The tension crackles in the air as Jeongguk storms out of Seoyeon's hut. Her manipulative words cling to him like cobwebs, leaving him disoriented and questioning everything he thought he knew. Donghyun's voice echoing in his head - "Seoyeon is not head omega built" - fuels his determination to seek the truth. He needs to hear Jimin's side, to untangle the web of lies.

Unsure whether it's too late, he decides to track down Jimin the next morning. Jeongguk barely got a wink of sleep that night, tossing and turning with all the different emotions swirling within him. But he knew he needed a clear head to face Jimin.

By the time the first rays of sunlight filtered through his window, dark circles adorn his eyes. However, they are the least of his concerns. Seeking out Jimin is his primary focus. He shifts into his wolf form, bones cracking and grey fur sprouting from his skin. A surge of raw power curses through him when he makes his way through the forest to Jimin's hut.

Even if it's early in the morning, that doesn't mean that Jimin is in the hut. On some days, he had already seen Jimin running through the pack territory at dawn.

The familiar hut appears in his view. Instead of finding the person he's looking for, the hut seems quiet. A low growl rumbles in his throat when a sudden flash of movement catches his eye. A blur of white fur streaks through the trees, which has Jeongguk's ears perking up; his attention fixed on the wolf coming towards him. He takes a tentative step forward, sniffing the air, when Jimin emerges from the tall grass. The wolf stops, having noticed him now.

A flicker of surprise crosses Jimin's face before it hardens into a mask of indifference. He throws Jeongguk a fleeting glance, his eyes guarded, then melts back into the trees with the silent grace of a ghost. Jeongguk is left frozen, his wolf pacing restlessly within him.

Should he chase after him? The last thing he wants is to drive Jimin further away. But can he bear the silence, the gnawing uncertainty any longer? He closes his eyes, trying to silence the storm within. What would his wolf do? Burdened by doubt, his inner wolf lets out a low whine, nudging him towards Jimin's scent. Perhaps the forest holds the answers he seeks, and Jimin is the key.

Jeongguk hesitates, caught between the wolf's instinct to follow and the fear of pushing Jimin further away. But indecision gnaws at him like a hungry animal. He takes a deep breath, the scent of damp earth and pine needles filling his lungs. His wolf whines again, impatient. Finally, with a determined growl, Jeongguk sets off after Jimin, his steps light and silent on the forest floor.

The chase becomes a dance through the dense undergrowth. Sunlight filters through the trees in dappled patterns. Birds chirp, unaware of the turmoil brewing between the two wolves. He wonders where Jimin could be heading and follows him deeper into the forest. A deep growl leaves his throat as a warning, meaning to say, "Stop running away."

But there is no use. Jimin doesn't stop. He seems desperate to avoid a conversation, something Jeongguk desperately needs but what he fears as well.

With a burst of speed, Jeongguk dashes forward, grateful for his nimble legs and that he is able to run neck and neck with Jimin. He tries to get Jimin to stop with growls and other signs, only succeeding when they end up in the meadow where it all began. When Jeongguk approaches, Jimin doesn't run. Instead, he stands his ground, his eyes blazing with defiance. The tension hangs heavy as they stand face-to-face, their wolf forms battling within.

Jeongguk mirrored Jimin's stance, his fur bristling and a low growl rumbling from his throat. Jimin holds his gaze, his ears flattening against his head. A guttural snarl rips from his throat, laced with a hint of desperation. Jeongguk dips his head slightly, a questioning whine escaping him.

He circles Jimin, his amber eyes locked on the other wolf. He pauses, a flicker of frustration crosses his features, but Jimin meets his gaze with similar intensity. Then, Jeongguk dips his head slightly, ears perked and nudges Jimin's shoulder with his snout, a questioning, pleading whine resonating from him. It is something they used to do when they were mad at each other but wanted the other's attention.

Jimin stiffens but doesn't move away. He lets out a low, rumbling sigh, the scent of lavender hanging heavy in the air. A silent conversation carries on the wind, and Jeongguk nudges Jimin again. He's unsure what he wants to achieve, but it's enough for Jimin to reluctantly let out a huff and lower his head slightly, a hint of acceptance in his posture.

