Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Taehyung's POV

If Taehyung was to write a book about something, he would write on how fucking horrendous his day was. Being a crown prince—vampire prince, meant lots and lots of court discussions and paperwork. It also meant no more time for sneaking out to practice archery, he wanted to pull out his beautiful hair.

He sighs for the nth number of times, when another scroll lands on his table.His grip on the quill tightens as he tries not to scream at the poor messenger.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, your highness." The man bows before taking his leave.

Taehyung abandons the scroll into the small pile already lying there, swiftly running his tongue over his fangs in frustration.He needs a drink. Not an actual drink, but a vampire's drink. He loosens his hanbok, feeling suffocated.

"I need a fucking break."

He's about to step out when he senses someone outside his room.  Before another pile of scrolls could enter his sight, he decides to do the only thing he was tempted to do the whole day and is morally not supposed to do.He wraps out of the window, effortless and fluent. He gracefully lands in the lush, soft green grass of the back garden. Dusting off his clothes, he thinks about who he should feast from.

Gyeongdong market. The place which is never empty, a bustling crowd with a variety of people, it was like a multicuisine restaurant for the hungry vampire. As much as feeding from humans like a rogue without consent was punishable, who the fuck was going to go against the crown prince?

As long as he didn't hunt a werewolf, he was fine.

The vampire and werewolf rivalry is not news anymore, years into the treaty to exist together under the circumstances of not getting into each other’s business had worked so far. Key words: so far. But a certain werewolf was absolutely delighted to meddle in his business. Taehyung groans, hating that the thought might jinx his feed.

He slithered around in the shadows, the hues of red and orange melting into the red of his eyes. Lurking into the unknown, he waits for his prey. He leans back, resting on the rundown wooden wall of the ruins which once was an eatery. He remembers the exact day the place was reduced to crap. How could he forget that unfortunate day, the one when he met HIM?

The thought itself makes Taehyung's pale skin crawl with disgust, his bright red eyes dissolving into black. A peaceful day off from his duties it was supposed to be, one day out after months of work. That’s what you get for being a crown prince, it's not exactly as luxurious as people make it out to be. He loved that eatery, to be short, the food (blood) was fresh, and the owner knew how to keep secrets. But that wasn’t the main reason he liked to go there, the owner's nephew was. A human, a voluntary feeder on top of that, but he wasn’t that always.

He had caught Taehyung drinking out of the hen once when he returned from his work early. To say he was shocked would be an understatement, and he had threatened Taehyung to report it to the higher council. On instinct, he had pulled out his dagger, hidden behind the golden chains decorating his waist.

His aunt, the owner of the eatery, instantly threw herself in the middle begging him to forgive her nephew.  Taehyung had refused, but then he couldn't. He was tied by his own values, the ones he oh so meticulously obeyed. Taehyung couldn’t just let him go, it would be foolish of him to let a witness go but he did owe the eatery owner for feeding him. He was indebted but he was in power, after all.

So in exchange for his life, Taehyung had asked the nephew to become his feed. Once a month, he would feed from him. That’s when it happened. The nephew fell for the vampire. A human fell in love with a vampire.

Taehyung didn’t know what to do, he couldn’t feel the same. He had never thought of him as anything more than a feeder. They had talked here and there when it was inevitable but he didn’t understand why the human would fall in love with him. He had told him that, as a prince, he had to be honest. The human was reduced to tears, going off on Taehyung about how he had misled him, then just hid behind the name of princely duties. All the kindness he had taken as his interest turned out to be a princely duty.

Taehyung had felt bad for just feeding the man and leaving - he might be a vampire whose heart didn’t beat but he did have sympathy.

His mother used to say it was his greatest weakness. Maybe it was. He had offered a ride and food to the nephew, which in turn was taken as his interest in said man. But after the argument, the man had offered to continue being his feeder, which the prince had profusely declined. He wouldn't feed from someone who had feelings for him, it was against his morals. But the other man had been consistent in his approaches, even though it should have been Taehyung who needed to beg for help.

In the end, having no option but to accept, Taehyung had decided to set rules to maintain the boundary of their relationship. It was strictly work bound, he would pay the man in return for the blood he provided. No words would be exchanged between them and then both parties would go their own way after the feeding was done. The man had agreed and it was going well until that day.

The day Taehyung wishes never came, or at least the day that one werewolf never came into his life.

Jeon Jungkook.

It was supposed to be a feeding day, hence the eatery was closed earlier. He had almost finished feeding, when the door of the eatery was forced open by a drunk who came bustling in demanding food. Taehyung had instantly smelled the werewolf, the other having sensed the vampire as well.

He sobered up pretty quickly after that. Watching the position the two were in, Jungkook had taken the situation as an attack on the nephew, who was too dazed in bliss due to the vampire poison in the bite to explain anything.

Jungkook had growled, his eyes flashing red to assert his dominance as an alpha. He bore his teeth and claws, ready to attack.

Taehyung wanted to roll his eyes and laugh at the immature wolf. He wasn’t a werewolf, so it didn’t matter if he was an alpha or a beta, it wouldn’t affect the vampire. But before he could laugh it off, the wolf had pounced on him, ready to tear his head off. Taken by surprise and in utter panic of self defense, Taehyung had pulled in the nephew of the shop owner as a shield.

The wolf, being intoxicated earlier, couldn’t react faster and had struck the nephew instead of the vampire.

Beheaded, the body laid limp in Taehyung's arm, while the head hung from Jungkook's claws.They had committed a crime. No matter if they were the prince or the son of the head alpha. They wouldn’t be spared. They had to do something. And at that moment of weakness and cowardice, they had set the eatery on fire.

Destroyed every nook and cranny to get rid of the evidence. For the first time, a werewolf and a vampire worked together. Oh how much the higher entities had wished for this, only for it to turn out to be for the coverage of a crime. They had sworn that day that they’d never talk about this again, that they weren't here, and that this never happened. And shamelessly, the both of them had left the eatery to burn, along with the livelihood of the old woman who never knew how her nephew had died. Now homeless and penniless, she had to move out of the town to find a job.

Taehyung lived with the guilt, and he wasn’t able to forgive himself for what he had done.He had covered up a crime to save his own neck, and he had done what a crown prince should never do. He strived to bring law and order to his people, after all. He would need to promise that to the throne when he’s crowned as the king.

He knows he won't be able to do it, he would rather not be a king. He wasn’t supposed to, after all, he was the younger son. But maybe karma did exist, and it wasn’t going to go easy on the vampire. A few months after the fire, he had woken up to the news he wished he had never woken up to. His brother Taemin had killed himself. Vampires were immortal until they chose not to be or were killed in a war.

His brother chose the first option and the throne fell into Taehyung’s tainted hands. He never found out why Taemin did that, so he decided it was his fault. It had to be, right?

He killed a man who loved him. If only he hadn't killed that nephew, then karma wouldn't have taken his brother. Taehyung couldn't forgive himself. He had to live with the guilt, his hands painted red. He had to live with the ghosts of the man he killed, haunting him, taunting him and telling him that he was a murderer.

He watched the werewolf roam and fool around the streets as if he hadn’t just beheaded an innocent human. Like he hadn't set the eatery on fire rendering a woman homeless, to starve to death meeting the same end as her nephew. He felt his skin crawl when he saw Jungkook laugh so freely, shamelessly flirting around the omegas on the streets of the market. He felt his blood boil, fists clench, nails digging into his own flesh until they drew blood.He doesn’t realize he’s doing it until he feels someone forcing him to stop.

“Yoongi,” he gritted through his clenched teeth.

“Stop hurting yourself,”  Yoongi stated plainly.

“It’s none of your business.”

“As your personal guard and your friend, it’s my duty to save you from any kind of danger, which includes yourself at times.”

Taehyung sighs, his shoulders falling before he nods. He can’t take out his frustration on his only friend. “Yeah, I'm.. I'm sorry.”

Yoongi shakes his head at the hesitation, before placing a hand on his shoulder. “Memories haunting you again?”

Taehyung nods.

Yoongi was the only person who knew all the sins he had ever committed. Heck, he even knew the names of all the guys he had slept with. He was his confidant and his only friend, after all.

Though he was his personal guard first.

"It wasn't your-"

"It was, though," Taehyung snaps. "It was my fault!"

Yoongi shakes his head at that, his brows furrowed into a sympathetic expression. “Don’t forget.. those are just demons of the past, they haunt not hunt.”

Taehyung nods again, wordlessly. “I need to feed tonight,” he chooses to say instead. Yoongi nods, pointing towards a small group bustling at the end of an alleyway of ruins.“Who are they?”

“Drunkards”

“Will do.” And with a gust of wind, he’s gone.

Yoongi shouldn’t be helping him with these illegal expeditions, but he’s a mere personal guard after all. Though the friend side of him is the real culprit, who can’t help but succumb to the feeling of understanding for his buddy. He knows better than anyone what desire and addiction can do. He’s been there. And Taehyung is addicted to human blood.

Jungkook's POV

Jungkook doesn't sleep a wink. He hasn’t for months now, not after the day he had killed an innocent. He has tried to act nonchalant, like he didn’t care. Like he was some entitled alpha who wouldn’t spare a second thought for a life or two.

However, he was nothing like that, was he? Jimin, his beta best friend, had confirmed the same when he had puked his guts out the same night after returning from the crime. The older had told him how he looked so fucked and out of it. Tear streaked face, blank eyes and haywire scent.

It was a disaster. He was never going to drink ever again. A night he thought would celebrate his success as head alpha turned out to be one of his downfalls. He had murdered someone. Beheaded them, then burned the evidence. He feels like it wasn’t the eatery that burned that day, it was his pride.

He couldn't sit on the pack throne as a head alpha after that. The one dream he had worked so hard for his whole life, fell at his feet shaped like trauma. And then life just spiraled after Minhae, his sister, was killed. She was the kindest and sweetest girl he had ever had the honor to know. But alas, she fell in love with a vampire, and she kept him a secret till her last breath. The breath she took while trying to protect the said man. Which just solidified his hatred towards the vampires. Cowards and weaklings. That's what they were for Jungkook.

