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red dawn. 05 | jeon jungkook.

The fall of the Baegyum Dynasty was imminent. Sangyu and his Insurgents from the Clans of the Mountains, known enemies of the royal family, have attacked the Sacred City of Ilsan, once the capital of an empire, now was reduced to ashes. And you have only one mission: to protect with your life the princess and heir to a broken realm. In your way to the neighboring kingdom in search of protection, you find yourselves in Yerin Woodland, territory of werewolves —ancient enemies of the Baegyum Dynasty who would gladly kill an Ilsan priestess like you.

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pairing: jeon jungkook x (f) reader.

wordcount: 9.2k.

warnings/contents: nothing really serious again. swearing, mentions of isolation and major injuries (not explicit). a bit of angst, more characters showing up. lots of hintsssss and revelationssss. i think that's all, idk.

a/n¹: this fic has blown up a lot recently and i want to thank each one of you from the bottom of my heart. you are amazing, and please share with me your opinions and thoughts about this story because it helps me a lot to improve and learn! :) also, this chapter is unedited so ignore the grammar mistakes for now, hehe.

taglist: @jamlesstars @shatzkrinslinzki @elliegrace1999tvd @channiespup @wooya11224 @veronawrites @itsoktheresbts

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previous / next.

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When you stood up, your legs were shaking so badly that Namjoon and Jungkook had to support you each of one arm so that you wouldn't fall limp to the ground again. The older Alpha beckoned Jimin to come closer.

The Omega seemed impatient to do it, he had leaned forward with the intention of you to lean on him, but the alphas were faster and he stood halfway with his arms slightly stretched towards you. He balanced the weight of his body on his feet, nervous, waiting for orders. When Namjoon gestured for him to take his place, Jimin didn't need to be told twice.

You smiled weakly at him when he placed your arm around his shoulders and slid a hand on your waist to steady you. When he pushed your fragile frame against his own, you felt a tug on the link that bound you to the Cornerstone, still hanging from his chest.

That took your breath away for a moment. Until then, you had been able to feel the presence of the medallion, but it was the first time you could feel the bond that attached you to each other, even if you weren't wearing it. You could almost see the strands of light around you, so diffusely that if you tried to look directly at them to pull them, they would disappear. It showed both the medallion and you were eager to touch each other again. You suppressed the urge to take it off Jimin's chest, though you weren't fully aware of how hungry you were for its power, nor would you be until you put it on again.

Jimin must have seen your momentary mental breakdown because he leaned in to look at your face with concern.

“Are you okay, Luna?”

Jungkook, who had noticed a sudden change in your emotions, and Namjoon looked back at you as soon as they heard his fellow.

You were forced to nod. “Uh ... yeah yeah, it's nothing.”

You started walking towards the exit with Namjoon leading the way with the oil lamp. Jungkook still had a firm grip on your arm, and he seemed unaware of it. He also didn't seem to notice his thumb tracing gentle circular motions across your skin, above the Jimin's cape you were still wearing.

You stared at him like an idiot, experiencing a new sensation, which you had never felt before. You were scared by the sudden heat in your face and the knot tickling your stomach. Jimin, who was talking to you at the time, fell silent when he realized you weren't listening at all and frowned when he noticed your puzzled expression and your flushed cheeks.

His eyes followed the direction of your gaze to Jungkook's hand and widened when he found out the reason of your apparent embarrassment. Jimin looked at your face and Jungkook's hand alternately, perhaps wondering if he should do something. He didn't know if that was bothering you (let's remember the laws that existed regarding the treatment to the High Priestess of Ilsan, which included zero physical contact) and you didn't know how to say it, or if you were to scared or shy to vocalize your discomfort. Even if you were not a person to shut up your opinions and feelings, that was clear. Nor he did know if you liked it and that's why you where blushing like crazy.

What if he stepped in and screwed up the moment? Wait, were you two having a moment? Jimin blinked several times and looked at you again, you were still looking to your feet and your cheeks a color more like tomatoes than skin. Then to Jungkook. The alpha was busy talking to his fellow Alpha and still seemed unaware of his actions. Jimin perceived it then, thanks to that connection all the members of the pack shared, he knew Jungkook was not nervous, nor anxious, quite the opposite. His aura exuded a calmness he hadn't felt in him for several weeks. It seemed that his thumb instinctively moved over your skin.

Yeah, instinct.

Jimin pursed his lips, feeling his mind trace endless paths which always led to the same end. That end was dangerous. He made a mental note to talk to Jin about it as soon as possible.

You, on the other hand, were so confused that you couldn't say exactly how you felt about what was happening. It had mostly scared you, not the fact that he was touching you for no apparent reason for the first time since you met him. It scared you the fact that, even though you considered yourself a rational being who controlled its emotions perfectly, you could not control the irrepressible desire to want him not to stop.

For the first time in forever you were speechless. Even if you chose to be quiet with the werewolves since the beginning (for self protection, mainly), even if the Patriarch always told you that your job wasn't having an opinion, nor talking your thoughts, even if you were taught to be silent because that was what everyone expected; you always had something to say or object.

You didn't understand it. Why? Why was your mind screaming at you to stop it but you couldn't do it? Why were you suddenly feeling nervous? Why did your heart race as fast as when you had to perform a sacred ceremony in public? What did the heat on the cheeks mean? Jungkook was not half as scary as Namjoon had been at the time, and definitely not even a quarter of how Hoseok still terrified you.

