Chapter Text
It is a sunny day, and the puffed up clouds make funny shapes in the baby blue sky. The sun’s position indicates that it is noon, the hottest time of the day. It would be unbearable if not for the steady stream of wind that blew in from the southwest. It is a beautiful day, but Jungkook can not admire it for long.
His feet move back and forth at a steady pace, attempting to keep up with the other wolves that run beside him. His body is covered in a fine sheet of sweat, a few droplets falling from his ebony hair and into his eyes. He grits his teeth at the sting, rubbing his eyes for a second. When he opens them, a huge tree is in front of him, knocked sideways across the path. Jungkook makes a sound of surprise, and leaps over the huge plank of wood, feeling the rough material cut into his legs, leaving small scratches.
Jungkook’s heart is beating in erratic movements, sounding like a drum in his ears as he continues to run, feeling exhausted already. The wolves ahead of him have gained a fair amount of distance, he feels dread bloom in him. To make things worse, he can hear a growl from behind him, the leaves rustling. He looks around in a frantic attempt to find anything that could give him an advantage. Up ahead he spots a sturdy looking tree, its branches twisting out to touch other trees, a network.
Jungkook knows he’ll get in trouble, but it’s better than being caught right? He runs to the tree, finding his footing with practiced ease, and beginning to climb. He’s an excellent climber, the best in the pack actually. He proves that by scaling the tree and moving to run across its branches into another tree in only thirty seconds. As he travels from above, he can see the group of wolves still running together, he’s gaining ground slowly. When he is above them finally, he drops back onto the ground, startling a few of the wolves.
“Don’t stop, keep running,” Jungkook urges, ushering the three wolves to follow him.
They rejoin the pack, running to their destination, and Jungkook feels a sliver of worry as he hears the leaves rustle louder, the growls seeming to get closer. It’s no surprise that he’s at the back of the group, struggling to keep up. He sees the finish line ahead, allowing himself to hope he might just make it, he runs and runs as fast as his legs can carry him. When he’s a solid twenty feet from the finish line, a firm weight presses onto his back. He falls onto the forest floor face first, hands coming up just in time to prevent a broken nose, or a broken skull. Growls sound out above him, the wolf looking down at him in disapproval.
“Come on Shram,” Sery, the youngest wolf there, complains.
There’s a whining lilt in his voice, one he always seems to induce into his speech when he believes something is unfair.
“He almost made it, you couldn’t ease up a little?”
The beta wolf growls at the pup in warning, causing Sery to flinch back, looking at the ground in submission. Finally, the wolf leaves him, herding the other wolves back to the dens. Sery doesn’t follow, skipping up to Jungkook, and helping him stand up. The boy is all skin and bone, barely any muscle, but Jungkook appreciates the help all the same. Sery is the youngest brother of his best friend, Hoseok, which is how they know each other.
“Next time you’ll make it, I’m sure of it,” the young wolf assures him, remaining positive as he always does.
Jungkook is not so optimistic himself, this is his fourth time trying to complete the run, and Shram isn’t making it any easier.
“It seems this year is just not my year…again,” Jungkook tries to joke.
Every year, the maturing wolves have to complete a series of tasks to be able to become a full fledged member of the pack. It is a sign of them reaching adulthood. Jungkook has been trying for four years, but he just isn’t as strong as the other wolves. He is only half wolf, and is unable to shift into his wolf form unless it is the full moon.
“The whole climbing trees to catch up to us was really cool, can you teach me?” Sery asked.
Jungkook smiles, allowing himself to feel a little bit of pride at one of his many talents that are frowned upon by the pack.
“I don’t think your mother would like that,” Jungkook cautions.
Hoseok and Sery’s mother is another beta wolf, second-in-command to one of the alphas. She is most often kind and patient, but when it comes to her cubs and their safety, she doesn't joke around. Jungkook wouldn’t be surprised to find his head bitten off if he ever put her youngest cub in danger for something as reckless as tree climbing.
