Chapter Text
“I look forward to our arranged mating, Park Jimin-ssi. I hope we can bring our packs together.” Jimin stayed quiet as Min Yoongi, his future mate, bowed low to him.
When he rose, Jimin took his turn to bow, making sure it was at the waist like his omega mother had hissed at him to remember before the formal meeting. “Thank you, Min Yoongi-ssi.” He swallowed, barely remembering what else he needed to say. “I am sure the futures of both our packs will be bright.”
—
As the omega son of the pack alpha and omega, Jimin knew he would eventually be mated off. Sooner rather than later, according to his alpha mother.
When it became time for his alpha mother to begin scouring the nearby packs for a suitable mate, there weren’t many options. Jimin barely had a say, though he had still been forced to attend every meeting.
There was Choi Jaejoon in the east, and Jimin had been grateful when he had quickly been eliminated from the list of potential alphas. He was about twenty-five years Jimin’s senior, the alpha of a pack on the brink of disbandment. According to the messengers that ran through their territory now and then, the families that could escape had begun leaving his pack to find others. Jaejoon had become infamous for hoarding food, money, and omegas for himself.
Rumor had it, no matter how many omegas he bred, he couldn’t produce an heir.
In the south, there was Kim Namjoon’s pack. He had only recently become pack alpha, and that had worried Jimin’s parents enough to be wary about mating him off to him. Despite the Park and surrounding packs using bloodline to decide on succession, the recently Lee-turned-Kim pack was the only one that voted. There were also rumors he had already chosen an omega for himself but that they had yet to mate. Jimin’s alpha mother kept Namjoon in the running longer than Jaejoon, but ultimately, she had decided that there were too many unknown variables.
Past the mountains in the west was Shin Geonwoo. He was already mated, though his eldest daughter was an alpha. Jimin’s mother had looked into the possibility of their mating, but according to the letters back from Geonwoo, he was thankful for the inquiry but his daughter was already courting an omega.
It all really left only one option: Min Yoongi in the north. Of the five packs, the Min pack was the least known about. They were far, far north, where it snowed for over half the year and messengers struggled to get to. Despite some uncertainties, Min Yoongi made the most sense; he was only a couple of years older than Jimin, was still unmated, and had been open to the idea of strengthening the relationship between their two packs through an arranged mating.
—
“It will be cold in the north, Jimin,” his omega mother reminded him. “You must pack your furs.”
“Yes, mother,” Jimin whispered, kneeling on the ground to begin folding the clothes he would take with him.
Yoongi had arrived to take him to his pack the day before. They had met, bowed to each other, and said a few words before Jimin had been whisked away. They had yet to see each other since then, but Jimin was supposed to leave with him the next day following a customary mating ceremony.
“Will I be able to meet Yoongi-ssi again before we leave together?” Jimin asked as his mother took a seat on his bed.
“I am certain he will attend dinner tonight, so you may speak to him there if you wish to do so.” She watched him expressionlessly as he prepared to leave, something he tried to not let himself feel too hurt by.
Jimin swallowed and nodded, chewing on his lower lip. “I will miss our pack,” he whispered after a few long, silent minutes of packing.
“You will adapt.”
Pressing his lips together, Jimin nodded again. “I know, and I know that Jihyun will continue to prepare well for when he becomes pack alpha.”
“He will,” she echoed, though before either of them could add anything else, Jimin’s alpha mother, Jihye, stepped inside his room. They both glanced up at her before averting their gazes.
“Youngmi, the kitchen is still a mess from breakfast. Go.”
His omega mother’s eyebrows shot up, and she stood from the bed. “Yes, alpha.”
She ran out the door, head bowed, before Jihye took another step forward. “You are almost packed?”
“Yes, mother,” Jimin replied.
“Good. Now, I know I don’t need to tell you this, but just as a reminder, you must be obedient to your new alpha.” She stepped forward again and perched herself where Youngmi had been sitting on the bed. Jimin nodded and bowed his head, whispering that he would be. “We know the rumors of the Min pack. It is riddled with prostitutes and disobedient omegas and loose roles, and I was truthfully nervous to send you somewhere like that. Having met Yoongi-ssi, though…he seems more in line with what we’d expect from a good pack alpha. So, be good for him, Jimin.”
“I will be, mother.”
She smiled proudly and pet his hair briefly. “Good. Yoongi-ssi has asked that you two leave as early as possible tomorrow, as the journey north is not an easy one. The mating ceremony will be at dawn.”
“I understand. I will make sure I am ready to leave immediately following it.”
—
Jimin barely slept that night. Yoongi had attended dinner, but Jimin had found himself too nervous to make an effort to speak to him. The alpha hadn’t approached him either, spending the entire evening surrounded by the alphas that had traveled to the Park pack with him. So all he had to base his entire future and mating off of was their brief meeting the day before.
He had a few friends, all omegas, who had said their goodbyes to him, which he had appreciated despite how detached they had felt.
He woke well before dawn, lighting a candle and checking and rechecking that he had everything he would need for the north. Being right in the middle of the packlands, the Park pack didn’t get too much bad weather. It wasn’t too hot and humid like the Kim pack in the south, they never got snow like in the north, and the mountains in the west blocked the worst of the winds.
Jimin didn’t have many thick furs that would help him if the north really was as cold as the rumors said, so cold fingers turned blue, the wind felt like knives, and toes went numb even inside boots.
The clothing he needed to wear to the ceremony was hanging inside his closet, white and blue layers to represent the Park pack colors. He contemplated dressing early, but he knew he would just become more restless.
Their ceremony wouldn’t be the full, traditional one. That was to come when they arrived in the north. The ceremony when leaving an omega’s home pack was mostly a formality, something used to sign the pack agreements and provide a proper sendoff for the omega being mated off. All that was expected of them was a brief scenting, and the rest of it consisted of papers Yoongi and Jihye would sign, so Jimin really wasn’t sure why it was even considered a mating ceremony of any kind.