That did not mean that you trusted him, let alone that you sought in him the comfort you had managed to find in Jimin. Physical contact was not something you were looking for, you never had, to be honest. You missed it when Jimin showed up just a couple of hours earlier in the cell, but that was it.

Although you did not realize it, he felt again the change in your emotions, the acceleration of your heartbeat. Just as he had been able to perceive your feelings as soon as he met you, he noticed at that moment you were ashamed, nervous and above all, confused. And when he turned his gaze towards you out of the corner of his eye, momentarily stopping paying attention to Namjoon, he saw what he was doing. He had to restrain himself from cursing or pulling his hand away from you harshly, as if your skin burned him.

His fingers left his task and his hand discreetly moved away, returning to his position on his side clenching into a fist.

The situation was tense, so tense that the air between Jimin, Jungkook and you could be ripped with a knife, still chewing the uncomfortable atmosphere of what had just happened. Namjoon, ignoring the situation, kept talking in a low voice to the other Alpha, who soon re-engaged in the conversation as if he had been listening the entire time.

Your head was dull and it felt light, you were a bit dizzy, partly from walking after weeks of painful stillness and partly from what had just happened. It seemed that an electric current had literally gone through your entire body.

You managed to catch some of the Alpha's words, though you didn't make sense of what they were saying either.

“... and we'll have to talk to the elders, I'm afraid. We had already almost assured them that we would get rid of her as soon as we could confirm that she was a spy.”

Namjoon whispered half-loudly, disgruntled. Jungkook nudged him to lower his voice when he saw you looking at them and brought his face closer to Namjoon's to find some privacy. He didn't give it to her, anyway.

“That's what we get for paying so much attention to them, Joon,” the younger complained, “we shouldn't have promised them anything without being sure. How do you expect them to believe she is going to help us now?”

You sighed, wincing when a prick went through your temple. You were going to help them, yes, but they had better give you a break as soon as they took you out of the cell. Recovering from almost two weeks in the dark without leaving the site would take a few days. You didn't hear anything else, because you reached the end of the corridor. Jungkook took a few steps forward to open the heavy steel door that closed the grotto where the isolation cell had been built.

When the sunlight hit your face, you let out a small groan, closing your eyes tightly and turning your face to bury it in Jimin's shoulder. You were almost embarrassed to look like a little girl, but the light bothered you too much to think about it.

Jimin gave a soft laugh that made his chest vibrate and he used his free hand to prevent the sun from hitting your face directly, making a visor over your eyes.

“I'll take you to see Jin right away,” he said, giving you a reassuring squeeze on the waist, “you will be able to bathe and eat properly, and maybe then Jin hyung and I allow them to approach you from three meters away."

The latter was said by casting a murderous look at the back of his Alphas, taking care that they did not hear him. That got you a little laugh, genuine. It was the first time you laughed in weeks. The feeling was so strange that it startled you. Jimin looked at you with wide and hopeful eyes, and he laughed with you.

When you finally stepped outside, you were greeted by a deep blue sky, the icy air of a late winter morning, and a small meadow with half-melting snow piled up here and there. It was one of the small esplanades of the clearing of the pack, located on the outskirts of the village. There was a burial mound topped by three large stone slabs placed vertically side by side. At the foot of the small artificial hill, the door through which the four of you came out opened.

In the clearing in front of the entrance, a large group of people awaited you. Two representatives of the Gerusía were there, waiting to see you leave chained and with a little luck, unconscious, ready to be sent back to Sangyu along with the Insurgent, but without the Cornerstone; Yoongi and Hoseok, leaders of Hippei's First Squad, were also there, accompanied by some of their hunters and warriors.

When they saw you walk out on your own feet, wrapped in Jimin's cape and leaning on him, all the expressions of triumph and superiority that had been chiseled on his faces disappeared. Their eyes inspected you, with hatred and disgust. If looks could kill, you'd be buried eight meters underground.

“Has she agreed to surrender all by herself?” Hoseok asked through gritted teeth as he glared at you with his icy blue eyes.

You gulped. Knowing that they all wanted to see you dead more than anything in the world didn't make it any easier. It hurt the same. And what was your habitual response to your own fear and the hostility of others? Exactly, get defensive.

“I'm afraid not today, doggy,” you replied, venomously, before anyone could stop you, “you need me if you don't want Sangyu to do to this place the same he did to Ilsan.”

Both of the elders and the all of the Hippei stepped forward, scandalized. Jimin pulled you behind him and Jungkook and Namjoon positioned themselves in front of you to act as a barrier, the eldest Alpha giving you a murderous look over his shoulder before trying to appease the people from him.

Maybe. And just maybe, you should shut the fuck up. For once in your short and miserable life.

“What the hell did that witch just say, Alphas?” Inquired the woman, with a tone of voice so calm that she was able to awaken a chill that went through you from head to toe.

Yes, you will definitely shut your mouth and count to ten before letting your tongue take over you.

Over Jimin's shoulder and into the arms of Jungkook and Namjoon, the old woman stared at you with visceral hatred. They were red. An Alpha. You swallowed hard and unintentionally lowered your gaze.

“The priestess is not a spy,” Jungkook explained, loudly for all to hear, “and she has agreed to help us against Sangyu. The power of the Cornerstone is on our side and will protect us from war.”

Yoongi gave a sarcastic smile that caught everyone's attention, but he, like the woman, had his eyes fixed on you.

“Will the same power that killed seven of us protect us?” He asked rhetorically. The Alphas stiffened into place. “Have you forgotten what that witch did to us?”

