Jin struggled to slide his shirt over his head with only one hand, his other wrist encased in a cast. As he grappled with the fabric, he suddenly felt a commanding presence in the room. Suddenly, the shirt was yanked from his grasp, and he found himself staring directly into Taehyung's eyes.

Taehyung's gaze shifted to the white plaster cast encasing Jin's wrist, his brows furrowing with concern. "Is it broken?"

"No, the doctor said it's best to keep it wrapped to avoid accidentally hitting it against anything that could make it worse since it's badly bruised."

"That's good; at least he's doing his job right. One less problem for me," Taehyung mumbled.

Jin stood in silence, observing Taehyung's disheveled appearance. He couldn't help but notice the specks of red stains on his clothes, prompting concern. Jin wondered if the stains were blood, but he hesitated to ask, not wanting to intrude and ask what he probably shouldn't.

It had been two days since he last saw his Alpha, and he figured he must have been outside the kingdom, which probably explained why he looked the way he did.

"Your brother is coming by today. I would recommend you dress in something more appropriate," Taehyung said as his eyes trailed down Jin's half-naked body. "I won't be able to join you during your initial meeting with him as I have something to attend to, but I will be back for dinner. Under no circumstances should you share with him or anyone that you are pregnant!" Taehyung firmly warned and pulled Jin toward him.

His hand slipped down to Jin's waist, holding him closely as he continued. "After he leaves, we'll have a conversation about the things you've been hiding. If you don't want a repeat of your previous injury, I expect you will tell me everything."

Jin's heart began to race as his Alpha's dominant eyes bore into his. "I'm not hiding anything," he said in a nervous whisper.

Taehyung's fingers dug into his waist, sending a jolt of immediate pain through him. He winced as the pressure intensified against the scar at his hip. "Don't lie to me, Seokjin. It will only cause you more pain," Taehyung warned, his grip persistent.

"I wish you would believe me. I am your Omega..."

"No," Taehyung exclaimed angrily, his voice filled with frustration and disbelief, "you are a liar."

Feeling the immense weight of Taehyung's anger bearing down on him, Jin leaned forward and buried his face into the comforting curve of his Alpha's neck. In the midst of the tension, he struggled to find the right words, finally managing to plead, "Please remember that I am carrying our child, and you are my Alpha."

With Jin's words, Taehyung felt frustrated but tried to calm himself. His hand loosened its grip, and he took a deep, steadying breath. "I don't need a reminder about either of those things!" he exclaimed. "What I need is for you to be honest with me. I can't protect you or our heirs if you are not being honest, Seokjin!"

Jin gently eased himself back, creating a slight distance between himself and Taehyung, who held onto him tightly. "I want to be honest with you. But, I struggle to recall much of my past, and even the memories I can recall are difficult to express in a way that won't upset you. I can sense that you see me badly, which hurts me because that's not who I am..."

"How can I see you in any other light when you arrived here fully aware of your pregnancy and engaged in a relationship with another Alpha? Especially when you were supposed to be saving yourself for me!

An Omega who is meant for me should have never done something like that! Your sole purpose in coming here was to embarrass and tarnish my reputation. You were determined to strip me of my rightful crown!" Taehyung raised his voice, his anger resurfacing.

"N-no, that's not true. I didn't want any of those things to happen."

"Then why were you sleeping with Yoongi?" Taehyung demanded.

Jin felt a lump in his throat, making it difficult for him to respond immediately as he grappled with the fact that he could never disclose the truth to Taehyung. He knew that if Taehyung had any inkling of the switch between him and Jimin, it could spark serious conflicts between the kingdoms, something he was determined to prevent.

All Jin wanted was for Taehyung to release his hold on the past so that they could move forward together. He firmly believed that as officially mated partners, they had the strength to overcome any obstacle and that their only path forward was to stay by each other's side. It was what he wanted, but he didn't know what else he could do to gain his Alpha's trust.

"Seokjin, answer me!"

Jin's salvation arrived in the form of a knock at the door. Despite his Alpha's firm grip, he found solace in the momentary interruption, giving him a chance to collect his thoughts.

Taehyung paid no attention to the knock on the door, which eventually ceased after two more attempts. His hand slowly traveled up Jin's body, eventually gripping his jaw, as he stared into Jin's eyes. "We are going to continue this conversation later."

"Okay," Jin replied with a hint of unease. As Taehyung leaned in, he tilted his head to the side and felt playfully nibbling on the mark etched at the side of his neck. He eagerly reached out and tightly grasped his Alpha, unable to contain a pleasurable sound that slipped from his mouth.

As Taehyung's other arm remained wrapped around his waist, drawing him closer, and his tongue and lips traced along his neck, Jin felt a growing desire and longing for his Alpha. However, his hopes were crushed when Taehyung suddenly pulled away.

