Run

33. A Long Hike

Seo-Jae's pov

I couldn't help but giggle at Jungkook and Taehyung who were messing around ahead of Jimin and the rest of us, it was funny watching those two fool around. I hadn't seen a smile much on Taehyung's face lately and I couldn't help but feel that I was the reason for that, I've been causing them so much trouble. Jimin chuckled loudly when Jungkook tackled Taehyung, the two falling into a huge mound of snow. My heart swelled as I heard Jungkook and Taehyung laughing, those two are so cute. "Those two always fool around when it comes to snow." Namjoon shook his head, "Well, Kook is a snow leopard. Naturally, he gravitates towards the snow. And as for Tae.. He just loves the snow and messing around with Jungkook, there's not much we can do about that but be happy they're not arguing right now." Jin shrugged, "Hyung has a point." My attention was turned back to Jungkook and Taehyung as I heard them shouting, only to find that Hoseok had joined in the messing around. Yoongi watched the three of them run after each other, throwing snowballs at one another. The hairs on the back of my neck raised, making me shift uncomfortablely on Jimin's back as he walked. I tried my best to hide what I was feeling as I didn't want it to spread through the Soulmate Bond, I didn't want to cause more trouble for them. I just wanted them to stay in this moment where they were having fun, when I looked away from the three running ahead of us, I found Namjoon staring at me. I was startled slightly but gave him a small smile, letting him know that I was okay. My mind started to wander to Baekhyun, I could only hope that he was doing alright and that he was safe. I don't think I could handle it if I found out Dad knew he helped me escape, he would possibly kill him.

"Jae, what are you thinking about?" Namjoon asked, we ignored Jungkook and Taehyung yelling ahead of us. They were still playing around, throwing snowballs at one another.

"My best friend..."

"You mean this Baekhyun guy?" Jin asked, "Yeah.. He's been my best friend since we were much younger. His older brother used to work under my uncle.. And when he passed, my uncle took him in and raised him like he was his own. We became really close. He's the reason I was even able to get out that god awful place... I just hope my dad doesn't find out it was him who helped me escape this time." I once again felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise, I didn't want to make it obvious that I was feeling like we were being watched. But it seemed that I wasn't the only one who noticed, I heard a deep growl come from Hyunjin who was walking behind us. Jimin must have heard it too because he stopped walking and turned to look at Hyunjin.

"Hyunjin?"

Hyunjin growled again, this time louder which got everyone else's attention. Jungkook and Tae's laughter stopped abruptly, the two of them standing to their feet. That's when a new smell hit my nose, it reeked of a very acidic citrus fragrant like limes. I crinkled my nose, burying my face into Jimin's shoulder as I didn't want to breathe in that scent anymore. "Someone's been tailing us since we left the cave." Yoongi's tail swished fervently behind him, Jimin tensing his back as he let out a soft growl of his own. "But that was seven hours ago. They've been tailing us this whole time?" Jungkook tensed up from his spot, everyone looking at the treeline trying to figure out where the person tailing was coming from. Before we had time to react, a figure shot out of the treeline to our left and tackled Hoseok causing me to gasp.

"Hoseok!" Jin shouted.

Hoseok rolled in the snow, the newcomer rolling with him as snow was kicked up. Just as Taehyung was about to rush over, another figure jumped out the bushes and stood in Taehyung's way. I lifted my eyes to see a lion hybrid standing in between where Hoseok and the other hybrid was, my heart racing as Taehyung started growling. The lion hybrid had dark brown hair which was tussled about, slightly damp from the weather. He stood at the same height as Taehyung, his muscle mass severely outweighing that of Taehyung who didn't seem in the least bit intimidated. The lion hybrid smirked at Taehyung, his teeth poking out the corner of his mouth. My attention turned back onto Hoseok, who had kicked the figure that tackled him into a large tree. When the figure popped put from underneath the snow, I noticed that this one was also a predator hybrid. This one was also a male, probably around the same age as Jin and he had tan skin. From the looks of his ears and tail, he could be a coyote hybrid.

"Give us the girl." The lion hybrid spoke.

