Chapter Text
From the first moment they see him, Jungkook is different from any of the other feral omegas that Namjoon and Seokjin have worked with in the past.
He's this calm?
He's... calm when he wants to be. Would you like to meet him now?
The omega is sitting on the couch in the common room where ferals are brought out to be introduced to those seeking to foster them, sometimes even with the intention of making them a part of their pack. His shoulder length hair is wavy, long enough that it's been put up into a half-ponytail, and he is neither bound or gagged, which is unusual. Ferals often are restrained in some way during the first meeting, when it's uncertain how they'll act around alphas who aren't suppressing their scents like the staff are required to.
Jungkook hugs his knees to his chest and blinks round, curious eyes when Seokjin and Namjoon are brought inside the common room, but he otherwise doesn't greet them.
"Jeon Jungkook," the director at the Center had told them while they were in her office, "age 22. He was spotted swimming in a lake by campers, but seeing as how he's in relatively good health, just a little malnourished, it's possible that he's only recently feral."
"He won't tell you what happened?" Namjoon murmured, and the director shook her head.
"He won't talk much at all, but he understands us. He does have moments of aggression, shoving or snapping, but truth be told... I think he's smart enough to realize that his cooperation will get him out of here. The staff who have been working with him say he's like a ghost. When he's brought meals or taken to the showers, he barely reacts to anything. Now," she said, sitting up straighter, "it's important to find him a home soon, since his hormone levels indicate that he's just started preheat."
"Ah." Seokjin drew in a shaky breath. "So we won't have much time to work with him before his heat hits."
"That's correct," the director said. She had fixed them both with a stern look, as if she needed to convey how serious the situation was. But all it took was briefly exchanged glances, and Seokjin and Namjoon knew what their decision would be.
The last two feral omegas that they rehabilitated were a pair, Jimin and Taehyung, and in a way it was harder to get them to open up when they felt like they only had each other. Jimin was especially protective of the omega he considered his soulmate, but over time, they both learned to trust the alpha couple and submit, so that their synced heats weren't a painful experience for them.
But Jungkook presumably had no one, out in the wild. And now, after stepping into the common room and seeing how hunched his posture is, as if trying to make himself small, Seokjin is struck with the instinctual need to help this omega. He knows that Namjoon feels it too.
Seokjin approaches Jungkook first with his calm, lightly floral scent and his kind smile, crouching down on the floor next to the couch. Jungkook's eyes immediately widen at the sight of the alpha not only next to him, but lower than him, too.
"Hello, Jungkook-ssi. My name is Seokjin, I'm your hyung. Can you understand me?"
Jungkook hesitates for just a moment, but then he nods.
Seokjin's smile brightens. "That's good. A sweet omega as smart as you... you probably already know that we'd like to take you home and give you a safe place to stay, don't you?"
Jungkook blinks. He licks his dry lips, so visibly wary, and his voice comes out as a low mumble when he asks, "Safe?"
There's a sharp twist in Seokjin's chest, because Jungkook says the word with so much disbelief, like he can't comprehend the concept of safety for himself, and for his situation.
He says it like Seokjin just suggested something impossible.
"Yes, safe. A room of your own with a bed, a place to nest. Food for whenever you're hungry. Do you know what settling is, Jungkook-ah?"
He shakes his head after a moment, his half-ponytail bouncing when he does.
Did someone else put his hair up for him, or did he choose that himself? Maybe Jungkook refused to have his longer hair cut when he was brought in. It suits his sweet face and his pretty eyes, anyway.
"Settling," Namjoon says, finally stepping forward, and Jungkook's eyes widen again as he takes in the taller alpha, shrinking back slightly even if he listens attentively to his deep voice, "is something that we do to help your instincts feel more at ease, feel like you're part of a pack, and not fighting to survive on your own. The director said that you have trouble sleeping at night and being around others during the day. Seokjin-hyung and I don't know what you've been through, but... we've helped omegas like you before. Given them a safe space to stay without expectations, without having to worry about providing for yourself. A place to learn and heal, if you let us take you home."
Jungkook doesn't respond for a few long moments. Maybe he's trying to absorb the words, or maybe he's just waiting for his instincts to tell him if the alphas are lying to him or not. Seokjin is about to open his mouth when the omega finally whispers, "If I let you... My choice?"
"Yes," Seokjin answers, smiling softly again. "It's your choice. The purpose of fostering is to help you find stability as you recover from being on your own — no one's going to force you to stay with wolves that you don't feel comfortable around."
Seokjin wonders, briefly, how much Jungkook has already been told. The Center doesn't try to hide from the omegas what purpose they are brought in and looked after for, but some ferals need time to adjust before they're informed.
It's just an unfortunate reality, that so many omegas either run away or are born into feral communities, to the point where birth rates had started to go down in society, and thus rehabilitation centers started popping up.
Ferals get lost in their most basic instincts out in the wild, and so the centers seek out foster alphas and betas who can train feral omegas through their natural hierarchy as wolves, and bring out a more confident, more human side of the omega as a result.
If Jungkook was living out there as a lone wolf even for a short time, it's likely that his instincts are craving structure and guidance and praise, whether he realizes it yet or not.
"Do you need more time, Jungkook-ssi?" the director asks, and Jungkook draws in a shaky breath, only glancing over to her briefly before he meets Seokjin's eyes.
"I won't be a slave," Jungkook says quietly.
Seokjin isn't sure if it's meant to be a question or not, but he still answers, "No, you won't."
"We will never do anything against your will," Namjoon says firmly, and Jungkook blinks his round eyes, looking back and forth at the two of them.
"No," he says, and Seokjin's stomach sinks, but Jungkook's lips twitch with something that could almost be a smile, a glimmer of something bright in his eyes.
Hope?
"I don't need any more time to decide, director-nim. I- I want to go with them."
—
The Center ends up tying Jungkook's wrists together anyway, handing the end of the rope to Namjoon like it's some kind of leash, but if Jungkook is bothered by it, he doesn't let it show on his face.
Whatever fear of being a slave that Jungkook has from his past, it must not be triggered simply by being restrained.
The three alphas stepped away for paperwork and a review of Jungkook's medical information, like vaccinations and results from the tests that the Center did after he was brought in. Once everything is in order, Seokjin and Namjoon are free to take him home.
Jungkook is silent, although Seokjin doesn't miss how he flinches when they pass by people outside, going to wait for their driver. He wordlessly draws Jungkook in closer to his side, his hand gently resting at the small of Jungkook's back, and the omega lets out a shaky breath.
"You can communicate with us if you're feeling afraid or overwhelmed, you know," Seokjin murmurs. "I understand what a stressful situation this is for you, being captured and then given away like a pet, but—"
"I'm happy to be leaving," Jungkook says, and then he turns away as if realizing that he shouldn't have interrupted the alpha.
"Were they mistreating you?" Seokjin asks quietly. He doesn't think the Center would ever outright abuse the omegas they take in, when everything is monitored so carefully, but if there was even one staff member making Jungkook feel unsafe...
Jungkook shakes his head no, but he also doesn't elaborate. Seokjin exchanges a heavy look with Namjoon as their car pulls up, deciding not to push the subject with Jungkook — he's surprised at how much the omega has said already, when they're still essentially strangers to him.
Although the drive back to their estate is quiet, Jungkook remains tense, seated between the two alphas in the back. His hands are now unbound — Namjoon's doing, because Jungkook wasn't showing any signs of aggression — but Seokjin's murmurs of where they're headed and how much longer their drive will be don't seem to do anything to put the omega at ease.
So Seokjin cheats, a little bit.
One of Namjoon's most valuable alphan traits is his voice. It's obvious just from listening to him talk, and paired with his intense gaze and the confident set of his shoulders when he stands tall, Namjoon can easily command attention and coax submission even from other alphas.
For Seokjin, it's his scent.
He's spent years honing his control over his scent, after realizing how rare it was to be an alpha with a scent that's soft and floral, more on the nurturing side, and quick to soothe like omegan scents are. As important as scent is to wolves, and with how much depends on the subtle, involuntary changes that come from certain emotions, Seokjin felt it was important to learn how to control his scent at will.