"Your brother has arrived. Get dressed and follow the guards who will take you to meet with him. I will come and join you later."

"Okay, and thank..." Jin's words trailed off as Taehyung unexpectedly pulled him back closer and pressed his lips against his.

******

Jimin's heart raced with excitement as he caught sight of his brother entering the room. Leaping up from the sofa where he had been seated, he hastened toward Jin, eager to embrace him. His joy, however, was abruptly halted by the imposing presence of four guards who stood in his path, preventing him from reaching Jin.

Jin was just as stunned by their actions as Jimin was. "It's okay; he's my brother," Jin reassured, gently maneuvering between them and making his way over to Jimin. "You can stay outside; I'll be fine." He made a point of telling them that he didn't want them to crowd the room as he spent some much-needed time with his brother.

As the guards exchanged glances, they noted Jin's words before quietly leaving the room. Once they had departed, Jin and Jimin let out a collective sigh of relief. They locked eyes, tears welling up, before they embraced each other tightly, finding comfort in each other's arms.

"I missed you so much!" Jimin said as he hugged Jin tighter.

"I miss you a whole lot more." Jin cried.

"How have you been? Has the King been good to you? How...?" Jimin inquired, but he couldn't finish his sentence as the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted him.

As Jin pulled away from Jimin, he noticed a faint clearing of the throat behind them. Turning to look, he saw a stranger in the room with them. Confusion clouded his thoughts as he wondered if the person was one of Jimin's guards. It wasn't until he heard his brother speak that he realized the true identity of the unexpected visitor.

"I'm so sorry. Where are my manners? Seokjin, please allow me to introduce you to my Alpha, Jeon Jungkook. Jungkook, this is my brother, Park Seokjin, or I guess Kim Seokjin now," Jimin said with a bright smile.

Upon Jimin's introduction of Jungkook and Jin to one another, Jin's face lit up with a warm smile, and he gracefully inclined his head. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Jeon," He expressed, his tone tinged with uncertainty as he grappled with the appropriate way to address Jungkook while mindful of showing due respect to the Alpha.

Jungkook smiled as he made his way over to Jin, his hand outstretched in a welcoming gesture. Jin reciprocated by reaching out to grasp it. With an endearing smile, Jungkook reassured Jin, "There is no need for formality. We are like family. You can call me Jungkook."

As soon as those words departed Jungkook's lips, his fingers unclasped from Jin's hand, and he took a deliberate step back, his eyes scanning Jin's form from head to toe. "The presence of your Alpha is strong; is he nearby?" he questioned as he looked around.

Jin, with the ability to sense Taehyung's presence, shook his head to indicate no in response to Jungkook's question.

Jungkook gazed at Jin with a slightly quizzical expression, furrowing his brow in confusion before gradually transforming into a smile. "Well, I am sure he will be joining us at some point. I am glad to meet you, though finally, your brother has told me a lot about you," he said with genuine enthusiasm.

With a smile, Jin replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you too."

"Jinnie, how have you been?" Jimin inquired, his voice eager to know as he moved closer to his brother. Observing Jin's appearance, he noticed something unusual about his wrist, which prompted him to ask, "What happened to your wrist? Is it okay?"

Jin moved his arm to his side, not wanting to make a big deal of his injury. "I've been good, and my wrist is fine - just a minor bruise from slipping a few days ago. How have you been?" He then proceeded to one of the chairs in the room and sat down.

Jimin quickly joined, sitting across from him as Jungkook stood observing the two.

"I have been good, but I missed you so much. I think about you every day. I wanted to see you sooner, but the King took some time to approve my visit. Thankfully, Jungkook convinced him, and things worked out where I could see you."

"Call him Taehyung. There is no need to refer to him as the King," Jungkook's demanding voice echoed as he stared at his Omega.

Jimin's eyes shifted to his Alpha, caught off guard by the unexpected interruption. Despite his surprise and annoyance, he remained silent, redirecting his focus to his brother. "I am so happy to see you, Jinnie."

"Me too. I've missed you. I have missed our parents too. How are they doing?" Jin asked.

"They-"

"Does Taehyung not allow you to visit your parents?" Jungkook questioned as he approached and sat next to Jin, his eyes fixed on him.

Jin turned and looked at Jungkook, his head slightly lowered as he avoided eye contact. "That's not it."

"Then what is it? Yoongi wouldn't have kept you as restricted as Taehyung has."

Jin's eyes widened, and so did Jimin's.

"Yoongi? Why are you bringing Yoongi up?" Jimin questioned.