"That's not a fucking choice." Jungkook stepped behind the lion hybrid, basically caging him between him and Taehyung. Yoongi stepped in front of Jimin and I, keeping us separated from the two hybrids in case they got past Hoseok and Taehyung. Namjoon stayed in his spot, opting to keep an eye out for any other hybrid. "Oh, come on. The girl can't be that important to you. She's human. Just give her to us so we can eat-" He didn't get to finish his word because Taehyung immediately kicked him in the face, his entire body was tense with anger. "You can't have her, she's mine." Taehyung gritted through his teeth, and a shiver ran down my spine when those words came out of his mouth. "Got that?" Taehyung pressed down on the lion hybrid's throat harder; he wasn't going to let him go. Jungkook stayed in his spot, letting Taehyung handle the lion hybrid rather than stepping in. The coyote hybrid tried to go after Taehyung but he was stopped by Hobi. The hybrid swung at Hoseok, but he dodged it and landed a punch right to his left cheek. The hybrid fell onto the ground with a dull thump, stumbling when he finally got back up onto his feet. He charged at Hoseok, who side-stepped him quickly and kicked him in the back, sending the hybrid crashing into the snow.

Yet, despite how fast Hoseok had brought him down, the coyote hybrid got back up to his feet once again and turned around. He threw punches but none landed, and each time he missed, Hoseok would punch him in different spots. The coyote hybrid charged at Hoseok to tackle him but Hoseok side-stepped him once again, I could see the hybrid becoming visibly frustrated with Hoseok. Hoseok moved swiftly, landing punches until the coyote hybrid couldn't take it anymore. He crashed into the snow unconscious after Hoseok's last punch landed. The lion hybrid, who had been watching their fight the entire time, started struggling to get from underneath Taehyung's foot.

"No!!! Charlie, get up!! You have to get up!!" The lion hybrid shouted, he tried to lift Taehyung's foot off of him but it was no use.

"Let me go! Please! I have to get to Charlie!" The lion hybrid pleaded, looking up at Taehyung. He was on the verge of tears.

"Why should he?" Jungkook asked, raising an eyebrow at the lion hybrid.

"Because.. He's my mate! Please, let me go."

Taehyung sucked his teeth, while Jungkook just sighed and shook his head. "Why should I care if he's your mate? You threatened my mates." He snapped, the anger coming off his body in waves. "Look! I'm sorry, I didn't know the human was your mate. We didn't know that the other tiger was your mate either! Please, I'm begging you! Please let me go to Charlie!" The lion hybrid had tears in his eyes, he looked so frightened. I recognized that same emotion to be the same one I felt when I was held hostage.

"Taehyung." Namjoon started, Taehyung looked at Namjoon with anger still evident in his eyes. "What? You're seriously telling me to let him go after he threatened both Hobi and Jae?! Who's to say he isn't lying about Charlie being his mate? Huh? What happens if I let him go and he decides to go after Jae again?" Taehyung ranted.

"Listen, I won't after anyone else! I promise, I won't go after your mates! I'm sorry. Please. Please just let me take care of my mate."

"Taehyung," Jin called out.

Taehyung was visibly still angry, huffed, and reluctantly lifted his foot off the lion hybrid. "You better keep your word, or else, you'll be dealing with me. And I won't be so kind the second time. You hear?" Taehyung snapped, "Yeah," The lion took the opportunity to scramble to his feet. Without saying a word, he charged at Jimin and me, but didn't get far because Namjoon grabbed the hybrid by the throat. He lifted him into the air and slammed him into the snow, knocking the wind out of the hybrid's lungs. "I tried giving you the benefit of the doubt, but you screwed yourself over," Namjoon growled, the lion hybrid struggled against Namjoon's grip and panicked but Namjoon didn't let him go. Instead, he kept squeezing until the lion hybrid couldn't take it anymore and passed out. Nobody said anything, Hoseok walked over and dropped Charlie next to the lion hybrid without saying a word. Silence passed over our group before Taehyung let out a scoff, Namjoon let out a sigh to calm himself down.

"Tae," Jin started.

"I fucking told you! I knew he was going to try something! I didn't trust him because I could tell he was just going to go after her again. You shouldn't have told me to let him go, Namjoon." Taehyung snapped.

"Tae, stop!" Jin scolded him.

"I thought he would take his mate and run." Namjoon looked up at Taehyung, "Well, he didn't! He charged at them because he wanted to kill Jae!" Taehyung argued.

"Tae, enough. Take a breather." Jin demanded, Taehyung scoffed and shook his head before walking away.