MINE || JIKOOK ✅

11.

JIMIN POV

They were all going to hate me.

I'd been here just over a day and already managed to get most of the lower-level bears grounded.

Grounded! Like kids.

Well despite my apologies, I knew I hadn't caused it.

They'd made their own issues, drinking and getting out of control but where my blame lay was in the alpha showing up.

If not for me cowering in the bathroom, would Jagger have even called him?

I had the impression the carousing wasn't unusual
for those guys.

Maybe a bit more than usual,
but they seemed very comfortable with their partying.

They wouldn't be doing any
for a week though.

Way to fit in, Jimin.

And when I was showering the night before and the alpha passed by on his way some
where, he'd made it clear he couldn't stand the sight of me.

Turned and left as quickly
as possible.

Maybe this desire to be part of a pack was a mistake on my part.

Although it wasn't even fully
light outside yet, I dressed
and left the bunkhouse.

I could get some work done before breakfast, It wouldn't make up for all of the trouble
I'd caused but it would serve
the dual purpose of helping
me work off my general upset and showing the pack what an asset I could be even if only
as a common laborer.

Later, maybe they'd be willing
to allow me to use some of
my other skills.

General contractors could be good earners and contribute money to the pack coffers.

Also with so many wild lands around, guides for hunters and fishermen might be needed.

I'd check into that.

For now, it was all about the wood.

Today, I had my earbuds with
me because tunes always
made the work go smoother.

As the sun topped the horizon,
I hefted the axe and set to chopping, singing along with
my girl Halsey and welcoming the day.

I split length after length, the dawn breeze cooling my skin
as sweat collected and rolled
down my arms.

If nothing else, I could help provide warmth for the coming winter, a paramount plus.

But only two songs in, a
hand grasped my biceps and stilled my movements.

Yanking a bud out of one ear,
I turned to confront whoever
was stopping me from doing
my part for the pack.

"Alpha." The word tumbled
from my lips.

"You're up early."

He said nothing and I looked
past him toward the bunkhouse, where a group of those I'd already pissed off were
huddled, glaring at me.

Turning in a circle, I saw the betas and other alphas in their upper-floor story windows in
the house.

Everyone was giving me an
equal amount of disgust.

The only one with a different expression was a cook standing in the kitchen doorway and he wore a smirk that made me
want to smack it off his face.

Back home, we rose with the dawn to work but seeing the others lounging around and barely pretending to work
should have given me a clue.

Besides, some of us had a late night. Including the alpha.

Hell, he'd been out walking, probably too mad to sleep.

Without another word, he turned and walked away and I set the axe back in the stump and sat down with my back to it, waiting for a decent time to get back to it Or someone to come tell me
to get the hell off the property.

I could do nothing right.

Perhaps melting into anonymity in a city somewhere was the answer after all.

I couldn't go home.

Didn't seem like I could fit in here, Everything I did was wrong. Misstep after misstep.

I wanted to shift and run so badly I could taste it but I'd already made that mistake.

So I sat here.

While the others from the bunk house passed me on their way
to breakfast, ignoring me as if
I didn't enter their
consciousness at all.

It was worse than anger and
my heart ached at the fact
I'd be alone soon for real.

Would it be worse, though?

I could rent a little house
and get a job somewhere.

What choice would I have?

But I'd be more alone because I'd met my mate, my alpha.

And he didn't want me.

I buried my head in my arms
and waited to be thrown out
on my ass.

Finally, when nobody did, my growling stomach drove me to the dining room for breakfast.

The food here was very good.

I'd miss that but not as much
as Jungkook.