Before anyone could respond, the old woman spoke again.

“She has bewitvhed you, Alphas, she is controlling you with her demon powers. I knew we shouldn't have kept her alive.” Her words sounded like the hiss of a viper just before biting. “Let's hand her over now, before she turns you totally against the pack.”

Jungkook took a step forward. His veins poked across his neck, his knuckles turned white from the strength he clenched his fists with. You could see how hard he was trying to control his anger.

“Enough, Elder Sang.”

He growled, literally. You've never heard anything like it. Nothing has ever awakened in you such terror as that tone of voice that was not human. You cringed against Jimin, who pulled your frame closer to his chest. But you could feel shivering as well, the link to the Cornerstone tugged again. The Hippei and the other blue-eyed old man lowered their gaze and automatically stepped back.

You couldn't see him from there, but his eyes were completely red and four long fangs like knives had protruded from his white teeth.

“Alpha Kim and I are fully aware of what we do, and we do it for the pack,” he continued, still using that deep growl to speak, “ do not to dare question our decisions again, let alone in front of the Hippei. Remember your place. Is it clear?”

Elder Sang didn't even flinch, Jungkook's outburst of fury didn't seem to have disturbed her in the least. You wondered at the time if it was because the Alphas had some kind of real control over the Betas and the Omegas. There was something about this woman that made your hair stand on end and caused you to automatically reject it, but at the same time it attracted you to her. Perhaps it was her mettle and her strength, in a body apparently as fragile as that of an old woman.

In your entire life, you've heard of few Alpha females. Those that existed, which for some unknown reason were far fewer than the males, used to be stronger than them in adulthood, especially when they held the position of leader.

An Alpha female in command of a pack was a symbol of strength and abundance. You made a mental note of asking Jin if there was any reason why the world's population of Alphas was mostly male.

“What kind of Alpha welcomes in its pack the cause of its near extinction” The woman asked, ignoring the danger that exuded the figure of Jungkook towering over her. “You made a deal with the Gerusia, Jungkook. The jewel stays in exchange for the bitch leaving the pack.”

Your blood boiled instantly, setting aside the respect you thought you might have felt for her. They had insulted you many times, calling you a demon and a witch, but they had never referred to you that way.

That would have sentenced her to death had she said it in Ilsan.

Before you could open your mouth to say something you would probably later regret because it would bring you more trouble than satisfaction, Namjoon turned to Jimin.

“Take her out of here.”

He didn't think twice and turned to wrap an arm around your shoulders and guide you away from the group. You didn't put up a fight. You really didn't feel like arguing. You just wanted to wash up, eat, and sleep three days in a row in a decent bed. Still, you turned your gaze over your shoulder to find that everyone was watching you walk away, except for Jungkook and Elder Sang, who were glaring at each other.

“Don't worry, Luna. Namjoon hyung and Jungkook will take care of this,” Jimin said, turning you by your shoulders so you would stop looking.

You couldn't help but snort, making Jimin flinch a bit. He was still getting used to you reacting to things. He was so used to your apparent apathy that a natural reaction as it was joy or wrath still surprised him a lot. You did not know the reason behind the snort, if because of fatigue, discomfort or both at the same time.

“"They were looking forward to seeing me crawl out of there?” You asked, mumbling though gritted teeth. “Who were the elders? That woman-

“They're members of the Gerousia, the pack's council of elders,” Jimin cut you off, in a tone of voice that made clear they were no saints in his book. “She is Elder Sang, an Alpha. The only female alpha in the pack, she is... Well, she's imposing. Only Namjoon and Jungkook have what it takes to face her.”

You had never heard of the Gerousia in your Novice years, when you strove to learn about werewolves, but you did know that elders were highly respected among this species. You nodded, very much in accordance with his words. That woman seemed to be someone better not to mess with.

“So I understand that your council of elders hates me?” You asked, raising an eyebrow at Jimin.

He simply shrugged with an apologetic smile.

“There's nothing we can do for now, I guess. The Alphas promised them that they would decide on your fate, so...” Jimin shook his head slowly, as you turned the corner of a cabin into the clearing of the House of the Pack. “They are angry because they have no authority above the leaders to do what they want, but as soon as they see that you only want to help, they will change their mind, you'll see.”

The Omega gave you a squeeze on the shoulder to cheer you up, and you half smiled at him. You very much doubted you could earn the esteem of the council, but it was clear to you that as long as you had the protection and favor of the Alphas, the Gerousia could not harm you. That relieved you a bit.

When you reached the Pack House, Seokjin came out to meet you, hands akimbo. His attitude was so reproachful that even you felt scolded although you weren't the target of his anger.

“Look at yourself!” He exclaimed, shaking his head from side to side as he waited for you and Jimin to climb the porch steps. “For Moon's sake, what way is this to treat someone, even if they are a prisoner? You are all skin and bones.”

Jin shook his head again, while he clicked his tongue. You smiled at him sympathetically. He was one of the most intriguing people in the pack for you among the ones you had met until then. Despite the fact that when he took care of you, he transmitted the same calmness to you as Jimin, you also knew that it was him who had ordered Jimin not to bond with you because you were dangerous and a stranger.

You wondered all the time which side Seokjin was really on. At first it seemed obvious that on his Alpha's, as it was natural, dictated by a hierarchy as old as time. But in moments like this, when he questioned their ways of acting, you realized that werewolves were not as different from humans as you were taught to believe.

