The Rules of Courting | nj

Six Months Later

Namjoon took deep breaths to try to calm himself, but from the way his hands were still shaking, he knew it wasn't working. "Hey~" The soft voice of the love of his life was accompanied by a gentle touch to his shoulder. He turned his head just enough to see Seokjin next to him. "You'll be fine, trust me." Namjoon inhaled deeply once more before nodding, pressing his lips to the omega's briefly.

The elderly omega, who Namjoon had learned shortly after he finally stood up to Seokjin's grandfather was actually the highest ranking member of the council, then appeared to lead them out to the room used for feasts and festivals to begin the couple's official initiation where they would be fully recognized as pack alpha and pack omega. The roaring in Namjoon's ears from his anxiety prevented the alpha from hearing anything the omega said, so he chose to scan his eyes over the crowd to lock onto familiar faces to prevent a full-on panic attack. He first saw in the very back of the room Seokjin's grandfather accompanied by his guard that had been appointed to him six months earlier shortly after he was found guilty of abusing Seokjin as a precaution to make sure he never tried to harm the omega, or any member of the pack, again. He couldn't help but snort quietly, knowing the only reason he was there was probably because Seokjin had demanded he be there since the omega still loved to take any chance to piss the elderly alpha off.

Next his eyes found Yoongi and Jimin in the front row, the alpha clapping for him while the omega just smiled, one of his hands resting on his protruding stomach thanks to being five months into his pregnancy. Next to them was Hoseok, who looked both excited and anxious to finally be at a pack function, as Namjoon had a made it a point that his first official decree as pack alpha would be to abolish the law that separated betas from the rest of the pack, his initiation being the first event that betas were allowed to attend. Taehyung and Jungkook were also standing with them, cuddled up in a way that made Namjoon think they were silently celebrating their betrothal. The couple had come to him merely an hour before his initiation to ask him for his blessing, saying they wanted to be able to say they were the first couple to be blessed by him. He hadn't hesitated in giving them their blessing, and their relationship change was set to be announced the next night at a feast just for the two of them.

He barely registered the female omega coming forward to place the ceremonial furs onto him and Seokjin to finalize their rank as his eyes widened, falling on someone he wasn't sure he'd ever get to see again. There in the back corner of the room was his grandmother. He felt tears welling in his eyes, unable to hold back his emotions at seeing the woman who practically raised him. "You okay?" Seokjin whispered to him as the female omega stated the final few words of the ceremony, and Namjoon just nodded slightly.

Once the ceremonial feast officially commenced, Namjoon ducked around people wanting to come forward to congratulate him, only wanting to talk to his grandmother out of fear that he was just hallucinating her. He was proven wrong as he finally reached the woman and she was still there, smiling at him. "Halmeoni!" He exclaimed, throwing himself at the woman and hugging her tightly. "I can't believe you're here!"

"And not see my only grandson becoming the pack alpha?" She asked incredulously as she hugged him back. "As soon as I read your letter, I knew I had to come see it in person. And of course I have to meet your mate!"

Namjoon had written his grandmother a couple of weeks prior to tell her everything that had happened since arriving at the village, spending a good two pages gushing just about Seokjin. The alpha smiled, turning slightly to wave over Seokjin, who had been hovering a few feet away making small talk with various members of the pack while making sure his mate was okay. Once the omega reached them, Namjoon turned back to his grandmother. "Halmeoni, this is Seokjin, my mate. Seokjin, this is my grandmother."

The woman took Seokjin's hand in hers, squeezing gently. "Namjoon told me so much about you in his letter. I've been waiting to meet my new grandson." Her gaze dropped down to Seokjin's stomach. "And apparently my great grandchild."

Namjoon's eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a few seconds before realization hit him. He looked at his mate in shock while his grandmother excused herself, claiming she needed to catch up with old friends. "Are you..." He trailed off, looking down at Seokjin's flat stomach.

"I don't know~" Seokjin said honestly and breathlessly. "I mean, I've kind of thought maybe, but I'm not sure. I was planning on going to the apothecary tomorrow to find out."

The alpha let out a small laugh of disbelief, causing Seokjin to quietly ask if he was okay with that. "Of course, I'm okay with it!" Namjoon exclaimed, putting his hands on Seokjin's hips. "I mean, I'm gonna be honest, I never exactly pictured myself being a father at this age but...if it's with you then who cares." Seokjin smiled up at Namjoon, putting his hands on either side of his face before pulling him in for a soft but passionate kiss. "I love you~" Namjoon whispered against the omega's lips.

"And I love you~" Seokjin whispered back before kissing his alpha again.