MINE || JIKOOK ✅

4.

JUNGKOOK POV

Maybe I was a little harsh on
the man.

It wasn't his fault my betas acted like jerks and strung him along.

He thought he was coming
here for his mate, He couldn't have been more wrong.

I got up from my desk and
paced the floors for a bit, trying to close my eyes and allow
some of the stress of the day
to evaporate from me.

But when that didn't work, I marched to the window to see what my pack was doing.

The usual suspects were hanging around, trying to look busy
while doing a lot of nothing.

I trusted my betas to watch over them and to appoint some leaders to correct those situations but none of that
was working.

In fact, as I looked out over the rows growing our food and the fields that pastured the pack's animals, I didn't see a lot of
work at all.

I breathed out a sigh that created a little haze on the window in front of me.

I didn't ask a lot.

There was no clocking in
and out, No one was asked
to be a slave.

It was all for the common good.

About 90 percent of what this pack ate and used was produced right here on pack lands.

Those who did not work the
land, like the forest rangers, many of whom were members, contributed in other ways.

So we got only what we put in, and from my vantage point, we were going to be starving soon.

I'd tried everything to motivate them, including spending time out there working myself, trying to provide a good example but even then I heard the whispers.

Look who came down from
his throne.

Must be nice to be the alpha
and work when you want.

They had no fucking idea that
I would trade a month of my
alpha work for a year of theirs.

They had the option of letting their work go at the end of
the day.

When you worked the gardens, once the sun set, your work
was done and all you had to
do was maintain it.

Being alpha plagued my thoughts twenty-four hours a day, There was no such thing as being off the clock or my work being done.

Most of the time I added to my to-do list before I could begin
to finish the first draft.

I even dreamed about situations I couldn't resolve and had nightmares about our fate.

It wasn't that we were so far gone but for some reason I couldn't discern, things had trickled downhill for the past
six months or so.

Production was down.

Animals were dying in the jaws of wolves in the area while
those on security detail napped.

They had lost their desire for
this pack's welfare or at least, that was what it seemed.

I cocked my head to the side
as something in the distance caught my eye.

It was someone who wasn't dawdling around at all.

Oh, it was him.

I shifted closer to the
window to get a better look.

He had taken his shirt off and
the sun beating on his skin
was making him sweat.

Tiny rivers trickled down his spine as he raised the axe and then slammed it down, sending shards of cut wood around
the stump.

His muscles tugged and pulled, giving me the best show I'd
had in a while.

So good in fact that I had to adjust myself to keep things under control below my waist.

It didn't work, for the record.

Shit, It was like the male
called to me.

He stood out there in the woodyard alone, working his
ass off, raising his arm to
brush sweat from his brow
now and then.

I swallowed against the need threatening to bubble up within me, fueling a passion I hadn't experienced in years maybe ever.

I needed to see him in action.

Closer, Raise my nose in the
air and take in his scent.

Not thinking twice, I marched downstairs and outside.

I was half-ass greeted by some pack members but they tittered to each other after they thought I was out of hearing range.

Had I become a laughing stock?

If so, I needed to pass on my post to another alpha who might be better suited for the job.

Finally, I got to a tree near
where Jimin was working and I leaned against it, just wanting
to observe him for a bit.

He paused and whirled instantly.

"Alpha." He lowered his gaze to the ground and bared his neck.

More of a greeting than I'd gotten in years from most
of those in my pack.

Well, my betas still showed respect but it was on the surface.

I mean, clearly, they didn't respect me much.

They'd tried to buy me a mate.

"Jimin, I see you have some skills with an axe."

He nodded and gave a smile.

It didn't reach his eyes but still seemed sincere.

"In Busan, you learn to cut
wood or you freeze to death."

"Well, if you don't hurry, we
will too."

Gods, why was I such an ass?

"Yes, sir."

He turned and went to it again.

I crossed my arms over my chest and watched in awe but as I ticked my gaze around, I realized I was not the only observer.

My lazy pack members had nothing more to do than watch me? I'd see that change.

"Keep it up." I barked at him before leaving the area.

He didn't respond this time.

Probably because I was a colossal jerk.