal room. This room had numerous portals that were able to send you to any portal there was between the two worlds; one only had to picture the portal that one wanted to use in one's mind and it opened at that exact location. Only experienced witches could actually use these portals because only those who could focus enough were able to create a clear picture of the portal. Closing his eyes, Seoul appeared in front his eyes, first from above but he zoomed in, until he saw the portal in front of him, which he always used to get home because it was the closest one to his home. Everything around him started to get warmer, his skin started to tingle and he got dizzy. It felt like he was not in his own body anymore. A door appeared in front of him and he stretched out his arm, even though it felt like it was not attached to his body anymore. He grabbed the door handle and at that moment light engulfed him, spreading in his body, until he was drowning in it. But it faded immediately, when he felt ground under his feet again. A little confused still, he opened his eyes slowly and realised that he was already in the real world again.

Chapter Text

Birds were chirping. Leaves were blowing in the wind, making a soft noise that resembled water crushing at the shore. The sun was shining through those moving leaves, creating a complex pattern of shadows. Calm breathing of something was close, but it turned into a tired grumble. Next, fluffy fur was moving and a big yawn could be heard. It was not a human yawn, however. The yawn came from a brown furred wolf, stretching next to a pile of curled up black and silver fur. Another yawn and then, a wet tongue licked over the black and silver furred wolf's face. Tired, the wolf growled, lifting his head a little to be able to yawn properly. Opening his eyes slowly, he was met by so much brightness, the wolf was blinded for a second. Suddenly, the one that had licked his face barked gleefully. Reluctantly, the black silver wolf got up, stretching first, before he observed his surroundings. It was about 10am, judging from the position of the sun. In the trees, there were some forest spirits, looking down at the wolves curiously. The brown wolf barked again, nudging the black silver wolf at his side, urging him to finally wake up. Yawning again, the said wolf dragged his paws over the moss covered ground to the small lake that was close to their sleeping place of last night. All he wanted was to get a drink but when he arrived at the lake, the sun was shining on it, reflecting beautifully, he felt a hit into his side and landed in the water. It was deeper than expected and the wolf really did not have any desire to swim because as a wolf, it was extremely tiring. While still being underwater, the wolf closed his eyes, looking into his soul, trying to find the other side of him and when he found it, his body temperature increased to inhuman highs. Then, His body started to change, fur disappearing, paws morphing into hands, legs straightening, slowly turning human, or human-like. Slowly, he was getting out of breath and he just barely managed to get back to the surface, gasping for air, wiping his wet hair out of his face. His amber shining eyes searched for the culprit that had thrown him into the water and he found him immediately. The brown wolf, who was now a completely naked man, was standing at the shore, his hands at his sides, looking at the guy in the water.

         "For a second, I thought you had drowned there. I got worried" he said jokingly and jumped into the water as well.

The other flinched at the sudden intrusion next to him, glaring at him, snarling at him, showing his eight fangs that were so sharp they could cut through flesh easily.

         "Was that really necessary, Hoseok-ah?" he asked annoyed, splashing water into the brown haired guy's face.

         "Jiminnie, don't be so lame, please. I thought you looked a little tired, so this is the perfect way to wake you up!" Hoseok defended himself but Jimin was already swimming back to the shore.

It was not because he did not want to go for a swim, but because he knew they were not allowed to. Getting out of the water, Jimin shook his head in an animalistic way, trying to get as much water out of his hair, as possible.

         "You know we will get scolded, if Changmin-hyungnim finds out. And we don't even have clothes here" Jimin argued, ruffling up his hair even more, looking up at the sun, "shit, it's already getting noon. If we don't get to a portal soon, I'll be late for my shift at the café. We should meet the others."

         "Well" Hoseok started, swimming to the shore as well, "Changmin-hyungnim and the others already went ahead, so he can't know we changed. We'll just say that we didn't catch their scents right away, that's why we're late."

Jimin sighed. Their pack had been on the move for about two months now. Originally, they came from the region humans called Korea but they had been assigned a mission from their alpha, so they were on their way to the region Great Britain. Normally, Jimin was always excited, when they were assigned a mission but this time, only the beta, the wolf in charge because only a part of the pack was on the move, knew what the mission was actually about. Of course, Jimin would never complain; he could not complain because werewolves were loyal to their higher ups. It was also a little annoying this time because it was sometimes hard to find a portal, not knowing the area. Hoseok and Jimin both had lives in the real world, as one of their parents was human. Both their fathers had imprinted on a human woman, so they were now living in the real world with them. A wolf had ultimate obligation to at least partly stay with the pack but if they found their mate, they were allowed to leave and live with their beloved. Whenever it came to imprinting, everything was absolute. It was their most sacred law.

Being on the move for already two months, Jimin and Hoseok sometimes had difficulties getting back because of the lack of portals. Sometimes, Jimin wondered, if the stories were true that the witches had portals that could change the destination. All portals were able to do that, generally. At least when you used them from the other dimension but if you want to get back in, the portal would only bring one to the exact same place one had last been in the other dimension. That was why they could not just go into the human world and change the portal's destination and go back and be in Great Britain. Unfortunately, they could not do that. So they sometimes struggled to get back to their life in the real world. Witches, however, were rumoured to be able to change the destination of portals when being in the human world.

         "Seriously, Hoseok, I need to be there at noon, let's go and find Changmin-hyungnim and the others. They can't be far and he said that there is a portal in the area" Jimin urged his best friend and this time, Hoseok nodded and got out of the water as well.

It was not weird for them to be naked in front of each other. They grew up together and for wolves, it was one of the most normal things in the world. Hoseok also shook his head in order to dry his hair a little.

         "Fine, let's change back and catch up."

Jimin nodded and closed his eyes. Once again, he looked into his soul, finding the wolf part of him, as his body temperature increased and in a matter of seconds, he was a wolf again, so was Hoseok. Their fur was now wet, as they had not dried after taking a dip but it did not really bother them too much. After they had started running, it dried off quickly. They found their pack's scent quickly and started following it, leading them through the deep forest that they were in right now. Luckily, both of them were good runners and had a lot of stamina. That was one of the reasons why they had been chosen for this mission. They were still quite young, too young to go on such a large scale mission, actually. In human years, they were 20 and 21, adults. But they had not reached maturity in werewolf years yet. Their wolf form was not full-grown and they were visibly smaller than the rest of the pack. But because both of them were physically very strong for their age, their alpha decided to trust them and give them a bigger role in the pack. He also did that because both their fathers had been the alpha's betas, before they had imprinted and left the other dimension to live with their human mates. In a big pack, there were betas needed to control all of the wolves because the alpha could not be at different places at the same time. The alpha would appoint betas, considering their strength and how close they were to the alpha. For Jimin and Hoseok, their alpha was like the intimidating, super successful uncle they did not know how to talk to without feeling weird. But their alpha trusted them that they would do a good job on this mission.

They had been running for about half an hour, when they finally caught up to their pack. The pack was currently resting, a cadaver lying between them. The two young wolves sighed. They had missed breakfast. Some of the wolves did not even notice them coming back, while some gave them a small nod. But they knew exactly, when Changmin, their beta, appeared behind them. Wolves could feel each other's presence very well, their leader's even more so. Changmin was by far the largest wolf in the group, so only just standing next to him made the two wolves look small and weak. He got closer, having a suspicious look on his face, baring his teeth a little after he sniffed at their fur a little. Jimin and Hoseok gulped. Changmin knew. They did not know how, but he knew. Instantly, Changmin changed into his half human form, looking down on them in anger.

         "How could you change without my permission!" he yelled at them and the two wolves shivered at the strong sense of authority coming from their beta, "do you know how dangerous it is to change without the protection of our pack? What if a vampire would have been there? We don't know these woods or whose territory it is. Maybe it's another pack's territory. You know how threatened we feel, when another wolf appears in their half human form. Don't ever be that reckless again! This could have ended in a fight and it could have angered the Gods!"

Jimin and Hoseok were whimpering, pushing themselves to the ground, submitting to Changmin as much as possible, showing him how sorry they were. There was nothing else they could do; their instincts told them to submit to their leaders. They physically could not go against him. Seeing how well they responded, Changmin sighed and gave them a sign that they could relax. He looked up at the sky, observing how the leaves were dancing in the wind, checking the position of the sun.

         "Jimin-ah, you can go. I know you have work. There's a portal five kilometres west from here. Come back as soon as you're done, we can't risk being incomplete for too long" Changmin instructed and gestured that he should go.

And that was what Jimin did. He bowed his head, then, turned around and ran into the direction of the portal. It did not take him very long and when he arrived there, he quickly changed back into his full human form. Thinking about the portal he usually used, he entered the portal and his body immediately started to respond. He could feel the warmth of his wolf form trying to escape because going through a portal in his human body was not something wolves liked to do, but it was necessary. He was engulfed by light but the next step he took was a step into the human world. The portal was situated in a small alleyway, where no one really walked through. Quickly, Jimin walked over to the trash can that was standing next to the portal to get the clothes he always hid under there. It was not the best place to stock clothes but it was the only place he could actually hide them. After putting them on, he hurried out of the alley and made his way home. He first had to have a shower, before he went to work. He did not smell it himself, but he knew he reeked of wet dog. Trying to not stick out on the busy streets of Seoul, he hurried as much as possible. Luckily, they had their apartment in the area, so he did not have to walk for long. People, however, still stared at him. Who would not, seeing a scruffy young adult that reeks of wet dog and dumpster, though?

He arrived home, closing the door behind him with a loud pang, sliding of his shoes in a rush and that was when he could finally look at a watch. It was 5pm, so he still had an hour, until his shift started. The time difference to where ever they had been in the other dimension was really confusing. He had thought that it was already 6pm but he still had time. Sighing in relief, he decided to eat something first because he had missed the hunt in the other dimension. Looking through the fridge, he found some leftovers that probably were from his parents dinner last night. Anticipating, he took it out of the fridge and started eating it, not even bothering to heat it up.

         "Jimin-ah?" his mother's voice startled him because he was too focused on eating, "aigoo, being with your pack so much let you forget your manners. Sit down and use chopsticks, dear."

Jimin swallowed hard, only now noticing that he did not just eat the leftovers cold but he also did not use chopsticks.

         "S–Sorry" he apologised as he sat down at the kitchen table, where his mother joined him.

         "You don't smell that great."

         "I know, I'm sorry, I missed the hunt this morning, well, it's about noon where our pack is right now, that's why I was really hungry, I couldn't wait until after the shower. Sorry about my manners too."

Humans that were mates were the only ones that knew about the other dimension and were allowed to keep their memories. With their partners disappearing every full moon and them being exceptionally strong, they were bound to find out eventually and werewolves naturally told them everything about themselves. They could not keep it from their mates. They did not think it fair to mate with them without telling them what came along with it.

         "Don't apologise, honey. I finally get to see you again, so I won't scold you. Lately, you only came home, when I was working, so I'm really glad to see you. How is everything? Are you eating enough? How is Hoseok?" she smiled and handed him some chopsticks.

         "We're getting closer to Europe, the weather is getting a little colder. Hoseok-ah that idiot. We got scolded because of him. Sometimes, he has the most stupid ideas. But everything worked out anyways. I need to get back as soon as I'm done with work. I won't have time to come back here, so I'll have to leave my work clothes and my other stuff under the trash can. Could you change them with normal clothes and wash them?" Jimin explained while eating hastily.

         "It's fine, don't worry, I can do that. Just stay healthy and know that your father and I are missing you and we love you" she continued and Jimin saw how her eyes started to become glossy.

His mother felt that it was time for Jimin to have a shower and then leave for work, even though she would have loved to talk to him a little more. Sometimes, it was hard for her, seeing her only son this rarely but it could not be helped. Jimin got up and walked around the table, pulling his mother into an affectionate hug.

         "I love you too. Sorry, I must really reek, but I really wanted to hug you" he whispered into her shoulder.

Her arms wrapped around his strong back and she patted him motherly.

         "I'm used to it. Your father smells like this every full moon."

They both laughed at that, but then, Jimin really had to get under the shower, or else he was going to be late. Scrubbing off mud and dirt from his skin and scalp, it always took a little longer to shower. When he was done, he changed into his uniform: a white, considerably tight dress shirt, black pants and a black apron; a typical uniform for a barista. Then, he quickly blow-dried his hair and styled it so it did not look to shabby. Looking at the time, he had 10 minutes left for a 15 minute walk. He sighed; he had to run again. It seemed like this was the only thing he could do today.

Finally arriving at the café, he calmed down as fast as possible and started working. He enjoyed serving humans their coffee. Watching them chat, laugh and just enjoy themselves was fascinating. Additionally, Jimin felt at ease around humans. At the moment, it felt a little unnatural because he was in the other dimension more than in the real world, but usually, he would spend most of his time here. He also had friends in the real world, one of them even was an idol. His name was Sungjae and back when he was still a trainee, they used to go to the dance studio together because Jimin was better at dancing than his friend and he always offered to help him train. But when Sungjae's group debuted, they rarely had time for each other, which was not too bad because around that time, Jimin took over more responsibility in the pack and had to leave for the other dimension more often. But sometimes, they still managed to meet up. Whenever his Sungjae's group came back with a new song, Jimin at least once went to one of the music shows to watch them. The girls in the audience always stared at him, not really believing that someone like Jimin liked BTOB's music. He always stuck out between all the girls. Of course, there were also guys but Jimin was very muscular and werewolves looked  more attractive to humans because, although humans did not know that they were supernatural beings, they somehow felt that there was something special about them. On rare occasions, Sungjae was allowed to take Jimin behind the scenes and Jimin met the rest of BTOB's members. They were nice and easy to talk to. He noticed immediately that one of them, his name was Ilhoon, had the witch gene and it was very dominant already. Normally, the supernatural part of those humans with the gene was still so small that it could not be felt but Ilhoon definitely felt like something supernatural already. That made Jimin worry a little. Supernatural aura automatically  attracted vampires because humans with the gene tasted even better for vampires, so they loved to target those. Witch blood in general was something very exquisite for them but it was forbidden to attack them. That was why they loved to target humans with the witch gene because the tasted similar to witches. And because Ilhoon had the gene and most likely was to attract vampires, Jimin worried about Sungjae's safety. But there was nothing he could do about it, so he just tried to check in with Sungjae from time to time. However, because Jimin was so busy with his pack, he did not manage to visit Sungjae in the last two months. Fortunately, thanks to fan sites that probably knew BTOB's schedule better than most of the members, he knew that they had only had one event today. That was why Jimin wanted to call Sungjae during his break. He just finished taking an order from a very handsome guy that sat down at one of the window seats, when the guest suddenly got a phone call.

         "Yah, Jungkookie, I told you I am getting coffee for you. You should come too, you shouldn't study so hard. You already stayed home yesterday. I am ordering you as your hyung, get out here, I already ordered your coffee, so come here" the customer ordered the one on the phone.

Jimin accidently listened to the conversation and something in him made him stop all his actions. It was a weird feeling coming from inside of him. Similar to adrenaline rushing to one's body but somehow, it was even more intense. His heartbeat accelerated, making him want to pant but he realised that he was standing in the middle of the café and people were starting to look at him confused. Jimin swallowed hard, concentrating on his breathing and walked into the kitchen. There, he slid to the ground, putting his right hand on his heart, while finally getting enough oxygen into his lungs. What the hell just happened? Why was he feeling like this all of a sudden? It took him his entire five minute break to calm down and it was a co-worker that brought Jimin back to reality. He handed him the two coffees for the guy at the window seat.

         "I apologise that it took so long" Jimin told the customer and bowed to apologise.

         "No worries. I'm still waiting for my friend anyways" the dark brown haired guy said and showed him his rectangle smile.

         "If you need anything else, just call for me."

         "Sure, Park Jimin. I'm Kim Taehyung" the customer said and for a second, Jimin was confused that Taehyung knew his name, but then he remembered that he was wearing a name tag.

         "Nice to meet you, Kim Taehyung" Jimin smiled as well and bowed politely, before he continued his work.

After a while, the co-worker that was serving the counter wanted to have a smoking break, so he asked Jimin to fill in for him and of course, Jimin agreed. He liked direct interaction with humans, so working the counter was something he enjoyed very much. Some people smiled at him, showing Jimin what a great day they had. Some were tired, some were sad, and rarely, he served people that were really angry and glared at him, but he enjoyed even that. He could understand them well. Werewolves felt every emotion a lot stronger, so he knew what it felt like to be really angry, thus, did not blame humans that they could not hide their emotions. Jimin was making a cafe latte for a customer, when it suddenly got louder in the café.

         "Guess who called your mom to check up on you because you are so busy lately? And here I thought, I  was the idol and couldn't visit my friends" Sungjae's voice surprised Jimin so much that he nearly spilled the coffee he was making.

He turned around quickly and gave the coffee to the customer, so he could attend to his friend who was waiting at the counter. He was leaning onto it casually, full on styled as if he was just on his way to some event. The girls that were in the café were staring, not believing that an idol was here and they whispered to each other. Behind Sungjae, there was his manager, Jimin remembered his face from last time he visited Sungjae.

         "Sungjae-yah! I'm really sorry, I lost my phone and just recently got a new one" Jimin lied to try and justify his absence, "let's talk after I got you your coffee, okay?"

         "Sure, but I can't talk for long. We're on the way to a filming" Sungjae elaborated and ordered seven coffees, one for him and the others for his members.

After Jimin prepared the coffees, his co-worker came back and switched with him, so Jimin had some time to talk to Sungjae. They went outside, so the café would not get too loud because of Sungjae's presence.

         "So, how's life?" Sungjae asked.

         "Busy, as you might have noticed. I'm helping out at my dad's company a lot lately, so I basically don't have any free time. But I heard you're preparing for a new album, right?"

         "Yeah, it's done very soon and I this time our title track is super emotional. Are you going to come to our comeback concert? I'll get you a ticket too."

Jimin sighed, scratching his neck. He wanted to go, he really did, but he did not know, if he got the time for it. For something like this, he would not get permission to leave the pack alone.

         "I don't know. I'd love to, but I don't know, if I have time. When is it?"

         "In two months. At the end of June. How about I just get you a ticket and you'll come if you have time?"

         "Okay, let's do it that way. Thank you for coming today. I wanted to call you in my break, but I got held up. Sorry for being so distant lately."

         "Jesus, you apologise way too much" Sungjae joked and hugged him briefly "seriously, you're way too nice to people. When will you get a girl, huh? You'll spoil her so much and she surely will take advantage of your kind-heartedness."

Jimin chuckled a little.

         "When the time is right. I can't force it" he said and Sungjae agreed.

If only he knew how literal that sentence was. It was already clear who Jimin was going to imprint on. It was set, when he was born, but he did not know who she or he was. There was no such thing as homophobia in the werewolf society because imprinting was absolute and the most natural thing for them. But it was not clear if a wolf would meet his mate. There was a certain percentage of wolves who never met their mates and just took another partner. Those wolves, however, were not able to have children because a wolf is only fertile, if he imprinted. 

         "Well, I guess you don't have time for one anyways. Speaking of time. I should go. Take care Jimin-ah and contact me more often. Jeez, I sound like your girlfriend. But do it, okay? I'll send the ticket to your house" Sungjae said goodbye and hugged Jimin again, before he crossed the street and entered a car, which drove away immediately.

Jimin sighed happily and watched the car as it disappeared in the distance. It felt good to see his friend again and maybe, he could even go to that concert of his, depending on how fast his pack would advance with the mission. With a smile on his face, he walked back to the café and he could already see the entrance, when the door opened and two people exited, laughing whole-heartedly. One of them was Kim Taehyung, the customer that had been waiting for his friend, so the other one had to be that friend. They turned around because they probably wanted to walk into the direction Jimin had come from and when Jimin looked at the black haired friend of Kim Taehyung, everything changed for him. It was just like before, when he suddenly felt like a rush of adrenaline was flowing through his veins, but this time, it was much, much stronger. His heart was racing and he started breathing heavily, shivering all over his body because he suddenly felt hot. Really hot. So hot as if he was about to change into his wolf form but he knew he was not. Jimin's eyes were glued on the boy next to the customer he had met before. His raven black hair looked messy and maybe a little greasy. His big deer like eyes looked tired and exhausted; Jimin remembered that Taehyung said the boy was studying, yet, he still smiled brightly, creating little creases around his eyes. He had broad shoulders but did not look unproportionally buff. The boy was wearing an oversized hoodie, hiding the rest of his body but Jimin just knew that the boy looked perfect. Perfect for him at least. Everything happened in slow motion for Jimin. As the two humans walked towards him, it suddenly got a little windy and Jimin caught the raven haired boy's scent and it was indescribable. Like honey and forest but also roses and vanilla; yet it still smelled masculine and so, so good, Jimin's knees gave in and he fell to the ground, still not able to take his eyes off the beauty before him.

         "Is everything alright?" he heard a voice next to him, but all he noticed was how the boy suddenly was standing in front of him, looking down at him with those perfect black orbs, "yaah, can you hear me?"

Jimin recognised the voice as the one of Taehyung and then, he snapped back into reality, noticing that he was kneeling on the ground just in front of the café and people were staring at him, Taehyung and the beautiful boy included. Reluctantly, Jimin tore his eyes away from the raven haired to meet Taehyung's worried eyes. Jimin swallowed hard, trying to steady his breathing, his heart was still beating really fast and he was still shivering.

         "Y––yeah. I'm fine. I just––I just felt dizzy. I guess I worked too much today" he tried to find an excuse.

Taehyung helped him up but as soon as he was standing again, his eyes averted to the black haired boy again. Jimin noticed that he was holding the coffee Taehyung had bought for him. The boy smiled shyly, when he noticed that he was being stared at.

         "Oh, yeah, this is the friend I was waiting for earlier. He's damn ass late, though. If he had come earlier, he would have seen Yook Sungjae. Speaking of which, dude, you know a member of BTOB?" Taehyung started the conversation casually but Jimin just barely heard him because after Taehyung was finished, the boy started talking.

         "Hello, I'm Jeon Jungkook. Nice to meet you" he greeted Jimin with a heavenly smooth voice, bowing politely.

         "Park Jimin. Pleasure is all mine" he blurted immediately after Jungkook had closed his lips, his wonderful, perfectly full lips.

Jimin suddenly felt the desperate need to touch Jungkook. He wanted to feel his skin, wanted to close his arms around him, take in more of that indescribable wonderful scent. This need was stronger than anything he had ever felt before. Stronger than his loyalty to his father, his mother, Hoseok, his beta and even his alpha. All he wanted to do was run his fingers through those greasy, black locks, trailing his hands down to that neck, making the boy shiver under his touch. But he knew that he could not do that. Concentrating on the question Taehyung had asked, he tried to calm down.

         "Sungjae-yah and I went to school together and I taught him some dance moves. We keep in touch" he explained, still watching Jungkook from the corners of his eyes.

Said boy suddenly widened his eyes and shot forward, grabbing Jimin's arm, making Jimin gasp, his skin burning delicately where Jungkook touched him, even though there was fabric between them. Jimin swallowed, staring at Jungkook's hand and then at his lips, his desire to capture them with his own getting stronger, but he had to hold it in.

         "Oh, my god, yes, I knew your name sounded familiar! He mentioned you in the thanks of their first mini album!" Jungkook said fascinated and his eyes sparkled at Jimin.

         "H–he did? I never noticed" he mumbled, distracted by those deer like eyes.

         "Okay, we should leave you to work. Don't work too hard. We don't want you to collapse on the street. We'll see you around, this café is really nice. Well, see 'ya Park Jimin" Taehyung winked and walked passed Jimin.

Jungkook bowed again and smiled slightly, before he followed Taehyung. When Jimin saw him leave, everything in him urged him to stop Jungkook. As soon as Jimin was alone again, free from that intoxicating scent, he could finally think clearly again and that was when realised. He had found his mate. He had imprinted.

The rest of his shift went by like a dream. All he could think about was Jungkook. Jimin could not believe that he had found his mate at such a young age. He was not even an adult in werewolf years and usually, one found his mate in their late 20, so human 30s. But then, he suddenly realised that he had no way of contacting Jungkook. The only thing he could do was hope that Taehyung had said the truth and that they will visit the café again. He sighed. All of his thought were filled with pictures of Jungkook. His eyes. His lips. his nose. His hair. His smile. After the shift ended, Jimin walked into the direction of the portal, ready to go back. But suddenly, a rush of very intense feelings hit him. Anxiety. Stress. Fear. But they were not his own. So what in the world was happening? The emotions hit him so hard he had to lean onto a wall; luckily, he was already in a smaller road, where not many people were walking through. Then, Jimin remembered the time his father talked about what imprinting on someone did to a werewolf.

         "It's like your entire world changes. The moment you see your mate, it will completely overwhelm you. When I first met your mother, it was really hard for me to control myself. I nearly changed into my half human form. It's just––– it's hard to explain. The feelings are just so strong, you're not able to handle them. From the moment you imprint, you will have a special connection to your mate. Of course, it's just one way and your mate won't realise it at all and sometimes, in rare cases, the mate won't have the same feelings. That is why you can only reveal yourself, when your mate said 'I love you' I remember your mother being completely oblivious to my feelings for the first few weeks. It was actually a little frustrating" Jimin's father chuckled, sitting on the sofa in their apartment.

Jimin was thirteen, in human years, when he had asked his father what it is to imprint on someone. Instantly, his father sat him down to have 'the talk' with him. For werewolves there were two of them. The first one was very innocent, telling them about the beauties of imprinting, while the second one was about what happened after they imprinted, how they developed the natural desire to claim their mate and mark them as their own to protect them from vampires because as soon as a human is marked as a mate, they will acquire their mate's scent and vampires hated the smell of wolves.

         "So, what is this special connection? What does it do?" Jimin asked curiously.

         "It will make you feel what your mate feels. In the beginning, it will be very random and you will only feel very strong, mostly negative emotions because the most important thing is to protect your mate and if they feel scared, you will be able to find them. As you get to know you mate and get closer, you will also be able to feel positive emotions and at some point, you will be able to always feel your mate, as if him or her is a part of you. I'm able to feel and find your mother, where ever she is, as long as I am in the same world as she is. What is also important to know is that you will adapt to your mates nature. What I mean is that... You know that werewolves live much longer than humans. But if you imprint on a human, you adapt to them, that means that you will also only live as long as a human would. That doesn't mean that you will die, when your mate dies, but imagine having to live a hundred years without your beloved. It would be unbearable. That's why we adapt to our mate."

Feeling what one's mate feels. That had to be what was happening to Jimin right now. Suddenly, Jimin got anxious as well. What if Jungkook was in danger? What if he was getting robbed, or even worse, what if a vampire was attacking him, right at this moment? His heartbeat was increasing again, but this time, it was not because he felt great but because he was afraid. What was he supposed to do? He knew he had to get back to the other dimension. The pack could not go leave without Jimin being with them again, but at the same time, Jimin could not ignore the alarming emotions he was getting from Jungkook. The only choice he could make, however, was trying to find Jungkook. He physically could not leave this world, without knowing that his mate was safe. But how was he supposed to find Jungkook? Jimin had no idea where he lived, nor where he could have gone to. But then, he recalled what his father had said. He should be able to locate his mate. But he just met him. Was the connection strong enough? The best thing was to go back to the café. Maybe he could catch Jungkook's scent there. Hurrying back there, Jimin tried to concentrate on the feelings he was receiving. It was not just fear and anxiety anymore but now, he was also feeling anger. Starting to get nervous, he ran even faster until he finally arrived back at the café. He closed his eyes and mouth and concentrated, making fists, so no one could see his nails. There was only one way to catch Jungkook's scent in a sea of smells like Seoul. He had to switch to his half human form. But in his half human form, his eight canines and his claws could be seen. Furthermore, his eye colour changed to a glowing amber, so he really had to be careful that no one recognised him. He felt his body temperature increasing and as he changed, his finger nails bored into in skin but it did not hurt that much. He was too focused on finding Jungkook's scent. And he really did. Suddenly, he could smell it so clearly, as if he had always known it, so familiar, it actually scared him a little. Cautiously, he opened his eyes, looking around to see if someone looked at him, but everyone just continued walking, not even noticing that he was standing there. Immediately, he followed the scent, walking through some side alleys but mostly staying on the main road, until he found himself in a neighbourhood of numerous apartment buildings, in front of one specific one. Hastily, Jimin searched for Jungkook's name on the doorbells and he actually found it, being slightly proud that his sense of smell was this good. He was about to press it, but right there, he stopped himself. It would seem extremely strange, if he suddenly turned up at Jungkook's door. But Jimin still felt how anxious and angry Jungkook was. Nervously, Jimin's finger lingered over the doorbell. But then, he had another idea. Closing his eyes again, he concentrated and tried remembering Jungkook's voice, which was not that difficult, and as he did, he suddenly heard a deep, annoyed sigh. It was so clear, it shocked Jimin and made him jump up in surprise. This sigh was real. He was hearing Jungkook in his room from outside of the building.

         "Ugh, stupid maths, I will never get this. How am I supposed to pass this exam!" Jungkook complained and immediately, Jimin sighed in relief.

Nothing was wrong. It was only stress Jungkook got from studying. Everything in Jimin relaxed as he realised that Jungkook was completely safe. His father was definitely right. Jimin's whole life had changed, when he saw Jungkook. From now on, he would put his life before his own. He was aware of the punishment he was going to receive for returning to the pack late, but because it was for the sake of Jungkook's safety, he did not feel bad about it. Not as bad as he should. Even though he did not even know the boy yet, his loyalty had already switched from his pack to Jungkook. It was quite shocking to experience this by himself. Slowly, the feeling of anxiety and anger faded and Jungkook sighed again, this time, it sounded a little relived, though. Knowing that his mate was not in any danger, Jimin was able to leave the place and return to the other dimension, even though he rather wanted to stay and listen to the beautiful voice of his newly found mate.

Arriving at the portal, it was already midnight, he quickly got rid of his clothes, hiding them under the trash can along with his other belongings. He already was in his half human form, so he did not have to change into that. Going back to the other dimension was always more comfortable in the half human form because human bodies were not made to travel through portals. Carefully, Jimin took the first step into the portal and immediately, he was drawn in, immersing into the comfortable light. In this form, it was actually a good feeling to switch between worlds. But as soon as he was in the other dimension again, he was welcomed by two very angry looking wolves, snarling at him, glaring. He knew those two wolves just too well. After Changmin, they were the strongest in the this part of the pack and they always carried out Changmin's will. Jimin gulped and held his head low, trying to show submissiveness even in his half human form. He was sorry that he had let down the pack, but he had no other choice. They growled at him angrily but then started walking and Jimin knew he had to follow. Normally, he had to change into his wolf form but he knew he was led to a half human Changmin. There he was to explain himself, before Changmin judged what kind of punishment Jimin would receive. They were still in the same spot, when Jimin had left them. The wolves were gathered, lined up on either sides of Changmin, who was standing in the middle, a stern look on his face. Jimin and him were the only ones that were in half human form because it was too dangerous for all of them to not be in their wolf form in a foreign territory. From the corner of his eyes, Jimin spotted the worried eyes of Hoseok, who sat next to one of the wolves that had brought Jimin here. Hoseok gave him an affectionate nod, showing him that he was on his side, even though he could never voice that out. Jimin took a deep breath and faced Changmin.

         "What was so important that you thought it was okay to let your pack wait for you? You knew your orders" Changmin started and advanced a little, showing Jimin his dominance and the younger instinctively backed away, trying to make himself small.

         "I––I'm sorry, I––I had to––" Jimin tried to explain but suddenly, Changmin shot forward, suddenly very close to Jimin, sniffing curiously, and Jimin was so afraid to be hit that he could not speak anymore.

But what his beta did next was not what Jimin expected. He suddenly felt his beta's hand on his shoulder, patting him affectionately and when Jimin looked up to in confusion, Changmin smiled at him, all the threatening aura around him gone.

         "It's okay, I understand. You don't have to explain yourself" he said and pulled Jimin closer into the circle of now just as confused wolves .

         "I–––don't?" Jimin asked shyly, not really knowing what to expect.

         "My dear, fellow wolves. Something rare happened today. This calls for celebration. For once, I allow you all to change into half human form and congratulate Jimin because our youngest member has imprinted. His scent has changed completely."

Immediately, all the wolves started barking excitedly, one by one, changing into their half human forms, getting closer to Jimin to smell him themselves. Everyone was completely mind-blown. It was really rare to already imprint before one reached maturity, so this called for celebration. Jimin did not quite know how to take this. Everyone was so excited for him and the most excited one of them jumped on Jimin, hugging him affectionately. Hoseok snuggled into the crook of Jimin's neck, something only very close wolves did because the neck was the most vulnerable part of their body, and started licking Jimin's neck, also something, wolves did to express their happiness and affection for one another.

         "Tell me everything!" Hoseok demanded, "how did you meet her? Wait, is it even a girl?"

Jimin laughed and removed an overexcited Hoseok from his neck and sat down; so did the others. Everyone wanted to know about Jimin's mate because this was something extraordinary. A little shy,  he started telling them about Jungkook, automatically smiling as he thought of him.

         "His name is Jeon Jungkook and he is so very beautiful. He has black hair and big deer-like eyes, full lips that turn into a wonderful smile. He's quite tall, taller than me, even though he looked younger than me. His voice....I can't describe to you what his voice sounds like, it's too beautiful.  And his scent... I––– it's––it's just overwhelming, I can't describe it, really."

         "What's he like?" another wolf asked.

         "I don't really know yet. I didn't really have the chance to talk to him. A customer of the café I work at was waiting for him and they were leaving, when I returned from my break. The only thing I know is that he likes my friend's music and he seems to be outgoing, yet a little shy" Jimin explained, still smiling, but as he thought about how he barely knew anything about Jungkook, he immediately wanted to know more, needed to know more.

         "But if you didn't talk to him, why were you late?" Changmin asked and Jimin flinched because the tone was slightly interrogating.

         "I was on my way back to the portal but then, a wave of emotions came over me and they weren't mine. It was anxiety but also fear and anger and stress. It hit me so hard, I couldn't ignore it. I was so worried that something happened to him, I had to check if–––"

         "Wait, so you're telling us that you felt his emotions?" one of the two wolves that had waited for him at the portal asked disbelievingly.

         "Yes, that's why I––"

         "But you just imprinted today" the wolf continued.

         "Yes, I just told you that––"

         "What Jinwoonie wants to say with this is that a wolf normally doesn't feel his mate's feelings that fast after imprinting. You already seem to have a very deep connection to your mate, even though you just met him. What did you do after receiving such worrisome emotions? Is your mate alright? Did something happen?" Changmin clarified.

         "I had no idea where he lived, nor how to track him by his emotions, so I went back to the café to catch up on his scent. I had to change into my half human form to do so but I made sure that no one saw my wolf features. I tracked him down, until I arrived at this apartment. Luckily, it turned out that he was just having trouble studying. That's when I hurried back here. I'm really sorry that I have made you wait" Jimin explained and apologised yet again because he did feel sorry.

         "Don't apologise for trying to protect your mate. This is now your most important task. Unfortunately, we're in the middle of a mission, so you can't return home alone. Normally, you would be released from any missions until you have at least told your mate about your species but we at least have to get to Great Britain first, before you can leave for a little while longer."

Changmin was right. Even though all Jimin wanted to do right now, is go back and watch over Jungkook, he could not leave the pack where they were right now. If the pack continued their mission and Jimin was to use the portal that was nearby, he would be completely alone, next time he would enter this dimension again. That was why he had to follow the pack to the check point in Great Britain.

         "It's fine. I'll have to wait for him to come to the café again anyways. It would seem strange, if I suddenly turned up at his doorstep."

         "That is very true. Luckily, it's not too far anymore. We should get to our checkpoint in about three days. After that, you're free to go to the human world, whenever you want. But you still have to check in with us, every single day" Changmin said and Jimin just nodded obediently.

They continued to talk for a while, but because it was still only 6pm where they were right now, they soon changed back into their wolf forms and continued their journey to Great Britain.

Chapter Text

It was a rainy Monday, when Jungkook woke up early in the morning. Today, it was the day of his maths test and he still did not feel prepared. After Special Force had returned from their last mission, he only had a week left to study for that test. However, he could not use all his time to study for it because he had also had to hand in a huge art assignment. They actually had more than a month to do it, but, obviously, Jungkook had been held up with their mission. And the worst thing was that Jungkook was really bad at maths, so after he had finally finished the art assignment, he only had a day left to really study for that test. He had tried to study on the second day after the mission, he was solving calculations until midnight, but after that, he did not really do much.

Reluctantly, he got ready to leave his apartment, his hair was messy, wearing sweatpants and an oversized sweater. The more comfortable he felt, the better he would write the test; that was what he told himself at least. Exiting the apartment building, he sighed. Of course, it had to be raining. Jungkook hated rain. It weakened him because his element was fire and when the humidity was higher than usual, he always felt like his strength was leaving him. He was weakened already anyways because he was wearing a suppression spell to not be discovered by other supernatural beings, so whenever it was raining, Jungkook was in a bad mood. Annoyed, he hurried to the bus station but he was pretty much drenched, when he finally entered the bus. He sighed deeply but sat down anyways. After a 20 minute bus drive, he arrived at the university. Running to find shelter under the nearest roof, he nearly slipped. Once again, he sighed. A proof of Jungkook's weakened state was his clumsiness. Whenever he had activated the suppressing spell, he got all clumsy and he hated it. Normally, he was very well coordinated but the spell weakened him quite a bit. He was walking into the building, ruffling up his hair, on his way to the room where the test took place, when someone surprised him from behind.

         "You look like a wet dog" a black haired, tiny girl said and walked up next to Jungkook.

         "Jimin, please, don't provoke me. I'm annoyed enough anyways. I really don't want to write this test. Why is maths so hard?" Jungkook sighed.

         "Right, I remember. You hate maths. Where have you been last month? You've literally missed every single class. What happened?" She asked, while they were sitting down in the room.

         "There was an emergency with my family, so I had to go back to Busan. No big deal, I can catch up easily, except maths, of course. I think I'll fail this course. Why do we have to take such a course anyways, when we're studying art? And here I thought, I was finally free of it."

         "Don't be such a baby" Jimin laughed and started putting her name on her scribbling paper.

Park Jimin. Reading her full name made Jungkook remember that barista Taehyung had introduced him to last week. The way he had stared at Jungkook was really weird. For a moment, he thought that this other Park Jimin might have been a vampire but Taehyung later on told him he did not sense anything. That was one of Jungkook's general weaknesses. His sensing ability was so bad, he could not feel the aura of supernatural beings, which made him vulnerable in the human world. But because his suppressing spell was really good, no one sensed him either, so it did not matter as much. It was only really dangerous for him, when they were on a mission and he was alone without backup. That was why he first suspected Park Jimin to be a vampire. No normal person stared like that. But then again, he looked like he was pretty much out of it, so maybe he was trying to focus on something. And to be honest, Jungkook did not really help, when he touched the guys arm because he was so amazed that the barista actually knew Sungjae of BTOB. He also had to admit that the barista looked very, very handsome. Kind of mixed brown hair, full, plum lips, so muscular that his dress shirt was perfectly tight around his chest and arms, and eyes that could surely turn into a beautiful eye smile. Jungkook had found out he liked guys pretty much after he first had to go undercover as a male prostitute. Before that, he did have encounters with women already, but they had all been innocent, considering the fact that Jungkook was still a boy at that time, but he never felt affected by them. However, when he had to do a lap dance for a pretty handsome vampire that they were supposed to arrest and he suddenly started touching him, he noticed that he was very affected by that. Ever since then, he knew his preference, he just never had the time, or the courage for that matter, to act on it. He had never fallen in love and he was not the type for one night stands like Namjoon was. The most 'action' he ever got was, when they were at a club in a non-protected city in the other dimension and they were supposed to watch a suspicious vampire. He was getting away, so Jungkook improvised and started dancing with him and he eventually ended up in the bathroom with him, getting his first blowjob in his life and he had enjoyed it way too much. Luckily, only Taehyung had been there and Jungkook was able to tell him a lie of how he kept the vampire busy. If Namjoon had been there, he would have always reminded him of how he got blown by a suspect.

         "Hey, Jungkook, don't you want to take that? The test starts soon and you might want to shut off your phone, when it keeps ringing like that" the black haired girl brought him back to reality.

Blinking confused, he looked down at his phone, which he had put on his desk before and saw that it was Namjoon. Trying to ignore the slight arousal he had from remembering the first blowjob he had ever gotten, he quickly answered the call. Whenever Namjoon called him during the day, it always meant, they received a new mission.

         "What's up?" Jungkook asked casually to pretend having a normal conversation.

         "Got a new mission. It's a small one. It's something you and Taehyung can do alone, though I want you to take Jin with you as well. Yoongi and I are busy with administrative stuff at the academy, so you'll have to do it. I'm counting on you. Jin will brief you two; he'll contact you soon. Both of them are in the human world at the moment, so you will most probably meet up there. That'll be all. Don't fail your test, Jungkookie. You could have asked me to help you but you never let me, so prove to me that you can actually do maths by yourself" Namjoon explained to him and even though the last part sounded a little rude, Jungkook knew that it was an encouragement.

         "Got it. And let's hope I'll pass" Jungkook said and hung up after that because his professor had entered the room and it was time for the test.

The next 90 minutes were the worst 90 minutes of his life. Well, not really, but the worst 90 minutes in the last month. They were full of stress, anxiety and after he had finally finished the test, he was in desperate need of some sweets or some coffee. Tired, Jungkook dragged himself out of the room, said goodbye to Jimin and trotted into the direction of the cafeteria. Buying loads of junk food and some sweets, he suddenly felt watched. Confused, he looked around but everyone was busy with their food. Shaking his head, he sat down at a table and started eating but he was so tired, he struggled staying awake. He really did need a coffee. Finishing his food, he got up and disposed of the rest, getting in line for an instant coffee. It was not particularly good but it would have to do now. But right then, he got a glimpse of mixed brown hair and those full lips that had intrigued him so much, when he had met Jimin. Jungkook was sure he had seen him, but when he looked around, there was no trace of the barista. Maybe, Jungkook was slowly turning insane after that much stress combined with not much sleep. All he could really do was dismiss the subject and just get his coffee, downing it way too fast, burning his tongue, cursing, and going to his next class.

Thanks to the awful instant coffee, Jungkook made it through the rest of his classes. Yawning, he exited the art studio, glad that the day was finally over, when he saw Jin leaning on the wall in front of the studio's door. Right, they had gotten a new mission. Jin welcomed Jungkook with a kind-hearted and sympathetic smile, patting his shoulder affectionately. This time, Jungkook allowed it. He knew this gesture was not to belittle him, but to comfort him.

         "You look terribly tired" Jin stated.

         "You have no idea" Jungkook laughed but then straightened his back to wake himself up a little.

         "That's why Taehyungie is waiting at a café for us. Sometimes, I wonder how he stays on top of things. He always looks like he's super relaxed, even though he's studying photography. Well, I guess, photographers are always free spirits. Artists too, though, so don't be so stressed, okay?"

         "Hey, just because you decided to study medicine, you think we should be free spirits. It's your fault for choosing such a difficult major. How do you even manage to pass the courses with so little time to study?"

         "You forget that I have a natural talent for healing. And things like anatomy and genetics, I've already learnt that at the academy, so at the moment, things are actually quite relaxed for me" Jin smiled.

Jungkook just rolled his eyes at that. If only his element was something he could use in the human world. He remembered back when he just hit puberty, he wanted to go to circus, so he could do shows with his fire. But he dismissed that idea pretty quickly, after he had found out how little money that would bring him.

The two witches continued talking, while Jin let them to the café Taehyung was waiting for them. If Jungkook had been more attentive, he would have noticed earlier, where they were headed but because today was not his day, he only realised, when they were standing in front of the café. The same café Taehyung had dragged him out last week and when they entered it, he saw the water witch talking to that way too handsome barista. This time, it was still bright outside, so it was like Jungkook had only just really seen him for the first time. What was also a first for Jungkook was seeing Park Jimin's smile. Just like Jungkook had predicted, his eyes disappeared into a really cute eye smile, his smile stretching from one ear to another, showing off his perfectly white teeth. Furthermore, Jungkook was able to have a better look at the barista's body. Not only did he have a perfectly sculpt torso, but the rest was no joke either. Even with the apron tied around his waist, covering Jimin's front, it was very clear that he had muscular legs as well, matching his torso. And then there was his butt. This beautifully, perfectly round shaped butt. Suddenly, Jin cleared his throat, and nudged Jungkook slightly, before he dragged him into Taehyung's and Jimin's direction.

         "You're staring, Jungkookie" Jin whispered amused and Jungkook blushed in embarrassment.

         "No I'm not" he denied.

         "Well, maybe you're not, but he definitely is" Jin continued and just when the two witches joined the barista and Taehyung, Jungkook met the gaze of Jimin.

         "Oh, finally! Jungkookie, you remember Jimin, right? And Jimin, this is our friend Kim Seokjin, but we just call him Jin" Taehyung introduced the now slightly distracted barista.

         "Hello, nice to meet you" Jimin said politely and bowed but then turned to Jungkook and smiled at him even brighter than he had before, "it's nice to see you again, Jungkook."

The way his name rolled off Jimin's tongue was intriguingly affecting him. So much, that Jungkook got defensive. He hated to show weakness in front of other people and he would never allow himself to show anyone how much Jimin's presence alone affected him. There was something about him; he could not point out what, though.

         "What can I bring you two, then?" Jimin interrupted Jungkook's train of thought.

Jin and Jungkook sat down at Taehyung's table and Jin was the first one to react.

         "A cappuccino please."

         "A Cafe Latte for me, please" Jungkook said, trying not to look at the barista.

         "Coming right up" Jimin responded happily and trailed off to the coffee machines.

         "Jeon Jungkook, this is the first time in my life, I have seen you blush" Taehyung grinned.

         "Right? He was checking out that Jimin, before we joined you. His eyes sparkled" Jin giggled.

         "I said I didn't!" Jungkook pouted.

         "You did" Jin insisted.

         "It's okay to find people attractive, Jungkookie. And to be honest, that barista is ridiculously handsome" Taehyung continued.

         "I. Was. Not. Staring!" Jungkook repeated.

         "He seems to have a crush on you, though. He asked about you just before you arrived."

         "Really? Wow, this is such a love story!" Jin giggled again.

         "Could you both stop! We're not here to discuss my private life, so can we just get on with our mission briefing?"

At that moment, Jimin returned with their coffees, and it was obvious that Jimin stared at Jungkook. One part of Jungkook was uneasy but another part enjoyed the attention, which actually confused him even more.

         "There you go. A cappuccino for Jin and a cafe latte for Jungkook. Would you like anything else?"

         "Come join us in your break!" Taehyung suddenly proposed and Jungkook just glared at him.

         "Uhm... Sure, why not, if no one minds, of course?" Jimin responded immediately, looking at Jin and Jungkook.

         "Of course we don't mind! We love meeting new people, isn't that right, Jungkookie?" Jin sang happily because he knew Jungkook would not say no.

         "Yeah, why not" Jungkook mumbled, pretending not to notice the barista's stare.

Jimin's smile got wider and he nodded happily, when he walked away. When the remaining three were sure that no one was particularly paying attention to them, Jin pulled out a photo of a European looking guy.

         "This is Henry Gondry. He owns a dance studio in one of the less privileged suburbs in London. There, he preys on humans with the witch gene. There have been too many killings and we are ought to arrest him without creating a ruckus. He supposedly belongs to Cain's Clan, that's why we need to bring him in alive. Of course, this is a great mission for you. You both love to dance, so this won't be a big problem to infiltrate, right?" Jin explained the mission.

         "Sure, when do we go? Today or when?" Taehyung asked excitedly.

         "As soon as possible, Namjoon said."

         "Poor Jin-hyung. You don't like dancing. Okay, what shall be our cover?"

         "I thought you two could play two teenagers who want to join the studio because I mean, let's be honest, Europeans can't guess our age and you two are almost still teenagers, anyways. I could be your big brother who just wants to see whether you two are alright or not. Is that a plan?" Jin proposed.

Taehyung and Jungkook giggled at the same time.

         "Sure, everything, so you don't have to actually dance, right" both of them said simultaneously.

         "Did someone mention dance?" Jimin surprised all three of them and all of them turned around to him, first afraid that he might have heard them, but he would look differently, if he had heard them talk about arresting and not killing someone, "I'm on my break now."

         "Of course, c'mon, sit down" Taehyung reacted immediately, "right, you said you taught Sungjae some moves. So, are you any good, considering that you taught an idol how to dance?"

         "Well... I don't know, I just love to dance and you know in the beginning, Sungjae-yah was really bad at it, so pretty much everyone would have been able to teach him" Jimin laughed freely, displaying his white set of teeth again.

         "What's your favourite type of dance?" Jungkook asked, slowly getting hooked by the conversation.

         "I really like modern dance, but I dance pretty much everything."

         "Oh, you need to be quite flexible for that, right?" Taehyung continued.

         "Uhm... Yeah, I guess, compared to other dance styles. But it's good to be flexible in general, when you like to dance" Jimin said, glancing at Jungkook and he felt that gaze on him, even though he did not look at Jimin.

         "I am so not flexible" Jin laughed.

         "But you can't dance anyway!" Taehyung and Jungkook laughed.

The conversation continued and Jimin's break was actually already over but the café was pretty empty at the moment, so it was okay for him to still sit with the three witches. They had found out that Jimin was as old as Taehyung, so that made Jungkook the maknae, still, even though he had already predicted that.

         "So, I am pretty much here every day, I know you're not a full-time worker here. Are you studying?" Taehyung asked.

         "No, my dad owns a protective service company and it was already clear that I will inherit it one day, so he wanted to involve me and teach me the ways as soon as possible, that's why I didn't go to university."

         "Well, that explains things" Jungkook mumbled absentmindedly but Jimin heard that of course.

         "Yeah, that's why I've been working out quite a bit" he laughed shyly and Jungkook dared to look at him, which turned out to be a mistake.

The shy smile on Jimin's face was too much. Jungkook could not stop himself from blushing. The slightly chubby, super cute face just did not match with the rest of Jimin's confident appearance.

         "Seriously, though, you look like you could beat us up with one punch. Your dress shirt would probably rip because it's that tight" Taehyung laughed and everyone joined in.

Not that Jimin would have been able to really beat them up because all of them were trained in combat and Jimin was just a human.  He still looked like he could throw a good punch, though.

         "Is it too tight? Maybe I should buy a new one" Jimin said and looked down at himself, flexing his muscles, sincerely concerned about it.

Trust me, keep it like that, Jungkook thought but would never voice it out. He was actually embarrassed that someone's mere looks could affect him so much. But suddenly, Jimin got up.

         "Sorry, there are customers coming in. Too bad we can't talk anymore" he said and was about to attend to the customers, when he suddenly came back and put his phone down on the table "if you want, I could take you along to the dance studio I always go. If so, just leave your numbers on my phone, I'll contact you. It's been nice talking to you."

He smiled once again, his eyes disappearing into that wonderful, way too charming eye smile but then, he turned around and welcomed the customers that had come in. As soon as he was busy, Taehyung grabbed his phone and  grinned mischievously.

         "What are you doing?" Jungkook asked.

         "Saving your number, of course. And looking at his phone in general. I mean, c'mon, who just gives out their phone like that!"

         "Hyung!" Jungkook complained and tried to snatch away Jimin's phone but Taehyung was faster.

         "Don't worry, I'll also save Jin-hyung's and my number, but I know you wouldn't save your number yourself, so I'm just helping you out" Taehyung explained confidently and then started to scroll through Jimin's phone, "yaaah, he sure has a lot of topless pictures of him and his friend. They seriously are too confident about their bodies. His friend looks good, though."

After hearing that, Jungkook immediately moved closer, making Jin and Taehyung grin. His face was red, he could feel it, but as soon as he actually saw that muscular torso on the picture, he did not really care about his embarrassment anymore, being too focused on what was in front of him. There was the barista, not wearing a shirt, showing off his six-pack, having his arms around another topless guy who was just as ripped as Jimin, just a little slimmer in general, and they both looked just so confident and happy. They also looked really close. Jungkook was no one to judge, though. He was just as close with Taehyung but they were just friends. Taehyung scrolled again and more topless pictures showed up, always with that same friend but then, a set of pictures of him and Sungjae appeared. First, they looked like old photos, them together in a dance studio, making goofy faces, but as they continued to flick through the pictures, they both started looking more mature and the last few of the pictures looked like they were taken in one of the broadcasting stations, the waiting rooms one always saw on TV. Jimin was holding a Sungjae banner and pretended to be a fangirl, while Sungjae posed in a cool way. The last picture in that folder was a photo of not only those two, but with all of BTOB and Jimin.

         "Seriously, that guy knows all of them, he's so lucky" Jungkook sighed, at which the other two giggled.

         "Jungkookie, your fanboy is showing again" Jin joked and Jungkook pouted.

After that, they noticed how late it actually was and that they should leave to get to their mission. Quickly, they got their things, they had paid beforehand, and waved goodbye, when Jimin locked eyes with them and he smiled again, also waving quickly. What Jungkook did not know was that Taehyung had left a secret message on Jimin's phone that said 'he's shy, don't give up. Jimin fighting!!'. 

It took them about an hour to go to the other dimension. They quickly changed into fitting clothes, Taehyung and Jungkook were wearing sweatpants and  oversized sweaters, Jin just wore casual clothes. Then, they went to the portal room and chose the closest portal to that dance studio the suspect owned and went through that. Instantly, the cold air of London hit them, it was still lunch time here, yet it was still cold.

         "Aish, it's a shame we only get to go to foreign cities, when we have missions. We can't even enjoy where we are" Jungkook sighed, walking towards the studio.

Arriving there, there was the typical feel of a dance studio. Loads of people sweating, having fun, yet still being a little anxious because they could not always get the choreography right. The two younger witches took in that atmosphere immediately, getting pumped up, loving it. Jin, however, just walked through the building, straight to the office which belonged to Henry Gondry. After knocking, he went in and closed the door again, leaving Taehyung and Jungkook outside.

         "I wonder what's he going to say to him" Taehyung said.

         "He'll just work his Jin-magic on him. You know he can be persuasively nice. That's why Namjoon-hyung also fell for him" Jungkook responded.

         "That's what's so fascinating, though, isn't it? Hyung has turned so many men gay, but Jin-hyung seems to be immune."

         "I know, he looks like he's okay but it really frustrates him" Jungkook giggled but then got serious again, "he finally tries to settle down but the other person just really seems to not like him in that way. It's somehow really sad, isn't it?"

Taehyung was about to say something but then, the door opened and Jin came out with our suspect.

         "Yes, sure, I'm having a try out class right now, they can join, if they want to. It's an advanced course, though" the guy said and then quickly greeted the two younger witches.

         "We can keep up" Taehyung ensured him, smiling as if he was the happiest, most innocent teenager in the world.

         "Good, well, then follow me."

The suspect walked ahead and just when he was not looking, Jin gave them a note on which was written 'Taehyung, lift your spell a little, so that a little of your aura shows. Let's see if he's gonna have a reaction or not'. Jungkook and Taehyung shared a quick look and grinned. This was going to be fun because now, they basically played the role of the prey, even though they could overpower this Henry Gondry in a split second. The suspect led them into a practice room where some students were already stretching. He quickly introduced himself, told them what this course was about and what they were going to do. Then, he started with some short stretching exercises before the real session began. And that was also when Taehyung lifted his suppressing spell a little. At first, the suspect did not have a reaction at all, but as the lesson continued, Henry Gondry kept looking at Taehyung, maybe because Taehyung was very good at dancing but then, the suspect would have looked at Jungkook equally as much, which he did not. The lesson continued like that and the two younger witches pretended to be out of breath, even though this really was not an advanced dancing course, but that was not important anyways, until the hour was finally over. Now, it was time to act and get the suspect alone. They had to catch him red-handed, so they had to find an excuse to separate from Taehyung.

         "Excuse me, where's the bathroom?" Taehyung asked Henry in the most innocent voice ever.

         "Just down the hall the next door on the right."

         "Thank you."

         "Yah, Taehyungie, we're getting the car already, just wait at the back entrance, okay?" Jin said in Korean to be authentic.

Taehyung nodded and then went to the bathroom, while the other two witches pretended to leave, but instead, they hid near the back entrance. Meanwhile, Taehyung went to the bathroom but when he exited it, he had to hold in his grin because there he was, Henry Gondry, trying to look natural.

         "Oh, you're still here? Where are your brothers?" he asked.

         "They went ahead to get the car. I'll just wait for them. We parked the car quite far away, so I guess they aren't here yet."

         "This neighbourhood isn't that safe, should I wait with you?"

Taehyung smirked internally. Sometimes, it was too easy to deceive vampires.

         "Sure, that would be great."

At the same time, Jin and Jungkook were waiting in their hideout, not making any sound because Taehyung and the suspect could come out of the back door every second now. They waited for about 10 minutes, until the back door finally opened and they heard Taehyung's voice. Carefully, they had a look and they already saw how the face of the suspect changed. His eyes were suddenly turning red, the veins under his eyes starting to appear and as he bared his teeth, his fangs were clearly visible. Suddenly, he grabbed Taehyung by his shoulder, ripping down his sweater a little, so he had access to his neck and was about to sink his teeth into Taehyung's flesh but that was when the water witch just ducked away, while Jungkook shot forward and landed a kick right into the vampire's face. Henry Gondry wanted to defend himself, but being surprised like that, Jungkook was at an advantage. He quickly made the vampire turn around and face the nearest wall, so he could cast a fettering spell.

         "We're Special Force of the International Academy. You have been caught trying to feed on a witch, believing he was a human with the witch gene, which both are forbidden; therefore, we have the right to execute you. However, we have reasons to believe that you belong to Cain's Clan and we will, therefore, bring you to the academy for questioning. You have the right to be silent, but you are strongly advised to talk because you will be made to talk, if you choose to resist" Jin explained everything that had to be said according to protocol.

         "Aish, he nearly ripped my precious sweater!" Taehyung complained and the other two had to hold in a laugh.

Jin casted a cloaking spell for all of them, so they could get to a portal without being seen. That spell was difficult to keep up for long, so they were lucky that the next portal was nearby. First, Taehyung went in, then Jungkook with the prisoner and lastly, Jin entered, after he had lifted the cloaking spell. When they arrived at the academy, they brought the prisoner into the temporary prison, where he would have to wait, until Namjoon could question him. Henry was just sitting there, staring at the three witches, a hateful expression on his face. Taehyung and Jin were talking to each other about something, waiting for Namjoon and Yoongi to arrive but Jungkook could not concentrate on the two. Instead, he glared at the vampire. He hated vampires that did not follow the rules; he did not just hate them, he loathed them. By disregarding the rules, they basically sided with Cain; and Jungkook could not verbally explain how much he hated Cain. At that moment, the door opened and Namjoon and Yoongi entered the room, along with the captain of team 2. Immediately, the three witches that had already been in the room saluted and stood straight. The captain was called Tablo and even though he was not that tall, everyone knew not to underestimate him because he was one of the strongest witches at the academy and he was also one of the few captains that were not wind witches; he was a very capable rock witch. Team 2 was in charge of external threat elimination and that was why he was here. Namjoon was supposed to read the vampire's mind to let Tablo know the intel. That was what Special Force was for. They did special missions. Missions no one else did because they were too dangerous or morally wrong or because others were not qualified for it, but also because Special Force was talented and could be entrusted with anything. Tablo gave the witches a little acknowledging nod and then turned to the vampire.

         "Is this the one?" he asked.

         "Yes, sir" Jungkook answered.

         "Well, Namjoon, please work your magic" Tablo laughed at his own pun.

Namjoon nodded and entered the cell. Sensing that Namjoon was a half breed, the vampire snarled defensively, getting up to try and defend himself.

         "Yoongi" Namjoon just said coldly and within a moment, Yoongi was pinning down the vampire, who was completely taken by surprise that someone with such a small frame was that strong.

But that was the dangerous part of Yoongi. He did not look strong at all but thanks to his element he was stronger than anyone of Special Force, when it came to muscle power. No one expected him to be that strong, so everyone underestimated him, giving him more than enough time to beat his opponent.

         "Don't touch me, you filthy witch!" the vampire yelled and tried getting away but there was no way he could free himself from Yoongi's grip.

         "Shut up" Namjoon said, facing the vampire, concentrating.

Without further ado, Namjoon put his hands on the vampire's temples and pushed him down so he was kneeling. Closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing and everyone in the room was silent. Watching Namjoon use his ability like that was always fascinating but also a little scary. He could read anyone's mind just by being close to them; he did not even have to look at them. However, those were only thoughts they were thinking at that exact moment. But right now, he was looking into the vampire's memories, digging into his past, looking for clues. That was the scary thing about Namjoon. Even though he was 'just' a half breed, he had such a rare and powerful skill. As Namjoon was reading the vampire's mind, the latter started showing the effects Namjoon's skill had. The vampire was getting a little tired, not able to have his eyes opened anymore. But at that moment, Namjoon opened his eyes and let go of the now weakened vampire.

         "He knows nothing. He is indeed a vampire of Cain's clan but he is fairly new to it. He's a bitten vampire and he was only bitten a year ago. I have the face of his maker but I don't know him" Namjoon explained, when he had turned to Tablo.

         "Show Jungkook the picture and Jungkook––" Tablo said and then turned around to look at the latter, "can then draw a sketch of him. It's better than nothing. You can dispose of him now. We don't need him anymore. Good work everyone. As always."

Special Force nodded and saluted, before Tablo excused himself and left them. Namjoon looked at Yoongi and he nodded, forcing the vampire to get up and led him out of the room, followed by the rest of the team. Everyone knew where they were going: the execution room. It was especially made to get rid of those who had broken the law. There was a public execution room, which also had an audience room, in case it was a public execution that needed witnesses, but this execution was going to take place in the private execution room. Arriving there, Yoongi chained the vampire to the handcuffs that were situated in the middle of the metallic room and then, he joined the others at one side of the room.

         "You know, if you don't feel like it, someone else can do it" Namjoon said, when Jungkook stepped forward.

         "Hyung, it's fine, you know I don't mind and it's the easiest for me" Jungkook ensured him and walked up to the vampire.

In Special Force, whenever they had to execute someone, it was Jungkook's job. Taking a vampire out as an execution included first ripping out the heart and then burn them to ashes to ensure that the vampire could never come back. But ripping out someone's heart with only one's hand needed a lot of strength. Jungkook, however, could just burn his hand through the skin and bones of the vampire; that way, it was a comparably clean procedure and obviously, the incineration was easier for Jungkook as well. At first, when they had just started working as a team, about two years after Yoongi and Taehyung had joined, Namjoon still did the executions, but as soon as Jungkook had killed his first vampire, he decided that it was best that he would it.

         "Henry Gondry" Jungkook started, his tone neutral without any emotions whatsoever, "you are guilty of numerous murders of humans with the witch gene and you were caught red handed; thus, you are hereby sentenced to death. Any last words?"

Truthfully, Jungkook did not care whether that bastard had last words but it was protocol and he had to ask.

         "Go to hell, you filthy witch" he spat snarling.

Jungkook stopped himself from frowning and just got on with his task. He put his left hand around his right wrist, not because he needed it there but it looked more professional, and concentrated. He always felt the heat first before it was actually there. Even though it was too hot for anyone else, it was comfortably warm for Jungkook. His fire was a part of him, so it always felt good to use it. An orange flame suddenly emanated from his right hand, making the vampire flinch and back away as much it was possible with being handcuffed to the ground. Jungkook's left hand left his wrist to place it on the vampire's shoulder, holding him in place. Just for fun, Jungkook played with the fire in his hands, making it smaller, letting it jump from one finger to another, scaring the vampire a little but then, he decided to put him out of his misery. His fingertips touched the vampire's chest first, exactly where the heart was, and the latter started screaming in pain immediately. Witch fire was especially painful for vampires. Wounds created with witch fire only healed in human speed, not as fast as wounds usually healed for vampires. Jungkook increased the heat of the fire and with just a little push, his hand was wrapped around a throbbing heart. Whenever he found himself in this situation, everything slowed down around him. It was still strange; every time he felt that throbbing in his hand, he felt a weird kind of power. Sometimes, he wondered, if it was right to decide over someone's life just like this but then, he thought of the things this person had done and felt that the execution was justified. Ripping Jungkook back into reality, the vampire screamed, writhing in pain. Jungkook tightened his grip on the vampire's shoulder and then ripped out his heart, the last scream echoing in the room, before it grew dead silent. The heart still throbbed for a second but came to a stop soon enough. The dead body fell to the ground, making a thud when the head met the floor. Jungkook set the heart in his hand on fire and threw it onto the body, igniting it as well and then, he just watched the body burn, slowly turning into ash because witch fire was a lot hotter than normal fire, so it did not take that long to actually burn a body to ashes.

         "We're done here, right? I need to disinfect my hand" Jungkook asked, pointing at his right hand that was covered in already dried blood.

         "Sure, we're done for today. I need to show you the memories of that guy's maker later though, so don't go home and stay here. Okay?" Namjoon said and Jungkook nodded.

He did not intend to go home today anyways. Now, that his stupid maths test was over, he could finally sleep here again without feeling guilty. One of the perks of sleeping at their flat in the other dimension was that he had a king sized bed and it was so much more comfortable than his single bed in his one room flat. After getting to their dorm, he quickly got a shower and then, he let himself fall onto his bed and sighed. Unconsciously, he took out his phone and started scrolling through twitter, looking at random stuff. At times like this, he was really glad that the witches had created a spell so internet and phone connection still worked. Somehow, Jungkook did not realise at first, he thought back to the afternoon and how Jimin had looked – gazed – at him. He was indeed very, very handsome, just thinking about it was making Jungkook nervous. Those beautiful eyes that looked really devoted for some reason. His cute chubby cheeks, even though he was not chubby at all. His gorgeous smile that revealed his perfect teeth. His body that was shaped like one of a god. And those full lips that nearly screamed to be kissed. Shocked, Jungkook sat up. What was he thinking just now? Was he already that attracted to him? He did not even know him. But the few moments they had had with each other, Jungkook had found himself staring at Jimin and then looking away because he suddenly got nervous.

         "So who is that handsome barista in your head?" Namjoon surprised him, sitting down on Jungkook's bed next to him, having a smug grin on his face.

         "Hyung! You're doing it again!" Jungkook whined, glaring at his partner.

         "I'm sorry but you're literally attacking me with pictures of his eyes, his smile, his body, damn those thighs though and of course his li–––"

         "Stop it, seriously, I'm getting angry!" Jungkook nearly yelled, exhaling loudly, "I'm not bothering you about your obsession with Jin either!"

         "Oh, so you're already comparing my feelings for Jin with your feelings for that barista?" Namjoon smirked.

         "No I don't––– I think––– I don't know. It's confusing" Jungkook sighed and let himself fall down on the bed again and so did Namjoon, "you could just tell me what my feelings for Jimin are, if you're in my head anyways."

         "So that's his name. And I didn't get that far. I only got pictures. Like I said before, it's not that I want to see this, Jungkookie, but because you keep thinking about it, it's so important that you can't keep it hidden from me. That's why I see it. Other than that, I don't see anything. But I can try, if you want me to."

         "No, god, that was a joke. I'd like my feelings to stay private, thank you very much" Jungkook laughed, "Jin-hyung and Taehyung-hyung think he likes me. He did stare at me a lot, but I don't know."

         "Do you want him to like you?"

That was when Jungkook realised. Yes, he did want Jimin to like him. Fascinated by how little it took to make him realise that he might have a crush on the barista, his jaw dropped.

         "Why do you always know everything?" Jungkook joked but was sincerely thankful that Namjoon sometimes just knew things.

         "Not everything, unfortunately" Namjoon laughed but then sighed heavily.

         "Is this about Jin-hyung?"

         "Maybe."

         "Maybe?"

         "Okay, yes it is."

         "You'll have to let him go, if you want him to trust you. It's unhealthy for our team, if he can't stand being close to you" Jungkook said eventually.

         "You're the maknae. Stop being so wise."

Jungkook sighed.

         "I am a genius, I can't stop being myself" he joked "but seriously, you finally found someone you would give up your playboy life for and now he doesn't even want you."

         "Well, that's life, I guess" Namjoon sighed again.

Even if he tried to hide how sad he was about this, Jungkook noticed. He knew Namjoon so well, sometimes, it was like Jungkook was reading his mind and not the other way around.

         "But wait, you once told me that you have sex that often to cope with your blood thirst. What happened? Can you control it better now?" Jungkook asked worried.

He knew that Namjoon did not like to talk about his vampire side but if he talked to anyone about it, it was Jungkook. Back when they were younger and had not had the status at the academy as they had now, people used to talk behind Namjoon's back, calling him dangerous, a ticking bomb, which could get off any second. They did not believe that he was able to control himself. But in truth, Namjoon was the vampire, be it full or half breed, that could control himself the best at the entire academy. He had never killed anyone by feeding on them; in fact, he had never had a drop of fresh human blood. He only lived on blood bags, as every other vampire that had sided with the witches.

         "Yes, to some extent, I learnt to control myself better. But I also noticed that.....three weeks are just too long. I just feed more often, nowadays.

         "And are you okay with that? I know you hate feeding."

         "It's not that I hate it. I mean, I like it, it tastes really good, you know. I can't deny that. I only hate that I have to feed, in order to survive" Namjoon explained, "I guess I really have to make him understand that I won't try anything from now on."

         "Hold up, hold up. Have you tried anything?" Jungkook asked curiously, locking eyes with the wind witch.

Namjoon chuckled, not because he was embarrassed but because he was remembering the scene.

         "I might have."

         "Oh my god, that explains why he is so distant. I thought it was weird that he disliked you so much that he avoids you because that's just against his nature characteristics. But now it makes sense. Tell me!"

         "It was about 4 months after he had joined our team. We went to a bar to get a drink and I made him drink quite a bit. I know that's low but I couldn't help myself. He's just so pretty and nice and cute and wonderful and smart and talented and.... Anyways. So, he was pretty drunk already and I decided to take him home. I intended to make a move on him as soon as we were home but he was just so cute and helpless, I couldn't bring myself to take advantage of him, even though, it was so difficult to control myself. You have no idea how hard it sometimes is to control my thirst and with that I mean both my thirst for blood and for... other things. I laid him down on his bed and wanted to go but he stopped me, getting up again, brushing his hands down my chest. Gawd, Jungkookie, I was this close to just bend him over. But of course, I tried to get away instead. Jin, however, had other plans. I had already turned my back to him and was nearly out of the room, when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, turning me around and crashed his lips against mine. Jungkookie, I tried to resist, really, but what was I supposed to do, if the one I like is kissing me? I sure as hell wouldn't push him away. I wrapped my arms around him and the kiss was pretty intense. Loads of tongue and he even bit my lip so that it started bleeding. But after what seemed way too short, it was kind of long though, now that I think back, he pulled back and came to his senses and punched me in the face. Well, and ever since then, he keeps his distance. I would have read his mind to at least understand, why he did that and why he was so distant from that time on but he has to be a damn nature witch. I asked him to explain things but he just ignores me whenever I start the topic."

         "Wow" was everything Jungkook could say at first and it took him a few seconds to find his words, "you two actually made out? That's just.... wow. But he at least owes you an explanation, even if he thinks it was a mistake. Should I talk to him?"

Of course, Jungkook was going to talk to him. It was one thing, if Jin just did not like Namjoon but after hearing what had happened, Jungkook wanted Jin to explain this to him. Jin had no right to treat Namjoon like this without having explained to him why he was behaving like this.

         "You're going to do it anyways, so there's no stopping you" he laughed.

         "You know me too well" Jungkook joined.

         "Anyways" Namjoon said and sat up, "originally, I came here to show you the memory of that vampire, so you can draw his maker's face."

         "Right, I completely forgot about that."

Jungkook quickly got up to grab pen and some paper. Then, he returned to Namjoon and sat down opposite of him. He nodded to him and had everything ready. Namjoon took a deep breath, just as before, when he had read the vampire's mind and then put two fingers on each of Jungkook's temples. But instead of reading Jungkook's mind, Namjoon was transferring the memories he had collected to Jungkook. The latter closed his eyes as he started to see a blurred face in front of him. Slowly, the blur disappeared and he started seeing clear features: eyes, nose lips, cheekbones, chin, hair. Jungkook started drawing vigorously, trying to capture everything that was there.

After five minutes, Namjoon released Jungkook and both exhaled. Transferring memories took a lot of energy from both parts but they knew it was worth it, when they looked at the sketch.

         "Seriously, Jungkookie, you're a drawing genius."

         "I'm studying it, I should be a genius" Jungkook grinned.

         "There he is again, our confident golden maknae" Namjoon laughed and Jungkook joined, "I'll take the sketch to the office now. Thanks and relax a little, I know today was exhausting for you."

Then, Namjoon got up, stretched and took the sketch to bring it to his office. Jungkook lied down again, once again thinking about the day and, eventually, about Jimin. Jungkook never had been in love before, nor did he really have a crush on someone, so all this thinking of him having a crush on Jimin made him extremely nervous and also insecure. He was very confident about himself and his appearance in this dimension. In the human world, however, he was a little clumsy because of the suppressing spell and even though he was usually quick-witted, he was not at all, when he talked to Jimin. Instead, he turned into a nervous mess. Jungkook sighed. He really did not know how to handle this. Luckily, he was pretty exhausted from this eventful day, so he soon fell asleep, though he was not safe from his thought of Jimin, not even in his dreams.

Chapter Text

A month had passed since Jimin had met Jungkook and slowly, he started to find out more about his mate because he could not keep himself from following Jungkook around. On the day of Jungkook's maths test, Jimin had tried to stay away as best as possible but the human boy flooded the wolf with emotions of anxiety, panic and stress. After fifteen minutes of trying to not go and look for him, Jimin surrendered and started looking for his mate anyways. This time, however, it was day time and he could not just change into his half human form; people would notice easier than in the night. Jimin himself got a little anxious because as he kept on randomly walking around town, trying to find a clue to where Jungkook might be, his mate's feelings intensified. Suddenly, Jimin did not know how or when he had started walking into this direction, he was standing in front of Korea National University of Arts. Of course, Jungkook was at uni, he had been studying, the last time Jimin had received such intense feelings. Still, Jimin had to be sure Jungkook was fine, so he started his search on campus. It was already lunch time and he had not found the boy yet but he was not as concerned anymore because Jungkook's emotions had calmed down. The wolf still felt the need to see him, though, so he continued his search, until he found himself in the cafeteria. He was nearly spotted by Jungkook, when the latter was cueing to get some horrible instant coffee but luckily, Jimin was fast enough to leave the cafeteria. That day, he had managed to actually leave Jungkook alone, even though it was hard to leave him like that. Later in the day, though, Taehyung visited the café again and this time, Jimin and him started talking and they actually got along really well. They had the same sense of humour and were the same age, so talking to each other was very comfortable. The day got even better, when Jungkook and another friend of theirs joined Taehyung. As if Taehyung had planned it, he told Jimin to sit with them and they started talking. Jimin really had to hold himself back to not always stare at his beautiful mate. But it was really hard. At one point, he had to start working again but he could not just leave this opportunity, so he offered them to join him at the dance studio he always went to, before he had gotten so busy with the pack. He left his phone with them so they could save their numbers, if they really wanted to come along. It was a gamble, but Jimin had to try. After the three friends had left, Jimin retrieved his mobile phone and could not believe his eyes. Three new contacts were saved and there was also a new memo on his phone that said 'he's shy, don't give up. Jimin fighting!!'. Was he that obvious? A little embarrassed, he felt his cheeks heat up but in the end, it was a good thing that Taehyung knew. He seemed like he was Jungkook's best friend and apparently, he wanted Jimin to keep trying.

After that day, Jimin started secretly following Jungkook around because he was physically drawn to him. Of course, he did not stalk him like a crazy person; he would only look for him at university, until it was time for him to go to the café, where he now started working more and more often. Jimin found out that Jungkook was studying art and god, he could draw really, really well. One time, Jimin snuck into the art studio where Jungkook had a practice session and when Jimin saw his mate's drawing, all he had been able to do was gasp in awe. Jimin also found out that Jungkook had a female friend that had the exact same name as him, which was a little confusing because suddenly, Jungkook would sometimes call her name affectionately, whining about something, acting all cute. Also, Jungkook had some habits, such as touching his hair, when he was nervous, or randomly starting to hum a song, when he was studying in the library, getting told off by the librarian. Even though Jimin wanted to stay with him all day, he did not do it because he wanted to get to know him by talking to him and not by observing him.

It was a Friday afternoon, when Jimin was standing behind the counter in the café, there were not that many customers and he had a minute for himself, so his thoughts automatically went to Jungkook. He and Taehyung started to come to the café a little more frequently. At first, they came once or twice per week but by now, they came every time Jimin had a shift, which was every other day. Jimin liked it of course, though, he knew this was all Taehyung. He did not mind though. So all Jimin was waiting for was for them to show up. But it was already 4pm and usually, they showed up around 3pm, not today, however. Then, his phone suddenly buzzed. It was Taehyung.

Have you texted him yet?

Confused, Jimin replied.

No, I didn't want to bother him. Why?

Immediately, Taehyung texted back.

Dude, Jungkookie is super oblivious, or more like, he's defensive and doesn't want to admit that he likes someone, so be a little more aggressive! *^* Oh, also, I'm busy today, so I can't drag him to the café, so text him to come over!

A little disappointed that Jungkook was probably not coming today, Jimin sighed. Nervously, Jimin fidgeted a little, not knowing whether he should really text him or not. All he wanted to do ever since he had Jungkook's number was text him but he did not want to look like a stalker and he knew that looking too desperate could be a turn off. But then, he took a deep breath and clicked on Jungkook's name.

You're not coming today?

Jimin wanted to wait for a reply, but customers entered the café and he had to attend to them. As he was busy, he forgot about his phone, which he had put back into his back pocket and he had it on silent, so he did not notice that Jungkook had replied. He was busy clearing a table, when he suddenly sensed his mate's presence. Immediately, he turned his head and saw the beautiful black haired boy standing in line, waiting for Jimin to attend to him because he was currently the only barista in the café. Jimin's face lit up and he put the dirty cups away as fast as possible. Getting behind the counter, he smiled at Jungkook, not being able to hide his joy.

         "So you did come. I wondered because you didn't reply. The usual latte?" Jimin asked, already knowing that Jungkook preferred cafe latte with two pieces of sugar in it because otherwise, coffee was too bitter for him.

         "Oh, so that was you who texted me earlier? Yes, with–––"

         "Two pieces of sugar, I know" Jimin smiled and started making the coffee, while Jungkook moved to along with him, observing how Jimin made it, "right, I forgot to write down my name, obviously, you didn't reply."

         "But I did" Jungkook pointed out, sounding confused, widening his eyes a little.

Jimin looked at him just as confused but then remembered that he had his phone on silent.

         "Really? What did you reply, then?"

         "Uhm...." he hesitated and a sudden rush of embarrassment hit Jimin, "I didn't know it was you, so I was kind of rude because you know... I have a friend that always hands out my phone number, so I am used to getting stupid texts. So...I wrote 'leave me the fuck alone'. But really, please ignore that text."

A little puzzled by that sudden language, Jimin blinked at Jungkook, whose cheeks were flushed red.

         "I did not know you could use such language so freely" Jimin smiled at him, amazed to find out more about him.

By now, Jungkook's coffee was done and Jimin handed it to him with a pretty pattern on top of it, trying to show off his own artistic talent.

         "Woah, that is really pretty!" Jungkook gasps, looking at the pattern, "I didn't know you could draw!"

         "Well, I don't think my drawing is that good, it's just fun to play with it on coffees from time to time" Jimin responded.

         "I think it looks great" Jungkook insists, smiling brightly, sending a new emotion to Jimin, which he could not really identify what it was.

Jungkook thanked him again and then sat down on one of the sofas, putting his coffee down on the coffee table and pulled out some papers out of his bag. Jimin chuckled a little. His mate really made it easy for him today. Instead of going home to study, Jungkook had decided to study at the café. It was the first time, Jimin actually saw him study and he decided that he liked the sight a lot. When Jungkook concentrated, his eyes were focused on the paper in front of him, his foot tapped absentmindedly and sometimes, he bit his lip, when he did not understand something. Overall, Jungkook while studying was extremely cute, even though he started feeling a little stressed.

After an hour, Jungkook had drank his coffee long ago, he was still sitting there, looking kind of tired, regardless of the coffee he had. There was not much to do at the moment, so Jimin decided to make him another coffee. He sat down next to him and put the coffee on the table in front of them.

         "This one's on the house. You look like you need another one" Jimin said and once again, smiled at his mate because that was the only thing he could do around him.

Jungkook looked up, being a little startled because he had been focusing on his readings.

         "Oh, thank you so much, but really, I can pay for it" he said, trying to hold back a smile.

         "It's okay, I'm giving this to you as a treat. You're working hard. What are you reading?"

         "An article about the art of the 19th century. It's really interesting but there are some English words I don't understand, so it's annoying from time to time" he explained, happily sipping on his new coffee.

Having a closer look at the paper, Jimin noticed that it was all in English.

         "Yaah, your English must be really good, if you can read that! I mean, I can speak a little bit of English and I was quite good back in school but this is another level. So what can't you do?" Jimin laughed, not noticing how they were both moving a little bit closer to each other.

         "Uhm... Yeah, one of my relatives moved to Great Britain and I always skyped with him and he ended up teaching me. But like I said, there are some words that I don't know and it bothers me."

         "Oh, and he's also a perfectionist" Jimin continued and the next second, he was suddenly flooded with a wave of embarrassment coming from Jungkook and looking over to him and his face was red, even his ears.

         "I probably am––"

         "That wasn't meant as an insult, you know. That was supposed to be a compliment" Jimin ensured him and the feeling of embarrassment increased.

Suddenly, their gazes locked and there, something peculiar happened. Neither of them were able to look away, both lost in the other's eyes. They were still talking casually but they did not avert their eyes away from each other. There was a faint blush on Jungkook's face and as Jimin's gaze wandered over his mate's face, he noticed a little scar on his left cheek. It really was tiny and it was hard to see under the makeup Jungkook had put on, but it made Jimin curious.

         "Hey, how did you get that scar?" Jimin asked, his gaze meeting Jungkook's again but just for a second because Jungkook looked down immediately and suddenly, Jimin was attacked by a wave of sadness.

Deep and long term sadness.

         "I–––erm..." Jungkook gulped, clenching his fists a little.

         "Forget that I asked, you don't have to tell me. I'm sorry I even brought it up" Jimin dismissed the topic quickly because the last thing he wanted to do was making Jungkook cry.

Jungkook looked up and smiled a little, nodding and was just about to say something, when Jimin heard the door open and he quickly turned his head to see who it is and he did not expect to see that person walking into the café. His father walked in, wearing one of the suits he normally wore to work. Jimin had not lied to Jungkook and the other two, when he told them that his father owned a protective service company because after he had left the pack, his father had to work, so he did what werewolves could do best: protect humans.

         "Appa?" Jimin said and got up to go over to the counter but instead, his father came over, quickly patting Jimin's head in the process.

People turned around to look at Jimin's father, which was normal because he was very tall for a Korean and obviously, he was very muscular too, so he always stood out. Jimin brushed off his father's hand, not liking the child treatment but he could not help it. He was not allowed to speak up at his father as long as he was still a minor in wolf years.

         "What are you doing here?"

         "Getting a coffee and visiting my son at his other job, but you don't look like you're working" his father explained and Jimin was really glad that he had told his father about his lie that he was working at his father's company.

Suddenly, Jimin shivered, trying to ignore the wave of nervousness rushing through his body coming from Jungkook. He felt his father's eyes on him; Jimin knew that his father's observing skills were perfect and that he had noticed that little shiver. Jungkook got up and bowed politely and was about to introduce himself but Jimin's father was faster.

         "You must be Jungkook" he stated and smiled at him, making Jungkook blush a little and this time, Jungkook's embarrassment attacked Jimin even harder than his nervousness.

It affected Jimin so much, he felt himself blushing as well.

         "Go make me an espresso, son" his father said and there was something in his voice that was strange.

He was up to something.

         "Take out?"

         "Yes, please."

Squinting his eyes suspiciously, Jimin nodded and walked to the counter, pouring his father an espresso. When another wave of embarrassment hit him, he immediately looked over to Jungkook, who was flushed red and his eyes widened, when he was caught staring. Shy, he looked away and focused on Jimin's father again, bowing again, before Jimin's father walked to the counter.

         "What did you say to him? He was super embarrassed" Jimin pointed out, handing over the coffee, receiving money from his father.

         "Come home immediately after your shift is done. We need to talk" his father ignored his question and his voice was strict, showing Jimin that he better did what he was told.

Of course, Jimin wanted to know what was wrong and why his father wanted to talk to him, but when his father used that tone of voice, Jimin could do not physically do anything else but agree without questioning his father's motives. Wolf laws were absolute and one of the laws were to always obey the authoritative person in front of oneself.

         "O–okay. I will."

         "Good" his father nodded and then left the café.

Still a little confused, Jimin watched his father leave and he wanted to go back to Jungkook but other customers kept coming in and he did not have a chance to sit back to his mate. On the contrary, more people started coming in and it got really busy. Only when it was nearly the end of Jimin's shift, the other barista that was taking over arrived and Jimin scolded him that he should have been there earlier. Finally, Jimin's shift was over and he sighed a little, taking off the apron and putting it in his bag. He did not mind to walk around with the rest of the uniform because it looked very elegant, so he only changed at home. Naturally, his head turned to the spot where Jungkook had sat all the time and he saw that his mate just finished packing up and walked up to him, having a shy smile on his face.

         "You're leaving as well?" Jungkook asked.

         "Yeah, my father told me to go home immediately after my shift is done."

         "Oh and you're doing what he says? Just like that? Do you know why he wants you home?" Jungkook laughed.

         "I do what my father says, it's the la––– we have strict rules at home" Jimin smiled nervously.

He nearly told Jungkook about one of the wolf laws and that would have been very hard to talk himself out of.

         "I see. Well, to be honest, I wouldn't want to talk back to him either. He is kind of intimidating. You two look alike, though."

         "He's just a lot taller than me" Jimin laughed as they exited the café and he already wanted to say goodbye because he knew that Jungkook's home was in the opposite direction he had to go but Jungkook just continued walking next to him, "you're not going home?"

Confused, Jungkook tilted his head. Right, Jimin was not supposed to know where Jungkook lived.

         "It's just... normally, when you leave, you always go into the other direction, so I figured that your house must be somewhere opposite to the direction you're walking right now."

         "Oh.... uhm... yeah, I'm going to Jin-hyung's house. He's a great cook and I live alone, so I often eat at his house" Jungkook explained, sending nervousness through Jimin's body but it was different than before.

Looking up at his tall mate, Jimin noticed that it was not just nervousness but also a little uneasiness mingling in his expression.

         "Is something wrong?" Jimin asked worried, not knowing what suddenly happened to make Jungkook feel uneasy.

Surprised, Jungkook locked eyes with Jimin.

         "This is really strange. Are you empathic or something? Every single time my mood changes, you immediately pick up on it, it's kind of scary" he said and looked at the ground.

Jimin gulped. He did not want to scare Jungkook but he was also confused because Jungkook was not scared right now, so why would he say something like that?

         "But you're not scared" Jimin said seriously.

         "No because I said it's kind of scary, but not really. Seriously, though. Are you a vampire, or what?"

Jungkook looked at him again and something in his eyes made Jimin wary. It somehow looked like this was supposed to be a serious question but it was ridiculous to just think that because there was no way that Jungkook knew about the other dimension and the supernatural beings.

         "Don't insult me" Jimin said and tried to make it sound like a joke but a little hate simmered through.

Hearing Jimin's answer, Jungkook relaxed a little.

         "You don't like vampires? I thought everyone loved them by now, considering how popular they are in all the movies and books at the moment."

         "No, I don't like them. At all. I don't understand the concept of today's society to like something that actually takes pleasure in killing humans. I mean, why? I just don't get it."

         "Wow, I didn't think you would have such a strong opinion about this" Jungkook suddenly laughed.

Jimin joined and was glad that the situation did not escalate. They continued talking, until Jimin stopped at an intersection.

         "Well, I need to go this way" he said a little regretfully, not wanting to separate from Jungkook, "it was really nice today. I loved hanging out with you like this. Not that we really hung out because I was working, but it was still nice."

The previous embarrassment of Jungkook returned and also flooded Jimin, both of them blushing a faint pink and Jungkook started fidgeting with the hem of his sweater.

         "It was indeed" he started and took a deep breath before he continued, "hey, uhm... so you said that you would text us, when you go to the dance studio next, but you kind of... never did. soo–––"

         "Oh, I didn't want to be pushy, that's why I didn't text you guys. I'd love to dance with you. Whenever you got time" Jimin interrupted him, now getting nervous himself.

All he wanted to do was finally spend time with Jungkook outside of that coffee and without stalking him but he had held himself back, not wanting to look like a stalker. But now, it was Jungkook asking, so there was no way Jimin would deny him his wish.

         "How about tomorrow? It's the weekend, so you don't have work. I know it's spontaneous but–"

         "Yeah, tomorrow sounds great! In the afternoon?"

         "Could you stop cutting me off?" Jungkook laughed, "and yeah, afternoon is fine. Though, Taehyung-hyung won't be able to come, then......do you mind?"

This time, the wave of embarrassment attacked Jimin so hard, it was difficult to keep eye contact with Jungkook. His feelings were just so overwhelming, even though Jimin had been receiving them more regularly, he still was not used to it.

         "I don't mind at all" Jimin admitted.

         "Well, then, see you tomorrow. Text me the address and the time!" Jungkook said, already walking away backwards, making Jimin smile because he looked really cute like that.

         "I will. See you tomorrow!"

 Then, Jimin turned at the corner and slowly made his way home, his cheeks still flushed, still getting this weird mix of embarrassment and nervousness from Jungkook. But as Jungkook got further away, his feelings got weaker as well and left room for Jimin's own feelings to consume him. It had felt so natural to talk to his mate and he felt how his desire to be near him increased greatly. Jimin did not know how strong the bond was supposed to be after a month, but he did slowly get the idea that it was already pretty strong.

Still very much affected by the day he had with Jungkook, Jimin opened the door to his home, taking off his shoes, hearing his parents talking in the kitchen. Walking into the room, he saw his father had his arms wrapped around his mother's waist, kissing her neck affectionately, while she was trying to concentrate on cooking. The spot he was kissing had a special kind of scar; the scar that every mate had. The bite mark that completed the claiming process that showed every other supernatural being that the mate was not to be touched. Other people did not like to see their parents that close but for werewolf children, it just showed them how powerful and how right imprinting was and also made them want to imprint so much more.

         "I'm home" Jimin said to let them know they were not alone anymore, walking over to the fridge, taking something to drink.

         "You're late. I thought I had made myself clear" his father said a little angry, simultaneously letting go of Jimin's mother to look at him.

The authoritative tone in his father's voice made Jimin shiver and his knees suddenly felt awfully weak.

         "Don't be so harsh on him, honey" his mother smiled and concentrated back on cooking.

         "I–––Jungkook left the café at the same as me and normally, he goes into the opposite direction as me but today he went to his friend's house, so he and I walked together and it took a little longer than expected and–––"

         "It's okay. I understand. C'mon, let's sit down in the living room" his father interrupted him and walked out of the kitchen, sharing a look with Jimin's mother, which made Jimin start worrying.

As he followed his father, seeing him sit down on the sofa, he slowly had the feeling that he was getting scolded. But what for? As far as Jimin could remember, he did not do anything wrong. Of course, he got home late but his father had just said that it was fine? Nervously, Jimin sat down as well, looking at his father, trying to find out what was going to happen.

         "Am I in trouble?" Jimin asked, automatically making himself small, so his father could see his submissiveness.

His father smiled a little and made himself comfortable.

         "No, you're not, it's just time to have another talk."

Slowly, it dawned on Jimin what kind of talk his father was talking about.

         "Nooooo, Appa, really, I know how things work. I know how to control myself. I've had sex before, I know how to be safe, we really don't need this talk" Jimin tried to explain and got up again, waving with his hands to show his father that it really was not necessary.

         "Sit, son."

The vibration of his father's deep voice rushed through Jimin's body and all he could do was obey and sit down again.

         "I don't want to tell you how to have safe sex. Not in the way you think. Look son, normally, we have this talk, when our children reach maturity in wolf years, which you haven't, so this is earlier than both of us expected. But you already found your mate and it's remarkable how strong your bond is with him. That's why it's necessary to have this talk now, before the bond grows stronger and you're unprepared. No one would want that."

         "What more is there that I need to know? I thought you told me everything" Jimin asked, now curious to know more about him imprinting on Jungkook.

         "I did tell you everything that was appropriate for a boy's innocent mind. But now that you've imprinted, your need to be with your mate will get stronger, especially because Jungkook is already starting to develop feelings for you as well, which makes the bond even stronger."

         "He is? How do you know? When did you notice?" Jimin wanted to know immediately, feeling his heart beat faster just by the thought of Jungkook feeling remotely the same as he did.

         "While you were making my coffee, I had a little talk with him. He is a little stubborn but it's obvious that he likes you too, so you won't have to be afraid that you'll get rejected. He will definitely accept you. But back to the point. At the moment, your intentions are still only protecting him, being with him and making him happy because those are the most prominent feelings you have at the beginning. As time passes and when you get closer to him, another feeling will get very strong. You know, we wolves are very possessive and want our mates to ourselves. That is why the whole claiming act even exists. The desire to claim Jungkook will grow and it will grow a lot faster than his desire to lay with you. It isn't like normal desire to have sex. It is more like a need.... A need to claim what's yours. But you can't just give in to that feeling because it is not only your fate you're deciding, but Jungkook's as well. You have to make sure that he isn't just committing to this because he thinks it's not a big deal, or because he feels obligated to mate with you because you have imprinted on him. And don't bite him the first time you have sex. And not the second time, and not the third. You will want to; the desire will be overwhelmingly strong but you'll have to resist. Only bite him, when you're sure that he is as serious about you as you are about him. Because if he later finds out that he doesn't want to be with you, it will break the both of you. He will be rejected by everyone else, even humans will unconsciously know that Jungkook is off limits but he will still want to be with someone else and of course you will feel that and it will destroy you. So please make sure that he is serious about you" his father explained in a very serious tone and when he finished, Jimin gulped.

He always figured that there were risks when it came to the claiming process but never had he imagined something as extreme as this. Hearing this scared Jimin a little. What if he bit Jungkook too early? He did not even want to think about the pain they would both have to go through, if he did. Suddenly, Jimin's mother entered the room, telling them that dinner was ready and so both of them joined her at the dining table. Still disheartened, Jimin slowly started to eat, staring at his food, poking in it with his chopsticks. His mother looked at him and sighed.

         "Don't worry so much, sweetheart. It's not as bad as your father makes it sound like. When I first met your father, it wasn't really a choice at all. I saw him and I was just thrown away by his entire appearance. Even if Jungkook might not show it as much, but he probably feels exactly the same. And you won't bite him too early. You will probably do it later than necessary because you're a sweet boy that always cares about others first, so even if you want to bite him, you'll be able to wait until he is ready."

When Jimin looked up, he met his mother's loving gaze and naturally, he smiled back. At times like this, he was really thankful to her. She could always calm his nerves.

         "Thanks, Eomma. This means a lot to me."

         "Has your ability to feel his emotions improved already?" his father asked curiously.

         "Yes. I notice them a lot better, when I'm with him. Even when they're not things like fear or anxiety. When he's far away, negative emotions are very clear, at least strong ones but I also think that he himself isn't always quite sure what to feel, so that's why his emotions are a bit of a mess sometimes" Jimin nodded.

         "And this only after a month. Your bond is indeed very strong. Maybe we should contact our alpha. Talk to Changmin about this. Tell him what you told me and let him decide. I'm not a beta anymore, so I can't make the decision for you, but I do think it's best to inform Jinyoung" his father told him.

After dinner, Jimin cleared the table and helped his mother clean the kitchen; afterwards, he went to his room and let himself fall onto his bed. Sighing, he looked at the ceiling. Being alone again, he instantly felt the need to be with Jungkook right now. But this time, it was a little more urgent. A little stronger before. It was like his body craved his presence. Breathing a little faster than normally, Jimin took his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it and then, he finally saw the rude text Jungkook had sent earlier, which made Jimin chuckle. Just how could Jungkook use such language so casually? Hastily, Jimin's fingers brushed over his phone, thinking about how to text him.

Hey, what about 3pm and we could meet at the café, it's kind of hard to find the dance studio by address.

After he had sent it, Jimin decided to be a little bit bolder because Taehyung had told him to be and he was Jungkook's best friend, so he should know.

Oh and also... I was really glad you came by and stayed today~~

Nervously, he stared at his phone, waiting for Jungkook's reply and surprisingly, he wrote back only five minutes after.

3pm sounds good. See ya at the café then :) I'm looking forward to seeing you dance

Jimin smiled but also sighed. On the one hand, he was happy that Jungkook had replied that fast but on the other hand, he just ignored the second Jimin's second text. Suddenly, his phone buzzed again but this time it was Taehyung.

Good job in arranging a date!! ;D

Chuckling, Jimin replied.

It's not a date and it was Jungkook who had the idea.

Immediately, Taehyung answered.

Oh really? That's great! Anyways, he's here, smiling from one ear to another, smiling at his phone, so trust me, he considers it as a date ;3 Jimin fighting!

For a second, Jimin was confused because Jungkook had said that he was at Jin's but then, he figured that Taehyung was there too. Just as Jimin finished reading Taehyung's text, he received another one but this one was from Jungkook.

Did Taehyung just text you?

His heart started racing as soon as he saw the text of his mate. He could have sent anything, Jimin would have been happy about it.

Yes, why?

Seconds after his reply, Jungkook had already answered.

Don't believe anything he says!! He's a little shit sometimes and wants to tease me, so just ignore him....

A little disappointed, Jimin read the text twice. He did not know what to answer. Should he just agree or what was he supposed to do? But then, Jimin decided to try something. Taking a deep breath, his heart heavy in his chest, he started typing.

So I should not consider tomorrow a date?

Suddenly, a huge wave of embarrassment and nervousness attacked Jimin. It was stronger than anything he had felt before and it caused him to blush, his heartbeat increased and Jimin himself could not distinguish his feelings and those of Jungkook. But just the fact that he felt like that meant that Jungkook did have some kind of feelings towards Jimin. Finally, Jimin's phone buzzed again and what he read, was what he had hoped for.

What if I did think it's a date? Would you be grossed out?

Vigorously, Jimin hit the keys of his phone.

On the contrary. I would be delighted.

Jimin smiled, his eyes disappearing, his heart racing and his body boiling and just then, Jungkook texted again.

Well then.... It's a date.

Smiling even more brightly, Jimin rolled on his belly and buried his flushed face in his pillow. He knew he was not going to get any sleep tonight, too excited for tomorrow's date.

Chapter Text

Jungkook watched Jimin turn at the corner and when he was sure that he was gone, the fire witch sighed heavily because of two reasons. Firstly, he was a little too happy that he got to be with Jimin for the entire day. Originally, he wanted to go to the café with Taehyung but he had cancelled the last second and Jungkook had already been on his way to the café. He did not want to go back home and honestly, he had been excited to see Jimin, so Jungkook had decided to just go and he did not regret it. The day had been great and he even got to meet Jimin's father. Now, Jungkook knew where Jimin got his looks and his muscular frame from. His father was a beast; he almost looked a little animalistic and apparently, he was very smart as well. The first thing Jimin's father had said to him, when Jimin was not able to hear them, was that he knew Jungkook liked his son. Maybe he had been bluffing, the young witch could not tell. The rest of the day was really nice as well; watching Jimin work was something Jungkook noticed he enjoyed a lot. But the second reason why Jungkook had sighed still had him on edge, as he started walking again. Jimin took him by surprise, when he asked him where he was going because he indeed was not going home. Not that home anyways. He was on his way to the other dimension and the portal he normally used was in this direction. Luckily, Jungkook was able to come up with a reasonable lie and Jimin believed him blindly. But it was still a shock moment for Jungkook. he realised that he would always have to lie to him. Always. Because they were not allowed to tell humans about the existence of the other world or supernatural beings in general.

This thought was still stuck in his head, when he arrived in their practice room at the academy. A part of him knew he should probably not start something with Jimin because it would get too difficult to lie to him eventually. But he could not stop looking at his phone, waiting for a text about the time and place to meet up with Jimin tomorrow. There was no point in denying his feelings for the barista.

         "Are you waiting for someone to text you? Why don't you text first?" Jin said, as he walked into the room.

That reminded Jungkook. He still had not had a chance to talk to the nature witch about what Namjoon had told him.

         "Jimin-hyung said he would text me today" he explained blushing.

Jin smiled affectionately, and came over to Jungkook, patting his head a little. Jungkook sighed internally. How was he supposed to bring up this topic? He knew Jin was kind-hearted, so he could not really be angry at him but Jungkook had to be honest; he was a little pissed off because of Jin ignoring Namjoon like the plague. Taking a deep breath, he decided to just go for it.

         "Hyung?"

         "Jungkookie? Is something wrong?" Jin turned around and sat down next to Jungkook.

         "I will just be blunt with you, hyung. Namjoon-hyung told me about you two making out."

In the two years Jungkook had known Jin, he had never seen him turn so red before.

         "What?! He told me he wouldn't tell anyone!" Jin blurted angrily.

That was another first. Jungkook had not seen Jin angry before, either.

         "Hyung, what's your problem, seriously? Namjoon-hyung and I had kind of a bonding moment and he was really sad, you know. You may not notice and I tend to keep out of other's business, but he really, really likes you. He isn't sleeping around anymore because of you and you give him the cold shoulder. And the worst part is that he doesn't even know why. If you don't like him, then tell him. But you haven't even talked about that night. Do you know how frustrated he is? Especially because he told me that he had intended to make a move on you but he didn't. But then, you just attacked him and––––"

         "Oh, I am sorry that he is frustrated. Is our little sex addict deprived of his favourite thing in the world?" he said sarcastically and Jungkook wanted to punch him for that and he was so close to doing it, but Jin was his hyung and Jungkook knew he should let him finish talking first, "he is a good leader and a very talented witch but I just can't handle his attitude. I come from a very conservative family. If they knew I was gay, they would probably disown me. But what I learnt from them is to behave like a normal person and sleeping with different people every other night is just disgusting. It's his life and I am not in the position to meddle with that but I could never be with someone like that. Plus, he is my leader. There shouldn't be relationships within teams."

He was calm again, explaining his stance, but Jungkook was boiling. All his protective instincts told him to punch Jin. But he knew better. Jungkook knew that Jin had no idea. He had not been in the team long enough to know why Namjoon was sleeping around. He did not know about the talk they all once had that, if someone was to ever develop feelings for someone in the group and that someone would feel the same, it would be completely fine. But Jungkook was just so angry.

         "You are a real jerk" he spit, getting up to try shaking off his anger by moving his legs.

         "Excuse me!?"

         "You have no idea why Namjoon-hyung used to sleep around. You didn't grow up with him and saw him struggle and felt bad for him that he hated himself for what he was. Trust me, him sleeping around is a much better solution than him hating himself. I like you hyung and you have blended into our group very well but there are things you don't know yet because they are things none of us really like to talk about because they are sad things from our past. You have no idea what happened to us, so don't just assume things just with the excuse that you were raised with a certain mindset. And you're even hypocritical about that! If you can't be with someone like Namjoon-hyung, why did you kiss him, huh? And why not tell him to fuck off? Why did you just pretend it never happened, when clearly, it did and he definitely can't forget about it!"

Jungkook was panting by now, clenching his fists. At times like this, he really did not like his element. It just made him so impulsive. All he wanted to do right now was punch some sense into his oblivious hyung. But apparently, his words were enough. Hearing what Jungkook had said, so emotional, so protective of his partner, Jin was taken aback. He had not realised that, although it had been two years, the other four were still a lot closer to each other because obviously, they had gone through things that they had not told Jin about. But the part that had gotten to Jin the most was, when Jungkook had said that Namjoon had a reason. What could possibly be a good excuse to sleep around like that?

         "So what is the reason then?" Jin asked neutrally, not knowing what to expect.

Jungkook's anger faded and he suddenly looked down to the ground. After being quiet for a second, he sat down again, sighing heavily.

         "He hates to talk about this and he barely does and I should probably not tell you but I will anyways. As you know, half breeds are said to have hardships controlling their blood thirst. Hyung is no exception. When we were young, his vampire face surfaced a lot, without him noticing and people started talking behind his back, calling him monster or animal, saying that he couldn't control himself well enough and they wanted him to leave the academy. But fortunately, the headmaster encouraged him a lot and helped him control his urges. But you know, just like when puberty hits us, it hit him too, just a lot harder. He started hating what he is and he especially hated feeding.... he still hates it. It makes him horribly aware of how bound he is to human blood. He tries to feed as rarely as possible. Normally, a vampire needs to at least feed once a week, right? He is only a half breed, so two weeks are okay for him. He used to only feed once in three weeks. But there was this frustration he got from it and having sex was his way to release that tension. He gave that up for you, though. Now, he's feeding more. I would have objected but he doesn't seem unhappy about it. He's now frustrated because of you, though, so I don't know" Jungkook explained and Jin did not know what to say.

         "I––– I had no idea."

         "Obviously not, otherwise you wouldn't have behaved like that. Your nature doesn't even allow that" Jungkook chuckled a little but then got serious again, "seriously, though. You don't have to get together with hyung, but at least treat him as you treat us, okay?"

At that moment, the rest of the group entered the room. Taehyung greeted the two with an affectionate and a little too tight hug. Yoongi nodded at Jin, still not as affectionate with him as with the rest of the groups, and ruffled Jungkook's hair. Namjoon followed and did the same, smiling at Jin, though it looked a little forced. Immediately, a flash of guilt rushed through the eldest, feeling bad for how badly he had been treating his leader. And what no one else knew, which he tried to deny for two years now, was that Jin actually had mutual feelings towards the blonde haired half breed. From the very beginning they had met, he had felt attracted to him. He had known that he was gay for a long time but Jin had never acted on it because his parents were very strict. So far, he just had girlfriends, even had sex with them to try and change himself, but it did not work. And he did not plan on acting on it with Namjoon either, especially because he was his leader. That turned out to be very hard, as soon as he noticed how Namjoon courted him. But after finding out about Namjoon's habit of sleeping around, it got a lot easier, even though he could not turn off his attraction towards the half breed. And then the incident happened, where Namjoon got him drunk. Jin knew that he was doing it on purpose but he just enjoyed the time with Namjoon a little too much and when the leader had finally brought him home, he looked just too damn good to ignore and before he knew what was happening, he had already kissed Namjoon. When he realised what he was doing, Namjoon had wrapped his arms around his waist and pressed their bodies against each other. Of course, Jin panicked and to free himself, he had punched Namjoon. He felt bad immediately but he was so embarrassed, even until today, he was never able to apologise. Instead, he avoided the leader as best as possible.

         "Okay, let's stretch everyone, we should start practicing" Namjoon ripped Jin back into reality.

Everyone nodded and did as they were told and so did Jin. After about 30 minutes of warming up, they started pairing up, fighting one on one. Normally, Jin was the one to sit out first but this time, Jungkook ran to his phone as soon as it buzzed. He looked at it and started grinning from one ear to another.

         "Finally" Namjoon mumbled happily next to Jin, "it's about time something happened between them."

         "How do you know it's Jimi–––oh, never mind. Are his feelings that strong? I thought he could shield his thoughts from you?" Jin asked curiously, trying to engage a normal conversation between them.

Namjoon looked at him in confusion but then smiled a little; this time, it was not forced.

         "Very strong, I'm not used to that, when it comes to Jungkookie. Except when he's thinking––about his brother."

Looking up from his phone, Jungkook saw Namjoon and Jin talking to each other, which made him smile. But then, he concentrated back on his phone again because it buzzed once again.

Oh and also... I was really glad you came by and stayed today~~

Jungkook's heart skipped a beat, when he read Jimin's message. But there was a problem. The morning practice session of Special Force only ended at 4pm Korean time.

         "Namjoon-hyung? Can I skip morning practice tomorrow?" Jungkook asked innocently, internally knowing that it was wrong to skip it.

         "Why?" Namjoon grinned.

         "Uhm... Jimin-hyung invited me to the dance studio he always goes to and––"

         "Oh, the barista?" Yoongi interrupted him, "Taehyungie told me about him. I heard he's cute."

         "Of course you can go. Don't worry about practice. As long as this is an exception" Namjoon decided and Jungkook smiled gleefully.

Happily, Jungkook typed in his reply and made sure to make it look nice but not too desperate.

         "So our golden maknae has a date!" Taehyung yelled excitedly.

         "It's not a date" Jungkook mumbled embarrassed.

         "It is" Jin argued.

         "I agree" Yoongi joined.

         "Is it?" Jungkook blushed.

         "I just texted him that you think it's a date" Taehyung cooed, grinning satisfied.

         "You what!?" Jungkook yelled, his cheeks flushing even more, "what if he thinks I'm weird! Maybe he's not even gay!"

         "You haven't even officially said you're gay, so where's the problem?" Yoongi argued amused.

         "Oh, but we always knew" Namjoon commented.

         "I remember when he once got hot and heavy with a suspect. He thought I hadn't noticed and lied to me about how he stalled the vampire but his face was so red, even if it had been a legit excuse, I wouldn't have believed him" Taehyung laughed.

         "Wow really?" the other three said simultaneously, bursting into laughter.

         "Oh. My. God. This is so embarrassing, I'm leaving" Jungkook was so embarrassed, he could not stand to look at his hyungs anymore.

Quickly, he left the room, he literally sprinted out of it, and only after a few seconds of running, he calmed down. He had no idea that Taehyung had actually known about the time he had spent with the suspect. But that was only at the back of his mind. He had to fix what Taehyung had started. Quickly, he pulled out his phone again and texted Jimin.

Did Taehyung just text you?

Maybe, Taehyung was jut messing with Jungkook, so he made sure to ask first. It did not take Jimin very long to reply.

Yes, why?

So, Taehyung really did text him. Nervously, Jungkook replied.

Don't believe anything he says!! He's a little shit sometimes and wants to tease me, so just ignore him....

Having sent that, Jungkook felt a little better. He did not want to make Jimin feel awkward or pressured. Especially, when Jungkook knew in the back of his mind that he should not even try to go out with a human. It was too dangerous for them. Jungkook's phone buzzed again and Jimin had finally answered.

So I should not consider tomorrow a date?

Jungkook's heart stopped for a second, his breathing got unsteady and he slid down at the wall he was leaning on. Just thinking about Jimin right now was making Jungkook feel so nervous, his hands had started shaking. There were only two answers. He could say yes or no. Taking a deep breath, he sent his answer.

What if I did think it's a date? Would you be grossed out?

Not even able to think about what Jimin might answer him, he had already received his reply.

On the contrary. I would be delighted.

At first, Jungkook cringed at Jimin's choice of words but then, smiled brightly. He did not know what just happened. He was way too happy right now but he could not help it. Jimin actually wanted tomorrow to be a date. Excited, Jungkook texted back.

Well then.... It's a date.

After he had calmed down, he eventually joined his hyungs again and continued practicing. He had decided to stay in this world and finish practice, so he could go to bed here and when we woke up tomorrow, it would already be noon in Korea, so he could then get ready for his date. The rest of the practice proceeded as usual. This time, Taehyung lost against Yoongi and Jin had to heal Taehyung's bloody nose. Namjoon and Jungkook were always neck to neck and in the end, everyone was dead tired. The only thing that was different was that Jin and Namjoon actually had conversations and Jin even let Namjoon give him advice about some of his combat skills. Jungkook smiled. So it had helped to talk to Jin. After practice, it was already 8pm, they always practiced for at least 5 hours on a Friday, Jungkook took a long, hot shower, soothing his sore muscles. Luckily, they were used to it and he knew they would not hurt tomorrow. He quickly dried his hair, brushed his teeth and immediately went to bed. He did not want to look tired tomorrow.

