#the school day has many minor grievances and annoyances

[dummerjan]

i wonder how long it will take me for sewing not to seem like magic

[thexanwillshine]

internal travesties | levihan

pairing: levi x hange ; minor: eren x mikasa 

genre: romance/ fluff / slight angst

warnings: contains spoilers for chapters 105, 115. and 132

chapters: 1. 2. 3 (final).  

words: 4,648

summary: 

Levi felt his eye twitch in annoyance. She didn't look particularly special, but she entered (no, infiltrated) his cafe with bright eyes and all smiles, making him feel things that he never even felt before. Which was, in his opinion, completely unacceptable. Levi Ackerman hated feeling out of control. 

[Reincarnation! AU] [Levihan] [Minor Eremika]

crosspostings: AO3. 

note: i hope you guys enjoy ehehe <3 thank u for reading and i hope to see u all again very soon.

His memories feel like a travesty. 

Ever since he was young, Levi couldn’t help but feel as if there was something missing in his life. 

His brushes with insomnia gave him headaches no painkiller could cure. It was on those days that Levi’s mind went wild and his thoughts plagued him, ridding him of the sweet drug called sleep. Lonely nights like that made the man feel tired, as his brain was constantly exhausting itself in its search for answers he didn’t even know the questions to. 

On this particular cold night, he gives in to need, and chooses to contemplate his life. 

Levi could say that he had a fairly normal childhood. Even with his sweet darling of a mother, an invisible father, and his gloomy, sort-of sister, it had been rather uneventful. Technically, Mikasa was his cousin, but since they had grown up together she might as well have been his younger sister. Mikasa’s mother (his aunt) had asked if Mikasa could stay with his family when she turned ten so that the young girl could get a good school in the city. His mother, saint that she was, obviously agreed. 

He could remember a time when the young girl would always drag him to supervise her and her friends (all of whom were taller than Levi now, much to his chagrin) to pacify the concerns of Levi’s mother. As Mikasa matured, the young girl stopped making him constantly accompany her, since his mother trusted Mikasa enough to take care of herself at this point. In fact, Levi thought she would probably go out of her way just to get him not to come. Except when he would drive her. That darned girl thinks that he’s her own personal chauffeur.

While the two had their grievances, they maintained an understanding between them. Levi inherited his mother’s cafe called The Underground, and Mikasa went on to continue her parents’ legacy in the field of biology, choosing to major in botany like her mother. Sometimes, whenever Mikasa didn’t have midterms or finals or any exam that could potentially ruin her future, he would allow her to help out in the cafe once in a while. That way, she could technically say that she had experience working. It also gave Levi a good excuse to have extra hands. For Mikasa, it was a good way to earn money even though she didn’t really need to; Levi would give her cash whenever she would ask. 

Contrary to popular belief, Levi did have friends. There was Eld, the assistant manager he knew he could rely on because of his leadership skills. Oruo, who worked better as a cashier because of his case of Constant Threat of Tongue-Biting Which Could Lead To Bleeding . As much as possible, Levi wanted to keep him away from food. Gunther, who’s speed in the kitchen was god-tier. Then there was Petra, a young, budding barista whose skills were definitely commendable. 

Granted, all his friends were people who worked for him in the restaurant. There were several kids who worked for him part-time but they were more his responsibility rather than friends. Most of them were Mikasa’s friends, so at least there was someone accountable for them. Although, he had to admit they were very reliable.  

There’s also that one lawyer who had taken it upon himself to consistently come every morning to the cafe. He said his name was Erwin, and Levi would be lying if he told himself he wasn’t weirded out by the man. The blonde had stared him down on several occasions, as if waiting for him to say something. Once, when Levi couldn’t take it anymore, he asked him directly. 

“Any particular reason why you’re always staring openly at me?” Levi had asked rudely, scrunching his eyebrows at the man in confusion. 

Erwin shook his head in response before introducing himself, even handing the coffee owner a business card. Levi stared at the business card, wondering why in the world he would need a lawyer (god forbid he ever needs one, he’d rather not go to court over anything, really). Erwin Smith, the card had read. “You’ll see me here often since my father works close by.” 

After that, Erwin had frequented the cafe and even made friends with his employees. Petra says he tips very generously. Oruo thinks Erwin can do better. Levi doesn’t necessarily give a flying fuck, but he can’t help but feel as if he’d met or at least seen Erwin somewhere before. 

Levi goes on with his somewhat boring life. Once in a while, whenever he was feeling particularly sociable, he would agree to a cup of tea with Erwin and engage in random conversations about his job and his life. The man was not a pain to talk to. In fact, the entire time they talked, Levi was nagged by a certain familiarity he couldn’t quite place. He felt as if he knew the blond on a much deeper level than he was aware of. He shrugs it off. 

Sometimes, Levi would accompany his friends for drinks (but would never drink any, he hated the taste of alcohol with a passion). Apart from his sudden bouts of social energy,  the man thought his life to be ritualistic, monotone, and organized. He wasn’t complaining, of course; this is exactly what Levi wanted. Sometimes, however, whenever he would be driving home alone with the silence nagging his ears . . . Levi would feel an emptiness emerging from the back of his mind, clouding his thoughts until dawn.

His mind flew back to Erwin as he remembered the lawyer asking him a question in passing on a particularly slow work day. He had been clearing the table beside the blond when Erwin spoke. “Don’t you ever feel as if all your life, you’ve been waiting for something to happen? Like all these good things come to you but nothing really ever feels enough?”

Levi had glared at him, because yes , he definitely has . That every waking moment of his life he could never feel truly satisfied . He chose to maintain his silence. 

To Erwin’s credit, he dropped the subject and smiled softly, as if he could sense Levi’s discomfort. “Sorry,” Erwin said, chuckling. The man waved a wad of papers in his hand. “This case has been particularly mind-provoking, so I’ve been randomly spouting out philosophical questions to anyone who would be willing to listen.” 

“Good luck,” Levi replied shortly, taking the tray of empty cups in his hands and walking towards the staff room. 

Many a time, Levi had wondered how much of him was an open book. He liked to think that he was a pretty closed-off, ambiguous kind of guy. But Erwin had pretty much hit the mark—Levi had indeed settled, but he wasn’t sure if he was satisfied. 

Unfortunately, Erwin wasn’t the only blond who spouted weird questions out of the blue.

Levi had known Armin Arlert since he was a young boy. He remembers glaring at bullies who would tease and mock the poor child, before taking Mikasa and her rowdy group of troublemakers to another playground. Levi knew Mikasa was a reserved child, but it seemed as if her maternal instincts kicked in whenever she could sense Armin was in danger. While the young girl’s other friends were strong enough to defend themselves from the bullies whenever they were the target, Mikasa had long established that people shouldn’t even dare cross her (or her even scarier big “brother”). 

When Armin turned fifteen, his gait changed. Gone was the boy who would whimper as quiet as possible whenever he felt threatened. He still maintained his love for reading, but Armin suddenly adopted a mature mindset that seemed as if he possessed knowledge well-beyond his years. For a time, Mikasa would express her worry for the teenager in her and Levi’s rare conversations. Apparently, Armin had cried and launched himself on both Mikasa and Eren, holding them close to him as if the three of them had spent years apart from each other . . . when in fact, it was the middle of the day. 

Levi was no stranger to Armin’s inquisitive questions about topics the dark-haired man knew nothing of (and didn’t bother to care about). Hence, he thought that the young blond’s strange inquiries couldn’t get any stranger. 

Obviously, Levi was wrong. 

“Levi, do you ever feel as if this life was a second chance? Like, as if right now, you’re you, but not really. Like, there was once a past you, who was different from you now, but the you now is still you. So reincarnation, basically. Or maybe we’re in a different dimension and there are others out there who’re living a different life from us. That I’m just one Armin out of multiple Armins in the universe.” Armin’s questions and speculations came in rapid-fire as he leaned on the counter. “What do you think?”

“I think you need to stop reading science fiction ‘cos it messes with your brain,” Levi responded as he finished counting the coins in the cash register. “Unlike you, I don’t bother with the intricacies of life, brat.” Armin’s inquisitive expression fell into one of dismay as he frowned. 

Levi sighed inwardly as he closed the cash register. “I think the idea of reincarnation makes more sense compared to multiple universes though.”

Armin immediately brightened up when he looked at Levi, before diverting his gaze at Mikasa in what seemed like triumph. “I told you so!” he chirped gleefully. Thanks Levi.” 

Mikasa didn’t reply, but her scalding glare told Levi everything she wanted to say:  ‘Don’t encourage him!’ Levi rolled his eyes and went back to the kitchen, shutting out Eren’s excited questions (“Do you really think we had past lives? Do you think I was cool? Oh my god, what if I was a knight! Or a dinosaur? Or a giant hu—”) effectively by closing the door. 

Levi did give Armin’s questions some thought. There were indeed days wherein he felt out of place in his own skin, like he was living a life meant for someone else. There were also days when he would feel as if he was grasping at threads, trying to figure out what in his life wasn’t in place. However, the concept of reincarnation was something that seemed implausible to him especially because he didn’t believe in the divine. 

The dark-haired man closed his eyes, placing his arm on his forehead as he shifted underneath the  covers. The clock read 15:06, which meant that he had already been awake for a grand total of 23 hours. At four in the morning, he would need to take over the night shift, which Eld was currently in charge of. 

Once again, he is faced with a dilemma: (1) try to get some sleep so that he can get a bit of rest and risk giving Eld overtime, or (2) suck it up and accept the fact that this day was going to be another one of his 48-hour days.

The answer was obvious. Levi was not the type of person to let others suffer for his mistakes. So he grit his teeth, pushed himself out of bed, and headed to his bathroom to take a hot shower.

He really needs to get some rest. 

When Levi exited the bathroom thirty minutes later, dressed and ready for work, someone was knocking on his door. Levi scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. It was nearly four in the morning. With his mother in Sina for a conference and Mikasa due to wake at six in the morning, there should be no one in the house to bother him at the ungodly hour. 

He opened the door and was proven wrong when his sight was greeted by Mikasa. She had puffy eyes, tear-streaked cheeks, and shivering lips. The poor girl held her black scarf close to herself as if it would help ease whatever pain she was feeling. Levi blinked at the sight, unsure of what to say. He tried anyway. 

“What’s wrong, brat? Mosquito get stuck in your ear again?” Mikasa shook her head . Levi sighed as he noted that she didn’t give him her traditional glare. “Need to talk about it?” 

She opened her mouth and closed it again in response. She does this thrice before Levi interrupts her. 

“ Oi, fishface, is it a yes or a no?” 

Mikasa shook her head a second time. 

“Well, brat, how do you expect me to help you?” Levi pushed his door open and let his cousin in. Mikasa entered clumsily (different from her usual composed self, he noted) and sat at the edge of his bed. 

Levi glanced at his glowing clock before choosing to text Eld. He’s going to be late and Eld would have to work overtime. Levi wasn’t entirely sure if he’d make it to the cafe by four (even though it was just a five minute drive) given the status of his crying sister. 

