Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Today, out of all days, Taehyung wasn’t expecting to find himself where he was right now. Standing in front of Jeongguk’s door, fidgeting with the hem of his oversized shirt (though there was no reason for wearing them yet), and feeling absolutely petrified.

He knew the code for the door. He could just punch it in and walk in. After all, it was Jeongguk’s house. Not a stranger’s. But it was Thursday, and Taehyung knew that the alpha had his girlfriend over today. So he couldn’t make himself do it. No matter how important it was for him to talk to Jeongguk right away, he couldn’t… simply couldn’t barge in like that. 

So he stood outside the door, waiting. Till his legs started to give up on him. Exhaustion hit him suddenly, out of nowhere, the week’s events taking their toll on him—he held the wall in front of him, and slid down to the floor. 

And then he lost consciousness.

When Jeongguk opened the door after about fifteen minutes or so, to say goodbye to his girlfriend,  Taehyung was still lying where he was, unmoving, having fallen into a deep sleep from the fainting, and with no strength in his body. Horrified, Jeongguk picked him up immediately, walked inside to lay him on the clean bed in the guest room, sensitive as always to the fact that Taehyung wouldn’t like waking up in a room that smelled like another omega. 

He checked Taehyung’s pulse, to find it a bit elevated. Exhaustion, he realised, must be the cause of the fainting, and sat as close as possible, running his fingers through the omega’s hair. Whether his girlfriend had left or was still standing there watching the two of them in shock, didn’t even register. 

Taehyung moved a little, surrounded by Jeongguk’s calming scent. The white musk always did wonders to calm him, making him feel warm and safe, and protected. For Taehyung, Jeongguk was always synonymous with home.  

He stirred awake, his omega craving the alpha’s reassurance, especially given the vulnerable state he was in, as he weakly moved in closer to Jeongguk’s body. Jeongguk wrapped him up in his arms, slowly allowing the sound of his calm heartbeat to make Taehyung feel better. 

“Jeongguk-ah,” Taehyung mumbled. Jeongguk could sense exactly how drained Taehyung was, from how weak he sounded. Though an omega, Taehyung’s voice had never been high-pitched, always a baritone, deep, low, guttural. It was just one of the things that made Taehyung one-of-a-kind. To Jeongguk, however, he never needed a reason to be special, he just was. 

“Yes Taetae,” Jeongguk responded in his most soothing voice. If his girlfriend would have still been around, she would have been surprised at the way he handled Taehyung, the way he was talking to him. To the rest of the world, Jeongguk was the epitome of an alpha—muscular, tattooed, tall, broad shoulders tapering into an impossibly small waist, with a walk that spelled power, a stance that spoke of stability, and piercings that made him look like he could command an entire pack. 

For Taehyung, he was always the softest, cuddliest, gentlest person of all times, the perfect black contrast to his vanilla white wolf, with the most boopable nose, a baby face, and cheeks he loved to squish (that nobody else dared to). Jeongguk’s face piercings did nothing to add any sharpness to his round features, Taehyung would joke while ruffling his hair. And Jeongguk, the alpha of everyone’s dreams, would whine and complain, and lean into that touch. 

But his girlfriend had long left, right when Jeongguk had forgotten about everything and just picked Taehyung up. Normally, Jeongguk was very well behaved, polite, caring, and a gentleman. However, Min Ha had noticed that whenever it came to Taehyung, nothing much else would register with the alpha.

“He’s just my best friend,” he had explained once when Min Ha had asked, feeling insecure. “We’ve known each other forever, he’s… he’s family.” Jeongguk had shrugged as if that explained it all. And to them, it really did. 

But not to the rest of the world who struggled to decipher what they were to each other.

“I…” Taehyung was trying to speak, but he was too weak, too emotionally distraught at the moment. Too sad. Too vulnerable. His cardamom scent burned slowly, making Jeongguk feel extremely worried.

“When did you last eat, Tae?” Jeongguk asked instead. He knew Taehyung needed time to share why he was really at his apartment on a Thursday. It must have been an emergency, otherwise Taehyung would never do it. He must have had hurried here, but stopped himself from coming in at the last moment. Jeongguk’s heart broke at the fact that Taehyung was waiting for him, while he was chasing a physical high. 

“Don’t remember,” Taehyung said. 

“Is that the right thing to do though?”

“Don’t scold me now Jeonggukah.”

Jeongguk sighed. There was hardly anything he could refuse when it came to Taehyung. “Will you be alright here if I go and get you something to eat?”

“Makguksu?” Taehyung beamed at him.

And that made Jeongguk laugh. Trust Taehyung to ask for specifics while he couldn’t even hold himself up properly. Someone this weak would just gobble down whatever was given to them. But Kim Taehyung? Always picky about food. Jeongguk was lucky that he liked eating anything and everything Jeongguk cooked. 

“As you wish your highness,” he said and turned towards the door.

“Could you make it a little spicy?”

And he stopped before he could turn the door knob.

“What?” he asked, turning around completely. His eyebrows touching the top of his forehead.

“Just a little. Please. I need it…for… for,” Taehyung stuttered. “For strength.”

“For strength,” Jeongguk repeated, his eyes fixed on Taehyung’s face, looking for the cue for this to turn into a prank. Taehyung’s spice tolerance level was in the negative.

“Yes,” Taehyung nodded as vigorously as possible, in his feeble state. “Please.”

“Stop,” Jeongguk huffed, “don’t make that face for me, it doesn’t work. I’m not the alpha you’re trying to seduce.”

“Huh,” Taehyung responded, “I don’t need to seduce you to get you to do something for me.”

The joke landed really well. Except, it was a fact. Immediately, the tension left Jeongguk’s body and he felt better, because making the most savage statements with a straight face, meant that his Taehyung was back in his element. And anyway, there was hardly any lie in the fact that Taehyung only needed to say the word, and sometimes just think it, and Jeongguk would do his best to make it come true. 

He threw a mock salute at the omega, now sitting with his back to the headrest, and went towards the kitchen. 

The moment Jeongguk left and the room was empty, the fear grasped Taehyung again. He didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know what to say, he had no idea how to handle the situation. After whatever had happened a few weeks ago, and the way he had stayed holed up in his apartment for days, this morning he had woken up feeling like he needed to talk.

And the only person he could talk to was here. It was Jeon Jeongguk. 

Yet he worried about how it would go. Yet he worried about a reaction from Jeongguk for the very first time in his life. Jeongguk, who had always been his rock. Jeongguk, who had never judged him, not for how he didn’t sound like a typical omega, not for how tall he was, almost like an average alpha, not for his mismatched eyelids, not for the way he didn’t choose a typical omega career, venturing into his own business instead. 

But he was worried about what he was here to share with his childhood best friend. 

Lost in his thoughts and apprehensions, Taehyung didn’t notice when Jeongguk had walked back into the room with a bowl of makguksu and a pack of milkis, a light, creamy milk-based soft drink. May the goddess bless Jeonggukie with abundance, Taehyung thought to himself. No matter how bravely he’d asked for the spice in the makguksu, he knew he needed something light and sweet to accompany it. 

Jeongguk came and stood near the bed, looking around. Taehyung, suddenly realising that Jeongguk hated having people eat on the bed, tried to get up and move out, making the alpha gasp, put down his tray on the bedside table, and hold him steady before he could fall.

“What is wrong with you Tae?” he almost screamed, schooling himself at the last moment. Nobody shouted at Taehyung. Ever. It was an unwritten rule in the Jeon household. One that Taehyung’s father always called them out on, claiming that the reason why Taehyung had turned out to be a spoiled brat, was because of them. But no one really paid heed to it. 

He bent and positioned Taehyung properly against the headrest, and while doing so, happened to spot the thing he was looking for.

“Stay like that,” he said, while he rounded the bed and picked up a short wooden folded table, and set it up in front of Taehyung, placing the food on it. 

“But you don’t like it when people eat on your bed,” Taehyung protested.

Jeongguk shrugged. “You’re not people,” he said. “And you passed out in front of my door, Tae. If you think I’m going to let you get up any time soon, then I’m sad to say you don’t know me at all.”

Taehyung smiled, tiredly. The ‘ you’re not people’ was already healing wounds inside of him, wounds that Jeongguk hadn’t even created. And that was when he knew he’d made the right decision by coming to his best friend instead of talking to his parents or anybody else first. 

Jeongguk stared at him while he finished his food. It didn’t bother Taehyung anymore. Not after they had spent over two and a half decades being neighbours and friends. Jeongguk tended to do that a lot ever since he was a child, especially with Taehyung. His gaze would get fixated on Taehyung whenever the omega was talking animatedly, or singing, or even just existing.

Their grandparents called it the ‘bond of the souls.’ They would say Taehyung inflected on Jeongguk as soon as they met as children—their souls naturally gravitating towards each other. Inflection, in their world, was a sort of an imprint. It was involuntary, happened very rarely, and could sometimes exist as a very strong platonic bond between two wolves, especially if they were of the same sub-gender. 

The reason why Taehyung and Jeongguk never spoke about it, or addressed it publicly, was because an inflection between an alpha and an omega always ran the risk of turning romantic, making them less desirable for others. Till date, the two hadn’t felt anything romantic towards each other, and therefore, they found it easier to go by best friends, than tag themselves as soulmates. 

It didn't mean that they denied the impact of the bond on themselves, just that they had learned to navigate life with it, rather than despite it.

Taehyung waited for a while after he finished his food and drink. He knew if he spoke before that, Jeongguk would not even hear him out, the worried frown between his eyebrows proof enough of the way his mind was in a frenzy. And then, steeling his heart, the omega called out to his best friend—”Jeonggukah.”

“Tell me, Tae," Jeongguk responded immediately, all of his attention on Taehyung. "What brought you here today, and what stopped you from entering my apartment? You know you can come here anytime. You’re the only person who has that blanket permission. And the fact that you chose today… well… I know it’s something serious.”

Jeongguk’s voice didn’t even have a trace of judgement in it.

“I didn’t… I didn’t choose today. It just got… too much. Only when I had reached here did I realise that today was a Thursday.”

“You lost track of the days?” Now Jeongguk was even more worried. Because Taehyung was not only the only omega in their pack who ran a business on his own, but also the first one to run a café managed exclusively by rescued omegas. He was so meticulous in his business that he never missed a single detail. For him to forget the day of the week…

“You know how I asked for some spice in the makguksu earlier?”

“Yeah I was quite taken aback by that.”

“So… I can explain why I asked for it…” Taehyung said.

“Silly. You don't have—”

“I am pregnant.”

“Huh?” Jeongguk wasn’t sure he heard right.

But Taehyung needed to rip the bandaid off. Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to tell him why he was here.

“Jeonggukah… I am pregnant. I gave into Doyun’s request during our last shared cycle, and I… I know I shouldn’t have,” Taehyung rambled. “And then when... when I realised I was running late for my heat, I panicked and I took a test, and I am… I am pregnant Gguk.”

Taehyung broke down, sobbing—from the unexpected turn his life had taken or from the relief of finally being able to share his secret, he would never know. For a few seconds his sobs turned into panic, but immediately he felt Jeongguk’s hands around him, gathering him into a hug, and everything felt a hundred times better. 

“How do you feel about it?” Jeongguk asked gently. He knew not to take the tears as sadness. He knew Taehyung too well.

Taehyung snuggled into him, seeking comfort, as his voice steadied a bit, “I can’t tell you how I feel exactly. But I can tell you that never even for a second have I felt that I cannot do this, or that I don’t want to. Never even for a single second have I wanted to not bring this child into the world.”

“Then that’s settled, right? We celebrate! Congratulations Taetae. You will make a wonderful parent,” Jeongguk was happy. If Taehyung was happy, Jeongguk was happy by default.

“But,” Taehyung whispered, “I am pretty scared of doing this alone. So I’m here to seek courage.”

“What do you mean alone?” Jeongguk had straightened immediately, holding Taehyung by his arms. “Where’s Doyun? You two want to do this outside of mating? What’s the point when you are serious about each other?”

Taehyung’s smile was weary. He had been battling with this for the past few days, and now he had come to terms with it. For days it was just a vacuum, sadness and endless wondering of how this happened. Today, he had realised that his life had changed, and had internalised and owned that change, and that’s why he had been able to step out. 

“I’m doing this alone. Because Doyun has left me.”

Crimson rage took over Jeongguk’s eyes in an instant. “What the fuck Taehyung?”

He never called the omega by his full name.

“I am going to kill that bastard.”

He didn’t know what to do with the anger boiling inside him.

“How dare he leave you after impregnating you?”

He couldn’t fathom what his Taetae had gone through in the past few days and it killed him.

But he didn’t move from his position. He couldn’t. The bond told him, whispered in his ears, crawled through his veins, throbbed under his skin, that at this point in time, the only place he should be was by Taehyung’s side. 

“He didn’t want the child,” Taehyung sighed, no emotion registering with him for the moment. “And I can’t let it go. It’s my pup, Ggukie. I… I can’t. I thought about it a lot, but I can’t. It’s not even about whether it is right or wrong… it’s just that I can’t.”

Jeongguk understood. 

There wasn’t anything that Kim Taehyung ever said he couldn’t do. And if he was, it was to be taken seriously. Very seriously. 

“When did he leave?” Jeongguk asked.

“About a week ago,” Taehyung whispered back.

“You were alone all this while? Didn’t even tell me? Tae… how difficult must it have been for you,” it was as if Jeongguk could feel his pain. And he probably could.

“I was trying to understand what had happened. I was trying to internalise it. I was thinking of options, trying to figure out who to share it with.”

“And you chose me?”

Taehyung shook his head. “I didn’t choose you,” he placed a palm on his stomach, “they chose you.”

Jeongguk’s eyes were curious, but he waited for Taehyung to continue. “I had a taemong (a Korean belief, that mothers dream of their future children or about their destiny before conceiving them) a couple of days before I took the test. In fact, I took the test because of that dream,” Taehyung paused to look into Jeongguk’s eyes. “You know what my dream was?”

Jeongguk shook his head a no, but his heart had picked up on its beats.

“There was a golden shower on a tiny wolf, Jeonggukah. The little pup was sitting all alone, and a golden shower was drenching it, as if to say that it was there for the pup. That the pup was not alone,” Taehyung was crying as he narrated his dream. 

Jeongguk whispered, “the golden shower? Like my mother’s taemong for me?” 

Taehyung nodded. “Last night, I was feeling extremely unwell, and I was alone. And I needed some strength. That was when I suddenly remembered this dream and realised that me and pup both needed to draw some strength from our golden boy. So,” Taehyung took a deep breath, “here I am, golden boy.”

Jeongguk stared at Taehyung for quite a few seconds before opening his mouth to speak.

“So this Doyun guy… he isn’t coming back?”

Taehyung shook his head a no.

“And you’ve decided that going to do this on your own?”

Taehyung nodded, his eyes lowered.

“Wrong.”

Taehyung’s eyes shot up. And the moment he saw Jeongguk’s expression, he knew that the words that would come out of his mouth in the next instant would change the trajectory of his life, forever. 

It was the expression Jeongguk usually had when he was about to do something stupid. It was the expression Jeongguk wore when he had made a decision already. It was the expression Jeongguk held when nothing could change his mind.

“You won’t be doing this alone. Not when I’m here.”

Taehyung opened his mouth to stop Jeongguk from saying the next line, even though he knew it was already too late, but the alpha had beat him to it.

“Let’s get married.”

Chapter Text

The Onyx pack had always been self-sufficient. One of the largest in the country, the pack welcomed wolves from all over the world, creating a cosmopolitan society within its bounds. For generations, it was the Kim family that held the reins of the pack, undisputed. They were fair, progressive, and benevolent, contributing to the pack’s success and growing prosperity. And they were well loved… mostly (because every leader is bound to have people envious of them). 

For the current head’s family, the most trusted second-in-command were the Jeons, a pair of alpha wolves, who had defied social norms and made way for acceptance of same sub-gender relationships in the pack. Jeongguk was their only son. Jeongguk's father, Junghoon, was not just a popular alpha, he was also well respected for his advisory and planning capabilities. Jeongguk's mother, Ara, was known for her strength and finesse in martial arts. Jeongguk had inherited the best of both of them. Known as the golden child of the pack, there was nothing that he couldn't do.

Well, except saying ‘no’ to Taehyung.

Kim Taehyung was the only omega son of the Kim family. The only, and the youngest of three siblings. The head alpha of the pack was Taehyung's mother, Iseul, and his omega father, Taejin was Luna. With Iseul’s birth, the pack celebrated their first matriarch in years, believing that Iseul was a direct descendant of the Moon goddess. Iseul did not just ooze power and authority, she was also righteous, a strategic thinker, and always sought the prosperity of the pack. The pack also loved the calmness and wit Taejin brought to the dynamic. Both Taehyung's older siblings, Seokjin and Taeri were alphas. 

Taehyung too, was one of the most loved, albeit envied omegas of the pack. Not just because he was stunning (all three siblings were), but because he used his position to really carry forward the welfare of omegas in their community. Every single omega in the pack had access to Taehyung for any help, and whatever he could do to make their lives better, he would. 

Neighbours ever since the Kim family moved houses to stay among the community rather than in their secluded mansion, the Jeons and the Kims had hit it off from the word go. Sharing most of their pregnancy journey, Ara and Taejin had become close friends, and when Taehyung was born just a few months after Jeongguk, they had secretly wished for them to also become each other's safe space, much like them. 

And the boys didn’t disappoint the parents. In fact, the moment Taehyung was brought into Jeongguk's view, baby Jeongguk had turned in his cot, his eyes as big as they could get, and stared at Taehyung until the smaller baby had been brought to him and laid down beside him. For just a flicker of a second, their eyes had turned crimson and blue, unheard of for babies that small. And for the entire duration of time that they were awake, little Jeongguk had kept his hand on Taehyung's tummy, protective. 

Inflection, the grandparents had immediately recognised—a lore deep embedded in traditions and stories in this time and age, but not known to have become non-existent. It was extremely rare. When two souls, bonded through eternity, recognised each other, they turned in each other's direction automatically, feeling the gentle pull of the bond, no matter how old they were. Inflection could happen between any two wolves at any point in time, their age didn't matter, their marital status didn't matter, and neither did their financial position. Inflection almost always had a chance to turn into romance, but it didn't need to lead there always. What existed between two inflected wolves was the strongest bond, second only to fated mates, where they would put each other before the world if the need arose. 

Taehyung’s imprint on Jeongguk’s soul was forever— a bond that would only grow stronger with time. 

As they grew, everyone noticed how Jeongguk's eyes followed Taehyung everywhere, and how Taehyung would calm Jeongguk down, control his rumbustious energy, making him channelise his strength and wisdom for good. They brought out the best in each other.

The families were certain that they would end up together, because they were hardly apart. But once they hit adulthood, the elders noticed, albeit disappointed, how they'd end up double dating, each having a different partner. They also noticed how Taehyung and Jeongguk were always happy for each other, wishing each other luck with their dates. The families silently wished for things to change, but didn't meddle because as long as the children were happy, they were okay.

However, none of Taehyung's or Jeongguk's relationships lasted long. While the best friends blamed it on their youth and clashing personalities, their elders realised that it was because of their bond. When inflected wolves stayed as intertwined in each other’s lives as Taehyung and Jeongguk were, it tended to impact their other relationships. Being constantly close to each other, and within each other's reach made the wolves grow more emotionally dependent on each other with time. And ultimately they would reach a stage where it was difficult for them to see beyond each other. The only people who could end up with them, apart from their own selves, would have to be extremely secure wolves, completely smitten by them, and ones who blindly trusted them. 

It was the toughest ask, because wolves, by nature, are possessive beings, and it was always difficult for their respective dates to accept their closeness. Especially because they were from different sub-genders. In their society, though progressing rapidly, an alpha and an omega could not be just friends. Though if you ask the duo, they’d tell you that it would be pretty much the same for them no matter what sub-gender they belonged to. 

For most of their childhood, Taehyung would be found in Jeongguk’s house, his parents busy with the running of the pack, his eldest brother busy with training to be the heir, and sister training to be the spare. Ara doted on Taehyung, spoiling him with a 'yes' to everything he ever asked for (which really wasn't much, Taehyung was a happy and content child) and hence the rule of nobody raising their voice on Taehyung ever came into being. Being the only young omega surrounded by a group of doting, protective alphas had its shares of ups and downs, but Taehyung would never change any of it.

Mostly because he would always get his way.

Their afternoons were spent pursuing hobbies, Jeongguk painting breathtaking sceneries, and Taehyung writing funny stories about aliens and them invading the earth because they were lonely. They hardly bothered anyone if they had each other. Taehyung was a picky eater, and Jeongguk would gobble up anything. So nobody had to know if Taehyung was secretly feeding all his beans to Jeongguk while growing up. And Jeongguk? He would die but never tattle on Taehyung. 

The day Jeongguk first transformed into his alpha wolf, the only person who was allowed to watch him was Taehyung. The first person Jeongguk’s charcoal black wolf ran to and nuzzled at, was the omega. Not due for his transformation for quite a few months (since alphas transformed earlier than others), Taehyung’s omega had been triggered and he had transformed within a few days' time. Nobody was surprised to see his wolf be the milkiest vanilla to Jeongguk’s black. When the two wolves went for their runs together, the onlookers watched mesmerised, as the omega was the only one able to keep pace with one of the fiercest alphas the pack had ever seen. 

They were one for the lores. 

They went to the same class in the same school and studied together, never feeling the need to befriend other people. For the two of them, their definition of friendship came from each other. It was such an intense and pure bond, that nothing quite came close to it. Others could be dates, they could be acquaintances, they could be packmates, but they couldn't be friends.

That was until a certain blonde haired omega, majoring in dance, joined them in college and literally crashed  into Taehyung and his life, bringing with himself two betas who were exactly opposite to each other in nature. Park Jimin, the dancer, and Min Yoongi, his mate, along with Jung Hoseok, Yoongi's best friend. Jimin refused to leave Taehyung alone, gradually making a place in the omega’s heart. And Taehyung realised that it was actually pretty convenient to have another omega to talk to, about omega things. Jeongguk found himself drawn to the quiet genius of Yoongi, and Hoseok just held them together, his sunshine nature balancing Yoongi's poignancy, Jimin's exuberance, Taehyung's flamboyance, and Jeongguk's boisterousness. 

The trio had moved to Daegu with their families from a smaller town near Busan, in search of better career prospects, having heard about the kind of opportunities the land of the Onyx offered. As time passed, and they grew closer, Taehyung and Jeongguk learned that each friendship was different, and what they shared was special. Other people didn’t necessarily threaten what was theirs because they were drawn to each other organically. 

When Seokjin found himself an alpha mate in Kim Namjoon, quite like Jeongguk's parents, the seven started hanging out together, as Namjoon was Hoseok’s roommate. Together, the seven were hailed as pack royalty, a perfect mix of brains, beauty, talent, and genius. 

Doyun had been Taehyung's only relationship that had reached the stage of moving in together. They were getting serious about each other, and so far, he had been the only alpha Taehyung had ever dated who never had an issue with Jeongguk. “Some bonds cannot be explained, Taehyung.” He had said. “As long as you are loyal to me, I have nothing to worry about.” The man had also received Jeongguk's approval, so much so that Jeongguk insisted on cancelling their friendly dates sometimes to make Taehyung go and spend time with his alpha. It had made him happy to see Taehyung being loved, respected, and cared for. He wanted nothing more from life than to see Taehyung happily settled with a wolf who deserved his soulmate.

Jeongguk himself hadn't been able to settle into a long term relationship yet, but he wasn't quite bothered about it. He was pansexual, dating all sub-genders, but he could never make them last. Something or the other would come up around the three month mark, and more often than not, it was about Taehyung and the way Jeongguk looked at him. 

Yes, Taehyung's beauty was yet another problem. There wasn't another omega even in the neighbouring packs who could match up to him. It would drive Jeongguk’s intended partners crazy, knowing that Taehyung’s presence in the alpha’s life was non-negotiable. 

And that’s how their lives had panned out. Forever together, never each other’s.

Whether it was from the fear of losing their precious bond to romance, or from the fact that it was truly all platonic from their end, nobody knew, tried to find out, or even brought the topic up for discussion. 

But fate has mysterious ways of turning unproblematic, peaceful coexistence into everyone’s problem to bear. 

Park Doyun hailed from one of the chaebol families with old money that were deeply rooted in traditions and following rules and norms of packlife. So Taehyung knew that with things getting serious between them, they were headed towards mating and bonding. Because Doyun, in his own words, didn’t date for fun. He dated, to marry. Since he was never one to gush over alphas, or the dream life of a claimed omega, it hadn’t particularly excited him, but stability was always attractive. It pleased his omega to know that there was an alpha who would be wanting to settle down with him after spending so much time together. 

Doyun had not only been courteous and accepting of Jeongguk (the biggest green flag for Taehyung), but also of Taehyung’s profession, his activism for omega rights, and his independent spirit. There were mentions of the future, of welcoming Taehyung into the Park family, of destination weddings and joint business ideas thrown around. It was almost like Doyun couldn’t wait to make Taehyung his. Nobody thought much of it. After all, if you managed to land up with Kim Taehyung, you did your best to keep him.

And it turned out that while Taehyung was chasing stability, Jeongguk was chasing Taehyung’s happiness. As always. 

It was Yoongi, who had once mentioned to Taehyung casually, that everything between him and Doyun seemed too good to be true. The thing with Yoongi was, nothing he ever said was ever thrown around casually. He would put his wisdom in a capsule and inject it into your consciousness, but never push it. The decision was always yours.  

At that point in time, Taehyung was too happy to care, because he was staring at Jeongguk and Doyun bonding over a friendly boxing spar. And the topic had been buried. 

They had recently moved in together, and everything seemed to be going according to plan. Moving in was a big step for wolves, just short of mating, because for the alpha, it was about dropping an anchor, and for the omega, it was about building a nest. One thing had led to another, and the hormones had run high, triggering both Doyun and Taehyung’s rut and heat together. And in a moment of shared madness, Taehyung had allowed Doyun to fuck him raw and knot him. 

A month later, Taehyung had missed his heat, and it concerned him because his cycles were the only regular thing about him (his words, not mine). Concerned, Taehyung had waited for a few days before booking an appointment at a neighbouring town, not willing to give space to rumours, pegging the reason for the visit to be a market survey for his café. And he had come back home after a couple of tests telling him that he was carrying life inside his womb. 

Apparently, Taehyung’s omega was extremely fertile. 

Never underconfident before this accident, it had still taken Taehyung quite a few days to muster the courage to tell Doyun about what had happened. He had expected the offer of an early marriage, and moving up their plans of building a family. But in reality, he was met with stony silence, then with the sound of the apartment door closing, and then with the feeling of being left alone to deal with doubts, possibilities, and a possible heartbreak staring him in his face. Doyun had come back to him after a couple of hours, spewing words like ‘unmated pregnancy,’ ‘get rid of it,’ ‘we’re not ready.’ and  ‘I can’t do this.’ Taehyung had silently watched, hoping that the breakdown was just a knee-jerk reaction, and his loving alpha would return.

However, “Our family won’t accept a pup out of wedlock, Taehyung. It’s still early, let’s get rid of it,” was how Doyun ended his spiel. “I am not saying no to kids. Not at all. We need heirs for our empire as well. But all in good time. A few years after we mate. I will give you kids, for sure. Just, not now. This is not required. Such a waste of time and energy when we can enjoy our life before we take on such… intense responsibilities. It’s not worth it.”

“It … is a child,” Taehyung had whispered. “A life. Not an activity to waste time on.”

“You know what I mean,” Doyun sighed, exasperated.

“I don’t,” Taehyung had been honest. “I understand your point of view. But I don’t understand the dismissal. This is my body, where is the consideration of my feelings? This isn’t your usual behaviour, Do.”

“This is my entire future!” Doyun had screamed, indignant.

And Taehyung had immediately noticed the change in the use of words, from our to mine. 

Defiant, and not used to raised voices, he had made his decision immediately, he would keep his baby. He had said so to Doyun, and Doyun had simply walked off, abandoning him, breaking up, without even sparing him a glance. 

Taehyung had waited for three days before accepting that the alpha wasn’t coming back. He had spent those three days holed up in his nest, talking to the life in his womb, and feeling a deep connection grow between them. From defiance, the bond had grown into one of love, acceptance, and fierce protectiveness. There was a reason why abortion was low among wolves, their nature was to protect what was theirs. 

On day ten of confessing about his conception to Doyun, Taehyung’s wolf had accepted that he was now an abandoned single parent. The impact on his body and mind was crushing, creating frequent bouts of fainting spells, a heavy tendency to nest, and extreme caution to keep his baby safe. On the eleventh day, he was seeking comfort as if he would die without it. 

And that’s how he had found himself outside Jeongguk’s door.

Jeon Jeongguk, his soulmate. 

Jeon Jeongguk, who was not his alpha. 

Jeon Jeongguk, who didn’t even bat an eyelid before suggesting that he wanted to change that equation.

“Do you hear yourself?” Taehyung asked, not as shocked as he should have been, as if his wolf knew that this was coming. It always knew.

“Do you not?” Jeongguk challenged. 

“I am not joking, Ggukie.”

“Neither am I,” Jeongguk moved in closer, cupping Taehyung’s face with his hands. “Taehyungie… my alpha will never let you do this alone. And knowing what another alpha has done to you, now my wolf will never trust another around you. So the only option is me. And you know I will die before I let anything happen to you, or your pup. You know that.”

Taehyung heard the words, and couldn’t refute them. But beyond that, Taehyung heard the tone, and it had no trace of panic, or fear, or doubt. It was Jeongguk’s wolf speaking on behalf of him, the alpha who knew his responsibility towards Taehyung’s omega. But even above that, it was his soulmate, wanting to protect him, and his.  

“Take some time to think about it.”

“I don’t need to.”

“What about Min Ha?” Taehyung tried for one last time.

“Two months and weekly sex versus eternity… Tae… what exactly are you asking me to choose from?” 

Exhausted, vulnerable, and finally… finally feeling a sense of relief washing over his soul, Taehyung simply leaned forward to press his forehead against Jeongguk’s. 

The deal was closed. 

Chapter Text

“But Jeonggukah,” Taehyung pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated. He’d had a good night’s sleep, surrounded by his best friend’s calming scent, since Jeongguk had left some of his clothes in the guest bedroom. He’d also had his tummy satiated with a couple of filling meals. And now he could look beyond his emotions and think rationally. 

When he’d woken up pretty late in the morning, fresh and not so exhausted, the questions had started to pile up. So now they were sitting in front of each other, both skipping work and turning it into a long weekend, and both frowning. For different reasons. Opposite reasons.

Taehyung was frowning because he couldn’t fathom why Jeongguk was so casual about giving up his entire life for Taehyung and his pup. Jeongguk was wondering why this was being termed as a sacrifice. And neither could explain anything to each other because they had run out of words to explain what they felt. Words had never felt so difficult to exchange before. Not between the two of them.

Taehyung knew that if they married, Jeongguk would never look at another wolf for his entire life. Given the kind of relationship they had shared till date, becoming spouses in the real sense of the term seemed to be a very far-fetched idea. Therefore, for the rest of his life, he’d be out of reach for others and yet, never have someone who could become his life partner the way Taehyung had always imagined for him.

Jeongguk knew that if they married, Jeongguk would always be able to protect Taehyung and his pup, be around his favourite people all the time (of course Taehyung’s pup would become his favourite), and have the best time of his life. He always knew he didn’t really need anyone else if he had Taehyung around him all the time. The only physiological need was sex, and there were ways to deal with it. He’d figure it out.

So he took matters in his hands, as he rarely resorted to. But when he did, he knew Taehyung would listen. Because it wasn't really negotiable without solid reasoning.

“There’s no but here Tae,” Jeongguk cut him off. “You know I am not doing this out of duty or pressure or any obligation. Our bond is not like that.”

A low blow, really. Bringing up their ‘bond’ literally killed every argument Taehyung could even think of bringing up, and rendered him speechless. Their bond was truly unique, one-of-a-kind, if you may. They could do anything, but they couldn’t take a step back if one of them was in trouble. And no matter how much Taehyung argued, he knew, knew that if the roles were reversed, he’d do the same for Jeongguk.