The next morning, or noon in Korean time, came surprisingly fast and Jungkook got woken up by his alarm. Immediately, he shut it off, sitting up, stretching. Just as he predicted, his muscles were totally fine. He looked at his watch that had the Korean time and it was already 1pm. Exiting his room, he went into the kitchen and ate some breakfast. The others had already gone to practice, so it was just Jungkook in their apartment. While eating, he looked at his phone and noticed that he had a text. His heart beat increase, when he saw that it was from Jimin.

What genre of music should I bring?

Jungkook loved the fact that Jimin engaged conversation even before they met. It also gave Jungkook a little bit of confidence, so he texted back without feeling nervous.

Whatever you like to dance to :)

Shortly after he had sent his reply, Jimin answered.

I'll just bring all sorts of music. See you soon. I'm excited.

Giggling, Jungkook replied.

Me too :3

After breakfast, Jungkook looked into the mirror and noticed how messed up his hair was. Frowning, he decided to take another shower and when he finished, he blow-dried his hair and styled it a little. He even wanted to put on a little makeup but he reminded himself that this was not a 'go out' type of date. Sighing, Jungkook went back to his room and opened his wardrobe and looked for his fanciest sweatpants. They were black and sort of oversized but they were kind of tight around his calves and the great thing about them was that they were comfortable but also looked really good. Putting them on, Jungkook also pulled out a plain white oversized t-shirt and put that on afterwards. It was still only 2pm and Jungkook knew that he only had about 10 minutes from the portal to the café, so it made no sense to go already. But he just did not know what to do.

Jungkook managed to distract himself for about another 20 minutes, but then, he decided to slowly walk to the portal room. He just figured that he could get a coffee and just wait at the café. And that was what he did. He grabbed his coat, it was still pretty cold outside, even though it was already spring, put on his brown boots and then, left for the portal room. After getting to the human world, he tried to walk as slowly as possible but he arrived at the at the café at 2:40pm. Entering, he got to the counter and was welcomed by Woozi, the other barista that worked there. Every single time he saw him, he had to chuckle. He just looked like Yoongi so much, it was actually scary. Maybe, he was a descendant of Yoongi because he had already lived his human life and was reborn in the other dimension.

         "Hey, Jungkook. Jimin-hyung isn't working today. But what can I get you?"

         "I know. A cafe latte with two pieces of sugar please" Jungkook said.

Immediately, Woozi prepared Jungkook's coffee, put in two pieces of sugar and was about give it to Jungkook, when he suddenly looked behind Jungkook and smiled.

         "Oh, hey hyung, what are you doing here on your day off?"

As if a lightning had shot through Jungkook, he turned around and was met by the beautiful eye smile of Jimin. Jungkook blushed as he met the gaze of the smaller one. Jimin was wearing grey sweatpants and some comfortable looking trainers; everything else was hidden by his coat. His hair was looking good, though. It looked a little messy but that was intended.

         "Jungkook––––hey" Jimin greeted him, "you're here already."

Jungkook was nearly amused by how fast his heart was already beating. This was unnecessary. They were just talking, he should not feel this agitated already. Taking a deep breath, he gulped before he responded.

         "You too" he stated and then realised there was no need for him to be so nervous.

Just like Taehyung had said, it was obvious that Jimin liked him. He constantly smiled and stared at him, when Jungkook was at the café and now he was even here 20 minutes earlier than they had agreed on. Jimin chuckled a little and scratched the back of his neck and Jungkook just could not help himself and think that it was really cute.

         "Yeah....I got tired of waiting at home" he confessed.

Jungkook paid for his coffee and Jimin decided to get one as well. Afterwards, they left the café and Jimin led the way.

         "How was dinner last night?" Jimin asked to engage a casual conversation, while they were walking to the dance studio.

Jungkook had nearly forgotten that he had told Jimin that he went to Jin's to eat dinner.

         "It was good. Jin-hyung's cooking was great, as always. Yoongi-hyung fell asleep right after dinner, that lazy head. He works hard, though, so I shouldn't call him lazy. Namjoon-hyung was mesmerised by everything Jin-hyung did, again, as always, oh and don't get me started on Taehyung-hyung, that little shithead" Jungkook started explaining an imaginary scenario but the funny thing was that this could have actually happened.

         "Who are Yoongi and Namjoon?" Jimin continued, not taking his eyes off Jungkook.

         "Oh, just other friends. I've known them since I was little. You'll hear me talk about them a lot. They are practically my brothers."

         "I see. Same goes for me and Hoseok-ah. We've been friends ever since we were born because our dad's are close."

         "Oh, the other topless guy?" Jungkook blurted without thinking and when he realised what he had said, his face got hot and he even felt how his ears reddened.

         "Calm down, Taehyung told me he went through my photos, when he saved you numbers. I just figured he showed you and Jin as well, so don't get flustered. And yes, the other topless guy" Jimin laughed and once again, Jungkook was amazed by how good Jimin could read his feelings.

They arrived at the dance studio and just like a gentleman, Jimin opened the door for Jungkook, who just chuckled and called him cheesy. The practice room was small but more than enough for two people. The mirrors were a tiny little bit dusty, probably because no one was cleaning the room and Jungkook could not picture Jimin cleaning it himself.

         "Wow, this is really cosy somehow. Is the room yours?"

         "Sorry that it's a little dusty. I hadn't had time to clean lately. And well, sort of. The building belongs to my dad's company and they rent it out to their employees to let them practice privately and my father gave me this room. As you can see, there are also some dumbbells, so I also work out in here" Jimin explained and Jungkook nodded, still looking around.

Jimin walked over to and opened a cupboard, revealing an old looking sound system but it did have a USB port because Jimin plugged in his phone and Tori Kelly's 'Unbreakable Smile' started playing.

         "Let's stretch first, shall we?" Jimin proposed, smiling and took off his coat.

And god damn, Jungkook's jaw almost dropped. Jimin was only wearing a white sleeveless shirt under his coat and the sides were extremely low cut, revealing his ribs and seeing those muscles in real life was so much better than just seeing them on a photo, even though the t-shirt just revealed a little bit of his torso. Trying to not look like an idiot, Jungkook shook his head and took off his coat as well, putting his stuff next to Jimin's and started stretching.

         "You know Tori Kelly?" he asked, trying not to get distracted as Jimin just casually bent over and hugged his legs, as if it was nothing.

Jungkook was flexible, but without being warmed up, that would have hurt him.

         "I do. I think she makes amazing music. I really like her song 'Paper Hears'!" Jimin said excitedly.

         "Really? I love her too! Though, my favourite song is probably 'Dear No One'."

         "Wow, that's cool! I did my own choreography to 'Nobody Love'. I could show you, if you'd like" Jimin offered, visibly happy that Jungkook also liked Tori Kelly.

         "Sure, yes! Yes, I wanna see it!" Jungkook blurted a little bit too excited.

Jimin chuckled and walked over to the sound system to change the song. The first lines started playing and Jimin hurried into the middle of the room, while Jungkook made space for him to dance. Then, Jimin started to move and the cute, handsome barista that could only always just smile suddenly changed into a serious, extremely talented dancer. He always hit the beat, his muscles flexing just the right way at the same time. But what send shivers through Jungkook's body was Jimin's gaze. He was used to him always smiling, but right now he had this intense look. Half lidded, concentrated eyes, smirking cheekily from time to time, which was probably the sexiest yet somehow cutest thing Jungkook had ever witnessed. At first, Jimin looked at himself in the mirror, checking his dance moves, which honestly, were flawless, but then, he averted his gaze to Jungkook, looking straight into his eyes with the exact same expression as he had looked at himself before. Jungkook's heartbeat accelerated and he was really embarrassed but for some reason, he could not look away. It was like Jimin was hypnotizing him. He did not even notice that the song had changed.

         "Yeah, so that's pretty much it."

Jungkook gulped, trying to get himself together.

         "You are crazy talented" Jungkook stated amazed.

Jimin smiled shyly, blushing.

         "There were some modern dance moves in your choreography, right?"

         "Yes, there were, actually. I'm glad you noticed them" Jimin practically glowed.

He could not hide how much he enjoyed being around Jungkook and Jungkook actually enjoyed getting so encouraged by his obvious feelings.

         "But now, I wanna see you dance. Is there a dance you can do?" Jimin asked, his eyes sparkling in anticipation.

         "Uhhh..." Jungkook thought about it for a second, "I know the dance to EXO's Growl."

         "Really?" Jimin said surprised and there was something very amused in his voice.

         "Yeah. But it's been a while since I've last danced to it, so it might be a little rusty" he warned.

Immediately, Jimin played the song and walked next to him to also dance to the song. Jungkook took a deep breath and then they both started. Compared to Jimin, Jungkook's moves were not as powerful but somehow, it was a lot of fun dancing with him. At one point, Jungkook slipped up and made a mistake but Jimin just continued, encouraging him to join in again. The song was over way too fast but the next song came up and Jimin just continued moving, telling Jungkook to improvise. However, the younger was a little insecure.

         "C'mon, just move your body to the beat. It's not that hard" Jimin continued to encourage him.

         "For you, it's easy. You're a god damn dance god!" Jungkook whined and only realised later that he had thought out loud.

Shocked, he looked at Jimin who blinked a few times, but then, he smiled shyly and walked over to Jungkook and stood behind him, making him face the mirror. Suddenly getting nervous, Jungkook stared at the smaller through the mirror. He was so nervous he could hear his heart in his ears. Jimin, on the other hand, looked completely calm. At that moment, an R&B track was on and Jimin was swaying his hips leisurely. Suddenly, He put his hands on Jungkook's hips, catching him off guard and Jungkook gasped flustered.

         "You don't have to be so nervous, I'm just trying to show you that there's no need to feel embarrassed about your dancing because you're really talented" Jimin said with a calm voice, pushing Jungkook's hips from one side to the other.

Right now, Jungkook was not even nervous about his dancing anymore. His focus was on Jimin's hot hands on his hips and how they moved him a little.

         "You know, you're really tall. I can barely put my head on your shoulder without having to tiptoe" Jimin suddenly mumbled, getting closer, his hands sliding to Junkook's front and around him, hugging him from behind, putting his head on Jungkook's shoulder.

The younger one was afraid that his heart was about to give out. He was so shocked, he could not move at all. Jimin was warm; not gross warm but comfortably warm. His body heat somehow calmed Jungkook down, at least a little bit. It was like that was what he always looked for. It felt way too natural for their first real touch.

         "You're not the only one who's nervous. Just so you know" Jimin continued, his voice quiet.

He let go of Jungkook, who actually did not want Jimin to let go of him, so he turned around, pouting naturally, not even doing it on purpose. The smaller one chuckled, lifting his hand up to Jungkook's cheek, caressing it slightly. Jungkook felt blood rush to his face and he wanted to look down but then, he locked eyes with Jimin and seeing the sincerity in his eyes made it impossible for Jungkook to look away. Jimin's hand was so soft; all Jungkook could do was lean into the touch.

         "Jungkook-ah" Jimin started, his voice just so loud that Jungkook could hear him over the music and he did notice the nickname Jimin had just used, "I know we don't know each other that well yet and it might sound ridiculous to you but I am being sincere, when I say I–––"

         "Hyung––" Jungkook interrupted him and Jimin was a little startled, not expecting that Jungkook would cut him off.

Jungkook took a deep breath and smirked a little. It was obvious what Jimin was going to say. His face was flushed as pink as Jungkook's was and just the way he had behaved from the very beginning made it absolutely clear what he wanted to say.

         "I know what you're going to say" Jungkook whispered and suddenly, his mood changed.

This time, he thanked his element for making him impulsive. Confidently, he placed his arms on Jimin's shoulders, getting a little bit closer.

         "You do?" Jimin asked confused, his hand leaving Jungkook's cheek to wrap around the younger's waist.

         "You were kinda obvious" Jungkook chuckled, "but that's okay because it encouraged me."

         "I still want to say it, though" Jimin said, getting even closer so they were only mere inches away from each other, "I really like you, Jungkook-ah."

So many emotions rushed through Jungkook, he was so overwhelmed. They locked eyes again and Jimin pulled him a little closer, closing the remaining distance between them and he looked up to Jungkook, smiling a little, leaning forward. But it was Jungkook who connected their lips. And god, Jimin's lips were everything and more. They were soft, plum, damp and he was so skilled. Jimin moved his lips perfectly, sighing into the kiss, leaning in a little bit to get a better angle. Even though this was not Jungkook's first kiss, it sure felt like it. Like a perfect first kiss; like in the movies. Nothing in his life had felt so right before. Overflowing with positive emotions, Jungkook buried his hands in Jimin's hair and tried getting even closer, even though that was not possible. Jimin started licking along Jungkook's bottom lip and the younger opened his, letting Jimin's hot tongue in his mouth. It was not a wild kiss though. It was romantic, slow but also very intense. Originally, Jungkook wanted to take charge of the kiss but Jimin was just so skilled, all Jungkook could really do was lean in and enjoy how their tongs were dancing in their mouths. It did not take them long, until they ran out of air and had to pull back. They looked at each other. Jimin smiled brightly. Jungkook blushed.

         "I like you too, if you haven't noticed" Jungkook whispered and Jimin laughed.

         "I don't know, maybe you just like to kiss people" he teased playfully, making Jungkook pout, wiggling out of Jimin's embrace to get a water bottle.

At that moment, the door suddenly opened and both of the boys looked at the man who entered the room. They were confused but when Jungkook looked at Jimin, he suddenly saw concern in his eyes.

         "Hyungnim?" Jimin asked worried, "what are you doing here?"

The man looked at Jimin intensely but then, he turned and his eyes fell on Jungkook. Wearing a suit just like the one Jimin's father had, Jungkook figured that he must have been one of the employees that also had a practice room in the building.

         "You're Jungkook" the man stated fascinated and came closer, sniffing the air, which confused Jungkook even more.

Why did he know his name? Why was he behaving like that? The man was eyeing him in a strange way, just like Jimin's father had.

         "I am truly sorry to interrupt Jimin-ah but I need a word. Right now" the man said in a strict tone.

         "But––" Jimin tried but just with an intense look of the man, he had shut Jimin up and he just nodded quietly.

Jimin turned to Jungkook and was about to say something, when suddenly, Jungkook's phone started ringing. He quickly ran to his bag, taking the phone out, and saw that it was Namjoon.

         "Go ahead and talk to your hyung, Jimin-hyung. I need to take this call anyways" he explained and smiled at Jimin to ensure him that he was not mad or anything.

Then, he excused himself and left the room to answer the phone.

         "Hyung?"

         "Get back here. Now. We have a problem and need you here" Namjoon said and he sounded worried.

         "What, why?" Jungkook whined, "you know I'm on a date with Jimin-hyung."

         "The barrier was damaged, Jungkookie" Namjoon elaborated and Jungkook gasped, "the headmaster himself assigned us this mission. We're ought to check on the device that is holding the spell. Get here as fast as you can. There's no time to lose."

         "Okay, I'm on my way" Jungkook agreed immediately after having heard what happened and hung up.

The last time the barrier had been damaged, the headmaster that was replacing the true headmaster because he was still in his deep sleep, had turned out to be a traitor and sided with Cain, killing numerous witches and giving Cain's clan access to the city. That was when Jungkook was still living with his brother in the woods. But that was also the day, when his brother got killed.

Shaking his head, not wanting to dive into the painful memories, he entered the practice room again and he just heard the last bit of Jimin's and the man's conversation.

         "This is an order Jimin-ah" the man said strictly and Jungkook saw how small Jimin was in front of that man, purposely submitting to him.

It nearly looked like a scared puppy was intimidated by a big dog or something. At the same time, Jimin and the man looked at Jungkook.

         "Hyung, I'm really sorry, but something came up. I really have to go. My uhm... I have a presentation next week and I promised my partner that I'd finish the power point slides today. I'm really–––"

         "Don't worry about it Jungkook-ah. It's okay. In fact, I need to go as well. There's a problem at the company of my dad and he insists that I'll go and help him. So you see, you don't have to worry about it" Jimin ensured Jungkook and smiled a little.

         "Still, I would have loved to stay" Jungkook pouted but he was cut off by a short but sweet kiss.

Realising that that man was still in the room and had seen the kiss, Jungkook's face turned red in embarrassment. He was so embarrassed, he wanted to disappear and this time, he really had to. Jungkook quickly grabbed his things, bowed to the man and smiled at Jimin. Then, he rushed out, running to the next portal that was in the area and went into the other dimension immediately. Why was this happening today? Finally, he had found someone he liked and now hell had to break down on the city? Why? What in the world was going on?

Chapter Text

Jimin was still in shock, even after Jungkook had excused himself to take a phone call. He had been prepared for everything to disturb them; everything, except his beta suddenly walking in on them. Not because Jimin was afraid to show off his affection for his mate, not at all, but because Changmin was never in world human world. He had not found his mate yet but he did not have any desire to visit the human world, so his mate was probably a wolf. That was why it was really strange to see him here and Jimin knew that it could only mean something bad had happened. As soon as Jungkook had left the room, Changmin started talking.

         "Hoseok-ah did it again and this time, he messed up big time."

         "What? What did he do again?" Jimin sighed, not sensing the severity of the situation yet.

         "I revealed why we were sent on this mission. I actually wanted to wait for you to return because you normally do on a Saturday but you didn't, so I just continued, but that's beside the point. Look, there have been rumours about the international academy having a fire witch. As you know, they are supposed to be extinct, so our mission is to investigate, whether those rumours are true or not."

         "Are you serious? There might be a fire witch alive?" Jimin  repeated disbelievingly.

In his life, he had only seen a few witches in action. Normally, the wolves hid from witches or vampires in the other dimension, not wanting any contact with either of them. Witches and wolves used to be allies but both sides betrayed each other and neither side had made an effort to rebuild the relationship those two species once had. Thus, Jimin had only come in contact with them, when they had to fight vampires, passed through witch villages or sometimes, they witnessed a fight between witches and vampires and that was why Jimin had seen all elements in action already. All, except fire, of course. They were said to be the strongest witches, but their weakness was their impulsiveness and their quick change of moods. Jimin had always wanted to see one of them. He just could not imagine how someone was able to control fire with mere body movements. Additionally, he wondered, if fire witches might understand wolves a little better than the other elements because fire witches were bound to their emotions as well.

         "Yes, please focus Jimin-ah, this is important. I told the pack to brainstorm on how we could gather information without being exposed because we can't just enter the city and ask around. But Hoseok-ah decided that it's a good idea to go and damage the city's barrier. Jimin-ah, I came here immediately after I had heard about it. I want you to find Hoseok-ah and bring him back. I know it's risky to send you in alone but the pack cannot get involved in this. The relationship between wolves and witches is bad enough, we cannot make it even worse. You know his scent best, so it will be the easiest for you to find him."

Jimin stared at his beta, mouth agape, not believing what he just heard. Sometimes, Hoseok had the stupidest ideas. Why in the world would he think damaging their barrier was a good move? Everyone in the other dimension knew that doing such a thing was basically declaring war on the witches. Jimin sighed. He did not want to separate from Jungkook just yet. Especially because he did not know how long it would take him to find Hoseok and he had no phone in the other dimension, so once he was there, he could not contact Jungkook whatsoever. If Jimin was honest, he did not even know, if he was going to return from that mission. Changmin picked up on Jimin's hesitance and immediately, Jimin felt how Changmin was making himself taller in front of him.

         "This is an order, Jimin-ah" he said strictly and all Jimin could do was nod obediently.

At that moment, Jungkook's scent filled the air and both of the wolves looked at the door, where Jungkook was standing, looking a little confused but also worried.

         "Hyung, I'm really sorry, but something came up. I really have to go. My uhm... I have a presentation next week and I promised my partner that I'd finish the powerpoint slides today. I'm really–––"

         "Don't worry about it Jungkook-ah. It's okay. In fact, I need to go as well. There's a problem at the company of my dad and he insists that I'll go and help him. So you see, you don't have to worry about it" Jimin interrupted Jungkook, walking up to him, smiling.

He was actually quite glad that Jungkook had to leave as well because he had no idea how to explain to him that he had to go. And it would have been so much harder to leave him, if Jungkook did not have an emergency as well.

         "Still, I would have loved to stay" Jungkook insisted, his lips forming a cute pout and Jimin just could not help himself and had to kiss Jungkook.

It was a chaste and brief kiss but both of them enjoyed it nonetheless. Jungkook realised that Changmin was still in the room, thus, he blushed madly. Then, Jungkook grabbed his stuff and really had to leave, bowing to Changmin and waving at Jimin, before he rushed out of the room.

         "He is already taking on your scent" Changmin commented, while both of them left the studio as well, hurrying to the portal that Jimin had used last.

         "Is he? I didn't notice" Jimin smiled automatically.

         "It's very faint, but it's there. You look good together. I'm sorry that I am taking you away from him but there's no other way. The faster we find him, the higher is the chance that he hasn't been captured yet. I just hope he didn't walk into the city alone."

Jimin gulped. Just thinking about what witches could do to his best friend made him shiver. Witches were said to be friendly but as soon as one disregarded their laws, they got violent and even though they were weaker than werewolves, they made up for it with strategic ingenuity.

They arrived at the portal and switched to their half human form, got rid of their clothes and entered the other dimension. Immediately, Jimin changed into his wolf form. The first thing he did was sigh satisfied, shaking his body, enjoying the feeling of being a wolf again. It had been a while because whenever he was in the other dimension, he had just been there in his half human form because he had always only been at their pack's camp, so he knew it was safe enough to be in half human form. Changmin was still half human and Jimin looked at him, they were on eye level because Jimin's wolf form was still not matured, so he was only as tall as a human.

         "We moved our camp 5km further south from the barrier, just in case they sent troops to scan the area. Good luck and hopefully, we'll see each other soon" Changmin informed Jimin and patted his head affectionately.

They shared an intense look and that was when Jimin realised how dangerous this mission truly was. He did not know, whether Hoseok was already captured by the witches. Maybe he went through the barrier and was in the city now but in the meantime, the witches could have already repaired the barrier, so Hoseok could be stuck in there. Jimin nodded at Changmin and then trotted into the direction of the barrier. After about five minutes, Jimin caught Hoseok's scent and he followed it eagerly, wanting to find him as quickly as possible. Following his scent, Jimin noticed that Hoseok had at least tried to not walk in a straight line to not be too obvious. It did not take him long, until he saw the aura of the barrier. Normally, supernatural beings could only feel auras but in their wolf form, werewolves were able to see it, even though it was invisible. Supernatural aura could take many forms and this one just looked like slightly golden steam; the pattern changed, whenever there was a slight breeze. As Jimin walked along the barrier, he suddenly saw a crack in it that opened up into a hole. It was not really huge, but it was definitely not small either. In the middle of the hole on the ground, there was something that looked like a metallic box and there were clear claw marks on it. That was probably how Hoseok had managed to break the barrier. It was weird that there was only a part of the barrier that was damaged but Jimin did not really care about that now. Cautiously, he slipped through the hole in the barrier and from that point onwards, he was even more careful not to make any sounds. He was officially on enemy ground, so he had to be extra careful. Still following Hoseok's scent, he looked around a little bit and the only difference to the woods behind the barrier and beyond was that here, there were a lot fewer forest spirits. But other than that, it pretty much still looked the same. He suddenly got alarmed, when he heard footsteps. In less than a second, he hid himself behind one of the bigger trees, ducking down in order to melt into  the landscape. A blonde, small looking guy appeared, carefully placing one foot in front of the other, trying to not make sounds. If it was just one of them, Jimin was sure, he could win easily. That guy also did not look like a wind witch, so he was not a strategic mastermind.

         "What about the other two?" he suddenly asked and Jimin flinched at the deep voice that answered him because he did not know where it came from.

         "Golden Maknae just left the academy now and will be here in about half an hour. The other two are already on their way, so they could be here any minute now. I still don't understand how this is possible. We made sure that no one could touch the device."

Finally, the person that was talking appeared and that one was blonde as well, a darker shade though, and was really tall, taller than Jimin's mate and the way he moved, how he did not make a sound, when he put his feet on the ground, intimidated Jimin. He had to get out of here as fast as possible.

         "What the hell? Are these claw marks?" the smaller one said as he looked at the metallic box.

         "Claw marks?"

         "Yeah, I'm serious. And they are huge too. No way this was a Cheshire cat or a black tiger. This thing was a lot bigger."

The taller one joined the other one in front of the box and investigated the marks. He suddenly gasped.

         "No, this can't be.... right?"

         "What?" The other asked confused.

         "Wolves. They are the only creatures I can think of that would have such big paws."

Damn. The taller one was definitely a wind witch and his aura looked more intimidating than that of other wind witches he had seen in his life. Usually, the aura of wind witches resembled very light blue coloured steam, which was constantly moving like the aura of the barrier but the aura of this wind witch was darker. Almost like it was dirty. Jimin gulped and started looking for an escape road. He would be able to make it back out without them catching him but Hoseok's scent led further into the city and Jimin could not leave without him.

         "Are you serious? But why would they want to damage our barrier? They haven't shown themselves for over a hundred years. We don't even teach much about them at the academy anymore" the smaller argued.

         "I read a lot about them and they definitely have the power to get through the metal. And my protection spell had one loophole. I forgot that wolves are not affected by most of our spells."

Yes, definitely a wind witch. But what was up with the strange look of his aura?

         "Whatever it was, it's in the city now and as soon as Golden Maknae is here, he can fix it and it will be trapped here. We can then start tracing it" the smaller one said and got up to walk around.

Jimin wanted to run but if he moved now, they would see him. But then, he suddenly heard two other voices and that was when he ran. He had to because he knew he could not outrun four witches.  As he ran, he heard the smaller one cursing something but Jimin was too focused on not tripping. At times like these, Jimin was really glad that his body was fast, even though it had not matured yet. He felt how one of them was trying to follow him but Jimin just chuckled at that try. One single witch was not able to keep up with him at full speed.

After 10 minutes of running, Jimin finally felt safe enough to stop. By now, he was not in the deep part of the forest anymore. He could already see some fields that looked like people were using them. Catching his breath, the wolf tried finding Hoseok's scent again and luckily, he caught it immediately and noticed that he had unconsciously run into the right direction. If they had not been in the enemy's territory, Jimin would have just howled and they would have found each other instantly. That was way too risky, though. So the only thing Jimin could do was follow Hoseok's scent and fortunately, Jimin's sense of smell was really good, so he did not have a big problem following it. The scent led him to the border of the forest and Jimin saw how it led even further away from safe lands into the centre of the city. Damn, Hoseok had changed into half human form. There was no way he could have proceeded from here as a wolf. Jimin felt uncomfortable changing but he had to, if he wanted to find his friend. Reluctantly, he morphed back into his half human form and immediately, he felt unsafe. Sighing, he snuck along the first houses, slowly getting closer to Hoseok. Jimin was standing in front of a shed and its door was slightly opened. Cautiously, he stepped into it, having his eyes and ears open for any kind of danger that might approach him. But instead of danger, a terrified Hoseok attacked him, wrapping his arms around Jimin, pulling him close, shaking a little.

         "Jimin-ah! Oh my god, I am so happy to see you!" Hoseok sobbed quietly, wanting to scream but he also did not want to draw attention to his hideout.

On the one hand, Jimin relaxed, knowing that his best friend was kind of safe and having another pack member near, always relaxed a wolf. But Jimin pushed Hoseok away, smacking him on his head hard.

         "You're such a fucking idiot! Do you know in how much trouble we are right now!?" Jimin whispered angrily, "how did you even get this stupid idea! You–––ughh.... They probably fixed the barrier by now, that means we're stuck in here!"

         "Jimin-ah, god, I'm so happy I'm not alone anymore. I thought I'd go ahead and the others would catch my scent and follow me but apparently, they didn't. But why did they send you? I am confused" he sighed and Jimin got even angrier because Hoseok did not realise how severe their situation was.

         "Jung Hoseok. Listen to me" Jimin tried again, holding down his anger as best as he could, "I saw witches at the hole in the barrier. They know how to fix it. It's probably already fixed that means we are trapped in here. They also suspect that we are wolves. You know what they do to supernatural beings that disregard their rules? They are allowed to kill us on the spot. I personally have no idea how we are able to escape the city now."

Finally, Hoseok understood how bad the situation was.

         "Fuck."

         "Yeah. Thanks for dragging me into it, you idiot. Now, Jungkook-ah will hate me because I can't contact him. Maybe that's for the best, though. I have no idea, if we're going to survive this" Jimin sighed, only now realising that he might never see his mate again.

They were silent for a while, not knowing what to say or what to do.

         "So, how was your date, though?" Hoseok tried to lift the mood.

         "Hoseok-ah. Not now, I'm trying to think how we can get out of here."

         "Sorry...." he mumbled but then he looked at Jimin as if he had an idea "why don't we just go through the main gates? They can't sense that we're wolves, right? So let's just change into our human form and walk out of the front gates."

Jimin looked up at Hoseok, thinking about it. That was just as stupid as Hoseok's idea to come here in the first place. But it was also the only other way out. The front gate was the only gate that was open to everyone because there were enough guards to control who came in and out. It was dangerous, though, but staying here was so too. However, there was one problem.

         "We don't have clothes."

         "Let's steal some from the farmers" Hoseok proposed.

Jimin sighed. He hated the thought of taking something that was not his – it was against the rules of nature to take something that belonged to someone else – but it was the only possibility. It was something evil, which could anger the Gods, but it could not be helped.

         "Fine. Let's go" Jimin nodded and got up but right at that moment, there was a weird noise coming from outside the shed, as if someone had stepped on a branch.

         "Shit" someone cursed outside.

Terrified, the two wolves looked at each other. How did they already catch up? Hoseok and Jimin shared a second of scared eye contact and both changed into their wolf form again because in that form, they maybe had a chance against five witches. But they were trapped in the shed, so there was only one way. They hoped to scare the witches with their size, hoping that they really had not seen a wolf before. Jimin took a deep breath and then, he jumped out of the shed, facing the smaller blonde witch from before. Jimin made himself tall, glaring at the witch and growled so loudly, the witch had to put his hands over his ears. That was their chance to run away. Hastily, the wolves fled back into the forest, having the advantage there, or so they thought. Jimin was faster than Hoseok, so he only turned around, when he heard him whimper. Hoseok was flying through the air but landed on his feet, snarling, going into a defensive position. Fuck. There was nowhere to run. Jimin snarled as well, ducking his head a little, taking the same position as Hoseok. There was no other way than to fight. It was quiet for a second and the wolves just waited for them to attack. Suddenly, the ground under Jimin's feet started to move and he just managed to get away in time because right after he had moved, there was a huge hole in the ground. There was no time to take that in, though. Without any seconds to see what was going on, the blonde witch was standing in front of Jimin and he felt the presence of another one behind him. He also sensed that Hoseok was busy with another two while the last witch was somewhere between the trees, probably the healer that was supposed to stay back.

         "How dare you just growl at me like that you stupid dog" the blonde yelled angrily.

Jimin snarled at that comment. That was really ironic because growling was nothing else than yelling, yet here that guy was yelling at him, so he was doing exactly the same. From the corner of his eyes, Jimin saw something like a rock approaching and once again, he could back away just in time.

         "Taehyungie, now!" the blonde yelled and Jimin did not have time to react to the name because the next thing that happened was a huge wave of water plunged over him and tried to trap him inside.

The black and silver furred wolf, however, was too fast and escaped the water and as he jumped out of it, he was about to jump at the attacker but then, he looked at him and stopped in front of him. Because it was none other than Kim Taehyung standing in front of him, looking scared because the wolf was so close to him. What the hell was he doing here? What was going on? Jimin was sure he did not sense witch aura around Taehyung, so why was he here? At that second, there was a loud whimper coming from Hoseok, which distracted Jimin and the two witches that were fighting against him. Jimin looked over to Hoseok and all his hairs were electrified at the sight. The wind witch from before had Hoseok pinned down to the ground and now, Jimin smelled that this witch was also a vampire – a half one or a half breed. There was another witch, which had his back turned to Jimin and if he was not so scared for his life, he would have recognised him long ago. That witch had his hand in the air and what Jimin saw next terrified him. The hand of the witch was on fire and he was about to punch Hoseok. Instinctively, Jimin moved, charging at the witch that wanted to hurt Hoseok and with all his strength, Jimin jumped on the witch, pushing him onto the ground and there was an ugly sound of bones hitting the ground unnaturally. Jimin snarled again but suddenly, a wave of so much pain shot through his body, he winced and whimpered, writhing in pain. Confused, he looked at the nearly unconscious witch under him and then, he understood. Dumbstruck, Jimin changed back into his half human form, tears running down his face immediately, his entire body shaking. The witch that was lying beneath him was Jungkook. His mate. He had hurt his mate; he could feel it. Hesitantly, Jimin touched his mate's face, not believing what he had done, that it was really him.

         "Don't touch him, you–––" the smaller blonde yelled and Jimin already felt a hand on his shoulder and was ready to be dragged away from Jungkook but the one that was still pinning down Hoseok cut him off.

         "Yoongi-hyung, don't! He's feeling bad enough already."

The blonde's hand left Jimin's shoulder. Finally, Jungkook moved a little, not really conscious but at least awake.

         "Ji––min-hyung?" he slurred and Jimin's heart ached, when he heard the pain in his mate's voice.

         "Jungkook-ah, I–––––I am––so–––sorry–– I–––" Jimin sobbed, caressing Jungkook's cheek.

         "My head––hurts" Jungkook mumbled and nearly drifted off again.

         "Move! I need to heal him!" Jin's voice appeared behind Jimin, "I said get the hell away from him!"

Startled, Jimin did as he was told, not taking his eyes off Jungkook, though. Jimin's entire body was shaking, still receiving waves of pain but also drowsiness and numbness. It was so strong, Jimin could not block them out, even though he knew that was technically possible.

         "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to–– I–– I–––" Jimin kept repeating and watched as Jin crouched down  to Jungkook.

The nature witch turned Jungkook's head a bit and saw that it was actually cracked open a bit and that it was a lot more serious than he had expected. It was a miracle that Jungkook was still conscious. Quickly, Jin did some complicated hand signs and mumbled something Jimin could not understand. Then, he put one hand on Jungkook's stomach and the other on his forehead, before Jin closed his eyes.

         "Stay with me Jungkookie, you can't fall asleep, okay? You know how this works. Even though you feel tired, you must not fall asleep" Jin told Jungkook who actually smiled a little.

         "I'm fine... Hyung's gonna fix me. I think I hit my head pretty hard. I can see Jimin-hyung in front of me, but that's impossible" Jungkook slurred, smiling at Jimin tiredly and all of the people present understood that he was not in his right mind right now.

The sudden urge to grab Jungkook's hand overcame Jimin and he crouched forward a little but the blonde one, they had called him Yoongi, pulled him back and pinned him down to the ground, just like Hoseok was still pinned down by the wind witch. Hoseok, still in his wolf form, whimpered and looked at Jimin apologetically because he understood who Jungkook was.

         "Hands off him!" Yoongi yelled into Jimin's ear, making the wolf flinch in fear.

Now that Jungkook was slowly recovering, Jimin could feel it, he realised that he was completely and utterly defenceless right now. 

         "And really, do you have no shame, just sitting here, naked, in front of everyone!?" Yoongi continued, clearly letting out his anger on Jimin.

         "It's enough Yoongi-hyung. Trust me, he feels bad for what he's done. More than you could ever imagine, so don't make this harder on the poor boy" the leader put the angry one in place, making him shut up.

         "Jiminnie, what the fuck! You're a werewolf?" Taehyung finally joined the conversation.

Jimin wanted to look at him, but he still could not take his eyes off his injured mate. He felt so guilty. Wolves were not supposed to hurt their mates. It was not only forbidden but they actually were not able to hurt them because it would always hurt them just as much. Of course, Jimin had not done it on purpose, yet he still felt so very guilty. Jin suddenly removed his hands and swiped Jungkook's sweaty fringe out of his face.

         "See, all patched up. But take it easy for the next few days. Let Taehyungie and me help you walk back, okay?" Jin smiled and Jungkook nodded.

Then, he slowly sat up and noticed that Jimin really was there. Confused, he blinked a few times, looking back and forth between Hoseok, who was still whimpering, and Jimin, who was still crying. Jungkook suddenly remembered what had smashed him onto the ground before he kind of lost consciousness. It had been a huge silver and black furred wolf with amber eyes, just like the ones Jimin had right now.

         "Are you really––––"

         "I'm so sorry, Jungkook-ah, I didn't mean to hurt you. It's all just a––a––a huge misunders––s––standing, please, I'm s––so sorry!" Jimin sobbed again, wanting to go over to Jungkook and fall on his knees to beg for his forgiveness but Yoongi did not let go of him.

         "Okay, this is more than enough. Let's bring them in for questioning. Jin-hyung, you go ahead and inform the headmaster about us capturing two werewolves. Make sure no one else finds out. This shouldn't be revealed to the public at the moment" the leader started giving orders, "Taehyungie, help Jungkookie and support him, while we walk back. You––" the leader addressed Hoseok, "also change into a human, we cannot bring you in like this. We do not want to cause an uproar. This is in your best interest as well. Jimin" the wind witch turned to the shaking frame that was pressed to the ground, "if you're really that sorry, prove it and don't run, when Yoongi-hyung will let go of you."

Jimin nodded obediently, sniffing, trying to calm down but the guilt was gnawing on his nerves.

         "Why would I let go of this beast?" Yoongi argued.

         "Because you're gonna go and ask the farmer who lives over there for some clothes. We can't walk them through the city, while they are naked."

         "Alright. I'll be right back" Yoongi sighed and slowly, very cautiously, let go of Jimin.

Everyone looked at him, ready to jump him, in case he did anything rash, but just as he said, he stayed on the ground, with his eyes still on Jungkook. Yoongi left as he was told, as well as Jin, Taehyung helped Jungkook up and as Jungkook was getting on two feet, Jimin slowly calmed down, at least a little bit because the feeling of pain had decreased a great deal. He still felt horribly guilty about what he did but seeing Jungkook already standing up was helping a lot. Everyone did as they were told, except Hoseok. He was still in his wolf form and Jimin knew that he did not want to change. It was against their instincts to change into half human form or human form, when they were in danger. Jimin looked at the leader, who was looking at Hoseok and waited for him to turn.

         "Hoseok-ah, do as he says. They've already captured us" Jimin then said surprising the three witches.

Hoseok whimpered again, shooting a glare to the remaining witches but then, Namjoon suddenly let go of him, cursing and rubbing his hands.

         "Shit, what the fuck!" he yelled, while steam came from Hoseok's body.

         "Our body temperature increases, when we change. Even more so, if we have to do it under pressure" Jimin elaborated quietly, not knowing whether they were in even more trouble now.

But Namjoon simply nodded and watched as Hoseok morphed into his half human form.

         "Shit, that looks painful" Taehyung commented.

         "It's not" Hoseok said, when he was finally done changing but then, he hurried to Jimin and fortunately, Namjoon let them.

They quickly hugged each other, Jimin was finally able to take his eyes off Jungkook for a moment, it was a comforting hug, which Jimin desperately needed and he only noticed now, that he was still shaking.

         "Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Hoseok asked worried, ignoring the witches that just watched the scene confused, "it's not your fault, don't blame yourself. You didn't know. But how.... is this even possible?"

Hoseok had a point. He referred to the fact that Jungkook was a witch, yet Jimin had imprinted on him. There were no records or stories about a wolf ever imprinting on a witch. Everyone assumed that it was not possible, just like it was not possible to imprint on a vampire because they were natural enemies.

         "Really? Your friend too? Well, obviously, you only had half naked pictures of yourself on your phone" Taehyung snickered.

Jimin turned around and met the expressionless gaze of his mate. Then, he realised that he was naked, not that he was ashamed or shy about it, but he was hugging another naked man and even though, this was completely normal for wolves, it was considered strange by the rest of society. Immediately, he let go of Hoseok and wanted to walk up to Jungkook but the latter suddenly held out his hand in defence.

         "Don't. Don't come near me."

His words hit Jimin right in the chest, like a knife stabbing him. Tears started building in his eyes again but all he could really do was obey his mate and stay right where he was. At that moment, Yoongi came back with two pairs of pants and shirts and threw them at the two wolves.

         "Here. Get dressed."

Hoseok and Jimin shared a worried look but did as they were told and as soon as they were both clothed, they got manhandled by the leader and Yoongi. Afterwards, they started their journey into the city. They were silent but the wolves felt the eyes of the witches on them. After a while, Taehyung finally broke the silence, even though the wolves did not quite understand what he meant.

         "What are they thinking? Wait, can you even read their thoughts, Namjoon-hyung?"

         "It's strange. Somehow, I can see their emotions but there are no clear thoughts. But I guess, if I concentrated, it would be possible. Plus, they're probably confused themselves, so their thoughts will be a mess anyways" the leader, who was called Namjoon, explained.

         "We can hear you, you know. Please don't speak as if we're not here" Hoseok complained.

         "Shut up" Yoongi said and slapped the back of Hoseok's head.

Instinctively, he snarled, showing his eight canines, glaring at the blonde.

         "Hoseok-ah. Calm down. Don't make this even worse" Jimin warned, holding the other back.

         "At least one of them has some kind of reason" Yoongi commented amused.

         "I'm still quite shocked to be honest" Taehyung stated, "like, we did not sense him at all! Wait, didn't you two have a date today!"

Another painful hit in Jimin's chest. But this time, it was not only his own feeling but also Jungkook's. Both of them stayed quiet, this time, not daring to look at each other.

         "We cannot sense werewolves, that's why. And you had your powerful suppressing spells, obviously, he couldn't know that you were witches" Namjoon explained.

         "Really? Now that you mention it. I really can't sense them. This is so weird" Taehyung said fascinated and stared at the two wolves.

They continued walking and as they got closer to the centre, it slowly turned more suburban. At first, it just looked like a normal village but when they entered the inner city, there were loads of skyscrapers and everything looked extremely modern. The city was so big, Jimin had never expected something this urban existed in the other dimension. He wondered how the witches were able to do this without facing the wrath of the Gods. The only building that was not modern within the centre was the old building in the middle of it that was built on a huge hill. It was a breathtaking sight and both of the wolves gasped. They had expected that the city was big, but this was extreme.

         "That's the academy" Namjoon explained and the wolves were pushed forward.

At first, they thought they would enter through the main gates but they were pulled to the sides and suddenly, the wall opened and Jin was standing before them.

         "The headmaster wants to talk to them themselves. He also wants to be there, when you read their minds. He's waiting in his private meeting room" Jin informed and the other witches just widened their eyes.

         "Wow" Taehyung gasped.

         "I expected that. Let's not make him wait, then" Namjoon said.

Yoongi and Jungkook stayed silent. They followed Jin inside and even though the building looked old from the outside, it was very modern from the inside. After walking through some smaller hallways, they arrived at a fancy looking elevator, which was protected by two huge guards. They were probably as tall and as muscular as Jimin's father. The two guards looked at the group and immediately, their eyes fell onto the two wolves, looking at them curiously, even though they tried to look stern. Jin nodded at them and they moved out of the way, so that the group could move into the elevator. The door closed and the seven were suddenly packed together, shoulder to shoulder and finally, Jimin was close to Jungkook again. But instead of relief, he felt confusion and anger, as well as sadness and fear radiating from his mate. Feeling even more guilty, Jimin tried to move away to give Jungkook a little space because he definitely did not want to be touched by him right now. But while moving away from him, Jimin had to get closer to Yoongi, who did not like that at all.

         "Piss off, dog" he hissed.

The wolf wanted to snarl; he hated it when people who were not his superiors talked to him like that but he knew that it was not a good idea to be rebellious in a situation like this.

         "Yoongi-hyung, calm down. Please" Namjoon sighed and at that moment, the door of the elevator opened and the two wolves were pushed outside and they entered a very luxurious room.

The room was big and not at all what Jimin had expected. There were red, velvety curtains hung up in front of the huge old windows, the floor was covered with expensive looking parquet and the furniture also looked way too expensive. And there, in the middle of the room, there was a sofa, on which an old man was sitting, sipping on a cup of tea. Was this really the 'headmaster'? Jimin had always pictured the ruler of the witches as a buff warlord who was in his 40s but this man was really old. His hair was snow white and so was his long beard and next to him, there was a walking cane, so he could not walk on his own anymore. The five witches suddenly lined up, standing straight, forcing the two wolves to do the same, still being manhandled by them.

         "Bow" Namjoon ordered them and although Jimin was going to do so anyways, he was forcefully pushed down by Yoongi, bowing 90 degrees.

The old man waved his hand a little, gesturing that they should come closer and immediately, the wolves were pushed forward. There was a weird circle on the ground where they were standing and Jimin only realised what it was, after Yoongi and Namjoon let go of them and closed the circle with the same powder. It was wolfsbane, one of the only herbs that the witches could use to trap wolves. Hoseok on the other hand was too distracted to notice and as soon as they were let go, he wanted to run, but Jimin stopped him and looked at him and then the ground.

         "Watch it. It'll hurt, if you try to pass the wolfsbane."

Hoseok looked down as well and then glared at Namjoon, who had completed the circle. He was about to snarl, Jimin could feel him getting angry again, but then, the old man put down his cup of tea and looked at the two wolves. But surprisingly, his expression was not hateful; in fact, he looked – nice. Then, he spoke, but he was using English, so the wolves could not understand very well. Both of them had had English in school but the old man slurred his words a little and it had also been a while since both of them had practiced it. Namjoon answered and at least they understood what he was saying.

         "They are Korean, Headmaster."

         "I see" the old man said in Korean and looked back at the wolves, "I just said that it has been a long time since I last saw a wolf. I just wish it was under better circumstances. Are you aware that you both violated one of the most important rules in this world? You not only entered the city without permission, but you also damaged the barrier. For the latter crime, you can be sentenced to death."

Both of the wolves gulped. Yes, they were very aware of that. They nodded in unison and waited for the headmaster to allow them to speak. Whenever they got scolded by superior wolves, they were not allowed to say something, until they got permission, so they just figured that it was the same here.

         "Right, I forgot about your hierarchy system. You are allowed to defend yourself" the old man said and waited for their answer.

         "Yes… sir…. We are aware of our situation" Jimin said making himself small to show submissiveness.

         "I would like to know why you did this, even though you apparently know about our laws."

Once again, they gulped. Even if they wanted to tell him, they physically could not speak about their mission because Changmin had forbidden it. Both of them tried to open their mouth, knowing that, if they did not speak now, they would definitely be killed.

         "We–––can't tell you, I'm sorry" Jimin was able to speak.

Yoongi snickered in the back, Taehyung shook his head and the other three did not show any reaction. Secretly, Jimin had hoped to see at least some kind of emotion on Jungkook's face but there was nothing. On the other hand, he was still sending the same feelings to Jimin as before, which saddened him even more. His urge to hug Jungkook, telling him how unbelievably sorry he was, tarted to get stronger and stronger, even after he had found out that Jungkook was a witch. And not just some witch, but the rumoured fire witch they were supposed to find.

         "Ah, your alpha has forbidden you to talk, am I right?" the headmaster spoke again and the wolves just nodded, impressed that he knew so much about their ways, "Namjoon, please, enlighten us about their plans."

Both wolves were confused. What did the headmaster mean by that? Looking at Namjoon, who was getting closer and stepped into the circle of wolfsbane, Jimin caught his scent and shivered automatically, repelled by the horrible smell of vampire blood.

         "Vampire" they hissed, snarling instinctively but Namjoon just chuckled.

         "Took you long enough to figure out" he said to Hoseok but then turned to Jimin again, "I will look into his mind first. He seems more reasonable. Jungkookie" he approached Jungkook all of a sudden, "is that okay for you?"

Finally, Jungkook looked at Jimin, after what had felt like forever but it was the same emotionless expression as before and Jimin flinched a little.

         "Yeah, go ahead" Jungkook said quietly.

Then, Namjoon looked back at Jimin, taking a deep breath and lifted his arms. Immediately, Jimin backed away but he was stopped by the wolfsbane barrier, which burnt into his flesh, when he tried to exit it. Jimin hissed at the pain and locked eyes with Namjoon.

         "I'm not going to hurt you, you have my word" Namjoon ensured him and something about him was trustworthy enough that Jimin believed him.

Exhaling nervously, Jimin stood straight, waiting for whatever the wind witch was about to do to him. The latter closed his eyes and put two fingers on each of Jimin's temples. Hoseok wanted to interfere, naturally wanting to protect his friend but Jimin gestured that he was alright. Slowly, there was a faint coldness spreading from his temples all over his head, making his vision go blurry and it was hard to keep standing up. Suddenly, he felt all his feelings for Jungkook resurfacing and automatically, he looked at him, at least, trying to look at him, though his vision was too blurry. The coldness started to increase and it got to the point where it was uncomfortable, so he looked back at Namjoon. Suddenly, he gasped loudly, opening his eyes; they had turned red, the veins under his eyes appearing and an instinctive shock of hate and anger shot through Jimin and everything in him told him to attack because in front of him, there was a vampire that was ready to sink its teeth into Jimin's neck. Smacking the vampire's arms away, Jimin snarled defensively, showing his teeth, backing away as far as the circle of wolfsbane allowed. Hoseok did the same thing, showing off his canines. Within a second, the rest of the witches were around them, ready to attack but Namjoon held up his hand as a way of telling them to stop. He exhaled loudly, quickly closed his eyes and when he opened them again, the red colour was gone.

         "This was my fault. Don't blame them; they just wanted to defend themselves. I couldn't––– control myself for a second there and I apologise that I scared you two" Namjoon explained a little startled, stepping out of the circle, "his....emotions were very... intense. I've never felt something like that before. It's overwhelming and I think I know what it is."

Did he really just read Jimin's mind? If so, what had he seen? He was a vampire, or at least a part of him, so it was possible that he had an ability.

         "What have you seen, Namjoon?" the headmaster asked, slowly getting up, supporting himself with his walking cane.

         "Well, their mission was to find out whether the rumours about the fire witch are true. But they don't know why they need to confirm it. And it was also not planned by their pack to–––enter the city like this. It was just a stupid idea of an immature wolf and Jimin here had the mission to get Hoseok–" he pointed at Hoseok because not everyone might have remembered his name, "out alive. I don't think they actually had the intention of endangering the city."

Both of the wolves stared at Namjoon, Jimin even more so because Namjoon had explained everything about their mission as exact as Changmin had explained it to him. So he really could read thoughts.

         "Namjoon, you're not telling me something" the headmaster stated.

The vampire looked at Jungkook and then at Jimin and that was when the latter realised that Namjoon had read even more than just the mission from his thoughts.

         "Well.... I think he––"

         "Please don't!" Jimin interrupted him and everyone turned around in surprise, "he's not supposed to know! Please, it's not right, if he already finds out, please, please, don't say it!"

Pleadingly, Jimin looked at Namjoon. This was not right. Normally, a wolf would only tell his mate about imprinting, when they were already deeply in love, so in nearly every case, the mate would naturally accept the way things were. But if Jungkook was to already find out now, especially now that he found out that Jimin was a werewolf, it would probably be very bad. Also, imprinting was sacred for wolves but for witches, it meant nothing. They could feel threatened by how Jimin was connected to Jungkook and try to break the bond by eventually killing one of them. But then, Namjoon suddenly smiled a little.

         "Don't worry, Jungkookie is lazy. He hasn't read enough to know what it is" he said and then turned around to the headmaster, "I believe Jimin has imprinted––– on Jungkookie."

The witches had different reactions to that. Jin gasped surprised, so did the headmaster, just inaudibly. Yoongi squinted his eyes at Jimin, while Taehyung just looked very confused as well as Jungkook because those two never really read anything about wolves, thus, didn't know anything about them. Still, Jungkook had heard his name and he did not like that.

         "He did what on me?" he asked confused but neither the headmaster nor Namjoon were listening to him.

         "But that's not possible" Jin exclaimed, "they can't imprint on witches. That has never happened before. It's not in their nature."

         "That is indeed peculiar" the headmaster mumbled, gazing at Jimin and then Jungkook, "and you are certain?"

         "Yes, headmaster. I've never experienced something like that before. It is stronger than my thirst for blood."

The old man nodded to himself and for a minute, it was dead quiet in the room. No one dared to talk, when the headmaster was thinking.

         "Special Force is dismissed. I'd like to have a talk with these two young wolves alone, just Namjoon stays. Good work everyone."

Special Force looked at him in confusion, not really expecting to hear something like that. For them, Jimin and Hoseok were a threat and they did not want to leave their headmaster unprotected but he had ordered them to go and so, they had to. They bowed 90 degrees and walked back to the elevator. Longingly, Jimin looked at Jungkook as he entered the elevator without looking at him once. The door of the elevator closed and Jimin had to face the two remaining witches again. Hoseok had been awfully quiet all this time; he was probably too shocked about all that had happened. The headmaster stepped forward and disconnected the circle of wolfsbane, making it possible for Jimin and Hoseok to move around freely. Hesitantly, they stepped out of the circle, not really knowing what to do next, while the headmaster walked back to the sofa and sat down again.

         "I am willing to let you stay in the city" the headmaster explained calmly.

         "Why? Why would we want to stay here? Why would you want us here?" Hoseok asked suspiciously but Jimin felt a sense of relief creep up at the back of his mind.

         "I know how sacred imprinting is for wolves. I have never witnessed it, but I heard stories from wolves I used to know a long, long time ago" the old man sighed and gestured that the wolves should sit down.

A little uncertain, the wolves looked at each other but Jimin was too curious, he could not hold himself back and walked up to the sofa. But instead of joining the headmaster, he sat down on the ground and Hoseok did the same. Even though the headmaster was not their superior, they felt that he had authority; thus, they wanted to show that they did not think of them as equals and that was the reason they chose to sit on the ground.

         "And if you, you're name was Jimin, if I recall correctly, really have imprinted on Jungkook, I do not want to be the reason that separates the two of you. A bond like this should not be broken, no matter the extraordinary circumstances. I am also willing to pardon you both. Under one condition" the headmaster continued and both wolves could not quite believe what they were hearing.

Never had they expected that the head of the witches was this understanding. But they also wondered, how old he was because he had mentioned wolves he knew. However, wolves and witches had not been in contact with each other for more than a century and witches were not immortal. They had the same time span of life than humans, so it just was not possible that this old man had known a wolf.

         "I want to meet with your alpha. It has been too long, since wolves and witches started fighting and I want to put an end to it and starting with one pack won't be the end solution, but it is a start."

         "You–– want to rebuild the alliance of the wolves and witches? Do I understand correctly?" Hoseok asked bluntly.

         "Yes, I wanted to do so for a long time but you hid yourselves exceptionally well and I have just woken up from my deep sleep 9 years ago. I would really like to meet your alpha."

         "But––" Jimin started and was surprised that he could actually voice out what he wanted to say, thinking that this information was may be too valuable, "we're not here with our alpha. He's back in Korea. We've come here with one of our betas."

         "I see" the headmaster nodded, "then, how about I meet him first? He will get permission to enter the city."

         "He won't come alone" Hoseok stated and Jimin nodded. 

         "He can bring up to two additional wolves. Will that be enough?"

         "I guess" Hoseok thought out loud.

         "Very well. Namjoon-ah" the headmaster turned to Namjoon who was standing a little further away, observing the scene carefully, "there is an apartment next to yours available at the moment, right? I would like you to prepare it for them."

         "Certainly, Sir. Anything else?"

         "No, that would be all. Please inform your beta of my proposal as fast as possible. I will make an announcement to the guards at the main gate. As soon as your beta feels ready, he can come here and he will be directed into this room" the headmaster explained, "oh, and Namjoon-ah. Please explain to them how everything works around here. And also take their blood samples, so they can pass the barrier without problems."

Namjoon nodded, bowed and walked to the elevator, waiting for the two wolves who were still blown away by the conversation they just had. Jimin was so grateful. Never had he imagined this outcome of their capture. Only an hour ago, Jimin had been convinced that they were living their last few hours but now, they were even allowed to stay at the city. Jimin was allowed to stay close to Jungkook. The two wolves got up and bowed deeply.

         "I––– thank you so much. I cannot even explain, how grateful I am" Jimin thanked the old man once again, before he and Hoseok followed Namjoon into the elevator.

The doors closed and all three of them sighed.

         "You two have a guardian angel. It doesn't happen every day that someone who is sentenced to death is pardoned."

         "Can you really read minds?" Hoseok asked, ignoring Namjoon's comment.

         "Yes, I can. I'm a half breed, that's why I have an ability" he explained, answering Jimin's untold question whether he was a half one or a half breed.

         "That's why you reek of vampire so much" Hoseok laughed but Jimin noticed that Namjoon did not like to hear that.

         "So what happens next?" Jimin asked, trying to change the topic.

         "I will show you to your apartment, where you can stay. Then, I will accompany you to our register office. We will have to get your blood samples because the barrier only lets people pass who have registered their blood in our system. Also, your apartment is on academy grounds, so you will have to follow the academy's rules as well as the city's rules."

         "And what are those rules?" Hoseok interrupted him, squinting his eyes suspiciously, still not trusting the witches.

         "City rules are the following: You are not to attack another soul, be it witch or vampire. As you know, we have alliances with certain vampire clans and even though I know you might not like it, you cannot attack them, as long as they don't attack you. You can defend yourself, however, killing is not allowed. You are ought to bow at official academy team captain and lieutenant at all times, even if they are not on duty because thanks to them, the city is safe. This is not a rule but I would advise you to change into your human form now, as people have not seen wolves in over a hundred years and the headmaster also wants to keep you two a secret for now, so please change" Namjoon explained and quickly stopped to look at them.

         "But we are our weakest in our human form. I feel unsafe not being in at least half human form" Hoseok argued.

Namjoon sighed and massaged his temples, before he once again gazed at the two.

         "This is for your safety. Trust me. Even though the city is safe, there are still some bad apples that like to start fights, especially some teenager vampires. If they knew that two wolves are here, they would want to challenge you. So please, just do as you're told."

Looking at his serious expression, Jimin decided to trust him and changed into his human form. This was also a step to stay with Jungkook, thus, Jimin did not really have a choice and Hoseok followed along, trusting his friend. Namjoon nodded satisfied and started walking again.

         "And the academy rules?" Hoseok continued.

         "Right. Fights are strictly prohibited. No matter how much you are provoked, if it is not in a practice room, you will be punished greatly. You are to follow the orders of captains at all times, even if they are not your captains, as you will not have a captain because you won't be in a team. Always bow to superiors but logically, you do not have to bow to every team member at the academy because you would have to bow to too many people. This is not an official rule but obviously, you cannot change into your wolf form here. Your scent is pretty strong, so all our vampires and half vampires would smell you immediately. Okay, I think, these are the rules that are the most important and that apply to you."

Both wolves nodded, showing that they had understood. As they were walking to their apartment, they passed some practice rooms, relaxing areas, practice areas that were outdoors, basketball fields and football fields. It reminded Jimin of a big resort that kind of looked like a huge private school.

         "Can I ask you a question, Jimin?" the half breed suddenly said.

         "Sure?" Jimin hesitated, not knowing what came next.

         "How–––– do you handle the feelings you have for Jungkookie? I––– really–––feeling that was–––– so different from the thirst I have for blood but also just as intense, if not even more. And it's so––– final and absolute" he tried but for the first time, the wolves had seen the half breed waver like that.

Thinking about Jungkook made Jimin smile immediately.

         "How I handle it? To be honest, I don't. It overwhelms me just as much as it does you. I guess my body is now used to always feeling drawn to Jungkook-ah because it's been more than a month that I have imprinted on him. The thing I am not yet used to is, when he sends me his emotions. I'm never prepared, when it happens and the stronger his feelings are, the more they overwhelm me. At the moment, I can mostly just feel negative emotions because they are usually stronger than other feelings. But I've also felt nervousness before and embarrassment which are not necessarily negative and I can feel how my side of the bond gets stronger every day."

Hoseok sighed.

         "Man, you're so lucky to have found your mate so early, seriously. I'm so jealous."

         "Is it not normal to find your mate around your age?" Namjoon asked, now sincerely looking curious.

         "Why do you want to know all these things?" Hoseok wanted to know.

         "Well, first of all, Jimin has imprinted on my partner. I've known him since he was nine years old and he's like a little brother to me, so naturally, I want to protect him. But I also just like to gain new knowledge. There is just so much written down about wolves that I have access to and hearing it first hand is a lot more interesting" Namjoon explained.

Jimin was just about to explain further but they arrived at an apartment building, it really just looked like a university dorm, and Namjoon elaborated that they were still living in the trainee building because they were a lot younger than all the other members of the teams, so it was better to put them with other witches around their age. They passed some witches, who looked at them confused but the half breed said that they were not used to him showing people around because that was not his job. Then, they arrived at their apartment and when they entered, Hoseok and Jimin gasped. The rooms were not that big but there were a lot of them: five and a living room, to be exact. It was also very modern, just like the rest of the academy, even though it was quite old from the outside.

         "It's supposed to be for five people, but I'm sure you don't mind the space, you can have a look around if you'd like."

And that was what the two wolves did. They went into each room and they were pretty much always the same: a bed that was a little bigger than a single bed, a desk, a wardrobe and a cupboard. But one of the rooms just appealed more to Jimin than the others, he did not know why. It was the one at the very back on the left.

         "I want this room" he stated, looking around, trying to find the reason why he wanted this particular room so much.

Namjoon chuckled all of a sudden, startling the other two.

         "This is really interesting."

         "What?" both wolves asked confused.

         "Jungkookie's room is on the other side of this wall. His bed is practically next to this one and he is probably in his room right now. You really are drawn to him" Namjoon explained fascinated, "speaking of which, I asked you whether it is early to imprint at your age."

Fascinated and a little speechless, the three went into the living room and sat down on the sofa.

         "Normally, a wolf only imprints when he's matured" Hoseok started.

         "But Jimin, I know Jungkookie told me that you're older than him" the half breed said confused.

         "Yes, I am 20 years old, international age. But I am still a teenager in wolf years. I become an adult in two years. Of course, this happens once in awhile, but generally, wolves only imprint, when they reach maturity. And well, now that I know that Jungkook-ah is a witch, I am actually even more surprised. There are no records of a wolf imprinting on a witch, so we always thought it was impossible. But apparently, it is possible. I just wonder, more like, I am terrified that this changes the order of things" Jimin continued and the last sentence made him frown.

The way Jungkook looked at him scared him. Although Jimin had felt that his mate was angry and confused, he did not show it at all and usually, Jungkook's expression reflected his feelings. Jimin was afraid that Jungkook hated him now, or at least did not accept him as his mate anymore and that was the most terrifying thought Jimin had ever had.

         "The order of things?" the half breed interrupted Jimin's train of thoughts.

         "Imprinting doesn't mean that the mate automatically falls in love with the wolf. In the beginning, the bond is only one way. In 99 percent of the cases, the mate eventually falls in love as well, but there are cases where it doesn't happen. Of course, the wolf can't leave his mate, so he has to watch his mate be happy with someone else, for the rest of his life. And–––" Jimin stopped, afraid that Jungkook might not want to be with him anymore, "now that Jungkook-ah has already found out that I'm a wolf, I'm not quite sure if he wants to be with me. He did not look very pleased."

Comfortingly, Hoseok closed the distance between him and his best friend, hugging him tightly, trying to take some of Jimin's worries away.

         "I wonder why witches and wolves haven't made up before. You aren't as bad as you are always portrayed to be. I already feel sympathy for you" Namjoon mumbled more to himself than to the wolves but they had heard it anyways.

Then, Namjoon cleared his throat and got up, looking determined.

         "You know, he really likes you, though. You must know, Jungkookie somehow developed a kind of resistance against my ability. He can usually keep me out of his head. But whenever he has very strong emotions or something is constantly on his mind, I can still see it. And I have seen your face before. In fact, I know where you work, how your father looks, that you like modern dance, that you get shy whenever a customer compliments the art you do on coffees and so much more. It's like I already know you. So he really thought a lot about you. The only problem right now is that he can be a stubborn little brat. He is hurt, obviously, because you lied to him, even though he lied to you too, but I don't think he can just forget about his feelings" the half breed tried to cheer Jimin up, "you just have to prove to him that wolves aren't the traitors that they are portrayed to be."

Hearing that, Jimin sighed. He really hoped that Namjoon was right because just thinking about being rejected by Jungkook made him want to cry. Suddenly, Namjoon's face lit up, as if he had an idea.

         "We should get to the register office now because I think that Hoseok should go and meet your beta. Don't you think they're worried by now?"

         "Shit, yes, you're right, I completely forgot about that!" Hoseok gasped, "but why should only I go?"

         "I just figured that Jimin wants to stay close to Jungkookie."

         "I do, in fact. You can explain the situation by yourself, Hoseok-ah" Jimin nodded.

         "Okay, then let's go" the half breed proposed and gave the two wolves a key for the apartment, before they left it.

After locking the door, Namjoon started walking but he suddenly stopped at the next door and pulled out another key, opening the door. Jimin remembered that Special Force owned the apartment next to them. Just opening the door, not actually entering, Namjoon started shouting.

         "Jungkookie, get ready, I want you to accompany me."

Instantly, Jimin jumped at the sudden volume of the half breed's voice but he also noticed that it was not just him who was startled by Namjoon. Anxiety and a weird mix of nervousness but also curiosity filled Jimin and he knew they were not his own emotions.

         "He's coming with us?" Jimin asked, suddenly nervous that he was already going to face his mate again.

Not that he did not want to see him, in fact, he was constantly missing his presence, but he was nervous because Jungkook might still be shaken by all the things that happened today. He also got hurt and Jimin was worried that it was not good for his body to move too much, after such an injury, even though Jin had healed him perfectly.

         "Hyung? I thought you were still with–––"Jungkook appeared at the door, looking a little tired but he squinted his eyes, when he saw the two wolves, "them."

         "I am, as you can see and the headmaster wants them to get registered. He pardoned them and they are moving in next door. I want you to accompany us to the register office" Namjoon explained.

         "They were pardoned?" Jungkook repeated and Jimin was glad to see at least a little bit of relief in his mate's face.

         "Yes, come now. No discussion here. You're going with us."

Jungkook sighed and closed the door behind him. Then, he started walking immediately, passing Jimin without looking at him. Disheartened, Jimin started following him and so did the other two. Jimin wanted to talk to him alone, to explain everything that had happened, but he wondered if he would ever get the chance to do that because Jungkook was ignoring him as hard as he could. 

Chapter Text

Amber eyes glaring down at him, a set of sharp teeth bared into his face, a heavy paw pressed against his chest, being growled at and to all of that an unbearable pain at the back of his head. That was what Jungkook remembered, before he lost consciousness. When he had regained his senses, he saw Jimin kneeling next to him, crying, devastated and for a second, Jungkook had thought he was dead and he was seeing the people he loved for the last time. But then, he realised that Jin was healing him and that Jimin was really there. And his appearance terrified Jungkook. It was Jimin, but then again, it was not because his amber eyes, the way too long eight canines that were showing due to him sobbing and the long nails confused Jungkook. Why did he look like that? Why was he crying? Jimin tried to approach him but Jungkook was so confused about what was happening, his head was still hurting and he was dizzy because of the effects of Jin healing him.

Jungkook only remembered what had happened, when he sat up and once again looked at the sobbing werewolf. He did not believe it. He could not believe it. Was Jimin really a werewolf? How was that possible? Why? Why was he one of them? Jungkook felt like crying but he pushed it back; he did not want to look weak in front of enemies. He remembered how Jimin wanted to get close to him but he did not want that. His instincts told him to get as far away as possible from something as dangerous as a werewolf.

         "Don't. Don't come near me" he had said and he saw how his words hurt Jimin.

It was something very painful to see the smaller one like that. On the one hand, Jungkook did not want to see him crying; he looked so sad it hurt Jungkook as well. But on the other hand, it was painful to see the person he liked with those scary eyes; the eyes he had nightmares of. 

Jungkook shivered at the sudden memories which came flashing back into his conscience. Shaking his head, he tried getting rid of them and sighed. Why was the world so cruel? He finally found someone he liked; it had felt so right, when they had kissed and just thinking back made Jungkook's heart beat faster. But now, every time  he thought about Jimin, those amber eyes appeared and the snarling face of the wolf that had pinned him down to the ground. Annoyed, not knowing what to think of feel anymore, Jungkook let himself fall back onto his back, burying his face in his pillow. Namjoon and the two wolves were still with the headmaster and Jungkook hated not to know what was going on. He knew that the wolves were sentenced to death for what they had done and thinking about that was horrible because he knew that it was his job to execute them. Jimin and his friend. Jimin. Jimin. The one he liked. Shit, Jungkook was actually in love with him, so how was he supposed to rip out his heart? Helplessly, the fire witch yelled into his pillow, trying to relieve stress and it actually helped a little. Suddenly, Jungkook heard Namjoon yell his name from back at the front door and immediately, he shot up. His partner was back, which meant that the meeting with the headmaster was over and Namjoon was here to tell them the result. Nervously, full of a mixed emotions, he got up, feeling a little dizzy because he still had not recovered fully, and walked up to the front door and spotted Namjoon still standing outside their dorm. 

         "Hyung? I thought you were still with––" Jungkook started and then looked passed his leader and noticed the two wolves standing behind Namjoon, Jimin staring at him worriedly, "them."

For a second, Jungkook was startled because Jimin had his normal black brown-ish eye colour again and his face was full of worry and nervousness; it was hard not trying to cheer him up. But whenever Jungkook did not know how to behave, he had a habit of shutting everything and everyone out, just showing a cold attitude towards everyone.

         "I am, as you can see and the headmaster wants them to get registered. He pardoned them and they are moving in next door. I want you to accompany us to the register office" Namjoon explained and gave him the look that told him not to disobey.

Relief filled Jungkook, knowing that he did not have to violently push his hand into Jimin's chest to rip out the others heart, feeling the last throbs of life fade in his hand.

         "They were pardoned?" Jungkook tried to say without showing how glad he actually was.

         "Yes, come now. No discussion here. You're going with us."

Sighing, Jungkook stepped out of the dorm and closed the door behind him, immediately walking ahead of the other three. He felt the stare of Jimin on his back, but he was not ready to face him. What was he supposed to feel? He hated werewolves to his bones, maybe even as much as he hated Cain's clan because of that day. But he also fell in love with Jimin, without knowing that he was a werewolf and now that he knew, he felt hurt. Why did he not notice? Why did Jimin not say anything? Okay, Jungkook knew that Jimin could not have had an idea about him being a witch because of his powerful suppressing spell. But still, Jungkook was conflicted about how to feel about the fact that Jimin was a werewolf. Plus, he had attacked him and if Jin had not been there, he might even have died. Suddenly, Jungkook felt Jimin's presence next to him and immediately, he tensed up. He was not ready to talk to him yet. But luckily, Jimin had somehow picked up on that because he did not talk, he just walked next to him, once in a while stealing a glance of Jungkook.

After 10 minutes of awkwardly walking next to each other, they arrived at the register office, where a naturally blonde, small girl was sitting behind the desk, peacefully humming some song. Hearing the guys come in, she looked up and her blue eyes immediately fell onto the two wolves, of course, she had no idea that they were wolves because they were in their human form.

         "Namjoon, Jungkook, you're back from your mission? It sounded so serious, when Yoongi suddenly had to leave. He also hasn't called or visited me. Is something wrong? Is he hurt?" she asked in English after she had taken her eyes off the wolves.

         "Calm down Anna. He's fine. Probably just a little angry and he doesn't want to bother you with it" Namjoon ensured her.

She chuckled a little, timidly throwing her long hair behind her shoulder.

         "I can see him doing that" she sighed, "but he should know how worried I am. Anyways, why are you guys here? And who are these two good-looking guys?" she asked cheerfully.

Jungkook smiled a little. She was such a nice person and the way she worried about her boyfriend was admirable. Yoongi and her had been together for almost two years now. He had met her, when he had accompanied Jin to the register office, back when Jin had just arrived at the academy. They fell for each other at first sight and ever since then, they were a very stable couple. She was a healer witch and in team 20, which was responsible for administrative things at the academy. Yoongi usually did not talk much about his love life but whenever he talked about her, his face lit up and he smiled like a little child.

         "He is probably aware of your worry but he can be stubborn, when he's angry, so don't take it too personally. Anyways. These are Jimin and Hoseok. They will be staying here from now on and they need to get their blood registered."

         "Yes, sure, just follow me––"

         "But Anna" Namjoon interrupted her, "please register them without looking at the analysis of the blood."

         "Why?" she asked confused.

         "Please. Just don't do it" Namjoon repeated, looking at her with that expression one could not disobey.

         "Okay, whatever you say, Namjoon" she said and opened the door that led behind the desk and into a small room with all sorts of equipment Jungkook had no idea what they were.

Only now, Jungkook noticed the distressed look on both of the wolves. They were looking around, sticking to one another, holding hands, looking scared. Seeing that, Jungkook could not stop himself from thinking that their behaviour did resemble a frightened wolf.

         "So... how is this going to work?" Hoseok was the first one to talk, his English was awkward but understandable, when Anna had told them to sit down on the padded bench.

         "Just like normal blood sample taking. It will be over in a matter of seconds" Anna explained and gently took hold of Jimin's arm.

However, he flinched and pulled back immediately, his eyes widening in fear, baring his teeth, which looked so unnatural because there were no canines in this form of him.

         "And–––how––does that work?" Jimin asked frightened, his English even more awkward and Jungkook tried to ignore how cute it sounded.

         "Haven't you ever had to do this?" Anna responded confused.

That was a good question. Did wolves differ in any way from humans, when it came to physical examinations? Did they ever go to hospitals in the human world? Suddenly, Jungkook realised that he knew nothing about werewolves.

         "They... were reborn, so they probably never went to a hospital in the human world and...they lived among the witches outside the city and you know how they are against human ways of medicine" Namjoon lied professionally and the two wolves just nodded dumbly.

         "I see. Well, obviously you feel scared. Let me explain what I will do, then. First, I will disinfect your finger. Afterwards, I will take a lancet and quickly prick your finger. It doesn't hurt, don't worry. I will then take a blood sample. Just a few drops are enough. I will heal the wound immediately, after I've taken your blood. Is that all alright with you?" she explained in detail.

Jimin and Hoseok both nodded again and both held out their hand obediently. It was weird to see their behaviour change so quickly. Anna smiled sweetly and took Jimin's hand again and this time, he stayed calm, letting her do her job. She quickly pricked his skin and took some blood from him but as she wanted to heal him, the wound had already healed again. Anna tilted her head in confusion and looked at Namjoon and Jungkook.

         "Is that the reason, I should not check their blood?"

         "Just continue. This is confidential and I trust you won't spread rumours" Namjoon said.

         "Of course, I won't."

That was not just new information for Anna. Jungkook also did not know about that ability of the wolves. Once again, he felt like he had no idea about what wolves actually were. Anna moved onto Hoseok and that was when Jungkook felt Jimin's gaze on him again. His eyes were full of guilt, it was unmistakable. He was about to say something, his mouth was already open but Jungkook was still not ready to be confronted. Tensing up, Jungkook turned around.

         "I'm gonna wait outside" Jungkook informed Namjoon and wanted to walk passed him but the leader grabbed his arm and stopped him.

         "Let him explain at least" Namjoon urged.

He was right. Jungkook knew he was right but he did not want to face him yet. Brushing off Namjoon's hand, Jungkook glared at him.

         "Leave me alone" he hissed and hurried outside, his breathing getting unsteady as he walked.

Closing the door behind him, he tried calming down, massaging his temples. He suddenly felt weak, getting a headache and he had to crouch down because he started feeling dizzy. The effects of his injury were showing and by thinking about Jimin and his amber eyes, his teeth, he automatically thought back to that day and he could not take it. He did not want to think about what happened back then. He just knew that wolves were not to be trusted. The way his brother looked as he tried to reason with them. He only started defending them, when they had morphed into their wolf form. He still did not know why they were attacked back then. His breathing got hectic and he suddenly felt cold, which never happened because usually, he was always warm thanks to his element.

         "Jungkook-ah, I––––" Jimin suddenly appeared behind him, his voice was nervous and hesitant but Jungkook did not notice it.

Standing up again, he tried to calm his nerves, even though he was about to have a panic attack.

         "Go away" Jungkook said quietly, not showing any feelings in his face.

         "Jungkook-ah, I know, you're upset but please, please let me explain" Jimin pleaded, getting a little closer to Jungkook but the latter was backing away in fear, his memories coming back to him as he looked at Jimin.

         "Just leave me alone. Live here, whatever, I don't care. Just–––" Jungkook was close to crying but he swallowed the tears as best as he could, "don't talk to me. I loathe your kind. You are animals that don't have any reason and attack us witches just because you can. I–––– Just––––"

Jungkook could not hold back the tears anymore and they just started flowing down his face; he did not make a sound, though, too afraid that he would start sobbing.

         "I'm sorry I hurt you. I acted on instinct––– I––– I thought you were going to kill Hoseok-ah, so I had to act. I had no idea it was you, I––– I should have known. I should have felt you but I was so scared for Hoseok-ah's and my life that–––– please, Jungkook-ah, you have to understand that I would never purposely hurt you. In fact, I can't do that. It––– affects me too" Jimin explained, tears flowing down his face as well.

         "I said. Leave. Me. Alone. I don't want to see you. So you better go out of my sight right now, or I will drag you into a practice room, just to be able to burn you" Jungkook spit angrily, which startled Jimin and he actually backed away.

This anger inside of Jungkook was not particularly directed at Jimin but at what he was in general. Right now, Jungkook could only see the wolf. The same kind that had weakened his brother. Jungkook suddenly felt even dizzier than before and he felt his consciousness slip away, now hyperventilating because a panic attack had started. If he had not been in this condition, he would have noticed how his feelings had reached Jimin by now and how he also started to breathe erratically, being overwhelmed by the mix of feelings he was receiving from Jungkook. Suddenly, the door to the register office opened and Namjoon came out, and as soon as Jungkook laid eyes on him, all his defensive instincts of him trying to look tough disappeared. Just at the right time, Namjoon arrived and could hold the trembling body of Jungkook, who now started sobbing. Protectively, the leader wrapped one arm around his waist, the other gently pushed the younger ones' head into his shoulder, his hand patting Jungkook's head comfortingly.

         "It's okay, calm down. It's in the past, Jungkookie. I'm here, you don't have to be afraid. You're safe now" Namjoon whispered into his ear.

Still sobbing, Jungkook wrapped his arms around the older one, squeezing him tightly, afraid that he might slip away, as memories were replaying in his head. He knew they were just memories but it still felt so real, as if he was reliving all those horrible things all over again.

         "It's not his fault. You know that. You're just projecting your fear on him, Jungkookie. He is not like them. Just as I am not like my father" Namjoon continued and slowly, Jungkook's breath started to get steady again.

         "Why, hyung, why did they do it? We did nothing wrong. We were just passing by, so why, why!" Jungkook cried helplessly. 

Meanwhile, Hoseok had also left the register office and saw how Jimin was kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down his face, just watching the two witches hug. Hoseok had no idea what had happened but his instincts urged him to take care of his friend. Instantly, he helped his friend up and hugged him as well, just a little differently than Namjoon was hugging Jungkook. His arms slid under Jimin's t-shirt, trying to get as much of skin-to-skin contact as possible, pressing them together almost violently, rubbing his chin against Jimin's neck and as always, it helped. Jimin's heartbeat slowed down, probably because Jungkook was calming down as well, and his small frame was leaning into Hoseok's embrace.

         "Maybe I should just––– go with Hoseok-ah. To our beta I mean––– I'm clearly––– not wanted here, so–––" Jimin said weakly, slowly letting go of his friend.

Jimin still felt the emotional turmoil Jungkook was going through and it killed him. He could not stand to be the reason of him suffering, even though he did not understand why Jungkook suddenly broke down like that. If leaving was making Jungkook feel better, Jimin would do it, even if that meant that he had to be apart from his mate. Jimin dared to look at the witches and seeing how weak Jungkook was, barely standing on his own two feet, being held up by the half breed, was making him feel even worse.

         "No, stay. It's just––– a long story, which is not mine to tell. Try talking to him, when he has calmed down. I will talk to him first. Just go back to your apartment for now. Do you still remember where it is?" Namjoon asked, still holding Jungkook.

Jimin nodded and he already wanted to go but then, he stopped.

         "Hoseok-ah, you should go meet Changmin-hyungnim now."

         "I'm not leaving you alone in this state" Hoseok insisted.

         "I'm fine. Jungkook-ah is calming down, I'm not feeling distressed anymore" Jimin said but Namjoon knew he was lying.

He felt an extreme amount of guilt and sadness coming from Jimin but also worry for Jungkook. Reading a werewolf's mind was completely different than reading a witch's or a vampire's thoughts. Normally, he saw pictures, but Jimin's feelings were so abstract and complicated, there were no pictures to them.

         "I also think it's better if you'll go to your beta now" Namjoon agreed.

         "But––– I don't even know where the exit is."

         "Go back inside and ask Anna to call Jin-hyung. He will bring you to the exit."

Looking back and forth between Namjoon and Jimin, Hoseok eventually sighed and did as he was told. Right after that, a very sad and hurt Jimin also left, which only left Namjoon and Jungkook, standing in front of the register office. Fortunately, it was not a busy time at the moment, otherwise, people would be in the corridor and Namjoon knew Jungkook would never want someone to see him like this.

         "Jungkookie, listen to me. I'm gonna bring you back to our dorm now, okay? There will be people on the way. Can you walk by yourself or should we wait another minute?" Namjoon asked softly, slowly letting go of the fire witch.

Jungkook had stopped crying by now and his breathing was steady as well. Slowly, he put his weight on his feet again and separated himself from his partner. Nodding, he let go of him, still not feeling all too well. He had finally been able to push back those painful memories but the sad feeling was still very present. With his head low, he followed Namjoon back to their dorm and luckily, there were not too many people on their way back. They entered their apartment and Namjoon told Jungkook to go straight back to his room to lie down. Taehyung, who had been sitting on the sofa, got up immediately, after he saw Jungkook's condition. The rest of Special Force had also been informed that the two wolves had been pardoned, so Taehyung did not have to ask where the other two had been. But Jungkook's condition alarmed the water witch.

         "Oh my god, what happened?" he asked worried.

Namjoon walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of water for Jungkook. Then, he sighed and leaned onto the kitchen counter.

         "He had a panic attack."

         "What? Why?" Taehyung was even more worried now, "it's been awhile since he last had one."

         "It's–– somehow, he started remembering his brother's death again. Plus, he's so shocked about Jimin being a werewolf."

         "Who's not, I mean, we had no idea. Shit and he also liked him so much. He must feel so hurt. And in addition to that, he also remembered–––Damn–––"

         "But I also feel bad for Jimin. He feels so guilty about what he did, it is overwhelming. It actually is a little scary how intense his emotions are."

         "Hey, if that's true, and I mean, if we're honest, Jimin is not a bad person and his friend does not seem that bad either, so if Jimin and Jungkook really like each other that much, they will find each other eventually."

         "If it was only that easy" Namjoon mumbled and then took the glass and walked to Jungkook's room, before Taehyung could ask him any more questions.

Softly knocking at Jungkook's door, he entered the room, spotting Jungkook on his bed, hidden under the covers.

         "Hey, how are you feeling?" Namjoon asked, sitting down on the bed, putting the glass on the table and pulled the covers down a little bit, so he could look at Jungkook.

He looked tired and his eyes were swollen from all the crying from before. But he seemed a lot better now.

         "I think I'm okay now. It had just hit me really hard because–––– it's not what I usually remember. It was–––" Jungkook struggled and Namjoon patted his head again, a habit of his, when he saw in how much pain Jungkook was.

         "Don't force yourself, Jungkookie."

         "No, I want to. Maybe, it'll help me to talk about it. I mean––– you know about it anyways, I've shown you before, you've probably seen it earlier, didn't you?" Jungkook said quietly, sitting up, hugging his legs, putting his head on his knees.

Namjoon leaned on the wall behind his bed, sighing.

         "I did. But as I said before, Jimin is nothing like those wolves who attacked you and your brother that day. He could never hurt you."

         "That's what he said as well, but he already hurt me. And every time I look at him, I see those scary eyes and those teeth and–––" Jungkook had to stop, it was too hard for him.

         "But that was because his and his friend's lives were threatened. If he had recognised you, he could not have hurt you. Trust me, he's not able to hurt you. You might not remember this, but when he realised that he had hurt you, he was so devastated, he was shaking and turned back into his half human form, even though that basically meant he gave up the fight. His feelings for you are remarkable. They will never change. Ever."

Jungkook was silent for a while and the two witches were sitting there in comfortable silence, until Jungkook finally decided to answer.

         "How can you be so sure? And I'm not sure, if I still want to be with him. I think he will always remind me of those wolves. Plus, witches and wolves are supposed to hate each other."

         "But you still like him."

It was not a question. Namjoon knew that Jungkook was in love with Jimin. That was why he felt so hurt and betrayed and that was why it was especially hard remembering those wolves and link them to the young wolf.

         "You didn't answer my question, hyung" Jungkook pointed out and Namjoon sighed again, purposely having avoided answering his partner's question.

         "I just know, okay? It's a long story and it is not mine to tell. Listen, just follow your heart. Don't force yourself to be with him, he will not leave, so take as much time as you need. But also don't be stubborn and shut him out. Okay?"

         "When am I ever stubborn?" Jungkook joked and Namjoon smiled, happy that the fire witch could laugh again.

         "How's your head?"

         "Still hurts a little but thanks to Jin-hyung and his miracle healing powers, I'm okay", he smirked.

Namjoon hated to bring up an awkward conversation again, but the wind witch was constantly getting feelings from Jimin, who was probably sitting on the other side of the wall. He was worried, anxious, still felt guilty and also sad, Namjoon could not ignore it. It was strange how much Namjoon already sympathised with the wolf.

         "Go talk to Jimin, okay? He really is sorry and he is literally shooting all sorts of feelings at me right now. And really do listen to him, okay? He kind of needs to explain a lot of things to you."

         "Do I have to?" Jungkook sighed, "I really don't want to face him. He knows my weak side."

         "Ohhhhhh, so it's about that too?" Namjoon laughed, "I get it now. He's making you feel weak, he had done so in the human world already, but now, he's doing it even more and you hate to show your weak side to anyone. Man up, Jungkookie, don't be stubborn and go talk to him. He's in their apartment next door. He's probably leaning at the very same wall right now."

Pouting at his leader, Jungkook sighed again but got up anyways. Deep down, he knew Namjoon was right. He should at least let Jimin explain himself. But he hated the thought of having an outsider at the academy that knew of his weak side. The part of him that was clumsy and shy and sometimes cute and immature. The only people at the academy that knew him like that was his team and knew that the headmaster obviously was aware of that side of him as well. But having someone else here was making Jungkook feel extremely vulnerable. He knew people did not like him because of his attitude and because they were jealous of his element. If they knew that he could be sensitive and was actually quite emotionally unstable, they would never take him seriously. Reluctantly, he dragged himself out of the room and as soon as he was passing the living room, he was met with Taehyung's worried eyes.

         "You okay?" he asked with his big puppy eyes.

         "Yeah, thank you for caring" Jungkook smiled.

         "Always, you know that."

Jungkook nodded and then left the apartment, standing in front of Jimin's door. He suddenly got nervous and just for that, he could already punch himself. Taking a deep breath, he calmed down his nerves and put on his poker face. Then, he knocked and within seconds, Jimin opened the door, welcoming him with a an apologetic expression. He opened his mouth to say something but Jungkook just pushed passed him, walking into his living room and sat down on the sofa.

         "Talk. I'll listen and then I'll go. That's what I'm offering you" Jungkook explained, his voice cold and he was proud of his acting.

Jimin gulped, slowly sitting down next to Jungkook. All his confidence that he had in the human world was gone. Even Jungkook could see how sorry he was but he had to look away, not wanting to risk remembering the past again.

         "I––uhm....." Jimin hesitated, trying to find his words, "so....I cannot even express how sorry I am that I hurt you and I don't know what I did before to make you so upset, but I want to apologise for that too. I––– I should have recognised you earlier. There is no excuse for that."

         "Why do you always say it like that? It sounds like it's your obligation to recognise me" Jungkook could not resist asking.

The way Jimin was talking about him was just a little bit strange. It sounded so absolute, it was scary, somehow. Jimin sighed heavily, folding his hands in his lap.

         "It's not supposed to happen like this, but we're special anyways, so I guess there is no other way to make you understand. How much do you know about wolves?"

         "Weren't you supposed to talk and not ask me questions?" Jungkook said coldly.

         "Jungkook-ah, please. In order for me to explain why I am like this, I need to know how much you know about us" Jimin explained sincerely.

If Jungkook was honest, he did not know exactly why he was still here. Jimin had apologised and Jungkook knew Jimin could not have told him that he was a wolf, so why was he still here? Sighing, he decided to just go with it.

         "To be honest. Barely anything. I––––"he stopped and for a second, his poker face fell off, trying to push back the memories that were just about to come back any moment, "I just hated wolves from the very beginning. I didn't want to get to know anything. Everything I have seen––– never mind."

         "Everything you have seen? Have you encountered wolves before? I thought we were the first ones for over a hundred years that have actually spoken and interacted with witches" Jimin was confused.

Jungkook cursed at himself internally. He should not have said anything. It was like the memories wanted to forcefully break free again. Somehow, Jimin picked up on Jungkook's mood change and suddenly looked worried.

         "Forget about what I said. I'm sorry if I have made you upset again. I'll just continue" Jimin apologised and Jungkook tried his best to suppress his memories, "wolves are the most loyal creatures this dimension has. We are loyal by nature. We can literally not disobey our superiors. And we are the same with our partners. Because we imprint on someone. That means that we create a special bond with someone that can never be destroyed. It is already decided on whom a wolf will imprint from the minute he is born but obviously, we don't know who it is. Sometimes, they are not even born yet. Imprinting is our most sacred tradition and all our other rules have exceptions for this. When we found our mate, we will know immediately because those feelings, the bond, will hit us and overwhelm us. It is so intense, it's actually scary. We also develop the ability to feel what our mate is feeling. It makes it easier for us to give them what they want and we can always find them like that. There are lots of more things that change but that's not important right now. The thing about this bond is, though, that it's only one way in the beginning. It's not like the mate is forced to be with us. But most of the times, the mate will also love the wolf and they will mate and be happy. But even if the mate chooses not to be with the wolf.... we can't stay away from our mates. It's physically not possible. The moment we see our mate, everything changes and we basically live to protect our mate's life. So even if the mate doesn't want to be with the wolf, we will watch them, only be friends or just watch them from the shadows. That's... very painful for us because we do want a romantic relationship with the mate but if it's the mate's wish, we can't really do anything about it."

When Jimin finished, he was looking at his hands that were still folded in his lap. That was a lot to take in. Jungkook could not image what it would feel like to be so - bound - to someone. And the feeling their mate's feelings was super creepy. He did not even want to think about what else there was to imprinting. It was something really strange.

         "And you told me this because?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

Jimin turned his head and looked at Jungkook with so much devotion, the fire witch understood.

         "No, you–––"

         "I did. That was why I was kneeling on the street, when we first met. You literally blew me away" Jimin suddenly smiled sincerely.

Jungkook did not know what to feel. What the hell. Now, he was supposed to be with him because of this stupid wolf magic thingy?

         "Wait, does that mean you always know what I'm feeling?" Jungkook widened his eyes at the thought of that, embarrassment making his cheeks blush.

         "Not always. The bond is not that strong yet, though it is exceptionally strong, for whatever reason. But don't feel embarrassed about it. It's natural. This way, I can protect you better" Jimin explained happily because for him, it was something very positive, how things were supposed to be.

But Jungkook got angry. Mostly because he felt exposed, but also because he had no say in this at all.

         "You've got to be kidding me. It's already enough to have Namjoon-hyung in my head but now you come along and decide that it's a great idea to read my feelings!?"

         "Why are you angry? I'm sorry you feel this way, please don't be angry. I would change it, if I could, but I can't" Jimin apologised immediately, which made Jungkook nearly feel sorry for him.

It was not Jimin's choice that he had imprinted, so Jungkook should not be this angry at him. But he just blamed his element for his anger right now.

         "Well, just so you know. I won't be with you because of that stupid wolf tradition or whatever. I choose my own fate and this is all really just creeping me out" he started out angry but, when he saw how much this was hurting Jimin, he calmed down.

         "It's okay. I actually predicted that you wouldn't want to be with me anymore" Jimin tried to smile to not make it hard on Jungkook but he could not pull it off.

Sometimes, Jungkook hated that he was a good person because of course, he had to feel bad. Sighing, he got up.

         "Look, I forgive you for nearly killing me. Obviously, you didn't do it on purpose. But I just can't be with you, okay? I won't force you to secretly watch me or something, I'm not a jerk. We can be.... friends. I just don't-----There's a reason I don't like wolves and honestly... It's hard for me to trust you, or just to look at you to be honest. So let's.... start slowly. Please don't hang around me all the time. I need my space. At least until... I got used to you being a werewolf" Jungkook explained and he only realised afterwards that he had nearly revealed one of his most painful secrets.

         "So you did encounter wolves before?–– I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask. I will do as you wish and I'm sorry I am bringing you pain by looking at me" Jimin responded sadly. 

         "I–––– I can't talk about it... I'm sorry––– it's too painful" Jungkook apologised.

He felt like he should explain why he was so afraid of wolves but just thinking about voicing it out made him shiver. Immediately, Jimin got up as well and instinctively took Jungkook's hand. The latter flinched at the sudden contact, pulling his hand away but strangely, he was just surprised, not as frightened as he had thought he would be. Jimin was making himself small, trying to show how sorry he was.

         "D––don't force yourself. Just know that I'm here. If you even need someone to talk to, I assure you, I can literally not tell your secrets to anyone, if you tell me not to. It's a wolf thing" Jimin tried to look cheerful but Jungkook knew better.

Jimin had said so himself. It was painful for him to not be with Jungkook. But right now, Jungkook had to think about himself, and not about anyone else.

         "I will keep that in mind" Jungkook smiled a little and then, he turned around and left the wolf's apartment, sighing heavily.

Surprisingly, this had been easier than Jungkook had expected but it also confused him. He still saw those wolves whenever he looked at Jimin but he also felt a little bad for him. Jimin had not chosen this life. Some weird fate or power just decided that he had to be Jungkook's protector from now on. But Jimin's presence also intrigued the young witch. He did not want someone that could sneak around his head. And if Jungkook was honest, Jimin was making him show his weak side and Jungkook did not like it. But he was here now, so Jungkook just had to show him his poker face that he showed everyone. With another big sigh, he went back to their apartment and in the meantime, Jin had returned and was sitting with Taehyung and Namjoon in the living room. The three turned around and looked at Jungkook expectantly.

         "So?" Taehyung asked curiously.

         "So what?"

         "How did it go?" Jin specified.

         "I let him explain. I forgave him for nearly killing me. I told him we can be friends but friends only."

         "Why? You like him so much!" Taehyung argued.

         "In the human world, maybe. But here, I can't risk to be seen as some stupid boy that is in love" Jungkook explained and that was true; he only left out the part where he was terrified of werewolves.

         "Jungkookie, don't be stubborn. You liked him from the very first time I saw you look at him" Jin said but Jungkook just rolled his eyes.

         "Well, he's not just that barista anymore, is he? He's a werewolf and they cannot be trusted. We don't have alliances with them yet. So at least until then, we have to be careful around them" Jungkook tried another way to make them leave him alone and that one worked.

Namjoon, on the other hand, just looked at his partner and shook his head.

         "Where's Yoongi-hyung?" Jungkook asked to avert attention from himself.

Taehyung grinned.

         "Where do you think? Obviously with Anna. I envy him. Just think about what they're doing right now. Oh wait, I'm the only straight one here" Taehyung laughed.

         "Well, that doesn't keep us from wishing to have some action, though" Namjoon mumbled glancing at Jin.

Usually, Jin would get annoyed and leave the room but for the first time, Jungkook saw a different reaction. It was a very small gesture and Taehyung had probably not even seen it. Jin tried to hide it but he smiled a little, when Namjoon stole a glance at him. Jungkook smirked satisfied and joined the other witches on the sofa. They continued talking and Jungkook was slowly forgetting about the rough day he had. It was quite strange to think that just some hours ago, he was happily dancing with Jimin, kissing him. But now, everything had changed and unknown times were near. No one knew what was coming next; they just had to wait and see what the wolves beta was going to do.

Chapter Text

It had been a week since Hoseok had left to get their beta and so far, they had not returned. In the meantime, Jimin had slowly been getting used to the academy. He got to know some of the trainees and they all seemed nice. Also, Jimin started talking to Taehyung more and he was glad that he was still friendly, even though there was always a little awkwardness because the alliance was yet so vague. Furthermore, Jimin obeyed the rules Namjoon had told him about and behaved as he should. Just as Jungkook wanted, Jimin gave him space, did not bother him. He only spoke to him a few times and just very quickly and Jungkook had seemed rather cold, which was painful for Jimin but he had to endure it. It was Jungkook's wish, so Jimin had to obey. Whenever Jungkook went back to the human world, so did Jimin. He had told his parents about what happened and of course, they were more than surprised to hear that their son's mate was a witch and Jimin's father said he was going to have an audience with their alpha but Jimin said that was not right. It was his beta's job to contact their alpha.

Slowly, it got more and more difficult for Jimin to stay away from Jungkook. Because he was spending more time with Jungkook, even though he just watched him and not really interacted with him, the bond was growing stronger. The wolf started to receive not only intense feelings but he also received little things. One time, Jungkook was sparring with Taehyung, Jungkook had allowed Jimin to stay and watch if he liked, and the fire witch was winning, so he felt proud and it instantly hit the wolf as well. On the one hand, he felt good about the bond getting stronger, it felt so natural, so right. But on the other hand, it also made it harder for the wolf to stay away.

Taehyung, Jin, Namjoon, Jungkook and Jimin were in the practice room. The witches were working out, while Jimin was sitting on the ground, watching them closely. He enjoyed watching Jungkook have fun and he was smiling the most, when he was with his team mates.

         "Jimin, why don't you join us?" Namjoon suddenly proposed, looking at him with a strange expression.

A little startled, Jimin looked up at him and then to Jungkook. A wave of uncertainty overcame the wolf and he knew it was coming from his mate.

         "Yes, that's a great idea! I always wondered how strong a wolf is!" Taehyung said excitedly.

Jimin did not quite know what to say. Truthfully, he wanted to spar with them. He had not had time to work out lately and it was natural for a wolf to challenge those he lived with but as long as Jungkook wanted him to not interfere with his life, he would not. But then, Jungkook sighed and gestured that Jimin should get up.

         "Why not. Join them" he said with that same expressionless look in his eyes as he had been giving Jimin all week.

Even though that look was painful, Jimin was hopeful. This was the first time Jungkook wanted to include him willingly. Immediately, Jimin got up.

         "I'm in my human form, though. I probably won't be very strong right now. However, I don't know, if you are aware of this, but enhancing your strength with you element doesn't work against a wolf" Jimin explained while he started stretching.

         "Are you serious? So, it's all about muscle strength, then?" Taehyung paraphrased fascinated.

         "Yeah" Jimin smiled a little.

         "Wow, okay, then I'll pass. No way I'm going to win against you. You're way too buff. How about you, Namjoon-hyung?"

         "Well...." Jimin interrupted, "I don't think it's a good idea for me to fight a half breed. It might... trigger my instincts because vampires are my natural enemy."

         "I am a healer, I don't fight" Jin said and just shook his head.

Then, all of their eyes fell onto Jungkook and Jimin was hit by a wave of uneasiness and nervousness. Jimin wanted to negate, tell them that it was fine, that he did not have to spar with them but he could not say anything, when he saw his mate step forward, taking a defensive position. Jungkook's feelings suddenly changed. He felt challenged and what Jimin had learnt so far was that Jungkook never refused a challenge.

         "You must know, I never start a fight. It's unfair to my opponent" Jungkook smirked confidently.

         "I guess, I'll have to make the first move––––"Jimin smirked as well, adapting to Jungkook's sudden playfulness, "yet again."

Jungkook's cheeks flushed, knowing exactly what Jimin was talking about but he did not let himself be affected this time.

         "As I recall, it was me who did the final step, did I not?"

The wolf was surprised that Jungkook was still feeling confident, not being uncomfortable, even though he was looking right at him and in all of the last week, Jungkook had never once really looked at Jimin, not even, when they were talking. It just felt so right to him, to finally speak with him like this and his desire for his mate just increased so much more. He could not stop himself from teasing his mate a little more.

         "So you do take the first step sometimes" Jimin provoked.

Suddenly, Jungkook shot forward, faster than Jimin had expected and he just barely backed away, smiling at the fact that Jungkook was actually sparring with him, letting Jimin in at least a little bit. With one swift move, Jungkook had turned around and tried to land a hit, but Jimin managed to get away again. This continued for a while and they looked like they were dancing, just without touching each other, however, never letting their eyes avert from one another. The three witches that were watching shared some silent chuckles, happy that some of the awkward tension between those two was finally lifting a little. Especially Namjoon was glad because it meant that Jungkook was slowly accepting his past and the attack on him and his brother. Suddenly, Jimin slipped, not used to his slow feet in his human form and he saw Jungkook's punch coming. He had no other choice than to block it and just in time, he stopped Jungkook's hand with his own, just inches away from his face. But the one that looked shocked was not him, but his mate.

         "How–––" he started and that was, when Jimin realised.

Jungkook had tried to land a punch that was element enhanced. the wolf had to hold back a chuckle, when confusion and embarrassment hit him.

         "I told you that it doesn't work."

         "I–––––how are you so strong!?" he whined and surprised all of them.

         "Jeon Jungkook. I haven't seen you like this in a while" Namjoon teased.

More embarrassment shot through him and he saw how Jungkook's eyes averted to Namjoon, glaring at him.

         "That's only because you don't see him in the human world. He's adorably clumsy there" Taehyung joined.

That was Jimin's chance. Jungkook was so distracted, he did not notice how Jimin launched forward, twisted his wrist and turned Jungkook around. The wolf pressed Jungkook's back against his chest, holding both of his hands behind his back with his left hand, while his right hand went up to Jungkook's throat, squeezing a little, causing a feeling of distress rush through him.

         "What are you doing?" Jungkook asked with a hoarse voice; it was hard to speak with Jimin's hand wrapped around his throat.

Jungkook's heart was racing all of a sudden, being so close to Jimin, his back pressed against the other's chest, his hands being forcefully held down, dangerously close to an area of Jimin's body that Jungkook was secretly dreaming of, even though he did not admit it, not even to himself. Jimin had to hide a smirk yet again, feeling the inner struggle of Jungkook. He was more than happy to feel that Jungkook still liked him, at least a little bit, otherwise, he would not react this way. That meant, there was still a chance for Jimin to be with his mate.

         "This is the way we wolves show dominance to one another, when we spar" Jimin whispered into Jungkook's ear, so close, his breath was ghosting over his mate's skin.

Jungkook shivered, his eyes daring to flutter close. But right at that moment, the door to the practice room opened and Jungkook remembered that they were not alone. Immediately, he broke free, pushing Jimin away and the latter did not stop him. Two guards of the headmaster's guard entered the room, followed by Yoongi and two men Jungkook did not know. Then, Hoseok came in next, as well as another man and this one Jungkook remembered. He was that employee that had walked in on him and Jimin in the dance studio.

         "Jiminnie!" Hoseok nearly screamed, he was so overjoyed to see his best friend again.

He ran over to him, jumping on him, wrapping his arms around Jimin's neck, rubbing his chin against Jimin's shoulder. The latter did the same, embracing his friend as tightly as he could.

         "I've missed you so much" Jimin mumbled, enjoying the familiar warmth.

         "I've missed you to, my dear brother" Hoseok said and all the witches just watched fascinated.

Somehow, there was so much intimacy between them, it really seemed that they were more than just brothers, though everyone in the room knew they were not. Watching them, Jungkook did not understand what he was feeling. Something in him turned and deep down he knew it was jealousy but he would never admit it; he was too stubborn. The man Jungkook had recognised before cleared his throat and the two wolves separated immediately, ducking their heads a little to appear smaller.

         "Hyungnim" Jimin started but the man walked up to him and patted his head a little, Jimin leaning into the touch and it really looked like a puppy enjoying affection of his father or something.

         "Jiminnie, it's good to see you alive and well" Changmin said but then quickly looked at Jungkook, who was standing next to them, tensing up, trying not to glare at the beta, "so it's true. He is a witch. This is very peculiar, I do have to admit."

         "Sir, it's nice to meet you. I'm Kim Namjoon, the leader of Special Force. But if it is appropriate, might I ask a question? Why are you here? The headmaster is surely expecting you" Namjoon introduced himself.

         "To ensure that one of my wolves who had stayed behind is still alive. I also want him to accompany me, just as Hoseok will" Changmin said coldly; he was tense, Jimin could feel it.

         "I'm afraid that won't be possible" one of the guards interrupted, "the headmaster gave orders to let in three wolves, including you. And you brought two wolves with you."

         "You expect me to meet your ruler in my human form and without proper protection? And I won't leave my wolves with some half breed" Changmin spit, "I only agreed to this because I want to get my wolf out of here."

The guard looked really offended and Changmin was already increasing his body temperature, probably wanting to change into half human form but that was when Jimin interfered and held back his beta.

         "Hyungnim, I don't know what Hoseok-ah told you, but I'm here because I want to. They did not force me to stay. You know why I am here. And Namjoon is really nice, please don't insult––––"

         "Shut up, Jiminnie. I know you can't stay away from your mate but we cannot trust them."

Jimin shivered at the sound of his voice. He wanted to talk back. For the first time, he really wanted to talk back. They had shown him nothing but kindness here. He did not only get an apartment next to his mate, he was also able to walk around as he pleased, be at his mate's side and no one had complained about him being here. If they wanted to hold him hostage, they surely could have differently. He felt sudden anger fill his mind and for a moment, he mistook it for his own, but it was Jungkook. Of course, he hated Changmin for saying that. Whatever it was that Jungkook was haunted by, the wolves he had met were definitely not nice to him and Changmin was not really nice either, right now. Jimin gulped but as anxiety also mingled with Jungkook's anger, Jimin was somehow able to stand straight, even though Changmin had shown his dominance.

         "Hyungnim. Listen to me, please. You're making the situation worse. Just–––"

         "How dare you speak, when I told you not to!"

         "Okay, gentlemen, let's just make a compromise here, shall we? You can take Jimin and Hoseok with you, as long as I can come with you as well" Namjoon interrupted them because he knew Changmin was about to change into half human form to scold Jimin.

But he knew Jungkook could not handle seeing an aggressive wolf right now, so he had to do something.  Yoongi was about to lose his temper as well, Namjoon could feel it, and that hardly ever happened. Taehyung and Jin were just standing a little bit further away, watching closely. Changmin squinted his eyes but calmed down.

         "Very well. Lead the way, vampire."

Namjoon nodded and quickly exchanged looks with everyone of Special Force, before he walked out of the room and the two guards, the two additional wolves and Hoseok, as well as Changmin started following him. Jimin, however, was hesitating. He could still feel the distress and anger of Jungkook and he did not want to leave his mate in this state.

         "Can't Jungkook-ah come too? I––– don't want to leave him alone" Jimin said sincerely making Changmin turn around.

Jungkook suddenly got nervous, taking a step further away from Changmin.

         "I'm fine, don't worry about me" Jungkook said but it was not really convincing.

         "Jungkook-ah, I know you're lying."

         "Just get your beta out of here" Jungkook mumbled, for the first time showing real emotions in his face.

He must have been terrified. Changmin was so hostile, of course, Jungkook was scared. Probably even more than more than he was letting on. Jimin nodded and followed the others, urging his beta to also leave the room.

The way up to the room Jimin and Hoseok had been a week ago was nearly as awkward as the first time. No one was talking and the atmosphere was tense. They were finally in the elevator, when the guards spoke.

         "The headmaster will be sitting on the sofa in the middle. As you are his personal guest, you do not have to bow. However, your wolves do. You're ought to join him on the sofa while the rest of us stay back."

Changmin nodded shortly and then, the door of the elevator opened and the witches exited it first. They lined up and bowed 90 degrees. Hoseok and Jimin already knew this procedure and to show the other two wolves that there was nothing to fear, they just lined up next to Namjoon and bowed as well.  Reluctantly, the other two wolves bowed as well.

         "Welcome. I am very pleased to see that you were willing to come all the way here to talk to me. I apologise that I could not come to you but my body is still recovering from my deep sleep" the headmaster greeted Changmin, "please, do join me."

Tense, Changmin sat down next to the headmaster, suspicious of his friendliness. The headmaster quickly turned to Hoseok and Jimin.

         "It's nice to see you two again. Jimin, I hope you have settled in nicely" the headmaster smiled.

Jimin wanted to answer but he saw the look on Changmin's face that told him to better not speak. Gulping, he just looked at the headmaster and smiled back weakly.

         "What is it that you want?" Changmin spoke coldly.

There was a long silence that was building up tension in the room, making the wolves grow impatient.

         "It's been too long since our two species have hated each other. Too long that we have not even seen each other's species for over a hundred years. Don't you think it's a shame?  A long time ago, we had a strong alliance, lived with each other at court of the witches. We both want the same thing: we want to protect humans. This old hate has made our species drift apart for far too long."

         "The hate you started by creating an alliance with our enemy" Changmin clarified hatefully.

         "You did not live at those times. No wolf that lives nowadays lived back then. Those were different times. And we should not forget that wolves have also betrayed us" the headmaster was calm.

         "After you betrayed us first" Changmin continued.

Suddenly, the headmaster glared at the wolf and his stare made shivers go down Jimin's back. The headmaster had looked so calm before but everyone in the room had noticed that he was angry now. However, he was not raising his voice. Instead, his powerful aura filled the room and all of the wolves felt intimidated.

         "Our betrayal was based on two people being in love. No wolf was killed because of it. But your betrayal, your decision to not help our precious queen in times of darkness killed not only our true ruler but also hundreds of royal witch bloodlines. Do not mistake our betrayals to be equally severe" the headmaster explained with such an intimidating calmness, no one dared to breathe.

         "How could you know?" Changmin glared back, not giving in.

The headmaster's guards started to get restless, grinding their teeth, one of them could not hold back a gasp, tensing up and so did Namjoon. Apparently, Changmin had said something that was very upsetting.

         "You are not aware of who you have before you" Namjoon said calmly.

All of the wolves turned to him, looking confused and then, turned back to the headmaster. By now, the headmaster had calmed down again.

         "My deepest apologies, I had thought you were aware. My name is Carlo Antonello Grimaldi."

The wolves' jaws dropped, hearing that name. Everyone in the other dimension knew his name. He was the first ever headmaster of the very first academy that was built. He was also a friend of the queen and he had been the teacher of the queen's daughter. But how was he still alive?

         "That is not possible" Changmin was suddenly not so confident as he was before.

         "How am I still alive, you must think. I have created a spell that lets me live longer but that is not important. Important is that we are ready to forgive, as long as the wolves are willing as well. I know you cannot decide on anything but I am urging you to deliver my words to your alpha. Please consider it. To show you how serious I am about this, I have let one of your wolves stay here at the academy, the city, because for some reason, he has imprinted on one of my most precious witches. I am sure Hoseok has told you that Jungkook is the fire witch you tried to find.  I care for him a great deal. Some will want him to have children, when he is older, continuing the line of fire witches we thought was extinct, but all I want for Jungkook is his happiness. I know how sacred imprinting is for your kind and Jimin is a very kind soul. I have watched him this past week and it is remarkable how he cares for Jungkook. So please, do deliver my words to your alpha. If possible, try to deliver my words to other packs as well."

