Third person pov

Time passed with the same type of days spent, waking up right in the morning and working from dawn to dusk without any rest at all.

He turned eighteen a few days ago and he hasn't found his mate yet.

He had woken up at midnight on his birthday when his noonas started singing a birthday song for him.

He didn't need it, didn't like birthdays as he remembered what happened years ago when Jimin and his mom had sung the song for him on the night he was brought here.

He thanked them sincerely, telling them that he was happy that they remember his birthday. He couldn't seem to tell them that he hated his birthdays.

It was on his birthday that he was sold to Jungho and also the day he was forcefully brought here.

He was extremely ecstatic that none of these stupid warriors are his mate.

He knew he'd still force himself to be a good mate to them even then and not reject them.

Unfortunately for him, the sweet voiced man hadn't come to the mansion for weeks now. He was desperate to smell the manly scent of him and hear his voice.

He had taken a lot of time to make himself understand that the male isn't his mate and now had somehow convinced himself that he should be happy with whoever he is fated with.

But that didn't stop him from blushing whenever he thought about the male and neither did he make any efforts to suppress the wishes to have him near himself.

There were a few changes made to his work schedule.

Earlier he had to do temporary works at every place-- cleaning, cooking, laundry and other work-- but now he has to permanently work for cooking.

It was the job he felt the toughest as it had a lot of chances of him getting hurt, well, because he wasn't even allowed to taste what he has made and would get beaten even if even something really small went wrong.

But he was managing it. Gotten used to the beating, he now thinks that his body just got stronger. Strong enough to handle very huge pain now.

In the past few days, something really unexpected happened.

The slaves had befriended two warriors who were new to the place, new to their pack. Kim Namjoon and Kim Seokjin, were mates and had a very kind heart.

They never hit a slave, for whatever the reason maybe and they have a soft spot in their hearts for the tiny looking male omega who would always smile whenever he sees them and bow to them, politely.

They found it cruel that these young omegas had to go through all of this, they definitely didn't deserve such treatment.

They couldn't do anything but just see them suffer; they worked for Jungho after all. They needed the money Jungho was giving them to survive.

Today, Namjoon and Jin were the ones who came to open the locks of the cells and let the omegas out.

It was winter and both were freezing even though they had long coats and clothes on.

The omegas didn't even have that. They just had on dirty thin clothes which were all torn but none of them even shivered.

Coldness was a part of their life. All they were given was a cold room and cold looks which lacked love and warmth that they deserved.

Namjoon opened the room to Taehyung's cell, smiling when the younger smiled at him.

"How are you, my pretty boy," he asked and ruffled his hair. Taehyung nods, smiling shyly as he said, "I'm fine, hyung."

Taehyung's legs were freezing cold and numb. He had eaten only a handful of plain rice the previous day.

He tripped on the floor and was about to fall but Namjoon immediately held him, now looking at him with utter concern.

"Oh god, child, what's wrong?" Taehyung shakes his head but Namjoon knew immediately what was up when Taehyung's stomach made grumbling noises.

He picked the younger up which made him yelp.

"Hyung?!" He yells, surprised and held onto Namjoon's wide shoulder for dear life.

"Come on, have you seen how weak you look? I can't just let my younger brother work himself to unconsciousness," he said as he placed Taehyung on the ground of the cell slowly.

"I want to remove my sweater and give it to you but if I did that and the other warriors see you like that, then they might get suspicious."

"What's wrong, Joonie?" the beautiful looking male beta, Jin, asks.

"We need to get him food, babe. He's gonna die of starvation or else" the voice was soft and concerned.

He rubbed his hands up and down the younger's shoulder to give him some warmth.

"Hyungie, I'm used to all it of it. And anyway... I'll be getting the leftover food at night so--"

"A handful of rice or noodles isn't a proper meal, child. I'm not letting you get out of here unless you eat. I'll tell the others that you're unconscious so they don't ask about you and I'll bring some food for you without letting anyone know, alright?"