His mother was disappointed, not understanding why their son refused to assert the reason behind his withdrawal from life and power. He just didn't have the energy or the motivation left in him. But time passed and she had accepted the faith, making their second born alpha Jihyun as the head alpha, while Jungkook became the first commander.

Months after that night, Jungkook can still feel the blissed out yet dead eyes of the human on him. From the corner of his room or above him peering over him as he laid down on the bed.

He heard him call out to him.

Murderer!  Murderer!

Sometimes it's his sister.  Reminding him how he failed to protect her. He startles out of his sleep, gasping for air. Another nightmare. He scans around for a glass of water, gulping it down in a single gulp, and he finds himself wondering.

Did the vampire have the same nightmare?

Did he feel just as guilty as I did?

He scoffs, letting out a humorless laugh. A vampire and heartlessness always go hand in hand. He rakes his hand through his sweaty hair, throwing the blanket off. He might as well just start his day early rather than going back to the nightmares. He goes through his morning routine before changing into his training clothes.

The only thing he was good at, sword fighting and shifting. So he must stick to that.

Today, it was his turn to patrol the Gyeongdong market. He still doesn't understand why the teenagers choose to roam around such places at night. He wished they stayed home, so he could just rest and not worry about some blood sucker feeding on them. He pulls on the thick chains of the body armor over the hanbok, his sleep-heavy body feeling heavier. He groans, before grabbing his sword and pulling on the helmet.

He had been the one who voluntarily took the patrolling duty, as being first commander literally didn’t require him to even step outside his house if not absolutely necessary. But an empty mind is the devil’s workshop, or you can say the dead’s workshop. He would rather march through the sweaty bodies of hormonal and drunk teenagers at Gyeongdong market than face his demons at home.

He slips out of his house, the cold wind hitting his face like a slap.

/Yeah wake up Jungkook, you need to be useful./

He marches through the alleyways and ruins, chasing out the younger couples and teenagers. He was tired, but that wasn't an excuse. Almost at the end section of the market, when he thought he was done for the night and could just head back, he heard a blood curdling scream. Instantly alarmed, he runs towards the source of the scream. The place is too familiar.

How could he forget this godforsaken eatery. He takes a deep breath before barging into the ruins. He instantly discovers a girl, pale, shaking as a leaf in a storm.

Her eyes showed the horror she had witnessed, mouth hanging open, while her lips trembled around a sob.

“P-please save my friends.” She managed to whimper, before she passed out.

Jungkook picks the girl up, laying her on a nearby platform before he silently slithers towards the way the girl had pointed. As he got closer to an opening, he heard it. Whimpers, sobs and the unforgettable horrendous sound of slurping.  A vampire feeding. The grip he has on his sword tightens as he jumps out of the shadows right into the opening. He expects some rogue vampires being rebels, but what he discovers has his blood boiling, while his teeth are clenched tight.

“Kim.”

“Jeon.” The vampire wipes the remains of the blood from his lips, swiping his tongue across his fangs, a challenge.

“What the fuck do you want, wild dog? Did I not make it clear enough that I don’t even want your shadow to fall upon me?”Taehyung grits out.

In his periphery, he can see Yoongi hiding in the shadows, blending in ready to meddle. He shakes his head at him.

“How shameless and disgusting can you get, you blood sucker? After everything that happened, you still have the guts to come here and hunt humans for your filthy desires.”

Taehyung's eyes flash red for a second.

“It’s not a choice, Jeon. It’s what I eat, I’m a vampire and I need blood to survive." The werewolf scoffs mockingly.

“Well the village doesn’t provide you enough blood bags that you have to hunt like a wild animal now?”

“I’m not a vampire, but I know how disgraceful and how against morals it is for a vampire to hunt a human for feeding.”

Taehyung chuckles, it’s dry.

“You know a lot about us when you claim to loathe vampires.”

Jungkook clenches his jaw.

“You should always know about your enemies.”

Taehyung wanted to laugh.

“Enemy, you say? But that's not what it seemed like-”

He shuts up. No, he’s not going to go that low, he hasn’t lost all of his morals yet.

“Fucking asshole.” Jungkook throws a look full of loathing towards him, hand clenching round the weapon in his hand he turns around and leaves. He once again let the vampire have his way, he couldn't stop him.

Why the hell is he always giving Taehyung free passes to trample over him? He wanted to scream out how much he was suffering and had suffered because of that fucking night. When all the vampire seemed to do was not give a flying fuck and go on with life. He throws his headgear on his bed before placing the weapon back into its place a little more gently. That was the only thing he had left of his family with a happy emotion.

The sword was a gift from his father when he turned 18, it was the sword of a future alpha.

How ironic.

He sighs, the bed dipping under his weight. There was no point in trying to sleep again, it was almost dawn. He stares at the roof, hoping that it magically will turn interesting. He groans, closing his eyes when they water. He can’t even stare at a fucking roof without getting disturbed. The minute his eyes close, the image of the vampire pops up. Eyes redder than an apple. The blood covered lips.

He groans. This man had fucked his life upside down and now he was raiding his thoughts as well. Fucking fantastic.That’s when he gets an idea. He shakes his head, trying to free himself from that horrible thought. He was better than that. The thought of murder, foreign yet comforting, made his skin crawl with disgust for himself.

His hand traveled towards the bedside drawer on its own. He knew what he had to do. Everything was a blur after that, the herbal medicine sliding down his throat with ease. His eyes fluttered closed, before he was passed out cold. That was the life of Jeon Jungkook, he couldn’t sleep a wink unless it was for those darn herbs.

Taehyung's POV

On the other side of the village, vampires never slept, it wasn't necessary, yet a certain prince laid on the pristine well-made bed, trying to stay calm and not burn his whole house down. He just HAD to meet that mutt, didn’t he? Fucking werewolf threating him. HIM, the vampire prince. How malicious!

He frowns at the way unconsciously he’s thinking of him again.

“Fuck it,” he says, sitting up.

He couldn't waste his time on stupid things when he had a feast to manage and prepare for. The blood moon feast, the only darn time of year when vampires and werewolves gathered together in the garden of the palace to celebrate peace and unity.

Who the fuck were they kidding though, when all that happened was them sitting together in the garden in their own groups? What a stupid inconvenience it was. But he was a prince, not a king. His parents still very much believed in the union and so did that mutt's-

Not him again. He crumbles the paper he had been reading, the poor flimsy material crushing under the force. He had to face that man again at the feast, fucking fantastic, he thought as he forced himself to read the stack of letters again.

The usually peaceful corridors of the moderately huge house of the vampire were full of murmurs and distress. He swears he had raised his brows at people more than ten times in the span of a few minutes.

“What is going on here, Yoongi? Has everyone forgotten their manners or what?”

Yoongi pulled one of the butlers aside.

“What’s happening, what’s all the whispering and discussing about?”

The man, shivering under the cold gaze of the soldier and the prince, mutters, “there has been an arrival in the village. An old man, they say. He’s a prophet, or that’s what he claims to be.” He licks his lips, wondering if he should utter the next words.

“We don’t have forever, I have urgent matters to attend to, now speak.”

He flinches, nodding.

“This morning he was gathering a huge crowd at the village center, declaring that there’s a prophecy that was written about this village. There is a pair, a werewolf and a vampire chosen by the highest entity itself that will end the war between the two, making the two parties not just exist together but live together in harmony.”

Taehyung scoffs, taking a look at Yoongi who just stands without a word.

“What pair?”

“The chosen mates.”

Taehyung lets out a high pitched laugh at that, almost childlike. If it had been heard by his parents it would be declared as unethical. Yoongi raises a brow at that, waving the butler off.

“You can go back to your duties.”

The male, more than relieved, bows before stumbling off as fast as he can.

“Did you just hear what I did? Chosen mates, they say. Bullshit! I call bullshit on this.”

Yoongi shakes his head.

“This is not the first time people have come into the village and said such things, why bother over it now?”

Taehyung chuckled.

“Well I can’t disagree with that, but such people need to be kicked out for creating such chaos.”

“I can order the soldiers to do that, if that’s what you want.”

Taehyung waves him off.

“No need to waste our time on such mediocrity.”

Yoongi nods before they walk down the hall to start their work day.

Jungkook's POV

While Jungkook expected the village to be crowded nearing the time of the blood moon feast, he didn’t expect it to be this chaotic.

Everyone was gathered in small and big groups, talking among themselves.

He strolls through the place trying to pick up some words.

“Trying to pick up the gossip?”

He jumps at the voice, his hand at his sword as he turns around.

“Park fucking Jimin, how many times do I have to tell you to give me a warning!”

His best friend, a beta, just laughs. Jimin being on the not so smaller side for a beta was often mistaken as an alpha.

He didn’t mind that, but that didn’t mean he lacked strength, he was the general in his unit for a reason.

“What, you got scared by just that? Have you even been sleeping these days, Jungkook? You are too distracted and unguarded.”

The alpha just shrugs, continuing to walk, the other rolls his eyes, jogging up to him.

“Ignore me as much as you want, but remember, if you don’t care for yourself no one will.  That’s just how this world works.”

Before Jungkook could reply with a snarky remark, they hear a commotion near the village center.

Both instantly alert, they push aside the huge crowd formed there to get to the front of the problem.

“What’s going on here? What’s all this commotion about?”

One of the women in the crowd yells back.

“This man here claims to be a prophet.”

Jungkook raises a brow, turning towards the man who stands on a stone structure called the village center.

“I do not claim to be a prophet, I am just a messenger.”

“Messenger from where? Who do you work for?”

Jimin steps forwards, stance defensive.

“How foolish, we don’t work for anyone other than the highest entity itself. I’m her messenger.”

Jungkook sighs, tapping at Jimin's shoulder.

“It’s just another mad man, leave it. He’ll be out of here soon, when all the fun is over.”

The old man laughs, and his eyes stare right back into Jungkook's with an immense level of confidence.

Jungkook wants to wave it off, but the look in the man's eyes tells him a story.

