The Unlikeliest of Mates

Chapter 5

Achilles's Mom :))

Achilles POV:

The coming weeks were a bit of a blur at the Joensa Clan household. The formal meeting preparations were daunting and all of it was causing more than stress and high tensions.

After the meeting between the Tocano pack, Achilles was dismissed to his room where he was able to have a well-earned private breakdown which was then proceeded with a bubble bath and drawing.

Now he felt less conflicted about the arrangement but that didn't stop the endless jitters of emotions as January approaches. It was now the 23rd of December and thus only about two weeks remains till the date. The days before felt like a blur, it surprising him every time he remembers the meeting was only five days ago.

He sighs as he closes his novel. These days he's been camping out in the library in hopes of avoiding the planners from Korea who like to poke and prod at him while also giving him unsolicited advice on how to be a better leader, how to walk, speak, act, etc. It was mentally and emotionally exhausting and he was so over it. His mother was his only saving grace, but she too was getting swept up in the preparations.

Today was the second fitting for the garments, traditional hanboks which were worn at all Korean weddings. Although this was more of a mating ceremony than an actual wedding, appearances were important, and things had to look more proper for the elders to be accepting of a more taboo union such as this.

Achilles shelves his book and walks out of the library, hoping to sneak by the ensemble of omegas and betas loitering in the hall closest to the library stairwell. It led to both the library's second floor and a secret room which Achilles had dubbed 'the fluffy den' in the 6th grade due to the numerous blankets and pillows and small mood lighting lamps in it. It wasn't a large room by any means, but it did good for his somewhat declining mental health, and he just wanted to nap without possibly being found.

Just as he makes his way to the small spiral staircase a floorboard creaks. Genuinely, honest to god creaks, like this is a Scooby-doo episode and now these pack members and hired workers are looking at Achilles half hunched, barely reaching out for the railing. He gives a nervous toothy smile, smoothing out his posture and giving the hardest 90-degree bow before speed walking his way out of the library and to any random part of the house far away from them.

He winds up near the front lounge near their front door and thus in the sea of swarming people scrambling in and out with decorations, food preparations and fabrics, all loudly speaking Korean and English, scrambling to find where they needed to be. It's chaos, semi controlled sure, but chaos nonetheless and does nothing to calm the deep-seated nerves in Achilles' system.

"Son, I thought you would have spent all day running from me? Decided to come help with your wedding." His father says, clasping his hands and putting on an all tooth, no eyes smile towards him.

His father has been calling this whole 'arrangement' a wedding since many of the elder from South Korea would be traveling to be at this event. He supposes that it was to keep up appearances and whatnot, but the word sends shivers down his spine.

"Yes father, it's only right that I come help. I just thought it was good to rest my mind so that I could best help with a shape mind and good intuition. Things need to go well after all." He says with a gentle tone.

He is no stranger to playing a part, especially for his father, and being as submissive towards him as possible in front of the elders may earn him some brownie points towards them, who will be sure to test his patience even more than his father does.