•Chapter fifteen•

What about me?

"She is okay now," Jungkook managed to say without stuttering. He had seemingly forgotten about the things he said a while ago in the courtroom to be behaving like this without deteriorating in pain of realization.

He was currently deeply occupied by Taehyung. He could see how Taehyung kept gulping, eyes set on the ground, seemingly contemplating on some matter.

At the point of time, Jungkook forgot about all the things he needed to remember. He forgot about the events that just took place and also about the girl in his room just after being near Taehyung.

He wasn't peaceful or calm like he usually is when he's around Taehyung. He was rather tense and afraid.

Because Taehyung looked afraid.

Instead of trying to recollect what he said a while ago, he tried to understand what was going on with Taehyung and why he seemed so blank.

Even after he had already given the answer to his questions, Taehyung wasn't saying anything back.

He didn't seem to want to continue the talk anymore.

Taehyung nodded, looking at the ceiling for a spilt second--trying to hold back frustration--before looking back and saying, "I had wanted to speak to you about something, but it's too late now. Go to sleep. We can speak later." 

Taehyung trued around, so numb with his emotions that he couldn't even understand what to do in that second. He had stomped upstairs to Jungkook's room to demand for his rights right after the devastation of having Jungkook carry the girl and walk past him had vanished. 

But what were his rights? He didn't have any rights over Jungkook. 

Jungkook had rights over him, he didn't.

Jungkook could sleep with as many as people, love as many as people he wished, but Taehyung was tied down to him forever.

It was impossible to not feel angry at this.

He wanted something, his heart wanted something, but what? He didn't know himself. He wished to demand for rights. He wished to ask Jungkook to take back his promise of staying with the girl and making her his wife.

If he was expected to stay with Jungkook for the rest of his life, Jungkook had to too. It was both their fault, and Jungkook couldn't just move on like nothing ever happened just because the bond didn't hinder the freedom to do so.

It was so unfair.

He wanted to remove this bond and give a chance to go ahead and try to accept Jungkook at the same time, but both the options weren't possible.

Jungkook would get married.

The bond will become those clutches that don't break even when Taehyung fought against them to death.

It wasn't a boon. It was a curse to Taehyung.

But he couldn't force Jungkook to go against the bond and break Mira's hopes too.

Taehyung had seen it... Had seen the gratefulness and admiration in her eyes which she held for Jungkook.

He concluded that it was best to go away for now and think through everything properly. He couldn't be selfish and snatch away a happy life from Mira nor let his own life drown. 

Jungkook seemed so calm and confident when he declared to make Mira his wife that it made the omega even more unsure. He knew it was best not to speak for now. 

He sighed, eyes drooping in dejection rather than sleep. He just had to go and calm himself first because there was no point in trying to sleep in this anxious state.

But Jungkook held on his arm when he turned around to leave, and his hand fisted as soon as he felt the touch. He recollected the image of Jungkook picking Mira up and walking away, and he burnt in vexation. 

Jungkook couldn't just think he had the right to have everything he wished to have.

He just couldn't think of having Taehyung when he had already made Mira his.

Taehyung wasn't a plaything.

Jungkook felt his heat clench when Taehyung  growled, and he knew that something was certainly wrong when Taehyung snapped his hand away from his hold. 

"T-taehyung?" he calls, furrowing his eyebrows anxiously when his eyes met Taehyung's lifeless ones again. They looked so emotionless and dead that they couldn't be compared to the dry, broken ground in drought. 

"What?" Taehyung snarled, "What do you want? I told you that I don't want to speak now."

"Why are y-you behaving like this?" Jungkook stutters. It had been so long since he spoke to Taehyung, but he hated how Taehyung's ember eyes weren't warm or compassionate but harsh and rough. 

There had been warmth even the last time the spoke, when Taehyung told him that he didn't like the way he was.

Even then, Taehyung looked worried and concerned of him. His softness had been a source of hope to Jungkook for the past days.

He had said that he hated him, but he truly looked like he hated Jungkook now.

Jungkook knew what could be the reason to it. He didn't know if he should be happy or sad that Taehyung was affected because he helped out the poor girl.

"What do you want, Jungkook?" Taehyung growled again, holding Jungkook by his shoulder and jerking him forward. "What the fuck do you want?" 

"W-what?" Jungkook was dumbfounded by his sudden outburst.

"You first imprint me then go promise to marry someone else! What does this fucking mean?! Did you only need an omega?! Your confession of endless love only stayed until here, huh? What about me now?!" 