Something’s coming for them.

“What do you mean to convey here?” he asks, Jimin snapping back at him taken by surprise.

“Seriously? Now we have to listen to his bull-”

“I have not forced you to stay, Jimin. You may leave.”

The other simply groans, staying anyway.

“The end of this war is coming,” the old man starts.

“The chosen mates will end this war, thus uniting the two sworn enemies into a ceremony of love.”

Hushed murmurs arise from the crowd again, while Jimin scoffs.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? There’s no war going on here, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

The elder just chuckles.

“Pretty narrow minded aren’t you, son?”

He moves from one foot to the other, his walking stick scraping against the gray surface of the rock.

“One can speak of war with diversity, it doesn't always have to be weapons that are being fought with in a war, it can be something like words, greed or even love.”

“In this case, the war between Wolves and Vampires is one of pride and prejudice. But worry not, the highest entity would never leave any matters unresolved.”

Jungkook has a headache.

“Get to the point, man.”

The old man takes a look at Jungkook, a hint of a smile playing at his lips, as if he knows something more than he’s letting on.

“Oh— the point is, the highest entity entrusted this job into the hands of a pair. A werewolf and Vampire.”

Jimin gulps beside him.

“What do you mean by pair?”

“Fated mates, son.”

Jungkook takes a second trying to comprehend, but he sputters out, “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? A vampire and a werewolf-”

He couldn’t even get himself to complete the sentence, wanting to throw up.

“Yes, they’ll fall in love.”

“NO!” Jungkook yells, his voice wavering a little, but his eyes a void of any emotions.

He looks like an empty shell, shaking his head vigorously.

“Hey, Jungkook. Breathe.” Jimin shakes him, but he doesn’t budge.

“It’s not for you to decide, young man.”

Jungkook knew he was fast, but he himself doesn't know when he draws the sword and presses it against the old man's neck.

“Shut up! What the fuck do you know? What right do you have to spew this bullshit?”

The man doesn’t even bat an eye at the blade pressed against his lifeline, and Jimin hurries to hold Jungkook back but can’t help but gawk at the fearless man.

“Let me go, Park!” Jungkook fights against him.

“Calm down for fuck’s sake, Jungkook!”

“Are you hearing what he’s saying? Werewolf and vampire in love? Are you fucking kidding me?”

Jimin manages to slip the sword out of  his hands, making the alpha stumble backwards a little.

The man looks at him with something in his eyes, Jungkook frowns trying to pinpoint it, but he’s too blinded by anger to do so.

“Listen to me, young man. You don’t have to believe in what I say if it helps you, but be here on blood moon feast and see it for yourself.”

Jimin groans.

“Sir, I need you to leave now.”

He eyes another soldier standing nearby, who quickly escorts the man away.

“Are you out of your mind? Drawing a sword at a helpless citizen?”

Jungkook scoffs.

“He looked helpless to you? He didn’t even flinch when a sword was pressed against his throat.”

Jimin sighs, shaking his head.

“But he was weaponless and you could be punished for this.”

Jungkook scoffs again.

“Is that any different than every fucking day?”

Jimin stays silent this time, helping him up before they complete their duty without another word.

Taehyung's POV

As much as Taehyung hates social events, he’s actually thankful for the Blood Moon feast, first because it’s actually fun with events and food and secondly because it gives him time off from his duties.

Well, he’s not one to complain about work, but he’s been too tired these days. Even though he had fed not even a week ago, he felt some odd kind of unrest.

His chest hurt, like something was pulling at it, but he had thought nothing of it until that morning.

He had been told by his mother to visit the feast venue to check on the preparations.

It was going well, decorations were being put up, white and red curtains decorated the pillars, decorative lanterns adorning the trees.

He was looking forward to the final look. With a content sigh, he was about to head back to his office when he felt it.

A sharp pain, as if he was alive. The aching of a heart, when it is beating.

His legs had almost given up on him, if it weren’t for Yoongi stabilizing him with his own body.

“What’s wrong, young master?”

Taehyung clutched at his chest, where his heart would be.

“I don’t know, I was fine a minute ago. Now it hurts, more like burns.”

Yoongi doesn’t waste any time before bringing him back home and straight to the doctor.

Withering on the doctor's bed, Taehyung thinks he’s going to die, ironic coming from a vampire but that’s how he feels.

His insides burn, as if his guts are twisting, his chest squeezing from inside.

“What the fuck is happening to my son, doctor Kang?”

Taehyung's mother asks impatiently, her hand running through her son’s hair in a comforting manner, yet her voice is cold.

“If I’m being honest? I don’t freaking know. Because all of his tests look normal, his blood levels are excellent.  He’s perfectly healthy, yet he’s not.”

Doctor Kang mashes some seaweed into a vessel, adding different kinds of herbs and powders.

“Here, have this. It will stop the pain but I can’t guarantee that it won’t return.”

The Queen frowns, yet feeds the medicine to her son.

“You mean it’s not going to get cured?”

“No I didn’t mean that, the medicine I gave him  will hold off the pain giving me time to look into this better.”

The queen nods reluctantly before seeing the doctor out of the door.

Taehyung grunts, moaning as the pain subsides.

“Mother, what did he say?”

The queen quickly returns with a curt smile.

“Don’t worry, darling.  He said you'll be all good tomorrow.”

“Thank god, I didn't want to ruin the blood moon feast.”

The queen waves him off, dismissing his worries.

“Nonsense, you are more important than any festivities, son.”

With that she leaves him alone to rest but it never comes to Taehyung.

Though the pain has subsided, he feels the tightness of his chest remain. He doesn't understand what exactly was happening to him.

He turns to his side, trying to sleep it off just like his mother told him.

Jungkook's POV

If Jungkook had the option to jump off the cliff instead of the job he’s currently going to fulfill, he would have gladly jumped off the cliff.

He is full of dread as the buildings start getting bigger as he approaches.

Casa de Kim. The house of Kims. The Palace of the Royal vampire family of Kims.

He was sent by his mother to deliver a letter to the queen. Which meant he had to travel here to give the letter and he might have to face the man he wishes will disappear from the surface of earth.

He announces his arrival at the door before entering the place. The butlers and maids share a look before bowing to him.

“We are sorry to tell you that currently no royal family is available to attend to you, sir. So we will have to request you to put your faith in us and share the message you want to convey.”

Jungkook nods but smiles.

“You don’t have to talk so politely with me, I'm younger than you,” he addresses the staff.

The butler smiles, relieved, and welcomes him inside, showing him the way to the sitting room.

“I’ll fetch you a glass of water, please wait here.”

Jungkook offers him a smile and a nod, making himself comfortable on the chair. Yet when the butler doesn't return after some time, he decides to find the washroom for himself.

He looks around the halls for anyone who could help him, but there isn’t anyone, so he begins his own exploration. He wanders down the hallways, peeping into rooms, and he can hear the distant chattering coming from the kitchen but he doesn’t plan to go there. He’s about to turn another corner when he hears the sound of whimpering. It’s low but painful, and something about it tugs at Jungkook’s heart.

He feels a pull towards the closed door, but before he can  take another step his legs give in. A sharp pain shoots through his body, his head spinning for a second. At the same time, someone inside the room screams.He moves ahead on his wobbly legs towards the door, grunting and  clenching his teeth.

“What the fuck is happening?”

He pushes the door a little, his eyes falling on the figure curled on the bed.

He takes a better look and instantly recognizes him.

Kim Taehyung, the younger son of the Kim family.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Jungkook asks,  missing the irony of the fact that he’s standing in Taehyung’s  house and in his room.

“Jeon? I should be fucking asking you that.” Taehyung sits up, flinching at the stabbing pain.

“I came here to deliver a letter, motherfucker.”

“Is that how you are taught to talk to the crown prince?”

“Shut the fuck up, you deserve nothing from me. Die here in pain, and good riddance.”

He’s turning and leaving the room before Taehyung stumbles to grab at his arm.

The contact feels like a burst energy bubble, their bodies shivering before the pain vanishes like it was never there.

Jungkook stares back at Taehyung, the prince's hand still clutching around his bicep.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing? Grabbing me like that? You have a death wish?”

Jungkook growls, his eyes flashing red, while Taehyung's glow golden with a hint of red in them.

He flashes his fangs, his mind sensing danger but his body too numb to react.

Jungkook pulls his hand away, the other one ready to unsheathe his sword, when he hears footsteps.He assumes the person to be around the corner, so he pushes Taehyung inside the room, locking the door behind him. He signals the other to stay silent, who still looks unfocused standing like a statue.

Soon the door is knocked upon, as expected.

Taehyung is brought out of his mind then, his head snapping toward Jungkook hiding inside the walk-in closet.

“What the fuck were you thinking before hiding there?” he whisper shouts, but the other rolls his eyes.

“Well I’m not very happy about hiding behind your disgustingly smelly clothes–“ a lie, “but do you see any other option right now?”

Taehyung groans, he hates that the other is right. He hates every second of the other’s presence in the room.

But they can’t be caught in a room right now, it will cause such chaos. Not when his own mother is best friends with Jungkook's.

He rubs his face with his hand, before sighing.

“Close the door,” he whispers, before walking towards the bedroom one.

He swings it open, trying to act as if he just woke up.

The head butler on the other side bows, his eyes cast to Taehyung’s feet.

“Is there a problem, Ryuhoon-ssi?” He smiles at the middle aged man, who shakes his head.

“No your highness, I just heard some noise coming from here and a messenger that had come to meet your mother is missing. Jungkook-ssi was it?”

Taehyung wants to yell at the top of his lungs. If Jungkook had come formally, why the fuck was he even hiding like a thief?

But they cannot be caught right now.

“Oh is that so, but I do not see why the noise or the messenger would be in my quarters?” he questions blankly.

“Oh certainly not! I was just checking on you, your highness. I do not mean to cause any disturbance to you.”

The butler bows several times in clear panic, and Taehyung chuckles.