Mikasa rarely cried, and even if she did, she wouldn’t go to him of all people. She’d most likely sneak out to go visit Eren or Armin, which is nothing the young girl hadn’t done before. So, Levi decided, just for today, he would ask Eld for this one favor in order to offer his own personal brand of comfort to his cousin and exist with her as she lamented (not like he can say much to comfort her, anyway). 

He successfully got a reply from Eld, who had agreed to cover the overtime. The assistant manager relayed a bit of concern from Petra, who mentioned that it was very “unlike boss” to show up to work late. Levi was about to send a message informing the two of his personal matters when Mikasa spoke up. 

“You don’t . . . remember anything, do you Captain?” 

“Hah?” Levi asked, half his focus on his phone as he tapped the send button. “Remember what?” 

Mikasa glared at the floor as if begging it to swallow her whole. She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her shirt, and buried half of her face behind the dark scarf she was sporting. Offhandedly, Levi wondered when was the last time she washed that thing. He should probably remind Mikasa after her breakdown. 

“Armin wasn’t lying, you know.”

Confused as ever, he raised an eyebrow. Is she going through a phase? Levi wondered, his mouth set in a grim line. “About what?”

She spoke to the floor and not really at him. “About the past. The past lives, I mean. Reincarnation, and all that.” 

If Levi had been confused before, he was even more confused now. 

“I can’t talk to you about it,” Mikasa continued, holding her arms closer to her. “No matter how much I try, the words don’t—no, won’t come out.” She let out a sigh, before looking up at Levi, who was already feeling kind of guilty as he wasn’t able to give her much help. 

“Then don’t force yourself to talk if it’s hard for you to, you can just go over it next time,” Levi offered, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing at the clock. I really am bad at this , he thought. 

 Mikasa shook her head for the third time that night. “It’s much harder than you think.” She paused and straightened up, inhaling sharply through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. “It seems it doesn’t work like that. I need to talk to Armin. Can you drive me?”

Levi had no idea what in the world it was and why it doesn’t work like that . Given the complexity of the situation—mostly due to the fact that he was complete shit at giving her help, advice, or anything she needed emotionally, really—he made no attempts to complain about her request to chauffeur her. 

The young girl asked him nicely after all . Maybe she really wasn’t feeling well. 

He nodded. “Don’t you want to get dressed first? You look like a mess.” He scrunched his nose at her scarf, “Also, when’s the last time you washed that thing? That might be really dir—” 

Levi didn’t get to finish the rest of his sentence because Mikasa had thrown the scarf straight up to his face. His eye twitched in annoyance as he plucked the scarf out of his head. He shoved it in Mikasa’s hands. She was lucky the scarf didn’t smell bad, otherwise he would’ve definitely confiscated it and thrown it in the washing machine. “Damn it, brat, learn how to wash your clothes. I’m telling mom.” 

“Blabbermouth, squealer, mama’s boy, ” Mikasa retorted, standing up. 

Levi rolled his eyes before grabbing his keys from his bedside table and turning off his lamp. Mikasa had already stepped outside, her black scarf wrapped around her neck. Levi closed his door when he exited, moving in step with the younger woman. She was already calling Armin, and Levi knew that the blond would be ready to accept company when he heard Armin’s sleepy voice respond from the other line. Levi didn’t bother listening, and instead chose to open the car door and wait inside the vehicle (a black four-seater that his invisible father had left him) as Mikasa conversed with Armin. 

She entered after about ten minutes, slamming the car door shut. Levi pulled out of their driveway smoothly. 

“Drop by the cafe if you and Armin need to eat,” Levi said shortly as Mikasa put on her seatbelt. 

“Is it on the house?” 

“Of course, I’ll dock it from your pay.”

“Some definition of ‘on the house'   you have.” 

The ride takes about twenty minutes without traffic, since Armin lived a bit further away. The two Ackermans sat without conversing, both of them listening to the soft sound of music from the radio. 

It’s Levi who broke the silence. “Oi, brat, this isn’t necessarily my business, but shouldn’t you also be calling your other snot-nosed friend?”

The reply came quicker than he had anticipated. “No.” 

She doesn’t elaborate, so Levi left it at that. Perhaps, he thought, they fought, and that's why the dark-haired woman was acting weird. Either way, he knew it was none of his business. 

They arrive at Armin’s house at about five minutes ‘till five in the morning. Mikasa opened the door, muttering a sincere “thank you” as she left. She closed the door behind her softly, enough to lock it but not loud enough to wake the neighbors. Mikasa gave her older cousin a brief wave and turned around swiftly to Armin’s doorstep before he could even nod in acknowledgement. 

At least he wasn’t the only Ackerman who was bad at showing emotions. 

Armin waves enthusiastically from the doorway, and Levi (unenthusiastically) raises his hand in reply. He then pulled back from the driveway and headed to his cafe. 

The drive towards The Underground  is short and uneventful. He had already texted Eld in advance that he would be arriving. He brought his car into the parking lot and headed to his designated parking spot, beside the PWD parking near the entrance. To his surprise, there was a car already in his spot. It was a blue pick-up truck that looked worse for wear. 

Levi’s eye twitched in mild annoyance. 

He knew he couldn’t do anything about it since there was no sign that that specific spot was for him (he really, really should do that). Since dawn was normally for students cramming their papers, all of whom didn’t need cars since the university was just walking distance from the cafe, Levi had assumed he wouldn’t need the sign anymore. Clearly, he was wrong. 

Levi sighed before deciding to park two spots beside the pick-up truck. 

Upon entering the cafe, he noticed that there were only about three customers. One was a regular: a blonde girl whose drinks were surrounded by a pile of papers. Her highlighting was careless and panicky. Beside her sat an auburn-haired girl, who was the second customer. Compared to the blonde, she was already lost in sleep.  

The third customer was someone he never really encountered in his shop before. From where he entered, Levi could see that she was wearing a thick pair of glasses, and that her hands were shoved in a tan coat. She was incredibly tall, and sported dark boots and leggings. The woman was currently standing in front of the counter, her eyes focused on the menu splayed out on the bright screens above the coffee machines. 

Levi passed her without giving it much thought, swiftly entering the staff room. Eld grinned at him when he entered, removing his apron and placing it on the rack. “Good morning boss,” he greeted, as Levi grabbed his own apron and swung it over his head. 

“There’s a customer outside,” Levi said nonchalantly. 

Eld nodded in recognition. “Yeah, she comes here every three a.m. on the dot. Leaves before you arrive, so I understand why you’re not familiar with her. Don’t worry though, she looks like she’s thinking now, but she’s going to order the same thing. Make sure to get her a large, sweet cream cold brew nitro.” 

Levi nodded as Eld checked out, bidding him goodbye. Levi dumped his car keys in his locker before he heard the bell ring from outside. That tall girl was probably ready to order her americano. 

He exited the door, standing in front of her and checking to see if Eld properly set the cashier for his shift. Levi nodded to himself in approval, as Eld had done his job spectacularly (as always). In about an hour, Jean Kirchstein and Marco Bott would be taking over the cashier while he cleaned the store. He barely glanced at the customer as he mechanically tapped his fingers rhythmically on the register, letting out the practiced “May I take your order?” 

“Good morning! Could I please have a large sweet cream cold brew nitro? To-go, please!” 

Something about her voice made Levi’s blood run cold. He raised his head to look at her. She was smiling at him, her eyes shining with excitement. Her bangs are parted in the middle of her forehead and the rest of her hair is tied in a lazy half-bun. By the greasy state of her auburn hair, it looked like she hadn’t bothered bathing. 

For a reason Levi couldn’t explain (he would later argue that it was because he was so surprised to see that someone could live their life while having hair so dirty ), his body grew stiff as he stared at her, transfixed. 

The girl tilted her head to the side in confusion. “Is something wrong?” she asked, looking at him. “Is my order not available? That’s okay, you know, I can just order something else—” 

Levi interrupted her tirade as he regained control over his body once again, swallowing the odd feeling gnawing at his gut. “Name?” he managed to choke out, trying his best to appear calm. For some strange reason, his heart decided that now was the time for palpitations. 

“Oh!” the girl said in surprise, “right, I haven’t seen you here at this hour before! Just put in Hange!”

His hands moved automatically to input her order. There really is something so . . . familiar about her, but Levi just couldn’t seem to put his finger on it. It reminded him of when he had first met Erwin. He felt like he had seen her from a dream long forgotten in the recesses of his mind, begging to be released and remembered. 

There’s just one problem: he knows he’s never seen this girl in his life before. After all, someone who never washed their hair would make a very distinct impression on him. 

“That’ll be four dollars,” Levi said through grit teeth, annoyed at himself for failing to maintain his own composure. Hange nodded fervently as she placed her five dollar bill on the counter. 

“Keep the change!” she declared enthusiastically, before peering at him in concern. “You’re okay, right?” Hange asked. “Sorry, early mornings really aren’t for everyone, huh?”

He remained silent, placing the bill inside the cash register and shutting it close. Levi didn’t bother answering her question as he allowed his mind to get lost in thought. He continued the patterns of service he had long since memorized, his body on autopilot. 

Levi was always in control of his mind, his body, his spirit . . . so why?  There were a million questions racing through his head. ‘ Who the fuck is this girl? Damn, my heart feels like it’s going to pop out of my chest. This isn’t normal.’ 

He stole a glance at her lanky form, hoping that she wasn’t at the counter anymore and had taken a seat somewhere in the cafe. To his disappointment, she was still standing there, watching him make the drink. When she saw him look at her, she gave him a tiny wave. 

Levi felt his eye twitch in annoyance. She didn’t look particularly special, but she entered (no, infiltrated) his cafe with bright eyes and all smiles, making him feel things that he never even felt before. 

Which was, in his opinion, completely unacceptable. Levi Ackerman hated feeling out of control. 

He poured the drink into a tall cup expertly before placing it on top of the counter. “Hange,” he called, her name escaping his lips smoothly, as if he had said the syllables a million times before. 

Levi frowned, sensing the beginnings of a migraine in the middle of his eyebrows, so he pinches the area gently, as if the action could relieve some of the pain. 

Hange walked over to the counter, looking a bit concerned. “Hey, Levi,” she started, and the man visibly flinched. Why did the sound of his name from her voice trigger a barrage of emotions he’s never even bothered to feel before?

Levi dug his nails into the palms of his hands. He was almost about to ask ‘how the fuck do you know me’ and ‘do I fucking know you’ before the rational part of his brain interjected that she had probably seen his name tag. 

His silence gave Hange permission to speak again, so she continued. “Do you have a headache?” Without waiting for him to respond, she smiled. “I got just the thing! I’ll leave you this gift as my thanks for your service!” And with those words, she placed a painkiller on the counter as she gently took her drink. “Take it so you can have a good morning, okay? 

Levi watched her actions cautiously. 

She winked. “Oh, and don’t take it with tea.”  

Levi’s eyes narrowed in suspicion at this point. The words Do I know you? burst in his mind and died at the edges of his lips. Instead, he muttered a clipped “thank you” to her small token of appreciation. 

She grinned. “Take care, Levi!” 

And with those words, she left, leaving Levi to wonder out loud, “what the fuck just happened?” 

