TAEKOOK. Kim Taehyung is a male omega whose beauty is unmatched, but that does not stop his fated mate from rejecting him when they come of age to recognize each other. The reason is that Taehyung carries the mark of a barren tree, which signifies i...
The Pack Council's decree hung heavy in the air: the next matches would commence in three days. Three days to recover, three days to prepare, three days to face a trial that would determine the two victors who would advance to the final where the winner would be declared the next head alpha of Obsidian. For Namjoon, Kihyun, and Taemin, seasoned Alphas with the inherent advantage of rapid healing, it was a manageable timeframe. But for Jungkook, a formidable warrior, yet without an Alpha's innate recuperative abilities, the three-day deadline felt like a death sentence.
In the quiet sanctuary of their cottage, Hoseok, the pack's healer, meticulously tended to Jungkook's bruises and wounds. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and worry. Taehyung watched with a clenched jaw as Hoseok carefully applied a poultice to a particularly nasty wound on Jungkook's arm. Each hiss of pain from Jungkook felt like a knife twisting in Taehyung's gut.
"Luna, can't we heal him again like the first time he was injured?" Taehyung asked his wolf.
"Tae, it was a one-time thing. I can't use my power to wake up Endymion again even for a few seconds. I'm afraid we have to think of alternatives to heal Jungkook," Luna responded, her voice resonating with deep sorrow. She felt the helplessness as keenly as Taehyung. The brief glimpse of Endymion's power months ago had been a miracle, but she knew that with the curse still in effect, there was no way Jungkook's wolf would awaken to heal him.
"It will take at least two weeks for you to heal completely, Kook-ah," Hoseok said softly, his voice laced with concern. "The damage is significant. These herbs will help, but they can only do so much."
Taehyung's jaw tightened even more. "We don't have two weeks, Hoseok hyung. Only three days." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, his mind racing, desperately searching for a solution. The thought of Jungkook facing Taemin in his current condition filled him with dread. Taemin was ruthless, cunning, and at his peak.
He paced the spacious living room, his omega instincts screaming for a way to protect his mate. He would fight for Jungkook if he could, but the Council's rules were ironclad. This was Jungkook's fight, and he had to be fit to wage it.
Suddenly, the calm, powerful voice of Luna echoed in his mind. "Achillea."
"Huh? What is that?" he asked Luna, his mind struggling to grasp the significance of the unfamiliar word.
Taehyung's mind swam with the image Luna had conjured. The brutal, sun-baked plains of Troy, teeming with wounded soldiers. He could almost hear the clang of bronze weapons, the cries of the injured, and the deep, resonant voice of Achilles himself. Then, the sudden tranquility of the yarrow field, a haven of healing amidst the chaos.
Luna's voice continued, "It's a plant that can heal wounds quickly. The great warrior Achilles used it to treat his soldiers' injuries," painting vivid images in Taehyung's mind: a field of delicate white flowers, their petals like tiny suns, their fragrance sharp and clean. He saw hands, gentle yet purposeful, gathering the blossoms. He felt the subtle warmth of herbs being crushed, the earthy scent of healing mingling with the floral notes. He understood Luna was showing him how Achilles gathered and prepared the plant to heal his warriors. Achillea, yarrow. A powerful healer. "I'll ask Selene to bring it to us," Luna said.
A wave of relief washed over Taehyung as he listened to Luna. He had no knowledge of the plant she mentioned, but he trusted her implicitly.
However, a nagging question tugged at the back of his mind -a question that had lingered about the connection of Achilles to the plant.
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