“I was just kidding, Ryuhoon-ssi. You didn’t disturb anything, I had woken up already, but yes I’ll be heading back to bed now, so make sure you ask the guards to move to the outer hallway.”

Ryuhoon hesitates for a minute, not really feeling comfortable with the request.

“But your majesty, her highness has personally asked me to not leave you alone in this condition.”

Taehyung waves him off.

“What condition? See? I’m all good now, no pain at all. Hence, just do what I said.”

Ryuhoon bows again before taking his leave.

Once the door is closed again, Jungkook steps out of the closet dusting off his clothes as if he was stuck in a storage room. Taehyung frowns at that, biting his tongue to prevent any jabs that would start an argument. He just wants the man gone.

“You can get out of here now. I’ve asked Ryuhoon to shift the guard to the outer hallways.”

“Who’s Ryuhoon?” Jungkook asks, completely ignoring the rest of the sentence.

Taehyung massages his temple in annoyance.

“He’s the head butler and probably the one who fetched you, as he knew who you were.”

“Oh, what’s his last name?”

“Jeon. I’m afraid you are getting too comfortable in my presence. Is that it? If it is then I’m highly apologetic but I do not feel the same. So please get the hell out of here.”

Jungkook scoffs, leveling him with his eyes.

“Oh fuck you, I’ve no interest in staying any longer anyway, there’s not even an ounce of happiness I feel by seeing your face, if anything I can feel the loathing crawling under my skin.”

Taehyung clenches his jaw, and he steps towards the man grabbing his wrist which gets a growl out of the wolf.

“Do not fucking touch me! You murderer.”

Murderer, murderer, murderer.

“Wow, murderer? Fuck you, Jeon. Fuck you for trying to put it all on me.”

Jungkook bites his tongue, he slipped.

He didn’t mean to say those things, he is in no position to say that.

But it’s too late.

He strides towards the door, stopping short. “Give this to her highness. It’s from the Luna.”

Taehyung doesn't acknowledge him, neither does Jungkook want him to. He throws the scroll over to the bed arrogantly before leaving. Taehyung's nostrils flare with anger, his eyes flashing golden as he lets go of his act of indifference.

“Fucking hell.”  He rakes his fingers through his soft hair, tugging at the strands brutally.

“Can he fucking get the fuck out of my life and eyesight?”

He slips back into his bed.

He was just going to go back to staring at the ceiling when his eyes fall on the scroll at his side. He clenches his jaw. That piece of shit thinks he can boss him around?

He throws the scroll towards the door, which abruptly opens.

The scroll fortunately lands at the feet of the intruder.

“Oh, Mother.” Taehyung sits up quickly.

“What is with such unethical behavior, son?” she asks, picking up the scroll.

“It’s just, nothing.. that scroll was for you from the Luna of the Wolves.”

Taehyung envies the way his mother's face lights up instantly at the mention of the Luna, unlike when she’s with him.

“Oh I see, I shall give it a read. I was just dropping by to check on you. But I see your pain has subsided. Wonderful, then I shall go back to my quarters.”

She turns around to leave, but stops in her tracks.

“Son, have you possibly heard of the prophet that has been the talk around the village?”

Taehyung gulps, contemplating his answer. He decides to go with the truth.

“Yes, mother. But I think it’s pure nonsense, many like these come and go. It shall die down with time.”

The queen sighs for some reason, before taking time to nod.

“Rest well, son,” she says, closing the door behind her.

Closed doors is all that he’s ever seen. He turns over to his side. Closing his eyes, he starts thinking about closing doors again.

Anonymous POV

“What is this prophecy I'm hearing about?”

“I don't know, master. I shall find out.”

“Good, our plan shall not be ruined by some insane old man hungry for attention.”

“No ill shall fall upon the plan, I will make sure of it.”

Jungkook's POV

“Come on Jungkook, he helped you didn't he?” Jimin follows the other around.

“Are you hearing yourself, Jimin? It’s Kim fucking Taehyung.  He knows no kindness, he's a cruel cold-blooded murderer who feeds off of others’ blood.”

Jimin breathes out loudly, as if tired.

“Okay, just forget what happened, yeah? The end.”

Jungkook nods, but for some reason he feels uneasy. As if it’s not the end but just the beginning.

The next day, Jungkook doesn’t even have time to breathe let alone think about Kim Taehyung.

It’s the day of the Blood Moon Feast. The day when Vampires and Werewolves come together to celebrate the one thing that connects them.

The blood moon, their highest entity.

“What did I tell you? You should have listened to me!”

Jimin fussed as he pulled out almost all of Jungkook's wardrobe.

“Stop creating a mess!”

The alpha massages his head, already feeling tired looking at the mess on the floor.

“Shut up, this is because you didn’t listen to me when I told you to get a new hanbok prepared for you!”

He pulls out a red hanbok from last year’s Blood Moon Feast, frowning at the creases.

“Oh dear moon goddess, you can’t even take care of your clothes.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes, about to say something when he hears a knock at the door.

“Thank God. Finally.”

He swings open the door for a shorter man to rush inside, apologizing profusely.

“Alpha Jeon, I’m extremely sorry for the delay! I meant to get this ready by morning, but as it was a late order, it took some time.”

Jungkook gives him a reassuring smile, noticing the bag in his hand.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay. I understand as it was my bad, placing such a request on your shoulders.”

The man shakes his head and hands vigorously.

“Absolutely not! I’m more than happy to serve you, sir! As a token of apology I wish to give this to you, free of charge.”

“Nonsense, I won’t accept one's hard work for free, you did nothing wrong. So go home, I’ll send your money with someone.”

The man bows numerous times, still trying to convince Jungkook but at the end gives up, leaving.

“What was that all about?”

Jungkook shrugs.

“You told me, right? To get a new hanbok? So here it is. I was late but I requested the man  make it for me.”

Jimin lets out a breath of relief, before frowning.

“Asshole, then why the fuck did you let me stress over it all this time? Look!”

He gestures around.

“Look at the mess! God! I feel bad for your future husband or wife.”

Jungkook scoffs, picking up the clothes lying around.

“As if I’ll ever marry.”

Jimin rolls his eyes, but stays silent, helping him to pick up the mess.

“What color is the hanbok? Red again?”

Jungkook shrugs, the older one sighing.

“Why are you so obsessed with red, I don't understand!”

“It’s as if you are in love with a vam-”

Jimin clasps a hand over his mouth, but to his dismay Jungkook had heard.

“Get out.”

“Jungkook, I’m sorry-”

“I know, so get out. I’ll clean it, you may go and get ready for the feast.”

Jimin doesn’t say another word, knowing it would be the best option at the moment.

Jungkook takes in a long breath, swiping his hair back before getting back to cleaning.

Taehyung's POV

“Young master, your robe is here.”

Ryuhoon knocks at the door.

“Come in.”

Taehyung stands at the window, his arms folded.

“Ryuhoon-ssi, did the doctor perhaps have anything to comment on the pain I went through?”

“No, your highness. It was concluded to be a miracle.”

Taehyung sensed the way the man wanted to say more but couldn't.

“You can confess whatever you want to without any hesitation.”

Ryuhoon bows.

“I apologize for my unethical behavior, but if you were to consider my opinion, I would say it definitely was a miracle. The pain itself and the cure.”

Taehyung raises a brow.

“You mean to suggest that the pain I went through was for a betterment? An ally to me?”

Ryuhoon nods, his eyes cast down to the floor.

“I don't see how that can be the case, but I respect your positive approach towards the situation.”

The butler bows again.

“You may leave now, I have to get started with preparing for the feast. If you were to run into Min Yoongi outside, convey the message of me wanting to talk to him in my quarters.”

“Certainly.”

With that, the butler goes back to his duties, leaving Taehyung alone to admire the beautiful golden robe, with its  base of black.

“You called for me?” Yoongi strides in without knocking, before he stands besides him.

“Wow, did you call me to show off your expensive robe?”

Taehyung chuckles, shaking his head.

“No, I actually have a task for you. And I need you to get it done as soon as possible.”

“What is it?”

“I need you to invite that prophet to the feast. I want him to watch with his own two eyes how his prophecy is proven to be malicious and I can happily punish him for his disrespectful behavior. “

Yoongi watches him with an expression that doesn’t assert any confidence.

“Ugh– Tae—your highness, is there any particular rationale for these measures? We could just ignore the man and go on with life.”

Taehyung raises his brow in question.

“What do you suggest? I just sit there  on my hands, while that nobody just laughs in our faces and disrespects the rules and boundaries of both vampires and werewolves?”

Yoongi shakes his head.

“No, what I mean..”

Taehyung raises a hand, asking him to speak no further.

“I understand what you are coming to, I need you to keep an eye on that man.”

Yoongi nods, “As you wish, your highness.”

Jungkook's POV

The blood moon, red as blood yet red like love.

It also signifies the most favorable day to mate and claim. It is said that on this day the highest entity blesses one with whatever they wish for. Yet Jungkook wonders, why does the highest entity seem to have turned a blind eye towards his wishes?

He lingers around the drinks table, shot after shot being dumped down his throat, the burning feeling making the burning of his heart feel less painful.

He needs a break, yet his eyes are stuck on the blood sucking vampire.He groans when the vampire fake laughs at one of the jokes cracked by some ladies in low cut dresses. Jungkook grits his teeth when their eyes meet over a glance, the vampire returning his scowl with a smirk.

“What a shameless asshole,” he mutters, nursing his nth  drink.

Not long after, he manages to distract himself with the marble decorating the bar, when he hears a low voice speak right against the shell of his ear.

“I would appreciate it if you don’t sour my wonderful night with your sore eyes.”

Jungkook snaps around, finding the vampire too close for his liking.

“Very funny, get the fuck away from me, Kim. You disgust me.”

Taehyung chuckles.

“Really? The way you were checking me out minutes ago does speak of a different story.”

Jungkook's nose scrunches up in annoyance.

“Get out of my face and leave me alone.”

“So much for disgust and hate.”

Taehyung rounds an arm around the werewolf’s shoulders, just to grab a drink from the tray.