When the sun began peeking over the horizon, Jimin pulled on his ceremonial robes. It was more dress-like than anything, complete with a pretty belt, studded headpiece, and a light fur. His mothers eventually knocked on his door and poked their heads inside.
“Ready, Jimin?” Jihye asked, looking down momentarily to fix the sleeve of her own ceremonial robes.
Jimin took a moment to answer, smoothing down the dress and exhaling slowly. “Yes, mother,” he finally responded. Despite how long he had known the day would come, his heart raced and palms sweated.
“Good, let’s get going,” Jihye responded, opening the door all the way and gesturing for Jimin to follow her. “Youngmi, go get Jihyun. He’ll carry Jimin’s trunk.”
Youngmi spun on her heel to go find their other son as Jimin left his room. It was bittersweet, leaving the home he had grown up in.
When they arrived at the amphitheater in the center of their village, a couple of alphas from the Min pack took the trunk from Jihyun, saying they had been asked by their pack alpha to go ahead with luggage. It was handed over, and Jimin and Jihye stood in the center of the amphitheater as they awaited Yoongi and the rest of the pack.
Jimin stood with his head down and hands clasped in front of him. As pack members filtered in, Jihye whispered, “I’m proud of you, Jimin.”
Jimin glanced up in surprise. “Thank you, mother. I hope to be a good omega for Yoongi-ssi.”
She smiled and patted his cheek, but he looked away when she only had a glimmer of sadness in her eye. Yoongi arrived soon enough, dressed in his black ceremonial robes. He bowed low to both Jihye and Jimin.
“Good morning, Jihye-ssi, Jimin-ssi. Thank you for accommodating our schedule.”
“Of course, Yoongi-ssi. Please stand across from Jimin, and we can proceed with the mating ceremony.”
Yoongi nodded as Jihye took a step behind a table that had been set out for the ceremony. Jimin and Yoongi faced each other as the crowd grew silent.
Clearing her throat, Jihye began, “Good morning, pack members. Thank you for coming to this mating ceremony. My omega son, Park Jimin, will be mating Min Yoongi, pack alpha of the Min pack of the north. Jimin and Yoongi, please scent one another, and then we will sign the agreements.”
Jimin swallowed. He hadn’t been scented since he was a pup. Yoongi stepped close enough that Jimin finally registered his scent for the first time: cloves. It was deep, rich, and subtly spicy. Holding out his hand, Yoongi murmured, “May I?”
He furrowed his brow for a moment before realizing that he was likely asking for his wrist. Jimin hadn’t expected a question; it was his understanding that usually the alpha just grabbed the omega’s wrist, or even dove straight in for their neck. Nodding disjointedly, Jimin held his hand out.
Yoongi was gentle with how he held it, cradling it in his hand before brushing his other wrist over Jimin’s scent gland. The cloves washed over him pleasantly, and he found relief in the fact that he was mating someone whose scent he could say he liked. His own bergamot mixed nicely with it, permeating the air around them.
The scenting was minimal, brief, nowhere near as intimate as it could be, but Jimin’s hands shook nevertheless. After a few brushes of their wrists, Yoongi let go and moved away, though it wasn’t without a concerned, lingering look. Jimin clasped his hands again and averted his gaze, willing his hands to stop shaking. Cloves hung in the air around him as Yoongi stepped away.
He barely listened as Yoongi and Jihye went through the formal process of signing the pack agreements and mating documents. Jimin felt like cattle, being traded from one hand to another. Right as they ended, he was asked to sign something as well, which he hadn’t been expecting.
“Jimin-ssi, the Min pack requires that omegas sign these documents as well,” Yoongi said to him, gesturing for him to step up to the table.
Jimin frowned but stepped closer, hesitantly taking the offered quill. He had never signed anything before. “Yes, alpha,” he whispered, taking a deep breath as his hands, which had stopped shaking, began to shake again.
There were a few lines at the bottom of the first page with small lines of text under each one: The Alpha Mate, The Omega Mate, and The Presiding Pack Alpha. Two of the lines already had signatures on them, so Jimin scribbled his own name near-illegibly on the line above The Omega Mate. What constituted a real signature? He stared at it nervously before Yoongi reached over and turned to the next page.
There were five additional pages that Jimin had to sign, each scribble slightly more legible than the last.
“Thank you,” Yoongi said once he was done, and Jimin was grateful to hand the quill back over.
Once the ceremony was completed and the pack members began to filter out of the amphitheater for breakfast, Youngmi and Jihyun joined them in the center.
“Would you care to stay for breakfast?” Jihye offered as a couple of Min pack alphas joined them as well.
Yoongi looked at her apologetically and explained, “We should get going as soon as possible. It’s about a two day journey.”
Jihye nodded once and turned to Jimin, expression as stoic as ever. “Alright, be good, Jimin.”
Jimin bowed his head and replied, “I will be, mother.”
She smiled once, proud but reserved, before Youngmi stepped forward and pulled him in for a gentle hug. Jimin hugged her back in surprise—they had never been very affectionate as a family. “I love you, Minnie. Come back to visit if you can.”
He nodded slowly, whispering that he would. His chest tugged at the sound of his childhood nickname. Before he could fully process it, Youngmi was stepping away and Jihyun pulled Jimin into a hug as well.
“Bye, hyung. I’ll miss you.”
Jimin forced himself to give him an encouraging smile. He was quite a few years younger than Jimin, but despite Jihyun being an alpha, he’d always felt something protective for him. “I’ll miss you, too.”
When Jimin turned towards Yoongi expectantly, he was already being watched, something sad in the alpha’s eye. After a moment of simply looking, Yoongi raised his eyebrows and asked, “Ready, then?”