Jungkook feigned confusion as he looked at Jimin. "You weren't aware of your brother's connection to Prince Min Yoongi?" He then turned to Jin. "Does your brother not know? I am sorry. It seems I may have revealed something meant to be kept secret. I assumed he was aware, considering how close he mentioned the two of you are."

Jin's heart pounded in his chest, the rapid thud echoing in his ears. He felt a confusing mix of emotions—confusion, worry, and a tinge of fear. How did Jimin's Alpha know about his past relationship with Yoongi?

"Jin, was there something between you and Yoongi? Wait, was he the Alpha?..."

"Kim Taehyung is my Alpha now, and I only want to focus on him. The past with Yoongi is over."

"Are you sure about that? Yoongi has been emotional lately since finding out about your relationship with Taehyung. He is optimistic about the possibility of a future. Should I tell him that's not possible?" Jungkook asked, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he fixed his gaze on Jin.

Jimin was so overwhelmed by everything he had been hearing that he couldn't focus on anything else or find words to talk.

Jungkook tried to inch closer to Jin, but an invisible barrier seemed to block his efforts, forcing him to remain seated where he was. "Are you sure your Alpha isn't nearby?" he asked, his jaw tense as he looked around.

"Yes, I am sure. He will be joining us later."

"Interesting," Jungkook mumbled. Then his eyes caught sight of Jin's bracelet. "That's a nice bracelet. Where did you get it?"

"It was a wedding gift."

"Wow. That's a lovely gift. Can I see it?"

"I am sorry," Jin said while staring at the bracelet. "It's tough to remove, and I don't want to damage it."

"I am sure you won't break it. Can you please remove it so I can have a look?"

Jungkook's voice carried an unsettling undertone, making Jin shift uncomfortably in his chair. His eyes darted to his brother, who then spoke up.

"Jungkook, could you please give my brother and me a moment alone?" Jimin asked, his eyes filled with hope as he made the request.

"Why do you need to be alone? Also, I asked your brother a question, and I am waiting for his response! Seokjin, remove the bracelet and let me see it," Jungkook's voice grew more forceful as he rose to his feet.

Jin's heart raced with fear as he felt the intensity of Jungkook's demanding tone, almost with anger. However, a shift occurred as he sensed his Alpha's presence, causing his heart to beat for a different reason altogether.

As the door swung open, Taehyung made his entrance into the room. Even before Jungkook turned to look, he could feel the shift in the air, a discernible change in the room's atmosphere that drew his attention.

Meanwhile, Jimin's eyes widened in awe as he beheld Taehyung in the flesh for the first time. The way the Alpha carried himself with such self-assurance left Jimin momentarily speechless. When Taehyung's gaze met his, Jimin couldn't help but lower his eyes, overwhelmed by the captivating presence that exuded from him.

On the other hand, Jin had grown comfortable in his seat and felt at ease now that his Alpha was present.

"Taehyung, it's about time you decided to join us. Had me thinking for a moment that your new status as King would have made it impossible for me, your cousin, to see you." Jungkook said abruptly, spinning around to face Taehyung.

Taehyung barely acknowledged Jungkook's presence. With a composed demeanor, he walked over to his Omega and sat beside him. Jin immediately leaned against Taehyung, resting his head on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

Jin let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding as he responded, "Yes, I didn't know you were going to come here so soon."

Taehyung didn't say anything, but his eyes remained on his Omega.

After a while of silence, Jin rose from his seat and said, "I should introduce you to my brother." He gestured towards Taehyung and continued, "Jimin, this is my Alpha and the King of this kingdom, Kim Taehyung." Then, he turned to Jimin and added, "My Alpha, this is Prince Park Jimin and also my brother."

"Nice to meet you, Your Majesty," Jimin said in a polite and friendly tone as he bowed respectfully to the King.

As Taehyung stood up, his arms instinctively wrapped around his Omega, pulling him closer as he directed his gaze at Jimin. "I can't say it's a pleasure to meet you, as I had no interest in this meeting. However, I hope your visit is for good intentions in seeing your brother."

"Why wouldn't his intentions be good?" Jungkook took a step forward, positioning himself beside his Omega. He noticed the distinct paired mating marks adorning Jin and Taehyung's neck as he moved closer. Then, he realized the truth of Yoongi's words, which only confused him further.

"He is mated to you; nothing good comes-"

"I am hungry," Jin interjected, sensing his Alpha's energy shifting troublingly. "Is it too early for dinner? Jimin, are you hungry? Jungkook, are you hungry? You both must be right. Wasn't it a long journey here?"

"I am hungry! Starving," Jimin declared, eager to diffuse the tension in the room.

Taehyung let out a light chuckle as he leaned in, gently kissing his Omega's neck before saying, "We can go eat."

Jungkook's jaw clenched tightly, and his expression hardened as he observed Taehyung and Seokjin interacting with each other.