Though inflected wolves were rarer in this day and age, there were some known cases, and most of them had ended up together. Whether it was fate, or the strong pull they felt towards each other that they couldn’t resist, was still up for debate. But every time someone asked them how it was, they’d almost always have the same answer, “it’s just organic— as easy as breathing.” Living with someone who knew your soul for eons was something their spirit animals just knew how to do. 

And every shape-shifter knew that having their spirit animals under control was the toughest thing they had to learn, unlearn, and relearn all through their lives. Having someone around who instantly calmed them, and grounded them was the biggest blessing from the Moon goddess. Therefore, spending their lives with someone who bore that special connection was always a plus. A huge plus.

“Listen Tae,” Jeongguk moved in closer and took Taehyung’s hands in his. “It was an instinctive decision and it felt right. Please follow my choice of words. Instinctive, and not impulsive. I know I won’t be happy or calm knowing you and your pup are not okay. And it’s not because I don’t think you’re incapable of raising a child alone. No,” he shook his head, determined. 

“It’s because I don’t want you to do it alone when I can be completely involved. When I want to be completely involved. Do you really think I will be able to do justice to any other wolf when I am constantly worried about you?”

Yet again, Taehyung had no answers to Jeongguk’s arguments. 

His shoulders sagged, and Jeongguk knew he had won. 

“So,” Taehyung mumbled, “how are we planning to do this?”

Jeongguk beamed at that question, his famous bunny smile making an appearance. The same smile that never failed to make Taehyung smile too. 

As for Taehyung, after almost three decades (two and a half Taehyung, two and a half) of knowing each other, Taehyung knew his Virgo best friend better than to give him a plan to follow. He was pretty dure that the man must have spent the entirety of the previous night drawing up a schedule for themselves for at least the next three months. Taehyung wouldn’t be surprised if it was for the next three years either.

“Are you bringing an excel sheet or a powerpoint presentation?” he asked when Jeongguk didn’t respond.

“Those are for later,” the alpha replied with utmost sincerity. “But for now, I’ve just jotted things down on this app I have on my phone. Here, see, it's a note taking app, and it helps you make checklists and all, and you know what? We can actually strike things off our list as and when we get it done,” he grinned like it was one of his biggest achievements.

Taehyung couldn’t help but be endeared. Jeongguk really seemed excited about the entire plan and their life together, and since he wasn't really adept at the art of lying, Taehyung knew that he was genuinely happy about doing this. He was starting to warm up to the idea too. The feeling of abandonment that had been sitting heavy on his heart was slowly melting away, and after weeks, he and the life growing inside him felt wanted. 

“So,” Jeongguk inched even closer to show Taehyung his list. “The first thing we need to do is book an appointment with a doctor to understand the next steps… because… none of us know how this works, right? I want to also understand my role, how I can help, things I should be aware of. So let’s ask around and find someone good. I’ve already set time aside for that research. Of course you’ll have your say in it,” Jeongguk went through the list, "but I will do the heavy-lifting and then you pick your choice from the available options. Don't worry I will check for reviews and everything before I bring you that list."

Of course. As if Taehyung could ever doubt it. 

“The second important decision is to choose where to live. Do you want to continue to use your apartment, or move into mine? I have no problem either way. I’ll leave it to you because right now your comfort is the most important thing. The third would be to… to inform our families.” He paused before handing over his phone to the omega. Taehyung’s jaw almost dropped when he looked at the rest of the list.

• Book packers and movers, do not let Tae move an inch
• Get medicines, pack fridge with nutritional food
• Remember to ask Tae about what he wants to eat
• Plan the wedding! 
• Go baby shopping—actually, should that be dada shopping? Things Tae needs, cuz baby isn’t here yet
• Appa shopping too—Jeonggukie needs books for information
• Wedding shopping, invites, catering, cake!
• Whatever else Tae wants to add here (no questions asked)

Tears filled Taehyung’s eyes as he threw himself at Jeongguk to hug the alpha. It was Jeongguk who stabilised him, making sure he didn’t hurt himself in the process. “See, this is why you need me around you careless little thing,” Jeongguk mumbled softly into Taehyung’s hair. “You should be pampered, and worshipped, and loved. You're doing something that will put your body and soul through so much for nine long months! I’m not leaving that chance with anyone else now that I’ve got it.”

“It almost seems like you were waiting for it Gguk,” Taehyung laughed through his tears.

“Wasn’t part of my plans, no,” Jeongguk shook his head, smiling. “But imagine having a mini-Taetae over and above the adult one. I’d be reliving our childhood all over again!” 

“We,” the omega said, sinking into Jeongguk’s hold.

“We,” he repeated.

“But Ggukah, you forgot the number one task on that list.”

“What? I was so sure I covered everything.”

“Did you not need to speak with Min Ha? Let her know of this? That needs to be the first thing. Be gentle with her. You’ll be breaking her heart,” Taehyung said ruefully. This was something that was worrying him a lot.

“Already did,” Jeongguk responded matter-of-factly.

“What?” Taehyung sat up, shocked. “What do you mean you already did? I came here yesterday. She was right here. It’s hardly been one night!”

“I called her last night, said we need to talk,” Jeongguk scratched the back of his neck. “I wanted to meet her today and break things off, so I asked her to meet me. She said if I wanted to break things off, then I didn’t need to meet her, and thanked me for being decent enough and not doing it over text.”

“She didn’t say anything else? Ask why?”

“She told me she knew that we were not going to last, when I picked you up, forgetting all about her existence. Honestly, I don’t blame her. I did forget completely about her the moment I saw you lying unconscious. Nothing else registered. I don’t even know when she left,” Jeongguk winced at his own insensitivity. But in all reality, he couldn’t help it. Taehyung had always had that effect on him.

“So she said,” Jeongguk air-quoted, “it was only a matter of time.”

“I feel horrible,” Taehyung hung his head low.

“Don’t. She’s actually right, and she’s just saved herself a lot of trouble. If she were that important, I’d have registered her absence just after fucking her into oblivion,” Jeongguk smirked.

“Language, Jeon Jeongguk,” Taehyung reprimanded, “there is a baby in the room!”

“Two,” Jeongguk laughed. “Oops… I will keep that in mind!”

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

There were two reasons why Taehyung moved into Jeongguk’s apartment over the weekend. Himself, and Jeongguk. He knew he couldn’t stay in the apartment he and Doyun used to share, to be haunted by those memories, his scent, the remnants of his touches across every surface. He also knew that it would be extremely difficult for Jeongguk’s alpha to make another alpha’s space his own. He didn’t want to put Jeongguk through any more trouble than he was already taking for him. 

Jeongguk had handled the move entirely on his own. He’d booked the services, supervised the move, and personally thrown away everything owned by Doyun. It had given him a lot of pleasure to shred his clothes, and donate his books. He’d had every single piece of Taehyung’s clothing sent to the laundry to get rid of any trace of Doyun’s scent, availing costlier, special services. He had also settled everything with the landlord, thanking his stars that it was a rented apartment and not a more permanent investment. 

Doyun, he had learned, had left the country to look for better career opportunities abroad. “Coward,” Jeongguk scoffed. “He knew I’d kill him otherwise. Didn’t even have the guts to own up to his actions. Taetae Junior didn’t deserve to have a scumbug like him in his or her life. I’m so glad he’s gone,” he rambled on to the wolves who were helping him move, and didn’t understand a single word of what he said. 

Jeongguk’s apartment was bigger. It was his parents’ gift to him when he had moved out, and they had considered a size appropriate for a family. 

Moving in and mating, as well as getting married, also meant that they couldn’t be staying in two separate rooms. Even though they wouldn’t really become mates, from the consummation point of view. The idea was planted by Jeongguk himself, because he’d read up on it, and what he’d found out had left him even more worried than he was. Taehyung’s omega was an abandoned wolf, after conception. This left the wolf extremely vulnerable and meant that the pregnancy would not really be smooth unless he was nurtured, loved, and felt secure. 

In such a scenario, Jeongguk wouldn’t want Taehyung to be sleeping alone in a room. He knew that his presence would negate the negativity to a large extent. 

Taehyung was even more sceptical about this than the mating. 

“First,” he said, “I am taking away your bachelorhood. And then, you expect me to take away your privacy too? Come on Jeonggukie, please. This is unnecessary.”

Jeongguk, however, was prepared. He always was. People said handling a headstrong omega like Taehyung wasn’t easy. For Jeongguk, however, it had always been a piece of cake. He simply pulled out the big guns. Puppy eyes, pout on lips, and his whiny voice, reserved only for the ears of Kim Taehyung.

“Do you want the pup to hate me? Not even get to know me through the nine months in your womb? How is that fair Taetae?” 

“Geez! Jeon Jeongguk! Do you ever come to any conversation unprepared?” Taehyung rolled his eyes. In his heart, he already knew Jeongguk was right. He knew the reasons too. And yes, he also knew that he wouldn’t be able to defy them.

“But let’s not turn the other room into a Nursery right away. Let’s keep it as is while we adjust to living together. Just in case any of us needs a breather. Capisce?” 

“Capisce,” Jeongguk smiled. He knew he'd never need it. And he'd make sure Taehyung didn't, either.

While their entire pack knew about the kind of impact Taehyung had on Jeongguk, only very few people in their closest circle knew about the power Jeongguk held on Taehyung. Their relationship was anything but unequal.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The announcement to their families was first met with excited shrieks (quite uncharacteristic for the families of Onyx’s Head Alpha and the Second-in-Command, if you ask Taehyung, and absolutely on point if you ask Jeongguk), followed by a barrage of questions. Jeongguk answered every single question without a single trace of annoyance in his expression. When he was done explaining, there were five more alphas in the room wanting to shred Doyun to pieces alongside Jeongguk.

It took Taehyung a while to calm them down, citing his own pregnant condition. 

“It’s okay, really. He does have the right to refuse parenthood given that we didn’t mate. He shouldn’t have just left. But what’s done is done,” Taehyung shrugged. “I’ve mopped around a lot. And I don’t want to anymore. It’s not good for my pup.”

Seokjin and Taeri immediately scooped him up, scenting him to let him know of their support. Iseul and Taejin came forward and hugged Jeongguk out of gratitude, mumbling their blessings and stating that they would be forever indebted. Jeongguk simply said, “Not doing it because it's the right thing to do. Just doing it because I want to. I love Taetae. And I know you would all be there for me if it were me in his position.” 

His statement was met with vigorous nods in affirmation.

Junghoon just smiled. He was a man of few words, but the pride that shone in his eyes said it all. It was Ara who asked to speak with her son alone, dragging him out to the porch. 

“Do you feel like you have to do this, son?” Ara asked. “Be honest with me. You said all the right words inside, but my mother’s heart just needs a bit of reassurance.”

“Not really, eomma. You know me. I never do things I have to do. I meant it when I said it’s something I want to do. Have wanted since the minute I came to know Tae was going to be a single parent,” Jeongguk answered, holding his mother’s gaze.

It was then that Ara hugged him, saying softly, “then I hope you both find your happiness in each other and the family you’re choosing to build together.”

“I’ve no doubt we will,” Jeongguk held his mother tightly, “it’s Tae and I after all.” 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Despite the fact that they wanted to keep it simple and quiet, being a marriage in the first two families of the pack, that wasn’t possible. It had to be a grand wedding, proportional to their standing in society, being also the first among Taehyung’s siblings.

Nobody in the pack was surprised with the news. 

The older generation said that the Moon goddess had everything planned, that it was meant to be.

They had always known that it would turn out this way.

The younger generation said it just made sense for the two most gorgeous people to come together, they matched each other’s freaks.

They had always known that it would turn out this way.

The generation in the middle (of the parents) said it made absolute sense for the two families heading the pack to marry into each other, strengthening the bond. 

They had always known that it would turn out this way.

Jimin, Yoongi, Namjoon and Hoseok were the only other people outside of the family who knew the real story. They would always stand by their friends, their support unwavering. Jimin and Yoongi took up the task of researching for the best obstetrician for Taehyung, much to Jeongguk's chagrin (but he couldn't say no to Yoongi) and Namjoon and Hoseok took up the task of helping Jeongguk with his research of being the perfect alpha parent.

It has always taken a village to raise a child. Taehyung was grateful that his village was unconditional in their support, never for once questioning his decision. 

The joint statement released by the two families shared that only after Taehyung got involved in a serious relationship did the alpha and omega realise their love for each other. It led to Taehyung’s relationship being broken up. And now, after a whirlwind romance, Jeongguk and Taehyung had decided to take the next step, especially because they were ready to welcome a new life together. A life born out of their love. A life they wanted to welcome as mates, and hence the hurried ceremony. The entire pack was invited to be part of the celebrations, kept to only a ceremony and reception given Taehyung’s delicate condition. 

The feast would leave no one disappointed— that was a promise. 

And that was how, within a week’s time, Taehyung and Jeongguk found themselves getting ready to commit to each other for a lifetime, and beyond. 

For the sake of an unborn little life, who was destined to be parented by soulmates, and to be loved by two wolves who were bound by fate. 

Chapter Text

“I think kissing on the lips is overrated.”

Taehyung slowly turned his head to look at Jeongguk, looking dapper in his hanbok, as always. The blue traditional wedding wear had been customised to cling to his curves, and modernised in design. They were at the tailor’s to get their fittings done for the ceremony. 

“What did you just say?”

Jeongguk didn’t look at him, or rather, tried his best not to, when he responded, his voice less firm than before, “I think kissing on the lips is a bit overrated.”

“Please explain that, dufus.”

They might be getting married, but it didn’t mean that their relationship was changing. Not yet anyway.

“I mean,” now Jeongguk looked at him, happy to be able to present what he had definitely thought about for at least three days before blurting it out, “kisses are an expression of love, right? So what’s the big deal about kissing on the mouth? Why is it treated so differently than the cheeks, or the forehead, or the eyelids? A very prejudiced point of view… don’t you think?”

Taehyung blinked. Once… twice. A couple more times. 

“Jeon Jeongguk,” he slowly said. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. But I really don’t get you.”

Jeongguk moved forward with purpose, looking every bit serious about his theory, and with a wild, unnecessary gesturing of hands, he said, “we’re supposed to kiss after the ceremony. And I think we shouldn’t freak out about it. It’s just you and me. I love you loads, and I can do it. I can totally kiss you. On the lips. With my lips. It’s actually like a forehead kiss, just on the mouth.”

Taehyung blew out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He always knew Jeongguk was crazy, but the boy was now hell bent on proving it. 

“Makes a lot of sense,” he said instead, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He waited till Jeongguk’s face lit up with a smile before dropping the bomb. “So now explain why you’ve never kissed me on my cheeks, or my forehead, or my eyelids, or even the top of my head, for that matter?” 

And he stood there, hands on his hips, watching, as Jeongguk’s mouth opened once, then closed, then opened again, as he gasped for air. 

“That can only mean one thing. You don’t really love me as much as you claim to,” Taehyung pouted, turned around, and walked into the trial room to check his own fit, a twin to Jeongguk’s, only red in colour. 

Mic drop.

Then there were two sets of sounds to be heard. A soft click of the lock turning on behind the trial room’s door, and then a heavy pounding, on the same poor door. 

“How could you say that Kim Taehyung?” Jeongguk bellowed, scaring the shit out of the staff at the tailor’s. “Never have I ever loved anyone more than I have loved you, and you know that!” He kept pounding on the door, his alpha challenged, and biting the bait, as always.

Now, for the staff it was a mixed reaction—they were shaking in their boots because Jeongguk was shouting at the top of his voice. And at the same time, they were cooing at the expression of love. Jeongguk never, ever hid his feelings for Taehyung. The love between them was real, exchanging “I love yous” was never awkward. In fact, it was frequent, from Jeongguk. 

And Taehyung?

He never said it in words. But the love that spilled over from every single one of his actions towards Jeongguk, left no room for doubt. It was in Jeongguk’s nature as an alpha to provide for, and those instincts were at their peak for Taehyung. And the omega not only knew how to receive Jeongguk’s love, but also return it in a way that satiated the alpha. 

Jeongguk was still pounding on the door when Taehyung opened it suddenly, and his hand froze mid-air. In front of him stood his childhood friend, dressed in red, looking as ravishing as ever. For a few seconds, Jeongguk couldn’t speak, his eyes taking in the sight before him. And then, the sight spoke in his baritone, “do you intend to break the door?”

That brought Jeongguk back to earth from wherever his head was at. “Why did you say that?” he asked instead of answering. 

“How do I look?” Taehyung didn’t bother to answer either. “Do I already look fat?”

“Why did you say that Tae?”

“How do I look Jeonggukie?”

“Why—”

“Are you avoiding the answer because you don’t want to call me fat?”

Jeongguk sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and shook his head. If there was one person in the universe he could never win with (unless Taehyung was in the mood to lose), it was this omega, his soulmate, his best friend. 

“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice gentle, his eyes softening. “As ever. In fact, I think I forgot how to speak for a bit because there’s this added glow on your face. I think it's the pup.”

Taehyung smiled. “The pup’s already making its existence felt huh?”

“Of course it is, it's yours, and it’s in their genes to make a splash, turn heads wherever they go.” Jeongguk wasn’t flattering Taehyung. He was simply stating facts.

But the constant praising seemed to have its effect on the omega too. Checking himself out in the mirrors from all angles, and satisfied with the fit, he turned to Jeongguk and said, “I was just kidding Jeonggukie. Like you were kidding about the wedding kiss.”

Then he went back inside to change, gesturing for Jeongguk to do the same too. And if in the middle of all of this he had quietly checked out how they looked together with a sly glance at the mirror, it was between Taehyung, his hanbok, and the mirror on the far side of the room. 

Driving back to what was now their apartment, and never once to give up on arguments, Jeongguk decided to revisit the topic. “I wasn’t really kidding, Taetae. I wanted to know if it's okay with you. The kissing I mean. You know people are going to be expecting it given the love story that’s been shared.”

Taehyung looked out of the window, taking his time to answer. It wasn’t that he missed Doyun, because the moment Doyun had rejected his child, his heart had rejected the alpha. His delay was for Jeongguk, stemming from the same doubt that still lived in some corner of his heart, even though everything was going well, the acceptance had been enthusiastic, his baby wasn’t going to be raised by a single parent (it wasn’t a prejudice, it was just not something he had wanted for his children, having grown up in such a loving, warm family himself). But the doubt persisted. And it kept telling him that Jeongguk deserved more. It also kept telling him that he wasn’t yet ready to explore anything physical with anyone. Not yet. 

“You know me Jeonggukie, I have never aligned with people’s expectations all my life. And you can see the result,” he gestured towards himself, not in a derogatory way, but to show where he was in life. He would never regret his baby. “The first omega from the pack head’s family to conceive a child, unmated,” he laughed, genuinely amused.

“That’s because you were always destined to be unique,” Jeongguk’s response was immediate as always, because it was what he believed in. “And you’re right. We don’t need to give in to people’s expectations, Tae. You and I, we’ve always been different. Our bond as well. And so will our married life be.”

Quietly, Taehyung wiped away a few drops of tears. Not because Jeongguk gave into his requests as willingly as he was used to, but because there was no malice or disappointment in his voice. For him it was as simple as asking and receiving an answer. But it broke Taehyung’s heart to take away Jeongguk’s wedding kiss from him. Here Jeongguk was giving up his entire life for Taehyung (yes, he still believed so), and he couldn’t even bring himself to give him a proper wedding kiss that didn’t even have to mean anything. Jeongguk said so himself. 

“Let’s go with the flow hmm?” He turned his head towards Jeongguk to smile. “We’ll do what we feel is right at the moment. We’re rarely on different pages, and we won’t even hold it against each other, I know.”

Jeongguk nodded in affirmation, his eyes on the road. Taehyung noticed how controlled his driving had become ever since he’d come to know about Taehyung’s pregnancy. Before tears welled up in his eyes again, he thought he needed to warn Jeongguk.

“Jeongguk-ah, before the doctor says anything, I need you to know that I am going to be an emotional mess. Me crying, henceforth, does not mean you need to kill someone. A lot of times, it won’t even make sense. Even if I say it does, repeatedly. Okay? Just be calm about it or like, respond in a way that calms me down. But really, do not kill people or break their noses or anything. It’s just the hormones talking.”

“Noted,” Jeongguk said, solemnly. “Once we get home, please say that again so I can put it in my app.”

“Are you serious?” Taehyung wanted to laugh. But he saw Jeongguk’s face, and didn’t.

“I am very serious about everything concerning this pup and its father.”

And that was that.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

It didn’t take long for the day of the wedding ceremony to arrive. The pack was thrumming with excited energy, the Kims and the Jeons were so happy it was infectious. It was a long cherished secret dream come true for them. And that was understandable. They'd watched the children grow up together, and it was obvious that no one could keep them happier than each other. Now they only had to start to see their friend as their partner. Somehow, the parents and the grandparents had been sure of that happening, as people with more life experience usually are.

There was a celebratory mood all over the pack. Many had won bets on Taehyung and Jeongguk ultimately ending up together, even though they were seen with others. It was almost like the entire pack had manifested this mating ceremony together, including the two families.

The two main characters in question, however, were oblivious about all of this. The ceremony was to be held, per pack traditions, just before moonrise, so that the two married wolves could start their new journey with the blessings of the moon goddess. Not that it was a consideration, but this ceremony had happened to fall on a full moon night.

“The goddess’ favourite children,” the elders of the pack had deduced, smiling indulgently while discussing the grooms-to-be.

The grooms-to-be who were sleeping soundly till about eleven in the morning, because what else would they even do. Taehyung's café was catering for the event, and Jeongguk's company was in charge of the event management. They trusted their employees enough to pull things through. 

Jeongguk was the first to wake up. Not that it was a usual occurrence, or that he woke up from excitement or nervousness, but because his extremely sensitive nose had caught a new scent around himself. As he worked his way through his slumber, his instinct instantly on alert from the intrusion, he opened his eyes, the black orbs darting around the room to check their surroundings. His eyes fell on Taehyung, sleeping in the other corner of the bed.

It was then that he noticed. The new scent wasn't really new, It was an addition to Taehyung's cardamom—his Taetae now smelled of cardamom spiced milk. A month and a half into the pregnancy, expect noticeable changes in the scent of the omega, the obstetrician had mentioned. 

“What a day to get married to your dada,” Jeongguk said, his gaze on Taehyung's tummy, which was still quite flat, except for the little outward bulge he'd always had. “Cardamom flavoured milk is going to be my new favourite, I think,” he rambled on. “I'm going to be really nice to your dada, I promise. I always am.” 

He took his first vow, unknowingly, the most important of them all.

“Are you talking to my tummy?” Taehyung rasped in his sleepy voice. “Ggukie wait for the bump at least!” He hid his face in the pillow. 

“Not to the tummy, silly! I'm talking to the pup. I can smell them, Tae!” Jeongguk said excitedly. “Do you notice it? The trace of milk in your scent? It's heavenly.”

Taehyung sat up slowly, a lazy smile on his face. “I noticed it a week back,” he said. Then he realised that the alpha's face had fallen, so he hurried to explain. “It was very faint. And not even discernable all the time. I only could, because I'm carrying the pup, you know? You caught it on the first day pup decided to make a public appearance, Gguk.”

The smile never left his face at the thought that Jeongguk really took offense in not being able to smell the baby.

After a few minutes though, it became quite unbearable, feeling a hand at the small of his back every time he attempted to walk even a couple of steps, a soft murmur of ‘careful, careful’ following him around. Taehyung took a deep breath. The world didn't know because he never let on, but Jeongguk was the clingiest alpha he'd ever encountered.

Only with Taehyung though. And now it was going to get insufferable, he huffed. He could already sense it. Quietly, he had a word with his baby, I'll let it go for today. We'll tackle this overreacting alpha later pup, okay?  

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The rest of the day went by in a daze, and Taehyung and Jeongguk swore they wouldn't be able to get through it without their friends and siblings. Seokjin, Namjoon, Taeri, Hoseok, Yoongi and Jimin walked with them as they went through it, keen on getting the process done with, nothing else much registering to them. 

The getting together of wolves was not originally ceremonial, as all that was needed for staking claims was a consensual mark on the omega from the alpha. Most wolves mated only when they found the one, and that didn't require anyone else's approval. With time, things changed, as they tend to do. Today, not everyone waited for their fated mate, instances of arranged marriages were increasing, and a lot of times a couple of wolves (in some cases, more) decided to live together till it worked out for them. Quite a few of them held the ceremonies after the marking, and many ended up staying together for years without the need to mark each other. Today, marking wasn't just something alphas did… omegas marked their alphas too. The humans influence, the elders called it. 

Therefore, this ceremony had come to be called a wedding, rather than a mating, and it wasn't anymore about bearing the claiming mark. It was more about a public declaration, some couples simply scenting each other to formalise the relationship. And that's how the exchange of vows and rings had come to be part of the process. Wedded wolves were still called mates, irrespective of whether they were marked or not. 

Jeongguk and Taehyung walked to the centre of the ceremonial space in their pack, holding hands. One by one, every elder of the pack came forward to shower their blessings on the couple and the unborn child. The last ones to bless them were their parents and siblings. The rest of the pack stood surrounding the space, with their close friends in a semicircle around them. 

The Onyx had their own set of marriage vows, upholding the values of respect, equality, non violence, love, and communication. The vows had been rewritten when Jeongguk's parents became the first same sub-gender couple to marry, to include tolerance for the future generations. Jeongguk and Taehyung recited the vows, read to them by an elder of their choice, a halmeoni who had loved them ever since they were children. They were thankful that they didn't have to write personal ones. The Onyx considered those private to the couple, not meant for the ceremony.

Then they exchanged rings, handed down over generations, solemnising their bond. 

For both of them, the process seemed a bit mechanical… not something they had ever dreamed of or imagined would happen. It didn't bring butterflies, excitement, or anxiety—just the relief in the knowledge that they were ending up with their most favourite person. Jeongguk scented Taehyung, like he normally would, and for the public, it made them look like a real couple. Taehyung scented him back, officially becoming Jeongguk's omega and claiming Jeongguk as his alpha.

And just like that, the soulmates were married. 

Even though this was treated as a love marriage, they had avoided the ritual of marking each other with a bite near the scent gland, citing Taehyung's delicate condition. It seemed like a plausible reason, not raising any suspicion. 

Chants of ‘kiss, kiss, kiss,’ rose as a murmur, as it tended to, during a mating ceremony. Jeongguk looked at Taehyung, raising an eyebrow, and Taehyung, now exhausted, everything weighing down on him finally, simply shrugged. At this point, he just wanted to get it over with.

Jeongguk thought for a few, and then he leaned forward, cupped Taehyung's face with his hands, and pressed his lips to Taehyung's temple, murmuring, “Never forget that I love you the most,” he whispered. “And never again question it. Okay?”

There wasn't an iota of doubt in that statement, not a single quiver in his voice. It was confident, and straightforward, as he had always been about his feelings. And for the first time during the entire ceremony, Taehyung's eyes moistened, his stance loosened up, and he felt a flutter in his chest. Just the fact that Jeongguk had held on to his joke with so much heart, keen to prove otherwise, melted him, making him feel like he belonged. This gentle alpha was now his, no matter the nature of their relationship… it now meant that he would always have his best friend and now mate, in his corner, for all his life, legally as well.

So he did what felt right to him in the moment, overwhelmed by the thought of being mated with his twin flame, he lifted his head, and pressed a soft kiss on Jeongguk's lips. 

It was a chaste kiss. It didn't last long. It didn't even need to. It just conveyed the message that probably Jeongguk needed to hear but wouldn't be able to ask for, ever. A simple touch that meant “I'm here with you. I will be there for you, and I love you too.”

When he pulled back, he knew his instincts were right when he spotted the teardrops gathered at the corner of the alpha's eyes.

Jeon Jeongguk and Kim Taehyung were mated for life.

Chapter Text

By the time Jeongguk reached the bedroom on their wedding night, Taehyung had already settled into his side, barefaced, all his makeup removed. He was wearing a t-shirt he claimed looked better on him than Jeongguk, that hung off his body, and was getting comfortable under the covers. The reception party was still ongoing, but the grooms had excused themselves because Taehyung was exhausted.

Rather, Jeongguk had insisted they be excused because Taehyung was exhausted.

Taehyung was sitting and sipping on a mocktail when Jeongguk had walked up to him, his face serious and his attitude purposeful,

“Tae, the ceremony’s done, we’ve taken everyone’s blessings, all the wedding photos are also done, I’ve asked them to pack our food into two boxes, let me take you home,” he had said with a straight face.

“Why?!”

“Because it’s been a long day and you must be so tired.”

“I am… but that’s normal because I’m pregnant,” Taehyung had said. “Yoongi hyung can drop me home and come back. Why do you need to go? Stay here, enjoy the party.”

Jeongguk had looked at him as if he’d heard the joke of the century. “You… For how many years have you known me?”

“What? How is that an answer to my question?”

“No, it’s not. Because that stupid question should not even exist for me to have to answer it. If you knew me, you wouldn’t even make that suggestion. Come on. You need rest. Let’s go,” Jeongguk had held his hand out, and gestured for Taehyung to hold it. A staring contest ensued, and after a while Taehyung realised that he couldn’t keep the stubborn alpha back. He was too drained out to argue, and on top of that he knew pretty well that Jeongguk wouldn’t enjoy the party without him. So he gave in.

After they reached home, much to Taehyung’s utter surprise,  Jeongguk had suddenly scooped him up in his arms, and carried Taehyung bridal style over the threshold, because apparently his grandmother had instructed him to do so. It was tradition, Taehyung was told.

Taehyung, however, had a strong inkling that this grandmother was actually Jimin. For some reason, while the other friends had been supportive about their decision, telling them they were there for them and would help whenever needed, Jimin had just been gleeful about the entire episode. Of course he was supportive too. But if his smirks and winks were anything to go by, it was almost like he knew something nobody else did. And he refused to spill, always giving them his trademark tight-lipped smile with an eyebrow raised, shrugging his shoulders as if he didn’t, in fact, know anything.

“Are you going to sleep?” Jeongguk asked, scratching the back of his head.

“Nope, just waiting for my mate to have sex with me,” Taehyung deadpanned, arching his back. “Come on Jeonggukie,” he patted the space beside himself, “it's our wedding night. Let’s make it unforgettable.”

Jeongguk blinked for a couple of seconds, waiting for Taehyung to laugh out loud, because that had to be a joke, and then he choked on air and went into a violent bout of coughing. As he sat on the corner of his bed, still coughing, he looked at Taehyung from the corner of his eyes and found the omega laughing like there was no tomorrow, clutching onto the side pillow for dear life.

And he should have been angry at Taehyung for pulling a prank like that, but it was impossible for him to be angry at the omega. Taehyung’s laughter filled his soul with so much joy that his alpha felt pure pride in being the reason behind it. Once the coughing subsided, he smiled. “You and your jokes.”

“You always fall for them though,” Taehyung wiped his eyes. “Yes I am ready to sleep, it’s been such a long day.”

“It has,” Jeongguk agreed. “I just wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Shoot!” Taehyung said, his omega strangely settled and warm, purring under his skin, as if this is where he was always supposed to be. 

Jeongguk walked over to his own side of the bed and settled in, pulling out his phone. He dimmed the lights in the room, not wanting to make it completely dark because Taehyung might need to wake up during the night to use the bathroom. They had decided that Taehyung would sleep on the side of the bed closer to the toilet, so it would be easier for him to reach it in case of morning sickness especially. The nausea had been really bad for Taehyung lately, and the only things he could keep down were light soups and porridges that Jeongguk cooked for him.

“I kind of wrote down a few things we should keep in mind,” Jeongguk said tentatively. “Now that we’re married, and also because we will be preparing to become parents.”

“Let me guess, on the app? You made another checklist?” Taehyung tried hard not to burst out laughing again.

“Yeah, such a cool feature this one. I made a list of things just so it’s easier, you know? Because we’ve always been close but we’ve never really lived together. Not even like a sleepover because of our sub-genders. Also because our houses were literally sharing walls. So I mean, we’re not used to living like this, and especially not like a married couple, right? So…” Jeongguk rambled, “I made this list to guide our behaviour around each other.” 

