Mix and Match ~ TK

86

Jimin, Yoongi and Hoseok were sitting in front of Alpha and Luna Jeon, apprehensive. They were called in that same night after Jungkook refused to move from the basement, or communicate with anyone for that matter. Everyone knew Taehyung was in a somewhat similar state even if no one dared to check up on him.
Actually, ever since Taehyung was rescued alongside Jungkook, no one went to actually check up on the alpha except Jimin and his mates.
The rumors about the mate bond between him and the true blood were too heavy to ignore. Especially since Jungkook was still so miserable. And so everyone blamed Taehyung in a way. And Goddess damn him, Taehyung was no piece of cake to deal with either. He didn't make it easy to like him.
He refused to speak to the head Alpha or even the Luna and he only started eating when Jimin forced him to. And by forced him it means Jimin had to come everyday to the clinic and harass him until Taehyung accepted to finally get some food in his system.
Everyone stayed away from him. And now that whatever happened between the two that day in the clinic, happened, their contempt for Taehyung doubled.
In the span of a day, everyone started bad mouthing the alpha, some even threatening to beat him up as soon as he gets out of bed rest.
Jimin was taken aback by the overwhelming passion the Bangtan pack defended their ex Head Alpha. It's almost like everyone collectively decided that Jungkook's treason was pardoned and that he was to be avenged. He wouldn't lie, Jimin was scared for his soulmate.

If this was the response of Jungkook's own original pack. His own family. He didn't dare imagine how the rest of the packs felt about the situation.

The Council did know what they were doing with the information they shared. Jungkook looked like some tortured fallen prince and Lupus was painted as the villain of the story.

Jimin made his fear known to his mates which both thought it was best if they talked about this with the Alpha directly. Something has to be done.

"What are we going to do about him?" Hoseok inquired to no one in particular. But everyone knew who he was talking about.

"We can't send him back to Lupus, the Council is already suspicious about how he got out of there in the first place without their knowledge." Yoongi said, a bit guilty about telling Jackson about Jungkook and Taehyung's situation. He knew his cousin didn't spread any rumors himself but he didn't shy away from telling his friends that for some reason, the two mates were unmarked. It surely didn't help the situation at all.

"Your theory about wolves leaving their packs is true. I talked to a few friends of mine in confidence and they confirmed it, none of the Alphas want to be seen plotting in the open, especially with the Council roaming every pack. But they have been recruiting."

Jimin blinked at the Alpha and then looked at the grim expression on the Beta's face. "The Council has been recruiting wolves from other packs?" The Alpha nodded.

"Jiyong, maybe Namjoon was right. Maybe they are doing this to eliminate them." The Luna spoke, voice tight. Her words raised confusion amongst the others.

"Namjoon told us a while back that the Council is pissed Lupus is still standing." The Alpha explained. "During the last war, they made sure that no packs stayed in the North so that they can control it. They wanted to North to belong to the Council so that they can reign over us from there. They didn't think Namjoon, at sixteen, would be capable to merge the remaining wolves into one pack and have it turn out this well. They feel threatened by him."

Jimin swallowed. Namjoon was like his older brother. He knew exactly how hard it was for him to do what he did and he knew that entire northern wolves owed him their lives, especially after he stepped up after the massacre of his family and took the crown no one dared to take nor wanted. He stood up for every wolf who was standing and offered them shelter, food and free healthcare. He did all of this and didn't expect to actually be named Head Alpha but he was. By popular vote. The northern packs chose him and accepted to become one united pack. They fought with the wolves who were against the Kim family, who went rogue and who decided to attack Lupus time and time again. They stood together, all of them. His dad, his uncle, his friends and his friends families. And now the Council wanted to take it down once again. As if killing their family the first time wasn't enough. As if after everything Namjoon did, he still stood in their way somehow.
Jimin seethed. His mates frowned, sensing his anger and rage, and got closer to him. Showing him without uttering a word that they were there for him. That they would fight with him. Because even if he was in Bangtan, even if he knew he'd stay here for a very long time alongside his mates, Lupus was his home. And he would kill and die for it.

"We have to find a way to stop them before they went to Lupus. If they have been recruiting then they're planning on attacking alone, without needing other packs to join them." Hoseok reasoned.

"I don't think they would attack them right away. They have no valid reason and I doubt the Council wants their reputation to take a hit with the rest of the packs. No one will side with them if they attack Lupus out of the blue. But they are playing a dangerous game. Keeping Lupus under quarantine, soon enough there won't be enough food for the pack, they would have to negotiate and I'm sure they are waiting for Namjoon to just give them whatever they want in exchange for his pack to survive this." The Beta chimes in. His father nodded.

"It does sound like something Namjoon would do. I mean without any proof of what they accuse him of, this investigation could take a while and I'm sure Namjoon wouldn't want to see his pack suffer because of him" Jimin added.

"What are they accusing him of exactly?" Yoongi sat straight, his question directed at the blonde.

"They are saying he kidnapped Jungkook and forced him to mate with his brother so that he can take over Bangtan." Jimin explained what Namjoon and Jin hurried to tell him that day he went to retrieve help and get Jungkook and Taehyung out.

"This is ridiculous! Jungkook and Taehyung are fated, aren't they? How can he even force them to mate?" The Luna asked.

"Some believe the mate bond can be forced. And the Council is trying to disprove that fated theory by showing that none of the two marked the other. With a normal bond, they wouldn't have been able to withstand it this long without consuming it. So the theory of them being fated isn't really believable."

"Except they are fated. Jungkook and Taehyung said so themselves." Hoseok said. "But with them not speaking to one another yet alone marking each other, it's hard to disprove the Council's words. Plus, a lot of wolves from different packs saw them together, their necks are clearly unmarked."

"So as long as there's no proof of the contrary, Namjoon is believed to have kidnapped Jungkook and Lupus is going to stay under quarantine until they break and give the Council what they want?" Jimin concluded. Pensive nods ensued.

"And what they want is complete control over the North. Which means Lupus will have to disappear and either join the Council or be sent in the South to be scattered between the packs who are willing to take them in. If not they'll probably end up rogues." Yoongi finished. Jimin's throat tightened even more. He can't fathom losing his home, their houses, their land. Just because the Council wanted it for themselves.

"We need to seek out Namjoon." The Alpha declared in resignation.

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A.N: I know this is getting a bit slow but believe me it will become super fast before we get close to the end 😩