Jimin nodded once and bowed his head respectfully. “Yes, alpha.”
—
When they arrived at the edge of the forest on the outskirts of the Park pack village, Yoongi immediately began shedding his clothing, quickly followed by the other two alphas. One shifted into a large brown wolf, his coat a little like the color of cinnamon. The other was about as tall but broader, a brown color so dark it was almost black.
Jimin watched on with wide eyes but snapped his attention to Yoongi when the alpha asked in a low voice, “Can you shift?”
“Yes, alpha,” Jimin replied, though he honestly wasn’t sure: he hadn’t shifted since he was twelve or thirteen. He chewed on his lower lip as he stepped closer to the treeline, turning his back to the alphas. Pulling off a satchel he was grateful that he thought to take with him, he stripped himself as quickly as he could, stuffed his clothing in the satchel, and then focused on trying to shift.
It didn’t come as quickly as he had remembered it coming in the past, but after a few beats, he felt the way his body stretched and bent to accommodate his wolf form. Once it was done, he took a moment to catch his breath. Had it always been so painful?
He stared down at his paws. A cream color, like the rest of his wolf. Sounds filtered in from across the village, and he was surprised for a moment before remembering their heightened senses. Yoongi’s clover scent was much stronger to his nose as well, layering over all four wolves in a way that was claiming and protective but not domineering.
Once he had a moment to acclimate, he turned around clumsily. All three alphas were respectfully looking away from where he had shifted. He took a moment to stare at Yoongi’s wolf, somehow bigger than others and with a pitch-black coat. When he walked up to them, tripping over his own paws a couple times, Yoongi nodded and led the way into the forest.
The first part of their journey north was mostly silent. Yoongi had briefly introduced him to the two alphas that were accompanying them, the Min pack head scout named Hoseok and a hunter named Jeongguk, but after that, they had begun the trek into the forest and fallen quiet.
Jimin walked a few paces behind Yoongi, head bowed and tail low, as the two alphas tailed them. He had never felt so small, with his head barely reaching the top of Yoongi’s shoulder. Occasionally, he heard Hoseok and Jeongguk whispering to each other through the mental bond between all four of them. However, as the sun rose in the sky, they became noticeably more energetic and talkative.
“Hyung, can we stop and eat now?” one of them asked through the bond. Jimin thought it might be the one called Jeongguk.
Yoongi didn’t falter in his steps as he glanced over his shoulder. “What food do you have, Guk?”
“Well, I was thinking we’d hunt something.”
“There aren’t any rabbits around here,” Yoongi replied breezily. “We’ll go a little farther before we stop.”
Jeongguk huffed behind him but didn’t protest.
When Yoongi did finally stop, it was so sudden that Jimin nearly ran into him. The alpha looked around for a moment and murmured, “I hear a rabbit. Guk?”
“On it,” Jeongguk replied, silently sneaking into the underbrush.
Jimin hurriedly looked away. He knew where the meat in the Park pack came from and had seen the hunters leaving in the early mornings, but he didn’t want to watch it happen. However, he heard as teeth met rabbit and grimaced, swallowing hard.
Jeongguk returned with the rabbit in his mouth, and Yoongi nodded approvingly. Jimin noticed as Yoongi glanced once at him, something unsure in his eye, before saying, “We’ll make a small fire to cook it.”
He led the way to a clearing, where Hoseok immediately took off, saying he would find wood. Yoongi turned fully towards Jimin for the first time during their journey. “Jimin-ssi, would you like to lay down?”
Jimin couldn’t deny that his paws were killing him, sensitive and aching, so he nodded and made his way over to lay down on his side near a large rock. “Thank you, alpha,” he said, stretching his legs out and holding in a sigh of relief.
Jeongguk had shifted but hadn’t bothered to put his clothing back on. He settled in the center of the clearing with a knife and the rabbit, where he began expertly skinning it. Jimin looked away.
—
The rest of the first day was better after the short break, and Jimin was grateful for the entertainment of Hoseok and Jeongguk. After the lunch, they both became much more lively, cracking jokes and running around the forest as they trekked through it. Jimin held in his laughter but watched them curiously.
When the sun began to set, they found another clearing, and Yoongi called to all of them to stay in their wolf forms for the night. Jimin understood the precaution, but he had never been in his wolf form for so long. He wasn’t sure if he liked it. He had acclimated to walking on four legs again but was still occasionally tripping over a paw, and the onslaught of sounds and smells was a little too much at times.
As he laid down in the dirt, Hoseok and Jeongguk scampered off into the forest, calling that they would be back soon. Yoongi was next to Jimin, though there was enough room between them that Jimin felt a semblance of privacy. He sighed as he watched the other two alphas run off, calling for them to be safe.
In the quiet, Yoongi tilted his head towards Jimin and he asked, “How’re you feeling?”
Jimin glanced up, curling up tightly. “I’m feeling well. Thank you for asking, alpha.”
Yoongi shook his head and made a sound that sounded like a goodnatured scoff in wolf form. “You don’t have to call me alpha, y’know.”
“Oh, uh, what should I call you, alp— Yoongi-ssi?”
“Yoongi or hyung, if you’d like,” Yoongi replied, eyes curious as he watched Jimin.
Jimin glanced around nervously. “You do not like being called by your rank?”
“I mean, it’s not that big of a deal to me. If you feel more comfortable calling me alpha, then by all means…but I think it would be nice if one day you just called me by name or hyung, as my mate. I know it’s a lot of change, though…” He trailed off and looked away, his ears perking to catch some sound.
Jimin averted his gaze as well. “I understand, alpha. I will…try to call you differently.”
“And you? What do you prefer to be called?”
Jimin hesitated before answering, surprised by the question. “Either Jimin or omega is perfectly fine for me. I have no preference.”
