73

                                    

                                          
Yoongi threw the phone on the couch as soon as he hung up, turning around to find three figures all looking at him with different degrees of the same expression.
                          
"What?"
                          
It was the buffer one of them with a resigned look accompanied by a long sigh who answered.
                          
"Hyung. You should've told him."
                          
"And risk him coming in here to do what? Ruin your chance at fighting this battle?"
                          
The blonde and the redhead continued watching the interaction curiously, choosing not to interfere with the siblings.
                          
"It's his battle too. He's in this as much as I am." The boy articulated perfectly although his eyes darted down.
                          
"Then why did you leave him there? Why not bring him with you?"
                          
Jungkook hesitated. His departure was abrupt, unwise and very rushed. As soon as he heard word of the Council coming out with his story, he knew it has something to do with his former pack. The Council knew when and what news to spread when it benefited them the most. His mating scandal and his departure from his original pack only served as purpose to taint Bangtan's image and show them off as weak. And weakening one of the oldest packs in the werewolf world meant an open invitation for greedy exploiters and deathly rogue attacks. In other words, an invitation to war.
Jungkook wouldn't put it past the Council to take revenge from Bangtan after denying them access so openly and keeping their matters strictly private. 
Granted, why would the world need to know that Jeon Jungkook flew his pack in order to spare it an incompetent leader? It was only unnecessary gossip. But his bloodline made things complicated. His banter with his chosen one made it even more difficult. As the Council, some werewolf families would stop at nothing to climb the social ladder and marry into old, pure-blooded families. 
Jungkook would've understood this mentality a long time ago, when family names and wealth went on par.
But that wasn't the case anymore. Anyone could build himself a name in the werewolf world as long as he works for it and privileges rarely meant a thing any longer. 
But Jungkook knew better than to underestimate the Council or the power hungry packs. 
There was a reason Bangtan remained the most respected and one of the strongest pack's out there and it was due to nothing more than their fairness, security and their Alpha's capacity of leading. Jungkook doubted they even had any leftover wealth in their vaults after the last war which was spent entirely on rebuilding the pack grounds and providing help to smaller packs in need. 
The only income running in their accounts as of today came from their hard labor. 
                          
Jungkook thought about the second reason he was currently being chased after, his true blood wolf. Jungkook couldn't remember as single moment in his existence where this particular trait has been beneficial. All his life he only knew suffering caused by being a true blood. His ruts, his mate, his sickness, his abandonment of his pack and now this. 
He doubted anyone would like being a true blood either. He was stronger, certainly, but he never even used more than a fifth of his powers in real life. Rightfully so, Jungkook couldn't imagine where using it would come in handy. Maybe in another war but that was far from being a joyful thought.
Needless to say, for the first time ever Jungkook was glad his fated mate was a male alpha. He wouldn't fear having kids with the same sub-gender anytime soon. 
If, if I actually mate with him. He reminded himself bitterly.
                          
"Jungkook?"
                          
"Yes?"
                          
He looked up, slowly fading out from his own thoughts to find the three mates all looking at him with budding concern.
                          
"You've been out for a while. Are you okay?" 
                          
Well that was a great question. Was he okay? Has he ever been okay? Jungkook shrugged. He doubted answering honestly would help anyone at the moment so he went with the safest "yeah." 
                          
"Listen Kook, I know you feel like you owe Taehyung some sort of protection or whatever. But I don't think you understand how much shit you'll both be in very soon."
                          
Jungkook stared at his brother, letting the words echo in his mind to get a grasp on their meaning. He didn't have to leave Taehyung behind, clueless, but he did. Why?
Because he thought there wouldn't be a safer place for him than his own pack, with his own family. 
And now, Jungkook needed just that too. He needed his parents and his siblings and his cousins because his wolf was starting to feel threatened and the more time he spent away from familiar scents and faces the more uncontrollable he became.
Moreover, Jungkook needed to speak with his parents. And that was the main reason why he chose to get back here as soon as possible. Namjoon had been more than understanding. In fact, Jungkook couldn't help admire the man in more ways than one and idly wondered how two siblings from the exact same blood could be so dissimilar.
But once again, Jungkook's thoughts wandered back to answer his own question. He left Taehyung to protect him. 
They weren't even marked yet he was subconsciously keeping him safe. They weren't even in talking terms yet Jungkook had his mate's safety a priority without even knowing it.
                          
Ironic isn't it.
                          
"What's ironic?" Jimin asked the ravenette who acknowledged the fact that he spoke out loud without intending to but was in too much mental sparring to care.
                          
"We behave like a couple without even being one." He turned to the blonde with a little smile then turned to face his brother with the same expression. "I understand hyung. But I don't think the Council knows how much this mate bond between Taehyung and I is powerful."
                          
"Powerful or not if one of you gets caught it's over. You can say goodbye to your chosen one and get ready to marry a pair of boobs and vagina." As much as Yoongi's words sounded like he was joking his tone suggested nothing of the sort. "And if you really care about him— which is way beyond me at this point— then keeping him there in the best you can do to help him."
                          
"If he gets caught he's really not going to be marrying anything but a couple of fists."
                          
Jungkook's eyes inevitably darkened at the mention of the brunette being abused and he had to forcefully shake his head to get rid of the murderous feeling slowly growing.
                          
"I understand that too, hyung." A hand on the back of his neck was absently massing a knot there. "I just don't think you understand how much Taehyung is difficult. And how much I don't have any bit of control of him."
                          
Jungkook needed only exchange one look with Jimin to confirm his suspicions. 
                          
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