Sery whines then, begging Jungkook, ‘To just teach me a little, please.’ By the time his pleas were over, they reached the dens. Sery’s mother, Zmeya, is waiting for them along with Jungkook's mother, Zasha. They stand side by side, Zmeya’s newest litter playing around at their feet. The two wolves are sisters, born from the same litter of the previous beta wolf, but even though they are closely related, they share little resemblance. Zmeya is a large wolf with fur the color of storm clouds, the texture sleek and coarse. Zasha however, has a coat of fur that looks like fresh fallen snow, fluffier than most wolves. The only thing that marks the two as sisters, is their eyes, dark brown and wide. Those pairs of eyes have the potential to look on in warmth at those they care about, or to sharpen into a razor sharp gaze when the ones they love are in need of protection. Zasha morphs into her human form, reaching out to hug Jungkook close to her as he approaches.
“How was the training?” His mother asks, looking him over to see if he is injured.
She clucks her tongue as she notices the scratches on the backs of Jungkook’s legs.
“I almost made it to the finish, but it’s only because I climbed a tree,” Jungkook admits.
His mother is the only one who never judges him because of his affinity for climbing, and even encourages it. Hoseok would never judge him, but that doesn’t mean he wants to encourage his human-like behavior, more out of fear of what the pack will do if they find out than anything else.
Zasha pulls him away then, Jungkook waving goodbye to Sery who is now in his wolf form, getting groomed by Zmeya. The beta wolf looks at him with suspicion in her eyes, Jungkook is aware she doesn’t like him, only tolerating him at the best of times.
Together they travel through the pack until they reach the omega dens. The pack lives in the side of a small mountain, the caves providing shelter and protection from the spring and winter storms. There are three main dens, the alpha, the beta, and the omega dens. Their den is the largest, seeing as the majority of the pack are classified as omegas, but it is the den most vulnerable to outside attack.
Zasha lays Jungkook down in their nest, soaking a rag in water and wiping off the blood and dirt speckled on his skin.
“There…all done,” his mother says, putting down the cloth and wrapping Jungkook up in their deer skin pelt.
In the pack, nests are made as if they are quilts. Each small family unit hunts for their own game, skinning the animal themselves, and adding the newly finished material to the nest in the dens. Seeing as Zasha is an unmated omega, and Jungkook is a half-breed omega, the two do not have the luxuries others do. Their best catch is a sizable deer, their warmest material. It’s just the two of them, so their nest is rather small. The alphas and betas on the other hand have the pelts of other rival wolves in their dens, keeping them nice and warm throughout the harsh winters.
Zasha fixes up the nest as she listens to Jungkook talk about the run, when he gets to the part about Shram, his mother shakes her head.
“I wish he would not take his anger out on you,” she says, the guilt obvious in her tone.
Shram wanted to mate her once, everyone knows about it. Zasha’s mate and pups died in a blizzard, the same storm that took Jungkook’s real mother. Zasha found him, smelling wolf on him, and decided to raise him as her own.
“You filled my life with a happiness I’d thought I had lost forever,” she told him once.
An omega will not mate with another while their litter is still growing, and Jungkook being half human, grows slower than the wolves. It was no surprise that Shram hates him for getting in the way, but he is glad because he knows the beta does not love his mother.
“I’d rather him take it out on me, than on you,” Jungkook says.
Zasha smiles at him, nuzzling her nose into his neck, scenting him. Jungkook’s sense of smell is sharper than that of a human, but still far below the abilities of a wolf, yet he can still smell his mother’s scent. She smells like the forest after it rains, it’s refreshing, because she always reminds him of springtime.
“You’ll finish the run this year, I can feel it. I’ve been praying to the Moon Goddess,” Zasha says.
After praying for another child to care for and receiving Jungkook, his mother became devoted to their Gods, the Moon Goddess in particular. Jungkook does not respond, only smiling up at his mother. They make their way out of the den and to the large fire burning in the middle of the camp. It’s dinner time and the whole pack is here, minus a few of the alphas and betas who are hunting in the forest. Jungkook spots Hoseok on the other side of the fire, walking up to him. He is sitting beside Zmeya, helping to wrangle in all the wayward pups who are wandering off.