The room was dead silent, the wolves amazed by the headmaster's words. While Jimin was just grateful, Hoseok was as well because his best friend was happy. The other three were speechless because of multiple reasons. Firstly, they would have never believed that the rumours of the old and first headmaster still ruling was true. But what also shocked them was how sincere the headmaster sounded. Changmin suddenly did not look hostile anymore, not quite friendly yet, but at least not hostile anymore.

         "I shall deliver your words, though I cannot promise anything. However, our alpha is kind-hearted, so I am positive that we will consider your offer. My pack and I will return to Korea and inform him of your efforts to renew the alliance" Changmin said and then turned to Jimin, "I would love for you to accompany us but I am well aware that you can't. Hopefully, we shall see each other again soon. We shall go now."

Changmin got up and even bowed a little, looking at the three remaining wolves, until his eyes stayed on Hoseok. He smiled a little and walked up to him and Jimin, patting both their heads and even hugged them quickly.

         "Of course, you can stay with your friend, Hoseok-ah. I don't want to leave him alone here either. Protect each other. Even if they are friendly, they are not your kind. Remember that. Always."

Both of them nodded and smiled at their beta, watching him leave the room with the two other wolves, accompanied by the two guards. Turning to the headmaster, they both wanted to leave as well but the headmaster got up to say something.

         "Namjoon. I have decided to make the two join Special Force. At least, in the eyes of the rest of the academy. They cannot really be members, as they do not officially belong to the academy but to avoid suspicions on why they are here, people shall think they are new members. Tell them all about your tasks and missions" the headmaster explained, turning to the wolves, "and if you are willing, I would happily allow you to really take part in their missions. I am sure you are two very capable wolves."

         "Thank you for your kindness, sir" Jimin said and bowed deeply, truly grateful for all the things the old man had done for him.

Afterwards, the remaining three also left and as soon as they got into the elevator, Hoseok clung to Jimin. The wolf had missed his best friend so much, taking in his scent was something crucial for them. Knowing what another wolf smelled like was very important, as they could find each other like that over a long way of distance.

They returned back to the practice room, where the rest of Special Force was still working out. As soon as they entered the room, the four witches turned around and all of them, even Jungkook, looked curious.

         "How did it go?" Taehyung asked.

         "Let's all sit. I have an announcement to make" Namjoon said and sat down in the middle of the room and the rest of the witches joined him, so Hoseok and Jimin sat down as well.

         "So?" Yoongi asked a little confused.

         "Their beta will deliver the message of peace. But what I wanted to tell you is that Jimin and Hoseok are ought to join Special Force. Orders of the headmaster himself."

         "What, why?" Yoongi spoke again, seemingly not pleased by those news.

         "To not cause suspicions. And I thought, to get to know each other better, we should all sit down and have a little chat. Ask things we are curious about. Is that an idea?" Namjoon proposed.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, everyone nodded. Even though Yoongi was not really happy about this development, he knew that this was his headmaster's order, so there was nothing to do about this.

         "So you live in packs? How is that? And you are also in the human world. Is every wolf like that? Is everyone so close like you are?" Taehyung asked curiously.

         "We live in packs yes. When the pack is as big as ours, there are sub-packs that each has two betas. Think of it as different suburbs of a big city. We feel uncomfortable, when we don't have someone of our own close to us. But a lot of us still have lives in the human world, either because our parents live there, or because we are drawn to the human world because of our mate" Jimin explained.

         "And no, not everyone is as close as Jiminnie and I, though, we usually look very close to other species in general. Jiminnie and I have known each other since we were born because of our fathers. Jiminnie's and I are in the same sub-pack and our fathers used to be the betas" Hoseok elaborated further.

         "Yeah, the way you two hug. I mean, Jungkookie and I often get mistaken as a couple because we are super close, but seriously, you were rubbing your chin into his shoulder" Taehyung laughed.

         "It's a gesture of affection for us. There will be things you will find strange that are very normal for us" Jimin smiled a little, noticing the curious look on Jungkook.

He tried to hide it, but Jimin felt how curious his mate was.

         "Such as?" Yoongi suddenly said. 

         "Not being embarrassed while having no clothes on. You'll see us hugging while being naked. It's normal for us. When we change back from wolf into either half human or human form, we are always naked, so we get used to it and don't feel embarrassed, even if it is someone that we don't know who is with us" Hoseok laughed.

         "That really is weird" Yoongi said.

         "What about healing? I've read that you have similar powers to vampires in that aspect" was Jin's first question.

         "We do heal a lot quicker than humans or witches do, but our healing powers only apply to flesh or bone wounds. If it's an illness or something, we don't heal quicker than you do.

         "I wonder how far my healing powers would go, when applied to your bodies."

         "How do your powers work anyways? I mean, there are texts about witch powers from back in the day, when we were still allies, so we do kinda know how you guys fight. Plus we also saw some witches fight vampires but I still don't quite understand everything" Hoseok responded, "like, I know that you have an element that you can use without using hand signs and everything. But what is it what you can actually do, other than that?"

The witches all looked at each other; there was a moment of silence, the question lingering in the room. Where to start? All of them had slowly learned all of the ways their powers worked, some of the things could not even be explained without being able to feel it oneself. Eventually, the witches looked at Namjoon, who was best, when it came to explaining things and he nodded, sighing, before he started.

         "Do you also know that our elements influence our personality?"

         "Yeah, water witches are easiest to notice. Always trying to get everyone's attention" Jimin chuckled but then looked at Taehyung, who looked offended, "no offense."

         "None taken" Taehyung suddenly grinned.

         "Of course, our element is not our only source of magic, but most of our power is within it. For example, a water witch is more powerful next to a source of water because then, the water witch does not have to create his or her own water and does not need to use that much magic. The same with rock and nature witches. Whenever they are in nature, they are more powerful and can also relax the most. It's a little bit trickier with wind and fire witches. Obviously, there is always air, thus, it does not enhance my power. But there are certain areas in the world, where the wind is especially strong and there, we are stronger. Wind is the most stable element and wind witches have the most stamina. And well. To be honest, I don't know much about fire witches. There are no records of their weaknesses, so Jungkookie is still testing what kind of setting fits his powers best."

The wolves nodded fascinated and Jimin could not stop himself from stealing a glance of his mate, who was blushing a little, feeling a little embarrassed but Jimin did not know why, though.

         "Then, there are our other powers. We have spells for a lot of things. Trivial stuff like repairing objects or easy spells for telekinesis and spells for combat. We either have words to cast it or hand signs. To a certain degree, we are also able to cast spells of another element but it is very exhausting for us" Namjoon continued and the wolves nodded again.

They could not do anything else, really. They never knew that witches were just as complicated as werewolves.

         "You demonstrated that we cannot enhance our strength with our element before. How about combat spells?" Jin asked and everyone looked at him, a little surprised that the one that usually did not fight at all was asking such a question, but then again, he always asked the right things.

Hoseok and Jimin looked at each other and shrugged simultaneously.

         "We actually don't know. We've never been attacked by witches, except you, of course" Hoseok elaborated.

Suddenly, a wave of curiosity and cheekiness rushed through Jimin and when he looked at Jungkook, he saw the challenged look on his face. Whenever Jungkook's mood was changing so fast, Jimin was just fascinated but also very unprepared, so that each time, he was surprised by the new feelings.

         "Let's test it" he grinned.

         "Oh, Jungkookie is out for revenge. Good luck, his combat spells are extremely powerful" Taehyung clapped his hands, anticipating what was going to happen next.

Still grinning, Jungkook was already getting up, looking at Jimin in a way, it was almost cheeky, which made Jimin's heart flutter. He knew it was not meant to be cheeky in any way, but he could not help wishing that Jungkook would look at him like that in a completely different situation. At that moment, the wolf suddenly realized how much he wanted Jungkook already. His heart kept racing and the way the witch moved in front of him, suddenly being so friendly with him, even though a week ago, he had told him that he was afraid of wolves and that he was reminded of something that happened in his past, whenever he looked at Jimin. But now, Jungkook was standing in front of him, smirking, waiting to interact with him, giving Jimin an excuse to stare at him as much as he wanted. Slowly, Jimin got up, appreciating the view. Jungkook looked good in everything. We was just wearing a simple white long-shirt and black sweatpants but he still looked so gorgeous in it.

         "If I were you, I would pay attention. He won't hold back this time" Taehyung advised, taking Jimin back into reality.

         "You were holding back before?" he asked Jungkook.

         "Yeah. I thought it was only fair because you don't have all of your strength either because you're in your human form" Jungkook said indifferently, but Jimin felt the slight nervousness coming from Jungkook.

Quickly, Jimin hid the smile that was daring to show at the corners of his lips. Again, Jungkook's nervousness gave him hope that there was still a chance for the two of them.

         "I'll start now" Jungkook announced, noticing that Jimin was not paying attention.

         "I thought you never start the fight?" Jimin teased on impulse, not being able to hold that back.

         "Oh, just shut up", Jungkook rolled his eyes but then he squared off, his eyes focused, however, his little smirk was still lingering on his lips.

The next moment, Jungkook was moving his hands quickly, so fast Jimin could not quite see what kind of signs he was doing but he was definitely using a complicated hand sign spell. Not really knowing what to expect, Jimin centred his bodyweight, so that he was able to stop any kind of attack. He felt a little vulnerable fighting against a technique he did not know without being in at least half human form but this was to find out more about witches and Jungkook. It also strengthened the trust of Special Force, if he cooperated. Within a mere second, Jungkook had finished and suddenly, his hand shot forward, pointing at Jimin. It looked like the witch wanted to choke him but he was way too far away. What was that spell supposed to do? Jimin tilted his head a little and stood straight again, leaving his defensive position.

         "Is something supposed to happen?" he asked confused and the witches just nodded fascinated, while Jungkook sighed annoyed.

         "So telekinesis doesn't work" Yoongi commented.

Jungkook squinted his eyes, immediately doing new hand signs and this time he was even faster. Jimin could not react fast enough; Jungkook was already done and it looked like he was punching the air but suddenly, Jimin felt a huge force hitting his stomach so hard, he felt like his insides were being squashed and the next thing he knew was that he was flying through the room and he could barely land on his feet. Instinctively, his body temperature increased and he already felt his strength coming back to him but then, he reminded himself that it was Jungkook who was in front of him and he was scared of wolves, so he could not show him his half human form. As much as all of him wanted to turn, as soon as his mind was focused on Jungkook's needs, he was able to cool down again. Looking up, Jimin was met by Jungkook grinning happily, Yoongi clapping amused, the other three witches being amazed and a very concerned looking Hoseok.

         "Attacking spells work just fine" Jungkook mused, "sorry, I used a strong one, just to be sure."

         "Yeah–––", the wolf groaned in pain, "I definitely felt that. Please try something less strong now, or I don't think I'll be able to last long without having to change."

Instantly, a wave of sadness and fear was rushing through Jimin and he was so surprised by it, his knees gave in. It was just as strong as before, when Changmin had entered the room.

         "Jiminnie, are you okay?" Hoseok asked worried, crouching down to his best friend.

The intense feelings of Jungkook wore off and Jimin managed to nod weakly, before he locked eyes with his mate, who did not look as confident as before. Instead, his poker face had fallen off and there was a mix of confusion and distress in his eyes.

         "I'm fine. It's just––– sometimes it just hits me without a warning" Jimin laughed a little and Hoseok understood immediately, helping his friend up.

But then, embarrassment, as well as anger shot through Jimin and he lost his footing yet again but this time, he was caught by Hoseok. The feeling only increased, when Jimin looked at his mate and realised that Jungkook had understood what it meant.

         "You––– stop feeling my feelings!" Jungkook shouted, blood rushing to his face, even to his ears.

         "He what?" Yoongi and Taehyung asked confused.

Only Namjoon, Jin, Jungkook and the two wolves, of course, knew about imprinting and what it meant; the other two witches had no idea what it was and had also forgotten about that already. Obviously, they were confused about Jungkook's words.

         "I'm sorry, but I can't control it. Your feelings are so intense, they hit me like a bomb and spread like wildfire and sometimes, I'm really not prepared for the intensity" Jimin tried to explain but the feeling of embarrassment just increased even more, making him blush as well.

         "What the hell?" Yoongi interrupted them again, "what is going on here?"

         "I can't believe it. This is so embarrassing" Jungkook hid his face behind his hands, though his red eyes were still visible.

         "Yeah, I know" Jimin sighed.

He hated that he made Jungkook uncomfortable. That was not what he wanted but he also felt content to be able to feel his mate's feelings so strongly now. It  meant that the bond was strengthening.

         "Can someone please tell us what's going on?" Taehyung asked, looking at those who were aware of the situation.

         "I'm just gonna go and don't you dare follow me. I want to calm down without someone knowing what I feel" Jungkook said annoyed and rushed out of the room.

Jimin watched him leave, wanting nothing more than to calm him down, embrace him, cuddle him, comfort him, touch him, kiss him and so much more. Realising where his mind was going, Jimin shook his head. Just thinking about doing more things to Jungkook made him feel hot, in fact, it made him feel so hot, it got uncomfortable to be in someone else's embrace, even though it was his best friend's. Quickly, he brushed off Hoseok's arms. Now that Jungkook was gone, the feelings were not as intense anymore. But he could still feel them, though. It was so distinct, he could find Jungkook by just following those feelings.

         "It's only fair that you'll know it too. Jimin, shall I elaborate or do you want to?" Namjoon finally said.

Jimin sighed. He turned to Yoongi and Taehyung and asked them to just listen, until he was done. Then, he explained imprinting, what it was and what it meant for him to be imprinted on Jungkook. However, he left out the part, where he had the slowly growing urge to claim his mate, ripping his clothes off, trailing his hands over all of Jungkook's body, kissing him everywhere, sinking his teeth into his shoulder, marking his mate as his, and his only; it meant to connect with him on both mental and physical level. Suddenly, Jimin heard Namjoon clear his throat, looking at him intensely.

         "Please, try to not think about these things, when I'm around" Namjoon smiled, as if he not just saw what Jimin had imagined.

This time, Jimin blushed because of his own embarrassment. He had totally forgotten that Namjoon could read thoughts and now, he had even seen the desire Jimin had for Namjoon's partner, or at least, he knew what feelings he had for Jungkook.

         "Had some dirty thoughts about Jungkookie, huh?" Taehyung teased, "man, but seriously. I can't even imagine how strongly you must feel about Jungkookie."

         "It's strange – weird even. I can understand why Jungkookie rejected you. I wouldn't want Anna to be in my head. Some things, you just want to keep to yourself. I mean, I remember how terrified I was on my first date with her. But of course, I pretended to be alright and relaxed. Sometimes, hiding one's true feelings is a good thing.  And I mean, Jungkookie is even more stubborn than all of us together. He would never show his weak side to anyone except us. But you just intrude his privacy" Yoongi argued, "and that bond is weird in general. Like what the fuck dude. It may be normal for your species, but we choose to love someone. It's not written in the stars."

         "Yoongi-hyung, watch your words, please. Imprinting is sacred for them, please respect that" Namjoon explained with a strict voice.

         "Jungkookie likes you a lot, though. He will come around" Taehyung said cheerfully and patted Jimin's shoulder comfortingly.

         "I hope you're right. It gets harder to not be close to him every day" Jimin smiled automatically, thinking about the possibility to really be with Jungkook.  

He really did hope Taehyung was right because it pained him to see his mate unhappy because of their bond. Why was something that made Jimin so happy making his mate feel so burdened and sad? Sometimes, the world decided to be cruel. But Jimin was determined to make the fire witch happy. It was his highest desire to see him smile and he would do everything to achieve this goal.

Chapter Text

Time passed and the two wolves slowly got used to their life at the academy. They had started decorating their apartment, making it a little bit more cosy. They only used two of the rooms, so they had closed off the three other rooms. They had brought some of their things from home such as Hoseok's favourite lamp or Jimin's fluffy rug. But all they had to do to make it cosy, as if it was their real home, was live there, so that the apartment smelled like them. Namjoon had screwed up his nose at the smell, being naturally repelled by a werewolf's smell but the wolves just laughed, not taking it as an insult because they did not really enjoy Namjoon's scent either.

Special Force befriended the wolves pretty smoothly. Making friends with Taehyung was not difficult. He had an open mind and he loved meeting and talking to people; he also liked Jimin before, so they naturally got along. Hoseok and Taehyung also got to know each other quickly, spending a lot of time together, when they found out they both had a passion for dancing to girl group songs, and they both loved to goof around, so they enjoyed each other's company greatly. Yoongi was a little difficult at the beginning but after two weeks, he slowly opened up, trying to get to know the wolves better and when he did, he actually turned out to be nice, even though he sometimes still glared at them. Namjoon was on their side from the very beginning and thanks to him, the atmosphere between the wolves and the witches was always calm. Even Jungkook started to not avoid the wolves anymore. In the beginning, he tried to ignore them as best as possible because he was always embarrassed when the thought about Jimin knowing what he was feeling. He constantly felt insecure, especially because he could not block Jimin out like he did with Namjoon. But after a week of desperately trying to not be in the same room as Jimin, Jungkook just gave up and started talking to him again. He was still very distant but it gave Jimin hope. Jin was a kind-hearted person in general, thus, he accepted the wolves without having prejudice; he was also very interested in the wolves' abilities and strength, being a curious nature witch, of course.

It was three weeks after they had officially joined Special Force, it was almost the end of June, and they were all in the practice room, some of them training, while others just watched. Taehyung loved to spar with Hoseok, testing how much strength was needed to really land a hit and after a while, he actually was able to land a good few punches. Not today, however, because today, Hoseok was stronger than usual. Yoongi and Jungkook were just doing some basic routine moves; they had joined the team in the practice room later, so they were still warming up, and Namjoon, Jin and Jimin were talking.

         "Hoseok-ah and I will leave tomorrow. We'll come back the next morning" Jimin explained and both of them nodded.

         "Do you know the area? Do you know where to get shelter?" Namjoon asked.

         "No, that's why we wanted to explore later today, if that's okay for you."

         "Sure, everything to make sure you're safe" Namjoon smiled and then turned around, "Jungkookie, come here for a second."

A little out of breath, he joined the three, followed by Yoongi, and looked at them curiously.

         "What's up hyung?"

         "I want you to show Jimin and Hoseok the woods. Tell them where to find shelter."

         "What? Why? I need to study, I don't have time" Jungkook complained annoyed, resting his hands on his sides.

Jimin caught Jungkook's slightly sweaty scent and he immediately tensed up, backing away a little. Not because he was disgusted; on the contrary, he was so compelled by the scent, he was so close to jump on Jungkook, pinning him down to the ground, claiming him right there, in front of everyone. Tomorrow was a full moon and he could feel it in every bone in his body. Even though the full moon was only tomorrow night, the influence was already terribly strong. As the full moon drew closer, Jimin's desire to be close to Jungkook got so much more stronger. Just the normal scent of his mate made his mind go crazy but now that he was sweating, it was even harder. Pictures of Jungkook panting, clawing his back, gasping, moaning, started to form in Jimin's mind. Namjoon cleared his throat, looking at Jimin, who was trying to not let his arousal show but Namjoon felt it just too clearly.

         "It's the full moon tomorrow and Jimin and Hoseok need to get away from the city. There are too many people here. Jungkookie, you know these woods the best out of all of us. If you show them, it will be a lot quicker" Jin explained.

         "But I have to study! I have finals in two weeks!" Jungkook insisted, annoyance disturbing Jimin's dirty thoughts, clearing his mind a little.

         "I––––" he started, trying to avoid eye contact with his mate, "I don't think that's a good idea anyways. As soon as we're in the woods... we would want to... change into our wolf form. It's been so long since we last were wolves and the full moon makes it even harder not to be in half human form, let alone our wolf form. It's––––I don't want to frighten you, Jungkookie."

Jin looked confused but Namjoon understood. He knew exactly what Jimin was feeling. The last three weeks, Namjoon had witnessed Jimin's bond grow stronger each day and with the full moon drawing closer, he also felt the wolf's desire get stronger. But still, Jimin had behaved, kept his distance from Jungkook because the latter wanted it this way. Namjoon was fascinated by his self-control. If it was him that had such intense feelings, he would not be able to hold himself back like that. As good as his self-control was, imprinting was so much stronger than anything Namjoon had seen before. All he wanted for those two was to be happy, especially because Namjoon knew that Jungkook liked the wolf too, he was just too stubborn to admit it. But he also knew that a part of the fire witch was still so much afraid of the species his fated one was. And right now, Jungkook tried not to shiver at the thought of Jimin and Hoseok morphing into the animal Jungkook was so terrified of.

         "Look how agitated he is. Hoseok-ah and I will explore by ourselves, it's fine, really" Jimin said, getting up, "and Jungkookie said he needs to study."

         "See, he doesn't want me to go with them, so can I continue practice now?"

         "Still, I think it would be a good idea if–––"

         "Please–––– I–––it's.... hard for me to control myself right now. It's really not a good idea to let Jungkook-ah come with us.. I don't know if–––" Jimin tried to explain but he did not want to scare his mate even more.

         "Maybe you're right" Namjoon said.

         "Namjoon–––but I really think––" Jin started but Namjoon just took his hand and shook his head a little and then, Jin sighed and nodded, smiling a little.

He thought no one had seen it but Jungkook did. In fact, he had noticed those little gestures between the two of them becoming more recent. They were only friendly with each other but Jungkook was aware of the secret glances that Jin stole, when Namjoon was not looking. And he was not the only one. The rest of Special Force saw it too, only Namjoon was blind.

         "Good, then it's settled. Jimin, you and Hoseok can leave, whenever you're ready" the leader said and Jimin nodded, getting up immediately.

He shared a moment of eye contact with Hoseok and he nodded, stopping practice with Taehyung, getting ready to leave. Then, they quickly said goodbye to everyone, apologising for their quick leave but that it was necessary. However, Jimin made the mistake of looking at Jungkook once more and the slightly confused look on his face, his head tilted, his eyes squinted a little, those lips slightly parted, it nearly drove Jimin insane.

         "Get me out of here, Hoseok-ah" he mumbled and in less than a second, Hoseok was by his side, showing him out of the room.

         "What's up with him, seriously? He's stranger than usual. I understand that the full moon is getting to him, but Hoseok seems fine" Jungkook furrowed his brows.

Jungkook did not want to practice anymore, so he sat down next to Namjoon, while Jin got up and started practicing with Yoongi. Namjoon watched him, smiling unconsciously.

         "Jimin has been very kind to you, Jungkookie. Leave him be. The full moon has a strong hold on him."

         "Sure, he's been kind. Nothing more than a friend, which is good because I don't want more. I'm still not used to him knowing what I feel. It's creepy. Creepier than you being in my head. You, I can at least shut out but him, I can't."

         "We both know, that's not the reason why it disturbs you more than my intruding. It bothers you because he can see all your insecurities. Yoongi-hyung was very right about that. You are very proud and because of so many reasons, you don't like others to see your weak side. But you have to give Jimin credit for his self-control, at least."

Jungkook blushed a little, feeling exposed.

         "What do you mean with his self-control? I told him to be friends and that's what we are and will be. I think he got the point."

         "I don't think you are quite aware of the power of imprinting, are you?" Namjoon asked, averting his eyes from Jin to Jungkook.

         "He told me he cannot leave me, whatever that means."

         "So he didn't even tell you. He really is too noble" Namjoon chuckled.

         "Tell me what?"

         "I don't know, if I should crush your bubble."

         "What bubble?" Jungkook urged, getting curious, "if you know more than me, then, tell me!"

         "You seem to believe that this isn't serious but it is. You have no idea how much he actually wants you. Especially now that it's the full moon. His feelings they are––– so intense that––– that boy has fantasies, god. I don't see clear pictures, but the desire he has for you. I cannot even describe it. Yet, he puts his own feelings aside for your happiness."

The fire witch's eyes widened at his leader's words. Of course, he trusted him but it was so hard for Jungkook to actually believe it. Even in the human world, Jimin never showed the desire that Namjoon described. He was composed most of the times, except that time in the dance studio. But Jungkook could not help but think about what Namjoon said, about that desire Jimin supposedly had for him and even if he did not want to admit it, he felt himself getting hotter, just thinking about it. Quickly, he shook his head to get rid of those feelings. He could not think about him that way anymore.

         "And how about your desire for our dearest healer in the group?" Jungkook tried to change the subject and of course, he succeeded.

         "What about it? You are very well aware that it's still there but Jin-hyung just wants to be friends and that's what I'll be, as long as he doesn't want more" Namjoon sighed.

         "Now look who's noble" Jungkook grinned, "I think it's funny that, when it comes to the one person you really like, you are actually quite blind, although you are normally very sharp."

         "Excuse me?" Namjoon chuckled.

         "Okay, I admit, Jin-hyung is very subtle with his glances but he stares at you all the time. Whenever you're not looking. Whatever changed his mind about you, he definitely looks at you differently" Jungkook elaborated, smirking.

This time, Namjoon's eyes widened.

         "Are you serious?"

         "I am. Just don't push your luck."

Jungkook laughed, patted Namjoon's back a little but then, got up.

         "I'm going to study now. See you all tomorrow, okay?" he said, smiling, grinning at Namjoon, nodding into Jin's direction, before he left the room.

         "Jungkookie, wait, I'm coming with you to the real world!" Taehyung yelled happily and also excused himself.

         "And so, only the hyung line remained" Anna suddenly said, entering the room.

Her golden hair was braided, hanging down her shoulders. The rose summer dress hugged her small figure perfectly and her angel smile always lightened up the room. Probably because she always conjured a smile onto Yoongi's face. He immediately walked over to her, his hands slipping around her waist naturally, trying to kiss her but she refused.

          "You're sweaty, my love" she reminded him but he pouted and tried again, yet she refused again.

         "You're killing me" he chuckled, letting her go, "why are you here? Don't you have to work?"

         "My shift was changed up, so I thought I could come watch you practice. It's been so long" she explained, greeting the other two witches.

Namjoon smiled back and as soon as he looked at the love sick rock witch, he saw pictures of the couple on a picnic, laughing, sharing chaste kisses.

         "Go ahead, practice was interrupted anyways. Have a fun day, you two."

         "Really? Don't you need to practice?" Anna asked concerned.

         "Stop being such an angel Anna. As you can see, only three of seven are here, so it doesn't matter anyways" Namjoon ensured her, "and it's rare to see such romantic feelings coming from Yoongi-hyung."

         "Okay, Anna, let's just go, before Namjoon-ah says something to embarrass me" Yoongi smiled and took her hand, kissing it softly.

Both of them excused themselves and, when they left, they both giggled, making the two remaining witches laugh as well. Only then, Namjoon realised that  he was alone with Jin, for the first time, ever since he and Jin started to get along again. All he wanted was to talk to him, show him how serious he was but there was also the desire for the nature witch, which he could just barely ignore.

         "You can do whatever you want as well. You don't have to stay" Namjoon said, offering Jin to go as well, but the latter shook his head.

         "No it's fine. In fact, I want to continue practice. I'm the weakest link in our team, well, I don't know about the wolves, but I am definitely the weakest out of us. I want to use this chance to train a little. I need help though. I am useless, when it comes combat."

         "Yes, sure, whatever you want, hyung" Namjoon agreed.

Jin smiled, so did Namjoon and then, they started fighting. Jin was hopeless, not able to hit Namjoon even once, although Namjoon was not really trying hard to move away. They fought, until Jin was out of breath and collapsed onto the ground; the wind witch joined him, lying down next to him.

         "I'm just not good at combat, I suppose" Jin laughed, holding his stomach.

         "Not good enough yet."

         "I hate hurting people. I don't think I'll ever be good at it. But I don't have to, when you all are beside me" he continued, suddenly turning his head to look at Namjoon. His eyes were somehow glowing, a smile hidden in the corners of Jin's lips, "I trust you to protect me, as I am protecting you, whenever you are hurt."

         "Why so cheesy suddenly?" Namjoon asked, staring at the beauty before him.

         "No specific reason" he chuckled and there was a faint blush ghosting over his cheeks. 

         "I really wonder what is going on in that pretty head of yours" the half breed sighed, breaking eye contact to look at Jin's lips.

         "It's just fair that you can't read everyone's thoughts. I can actually understand Jungkookie, when he says he doesn't want Jimin sneaking around in his head. I wouldn't want you to know everything as well."

Namjoon got wary after hearing that. Why did Jin not want him to read his mind, not that he was able to, but still? Namjoon did not want to get his hopes up but that blush across Jin's face, his hidden smile and  now those words. Curiously, Namjoon sat up, staring into Jin's soul, trying to find out what he was thinking. 

         "Why? Are you hiding something from me? You know, I'm your leader, we shouldn't have secrets."

The blush on Jin's face darkened and Namjoon could hear his heart beat faster, making it harder for him to stay sane. Jin's scent was all over the room and now, his heart was even racing.

         "Well... maybe... but if I did, I'd have the privilege to not tell you" Jin said, quieter than usual.

         "You're making this very hard for me right now" Namjoon suddenly blurted, no able to hold his thoughts back.

Jin's heart skipped a beat and he sat up as well, not looking at the half breed, however.

         "What do you mean?"

         "You know what I mean. You know that I have feelings for you. I know, Jungkookie told you. I am not trying to pressure you or complain that you're nice to me, trust me, I am grateful that you are, really. But please, don't send me false hope."

Namjoon looked at him seriously, trying to read the signs Jin was giving him. His heart was beating even faster and at an unsteady pace. Gulping, Namjoon reached out for Jin's hand and surprisingly, he did not pull it away. His hand was so soft and somehow fragile; the hand of a healer.

         "I––– I may have misjudged you" Jin mumbled, still looking to the ground.

Burning with desire, Namjoon tried to resist his urge to kiss the man before him. This time, he did not want to act rashly. Not just attack him. This time, he wanted him to say that he wanted him.

         "Tell me what you want, hyung. I'm not gonna force myself on you again. I will remain leader and your friend only, if that is what you want. If not, you'll have to tell me otherwise" Namjoon whispered and he could not help moving a little closer, squeezing Jin's hand.

The latter's heart skipped a beat and finally, he looked at Namjoon, his face was red and his lips were slightly parted. He was nervous; Namjoon did not have to read his mind to notice that.

         "I never told you why I suddenly grew so distant" Jin mumbled, avoiding Namjoon's demand.

The wind witch closed in a little more and their faces were close, their breath mingling between their faces.

         "I don't care about that. Just tell me what you want from me" Namjoon urged, a fire burning in his eyes that Jin could not ignore.

Jin lifted his free arm, caressing Namjoon's cheek, surprising him so much, his jaw dropped.

         "Just kiss me you bloody fool" Jin breathed against Namjoon's lips.

Immediately, Namjoon closed the distance between them, softly pressing his lips against Jin's. It was sweet and innocent for a moment but Namjoon could not hold back, when he felt how eager Jin was. The latter's hands wandered into Namjoon's hair, playing with strands of his hair, pulling him closer, breathing heavily against the half breed's lips. Namjoon licked along Jin's bottom lip and the latter opened his mouth just too easily, moaning, as Namjoon's tongue entered his mouth. Suddenly, within less than a second, Jin was pressed against the wall, Namjoon's hands all over him, roaming his body.

         "We should stop" Jin panted, yet he just pulled the half breed back into another heated kiss, pressing himself against the taller's body.

Namjoon groaned, when Jin grinded against him and for a second, his fangs dared to come out, but he knew how to push those urges away.

         "Then you shouldn't continue kissing me" Namjoon breathed against Jin's ear, making him shiver, biting his earlobe.

A whimpering moan escaped Jin's mouth and as Namjoon grinded against him, both of them felt the bulge in the other's pants. Namjoon's hands travelled down Jin's sides, wandering to his butt, gripping it tightly; Jin moaned again. But then, Namjoon suddenly backed away, letting Jin go, who almost fell to the ground because he had lost his strength. Confused, Jin looked at Namjoon and was about to let out a whine but then, Tablo entered the room with his two lieutenants. Jin sighed in relief, now understanding, why Namjoon had pulled away so suddenly. Both of the witches stood straight and bowed.

         "Hello, you two, where's the rest of Special Force? I hoped to meet the two new members of your team" Tablo greeted them, "you two look a little distraught. Is something wrong?"

         "No, Sir, everything's alright. Jungkookie had to study and Taehyung followed him into the real world. Jimin and Hoseok––– have to study as well and Anna visited earlier, so I allowed Yoongi-hyung to take her out, since practice was interrupted anyways" Namjoon explained, his heart still beating like crazy.

         "I see. This is too bad. Well, that is not the only reason I am here. We found out who the man in Henry Gondry's memories is. He's called Morgan Barner and he is supposedly a member of Cain's direct guard. Therefore, he is hard to be found. We also can't just take him in, as long as he did not do anything wrong. That is your new mission. Find Morgan Barner, tail him and find out how you can arrest him. We need the information in his head, so it's important to bring him in alive. Is everything clear?"

Jin and Namjoon nodded politely.

         "It might be a long term mission, depending on when you'll find him. I especially want you and Yoongi to work on this in the first phase. I don't want Jin and the rest to fail their studies, though as soon as you've found him, I want everyone of you to concentrate on the mission" Tablo clarified.

         "Of course, Sir" Namjoon nodded again and took the file that one of the lieutenants was holding.

Satisfied, Tablo smiled and whenever he smiled, he suddenly looked not so serious anymore because when he smiled, he looked like his daughter. Captains rarely had families, when they did, they mostly had a husband or a wife but it was even rarer to have children with such a dangerous job. But because Tablo had a daughter, he often brought her to the academy and everyone was always blown away by her cheerfulness. So whenever Tablo smiled, one had to think of his daughter. The two witches had to hold in a giggle, not trying to insult their superior, but as soon as he had left, they burst into laughter. Afterwards, the two witches started talking about the mission. It was a little awkward because they still had not defined what they were, but when they decided to go back to the apartment, Jin suddenly grabbed Namjoon's hand, entwining their fingers, squeezing his hand a little. Surprised, Namjoon looked at his shy love and was greeted with the sweetest smile he had ever seen. He could not help but smile too and lean in to kiss Jin's forehead.

The next day was hectic for all of them. While Yoongi and Namjoon started looking for Morgan Barner, the other three witches remained in the human world, as they all had finals coming up, so they really did have to study hard. The wolves were on edge but as they changed into their wolf form, they were much more relaxed. Running through the woods was something they had missed very much. Jumping around, tackling each other, jokingly attacking one another, but also hunting, sinking their teeth into an animal's flesh, tasting the fresh blood. Some might think it was barbaric but it was their way of surviving and it was technically not different than the hunting that witches and humans did. The only difference was that they were eating the prey raw. As the evening got closer, they got more aggressive, their fights getting more serious, slowly losing control on how much strength they were using. But Hoseok knew in his heart that it was better for Jimin to distract him with fighting because as soon as he had time for himself, the moon would tell him to seek Jungkook's closeness but it was too dangerous for him to be near his mate right now. Unfortunately, that desire grew, when the moon was on its peak. Unconsciously, Jimin was drawn to a portal, he did not even notice how he walked up to the portal, until he was suddenly tackled by Hoseok, who was snarling, standing in front of the gate, guarding it, so Jimin could not make the mistake of going to the human world in his wolf form. Jimin snarled as well, his desire blinding his reason and before he knew it, he attacked Hoseok, trying to get passed him, scratching him, trying to bite him. But the older wolf was guarding the portal relentlessly, even though he was getting hurt. Fortunately, Hoseok was more sane than Jimin, so he could overpower him and knock him out for the rest of the night. 

The next morning, the wolves woke up in a cave, back in their half human form. As soon as Jimin moved, he felt how sore his muscles were and there was a stinging pain near his ribs. Slowly, he sat up, looking down his body, noticing the huge bruise on his side, cursing at the pain. He tried to remember last night, but everything was a blur. The last thing he remembered was sparring with Hoseok. But it was nothing serious, so why was he injured like this?

         "Morning, sleepy head. Is your mind clear again?" Hoseok greeted , sitting a little further away, a bruised bite mark on his shoulder.

         "Yeah... What happened? Why aren't we healed yet? I don't remember fighting that severely" Jimin mumbled, checking for other wounds on his body, but luckily, there were none.

         "Well, of course you don't remember. If you did, it would mean that you did everything knowingly. You were quite out of it to be honest" Hoseok laughed, "if I hadn't stopped you, you would have entered the human world in your wolf form. Your bond with Jungkookie must be stronger than we had thought."

         "I did? It must have been a pretty serious fight, if we're still injured like this. And since when are you using Jungkook-ah's nickname?"

         "You were pretty eager to leave, so I had no choice but to knock you out but you made sure to injure me as well. Your wound has healed pretty well already. It was a rather serious flesh wound but it's only a bruise now. The bite obviously did not heal as well yet" Hoseok explained further, "and yes, I call Jungkookie by his nickname. He is still quite distant but I think we are getting closer and he doesn't mind."

A werewolf bite was the only thing that stopped quick healing, both that of vampires and of wolves, so it would take weeks for Hoseok's shoulder to heal completely.

         "I'm sorry about your shoulder. You know I–––"

         "Don't worry about it. This way, Jin-hyung can test whether his powers do anything against a werewolf bite.

They took the chance to change into wolf form once again, even though it was a little painful because of their wounds but they wanted to hunt again. Afterwards, they went back to the city. Fortunately, they had taken clothes with them, so they were not naked, yet, they still looked dirty, and there were some stares, not that they cared. They managed to get to their apartment without  attracting too much attention. The shower was soothing for Jimin, his bruise slowly disappearing, but it was not so soothing for Hoseok. He tried to cover his wound as best as possible but the water stung, nevertheless.

Meanwhile, Jungkook was at university, trying to concentrate on the lecture but he was unconsciously sketching things in his textbook. The conversation with Namjoon was still on his mind. Was Jimin's desire really that strong as Namjoon had told him? It was hard to believe, looking at how calm the wolf was around him. But thinking about it more closely, Jimin had been acting strangely the last few days. More distant than he usually was, as if he wanted the distance and not Jungkook. They said that the moon was making wolves stronger, so strong they could not control themselves anymore, which was also hard to believe, when Jungkook thought about how controlled both of the wolves always seemed. But that also made him think about his fear of wolves in general. Still, when he closed his eyes, thinking about werewolves, he saw those hostile, amber eyes, glaring at him, before they attacked his brother. Jungkook had always thought that all wolves were the same but looking at how nice and rather kind-hearted Hoseok and Jimin were, he wondered, whether he should generalise that much.

         "Stop drawing wolves and concentrate on the lecture, you idiot" the black haired girl that was also called Jimin whispered, poking him slightly.

Blinking, Jungkook shook his head and looked down at his textbook. There were all sorts of sketches of wolf faces and all of them looked hostile. Their eyes were terrifyingly accurate that it send shivers down Jungkook's spine.

After classes ended, Jungkook and Jimin went to the library, studying for their finals but Jungkook was distracted by his phone buzzing, reminding him that BTOB's concert was tomorrow. Sighing, he looked at notice.

         "Someone looks disappointed" Jimin giggled, "you've seen distracted lately, anyways. What's been going on with you?"

         "It's just that BTOB's comeback concert is tomorrow and I didn't manage to get tickets" Jungkook sighed.

         "Is that all?" she grinned.

Jungkook rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he hated the intuition of women. But maybe this was also a good thing. Maybe, talking about it with someone who had no idea would help Jungkook in some way. But she did not know that Jungkook was gay and he knew that South Korea was very conservative, so he was hesitant.

         "There–– might be someone–––" Jungkook started but Jimin interrupted him immediately.

         "What!? Who? Do I know her? What's her name? How did you meet? Tell me everything!"

         "Could you calm down? We're in a library!" Jungkook shushed her, "and––– well....I––– he's called Jimin. Park Jimin, ironically."

         "Oh" was the first thing she said but after a minute of silence, she put her hand on Jungkook's thigh, smiling at him "so what's he like?"

Jungkook sighed in relief, seeing that Jimin was fine with it.

         "Well.... He's nice and I know he likes me a lot but–––"

         "But?"

         "He reminds me of someone I hate. Someone I fear. Every time I see his face, I remember those men that–– what they did is not important. Anyways, he's good to me and we're friends because I already rejected him. It's just that somehow, I may like him a little. But he also frightens me" Jungkook tried to explain without telling her too much. 

         "Jungkookie, when you're already so concerned about this, then it's clear you like him more than 'just a little'" Jimin imitated his tone of voice, "plus, for whatever reason he may resemble those men, he sure is not one of them, so if you like him and he likes you, where's the problem? Especially, if he still hangs out with you, he must like really like you."

The fire witch sighed. In her perspective, it made sense but Jungkook was traumatized, so he could not just forget about those men. Still, he was a little more keen on letting the wolf get a little closer to him.

It was already late afternoon in South Korea, when Jungkook entered the other dimension and went back to the academy. When he got there, he quickly went to their dorm and changed his clothes, ready to go down to their practice room, when he heard someone rummage in Jin's room. Curiously, he opened the door and found Taehyung, looking for something.

         "What are you doing here?"

         "Jin-hyung told me to get some kind of red tonic but I can't find it."

         "What for?"

         "Jiminnie and Hoseok-ah came back today and well... apparently, the moon really does make them do crazy things. Just come along to the practice room. Jin-hyung and  Namjoon-hyung are there too."

Jungkook raised an eyebrow, not knowing what to expect but he decided to just follow. Taehyung found the tonic and immediately, the witches started their way back to the practice room.

         "And where's Yoongi-hyung?" Jungkook asked on the way.

         "He's following a lead. Tablo-hyungnim found out the name of the guy you drew. As soon as Yoongi-hyung has found him, all of us will be involved in the mission. The wolves too."

Nodding, Jungkook followed  Taehyung and as they entered the room, there were cries of pain.

         "That is not helping!" Hoseok yelled at Jin, who had his hand on the others bare shoulder.

Hoseok was sitting on one of the benches at the side of the room, topless, his muscular upper body exposed and when Jin took his hand away, Jungkook saw the bruised shoulder with a bite mark on it. Taehyung walked up to them, giving Jin the tonic but Hoseok tried to move away.

         "No more, please. I'm exhausted!" Hoseok whined. 

         "Don't worry, I am done trying. We just proved that there is nothing that can heal a wolf bite. This is only to relieve you from pain" Jin ensured and gave Hoseok the tonic.

Confused, Jungkook got closer and eyed the wound, immediately making him uncomfortable. It looked too similar to the wound that his brother had gotten that day.

         "What happened?" he asked quietly, his heartbeat increasing.

         "Oh, Jungkookie, don't worry. Things like this happen, sometimes. It's the full moon, we can't always keep control. It'll heal in no time" Hoseok said carefreely.

Jungkook's mood sank as soon as he heard that. Just when he was convinced that they were not like the wolves that had hurt his brother, something like this happened. Pictures of Jimin sinking his teeth into Hoseok's shoulder started forming in the fire witch's mind. Only then, Jungkook noticed Jimin sitting behind the other wolf, hugging him devotedly, rubbing his chin into his shoulder, but he suddenly had his eyes on Jungkook. Immediately, he looked even more apologetic. Somehow, that calmed Jungkook's growing anxiety. Knowing how bad Jimin felt gave him comfort. Jimin let go of Hoseok, walking over to Jungkook and the way he walked also showed how sorry he was.

         "I'm sorry you had to see this. This is not exactly showing you that wolves aren't violent" he sighed, his head lowered, making him look even smaller than he already was.

Strangely, he did not feel anxious anymore. He really did believe that Jimin felt bad. It did not erase the fact that he had hurt his friend but somehow, it did not scare Jungkook as much as he had thought it would.

         "It's––– fine, I guess. It's not like you did it on purpose, right?"

         "Of course, I didn't!" he said immediately, his head shot up to lock eyes with the fire witch, suddenly looking a lot happier than before, "I thought you would want me to leave you alone completely now."

         "Don't be ridiculous" Jungkook rolled his eyes, suddenly getting nervous for no apparent reason.

Maybe it was because of the sudden eye contact, maybe because he was surprised how fast Jimin's mood had changed. 

         "Before I forget" Namjoon interrupted, "is it okay for everyone to come to the practice room tomorrow? I'd like to discuss some things concerning our mission."

         "Uhm... well actually–––" Jimin started, "a friend of mine has a concert tomorrow and I haven't hung out with him in a long time, so––––"

         "Wait, you're telling me you have tickets for BTOB's concert!?" Jungkook yelled all of a sudden, startling Jimin but he instantly smiled and Jungkook remembered that Jimin was able to feel his jealousy.

         "I do. I don't know, if I can skip tomorrow's meeting, though."

         "Sure you can. We can do it in the evening, when it's already in the middle of the night in Korea. Would that work for you?" Namjoon proposed.

         "That would be great!" Jimin smiled excitedly, his eyes disappearing in that cute eye smile he had.

Jungkook would have blushed at that sight but he was to fixed on the fact that Jimin was going to BTOB's concert. Suddenly, Jimin looked at him again, his eyes sparkled a little and a smirk was lingering on his lips.

         "I could call Sungjae-yah, if he could give me one ticket more" Jimin offered and Jungkook's eyes widened.

         "You have his phone number!?"

         "He's my friend, of course, I have his phone number" he chuckled, amused by Jungkook's sudden change into a fanboy.

         "Well, if you don't mind. I would have bought tickets myself, but we were on a mission, when they went on sale."

Jimin nodded and took out his phone, scrolling down until he had found Sungjae's contact information. He was relieved that Jungkook was not more afraid of him, after he had seen Hoseok's wound and it made him even happier that he might be able to do something for Jungkook. The last few weeks, Jimin had finally managed to become at least friends with Jungkook but he was still distant and reserved, always making sure that they were never alone. But right now, Jungkook's eyes were glowing expectantly, anticipating the answer he would get after this phone call. Jimin knew it was not because Jungkook would technically go out with him but because he could meet his favourite band, but simply making his mate happy was enough for Jimin.

Jungkook watched as Jimin was waiting for Sungjae to answer the call and after a minute of waiting, he finally did.

         "Yaah, what took you so long? I'm finally calling you and then, you nearly stand me up. Wifey, I am hurt" Jimin joked dramatically and Jungkook was not used to this side of the wolf.

Laughing at his friend's response, Jimin flashed that eye smile again and this time, Jungkook could not help but smile at that handsome face.

         "I know, I know. I should call more often. But so do you, Sungjae-yah. To be honest, though, I am calling for a favour. Do you maybe have another ticket–––" Jimin started to explain but he stopped, suddenly listening carefully.

Jungkook was trying to listen to what Sungjae was saying but he could not hear anything. The suspense was killing him. It was so surreal to even think that Sungjae of BTOB was on the other line of that phone call.

         "Take care. And see you tomorrow. And thank you. Get a good night's sleep, I know it's late" Jimin suddenly said and then hung up, smiling brightly.

         "And?" Jungkook pressed immediately.

         "Apparently, he had already given me two tickets. I just wasn't aware" Jimin smiled yet again and so did Jungkook.

         "So I can come with you?" he asked gleefully.

Jimin nodded and Jungkook was so happy, his feelings flew right through the wolf as well, a warm stream of contentment pooling in his stomach, as he watched Jungkook. In all their joy, they did not notice the loving looks between Namjoon and Jin. Taehyung and Hoseok, on the other hand, did notice and just shared amused looks. They could have said something but they just enjoyed, how both of them pretended that nothing had happened between them, even though there clearly had.

The rest of the day went by like a dream, Jungkook was too fixed on the concert on the next day. He went to bed extra early and he woke up at 2pm Korean time, so he had more than enough time to get ready. After a long shower, he left the bathroom and got back to his room, where Taehyung was lying, spread across the entire bed, grinning at Jungkook, who was only wearing a towel.

         "Jesus, hyung, don't scare me like this!" Jungkook yelled, startled by Taehyung's sudden presence.

         "Hello, gorgeous. I might just turn gay for you" he joked, "but I would never have a chance. I'm not small with an eye smile and plump lips."

Shaking his head, the fire witch walked over to his wardrobe, opening and taking out some boxers to wear. He was not ashamed to change in front of Taehyung, as they were close friends and they grew up together. They had seen each other naked so many times that Jungkook had lost count.

         "What do you want, hyung?"

         "Are you excited for your date?" Taehyung grinned, eyeing Jungkook.

         "It's not a date!" Jungkook urged while looking through his closet to try and find something to wear.

         "It can be, if you let it" Taehyung argued, walking up to the younger and pushed him aside to look into Jungkook's closet.

         "I don't want it to be a date!" Jungkook rolled his eyes.

But in his heart, he was not so sure about it. Did he really not want it to be a date?

         "Be honest with yourself, Jungkookie. You enjoy Jiminnie's devotion to you. For some reason, you're telling yourself that you can't be with him. I don't know why, but you do. You still like him" Taehyung continued, pulling out a plain white long shirt and some light blue skinny ripped jeans, "this will work."

Taehyung threw the clothes at Jungkook and he rolled his eyes and just put them on without complaint. Jungkook sighed. Of course, Taehyung did not understand, why he could not trust Jimin because he did not know about what had happened that night.

         "Hyung. I do have a reason. I can't bear to even think about what wolves are capable of.... I–––" Jungkook started.

         "What? Why? Jungkookie, what on earth happened that made you be so scared of wolves like that? " Taehyung asked worriedly, taking the younger's hand.

         "They––– you know what happened to my brother. But he only died that night because one night before––– we.... were attacked by wolves and my brother got bitten. It's painful just to think about it and whenever I see those eyes, I–––"

Instantly, the water witch hugged the other, pulling him into his embrace and Jungkook sighed into the warmth of Taehyung. He did not cry, he was too excited for later and it was a relief to talk about it to someone else than just Namjoon; to get comforted by yet another one of his closest friends.

         "Oh, Jungkookie, I am so sorry. Now, it makes sense" Taehyung said, pulling away a little cupping Jungkook's face with both hands, connecting their foreheads, "but you don't need to be afraid of Jiminnie. He literally cannot hurt you, that's what imprinting is about, isn't it? Give him a chance to prove to you that he is gentle and nothing like those wolves."

Jungkook smiled a little, leaning into the comforting touch of the water witch.

         "Now go get ready. Even if you don't want this to be a date, you can still look good. Style your hair, I'll do your eyeliner."

         "No way, I'll let you do my eyeliner. Last time, my entire eye was black" Jungkook laughed, as he left the elder's embrace.

Taehyung still helped Jungkook getting ready and in the end, it took Jungkook longer than he would have had alone. It was already 4pm Korean time, when Jungkook was finally done. He left their dorm and Jimin was already waiting for him. He was leaning against the wall in front of the door, wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt that was cut low on the sides and he had tugged it into the grey ripped jeans he was wearing. He looked up and smiled immediately and it did not go unnoticed how his eyes scanned Jungkook from top to bottom, making him blush hard.

         "You look stunning" Jimin said, eyes meeting Jungkook's and the latter nearly blurted the same thing.

Fortunately, he managed to hold it back. He did not want to give Jimin any hope, when he was still not sure, if he could ever forget those wolves. But he could at least try. It was still strange to think that Jimin could sense his feelings but Jungkook could not ignore them any longer either. However, he would not make it easy for him. Somehow, he felt challenged all of a sudden.

         "Your mood changes are really fascinating" Jimin chuckled.

         "Can you stop that? I know you can't shut off this weird bond to me but can you at least not talk about it?" Jungkook pouted, as they were on their way to the portal room.

         "I'm sorry but sometimes, words just slip through my mouth and I really don't know why you feel challenged right now" Jimin explained.

         "Well, I guess, you'll never find out" Jungkook grinned.

Jimin was about to say something, but the younger entered the portal already and all the wolf could do was follow him into the human world. 

As soon as they had entered the human world, Jimin had to take a moment to focus. After a few seconds, he had calmed down his body heat, looking at Jungkook, who met his eyes with a confused expression.

         "Are you okay? You seemed…dizzy for a moment" the younger stated.

Blinking, Jimin stared at his mate, surprised because he did not expect Jungkook to even notice, let alone comment on it.

         "Oh, I’m fine. It’s just that using a portal in human form is a little exhausting and my body automatically wants to change into half human form. That’s why I always have to cool down first, after entering the human world, otherwise, my body temperature continues to increase and I will change" the wolf explained, smiling at the younger.

Jungkook nodded but did not say anything. He did not know what to say after something like that. Once again, the fire witch realized that he did not know much about wolves. For a while, they walked in silence, but for some weird reason, it was not uncomfortable at all. Jungkook had been afraid that, as soon as he would be alone with Jimin, it was bound to get uncomfortable because his conflicted feelings for the wolf. He had also been afraid that he would have been reminded of those wolves again but nothing happened. Instead, the younger felt rather calm, walking next to the smaller, without even having to say something. It was obviously just as comfortable for Jimin as it was for Jungkook, feeling what his mate was feeling. But he also felt comfortable himself, knowing that Jungkook was not feeling anxious being around him.

After a ten minute walk, they had used another portal than the one Jimin usually used, they arrived at the venue and there already was an endless line of fans. Luckily, Sungjae had given Jimin VIP tickets, so they could use another entrance. While the wolf was already used to the concert attitude and his special treatment, plus, the envious looks of the rest of the fans, Jungkook was just amazed by the atmosphere. Wide eyed, finally showing that curious, innocent and absolutely adorable smile again, he looked around.

         "Is this your first concert ever?" Jimin asked and Jungkook jumped a little, he was so surprised that Jimin had started to talk.

         "Yeah…. I never really had time to attend one. No wait, I once was undercover in a child background choir singer at some kind of classical concert but that doesn’t count" he chuckled, remembering one of the first undercover missions they had been assigned to, "I was so nervous. Not only did I have to sing in front of a huge audience but our target was the soloist. That was when I was still very shy. Nowadays, I really don’t mind standing in front of a lot of people."

A rush of slight embarrassment and shyness hit Jimin, yet, it was not awkward. It naturally made him smile because finally, Jungkook was starting to open up to him. He had shut the wolf out for a month now, but now, he was suddenly talking about himself, his past.

         "When was that?" Jimin asked, while they were entering the venue.

         "I was thirteen at the time. Nearly fourteen, though."

         "So young!?" the wolf gasped, "don’t undercover mission usually mean that you have to kill someone?"

         "Most of the time. But I didn’t kill my first vampire until I was fourteen. Up until then, Namjoon-hyung had killed our targets. Now, it’s my job" Jungkook explained completely unfazed, sitting down on his seat.

         "Wait, you’re telling me, you’re killing vampires regularly?"

         "Yeah, I even lost count of how many I’ve killed. I stopped at 50."

         "50!?" Jimin yelled in disbelief.

         "Hyung, you are aware that we’re Special Force, right? That’s what we do. I also do public execution. It’s no big deal" Jungkook shrugged.

         "You––– wow. Well, I guess that's to be expected of a member of Special Force, just as you said" Jimin mumbled.

         "Have you killed before?" Jungkook continued to Jimin's surprise.

For a moment, Jimin hesitated. Of course, he had killed before. There were quite a number of vampire attacks on his pack and naturally, he also killed some, as soon as he was old enough. But did he want to tell Jungkook that he could be very violent if he wanted to? Would that not scare him? On the other hand, the wolf did not want to lie to his mate, so he decided to tell him anyways.

         "Yes, I have. Not that many though. And––– we're hunting animals, so if that counts."

         "Oh–––" the taller said in a strange voice and a little uneasiness brushed over Jimin's back, "I didn't know that. So you really hunt in the woods and like.... eat it raw? How can you even eat that?"

         "Yeah, we eat it. And yes, it's tasty. Our taste changes as well, when we morph into our wolf form. The hunt comes with our instincts, so we even enjoy it. But it's not like it's an urge. We only hunt for food, thus, right now, there is no need for Hoseok-ah and me to hunt because we are eating in our human form. Though, we do have hunting games back at the base of our pack. It's quite a spectacle" Jimin explained, looking at the younger with wary eyes.

Fortunately, the latter did not seem disturbed by the new information.

         "What other instincts do you have?

         "Why so curious all of a sudden? Not that I mind; to be honest, I like it a lot, but still" Jimin smiled and suddenly, there was a blush creeping up both of their cheeks.

         "Well....If I am stuck with you for the rest of my life, I might as well get to know you better" Jungkook explained and pretended to not be affected at all.

In truth, he was, though. The conversation with his friend from university and also the one with Taehyung were still on his mind and maybe he should just start understanding Jimin better. Maybe then, his fear would slowly disappear.

         "Mhhh... Let me think... Our most natural instinct is to survive and to save our loved ones. As I have already said, we wolves probably are the most loyal creature there is. And this is extended on our mate. As soon as we imprint, our loyalty shifts to that one – you, in my case–––" Jimin waited for Jungkook's reaction, trying to figure out, whether he should stop, but for once, Jungkook looked sincerely curious, "if it was a choice between your and my life, I would always choose yours because––"

         "Because it's fate, or some weird shit?" Jungkook joked, not realising how serious this matter was.

         "Because I don't want to live without you Jungkook-ah" Jimin finished his sentence, trying to convey how important this was, "I know, you don't want to hear this. You're probably annoyed now, but I can't help it, when you suddenly seem so interested in my species – in me" Jimin looked down, feeling how uncomfortable Jungkook was.

But he did not expect his answer.

         "It was me who asked, so I guess, I can't complain" he chuckled shyly, "but I just can't understand, how this all works. Like for real. You saw me and then, all of a sudden, your life changes forever?"

Jimin's heartbeat increased and this time, it was not because of Jungkook's feelings but because of his own. He could not help but smile at his mate's curiosity. He wanted to answer, but then, the lights turned off and the intro of BTOB's first song started. Immediately, Jungkook's attention shifted to the stage, completely compelled by what was about to happen, his eyes sparkling in anticipation. The wolf chuckled and also concentrated on the stage. The comeback of his friend's groups was amazing and they had clearly worked hard for it but Jimin's eyes involuntarily switched back onto his mate, who just could not take his eyes off the band. Excitement, joy and admiration filled Jimin's body, making him feel warm and happy and that perfectly cheerful smile on Jungkook's face was just so satisfying, Jimin would remember this moment forever. This was the first time, he had made his mate this happy, ever since they had met.

During the entire concert, Jungkook was so indulged with the music, singing along with the songs he knew and was fascinated with the new ones and as he was singing, the smaller just stared and listened to him. It was pretty loud, so he could not hear him clearly, but he noticed that his mate was really good at singing. After two hours of pure bliss for both of them, the concert was finally over, but the positive feel still lingered in the air.

         "That was amazing!" Jungkook said excitedly, his eyes still sparkling, "thank you so much for taking me with you!"

Jimin smiled brightly, his eyes disappearing into little creases. The taller was sending so many positive feelings, the wolf was not used to it at all. Everything in him suddenly told him to close the distance between him and Jungkook. It was itching in his fingers to grab his mate's hand and pull him into his arms, running his hands down Jungkook's back. He wanted to connect with his mate so badly, his hands started shaking. But he knew he could not just give in to his desire. Instead, he got up, Jungkook was completely oblivious to the inner struggle of Jimin, and gestured that the younger should follow him.

         "Where are we going?" he asked curiously, his innocence suddenly showing.

         "Do you really think, I'm coming here without seeing my friend?" Jimin grinned, waiting for a reaction.

         "Are you telling me, we're going backstage?!" he yelled, his deer-like eyes widening even more.

         "If you stop yelling, so people won't hear us, you dummy" Jimin chuckled and Jungkook blushed.

Jimin led Jungkook through the venue to one of the backstage doors and luckily, the bodyguard that was guarding the door already knew Jimin, so he did not have to explain himself. The bodyguard did look at Jungkook suspiciously, but he let them in regardless of his doubts. Behind the door, it was super busy. People were passing the two boys in a hurry, sometimes walking into them. While Jimin was already used to this, Jungkook was fascinated by every little thing, curiousness oozing out of him. Finally, they had arrived at the dressing room and suddenly, Jimin felt nervousness creeping up his spine, so he turned around and saw Jungkook, who was standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Smiling, the wolf faced his mate, instinctively laying his hand on the other's shoulder, earning a surprised look. He wanted to tell him not to be nervous, comforting him, but he knew that Jungkook did not like to be confronted with the fact that Jimin could feel the younger's emotion like that, so he decided to calm him down with teasing.

         "Two hours ago, we talked about how many vampires you've killed and that it's no big deal for you, but something like this makes you nervous?" he smirked.

Jungkook's squinted his eyes, accepting that challenge and straightened his back. Jimin just chuckled and knocked on the door. It only took Sungjae about three seconds to open the door.

         "Jiminnie!" Sungjae greeted him excitedly, hugging him briefly, then, his eyes felt on the boy behind his friend, "oh! Who is this kid?"

         "Yah, Sungjae-yah, are you already ignoring me?" Jimin joked, "this is Jeon Jungkook. He's such a fan of you guys, so I brought him along."

Jungkook bowed politely, his heart racing because he still could not believe that this was really happening.

         "Really, and here I thought you finally found a girlfriend" Sungjae grinned, walking over to Jungkook, "I'm kidding. Nice to meet you Jungkook. C'mon in, we're just in the way of the staff out here."

Entering the room, Jungkook saw how they were all getting their makeup removed, sweat getting wiped off, Ilhoon was currently changing his clothes, looking a little bewildered, when he noticed the two boys.

         "Yaah, Sungjae-yah, you could have told us that Jiminnie is coming!" Ilhoon scolded and as soon as he had put on a t-shirt, he walked over to Jimin and hugged him.

The next thing was even more surreal for the fire witch. Everyone of BTOB greeted Jimin, treating him like a brother and the latter also was also extremely comfortable around them, but as soon as they were done, they surrounded Jungkook, greeted him as well bombarding him with questions, calling him cute and adorable and normally, Jungkook hated it, but not today. On the contrary, he received the compliments just too willingly, blushing hard, getting his hair ruffled up. But then, he caught a glimpse of Jimin, who had been rather quiet all this time and for the first time, Jungkook saw that the other might really like him a lot. He did not have to be able to read Jimin's feelings to see how jealous the wolf was. It was clearly written on his face. Grinding his teeth, his hands clenched into fists, his whole body tensed up, Jimin watched the scene. Yet, he did not say anything and just let Jungkook enjoy this moment with the idols and that was when Jungkook realised. He wanted Jimin to stop them. Not because he did not enjoy all the attention of his favourite band but because he wanted Jimin to finally do something without getting permission from him. But that would never happen. The wolf had clearly told Jungkook that he would do everything that Jungkook told him to and the latter had told him not to bother him, so it was kind of his own fault. On the other hand, he was also glad about this because he still was not sure what he wanted Jimin to be.

The meeting was short, BTOB had to go already, but both Jimin and Jungkook had enjoyed it a lot. The witch was still in a daze, when they had left the venue and were already on their way back to the portal.

         "Did you enjoy the concert?" Jimin asked, once again, smiling that pretty eye smile.

         "Is that even a question? I loved it and I even got to meet them, it's so surreal, I still can't believe it!"

         "I'm glad you had fun."

Suddenly, they locked eyes and there was something in Jungkook, Jimin could not really decipher what it was, but somehow, he just could not hold back all of his desire, so he tried getting closer to his mate and surprisingly, Jungkook did not back away, when Jimin's shoulder touched his.

         "Can I ask you something?" the taller suddenly asked out of the blue, sending uncertainty through Jimin's body.

         "Sure, always. Go ahead."

         "You said the bond grows stronger. What does that mean? Am I to expect you jumping me or something?" Jungkook was sincerely curious but he did not want to look like he wanted Jimin to just kiss him.

Jimin burst into laughter, holding his stomach and Jungkook was just walking next to him, looking confused.

         "Well.... don't worry, I can control myself. It's not like I would give in to my desires that easily" Jimin explained, not even noticing that he just admitted to have a strong desire for his mate, "in the beginning, I was only able to feel negative and very strong emotions, but now, I can pretty much feel everything. I know that you're confused, why I suddenly laughed so hard, that you were uncertain before asking me this question. And right now, you feel exposed but there's also a little embarrassment, I don't know why, though."

         "It's really creepy that you know all that. And sorry that I feel embarrassed, when you're basically telling me that you want me" Jungkook mumbled.

         "I did?" Jimin realised, "I did! I'm really sorry, I didn't plan on telling you. It kind of just–––slipped. I'm sorry."

         "It's not like you're showing it, though" Jungkook laughed, trying to make the atmosphere a little less awkward.

          "I try not to. As long as it's not the full moon, I'm fine with suppressing it."

As their eyes met once again, both of their hearts were suddenly racing, blood rushing to both of their cheeks. Somehow, Jungkook felt challenged by Jimin's last sentence. The wolf was not the only one that had desires. Jungkook's eyes averted to the wolf's plump lips, which did not go unnoticed by the latter. The witch told himself that it was just his element that made him change his mood so fast.

         "So, you're holding back, right now?" Jungkook asked, still staring at the other's lips.

Pictures of that day in the dance studio started coming back to him; pictures of how they had kissed. How it had started innocently but it instantly grew intense.

         "You have no idea, how much" Jimin said and it was nothing more than a whisper but it sent shivers down the younger's spine.

Gulping, Jungkook looked up and locked eyes with Jimin again and that was when he snapped. The witch shot forward, pressing his lips on the smaller's for just a brief moment. When he pulled back, he thought, he had gotten back to his senses, but he had just stolen Jimin's. Immediately, Jimin closed the distance between them, pushing Jungkook on the wall of the alleyway, in which they were, kissing him demandingly. Jungkook was surprised, shocked even, but he did not try to pull back. On the contrary, he buried his hands in Jimin's silky hair, pulling him closer, while the wolf nibbled on his bottom lip, just getting entrance for his tongue. Groaning, he explored his mate's mouth, finally tasting him again. All his self-control had left him, when Jungkook had decided to kiss him and there was no way that he could just pull back again. Especially not after his mate had moaned into the kiss, welcoming the wolf's tongue into his mouth. But then, Jimin suddenly felt hot – hotter that he was supposed to feel. There was this new feeling coming from Jungkook that he had not felt before. It was stronger than anything. It was arousal. Jungkook was aroused and because Jimin himself was already lost, it only made him feel hotter. Then, he realised. He felt himself turning and this was not good. Quickly, he pulled back, letting go of the younger completely, putting some distance between them, trying to calm his way to fast beating heart. Jungkook was just as out of it as Jimin was, panting hard, a little dizzy because of the lack of oxygen, also feeling hotter than usual but not because of the same reason the wolf did.

         "Desire, indeed" Jungkook mumbled, clearing his throat, "well, anyways––– that was all I wanted to ask."

         "All you wanted to ask?" Jimin laughed a little, not really knowing how this had happened but he knew that Jungkook had started it, "that's all you're going to say about this?"

         "A kiss is nothing to me. I have done far more things with people I've killed later on. What am I supposed to say? Yes, I enjoyed it. No, it won't happen again" he said, trying to make it look like he was not affected but Jimin knew better.

He felt that his mate had enjoyed it just as much, he had felt arousal coming from Jungkook for the first time. But he was much more interested in what Jungkook meant with that sentence. He knew it was not his business, but he had to ask.

         "What do you mean by 'far more things'?

But Jungkook did not answer. Instead, he just started walking again. A little confused, Jimin followed him but he knew he would not get an answer tonight, so he just stayed quiet, entering the other dimension without even saying a word to Jungkook. The latter did not speak either because he was afraid that his voice would shake. It was true that he had done worse things with their targets, but this felt completely different; so much better, so much more intense because Jungkook knew that there were feelings involved and that scared the shit out of him. He was not supposed to feel this strongly about someone. Even when he had not known that Jimin was a werewolf, he did not expect to ever have such feelings for someone. In fact, he told himself that he must not. Especially not for someone who he was so afraid of, who could bring back memories that gave him panic attacks.  As soon as they were back at the academy, Jungkook fled into their dorm and right into his room. He saw how the rest of his team gave him a questioning look, how Namjoon tried to hide a smirk but Jungkook ignored it all and just shut his door behind him, let himself fall on his bed. Closing his eyes, he put his hand on his heart and waited much too long, until it finally calmed down.

Chapter Text

Jungkook woke up drenched in sweat, with pictures of those wolves in his mind again. Amber eyes staring at him. Snarling. Growling. Howling. Hostility. The sound of bones being broken. His brother's pained screams. Once again, he had had a nightmare about that day. Exhausted, he sat up and looked around, noticing that he was still in his clothes from last night, the lights were still on and when he looked at the time, he saw that it was 8am. He had slept way too long. Groaning because his head was hurting, he got out of bed, stretching, before he exited his room to get some medicine from the kitchen. Sighing, Jungkook took out the painkillers and poured himself a glass of water.

         "Rise and shine" Namjoon surprised the fire witch, also pouring himself a glass of  water, "how was last night?"

         "My mind is pretty unstable right now, so I'm guessing you already know?" Jungkook sighed, taking the medicine, massaging his temples, knowing that his defences were down.

         "A nightmare again?"

Jungkook nodded slightly, leaning against the kitchen counter.

         "But last night was fun. The concert was–––" the younger started but then, he looked at Namjoon, who was topless and looked kind of worn out.

Jungkook knew this look. His messy bed hair, the red scratch marks on his arms, his lips that were a little swollen and that satisfied grin on his face just made it way too obvious. He had had sex last night. And good sex judging from his expression. The fire witch rolled his eyes and smirked, glad that he did not have to talk about the concert and especially what had happened after that because right now, he did not want to think about Jimin. He was too afraid that he would tie him to those horrible nightmares. 

         "Do I know him? Is he still here? I'm surprised I didn't wake up by that guy's moans, or did you have a quiet one for once?"

Namjoon's grin got even wider, it even looked a little proud but he was also extremely content.

         "Oh, yeah. You know him and yes, he's still here because he lives here."

         "Don't shit me!" Jungkook yelled but Namjoon muffled him with his hand, until the younger had calmed down, "Jin-hyung? Really? When the hell did that happen!?"

         "Does it matter, when it happened?" Namjoon grinned, also leaning against the kitchen counter.

         "Duh, yes, it matters" Jungkook rolled his eyes.

         "Well––– The day before the full moon, we kind of had a talk and cleared up everything. I guess we're a couple now" the wind witch smiled to himself.

The fire witch could not really believe it yet. Jin had understood that he had misjudged Namjoon but Jungkook had never thought that they would solve it this quickly.

         "And he just jumped right into bed with you? So much for his morals" Jungkook laughed, emptying the glass of water, ruffling up his hair.

         "We didn't have sex."

         "You didn't!? Who are you and what have you done to my partner" the fire witch giggled and Namjoon joined in.

         "I know, it's rare for me but he didn't want to go all the way and  to be honest, it's good that we stopped where we stopped. I just can't control myself around him. I mean, I can but––– you know, it's a lot harder than usual. But enough about me. How was the concert?"

Instantly, Jungkook's thoughts went back to the concert. Or to be more precise, to the moment in that alleyway, where the witch had kissed Jimin. So many things were going through Jungkook's head, he did not notice the knowing grin on Namjoon's face.

         "He's a very good kisser, I reckon?" the half breed chuckled.

The younger's head shot up, his face red, only now realising that Namjoon was in his head once again. There was a time where the fire witch had been able to shut him out completely but ever since Jungkook had met Jimin, the wind witch was always in his head.

         "Yes, he is. But that's all" Jungkook tried to deny.

         "We both know that's a lie, Jungkookie."

         "I've kissed people I killed afterwards. It's no big deal."

         "But it's not just a kiss, is it?" Namjoon argued, "this is about so much more than just a kiss. Your mind is a mess. It's more open to me than normally because the painkillers are kicking in but your thoughts aren't making any sense."

Upon hearing that his mind was not safe anymore, the younger put the glass that he was still holding down and wanted to leave without saying anything but the half breed stopped him. Defensively, Jungkook pulled his arm away. He did not want to talk about what he was feeling. He could not talk about it; his fear of remembering that day was too big.

         "Leave me alone, hyung."

However, the wind witch did no such thing. Instead, he followed Jungkook into the younger's room and even though Jungkook glared at him, the older made him sit down.

         "You have to make up your mind, Jungkookie. I'm not saying that you have to decide now. But as long as you're not sure about whether to be with him or not, you shouldn't give him hope."

         "I didn't give him hope" Jungkook pouted, crossing his arms like a child that wanted to defend its stance.

         "You kissed him first, of course you gave him hope" the half breed said in a stricter tone, "don't try to deny it. That poor boy is sitting on the other side of this wall and he is so full of devotion for you" he sighed and took Jungkook's hand, "I know you're afraid of the past, of the memories that haunt you, but don't you think it's time to finally get passed that fear?"

The younger looked down to his hand that was resting in the elder's, trying to avoid Namjoon's eyes. All sorts of feelings were flowing through him. Fear, because he was scared to take on the challenge of overcoming his trauma. Anger, because Jungkook hated it, when other people were right, and embarrassment, because he knew that Namjoon, and probably Jimin too, could feel what he did at this moment. Furthermore, his head was hazy from the painkillers.

         "I don't think I can, hyung" he whispered softly, "I–––I'm scared. If I really start something with Jimin, I'll constantly be reminded of those wolves and–––"

Jungkook squeezed his partner's hand, trying to hold onto reality, while pictures of hostile amber eyes started resurfacing.

         "Then let him help you. Don't shut him out. Let him show you that he's different. I know I've said this before but he adores you. He'll do anything to help you overcome that fear inside your heart. At least try. And if you don't, then really stay in the friend-zone with him. Don't torture him."

Pouting, the fire witch looked at his partner. He felt as if he was being scolded, even though he knew that Namjoon just tried to help both of them. He always did that. But right now, Jungkook felt like he had to defend himself. He did not want to admit that he definitely felt something for Jimin but that he was too scared to face it. Of course, he was aware that his partner knew but he did not want to voice it out.

         "I'm not torturing him" he denied, slowly making the half breed angry.

         "Jeon Jungkook, don't play the maknae right now! You know what, I'm tired of you behaving like a little child. Jimin needs a tour around the academy. Hoseok already had one with Taehyungie and I'm ordering you to show him around. Go get dressed and knock on his door" the wind witch said strictly.

Jungkook already opened his mouth to protest but Namjoon gave him his rare authoritative look that he only had, when he was completely serious. Annoyed, Jungkook sighed and got up.

         "Fine."

         "Good boy" Namjoon chuckled and ruffled up Jungkook's hair, earning another glare from the younger.

After Namjoon had left the room, Jungkook quickly had a shower and put on black sweatpants and a black t-shirt, as well as black trainers. Whenever he walked around the academy, he always wore black just to look more intimidating. All of the witches in training feared him because he had a very short temper with them. He liked playing the superior, even though he was not much older, if he was older at all. The witches that were already in the teams just generally did not like him because of that attitude.

Reluctantly, the fire witch left their apartment and walked the few steps to the wolves' apartment right next to theirs. He rolled his eyes and halted his fist right before it reached the door. Why did he always have to do these things. Grumbling, he knocked on the wolves' door, hoping that they might still be asleep or that they had gone to the human world or had just spontaneously disappeared. But after only a few seconds, a big eyed Jimin opened the door, looking at the younger curiously. However, Jungkook did not expect Jimin to open the door like that. The wolf was standing there in only his underwear – his tight underwear, which, frankly, did not leave anything up for imagination. The younger gulped.

         "Jungkook-ah" the wolf chirped, "what's up?"

But Jungkook was a little bit distracted; he did not really listen. Instead, his eyes wandered over Jimin's body. He started at the bottom, looking at the wolf's strong legs, travelling up to the very tight fitting underwear that was just frustrating. The younger just barely managed not to bite his lip at the sight. His eyes went up further, tracing every muscle of Jimin's torso, staying at the collarbones for a while but eventually, the fire witch looked at the smaller's face, noticing the tiny smirk on his face. That was when Jungkook realised: Jimin knew that Jungkook liked what he saw. Quickly, he cleared his throat and pulled his gaze away from the wolf.

         "Get dressed and follow me."

         "What are we going to––––"

         "Just get dressed, god damn!" Jungkook snapped, glaring at the shorter one, interrupting him rudely.

Jimin nodded obediently and disappeared for a minute, giving Jungkook time to calm down. Why did he have to be almost completely naked? Breathing steadily, the fire witch tried getting that picture out of his head but it was already burnt into his mind. There was another hazy memory of the first time he had met Jimin in the other dimension, where the wolf was crying next to him but the fire witch did not want to think about that because it ultimately showed him Jimin with those hostile amber eyes, which he was so terrified of.

         "Are going to tell me where you're taking me?" Jimin ripped him back into reality, when he closed the door behind him, now wearing grey sweatpants and a rather tight blue t-shirt.

         "Namjoon-hyung wants me to show you the academy. I don't know why he couldn't do that himself or why he hasn't done it in the last month you've been here but now, he ordered me to do it, so I have to do it" Jungkook said a little bit too annoyed, when he started walking.

         "I see" Jimin nodded and walked up next to the younger, looking rather bright today, "I'm glad that he chose you. I was concerned that you'd distance yourself again after last night."

Jungkook snorted at that. Of course, he had to bring that up. The younger tried not to think about last night but he could not help but blush at the thought.

         "This is an order from my captain. It's not that I have volunteered to do this" he said emotionlessly but he was aware that Jimin could feel his inner struggle.

         "Are we really not going to talk about it?"

         "So these are as you might have guessed the dorms" the younger ignored Jimin's question and started the tour and put on an act of being a neutral tour guide.

That was not a big challenge for him. He was an excellent actor and he could be completely emotionless, if he wanted to be – from the outside at least.

         "I don't know where you've been before, so I'll just do a complete tour. This will take a while and some places I'll just tell you where they are because I'm actually too lazy to go there."

For a second, it looked like the wolf was about to interrupt him and a part of Jungkook really wanted him to. But before a word actually spilled from those plump lips, Jimin sighed and continued following Jungkook in silence.

         "You already know the way to the Training building because our practice room is there, so I'll take you the other way around."

The two of them walked through the dorm, passing some of the witches in training. They were laughing cheerfully, until they noticed Jungkook. Quickly, they shut their mouths and eyed the fire witch, whispering to each other; then, they looked at Jimin with curious eyes, whispering even more. And this happened more than just once. Jimin felt the growing anger within Jungkook but contrary to what the wolf had expected, the younger stayed silent. They walked through a long corridor, until the two arrived in a rather cosy looking room that looked like a reception somehow. There were a few people sitting on the sofas that were situated next to the windows, which showed the huge garden in the middle of the academy.

         "This is the northern entrance of our hospital. Here, you can ask about visiting patients. I call our hospital 'the nature witches' castle. They adore this house. Ironically, the nature gardens are on the other side of the academy. There is a tower at the other side of the building, where one can look at the stone gardens that are the most western point of the academy. Team 14 are the doctors and nurses at the hospital. They care about us very deeply and they are geniuses to be honest but I barely ever come here because I trust my life is safe with Jin-hyung as our healer" Jungkook explained in the neutral tour guide tone.

However, Jimin could not help but think that the younger just looked very cute, talking about his home. Although the wolf knew his mate for a while now, he did not know much about him. He did want to ask him about his family, what kinds of things he liked but he feared to be too pushy. Instead, he decided to just listen to Jungkook talk; how his beautiful voice made everything sound so wonderful. The younger let them through another corridor and Jimin believed that they were now in the main building again. Here, there were not that many people anymore. In fact, it was extremely quiet. In front of a rather large door, Jungkook halted.

         "This door leads to the research facilities. In there, there is the entrance to our underground prison and our investigation rooms, as well as the private execution room. There is a big laboratory for Team 6 that is responsible for spell research. All of our tracking devices are in that area too. Only members of Team 6 and under can enter this part of the academy because things in there are very valuable."

Looking at the old wooden door, Jimin wondered what was behind it.

         "Technically, I am Special Force now. Does that mean you're going to show me the inside as well?"

         "Not today. Team 2, 3, and 4 have a rather high number of vampires or half ones and I don't think you'd like to be confronted with their smell that directly" Jungkook argued and there was slight distress in his voice.

         "You're right. I'm sorry I asked. I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable" the wolf sighed, feeling down because there was nothing he could do against this; he could also feel how uncomfortable Jungkook felt, despite his perfect act of pretending to be fine.

Jungkook did not say anything to that. However, he saw how sad the wolf was and that was when Namjoon's words appeared at the back of his mind. He adores you. The young fire witch rolled his eyes and flashed a small smile, trying to cheer the wolf up and strangely, it worked. The wolf's features softened and he smiled back, his eyes not yet disappearing into crescents but it was better than the sad, pouty face from before. Jungkook did not want to admit it but that smile warmed his heart a little. Shaking his head to clear his mind, the younger continued the tour, leading them through different kinds of corridors. The rooms they passed were not mentionable; most of them were just rooms to relax or entertain witches. The others were small libraries and other different kinds of study halls.

         "I know there are 20 teams but what are they actually for?" Jimin asked after a while, when Jungkook had stopped speaking.

         "They are where one wants to get into, when one has completed their training. Our society only works because of them. Should I really list what all of them do?" the fire witch explained and the wolf just nodded interested.

If he was going to live here with  Jungkook, he wanted to know as much as possible about this place.

         "Team 20 is responsible for all the administrative work at the academy and within the city as well. Anna, Yoongi-hyung's girlfriend, is in that team too. It's a little mean to call them what I call them but they are basically the secretaries of all of us. Their captain heard me say that once. maybe that's one reason why he hates me" Jungkook giggled, having more fun talking about this, than he expected, "Team 19 and 18 are the police within the city. Obviously, they keep the city save. Though, to be honest, they could do a better job. There are some shady parts in the city, where you do not want to get lost. Team 17 are the fire-fighters, so the team mostly has water witches. Naturally, they think they're the most important team because of their huge ego. Sometimes, water witches really just love themselves too much. But anyways, Team 16 does all the construction work, meaning they build all our houses, our equipment, pretty much everything. The team consists of mostly rock witches, for obvious reasons. I already told you about Team 14 and while they are the doctors at the academy, Team 15 are the doctors in the city. Both of those teams are all nature witches, of course."

         "Is there a team that only consists of wind witches too?" Jimin asked curiously.

         "I'm getting there, don't interrupt me" the younger complained, making the wolf hold back an amused smile.

Talking about the academy and how their society worked had lifted Jungkook's spirits and the wolf could feel it; feel the sudden happiness that coursed through both of their stomachs.

         "Team 13 and 12 are the city's guards around the boarder. Team 11 are the teachers at the academy. I personally don't understand why they have such a high number. Without them, there wouldn't even be an academy, so I really don't understand why they are above the combat witches, which are Team 9 and 8. They are so full of themselves, it's disgusting. They hate Special Force because they know they are inferior" Jungkook snorted, laughing at them, "oh, I almost forgot Team 10! They are our lawyers and that is the team with all the wind witches. Team 7 are our history researchers that write everything down and obviously do research. Team 6 does the same just for spells. Team 5 is the headmaster's council because he can't decide on all the matters of our society by himself. It's also the smallest team, besides Special Force, of course. Team 4 are guardians that are sent out to protect our allies. You only see few team members of that team because they always live with our allies, until they are sent back or switched up with another member – or dead. Team 3 is responsible for internal investigations, while Team 2 is responsible for external threat elimination. We work with those two teams the most. And then there is Team 1. They are the personal guard of the headmaster. And that's it. Well, there is Special Force, of course, but I already told you what we do."

Fascinated, Jimin nodded, while he was listening to his mate. It was really interesting to hear about all of this but it made it so much more amusing to listen to Jungkook's own opinion on all of them. As the two of them continued walking, they came to  the elevator that they had used to go upstairs to meet the headmaster.

         "This elevator, you already know. It is situated behind the stairs that also lead upstairs, where all offices of the captains and lieutenants are, and of course, the Headmaster's private chambers. We are in the middle of the main building now. When you look north, the door at the end of the corridor opens to the Great Hall. It is used for all important political discussions and meetings. Right next to it, there is the public execution room. There is an underground passage from the prison to the execution room."

The wolf suddenly felt a rush of uneasiness but also of disgust rushing through him. It was so strong, he almost missed the frown on Jungook's face.

         "What kind of people are killed there?" Jimin asked carefully but the disgust only grew stronger.

         "Traitors mostly."

Instantly, the wolf understood why the younger felt uneasy.

         "Your own people?"

Jungkook nodded, trying not to look affected but he gritted his teeth.

         "How many did you have to kill?" Jimin asked and it was nothing more than a whisper because the fire witch's emotions.

Additional to the disgust and uneasiness, he now felt sadness too.

         "Four."

         "And did you know them? "

Another stab of pain shot through both of their hearts. Jungkook did not want to admit how hurt he felt but he could also not pretend that he was not affected by treachery. He looked around and noticed that they were alone in the corridor. No one was there, not even the two guards at the elevator. It was quiet; the only sound in the room was Jimin's steady breathing.

         "Two of them" the younger started, "one of them, I killed when I was 15. He was still a boy but already so corrupted. He was a year younger than me and had just started his training. He was sent here to spy on us, in order to send Cain information. That kill was hard, I have to admit. I was still inexperienced and it was my first public execution too. The other one that I knew was a member of Team 4. I had met him on a mission and he seemed rather smart, so it was horrible that he had betrayed us. Even if I know them, if they decide to betray us, they are dead to me anyways. Whether I kill them or someone else doesn't matter."

His feelings were getting stronger and stronger, anger being the most prominent emotion but betrayal and sadness were still lingering in his mind and it started to drive Jimin mad. He could not just stand there and watch his mate be in pain. Unsure of what he should do, the wolf just trusted in his instincts. His gaze met the witch's and for a moment, time froze. Whenever they looked at each other like this, it was as if they were lost in each other's gaze. Not even Jungkook could escape those warm brown orbs that looked at him with such devotion. But then, he suddenly felt two arms wrapped around his waist and that was when he snapped out of his trance and noticed that the wolf was hugging him. Shocked, the younger tried to get out of the embrace but the smaller just tightened his grip and when it came to muscle strength, Jimin just was stronger.

         "What the hell are you doing!?" Jungkook yelled at him but the smaller did not let go of him.

Instead, he pressed their bodies against each other, so that the younger could feel the steady heartbeat and the warmth of the wolf. Jungkook struggled for a moment, but he eventually gave up on trying to free himself.

         "I know you want to be strong, Jungkook-ah, but you don't have to be strong around me. You can't lie about your feelings and I don't expect you to. It's okay to feel guilty or sad for killing a friend, even though he betrayed you. In fact, it makes you human" Jimin mumbled against the younger's neck, bringing one of his hands up to Jungkook's head to stroke his hair softly.

Jimin was nervous. He felt the confusion and uncertainty coming from his mate but those were better emotions than the others. But then, something changed. Jungkook suddenly wrapped his arms around the smaller; it was just very lightly and rather lazily but he hugged him back. Jimin's own emotions were overwhelming him now. Joy spread through his body from his very head to this toes because he received just a tiny little bit of affection from his mate. This was different than the kiss from last night. Even though the kiss had been wonderful, this had so much more meaning. Jungkook was leaning onto him for support for the first time. Jungkook himself did not know what he was doing. He suddenly felt the certainty of safety in those arms. It was strange to him because he was still aware that Jimin was one of the beasts that had wounded his brother but there was something about this warmth that radiated from Jimin that just felt right. His heart even started to beat the same as Jimin's. It felt so right, it terrified Jungkook. As he came to his senses, he let his arms sink again.

         "Please let go of me" Jungkook said expressionlessly, putting on his act of the neutral tour guide again.

But this was okay for Jimin because this moment had given him so much hope. Smiling, the wolf released the witch and put some distance between them.

         "What's next on the tour?" the smaller chirped.

Jungkook cleared his throat and continued walking. So much for not giving Jimin hope. Namjoon was going to kill him, if he found out about it, he was going to get scolded again. Trying to ignore what just happened, he led Jimin to the Eastern wing of the main building. There, it was very busy. In fact, they threw a huge riot. The younger instantly felt annoyed but he tried ignoring the glances that were thrown at them. But this time, it was not just him they whispered about. He felt that they were talking about Jimin as well. Still, he tried to ignore them. He could not start a fight with them now.

         "You've already been to the Dining Hall, I guess? Opposite of it, there is our big library. There lies the original copy of every book we have. Only members of a team are allowed to enter it. However, I don't like that combat witches are allowed in. They are––– rather simple minded, in my opinion."

         "Oh, look, who we have here. Our almighty fire witch. Shall we bow to you?" a voice mocked them from behind them.

Rolling his eyes, Jungkook turned around, his eyes turning ice cold. There were two of the combat witches, grinning at the wolf and the fire witch.

         "See? I told you they are simple minded. They are so dumb that they think they can mock me" Jungkook chuckled.

A shiver went down Jimin's spine, feeling that Jungkook still felt annoyed but he also felt challenged and Jimin did not expect what happened next. In a split second, his mate jumped on one of them, hitting some pressure points and the other witch just fell to the ground. Jungkook smiled satisfied, crouching down, patting the chest of the defeated witch.

         "And that is why I am Special Force and you are just a mere combat witch."

The other one of the two men suddenly was close to Jimin and he shuddered at that guy's smell. He was a half one. Instinctively, his body temperature increased and he felt his fangs and claws itching to dart out, his body tensing up. His breath hitched, as he tried to control his urge to change. His mate was here, so he could not change.

         "And your little friend here? He stinks. Like seriously, go take a bath or something. Or is the rumour true? Because there is talk of two wolves that entered the academy and that their alpha is on their way."

Not being able to control himself, Jimin snarled but because he was in his human form, it sounded rather unimpressive, making the combat witch laugh.

         "Where did you hear that from, huh?" Jungkook squinted his eyes.

         "Oh well, there was this man this morning–––wait, I'm not gonna tell you. But apparently, it is true, then" the other grinned.

Suddenly, there was a familiar smell in the air. A smell that Jimin knew just too well but why did he smell this all of a sudden?

         "Tell me right now or––––" Jungkook started.

         "Oh well, half ones are always so easy to deceive" a familiar voice chuckled and finally, he stepped around the corner, drawing the biggest smile from Jimin, "I was told to wait, until your headmaster was ready, so I did but people started noticing me, so I told them why I was here."

Jungkook was confused. He did not know this man. He was rather tall, had long arms and legs and even though he looked relaxed, he looked dangerous, yet strangely friendly. Jimin on the other hand knew him very well; at least, as much as a wolf should know his alpha.

         "Jinyoung-hyungnim!" he announced joyfully, having forgotten about the combat witch that was just as confused as Jungkook.

Jimin ran up to the man, still smiling, feeling at ease, at home, because he was standing before his alpha. He quickly lowered his head to his right but the man instantly touched Jimin by his chin, making him face his alpha. They shared a second of eye contact, enabling Jungkook to look into the man's brown eyes as well. But then, they broke their gaze, when the other pulled Jimin into a tight, intimate embrace.

         "Jiminnie, I have missed you! You look well! I shall greet you from your father, my dear boy" the man said happily and Jimin leaned into the embrace naturally.

Although he did not know how to casually approach his alpha, he happily complied, when Jinyoung wanted to show affection. Slowly, Jungkook understood what was happening before him. That man that had Jimin wrapped in his embrace was his alpha. The one that was here to renegotiate the alliance between wolves and witches. But different from Jimin's beta, the alpha did not look scary at all.

         "Wow, god damn, both of them stink so much, this is actually disgusting" the combat witch interrupted the welcoming scene.

         "Speak again boy and I'll get angry" the alpha said with closed eyes, still hugging his fellow pack member."

Of course, the half one felt challenged and snorted at that comment, which was a mistake. In a blink of an eye, the alpha opened his eyes, which suddenly glowed in bright amber, and he growled, showing his fangs. The combat witch fell to his knees, too shocked to say anything. But he was not the only one that was shocked. Jungkook was petrified because he was taken completely off guard. He felt his heartbeat quicken as memories started coming back. Trembling, he lost his sight, falling to his knees, losing all his strength.

         "Hyungnim, no! Jungkook-ah is afraid of our kind! Don't scare him!" Jungkook heard Jimin's voice in the distance, while wolves were surrounding him in his mind.

The wolves snarled and growled, licking their teeth, looking at him mischievously. He felt his breath hitch again, slowly getting dizzy because he did not get enough air. He was panicking.

         "Breathe!" there was a voice.

But the wolves came closer, their horrible breath already so close, Jungkook could feel it on his skin.

         "Breathe, Jungkook-ah!" there was the voice again.

Suddenly, there was this comfortable warmth again, spreading from his cheeks through all of his body. Calming down, the fire witch dared opening his eyes and he suddenly was met by Jimin's face that was just inches away, looking terrified, his hands cupping the younger's face. Instinctively, he backed away in fear. Looking around, Jungkook tried to take in the situation. The second combat witch had passed out and Jimin was kneeling before Jungkook, his alpha not far away but this time, he looked like a human again. But there had also gathered other witches. Embarrassed, Jungkook got up, glaring at all those who had gathered, trying to scare them with just his gaze. Why did this have to happen in one of the busiest areas of the academy?

         "Enough. Walk away, witches, there is nothing to see here. You will all be informed later" Tablo appeared at the scene and immediately, the crowd dispersed with loud whispering, "really Sir, did you have to create such a riot?"

         "It is your headmaster's fault for letting me wait. I came here as fast as I could, left my home, my pack because your headmaster asked me to and then, I am told to wait? I can at least entertain myself, while I'm waiting."

Tablo bowed politely with a fake smile, trying to not get angry because he knew how important this was.

         "The council is ready to receive you now, Sir."

 The alpha nodded but turned around to Jimin once more and patted his head affectionately. But then, his eyes averted to Jungkook, staring at him for a second.

         "I apologise for scaring you. I hope to properly meet you after my work is done here" he smiled, let his hand slide to Jimin's cheek, caressed it quickly and then, walked up to Tablo.

The fire witch did not miss the strict look from Tablo. When the alpha and Tablo had left, Jungkook let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes for a second to calm down. Some people were still glancing at them but when the younger opened his eyes again, he just started walking straight ahead; Jimin struggled to keep up because he was still affected by Jungkook's emotions. He was embarrassed because everyone had seen him collapse but he also felt weak and angry. The younger only stopped walking, when they had arrived at Special Force's practice room. Luckily, no one was there, so Jungkook screamed out in frustration, stomping to the punch bag and kicked it. Jimin watched him carefully, not daring to interrupt the fire witch. After 10 minutes of assaulting the punch bag, Jungkook finally calmed down and let himself fall to the ground. Shyly, Jimin plopped down next to him.

         "I'm sorry Jinyoung-hyungnim scared you" he said quietly.

         "As if it was your fault. So that was your alpha?" Jungkook asked and the wolf nodded, "isn't he like what the headmaster is for us? Isn't it strange that you are so close to him?"

         "As long as it's him who initiates it, it is completely acceptable. Wolves are very close, so it feels natural to be embraced by our alpha. Not that we would dare initiate it first but we feel honoured, if our alpha shows so much affection towards us" Jimin explained cheerfully.

The younger turned his head to look at the wolf. The latter was smiling brightly, his hands were folded in his lap and he was also looking at Jungkook. Their eyes met and once again and the fire witch got lost in the warmth of those brown orbs.

         "How can your eyes be so warm now, when they are ice cold as soon as you change?" the younger commented absentmindedly.

Jimin was confused. Not just because of what the younger just said but also because of his emotions. He was not angry anymore but he seemed rather confused himself, maybe a little frightened even. He was feeling so many things, Jimin did not understand.

         "What do you mean? I don't understand" Jimin decided to answer.

         "Never mind. I––– was just saying silly things" Jungkook tried to convince the smaller but Jimin knew better.

         "You can talk to me, you know. I will never judge you or think you're weak."

They locked eyes once again and as they were staring into their souls, Jungkook thought about Namjoon's words again. It instantly made his heartbeat increase but as always, his impulsive nature got the better of him, which was probably a good thing for once.

         "I told you that I am scared of wolves. I can't tell you why–––––" he started and Jimin is instantly turned his entire body to Jungkook and listened carefully, "it's very painful for me to talk about this, so I really can't tell you."

         "You don't have to, if you don't feel comfortable."

Jungkook shook his head.

         "Up until now, wolves have always been evil for me and I get panic attacks, when I see those amber eyes" he continued, shivering at the thought, "it triggers my memory from that day and I can't do anything against it. I hate that it makes me so weak."

         "I'm so sorry. Of course, you hate to have me near you" Jimin backed away a little, "I just wish I could help you somehow."

         "Namjoon-hyung is convinced you can, though I wouldn't know how" the younger chuckled disheartened.

Jimin's heart clenched, knowing that the fire witch was so afraid of what Jimin was. He just wanted him to overcome his trauma, whatever the cause was. Suddenly, an idea popped into the wolf's head but he was not sure, if he should really go through with it.

         "Jungkook-ah, look at me" he whispered, closing the distance that he had put between them again, sitting close.

Confused, the younger sat up and realised that the wolf was closer than expected. His heart skipped a beat but he had already recovered after a second. It was strangely familiar being so close to the wolf again. Licking his lips nervously, he did as he was told and looked into those brown orbs again and they were as hypnotic as before.

         "You said my eyes are warm but I guess you refer to my brown eyes" the wolf assumed, his voice steady and calm.

Not sure where this was going, Jungkook nodded. Jimin got even closer and Jungkook was ready to back off but the smaller suddenly grabbed his wrist, preventing him from running away. Surprised, the younger gasped silently but he didn't back away anymore. This sudden change in Jimin somehow affected Jungkook. He did not want to admit it but he liked it, when Jimin did what he wanted. It reminded him of that day in the dance studio, where the wolf had just approached him without waiting for permission. Biting his lips unconsciously, he waited what Jimin was going to do.

         "Concentrate on that warmth. My other eyes are still the same. They are still my eyes. You've known me for a while now and you know that I'm not a violent person. I would never hurt you again" Jimin ensured him.

The younger's heart was racing all of a sudden, even though he did not even know what Jimin was up to. Cautiously, the smaller took Jungkook's hands and entwined them with his own, squeezing them softly. At that moment, the younger was so close to pulling away, slowly understanding what was going on but this time, Jimin was determined and held on.

         "Do you trust me?" he whispered.

         "I don't know" Jungkook mumbled, looking down to their entwined hands.

He did not know what to do at this moment. Everything just happened from that point on. He did not think; he just had to trust Jimin.

         "I can change into half human form, while having my eyes open. It's a little exhausting for me but it's bearable. Is that okay for you?" the wolf explained calmly, waiting for Jungkook's response.

The wolf felt how nervous his mate was and he just wanted him to feel better. Everything in him suddenly urged him to close the remaining distance between them, to calm him down, to run his fingers down Jungkook's spine but he knew he could not do that. This was such a rare moment and he did not want ruin this.

         "Just concentrate on my hands and the warmth you're getting from me" the wolf said.

However, he shifted his hands a little, making sure that his nails that were soon going to grow would not pierce through Jungkook's skin.

         "Don't look at my hands but my eyes. See how that warmth you said that is in my eyes stays there, even though my eye colour changes. If you feel uncomfortable, tell me immediately, okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Jungkook looked up again and then nodded. Jimin smiled and locked eyes with Jungkook. Then, the smaller started concentrating on his inner self. It was not hard to change into half human form but, if he kept his eyes open, it stung a little. His body temperature increased, which did not go unnoticed by Jungkook.

         "Your body temperature––––"

         "That's normal, don't worry" Jimin still smiled.

It increased more and Jimin knew it was starting. His nails started to grow and he felt his canines against his mouth. His eyes started stinging and cautiously, he watched his mate, whose heartbeat was unnaturally high. And what Jungkook saw, was something he had never seen before. He had seen vampire's change before, how their eyes just got consumed by blood red and the veins under their eyes started darting out. But this was completely different. It was like the warm brown was slowly merging into the amber colour. The brown did not disappear; it looked like water slowly changing colour. It was alive; it was – beautiful. Jungkook could not avert his eyes from the smaller. Suddenly, he realised that he was currently looking into the eyes of that creature he was so scared of. But now, he was not afraid anymore because those eyes were still the same; still as warm as before and it was like the colour was flowing. If Jimin's eyes were hypnotising before, it was even more so now.

         "You–––––" Jungkook started, pulling one hand back but not in fear but because he was so mesmerised, he had the urge to touch Jimin's face.

And as always, his nature got the better of him and he lifted his right hand to touch Jimin. It was shy and uncertain; his heart was racing and so did Jimin's. For the latter, this moment was everything. He was holding his mate's hand, showing him his real eyes and Jungkook did not back away. Instead, he was caressing the wolf's cheek, looking at him in total awe.

         "Your eyes, they–––––they're beautiful" Jungkook suddenly said, surprising the wolf.

Not thinking, Jimin smiled that gorgeous eye smile, completely forgetting about his fangs. Instantly, Jungkook tensed up, shock rushing through both of them and the younger pushed the wolf away, backing away as far away as possible. He was terrified. Those teeth had been so close to him, he was shaking. Memories coming back, he shook his head wildly, trying to push them back, hitting his head.

         "Jungkook-ah! Look at me!" Jimin's voice got through and reached the younger.

Trembling, he opened his eyes that were already wet because he was close to crying. Jimin's eyes were back to brown and looked at him in concern.

         "It's okay, see? I'm back to my human form. I'm sorry, I didn't think. I'm sorry" Jimin apologised, slowly approaching the terrified witch.

Only then, Jungkook realised what they had been doing. Now, his defences started building up again. He realised that he had shown Jimin one of his weakest parts of him and it scared him. Only Namjoon and Taehyung knew about this side of him; not even all of Special Force but now Jimin had seen his weak side once again. Out of habit, he put on his poker face again, got up from the ground and cleared  his throat.

         "I have to go" he said.

         "Jungkook-ah. It's okay to be scared and this was a first step, wasn't it? You could look at my eyes without feeling scared."

         "It's not okay––––" Jungkook gritted his teeth, "I'm not weak. I can't be scared like that."

Jimin could not decipher Jungkook's feelings for the second time today. He hated that his mate was beating himself up for being weak because that was something, Jimin could not help him with. But he just desperately wanted to help. He did not want the witch to feel so insecure.

         "Tell me what I can do to make you feel better. I'll do anything" Jimin tried but Jungkook was embarrassed.

He was not used to showing this much of himself; he just felt vulnerable. Even though, he knew that Jimin was probably the best one to have around, if he really wanted to let his guard down because Jimin was so devoted to him. But the younger was just so used to shutting everyone out.

         "Just–––– leave me alone for the rest of the day, okay?" he asked quietly.

That was a direct stab into the wolf's heart. Just when he thought that the witch had opened up to him, he was shutting him out again. His mate felt so sad, anxious, embarrassed and angry all together, it was itching in Jimin's fingers to just pull Jungkook into his arms.

         "Please, don't shut me out" he pleaded, searching Jungkook's eyes.

They looked at each other for a while and there was just something in Jimin's eyes that made Jungkook give in. Yes, he felt vulnerable but when he looked into those brown orbs, he felt – safe. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

         "I just need a minute for myself. Your alpha is here, we're gonna get called into the Great Hall anyways. I really just need some time for myself right now."

Obediently, Jimin nodded and let Jungkook walk off. Meanwhile, Namjoon and Yoongi were in Namjoon's office on the second floor of the academy, trying to figure out how to find Morgan Barner, the next suspect they had to bring in. Yoongi had tried to track him for a while but as they had predicted, he was hard to find.

         "I thought I had him, when I followed my last lead but it was a dead end yet again. I'm getting frustrated" Yoongi groaned.

Namjoon sighed, leaning into the backrest of his chair. He was trying to think of another way to find the suspect, when he suddenly felt strong feelings coursing in his gut. For a second, he was confused but then, he realised. Jungkook was opening his mind. He probably did it unintentionally, judging the kinds of feelings Namjoon was receiving.

         "Is it Jungkookie?" Yoongi interrupted the half breed's train of thought, confusing Namjoon, "you always get this look, when you suddenly get attacked by his feelings. What is it this time?"

         "I don't know. His feelings are always a mess, when they reach me from this far away. I just know that his feelings are all over the place right now. It's the first time I felt something from this far away. I reckon that it has something to do with Jimin."

         "I wonder how that will turn out. I just hope that Jungkookie will be alright. Ever since the wolves got here, he is kind of emotionally unstable, which is not good because of his element."

         "It's a good thing they got here, trust me. It's a good thing for Jungkookie. Jimin gets under that thick skin of his and we both know, Jungkookie has been keeping himself alone for far too long. He needs someone in his life that is more than we are for him. He is 18 and only ever kissed suspects. I fear that he will lose his virginity during a mission to someone he'll kill later on."

         "You seem to have a strong opinion about this" the rock witch chuckled.

         "Of course I do. He's like my little brother. I just want him to be happy. And I mean, you are one to talk. If you could decide, you'd want Taehyungie to have someone serious too. He's not as bad as me, when it comes to sleeping around but he had his fair share of women too" Namjoon countered.

         "Obviously, because I know how good it feels to have someone in my life."

         "Oh, since when are you expressing your feelings?" Namjoon grinned.

         "Are we going there, really? Okay, so how about you an Jin-hyung, then?" Yoongi grinned back, "I mean, your heart eyes for that guy were always obvious but now that he admitted his feelings for you, he can't hide them either."

         "Well, he didn't exactly tell me that he liked me. It kinda just worked out. I don't want to press him, so I'll just wait for him" Namjoon smiled.

         "Look who is all cheesy now."

         "I'm always cheesy. When I want to be. But back to our initial conversation. I had an idea about Morgan Barner. The one he turned was targeting children and teenager. Maybe he got that from his master. Maybe, you should look into strip clubs and the rural brothels."

Yoongi nodded and got up because he knew that this was not just an idea but a new lead he was supposed to follow right now. He was just about to excuse himself, when Jin knocked on the open door. The captain and lieutenant looked at the nature witch curiously.

         "The council has come to a decision" Jin announced and now, Namjoon got up too, looking at Jin expectantly, "we have an alliance."

All three of them smiled and hugged each other, glad that all worked out so well. When Jin and Namjoon hugged, the latter snaked his arms around the other's waist and gave him a little peck on his cheek. Shocked, Jin shimmied out of the embrace, glancing at Yoongi, who was secretly smirking.

         "He knows, you don't have to be shy around him. or Jungkookie. Or Taehyungie. Or the wolves because they don't mind anyways. No one does. So let me be sweet to you, okay?" Namjoon whined cutely, trying to give Jin another kiss but he refused.

         "Not everyone likes to show off their relationship" he said a little awkwardly, "anyways. The alpha apparently wants to meet us. Taehyungie is getting the other three."

They went downstairs and asked where the alpha was and they were led into one of empty rooms. There Hoseok and Jimin were sitting on the ground in front of their alpha who was sitting on the sofa; Jungkook and Taehyung were standing a little further away, looking awkward. As soon as Namjoon and the other two entered the room, everyone looked around.

         "You must be the hyungs. It's nice to meet you. I'm glad that my two little ones are so welcome here. Come sit down. You two as well" he said and waited, until everyone was seated.

Jungkook first wanted to sit the furthest away but the alpha gestured that he should sit next to him, so he ended up having the alpha next to him and Jimin to his feet.

         "I am Park Jinyoung, alpha of the biggest Korean pack. Well, we call ourselves something else, but you don't understand our language and we can't speak it, unless we are in half human form or in wolf form, so I cannot tell you" he explained and then turned to Jungkook, placing a hand on his thigh and witch jolted at that, "oh, I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I am just so happy to finally meet you. Jiminnie's father told me so much about you already."

         "Appa was at the base? But it wasn't a full moon?" Jimin asked confused.

         "Yes, it was such a pleasant surprise. He knew that Changmin-ah was going to take two months to get back and he wanted you to be happy, so he came to the base and talked to me. And of course, after hearing that witches finally wanted to renegotiate, I ran here as fast as possible. My small travelling pack is waiting outside the city. They felt uncomfortable changing and I didn't want to force them. But enough about my travels. Jungkook, I'd love to know more about you."

The fire witch shifted a little, not knowing what to do in a situation like this. Everyone was staring at him, the alpha in particular. Usually, he did not have a problem being the centre of attention but this was slightly awkward. For the first time, he looked at Jimin for support, hoping that he felt how uncomfortable he was but he just sat there with big eyes, smiling at him. It was an encouraging smile, so he knew what was going on in the maknae's head but he was probably not going to interfere, when his alpha had asked a question.

         "What would you like to know, Sir?" he asked back.

         "Just call me hyung. You're family now" the alpha smiled and Jungkook squinted his eyes in confusion.

         "Ah, uhm––– Hyungnim–––– he–– we aren't–––" Jimin stuttered, trying to explain their position.

         "Oh" the alpha voiced out, when he understood, "I misunderstood, then. But he has your scent that's why I thought––– never mind. I'd still like to know about you, Jungkook."

Biting his lip, Jungkook fidgeted with his shirt.

         "Uhm––– okay so I'm 18, been living in both worlds for 12 years––––"

         "12 years!?" Jimin interrupted, "you haven't told me about that yet!"

         "Are your parents here too, then?" the alpha continued.

         "No––– They just have the witch gene. They are still in Busan and have no idea that this world exists. I am studying art in Seoul, so it's easy to slip away."

         "But what were you––– six years old? How did you even get into this world without your parents?"

The wolves were looking at him and he got more and more uncomfortable. He did not want to talk about his past because it eventually ended up in him having to talk about his brother that was killed and just thinking about that made him want to cry. Searching help, he looked at Namjoon, who picked up immediately and he was about to say something but Jimin was faster. He got up and made Jungkook get up. He usually would have refused but he was really glad to have reason to not sit next to the alpha anymore. The two of them shared a moment of eye contact and weirdly, Jimin's warm brown eyes calmed him down.

         "Hyungnim, Jungkook-ah feels uncomfortable with these questions. I––– uhm–––  I'm sorry" the wolf said, instinctively standing between his mate and the one that made him uncomfortable.

The alpha quickly looked at Jimin, then, at Jungkook. Smiling, he stretched a little and then nodded.

         "Jiminnie, you do not have to apologise about protecting your mate, you know that. I would love to know him more because this is just so extraordinary. But I understand the circumstances. My travelling pack is probably already getting anxious. I shall leave now" he announced, "if you ever want to show him our base, he will be very welcome, even though he is not a wolf."

Jimin's face lit up and he nodded vigorously and he gladly accepted the tight hug, so did Hoseok. The witches did feel a little strange looking at the scene but they were slowly getting used to their weird closeness with each other. The alpha said goodbye once more and with that, he left and the little meeting dispersed.

Chapter Text

A week had passed, since Jimin's and Hoseok's alpha had come to the academy. The headmaster had offered him to use the portal room but Jinyoung insisted to return with his travelling pack. Although Jinyoung had not returned to Korea yet, he allowed the headmaster to announce that the alliance between the witches and the wolves was renewed. He had also sent some of his travelling packs to tell the other packs that were close to the academy. Of course, this also affected Jimin's and Hoseok's status. Everyone now knew that they were wolves and suddenly, they were like celebrities. While the members of the 20 teams were rather suspicious, the witches in training were fascinated. They wanted to know all about wolves and the libraries were swamped every day. Some of them, however, tried to ask Jimin and Hoseok questions, urging them to show their half human form. They were allowed to change back now but because they knew how scared Jungkook was, they still walked around in their human form. It did not bother the wolves that they were the centre of attention; however, it started bothering Jungkook. All day, people would wait in front of Special Force's practice room just to get a glimpse of the wolves. They did not dare to actually go into the room because they knew that Jungkook would beat them up pretty badly but they were brave enough to wait outside.