Jungkook shook his head, pushing Taehyung away because he just couldn't understand what he was saying. 

He couldn't understand a single word he just yelled out. It struck him like a lightening because he knew there was something so wrong he had been unaware of.

He understood that there was something--something so bad--that he was yet to come across, yet to know about.

"What are you saying?" 

"What have you done, Jungkook?" Taehyung asks, barely able to hold back the whimper that threatened to pass his wobbling lips. "Why did you imprint me?" 

"Imprint you?" 

"Yes!" Taehyung yelled pushing him against the wall harshly. "Why did you imprint me? You know how much of an effect this can have on me! I could fucking die if I think about another alpha, and you--you're here marrying someone else!" 

Imprint him? No...

No, I never intended for this to happen. I didn't even know anything until now!

This is bad. Really bad.

He knew the seriousness and harshness of the situation. His alpha wolf was proud and happy to make the omega all his, but he was extremely ashamed.

Ashamed.

He never wished to see an omega being tied down to any kind of torture and feel any sort of pain, but here he was, taking away the biggest right from an omega.

A right to love the person they wished to love.

A right to be with whoever they want to be with.

And it was so sickening that his hands shivered, cold sweat formed on his forehead, and his breath got stuck in his throat.

He wanted Taehyung to love him back. He didn't want him to be forced to love him.

Taehyung didn't like him. It would be so disgusting for a person to be imprinted by someone they don't even like.

And imprinting can make happiness more only if the person imprinted and the imprinter has been in a beautiful and strong relationship since before.

But there was absolutely nothing between Taehyung and Jungkook in the past, before this bond was formed.

Rather, Taehyung had just ended Jungkook's hopes of being together that day and said that they couldn't be together.

Taehyung didn't need him, and all this would be much better if it was Jungkook who was imprinted and not Taehyung because no matter what the reason would be, Jungkook wasn't going to stop loving Taehyung ever.

Jungkook had put Taehyung's life in danger, put his freedom at stake.

He hated himself so much.

He just wished that this hadn't happened.

What now?

Taehyung let out a sob, harshly wiping away his tears. 

Only then did Jungkook remember about the reckless promise of marrying the girl came to his mind. His heart shattered into a million pieces--that he himself couldn't ever put together again--because he had made the love of his life cry.  

No! he thinks. No, this can't be true! I won't marry someone else! 

I won't! 

"I hate you! I hate you so much!" Taehyung yelled, turning around and striding away before Jungkook could say anything. 

"No!" Jungkook cried, falling on his knees as his entire world shattered before him. Taehyung's words pierced his heart. 

"No! I won't marry her! Please, Please--You can't hate me!" 

He curled into a ball on the floor as he continued to cry, oblivious to the pained eyes of a certain girl that peeked from behind the door with disbelief and sadness, having overheard the entire thing they just discussed. 

It broke her heart.

The one she liked was already head over heels for another omega, but she wasn't deprived of hope.

She knew all the bright future she saw wasn't going to come to a standstill.

After all, the other omega hated her alpha and didn't love him like he did. Her desperate self didn't want to stop trying because she knew she could make things better.

She could free the poor male omega of this worthless bond and give Jungkook the love he deserves. All of them could be happy.

She knew. All of them could be happy.

*-*-*-*

Mira wrapped herself in the towel and walked out of the bathroom with a smile, feeling oh, so happy after she woke up and didn't find herself in a rusted old room that she lived in all her childhood.

She knew it wasn't a dream, and was just so happy that she's really escaped from a hell.

She was way too strong to be able to break easily. Even though she's been abused and harrassed all life, she didn't feel as insecure and traumatized as she was when she first entered this place.

She knew this place had power to heal wounded hearts. She wished Atlas would give her the things she deserves.

And Mira knows she deserves more than just hits and slavery.

She knew the prince will provide her with the things she wanted just in the way he gave her the shirt to cover her body and embraced her to provide warmth.

She respected their efforts so much. She was glad they cared.

Just as she took in the fact that she was no more in the hellhole she was from, she knew her new, happier beginning had started. Everything felt like a wonderful and desired fairy tale, with a beautiful prince saving her life.

But she knew that neither had the prince already accepted her as the owner of his heart nor was ready to make her his.

She shuddered when the cold air hit her wet legs.