Taehyung drew a sharp breath. He knew it was a matter of time till excel sheets, presentations and word documents filled with information, planners, and trackers would land in his inbox on the daily. He had literally given himself a whole morning of talking to before the wedding. He could do this. “Go on,” he said. “I’m listening.”

“Okay. So. Like. One, the side pillow remains in the centre of the bed, marking your side and my side. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable sleeping with me, an alpha. I mean you know that I am an alpha. But I’m just saying.”

“Right,” Taehyung responded. “Are you okay sleeping with an omega?”

“Huh?” Jeongguk looked taken aback, because obviously, he hadn’t considered that. And then he said, “It’s not about me.”

“Of course it is,” Taehyung said immediately. “We’re both sharing space for the first time. I’m not the only one here. And neither am I some fragile piece of glass who will break. You need to account for both of our comforts.”

“Okay… okay, calm down,” Jeongguk panicked. “There’s no need to get hyper over this. I’m comfortable having you around and you know I’m clingy with you. So there’s no problem.”

“Good.”

“Second, you know I am a deep sleeper. So please just bang my head if you need me, don’t even hesitate.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll cook for you every day. Just tell me what you want to eat. Or whatever the pup craves for.”

“Hmm.”

“We need to start sharing everything with each other. I know we already do, but not like your best friend. I am your mate now. So you should treat me like one. I mean… we should treat each other like mates.”

“Hm.”

“And so, let’s be truthful about however we feel. Let’s not hide anything from each other because we feel like it’s minor. There is nothing minor in a marriage. Let’s agree on that.”

“I was also thinking that we should create a couple of joint accounts. One for household expenses, because I know you would drive me insane if I don’t let you contribute. And one for the pup’s future.”

“Then, also let’s decide later on household chores. I don’t want you to do anything but rest. But again, I have a feeling that’s going to earn me a kick on my ass. So I thought it would be better to ask.”

“And Tae also…” Jeongguk paused for a second to look at his mate.

Who was now fast asleep, huddled up in his blanket, one of his hands lying protectively on his stomach, the softest snores escaping him, his lips in a pout. The sight made Jeongguk smile. “It was not the right time to pull this out,” he said to himself, puffed up the side-pillow, placing it back in the middle of the bed, and pulled the covers on himself as well, letting Taehyung’s scent lull him to sleep.

After all, he’d also have to develop the habit of sleeping early and waking up early, if that was going to be Taehyung’s routine. It wasn’t something he was used to, often pulling all-nighters for his work. But now he had hired a second-in-command, and hoped to be around his mate as much as possible to navigate through this pregnancy, and raising a child. Jeongguk never did anything half-heartedly. If he was going to be Taehyung’s alpha and the pup’s father, he was going to be in it a hundred percent. 

The side pillow watched from its position right in the middle of the bed, placed equi-distance from Jeongguk and Taehyung’s sides. Of course, Jeongguk had it all measured. 

And the next morning, it watched from the foot of the bed, as Jeongguk woke up to his omega plastered to his side, their limbs entangled, and his body in an instinctively protective posture around Taehyung, his nose pressed up against the omega’s scent gland, making him feel calm, peaceful, at home. For a second he thought of putting some distance between themselves. But then he gave into his instincts and wrapped himself better around Taehyung, and fell back into sleep. Hearing the omega purr in contentment at the gesture, he knew he did the right thing. 

Disentangling from a pregnant omega, whose emotions were heightened anyway from one abandonment, was not a good idea, his alpha told him.

When Taehyung woke up, warm and cocooned in the comfort of his alpha’s embrace, he smiled. He remembered the first rule Jeongguk had set, which was already broken. “Thank you for not pushing me away, Gguk. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he whispered, softly kissing Jeongguk’s nose. 

If Jeongguk heard that whisper and tightened his hold around Taehyung slightly, it was between his heart, his arms, and Taehyung’s waist. 

“We don’t need rules,” Taehyung said later over breakfast. “I appreciate your thinking, and the effort, you know I do. But I think the only rule we need to have is to communicate. Tell each other if something makes us uncomfortable, if something starts to change, if we want something. Okay?”

“Perfect,” Jeongguk agreed. “But I will keep making plans because they are important, and because between the two of us, I am the more organised one.”

“Don’t I know,” Taehyung rolled his eyes, “half your orgasms come from colour-coded excel sheets and animated flowcharts on presentations.”

“Hey, they’re cool tools!” Jeongguk pouted.

“I’m way cooler.”

“That’s true.”

“You know, married people have arguments,” Taehyung said. “How is that going to happen if you agree with everything I say?” 

“We’re going to be the best married couple in the world, just you wait and watch. No arguments, no fights, no problems—”

“No fun,” Taehyung completed, throwing his napkin at Jeongguk, who caught it with ease. “Marriage is not a competition, Ggukie.”

“But we’re the best anyway,” Jeongguk leaned in to kiss Taehyung on the cheek. It was involuntary, as if Taehyung’s joke at the tailor’s shop had created a deeper impact than they could guess. It flustered Taehyung for a second, before he regained his composure and asked, “this is going to be a regular thing?”

“No rules,” Jeongguk shrugged. “Affection between parents is good for the child.”

And yet again, Taehyung was left speechless by the alpha who seemed to have been born to father Taehyung’s child. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

It never took them long to settle into a routine with each other. Ever since they started going to school together, then studying together, then college, then starting off with their respective businesses—they had always begun all their journeys simultaneously. As fate would have it, raising a child also fell into that pattern. Still in his first trimester, Taehyung’s body was learning to adjust to the changes. And the changes were many.

There were raging hormones, making him emotional and emotionally exhausted at the same time. There were new kinds of aches and pains to get used to. Morning sickness and nausea were his worst enemies— most days he woke up either because he needed to rush to the bathroom to pee, or because he needed to vomit. 

Somehow, Jeongguk’s system had completely adjusted to Taehyung’s presence. He would wake up with the slightest stir of Taehyung’s body, which could be owed to how they were wrapped around each other all night. He had understood exactly what kind of food Taehyung would be able to eat, achieving every nutrition parameter set by the doctor and yet churning out meals that even the picky eater couldn’t refuse. He had mastered the art of calming Taehyung down during emotional outbursts—it helped that his scent had an immediate effect on the omega, but his words did their magic too. 

They would have their breakfast, then Jeongguk would drop Taehyung to his cafe, driving to his own office after. A packed lunch would accompany Taehyung everyday, along with all his vitamins, iron and folic acid tablets in a separate medicine box. No matter how busy Jeongguk was, a reminder for the medicine, to drink water, and to have lunch on time would hit Taehyung’s phone immediately. The monthly expense tracker had been shared to his drive, with editing rights, and every day, Taehyung would receive something or the other in his email.

No, they weren’t all plans.

Some days there were book recommendations, asking Taehyung to choose from ‘How to be the best alpha role model for your child’ and ‘This is how an ideal father should be.’ Taehyung would choose one for him, knowing fully well that Jeongguk would come home with both books, because it was important to compare both and learn the best of both worlds.  

The carefree alpha he knew, the one who wasn’t ready for relationships, responsibilities, or even commitment, was adapting to married life with Taehyung as if he had already been doing it for a lifetime. 

Taehyung kept wondering how long Jeongguk would be able to do this without any gratification, though he never saw discomfort on his mate’s face or body language. It was like Jeongguk had found something he loved doing, and he was happy. Guilt crept into Taehyung’s heart whenever he watched Jeongguk studying about new recipes or the best kinds of textile to use for a newborn, colour therapy or phases of pregnancy, but the joy with which Jeongguk did everything kept him sane.

Because Jeon Jeongguk could ace everything, except lying. And especially, lying to Kim Taehyung. 

Taehyung was happy with Jeongguk. Taehyung had always been happy whenever he was with Jeongguk. That didn’t change. They always had things to talk about, and now, they had even more topics—starting from dreams about the pup, to groceries, to movies they’d watch together, to household decisions. They had doctor’s visits to schedule, lunches and dinners to attend as a newly married couple, and long update calls with family. The new additions to their life didn’t change the fact that they loved to seek out new spots within the city for a meal, or a walk by the river, or just going out for friendly dates that were always part of their lives.

Even when they were with other people, Jeongguk and Taehyung religiously followed their ritual of spending time with each other at least once a fortnight. Nothing changed after marriage. Unless you count every dinner, every movie watched, every stroll, and every ice cream parlour visit as a date. In that case, they’d have to say that the frequency had increased. 

By and large, Taehyung’s pregnancy had been non problematic up until the first few weeks. According to the doctor, it was only possible because he was with his soulmate. Otherwise, unbonded omegas were known to go through the most difficult pregnancies, their wolves seeking their alpha all the time, and rebelling in their absence. Jeongguk’s happiness, his care, and his love for the pup was doing wonders for both the omega and the child he was carrying, because unlike human beings, a wolf’s pregnancy was sometimes even more affected by the primal need for the alpha’s protection than the health precautions one needed to take. 

Taehyung sat there, in front of his obstetrician, listening to her as she kept emphasizing on Jeongguk’s importance in their lives—his, and his unborn child’s. Anyone else in his position may have felt threatened. But Taehyung wasn’t just anyone. He knew he loved the life he was carrying. In fact, he was still carrying because of that love. His feelings towards that growing seed was unquestioned. Every step he’d taken was for it. 

But Jeongguk?

His love was unconditional. It stemmed from only one fact—that the child was Taehyung’s. And that made his love so powerful, no wonder it had healing effects on Taehyung’s life. Here was an alpha who had nothing to gain from this except his best friend’s happiness and peace of mind, and had turned it into his life’s mission, no questions asked. 

It was the day of the first scan, the one that determined the dating and the viability of the pregnancy. Taehyung asked for Jeongguk to stay in the room, because it was his right to. And when the doctor spotted the little dot, Taehyung’s eyes darted from the point on the screen to the alpha’s face on instinct, immediately recognising the mixture of awe, happiness, and overwhelm in those eyes. The galaxy in Jeongguk’s eyes had never shone brighter.

The cool gel on his tummy started drying a bit, and Taehyung felt something shift inside his heart. He recognised them as feelings. For his best friend, his soul mate, his mate… and now, the real father of his child. 

Chapter Text

It only struck Taehyung when his calendar notification popped up. Not that this piece of information was something he was supposed to keep track of or know, but there was hardly anything regular about his life. He stared at the notification for a while, spiraling a bit out of control.

Normally, unless they were dating, omegas and alphas would not know or ask about each other’s heats and ruts. It was considered quite rude. But Jeongguk and Taehyung were not only aware of each other's cycles, they also had them marked on their calendars just so they would not worry about the other’s disappearance and end up visiting when they shouldn’t. Walking into each other’s homes was a habit they needed to control during their cycles. They also often sent each other food and necessary items during their cycles in case they were spending it alone. It was a longformed habit. 

In this new routine that his life was getting adjusted to, Taehyung had to remember a lot more than usual, on top of his regular work. Jeongguk’s ruts had completely skipped his mind in the hustle of the pregnancy and then the wedding. So when the notification popped up telling Taehyung that Jeongguk’s rut was due in a couple of days, Taehyung panicked. He picked up his phone and long-pressed ‘1’. 

“We need to talk.”

“Hey Tae, are you okay? Do you need to see the doctor? Should I come over? I’m leaving as we speak, don’t worry.”

“Stop. Stay there. Breathe,” Taehyung realised that he should have started the phone call with context. Especially with this alpha.

“Huh?”

“Jeonggukah, you’re an alpha.”

“Yeah. I mean. I’ve known that for a while," Jeongguk was thoroughly confused.

Then Taehyung’s voice suddenly went into a whisper because he realised that he was among his coworkers. “Wait,” he said, and walked out of the kitchen to a secluded area at the back.

“Jeonggukah… alphas have… ruts.”

“And omegas have heats. Are we doing a GK test or—?”

“You idiot! Your rut is in two days!”

“Ohh. You know you should have led with that. Got me all worked up for nothing.”

“Nothing?” Taehyung said, now getting frustrated. “How is this nothing ? You have to tell me if I need to find another accommodation. You have to also tell me if you’re going to be away for a week. I will have to ask Jimin to come and stay with me. Come on Gguk. You know how bad my mornings are. I can’t…” Taehyung took a deep breath. “You know what. No worries. I can do this by myself. Are you checking into a hotel or should I?”

“You done?”

“Do not give me attitude Jeon.”

“Just let me speak, Kim!”

Taehyung scowled. Unfortunately, Jeongguk couldn’t see it because it was a voice call.

“None of us are going anywhere, okay?” he said calmly.

“What the hell do you mean! I’m pregnant. I can’t be your rut partner just because we’re married. I… no way Jeonggukah.”

“What?”

“What?”

“I didn’t ask you to be my rut partner. Come on Tae! What the fuck.”

“You didn’t?”

“No? When did I even utter it? You’re the one who’s going on and on about my rut when I haven’t even brought it up.”

And just like that Taehyung went from confused to angry in a second. “Exactly my point. Why haven’t you brought it up? Isn’t it important to prepare for it?”

“No.”

“Ggukie I am this close to taking a cab to your office to bang your head against the wall in front of all your employees,” Taehyung pinched the bridge of his nose.

“There’s no need. I’ll come to you if you feel violent and need to let it out on someone. But sush. Can you listen to me for a second?”

“Yeah.”

“We don’t have to worry about my ruts because I’m on rut suppressants for the next eight months. I enrolled into a program for alpha parents. It's safe and plant-based. And it has no side-effects,” he tried giving all information that he knew he’d be questioned on. “I spoke to your obstetrician when you had gone to get changed into your clothes after the scan, and she suggested this program. I’ve just had to increase my working out hours by thirty minutes to balance out the extra supplements. And that’s cool because I love it anyway. So you don’t have to worry. No one is going anywhere.”

There was silence on the other end.

“Tae? Tae… did I lose you? Tae. Hey, can you hear me?”

He heard a sniffle. And then a few more. And then there was a full-fledged sob.

Jeongguk quietly took his car keys and headed out. His office wasn’t too far from Tae’s café, it took him around ten minutes to reach, and all the while, he just kept holding the line, listening, as Taehyung cried softly into the phone. When he reached, he simply walked up to his soulmate and engulfed him in a hug, taking the phone from his hand, and disconnecting the call. 

“If you would have stopped to think about it,” he said softly into Taehyung’s hair. “Which I’m sure was difficult because you panicked, but if you’d thought about it, you would have known that I am too paranoid to leave you by yourself or with anyone else even for a single day. Of course I’m on suppressants, Tae. You two are the most important things in my life right now. I can’t change myself now just because I am an alpha and alphas are supposed to have ruts, right?” 

“You…” Taehyung hicupped. “You’re doing too much for me.”

“For my mate and this cute little bean growing in here,” the alpha poked Taehyung’s tummy softly. “Hardly enough. I wish I could wrap you up like a burrito and keep you safe from everything that can harm you, me included.”

“You can never harm me,” Taehyung snuggled into the hug more, feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable. “You can never harm us ,” he said with finality. “But I don’t want us to become a burden, Jeonggukah. You keep doing these unhinged things for—”

“The most special person in my life,” Jeongguk completed the sentence. And that was that.

The staff, Taehyung’s employees, looked on fondly from inside the doors, their eyes misty and their faces content. All they had ever wanted for Taehyung, was to be happy. They couldn’t hear a thing from inside, but watching how Taehyung had seemed a bit agitated and Jeongguk was immediately there to calm him down melted their hearts. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

As they were growing up and Taehyung started to meet other wolves, he had taken a conscious decision— to never hold Jeongguk as the benchmark for alphas. He knew no one could ever compare. And it had worked well for him all his life. Well, almost. Whichever alpha he had dated had seemed alright, till they’d reach a point where the alphas would start to turn dominating, having trouble with Taehyung’s fiercely independent nature, or his refusal to give up on his rights, or the fact that he did not behave like the typical submissive omega they read about in books. 

Suddenly, after a few months of dating, his long hours at the café would become an issue, his friendship with Jeongguk would be a problem, and him having a life outside his relationship would become something to fight about everyday. A few of the alphas Taehyung had dated tried to keep up the ‘I’m different’ act for quite a while, especially since they knew about Taehyung’s status in the pack. But alphas were creatures of instinct, and their dominance and orthodox nature could not be tamed for long. Most of Taehyung’s breakups were related to these issues. 

Jeongguk, despite the fact that he had grown up surrounded by alphas, was different. Because all the alphas around him were different from the stereotype too. They were caring, believed in equality, exercised their powers with caution, and were respectful of all sub-genders. And he imbibed the best from all of them. 

Therefore, the things that Jeongguk kept silently doing for Taehyung didn’t quite surprise the omega, but it kept getting added to his mental checklist. He kept wondering when the jar would overflow, when Jeongguk would suddenly feel pressured, and when it would start to feel like a burden he didn’t need to bear. He knew it was extremely unlikely that it would happen, but he couldn’t help but wonder how he would handle it if it did.

It was very visible how much Jeongguk loved Taehyung. It wasn’t a secret from anyone that if he said he could do anything for Taehyung, he wasn’t lying. He meant it. But Taehyung’s love for Jeongguk wasn’t visible. As the omega son of the pack leader, he had been too aware of the eyes on him. He had grown up realising that he couldn’t be overtly emotional, or wear his heart on his sleeves.

He had always loved Jeongguk silently, showing his care through gestures that went unnoticed by anyone apart from the alpha himself. But there was no one who knew exactly how emotionally dependent Taehyung was on Jeongguk, not even Jeongguk himself. 

Being abandoned by an alpha who wasn’t Jeongguk was a different thing. The fear of being left behind by his soulmate—now that was something deeply embedded in Taehyung’s heart, even before the alpha recognised him as more than a friend.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The doctor had shared that in most pregnancies, the omega could shift into their wolf form up until the second trimester with ease. After that, it wasn't medically advisable to shift, with the belly growing larger and the growth in the baby being rapid. She had also said that it wasn't necessary that Taehyung needed to shift till the end of the second trimester.

“Listen to your body,” she had said. “The most precious advice I have, and the one that most of us seem to ignore. Your body always gives you signs. If you pay attention to it, you will always know if you're in discomfort or not. For these nine months,” she had emphasized, “overcome the omega urge to put everyone else first. Because if you're not okay, the little bean won't be okay.”

The fridge in the kitchen now had a huge customised fridge magnet saying ‘ Listen to your Body.’ Not hard to guess who put it there. Taehyung would roll his eyes at it at least five times everyday.

In the modern times, shifters like them didn't quite transform into their animal form a lot. Work, new kinds of engagements, and the digitalisation tended to keep them away from their most primal state. But the elders still advised the carrying parents to shift occasionally till they were allowed. It helped the fetus connect with their origins, they said. And wolves must never forget that they are born of nature, part of the forest, raised by the moon, they preached.

Taehyung and Jeongguk had always loved running together in their wolf forms regardless of the changes around them. They'd go for a run at least once a month. Now, with Taehyung's pregnancy, they'd made it a routine to shift at least once in two weeks, and spend some time in the pack’s forest. It would not just help them get rid of all the stress they bore through the days in the human form, but also give them space to reconnect with nature, to roam around free in their natural habitat, and to just let go for a while. It was Taehyung's most favourite time of the month.

His omega would run for a bit, till he felt tired from the exertion. Then he would sit and wait for Jeongguk to come back from his run. The black wolf would return, and immediately be all over the white omega in playfulness, nuzzling, licking, making his presence felt, marking his territory. 

While earlier this interaction used to be simply playful, the alpha wolf's possessiveness now felt a little more comforting than usual to the white omega wolf. A little more than he'd care to admit. Especially since things inside his chest had started to shift. Especially, since the omega had started to recognise Jeongguk as their alpha. 

So when Jeongguk's wolf would run around Taehyung's seated form, demanding attention, nosing at him, licking his ears, the omega would be thrilled. The human, now behind the stage, would notice, but stay quiet. There wasn't much they could control about who their animal forms let in, and by how much. 

Until one of the days, towards the end of the first trimester, Taehyung's wolf lay sideways on the grass, resting, and Jeongguk's wolf, returning from his run, high on his pheromones, headed straight for the belly. He nuzzled at the barely discernible bump, rubbing his nose on it, and then his cheek, and then lowered himself to lie extremely close, his head lightly placed on the white wolf's stomach. 

Taehyung's omega held its breath through the entire episode. It could feel the way his body was reacting to the show of affection, the way it was craving for that proximity, and how good it felt to be on the receiving end of such affection. There was nothing sexual in the touch, it was protective, it was intimate, it was love. It was a caregiver’s touch directed at his ward. And Taehyung left it at that, refusing to acknowledge his omega's reactions.

That night was the first night Jeongguk scented Taehyung's baby bump, probably, the episode in the forest telling him that it was okay. That he could give into his instincts and do this, that he could show his love for the growing pup, and not just its dada. And it was. They knew they’d eventually get to it when they got comfortable, because scenting was essential to the child's well-being. Taehyung just didn't know that it would happen so organically, so soon. He also didn't know how important the act was to his well-being. 

For him and his wolf, it was a sign that Jeongguk's alpha had accepted the child. That the human and the alpha were on the same page. That Taehyung's baby was now Jeongguk's too. And till it happened, Taehyung didn’t know how much he was waiting for it. His parenting instinct rejoiced at this victory. After all, caring for your best friend’s pup, and caring for your pup had a difference. The line between them might be blurry, but it was there.  

For Jeongguk, scenting the womb was something he'd read about and intended to attempt some day. Not just because it was good for the pup, but because he knew he loved it, and he needed a distinctive way to show it. He'd thought about it, wondering how it would work, realising how intimate an act it was. But on that day, when he returned after his run, to see Taehyung lying in rest, his belly showing the slightest bulge, his instincts had screamed at him. His alpha was telling him that his wolf had bonded with the unborn child. It wasn't as difficult to do as he had thought it would be. 

Especially since Taehyung seemed to have welcomed it and enjoyed it. 

Jeongguk had long accepted the child as his own. For the human, it wasn’t even a question. Had never been ever since he had assumed its responsibility. The pup would be a Kim-Jeon not just by name, but from their hearts. His wolf had needed some time, trying to align with the fact that its soulmate was carrying someone else's baby. But at the end, the bond of inflection had won yet again, and Jeongguk's wolf was now as protective of the little bean, as Jeongguk himself. It wasn’t that difficult to cross that bridge because their wolves were best friends too. 

The acceptance had meant a lot to Jeongguk. 

It showed in the change in his demeanour. The clingy alpha got clingier, his kisses and hugs more affectionate, but now more confident as well. And Taehyung? He let himself indulge in the affection. Not just because now he craved it more than ever, but also because he wanted to allow himself to have this—these few months that would bring him this joy. He didn’t know if all of Jeongguk’s overwhelming attention and affection was limited to his pregnancy, and honestly, he didn’t want to know. 

For his pup’s sake, and for the sake of his own heart and sanity, he needed this pregnancy to be a happy one, a fulfilling one. There were too many factors trying to drag him down a hell hole otherwise. Only he knew (he dared not tell Jeongguk) how many nights he’d woken up from the nightmare of a pair of hands trying to snatch his baby away from him. Only he knew that he knew those hands too well. They belonged to someone he had once trusted not just with his body, but with his entire future as well.

There were days when he hid himself in the bathroom in his office and just cried helplessly from how drained he was, feeling like an inadequate parent. There were hours upon hours when he worried if his being an unclaimed omega would cause certain adverse effects on his child. On top of that, there was this nagging feeling about him being the one to snatch away Jeongguk’s freedom, his choices, and his entire life. 

But the worst of them all was the fact that now Taehyung knew where his heart lay—at the mercy of an alpha who considered him his best friend, his soulmate, and even his mate… but not his partner. With every passing day, Taehyung was realising that the situation was ironic for him—he was surrounded by love, but he had not just pulled Jeongguk towards a loveless life, he had done the same to himself. 

The only solace was that his pup would never be unloved. And maybe, just maybe, that was more than enough.

Chapter Text

Technically, Jeongguk knew Taehyung ever since he was about five months old and Taehyung was barely a month. But his soul knew Taehyung’s for centuries. In this life, however, Jeongguk had started to really become cognizant of Taehyung’s presence and importance in his life ever since he was around three or four years old. His earliest memories of his soulmate were from around that age. 

And he distinctly remembers associating many words with Taehyung—his soulmate, his best friend, his strength, his weakness, his go-to person, his muse (for his art and photography), or his lifeline. But he doesn’t remember ever associating the term ‘omega’ with the man. It was strange, because for him Taehyung was the epitome of all things traditionally omega, be it warmth, beauty, passion, comfort, or love. 

But Taehyung, to Jeongguk, was always simply that — Taehyung. No other word could quite capture him in entirety, and definitely not a sub-gender. 

So it struck him quite like a barrelling train when he started to notice the changes. Involuntarily.  

And it started with the scent. 

Which in hindsight wasn’t very surprising because Jeongguk was very sensitive to smell. So he shouldn’t have been startled when he woke up the instant Taehyung’s scent started to intensify. For anybody else the change would have been gradual, they would figure out the increasing intensity in the scent in a few days. But Jeongguk woke up the moment it hit him. Taehyung’s scent was intensifying, the sweet mix of cardamom spiced milk getting stronger in the air around them.

Taehyung was entering the second trimester of his pregnancy. 

Just a few weeks prior, during their regular visits, the doctor had laid out the gradual changes for them, beginning with the thickening of the scent, other physiological changes, and very definitive changes in the mood. For the entire time, she had looked at Jeongguk while explaining that changes were normal, that a life was growing inside Taehyung’s body, and it would affect his structure, his hormones, and his mind. For a while, Jeongguk didn’t understand why she was telling him everything instead of explaining it to Taehyung. After all, it was about his changes.

But then the doctor said, “so there’s no need to panic, unless Taehyung-ssi specifically feels very uncomfortable or shows any of the markers showing on these charts.” She showed him the chart titled ‘keep a watch for these signs’ which outlined the typical danger markers for the second trimester. They received a different one for each. 

That was when Jeongguk realised just how many times he had called the doctor up, panicking because Taehyung had slept for two hours longer than usual, or eaten a little less, or said that he was tired more than fourteen times in a day. 

He mumbled, “I will keep that in mind.”

The doctor smiled. “It’s good to see you so involved in the journey, Jeongguk-ssi. Don’t get me wrong. But just like stress isn’t good for the pregnant omega, it's not good for the other parent too. The baby is growing. Tension in the air around them will get to them. Trust me.” And after a beat she added, “Also, I am sure Taehyung-ssi hates watching you stress over him as much as you hate to see him in stress. You two are really made for each other. It shows.”

Jeongguk smiled back at her. This was something he’d heard a lot, from a lot of different people, all his life. It didn’t faze him anymore. Neither did he go out of his way to correct them. And right now, he didn’t even need to. He was Taehyung’s mate after all. 

“I want to talk about some other changes, doc,” Taehyung had suddenly said. “Alone, if that’s okay.”

The doctor had immediately nodded, and politely asked Jeongguk to wait outside for a bit. It didn’t sit right with him. Taehyung hadn’t hidden anything from him till now. He couldn’t figure out the need for this separate discussion. He didn’t like being excluded from the process at all. 

He’d let it go for the moment, thinking that he’d bring it up when things started to change, and had slowly forgotten about it. 

But when the thick scent hit him as he nuzzled Taehyung’s nape in his sleep, the first thought that struck him was that there were going to be more changes—and ones he wasn’t even aware about. He decided he would ask Taehyung to let him into the secret in a couple of day’s time.

Over breakfast, he casually mentioned the date, and told Taehyung that he was officially entering the second trimester, so he should inform the doctor. Taehyung got startled for a second, then schooled his expression and nodded. “How did you know?” he asked softly. “Did you set a reminder on your app?”

“I didn’t,” Jeongguk smiled. “But you know I am sensitive to smell. Yours thickened today, like the doctor had mentioned.”

Taehyung’s eyes grew wide. “Oh shit. Do you want me to move to the other room? It will get difficult for you right? We can move my stuff over the weekend. Should we ask for help?”

“Hey!” Jeongguk held him by his shoulder. “No one’s moving. You’re talking as if you don’t know that yours is my most favourite scent in the world? You’re not going anywhere. Definitely not when your pregnancy is advancing. And anyway, now I’m so used to sleeping with you that I won’t be able to sleep without. So don’t worry about that.”

Taehyung nodded. “Tell me if it gets too much. Or if I get too much. Yeah?”

And that was the second change. One that Jeongguk didn’t quite like. In fact, he would rather say that he hated it. 

So he walked back to Taehyung and tilted his face up with his finger under the omega’s chin. “What’s wrong? When did you start thinking that you could get too much for me?”

Taehyung said nothing for a while, just staring at him with eyes that held too many emotions for Jeongguk to decipher at once, so he simply held the gaze, not backing down from the silent challenge thrown at him. 

“I—” Taehyung began to say something, but stopped himself. Then he took a deep breath and said, “I guess I’m just becoming more emotional Jeonggukah. And I keep thinking that you’re having to tolerate me unnecessarily, getting nothing out of this—”

The fingers on his jaw tightened, and Taehyung stopped talking. Suddenly Jeongguk leaned in, close, so close that he could count Taehyung’s eyelashes. “If I had to choose all over again, I’d still choose you and your pup over anyone else in this world. And if you need me to tell you that every single day till the end of my life, I will do that. But please. Never mention the word unnecessary and your name in the same sentence ever again.” He stood back up.

“There is no one more necessary to my well-being and life than you.”

With that, he had gathered the empty dishes and walked towards the kitchen, wondering why his heart was thundering in his chest, and what was the intense pang of sadness he had felt when Taehyung called himself a burden. In not so many words, but he knew the implication. He always felt sad when Taehyung thought such things about himself, which was new with this abandonment post-pregnancy, but today the thought had hit him like a ton of bricks.

He had never been happier living with someone than he was with Taehyung. Heck, he had never ever allowed anyone to even stay over at his place—not even the relationships that lasted longer than the others. The more the days went by, the more he realised that he didn’t want anything to change in the way things were going. In fact, he had very carefully hidden away the fear of the pup’s real father coming back and staking a claim on the child, and Taehyung.

The fear had heightened after he had felt the baby's kick. It was something that had never had a place in Jeongguk's thoughts or plans. But one night, during the fifth month of Taehyung's pregnancy, when Taehyung was a little more restless than usual, unable to sleep, he'd requested Jeongguk to sing to him. And Jeongguk had started humming one of their favourite songs, when suddenly Taehyung had shrieked, scaring the living daylights out of him, and grabbed his hand, placing it on his womb. And then he'd felt it, a soft thud against his palm. 

Jeongguk cried for half an hour after that, overwhelmed with the sensation that his voice had caused that.

He cried because he couldn’t handle the intensity of the love he felt for an existence that he hadn’t touched, that he wasn’t bearing, that he didn’t even have a direct relationship with. He cried because none of that mattered anymore—his bond with the unborn child was already deep like DNA. Maybe even deeper.

And he couldn’t afford to lose that connection. Not now, not ever.

There had been days when the fear had struck him out of nowhere, and he’d had to resort to deep breathing, long walks, and extra hours at the gym to fight the anxiety away. Slowly, he’d come to the conclusion that he couldn’t live without Taehyung or his pup anymore. 

Bound to happen, he had thought, being mates with your inflected wolf did intensify the bond further.

He had left it at that. A long, long time ago, he had learned to normalise any intense feeling he felt for Taehyung. It simply meant that their bond was evolving with time. The fact that they were so intertwined with each other’s lives also contributed to how strong their bond was, having no option to fade away with distance or less interaction. 

Moreover, something nobody knew about them was that they used to scent each other ever since they presented. While Taehyung was the youngest, Jeongguk was the only child. And the two were often left together as their parents handled pack duties. The two had faced the insecurities and vulnerabilities of growing up with each other, and no one else. During the most confusing and the lowest of the lows that teenage, puberty, and adulthood brought, they had held on to each other. 

Scenting had happened naturally—an act of seeking comfort, of providing safety and a protective layer. It would ground them, and they knew better than to share their secret with anyone else.

They also knew that the fact that they indulged in it meant that their bond was stronger than most platonic inflections—unless the wolves were marked and mated to each other. 

So he wasn’t as surprised at the way he craved Taehyung's presence in his life and surroundings as he did. Waking up to Taehyung, walking into a room and finding him there, taking care of him, providing him with shelter—everything fed into his alpha instincts so well that he knew his alpha had started building a home with Taehyung. 