Today was no different. Jungkook, Taehyung, Hoseok and Jimin were in the practice room; the wolves were snuggled up on one of the benches, watching the witches warming up in order to start working out. Jungkook pretended that nothing had changed between him and Jimin ever since the wolf had changed in front of the younger but both of them were aware that it had.  Although the younger was still scared of the wolf, he felt much more comfortable around him. However, Jungkook was still stubborn; he did not like that Jimin could feel his emotions but he also accepted that the wolf could not change it.

         "Why are you always cuddled up like that, anyways? I mean, you told us that wolves are close to each other but, I mean, c'mon" Taehyung asked, when they had finished warming up.

         "I love my Jiminnie just too much to let him go" Hoseok said and snuggled his face into the crook of Jimin's neck.

The latter leaned into the touch naturally, enjoying the closeness between them. Jungkook, on the other hand, eyed the wolves with a rather confused mind. He did not admit it but he felt uncomfortable seeing Jimin in the other's arms, which, of course, did not go unnoticed by Jimin. But he slowly started to understand Jungkook's mind; he knew that Jungkook hated it more, when the wolf tried to behave as the witch's feeling commanded, than when he felt uncomfortable because of something he did not even want to admit himself. That was why Jimin decided to stay in Hoseok's arms, even though he knew that Jungkook was a little jealous. In fact, the wolf felt a little more confident, now that he knew that his mate actually felt jealous because he was in someone else's arms.

         "We just like to be close to each other. We usually cuddle in our wolf forms but because we haven't changed lately, it's like–––– we are deprived of closeness" Jimin explained the real reason.

         "So you're like addicted to cuddling?" Taehyung asked and suddenly approached them, letting himself drop onto the wolves, "then I wanna cuddle too. I've been deprived of hugging as well. No girl was into me last night."

Jungkook glared at the water witch but then rolled his eyes.

         "C'mon, don't start behaving like the old Namjoon-hyung. Just because you didn't get any last night, you're all grumpy and needy now? Water witches sometimes sure are attention whores" he provoked and instantly the water witch got up, gritting his teeth.

         "Provoking me, huh?" he rolled his shoulders, taking an offense position.

Jungkook smirked, feeling challenged, taking a defensive position, focusing on the fight that was about to happen. For a second, he closed his eyes and exhaled. The wolves felt the atmosphere change and separated to watch the fight properly. Jimin felt how concentrated his mate was, how much he enjoyed this. But this thrill was making it hard for the wolf to control his wolf side. The witches looked at each other for a while, without moving but then, Taehyung was the first to move. He charged at Jungkook but the younger ducked away easily. He started a counter attack and almost hit Taehyung's side but he missed by a few centimetres. This went on for a while and the wolves just watched them with wide, fascinated eyes. After 10 minutes, neither of them had landed a hit and both of them were starting to pant.

         "Guess I'm winning today" Taehyung grinned but Jungkook just smirked.

         "Oh, hyung, you are so easy to deceive sometimes" the younger chuckled.

Within the next second, he was in front of Taehyung and punched him right into the face, making him fly through the room, landing on the floor next to the bench, where the wolves were sitting. Instinctively, they howled, clapping their hands, which was normal behaviour for wolves, when they watched a fight. Jungkook smiled satisfied, thinking that Taehyung would give in but he thought wrong. He got up on his feet, wiping off the blood that was running down his chin.

         "Hoseok-hyung, can you open the water bottles that are lying on the floor next to you" he said with a serious face, not looking at the wolf but glaring at the fire witch.

A little confused, Hoseok did as he was told, though, he did not know why he had to open three litres worth of water. But as soon as he had done it, the water suddenly flowed out of the bottle, floating in the air, slowly surrounding Taehyung. That was when both of the wolves realised that it was Taehyung that was doing this. He was water bending. They had only seen this once and that was when the water witch had tried to trap Jimin in a ball of water. It was truly beautiful. The water looked like it was a part of his body. It looked so natural that he was controlling the water that it was clear that Taehyung was a master of his element. The witch smirked, the water floating around him but suddenly, the water split into countless drops that morphed into spikes of ice. While the wolves' eyes widened, Jungkook seemed unfazed. He just took his defensive position again and waited patiently. However, he did not have to wait long because as soon as Jungkook had settled, the spikes were charging at him one after another. He swiftly dodged them by ducking or jumping. But then, the spikes turned to water again, while Jungkook was still dodging the rest of them, charging at him again. Jimin got nervous. During this entire fight, Jimin had stayed calm because he knew that his mate had the upper hand. But now, it looked like he was going to get hurt and Jimin got nervous. He knew, he was not allowed to interfere and he also knew that Taehyung would not injure Jungkook severely; yet, he could not help but feel uncomfortable. Taehyung suddenly grinned and then, he pulled back the water, which was behind Jungkook and it was about to hit the fire witch, when it suddenly got much brighter and hotter in the room. It was so bright that the wolves were blinded for a moment but when they could finally see again, the water had turned to steam and there was a wall of fire behind Jungkook's back. He was standing there, proud and confident, his eyes still focused on the water witch. For a second, the witches just stared at each other but then, Taehyung was turning the steam back into water to shield himself from the attack that Jungkook was launching. The witches were charging at each other, while dodging the other's punches but this time, it looked even more violent than before and the wolves did not know what to say. They had never seen two witches fight each other like this before. The way they were able to control their element was just amazing. Jimin was especially mesmerised by his mate and the way he handled the fire. It was like Jimin could feel the heat of the fire because it was connected to Jungkook; it was his impulsive nature that was taking form in the fire. His mate's mind was so clear right now, it was almost strange for the wolf to receive such clear signals. Jungkook was having fun, although this was exhausting. Smiling, Jimin watched his mate and when he suddenly landed a punch on the water witch, who fell to the ground, he could not help but feel proud because his mate was this strong.

         "Guess I still won in the end" Jungkook grinned, his fire disappearing, holding a hand out to help Taehyung up.

The latter grumbled something incoherent but welcomed the younger's hand anyways. Only when he was standing did the others notice that his nose was bleeding pretty badly.

         "Should I go fetch Jin-hyung?" Jungkook asked and suddenly, his voice was very soft, almost comforting.

         "It's fine, it's just a bloody nose" Taehyung laughed and searched for a tissue in one of the cupboards, "you've beaten me up worse."

         "You guys really go all out, while fighting" Hoseok commented fascinated.

         "You don't?" Taehyung argued, holding the tissue against his nose.

         "Well, we do but fights between wolves don't look like this at all" Hoseok laughed and Jimin joined in.

         "What do you mean by that?" Jungkook asked confused.

They were just fighting and he could not imagine why their way of fighting differed from the way wolves fought each other, especially because he had fought Jimin  before and that had not been different to his fights with Taehyung.

         "When you two fight, it looks like a dance, just more powerful. When Hoseok-ah and I fight, it's not pretty. We basically just wrestle" Jimin explained, enjoying that his mate was curious.

         "But when we fought–––" Jungkook started but the wolf cut him off.

         "That's because I didn't fight a wolf. Wrestling comes closer to our––– natural way of fighting."

The wolf expected to feel some uneasiness after that answer but instead, Jungkook still felt comfortable, rather curious too. Ever since he had shown Jungkook his real eyes, it got harder for him to stay away from his mate. Although Jungkook was scared of him in the end, he had complimented the wolf on how beautiful his eyes were and had touched his face. The wolf's memories were still so vivid as if it was just yesterday. He felt Jungkook's touch lingering on his cheek; his dreams about him got more intense too. Maybe, this was just because the bond was naturally getting stronger but Jimin hoped it was because Jungkook slowly started accepting his feelings. But having rather explicit dreams really made it hard for him to control his thoughts sometimes. Jungkook, on the other hand, was oblivious of the change in Jimin. He was too busy trying to not think about all that had happened between them.

         "Show us then!" Taehyung urged the wolves, looking excited.

         "Shall we?" Hoseok turned to Jimin, having a smirk on his face, "I still have to pay you back for that shoulder bite."

Quickly, Jimin looked over to Jungkook, who nodded a little to show him that he was alright with it. By now, the fire witch was used to it that Jimin always asked him for permission and although he found it silly, he understood that it was something that Jimin could not just shut off. As soon as Jimin got permission, he smiled and suddenly jumped on Hoseok, pinning him to the ground, surprising everyone in the room. There was a thud, when they hit the ground but no one got hurt. Instead, Hoseok, rolled on top of Jimin, pushing his weight onto him, growling slightly because he felt the wolf inside of him wanting to be let out. The other snarled in response, freeing himself and wrapped his arms around Hoseok's throat, choking him slightly. It looked like Jimin was already winning but then, Hoseok was rolling over, kicking Jimin off of him and now it was Hoseok choking Jimin. The wolves had not been lying about them wrestling. Their way of fighting involved a lot more body contact. For a while, they continued sparring like that and Jungkook could not help but stare at Jimin. He looked just so strong – he looked so handsome. Realising what he just thought about, he shook his head and concentrated back on the fight. At that moment, Jimin had a hand around Hoseok's throat, his back against Jimin's chest, just like when Jungkook had fought against Jimin.

         "Okay, okay, you won this time" Hoseok gave up and wiggled out of Jimin's loosening grip, "but just because we're in our human form. You know I can beat you in our half human form."

         "I know" Jimin said, getting up as well.

At that moment, the door of the practice room opened and the rest of Special Force entered, looking serious. Yoongi and Namjoon were even wearing the black jacket that was the official uniform of Special Force, so they probably just got back from a meeting with the other captains.

         "What's up?" Taehyung asked immediately.

Jin saw his nose and walked over to him, scolding him that he should have called him sooner and got on to healing him. The other two told all of them to gather around the table at the end of the room and to sit down. Doing as they said, they looked at the hyungs curiously.

         "I found Morgan Barner" Yoongi began, the two young witches getting more attentive immediately.

         "Who is Morgan Barner?" Hoseok asked confused.

The wolves did not know about their assigned mission yet, so they were completely in the dark.

         "Morgan Barner is our latest target. It's a follow-up mission from our last mission. He is supposedly one of Cain's direct guard. We finally found him and can now take the next step. We are ought to bring him in for questioning, so we might find out, where Cain is hiding. He visits a brothel in Ireland rather often. It's in one of the very old, rural areas, where there is no electricity whatsoever. Apparently, he feeds on poor witches,  while he has sex with them. He takes female or male witches, he doesn't care" Namjoon explained with a disgusted expression.

         "I've watched him for three days now and I already tested whether we can trust the owner of the brothel. I pretended that I  and two other friends needed work and he agreed on giving us work as long as I bring someone to please the customers as well" Yoongi explained further and slowly, the wolves started understanding what was actually going on; this was a mission briefing.

         "So what are you suggesting?" Jimin asked confused.

         "This is the first mission for you two, so you'll only join us to observe how we do things. You are not to interfere with anything that happens, before either one of us gives the signal, even if it might be hard for you. Understood?" Namjoon clarified, confusing the wolves even more.

Of course, they would not interfere, if they were told not to but what would make them want to interfere? Jimin looked at each witch one after another but all of them looked like this situation was completely normal for them.

         "It's decided that Jinnie–––" Namjoon started.

         "Jinnie?" Taehyung repeated in the same tone just a little more amused.

The leader glared at the water witch, shutting him up with just his gaze. This was not the time to tease him about the nickname he had given Jin.

         "As I was saying: Jinnie and I got jobs as bartenders, while Yoongi-hyung is basically a pimp because he brings them two prostitutes, which are as usual our two youngest."

For a second, Jimin thought he did not hear correctly but when Jungkook and Taehyung simply nodded, he knew it was real.

         "What!?" was all he could say.

Sighing annoyed, Namjoon's glare hit Jimin but he knew that the wolf could not help it. He just learned that his mate was going to go undercover as a prostitute, so of course, he was shocked.

         "That's why I said that you mustn't interfere, even if you want to" Namjoon repeated.

         "But––––Jungkook-ah, are you okay with this?" Jimin asked, looking at his mate with a distressed expression.

         "This is my job. Plus, it's not my first time going undercover as a prostitute" he shrugged, unfazed.

This was twisted on so many levels. If Jungkook was going to act as a prostitute, he was going to be touched by strangers, which made the wolf sick just thinking about it. But what was even worse was that Jungkook was completely fine with it. Now that Jimin thought back, Jungkook did tell him that he had done things with people he killed afterwards. What things did he mean by that? Jimin was so consumed by his worries, he was too occupied to notice that the fire witch was glancing at him because he was secretly curious about how Jimin was going to respond. This was the saddest part. As long as Jungkook was okay with going undercover as a prostitute, Jimin could not say anything against it. Sinking into the chair he was sitting in the wolf did not say anything else, so Namjoon decided to continue.

         "Jungkookie, Taehyungie and Yoongi-hyung are leaving today because they first need to be looked at to be accepted. Jinnie and I will go there, as soon as Yoongi-hyung calls us. You two–––" the wind witch looked at the two wolves, "will just be travellers that will stay at that village for a while and you'll visit the brothel rather often. Of course, you have to play that part well too, so you have to actually buy a striptease or something. Money will be provided, so don't worry about that. Okay, I think this is pretty much everything. Any questions?"

         "What character should we have? Rather bratty or shy? What do you think the owner of the brothel would prefer?" Jungkook asked Yoongi completely unfazed.

         "Both would be a good combination, I think. You could work as a team."

The two youngest looked at each other and grinned. Taehyung was just about to say something but the fire witch was faster.

         "I was the shy one last time."

         "Yes, because you can play that part so well" the water witch  pointed out, smirking.

         "So can you. C'mon hyung–––"

         "Fine. That'll be a treat if the younger one is more confident" Taehyung giggled and Jungkook nodded satisfied.

         "Good. Now that that's settled, this will be all. Yoongi-hyung, Taehyungie and Jungkookie, prepare to leave immediately. We will join you tomorrow, hopefully. The rest of us will get on with our day and will get ready to follow you as soon as we get word from Yoongi-hyung. Please be safe. Especially you two" Namjoon looked at the two younger, "I know this isn't ideal but unfortunately, this is the only way. I hope that none of you is forced to do something you don't want."

The last sentence lingered in the air and everyone, except the wolves, knew what Namjoon meant. Jungkook was still a virgin and although he was very confident in his body and pretended that it would not be a big deal, if he had to lose his virginity on a mission, no one wanted him to just throw it away like that. That was why missions like these were always a little more nerve-wrecking for the team. The three mentioned witches nodded and got up to leave. Instantly, Jimin got up as well, following Jungkook, who did not walk as fast as the other two, so when the wolf caught up to him, they were walking a little bit behind the other two. For a while, they just walked next to each other because the smaller did not know how to express what he was feeling, nor did he know whether Jungkook even wanted to hear them. Quietly, he walked next to the taller, biting his lip because his thoughts were all over the place. Jungkook saw the wolf's nervous behaviour and rolled his eyes. He was not really in the mood to talk about how Jimin did not want him to do the job but Jimin biting his lip like that was something Jungkook could not stand. It made him feel warm in a way he did not want to feel warm, so he had to do something against that.

         "Go ahead, say what you want to say. You being nervous like this is unusual" he said slightly annoyed.

He honestly did not want it to come out like that but his defences were already up again because if he was honest to himself, he could not stand that lip bite because it was too cute and suggestive at the same time and he did not want to think about Jimin like that. The wolf looked up at him, his eyes as wide as they could get, surprised that Jungkook noticed that he was uncomfortable. They were almost at their apartments and the wolf knew that Taehyung and Yoongi were already there, so he stopped walking and fortunately, Jungkook did as well.

         "Are you sure you're okay with doing this?" he asked.

         "Hyung–––" the witch sighed, "up until now, you've always known how I felt, so I don't think this is about me because I am fine. You are the one who isn't fine with the situation."

Jimin almost flinched because his mate had picked up on what he was feeling. For once, their roles seemed reversed. This was a really difficult situation for the wolf. His instinct to claim his mate as his was getting stronger and stronger and he did not want some stranger touching Jungkook. But as long as the younger was not uncomfortable with the situation, he could not interfere because they were not mated yet, so Jimin had no right to do so.

         "You got me" Jimin tried to laugh, "I'm sorry. I know you don't care how I feel but–––– I really just want the best for you and I really think that this is–––––"

         "Hyung" Jungkook interrupted him with a surprisingly soft tone, "it's actually really considerate of you to think of how I might feel. But even if I felt uncomfortable, which I don't,  it wouldn't change anything because this is my job. You're gonna have to get used to this."

Looking down at the ground, Jimin gulped. His desire to do what his heart wanted was so strong right now. All he wanted to do was make his mate stay here and it took all of his self-control not to get dominating. Just thinking about someone else touching his mate made his blood boil and he had the urge to snarl. Unconsciously, Jimin gritted his teeth, which did not go unnoticed by the younger. For some reason, Jungkook felt a little bad for the wolf. It was not his fault that he was so possessive and if he was honest with himself, he even liked this kind of attitude. He really liked it, when Jimin was saying what he wanted and not what the witch wanted. Secretly, the witch wished that the wolf would just do as he pleased. And when Jungkook looked at him, he saw the conflict in Jimin's eyes. There was this strange sense of pain mixed with that desire he had seen before. The desire that he was not able to resist the last time he saw it. Gulping, the witch's gaze averted to the wolf's lips and he bit his unconsciously. If he had not stared at Jimin's lips, he would not have noticed that he was talking.

         "Can I–––––" Jimin started, also looking at the other's lips, "can I at least hug you before you leave? I don't know, when we'll follow and who knows when we're going to see each other next, so please, just let me hug you."

The younger's heart was almost pounding out of his chest, blood rushing to his face. In any other situation, Jungkook would have hated to have lost control over his body but right now, he was hypnotised by Jimin once again. He really wanted to kiss those lips again. Not once in his life did he want to kiss someone as much as he wanted to kiss Jimin. But he was also scared of this. Namjoon had told him not to give the wolf hope, if he was not sure about whether he wanted to be with him, so Jungkook was having an inner fight with himself. As always, however, his impulsive nature decided for him. Before he himself realised it, he had launched forward and pecked Jimin's lips for just a brief moment. It was so short, the latter had no time to react at all. The only thing he could really do was stare at his mate, before he had finally pulled him into his arms, crashing their chests against one another. His arms wrapped around Jungkook, pressing the younger against him as close as possible, so that both of them felt the other's racing heart. Instinctively, the wolf snuggled into Jungkook's shoulder, trying to get as much of his intoxicating scent as possible. He was just so close to his mate and the best thing was that the latter did not push him away. They were both equally nervous but Jimin felt that Jungkook's defence was breaking down and he was not able to hold back what he wanted to say all along.

         "I don't want to share you. I don't want someone else touching you. I don't want anyone so close to you that they notice you smell of honey and forest and vanilla and roses" he whispered against the witch's shoulder, sending shivers down the younger's spine.

This was what Jungkook was secretly wishing for. He wanted someone who was possessive over him, someone who did not want to share him with anyone and who could protect him, even though he was very much capable of protecting himself. But in the back of his mind lingered the image of a hostile wolf, which he just could not forget. However, being hugged by Jimin felt strangely nice and just for a second longer, he let himself enjoy it.

         "It's not like I'm going to die. Or at least, I don't think that this mission will be life-threatening" he mumbled over Jimin's shoulder.

As a response, the latter tightened his embrace. He felt the inner struggle of Jungkook but for the wolf, that was a good sign. For him, it meant that the younger did have feelings for him. Just knowing that was already more than enough for him but when Jungkook wrapped his arms around his neck, his heart was ready to give out because this time, he hugged back tightly. It was like their feelings were suddenly the same and there was a strange intimacy between them that neither of them had expected. Their hearts were beating in sync, pounding against the other's chest. Jimin felt like he never wanted to let go but at that moment, someone cleared his throat from a little farther away and that was when Jungkook regained his senses and pushed the wolf away.

         "I'm sorry to interrupt but you should get ready, Jungkookie" Yoongi reminded him, smirking just slightly, letting the two know that he had seen them hug each other.

The maknae blushed a dark red, fixing his hair, which did not even have to be fixed and did not dare to look at Jimin. He was so embarrassed. Why did Yoongi have to see them?

         "You didn't interrupt anything. I'll go get ready now. See you at the brothel, Jimin-hyung" Jungkook said quickly and almost ran into their apartment, leaving a grinning Yoongi and a still rather shaken Jimin standing in the hallway.

The rock witch smirked once again, before he followed Jungkook inside. Instantly, Jimin was nervous again, letting his mate leave earlier than he was. And his nervousness got worse, when they did not get any news from Yoongi the next day. The wolf had thought that it would not take long to hear back from them. Another day later, he had to go work; thus, he had to go to the human world. Of course, his mind was with his mate. He desperately tried to feel Jungkook but because they were not mated yet, the bond was too weak to feel him over such a long distance. Horrible pictures of disgusting vampires touching Jungkook were constantly on Jimin's mind and he could barely concentrate on making coffee. When he finally finished work, he quickly went home to change clothes. He thought he would be home alone but when he entered his house, he heard his father talking on the phone. After taking off his shoes, Jimin walked into the living room to see his father still wearing the suit he wore at work, so the wolf assumed that he was either on his way back or he had returned earlier. His father noticed Jimin trying to slip through but he gestured that Jimin should sit down. Sighing, he obeyed and waited, until his father finished his phone call. Impatiently, he tapped with his foot; all he wanted was go back to the academy and ask whether there were news because he honestly did not know how long he could handle being apart from Jungkook in a situation like this. Luckily, his father was done just a few minutes later and sat down next to Jimin.

         "How are you, son? I haven't seen you in a while. You seem on edge. Did something happen?" his father asked, genuinely concerned and as always, he saw right through Jimin.

         "It's uhm––––" the young wolf did not know how much he could actually tell his father because it was an undercover mission but he tried to be as precise as possible, "we got assigned a mission as Special Force and–––– I just don't like the conditions of it."

         "That's very vague. But you probably can't talk about it, I reckon?" his father assumed and Jimin nodded, "then, tell me about your mate. How is Jungkook? Has your bond strengthened?"

The wolf sighed and leaned back into the sofa, letting his thoughts stray to the only thing on his mind: Jungkook.

         "He is well. Very confident in his abilities. His way of fighting is indescribable; he's just so strong. But his feelings are just so complex. And there is this––– thing in his past. He's just so afraid of me – wolves – though he has been opening up. I feel the bond getting stronger. His feelings are starting to feel normal and I don't get surprised by them anymore because I'm so used to them by now. But the bond isn't strong enough to feel him right now and it's killing me. I just want to know whether he's okay or not."

         "Is he not at the academy?"

         "No–––––he, uhm–––He's in Ireland right now and I just feel so – helpless. I want to know, if he's okay but I just can't feel him" he sighed again, frustrated.

His father, however, laughed.

         "Son, although your bond is exceptionally strong, feeling your mate over such a long distance is only possible, when you have claimed him, if even. You can't expect the bond to be so strong without having touched him at all. Speaking of which. How are you handling the situation? I'm sure your desire for him has increased."

         "It's definitely getting harder to control myself. I don't want to press him but honestly, I sometimes feel he likes, when I'm doing as I please. But then again, he doesn't. He himself doesn't know what he wants, that's the problem. Sometimes, he's so cold towards me, pretending that I'm not even there but other times, like for example right before he had to leave for Ireland, he kissed me and let me hug him. I know he has feelings for me but he is a very proud person who doesn't want to show weakness and for him, love is weakness. Plus, he is scared of my wolf form, or even half human form. It's just so–––––– hard sometimes. I just don't  know what to do because on the one hand, he wants me gone because he's afraid of me but on the other hand, he suddenly kisses or hugs me."

His father nodded and chuckled a little, confusing Jimin. Why was he amused? The young wolf had just poured out his heart and his father found it amusing?

         "He reminds a little of your mother" he explained.

         "What? I thought Eomma said that she was mesmerised by you, as soon as you met" Jimin repeated his mother's words.

         "That doesn't mean she didn't play hard to get at first. She once told me that she was so scared of her own feelings that she pushed me away at first. When I think about it now, it's really amusing but at the time, it was so frustrating. Especially because I had lost my position as beta because I had imprinted but she didn't seem to let me court her, so there really wasn't anything I could do. But she came around eventually. Just because he doesn't let you touch him right from the start doesn't mean that you won't be with him. It just doesn't happen that often and because this is the first time that a wolf has imprinted on a witch, we don't know what that changes. You'll just have to test your limits with him. You said that you sometimes feel like he wants you to do what you want. Maybe that's what you should do, then. Trust your instincts."

         "But if I do what I want, I'd just bend him over and––––" Jimin snapped, clenching his fists, trying to hold back, to not voice out that burning desire for his mate.

         "Maybe, that is what you have to do. He is going to stop you, if he doesn't want to go any further. As much as you told me about him, he has very strong opinions, so he won't let you do things that he doesn't want to do. Son, I can't really help you with this because he is a witch and that changes things."

         "He makes me go crazy. All I constantly think about is him" the young wolf mumbled absentmindedly.

         "I know. And that will never change" his father smiled, "but now, I shall let you go. You wanted to go back to the academy, didn't you?"

Instantly, Jimin got up and nodded.

         "Yes, actually, I did. I am hoping that there is finally word from Jungkook-ah. Well, from Yoongi-hyung anyways because Jungkook-ah can't really contact us in his––– situation" Jimin explained, a cold shiver running down his spine, thinking about what his mate was possibly doing right now."

         "Then hurry" his father smiled, "and send my regards to him, when you can see him. I'll say hi to your mom."

He ruffled Jimin's hair, quickly hugging him and the latter naturally leaned into the comforting touch. It always felt great to talk to his father about these things because he knew what he was talking about it. Hoseok could just listen to Jimin but because he had not imprinted yet, so that meant he had no idea what it was like. After saying goodbye to his father, Jimin changed his clothes and walked to the portal to enter the other dimension again. Thanks to the portal room, Jimin was back at the academy within seconds and as soon as he was there, he went to their practice room to go look for someone of the team. But walking there, he heard Namjoon calling him from behind him. Curiously, the wolf turned his head and was met by a agitated looking half breed.

         "Good that you came back" he started.

         "Did you–––"

         "Yoongi-hyung called. We can join them now."

Chapter Text

Nervously, Jimin followed the half breed to their practice room, his heart pounding in anticipation of finally being able to get close to his mate again. His fingers were itching just thinking about seeing him again, smelling him again, possibly even wrapping his arms around him, when all of this was over. When Namjoon and Jimin entered the practice room, Jin and Hoseok were already there, the older explaining something to the wolf but as soon as Jimin entered the room, Hoseok looked up, amber eyes welcoming the younger wolf with a toothy smile, showing off his canines.

         "It feels great not suppressing our power" he grinned, "though, Namjoon-hyung, your vampire smell is so much more prominent now."

         "Trust me, you stink more too" the half breed chuckled.

Jimin only realised now that he could also change into his half human form because Jungkook was not around, so there was no reason to suppress their power. On the one hand, it was a relief to let loose for once but the fact that he could made him sad because it just reminded him that Jungkook was far away. However, not for long anymore, so Jimin decided to change as well. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, his body temperature increased and all of a sudden, everything was so much clearer now. The earthy, familiar smell of his best friend and companion, as well as the metallic but somehow sour smell that came from the half breed were more prominent than before. Jimin opened his eyes and the world was sharper too. Lately, he had not turned back into his wolf or half human form, so he had almost forgotten how heightened his senses were in those forms.

         "As I've already told Jiminnie–––" Namjoon started, making the others look at him because he hadn't called Jimin by his nickname yet, "Yoongi-hyung called and said that we could join them now. Apparently, Jungkookie and Taehyungie are doing a very good job, as expected of them."

The younger wolf clenched his teeth. What did he mean by them doing a good job? What did they have to do for them to do a good job? Gritting his teeth, he kept quiet and did not ask further questions because he just wanted to get to Jungkook as fast as possible. However, Namjoon obviously knew what his comment did to the young wolf and he did feel a little bad for him but he also could not change things and he hated to break the news to Jimin.

         "We'll all leave for Ireland today. However, only Jinnie and I will go to the brothel today. You two will stay out in the woods for tonight. We have to check the situation first and as you two are not experienced, it's better if you join a day later" he continued and this time, Jimin was too stunned to hold back his feelings.

         "What? Why? Why can't we join you? Why do we have to wait? Why can't I see Jungkook-ah? Why can't I go see him with you? Why––––"

         "Jimin" Namjoon interrupted him, his voice strict because now, he was speaking to the wolf as the captain of Special Force, "this is an order, that means you won't question it. I might not be a beta or an alpha to you, but I am your captain, which is the same thing here. And I know you're about to tell me that your loyalty to Jungkookie stands above all, which me and Jinnie will never understand the full meaning of this but trust me, when I say that he's alright and if something was to happen tonight, I'd send word to you."

Still a little upset, Jimin grumbled but didn't say anything more. All he wanted was at least look at his mate again but the half breed forbid him to see him today. Hoseok noticed the emotional struggle his best friend was going through, so he snuggled up to him, trying to cheer him up a little.

         "Can we change to our wolf form for the night or will we be too close to the village? It's been awhile since we were able to change back and I'm sure, it'll take some stress of Jiminnie's mind" Hoseok asked.

         "Yoongi-hyung said that the witches there are inexperienced, so you won't have to worry about them. Just be aware that there are many vampires too and they will smell you. As long as you can be sure that you are far away enough, so you don't smell vampires anymore, it should be fine. But tomorrow, when you join us, have a bath first, so your smell disappears."

The wolves nodded in relief, knowing that they would be able to relax a little. Then, the half breed explained the rest, before they all went back to their dorms to pack what they needed for the mission; at least the two witches did because the wolves did not need to pack anything. If they were to get hungry, they could hunt and because they could change into their wolf forms, they did not have to bring warm clothes because their fur would warm them. After 20 minutes, they all met up in front of the portal room and when the two witches arrived, they were in rather cheap looking clothes, each of them having an old backpack.

         "Do you always go on missions with these clothes?" Hoseok asked chuckling.

         "This is an unofficial mission, where we go undercover. We're adapting to the place we're going. We do have official uniforms but obviously, we wouldn't wear them for an undercover mission" Jin explained and Hoseok facepalmed because he could have thought of that himself.

After that, without further ado, they stepped through the right portal and within just a short moment, they stepped onto Irish ground. It was just as green as the Ireland in the human world but the Ireland of the other dimension had so much more forest areas. The ground was covered in dark green, damp moss. There was so much that when the four members of Special Force stepped on it, they sank in a little bit; it even travelled up the many trees around them. The two witches were about to leave, when Jimin's knees suddenly gave in, alarming the other three. Hoseok crouched down instantly, rubbing the younger's back, trying to figure out what was wrong. But there was nothing wrong with Jimin. In fact, he was extremely happy right now because as soon as his feet had touched Irish ground, a rush of satisfaction had overwhelmed him but it was not what he was feeling; it was Jungkook and Jimin knew this emotion very well because he had felt this countless times before. Jungkook was eating right now. The wolf had not expected to receive feelings from his mate yet because they were still rather far away from the town, where the brothel was, so he was completely overwhelmed to finally feel Jungkook again.

         "What's wrong? Are you okay? Jiminnie, talk to me" Hoseok urged worriedly.

         "I'm fine" he sighed, finding his strength again and slowly got up, "I just felt Jungkook-ah, that's all."

         "That's why I suddenly got these strange feelings from you. This whole bond is really confusing for me too. I never know, when they're yours or Jungkookie's feelings" Namjoon commented, "but we're still so far away, how can you already feel him?"

         "He's eating right now, so his feelings are strong" Jimin explained smiling.

         "How can you know he's eating?" Jin asked confused.

         "It's hard to explain but whenever he eats, there is this very special kind of satisfaction–––"

         "I think I understand. Food is important and I know he loves eating" the nature witch chuckled.

         "Anyways, we need to go now. You two can join us sometime tomorrow evening, okay?" the half breed reminded the other three.

The wolves nodded obediently, although Jimin still wanted to join them right now. However, he knew that he could not and he had waited long enough anyways, so one day would not kill him. The two witches said their goodbyes and then hiked into the direction of the village, leaving the two wolves behind. As soon as they were gone, Jimin let himself fall back into the moss, groaning a little annoyed, rubbing his head into the ground, enjoying the smell of slightly damp moss, soothing his desperate wolf side with something familiar. Hoseok joined, sighing, when he touched the soft green. For a moment, he thought of snuggling up to Jimin to cheer him up a little bit but when the younger suddenly started growling, he decided not to. He didn't want another shoulder bite. Sometimes, Hoseok wondered what it felt like to have imprinted on someone. He had always thought that he would find his mate first because he was the older one and that he could help his best friend with all the struggles that came with having imprinted. But now that Jimin had already found his mate, Hoseok felt helpless. He really wanted to help the younger but he did not know how.

         "Is it that hard being parted from Jungkookie?" he decided to ask.

         "You have no idea. I'm really struggling to hold myself back here" Jimin sighed almost exhaustedly, "he's so close, I can still feel that he's eating, yet, I can't go to him. If I didn't know that this mission was important for Jungkook-ah, I would instantly run to him, whether Namjoon-hyung would allow it or not. I'm really lucky that it's not close to the full moon because honestly, I wouldn't be able to control myself."

The younger was still lying on the ground, his face buried in the moss but then, he turned his head, his amber eyes meeting the elder's.

         "Can we just change and run a little? Maybe, it'll get my mind off things" he suggested and instantly, Hoseok jumped up, nodding eagerly.

Both of them concentrated and the feeling of their inhumanly increasing body temperature felt like a warming welcome into their natural form. For someone that was just watching them morph into wolves, it would have looked very painful how their bodies twisted into their new form but in truth, it did not hurt at all. Finally back in their wolf form, they wanted to growl but both of them remembered that they would be heard in the village because a wolf's growl was very loud. For a second, they stretched, testing their muscles, as they had not used them in this form for a while but then, their eyes locked and both grinned, revealing their perfectly white and sharp set of teeth. Challenging, Hoseok snarled, waiting for Jimin to do something and in the next second, the younger started running. Instantly, Jimin felt better; running came natural to him and battling Hoseok to a race was always fun. Both of them were one of the fastest wolves in their sub-pack, always participating in the races within the sub-pack. He easily jumped over tree boles or any other hindrance that was in his way, trying to outpace Hoseok. The brown furred wolf, however, had almost caught up with Jimin. There were only a few metres between them. Just like that, they spent the rest of the day running and sparring, distracting Jimin from his desire to go to his mate. When the sun set, they found a small cave to sleep in and naturally, they snuggled up to each other, giving each other comfort, having another wolf this close.

While Jimin and Hoseok were getting ready to get some sleep, work was just about to start for the others. Namjoon and Jin became acquainted with how everything worked and now that the sun had set, people started turning up. The main room of the brothel was rather big; there was an area with tables, a lounge and of course, a large bar with a pole at each end, as well as a little stage. In the back, there were rooms for more private meetings with the employees but as that was rather expensive, barely anyone could afford that. That was why Jungkook and Taehyung did not have to go back there yet. Upstairs were the rooms for the employees to sleep, where the two youngest witches were currently getting ready for their shift. Both of them had cast suppressing spells, so their true aura was hidden because otherwise, people would notice how strong they were.

         "Seriously, this outfit is too much" Jungkook rolled his eyes, "I mean, I'm confident in my body, so I wouldn't mind walking around shirtless, but these straps are uncomfortable."

Annoyed, he put on the underwear that was made of suede, as well as the straps that were made from the same material. The fire witch really did not understand what people saw in this outfit. Of course, it revealed a lot of skin but why the straps? Especially because they were not made of lace anyways because people could not afford that here, so it looked so – medieval.

         "Hey, not everyone enjoys the luxury of the academy" Taehyung shrugged, getting ready as well, "plus, you look good in it."

         "I look good in everything" Jungkook smirked.

         "Already getting into character?"

         "I'm always confident" the younger argued, ruffling his hair up to look purposely messy.

         "Except when you're with Jiminnie. Then, you turn into a shy adorable muffin" the water witch giggled, ducking away instantly because Jungkook tried punching him.

Glaring at his friend, Jungkook gritted his teeth, knowing that he was blushing and that was yet another moment, where he hated his element for making him have such extreme emotions.

         "I'm not a muffin" he hissed, straightening his back.

         "Oh, but you are. You should see yourself blushing. It's like your cheeks are on fire" Taehyung provoked him, giggling at his own pun, "it's even worse than before. You know, Yoongi-hyung told me about what happened between you and Jiminnie, right before we left."

Biting his tongue, Jungkook launched at Taehyung again, losing his temper faster than usual because he could not deny that he had let Jimin hug him, before their departure. Not only that, but he had kissed the wolf yet again and even hugged him back. He still was fighting with himself, whether he wanted something to happen between him and Jimin. On the one hand, he could not deny that he really wanted to let it happen. But on the other hand, he did not know whether he could let it happen. His fear of wolves was not just going to disappear and even though hugging Jimin, and kissing him too, felt good – really good, Jungkook was aware that, if Jimin had been in his half human form, he would not have been able to do that. Whenever he thought about the smaller, his mind was a mess but he knew he had to concentrate on the mission, so he tried to ignore those thoughts, when Yoongi entered the room. He was wearing a coat made of suede, really looking like a medieval character of some kind of book.

         "Get done already. People are starting to come in" he said in a harsh tone, looking grim, already in character because behind him was one of the other pimps.

         "O––of course" Taehyung answered with a heavy Korean accent in his English, playing the intimidated one that did not really want to be here.

         "Sure, we're coming" Jungkook said, swaying his hips, following Yoongi and the other guy, almost enjoying his confident role.

Then, they descended the stairs, entering the main room and first, both of them had pole duty, which both of them actually enjoyed doing. Dancing on the bar to the live music meant that people could only watch them, not touch them. The fire witch swiftly got up on the bar, taking his post at the pole and started dancing, instantly noticing Jin standing behind the bar, serving clients. That was when he felt the strange presence of Namjoon in his head and for once, he let him in and consciously thought about talking to him, so they could communicate.

Was about time you two arrived, he thought, automatically looking around to find his partner, finding him, when the half breed exited the storage room.

But even though he had found him, his gaze still wandered around the room, looking for one certain set of eyes. However, he somehow knew that he was not here. Jungkook did not know why, but he could feel that Jimin was not here yet. For a moment, he sorted his questions in his head because right now, Namjoon could only nod or shake his head, so the maknae had to ask yes or no questions.

Did you decide that it's better for them to stay at the academy?

Namjoon shook his head, while scratching it to hide that he was answering a question in Jungkook's head.

So they are here right now?

But the half breed shook his head again.

But then, where are there?, Jungkook thought first but shook his head himself, trying to think of a yes or no question, are there in the woods?

Finally, Namjoon nodded and for some reason, Jungkook felt a little more relaxed, now that he knew where Jimin was. As soon as he looked at the half breed again, he saw him smirk, making the maknae's heart beat a little faster because he felt exposed, but right now, he should not be distracted, so he shut his partner out, concentrating on the mission. But the entire night, there was no Morgan Barner and both Taehyung and Jungkook collapsed into their beds at dawn, falling asleep immediately.

They were so tired that they only woke up at 4pm, just in time for their shower time. Quickly, they went into what people here called bathroom but it was not really more than a room with a rather small tub and a fireplace to boil water because no electricity meant cold water at all times. Thanks to Jungkook's element, they did not need the fireplace. However, they still lit it up just so that it looked like they used it because for all what the others knew, Jungkook and Taehyung were two witches that could not control their element, just like most of the people here. The younger warmed up the water, so it was hot but still comfortable for Taehyung to be in, before both of them took off their clothes and entered the tiny tub. They had to pull their legs to their chests so both of them fit in it. Taehyung sighed, when he entered the tub, enjoying the feeling of his element meeting his skin and even Jungkook breathed out in relief because although it was water and it was weakening him, at least it was warm and warmth was comfortable. A little tired still, Jungkook rested his head on his knees, watching how Taehyung played with the water, creating little currents in the tub.

         "I'm really glad I get to bathe with you, you know. Thanks to you, the water never gets cold" Taehyung commented.

         "As if you needed the water to be warm" Jungkook snorted jokingly, "I need it to be warm, otherwise, it's weakening me too much. You, on the other hand, could swim to the deepest point in the ocean and you'd be fine."

         "Well, true but it's still nice to have a hot bath" he argued, splashing water into the younger's face, making him glare, "but you'd rather be in a bathtub with someone else, I guess."

         "Seriously, do you never stop teasing me?" the fire witch sighed annoyed, concentrating back on the currents in the water.

         "It's my job to tease you. Back at the academy, they call us devil twins for a reason" he grinned, starting to provoke the younger again.

Squinting his eyes, the fire witch heated up the water, smirking, when he saw how Taehyung got uncomfortable.

         "Okay, I'm sorry!" the water witch gave in, "I'm just saying that you shouldn't overanalyse. If you like him, then, you like him."

Jungkook was just about pick a fight again but suddenly, there were footsteps outside the door, shutting the two up immediately. Instantly, they were on guard, listening to the steps that got closer. Then, the door opened, a topless Namjoon entering, making both of the younger witches tilt their heads in confusion.

         "Oh, sorry, didn't know you were in here" the half breed said apologetically but then, he came closer, lowering his voice, speaking in Korean "I'm not the only one with good ears around here you two idiots. What has gotten into you? You know not to talk about the academy, even if it's in Korean. You don't know who can speak what language. Don't let petty provocation make you forget what's important. Just because both of you have the most emotional elements doesn't mean you can't shut off your feelings. I can't believe that I have to tell you this."

He looked at both of them intently, before he left again, leaving the two younger tensed up in the bath. They were not used to authoritative Namjoon because he never had to be but now, they realised that they were talking about sensitive topics. Quickly, they finished washing up, towel-drying their hair and went back to their room, getting ready to go down again. Today, they had waiting duty, meaning that they had to be down earlier. It also meant that they were 'on display' and people could book them for various activities, such as a simple lap dance but also for more, which of course, both of them hoped they did not have to do. But they knew that if they were picked by one of the clients, they had to go through with it to keep their cover. While they knew it, the wolves, especially Jimin, did not see the big picture because all he thought about at the moment, was seeing his mate again. That was why, when he and Hoseok entered the brothel in the evening, his heart was already racing in anticipation. He could smell his mate but he could not see him yet. They sat down at one of the tables, watching the shady looking people that were sitting in the brothel, eyeing the two girls that were pole dancing.

         "They do look good" Hoseok admitted, smirking a little and Jimin just shook his head, still looking around, when suddenly, someone appeared behind them, whose smell was so familiar, Jimin almost got up and hugged him.

         "Hello there handsome, what can I get you two?" Jungkook welcomed them in broken English with a cheeky smile, his eyes sparkling, making Jimin choke on his spit.

The fire witch looked so confident in what he was doing and he also felt confident. But for once, Jimin was more distracted by his own feelings than Jungkook's because he was struggling to hold back his wolf. Jungkook was barely wearing anything, only underwear and straps made of suede. He was simply standing there shirtless and proud and the wolf swallowed hard, just barely managing to suppress his desire to just jump at Jungkook and claim him. This was the first time he had seen Jungkook shirtless and he really thought that this would happen differently. He always wanted this to happen privately, him slowly taking it off the t-shirt for Jungkook, throwing it across the room, before he laid his hands on that beautifully fair skin. But instead, his mate was undercover as a prostitute and Jimin saw the hungry looks of the other people in the room.

         "Uhm––– what you have?" Hoseok asked because he was aware that Jimin was not able to answer at the moment.

         "Oh, do you speak Korean?" Jungkook asked surprised, switching to Korean, playing his role perfectly.

         "Just bring us something that doesn't have too much alcohol. I don't think my friend is in a good condition to drink much, pretty boy" Hoseok answered, starting to act as well, instantly earning a glare from Jimin, which made J-Hope flinch a little.

         "Sure, coming right up" Jungkook smiled smugly.

Before he left, he allowed himself to quickly look at Jimin but he regretted it immediately. The wolf's eyes were burning with desire but also with such a sense of possessiveness, it actually turned the witch on a little, which was extremely embarrassing because he thought that Jimin would have felt that. However, the wolf was still busy tolerating the fact that everyone in this room was seeing something that was only supposed to be seen by him. The fire witch walked back to the bar, swaying his hips and almost everyone turned around to look at him. The younger wolf held back the urge to snarl at them and just concentrated on Jungkook and what he was doing. However, he was distracted by the conversation the table next to them had.

         "I wish I had enough money for Seagull. He is so pretty" one of the guys said.

         "He looks so young too!" another commented.

         "Apparently, they made him this expensive because they want to spare him for––– you know."

         "Yeah, I heard he's still a virgin! That would have been such a treat" one of them sighed and looked at Jungkook, "I mean, look at his ass. So pretty and innocent."

         "Unlike his attitude" the other chuckled, glancing at the fire witch as well, "maybe, if we put our money together, we can afford a lap dance."

Jimin almost jumped up at that. There was no way someone else was going to touch Jungkook in front of him. He would not let that happen. He had to do something and when Jungkook came back with their drinks, he acted on instinct because there was just so much he could take.

         "How much do I have to pay for a lap dance?"

A wave of surprise rushed through Jimin, clearing his head a little because his mate's feelings were finally reaching him again.

         "I don't know, you'd have to make a deal with my master. Shall I get him for you? You must know, I'm quite pricey. You won't regret it, though" Jungkook explained, acting purposely innocent, so that everyone noticed that it was acted.

Gulping, not used to Jungkook flirting, Jimin nodded, digging his nails into his thighs. Truthfully, he did not want this to happen. He wanted to touch Jungkook, when Jungkook gave his okay, when they were alone with each other, where he could convey all those millions of feelings he had for his mate and not in a shady brothel, where disgusting men were watching them. But everything was better than those men touching Jungkook. As soon as Jungkook went upstairs to get his master, who was Yoongi, Hoseok leaned forward, looking at Jimin.

         "Are you sure about this?" he asked worried, knowing that this kind of direct contact could also backfire because Jimin was already on edge, barely keeping it together and provoking his possessiveness was not exactly a good idea.

         "I'll be alright as long as no one touches him" he hissed under his breath.

While they waited for Jungkook to come back down, the wolves looked around, finding Taehyung waiting tables as well, wearing the same outfit as Jungkook, while Namjoon and Jin were behind the bar counter. Suddenly, they heard the door open and when the people saw who had entered, everyone got quiet for a second. Confused, the wolves turned around, noticing a tall, black haired man walking to the lounge area, which was immediately cleared for him. Taehyung was the one to welcome him and the wolves really had to give him credit for acting shy. He was almost shivering, when he took that guy's order. He brought the order to Namjoon, who nodded and somehow, Jimin and Hoseok understood that this man was Morgan Barner. They would have watched him for longer but then, Jimin felt that Jungkook was getting closer, so he looked to the stairs, where Yoongi and him appeared. They walked up to him and Yoongi really looked more intimidating that usually.

         "You want a lap dance from Seagull? Five gold coins, then" Yoongi demanded, holding out his hand.

At this moment, the wolf was really glad that they had gotten briefed about the currency here. Five gold coins was a lot of money and Namjoon had only given them 10 but he was desperate, but he also knew how to play his role.

         "Two" he bargained.

         "Three."

         "Deal" Jimin agreed and gave him Yoongi the money.

The blonde nodded satisfied and tapped Jungkook on the shoulder once, walking over to the bar but that was when Jimin focused back on his mate, who was slowly getting closer, swaying his hips to the music. A strange mix between feeling challenged, excited and nervous was hitting Jimin and he wondered what Jungkook thought of this, especially since the younger had kissed Jimin before he left. They locked eyes and instantly, tension built up. Jungkook walked around Jimin, slowly letting his hands trail over Jimin's shoulders and down his torso, making the older shiver. He leaned down, his breath ghosting over the wolf's neck but then, he pulled back, walking around Jimin again to face him, positioning himself between his legs and started dancing seductively. Jungkook was good at this. He knew how to dance to arouse someone and he usually did not feel anything but this was different because he was doing this for Jimin. Whenever he did this for someone else, their gaze was just disgusting but Jimin looked at him with so much devotion and admiration, yet he was passionate and full of desire, it made this so much more intense. Somehow, both of them forgot that there were people around them and this suddenly got more intimate. Jungkook danced seductively, letting his hands roam his torso once in a while, biting his lips just when Jimin's eyes averted to his lips. After a minute or two, Jungkook got closer, lifting his legs, sitting down on the wolf's lap, feeling that Jimin's was definitely aroused. Desperately, Jimin grabbed his mate's thighs, almost violently because he had struggles not changing into his half human form. His desire to claim Jungkook was so hard to suppress right now, he could not control his strength and his grip was probably already bruising. However, Jungkook did not mind at all. In fact, it was turning him on more than he cared to admit. Slowly, he put his hands on the wolf's chest, travelling up, until his arms were wrapped around the other's neck, pulling himself closer, starting to grind on Jimin. The latter choked down a groan, digging his nails into Jungkook's thighs.

         "Jung––––" he breathed but Jungkook suddenly bit his ear and there was no way he could speak right now because if he did, he would have changed.

         "Not that name" the fire witch reminded him, grinding harder and this time, Jungkook had to hold back a moan himself.

This was so wrong on so many levels but Jimin could not help but feel so god damn aroused, especially because the same feeling came from his mate. But then, the music suddenly changed and Jungkook pulled away a little and for a moment, they locked eyes, which was a mistake. Both of them were aroused but in both of their eyes was more. It took all of the wolf's self-control not to kiss the younger, when he bit his lip once again, before he retreated and got off of him. As if nothing had happened, Jungkook put on that smug smirk.

         "I hope you enjoyed, handsome" he chuckled, walking away, leaving Jimin absolutely speechless.

While the wolf tried to catch his breath, Jungkook quickly grabbed a drink from the bar, earning a suggestive look from Namjoon and the younger felt his partner poking his mind, asking for entrance for once.

I know what you're going to say. You want to tell me that this was unfair to him and I know that. But it was him, who requested this. I couldn't say no, could I? It's his fault for making me do this, he tried to defend himself but he could not deny how much he liked that himself.

But instead of giving the fire witch another suggestive look, he nodded into the direction of the lounge area, making Jungkook pay attention to what was happening. Yoongi was sitting next to Morgan Barner and it looked like they were bargaining. Yoongi did not look pleased, yet he shook hands with the suspect.

         "I'm really sorry" Namjoon suddenly said in an apologetic way, turning away, when Yoongi arrived at the bar.

         "Seagull, V" he called Jungkook and Taehyung, looking at them seriously, "this client is very important. Make sure you satisfy him. I gave him the key to room three. Do whatever he wants from you."

That was when both of them understood. They were just bought by their suspect. Together. As a package. And not just for a lap dance. On the one hand, this was great because they were not alone, reducing the chance that one of them would be in serious danger, but on the other hand, this could mean that they had to watch each other have sex with their suspect, if they were not able to arrest him beforehand and even if they were very close, they definitely did not want to see the other in a situation like that. For a second, the two witches looked at each other, giving silent consent that whatever happened was for the greater good. Then, they walked over to the suspect, who was sitting on one of the sofas, sipping on a drink Taehyung had brought him before.

         "Hello, handsome" Jungkook started up his act again, sitting close to him, while Taehyung sat down on the sofa opposite of the suspect's.

         "Hi there. You're accent is cute. Where are you from?" Morgan Barner asked, instantly, moving closer to Jungkook and putting an arm around him.

Jungkook resisted the urge to shiver in disgust and just smiled at him smugly.

         "South Korea."

The suspect smirked, putting his other hand on Jungkook's inner thigh for a moment, but then took it away again.

         "Your friend seems so shy here. Why don't you help him loose up a little?" he smirked and Jungkook knew what he wanted.

However, Jungkook felt repelled to do it but there was no way out of this. He took a deep breath and got up, walking over to Taehyung but he made the mistake to look at the wolves' table, locking eyes with Jimin, who looked at him in terror. He looked ready to get up and ruin the entire mission. But even though this was all messed up, Jungkook had no choice but to climb into Taehyung's lap, just like he had done it to Jimin before, just that this time, this did not feel arousing at all. It felt disgusting. Not because the fire witch thought Taehyung was gross but because they were like brothers and this felt like incest. Still, Jungkook cupped Taehyung's face, pulling him into a passionate kiss with loads of tongue involved. While this was awkward for both of the witches, it was unbearable for Jimin. He was actually shaking because he was still trying to hold back and not change but seeing his mate kiss someone else was just making his blood boil, which was not good. Of course, Hoseok noticed the drastic change in his best friend and quickly got up.

         "We need to leave now" he said, purposely standing into Jimin's view of Jungkook and Taehyung that were making out.

         "No" Jimin said agitated, trying to push Hoseok away but the latter insisted, firmly grabbing Jimin's wrist, pulling him up.

         "Jiminnie, let's go. Now" he repeated, lowering his voice, "at this rate, you'll change and not just into half human form."

Jimin was still not saying anything but when he felt his body temperature increase to a level where he really could change any second, he let Hoseok drag him out of the brothel. As fast as the older could, he pulled Jimin as far away from the brothel as the younger wolf allowed. However, they could not really leave the village because Jimin refused to go so far away. On the one hand, he could not tolerate what Jungkook had to do right now but on the other hand, he knew that he was not allowed to interfere. Desperately, he crouched down to the ground in one of the small corners of the village, trying to calm down his boiling blood. Meanwhile, he still received disgusted feelings from Jungkook because he was still kissing his best friend and brother.

         "Let's take this backstage, shall we? Are you loosened up, little one?" Morgan Barner finally interrupted them, getting up, his eyes suddenly glowing red.

Taehyung nodded shyly, playing his role perfectly. Pulling back, Jungkook got up and although he told himself to not look, he could not help but look to the wolves' table. However, it was empty, making his hard stop for a second. Where did Jimin go?

         "Don't worry, it'll only hurt in the beginning" he suspect whispered into Jungkook's ear, a cold shiver running down his spine.

Of course, Morgan Barner thought that the irregularity of Jungkook's heartbeat had something to do with him possibly losing his virginity to this man but at that moment, he simply wondered where the wolf had disappeared to. But now that the suspect had mentioned it, the maknae realised that this was going to be tricky situation. They had to wait, until the suspect tried to bite one of them, before they could arrest him. That was how long they had to play along. The tall man put an arm around Jungkook's, the other around Taehyung's shoulders, leading them to the back area. Looking to the bar, the maknae locked eyes with his partner, who looked at him worriedly and instantly, Jungkook felt his presence in his mind.

I'll be okay. Don't worry. I always am and Taehyung-hyung is with me. I'll be fine, Jungkook thought, trying to assure the half breed that he was not as nervous as he actually was.

The back area was only lit by a few candles and the corridor was almost too dark to see anything. There was the sound of keys clashing together and then, a lock was turned and as they were led into the room, the witches could finally see something again. There was a rather pathetic looking king sized bed but for the standards at the brothel, it was a really good bed. The room was lit up well, candles standing on every surface there was in the room. The suspect closed the door behind them, locking it, eyeing the two witches with his blood-red orbs.

         "Lie down and continue what you were doing before. I wonder how far a virgin like you can take it before you don't know what to do" he man chuckled, taking off the robe he was wearing, as well as his t-shirt.

The younger took a deep breath, looking at his best friend in slight terror, before he pushed Taehyung backwards, making him fall on the bed. Confidently, Jungkook crawled on top of him, straddling the water witch, kissing him again. The worst thing about this was that Taehyung was a good kisser and Jungkook almost felt bad that he did not enjoy this. It just felt wrong. Not just because this was his almost brother, he was making out with but also because these were not Jimin's lips. Suddenly, Jungkook realised that he only wanted to kiss Jimin. He had known that for a while but now that he admitted it to himself, he was so shocked, he pulled back, breathing heavily, his heart beating fast because he just realised that although a part of him was afraid of the wolf, he still wanted to be with him. He came to his senses, when the suspect's hands were ghosting over his back, halting at his neck, caressing Jungkook's artery.

         "Already too inexperienced to continue? I thought your friend was the shy one?" the man chuckled, enjoying that he made Jungkook shiver.

Pulling himself together, the maknae turned his head to the suspect, smirking, tilting his head a little, so his artery showed more.

         "Just had to catch my breath" Jungkook said, wrapping his hand around the suspect's wrist, pulling him down, trying to connect their lips, trying to seduce the man.

But the suspect wrapped his hand around Jungkook's neck, pressing him into the mattress next to Taehyung.

         "So eager, yet still so innocent" he chuckled, his nails grazing at the younger's skin, "you are really something."

The grip around the fire witch's throat was strong and he coughed a little, trying to breathe properly. But then, the grip loosened, the hand wandering down his neck, ghosting over his collarbone, arriving at his nipples, pinching them, making Jungkook gasp.

         "So sensitive too" the suspect smiled pleased, twisting Jungkook's nipple again, "come, help me get your friend in the mood."

That was when the man put his other hand on the maknae's crotch, palming him slowly, while Taehyung hesitantly leaned down to kiss him again. Jungkook tried to block all of this out as best as possible but when the suspect pulled down Jungkook's underwear, he shrieked a little, but he could not really do anything about it because the man instantly grabbed his dick, pumping it in a rather fast pace and unfortunately, the man was skilled. Jungkook was so sensitive, he could not help but feel aroused, even though he hated this. If this was going to continue, he really did have to have sex with this man. This theory was proved, when Jungkook felt how the suspect's hand left his member and travelled further down, ghosting over his balls and that was when Jungkook panicked and decided to improvise. Determined, he took control of the kiss, biting Taehyung's lip so hard that he started bleeding, which made the water witch pull back in shock. Instantly, the suspect stopped too, his finger already so close to Jungkook's entrance that it had really terrified him for a second but luckily, his plan had worked. Morgan Barner stared at Taehyung's bleeding lips, hypnotised by the blood that was running down the witch's chin and within less than a second, he was on top of Taehyung, pressing him down into the mattress, surprising both of the witches because they had not expected him to be that fast. He bared his fangs, opening his mouth and he was about to bore his teeth into Taehyung's skin, when Jungkook kicked him off of his best friend. The vampire snarled angrily, finding his footing and stared at the two. Jungkook quickly pulled up his underwear again, not once letting the vampire out of sight.

         "Morgan Barner" Taehyung began protocol, "we're Special Force of the International Academy. You have been caught trying to feed on a witch, which is strictly forbidden by law. Therefore, we are authorised to kill you. However, we have reasons to believe that you belong to Cain's clan and we will bring you in for questioning. You have the right to be silent but just know that if you are, my oh so innocent friend will torture you, until you beg for death."

         "You filthy little witches, you haven't even caught me yet" he snorted, snarling again.

We exposed him. About to arrest him. Gather the others. We'll come out the back door, Jungkook thought, so Namjoon knew what was going on.

Then, however, he had to concentrate on the task at hand. If this man really was in Cain's direct clan, he was a skilled fighter, so they had to be careful. Observing the vampire's every little move, Jungkook waited for someone to make the first move, hoping that Taehyung was not the first one to attack and luckily, he was not. Angrily, the vampire launched forward and he was faster than expected. Taehyung just barely managed to duck away but it was enough distraction for Jungkook to cast a telekinesis spell. He stretched his arm, tensing his muscles, looking at the vampire, feeling the man's throat in his hand, even though he was standing too far away to actually touch him. The vampire started gasping for air, scratching on his throat because he felt like he was choking, yet, there was nothing there. It was Jungkook's spell that did this to him. The maknae glanced at Taehyung, who was casting a powerful fettering spell and took the suspect's hands behind his back, binding them with magical energy, which was stronger than any rope you could find.

         "Morgan Barner, you are arrested for violating witch laws" Taehyung said satisfied but earned an angry snarl from the man.

         "I will tell you nothing, you bastards!" he yelled but now, it was Jungkook's time to chuckle.

He walked up to the man glared at him, letting out a noise close to a giggle but his expression was ice cold.

         "Wait until I'm done with you."

Suddenly, the door got slammed open and a rather agitated Yoongi was looking at both of them.

         "We should go before someone notices what is actually going on here" he urged and Taehyung lead the suspect out of the room immediately.

Yoongi patted his shoulder for a moment, looking at his partner, nodding in relief, showing that those two were just as close as Namjoon and Jungkook were. After they had left the brothel through the back door, Namjoon and Jin were already waiting outside. As soon as Namjoon saw that the two witches were alright, he relaxed a little and ruffled up both of their hair, his hand lingering on Jungkook's head a little longer. They locked eyes and Namjoon smiled relieved.

         "I'm glad you're alright."

The suspect snickered at that and he was about to say something but Namjoon used a silencing spell, making him shut up. Now that everything was done, Jungkook allowed himself to think about something else than the mission, noticing that the wolves were not here. He had expected that Jimin would wait for him eagerly because he always claimed that it was hard for him to stay away but now that he could finally be close to Jungkook, he was not here.

         "Where are the wolves?" the maknae asked confused.

Namjoon turned around and looked at his partner, looking serious.

         "They're waiting in the woods. Jiminnie–––– didn't really take it well, seeing you with someone else" the half breed elaborated.

         "He's not really jealous of me, right?" Taehyung asked, "I mean, that's ridiculous. Plus, it's not like we enjoyed it. Though, Jungkookie is a good kisser, considering how inexperienced he is."

         "And it was for the mission" Jungkook added, "even if he doesn't like it, he has to get used to it."

Jungkook did feel a little bad because Jimin had to witness all of this but unfortunately, this was everyday life for Special Force and now that the wolves were part of it, they had to adapt to these situations, whether they liked it or not.

         "It's not as black and white as you two think it is. Having imprinted on Jungkookie, makes this much harder for Jiminnie. But let's catch up to them, now" Namjoon sighed, leading the team into the direction of the portal.

It took them five minutes to find the wolves because they were sitting in a small cave; Jimin was curled up in a ball, his arms wrapped around his legs, his face hidden, his muscles tensed and there was a hostile noise coming from him, as if he was grumbling. It sounded like an angry animal that was making a noise something between a snarl and a growl. Jungkook shivered, hearing that sound because it was just all too familiar. A rush of fear overcame the maknae but then, Jimin looked up with brown eyes, although they were a little puffy and red. The colour, however, calmed Jungkook down because they were not amber.

         "Hey, sorry we left–––" Hoseok began, giving Jimin time to pull himself together, "he kind of had to let off some steam."

         "It's completely understandable. Trust me, it was a good decision of you to make him leave when you did" Namjoon nodded his head, patting Hoseok's shoulder rewardingly.

Finally, Jimin got up, crossing his arms, his hands clenched into fists and he just looked uncomfortable in general. The fire witch thought that Jimin would be happy to be able to interact with him again but contrary to that, Jimin just walked passed him, ignoring him completely, walking fast, followed by Hoseok. Namjoon made the rest follow them, not explaining, why the wolves were walking several metres in front of the rest. They passed some snapped trees but no one really minded, or even noticed it to be something strange, except, of course, the wolves.

         "Is Jiminnie okay?" Taehyung asked confused.

         "Considering what he is going through right now, yes" Namjoon said through clenched teeth and that was, when the rest noticed that he was tense as well.

The half breed was feeling everything Jimin felt right now, making it hard for him, to control his vampire side. He only understood parts of what he was receiving from the wolf and he already felt like changing, so he could only imagine just how intense everything was for the poor wolf. Looking at the leader, Jin understood and rubbed Namjoon's back comfortingly. Even if the nature witch could not even imagine what it was like to constantly feel what others felt, he wanted to help him in some way, so he casted a calming spell – a special spell that could only be performed by nature witches – which helped a lot, making Namjoon relax.

         "But why is Jiminnie freaking out this much?" Taehyung still continued.

         "I don't know what's it like to be weirdly connected by fate with the one you love, but if I saw Anna make out with anyone else, even if it was her best friend, I'd still be extremely angry. Now multiply this times 100 and you probably have what Jimin is feeling right now" Yoongi supported Jimin for once.

         "But still––– he should know that this is because of the mission and that I wouldn't kiss Taehyung-hyung normally" Jungkook argued.

         "Which probably makes it even worse. He knows it can't be avoided and he can't blame anyone, yet he wants to."

Sighing, Jungkook looked at the wolves, seeing how tense Jimin was, just by looking at his back. The witch just could not imagine why Jimin made such a big deal out of this. Yes, it was not pretty to watch someone you liked kiss someone else but he knew that this had nothing to do with love or even lust because this was only for the mission.

They finally made it to the portal and got back to the academy. The wolves had already walked off, as soon as they arrived. Yoongi and Taehyung had been assigned to bring Morgan Barner into the questioning room, while Jin had the job to inform Team 2 that they were back. Jungkook thought that they would go straight into questioning the suspect but Namjoon stopped him, when he wanted to follow Yoongi and Taehyung.

         "This mission was exhausting. We earned a day of rest, before we continue this. He's not going anywhere now. Plus, Tablo-hyung needs to know that we have captured Morgan Barner first, before he can do anything. So Let's just go back to our dorm, for now."

Reluctantly, Jungkook nodded and followed his partner. It was true that he was rather exhausted but he also wanted to find out where Cain was hiding, so he just wanted to question the suspect to get closer to his goal.

         "Are you going to talk to him?" Namjoon asked, when they entered their dorm.

         "I don't know why I should. He knows why I had to do it, so if he's not okay with it, it's his problem" Jungkook answered defiantly.

This was his element making him act on impulse again. He knew that Jimin could not change the way he reacted but it all seemed so extreme to the young witch.

         "Jungkookie, for the last time. He can't help it. You still don't understand just how much he loves you and how painful it is for him to see you with someone else" Namjoon tried to explain once again.

         "I know, you've said that before, but c'mon, he should have some common sense––––"

         "Jeon Jungkook" the half breed said in a very strict tone, shutting the younger up, "sometimes, your stubbornness is unbelievable. I shouldn't do this because I myself don't fully understand his feelings but you give me no choice."

Then, the witch shot forward, using his vampire speed to press Jungkook on the wall, putting his thumbs on the younger's temples, closing his eyes. The maknae was so surprised, he had no time to react, so he just stood there and waited for something to happen. He knew that the leader wanted to show him something, so he opened his mind, letting the half breed in and when he did, a massive wave of feelings hit him all at once. They were so powerful, Jungkook could not even decipher them at first. His knees gave in and both of the witches slid to the ground, yet Namjoon still did not stop. Slowly, there were pictures forming in Jungkook's mind. They were blurry and everything was a mess but he could see himself exiting the café with Taehyung and then, a rush of pure and unconditional love hit him, it almost took his breath away. But then, the image suddenly changed. There was a lot of green but then, he recognised himself again. He was lying on the ground with his eyes closed and that was when almost unbearable pain hit him. Like a knife it stabbed him right in his heart. The guilt and pain were so strong, he started crying. However, the picture changed again and comfortable, soothing warmth started surrounding the maknae. He realised that this warmth was himself hugging him, or Jimin because these were Jimin's memories. This was right before Jungkook had left for the mission. It was the hug, where the witch had responded and had hugged back. So much warmth and contentment flowed through Jungkook right now, he was now crying because of the positive feelings. These were crushed by desperation, anxiety, anger and helplessness, when the picture in the witch's mind changed yet again. Jungkook could not decipher what it was for quite some time but he had the urge to scream but somehow, those feelings took his breath away along with his voice. Finally, he could recognise what triggered those feelings because the picture was clear enough. It was him yet again but he was kissing Taehyung, sitting in his lap, biting the others lip and from this perspective, it really looked like Jungkook was enjoying it. He continued crying but this time, it was because he felt helpless. He started shaking, his eyes were out of focus and he really felt like he did not have enough air to breathe. Then, the image got too blurry but the feeling of desperation and anxiety just got worse, when he felt something strange. But that was when Namjoon finally let go of him. Panting, gasping for air, the fire witch tried to find his way back to reality but he was honestly overwhelmed by what he just felt. Never had he imagined that Jimin's feelings were this strong and intense.

         "That's what he feels and remember, this is only, how non-wolves perceive his feelings. It's probably even more extreme for him. Do you now understand, why he behaved like that earlier? Why he can't leave you alone? Why he does everything you want? Because He can't leave you alone and because everything you feel and do affects him too."

Tears still running down his face, Jungkook looked at his partner but he was too busy sorting his thoughts. Knowing how Jimin really felt just made his choice so much clearer now. There was not one single emotion that indicated violence – it was just pure love. He was so stunned that he could not speak for a while. Slowly, he got up and decided to have a piercing hot shower, which was still comfortable for him. It was actually soothing because he loved it to be surrounded by warmth, which brought him back to Jimin's feelings. How was he doing now, after he had endured watching Jungkook kiss Taehyung? Suddenly, Jungkook realised something. He finally understood why the feelings got even worse at the end. Jimin must have felt his arousal, when the suspect had touched him. Instantly, Jungkook felt guilty. He did not want to feel good and he hated that his body liked it. Quickly, he finished showering, putting on some sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt and walked out of the dorm straight to the wolves' front door but there, he halted, his fist already in the air, ready to knock. What was he even going to say? Why did he even come here? What did he want? How did he want this to go? So many questions were in Jungkook's head but in the end, he just knocked, hoping that everything will unwind, as soon as he could speak to Jimin. But it was not him who opened the door but Hoseok.

         "Jungkookie" he said surprised.

         "Can I talk to Jimin-hyung?" he asked, suddenly getting nervous.

         "No" the wolf answered, making Jungkook widen his eyes but the wolf was not done talking, "at least not right now. Can you wait for like five or ten minutes?"

         "Sure!" Jungkook nodded, being welcomed into the apartment and only for the second time, he sat down on the sofa, "where is he?"

Hoseok went into the kitchen and poured Jungkook a glass of water, sitting down next to him, after he had given him the glass.

         "Oh, he's just in his room. He's rather occupied right now, that's why he probably hasn't noticed you're here yet. Usually, he would have smelled and felt you long ago" Hoseok explained with a smile on his face.

That was when Jungkook remembered that Jimin had said that he smelled of forest, honey, vanilla and roses. He knew he smelled of vanilla and roses because he had a vanilla shampoo and a rose perfume but he wondered where the other two scents came from.

         "What is so compelling that he doesn't come running to wherever I am. I mean, he usually follows me like a dog" Jungkook argued, holding back a giggle because he thought it was somehow funny because Jimin was a wolf.

         "Don't compare us to dogs. We find that insulting" Hoseok chuckled but the younger felt that he meant that seriously, "and well–––– Jiminnie is praying right now."

Surprised, Jungkook looked at Hoseok, raising an eyebrow.

         "Praying? I didn't know you were religious."

         "We are and we are really serious about it. We have to pray for forgiveness, when we purposely destroyed nature. Otherwise, we'll anger the Gods" Hoseok explained.

         "The Gods? What kind of faith do you believe in?"

         "You don't know? Don't they teach you about the five Gods that created our world?" Hoseok asked confused.

         "Who created our world? I have no idea what you're talking about" Jungkook shook his head in confusion.

At that moment, Jimin's door opened and the wolf came out of the room, his head low, until he caught Jungkook's smell and his head shot up, finding his mate sitting on the sofa with his best friend. Instantly, his heartbeat increased, when he walked up to them.

         "Jungkook-ah–––"

         "Okay, I'll leave you two then. Have a good talk. I'm over in your dorm. Taehyungie wanted to show me this one game. See 'ya!" Hoseok announced and left the room, before either of them could say something to him.

Nervously, Jimin sat down next to Jungkook. He did not know how to start the conversation. His mind was still a mess and he still had this bottled up anger towards Taehyung and he knew he had to let that out somehow because he did not want to attack the water witch. Seeing him being kissed by his mate had triggered Jimin's possessiveness and all he had wanted at that moment was to rip Taehyung's head off. Luckily, he was able to hold himself back but deep inside of him, he still had that thought and it would take a while to get that out. And then, there was the other thing that he was not able to forget, which was the arousal that Jungkook felt, when he was with the suspect. It made Jimin want to do things to that man that were even worse than ripping his head off.

         "Hyung––––" Jungkook started, getting the wolf back to reality.

Only now, Jimin realised how nervous his mate was himself, which made the wolf worried. Did he scare Jungkook with his behaviour? Or did something happen?

         "Are you okay? You're nervous, did something happen? Did I scare you?" Jimin asked immediately.

         "Okay, first of all, stop telling me what I feel. I already know that I'm nervous you don't have to tell me that" the fire witch pouted, embarrassment rushing through both of them because of him.

         "Sorry––– I always forget" Jimin apologised, "but really now. Are you okay? Did everything go fine? I'm sorry that I acted weird. It's just––––– never mind, let's not talk about me. What did you want to talk about?"

         "You––––" he mumbled, surprising the wolf, "and me–––– us, I guess."

The wolf widened his eyes, not having expected that answer. What was this about? What did Jungkook want to talk about exactly?

         "R––really? What about us?" he asked carefully.

         "I––––– uhm–––– I didn't like that guy touching me" Jungkook blurted, not knowing how to tell Jimin this without embarrassing himself, "and I didn't like kissing my best friend either–––––– just so you know."

Blinking at his mate, Jimin was too stunned to reply for a second.

         "I–––– know. But––––"

         "But you can't help feeling what you feel. I get it now. I really do" Jungkook interrupted him, pausing for a moment, sighing, "I'm sorry I've been so mean to you up until now."

         "You weren't–––"

         "I was. You know, I'm a very proud person and I've learnt to shut people out because of my past. And I shut you out because I was afraid of what you are – I still am – and because I still think that this bond is super strange. I trust no one but the four people I live with plus the headmaster and Tablo-hyung. Those are the people I trust. I was pretty sure that I would never fall in love because I didn't want any more people in this small circle because the people I trust, I care about and those people are ultimately in danger because of me" Jungkook took a deep breath but then, he continued, "I'm sorry, I still can't talk about my past. It's too hard to open up this fast. It's something that's been haunting me every night, I –––––"

         "It's okay, Jungkook-ah, you don't have to tell me, if it's too hard to talk about it" Jimin interrupted him, moving a little closer and he was debating, whether he should take his mate's hand or not but in the end, he decided to do it.

Cautiously, he grabbed Jungkook's hand, entwining their fingers and he relaxed, when Jungkook did not pull away his hand. It hurt to hear that Jungkook did not want to fall in love but the strange mix between embarrassment, nervousness and warmth he was receiving from Jungkook told another story, so he waited for Jungkook to continue.

         "What I want to say is––––" he stopped, thinking again, biting his lip, a habit he had, when he was nervous or when he was thinking, "although I thought I would never fall in love––––– I did. It's terrifying, especially because you're what I fear the most and whenever I think about you changing, I'm getting panic attacks. But still, even this fear didn't change my feelings. Maybe, it's this weird bond for life thing, I don't know––––– I just know that you're constantly on my mind and even though I'm scared of you, I––––– I still–––––– really like you and I can't stop thinking about you, even if I wanted to and wow, god, I didn't think this conversation would turn out like this."

Jimin stared at his mate, not really believing what he just heard. Jungkook nibbled on his lip nervously,  looking at their entwined hands. The wolf was still stunned by the younger's words. But his fingers itched to just pull Jungkook into a tight hug. Everything just felt right in this moment. The wolf had waited for this for so long and now, it was finally happening. But before he could do anything, he had to ask, to confirm what he was thinking.

         "So, what do you want me to do, then? You know, I need to hear you change your mind, so I can act without feeling guilty" Jimin reminded Jungkook.

The younger looked up and blushed, licking his lips, staring at Jimin's for a second. He took a deep breath and then locked eyes with Jimin, watching those warm brown orbs and somehow, they looked like the colour was moving, just like that time, when Jimin had changed into half human form. But this time, his eyes were just staying brown, yet the colour was moving like water.

         "Can we please be more than just friends?" Jungkook said, his voice quiet, almost silent but as soon as he voiced it out, Jimin smiled from one ear to another, his eyes disappearing into beautiful crescents. 

         "Of course we can. I hope you don't mean friends with benefits" Jimin joked, trying to lift the heavy atmosphere of Jungkook's confession, yet the question was a serious one.

         "Do I have to spell everything out, really?" Jungkook pouted, his heart beating so loudly that Jimin could hear it, "I want you to be my boyfriend."

         "You have no idea how happy I am right now" he smiled, getting a little closer, testing how Jungkook would react but he just blushed harder and got more nervous.

They were only inches apart and Jimin's heart was about to give out because this was finally happening. He leaned in and pressed his lips onto Jungkook's; it was almost nothing, he did it so gently because what he craved for all this time was something else. He pulled his mate into a tight embrace, burying his nose in the crook of his neck, inhaling the intoxicating scent of Jungkook. He smelled so good, Jimin almost lost focus of where they were. After five minutes of doing this, he started rubbing his chin into Jungkook's shoulder.

         "What are you doing?" Jungkook asked a little confused.

Not that he did not like Jimin being affectionate but this was a little strange. The wolf pulled back, his eyes glowing contently, smiling at the younger.

         "I'm rubbing my scent onto you" Jimin explained, kissing Jungkook's nose, before he continued rubbing his chin into his shoulder.

         "You what?"

         "See it as marking my territory."

         "So I'm your territory now?" Jungkook chuckled.

Jimin pulled back again, suddenly looking at his mate intently.

         "You're finally mine now. My scent prevents others from trying anything on you."

The fire witch smiled shyly, secretly liking the possessive side of Jimin because it made him feel safe.

         "So you have to do this every day?" he continued to ask.

         "No" Jimin giggled, thinking of other methods to rub his scent off on Jungkook, "but I'll tell you about the other methods, when the time is right."

         "What if I want to know now?" Jungkook argued.

Jimin chuckled, pulling Jungkook closer again, lying down on the sofa, so the younger was lying on top of the wolf. The witch sighed, giving up on trying to find out what Jimin meant for now. Instead, he closed his eyes and listened to the wolf's steady heartbeat.

         "Why is your heart beating normally?" he pouted, "am I the only one who's nervous?"

The smaller started playing with Jungkook's hair, still smiling.

         "This is what an imprinted wolf is dreaming of, you know. Being close to you calms me down. Being apart from you agitates me. Whenever I can be with you, I'm the most nervous but also the calmest and the most content" he explained, closing his eyes.

He stopped playing with Jungkook's hair and just rested his hand on the other's head, while the other was wrapped around the fire witch, so he would not fall off the sofa. This was still a little surreal for the wolf because earlier in the evening, he was ready to rip Taehyung's head off because he dared to be kissed by Jungkook  but now, he could finally hold his mate in his arms. After a while, Jungkook had just listened to Jimin's heartbeat and enjoyed the warmth that was radiating from him, he looked up, realising that the wolf had fallen asleep, so Jungkook wanted to leave. But although Jimin should be relaxed, his arm was still wrapped around Jungkook's waist tightly, not letting go. Sighing, the younger gave up and laid down his head again, only noticing now, how tired he actually was. Soon, his eyes closed by themselves and for the first time in nine years, he fell asleep in someone's arms. 

Chapter Text

Jimin was the first to wake up and instantly, the scent of his mate filled his nostrils. The vanilla and rose scent was fainter because he wasn't freshly showered but the honey and forest scent was even stronger now. Sighing, taking in Jungkook's intoxicating smell, he gently tightened his embrace around the younger's waist. They were still on the sofa, where they had fallen asleep but Jungkook had somehow crawled up, so that his nose was buried in the crook of Jimin's neck, his arm was lazily wrapped around the wolf's waist and he was breathing steadily. It was still a little surreal for Jimin to finally have his mate in his arms. It just felt so right and the wolf felt so happy, he had to smile as soon as he realised that this was actually real. Shifting his head a little, he buried his face in Jungkook's hair, nuzzling a little because he enjoyed the smell so much. But the best thing about all of this was that Jungkook felt so content and so peaceful, showing the wolf that he was just as happy as him. The wolf was so overwhelmed by this that he suddenly felt his body temperature increase drastically. His heartbeat increased and when Jungkook shifted turning his head on the other side, so his neck was visible, the wolf knew what was happening. He was changing and this time, he couldn't stop it. His mate was in his arms, pressed against his body and additionally, he just bared his neck to the wolf, basically offering Jimin to sink his teeth into it, marking the maknae as his forever. It suddenly seemed so easy to claim the younger. It looked and felt like he wanted it too. They were meant for each other and it was bound to happen, so why shouldn't he do it now? The wolf felt his canines touching his gums and he could smell Jungkook so much better now because he was not in his human form anymore but right now, he was too far gone to think about what was happening. Everything in him urged him to claim his mate. In trance, Jimin shifted, so he was hovering over Jungkook, unconsciously licking over his teeth, his hands on either side of Jungkook's head. Leaning closer, he aimed for the witch's neck but when the younger licked his lips in his sleep, Jimin suddenly realised what he was doing. But his body did not do what he wanted. He could not control his half human form; he could not change back because Jungkook's scent was so compelling. There was no other choice than to get up. If Jungkook woke up to see his half human face, he would surely freak out and that was definitely not what Jimin wanted. Carefully, he got off the sofa, walking into the kitchen, trying to get as much distance between him and his mate as possible but Jungkook's scent filled the entire apartment. He walked over to the sink and splashed cold water into his face and that finally helped. Opening a window to let fresh air in helped as well. He took a deep breath, calming down his wolf side, changing back into his human form, relaxing a little. But then, he heard Jungkook wake up in the living room and it was the cutest thing he had ever heard before. Quickly, he walked back to see what Jungkook looked like, when he woke up. A little drowsily, he rubbed his eyes, feeling a little cold, which was weird because Jungkook never felt cold, when he woke up. His neck hurt a little, so he sat up and stretched a little, groaning in the process.

         "Good morning" Jimin's voice appeared and instantly, the fire witch remembered what had happened last night. 

He originally just wanted to straighten things out with Jimin but in the end, he had confessed and now they were a couple and he had slept on this very couch. With Jimin. He had slept in someone's arms for the first time in years and the last time he did this, the person died a day later. Instantly, he was reminded of that day, where his brother died but for the first time, he did not feel like he was about to cry. That was when he realised that his eyes did not sting, which meant he did not cry at night. That meant that he did not have a nightmare. Jimin sat down next to the younger, controlling himself to not just attack the other with kisses and hugs, even though he wanted to.

         "Did you sleep well?" he continued, his expression bright and apparently already fully awake.

         "Yeah. Strangely, I did."

         "Strangely?" Jimin asked, tilting his head, leaning back into the sofa, hoping that Jungkook would follow but he did not.

         "I––––" he started, not knowing whether he should tell Jimin, "never mind."

The wolf locked eyes with the younger, worried by the sudden sadness and slight terror that shot through him. Wanting to cheer Jungkook up, he launched forward, wanting to hug him but because the younger was not used to sudden affection like this, his instincts kicked in and he dodged Jimin, rolling over and they fell on the ground with Jungkook straddling the wolf, his hand in the air, ready to punch him. Jimin did not resist – he could not even if he wanted to – but he was definitely surprised, when he was suddenly lying under the fire witch, threatened to be hit. With big eyes, he looked up to Jungkook, who only now realised, what he had done. Instantly, he took down his fist, blushing, not knowing where to look.

         "Sorry, I––––– I'm not used to sudden body contact like that" he admitted, one hand of his sneaking to his hair to play with it, which was a nervous habit of his that he usually only had in the human world.

Smiling, the wolf sat up, wrapping his arms around Jungkook's waist, snuggling into his chest, once again breathing in the intoxicating scent.

         "You're gonna get used to it" Jimin mumbled into the younger's chest.

While Jimin was completely calm, Jungkook's heart was racing. He was having an inner conflict because on the one hand, he wanted this; he really did but on the other hand, there was this lingering voice in his head, reminding him that Jimin was a werewolf, that he had to be afraid of him. However, the part of him that wanted to be with the smaller was stronger, so he lifted his hands and rested them on the Jimin's shoulders.

         "I hope so" the fire witch said, watching Jimin, how he nuzzled his nose into his chest, which made the younger laugh, "you really like smelling me, don't you?"

         "You have no idea how good you smell, Jungkook-ah" the other looked up with honest eyes, smiling a side smile.

Looking at his lips, Jungkook was compelled once again. He wanted to kiss them – those plump lips that were curling up into a real smile and he realised, he actually could right now. Blushing even more, his heart thumping in his chest, he leaned forward and of course, the wolf picked up on what he wanted and pulled the younger a little closer. Their lips were almost touching, their breaths already mingling and Jungkook thought that his heart might really jump out of his chest, when suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Startled, Jungkook pulled back, pushing himself off Jimin and got up immediately. He might be comfortable showing Jimin more of his vulnerable side but not to anyone else. Sighing, the wolf got up as well, walking to the door. Even before opening it, he smelled that Namjoon was at the door. The smell of blood was so prominent, Jimin could even smell it through the door, even though he was in his human form. As soon as he opened this door, he knew that this little private time he had with Jungkook was going to be over and for a moment, he thought about just ignoring the half breed. However, he knew that he could not do that. Reluctantly, he opened the door, when Jungkook had walked up to him, wondering why he had not opened the yet. Outside, Namjoon held back a very obvious grin because he was receiving two completely different feelings. Jimin was calm and content, while Jungkook was nervous and unsure about his own actions. But as soon as the maknae noticed that Namjoon was in his head, he concentrated and shut him out, creating a small stinging in the half breed's mind.

         "I'm very sorry that I'm interrupting something" he started, locking eyes with his partner, who just stared at him with wide eyes, "but I got a call from the captain of Team 1. The headmaster is on his way to the public execution room. He wants us to question the suspect in there because he wants to observe."

Hearing that it was something about the job, Jungkook took a deep breath, knowing that he had to calm down. When he exhaled, he had calmed down his heart and looked at Namjoon nodding.

         "Let me just change clothes" he said and walked past the half breed, leaving him and Jimin at the door.

The maknae felt a little bad to leave Jimin without an explanation but if the headmaster was already on his way, there was no time to lose. Confused that Jungkook had just left like that, the wolf looked at Namjoon, hoping that he would elaborate.

         "You have to come too. Freshen up and wear all black. I'll give you our team jacket, on the way."

         "Okay" Jimin nodded obediently, already wanting to close the door because he did not want to waste time but Namjoon stopped him.

Curiously, Jimin looked back at him.

         "Next time you'll see Jungkookie is when he's down in the execution room. If I can't read the suspect's mind because that sometimes happens, when their mentally strong enough to resist me, Jungkookie will have to torture him. That's when his character changes. You might be surprised how cold he can be but please remember that he's just as much the shy cute boy as he is a very skilled witch and killer. I just wanted to warn you. See you at the execution room" he explained, giving the wolf an intense look, before he turned around and walked to his own apartment.

After closing the door, Jimin took a shower immediately, doing as Namjoon told him and wore all black. As he was drying his hair, the door opened and Hoseok hurried into the apartment, straight into the bathroom.

         "Good morning?" the younger laughed, "where have you been all night?"

But the other was now in the bathroom, so the question had to wait. Of course, Jimin was grateful that Hoseok had left them alone because that way, Jungkook did not have to feel embarrassed in front of others but he also wondered, where his best friend had been during the night. After about 10 minutes, Hoseok got out again, running in his room to grab some black clothes. Only, when he was dressed and his hair was almost dry, he stepped out of his room. He grinned suggestively but he also looked curious and Jimin knew what Hoseok wanted to know. Instantly, the younger smiled, his eyes disappearing into crescents.

         "The entire apartment smells like him" Hoseok noted, walking up to the younger, hugging him, burying his nose in the crook of his neck, "you smell like him."

         "I know" Jimin sighed happily, wrapping his arms around Hoseok, "of course, I smell like him, when he finally accepted me. He slept in my arms, Hoseok-ah."

         "That, I already know" he grinned, when he let go of Jimin, "I was hanging out with Taehyungie because I thought I'd come back as soon as you and Jungkookie finished talking. Maybe, you would have needed me to comfort you is what I thought. But Jungkookie never returned to their dorm, so Taehyungie and I got curious. We might have sneaked in and there you two were, tangled up in each others' arms and wow, you two really looked adorable."

         "I'm so happy, I can't even tell you how this feels. I really hope you can experience this soon."

         "I hope so too" he smiled, though there was a little bittersweetness there because finding one's mate was not as easy as it was for Jimin.

Instantly, Jimin felt a little bad for mentioning it and he wanted to apologise but Hoseok just smiled and reminded him that they were supposed to go to the public execution room. Nodding, Jimin followed the other wolf outside and they arrived at the room after 10 minutes. The rest of Special Force was already there, wearing the team jacket, although they all looked different. The jackets had different colours, matching their elements. While Yoongi jacket was a dark but warm brown, Jin's was forest green, representing his nature element perfectly. Taehyung looked good in a cold, yet elegant blue and Namjoon's jacket was completely white and the wolves wondered how he kept that clean. But of course, Jimin's eyes landed on his mate, who looked stunning in the fire red jacket. Instinctively, the wolf walked up to Jungkook, wanting to hug him, kiss him because in his mind, he already was apart from the maknae for too long. But as soon as he was next to his mate, he felt that the other was uncomfortable with the entire situation and although Jimin felt a little rejected, he knew that Jungkook did not want to show off that they were finally together. 

         "Okay, so–––" Namjoon started, turning everyone's attention on him, "the headmaster is in the observing room, as well as Tablo-hyung and some members of Team 1. We do it as usual. Jiminnie, Hoseok-ah, "he turned to the wolves, holding two grey jackets in his hand, "questioning a suspect is either my or Jungkookie's job. The rest of you stand in the back, in case you're needed for anything. When we go in, we first turn around to the window on the second floor. We stand straight, bow, stand straight again. Then, We turn around again and I will first try to get into the suspect's mind but if that doesn't work, it's Jungkookie's job to get him to talk. When he's done or the headmaster says, he's done, he'll kill the suspect. He'll join us in our line, so we can turn around again to bow."

The briefing was normal for the witches; they knew how things like this worked but for the wolves, this sounded nerve-wrecking. Neither of them were used to formal situations like this. Even when they met their alpha, it was not as formal as this. But they now had to concentrate, so they took the jackets and took a deep breath, before the leader opened the door and walked in, the other witches following him immediately and so did the wolves. As soon as they entered the room, they could not help but look around. It was a rather big room, two stories high and the walls were grey, as well as the floor. It was empty, apart from a table that was in the middle of the room and a pole, which Morgan Barner was chained to. The suspect snarled as soon as he spotted Special Force but they ignored him because it was time to turn around to the window in the second story. It was dark but the figures of five people were visible and the one in the middle was definitely the headmaster. Namjoon was the first one to straighten up and the witches followed along just a second afterwards, so the wolves did the same.

         "Bow" Namjoon said and all seven of them did at the same time.

Afterwards, they turned around and the half breed stepped out of the line they had created, walking towards the suspect. The wolves were curious how this was going to go down but Jimin was also trying to reach Jungkook by concentrating on him but somehow, he could not feel him as he did this morning. Usually, he would feel at least something but right now, Jungkook seemed like he did not feel anything and that scared the wolf. Why did he not feel anything? Getting a little nervous, the smaller concentrated on Namjoon, who already had already placed his hands on the suspect's temples. Jimin remembered the time, where the half breed had done that to him and instantly, he felt a cold shiver running down his spine because his memories of that cold feeling numbing his body, having another conscience in one's own head was just horrible. He expected the suspect to react just like he did, or even worse because Namjoon was probably looking into his head even deeper than with Jimin's. But after a few minutes, the half breed's hands started shaking and he looked tense. Confused, the wolf squinted his eyes, not knowing what was going on. Jungkook, on the other hand knew exactly what was happening. He recognised this kind of behaviour on Namjoon within a split second and he rushed to him, just in time to back him up because the older was almost losing his footing. They only come across a situation like this maybe two or three times but by now, they knew what this was and it just proved that Morgan Barner really was connected to Cain.

         "My turn now, am I right?" he asked, almost smirking, when his partner let go of the suspect.

         "Yeah, his mind is spell-protected" the other nodded, looking a little exhausted but straightened up after he had taken a deep breath.

The two witches shared a moment of intense eye contact and Jungkook let the half breed into his mind for a moment to share his suspicion and the other just nodded at that, before he quietly went back to the others. The maknae turned around to face Morgan Barner, whose hands were cuffed behind the pole and his feet were also fettered onto the ground because under the pole, there was a grid. Taking a deep breath, Jungkook closed his eyes and took a moment to concentrate on what he was about to do. He had done this so many times before and whenever he did this, he shut off his morals. Back when he was not used to it, he always felt a little bad to hurt people to get information out of them but by now, he did not mind at all. In fact, there was a tiny part of him that actually enjoyed punishing those who choose to follow Cain. He knew that that feeling was not something good and he had to control it but because of his element, it was hard sometimes and that fact scared him. However, right now, he just concentrated on what he had to do, shutting off everything else and walked over to the table that was placed next to the pole. He let his hand slide over all the different kinds of knives and hammers and that was, when the so far very quiet suspect, snickered, spitting on the ground.

         "You won't get anything out of me, you filthy witch" he growled, baring his fangs.

         "So there is something to get out of you, then" Jungkook cooed, still not sure what knife to pick.

Barner snarled again and that was when the fire witch decided on what to pick. He had chosen a small dagger, which had a metallic handle that was decorated with leather patterns. Turning around to the suspect, he put on his serious face and closed the distance between them, positioning the tip of the dagger right under the suspect's chin, barely even pricking him but just enough to make him bleed.

         "See, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You could just tell me what I want and I'll kill you mercifully" he explained neutrally and let go of him, smirking a little devilishly, "but if you insist on staying quiet, I shall enjoy making you suffer."

The suspect did not say anything, so Jungkook decided to ask the first question.

         "Are you a member of Cain's direct guard?"

But again, the suspect stayed silent, only glaring at the, so far, still calm maknae. Raising an eyebrow, Jungkook traced his upper teeth with his tongue, deciding to give the suspect another chance.

         "Do you know Cain's whereabouts?"

The suspect still said nothing and that was, when Jungkook's patience was at its end. He walked to the suspect again, smiling innocently but then, he suddenly cut his chest and blood started flowing out of the rather deep wound, making Morgan Barner scream out in pain. The wolves flinched at that but the others were used to those screams, as they had watched the maknae torture numerous people. But Jungkook did not even notice that the wolves reacted because he was to focused on his task. Whenever he tortured someone, he only saw the person he had to question and no one else. That was one of the reasons, he could only do this at a place where he knew he was safe. When Morgan Barner stopped screaming, his wound had already healed again because of the quick healing ability of vampires.

         "You know––" Jungkook grinned, poking the dagger's tip, so that he started bleeding, making the suspect look up in lust, licking his teeth, trying to get to the fire witch but Jungkook just chuckled at that, "the good thing about torturing a vampire is that I don't have to worry about you dying away."

         "I won't say anything, so you can just kill me right here" the suspect squinted his eyes.

Curiously, Jungkook tilted his head, almost looking innocent but when he stabbed the dagger into Morgan Barner, right under the end of his left collarbone to destroy his shoulder joint, no one would dare think of him as innocent.

         "Let's see about that, shall we?" he said cheerfully, grabbing the hand of the dagger a little more strongly, heating up the dagger.

Immediately, the suspect cried out in pain, squirming on instinct, only making it worse. Witch fire hurt vampires the most, disabling their quick healing, where it touched them and fire created by a fire witch was even worse because the magical energy inflicted more pain than normal witch fire. When Jungkook was satisfied with the wound he had created, he pulled out the dagger and some blood spurted out because the wound was not healing anymore.

         "But then again, not having you almost dying would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?" he shrugged, turning around to the table to choose his next toy.

         "You're––––––" the suspect gasped, "you're the fire witch our kind is looking for."

After choosing throwing knives that almost looked like kunais, the fire witch took a few steps back, before he turned around to the suspect and rolled his eyes.

         "Wow, you're slow. You only realised now? Now, I'll ask once more. Do you know where Cain and his clan are hiding?"

When the suspect still did not respond, Jungkook grabbed one of the knives, heating it up so much that it glowed orange, almost yellow and threw it at the vampire, striking the other shoulder joint and this time, there was a bone breaking noise accompanied with the blood that was running out of the wound and the piercing cry of the suspect.

         "Tell me!" Jungkook suddenly yelled, throwing another knife and this time, it glowed blue.

It hit the suspect right under the heart, breaking its way through the rib cage, almost hitting the heart but Jungkook did this on purpose. He still had his hand stretched out, slowly clenching it into a fist and by doing that, he heated the knife up so much that it started to melt inside Morgan Barner's body, burning through the diaphragm, flowing into the lower part of the vampire's body, burning him from inside out. The suspect screamed, coughing up blood in the process, his cries slowly sounding more pleadingly and that was, when Jungkook grinned and released his fist, letting the metal cool down. Playing with the only knife left in his hand, he walked up to the vampire, putting his hand on his shoulder, enjoying that the other flinched because the fire witch knew he had almost broken him.

         "I wonder how it feels to have piercing hot metal burn one's organs" he smiled, tracing the vampire's jawline with the knife, "where is Cain hiding?"

         "I–––" Barner started and the fire witch's eyes lit up, looking at the vampire intensely, "I don't know."

Angrily, Jungkook lashed out, stabbing the last throwing knife into the pole right next to the suspects left ear, cutting off a part of his ear in the process.

         "Stop lying, I know you belong to his clan! Only one witch can create spells to protect thoughts from Namjoon's ability!" he shouted, making the wolves flinch again, Jimin especially.

The wolf was even shaking a little because he was absolutely not used to this side of his mate. He would never have thought that Jungkook could be this cold. Jimin had expected to receive feelings like disgust, hate, uncertainty or even fear but he did not feel any of his mate's feelings, which made the wolf nervous. How was Jungkook doing? How did he not feel anything, when he was hurting someone this much? Of course, that person was a vampire and an enemy but even so, torturing someone would always affect the one that was torturing as well. But Jungkook seemed not affected at all. In fact, he even looked like he enjoyed it. It was almost like he was a completely different person, even though Jimin knew that this was still his mate. Not receiving any kinds of feelings was just making him uncomfortable. He had gotten used to always getting some sort of emotions from Jungkook that he now felt like something was missing. He felt like this during the time that he was apart from his mate but as he was with him right now, it just felt – wrong. His instincts told him to walk up to the maknae, to embrace him and tell him that it was okay to feel, making sure that he was alright but Jimin knew he was not allowed to. He would have done it, if he got only a nod from his mate, telling him that he wanted him to go over there but what the wolf had learnt so far was that for Jungkook, missions were important; so important that he would do everything for it, even if it meant giving up his own life. Crossing his arms, the wolf dug his nails into them, trying to calm his nerves.

         "I really don't know!" the suspect sobbed, ripping Jimin out of his thoughts, noticing that Jungkook was strangling the vampire.

         "Stop lying will you!" the fire witch tightened the grip around the vampire's throat, heating up his hand, making Barner gasp for air, while simultaneously screaming in pain.

         "I––––I'm not lying, I––– swear!" the other panted and Jungkook loosened his grip to let him speak, "I don't know because I'm–––––––"

Suddenly, the suspect stopped and his eyes started going out of focus and he tilted his head in and almost unnatural way. Then, he screamed and bit down on his tongue so hard, that he actually bit off his own tongue, blood splattering over Jungkook's face and he jerked in surprise. The questioning was officially done. The suspect could not talk anymore and because his mind was spell-protected, Namjoon could also not look into his mind anymore.

         "That was involuntary, wasn't it?" Jungkook asked but the suspect was so exhausted, he was only sobbing, "just nod or shake your head. If I believe you, I'll put you out of your misery."

Slowly, the suspect nodded his head, looking at the fire witch, close to passing out. Jungkook sighed. At least he now knew what kind of position Morgan Barner had in Cain's clan because only a certain  kind of members are spelled to silence like that. He let go of the suspect's throat completely, closing his eyes and concentrated for a moment, putting his left hand on his right wrist, preparing to kill the vampire. Feeling the heat pooling in his hand, a flame emanated. Slowly, he took his left hand and placed it a little more left than where the heart was, lifting his burning hand to the vampire's chest.

         "Morgan Barner. You were caught trying to feed on a witch and you are also a member of Cain's clan. Thus, you are sentenced to death. Any last words? Though, I guess you can't talk anymore" Jungkook recited protocol but the suspect was too far gone to notice anything.

Then, the fire witch increased the heat of his flame, enabling his hand to slide into the vampire's body almost effortlessly, burning through flesh and bones. As soon as his hand was in far enough, he opened his hand and pushed in more, until the slowly throbbing heart touched his palm, so he wrapped his fingers around it, making it beat faster. Without hesitation, he ripped it out, feeling it beat for the last few times before it came to its stop. The body collapsed to the ground, the knees making an unnatural sound, when they hit the grid. Lighting the heart on fire, Jungkook threw it onto the body, so it started to burn as well. Sighing once again, he walked to the table, taking the towel that was lying on it to wipe his hand and slowly, he let himself feel again and suddenly, he was strangely aware of Jimin's presence in the room. He could literally feel that the wolf was looking at him. Instantly, his heartbeat sped up, not being used to this strange feeling. But he could not get distracted now. He took a deep breath and joined the others in the line and they all turned around to the window again, straightening their backs but then, Jungkook stepped forward.

         "Jeon Jungkook, ending the questioning" he announced and now, even the wolves understood what was going on, "although Morgan Barner did not get the chance to voice out what position he had, I have reasons to believe that he–––" he suddenly stopped and glanced back at Namjoon.

A shot of pain and sadness mixed with anger and fear shot through Jimin, hitting him so hard that his knees almost gave in. What was going on? What was making Jungkook feel this way? Nervously, the wolf looked at his mate but the latter had already gotten himself back together and looked back to the window.

         "I have reasons to believe that Morgan Barner was some kind of guard for Jun" the maknae elaborated and Namjoon visibly clenched his fists hearing that name, "only he is able to cast a spell that shields someone's mind from Namjoon-hyung's ability because he is the only outsider that actually knows details about his ability. Additionally, we've only ever come across a member of Cain's clan who was silenced by a spell like that and he was a guard for Jun. That is why I am sure that Morgan Barner was not a direct guard of Cain, as we had expected, but actually a guard for his personal witchdoctor" Jungkook suddenly bowed a little, "Jeon Jungkook. End of report."

Then, he stepped back into line and for a moment, nothing happened. Worried, the rest looked at Namjoon because even the wolves had understood that they had to wait for his signal to bow. But before anyone could get really concerned, the half breed spoke up and Special Force did, leaving the room afterwards. As soon as they were out of the room, the wolves sighed, stretching to release the tension in their muscles.

         "Me and Yoongi-hyung will meet with the headmaster and the other four to discuss what will happen now. The rest of you can rest for the day or go back to the real world. I'll call, as soon as we came to a decision" Namjoon explained, still tense and Jimin wondered what exactly was going on, "Jiminnie, Hoseok-ah, you did a good job in there. Jungkookie, you were professional as always. That's all I have to say. See you all soon."

The leader and the lieutenant walked off as soon as the former had finished talking and that was when the others relaxed as well.

         "Ugh, I need a shower. I have vampire blood all over myself" the maknae complained, "Jin-hyung, are you going back to the human world later?"

         "Yes, I'm sure my parents are worried that I haven't called in a while."

         "I still got two weeks for that one assignment, so I'll stay here. I wanted to go into the city to have some drinks. Oh, that reminds me, you two haven't left the academy ever since you're here! How about you two come with me?" Taehyung added, looking at the wolves.

         "Yeah, I'd love to" Hoseok nodded eagerly.

Looking at his mate, seeing how he did not look like he wanted to go out, Jimin shook his head.

         "I don't think, I want to part from Jungkook-ah at the moment."

Immediately, Jungkook listened more closely, trying to read the situation. It was true that the fire witch did not really go out but he also did not want to hold Jimin back. However, he also knew that Jimin would only go, when Jungkook would join because of that strange bond they had. Rolling his eyes, the maknae shifted his weight a little to look comfortable.

         "Fine, let's join them" he rolled his eyes.

         "But with Jungkookie around, the girls won't come and sit with us" Taehyung pouted.

         "Well, I'm sorry, if I'm not constantly horny for random girls!" Jungkook defended himself.

         "You could at least be nice to them!"

         "I am but they are annoying, okay."

         "No one will bother you anymore, Jungkook-ah" Jimin reminded him, smiling proudly, "you're mine now. No one will dare come near you, especially, when I'm with you."

         "Excuse me?" the maknae blushed, his cheeks nearing the colour of the vampire's blood on his face.

         "I can see that, though. Somehow, the feel around you is different, Jungkookie. It's like your aura is changing" Taehyung argued, smirking because he was going to tease his friend about this later.

         "Whatever, I really need a shower. Let's meet at the front gate at 4pm, okay? I need to study a little" the younger rolled his eyes and then started walking off.

Naturally, Jimin followed him, catching up easily, wanting to slide his hand into the younger's but he had a feeling that Jungkook did not want to hold hands, when they were in public. At least, he did not complain that the wolf was following him. Of course, Jungkook earned some stares and mumbles, as they walked back to the dorms because he was full of blood but it did not really bother him. He was used to this by now and people knew that his job was to torture people, so they did not question him. The two boys had taken the route through the hospital to get back to the dorms and just when they walked through the corridor, they noticed Anna getting some papers from the reception desk. She had her hair pinned up today, so she looked more like her age because usually, she did not look like 21 years old. When she noticed the boys, she could not help but furrow her eyebrows at Jungkook's appearance but she smiled anyways.

         "Hello you two. How are you?" she asked in English and Jimin was glad that he was getting better at it, "Jungkook, you look horrible. Are you okay?"

         "I'm fine, don't worry" he smiled at her and his personality almost made a 180 degrees turn.

Before, he was brutal and merciless but now, he was the young, shy boy Jimin had first met. That smile was so innocent, Jimin naturally smiled as well. This did not go unnoticed by the blonde girl. Ever since it had been officially announced that Jimin and Hoseok were wolves, she had been reading up on them; thus, she knew about imprinting and she realised that Jimin had imprinted on Jungkook.

         "Can you tell Yoongi that my shift is done at 3pm? I texted him but you know how he is with his phone" she chuckled.

         "Sure, that is, when I see him, before that time. They are with the headmaster now and those meetings can take hours" Jungkook said. 

         "Of course" she nodded, "just in case, I meant. Now, go have a shower, people are staring at you."

         "Don't they always?" he smirked and she smacked his head for that comment, making Jungkook laugh, which apparently, was rare for him in public because when he did, people turned around to see for themselves that their ears were not playing tricks on them.

Anna said goodbye to the boys and went into the opposite direction, while the boys started walking again. Jimin decided to not ask his mate about what happened in that execution room just yet because he knew that Jungkook would not talk about it, if there were still people around. But it was so obvious that he wanted to say something, even Jungkook noticed. Standing in front of his apartment door, he turned around to meet Jimin's slightly pleading eyes and for some reason, he felt his cheeks heat up. The younger still was not used to Jimin showing his affection this much. He did not have to be able to feel the wolf's emotions to know that the smaller did not want to leave Jungkook alone. But the younger liked this clinginess more than he cared to admit.

         "I'll come over, when I'm done showering. I know you want to ask me something. I need to study later, though" he said and it was funny just how happy the wolf was just because he decided to go over later.

         "You can study over at my apartment" the wolf suggested, looking at his mate with hopeful eyes.

For a moment, the taller did not reply but then, he sighed, almost smiling a little.

         "Sure, why not, I'll bring my books with me."

His eyes disappearing into crescents, Jimin smiled brightly, nodding eagerly, watching his mate enter his dorm. When Jungkook closed the door behind him, the wolf returned to his own apartment, sprawling out on the couch, sighing. So much had happened in the last few days, it was a little overwhelming for the wolf, especially, because he could finally be with his mate and it really seemed like Jungkook wanted to be with him too. Impatiently, he waited, until finally, after 20 minutes, there was a knock on the door and Jimin ran to the door, opening it swiftly. Instantly, he was attacked by Jungkook's scent, vanilla and roses being more prominent at the moment because he was freshly showered but the other two scents were still there. It was so extreme, Jimin was glad that he was still holding on to the doorknob because he felt his knees getting weak.

         "Are you okay?" Jungkook asked innocently, his eyes big, his head tilted a little and when wolf looked at him, he almost shot forward to kiss him.

The fire witch was wearing a black hoodie and the sleeves were too long, almost hiding his hands. As oversized his hoodie was, as tight were his light blue ripped jeans, showing off his long legs. He was holding some books, hugging them instead of just holding them but the worst part was that Jungkook's hair was still damp, intensifying the scent of vanilla even more.

         "Yeah. I'm fine. You're just stunning" the wolf smiled, welcoming the younger in.

Blushing, the maknae looked down, walking into the apartment, putting his books down on the coffee table, propping down on the sofa. Jungkook was used to people calling him handsome but it felt so different coming from Jimin. The smaller joined him on the sofa, sitting closer to him than the younger had expected. What he also did not expect was Jimin leaning in, hugging him without a warning and buried his nose in the crook of Jungkook's neck. Luckily, the fire witch's instincts did not kick in because otherwise, Jimin would be hurt now. Blinking in surprise, Jungkook did not really know what to do but he ended up loosely wrapping his arms around Jimin to hug him back. A shiver ran down the younger's spine, when Jimin sighed and his breath ghosted over his neck. Then, he remembered that Jimin did this to actually smell him, reminding the maknae that Jimin was a wolf. The latter picked up on that and let go of his mate, smiling at him.

         "Sorry, I really just had to do this right now. It's hard to explain but your scent is really intoxicating. In a very good way, of course."

         "It's fine" the younger mumbled, "I'm just not used to people smelling me all the time. But anyways, you wanted to ask me something, didn't you?"

         "Well, I was just wondering whether you were okay after this morning, because––––– I know you hate, when I talk about the bond but I was really worried––––" Jimin tried to explain, "anyways, what I wanted to say was that I didn't receive any feelings from you and usually, I always feel something."

Pulling his legs up, Jungkook sat on the sofa cross-legged, his hands folded in his lap and he took a deep breath. He did not like talking about this because he basically had to admit that there was a part of himself that he was scared of but for some reason, he felt like he could open up to Jimin because he knew that Jimin would never use it against him. The maknae still did not know much about wolves but he knew that the wolf was forever bound to him and he could never betray him. 

         "It's because I purposely shut off my emotions and morals, whenever I question someone" he finally said, not daring to look at the wolf.

But after hearing that, Jimin shifted a little, getting closer to put his hand over Jungkook's, drawing small circles on them in a very gentle, comforting way.

         "It's okay to feel something. It's natural that something like that affects you–––"

         "That's the thing" the fire witch interrupted him but he stopped for a while, needing to take another deep breath before being able to continue, "I don't feel bad for them. They deserve it. They should suffer for being on Cain's side–––––––"

Jimin felt pure and raw anger build up within Jungkook, making the wolf nervous. It was not just anger but it was more violent, darker than just simple disgust for people that were Cain's allies.

         "I hate them. How can they follow a tyrant like that? I just don't understand people like that and they don't deserve to live–––" Jungkook spit through gritted teeth.

         "Jungkook-ah" Jimin called him and when the younger looked at him, seeing pure devotion but also worry in his eyes, the witch realised what he was doing.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his breathing, calming down his nerves as well as his heartbeat.

         "See, that's why I can't let myself feel, when I torture them. My element makes me impulsive and I don't even understand all of it. Maybe there's more to it but I know that it amplifies my emotions and if I would let myself feel in situations like these, I'd probably lose control over myself and that scares me" he elaborated honestly, leaning back into the sofa, sighing heavily, "wow, I never told this to anyone."

         "Jungkook-ah, look at me" Jimin said quietly and Jungkook turned his head lazily, meeting Jimin's warm brown eyes, "thank you for telling me. Just know that you can talk to me about anything. I'll always listen. But why do you hate them so much? I understand that you dislike Cain, we all do because he's a maniac but it seems so – personal."

