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Hehe... surprised to get another update?

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Jimin's view becomes hazy and unfocused as tears brim his eyes and roll down his cheeks. The stinging pain in his leg gets worse, not less, the more he struggles to free his leg from the hole in the net. He laughs dryly at the thought that just occurred to him. Jimin might call for help, but the only people who would come to his rescue would be Jinho or his grandparents, who had the same chance of hearing him as anybody else.

He despises the fact that he has to live this way. Is he supposed to live in dread from now on?

Jimin clings to the thick netropes with his hands, attempting to pull himself up and out of the net hole. It's so tight and uncomfortable for him that it seems practically impossible. Struggling to find the strength to lift himself up while not injuring himself further makes him cry out in agony. He feels the strength dwindle from his arms and ultimately quits attempting to free himself.

Jimin has no idea how much time has passed or how many hours or minutes have passed as he is trapped in the net trap, trying not to fall asleep. However, lethargy takes control as his eyelids flutter close. Before falling asleep, he swears to himself that whoever set up this trap, addressed to him, was in for a treat if he could find out who it was. After the past occurrences, he would no longer doubt it.

It feels like half an eternity has passed and he has done nothing but alternate between being awake and sleeping. The wind has become cool and brushes over the exposed skin on his neck, causing him to shiver. His head rests uncomfortably on the rough ropes while he wraps his body with his arms, seeking to remain warm. When he wakes up, the unpleasant night cold makes everything worse. Jimin thinks he is still dreaming and believes he is going insane when he hears a faint voice in the forest. Now he started hallucinating. Great.

But the voice doesn't just disappear, it returns, closer this time, making Jimin slightly sit up as best as he can. Jimin feels wide awake, adrenaline shooting through his veins as the voice sounds again through the dark and dense forest. He's suddenly hyper-aware of his surroundings, listening to every leaf rash and twig crack. At first, he's unaware of what the person says, but as they approach, Jimin hears his name being called, prompting him to glance around as much as the net allows him. It's familiar. He's disappointed to see nothing but the black frames of trees.

"Jimin!"

"Jiminnn!"

A familiar male voice calls, stepping into the light of the moon shining through the thick branches onto the ground. It is bright enough to make out who it is from a few metres away and his facial features become soft. Jimin watches for a few moments as the other looks about anxiously in the darkness, eyebrows drawing closer together.

"Jimin, say something if you're around here somewhere. I can smell your scent."

"J-Jinho..." Jimin's voice fails him and he stutters. The whine that emits from his throat is a clear sign of the distress he feels. His pheromones thicken in an attempt to catch the alpha's attention after he fails anew to call the other. His knuckles turn white when he tightens his hands around the net rope in front of him.

"Jinho—" he interrupts himself and takes a deep breath, an emotional turmoil sizzling in his chest like a torch burning in the darkness. Never did he think Jinho would have to see him in such circumstances. His cheeks flush with embarrassment, mustering up the courage to speak louder.

His best friend's head turns immediately, having heard the cry for help from Jimin. Wondering where it was coming from, he looks around until he sees Jimin hanging in a net trap between the trees, his heart squeezing at the sight. Concern that flooded his body a moment ago is now flooded with anger, and directed at the one responsible for it. Are they now trying to corner Jimin with a new tactic? Vengeful thoughts pop into his head and he pinches his lips together, sneering. Jinho is an alpha of the quiet kind, rarely taking out his anger on anyone as you know others do. This, however, goes too far and he would like to kick down the door of the head alpha’s hut and give him a piece of his mind.

There he was promising to protect Jimin and be at his side when he wasn't. He blames himself for Jimin being in the situation he is now. Not to mention how scared he must be, Jimin's otherwise soothing lavender scent is bitter and mixed with a sour note. With the urge to take the omega in his arms and seek him safely, Jinho searches for a sharp stone on the forest floor, having seen where the rope leads that’s attached to the net trap.

Meanwhile, Jimin looks down at his best friend, a forced smile on his face. Gratitude mixes with a great amount of humiliation that turns his cheeks pink. On top of that, his stomach growls, having eaten nothing at the feast and left with an empty stomach. The atmosphere there has literally taken away his appetite.

“I’ll release the rope, so be ready to fall and I’ll catch you.”

Jimin shouldn't be laughing. He laughs nonetheless. This isn't the first time Jinho has stated something similar. "That's so cheesy."