Each of them had their own way of thinking, their own feelings, their particular ideas. They weren't the unconscious beasts you were so afraid of.

“Are you hungry?” He asked, as he stepped aside to let you into the House.

“I am.”

Eventhough shyly, you answered immediately, and as if the rest of your body wanted to confirm it so there would be no doubt, your gut roared loudly in your stomach. The soup that Jimin had brought you to your cell a little while ago was forever forgotten. The sensation made you wince as you hugged your middle. Jin smiled, as his hand hovered over the small of your back, at a respectful distance.

He seemed reluctant to touch you just yet, although at no point did he beckon Jimin to remove his arm from your shoulders, as he saw no signs of discomfort on your face. But in his meticulous judgment, that didn't mean you wanted others to touch you, so Jin respected the traditions.

“Alright. Jimin, would you take care of it?”

The younger one agreed immediately, repositioning his cloak around you before parting ways to take a different corridor from the hall of the House.

“Got it. I'll ask Taesoo to make some stew.”

You and Jin watched him go, and you were alone with the healer. When Jimin disappeared through the halway, your link with the Cornerstone stirred furiously, making you wince again while wrapping yourself tightly in Jimin's cloak. Jin was already watching you warily when your eyes met his.

"This way, please," he said politely as he tilted his head toward the staircase.

You nodded without a word and followed him closely. The last time you were there, it had been chained and in a hurry, dragged away by Hoseok, eager to lock you in isolation. So you hadn't had time to analyze the inside of the house, not even the day of your escape attempt during the night from Zenith, weeks ago.

It was a huge house, you knew that, even though you had never gone beyond your former room and the entrance hall. It was reminiscent of a den, cozy, lined with wood paneling and soft rugs, and full of tunnels and corridors you couldn't see the end of. You remembered Jimin telling you during one of his visits to the cell that the house was so big there were rooms that hadn't been stepped on in years.

Climbing the stairs, you first noticed a series of portraits hanging on the wall next to each other, forming an identical series. In each of the paintings there was a full-length figure; men, mainly, although there were some women. Next to each of them was a wolf, standing, as if beast and human were posing together for a photograph.

Beneath the frames was a metal plate engraved with different names. As you went up, you managed to read:

Alpha Jeon Dongim. Alpha Jeon Seuwon. Alpha Jeon Soomin. Alpha Jeon Motak. Alpha Jeon Nari. (that was a woman)

Then you understood. They were all the Alphas the Jeon pack had had from generation to generation, and both their human and wolf forms were portrayed. The paintings and their names continued:

Alpha Jeon Gureum. Alpha Jeon Heesung. Alpha Jeon Dongsuk.

Hold on. That face... You stopped in your tracks, with one foot on the next step and your eyes fixed on the portrait in front of you. Your blood ran cold in your veins.

Jeon Dongsuk's piercing red eyes gave you a haughty, Alpha look back. The same eyes that begged for his life and that of his packmates before you. The wolf was black like a night sky without moon. A drop of cold sweat trickled down your forehead, moving slowly and tortuously down your temple.

Dongsuk's portrait was the last one. Next to it, a metal hook stuck out of the wall waiting its turn to hold the next portrait. Jungkook's portrait, when succeeded as Alpha by his heir, as he had done before with Dongsuk, his father.

That was the first life you had taken ten years ago had been that of Alpha Jeon. The first and last death in which you had really stained your hands with innocent blood.

You felt the nausea creeping up your throat like an enraged snake, even though you had nothing in your stomach. Jin had stopped at the top of the stairs when he saw that you were no longer following him and he had to call you twice so that you would listen to him the third time. When he saw your expression of horror and the painting of Dongsuk in front of you, his face clouded in a way that made you feel even worse.

"Come on, Luna. Let the dead rest."

That was not said abruptly, but with infinite sadness. He blamed you, you were sure of it, because not in vain had you been the executioner, but he didn't show it. What you saw in his eyes was that he was still mourning his former leader. If that was Jin's situation, you realized, you couldn't even imagine what Jungkook would feel every time he looked at you.

The sudden desire to go apologize to Jungkook over and over again almost made you spin on your heels back to the clearing, but you were so ashamed of yourself that the sole thought about it made you want to punch your own ass back to Ilsan. And you understood a little better the hatred that everyone in that pack directed towards you. You used to excuse yourself by returning that hatred, which you thought they deserved for killing your companions in the temple. But since you found out that it wasn't like that, you felt like the monster everyone said you were. You couldn't blame them for it, just make amends for a mistake you were forced to make.

"I'm sorry, Jin," you murmured, sincerity burning in your throat as you climbed the steps that separated you from him. "I'm really sorry, if there was any way to go back, I-

"Nevermind," he cut you off, again softly, shaking his head. “The past cannot be changed, nor can the fate the Moon has planned for all of us. Now, follow me.”

You didn't push any further and did as you were told. Jin led you to your former room. When you entered, you felt a brittle sensation of security. Much to your tranquility, the barriers and the shackles had been removed from the bed, but there was still a bolt on the outside of the door. You stayed still in the middle of the room, somehow awkwardly, hugging your middle over Jimin's cloak. There was something still bothering you, making you feel like you forgot something important.

“Where is Hana? I want to see her.”

Jin's eyes flickered between yours for a brief moment before he reached out to the doorknob. He deliberately ignored your words.

“Wait here, I have something for you.” He disappeared in the corridor.

