Jungkook's head feels clearer. Relief fills him at the sight of the transport truck arriving at the rendezvous point across the field on time. The high of their mating is yet to clear, but slowly, it's taken over by the little nasty voices at the back of his head, shouting louder and louder for losing control like that, for putting his omega in danger. They were lucky not to be interrupted.

The men across the way are already celebrating by the time they start crossing over the open.

"How do they even know we're still alive?" Taehyung mutters, all casual and soft. Their shoulders brush together as they walk across the uneven ground.

"Drones. They're in the air 24/7," Jungkook replies. The flush that instantly gathers on the omega's face at the words makes his alpha growl. The desire to repeat what they just did in the bushes is already pushing under his skin again.

"You don't think they saw us, do you?" Taehyung says, eyes wide.

Jungkook grins, winking with new-found freedom. "Nah, the view would have been obscured by the trees."

"Thank goodness..." Taehyung pretends to wipe sweat off his forehead in an exaggerated gesture and they chuckle. This feels good, different. Warm.

Slowly, with their smiles faltering at the sight, they make their way through the mess that is the battle field. Taehyung looks positively solemn.

"It's crazy that they would keep sending more and more people despite seeing what was happening? How futile it's all been, for so long...?" His words drift into silence and a hollow disquiet lingers between them while their eyes scan the field of death. Years of losses, piling on top of the other. So senseless, all this waste of precious life.

"It's not futile now, Taehyung," Jungkook comforts quietly. "You're the one they have been waiting for, all this time." He beams with pride. "And you're all mine..." he whispers, keeping his tone low as they approach the soldiers by the armoured vehicle.

They strap themselves in and head back toward the compound.

Upon arrival, the celebrations continue without them as they lock themselves into an allocated mating room for several days to deal with their already synchronised mating cycles.

*

"I didn't feel like celebrating anyway..." the omega says, smiling against Jungkook's collarbone. The warm breath mists over his naked chest.

Sweat covers their bodies, they have been at it for hours, days, he's lost count already. All Jungkook knows is that their scents have mixed completely and that the air in the small room is permeated with their new, joint smell. The contentment he feels is otherworldly.

"We should get the hell out of here," he says after a knock at the door lets them know they are free to leave.

"Yeah." Taehyung smiles the most beautiful smile full of light.

They shower and grab some clean clothes out of the wardrobe stocked full of plain joggers and t-shirts.

Jungkook grabs the omega by the hand and leads him through the dark, abandoned corridors.

"Where is everyone?" Taehyung asks.

"Sleeping, it's late. Or maybe still partying?" Jungkook chuckles.

"You don't think it's a bit premature?"

"I think they just needed a win, tomorrow everyone will be back in battle mode, don't worry."

"And you? Where will you be?" Taehyung says just as they step outside, under the stars.

"Me?" Jungkook glances over, smiling. "I'll be with you, where else? We're a team and there's still a lot to do." To his embarrassment, he dodges the real question behind the words.

Taehyung turns to the stars, the muted silence lingers all around him.

"Can you imagine what it'll be like... To be free again? To leave this godforsaken place?" he whispers. Jungkook can't help but to remember what life was like before the Necromancers, how the sun seemed to shine brighter then, how everything was greener.

"I've all but forgotten what it feels like, but briefly, I was reminded, thanks to you." He steps closer, cups the omega's cheeks and drops a soft kiss onto his lips.

Thanks to Taehyung's newly gained skill, in only a few weeks, the Necromancers give up on trying to kill any more wolves and suddenly, after a decade of fighting, peace reigns again. Slowly, the packs leave the compound and find their old houses in the forest, too many left empty by the losses of war.

Taehyung walks toward his house, deep in the forest, shyly holding Jungkook's hand. It feels strange, being together without uniforms, without something to do, somewhere to go. Anticipation hums inside him, unbounded, closely followed by joy when he sees how green and lush his garden still is, how the house is still standing. Waiting.

It's a small property on a sizeable patch of land, a single-story house surrounded by lush green, a small, overgrown vegetable patch and a well – everything Taehyung and his father needed to live on before he was old enough to be called to do his duty. Now, the place looks a little run down, there's a lot to do before it'll be back in its former glory. But Taehyung smiles, full of happiness – he'll worry about all that later.

"It's lovely, suits you," Jungkook says, nodding toward the house.

"Thank you, I built it. My father... helped me," his voice fades away – some losses will never be forgotten.

"I'm sure he'd be really happy to know you've been able to come back here," Jungkook says, squeezing Taehyung's shoulder gently.

"I'm so happy to be back," he says, smiling when Jungkook tugs a stray wisp of hair behind his ear. With a sigh, he steps onto the dusty porch, turning to the alpha, suddenly a little uncertain. "So, what now?"

"Now, we go back to living our lives. Happily. Together, come what may." Jungkook cups Taehyung's cheek.

When the warm embrace wraps around him, for the first time, in as long as he can remember, Taehyung feels content and at peace.

The End.