Mate Me

Chapter 2

    I wish I could say that I enjoyed getting ready for the festival. That I didn't wait until an hour before we absolutely had to leave before I started packing for two weeks. However, I am who I am.
    As much as I hated it, I had to be very mindful of the outfits, aside from my gown, that I would wear. If not for myself, but for In-Su and Luna. This was their time too. The schedule was open for mingling, and there were activities set up around the grounds: a few musical groups, painting, dancing, movies, etc., for attendees to make connections.
     Romance aside, this was very much for political gain as well. Packs find their strength in number, especially with hunters closing in so tight on our borders. Appa wouldn't want us to know this, but he shouldn't leave important documents out on his desk. A reason that is unknown to us, more and more hunters have slipped in and out of our borders shattering our appeasement with our long-time peaceful neighbors. A stressful situation that Appa has, no doubt, lost days of sleep over, yet here we three are. Sitting in the back of a black unmarked SUV with tinted windows, off to a party. A sigh escaped my lips, as I tilted my head on my hand, eyes set out the window.
    "What's on your mind Noona," In-Su glanced up from his phone. I turned to look at him briefly.
    "Nothing." He rolled his eyes reaching his pointer finger out, pressing gently between my eyebrows. "This," he wiggled his finger a bit, "says otherwise. Relax." I laughed softly. You would never know that I was the older sibling. He's always looking after me. He gripped the hand closest to him gently before whispering softly, just between the two of us, "I will look after you." My eyes snapped over to his. They were a deep honey colored like Eomma's, filled with worry.
    I never told anyone my reason for not going back to the festivals. I didn't want anyone to know, but something deep inside of me told me that I didn't have to tell In-Su. That there was a part of him that knew. I wasn't sure if that made me feel better.
    "Miss Y/n," our driver, Jung-soo, looked in the rear view mirror briefly, "we're here." I swallowed hoping not to choke on the air caught in my throat. In-Su squeezed my hand before leaning over to Luna to wake her. The best part about this drive was that Luna slept the whole way. She woke with a slight dazed look, drool evident on the corner of her mouth. In-Su chuckled at her ruffling her matted hair.
    "You didn't give me time to fix myself!" She shrieked rummaging through her purse.
    "Trust me, no amount of makeup can fix your bad personality," I chided. She glared at me pulling out a compact.
    "Shall I pull up to the main gate or go straight to your cottage, miss?" I could feel my palms start to sweat, bile rising in my throat. Not enough to make me sick, just enough to make me not want to eat for a few days. 10, 9, 8, 7–
    "Miss?" Jung-soo had come to a complete stop at the gate, a road with three pathways. My mouth is dry. I can't breathe, my vision started to get fuzzy, my mouth hanging slightly open. He needs an answer Y/n, just say something. Anything. You want to go back to your room, right? Just say so! I could feel my eyes start to water, my lungs burning, begging for air—
    "Take us to the cottage first please," In-Su cut in taking my hand back in his, squeezing gently, his eyes focused on the road ahead. Jung-soo glanced at me, his eyebrow furrowed with worry, then nodded.
    I closed my eyes resting my head back. Just breathe.. breathe.. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...1

Jungkook POV

"Hyung, I'm fine. Please just let me finish packing." I shook my head annoyed at Jimin's presence in my doorway.
    "Kook, it's been three days since Lily left." I could feel Jimin's eyes watching the muscles on my back tense and then quickly release. "You don't have to rush this process."
    "I'm not rushing anything." Jimin's footsteps echoed, making his way beside me to place his hand on my shoulder.
    "Suppressing how you really feel, and pretending it doesn't exist won't help you later Kookie. You loved her. Didn't you?" It didn't sound like a question, more of a statement of fact.
    "No," I lied. There was a brief silence in the room. I turned to the garment bag that contained my suit for the evening.
    "I think it's a mistake." Jimin firmly stated, sucking his lower lip in before slowly releasing it.
    "And you've made that very clear." I snapped.
My eyes widened, my breath catching in the base of my throat. You see, Jimin is one of the kindest people that I have ever met. I genuinely mean that, but it is hard to remember that when he crosses his arms and his eyes darken. His glare cut straight through me, also reminding me that when pushed to it, he could rip someone to shreds. Jimin, when he is angry, is absolutely terrifying. I muttered a soft apology.
    "I'm just trying to look out for you Koo." I nodded.
    "I know Hyung, but honestly, this coming from you is hilarious. You don't care to find a mate! You keep anyone that shows any interest in you at an arm's length. Yet you go to this every year. To what? Hookup? You call that protection? Should I be like you? Never let anyone in ever again? Be," I paused staring at my shoes, "alone forever?"
    Jimin sighed running his fingers through his silver locks. I flinched watching his eyes wander to the window, I touched a nerve.
    "It will also not do you any good to follow to keep an eye on her either, Jungkook." A deep firm voice carried through my rather large room, something the others insisted on giving me despite my protests. It's the second largest next to Jin-hyung's room. It should have gone to Namjoon, but he said all he needed in his room was a bookshelf and desk to write at.

I turned away from my suitcase to face my alpha. He had dyed his hair to a light white-blonde, the ends somewhat unruly from the recent wash. I always looked up to him, ever since I was a child. He has always treated me like a brother, and not a subordinate. He treats us all that way. It's probably why it was so easy to turn to him as our alpha once we all decided to leave our old lives behind.
        
We all had our reasons. Some more severe than others, but mostly it was a run from the lives that our parents expected of us. It wasn't that we lacked discipline or respect, but we found something with each other. For the first time in our lives, we found a real family. A family we all intended to fight for.