Instantly, the witch tensed up and Jimin knew he had hit a nerve. This was personal for him. Now, Jungkook's feelings made sense. Behind the rage, there was the desire for revenge as well. But suddenly, a wave of sadness but also guilt rushed through Jimin and that was when he realised that his mate's eyes were glossy, even though he had turned his head to hide it. He suddenly remembered how devastated his mate had been that first day they had found out about each other. His past had something to do with his rage but Jimin's first priority right now was to comfort his mate. Instinctively, he cupped Jungkook's face, turning his head gently, connecting their foreheads.

         "I'm sorry I brought it up. Don't think about it. It's okay, just let it all out, if you have to" he mumbled, looking at his mate through his eyelashes but he saw only one tear escaping. 

         "It's–––– uhm––––" the younger tried, feeling the warmth that was radiating from Jimin, which calmed him down a little but his heart was still beating so fast.

When he pulled back a little to look at Jimin properly, looking into those deep brown orbs, noticing how the colour was moving yet again, which reminded him of when the wolf had changed into his half human form in front of him. Suddenly, he wanted to see that again. That colour that was moving like water, like those streams that Taehyung could create in calm water. Maybe it was his element making him impulsive again but he really wanted to see it. He wanted to confirm that those eyes still were not hostile, even though they were the same colour as those of the wolves back then.

         "Change into your half human form" he then said, confusing the wolf, making him blink in surprise.

         "What?" Jimin asked, not really knowing, if he heard correctly.

         "I still can't handle the thought of you being a werewolf" Jungkook said honestly, "and I hate that. I don't want to be afraid of you and–––––– and I really want to see your eyes again. Your real eyes, I mean."

Jimin's heart sped up, meeting Jungkook's nervous pace because not only did the wolf feel the mix of curiosity, fear and nervousness that was coming from his mate but hearing him say that he wanted to see Jimin's real eyes made him nervous himself. 

         "Are you sure?" he asked, trying to find any possible doubt in Jungkook's eyes but there was none.

Jungkook nodded and turned his body around, so he was facing Jimin and the latter did the same, closing his eyes for a moment to calm his heart. He could not be emotional, while turning in front of his mate because otherwise, he would jump on him as soon as his senses were heightened. But then, he opened them again, gazing at his slightly nervous but also curious mate. Just like last time, Jimin took his mate's hands and Jungkook felt the wolf's body temperature increase first. For him, it actually felt comfortably warm and he wondered whether other people thought this was too warm.

         "Is it painful for you, when your body heats up like this?" he whispered under his breath.

         "No, it feels natural" Jimin explained, squeezing the younger's hands a little, "but doesn't it feel a little bit too warm for you?"

         "I am heat resistant" he grinned.

         "Oh, yeah, I could have thought of that" the wolf chuckled but then, he concentrated again to keep his eyes open.

Carefully, he moved his hands a little to not hurt Jungkook when his nails grew and then, it started. The brown started moving inside Jimin's eyes, flowing in a calm current, slowly changing colour. It was the same colour as those wolves' eye but now, Jungkook was not afraid anymore. He knew these eyes belonged to the person that was devoted to him. Even now that they were completely amber, the colour was still moving.

         "It's like your eyes are alive" the younger said fascinated, lifting both of his hands to cup the smaller's face.

His eyes were so compelling, it was hard to not look at them. They were so warm and Jungkook had never thought that he could ever stand looking at this colour as intensely as he was right now. He was only thinking about Jimin and not those wolves, so he did not have to be afraid. Getting more confident, the maknae's gaze averted to Jimin's plump lips and the fire witch could not help but bite his lower lip at that sight. He loved those lips; they were soft and gentle and he could almost feel how they move on his last time they kissed. Nervously, he looked up at the wolf's eyes again but the only thing he saw was devotion and love. Licking his lips, he leaned in placing a shy kiss on Jimin's but something was different about the feel of them. That was when Jungkook realised that the other was purposely keeping his mouth shut. Last time, they got this far as well but then, the fire witch got scared, when the wolf had shown his sharp teeth. But the younger was fine at the moment and he wanted to challenge himself. Slowly, he let his thumb ghost over the wolf's lips and a little bit over it, tracing Jimin's jawbone from the outside, feeling the canines from the outside. Jimin was a little alarmed but he did not feel any distress from Jungkook yet, so he just let him do as he pleased. Slightly nervously, the fire witch traced Jimin's lips again this time, travelling down to his chin, pulling it down a little to signalise that he should open his mouth, so the wolf opened his mouth a little, letting his jaw relax. However, he was watching his mate closely, ready to change back any second. Although this felt amazing for him, finally showing his true self to Jungkook, he knew that this was nerve-wrecking for the other, so he could not allow himself to let his guard down. Now that Jimin had opened his mouth, his canines were visible and Jungkook's heartbeat increased at the sight of them. He indeed remembered the wolves from his past but somehow, he was able to push that memory away. This was Jimin in front of him and he would never hurt him. Hesitantly, Jungkook pushed the wolf's jaw a little further down, moving his lips with his fingers, so he could see better. The canines were sharp and long. There were eight instead of four and for the upper set, the second one was longer and there was a gap between them. But Jungkook found out that this gap was necessary because when he closed Jimin's mouth, the longer canine of the bottom teeth, which was the first one, fit into that gap perfectly. The same gap was between the bottom set of canines for the long one of the top. Jungkook had thought that this would look unnatural because a human's mouth was not made canines that long but for some reason, it looked like it was always supposed to be like that.

         "How sharp are they?" he suddenly asked, tilting his head a little.

Jimin could not help but smile at that and this time, it was okay because the fire witch had already seen his teeth anyways.

         "Very sharp" he laughed.

Raising an eyebrow, Jungkook wanted to test that and wanted to poke one of the longer canines but suddenly, Jimin's hand shot forward and he grabbed the witch's wrist. He was still gentle but there was definitely more force involved than normally. What also surprised Jungkook were the long, sharp nails that were gracing his skin.

         "Better not let me taste your blood" he said, smiling sideways, while he slowly put down Jungkook's hands and entwined them, being careful in order to not scratch him.

         "Why?" the younger furrowed his eyebrows.

         "It might trigger my claiming instinct and that would be rather hard to control, if that's even possible."

         "Your what?" Jungkook repeated confused.

         "Right, I haven't told you about all that yet" Jimin facepalmed, "never mind, I'll tell you about that another time. I'm proud of you to be able to look at me in my half human form."

         "Wait, I wanna know, tell me" the witch insisted.

         "Didn't you want to study?" Jimin tried to change the subject.

It was not because he did not want to tell Jungkook but he feared that the whole story about claiming and mating would freak him out and their relationship was not that stable yet, so he did not want to risk it.

         "Why are you trying to change the subject? Tell me!" the maknae demanded and this time, it was in a tone that Jimin's instincts could not ignore, so he had to give in and tell him.

         "I didn't want to tell this to you this early in our relationship because it might freak you out" he sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket, searching for one specific picture, "remember when I told you about imprinting for the first time?"

         "Yeah, that was right after you got registered. Why?" the younger asked confused, having no idea where this was going.

         "Well–––– to be honest, I don't know where to start. Just please, don't run away and let me finish explaining, okay?"

         "Okay?" Jungkook squinted his eyes, still not knowing what was going on.

         "So I told you that the couple – which fortunately includes us now – eventually mates and then, they're happy, right?"

         "Yeah, you did say that."

         "Do you have any idea what I mean by 'mating'?" he asked and finally, he had found the picture he was looking for, "this is my mother together with my father, who you already met. Do you see something unusual?"

For a moment, Jungkook looked at the picture and the first thing he noticed was how adorable Jimin's parents were. His father was back hugging his mother and she was looking back at his father, turning her neck as much as possible. That was, when he noticed a weird shape on her neck, so he zoomed in and his eyes widened, instantly looking at Jimin.

         "Is that a bite mark?"

         "Yes, though, we call it claiming mark. It's made when both are ready to commit to each other for the rest of their lives" Jimin smiled, looking at the picture of his parents, "it shows that both of them trust and love each other unconditionally and that they will be together as long as they live. Every wolf that gets to make his claiming mark can call himself very lucky."

         "It's a bite mark! What the hell? Doesn't that like really hurt? Because I don't think your saliva is sedating like vampires'?"

         "Yes, my mother said that it hurt but she wanted it too, so she didn't mind that it hurt" Jimin admitted, "and the mate is distracted, while being bitten, so it's fine. It's actually something that mostly both of the parties look forward to."

         "Distracted how? What's distracting enough to forget about eight canines boring into one's neck!?"

         "Sex."

Jungkook's jaw dropped at that word, especially, because Jimin had just dropped two bombs at once. Not only did he tell him that at one point, Jimin was going to bite him and it would hurt like a bitch but it also happened during sex. This was so overwhelming for him, he did not even notice that Jimin was still in his half human form.

         "This is nuts" he shook his head, ready to get up, even though he had promised to stay, until the wolf was done explaining.

The latter sighed, grabbing the maknae's wrists and held him in place, looking at him intensely, yet gently.

         "See, this is why I didn't want to tell you already. Let me finish explaining, will you?"

Still shocked by the news, Jungkook decided to nod, although he was not really ready to be bitten, nor would he ever be. The wolf squeezed his mate's hands a little, trying to calm him down.

         "I will only bite you, when you are ready. Maybe, it'll be tomorrow, maybe in two weeks, maybe in 10 years. It'll only happen, when you give me permission to do it and when I believe that you truly love me and that you won't ever change your mind. Although our claiming instinct is one of our strongest and most important, it's also the one that we need to keep in check the most. I was ready to claim you the first time I saw you but claiming changes both of our lives forever, so I can't just act on impulse. If I bite you too early and you get tired of me or you fall in love with someone else, you'll still belong to me because the claiming mark is definite. Once claimed, you will never be able to be with someone else. Even humans somehow understand that you are off limits. Think of it as me rubbing off my scent on you, so people know that you're mine just a permanent version of that."

Hearing the full explanation, Jungkook calmed down. It was still scary to think about those canines boring into his neck but he could not deny that he really liked Jimin and if they would ever get to that point, he might be okay with that fact. It still made him shiver, though. But then, he suddenly realised something and just thinking about it made him blush. That, of course, did not go unnoticed by the wolf, who was attacked with a wave of embarrassment.

         "What is it?" he asked, not wanting to embarrass the younger.

         "Uhm––––" Jungkook looked down to their entwined fingers to hide his red face but he knew that even his ears were red, "so–––– we'll only have sex, when I'm ready to give myself to you completely?"

For a second, Jimin just blinked but then, he burst out into laughter, baring his canines, letting himself fall back onto the sofa, letting go of Jungkook's hands to hold his stomach. Only when he felt slight anger coming from his mate, he was able to stop and sat back up, looking into the dark orbs of Jungkook.

         "We can have sex whenever you want, Jungkook-ah. Those two things don't necessarily belong together. Sure, I'll have to control myself, but I'll be fine. To be honest, I hope we'll have sex, before I bite you. It's easier to show that you're mine like that than constantly rubbing my scent off on you, although I do enjoy cuddling with you" Jimin giggled.

But that giggling provoked the fire witch. He was already embarrassed enough but that giggling was too much. Challenging, he shot forward and pinned Jimin down to the sofa, grinning playfully, only now realising that he was completely okay with looking at the wolf's half human form now.

         "Stop laughing at me or I'll hit you" he warned but it was not meant as a real threat but more as a challenge.

The wolf picked up on Jungkook's sudden mood change, getting playful himself because he had the upper hand right now. The fire witch was only used to his human strength, so he did not expect the wolf to just flip them around and grin at him cheekily.

         "I'm stronger, now that I am in my half human form" the wolf reminded him.

Jungkook squinted his eyes, not ready to give up yet. He freed his arms and within a second, he had signed an attacking spell, pushing the wolf off of him, getting on two feet, chuckling satisfied. Although Jimin was a little surprised, he rolled onto his feet and hands and somehow that movement really resembled a dog and made Jungkook giggle. The smaller used this chance to take a leap and jumped his mate, throwing him back on the sofa, straddling him and because he was so much into this little play fight, he forgot that he was supposed to use human conventions, so he suddenly licked the younger's lips and he would not have noticed what he just did, if Jungkook did not look at him strangely.

         "What the hell was that?" he asked and instantly, Jimin let go of the other's hands.

         "Sorry, I forgot that this isn't normal for you" the wolf apologised, scratching the back of his head.

For some reason, Jungkook found this really funny and could not help but laugh.

         "You really are just like a dog" he giggled, forgetting that this was offending.

Instantly, Jimin frowned, almost pouting.

         "I'm not a dog. I'm a majestic wolf, okay."

         "Oh, I forgot that this was insulting. Sorry" the younger apologised and sat up straight and suddenly, they were closer than he had expected.

The frown on Jimin disappeared and instinctively, he pushed Jungkook into the backrest of the sofa; it was gentle but it also showed that he could be dominant, if he wanted to. He dared to take a deep breath of his mate's scent and he almost grumbled because he loved the smell so much. Carefully, he caressed Jungkook's cheek, making him shiver because the long nails were intensifying the feeling.

         "I'm really glad that you're more comfortable with what I am now" Jimin mumbled, lost in the feeling of his mate's skin.

This was the first time he was touching him like this in his half human form. Every touch felt better, more intense than before. His scent was so much more prominent and he looked even better through wolf eyes.

         "As long as it's you, I think I'm okay with your half human form now. I don't know about Hoseok-hyung, though" he said honestly.

Hearing that, Jimin's heart skipped a beat. This meant so much to him. He did not even know what had happened in Jungkook's past yet, but just knowing that his mate would not constantly think about those wolves anymore, whenever he was with him, was a great relief. They looked in each other's eyes and somehow, they both had the desire to kiss. Slowly, Jimin leaned down, always checking, whether the younger really was okay with kissing him, while he was in this form but Jungkook did not seem to have a problem with it because it was him, who closed last bit of distance. It definitely felt different to kiss the fire witch in this form. It was so much more intense that Jimin could not hold back the deep grumble in the back of his throat, which surprised the witch a little but he secretly even liked knowing that Jimin already liked kissing him this much. After a minute of innocent kissing, Jimin got impatient because his instincts told him to do more, so he shifted, letting himself fall back onto the sofa, pulling Jungkook with him, so he was lying on top of the wolf. Licking along the younger's bottom lip, the smaller asked for entrance and Jungkook opened his mouth for him, letting his tongue in. It was a little strange to kiss like this because the canines were kind of in the way and when Jungkook licked along them, he almost pricked his tongue because he did not expect them to be that sharp. He did not think it was that big of a deal but then, Jimin groaned at that, tightening his arms around Jungkook's waist, kissing him more demandingly. The witch melted into the kiss, suddenly being so much more comfortable around wolf and being kissed by the one he wanted to kiss was just so much better than having to kiss one's best friend. One of Jimin's hands wandered down to the younger's butt and he groped it gently, paying attention that he did not rip the witch's pants and that was when Jungkook moaned into the kiss. Suddenly, Jimin felt hotter than before but he recognised this kind of heat immediately. Jungkook was aroused. The wolf's fingers started itching, desperately wanting more skin contact. Wolves usually did not really like clothes and especially right now that Jimin was in his half human form, he could not stand that there was so much fabric between them. He pulled back, leaving both of them panting and Jungkook just looked at him bewildered, not knowing why the wolf suddenly stopped.

         "Okay, we need to stop this or you need to lose some clothes, otherwise I'm going to rip them off of you" Jimin said between his pants.

Speechless, Jungkook stared at the wolf, only now realised how fast the colour in Jimin's eyes was moving. Even though the witch wanted to continue this, he understood that what the wolf said was a real warning because he noticed how turned on the smaller was and he really believed that Jimin could rip his clothes off. Collecting himself, Jungkook sat up, adjusting his hair and hoodie, taking a deep breath to calm himself down.

         "I wanted to start studying anyways" he lied, sliding down to the ground, taking one of the books on the coffee table and opened it.

He heard a little sigh from the other but then, the wolf shifted, so he was lying on his stomach, sprawling out on the sofa, his head next to Jungkook's.

         "Do you want me to change back into human form?" he asked.

         "Whatever is more comfortable for you" he smiled, turning his head to see how Jimin was lying on the sofa and looking at him, he started giggling.

The wolf was lying on his stomach, yet his legs were somehow angled a little and he had his head on his hands, probably trying to get into a position he would take in, when he was a wolf.

         "You really are like a–––––" Jimin looked up and seriously, it looked like a dog hearing his name, suddenly paying attention, "wolf. You really behave like one."

Smiling proudly, Jimin moved up to his mate a little, propping his head on the other's shoulder. Then, he closed his eyes and just enjoyed the smell of his mate, breathing steadily. Jungkook took that as a sign to really concentrate on the book in front of him, so he turned his head and started reading.

Chapter Text

It was almost 4pm and Taehyung as well as Hoseok were both already standing at the gate, waiting for Jimin and Jungkook to join them. Hoseok borrowed some clothes from the water witch because he did not want to disturb the couple in the wolves' apartment. He was so relieved that Jungkook finally accepted Jimin because both of them looked so much more at ease, especially Jimin. It was like he was finally complete; the aura around him was different, his scent too. His and the fire witch's scent were mixing. Of course, that was only because they were spending more time with each other and as soon as they would not spend time with each other, their scents would turn back to normal. Only sex would make the scent last longer and only the claiming mark would make it permanent.

         "Aish, where are they? I wanna get going" Taehyung pouted, looking around, glaring at the people that walked past them, "I hate to stand around at the gate for too long."

         "If it was me in Jiminnie's position, I would make sure that Jungkookie smelled like me, so people wouldn't dare go near him. That takes a while."

         "And exactly how does he do that? Give me details, I need to tease Jungkookie with that later" Taehyung grinned curiously.

         "Well, basically, they just need to spend time together. The more they touch, the faster their scents mix. But as possessive as we get with our mates, I suppose, Jiminnie wants him to fully smell like him and with just kisses and hugs, that takes a while" the wolf explained.

The water witch's grin merged into a mischievous smile.

         "So what you're saying is that sex is the easiest way?"

         "Yeah. It also works the longest, except the claiming mark, of course, because that's permanent" Hoseok nodded matter-of-factly.

Showing a toothy grin, Taehyung wanted to answer, especially because he did not know what a claiming mark was but at that moment, he saw Jungkook coming out of the main building, closely followed by the smaller wolf, who was smiling satisfied, while the fire witch had a faint blush on his face. His expression was neutral; being in public, he had his poker face on again but he couldn't hide the blush. When the two arrived, it was so obvious that their auras and scents had mixed. Both Taehyung and Hoseok looked at each other suggestively, before they wiggled their eyebrows at the couple. Jimin smiled cheerfully, while Jungkook chose to ignore them. Without further ado, Taehyung wanted to go. For the first time since the wolves had arrived at the academy, they descended the many stairs down the hill. Taehyung grabbed Jungkook, linking arms with him but somehow, the feel was different. Somehow, he felt like it was not his place to touch the maknae anymore.

         "Jesus, this is really weird" Taehyung noted, looking over his shoulder, noticing the satisfied grin on Jimin's face, as he also linked arms with Hoseok.

         "What?" Jungkook asked.

         "It's really like I shouldn't be touching you."

         "Because you shouldn't" Jimin nodded and he could not help but glare at the water witch.

Although his mind was calmed because Jungkook had finally accepted him, there was this lingering anger at the back of his mind because of the mission. But he knew that he should not be angry anymore, so he stopped himself from gritting his teeth.

         "But you're my best friend, why shouldn't you?" Jungkook asked confused, not picking up on the situation.

         "Well, your wolf boyfriend kinda made sure to make me feel weird, when I touch you, not that it bothers me much, I'm a rebel" Taehyung shrugged amused, "how close were you two that your aura changed so much?"

Instantly, Jungkook inhaled sharply, his body tensing because he understood what Taehyung was implying and instantly, his mind went back to before, when he was still studying at the wolves' apartment. It had been peaceful for a long while and he had actually thought that Jimin fell asleep with his head still on the younger's shoulder. Especially because the wolf nuzzled into the crook of his neck at one point, making Jungkook jerk a little but the other didn't mind and just stayed still. But then, Jimin suddenly yawned, his breath fanning over the younger's neck, making him shiver. It felt good but it was also foreign and he was trying to concentrate, so feeling slightly aroused did not help. It also did not help sleepy Jimin because he was suddenly attacked by Jungkook's arousal. Drowsily, he almost got high on that feeling and the intoxicating scent.

         "You smell so good, Jungkook-ah" he slurred, his nose brushing along Jungkook's neck.

The younger shivered again, wanting to move away but at that moment, Jimin suddenly licked behind his ear, making Jungkook jump up, his hand going to his ear to wipe away the spit.

Just thinking about it made the maknae blush. He had not expected that at all and he had kept his distance from the wolf, when they walked to the gate. However, Jimin was not hurt by that because he knew that he had overstepped a line. Still, he could taste Jungkook on his tongue and he wanted to do it again. Licking one's beloved was a very intimate gesture for wolves, that was why Jimin was so satisfied that he was able to do that to Jungkook. 

         "Are you going to answer the question?" Taehyung insisted, ripping Jungkook out of his thoughts.

Hoseok noticed how giddy Jimin was and he knew that something had happened between them but because the younger wolf had not already told him, he assumed that it was Jungkook's wish that the others should not find out. That was why, when neither of them explained what happened, Hoseok distracted Taehyung by asking him things about the city. But as soon as they had descended all of the stairs, the wolves were too busy looking around anyways. It did not take long, until the four of them were in the centre, being surrounded by skyscrapers. At first, it did not look any different from a human city, until they looked a little closer. There was a construction site and both wolves stopped in front of it, when they saw how rock witches were moving the premade walls without any cranes but only with their element. It looked completely effortless, even though those walls must have been extremely heavy.

         "Yeah, that's Team 16" Taehyung nodded, "they are hella strong, as expected from rock witches."

         "Woah!" both of the wolves gasped.

They continued walking through the city centre, noticing small things that were different from the real world. When they walked through a park, there were signs at the fountains that said No Water Bending. There was a small stone garden where there was a sign with No Earth Bending. But then, there was this little area that looked like a football field but the children that were playing were using small rocks that were magically flying through the air. The next thing they noticed were that at the street food stands, the cooks did not use a spoon to stir water or soup but that they simply moved their hands over the pot. They entered a slightly less populated area that left room for street artists and that especially fascinated the wolves. There was one artist that played with the paint, creating a complex pattern in the air, the paint floating and that triggered both of the wolves’ instincts. Somehow, they wanted to go play with it. It looked so appealing to just run into the paint, catch it, punch it. Unconsciously, both of them got a little closer, never taking their eyes off the paint. Taehyung and Jungkook watched them curiously, giggling quietly because the wolves had duck down a little, as if they would hunt something.

         "They look like puppies that want to catch something" Taehyung chuckled, snapping Hoseok out of his trance.

Noticing that he was about to attack floating paint, the elder wolf blushed a little but he managed to stop Jimin in time, before he made a fool of himself. Pouting, the younger looked at Hoseok, who raised an eyebrow and then, Jimin understood. A faint blush painted his cheeks, when the wolves returned to the two witches, who did not even try to hold in their amusement.

         "You're literally like puppies" Taehyung laughed.

         "Well–––– to our defence, we are still pups. Hoseok-ah reaches adulthood with his next birthday in February, while I still have one and a half years before I become an adult in wolf years" Jimin explained.

         "Oh right, I remember the headmaster saying something like that" Taehyung nodded.

Grinning, Jungkook's mood changed. He suddenly felt like he wanted to get back at Jimin for licking him earlier. It was strange to think how normal the situation right now was – how the witches got so used to the fact that they had two wolves in their team now. But instead of questioning it, the fire witch smiled and accepted it.

         "So wait, technically, I'm older than you?" Jungkook teased, grinning at the wolf.

Of course, he noticed in what kind of mood his mate was. He was a little surprised that Jungkook was so cheerful but he embraced it and responded with an equally cheeky grin.

         "No you're not. You'd be 16 in wolf years. I'm still older than you."

         "I don't get fascinated by floating paint and want to catch it, you little pup" the maknae teased, making Jimin blush.

         "It's much more fascinating than you think" he defended himself.

         "Sure" Taehyung and Jungkook laughed, continuing their walk through the city.

They walked around for about two hours, showing the wolves different things like restaurants or nearby convenience stores. They also showed them another park with a basketball court but wind witches were playing, so they did not join them. It was 6pm, when they finally entered a bar and the two wolves were happy to finally get something to drink. They sat down on a table and after a minute, a waitress came and smiled at them sweetly.

         "Taehyung, you finally managed to dig Jungkook out of his hole" she chuckled, "we haven't seen you in a while. And who are those two handsome men?"

         "I don't like bars. Even when it's Callam's bar" Jungkook shrugged.

         "These are Jimin and Jungkook, our newest members" Taehyung announced.

         "Oh, the wolves!" the waitress said excitedly and some of the few people in the bar turned around.

         "Just bring us some soju and for me water, okay?" Jungkook said slightly annoyed.

         "Okay, okay, grumpy cat" she chuckled.

         "Ah––––" Jimin stopped her, "for us two please just some coke."

She nodded and then walked away. Jungkook sighed in relief but he got hit by Taehyung and the maknae just glared at him.

         "What!?"

         "You call that nice?" he raised an eyebrow.

         "What, she knows what I'm like" he grumbled.

The wolves just watched the two witches bicker and Jimin found it even more amusing because of the maknae's feelings he was receiving. Even though they were bickering, Jungkook felt positive and he was not as annoyed as he let on.

         "And why do you two not drink? Am I the only one that is getting drunk tonight?" Taehyung complained jokingly.

         "We don't drink because losing control over our body isn't really advisable with the strength we have" Hoseok explained, "whenever a wolf gets drunk, he'll end up changing into his wolf form and destroy whatever comes between his teeth. So really, we shouldn't drink."

Hearing that, Jungkook tensed up, ultimately thinking about those wolves again. But he did not want to be reminded of them yet again. He was so tired of it; yet, hostile eyes looked at him from behind his eyelids, snarls directed at him and his brother. Suddenly, there was warmth spreading through the fire witch's body, originating from his hand. Getting his vision back, Jungkook looked down to his hand. Jimin had grabbed it softly, holding it in his, gazing at the younger with worried eyes.

         "You okay?" Jimin asked silently. 

Of course, he noticed. He felt everything Jungkook felt. For the first time, Jungkook was at least slightly glad that this strange bond between them existed because this way, Jimin was able to pull him back to reality. Slowly, the younger nodded, debating whether or not to pull away his hand but he decided to let it stay there, at least for a while. The wolf smiled at that and concentrated back on the conversation the other two had.

         "So who's Callam?" Hoseok asked curiously.

         "Anna's brother" Taehyung informed, "and he's the owner of this bar. He's the bartender over there."

         "Yoongi-hyung's girlfriend's brother? Why isn't he a member of the academy too?"

         "He did try out for training but he never made it. He is too self-absorbed, even for a water witch" Jungkook elaborated.

         "You're as nice as always" a deep voice chuckled.

A blonde man was standing in front of them, putting down their drinks. He and Anna looked so much alike – their face at least. Other than that, they did not resemble each other at all. Anna was small and delicate, while Callam was tall and muscular.

         "As if you didn't know it yourself" Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

         "True" Callam laughed, "so you two are the two infamous wolves of the academy, huh. Show me your wolfy side, I'm curious."

         "No" Jimin said firmly, not liking the way he talked.

He sounded so sure of himself and he did not ask but he demanded.

         "C'mon, don't be so boring. Show me your amber eyes, little puppy" he pouted overdramatically.

         "No" Jimin repeated, "and don't call me puppy."

The wolf squinted his eyes, feeling anger bubble inside him but also annoyance, which did not come from him but from Jungkook. However, Callam grinned and then backed off with his hands in the air.

         "I'm just teasing, calm down, mate."

Gritting his teeth, Jimin took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Why was this so agitating? Now, it was Jungkook, who was calming the other down. Luckily, Callam just rolled his eyes, when he saw the couple holding hands and retreated afterwards. After Callam had returned to behind the bar, all of them relaxed visibly, taking their drinks and continued talking about other things. For a while, they kept up a conversation between the four of them but soon, Taehyung walked off to the bar, grinning at some girls. Hoseok conversed with the couple for a moment longer but when he looked at them, he silently understood that they wanted to be alone. Neither of them said it or even intended to look like it but somehow, it was clear that Hoseok should leave them alone. Only when they were alone, Jungkook noticed that they were still holding hands. Absentmindedly, he watched how their fingers were entwined – how their hands just fit into each other perfectly. It was almost cringe-worthy.

         "So why don't you drink?" Jimin asked, also looking at their hands.

         "I don't ever want to lose control over my body" Jungkook explained, "I guess, we're similar in that aspect. Back when I was small, I couldn't control my element very well, so when I was angry, I'd light on fire. With a lot of training and control, I managed to make it stop but I fear that if my senses are dulled, I could just randomly light on fire again."

         "Wait, you yourself can light on fire!?" Jimin's eyes widened.

         "Yeah, it was really annoying. Back then, I also couldn't control whom I want to hurt with it, so I burnt Namjoon-hyung a lot" the younger chuckled, still looking at their hands but it was like he was somewhere else.

         "You can do that? You can decide who to hurt with your fire? How is that possible?" Jimin asked fascinated.

The wolf's eyes were glowing. Jungkook was so open to talk to him all of a sudden, it was such a pleasant surprise. Right now, the wolf was extremely content. His mate smelled like him and he was talking about himself, telling the wolf more about himself.

         "Yes. It's hard to explain to non-fire witches but my fire is a part of me. It's like my emotions that materialised––––"

         "I did feel that, when you fought with Taehyungie before" Jimin interrupted, "you felt so––– complete, I guess? Usually, your feelings are very complex but at that time, they were so clear."

Blushing, Jungkook squinted his eyes a little, being reminded that Jimin was in his head constantly. For a moment, he wanted to pull back his hand because he still did not like showing his feelings to someone, which ultimately meant, showing that someone his weakest parts of himself but when he looked up and locked eyes with the wolf, he was met by pure love and devotion. His heart started speeding up a little, when he realised that they were actually a couple now. It was normal to share things with one's lover but Jungkook was so used to keeping everything to himself, this was strange to him. Not only because of that but also because a part of him still told him to put as much distance as possible between him and the wolf. That part was getting smaller but it still lingered at the back of his mind because that was his protective instinct telling him that all wolves were evil. However, he did not pull his hand back in the end.

         "So yeah–––" Jungkook continued, "because my fire is like my feelings, it only hurts people I want it to hurt. Of course, there are rare situations, where I cannot control it but that hasn't happened in ages. I––––– I could show you, if you want me to."

Cautiously, Jungkook looked at Jimin, who looked slightly confused for a second but then, he seemed to understand.

         "Here?"

         "Do you trust me?" the witch asked, putting his other hand on their entwined hands as well.

         "Unconditionally" Jimin answered with determination.

The younger almost rolled his eyes at that because it was so cheesy but he held back, as Jimin probably really meant it. Carefully, Jungkook turned Jimin's hand, so that his palm was looking upwards and his hands were under the wolf's. Then, he looked around, checking, whether someone was looking at them. No one outside of the academy knew what the fire witch looked like and Jungkook wanted – had to – keep it that way.

         "Don't freak out. No one can know I'm the fire witch" Jungkook urged and Jimin nodded obediently.

Taking a deep breath, Jungkook concentrated and instantly felt heat pool in his palms and within the next moment, Jimin's hand was on fire, a small flame burning from his palm. The wolf's eyes widened and at first; he tensed up at the sight but when he felt that it did not hurt, he relaxed and a fascinated smile appeared on his face. The flame was not hot; it was warm and somehow, it was intimate. Jungkook's mind was clear; he was slightly embarrassed and nervous but because of his element, he also felt at peace. It felt like a part of Jungkook was actually burning in the wolf's hand. It was almost too intimate to feel this in a bar; Jimin wished they were in private, as this moment belonged just to them and no one else.

         "It's so warm" Jimin mumbled, looking at the orange flame in his hand.

         "Of course, it's warm. It's fire" the younger snorted amused.

         "No I meant–––– it––– it feels like you. It's like I'm holding a part of you. It's–––– so intimate, somehow" the wolf elaborated, staring at the flame, taking his other hand, touching it, playing with it.

Jungkook blushed at that but he could not help but smile too. The wolf looked so fascinated – just like a few hours before, when they were watching the street artist. Giggling, Jungkook let the flame travel over Jimin's palm, letting it jump from one finger to another, liking the childish smile on the wolf's face. It was almost innocent, how much fun Jimin had by just watching a small flame on his hand. After a few minutes, Jungkook decided that it was enough and let the flame disappear into nothing but air. The wolf sighed and lifted his gaze again, his eyes glowing in a beautiful brown.

         "You're amazing, Kookie" he said sweetly.

You're amazing, Kookie.

Kookie.  

The maknae's breath hitched at the nickname, pain and guilt rushing through both of them.

You did it. You're amazing, Kookie.

His brother's voice was suddenly so clear in his mind, Jungkook felt dizzy. It was a memory, he was sure but he did not remember him say it. His voice sounded strained, as if he was in a lot of pain. He sounded weak and broken and hearing that in his mind made the fire witch tear up. Instinctively, he covered his ears with his hands, shaking his head, trying to get out of it. He knew it was just a memory but it sounded so real, it was terrifying. Everything started to hurt. He could not breathe. Everything was dark. He could not see anymore.

         "Look at me."

There was another voice behind the constantly repeated sentence of his brother.

You did it. You're amazing Kookie. I knew you could do it.

         "Look at me!" the voice got louder, warmth spreading from his cheeks to all of his body.

Finally, Jungkook regained his vision, noticing that Jimin looked at him with worry and terror in his eyes, his hands tightly cupping the younger's face. His breathing was still unsteady but Jungkook was back to reality. The panic attack stopped.

         "Take calm breaths. I'm here, just breathe" Jimin soothed him, softly letting his thumbs run over his cheeks.

It was horrible for the wolf to look at his mate being in such agony and he could not even do something to help him. He was just glad that they were sitting at a table in a rather secluded area, so no one had noticed what was going on with the fire witch. Pain, fear and guilt still rushed through Jimin, showing him that it was not over but he felt that Jungkook was slowly calming down. After another five minutes, the maknae took a last deep breath and gently removed the wolf's hands from his face. He was still trembling a little bit but his heartbeat was normal again.

         "What happened?" Jimin asked carefully, not wanting to agitate the younger again.

         "I–––" Jungkook gulped, "nothing. It's okay. I'm fine."

         "I know you're not, Jungkook-ah" Jimin said seriously, "you don't have to talk about it. I won't force you. But please, I just want to be able to help you. It pains me to see you like this. I wish I could make it all go away."

         "You can't" Jungkook mumbled, "no one can."

The wolf furrowed his eyebrows, feeling more guilt than before coming from Jungkook. Just what happened in his past? His instincts told him to wrap his arms around the younger but they were in public and Jimin knew that Jungkook would not want that.

         "Why did this happen just now? Does this happen randomly?"

         "No––––– it's just––––– my brother–––– he––––he used to call me Kookie" the fire witch murmured, his hands shaking, "I guess that's what triggered it."

Instantly, Jimin took the younger's hands, entwining them with his, comforting him. His brother. It was the first time he had mentioned him. Sorrow overshadowed guilt and the way Jungkook tensed up, Jimin knew that he was close to crying. Not being able to hold himself back anymore, Jimin pulled the younger forward, putting his arms around him, stroking his head soothingly. He did not have to ask. It was obvious that his brother was dead. Jimin sighed a little, when Jungkook did not resist. Instead, he closed his eyes, resting his head on the other's shoulder. Strangely, the embrace felt comforting instead of awkward or forced. Usually, he would only let Namjoon comfort him in situations like these.

         "I'm sorry" Jimin apologised, unconsciously rubbing his chin into the crook of the maknae's neck.

Any other time, it felt foreign and slightly strange to the fire witch but right now, it was comforting him a lot. Jimin was warm – so much warmer than Namjoon, than anyone. Jungkook was warmer than his friends because of his element; it was not much but especially with the half breed, he noticed it because vampires always had a lower body temperature. But Jimin – Jimin was warm. So warm that Jungkook did not have to keep himself warm in order not to get cold, while hugging someone. They stayed like that for a while, Jungkook having wrapped his arms around the elder as well and they did not even notice that Hoseok wanted to go back to the table once but he saw them hugging and decided against it.

         "Wanna go home?" the wolf suggested after a while.

Jungkook pulled away, meeting still concerned brown orbs. Nodding, he got up, putting the money down on the table, before both of them walked to the exit. Hoseok smiled at them, waving but then turned around to the girl he was talking to. Taehyung was already too far gone, his tongue in some girl's throat, so he did not notice the couple leaving. It had already gotten dark outside but the city still glowed in all kinds of colours. Jimin would have been fascinated again but his mind was busy with concern for his mate. They walked in silence, until Jungkook led them to a bus stop and gave Jimin some money. Confused, the wolf looked at his mate and then at the money.

         "It's the fifth stop from here. It's called the Hill. When you get off, turn left and walk for two minutes. You should see the stairs to the academy from there" Jungkook explained.

         "You're not coming back with me?" Jimin almost pouted because he did not want to leave his mate alone.

         "I––– I gotta go somewhere. Alone. I haven't been there in a long time and I feel bad for not going earlier. We'll probably be busy again soon, so I really wanna go tonight" Jungkook sighed, his heart heavy.

         "Will you be okay?" the wolf asked worriedly, purposely not asking where he was going because he knew he was not going to get an answer.

         "Will you be okay or will you get lost, puppy?" Jungkook teased to lighten the mood.

His heart was heavy because he knew where he was off to but he knew he had to do his best to think positive right now, so Jimin was not going to worry too much. Jimin squinted his eyes at the comment, not liking to be called puppy but he was aware what Jungkook was trying to do. Sighing, Jimin smiled, nodding and that was when the bus came. Reluctantly, he got on, never taking his eyes off his mate who waited outside, until the bus drove away. Exhaling heavily, Jungkook ran to the bus stop on the other side because that was the bus that led out of the city to the rural areas. Sitting down at the very back of the bus, he let his mind go back to those words that he heard before. His state was stable enough at the moment, so he allowed himself to think about them.

You did it. You're amazing Kookie. I knew you could do it.

When did his brother say that? He could not remember, no matter how hard he thought about it and it made him crazy. He wanted to know when that was. But there was no way of finding out about it. Sighing again, he sank down in the chair, looking out of the window, watching how the city turned into suburbs, how everything got darker as they got further away from the centre. He must have dozed off for a moment because suddenly, the bus driver reminded him that it was the last stop of the bus line. Jungkook thanked him for waking him up, before he got off the bus, stepping onto a muddy road. The concrete roads had stopped a while ago and Jungkook was standing in front of a farm. After the bus left, Jungkook walked into the direction of the forest, not bothering with igniting a flame in his hand. He knew this path as well as his own body. It was completely silent; there were not enough spirits to sing and not enough birds to chirp because they all left this area a long time ago, when the barrier was built. The silence made the trek to the gate almost scary but the witch knew his way around. The only noise was the wind in the leaves, creating a constant rustling. Arriving at the gate, he touched it, opening the barrier just long enough for him to slip through. As soon as he was outside of the barrier, he heard forest spirits sing in the distance and unconsciously, he hummed along, remembering the songs from his childhood. Some cat squirrels – creatures that looked like cats but were the size of a squirrel and had that fluffy tail – were eyeing the boy, as he carefully walked through the forest. Once in awhile, he crossed paths with some glowing owls but they ignored him or flew away. It was a warm summer night, so many animals were still jumping around but most of them disappeared, as soon as Jungkook came too close to them. He just hoped that he would not come across a cheshire cat or a black tiger but they were rare, so he was not too concerned about that. Finally, there was the clearing he was looking for – the clearing with his brother's grave. With heavy steps, he walked up to the tombstone. Sitting down, kneeling in front of it, Jungkook sighed, not knowing what to say. For a while, he just looked at the tombstone, remembering the times, when his brother and him played tag on this clearing. It had been their playground. Sometimes, forest spirits had joined and helped Jungkook win. In winter, they would build huge snow figures and even the shy winter spirits were coming out to play. But now, the clearing was his brother's graveyard. It was the best place for it and Jungkook was grateful that the headmaster had decided to bury him here. Sighing again, Jungkook played with his fingers, biting his lip.

         "Hyung–––––" he started, his voice already getting caught in his throat, "I haven't  been here in awhile. A lot has happened. I don't even know where to start. First of all, I'm sorry. I should have come earlier. I feel like I've neglected you."

He stopped for a moment, thinking about what he was going to say.

         "Since last time I've been here, I–––––– I met someone. His name is Jimin and he's two years older than me. He's also–––– a wolf" he stopped again, gulping, "I like him, hyung. I've liked him, before I found out he's a wolf. I'm terrified but I like him. Apparently, he imprinted on me. It's this really strange bond and–––– you would probably know a lot about it, since you knew everything about this world."

Swallowing hard, Jungkook paused again, putting his hand over his racing heart. Suddenly, he realised something – something that he had not noticed before. Only now, he realised that this was part of the reason why he hesitated to be with Jimin.

         "I feel bad about liking him, hyung" he admitted, tears welling up in his eyes, "I like a wolf. Wolves were the reason you couldn't defend yourself properly. It was my fault that those vampires were there that day and now, I even like one of the kind that attacked you before. I'm such a horrible person. I'm so sorry, hyung."

He could not hold back anymore. Fisting his black hoodie, Jungkook started crying, his entire body shaking.

         "I can't help myself. I really like him. Thanks to him, I didn't have a nightmare last night" he sobbed, "but I feel like I shouldn't like him. I'm terrified of wolves. But he isn't like those wolves who attacked you. He's gentle and sweet and he wants the best for me and–––––– he reminds me a little bit of you in that aspect. But I don't want to replace you. I miss you so much."

Hiccupping, the fire witch leaned down, clenching the grass, leaning his head against it, while he continued crying.

         "Why, why did you sacrifice yourself for me? It's all my fault. I'm so sorry. I wish you were still here. You'd know what to do about my feelings for him. You'd tell me what to do. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you."

He repeated that over and over again, like a mantra, holding onto the grass, as if it was his only stronghold of the world around him. He felt so guilty because not only did he blame himself that his brother was killed because of him but he also felt bad for liking a wolf. So many feelings were swirling inside him, all he could do was cry. He did not even realise that the wolf he was in love with felt everything. It had taken a while to reach him but it hit him like a train. The guilt and sorrow attacked him so hard, his knees gave in and he had struggles to breathe for a moment. he was in his room when it hit him and even if he wanted to think reasonably, he could not. His protective instincts took over and he rushed out of the room, sprinting to the gates of the academy. His chest was physically hurting because Jungkook felt so sad, he just had to find him. He was running through the streets, just following his nose and his heart because right now, Jungkook smelled like him and he could find him anywhere and the bond was telling him to run out of the city. As soon as he was out of the city centre, he changed into his half human form, gaining more speed. He was so close to changing into his wolf form but a small rational part in his brain told him that it would be a bad idea because he would either terrify Jungkook because he was still in his wolf form or because he would stand in front of him naked. Running as fast as two legs allowed him to, he followed his heart, only thinking about one thing.

Jungkook. Jungkook. Jungkook.

He needed to be with him. It was unbearable to feel his sorrow and not being able to be there for him. The closer he got to him, the feelings started to calm down. But Jimin was in a trance that could only be broken, when he finally had his mate in his arms. He was finally in the woods, almost at the gate of the barrier, when he heard footsteps and sniffles. Instantly charging into that direction, Jimin could feel that he was close; he could already smell him. Finally, he saw him. He was rubbing his eyes and sniffled but then, he heard Jimin's steps and got alarmed, instantly taking in a defensive position.

         "Who's there!?" he yelled, his voice hoarse.

Worried, Jimin stepped in front of the tree he was standing behind, holding his hands up, completely forgetting that he was still in half human form but Jungkook was too far away that he could not see him in the dark.

         "It's just me, Jungkook-ah" Jimin said calmly, getting closer.

When Jungkook heard his voice, he relaxed, quickly wiping his face, checking whether there were still tears running down his face. Immediately, the wolf jogged up to him, catching him in a bone-crushing hug. It almost knocked the breath out of the younger.

         "What are you––––" Jungkook wanted to ask but he was shut up by a kiss.

Surprised, Jungkook first wanted to pull back but Jimin's arms were so strong around him, there was no way he could get out of his embrace. Then, he calmed down, kissing back. It was innocent, yet so longing and so comforting but something felt different. It was like Jimin's teeth were more prominent, even through his lips and that was when Jungkook realised: the elder was still in his half human form. He panicked a little but then, he reminded himself that he had seen Jimin in that form already and he thought back to how warm his eyes were. When Jimin pulled back, Jungkook was slightly panting because he was so agitated because everything was just too much. The wolf connected their foreheads, panting as well but not because he was out of breath but because he had to control himself not to growl possessively. Kissing Jungkook in his half human form was so much more intense.

         "Don't–––––– don't send me away, when you know you're gonna feel like this. It's absolutely painful to not be with you at moments like these. I almost changed in the city because I wanted to be with you as fast as I could" the wolf breathed, "I can't bear it to be apart from you, when you're sad. I want to comfort you, I want to hug you, I want to make you forget that you were sad. I want–––––just let me be there for you."

 Jungkook felt like crying all over again. He was happy because Jimin cared so much about him but he was still so shaken up from before, when he confessed all his worries to his brother. He had asked him to give him some sort of sign that it was a good idea to be with the wolf. Was this it? Him running the whole way out here just to comfort him?

         "I–––I'm sorry. It's just that––– no one knows where my brother's grave is except the headmaster and his council, Namjoon-hyung and me. I just–––– I wanted to visit him and I don't want anyone with me, when I do that" the fire witch mumbled, not quite knowing what to do with his arms.

In the end, he loosely wrapped them around Jimin's neck, calming down his heart.

         "Don't apologise" Jimin shook his head slightly, his voice a little steadier than before, "I am sorry. I shouldn't have ranted like that. It doesn't matter what I want. If you want to be here alone, I should respect that. My instincts just got the better of me for a second."

The wolf wanted to pull back because he had not even asked Jungkook, whether it was okay to hug him, while he was in his half human form, but suddenly, Jungkook held on, not letting him pull back. Positively surprised, Jimin rubbed his chin into the crook of his mates' neck, pulling him as close as possible.

         "Thank you" Jungkook mumbled after a moment of silence.

         "For what?"

         "For not making me talk about it."

Jimin smiled, pulling away a little, so he could look at the younger. His eyes were so puffy and red, it tugged on the wolf's heart but he felt how his mate was calm now, at least compared to before. Of course, he wanted to know what was going on but knew that Jungkook was not ready to talk about it. Suddenly, Jungkook yawned, making the wolf chuckle a little. Pulling away, Jimin took the witch's hand and slowly started walking towards the city again.

         "And this time, you better get on the bus with me" the wolf pouted jokingly, lightening up the mood.

         "There are no buses at this time of night. We have to walk" Jungkook pointed out.

         "Well then, you better not let go of my hand" Jimin rephrased.

Blushing, Jungkook looked to the ground, knowing that even though he did not see much in the darkness, Jimin's wolf eyes let him see everything. The wolf squeezed his hand a little, drawing a shy smile from the younger and that was when he whispered his reply.

         "Okay."  

Chapter Text

Ever since that night, the fire witch behaved a little differently. He still had a hard time believing that Jimin ran all the way from the academy to the barrier, just because the younger was hurting. Not just that but also that Jimin knew that he was hurting, even though they had been so far apart. It was scary to think about how strong this bond was already. But if Jungkook was honest, it was not that scary at all. It was new and definitely uncanny but somehow, he started to get comfortable with the thought of Jimin being connected to him. That night, the wolf had proven that he would do pretty much everything for the fire witch. He did not constantly push the wolf away anymore because somehow, he suddenly felt that connection, Jimin was always talking about. Whenever Jimin was not at his side, he felt colder than usual and a part of him yearned for that eye smile, for those gentle hands that caressed his cheeks, for that firm chest that seemed so comfortable to snuggle into. It was completely new for the younger, as he had never been in love before, so he did not know whether this was normal or whether this was the bond that urged him to seek the wolf's presence. But then again, whenever he was with Jimin, he was always reminded that he was technically betraying his brother. Loving the species that had led to Yugyeol's downfall was betrayal and Jungkook could not deny that. He was happy with Jimin – most of the time because the wolf tried everything to reassure him. He made him smile, only touched him in the sweetest way. Jimin's new favourite gesture was rubbing his chin into the crook of Jungkook's neck and while at first, he found it weird, he now secretly enjoyed it. He knew that this was a very intimate gesture for wolves and that Jimin was doing this to mark him as his and the younger loved the possessiveness. The way the wolf glared at others that glanced at him suggestively sent shivers down his spine. Jungkook did not know why he liked it so much because he was more than capable of protecting himself, so he did not need someone to glare at anyone who looked at him the wrong way. But still, the thought of having someone at his side that loved him unconditionally calmed him down more than he wanted to admit. He even slowly got used to Jimin's half human form, at least, as long as he was prepared to see it. After a week of Jimin constantly changing in front of him, his conscious was convinced that the man before him was not a threat.

Jimin in his half human form was still the same person – almost. There were some small differences in his behaviour, which Jungkook had noticed after a while. Because the wolf's hearing was enhanced, he listened more carefully, turned his head faster at something the younger said or even just when he inhaled sharply. His eyes were always wide, when that happened, just like a dog that turned around to his owner, who called him over. But Jungkook would never voice that out or Jimin would sulk and insist that he was no dog but a mighty wolf. That was also a point that was stronger, when he was in his half human form. He could not take jokes about his nature as lightly as when he was in his human form, which almost made his behaviour cute because sometimes, Jimin's actions were very non-human like. He tended to nudge Jungkook with his head a lot, instead of his hands or he liked to put his head into Jungkook's lap, whenever he studied at the wolves' apartment.

Thanks to the Namjoon and Yoongi, the others did not have much to do in the following weeks. Their captain and lieutenant worked with Team 2 to create a search party to find Jun's hide out. Special Force only helped in the beginning, scanning the forest near the village, where the brothel was but they did not find anything. After that, Namjoon arranged that the rest of them would only have to help again, when they really found something again because as the search continued, time passed and it was already the end of August and their studies would start again soon. Their studies started the week after Jungkook's birthday, so Jimin hoped that he could spend it with the younger. However, the moon would be full on the day after his birthday, so the wolf was not sure how well he would be able to control himself.

It was only when he walked into the practice room on the last day of August, when he realised that he might have to leave sooner than expected. Jungkook, Yoongi, Hoseok and Jin were in the room and while Yoongi practiced with Jin, Jungkook and Hoseok were sitting on the ground, talking. That would have been completely acceptable but then, Jimin noticed that the other wolf was in his half human form and the younger wolf received a mix of fascination and fear from Jungkook. Not even noticing that he himself had changed into half human form, Jimin charged at Hoseok, tackling him, both rolling over once, until the younger had the elder pinned down to the ground, snarling at him, baring his teeth.

         "Back off!" he growled and it sounded too animalistic for the maknae's taste.

The youngest had been completely taken off guard, as he had sat with his back to the door, not seeing Jimin come in, until he suddenly attacked Hoseok. He did not see Jimin's face but that sound that just came out of his mouth definitely told him that he was in his half human form as well. Usually, Jungkook would not be affected negatively but that sound – that growl – triggered his memories. Instinctively, he backed away, crawling away from the wolves, shaking his head a little, not wanting to think about that painful day anymore. They were not the wolves from his past. He tried to tell himself that because it was the truth. But right now, Jimin was so hostile, even attacking his own friend. But then, Hoseok, rolled them around easily, so that it was him who pinned Jimin down.

         "Okay buddy, calm down. Don't let the approaching full moon get the better of you. We were just talking. He asked me to change, so he could also get used to my half human form. Jesus, the full moon is only in two days, calm down. Even I can smell how terrified your mate is, how can you not be affected?" Hoseok explained, nodding into Jungkook's direction.

Seeing Jungkook's almost fragile frame, his face showing his fear – his fear of Jimin, he finally snapped out of it. The younger wolf relaxed his body, reluctantly averting his gaze from his mate to his best friend, looking at him apologetically. Fear rushed through him and Jimin felt bad that he did not notice Jungkook's state earlier. The full moon enhanced his strength but it dulled his connection to his mate, somehow. He did not feel Jungkook's emotions as well as usually and he hated that he scared the younger.

         "I'm sorry" Jimin apologised, pulling his friend down into a tight hug, which the other accepted gladly.

         "It's fine. It's the full moon, I know" Hoseok sighed, snuggling into the crook of Jimin's neck, "go cuddle with Jungkookie as long as you can still control yourself. His smell is wearing off and if he doesn't smell like you, when the moon is full, you'll go even crazier."

Jimin nodded, still hugging his friend dearly, grateful that at least sometimes, Hoseok was not just the airhead that was constantly bubbly and happy but sometimes, he could be a real hyung and give good advice. But suddenly, he noticed a sting in his heart and it took a second, until he realised that this was because of his mate. It somehow felt like jealousy but there was still lingering fear and terror mixed with it, so Jimin was not sure. He did not want to risk anything, though, and released his best friend to slowly walk over to Jungkook. Guiltily, he plopped down next to him, looking to the ground, fidgeting with his t-shirt.

         "I'm sorry I scared you" he mumbled.

He felt Jungkook relax and he sat up cross-legged. They locked eyes and Jungkook felt at ease, even though amber glowed at him.

         "What was that about?" he asked, trying not to get lost in Jimin's eyes because amber colour was moving in small currents.

         "I–––– you know, the full moon is soon and everything is kind of heightened. I felt fear coming from you and then Hoseok-ah was in his half human form and I just–––– it's hard to control my instincts, when the full moon is close" Jimin explained.

Jungkook had completely forgotten about that. Last month, Jimin had just disappeared for two days and had told him afterwards that it was because of the full moon but this time, he was affected by it earlier than last month. But knowing that Jimin did this because of his protective instincts over the younger, Jungkook could not help but smile. Once again, this proved that the wolf was only violent, when he thought his mate was in danger.

         "Last month, you only disappeared for two days. But with today, it would be three days on which the full moon affects you" Jungkook noted.

         "Yeah––– that's kind of your fault, I guess" the wolf chuckled, "ever since you accepted me, our bond is getting stronger and with that my–––– uh–––– my desire to claim you increased too. It's our most prominent instinct and with the full moon making us stronger, it's harder to control our instincts."

         "So what, you would just pounce on me right here, if you'd follow your instincts?" Jungkook arched an eyebrow.

         "Pretty much" Jimin laughed, although that was not a joke.

His fingers itched, his wolf side telling him to close the distance between them because his own scent was not as strong on his mate as he liked it to be. It was telling him to grab his mate and take him to a room, where he could devour him, rid him from his clothes and finally letting his hands run over that delicious flesh, feeling just how soft his skin was going to be. He wanted to make Jungkook lose all his fears about wolves and pleasure him, until he was so far gone that the only word he could remember was Jimin's name and that would be the moment he would sink his teeth into the younger's skin.

         "Hyung?" Jungkook asked backing away, as Jimin had moved closer, his gaze fixed on the younger's neck.

Only then, Jimin realised what he was doing and shook his head, snapping out of it yet again. He had to do something about this. He was already aware that he could not spend Jungkook's birthday with him because this was only getting worse, the closer the full moon came but if he was already behaving like this, when it was still two days away, he did not want to imagine how he would behave, when the full moon was high up in the air, compelling Jimin to do whatever his instincts wanted him to do. He needed to get his scent on Jungkook, before he was too out of it to actually be close to him. Determined, he got up, and looked at Hoseok, then at Yoongi and Jin, who had turned around to see what was happening.

         "Hoseok-ah, you're ready to leave anytime, right?" he asked and he did not have to spell out why and where they had to go.

         "Yeah, we don't need anything else than our bodies” he nodded, noticing how on edge Jimin was.

         "If either Hoseok-ah and I don't see Namjoon-hyung before we leave, can you please inform him that we went a day earlier?" Jimin asked the two eldest, who nodded, looking at him slightly confused.

Then, Jimin grabbed Jungkook's hand, yanking him to his feet, rushing out of the room with him, hurrying to the dorms.

         "Hyung? What are you doing?" Jungkook asked, his voice shaking a little because they were almost running.

The wolf's grip on Jungkook's wrist was tight and it was almost uncomfortable but him suddenly behaving like this made the younger feel things he probably should not feel right now. A dominant Jimin was sexy. Even when the grip on his wrist was close to being painful, it was making Jungkook's heart beat faster. The wolf did not answer him because he had to concentrate not to bore his elongated fingernails into his mate's skin. They passed some witches that were looking at them questioningly because usually, Jungkook would not let anyone drag him around like that, not even Taehyung, who liked to tease him. When they arrived at the wolves' dorm, Jimin hastily fiddled with his keys and opened the door. Jungkook was about to ask again what all of this meant but at that moment, Jimin pushed him inside, closing the door with his foot, while he pressed Jungkook against the nearest wall. Taken by surprise, the fire witch stared at the smaller, whose eyes were so alive, his irises looked like there was a storm inside them, the colour moved that fast. Before he could ask again, Jimin pressed their lips together in a fierce kiss, his hands cupping the younger's face. For a moment, Jungkook was too stunned to do anything because he had definitely not expected Jimin to just kiss him like that. Usually, when they kissed, the wolf asked or watched him closely, before kissing him but now, he was kissing him with so much desire, Jungkook felt hot immediately. He had kissed so many people like this, so he should be used to it but with Jimin, it felt completely different. It made his heart flutter and his knees got weak, forcing him to wrap his arms around the elder's neck to hold himself up, in case his knees would really give in. Jimin pulled away a little, just to trail kisses along Jungkook's jawline, his hands wandering over his chest to his waist, grabbing it firmly. The younger was squirming, his skin burning, where Jimin touched him. But then, Jimin suddenly pulled back, stepping away from him, his eyes wild but apologetic.

         "I'm sorry––– I––– I just need you to smell like me––––"

         "Why did you stop?" Jungkook breathed, his heart beating against his chest, leaning against the wall for support.

He did not know why he had asked that. Maybe it was his element getting the better of him again. All he knew was that as soon as Jimin stepped away from him, he missed the other's warmth. He wanted more. At this very moment, his mind was surprisingly clear and even though he knew that the voice that told him to stay away from Jimin was still there, it was quiet right now.

         "Because–––" Jimin panted, fighting against his inner self that just wanted to close the distance between them.

But then, Jungkook felt brave – for once thanking his element for making him impulsive – and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the elder. Shocked, Jimin watched his mate's expression. He was bright red, even his ears were but he looked determined.

         "Don't––– don't stop" Jungkook whispered and with that, Jimin's self-control was gone.

Instantly, he pulled the younger down into a passionate kiss. Jungkook melted into his touch, his body burning again. Jimin licked along his bottom lip, more or less asking for entrance but right now, he was so dominant, even if Jungkook would not have opened his mouth, he would have probably made him. But Jungkook loved it. Willingly, he let Jimin's tongue in, letting him explore as much as he wanted as he tried to keep up with Jimin's hungry pace. Their teeth clashed and the younger's tongue grazed the side of one of the upper canines and he shuddered at that. Not because he was scared but because it was kind of hot. His mind was clouded with pleasure and he started to feel aroused, which Jimin noticed, of course, and it only encouraged him more. He made sure that Jungkook's arms were wrapped around his neck tightly, before he gripped the younger's thighs, wrapping them around his waist, taking him by surprise. Jungkook yelped but it was muffled by Jimin's lips that were still attached to his own. This way, the witch's hard-on was pressed against the elder and so was his against Jungkook. The elder was drunk on his mate's feelings and all he could really do was hurry into his room, lying the other down, attacking his neck right away, nosing it, rubbing his chin up and down, slowly making their scents mix again. But that was not his only concern anymore. He pulled away a little, looking down at his mate, who was lying beneath him, his chest heaving, his eyes half-lidded, his legs slightly spread, so Jimin could sit in between them comfortably, his mouth slightly parted, panting. He was aroused; the wolf could smell, feel and see it; the bulge in Jungkook's pants was obvious. Licking his lips, Jimin tried to calm down. He could not just dive into this. His mind was not clear enough, so it was too dangerous to get lost in the intoxicating smell. It was hard not to, though. Slower this time, he leaned down, nosing Jungkook's neck again, breathing in deeply, one of his hands sneaking under his mate's t-shirt, drawing circles close to his hipbone.

         "I know I've said this too many times before, but you smell so fucking good, it's hard not to get lost" Jimin mumbled, planting a kiss under Jungkook's jaw, before he let his nose trail down his neck again, "but you smell best, when your scent and mine are together. It's our scent. It means that you belong to me."

The younger shivered, when Jimin's hot breath ghosted over his collarbone and turned his head to the side more to give Jimin better access, baring his neck. Jimin groaned at that, kissing from his collarbone back up to the younger's ear.

         "Fuck" he whispered under his breath, grinding down on the witch because that action was turning him on way too much.

It was so easy to just bore his teeth into Jungkook's neck right now. He was submitting to him completely and Jimin had to hold himself back not to do it. Instead, he let his hand that was still on the younger's hip travel further up but before he arrived at Jungkook's nipple, the latter started speaking.

         "What? What did I do?" he asked, referring to Jimin's reaction.

The wolf pulled back just a little, so he could look into his mate's eyes. Of course, Jungkook had no idea what that did to him. He smiled a little, taking this little break to calm himself down, though he doubted that was possible, as he was surrounded by their mixing smell.

         "I know you didn't mean it like that but baring your neck like that is showing ultimate submission for us wolves. Technically, you just told me that you submit to me completely" Jimin elaborated.

The younger's face flushed an even darker red and he made an oh shape with his lips, nodding his head a little, not negating what Jimin just explained. The wolf's gaze trailed down to his hand, which was still under Jungkook's shirt, having pushed it up a little bit, revealing part of Jungkook's six pack. His skin was so fair and so soft under his fingers, he wanted to taste his mate's skin on his stomach.

         "I want to mark you" he blurted out, "I need to mark you. I won't be with you for two days. I'll even miss your birthday. If you don't smell like me by the time the full moon rises, I'm gonna go crazy."

         "M––mark me? And I already smell like you. Even I can smell it" Jungkook said, suddenly getting nervous because he was not sure what Jimin meant by that.

         "Lovebites" he elaborated, gaze fixed on the younger, pushing up his shirt more to reveal all of his abs, "and yes, right now, you're wearing my scent. But it'll wear off sometime tomorrow and then other people will have time to court you and I can't let that happen."

Jungkook's mind was hazy; all he could think about was how Jimin sucked bruises into his skin and how he was covered in them. Just the thought of that had him shuddering and his dick twitched in his pants. He could not deny how much he enjoyed Jimin's possessiveness, he just wished that the wolf would not need to ask permission for everything.

         "D––do it. Don't ask all the time. Just do it. I'll stop you, when I think it's too far" he finally voiced out, his breathing quickened as he watched Jimin's eyes travel up his body, until they locked gazes.

Licking his lips again, Jimin pulled Jungkook's shirt off completely, looking at his beautiful body, knowing that it was his and his only. Ducking down, he nosed the younger's abs, his scent so much stronger there, planting an open-mouthed kiss right over Jungkook's belly button. Compelled he moved upwards, making sure that he left a wet trail, until he arrived at his nipples, licking one of them, pinching the other. Jungkook gasped, squirming a little, not expecting that this would feel so good. He remembered Morgan Barner doing it to him but it had felt nothing like this. Everything was so intense. He felt so hot, he wondered, whether this was normal when doing things like this or whether it was his element acting up because he was not able to concentrate in this state. Closing his eyes, Jungkook leaned into the touch, his hands finding their way to Jimin's back, slowly pulling on his shirt. Jimin complied immediately, pulling away for a short moment, ridding himself off his shirt, before attaching his lips back to the younger's skin. He was kissing his collarbones again, when he started sucking, making sure that the bruise was dark and that it would stay there for a while. Jungkook mewled, biting his lip, his sanity slowly slipping away. His hands were on Jimin's bare back, feeling every single muscle tense, as the wolf left hickeys all over the witch's neck. Suddenly, Jimin grinded down on him again, releasing a noise that sounded like a pleased grumble and Jungkook could not help but moan at the so much needed friction. He loved Jimin appreciating all of his body but this was not enough. He was so hard, it was starting to get uncomfortable. Something needed to happen.

         "Hyung–––" the younger panted and the wolf looked up, meeting his eyes, "touch me."

A desperate groan left Jimin's lips and he grinded harder, gripping the younger's waist and that was when Jungkook flinched a little, feeling sharp nails grazing his skin.

         "God, I would love to. I want to––– so much, you have no idea" Jimin growled lowly, "but I can't. I would hurt you and I don't have enough self-control to change back into my human form. Not this close to the full moon."

Jungkook furrowed his brows, almost whining, grinding upwards, needing friction. Jimin was kind of right; his nails were going to hurt him but just grinding was not enough. He needed more. There was this sudden need of proximity that rushed through Jungkook, it was almost foreign. He needed to get closer; it was like that was the only thing he could do now. Locking eyes with the elder above him, Jungkook suddenly realised. This feeling was foreign. It was not his own – it was Jimin's. Was this the bond? Was this normal? Jimin did say that the bond was only one way in the beginning. Was this the bond growing between them? Was this really Jimin's need to be so close to him? It was definitely not his own. It felt so definite and unconditional; it was overwhelming. Not able to stay so far apart anymore, Jungkook pulled Jimin down into a passionate kiss and this time, it was him, who led the kiss. Jimin's fangs were in the way but he found a way around them. The wolf groaned, continuing to grind down on the witch. He was so drunk on their mingling scent that had merged into one, also receiving strong arousal from his mate, which told him that he was already on edge, combined with the friction of their clothed dicks, he was already getting closer to his release. But then, Jungkook suddenly started fumbling with the waistband of his sweatpants and that was when he pulled back a little, staring at the younger.

         "Let me" Jungkook insisted, looking determined, although Jimin also felt nervousness coming from his mate.

         "I––– it's just that I'm already on edge because of your scent and your feelings and––– I can't help you out, so–––"

Jungkook really did not know where his next thought was coming from but he suddenly felt bold and smirked, nipping at Jimin's bottom lip.

         "Let me take care of both of us, then" he breathed and he felt Jimin shiver.

         "Holy fuck, Jungkook-ah. How could I possibly say no to that" he growled, before he lowered his head again, creating new hickeys.

As fast as Jungkook's confidence had come, as fast it had subsided. He had pulled down Jimin's pants and was about to pull down his underwear too, when he realised that this was the first time he actually touched someone else's dick. He was nervous but there was also this extreme need to be as close to the wolf as possible, so eventually, he pulled down Jimin's underwear and grabbed his hard member, making the man above him groan against his skin and Jimin's dick twitched in his hand. It was hot and definitely not small and just thinking that this would be inside him one day was making him question whether that would actually work. However, that was not happening right now, so Jungkook had to concentrate. With trembling fingers, Jungkook started stroking the elder, while he wriggled out of his own pants and underwear beneath the wolf. When he finally freed himself, Jungkook bit his bottom lip, before he gripped Jimin's butt, gesturing that he should come a little closer. Obediently, he did as he was told and shivered immediately, when Jungkook wrapped his right hand around them both, their members rubbing against each other. The witch had to moan himself, being sensitive himself. This felt so much better than he had ever imagined and he was still the one who jerked them off. He wondered what it would feel like, when Jimin was the one who was touching him.

         "Junggg––––Jungkook-ah––" Jimin panted, close to Jungkook's ear, licking behind it, sending a shiver down the younger's spine.

         "Jimin–––hyung" the younger breathed, flicking his wrist faster, both of them twitching in his hand.

Both of them were close and when Jimin sucked another hickey at the witch's neck, Jungkook came with the cry of Jimin's name on his lips. Only seconds after, the other exploded as well, an animalistic growl escaping his lips and they both came onto Jungkook's stomach. Panting hard, Jimin pulled away, looking at how wrecked the younger was and he loved it. His wolf side was not satisfied completely because he had not claimed his mate yet but it was calmed down for the moment. Their scent was one and it was mixed with the smell of sweat and sex. His eyes wandered over the witch's relaxed body, fixing on the mess on his stomach. Jungkook watched him through his half-lidded eyes, exhausted but relieved, the foreign feeling of needing to be close still lingering in his mind but it was just a tiny little flame that was barely noticeable. But his eyes widened, when Jimin lowered his head again, lapping up their cum from the younger's stomach, his tongue expertly sliding over his abs. The younger tensed up at the sight.

         "Hyung!" he whined, "that's kinda gross."

But the wolf just looked up with wide eyes, looking way too innocent for what he was doing right now.

         "It's not" Jimin said matter-of-factly, "actually, it's quite tasty, for my wolf taste buds anyways."

         "Wait, really? I mean, I never tasted––– it–– before but–––"

Jimin chuckled, finishing up, before he lifted his head to Jungkook's, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. It tasted bitter and not really nice, so Jungkook scrunched up his nose. Smiling, the wolf licked over his lips, before he licked along his neck and then got out of bed. Only then, Jungkook realised that he had not yet properly looked at naked Jimin. He was standing with his back towards the younger, showing off his muscular back, while he collected his clothes. When he turned around Jungkook's eyes trailed over his chest, his abs, lingering on his prominent v line, before going even further down, licking his lips unconsciously. He had just touched him there. He just jerked them off together.

         "Okay, I need to leave now" Jimin announced, quickly getting dressed.

Pouting, Jungkook frowned, sitting up, looking for his own clothes.

         "Why?"

         "Because you're probably already thinking about something lewd again because you're getting aroused again and I really can't handle more of this, or I might really force claim you. It was hard enough not to just bite you" Jimin deadpanned, smiling, though, walking up to the younger trailing a finger along Jungkook's neck, "I'm pretty satisfied with my work, though. The hickeys suit your fair skin."

Blushing, Jungkook got dressed too but, when he looked into the mirror, he widened his eyes at his reflection. His entire neck was littered with hickeys. They were so dark, there was no way he could cover them up completely.

         "Hyung! I'm supposed to go to Busan tomorrow! I'm meeting my parents! How should I explain this!?" Jungkook whined.

         "Wait what? I didn't know that?" Jimin tilted his head.

         "Yeah! I always go visit them on my birthday. What am I going to do?"

Jimin giggled, launching forward to lick at the younger's neck.

         "Tell them your girlfriend is a little possessive and needed to mark you. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let you go."

         "A little?" Jungkook snorted amused, "and you really like licking me, huh?"

         "Yes, I do. It's natural for me and is hard to turn off, when I'm in my half human form because it's what we do. As wolves, we don't kiss, so in our half human form we do both kiss and lick a lot" Jimin elaborated, planting a soft kiss behind the younger's ear, "I'm sorry, I can't spend your birthday with you. I'll be back as soon as I can and I'll take you out for dinner."

Grinning a little, liking the sound of Jimin taking him out on a date. Both of them walked to the door and Jimin kissed him once more, before he jogged off into the direction of the practice room. Jungkook watched him leave and sighed deeply, as he walked into Special Force's dorm. He still could not quite believe what just happened. It was only sinking in, when he suddenly felt a little cold. Jimin's warmth was missing. Smiling, he walked into the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water. The best thing was that there was no guilt bothering him. No matter how he looked at it, he just felt happy. Of course, he had not forgotten about his brother and why he died but Jimin was nothing like those wolves. He would have never randomly hurt a person that was in the woods, so he had no reason to feel guilty. The more time he spent with the wolf, the more comfortable he got around him and slowly, he started to understand just how strong this strange supernatural bond was between them. He already missed the elder, even though they had only been apart for a few minutes now.

         "Wow, hello there. Tell me what happened and I wanna know everything" Taehyung's voice ripped him out of his thoughts.

The water witch grinned at him suggestively, leaning against the wall in the living room that was the same room as the kitchen. 

         "What?"

         "Please, I don't have to have a wolf nose to realise that you look like you just had sex. Your hair’s all messy, you're sweaty, you're being all giddy and bubbly and you're smiling to yourself. And the like millions of hickeys are kind of making it obvious too."

Blushing, Jungkook looked down, putting down the glass, eyeing his room door to maybe think of a way out of this but Taehyung had walked over to him and grabbed his hand, sitting him down on the sofa, looking at him expectantly. Jungkook sighed, knowing that he was not able to leave, until he told him.

         "Fine. We jerked off together. Well––––– I did because he was in his half human form and his nails wouldn't really feel good on my dick."

         "Hold up!" Taehyung gasped, "so you're telling me that you, who never held a dick in his life except his own, just went for it!?"

         "You've never touched another dick either, hyung" Jungkook teased.

         "That's because I'm not gay you idiot, don't get off point here!" the elder smacked his head.

         "Well––––" Jungkook thought about it, wondering about that himself, "I don't know. It's hard to explain. It's–––– there was just this strange feeling that I needed to be closer to him. It was like it was physically needed. I don't know, it just made me do it and I don't regret it. It was really intimate and I think I did a good job. Guess I have the full moon to thank. Jimin-hyung is on edge with his self-control and that's why he just did as he pleased."

The last sentence had slipped out before Jungkook could take it back. Taehyung's lips twisted in a teasing grin.

         "You like to submit, don't you?"

         "No, I don't" Jungkook lied, rolling his eyes.

         "Yes, you do! You're all mighty and proud, when you fight someone but apparently, in bed you're the opposite. Who would have known. Makes sense, though."

         "Stop it, hyung!" Jungkook whined, blushing madly, which only made Taehyung break out into laughter.

But Taehyung did not stop. He continued teasing the younger for at least five minutes, before Jungkook could finally go because Taehyung told him to go have a shower. But when he came back out with fresh clothes and his hair still damp, the water witch got closer, sniffing him.

         "You still smell different. You're aura feels different too" he noted.

         "Jimin-hyung said out scents are one now but I don't think you'd notice that. Maybe it's the same with our auras" Jungkook shrugged.

Suddenly, Taehyung grabbed his wrist but let go immediately.

         "Okay wow, that was freaky."

         "What?"

         "It's like I just heard Jiminnie growl in my mind" Taehyung said fascinated, "I guess he rubbed his scent off on you pretty well."

Jungkook glared. Taehyung cackled. Then, both of them sat down on the sofa and after a while, Jungkook had managed to turn the conversation to something else and they were just having fun. However, at the back of his mind, there still was this flame that needed Jimin close to him and even though it was tiny, Jungkook felt his heart ache a little because Jimin was not with him. 

Chapter Text

Waking up to the smell of freshly made pancakes was Yoongi's favourite way to wake up. Sleepily, he opened his eyes, turning in the rather small bed, looking at the alarm clock that was standing on the bedside table. It was only 6:30am. Sighing, Yoongi averted his gaze to the window, looking outside, seeing how the sun slowly came around. It was way too early to get up. But he knew he had to. Groggily, he got out of bed, sliding into his skinny light blue skinny jeans, throwing his white t-shirt over his head, before he pulled his black zipper hoodie over his shoulders. It was the first of September and as expected of the weather in this region, it was already rather fresh outside in the mornings. It was not particularly cold yet but it was definitely not midsummer anymore. After walking into the bathroom, he looked into the mirror, groaning at his horrible bed hair. He could fix it but he was too lazy to do that. He relieved himself, washed his hands afterwards and walked into the direction of the compelling smell of Western food in the morning. He was living at the international academy for eight years now but he still was not used to the Western food. Whenever he woke up, he expected the smell of rice hitting his nose. Sometimes, it did, when Jin got up earlier than the rest of them to make a healthy and very Korean breakfast for them because even though he was the one that joined Special Force last, he was the eldest and sometimes behaved like a mother because he wanted to take care of them. The rock witch first was unsure about that gesture but now, he always enjoyed breakfast like that. It reminded him of his own mother, who loved to cook for him. Instantly, he sighed. He missed them – his parents. It was hard for him, when they were killed. He was old enough to remember everything clearly. His parents had been sent on a mission and it was the first time, they left him alone in the house because he had been 12 at the time and they thought he was old enough to stay home for two days. They trusted him and he was proud to stay home alone. He remembered coming home from school, when a man and a woman were standing at his front door. They were wearing the same jacket as his parents, showing that they were in the same Team as them. They did not have to spell it out. It was obvious why they were at his house, instead of his parents. He had cried for the entire day. They brought him to the Korean academy because he could not live alone with only 12 years old. For a month, he was only crying and not eating well, he was grieving so much. But then, they introduced him to a bubbly child; he was called Taehyung and was two years younger than him and he was also a water witch.

At first, Yoongi did not really like him. He was loud and could never sit still, always seeking the elder's attention, as expected of a water witch but this one in particular was more annoying than the other water witches around him. But soon, he noticed how loveable Taehyung was and that he was very a very good friend. They were very compatible, when it came to training and soon enough, they stuck together like glue. They were talented – so talented that they were sent to the international academy, when he was 14, where two other boys their age were also already in training. It was awkward at first because the youngest was extremely shy and he refused to touch them because he could not control his fire yet but Namjoon was the hero, explaining why Jungkook was behaving like that. Soon enough, they all got along and Yoongi was glad that Taehyung found someone to play around with. The rock witch never was someone to do stupid things, he was grateful that Jungkook was that playmate for his partner. While those two were enjoying themselves, him and Namjoon were getting closer too, often going to the library together or training their elements together, as they were opposites. Being at the international academy was hard at first because his English was horrible but by the time he was 16, he had mastered it. Two years later, Jin joined and Yoongi felt a little strange because he was suddenly not the eldest in the group anymore. But Jin was a nature witch and kind-hearted, so they got along quickly. Sighing, the rock witch smiled, running through his bed hair with his hands. He definitely missed his parents but he was so grateful for his new family. He cared about Special Force so much, he would give his life for each and every one of them.

         "Yoongi, breakfast is ready, get out of bed!" his favourite voice in the world called from the kitchen.

Quickly, he left the bathroom, walking into the small room that included kitchen, living room and dining room, spotting long blonde, messy hair in front of the stove. Smiling instantly, Yoongi walked up to her, chuckling at her outfit. She was wearing one of his dress shirts that he forgot at her place – he always forgot things here because he was almost always in a hurry to get back to the academy – and nothing but panties and a bra under it. Yoongi was not particularly tall or muscular, which was uncharacteristic for a rock witch, but Anna was so small and delicate that the shirt was still too big for her, hanging down until mid thigh length.

         "I wondered, where my white dress shirt from last week had gone to" he said, as he sneaked up next to her, placing a kiss on her forehead, "morning, babe."

         "It's not my fault you leave things in my house" she giggled, walking over to the small table that was placed behind the backrest of her sofa, putting down the pancakes, telling Yoongi to sit down.

Yoongi could not help but stare at her. Her hair was falling over her shoulder, one side tucked behind her ear and she looked at her pancakes with determination, taking the knife and fork, diving in. She was hungry, yet she still ate in the politest way, watching her manners. Chuckling at her cuteness, the rock witch started eating as well, always glancing at the beauty before him. He loved her so much. He still remembered the day he met her. It was all thanks to Jungkook and Taehyung. They were fooling around again, messing with trainees that thought they were just as strong as Special Force just because they were as old as Taehyung. Namjoon had heard that they were in one of the trainees practice rooms, practicing with them but it was nothing else than Taehyung and Jungkook beating them up. Yoongi had said that he would go get them and when he entered the practice room, he saw her. Her hair had been a little bit longer than shoulder length back then and she had it pulled back, as they were supposed to practice. But she was kneeling next to a guy whose nose was bleeding, glaring up at Taehyung, who was standing in the middle of the room but the rock witch could not care less about his pubertal partner because at that moment, he could only look at the delicate nature witch, who was tending to the bleeding guy, healing him. Yoongi scolded both of his younger teammates, apologising to the guy and to the girl, which introduced herself as Anna. They had an instant connection, even Jungkook and Taehyung saw that. Sometimes, they still teased Yoongi about how smitten he was right from the very first day they met. He was so awkward around her in the beginning, as he had no experience at all around girls. While Taehyung and Namjoon had already plenty of experience in that field, fooling around, like teenagers were supposed to, Yoongi was naturally loyal because of his element and he wanted to wait for the right girl but before Anna, he never found someone he really liked. She was his first for everything. His first girlfriend, his first kiss, his first time – everything. Three years had passed since then and he was still so much in love with her like the first time he had laid his eyes on her.

         "Stop staring and eat" she ripped him out of his thoughts the second time this morning, smiling sweetly, a faint blush on her face.

         "Why do you always have the early shifts at the hospital?" Yoongi grumbled, devouring the pancakes in front of him.

         "It's not my choice. You know my lieutenant creates the schedules and they know I'm an early bird" she explained.

         "Well, good for you, I'm not" he complained jokingly.

         "I told you that I had to get up early today but you came here anyways" she chuckled.

         "You should just give me a key, so I can let myself out."

         "There's only one key and you know that" she sighed.

         "Let me create a spare one. You know I can" he argued.

Yoongi was one of the few rock witches that mastered metal bending at such a young age and he was proud of it, always wanting to show it off.

         "That's illegal" she laughed, finishing up her breakfast, putting the dishes into the sink, "be so nice and do the dishes, while I get ready, yeah?"

She smiled innocently, leaning down to kiss him shortly, walking into the bedroom while swaying her hips.

         "Thank you!" she giggled, before she closed the door behind her.

The rock witch rolled his eyes, sighing contently. Although he did not particularly enjoy doing the dishes, he loved scenarios like this. He wanted to have this every day. That was why he had something special planned for tonight. He just hoped that both of them had time. After doing the dishes, he waited on the sofa, until Anna was ready and she looked as stunning as always. She had French-braided her hair and whenever she wore makeup, she only put on a little bit of eyeliner and mascara because her skin was flawless. She had her bag with her nurse outfit ready, already pulled over her shoulder. The pink dress was getting squished a little because of it but it was still beautiful. They left her apartment, which was in one of the older skyscrapers that were about 20 minutes away from the academy. It took them 40 minutes to walk and when Anna did not have the early shift for once, they enjoyed walking there but today, they took the bus. Anna did have a car but there were no parking areas around the academy, as it was on a hill and the only way up there were the stairs at the main gate. He accompanied her to the hospital and kissed her goodbye but before she left, he stopped her, earning a slightly confused look from her.

         "When do you finish today?" he asked.

         "Around 3pm but I told my friend from Team 11 that I would help him with his healing class today and that finishes at 5pm" she informed him.

         "You're too nice to everyone" he chuckled, "though you are a great healer, so the trainees will learn a lot. I kind of have something planned for tonight. Is it okay, when I pick you up from your house around 8pm?"

         "You have something planned?" she repeated curiously, "do we finally get to go out again?"

         "Yeah" Yoongi smiled, "wear something nice."

         "Where are we going?"

         "It's a surprise. I'm gonna go now. See you tonight, love you" he quickly cut her off, before she could squeeze it out of him.  

He heard her yell I love you too! after him and then she giggled and he smiled, while walking into the direction of their dorm. It was almost 8am and by that time, the academy was already wide awake. Members of the different teams that were still living in the dorms were roaming about, hurrying, so that they would not be late for work, while the trainees were definitely hurrying to the eating hall because they were too lazy to make breakfast themselves. In desperate need of a shower, he entered Special Force's apartment, spotting Taehyung on the sofa, playing some game on his phone. the rock witch was aware that Jungkook already left to meet his parents and the wolves were somewhere in the woods, as it was the full moon tomorrow and Jimin was already going crazy.

         "Don't even bother trying to get into the bathroom. The newlyweds are in there and I've heard Jin-hyung failing at holding back his voice" Taehyung cackled, "morning hyung."

         "Wow, I didn't expect them to just fuck in the shower, while you're still here" Yoongi chuckled.

         "We're not having sex!" Namjoon yelled out of the bathroom, hearing the other two in the living room, thanks to his vampire hearing.

After that, Taehyung and Yoongi heard the half breed curse and both of them laughed because Jin probably hit him. Tiredly, the elder let himself fall down on the sofa next to Taehyung and instantly, the younger shifted, putting his head into the other's lap, continuing to play the game on his phone.

         "You smell like her perfume" he noted.

         "What are you, a wolf?" Yoongi snorted amused.

         "I don't have to be a wolf to smell that you slept in her bed tonight. Did you at least get some action?" Taehyung asked curiously.

         "Really, Tae?"

         "What!? Jungkookie isn't here to tease and the two love birds are busy not having sex in the bathroom, so you're the only one left because the wolves are gone too."

         "No, we didn't have sex" Yoongi rolled his eyes.

         "Poor you" the younger giggled.

         "A relationship isn't just about sex, you dumb ass. You'd know that, if you'd stop fooling around and find a girl you really like."

         "Hyung, don't go all parent on me" Taehyung pouted.

         "It's true. Even playboy number one got himself a boyfriend now and our forever virgin boy has a magical bond with a wolf. You're the only one left who's single" Yoongi pointed out, thinking that teasing would work better on the younger.

         "Don't forget Hoseok-hyung! He's still single too. He's my new wingman with the girls, when we go out, it's great. He's so much better at it than Jungkookie."

         "Technically, it's already set, who's he's going to be with so he's not really single. I guess wolves never are."

         "Seriously, though. I just didn't find the right girl yet, okay? It's not like I don't want a relationship. I'm a water witch, I want someone to love me, god damn, but it just hasn't clicked yet" the younger shrugged.

Yoongi sighed, threading his fingers through Taehyung's hair. He knew how much love he needed. His parents were constant undercover witches in the real world and they sent him to the Korean Academy because they did not have enough time to take care of him. Water witches were naturally more eager to be loved by people but because his parents did not have enough time, Taehyung's need for love was even stronger. That was why he was so close to everyone in Special Force. He needed to feel their love for him; otherwise, he would feel lonely. The younger did never voice it out but he was probably a little jealous that Jimin was taking Jungkook away from him.

         "Hey, Tae?" the elder started, his voice quiet.

         "Mhh?"

         "What would you think about me moving out of the dorm?" Yoongi asked carefully.

         "What? Why do you ask?" Taehyung sat up, locking eyes with his partner.

         "Just––– tell me. Would you be very lonely?"

         "Please, I wouldn't be––––"

         "Be honest with me" the elder insisted.

The water witch sighed, fidgeting with his phone in his hands, which he had locked by now.

         "I guess I'd be a little sad. We've been living together for 10 years now, so I really got used to having you around" he admitted, "but if you want to move in with Anna, I can completely understand. You two love each other and you've been dating for three years, so it's appropriate to want to be closer to each other."

         "I want to propose to her" Yoongi confessed, his ears red because he had not told anyone about his plans for tonight.

The younger's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. For a second, he did not say anything but then, his stunned expression switched to an extremely happy one, his lips curling into that signature rectangle smile.

         "That's amazing, hyung! When? How? This is so exciting!" he cheered.

         "Actually––– today" Yoongi laughed a little, relieved that Taehyung was a fan of the idea.

         "Today!?" the other repeated loudly, "why in the world would you only tell me about this now!? Show me the ring! How are you going to propose! Man, and here I thought I would help you with proposing because I'm a water witch and I know what the ladies love!"

         "Okay, okay, let me get it and I'll tell you."

Getting up, he looked at his partner, who was sitting on the sofa expectantly, having put away his phone to give the rock witch his full attention. Yoongi went into his room, opened his wardrobe and opened the little box where his socks were. At the very bottom, there was a little black velvety box, which he grabbed and went back into the living room, where Taehyung still sat on the sofa the exact same way he had left him. A little nervously, Yoongi sat down and gave his partner the box to look at the ring. Curiously, Taehyung opened it and inside, there was a simple but beautiful white gold ring, with one single diamond on it.

         "How much was it?" Taehyung giggled, still inspecting it.

         "Expensive but affordable. She wouldn't like it, if I went over my budget. I helped making it" Yoongi explained proudly.

         "Oh my god, really?"

         "Yeah, I helped bending the white gold" he nodded.

         "That's awesome. She'll love it. How are you going to propose?"

         "I'm taking her to her favourite restaurant tonight. After that, I'm going to take her to the park, where we were on our first date. I'll propose to her there."

         "It's simple but it's totally cute and so you. God, this is so exciting! Wait, do the others know?"

Yoongi blushed a little, his heart racing at the thought of tonight.

         "Well, I suppose Namjoon-ah and Jin-hyung know about it now because our dear half breed is always eavesdropping, even if he doesn't intend to. But the rest don't know. I was kind of nervous about telling you guys" he admitted.

         "She'll say yes anyways" Taehyung laughed, closing the box and giving it back to the elder, "so you're gonna move in with her, then?"

         "I actually looked at apartments closer to the academy, which we can afford together. Her apartment is too small for us together and it's also kind of run down. She's only still living there because of her brother but to be honest, when I'm married to her, I don't want to be that close to him. Especially when we'll have kids––– he's a bad influence."

         "Hold up!" Taehyung yelled, "you're already thinking about children!? Hyung, you're 23!"

         "Not right away, of course" he chuckled, leaning into the back rest, smiling to himself, "but eventually, I want children. She'd be such a wonderful mother."

         "You only ever smile like that, when you talk about her" Namjoon surprised the two witches, standing in the corridor with just a towel around his waist, while Jin quickly disappeared into his room, "go take a shower, so we can go to work. I don't want you to be late tonight."

All three of them laughed and Yoongi got up, quickly putting the ring back into his room, before he walked towards the bathroom.

         "Did you at least clean after yourselves?" he asked seriously, not wanting to walk in on any traces of them doing something together.

         "We didn't have sex! He sexually harassed me! All I wanted was a calm shower but he just decided to join me!" Jin noted, his face red, as he left his room, freshly dressed, his hair still damp.

         "You can't call it harassment, when you like it, hyung" Taehyung giggled from the living room.

The eldest blushed even more, squinting his eyes into the direction of the water witch, before he walked into the kitchen. Yoongi chuckled, enjoying the atmosphere between them. He was looking forward to living with Anna but he would definitely miss this kind of bickering with them. They were like his brothers. Except Jin maybe because he had joined them the latest. The rock witch was already together with Anna, when the nature witch had joined. However, he still loved him just as much as the others. He now had the label of the boyfriend his brother. It might be to early because they just recently got together but Yoongi was positive that they would stay together because Namjoon was so smitten about Jin.

After taking a shower, he quickly got dressed, before Namjoon and him went to their office, looking at the reports of the scouting teams that were searching the Irish forest but so far, they did not find anything. This mission was especially hard for the wind witch and it was obvious how much it affected him. He frowned more and was a little gloomier than usual but Yoongi knew better than to ask. Namjoon wanted to be left alone with his thoughts, when it came to Jun. The day dragged on and they were technically not done with their work but Namjoon let him go because he knew that tonight was important. He thanked the half breed and hurried back to the dorm, taking another shower because he wanted to look good. For once, he styled his hair, parting his hair at the side, so that part of his forehead was visible. He put on his black suit, a white dress shirt – one that was not somewhere at her apartment – and also slid into his black suit shoes. After grabbing the black box and putting it into his pocket, he looked at himself in the mirror and took a deep breath. This was it. With a constantly racing heart, he left the dorm and made his way to her apartment.

He only had to knock twice, before she swung the door open and when he looked at her, his jaw dropped a little. She had put her hair up in a complicated updo, wearing the silver necklace he had bought her for their first anniversary. She was wearing a long dress in a fair lavender pink. It had short sleeves made of lace and the décolleté was covered with it as well. A white, thin belt at her waist parted the dress, letting it flow to her feet gracefully. Her makeup matched the dress and her small, just like the small white purse in her hand.

         "You look stunning" he breathed, still staring at her.

She smiled, giggling a little, before she looked up and kissed him sweetly.

         "You're very handsome too. You even styled your hair. What are we doing that even you dressed up?" she chuckled, her hand sliding into his naturally, after she locked the door behind him.

He laughed at her comment because it was very true. He barely dressed up and if he did, he still left his hair hanging into his forehead, so it might have been a little obvious to dress like this. Staying quiet, he lead her through the streets, wanting to show off how beautiful his girlfriend was. He usually was not like that but today was special; he wanted to show the world how amazing his girlfriend and hopefully soon to be fiancée was. After a half-an-hour walk, they were standing in front of a fancy French restaurant and Anna's eyes sparkled.

         "We're going to eat here? Really? But you don't like French food that much!" she noted, as he led her inside.

They sat down at a table at the very back of the restaurant, which was a little bit more secluded and a waiter brought the menus immediately.

         "It's okay, I'll find something to eat. You learnt how to cook Korean just for me, so I can handle eating frog legs once in a while" he joked.

She laughed at his comment but then concentrated on the menu. After about 10 minutes, they had decided on what they wanted to order and because today was her day, Yoongi agreed on taking the same as her, so they their dishes would be served at the same time. They started with a simple salad, which was surprisingly nice, even for the rock witch. After that, something called Soupe à l'oignon was served and although it was a little too onion tasting for Yoongi, it was still edible. Their main course was Magret de Canard and it was French duck breast, which was actually really tasty. Maybe, he just had bad luck with French food before. They had a Bordeaux with the duck and as they were enjoying their meal, Yoongi just watched her content face. How her eyes wrinkled a little at the sides, when she laughed and how her right side of her lips always moved up a little higher than the left, when she smiled. For dessert, they had Crème Brûlée and when they finished it, both of them were more than full. They finished the rest of the wine, before Yoongi paid and then, they left. Anna definitely thought they would be going home but the rock witch shook his head, telling her that he wanted to go somewhere. She shrugged and happily came along. He led her to the park, which was mostly empty now because it was after 10pm. They were walking along a small river, when Yoongi wiggled his hand out of hers to wrap his arms around her waist.

         "Do you know what park this is?" he asked, looking up trying to spot stars but the city was too bright to see any.

         "It's where I took you on our first date because you didn't know what to do" she giggled.

         "It was my first ever date" he chuckled, "I was extremely nervous, when I asked you out. I had never done that before and I only ever watched Korean dramas because of Tae, so obviously, I had no idea how to really ask you out."

         "It was cute" she smiled, leaning her head onto his shoulder, when they stopped in front of a pond, which had a small fountain in the middle.

         "We came back here two dates later and I kissed you" Yoongi continued, "it was my first kiss."

         "You were horrible" she laughed, "but again, it was cute. You looked so cold but you were actually really adorable, not knowing anything about relationships. You're good at it now, don't worry."

         "You are my first girlfriend, of course I had no clue about anything" he sighed.

He took a deep breath, preparing the last part of his speech. This was it. Now was the time. His heart pumping against his chest, he gently turned Anna so that they were looking at each other, pulling her close, resting his hands at the small of her back. She looked up at him with her beautiful big, blue eyes and even though the light was rather dim, they still glowed.

         "You are my first crush, my first date, my first kiss, my first girlfriend, my first time and I don't intend to have seconds because I love my first choice so much that I don't want to relive these milestones with anyone else" he paused, pulling the black velvety box out of his pocket, holding it between them, "so let me add another first."

Her eyes widened, looking at the still closed box, before they jumped to the rock witch's eyes. Slowly he let go of her, closing his eyes for a brief second to calm his heart. This was cheesy and cringe-worthy but he had to do it. He knew how much Anna liked these kinds of romantic things. Determined, he got on his knees, looking up at her, opening the box, smiling at her shyly.

         "Will you marry me?"

She gasped at the sight of the ring, lifting her right hand up to cover her mouth. She started tearing up and just nodded, blinking, trying to prevent the tears from spilling but it was no use. She held up her left hand, sobbing once before she smiled widely.

         "Yes, I do" she sniffled.

With slightly trembling fingers, the rock witch took out the ring, sliding it on her left ring finger and it fit perfectly. She could not stop smiling and she gazed at the ring on her hand with an overwhelmed smile. Yoongi got up, averting her attention back to him and instantly, she launched forward and hugged him tightly. Leaning into it, he wrapped his arms around her small waist, sighing in relief, happy that she said yes. They pulled back a little, before Yoongi was the one to lean back in, kissing her passionately.

         "I love you" he breathed against her lips.

         "I love you too. So much" she smiled, kissing him again.

Chapter Text

Returning to Busan was something Jungkook was actually looking forward to. It was the first time he was visiting his parents ever since Christmas. They wanted to visit him in Seoul but of course, he told them that he was too busy, which he was but they had no idea with what.  As he exited the portal, he breathed in the fresh breeze of the ocean. He enjoyed the different feel of the wind. He missed it sometimes. Although Busan was next to the ocean, which weakened him a little bit, he always liked living here. It was still so much warmer here than at the International Academy. In fact, it was definitely too warm for the black turtle neck sweater he was wearing too conceal what Jimin had done to him. It also was not helping that the suppressing spell he was wearing messed with his sensitivity to temperature. Without it, Jungkook was heat resistant. He still sweat, of course, and he was sweating quite fast too but he never felt too hot. It always felt comfortably warm. Technically, he could bathe in lava, if he wanted to, though he had never tried that before because there was still a certain kind of fear that he might not feel hot but his skin would actually melt away. But because of the spell, he was more sensitive to both extremes. When it was too cold, he was even more weakened than usual but if it was too hot, his body suddenly started to shut down, as it was not used to actually feeling hot. That kind of hot, anyways. He had felt hot yesterday, when Jimin had touched him. That made his blood boil – but in a good way. It was a scary, he had to admit because now that he thought about it, he really felt hotter, when he was with Jimin. He still did only know so little about his element because no one told him what all of the effects of fire were because no one knew, so maybe, this was a normal thing for fire witches being in love. However, he was not sure about that. But what almost scared him more was just how dependant he already felt because even though he had only been separated from Jimin for 10 hours, he already missed him so much. It first started out as a small sting in his heart and he was able to forget about it easily and just went to bed but when he woke up extra early because of the time difference of the International Academy and South Korea, he felt so cold, he was actually shivering a little. For a moment, he had been so confused and he thought it might have been because he had to get up in the middle of the night and after taking a shower, he felt warm again, so he had thought nothing of it. But after a while, he got these waves of coldness rushing through him, which was absolutely not normal for him. He was never cold – at least not in a normally heated room. As he strolled down the beach in the heat of the sun at noon, Jungkook should feel way too hot. He felt too hot just a second ago but suddenly, almost biting cold crept up his spine, making him tense up, slightly shivering. This was just not normal. He did not get cold like this. Ever. Only in deepest winter, when he was outside for too long with his suppression spell still working. But not in the beginning of September, with a black turtle neck on in the sun. This was not an illness. It had to have something to do with Jimin and that was what scared him. Was it always going to be like this? Him suddenly feeling cold and weak, whenever the wolf was not close to him? But then, the coldness disappeared just as fast as it had appeared. Yes, this was definitely scary. Jungkook was used to being in full control of himself but this was unsettling. He had to talk to the wolf as fast as possible. Maybe, this just was a normal thing for wolves' mates. But he would only see him in two days and that was too long. What if these sudden attacks of coldness continued, or got even worse? He had to do something about this. But right now, he had to push it to the back of his mind because he was about to meet his parents. They had insisted to take him out for lunch and he had said that he would meet them at the restaurant because he wanted to have some minutes at the beach for himself. His parents understood – Jungkook had always had these brooding moments.

They met up in a little beach restaurant, which they used to go to, when Jungkook was still in middle school. His mother hugged him tightly for at least a minute because she had missed him so much. His father gave him an affectionate pat on the back, before they sat down and ordered their lunch. The fire witch had his usual: lamb skewers.

         "How are you, sweetheart? How were the exams? You should really call us more" his mother reprimanded him a little but she did not mean it in a bad way; she simply missed her son.

         "I'm good" Jungkook munched, nodding, while he devoured his food, "exams were exhausting but I survived. Sorry, I didn't call. I was––– a friend of mine invited me to his holiday cabin and the signal is crap over there.”

         "What friend?" his father asked curiously.

Well, this was a problem. They knew the names of Special Force, as well as Jimin's – the girl that studied with him – so he had to come up with something and because he did not like lying to them too much, he tried to go with a sort-of-truth.

         "He's called Park Jimin. It's not the girl I study with but a guy. They just have the same name. I met him in a café Taehyung-hyung dragged me to and we became friends. His dad has this like security company or whatever, so they have a cabin on a mountain, so he took me and my friends there" he elaborated. 

         "I wish you would tell us things like this earlier" his mother sighed, watching him eat with a smile on her face.

         "Sorry" he mumbled, "I just prefer talking face to face. I don't like phones. For calling, at least. The games are alright."

His parents chuckled at that and he grinned at them, his mouth stuffed with meat. They enjoyed their time at the restaurant, catching up on what they had missed in Jungkook's life. He told them about how his classes were, what he had struggled with – including his short but horrible crisis with maths and his father laughed heartedly at that. He also told them about Jimin and how they had met exactly because they were curious about that boy, who just invited him to their holiday cabin. As soon as Jungkook talked about him, he felt the corners of his lips curl up and he desperately tried to control that developing smile but eventually, he failed and smiled, as he talked about the wolf. When they were already on their way to their house, Jungkook also talked about Hoseok because he did not want to leave him out. It was so nice talking to his parents again. He had really missed them. It was difficult to lie to them and that was why Jungkook never called but he appreciated moments like these. Especially, when he thought about Yoongi's parents, who had died because of Cain. Taehyung's parents were still alive but they were always busy. He had seen them once this year because they were finally able to come home once. But before that, he had maybe seen them twice, since he had come to the International Academy. Jungkook was grateful that he still had his parents and he would do everything to protect them. That was why he lied to them about the Academy. That was why no one outside of the Academy knew that he was the fire witch because no one was allowed to know his identity.

After half an hour drive, they arrived at the Jeon house. It was nothing special. Downstairs were the living and dining room, as well as a spacious kitchen and his father's study. Upstairs were his parents' and his bedroom, and a guestroom, which all had an ensuite bathroom.

         "Sweetheart, do you want to go change? You must be really hot in that turtle neck. Is it that much colder in Seoul?"

Instantly, Jungkook tensed up; he had almost forgotten about the hickeys on his neck because he had so much fun with his parents.

         "Ah––– no it's fine. I'm actually alright like this. I think I might have caught a cold or something, so I dressed warmly, just in case" he tried to explain.

Worriedly, his mother got closer, putting her hand on his forehead, squinting her eyes a little.

         "You really feel a little bit warm. Do you want to take a bath later?" she asked.

His eyes widened a little, sparkling at the thought. He loved his bathtub. He could cast a protection spell around it, so he could lift his suppressing spell and then, he could heat up the water to a boiling temperature, so that it was comfortable for him. They did not have a bathtub at the dorm, neither did he have one in his small flat in Seoul, so this was a rare opportunity. Eagerly, he nodded, smiling at his mother. He was 19 now but he loved behaving like a child around them. They spoiled him so much and he enjoyed it. They went into the living room, where presents were placed on the coffee table.  His parents got him a new pair of skinny jeans and a red beanie from a brand that he always wanted. Thank them, he tried on the beanie immediately. Afterwards, they continued talking for a while, until his mother urged him to take a bath because he had another wave of coldness course through him, which did not go unnoticed by her. Obediently, he went upstairs, finding it almost nostalgic to enter his room, and walked into the bathroom, turning on the water to fill the bathtub. Sighing, he ridded his body from his clothes and as he looked into the mirror, he laid eyes on the hickeys again. Dark blue bruises were littered all over his neck. Both sides were full and continued down over his collarbone. Some even were on his chest. For people that did not know how much Jimin must have held back, those hickeys had to look violent and unhealthy. However, for Jungkook, the hickeys were proof of Jimin's control over himself. If what he felt yesterday was really Jimin's need to be with him, he could only imagine just how much stronger that need was for the wolf. The hickeys were also a sign of possessiveness. Absentmindedly, he touched them, letting his hand run down his neck, smiling shyly. He liked them. It was silly, if he thought about it. He did not need to have a protector like Jimin in his life. He was very well able to protect himself. But somehow, he felt happy to have someone that watched over him now. Jimin's love was so unconditional, he would always choose him. It was scary but it made him feel safe, for some reason. His mind was swirling, whenever he was with the wolf but it was also at ease. Jungkook was strong and fearless, everyone knew that. He was the only known of fire witch that was still alive and could probably become one of the most powerful witches. Yet he felt insecure about so many things. He had stumbled into the other dimension by accident but luckily, his brother took care of him. If it had not been for him, he would have been used by Jun and probably brought to Cain and who knew what he would have done to him. But his brother, who was technically not even his brother by blood, was killed because of him. The person he cared about most in his life apart from his parents had been killed. Because of that loss, Jungkook was afraid of losing anyone else. He tried to not get close to anyone because he did not want anyone else to die because of him but eventually, he had gotten close to Special Force and he now loved them dearly, which also meant that he was constantly afraid for their lives. He would not admit that to anyone but he was so scared to lose anyone of them, it made him shiver. Suddenly getting cold again, he got into the bathtub after casting a spell around the bathroom and sighed as the warm water hit his skin. It was not yet warm enough for his taste but as soon as he was lying in the tub, he heated it up so much that it was boiling. Smiling at the warmth, he sunk into it, watching the ceiling. Sometimes, Jungkook wondered, whether his brother was already reborn or whether he had been living both lives because if the latter was true, he might still be alive in the human world. He had never asked him, when he was still alive. Maybe, he even had a family in the human world. Once again, he sighed, shifting a little, watching the water boil around him. He missed him so much. He used to cry himself to sleep every night, feeling so guilty that he had died because of him. But now, when he closed his eyes, he saw that cute eye smile of Jimin. Maybe, he should not feel so happy with him. Maybe, he should suffer more because Yugyeol had died because of him but Jungkook could not help but giggle a little, when he thought back to last night. He still felt guilty – he always would – but he believed that Jimin showing up that night, when he had visited Yugyeol's grave was a sign that it was okay to be with the wolf. Suddenly, another wave of coldness hit him and this time, it was worse than before. He squirmed inside the still boiling water, wrapping his arms around himself, trying to stay warm but he just suddenly felt so empty. Instinctively, he looked out of the window and when he looked at almost full moon, he froze. Was this because it was already night here? Was the moon affecting him too now? He had to find answers. Not knowing what was going on with his body was terrifying him. But how was he supposed to find answers? No one really knew about these things at the academy and he could not ask Jimin or Hoseok. The only one who could possibly know about what was going on was someone who went through this already. Jimin's mother. She was a mate herself, so she had to know what this was. Quickly, Jungkook finished his bath, drying himself with a towel, wrapping it around his waist and left the bathroom, grabbing his phone, dialling Namjoon's number. If someone knew where Jimin's house in the human world was, it was their captain of the team. After a few moments, the half breed answered the phone.

         "Hello birthday boy, how are you?" he sounded cheerfully.

         "Hyung, do you know Jimin-hyung's address in the human world?" he asked, not even bothering with birthday greetings; this was more important.

         "Yes, I do, why do you wanna know?" he replied, confusion in his voice.

         "I–––– I kinda feel weird and I think it's a wolf thing but Jimin-hyung and Hoseok-hyung are gone and I just wanna know what's going on and ever since–––yesterday––"

         "Oh, no need to hold back, Taehyungie's mind filled me in on your sexual adventure yesterday" he chuckled but then turned serious again, "but what do you mean, you feel weird? Do I need to worry?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes. Of course, Namjoon would know about yesterday, when he had told Taehyung about it.

         "No, you don't have to worry, hyung. It's just–––– I don't know, it's hard to explain. I just feel––– cold" he admitted.

         "Cold? You're never cold!" it was clear how worried Namjoon suddenly was, "are you really okay, Jungkookie?"

         "I'm fine. I just want to know what's going on and I think the only one that could really know about it is Jimin-hyung's mother."

         "That's a big step, you know that, right? Meeting her, especially when both Jiminnie and his father won't be there."

         "I know" Jungkook sighed, "but I have to. I hate not knowing what's going on with me."

         "I'll text you his address" Namjoon said before he wished the younger luck and then hung up.

It was definitely a big step for Jungkook. It was confirming their relationship in more ways than just one. He had already met Jimin's father but that was, when he still had no idea that they were wolves but now that he did and that Jimin and him were a couple, meeting the wolf's mother was usually something quite formal. But he had no other choice. Tomorrow, he would go to Seoul and meet her because he wanted to know what was going on with him. Suddenly, there was a knock on his door and before he could react, his mother had already opened the door, looking at her son with widened eyes, staring at his neck.

         "Eomma!" he gasped, turning around but he knew that no help because his shoulders were littered with hickeys as well, "can you please leave, I'm not dressed yet."

         "Jeon Jungkook, what is that on your neck?" she asked in a serious tone, getting closer, as she could not see the dark bruises on his neck from far away.

         "Nothing, just let me get dressed!" Jungkook whined, grabbing his turtle neck.

However, his mother just got closer, grabbing him by his arm, making him face her. With a frown on her face, she looked at his neck, softly touching the many bruises.

         "Jungkookie–––– this–––" she started.

         "It's nothing, I––––"

         "It's none of my business what you do with this Jimin but this is too much, sweetheart. Your muscles can suffer from inflammation, if you suck on skin too hard" she furrowed her eyebrows more but Jungkook just stared at her in shock.

         "What? No–– why do you bring up Jimin-hyung in this, he––  I––––" he stammered.

He had been caught completely off guard and with his parents, he was never able to come up with a good lie. No matter how good he was at acting, whenever they were on a mission, he stayed the small son his parents had raised.

         "Sweetheart, you told us that you were with your friends all summer in a cabin somewhere in the middle of a forest. I doubt there were any girls and you were smiling so brightly, when you talked about that boy, so I suspected it anyways. It's okay, sweetheart. It's your life and we won't judge you." she smiled but then looked at the hickeys again, "this, however, is concerning. You're not something to eat. What does he think he's doing to you?"

Jungkook was stunned for a moment, so extremely grateful that his mother just casually mentioned that she was okay with her only son being gay, meaning that they would never have grandchildren. But he could not help but laugh at her last comment. It was funny because Jimin had probably not been thinking much, which he made so many hickeys on the witch's neck. He just needed to.

         "He's quite possessive" Jungkook giggled, "he would have probably insisted on coming with me but he was busy––– helping his father at their company, so he couldn't come to meet you."

         "Well, I can definitely see that he's possessive" she nodded, still eyeing his neck, "make him stop next time. It's really not healthy."

Jungkook blushed, looking at her, almost telling her that he would most certainly not stop Jimin the next time this would happen again. Next time, it would maybe even go further but he could not think about that, when he was standing in front of his mother with nothing more than a towel wrapped around his waist.  That was why he just nodded to please his mother, before he asked her to leave the room, so he could change. He knew that his mother was going to tell his father about this, so he did not bother with the turtle neck anymore and just threw on a white t-shirt and some sweatpants that were still in his wardrobe. When he went downstairs for dinner, his father widened his eyes at the sight of his neck but he did not comment on it, which Jungkook was grateful for. He loved his parents so much. They were treating him so well. They were so tolerant and accepting with him and Jungkook was lucky that they were like that because he knew himself that he could be difficult sometimes.