But Jungkook's alert instincts don’t catch that, andhe shoves at Taehyung while the drink gets dumped on Jungkook's hanbok.

“Fuck fuck fuck.” He scrambles to clean the new piece of cloth.

“It was freaking new! You piece of-”

Taehyung lets out a disapproving sound, before he grins.

“What an unusual and casual tone you use, furry.”

“Well you never told me your age did you? Welp oops– you aren't even alive to consider age.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes once again before walking off to a different table, more guests waiting to greet him.

Unconsciously, Jungkook's gaze falls on his own mother and he feels horrible, not just because she was too busy to acknowledge his presence, but because she looked so happy without him.

With a now soured mood, he turned back to the glass of alcohol he was handed. He looks up to find the prophet just wandering into the area. He sighs, his eyes closing with annoyance. He should just leave, he had done his duty of registering his attendance, hadn't he?

He’s almost made up his mind, ready to leave when he hears loud cheers and hollering. He glances around to find people pointing up into the sky.

“It’s the blood moon! It’s here! It’s here!” the little ones chant, while the new couples rush to gather around to get a sip of the moon blessed water.

He shakes his head, he’ll never be in their place. He wishes to take one glance at the moon and leave, hence turns his head up..

It’s beautiful, red like raspberries, like blood.

He feels it then, the fresh stab of knives against his heart.

“Fuck!” he shudders.

He rapidly blinks his eyes to get over the zaps of pain, his knees buckling under him.

He looks around to find people running towards him, and he finds Jimin's face among them. But he also notices many people running towards something else.

Is someone hurt? What is happening?

He falls down to the ground, his vision blurring.

“Jungkook!” He hears Jimin's footsteps get closer.

He blinks his eyes, locking gazes with the person laying a few feet away in the same manner as him.

Kim Taehyung.

But for some nasty reason, the sight of him brings a bit of relief.

“Take me there,” he grits, clenching hard around Jimin's bicep.

Jimin turns to look at the way Jungkook points and frowns.

“You are asking me to take you to Taehyung? Jungkook, are you serious? This is not the time for your fights.”

The alpha groans.

“It’s not about the fight. For fuck’s sake, just take me there.”

Jimin sighs obligingly as they stumble closer to the vampire and the screams of pain coming from Taehyungbegin to dissipate. His moans of pain turn into small grunts.

As they reach the crown prince, the crowd shifts around them allowing them to pass, but before they could face the prince, a man swiftly inserts himself between them.

He’s not taller than Jungkook, just a few centimeters more than Jimin if it’s worth anything, his build not intimidating at all, but the way he looks at Jimin is cold, sending shivers down anyone’s spine who as much as tries to get anywhere near.

Jimin furrows his brows, staring back at him without wavering while Jungkook's gaze is fixated over the vampire who's already looking back at him with the same confusion.

This has happened twice now, the unbearable excruciating pain numbing when they are in close proximity.

“Move,” Jimin grits, glaring at Yoongi.

“I mustn't allow you to get any closer to the crown prince “

Jimin rolls his eyes, shoving the other back, who doesn't even budge an inch.

“And why is that? He’s nothing special, 2nd in Command Alpha Jeon needs to see him, so move.”

Yoongi chuckles.

“Bold of you to assume your supposed 2nd in command Alpha holds any importance for me.”

Before Jimin could open his mouth to retort, they see more sets of bodies pushing through the crowd.

“What’s going on? Are you okay, son?”

The Queen, Taehyung's mother, stands in front of them.

“Jungkook? Are you okay, dear?” She looks at the alpha barely holding up, with concerned eyes.

Jungkook turns towards the queen, at the sound of her voice.

“Your highness, we don't-”

“Jungkook, your eyes.” The Queen stares at the bright red eyes in bewilderment before noticing how Taehyung's have started to shift to their natural form of a vampire, pale golden.

“Taehyung dear, yours too.”

“Both of your eyes have shifted to their natural form, red and golden,” Jimin finally speaks out, his eyes shifting between the two of them.

Startled and confused, both of the males cover their faces, trying to focus on calming down.

They wait for a few minutes, yet to their absolute horror it doesn't work.

“It didn’t work,” Jungkook's mother whispers, frozen in her own place.

A loud chuckle echoes among the low murmur of the crowd and the prophet walks into the clearing.

“What a malicious play of faith, the pair who ridiculed the idea of the bond being chosen as the bearers of said prophecy.”

He turns his head up towards the sky laughing.

“You are incredible, your grace.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean,” Jungkook rumbles, his mother placing a tentative hand on his shoulder.

The old man then walks towards the two males, his hand vanishing inside his pocket to pull out a red thread.

“Do you still feel the dull pain?”

The both of them stare at him wryly before nodding in defeat.

The man smiles. He ties an end of the red thread to Jungkook's pinky before approaching Taehyung and doing the same with him.

The moment the thread is connected to their pinkies, the pain they had felt in their chests bubbles low before popping as if never existing.

It felt like summer on the beach, with a breeze of gentle air against his brownish textured hair.

“It’s so beautiful."

All turn towards the old man.

“What’s beautiful?”

“The moon.” All the heads tilt upwards to glance at the moon and just as they do, the two males yelp.

The string connecting them pulling them together, until they stand face to face.

“Look,” the prophet points towards them.

Everyone gasps, as a golden ring appears around the red orbs of Jungkook's eyes, while taehyung possesses the red ring around his golden irises.

“Oh my goodness, what is this? What in the world is happening?” the Queen exclaims, expecting an answer from the prophet who merely smiles.

“Isn’t it obvious?” He shrugs smugly.

Anyone who dared touch or talk to the Queen with such nonchalance would’ve been thrown into the dark depths of the dungeons.

Yet all of the people stay quiet, looking at him.

“Fine, I'll explain.”

“These two young men, the crown prince of the vampire clan and the 2nd in Command of the werewolf clan, are chosen to be mates by the highest entity.”

Taehyung gawks at the man, his eyes bulging out at the revelation, while Jungkook scoffs, shaking his head.

“I understand now, this is all of your nasty plan, isn’t it? A sick plan of revenge because we both were the only ones who refused to believe in your prophecy?”

The prophet chuckles, walking towards them both.

“I can see that there’s already a ‘we’ now, when you couldn’t stand each other a few seconds ago. Well, it’s wonderful considering you are the chosen mates.”

He then turns towards the queen and the Luna.

“Your highness and Luna of the blood moon pack, I urge you to take this matter seriously. I kid you not, these two young men are hand picked by the highest entity themselves.”

He pulls at the red string and it sends a jolt of electricity through their hearts.

“Fuck. What are you doing!? What sorcery is this? Black magic?”

Taehyung clutches his chest while he musters to build up a more leveled voice.

The old man chuckles again. “Black magic, you say?"

He swiftly pulls the red string, making a snap sound before it appears in his hand.

“I’ll call it a miracle or a blessing, not black magic. This thread is the thread of faith itself and when tied around the pinky of chosen ones, then it will help you to understand the connection of your souls.”

“A sacred item?” Jungkook whispers, but the man hears it anyway.

“Yes, young man. And it just confirmed my doubt, because you can fool us but not a sacred item belonging to the entity itself.”

“So what is this all supposed to mean?” the Luna asks, already standing closer to the queen.

“It means your sons are going to be mates that will end the centuries old rivalry between vampires and werewolves.”

“BULLSHIT!” Taehyung yells, and a few of the humans and lower ranked wolves as well as vampires stumble around at the huge wave of energy.

“You take shelter in this village, spout some nonsense and make these villagers believe in your words, then go around spreading malicious lies about this prophecy and now you stand here in front of us trying to thread me into your dirty tricks for what? Humor? Me and this mutt? Mates?”

“Taehyung! Language!” The Queen's voice booms, while the prophet laughs.

“Oh dear, so much anger. But as you said yourself, my child. What for? Why would I even lie about all this? What’s in it for me? Nothing.”

Taehyung grits his teeth, unable to argue, the reason is exactly what gets him frustrated.

What is the reason for this man to try to destroy his life like this?

“What clan are you from?” It’s Jungkook who speaks up this time, a speck of new confidence in his eyes.

“Witches? Mages? Warlocks? Basically magic?”

Loud gasps are heard, as people step back from the old man in an instant.

Unbothered, he laughs.

“Oh dear, clans and ranks don’t hold me a prisoner. I’m free from the shackles of greed called power.”

The chosen ones scoff.

“Then why are you instigating this unnecessary chaos, old man?”

“In simpler words, why don’t you just get the fuck out of this village and leave us alone?” Jungkook fumes, cutting Taehyung off who grits his teeth but doesn’t say anything further.

“Jungkook!” It’s the Luna who steps ahead this time.

“This is not how I raised you. No matter what, you do not talk to an elderly person like that.”

The queen sighs, stepping forward.

“Enough. We have had enough for tonight. Everyone can get back to their homes, this man shall be taken to the palace to be interrogated tomorrow personally by myself and the Luna.”

“But mother-”

“No further discussion will be allowed from anyone. Absolutely anyone.”

With that the guards take the prophet away, behind the queen who takes her leave followed by the Luna.

Taehyung decides to just let himself rest against the ground, waving Yoongi off when he approaches to help him.

“Just leave me be for now, you can go home.”

Yoongi contemplates for a few seconds before leaving just to go and sit on a nearby chair.

Taehyung turns his head towards him and chuckles, he doesn't remember a day when Yoongi has left his side.

Oh except for one, the only one.

“I wish you hadn’t left me alone that day,” he murmurs, closing his eyes.

Yoongi closes his own in pain, he still regrets it everyday. He should have stuck with his prince.

“I’m sorry, I’ll always be sorry for it.”

Taehyung hums, his hands digging into the soil under his body knowing he is a bastard for letting Yoongi blame himself like that, but it feels lighter for a moment as if him taking the blame clears Taehyung of his sins.

His eyes burn behind his lids, but it’s not the time to think about this.

“Let’s go, I'm fine.” He sits up then, taking the hand Yoongi offers him.