He taps into some of that control now to send out calming pheromones, more than what an alpha would normally be able to release, and after a few slow breaths, Jungkook's shoulders slump, his eyes sliding shut too.
Namjoon meets Seokjin's eyes over Jungkook's head, arching an eyebrow. Seokjin blinks innocently back at his mate.
It only takes a couple of minutes for Jungkook to fall asleep, and Seokjin's chest pangs with the knowledge that, to be out that fast, Jungkook must have been exhausted.
"It's very likely that his wolf is still in survival mode, you know, fight-or-flight," Namjoon murmurs, both of them glancing at Jungkook after he slumps down enough to lean his head on Seokjin's shoulder, his breathing still steady. "Sure, his pulse might be steady enough so as not to alert the doctors who examined him back at the Center... but his instincts could still be feeling that sense of panic. It could also be why his scent is heavily suppressed right now."
Seokjin purses his lips together. He noticed that too — while some ferals have no control over their scent at all, leaving them with heavy scents that fluctuate with their volatile emotions, Jungkook's is almost completely hidden. Just the smallest trace of musk, something their senses can barely pick up on, but enough to indicate from scent alone that he is an omega.
"Nesting should help," Seokjin whispers, careful not to move too much and jostle Jungkook awake when they have half an hour left of their drive.
His instincts are still highly protective, as is expected for the first few days of taking in a new omega. It's important to never fully lose control to their wolves, with what they do, but it's still nice to feel the alpha's satisfaction at the omega responding to his soothing pheromones, leaning into his side.
When they finally arrive home, Jungkook jerks awake from the sound of the car door opening, eyes blinking open as he takes in where they are. Seokjin rubs a hand down his back in what he hopes is a steadying gesture before they leave the car.
(But Seokjin doesn't miss Namjoon's slight disappointment at not having an excuse to carry a sleeping Jungkook inside, now — something that Namjoon's alpha would've enjoyed very much.)
Jungkook steps out of the car, takes one look at their house, and rasps out, "Holy shit."
Seokjin lets himself laugh a genuine laugh, loud and squeaking. He was expecting next to nothing, after the Center explained that Jungkook preferred to be nonverbal. Hearing him swear now is refreshing.
"It might seem like too much space for just two people, but we do plan to settle down eventually and start a proper pack," Namjoon explains as they walk toward the house. "The wooded area you see extends for a while, it's part of our property too. When you're feeling more comfortable with your wolf, you'll be allowed to go running if you want."
Seokjin is watching Jungkook closely enough to catch the way his breath hitches, hearing those words.
"I wouldn't advise trying to shift and run away now," Seokjin adds, and Jungkook's eyes widen slightly with surprise, but not guilt. It has Seokjin wondering if Jungkook was even thinking about that or not. "Namjoon's wolf enjoys the hunt too much... and he hasn't lost a chase yet."
Jungkook finally tears his gaze away from the woods, stepping into the house with them. They show him where to put his shoes, and point out the kitchen and the bathroom on the first floor as Jungkook takes in the clean, open spaces; the bookshelves and the pieces of art.
The omega's eyes remain wide, following the alphas from room to room, even though it's just a brief tour. Seokjin catches him tilting his head at the sensors on the doors that go outside, and explains, "You aren't trapped inside here, but... if you try to leave, we'll be alerted."
"The security system is standard, even just for catching deer coming up to the house to eat hyung's cabbage plants," Namjoon adds with a little smile. "We want you to be safe, and here you have food and shelter, Jungkook-ah. Do you understand?"
The omega nods, stepping back from the door. He doesn't seem surprised, either because he got used to being monitored at the Center, or maybe because he remembers things about his life — security cameras are commonplace, after all — from before he was feral.
Seokjin has so many questions, but he knows it'll be a while before he can ask them and expect to receive answers. He knows as a caretaker that it's irresponsible to overwhelm Jungkook by asking for so much information right away, when the omega hasn't given it even after weeks inside the Center.
It's better to let Jungkook adjust first, and usually the answers to their questions come up naturally. They have time.
Jungkook glances over to the kitchen again, and Seokjin is smiling when he asks,
"Mm, are you hungry? Let me treat you to my cooking, little one."
—
Things go surprisingly smoothly for the first day.
Jungkook remains silent for the most part, but he does listen to them and even nod occasionally in acknowledgment to their questions or explanations. He eats well, too. Seokjin was worried that the feral omega wouldn't trust food made for him so readily, or try to hoard it instead of eating with them. But maybe Jungkook is just too hungry for home-cooked food to care, because he lets Seokjin serve him extra portions and cutely bobs his head, cheeks full, when Namjoon asks him if the food is good.
There is technology around the house that Jungkook will have access to eventually — their television and gaming systems, a tablet, even his own phone. But recently feral, living out on his own for who knows how long, they don't see the need to introduce Jungkook to things that will only overwhelm him.
Seokjin shows him to his bedroom when he notices that Jungkook's eyes are drooping in exhaustion, this time without the influence of any calming pheromones. They walk up the stairs together and Seokjin pushes open the door but waits in the hall, watching Jungkook go still in the doorway as he peers inside the room.
"The door doesn't lock, although if you tell us not to enter, we'll respect that unless we think your safety is at risk."
Again, Jungkook doesn't look particularly upset or surprised at those words. His gaze is fixed on the bed, so Seokjin decides to bring up nesting, hoping that Jungkook will already know what that is.
"You can nest however you like, Jungkook-ah. There are more pillows and blankets in the closet just there, as well as some clothes folded in the drawers that you can wear until we're able to go shopping for you. Our bedroom is the one at the end of the hall, like I showed you, and our door won't be locked either. You can come to us for anything, at any time."
Seokjin and Namjoon discussed that earlier, briefly, but they both came to the same conclusion. Their instincts tell them that Jungkook isn't dangerous enough to attack them when their guard is down, so they're willing to let him move around the house freely. To them, the risk is worth Jungkook not feeling like a prisoner from the start.
Jungkook glances around the room and swallows. There's a troubled look on his face, both longing and uncertainty, and Seokjin gently asks, "Is there anything else you need?"
Jungkook finally turns to meet Seokjin's eyes. "I can shower? In the— bathroom you showed me?"
"Yes, there's soap and shampoo and everything in there already. Do you need a hand...?"
Jungkook shakes his head, stuttering out, "I- I know how, I can do it. But... but thank you, alpha."
Seokjin's stomach clenches at the title. As much as his instincts like the sound of the omega referring to him like that, he says softly, "You can call us hyung if you'd feel more comfortable doing that, Jungkook-ah."
Jungkook doesn't respond, instead looking back to the bed, so Seokjin leaves him in hopes that Jungkook will start to nest or go through the clothes or— or something, to feel like less of a stranger in this space.
It's already such a big thing, that he hasn't had a burst of aggression or snarled away any of their light touches yet. It's already huge that he ate at the table with them, quiet but trusting the food that Seokjin made.
Seokjin isn't naïve enough to think that it will stay that easy, but he has hope that Jungkook might start to come out of his shell. Seeking comfort and guidance, seeking affection as his heat approaches and his body recognizes that the alphas can help him.
—
They give Jungkook his privacy that night to get used to his new room, since he has no noted injuries or conditions that they need to monitor. It doesn't stop Seokjin from listening out for the sound of the running shower, though, and the creeping footsteps of Jungkook going back to the bedroom, moving around for a while before it's silent.
Seokjin and Namjoon sleep restlessly, waking a few times during the night, but that's how it usually goes when they have a new omega in the house. They share tired smiles and Namjoon leans over to nuzzle at Seokjin's shoulder around 5 a.m., after a security camera check reassures them that Jungkook is still safe in his room, and they fall back asleep for a few more hours.
Later that morning, Seokjin enters Jungkook's room after his soft knocks are met with a soft omegan chirp, an instinctual call that tugs at Seokjin's deepest instincts to care for him.
He finds Jungkook hiding underneath the bed.
Seokjin's heart clenches.