He enjoyed dinner with his parents – his mother's cooking was always a blessing – and once again, he found himself talking to them for a long time, laughing with them, talking about little things but he liked the fact that they were so unimportant things. It was just so normal and it was a great change to his usually extraordinary life. It was already 11pm, when he decided to go to bed. He told them that he had to get back to Seoul by tomorrow afternoon, so he had to catch the 10am train. Of course, he would use a portal but he had to pretend that he was going to the train station. As always, his parents were a little disappointed but they understood and wished him a good night's sleep. That, however, he did not have. He was constantly waking up, feeling cold and empty and every single time, he found himself looking up into the sky, trying to find the moon behind the clouds that were starting to shield the world from its bright light. Finally, it was morning and Jungkook got up, taking another boiling hot shower because he just felt the need to heat himself up. He wore the new jeans and decided on the turtle neck again; he did not have to show Jimin's mother just how close he was with her son already. After that, he had breakfast with his parents and they asked him why he had to be in Seoul in the afternoon already because usually, he stayed until the evening, before he went back. The fire witch decided to not lie and told them that he was going to Jimin's house to meet his mother; he just did not tell them that Jimin was not going to be there. They were a little surprised that he was already meeting her but they let him do whatever he thought was right. After breakfast, they accompanied him to the train station; his mother hugged him a little too tightly but he hugged her just as tightly anyways. Even his father did so too and it was almost so emotional that his mother's eyes were a little glossy but she kept her tears in. Jungkook waved goodbye and turned the corner, walking straight to the next portal, which was actually also at the train station. Sometimes, he felt bad that he left his parents alone like this. Even back in high school, he had been living in the dorm, so he was able to slip away more easily to go to the Academy. But it was necessary and he just hoped that his parents were happy like this.

Thankfully, Seoul was a little colder than Busan and the turtle neck was not as ridiculous as it was in the other city. It looked like it was going to rain soon, so Jungkook pulled out his phone and looked up, where Jimin's house was. Their flat was in an apartment building rather close to the café he had met Jimin in and it actually made sense because a portal was really close by, so he and his father could slip away easily. Nervously, Jungkook rang the doorbell, hoping that Jimin's mother was going to be at home at 11am in the morning. Luckily, she was because she opened the door for him without even asking who it was. Their flat was on the fifth floor and Jungkook was thankful for how fit he was because it would have been embarrassing to arrive at their door panting. As soon as he had ascended the last few steps, Jimin's mother opened the door, looking at him curiously, smiling. She was beautiful. She was smaller than him and even though Jimin looked more like his father, he had her smile. Her eyes crinkled the same way his did and as soon as Jungkook saw that smile, his heart calmed down.

         "Jungkook-ah" she started, her voice very sweet and she apparently knew who he was, "come in."

The witch nodded, bowing politely, before following her inside, taking off his shoes. She led him into the living room and quickly left to bring him something to drink, giving him time to look around. The flat had a very warm feeling. There were a lot of plants and Jungkook wondered whether that was because Jimin's mother liked plants or whether the wolves just wanted some nature inside their house. The furniture was kept in brown shades, decorations brightening up the room with warm greens and yellows. But what was the most interesting thing in the room were the many pictures on the walls. There was a wedding picture of Jimin's parents and it looked a lot like the picture Jimin once showed him. The picture next to that one was his parents holding a very young baby and the witch recognised him instantly because the baby was smiling just like Jimin. There were pictures of small Jimin all over the wall: his elementary school entrance, middle school and high school entrance, always in other uniforms but always the same smile on his face. But in the middle, there was a picture of a black and silver furred puppy, playing in a puddle, his fur wet. It looked like the puppy was having a lot of fun. His amber eyes glowed and his tongue was out, his baby canines showing.

         "Jimin-ah was a cute puppy, wasn't he?" Jimin's mother surprised him, putting two glasses of water on the coffee table.

Jungkook's eyes widened, when he had processed what she just said. Instantly, he looked back at the picture and now that he knew that this was Jimin, it was so obvious. He could see it in his eyes. They were the same. For a second, Jungkook's heart stopped because he realised once again that Jimin was a wolf indeed and the witch was still afraid of them. But this – this was just a little puppy, which had fun playing in a puddle. It was adorable and it reminded him of Jimin wanting to play with the floating paint.

         "That's Jimin-hyung? How old was he?" Jungkook asked, as he sat down next Jimin's mother.

         "He was five there. He still struggled controlling his wolf form back then. Whenever he got excited or upset, he would change. Luckily, we were still living in a village back then, so we didn't have to worry about neighbours" she explained, chuckling at the memory.

Nodding absentmindedly, the witch never realised how difficult it must have been to raise a werewolf as a human. He had no idea what wolves were like, when they were children but it was probably not easy.

         "He changed randomly?"

It was slightly strange to talk about Jimin as a wolf because Jungkook still did not know how to feel, whenever he thought about Jimin being a giant wolf with long canines, being able to growl and snarl. But now, they were talking about small Jimin that turned into a puppy, which looked absolutely adorable.

         "Yes. At first, I was a little shocked but it's normal for wolf pups. But enough about that. I'm so happy to finally meet you, Jungkook-ah. Jimin-ah told me so much about you. I do have to ask, though. Why are you here today, when neither Jimin-ah nor his father can be here?"

         "He talks about me?" Jungkook asked shyly, feeling his cheeks heat up a little.

It was a dumb question. Of course, he would talk about his mate with his parents but Jungkook was just not used to this.

         "All the time. He also sends me pictures of you. He's very happy" she nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Jungkook prepared to tell her what had been bothering him. How was he supposed to start? He took a sip of the water she had brought him, before he turned to her, licking his lips nervously.

         "You are aware that I'm a fire witch?"

         "Yes, Jimin-ah told me" she answered, waiting patiently, knowing that this was just the start of the conversation.

         "Because of my element, I don't get cold. Ever. Only in winter, when I'm wearing my suppression spell to hide my identity. But it's still summer, so I shouldn't get cold. But ever since Jimin-hyung left to stay in the woods because of the full moon, I–––– I get these waves of coldness that rush through me that leave me feeling empty and it's just––– this has never happened to me before, so I thought maybe this has something to do with this weird bond or something and––– I don't know, I'm just–––– it's not normal and it's unsettling."

All the while, Jimin's mother nodded, listening to him. Then, she suddenly put her hand on Jungkook's thigh and smiled a little.

         "Don't worry, Jungkook-ah. I have to admit, this is happening a lot earlier than it happened to me but I've been through that too" she explained, feeling the witch relax under her hand, "it means that you're accepting him as your partner too now. The bond is really strong between you two. It only happened to me the full moon after Jimin's father had put his claiming mark on me. I was really confused and I thought I was getting sick but when he returned he explained it to me. It's their desperate need to be with us mixed with our feelings for them. They are drawn to us, even though it's too dangerous to be with them during the full moon. Back when we were younger, it was much stronger because Jimin's father wasn't that good with controlling his urges as he is now, so the waves of coldness must be pretty extreme for you, as my dear Jimin-ah is clearly very much attached to you. Especially because you also never get cold. You must have been quite in shock."

It was a lot to take in but it was also what he had expected to hear. So this really was because of Jimin and his desire to be with him. Was he feeling like that too? Was he also cold? But what was a little bit scary was that everything happened so fast between them. Why was he feeling like this already, when it only happened to Jimin's mother, after she was claimed?

         "You're still worried" she stated.

         "No–––– it's just–––– a lot all at once. It's overwhelming" he admitted.

         "Because you're still scared of him?"

Surprised, Jungkook looked at her, his hands balling to fists because instantly, the memories of the hostile wolves dared to resurface.

         "He told you?" he asked through his teeth, trying to push away those memories.

         "Yes" she took his hand, caressing it soothingly, "don't be mad at him, he's just worried about you."

         "I'm not mad" he shook his head, relaxing under her touch because it was so similar to Jimin's, "it's not just because of that. Everything is just going so fast."

         "It consumes you, doesn't it" she smiled, "it might have taken more time for me and Jimin's father but it still felt so intense. I had relationships before my husband came along but nothing had felt like that. It just feels right."

         "You had boyfriends other than your husband?" Jungkook asked surprised.

         "You didn't? Oh, then this must be even more intense for you" she sighed, "if this calms you down, I can tell you that the waves of coldness will stop, eventually. As soon as Jimin-ah has gotten used to controlling himself, they will stop."

Nodding in relief, Jungkook smiled a little his eyes wandering from her face to her neck, where the faint scar of the claiming mark was visible. Unconsciously, he touched his own neck, wondering, when he would receive the same mark as her. It was just a matter of time but with the way things were going, it was probably going to be sooner than he expected it to happen.

         "Does––– did it hurt? The bite, I mean" Jungkook mumbled.

         "It did but it wasn't unbearable. It's an ultimate sign of love and trust, so you'll gladly receive it, when the time is right. I was scared at first too but it's really not that bad and Jimin-ah will take care of you afterwards" she calmed him down but then, she suddenly chuckled, "it's very amusing that you're using the same method to conceal what Jimin-ah did to you as I used, when my husband and I were still young."

Instantly, Jungkook blushed, looking at her in shock, pushing his turtle neck a little further up.

         "Wolves are naturally possessive. My husband used to ravish my neck, when I hadn't allowed him to claim me yet and I know just how much Jimin-ah takes after his father in that aspect" she laughed, "it's nice to know that you two are at that stage already. I'm sure Jimin-ah is very content right now. You probably made the full moon much more bearable for him."

Only now, Jungkook realised how extreme Jimin's desire to be with him had to be, if he already felt it like that. If he was feeling empty, like he was missing something, how did the wolf feel, whose emotions always were more intense? Jungkook hoped that Jimin's mother was right and that he really made it a little easier for the elder.

After that, Jimin's mother changed to another subject, asking Jungkook about his hobbies, about his studies and what the other dimension was like. It was nice talking to her. Somehow, Jungkook felt like a little part of Jimin was in this apartment and it was comfortable being here – so much more than he had thought. It was not awkward. Strangely, he was able to talk to the wolf's mother comfortably. It was only when Jungkook was about to leave, when he asked another question about his original problem.

         "How––– can I do something against those waves of coldness?"

         "You're relatively close to him tonight, right?" she asked and Jungkook nodded, "then just think about him. Have happy thoughts. His mind will be calmed down, knowing that you are alright and that you're not in danger, while he's gone. That way, the cold won't be as extreme."

The fire witch thanked her bowing deeply because she really helped him a lot. Just this morning, he was anxious that something might actually be wrong with him but thanks to her, he knew that this was normal, it was just happening way too early but apparently, that was normal when it came to Jimin and him. With a calmed mind, he left Jimin's apartment, walking straight to the portal that was close by, entering the other dimension.

Chapter Text

Being in his wolf form felt good. It had been too long. Only changing once a month was simply not enough. They used to turn every day and going from that to only once a month was hard on them. However, when they finally were able to change, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off their shoulders. But this time, it was hard for Jimin because he just wanted to stay with Jungkook so badly. As soon as he had left him yesterday, he wanted to turn back around and be with him again. He had barely managed to walk to the practice room to get Hoseok to help him actually leave the academy. The older wolf understood immediately and forced him to leave. they had just managed to get to the forest, when Jimin just could not bear it anymore and just had to change. Desperately, he howled but Hoseok, who had changed as well, growled at him, reminding him that they were still within the barrier. A short trek later, they had left the barrier of the city and instantly, they smelled a rabbit deer and with just one look, the agreed to have a match on who could kill it first. It was the perfect distraction for the lovesick wolf. He was good at hunting and a little contest was firing him up, making him want to win. However, a part of his mind, was still with Jungkook, who felt somewhat flustered at the moment, so Hoseok was concentrating more and was able get the kill before Jimin. Grinning through his blood-stained canines, he pushed the rabbit deer between them, so that both of them could have their fill. Hungrily, Jimin sunk his teeth into the flesh, ripping the deer's belly open, biting out a big piece of meat, grumbling in satisfaction. Jimin found that eating after a hunt was always more delicious than having a normal meal in his human form. His taste buds were more sensitive to the taste of blood and flesh, and he could eat faster without having to watch his manners. Hoseok grumbled just as satisfied and also dug in, until the best parts of the deer were gone. After they had finished, Jimin had calmed down a little and he felt sane enough to change back into his half human form. He felt full because of the deer, so he did not want to move at all. Hoseok changed back too, rubbing his stomach in satisfaction.

         "You feel better now?" he smiled.

         "Are you asking me whether I still want to go back to Jungkook-ah to sink my teeth into his neck?" Jimin sighed, "I still want to. So fucking bad but I'm sane enough to know that I can't."

         "That's good" Hoseok nodded, "please don't bite me again."

         "I'll try not to" the younger chuckled, trying to ignore the constant need to run back to the academy to be close to his mate.

Sighing, he let himself fall back onto the moss-covered forest ground, smiling unconsciously at the familiar scent, rubbing his naked body against it a little. It felt nice to be in the forest again. The city was beautiful and the academy was breath-taking but nothing could outweigh the feel of moss on his bare skin. Only feeling it under his paws was better.

         "We should change more often" Jimin breathed into the moss, "I miss running around as a wolf."

         "I'm always up for a little trip to the forest to go running" Hoseok shrugged, "you just need to say the word. I actually went for a run last week but you were with Jungkookie, so I didn't want to bother you two lovebirds."

         "I thought about it too but I don't really want to leave Jungkook-ah's side, when we're not mated yet. I feel anxious, whenever I go too far away from him. We're so close now but not close enough and I'm scared that someone will snatch him away from me, so that's why I didn't go running before" the younger explained, "there is a forest behind the academy but Jungkook-ah said we're not allowed to go there."

         "Yes, Taehyungie told me about that too! The king and queen are buried there I think and no one is allowed to go in there or something?"

         "I think it's called the silent woods because of that" Jimin nodded.

Jimin had asked the fire witch about whether he could go into that forest to change into his wolf form because he knew that he should change more but he also did not want to go too far away from Jungkook. But when he brought it up, the maknae shook his head vigorously, saying that no one had been in that forest for over hundreds of years because it was the oldest part of the entire city and it was almost holy to them because it was the resting place for the king and queen. Their remains were not really there because they had died, when Cain took over the rule, so he probably got rid of their bodies. It was called the silent woods because there was no sound in that forest, not even the leaves were rustling in the wind. Of course, Jimin respected that but that also meant that he could only change once a month. As he thought about the conversation they had, Jimin's thoughts were starting to circle around the beautiful fire witch again. He growled satisfied, as he remembered how Jungkook looked at the moment. The fact that he let the wolf mark him was calming him down immensely. He would surely not go that insane this full moon because he knew that Jungkook would still smell like him and those hickeys would last even longer. But what still amazed him was how bold the younger had been, offering to jerk them off, when Jimin could not because of his nails. It had felt better than anything he had felt before. Jimin had had sex before and he had both girls and boys touch him before but it had never felt this intense.

         "Can you not get hard, when we're naked in the woods?" Hoseok complained, ripping Jimin out of his thoughts.

He did not even realise but as soon as he did, he turned around, so that he was lying on his stomach, covering his semi hard-on.

         "Sorry–––– I can't help it, when I think about what happened between Jungkook-ah and me, before we left" he apologised, a faint blush on his cheeks.

         "Great that we're on that topic anyways, I wanted to ask what happened because his scent definitely mixed with yours now. More than when it does, when you just cuddle" Hoseok agreed, nodding.

Instantly, Jimin's lips curled up into a proud and satisfied smile.

         "I don't know––– I'm not sure Jungkook-ah would want me to tell you" he argued.

         "C'mon, really? He can't hide this from Namjoon-ah anyways" Hoseok shrugged, "tell me, and I'll tell you some juicy stuff I did with a hot water witch I met last week in the bar Taehyungie brought me too."

         "Thanks, I don't need to know what you did with some girl" the younger laughed.

         "You have no idea what water witches can do. It's fascinating and really hot, to be honest" he grinned, "I wonder what things Jungkookie can do with his powers. Make you all hot and bothered because he can make your blood boil? That would be freaky."

         "Seriously, Hoseok-ah, do you think this is helping with controlling my urges to get back to him right now?" Jimin sighed, rubbing his forehead into the moss, trying to ban the pictures of naked Jungkook out of his mind for now.

He was not sure why Hoseok provoked him like this. Maybe, it was just because he was curious about how far he went with the fire witch. But maybe, this just was him being him.

         "Okay, I'm sorry" he held up his hands, "then just tell me. Maybe talking about it will help."

         "I doubt it" Jimin rolled his eyes but gave in anyways, "he––– he is surprisingly bold. I didn't think he'd be alright with making out with me in my half human form like that but god––––– he jerked us off together. He told me to touch him. It was so fucking hard not to. I wanted to so badly. Why did this have to happen so close to the full moon. If I had more control over myself, we probably would have––– shit, I should really stop thinking about this."

         "Okay, you know what, let's change back and run for a little while, how does that sound?" Hoseok offered, noticing just how on edge younger was again.

Sometimes, it scared him. Hoseok had seen how strong the bond was. They grew up knowing that it was the strongest feeling a wolf would ever have and it would make him the happiest as he would imprint. It had been normal to him because he had seen how happy his parents were. He also saw how happy Jimin was with Jungkook. But it definitely came with a price. A price that no one told him about and a price he had never noticed was needed. Independence. Not that wolves were ever fully independent and he also did not want that. He loved his pack, he loved his betas, he loved his alpha. But seeing how antagonising it was for Jimin to be away from his mate, even when they were not mated yet. It was scary how much he depended on the fire witch without even knowing, whether they would really mate one day. It could be ultimate happiness but if Jungkook chose to not be with him anymore, Jimin would have to watch him be happy with someone else. Only one year and Hoseok would be ready to imprint too. He had been pretty sure that he would imprint on a human, as he had felt drawn to the human world, when he was small. But now, he was not so sure about that anymore. He remembered wanting to imprint as soon as he reached adulthood but now, he was not so sure anymore. He liked his new life at the academy. Truthfully, he missed his parents, his alpha and his pack in general. Technically, he did not belong here. The only reason why he had stayed here was Jimin. But he found himself enjoying it here. The girls and guys were extremely smitten with him, liked the thrill of finding out more about wolves, sleeping with one of them. But Hoseok did the same. He was curious about witches, what they could do, what their secrets were. The longer he stayed here, the more he liked it here. The wolves did not know much about the academy yet, even though they had been there the entire summer but they already trusted Special Force a lot. As far as Hoseok had observed them, they were like a family – like a pack – different from the rest of the teams. He had noticed their dynamics and how they acted towards each other. Namjoon was the leader of them, as expected of a wind witch. But he could also be a dork, especially, when it came to Jin. The half breed also had a special relationship towards Jungkook. Those two were extremely close on a mental level and so were Yoongi and Taehyung. The only difference was that Taehyung had told him about his past and how he got to the International Academy and how he met Yoongi, while Hoseok could just assume that Namjoon and Jungkook had went through a lot together. He had asked the water witch about them but he just shook his head, saying that it was not his story to tell. And then there was Jin. He was definitely the most human among them. Not because of his nature as a nature witch but because he did not have that lingering sadness in his eyes. He probably had a nice childhood compared to the others. But it was good for Special Force to have someone that was not as brutal as the others. It balanced the team. They trusted each other with their life and that was what Hoseok respected so much. Suddenly, he heard Jimin growl, who had changed into his wolf form by now, sounding slightly desperate, looking like he really wanted to run. Snapping out of it, Hoseok nodded, changing as well and before he knew it, Jimin had already started running. He was fast – faster than the last full moon, so the elder suspected that he was still in his right mind. Feeling the wind brush through their fur was something amazing. It made them feel free and powerful. For them, this speed was normal but for witches, this was vampire speed. The elder chased Jimin, until both of them were so tired out that they collapsed next to a river.  There was a small cave next to it, so they retreated there for the night. Jimin squirmed and turned, whimpered and whined while to moon was up but at least, he did not try to leave and get to Jungkook.

When Jimin woke up the next morning, the sun was already high up and he smelled blood. He felt cold, so he knew that Jungkook had left the other dimension. It was almost physically painful but the smell of fresh blood distracted him. Yawning, he opened his eyes, lifting his head, moving his ears a little to wake himself up. Hoseok was sitting at the entrance of the cave, looking back at him, then down to his feet, where two dead cat squirrels were lying. Licking his lips, the younger wolf arose, trotting towards Hoseok, licking the side of his face as a thank you and took one of the squirrels, devouring it within two minutes. Satisfied, Jimin grumbled, stretching his muscles, looking at the sky. It was already afternoon in Korean time, so Jungkook was definitely already with his parents. He still hated the fact that he could not be with his mate on his birthday. He had to make this up to him. However, at least, Jungkook was not alone but with his family. It was at least some sort of comfort for him. He did wonder about the witch's parents. What were they like? Would they accept their relationship? He really wanted to meet them and properly introduce himself. It was what his father had told him to do. He had to introduce himself to the parents of their mate, make them like him, so that he got their approval too.

During the day, Jimin had waves of desire, wanting to get to Jungkook but he was still able to control himself. He could not help but whimper, rolling on the ground desperately but he did not run to a portal. Instead, he sought comfort in Hoseok's touch, cuddling up to him, rubbing his head against the other wolf and the brown wolf just grumbled comfortingly, licking Jimin's fur. When he did not have the urge to get to his mate, they spent their time running or play-fighting. Even if the younger was on edge, both of them enjoyed their time out in the woods. When nightfall came, the wolves retreated to the cave. Usually, they enjoyed running at night but the moonlight was going to affect them, Jimin even more so than Hoseok, so they decided to hide from it. However, it did not really work. During the entire night, Jimin whimpered and howled, trotting from one side of the cave to the other, throwing himself on the ground, getting up and started pacing again. Hoseok tried to comfort him but eventually, he just watched the other pace around in the cave. When the morning finally came, Jimin had only slept for about two hours but when he woke up, he was once again welcomed by Hoseok with breakfast. Thankful to him, he devoured his food, trying to clear his head but he knew the full moon was tonight and his head was getting clouded, his wolf side telling him to go find his mate. He could still control it for now but he knew that this night was going to be hard. But when he suddenly felt Jungkook entering the other dimension, his ears perked up and he looked into the direction of the academy, letting out a needy whimper. He felt him so well suddenly. The fire witch was relaxed and rather happy. But there was also this strange warmth he felt. It was like Jungkook was consciously trying to reach out to him. It made him grumble in satisfaction. Hoseok stared at him with a questioning look but Jimin just grinned. He did not know what it was exactly but he just knew that his wolf side was a little calmed down now. However, as the night came closer, the warmth he was receiving was not enough anymore. The younger wolf grew anxious, trying to distract himself with running but that did not really help anymore. He needed to go to Jungkook. Everything in him told him that he had to go find him. Determined, he started running toward the city but instantly, Hoseok tackled him, making him roll over once, before he landed on his feet, snarling to warn his friend. The brown wolf snarled too, standing in the way of his friend. Baring his teeth, Jimin growled, changing his footing, so he could charge at the other every moment. But then, he suddenly felt this warmth again just a lot more intense. It was comforting, reassuring even; it somehow cleared Jimin's mind a little and made his legs weak. He plopped down to the ground, feeling defeated by this feeling because it was just so warm. It reminded him of the flame that Jungkook had created in his hand. A little confused, Hoseok watched him, not trusting this behaviour. But Jimin really stayed where he was, only whimpering and he probably would have pouted, if he was not in his wolf form. For a while, it was enough to keep the wolf from going insane but when the moon was at its peak, he howled desperately, getting on his feet and started to run immediately. Not even Jungkook's attempt to calm him down – if it really was him – could stop him now. All the black and silver furred wolf could think about was Jungkook: his smile, his big doe eyes, his lips and the way they felt on his, the way his face twisted in pleasure, his mouth parted, his eyes closed tightly, his body heaving from the bed. Jimin growled while running at full speed, not noticing how Hoseok was right behind him. He was almost at the barrier, he could see it already, when the brown wolf suddenly jumped on him, taking him by surprise, tackling him and Jimin's head hit the ground so hard that everything started moving around him. Before he knew it, he felt dizzy, not able to get up, whimpering because he was in pain but also because he realised he was about to pass out, meaning that he could not go to Jungkook. Then, everything turned dark and the last thing he saw was Hoseok sitting down next to him, watching him closely.

The night was not only stressful for Jimin but also for the fire witch. He had arrived at the academy with his nerves calmed down thanks to Jimin's mother and he had followed her advice and kept thinking about positive things, trying to reach out to the wolf, making him understand that he was fine and that he was not being bothered by anyone. For a while, the cold waves had stopped but during the night, they had started again and this time, his positive thoughts did not help. He could not sleep like this at all. He tried having a hot shower but it was no use. He had woken up Namjoon, who had sat him down to make him talk about it but Jungkook really was not in the mood to talk, so he just concentrated and relaxed his mind, letting his partner in to tell him what happened without actually having to tell him. The elder was surprised that Jungkook just let him know everything but he was grateful for it because he really worried about him since the phone call. They talked for a while because the maknae could not sleep and the half breed comforted him, patting his back encouragingly, even though he felt repelled to touch the fire witch because he smelled so much like Jimin and especially for his vampire nose, it was telling him to back off. In the end, both of them fell asleep on the sofa with Jungkook's head in Namjoon's lap. When the fire witch woke up the next morning, he felt normal again, as if he had never felt cold during the last two days. Yawning, he lifted his head, stretching, waking up Namjoon. Drowsily, Jungkook walked into the kitchen, noticing that there was food prepared for them with a small note from Jin.

You two looked so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you up. I made some food for you. Hoseok called that I should head to the practice room, that's why I'm gone. Taehyungie didn't come home and Yoongi-ah probably slept at Anna's.

Instantly, Jungkook tensed up. So the wolves were already back? Was one of them hurt? Was that the reason why Jin had to come to the practice room? Licking his lips nervously, Jungkook turned around, grabbing some gimbap, walking past the sofa, where Namjoon just woke up.

         "Hey, where are you going so hastily?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

         "The wolves are back, I think. Hoseok-hyung asked for Jin and I'm–––" he paused.

         "You're worried about Jiminnie" the half breed ended the sentence for him, "go, I'll have to go to my office soon anyways."

Biting his lip, the younger tried to hide that he was embarrassed that he was found out so easily but he knew he could not hide his feelings for Jimin from his partner, so he just nodded and left the room. While hurrying to the practice room, he swallowed the gimbap he had grabbed, almost choking on one of them, glaring at the few witches that were eying him. But as always, they did not dare say anything. The closer the witch got to the practice room, the more excited but also worried he got. But there was no time to analyse his feelings because he had arrived at the practice room, stepping in, seeing Jimin sitting on one of the benches with Hoseok's arms around his waist, sitting behind him, his head resting on the smaller's shoulder. Jin was standing next to them, smiling fascinated. As soon as Jungkook had entered the room, Jimin's head turned to him, his eyes glowing in a warm brown, longing in them very evident. The wolf wiggled out of his best friend's embrace, getting up, walking up to the fire witch, his eyes wandering to Jungkook's neck, smiling unconsciously.

         "You're back" the maknae was the first to speak, tension rising between them.

         "Let me kiss you" Jimin blurted, looking up, his eyes wide and Jungkook would have said it out loud but he knew Jin would tease him for it, so he just nodded and closed his eyes, expecting the wolf to crush their lips together.

But instead, he slowly leaned forward, connecting their lips in a soft kiss. The wolf sighed contently, pulling back, smiling widely, his hands finding Jungkook's waist to pull him a little closer.

         "I missed you a lot" the smaller chuckled.

The younger blushed a little because he was still not used to showing affection in front of other people and after a moment of closeness, he pulled away, standing a little further away from the wolf than necessary. However, he then noticed a blue greenish bruise on Jimin's forehead, which spread over into his hairline.

         "You're hurt" Jungkook furrowed his brows, feeling uncomfortable, seeing the bruise.

         "It's just a bruise now, it's fine. I had a little headache this morning, that's why I asked Jin-hyung to like give me a magical potion or whatever it is what he does but he just touched my head and it tickled and then, my headache was gone. Magic sure is awesome" the wolf giggled.

         "Your quick healing is magic in itself" Jin commented, "you said you had a flesh wound and now, it's just a bruise. That is awesome."

         "Should I ask why you were hurt?" Jungkook furrowed his brows more, biting his lip.

         "Hoseok-ah just tackled me a little too hard. It's nothing big" Jimin ensured him, "do you have time now? I want to spend time with you."

         "Right now?" Jungkook was a little startled, “you just came back, I'm sure you want to rest."

         "You're saying that I should take a shower first" Jimin chuckled.

He was right. Jungkook wanted him to shower first. There was mud in his hair and he smelled like moss and dirt. It was bearable but if they were to spend time with each other, he had to first clean himself. Nodding, the younger grinned.

         "Let's meet up in front of our apartments in like an hour or something? What do you want to do anyways?"

         "At first, I thought about taking you out for food in the human world" Jimin explained, "but––– you probably did that already with your parents. So that's why I thought––– how about we go for a little hike? I would love to walk with you. We could have a picnic later."

With hopeful eyes, the wolf looked up at him, hoping that Jungkook would agree to that. For a moment, the maknae wavered. Not because he was afraid that Jimin would do something to him or because he did not like hiking – he actually enjoyed it a lot – but just because he knew that they would be completely alone without anyone near them and after those three days, Jungkook was not so sure what would happen there. But then again, he really wanted to spend some time with the wolf. That was why he nodded his head, smiling a little.

         "Okay, let's do that" he agreed, "but what about the food? I can't cook. At all. And you need to take a shower so–––"

         "I could prepare some things for you" Jin suggested, reminding them that they were not alone in the room.

Jimin smiled instantly, thanking Jin for his offer. The eldest smiled back, his eyes staying on the fire witch, who knew that he was blushing but he tried to ignore it. After that, all of them went back to their apartments. While Jungkook decided to help Jin with preparing the food, Jimin took a long shower and Hoseok decided to take a nap because the last few nights had probably been the most exhausting for him because he could not allow himself to fall asleep while watching Jimin. The hour went by fast and Jungkook flashed his bunny grin at Jin because he found himself looking forward to this more than he thought. Technically, Jimin and him had not been separated for long at all. Only three nights and two days they had been apart, yet, Jungkook felt like he had to catch up on so much. A lot did happen in those three days but still, it felt like he needed to spend time with the wolf. A little nervously, he stepped out of their dorm, being welcomed by a smiling Jimin, wearing comfortable looking jeans, Timberlands and a hoodie. It was a simple outfit – almost the same as his own, just that Jimin's hoodie was grey and his pants were black – but it looked just so good on him. The hoodie was oversized and made him look smaller than he actually was, making Jungkook smile. The wolf gently took the basket that he was carrying out of his hands, insisting on carrying it because today was his birthday present. The younger tried to tell him that it was fine, if he carried it himself but Jimin insisted.

         "How was your birthday with your parents?" Jimin asked, as they were walking down the stairs to the bus stop.

         "It was lovely. I really missed them" he admitted, "it's always so normal, it's almost a little strange."

         "What did you guys do together?"

And with that, Jungkook started talking about his time with them, telling him about his passion for lamb skewers, making the smaller chuckle. Through half of the bus ride, Jimin was just listening to Jungkook adoring his parents and he just loved the way his mate beamed, while talking about his parents. The feelings he was receiving from him were so pure and innocent, full of love and admiration, it warmed Jimin's heart. When they left the bus, Jungkook suddenly turned a little shy, giggling to himself.

         "I told them about you, you know" he mumbled but Jimin heard it anyways, his head turning to him curiously.

         "Really?" he asked cheerfully.

         "Yeah. At first, I just said that we were friends and that you have a cabin on a mountain, which we all went to. I needed an excuse for not contacting them earlier, so when you meet them one day, remember that you have a cabin, okay?" the younger informed him, as they walked towards the forest, "I wore a turtleneck to conceal the hickeys but––– my mom walked in on me changing and then, she counted one and one together and figured out that––– we're a couple. My parents are fine with it, though. As long as you don't ravish my neck again."

By now, they were at the beginning of the forest, so Jimin dared to take the younger's hand, entwining them, while his heart was beating a little faster than usual. Not because he was with Jungkook because being with him calmed him down but because of the fact that his mate's parents seemed to accept their relationship. Jungkook was surprised that Jimin just slid his hand into his but the younger did not pull away. It felt nice to finally touch like this again. It felt like too long ago, even though it had only been three days.

         "Wow, so they respect that we're together" he giggled lowly, "can't promise anything about the neck situation, though."

Jungkook blushed, looking down to the ground, watching his steps as they walked through the quiet forest.  He did not know whether this was Jimin boosting his confidence or whether it was his element but somehow, he felt cheeky, so he looked up grinning a little.

         "Never said that you should" he mumbled, seeing how Jimin widened his eyes a little but then, he smirked, squeezing the younger's hand a little.

         "So you're telling me that I can leave hickeys on your neck again?" Jimin specified, his voice low, sending shivers through the fire witch's body.

         "At least let my neck heal first, okay" he chuckled, looking away because he knew his face was red.

Jimin could have commented on that – he really wanted to in a way but he also did not want this trip to be sexual. It was about Jungkook and spending time with him, enjoying his presence and hoping that the witch enjoyed Jimin's presence just as much. That was why he just laughed and squeezed the younger's hand at that, gently pulling him through the forest. They chatted comfortably and the wolf made sure to make Jungkook smile a lot, which automatically made him smile as well. They left the barrier and it instantly got louder around them. Birds were chirping, the wind was blowing through the leaves, creating a constant but quiet noise that resembled waves, making the atmosphere peaceful but it always stayed a little hostile for people that did not know the forest. That was why Jimin held Jungkook's hand tightly, making sure that he was walking the right way. But strangely enough, the fire witch knew just where to put his feet. The forest was alive and one could easily take a false step and wake up a creature that one should better not wake up. That was why it was so important to walk the right way. Usually, just nature witches and wolves understood that but Jungkook really seemed to know where he was going. At first, Jimin did not think of it too much but as they arrived on the little clearing, Jungkook stepped over that one specific rock, which was a sleeping bear turtle, which could have been dangerous, if they had woken it up.

         "You know your way around quite well" Jimin stated, as he laid out the blanket.

However, Jungkook just nodded, not commenting on it any further. Instead, he looked around, enjoying the view. The clearing was a lot smaller than the one where his brother was buried but it was just as beautiful. The grass was rather high and some forest spirits were at the end of the clearing, watching the two boys curiously, however, keeping their distance to them. They did look more confident than usual, though.

         "The forest spirits are really friendly today. They sometimes follow my steps because then, they won't get wet from the water on the grass but other than that, they don't really come close to me. Them watching us like this is–––– unusual" Jungkook commented.

         "They're actually quite far away from me. It's probably because I'm in my human form. When I'm in my half human form, they are really trusting towards me. They are keeping their distance from me, when I'm in wolf form out of respect but other than that, they are really nice. Very playful" Jimin chuckled, sitting down on the blanket.

Jungkook joined him, nodding fascinated. He understood why the spirits would act that way. They were shy creatures and usually, witches were not exactly friendly. Forest spirits were alright with rock and nature witches but they particularly did not like Jungkook because he was a fire witch. It made sense that the spirits respected his wolf form because it was scary but they felt comfort in Jimin's half human form because he did not look fully human anymore but also not fully dangerous. Jungkook suddenly noticed that he could relate to the spirits a lot. He got very used to Jimin's half human form by now but he still did not know how he would react to Jimin actually morphing into a wolf. Sighing, Jungkook leaned down on his elbows, watching how Jimin took out the premade food, eyeing the sandwiches and the rice cakes in awe.

         "Do you like it here? Is it not too–––– rural, or something? I don't want you to think that–––" Jimin tried to explain himself, suddenly looking a little unsure but Jungkook smiled at him, interrupting him.

         "Hyung, I like the woods. I'm really comfortable here."

         "Really?"

         "Really" the younger nodded, taking a sandwich, taking a big bite out of it.

         "I'm glad, you know. I was scared that this might be too wolfy."

         "No, I really do like it out here" Jungkook ensured him continuing to eat his sandwich.

For a while, they ate in comfortable silence, cracking a joke once in a while but most of the time, Jimin just looked at the younger, admiring how he looked in the sunlight. After they had finished the food, they decided to lie down on the blanket and naturally, their hands wound together, watching some clouds float by.

         "I met your mother yesterday" Jungkook suddenly said, taking Jimin off guard.

         "Wait, what?" he propped up onto his elbows to look at the witch, "why? Not that I would have a problem with it but–––– how did you even know where I live, you've never been there."

         "It's––––I asked Namjoon-hyung to give me the information. I needed to see her because–––– I sometimes felt really cold within the last three days and I didn’t know why. And I usually don't get cold. At all. At least not when I'm not wearing the suppressing spell. I couldn't ask you about it and the only other person who could know about it was your mother, so I decided to meet her" Jungkook admitted.

         "Cold?" Jimin cocked his head to the side, "are you okay?"

He sounded genuinely worried and Jungkook wondered why. Was he not aware of that fact that their mates would feel cold because of their need to be with them.

         "You don't know about it?" Jungkook asked confused, "I thought you knew because it's a wolf thing."

         "Know about what?" Jimin sat up, furrowing his brows.

         "The coldness I felt. It was because of you. Your mother said that it's the wolf's desire to be with the mate and because they can't be with each other both are affected. She said that she felt that too, when your father was young. Only after he had claimed her, though, but I guess, with us, it's different anyways because of the whole 'it's impossible to imprint on a witch' thing" the younger explained.

It was so much to take in for the wolf that for a moment, he just stared at his mate. Not only did he just tell him that he met the wolf's mother, while he was under the influence of the full moon but also that the younger felt his desire to be with him. that meant that the bond was starting to work both ways now. Amazed by that fact, Jimin leaned over Jungkook, planting a soft kiss on his lips, grinning cheerfully, almost a little proudly.

         "You felt what I felt for you" he specified.

         "That wasn't the first time, though" Jungkook nodded.

         "It wasn't? How come you didn't tell me?"

         "I mean, at least, I think it wasn't the first time" the younger corrected himself, his ears turning red all of a sudden, "you know, when we were making out and stuff, I kind of felt the need to be closer to you. It was so intense and pure and unconditional, I think it was your desire for me."

Jimin's eyes were still wide and he could not believe that the bond was actually starting to grow this strong already. Usually, mates would only start developing these skills, when they were already mated but once again, they were different. It filled the wolf with so much pride, he could not help but lean down to rub his chin into the crook of Jungkook's neck, licking it gently, humming in satisfaction. He still smelled like him. It was a lot fainter but at least, his scent was still there. But the best thing was the slight shiver of Jungkook, as Jimin licked along his neck. He did not pull back or push him away but he sighed a little, squirming, but the younger's hands moved up to Jimin's waist, wrapping them around him. The younger just felt like it was natural to do that. He felt good to be embraced by the wolf like that. Not in a sensual way but in a comforting, loving way. In the beginning, it had been strange for Jungkook to constantly have Jimin rub his chin into the crook of his neck but now, as he understood the meaning of it, he liked it. Sighing, he trailed his hands up to Jimin's face, pulling him away from his neck, so he could look at him. The wolf had changed into his half human form, rich amber looking back at him with so much love and adoration, it filled him with a warm sparkling feeling. He had intended to kiss the wolf but somehow, he could not tear his eyes away from the moving colour. It was calm this time, slow, long movements in the colour but it was just as vivid as it was three days ago, if not even more. Suddenly, there was this need again and at first, Jungkook thought it was Jimin's feeling again. But it was not. This was different. It felt a little less intense but it felt more like his own. It was more based on trust than on unconditional love. That was when it hit Jungkook. He really trusted Jimin now. If it came to a battle, he would probably entrust his life into the wolf's hands. The younger did not see those wolves from his past anymore, when he looked at Jimin; he only saw his boyfriend, who loved him dearly and who would probably do anything for him. There was no fear anymore. At least not when Jimin was in this form.

         "Jungkook-ah?" Jimin whispered, ripping him out of his thoughts.

         "Mhh?" Jungkook replied, still staring at the one above him, not even realising how long he had done that and that Jimin felt everything that he felt right now.

         "I know––––– I know you can't talk about your past and what happened with the wolves you met–––– but–––– would it be okay, if I showed you my wolf form? I–––– I really want you to see who I am. What I am. My mind won't change. I'll still be the same Jimin. Your Jimin" he proposed, his voice suddenly wavering, "if you think you can't handle it––––––"

         "Okay" Jungkook whispered almost inaudibly.

It was an impulsive response and for a second, he was not sure, whether he really wanted it. But then, he thought back to that black and silver furred, innocent puppy in the picture in Jimin's apartment. That was him. But then again, he had a faint memory from back when Jimin attacked him and that scared him. His long canines so close to his face, growling on top of him. It was scary. But the wolf was looking at him with such sincerity and adoration, Jungkook reminded himself that Jimin would never hurt him.

         "Are you sure? I don't have to if–––" the wolf asked again, worry in his voice.

         "Yeah–– I mean––– I trust you. I know you won't hurt me and––– it's a part of you. You are a wolf. I don't want to be scared of any part of you" he took a deep breath and released Jimin out of his hands.

However, the wolf first leaned down and kissed him sweetly, reassuringly, before he pulled back, giving him an intense look. Then, he got up, never averting his eyes from Jungkook, whose heartbeat was speeding up, even though nothing had happened yet. But he knew it was coming. There was no turning back. This was happening. Slowly, Jimin took a few steps back, his face showing worry but he also looked calm. A little awkwardly, Jungkook sat up cross-legged, watching the elder step back more, until he stopped about five metres away from him. They were staring at each other for a moment, just getting lost in each other. Jimin was too far away to see his amber eyes but his hair glowed in the sun, making him shine as bright as his smile. Suddenly, the elder started taking off his clothes, making Jungkook furrow his brows in confusion.

         "What are you doing?" he breathed, not sure what to expect.

He was so on edge because he knew what was coming, Jimin getting rid of his clothes had not been what he expected.

         "I don't want to rip my clothes" he elaborated.

         "Oh, o––okay" Jungkook nodded.

         "I can still stop" Jimin reminded him, only still wearing his underwear, trying to understand his mate's feelings.

The younger felt unsure and nervous but he was also determined and his trust towards the wolf was pouring into the elder, it gave him confidence that he should really change in front of his mate. Jimin took a deep breath and discarded of his last piece of clothing, throwing it on the pile he had made on the ground. Jungkook stared at the naked figure before him. With a perfect, slightly tanned body, he stood there in the sunlight, Jimin still looking at him, his muscles relaxed and Jungkook just could not look away. He was terrifyingly beautiful. But then, Jimin closed his eyes and started breathing deeply. Suddenly, his skin started fuming and then, everything happened so fast. There was a noise that resembled something between bone cracking and a ripping noise, before Jimin fell to his knees and his body deformed; everything grew, morphed into an inhumane shape – a wolf. Black and silver fur covered his body within less than a second and before Jungkook could even comprehend what he just witnessed, a huge wolf was standing where Jimin had been standing a moment ago, shaking his head and his legs, ruffling up his fur. The forest had gone dead silent, when Jimin had changed. There was only the sound of the wind in the leaves, a silent noise of rustling in the background, almost making the scene a little eerie.  Jungkook held his breath, staring at the big creature in fear. All he saw were those huge paws with long claws, so sharp they could rip through flesh easily. He heard him growl a little and that was when the younger crawled a little bit further away because the growl just sounded so close to what he had heard right before the wolves in his past had jumped out of their hideout. He started shaking but he also could not get up because his knees were weak and he did not trust his strength right now. But then, the wolf lifted his head a little, locking eyes with Jungkook. He was standing far away but Jungkook could see warmth in the wolf's eyes and that was, when he stopped crawling away. Slowly, he tried to concentrate on his breathing, hoping to calm down but the images of the wolves from his past started resurfacing, which did not make it easy. He had to remind himself that the wolf in front of him was Jimin.

His Jimin.

He would never hurt him again. As he looked at the wolf again, he looked at him a little more closer and noticed that it almost looked like he had his brows furrowed. The wolf was whimpering quietly, his eyes big and amber – almost golden. The whimpering got a little louder, when he lied down on the ground, ducking his head, putting it on his front paws, not taking his eyes off the witch, letting his ears fall and it almost looked like he was pouting. With that, he did something, the wolves of Jungkook's past would have never done, proving that he was definitely not like them. Thanks to that, the witch concentrated on more than just his fear. Bravely, Jungkook carefully got on his feet, feeling wobbly on them, which almost never happened, and put one foot in front of the other. With each step, he got a little closer and with each step, the wolf's eyes started to glow more. As Jungkook got closer, he looked at the fur's pattern a little closer, noticing how the wolf’s entire back was black, which continued over his neck to his eyes, where it faded into silver. That spread out over his snout to his throat and belly. His entire left front leg as well as his right back leg were silver as well, while only half of the other front leg was silver and the other back leg was not silver at all. However, his right back paw was black as well.  He looked – beautiful. Getting more confident, Jungkook walked up to the wolf, cautiously kneeling down in front of him, only then realising just how big he was. His head was as big as Jungkook's shoulders were wide, his eyes so alive, the colour was calm, yet there were steady currents in them. The wolf's whimpering had stopped and his ears had perked up, looking curious but in a somehow very hopeful way. Jungkook would have never thought that an animal could convey so many human emotions through just the look of his eyes. Cautiously, the witch lifted his hand, slowly putting it on the wolf's forehead, tentatively stroking his fur. His jaw dropped, when he felt just how soft it was. It felt like down feathers but it was fur. It was so fluffy, his hand sunk into it, as he slowly caressed the wolf's forehead and he could not help but gasp a little. The wolf closed his eyes and huffed contently, feeling warmer, where Jungkook touched him. The younger was overwhelmed; he was touching what he feared most but strangely, Jimin was not scary at all. He was just lying down and if he was a cat, he would have probably purred right now – that was what his facial expression indicated, at least. Fascinated, Jungkook got more comfortable, shifting to the side of Jimin's head, sitting cross-legged, as he continued stroking the wolf's unbelievably soft fur. Letting his hand slide to Jimin's ear, he remembered once hearing that dogs liked it, when one would massage their ears, so that was what he did. There was a satisfied, low grumble coming from the wolf's lungs but it was not frightening at all. Jungkook understood that this was a positive response to what he did. Suddenly, Jimin lifted his head, opening his eyes, looking at the younger with pure golden eyes, moving his head into his lap, resting it there. For a moment, Jungkook was a little surprised because he was not used to Jimin's body moving, while he was so close but he did not back away. The wolf's head was heavier than he thought but it was not uncomfortable. On the contrary, it was so soft and warm, it was actually nice to have it in his lap because the ground without a blanket was already quite cool because it was September.

         "Your fur is really soft" Jungkook whispered, not trusting his voice yet.

As a response, Jimin rubbed his head against Jungkook's belly, huffing contently again. It was quite surreal, if Jungkook thought about it. He had a wolf's head in his lap. Sighing, the witch continued massaging Jimin's ear for a while, before he let his hand wander wherever he could reach. He was afraid at first but now, he found himself not getting enough of it. He really liked touching Jimin's fur. It felt so natural – like he had been born to feel it. It felt like home. They stayed like that for a while, Jungkook being completely invested with Jimin's fur and how it felt, how the wolf enjoyed it so much. They did not even realise that it was getting late and that they had spent the entire day there. Only when the sun started to disappear behind the trees, they realised that it was that late.

         "Hyung, we should head home" Jungkook noted, tapping the wolf softly.

Jimin grumbled lowly, opening his eyes because he had fallen asleep under the calming touch of his mate. Drowsily, he licked along his mouth, yawning, his head still in Jungkook's lap. The latter tensed up at the sight of the long, sharp canines. It was not as threatening as he thought they would seem but it was just natural to react that way to a huge wolf opening his mouth in one's lap. Slowly, Jimin arose, lifting his head off his mate, showing his full size as he stood up. Jungkook felt extremely small sitting next to him, so he got up quickly but Jimin's shoulders were on the same height as the witch's, so the wolf still was so big, even when he was standing. It was a little intimidating because Jimin was usually smaller than him. Suddenly, Jimin trotted to the basket the food had been in and tried to get the blanket in there by grabbing it with his mouth, unsuccessfully pushing it into the basket. It looked so clumsy and he also put his ears back, almost growling at the blanket, when he could not do it and Jungkook could not help but chuckle at that. He remembered that Jimin had not reached adulthood in his wolf form yet, so this was probably why he was behaving like this. After jogging over, Jungkook helped removing the blanket and shook his head at the wolf.

         "Change back, so we can go" he chuckled, looking at the wolf, who was clearly trying to pout, "and stop pouting."

But the wolf just shook his head, trotting to his clothes, lying down next to them, looking at Jungkook expectantly, nudging the clothes. Slightly confused, the witch walked up to him, not quite knowing what Jimin wanted.

         "What is it? Do you want me to pick them up?"

Jimin nodded at that.

         "But–––– why?"

But Jimin just nudged his clothes again and in the end, Jungkook complied, picking them up. Then, the wolf cocked his head into the direction of his back and that when the witch understood but he hesitated, not sure whether he was ready for that.

         "You––––––– want me to ride on you?" he asked anyways and Jimin nodded, "but–––– is that––– won't I be heavy?"

This time, the wolf shook his head, never once averting his eyes to underline how serious he was about this. Not just because he wanted to show Jungkook was amazing it was to feel the wind pass one that fast but also because they were just faster like this. After a moment of debating whether he should do it or not, Jungkook sighed and climbed up, giving Jimin the basket to hold it in his mouth, so Jungkook could hold on better. Carefully, he straddled the wolf, grabbing some fur to hold on and once again, he was stunned by just how soft it was. Sitting on Jimin in this form was like sitting on feather and velvet. Leaning down more, Jungkook noticed that the other still smelled like himself, just mixed with a slight hint of dog scent. When Jimin thought that the witch was holding on tightly enough, he got up and started out slow, just walking into the direction they came from. It felt different from horseback riding, Jungkook noticed. It was much more comfortable and he did not bounce back from one to the other side that much. Even when Jimin started running, his back was surprisingly steady. But then, he really started sprinting and that was when the witch really had to hold on because the wind was so strong that he could actually fall off. It was, however, an amazing feeling. Adrenaline rushed through his body, his breathing quickening, his heartbeat increasing. It was breathtaking. Not just because it was simply amazing to be this fast but also because he was riding on Jimin: his boyfriend who was a wolf. Unconsciously, he started smiling brightly, watching how Jimin ran through the forest like he already knew it by heart. So much excitement and fun flowed through Jimin because of Jungkook, he sped up more and before they knew it, they were close to the barrier and when they arrived there, Jungkook still held on to Jimin, determined to not let go yet.

         "Take me to the end of the forest before the farm houses appear. You can change back there" the witch proposed and Jimin nodded again, smiling internally because finally – finally, he had been able to show Jungkook all of his sides.

Chapter Text

Jungkook snuggled into Jimin’s fur, as the wolf slowly walked back through the quiet forest of the end of the barrier. Just as the younger had wanted, the wolf was bringing him to the end of the forest, before he would change back. He was slightly overwhelmed. So much was happening to him right now. He felt proud, satisfied, content, happy and complete. Jungkook complementing his wolf form was one of the best things the fire witch had said to him so far. Before, he had been terrified of him but now, he was riding on him, breathing into his fur, as he was basically lying on the Jimin’s back. He was not heavy at all. In his wolf form, Jimin was exceptionally strong, especially for a pup, although he did not like to call himself a pup anymore because he had a mate now.

         “I can see why you like to be in your wolf form. Your fur must be really keep you warm. You are so warm, it’s nice” Jungkook sighed on top of him and Jimin felt how the younger’s hold on his fur loosened.

The witch must have been losing sleep over the last few days too. He did say that he felt cold a lot and that it had been because of the wolf, so he had probably not slept enough. That was still unbelievable for the wolf. He was absolutely amazed that Jungkook already started completing their bond, even though Jimin had not claimed him yet, which made him wonder, whether their relationship in general was just more intense than other wolf-mate ones. Suddenly, Jungkook’s arm fell to his side, proving that he had fallen asleep on the wolf’s back. Smiling to himself, Jimin walked extra carefully, so that the witch would not fall from his back. Only, when they arrived at the edge of the forest, Jimin lied down, growling a little to wake the younger up. Nuzzling, Jungkook stretched, only realising after a moment where exactly he was. Being slightly taken aback, he got off quickly, scratching the back of his neck.

         “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. You—It’s just——I easily fall asleep, when I’m surrounded by warmth and when I feel comfortable enough” he explained and the wolf nodded, his ears perked up but then, he put down the basket, which he still had in his mouth, and gestured that Jungkook should take his clothes out of it.

Doing as he was told, Jungkook put them on the ground and waited, watching the wolf. He wondered what the change back would look like. But it was not as extreme as the change into the wolf form. There still was the uncomfortable sound of bones breaking – morphing back into human shape– but other than that, it happened so fast, Jungkook almost missed Jimin getting up from his knees. He was smiling brightly, looking really happy and the witch was glad that he had seen Jimin’s wolf form now. But as he continued watching the smaller, he realised that he was still naked and once again, he could not look away. His body was just stunning. It was like the curves of his muscles were hypnotising the younger. Suddenly feeling warmer, he licked his lips, trying not to think about what they did just a few days ago but he could not help but letting his mind go there. When Jimin finished putting his clothes back on, he noticed how his mate was staring at him, receiving the slightest hint of arousal. He only noticed it because he was in his half human form but it instantly made him feel the same. They shared a very intense look, before Jimin moved closer to him, wrapping his arms around him, pressing their bodies against each other gently.

         “Thank you” he said, his eyes averting to Jungkook’s lips because he was nibbling on them, “thank you for accepting all of me. That means a lot to me.”

         “Thank you for making me feel safe enough, so I can trust you completely” Jungkook replied, also gazing at the others lips.

That was when the smaller leaned in and closed the remaining distance between them. The kiss was soft at first, just a confirmation of what they felt for each other, meant as another way of thanking the other. However, they did not pull away; instead, Jungkook put his arms around the other’s neck, angling his head more, before he opened his mouth to let Jimin’s tongue in. The wolf sighed into the kiss, his hands wandering over the other’s back, intensifying the kiss. It was passionate but not wild, intense but not that much to make them forget where they were. It was the perfect kiss for that moment. Jungkook enjoyed how they seemed to perfectly fit in each other’s arms but it made him wonder, whether this was the bond or whether love always felt like this. He did not know but he knew that this felt right and that he wanted more than this. He suddenly felt as if they needed to connect more. Of course, the elder felt this, making him feel excited immediately.

         “Let’s go home, okay?” Jimin proposed, when he pulled back, holding the other’s hands, “should I text Hoseok-ah that he should leave our apartment?”

Licking his lips, trying to control his breathing, Jungkook took a moment to really think about it but he had decided that he was ready to do this, when he had looked at the friendly wolf, whose head had been lying in his lap.

         “Yeah” he breathed slowly, nodding to make sure that he seemed sure enough. 

The wolf could not help but smile brightly. Instantly, he pulled out his phone rushing his fingers over his keyboard, when he turned back into his human form. Then, he took the younger’s hand again and both of them walked to the first bus stop. For the entire ride back, they did not talk at all. There was no need to do so because there was this strange silent agreement between them about what was going to happen, when they arrived back at the academy. Jungkook was nervous about it. He had never done it before and he had never really wanted to ask Namjoon about it and what it was like. But then, he looked at his and Jimin’s interlocked hands, how he was holding the wolf’s hand in his because it was smaller but the smaller still seemed to have the upper hand. When they got off the bus, Jimin thought it was best to let go of the younger’s hand but surprisingly, Jungkook held onto it, his cheeks red, nervousness flowing into the wolf. He squeezed the witch’s hand, smiling at him, before they left the bus, walking up the stairs to the academy. As they ascended, Jungkook felt more unsure of holding on to Jimin than before. He wanted to show Jimin that he really did accept him by showing that they were a couple but he hated to be in the spotlight and when they passed the guards at the gate, who definitely stared at their interlocked hands, Jungkook felt slightly uncomfortable. But he wanted to do this.

         “What are you staring at?” he hissed at them, while he glared as hard as he could, knowing that it would work.

Both of the guards tensed up under his stare and straightened their backs, making him hum in satisfaction. Jimin just watched quietly, analysing the feelings he was receiving from the younger. It was fascinating just how uncomfortable the witch had been a second ago but now, he was satisfied and almost a little proud. For the rest of the walk back to the wolves’ apartment, this procedure continued. If someone was staring too hard, Jungkook would turn to them and with only a glare, they would look the other way, making it obvious just how strong and how feared the fire witch was. But all that was forgotten, when they arrived at the apartment. The wolf closed the door, getting attacked by a new wave of nervousness. Turning around to the younger, he took both of his hands, pulling him closer and kissed him sweetly.

         “Don’t be nervous. I’ll take good care of you. Just relax and enjoy, okay?” he whispered against the younger’s lips, as he gently pushed him into his bedroom.

         “That’s easier said than done” Jungkook argued, while he was being laid down on the bed.

Jimin did not bother trying to tell him to relax again because he thought it best to relax him with pleasure. Crawling on top of the younger, he trailed his nose over Jungkook’s still clothed torso, taking in the intoxicating, mingling scents of both of them. He adored Jungkook’s own scent but when they were together, he smelled the best and he wanted him to always smell like that. He arrived at the witch’s neck, which was still littered with hickeys from a few days ago. Smiling at that, he placed soft kisses on the exact same spots, tracing his tongue over them, like he was trying to draw a picture. Jungkook shivered under him, his skin burning, wherever Jimin touched him. It was just as intense as last time, even though nothing was really happening yet. Naturally, he brought up his arms and wrapped them around the wolf, pulling him closer so that their chests were flush against each other. Jimin’s kisses wandered over the witch’s jawline, until he arrived at his lips and this time, he devoured them. The wolf felt so much more at ease now; his head was much clearer because the full moon was over, so he was able to stay in his human form. He nibbled on the younger’s bottom lip, getting entrance immediately, before he continued kissing him. Slowly, his hands wandered under the younger’s shirt, tracing his abs, creating goosebumps along the way, until he arrived at his nipples, pinching them a little. Jungkook mewled at that, gripping Jimin’s shirt, squirming a little. Every touch was electrifying, making him want more, turning impatient. Thanking his impulsive nature, Jungkook tugged on Jimin’s shirt and the latter did as he was told and pulled back, throwing his shirt aside. He wanted to lean back in but the younger stopped him to appreciate his body once again. He should technically be used to his naked body by now because he had seen it more than just once but right now, it was a completely different situation. He watched every muscle move and flex, noticing how smooth his skin was, how soft it was to touch. It reminded him of how soft his fur had been and the witch wondered whether those two facts had something to do with each other. Fascinated, he let his hands run over Jimin’s chest and stomach, noticing that his body had the same temperature as his own.

         “You’re really warm, even in your human form” he thought out loud.

Jimin smiled, making him sit up, so he could discard of Jungkook’s shirt as well, grabbing his chin gently to kiss him passionately. The elder was straddling him, his hands cupping the witch’s face but they soon wandered down, pressing him back into the mattress, touching wherever he could reach. It was hard to stay in human form but it was not impossible. Slowly, he moved down, leaving kisses on all hickeys he had made, licking them because that was what wolves did, until he got to Jungkook’s pants. Nervousness flowed through him once again but when he looked up into his mate’s eyes, he saw excitement and anticipation. Both were extremely turned on and the sweet scent that the witch was giving off was just making it harder for Jimin to take it slow. But he would do it because this was special. Not only for Jungkook because it was his first time but also for Jimin. It was known that sex with one’s mate was so much better than with random people, so the wolf himself was slightly nervous as well. Carefully, Jimin pulled off the other’s pants and underwear and Jungkook lifted his hips to make it easier for him. Once again, he was completely exposed to the wolf but it strangely felt extremely comfortable. By himself, he spread his legs for the elder and even though it was embarrassing, he did it because he wanted this. His hard-on was on display for the other to see, touch or whatever else the wolf wanted to do with it and all Jungkook could think about was how much he was anticipating it. Jimin moved between his legs, pulling him by his waist, putting Jungkook’s right leg over his shoulder, before he started leaving butterfly kisses along his inner thigh.

         “I love you, Jungkook-ah” he breathed against the younger’s skin.

Jungkook’s heart warmed at that. He knew that already but somehow, hearing it, right here and now filled his entire body with contentment. He felt completely safe with him and that was something very rare for the fire witch. His whole body felt warm and not because of his element and not because of the kind of situation they were in right now. It was so warm, it felt like it would spill out of him any second but he was afraid to say it. I love you. He knew that he loved Jimin but he was still afraid to say it. He had never told anyone he loved them except one person and that person was dead now. He wanted to tell him but it just would not come out of his mouth. That was why he just hoped that Jimin would understand because he should feel what he felt. A shiver ran down the younger’s spine, when the wolf gently bit into his inner thigh, as if to remind him what they were doing right now.

         “Just relax for me, yeah?” he said softly, leaning forward to open his bedside drawer.

He pulled out a bottle of lube but before he opened it, he suddenly grabbed Jungkook’s dick, making him jerk in surprise. That was a completely different feeling than touching himself. But he had no time to process that because the other started pumping in a teasingly slow pace. Biting his lip, he grabbed the sheets, trying to not cum embarrassingly early but it felt like his body was electrified. If this was already feeling that great, how was the real thing going to feel? Suddenly, Jimin released a low groan and when Jungkook opened his eyes, he saw how the wolf had his other hand in his own pants stroking them at the same pace. Seeing how Jimin was enjoying himself too sent all of Jungkook’s blood to his groin, making him grow impatient. He wanted it. He was ready.

         “H—hyung———move along with it———please” Jungkook whispered, his chest heaving heavily.

The wolf’s eyes shot up immediately and for a moment, the witch thought to have seen an amber flare but his eyes were already brown again, when he retreated his hand just to take off the rest of his own clothes, showing off his lower part. Unconsciously, Jungkook licked his lips, trying to process that that would be inside him very soon. Watching Jimin open the bottle of lube, lubricating three of his fingers, the witch tried to be as relaxed as possible but he could not help but try and close his legs again. The wolf smiled sweetly, leaning down to place kisses on Jungkook’s forehead, nose and lips, grabbing his dick with his unlubed hand again, making him mewl in growing desperation for relief. However, that also made him relax a little and when Jimin pushed his legs apart, he let him. Then, he suddenly felt something cold at his entrance, making him tense up again but when the wolf gently rubbed his fingers along the rim, he sighed deeply, trying to calm himself down.

         “It’ll feel good soon enough, I promise” Jimin ensured him, as he continued to move his fingers against his entrance.

A little unsure, Jungkook nodded, lying his head back on the pillow, taking a deep breath, before he felt one finger slowly pressing through the ring muscle. It was not uncomfortable but it also did not feel particularly great. It felt – interesting. Jimin moved his finger inside of him, working him open slowly.

         “Are you okay?” he asked, eyes fixed on the younger’s face.

         “Y—yeah. It feels — strange, though” he admitted, making the elder chuckle.

         “Just wait for it.”

Without a warning, he inserted the second finger. He was still gentle but he caught the younger off-guard. This was more intense than before. There was a slight burn to the second finger. It was not yet painful but it definitely proved that it was something that was technically not supposed to be there. Jungkook did not even notice how he gripped the sheets and how he had let out a more or less pained moan. What he did notice was, however, Jimin’s lips on his, moving them in sync, making him relax instantly. He let go of the sheets and buried his hands in the wolf’s fluffy hair, noticing that it was pretty sweaty already. But then, he got distracted, when he felt Jimin’s fingers move inside of him, spreading him apart. He mewled at that, involuntarily scratching the smaller’s scalp but he did not mind at all. There was slowly developing feeling, it did not feel particularly good yet but the uncomfortableness subsided. But then, Jimin slowly pushed in a third finger and the pain that he hoped would never come unfortunately came. He squirmed wanting to back away but the wolf used his other hand to hold him in place.

         “I know this isn’t really nice but just hold on a little longer. Just relax for me. You’ll feel good as soon as I found it” Jimin tried to calm him down, nibbling on the younger’s earlobe.

He felt the pain too. It was not unbearable but he could definitely understand, why Jungkook wanted to back away. That was why all he could do was try and make him feel good as soon as possible, carefully moving his fingers. The younger took deep breaths, pulling Jimin down into a heated kiss in order to distract himself. But then, Jimin suddenly hit something inside of him that made a shiver run through him, a wave of pleasure hitting him hard and unexpected, he could not help but moan at that feeling. The wolf joined him, groaning and chuckling at the same time because he felt that too.

         “Yeah, I definitely found it” he sighed, thrusting his fingers into that spot again, making his mate moan over and over again.

He did not lie, when he said that he would make the fire witch feel good. It felt amazing. His body was on fire and with each thrust of Jimin’s fingers, he felt hotter, getting lost in pleasure. It was just so intense, he really did not know how Jimin had been able to hold back for so long, if it felt that great. However, just when he thought that he might get close to his release, the wolf pulled out his fingers and a whiny noise left Jungkook’s mouth. Jimin smirked at that and licked over the younger’s mouth.

         “Don’t complain, you’ll get the real thing now” he whispered, straightening his back, grabbing the bottle of lube again.

He poured a generous amount of it on his hand, before he spread it on his dick. Jungkook dared to look down and saw just how hard the wolf was. He still wondered how that was supposed to fit and he was pretty sure that it was going to hurt like hell. When the wolf was done preparing himself, he put one of his hands next to Jungkook’s head for support, while he used his second hand to align himself at the witch’s entrance.

         “Ready?” he asked, needing permission to really go through with it.

         “Yeah” Jungkook answered surprisingly strongly.

Jimin leaned down and gave him a kiss on his forehead, before he pushed in carefully. If Jungkook had thought the third finger had hurt, this was a lot worse. He screamed in pain but it was muffled by the wolf’s lips, kissing him soothingly, encouraging him to dig his nails into his back. It hurt like hell but suddenly, there was this foreign feeling of pleasure that crept up on him. It was intense and so much different from what he had felt, when Jimin had fingered him. When Jimin was in completely, Jungkook pulled away from the kiss to take a moment to get used to his size but when he looked at the wolf, how he was obviously in a lot of pleasure, he realised that the foreign feeling was Jimin’s pleasure. Almost overwhelmed by the fact that he could actually feel that, he instinctively moved his hips to try and see whether he was still in pain and he was but Jimin’s pleasure numbed that. The younger mewled at that, still continuing the circle motions of his hips.

         “Hyung, I’m fine, you can move, I know you want to” he breathed, bringing his hands to the other’s cheeks to make them lock eyes.

Compelled, Jimin nodded, pulling out to start thrusting in a rather shallow pace at first. Sex had never felt like this for him before. It was so much better. Feeling both sensations, smelling their scents mixing was so intoxicating, he desperately wanted to change. Instinctively, he sped up his thrusting, trying to find that spot again and not much later, he had Jungkook moaning under him.

         “C—change—if you wanna change. I don’t mind” Jungkook stammered, burying his hand back into the wolf’s hair.

But he could not. He had not told him about all of his bodily changes, when he was in his half human form and he was definitely not in the condition to talk facts now. That was why he shook his head vigorously, while he thrusted harder, straightening his back, gripping Jungkook’s waist. The younger was so far gone, he did not realise how bruising the strong grip on his hips was and that it actually should hurt. All he felt was the mix of his and Jimin’s pleasure, as the wolf rammed into him. He did not even have to announce himself because both of them came at the same time. Jungkook let out a strained moan, cumming all over himself, while Jimin groaned lowly, releasing inside of the younger. Both were panting and for a moment, they stayed like that, before Jimin pulled out and proceeded to lap up Jungkook’s cum. The younger would have scrunched up his nose or made a comment about it but he was so exhausted that he just let the wolf do as he pleased. Having finished cleaning the witch up, he snuggled up to him, putting his head on Jungkook’s arm, wrapping his own around the younger’s waist. Sighing, he finally allowed himself to change, feeling relieved, when he felt his canines against his lips and his nails poke Jungkook’s naked skin. The younger’s breathing had calmed down by now and he liked that Jimin let him be in control now. Exhausted, he slightly shifted so that his head was on the same level as the wolf’s, watching the colour flow in his eyes. He had seen those very eyes so many times now but somehow, it felt a little different to look into them now. It felt like he was seeing more of the other. Compelled, he touched his cheek, wiping away some drops of sweat, letting his thumb slide over his plump lips. The wolf smiled a little, leaning forward to peck his nose. The witch could not help but giggle at that. Jimin just behaved so much younger in his half human form.

         “Hyung” Jungkook started, “why didn’t you change before? I—I felt that you wanted to. So why didn’t you?”

Jimin tensed a little at that question. Not because he did not want to explain why but because he wondered how Jungkook would react to it. It was not really a nice topic for him and he would probably feel awkward about it. But he asked so the wolf had to tell him.

         “Well——“ he shifted so he could look at the younger better, “you know, with the half human form, I get more animalistic, right?”

         “You’re already possessive in your human form, I would have been fine with some more hickeys. I’m littered with them anyways” Jungkook shrugged.

         “No, it’s not that” Jimin shook his head, chuckling a little because of Jungkook’s comment, “not just my behaviour changes. My body changes too. Not just the obvious things as my eye colour and my canines. I can see better but also smell so much better. I’m stronger and faster. In a way, I’m much more like a wolf too. So— uh— My bodily functions in that department adapt to the wolf too.”

Squinting his eyes, Jungkook tilted his head awkwardly on the pillow because he did not understand.

         “What do you mean? Does your dick suddenly get smaller or what?” he laughed.

         “Quite the opposite” Jimin joined, thinking that Jungkook was joking around.

         “Wait, for real?” the younger widened his eyes.

         “You don’t really know much about how wolves reproduce, don’t you?” Jimin now asked seriously.

         “Reproduce!?” the witch repeated, sitting up, feeling a sharp pain rush through his body, flinching at it.

         “Well, yeah, that’s what sex was originally for. When the wolves mate, the—— penis swells, so an actual physical tie is made. So the wolves are tied up for a while” Jimin explained, feeling how embarrassed the witch was.

         “And—— you’re telling me that—— your——— it—— swells?” his eyes were wide, his mouth agape.

         “Yeah, it does. I didn’t want to surprise you with something like that. But hey, at least it’s just some minutes for us, while actual wolves are stuck together for half an hour.”

         “Oh my god. That’s just wrong. Why? Why does that even happen?”

         “Evolution?” Jimin shrugged.

Jungkook squinted his eyes at that but then, Jimin suddenly shifted, rolling on top of him and because the younger was still way too exhausted to do anything, he could not fight him at all. The wolf grinned, licking over the witch’s mouth playfully.

         “You’ll look forward to it, according to my mother” he elaborated.

         “What!? I have to go through that?”

         “Well, yeah, because when I claim you, I’ll be in my half human form, so it won’t be avoidable. Plus, my mother said it actually feels good, apparently” Jimin shrugged.

         “God, that’s so weird” Jungkook scrunched up his nose, “and how much do you know about your parents’ relationship!?”

         “Pretty much everything” the wolf smiled, “for us, it’s normal to know these things. It teaches us a lot and seeing a happy mated couple is very satisfying. I love seeing my parents kiss. It makes me feel at ease because I can feel the love between them. Knowing about their healthy sex life is just one part. My mother also wants me to be good to my mate, which is now you, so she told me a lot.”

Jungkook did not even know what to say anymore. Not only did he just find out that Jimin knew way too much about his parents’ relationship but also that he would have Jimin’s swollen dick inside him at one point in his life, which did not sound appealing at all. Normal sex tired out his body already, so how was that going to feel?

         “I can’t imagine that a swelling dick would feel nice. Don’t get me wrong, sex definitely does feel great” he sighed, feeling his cheeks heat up a little but he ignored it, “but I don’t think having even more inside of me would be comfortable.”

         “Well—— ask my mom. She only told me that through time, she really wanted to be with my dad in his half human form. She wanted him to stop holding back and she said she ended up liking it a lot” Jimin said matter-of-factly.

The elder leaned down and nuzzled his nose into the crook of Jungkook’s neck. The younger wanted to say more but that action silenced him, naturally leaning into the touch. He did not even intend to do that; he just did it instinctively. He sighed, his hands finding the small of Jimin’s still very naked back, drawing small circles. The wolf released a satisfied grumble, which sounded exactly like the sound he made as an actual wolf.

         “You can growl in this form?” Jungkook asked, as Jimin rolled off of him, lying down next to him, pulling the blanket over them.

         “Yes, I can use wolf language.”

         “It’s an actual language?”

         “Of course. Though, it works differently than human language. It’s more like having different sounds for things like hunt, danger, happiness, and stuff like that.”

Fascinated, Jungkook nodded, noticing that he was slowly getting tired, now that he was wrapped in Jimin’s arms with the blanket over them. Involuntarily, his eyes closed and he sighed again, relaxing against the wolf’s chest. Before he knew it, he slowly drifted off into dreamland.

The next morning, he got woken up by his phone ringing. At first, he did not realise that it was actually ringing but when a warm body growled sleepily, he knew that it was real. Drowsily, he tried getting up but his back hurt like hell. Groaning in pain, he fell back into the sheet, his arm falling onto Jimin’s stomach.

         “Could you get my phone for me?” Jungkook slurred, smiling to himself, when he felt Jimin move, fishing for the ringing phone.

After a few groans from the wolf, he had found it, handing it to the younger, rubbing his eyes. Yawning, Jungkook answered the phone, knowing that it was Taehyung on the phone, thanks to the ringtone.

         “What?” he grumbled annoyed, “I was still sleeping.”

         “Well, sorry to disturb you two lovebirds but you know, Namjoon-hyung called for a team meeting but you probably didn’t hear that. I hope you can still move by yourself. Judging by all the noises last night, I’m not so sure about it. Congratulations on losing your virginity, little Jungkookie, you’re not innocent anymore!” Taehyung laughed, “but on a more serious note. We really are having a meeting, so you two should get dressed and get down to the practice room. He can carry you, if you can’t walk. Okay, bye, see you in a bit.”

That was all he said and then, he just hung up, leaving Jungkook with a bright red face. Had they really been that loud that even non-vampire ears were able to hear them through the walls? He had expected Namjoon to hear them but not Taehyung or the others. Mumbling curses, he sat up, flinching at the pain in the back, fishing for his clothes, noting the slightly confused look on the wolf’s face, who was still curled up in the blanket.

         “Team meeting. We need to get to the practice room” Jungkook sighed annoyed.

Nodding, Jimin got up as well, instinctively wanting to help the younger but he refused, saying that he was able to dress himself. After a few minutes of curses and yelling from Jungkook’s part, Jimin refused to take it anymore and lifted his mate, carrying him, even though the younger protested.

         “Get on my back, or I’ll carry you bridal style through the entire academy.”

         “Wow, since when are you this dominating?” Jungkook giggled, crawling on his back anyways.

         “Your safety and wellbeing come first. If you ask me to do something that goes against those two things, I won’t do it” he explained, “and me carrying you is better for you than you trying to walk yourself.”

         “Fine, whatever, we just need to get to the practice room. Hurry, so no one sees us, okay?”

Happily, Jimin nodded his head, leaving his apartment, jogging towards the practice room. Luckily, not many people were out at the moment, so Jungkook only had to glare at a few witches in training, which shied away as soon as they made contact with the fire witch. After a 10 minutes, they arrived at the practice room, being welcomed by the rest of the team sitting around a table with a big map in the middle of it. Namjoon looked up at them, trying to hide a smile but then, he looked back down on the map.

         “Good. Now, we can begin.”

Chapter Text

Jungkook cursed at himself for allowing the wolf to actually carry him to the practice room. He had rather endured the pain in his back, instead of the endless stares from all the other academy members. Even though he had made them regret staring by glaring at them as if he wanted to kill them, which he was honestly debating on. He was supposed to be strong and cold but here he was, having his arms around Jimin's neck, holding onto him so he didn't fall off his back. However, what was even more embarrassing were the suggestive stares he got from his teammates, as the couple entered the practice room. Taehyung grinned, wiggling his eyebrows and he would probably ask for every little detail, as soon as Jungkook and him were alone. Yoongi just smiled a little but he was more concentrated on the map on the table. Hoseok's eyes were glowing, as he looked at his best friend, probably also wanting details but not because he wanted a good laugh but because it was normal for wolves to converse about something like that. Jin tried not to smile but he could not hide the giggle that was dying to be let out. It was also not helping that Jungkook and Jimin were still sweaty and their hair was greasy because they had not had time to have a shower. Namjoon was grinning for a split second but then, he cleared his throat, looking at the couple seriously.

         "Good. Now, we can begin" he said, gesturing that they should sit down and listen.

Carefully, Jimin let the fire witch down, making sure that he could put his feet on the ground gently. The maknae sighed heavily, when he sat down next to Taehyung, trying to ignore the sting that shot up his back. Instantly, he felt Jimin's hand on the small of his back, rubbing it soothingly along his spine and just like before, he leaned into the touch naturally without even noticing.  But then, Jungkook concentrated on what was before him. On the table, there was a map of some forest and judging from the names of the nearby villages on it, it was somewhere in Ireland, as the maknae had expected anyways.

         "So did you find his lair?" Taehyung asked carefully, everyone knowing why he was that careful, except the two wolves.

         "Not yet. We believe that he used a strong protection spell in order to hide it" Yoongi informed, pointing at a specific area of the forest on the map, "we think that it might be around here but we keep getting lost, when we try to close in on that area. That’s why we think he might have also used another spell to hide his lair."

         "So, I’m guessing you want us to go search as a team because we’re always more thorough than the other teams?" Taehyung assumed and Namjoon nodded, his expression tensed. 

         "Wait, hold on" Jimin interrupted, "so we are talking about this Jun, right? Who is he exactly? I’m sorry to interrupt but Hoseok-ah and I have no idea what’s going on."

         "You might know him as Cain’s right hand" Yoongi elaborated.

         "The creepy witch that helps him stay hidden? I heard he’s terribly cruel" Hoseok gasped.

         "He is. Always was" Namjoon gritted his teeth, balling his hands to fists under the table, which didn’t go unnoticed by the two wolves.

Both of them looked at the leader, who had looked uncomfortable all this time, not understanding what was going on. How could they, when no one told them who Jun was. The wind witch exhaled, before he locked eyes with the wolves.

         "He’s also my father."

Jimin widened his eyes; Hoseok’s jaw dropped. Both of them had heard about Cain’s right hand before. There were rumours that they caught wolves and enslaved them, making them do their bidding because they had created something that made wolves obey them. There was also talk of that right hand doing experiments on them, which was why he also had the nickname witch doctor under the wolves. However, never was there a rumour of him having a child, never mind a half breed, meaning he had to have laid with a vampire woman. They knew Namjoon had always been at the academy, which meant that the witch doctor had to have lived at the academy at one point of his life. The wolves were shocked. They could not believe that one of the most evil people had been a part of this academy. But after that initial shock, they also felt sorry for him. The words He is cruel. Always was were terrifying. What had Namjoon gone through in his past?

         "Now that we cleared that" Yoongi started, "let’s get back to business. We want to start a search today. We split up into three groups. The two usual groups and the wolves build the new one."

Everyone nodded, except Jimin. He was not at all happy that he was not put in the same team as his mate. His inner wolf started protesting, telling him that he needed to be with the maknae in order to protect him, even though he was well aware that he could protect himself. However, for the first time, he was not alone with this worry. Jungkook felt strange too, knowing he was going to be apart from the wolf. Not because he himself needed to be with him but because there was something inside of him, that pushed him closer to the wolf. He always knew that he secretly liked possessiveness but he never thought that he himself was just the same. It was a little shocking to him that a part of him screamed to not leave the wolf’s side. It was small and Jungkook could ignore it easily but it was there and that was new.

         "Let’s all get ready and meet in front of the portal room. You know what clothes to wear for a mission like this" Namjoon proposed but then turned to the wolves, "are you going to be in half human form or––?"

Jimin’s eyes turned to Jungkook because ultimately, it was his decision. If he was okay with them being in their wolf forms, they would definitely change. It was easier for them to find leads or spells, as they could see magical aura move visibly.

         "If Jungkook-ah is okay with us being in our wolf forms—"

         "I—as long as I can—have enough time to get used to Hoseok-hyung’s wolf form" he said unsurely.

         "Sure, I can even change in front of you, if you want" Hoseok nodded.

         "No" Jimin growled lowly, suddenly in his half human form, not even noticing that he had changed, "you're not getting naked in front of my mate."

Everyone was staring at him, the amber in his eyes flowing dangerously. He suddenly had the urge to pull his mate closer to himself, showing off that they belonged together. Even though Jungkook still smelled like him, which at least calmed him down a little bit, he wanted to show everyone how close they were, boiling at the thought of Jungkook seeing someone else naked.

         "Okay, sorry, I'll change and then show myself" Hoseok offered in a calming tone.

Exhaling sharply, Jimin huffed, relaxing, when Jungkook's hand slid into his, squeezing it slightly. It was like all of his tension had left his body thanks to a simple touch. It fascinated him almost as much as it did the fire witch and everyone else in the room. He had seen his father yell at him because of a small reason and just a touch as simple as a cheek on his shoulder by Jimin's mother and he gave in, stopped scolding him. He never understood but now, he did. Jungkook's touch was soothing, healing not only his bodily aches but it also calmed his mind, which constantly ached for his mate, as long as they were not mated.

         "I think that will be alright too" Jungkook agreed, though he was visibly nervous about it.

But strangely, Jimin's touch did the same to the younger. He could not deny that the wolf's warmth gave him comfort. Of course, he was nervous about seeing another wolf because he did not know whether he was only okay with Jimin because it was Jimin and not because he had overcome his fear of wolves in general.  He only knew that it was best if he tried to get used to seeing wolves, as they were to go on missions together, so he would see them more often anyways. He just tried to remind himself that Hoseok was his friend and that he just might explode into another furry fluff ball just like Jimin. They were just like dogs, only much bigger and with sharper teeth and claws.

         "Okay, are there any questions so far, or can we go get ready?" Yoongi asked, looking at everyone.

All of the seven men stayed quiet, their task clear for the moment. The leader nodded satisfied, still tense because this was a mission that did not sit with him right. He had no desire to face his father whatsoever. They all got up and walked back to their dorms. Walking was still not quite something that Jungkook fancied right now and not even the wolf's touch could sooth the pain in his back. Jin let himself fall back to the couple, smiling at the maknae softly.

         "Come to me, after you've had a shower. I'll fix that pain you're having" he ensured him, giggling a little, making Jungkook blush.

         "You can just fix that?" Jimin said fascinated.

         "Of course, I can! I'm a healer after all. I know their bodies like my own. I know, when they are in pain, even when they try to hide it" Jin explained, almost sounding offended because his skills were questioned.

         "I'll gladly take you up on that offer, hyung" Jungkook sighed, limping a little but then, he grinned, "say, do you heal yourself after sex too? We all know what Namjoon-hyung is like. We've all heard him have sex before."

This time, Jin blushed and the maknae grinned happily, satisfied that he was able to turn things around for him. Jimin just observed the scene with a gentle smile on his face, gladly receiving the slightly mischievous but most of all teasing feelings from his mate. They continued walking to their apartments and only, when the wolf had to leave, their emotions changed. For some reason, Jungkook did not want to part with the other at all. It was ridiculous, really, he almost wanted to laugh at himself for being so clingy.

         "Don't scrub my scent off of you too much, yeah?" Jimin pouted and Jungkook blushed at how cute he looked.

He really could not smell Jimin on himself. All he smelled was old sweat and sex; in fact, he felt disgusting. All he wanted was a piercing hot shower, though deep inside of him, he wanted to have that shower with Jimin. Once again, he felt the urge to laugh at himself. Within one night, he had turned into a clingy, lovesick boy. But of course, he did not let that show from the outside; at least, not in front of the others.

         "I'm just gonna shower, hyung" he shrugged.

The wolf frowned, pulling him into a tight hug all of a sudden, burying his nose in the crook of Jungkook's neck, nuzzling there, making him giggle because he was ticklish. Taehyung snickered, when he walked past them but the rest had not seen it. Embarrassed, Jungkook pushed Jimin away, smiled nervously, quickly entering his apartment to avoid any more embarrassment. As quickly as he could walk without too much pain, he entered the bathroom, ridded himself of his clothes and turned on the shower, making it as hot as possible. Finally, he stepped under the water, letting the water run down his body, soaking his greasy hair, running into his eyes. It felt incredibly good, having water that was almost boiling sooth his skin. For anyone else, it would have burnt them but for him, it was the best way to sooth his sore back. Sighing, he just stood there, forgetting the world, even though he knew that he should not dwell for too long.

         "Turn the heat of the shower down, or else I'll die" Taehyung suddenly shoved him away, Jungkook colliding with the shower wall.

         "What the fuck, hyung!?" he complained, almost slipping on the wet floor. 

         "Man, your aura really reeks of Jiminnie. I feel a cold shiver running down my spine, when I touch you at the wrong places. It's hella creepy" he giggled, turning the heat of the water down, sighing, when he stood under the shower himself.

The younger sighed. He was not really a fan of having a shower together but it was faster, so he just grabbed the shampoo and started rinsing his greasy locks. Tae grinned in victory, grabbing the shampoo too.

         "So––– how was it?" Tae started and even though Jungkook's eyes were closed because of the shampoo that was running in his face, he still knew that he was smiling mischievously.

         "Hyung, really?" Jungkook commented blindly shoving his teammate away so he could wash the shampoo out.

         "What, I told you about my first time" he argued.

         "I didn't ask, though."

         "C'mon spill all your secrets. The way you sounded, it must have been pretty epic" Taehyung laughed. 

         "We weren't even that loud!" Jungkook exploded, glaring at his best friend.

         "True, you could have been louder but damn, that strained moan at the end. That had all of us shook. Did he do a good job, then?" Taehyung teased, knowing that he was playing with literal fire.

Feeling his cheeks burn at the memory of last night, Jungkook rolled his eyes. There was no escaping from Taehyung and he was well aware of that. Grabbing the body wash, he started cleaning his body, flinching at some movements because they were not comfortable at all.

         "Yes, he did a good job" he gave in, "it felt weird in the beginning because, you know, technically the butthole isn't for sex but he made me feel really good. And you know––– when–– he was inside me–– I could feel what he felt. It was so strange but god, it felt amazing."

         "What do you mean, you felt what he felt?" the water witch tilted his head in confusion.

         "It's–––– I don't know how to explain it. I think it's because of that weird bond we have. I literally felt the pleasure he got from being inside me. It's so strange–– I really can't explain it. It's just––– overwhelming."

         "God, you're so in love, it's disgusting" Taehyung laughed.

         "I'm––– not" Jungkook denied, even though he knew it was true.

He knew so well. He had felt it last night, he had felt it this morning, when he woke up to warm arms around him. He probably knew it even before then. But he could not allow himself to admit it to anyone. He was too scared – too scared that the same fate would come to Jimin, if he admitted it to anyone. His love for Jimin would be his best kept secret. He promised himself that he would never say it, in order to protect the wolf from anyone who would want to hurt him.

         "Whatever you say" Taehyung ripped him out of his thoughts, "you're done showering you idiot. Go get dressed and go to Jin-hyung's room."

Only then, Jungkook noticed that he was standing under the water without actually doing something. Quickly, he jumped out of the shower, forgetting that he was fragile, cursing, when a wave of pain shot through him and he almost fell because of it. Limping, the fire witch made it back to his room. He chose his usual clothes he wore, when they went tracking in the woods: a dark green hoodie, which was thin and clung to his body but it was flexible, giving him enough room to move fluently, brown sweatpants that were not too tight but still tight enough that he would not get himself caught in bushes, and his special shoes that were not too thick, so he could still move silently but also not too thin that he would hurt his feet. After getting dressed, he knocked on Jin's door, which was half open anyways, so he entered, interrupting something he should not have. Jin was caressing Namjoon's cheek and the leader leaned into the touch, sighing heavily. It looked so intimate, Jungkook felt bad for watching them. But another part of him was extremely happy for his partner. The maknae had never seen Namjoon seek comfort like that. Not even when they were younger and it had been only the two of them and they had no one except themselves. Namjoon had always been the strong one. But finally, he let himself be comforted by someone. The maknae could only imagine how hard this mission must be for their leader. Thinking about Jun, a cold shiver ran down his spine, making him flinch a little. The couple noticed him and Namjoon excused himself, letting Jin do his work. He told Jungkook to lie on his stomach on the bed but he should free his lower back. Nodding, he did as he was told, sighing, when he could relax his body a little. He felt the healer's hands ghosting over his back, massaging it shallowly and the fire witch could not help but mewl a little, as it was relaxing but painful at the same time.

         "I'm really glad that hyung has you, you know" Jungkook mumbled.

Jin did not say anything, just continued letting his hands ghost over the younger's skin and after a moment, Jungkook felt the familiar warmth starting to spread in his body. It was comforting and it made him dizzy. Everything around him started to fade out and he just saw the world as a big blur. Sometimes, he wondered whether this was how people felt, when they were high on drugs.

         "You're really sore. I thought a light spell like this would suffice but I'll have to use some ointment. For that, I need to apply it everywhere, meaning, your entrance too, if that's alright with you" Jin informed, leaving the bed, rummaging in one of his drawers.

Still a little drowsy from the spell that Jin had been working on him, he just sighed, nodding slightly.

         "Hyung, you're the healer, you know what you're doing. Plus, it's not the first time you have to attend to my naked body. I trust you" he slurred.

         "Just wanted to check with you" Jin chuckled, before he sat back down on the bed, carefully pulling down Jungkook's pants.

The younger jerked a little, when he felt the healer spread his cheeks but he was prepared for this. Suddenly, there was cool ointment on his entrance, Jin's soothing fingers spreading it carefully and Jungkook had to admit, this was slightly awkward. However, he trusted him and before he could even complain that it was weird, the other was already done. Right away, Jin put his hand back on the fire witch's lower back, the dizzying warmth returning. This continued for one or two minutes, Jungkook forgot how time worked under the healing touch of his hyung, until Jin removed his hands, clapping once, announcing that he was done.

         "You're all fixed up again. It's weird that it took me so long to heal you. I'm guessing it's because a wolf inflicted the wound and we still don't know how much a wolf influences my powers" Jin explained.

Pulling up his pants, pulling down his hoodie, Jungkook sat up, still feeling a little dizzy but that would be gone in a bit.

         "Thanks, hyung" the younger smiled, standing up, feeling no pain while doing so.

Satisfied, both of them joined the others, who were already set to go. All of them wearing a similar outfit to the fire witch because it was simply the easiest to move around in, when they were sneaking through a forest. Together, they walked to the portal room and everyone that passed them mumbled curiously. Whenever Special Force was walking together, it meant that they were going on a mission. The rest of the academy never knew what it was about, as their missions were always confidential, so all they could do was wonder. In front of the portal room, the wolves were already waiting. Both of them were wearing baggy clothes, the complete opposite of the witches. The younger wolf turned around immediately, smelling his mate from afar, his eyes glowing a calm amber and when he smiled, his canines were visible, even though Jungkook was still only walking up to him. As soon as Jimin saw him, he perked up, like a little puppy that saw food or something to play with and Jungkook could not help but think that if he had ears in this form, they would definitely stand, being directed at him. When the witches arrived in front of the portal room, Jimin's hands found Jungkook's, pulling him into a lazy hug, nuzzling his nose into the crook of Jungkook's neck.

         "You still smell like me, I'm relieved" he sighed, before he let go of him again because he felt that Jungkook was uncomfortable showing so much affection in front of everyone.

Jungkook willed himself not to blush and just pretended that even this simple hug did not affect him, even if it did. Namjoon made everyone look at him, telling them once again that they will first get to Ireland and then, he would explain further. Everyone nodded and they all followed the leader without a question. While they were preparing to enter a portal, Jungkook could not help but realise, how well the wolves had adapted. They were already part of the team and it did not feel like disrupted at all. Even Yoongi seemed to have accepted the wolves and he had the most doubts about them in the beginning. The portal was ready and everyone went through it, stepping on soft moss, which gave in a little under the weight of seven people.

         "It feels so much better to go through a portal in half human form" Hoseok exclaimed happily.

Jimin nodded vigorously, stretching his muscles, as if he had not worked out in a while. Jungkook however already felt a little nervous. He knew that the next step was for him to look at Hoseok in his wolf form and he was not quite sure, whether he was ready for it. But there it was again, this natural comfort he got as soon as he looked at Jimin. The wolf was nodding encouragingly, calming him down with just a gaze.

         "So how about you two change? It's best for you to leave your clothes close to the portal" Yoongi proposed.

The two wolves nodded and Hoseok already disappeared further into the woods, while Jimin took another moment, locking eyes with the nervous fire witch. He smiled encouragingly, wanting to go over and whisper sweet things into his mates ear but he was well aware that Jungkook would not want that. He joined the other wolf back in the woods, leaving the five witches to themselves. Taking a deep breath, Jungkook tried to calm himself down and when he felt the cool hand of his partner and leader on his shoulder, his heartbeat actually slowed down a bit.

         "It's gonna be okay. You were fine with Jiminnie, so–––"

         "Well, he's different" the fire witch huffed.

         "Jungkookie is in loooove" Taehyung cooed, "don't worry about it, though. I've seen Hoseokie-hyung's wolf form before and it's really cool! They're huge and so fluffy and not threatening at all. He's such a little pup, when he's in his wolf form it's actually funny."

Only half listening, Jungkook stared into the direction the wolves had left. There was nothing to be afraid of. Hoseok was his friend. Jimin would be there. All his teammates were with him too. In the near distance, there was the piercing sound of bones breaking and skin being torn apart, accompanied by some growls and barks, making Jungkook's heartbeat speed up once again. They had definitely changed now and before the fire witch could prepare himself, there was a brown wolf emerging from behind a tree, standing tall, putting one giant paw in front of the other. Jungkook inhaled sharply, instinctively taking a step back and he had probably panicked, if he had not seen the black and silver wolf that followed the other one. Jimin's warm, rich amber eyes were fixed on the maknae, his ears pointed towards him, his features wide awake and that was when Jungkook knew he was safe. As long as Jimin was there, he was safe. The brown wolf – it was almost copper – was slightly taller than Jimin behind him and he also looked a little slimmer, making his legs look longer too. His eyes were big, amber looking at all of the witches. He seemed attentive and curious, instead of hostile and threatening. Of course, the size of the wolf alone made him look hostile but Jungkook could see Hoseok so well. The wolf had a bubbly personality, even as a giant monster. Slowly, the wolves walked up to the witches, step by step checking whether the fire witch was really okay with being faced by two wolves at once. When they stood in front of him, Hoseok let his tongue hang out of his face, making it look like he was grinning. A little unsurely, Jungkook stretched out his hand, looking up to the wolf because he was a little taller than him, caressing its head. His ears perked up and he made a strange noise between a bark and a happy grumble, which made Jungkook laugh a little and that was when the tense atmosphere lightened.

         "His fur is really soft, isn't it?" Taehyung said fascinated.

         "It is" Jungkook nodded but then, he noticed the pout on the other wolf's face, who had his ears flattened and had sat down, "but honestly, Jimin-hyung's fur is softer."

As a response to that, Jimin's ears perked up again; Hoseok, however snorted dramatically, trotting off just to return and tackle the black and silver wolf lightly. The wolves were close to starting a play fight, which would have been fine in any other situation but Namjoon cleared his throat, reminding them that they were here for a reason. 

         "Don't play around here. We're technically on enemy's territory" the leader reminded them, pulling out the map that had been on the table in the practice room, "so, my plan is that we walk around the area that we suspected from both sides. Jinnie, Yoongi-hyung and Taehyungie go around the left and Jungkookie and I will go on the right. The wolves can follow us two because I know Jiminnie wouldn't want to stay too far away from Jungkookie. You can guard our backs, so we can concentrate on detecting what kind of spell it is that hides Jun's lair."

Everyone nodded, looking at each other.

         "If something happens use the signal spell and we'll know where you are. The wolves can howl, when something is up. Is everything clear?" he continued, making eye contact with every single person – and wolf – standing around him and once again, everyone nodded, "good. As always, be careful, work together and watch your backs. We're a team, we leave no one behind. Now go."

Yoongi, Jin and Taehyung left right away and the other witch duo went on their way too. The wolves waited for a moment, slowly but very attentively walking behind them with enough distance between them that they could not hear or see each other. Cautiously, Jungkook and Namjoon walked through the thicket of the forest, their feet meeting the ground without barely even making sounds. It had been a while since they had a mission like this and if Jungkook was honest, he quite enjoyed tracking. It was rather peaceful, if no one interrupted, of course. He always enjoyed the change of scenery and he also knew his way around in the woods. He had learnt to do so in the first year he had been in this world.

         "I can't sense any spell" Namjoon sighed, "this must be a really strong one."

         "You know I can't help. My sensing abilities are as good as Taehyung-hyung's modesty" the younger chuckled.

It had been half an hour and they still had not found anything that helped them identify a spell. They did not even find a barrier. It was like they were already inside the lair but they were walking through it without noticing.

         "The connection between you and Jiminnie is remarkable" the half breed noted, still walking through the thicket, "I can't exactly understand their thoughts completely, when they’re in their wolf form but a part of him is screaming to be with you, even now, when he's still close to you. It's not close enough."

Sighing embarrassed, Jungkook watched his steps, as he followed right behind his partner. He already knew that but hearing it from Namjoon, who could read minds, made it so much more definite and the fire witch could not help but smile at that.

         "You should tell him. Even if he doesn't say that it bothers him, it still does."

         "Tell him what?" Jungkook asked confused.

         "That you love him" Namjoon elaborated stopping in his tracks, locking eyes with the younger, looking at him intensely, "I know you're scared of those words. That's why you never told us that you love us, even though we all know how much we mean to you. It's not a problem for us, if you don't tell us. But Jiminnie, he loves you so much and you love him and just tell him."

         "I'm not afraid of those words" Jungkook denied, unsuccessfully.

         "I know why, Jungkookie, but you're not that boy anymore. And Jiminnie isn't him" the leader urged.

A little confused but also nervous because he suddenly felt exposed, Jungkook stared at the half breed, trying to figure out just what exactly Namjoon meant by that.

         "How would you know" the younger said bitterly, fighting the memories that started resurfacing, "you weren't there."

         "Your nightmares" he sighed, "you had them every night, when we brought you to the academy. I lived through that memory with you, each time. How you screamed at him how much you loved him and how he couldn't leave you. Of course, you wouldn't want to repeat those words, if the only person that you told them to died. Jungkookie, I know you–––"

Suddenly, there was a loud, animalistic whimper in the air, before it merged into a growl, followed by a howl, which signalised that the wolves were being attacked. Instantly, Jungkook's blood was on fire, a shot of cold, anxious fear driving through him because suddenly, Jimin was in danger. It was like his mind was consumed by the terror of possibly seeing Jimin hurt – or worse. He turned his head into the direction of the wolves, wanting to sprint to their aid. Every fibre in his body ached to see whether both of them were okay. It was always like this, if anyone of his teammates was being attacked. This time, it was just a tad stronger because Jimin might be that one. But first, he had to check with his partner, so he turned his head back around but what he saw confused him.

He saw nothing. No one. Only trees and thicket and moss and some branches that broke off the trees but what he could not see was his blonde partner.

         "Hyung?" he whispered, not knowing whether enemies were lurking in the shadows.

Looking around, trying to look behind the next few trees. Maybe, he had tripped. Maybe, he had found something.

         "Hyung?" he repeated, louder this time but there was still no response.

Hyung! He tried reaching out with his mind, knowing that this should reach him. But again, no response. There was angry, violent growling in the background but suddenly, Jungkook could not hear the wolves battling anymore. All his attention had shifted to his partner, which was nowhere to be seen. Slowly, he became anxious, an idea forming in his mind why the half breed had suddenly disappeared but it was so scary, he did not want to believe it.

         "Hyung, this isn't funny!" he screamed this time, anxiously looking around himself, although it started to sink in now, "hyung! Hyung, where are you! Talk to me!"

The noises in the background had stopped and the entire forest was drowned into uncanny, terrifying and absolute silence. Realising what just happened, Jungkook started shaking, hugging his stomach because he was suddenly cold.

         "Hyung! Please! Hyung!" he cried out but he already knew he would not get an answer.

His knees suddenly gave in; he felt so weak, so powerless because he realised that this was not one of his nightmares, this was real life. He had dreamt of this but he had never believed that it would actually happen.

Namjoon, his leader, his partner, his childhood friend that was like a brother to him, had slipped out of Jungkook's grasp right in front of his eyes. He had sworn to protect them, yet here he was, alone in the woods, while Namjoon was – gone. 

Chapter Text

They had come out of nowhere. Jimin and Hoseok had been walking through the thicket carefully, following the quiet steps of their leader and Jungkook with at least half a kilometre between them just to make sure they were far away enough. Jimin could still smell his mate, feel him, how he suddenly felt a little overwhelmed by his own feelings. That was why the younger wolf was distracted for just a second and that was when two vampires jumped at them. They had just materialised in front of them, as if they had teleported. One attacked the brown wolf, while the other managed to kick Jimin’s head, making him fly against a tree, whimpering at the pain that flooded his body for a second. But he was used to this – actually, he was used to worse. His bones were already merging together again, cracking in place and before the vampire caught up to him, Jimin was on his paws again, ducking out of the enemy’s reach just to turn around and jump on him. With his body weight, he easily pressed the vampire down and even though he struggled, he did not stand a chance against the strength of a wolf. Hearing Hoseok howl, so that the others knew they were being attacked, Jimin opened his mouth, shifting his head and he could not help but grin a little. He liked the way vampires looked, when he was about to rip their head off way too much; he did not see that too often but if he did, he felt the ancient feud boil inside him, fuelling his desire to kill one of his natural enemies. Leaning down, he almost engulfed the vampire’s head, before he snapped his jaw close, boring his canines into the head, feeling how the bones gave out under his sharp teeth, tasting rotten blood, revealing that this was not a born vampire but a bitten one. In the back of his mind, he heard the vampire scream in pain but Jimin was good at blacking that out. With one easy move of his head, he severed the vampire’s head from its body, making a mess, blood dirtying his fur, the head falling to the ground, as Jimin relaxed his jaw. Worried for his friend, Jimin turned around – the dead vampire to his feet already forgotten – to see his friend sidestepping an attack of the other vampire. He was just about to go help him, when he tripped over his own paws, a wave of cold horror rushing through him. Never in his life did he feel so devastated but the worst thing was that he knew this were not his feelings but they were Jungkook’s. It was so heavy on his heart, Jimin struggled to breathe for a moment. What in the world was happening? The wolf’s instinct kicked in, every fibre of him demanding him to go find his mate to see, if he was alright. And that was what he did. As if his body moved on its own, his paws carried him over the thicket, over fallen tree trunks, always following Jungkook’s scent, even though that was not even necessary at the moment; Jimin would find him anywhere right now.

         “Hyung, this isn’t funny!” Jungkook’s voice was heard, distress clearly audible.

Jimin’s body was shaking with the need to get to his mate, to calm him down. The feeling of guilt joined the horror and the desperation that had attacked the wolf before, which only increased his desire to wrap his arms around Jungkook even more.

         “Hyung! Please! Hyung!” the fire witch cried desperately.

Panting, the wolf sped up and he finally spotted his mate, kneeling down, slightly disappearing within the thicket and it almost broke Jimin’s heart, when he heard his love sob uncontrollably, almost hysterically. Without a second thought, Jimin changed back into his half human form, tumbling a little because he had changed mid run.

         “Jungkook––“ he started cautiously, not wanting to startle the fire witch.

         “Hyung––“ he sobbed quietly, his hands balled to fists, squeezing the moss beneath him, “you can’t be gone. You can’t. You can’t. Don’t leave me, why did you leave me. You’re not gone. This is a nightmare. You can’t be gone, you can’t.”

Another wave of pain and guilt attacked Jimin but this time, pushing tears to his eyes as well but it was more important to get to the withc, so he focused on moving forward. But then, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and within a second, he had turned his head, looking into Jin’s worried eyes.

         “He looks unstable. You shouldn’t get too close to him. He might hurt you” the nature witch warned, “we heard him scream, so we came here as fast as possible.”

Taehyung and Yoongi had appeared too, approaching the fire witch while taking a defensive position, as if he was the enemy. Both of them had a deep frown on their face, sharing glances that only those two understood.

         “Jungkookie” Yoongi called him but the fire witch did not move, “Jungkookie, what happened?”

Everything in Jimin’s body told him to move, to go close the distance between him and his mate but he trusted Jin, so he stayed put, watching the two witches approach him. Hoseok had joined too, staying a little further away, having an eye on the surroundings, as they were still in enemy territory.

         “He’s gone. He’s really gone. It’s my fault. I didn’t protect him. It’s my fault. He’s gone. He’s gone. Hyung’s gone. This is a nightmare” he babbled hysterically, choking on his own words.

The guilt that rushed through Jimin was getting worse and he felt like his knees were about to give in soon, so he leaned on Jin a little, who had no problem with him still being naked, watching the scene just as intensely as the wolf, only that his eyes were watery too.

         “What do you mean he’s gone?” Taehyung tried, getting a little closer.

         “He’s gone!” Jungkook suddenly exploded, yelling at the water witch, staring him into his eyes, “they took him. I was right there but I didn’t notice! I couldn’t protect him, I––––“

His hands were trembling and somehow, the air around him started flickering like it did on a hot day around asphalt. The whole team was on edge, hearing that news. Was their leader really gone? Jin in particular tensed up at that, his hands balling to fists, while Taehyung and Yoongi’s frown deepened.

         “Calm down. We’ll find him” Yoongi tried to reason with him, so close he could almost touch Jungkook’s shoulder “we need to regroup and think of a plan to get him back.”

         “Don’t touch me!” Jungkook yelled, a ring of fire suddenly lighting up around him, lighting him on fire, almost catching the rock witch’s hand in it too, “I’m not leaving, I can’t leave, I have to find him. I need to look for him, I––––I–––“

A little taken aback, Yoongi stepped back a little, looking at Taehyung for help.

         “Jungkookie, we just want to help too. You have to tell us what happened. We need to get out of here first. We don’t know, when other enemies will get here–––“

         “No!” the maknae yelled again, another ring of fire shot towards the other witches and they had to move back further to not get hit.

         “This is bad. Without Namjoon-ah, he won’t be able to calm down” Yoongi sighed.

This was too much. Jimin could not hold himself back anymore. He could not watch his mate be in such pain and not do anything. Once again, his feet moved on their own, pulling him towards the burning witch and the others tried to stop him but he growled at them, not quite knowing why.

         “Stay away from me!” Jungkook warned, locking eyes with the wolf, his facial expression so hurt and devastated, Jimin started crying again too.

Carefully, he stepped into the fire, hoping that Jungkook would not want to hurt him, even though he was not in his right mind right now and luckily, the fire was not hot at all. It almost felt cold, which was strange.

         “It’s okay. Let it out, Jungkook-ah. I’m here to help you, come here” Jimin whispered, kneeling down in front of his mate, lifting his arms and slowly wrapped them around the younger.

It was like a switch was turned because as soon as Jimin touched him, the fire disappeared and all the tension in the younger left his body, almost falling into the wolf’s arms, breaking out into another wild sob. He buried his face in the crook of Jimin’s neck, his arms so tightly wrapped around the smaller that it was almost bruising, as if he was holding on to the last thing in his life that he knew was real. The horror and guilt were still there but they mixed with the feeling of security. Jimin sighed, pressing the fire witch closer to his body, running his hand up and down his spine to calm him down. Everything had happened so fast, he could not fully grasp the situation yet. All he knew was that Namjoon was gone and that inflicted this much pain on the maknae.

         “He just walked right into his fire and it didn’t hurt him at all” Taehyung mumbled in surprise.

         “Jiminnie, we gotta move. Can you make him walk?” Yoongi asked.

Jimin just nodded, caressing Jungkook’s  hair soothingly.

         “Can you walk yourself? I can carry you, if you want. We just have to leave. It’s too dangerous to stay here” he proposed but Jungkook shook his head tentatively, letting Jimin pull him onto his feet.

Anyone at the academy, who only knew the strong fire witch, would not believe this sight. Jungkook looked so small and vulnerable right now, pressing himself against Jimin’s sides, looking on the ground, needing him to support his weight, or else, he might fall over his own two feet. The air around him still flickered but when they finally started walking back to the portal, it stopped. It was dead quiet between the remaining six people. Hoseok was still in his wolf form but Jimin felt the tension coming from him too. Yoongi was keeping himself together quite well, while Taehyung openly showed how worried he was; he probably could not hide it anyways because he was a water witch. Then, there was Jin. Worry was an understatement. He looked anxious. Of course, he would be; his boyfriend just disappeared but for that, he kept a pretty straight face. It was better this way, though. If he was to also go crazy like Jungkook, they would have a problem. Slowly, they all walked back and when they arrived at the portal, Hoseok changed back into his half human form as well, bringing Jimin his clothes. Trying to get into his pants, while Jungkook was still leaning on him was harder than he expected but he also did not want to let go of him, too scared of making him feel like Jimin was leaving too. When he was finally done, they went through the portal. The tension between them was so strong, you could almost see it. It was as if Namjoon was the string that kept them all together but now, they did not have that order anymore.

They just felt lost.

         “Tae, alarm Tablo-hyung and the headmaster. We’ll go to our practice room. Maybe, we can get something out of Jungkookie” Yoongi supervised and Taehyung nodded quickly, before he ran off.

Only now, Jimin realised how good of a leader Yoongi could be. He was indeed the lieutenant of the group, easily taking the role of the captain, when he could not be there. The rest of them followed the rock witch to the practice room and as they walked through the corridors, people started staring at them, whispering, squinting their eyes in confusion.

         “They’re back already.”

         “Taehyung and Namjoon aren’t with them.”

         “Look how Jungkook is leaning on the wolf.”

         “He seems so broken.”

         “What happened?”

It took all of Jimin’s self-control to not growl at them. Their whispering was not helping Jungkook. Jimin felt how the maknae felt even more guilty, whenever they mentioned Namjoon’s name. But growling at the others might scare Jungkook as well and the wolf did not want to risk that. All of them sighed, when they arrived at the practice room. Jin sat down on one of the benches, hiding his face in his hands, slowly losing his pokerface. Hoseok joined him, putting his arm around him and snuggled into the nature witch a little, trying to comfort him as best as possible. They were all a family now and what Hoseok was doing was normal for wolves, whenever they were sad. Carefully, Jimin made Jungkook sit down at the small table in the back, not leaving his side, always having his arm around the younger to ensure that they were connected. He had hoped that the pain and the initial horror would subside a little but the feelings were just as strong, if not even worse. Sighing again, Yoongi sat down at the table as well, looking at Jungkook, who stared at his hands, which were folded on the table.

         “Jungkookie, you have to tell us what happened. Only then, we can figure out a way to go look for him” Yoongi tried softly, wanting to grab his hands but Jungkook jerked away, instinctively backing away into Jimin’s arms.

The feeling of guilt increased as soon as Jungkook leaned into Jimin’s touch, so he backed away from him too, sitting there, looking small and hurt, not touching anyone anymore. His hands were trembling a little and he nibbled on his bottom lip, not looking at anyone.

         “I–––––“ he said quietly, gulping down the sob that was daring to come out, “I heard one of the wolves whimper and I–––– I was scared that–––that Jimin-hyung g––got hurt, so I turned around for a second. When I looked back to hyung, he––––– he just wasn’t there anymore––– just gone. They––they must have pulled him into the spell protected area” tears were running down his face again and he balled his hands into fists so much that he drew blood from his palms, “it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have left him out of my sight. It was my fault because I thought–––– I thought––––“

Jimin wanted to comfort him but Jungkook jerked away, a wave of guilt and worry washing through both of them, confusing the wolf.

         “D–––don’t touch me–––please” Jungkook sniffled, not daring to look at the wolf.

Feeling how conflicted Jungkook was right now, all Jimin could do was to follow his orders, even though it hurt him not to be able to help his mate. After giving the wolf a compassionate glance Yoongi concentrated back on Jungkook.

         “It’s not your fault. The way you’re describing it, they wanted to have Namjoon-ah specifically. We couldn’t figure out how to break the spell, so there would have been no way how you could have helped him, even if you had seen the attackers” he reasoned.