“Jungkookie,” Hoseok says, especially loud for this time of day, causing a few heads to turn in their direction.
Hoseok doesn’t pay them any mind as he tugs Jungkook into a hug.
“I hear you almost passed the run, congratulations,” Hoseok says with a big grin on his face.
The older wolf is the exact opposite of his mother, the easiest way to describe him is that he is a ball of sunshine. Hoseok is always smiling, seeing the positive in things, looking on the brightside. His sunflower scent compliments his personality stunningly, and it’s no surprise to anyone that Sery is his brother, they’re like two peas in a pod.
“But I didn’t pass,” Jungkook says, hugging back after the initial shock.
“You will,” Hoseok says, as if he is really stating a fact, a promise.
The two sit on a log together, talking about their days, and laughing at each other’s jokes. Just as the sun begins to set, their pack Alpha calls their attention to him. He commends the wolves who completed the run earlier in the day, and calls for the dinner to start. Jungkook says goodbye to Hoseok for the time being, the beta promising to bring him a good piece of meat. As an omega, Jungkook and the others will eat last, which is why he goes over to where his mother is sitting and waits. Just as he promised, Hoseok sneaks over and hands Jungkook and his mother a sizable portion of a deer’s thigh. They dig in, Zasha thanking Hoseok, and promising to pray for him during the mating season.
“Did you hear?” Hoseok asks him when the pack settles down, the omegas finally allowed to eat from the huge pile of game by the fire.
Jungkook is unable to eat raw meat, so he impales the piece of thigh on a stick and cooks it by using the fire.
“Hear what?” Jungkook asks without looking away from his food, feeling his stomach growl from hunger.
“Well, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then you must’ve not heard it,” Hoseok says.
Jungkook rolls his eyes at his friend’s games, “Hoseok, you’re the only other wolf I talked to besides my mother, spill.”
“Taehyung is looking for a mate.”
Jungkook furrows his brows, taking his food from the fire and biting into it. It’s juicy and warm, just what he needs after the day he’s had.
“Why is that so surprising? He’s the Alpha’s first born pup, and he’s an alpha as well, it only makes sense he will find a mate at some point.”
“Yes, at some point, but not now. Sluka told me she overheard Taehyung and Alpha fighting last season. She said Taehyung refused to choose a mate, it made Alpha really angry. I wonder why he’s deciding now of all years to join in on the fun.”
Jungkook snorts then, his meal half gone.
“Maybe one of the wolves grew on him, and now he’s ready to court and mate them, you don’t know what’s going on in his personal life. I don’t know if I would call the mating season fun either.”
Hoseok looks at him then with a look Jungkook thinks is a little too close to pity. As a half-breed, he has long since accepted he will probably never have a mate. Seeing as human males are unable to produce children, a trait valued the most in a pack, and Jungkook is unsure if he’s even fertile, it seems likely he’ll never mate. He could mate with one of the infertile omega wolves, for companionship instead of for the sole purpose of reproducing. An older omega wolf at least twenty years his senior named Stary has been eyeing him suspiciously all year, but Jungkook is not interested in the slightest. In fact right now he seems to be staring with purposeful intent at Jungkook and Hoseok, the look of jealousy in his eyes.
“This is big news though,” Hoseok continues, clutching Jungkook’s arm, “we’ll have a new Luna soon.”
Jungkook slaps a hand over Hoseok’s mouth, “Watch what you say beta, or Luna will skin you herself.”
Zmeya is Revnivy’s second-in-command, the only wolf their Luna ever trusts. She’s paranoid that she might be replaced, and is known to get into fights with prettier and younger wolves who come across her. If she heard what Hoseok just said, he would be cast out of the pack. Until the pack Alpha, Bolsho, dies, she is still their Luna.
“Sorry,” Hoseok says, sheepish, “but it is exciting.”
Jungkook sighs, eating the last piece of meat, happy that he’s not still hungry.