Jeongguk retreats and shifts, his bare chest exposed and he stands a good meter away from Jimin. He should be ashamed of facing Jimin bare-chested and in full nudity, but it's the least of his concerns. There is something else that has a bigger priority. From the corner of his eyes, he watches Jimin following suit, though with hesitation. The silence is thick with unspoken words as they stand facing each other.

"What do you want, Jeongguk?" Jimin crosses his arms over his chest, eyebrows drawn close, and his voice laced with ice. "Couldn't you just leave me be?"

A gentle breeze carries the scent of lavender, the same scent that lingered around Jimin as a pup and comforted Jeongguk. It was faint, but it was there, and somehow it felt like he was the only one who could smell it when they were pups. When he mentioned it to his mother, she dismissed it, claiming Jimin didn't have a scent yet.

Jeongguk meets his gaze; the weight of guilt settling heavily in his chest. "I couldn't...." he admits, the confession leaving a bitter taste on his tongue. He hasn't felt this nervous around Jimin in a while, nerves prickling his skin and making his palms sweaty. Swallowing hard, he continues, "I need to know. Donghyun told me things about Seoyeon, things that... they don't make sense."

Jeongguk decides to hold back on Seoyeon's own words for now, uncertain of the impact.

Jimin's eyes narrow, his posture hardening like a coiled spring. For some random reason, Jeongguk finds it difficult to not let his gaze drop to the exposed skin of Jimin's neck. Goosebumps erupt, caused by the cool winter air, and he suppresses the sudden urge to offer warmth - almost certain Jimin wouldn't welcome the gesture.

"What things?"

Jeongguk takes a step closer, drawn by an invisible force despite the churning fear in his stomach. "He said she wasn't fit to be head omega, and I got to know that she... that she hurt you."

The words hang in the air, heavy with accusation. But Jeongguk can't take them back, and he won't. He needs to see the truth reflecting in Jimin's eyes, needing confirmation that the past wasn't just a twisted illusion spun by Seoyeon.

Jimin's expression remains unreadable, but a flicker of something flashes in his eyes - anger, pain, perhaps even a hint of betrayal? Jimin opens his mouth to speak. Yet, no words come out. Instead, he turns away, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

Jeongguk's gut twists. He worries Jimin must be uncomfortable, and he might have pushed too hard. But the gnawing uncertainty doesn't relent. Therefore, he reaches out, his hand hovering near Jimin's wrist. "Jimin, please," he pleads, his voice thick with emotion. "Tell me what happened yesterday. I want to become better, but I can't if you won't talk to me."

Silence stretches. A shuddering breath escapes Jimin's lips. He turns back, his eyes lock onto Jeongguk's. The sudden vulnerability is a stark contrast to the icy facade he wore before.

"She... she doesn't deserve to be head omega," Jimin whispers. "She never did."

"Tell me," Jeongguk urges, his breath catching. "What did she do?"

A tremor runs through Jimin's frame and Jeongguk's hand creeps forward, offering comfort, which makes Jimin flinch. Pain flashes in his eyes, but he doesn't pull away. The touch, hesitant and warm around his arm, seems to be enough to encourage Jimin to come out with his part of the truth.

"Seoyeon threatened me to stay away, accusing me of wanting things I shouldn't, and for having thrown myself at you." His gaze drops, shame tinging his cheeks as he clenches his hands. "When I tried to stand up for myself, she got angry and attacked me in my own garden yesterday. I was only about to defend myself."

"There is more, isn't there?" Jeongguk presses, both determined and hopeful.

A beat of silence passes before Jimin speaks. "She told me to stay away from you when we were pups," Jimin mumbles, his knuckles turning white as he confesses. "She poisoned my mind, twisted everything... made me believe you wouldn't understand. That I wasn't good enough for you and your pack. I was a burden. 'He deserves better, someone who won't hold him back.' Then you took over more tasks and seemed to become less interested in me. It seemed to me that you didn't need and want me anymore."

A bitter, humourless laugh escapes him in a way that makes Jeongguk's heart twist. He remembers spending more time on pack duties, but neglecting Jimin was never his intention.

"Seoyeon also seemed to be a better companion than me," Jimin finishes, a hint of wistfulness swinging in his tone. "More carefree, more fun. I believed her."

"Then..." Jeongguk hesitates. "What about the time you turned away and gave me a cold shoulder after the pup hunt? You didn't even approach me and suddenly you were hanging out with Jinho all the time.... Wasn't it to replace me because I was too clingy as a pup?"

