This Mask of Mine

8

Jimin found that it was normal for alphas to walk around with their shirts off. That was how he could tell if they were working.

For the most part, he had seen only construction workers do this because no alpha was a teacher and livestock often bit. Jimin had to wear leather when feeding and milking to have the damage absorbed. Hunters went about shirtless as well. It had nearly sickened Jimin when he saw blood on their skin and a belt of small animals around their hips, but he had gotten used to it.

He and Jungkook had seen each other around, but hadn't stopped to talk due to work or being too tired or hungry to do so.

Other than work, he didn't see Yoongi much either. The alpha kept to himself for the most part. Jimin had usually found company in Seokjin and Taehyung, who had become almost brothers to him. And where Taehyung went, Hoseok usually followed.

They had taught Jimin about their traditions, stories, and everything in between. They told him about the gossip going around the grounds and filled him in on eligible alphas.

"I—I would like to be familiar with the grounds and traditions before finding a mate," Jimin waved them off. But they took no notice of that.

They were in Seokjin and Namjoon's living room, lounging around and eating snacks and drinking Seokjin's specialty tea. Which was just a watered down ale and cinnamon.

"Namjoon said Namkwon wanted to match you with Banyoo," Seokjin cackled, as if he couldn't believe what he heard. The three others choked.

"Fuck no," Taehyung gasped.

"Banyoo?!" Jimin shrieked. Sure, he hadn't known him long, but Banyoo was such a dick to him and everyone around him in order to try and woo the omegas. It might have worked on an omega who didn't know any better, but Jimin had grown up with alphas much like him and slept in the same space as them. He wanted an alpha who was kind and helpful, not an alpha who was a bitch and a spoiled brat.

"He still lives with his parents," Seokjin laughed.

It was tradition in the pack that an alpha would live on their own after their first rut so they could figure out how to take care of themselves first and then their mate. Banyoo must have had nearly a decade of them and still lived with his parents who only babied him and gave him whatever he wanted. He struck out if he wasn't immediately given what he wanted.

"He nearly cut me when I brushed him off!" Jimin protested.

"Well, if you don't want to be matched with him, I suggest you find an alpha who will treat you right," Hoseok said, a little apologetic in tone.

"What about Yoongi?" Seokjin asked, sitting upright. "If I am correct, which I usually am, you have been working with him since you started at the farms, yes?"

"Y—Yes," Jimin answered, frowning. "But he says so little, how do I know he's nice or will treat me right?"

"Take it from us," Seokjin said, sipping his tea. "He will. He's just a little shy."

"He's intimidating," Jimin's frown deepened. "He looks more scary than anything."

"Is that just because he has scars? If so, all of them were from other alphas."

"What do you mean?"

Seokjin turned towards Hoseok. "Well, during hunts, a few alphas follow him because they believe that he wouldn't help in the hunt. He tracks the bigger animals like bears or deer. If there's a big meal with a large center of meat, most often it was his kill."

"Like the roast we had in the summer festival?" Taehyung asked, Hoseok nodding.

"Yes. That buck was huge and fought him quite a bit. He has a scar around here somewhere from it," Hoseok responded, waving a hand around his right side. "Anyway, the alphas follow him and if he goes into a cave, they follow him in and attack him because they think that he was just going to stay there for the rest of the hunt. Turns out, there was a bear sleeping in one of them and the fighting woke it up. All of them were already injured in one place or another from their fight and the bear only made it worse. One alpha just barely survived, the other had unfortunately died in the infirmary later, and Yoongi was given the mauling of his life. We didn't think he would make it, but he came to and managed to escape. Most of his wounds have healed from the bear."

Seokjin and Taehyung wore solemn expressions.

"I remember that," Seokjin hummed, lifting his cup.

"Yoongi has done more for this pack than most can say for themselves. All he wanted was a small, quiet cabin," Hoseok smiled, looking into the brew of his tea. "Quiet, he couldn't get easily seeing as he has to live near the pack alpha. But he did get his small cabin."

"Out of all the eligible alphas, Yoongi is the best bet. But Namkwon would prefer him to mate a Kim to have more of a hold in the pack," Seokjin sighed.

"He already has two sons mated or mating a Kim, why does Yoongi have to?" Taehyung asked, his own frown on his face matching Jimin's.

"Yoongi comes before Hoseok because he's older. If something were to happen to Namkwon or Joonie, Yoongi would have to step up to be pack alpha."

"Or he could challenge them," Hoseok added. "But I don't think that he would do such a thing."

"That's true," Seokjin nodded. "He's loyal to those he cares about. I came down with a sickness last season and he bought and delivered enough medicine for the rest of the season for me and tried teaching the pups since I was the only teacher last year. He has no idea how to handle kids," he snorted.

"My shop is the first to get his leather," Taehyung piped in.

"He helps me with my bigger orders," Hoseok smiled again.

"He cares about people who give him reason to care about. If you make an effort and look past his scars, you'll see he is just a protective pup at heart," Seokjin chuckled. "He was found at a young age and the generosity he was given then he will return tenfold once he can trust you. He's not as intimidating as he seems, I promise."

Jimin sighed and rested his face on his fist. "I don't think I want to find a mate just yet, though. I don't know the grounds or the people enough. I'd rather know the pack itself before settling down. People are temporary, a pack is not."

"All packs were just people to begin with," Seokjin said, rubbing Jimin's shoulder. "All packs are people at the heart. And Yoongi is just one of those people. He actually has a better temper than I do," he laughed, Jimin chuckling as well.

His mouth opened to respond, but his voice was cut by a loud pounding at the door. Seokjin huffed and rose, setting his cup down and answering the door.

"Yes?" He asked, sounding more and more irritated at their private talks being interrupted.

"Is—Is omega Park here?" A beta panted, clearly just have run from wherever he came from.

Jimin rose as well. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"There is an emergency at the farm," the beta huffed and puffed. "Alpha Min ordered me to get you."

"Oh goodness," Jimin muttered before running past Seokjin. "Finish my cup for me!"

"No problem! Be careful!" The other called back.