Jungkook's POV

“Fucking hell.” Jimin throws his jacket at the wall, Jungkook not sparing him a glance as he takes a drag  from the pipe.

“Until these vampires don’t exist, there's not going to be one peaceful day for me.”

Jungkook just chuckles, tossing the pipe into the stone wall.

“Relax your ass, there’s nothing ruined. Except for dinner.”

Jimin rolls his eyes.

“Don’t you feel angry? That prophet just declared you and that blood sucker as mates. Don’t you feel pissed off?”

Jungkook sighs, massaging his own forehead as he slumps against the wall behind him. He rests his head back, the jacket of his hanbok discarded beside him.

“Anger, resentment, loathing,” he whispers like a mantra.

“The endless cycle of misery, that’s what I’m stuck in, Jimin. You are experiencing this today because of what you saw.”

He forces himself to open his eyes, glancing at Jimin who’s staring back at him.

“I’ve been feeling this way for a year, to the point that another misfortune won’t even disappoint me.”

Jimin's gaze softens, sympathy for Jungkook clouding it.

“Then why don’t you end it?”

“How?”

“Let’s go, I'll help you.”

“No. Just leave me alone for today, I need sleep.”

Jimin sighs, nodding. He gets up to leave but stops in his tracks.

“The library.”

Confused to the core, Jungkook frowns.

“What?”

Jimin's eyes sparkle with hope, he almost bounces on his feet.

“I've got an idea!! The library, Jungkook! There has to be a book related to this there! I’ll go check it out tomorrow myself!”

Jungkook closes his eyes again, he wouldn't hope much.

“Don’t look for me tomorrow, I’m going to be busy searching.”

Jungkook merely nods, his mind already slipping into dreamland, right against the cold hard stone wall.

Anonymous POV

“What? Chosen ones? Mates?”

The man behind the table slams his fist on the table.

“I knew it! I knew that bitch would somehow try to save these pathetic dogs and blood suckers.”

The other man in a robe bows his head down.

“She can try all she wants, but this time the end is definite. You must continue what you are doing.”

The veiled man nods, his robe rustling as he leaves.

***

“I think we don’t have a better plan than this, it’s the only way.”

“But Your Highness, they won’t agree.”

The Queen smiles, placing a hand on the Luna's shoulder.

“Just call me Taehee.”

“Then you should call me Junghwa.”

They smile before busting out laughing.

“Fine, fine, but really. Will Jungkook defy your word?”

Junghwa shakes her head. She knows her son will do anything she says, no questions asked. But she feels bad for forcing him into something he doesn’t want.

“No, but I would prefer it if it was by his consent.”

Taehee nods.

“I understand, I don’t want to force Taehyung either, but it’s their lives that are at stake.”

The Luna nods, her eyes closed.

“You are right, we can’t take any more risks after..”

Both of them gulp painfully.

“We can arrange a meeting with the old man tomorrow and then go from there?”

The Luna nods in agreement.

“Yes, okay.”

Taehyung's POV

Uneasy and anxious is what Taehyung is feeling as he walks around the office in circles.

“Can you please settle down for a brief moment? I’m getting dizzy/a headache looking at you.”

Taehyung groans, throwing himself at the sofa, landing face first on the cushion.

“I’m so stressed, we don't even know what they are discussing with that man for so long.”

He throws his hands around.

“The funny thing is, I can’t even use my powers to know, cause apparently a vampire proof room exists in the house of a vampire. I’m bamboozled.”

Yoongi chuckles at the dramatic gestures, but he himself can't help but wonder what’s so important that they had to use that room.

“I heard that Jungkook has been called here to have lunch with the royal family today.”

Taehyung's head whips towards Yoongi in milliseconds, and he’s towering over him in the next few.

“What the fuck did you just say?”

Yoongi holds both his hands in front of him.

“That's the rumor I've heard, I have no personal knowledge in this matter,” he confesses truthfully.

Taehyung groans, storming towards the door.

The door to the conference room is still locked, but loud excited voices can be heard from the other side.

They wonder what happiness his mother and the Luna have found in times like these.

He continues down the hall, just in time to come face to face with none other than Jeon Jungkook.

“Oh god, what a way to ruin the day.”

The vampire had found a weird sort of joy in teasing and poking at the other.

Yet now when Taehyung expects Jungkook to speak, to retort, he’s silent.

Amused, he glances towards the boy, noticing the eye bags and swollen eyes he's sporting.

“Fuck, what in the hell happened to your face?”

Jungkook waves him off, too tired to answer.

“Just let me be for today, okay? I really don’t wanna fight right now,” he whispers, continuing his way down the hall, just to stand before the conference room.

He gives the door two knocks, the voices behind it going silent before the Queen opens the door.

“Oh, you are here! Where’s Taehyung?”

Jungkook glances towards Taehyung as an answer, his mother following his gaze to notice her son standing just next to the wall, leaning on it.

“Oh, there you are, we need you both to come inside and listen to what we have to say with an open mind.”

Taehyung raises a brow, while Jungkook just nods, sighing.

Taehyung frowns at the over obedient behavior of the other.

They walk in, before taking their seats on the opposite sides of their mothers.

“Where’s the old man?”

The two women just smile.

“That’s not the concern at the moment. We called you both here to discuss an important matter that we now believe was bound to happen.”

Both of the males stare at them, confused, the whole beating around the bush making them more anxious than they already are.

“Can you get to the point?”

The Luna nods before she places a ring on the table. The queen then follows her action, placing another one on the table.

“What-”

“These are your fathers’ rings. The ones they used to wear before.. Well.. Before they moved on.”

Jungkook bites his lower lip, not wanting to remember any of it, because as painful the passing is, more painful are the events that happened following that.

Taehyung on other hand clenches his fist, not liking the way they put it.

“Father is not gone.”

The queen sighs, placing a tender hand over Taehyung's clenched one, easing her fingers around it to stop her son from hurting himself.

“I understand what you feel, but we need to accept the fact that wherever he is, he’s not coming back. He’s too disappointed, hurt and tired to come back.”

Taehyung bites into the inside of his cheek to hold back from lashing out.

After the death of his brother, his father had completely collapsed. The death of his oldest son had done a number on him, so much that one fine morning there was a letter on the dinner table notifying them of his leaving.

He wrote,

Dear, my love,

Looking for me will be useless, when you could spend that time on moving ahead with your lives and growing. I shall not be the king of this clan anymore, I have found peace somewhere far away, when all this kingdom does is to suffocate me.

Forgive me if you may find the strength to some day. For now I'm guilty of whatever you shall charge me with, and Taehyung mustn’t be raised by a man who’s incompetent as a father.

Forgive me, my son.

Yours sincerely,

Kim Taeho.

Taehyung still remembers his mother's shaking hands but powerfully focused eyes as she had finished the letter.

He remembers the few minutes that she took to get a grip on herself before tearing up the letter.

She then had never turned around, fighting ahead to establish a name amongst the council and finally becoming the first ever ruling queen of the clan.

His mother has been his hero, a role model he wishes to follow in the steps of. Not his father, but a part of him still misses his father. The man who once had won thousands of lands alone, yet collapsed at the death of his first born.

He understands, he forgives him. He just wishes he comes back someday, but his mother may not be on the same page.

Taehyung stays wordless, so the queen continues.

“We have been keeping a crucial piece of information from you both.”

Tired of secrets, Jungkook sighs, closing his eyes.

A mere second of rest feels like  bliss to him. He sometimes envies the way the vampires do not feel the need to sleep.

He forces himself to focus back in on the conversation.

“Years ago, when you both were young, there was a mage. A close friend that we wish we had never befriended.”

Tilting their heads, the two males wait for their mothers to continue.

“While your fathers continued to be friends and maintain the peace among the two clans, this mage started working for selfish reasons, leading to huge conflict.” The Luna explains, her brows furrowed in a constant scowl as if the memory was like a bad omen.

“In the end your fathers won and the decision was made to strip the mage from his powers and he was cast out of the village.”

The queen then places a crown on the table.

“Shin Guwol, the mage. Before he left he cursed both of our clans, and being a mage it was no hard game for him.”

“He cursed our offspring to die except on the condition that, if the offspring turn out to be blessed by the highest entity herself, they shall survive.”

Taehyung scoffs.

“He knew that wasn’t possible and with that he left.”

“Years later, Jieun and Taemin passed away. Whatever the reason must be.”  The mothers feel their throat tightening at the brutal reminder of losing one of their children each.

“We were scared that the same would happen to you, so we had done everything in our power to protect you. Until we found out about the prophecy.”

The two women glance at each other with excitement, before nodding.

“We both have mutually decided to believe in it.” The Luna holds up a palm with one of them trying to interrupt.

“And we have also decided to seal this bond with the sacred ritual of marriage.”

“WHAT!?” they both exclaim.

Taehyung's voice booms across the room, but the queen continues to talk unbothered.

“Thus as per the dates, we have arranged to get you two married on the next full moon, which happens to be a week away thanks to the blood moon blossoming period.”

“We shall take your opinion regarding the preparation, but no opinions will be taken regarding the decision of marriage. As much as we hate to force this on you, it concerns your lives and we both will not take any more risks with our children.”

“We can’t lose you two,” the Luna adds.

Jungkook stares at the wall behind their mothers with a lost expression, while Taehyung slams his fist on the table, crushing the glass under it.

“I call bullshit on this. I do not condone this and I do not agree with this marriage.”

The queen sighs.

“Like I said, I won’t be taking any opinions regarding that matter, you have to marry him and that's the ultimatum I give you, my son. Forgive me, I have no choice.”

Taehyung shakes his head, trembling in his own skin, as he feels helpless.

He knows his word against his mom will not be worth a penny. He can’t stop her, he’s trapped.

He’s going to have to marry Jeon Jungkook.

He doesn’t dare turn his head to look at the other, instead grits his teeth and sits silently staring at the pattern on the floor.

He wonders what the fuck has gotten into Jungkook, why is that guy so silent.

Does he agree to this marriage? He would be surprised if he did, it was all in his benefit anyway.