The sheets on the bed are immaculate, as if they haven't been touched at all. Underneath the bed, Seokjin can see a blanket around Jungkook's shoulders, at least, and that he's hugging a plush rabbit that he must have found with the nesting supplies in the closet.
Seokjin crouches down to the floor, careful not to get too close and spook the wide eyes that stare out at him.
"Little one," he calls, extending his hand slightly. "What are you doing under there?"
Jungkook blinks. Either he chooses not to answer, or going off the sound of his chirp, he's in a headspace where he can't answer, fully nonverbal and relying on his omega now to communicate his needs.
So Seokjin calls out for Namjoon.
The other alpha is there in seconds, still shirtless, only in the sweatpants that he slept in. He runs his fingers through his hair and crouches down once he spots where Seokjin is looking, rasping out an awed, "Oh, hyung. Look at him."
Jungkook chirps again, maybe in response to Namjoon's voice. It's understandable — his voice is the reason that Seokjin called him in to help.
"Was he under there the whole night...?"
"I can only assume so," Seokjin murmurs. "The bed is still made. He went through the extra nesting supplies, at least, but—"
"We can offer him the guest room closer to ours, with the canopy bed. Maybe his instincts just need a darker, covered space to feel safe?"
Seokjin nods. And then he braces himself when Namjoon says in a deep voice, rumbling and powerful, "Come on out, sweet omega, you're safe here. Alphas aren't going to hurt you."
Even as an alpha himself, even after years of being mated to Namjoon, the command in his Alpha Voice still tugs in Seokjin's own gut.
Jungkook whines, slowly crawling out with the plush bunny still tucked under his arm, the blanket around his shoulders. His hair is messy but he smells clean, like he did shower last night, and just didn't dry or brush his hair afterward.
"That's it, come here," Namjoon purrs. An instinctual kind of warmth blooms in Seokjin's chest as he watches the omega nose at Namjoon's outstretched hand, and then scent his wrist next, before finally curling up next to the bed, holding the plushie close to his chest.
"Did you get any sleep, little one?" Namjoon asks gently, and Jungkook just blinks, as though it takes him a while to process the words.
He gives a small nod.
"Were you under there to hide from something, or did you feel unsafe last night...?" Namjoon asks slowly, but this time, Jungkook's stare is blank. He doesn't answer even after several long seconds, so Namjoon exchanges a look with Seokjin, and then stands up. He holds out his hand to Jungkook, and Seokjin can see how the tension in Namjoon's jaw melts away when Jungkook noses at the alpha's wrist again.
"We'd like to take you downstairs to eat, if that's okay. You can bring your things, the blanket and the rabbit, but you should be eating regular meals, sweetheart."
tokki? Jungkook echoes in a low voice, and Seokjin smiles, still crouched down on the floor.
"Yes, you can bring the bunny. Do you like eggs? Maybe some eggs and rice and meat, we have kimchi too..."
"Go ahead," Namjoon tells Seokjin, and when Seokjin glances up to him, Namjoon is smiling warmly, eyes curved with it. "I'll bring him down when he's ready."
'Ready' ends up being just a few minutes later, and this time Namjoon gets his alpha's wish of carrying Jungkook down to the kitchen, piggybacked, with the omega still clutching the stuffed toy under his arm.
In general, it's not unusual for feral behavior to present in this way, with Jungkook acting almost childlike as he relies on his instincts, seeking basic comfort and communicating with as few words as possible. The fact he spent the night in a cramped, dark space with who knows what kinds of worries floating through Jungkook's head before he got to this point... Seokjin is just glad that he's cooperating with them now at all.
Seokjin puts the dishes on the table when the food is ready and Jungkook chooses to sit on Namjoon's lap, letting the alpha feed him at first, lips parting obediently for the bites of food that Namjoon gives him.
(Namjoon barely eats himself, and Seokjin smiles. Namjoon can eat later if he's still hungry, but right now it must feel more important to focus on Jungkook's well-being.)
"Do you want your own chair?" Seokjin asks Jungkook, even knowing that Namjoon's alpha must be deeply enjoying the closeness. Seokjin and Namjoon don't have to pretend with each other that there isn't an element of selfishness in their choice to foster feral omegas. Their instincts crave caring for vulnerable omegas and teaching them to feel safe, to be open with their needs and wants.
Even before bringing sex or discipline into it at all, they get a visceral sense of satisfaction in helping omegas that need guidance, but even more than that, need a pack. Jungkook trusting Namjoon enough now to be so close to him and be fed by him must have Namjoon's instincts glowing with pride.
Jungkook considers Seokjin's question, and then licks his lips and shakes his head no. As an afterthought, he sets the plush toy in an empty chair next to him, and then leans more comfortably into the arm that Namjoon has wrapped around his waist.
Although Seokjin aches to find out what triggered Jungkook to start behaving like this... he can still admit how cute the omega is.
Seokjin will be happy to see him gain some weight with regular meals, but he has a handsomely youthful face, with round eyes and hair that falls softly over his forehead, with lips that curve prettily in the rare moments that he smiles.
But then... it's also the way he makes himself small in Namjoon's arms, humming contentedly at how good the food is, and occasionally getting shy when they ask him questions. He's so achingly sweet that it's hard not to feel a dark little sense of gratitude, that they found Jungkook to foster before another alpha or beta could.
Although the Center is thorough with their background checks, not everyone uses the same methods to foster and rehabilitate ferals. They've heard talk of how some alphas are undeniably harsher, forcing submission, or how some keep the omegas at a distance, everything more impersonal. But Seokjin and Namjoon pride themselves on building trust and making sure their omegas understand how important their consent is, to help protect them in the future as well.
After eating, Namjoon carries Jungkook over to the couch in their den, letting him settle there with his plush rabbit and a blanket from the back of the couch. Seokjin sits nearby after a silent agreement with Namjoon not to leave Jungkook alone.
"I have some calls I have to make for work, sweetheart, I'll be a few hours. But Jin-hyung will watch over you and keep you safe, alright?"
Jungkook only pouts for a minute or so after watching Namjoon leave. He yawns and shifts on the couch, and then Seokjin freezes when the omega turns to him and leans in, tucking his nose right up against the scent gland on Seokjin's neck.
It's a shockingly intimate place to scent with someone that he's only known for a day. But then again, Jungkook is running purely on instinct right now. His nose brushes over the skin, drawing in shaky breaths, and Seokjin keeps his scent steady and comforting, smiling slowly when Jungkook's body starts to slump into his side.
"You can nap now if you'd like," Seokjin tells him in a warm voice, watching as Jungkook's eyes grow heavy. He picks up the stuffed bunny from behind Jungkook on the couch and places it into his arms, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders as well. Jungkook is only in a t-shirt and sweatpants — maybe they'll have to keep the house warmer until he's comfortable wearing more layers, since it's getting into the chilly autumn months.
"It might seem like your body wants to sleep too much now, but that's just part of the healing process. The more rest you get, the less you'll feel on edge, like you don't have the energy you need to protect yourself..."
Seokjin trails off with a soft smile, realizing that Jungkook is already asleep, cheek pillowed on the alpha's shoulder.
───────
When Jungkook wakes up four hours later, he's alone.
He tries to swallow back the panicked whine that wants to spill from his lips.
Already, just sitting up and looking around the room, things feel less fuzzy than before. Jungkook almost misses the simplicity of giving over fully to his wolf, taking his comfort in the fact he isn't overthinking his behavior and just doing, but at the same time... the lack of clarity in those moments scares him.
No one will ever really know how scared Jungkook was living out in the woods, and not just because he was fighting to survive or resisting being spotted and captured. But because there's so much that he just doesn't remember as the wolf — only wisps of memories, the details just out of reach, and vague feelings that he struggles to connect to specific events.
Maybe that's why he didn't fight back when he was taken to the Center, as much as he dreaded being around people again. What kind of life was he really living, when he wasn't stopping to think and process things, but only living through his senses and that strong instinct to survive?
Things feel less fuzzy now, although it's never quite as simple as just waking up from that instinctual mental state. Jungkook lifts his head from the soft belly of the rabbit plush and searches around the room for one of the alphas, that feeling of panic growing when he doesn't spot them.