Jinho is hard to spot from above, and yet Jimin sees him huffing, crossing his arms in front of his chest and shaking his head. "How else should I say it?" Jinho exclaims and smacks his lips. "Sorry, I'll let go of the rope and you'll fall like a sack, but I'll hold my arms out for you to fall in there? At least your scent is not as bitter as before…"

"The last bit... is also somewhat..." Jimin doesn't need to continue the sentence for Jinho to understand what he says. "I told you to talk to your future mate like that, not to me. Eventually, the one will hear it and think-"

He interrupts himself, noticing how moronic what he just said is. Does Jinho even have a chance of finding a mate in this pack if the whole pack is willing to believe the rumours and if it's already spread among everybody in the pack?

Guilt bubbles in his stomach and he clings to the thick ropes, seeing Jinho already holding a rope in his hand and starting to rub at the rope with something in his hand as he attempts to cut the rope. Jimin observes him, arm muscles bulging under the moonlight and Jimin could swear on his dear cup he loves that Jinho has been working out more recently. It may not be noticeable to others right away. Jimin, nonetheless, has noticed the difference and makes an assumption it might have something to do with a certain person. He could also be wrong.

"Okay, I'm almost done…" Jinho exclaims and continues to cut the rope. "When I say now, you'll fall and I'll catch you, okay?"

Jimin nods, uncertain if Jinho sees it. The thick ropes scour, causing red marks to paint his porcelain skin. Not that it matters, or anyone sees it. The only thing which is more important to him right now is to free his leg and lessen the stinging pain of pins and needles. He'll go crazy if it doesn't happen soon.

A sudden cry of panic leaves him and within the next second gravity is gone like someone pulled the rug out from under him. Along with the net he falls and fears of hitting the forest floor. It doesn't come. Jimin gets caught just like Jinho said. Warm, strong arms are snaked around his back and legs, Jinho carefully sets him down, frees him from the net and crouches down in front of him, back faced towards Jimin.

"Get up, I'll carry you back."

Jimin huffs, trying to cover how affected he's by the situation and how scared he's really. "I'm still capable of walking by myself."

"I know you can walk, but I think it's for the best, seeing as you look like you're about to faint or cower in fear somewhere. This way you can whiff my scent to feel safe."

Jimin wants to convince himself and Jinho that he's fine, stepping forward only for his legs to fail him, his knees feeling like jelly and giving up beneath him. If it wasn't for Jinho's fast reaction, he'd sit on the dirty ground with his ass.

"Yeah, I think I've seen enough. Get on my back."

Jimin struggles to grip Jinho's shoulders as he crouches in front of him, causing the latter to let out comforting pheromones that soon flood through Jimin's chest. Neither says a word when Jimin gets onto his back, legs wrapping around his hips with Jinho's hands placed underneath his thighs. A comfortable silence surrounds them on their way back when Jimin lays his head on his shoulder.

"You're not alone, Jimin. I'm here for you. I can't believe that they go that far. This is just… not acceptable. I know you don't want to go to the head alpha but if you do want to at some point, know that I'll always be at your side and support you."

"Thank you, Jinho," Jimin whispers against his neck, the lightness and delight he just felt, lies now heavy in his stomach. "You're a dream alpha, you know?"

"I know, you told me several times and you are an omega anyone can dream of. They just don't know how worthy you are and deserve to be treated. Is your leg fine so far? I saw it was stuck in the net."

"Don't worry about it. That's way better than before. I can manage."

The alpha carries Jimin on his back without much effort into Jimin's hut, to his bed, in front of which he squats down so that Jimin can get off and sit on it.

Jimin lets himself fall back onto his bed with a sigh, arms outstretched like he would do when making an angel in the snow in winter. His eyes close and he takes a moment to breathe in, his leg no longer feels like it's tingling uncomfortably with pins and needles, the pain he felt earlier has subsided too.

In the meantime, Jinho lights a candle in his room and looks at Jimin in the candlelight. His heart aches as he lies there completely exhausted and without energy, as if the weight is weighing on his shoulders. Jinho wishes he could take something off his shoulders and make his life easier. Just being able to see how others make it harder for him, what others spread about him, hurts him so much that he would like to suggest to Jimin to leave the pack together with them.

"Let's have a look at your injury." Jinho's finger carefully strokes Jimin's skin to see if the wound needs to be tended. It's a small wound, but nothing major, fortunately. Jinho breathes out a sigh of relief. "I may be a little wrong, but I think a little disinfecting and something cold should do the trick."

When he stands up, it seems to him that Jimin is asleep and has not heard what he has said. Jimin did not even flinch when his finger touched the skin next to the wound. Is Jimin already asleep or does he feel that unwell?