He would live in a bigger house– a fucking palace. He’ll have a royal title, honor among vampires and most importantly he’ll do the worst damage to Taehyung by being around him.

He believes that’s exactly what Jungkook wants, and it just makes his skin crawl even more with burning hatred for the other.

He manages to send a scowl towards the man, who sits speechless, his eyes unwavering and focused on the single wall.

He leaves as soon as they are dismissed without having lunch and Taehyung is grateful for that.

Jimin's POV

Jimin can’t wait to reach home. He found it! He found the way to free Jungkook from the clutches of that vampire.

“Jungkook! Where are you?” He runs through the door, his footsteps loud in the eerily quiet house.

He slides one door after another, trying to find Jungkook. The other doesn’t answer.

He finally reaches the balcony, panting and panicking. He lets out a sigh of relief as his eyes finally fall on the figure sitting in the corner, leaning against the wooden railing.

“Didn’t you hear me calling? Hey Jungkook!”

He shakes him out of his trance, the other jumping in surprise.

Jimin scoffs, he’s never seen Jungkook so defenseless. So out of it.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Jungkook? Why are you sitting here in this freezing cold weather?”

Jungkook shrugs, his head resting on the wall behind him.

“It’s over, Jimin. We lost.”

Jimin frowns, not understanding the implication.  “What do you mean, explain it to me.”

“Mother has decided to marry me off to Kim Taehyung. To save me.”

“What!?” Jimin almost yells. Jungkook then explains to Jimin the events of the whole day and how shit went down.

“And why the fuck did you not say anything there! You just accepted it?”

Jungkook shakes his head.

“I didn’t accept it yet, but there's no point in arguing, Jimin. It’s mom’s word against mine. She’s the Luna.”

Jimin wants to laugh in his face, but he settles on breathing out of his mouth.

“She can be the Luna or the fucking moon goddess herself, yet she doesn’t have any right to decide your future for you. Definitely not marriage with a Vampire.”

Jungkook sighs.

“I never imagined they’ll use Jiyeon- noona's death for their selfish needs. I was too disappointed to even speak. When all I wanted was to smash every single object in that room into pieces.”

He breathes out frantically, the suppressed anger now surfacing.

“I wonder if any of that story they told is true. But what I fail to understand is, why would the Luna team up with the Queen? That too in this dirty way.”

Jimin finds it hard to believe it being a facade, a mother would never use their dead child’s death for selfish needs.

What did the Luna need from the vampires anyway?

“Jungkook, I don’t think it’s a lie,” he mutters, watching how the alpha’s head whips around, his eyes red and maniacally unfocused.

“What’s there to believe?”

Jimin holds his hands up in front of him.

“I understand you don't really like the situation, but I think there’s some truth in there. “

“What if you both really are chosen ones?”

Jungkook clenches his hand into a fist, his nails digging into his palm.

“It can’t be! I’ll never let that be! I’ll kill that piece of shit. “

Jimin's mind instantly goes back to the book heavily hanging by his arm.

“Let’s do it then.”

Jungkook frowns, tilting his head. “What?”

“Let's kill him. Let’s kill Kim Taehyung.”

Jungkook stares at him for a solid minute before busting out laughing.

“God, thank you Jimin for making me laugh after days. But seriously? Kill him?”

“I’m not kidding.  Look what I found. There was this book that I found in the library and I think it has a solution to get rid of the vampire.”

He pulls out the book, flipping through the pages til finds the one he needs.

“What the fuck are you saying?” Jungkook groans, not up for one of Jimin’s jokes.

“No it’s legit, look.”

Jungkook flips through the pages, expecting loads of hoax bullshit but what he reads makes him frown.

The book talks about true mates and bonds. The symptoms of the bond, it all matches from a to z.

He feels like digging his nails in his own palms, but he digs them into the book instead.

“This is pure bullshit. We can’t be destined mates or whatever.”

He closes the book, throwing it to the floor. Jimin presses his lips together sympathetically.

“I know you know it’s the truth. So accept it. Denying it and pretending it’s not happening is not going to get you anywhere.”

Jungkook turns his head to stare out of the window.

“At this rate you’ll get married to that man, will you be fine with that?”

Jungkook grits his teeth, he knows he’s running out of options but what the book suggests is against his morals.

“I can't kill him, Jimin.”

Jimin sighs.

“I get where you're coming from, Kook-ah. But this is the only way to break this bond.”

Jungkook shakes his head, he can’t do it.

“Who knows he could be reborn, he’s a vampire-”

“Jimin, do you think this is a joke? Do you even understand what nonsense you are spouting?”

The beta immediately shuts up, he knows he crossed a line.

No matter that  they’re best friends, Jimin knows there is a boundary that separates them.

“I apologize, I realize I crossed the line there.”

Jungkook sighs, his eyes softening.

“I’m sorry for talking in that tone, I apologize as well. But you must know that killing someone is not so casual.”

He talks with a hint of pain.

“It doesn’t only end a life, but ruins a thousand more, including yours cause you’ll never be able to live with the guilt.”

Jimin nods.

“Okay, you can leave now. We'll meet tomorrow. “

Jungkook's POV

Jungkook will never be able to take a life, he’s not capable of it.

Yet when Jimin's gone and he lays wide awake, he wonders.

What will it be like to be free of this burden he carries? He's envious of Taehyung and his thick skin.

Nothing could cut through it, he wonders if an ax would work?

As the thoughts circle around his mind can't help but think about what Jimin told him.

Could he ever be able to kill him?  He doesn't think so, yet he finds himself outside the window of the vampire.

Staring at him with a void gaze, cold and empty. The vampire sat with his back facing the window, buried into the piles and piles of documents he needed to review.

Jungkook knows he isn’t here to kill. He doesn’t have it in him, not anymore.

Today he’s here to get his answers, because he tried to find a way out, yet he’s stuck into another dead-end every single time. So he bites the bullet and silently slips in through the window, smoothly.

The vampire, too engrossed in his work, doesn’t sense him or that’s what Jungkook thinks.

He tip toes towards the vampire, and drawing his pocket dagger he stands right behind him, but as he rounds his arm around the vampire's neck he hears a chuckle.

Before he could make sense of the action, he’s hauled over by his arm and slammed on the desk.

His eyes blown wide, as Taehyung pins his arms beside his face a shit eating grin spreads across his lips.

“You need to be more careful, princess. I’ve got super senses, remember?”

Jungkook grits his teeth, before he notices a loophole in Taehyung's stance, his legs are spread apart, and he smirks at Taehyung's smile dimming a little.

He swiftly wraps his legs around the vampire’s kicking them apart making the man lose his balance.

“Fuck.” Taehyung curses as his grip loosens trying to catch his own balance.

“That arrogance is gonna be your end, bloodsucker.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes, as he watches the wolf strut around his room, before he leans back on his bed.

His fucking bed.

“Get up from there, you mustn't touch anything in my bedroom.”

Jungkook raises a brow, drawing out his dagger and running it along his silk sheets.

“Why? Afraid I've got lice?”

Taehyung scoffs.

“Worse, you leave behind your disgustingly horrifying scent.”

Jungkook frowns, purposely dipping the blade of the dagger enough to pull at one of the loose strings.

Taehyung eyes his moment, his eyes flashing golden, as he throws a quill towards the wolf who easily dodges it, resulting in it landing on his sheets, the ink staining them.

“Oops?”

Taehyung feels his whole world tilting on its axis at the sight of the obnoxious path of black against his white silk sheets.

“You inhumane absolutely insolent creature!” he screeches as he rushes towards the ruined piece of cloth, mourning its loss

Jungkook, looking seemingly uninterested in the sob story, leans against the table.

“Anyways, I came here for a reason. I have a proposal for you, Kim.”

Taehyung glares at the man, pointing a finger at his chest.

Jungkook is startled at the speed with which Taehyung cuts the distance across the room, it shouldn’t be surprising knowing he’s a fucking vampire but he’s never been around one before and it did scare him for a bit.

He can’t show it though, it would be a blatant display of his weakness.

So he grips the edge of the table to stabilize himself, holding eye contact. Red staring into golden.

“Leave the premises of my quarters before I call the guards to escort you to the dungeons instead.” Taehyung spits venom with every word.

“You are funny, I'm your husband to be, you think your mother will be happy with your decision? Your only choice is to agree to help me.”

He raises his brow, “So your answer?”

Taehyung throws his hands around, taking a few steps back.

“What do you think? You literally ambushed me in my room, destroyed, absolutely murdered my sheets and planned on mutilating me. You think I even wish to be around you?”

Jungkook thinks he’s going to throw up if he hears any more sophisticated words from the vampire. How does he even come up with that vocabulary, he wonders.

“Mutilate, really? Can’t you just say I came here to fucking kill you? Or do you have to be a royal entitled arse all the time?” he mocks, watching as Taehyung's patience teeters along a thin line.

“I won’t ask you a third time. I need you to leave. I have absolutely no time or desire to have a conversation with you.”

Jungkook frowns.

“Okay listen here, you blood sucker. I’m not in fucking love with your hideous face either, but I need a way out of this marriage. And I know very well you don’t want it either.”

Taehyung tongues at his cheeks, breathing out through his mouth.

He pushes himself to walk towards the wolf, the man taking a few steps back in confusion until his back is pressed against the wall.

His eyes dart around to find possible escape routes, his hand wrapping around the dagger when he finds one.

His eyes snap down to find his scabbard empty, and he gulps when he finds the vampire smirking in victory as he flaunts the dagger he managed to snatch sneakily.

“You thief! You can’t even fight fair, can you? You are a disgrace to the name of royalty-” before he can continue disrespecting the prince, a hand is pressed against his mouth.

“Can you shut the fuck up?”

Jungkook's eyes dart across Taehyung's face, the werewolf can see his moles clearly from such close proximity.

He hates to admit it, but the vampire is flawlessly handsome.

Almond brown eyes, pale white skin and luscious red lips.

He's quick to mentally slap himself for even sparing a glance at them.

He glares down at Taehyung's hand over his mouth, signaling him to remove it.