         “But–––“

At that moment, Taehyung entered the room, followed by Tablo and his lieutenant, as well as the headmaster and the captain and lieutenant of Team 1. Instantly, everyone got up, standing straight to pay their respect to the headmaster – except Jungkook. He did not even notice that someone had entered the room. He was too lost in his thoughts.

         “Jungkookie, get up, the headmaster is here” Yoongi whispered urgently.

         “Do not worry, Yoongi” the headmaster ensured him, “I know that this is very difficult for Jungkook” he turned to Jungkook, looking at him intensely, “now tell us what happened, my child.”

Looking up, the fire witch met the headmaster’s eyes and gulped, before he told the ones that were new in the room what happened.

         “Jun has him” Tablo concluded, “he could have targeted anyone but he targeted Namjoon. He specifically took him.”

Feeling the inner turmoil of the fire witch, Jimin averted his attention on his mate, noticing that the air around him was heating up again.

         “And he’s inside the spell protected area now” Tablo’s lieutenant noted, “which means, he could be protected by countless vampires.”

         “We can’t even break the protection spell” Tablo sighed, massaging his temples.

Jungkook started shaking, putting his hands over his ears. He just could not listen anymore. It was too much. The guilt was eating him up inside and Jimin could feel that. Against Jungkook’s wishes, he shifted closer, taking his hands, grabbing them firmly and put them in his, entwining them on the table. The fire witch tried to refuse but Jimin was too insistent, needing to calm the witch down or else, he might burn the entire house down.

         “We’ll find him, Jungkook-ah. I promise you, I’ll do anything in my power to help you find him” Jimin calmed him down, drawing soothing patterns on the back of Jungkook’s hand.

         “You won’t take part in the search for Namjoon” the headmaster announced and all of Special Force’s heads turned to the old man.

         “What!?” they asked in sync.

         “Sir, with all due respect, we can’t just sit around and hope that others will find our captain” Yoongi spoke first.

         “He’s our leader. Like an alpha to us. It’s against our nature not to do anything” Hoseok agreed, frowning.

         “He’s family” Taehyung nodded.

Jin just stared at the headmaster, too well-mannered to say anything but everyone was well aware that he did not agree with his decision. The old man was just about to continue but then, Jungkook suddenly stood up, still boring his nails into the skin of his palms. Everyone in the room turned their heads to him and waited for what he was about to say. The maknae was crying but he had stopped sobbing by this point; instead, he almost looked angry.

         “I’m not just gonna sit around and wait for someone else to help him. You can’t expect me to do nothing! I couldn’t do anything all those years ago and had to watch him die because of me, I’m not going to let this happen again, so I will go look for him and not even you can stop me. I’d rather abandon the academy and be haunted for treason instead of letting him stay in the hands of his father even just a second longer!” he was panting by the time he was done and blood had trickled down on the table, while he was staring the headmaster dead in the eye.

The room fell silent after that. Only when the headmaster sighed and nodded did the atmosphere lose the tension. Technically, Jungkook had to be punished for this amount of disrespect but the headmaster had always had a soft spot for the vulnerable boy.

         “Jungkook” he started comforting yet firm and authoritative, “think about it. You’re already agitated now. You won’t be any help in this state. You will only endanger the rest of the team. Please be reasonable. We all want to find him. I promise you, I’ll choose the best people to find him.”

Rolling his eyes, the captain of Team 1 averted his gaze from the maknae, clearly showing that he was not happy with the soft way the headmaster was treating him but he did not complain. Still not happy with the result, Jungkook nodded reluctantly, ducking his head in apology. Slowly, his feelings started to subside, making room for both the fire witch and Jimin to actually think. After saying a few things more, ensuring Special Force that they would do their best to find Namjoon, appointing Yoongi temporary captain of Special Force, the headmaster and the rest left the practice room.

         “Let me heal your hands” Jin proposed weakly, walking over to the maknae and put his hands over the other’s hands and started healing.

The familiar feeling of numbness coursed through Jungkook and Jimin, almost making the younger forget about his mental pain for a second but it did not disappear completely. When Jin was done, he let his hands linger and only then, Jimin noticed that they were shaking. Silent tears fell on the table and Jin tried his hardest to still wear a smile on his face.

         “It’s gonna be okay, Jungkookie. He’ll be with us faster than we think.”

But the truth was that they did not know how long it would take and all of them were horribly aware of that. It had been their mission to try and get into the spell protected area but they failed. Who else was going to solve the mystery about the protection spell? It could take days, weeks – months even. All of them were aware but none of them could say it out loud. Jimin was hurting because he himself really liked their leader and it was devastating enough for him alone but Jungkook felt it much stronger. There was just so much guilt, it was eating both of them up. But instead of confiding in Jimin, Jungkook seemed strangely distant, feeling conflicted, whenever the wolf tried to close the distance between them.

         “I’m going to my room” Jungkook announced after a while of tension-filled silence and got up, not waiting for Jimin.

The rest was a little confused, why the maknae suddenly wanted to leave that quickly, especially without Jimin because he had proven to be the only one besides Namjoon to calm the fire witch’s temper. A little anxiously, Jimin got up as well, following the maknae. Feeling that he wanted distance, while they were walking towards the dorm, the wolf respected that, staying a few steps behind him. Some people were glancing at them curiously, wondering what was happening, as most of the people around the practice rooms had noticed the headmaster being there but Jungkook did not pay them any mind and just walked straight to the dorms. When they got there, the maknae wanted to enter his apartment right away but Jimin grabbed his wrist on instinct, not comfortable with leaving his mate alone in times liked these. Jungkook flinched at that and that weird conflict of guilt and comfort.

         “Jungkook-ah––“

         “I want to be alone” Jungkook said surprisingly coldly.

         “No, you don’t. I don’t want to leave you alone right now. It’s against my instincts” the wolf frowned.

A wave of guilt, yet also desire to be with him rushed through his body and the conflict of those two made Jimin’s head spin a little. Why was Jungkook forcing himself to put distance between them, when neither of them wanted it?

         “I want you to leave me alone for now” Jungkook clarified, using his power over the wolf to make him go away, as Jimin always did, what the witch wanted.

         “Please–––don’t tell me to leave” the smaller shook his head a little, tightening the grip around the younger’s wrist, “why do you want me to leave, when I clearly feel that you need me. That you want me to be with you right now?”

Gulping, Jungkook supressed tears that were daring to run down his face, averting his eyes to not have to look at the desperate look on Jimin’s face. It was silent for a moment and Jimin hoped that the fire witch would change his mind but unfortunately, he did not.

         “Let go of my arm, please” Jungkook demanded, his voice wavering, clearly showing how unstable he was.

Gritting his teeth because he felt useless, Jimin did as he was told, watching Jungkook how he closed the door behind him without even looking at the wolf, leaving him alone in front of the door of the witches’ dorm. Coldness engulfed him, making sure to tell him that letting Jungkook alone was not a good idea. However, it was what Jungkook wanted, so Jimin had to respect that. Helplessly, he went into the wolf’s dorm, crawling under the covers of his bed, before he sat up, putting his forehead against the wall because he knew Jungkook was on the other side. They were still close, yet so far apart. The worst part was that the fire witch did not get better. He still felt horribly guilty and the pain of losing Namjoon was not going away. It was a constant uncomfortable pull at both of their hearts that steadily got worse; it got so bad that Jimin forgot the track of time and jumped at the warm, comfortable hand on his shoulder. Temporarily pulled out of Jungkook’s depression, Jimin turned around to look up to Hoseok’s compassionate smile, although he looked beat as well.

         “Why aren’t you with Jungkookie?” he asked, sitting down on the bed, joining the younger under the blanket.

         “He didn’t want me with him. He sent me away” Jimin sighed, leaning against Hoseok’s shoulder, letting the warmth of friendship comfort him.

         “Why would he do that? That’s what a relationship is for. To lean on your significant other in difficult times.”

         “He’s conflicted about it. I feel that he wants to be with me but at the same time, he feels guilty because he wants to be with me. He feels so much guilt and pain. It hurts so much and I feel so helpless because I can’t do anything about it” Jimin could not help the tears that were falling, “he’s just so afraid for Namjoon-hyung. We all are but he is so scared to lose him, it actually messes with his mind, I think.”

Hoseok sighed, wrapping his arms around the smaller properly, pulling him into his embrace, caressing his soft hair slowly. This was all he could do. It was not much but Jimin appreciated it. Having a pack member this close was comforting in the most intimate way. It calmed down his heartbeat and even though Jungkook’s feelings were still floating in his mind, he was able to relax. Within just a few minutes, he fell asleep in the elder’s arms, wrapped up in the blanket, having Hoseok still caressing his hair softly.

The grim atmosphere did not pass. During the next few days, all of them were anxious, constantly shuffling around between their dorms and the practice room. While Jin holed himself up in his room, Yoongi decided to distract himself with work, as he was now the temporary captain of Special Force. Taehyung spent a lot of time with Hoseok, while Jungkook barely came back to the academy, spending his time in the real world, busying himself with studying. It did not really work and Jimin knew that. He felt the frustration of not being able to memorise anything just as well as the nightly horrors and attacks of mental pain that Jungkook went through. The wolf wanted to help but Jungkook purposely distanced himself from him, even though he missed him. At least feeling that gave the wolf a little comfort. For some reason, Jungkook did not want to be with him but at least, he still loved him, otherwise, he would miss him.

A few days turned two week and there was still no sign of someone being able to break the spell, so Namjoon’s whereabouts stayed unknown. Jungkook started having nightmares and even though he should report back to the academy, he did not do such thing. He stayed holed up in his apartment in the human world, not even going to class anymore. Jimin rang his doorbell multiple times a day, trying to get through to him but eventually, he retreated to his house, getting comforted by warm hugs of his mother and father, who tried to cheer him up at least a little bit. It was a Monday evening, when Jimin tried again, ringing the same doorbell as he had done the weeks before. He should know by now that Jungkook would not let him in and he was already about to give up, when an old lady left the building, looking at him a little confused.

         “You’re the boy that keeps ringing the doorbell and disturbing all of us during the night!”

Widening his eyes, Jimin bowed deeply.

         “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t aware that I was bothering other people. I’m just worried about–– my friend. He hasn’t come out of his apartment for a while.”

         “Ah yes, Jungkook is his name, right? I put some bowls of rice in front of his door because I also noticed that he didn’t leave the house and at least, he ate those. Do you want to try and knock on his door? I can open this door for you” she offered.

         “That would be amazing! Thank you so much” Jimin bowed again and he almost ran up the stairs too fast.

He did not know, which door was Jungkook’s but he led the bond choose. That at least still worked. During this week, Jimin continuously got more anxious as he felt his scent fade on Jungkook and the possessive side of him got angry, wanting to get to his mate to mark him properly. Arriving at the door, he first tried knocking softly, not hearing anything from the inside.

         “Jungkook-ah” he said tentatively, “I know you’re in there.”

No response. It was completely silent in the building and when Jimin knocked a second time, it echoed down the stairway.

         “It’s not healthy that you hole yourself up like this” Jimin tried again, “I know you told me to leave you alone but I can’t let you starve yourself to death. It’s not good for you to stay alone like this. We’re all worried about you.”

Again. There was nothing in return.

         “I know you’re having nightmares. I can feel everything, Jungkook-ah. You may be able to hide this from the others by hiding yourself here but you can’t hide this from me. I just want to help you, please, Jungkook-ah” Jimin sighed, leaning his forehead against the door, continuing a little quieter than before, “we all miss him. We all are scared. Please don’t distance yourself from us––– from me. I know you feel the pain of separation from me too. You could end this part of your pain by simply opening this door. Please–––“

Suddenly, there was a thud on the other side of the door and Jimin listened carefully, his heartbeat increasing. He heard Jungkook shuffle in the room, sliding into his timberlands and before Jimin could properly get away from the door, it opened. Expecting Jungkook to talk to him Jimin was a little perplex, when the fire witch just stormed past him, taking two steps at a time. After collecting his thoughts, the wolf jumped after him, catching up only, when he turned into his half human form, thanking the heavens that it was already dark, so people passing them would not instantly notice his eyes. Only now, he realised the sudden fire within Jungkook. It was burning madly; a flame of hope. So powerful as the initial horror that hit Jimin two weeks ago. Confused, Jimin ran beside his mate, knowing, where they were going: a portal.

         “What’s going on, Jungkook-ah?” he panted, when they stopped in front of the portal.

Jungkook finally stopped for a second, the portal already open, and he looked at the smaller determined.

         “I know how to break the spell.”

Chapter Text

It happened all too fast. He heard Jimin whimper in pain, his feelings reaching him, dulling his other senses for a second. Watching Jungkook turn his head into the direction, Namjoon wanted to make sure that nothing happened to the fire witch but then, he just saw darkness. From that point on, everything was dark and he could not remember anything. The only thing he remembered, the only he felt was that burning in his throat.

The burning he knew so well.

The burning he hated so much.

The burning that made him animalistic.

Why was it already there again? He had just fed last night, since they were going on a mission today, so how was he already thirsty again? There was a throbbing at the back of his head; a stabbing pain that suddenly coursed through his body, waking him up from a slumber he was not aware he had been in. Feeling dizzy, he touched his head, feeling something wet. He opened his eyes, being welcomed by bright lights that blinded him for a moment, before he looked at his hand. There was blood on it. His blood. But how? Even if he had gotten hurt, it should have healed by now. Confused, Namjoon tried to focus, looking around. He was lying on a hard, cheap looking single bed but around it there was nothing. only, when he looked at the entire room, he spotted a wooden desk with a laptop, some papers and some medical equipment on it. There was nothing else. Just white walls and a dark concrete floor. it slowly dawned on him where he was. It was the only possibility. Jungkook would have never let someone take him without trying anything he could, so he was probably sucked into the protection spell. He had to be in Jun’s hideout. Flinching at the sudden pain coming from his head again, he did not notice how the door on the far left opened because his senses were dulled by the pain.

         “You’re awake” a deep voice vibrated through the room, making every hair stand on Namjoon’s body.

He knew this voice. It was one of the first voices he had heard in his life and it was that voice, which he loathed the most.

His father.

His instinct was to change in order to heighten his senses but he had learnt to control it, so he stayed in his human form. Focusing his eyes on the man before him, he was speechless. He did not age one bit. His father still looked exactly the same as he did all those years ago. How was this even possible? He was not as powerful as their headmaster, so he could not have used the same spell as him, so how was he still looking the same? Looking just as authoritative – as threatening – as back then, he walked inside the room, not sparing Namjoon one single look, having his hands folded behind his back, wearing a white coat like one of a doctor’s, his hair just as black as it used to be. Only, when he got to the desk, he turned around and focused his eyes on the half breed.

         “You’re surely confused on why you’re still bleeding” he said, sitting down on the desk chair, “I’ve given you a potion that stops you from healing quickly. If you’re wondering why you’re thirsty, it’s because your body constantly wants to heal you, so you’re getting thirsty faster than you usually do. It’s been a while but I see you have learnt to control yourself quite well. Other vampires would have already shown their true self at this stage.”

A potion that stopped quick healing. That was everything the half breed could decipher, his head spinning a little. Squinting his eyes, he stared at the man that was sitting a few metres away from him. It was hard to focus, pain still dulling his ability to concentrate properly. But what he saw was the ever-neutral facial expression of his father and he shivered at the many memories that came back. He had never been a good father. From the very beginning, Namjoon had always adored his mother and feared his father. Back when he was small, his father never had time for him and when he was at home, he constantly reprimanded the young half breed that he had to train harder, get stronger more quickly. Then, his mother passed away unexpectedly and Namjoon was forced to move to the academy, training every day without really having a good childhood, just to get one tiny smile from his father as a reward.

         “It’s illegal to create such a potion” Namjoon groaned, trying to sit up properly.

         “You should know better. I don’t care about the academy’s rules. I only serve one man and his rules are the ones I follow. I personally don’t understand why the academy made the decision of making it illegal but that is an entirely different discussion that we don’t need to have right now.”

Namjoon felt his blood starting to boil at that comment. Of course, he knew who his father served. That was the reason of the huge catastrophe back then. His father had been the headmaster’s replacement but he was also a sleeper agent for Cain. No one had known back then and no one could have known. It had surprised everyone, when a huge wave of vampires had appeared inside the academy, having killed too many witches. Too many lives had been lost that night. Simply hearing his father profess his loyalty to Cain mad him so angry, he had to hold himself back not to jump at him and try to rip his throat out. But instead of doing that, the half breed took a deep breath, counting down from 10 to calm himself down. If he was captured like this, he had to use this chance to get information and the easiest way was to read his father’s mind. It was harder than usual, since he still had a hard time focussing his mind on one thing and while it normally came natural to him, other people’s thoughts just flowing into his head, it was difficult right now. He kept his eyes closed, feeling his father’s cold aura, trying to reach the unconscious of his mind but all he saw was a wall. A big concrete wall that was unbreakable. It was similar to what he saw, whenever he tried to enter Jungkook’s mind, when the maknae closed his mind from him. But with the fire witch, it felt like a protective coat of something that looked like foam. It was moving and soft and not at all cold and unforgiving like the wall he saw right now. Confused, Namjoon opened his eyes, noticing the tiny smile on his father’s face.

         “Don’t bother. Do you really think I would let them capture you without being prepared for your ability? You should know that I’m able to block someone’s mind from yours. You recently captured one of my guards, did you not?”

Morgan Barner. His mind had also been spell-protected. But it had felt different, when Namjoon had tried to enter his mind.

        “You’re not used to someone withstanding your powers. I can see you’re getting frustrated.”

         “Why did you bring me here?” Namjoon finally asked the most important question.

Why was he here? His father had not tried to reach him in all this time and the half breed did not have anything special about him, except his ability. But was that reason enough to capture him? Did they find out about Jungkook? But if they did, they would have captured him, not the half breed.

         “Two of my guards were killed. They seemed to have died because of werewolf venom. I wasn’t aware that the academy was working with wolves again. It’s been over 800 years, since the wolves had any relations with witches” Jun ignored his question, smiling almost smugly, as if he was very satisfied with himself.

        “Lots has changed, since you showed your true colours. You would be surprised how much” the half breed hissed.

         “So it seems. Thank you for giving me werewolf venom. We haven’t encountered wolves in a while and I was running out of venom, but now, I have more than enough for the next month.”

Namjoon would have asked why he needed werewolf venom but his father was known to do strange experiments, creating all sorts of dangerous, illegal potions and spells that had extreme side-effects. Asking him about it was pointless, since he was not going to tell him anything anyways.

         “I wonder what kind of team you are in. Your partner he seemed––“

        “Leave him out of this!” Namjoon snapped, cursing himself internally for making a mistake.

Jun wanted to provoke him. It was so obvious and the half breed should have known better. His father probably wanted to test, how close they were and with yelling like that, Namjoon proved that Jungkook was important to him. Did they already find out who Jungkook was? Were they aware that Jungkook was still alive? That he was not killed like his brother all those years ago? Namjoon’s heartbeat accelerated unhealthily, fear for his friend’s safety creeping up his spine.

         “You care about him a lot” Jun stated, “I wonder why. He didn’t even notice that you were captured. My guards just pulled you away from him like it was nothing. You haven’t changed; you still enjoy spending time with weaklings.”

His fingers started curling, the desire to defend his partner growing inside of him but this time, he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. Talking about Jungkook was absolutely not an option. His identity had to stay hidden. If Jung and Cain found out that Jungkook was still alive, they would try everything to get to him.

         “Why am I here, Jun?” Namjoon repeated, trying to avert the conversation from Jungkook.

         “It’s still father for you” he said strictly, his smile falling from his face, replaced by a cold frown.

         “You’ve never been a father to me” the half breed growled back.

         “I’m your blood. You belong to me. I decide over you. I might have lost you for some time because I couldn’t get you back then but I created you for one and only one reason. You were born to serve Cain.”

         “What!?” Namjoon frowned.

         “Not many witch men are willing to breed with–––“

         “Breed with!?” the half bread yelled.

         “Don’t interrupt me” Jun warned, getting up from his chair and the memory of his hand meeting the half bread’s cheek violently coming back to him, shivering under the threatening tone and he could not help but be quiet, “the only reason I bred with your mother was to create you. You only exist because you have to serve our master Cain.”

Namjoon felt sick. He knew his father was awful but this, this was horrifyingly disgusting. How could he even say such a thing? Did he never love his mother? Was he that cruel? Had he always been Cain’s underling? Was the half breed really just born because he was supposed to be another part of Cain’s clan? Was that why he was created? He felt how he was getting angry and frustrated but also sad and insecure. It had been a while, since he felt like this but he had to stay calm. If he lost control here, he did not know what would happen.

         “I will never serve someone as cruel as Cain. You can’t force me to” Namjoon hissed, getting up, feeling his strength come back, “and your potion is wearing off, I can feel my body healing.”

         “Your mind has been poisoned by the academy. I understand that. That’s why you’re here and not at Cain’s castle. I will turn you into what you were supposed to be, before I had to leave you behind.”

Namjoon felt the urge to snort at that. The mind which was poisoned was that of his father’s. He had always told him to control himself better and now, he said it was the academy’s fault? What kind of joke was this? Clenching his fists, he turned around, not wanting to look at his father anymore. Feeling his strength coming back, his head clearing up from that strange poison that was in his system, he started thinking of ways to get out of here. There were multiple problems but two of them were harder to solve. The barrier around the hideout and the barrier around the space Namjoon was in. He first had to find out how to break those barriers, before he could actually think about how he could escape with the unknown number of guards that were in this hideout. He had no idea how to start on the barrier around the hideout, so he concentrated on the barrier right in front of him. It felt like an electric field that as soon as one would cross the invisible line, one would get shocked. It was one of the strongest stunning barriers that existed and they were very hard to break. Usually, only the one who casted the spell for it could remove it again. However, Jungkook might be able to just break through it. His element allowed him to control electricity as well. He had played with a socket once, when he was small but he did not get shocked, even though he had stuck a fork in it. His parents had thought the socket must have been broken but when the fire witch told Namjoon about this story, he was sure, it was because of Jungkook’s element. Even back then, when the witch was still so small, his element had protected him. Namjoon was sure that the fire witch could fry the barrier but for that, he would have to be here.

         “I’m sure you’re thirsty” his father suddenly spoke again, ripping Namjoon out of his thoughts, reminding him of that familiar burn in his throat.

Of course, he was thirsty. He did not know how long he had been unconscious, how long his body had tried to heal himself but he must have been out for a while because the scratching in his throat was worse than it should be. It felt like he had not fed in a week, already feeling like he was getting to his limit of actually starting to starve.

         “I brought you something” Jun mentioned and the half breed heard the door open.

He smelled her before he saw her. Fresh blood coursing in a healthy body, walking into the room. Turning around, Namjoon widened his eyes at the small figure that was held in a guard’s grip. She was a red head, looking British, freckles covering her small face, her eyes wet as well as her cheeks, looking like she had cried for a while but her mouth was shut. Jun had probably used a spell to keep her quiet. Terrified, she struggled, trying to somehow free herself but it was no use; the guard was too strong. But one thing was clear and that was unacceptable.

         “You brought a human into this dimension!? Are you nuts?” Namjoon asked angrily.

However, he could not avert his eyes from her. He could feel the blood move in her veins, feel the pulsing of her erratically beating heart, feel the fear that drove her blood through her system faster than it normally would. But it was still bearable. He had been under people, when he was thirstier. Even though there was a part of him that wanted to bury his fangs in her neck and suck her dry, it was rather small. He knew how to control himself.

         “I want you to feed on her” Jun explained, giving a sign to the guard, who pushed her forward.

She stumbled a little, walking through the barrier like it was nothing, falling over her own feet because she was so scared and Namjoon could not help but catch her, not wanting her to scrap her knees. He wanted to prevent her from getting any scratches, so that he did not have to smell her blood directly. She looked up, her eyes wide in terror, her body shivering under the half breed’s strong hands. Namjoon could not help but gulp, sparing one look to her neck, spotting her main artery right away. But then, he sighed, pushing the desire to let his fangs show back into his mind, making her sit down on the bed, patting her head, before he turned back around, glaring at his father.

         “I’m not gonna feed on her. You have to bring her back and erase her memory. How can you bring a human into this dimension? It’s too dangerous. What if someone misses her? You can’t just kidnap people!”

         “You’re going to feed on her, Namjoon-ah” Jun said strictly and the half breed shivered a little at the use of the nickname.

         “No! And just for the record, you were the one who kept telling me to control myself better and now you want me to feed of a human? You’re making no sense!” Namjoon growled, taking a step forward, very aware of where the barrier was.

         “Control does not mean suppression of what you are. That’s what the academy told you. You’re stronger, when you feed directly from the neck, instead of cold blood bags. You just need to learn how to control it. I’m aware of the fact that you’ll kill a few, before you will be able to control yourself but that’s what it takes.”

         “You’re sick” Namjoon snickered, “I’m not going to feed on her.”

Jun watched him for a moment, before he sighed, averting his eyes to the girl.

         “Cassy, be a good girl and come here” Jun said sweetly and immediately, the body language of the girl changed.

It was like a switch had been turned. She got up, her gaze empty, like she was in a daze, walking towards Jun without a second thought, crossing the barrier again. His father must have put a spell on her. It was forbidden to manipulate humans with any kind of magic but here his father was, doing it like it was nothing.

         “You can have her, since my son doesn’t want her” Jun told the guard, whose lips curled up into a smirk, nodding, before he walked up to the girl.

The guard made sure that Namjoon had a great view of her neck, standing behind her, locking eyes with Namjoon, before he opened his mouth, showing off his fangs, burying them deep inside her neck. The half breed tensed up at the smell; it hit him like a bullet, overwhelming him and he could not help the flicker of red in his eyes, gulping down the desire to snap forward and bite her as well. The guard groaned into her throat, bathing in the pained moan the girl let out. He could have killed her slowly but he was having fun torturing her, draining her slowly.

         “This might take longer than I thought it would” Jun sighed, “you’re scared of yourself.”

Namjoon glared at him, hating how his father could still read him this easily. He was indeed scared of what his vampire side could do. He had never bitten anyone in his life. The closest he got to it was when he was badly hurt and Jungkook had slit his wrist and fed him forcefully, not wanting him to bleed to death. But he had been so weak, he did not bite the fire witch, so he had never used his fangs before. Not only because he was not allowed to do so but also because he was afraid use them. He used to struggle with his self-control in general, he did not have to provoke it by biting someone. Suddenly, Namjoon saw Jun do hand signs, mumbling something to it, before he stretched out his hand and that was when a sudden bolt of electricity coursed through his body, making him shake violently. His knees gave in and he felt himself falling, his head hitting the ground harshly, knocking the breath out of him and at that point he lost consciousness, darkness engulfing him once again.

Time passed just like that. At first, Namjoon tried to count the hours he was in there, wanting to keep track of time but since there was no window, he had no idea what time of day it was. Whenever he woke up, Jun came sooner or later, bringing another girl, trying to make him feed but the half breed kept resisting. Unfortunately, every time he brought another one, it got harder to resist. Every hit of electricity made his thirst worse and it got harder to concentrate on not giving in to his desires. It took a while, until he found out that the bolt of electricity was coming from the barrier and that Jun had somehow managed to manipulate it, so that it could also be used as a weapon. It also confused him that Jun was able to bring so many humans into this dimension because the academy was usually notified, when a human passed through a portal.

Once again, he woke up with his head thumping uncomfortably, his body screaming at him that he needed to feed. Jun did not have to use the potion on him anymore; his body was too weak to heal him quickly, so his head was probably still bruised heavily from all the falling. Groaning at how sore his body felt, he forced himself to sit up, leaning his back against the bed, staring at the ceiling. How long had he been here? How long had he been starving? What were the others doing? Especially Jin and Jungkook were probably in a bad condition. While Jin was probably mature enough to mask it pretty well, Namjoon could just imagine how unstable Jungkook was right now. He was aware of just how attached the fire witch was to him and he was just as attached to him. They had helped each other accept their past and the bond between them was stronger than anyone probably knew. Namjoon felt bad to make Jungkook feel abandoned again. The fire witch was probably blaming himself, even though it was not his fault at all. It was no one’s fault. He kept trying to hear Jungkook’s thoughts, hoping that they were remotely close, hoping for rescue. The furthest he had been able to hear the fire witch’s thoughts were five kilometres but if they were not even in Ireland, he had no chance of receiving anything. Additionally, it was hard to even concentrate on his ability without having fed in a while. However, he kept trying, having come to the conclusion that this was the only thing he could do. He would not get out of here without help. Hearing the door open, Namjoon did not even bother to look anymore; the procedure was always the same. Instead, he closed his eyes, waiting for it to be done.

         “Namjoon-ah” his father approached him with his ever-strict voice.

         “Don’t call me by a nickname” the half breed sighed, not bothering to look up.

Jun mumbled something to either the guard or the girl but Namjoon did not care. He felt sad that he could not do anything to help the girls that were brought here. They did not deserve to die like this. He smelled the girl coming closer but different from the others, she did not seem scared at all. Maybe, Jun had put a different spell on her this time. He did not really care much. But then, he felt her sit down on his lap, cupping his face. Jolting at the sudden closeness to fresh blood, he opened his eyes, freezing, when she leant down to kiss him roughly. The half breed was so shocked, he did not move for a moment. Only when he realised what was actually happening, he grabbed her wrists, pushing her off him, getting up immediately, feeling a little light-headed because he had moved too fast. But she got up and tried again, letting her hands run over Namjoon’s chest, biting her lip. Defiantly, he grabbed her wrists again, keeping her away.

         “What’s this supposed to accomplish?” he asked, turned his head to his father, who observed them with a neutral face.

         “Arousal makes a man forget about almost anything. It might help you lose your fear of embracing what you’re truly are” Jun explained, “do you think I enjoy torturing my son by starving him? I just want to help you, Namjoon-ah.”

         “Then give me a blood bag” Namjoon snorted, “and sorry to tell you this but she won’t get me aroused. I don’t swing that way.”

         “What?” suddenly, Jun’s face fell and for the first time, Namjoon had caught him off guard.

         “I’m gay, so getting this girl to kiss me won’t do anything to me” the half breed elaborated, allowing himself to smirk a little, enjoying this little moment of triumph.

He had almost expected that his father was against homosexuality. Cain’s clan was known to be very conservative, so this was not a surprise to him. Pushing the girl out of the barrier, Namjoon sat back down on the bed, still feeling terribly thirsty but having managed to anger his father was giving him at least some kind of satisfaction.

         “I didn’t think that living with them for so long even made you believe that you’re gay, since you are obviously not. You’re my son, you can’t be gay.”

         “I’m so gay, you have no idea” Namjoon chuckled, “I have quite the reputation or sleeping around at the academy. I just don’t find girls attractive at all. Sorry for never giving you grandchildren, dad.”

He stressed the word dad on purpose, calling him father for the first time, since he was there because he knew in this context, Jun would not like to be called his father. There was a heavy sigh coming from Jun, who massaged his temples, gesturing the guard to take care of the girl, before he left the room without saying anything more. Maybe, this was enough to convince him that this was not going to work. He would never work for Cain, even if he was to really kill a person. Eventually his team would find a way to rescue him, he was sure of that.

At one point, he fell asleep again; it was the only thing that really helped against the terrible burn in his throat. He did not know when but when he woke up, he felt that someone was sitting next to him. Feeling dizzy, he opened his eyes, wanting to jerk away, since he noticed that it was a man sitting next to him but a gentle hand touched him, stopping him from moving and that was when the sweet smell of blood hit his nostrils. It was like a tsunami that washed over him, threatening to destroy his wall of self-control. It was sweeter than the blood of all the girls before. Maybe, it was because he had woken him up and Namjoon was not in his right mind yet.

         “Wha––“ the half breed started, trying to push away the hand but then, the man put a finger on his lips, shutting him up.

         “Shh–– it’s okay. You don’t have to push me away. It’s only us two” the man said softly, his voice soothing, sounding Korean, even though he was speaking English.

Only now, he was able to focus his eyes on the man that sat beside him and when he looked at him, the first thing that came to him was handsome. He was rather slim, had full lips and dyed brown hair, his bangs falling into his face. If he was not that small, Namjoon could have mistaken him for Jin. Coming to his senses, he tried retreating his hands, not trusting this situation – not trusting the burning desire in his throat, which made him stare at the boy’s neck hungrily. He was human, it was so obvious. He was yet another one of Jun’s attempts to make him lose himself but this time, he actually felt really bad for the boy before him. He did not deserve to be here. He probably had a girl or boy waiting for him at home but he had been compelled to do this.

         “You need to leave” Namjoon croaked out, sitting up against the headboard, feeling how his body was drawn to the boy’s blood.

         “Why?” he tilted his head innocently, shifting, placing himself in the half breed’s lap.

This was absolutely wrong. He did not want to have another boy in his lap other than Jin. Those times were over. He might have slept around a lot but he did not lust after anyone anymore. The only man he wanted was Jin. Yet here he was, too weak to push a human boy away, his body telling him to devour the innocent figure on top of him. He looked younger too, maybe 18, maybe even younger, which made this whole affair even worse.

         “Seriously, you need to go––“

         “Bite me, hyung” the boy suddenly switched to Korean, leaning closer, exposing his neck, rolling his hips purposefully, “I want to feel your fangs buried in my neck. Vampire venom is arousing, isn’t it? Please, hyung, I want your bite.”

Seeing the boy’s vein throb under his skin, Namjoon shivered, trying his best not to give in but the boy’s grinding was horribly distracting. He could not stop his hands from gripping the boy’s thighs tightly, hating his body for betraying his mind. But it was not just his body. He felt his senses slip away, dulling his rationality. The only thing on his mind was the boy’s blood. The smell was just too inviting. It surrounded him, drawing him in, making him observe the boy’s neck attentively, not noticing how he got closer, nosing his shoulder, moving upwards.

         “You have to lea–––“ he tried weakly, a small part of him still resisting the urge to just bite into the neck.

Feeling his fangs elongating, he tried keeping his mouth closed but the loud thumping of the boy’s heart was luring him in, making him lick his lips. It was just a boy. He was no one important. No one would miss him. Only a small sip and everything would be fine.

         “I shouldn’t–––“ he mumbled against the boy’s neck, groaning, when the latter rolled his hips again.

         “It’s okay––“ the boy whispered, “I want you to. No one will judge you.”

It was just a simple bite. Nothing more. No one would notice. He would regain his strength, stop the painful burn in his throat and everything would be fine. Just two little wounds on this boy’s fair skin and he would be in bliss. He smelled so good and Namjoon could feel the artery throb against his lips, breathing in the intoxicating scent. Unconsciously, he licked along the artery, groaning at how willing the boy on top of him was. Without really noticing, the half breed gave in, opening his mouth, pricking the skin of the boy’s neck, letting delicious, hot blood run into his mouth. Losing the rest of his will to resist, his hands moved up to the boy’s hips, pressing him against his body, shifting forwards, pressing him into the hard mattress, his fangs still buried deep inside his neck. The hotness of the blood burned away the ache in his throat but he still wanted more. It tasted so good, he could not hold himself back anymore. It was so much better than those cold blood bags he had all his life. This blood was still alive, still fresh, right from the source. This was how it was supposed to be. This is what his fangs were for. Greedily, he bit down harder, sucking as much blood out of the smaller as he could. The was the body went limp under him stayed unnoticed; his need to still his hunger was too big to notice anything in the room. He also did not notice how Jun had entered the room.

         “It’s enough. He’s already dead” Jun’s voice appeared but Namjoon kept sucking blood, even though he was not thirsty anymore.

He could not stop. He wanted to; slowly, he was getting his senses back, feeling stronger than ever but also weaker than he had ever been. Pulling back was supposed to be easy but he just could not bring himself to take his fangs out of the lifeless body beneath him.

         “I said it’s enough!” Jun yelled, making the half breed jerk, pulling away to growl at his father.

Shocked, he averted his gaze back to the corpse under him, realising what he had done. He had just killed someone by sucking the life out of them. It was exactly what he never wanted to do. Disgust washed over him, guilt invading his floating head. He felt like crying. The boy had deserved better. And the strange similarity to Jin made this so much worse. In a way, this was one of his nightmares. He was always afraid that he would lose control with Jin, since the nature witch’s blood smelled much better than others’, so controlling himself around him was always a little harder. The fear of actually hurting Jin was constantly there and now that Namjoon had killed a boy that looked like him, he felt that fear turning into reality. Tears started running down his cheeks, hating himself for what he had done but what he loathed the most was how strong his need was to lean back down and suck the rest of his blood out. Suddenly, there was a hand on his head, making him jerk, not having noticed how Jun had entered the barrier and had walked up to him. The hand on his head was too familiar. He used to do that back when Namjoon was small, when he finally had met at least some of his expectations.

         “Good job. I’m proud of you son.”

The exact same words he used back then. It was haunting how similar this was to the past. Maybe, that was the reason, why Namjoon could not move. He should attack Jun. The opportunity was there but he just could not bring his body to move. He allowed him to stroke his head like a proud father, while his tears were still running down his face. Even though he felt blissed out and light-headed, feeling his strength return, he felt like sleeping for a strange reason.

         “It’s okay. You’ve done well. This was the first step. I gave the boy a potion beforehand. You’re feeling sleepy now. Go to sleep. My guard will get rid of the body” Jun explained.

A part of the half breed was angry, wanted to resist, to stop himself from falling asleep. This was not fair. Finally, he was strong enough to try and reach out to someone, anyone. He felt his ability so well now, could hear the thoughts of the guard in the back. He could try and look for someone that was close to the hideout. But he was getting so tired, he could not help but close his eyes, feeling how Jun helped him lie down on the bed again and before he could stop it, he drifted off into darkness.

The next time he woke up, his head was clear and his body was not aching anymore. He had not felt this good in a while. His vision seemed to be better as well. But instead of sitting up, he closed his eyes again, lying still, pretending to still be asleep. Finally, he had a moment for himself. With the new clearness in his mind, he concentrated, letting his mind wander, searching for anyone close to the hideout. It was harder to reach anyone other than Jungkook blindly. Usually, he would make eye contact with the person he tried to read their mind, when they were further away but without that, it was much harder. However, now that he felt fresh blood coursing through his body, he was confident that it would work, assuming that someone was out there. First, he tried to read the mind of the guards that were there but all they thought about were unimportant things. Concentrating more, he went further away from himself, out of the building he was in and that was, when he realised where they actually were. He had expected to not hear anyone out there because the hideout was deep inside a forest but suddenly, he heard so many thoughts at the same time.

I should go shopping later this afternoon.

I hate this weather.

That girl is pretty.

That guy is staring at me.

The bus is late again.

Normal thoughts. Human thoughts. But he should not hear thoughts like this in a forest in the other dimension. This could only mean one thing. They were not in the other dimension but in the real world. It all made sense. That was why they were able to bring so many humans without having the academy notice it. That was why Special Force was not able to break the barrier of the hideout. Because there was no barrier to begin with. Jun must have figured out how to create portals, putting them wherever he wanted them. His guards must have pulled the half breed through one of them, when they kidnapped him. The whole hideout was not in the other dimension but in the real world. Surprised by this discovery, he let his mind come back to his body, opening his eyes. This was important information. He only had to get this to Jungkook. If he could only reach out to him. Suddenly, the door opened and once again, the sweet smell of blood invaded his space, making him turn his head instantly. This time, Jun came in with another guy, who looked a little dazed. Namjoon did not intend to get up and walk until he almost touched the barrier, his fangs coming out involuntarily, his eyes red as the blood he wanted to taste. It caught him off guard and in the back of his mind, he knew how wrong it was but he could not hold himself back. He needed to sink his teeth in the neck of that boy. gulping at the scent of his blood, Namjoon stared at him, ignoring the slightly amused expression on his father’s face.

         “Now this is a 180-degree change” Jun commented, pushing the boy inside the barrier, “try to hold yourself back this time.”

Barely hearing that, Namjoon was still focused on the boy. As soon as he was inside the barrier, the half breed walked up to him, pulling him closer instinctively, making the boy lean his head to the side and without any second thoughts, he sank his teeth into the boy’s skin, sucking greedily. It was like a switch had turned inside him. Everything he had tried to suppress was coming out. He did not have to feed just yet but his lust for blood was too strong, he could not hold back. This time, he felt how the boy in his arms got weaker, how he was sucking the life out of him but still, he could not will himself to stop. Only, when he was holding a lifeless body, he pulled back, sighing in satisfaction, before his knees gave in, feeling light-headed again. Guilt started spreading in his mind, as he let go of the body. This was what he had been afraid of. He could not hold back anymore. He would jump at any human at this point. He realised that he could not even try and escape by himself because if he was to escape, he would be in the human world, surrounded by innocent souls he would attack. Sighing, he realised that he was stuck here in more ways than just one.

         “I’m glad you don’t hold yourself back anymore. Enjoy the rush of the potion. I’ll be back tomorrow” Jun sighed, telling his guard to remove the body, before they left, leaving the half breed on the ground.

He just barely managed to pull himself back on the bed, drowsiness preventing him to use the strength he got to actually try and figure out a way out of this situation.

The procedure stayed the same. Seven days. Seven people he killed. Seven days he slept because of the strange potion that Jun gave his victims, before he sucked them dry. Slowly, Namjoon felt his sanity slip away, only being awake to kill someone. The only good thing about this was that the half breed now knew time again. One victim, one day. He had been here for at least seven days. Seven days, where the others were probably worrying for him. What if they never found out that the hideout was in the real world and not in the other dimension? Did he have to stay here forever? Was this his life now? After the fourth victim, he felt how the guilt became less strong and that was what scared him. Killing innocent people was starting to get normal for him. It was like a routine. He still hated it but he did not hate it that much like at the beginning.

The eighth day came around quickly. Jun brought in a girl and Namjoon had sucked her dry faster than the others, since she was more delicate than the rest. Jun sighed, as always, letting his guard take the body, before they left again. Knowing the routine, Namjoon lied down, sighing at the dizziness. But somehow, it was less extreme this time. He was relatively awake for that he had just fed. But it did not help him. He was still stuck here. If he could only find Jungkook. But he was in the other dimension or on the other side of the earth, if he was in the human world. Still, having nothing better to do, Namjoon concentrated, trying to remember what Jungkook’s mind felt like. He tried picturing the fire witch in front of him.

It’s my fault.

Suddenly, Namjoon heard his voice. It was absolutely clear in his head, like he was standing right beside him.

 It’s all my fault. He’s gone. They have him. It’s my fault. I can’t save him. How do I save him? Where is he? I miss him. I miss him. I miss him. It’s my fault. He’s gone and it’s my fault.

Was this really Jungkook? Were this really his thoughts right now? Did he really reach his partner’s mind, even though he was so far away?

Jungkookie…

There was no point in reaching out, yet he tried anyways. The maknae felt so terribly guilty, even though, it was not his fault at all.

Is he even still alive? What are they doing to him? It’s my fault. It’s my fault that he’s gone. Everyone around me is getting hurt. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t interact with anyone. I’m useless. It’s my fault. I can’t do anything. Why can’t I do anything? I wanna save him. But where is he? I miss him. I miss him.

Frowning, Namjoon tried again, wanting to lift that weight from his partner’s shoulders.

Jungkookie…

Hyung?

What? Did he just call out for him? Did Jungkook just hear him? It could not be. This was just a coincidence. This was not part of his ability. He had tried this so many times before and failed every single time.

Hyung? Hyung!?

Jungkook sounded desperate and unsure. The tone hurt the half breed’s heart, hating to hear that his partner was in such distress.

Jungkookie, can you actually hear me?

He tried. Slowly, he felt the dizziness getting stronger but he had to hold on a little longer; he had to find out, if the fire witch could really hear him.

Hyung, yes! Yes, I can hear you! I can! How is this possible? Is this really you? Is this really you in my mind? I’m not going insane, right? This is you, right!?

Feeling himself losing focus, Namjoon had to hurry.

Listen Jungkookie. I’m about to fall asleep because he gave me a potion. I can’t tell you what happened but I know where I am. The hideout isn’t in the other dimension. It’s in the real world. I heard people around the building. It’s probably in the same place geographically, just in the human world! I’m locked inside an electricity-based barrier. I believe you can break it with your element. There are at least 20 guards and some nature witches. But please, don’t rush into this! Tell the others! Come up with a plan. I’ll survive, until you’ll come get me. I’m counting on you Jungkookie!

Namjoon was not too sure how much of the message was conveyed, since his focus was getting weaker with each word. As soon as he had voiced out Jungkook’s name in his mind, he felt his consciousness slip away again but this time, he drifted off with hope that he was going to be saved.

Chapter Text

Too stunned by what just happened, Jungkook moved while still being in a daze, tripping over his own feet, when he got off his bed, falling over. It was like a switch had been turned inside him. All this time, he was so anxious, feeling horribly guilty but now, his inner fire was burning again – a fire of hope lighting him up from inside, pushing him towards his shoes, needing to get out of there as fast as possible. He barely noticed that he almost ran into Jimin, who had been standing in front of his door, having begged him to open it – to let him in. But the fire witch was too focused now.

Finally, he had a purpose again.

Finally, there was an actual chance of rescuing his partner.

Finally, he was able to do something.

Hastily, he took two steps at a time, rushing down the stairs of his apartment building. It was like Jungkook only had tunnel vision now. The only thing on his mind was Namjoon. Almost blindly, he ran towards the closest portal and he waited for it to open, when a familiar voice broke through his concentration.

         “What’s going on Jungkook-ah?” Jimin asked out of breath, looking at the younger with concerned eyes.

         “I know how to break the spell” was everything Jungkook said, before he stepped into the portal.

Light engulfed him and as soon as he felt ground beneath his feet again, he started running again, not waiting for the wolf. He barely ever ran through the academy. He hated doing that. It felt like he was young and foolish. There were only two occasions, when the fire witch ran through the corridors of the academy and those were either Taehyung teasing him and Jungkook trying to seriously hurt him or if something important was going on. And no matter which of these two options occurred, people stared – stared at Jungkook, who avoided every single person that was in his way. Some mumbled, wondering if something had happened but no one dared to stop him. Only, when he arrived at their dorm room, he had to stop, fishing for his keys and that was when Jimin caught up to him.

         “Jungkook-ah, hold on for a second!” he breathed, grabbing the younger’s arm but Jungkook just proceeded to open the door, pulling the wolf with him, “what do you mean by you know how to break the spell? How?”

         “It’s not a spell––“ Jungkook mumbled, walking into his room, opening his wardrobe, looking for the right clothes, “the hide out. It’s not in this dimension. It’s in the real world. I mean, it makes so much sense!”

Finally, he had found the tight but stretchy long sleeved black t-shirt as well as his black pants. It was his outfit for stealth missions because he could move properly, yet he would not get caught on something with his clothes. Hastily, he took off his clothes, not aware that Jimin was standing next to him, who had no idea what was going on.

         “But–––we knew it was there. And as far as I know, there are no portals, where Namjoon-hyung was captured?” the wolf frowned.

Pulling the black pants up, Jungkook finally looked at the smaller, whose worried eyes were fixed on him and something in the fire witch turned inside him. There was so much longing in those eyes. Genuine worry and so much love, even though he had been showing the wolf no kindness in the last two weeks. There was a part of Jungkook that just desperately wanted to fall into his arms, feel the strangely comfortable warmth of the wolf’s skin but he knew he could not do that anymore. He was too scared to do that now. It had been nice and he was going to miss it but he could not risk it anymore. That was why he averted his eyes, ignoring the pain in his chest, pulling the t-shirt over his head.

         “It makes sense because we’re not allowed to create our own portals. It’s a rule because it disrupts the order of the two worlds. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not possible. We just never tried because we’re not allowed to. Jun has probably managed to find a spell that creates portals. That’s probably also the reason why we can’t enter the hideout from this dimension because the portals are blocked. We just have to enter the real world and then, it won’t be a problem” Jungkook explained in a haste, already walking outside of the room again.

         “Wait up, Jungkook-ah, hold on!” Jimin tried, grabbing his arm a little firmer this time, his eyes glowing amber and the fire witch felt sharp nails poke through the material of his t-shirt, making him stop, “let’s think about this! How do you even know about this? You can’t just run into a hideout full of god knows how many vampires. It’s too dangerous! Let’s gather everyone and think about it!”

It was the logical thing to do. But Jungkook was not at all logical, when it came to rescuing someone he loved. He was impulsive and stupid, driven by his strong feelings that burned in his chest, making him shake off the wolf’s hand, squinting his eyes at him.

         “I can’t wait around any longer! I have to––– I need to go now. I don’t care, if I get hurt. It’s my fault he’s there. I need to save him!” the fire yelled, turning around, running out of dorm, making sure to grab his belt behind his door, to which some throwing knives were attached.

He heard Jimin call after him but his mind was already with Namjoon again. He could still not believe that the half breed had been able to reach out to him. He had never been able to do that but suddenly, it worked? It was still quite unbelievable but Jungkook was certain that he had heard the half breed’s voice inside his head and that was the driving force for him now. Once again, he rushed through the corridors and this time, everyone turned around to see what was going on, as he was wearing his stealth outfit and everyone knew what that meant. But Jungkook only noticed that in the back of his mind, rushing towards the portal room without giving anyone a second glance. Arriving at the portal room, glad that no one was there he had to explain his outfit to, he concentrated, imagining, where he wanted to go, before he took a deep breath and stepped through the portal. He knew that it was not a particularly smart idea to walk into this alone. He was also aware that he would get punished for this, as he was disobeying direct orders from the headmaster himself. But he did not care. If it meant saving Namjoon, he would do anything, even if that meant getting punished.

When he set foot on Irish ground, he was not surrounded by trees, as he was in the other dimension, but he was standing in an old looking alleyway, hearing cars from somewhere close by. It smelled dirty and it was much colder than in the other dimension. It was the same portal, which they had used to get to the area before but this time, he was in the real world. Cautiously, Jungkook stayed in the smaller alleys, highly aware of the belt with knives wrapped around his hips. For once, he wished he could sense supernatural aura. It would make it so much easier to find the hideout but unfortunately, he did not possess this 6^th sense. He just had to keep lurking in the shadows, trying to pick up some kind of signal of which building might be the hideout. Naturally, he tried reaching out to Namjoon but the elder was not responding, so Jungkook had to find it himself. After waiting for 10 minutes, he noticed two suspicious men entering the same alley he was in, so he quickly climbed up one of the buildings, hiding himself, watching them, as they walked towards an old factory, entering it right away. It had to be that building. Feeling how impatient he was, he parkoured down the building, deciding to just go for the same door those two guys had used. The burn in his chest drove him through that door, anxiousness and anger mixing inside him. He was aware that this was most probably not going to end well for him but it was the fastest way in and that was what mattered. All he cared about was getting Namjoon out of there as fast as possible. Determined, he opened the door being welcomed by the same guys he had tailed just a few moments ago, staring at him.

         “Oy, what d’ya think ya doin’ in’ere!?” the taller one approached him, already walking towards the fire witch.

         “Step aside, or I’ll kill you” Jungkook warned them, his voice flat, though the tension was audible.

         “Who do ya think y’are, lil boy?” the other snorted, also closing in on him.

         “You won’t live to find out” Jungkook gritted his teeth, watching the guys carefully.

After that, everything happened so fast.

The taller appeared right in front of Jungkook, trying to grab his throat but the fire witch dodged it easily, willing his hand to light up, before he pushed it right inside the guy’s chest, grabbing his violently beating heart, ripping it out without a second thought. Blood splattered everywhere, not having taken his time with it, so when Jungkook let the heart fall, his hand was drenched in blood. Before the other guy could call for help, the fire witch charged at him, knocking him down, breaking his neck. However, that was not enough to kill a vampire. Therefore, he took one of the throwing knives, heated it up and cut off his head, making sure that it was severed properly. Sighing, Jungkook looked up, noticing that a door opened further down the corridor – others had heard him. For a moment, they just stared, taking in the sight of what Jungkook had just done to two of their own.

         “Intruder!” someone shouted and before they reached Jungkook, he took a deep breath, calming his mind, bracing himself for the massacre he was about to create.

Five additional guards ran towards him; he was able to take to of them out with burning throwing knives, shocking the other three, since he was using fire freely. Using that to his advantage, he ran towards them, throwing another knife, kicking one of the men against the wall, punching the other in the face. Having knocked out one of them, he turned around and bored his hand into his chest, ripping out his heart, lighting it on fire to throw it onto the body that he had taken out with the throwing knife. There was only one still conscious and he was about to attack but Jungkook easily ducked away, pressing the guard against the wall, creating a blue flame at the end of his index and middle finger, holding it threateningly close to the man’s neck.

         “Where’s Namjoon?” Jungkook asked in English, his voice unforgiving.

         “You’re–––“ the man struggled, gulping at the fire so close to his neck, “you’re the fire wi––“

         “Where is Namjoon, I asked!” Jungkook yelled angrily, extinguishing the fire only to dig his piercing hot nails into the guy’s neck, strangling him, “tell me and I’ll make your death quick and painless.”

The man’s eyes flickered to the door at the very end of the corridor but quickly focused on Jungkook again, baring his fangs aggressively, showing no sign of co-operation, so he decided to kill him, ripping his heart out just like with the others. With his hands still bloody, he let the body fall to the ground, running towards the door that the guy had looked at, hoping that it was not a trap but actually the way to Namjoon. He would have been stealthier but his fragile mind told him to move forward as fast as he could, constantly trying to reach out to the elder but there was still nothing, making him grow even more restless. Barging into the next room, there were two vampires sitting with a nature witch, all three of them looking up in confusion. The vampires’ gaze immediately went down to Jungkook’s bloody hands, baring their teeth defensively, already getting up, shielding the nature witch. That would have been a sight to remember, vampires protecting a witch but Jungkook was more interested in that one door that seemed important, being locked up with chains.

         “You little––– how did ya get in’ere!?” one of the vampires hissed, already taking in a fighting position.

Jungkook just rolled his eyes, trying to locate the key on one of the vampires. That provoked the other one, who was next to the fire witch within less than a second and Jungkook wanted to dodge the punch but he could not see anymore all of a sudden. The guard’s fist met his jaw, making him stumble, almost falling but he managed to make three sidesteps, trying to regain his vision but there was only darkness. His ability to see had been completely dulled. For a second, he was confused but then, it clicked in his head. One of them was a born vampire, having an ability, which was apparently blinding someone.

         “Ya confused ‘cause ya can’t see?” the one further away cooed, seemingly amused by the way the fire witch was touching his jaw to see, whether he was hurt badly.

Taking a deep breath, Jungkook closed his eyes, concentrating on himself and his surroundings. Fighting blindly was nothing unusual for him. He had been training this with Namjoon for a while now, so as long as he could prepare himself properly, he did not have a handicap. They were not going to be faster than his partner, so he only had to focus properly.

Now that he was concentrating, he felt how the guard was taking a big swing but this time, Jungkook ducked away, grabbing his last throwing knife, cutting the guard’s Achilles tendon, making him fall, before he stabbed him through his back, lighting the knife on fire, so that it started burning the guard from the inside out. He screamed pathetically, immediately begging for it to stop but the fire witch just got more impatient. There was no time for this. Why were they all so persistent? He just wanted to save his partner and if they insisted on trying to stop him, they would feel the wrath of an angry fire witch. Gritting his teeth, Jungkook felt fury bubbling inside him, like lava threatening to spill over the edge of a volcano. He had tried to keep his emotions in check but he was so close to exploding. The guard kept screaming, attracting more attention and that was when Jungkook snapped.

         “Stop screaming you little bitch and die already!” he yelled in Korean, feeling his anger leave his body for a moment and that was, when he regained his vision.

When he opened his eyes, the room was drowned in blue flames, the two guards and the witch already burnt to the point that they were not recognisable anymore. His hands were trembling, as his anger was replaced by impatience, completely ignoring the gravity of his action, not realising that what he had just done was unconscious and he could not control it. Instead, he walked towards the door, grabbing the chains, concentrating on his hands, heating them up as much as he could. He never really tested how hot he could make his fire but apparently hot enough to melt metal. It flowed out of his hands, dripping on the floor with a hissing sound.

After he had removed the chains, he kicked in the door, looking around hastily, spotting a wooden desk with a laptop, papers and some medical equipment on it. Daunting, white walls were laughing at him, making the room cold and unforgiving. But then, he heard him. Calm breathing came from the other side of the room. Namjoon was lying there, passed out, looking uncannily peaceful. However, his clothing – still the same as when he was abducted – was drenched in dry blood. Seeing that, something turned inside the younger. His anger subsided and made space for worry – unconditional, genuine worry.

         “Hyung” he croaked out, choking on the word, feeling his eyes water, running towards the bed but he suddenly got shocked, feeling electricity shoot through his body.

He was thrown back, hitting his head at the wall on the other side of the room, cursing at the pain that dulled his senses for a moment. Groaning, he got up, remembering that Namjoon had talked of a barrier.

         “Hyung, are you awake?” he tried again, “please, wake up. I need your help. I don’t know how to break this barrier––I’m not smart enough. Please, hyung, please!”

Getting as close as the barrier allowed, Jungkook looked at the half breed, who was sleeping soundly, not responding. Tentatively, Jungkook touched the barrier, pulling his hand away, jerking at the electricity. How was he supposed to break through this? Namjoon had always said that he could create lightning with his element but he had never actually managed to do it, so how in the world was he supposed to break through an electricity-based barrier? Desperation spread inside him, tears running down his face and he slid to the ground, balling his hands to fists, feelings helpless. He was right in front of him, so close, yet so far away at the same time. He could not to help him, even though he was right there, only a few steps away. Sobbing, Jungkook could not stop himself from crying, his mind fogged up, not realising that his fire poured out of him like an explosion, lighting the entire room blue, making the barrier spike, lightnings shooting from it. But all that went unnoticed by the fire witch. Only, when he heard Namjoon shift, he looked up from his lap, moving forward on instinct, realising that the barrier was gone. Running towards him, Jungkook slipped his hand under the half breed’s head, pressing his forehead against his.

         “Hyung” he sobbed, “hyung, are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt? I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I’m so––“

         “J–––Jungkookie” Namjoon tried, his voice breaking a little bit, putting his hand on the younger’s shoulder to push him away a little, “you need to step away.”

Confused, Jungkook helped the half breed sit up, kneeling in front of him, touching his cheeks, his hands trembling because he had his partner close to him again. His troubled mind settled, when he felt Namjoon’s cool skin under his fingers, calming him down like it always had.

         “Hyung, why––“

         “Seriously” the elder breathed, “don’t get too close to me. I might hurt you.”

         “That’s ridiculous, you could never hurt me” Jungkook shook his head, “come on, I need to get you out of here.”

Cautiously, still not knowing what condition Namjoon was in, he looped his arm around his waist, putting the half breed’s arm on his shoulder and made him lean against him. He was not quite sure how he was supposed to get him out but he would do anything he had to, in order to bring Namjoon back to the academy. But as he got up, Namjoon groaned, rubbing his nose along Jungkook’s neck, making him jerk uncomfortably.

         “You smell so good, Jungkookie” the elder slurred, “you always smelled better than others. Just––– a small taste. I’m so thirsty–––“

         “Hyung?” Jungkook furrowed his brows, wanting to shift but Namjoon grabbed him, suddenly stronger than he ever was, his grip so strong, it was bruising.

What was going on? Why was he behaving like this? Had he been starved all this time? But even so, Namjoon had never killed anyone before and he was the person with the most self-control Jungkook knew. That was why the fire witch was completely surprised, when he felt Namjoon’s fangs pricking his skin, boring into his neck. Whining at the pain, he tried to free himself but then, he figured that the half breed must have been starving and maybe, this was going to make him feel better. If this would help him regain his strength, the younger was willing to give himself to the half breed. Sighing, Jungkook relaxed, letting Namjoon drink from him, waiting for him to stop.

But he did not stop.

He kept drinking and drinking, making Jungkook feel dizzy. Starting to breathe a little heavier, Jungkook grabbed the half breed’s head, trying to pull him away but the other was too strong, he could not make him move.

         “Please stop, you’ve had enough. Hyung, please, come to your senses!” Jungkook shouted, still trying to free himself.

At that moment, there was a loud pang, making Jungkook turn his head, looking into wild, amber eyes of Jimin in his wolf form, standing there with his mouth opened, blood dripping from his fur around it. Then, he growled threateningly, the sound resonating through the room, deep grumbling vibrating through not only Jungkook but also the half breed, who pulled back, letting go of the fire witch. Deep, crimson red eyes locked with Jimin’s amber ones and the half breed hissed at him, baring his bloody fangs, taking in a defensive position. The wolf growled again, jumping forwards, ready to attack the elder.

         “Don’t!” Jungkook threw himself between them, instantly making the wolf stop in his tracks, “he didn’t try to hurt me. It’s not his fault. Don’t hurt him!”

However, Namjoon did not seem to agree, charging at the youngest again, wanting more blood and that was when Jimin jumped in front of Jungkook dodging the half breed, throwing him against the wall with his head.

         “Namjoonie” Jin’s voice appeared, weak and unsure, almost afraid.

Instantly, Namjoon’s head shifted to the nature witch, licking his lips, almost smiling.

         “Jinnie” he groaned, using his vampire speed to get to him, grabbing his neck immediately, baring his fangs, ready to sink them into his flesh but Jimin was faster.

Tackling the half breed, the wolf stopped him, jumping on him, pressing him on the ground, growling at him, his instincts pushing him to rip Namjoon’s head off, furious that he had dared to bury his fangs into his mate but Jimin knew better; he could control it, knowing that Namjoon had not done this on purpose. Jin shook his head, getting out of his stupor, before he sat down next to the half breed, mumbling something while making some hand signs. Then, he touched Namjoon’s head. The half breed struggled, hissing, trying to free himself but his attempts got weaker, slowly drifting off, losing consciousness.

         “We have to leave” Jin turned to Jungkook, “you lit the entire building on fire. It’s collapsing.”

Only now, Jungkook realised that the desk he had spotted before, as well as anything else that was inflammable was burning. A little taken aback, all he could do was nod, walking towards the others but stumbled a little, feeling the loss of blood affect him.

         “I’ll heal you as soon as we’re out of here. Can you walk?” Jin asked but that was when Jimin lowered himself, gesturing with his head that Jungkook should climb on his back.

He did not like the idea. Not once had Jungkook walked out of a mission needing the help of someone else but he also knew he was too weak to walk himself.

         “Jin-hyung, help me lift Namjoon-hyung on his back” Jungkook said, walking towards the unconscious half breed.

As soon as the half breed was secured on the wolf’s back, Jungkook climbed on as well, feeling sudden distaste course through his body but he paid it no mind. Grabbing Jimin’s fur, he felt safe immediately, leaning down a little. He would have enjoyed that moment for a little while longer but they had to hurry. From another room, Hoseok’s howl was heard and that was when Jimin started running, exiting through another way Jungkook had entered.

Smoke was everywhere. The corridor was only enlightened by the endless flames that illuminated their way out. More bodies of guards that were not killed by Jungkook were lying on the ground. Jimin hurried, leaving Jin behind him, being a lot faster than a witch, already spotting the rock witch, who was pushing a beam away, holding the exit free for the rest.

         “Hurry, this is heavy, I can’t hold it for much longer!” he yelled, coughing because of all the smoke.

Jimin reached him quickly, ducking, so that Jungkook and Namjoon were not hurt and Jungkook looked back immediately, waiting for Jin.

         “Leave, I’ll wait for him. Go!” the rock witch urged and the wolf did not need to hear that twice, wanting to get his mate to safety.

Two doors later, they were finally out of the building, being welcomed by Hoseok, who was whimpering worriedly, looking back inside, and Taehyung, who was holding a hand sign, having his eyes closed, concentrating. Jungkook felt dizzy, touching his neck, noticing that he was still bleeding. Only with effort he turned his head, watching the factory burn. He heard Jin and Yoongi arriving outside as well.

         “Can we hurry? I can’t hold the cloaking spell much longer. We have to get to the portal” Taehyung hissed, sounding strained.

         “Jungkookie, hold on a little bit longer, don’t fall asleep on me, yeah?” Jin suddenly touched his leg that was dangling down Jimin’s side.

But that was easier said than done. Dizziness engulfed him and with each step the wolf did, his consciousness slipped away a little more, until he could not keep his eyes open anymore, hearing Jin’s voice telling him to stay awake but he could not stop it anymore, losing consciousness, feeling his body relax.

His head was throbbing, when he woke up. There was rustling next to him, a hand smaller than his grabbing his, entwining them. It was comfortable, making him feel safe and protected.

Jimin.

The wolf’s name instantly popped up in his mind. At first, he was calmed, his lips curling into a soft smile but then, he frowned, pulling away, opening his eyes to meet Jimin’s confused expression.

         “You’re awake” the elder sighed, wanting to thread his fingers through Jungkook’s hair but the younger jerked away.

         “Where’s Namjoon-hyung?” was his first question, trying to sit up but he still felt dizzy.

“Calm down, you lost a lot of blood. Even Jin-hyung can’t heal that. You need rest––“

         “Where’s Namjoon-hyung!?” the maknae repeated a little angrier.

         “He’s confined in the questioning room” Jimin confessed.

         “What!?”

         “Jungkook, you need rest” Anna’s voice appeared in the room and that was, when the fire witch realised, where he was.

The walls were painted in a calming rose colour and the bed was too wide to be his own; he was in the hospital of the academy. Anna was walking towards him, wearing white clothes, showing that she was working right now, apparently having been assigned to him. Walking around the bed, she gently grabbed the maknae’s other arm, pulling out the transfusion needle, attaching it to a new blood bag, hanging it up next to him, before inserting it back into the butterfly cannula.

         “You really are quite the miracle” she smiled softly, “you lost so much blood but stayed awake for so long. But even you need rest after something like that. So please, don’t get agitated so much and lie back down.”

Yoongi appeared at the door, walking towards the bed as well, giving Jungkook a worried look, before he turned to Anna, pulling her against him, kissing her forehead, tugging a strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled at him, tiptoeing to kiss him briefly, before she left the room again. Sighing, Yoongi sat down in the chair next to the bed, since Jimin was sitting on the bed.

         “Namjoon-ah’s awake and agreed to stay confined for now. He doesn’t trust himself” the rock witch explained, looking just as defeated as Jungkook.

         “Why? He didn’t bite me on purpose, he was just starved, he––“

         “He wasn’t. That’s the point” Yoongi sighed, locking eyes with the maknae, “he was forced to feed on humans. You know how hard it was for him to control himself in the past. You’ve seen it all. Yet, he never attacked a human before. However, now that he tasted fresh blood, he kind of got addicted and he can’t stop anymore. He’s beating himself up that he’s killed innocent people. He feels so bad for biting you, for trying to bite Jin-hyung. It’s not just a decision by Tablo-hyung but also his own. He’s scared to actually stay in the same room with someone else.”

Frowning, Jungkook felt tears in his eyes, feeling guilt gnaw on his conscience. It was his fault. Namjoon had been forced to do what he loathed the most, what he had been most afraid of. The fire witch remembered the night, where Namjoon had confided in him, told him how hard it was to constantly hide his true self, ignoring his instincts, working against his own nature, how he sometimes just wanted to bite someone’s neck so badly that his throat hurt so much. Yet, even if it was hard, Namjoon had managed to control himself and he was good at it. But now, his control was broken because Jungkook had not been able to protect him.

         “Don’t beat yourself up because of it” Yoongi brought him back to reality, “it wasn’t your fault.”

         “I want to see him” Jungkook urged.

         “What you want doesn’t matter right now, Jungkookie. You first need to get healthy again. And then, you have to answer for your disobedience. Then, we have to figure out, how bad the situation is because of your mistake” Yoongi got up, massaging his temples.

         “Mistake? I saved him, hyung” Jungkook repeated in confusion.

         “You used your element, Jungkookie. Can you be certain that everyone died in there? What if they know about you now? What if Cain knows? ” Yoongi’s voice was harsher now but the worry in his eyes showed that he was not angry, “an entire building burnt down in the real world. We can’t just erase that from everyone’s mind. I really hope that the headmaster will go easy on you.”

Looking down, Jungkook now realised the gravity of his actions. He should have listened to Jimin and should have waited for the others, come up with a plan. But once again, his element had betrayed him, his impulsiveness taking over and he had not been able to think properly. Sometimes, he wondered, if his fire was a curse, instead of a gift. It had only ever brought him misery.

         “I’ll leave you two alone for now. Jiminnie, make sure he stays in that bed, yeah?” Yoongi looked at the wolf, who nodded eagerly, watching the rock witch leave the room.

When they were alone, Jimin turned his head, smiling at the younger, although it faded a little, when his eyes wandered to his neck.

         “I’m so relieved that you’re okay” he whispered, lifting his hand to caress Jungkook’s cheek.

It felt so good but so wrong at the same time. Now that Jungkook was reminded of how dangerous it was for someone to be around him, he suddenly had this urge inside him to push everyone away from him. No one deserved to live in constant fear. Their lives were already dangerous enough.

         “I’m sorry, I almost hurt Namjoon-hyung” the smaller apologised, “I was just so–– angry. He bit you and that–––– it goes against my core belief. Vampire fangs should never ever touch a wolf’s mate. And especially you’re neck––– I–––––only my fangs should ever touch your neck. That was why I–––“

         “Hyung––“ Jungkook interrupted him, his chest hurting because Jimin just made his decision even harder, “please don’t touch me.”

Irritated, Jimin pulled away his hand, as if he had burnt himself – as if Jungkook’s words had hurt him physically. What he was about to do was hard and a part of him hated this decision because he had already grown so attached to the wolf. But exactly because of that, he had to do this. Jimin meant so much to him; he loved him and that was absolutely scary. He had lost his brother and he had almost lost Namjoon. He could not bear even thinking about losing Jimin. He would rather stay away from him, instead of seeing him die. It was going to be hard and it would hurt both of them but it would at least ensure that the wolf was going to live.

         “Jungkook-ah, what’s going on? Your mind is so troubled. Why are you hurting? Everything is okay now” Jimin tried to calm him down.

         “Let’s break up, hyung” Jungkook whispered, already feeling how he choked up.

         “What?” Jimin frowned deeply, “w––why? Why would you want that? I don’t understand. I can feel how much I mean to you, so––why––– Jungkook-ah, I don’t––“

         “That’s exactly why I need to stay away from you!” Jungkook sobbed, “I––I’m dangerous. Being around me is dangerous. You saw what happened to Namjoon-hyung. I couldn’t bear seeing you hurt. I can’t let you get hurt because of me.”

Jimin shook his head, grabbing Jungkook’s hand again, holding it firmly, choking up as well.

         “But that’s my purpose, Jungkook-ah. It’s my job to protect you. It’s my job to get hurt, if it saves you. It’s my reason to live. You’re my reason to live.”

         “But I don’t want you to sacrifice yourself for me!” the maknae shouted, tears running down his face, “I couldn’t live with myself. Yugyeol-hyung already died protecting me, I don’t want to lose you too, I–––––“ he had to stop for a second, pulling his hand back, looking at the wolf through his blurred vision, “please–––I have to do this. If you want to make me happy, protect yourself and stay away from me.”

Jimin was crying too and suddenly, Jungkook felt this unbelievable pain in his chest, like his heart was ripping apart, like something vital to his life had just been taken away from him. It was so intense, he struggled to  breathe and only then, he realised that these were not his own feelings.

They were Jimin’s.

It hurt even more, remembering that the wolf was bound to him, that it was not his fault for feeling so strongly and it was awful that Jungkook had to make him go through so much pain. But if it meant saving his life, Jungkook was willing to go through this.

         “Jungkook-ah” Jimin mumbled, not sure what to do with himself, having one of his hands curled up into a fist above his heart.

         “Please leave” the younger whispered, “I’m tired. I want to sleep.”

They looked at each other for a moment, before the wolf got up, setting his feet on the ground heavily, looking like a puppy that just got shot. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself and turned around, slowly walking out of the room, leaving the fire witch alone, just as he requested. Shifting, Jungkook turned away from the door, holding his hand in front of  his mouth, muffling his sobs and he stayed there for a while, crying, until he was finally exhausted enough to fall asleep.

Chapter Text

Jungkook hated the hospital. It was too clean, too quiet. It felt like a prison, rather than a place, where he should recover from all the blood loss. He had only been here two days but he was getting anxious to finally be able to leave again. His team members had visited him, so that he was never completely alone and he was grateful for that. While he usually enjoyed silence, he thought he was going insane in the hospital. Jin had stayed for two hours, watching the doctor with critical eyes, as he did a check-up on how the fire witch was doing. Usually, Jin always took care of him and having someone else examine him felt strange and unfamiliar. Jungkook trusted him with his life but with all the other nature witches, he was sceptical.

Yoongi had returned to talk to him about the hearing he would have in front of the headmaster and Team 5 as soon as he was on his feet again. He also informed him that they had not yet been able to find out, whether the outside world knew about his existence now, which could be a good or a bad thing. By now, Jungkook realised how foolish he had been. If he had waited for everyone, the mission would have been much smoother and they would have possibly had the chance to capture some of the vampires to question them. However, he had to rush in and save his friend. On the one hand, he was still glad that he did it. If he had not saved him on that day, Namjoon would have to have fed on another human and Jungkook knew that would have hurt the half breed more.

Taehyung and Hoseok visited him together. Contrary to the rock witch’s visit, both of them were all smiley and teased the maknae, wanting to cheer him up a little. However, Jungkook did not miss the subtle frown on the wolf’s face and he knew exactly why he looked at him like that. The wolf had expected Jungkook to smell like Jimin. It would have been a logical consequence to cuddle and be with each other, when the fire witch had nothing to do except lying around anyways. But ever since he told Jimin to leave, he had not returned. He still felt him; the pain that the wolf felt was lying on Jungkook’s heart heavily and it didn’t let go. It stuck to him like tar, weighing on him but what was worse was knowing that Jimin felt this much stronger. It was so sad and Jungkook felt horrible to make Jimin go through that but it was for his own good. Even if it hurt both of them, it was better like this than to see the wolf physically get hurt. The last two nights, Jungkook had nightmares about Cain finding out about him and Jimin and that he would use the wolf to get to him, torture him, hurt him, compel him to serve him and those nightmares were convincing enough to stay away from the wolf.

         “Jungkookie” Hoseok suddenly ripped him out of his daydream, “I know this is between you and Jiminnie but–––he’s hurting, when he can’t be with––“

         “I know” Jungkook interrupted him, looking out of the window, “trust me, I can feel it.”

Unconsciously, he clenched the hospital gown over his chest, sighing heavily, wondering, if the heaviness of his heart would ever get easier.

         “But then, why––“

         “To keep him safe” the maknae breathed, “it’s dangerous for all of you to be close to me. You two might not realise but if Cain ever finds out that I’m still alive, he won’t stop, until I’m dead. Being friends with me already puts you all in great danger. But if he was to find out that I’m–––– if he was to find out about Jimin-hyung’s and my relationship, he would try and use him to get me out of hiding. And I can’t allow that” fisting the hospital gown even more, Jungkook was ultimately reminded of his brother, how he touched his cheek with a soft smile, right before he died, “it’s–––I could never–––it would–––“

         “Jungkookie, it’s fine” Taehyung grabbed his hand, holding it tightly, trying to keep him in this world, trying not to lose him to his memories, “we get it. You don’t have to explain yourself.”

         “Actually, it would be nice to know, why you’re making my best friend go through so much pain. You might feel a fraction of what he’s feeling but that’s nothing compared to what you’re doing to him right now” Hoseok hissed, suddenly getting angry, “listen, I get that your past might be dark but at least tell Jiminnie, so he can understand why you’re pushing him away, instead of leaving him hurting in the dark. You at least owe him that.”

Without letting either Taehyung or Jungkook speak, Hoseok ran off, storming out of the room, smashing the door close. In the back of his mind, the maknae knew he deserved this. It was not like he did not want to tell Jimin about his past. He was simply afraid to remember it all and to see it in front of him again. The nightmares had always been reminders of what had happened back then but at least, he could wake up and shrug them off. However, if he was to consciously look back on his past, he was scared about another panic attack. Especially now that Namjoon was still confined and unstable himself, Jungkook was even more scared. Additionally, there was part of that day that he could not remember at all, so he could not even tell Jimin everything because he had blacked out at one point. Sighing, he held onto Taehyung’s hand, letting himself get comforted just a little. He would push his team members away too, if he had to, but he knew that they would not let him do that, not listening to him as well as Jimin did, so he did not even try.

         “How’s Namjoon-hyung?” Jungkook asked after a while of silence.

         “I don’t know” Taehyung sighed, “they don’t let us see him. It’s his wish, apparently. Tablo-hyung says he can’t control himself at all. He asked how you are, though, and hyung told him you’re recovering.”

         “I want to see him” the fire witch frowned, “I need to tell him that I’m fine, that it’s not his fault. I bet he’s blaming himself.”

         “First, you have to recover fully and––“

         “Then, I have to go through a hearing. I know” Jungkook nodded, averting his eyes back to the window again, trying to concentrate on how the leaves moved in the wind.

It took him another two days to get back on his feet and he sighed in relief, when he got out of that horrible hospital gown and back into his own clothes. However, he unfortunately could not get into comfortable sweatpants and try to get down to the questioning room but he had to dress up. Team 5 had insisted that the hearing was supposed to take place on the very same day Jungkook was released from the hospital. He could not really decline the council of the headmaster, so he agreed and that was why Jin was tying the traditional embroidery of the choker-like accessory he had to wear to something formal like the hearing. Back in the day, clothing like this was normal and whenever something as traditional as a hearing was taking place, everyone involved dressed up accordingly. Instead of the usual team jacket, Jungkook had to wear a cloak that represented his element. Since he was the only fire witch alive, they never made new ones, so this one was old and heavy, yet it looked ostentatious with all the embroidery on the back, showing an extravagant image of a flame. The cloak itself was crimson velvet, while the embroidery was golden and it felt way too royal for Jungkook to even wear but it could not be helped. When Jin was done, Jungkook sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. This was not at all him but it was necessary to try and favour the council.

Without saying much, Jungkook and Jin left his room and everyone was waiting for him – everyone but two people. Namjoon and Jimin. The fire witch did not lie to himself: he missed the wolf. So much, he wanted to cry himself to sleep last night. However, he knew Jimin would feel that, so he controlled himself. Secretly, he had wished that the wolf would be there, even though he had told him to keep his distance because that was what Jimin usually did. But there was no sign of the wolf, so the others urged him to start moving to the Great Hall. Staying silent, he nodded and let his team accompany him to the Hall where his hearing was going to take place. They had to stay outside but they said they would wait for him. Even though Hoseok still seemed a little unfriendly towards the maknae, he was still there to support him. Maybe, Jimin had sent him, although that was just happy thinking of Jungkook. He let Yoongi pat his back once, before he stepped in front of the door, where two guards opened it for him, letting him inside.

The Great Hall was always impressive, no matter how often Jungkook saw it. He felt like he was in a palace, in the throne room of a King and this probably used to be the hall, where the headmaster listened to his subjects, since the Academy used to be something like a monarchy in the very beginning, when the descendant of the Queen had reappeared. In the middle there was a big rectangle, wooden table, where all the council members were sitting. At the very end, there was the headmaster, his back facing the huge windows, so Jungkook could only see his silhouette. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the other side of the table, standing a little bit further away from it and bowed deeply, before standing up straight, with his hands folded behind his back.

There were 10 council members. All of them disliked Jungkook. Some of them despised him because he did not follow the rules sometimes. Others did not like him because he was more talented than their sons. Some of them feared him too because he was impulsive and reckless and they thought he would light the entire academy on fire one day. But it was clear that they would do their best to punish Jungkook properly, especially since he had never really been punished for all the little things he had done with Taehyung.

         “Jungkook. Member of Special Force. You’re standing before us because you’ve committed a crime. You disobeyed direct orders from our Lord Headmaster, wiping out an entire hideout of Cain’s clan, attracting attention to witches in the real world. By standing here, you are agreeing to every punishment, we decide to give you. It this correct?” the one that was sitting left of the headmaster said.

         “Yes, it is” Jungkook confirmed, nodding once.  

         “Please tell us what happened, Jungkook” the headmaster spoke, his voice heavy and worried.

The maknae was aware that he had put the Headmaster in a difficult situation. He had always had a soft spot for the fire witch, having known Yugyeol ever since he was born, so he understood Jungkook’s grief. However, with this level of disobedience, he could not let him off without punishment anymore.

         “Namjoon was able to reach me with his ability and told me where the hideout was” he began, trying to be as neutral about this as possible, “in retrospective, he was probably able to do that because he had drunk a lot of human blood. I––––I am aware of what I’ve done. I should have told Tablo and I should have let someone else rescue him. But–––I didn’t. I couldn’t in that moment. I had to rescue him. It was reckless of me and I acknowledge that and will accept, whatever punishment you see fit accordingly.”

There was a moment of silence and some of the council members shook their heads. The one that had spoken before was the first one to speak. Jungkook knew that the discussion was about to start so he prepared himself to just listen, as the council would probably not approach him while it was held.

         “He was reckless. He even admitted it himself. We cannot let him go on missions anymore. He is too young and too impulsive. He first needs to learn respect and order, before he can be used in the field again.”

         “Especially because we don’t know, if Cain knows about him now. We can’t lose the last fire witch. He should stay here for a while. Maybe meet some girls. He’s still almost a teenager. He should live like that” another one argued.

         “He’s probably our most powerful witch, we can’t just let him go like that. He just needs to learn how to control himself first. I propose that he moves here permanently, dedicating himself to proper training” someone else frowned.

         “Please keep in mind that he’s studying and the he still has family in the human world. I forbid to make him leave all that behind” the Headmaster reminded them.

         “Jungkook” the first one approached him again, “did you light that building on fire purposely or did it just happen?”

That was a good question. Some parts of the building, he had purposely set fire to. But if he was honest, it had just happened. He had not even realised it at the time.

         “You are obligated to answer the council, Jungkook” the man reminded him, sounding unforgiving.

         “I–––it was an accident” he admitted, looking down, hearing the sighs from the entire council, the Headmaster included.

         “Without Namjoon, he’s too dangerous to let loose” the man next to the Headmaster stated, “he needs to be under house arrest, as long as Namjoon hasn’t recovered.”

         “What about the wolf? Can’t he help him?” someone proposed, “he could help with training, no? They are an item, so I’ve heard.”

         “And promote the only fire witch that can revive the line of fire witches not reproducing? No, definitely not” another scoffed.

Jungkook could not help but roll his eyes at that. They had no right to decide over his love life. Yes, some might think that he had an obligation to the witch race but he just was not attracted to girls at all. He would have told them face to face but he was not keen on breaking any more rules.

         “I agree that house arrest is a good option” someone else nodded, “not only because he needs to reflect on his mistake and practice his element more but also because we don’t know how much Cain knows at the moment. It’s best to keep him hidden for now.”

         “He can take off a month of university. These days, they have all their course work on the internet. It’s too dangerous to let him into the human world. What if Cain’s men are looking for him there as well?”

Frowning, Jungkook stared at the person that had proposed that option. It was extremely bothersome to learn everything by himself and he had already missed a lot of classes already, having to catch up on them as well as learning new things. Pleadingly, he looked at the Headmaster, who just sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, before he looked at every council member.

         “Everyone in favour of a month of house arrest, please, raise your hand” he announced and the result was grim.

Every last member of the council agreed. With such a clear decision, not even the Headmaster could do something about the outcome.

         “Then, it is decided. Jungkook, you are not to leave academy grounds. You may walk around freely but you are obliged to focus on your training. However, the prison is off-limits without further notice. This is Namjoon’s personal request that you won’t go see him, so please, respect the decision of your partner. Do you have anything to add, Jungkook?” the Headmaster concluded, locking eyes with him.

         “No, Sir. I accept the punishment and will reflect on my mistake” he tried saying remorsefully but he could not help but grit his teeth a little.

Everyone nodded and Jungkook bowed, before he was released and free to leave the room. The door was opened for him again and five pairs of eyes looked at him expectantly. His friends were still standing there, curious as to how the hearing had went. When the door closed behind him, Jungkook rolled his eyes effectively, groaning annoyed.

         “Stupid old men” he grumbled, walking back to their dorm, followed by his five members.

         “So?” Taehyung asked immediately.

         “Well, let’s see. They first insulted me still being immature. Then, one of them disapproved of the fact that I’m gay. Another wants me to abandon my life in the human world and the others just think I’m reckless and they’re right, I know that. I’m on house arrest and I’m supposed to concentrate on training, while studying for uni from here. I’m not allowed to enter the human world for a month.”

         “That’s tough” Jin sighed, “make sure to inform your uni friends, so they won’t be confused as to why you suddenly disappeared.”

The maknae nodded once, feeling the eyes of other witches they walked past on him, as he was wearing the traditional wear. All of them secretly knew about his hearing. News travelled fast at the academy and he was sure that his punishment would be known by almost everyone by the end of the week.

When they got back to the dorm, Yoongi had already left them, having to take over Namjoon’s work, so he was rather busy. Hoseok went to his and Jimin’s apartment, making sure to give Jungkook a meaningful look, before he disappeared. The other two decided to leave Jungkook alone for the moment, after Jin helped him get out of the traditional clothes. Already feeling tired, Jungkook let himself fall back onto his bed, staring up to the ceiling, exhaling loudly. So much had happened in the last few weeks, it was all just a little too overwhelming. He felt the need to visit his brother’s grave but he could not do so, since he was under house arrest. He missed him. He missed Namjoon. And god, did he miss Jimin. It had only been four days but that pain of separation was gnawing on him and he could not imagine how much worse it was for the other. Exhausted, Jungkook leaned against the wall, wondering, if Jimin was on the other side.

And he was. The wolf felt how Jungkook’s feelings screamed for him, that his soul longed for him to be embraced and kissed and taken care of because he was not in a good place with Namjoon still being held and not being able to visit his brother’s grave. It was hard for him. All his body wanted was to go over there and hug his mate, telling him that everything would be alright again. After Hoseok had come home, he let him explain what happened, since Jimin did not have Jungkook’s permission to be there and had to stay away. He felt like crying and Hoseok knew that, so he sneaked into Jimin’s bed after he had gone to bed, cuddling him to sleep, letting him cry in his arms. It had been an exhausting night for the wolf and the next few days were not much easier for him. He only saw Jungkook, when he was in the dining hall, or when he was in the practice room. However, the wolf made sure to never show himself. He just silently watched Jungkook from outside the room, having opened the door enough to see him. His scent was cloyingly intoxicating, luring him in and every time, he had to hold himself back from going into the practice room. He wanted to – so much – but Jungkook wanted to keep his distance. Trying to understand, Jimin did his best not to appear in front of the maknae’s eyes, knowing that it would hurt him even more but sometimes, it was not unavoidable. Sometimes, their eyes met in the dining hall and instantly, Jimin felt the loneliness, the heartbreak Jungkook was putting himself through. Jimin was fine with hurting by himself but he could barely handle staying away, when Jungkook’s feelings told him to hold him close, so he could breathe in his scent.  It was something about Jungkook’s brother that kept them apart, why the maknae was just so afraid of letting anyone get close to him again. Jimin never wanted to push Jungkook into telling him what happened back then but the longer they were both apart from each other, the harder it got to stay away.

It was a Thursday afternoon and the wolf had been watching Jungkook punch into a punching bag for an hour, when he smelled Yoongi walking up to him. Turning around, he noticed that the elder looked a little tired. As soon as the rock witch noticed what Jimin was doing, Yoongi smiled comfortingly.

         “Jimin, do you have a moment?” he asked.

         “Sure” he nodded, following him a little bit further away from the door, “what’s up?”

         “How are you doing, Jimin?” the elder looked at him concerned, “listen, Jungkookie, he’s–––“

         “It’s okay, hyung” Jimin smiled weakly, “I know. Why did you want to talk?”

         “It’s Namjoon-ah. He’s still struggling and no one of us can help him because he’s too scared to see us. He thinks he’ll hurt us. But I think he’ll be fine with you. Your smell is disgusting for him, so maybe, you can talk some courage into him. He’s strong, he can go back to before. So could you try to speak to him? I asked Tablo-hyung, whether he thinks it’s safe enough and he agreed that you could go in.”

         “Of course, I’ll go talk to him!” Jimin agreed immediately.

Without waiting any longer, the two of them walked through half the academy, entering the underground system, where Tablo was already waiting for them. He briefed Jimin on Namjoon’s mental state and showed him through the mirror. What Jimin saw, shocked him a little bit. Usually, their leader always looked confident, a smile on his face, maybe a smirk but the form that was sitting on that bed looked tired. Not starved physically, but mentally. Averting his eyes to Yoongi, he tried to smile but the grim atmosphere did not disappear. Just to be safe, Jimin stayed in his human form, not wanting to reek of wolf too much, in case it sparked the half breed’s instincts. Carefully, he opened the door and for the first time, he smelled vampire first, before he smelled witch. The elder turned his head immediately, his eyes red for a moment but then, they went back to black, as he swiped his blonde hair back, his roots growing out a lot.

         “Hyung” he approached him, locking eyes with the almost distraught looking half breed, “can I sit next to you?”

For a moment, Namjoon just stared at him, before he shifted, sitting to the edge of the bed, gesturing that the younger should sit down.

         “I said I didn’t want to see anyone” Namjoon sighed but there was a tiny smile tugging at his lips, “although I think you’re okay. You stink too much that I could bite you.”

         “I’ll take that as a compliment” he chuckled, glad that the atmosphere was not as pressed anymore.

         “How’s Jinnie? How’s Jungkookie? How is everyone?”

Of course, he first asked about the two people he loved most. Table had informed him that Namjoon did not have much contact with the outside world, since his mind was fragile enough right now. He did not have to know how much Jin missed him and drowned himself in work at the hospital, so he constantly had something to do. He also did not have to know how Jungkook was slowly going insane because of the house arrest and the separation from Jimin. However, the wolf could not lie. Right after Namjoon had asked, he nodded knowingly, sighing.

         “I knew he would blame himself.”

         “What?”

         “I can feel his pain through you. Ever since–––––“ he hesitated, sitting a little further away from the wolf, “ever since I tasted his blood, the connection between us is stronger, so I can differ yours and his feelings much better now.”

Jimin did not even notice that he was growling lowly. Only, when Namjoon looked like he was about to apologise, the younger shook his head, pulling himself together. This was not the time to get possessive. Taking a deep breath, the wolf took a moment to calm down, before he looked at the half breed, who still looked apologetic.

         “Sorry––“ Jimin said first, “that just escaped me. I––“

         “Jiminnie, you don’t have to apologise for getting angry at me because I–––bit him. It was very wrong of me” Namjoon shook his head, “how is he, really?”

The wolf sighed, leaning back, staring at the grey ceiling, before he closed his eyes, one hand automatically moving to his heart.

         “He’s not well. He’s under house arrest for disobeying direct orders from the Headmaster, so he isn’t even allowed to go to university. He’s also––––he broke up with me because he’s scared of losing me.”

         “Makes sense” Namjoon looked down to his hands, not seeming surprised at all, “of course, he would go back to trying to be alone, even if it hurts you both.”

         “It makes sense for you. It doesn’t for me” Jimin admitted, “I’m trying to understand but I just don’t see how keeping us apart is better for me or him.”

         “Look, Jiminnie. He is very brave and very strong. You know that. But he’s also so extremely terrified of losing anyone else, who he holds dear to his heart. Now that he’s been reminded of how it feels to suffer that loss, he must be so scared.”

         “Still, why would he––“

         “Jiminnie––– you have to give him time to––“

         “Do you know how hard it is to hold myself back, when his feelings are calling me?” Jimin groaned desperately, “I know he wants me with him. I still feel how much he loves me. But I can’t go to him because he told me not to. It’s an endless cycle of pain, I just don’t understand.”

         “He’d rather go through that mental pain than actually endangering your life” Namjoon said seriously, “Jiminnie, this isn’t my story to tell but–––– his brother, he–––– what happened that day was horrifying and is still the saddest and darkest day in Jungkookie’s life.”

         “You talk like you’ve seen it” Jimin mumbled, clenching his fist around his t-shirt, wondering through what horrors his mate must have gone through.

         “Because I was” Namjoon clarified, “I shouldn’t do this but I fear that he will never tell you and he’s not the only one hurting, so––––I can show you. But if I do, you cannot tell him that I did.”

Confused, the wolf did not understand for a moment. It took him a brief second to remember Namjoon’s talent. He thought back to the questionings he watched, as the half breed had touched their temples to extract memories, so it was not that impossible that he could also plant memories into other people’s heads.

         “Are–––are you sure?” the wolf asked, remembering the uncanny coldness, when Namjoon had looked into his head, the first day he and Hoseok had arrived at the academy.

         “You need to see for yourself, why Jungkookie is so terrified of losing someone he loves” Namjoon nodded, “I’ll show you both his own memories, as well as mine. He’s dreamt about this day for so long and the worst part is that it’s not a dream. It’s reality. Everything I’ll show you are memories of what really happened.”

         “Okay” Jimin nodded, his voice only a whisper, his heart suddenly beating faster, anxious but also curious what he would see.

Inhaling calmly, Namjoon closed his eyes, shifting a little to turn to the wolf. The room was eerily silent, only the bed screeched beneath them. It suddenly felt cold inside the room, even though the half breed had not even touched the younger yet. Tension developed, creating a strangely thick air between them, albeit the temperature drop. Opening his eyes that now glowed red, his fangs darting out between his lips, Namjoon’s gaze fell on the wolf, asking silently for permission. Anxious yet determined, Jimin nodded once, before the half breed lifted his arms, cool fingers pressing softly against the wolf’s temples. As if Namjoon was now controlling his body, Jimin closed his eyes, feeling coldness spread from his temples, engulfing his body dauntingly slowly, as he started feeling dizzy. Soon enough, a picture started appearing in front of him; at first, it was just a blur of different greens but it slowly turned into the silhouette of a man somehow and that was when he got lost, forgetting his own mind, as he was drowned in what Namjoon was about to show him. 

Chapter Text

         “Kookie, wake up, you fell asleep. I thought you wanted to go play tag with the forest spirits?” a gentle voice pulled him into reality, leaving dreams behind, as he opened his eyes, looking up to the black-haired man, who chuckled at him.

Still drowsy, Jungkook rubbed his eyes with his fists, yawning effectively. He had come to the other dimension at this hour because he had wanted to play. He had a bad day at school, so he told his parents he would go to sleep early, while he sneaked out of their house, running to the closest portal. However, as soon as he had gotten there, Yugyeol noticed his mood and asked him about it. Not being able to lie to his protector, Jungkook broke down and cried in his arms for half an hour before falling asleep in his arms.

         “C’mon, the sun is setting soon, they’ll come out any moment now. You don’t want to miss them, right?” the elder argued, his brow arched in amusement, knowing exactly that Jungkook would be wide awake in a moment.

Nodding, the boy stretched, getting up. He was excited. For some reason, the forest spirits had been quite taken with him recently and that surprised him. Even though he could not control his element at all, the spirits usually kept their distance, knowing what he was, knowing what he could technically do to them – to the forest. But for a reason that was unknown to the boy, the spirits kept following him around the last few days. He did not mind at all; he always wanted to play with them. The way they moved around the forest was a mystery to him. It looked like they were hovering over the ground, before they jumped swiftly onto the crowns of the trees. The most peculiar thing were the sounds they made. There was nothing that could describe the strange, yet marvellous noises they produced, sweet as honey, so high you could barely hear. Sometimes, it sounded like the rustling of the leaves but sometimes, it sounded like the wind howling through the grass of a meadow within the deepest parts of the forest.

Quickly, Jungkook made his way through the thicket, looking for the spirits and it did not take him long to spot them sitting on a branch, grinning at him playfully, before they jumped off the tree, floating through the thicket, running away from the young fire witch. Taking that as an invitation to play with them, Jungkook followed them, finding his way through the forest easily. Through playing with the forest spirits, he found a new way of moving; his feet felt lighter, as he stepped on the ground, feeling like he was much faster than before. The forest did suddenly not seem so big and scary anymore, now that he knew how to actually get about without constantly running into branches or tripping over a stray root of a tree. Slowly, he started liking the woods, preferring them to the old, scary buildings he was led into the first time he had arrived in this world. He was still grateful towards Yugyeol, having found his saviour and a brother in him.

He did not know how long he had played with the spirits but the sun had set and the spirits were leading him back, their glow the only thing that enlightened the darkness around the fire witch. It was times like these, when he wished he could use his element. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not produce a proper flame. Yugyeol assumed that it was a mental blockage but he never tried to push the boy, always understanding his struggles, his own fear of exploring his element. Jungkook had always been too delicate to hurt someone, so it was natural that he was scared of hurting someone with his flames.

After returning to what Jungkook called his little camp, his fortress, his safe haven, he expected Yugyeol having started a fire already but it was still dark and cold with no signs of the elder. Confused, Jungkook turned around, having a look around but the water witch was nowhere to be found.

         “Hyung?” the boy called out, feeling fear gnaw on his newly gained comfort in the woods.

He hoped to get an answer but the only sounds in the forest were the calm, haunting rustling of the woods. But then, he heard a growl, followed by a human scream that drove through Jungkook like a lightning bolt.

Yugyeol.  

It was definitely his brother’s voice. Even if he had never heard him raise his voice like that, it was clear that it was him. Panic crept up his spine upon hearing the person that radiated safety for the boy scream. He ran towards the direction the sound came from, ignoring the fact that his stomach told him he should not, that danger lied ahead, he still had to go there. He was too scared for Yugyeol; he simply could not wait out whatever what was happening. With shaking hands, he groped his way along the trees, seeing barely anything with the faint light of the moon shining through the thick ceiling of leaves over his head. As he got closer, he heard fighting noises, water splashing against something that growled threateningly. Yugyeol was using his element; that meant it was a serious fight but before Jungkook could turn around, he had arrived at the site, spotting Yugyeol, who was pushing a wall of water away from himself, blood dripping down his shoulder, drenching his clothes, as he grunted, while pushing the wall even further. Jungkook was about to say something, when one of the creatures behind the wall roared at him, piercing amber eyes staring at him through the water, appearing even bigger than they were, boring into the boy intimidatingly. Jerking at that, the boy’s words got stuck in his throat, set to stone by the fierce gaze of that something – that beast. It looked like a wolf but it was much, much bigger. Its teeth were bloody, staining the fur around its mouth as it bared its teeth. There was another one of those creatures behind the bloody one, a little smaller, yet he was growling just as evilly, scaring the young witch. It was only when Jungkook whimpered in fear, when Yugyeol noticed him, sparing him one quick glance, before he concentrated back on the fight.

         “Kookie, get behind me!” he ordered urgently, freeing the young boy out of his stupor with his voice and Jungkook hurried to do as he was told, running behind the elder for safety.

The looming sound of the grumbling wolves still made him shiver but as he grabbed onto his brother, Jungkook was calming down. But then, one of them growled again and the boy felt how Yugyeol tensed up, having difficulties holding up the water barrier.

         “Why are you doing this!?” the water witch yelled at them, his voice somehow desperate “why are you doing this!? We have never bothered you!”

Shaking, Jungkook whimpered, tears of fear running down his cheeks as he closed his eyes, too terrified to look at those beasts again. They snarled and growled, sounds of water splashing crowding the boy’s ears and when he heard Yugyeol grunting in pain, the younger opened his eyes in panic, clenching the end of the elder’s shirt. He wanted to help but he did not know how.

         “H––hyung––“ he sobbed, holding onto his shirt like it was the only thing that kept him from fainting.

         “Leave us be!” Yugyeol called out to them again, “I don’t want to hurt you! You must be under some sort of spell. Please leave! I beg of you!”

There was a moment of silence – almost a minute of deadly quiet – before the water witch’s body relaxed, going lax, falling to his knees in exhaustion. The boy fell with him, his knees giving in. His breathing was uneven, feeling lightheaded. The world started getting darker around him and his consciousness slip away. But then, he felt reassuring, big hands on his cheeks, making him open his eyes. Yugyeol looked at him in concern, stroking his cheeks comfortingly, even though his right side was still bleeding.

         “Hey, it’s alright. It’s going to be alright, okay? Kookie, stay with me, I need you to walk by yourself. I can’t carry you with my shoulder injured” he said softly.

Hiccupping, Jungkook nodded, not wanting to be a nuisance, getting up on his wobbly feet. His jaw was still tensed and his hands were clenched to fists but he had to do as he was told. Yugyeol had it much worse. His t-shirt was stained with blood, his face pale and he looked exhausted. Still, he pretended to be fine, helping Jungkook back to their camp. The boy sat down on a tree trunk to calm down a little but he could not help but grip his brother’s t-shirt immediately, seeking comfort – safety.

         “Just a moment, Kookie. I need to take care of my wound, yeah?” Yugyeol reassured him, before he pushed the boy off him gently, having enough space to take off his t-shirt with one hand.

Seeing the elder’s shoulder in that state made Jungkook feel sick; he could barely even look at it. It was the first time, he had ever seen a flesh wound this big. It was even worse that it was one his brother, who he thought was invincible. There was a huge gash, a bite with eight deeper holes than the rest of the teeth marks. Yugyeol closed his eyes and did some finger signs, before putting his hand down on his shoulder, which started glowing in a gentle, light green. The boy had seen this before. It was an easy healing spell that non-nature witches could use. His brother had used it on him several times, when he had minor injuries from tripping over his own feet, although they had never been this big. It had always helped.

Always.

But not this time.

For some reason, the wound did not heal, not even a little bit. Frowning, Jungkook watched the elder, as he kept his hand on his shoulder for a little while longer but he gave up eventually. Instead, he opted for bandaging his shoulder with his t-shirt, stopping the bleeding like that.

         “Hyung––“ Jungkook sniffled, “why–––why doesn’t the spell work?”

Yugyeol smiled at him, ruffling up his hair with his uninjured arm.

         “It’s a wolf bite. It can’t be healed. I should have known. It’ll take a while to heal but I’ll look for the right herbs tomorrow, when you’re in school. Don’t worry too much, it’s not a lethal wound.”

         “But–––why–––what–––I don’t understand” the boy whimpered, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes again.

He was not only just terrified by those huge wolves but his body was exhausted too. It was the middle of the night in Korea, so his body was tired out. He could not hold back anymore, so he just let his tears flow. Yugyeol promised to explain everything tomorrow but he wanted Jungkook to go home and rest. Although he protested, he went back eventually, not wanting to worry his parents, in case they noticed that he was gone.

During the entire next day, he felt uneasy. He had to wait, until it was evening, until he could sneak out of the house again. He was worried about Yugyeol. How was he doing? Had he found the right herbs? Was the bite healing now? What were those wolves? There were too big to be normal wolves, so they had to be creatures of the other dimension. But why did they attack? Something that Jungkook had learnt in his gentle nine years of life was that as long as you respect one another in that forest, you would not attack without reason. So why? Why did they attack them?

When he could finally sneak out of his house, he ran straight to a portal, anxious to see Yugyeol again. It was still bright outside, when Jungkook entered the other dimension. His feet carried him through the thicket easily, ready to find his brother relaxing against a tree trunk, resting properly because he was wounded. He could breathe out in relief, when he saw just that: Yugyeol napping against one of the trees, the t-shirt soaked with his blood from last night but it was dried now, so his wound did not open again. Not wanting to wake him up, Jungkook simply crouched beside him, smiling in relief, stroking his cheek tentatively. He looked so peaceful, he did not want to disturb. The elder had deserved some proper sleep, even if it was just a nap. Happy, he sat down as well, laying his head in Yugyeol’s lap and before he knew it, he fell asleep as well, barely having had any sleep because he had been so worried.

The sounds of the forest spirits being in clamour stirred him awake, pulling him from dreamland. Drowsily, he sat up, yawning, as he tried to focus his eyes on something. Suddenly, he felt his skin prickle on his legs, so he looked down, staring at two forest spirits floating on top of him, squeaking something he would never be able to understand. Tilting his head in confusion, Jungkook turned around to see that the elder was waking up as well, rolling his shoulders to stretch.

         “When did you get here?” the elder slurred, offering a brotherly smile.

         “A while ago. I don’t know what time it is. I fell asleep too. How are you feeling?” Jungkook answered.

         “I’m okay. The wound will take a while to heal but I made some ointment and treated it” he smiled.

Both of them looked back to the forest spirits, which were still squeaking on Jungkook’s legs, jumping urgently. Only now, the boy realised that the spirits had never gotten this close to him before. While he did not know what this meant, Yugyeol seemed to understand. Frowning, he got up, his body on alert, while he urged the younger to stand up as well. Not knowing what was happening, Jungkook wanted to ask but Yugyeol put his finger on his lips, shutting him up immediately. Adrenaline shot through his body, the unknown much worse than actually knowing what was coming for them. Because one thing was clear.

There was definitely something out there; otherwise, Yugyeol would not be so on edge.

Trying to concentrate on his hearing, Jungkook stared into the forest, hoping to hear what the elder was focusing on. But before he could hear something, Yugyeol’s eyes widened, before he grabbed the boy’s hand, running into the opposite direction he was looking at before, pulling the younger with him harshly. The elder was too fast for Jungkook’s small legs and his mind had not caught up to the fact that they were running – that they had to run. He tried not to trip but he could not help it, almost falling over but Yugyeol caught him, helping him up immediately, making him look up to him.

         “Listen well, Kookie” he said seriously, “you have to keep running, yeah? They’re here to catch you. You have to keep running, no matter what. They’re vampires, so they’ll catch up, if you stop. Now go, Kookie, go!”

He placed an urgent kiss on Jungkook’s forehead, before he let him go, nodding away from him, making the boy turn around, before he ran into the other direction as he made Jungkook face. He did not want to separate from the elder; Jungkook felt anxious but he was told to run. Thus, he had to run to survive. If those vampires were really here to get him, they would kill him. He knew the story about Cain and how he hated fire witches and that he would kill every last one of them. If the vampires were to get him, they would kill him.

So he ran.

As fast as he could, panting, toppling over and falling into the mud but he got up immediately, urging one foot in front of the other. But it did not take long, until he fell again, his head landing in the mud this time. Groaning in pain, he forced himself to get up, his instincts having kicked in, wanting to get as far away as possible. Maybe, he could get to the portal in time. But was it even a good idea to go into the human world? There was no time to think about it anyway. With a dirty face, he kept running, his legs wobbly but he had to go on. However, he then spotted something moving in the corner of his eyes. Panicking, he tried to speed up but his body was already at its limits, feeling exhausted and his knees and hands hurt from falling. It was no use; the figure caught up within mere seconds, standing into his way, making him stop immediately. Panting, he stared at the man in front of him, whose eyes bored into him, crimson red like blood, glowing intimidatingly. Jungkook was staring into the eyes of a vampire. So far, he had only met half ones and they had never shown him their eyes; thus, this was the first time, he saw eyes like these. Baring his teeth, the vampire smirked, his fangs darting out, taking a step forward. Jerking out of his stupor, Jungkook changed directions, running back into the direction he came from.

         “Hyung, help!” he screamed in fear, tears blurring his vision.

But he knew that his brother was too far away. He was alone – alone to fight the vampire that caught up to him. To fight the man that wanted to kill him. Tears ran down his cheeks, as he tried to get away as far as possible but he suddenly felt someone grip his hair harshly, stopping him, making him whimper in pain, his hand flying to the hand that was buried in his hair to lessen the pull. The vampire said something in English but Jungkook did not understand. He simply cried out, scratching at the hand, hoping that he could free himself but it was no use. The vampire only laughed at his pathetic attempt to remove the hand.

This was it. This was how he died. Just like this, his life was going to be over.

Shaking in agony, Jungkook cried, closing his eyes, hoping that the vampire would at least make it quick. But just when he had lost hope, he felt water creep up his ankles; it was slow for a second but then, it happened all too fast. The vampire groaned in pain and let go of the boy, choking like he was drowning. Too perplexed, Jungkook fell to the ground, shaking so much, he struggled to breathe properly. When a hand landed on his shoulder, he jerked, looking up in panic but he threw his body against the figure, when he realised it was Yugyeol. Sobbing, he buried his face in the elder’s chest, not able to stop crying. He did not know what happened to his attack but he was just glad that his brother was here. But just when Jungkook thought it was finally over, Yugyeol groaned in pain, letting go of the smaller. Panicking again, the boy stared up at Yugyeol’s face, which twisted in pain. There was another vampire behind him, his face buried in the crook of the water witch’s neck, his fangs boring into his skin. Pushing Jungkook away, Yugyeol grabbed the vampire’s head, trying to push him off but the witch could only use one hand, the other arm immobilised because of the attack last night. He struggled, elbowing the vampire’s stomach, finally getting him off his throat. Turning around, the witch sucked water out of the muddy ground, cooling it down, until froze to ice to stab the vampire with it. the red-eyed growled, falling to his knees, trying to pull the witch with him but Yugyeol evaded the grip, letting the vampire fall.

Silence engulfed them. Not a single bird or spirit made a sound – not even the leaves rustled in the wind. It was dead silent, as it time had stopped. Slowly, Yugyeol turned around to Jungkook, panting, his eyes trying to focus on the boy. Blood was running down his neck, down his torso. The bite was so deep, it just did not stop bleeding. Sobbing still, the boy got up, his legs trembling so much, he was scared his knees would give in again but he needed to get to his brother. But the elder shook his head, forcing a smile.

         “Keep running, Kookie” he breathed, his voice hoarse, “there could be more of them.”

Shaking his head vigorously, Jungkook took another step towards the elder. Yugyeol was weakened, it was obvious. There was so much blood, the boy felt sick but he could not stop staring in panic. Coughing in pain, Yugyeol collapsed, his eyes rolling back unhealthily and he barely managed to lessen the fall with his hands because he could only use one. Immediately, Jungkook closed the distance between them, helping him stabilise his weight by wrapping his arms around the taller as best as he could. But Yugyeol seemed tired – too tired. Gently, yet urgently, Jungkook made him lie down, sitting next to him, eyeing the wound. He was still bleeding, losing too much blood. Jungkook did not know much about the human body but losing this much blood could not be healthy. Crying again, he pressed his hand against the wound, trying to apply pressure but he could feel blood escaping through his fingers.

         “It won’t stop” he hiccupped putting both of his hands on the wound, hoping that it would stop bleeding like that, “it just won’t stop, hyung!”

Coughing a little, Yugyeol squinted his eyes in pain, yet he smiled, lifting his hand to the boy’s cheek, making him look at him, caressing it softly.

         “It’s okay, Kookie” he whispered, his voice too weak to speak properly, “it’s okay–––you have to keep running.”

         “I won’t leave you behind!” the younger protested but the elder just smiled again, telling him to go again and only then, Jungkook realised what was happening.

Yugyeol was dying.

He was lying in a pool of his own blood by now and the wound was still bleeding. His skin started losing colour and his touch grew colder, his eyes out of focus.

       “Hyung, don’t leave me” Jungkook wept, “don’t die, you can’t die. Hyung, please, please!”

         “You have to be strong now, Kookie” Yugyeol breathed, his hand sliding from Jungkook’s cheek to his hands that were still pressed against his skin, taking them away to entwine them, “you have to live for both of us now. You–––you have to run away. I–––I didn’t kill the vampire completely. He’ll recover soon. You have to––be gone by then.”

         “I can’t leave you!” the younger cried, “I won’t leave you! I love you hyung, don’t leave me! Please, I love you so much, please, please!”

         “I’m sorry.”

The vision suddenly blurred, started moving around; Jungkook and his brother disappeared. Shades of greed started to mix, making the wolf feel nauseous but then, the image cleared up. Greens were replaces by different people from before, all standing in line, wearing dark, tight clothes, looking ready to fight. As soon as the image was clear again, he was once again drowned in memories, victim to their effects on him.