You puffed in disbelief, but didn't push any further, chosing instead to sit by the edge of your former bed. You were tired and you had only walked a bit from the cell to the Pack House. Sighing, you realized it would take a bit to fully recover from all the things that happened since your arrival to the pack. You stiffened in place when you heard Jin's steps outside the room, hitting rythmically the wooden floor. Frowning, you noticed that his were not the only steps making noise in the house.

Someone was coming up the stairs. An unknown deep voice muffled by the walls called Jin's name half whispering when he was about to open the door. You knew that eavesdropping on other people's conversations was wrong. That's what you learned after all the slaps the Patriarch gave you after catching you hidden behind a column in the Effulgent Chamber of the High Temple of Ilsan, eavesdropping on Ecclesia's conclaves. Well, you were determined to erase as much as you could the influence the Patriarch had on your persona.

And you were curious, eager to know what the actual heck was going to happen to you from then on. All the information you could muster could be useful at any time.

Sneakily, you shuffled your way towards the door and made sure not to step on creaky floorboards. When you placed your cheek against the door to listen, the conversation had already begun.

“... and there is no way in hell they are not letting her rest,” that was Jin, and you could almost picture him shaking up and down his index finger whilst talking, “which language should I use for them to understand? The ancient dialect? For Moon's sake.”

“I know, hyung. I'm just delivering the message, what do you expect me to do about it? Contradict the Alphas?”

You didn't know who was talking but judging by his voice, he was probably a lyric baritone. He could have been a Seraph of the Great Choir.

“It's not like that, Taehyung-ah. Just do that favor for this hyung, alright? Tell Jungkook and Namjoon that it is a must if they want me to let that girl out of the bed for the next three days.”

Taehyung? You knew that person. You squinted trying to order your memories, it was difficult though, the last two weeks (you weren't sure about that either, it could have been more time) remained in your head as a whirldwind of images and sounds you, which couldn't tell if they were actually real or the result of your multiple hallucinations because of the fevers. However, that specific memory emerged among the chaos, like the light of a lighthouse in dark dripping fog.

Taehyung, the werewolf who was holding Hana's hand during the night of the Zenith. All you could muster from your memories about that night (it was specially chaotic for you, and you could barely remember anything) was his tall and slim figure, and his dark curls framing to icy-blue eyes.

When Taehyung walked away, grumbling something inaudible for you, you were fast enough to get away from the your spot and turn around like you were distracted by something else before Jin could open the door. He appeared under the threshold and stood there for a moment before coming in.

“Here. Some clothes for you to wear.”

You turned to look at him. He was handing you some clothes with modest colors, ochre and burnt umber. They were similar to what the other members of the pack wore, except the elders of the Gerousia. They were supposed to have on white or light blue clothing.

You waited a few seconds, maybe expecting he would explain himself about his conversation with Taehyung, but he just stayed there, arms stretched out to you, holding the clothes. You took them in your hands bowing your head. It was a strange manner for you to do so, because all the courtsies were always directed to you. But you weren't the High Priestess anymore.

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome, Luna. I'll give you some privacy to put them on... I guess they'll suit you, though they may be a bit oversized.”

You looked down to the clothes. A greyish shirt, ochre pants and a pair of leather boots. There was also a fur cape similar to Jimin's. You shrugged, not missing your priestess attire at all, realizing that it was way more uncomfortable than the dress you were wearing and probably than those new clothes.

“It's alright.”

Jin closed the door softly behind him leaving you on your own. You sighed, spreading the clothes on the bed to start undoing the buttons of your dress. It was ruined, honestly. What once was white and inmaculate, was then muddy and ripped. You felt relieved you could change it for something new even if you had not paid attention to the dress until then.

The shirt was too baggy and long, its sleeves reaching your knees, and the pants hung too loosely from your waist to your feet. You had to tuck the shirt under the pants and hitch everything, so that you didn't drag the cuffs. You were tying your shoestrings when Jin knocked on the door.

“Are you presentable?” he asked still not entering the room, his voice muffled by the door.

You hummed in response and got back on your feet as Jin peeked into the room. He nodded slightly, entering with a silver tray of food against his hip.

“Well, that will do for now.”

He settled the smoldering stew on the nighstand and turned to look at you, after a second, he reached out to fix the collar of your shirt. You instinctively pulled back, avoiding his touch. He froze in place.

“I'm sorry, I- I shouldn't have done that.”

You quickly regained your composure, fixing the cloth yourself. You felt bad as you saw his distress, so you brushed it off with a little smile.

“It's okay. I'm sorry too, I know you didn't want to hurt me but... Yes, I guess it's an habit.”

Jin nodded, with an understanding look.

“Yes, I know.”

You arched an eyebrow to him, tilting your head to the side. It was true, he had always been respectful with the boundaries between a High Priestess and the rest of the living things, but even if you wondered why did he knew all of that, you never brought yourself to ask out loud. Until then, you guessed that Jin was something similar to a neutral zone in the pack, so you had enough confidence to make small talk with him. But you could not call him an ally just yet, not until you knew how much you could trust him without everything getting revealed to the Alphas. Who was Jin? How much of an independent mind, how much of a submissive Omega. That was the question.

“How do you know?”

He shrugged with a smile, a confident one, indeed, whilst taking the bowl of stew to hand it to you.

“When you arrived to the pack I spent some time reading all the books we had about Ilsan and its culture. I thought that maybe that way I could understand you better.”