Colour drains from Jimin's face. "The pup hunt? Jinho? What are you talking about? I never thought of you like that. Did you not use to think of me like this? You grew distant to me, and it felt like Seoyeon became your constant best friend in life."

Jeongguk is unsure how to respond, feeling somewhat irritated and equally confused. Seoyeon's words echo in his mind about something similar she once told him, the way she'd painted Jimin's affection as suffocating. But seeing the genuine hurt in Jimin's eyes made him doubt. "But Seoyeon told me that you were with Jinho that day," he confesses. "She overheard you laughing about me, saying I was annoying you and always stuck to you, not letting you breathe..."

"When did that happen?" Jimin tenses and draws his eyebrows together.

"It was the same day she told me you had a new best friend after I came back from a trip with my father," Jeongguk says, grimacing and feeling a pang of jealousy as he remembers Seoyeon's words about him clinging onto Jimin. "And when I saw you together, it just made sense. Every time we made eye contact and Jihno was close by, you would start laughing and I didn't dare confront you, thinking it was true."

"Jeongguk..." Jimin edges closer, his breath catching in his throat. "We weren't laughing about you. Jihno was just trying to help. He saw my pain, sensed my longing whenever you were near. I felt miserable and so he always tried to cheer me up when I felt anything but happy to see you. I missed you a lot," his voice trembles.

Jeongguk's chest tightens at Jimin's words, guilt mingling with confusion. He hasn't grasped the pain his distance had caused. Yet, Seoyeon's voice echoes in his mind, her words painting a different picture. His gaze flits to Jimin's exposed neck, the faint scent of lavender triggering a wave of familiarity that goes beyond just recognizing Jimin. Could it be true? Was it part of Seoyeon's manipulation, or was there something deeper?

Jimin continues, his hands twisting together. "I... I used to dream about us, Jeongguk. About playing in the forest, laughing together, being inseparable. We were always drawn to each other, even as pups. Did you ever feel it too?"

Jeongguk swallows hard, a shiver running down his spine. Memories flash in his mind - shared laughter, a warmth that drew him towards Jimin even as pups. He realises the way Jimin's presence has always felt like a missing puzzle piece. He remembers fragments of similar dreams, a pull towards Jimin that resonated deep within him. But the hurt in his own heart, the confusion and anger caused by Seoyeon's words, hold him back.

"There was something... I was young, foolish and easily swayed by Seoyeon's words," he stops and faintly smiles, embarrassed. "It's not an excuse, but I don't know if I understood it back then. Looking back with what I know now, I should have been smarter, but I can't undo the past."

"But it mattered, Jeongguk," Jimin's voice breaks, barely a whisper. "You were my best friend, the only one who truly understood me. When I felt lost, abandoned, your absence amplified the pain Seoyeon inflicted. But even though it hurt, that pull you mentioned, I never stopped feeling it either. It's always been there, like a constant ache reminding me of what could have been."

"Nonetheless, Seoyeon seemed to have manipulated us both, played on our insecurities," Jimin states, his voice firmer but laced with sadness. "The way she hurt me... it wasn't just words," Jimin murmurs lowly, his eyes downcast and welling up with unshed tears.

Jeongguk waits to see if more will follow, but doesn't. He doesn't want to challenge him any further, what he already knows is enough for now. Jeongguk thinks he has a sense of what may lie beyond his words and has a better feeling for what has happened to their friendship.

He gently places a finger under Jimin's chin and makes sure that their eyes meet.

"Why didn't you say anything about Seoyeon or about anything else?" Jeongguk chokes out, the question laced with regret and self-loathing.

"What was the point?" Jimin replies, staring behind Jeongguk into the distance. "I thought you wouldn't believe me. You were becoming head alpha, surrounded by responsibilities. Seoyeon made it sound like I was holding you back, being needy and annoying. And when I tried to defend myself..." He swallows hard. "...she attacked me verbally. Made me question myself whether I even deserved your friendship."

Jeongguk feels a cold dread creep in. Memories resurface - Seoyeon's subtle comments about their friendship, his own growing distance justified by pack duties. Had he fallen victim to her manipulations without realizing it? Now, those memories feel distorted, tainted by Seoyeon's manipulations. Anger simmers but beneath it, a cold dread settles in his stomach. Was he truly this blind?