Jinho disappears into the bathroom and grabs the necessary things to clean the injury and tend. He says nothing as he enters the room, the more the lines between his eyebrows deepen as he hears a sniffle. Not sure if he imagined it or misheard, he steps closer to Jimin and stops short in front of him, unsure how to proceed.

"Jimin?"

The man in question does not answer him, however, so Jinho crouches down to take a closer look at the injury and sets to work tending to it.

Sniffle.

Jinho looks up in disbelief to see if he can see if Jimin is crying, but he sees no tears.The omega still has his eyes closed and there’s no sign of anything other than calm. It makes him wonder what’s going on. Worry spreads through his chest and he flinches when Jimin's lips suddenly move, voicing out his thoughts.

"Jinho, why is the world so unfair?" His voice sounds weak and he seems rather fragile than asleep now. Jinho swallows hard and slowly straightens up, anticipating what comes next so he knows what he can do to help Jimin. Apparently, something like a dam must have broken in Jimin, because more sniffles follow and then even a tear escapes his eyes. Their eyes meet and Jinho can see the pain and sadness reflected in his eyes.

Instantly he moves next to Jimin and takes him in his arms and the next moment he feels Jimin collapse. His shoulders begin to shake uncontrollably, hands clutching at Jinho's garments that you would think he was about to drill a hole with a fingernail. Jinho gently runs his back up and down with his hand and presses him closer. "Let it out. I'm here for you."

Jimin feels like his chest and windpipe are closing up, choking on the air the more he cries. All at once, a wave of emotions weighed on him and he felt crushed. Everything was too much for him. His body starts to shake at an uncontrollable rate. There is nothing Jimin can do at the moment to regulate his body. He has to weather it out like a passing storm.

The feelings soon subside, leaving Jimin feeling weak and dizzy. All he wanted was comfort in the presence of someone safe and familiar.

For a while, all you can hear are Jimin's sniffles, his face buried in Jinho's chest. Jinho kisses his forehead gently and wipes away some hair strands that have fallen into his face, covering his forehead. The atmosphere is tense; heavy and loaded but Jinho's scent wraps around him like a soft blanket of comfort and helps him to calm down. Fewer tears roll down his cheeks, his lips are pink from biting them to keep him from crying out loud and his shoulders eventually cease trembling at some point.

“I kind of expected something to happen.”

“Why would you think that?”

Jimin sighs, and buries his nose deeper in Jinho’s garments, eyes falling close. “Do you remember when you asked me what happened to the flowers I planted? When I came back home they wilted a few days ago, I didn’t know why or how. As you know, I took perfect care of them. Placed them in the perfect place for optimal sunlight, and gave them water when needed, there shouldn't have been any reason for them to perish like that. Also the clothes I hung up to dry burned. I- and then this happened today.”

"Why didn't you tell me?" The alpha says with concern and doesn't hesitate to sit up and look into Jimin's swollen and smarting eyes, shimmering with sadness.

"I didn't know at first. The flowers... I didn't think anything of it at first, but then when my clothes burned... that was definitely on purpose."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Min. Why can't I just protect you from all the cruel things?"

"You're doing your best and you don't know how much that means to me. You can't be everywhere."

"I wish I could, maybe I'll have to stay close to you now, seeing that they are trying other methods now."

"We both know that's impossible. You have your duties too. Maybe they'll stop soon when they see that I'm not doing anything about it?"

"But how far will they go? What will happen next? Jimin I don't want to see you completely broken by this. Today has already broken my heart to see you like this. I don't want anything worse to happen to you. Do you have any idea who might be behind this?"

"Who knows." Jimin shrugs his shoulders and looks intently at the piece of fabric of Jinho's clothes he is fiddling with. "I'm sure it's Seoyeon."

"Jimin, this is really going too far, don't you think? There must be something we can do."

“It does, but there’s nothing I can do.”

You can go and tell the head alpha, Jinho thinks but holds back, knowing what Jimin’s response would be. They had previously discussed this matter countless times, and he always maintained the same attitude. He simply doesn't understand the real reason for his reluctance. Is it still the same reason as in the beginning?

"Maybe I won't understand why you're not going to the head alpha but that doesn't stop me from protecting you more."

"Hmm." When Jinho tugs one of Jimin's strands behind his ear, he hums, not knowing what more to say or add. "Can you— can you not go and just stay here for today? I don't want to be alone."

"Whatever you want."

The soft smile on Jinho's lips is the last thing Jimin sees before his eyes close and sleep lulls him in, breath evening out and his hands going limp against his body.

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