They said they'd keep me safe. They said—
"Jungkook-ah?" Seokjin calls out, and Jungkook freezes, eyes widening at the sight of the handsome alpha stepping back into the room.
His scent is heavier somehow — Jungkook suspects that the more stressed out he is, the more Seokjin projects his own scent to soothe the omega — and Jungkook breathes in the calming sweetness of it, soft and floral, familiar now in the same way that Namjoon's warm, hazelnutty scent is familiar, since this is their home.
"Hyung," Jungkook lets himself call back, although his voice comes out gravelly from disuse. "Gone. You were..." he trails off, feeling a spike of panic at the memory of waking up alone.
Seokjin looks surprised for a moment, and then his eyebrows knit together in concern as he moves over to the couch. He settles down next to Jungkook again, and the omega lets out a sigh of relief, shyly leaning in to breathe in more of Seokjin's scent.
"I'm sorry, I just stepped away for a few minutes to help Namjoon with something. I didn't think you would wake up, otherwise I wouldn't have left you alone," Seokjin murmurs with his lips pursed into a little pout. "You're talking, though... how are you feeling?"
Jungkook flushes at the vague memories from earlier. Even if he knows the alphas weren't bothered by the behavior, still, all the chirping and nuzzling... sitting on Namjoon's lap and letting himself be fed...
"Feel okay," Jungkook mumbles. When he doesn't say anything else, Seokjin pats Jungkook's knee and gives him a smile before saying,
"Come on, let's go to the kitchen for lunch. You can sit while I figure out what to make, hm?"
Jungkook nods and stands up to trail after Seokjin, ignoring the nervous flutter in his belly from the way that Seokjin smiles at him. The alpha glances back to the couch, telling him that he can bring the bunny with him as an afterthought, but Jungkook just shakes his head.
"Are you sure? You don't have to feel embarrassed if it brings you comfort."
"I- I'm okay leaving it here now." His haze is starting to fully clear, words coming to him easier. "I might, um... I might take it back to my room later, though."
Seokjin just smiles at him like he said the right thing.
After looking around the kitchen, the alpha decides to prepare the ingredients to roll gimbap, and Jungkook sits at a bar stool at the kitchen counter and watches in fascination at how smoothly Seokjin cooks and chops the food.
He mostly talks about himself, and about food. Jungkook listens and follows his words as well as he can, offering the occasional "ah?" or "mm" in response to Seokjin's anecdotes. He even lets himself snicker when Seokjin explains how Namjoon struggles in the kitchen.
"With his model-like proportions and big brain, it's only fair that there's something he isn't good at, right?"
"Um, right," Jungkook agrees, and Seokjin laughs brightly.
Seokjin told him before to call them hyung, and right now, that's really how it feels. Like he's talking to a hyung, and not to a strong alpha who could easily overpower him, after two years of Jungkook doing everything he could to keep away from alphas.
It's a good feeling, that his omega is so comfortable with them. Much better than the Center. But it's still strange.
"Jungkook-ah, last night," Seokjin finally says after a lull in the conversation, his voice gone softer, more serious. "What made you hide under the bed?"
Jungkook swallows, glancing down at his hands. "It's not— it wasn't about you, specifically. I don't feel afraid of either of you," he adds in a hoarse voice. "But... the top of the bed just felt too exposed. Not safe. My, uh, my wolf was used to burrowing, the dens I stayed in were always dug out or- or underground, or in a dark cave, so..."
"That's perfectly understandable," Seokjin says, gently touching Jungkook's shoulder. "Thank you for explaining it. Namjoon and I, we have another room upstairs, and the bed has heavy curtains you can draw around it if you need it to be dark, or need to feel hidden and protected. Do you want to try sleeping on that bed instead tonight?"
Jungkook blinks at Seokjin. His stomach twists unpleasantly at the idea of offending them for rejecting the place they gave him to stay. This isn't permanent, an unpleasant voice whispers inside his head, they can return you if you're too difficult.
"But- but you already gave me a room—"
"We have multiple available rooms just for this purpose, sweetheart," Seokjin says with a smile that doesn't look like he's secretly upset. "You're free to use any of them until we find a place where you can feel safe, all on your own."
"Okay," Jungkook whispers, pushing his fears of them abandoning him aside.
Once the ingredients are ready, Seokjin pulls clear plastic gloves over Jungkook's hands and shows him how to roll gimbap, leaning close enough that his pleasant scent fills Jungkook's senses. His stomach flutters, too, when Namjoon joins them several moments later, giving Jungkook a warm look when he sees that the omega is talking and helping Seokjin.
(The memory of the way Namjoon's deep voice rumbled through his whole body this morning lingers, and Jungkook tries to ignore it, even if he sits up a little straighter whenever Namjoon speaks.)
—
The rest of the day is spent with Jungkook being shown around to the other parts of the house, including the room that serves as Namjoon's office (which smells good since Namjoon spends so much time there, but otherwise Jungkook doesn't have much interest in that space), their small home gym, and the sliding door that leads to the back patio.
That evening, Seokjin decides to grill meat outside, since the weather is so nice. He lets Jungkook sit on the back patio with him, glancing over occasionally to check on him, but Jungkook remains where he is on one of the lower wooden steps, feet bare so he can rest them on the grass, just breathing in the outdoor smells.
"What are you thinking about?" Seokjin asks, when Jungkook has been staring out toward the woods for several minutes, watching the leaves move with the wind.
Jungkook doesn't answer right away. What is he thinking about? Everything and nothing. Two years of darting through the trees in wolf form and bringing back fish to cook over a fire, and then running until his legs gave out when he caught the scent of other wolves.
The woods were home, then, but also just a different kind of cage, when Jungkook knew what would eventually happen if he wandered away from the cover of dense forest.
"Over— over there," Jungkook finally says, turning to meet Seokjin's eyes. "If alpha is with me, can I go there?"
Seokjin blinks. "In the woods? Eventually, yes... but it's still too soon. You understand why, don't you? Being immersed in that environment when you're still relapsing to your wolf state in order to feel safe... It's too risky right now. Namjoon and I, we're trying to help you find that balance of your instincts and your human mind. That takes practice, and healing from the things you experienced before you were driven feral."
Jungkook bites at his lip. Seokjin's words make sense, they do.
But it's still not the answer that he wants to hear. How can he explain it to the alpha? His wolf aches to be there. It's not like he's a child that can't handle being told no. There's a deep pull inside him like the trees themselves are calling to him, and maybe the worst part is that Jungkook thinks Seokjin is right.
He knows that he doesn't have the control to stop the wolf from taking over again, if his instincts decide that's what he needs. In a way, giving in is admitting defeat, taking two steps backward, but...
But his wolf is a part of him, too. He can't ignore that.
Jungkook stands, brushing off his hands on his t-shirt. The smell of cooking meat has his mouth filling with saliva already, and he asks, "Do you need any help, hyung-nim?"
Seokjin stares at him for a few long seconds, and then finally smiles. "Mm, can you grab me another plate? And go check on Namjoon and the rice," he adds with a wink, since he was teasing Namjoon earlier about being particularly adept at using a rice cooker.
Jungkook huffs out something close to a laugh, toeing his slippers back on and going inside, leaving the trees behind.
—
Dinner goes well, and Jungkook being shown his new room with the canopy bed goes well, and yet—
The woods call out to him in a way that Jungkook isn't strong enough to ignore.
He hides behind the curtains of his new bed, plush rabbit and blanket with him, the beginnings of what could be considered a nest, once this bed feels more like his own.
Nesting never even occurred to him in the Center. Not with the small, clinical bed devoid of any scent, a single pillow and blanket, a room that was temperature-controlled so he wouldn't need more than that. Jungkook never could have felt safe enough to nest there, not even if his omega had begged him to.
He wants to feel safe here. But it doesn't stop him from waiting until he thinks Seokjin and Namjoon have fallen asleep, and then quietly sneaking out of his bedroom.
Later, Jungkook will remember what Seokjin said about the doors having sensors, about the fact that the alphas are most certainly sent notifications to their phones when Jungkook unlocks and slides open the door to the back patio.