Yoongi blinked a couple times, looking away for a moment. “Sleep, Jimin. We’ll leave early tomorrow morning.”
Jimin lowered his head down onto his paws and closed his eyes. “Thank you, goodnight.”
Cloves hung around him, and despite the uncomfortable ground beneath him and eerie forest sounds, the scent helped soothe him to sleep.
—
The soreness of the first day didn’t prepare Jimin for the second day. He woke up with his paws aching, somehow worse than when he’d gone to sleep. When he stood, his muscles were tight and sensitive, the weight on his paw pads almost too much.
A few times that morning, he had contemplated just lying down on the forest floor and allowing the three alphas to leave him there. For better or for worse, he made it out alive to lunch and couldn’t hold in his relieved sigh when he finally sat on the ground as Hoseok cooked a rabbit for everyone.
“You okay?” Yoongi checked as he stepped closer to him.
“Yes, sorry, alpha. I am just—” Jimin cut himself off, knowing he shouldn’t complain. Yoongi squinted in disbelief, so Jimin added, “I’m okay.”
“Are you sore?” Yoongi asked softly. When Jimin hesitated to answer, Yoongi assured, “It’s okay if you are, I know it’s a long journey. We can take a longer break if you need.”
Jimin hurried to shake his head. “No, no, I shouldn’t keep us. I’ll be okay.”
Yoongi looked hesitant but decided not to argue. “You will tell me if you need a break?”
“Of course, alpha.”
Yoongi joined Hoseok by the fire, comically large next to the scout in his human form, so Jimin took the opportunity to stretch his legs and close his eyes, grimacing at the soreness.
The remainder of the day was brutal. As they journeyed farther north, the temperature began dropping steadily. Jimin’s wolf had a thin coat for the temperate Park territory. He shivered as he walked behind Yoongi, closer than before in order to get even a modicum of body heat from him.
He also hadn’t realized that their packlands were up a snowy mountain. It truly was no wonder messengers had a hard time getting to their territory. Jimin tried not to look terrified and frozen as they began the climb up the slope. It wasn’t too steep, but with aching paws, freezing temperatures, and a few slippery rocks, Jimin felt it was the hardest thing he had ever had to do.
Luckily, the path up the mountain was moderately worn in, but Jimin was exhausted. He battled with himself for most of the climb over whether he should ask Yoongi for a break. Every near-slip made his heart race and legs shake.
When it began flurrying the higher they went, Jimin finally took a deep breath and began through the bond, “Al— Alpha—”
Yoongi paused in front of him, seeming suddenly alert as he looked over his shoulder, and replied, “Yes?”
However, the next step Jimin took was his first real slip. He lost his footing, the world suddenly falling from underneath him. Whimpering, he tried to brace himself with his front paws and cried in pain when they scraped against something rough and icy.
Swallowing back the sudden urge to cry, even in wolf form, Jimin peered up at Yoongi standing over him. “Sor-sorry, I was just—”
Yoongi immediately leaned down and bit the scruff of his neck. Jimin couldn’t hold in the embarrassed whimper as the alpha lifted him and set him down on a safer part of the trail. “No, no, don’t apologize. Here, lay down.” Tears blurred Jimin’s vision as Yoongi crouched down in front of him, suddenly shifted into human form, and took his paws in his hands. He hissed sympathetically and asked over his shoulder, “Any rags in your bags?”
Jeongguk shifted quickly and handed over a rag that Yoongi pressed against the paw pads, and Jimin let out a soft, pained whine. Some blood beaded up, but Yoongi carefully dabbed it all away.
Jimin tried to look as thankful and apologetic as possible, unable to communicate with Yoongi in different forms.
Yoongi watched him carefully and said, “Sorry if we’ve been going too fast. I know this mountain isn’t the easiest to climb.” Jimin pressed his mouth together at a particularly bad sting. Yoongi gently pressed the rag to both paws, cradling both of them in one of his hands. When the blood seemed to stop, Yoongi sighed in relief and shifted back to his wolf form. “What were you gonna ask before you slipped?”
“Oh— I was just going to ask if we could take a break, alpha.”
A flicker of surprise shone through Yoongi’s eyes, but he seemed pleased with the answer. “Of course we can. We could all use one. Hobi, Guk, take a break.” He called the last part towards the other two alphas, who had distanced themselves from the scene after handing over the rag.
“Thank you,” Jimin whispered, looking down at his paws, where the rag was still covering them.
“We don’t have too much longer, just so you know. Another fifteen or twenty minutes until we reach the top of the mountain, and then it’ll be a short hike to the plateau, where the packlands are.”
Jimin nodded, trying not to show just how relieved he was. A sudden breeze made a shiver wrack his body violently, and Yoongi sucked in a sharp breath.
“Shit, I should’ve asked if you were cold,” Yoongi said, standing abruptly to sit closer to him, sharing some body heat. Jimin was suddenly drowned in the strong clove scent. “Sorry,” he said.
Jimin watched him in surprise. “You shouldn’t apologize to me.”
“I should,” Yoongi countered, and Jimin was confused by how sure he seemed about it. “I forget that this kind of weather isn’t normal south of here. Once we get to our packlands, I’ll make sure you have as many furs as you need.”
All Jimin could do in his surprise was reply, “Thank you, alpha, but I’m okay.”
Yoongi gave him a disbelieving look but didn’t argue. With a look towards Hoseok and Jeongguk, Yoongi said quietly through the bond, “I hope you’re feeling okay about this arrangement, by the way. I honestly don’t know much about the Park pack since we’re so isolated up here, but it’s my understanding that you didn’t have any say in the decision about who you’d mate…?” When he trailed off like it was a question, Jimin hesitantly confirmed it. Yoongi nodded like something grave had been confirmed. “Let me know if you’re ever uncomfortable with the arrangement or with me. We’ll obviously have a lot of time to discuss all of this later, but I just— I want you to know that I understand if you’re nervous. I’m nervous, too.”
