This Mask of Mine

120

Yoongi noticed the change in grip in Jimin's hugs when they saw each other again after being away for hours, noticed the need and worry in his scent before it melted away to contentment and relief. Jimin was relaxed again, himself again, once the realization that Yoongi was there sunk in. That Yoongi hadn't left him, that he still wanted him.

If Yoongi left the bed at night, Jimin would sometimes start getting restless in his sleep or sometimes even wake up to find him because that was his time to be with Yoongi and Yoongi was leaving. A lot of Jimin's reactions were now instinct than logic.

A hiss when someone touched Yoongi, snapping his teeth at whoever tried to touch himself that wasn't Yoongi or a pup, pushing himself into Yoongi's arms even if he had just seen him.

Yoongi took him to the elders to try and lessen or delay the dependency. He wanted to mate Jimin, just not now. All his work would be wasted.

Jimin's eyes started filling with tears when they were taken to separate rooms and Yoongi could feel his heart breaking at his banging on the door.
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Jimin was still asleep on the cot in the elder's room when Yoongi came in. It was light and not very restful, but it was the first time in a month he fell asleep without Yoongi.

Their bond had almost finished its maturity—where any attempts at suppressing or breaking would be impossible and their health could start getting jeopardized—when they came. They would need to come for the procedure for a while until Jimin could last at least a day without acting out or breaking down without Yoongi. Jimin had been the most impacted out of the bond, Yoongi only having a rush of fury at anyone else who could touch Jimin and feeling Jimin's flurry of emotions.

The procedure had them be put to sleep as the elders spoke with their wolves and tried to wean them away from each other. There were suppressants—a low dose to prevent addiction or harm to health—incense, prayers, and other methods used while their terras were asleep.

Jimin was in between coming back together and waking up. Yoongi had been extremely disoriented when he did and his chest and head hurt, so the first thing he did was rush into Jimin's room. Almost immediately, the pain subsided in Jimin's scent.

The omega squirmed on the cot and let out a little whine, but Yoongi was hit in the chest by a cane when he went to comfort his intended.

"Touch him and today will be for nothing," the elder scolded.

"When can I touch him?"

"When he is okay on his own."

"I promised to help him with his heat!" Yoongi cried out. The elder gave him a confusing face; not exactly repulsed, not exactly alarmed.

"You are not mated yet."

"They hurt him!"

"Do you want this bond to get worse and harm him even more?!" The elder shouted now. Jimin let out another little whine.

"Of course not, but—"

"Spending his heat with him when the bond is not cemented or suppressed will do more harm than help," the elder growled.

Jimin's whine was a bit louder, eyes cracking and heavy arms stretching to Yoongi. His chest was hit again with the cane when he tried to gather him up in his arms.

"It would be better if you left separately." The elder's voice was cold. "It would be better if you were separate as much as possible during the process."

Yoongi looked from him to Jimin, who had tears gathering in his eyes again because Yoongi wasn't coming to him.

"I'm sorry, Min," the alpha whispered before he was pushed out of the room. The door slammed shut as soon as Jimin registered he was leaving without him. The weight in his body disappeared and he launched himself at the door, trying to work the complicated lock through blurry eyes and crying out for his courter.

Yoongi's heart broke more and more with each step away from the door.