JIN POV:

Spending time with our youngest mate is quickly becoming a favourite amongst the five of us, to the point where Tae and Kookie keep breaking into arguments about who they think she likes better and trying to outdo each other in terms of making her the happiest. Not that I'm complaining. It's especially warming because Taehyungie only courted Jungkook as part of our coven and this was Jungkook's first time courting a mate- so it was understandable that the two were vibrating with excitement and energy. And it was so endearing to see.

But that didn't mean that that the rest of us weren't affected- spending time with her was both something we enjoyed and also a test of our control. Seeing her so close, having her scent invade our senses and push rational thought out of mind and having heard Hoseokie and Joonie gush over how adorable and tempting she looked when she'd woken up was doing things to me. It was making us stir-crazy.

But it didn't mean that Jiminie and Yoongi melted into the shadows, if anything they became even more cherished and held close. We knew they were hurting and we tried as hard as we could to help ease the pain but everytime they caught a lingering whiff of her scent or on a few occasions saw her scarf left behind or some sort of remnant of her visit- it brought melancholy so profound and deep in Jimin that it wormed its way around our hearts and made us share in his pain. Yoongi's face would twist in pain and his eyes would shutter and I knew he was remembering what I'd told him. He was afraid of hurting her- the prophecy had heightened his need to distance himself but how could I tell him that it wasn't the right way to do it- he needed to communicate to make things better, not shut himself off completely.

And how could I find the heart to tell (Y/N) that I was worried of letting her go home alone at night? I already had worries about her wellbeing because of her strong scent, because she was our mate and to add this on top- it seemed unfair to burden her with that knowledge; that couldn't be avoided unless Yoongi took the courage to take those necessary first steps. I knew she wanted to still connect with him and Jiminie; saw it in her eyes when they stepped away or vanished when they accidentally came across each other's path.

But I couldn't push them to do things they weren't comfortable. I just prayed Yoongi gathered that courage and banished those haunting memories from mind. Before it was too late.

And on several occasions I had seen his eyes watch her as she left with one of the others at night, saw the shift as his shoulders drooped with relief- silently assuring himself she was fine.

They were both longing and wanting each other; it was just the first step Yoongi needed to make was towards her. And I knew when he stepped forward, then the path towards her would be carved for Jiminie too.

I couldn't bear to see them in pain. I just hoped that the change would come soon. Because I knew once they got to know (Y/N)- they'd see her for who she truly was, the person we were becoming so quickly enamoured with. And hopefully accept the bond between them.

YOONGI POV:

Seeing her is like feeling shards of glass pierce into my body again. But this time the pain is greater, the burn is more vicious and crueller and worst of all is that I embrace that pain. Because with it comes glimpses of her, secret stolen moments where I can assure myself she's fine, that the smile on her face is genuine, that the glow that comes with being with your mates isn't that dim because she has five of them.

But how do I find refuge from my own mind? How can I begin to sperate the memories that rise again like the crashing, unforgiving harsh waters of an unpredictable ocean- swirling and overwhelming and drowning out any hope when I think- now's the moment, now I should step forward and make things right.

The tiny part of me that longed for what the others had begun to share with (Y/N) grows within me too, day by day. Seeing the others excited about the courting gifts they're going to send, the arguments around the rota of who sends it first, the fond memories they've begun to make- I want a part of it too. But looking at her brings me more pain than it does relief.

Seeing her reminds me of the monster I could become. Of the monster I was told and taught to believe I already was.

And a part of me knew that if I made amends, then it would be easier for Jiminie to overcome that hurt and anger he was directing to himself- it would allow him to see that if I could then he could.

But why was it so hard? Why was I holding back and afraid?

Afraid of the rejection I saw as an inevitability and it hung over me with all the force of a tempest.

JIMIN POV:

Three weeks. Of seeing (Y/N)'s presence slowly immerse itself into our nest, of being able to smell the lingering traces of her intoxicating scent long after she had left, of hearing the others fondly talk about her but those conversations to tail off to avoid making me upset.