Jimin watched him, not really sure how to respond. Yoongi looked away. Jimin stared at the ground, blinking a couple of times in surprise before replying hesitantly, “Thank you for telling me.”
Yoongi made a rough sound of acknowledgement in his wolf form, something between a huff and a soft growl. Peering over at Jimin’s paws, he gently removed the rag with his mouth. “How’re your paws?”
“Better, thank you.”
“Good. We can rest a few more minutes, but we should probably get going again. The sun will start setting soon,” Yoongi said, squinting up towards the sky.
—
Once they reached the treeline surrounding the pack’s village, they all shifted and dressed themselves again. The first thing Jimin noticed when they walked into the village was how busy it was. Despite the freezing temperature, everyone was milling about, dressed head-to-toe in furs. Jimin looked ridiculously out of place with his ceremonial robes, but he was grateful to get the weight off of his abraded paws. They all stared at him openly as well, so he kept his head down and followed a few steps behind Yoongi.
There was a sudden, elated screech before a bright-eyed omega zipped past Jimin and threw himself at Jeongguk. The sound startled Jimin, and he instinctively took a step closer to Yoongi as he watched Jeongguk hug the boy and spin him around.
They shared a kiss that Jimin felt was indecent for a public setting before the omega giggled and screeched again. “Gukkie! You’re back!”
“I am, Tae,” Jeongguk said through a laugh, nearly carrying the omega as he continued walking forward.
Yoongi snorted and shook his head next to Jimin. “That’s Taehyung. You’ll meet him later,” he explained before nudging Jimin’s arm in a gesture to follow him.
Jimin kept his head down again as they continued walking through the village. Yoongi led him to a large hut close to the center of the village, guiding him inside and immediately heading over to a stone fireplace along a wall.
Not really sure what to do, Jimin clasped his hands in front of him and stood quietly, barely holding in a pained hiss when his scraped palms brushed together. Without glancing over his shoulder, Yoongi urged, “Sit down, Jimin. I know you’re tired. This is our hut.”
Jimin relaxed a little with the permission but didn’t do more than perch on a nearby sofa and cross his legs. He looked around curiously, taking in a large bed in one corner, covered in furs and soft-looking pillows. There was a desk in the opposite corner, piled high with papers, quills, and ink. The small sitting area was fit with two sofas, a fur rug, a low table, and the fireplace. There wasn’t much decoration, but it was cozy and warm even without the fire going.
Next to the front door, Jimin recognized his trunk and perked up. He was already eager to change into warm, clean clothing, maybe after a nice bath.
“Alpha, may I change my clothing?” Jimin asked hesitantly.
Yoongi finished with the fire and stood. “Jimin, you never need to ask permission for anything like that. I was wondering if you’d like a bath, though? We have a small bathroom attached. I can draw you one.”
Jimin blinked in surprise. “Oh, no, you don’t need to do that for me. I can draw one myself.”
Yoongi shook his head. “I want you to rest, okay?”
Jimin chewed on his bottom lip, torn between obeying his alpha and doing what he had been raised to do. “If that is what you prefer, alpha…?”
Yoongi huffed out a laugh and walked into an adjoining room. “Yes, I would prefer that you rest after such a journey.”
Jimin continued to chew on his lip but didn’t argue, instead going over to his trunk to look through it. The cold was worse than he had ever imagined, and he knew for certain he would need new, thicker furs. He pulled out some clothing that he thought might be suitable to at least wear indoors for the remainder of the day.
As Yoongi drew his bath, Jimin peeled off his outer layers, folding them nicely and making a dirty pile.
“‘Kay, it should be ready and warm enough,” Yoongi said from the doorway to the bathroom. “Bathe as long as you want. I’ll get the medic to bandage your palms once you’re done as well. And…” Yoongi trailed off and walked up to Jimin, who watched him with wide eyes. He pursed his lips and studied Jimin’s frame. “I’ll let our tailor know to make a few thick furs for you. You’re about my size, just a bit slimmer in the shoulders, so she should have enough information to be able to start them without you there yet.”
Jimin nodded and replied, “Thank you.”
“Until they’re made, I have plenty of furs you can wear, so feel free to look through them if you’re done before I get back.”
“Thank you, alpha,” Jimin whispered again, slightly overwhelmed with how accommodating Yoongi was. The contrast to how he had been treated his entire life as an omega was stark, and even Yoongi’s way of speaking—less clipped, less cold—compared to his home pack made Jimin unsure of what to do or say. Not a single conversation had yet to go the way he had been anticipating.
“Have a nice bath, Jimin,” Yoongi said with a small smile as he walked towards the front door of the hut.
Jimin did have a nice bath. When he sunk down into the warm water, he nearly moaned in relief. He took his time washing the grime off with a scentless soap, wanting to savor the warmth while he had it. Until it turned lukewarm, he soaked. When he heard Yoongi return, he was quick to finish washing his hair before climbing out of the tub.
Jimin dressed in the clothing from his trunk, grateful for something that wasn’t the ceremonial dress. Instead, he wore brown trousers and the thickest fur he owned over a long sleeve shirt. He thought he heard Yoongi speaking to someone, probably the medic, so he hurried a little more, not wanting to waste two people’s time.
Yoongi and a small woman were sitting together on a sofa, and before Jimin could even greet them, he was struck by the resemblance between them. The woman’s face was much softer, lacking the feline eyes and sharper look, but they had the same lips and nose.
“Jimin,” Yoongi said with a small smile. “This is the healer.”
The woman rolled her eyes and stood up, ushering Jimin towards the second sofa. “More importantly, I’m also Yoongi’s mother. I’m Sohee. I’ve been so excited to meet you.”