The body remembers what the mind has forgotten.  

[nayutai]

Afire Love

Word Count: 14.758

Warnings: foul language, alpha jimin, unprotected sex, spanking, nipple play, oral sex (f receiving), anal play, female ejaculation, biting, jimin being a love-struck dumbass, arson, minor character death, violence, bad ass bitches getting shit done.....I think that’s it sksksksks

A/N: this is so different from anything I’ve written before so I’m really nervous about posting this. thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoy this.

Tears are streaming down Jimin’s face as he and the other alphas crack their sides with laughter at Alpha Seokjin’s latest story. They’re supposed to be discussing the current political unrest in Europe amongst the humans and how they could help their ally packs over there, but somehow, they’ve ended up having story time. Something about French hookers that weren’t actually French and a bucket of fried chicken.

This is a normal occurrence for their annual meetings. There are only seven werewolf packs left in America. The result of mergers and various wars over the past few centuries. To keep the peace, the North American Werewolf Peace Council has been formed. Every year the seven sitting alphas meet up in neutral territory for a summit to hash out any grievances and discuss ways to preserve their way of life. Jimin, Namjoon, Yoongi, Taehyung, Jungkook, Seokjin, and Hoseok, the seven current members of the council, have formed a pretty tight knit friendship over the years since they’d become the alphas of their packs so now the annual summits were pretty much glorified benders with a sprinkling of politics for appearance purposes.

Seokjin’s story time finally comes to a close and somehow, they all end up back on the age-old subject of the nickname Taehyung had dreamed up for their merry little group. Bangtan he insisted that they call themselves. The Korean word for bulletproof. It’s quite ironic when you consider that the only proven way to kill a werewolf short of dismemberment is a silver bullet through the heart. The rest of them make sure to tease Taehyung for his peculiar nickname choice and yet it’s been the name of their iMessage group chat for ages.

Jimin opens his mouth to join in on the bangtan slander when his phone buzzes on the table. He flips it over to glance at the screen, smile dropping immediately when he sees his Beta, Jackson’s name on the screen.

“What’s going on?” Jackson, the son of the pack’s previous Beta, was literally born to serve in this role so he knows just as much about running a pack as Jimin does. Taking care of the pack for one weekend is child’s play for him. If he’s calling, then something serious is going on. Jimin’s mind is working a mile a minute as he tries to think of what could possibly be going on. He’s so wrapped up in his own head that he doesn’t even notice the silence that blankets the room.

“Sariah was running patrol and found a rogue. She-” Jimin doesn’t wait for Jackson to finish his sentence. He’s heard all he needs to hear.

“I’m catching the next flight out.” He’s a whirlwind of movement as he quickly dismisses himself from the conference room of the swanky New York City hotel they’ve chosen to hold the summit in this year. Curses spout from his mouth like a waterfall as the elevator takes its sweet time delivering him to the 23rd floor where his room is.

Within three hours, Jimin is 30,000 feet in the air on his way back to Georgia. His knee bounces incessantly to the annoyance of the older woman sitting next to him but he ignores her. His wolf is feeling antsy, like something is about to happen. He’s practically vibrating with energy which is weird to say the least. This isn’t his first time dealing with rogues in the slightest. As a matter of fact, Jimin has built quite the reputation for himself for the swift and brutal hell he personally rains down on any rogue who crosses into territory with malicious intention. He digs his nails into the palm of his hands as he fights to keep his canines from lengthening at the mere thought of it.

His mind drifts back to that one summer afternoon right after he’d graduated high school. He was goofing off with his best friend Jackson and his older brother Matthew at the park when they heard the sudden sound of chaos erupting from somewhere across the pack territory. The three of them had instantly went into attack mode, on the verge of shifting. Jimin had made to go see what was going on as the snarling sounds of war had gotten louder. He was going to be the alpha of this pack one day and he needed to go help his pack. He hadn’t made it five feet towards the mayhem when he found himself being lifted from the ground and tossed into the small storage shed used to store the grounds keeping equipment along with an equally confused Jackson.

“You two stay put. Can’t have you getting yourselves killed trying to be brave.” Nearly eight years had passed since that day and he can still recall that sentence with perfect clarity. He didn’t know it at the time, but those were the last words that Matthew would ever say to him.

According to other members of the pack guard who’d been present, he went down protecting the daycare center. Three rogues had jumped him all at once and while he was able to hold them off long enough for back up to arrive, that backup didn’t get there in time to save Matthew.

Matthew hadn’t been the only casualty of the attack, but his death had sent the pack reeling. As the next wolf in line to be Beta, he’d been a major part of the pack’s operation as he slowly took on more and more duties from he and Jackson’s father. A gaping hole was left behind when he was killed. Jimin couldn’t stand the fact that he hadn’t been there to help his friend when he’d needed him the most.

As alpha, Jimin’s mother had never been particularly lenient with rogue and neither had any of the previous alphas before her. That fateful day erased any leniency she could have ever showed to rogue wolves. When Jimin became alpha, the first male to do so in twelve generations, he followed in his mother’s footsteps. There hadn’t been many rogues to make the mistake of trespassing into Jimin’s territory. Only a handful, but only one of them had lived to tell about it. A young teenager that had run away from an abusive household. As such, rogues learned to give his lands a wide berth when travelling. Coming too close meant certain death at the hands of the alpha.

*   *   *

The wheels of his black SUV have barely stopped turning before Jimin is hopping out of it. Jackson is standing in front of Jimin’s house waiting for him. He falls into step with the alpha as they make their way to the holding cells where rogues and criminals get dumped while awaiting punishment. Jimin’s mother, the former alpha of the pack, had commissioned the construction of the six-cell facility way before Jimin had even been born. Most of the pack member referred to it as “the dungeon” because of the dark, dank atmosphere. Getting dumped in the dungeon was a fate that most people tried to avoid which coincidentally meant that crime wasn’t really a problem amongst the pack members.

Jimin heaves open the heavy oak door of the dungeon as if it weighs nothing. The sun has long set so the only light is being provided by a couple torches affixed to the stone wall in front of the row of cells. Jimin’s wolf howls suddenly in the recesses of his mind. His nose twitching as he picks up on the faint scent of maple syrup and vanilla. He knows it’s not Jackson because he would’ve smelled it when he first got here. The frantic energy he’d felt on the plane increases tenfold as he steps further into the hallway where the smell is stronger. A melodic giggle bounces off the stone walls as he stops in front of the cell housing the pack’s latest prisoner. Jimin’s heart races at the tinkling sound while his stomach threatens to break rank and fall out of his ass. The young alpha had always been pretty smart so he can put two and two together to know that something about this rogue is different than most.

It’s the dead middle of summer in Georgia so the woman, who has yet to raise her head to acknowledge Jimin’s presence, is covered in sweat. Her hair is stringy and dirty. Her bare body covered in the same amount of filth. Jimin eyes the cuffs around her wrists and ankles that are keeping her restrained. The inside of the cuffs are laced with silver, which explains why the minor scrapes and cuts on her body haven’t healed yet. Silver, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t burn the skin while in human form but it does completely block the connection between one’s wolf which in turn makes them unable to take advantage of the rapid healing qualities that come with that connection. He audibly gasps, latching on to the metal bars of the cage in front of him, as he watches his nails lengthen into claws without provocation. It takes every ounce of mental fortitude he possesses to stop the shift so that he can remain in human form.

Jackson is giving them the rundown of everything that’s happened since the caught this rogue sneaking into his territory. Jimin’s attention is focused intently on the woman in front of him so he misses the confused look his beta is giving him. He’d actually forgotten that the other man was even behind him until he starts speaking. They both know that this is turning out greatly unlike any other time a rogue has stepped foot in these lands but only Jackson isn’t privy as to why.

Jimin is mildly irritated that the disrespectful little minx currently chained up in front of him has

yet to look him in the eye. Part of him knows that he doesn’t really need her to. From an early age, he’d been taught how to recognize the signs of a mating bond. Smelling something that reminds you of home in a place you shouldn’t be able to smell it. The sudden, intense urge to shift coupled with an accelerated heart rate. The only sign he hasn’t checked off the list is the most obvious of the bunch. Whenever werewolves make eye contact with their mates for the first time their irises glow a brilliant shade of white as if they’ve been replaced by pieces of the moon itself. Deep down, Jimin knows that the rogue in front of him is his mate. He knows this, but he still needs that last little bit of confirmation.

“Look at me.” He growls out. The three words are dripping with an alpha command. He can tell she’s resisting the urge to obey at the way her body starts shaking. She finally succumbs to the command seconds later.

Jackson whispers a curse, suddenly feeling like he’s intruding when the woman’s eyes begin to glow. Jimin can feel the warmth of his own eyes mimicking hers. A vicious roar vibrates the air in the dungeon as he turns to slam his fist into the unyielding stone wall. Jackson winces at the sickening crunch of the bones in Jimin’s hand breaking. His earlier confusion only grows as Jimin stalks out of the pack prison nursing his injured hand while his mate remains silent.

Jimin’s mind is reeling and so is his gut as he stalks through the pack village on autopilot, letting his instincts guide him wherever they see fit. He drops to his knees just outside of his house as he fights to control the beast that rages within him. The animal side of him is on the verge of revolt at the fact that he left his mate naked and chained to wall in the dungeon without staking his claim. This has to be some sort of sick joke. His mate can’t be a rogue. Bile rises in his throat at the mere thought of what that entails. Ever since Jimin was old enough to understand the concept of mates, he’d looked forward to the day that he could finally meet his. Now he wishes that this day had never come.

*   *   *

“For the love of everything good in this world, stop being such a pussy and go talk to her.” Seokjin is louder than normal as he yells at Jimin over Facetime. He’s so loud that Jimin hastily turns down the volume on his phone to keep the whole world from hearing the older alpha berate him like this.

“She’s a fucking rogue, Jin.” Jimin retorts. “She’s lucky I haven’t killed her yet.” Seokjin rolls his eyes skyward, calling upon the Lord for strength. He’s tempted to shift and run all the way to Brunswick, Georgia where Jimin’s territory is just to beat some sense into the younger alpha.

“This is the last thing I’m going to say about this because you’re working my nerves.” Jin starts, his voice lightly colored with the alpha tone. Jimin wants to protest Jin’s use of his alpha voice on him but he really doesn’t want to deal with more yelling from the other man.

“You are being an absolute dumbass. Yes, what happened to Matthew was terrible, but it has no bearing on the fact that you currently have your own mate locked in some smelly ass dungeon.” Jimin tries to interrupt but Jin talks right over him. “Do you even know why she’s a rogue? I’m willing to bet the answer is no.”

The retort dies on Jimin’s tongue as he takes in Jin’s words. The older man reiterates his previous assertion that Jimin needs to go talk to his mate or at least let her out of the jail cell before he ends the call. His mind is swirling in conflict.

Before he can change his mind, Jimin stands from the couch and walks out his front door. A few pack members try to strike up conversations as he heads towards the dungeon but he politely lets them know that now isn’t a good time. He fears that if his feet stop moving he’ll never go back to talk to her. The closer he gets to the stone structure, the faster his heart beats in his chest. He hates the control she has over him even though the mating process hasn’t been completed.