It didn’t bother him. Rather, it settled him. Who better than his soulmate to build forever with? No one else could ever compare. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Some of the changes Taehyung went through were absolutely fine. In fact, for Jeongguk, they had turned into the markers for him to know that Taehyung was actually pregnant. 

Don’t laugh at him.

With Taehyung’s body adjusting to the pregnancy, the nausea, morning sickness and insomnia slowly fading away, there was quite a bit of improvement in Taehyung’s energy. With renewed commitment, he had started training his older staff and hiring a few new ones so that they would be able to manage the café once he went for his birthing leave. Everyday he would come home and chatter nonstop, he was eating better, and more often than not, his mood was on the brighter side.

Not to say that there were no low days, but the number of them were comparatively lesser than the first three months. 

So when Taehyung asked for foot massages, and craved for the most atrocious kinds of food, or fell asleep in the blink of an eye, Jeongguk would take them as a sign of the fact that Taehyung was indeed a pregnant wolf, and not some god. 

However, there were things that he wasn’t prepared for. At all. Because as the days went by, Jeongguk realised that the term ‘physiological changes’ didn’t even begin to cover the number of attacks his poor heart was going to suffer in these few months. That seemed like an eternity, by the way. 

To say that Kim Taehyung was beautiful was always an understatement. The elders considered him blessed as not only was he an omega born to an alpha mother, but also with the unique feature of mismatched eyelids, and the perfect ratio for his face cut. The only phrase that even came close to describing him was ‘one of a kind.’ 

And now, now, on top of all of that, he was also glowing. His skin was radiant, his hair falling softly around his face, his eyes looking better rested than before, and his scent sweet. 

Many-a-time, Jeongguk found himself staring at that radiance, because that was simply the correct thing to do. To have such a devastating gorgeousness in front of you and not appreciating it would be a crime—and Jeongguk was anything but a criminal. Neither was he stupid. Nor blind. Or stupid. (If it’s a repeated word, it’s because his alpha needed it reiterated.) 

Jeongguk was sure he would have survived it well if it was just glowing skin, and beauty. After all, he had watched that beauty from the closest quarters all his life, no matter that it seemed to exponentially increase by beauty parameters every single time they met. But to his utmost chagrin, it wasn’t the only thing. Of course.

It was also that somehow his alpha senses were heightened whenever he was around Taehyung. The need to protect, envelop, and guard increasing dangerously by the minute. And it was also that Taehyung’s body was changing right before his eyes. Something he had never seen happen before. Not in such minute details.

The areas near Taehyung’s scent glands, near his nape and his wrists ran warmer than usual. Whenever Jeongguk was close to those areas, he would feel a strange sense of calm descending on him. But his eyes would travel lower on their own accord, and the calm would threaten to turn into heat. Because Taehyung’s hips had started to widen, just a bit, but enough for Jeongguk to notice the change in his stance. Enough for the t-shirts to sit snugly around them, accentuating that subtle curve. 

Taehyung was suddenly not just the other boy his age he grew up with, he was also someone who could do something Jeongguk could never—he could hold, nurture, nourish, and birth a life. And his body was moulding to show that he could. 

Jeongguk couldn’t take his eyes off Taehyung. Especially after he realised that Taehyung had unconsciously developed the habit of protectively holding his belly while he stood, or walked, or tried to sit, or stand up from his seat. It wasn’t even a calculated effort anymore, it was just… there. A buffer created by the protector himself—a silent barrier between his womb and the world outside. Somehow, the gesture took Jeongguk’s breath away. It wasn’t just the enhanced curves or the glow, or the fact that Taehyung’s scent was almost enticing for him now. It was that Taehyung was more, so much more than he had ever imagined.

Way beyond his imagination. 

A strange feeling would flutter in his chest whenever he watched Taehyung closely, his heart would start thudding in his rib cage whenever he would scent Taehyung’s baby bump, his breath would hitch when he’d hold Taehyung’s waist to steady him sometimes. And Jeongguk didn’t know how to deal with it. He wasn’t new to the sensations. He was new to associating Taehyung with them.

Taehyung, his childhood friend.

Taehyung, the one he grew up with.

Taehyung, the one he had vowed to protect.

And yet, the only word that came to mind whenever he saw Taehyung now, which was about every other second of the day, was ‘mate.’

Jeongguk tried to steer clear of the thoughts, and pushed himself to adhere to his role of provider, protector, and anchor. But he could understand that somewhere the lines were blurring. Somewhere, watching Taehyung grow so beautifully into the role of a child-bearer, while continuing with the rest of his life as much as it allowed him to, and do it with such grace, was tugging at heartstrings he didn’t even know he possessed. 

What was even worse, was that that wasn’t even the worst of it. 

What was even worse, was that Jeongguk didn’t even feel guilty about the changes in his thoughts, the way he stared at Taehyung, the way he devoured the changes in his soulmate with his eyes and his entire being. What was worse was how it felt normal, organic, as if this was how it was meant to be. As if every single one of Jeongguk’s cells had prepared him for this day all his life. 

What was even worse, was that during this trimester, Taehyung should have grown clingier, craving for Jeongguk’s closeness and affection. But it was Jeongguk who was hovering around him, scenting him at any given chance, holding him in hugs longer than necessary, and just stopping short of marking his territory. 

And he didn’t even find it strange. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Until one day, something felt a little off, and instead of calling Taehyung, Jeongguk simply left his office an hour and a half earlier than usual, driving to the café to just check in on Taehyung. When he reached there, Taehyung wasn’t in. The staff informed him that Taehyung had left for home another hour ago. Jeongguk panicked. He didn’t even wait to hear the rest of the things that the staff started to mumble, got into his car and sped away towards his home. 

Taehyung had never left the café alone ever since he got pregnant. And he never went anywhere without informing Jeongguk. Neither did Jeongguk. It was a measure of protection, just so they would know where to reach each other at all times. 

Jeongguk reached home in record time, punched in the door code, tumbled into the house, and stilled.

The scent hit him first. Not as much milk as cardamom, and spiked with a layer of something Jeongguk couldn’t really put his finger on, until he could. His eyes widened, as he walked towards the bedroom door, following the muffled sounds coming from it, as if his feet moved on their own accord, completely out of his control. 

For the very first time in his life, Taehyung’s scent had hit him differently—not calming, not grounding, not spreading warmth in his veins. For the very first time, Taehyung’s scent lit a fire in his lower belly, tightening his gut, gripping him in want.

For the very first time in Jeongguk’s life, Taehyung’s scent hit him as distinctly omega.

And then, unmistakably so, he heard from behind the door a muffled moan that sounded suspiciously like his name. He froze for a few seconds, before he took the step that would make him cross a line he had never even imagined in his wildest dreams. 

“Need help, Tae?” He asked from right outside the door, his voice low and gravelly, thick with implication.

His alpha was writhing in want. And Jeongguk was in no mood to control it. 

Chapter Text

Taehyung had no idea what to do with himself. On the outside, he looked calm and composed, living the life, managing pregnancy, the café, the marriage, like he was born to be multitasking. Inside, he was crumbling by the minute. 

But he was Taehyung. The worse for wear he was internally, the stronger his facade. And this time around, even Jeongguk failed to notice. Taehyung didn't blame him—life had overwhelmed both of them enough and more for so many things to register at once. For the matter, he didn't even blame himself for the continuous state of confusion he was always in. 

Just a few months back, seven to be precise, he was simply focused on running his café well, and the development of his relationship with Doyun. Cut to today, he was growing a life inside of him, training his staff to be independent, praying to the Moon goddess that they'd remain loyal and committed to him and his vision, falling in love with his childhood best friend, and watching his body, mind, and soul change bit by bit by bit.

The cherry on top? He was horny as hell. 

That was exactly what he had discussed with the obstetrician when he had asked to chat in private. He had realised that the hormonal balance in his body was shifting, his nesting tendencies were growing along with his craving for physical touch, intimacy, and show of affection. Jeongguk provided him with everything he needed—the cuddles, the soft kisses, the scenting, his clothes and blankets when he needed to build a nest on his side of the bed, the protection and shelter that his omega craved. But he couldn't possibly ask him to provide the physical relief that his body was begging for.

Couldn't. Wouldn't.

Not when he was falling in love with the same man, not when his omega screamed ‘mate’ whenever Jeongguk released his pheromones to make him feel better, not when he couldn't picture anyone else by his side to raise the family he'd always dreamed of. 

Especially not because it was the same man who he also wanted to be fucked into oblivion by. 

He had never felt this way about Jeongguk before. Jeongguk was his pillar, a piece of his heart, the one person he could be himself with, unabashedly. But now, he was also the alpha to his omega. And this sudden change scared him as much as it thrilled him. He kept wondering if it was because he was pregnant and was looking for stability or if it was his hormones, or if it was really love. The last thing he wanted to do was drag Jeongguk down with him if this was temporary.

In his heart he knew it wasn't. 

But he refused to acknowledge it, yet. It was Jeongguk, his Jeongguk, and he could never just take a chance on it. It was too precious for that.

Especially when he was struggling as much to accept that in another few months’ time, his entire lifeforce would be concentrated in a tiny bundle of a being, who would not only hold his heart, but also an indefinable power over him. He knew he would move heaven and earth for the well-being of the life pulsating inside his womb, just the thought of having them exposed to any external factor running him into cold sweats.

He also knew he'd grow into parenthood, like he'd grown into pregnancy. He had a village around him to take care of his child, ones who knew more, were more experienced, and had raised more children. But this was a piece of him, his own body, his flesh, his blood. And nothing ever could really compare to that feeling.

So Taehyung's struggle was real.  Between his heart adjusting to intense love for his unborn child and growing feelings for his best friend, his body changing in ways he'd never known, and his hormones spiking at the wrong times, he didn't know where to go.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The day had otherwise started like any other. Jeongguk and he had woken up, gotten dressed for work, had breakfast, and the alpha had dropped Taehyung to his café. It was post-lunch that Taehyung's body started acting weirdly. He was stalking Jeongguk's SNS when the alpha decided to drop a gym pic. Wasn't a new thing, Jeongguk dropping photos from his workout sessions. His SNS too, like him, was a private account with not many people on it. (The thought of other omegas having a chance at looking at those photos that decided to strike Taehyung precisely at the moment didn't really help.)

But it was one of those days for him. One of those when he'd prefer to be at home, using the toys that the doctor had suggested for such episodes. The doctor had mentioned that it was alright to have sex during pregnancy, but if he wasn't ready for it, he could go with the toys, carefully. And of course, that was the solution he'd opted for. Usually, he'd know in the morning if it was going to be such a hormonal day. And he would take the day off, staying back, getting some rest, and some action, if it could even be called that. But today he didn't. He didn't even know that the picture of a broad back and tapering waist, something he'd seen countless times because Jeongguk liked being shirtless when he was in the comfortable confines of his home, could trigger such a reaction in him.

In his daze, he'd simply picked up his bag and left for home, not trusting himself around customers for the time-being, and completely forgotten to inform Jeongguk. It wouldn't have helped anyway. One text of “I'm going home,” would be followed by twenty questions on reason, condition, and “wait, I'll drop you.” Now that wasn't what he needed, right? 

So Taehyung had rushed home, figuring that he would text and deal with Jeongguk's questions after he'd taken care of himself. Then he'd spent an unhealthy amount of time in the shower pleasuring himself in the process, and yet another thirty minutes in building a nest from Jeongguk's clothes and pillows and blankets, not knowing that the white musk lingering on them would push him further beyond the threshold of control. 

It was difficult for him to reach himself with the toy when he was in bed. But he didn't have the energy or the willingness to leave his nest. He was lying half dressed, Jeongguk's shirt hanging off his shoulders, unbuttoned, one of his hands playing with his chest, and the other stuffed inside of his boxers, stroking his cock, too stimulated to do anything else, moaning Jeongguk's name intermittently. 

That was precisely the moment he heard Jeongguk's low growl right outside the door, “Need help, Tae?” 

He shuddered in his position, too far gone in his mindspace to register anything else but the fact that his alpha was offering exactly what he was asking for. The only thing that slipped past his lips, was a request,

“Please Ggukie.”

He could swear he heard the sharp intake of breath from even behind the door. The door that was left unlocked because he didn't think the alpha would be home soon. But a few moments passed and nothing happened. Footsteps didn't fade away, but no one walked in either. Taehyung curled into himself, his omega dejected and in pain, and let his arms fall to his side. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Jeongguk knew he would be walking in. He knew he'd be crossing the line today, and he didn't care. He wanted it. And if Taehyung was moaning his name, pleading with him for it, then Taehyung wanted it too. They were married for goddess’ sake. He could make this work, he could make Taehyung fall for him the way he knew he was falling. 

Yes, in that heated moment while he had walked towards the bedroom, things had started to get clearer, so much so that he wondered how it took him so long to understand something so simple. 

The flutter in his chest? Taehyung.

The thundering of his heartbeats? Taehyung.

The fierce need to protect? Taehyung.

The need to build a home? Love.

Love for Taehyung to be precise.

Who else but Taehyung could introduce him to the feeling of love that he had never before experienced? Who else but Taehyung to become his forever?

The short walk from the door towards the bedroom had given him a much-needed clarity, but it hadn't removed him from reality. He would do whatever was required of him at the moment. But he would woo Taehyung after.

So before crossing the threshold, he'd whipped out his phone, and shot a single text to the doctor, asking, “is it alright for Taehyung to indulge in sexual activities in this state?”

The doctor had taken a minute to respond, and Jeongguk's hand had hovered in the air near the doorknob, waiting.

“Yes,” the text read. “be gentle and careful. Trust your instincts.”

There was no judgement, no further questioning. Just the assurance that he needed. 

Jeongguk took a couple of moments to steady his erratic breathing, and then he moved forward to turn the knob.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The sight that greeted him was nothing if not maddening. 

All Jeongguk saw was a creature of beauty, clothed in nothing but his shirt and a flimsy pair of boxers, and miles of golden skin on display, a beautiful little swell in the lower abdomen included. Nothing, and no one had ever been able to trigger an arousal so potent in Jeongguk than this particular sight did.

It was primal—somewhere in the middle of his animal instinct to claim, mark, own, and yet, very aware of who it was. It was primal, but it was for Taehyung. Only him.  

Taehyung’s eyes had fluttered open when he sensed Jeongguk’s presence in the room, and he had almost raised his hands to cover himself, when he caught the fire in Jeongguk’s eyes. He let his hands fall away again, choosing to simply hold that gaze as he watched Jeongguk watch him, let that gaze trace his body from head to toe, pausing near his midriff, which now held a gentle swell on his chest as well. 

From the way he gulped, it was clear that Jeongguk hadn’t noticed that change, covered until today by loose hanging t-shirts and tops that barely covered his abdominal bulge, but held the secret of his bosom. 

Not anymore. 

By the time Jeongguk’s eyes reached Taehyung’s, they were both lost in the haze of sexual heat, the air around them thick with aroused white musk mingling with cardamom—a heady mix. 

Jeongguk stopped near the foot of the bed. 

“I asked the doctor,” he said, carefully weighing his words, “she said it's okay.”

They knew they were past explanations.

Taehyung nodded, “I know. I asked her that day when we asked you to leave me alone in the chamber with her.”

Jeongguk tilted his head, “this was what you were discussing?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung breathed, using the conversation to stall the act, as much as possible. It was as if they both knew that this line, one crossed, would not be easy to return back to. Did they even want to return from there? They didn’t want to tackle that question yet. Because they both knew the answer.

“Why,” Jeongguk sat near the outer lining of Taehyung’s nest, “was it necessary to exclude me?”

“Because…” Taehyung looked for words that wouldn’t come to him. Not anymore, with the way Jeongguk was ravishing him with his eyes. 

“I can offer what you need. Can’t I?” Jeongguk’s eyes flashed crimson, once, and then once again. “Do you need another alpha for it?” Then he spotted the toy, lying abandoned beside Taehyung, “or is that a better option?”

“I don’t need anyone else,” Taehyung shot back immediately, his voice clear of any doubt. “I just wasn’t sure you’d want to.”

“May I?” Jeongguk asked for permission to cross the pile of clothing that marked the boundary of Taehyung’s nest, sacred, and last line of control. “If you trust me,” he sounded a bit hurt for some reason.

“Please Ggukie,” Taehyung repeated. “There’s no one else I would allow in here, but you.”

A guttural sound left Jeongguk’s voice, something he himself couldn’t recognise as his own voice, as he stripped himself off his clothes, and crawled in, not interested in playing pretense anymore. “No one else, Tae? No one but me?” he asked. Or pleaded, he didn’t know. His alpha needed to hear it, his human craved to confirm. 

It was then that Taehyung opened his arms and beckoned him in, his stance welcoming, his demeanour that of a complete surrender, “no one else, alpha. Just you.”

Jeongguk would have died from the shock that buzzed through his veins with that one word that changed the entire course of life as knew it. Suddenly, his identity changed in the matter of a second—he wasn’t anything else but Kim Taehyung’s alpha. Now, and forever. 

He moved like a predator, his eyes on Taehyung, his breathing erratic, his hands trembling, and when he was towering over the omega, the first thing he did, was dip his face to lick at Taehyung’s scent glands, making him shake from the intimacy of the act. “Can I have you then?”

Taehyung simply craned his neck to allow more access, “all yours.”

The dam broke. It took two words, a ragged breath, and shaky sigh as Taehyung leaned back on the bed, letting Jeongguk cover him with his body, lips latching on to his skin, and together, they crossed the word ‘platonic’ off their dictionary forever. 

Jeongguk eased him out of the shirt and the boxers, no shame or awkwardness in his eyes, or his movements. As if he’d been ready for this for a long time. “I’ve been watching you,” he whispered, as he traced his finger from Taehyung’s thighs to his hips, lingering there a bit, before travelling upwards to his chest. “Watching how your body has been moulding to support the life you’re carrying,” he breathed as he came up to Taehyung’s face, lips almost ghosting over Taehyung’s.

“And?” Taehyung asked.

“And I’ve been wondering why I never noticed how fuckable you are, omega. ”

It wasn’t something Jeongguk would say to Taehyung normally. But it was something his alpha wanted to acknowledge. The physical longing was burning him from inside out, and he needed Taehyung to know how much he desired him. 

And when Taehyung shivered at the word ‘omega,’ surging forward to press his lips against Jeongguk’s, he knew his instincts were on point. That right now, all Taehyung needed was a validation that he was desired. He pulled at the omega gently, cradling him in his arms, licking at Taehyung’s lips to open his mouth up, slipping his tongue into the warmth of his mouth. 

He never thought that one day he would be kissing Taehyung like this. But even the haze of lust couldn’t take away from how the kiss branded itself on his soul, marking him forever Taehyung’s. 

Protectively placing a hand at the small of Taehyung’s back and using the other to envelop him, he deepened the kiss, like a man possessed. And so he was. Kissing Taehyung was never going to be enough, he realised, even as his alpha took over, his tongue licking every possible corner inside of Taehyung’s mouth, as if he could mark him starting from there, spreading to every single inch of the omega’s body. 

He started trailing his lips along Taehyung’s jaw, realising how the man went absolutely pliant in his arms, allowing himself to be worshipped, to be devoured, to be completely possessed by Jeongguk. And that fueled his desire even more. Jeongguk was competing with some kind of a demon in his head, and he didn’t yet know what it was. What he did know was that his alpha wanted to brand Taehyung’s omega as his. So he licked, he bit, he kissed, not leaving a single centimetre of Taehyung’s body untouched, as if he was mapping every single dip, curve, honey skin with his mouth, marking his territory along the way. 

“Touch me,” Taehyung cried suddenly, interrupting Jeongguk’s exploration of his body. “I need you, Gguk.”

“But I am,” Jeongguk smirked. “Isn’t this enough?”

“No,” the omega shook his head, “you know where I need you. Give me what I need, alpha, you promised.”

Jeongguk hissed. There was no one who knew him like Taehyung did. And now it was evident that Taehyung also knew how to make him come undone. He would never get used to the sensation of hearing Taehyung calling him ‘alpha.’ It would always overpower every bit of strength he carried, turning him into Taehyung’s slave, obeying every word that dropped from that sinful mouth. 

He lay Taehyung down on the bed, propping his head on a pillow, making sure he was comfortable. He dragged another pillow along, and placed it under Taehyung’s hip, raising him, exposing him, and leaving his own self gasping for air. Today wasn’t about foreplay, it wasn’t about lovemaking, it wasn’t even close to how Jeongguk wanted to treat Taehyung. Today was about chasing Taehyung’s release, satiating his body, making him feel that he was the only omega who could satisfy his alpha to the fullest. 

Not that he could stop himself from chasing that high either. There would be another time to make love to his soulmate, tonight wasn’t it. Goddess, he hoped there would be another time. That there would be many many more. Because worshipping Taehyung wasn’t just a one-time thing… it was about to become his religion.

Another moan fell from Taehyung’s lips, driving him crazier than he already was, as Jeongguk parted his legs, to dip his fingers into the slick pooling near Taehyung’s opening, drenching his inner thighs. He used the secretion to coat his fingers, inhaling the strong scent. And when his first finger breached Taehyung’s hole, he growled involuntarily at the intimacy of the touch, but also at tasting a pleasure that was once forbidden.

Slowly, he worked his finger inside Taehyung’s opening, easing him up, tensing at the tightness of the muscles. Instinctively, he climbed up to capture Taehyung’s lips in a fevered kiss, sighing when Taehyung clutched his biceps to deepen it, pushing himself into Jeongguk’s hold. It was then that Jeongguk used the distraction to insert another finger, scissoring Taehyung open for himself. There wasn’t time or inclination for anything else today, but he could never, would never hurt Taehyung.

Adding a third, and gradually a fourth, Jeongguk prepped Taehyung as if he had all the time in the world, knowing fully well that Taehyung would tire out soon. But he wasn’t chasing his own release today, just Taehyung’s. 

When Taehyung whispered against his lips, “I’m ready for you, alpha,” Jeongguk shuddered at the possibility of the following event, his neglected cock throbbing, hard, dripping, and the heat coiling in his belly. Even then, he took his time to turn Taehyung gently to his side, his back to Jeongguk’s chest, positioning him so he would be absolutely comfortable.

With a trembling hand, he gathered some more slick to coat his length, and guided it to Taehyung’s hole. Extremely carefully, as if his life depended on it, he pushed himself in, inch by inch, stopping every few seconds, asking if Taehyung was okay. When he was fully seated, he raised himself to kiss Taehyung again, awkward angles be damned, and waited for him to settle. 

And then, only when Taehyung nodded, did he start to move, his pace slow, his thrusts gentle, his hold on Taehyung protective, his breathing haywire. The sensation of having the warmth of Taehyung's walls surrounding his cock was so overwhelming for him that he didn't even need to go hard to feel the high. His eyes had rolled back in pleasure from just holding Taehyung close, from being inside him, from hearing the short pants of breaths, and sensing his pleasure. 

Taehyung came unexpectedly, coating Jeongguk's hands in white. He came with Jeongguk's name on his lips and it was enough to push the alpha past his tipping point. As Taehyung went limp his arms, he pulled out, holding himself, and came on the globe of Taehyung's ass, instead. Some day, he'd come inside his mate. That day was not today.

Not wanting to let go of the warmth immediately, Jeongguk stayed pressed to Taehyung for a few minutes, and only when the omega's soft snores filled his ears did he move, bringing a warm, wet cloth to clean themselves up. 

Taehyung stirred once, and his alpha immediately knew what he needed to do. He wrapped himself around Taehyung again, and let himself be lulled into sleep, his lips firmly latched on Taehyung's scent glands at his nape.

It didn't feel like crossing a line anymore. Having Taehyung skin to his skin, simply felt like coming home. And it didn't terrify him. Not anymore. 

Chapter Text

Jeongguk woke up when Taehyung stirred in his arms, per usual. But the second he did, quite a few things hit him simultaneously. He was naked, pressed against Taehyung's bare body. He had been inside the omega, his omega , and he was never going to get over it. And he was painfully hard yet again, his cock somehow, securely nestled against Taehyung's butt-cheeks. 

The last bit, he realised, was quite understandable, his body reacting to the proximity with Taehyung. Taehyung was that delicious. 

And he was just coming to terms with it when he heard Taehyung's sleep-laden baritone say, “I don't know if I can go for another round, but you can fuck my thighs… or my mouth, if you want.”

The only word that Jeongguk was able to utter, was a very eloquent, ‘huh?’

“Give me a couple of minutes to wake up, and I'll go down on you,” either Taehyung didn’t realise what he was saying, or he wasn't in the mind to stop attacking him. 

“It's… it's okay,” Jeongguk stuttered. “You must be tired… I'll just uhh… thick thi… I mean thighs. If you're…”

“I am,” Taehyung assured. “I offered.”

“You offered.”

Taehyung exhaled, realising that Jeongguk was struggling, and pushed himself back into Jeongguk's chest, absolutely not helping his condition. And Jeongguk… he gave up on the fight within a couple of seconds, burying his head in the crook of the omega’s neck, and surrendering to the urge of caressing the swell of Taehyung's chest—something he hadn't been able to do justice to, previously. He guided his length into the gap between Taehyung's thighs and chased his release, grunting, moaning Taehyung's name, using the wetness there as lubricant. Feeling Taehyung that wet, stroked his ego, telling him that he wasn't the only one affected. 

Spent from coming embarrassingly hard, he was too overwhelmed to put his feelings into words. And it wasn't just the physical act, it was how he didn't even know that he had been holding his entire universe between his two arms for all this time. How he'd been so blind, so blind , and how he had so much to make up for.

They lay like that for a while, even after Jeongguk came, and even after he cleaned up, just letting the closeness settle in their atmosphere. 

They didn't want the moment to end, scared of what it might bring in its wake.

But Jeongguk's phone chimed, signalling that it was time to prepare dinner, and the comfortable silence in their intimate embrace was broken. “Order in,” Taehyung mumbled, “please don't go away.” Normally, Jeongguk would argue about how home-cooked meals were more nutritious and important for Taehyung, but today… today, he understood. Damn, if it were up to him, he'd stay like this forever.

“I'll order in,” he said, “but we need to talk. You know that right?”

“No,” Taehyung shook his head, his curls hitting Jeongguk's face with a subtle force. “I'm fine like this.”

“You're going to stay naked in my arms forever?” Jeongguk chuckled. “I won't be complaining about that. But you've also got to consider the consequences. You know… like what happened a while back.”

“Can you not say it like that?”

“Like what? Facts?”

“Jeonggukah!” Taehyung whined. “Don't tease me about this.”

“About what exactly? That you were getting yourself off wearing my shirt? Or that you want to stay in my arms without a single thread on your body?”

Jeongguk slowly turned to get his phone to place an order for their dinner as if he wasn’t just teasing Taehyung. His tone was serious as he asked, “are you hungrier than usual? You know… because we had a bit of exercise there?”

“That’s it,” Taehyung struggled to get out of Jeongguk's hold, “I'm never going to speak with you again.”

“Aah, I'm sorry… I'm sorry. I… you're just so cute when you're shy. I've never seen you like this before,” Jeongguk slowly turned him around in his arms, ever so carefully. However, it wasn't a very wise decision, he realised when they were plastered to each other chest to chest.

“Let's uhh… get dressed. We really should talk,” Jeongguk stuttered, too aware of the way the contours of Taehyung's body moulded into his. He sat up, grabbed their clothes, wore his shirt and boxers, and made Taehyung sit up too, because he didn't seem to be in the mood to move.

“Want to take a bath,” Taehyung mumbled. 

“What?”

“Want a bath,” Taehyung repeated, blinking his eyes at Jeongguk, not realising the damage he was causing to his heart.

“Oh wow. Ohh okay, he wants a bath,” Jeongguk said. “Okay go take a bath.”

“But I don't want to move,” Taehyung pouted. “So tired, alpha .”

And Jeongguk short-circuited as per the author's prediction.

“Then… then how are you going to… you know … bathe?”

“You'll wash me anyway,” Taehyung looked up at him. How the fuck can he pout with his entire face, thought Jeongguk. “Won't you?” Taehyung was relentless.

“Ohh… aah, of course. I'll wash you anyway. Of course I will. That's my life's mission, to obey your orders, my king. Come on then,” Jeongguk placed his hands under Taehyung's neck and thighs, carrying him to the bathroom, running the geyser, bringing dry towels and clothes for both. And if he stopped to bring two of his own t-shirts instead of one from Taehyung's wardrobe, we'll say he was saving time.

“You know,” he said thoughtfully, as he washed out the soap from Taehyung's body like they had been showering together everyday, “I was wondering why I had never seen you this way , and how I could have been so stupid. But now I realise it was all your fault.”

“My fault?”

“If you had ever shown me this side of you,” he was drying himself off after he'd dried off Taehyung, who didn't even feel the need to move a finger. “I'd have made you mine the night you turned twenty.”

Then he stopped. And he blinked. And he coughed. But then he summoned every ounce of his courage to add, “you're mine , right?”

Taehyung stared at him for a while. The silence stretched. Jeongguk stopped moving, breathing, blinking… and even thinking. And then there was an exaggerated sigh, after which Taehyung said, “You literally just invalidated your own point about not being stupid.”

Then he turned around and walked out, having Jeongguk hustle behind him, still waiting for his answer, because … well, he was Jeongguk. 

The bell rang, and Jeongguk growled as if it was the doorbell’s fault for existing, before he stomped his way to the door and received their food. Then he groaned a hundred more times while serving the food, and came back into the bedroom to get Taehyung. 

The first thing he noticed was that Taehyung had made the bed with fresh linen, and now his nest wasn't confined to one side of it. 

He shouldn't have needed more confirmation. 

But he was Jeongguk. And he was an alpha. Subtlety wasn't really their game. Not in most cases, anyway.

So he waited patiently while they ate, because suddenly, watching his pregnant mate eat was even more endearing a sight than it was the day before. And only after they'd put the dishes away and settled on the couch for the daily foot massage did he bring it up again. 

“Tae,” he said, as he held Taehyung's foot in his palm, “I… can't go back to being just friends with you.”

“When were we ever just friends, Jeonggukie?” Taehyung asked. 

“You know what I mean. I can't go back to cheek kisses,” his grip tightened on the foot, “not when I know how your lips taste.”

“Well,” Taehyung pretended to give it a thought. “I can't say I'm majorly opposed to more forehead kisses on the lips.”

“Shut up!” Jeongguk shrieked at his past idiocy. “But also, by more you mean all the time, right?” His expression was so earnest that it made Taehyung blush.

“Jeonggukah, don't make me shy,” Taehyung said, “did you like kissing me so much?”

“You need more proof?”

“Shooo,” he pretended to kick at the alpha.

“Listen,” Jeongguk suddenly straightened up. “No pressure or anything. But everything we did today, we can definitely repeat it whenever you need to.”

“Whenever I need to,” Taehyung repeated, his face drained of all colour, every single doubt rushing back to him with one word. 

And Jeongguk knew that he'd fucked up. A seed of doubt, once planted in Taehyung's mind, took forever to be rid off. 

“Hey,” he said, taking Taehyung's hands in his. “I only meant that you're pregnant, and I don't want to pressure you into anything. There's nothing I want more than being stuck to you all the time, trust me.”

“But you're right,” Taehyung said, his voice incredibly soft and patient, “I'm pregnant, and we've always been friends, and we're inflected, and now you're my mate. So it's natural for you to feel possessive and protective about me in this state. What if… what if… this just…”

“I don't think so,” Jeongguk shook his head. “But I'm open to taking it as slow as you need it to. You're already going through an emotional and physical upheaval and we don't need to add this new angle to the mix.”

“Slow is good,” Taehyung agreed. “It's us. We always figure things out. So slow is great. Because I don't even think I can take a step backwards at this point. But I do feel that we need to figure this out and not base it on the fact that we're both extremely attracted to each other.”

“You're… attracted to me,” Jeongguk gulped.

Taehyung took his time to lift his head and looked at the alpha. He really looked. And then he raised his hand and flicked his forehead. Hard.

“Ow! What was that for!”