“You’re right it is exciting, I’m curious as to who he’ll pick as his mate. I guess I just don’t get as hyped as the rest of you do.”
Hoseok looks at him in confusion, “Hyped?”
Jungkook groans, “It’s a new word I invented.”
Another one of his traits that the pack hates, him making up slang words. Hoseok nods, hurrying to continue the conversation, speculating on who Taehyung will choose. Jungkook listens, not having much to contribute in this type of discussion. When dinner is over, the young pair are forced to separate.
“I’ll meet you tomorrow at sunrise by the Indigirka River,” Hoseok assures him, running off to join his family.
“You can go ahead mother, I’m going to walk around for a little bit,” Jungkook informs her.
Zasha makes him promise he will be back before bedtime, and then he’s walking on his own through the woods. The sun looks orange today, it’s bright light filtering through the leaves, casting shadows over the ground. Jungkook wraps his rabbit skinned coat tighter around his form, the chilly fall air causing him to shiver. Wolves are warmer than humans, built to survive the harsh conditions of the forest, Jungkook is not so fortunate. He gets cold rather easily, but he is able to withstand temperatures that humans cannot.
Finding the right tree is easy, he looks around to make sure he isn’t being watched, and begins to climb when the coast is clear. Wolves don’t look up that often, seeing as their domain is the forest floor, and they have no predators in the trees. If Jungkook can climb into a branch and settle down, he can remain undetected. That’s what he does, as he’s done several times before. He settles on a thick branch and watches the sunset, feeling the wind brush through his hair. The view is even more beautiful up high, he wishes Hoseok would climb with him, but his friend is a wolf to heart.
The sun sinks below the horizon, saying goodbye for the day, and welcoming in the night. Jungkook looks up at the stars, mapping out the constellations with his fingers when he hears a noise from below him. His eyesight isn’t as good as a wolves’, but he can still see well in the dark. He’s surprised to see a wolf making their way out of the brush, carrying a huge stag in its jaws. He thought everyone was back from the hunt. The wolf had midnight black fur, so sleek that it seemed to reflect the moon’s light as if it were a mirror. He can tell even from up high that the wolf is huge, but Jungkook isn’t too worried, no wolf would step into pack territory without their Alpha knowing. This wolf is from his pack, and Jungkook has a sneaking suspicion as to just who it is.
As if knowing he is being watched, Taehyung looks up then, yellow eyes meeting brown eyes. Jungkook feels embarrassed, perched in a tree like a little bird having been caught red handed while staring at the Alpha’s son. Taehyung doesn’t seem to care, observing Jungkook with a blank stare. They study each other for a few seconds, that small amount of time feeling like hours for Jungkook, until Taehyung breaks eye contact. He picks up the stag again, and continues on towards the dens.
Jungkook takes a few minutes to compose himself before he climbs down the tree. He decides to avoid the main area by the campfire, taking a roundabout route and arriving at the omega den. Zasha is waiting for him, making a beaded bracelet.
“I was starting to get worried,” she comments as Jungkook settles in beside her, looking out over the pack.
“Sorry, I ran into a little bit of trouble.”
Zasha lifts one eyebrow, “Do I need to fight someone.”
She says it all calm, having made up her mind to fight anyone who makes her pup uncomfortable a long time ago. Jungkook snorts.
“No Eomma, someone just saw me in a tree is all, but I don’t think he’ll tell.”
“He’d better not,” Zasha says, half joking, half serious.
She ties the strings, completing the bracelet, slipping it onto Jungkook’s wrist.
“For luck,” she says, when Jungkook looks at her in confusion.
Jungkook sighs, running his finger over the painted stones. They sit in silence until they grow tired, making their way into the omega den. They make small talk with the families until it’s time to go to bed, Jungkook cuddling up to Zasha as she morphs into her wolf form, stealing her body heat. When everyone has gone to sleep but him, he stares at the bracelet.
‘I wonder who Taehyung will pick this year,’ is the last thought on his mind before he succumbs to the sweet release of sleep.