She quickly grabbed the shirt she was wearing yesterday night, Jungkook's clothes, and brought it close to her nose to try to find any remains of the alpha's scent.

She pouted when she didn't find any scent but wasn't disappointed for long because the entire room smelt of him.

She put on the shirt and decided to wear nothing inside because she didn't have any other clothes to wear.

She walked to the massive book shelf and raked her eyes through the things, keeping her hand clasped behind her back to hold the shirt from flying up and exposing more of her thighs.

It isn't good to be nosy... She pressed her lips together. She decided to not touch any of the things there and just look at it.

She noticed a few paintings kept beside the shelf and crouched to see what the drawing was of, frowning when she got a glimpse of a person's face. Before she could analyse the picture any more, she jerked to her feet when she heard the door creak open.

"Umm..."

She turned around to see the same ember eyes male and smiled sweetly, bowing to greet him while tugging the hem of her shirt lower so it doesn't ride up to expose her naked self.

She didn't want to come off as a person who threw herself on people. Although, she had been forced to be like that, she never liked it.

Taehyung slightly bowed too while getting inside, scrunching his nose when he saw her wearing Jungkook's shirt.

It stung softly in his heart.

He had been wearing a similar shirt when he had gotten up after spending his night with Jungkook. He wondered if she will be the one to dress in Jungkook's clothes from now.

He wondered if he would have to see her looking oh, so lovely in her alpha's clothes because he had more of a problematic from seeing it than having her wear those clothes.

Mira blushed softly and looked away.

She grabbed the blanket and pulled it off the bed to cover her legs, concluding that it could make Taehyung feel awkward to see her half exposed. 

"Mira," Taehyung whispered, placing a small glass of a green liquid, a medicine he himself made on being requested by the queen, on the table before going to her and handing her a few clothes.

"Here you go. Remove the clothes you're wearing and wear these ones. They're so lose for you that it's barely hiding your chest and legs. You don't seem comfortable."

"T-thanks," Mira stuttered, still overwhelmed because she was speaking to a stranger. "I-I don't know your name... Oppa."

Taehyung shook his head and patted her shoulder. "Just call me Taehyung. I'm not a royal blood so there's no need for you to see me as someone higher than you."

Mira's eyes grew wide at that. She looked up with confusion lacing her furrowed eyebrows.

Taehyung smiled softly.

"Yeah, queen Youngmi was my caretaker, guardian. I'm just living here like a prince because she loves me, and though her guardianship period had ended, I'm too attached to this place and with her to not leave. It's because I'm an omega that she wished to--"

"Omega? People hate omegas though..." She muttered, her eyes captured deeply by his beautiful eyes.

She couldn't help but feel lost in them as she mentally praised his beauty while her innocent heart thumped against her chest because it was rare for her to be shown affection or care like everyone here was doing.

Taehyung laughed at her words, and Mira nearly lost her heart when his pretty pearl teeth peeked through his lips shaped like a box as he laughed.

"Just know that Atlas is a place opposite to the dirty world you've seen and been in."

Mira looked hopeful at that.

"Is this my place too, now?" She asks, eyes twinkling. "I love this place so much already." 

Taehyung nods and patted her head, feeling empathy for her. She was such a young and sweet child; she was too young to go through what she did.

He knew she deserved the happiness of the entire world.

He never had these protective feelings for someone like he is feeling for this tiny and sweet girl. He wished to see her mingle with everyone here and become the happy person.

He sees her as a younger sister. He wishes that sweet glint in her eyes never vanish.

Whatever was happening to him was not because of anything she did. She didn't even ask or beg Jungkook to accept her.

It all happened. She had no fault in it.

However, Taehyung seemed like he was living the life his brother was. Just like Hoseok had brought an omega to save him and had put Yoongi in a situation when he had to chose between love and respect, Taehyung was having to chose between freedom and right.

He had a right to ask Jungkook to stay. But he had no rights to destroy the girl's happiness.

He could seek for freedom by letting Jungkook move on and love Mira--as this bond would only break if Jungkook moved on--and leave their lives.

He just hated how he stayed back without going along with Yoongi. He didn't want to leave Youngmi, and he didn't want to be a problem to his brother and his husbands.

Now, he regretted sleeping with Jungkook and not leaving with Yoongi.

He petted Mira's head softly, chuckling when a red blush creeped through her face and neck.

"You're really cute, Mira. I'm sure you will experience the happiness you deserve to in this place which is yours too now."