Taehyung slightly lifts it to check if he’ll yell again, removing it fully when he doesn’t. Yet the vampire doesn’t step away, his hand now placed on the wall on either side of Jungkook's head, trapping him in place.

Jungkook groans.

“Do you have a kink for pinning people against surfaces or is this just a hobby of yours?”

A small smirk invades the earlier angry expressions, as Taehyung leans in.

“Why? Does it get you flustered already, Jeon?”

As if mistaken he quickly waves his hand.

“Pardon my anomalies, I mean husband.”

Jungkook scoffs at the heavy usage of obnoxious vocabulary.

“Oh fuck off, Kim. I’d rather jump off a cliff and kill myself than get swoon over your hopeless advances.”

The vampire chuckles, raising a brow.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, princess.”

The nonchalance irks Jungkook to his core, the I don’t give a fuck attitude getting on his nerves.

“Enough of your bullshit, I need you to be fucking serious for once, the world isn’t a game like you think it is. People's lives are important and significant, unlike you who aren't even alive to begin with.”

He notices the way something shifts inside Taehyung's eyes, the earlier warm brown turning black, erasing the hint of any emotion that could have been present earlier.

“If that’s what you think about me, why are you even here to ask for my help? Does this make any sense? As for marriage, let me tell you something.”

He takes a deep breath.

“Since my father left, my mother has been the sole ruler of our clan. First Queen. And her word has been the last one for all of us, as a son I'm not given any special privileges.”

He points towards the pile on his desk.

“This pile proves it I guess, so there’s nothing I can help you with. If she says I'll have to marry you, then yes I'll marry you. Even if it kills me, I will.”

Jungkook scoffs mockingly.

“Mama’s boy.”

Taehyung lets out a chuckle.

“If that’s all your incompetent brain could come up with, then I pity you. What you call being a mama’s boy, is called respect for the throne in our clan. I thought you were smarter than this, knowing your clan values the Luna as well.”

Jungkook looks away, he can’t deny that was the exact reason why he was here. To check if Taehyung had a way out, because he knows he doesn’t, he can’t go against the word of the Luna.

And for some reason both the queen and the Luna seem to be dead set on the idea of getting them married to each other.

“Do you believe in their story?” he asks instead.

Taehyung sighs.

“I don’t want to. Yet there’s this one thing that's making me rethink their words.”

Jungkook tilts his head, waiting for the other to continue.

“The mage. I’ve read about him in the books I had to read as a kid, he existed and when I asked about him no one was willing to talk about it, as if it was some taboo. “

Jungkook frowns, he had never heard anything about this mage, all the history talked about was two clans, though it was mentioned that others existed.

“What happened then?”

“I asked Yoongi's grandfather, and he was reluctant but he did explain the story to me and it’s exactly as our Mothers told us. Except the part where he cursed our fathers. “

Jungkook wonders why nobody knows about that part, but then again it was a matter between the clan Alpha and the King.

“Maybe the locals wouldn’t know, as those were affairs of higher ups.”

Taehyung shook his head.

“No, that's the thing, they know everything except this. Do you not notice it?”

When Jungkook blinks cluelessly, he sighs, rolling his eyes.

“You are so dumb for real, come here.”

He makes Jungkook sit on the chair he occupied earlier.

“See, if you were a local and you found out the inner details about this argument and the curses that were cast upon the two clan leaders, then what would happen?”

He starts scribbling a rough mind map on a paper.

“They’ll realize that the heirs of both of the leaders are cursed to die, which means the clans do not have any definite –permanent leader. That will cause an uproar and chaos in the kingdom, leading to rebellious cults and breaking out of the humans into non cooperation. “

Connecting the link on the small chart he had prepared on the paper, Jungkook couldn't help but stare at the information in front of him, perplexed.

“So in that case, both of the clans will lose their monarchy, which means the end of royal title and powers.”

Taehyung nods, eyes gaining back the almond brown warmth.

Jungkook realizes Taehyung was passionate about being the crown prince. It was as if he was made to be a King.

The slight admiration was quick to dissipate as he remembers how rotten to the core the prince actually was.

Taehyung continues.

“And as much as we would like to deny, our families will never be happy about losing power.”

Jungkook couldn’t deny that he had been told since he was a child how much the respect the clan had for them mattered. It was the platform on which their monarchy was built.

“I guess it makes sense now, our families hiding this piece of information all these years.”

Taehyung taps the mind map, frowning. Jungkook couldn't help but frown himself.

“What’s wrong?”

Taehyung shook his head.

“What I don’t understand here is there is no further information about this person. The mage.”

Jungkook looks back at the sheet, another thing bothering him.

“That’s kind of understandable knowing the ties were cut off, but what bothers me is the still existing sighting of mages around the village.”

Taehyung wonders what Jungkook meant by that.

“The mages weren’t banned from the village, Jungkook.”

Jungkook shakes his head.

“No. They were, I personally have heard mother talk about it.”

Taehyung furrows his brows in confusion.

“I’ve got complaints about misuse of magic around the village, the investigation never stays strong though, due to lack of evidence.”

Taehyung had never heard about this, how can such an important link be hidden away?

“I need to look into this matter,” he states, jotting down the points on a piece of paper.

Jungkook watches him meticulously and systematically write down the points, his tongue peeking out from the corner of his lips as he concentrates.

He looks away, clearing his throat.

“I’ll get going. It was a waste trying to reason with you.”

Taehyung glances at him, then chooses to ignore him.

Jungkook waits for a reaction, biting at his inner cheek when he gets none.

Just as he’s about to sneak out through the window again, Taehyung interrupts.

“I’m sorry for not being able to do anything about the marriage, but I will assure you,” he looks right into Jungkook's eyes, his own holding utter sincerity that even Jungkook can’t brush off.

“I’ll never misuse my power to cause you any discomfort. We can act as strangers living together under the same roof.”

Jungkook stays silent, maintaining eye contact for a moment trying to find traces of a lie in it. However, he gives a curt nod of acceptance when he finds none.

As soon as the other is out of the window and into the dark, Taehyung slumps back into his chair.

That’s the first civil conversation he has ever had with Jeon Jungkook

It doesn’t take long for a rumor to spread, just like a forest fire caused by a flickering flame.

The news of the marriage of the Crown Prince and the Second in Command of the Blood Moon pack  reached across every listening ear of the town.

Jungkook was not so delighted about the hushed whispers and stares he  attracted tonight as he completed his patrolling duty. Jimin was being deadly silent as he just followed him around, not helping even a bit.

“Oh, just say whatever you wish to! I swear I can hear you bothering your brain over something.”

Jimin rolls his eyes, sometimes he wishes Jungkook didn’t know him as well as he did, but he would have opened his mouth later anyway.

“So just because you have asked, I shall talk.”

Jungkook raises a brow at that, wanting to smack the man.

“You went to visit the vampire yesterday, didn’t you?”

Jungkook is rather surprised, as he shifts his weight to his other leg.

“Are you spying on me, now?”

“I’m not. I’m just looking out for you.”

Jungkook throws his hands up in disbelief.

“Looking out for me? I’m perfectly capable of handling myself.”

“Well, what I wish to ask is, why didn’t you kill him last night?”

Jungkook frowns, ignoring the question promptly.

“I’m no fool, Jungkook. I know you had the chance, but you could kill him or you just simply don’t want to.”

Jungkook grits his teeth, his fists clenched in his lap.

“It isn’t any of your business. For the record, I've decided to marry Kim Taehyung.”

Jimin almost shrieks with a ghastly look on his face.

“What the fuck do you mean? Why would you do such a horrendous thing?”

Jungkook shrugs, not answering.

“Answer me, Jungkook-ah! This will ruin your life! That murderous vampire!”

Jungkook feels an uncontrollable answer zap through him, and he’s using the alpha voice before he can realize or control it.

“Shut up, beta. It makes me a murderer too! Is that what you are trying to say?”

Jimin blinks back, absolutely speechless. The alpha voice may not work drastically on betas, but it does rattle their nerves.

“J-Jungkook.  Calm down, yeah?”

Jungkook then shakes out of his haze, guilt filling him instantly.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, Jimin. I was too lost in my head and then fuck.”

Jimin places a hand on his shoulder tentatively, it still shakes a bit.

“Hey hey, it’s okay. We can forget it, okay? I’m also sorry for lashing out without a thought. Let’s talk, yeah?”

Jungkook sighs, resting his face in between his palms.

“This all is so fucked, Jimin. And the funny thing is, neither me nor Kim Taehyung can do anything about it.”

Jimin stays silent, letting the other vent.

“I talked to him last night when you saw me, I did go there with the thought of killing him. I was so blinded by tiredness.”

“But he caught me, we had a talk about this whole situation and there’s alot to investigate.  We are stuck in the middle of a battle that isn’t even ours. We are just scapegoats for revenge!”

His nostrils flare up as he tries to forget the discussion he had with Taehyung.

“There’s a lot of information that’s not shared between our two clans, which is the main reason why we are so clueless.”

He closes his eyes remembering the diagram Taehyung had made, it was pretty silly but undeniably adorable.

He shakes his head, stupefied by the terrible thought he just HAD.

That vampire and cute? He’d rather eat glass and slice out his tongue to never speak again.

“There's pieces of information with both clans which can actually be useful for finding a solution and putting an end to this danger that’s looming over us.”

Jimin sighs, deep in thought.

“And as unfortunate as it is, we cannot work properly with such a huge distance between our pack house and the palace. Also it would be suspicious and we cannot let this person get his guard up.”

“But why is marriage the only option?”

Jungkook sighs again, falling back in his chair.

“Because marriage is something our mothers have decided and we can’t go against it. Secondly, it will be a marriage of convenience to find the monster who killed my sister.”

His fists clench hard against his side, the nails digging into his palm.

Jimin sighs finally, nodding.

“I get what you mean, but be careful, okay? Around that vampire.”

Jungkook merely nods, walking faster not wanting to do his shift anymore.

If only he could reset his life and rectify all his mistakes.