The Wolf's Heart

9

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As night fell over Liancheng, the festival transformed under the soft, silver glow of the moon. Its pale light spilled across the grounds, casting long shadows and giving everything a dreamy, almost ethereal quality. The clouds parted just enough for the moon to emerge in full, bright and bold, like a silent witness to the night’s unfolding stories. It hung high above, illuminating the lotus ponds, where the delicate flowers appeared to shimmer, their pale petals reflecting the moonlight.

Lanterns swayed gently in the cool night breeze, their warm, golden light intermingling with the moon’s silvery beams, creating an enchanting contrast that made the entire festival seem like it was set in another world. The laughter and music softened, and couples began to stroll hand-in-hand by the ponds, drawn by the romantic magic in the air. The world around seemed to fade into quiet serenity, as if the moon itself was holding its breath, waiting for something extraordinary to happen.

Jungkook walked slowly along the edge of the festival, his mind elsewhere. The child he’d helped had been reunited with her mother, and now he found himself alone, watching the serene beauty of the night with a heavy heart. He paused by the lotus pond, gazing down at his reflection. The moonlight softened his features, casting a gentle glow across his face, but his eyes held a glimmer of sorrow.

Meanwhile, not far off, Taehyung slipped out of the mansion and made his way toward the festival’s outskirts, away from the crowd, seeking the quiet comfort of solitude beneath the open sky. His shoulders relaxed as he felt the cool night air against his skin, and he tilted his head back, closing his eyes for a moment as he took a deep breath.

When he opened them, his gaze fell upon a lone figure standing by the lotus pond, bathed in moonlight, his form strikingly graceful against the darkened waters. Something about the sight stilled Taehyung’s breath—the way the moonlight illuminated the man’s profile, the soft expression in his eyes as he stared into the pond, unaware of his observer.

Drawn by an instinct he couldn’t quite understand, Taehyung found himself walking closer, each step slow, hesitant, as if afraid to disturb the delicate beauty of the moment. There was something about this stranger, something pure and untouched by the demands and pretenses that dominated his own life.

Jungkook’s gaze lifted as he sensed another presence nearby, his heart skipping a beat when he met the intense, curious eyes of the man approaching him. For a brief moment, neither of them spoke, each caught in the other’s gaze, as though the moon itself had orchestrated this quiet meeting beneath the stars. The sounds of the festival faded into the background, leaving only the two of them in this moment of unexpected connection, where words were unnecessary, and the moon bore silent witness to the start of something both knew would change them forever.

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As their eyes met beneath the soft moonlight, an unexpected surge pulsed through Jungkook’s body—a warmth that radiated from his core, reaching even his fingertips. The faint, gentle voice of Kookoo, his wolf, whispered through his mind, Mate. The word echoed softly, like a long-lost melody that he had been waiting to hear his entire life. His heart fluttered, the weight of his fears lifting as a profound sense of relief and joy washed over him. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes, his emotions spilling over as he gazed at the man before him, his true mate—the one he’d been destined for.

But Taehyung’s expression remained cold, his face a mask of indifference as Venus, his wolf, stirred within him but said nothing, silent and distant. He looked down at Jungkook with a stony gaze, his voice flat as he spoke. “I don’t feel anything,” he said simply, his words cutting through the fragile hope that had begun to blossom in Jungkook’s heart. “I’m not going to accept the bond between us.”

Jungkook’s heart shattered, the joy that had just moments ago filled him now twisting into despair. He stood frozen, his tear-filled gaze fixed on Taehyung’s retreating back as the prince turned and walked away without a second glance. The disbelief was sharp, as was the sting of rejection. How could fate be so cruel, to give him his mate only to have him turn away without so much as a hint of feeling?

As Taehyung disappeared into the crowd, Jungkook’s knees nearly buckled. He wanted to reach out, to beg him to reconsider, but his voice was caught in his throat, the weight of this unexpected heartbreak paralyzing him. He didn’t even realize that Taehyung was the very person he was supposed to marry tomorrow—the same man his brother had chosen for him. And now, even with fate binding them, Taehyung was refusing him.

Alone by the lotus pond, Jungkook’s shoulders sagged, his hopes crumbling as the festive sounds around him felt distant and hollow. Kookoo whined within him, sharing his sorrow, the bond they’d been given feeling painfully one-sided.

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Our omega will get justice