“How stupid are you dufus alpha? Have you ever heard of a pregnant omega letting a random alpha into their nest and inside their body?” Taehyung glared. “Of course I like you. I was wearing your shirt, I was moaning—”

“My name...” Jeongguk finished for him. “Aahhh, never heard anything that sounds better than that.”

“Don't ask me why we didn't have this conversation,” the omega was exasperated. “You keep changing topics. I'm not kidding Ggukie.”

“Okay, okay,” Jeongguk held his earlobes in a gesture of apology. “Say your piece, and then I'll share mine.”

“Mm. I'm just saying that we don't need to add an additional label to ‘us’ right now. We're anyway in this together. And our closeness is organic, it's almost like we were meant to fall into this… this rhythm. So, there's no need for additional pressure nor a need to hold back. Just … let's go with the flow as we always do?”

“Whatever makes you comfortable pup,” Jeongguk nodded seriously, completely missing how the nickname slipped. But Taehyung turned beet red. Of course he caught it.

“I don't want to add any extra layer on top of everything that's changing in your life. I just want to be there for you, in whatever way you need me. And that includes my body.” Jeongguk saw Taehyung's shackles rise again and added, “hear me out. I'm just saying that it's okay to ask me for anything you need. As your alpha, I want to be able to provide.”

Taehyung still shook his head. “I hear you. But no. Unless you learn to stop making this only about me, this isn't going anywhere. If you keep saying that you're my alpha, and keep asking if I'm yours… but keep making this,” he gestured between the two of them, “I can't be your omega if I'm not your equal. You don't have to fend for me, sacrifice for me, provide for me, or push yourself harder for me, unless you allow me to do the same for you.”

Jeongguk hung his head low. He hadn't thought about it that way in his way of bulldozing over to make things right for his Taehyung. In trying to take away all his troubles, he seemed to have added some there. And it was easy to spiral down that line, and he was just beginning to, when he felt a pair of fingers under his chin.

So he looked up to see Taehyung gazing at him fondly.

“I'm sorry,” he sniffled. “I didn't think…”

“I know. But now you know as well. So all I'm saying is that if you need something from me, even if it's a blowjob, ask. If I'm unable to do it, I know I can say no, and it won't mean that you will love me any less. I know that. I know you,” Taehyung smiled, trying to lighten the situation.

“Listen omega ,” Jeongguk's voice suddenly became gruff. “You simply cannot say things like that with a straight face. Fuck. Fuck Fuck Fuck. Now I… ohh goddess. I need a cold shower.”

Jeongguk looked so pained, like he was physically struggling to stop himself from visualising the scene and couldn't. And Taehyung couldn't stop himself from breaking into a giggle, holding on to the backrest of the couch for support. 

He laughed, and he laughed, the tension that was holding its breath in the precious moment dissipating into nothingness. And he wouldn't be able to stop unless he suddenly caught the alpha looking at him, a small smile playing on his lips, his eyes overcome with fondness. He couldn't stop himself from holding that gaze. 

“I'm going to be better,” Jeongguk promised. “I'll ask.”

“If you need me to go down on you—”

“You're a menace,” Jeongguk shook his head. “But yes, apart from everything else. You've always been my equal Tae. In fact, ever since the day I really started paying attention to how much you've transformed, and yet not, to adapt to this new life, I don't even think we're equal. You're far superior. What you're doing, with your work, with carrying and creating a brand new life, and just generally with your life, I'd never be able to do. And honestly,” he leaned forward to kiss Taehyung's forehead, “ I find that way hotter than even a half-naked you in my bed.”

That earned him a smack on his chest, and a watery smile at the same time. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

So things started changing between them. Or did they? 

The routines, the alarms, the app, the banter, the cuddles all remained the same. Only the forehead, cheek and nose kisses, slipped a few inches here and there to land on the lips, many more in number than they'd cared to admit. The hugs stretched for unending minutes, and the hands slipped inside shirts and tees more often than not to caress at bare skin. Soft moans filled the bedroom because the limbs tended to be disobedient, and expanses of the skin started being littered with love bites.

Jeongguk didn't realise when he started calling Taehyung ‘pup’ more often than ‘Tae’.

Taehyung started calling him ‘stupid alpha’ whenever he needed to get something done. It worked like magic.

They stepped closer and closer to the third trimester, slowly letting go of the idea of holding on to the extra room, and beginning with the task of transforming it into a nursery. Baby shopping was in full bloom, with gifts starting to slowly pile up from not just the grandparents, but also the uncles, the aunts, and the pack elders.

“We need a bigger house, pup,” Jeongguk said, huffing as he put together yet another new piece of furniture. 

“Hmm?”

“A bigger house. With a couple of rooms for the kid. This one's going to be so spoiled!” He exclaimed. “Plus they'll have your genes, so the brattiness can't even be expected to be toned down.”

“You think I'm bratty?” Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

“You're not?”

“So when I'm fat and ugly during the next few months, you're going to call me a whale?” Taehyung stood with his hands on his hips and his lips in a pout.

“I— what? When did I say that?”

“You called me a brat. How long will it take you to call me a whale?”

“Bub, come on. That's not what I meant!”

“Don't introduce new nicknames into the vocabulary just because they make me melt,” Taehyung stomped his foot.

Jeongguk inhaled deeply, leaving the job at hand, and walked slowly towards the omega. Taehyung's mood swings were not just unpredictable, their frequency was increasing by the minute. Luckily, Jeongguk knew just the way to ease them out. He reached Taehyung, cupped his face in his hands, and booped his nose, before leaning in to capture his lips into a toe-curling kiss. Like magic, Taehyung's demeanour softened, and the hands that were fisted at Taehyung's sides snaked up Jeongguk's torso to encircle his neck. He heard Taehyung sigh into the kiss. 

“I always thought you were the most beautiful being on Earth. When you were five, when you were fifteen, and even when you weren't mine. And now that you've agreed to give me a chance, I think you're a notch above perfection. So…” he pressed another kiss to Taehyung's lips, mumbling into them, “no matter what happens, that's not going to change.”

Taehyung rested his head on Jeongguk's chest, “I'm a bit too much, aren't I?”

“You are,” Jeongguk agreed. “But I'm Jeon Jeongguk. I was born to two alpha parents, conditioned to handle too much even when I was inside appa’s body. And with how perfect you are, you deserve to be a bit too much. So you're fine with me.”

Taehyung laughed at the ridiculousness of the statement, and shed a few tears at the sweetness of it all. Mission accomplished, thought Jeongguk.

Later that night, when he found Taehyung's warm mouth wrapped prettily around his hard length, sucking on it like it was a treat, he wondered if he'd earned the pleasure as a prize. When he refused to let go even as Jeongguk orgasmed, coming down his throat, he wondered about his luck. And when he was able to bring the omega to his own orgasm, just by suckling on Taehyung’s nipples alternatively, and stroking his cock in a definite rhythm, he watched the pretty sight with wide eyes, completely in awe of Taehyung's ethereal beauty.

In just a few more months, when Taehyung would recover from the delivery, he would claim the omega. In just a few more months, he would be able to wear Taehyung's claiming bite on his neck. He couldn't fucking wait, but Jeongguk would use every inch of his existence to prove to Taehyung how much he loved him and their little one. He would make sure that Taehyung knew how the marriage may have happened because of the pregnancy, but his love for Taehyung and their unborn child was way beyond any reason, circumstance, or boundaries.

He loved them just because. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

One thing Jeongguk ensured that they never missed was the routine check-up with the doctor. Sometimes he felt it was more for his own sanity than for Taehyung’s well-being. He was obsessed with health parameters, keeping every single report, prescription, emergency contact details in calibrated files, and digital copies in a folder marked ‘most important’ on his phone. There were different kinds of visits, but the ones Jeongguk really loved were the ones with the ultrasound where he could watch the little bean grow in size bit by bit. 

The other ones he loved (and Taehyung hated) were the ones where the obstetrician prepared them for the next phase. Jeongguk hung on to each word, making mental notes and putting them down in his app as soon as he was home. Those notes helped him plan for the upcoming months—and planning was orgasmic. 

However, the next visit didn’t quite turn out the way Jeongguk thought it would. 

“Be careful during the third trimester,” the doctor advised Jeongguk. Taehyung was not in the room, getting some regular blood work done.

“He's still an unclaimed omega, giving birth to a child whose biological father is absent from the scene,” she said. “This is a precarious stage for such omegas, especially because of the emotional upheaval it causes and because the amount of strain on the body in this trimester is going to be the most.”

Jeongguk's expression had paled. In the joy of discovering parenthood and finding love with Taehyung, he had completely forgotten that the life growing inside Taehyung's womb wasn't created by him. He had forgotten that he wasn't the pup’s father by DNA. 

The doctor saw him and hurried to explain, “hey, it's a very healthy pregnancy, I'm not saying something's wrong. You've been a wonderful mate, and we can see your positive impact in how beautiful Taehyung's pregnancy has been. I'm not saying that anything will happen, I'm just saying be cautious, and be by his side the way you've been all through.”

Jeongguk nodded calmly, but the emotions going through his entire being were anything but. It was as if he was suddenly standing in front of the mirror, and his own reflection was laughing at him. He had a mate, but he hadn't claimed him. He was going to be a father, but the child wasn't his. The fear that had settled somewhere at the far back in his mind pushed itself to the front row and gripped him—a constant flow of ‘what ifs’ starting to drown him in them.

He could never afford to lose Taehyung. That hadn't changed ever. But now, he couldn't even afford to lose the child Taehyung was bearing. A child he had no claim on. 

Jeongguk's head reeled from the spiraling of his thoughts until the scent of cardamom spiced milk hit his nose. He turned to see Taehyung walk towards him, instinctively opening his arms for the omega. Taehyung walked into the embrace like a habit as necessary as breathing, and calmness settled in his chest. With the love of his life in his arms, his human was okay.

But a faint stir at the back of his mind told him that his wolf was not. 

Chapter Text

Jeongguk was trying his best to avoid the forest. He kept praying that he could keep Taehyung distracted, so that the omega would not bring up their fortnightly visits. Additionally, he used his office work as a shield. He built excuses as best he could, stating that preparing his team for his absence during paternity leave was taking up all of his free time. 

He could only make it believable because it was partially true and because Taehyung was quite distracted by his physical condition. Jeongguk was horrible at lying, and he was worse at lying to Taehyung. All through the weekdays he would train his staff in a phased manner (he had started training them well in advance), and during the weekend, he would just go to the office for some time to finish up the work that piled up because of training. He would make sure to come back only after sunset so that the proposition of forest visits could be avoided.

Taehyung bought his excuse because he knew how difficult it was for him to leave his business in the hands of his employees. Being your own boss is a great proposition, but it’s always tough to let go of something you’ve built with your bare hands. However, both he and Jeongguk were aligned on the point that the pup was more important than anything else. Therefore alongside learning to be parents, they were also learning to delegate, trust, and take a few steps back. When their pup became an adult, this experience would help them to let the pup go too, they reasoned, not knowing at all that that particular phase is always difficult for parents and nothing can prepare them for it.

Taehyung believed Jeongguk, but somewhere, it left a trace of doubt.

The omega may have been a last minute hustler, but the alpha was a planner. And the omega knew it best. Going by his personality, he should have started training his team way before the thought could have even hit Taehyung. Which was why he couldn’t fathom how Jeongguk would leave it so close to the third trimester, especially when many male omegas were known to not carry till full term. 

Something didn’t add up, and for the first time, Taehyung wished he bore a claiming bite already. Claimed wolves were bonded at a level where they could understand each other without words, they could read each other’s thoughts. And with everything that was changing around him, Taehyung would really love to have that connection with Jeongguk. It wasn’t because he didn’t trust Jeongguk—it was because he felt something wasn’t right, and he wished he could support the alpha the way the alpha was supporting him. As the days towards the last leg of his pregnancy approached, Taehyung’s longing for being claimed increased exponentially. 

Never for once was it about being claimed by Doyun. 

Taehyung knew Jeongguk wouldn’t claim him while he was pregnant. And he also knew that the major reason for it was about his safety. It was an exhilarating process, he’d heard, but it also took a lot of energy and strength. And Jeongguk would never take that risk. But whenever he felt too sure about that, he’d school himself into believing that he didn’t even know if Jeongguk would ever claim him. Ever since they had decided to take things slow, Jeongguk had been behaving even more like his alpha , but they never spoke about the future. About ‘after the delivery.’

Now for what it was worth, Taehyung knew that Jeongguk didn’t want him to worry about the future. ‘One step at a time, one day at a time’ — that was his favourite philosophy when it came to Taehyung, even though he was a planner himself. He just wanted Taehyung to enjoy the journey, stay healthy, and do whatever made him happy. “I’m here for everything else, pup,” he’d say, gently caressing Taehyung’s back, “You take care of our little one, and I will take care of you.”

Taehyung hadn’t missed the change from “ your pup,” to “our little one.” 

Of course he hadn’t.

It was the happiest moment of his life, hearing that one three-letter word Jeongguk used to address the child on its way. He heaved a sigh of relief, and thanked his stars that his biggest wish of raising a child with a loving family was going to come true. And it was all because Jeongguk’s heart was just so huge that it could accept another alpha’s child as his own, simply because it was Taehyung’s. 

Or maybe because his child was just destined to be lucky enough to be able to call someone like Jeongguk their appa.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

“Gukkie,” he called out to Jeongguk one day, quite close to the end of his sixth month, “let’s go to the woods tomorrow please.”

“Tomorrow I have… uh…”

“Ohh you’re busy tomorrow? Okay. I will just go on my own then,” Taehyung had found the perfect weapon to use to get his job done. “I know you’re busy, and I totally get it. But this is the last weekend when we can go. You know that I’m not going to be able to transform anymore when I hit the seventh month, and I have two important catering deliveries in the next two weekends. So I will go by myself, just roam around a little bit, shift once, and come back.”

“Of course not.”

“What do you mean of course not?”

“I mean you are not going to shift alone.”

“What are you going to do? Hold my hand while I grow my tail?”

“Taehyungie!” Jeongguk pinched the bridge of his nose. “You know that’s not what I mean. I can’t let you go to the woods on your own.”

“Ohh that can be solved easily. I will ask someone else to come with me,” Taehyung said. “Maybe Yoongi hyung.”

“Why… Why Yoongi hyung? Why not Jimin?”

“You want two omegas to roam around alone in the woods?” Taehyung raised his eyebrow.

Jeongguk sighed. He knew exactly what Taehyung was playing at. And he knew he’d ultimately have to give in. Not just because Taehyung had found the perfect loophole, but also because he wouldn’t want to take away Taehyung’s last transformation time before his delivery. But at the same time, he was also very scared of his wolf’s reaction.

Ever since the doctor’s warning had landed on him, his wolf had been restless, giving him warning signs about accepting another wolf’s child. It simply didn’t want to. It had been fine till it was his best friend giving birth. But now… now Taehyung was their omega. And his wolf was heartbroken with the fact that his mate was carrying a life created by another wolf. Jeongguk had felt it—the exact moment when his wolf had started to distance itself from the pup. He had ignored the signs in the beginning, the excitement of being so close to Taehyung occupying his mind, body, and soul. But the doctor’s words had struck him like lightning. The strong urge to scent Taehyung’s belly was not hitting him anymore. He wasn’t feeling as fiercely overprotective about the life growing in the omega’s womb. There was no push from the wolf to claim, to mark, to own.

Not until another wolf’s child occupied his omega’s womb.

On the other hand, nothing had changed for Jeongguk. In his human form, he still loved the pup as much as he did before the doctor’s appointment, maybe even a little more by every passing day. In his human form, he was bonding with their child, talking to it regularly, referring to himself as appa, singing to it, sharing stories, and making promises of a good life.

The more his wolf grew distant, the more his human was determined to protect. 

And this constant battle inside him was driving him crazy, but he was not going to back off on his promise. Deep inside he knew that it wasn’t even just about the promise, or the fact that he had fallen in love with Taehyung— it was about how closely intertwined his own life had become with the child he had come to think of as his own, no matter what biology said, no matter what his wolf felt, no matter what the reality was. 

For Jeongguk, the child who would be born in a few months’ time from Taehyung, was his. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

They end up going to the woods the next day.

Jeongguk knew he would give in. Taehyung knew it too. Therefore there was hardly any reason to deny it anymore. 

But the closer they came to the woods, the more restless Jeongguk’s wolf became, and the more difficult it became for Jeongguk to cling to Taehyung as much as he wanted to. He would always let Taehyung shift first, waiting for the process to be over smoothly before he assumed his own wolf form. It also gave him time to admire his mate’s beautiful white wolf. 

Today, he couldn’t bear the sight. It hurt him physically to watch the white wolf, its body now transformed, still breathtakingly beautiful, but the evidence of another man’s seed in it so obvious in its rounded belly. Jeongguk clenched his teeth and fisted his hands, closed his eyes and began shifting as fast as he could. At least as a wolf his facial expressions would not be so transparent. 

It wasn’t a wise choice.

But he was in a situation where he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. So he shifted, and the pang of anger mixed with heartbreaking sadness buzzed through him like the sharpest knife.

To say that his wolf was upset would be an understatement. It was livid. It bared its fangs and growled, and dug its nails into the forest ground, scratching violently at the surface. It just couldn’t tolerate how his mate looked. The anger kept rising and rising, and the black wolf, in order to keep itself sane, shot off towards the river, leaving its mate behind.

Taehyung’s wolf was taken aback.

The white wolf couldn’t run much now, but every time they were in the woods, they would pad around slowly for a while, together, before the black alpha took off for its run. He must have missed running, Taehyung thought, that’s why he couldn’t control himself. He was anyway already feeling tired, the process of transformation draining him, so he decided to laze around for a while. He couldn’t wait for the alpha to come back and lick all over him like always. The white omega omega loved it, and so did the pup. 

But Taehyung didn’t know exactly how tired he was. His wolf fell asleep within a few minutes after being seated, the gentle breeze flowing through the trees lulling him into slumber. And when he woke up, he found himself resting against Jeongguk’s human form. Disappointment racked through the omega’s body who was craving his alpha’s attention on him one last time in the wolf form. He wouldn’t be able to shift now for at least a few months. 

Jeongguk caressed the wolf’s head, asking if it was ready to transform back into its human form, and Taehyung gave in. It was almost near time for sunset, and he was exhausted, despite having slept— the entire transformation taking a toll on his energy levels. So he shifted back, missing how Jeongguk heaved a sigh of relief, and they walked back to their car slowly.

Taehyung dozed off in the car as well, his body now tiring faster than usual, completely unaware of how Jeongguk’s wolf had restrained itself from getting aggressive. 

Shape shifters like them had learned to control their possessiveness when in their human form— but the animal didn’t follow human norms, nor did it follow logic. Jeongguk had to exert tremendous force on his wolf to keep itself restrained and not charge at Taehyung’s womb, when his wolf spotted the omega sleeping, its belly rising and falling slowly with each exhale and inhale of breath. 

The alphas had hurt its paws, clawing at the ground in anger, desperation, and a deep, deep sadness that the human couldn’t even fathom, until Jeongguk had forced himself to transform, vowing that he would not shift in front of Taehyung again until the delivery. He couldn’t ever do anything that would hurt Taehyung or the baby.

The upcoming months were going to be monumentally difficult for the alpha.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

That night, Taehyung fell asleep trying to make himself understand that it was okay for Jeongguk to forget to scent his womb every once in a while. 

It was tough, and it almost made him sad enough to cry, but the day had taken a toll on his body, and he fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed. At the time, he thought it was an aberration, not realising that it was going to become the norm for the next few weeks. Slowly, Taehyung found himself thanking his exhaustion and hormonal changes for not letting his mind dwell on the same thing for a long period of time.

Because he might not be wearing Jeongguk’s mark on his body, but nobody knew that alpha better than him. And Jeon Jeongguk was changing. 

No he wasn’t distant from Taehyung, nor did he leave any stone unturned in taking care of the pregnant omega in his third trimester. He was as clingy as before, and maybe a bit more, he was still hovering around as much as possible, fussing about Taehyung’s food intake, water intake, medicines, exercising routine, and what not. 

But something was off. 

And Taehyung wondered if it was in the way that Jeongguk’s hands just skirted around his womb while they got intimate, or in the way that he often forgot to kiss his belly, or how his eyes never rested on the swell anymore— or if it was just his imagination. And even though he missed that attention, and he was sure that his pup did too, he couldn’t bring himself to bring up the topic with Jeongguk.

Because Jeongguk… Jeongguk was working his ass off to make sure that Taehyung and the pup would be comfortable. He was either working with his team in the office so that if he needed to take time off from the eighth month itself, it wouldn’t be an issue. He was working once he was back home, preparing dinner, and lunch for the next day, and building up the nursery because he couldn’t allow another wolf near his mate in their home, and then he was massaging Taehyung’s foot, or his back, or bringing him a hot bag, or helping him bathe.

All of this while Taehyung just waddled around, getting bigger and bigger by the second (or so he thought), angry at the whole wide world for putting him through this ordeal, unable to wait any longer to push that damn pup out.

At the same time, the same Taehyung was baking batch after batch of his most delicious desserts, whipping up new concoctions for coffee, hiring new staff and building the capacity of the older ones to take care of the management side of things as well as keeping the quality of food and service intact.

His pregnancy hadn’t posed any complications for him yet. But his hormones were in a mess. And he didn’t realise that it had anything to do with the missing alpha, or with the fact that he was claimed. He just thought that this was the norm for the third trimester. And Taehyung was an intelligent wolf. He had studied ahead about hormonal imbalances and the effect it had on the state of mind, how it could fuck up his mental health or how it could make him overthink things.

But he hadn’t considered the fact that when he would actually be experiencing all of it, he wouldn’t really be in a rational place to dissect the emotions he was going through.

So amidst all of the work and the running against time, his intrusive thoughts ran havoc.

One day he was sure that he was becoming unattractive with each passing day, and Jeongguk was having second thoughts about mating him.

The second day he was struck with the thought that Jeongguk was finally realising that he had made the wrong decision by mating a pregnant omega, ruining his own life in the process. 

The third day he wondered if Jeongguk considered him selfish and self-centered to burden him with so many problems that weren’t his to deal with in the first place.

And on the fourth, he was heartbroken to think that in the end, everything had just been a simple attraction that had faded away with time. Taehyung knew he had looked a bit radiant in this second trimester, and now in the third he mostly looked tired, eye bags getting a bit prominent with sleeping patterns changing. His back aches were constant, his feet were swollen and his skin didn’t glow anymore.

No, he didn’t think that Jeongguk was shallow. He simply thought of himself as unworthy of the love that he had dreamed of. Which alpha in their right mind would even want to love someone who had been abandoned while carrying their child? That meant something was wrong with Taehyung himself, didn’t it?

He spent hours sobbing in the private restroom of his office at the café, emotions getting the better of him, often wondering that if nothing was wrong with him, then did he, the pack leader’s son, turn out to be an abandoned omega, unclaimed by the alpha who bred him, and also by the one who ended up mating him. The unmarked portion on his neck felt like a curse, his body craving some assurance that he wouldn’t be abandoned again after giving birth to his pup.

It wasn’t that he felt that he wouldn’t survive without an alpha. No. From the day he had decided to keep the baby, he had promised himself to be healthy and independent enough to live for his pup. No matter what happened, he would give his pup the best life, raise them to know that their dada was a strong wolf, and could take complete care of them. No matter what happened, he would win in life, to become a shining example for his pup.

It was just that, when he had taken the decision, he was ready to face everything alone. Then Jeongguk had stepped in and turned his decision on its head, walking with him every step of the way, spoiling him, taking care of him, creating expectations and fuelling dreams of a happy family—a complete family, with appa, dada, and the little one, and maybe more.

Now, now that he had forgotten how to be on his own, now that he could only smell a mix of white musk and cardamom along with the trace of milk on himself, and couldn’t separate the scents from each other, now that he had grown so used to Jeongguk’s cooking, wearing his clothes, and snuggling up to him for cuddles, he didn’t know if he could do life without him. His days craved for Jeongguk’s head pats, forehead kisses, and never-ending hugs. His lips felt parched without the taste of Jeongguk’s on them. His body felt unguarded without Jeongguk’s arms around his waist. 

And his heart felt empty without a confirmation of Jeongguk’s love. 

It wasn’t that Jeongguk forgot to scent his belly everyday. It was just that on the days he did, Taehyung’s light dimmed a little. Because the omega was now one with his pup… and if there was no place for his pup somewhere, it was automatically out of bounds for Taehyung too. 

Chapter Text

A pained sound reached his ears while Jeongguk was in deep sleep, putting him on high alert. He immediately woke up, attuned to the warm presence in his arms that was glued to his body, only to realise that Taehyung was jostling, his face contoured, and his forehead breaking out in a sweat. Sleep disappearing from his eyes, Jeongguk immediately tried to wake Taehyung up as gently as possible, careful not to startle him. 

“Pup? Hey pup… baby, Tae… are you okay?” He asked softly, caressing Taehyung’s arms. The omega was still restless, whining in his sleep, his expression scared. Jeongguk kept cajoling him softly to wake up, and in the end was successful in his pursuit. 

“Ggukie,” Taehyung called out, his voice pained. Jeongguk didn’t miss the way he sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around his belly. “Ggukie, we won't let them take away my pup. Promise me. Promise me that we’re never going to let them take away my pup. Please… Please promise me.”

“Of course,” Jeongguk immediately wrapped himself around the shivering omega, forcing himself to rest a protective hand on the womb. “We won’t. Our pup will always stay ours, baby. No one is going to take them away. I promise I will die before I let—”

“No.”

“Huh?”

“I need you both. You cannot die,” Taehyung looked him in the eye, as if it was a challenge. “Promise me that you will never die.”

“I—”

“And that you will protect our pup with me.”

Jeongguk sighed. How could he ever keep himself away from this man? How could he not be pathetically in love, craving for Taehyung’s presence and touch all the time? How could he allow his wolf’s fears to win? 

He used every single ounce of strength left in him and bent his head placing a series of kisses on Taehyung’s swollen belly, then stopped to whisper, “you have us pup, you have dada, and you have appa. No one can ever harm you. Okay? We will protect you. Always. That’s a promise.” 

He placed his hand on the skin where the belly had risen a bit, and like clockwork, the baby kicked. Overwhelmed with emotion at the response, Jeongguk looked up at Taehyung, teary eyed, and let the omega pull him into a kiss —not a heated one, not laden with want, just… one of reassurance. 

They kissed for a while, lips pressed firmly to each other’s, hands intertwined, resting on the omega’s tummy. They kissed like they had never kissed each other before, seeking warmth, protection, and support. And they kissed like they had missed each other for months, even though they had been right there, beside each other, every single day. 

Both of them knew something was amiss—Jeongguk knew exactly what it was, and Taehyung was clueless. But neither was able to articulate their fears.

Jeongguk held Taehyung for as long as it took for the omega’s heart rate to normalise, murmuring sweet nothings, making promises he fully intended to keep. Taehyung melted under the attention, still confused with how genuine it was, and yet how every single act looked like it required immense effort on Jeongguk’s part. 

And he was worried.

He was worried because of the nightmare where some people had tried to snatch his pup away from him by force, hurting the child in the process. And he was worried about how Jeongguk seemed to crave for him and yet couldn’t bring himself to be normal with him. 

The alpha’s reaction was reassuring, and yet, Taehyung went to work feeling extremely uneasy—like something bad was about to happen. He couldn’t place his finger on it, but the fear lingered on. He almost wanted to skip work. But he had his last major delivery slated this week before he took his break, keen to have his team handle the café on their own while he was still able to monitor from afar, and he pushed himself to get up, get ready and face the day. 

Jeongguk dropped him off with a forehead kiss, scenting him thoroughly before letting him go. The scent of white musk surrounded him, giving him a sense of safety, and he almost began to ask Jeongguk to tell him what was wrong… when Jeongguk’s phone rang, and he said he’d have to leave. 

Taehyung let him go. Once he was on his break he’d gather his courage and ask the question. It might seem an overreaction to others, given that Jeongguk was still the caring, loving alpha that he was, but his omega was restless, it just knew something was off with his soulmate, and that made Taehyung crave to know. His mind was making up scenarios where it seemed that Jeongguk felt too pressured, where he was a burden but Jeongguk was too kind to mention it, yet too exhausted from carrying it.

And he had already spent hours exploring how difficult it was to break the mating bond with your inflected wolf. None of the solutions were good enough, all of them saying that if mated, inflected wolves should never attempt to break their bond, because it would lead to immensely painful lives for both wolves. Some results showed better chances of survival in case there was no claiming bite, but every single answer was tending to a huge no. 

Taehyung felt helpless. The last thing he wanted was to make Jeongguk unhappy with his presence or feel trampled under it. He walked into his café on wobbly feet, balancing himself carefully, his hand placed on his womb as always, his mind still on the nightmare, and on his alpha.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

It was around mid-day when Taehyung’s unease increased so much that he was going to pick up the phone to ask Jeongguk to take him home. As he extended his hand to pick up his phone, the doorbell chimed, signalling a customer’s entry. Taehyung looked up and turned towards the door, and all the colour from his face drained out.

The man who walked in was Doyun.

Immediately, Taehyung hugged his belly with both his hands, his protective instincts on alert. He didn’t want to have anything to do with the man who hadn’t spared a thought before rejecting his child. But Doyun walked towards him like he owned the café, and like he owned Taehyung, the air he breathed, and the entire atmosphere around them soured with Taehyung’s burning scent. Usually, Taehyung was very good with controlling the fluctuation of his scent with his emotions, especially since he was in the service industry. But right now, the café was empty and his emotions were on an all time high, his mind on red alert.

“There there,” Doyun said, his voice silky smooth, “is that the way to greet your alpha after so many months? Be polite Taehyung.”

He took long strides and came to stand right in front of Taehyung, resting his elbow on the counter that separated them. Taehyung crinkled his nose in disgust, anger hitting him like never before. “Why are you here?”

“Is that how you treat customers? Tsk tsk,” Doyun smirked. 

“Min Ho?” Taehyung called out. 

Min Ho appeared immediately, one of Taehyung’s most trusted team members. “Yes Tae?”

“Ask for his order, service him properly, get the payment and send him on his way,” Taehyung turned to leave, irritation climbing up his spine. 

“I need to speak with you,” Doyun said, upset at being ignored.

“I thought you were a customer?” Taehyung shot back. “I have nothing to say to you.”

Just then a group of people walked in, looking curiously at the display and the menu. Some of them settled into nearby booths, and some of them came to the counter to ask for the specials. Doyun saw his opportunity right there.

“Let’s not create a scene in front of the customers, hmm?” He said, smiling sweetly, saccharine sweet. “I just need about fifteen minutes of your time and then I’ll be gone.” He paused for a bit to add, “unless you want me back again,” and raked his eyes shamelessly over Taehyung’s body, lingering for a few seconds on his neck.

Unable to avoid the situation anymore, Taehyung led him to a booth at the far corner, sitting on opposite sides, keeping as much distance between them as possible. “What do you have to say? Make it fast, I don't have much time.”

“Aah, don’t worry my dear, I won’t take much time either,” Doyung leaned forward as if he had a huge secret to share. “When are you due?”

Taehyung sat back, suspicious and scared. His thoughts went immediately to his nightmare, and how he wished he didn’t have to deal with this alone. “Why do you care?”

“No. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t care about that baby. I need you. So when are you due? Looks like another couple of months, right? Is there a way to get done with this faster?”

Taehyung stared at Doyun, wondering what he had seen in the man, amazed by his audacity. For a while he couldn’t say a word, completely dumbfounded by the way Doyun spoke— as if Taehyung owed him something. 

Egged on by his silence, and taking advantage of the obvious shock, Doyun continued his spiel. “My uncle died last month, leaving behind a huge estate in my name. It's going to make me really wealthy, you see. But the stupid man left a marriage clause in the damn will. I have to marry someone in the next three months to get access to that property and all the money.” He looked Taehyung straight in the eye as if he was narrating what he had for breakfast.

“Now, you and I were to marry anyway before you went ahead and gave into this stupidity,” he pointed at the womb. “And since this whole charade will be over in a couple of months, I think you should just marry me after and live the lavish life you would get access to. I don’t really trust other omegas. Gold diggers, most of them. ”

Taehyung couldn’t even believe what he was hearing. This was the man he was building a future with? “Are you insane?” he hissed, keeping his voice as low as possible. “I am a mated wolf. Get out of here. And never, ever show me your face ever again.”

