CRAVE || TAEKOOK

*.✧ 6 ✧.*

Taehyung didn’t know how long he’d been awake. All he found he could do was lay there and stare at the ceiling. Jungkook’s scent had faded, and it now reeked of himself, which wasn’t really a pleasant thing to wake up to when he realized the comfort was no longer there.

After what happened last night, he found it hard to get his mind off of his mate. Their talk on the porch generated a sense of security between them. The problem was evident, and they may not have a solution just yet, but they would work through their unruly alpha natures together, even if it was the thing that tore them apart.

Once Taehyung had entered his bedroom to have a good night’s rest, Jungkook’s scent had engulfed him just like it did before, but this time it had a different effect. The hint of smoke was suddenly platonic, and it seemed his sexual desire for his mate has been put to rest for now. It had wrapped Taehyung in a pleasant feeling, one that allowed him to drift off to sleep instantly in a blanket of safety.

Maybe it was the emotional connection they had established earlier in the night. Finally things had become clear, not only their situation, but the attraction they have for each other. For Taehyung, it would only appear every so often, usually when he wasn’t tempted to rip Jungkook’s head off. It was a constant battle between the mate bond and their alphas, and there could come a time where one had to be the winner.

With a groan, Taehyung sat up, the sun coming from the window simultaneously blinding him and providing an unexpected warmth. He let the feeling overtake him for a moment as he contemplated getting out of bed, but soon his hunger convinced him to stand and stumble out the door. He noticed he couldn’t sense Jungkook in his room, and his heart began pounding at the thought of seeing him downstairs.

After quickly doing his morning routine in the bathroom, he made his way down to the main floor. He fully expected someone to be down there, but when he walked through the living area, there was not a sound except for his bare feet padding on the floor.

Taehyung wondered where everyone had gone, though his thoughts mainly went to his mate. Once he glanced at the clock in the kitchen, he at least had a reason in mind. It was noon. He didn’t know how he could have slept that long. Maybe he felt some kind of relief after his talk with Jungkook, and that released any kind of stress that prevented his sleep from being sound.

He went to open the fridge, halting as he wrapped his fingers around the handle when he realized it was just another reminder of him. Having a mate was exhausting; there is no escaping the intrusive thoughts. Every interaction had left a mark on Taehyung, and most of them were more like stains—negative memories that brought regret at times, even if his big alpha ego stood behind his unreasonable actions.

Huffing out a breath, he swung the door open only for the shelves to be nearly empty. Taehyung was too distracted yesterday to notice that there was a huge lack of food. That could explain why everyone had gone, maybe they ate at the pack house. For a moment, he thought he could skip breakfast, but as soon as his stomach rumbled, he found himself throwing on boots and sticking his knife through the holster in his jeans. Somebody had to hunt.

After all, it would be a great distraction from whatever the hell was going on inside his head.

Taehyung stormed out the back door and in no time he was running into the woods. The scent of the trees and soil had his instincts kicking in, and soon he was trailing deer tracks, which seemed like they went on for miles.

No matter how much he tuned in to the noises of the forest, Jungkook always seemed to creep back into his mind. Sometimes he didn’t even know what he was feeling about him. It was just… him, his existence. There was a fine line between his undeniable attraction and irrational anger, and all Taehyung knew how to do was ride it, even if it was constantly blurry by his opposing emotions.