You took the bowl and sat on the edge of the bed. Jin leaned against the wall in front of you. You assesed his words. Actually, it was not a surprise to you to hear that. Not for nothing was he considered the brain of the pack.

“Then I'm sorry to tell you that your books are lacking some information.” You said, jokingly, but Jin frowned.

“What is it?”

“The official name of the High Priestess: Luna. You didn't call me that until I told Jimin about it... And this, “you tugged slightly at your collar to reveal your collarbone and the bite-shaped birthmark, “Alpha Jeon said you didn't mention it before. It is a characteristic feature of the candidates to priestess.”

Jin glued his eyes to the birthmark, widening more than usual. He finally cleared his throat, shrugging awkwardly.

“That's good to know. I will write it down to leave a record of that.”

You nodded, taking the first bite of meat, and supressing a moan as best as you could. You couldn't remember the last time you had had something solid to eat, let alone meat. Over the bowl, you saw Jin smiling somewhat fondly.

“Eat slowly, hm? Take your time or you'll get bellyache. When finished, go to the main room on the ground floor, someone wants to see you.”

You barely managed to nod, too caught in your meal to really notice his words. He let out a content sigh before leaving you alone again, closing the door behind him. You processed his words a few seconds after his going. Someone wanted to see you?

Well, there were two options. In one hand, that could mean something good. In the other hand, you could be making your way to Hell without knowing it. What if they were to hand you over to Sangyu and the Insurgents? You stomach closed suddenly and you weren't hungry anymore. What if-

Can you chill? Why would they feed you and give you new clothes if they were going to do that?

You shook your head and left the empty bowl on the nighstand, and decided to stay a couple of minutes sat on the bed. Honestly, all you wanted to do was sleep and avoid your problems at least for a while, you were too tired and scared for anything else. You had just agree to fight in the war you wanted to run away from, and you were going to fight for the werewolves. The thing is that they hated you, and you didn't like them either. But then again, you had to join forces to defeat a common enemy: Sangyu. You needed the werewolves to save Hana, the Baegyum dynasty and bring the peace to the realm again, and to survive; because much to your displeasure, you had to admit that you and Hana would be dead by then if it wasn't for the pack. They needed you too, because your power was the only thing that could actually face Sangyu's force. To team up was just natural, a matter of survival. You hoped that the elders would see it like that eventually. You stood up with a grunt. Your wound was almost healed after nearly two weeks and the sporadic yet regular influence of the Cornerstone, which helped to hasten the process. But it still stung a bit, depending on the weight you leaned on that leg or the angle you put it. Leaving the room, you realized that the silence which welcomed you when you first came to the Pack House had subsided into a murmur that came from the ground floor through the staircase. Suddenly, you felt again the link with the Cornerstone stirring ever so slightly, as if it was buried under many layers of blankets. But you could sense its presence clearly.

It was strange. Until that morning, when they got you out of the isolation cell, you had never been able to sense the link without putting the Cornerstone around your neck. But now you could. If you had to describe the link somehow, you would say it was like a strap, like a belt that connected you to the medallion. Whenever you were using the power of the Cornerstone, the strap tensed, becoming stronger. It also happened like a natural reaction to dangerous or distressful situations, like a way of self defense, to have your power within reach in case you needed to use it. When the strap tensed that you could see the strands of light. The former High Priestess once told you that they were actually flows of constant vital energy interwoven with each other by the Goddes Moon; a natural phenomenom between living things. If it has life, it has strands of light. They were always there, but only you could see them, feel them, touch them. That was your power, handling them to your liking.

You gulped and took a deep breath before walking downstairs quietly, trying not to expose your presence. You wanted to see who was there before anyone could spot you, but when you peeked around the corner of the hallway into the living room, all eyes were already on you. Jimin and Jin were standing next to a huge leather sofa, arms crossed in a relaxed manner. A tall and slim young man with black curls was sitting between them. You inmediately identified him as Taehyung. Before the three men, there were two little girls laid on the floor, over the fluffy woolen carpet. They were looking at the drawings of a book. You froze in place. One of the girls had long, velvety blond hair, fair skin and deep brown eyes with stars within their irises.

Hana.

Even if you didn't see it, the three men were looking at you all the time and their expresions softened at your reaction. Taehyung bent down to tap on Hana's back. “Hey, little dove, look who's here.”

The princess looked up with her big doe eyes, and you almost started to cry at the sight. Hana's orbs lit up instantly and she got up to her feet at lightining speed.

“ Eonnie! I missed you!” she exclamed, running to you with her arms stretched out.

You met her halfway, kneeling down to receive her between yours arms. The movement made you feel a sharp sting in your almost healed wound and you winced without realizing, and even though Jin frowned slightly, he didn't say anything and Hana didn't notice.

“I missed you too, sweetpea,” you said, holding her tighter before pulling away.

She looked at you from head to toe. The biggest smile gracing her delicate features.

“Taehyung oppa told me you were resting and recovering and that you needed tranquility” she explained, tilting her head to the side. “But you look so skinny! And your skin is very pale!”

You looked in their direction briefly. Jimin gulped, the other two werewolves remained silent, wide-eyed, expectant for your answer. Sighing internally, you decided to play along. Yerin's pack would be your home from then on, and even if you would never fit in that world, Hana still had a chance. She was pure, she did nothing wrong. People would love her for sure. She would be happy there. So you lied to make it easier.

“But they treated me so well!” you stood up again. “They healed my leg, see? I can walk perfectly!” you moved your limb to show her, and her smile grew wider, “just give me some time, fresh air and sunlight and I will look a lot better.”