Right now, Jungkook is too distracted by the restless itch under his skin, so close to shifting again for the first time since he's been caught.
He steps out into the grass and closes his eyes, his pulse kicking up as the cool wind blows through his hair, enough of a chill to leave his skin covered in goosebumps when he takes his t-shirt off. He's about to push down his pants next when he hears the patio door, and before Jungkook can even turn around, he catches a burst of scent from the broader alpha, and Namjoon has a strong arm around him, holding Jungkook's body to his chest.
It happens so quickly, Jungkook is shocked by the alpha's speed and strength.
"Easy," Namjoon rumbles out — not his Alpha Voice, not yet, not commanding him to obey. But his voice is still deep, rough from sleep. "Easy, just breathe."
The forest—
Jungkook suddenly feels trapped, captured, and he hates it. It's wrong, when the trees are so close, why is the alpha stopping him? He jerks in Namjoon's arms and snarls, trying to wrestle free, only for Namjoon to hold him tighter, as if Jungkook is now fighting steel.
How can he be so strong?
"Calm down," Namjoon tells him, and this time it is a command, and Jungkook shudders, wolf whimpering inside, his head tipping back to instinctively show his throat. Namjoon huffs and lowers them both to the grass, pinning Jungkook there, nose dragging gently over the vulnerable stretch of Jungkook's bare neck.
Jungkook's thoughts are a mess, half-feral, but Namjoon repeats that one instruction, Breathe, and so Jungkook lets go of the fiery need inside of him to keep struggling, and he breathes.
Warm, sweet hazelnut fills his lungs. Namjoon noses at Jungkook's scent gland, although Jungkook doesn't know why, since there isn't really anything to smell there, with his scent still dormant.
"Were you trying to run away?" Namjoon asks after a few minutes, and Jungkook whines. His wolf likes that he's belly-up for the alpha right now, torso exposed, but Jungkook is frustrated that he's still pinned and can't arch up to nose back at Namjoon's scent gland. "Omega."
"Not run away," he pants out. Namjoon finally leans down, and it feels like being rewarded, the way his nose can now reach Namjoon's scent gland, greedily breathing him in.
The alpha is upset, tense, but not angry. Worried...
"Needed to shift," Jungkook mumbles.
"Seokjin-hyung mentioned it, but we didn't think you'd sneak off at night to do it. I think... your wolf recognizes the forest as refuge, with how long you spent surviving out there, huh? But you have a home now, sweet one," Namjoon tells him. It's intimidating to meet the alpha's dark gaze head-on, but there's warmth there, too. Concern. His words float around in the haze inside Jungkook's mind.
Home?
"You need to stay human long enough for your wolf to realize that you're safe here. Just try to do that for us, okay?"
Jungkook doesn't know if he really has a choice, but he slowly nods anyway.
There is still a part of him that aches to shift, but now he knows that Seokjin wasn't exaggerating at Namjoon being able to catch him no matter what.
And there's a part of him that wants to run just to be caught, the thrill of challenging the alpha and being hunted down by someone worthy enough to submit to, being overpowered...
But it makes Jungkook's cheeks hot to think about, so he ignores those urges.
Namjoon helps Jungkook up and leads him back inside, up to his new bedroom. He pulls a new shirt and pair of shorts in Jungkook's size out from one of the drawers, since the grass outside that they were lying on was slightly damp.
Namjoon turns around to give Jungkook privacy as he changes, but he doesn't leave.
A strange relief, hot and achy, floods Jungkook's belly when Namjoon says, "I'd like you to sleep in bed with us tonight."
Jungkook never suspects that Namjoon is referring to anything other than sleep. His posture and the steady calmness of his scent both tell Jungkook that it will just be sleep, and he realizes how much he wants that. Maybe even needs it.
Jungkook can't yet scent his pillows and blankets so that his nest feels like a safe space for him, but Seokjin and Namjoon's bed is intoxicatingly drenched in their scents, more musk than the soft coffee-and-tea scent that they usually make. But Jungkook likes that.
(He wonders, briefly, if that musk is so heavy because they have sex here, and the heat that flashes inside of him is so strong, he immediately pushes those thoughts aside before his blush gives him away.)
They smell good, anyway, and he trusts them.
Seokjin is already sitting up in bed when Namjoon brings Jungkook inside, leading the omega over to Seokjin as Namjoon disappears into the bathroom, maybe to wash up after also lying in the grass.
"Jungkook-ah," Seokjin says, tugging the omega in close, smoothing a hand over his back. He looks so strikingly handsome, even in the middle of the night like this. "You scared us."
Jungkook swallows. He deserves this, to be chided like a child, doesn't he? For going against Seokjin's words earlier?
"I'm sorry, hyung-nim," he whispers.
"Sorry that you got caught?" Seokjin asks with raised eyebrows, and Jungkook's own eyes widen. His stomach sinks.
"No, I—"
But then Seokjin is laughing. Laughing?
"Come here," Seokjin beckons, patting the bed until Jungkook settles onto the mattress next to him, letting Seokjin pull him into his side. Accepting their touches comes easily to him like this, with his instincts still so close to the surface, a shamelessness to seek comfort in any way they'll offer it.
"There are worse things that a recovering feral omega could do than sneak out at night to shift in our yard. We're not angry with you, so please don't look so tense."
"We'll start working on settling tomorrow," Namjoon says, stepping back into the bedroom. He does smell cleaner, his broad chest still bare as he gets into bed on the other side, so that Jungkook is now sitting against the headboard between them.
He starts to blush without fully understanding why.
"Learning to trust what we're trying to teach you, that it's all to help you, over what your wolf thinks you need... it's not an easy process. That's okay," Seokjin says with a gentle smile.
Namjoon hums, eyes sliding shut. Jungkook realizes now how tired they look, both woken up from sleep from his sneaking out, and they weren't taking long naps yesterday like he was, either.
"I'm sorry," Jungkook repeats, swallowing when his voice comes out hoarse. "Not- not just for getting caught. I'm sorry for waking you up and making you worry..."
"You can make it up to us by being here in the morning, hmm?" Namjoon teases, and Jungkook finally slides down to settle under the covers as they do, curling on his side to face Seokjin, while Seokjin sleeps on his back.
"Will you be able to sleep?" Seokjin asks quietly. "Even without the canopy?"
Jungkook nods. He doesn't bother telling them that their presence, their scents make him feel safer than the illusion of a small, dark space ever could. If they've worked with feral omegas before, they probably already know.
"Mm, okay, that's good. Goodnight, sweet one."
Jungkook nuzzles his nose into a pillow that smells like both of them, and lets their scents and their warm presence soothe him right to sleep.
───────
Namjoon wakes up the next morning to the soft scent of jasmine, and the unmistakable syrupy musk of omegan slick.
His immediate instinct is to growl, and to bury his face into the source of the scent; to breathe in deeply until he can taste it on his tongue. His gut clenches hotly at the ripeness of it, new and sweet, undoubtedly fertile.
Thankfully, Namjoon's grip on his self-control is stronger than that, even at 7:30 a.m. And the circumstances of last night come back to him soon enough, after he squints his eyes open and finds Jungkook curled on his side, face tucked against Seokjin's shoulder.
Namjoon can tell from his mate's breathing that Seokjin is awake as well.
"Hyung."
Seokjin glances over, blinking. "You're awake," he mumbles.
"He's—"
"No longer suppressing his scent."
"He's wet," Namjoon finishes, and Seokjin huffs out a short laugh. Have his ears already started to blush red?
"He's in preheat... he was bound to start having symptoms. Ah, maybe we shouldn't have let him sleep here between us."
Namjoon's jaw tenses. He can't bring himself to regret that decision, and he imagines that Seokjin doesn't truly regret it either. After catching Jungkook trying to shift outside, his alpha needed to know that Jungkook was safe, and at home, for the rest of the night.
Seokjin can probably see on Namjoon's face that he doesn't regret it, because he just hums knowingly.
"Should we wake him?"