"And Jinho?" he asks, his voice tight. "She said you were with him at the lake that day, talking about me..."

Jimin seems to think about how to respond. It appears that he knows what he's talking about when the omega before him gasps. "I... she couldn't have meant the day I was crying by the lake because you wouldn't even glance at me anymore? Look, I was angry, sad and hurt. I was so angry with you for neglecting me that I lashed out and said to Jinho that I wished we would have never been friends. It was mean, and she probably overheard and used it against me. I was hurt and I took it out on you. I never should have said it. Back then, she was only two years older, but she was smarter than I could have imagined."

"Hearing your side of the story... It's a lot to process and it's shattering my perception of everything I thought I knew. I'm genuinely sorry I believed her words. I understand why you pushed me away. I was too afraid to confront you, thinking I'd lose you."

Jeongguk's gaze remains locked on Jimin, the weight of his words pressing down on him. His perception of Seoyeon, a once trusted friend, shatters like a fragile mirror. A stray comment from her, a pointed glance, a subtle manipulation disguised as concern. Now, they all align, forming a sickenly clear picture. The pieces click into place and the anger that has simmered within him now transforms into something different. Shame burns at his own naivety; blindly accepting Seoyeon's words and neglecting the pain Jimin went through. He has been a pawn in a game he never knew has played.

The woman he thought he knew, tore his friendship apart for selfishness and he never realised. He believed Seoyeon. Evidence was there, but apparently these were mere misunderstandings, leading him to push away the one person who truly understood him. The distance he'd created and the pain he'd inflicted on Jimin - it all weighs down on his conscience along with suffocating regret in his chest.

Yet, amidst the crushing realisation and regret, a glimmer of resolve ignites within him. He won't let Seoyeon's manipulations define his, their future, no longer. He has to make things right, to mend his broken trust, to rebuild the friendship and to be a good leader to his pack.

The road would surely not be easy. Healing also takes time. But he's determined to prove he can do it. He doesn't want to let Seoyeon win. He doesn't want his life to be part of her twisted game. She has caused enough damage. He has to speak up and protect others from her mind games. The pack deserves better and he can no longer stand by while she plays her little games. But above all, he owes Jimin a lot and he is prepared to fight for him if he lets him.

"Can you ever forgive me, Jimin?" Jeongguk pleads, his gaze searching for solace in the depths of Jimin's eyes. He now sees the truth, the broken person behind Jimin's reserved nature, the walls he built himself from further hurt. "Can we start again? I know I haven't been the friend you deserved. But I'm here now, ready to listen and ready to understand."

Jeongguk knows the pain he has caused goes far beyond their broken friendship. He has been the alpha's son, the future leader, and his actions, influenced by Seoyeon's lies, has sent a ripple effect through the pack. He closes his eyes, bracing himself for Jimin's words. There is no guarantee that Jimin will say yes. Even if he says no, the way will be uncertain and he will have to figure out what he has to do.

"Maybe," he breathes, the single word carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken feelings. "There's a lot to unpack, Jeongguk. But hearing your words, seeing the regret in your eyes... it eases a part of the pain I've held on for so long. But it doesn't ease the pain you put me through recently. What's done is done, and I don't know if we can truly go back to the way things were. It's not just Seoyeon's words and her actions, but I thought you knew me better than to trust whispers and lies. Did her whispers hold more power than my actions? The pack seems to accept her version of things, too. I've felt isolated, alone, even surrounded by others. But I guess neither of us saw our future unraveling like this when we were little, but we can't be stuck in the past."

Jeongguk's heart sinks. He understands Jimin's reservations, the betrayal swinging in his voice. Yet, the uncertainty in his answer gnaws at him. "I know I deserve your doubt," he says with remorse. "But please, Jimin, give me a chance to prove myself. Let me right my wrongs."

Silence stretches between them, thick with the weight of the past and the unknown of what lies ahead of them. Jimin's gaze shifts away, his expression unreadable, seemingly lost in thought, wrestling with his own emotions. "I told you about the second chance, didn't I? If you prove you understand and that you see me... all of me and become a better person not only for yourself but also for the pack, maybe I will forgive you."

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Thank you to those who beta read and gave suggestions 🥺