Jimin is surprised to see that his mate is showered, dressed, and unchained in her cell. Her raven black hair is pulled back from her face in a ponytail fully revealing her striking features. Now that the grime and wounds that had once covered her skin are gone, Jimin can really see just how beautiful she is. Her gaze is steady as she regards him through the bars of her prison. She looks totally at ease with her legs crossed in front of her. Her hands resting in her lap.

“You’re pretty short for an alpha.” Jimin snarls before he can stop himself. He knows that at five foot nine he’s a few inches shorter than the average alpha and it’s always been a sore point for him.

“Don’t test me, rogue.” He spits out through clenched teeth. His mate arches a single brow in response, laughing slightly under her breath.

“My name is Taryn Medí, not rogue,” she starts, lifting one of her hands up with her palm facing the ceiling. “and it’s you who shouldn’t test me.” Jimin’s jaw hits the concrete floor beneath his feet when her hand is suddenly engulfed in flames yet she seems wholly unaffected.

“Sanmana” He whispers out loud as if to confirm it for himself.

The Sanmana wolves are a single bloodline of wolves that can trace their ancestry back to one specific wolf and his fire mage mate. Their ancestors are the only known mating between a wolf and an elemental mage which made them practically royalty centuries ago. Despite continued mating, all descendants of that mating have been born with fire mage abilities and no one is sure why. The physical power of a werewolf combined with the fire bending powers of a mage made them a force to be reckoned with.

A little under a century ago, opinions shifted drastically after a Sanmana wolf killed her ex-boyfriend after being dumped because he’d found his mate. The slighted wolf had gone on an arson spree that devastated the European town she lived in before finally being taken down.

After all that devastation and death, Sanmana wolves were nearly hunted into extinction. Those who weren’t killed went into hiding. No one really knows exactly how many of them are left but Jimin knows there’s at least one more other than his mate. He takes a seat on the stone bench directly across from her cell to try and process everything he’s just learned.

He meets her eyes again to find her already staring at him. He thinks that he sees hope within the depths of her irises but if it was there it’s gone the second he stands up and takes a few steps towards the main door. Jimin fully intends to walk outside and never come back but something stops him. It dawns on him that Taryn has quite literally put her life in his hands by exposing her true nature to him. Jimin could out her and, for lack of a better term, toss her to the wolves without anyone guilting him about it. Silences stretches between them for what feels like eternity as he weighs his options. He takes another step towards the door, mind made up to leave, when he remembers Jin’s question.

“Why did you go rogue?” Jimin asks abruptly, breaking the silence. Taryn can sense that this is her one chance to change Jimin’s mind. It’s now or never.

“It was either go rogue or die.” She answers as she fiddles with a loose thread on the sweatpants she’s been given. “My mom was human and she got kidnapped by some wolves from an enemy pack and my dad used his abilities to get her back. They were both killed for it. I would’ve been killed too but the guard they sent to kill me couldn’t do it and told me to run so I did. I was six.”

“So, you’ve been a rogue all this time?” Jimin’s eyes nearly bug out at the thought of being alone that long. She looks somewhere around his age give or take a few years which puts her in her early to mid-twenties. That’s a hell of a long time to be alone.

Wolves are not solitary animals by nature and as shifters that same need for a pack is translated over to their human sides as well. The longer someone goes without a pack to call their own the worse their mental health gets until their certifiably insane. It’s what makes rogues so dangerous. The morals and ethics that come with being human are eroded away until they function solely on primal instincts.

“Oh God no. I’m originally from Canada about twenty miles or so from the American border so I immigrated if you will.” She explains. “I joined Alpha Curtis’ pack in North Dakota and it was fine up until a couple years when his son took over. He didn’t like the fact that I didn’t want to have sex with him so I shot him for trying to force my hand in the matter. He lived unfortunately.”

A sudden and vicious wave of anger crashes over Jimin as he thinks of some other man not only touching his mate but touching her against his will. He has half a mind to seek out the now dethroned alpha just to teach him a lesson on keeping his hands to himself. Jimin makes a mental note to call Yoongi and find out what became of the piece of shit that touched his mate when he took over their pack. He takes a few deep breaths to calm himself, taking a long look at the mate that fate had decided to give him.

“Do you promise not to burn the village down?” He asks.

“I resent the fact that you think I would, but yes, I promise not to burn the village down.” Taryn squeals with ill-suppressed joy when Jimin produces a set of keys from his back pocket. Being in the hell hole they call a holding cell has started to take a toll on her sanity. She hasn’t properly seen the sun since she was tossed in there.

The second she’s outside, Taryn takes a deep breath, head tilted skyward as she allows herself the time to bask in the sunlight. Jimin swears he’s never seen something more ethereal. She seems to practically glow in the light, the sun’s rays soaking into her brown skin in a way he’s never seen before.

“My house is this way.” She follows dutifully. Taryn’s eyes are everywhere as she takes in the sights and smells of her new home. It’s quaint. Just like the small towns you see in all the movies. Rows of mom and pop shops, a bakery, and a park where kids are playing under the watchful eye of their parents.

Their hands brush occasionally as she falls into step next to him. With every brush of his skin against hers, Jimin has to fight the urge to bend her over right where they stand. It’s downright unnatural the way they’re just casually not ripping each other’s clothes off as most wolves complete the mating bond as soon as they first met.

The pack members milling about openly stare at her slight frame, not bothering to hide their disgust at the rogue walking next to their beloved alpha. Jimin has to force himself not to lash out when she pulls her hair out of the ponytail, using it as a shield to hide behind. Her shoulders are slumped as she attempts to make herself as small as possible.

He’s not sure what possesses him to do it, but Jimin grabs her hand in his. A barely audible gasp escapes her lips as he slots his fingers into the spaces between her own. She’s probably feeling the same rush of hormones that he is. That primal instinct to claim her nearly overwhelming him. He tightens his grip when she immediately tries to pull away. The fear and apprehension is radiating off of her as she pulls more of her hair into her face but she ceases her attempts to escape his grip.

The nosy pack members let their curiosity get the best of them as they follow Jimin and Taryn to their destination. Werewolves already have a higher heart rate than humans but for a second Jimin is worried that Taryn’s heart might actually beat out of her chest at any moment. The muscle is hammering away almost like a hummingbird behind her rib cage as the few people following them becomes a small crowd.

Jimin turns to face his people once he reaches his front porch. He clears his throat to address them and the murmuring among them ceases. He surveys them shrewdly as they wait anxiously for his announcement.

“This rogue is my mate. A formal announcement will be made at the next pack meeting in three days’ time.” Shocked exclamations ripple through the gathering of people as Jimin ushers Taryn through his front door.

“Does this mean you’re not rejecting me?” Gone is the cocky she-wolf that had challenged him with her words and feisty attitude. Once again, that same innocently hopeful expression is written all over her face. The difference between the two nearly gives him whiplash.

“Wouldn’t it be foolish to reject the only mate I have in this world?” A small smile creeps up on his face. “Make yourself comfortable and I’ll see about finding you some more clothes.”

*   *   *

The three days leading up to the pack meeting are awkward to say the least. Taryn ventures out exactly one time and quickly finds out that the pack members aren’t too fond of her. The only people other than Jimin that seem to tolerate her is Mrs. Katrina Tran, the woman who has put herself in charge of making sure that Jimin doesn’t starve to death or accidentally burn his house down trying to cook, and her four-year old son Kevin.

Katrina takes Taryn under her wing, teaching her different recipes and just being a source of friendly conversation in general. She looks forwards to her visits every day. Playing cops and robbers with Kevin, who’s probably the happiest child she’s ever encountered, is the highlight of her afternoons.

It’s the day of the pack meeting and Taryn has been on edge all day. Chasing down the tiny culprit who’s just robbed a bank aka the candy bowl on Jimin’s coffee table is the only thing that’s been able to keep her mind off what’s going to happen in a matter of hours. Kevin giggles loudly as Taryn “apprehends” him, swinging him up into her arms. She spins around a few times as he squeals in childish delight. She can hear Katrina laughing along from where she stands in the kitchen but when a deeper, more masculine laugh joins hers, Taryn freezes. She looks to her left to see Jimin leaning back against the front door. He’s been so busy doing whatever it is that alpha’s do that they haven’t really seen that much of each other.

“More, Ryn!” Kevin demands as he twists around in her arms. Katrina, reading the room, swoops in to take her son from Taryn. She cajoles him with the promise of cookies as they disappear out of the back door.

“Uhm, hi, Jimin.” Taryn wants to smack herself for sounding so shy. That’s not her at all but something about Jimin’s energy makes her feel vulnerable. It’s like he can see through whatever façade she puts up to see the real her and it’s unnerving to say the least.

“Hi, Taryn.” Jimin’s voice is gravelly as if he’s been chewing on the tiny rocks in his driveway as he returns her greeting. The low timbre of it sends a shiver down her spine. She anxiously rubs at her arms in an attempt to rid herself of the goosebumps that have appeared on her skin.

The man in front of her slowly puts one foot in front of the other until he’s standing toe to toe with her. She can’t help but to take a deep breath in. He smells like the pine forest that surrounded her old pack after a fresh rain with a hint of citrus. It was always her favorite scent. Whenever she was stressed or feeling overwhelmed, she would shift and just sit in the forest, breathing in the smell of trees around her. It never failed to calm her nerves and smelling Jimin right now seemed to be having the same effect. She could feel her trepidation about the impending pack meeting melt away the longer he stood before her.

One look into Jimin’s eyes though and she can tell that he’s not in control right now. His irises that are normally a rich and beautiful brown have darkened to a dangerous obsidian ringed in gold. A sure sign that, for whatever reason, his wolf has taken charge. The sheer amount of power radiating off of him is close to suffocating Taryn as she fights against the urge to submit to the alpha, her alpha. Her panties are soaked through at the thought of what the man in front of her could do to her body if she let him. She’s sure that he can smell her at this point so it’s truly impressive that he hasn’t lunged at her yet.

“What’s your favorite food?” Taryn blurts out before she doesn’t something drastic like give into the sexual desires threatening to swallow her whole. Jimin arches one perfectly arched eyebrow at her strange question. “I just realized that I don’t know anything about you other than your name and that you’re the alpha.”

The darkness in his eyes slowly bleeds away and Taryn can finally start to breathe normally again. Jimin nods his head in acquiescence, thinking the question over carefully before answering. “Peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwiches. My mom always made them for me when I was a kid.”

He playfully nudges at her shoulder. Shockwaves of arousal ricochet through her being at his touch but she steels her resolve. “So, what’s your favorite food?” He asks, turning her question back on her. She doesn’t even have to think about the answer as it flies off her tongue.

“Belgian waffles.” She smiles softly at memories from her childhood. She would always demand Belgian waffles every morning to the point that her parents actually started calling her Waffle. It was an embarrassing nickname but now that her parents are gone she’d give anything to hear it again.

“Duly noted now come on we have a meeting to get to.” Jimin grabs her hand and butterflies erupt in Taryn’s gut as she lets Jimin lead her out of the door to wherever pack meetings are held around here.