Jimin frantically tried to remember if there was anything in particular he needed to do when meeting his mate’s parents. He drew a blank, so he bowed low and greeted, “It is an honor to meet you, Sohee-ssi. I hope to be a good omega for your son.”
“I am sure you will be wonderful,” Sohee replied breezily, continuing to usher him towards the sofa. “Now, sit. I heard you had a little fall.”
Jimin blinked in surprise, but all he could do was obey. He had never met an omega so decisive and commanding with their words. When he sat on the sofa, Sohee looked pleased and perched herself on the table in front of him. She carefully inspected his palms and sucked in a breath.
“Oh, my dear,” she said with a hum, looking through the bag that Jimin hadn’t even realized was next to them. “This must have hurt, hm?” Jimin gave her a smile that he hoped was reassuring, but by the looks of it, she didn’t seem convinced. “This may sting a bit.”
Before Jimin could even nod, his palms felt like they were on fire. He involuntarily let out a small whimper and barely stopped himself from tugging his hands away protectively. Yoongi stood up abruptly and watched from behind Sohee, eyebrows furrowed.
Eyes concentrated on cleaning his palms, Sohee didn’t even look up at Yoongi but said, “He’s fine, Yoongi-yah.”
“Just be careful,” Yoongi muttered with a frown. When Jimin caught his eye, the frown slipped into something more supportive.
Sohee ignored her son, and Jimin watched incredulously. He couldn’t imagine his omega mother ignoring Jihyun. Before he could think too much about it, the stinging finally ebbed a bit, and Sohee began putting some kind of ointment on his palms.
“Aside from the fall, how was the rest of the journey here?”
Jimin was quiet, thinking she was asking Yoongi, but the alpha also stayed quiet. He had returned to the other sofa as Sohee worked. Jimin glanced at her when she paused in applying the ointment, finding that she was looking at him expectantly.
“Oh, sorry, I thought—” Jimin cut himself off to clear his throat and continue, “The rest of the journey went well. Thank you for asking, Sohee-ssi.”
Sohee had a sad look in her eye when Jimin met hers again. “I’m afraid a lot of us don’t know much about the Park pack up here aside from rumors, so I’m sorry if we don’t entirely understand what kind of culture you’re coming from.”
“Ah, it’s understandable. I don’t know much of the Min pack, either.”
Sohee smiled wider and told him, “You will learn, and first, you should learn that you may speak freely as an omega here.”
Jimin swallowed and nodded. “I will keep it in mind.”
“You seem very sweet, Jimin-ah,” Sohee murmured, reaching up to cradle his cheek in a hand. “I am sure you’ll enjoy it here. It will just take some getting used to.”
Jimin wasn’t sure what to say in response, so he offered a small smile and watched as she continued to care for his scraped palms. When she finished with the ointment, she moved on to wrapping his hands in bandages.
As she worked, she asked, “How was the mating ceremony?”
Jimin pressed his lips together and averted his gaze towards the ground. He continued to forget that, despite there being no mating bite yet, he and Yoongi were mated under their packs’ laws. It was strange, knowing that he was technically mated to someone, especially to someone he had only met a few days before.
“It was brief,” Yoongi said, eyes wandering around the hut.
“Mhm, you will need to begin planning the real one,” Sohee commented before trying to find Jimin’s eye. “Are you interested in helping plan it?”
His lips parted, unsure. He supposed that sounded like something that would be expected of him. “Yes, if it’s something expected of me here, I will certainly do it,” he replied.
Sohee pursed her lips. “But are you interested in doing it?”
Jimin’s gaze drifted towards Yoongi, who raised his eyebrows in question. He waited a few moments for the alpha to say something, to list his expectations or command Jimin to help with the preparations.
When he didn’t say anything, Sohee’s already soft expression softened even further. “The second thing to learn about the Min pack is that omegas aren’t expected to defer to alphas.” Jimin stared at her in disbelief, and Sohee smiled gently, finishing up with the bandages before cradling his hands in her own. “If you’d prefer to not help with the preparations, that’s perfectly alright. You’re not expected to help just because you’re an omega, but if you think you’d enjoy it or are curious about it, you can help plan it.”
Thinking back to the Park pack, he knew that the omega was always expected to help with the mating ceremony preparations, so Jimin hesitantly nodded and replied, “I will help.” Maybe he’d like it, too.
Sohee smiled and gently patted his cheek before standing. “Perfect. I’ll come by sometime in the next couple days to begin, but settle into the pack for now.” She packed up her medic bag and stepped closer to the front door. “I’ll see you both at dinner?”
Yoongi answered that she would, so she smiled at them one last time and left them. Clearing his throat, Jimin commented, “Your mother is very kind.”
Yoongi smiled and nodded. “I hope your palms are feeling better…dinner will be in about half an hour, so I can show you where to put your things?”
“I would appreciate that, alpha, thank you,” Jimin replied, standing from the sofa.
Yoongi hummed and showed him a few empty dresser drawers and a place to put his trunk. Before heading over to the dining hall, Yoongi showed him his collection of thick furs, insisting that Jimin take at least a few to wear before his own were ready. Jimin tried to resist once, but Yoongi gave him a stern look, and all of his protests died on his tongue.
Wrapped in the thickest and warmest fur that Jimin had ever felt, he followed Yoongi out of the hut. The strong scent of cloves hugged him, and Jimin was pleasantly surprised by how much he didn’t mind it.
When Jimin easily fell into step behind Yoongi, the alpha stopped and turned slightly. “Uh, Jimin…” Yoongi trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck, like he wasn’t sure how to phrase something. “Is it common in the Park pack that omegas don’t walk next to their alphas?”
“Yes, alpha. It is to show deference.”
“I would like for you to walk next to me,” Yoongi replied. He seemed sincere when they made eye contact, but Jimin was surprised by the request, almost sure that Yoongi was joking.