The smirk never left Doyun’s face. “Mated. So I hear. To that Jeongguk, right? Mated but not claimed yet,” he chuckled. “Why? He wants the kid but not the damaged goods?”

“Get out,” Taehyung said through gritted teeth, controlling his scent for the sake of other customers.

Doyun let out an exaggerated sigh. “Sure. But remember the offer. It will do you good. Give that dumbhead alpha the responsibility of the kid, or, if he was just doing you a favour, you could still dump the kid in an orphanage you know. That won’t be ‘killing’ like you made abortion out to be. Then you can easily break off this sham of a marriage, and choose me. I can give you a good life. And you know I can satisfy you in bed. You’re carrying the proof of that. I’ll make you scream my name—”

“If I’m not mistaken, he’s asked you to leave a couple of times already,” a voice, calm and steady, boomed near Doyun’s ears. “Do the Parks teach their alphas to make indecent proposals to other’s omegas?” 

Doyun looked up to see Jeongguk towering over him, his eyes flashing a muted crimson. “Leave. And never, ever cast your dirty eyes on my omega.”

“Unclaimed,” Doyun spat, as he gathered his hat and stood up.

“None of your fucking business. I’m being nice because I don’t want to cause my mate any more stress than you already have. So you better leave before I report you for indecency,” Jeongguk growled.

“Your mate huh,” Doyun made a parting shot, "parading around the fruit of my seed like the pathetic little omega that he is.”

Jeongguk was seething in anger.

“I’m not letting this go,” Doyun said before leaving. “Think about it, Tae. I can claim you, right away. Not like this one here, who is a proxy.” And with that, he turned around and left.

Jeongguk mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to Min Ho, and walked closer to Taehyung, gathering him into his arms. Taehyung had gone limp, his entire body trembling with the insults, and just with the impact of the hatred the pup’s biological father bore towards it and him. It was emotionally draining and left Taehyung gasping for air, getting attacked by the man whose child he was carrying, the strength of the insults high because of the way they were linked. 

Jeongguk told the staff that he would take his mate home immediately, worried at how pale Taehyung had gone, and fuming at the same time at the guts of the vile alpha who had caused this. 

At the same time, he couldn’t help how the words left him equally affected—because from the moment he had entered the café and spotted Doyun, his wolf had gone berserk, screaming at him that the real father of his child was back.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

He didn’t leave Taehyung’s side for a single second for the entire day and the day after, not letting any of them step out of the house. He kept scenting Taehyung, and nosing at his scent gland, staying stuck with him the whole day, refusing to let the omega out of his sight. Too many emotions had engulfed him whole—insecurity, fear, and anger that made his blood boil. On top of that there was the crushing feeling of being incapable of protecting his mate, of enabling the insult that he hadn’t been claimed.

And goddess, if only anyone knew how badly Jeongguk wanted to claim Taehyung, no one would ever question it. But he had never spoken about it, not wanting to pressure Taehyung into anything, and had been patiently waiting for the omega to recover post delivery to ask for his permission and confess his love. 

Now that patience had come back to bite him in the ass. 

All the time he had been spending apart from Taehyung except for his work hours, he had been working on training his wolf to behave around the omega. It was taking all his strength and then some to get his wolf to behave, to not get aggressive the moment he stepped close to Taehyung. It was eating him whole from inside, but for Jeongguk it was a non-negotiable. Loving Taehyung and not accepting his child was never an option for him—he hadn’t even thought about it. He would never think about it, not when the child had started to feel like his own, not when the connection felt like shared blood, not when the love he had in his heart for the unborn pup was so overwhelming that it made him weep thinking about welcoming it into the world.

Not when Taehyung had decided to name the child after Jeongguk’s grandmother. Jin-ae — a name that would suit the child just fine no matter their sex. 

It was all the confirmation Jeongguk needed to know that for Taehyung too, the child was as much a part of the Jeon family as he himself was. How could he ever think of abandoning his own child?

How the fuck could Doyun even utter those words? Not only did he insult Taehyung, he had asked Taehyung to give up on the life he had carried for eight months, for what… an inheritance? How could someone be such a lowlife? How the fuck had Taehyung allowed that man so close to him in the past? How had Jeongguk approved of him? 

The anger simmered right beneath his skin, putting his entire body on fire. And for some reason, his wolf wasn’t fighting him on this— in fact, it wanted to tear the man to pieces. Even the animal had recognised how vile Doyun was. 

“Jeonggukah,” Taehyung’s voice cut through his thoughts. “I can smell your distress. Please don’t be so angry, it worries me.” The omega walked slowly to come close to Jeongguk and settle near him on the couch. Immediately Jeongguk pulled him closer. He just couldn’t bear any distance between them. 

Taehyung cupped the alpha’s face with both his hands and pressed their foreheads together. “He’s not taking me away from you,” Taehyung said slowly, but surely. “Unless…” and then hesitation crept into his voice, “unless you want me to go.”

Jeongguk jerked himself back, his eyes turning crimson with rage for a second before he controlled himself. Whatever had he done to be asked this? Whatever had he done in the past eight months for his love to be questioned this way? Was nothing visible to Taehyung anymore now that the real father of the child was back?

“What did you just say?” he asked, his voice low, almost threatening.

Taehyung sighed. “I wish you would hear me out before getting so angry. I just… I can sense the distance between us, Ggukie. I’m not a fool. I’m not stupid. I know I am damaged goods like Doyun said, and somewhere down the line it must feel like you’re compromising with life just because of me.”

“Damaged goods?”

“Yeah. Aren’t I? And I don’t blame you wanting to stay distant. It’s probably just hitting you now that I put all my life’s troubles on you selfishly and you’re having to bear with it… bear with that… that horrible alpha calling you names and insulting you. It's all…,” Taehyung sobbed, “it’s all my fault, isn’t it?”

Jeongguk couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Is that how Taehyung felt? Is that the damage he was causing while reining himself in? How and when did they go from being the best communicators to the worst ones?

“If you think that I am better off with Doyun, you can…” Taehyung sniffled, “you can tell me.”

“And what will you do,” Jeongguk still pushed, wanting to see just how far Taehyung’s imagination had gone, “go back to him? Because he… he … because he is the …”

“Real father of my child?” Taehyung looked up, his eyes watery, his face wet with tears, and his body language broken.

Jeongguk didn’t say a word.

“You think a real father would talk about their child like that?” Taehyung asked. “And you think I can go back to a man who talks about our child like that? That’s… that’s how you think of me?”

“I don’t,” Jeongguk rushed to say. Because that was the truth. His fears were irrational, he knew, they stemmed from insecurity, and not from lack of faith in Taehyung. He moved forward, closing the remaining distance between them, and whispered, “the thought of losing you scares the shit out of me, pup.”

And then he breathed in, deep, and added, “and I never thought I would be just as scared of losing our kid too.”

Taehyung broke down then. “You’re the real father of this pup, alpha. And you are my alpha. It doesn’t matter what he says or wants, he doesn’t matter to our lives anymore. Okay?”

“And what if… what if he wants the pup too?” Taehyung kept questioning. “You think he has a right just because he contributed sperm?” 

That made Jeongguk smile. “Not really. I just thought, legally.”

“Legally, he can afford to make a claim, yes. But you saw how he feels about it. And we have enough witnesses to corroborate that. I don’t think he stands a chance.” 

“You’ve thought about it,” Jeongguk said. “You’ve thought about the entire scenario and stressed yourself out, and I have just added to it, haven’t I?”

“I thought about it,” Taehyung agreed. “Yeah I did, because I’ve started to recognise his pattern. And also because he called me a while back.”

“What?” Jeongguk’s anger flared up again.

“He called. And he apologised. And he said that he realises that he was stupid and now he wants us both back,” Taehyung said, his voice unnervingly calm.

Jeongguk forgot about the entire conversation they had before this sentence. “He what?” He stood up from the couch, his entire body trembling in a mix of anger and fear, not wanting to hear the rest of it, and not being able to fathom what it could take the shape of. Losing his balance, he fell to the floor, kneeling in front of Taehyung, awaiting the decision that would change his life forever. 

“He said he would keep the child if that meant having me back. That he would do anything for me, that today he behaved badly because knowing that I was mated to you angered him. He acted out, because he’s possessive about me, he said,” Taehyung continued in an emotionless voice. “And said that he would do anything to make me happy.”

When he looked up at Jeongguk, the alpha’s fists were clenched so hard that his entire arms were pink from the blood flow being constricted, his eyes were red, and he was struggling to control his fangs from jutting out. Jeongguk was fighting with his life to keep his wolf in control. 

And that was when it hit Taehyung.

“You’ve been distant from me because your wolf has been having trouble accepting another’s wolf’s pup in your omega’s womb, Jeonggukah?” He asked. “Is that why you’ve been trying not to touch my belly anymore?”

Jeongguk nodded, helpless.

“Do you want to harm the pup?”

“Tae,” Jeongguk’s voice was barely above a whisper, strained and hurt . “I can never. I’ve been training my wolf to… to behave. I love… I love our pup. You know that. You know me.”

The alpha hung his head low. “Please don’t leave me, Taehyungie. I can’t live without you or our pup.”

His shoulders slumped, his entire stance defeated, as he awaited an answer from the one person who held his entire life in his hands.

But he was met with silence.

And when he dared to look up, Taehyung had passed out on the couch. 

Chapter Text

Cold, unyielding dread spread through Jeongguk’s veins when he realised that Taehyung had fainted. Involuntarily, his mind flashed back to the way he had found the omega at his door, a little over eight months ago—the very day this chapter of his life began. He rushed over to Taehyung, trying to position him comfortably, his entire attention focused on not hurting the man.

Every single thing about the previous conversation was forgotten, and panic gripped him. The only thought crowding his head was that nothing, nothing should happen to his Taehyung. He fished out his phone and called the ob-gyn immediately, babbling as soon as the line got connected.

“Jeongguk-ssi,” the doctor finally said, “please take a deep breath and tell me slowly what happened. If I don’t understand, I will not be able to help.”

Jeongguk realised that panicking wouldn’t help in the situation. He willed himself to calm down and explained to the doctor that Taehyung had fainted. 

“Did anything happen to him? Did he miss a meal or—”

“I think it’s stress doctor. I think he was overstressed,” Jeongguk hurried to explain. “His ex, the absent alpha, showed up and demanded that he abandon the baby and go with him. And then… then he… he realised that my wolf was having trouble accepting the child because I… I am…” Jeongguk couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

But the doctor understood. She had spotted the signs of feelings blooming between the two wolves. She didn't comment about it, because it wasn’t her place. “It’s not a good sign. So much stress during the eighth month of pregnancy for a male omega… it’s not…” She paused before she could fuel the panic and asked, “can you bring him to the hospital so I can check on him?” 

“I can,” Jeongguk said, breathless, hovering over Taehyung, checking for signs of normalcy in breathing, “but you have to assure me that it won’t harm him in any way.”

“Pick him up bridal style, be careful to place enough support on his back,” the doctor held her calm. “Jeongguk-ssi, first connect your phone to your ear pods so you can use the phone hands-free. That way, I can be on the call with you and guide you.”

And ensure that you don’t lose your mind, she didn’t add.

“Yes,” Jeongguk inhaled sharply, “thank you.”

His hands trembled as he found his ear pods, connecting them and placing the phone in his pocket. “I’m ready,” he said into the phone. 

“Okay, pick him up slowly, don’t worry, you’re not going to harm him,” the doctor was extremely patient, having handled many male omega pregnancies over the years. 

There was a couple of seconds of silence as Jeongguk carefully positioned his arms under Taehyung. And then,

“Doc,” Jeongguk almost screamed. “There’s… doctor… it’s… oh my god.”

“Jeongguk-ssi, what happened? I… I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”

“There’s… Tae’s pajamas are wet. It’s not… it’s not blood. It’s… water…” Jeongguk’s throat went dry.

“Shit,” the doctor cursed, quite out-of-character, “the fainting has caused his muscles to relax and the membranes have ruptured. His water broke. Stay put Jeongguk-ssi. Don’t move. I will bring my team over to your place. Please disconnect the phone for now, and text me the address.”

“I—”

“I will be there as soon as possible. We have time. Don’t worry about that. I will be there. Just… Jeongguk-ssi?” the doctor paused for a moment.

“Yes?” Jeongguk was on the verge of tears. 

“I know this is a tough ask after what you just shared with me. But, I have to request for this for Taehyung-ssi’s safety and faster recovery.”

“I will do anything for him.”

The doctor sighed audibly, steeled herself and said, “then, after you text me the address, please stay close to him. Scent his womb if possible, release your pheromones. Listen to alpha instincts for your omega. It will keep his cortisol levels low and help his body fight the sudden lapse. Can you do this for him? Can you do this for your baby?”

Jeongguk was speechless for a minute, not knowing how to answer the question. His eyes traced the contours of Taehyung’s face, lowering, to stop at his belly.

“I will.”

He disconnected the call, furiously typing his address into the texting thread shared with the doctor, kept his phone aside, opened the door to allow easy entry, placed a kiss on Taehyung’s forehead, and waited with baited breath.

As he watched Taehyung's listless form, a deep sadness engulfed him. Taehyung should not have to endure so much pain, his heart whispered. My Taehyung must always be happy, he thought. Protect, protect, protect, his mind chanted nonstop, Help him heal, it said. 

Listen to your instinct, the doctor had said. And it came back to him suddenly. Without giving it another thought, Jeongguk transformed into his wolf. 

Myriad emotions struck his wolf form like a whiplash—from the insecurity resulting from the return of Doyun into the scene, to the shame of causing his mate distress, to the anger of seeing the effect of Doyun’s visit on his mate, to the unease regarding the baby. His wolf begged him to put distance between the omega and itself, putting all its strength into discouraging Jeongguk.

But Jeongguk?

Today, nothing and no one could stop him. He summoned every bit of strength left in him and pushed his commanding self forward until his wolf cowered under that power, and stayed glued to his omega’s side. He nuzzled at the womb lovingly, releasing his pheromones, and watched as slowly colour returned to Taehyung’s cheeks. In the wolf form, an alpha’s pheromones were known to have potent healing powers, especially for their mate. For an inflected pair, it could be life-saving.

He stood guard, not moving an inch from where he was, continuously exerting dominance over his wolf, letting his human control it even while he was in wolf-form. It would leave him debilitated, but that didn’t even matter to him.

All that mattered for him was Taehyung. And he knew all that mattered to Taehyung was his baby.

When the doctor arrived, she found the door open, the omega still unconscious, lying on the couch, and a huge black wolf towering over him, its face resting lightly right against the womb. She walked closer only to see a pool of tears gathering in the wolf’s eyes, from exhaustion, sadness, and a love so fierce that could only exist between true mates. She patted the wolf’s head gently, and it immediately moved away, making way for her and her team.

“You can transform back, Jeongguk-ssi,” she said. “We’ve got this.”

The alpha shook its head, and stood ground in its position, its eyes trained on Taehyung, not even blinking. The tears started to fall now, freely, and the doctor’s heart broke at the scenario. She realised that the wolf wanted to keep the healing powers as potent as possible until the actual delivery. 

Her team slowly moved Taehyung to the bed, evaluating the best possible way to get this done. They could either carry him on a stretcher to the hospital, or wait to see if he gained consciousness. Given that Taehyung had been unconscious for over thirty minutes, the situation was becoming critical with every passing minute after the loss of the amniotic fluid.

The black wolf stayed near the bed, in a spot where he could clearly watch the entire procedure, not even blinking. One of its paws rested on Taehyung’s shoulder, maintaining contact, passing on as much strength as it could through their bond. 

Without warning, Taehyung's face contoured in discomfort, and his eyes sprang open, waves of pain crashing through his body. 

“He's going into labour,” the doctor recognised. “Let's prep him for a normal delivery,” she changed plans immediately. They would move the parent and newborn to the hospital after.

Jeongguk's entire existence was on alert, watching his omega in pain. The wolf moved closer to Taehyung, licking at his nape to ease the pain, careful with his pheromones so as to not overwhelm the medics present in the room. Taehyung seemed to gain some strength from the healing powers of his alpha. 

“Taehyung-ssi, we'll need you to push,” the doctor said gently, “the baby seems to have breached. Your body knows what to do, let's get past this last round and bring your little one into the world now, okay?”

Taehyung nodded, unable to talk or  bear the extreme pain, and simply powering through with everything he had. One of the medics set him up with a backrest so he could position himself, and he looked to his side once, beckoning the wolf closer with a nod. The wolf's eyes watered immediately at the level of trust Taehyung placed in it. It moved closer, resting a paw on Taehyung's hand, its head close to the belly. 

And Taehyung pushed.

What seemed like hours only took the stipulated amount of time before a loud wail broke through the silence of the apartment. Before he could register anything, Taehyung fainted again from the sheer exhaustion his body had gone through in the past hour.

Urging the medics to begin with the procedure of cleaning up and preparing to move, the doctor, now holding a little bundle in her hands, turned the baby towards the wolf. Immediately, the infant opened its eyes and stared directly at the alpha, and in that moment, the doctor watched the most beautiful bond form instantly. The wolf’s eyes reflected little Jin-ae, shining crimson, even as the baby's eyes turned crimson too, signalling that an alpha child was born. 

“Congratulations, you have a daughter,” the doctor said, unsure if the wolf heard her, because right in that moment, she felt the energy shift in the room.

And just as little Taehyung had inflected upon little Jeongguk as soon as they had met, his daughter inflected on the alpha wolf as soon as she was born. 

“We will have to take them to the hospital, Jeongguk-ssi,” the doctor explained. “The vitals of both father and child seem fine, but we will want to monitor them for a couple of days. You can shift back now while we board them on to the ambulance. Okay?” 

The wolf nodded.

“They’re safe,” the doctor murmured, only for the wolf’s ears. And she understood that it heard her, from the way its pace towards the bedroom quickened. 

Jeongguk shifted back, and like a robot, he picked up the hospital bag they had kept prepared, the keys to the apartment, his phone, Taehyung’s phone, and a bottle of water. He locked the door and rushed down the stairs, two at a time. The medics had secured Taehyung and their daughter in the ambulance when he reached it.

“Sit with him,” the doctor motioned. “He needs you as much as he needed your wolf.”

Jeongguk obeyed silently, walking into the ambulance, situating himself near Taehyung, his hands shaking as he took the omega’s hands in his own. 

It was only after everything was settled, Taehyung laid on the hospital bed, his vitals showing improvement, and the baby passing all the preliminary tests, and declared a fit fighter, did Jeongguk dare to breathe. He pulled out his phone and called Taehyung’s parents first, and then his own parents, narrating the incident, and asked them to inform their friends too. 

Till Taehyung gained consciousness, no one dared to celebrate. 

Jeongguk sat like a statue by Taehyung’s hospital bed, holding his hands, murmuring apologies, sweet nothings, and pouring out all his feelings in incoherent sentences. There was nothing else he could bring himself to do but stare at Taehyung and beg for him to open his eyes, accept his love, and him. 

When the day slowly started to fade away, and Jeongguk’s hold on Taehyung’s hand became a little loose from sheer exhaustion, he felt a grip tightening around it. He snapped his eyes up, in time to catch Taehyung’s eyes fluttering open.  

“Tae,” he breathed out, his voice broken, his tears unstoppable, “she’s beautiful. Our daughter, Jinie. She’s so beautiful, just like you.”

Taehyung smiled. “Is she okay?” he asked. His instincts told him immediately that there was nothing to worry about. 

“She’s absolutely okay,” the doctor walked in right then. “A fighter that one. Came out with the loudest wail I’ve ever heard during a delivery. What a voice!”

Taehyung chuckled, his features showing the relief that coursed through him. “Can I see her?” he asked. 

“Of course you can,” the doctor said and instructed the nurse to bring the baby to Taehyung. “Let me quickly run a check on you while the princess arrives.”

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The next few hours passed in a daze.

Jin-ae was brought to Taehyung and placed in his arms, the nurse showing him how to hold her properly. Taehyung beckoned Jeongguk to sit on the bed with him and Jeongguk heaved a sigh of relief. But as soon as he did, little Jin-ae turned her head towards him and refused to let her head be turned back towards Taehyung. With eyes as big as Jeongguk's, the infant stared at Jeongguk as if he was the only person in the room. 

Taehyung sighed comically. “I guess this is why mothers always complain,” he said. “I carried you for eight months, and now you’re smitten by your appa,” he cooed, not a trace of complaint in his voice. Instead, all that could be heard was happiness, warmth, relief, and love.

“You think she likes me?” Jeongguk asked, tentative.

“I think she loves you,” Taehyung answered, confident. “As she should.”

Jeongguk placed his trembling hands over Jin-ae’s tummy, and another on Taehyung’s lap, and finally, finally allowed himself to break. He sobbed, from solace, from reassurance, from a huge weight lifting from his entire existence. He sobbed from the overwhelming feeling of love he felt for his omega and his child. He sobbed from the realisation that he was now a father.

The parent who bore a child felt the change in themselves the moment the conception was confirmed. But the one who watched the entire journey, supporting it, but not really being a part of it, their role being external, really changed after the birth of the child. For Jeongguk, this was that moment, as he sat with his partner and his newborn, watching them with unconditional love shining in his eyes.

Taehyung learned how to feed his child, holding her close to his chest as Jeongguk watched, mesmerised. A male omega's chest swelled just enough for him to lactate for a few months after pregnancy, becoming flat again after weaning off. 

Jeongguk, as he watched Taehyung, felt his love surge for the omega, for not just creating and bringing his daughter into the world, but yet again realising how much of a change his body endured— to create a safe space for the baby, to nourish it through the months, and also keep her healthy now. It must not have been easy, he realised, having a baby’s gums wrapped around your nipples, tugging at them, chewing, and suckling like her life depended on it—well, it did. But Taehyung’s body also must have been drained from all that it had gone through.

Yet he watched with wonder how patiently Taehyung held her, fed her, learned how to burp her, without a single trace of annoyance on his face. 

Only after the little princess had her tummy full and fell asleep were the grandparents allowed inside the room, the hospital being very particular about parent-time. Hugs, and forehead kisses, and tears overflowed, this set of parents worried about their children first, and then jointly losing it over their very first grandchild. They enquired about the name, Jeongguk’s parents crying upon hearing that she was named after his grandmother. In excited whispers they planned parties, celebrations with the pack and the grand announcement. 

Tomorrow, they would fill the room with the decorations they had saved for the occasion, having left in a hurry today after hearing about the sudden delivery. The friends had also been informed and would come in the day after, letting the family have their time today.

After a heavily pressured day, the arrival of a little healthy baby and the quick recovery of her omega dada had brightened everyone’s mood. The atmosphere was finally as celebratory as it should have been, befitting of the event.

It was night when everyone left, leaving the alpha and the omega alone in the hospital room, finally. The baby slept soundly in her cot beside Taehyung’s bed, and Jeongguk couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Tae,” he finally said, the day’s happenings dawning on him, “my wolf will never hurt our baby.”

“I know,” Taehyung said. “I sensed it from how it helped me heal, staying with me throughout.” He reached out to Jeongguk, and pulled him closer. “I never doubted it, Ggukie. I never doubted you. I just… all the stress from whatever happened yesterday and realising the amount of strain I have put you through just left me feeling very hollow. The last thing I remember hearing was you saying you’d never hurt our baby, and I blacked out.” He gently caressed Jeongguk’s arms, “it's been so tough on you, alpha.”

“I am sorry I hurt you,” Jeongguk hung his head low. “It…”

“It’s not your fault. Never think it’s your fault Gguk,” Taehyung reassured him. “I know how hard you’ve had to fight to bring your wolf in line. It’s not easy. And yet, you did it. You did it for us.”

“I did it for me too,” Jeongguk looked up and straight into Taehyung’s eyes. “I did it for myself because with my entire heart and soul, I am her appa.”

And for the first time in the day, Taehyung allowed himself to cry. Jeongguk pulled at him, and he moved voluntarily into the alpha’s arms and let all the intense feelings he bore in his heart flow away with the tears that soaked Jeongguk’s shirt wet. But they were past caring. Jeongguk placed a kiss on Taehyung’s temple, whispering, “thank you for choosing me to be her other parent, pup. You have no idea how lucky I feel that you thought I’d be enough.”

“You’re more than enough,” Taehyung whispered back, placing a chaste kiss on Jeongguk’s jaw. Then he pulled back, a slight worry nagging him.

“How is your wolf taking this?” he asked softly. “You can talk to me about it instead of holding it all in.”

Jeongguk smiled. “Well, I definitely need to talk to you about it.”

“Why are you smiling? What happened?”

“See the problem we were facing?” Jeongguk continued to smile, “about my wolf?” 

Taehyung nodded.

“Is not a problem anymore.”

“How is that possible?” Taehyung couldn’t understand.

“It’s possible because your daughter, like I had predicted, is just like you.” Jeongguk smirked.

“Quit playing the riddle game Jeon. Tell me what changed?” Taehyung smacked Jeongguk’s chest.

“Okay, okay,” Jeongguk pulled him into a hug again. “Since I was in my wolf form when she descended on earth, my little angel, and just like her father had inflected on me at first glance, Jinie inflected on my alpha the moment she spotted it.”

Taehyung sprang back up. “She did what?”

“Her eyes glowed crimson,” Jeongguk chuckled, “and everything changed. Now my wolf is going to protect her with its life.”

“Why is dying the only way you can explain such stuff? Nobody is dying! Nobody is giving up life for anybody. Was I not clear enough that day?” Taehyung pouted, now coming back into character as soon as all his problems seemed to be solved. 

“Of course your Majesty,” Jeogguk beamed. “Your wish is my command. We will live forever and ever. Now, will you get some sleep? You must be exhausted.”

“So are you, I’m sure,” Taehyung said. “Come on, let's sleep while we can. You never know when our baby highness decides to wake up. She will be ruling our lives from now on, clearly.”

Jeongguk smiled fondly, positioning himself as the big spoon per habit (the hospital allowed alphas to stay with their omegas post partum, it helped them heal faster, and strengthened the bond), “like dada, like daughter,” he chuckled, pulling Taehyung gently into himself, positioning him flush against his chest.

“We did it, huh Ggukie?” Taehyung asked, snuggled comfortably into Jeongguk. 

“We did,” Jeongguk nuzzled at Taehyung’s nape, placing a gentle kiss there. “I am so proud of you, pup.”

Taehyung’s omega preened under the praise, happy to have its alpha’s attention on himself and their child. 

“There’s only one thing I didn’t understand,” he whispered, sleepy. “Your wolf was fine with the baby when I moved in. What changed suddenly? Why did it start having trouble accepting her?” Taehyung paused, and then added. “I’m just curious, not accusing you. There’s only that much we can control of our wolves and the way you have controlled yours is incredible.”

“What changed you want to know?” Jeongguk smiled against Taehyung’s skin.

“Hmmm,” Taehyung hummed.

“I fell in love with you.”

Taehyung stilled. But Jeongguk continued talking.

“Earlier, Jinie was my soulmate’s baby. But when I realised that I fell in love with you, my wolf recognised you as its mate, and started feeling awkward and angry about you carrying another man’s child. She was never someone else’s for my human, but wolves are possessive you know? That’s why,” he said.

“You—”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk said, pressing in closer. “And also, you don’t need to respond to it. It’s my truth, I think it has been for a long time, and I’ve shared it because it was important for you to understand that my wolf’s struggle came from a place of love and possessiveness, and nothing ugly. But take all your time to respond. Because I am going to woo you Kim Taehyung. Make sure you fall for me too.”

“You didn’t say—”

“I didn’t want you to feel that my feelings for you have anything to do with your pregnancy,” Jeongguk said. “Now sleep. We have plenty of time to talk about this. Sleep, love. You need it.”

Taehyung didn’t fight it. He sank back into his alpha’s chest, overwhelmed, tired, and happy.

“I love you,” he heard Jeongguk repeat, as he fell asleep, engulfed by the scent of white musk and a pair of arms he trusted more than himself.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t that Taehyung didn’t want to say it back. But just like Jeongguk didn’t want to confess before the delivery, wanting to ensure that Taehyung knew that his love was not dependent on his pregnancy, Taehyung too had plans of his own. He wouldn’t deny though, that Jeongguk’s confession had not just brought him relief, but also a sense of completion. 

No, he never felt that he was incomplete. 

But ever since his feelings had shifted, he had felt that their story—his and Jeongguk’s, was somewhere fragmented. Two people who had always shared their journey, right from entering the world in the same year and growing up by each other’s side, presenting one after the other, being thrown into parenthood together, finally seemed to be on different paths for the first time in their lives. 

And that didn’t sit well with him. 

He didn’t feel that Jeongguk had to fall in love with him. But he had felt so lonesome in that journey, pining for a love that he thought would never be his. Normally, he could ask the alpha for anything, and it would be brought to him, no questions asked. He couldn’t bring himself to ask for the alpha’s heart in the same way.

Three words, that had started to feel reciprocated when Jeongguk had stood by him in front of Doyun, when the alpha had kneeled before Taehyung just before he had passed out, and when he had willed himself to transform for the omega’s well-being, had been confirmed with the confession. Instead of exciting him and overwhelming him, the confession had settled Taehyung, making their relationship feel whole again. 

He hadn’t slept so well in a while. 

Even though he woke up multiple times in the middle of the night to feed the newborn, he felt fresh the next morning. He knew that it was because Jeongguk had surrounded him and the baby with his calming scent through the night. 

“Alpha,” he said in a tone he knew would work, and watched as Jeongguk’s doe eyes snapped up at him, “please sleep for a while. I will wake you up in a couple of hours.”

“I’m fine, pup,” Jeongguk protested meekly, “I can stay awake.”

“I know you can. But I want you to sleep. Okay?” He looked at Jeongguk with the exact expression that the alpha used to say would never work on him, and he watched it work. 

“You promise to wake me up if you need anything? ”

“Of course. Who else would I ask?” Taehyung said sweetly. 

Jeongguk melted. If it was possible, he would practically turn into a puddle and remain in that form, but Taehyung could swear he saw the alpha’s bones turn into jelly. He carded his fingers through Jeongguk’s hair till the alpha was sound asleep, watching him with eyes that were full of emotions and unspoken feelings. He wasn’t that worried. They had time. 

And honestly, Taehyung wanted to take the time. Now that he wasn’t pregnant anymore, he knew that his feelings for Jeongguk were genuine, not hazed by hormones, and not even triggered by vulnerability. He knew that the way he felt for Jeongguk was the strongest he had felt for anyone—but he also knew that it wasn’t just the bond. It was how Jeongguk had simply slid into the role of Taehyung’s perfect partner, as if the space was built in his shape. And it was.

Taehyung couldn’t imagine anyone else beside himself anymore. 

It was in how Jeongguk had fit seamlessly into a shared life, into the role of the second parent as if he was waiting for the right time to come along. It was in the way Taehyung had never had to ask him to come for the doctor’s visit, or to participate in the exercising sessions as the supporting partner. It was in how enthusiastically Jeongguk had involved himself in the baby shopping, and in the building of the nursery. And it was in the way he wasn’t just doing it for the baby or for Taehyung, he was doing it for himself as well.

For Taehyung, it was also in the fact that he had gone completely against his alpha instincts willingly, and never said a word against Taehyung chasing his ambition, trying instead to do everything he could to enable it— from the pick ups and drops, to the casual visits just to check in on his day, to building a rapport with Taehyung’s staff so they felt comfortable enough to reach out to him in case of any emergency. He was in Taehyung’s corner, and he had refused to budge from that position. Jeongguk had assumed the role of being the wind beneath Taehyung’s wings, and he was committed to the role.

The omega had always known that Jeongguk was a league apart. It was only after they started to live together that Taehyung realised he was also the only one who fit into Taehyung’s ideal type. He also realised that the very reason why he had always overlooked the fact was that he never believed that they could be more than friends. The thought had been scary, and the fear had been cliché— of losing his soulmate to the complexity of a romantic relationship.

None of them had stopped to think that they were the forever kind of people, made for a forever kind of relationship, no matter how they chose to navigate it.