*   *   *

“Have you mated her yet? Inquiring minds would like to know.” Jimin’s eyes rolls skyward. He almost regrets calling his younger brother Jaehyun. All he wants to know is how much longer until his baby niece arrives but instead he gets the fifth degree. He probably should’ve expected it though.

“Dear God, you’re worse than mom.” Jaehyun only laughs. Now that she no longer has alpha duties to attend to, their mother has been not so patiently waiting for her two sons to give her grandchildren to spoil.

Up until a year ago, neither Jimin nor Jaehyun had been mated but that all changed when Jaehyun had gone on a mission trip to Germany where he ended up meeting his mate Rosaline, the rising alpha of the pack who had offered to house Jaehyun’s mission group. Now they’re married and expecting their first child together. Jimin was only too happy to drop his parents off at the airport after Jaehyun had called to inform them of Rosaline’s pregnancy.

“At least I waited till she left the house to call so you could avoid all her questions. You should be thanking me.”

“Oh, wow my savior. How can I ever repay you?” Jimin asks sarcastically. His eyes linger on the picture of him with his family that he keeps on his desk. He misses his parents and brother but he’s a little glad that they’re on the other side of the Atlantic right now because they’re a lot easier to ignore when their questions start to overwhelm him.

His phone call with his brother doesn’t last much longer as they both have important obligations that they need to get back to. His eyes are drawn back to the family photo. If his mother was here right now, he knows that she’d probably be beating him on the back of the head every day for being a dumbass. Jimin had told his parents about Taryn out of a sense of obligation the day she officially joined the pack and to say he regretted it would be an understatement. His mother constantly pestered him for details about her new “daughter-in-law”. She’d been pissed off to say the least when she’d stopped talking long enough to notice the absence of a mark on Jimin’s neck.

He’d intended to keep his reasons for the lack of a mark to himself but his mother had seen right through his lies. Eventually, Jimin broke down and told her the truth. The whole truth. She was shocked to learn that not only are the Sanmana wolves not extinct but her precious new “daughter-in-law” is also a descendent of the fiery hybrid mating from long ago. She’d been wary at first but she firmly believes in the entire concept of mates and therefore doesn’t understand why Jimin has been holding back. He keeps trying to explain his position to her but no matter what Jimin says his mother still holds firm to her conviction. Taryn is the only mate he’s going to get.

“Jimin, I hear your frustrations and your feelings are valid, but baby you can’t let these what-ifs keep you from your one chance at true love.” His mother’s soothing voice plays in his head like a broken record. She’s right. He knows it and she knows that she knows it too. So why can’t his brain stop disagreeing with his heart?

*   *   *

If someone didn’t know that Jimin and Taryn were mates, they’d probably think that they were just roommates with lots of sexual tension that no one had acted on yet. They still sleep in separate rooms and don’t see each other a lot since they’re both so busy with their respective pack duties. Their spoken communication has dwindled down to nearly nothing but they always manage to communicate in other little ways.

The first week after Taryn joins the pack s hellacious to say the least with Jimin dealing with all of the new construction and disagreements and new pack members that occur in those seven days. It reaches the point that Taryn notices that he’s nearly stopped eating as the plates of food that Katrina leaves for him go untouched.

A quick glance at the sleek iPhone Jimin had purchased for her a couple days ago, tells her that it’s just shy of seven in the evening. If Jimin keeps to the same pattern he’s been following, then he’ll be back home at around 7:30 to shut himself up in his office to do paperwork for the rest of the night. Taryn grabs the bread and a plate and sets about to make him something that she knows he won’t be able to refuse.

It’s 7:32 when the sound of the front door slamming shut reaches Taryn’s ears as she’s tossing her towel in the dryer to warm it up before her shower. She hates cold towels. Another minute goes by and the phone in her back pocket vibrates twice with a text message. She smiles to herself when she opens the message after seeing it’s from Jimin. It’s a picture of the peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwich she’d left on his desk. The two words under the picture expressing his gratitude get tossed to the side as her eyes hone in on the emoji next to them. To anyone else, the kissing emoji isn’t much, but to Taryn it holds weight as this is the closest she’s come so far to getting a kiss from Jimin and dear God does she want to kiss him. His sinfully full lips haunt her every dream but for whatever reason Jimin hasn’t made a single move and part of her doubts that he ever will.

A few days go by and it’s become a habit for Taryn to make Jimin a sandwich and leave it in his office for him. Jimin actually starts to looks forward to going home to the stack of work he has to do. He feels guilty that she goes out of her way to make his favorite sandwich for him while all he offers in return is a thank you text with a stupid emoji.

His ears perk up at the sound of the dryer beeping down the hall. He gets up to peek out of his office door, catching sight of Taryn folding a single towel as she walks away from him towards the stairs. He’d always thought she was just obsessive about doing her laundry, but now that he really thinks about it, he’s never the sound of the washing machine. Only the dryer. He’s even more confused now. Jimin’s brow furrows when he hears the shower in her bathroom turn on. The wheels in his brain are turning at lightning speed as he tries to put two and two together. He smiles to himself as he returns to his desk to make a quick phone call.

Taryn stumbles into her bathroom the next morning with her eyes half closed and her hair going in every direction from all her tossing and turning. She stretches her arms overhead which causes her nightshirt to rise dangerously high up her bare thighs. She’s so out of it that she doesn’t notice the extra presence in her bathroom until she’s already seated on the toilet.

“I’d say this is definitely bringing us closer.” Jimin says on a laugh as Taryn’s eyes fly open with a shriek. He eyes her bare legs lustfully, taking note at the fact that the newly awakened woman in front of him makes no move to try and cover herself after realizing its him in the bathroom in her.

“What are you doing in here?” She asks as she flushes the toilet and walking towards the sink that Jimin is currently leaning against, drill in hand. Part of her hopes that his reason for being in here is romantic in nature even though the power tool he’s holding pretty much tells her it’s not. A girl can still hope though.

His eyes follow every movement of her full hips when she turns to walk back into her room. Jimin’s cock stirs to life at the thought of how good it would feel to give into his desires and finally claim her. The tips of his fingers brush her forearm as he reaches out to do just that when a single word rushes to the forefront of his mind as it often does when he’s close to caving into the mating pull.

Sanmana.

He snatches his hand back like he’s been scalded. Taryn turn to look at him with a raised, questioning eyebrow but he smoothly plays it off as if there was a piece of piece of string on her arm. They both know there wasn’t but she doesn’t press the matter which he’s thankful for.

Jimin clears his throat as he tries to reign in his impure thoughts, following her back into her bedroom. “To answer your question, I was installing a towel warmer.”

Taryn pokes her head out of her walk-in closet that she’d disappeared into with an intrigued look on her face. Jimin explains how he’s noticed that she’s been putting her towels in the dryer for exactly eight minutes every day before her shower and that he wanted to do something nice for her since she’d been making him his favorite sandwich every day. He almost misses the way her smile drops a millimeter at his explanation. He kicks himself for being such a selfish overthinker because he knows that’s what it boils down to at the end of the day but he can’t help himself.

What if someone were to find out what she is? Riots would ensue as people actively seek to see her beautiful light snuffed out. The discomfort he feels of being so near his mate but not being one with her is nothing compared to the absolute torture he’d go through if she was to be brutally ripped away from him like that after completing the bond. What if they had kids? He can’t even bear the thought of someone threatening his child because of what they are. It makes him physically sick to even ponder it. Keeping Taryn at an arm’s length is a necessary evil that he can’t seem to find a solution for. Well, a necessary evil that he’s scared to execute the solution for seeing as how the issue really lies in Jimin’s own selfish fears. He’s scared and he doesn’t know how to stop being scared. As an alpha, it invokes a healthy amount of self-hatred as he was raised to be the source of people’s fear not the frightened pup he’s been dissolving into.

Jimin opens his mouth to respond when a siren blares out, stealing his thunder. Taryn is in awe of him as she witnesses the visible change in his demeanor. In the space of a few seconds, the alpha wolf that resides within him has completely taken over. The word “rogues” is spat out like a curse as he spins on his heel, practically yanking the bedroom door off of its hinges in his haste to leave. Taryn quickly shoves her arms through the sleeves of some random sweatshirt and hops into a pair of leggings before she too is running towards the exit.

The front door of the house hadn’t been as lucky as her bedroom door. The matte black door has been ripped halfway off of its hinges and the knob is nowhere to be found. Taryn quickly forgets the door as she steps out onto the front porch to see madness unfolding all around her. The siren from before still sounds loud and clear above the swell of screams and snarls. She can’t see any rogues from the front porch but the smell of wolves that don’t belong permeates the air around her. She knows that as Luna it’s her responsibility to do something but she’s frozen. Totally overwhelmed by the sheer amount of chaos. She spots Katrina as she dashes down the sidewalk that passes directly in front of Jimin’s house. The older woman is cradling a screaming Kevin to her chest as she desperately tries to escape whatever’s behind her.

Taryn leaps into action when she realizes that that something is a large, silver wolf. Ever since joining the pack, she’s been able to recognize the wolves that belong to her new clan, even the one’s she’s never seen in wolf form before. It’s like a sixth sense that tells her who belongs and who doesn’t. The rogue female bearing down on her friend definitely doesn’t belong.

With a vicious snarl of her own, Taryn leaps off of the porch and shifts mid-air. Her shredded clothing rains down around her as she collides with the trespasser with a sickening crunch of bone beneath her paws. The other wolf is dazed, clearly not expecting to be blindsided like that. Taryn makes quick work of her by sinking her teeth so far into the other wolf’s neck that she scratches her spine. Blood drips from her lips as she sets off in the same direction Katrina had been running.

The cement is no match for Taryn’s claws as she skids to a stop in front of the small primary school. Anger bubbles up within her when she notices the three rogue wolves attempting to breach the building. Her very being is practically vibrating from the growls erupting from her chest. The outsiders share a look amongst each other before apparently deciding that they like the odds of tussling with one wolf.

Taryn readies herself for a fight when a loud burst of thunder interrupts her concentration. The sun is high in the sky with not a cloud in sight so where did that come from. She doesn’t have to wait long for her answer. As she breathes in the air around her, she notices a drastic shift in the scent. That familiar forest smell overtakes her which can only mean one thing. Jimin. Taryn bares her teeth in a wolfy smile at the fear that comes over the rogues in front of her at the sight of her mate coming to a stop by her side.

It vaguely dawns on Taryn that this is the first time she’s seen her mate like this. She’s fascinated to say the least. Jimin’s shorter than average height would lead many to believe that his wolf form is smaller than normal as well. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The midnight black wolf next to her is easily twice her size and Taryn knows that she’s above average size for a female wolf. She finds herself mesmerized by the way his muscular frame moves. It’s almost graceful which is a bit weird considering just how big he is.

A snort brings her back to the situation at hand. Jimin nods his large head towards the rogues who still seem shell-shocked at the size of the wolf before them. Taryn bobs her head once and the two of them leap forward to handle business. Taryn’s jaws are seconds from tearing out the jugular of the third and final rogue when Jimin knocks her down. Still in combat mode, Taryn quickly twists around to regain her footing and snaps at the alpha wolf before her brain can catch up to let her know how horrible that idea is. Her eyes go wide as she realizes her mistake a half second too late.