“Oh, uh—” Jimin looked away nervously and hesitantly took a step closer to him. “If that is what you prefer, alpha.”
Yoongi seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he gave him a small, encouraging smile before beginning to walk again. When they arrived at the dining hall, Jimin swallowed hard as everyone quieted and not-so-subtly stared at him. He tried to ignore it, the smell of food welcoming and distracting after such a long journey north.
“I’m sorry if some of our food is different from what you’re used to,” Yoongi murmured as he nudged Jimin to walk towards a long table with platters of food.
When they moved away from the entrance to the dining hall, the pack members turned back to their food. Conversations picked up again.
“I’m sure I will enjoy it regardless,” Jimin whispered, taking a plate after Yoongi. At least their way of eating seemed to be the same as the Park pack.
“Typically, I’d like to get your food for you, but I want you to see all the options today,” Yoongi said.
Jimin took back what he thought. It was different from the Park pack as well.
He knew some alphas got their omegas food, but it was typically something that stopped after the courting phase. Once a couple was mated and had pups, the omega usually got their own food, as well as food for the pups.
“Oh, uh, I assure you, that’s not necessary,” Jimin tried to say, furrowing his brows as he scooped some potatoes and carrots onto his plate. “I can get my own food.”
Yoongi frowned at him and murmured, “Unless it’s something you’d prefer I didn’t do, I’d really like to get your food for you.”
Jimin was becoming overwhelmed with how accommodating Yoongi was. He blinked a few times, surprised yet again. “If that is what you prefer, alpha,” Jimin replied, bowing his head.
Yoongi took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Maybe it’s something we can discuss later.”
Jimin really wasn’t sure what they could possibly discuss about it, but he nodded nonetheless.
As they reached the end of the table, Jimin had piled his plate with root vegetables and meat. Their meals were definitely hardier than the ones he had grown up eating, which were filled with more fruits and grains, but he supposed it was needed to keep them warm and strong through a winter that lasted over half the year.
“If you like bread, try one of these rolls,” Yoongi said, taking one himself from a large wooden bowl.
Jimin smiled and took one as well, balancing it precariously beside a group of carrots. He followed Yoongi through the maze of tables and chairs, stopping at a table where Hoseok, Jeongguk, and Taehyung were already seated and digging into their dinners.
“Hyung!” Jeongguk exclaimed through a bite of what looked to be potatoes.
“Hi, Guk,” Yoongi greeted, sitting down across from him and subtly patting the seat next to him for Jimin to sit as well.
Taehyung’s eyes widened excitedly, and he leaned forward across the table to grin at Jimin. “Hi! I’m Taehyung.”
Jimin smiled at him, slightly more comfortable around an omega seemingly close to his age, though he hadn’t ever had too many close friends in the Park pack. “Good to meet you, Taehyung-ssi. I’m Jimin.”
Taehyung nearly squealed in delight, and Jimin startled. “Hyung, he’s so cute! I finally have another omega to hang out with.”
Yoongi was rolling his eyes when Jimin glanced over. “Jimin can decide how much he wants to put up with you.”
Pouting, Taehyung muttered something under his breath before turning back to Jimin. Seeming to entirely forget the interaction with Yoongi, Taehyung smiled wide and clasped his hands under his chin. “I need to show you everything. I’m sure you’re sick of being around alphas the last few days, so after dinner, we can go around the village!”
Jimin looked nervously at Yoongi and replied, “If Yoongi-ssi allows it, then I would enjoy that, Taehyung-ssi.”
Yoongi chewed for a moment before jerking his chin in Taehyung’s direction, gaze still focused on Jimin. “You two are the same age.”
Jimin’s lips parted as he looked back at Taehyung, offering a small smile. Taehyung, unsurprisingly, squealed again and exclaimed, “Oh, perfect! Then, Jimin-ah, you must come with me. I insist!”
Jeongguk snorted into a cup and pulled Taehyung into his side. “Let him breathe, Tae.”
Shyly, Jimin turned to Yoongi and asked, “May I go, alpha?”
Yoongi’s expression was soft and open as he nodded. “This is one of those things that doesn’t need permission, Jimin,” he whispered.
“Oh, I’m— I’m sorry,” Jimin said, cheeks flushing.
“No need to apologize, I’m just informing and reminding,” Yoongi murmured, taking another bite of his food.
Just as Jimin was about to respond, Taehyung turned back to him and asked, “So, you’ll come?”
Jimin smiled and nodded, whispering that he would, and Taehyung clapped his hands excitedly.
—
“Don’t worry, hyung. I won’t keep him out too late,” Taehyung assured as he ushered Jimin towards the dining hall doors.
Yoongi followed close behind, hovering and concerned in a way that made Jimin feel undeniably warm inside. As they stepped outside into the chilly air and nighttime sky, Yoongi sighed and said, “It’s cold. Jimin, if you’re too cold, tell Taehyung. He’ll take you back to our hut.”
“Yes, alpha,” Jimin said.
“Right, Tae?” Yoongi asked sternly.
“Yeah, yeah, hyung.” Taehyung waved him off and guided Jimin forward, making him glance over his shoulder towards the alpha apologetically.
Yoongi gave him a warm smile and waved, which Jimin blushed at and returned. Once they were out of earshot, Taehyung relaxed and sighed. “I never expected him to be so overbearing about the mate he brought back.”
Jimin frowned and echoed, “Overbearing? I don’t find him to be overbearing.”
“He’s already very protective of you,” Taehyung said through a giggle, glancing at Jimin with bright eyes. “Why do you call him alpha?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you’ve only addressed him as alpha or Yoongi-ssi. Why?”
“Oh, it’s just what I’m used to, I guess…” Jimin rubbed the back of his neck, still not really sure what was strange about calling each other by their ranks. “Do you not call Jeongguk-ssi alpha?”