That seemed to convince her, because she nodded enthusiastically.

“Like a flower!” you smiled fondly at her innocence.

“Yes, princess, like a flower.”

She took a hold of your hand and almost dragged you towards the sofa. Taehyung was standing next to Jimin and Jin, no longer sitting on the sofa. Hana pointed at the girl she was reading the book with earlier.

“Look, Eonnie. She is Yeji, my best friend! Isn't she pretty?”

Yeji was hidding behind Taehyung, hugging his leg shyly. She seemed to be a bit younger than Hana, maybe 6 ir 7 years old. She had the most beautiful brown silky mane you had ever seen. You smiled softly, bending down a bit to be closer to their level.

“She is indeed a very pretty girl,” she shied away a bit, hiding her face, but you could see a smile on her face, “and she looks even smarter.”

Taehyung placed a hand on Yeji's head to caress her hair tenderly and Hana nodded, very much agreeing with you.

“She is! I told her you can make flowers grow from the palm of your hand but she wouldn't believe me, because Jin oppa taught her that that's not how nature works,” Hana said, placing her hands on her hips and pouting. “But I promised her you could do it! Show us, Eonnie.”

Your smile faded a bit and you looked to your feet whilst regaining your verticality. Hana loved to see the result of your power. You used to grab seeds from the Royal Gardens to make them grow before her eyes in less than five seconds; you used the clear streams of water from the Empress' Waterfalls to make giant bubbles for her; you could create realistic snowmen, giving them all the shapes and forms that Hana wanted —cats, dogs, her favorite Praetorii, her mom and dad.

Those were good times. Happy times. And they seemed as far away as if you had dreamed of them. You looked again at the werewolves. The presence of the Cornerstone made you feel considerably less tired, and your link with the medallion was appearing and disappearing in an intermittent way since your arrival to the room, tugging at the strap almost mockingly. Like challenging you to take it. The strands of light were like ghosts around you, like shadows on the wall, like speck of dusts under a ray of sunlight. When you tried to look at them directly, they disappeared. Just like before. It was disturbing and you wondered if you should talk with Jin and the Alphas about it.

You discarded that option as soon as you thought about it. When you looked at Jimin almost unconciously, trying to locate the Cornerstone where you were used to see it. But Jimin wasn't carrying it. Like a siren's chant, the Cornerstone lured your attention towards Taehyung. He was already staring at you with an indecipherable look, waiting for your reaction. You held his gaze with determination.

“Maybe another day, little dove. We have to show her around, remember?” he addressed Hana, answering instead of you and forming a warm smile inmediately.

His duality impressed you. Hana and Yeji seemed disappointed for a brief moment, until Taehyung uttered the last question. They nodded enthusiastically, and made a little fuss, high-pitched giggled filled the living room, with the excitement of a child on their first two-digit birthday.

Hana took your hand and tried to pull you towards the door. Yeji did the same with Taehyung. You looked at Jimin with a questioning look.

“Jungkook and Namjoon insisted. They want you to know the clearing and meet the pack so you can familiarize with all of us,” he explained, giving you an encouraging nod, “Taehyung will introduce you to some people that will help you around when you are recovered.”

If you had any questions, you had to keep them for yourself because before you could say anything else, Yeji and Hana were dragging you to the entrance with thrilled and hurried steps.

“Yah! Don't exhaust her, Taehyung-ah!” that's the last thing you could hear before the front door slammed shut behind you.

You were left alone with the two little girls and the young man. And somehow you felt vulnerable, and lonely. You wished it was Jimin instead of Taehyung. He cleared his throat awkwardly before adressing you.

“I'm sorry for all this chaos,” he said leading you down the porche stairs, “I know you'd probably prefer to rest after- well, after all of that- isolation thing. But the Alphas said it was the sooner the better for all of us.”

Hana and Yeji took the lead jumping around, chasing each other and running while locking hands. They practically forgot about you and their task of showing you around as soon as they ran into another group of children.

“It's alright. I'm glad I can walk and move after so long.” You didn't say that sarcastically, you were geniunely grateful and even if you still wanted to sleep into the next winter, the influence of the Cornerstone made you feel stronger and healthier.

Taehyung nodded at your words, and seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, as if wondering what to say then. He wasn't looking at you, but straight ahead. You stared at him shamelessly, rising your eyebrows. Expectant. The werewolf noticed the intensity of your gaze and looked at you before blushing a bit and averting his eyes in a harsh manner, as if angry with himself for blushing. You resisted the impulse of laughing, for his pride's sake.

“I know it's always Jimin who carries this around”, he pointed towards the Cornerstone, bouncing on his chest. “But Jungkook said that you had to be close to it at all times. I'm just following orders.”

“It's alright,” you assured, again, shrugging casually, “I become sick if I am far from it, that's why. And you can treat me like you would with anyone, you know? I'm not gonna... bite?”

He snorted at your words, almost laughing, finally looking at you sideways with a smile tugging on the corner of his lips.

“Noted, Luna.”

You walked next to each other through the esplanade before the Pack House. Other cabins of diferent sizes were scattered around it forming a semicircle. They all had wooden signs hanging on the lintels of the doors. From your position, you could read some of them.

House of Healing. Harvest Barn. Great Barn. Curia's Chamber. School.