So it had surprised him, the mere simplicity of falling in love with Jeongguk, because it didn’t alarm him, didn’t make him feel anxious, it wasn’t a freefall from a thousand feet. Falling in love with Jeongguk was like finding the most comfortable spot on the softest bed, and falling into comfort, warmth, and safety. 

Hearing him confess his feelings was exactly the same—soft, happy, and grounding. 

Taehyung couldn’t wait to say the words back. He also knew that the right time hadn’t arrived yet. There were things he needed to untangle, and scores he needed to settle before he submitted himself to Jeongguk the way Jeongguk had submitted to him. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The first words Jimin said when he saw Jin-ae were, “ohh, this one is going to be spoiled rotten. I love it!”

Hoseok and Jeongguk had nodded like it was obvious, Yoongi had smiled indulgently, and Taehyung had tried to glare but failed. It was inevitable. Jin-ae wasn’t just the first child in both of their families, but also in their friend circle. She had five uncles, one aunt, and six sets of grandparents doting over her already, as was evident from the truckload of gifts that had arrived from Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, and Jimin’s homes upon receiving the news. 

“The good part is that we’ll never get into trouble about spoiling her because Gguk will be topping the list,” Yoongi had said calmly, holding her in his arms as if he’d been taking care of infants all his life. Jimin and Hoseok had stared at him like they had never expected him to ease into the role of the uncle so smoothly. He walked around the room with the infant in his arms, pointing to various things, talking to her like was already an adult, while Jin-ae seemed to absorb every single word that fell from his mouth.

But the moment Jeongguk came back into the room (he had gone to speak with the doctor), Jin-ae’s head turned towards him. And then her eyes followed him wherever he went.

“Does she keep looking at JK like that?” Hoseok asked. “Its like she doesn’t register anyone else when he’s around.”

“She really doesn’t. Hardly looks at me when Ggukie is in the room,” Taehyung confirmed. “Has he not told you what happened?”

“No,” Jimin said immediately. “What else are you keeping from us?”

“What else? What do you mean?” Taehyung asked.

“Nothing. Tell us what happened?!” Jimin deflected.

Sighing, Taehyung looked in the direction of his daughter. Jimin would always talk like he knew way more than he gave away. “Jinie inflected on Jeonggukie’s alpha right after she was born.”

“Jeongguk was in wolf form during your delivery?” Jimin asked, shock evident on his face.

“He was,” Taehyung confirmed. “He felt that the power of healing would be stronger in that form than in human form, so he had shifted.” He caught Jeongguk’s eyes across the room, his breath catching in his throat at how devastatingly handsome the alpha looked, hovering over the baby’s cot, fixing things that didn’t really need fixing.

Jimin walked up to Jeongguk, pulling him into a hug. “That must have been so tough for you, boy,” he said knowingly. And then he whispered, “you must really love Tae more than anything else in the world.”

Jeongguk’s eyes looked like they would pop out of their socket. “How… how… what… huh?!”

Yoongi laughed at the exchange, obviously in on Jimin’s secret, shaking his head at the sheer stupidity of the two in assuming no one would guess what they felt for each other. “You’re too obvious, kid,” he whispered equally softly. “Have you told him?”

Jeongguk couldn’t help but nod in wonder, realising that the only person oblivious must have been Taehyung, because he caught a similar smug smile on Hoseok’s face— this was the smile he had been seeing very frequently on the faces of his family members whenever he spoke about Taehyung and the baby, as if they were all in on a secret that he was not allowed to know.

Well, now he did.

Apparently, one look at him and one insight into his behaviour around Taehyung was enough for people to know that he was head over heels in love with the omega. 

The knowledge that his love for his omega was evident pleased his wolf, and for the rest of the day, Jeongguk roamed around with a slightly puffed up chest. 

Jin-ae was a replica of Taehyung’s, the same mismatched eyelids, the same bread cheeks, the same mole on top of her nose— when the almond eyes stared at him in wonder, Jeongguk would thank his stars that he would get to witness her growing up in front of him. The fact that she looked like Taehyung automatically meant to him that she would grow up to have the same fiery personality, and ohh, he would love to fan that fire, play an active role in bringing out the tigress in her. 

He gloated to everyone within earshot that his firstborn was an alpha like him. And that he could just visualise how an alpha born of his mate, his Taehyung, was going to grow up to be the best specimen of the breed to ever exist. The nurses would giggle when Jeongguk would pass by, poking each other and fangirling over how smitten the alpha was for his mate and pup. The doctors would discuss how this would positively impact the recovery for the omega, and growth for the infant.

In fact, they were sure that Jin-ae had not required extra care, even though she was born ahead of her time, only because Jeongguk’s presence had hastened her development. Not many considered this possibility, but having an involved and participative, caring and responsible alpha father often resulted in healthier babies than usual. The hospital rarely saw many of those, most babies being cared for by omegas and their omega siblings or parents. 

In the case of Jin-ae, Jeongguk was much more visible than even Taehyung, who was still recuperating from the stressful delivery and the after effects of birthing a child. “Your omega birthed a little lady with all the luck,” the head nurse told Jeongguk when she came to check on the infant, finding her nestled safely in Jeongguk’s arms. 

“Actually, she’s my lucky charm,” Jeongguk smiled, “and him?” he nodded at his omega, sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed, “he’s the very source of everything good that has ever happened to me.”

Whipped, they called him behind his back, a few of them jealous of Taehyung, and a few of them blessing him for being so open about how he felt about his omega. I’m just an alpha in love with his family, he corrected them, when he overheard them talking about him.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

The official statement had been shared with the community four days after little Jin-ae was born. It had come as a joint announcement from the pack alpha’s office and the second-in-command, stating their joy in announcing that they had been promoted to grandmother and grandfather with the arrival of the very first Kim-Jeon. Celebrations would follow as soon as parents and child were in a position to step out of the house and mingle with the pack members, to seek the elders’ blessings for the newborn and to share their happiness with the rest of the pack.

The pack erupted with joy while receiving baskets of sweets and delicacies accompanying the announcement, showering their well wishes on the trio. 

Jeongguk and Taehyung had insisted on holding the announcement till the hospital cleared them for discharge and had only given the go ahead when the doctor had given them the green signal for today.

And that’s how Jeongguk had found himself at the reception, settling bills, and staring at the final form, while Taehyung’s parents and Taehyung wrapped up the necessities and packed the supplies in the room. The form asked clearly for the names of the omega parent and the alpha parent of the child for hospital records, and to prepare the birth certificate that would be delivered to the parents in a week’s time.

Everything else was settled, all other fields were filled, but Jeongguk’s eyes and hands were stuck on the blank field beside ‘alpha parent.’ He had asked the nurse for a bit of time and walked to an empty corner to deal with his emotions while he filled the form. The only thought plaguing his mind being, in case of any medical emergency, would he be able to match the biological requirement of being Jin-ae’s real father? Rooted to his spot, Jeongguk wondered what to do, not because he thought anyone else’s name should feature on his daughter’s birth certificate, but because these would also go into the hospital’s records, and he didn’t want to become a hindrance in any future problems that little Jiyoonie might face.

The insecurities had started to make their journey back towards him when a voice taunted him, “can never fill my shoes no matter how hard you try, eh, Jeon Jeongguk?”

The last person he would ever want around his daughter was standing right behind him, smirking because he knew he had caught Jeongguk in one of his most vulnerable moments. 

“Why are you here?” Jeongguk asked through gritted teeth, turning around to face Doyun. 

“I heard that Tae was done giving birth," Doyun said, pronouncing birth as if it was a crime. “So I came to take him home with me. Though you should have informed me four days ago,” he tsk-ed. “Given that I am the father of the child.”

“You are?” Jeongguk hissed. “Took you long enough to be able to say that.”

Doyun shrugged. “If I have to bring in the kid to have the omega, I must. I need Taehyung.”

“So you lied to him.”

“Ohh, he told you?” Doyun beamed. “He must’ve made the decision in my favour already then. When did he tell you? Before the delivery or after? I told you, you should’ve informed me before. He must be upset with you for not telling me sooner, eh?”

“Is that what you think?” Jeongguk didn’t want to cause a scene, but he could barely control his anger anymore. “That Taehyung would believe your lies?”

“He did, actually. For a long… long time,” Doyun’s smugness made another appearance. “Never suspected that I would clip his lovely little wings and domesticate him as soon as I made him mine. That face and that body belongs inside the house, preferably in my bed, not running a lousy business.” He paused. “He’s gained back his figure I assume? Now that the baby is out? Or is it going to take time?”

“I—”

“You can see for yourself,” Taehyung rounded the corner and came into view, carrying Jin-ae in his arms. “This is how an omega who has just given birth looks like, Doyun-ssi,” he pointed at himself, eyebags prominent, a little bulge still visible near his lower abdomen, his hair a little dishevelled, and held in place by a clutcher, his skin pale from the exertion his body had gone through.

Doyun’s nose scrunched in disgust.

“You can start exercising soon though?” He spoke as if he was reassuring himself. “You never took much time to lose weight. And some proper skincare will bring the glow back and—”

“But I won’t have time,” Taehyung pouted, “with the baby, I won’t have time Doyun-ssi.”

“Can’t your parents handle it?” Doyun asked. “Or, you can just hire a nanny or something. You must get back into shape Tae. Soon. Way before our wedding, and before I can introduce you to my family. You’re already with a child… on top of that if you look like this…”

Taehyung laughed. He laughed so loudly that his entire body shook and the sound woke up the sleeping infant in his arms. And the moment she did, her eyes looked for the source of Jeongguk’s scent, and landed on him.

“Would you look at that?” Taehyung said, his voice saccharine sweet. “Even a four-day-old knows who her real father is. And she didn’t even hear you speak,” he looked straight into Doyun’s eyes, purposeful. “I’d suggest you get the f—... get out of here Doyun-ssi, before I call the hospital security and have you thrown out. I have no idea what gets you the audacity to talk to me, or my mate like that.”

“He hasn’t even claimed you.”

“That’s the only argument you have, huh?” Taehyung’s voice was calm, yet firm. “He hasn’t. He didn’t, because it was a health risk during pregnancy, not that you would know about those things because you don’t really care about anyone except yourself. He will, when he wants to. When we both want to.”

He paused.

And then he looked at Jeongguk, and held his gaze before continuing,

“Actually, he doesn’t even need to, because he loves me more than anyone ever has. And love like that doesn’t need a mark to prove itself. He doesn’t need to, because he would give up everything for me. Because I trust him with my life, and I trust him with my daughter’s life. And because,” he walked up to Jeongguk, stopping where their toes almost touched.

And then he leaned in, pressing his lips to Jeongguk’s, whispering, “because I love you, Jeonggukie. I’ve loved you since forever, will love you more every single day.” 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

It still took Jeongguk about thirty minutes more to sign the papers. First because he couldn’t see the form well enough through his tears. And second because as soon as he realised that Doyun had started to walk out of the hospital sensing that his plan had failed, he had handed the form to Taehyung’s father, followed the disgusting alpha, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him out towards the back of the hospital. 

He wouldn’t lie. He wanted to beat the alpha to death for everything he had done to Taehyung. But this was the day of his daughter’s homecoming. It was the day the love of his life had said the three magic words back to him. And it was the day he was becoming Jin-ae’s father on official records. He wasn’t going to ruin the day with the murder of a useless wolf.

So he simply held the alpha by his collar, and with one precise punch, broke his nose, and walked away saying, “you can bill the medical procedures to me, asshole.”

Then he stopped, turned around to take a final look at the bleeding piece of shit, and used his alpha voice, “if I ever see you anywhere close to my omega or my daughter, you won’t live to see another second of the day. Remember that.”

Chapter Text

Raising Jin-ae was… an adventure.  

That was the word Taehyung would choose, rather than anything between amazing and exhausting. Sharing this journey with Jeongguk had truly turned it into an adventure, of discovering new things together, of sharing all her firsts, of celebrations and worrisome nights, of triangular cuddles, and falling asleep in a protective huddle. Their little apartment was sometimes filled with uncontrollable shrieks, and sometimes with giggles. Silence became a treasured moment, and baby powder, the dominant smell.

Ah well, sometimes, it was poop. But we will choose to ignore that.

The soulmates had an entire village around them, ready and willing to offer help. But in some sort of a strange delusion, they had opted to resort to it only in emergencies. Every day they cursed at themselves for not taking the offer of more regular intervention from their parents or friends, wanting to learn parenting 101 on their own. But every time Jin-ae gave them her gummy smile, the world seemed a little better, their  energy refilling. 

And Jeongguk was Taehyung’s ace. Because little Jinie would always smile at Jeongguk. She was smitten by her appa. 

So whenever Taehyung needed to distract the infant or make her stop crying, he would summon the alpha. Not that the alpha was very far away from him at any point in time. All the clinginess had multiplied a hundred times, with Jeongguk found either stuck to Taehyung’s back, or sitting with Taehyung’s head on his lap, or massaging his shoulders, or cuddling him to sleep. 

The rhythm had set itself, with the alpha and the omega moving around each other seamlessly to make their trials and errors work. 

Yet there were days when Taehyung wondered what it would be like if he had remained steadfast in his decision of raising Jinie alone. He would draw a comparison sometimes, just to entertain himself. And he never felt that it was something that he couldn’t do. If he would be raising his daughter alone, their bond would be deepened, him being the only one to experience every kick, every milestone, every gurgle. It would make him completely self-reliant and resilient, taking pride in being her sole provider and protector. They would grow together, building a cocoon of their own, an omega father’s alpha daughter, special in their own little way.

But now that he’d gotten a taste of how it was to raise a child with Jeongguk, Taehyung wouldn’t trade it with any experience in the world. Raising Jinie with Jeongguk was like multiplying every single joy four times, and dividing the hardships by two. If one soothed, the other protected, if one guarded, the other played. It was like creating the perfect orchestra. Having his soulmate around to share every responsibility, every moment, every single step with him was fulfilling in a way Taehyung had never imagined. And he knew that had life turned out differently, he would never be able to experience this. 

If not for Jin-ae’s sudden arrival into their lives the way she had, they may have both found different life partners, and been happy too, but they would have never known the exhilaration that came from sharing a life together. 

Days had routined themselves around feed times, diaper changes, cooking, eating, catching a few winks, bath times, washing and sterilising, and an incessant supply of cuddles, scenting and snuggling in Taehyung’s nest. For the first few weeks after the delivery, Jeongguk had done all the heavy lifting because it took Taehyung some time to recover from the aches and pains, and the heavy tiredness in his bones. 

Together, they had managed to navigate Taehyung’s post-partum depression too, something the ob-gyn had already warned them to be on the lookout for. It was natural, she had said, for a child-bearer to slip into it post delivery, especially because this wasn’t a regular pregnancy, shared with the birth-father. Terms like this had stopped bothering Jeongguk and Taehyung, now becoming the mechanical description for someone who was essentially the sperm donor. But the impact of the man remained, now much easily steered through, ever since they had confessed their feelings to each other. Their alpha and omega had found their home in each other, every other wolf in the past ceasing to exist. 

“This is a condition that doesn’t have a set pattern, or a set period of time,” the doctor had mentioned clearly, “for some child bearers, it hits immediately, and for some it comes in the later months. Some of them never go through it, and some get severe bouts. You must treat it with empathy, kindness, and not with guilt. It’s not your fault,” she had emphasized. There were various causes behind its occurrence, ranging from the sudden hormonal drop post delivery to the guilt and pressure of being the perfect parent. She had prepared them well, being a pillar of support from the day they had walked into her office about nine months ago.

Taehyung’s post-partum depression was short-lived. But Jeongguk was on the alert, and for those few days that the omega had withdrawn into a shell, he had not let the ball drop. 

Surprisingly, (and not so much), the only other person with whom the infant had been absolutely comfortable, had been Yoongi. The beta had literally camped in the living room of the Jeon-Kim residence, looking over the infant, feeding her a bottle when required, changing her diapers, humming her lullabies and tucking her into her cot when Jeongguk would be looking after Taehyung. Jimin had been around, staring at Yoongi in awe, wondering how they had never known about his ability to handle a child so well. 

Taehyung’s depression had made him distance himself from the child, making him go through a dissociative spell where he couldn’t fathom how he birthed a child belonging to someone who was as vile as Doyun. For those few days, it had seemed to Taehyung that he shouldn’t have kept a child who wasn’t born out of love. He had cursed himself for ruining Jeongguk’s life, for creating a pressure situation for himself and his soulmate, for disrupting everyone’s life, and he had identified his daughter as the sole cause of it all. 

Jeongguk couldn’t recognise this Taehyung, but he didn’t stop loving the omega. He knew where all the hurt came from, he knew the origin of the pain, and he knew it was a phase. So he surrounded Taehyung with as much love as possible, showering his attention over him, never bringing up the child unless Taehyung did, and just ensuring that Taehyung knew he would never leave him.

This went on for a few excruciating days. Jeongguk’s heart bled for both Taehyung and their daughter, but he knew they needed to ride it out. Until one day, Taehyung woke up in his arms, shook him awake, and asked him,

“You really don’t hate her even a little bit? Not even when you know she’s not born from you?”

Jeongguk shook his head.

“Why?” Taehyung asked.

“Because she’s born from you,” Jeongguk said calmly. “And I don’t think there’s anyone I love more than I love you. How can I hate someone you created? How can I hate someone who looks like a mini you?” He knew he was repeating things, but he could also see the cloud clear behind Taehyung’s eyes. “How can I possibly hate someone who will call me appa, because of you?”

Taehyung sobbed in his arms for hours after that. He let him.

Then he asked Jeongguk to help him bathe, clean the room, air out the sheets, and finally stepped out to pick his daughter up from the crib, kissing her face multiple times as she giggled at the touch. Just like Jeongguk, Jin-ae held no grudges against her dada. She looked at him in awe, her almond eyes searching for something in his face. That was the first and the only day Jin-ae didn’t even glance at Jeongguk when Taehyung was in the room. 

It made Jeongguk the happiest. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

“Why did you choose halmeoni’s name for her, pup?” Jeongguk asked one day. He’d been meaning to ask for a while but kept forgetting amidst all the new chores that took up their time. Today, the little one had slept a little longer, and the apartment was quiet, and they had finally found some time to share a meal. 

“Ah, you haven’t guessed yet?” Taehyung quirked an eyebrow.

“No, I only assumed that you wanted her to be as much a Jeon as a Kim,” Jeongguk said. “I was too emotional about it to think further.”

“That was a reason,” the omega nodded, “it definitely was. But also, what does it mean, Ggukie?”

“What does it mean?” Jeongguk scratched the back of his neck. “Jin means true. And Ae means…”

“Love.”

“Love.”

“She brought me to my true love,” Taehyung moved closer to Jeongguk, climbing onto his lap, resting his head on the alpha’s shoulder, sighing dreamily. “What could even be a better name for her?”

He received no response. 

Taehyung waited for a while before lifting his head to look at Jeongguk, and realised that the alpha was sitting there, his expression stunned. It was as if he was still grappling with the fact that Taehyung was his, as he was Taehyung’s. So Taehyung did what was the only thing he could do at the moment, he pulled the stunned alpha’s face towards himself, and captured his lips into a kiss. Jeongguk shuddered at the touch, and melted into the kiss. His hands went around Taehyung’s torso, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, suddenly too aroused to care about anything else.

He poked at Taehyung’s lips with his tongue, urging the omega to open up, pushing his tongue inside, tasting the sweet juice they had just drunk to wash down the food, and something inherently Taehyung. His hand slipped inside the loose shirt Taehyung was wearing, skimming across the warm, bare skin right above his waistband, making Taehyung shiver at the intimacy.

Slowly, he traced the contours of the wet cavern, taking his time, pouring all his love into the kiss, stopping for a while to simply suckle on the upper lip, as his thumb kept brushing against Taehyung’s skin. Taehyung arched his back from the sensation, allowing himself to be kissed like he’d never been kissed before. He bit Jeongguk’s lips in silent invitation, lighting a fire in the alpha who couldn’t have enough of him. 

The kiss grew hungrier. From tracing each other’s mouths, it turned into a clash of teeth, tongues, and lips, inhaling every bit of air that rested between them, devouring lips like they hadn’t just shared a meal. This hunger for each other, seemed to be insatiable. And the kiss seemed to be the only cure. 

In silence, their lips conveyed months of pent-up feelings, their longing for each other, the love they held so dearly, wondering if it would ruin their friendship. The kisses told the story of the way they had waited for each other to cover the distance and meet where their hearts had been for all the time. The swallowed gasps and moans spoke of the way their souls had finally been able to recognise that the depth of their feelings was actually rooted in unconditional love— that their beautiful friendship was holding in its embrace a kind of romance fit for novels. That their friendship was just the beginning, the very foundation of their journey, and not the destination. 

Jeongguk wanted Taehyung.

Ohh how much he wanted the omega. But he wouldn’t push. It had barely been a month since the delivery, Taehyung’s body was still healing. And they had time. When they broke apart for air, and panted against each other’s mouth, resting their foreheads together, Taehyung whispered, “we should do that again sometime.”

“I can do this all the time, pup,” Jeongguk responded. “You have no idea just how much I love kissing you.”

And Taehyung’s content smile told the alpha how much he had loved hearing that. That kissing him was more than enough for now. That it meant something. That it didn’t need to lead somewhere else for them to be happy and satisfied. That sharing a kiss with the person he loved was enough— was more than enough.

The omega was always a confident person. He was a firecracker of a spirit, different from everyone around him, with an uncommon outlook towards life, and an attitude to live life king size. The relationship with Doyun had pushed that personality to the back, trading his individuality for stability— and only now Taehyung understood why the idea of settling down with Doyun felt unexciting, and exactly that… settling. For less.

Jeongguk exhilarated him. Being with his soulmate made him feel alive every moment. Taehyung was always a confident person, but with Jeongguk’s love and devotion, he bloomed. He laughed more, he sang more, he lived. He felt cherished, cared for, and loved beyond imagination. He was treated like royalty, and it didn’t even take much, because he knew that in Jeongguk’s heart, he reigned supreme.

And Jeongguk? He thrived under the attention. Jeongguk had always been the most sought after alpha in the community ever since he hit puberty. He was the ace, the golden boy, centre of everybody’s focus. All of that came with immense pressure to perform, to be perfect, to always reach for the stars. Taehyung grounded him. He held him close to his roots, made him feel that he was more than enough, and that he could simply be. That he didn’t need to do anything extra to be loved or accepted. With Taehyung, Jeongguk soared. 

But the damned kiss? It may have been an impulsive decision, but it opened doors for them. The dam was broken, and the flow of the water was now uncontrollable. They had finally crossed the bridge between confession, and its manifestation. Touches lingered, snuggles escalated, cuddles ended up in make out sessions. Saliva was exchanged more often than not, every few sentences ending in a liplock because they had just discovered that they could. That they didn't need reasons, or excuses, or cover ups to express their love in any way anymore. They could express it through touch, through words, acts of service, and exchange of meaningful silences. That they could simply say “I love you” and mean “I cannot survive without you.”

Jeongguk’s phone gallery that used to be filled with baby pictures of Jin Ae, started getting filled with his baby’s pictures too. A whole new folder emerged, of Taehyung sitting, Taehyung walking, Taehyung eating, Taehyung sleeping, Taehyung’s moles, Taehyung’s eyes, Taehyung’s legs that jutted out the blanket when he slept, Taehyung’s pretty fingers, Taehyung’s lips in a pout— you get the drift. 

But his most favourite ones were where Taehyung was caught unaware, cooing at Jin Ae in his arms. For Jeongguk, it was like his entire world was captured in a single frame.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Their parental leave was to last for six months, and now they were at the end of the fourth. Little Jinnie was settling into her own routine, sleeping for longer hours, feeding well, crying very seldom, and charming the socks off everybody she met — which mostly included her doctor and nurses at the hospital whom she met for her vaccinations, her grandparents, and her uncles and aunt. However, at the end of four months, when her parents were finally ready to introduce her to the pack and seek blessings from the pack elders, it wasn’t a wonder that everyone was cooing at her bread cheeks, and commenting on her resemblance with Taehyung.

“The little firebrand,” one of them said. “We always wondered how Taehyung would turn out if he presented as an alpha, and now I guess we will get to see it.” 

“You are so lucky,” another said to Jeongguk, “landing up with the prettiest omega, and his exact replica as your child!”

“I would have to agree,” Jeongguk had smiled victoriously, no shyness in his answer as he admired his love and his daughter from across the room. “I guess some people just have all the luck,” he grinned. “And I am definitely not complaining.”

“Well you do make for a beautiful little family,” chirped Jimin, popping in from nowhere. “I always knew you would end up falling for each other.”

“Yeah yeah,” Jeongguk said. “I knew you were waiting to say that. Well, to your credit, you’ve held on for a long time.”

“I really have. I learned about it way back in college!”

“Yeah right,” Jeongguk scoffed. “That’s why you made me carry him over the threshold on the wedding day, didn’t you? It made me feel some type of way for sure, even though I never admitted it then.”

Jimin smirked, “some things just need a push in the right direction. I am happy to provide the push anytime!” 

A hand went around his waist, shutting him up effectively. “Jiminah, stop taking credit for something you had no role in,” Yoongi chuckled. “Yeah, you had predicted their fate correctly, but that was all of us. It was only these two who were blind enough not to notice,” he said, pointing at Taehyung and Jeongguk. “But you know friendship sometimes does that. And to be honest, it was a joy watching your friendship bloom, as well as when it slowly changed from friends to lovers.”

“Wow, hyung, you’ve become quite a romantic,” Jeongguk quipped. “Never thought I’d live to see the day. It’s all because of Tae, isn’t it? He turns you into mush.”

“Tae, and his daughter,” Jimin interjected. “He’s such a soft puddle of feelings for both of them. Not that I’m protesting,” he smiled mischievously. “It worked quite in my favour if I must say.”

“Gross,” Jeongguk said. “Stay away from me!”

“You’re one to speak, making heart-eyes at your husband across the room,” Jimin countered.

“Ohh shut up you two,” Yoongi said. “Jeonggukah, why don’t you go and relieve Tae from carrying the little kiddo around?”

And before he could finish the sentence, Jeongguk was already walking in that direction with purposeful strides. The boyfriends chuckled, “who would have thought we’d see a whipped Jeonggukie one day. The ever elusive alpha, now trailing his omega like he can’t even see anything else.”

“He really can’t, though.”

Which was the truth. But you couldn’t really blame Jeongguk, his human and his heart were inflected upon by the love of his life, and his wolf was inflected by his daughter. Taehyung and his mini version had really captured him in a web of love, adoration and affection that he never even wanted to escape.

In Jeongguk, Taehyung had found his home. But in Taehyung, Jeongguk had found his eternity. And together, they had created the perfect little world, a safe and happy place for Jin Ae to grow into the beautiful human being that she’d become in the years to come. 

Chapter Text

Taehyung had watched the entire interaction from across the room, being unable to take his eyes off Jeongguk when he laughed, his eyes crinkling, his nose scrunched up adorably. As he watched the man approach him, a gentle smile spread across his face, and he acknowledged to himself how he  alternatively and relentlessly gave Taehyung a cuteness aggression and hot flushes lately. And Taehyung, usually a calm, controlled, and extremely self-assured omega, who never batted an eyelid before putting an alpha in their place, did not know how to handle himself around this one particular alpha who happened to be his best friend, his mate, the love of his life, his everything . Ever since Jeongguk had confessed to him, it was like someone had opened the floodgates, and now the flow of the water had a mind of its own.

His feelings were uncontrollable, and so were his thoughts. And they went to dangerous places. 

The funniest part was that they had already had sex. Several times. When Taehyung was in his second trimester and his hormones were acting up, indulging in sex didn’t seem a big deal after they had crossed the line the first time. And even then, it didn’t just feel like sex. Every single touch and every single movement was deliberate, holding the promise of so much more. And yet, it was easy to fall into, never feeling like something that didn’t fit their dynamic. 

But things had changed after that, with both of them fighting their own battles, followed by the delivery and four more months of walking the tightest rope, learning to survive while raising an infant. The emotional turbulence had been the highest any of them had ever faced, and coupled with the exhaustion of late nights, early mornings, feed times, and burping schedules, sex had been the last thing on their minds. 

The first kiss after coming home with the baby had caught them both offguard, reminding them how strong their need for intimacy was. They had found themselves getting entangled in each other quite often after that, lips refusing to lose touch, and hands getting bolder by the minute. But they were still drained from the constant chores that lined themselves up in the initial months of a baby’s arrival. There were sudden sneezes that sent them into near panic attacks, a rise in temperature that had them both up all night, a cry of pain that they couldn’t make sense of, or just days that went by like a hurricane leaving both of them looking like zombies. 

They were lucky if they caught a nap in each other’s arms on such days. 

Lately, after little Jinie turned three and a half months old, she started falling into some sort of a routine, leaving her parents with a little more time to breathe. For the past two weeks, she had slept through the night, and Taehyung was immensely grateful that both Jeongguk and him looked like people and not harrowed scarecrows when they appeared at the party, set up to welcome their daughter into the pack. 

On his insistence, they had taken the time to put some effort into looking good, wearing matching clothes, putting on some makeup, and appearing perfectly put together. Of course their little pup’s dress was also part of the ensemble Taehyung had ordered. Namjoon and Hoseok hadn’t stopped snapping photograph after photograph of the couple with their beautiful child, and Taehyung had already chosen about ten of them that he wanted to frame and put up on the walls of their apartment. 

It did them a world of good to be out and mingling with people apart from their usual crowd, being in the open, breathing in the fresh air. All they had done in the past four months was visit the hospital for check ups and vaccinations. The only people they had met were medical personnels, family and their close friend circle. The only routine they had followed was centred around the baby. Seeing different faces, walking around as little Jinie was carried turn by turn by all her uncles, aunt, and grandparents, made both Taehyung and Jeongguk feel quite rejuvenated. 

Not that they didn’t enjoy their usual routine, raising a child together was something they would never trade for any other experience, but they were young wolves too, craving community and connect was something inherent to them. This gathering was refreshing.

But gradually, it also came to an end. And it was time to go home. 

Jeongguk had been talking to his parents when Seokjin walked up to him signalling that Taehyung was looking for him, and the younger alpha immediately excused himself to go and look for his mate. His parents and Seokjin smiled at the whipped alpha, not even trying to hide the satisfied smiles on their faces at how things had turned out for the younger ones. 

“You were looking for me?” Jeongguk asked Taehyung as soon as he spotted the omega.

“I was. Are you ready to leave or do you want to stay for some more time?” Taehyung responded.

“I’m ready to leave whenever you are, or whenever little princess is,” Jeongguk said. “Let’s go.”

“Uhh, about that,” Taehyung grabbed Jeongguk’s elbow and pulled him along, the confused alpha following willingly because… it was Taehyung.

“About what?”

“About your little princess,” Taehyung chuckled awkwardly, “umm… so… you know how she loves Yoongi hyung?”

“Aah, she does, doesn’t she?” Jeongguk replied, his voice soft. “Who knew that grumpy grandpa would be so good with kids?”

“He has never been grumpy with me, what do you even mean?”

“You’re different,” Jeongguk pouted, “he melts as soon as you come in front of him. Not everyone has the Kim Taehyung privilege on Min Yoongi.” 

“Not that topic again! He is sweet to everyone!” Taehyung exclaimed. “Listen, I was saying… our Jinie loves Yoongi hyung. And she loves Jiminie too. Right?”

“She does.”

“So,” Taehyung hesitated for a second before blurting out, “it should be perfectly fine if they assume babysitting duties for the night, right?”

“Babysitting… our kid?” Jeongguk’s eyes were as big as baseballs.

“Yeah, she’s the only kid around at the moment,” Taehyung scrunched his nose. “They know the code to our apartment, they’ve been there countless times. They know where everything is kept, and they have our number.”

“But why do they need to do that? Where are we going??” Jeongguk was getting hyper by the second.

“Just… like… are you okay with leaving her with them?”

“Tae, pup,” Jeongguk exhaled, “if you don’t explain this to me, I am just going to get very very worked up about this entire thing and we won’t get anywhere with it.”

Yeah, he was self-aware like that.