Jimin is on her faster than she can blink. Taryn isn’t scared by many things but a clearly pissed off alpha standing over her, snapping his teeth just a little too close to her neck has her on the verge of wetting herself. Mate be damned. She bares her neck to him in submission hoping that it placates him. Thankfully, Jimin accepts her surrender and backs away from her, shifting back into his human form. Taryn follows suit after she shakes some of the dirt from her body.

Unlike the humans, werewolves see nudity as a natural part of life. It not unusual for pack members to shift in front of each other and let it all hang out. However, this is the first time Taryn has ever seen Jimin like this and to say the sight of him is making her blood run hot would be an understatement. His physique is muscular with thighs that look strong enough to crack walnuts. She can tell that he spends a lot of time working out. Saliva begins to pool in her mouth when she focuses in on the piece of meat between his taut thighs. In short, he looks like he was crafted out of pure sin and desire.

Jimin is all business as he starts barking orders at Jackson and a few other high ranking members of the guard that Taryn hadn’t even noticed before now. The injured rogue is quickly dragged away and their dead friends are quickly dragged away to god only knows where. Taryn isn’t entirely sure what to do now. She’d halfway expected for Jimin to order her to do something as well. She shifts from foot to foot, arms awkwardly crossed over her bare chest.

“Is there anything you want me to do?” Jimin looks her up and down. The heat in his eyes and the way he pulls his plush bottom lip between his teeth tells her that what he wants her to do is not something that should go down in front of a building full of scared children and their mothers. Taryn opens her mouth to say just that when she’s interrupted a small shout, quickly followed by pattering feet.

“Ryn!” Kevin wraps his small body around her left leg like a tiny koala. Her heart constricts at the trembles still racking his tiny frame when she lifts him into her arms. His mother is telling Jimin something but her eyes dart over to Taryn every few seconds as if to make sure her son is still where she last saw him.

“You’re okay now, buddy. Ryn won’t let anything happen to you.”

*   *   *

Nearly a week has passed since rogues attacked the pack with absolutely no progress at figuring out why. The one wolf that had been spared isn’t talking and it doesn’t appear that that’s going to change any time soon. Taryn offers to heat things up a little to persuade the bastard into giving up some information but Jimin shuts that down immediately. Jimin assigns Taryn a security guard because, apparently, he actually believes that she would go behind his back to talk to the hostage anyway. He’s right but that doesn’t make her feel any differently about her glorified babysitter.

Taryn and Sariah, her new guard and also the one who had caught her trespassing into pack territory, are currently sat at the kitchen table giving each other death glares as Taryn eats a bowl of cereal. The pack as a whole has finally started to warm up to Taryn ever since she fought off the rogues that had attacked but Sariah was not convinced. She hates Taryn and still thinks that she isn’t to be trusted. Sariah doesn’t care who knows her feelings about the new Luna either and makes sure that her suspicions are known to anyone who will listen. Taryn didn’t exactly blame Sariah for being wary of her. Katrina had given her the rundown not too long after she’d moved in with Jimin. Sariah and Jackson are cousins, hence the former’s position in the pack guard. The story of the rogue attack that had resulted in the death of Jackson’s older brother Matthew explained why Sariah probably couldn’t stand her. Jackson doesn’t go out of his way to taunt and provoke Taryn like Sariah does but Taryn isn’t blind. She can see the wariness in the beta’s eyes the few times she’s been in his presence

Needless to say, Sariah and Taryn are not getting along which is exactly why Jimin picked Sariah to keep his mate out of trouble. He figured that Sariah’s distrust would mean that she wouldn’t let Taryn out of her sight but also that spending so much time together would make Sariah realize that his mate wasn’t all bad. So far, he’s only been correct about the first part but it’s only been two days.

Jimin comes jogging down the stairs, freshly showered, and stops short at the entrance to the kitchen. The two she wolves don’t even acknowledge his presence as they continue to stare holes through each other. If looks could kill they’d both be corpses right now.

“Good-” Jimin’s greeting is cut short when Taryn lifts her eyes to his face. The sheer amount of anger swirling in her gaze nearly knocks Jimin on his ass.

“Don’t you fucking speak in my presence unless it’s to say that I’m free of her.” Taryn spits out. A growl vibrates the air around them but it doesn’t come from Jimin. Surprisingly, Sariah is the one vocalizing her frustrations.

“Show some respect to the alpha.” She demands of her charge despite the fact that Taryn outranks her. Sariah has the edge of the heavy oak table in a death grip, nails leaving half-moon marks in the finish as she tries to restrain herself from leaping across the table. Jimin notices a small spark in Taryn’s eyes that gives him pause. He needs to put a stop to this before it gets even more out of hand.

“Fuck you and fuck him too.” Jimin doesn’t take too kindly to the disrespect. If it was anyone else, he would make them pay for such a comment, but even his wolf can sense that Taryn is a literal firecracker on the verge of exploding if he doesn’t tread lightly. The last thing he needs is for her to lose her cool and do something they’ll both regret. He’s starting to think that his goals behind picking Sariah to guard Taryn isn’t worth this headache. He instantly tries to jump in to play peacemaker but he’s not quick enough.

Sariah launches herself at Taryn faster than Jimin can blink. Taryn, however, was ready for her, smashing her would be attacker in the face with her glass bowl of cereal. The glass shatters against Sariah’s forehead and leaves her dazed as she rolls from the table to the floor, cradling her head. Taryn stands from the table and looks Jimin square in the eye as she walks around Sariah’s writhing figure. She aggressively shoulders past him on her way to the stairs.

Jimin is conflicted on what to do. Does he stay in the kitchen to help Sariah or does he go upstairs to talk to his mate? His heart doesn’t seem to be having the same dilemma as he feels the pull to follow behind Taryn. He worries his bottom lip as he stands in the kitchen like a deer in headlights trying to figure out what to do. He takes a step backwards towards the stairs when there’s a barrage of frantic banging on the front door.

The petty situation between Sariah and Taryn is tossed to the backburner as his keen senses pick up on Jackson’s scent. It’s got a coppery edge to it that’s normally not there as if the beta is doused in blood. The new door protests when Jimin flings it open to see Jackson liberally coated in blood and visibly upset. Jimin quickly ushers him inside 

Sariah is picking herself up from the linoleum when Jimin leads Jackson to the kitchen table to sit down before his trembling legs give out on him. He pours him a glass of ice water but he doesn’t touch it or even acknowledge that it’s there when Jimin sets it in front of him before taking a seat to his right. Jackson’s gaze is unfocused. Nearly all light drained from his eyes as he tells Jimin what he discovered this morning.

Jackson is unmated and totally devoted to the pack. As such, he often times forgets to stop and eat just like Jimin does so Katrina had taken it upon herself to make sure that he stayed fed as well since his own parents spent most of their time travelling these days. Every morning at 7 o’clock, Jackson would be knocking on the door of the Tran residence for breakfast or risk incurring the infamous wrath of Mrs. Katrina Tran for not taking care of himself.

This morning when he stepped up to the door, it had been ajar. David, Katrina’s husband, is a stickler for security so there’s no way that he accidentally left the door open like this. Jackson cautiously pushes the door open to see the house is still cloaked in darkness. That’s red flag number two. Breakfast is served at 7:15am sharp in the Tran residence so the small brick house should be completely lit up and humming with activity and the sound of Kevin’s toys by now.

“Katrina? David?” He calls out but there’s no answer. He takes a deep breath and that’s when he smells it. The air reeks of rogue wolf and the foul stench of death.

A knot forms in his throat as he slowly climbs the stairs near the door. He’s terrified of what could possibly await him. The entire upstairs part of the house looks like a war zone. The floor is littered with glass from broken picture frames and dirt from Katrina’s prized potted plants. Jackson can smell coppery scent of blood more strongly now and he resigns himself to the fact that his friends are most likely no longer with them. A choked sob slips out of his mouth but he fights off his emotions. He can’t afford to break down just yet.

He finds David first. The hulking man is a bloody mess outside his son’s bedroom door. The gaping hole in his chest suggests that his heart has quite literally been ripped out of him. There are deep gouge marks covering most of his skin. It’s all he can do to choke back the bile rising in his throat. Jackson has never been particularly religious but he finds himself making a cross across his body before reaching down to carefully close his friend’s unseeing eyes. He finds Katrina sprawled across her son’s racecar bed with a hole in her chest that matches her husband. Her fingers are twisted up as if she had been desperately clinging to something when she was killed.

Jackson is relieved to not see Kevin’s body next to his mother, but where is he? No space in the house goes unchecked as Jackson does his best to find the four year old. Kevin is nowhere to be found. Jackson doesn’t know whether to be relieved or sick. His friends are dead but their son could still be alive and he clings to that possibility as he runs through town to get to Jimin’s house.

Jimin curses when Jackson finishes his story, shooting out of his chair. Sariah is quietly sobbing at the loss of two dear friends and pack members. All of the commotion sends Taryn flying back downstairs demanding to know what’s going on. Jimin’s throat feels like it’s going to close up as his emotions begin to get the best of him. Taryn doesn’t think twice as she pulls Jimin into her smaller frame. She still isn’t sure what’s going on but she knows it can’t be good for him to be showing this kind of emotion. Jimin’s broad shoulders shake from the sobs racking his body. Taryn looks to her left to see Jackson in a similar position with Sariah. She reaches out to rub the beta’s back soothingly. She pats Sariah’s hand awkwardly. The other she-wolf surprises her when she latches on to Taryn’s hand, taking advantage of the gesture.

It’s a few minutes until Jimin pulls himself together enough to tell Taryn what’s happened. She desperately wishes that the ground would open up and swallow her whole in that moment. Katrina Tran was the only real friend that Taryn had in the pack and now she’s gone. She’d never met her husband David but her heart hurts for him too. Most of all, she aches for Kevin. At only four years old, he is now alone in this world and Taryn knows the pain of having your parents violently ripped from you all too well. The thought of Kevin being out there in the woods somewhere scared and alone makes Taryn physically ill as she runs to the kitchen sink losing the contents of her stomach.

Taryn is glued to Jimin’s side as he calls an emergency pack meeting to announce what has happened. There isn’t a dry eye in the room when everyone learns of the tragic loss. Katrina and David were kind souls that impacted everyone they encountered. For them to be targeted like this in what appeared to be another random rogue attack doesn’t make sense. Taryn has been perplexed by it all day. Why the Tran family? Her mind goes back to the way that rogue had been chasing down Katrina. She’d originally thought that she’d been a target of opportunity but what if she wasn’t?

Jimin is busy consoling people when Taryn makes herself scarce. She has a plan but she knows that Jimin would never approve of what she intends to do which is exactly why she has to do it now. She suppresses a groan when Sariah calls out her name behind her.

“And where do you think you’re going?” The wary guard asks, arms crossed across her chest as she approaches Taryn.