It stirred up a bitter longing seeing Taehyungie and Kookie choose courting gifts, argue and bicker playfully about who she liked more- it slowly felt like she was slotting in so easily into their hearts, into a place that I had once thought was only for the three of us- the younger vampires.

It hurt hearing Taehyungie announce he was visiting the book café and seeing Kookie grab up his shoes and dart after him. It hurt seeing Namjoon hyung spending longer hours in the garden- where I'd find myself often these days, curled onto the bench as I watched him debate about the flowers he'd send. It hurt seeing Jin hyung become even more immersed in cooking- so determined to make sure that his youngest mate was properly fed, it gave him great pleasure and pride- something I thought had only belonged to the seven of us. It slowly felt like everything was slipping away and there was nothing I could do.

I was torn between pain and torment- towards myself and because my soul longed, yearned for her with such an intensity that some nights I bolted upright, eyes a deep red and fangs piercing my bottom lip- nose filled with the phantom of her heady scent.

It stopped being anger and pain directed towards her and more towards myself. Resentment that I had numerous opportunities to step forward and try to make amends but cowardice won over- sheer, soul shaking fear that she could...probably would reject me. After everything I'd done and said- to the last instant she had been soft, welcoming, inviting; the promise of a haven that I could fall so easily into but yet held myself back from.

But I never knew that all it would take was one instant. One instant. And everything would change.

----

I was walking out of campus, turning around the corner with a listlessness, an unease that sat deep in my gut as I walked- something not sitting right with my instincts, the beginnings of warning bells beginning to ring.

And when I'd gotten closer and closer to the cluster of rooms, I'd gotten a whiff of it.

(Y/N)'s scent.

Which was odd because it had never stirred unease in me, rather it soothed my senses.

But what struck that chord of fear and panic and horror deep into my soul and anchored itself there was that it was accompanied with the metallic tang of blood.

And when I'd turned and saw a boy walking alongside (Y/N)- loud chatter wafting through the air, having followed the trail of her scent there as the strongest, my vision had gone white before clouding with the vivid vicious red hue of anger.

The two turned as if they'd sensed the shift in the atmosphere- a crackling of dark angry energy, my eyes narrowed immediately on one the boy whose lips were glistening a dark ruby red, fresh and recent with blood.

Blood that belonged to (Y/N).

Belonged to my mate.

And I couldn't stop the anger from taking over.

And I pounced.

The moment I'd gotten close enough I slammed his tall, lithe frame into the wall on the side- the force enough to release a loud cracking sound but all that mattered, all that I could see was the red staining his lips. The same red which his tongue darted out to lick, taking the taste of MY mate into him.

There was a deep growling sound coming from my throat and I didn't need to see my reflection to know that my instincts had taken over. Fangs bared and eyes red.

I heard a loud gasp and the rushing patter of soft footsteps getting closer but all I could see was the red staining his lips. The red blood which he wasn't entitled to.

He'd hurt her? Taken the blood of my mate?

Every part of me howled with anger, fury bubbling at the thought of my mate having been harmed- of this boy who so clearly was relishing in her taste like he was entitled to it.

"Jimin stop!" a voice pierced my ears, pulling me away from that gaping chasm of anger, a voice filled with fear.

I twisted my eyes off the boy to land on hers, her own which were wide and scared.

But my instincts read it as fear of the boy. Not of me.

My hands were still fisting into his shirt, pressing his slight frame into the wall and when he let out a pained groan, her eyes snapped back to him and she grabbed my wrist.

"Stop it, you're hurting him." she yelled, voice alight with panic and concern.

But everything else melted away.

