MYTHICAL FOREST

PART 9: THE TRUTH

Since that day, Jungkook and Taehyung had grown close. Whenever Taehyung had a strange dream, he would immediately share it with Jungkook, who always found a way to help him make sense of it. However, as days passed, Taehyung's condition worsened, with moments where even Jungkook's presence couldn't calm him.

One night, Jungkook had to leave Taehyung alone to attend an important meeting about the pack. Before he left, he promised to return as soon as it was over. Thankfully, Taehyung felt no pain that evening, a rare and welcome reprieve. But this calm was merely the precursor to a significant transformation brewing within him.

Taehyung waited patiently for Jungkook to return, but suddenly, a sharp pain gripped his stomach, forcing him to rush to the bathroom attached to his ward.

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After finishing in the toilet, Taehyung moved to the sink to wash his hands. As he looked up, a sudden pain shot through his eyes, and his vision blurred. Alarmed, he leaned closer to the mirror, only to be shocked by what he saw: his once dark eyes had turned a glowing blue.

His heart raced as he tentatively reached toward his reflection, his hands trembling. "This can't be real," he whispered, his voice shaky with disbelief. He splashed cold water on his face, hoping it was just a hallucination. But when he looked again, his eyes were still glowing blue, confirming his worst fears.

Panic set in, and Taehyung gripped his hair tightly, overwhelmed by the anxiety and confusion coursing through him.

At that moment, Jungkook returned from the meeting and went straight to Taehyung's ward. When he found the bed empty, he noticed the bathroom door was open and headed there. His eyes widened in shock as he saw Taehyung sitting on the floor, clutching his head.

"Taehyung?" Jungkook called softly, approaching him. But as Taehyung lifted his gaze, Jungkook froze, his breath catching in his throat. Taehyung's eyes were glowing, their color unmistakably changed.

Jungkook had his suspicions about what was happening, but the implications were almost too impossible to believe. For now, his priority was helping Taehyung.

Without hesitation, Jungkook scooped Taehyung into his arms and carried him back to the bed. "Taehyung, we need to talk about what's happening to you," he said gently.

"I-I don't know what's going on," Taehyung stammered, his voice trembling with fear.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll figure this out together," Jungkook reassured him, his voice calm and steady. "But first, I need you to calm down. Can you do that for me?"

Taehyung nodded, his breath shaky as he hugged Jungkook, finding solace in his warmth and scent. The forest-like aroma that clung to Jungkook's skin helped soothe him, grounding him in the moment.

After a few minutes, Taehyung had calmed down enough to speak. Jungkook looked into his eyes, now back to their normal color. "Alright, can you tell me what happened?"

Taehyung recounted how his eyes had suddenly turned blue, the fear and confusion evident in his voice. Jungkook listened intently, piecing together the information, a growing realization dawning on him.

"I... I like the smell of your perfume," Taehyung said shyly, trying to shift the mood.

"What perfume?" Jungkook asked, confused. "I'm not wearing any."

Taehyung frowned. "Oh, really? But I smelled something... like a forest."

Jungkook's eyes widened in shock. No one should be able to detect his scent-it was something only other werewolves could sense. His suspicions were confirmed, but the implications were staggering.

"This... this can't be happening..." Jungkook whispered to himself, his mind racing.

Realizing Taehyung was still watching him, Jungkook decided to hold off on discussing his suspicions. "Let's talk about something else for now," he said, shifting the conversation away from the unsettling discoveries.

Once Taehyung had fallen asleep, Jungkook quietly left the ward and went to find Jimin. He needed to share what he had learned about Taehyung.

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While Taehyung slept, he had a strange dream.

He opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of a vast plain, the landscape serene and filled with white flowers swaying gently in the breeze. The calmness of the place was a stark contrast to his usual nightmares.

Feeling a rare sense of peace, Taehyung knelt to pick one of the flowers. But before he could, a voice called out to him from behind. He turned around and froze-there, standing a few feet away, were his parents. Though they had died long ago, they looked as real as they did in his memories.

"Mom? Dad?" Taehyung whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. He rushed toward them, but as he reached out to embrace them, they held up their hands, stopping him. Confused, Taehyung hesitated, but the joy of seeing them again was overwhelming.

His father gestured for Taehyung to follow, leading him to an ancient stone lectern where a book lay open. Taehyung approached and, at his father's nod, picked it up. As he opened the book, a brilliant light burst forth, flooding his mind with answers to questions he hadn't even known to ask.

The book revealed the truth about his identity and his parents. Taehyung learned that he was not fully human-he was in the process of transforming into a werewolf.

The revelation was overwhelming, too much to process at once. Before he could ask his parents anything, they, along with the book, began to fade away, leaving him alone once more.

Taehyung awoke with a start, his heart pounding. "Is this real? Am I... really a werewolf?"

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