Taehyung snorted and commented, “Maybe during sex.”
Jimin felt his cheeks burn bright red, and he stumbled over his words. “Oh, uh— I-I see.”
Taehyung snorted again and murmured, “Cute. Is it normal for the Park pack to call alphas by their rank, then?”
Jimin hummed and nodded. “Every omega is expected to call their alpha as such, and a lot of alphas call their omegas like that, too. Yoongi-ssi has already said I don’t need to call him alpha, but it is just…difficult to break the habit, I suppose.”
“That makes sense. I’ve heard the Park pack is quite strict about roles and obedience.”
Jimin replied, confirming the information, before they walked for a bit in silence. It was difficult to see the village in the dark, but most huts they passed had lights shining from inside and smoke curling up and out of the chimneys. The smell of pine was sharp, earthy, the silhouette of a forest bordering the village.
“What do you think of our pack alpha so far?” Taehyung asked at some point.
“He’s very kind,” Jimin said. “Accommodating. We haven’t had much time to speak or spend time together, so I’m not entirely sure yet.”
Humming in understanding, Taehyung said, “We’ve waited for a new pack omega for a couple years. I hope you’ll enjoy it here. I know it’s a big change from the Park pack, but we’re all excited for you to be here.”
“Thank you, Taehyung-ssi. That’s very kind of you to say.”
“Ah, Jimin-ah,” Taehyung said, nearly whining, as he linked their arms together. “Call me Taehyung-ah or Taehyungie. We’re friends now.”
Jimin blushed but replied, “Okay, Taehyung-ah.”
Even in the dark, Taehyung’s smile was bright. “This hut up here is yours. If hyung is busy tomorrow, I can give you a more proper tour, if you’d like? I can show you around in the light, take you to the school, the farms, the tailor, everything.”
“I will check with Yoongi-ssi, thank you for offering,” Jimin replied as Taehyung guided him towards the front door of the hut.
“I’m sure we’ll see each other at breakfast, so we can talk about it then, ‘kay?” Unlinking their arms, Taehyung continued to smile at Jimin and added before turning away, “Have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You too, Taehyung-ah,” Jimin replied, smiling privately as he turned to face the front door. He internally debated with himself for a few moments over whether he could just walk inside the hut or needed to knock. Deciding that he could probably just walk in, he let one or two knocks fall on the door as he opened it, calling, “Alpha?”
Yoongi walked out of the bathroom, hair dripping wet as he dried it with a towel. “Hey, you’re back.” Jimin smiled and toed off his shoes, sliding off the thick fur he had borrowed. “I hope Tae wasn’t too much? He has a tendency to be,” Yoongi commented with a huff of laughter.
“Taehyung was great,” Jimin replied, finding where Yoongi had taken the fur from before dinner and hanging it back up. “He offered to give me a more proper tour tomorrow, but I wasn’t sure if you had any preference about that?” Jimin asked, standing near the foot of the bed with his hands clasped in front of him. He played absentmindedly with the bandages wrapping his palms.
“I do have a few meetings tomorrow, but I was planning on giving you at least a bit of a tour. Maybe I could join you two until I need to leave for my meetings?”
Jimin smiled and nodded, replying, “I would enjoy that, alpha.”
Yoongi smiled back and headed towards a candle near the door. “Are you ready for bed?”
Jimin stared down at his clothes before deciding to change into something more comfortable, so he rushed to the bathroom with a small pile of clothes. When he returned to the main living area, all of the candles aside from the ones near the bed were extinguished. Jimin hesitated before climbing into the bed, not sure what was expected of him during their first night alone together.
His heart beat a little faster, and he sat against the wooden headboard, knees to his chest as he gripped the fur blankets so tightly his injured hands hurt. Yoongi wasn’t paying attention to him, also sitting up in bed but focused on a paper that he held close to a candle.
Without a glance in his direction, Yoongi murmured, “You smell anxious. What’s wrong?”
Jimin chewed on his lower lip, trying to rein in his bergamot scent. “N-nothing, I was just wondering…uh, what your expectations are for tonight, alpha?”
Yoongi finally tore his gaze away from his paper, expression worried. He set the paper down on the bedside table and turned to face Jimin more fully. “I don’t expect anything. I assume you’re talking about intimacy?” He raised his eyebrows, nodding when Jimin gave him a hesitant nod. “Once we’re both ready for that, then we’ll talk about it. For now, you can just settle into the pack and we can get to know each other. I’ll even sleep on the sofa if you’re uncomfortable sharing a bed for now.”
Jimin hastily shook his head, holding up a placating hand. “No, no, I would never kick you out of your own bed.”
Yoongi smirked and nodded. “Perfect, then let’s just sleep, hm? You look exhausted, and I know I am, too.”
Jimin chewed on his lower lip again, needing to ask one more thing before letting the topic go for the time being. “If that is what you prefer, alpha. Just— Are you not expected to have heirs?”
Yoongi chuckled and assured as he snuck underneath the fur blankets, “Not immediately. I’m still young for my role, am I not? We can wait for pups.”
“O-of course. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Though Yoongi’s response sounded lighthearted, Jimin couldn’t be sure.
“You didn’t offend me, Jimin,” Yoongi murmured, suddenly sounding much more exhausted. “I was teasing.”
Jimin swallowed and breathed, “I understand.” With that, he finally let the topic go and slid underneath the blankets as well, though he felt stiff and anxious, hyperaware of every sound and movement from Yoongi’s side of the bed. The clove scent suddenly surrounding him was warm, almost comforting.
“Goodnight, Jimin,” Yoongi murmured after a few quiet moments.
“Goodnight, alpha,” Jimin whispered back, and luckily, the exhaustion from the journey was enough to make him relax and fall asleep.