The weight of her slender delicate hand encircling part of my wrist, the warmth seeping out of her skin and into my own cool one- it send tingles jolting up my arm and through my body, an inexpressible sense of elation and overwhelming joy. This was my mate's touch, my soul and brain screamed in unison. It felt so right, so natural. All my senses were narrowed down to where our skin connected- of where she'd triggered the bond. I could only stare with awe, relish, and revel in that feeling of rightness- that this was it, this was what I'd been missing. Until her presence shifts and accommodates the eighth part of my soul and her emotions seep out clear as day and I recoil from the anger, confusion and worry radiating off her in shockingly large waves.

It shocks my system with the intensity of it that my hands fall away and I turn to her, that gravitational pull urging me to face her.

I had no idea how I'd resisted it all this time.

The boy who I'd been furious with groans and shifts but all it takes is a few moments- a few moments where I allow myself to fall weak and gaze at her- examine her finally with such closeness when the tables turn. I find myself being pushed away, the surprise of the act jolting me more than the force behind it and the same boy now shifting himself between me and my mate- blocking her off from me, glaring at me.

"Stay away from her. You don't have that right to be so close." He sneers, eyes becoming a deep red; protectiveness, towards (Y/N).

"She's my mate, you're the one with her blood in your filthy mouth." I hiss.

But what I don't expect is for (Y/N) to whirl on me with the force of a storm, silently brewing and now being unleashed.

"Don't you dare Jimin. You have no right. He's my blood mate- what we share is our business and he's entitled to my blood more than you are." She retorts, eyes flashing with anger, pulling her wrist free from the boy who shifts uneasily, as if ready to interject himself back in.

The movement brings my eyes to the puncture marks which look freshly pierced, a small bead of blood on the sensitive inner skin and my eyes narrow.

"You didn't want me remember? But I was the fool for still wanting you. Don't bother Gyeom-ah again, I don't take lightly to my bonds being threatened either." She adds, the softness of her voice melting away to give front to her anger and hurt which are corrosive, wearing away at the futile barriers I'd put up around my heart.

And she steps away, her scent weakening with every foot forward- my soul mourns for what I might've just lost.

My words came back to bite me.

(Y/N) POV:

Stay strong, don't look back. He doesn't want you. Need you. it's just his instincts overwhelming his thoughts. He doesn't care. He doesn't. My mind repeats as a mantra but it futilely bounces off the growing hurt that's welling up quicker and quicker.

I wanted Jimin. Wanted him to want me.

I didn't want this. For the only reason to hear him call me his mate was because he'd seen my blood on Gyeomie's lips.

That wasn't him wanting me. 

But when those words had slipped out of his mouth, they'd felt so right. And the hurt that had filled his eyes had somehow pierced my soul and planted themselves into my mind.

I felt my body shivering and gasping with confusion as I stepped away from my mate- stepped away when we'd just bonded. With the others I had still spent enough closeness and time that it hadn't adversely affected me.

Here? I was running away, and right now...consequences be damned. I didn't want to be near him in this moment- even if my soul did.

I'd deal with the aftermath later.

(SO! I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'LL BE TO READ, Midiiplier - I HOPE I DID OUR CHAT JUSTICE! BUT HOPEFULLY THERE YOU HAVE IT- JIMIN'S BEEN TRYING TO FIGHT A WAR WITHIN HIMSELF AND WHEN HE SAW (Y/N)'S BLOOD ON SOMEONE ELSE; HE PANICKED. THERE'S NO JUSTIFICATION, NO EXPLANATION. IT WAS URGENT, FRANTIC AND WORRY. WE HAVE HIM AND YOONGI IN PAIN BECAUSE THEIR INNER DEMONS ARE TOO STRONG AND NOW WE HAVE (Y/N) STEPPING AWAY BECAUSE SHE'S HURT AT HIS BEHAVIOUR. WAS IT ANGSTY ENOUGH? LET ME KNOW. NOT PROPERLY DESCRIBED? ALSO LET ME KNOW. TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE LOVES!)

When the heart aches, there's no medication for it. When it breaks, there's no treatment for it. When it bleeds, there's no balm for it. It is such a tender and delicate part of you- cherish it and entrust it to those who will also cherish and protect it.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3