Seokjin just shakes his head. "He's already stirring," he murmurs, and Namjoon can see now the way that Jungkook's feet shift under the blanket, his fingers curling, cheek nuzzling closer to Seokjin's shoulder.
The sweetness of this omega will really be Namjoon's undoing, especially once his heat hits. Namjoon is used to fiery, independent omegas, challenging him at every turn, eventually finding peace with their wolves largely through nonsexual submission.
He isn't used to feral omegas that prefer his lap over anywhere else after one day, sleepily nuzzling closer to them in their bed after a day and a half.
Namjoon isn't used to his protective instincts rapidly becoming feelings of attachment.
"Jungkook-ah," Seokjin croons, petting the omega's hair away from his face. "How are you feeling? Is your belly cramping?"
Jungkook shakes his head, hair swishing when he does. And his answer is a good thing — if slick production is accompanied by cramps, then that would mean Jungkook's heat is right around the corner. Now, it's more likely that it's due to, well...
Just plain arousal.
"Do you want a plush toy, maybe?" Seokjin asks, and that question has heat stirring inside Namjoon's own gut, even more than the enticing scent of the omega's arousal.
Seokjin is offering in case Jungkook wants to rub against one, grinding himself on the soft toy until he comes, because the human methods of masturbation often don't occur to recently feral omegas.
Namjoon watches as Jungkook lifts a hand, curling his fingers into the front of Seokjin's pajama top, softly whining as his legs shift like his thighs are squeezing together.
More heat pulses down to Namjoon's cock. He shares a dark look with Seokjin above Jungkook's head.
"Or do you want to make yourself feel good on hyung's thigh, sweetheart?" Seokjin asks.
Namjoon hears the little gasp of Jungkook's breath catching, and then the sharp inhale as his face draws away from Seokjin's shoulder, eyes blinking open. There's a flush high in his cheeks, his eyes round and bright.
"Hyung," Jungkook breathes out. "My scent—"
"You smell wonderful," Namjoon says, and Jungkook turns onto his back to glance over to Namjoon, eyes still so big, though not with anything like fear.
"Tell us what you need, how we can help, huh?" Seokjin rests a hand over Jungkook's forehead, as if feeling for a fever.
"I need—" Jungkook starts to say, voice soft like he's dazed, legs shifting under the sheet.
And then he sits up, curling his arms around himself, eyes squeezing shut before he opens them again. "I need to change my underwear."
Namjoon catches the moment that Seokjin bites back his smile, maybe holding back teasing words as well.
It's not as if Jungkook is a pup who just presented, getting his first heat. At 22, he should've already had a couple of heats, so things like arousal and slicking up shouldn't be new to him. But also... they still don't know the extent of what he's experienced; what was bad enough that he would choose living feral in the woods over whatever his situation was before.
So Seokjin resists his natural urge to tease, and simply says, "Alright, sweetheart, how about you go start a shower and hyung will bring you new clothes?"
They leave the room together moments later, but Namjoon isn't in a hurry to get out of bed just yet, fixated on the lingering scent of Jungkook's arousal.
—
Jungkook is willing to sit down and talk with them as they eat breakfast, and so— they talk.
"Do you know what a heat is?" Seokjin asks first, and Jungkook doesn't roll his eyes, but he does tense up in his chair.
"Yes."
"So it's not that you were confused, when you woke up wet—"
"I was just embarrassed," Jungkook mutters. His hair is put up into a half-ponytail, similar to the way it was when they first met him. Namjoon wonders if that style was Seokjin's doing this time. Jungkook is also wearing an oversized sweatshirt, and if he wasn't eating, Namjoon is sure that the omega would be wearing the sleeves past his fingertips. "I didn't realize, uh— I wasn't thinking about my heat coming up. When- when the staff at the Center talked about stuff, the results of the tests they were doing, my wolf knew I didn't like it so I'd just... tune it out."
Namjoon's eyebrows furrow at that. What was his wolf protecting him from?
"You don't have to talk about it, but Jungkook-ah... will you tell us why you disliked being at the Center so much? Were the tests invasive, or painful?"
"It's not..." Jungkook sets his chopsticks down and lets out a shaky breath. "Um, just— hold on."
And then to the alphas' surprise, Jungkook leaves.
He heads upstairs, his steps hurried and ponytail bobbing, while Seokjin and Namjoon both exchange baffled looks. Before they can even guess where the omega has disappeared to or why, he's already hurrying back down, and—
He has the stuffed rabbit clutched in his arms, settling back into his seat at the table with quick, puffed breaths, his cheeks slightly pinker.
Namjoon understands Seokjin completely now, when he whispered to Namjoon that first night, Something about him just tugs at my heartstrings, Namjoon-ah, even more than usual.
"Okay," Jungkook says with a shaky exhale, resting his chin on top of the rabbit's head, eyes sliding shut for a moment. "It's not that, uh... I mean, I know that some omegas have it worse. The few I met in the wild, even if we didn't speak to each other, you still get a sense of what they've been through, right? Some of them were so angry, or barely had any trace of humanity left in them..."
"Some people may have it worse, but that doesn't mean you haven't also experienced things that you shouldn't have, Jungkook-ah," Seokjin says gently. "You can tell us, it's okay."
Jungkook exhales again, nodding. "I do want to tell you, ah, my wolf just doesn't like when I talk about it. But at the Center, during the exams that they would do, they kept talking about me as a breeder. My womb, my heat cycle, my fertility... they were so focused on those parts, I was worried that it would be no different from my previous owner. Or- or worse, that they would send me back to him."
"Your owner?" Seokjin asks, eyebrows furrowing. Namjoon can understand his confusion. Most well-adjusted omegas just refer to their pack members or mates by terms like 'alpha' or sometimes even 'caretaker.' Feral omegas are captured and rehabilitated, eventually sent to live with suitable packs after several compatibility meetings and the omega's consent, but they still weren't considered owned.
Namjoon has a terrible sinking feeling, remembering Jungkook's words that first day. I won't be a slave.
"I was given away just before I reached maturity, because the alpha offered my dam a lot of money," Jungkook says in a low voice, the barest hint of a warning growl underneath the words — his wolf making its trauma known, no doubt. "But his scent was awful, like ashes, and- and he was cruel. He didn't think omegas deserved nests or affection or regular meals, not until they proved they could birth a pup... He wouldn't let me ever leave the house. He always talked about omegas as being breeding slaves only."
A wave of fury sparks through Namjoon, his hand clenching into a tight fist, only just biting back a growl so he doesn't scare the omega. It doesn't matter that they've heard stories similar to this, that they're well aware of the horrors out there — Namjoon's alpha viscerally wants to hunt Jungkook's previous alpha down and tear him apart.
There's a similar anger within Seokjin, only visible to Namjoon through how tense Seokjin holds himself now, although his voice is soft when he says to Jungkook,
"So you ran away."
Jungkook nods, hugging the plush rabbit tighter to his chest. "My- my first heat was coming up. I had to leave, I knew what he would do... I waited until he got drunk one night, enough to pass out, and then I shifted and just... let my wolf take over. I ran, and kept running until I was out of the city."
"That was very brave of you," Namjoon says, and he means it. Later, when Jungkook has recovered, he'll ask for information about his previous alpha, vowing to make sure that man never gets close to Jungkook again.
That he never gets close to any omega again, if Namjoon has anything to do with it.
For now, Namjoon is reassured that Jungkook is safe here with him and Seokjin.
"Can I ask— is it the thought of ever getting pregnant that frightens you? Or just it happening against your will, or by someone who was abusive to you?"
Jungkook's teeth sink into his bottom lip before he answers. "The second one. I still... I still like the idea of maybe falling in love one day," he says in a small voice, and Namjoon feels it again, the tug at his heartstrings. "Of wanting to start a family and care for pups of my own. I think I would dream about it sometimes, as a wolf, seeing the way other animals looked after and protected their young. But the things my owner said, and the way they would talk about me at the Center, like my womb was the only valuable thing about me—"
"That was wrong of them," Seokjin interrupts. Again, Namjoon can hear the barely-contained anger in his mate's voice. "This is why the Center itself is, quite frankly, fucking useless at helping ferals recover at all. They don't care much about patience or building trust."