“Going to get some answers.” Taryn knows that Sariah is either going to tag along or alert Jimin. It’s not ideal given what she’s got planned but it’s better than her mate locking her in her room like a hostage to keep her from doing it.

Sariah stares through Taryn for what seems like an eternity before motion towards the door and following into step next to her. The pack guard is confused when she realizes that Taryn is headed for the dungeon at the edge of town but she says nothing.

“Listen,” Taryn starts, pausing at the entrance to the pack prison. Her eyes are trained straight ahead but she knows Sariah well enough to be able to interpret the other woman’s silence as her giving Taryn her attention. “I know you don’t like me and frankly I don’t like you that much either but just know that everything I’m about to do is to get justice for the Trans.” Taryn finally turns to look over her shoulder at her companion.

“I’m sure you know the story behind how my cousin Matthew was killed so naturally I don’t trust rogues which means I don’t trust you. However, I’m willing to look past that for the sake of getting revenge for my friends.” Sariah’s jaw is set in determination. Eyes flashing gold as she fights to retain control over her wolf. She nods once. Fists opening and closing as she follows Taryn into the dungeon.

The door slams shut behind them. Dust particles dance through the rays of light streaming through the air ventilation slats near the ceiling. The sole occupant of the stone structure looks up from where he sits in a corner of his cell. One of his eyes is swollen shut and the other doesn’t look like it’s far from it. His cuffed hands lay limply at this sides. He’s been worked over pretty good and yet he still grins wickedly at the two women before him.

“I’m ready for my sponge bath, nurse.” He cackles wildly before leaning over to spit some blood out of his mouth. Sariah wrinkles her nose in distaste when a tooth comes flying out of his mouth.

Taryn reaches into her bra for the key she’d swiped from Jimin’s key ring while he was in the shower last night. She’d never been more thankful for his forgetfulness than she had been in that moment because the key she needed had been helpfully label with the word dungeon. She swings the cell door open wide, moving to crouch down in front of her prey.

“I know you know something, fucker. This is your last chance to tell me before you lose your tongue.” Taryn snarled through gritted teeth. She could feel her body temperature rising but the fool in front of her is too arrogant to even realize the grave danger he’s in. He laughs in her face. A full-fledged belly laugh.

“I told that pup you call an alpha that holding here wouldn’t go over well.” The straggly asshole taunted. Sariah, not one to let people disrespect her leader, immediately steps forward with a growl. Taryn stops her in her tracks with a raised hand and a whispered command to stop. Surprising even herself.

“Things are about to change for us werewolves, sweet cheeks. Just you wait.” Taryn’s eyebrows raise in question. It occurs to her that the rogue’s own arrogance is about to be his own downfall. He’s so sure that the two women in front of him can’t do anything to him that he’s becoming a wealth of information.

“Is that so? I love change.” Taryn says, drawing the idiot before her deeper into her trap. Sariah finally seems to catch on to the game plan as the near constant growls that had been bubbling out of her throat dwindle down to nothing.

“Packs are about to be a thing of the past. Wolves can live amongst each other without this stupid hierarchy. Hell, we’ve been living right under your noses to the east and you fuckers haven’t even noticed.” The rogue announces proudly. It’s not until he takes notice of the evil smile that spreads across Taryn’s face that he realizes that he may have said too much.

“Thank you so much for that information.” Taryn begins. She delicately lays a hand on the rogue’s bare and battered chest directly over his now racing heart. “When you get where you’re going, make sure you tell everyone that David, Katrina, and Kevin Tran are the reason you’re there.”

The rancid smell of burning flesh permeates the air as Taryn’s forearm erupts in white-hot hellfire. Her fist slowly sinks into the rogue’s chest cavity like a warm knife in butter. Sariah, having gotten over the initial shock of what’s happening in front of her, leaps forward to pin the man’s flailing limbs to the stone floor as best as she can. His pained shrieks are like music to Taryn’s ears as she purposefully moves slowly to maximize his pain. Her fist eventually closes around his heart. The muscle shrivels in her fiery grasp as she crushes it. Tears flow freely down Taryn’s face as she thinks about everything she’s lost in her life. Her parents. Katrina. Kevin. She’s reached her limit with loss and it’s time someone pays for it.

Taryn yanks her arm from the rogue’s chest cavity with a shout belying the emotional anguish flowing through her. Her body temperature begins to regulate itself as her arm returns to normal. She backs away from the smoking carcass until her back hits stone. Sariah rises to her feet, dusting herself off. She approaches Taryn slowly like the other woman could burst into flames at any second if she moves too quickly.

“You’re Sanmana?” Sariah questions just to hear the words for herself. Taryn nods slowly with a soft yes.

Sariah had always thought that wolves like Taryn were urban legend having never personally seen one. Despite not having met a Sanmana, she knew that pissing them off is something one should steer clear of to avoid ending up as a pile of ashes. Yet, Sariah has to admit that she’s never seen Taryn use her abilities against the pack for the entire she’s been here and Sariah herself knows that she’s pushed the new Luna further than anyone.

“So, what do we do now?” The guard ponders out loud. Taryn wipes furiously at her face, trying to pull herself together.

“Now, we go to war.” She declares. She gives the slain one rogue one final look of disdain before turning on her heel to exist the dungeon.

Taryn reaches her hand out to let her hand pass through the flames of the lit torches along the wall as she makes her way towards the door. Fire had always been a source of strength and comfort for her. Not surprising given her lineage. Now, more than ever before, she seeks out that strength as she prepares herself for what she’s about to do. She’d promised Jimin when he’d first allowed her stay that there would be no village burning but that’s looking more and more like a promise she won’t be keeping.

*  *   *

Taryn and Sariah crouch behind a thick section of brush to survey the rogue encampment about two hundred feet in front of them. It’s a few small cabins that look like they could each house about four to five wolves comfortably. They’re all built around a clearing where there are some tents situated around a fire pit. The prisoner Taryn had killed wasn’t lying when he said that he wasn’t alone.

There are at least 15 wolves working to construct a large barn-like structure. The two she-wolves wrinkle their noses at nearly the same time as they’re assaulted by a barrage of different scents. Hardly any of the rogues smell the same. All of the wolves in an established pack smell slightly different but everyone has one underlying note in their scent that is the same from wolf to wolf. That doesn’t appear to be the case here and yet everyone seems to be friendly with each other as if they are a family. Taryn lets her eyes drift shut to enhance her focus as she desperately tries to sniff for that light citrusy smell that is indicative of her own pack.

She nearly sobs with glee when she finally picks up on the smell she was looking for. It’s fain and nearly totally overwhelmed by all of the other smells in the area, but it’s there. Kevin is here somewhere. Sariah noses at the clothes tied around Taryn’s ankle to indicate that they should shift back to human. That’s exactly what they’ve done when the smell of fresh rain and oranges washes over Taryn.

Jimin.

The alpha wolf emerges from behind a tree absolutely bristling with anger. He shifts back as well when he notices that Taryn and Sariah are both in human form. Taryn allows herself to be dragged by the wrist deeper into the forest to prevent giving their position away.

“Explain yourselves. Now.” Jimin demands when he feels they’re far enough away. Sariah and Taryn share a glance before looking back to Jimin, staying silent. “One of you better start talking right now so help me God.”

Taryn narrows her eyes in anger at Jimin’s use of the alpha command. Sariah, unable to resist, immediately tells everything she knows. Jimin’s eyes remain focused in on his mate as his trusted guard spills her guts on the forest floor. Taryn avoids eye contact and instead watches Jimin’s chest and ears grow a furious red with every new detail that he learns.

“Taryn, are you fucking stupid?” Jimin is starting shake from the strength of his anger. “You could’ve gotten you and Sariah killed.”

Taryn can’t help but roll her eyes. She’s had more than enough of Jimin treating her like some errant child he was put in charge of. “Why the fuck do you even care? We might be mates but I know damn well you don’t love me so why does it matter if I die trying to avenge the one friend I had?”

“I’m just gonna go stand over-…yeah bye.” Sariah quickly makes herself scarce so as not to intrude on what is obviously a private moment.

“Why would you say that?” Jimin’s question comes out in a strained whisper. His heart feels like it’s cracking in advance of the rejection he feels is sure to come.

“Because it’s true. You tolerate me out of some weird obligation but you don’t love me and if I was stronger I would reject you right now just so you can go be free but no. I’m stuck on the possibility that maybe one day you could-” Taryn’s angry tirade is cut short by Jimin’s lips covering hers in a kiss that’s borderline brutal.

She freezes from the shock. Jimin slowly walks her backwards until her back rests against a nearby tree. He groans deep in his throat when Taryn finally starts to respond to him. His hands are everywhere, indecisive about what part of her he wants to touch first. Tentatively her hands come up to encircle Jimin’s neck as she pulls him in even closer. Her lungs are burning from lack of oxygen but she doesn’t care. She’ll gladly die if it means this moment doesn’t have to end.

A whimper falls from her lips when Jimin pulls away from her. She becomes aware of the tears that she hadn’t even realized were falling when Jimin gently wipes her damp cheeks. His own eyes are watering but his own pride refuses to let them fall.

“I do love you, Taryn.” Jimin whispers against her forehead after planting a soft kiss against her pretty brown skin. “I was scared. I still am. There are people out there that think you shouldn’t be allowed to exist and I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it if someone tried to take you away from me. What if we have kids? Would people come after them too? I don’t know what I-”

Taryn shuts him up just as he done to her minutes earlier. This time though the kiss is slower as she caresses his pillow soft lips with her own.

“Is this really what’s been bothering you this whole time?” Taryn questions with a soft tone as Jimin shyly avoids her gaze. He nods once in affirmation to her query, hiding his face in the crook of her neck out of embarrassment. She reaches up to run her fingers through the silky strands of black hair that cover his head.

“I was so scared when I went to the dungeon to ask the rogue more questions and found him still smoking.” Jimin mumbles against her skin. She shivers every time his lips graze the sensitive skin of her neck. “I figured you might’ve tried to run away which is how I picked up your scent in the woods.”

“I’m glad you came after me but right now we need to save, Kevin.” Jimin forces himself to release his hold on Taryn but the second he does he instantly misses the warmth of her body against his. Jimin takes Taryn’s spot leaning against the tree and waits for her to return with Sariah. Together the three of them form a quick plan of attack then set off to put it into action.

*   *   *

Taryn’s heart is racing a mile a minute as she waits up on a hill for the party to get started. From her vantage point, she has a clear view of the rogue encampment. Her fingers sink into the soil in anticipation. It’s not much longer before she hears that familiar thunderous roar as Jimin leaps into the clearing. Chaos ensues immediately as the rogues hurriedly shift to defend themselves. Seconds later Sariah bursts onto the scene from the opposite direction. Wolves that they hadn’t seen previously emerge from the tents and cabins. Taryn watches carefully for any sign of Kevin. Just when she’s about to give up and shift to join her mate and Sariah in the fray, a slim redhead emerges from a tent with an unconscious Kevin cradled in her arms. The woman looks around before running in the opposite direction of all the fighting, right towards Taryn’s hiding place.