He was used to everyone being taller than him but missions like these always showed him that he was still young, that he was only still a teenager. But it did not matter. He was exceptionally strong and well behaved, so he had earned his place in Team 2. Nothing changed the fact that he belonged here; not even the way most of the team looked at him. Being on this mission was the only thing that kept him from breaking down into tears, after realising that his father was a traitor. They had barely let him join the mission but Tablo had insisted that he could go, believing in Namjoon’s innocence and that he did not have anything to do with his father’s wrongdoings.

So here he was, a boy that had barely reached puberty, master of his element, master of self-control, standing in line, waiting for more instructions.

         “Our goal is to bring them back to the academy. As we speak, the academy is capturing the traitors. It is our mission to protect Yugyeol and the boy that has entered this world three years ago. You do not know of him because it was strictly forbidden to talk about this but you have to know now. He is called Jungkook and he’s a fire witch. The only living fire witch we know of. For reasons I will explain to you later, Yugyeol took him to the woods and cared for him there and looking at it now, it was a good decision. Otherwise, he would have fallen into the hands of Jun. Now that he is gone, we believe that they will be attacked soon, so our mission is to get them back to the academy safely” Tablo explained, “do not fight them under any circumstances. Simply explain what is happening at the academy. Now scatter and scan the woods. We need to find them as fast as possible.”

Everyone nodded, shouting a simultaneous Yes, sir!, before they all ran into different directions, always leaving in pairs because one should never be alone during missions like these. Namjoon stayed with Tablo and his two lieutenants, like the leader had requested, wanting to keep an eye on the young boy. Just like the others, they tracked through the forest with eager steps, their senses sharp, ready for anything that could happen. But then, they suddenly heard an alarmingly loud scream. Everyone looked into the direction it came from, running towards it. The scream seemed high-pitched, fitting a boy not older than 10 years old, so they all hurried up. However, another scream followed and this time, there was an explosion-like fire igniting in the distance. Red and yellow flames shot into the sky, lighting up the deep green forest, a wave of heat reaching them even from this far away. Namjoon felt it; this was no normal fire but witch fire, the heat gnawing on his body so much more than usual. But not only that. With the heat, an immense wave of pain and sorrow hit him, making it hard to breathe for him.

         “That’s him” he mumbled, his mind focusing on the pain that the boy was feeling, finding it easier to track him like that, his feet already carrying him towards the flames.

At the back of his mind, he heard Tablo calling after him but he was so sure that it was the boy they were looking for that he just ran, not noticing that he was using his vampire speed. Within only two minutes, he arrived at the scene, flames hugging old trees, the thicket burnt down to ashes. There were two bodies that were burnt to the point where you could not recognise them anymore but that was not the peculiar thing. In the middle of the field of ashes, there were two people: Yugyeol, who was lying on the ground and a boy with pitch-black hair, pressing Yugyeol’s bloody hand against his cheek. But the strange thing was that they were not burnt at all.

         “You did it. You’re amazing, Kookie. I knew you could do it” Yugyeol croaked out, his voice almost gone.

Only now, Namjoon realised that this much witch fire could only be produced by a fire witch. Jungkook was the one who had created such a huge explosion, killing what looked like two vampires in one strike while keeping himself and the elder completely unharmed. That small boy was holding so much power within his element, Namjoon could see why Cain was so afraid of fire witches. He was the ultimate weapon against a big group of vampires. But what was unsettling was the state the boy was in. He was sobbing, leaning over Yugyeol, who did not seem well at all, telling him how much he loved him over and over again, like a mantra, like it was the only thing left to say. Yugyeol suddenly averted his eyes, spotting Namjoon and smiled at him.

You’re Jun’s son, he spoke in his mind, you can hear me, can’t you?

Namjoon nodded, surprised that Yugyeol remembered him. The elder had taught a class that the half breed had been part of in the past but he did not think that the water witch would recognise him.

I know you’re a good kid, despite of your father’s beliefs. Please take care of him, yeah? I won’t be able to watch over him anymore.

Even his thoughts sounded weak. Hearing even his mind fading away, Namjoon knew: it was time. Yugyeol was about to die. Nodding again, he locked eyes with the water witch, slowly getting closer. It was the last thing he could do for the witch. He would keep this promise; he would take care of Jungkook, keep him safe, just like Yugyeol had done it. Even though he did not know him yet, seeing how much the fire witch cared for the one that was the closest to him showed how good of a person he was. And not only that but he also had to be protected because of his element. It was the least he could do. Especially because Yugyeol still thought that Jun was at the academy and that he would force Jungkook to stay there and train. The witch’s eyes went out of focus and Namjoon felt how his presence was leaving his body, as he watched it go lax. The boy sitting next to him felt it too, gripping his hand tighter, hiccupping because he was crying so hard.

         “No–––no, hyung–––please, please, come back. Open your eyes, please. Please!” he cried desperately, tears falling onto the body’s chest.

But Yugyeol did not react anymore.

He was gone.

There were no unconscious thoughts that Namjoon could hear anymore. Sobbing, Jungkook started hitting his chest, screaming his name, telling him to come back, throwing himself on him, getting his blood all over himself. Slowly, Namjoon got closer, even though he heard Tablo’s thoughts at the back of his mind, telling him to stop because they did not know how the boy would react. The leader and his two lieutenants had arrived at the scene by now but Namjoon was sure that he could reach out to the fire witch.

         “Jungkook?” he approached him carefully, making sure that he was in his field of vision.

But the boy did not hear him at all. He just kept crying, clenching his fingers to fists.

         “Don’t leave me, don’t leave me, don’t leave me, don’t–––“ he kept saying between his tired sobs, probably completely worn out by now.

         “Jungkook” Namjoon tried a little louder and this time, the boy jerked at the mention of his name, looking up in panic, staring at the half breed, using his body to protect the lifeless body of the elder, “my name is Namjoon. I’m from the academy. You’ve been there before. I’m here to––“

         “Go away!” Jungkook hissed through his tears, “go away, go away, go away!”

The boy was in no state to comprehend what was going on. He was hysterical, out of his mind, stressed and still in so much fear, as well as sorrow and loss. His mind was a mess, Namjoon could feel it. The only thing he could do was trying to get him to leave without him attacking anyone. His mental state was so fragile right now, he could explode at any moment.

         “Listen, there could be more vampires on the way. I promised Yugyeol to take care of you. I just want to keep you safe, okay? As soon as we’re out of danger, I’ll let you decide on what you want to do. I promise, yeah?” he continued, exhaling deeply, when Jungkook let him sit next to him, next to the body, “he taught me how to fight. I know he was a wonderful man and he didn’t deserve to die like this. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Jungkook stared up at him, another wave of tears streaming down his cheeks, before he toppled forwards, landing in Namjoon’s arms, sobbing for a while and the elder just patted his back comfortingly, not quite sure on what else he should do. After a while, Jungkook quieted down and he either had fainted from exhaustion or had fallen asleep. Either way, he was unconscious and that meant, they could move him to the academy, finally getting him to safety. Carefully, Namjoon pulled the boy into his arms, getting up, looking towards Tablo, who nodded and pointed into the forest, showing the way he had to go. With slow steps and a tight but unbruising grip on the fire witch, Namjoon carried him through the woods.  

As the younger version of Namjoon continued walking, the image faded out and Jimin only saw darkness for a moment, before the coldness left his body, being replaced by his normal body temperature. He could feel himself crying; silent tears were running down his face. Although he felt his body warming up again, he still felt frozen in place. He could not believe what he just saw, what he felt, what had happened all those years ago. Jungkook had to see his brother take his last breath of air; he had died in his arms – he died for him.

Suddenly, it made sense why Jungkook would put them through so much mental pain. It was still better than seeing someone he loved die and Jimin could relate to that. Simply thinking about losing the fire witch made him feel so sick, he was glad he was sitting down.

         “That’s why he can’t lose anyone else anymore. I honestly believe that it would destroy him to lose you. He doesn’t admit it to anyone else but––– he––loves you. So much. I think it scares him” Namjoon broke the silence and Jimin opened his eyes to look at him, “I think, not even I could calm him down, if he was to lose you.”

Sighing, Jimin averted his eyes to his hands that were placed in his lap, not knowing whether he should smile or not. Hearing that Jungkook loved him from someone else was reassuring but knowing that he would freak out was not a good thing, even though he felt honoured that he meant so much to the fire witch.

         “Oh, and Jiminnie” Namjoon continued, “about the fire he created back then. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t remember and it’s supposed to stay like that.”

         “Sure–––why, though?” Jimin tilted his head.

         “He’s always had problems controlling his fire. Back in the day, he referred to it more as a curse than a gift because he just couldn’t handle it. He once explained it to me. His fire works as an extension of his emotions. Now think about what it would do to him, if he knew that he lost control of it, even before starting to learn how it works, it would only mess with his control over it even more. He forgot about all of what happened after he exploded like that, so he doesn’t remember the image of the dead body of his brother, thank god. I don’t want him to remember that.”

         “Of course, I understand” Jimin nodded, sighing, “I think I should go.”

         “I agree. Please, give him time.”

         “I will. I would have anyways. He’s my everything, hyung. I wouldn’t be able to leave him, even if I wanted to” Jimin smiled softly, getting up. “but hyung––“

         “Mhh?”

         “Let Jin-hyung see you. He’s really worried about you.”

         “I can’t. I will hurt him” Namjoon shook his head.

         “Through the mirror then. It’s hurting him to not see you” Jimin sighed, his hand already on the door handle, “please, think about it.”

         “I will. Thanks, Jiminnie.”

         “No, thank you, hyung.”

Chapter Text

Anxiety was a malevolent thing.

It attacked, whenever he was alone and all he wanted to be was alone.

House arrest only made it worse. He tried to hide himself in his room most of the time with the excuse that he needed to study. Yoongi was busy, having to take over all of Namjoon’s tasks as a leader and both Jin and Taehyung had to go to the real world to go back to their lives, although it was only a distraction for them too. Jin was worried sick about the half breed, not sleeping well but at least, Namjoon let him come see him through the mirrored wall. However, seeing him like that only made Jin worry more. He wanted to help, tried to find a way to help him control his blood thirst but he did not know how. He and Yoongi were the only ones that were allowed to get close to the questioning room; for the rest of the team, it was still off limits, making it even harder for the fire witch.

Jungkook did not see the wolves at all. At one point, he felt so empty and so cold, he cried so hard that Taehyung broke his locked door and tackled him, wrapping his entire body around him and hugged him, not letting go, no matter how much the maknae tried to resist. Only after a day, Jungkook realised that it was the full moon and that the coldness was coming from Jimin. He was surprised that he even still felt it, as their connection had grown weaker with every passing day that they stayed apart. However, Jungkook was certain that only his side of the bond was getting weaker but not knowing how much pain Jimin was going through was worse than experiencing it. It was unfair that his pain was subsiding, when the wolf would never stop feeling like a part of him was lost forever.

His anxiety had gotten so bad again that his panic attacks returned. Sometimes, he would wake up from a nightmare, yet he was still seeing his brother in pain in front of his eyes, or how Jun was torturing Namjoon. The worst nightmare, though, was Jimin’s eyes turning cold because Cain was controlling him. One night, it was so bad, he heard Jimin punch the wall from the other side and only that had made it stop. Even when they were apart, the wolf was still calming him down. But that itself made the younger feel bad too. Jimin’s love for him was so pure, so unconditional, yet here he was, keeping them apart. He hated it and it was hard not give in. A part of him pleaded to hold the wolf again, needed the safety of his warmth around him because without it, he felt so unbearably cold.

However, his fear of losing Jimin overshadowed everything. The nightmares he had almost every night now, shifted and they were only about Jimin belonging to Cain’s clan, how he used him and smiled so darkly at Jungkook – which was ironic because he only knew paintings of that man, never having seen him in real life, yet he could clearly picture him in his mind. The evil smirk on Jimin’s face, when he stood next to the vampire was so scary, it always woke the fire witch up.

When he did leave his room to go eat in the dining hall, people did not dare stare at him directly. He did feel their glances on him but they felt the grim aura around him. No one even sat close to him, avoiding him at all costs, not wanting to risk ticking him off. Sometimes, his team would join him but he was not really talkative. He knew they would not let him push them away too but he just did not feel like talking. He just kept sighing or mumbling something, if they tried to keep up a conversation with him.

The only thing that kept him from going completely insane was exercising. Every morning, he did two laps around the entire academy grounds, which took him two hours. Afterwards, he went to their practice room and tried to meditate. He used to find that ridiculous but Namjoon had insisted he would do it back when they were young and it actually helped him focus during a fight. He moved on to strength exercises after that and spent most of his day inside the practice room, trying to keep his mind off things. But sometimes, he would feel Jimin watching him from outside the room; a suffocating need to just open the door and apologise spread inside him but he could not do that. This was the only way to keep the wolf safe. So he pretended not to know that the wolf was outside.

It was a gloomy autumn day and Jungkook just came back from his morning run, drenched to the bones because of all the rain; that was why he had to go back to his room to get dry clothes. What he did not expect was Jin sitting on his bed, looking like he had not slept enough, although that was what they all looked like, ever since Namjoon had been captured.

         “Hyung?” Jungkook approached him, suddenly worried, “is everything okay? Is Namjoon-hyung okay?”

         “Yes” he nodded, albeit sighed, “I mean–––all things considered, he is. Physically, he is getting better. He gained his muscles back and he’s meditating a lot but–––he still can’t control himself. For a week, I tried to go inside the room and have a proper face to face conversation. His record is five minutes, before he violently pushes me out of the room because he says he can’t control himself for much longer.”

Frowning, Jungkook undressed, putting on dry clothes, before he sat down next to the eldest of the team, folding his hands in his lap. Namjoon was the only person they all bonded over. The fire witch was indeed uncommunicative recently but if the half breed was the subject, he was very caring, especially towards Jin, who was hurting so much because of all of this. Jungkook still felt responsible. It had been his fault for not keeping an eye on his partner, when they were walking through those woods.

         “I proposed a new way of trying to get himself under control” the nature witch continued, “but we need the Headmaster’s permission.”

         “Why?”

         “Because it involves you and you’re not allowed to go down there because of your house arrest. Yoongi is on his way to ask, as we speak.”

         “Does that mean, I might get to see him!?” Jungkook’s heart jumped at the possibility, his eyes widening, as he stared at the elder.

         “Yes, if the Headmaster approves, you’ll be practicing with him” Jin confirmed, “I believe that the connection between you two is stronger than anything else. Just like he’s the only one that can get you back during a panic attack, I want to believe that you can get him to control himself again. You’ve seen the weakest side of him already, so he won’t have to feel ashamed in front of you. Plus, you and your fire are the only thing that can confine him, if he really does lose control. That, however, requires you being able to possibly hurt him.”

         “Whatever it takes to make him feel better” the younger said strongly.

He could not believe it. This was by far the best thing that had happened, ever since they had rescued the half breed. He could possibly see his partner again. Just the thought of that had his heart beating faster, wanting to apologise, wanting to help him. If he could really see him, he would finally have purpose again, not feeling useless anymore.

Ten minutes later, they heard the door of the apartment open and Jungkook rushed into the living room, almost running into the rock witch, who had just closed the door behind him. Just like Jin, Yoongi looked tired, worn out and it made the maknae wonder what he himself looked like, as he even felt like he had not slept enough in weeks.

         “So!?” Jungkook urged.

         “You can go see him” Yoongi announced and Jungkook wanted to jump in victory but the elder gripped his arm, making him focus, “however, there’s a condition. It’s Namjoon-ah’s wish.”

         “What is it?”

         “He doesn’t trust himself enough yet, so he wants you to smell like Jiminnie” Yoongi explained, watching the maknae’s reaction closely.

It felt like his heart dropped in his chest. He could not do that to the wolf. Letting him get close just because he wanted to help Namjoon would only torture him more. It would give him false hope and he could possibly see right through Jungkook that he still wanted to be with him and he could not let that happen. He was afraid that he would crack, that he would give in and let the wolf hold him close again and let him convince him that he was not in danger. But Jungkook needed to protect him, needed him to be safe and that meant staying away from him. Permanently. Without giving him hope by letting him scent him.

         “Hyung, I can’t––– it–– it would be unfair to him.”

         “He’s already agreed to it” Yoongi informed him, “Namjoon-ah even asked him himself. They’ve been talking a lot recently, since Jiminnie and Hoseokie are the only ones he can stand being in the same room with, since their scent is so appalling for him. I offered that Hoseokie could do it but Jiminnie refuses to have another wolf’s scent on you. He’s waiting outside. I thought we’d leave you two alone to give you some space. We’ll go down to the questioning room already.”

Yoongi glanced at the eldest, who nodded and followed the rock witch to the door. Jungkook looked back and forth between them, wanting to stop them but they were gone faster that he could move. When they left, he heard the rock witch say something and Jimin’s smooth voice replied in a quiet tone, sending shivers down the maknae’s spine. Quietly, Jimin entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. The tension in the room increased immensely, as the wolf stepped into the living room, locking eyes with the maknae. His nostril’s flared, his eyes merging into rich amber immediately. The younger froze, his heart beating against his chest, feeling like he wanted to cry, wanted to break down, throw himself into the elder’s arms, yearning for his warmth.

         “Jungkook-ah” Jimin’s voice was small, uncertain.

The wolf looked drained. If Jin and Yoongi had looked horrible, Jimin definitely looked worse. His eye bags were dark, his posture looked like he had not slept at all and he just seemed tired – of living. It was horrible to see the usually cheerful, smiling wolf in a state like that and Jungkook was aware that it was his fault. It only made him question his decision more. Was it really the right choice to make them break up? He looked so awfully broken, it tugged on the witch’s heart. Slowly, the wolf walked around the sofa, stepping in front of the younger.

He was only a heartbeat away; they would be able to touch each other, if they reached out but neither of them did. Yet.

         “Hyung––– I’m not–––I–––you––“ Jungkook could not find the right words – he was not even sure what he wanted to say.

Cautiously, Jimin moved his hand, grabbing Jungkook’s before looking up again.

         “It’s okay” Jimin said, trying to sound like his heart was not shattered, “I know you’re doing this for Namjoon-hyung. I get it. You don’t have to explain yourself.”

It was unfair. Jungkook was hurting him so badly, yet Jimin did not blame him. He was too nice, too caring, too loving. He should hate the fire witch for what he was doing to him but his touch was still so unbelievably kind and Jungkook craved more. His hand was tingling, where Jimin touched him and he could not help but squeeze his hand, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. That was when the wolf pulled him forward, wrapping his arms around him, hugging him tightly and Jungkook could not hold his tears back anymore. Sobbing, he let Jimin embrace him, too afraid to move because he was going to really break, if he was to hug him back.

His body was suddenly hot, making him feel at home, after three weeks of coldness, of feeling like an alien in his own skin. He wanted nothing more than to hold Jimin too, to tell him those three words he was so terrified of saying but he knew he was not allowed to. It would be selfish to do that. That was why he did not move – he could not let himself, or else he feared he might never be able to let go again. But Jimin held him so tightly, with so much fervour and desperation, Jungkook started trembling.

         “Hyung–––you’re too nice to me” the younger sobbed quietly, “you should hate me and shout at me for being so cruel to you.”

Suddenly, Jungkook felt that pain again – raw, unbearable pain that made him want to scream.

Jimin’s pain.

He felt it again. He had been cut off from it but now that they were so close again, now that he felt Jimin’s familiar warmth on his body, it washed over him, crushing his heart and he started sobbing, too weak to hold himself up, having to wrap his arms around the wolf. He felt his t-shirt dampen at his shoulder, indicating that the elder was crying too, making all of it even worse.

         “I’m so sorry, hyung. I’m sorry, I––––you––you’re in so much pain because of me and–––it’s just––– it’s the only way to keep you safe” the younger cried, gripping the wolf’s t-shirt, as he hid his face in the crook of his neck, “I’m sorry.”

Warmth spread through the younger, and his sobs turned to whimpers because he finally did not feel cold anymore. This was right. They belonged together like this. He wanted to believe that he could protect Jimin like this, wanted this to work so desperately but he was scared that Cain would find out and do unspeakable things to him.

         “I could never hate you and you know that” Jimin spoke, his voice barely more than a whisper, “it’s okay, Jungkook-ah. I know you’re trying to protect me. But I will never stop protecting you, no matter how much you’ll try to keep us apart. It’s my job to do so. However, if you want me to stay away, I will stay away, as much as my conscience allows it.”

         “I’m just so–––scared. I––– I–––“ Jungkook could not voice it out; even telling someone his dreams was too much.

Pictures of Jimin’s eyes turning cold and lifeless appeared in his mind again, not letting him go. His breathing was picking up, as he saw the wicked smile on Cain’s face, as he stroked Jimin’s fur, whispering something into his ear and that was when the wolf bared its teeth. He knew it was just a hallucination but it was his worst nightmare. He had fought so hard to trust Jimin that he was not like those wolves in his past but the wolf he saw in his mind was exactly like them.

         “Hey, Jungkook-ah” Jimin’s voice suddenly appeared in the back of his mind, “stay with me. Take deep breaths. Whatever you’re seeing is not real. I’m right here, you don’t have to be afraid, it’s all just in your head.”

He regained his vision, realising he was shaking violently and they were now sitting on the ground, still embracing each other but the younger was leaning onto the wolf, his body lax, as Jimin caressed his back gently, calming him down. Jimin pulled back a little, cupping his face, waiting for Jungkook to focus on him.

         “You’re still here. You’re strong” he continued, letting his thumbs ghost over the younger’s cheeks, a soft smile on his lips, revealing his canines, as he was still in half human form.

         “I can’t lose you. He can’t have you” Jungkook rambled, needing to touch the elder to know that he was real, that these warm eyes were real, placing his hands on the back of his neck.

         “He can’t have me. I’m only loyal to you, Jungkook-ah. My heart and soul belong to you. Neither a spell or a vampire compulsion can break the sacred bond that connects us” Jimin reassured him, connecting their foreheads and only then, Jungkook could take a deep breath, relaxing at the intimate touch.

But the more he relaxed, feeling safe in Jimin’s arms, the worse he felt about this. He was still shaking but his breathing calmed down, sighing at the warmth the wolf was radiating.

         “I’m––– hyung, I––“

         “I know––“ Jimin interrupted him, pulling back to lock eyes with him, still holding his face, “I won’t come near you more than a friend would, I promise. Just––– please don’t tell me you don’t want to see me at all. It’s––hard, especially, when––– half of you yearns to be with me. We’re also still part of the same team, so we have to see each other.”

         “Isn’t that––unfair to you?” Jungkook mumbled, “I’m sorry, I am like this–––it’s just––I can’t lose you––––I–––my brother––– he died for me. I can’t lose you like that too.”

        “It told you, Jungkook-ah, it’s fine. As long as I can stop you from having these nightmares” Jimin sighed, smiling comfortingly, “and this helps you seeing Namjoon-hyung. You smell like me now, he’ll smell it too, even if it’s not too strong. Let’s go down to the questioning room, shall we?”

Jungkook still could not believe how incredibly kind and forgiving the wolf was. No matter what he did, Jimin still loved him all the same. Nodding, the fire witch felt safe enough to get back on his feet. Jimin  helped him up but then let go of him, simply walking next to him, as they walked down to the questioning room. People turned around to them, surprised to see them together, since they had avoided each other the past three weeks. But the maknae’s focus was already on his partner, waiting for him in the questioning room underground.

As they arrived underground, the rest of the team was already down there, all of their eyes on the two that joined them last. Of course, they all wondered how it had went between them. Hoseok was the first to move, walking to the younger wolf, sniffing on him and the fire witch discreetly.

         “He smells like Jiminnie now” he confirmed, looping his arm around Jimin protectively.

Jungkook could not blame him. He was hurting Hoseok’s best friend, of course, his loyalty lied with the wolf, not with him.

         “As a start, you’ll only go in and talk to him. If it goes well, we can start talking about how and where you’re gonna train together without endangering others” Yoongi explained, “do you want to see him through the mirror first or do you want to go in directly?”

         “Go in” Jungkook said strongly.

Nodding once, Yoongi gestured that he should go to the door and as Jungkook left the room and moved to the door of the questioning room, he passed Tablo, who ought to be there as well, since this was official. Taking a deep breath, Jungkook grabbed the door handle, waiting for a moment, bracing himself for whatever state his partner was in. Cautiously, he opened the door spotting broad shoulders first. Namjoon turned around, his eyes flashing red for a good second, before they turned back to black. He looked tensed, staying close to the opposite wall. While he seemed under a lot of stress, tension left the younger, seeing his partner for the first time, since he freed him.

Hyung, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry. It’s all my fault.

The younger could not hold back his thoughts. For once, he did not protect his mind from his partner. He was not in a state, where he could do that. He just really wanted to know that his partner was feeling better. Physically, he had never looked better but that did not have to mean anything.

         “I’m sure, they all want to listen, Jungkookie, so let’s not converse in our minds.”

Although, I think you can still hear me, am I right? I suppose all of this was worth something.

         “Hyung, seriously, I can’t even tell you how sorry I am, I––“

         “It wasn’t your fault. Jun–– he targeted me from the very beginning. So stop beating yourself up for it. You have enough on your plate already.”

         “Let’s not talk about me” Jungkook frowned, watching his partner closely, “how are you?”

         “Me?” he huffed, “about half of me wants to suck you dry. The other half is disgusted because you smell like a wolf. I’m sorry that you––– you know, I know how hard it is for you.”

         “Good that’s it’s just half of you” Jungkook snorted, “otherwise, I would have to hurt you.”

It felt natural and so completely mundane, it was beautiful. Not one moment, Jungkook felt threatened. sighing, he let himself fall on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Namjoon joined him, although he just sat there a little stiffly.

         “I don’t see why you’ve been stuck down here for three weeks. You seem fine.”

         “Don’t be pretentious, Jungkookie. I can only bear it because you smell like Jiminnie. I can still hear your heart pumping your blood through your veins. I can see the pulse on your neck and––“

I can smell how much you miss him. I can see it in your mind too. I know why you’re keeping your distance from him and I get it. But you can’t push him away. He will always stay by your side, even if you’d tell him you hate him. And you can’t stay away from him either anymore. The longing you feel, it’s not going to go away and you know that.

         “Stop it” Jungkook complained, “don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I feel bad?”

I hate doing this to him. I can feel how he’s in pain but at least, he stays alive like this. I wish–– I wish I could tell him why I’m doing this but––– I can’t. It’s too scary to think about it. I’ve–––I’ve been having panic attacks thinking about how Cain could control him. I’m afraid to think about that day and tell him about what happened. I just–––

Namjoon put his hand on his shoulder tentatively; a comforting gesture, yet small because the half breed did not trust himself fully yet. It was strange. The elder’s touch was cold, yet it felt nice on his skin. It was the familiarity of it that made him feel so comfortable around his partner. He really wanted his partner to get better again.

I understand that you don’t want to remember all of it, I do. But he needs to know why you’re shutting him out.

         “I know” Jungkook sighed, looking down, “can’t you–––“

         “It’s all wonderful that you can communicate through your mind but we normal people don’t hear you. Jungkookie, come, it’s enough for today. Let’s work on where you can train together” Tablo’s voice appeared in the room, startling both of them.

Both chuckled, having forgotten that the others were listening. Namjoon nodded, telling the younger to go, as Jimin’s scent was wearing off and he did not want to risk anything. Frowning, Jungkook held back a pout, not wanting to go yet, finally having had some fun in these three weeks. He thought about a hug for a moment but that was probably too much for the half breed – at least for now. The elder gave him an encouraging nod, giving him a serious look and Jungkook suddenly felt this presence in his mind like he had not felt it before. It was like Namjoon was physically in his mind.

Try to tell him. He deserves to know.  

Sighing, the maknae nodded, before he left the room. He knew he had to tell Jimin eventually. It was not like he did not want to do so. He was just so afraid. There was no way he could voice out what he went through; he would definitely have a panic attack and having one because of that would need Namjoon to calm him down. But no one knew, when the half breed was going to be able to control himself like he used to. There was just no way to tell Jimin about his past.

Instead of going back to the mirror room, where the rest of his team was waiting for him, he took a turn left, exiting the underground, needing a minute for himself. Everything was just a little too much. He needed time to breathe, to calm his mind. If Namjoon could just evade his mind as forcefully as it had felt before, it meant his defences were down and Jungkook hated being weak. He needed to be strong. For himself but mostly for the people he wanted to protect and he knew that he was not in a state where he could do that at the moment. Silently, he walked through the academy aimlessly, just needing a moment for himself. He hoped that the others would understand; they knew him, so they probably figured out that he wanted to be alone right now. His heart was heavy with worry and fear and still so much guilt. Hearing Namjoon say it had not been his fault had helped but he still felt responsible. Of course, he also felt guilty because of Jimin. The wolf should not be put through so much pain but if it kept him alive, Jungkook would go to hell for him. He would do anything to keep him safe.

After a while, he had calmed down, feeling strong enough to continue the discussion about what to do about Namjoon. He walked back to the underground part and went back into the mirror room, where his team was still waiting for him, as well as Tablo and his lieutenant had joined at well. All of them stared at him, as he closed the door behind him – Jimin looked especially worried.

         “I’m sorry, I just left like that. I just needed some time to––– breathe” he admitted.

         “It’s fine, Jungkook” Tablo insisted, “in your absence, we came up with a plan and if you don’t have any objections, we will go as discussed.”

Jungkook nodded, waiting for the elder to start explaining what was going to happen now.

         “You two need proper space to get him back into shape. If he goes wild, you need space to move, so the questioning room is too small. The public execution room is connected with this one through the underground corridor and it’s big enough to properly move in it. Additionally, you can still be observed and supervised from there. For as long as you are in there, only members of team 2 and Special Force are allowed inside the observing room. You will meet him at least every two days and we will slowly send you in there without Jimin’s scent on you. If everything goes well, we can try with others of the team as well, until he is completely accustomed to drinking donated blood without losing control. The meeting will usually be in the morning. If you can’t make it, give my lieutenant a call. Are these terms good for you?”

         “Everything to get him back to his usual self” Jungkook said strongly, knowing exactly what he was agreeing to, his gaze averting to the comforting smile on Jimin’s face, which still looked a little forced.

Helping Namjoon meant putting Jimin through more pain. It was unfair but he knew that Jimin would do this because of him, even if the younger insisted on different terms. There was no arguing with him on this. Everyone agreed to the terms, Jin turning his head to the mirror, looking at his boyfriend, sighing hopefully. It was not much of a plan but at least, it was a step into the right direction. Eventually, everyone went on with their day and Jungkook had wanted to apologise to Jimin again but the wolf was nowhere to be found all of a sudden.

Hoseok had pulled him out of the room, as soon as the meeting had been over, pulling him into the direction of the portal room. Confused, Jimin looked back, having wanted to try and talk to his mate again, wanting to explain that he was fine with the terms. Yes, it would hurt to constantly having to hug Jungkook, even though he knew it would mean nothing, just to get his scent on the younger but it was needed to help Namjoon and that would make Jungkook feel better.

         “Hyung, what are you doing?” Jimin asked, letting the older wolf pull him through the academy.

         “You need a break from all of this. You’re going to spend the rest of the day with your family. I already called them. Your dad is even home already” he explained.

         “But I don’t want to be away from Jungkoo––“

         “Yes, because you feel so far apart from him already, I get it. But maybe you need this. He’s not allowed to leave the academy, so you don’t have to be afraid that he’ll get hurt. You haven’t seen your family in ages, Jiminnie. I think you need this” the elder argued.

         “But––“ he tried again, feeling anxious to be away from Jungkook.

         “No buts. Think about how much your mother misses you.”

Sighing, Jimin nodded, giving in. Maybe, it would really do him good to get out of the academy, to go back to his own culture, to his old home. At the portal, he said goodbye to Hoseok, hugging him tightly, yet shortly. He still smelled his mate on himself and he did not want to lose that just yet. His touch still lingered, making Jimin’s heart ache, knowing that it was not because he wanted to get back together. However, the wolf was patient and he knew how terrified the younger was. It was understandable. With everything that he had been through in the past, Jungkook would naturally want to protect his loved ones. And Jimin had felt the pain the maknae was going through himself. The fire witch loved him, he could feel it and that fact was a small comfort in all of this. No matter how much it hurt, he knew Jungkook was doing this to protect him and not to push him away because of the lack of feelings for him. He just had to wait for him to open up to him, to let himself go completely and trust in himself and the wolf. No matter how long it would take for Jungkook to get back to him, Jimin would wait.

With that mindset, he went into the real world, going home, where his parents were already waiting for him. His mother picked up his mood immediately, holding him close and that almost made him cry already. Even though she was human, she knew exactly what was going on. She tried to calm him down, saying that there was no way Jungkook could stay away for long, if he was already in love with him because it would physically hurt him.

         “I know it does” Jimin sighed, sipping at the tea his mother had made him, “he’s hurting and I’m hurting. But he’s convinced this is the only way he can save me from what’s out there.”

He kept it vague on purpose, not wanting to endanger his mother but his father understood immediately.

         “That is ridiculous. There is no way you would get involved with him” his father frowned, “does he not trust you?”

         “He trusts me. But it’s complicated. That fear it’s–––– it’s not because of me. He’s been through so much, he doesn’t want to lose me too. But that fact comforts me because it proves how much I mean to him” Jimin closed his eyes, leaning his head on the backrest of the sofa, staring at the ceiling, “even now, I can feel his pain. It’s gotten less intense, since the bond is fading for him, so he doesn’t feel my pain, which lessens his as well. It’s just all––– complicated. But with Namjoon-hyung slowly getting better, Jungkook-ah will hopefully get better too.”

It felt nice to talk to his parents again. They gave him a different kind of comfort as Hoseok did. Even though pack members were just as much family as parents were, his parents radiated some kind of more mature aura that soothed his mind. Maybe it was because they were mated and happy. Maybe that gave the wolf more hope that it would work out between him and his own mate. All he knew was that the more they talked, the more tired he felt and he decided to sleep at home for once. Hoseok had been right. Jungkook had to stay at the academy, so he would not get hurt tonight. That was why Jimin could stay at his parents’ without feeling bad. His mother loved the idea, making something to eat for the young wolf, even though it was almost midnight in Korea. His parents ate with him and they chatted freely, taking Jimin’s mind off things momentarily. At one point, they even managed to make him laugh. Only when it was time for him to sleep, the unforgiving separation pain kicked in again and he could not help but weep silently, before he fell asleep eventually, having dreams about how peaceful his time with Jungkook could be.

Chapter Text

Jungkook felt like he was being ripped apart.

Training with Namjoon felt great. Exercising helped the half breed with his aggression and even though it took almost half a day, at the end, he was worn out, smiling his adorably dorky smile that Jungkook had missed so desperately. In the beginning, Tablo was constantly watching them through the window on one side of the room, making sure that, if anything happened, there was backup to get the fire witch out of there. But Jungkook was never afraid. He trusted Namjoon that he knew what he could handle. He was doing really well too. During the two weeks they had been training together, he had felt confident enough to let Jin inside the room too. They had kept a safe distance between each other and Jungkook had to be there, just in case something would happen but it was clear just how good it was for them to finally see each other face to face again. It was so terribly clear how much they missed each other. It was the same longing that Jungkook felt towards Jimin.

With the relief of Namjoon improving also came pain. Every morning before he went down to train with Namjoon, he had to meet with Jimin to get his scent on himself. It was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, his body craved for every single touch he could get from the wolf. The half breed had been right that the connection between them would always be the same, even if it got a little weaker. Jungkook needed Jimin and he felt it every night, when he felt like freezing, even though he was wrapped in his blanket. Both his body and his mind craved for Jimin’s warmth and love. It was like he was not himself anymore without the wolf.

On the other hand, however, his nightmares were still the same and he woke up to the vivid image of Jimin’s cold eyes staring at him, as Cain petted his fur. That was one of the reasons why he was able to withstand the desire to let them be together. He knew he had to tell Jimin why he was so scared of losing him but he could not find the strength to tell him. It was too scary to indulge into the most painful memory of his life that he tried so hard to forget. Jimin had the right to know but Jungkook was too weak to do it and he hated himself for it. This way, he was hurting the wolf even more.

         “You know, you can be glad that it’s been two weeks, or else, I would have sucked you dry by now” Namjoon’s voice ripped him out of his thoughts.

The fire witch shook his head to realise in what position he was in. Namjoon had him pinned to the wall, his fangs so dangerously close that the younger flinched at the proximity. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he had not noticed the half breed attacking him. This had never happened before. Not since his brother had died.

         “Are you okay in there?” Tablo asked through the speaker, his voice concerned, although Jungkook was not sure who he was worried about.

         “Yeah” he nodded, as Namjoon let go of him, “just spaced out, I’m sorry.”

         “Maybe take a break and come up?” Tablo suggested.

         “No–––no, I can still continue” the maknae ensured them.

You can’t focus with you and Jiminnie being like this.

Namjoon was still in his head. Ever since they had found him, it felt like he had never left. Apparently, it was because Namjoon was still drinking fresh blood, which granted him more access to his powers as a born vampire. The half breed was like this presence inside Jungkook’s mind that was much harder to push out. It was usually okay, since the half breed was fair enough to not disturb his thoughts. Only sometimes, he butted in and it was usually, when Jungkook spaced out. The worst thing about this all was that Namjoon was right. Jungkook was physically not able to concentrate properly anymore because his mind was unstable.

Leave me alone, hyung.

Not only was he unstable but he was stubborn too. Confiding in someone would maybe help but Jungkook was too proud to open up. Maybe, he also stayed quiet because he already knew Namjoon’s advice: talk to Jimin, sort things out, you both need each other. But he did not want to hear that. He wanted to hear that he was doing the right thing because that was what he believed in. He would rather not be able to focus instead of having Jimin get killed.

         “It compromises the strength of the team, Jungkookie” Namjoon said out loud now, “the team is always as strong as the weakest member. Right now, you know you are that weakest link.”

         “I’m not stupid, I know this!” Jungkook grumbled in frustration.

Just talk to him. Trust me, I understand why you’re doing this but it’s only making things worse. If you go on a mission now, you’ll––

         “Can you get out of my head!?”

He could not listen any longer. He was so painfully aware of his choice being bad for the team, he did not need to be told so. Maybe, it was childish but he was done for today. It was only 2pm and they were supposed to train for much longer but Jungkook could not hear it any longer.

         “I’m done” he almost pouted, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

         “Jungkookie” Namjoon called after him but the fire witch did not listen; instead, he closed the door behind himself and decided to go for a run.

He was dressed accordingly already and he needed some time for himself. He ended up doing three laps around the academy and returned to Special Force’s practice room completely drenched in sweat, panting heavily. Exhausted, he let himself fall onto the ground, throwing his limbs away from his body and stared up to the ceiling. Even after such a long run in solitude, he did not feel any better. That empty feeling in his heart was still there. He wondered, if he kept this up, he would drown in this feeling and eventually die. He would not mind dying, if it meant keeping Jimin alive. However, he knew that if he was to die, Jimin would lose his will to live as well and that was exactly what the maknae was trying to avoid.

His phone surprised him, as it started vibrating in his pocket, not having expected someone to call him now. He was technically still supposed to be training with Namjoon and usually people respected that and did not bother him. It was even stranger that it was Yoongi who was calling him.

         “Hyung what’s up?” Jungkook asked.

         “We have been summoned. It’s an emergency. Come to Team 2 practice room immediately.”

         “Of course, hyung” he nodded, before he hung up and got up to rush to the practice room.

They had not had an emergency in a long time. The last one had been two years ago and it had cost a lot of lives. At that time, a horde of newborns had attacked one of the neutral vampires’ castle and since the academy swore an oath to protect them, they had to help. However, it had been a trap. The neutrals had not been neutral anymore; they had sided with Cain and because of them, too many team members had to die. It was one of the reasons why Jungkook hated neutrals.

He entered the practice room of Team 2 as one of the last ones. All of Team 2 were already there including Tablo. The wolves were still missing but the rest of Special Force was present as well; except Namjoon, of course. Tablo locked eyes with Jungkook immediately, as he hid a worried look from the rest. The maknae offered a thankful smile because the captain did not intend on telling anyone what happened today.

         “Where are the wolves?” Tablo inquired, turning his head to Yoongi.

         “On their way. They have been running in the woods to let off some steam. The full moon is in a week and Jiminnie––– he’s a little anxious.”

Yoongi tried not to say it explicitly. All of the people involved in the conversation were aware of the reason why Jimin was anxious about the full moon. Last full moon, both him and Hoseok had returned with grave flesh wounds and Hoseok even had a bruised rip because Jimin had been so violent during the full moon. Guilt settled in Jungkook’s stomach, when he had heard what had happened. He was terribly aware that it was his fault and he apologised to both of them. Jimin forced a smile, while Jin gave him something for the pain, telling him that it was alright. Hoseok, however did not hide his frown. He even bared his teeth at Jungkook, when Jimin was not looking. The fire witch did not blame him; he knew he deserved it.

Finally, both wolves entered the room. They were dirty and their feet were bare – they came here directly from the woods, so they had not brought shoes. Out of breath, they bowed to Tablo quickly, before they joined Special Force in the corner of the room, as the rest of Team 2 occupied the rest of the room. Glancing at the younger, Jimin offered a smile. He smelled of pine trees and mud and it was heart crushing just how gentle the wolf still was towards the maknae. But then, they had to concentrate on Tablo, who was asking everyone to be quite and in an instant, it was dead silent in the room.

         “Thank you all for answering the emergency call this fast” Tablo began, “I will come straight to the point. As you know, we have scouts all over the Island to guard it from any attacks. Our scouts on the northern coast have reported back to us with desperate need of help. They’ve found a village completely destroyed and as we speak, they are fighting against whatever is out there. We don’t have much information because they left immediately after reporting back to us but it is to believe that there were vampires both inexperienced and experienced. The villagers were drained of blood, which is a direct act against our laws. Any vampire around that area is to be killed.”

Tablo took a break to inhale slowly, leaving the room in a tensed atmosphere. It was worse than Jungkook had thought. He had hoped for more information. They had to go there with barely anything to help them. They did not even know how many there were and what their goal was. Generally, vampires just attacked witch villages at random but this seemed too planned.

         “It could be a trap” Yoongi said out loud, turning everyone’s attention to him, “we still haven’t figured out whether they know about Jungkookie yet. They probably do, as that was Jun’s lair and he’s anything but dumb.”

         “Even so” Tablo sighed, “we’ve been dispatched to take care of the situation. Our mission is to rescue any living civilians and to terminate the newborns. If possible, capture the older vampires but you have permission to terminate them as well. I want everyone to stick to their partners. No one goes off running alone. We don’t know what will be waiting for us but this is what we trained for and I am certain we can do this. I believe in you all. I want all of you to be in the portal room in your combat uniforms in five minutes. This is an emergency mission, so you know the protocol. Take out the letters. Let’s be victorious, so we won’t need them.”

For a moment, everyone looked at Tablo, who made sure to lock eyes with everyone at least once. Then, he saluted, which was answered by the rest of the team, before they all scattered and got ready. Yoongi was about to go as well, already dialling Anna’s number.

         “Hyung–– my partner–– I don’t have a partner for this mission” Jungkook stated the obvious.

         “Yes, I am aware of that. You stick with the wolves. I know it’s not ideal for you to see them––– in action. But I can’t have you going in there alone and Jin-hyung will go with the healers of Team 2.”

         “But––“

         “I also can’t tell an imprinted wolf to stay away from his mate in a situation like this. No witch law applies on a wolf to go against his natural instinct.”

Jungkook bit back the snappy reply that he tasted on his tongue, as soon as he glanced at the wolf. For the first time, he saw how much Jimin was holding back to not get to close to him. His fingers twitched a bit and he was biting his bottom lip, as he locked eyes with the maknae desperately. Jungkook sighed and just nodded before leaving the room. However, Jimin caught up to him quickly, walking up next to him.

         “Don’t make me stay away from you, please, Jungkook-ah.”

         “I won’t––“ Jungkook hurried, “as you’ve never really been briefed about these types of missions, I suppose you don’t have a letter ready, do you?”

Trying to appear unaffected by the vulnerable look he gave him, Jungkook avoided eye contact, concentrating on their mission.

         “Letter?”

         “A final letter. Basically your last words, in case we don’t make it out alive” Jungkook elaborated and he could feel Jimin tensing up at that.

Of course, he had not prepared a letter. So far, their missions had not been that dangerous, except Namjoon’s rescue but that had been improvised.

         “Since you don’t have to change clothes, maybe leave a voice mail for your parents” he continued, stopping to finally look back at the elder, as this was a serious matter, “we never know–––“

         “Yeah” Jimin gulped, biting his lips once more, “can I––– can I hug you, before we leave?”

         “There’s no time, hyung, I need to get dressed and––“ Jungkook wanted to refuse but Jimin’s expression shut him up.

The wolf was anxious, his nervousness pouring out of him. The news of the letters had unsettled him and he clearly could not fight like this. Thus, the younger nodded and within less than a second, Jimin had wrapped his arm around him tightly, pressing the younger against his body. Sighing, he rubbed his chin into the crook of Jungkook’s neck and the maknae could not help but relax in his arms. They had done this just this morning before he had started training with Namjoon but this felt much more urgent, more intimate. It took all of Jungkook’s self-control not to hug back. Everything in him screamed to close his arms around the wolf too but he held back, standing there, letting Jimin get enough of his scent so he could concentrate later. But Jimin did not let go. He kept holding him, listening to his heartbeat that was betraying his stoic posture.

         “Hyung––“ Jungkook reminded him, “we don’t have time. We have to go.”

Reluctantly, the wolf pulled back and his eyes lingered on the fire witch, until he disappeared into the dorm. With a racing heart, Jungkook changed quickly. Afterwards, he grabbed the two letters from under his bed. One, he had written a while ago. The other he had written recently; it was a letter just for Jimin. To apologise for everything he made the wolf go through. How sorry he was and at the very bottom, there were the three words that he was so afraid to say out loud to anyone. If he was really to die in this mission, he at least owed Jimin that.

After putting the letters on his bed, he made sure to close the door behind himself before leaving to get to the portal room. The other three were already waiting for him and they all walked there together. It was strange to go on a mission without Namjoon. They felt incomplete without him. Jungkook was uneasy going into a fight without the one person that could calm him down, if he had one of his episodes and as recent even showed, his self-control with his powers seemed to get worse.

         “You’re gonna be fine” Taehyung put his hand on his shoulder, “we all have your back. Your mate too.”

         “Stop calling him that” Jungkook grumbled.

         “But he’s exactly that, whether you push him away or not.”

         “I–––I know” the maknae sighed.

They arrived at the portal room, where Jimin and Hoseok, as well as complete Team 2. As always, Special Force arrived late but for once, no one rolled their eyes at them. The mission was more important than little quarrels between themselves.

         “I shall stress once again that you must stay with your partner at all times. You know the emergency spell, if you need backup. For the wolves, you can howl, if you need help. The portals will bring us directly to the attacked village. That was the only portal that was close, so we’re entering enemy territory right away. If you’re forced to get further away from the team, go to the next village down south and wait there for further orders. We will all meet there in an hour the latest. Is everything clear?”

         “Sir, Yes, Sir!” everyone except the wolves chanted, as they were not used to this kind of situation.

Tablo saluted once more and everyone followed suit, doing the same, before they all started entering the portals. Jungkook took a deep breath, calming down his heartbeat and stepped into one as well, light engulfing him. His feet found the ground again and he instantly smelled the creeping odour of a dead body. It tasted bitter and rotten on his tongue and if even he could smell it, there had to be at least a dozen bodies somewhere around here.

The village was simple. Small cottages made out of cobblestone – the kinds of cottages that people in Scotland used to live in during the middle ages, as this was where Highlands were in the real world. There were a few trees, so they should technically be able to see well here but it was close to sundown and there was fog everywhere. It was eerily quiet as well. The only sound that rippled through the dead silence was Jimin and Hoseok shifting into their wolf forms. Some of Team 2 watched them in terror, as their bodies morphed unnaturally, until they were replaced by two big wolves with amber eyes and big ears that scanned the area immediately.

The group started to spread, their feet too light to create any sound. Yoongi gave Special Force a wary look, before Taehyung and him started going north. They had disappeared into the fog, when Hoseok suddenly sank to the ground, his paws clawing at his eyes, shaking his head, as he whimpered in pain. Instantly, Jungkook and Jimin closed in on him and the younger wolf looked worried, licking along his companion’s face to soothe whatever was going on with him; however, it was clear that he had not let his guard down.

         “A born vampire must be close” Jungkook whispered, “it’s a psychological skill. Whatever he’s experiencing, it’s not real. He has to snap out of it – fast.”

Jimin looked at him and nodded, nudging the other wolf hard this time. Meanwhile, Jungkook scanned the area, trying to see something but the fog was so thick, he could not see more than two metres in front of him.

A loud cry rippled through them from somewhere and Jimin looked up immediately, his ears turning and he snarled, making Jungkook turn around. At that moment, a newborn appeared in the maknae’s vision, charging at him at unnatural speed. However, Jungkook was used to it and evaded the attack just in time. The newborn then charged at the whimpering wolf but Jimin jumped in front of him, attacking the vampire immediately to defend the vulnerable one of them. He growled, before he slammed the vampire on the ground and went for his throat, biting him and slashing it open with his teeth. He screamed as long as he still could, before life left his body and Jimin stepped of it. His jaw was soaked in blood – a contrast to his glowing, amber eyes.

Jungkook used to be terrified of that view but he now understood that Jimin was still himself and that he was simply doing his job. It was still a little scary to see a huge wolf using that kind of power but there was no time to think about it. More enemies appeared from different sides and Jungkook was busy defending the blinded wolf that was still whimpering. With one deep breath, the fire witch heated up his hands without creating actual fire, not wanting to risk that the born vampire that was lurking in the shadows would expose him as a fire witch. He ducked and turned, jumped and evaded every blow the vampires threw at him. One of them took a wrong step and Jungkook was right there, using the opportunity to push his hand through the vampire’s chest, burning his hand through its chest. He grabbed the heart and ripped it out, throwing it to the ground and surprisingly, Jimin stepped on it purposefully, crushing it to kill the vampire once and for all.

         “Can you defend Hoseok-hyung by yourself? I’ll go find the born vampire” Jungkook called the wolf, who nodded quickly before getting back to fighting.

Smoothly, Jungkook evaded the vampires that came at him, hoping that Jimin would be okay all by himself. He would not go far, of course, as he knew it was too dangerous to be alone but with Hoseok not being able to fight, they would be in an inferior situation. Carefully, Jungkook scanned the area, yet the fog was still so thick, he did not see the born vampire. By now, the sound of others being involved in fights had reached them and Jungkook ultimately wondered how many vampires there were. Uneasiness gnawed at him, feeling a little uncomfortable that his partner was not with him. However, he had to concentrate on his task at hand.

Silently, he squatted down and did a complicated finger sign spell. It was a rock element spell and it tore at his muscles, as he pressed his hand to the ground and it almost knocked his breath out of him. In exchange, he felt everyone moving around him – the fast, light steps of the vampires, as well as Jimin’s heavy, steady paws sinking into the muddy ground. And then, there were two feet that were not moving not too far away from the wolves. The vampire that was influencing Hoseok was sitting on a tree, having an overview of the whole battle, thinking that he was safe, as the fog masked him. Now that Jungkook thought about it, the fog had to be created by a witch. Otherwise, the water and wind witches of Team 2 would have long gotten rid of it.

As long as the spell still worked, Jungkook could clearly see where he was going. He made sure to not cross paths with attacking vampires, feeling that Jimin had the situation under control. When he had sneaked up on the vampire on the tree, he would have loved to simply burn it to the ground and torture him just the way he was doing to Hoseok right now but firstly, there was no time and secondly, he could not reveal his element here. He did not know who was watching. Yoongi was right with his apprehension that this might all be a trap to lure Jungkook out, so he had to be careful not to use his element, even if it was hard.

Instead of burning down the tree, he studied it for a second, before he grabbed the right branches to climb the tree quickly, catching the born vampire off guard. With a strong kick on his head, Jungkook pushed the vampire off and jumped on him immediately. Surprised, the vampire bared his fangs, trying to catch skin, squirming beneath the fire witch but Jungkook made sure that he could not move. But then, he glanced up for a second and spotted Jimin standing in front of him, his eyes cold as ice, licking his bloody teeth, grumbling deep in his chest. There was someone behind him with red eyes and an evil smirk and Jungkook shivered at the sight.

         “You show people their worst fears” Jungkook stated, closing his eyes, concentrating on heating up his hand, “that’s why Hoseok-hyung was trying to cover his eyes. This won’t work on me, though. I’m used to seeing this every night.”

How ironic that his nightmares were helping him in the end. It even made him snort. There was a chance of keeping this one alive and Jungkook had intended to do so but the rock spell was wearing off and he felt more vampires approaching, so he had no time to concern himself with a vampire with psychological powers. Therefore, he slammed his hand into the vampire’s chest, easily cutting through flesh and bone with the heat he had created, making him scream in pain. For a brief second, Jungkook allowed himself to burn him from the inside and the realisation in the vampire’s eyes was enough to know that they were indeed looking for a fire witch. Then, however, he put him out of his misery and ripped out his heart, making sure that it had stopped beating.

As he was on his way back to the wolves, a pained growl shot through him like a lightning bolt. Raw fear crept up the maknae’s spine and his feet moved faster than before. Which one of them was hurt? The spell had worn off, so he could not feel their steps anymore. Only when he was close enough to them, he saw Jimin wrestle with a new born that was trying to get its arms around the wolf to crush him. Hoseok was busy with two other vampires, so he could not help him. Without thinking, Jungkook rushed over to him, grabbing the vampire by its neck, boring his fingers into its flesh. Its focus shifted to the witch, turning around immediately, jumping at him but Jungkook kicked its knees, so it fell to the ground. Jimin had gotten up by then and before Jungkook could deliver the final blow, he snapped at the vampire’s head, ripping it right from its neck and crushed it between his teeth before throwing it far away from its body.

Just like before, Jimin was standing right in front of him, his jaw soaked in blood. However, his eyes were warm and reassuring – filled with worry for the fire witch but also with confidence and gratefulness. They stared at each other and appreciated how well they worked together. It felt strangely natural, even though this was the first time they really fought together. They would have relished in that moment longer but Hoseok’s cry for help brought them back to reality.

It seemed like the fight did not end. Jungkook had killed at least ten vampires and looking at all the bodies they had left behind, the wolves were close behind that number as well. Yet, there were still so many coming at them. It had to be Cain and his clan that had come up with this plan but why create so many new vampires just to lure Jungkook out? Was it really that worth it? Or was that not the only reason why they were attacking the north of the island?

Jimin’s warning growl shook him out of his thoughts just in time, as a vampire went straight for him. He barely evaded the sharp teeth that aimed for his neck. What he first thought was a newly turned vampire was clearly more experienced. Easily, the vampire turned, staring at the maknae, waiting for him to make a move, his gaze analytic but also wary, as the two wolves were still close by. Jungkook adjusted his posture, having to pay more attention to this one. He possibly had powers as well, which could be physical or psychological so he had to be careful. He feinted an attack to the right but did a side step just in time, landing a hit right into the vampire’s stomach, which grunted in pain. However, instead of collapsing because of the force the witch had used, he grabbed Jungkook’s arm and sank its teeth into it. Jungkook cried out in pain, kicking the vampire off. It took him more strength than it should and it left an open wound on his arm.

Usually, that was no problem. In a situation like this one with who knew how many blood thirsty, uncontrollable vampires around him, it was not a very helpful thing to have an open wound that was too deep to stop bleeding anytime soon. Vampires that were fighting the wolves snapped their heads around, licking their lips as their eyes focused on Jungkook’s warm.

         “Fuck––“ he muttered under his breath, still having to concentrate on the experienced vampire in front of him.

His arm hurt and his hand was slow to react; his tendon had probably been affected, hence the struggle to move his hand. Glaring at the vampire, Jungkook started to feel challenged. On the one hand, that was good, as it pumped more adrenaline through his veins but on the other hand, it made him more impulsive, which he could not afford in a fight without his powers. In the back, he heard Jimin and Hoseok kill more of the distracted vampires but he had to concentrate on the one in front of him, who was now charging at him again – faster than before. Struggling to keep up, Jungkook ducked and turned, not able to fight back, barely even managing to dodge the vampire. His muscles were starting to tire out as well; this way, he would not last long anymore. He had to kill this vampire fast. Glancing at Jimin and Hoseok, Jungkook realised that they were both only fighting on now and there did not seem to be more vampires around, so the maknae decided to fake hand signs for a fire spell to pretend that it was not his natural element. Surprised, the vampire moved back but Jungkook’s fire had reached him already. He cried out and wanted to run away; however, the witch was faster now, making him fall and finally, he could rip his heart out.

The body fell to the ground, still burning, lighting up the foggy surroundings. Panting, Jungkook threw the heart on the burning pile, his healthy arm holding his wounded one. He had lost a lot of blood and the wound was somehow still bleeding, albeit less than before. His focus started to get worse and the need to sit down was starting to invade his mind. Shaking his head, he tried to concentrate but once again, Jimin’s growl shook him out his trance, making him turn around to a vampire too close for comfort. But before it could reach him, he felt a strong jab into his side, pushing him away. Jungkook rolled backwards, still holding his arm, as he stared to where he was standing just a second before. Jimin had taken his place and the vampire had closed his arms around him, crushing his body, as he kept trying to bite deep enough into Jimin’s fur to wound him properly. The wolf growled but it quickly turned into a strained yip, crying out in pain. He tried to get the vampire off but he could not move, just wince in pain as it kept crushing his bones.

Jungkook felt it – he felt Jimin’s pain and it was suffocating. He did not realise how his feet moved on their own, how he yanked the vampire off the wounded wolf. It was like he had blacked out for a second. Perplexed, he stood next to the wolf, who was lying in the mud, his chest rising just barely, yipping in pain. His neck was covered in blood and he suddenly looked so broken, Jungkook struggled seeing him like this. It was his worst nightmare. This was exactly what he was trying to avoid. As his knees gave in to sit next to him, his vision got blurry and all he could do was cry out for Jin. Jimin’s eyes rolled back unhealthily, while he continued breathing too fast; the witch did not know what to do. It already looked bad as it was but then, Jimin suddenly started shifting, his bones cracking even more than before.

         “Jin-hyung!” he cried out again.

He would cast the emergency spell but he could not feel his right hand anymore. Luckily, Hoseok was there and howled loudly, which could be heard from far away as well. Jimin was still turning back to his half human form, when another vampire appeared but Jungkook simply created a circle of fire around them to shield the elder from any more harm. It was hard seeing anything through his teary eyes but he could still see the gashes on Jimin’s now human neck and shoulders, blood and mud dirtying the wound. His pain was even worse, as the younger could feel it course through his body and it felt like it was freezing him from the inside.

         “Hyung––“ he sobbed, reaching out his hand, hesitant to touch him, afraid that he would hurt him.

But he suddenly felt Hoseok gently pushing him forward with his nose, nodding towards Jimin, whimpering in distress. Taking that as an okay to touch the younger wolf, Jungkook gently cupped his face, hoping that Jimin would open his eyes. His eyes flickered open for just a moment but only for him to cough up blood and to close them again.

         “Stay with me, hyung, please–––you have to s––stay awake” he stuttered, sitting closer to the wolf, suddenly feeling this need to stay close to him.

Helplessly, he caressed his cheek, leaning down to connect their foreheads. Jimin’s breathing was too weak and even though he had stopped bleeding, he had lost so much blood, it was painting the ground beneath them. Jungkook’s tears were falling into Jimin’s hair but he could not care less. The bodily contact felt like it was the right thing to do and it seemed to take away at least a little of the wolf’s pain. However, all of this felt too much like a déjà vu.

         “Please” he muttered, words spilling from his mouth, as he was terrified to lose the one person that would always love him, no matter how much of an ass he was, “Jimin-hyung, please, don’t leave me. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I was an idiot. I’m sorry, I made you stay away. It was stupid and it didn’t help keeping you alive at all–––“

Jimin coughed up blood again and he suddenly seemed so lifeless, Jungkook’s heart seemed to stop for a moment too. Crying even more, he started carding his hands through Jimin’s dirty hair, wanting to soothe him in some way, although it was more to prevent himself from having a panic attack.

         “Stay with me, hyung, I beg of you” he snivelled pathetically, “I couldn’t even tell you how much I love you. Do you hear me? I love you, hyung! So much, it scares me. I’m so scared, please don’t leave me, please––“

There was a gentle hand on his shoulder, making him jerk and look up. Jin was already sitting down next to him. He had not been scared to walk through the fire, knowing that Jungkook was still sane enough to only hurt enemies with it. With quick hands, the healer checked for broken bones, examined his flesh wounds and check his pulse. The frown on his face did not reassure the fire witch.

         “We need to move him back to the academy immediately” he said hurriedly, calling some of the other healers, telling them that it was fine to enter the fire.

As soon as they stood there, they put down a stretcher and Jin told them to slowly lift Jimin on it.

         “Almost all of his ribs are broken. They’re healing as we speak but they’re in the wrong position. I can’t be certain but it appears that they press down on his liver, damaging it. The vampire venom in his body is slowing down his healing process that’s why the flesh wounds haven’t healed yet. He’s lost so much blood, his body it too weak to burn the venom out of his system. He needs surgery immediately to correct his ribs and a blood transfusion, so his self-healing ability returns” he hastily explained, as the others lifted the stretcher with the wolf lying on it.

Jungkook did not want to let go but he also did not want to be in the way, so he let go. However, Jin grabbed his hand and made him hold Jimin’s, as they already started walking to the portal they had come from.

         “You two are connected, Jungkookie. Your aura is what’s keeping him alive” Jin stressed.

Hoseok followed closely behind, keeping an eye on their surroundings, nodding at what the healer had just said. Determined, Jungkook squeezed Jimin’s hand, keeping up with the hasty steps of the others bringing Jimin to the portal. The fog was clearing up and the fire witch could see some other witches finishing off the last remaining vampires but it all seemed irrelevant for him now. Jimin was all that mattered right now.

         “I’m here––“ he ensured him, “I won’t go, I promise. I’m gonna stay with you, do you hear me, hyung? I’m not letting go of your hand, until you wake up!”

Chapter Text

Everything was a blur, after the healers had heaved Jimin onto the stretcher. Jungkook’s legs were heavy and his head was spinning but nothing mattered except the wounded wolf, who was lying unconscious on that godforsaken stretcher. At the back of his mind, he noticed Hoseok staying behind, probably joining Taehyung, who they saw a few metres back, struggling with two vampires at the same time. Somehow, they managed to get to the portal unharmed and as soon as they were back inside the academy, Jungkook’s knees gave in. His body was exhausted, having lost too much blood himself. One of the healers caught him just in time, helping him walk. Someone said something but Jungkook did not understand. It was all just a huge cloud of noise around him. The only thing he still registered was the weight of Jimin’s hand in his and it took all of his willpower to keep holding it, to not let go of him.

His surroundings changed and Jungkook recognised the walls as the ones of the infirmary. However, it was a room he was unfamiliar with. It did not have the usual rose tone to it that was there to calm the patients, when they woke up. Instead, it was completely white – sterile and cold looking. Struggling to focus, his head was suddenly grabbed by someone and bright light was directed right into his eyes. Instinctively, he squinted his eyes weakly but they were held open. A part of him told him to defend himself but he could vaguely remember that he was in the infirmary. A healer was probably checking up on him. More hands were on him and inspected his arm.

         “Jin, he’s about to pass out, we can’t take him into surgery, he’s too weak” someone said but they were moving again already.

         “Treat him there, then. I don’t think Jimin will survive, if he’s separated from his mate in this state. He should technically be dead already but his body is still fighting for Jungkook’s sake. We don’t have time, we have to operate immediately” Jin said hastily, his voice full of concern.

The fire witch’s heart sped up at those news and another rush of adrenaline cleared his mind. Suddenly, he could focus and his vision was not blurred anymore. He noticed Jin standing there in turquoise surgery clothes, holding his hands like he had just sanitised them. Next to him, there were three other healers and there was one crouching down next to himself – probably the one that thought he was too weak to stay for Jimin’s surgery.

         “I’m–––“ Jungkook croaked out, feeling short of breath but he locked eyes with Jin, who stared at him in surprise, “I’m not leaving him!”

         “You won’t, don’t worry” the elder calmed him down, “save your strength, you’ll need it.”

Nodding, Jungkook strengthened his grip on Jimin’s hand and winced, when he felt a stitch at his elbow. He looked down and noticed a needle, glaring at the healer, who dared giving him something that he did not approve of.

         “It’s a painkilling potion” the healer explained, “I will have to extract the venom from your system and stitch up your wound.”

         “I wanna stay awake” Jungkook slurred, yet he felt himself drift off already, albeit not completely.

He did stay away but he felt high. The room started moving and the voices in the room all mixed to incoherent clouds of noise. The noise of the machine that recorded Jimin’s heartbeat was the most prominent – almost hypnotic. It felt like it was his own. When it sped up, Jungkook felt uncomfortable to the point where it was hard to breathe and he held on to the wolf’s hand as strong as he could. The sound of bones cracking sent cold shivers down his spine and he released an anxious whine, albeit unconsciously. He yearned for Jimin at that moment, for his health and for his soul, his body and his touch. Holding onto a lifeless Jimin was so terrifying, Jungkook realised that he could not live without him anymore. It was agonising thinking about it and it physically hurt that this possibility was not that far away from the current reality.

Jungkook had lost track of time but eventually – Jimin’s heartbeat had been stable for a while – Jin sighed in relief, telling the others to move them into a room. Still under the influence of the potion, the maknae just barely noticed having been moved to one of the rooms. It was not a rose room but one of the baby blue ones that were for close observation. While Jimin was being moved in a bed, Jungkook was right next to him in a wheelchair and he only noticed now that he had some kind of infusion stuck to his arm. The healer wanted to help Jungkook up, as there was a bed next to Jimin but Jungkook shook his head weakly, holding on to the wolf. He still could not focus properly and it was hard to keep his eyes open but there was no way he would let go of him.

         “I’m staying right here” he said softly.

         “It’s fine, I’ll take care of the rest” he heard Jin say from somewhere further away.

         “Are you sure?” the other healer replied but after that, it was quiet for a moment.

Only when Jungkook’s face was cupped gently, he was able to blink away the haze of his vision, seeing Jin’s face close to his.

         “Jungkookie, the painkiller is wearing off slowly, can you focus on what I’m saying?” he asked, waiting for Jungkook’s eyes to stop on his.

         “M’yeah” he nodded slowly, leaning into his warm hand.

         “You’ve been stitched up and you’ve been given a blood transfusion. To give you back your energy, you’re getting an infusion now.”

         “Jim––in-hyung––“ Jungkook tried but speaking was somehow hard.

         “He’s going to be fine” Jin smiled a little, “it was a long surgery and I honestly don’t know how he survived for so long without a blood transfusion. My only guess is that he wanted to live for you. His body is still too weak to quicken the healing but it’s safe to say that he’s not in danger anymore.”

A tired smile spread along Jungkook’s face and he hummed at the news, as his heart settled in relief. Jimin was safe. He was going to survive. He was not going to leave him. Slowly, Jungkook turned his head to finally look at the wolf, who was lying on the bed next to him. He was sleeping soundly, as his chest rose rhythmically. Just like himself, Jimin had an infusion stuck to his hand. His hair was a little tousled but it looked like he had been cleaned properly. He seemed so calm and suddenly, everything that had happened before was meaningless. Jungkook felt bad to not care about anything other than Jimin right now but he could not help it. He remembered Jimin once saying that imprinting was like the centre of gravity changed to the person they imprinted on and somehow, Jungkook started to understand.

         “You need some sleep too” Jin said after a while.

         “M’not leaving his side. Not gonna sleep on the bed. Gonna sleep right here” he protested, pulling himself closer to the bed Jimin was lying on, propping his arms on it to demonstrate that he was not going anywhere, “see? M’fine.”

         “As you wish. Breakfast will be brought to you in a few hours. The others are fine too. They’ve returned a few hours ago. I’m gonna check in on them and tell them you’re alright.”

Once again, Jungkook nodded, offering a soft smile, before Jin left the room, leaving the two alone. Yawning, the maknae shifted, lying his head onto his arms, snuggling into Jimin’s leg that was covered with the blanket, still holding his hand. He sighed, as he placed a soft kiss on the wolf’s hand, before drifting off to sleep as well.

He was woken up by the breakfast he was promised. Happily, he welcomed it, as his stomach was empty. Within a few minutes, he had gulped down everything and the nurse quickly took the remains with her. After having eating, he felt so much better. His arm was wrapped in bandages and one of the healers had said that it would not scar, giving him another reason to be relieved. After lunch, they removed his infusion and he was allowed to sit in a normal chair. Jimin had yet to wake up, so Jungkook slept a lot, still feeling a little tired. He wanted to sneak into his bed but his ribs were broken, so the maknae was scared to move him too much.

         “Guess who brought you clothes” Taehyung’s voice appeared at the door, leaning against the frame, waving with grey sweatpants and a white shirt.

         “Finally” Jungkook snickered, “I almost thought you forgot about us.”

         “Well, excuse me for sleeping for 10 hours after a venom extraction” he said dramatically, pulling down his shirt to reveal a big plaster on his collarbone.

         “You too?” Jungkook was surprised.

         “Yeah––– Hoseokie-hyung saved my ass.”

         “Wow––“ Jungkook looked down, grabbing the clothes that he was handed.

For a second, he let go of Jimin’s hand to get out of the stupid hospital gown and back into proper clothes. He was halfway done changing, when Jimin suddenly shifted, his hand grabbing the sheets in distress. Anxiety rushed through Jungkook suddenly and his heart thrummed in his chest, as he watched Jimin frown in his slumber. As fast as he could, he pulled the shirt over his head and reconnected them by entwining their hands again.

         “I’m still here” he said, caressing the wolf’s hand tenderly, “don’t worry, I’m right here.”

Immediately, Jimin calmed down, sighing unconsciously and the rush of anxiety evaporated. Had that been Jimin’s feelings that Jungkook had felt? Was their connection strong enough for that still? Or did their bond get stronger again? When Jimin seemed completely calm again, Jungkook turned to the water witch again, thanking him for the clothes.

         “So what happened after Jimin-hyung and I were taken back?”

         “It was a mess. I honestly lost count on how many vampires I killed. They must have turned so many humans, I wonder how the human news didn’t report on this. Yoongi-hyung is fine and so is Hoseokie-hyung. Apparently, Namjoon-hyung wants to try and come out of his cave soon. He’s really worried about you and Jiminnie” Taehyung elaborated, “Team 2 was able to catch two older vampires but we will probably not get anything out of them. However, it is very likely that Cain is hiding on one of the islands above the northern Coast.”

         “So it was him after all” Jungkook sighed, turning his head back to look at his sleeping mate.

When he watched him like this, he felt at peace. Mate. That word was still scary, especially now that Cain was actively carrying out whatever plan he had. Maybe, this was not even a victory for the academy but for him. They did not know what he wanted exactly, so they were at a disadvantage.

         “He doesn’t look that hurt” Taehyung tried to cheer him up, “I thought it was worse.”

         “He almost died, Tae” the maknae said grimly.

         “How many times did you almost die for one of us?”

         “That’s different.”

         “How?”

         “Because I will still live in the human world, while he would have really died!” he huffed, “I’ll gladly give my witch life for one of you, especially for Namjoon and Yoongi-hyung but–––“

His voice got caught at the lump in his throat. He was overwhelmed by his feelings, as he was so often, when he spoke about this. His element naturally made him very emotional. He was passionate and completely willing to give his life for someone he loved. However, now being put into the shoes of the person that was saved, having to watch Jimin almost die for him brought tears to his eyes once more. The way his eyes had rolled back into his head had been horrifying and so similar to something he had seen once before. He could not really remember his brother’s dying figure in his arms, only knowing the images of his nightmares and he did not trust his mind to tell the truth but the image was so familiar, it had made him want to vomit.

         “You really got to make it right with him, when he wakes up” Taehyung reminded him, patting his shoulder.

         “I know, I’m waiting for him” he muttered under his breath, not noticing how the water witch left the room.

Taehyung was probably the one to understand the most. Not because he had been through the same things but because he was naturally passionate as well and just wanted to be loved. That was the reason why he left them alone again, knowing that Jungkook wanted to brood by himself.

Throughout the day, Yoongi had visited too, checking up on both of them. He did not linger for too long either, knowing the maknae well enough that he wanted to be alone. Hoseok stuck around longer. First, he just stood there, tears of relief in his eyes and he took Jimin’s other hand immediately, holding it to his face, breathing in his scent. It was friendly, of course, and it was a custom to be close to your pack mates for wolves but Jungkook did not like it. He could not help squinting his eyes at him.

         “I should still be mad at you” Hoseok started, as he looked at the maknae, “you made him go through so much shit, I hope you feel worse than you make it seem.”

         “I know––“

         “But I also know that he’s still alive because of you, so I’ll forgive you. Just don’t fucking push him away anymore. You can clearly see that it’s wrong to do so.”

         “I won’t anymore” Jungkook swallowed, “I was just so afraid.”

         “Just–––“ Jimin suddenly shifted, taking a deeper breath than before, “I’ll go. This moment is entitled to his mate.”

Quickly, Hoseok got up and exited the room, before Jungkook could say something. He wanted to tell him to stay, as he was Jimin’s closest friend but his attention was turned to Jimin, who sighed, as his eyes fluttered open.

Jungkook’s breath hitched, when he finally saw Jimin’s eyes again – his amber eyes, that used to embody fear for him but now were like home. His eyes were glossy and he struggled keeping them open for a while, licking his dry lips. It seemed like he was still not fully awake, like he was trying to figure out where he was. He shook his head a little and groaned at it uncomfortably, wanting to move but groaned even more.

         “Don’t move too much yet” Jungkook advised, his voice thick and glazed with emotions that overwhelmed him, as he squeezed the wolf’s hand.

Only then, he stopped moving, locking eyes with the maknae, realising that he was not alone. Instantly, his lips parted in a soft smile, his canines darting out a little.

         “You’re really here” he croaked out, his voice hoarse from not using it, “I thought––––it was a dream.”

         “I’m sorry” Jungkook whimpered immediately, tears falling from his eyes, “I’m so sorry. I–––“

         “Jungkookie––“ he tried to stop him but the younger just shook his head, ducking it down, burying it in the sheets, kissing Jimin’s hand.

         “No, don’t tell me it’s fine. It’s not and I was stupid and I’m just so goddamn sorry” he cried but then, he lifted his head again, gazing at the wolf, who looked ready to pass out again.

They stared at each other and only Jungkook’s sobs were heard in the room.

         “I just–––I love you” he whispered, watching as Jimin’s eyes widened, “I love you. I love you, hyung. I do. I was just so scared to say it out loud because–––– because the last person I said this to died in my arms–––he–––I––––it–– I was still so young, when it happened, it––“

         “I know” the wolf sighed, caressing Jungkook’s hand with his thumb, “Namjoon-hyung–– he told me, when you were so distant–– don’t be angry with him.”

         “I––I’m not–––I’m glad he did” the maknae trembled, “I’m glad you knew why I pushed you away. I wanted to tell you but–––thinking about it––––it scares me.”

         “Come here” Jimin breathed, trying to pull the fire witch closer but he was still too weak but Jungkook understood.

Without having to talk about it, the wall between them had crumbled and all that was left was their bare selves. Jungkook had never felt so vulnerable yet so safe at the same time. Jimin knew about the darkest moment of his life, knew him in his weakest state but he still loved him unconditionally. Smiling through his tears, he got up and leaned forward. First, he simply connected their foreheads and felt Jimin breathe in his scent greedily but then, he could not hold back anymore and pressed his lips on the elder’s. Truthfully, Jungkook never wanted to pull back again. His body physically needed to be closer to him.

         “Hyung” he breathed against Jimin’s lips, kissing him more, “I’ll never push you away again, I promise.”

Jimin answered by another kiss, wanting to lean in more, desperately searching for his mate’s body, for the connection that had been lost for so long. They did not have to speak anymore; they let their bodies speak for themselves, as much as it was possible, anyways. They kissed and kissed and Jungkook’s hands wandered softly over Jimin’s exposed skin, always avoiding the bandages and plasters. It felt like they had been starving all this time and they were only now allowed to eat again.

         “I see you’re awake” Jin cleared his throat, interrupting them, “Jungkookie, please be careful not to crush him, I don’t believe his quick healing has returned just yet, so his ribs are still broken.

Startled, Jungkook pulled away, realising how much he had closed in on wounded wolf. He pulled back and made way for the healer, who smiled at the wolf, also relieved that he finally regained consciousness.

         “Before I check up on you: how do you feel, Jiminnie?”

         “Emotionally overwhelmed” he laughed, still looking at the maknae, who snickered at that but blushed at the same time.

         “I meant physically” Jin chuckled.

         “Numb. I don’t really feel my body properly for some reason” he frowned, instinctively squeezing the younger’s hand.

         “That’s because we’ve given you painkillers. Usually, you don’t need them and when you’re given some, your quick healing burns it out of your system straight away. However, your body is exhausted and the first thing it will do is heal your bones” Jin explained to the couple, “you’ve lost so much blood that your body had to concentrate on keeping you alive, instead of healing you. I will return once the painkillers are out of your system and after you’ve eaten properly. I’ll ring for some food.”

Jin nodded to them as a sign that he was leaving before exiting the room again. He also understood that the two of them needed time for themselves, that Jimin had to have him close to make his body regenerate faster.

As soon as they were alone again, Jimin tried to pull the younger closer again but he still did not have enough strength. Jungkook, however, understood and moved, sitting on the bed and caressed Jimin’s cheek. He was beautiful, even when he was hurt like this. Sighing in content, the wolf leaned into the soft touch, taking in his scent.

         “I love you” Jimin said simply but it meant so much.

Jungkook leaned forward, connecting their lips again, and again, and again. They continued, until Jimin’s food arrived. The younger ended up having to feed the wolf, as he pretended not being able to lift his arm and he refused to be fed by Anna, who was on duty now. Jungkook was embarrassed about it but the satisfied grin on Jimin’s face made it all worth it. By the time the sun set, the wolf felt much better. Colour had returned to his face and he could lift his arms properly again. He hissed at a slight discomfort on his neck and in his chest but Jin explained that it was him finally starting to heal again.

         “You should get some sleep too, Jungkook-ah” Jimin said after a while of silence of just them holding hands.

         “I’m not tired” Jungkook shrugged.

         “You’re injured too” Jimin pointed out, letting his fingers ghost over the witch’s arm, “you need to recharge.”

         “I slept, when you slept” Jungkook argued.

         “I felt your presence with me, though, so you didn’t sleep in a bed.”

Looking down at their entwined hands, the younger blushed, licking his lips in embarrassment. He was not quite sure why he even felt embarrassed but his heart started beating at the words he recalled.

         “I–––Jin-hyung told me I help you heal, so I’m not leaving” he protested, feeling Jimin’s hand creep up his spine, slowly caressing his back and it sent shivers down his spine.

         “In a way, you do. I feel at peace with you by my side. My body knows you’re safe, so it can concentrate on healing itself” Jimin elaborated, his eyes constantly fixed on his mate.

         “So I’m not leaving” Jungkook insisted.

         “Join me on the bed then” the elder offered.

Jungkook wanted to refuse, knowing that Jimin should not move too much yet, albeit his healing having kicked in now, but the wolf was already shifting. A soft groan, then a hiss and he had moved enough for the maknae to fit into the bed as well. Grinning satisfied, Jimin patted the spot next to him. Clicking his tongue, the younger joined him, being ever so careful not to hurt the wolf. He hesitated getting too close but Jimin put his arm around him and pulled him into his chest, snuggling his nose into Jungkook’s hair, sighing in content.

         “I missed this” he mumbled, his hands sneaking beneath Jungkook’s shirt, running up and down his side, creating goosebumps.

Before he really registered, Jungkook found himself falling asleep to the sound of Jimin’s steady heartbeat.

In the morning, he woke up to soft chatting. Jimin’s chest was reverberating with his voice, sounding deeper for Jungkook than usual, as he was lying on him. The other voice belonged to Jin, who was probably here to check up on the wolf again.

         “Yeah, I feel fine, honestly. My chest doesn’t hurt anymore and I can feel my body properly now. The only thing that is uncomfortable is that the plaster on my neck is itchy” Jimin ensured him.

         “I still want to do a scan to see how your ribs have healed” Jin insisted.

Grumbling softly, Jungkook nuzzled into Jimin’s chest, not wanting to get up yet. He had not slept this well in a very long time. No nightmare had haunted him and for the first time ever since Namjoon had been abducted, he had slept through the night without waking up. He still felt as if he could sleep more, so he pretended to still be asleep, hoping that Jin would come back later.

         “Jungkookie, good, you’re awake. I’d like to scan Jiminnie’s body to check on his ribs, so you need to get off the bed for a bit” the healer noticed him, of course.

         “Go away” the maknae complained, yawning into Jimin’s chest, “come back in like an hour.”

         “Health comes first, Jungkookie” Jin clicked his tongue, flicking his head with his forefinger.

Surprised, Jungkook jerked up, ready to fight back, squinting his eyes at the elder. He sighed and relaxed again, sitting down on the chair next to the bed. In the end, Jin was right. Jimin’s health did come first, even if the wolf pouted, when Jungkook got off the bed.

It was always fascinating to watch Jin do his work. With swift yet ever so careful hands, he removed the blanket, exposing Jimin’s bandaged upper body. His hands started glowing in a soft emerald, before he started touching the wolf’s ribs. Having his eyes closed, he mapped the wolf’s upper body and Jimin just sighed, closing his eyes at the warmth. Jungkook chuckled a little, knowing that relaxing feeling all too well, having been treated like this so often, he could recall the feeling easily. After Jin was done with the scanning, he removed the bandages and revealed perfectly healed skin underneath.

         “Your healing abilities strike me every time” Jin shook his head, laughing, “your neck has completely healed. Your ribs seem fine as well but I advise you not to do too much exercise in the next few days, just to be sure. Other than that, you’re free to leave. Oh and Jungkookie––Namjoonie is being released today too.”

Widening his eyes, Jungkook started smiling immediately and his heartbeat picked up. He had found Namjoon ready to join society again for a while but Tablo and the half breed himself thought it wise to still wait a little. To hear that his partner was confident enough to leave that room were great news.

         “I’ll go call Hoseokie to bring you some clothes” Jin informed, nodding once, before he turned around and left the room.

Immediately, Jimin slid his legs of the bed, letting them dangle and held out his hand, wanting Jungkook closer again. Doing as requested, the younger got up, taking Jimin’s hand and was pulled closer, trapped between the elder’s legs. Looking up at him, Jimin smiled, letting his hands run over his arms, to his shoulders, over his chest, his abdomen, over his hips back to his behind, going lower to the back of his thighs just to pull him even closer, breathing into his chest. Shuddering, Jungkook held back a whine, feeling every touch burn his skin deliciously.

         “I’ve missed you so much” Jimin mumbled, carefully getting up, testing the strength in his legs.

When he was sure that he had no problems with standing, he buried his nose in the crook of Jungkook’s neck, breathing in deeply and a low grumble escaped his lips, making the younger shiver and he could not help but tilt his head, giving Jimin more access. At first, he did it unconsciously but when he felt Jimin’s embrace tighten, he remembered what this gesture meant to a wolf but he still stayed in that position, not feeling uncomfortable. He did not want to live without him anymore, so there was no point in not wanting the claiming mark anymore. Yes, he was still freaked out by it but it represented their love and the bond between them and that gave him a strange sense of comfort.

         “Jungkook-ah” Jimin pulled back, cupping his face, staring at him with liquid amber, “you really have to watch your actions––“

         “I know what I’m doing, hyung” Jungkook whispered, not trusting his voice, his heart beating away in his chest, baring his neck again.

Jimin growled possessively deep inside his throat, making Jungkook shudder in anticipation. The tension rose between them and somehow, the younger found himself looking forward to receiving the bite, even though he knew it would hurt. He wanted to finally be connected with Jimin, to be his mate once and for all. Pressing himself closer, Jimin’s breathing picked up, as he nosed Jungkook’s neck, kissing it greedily. His teeth were grazing the witch’s skin and Jungkook could not help but moan a little, gripping Jimin’s shoulders tightly, trying to prepare himself for it.

But the bite never came.

Instead, Jimin groaned but then pulled away, sitting back on the bed, pushing the younger away a little but still close enough so he could hold his hands.

         “I can’t” he shook his head vigorously, “the full moon is too close, I’ll hurt you with my strength.”

         “It’s just a bite, hyung” Jungkook felt so empty all of a sudden, like he had been refused and left, like Jimin did not want him anymore.

Jimin pulled him closer again and took his hand, placing it in his lap and Jungkook gasped at how hard he was. He himself was sporting a half hard boner but the wolf already seemed painfully hard.

         “Not just a bite, Jungkook-ah” Jimin said lowly, “I’m so aroused right now. You’ve never submitted to me purposely like that ever. You finally told me you want me to bite you, want to be my mate as long as we both live. That in itself is already enough but the full moon heightens all my senses and it’s so hard for me to not just throw you onto the bed and take you right here.”

Jimin’s eyes were fixed on him, almost like a predator staring at its prey but Jungkook was not afraid. On the contrary, he wanted to coo, almost whining at the intensity in the room. He wanted this but if Jimin said he would not be able to control himself, Jungkook believed him. Gulping, Jungkook nodded, taking his hand off him and stepped away, taking a deep breath, trying to calm down.

         “After the full moon, then–––“ he bit his lip unconsciously, “I–––I missed you too and I don’t–––I don’t want to miss you ever again. Your mother––– she said, she feels your dad, even when he’s not with her––– I want that.”

Within a second, Jimin had shot up and closed up to him, pressing him against the window, kissing him fervently, his hands sliding beneath his shirt.

         “You’re making it hard for me to hold back” he chuckled against his lips, his canines almost catching them.

         “Holy hell, it stinks of both of your arousal” Hoseok’s voice startled them, “I’d leave but it’s close to the full moon, so I wouldn’t recommend being intimate now.”

Jimin groaned in frustration but pulled back, sighing deeply. He looked at Jungkook with that fire in his eyes once more, before he turned around to the other wolf, who waved with clothes. They hugged each other tightly to celebrate that Jimin was fine again; then, Jimin got rid of the hospital gown and Jungkook blushed at how easily he could get naked in front him and Hoseok, especially because he was still hard.

         “It’s best, if we leave for the woods tonight, if you react to your mate like this already” Hoseok advised, as if it was normal for him to see Jimin’s erect cock.

         “Tell me about it, I still want to jump him” the younger wolf laughed as he forced himself into clothes.

A little perplex, Jungkook stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to think of this situation. A second before, he was ready to have sex with Jimin on a hospital bed and now, he was trying to hide his boner, while Jimin was happily talking about how horny he was with his best friend, while Jungkook was still in the room.

         “Oh, Jungkookie, I’m used to this, he’s whining about you every full moon” Hoseok laughed, when he realised how awkward the maknae was, “I’m used to much worse.”

         “Great” Jungkook cringed, “I don’t think Jin-hyung will like you going out into the forest yet, though.”

         “Well, I don’t think you have much of a choice” Hoseok chuckled, “Jiminnie looks fine for me. We can just not change yet, until the actual full moon and then, he’ll be fine.”

         “Yeah, I think I can just change in two days without getting too crazy” Jimin agreed, finally being fully clothed and calmed down again.

He was still in his half human form but so was Hoseok – the effect of the full moon was already taking a toll on them so Jungkook could not really tell them not to go. Jimin held out his hand, wanting to connect with him and the maknae moved without noticing, entwining their fingers easily, leaning in for another, unfortunately short kiss.

         “Tell Jin-hyung we left, yeah?” Jimin said, squeezing his hand, “I don’t want to go but I have to. I’m sorry, I’m leaving so soon after I just woke up. I wish I had more control over my body to stay with you longer.”

         “Just––––“ Jungkook felt himself blush, leaning forward, hoping that only Jimin would hear him, “come back to me fast.” 

Chapter Text

With a deep, relieved but mostly exhausted sigh, Jin pealed himself out of his surgery clothes. His body felt heavy; his muscles were sore. Not only had he used a lot of his healing powers but his attention span had also been used up completely. He did not even know how long the surgery had gone on. He only knew that he did it.

Jimin was alive.

Honestly, Jin did not know how but the wolf was all stitched up and breathing again. Technically, he should have died. Jimin had lost way too much blood even before they had arrived at the academy but somehow, his body had not given up. He had fought for his life so desperately despite being unconscious. The only way this was possible had to be the bond between the wolf and Jungkook. It was so strong that Jimin was fighting for his life, simply to stay alive for Jungkook and not himself. It was so incredibly fascinating to the healer and he would love to know more about that bond, study them intensely to maybe use it in the future to help the wolf more, if he ever got hurt again. Unfortunately, it was forbidden to study wolves and Jin had no intentions to go against the law.

With tired steps, Jin dragged himself to the showers that the hospital provided for the healers and stepped under the water. His legs shook a bit, as he was so tired that even standing upright was hard. However, the shower helped. As hot water ran down his body, he exhaled sharply, feeling his tense shoulders relax. Finally, he could rid himself of the dirt of the battle. He had to go into surgery without proper sanitization, as there had been no time for it. Yes, that had been a very reckless decision but he was positive that Jimin’s generally high body temperature would kill any germs that might have entered his body during surgery.

When he stepped out of the shower, he borrowed clothes from the wardrobe of the hospital, not having prepared his own and that was the first time he looked at the time after the fight. 2am. God, it truly had been a long surgery. Naturally, he wondered, if the rest of the team was alright. Maybe, they needed him. Maybe someone else needed surgery. The battle had all been a trap and he was already sure that they had lost good people out there. The council would have to make a statement and release how many had died today. There would probably be a memorial too. The worst part about it all was that some of the people they lost would return as the enemy – turned into vampires and new allies in Cain’s clan. There was no doubt about it that it had been him. No other vampire clan would dare do something like this.

But despite all this, losing all these people, Jin only thought about his team. Hurriedly, he went to the head nurse on duty, asking about Yoongi, Hoseok and Taehyung. Yoongi had come in just get some scratches fixed; so did Hoseok. Taehyung got it worse. He had been bitten multiple times and had lost too much blood to burn the venom out of his system by himself. Thus, he was brought in for venom extraction. According to the nurse, it had been a success and he was going to be fine. Nevertheless, Jin immediately went to the room they had put the water witch in. Quietly, he opened the door, spotting the man curled up in the sheets, his lips parted, breathing evenly. Relief spread throughout the healer’s body, settling nicely in his stomach and it put a smile on his face. On the bedside table, there was a small, black rock – a token that Yoongi left with people he cared about, when they were in the hospital. Somehow, it was bound to him and he could feel what was happening around it. It was a part of his element that only rock witches understood. Maybe, it also worked because Taehyung and Yoongi had a bond of their own. It was not a magical one but it ran just as deep as that.

What Jin did not expect was Hoseok sleeping awkwardly on the armchair in the corner of the room. It looked rather uncomfortable and he did not have to be here, since venom extraction is not a routine procedure. However, the wolf was still cramped into that armchair with his legs drawn close to his chest, snuggling into himself to pretend that it was comfortable. It was endearing how much the wolves had adjusted to the team and that Hoseok was willing to wait, until Taehyung woke up. Smiling, Jin quickly grabbed a blanket from the staff room before going back to the two, sneaking up on the wolf to cover him properly. He might have a higher body temperature and thus would not feel cold but it was still more comfortable to sleep with a blanket to cover yourself with. The younger stirred at the softness of the blanket, blinking awake, mumbling something incoherently.

         “Sorry I woke you up” Jin said softly, not wanting to wake up Taehyung as well, although he doubted that he would.

         “Hyung” Hoseok yawned, sitting up properly, “you’re out of surgery! How’s Jiminnie?”

Of course, that was his first question. The bond between packmates was another thing that Jin could not possibly understand completely. It was different from team loyalty between witches; it was even stronger and a part of the elder wanted to know how strong it could be. But again, he was forbidden to investigate.

         “He’s gonna be okay” he smiled reassuringly, “thanks to Jungkookie, he somehow survived.”

         “It’s his fault that he got this hurt” Hoseok snorted, clearly still mad at the younger for pushing his mate away, “Jiminnie couldn’t think straight all these weeks. He was miserable. Of course, he couldn’t concentrate on the fight. He just blindly jumped into the fight because he can’t live without him. Imprinting has always been idolised in our community but it’s awful, when your mate rejects you.”

Yes, he was definitely still mad at Jungkook. Jin understood in a way but he was biased; he only knew part of Jungkook’s past and struggles but it was enough to feel compassion towards him. Huffing defiantly, Hoseok averted his eyes to the water witch and his gaze turned softer.

         “I don’t even want to imprint anymore” he mumbled, as his brows squinted into a frown.

That was a lie. Of course, Hoseok still wanted to imprint. It was one of their most prominent instincts and Jin struggled to believe that the wolf could defy his nature.

         “You don’t mean that.”

         “I don’t really, no” he admitted, sighing deeply.

         “You know, Jungkookie refused to leave Jiminnie’s side, even if he should have. He had lost a lot of blood too but he insisted on staying with him. I think that’s the reason why he survived. They’re gonna be okay again. Jungkookie realised his mistake” Jin reassured him.

         “He better apologise to Jiminnie. I get that he has his own demons but he should have at least explained to Jiminnie why he pushed him away.”

         “I agree but he’s more vulnerable than you think” Jin tried to explain, “he loves Jiminnie so much, they’ll be okay now.”

Nodding, the wolf did not say anything else. There was nothing left to say, really. Jin checked Taehyung’s file quickly, wanting to make sure he had everything he needed, before he decided to leave them to it. Taehyung needed sleep and so did Hoseok despite him not sleeping well on that armchair. However, the healer turned around once more, already standing in the door frame.

         “Hoseok-ah––“

         “Mhh?”

         “Can I ask you a favour?”

         “Sure?” the wolf seemed confused.

         “Let Taehyungie visit them first and alone. Jiminnie won’t wake up until later tomorrow and Jungkookie needs a supportive friend first that doesn’t blame him. No offence.”

         “None taken” Hoseok chuckled quietly, “fine, I’ll go by tomorrow afternoon then.”

Smiling as a token of gratefulness, Jin left the room, closing the door behind him. Technically, he should go to sleep too now. In the morning, he would have to check on Jungkook and Jimin but there was someone else on his mind and his feet did not bring him to their dorm but to one specific room with two guards in front of the door.

Namjoon.

He had to be anxious. The half breed had been informed about the mission but Jin was not sure whether he had also been informed about the casualties and if the team was alright. Besides that, he simply wanted to see him. Today had been both physically and mentally exhausting; thus, he needed his boyfriend’s support, despite him knowing that he could not let go properly while being close to him. He still needed to be on his guard at all times around him. Although Namjoon was improving greatly, the half breed did not trust himself. It was probably a mental blockage that he had not been able to get his full control back, since Jin had not found any signs of blood addiction on his body anymore. He wished Namjoon would put more trust in himself but he could not force him, could only give him all the support he needed. Especially now, since he felt bad about letting the team down by not being able to fight with them.

         “Please let me through” Jin said to the guards outside.  

         “It’s too late to visit him, you know that” one of them said, his voice hard but his eyes compassionate.

         “Has he been informed?”

         “Yes.”

         “Let him through” Tablo appeared behind him, “I’ll go into the watch room, in case anything happens.”

         “Yes, Sir” both of them nodded and stepped aside.

They could always count on Tablo. He was probably aware of Jin’s inner turmoil, even more so Namjoon’s inner turmoil. He surely was not asleep yet, if he did not know, if the team was alright. Taking a deep breath, Jin waited a second, before he opened the door to the other side, spotting the half breed immediately. However, before he could say anything, he was caught in a bone-crushing hug, one arm slung around his waist, as the other reached up, so Namjoon could bury his hands in the elder’s hair. Jin was so shocked that he needed a moment to respond and hug back, as this was their first proper hug ever since Namjoon had been rescued. Sighing, the healer wrapped his arms around the half breed, noticing that the other had his head turned away. It was not to insult him but to protect him – his scent was probably very strong, when they were this close.

         “Thank god you’re okay” the younger mumbled, “I was worried sick. No one was telling me anything.”

         “We’re okay” Jin told him reassuringly, “we’re all okay. Some more than others but we’re all gonna live.”

They stood there for a good minute, before it all became too much and Namjoon pulled away. However, he grabbed the elder’s hand gently and pulled him to his bed, making them sit down. Now that he had the time to properly look at the younger, Jin noticed how tired he was. He had stayed up, probably worrying, thinking about all the worst-case scenarios that could happen. Maybe, he even blamed himself for what could have happened, as the team dynamics were disrupted by his absence.

         “Where’s Jungkookie? I tried reaching out to him but he’s not answering and I can’t control the new side of my powers yet and I don’t even know, if I can even still use them or–––“          

         “He’s knocked out now. Finally sleeping” Jin interrupted him, “I’ll explain everything now.”

Namjoon gulped but closed his mouth, ready to listen.

         “Yoongi and Hoseokie are mostly fine, just some scratches that needed patching up. Taehyungie was bitten multiple times but the venom extraction was successful and he’s sleeping it off now. He’ll be up and about by tomorrow.”

         “What about Jungkookie? And Jiminnie?”

         “Jungkookie was bitten pretty badly. It was only his arm but the wound was so deep that he lost a dangerous amount of blood during the battle. I don’t exactly know what happened but when I got there, Jimin had turned back into his half human form and was close to dying. Hoseokie said Jiminnie jumped in to save Jungkookie” Jin sighed, “his ribs were broken and his neck was ripped open by some vampire. I honestly don’t know how he survived but he did. That’s why I’m only coming to you now. I was in surgery and then I checked up on Taehyungie.”

         “But–––they’re okay now?” Namjoon asked almost inaudibly, his face twisted in horror.

         “Yes. Jiminnie’s still sedated because his quick healing hasn’t kicked in yet. Jungkookie’s still with him. Refused to let go of him and sleep on a bed. He’s sitting on a chair next to Jimin’s bed” Jin chuckled, “I think they will work out their problems, when Jiminnie wakes up.”

Exhaling in relief, Namjoon visibly seemed more relaxed. That was what he had needed to calm his mind. Jungkook was such an important part in his life, he needed to know, if he was alive and healthy and since Jimin was now the most important person in Jungkook’s life, he would receive the same treatment. It was endearing to see the half breed finally forgetting about his own troubles for once and concentrating on someone else. Even though it was terrible that Jimin and Jungkook were hurt, it was a much needed distraction for Namjoon, as Jin suspected that his only problem was in his head now.

         “How are you, though?” the half breed asked, as he started drawing patterns on the back of Jin’s hands.

         “Exhausted” he said honestly, “the surgery was long.”

         “You should get some sleep, then” the younger smiled sweetly.

         “I don’t want to leave just yet” Jin sighed, locking eyes with the half breed, “you hugged me, Namjoonie. It’s the most contact we had, since you’ve been in here. Your control is back. Come with me to our dorm.”

He was so tired of waiting. He missed him, missed falling asleep next to him, missed his dorky laugh, missed his authority as a leader, missed his mental clarity – he simply missed all of him. But he saw the sweet smile turn into a forced one and eventually, it morphed into a frown. Namjoon was scared. His unbreakable self-control had been broken and he hadn’t found his confidence in himself yet.

         “No, it’s not fully back yet” he shook his head, “at this very moment, I still want to bite you. Granted, I always thought of it, if I’m being honest but the urge is much stronger than before.”

That was new. Namjoon had mentioned that he smelled better to him than others did but he had never admitted to thinking of sinking his teeth into his neck all the time. It was unnerving in a way but it did not have the effect on him, as the younger had hoped. He was not afraid. On the contrary. He trusted him with his life and he wanted to prove that.

         “That shows the strength of your self-control even more then!”

         “No, you don’t understand” he groaned a bit desperately, suddenly grabbing his neck, alarming him a bit, “your blood smells incredible. It always has but now, it’s so much harder to withstand the urge to taste you. Maybe––– no, never mind. I have to work on myself still, so––“

         “Maybe what?” Jin perked at the unfinished sentence, holding Namjoon’s gaze, as he made sure that the half breed did not withdraw from him, that they were still close enough to feel each other’s breaths on their faces.

         “No, it’s noth––“

         “Tell me!” the elder insisted, “why is it harder to resist now? If it’s so hard to resist, then–––bite me, take my blood. I give you my permission. I just need you back with me––– with all of us. It’s a mess without you.”

Jin’s voice was close to breaking, feeling his throat constrict. He saw the temptation in the half breed’s eyes, how red licked his dark orbs from the outside but he kept himself at bay, albeit his hold on Jin’s neck got stronger. Maybe, this was the solution to all their problems. If Namjoon needed fresh blood to keep himself sane and to keep his newfound side of his ability, then Jin would gladly volunteer. He was certain that Namjoon would not hurt him. He had himself under control again, even if he himself was unconvinced. Determined, Jin shifted, placing himself in the half breed’s lap, enjoying how his hands found his hips naturally. However, the younger was trying to push him off but Jin was not having it.

         “No––– you don’t understand––“ Namjoon tried again.

         “I trust you” Jin said genuinely, “Tablo is watching, there are two guards outside. If something was to happen, people are here to stop it. However, I am certain that you won’t hurt me. You love me too much to hurt me.”

That was a big step to assume. They had never voiced out their feelings this explicitly before. It was obvious on Namjoon’s part but Jin was aware that he did not say it yet to not pressure him to say it back.

         “No–––I can’t take blood from you” he said a little firmer, “not–––in this context. It’s wrong.”

         “Why!?” Jin started to get annoyed.

There was the answer to their problems, so why would Namjoon choose to refuse?

         “Because––––it’s part of our–––part of a vampire’s mating ritual” he finally said, “it’s called blood sharing. I drink your blood, you drink mine. We’ll be connected through what keeps us alive – blood. Taking your blood just for the sake of me trying to prove my self-control is a ghastly thought.”

His gaze turned softer, when he noticed the surprise in the healer’s face. Jin was indeed a little shocked. But not in a bad way. He wondered why the younger had never mentioned this before. But then again, they had never properly confessed their love for each other, so of course, he would not talk about a ritual that would officially bond them. Cautiously, Jin cupped his face, sighing in relief, when Namjoon did not pull back. He noticed him tense up a bit, as his eyes dropped to his neck but he did not move.

         “I’ve fallen for you, you know. Still falling with each passing day” he mumbled, feeling his cheeks heat up, “I want you like I’ve never wanted anyone else in my life. Sure, we might not have been together for a long time and we don’t have a magical bond like Jiminnie and Jungkook that validates us rushing into a permanent bond but–––we shouldn’t deny the pull we both feel towards each other. I have denied it for far too long. Take my blood, Namjoonie. I’ll take yours, once you’re back to our dorms. Let’s make it official.”

With wide eyes, Namjoon stared at him, his hands still on his hips but he had stopped trying to push him away. Instead, he was baffled, unmoving – frozen in place. His lips curled up into an unbelieving smile but the frown had not left his face yet.

         “I approve of the idea” Tablo’s voice was heard through the speaker, “if you don’t kill him while drinking his blood, you won’t kill anyone else. Up to you, Namjoon-ah.”

Namjoon’s gaze dropped back to the healer’s neck, gulping visibly before looking back up into his eyes. His hands slid up to cup his face and Jin leaned into it instinctively, having missed the intimacy between them.

         “It’s something really private–––“

         “We can go right back to the dorm, once you’ve proven that you have your control back” Jin smiled, shifting in the younger’s lap, making a point by grinding shallowly.

         “What if I hurt you? What if I can’t stop?” Namjoon breathed, his worry evident in his voice.

         “You won’t hurt me” Jin whispered determined, “you’ll stop.”

         “I love you so much” Jin did almost not catch that.

         “Then come home with me” he smiled, tilting his head to bare his neck.

But the half breed made him lock eyes with him, making him watch how red flooded into his eyes, how his fangs darted out. Jin had never seen him change from this close before but it was not uncomfortable. He trusted Namjoon and doing this would prove to him how serious he was about him. Even if their connection was nothing compared to what Jimin and Jungkook bound together, he thought he could understand at least a little bit how Jimin felt towards the maknae. He would do anything to help Namjoon, even if that meant endangering himself.

The half breed ghosted his thumb over Jin’s neck, tracing his artery but let it be, sliding his hand down to his, bringing his wrist up to his mouth. He visibly tensed up, when he nosed his skin, his eyes so red, they could be filled with blood.

         “Are you sure?” Really sure?” he asked seriously despite the strain in his voice.

         “100% sure.”

With a racing heart, Jin watched him part his lips, moving his wrist closer to Namjoon’s sharp fangs. The healer knew what was going to happen to him with the younger’s venom in his system. The reason why it was usually extracted was that they would feel drawn to the vampire who bit them. It had this effect to make sure that the victim would always return to the vampire, until they were sucked dry. Another side effect was that it was arousing to be in the vampire’s presence to make them weaker to their touch. It was really smart and that was probably why so many would fall into the trap of a vampire.

However, this was no trap. This was an act of love.

He could already feel the younger’s breath on his wrist and he held his own breath, when he felt his fangs pinch his skin. It was painful but not unbearable. The tight grip on his wrist was more uncomfortable than the bite. Hissing, he tensed up at first at the way he felt his blood leaving him through the small puncture wounds. Watching how Namjoon gulped down the liquid, he kept entirely still, resting his other hand on the half breed’s shoulder. It stung and he felt a bit dizzy already but he still wanted to wait, wanted to believe in Namjoon’s strength to stop himself.

And he did.

With a groan, he pulled back, his grip on the elder’s wrist still painfully bruising but he had stopped, just like he promised. Jin could not help the smile across his face, watching Namjoon lick the wounds to seal them before licking his lips. In the back of his mind, Jin knew that his body was fuelled by the venom but he could not resist those lips. Without thinking, he shot forward, crashing their lips together, kissing him hungrily. It had been so long, he needed this and Namjoon seemed to feel the same, as his arms wrapped around the elder. Jin tasted his own blood on the younger’s lips but that did not matter. His hands on his body were what mattered, how they touched him everywhere, making him yearn for more.

         “Alright, Namjoon-ah, you proved that you have yourself under control. Unfortunately, you can’t just leave here. Paperwork needs to be done and the headmaster needs to be notified. I and the guards will give you some privacy, given the situation. Since you have proven yourself to be able to control yourself, that won’t be a problem. Enjoy the night you two” Tablo cleared his throat awkwardly.

It was a bit annoying that they could not leave the room just yet but by this point, neither of them had the mind to complain. Within less than a second, Namjoon flipped them around, his red eyes glowing, as he pulled away to rid Jin from his sweater, greedily kissing down his naked torso.

         “Joon-ah” the elder breathed, arching into the touch.

His body felt like he was on fire. This urge to be close to him was burning through him; he could not stop himself. Sliding his hands underneath the younger’s shirt, pulling it off eagerly. God, how he had missed this. Maybe it was the venom in his system that made him so highly sensitive but he was already hard, needing more than just this. Wrapping his legs around his waist, he grinded upwards, making the half breed groan in frustration.

         “Joon-ah––“ he repeated, desperate for something that he could not pinpoint.

         “Jinnie” he grumbled deep within his chest, his nails scraping at his thighs, as he removed Jin’s pants.

         “–––want you–––please” the healer whined, overwhelmed with need.

Namjoon settled between his legs, staring down at him with crimson red eyes; one hand on Jin’s thigh, gripping it possessively, the other coming up to his mouth. Without even blinking once, he buried his teeth in his own wrist. His gaze was still on the healer, when he released his wrist, a few drops of blood running down his chin.

This was it.

Jin was ready to drink his blood from his wrist, finalising the bond between them. But instead of pressing his wrist to the elder’s lips, he leaned back down, kissing him deeply and the healer almost choked at the hot, metallic tasting liquid running into his mouth. He coughed a bit but Namjoon made him swallow it, biting his lip, sucking it into his mouth. As he swallowed the blood, he suddenly felt dizzy, overcome with want and lust and everything felt heightened, like he was on drug.

Everything after that was a blur of Namjoon, his hands, his mouth, his body – everything was him and him only. He felt high on not only the blood in his system but also on the half breed himself. He remembered coming with a cry of his name and then passing out.

When he woke up the next morning, a naked body was pressed against his back, hot breath against his neck. Shifting, he realised how sore he was. Not just that but he also felt a bit dizzy still. Carefully, he turned around in Namjoon’s embrace, watching him sleep. It felt like such a privilege seeing him sleep again, feeling his arms around him. However, despite this being beautifully familiar, there was also something new. He could not quite explain it but he felt so incredibly close to him, a part of him seemed to be within him. Not in the sense of his blood but more like a part of his soul. It felt good.

It felt right.

Unfortunately, he had to leave. He needed to check up on Jungkook and Jimin. For a moment, he wondered, if he should just leave, letting the younger sleep but he also felt uncomfortable leaving without telling him the reason. Thus, he sat up, caressing his cheek gently, smiling at how the younger leaned into it, his eyes fluttering open.

         “I have to go” he said bittersweetly.

         “To check on Jungkookie and Jiminnie, I understand” he sighed, still half asleep.

         “Yeah. I’ll come back, as soon as I have the time.”

         “Can you not tell him yet? That I’ll be getting out? He’d want to come here immediately but he should rest and stay with Jiminnie” Namjoon asked, smiling sleepily.  

Nodding, Jin agreed, pressing a kiss on the younger’s lips, before he got dressed and left the room, heading straight back to the hospital. Just as requested, he did not tell Jungkook nor Jimin about the situation the half breed was in. When he first checked in on them, Jimin had woken up and they were already all over each other, apparently having figured their issues out. Afterwards, he went by Tablo’s office to check how far along they were with the paperwork of Namjoon’s release and surprisingly, they were almost done. While he wanted to go to him immediately, he had to first give Jimin his final check up. He was aware of the full moon being close and since they had only rekindled yesterday, he suspected that Jimin was going to go rabid, once the moon was full. Hence, the sooner he got out of the hospital, the sooner he could go into the woods. Jin was definitely not a fan of the wolf leaving and putting his body under such circumstances but he was aware that there was no other choice for Jimin.

That was why he was not surprised that Jimin had already left, when he came back for the third time. The nurse had told him that Jungkook had just left and Jin knew exactly where he was. By the time he had arrived at the observation room, Taehyung and Yoongi were already there looking through the window. There they were – Jungkook and Namjoon – wrapped in each other’s arms and Jungkook was crying, even though he was trying to hide it. With the half breed, he was always truly himself. Jin was not quite sure what exactly happened for them to have such a strong bond but he was well aware that Jungkook needed it to stay grounded. Even with Jimin in the picture, he would always need Namjoon. Despite wanting to be the person that led him out of the room, Jin knew that this was Jungkook’s task to do.

They all went to the door to welcome him and it was all a bit overwhelming, when they group hugged. In the end, even Yoongi hid a tear, which made everyone laugh endearingly. As they walked back to their dorm, Namjoon let himself fall back, sliding his hand into the healer’s, kissing the back of it.

         “No matter what’s going on, we’ll be okay now” he smiled reassuringly and a relieved sense of calm settled in the elder’s gut.

Technically, there were still so many questions about the battle and what Cain’s objective was but he agreed with Namjoon; they were all together again, so everything would be alright.

Chapter Text

Attention!!

First of all, thank you so much for your feedback on whether I should split the story!<3

I decided to indeed split it! You can find Part 2 under the name "The Gift of Fire" !!

It's also part of the series "The Last Fire Witch" that I created! (you should be able to click on it under this, I think?)

I hope you join me over there as well because the story is far from finished!