Everyone seemed to be bussy that day, walking from one place to another slowly but surely. To you, the village looked like an anthill; everyone working on their own things, but forming a solid and uniform group, like a perfectly greased gear, even if their rythm was totally different of the rythm of the rest of the world. It didn't look like Ilsan at all. In the Sacred City, the days were hectic and chaotic, the people only minding their own business without even thinking about their own neighbors. There, in the clearing you could see women under the threshold of their houses talking animatedly with their girlfriends, also neighbors; one family helping another to build a warehouse for their home; two young girls in a wagon delivering huge pots filled with water door by door. The rythm of life was different there. There was no rush. People cared about the other people. For a moment, you wished you could live like that forever. Dreaming is free, of course. By then, absolutely everyone knew who you were and what you were doing there. The last time those people had seen you, it was in the night of the Zenith.

What a good first impression for them.

All they knew about you is what they got to learn in the past. For some of them, you were a heartless witch; for others, you were a demon that enjoyed killing werewolves; for a few, you were the result of a terrible heressy. And now you were there, walking through their streets and among their children. You didn't receive a warm and friendly welcome, but a bunch of distrustful and wary looks.

No one made eye contact with you.

“Don't take it personally, Luna,” Taehyung tried to downplay the situation. “As soon as they know your role with us and get used to your presence, it will become better. They'll trust you eventually.”

You tried to convince yourself about that, but how could you not take that personally when you were the tale the adults used to scare the children?

“Do you?” you asked, a bit bitterly, when a man pulled at the hand of his son to get him away from you.

Taehyung stiffened in place and turned his head to look at you. You were afraid to do the same, but you did nonetheless. He waited for you to glance at him to talk.

“Jimin is my best friend since forever and I trust him with my life. I know you saved his life in the past, as he saved yours. If he trusts you, so I do.”

He seemed pretty sure of his words, and you saw no signs of hesitation in his eyes. You smiled softly, looking straight ahead.

“My friend's friend is my friend too?” you inquired, almost jokingly.

He half laughed. “Kind of.”

Both of you walked side by side in an almost comfortable silence. It relieved you to know that you had another helping hand within the pack, but it still felt not enough. You wanted to make it up to everyone in that clearing, let them know that you were not the monster they thought you were (at least, not anymore), show them that you could make things right, be helpful, protect them. But you had no fucking idea were to begin.

There was a main road in the village which connected the esplanade of the Pack House and the semicircle of cabins with the Agora. A long the length of that road was where the members of the pack had built their cottages. The Agora was half empty by that time of the day, and Taehyung explained that the market was only open during the morning and almost all the stalls were already closed. But there were still a few people, some of them placing offerings before a huge effigy of a woman with her eyes closed and hands locked over his chest.

You didn't need to be told who was representing that statue. Even if it was the first representation of the Moon you had ever seen. In Ilsan, it was forbidden to represent the Moon like a human.

Taehyung stopped on his tracks by your side. You had not realized that you had stopped walking until that moment. You stayed like that for a couple of minutes, staring at the effigy. It was beautiful, and you thought that it was a pity that the people in Ilsan never got to see something like it.

“Have you ever... seen her?” Taehyung asked, quietly, as if he was afraid to break some kind of atmosphere.

You smiled tiredly, moved by the devotion in his voice. You knew that for the werewolves, their faith in the Goddes Moon was at another level, much deeper than human's.

“No. That's not how it works,” you explained softly, “but I hear her, or something like that. It's difficult to explain.”

Taehyung nodded faintly, still with his eyes glued to the effigy. He let out a sigh.

“My grandma used to tell me that, in the past, some Alphas could do the same,” the longing in his voice didn't go unoticed to you, “they were always Black Alphas. Female Black Alphas were the ones who could communicate with her the most.” He was silent for a few seconds before continuing to speak. “When we were children, I was completely sure that Jungkook would be one of that Alphas one day.”

Something inside you softened. They seemed to be close friends, and you wondered how it would be to be friends with Jungkook. Honestly, you highly doubted you could ever get to that point with him. It was strange, but you felt like there was something in the middle; dividing you, becoming a barrier between you and the Alpha. It was difficult to explain as well.

“I didn't know about that,” you said after a while, starting to walk again. Taehyung brought a hand to his chest, placing it where the heart was, he bowed his head to the effigy and followed you, “your grandmother sounds like a very wise woman.”

The young Beta nodded, with a sad smile chiselled on his harmonic features.

“She was. The wisest woman I've ever met.”

You pursed your lips, closing your eyes and cursing at yourself for such a faux pas. “I'm sorry, Taehyung.”

“It's alright. She would have liked you, you know? My grandma was one of a kind, she knew how to look inside people's souls.”

The smile that his words brought to your face was the most genuine one that ever graced your fisonomy.

“I would have liked to meet her.”

“You already did, Luna.”

You frowned, turning to look at him. His eyes, however, were lost somewhere ahead of you. A shadow of sadness swallowing the brightness of his blue orbs.

“Did I?” for some reason, you question came out as a whisper.

“Yes. She went to Ilsan with Jungkook's father that day.”

⠀⠀

a/n²: yes, it is exactly what you are thinking.

itsoktheresbts

omggg...my heart is too weak to bear the pain of jungkook’s dad and Taehyung’s grandma being killed by Luna :’( I can’t imagine how hard it must be for JK to be mated with the very person who killed his father (although she was young and manipulated by the wrong people) I might have kinda cried at the end of this chapter lmaooo

The whole plot is just fucking amazing, there’s no other word, it’s just too good to be free to read !

lots of amour and good luck with your writing !