Taehyung just pouts and nods as he didn't have any other choice. He didn't hate working, he actually liked it. He just didn't like the harsh treatment that he got.

"You go, Jinnie. I'll take care of him," Namjoon said and leaned forward to peck Jin's lips who smiled at him and nodded shyly before leaving.

Taehyung was unconsciously smiling too, his heart melting.

Will my mate also treat me like this? He wonders and bites on his lower lip, getting all shy but suddenly frowned when he imagined the face of the sweet voiced male hugging and pecking him.

Stop he tells himself.

Namjoon left too to bring the food which let Taehyung just sit down and relax. His eyes wander over the walls and the words engraved on it again.

He had memorized all the words. He didn't know why but he was curious to know why and who all those stuff were written for.

He, like always, was deep in thought when Namjoon came back with a clean metal box. He placed it before Taehyung and urged him to open it and eat the food while it's still hot.

Taehyung was a little too scared to actually eat it. He was traumatized and was thinking of the consequences of his actions.

What if they get to know? Will they punish me?

"Tae, it's ok. I'm here, alright? Just eat it," Namjoon says assuring him.

Taehyung shook his head, signaling him a 'no' as he was still not convinced.

"Hyung, what if they find out? W-what if the head alpha found out?" his face twisted in fear as he gulped.

Namjoon's heart clenched at the thought. It was just food yet the boy was so scared to eat it.

He could only think about how much the younger has gone through.

"It's ok, baby brother. Eat it," Namjoon said and fed Taehyung who first hesitated but then decided to just do as his hyung was telling him to do.

He ate and ate, savoring the taste of the freshly cooked warm food. It had been a few weeks since he ate freshly cooked food. The last time was when he ate the young master's leftover food.

He was blushing again as he thought about it.

Stop, Taehyung. He scolds himself again.

Namjoon kept the empty metal box aside and looked at Taehyung, amused.

"You ate it all! How was it? Jin had made it for lunch before we came here to the mansion for work. Thankfully it was still hot."

"It was delicious, hyung. Jin hyung makes really tasty food," Taehyung chirped. Namjoon chuckles at him, ruffling his hair and patting his shoulder.

They continued to talk, making sure to keep their senses high so they can know if someone was coming near them.

Suddenly something sparked in Taehyung's heart. He shivered, gasping. He placed his hand in his heart, confused at what was happening.

He had an urge to get up and go somewhere but didn't understand why. His heart was beating way too fast; his inners were churning.

"Are you alright?"

He couldn't hear those concerned questions. His mind was clogged with thoughts, his heart was ordering him to get up and listen to what it's saying.

He whimpered softly, tears building in his eyes. His heart was struggling to win over his mind which told him not to move because if he was caught awake and not working then he'd be physically abused again.

Namjoon was shaking his body, desperately trying to bring him back to his senses. But he was lost. Completely lost.

Get up...

He found himself doing what his heart desires. He got up to his feet, ignoring the questions Namjoon was bombarding on him.

He ran out of his cell, leaving the prison.

His heart beat got faster and faster and it wasn't only because he was running but because of the frantic feeling which was flooding in him.

He ran through the corridors of the mansion and to his luck, there was nobody there. His weak legs suddenly got enough power to keep his weight up.

He looked around desperately. He knew what was happening.

His mate was nearby.

He wanted to meet him. He wanted to meet that person who he has waited for his whole life. He wanted to curl in his protective hold and tell him how scared he was.

He needed his mate.

And he finally got an overpowering scent, an intoxicating one. The mind-blowing smell made him stop in his tracks and he lost control over his body.

His heart swelled with happiness. His wolf howled in pure joy. He wanted the moment to last forever. He wanted to be happy forever and he knew that his wishes will come true now.

He enjoyed the scent which clouded his senses but suddenly gasped when he realized whose scent it was.

Of forest wood. Of strong nature with the hidden smell of delicate flowers. Of sweetness masked with a facade of toughness. It was the scent he had missed so much.

Jeon Jungkook's scent. His mate's scent.

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