Tiger Lilies in the Snow

20 - A best friend's worries

When Namjoon entered the living room of his brothers' house, he was stunned for a moment when he saw the effort they had put into the snacks that they had prepared. But he also knew that this could only mean one thing.

"Yoongs, what is going on?" He knew who the award-winning chef in his family was and who was the average cook that was able to support a family but not do a gala dinner.

"Ahhh, you know Joon, it's a funny thing." The wolf-demon laughed agitatedly. "There are these mates ... and I ... and fate has made her choice. You know, it is all so much and so confusing. ... And then we need to talk about it as a family, too." Yoongi started rearranging a plate with canapes.

"But just because Tae has found his mate does not mean that he will leave us for good tomorrow," Namjoon tried to reason with his brother thinking that this was all about their youngest brother. Yoongi had always relied on the real omega because Taehyung could understand him best when it came to omega issues. "You know how our youngest is. He is too focussed on what he wants to achieve. He is deeply committed to his ideas on how his life should be and I think that this poor alpha is in for a long waiting time."

Taehyung who stood at the sink cleaning some tools Yoongi had been using to prepare their dinner rolled his eyes and slightly shook his head. As much as their alpha brother was an expert in understanding what was going on in others' minds to a level that made you think he actually would have the gift of mind reading right now equally generously showed his inability to get what was bothering the wolf-demon when to him it was on open display. So, with an impatient grunt that could be understood as 'You don't get anything, Joon!' the real omega pulled his omega brother to face him. He took him into his arms and released a small cloud of calming pheromones. Yoongi getting all worked up over the fact that he had found the ones fated to be by his side really was becoming a running gag. When the other started breathing a little more even, he looked at him with slightly raised eyebrows. "Now, try again and don't worry. We love you the way you are."

"Well, Joon it's Tae who runs the risk of ending up lonely inside this house and not me. You know, the thing is ... I have found my mates, too." Yoongi shyly grinned. He could not hide the happiness that he had found in his mates' arms.

The alpha halted for a moment and narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Let me get that straight so I don't misunderstand you. Did you just mention 'mates' like in you are polymated?" Namjoon inquired.

Yoongi vaguely nodded but then yelped as his Namjoon pulled him into a bone crushing hug. "Oh Yoongs! I am so happy for you!" He even whirled his brother around. "Who is it? Do I know ..." He halted and put Yoongi down. On the omega's face you could see that he was quite relieved to feel his feet touching the ground again. But Namjoon turned to Taehyung.

"Was this what your message about having a little chat with Jimin and Hoseok about our moral standards and special pack members meant? It was about Yoongi?" The other hummed in response and the alpha turned to his brother again. "Then this means that you are mated to them?"

Yoongi answered with pride in his calm voice: "Yes, I am. They are my mates."

"Do they already have started courting you?" Namjoon sat down on the sofa with a happy smile on his lips and twinkling in his eyes that Taehyung always reminded of a dragon's eyes and grabbed a bottle of beer.

"Oh, they have." The real omega grinned his wide and teasing boxy smile.

"They should consider themselves lucky that they are two. After all this matebond includes an incubus." Namjoon grinned into his beer.

"Yah! Stop it!" Yoongi complained. "Yes, don't say just one more word!" His eyes turned black while his cheeks got hollow. "I am still on a diet and talking to a starving man about a feast is sadistic."