Just... Just don't take my happiness away. An unknown voice in Taehyung's head spoke. He brushed it away because he had already cried enough last night.

"You're really--really pretty!" Mira exclaimed, almost shrieking because she was too shy. She looked away from Taehyung before she could melt into a puddle.

Taehyung giggled at her. She bit her lip and started unbuttonig her shirt. Taehyung was glad that she didn't feel uncomfortable around him to not change. However, to not make her too conscious, he turned around and walked to the door to close it and keep it closed so no one comes in.

He kept his back at her.

It was a common thing to do these things between omegas, and she was one of the first omega he met who was younger than him. 

He felt good. 

Being babied whole life made him like it to care take of someone younger. He felt like a big brother suddenly. 

Mira didn't really feel uneasy or weird when Taehyung closed the door because she was been though many more uneasy situations before. 

Taehyung was much better than any of those filthy people.

She had been forced to remove her dresses before unknown people so many times, but their touches had been anything but as soft and respectful as Taehyung's. 

She had always needed an elder brother like Taehyung because she was the eldest in her family, having a younger brother who was still just a child. 

They saw each other has siblings and were also happy that they could feel such a connection. 

"I bought this today," Taehyung said, going back to her while keeping his eyes away from her body, handing a pack of underwear and a pretty gown to her, trying not to laugh at how shy she was as she took them and quickly ripped the packet open to cover her self. 

She was surely supposed to feel insecure before someone as beautiful as Taehyung.

"Does it fit? I just bought my own size." Taehyung asks, settling down on the bed and picking up the discarded packet.

"It's a bit big," she says, feeling the band just barely holding on her hips. "But it's okay. Thank you so much for bringing me all these things, oppa." 

She wore on the gown he brought her too.

Taehyung turned to her as soon as she was done, smiling at her before tugging her to the dressing table and making her sit down. He brought a towel and gently rubbed it on the wet hair, trying to dry it before he could comb it. 

All Mira could do was smile lovingly. 

"Want me to tie it?" Taehyung asks, running the comb made of sticks with rounder ends down her hair. "Open or tied?" 

"What do you think everyone will like on me?" She asks, keeping a certain person in her mind as she asks her question. 

"What they think is never something that should matter," Taehyung said sternly. "do what you want, and think of what you feel confident and comfortable in." 

"Open," she replied, eyes twinkling as she wondered how she would look. 

And she did look gorgeous after Taehyung had neatly combed her black hair and spread it behind her back. 

"You look beautiful," Taehyung praised, placing things back to the place he took them from because it wasn't his room for keeping them in the way he wants to. 

"Will you do this everyday?" Mira asks, almost pleading because she loved having someone so sweetly doll her up. 

Others could do it too, but it wouldn't be as lovingly as he does it.

"I don't think the queen will allow me to because she prefers making the servants doing this." Taehyung shrugged. "The queen asked me to do it today because she wanted you to feel better and make new friends." 

"Everyone here is so sweet! The queen too is so sweet for thinking so much about me!" Mira exclaimed, clapping her hands before she got a little more hesitant and shy, mumbling "Especially my prince." 

Taehyung froze, trying not to react to the great pang of jealously and pain that hit him. 

Not your prince, his inners screamed, but he knew what she was saying is true. 

They snapped their head around when they heard a knock, eyes patiently waiting as the door slowly opened. 

"Mira?" They heard Jungkook's voice, and both their reactions were extremely different. While Taehyung tensed, heart tearing apart because had come here to meet her, Mira almost jumped in happiness because she loved how her name sounded when Jungkook called her with his melodious voice. 

Jungkook walked in, almost gasping when he found Taehyung there too. Jungkook's eyes were swollen just like Taehyung's, and Mira obviously noticed it. 

Taehyung and Jungkook tried to keep their gazes away from each other. 

"B-breakfast will be served soon," Jungkook announced before quickly leaving, the need in him to show Taehyung that he really didn't love Mira being more than holding Mira and slowly taking her to the dining table. 

He wanted to show Taehyung that it was only him who he would love. 

But after what he did yesterday, absolutely nothing could make Taehyung trust him again. 

"Let's go," Taehyung suddenly seemed disheartened and sad. Mira pouted and held his hand, intervening their fingers. 

"How can you be so sad after listening to the beautiful voice of the prince?" she asks, partially knowing the answer already. 

"Let's--let's just go," Taehyung said, ignoring the pain as much as he can because that's all he can do. 

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