"You're not like them," Jungkook says, glancing between both of the alphas with wide eyes. "You don't make me feel like that. Even— even you bringing up my heat now, I don't feel scared."
"That makes us very happy to hear, Jungkook-ah," Namjoon says. He finally lets himself reach out to tuck a lock of Jungkook's hair behind his ear, after it had fallen out of the ponytail when he ran down the stairs. "If you're comfortable enough to keep talking, we could discuss your heat now, so you don't have any doubts about what hyung and I will expect of you."
Jungkook swallows, and then he nods.
So they talk.
Seokjin reassures Jungkook that, no matter what he does or doesn't want during his heat, they can schedule him a birth control shot that is effective for six months at a time. So there's no risk of Jungkook getting pregnant, even accidentally.
There's a definite sense of relief that seems to wash through Jungkook after that's out of the way.
They don't discuss the specifics of sex, exactly (not over breakfast, anyway), but Jungkook admits that he's open to being helped by the alphas, now that pregnancy isn't a concern.
They teach Jungkook a safe word, one that he can also use when he's being disciplined if he isn't okay with their words or touches. They find out that Jungkook has always spent his heats alone, but when Namjoon explains the dopamine rush of being knotted, specifically, Jungkook doesn't just look interested — his scent spikes with that syrupy musk of his slick, the stuffed rabbit held a little tighter against his body when he drops his eyes after meeting Namjoon's stare.
Namjoon doesn't hold back his own arousal creeping into his scent, his alpha's excitement at the thought of helping Jungkook through his heat, although he at least makes sure to focus on their conversation, so it's not overwhelming.
Jungkook seems open to a lot more than Namjoon ever would've assumed, especially for an omega with no experience.
"I like the way that hyungs make me feel," Jungkook quietly admits, voice low but so sweet, almost shy. "Even just the way you've taken care of me so far... I'm okay if my first time is here, with you."
"I'd still like to go over settling today," Namjoon says as their talk finishes up. "It's an essential part to your recovery, unrelated to your heat, but it also might help with some of the preheat symptoms."
"Mm," Seokjin agrees, "and practicing submitting outside of sex first is always a good idea. The vulnerability that comes with sexual intimacy... it makes everything more intense. It's nice to experience things like scenting and touches and submission before introducing that intensity."
Jungkook nods, eyelids heavy. He doesn't look tired, exactly, but they've done a lot of talking with an omega that possibly spent years being nonverbal — he's bound to be feeling some kind of overwhelmed right now.
After they're sure that Jungkook has eaten as much as he wants, Seokjin takes him upstairs to nap. When the alpha comes back down the stairs a few minutes later, Namjoon raises an eyebrow at Seokjin's reddened ears.
His mate just laughs.
"I told him, in simple terms, that he should masturbate," Seokjin says, crossing his arms over his chest as Namjoon cleans up the dishes in the kitchen. "That he could rub against his bunny or a pillow, or touch himself if he knew how."
Namjoon supposes that he can't blame Seokjin for his blush, now, when heat jolts down into his own stomach at the thought of that.
"And how did he take your advice?"
"He hid from me under a blanket."
Namjoon laughs. Warmth twists in his chest. "Ah, he's so sweet..."
"Mmm. It's hard to say if he's managed to keep his innocence, or if he's just naturally that shy. Maybe a little bit of both."
"I'll check on him later," Namjoon says, drying his hands and then stepping across the kitchen to touch Seokjin's waist, pulling him close for a kiss.
Seokjin hums, pleased, his plump lips moving softly with Namjoon's. There's a comfort to this, but also a low-stirring heat that has Namjoon tilting his face, smoothing a hand all the way up Seokjin's back to slide into his hair, kissing him deeper. The press of their lips is familiar and pleasant no matter what, but there's an undercurrent of desperation in the way they kiss now that has Seokjin pulling back with a gasp.
"Namjoon-ah," Seokjin breathes out, eyes already glassy. "Let's not get carried away, yeah?"
"Fuck," Namjoon says shakily. His cock twitches weakly inside his pants. "Yeah, you're right."
"Mmm, imagine if Jungkookie saw us—"
Namjoon pulls away just as a growl leaves his throat, and Seokjin laughs brightly at him.
—
Later, after a few hours spent dutifully working and replying to emails, Namjoon goes to check on Jungkook. Seokjin is out running errands, so the house has been quiet.
Namjoon doesn't find Jungkook in his nest or even under the bed, but after peeking into the other rooms, he realizes—
Jungkook is in their bed. In their nest.
Instinctually, his alpha is pleased to see the omega there. To imagine what kind of comfort he now gets from their scents, trusting them enough to see it as a safe place.
But at the same time... it is important that Jungkook has a nest of his own, and isn't relying on their bed. After all, it's technically the nest of a mated alpha couple — Jungkook doesn't have a right to it, not without being invited like he was the night before.
"Jungkook-ah," Namjoon calls softly, sitting on the edge of the mattress and rubbing a hand down the omega's back. The scent hits him almost immediately, this close.
Frustration. Sexual frustration, specifically. Whether Jungkook tried to get off or not, his jasmine scent carries the musky sharpness of unsatisfied arousal, and rather than exciting the alpha, it just fills him with more concern.
Maybe they should've been more clear with Jungkook that he could seek them out for help even before his heat, if he was having trouble getting off.
"Jungkook-ah," Namjoon calls again, a little louder. The hand on the omega's back slides up to the top of his spine, just brushing his nape when Jungkook suddenly jerks awake, scrambling back from the alpha.
He snaps his teeth at Namjoon, his eyes wild, cheeks bright pink.
Namjoon raises an eyebrow.
"Omega," he says slowly. "What are you doing?"
Jungkook's stare is hard, his fingers curling into the sheets around him, clutching the material. His body is tense, as if ready to spring to attack, although Namjoon doesn't feel remotely afraid of the territorial display.
"Come out of our bed."
"Mine," Jungkook snaps, and Namjoon gives him a warning growl, crawling onto the edge of the bed. Jungkook's defensive expression flickers with uncertainty.
"You are allowed in alphas' nest because we care about you, omega, but it is not yours. Come," Namjoon instructs in his Alpha Voice, and Jungkook finally shudders in submission, crawling across the bed to kneel in front of Namjoon.
"Are you all wolf right now, or can you understand me?" Namjoon makes himself ask. Jungkook swallows, blinking, his eyes wet.
"Can- can understand, alpha."
"And were you afraid just now, by me entering this nest?"
Jungkook's lips purse into a small frown. He shakes his head.
Namjoon feels relief at that answer, and doesn't mind if that relief bleeds into his scent for Jungkook to pick up on. He reaches out and massages at the back of Jungkook's neck, and the omega lets him, head tipping back slightly to bare his throat. He's submitting so readily now, which also has Namjoon feeling relief, because it means that Jungkook's outburst was likely surface-level, and not a deeper sense of distrust or fear.
"Part of learning to be in a pack is understanding that there are things you don't have a right to feel possessive over, or claim as your own. This space belongs to your alpha hyungs, and you can't take it over as your own, sweet one. Do you understand?"
Jungkook nods. His eyes flutter now at the way Namjoon holds the back of his neck, still not yet squeezing there, wanting to be sure that Jungkook is in the right headspace first.
"I think this is a good opportunity to settle you, omega." Namjoon moves off of the bed, standing, and then scoops Jungkook up in a bridal carry, taking him across the room to an armchair. He sits down, helping a still-dazed Jungkook kneel over his lap until he's straddling it.
"There are some key points to settling," Namjoon says, sliding a hand up the back of Jungkook's sweatshirt to smooth over his bare skin, feeling how the muscles of Jungkook's back tense before he starts to relax into the touch. "It's important to establish trust first. The way you trust me to take care of you, and I trust you to tell me if it's ever too much."
Jungkook's eyes are wide, dark, his breaths already coming shorter.
