Safe With You | Yoonmin

Chapter 1: His Name is Jimin

| Prologue |

17 Years Ago

RYU OKGYUN, HEAD ALPHA OF THE BLACK MOUNTAIN PACK, walked hastily down the village road. The light of his lieutenant's torch reflected off the rough dark stone underfoot.

It was the dead of night, and Okgyun had been roused from sleep only minutes ago with the news that two rogues had been caught trespassing in pack territory and were now being detained at the village gates.

The alpha gripped the hilt of his sword anxiously. It was rare for rogues to venture this far up into the mountains, where the landscape was so cold and inhospitable. Surely rogues could find greener pastures and easier prey in the valleys and plains below. In fact, tales of attacks in the valleys had become more and more common in recent years. Enough that any rogue presence was now cause for fear.

Could these be spies for a larger group? Could this be a diversion? A trick? These questions raced through his mind.

As Okgyun and his lieutenant approached the gates, the warriors on duty quickly swung the enormous wooden doors open, revealing the scene beyond.

About a dozen pack warriors carrying torches and brandishing weapons stood around two rogue wolves who knelt on the ground, huddle to one another.

The larger of the two was a male alpha, and the smaller one trembling in his arms appeared to be a female beta. Okgyun could tell by their scents that they were mates.

And to Okgyun's surprise, these two did not appear uncivilized or feral like all other rogues he had encountered or heard about. Their clothes were worn and threadbare in places, but they were clean and relatively well groomed. They smelled of earth, pine, and something mildly sweet which Okgyun couldn't identify. Clean scents.

As the warriors made way for Okgyun, the kneeling man looked up, eyes wary and filled with mistrust as he regarded the pack Alpha.

Okgyun brows drew together when the man did not lower his gaze, showing no respect toward his rank, but before he could speak the captain of the guard, Kim Ryun, stepped forward and bowed, presenting Okgyun with the hilt of a simple single edged sword saying, "This is the only weapon he had, my lord."

He accepted the weapon, inspecting the rather dull blade for a moment before dismissively handing it back.

"You have knowingly trespassed onto our pack's territory," Okgyun said to the rogue alpha. "Tell me why I shouldn't have you both executed?"

The man tightened his arms around his shivering mate, "We mean no harm to you or your pack. We would not have come all this way if we were not desperate."

Okgyun frowned. "We do not give aid to rogues."

"I only seek help for our pup. He is sick--"

"My answer stands," Okgyun said grimly, "We offer no aid to rogues. You made a mistake by coming here. Captain--"

"No! Please!" cried the small beta female, looking up for the first time with teary eyes. "Please save our pup! He is sick. Dying," she explained as she drew a large wrapped bundle out from her coat and pulled back enough cloth to reveal the face of a young pup, a baby.

"He has been sick for many days ... my lord," the alpha reluctantly gritted out Okgyun's title, "We have done everything we can but now he is burning with fever and will not wake. Is there anything your healers can do? I ... I have nothing to pay you but I can hunt, I can work or--"

"Enough," Okgyun raised a hand and the man fell silent, finally lowering his gaze.

The gathered warriors shuffled uncomfortably. On many of their faces, Okgyun could see outright hostility. He knew that these rogues would not be welcome or safe in his village. Only Kim Ryun appeared conflicted, his gaze fixed on the child.