The fleeing she-wolf stops in her tracks when she spots Taryn. Her face is twisted up in an ugly smile that makes her look more like a demon than a woman. The vibrant curls framing her face look like the flames that Taryn is itching to invoke. She laughs mirthlessly as Taryn slowly advances on her.

“Take one more step and I’ll kill him.” It’s Taryn’s turn to freeze as she watches the woman’s nail lengthen into claws.

“I saw you that day when you assholes took my mate from me.” The bitch drags one of her claws down Kevin’s angelic face, drawing blood. Taryn’s muscles burn with the effort it takes to keep from launching herself at the woman in front of her. “I knew that I would need a bargaining chip to get him back so I took the chance that this little boy matters. Looks like I was right.”

The woman looks deranged. Something in her eyes is off and not in a good way. She looks like she’s lost all access to her sense of morality. Kevin stirs in her arms, distracting her and Taryn takes her chance.

Taryn knows that some Sanmana wolves have been known to throw fire. Her own father had been able to do it but hadn’t gotten around to teaching his daughter before being killed and despite years of trying to teach herself, Taryn’s never been able to do it. In that moment, though, she can almost hear her father in her ear, instructing her, guiding her. Kevin’s captor looks back up in time to get a face full of flames as Taryn blasts her with everything she’s got. The redhead drops Kevin with a shriek. Taryn moves quickly to get the small boy out of harm’s way before ripping the woman’s heart out of her chest and crushing it just as she’d done with her mate.

Kevin is pressed protectively to her chest as Taryn runs full speed towards the encampment. Jimin and Sariah are both fierce warriors in terms of combat so she expected them to be able to hold their own while she was saving Kevin. The two wolves have been backed up against the side of a cabin and the eight or so wolves that are left are attacking them from every available angle. Blood is flowing profusely from a deep wound on Jimin’s side and Taryn knows it’s only a matter of time before her mate and Sariah are taken down. She’s finally gotten the man picked by fate as her other half to admit his feelings for her and there’s no way in hell she’s losing him like she’s lost everyone else in her life.

Once again, Taryn sets Kevin on the ground out of harm’s way behind a large boulder. When she straightens flames lick at her skin as she feels a warm wave of heat wash over. A vicious war cry escapes her lips as she runs towards the group of wolves. The stench of burning fur and flesh blends in the with pained lupine yelps as burst of flames fly from Taryn’s finger tips. They try to escape but it’s futile as she reaches out to them with her newfound ability.

Jimin collapses as his shaky legs can no longer hold him up. One of the rogues had gotten a lucky shot in and opened up a large gash along his torso. It hurts like hell but watching the human flame that is his mate dole out her own brand of punishment makes the pain bearable. He panics when his vision starts fading but despite his best efforts his eye lids shut.

*   *   *

Jimin awakes with a start, wincing from the sharp sting in his side. He relaxes some when he realizes that he’s in his own bed. He has no idea how he got here but he can worry about that later. The angry gash in his side has already closed up but the jagged mark still hurts like a bitch. He sucks in a deep breath as the wound protests his movement when he heaves himself out of bed. The sound of Taryn singing to herself as she moves around downstairs makes his heart flutter in his chest.

He props himself up against the refrigerator. He can’t help but grin as he watches his mate twirl around the kitchen as she makes a sandwich. She’s in her pajamas singing along to whatever song is playing through your headphones. She’s yet to acknowledge his presence and Jimin is thankful for that. He doesn’t get to see her like this. Carefree and vulnerable.

“Hello, Jimin.” Taryn interrupts his sappy thoughts with a greeting though she’s yet to actually look at him. She pulls one of her headphones out of her ear, letting it dangle as she chops up a banana.

“How did you even know I was here?” He ponders out loud.

“I can smell you.” Taryn explains as she finishes up the sandwich she was making and slides it across the island that separates the two of them. “You’re probably starving. You’ve been knocked out for nearly 24 hours.” As if on cue, Jimin’s stomach rumbles loudly.

“Looks good, but what if I told you I wasn’t hungry for food?” Jimin reaches across the counter to lightly run a finger down the back of Taryn’s hand. He doesn’t miss the shiver that races through her at his touch.

“I’d tell you that you need to relax and let that ugly ass wound heal.” Taryn pulls her hand away from Jimin but he’s not letting her get away that easy. He makes his way around the island, backing her up into a corner until he’s got her caged in.

Taryn can’t find it in her to be embarrassed when Jimin nuzzles his face into the crook of her neck. The feeling of his soft lips against her skin is unbelievable. She smooths her hands down his bare torso until she reaches the waistband of his grey sweatpants, using the elastic to pull him in closer. The action triggers a groan deep in Jimin’s throat. His hands glide down her back, pausing to squeeze the plump globe of her ass, before moving further to lift her up by the backs of her thighs. A gasp falls from Taryn’s lips at being lifted in the air.

She wraps her arms and legs around him. Jimin revels in the feel of his lips against hers as he carries her upstairs to his room. Well, their room now. He carefully lays her out across his mattress. He does his best not to crush her but Taryn yanks him down so that the length of his body is pressed against her. She wastes no time reconnecting her lips with his as Jimin’s hands greedily roam the landscape of her curvy figure. Taryn’s always been aware that she carried a few extra pounds on her frame but Jimin looks like he wants to devour her which makes her beam with joy. Jimin makes quick work of her clothes until she’s totally bare beneath him.

“Fuck I’m an idiot.” He mumbles out around the hardened nipple he’s sucked into his mouth.

“You’re my idiot so I guess I’m okay with it.” Taryn replies breathily. Her words end in a moan when the vibrations from Jimin’s subsequent laughter send shockwaves of pleasure through her body.

Her breath hitches when Jimin kisses his way further down her body. He presses soft kisses to the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. When he flattens his tongue against her, licking a broad strip up the length of her wet core, Taryn nearly forgets her own name. She grips the sheets in her fists as Jimin continues his assault by flicking his tongue over her clit. He sucks the taut bud into his mouth at the same time as he sinks two fingers inside her. Stars dance behind her eyelids when he flicks them upwards in a come hither motion, finding that special spot with expert accuracy.

She’s running head first into an orgasm when Jimin pulls away. He grabs one of the extra pillows in his bed and slides it underneath her hips. Taryn is confused but she trusts Jimin so she goes along with it. The mischievous grin on his face gives her pause but the way he proceeds to eating her out like his last meal sends her cares flying out the window. She latches on to his hair as she does her best not to suffocate him with her thighs.

“Wait, Jimin stop. I have to pee.” She whimpers out but Jimin keeps right on going as if he hasn’t heard her at all.

The pressure in her abdomen rises just as fast as her distress levels. Jimin refuses to budge from his place between her legs. If anything, he starts thrusting his fingers in and out of her with more ferocity than before. She chants his name but she’s not sure if it’s to get him to stop or for him to give her more. She’s lost in a sea of pleasure and the waves are threatening to take her under. With one final plea for mercy, she falls apart.

Black spots cloud her vision. Her back arches obscenely. Tears leak from her eyes at the force of it all. Her orgasm washes over in powerful waves that seemingly have no end. She can vaguely feel Jimin’s finger plunging in and out of her at a slower rate to prolong her climax. It seems like an eternity has gone by before she comes down from her high.

Jimin’s face is practically dripping with her release when he frees himself from the stronghold her thighs had on his head. She’s never squirted before but one look at him and she knows that’s exactly what she’s done. Taryn averts her gaze out of embarrassment, suddenly feeling shy.

“Hey look at me.” Jimin calls softly from his spot between her outstretched legs. He waits patiently for her to obey before he continues. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever witnessed. Don’t be embarrassed.” She nods her head in understanding but she’s not totally convinced.

A fresh gush of arousal leaks out of her when Jimin pops each of his fingers in his mouth to suck them clean. He moans as if it’s the best thing he’s ever tasted. Taryn’s tongue slides out to wet her bottom lip at the sight. It’s then she notices that Jimin is still in his sweatpants which are tented around the sizable erection that they’re struggling to contain. That’ll never do. She happens to know that he has on nothing but those sweatpants considering that she’s the one that put them on him in the first place.

Jimin is still on his knees between her legs so she sits up so that she’s eye level with his chest. His head falls back when she flicks her tongue against one of his nipples. He sighs with relief when she slowly pulls his sweatpants down past his ass, freeing him. He lifts each knee so she can help him push them down further until he’s able to kick off completely. Jimin is excited to feel his mate’s full lips sliding up and down his cock but the second she wraps her slender fingers he knows that can’t happen. He won’t last more than a minute if she sucks him off and his refraction time has always been shit.

“I need to be inside you right now. Please.” Jimin pleads. His heart nearly stops beating in his chest when Taryn pretends to ponder the idea.

Jimin’s mouth waters with delight when she rolls over on her stomach, poking her pretty, little ass up in the air like a good bitch. He’s on her in an instant. His hands reach around to palm her full breasts, rolling both of her nipples between his fingers. The moans and whimpers falling from her lips could rival a choir of angels in Jimin’s opinion.

He pushes one of her ass cheeks to the side to give himself a clear view of her glistening entrance. She begs him to stop being such an awful tease as he slides the head of his cock through her slick folds, bumping her clit on each pass. Jimin slowly pushes forward until each inch is surrounded by her tight sheath. Both of them sigh in relief at finally being joined.

“So big.” Taryn groans as she pushes her backside firmly against Jimin’s torso in an effort to get even closer to him.

Jimin pulls his hips back only to thrust back in roughly. He does that a few more times before letting loose. His hands have a death grip on her hips as he plows into her from behind. The sound of his hips smacking into her ass can probably be heard miles away. He can feel that familiar tightening in his balls so he slows his pace. He moves his hands from Taryn’s hips to her ass. Jimin is mesmerized by the way it jiggles when he gives it an experimental smack. The loud moan that reverberates around the room indicates that Taryn is most definitely on board but another thought comes to his mind.

He continues to thrust shallowly as he spreads her ass cheeks apart once more. The puckered hole of her back entrance teases him. Almost as if it’s calling his name. Taryn shivers when lets a string of saliva fall onto the tight ring of muscle. He picks up his pace again, slamming into her, but this time he massages his thumb against her other entrance. Curses fall from his lips when she tightens her inner muscles around him like a vice at the unfamiliar, yet pleasurable, sensation.

“Oh fuck! I’m gonna cum.” She wails.

Jimin pulls out of her and flips her onto her back before plunging back inside. She’s knows what’s on the horizon as she can feel her canines start to lengthen just like his appear to be. He slides his hand down her sweaty torso to rub figure eights in her engorged clit. It’s like he’s flipped the switch on her orgasm as she starts to convulse around him. Jimin surges forward and sinks his teeth into her skin right at the junction of her neck and shoulder. He licks at the mark to collect the few drops of blood that seep from her skin. Half a dozen strokes later and Jimin meets his own end. His chest vibrates with a possessive growl at the feeling of Taryn marking his skin. His chest feels like it’s going to burst with the feelings that he has for her. Jimin is sure that she’s never looked more beautiful than she does right now in this moment. Sweaty. Tired. His. He was a fool for waiting so long to take this step but he knows he’ll never be that dumb again. Taryn is his just as he is hers. Sanmana gene be damned.