Taehyung sighed. “I’ve just,” he mumbled. “I’ve booked ourselves a room at this really fancy hotel for the night. Just… wanted to spend some time with you alone.” He hung his head low. “Asked them and they said they’d love to babysit her for the night. So I thought…”

Jeongguk took a few steps to close the distance between himself and his omega, placed his fingers under Taehyung’s chin and lifted his face to look into his eyes. “You want to spend the night with me?”

Taehyung nodded.

“My omega wants to be with his alpha?”

Taehyung nodded again.

“And you thought I would say no to that?” he smiled.

Taehyung’s face broke into the most beautiful grin that Jeongguk had ever seen (fun fact, he thought so every time Taehyung smiled). “I didn’t, but I was a bit skeptical because we’ve never been apart from her.”

“That’s true,” Jeongguk agreed. “But they are people I trust, and they know how to handle her, and she’s been sleeping through the night lately.” He smiled a wicked one before adding, “so we can take a chance at not sleeping through this particular night.”

“Shut up,” Taehyung smacked his chest. “How’d you ever score dates with such horrible flirting skills?”

“I scored them with this face,” Jeongguk winked. “But they didn’t stay because no one would tolerate such horrible flirting skills except for you, my love.” 

“If you’re done evaluating your romance meter,” Yoongi spoke from a bit of distance, “we’d like to call it a night.”

“Yeah, take this to the room you two,” Jimin hollered, “it’s so disgusting that it's cute. And I don’t want to witness any more of it than I already have.” 

Jeongguk scowled at him, and he stuck out his tongue, and Yoongi butted in before another fight broke out between them. “You want to say your goodnights to the kiddo?”

“Yes!” The couple called out, hurrying towards the beta, the elaborate goodnights lasting for another fifteen minutes before they could finally let go and watch as Yoongi and Jimin carried their precious little treasure towards the car. Not wanting to change any setting for Jin-ae, they were letting Yoongi drive Jeongguk’s car to their house, and taking his car to the hotel instead. 

Taehyung moved into Jeongguk’s arms, resting his head on Jeongguk’s shoulders as they watched the car drive away till it became a speck.

“Should we?” he whispered, turning his head a little towards his alpha. Jeongguk nodded, taking his hand and walking towards the other car. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Checking into the hotel like a newly married couple, they blushed profusely as if they were not mated for over a year already. Their wedding anniversary had come and gone, none of them in the right frame of mind to celebrate it because their daughter was running a high temperature that night. But tonight, tonight they would celebrate, tonight they would enjoy their share of moments, tonight… tonight they would finally revel in the sweetness of their bond.

Before entering the hotel premises, they had called Jimin to check up on their daughter. “She was out like a light,” Jimin had told them. “Don’t worry, it’s all good.” He had turned the camera on and showed them how peacefully Jin-ae was sleeping, and the parents had sighed, relieved, finally walking into the hotel.

“Enjoy your stay, sirs,” the service staff bowed out after showing them to their room, “this room has a beautiful window right above the headrest of the bed,” she added. “You can see the sky from it.”

She turned around to leave, and turned back, looking at the couple before saying, “it’s a full moon night, you know?”

The couple were left speechless, marveling at the coincidence. 

The honeymoon suite of this particular hotel came with luxury adorning all its corners, reflecting from the cut of the furniture, to the amenities that came with the room, and the idea of spending a night here had struck Taehyung when they hadn’t been able to celebrate their anniversary. To be able to do it on a full moon night just like their wedding day seemed to be a plan conjured by the universe just for the two of them. And now that they were left alone, the air around them was slowly heating up, the scent of white musk spiking, mingling completely with the cardamom, making their thoughts and intentions very clear to each other, even without the requirement of words. 

“You want to freshen up?” he whispered to Jeongguk, holding out his hand, and walking backwards towards the bathroom, a lopsided smile on his face because he knew Jeongguk would follow. 

“Are we thinking about a bath?” Jeongguk smiled back, thrilled to have this time with his omega, his mind short-circuiting with happiness that knew no bounds. More so because Taehyung had planned this. Especially so, because Taehyung had wanted to make this night happen. 

“We are,” Taehyung said, turning to walk into the bathroom, leaving the door open as an invitation to his alpha.

“I like the sound of that,” Jeongguk said, before he surged forward and gathered Taehyung in his arms, slotting their lips together in a kiss that sent a zip of electricity along the length of Taehyung’s spine. Taehyung pressed himself forward, losing himself in the kiss, his hands snaking around Jeongguk’s neck pulling him even closer than he already was. 

“Can I?” Jeongguk asked between chasing Taehyung’s lips and catching his breath. “Can I get rid of these layers between us? Want to feel you against me, pup.” 

“You can,” Taehyung whispered back. “And no more questions for the night, just follow this here,” he poked at Jeongguk’s heart, “and know I’m with you every step of the way. Make me yours, alpha.”

Jeongguk shuddered at the words, and before he could overthink their implication, he pressed his lips against Taehyung’s, his hands making quick work of getting rid of the omega’s shirt, and letting his own fall off his shoulders as Taehyung had already unbuttoned them. A few minutes later, they were under the shower, washing away the day’s dust from their bodies, focused on each other’s lips as if their worlds ended right there. Nothing else mattered as they devoured each other’s lips between soaping each other, lathering it up, washing the suds off, and feeling their hands map the other’s body, not leaving a single inch untouched.

“I don’t want to do it in the shower,” Jeongguk panted against Taehyung’s mouth, his length rock hard, his hands trembling from anticipation. 

“Take me to bed then,” Taehyung said, his voice barely above a whisper, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He moved close enough for the alpha to grab him by his thighs, picking him up and walking to the bed in long strides, their erections rubbing against each other, eliciting moans, sending shivers down their bodies.

Jeongguk laid Taehyung down softly on the bed, laying him out over the covers, for him to see and admire. Under the moonlight that shone through the window, Taehyung glowed. He shimmered, looking every bit as ethereal as he was, and squirming under the hungry gaze of his mate’s that ravished him with those eyes. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said, “my body hasn’t… it hasn’t… gone back to what it used to be.”

“You’re beautiful,” Jeongguk responded, firm, yet gentle, as he climbed over the omega, “I wouldn’t change a thing about you, ever.”

“But…” Taehyung went on to say.

“Shhhh,” Jeongguk quietened him with a finger, holding his gaze, and then slowly pushing the finger into the omega’s mouth. “Suck on this,” he commanded softly, “instead of telling me how to admire you. That’s something I know how to do better than anyone else in this world.”

Taehyung trembled at the praise wrapped in the command, slowly welcoming the finger into his mouth, wrapping his tongue around it, locking his gaze with the alpha. And he sucked, and he moaned, and he watched Jeongguk’s irises grow darker and darker with want the more he sucked, his slick pooling on the sheet underneath him, just from the heat of the alpha’s eyes on him.

In a swift motion, Jeongguk replaced his finger with his own tongue, invading Taehyung’s mouth with the muscle, lowering himself on the omega, his slicked finger wrapping itself around a nipple, wetting it, before he tugged on it slow, deliberate. A desperate cry left Taehyung’s throat, laden with desire, and completely gone. 

Withdrawing the onslaught of his tongue on Taehyung’s mouth, the alpha slowly trailed kisses from his cheeks, to his jawline, dragging his tongue up to the omega’s earlobe, making him shiver as his licked a stripe near that erogenous zone. “I’m not,” he said, “I’m not going to stop tonight.”

“I don’t… uh… I don’t want you to, either,” Taehyung confirmed.

“Very well,” Jeongguk raised his head a little, before attacking the omega’s collarbone, “I’m not responsible for whatever happens from here, you are,” he said between kisses, bites and licks, “your body drives me crazy, pup.”

Taehyung couldn’t speak anymore. It was exhilarating, having Jeongguk’s touch on his body, lighting a fire in him that he never wanted to let go of. Every single touch from Jeongguk felt at the same time like a prayer, and a sin moulded together. It was like Taehyung’s body was the only song Jeongguk’s fingers knew how to play. 

Those fingers traced every contour with reverence, touched every curve with love, and dipped into every nook and corner like they were searching for treasure. He followed them up with his lips, tongue and teeth, scraping, nipping, dragging the wetness across, covering the entire expanse of the liquid gold in his saliva, branding Taehyung, marking him his, and not just with bruises. 

Taehyung arched his back and moaned unabashed, when the alpha’s lips closed on one of his nipples, the other one being mulled between two fingers, making the omega drip the bedsheet wet beneath himself, craving for more. He slid his fingers into the curls of Jeongguk’s unruly hair, tugging at them, never wanting the mouth to leave his chest, and yet, wanting the same mouth on every other part of his body.

But Jeongguk wasn’t done. 

He shimmied down Taehyung’s body, his cock rubbing on Taehyung’s thighs, as he kissed right down the omega’s torso, and Taehyung suddenly used his hands to stop him midway. Jeongguk looked up, straight into Taehyung’s eyes, trying to figure out the discomfort. And instantly, he knew, that it wasn’t a ‘no,’ his instincts told him whatever he needed to know and he slowly dipped his head, keeping eye contact with Taehyung, as he placed the first kiss on a stretch mark.

There was nothing lustful in that kiss. It was a kiss that was grateful, worshipping, and full of reverence. As soon as Jeongguk’s lips touched the mark, Taehyung’s hold on his hair loosened, and Jeongguk bent his head to kiss every single stretch mark, murmuring a ‘thank you for holding my most favourite wonder inside of you, for giving her a home, and for protecting her till she was ready for the world.’ Taehyung’s grip tightened again, more and more with every word spoken as he pulled Jeongguk up by his hair to crash his lips against the alpha’s.

“I love you,” he sobbed. “I love you so much Jeonggukie.”

“And I love you,” Jeongguk whispered back. “More than you will ever know.”

The omega inhaled sharply, his limbs all entangled with the alpha, the only light in the room being the moonlight streaming in from the window. And in that silvery stream, Taehyung's eyes met Jeongguk's over the confession of their feelings yet again, this time synced, both of them feeling equally intensely for each other. The omega held that gaze before he uttered, “claim me then, alpha.” He heard Jeongguk's breath hitch as he added, “and let me claim you. We've had enough of not being bonded to you, my love.”

There was that certainty in his voice that stopped Jeongguk from asking if he was sure. There was that love in his eyes that held every answer to every question Jeongguk had ever seeked. There was that quiet resolve in the moment that made it feel just right.

Jeongguk dipped his head, placing his lips directly on Taehyung's scent gland, tasting it, before he nodded slightly, saying, “I want that too. My alpha and I want to be bonded to you too, pup.”

They kissed again, this one seeming like a confirmation of the life-altering step they had both agreed to take. It wasn't a clash of teeth and gums, but more of a gentle exploration of each other's mouths, as if worshipping the space that held those sacred words that were spilled a moment ago, expressing their gratitude over the final agreement.

Jeongguk's hand slowly slid down Taehyung's body, their lips still attached to each other, as he found his way to the dip between his ass cheeks, wetting his fingers with the slick pooling there. He circled the rim, once, twice, a third time, swallowing Taehyung's moans, and finally pressed the digit into the hole.

Excitement of what was to follow buzzed through him, his length lying neglected, but he was too far gone to care, taking his own sweet time to open Taehyung up, adding one finger at a time to the now gaping hole. He held Taehyung flush against him, chest to chest, and kissed him through it, lowering his mouth only when he was three fingers in, only to heighten the sensation by latching his teeth onto a nipple, biting lightly as he pressed and prodded and got the omega ready for himself.

And when it was time, he positioned himself, lining his cock to the entrance, still holding Taehyung to himself, as the omega lapped at Jeongguk's scent gland, arousing him even beyond. Bit by bit, he pressed himself in, feeling how Taehyung's walls slowly engulfed him, tight. It was heady. It was mind-numbingly beautiful. It was achingly love. 

“Please move,” Taehyung could barely form words, but he did, knowing that Jeongguk needed to know that he was okay. “And don't… not gentle.”

That was all Jeongguk needed to hear. He set a pace, thrusting in and out of Taehyung as if his life depended on it, and the omega met him thrust for thrust, his nails digging into the alpha's back, his moans like erotic music in the alpha's ears, turning him on so much that his pace was now animalistic.

With a cry, and Jeongguk's name on his lips, Taehyung came untouched, his body arching, his eyes rolling back, and Jeongguk chased his high too, his pace getting sloppier, his face tucked into the crook of Taehyung's neck. “Come, my alpha,” Taehyung breathed out once, and that was all it took for Jeongguk to tip over. He wasn't even embarrassed as he came hard, nestled inside his omega, his mate, the love of his life for the very first time. The high was proportional to the impact Kim Taehyung had on his life. 

They stayed like that, waiting for the alpha's knot to swell, and catch on to the omega's rim, locking them in position, ready for the next step in their lives. They held each other's gaze, the moonlight falling right between them, as if symbolising how their bond was eternal, meant to be. Taehyung went to tilt his head, but Jeongguk stopped him with a slight press of his hand.

“Claim me first,” he said, “it's only fair that you do.”

“How?” Taehyung asked, breathless.

“Because,” Jeongguk smiled, “You've always claimed me first, pup. From inflection, to choosing me, to allowing me to be here with you like this, you've always claimed me first anyway.”

Eyes watery, Taehyung bared his fangs, bonding with his alpha in the most primal of ways possible, but with all the love in his heart. Then he proceeded to bare his neck, becoming Jeongguk's equal in submitting to their bond. 

The knot subsided in a while, and they weren't locked together by their bodies when they took a nap, but they were now intertwined for the rest of this life— the eternal relationship between their souls finding a way to shine through. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

It wasn't like that was the only time they made love that night. And it wasn't like that was the only night they made love henceforth… the attraction between them simmered as much as their love, and they found themselves giving into the desire to wreck each other quite often over the next few months.

What they didn't realise, or take into consideration in that blissful haze, was that with Taehyung's body recovering, and Jeongguk's course of suppressants coming to an end, Taehyung was most fertile, and Jeongguk, extremely virile. 

So when Taehyung found himself staring at the two pink lines on the pregnancy test on the day Jin-ae turned eight months old, he walked straight up to Jeongguk, smacked his head, and flopped into his lap, whispering, “how would you feel if someone other than Jinie called you appa?”

“Why would any—” Jeongguk began, before he stopped himself, his eyes wide, “you don't… don't play with my heart pup!”

“I'm not,” said Taehyung, his lips on the claiming mark, “you can go and check in the bathroom.”

“Let me get that app…” Jeongguk started to say, as Taehyung snapped up his head, only to see that the alpha was staring at him with adoration in his eyes, waiting for him to look up. And then Jeongguk cupped his face with both his hands, and pressed a kiss to his forehead saying, “I never thought you'd make me this happy, twice in the same life, my love. I'd love to have another little pup call me appa, as long as you're happy to be their dada.”

From where his face was now tucked into the alpha's chest, Taehyung smiled, because somewhere his heart had known that Jeongguk was the only one meant to be home for Taehyung and his children. 

Chapter Text

“Why is nobody ever ready on time in this household?” Jeongguk hollered. “We’re getting late, people. Move your asses please!” He was scowling at no one in particular, standing in the living room, ready to go, but all alone. They should have left by now, but obviously, no one apart from him was ready yet. Some things, he realised, never really changed.

He was just going to call out again when his eyes caught some movement on the side and he turned his head just in time to catch Taehyung descending from the stairs, his lips in a pout. “Why are you shouting Jeonggukie?”

Jeongguk’s voice softened, as it usually did around Taehyung, as his face morphed from annoyance to admiration and he walked towards his husband, “just wanted to hurry the kids up pup.”

“We have time.”

“Sure we do,” Jeongguk nodded in agreement. “Can I kiss you?”

“Ggukie!”

“Yes?”

“You can’t just change the topic like that,” Taehyung still got shy under Jeongguk’s gaze.

“I absolutely can if my pup looks drop dead gorgeous. Let’s go back to the bedroom for a couple of minutes,” Jeongguk started to walk towards the stairs as Taehyung pulled him back.

“You were just complaining about us getting late?”

“He’s whipped,” a voice said from behind them. “If you say it's midnight right now, he will make us all believe that it is, in fact, midnight. He will pull up arguments and prove it right.”

“Yeah. It’s disgusting,” another voice quipped. “You never stop, do you?”

Taehyung turned around to face the source of the comments and raised a brow. “That’s not how you talk to him.”

“Leave it be, pup,” Jeongguk tsk-ed. “They’re not lying. I am whipped. Proudly so.” Then he too, turned towards the two, his expression turning incredulous, “have you seen him?”

The ones whom this was directed towards looked at each other and sighed as if this was a scene of a drama they had lived through too often. “Can we go now?” they said in unison.

Taehyung shook his head. “No way! We’re still ahead of time, and we haven’t clicked any photos yet. He walked towards their direction, adoration shining in his eyes, “you look so adorable today Jinie. Must you always scowl at your appa and ruin your pretty face?”

“He triggers it,” Jin Ae said, sulking. “It’s literally my day and he’s looking at you like none of us even exist.”

“To be fair to appa,” Ta Jun, Taehyung and Jungkook’s younger child said, “he’s always looking at papa like that. It’s not new. And you,” he winked towards his sister, “should have gotten over it by now, because you’ve been seeing it for the past twenty two years.”

“I’ve been seeing it doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Jin Ae shot back, unamused. “Since when are you on their side?”

“Oh I’m not. They don’t need anyone else when they have each other,” Ta Jun chuckled, “not even us.”

“Ohh shut up you two,” Taehyung rolled his eyes. “What is this behaviour? He’s your appa, not your friend that you keep teasing him all the time. Now come on, let’s get our photos clicked and then we get going.” He turned his head around towards Jungkook and asked, “Ggukie, where should we take the photos?”

Jeongguk was caught unaware at the sudden question since he was busy admiring his family while they were interacting, wondering for the millionth time how he got so lucky in life.

“Uhh… garden?”

Taehyung nodded and paraded the children off to the garden while Jeongguk gathered his camera, the tripod and the works, and set up his equipment at the right spot, checking for the perfect light and the frame and looked through the lens at his family. His eyes watered for a moment before he gathered himself and clicked a shot of the three. This would be for his own collection.

“Ggukie! You need to be in the frame too,” Taehyung complained.

“I’m just checking the settings sweetheart,” Jeongguk replied.

“I bet he’s crying,” Jin Ae whispered to her brother.

“I won’t even argue with you on it,” Ta Jun smirked. “Such a sap.”

Jeongguk finished setting the camera up and joined them in a few seconds, holding the remote in his hands. He stood tall behind his three precious jewels, holding Taehyung’s waist gently per habit, and let the camera do its wonders.

“Let’s go love?” Taehyung whispered after a few captures. “Don’t want to get late to our most special daughter’s graduation ceremony.”

“She’s literally your only daughter,” Ta Jun groaned. “I swear I feel invisible sometimes in this household. When are you leaving the house noona? Aren’t you old enough to move out now?”

That earned him a light smack on his head from Jeongguk. “Nobody is leaving this house,” he said, voice slightly cracking at the end. “Come on, let’s hurry,” he strode off.

The three of them followed the alpha even as Jin Ae whispered to Taehyung, “I swear I’ve never seen such an emotional alpha papa, I bet he’s fighting his tears.”

Taehyung glared at her, “stop teasing your appa, Jinie. You know why he’s so emotional.”

They filed into the car and sped off towards Jin Ae’s university. 

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Twenty two years, Jeongguk thought as they found their seats in the college auditorium, waiting for the program to start, fiddling with his camera to adjust the setting to the lighting inside the venue. Their little Jinie was graduating college today as a valedictorian and he couldn’t be more proud. His hair now had grey streaks in them, and so did Taehyung’s, and their son, Ta Jun, had recently turned twenty. Considering his age, Taehyung and Jeongguk had tried to be every bit the liberal parents that they were when they had asked him if he had other plans for his sister’s graduation day. Ta Jun had looked at them with a very judgemental expression before asking, “do you?”

The parents hadn’t taken the conversation further, realising that they had asked the wrong question. No matter how much they fought, they were siblings after all. 

Jeongguk’s mind wandered to their growing up years, and to a time a little before that. To how excited he and Taehyung had been when they had figured that they were pregnant for a second time. To how Taehyung’s second pregnancy had been devoid of any complication at all, him being surrounded by Jeongguk’s devoted attention and with Jin Ae growing into a beautiful little human. To how Taehyung could feel that his body was so much more at ease because he bore a mark on his neck, and so did his alpha. To how exponentially more clingy and protective Jeongguk had been throughout the pregnancy. 

And especially to how well little Jinie had adjusted to the role of the elder sister. There wasn’t an iota of jealousy in the seventeen month old little girl when she had welcomed her little brother into the world with open arms and a heart full of love. Ta Jun was an omega, and Jinie was as protective of him as Jeongguk was protective of his loved ones.

“It's in her genes,” Taehyung would joke sometimes, at the magical similarities between Jeongguk and Jin Ae. Jeongguk would laugh, pride shining in his eyes, completely at ease with owning the fact that he had such an impression on the child despite not being her biological father. Genetics could never overpower the love he had for their daughter. 

Such was their bonding, that there had been a phase while Taehyung was pregnant with Ta Jun, when he had been quite insecure about their second child who was about to come into the world. It was a strange insecurity, because this one was Jeongguk’s own blood. But the alpha father and daughter were a team, inseparable, and completely wrapped around each other’s fingers. And Taehyung had started to wonder if the unborn child would struggle to create a space for themselves.

He had forgotten, while dealing with his worries, that now he was a claimed omega. It didn’t take long for Jeongguk to pounce on him, asking question after question until he broke down, revealing the truth. And instead of misunderstanding him or questioning his sanity, Jeongguk had held him in his arms and promised that he’d never discriminate between their children. “You know why I’m not at all worried, pup?” he asked while placing soft kisses on Taehyung’s face.

Taehyung had shook his head a no.

“Because I see no difference in Jinie and her little sibling. Both are mine, and both are yours. So where is the chance that I will treat them differently?” He whispered. “They’re both ours, yours and mine. Hmm?” 

Taehyung had cried tears of relief. Because it was actually that simple. Their children were just theirs, and that explained it all.

Ta Jun was a beautiful child too. He looked like Jeongguk, but he inherited his fierce omega spirit from his dada. And from the moment he was born, he was in awe of his big sister, his eyes following her around when he couldn’t move, to later tagging behind her like her little shadow when he could. Jinie never minded. Together, Jinie and Junie were an invincible duo, their adorableness and charm captivating their parents’ friends, families and acquaintances alike. 

It was like watching Taehyung and Jeongguk grow up again, because they were a curious match. Jinie looked like Taehyung, behaved like Jeongguk, but was as spoiled as Taehyung was. Junie looked his appa, behaved like his dada, but was as organised as Jeongguk. Jinie would leave a trail of her things scattered around the house, and little Junie would move around, picking things up and putting them in their respective places. Junie would get into arguments with alphas and betas looking down on male omegas, and Jinie would calm him down with an ice cream treat. 

Taehyung and Jeongguk would thank the moon goddess every single day for giving them such a wonderful family to raise, and for bringing them together. 

Their love grew by leaps and bounds, the bond working wonders for them. It was said that inflected couples would always form a stronger bond than any other mated wolf pair, and Taehyung and Jeongguk could see that happening with them. They were not just compatible mentally, physically, and emotionally, they brought out the best in each other. Their respective businesses soared, despite them being slow at work with back to back pregnancies— they had trained their teams well. They understood each other best, respected each other the most, and their love for each other was unconditional. The children grew up watching a set of parents who hardly argued, had no ego about apologising to each other in case of any disagreements, and always, always came to them as a team. 

In a couple of years since the birth of their second child, the alpha and omega had purchased and moved into a bigger two storeyed house to make space for their growing family. They still kept Jeongguk's apartment for the memories it carried, spending some alone time there, or date nights, when Yoongi and Jimin, the grandparents, or Namjoon and Seokjin would offer to babysit the children to give them a break. The new house had a spacious garden for the children to play around, and for the four beautiful wolves to transform and run around whenever they wanted. In a curious turn of fate, both Jinie and Junie’s wolves had turned out to be different shades of grey, a perfect mix of Taehyung and Jeongguk's wolves. 

A lot of times, the pack touted them to be the ‘perfect family’ but those four? They were simply focused on enjoying their lives together, the children growing up in a perfect balance of love, affection, and friendly banter.

Jinie and Junie knew that Jeongguk loved Taehyung beyond everything. And they knew Taehyung loved Jeongguk equally, if not more. 

They also knew that for Jeongguk, anyone standing on the opposite side of Kim Taehyung was invisible, even if it were his own children. Therefore, a lot of their demands required interventions from their huge pool of uncles and aunts, and grandparents. Somehow, even then, they would find that the person who actually won the little battle at the end of the day, was their dada. 

Jeongguk’s eyes misted over as frame after frame of the children’s growing up years flashed before his eyes— the first time eating solids, the first words, the first walks, the first day of school, the first arguments, and the first apologies. It seemed like just yesterday he was buying onesies for his kids, and today one of them was graduating, and the other had already entered adulthood. When did time fly by him so fast?

Then he looked over at his partner, his soulmate, his love, who was already looking at him, as usual. He caught Taehyung’s eyes and smiled. And Taehyung smiled back, and involuntarily, Jeongguk’s hand pressed over his heart, and he sighed.

“Ggukie,” Taehyung shook his head. “Stop flirting with me!”

“Never in this lifetime, my love,” Jeongguk shot back. “You’re so beautiful that I still can’t believe you're mine sometimes.”

“I am old,” Taehyung chuckled, “that’s what I am. Look at all the silver hair,” he pointed towards his peppered head. 

“Absolutely stunning,” Jeongguk said, his eyes shining. “I can prove it to you later, when we get home.”

“Prove what?”

“How I feel about you,” Jeongguk winked.

“Please stop,” Ta Jun murmured from beside them. “You’ve been flirting for the past twenty two years. Do you never get bored? Or like, want to grow up?”

“Son,” Jeongguk reached out to tap his hands. “I pray that you find someone who makes you feel the way your papa makes me feel. Then, and only then you would understand that love grows in crazy ways with time.”

Ta Jun grumbled in a low voice, something about being left alone with two lunatics. And the older couple laughed at his annoyance.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

In a couple of minutes the ceremony began and Ta Jun heaved a sigh of relief. He brought out his phone and started clicking photographs as soon as his sister entered the stage, waiting with baited breath for her speech. Would he ever admit that to her? No. But was he immensely proud of her? You bet.

The new graduates received their degrees and felicitations, and settled in their seats for the valedectorian’s speech.

Quietly, Taehyung reached for Jeongguk’s hands and held them in his. He knew they would be trembling— from anticipation, nervousness, and pride. 

“Good afternoon friends, professors, parents and families, who’ve gathered here today to witness the moment we leave behind the protection of our alma mater, and foray into the real world,” Jin Ae started to speak. Taehyung handed over a napkin to Jeongguk who was already sobbing. 

“All of us graduating today come from the privilege of having a supportive unit somewhere, who have enabled our journey in education this far, helping us open up our minds to knowledge, to new experiences, to questioning things we don’t agree with, and to learn to stand by things that we do.” Jin Ae looked around the auditorium, confident in her stance. 

“I wish for all of us to go out into the world and aim to become people who can enable others to access the same privilege,” she said. “I wish that we all work towards being better people, bringing happiness to ones who have a little less of it, and using our capabilities to make our world a better place to live in. I don’t mean to say that we need to engineer transformative change in magnitude. Well, it would be great if we did. But changing the life of even one living being for the better, is a huge step forward. in itself”

She paused, took a deep breath and trained her eyes on her family. 

“If I were to give an example, I would give the example of my dada. I started to call papa as I grew up, but I do miss calling him dada some days. The little girl in me lives on, I guess. Anyway, if I were to put it simply, the decision for my dada to bring me into the world wasn’t an easy one. But he did, and he stood by it, and I know he would give me the best upbringing and opportunities even if he were to walk the entire journey alone. Dada… my lovely, fierce papa, I love you for who you are, and for never compromising with it. But I love you more for teaching me to do the same.”

Jeongguk squeezed Taehyung’s hand, unable to control his own tears, and watched as Taehyung beamed at their daughter, his cheeks pink, his eyes wet as well.

“My brother, who shows me everyday how to be a better person. To understand and learn that ranks mean nothing, and it's all about the heart and the mind, and being fair, just, and loving. Well, there is only that much that I can speak well of you, before I get called out by the sibling code of never praising your brother in public, but know that you’ve changed me for good. And I do love you, even though I may not admit to it after this.”

That drew a ripple of laughter from the crowd. 

“And,” Jin Ae paused again, “the third and last person that I want to thank is someone who is my role model.”

Jeongguk was hoping his turn would come too, but his shoulders sank just a little bit, though he kept his proud smile intact. He didn’t know who his daughter’s role model was, but guessed it was a professor or some well known personality.

“He’s someone who did things that he didn’t need to do at all. At a very young age, he made decisions that altered his life completely, but he stuck by them, and he made good on every single promise he made. Maybe, even beyond. I’ve never looked up to another person more than him, even though I spend most of my time teasing him or telling him that he’s too sappy to be an alpha.”

The crowd laughed again, and Jeongguk’s eyes snapped up towards the stage.

“But you know what? He owns it. He owns the sappiness, because it's directed towards my papa, the love of his life. He owns every decision he’s made because it is to keep my papa and us happy. Like one day, in his mid-twenties, he decided that he would choose to become my father, and till date, he has given his all to make sure that he’s the best father out there. No offense to other parents here, but my appa is the best.”

Taehyung and Jeongguk had shared her truth with Jin Ae when she turned eight. 

“And with that, he’s taught me that love is the most powerful weapon in the world. My appa didn’t give birth to me. I wasn’t born from him. My appa didn’t give me life, but he gave me a reason to believe in it.”

The applause was deafening, but Jeongguk couldn’t hear a thing. His tears wouldn’t stop, and his daughter’s words continued to ring in his ears. He had no idea that Jin Ae had grown up so much, that she noticed so much . 

“Every time I look at you papa, I always see appa too, because he’s right there, standing next to you— be it in happiness, in pain, in decisions, or in protectiveness. And I hope that as we all move out into the world, we gather the courage to stand by our belief systems, our convictions and our love like that. Only then will we be able to bring the change we want to see.”

Jin Ae stepped down from the stage amidst thunderous applause, but she ran straight into Jeongguk’s arms to get her hug. It didn’t matter that his tears wet her cloak. Ta Jun, not to be left behind, piled on to the both of them, hugging Jeongguk from the back. 

And Taehyung looked on, his eyes still moist, and his heart full, knowing that walking to Jeongguk’s door all those years ago had been his destiny, because his precious little family was supposed to be born from that very journey. At that precise moment, Jeongguk lifted his eyes, red from all the tears he had shed, and caught Taehyung’s gaze. With a slight bend of his head, he beckoned his mate closer.

As Taehyung walked into the family hug, he was immediately engulfed by his alpha and their children, all three of them clinging to him, because he was the centre of their world, and that would never change. He allowed himself to soak in the love that was surrounding him, Jin-ae's speech bringing him back to a memory he would always cherish. The memory of the full moon night when he and Jeongguk had commemorated their first anniversary belatedly, by claiming each other had struck him, and a slight touch of pink dusting his cheeks. He thought of the vows they had finally shared, after becoming bonded to each other for eternity by heart, soul, and mark. The vows had not been eloquent, but they had meant the world to both of them, turning them into sobbing messes.

"My alpha," Taehyung had said, "I was always destined to find my way to you, and while I don't know when I woke up feeling more, so much more for you Jeonggukie, but I did know that it was a more intense version of how I already felt for you. Love, in its purest form. When we were growing up, I always wondered if you were just my best friend. But the day I realised that I'm in love with you, there wasn't a single shadow of doubt in my mind. If I ever had to choose between the world and you, I'd give it all up, for us, without even blinking my eyes." He had paused and smiled, "you and my baby, of course." Jeongguk had nodded in understanding, whispering, "we will always be on the same side as you, you know that."

Then he had steadied himself, and said just one line that had meant everything to Taehyung, and still did, even after twenty-two years of married life, "My love, everything I can say to you is something you already know, and therefore, all I promise is that, wherever you are, whatever you do, in whichever state you are in, and however you feel, you will always find me standing next to you."

And he had never faltered on that promise, upholding it with his life, like he had been doing even before making it.