"Scenting or scents in general are important too, and you've already experienced that, of course... Submission is probably the biggest factor of settling." Namjoon leans forward to nose at Jungkook's neck, and the omega instinctively tips his head back, displaying his throat even more than before. "You have no problem submitting for us, do you? It's good that your wolf recognizes that hierarchy. In turn, our wolves repay that trust by helping you settle, all while respecting your boundaries." Namjoon pauses, and then says, "There's also discipline."
Jungkook's pupils dilate. Namjoon ignores the responding pulse of heat that shoots down to his cock.
"Mm, being reminded that the head of your pack wants what's best for you, and that your behavior has consequences. Lashing out, claiming a nest that isn't your own... Jungkook-ah, will you try to take the punishment that alpha is going to give you now? And if you truly can't handle it, you'll let me know, and we'll figure out something else?"
Jungkook's throat bobs with a swallow. "Wh- what...?"
"I'm going to spank you."
Namjoon waits for an outburst, but he doesn't get one. Jungkook is still. His eyes are dark, so dark, and the scent of his arousal is syrupy-thick between them.
"I'll take it," he finally answers in a hoarse voice, and Namjoon gives him a warm, genuine smile.
"Just trust me, that's all I ask. I imagine..." Namjoon pauses as he helps Jungkook out of the sweatshirt, and Jungkook doesn't protest at all when his pants go next, leaving him bare except for his underwear, although his cheeks still darken with his blush.
He's beautiful. Even if Namjoon doesn't let himself stare for too long at the omega's lean body, the tense muscles of his stomach, his slender waist. There's a reason that Namjoon decided to do this facing Jungkook, after all, rather than having his bottom presented for him.
He didn't want the scent of his own arousal overpowering the lesson he was trying to give the omega.
"I imagine you still have this restlessness inside of you. Maybe it feels like an ache, or a neediness. Something that you can't satisfy on your own, but that doesn't stop your omega from whimpering for that release."
Jungkook's face crumples slightly, like he's relieved that Namjoon put what he's feeling into words. "Y- yes."
"Oh, sweet one. Hyung will help you, alright? Can you repeat to me, first, why I'm spanking you now?"
"I..." Jungkook trails off, back arching slightly when Namoon rubs down his back, careful not to touch his ass yet. "'m greedy."
Namjoon hums. In a way, the answer isn't wrong, but possessiveness alone isn't an issue.
"Alpha is spanking you because you claimed a nest that wasn't your own, yes. Your behavior was that of an omega testing the one they submit to, maybe subconsciously seeking to be reminded of your place within the natural hierarchy... In the future, no matter what you're feeling, however irrational it might seem, it's better to try to explain yourself with words. Your alphas will always listen."
Jungkook whines softly, shifting over Namjoon's lap, thighs tensing and then relaxing again.
"But Jungkook-ah... I'm also spanking you because I can smell how sexually frustrated you are, and I think the humiliation, the intimacy of this will work you up until you're begging to come. I want you to earn that release through taking your punishment. Do you understand?"
Jungkook's nod comes quickly, arms sliding around Namjoon's shoulders only for Namjoon to click his tongue, trapping both of Jungkook's wrists behind him at the small of his back instead, his hand keeping them pinned there.
The omega trembles.
"The point of this isn't to hurt you," Namjoon croons, using his other hand to reach up and cup Jungkook's chin, waiting for Jungkook's eyes to focus when they meet his stare. "It's to make you feel helpless, unable to do anything but take what alpha gives you. Including pleasure."
"Please," Jungkook finally breathes out, cheeks already ruddy with his blush, eyelashes fluttering. "Alpha—"
"Shhh, alpha's got you, sweetheart."
Namjoon lets go of Jungkook's chin and slides that hand down his side, over the curve of his ass, the plain, grey panties that Jungkook chooses to wear.
Even without cupping between his spread thighs, Namjoon can feel the heat that radiates from Jungkook's cunt. He stares down, but from this angle, he can't tell if there's a wet spot soaking through the material of his underwear yet or not.
"You remember your word?"
"Yes—"
Namjoon bunches the material of Jungkook's panties up to the very center of him to expose the bare cheeks of his ass, and Jungkook's breath hitches, his fingers curling into fists where his hands are still pinned at the small of his back.
"I'm not going to count out loud, but it won't be more than twenty. The point of this is to have you spent and obedient for me, omega, so don't fight whatever you're feeling."
Namjoon's hand comes down in a fairly weak slap, more for the sound and to get Jungkook used to the bare smack, but Jungkook still gasps at the first hit.
He doesn't protest. So Namjoon brings his hand down again, harder, heat pulsing inside him at the way Jungkook's body jolts from the spanks, and then shyly arches back into them.
The only changes to his scent throughout are when it gets darker, thicker with the scent of slick and arousal, and it doesn't take Jungkook long to reach that point.
"You'll be good for me now, won't you, baby?"
Jungkook's whine is enough of an answer for him.
Namjoon lets go of Jungkook's wrists, trusting him to keep them in place on his own, and then he alternates sides with his hits. He lets himself spank hard enough now to be leaving handprints, a louder crack of skin-on-skin and no doubt a brighter sting, but Jungkook only responds by rocking his hips forward, by moaning softly and tipping his head back to display his throat, his hard little nipples, his smooth belly.
Namjoon is grateful that Jungkook is straddling him high enough to not be sitting right on the alpha's cock where it throbs inside his clothes, as turned on as he is from giving Jungkook his punishment.
Halfway through, he lets his lips brush the front of Jungkook's throat as he tells him he can move his arms now, grinning when Jungkook immediately slides them around Namjoon's shoulders. Namjoon bunches up the material of the panties — now, without question, soaked where they cover Jungkook's pussy — and tugs lightly to give him friction there while keeping the cheeks of Jungkook's ass exposed, spanking him again and again. Jungkook's hips rock forward more fervently as if trying to grind his aching clit into the taut pressure of the material, his moans growing louder.
"There you go, that's it. So good for me, baby, look at how well you take your punishment, hmm?"
Jungkook's eyes are mesmerizingly dark, wide and glassy with unshed tears when he doesn't have them squeezed shut from the pleasure, the stinging pain. The smooth skin of his ass, splotchy-pink from being spanked, feels so warm beneath Namjoon's hands, the satisfaction of Jungkook letting himself be punished like this. Namjoon is mesmerized, too, by way Jungkook's body moves, squirming with the arousal that courses through him like he doesn't know what to do with that building pleasure, body arching helplessly.
"Ah," Jungkook gasps, and Namjoon can smell the burst in his scent, the gush of slick after the harder spank he lands on Jungkook's skin. He wraps one arm around Jungkook's back, keeping his body close, and finally lets himself tug the ruined material of Jungkook's panties over to the crease of his thigh, exposing his swollen folds, soft and dripping, flushed so hot beneath Namjoon's touch.
Jungkook immediately starts trying to hump into Namjoon's touch, his hips jumping with it, smearing slick over Namjoon's long fingers.
The alpha growls.
"A- alpha—"
"Are you close?" Namjoon asks once he finds his voice, fingers petting through Jungkook's soaked folds, feeling out his swollen little omegan clit to tease too. "Do you want to come, sweetheart, do you want to let go and feel good?"
Jungkook doesn't answer, but his moans climb in pitch, ah, ah, ah, and Namjoon rubs faster, reveling in the restless way that Jungkook's body moves, chasing that friction, skin pinked up and pussy only getting slicker, his labia puffy and sensitive.
Was he already all swollen even before getting on Namjoon's lap? Did he try to touch himself like Seokjin instructed, maybe rubbing on something or maybe his hand was clumsily shoved into his panties, desperate but not knowing how to bring himself off, oh, Namjoon feels so goddamn crazy for him—
"Please," Jungkook begs in a small voice, breathy with that desperation, "please please, I'll be good for you, 'm good, ah, please—"
"Go on," Namjoon grits out, hand pressed hard enough against the soft heat of Jungkook's vulva that he pushes himself into that touch, rubbing his clit against the alpha's fingers, his breath hitching when his moans turn to pitiful whines. Namjoon is no virgin, but he could come untouched just from the noises that Jungkook makes, like he has no control over the sounds that leave his throat.
"Go on, come all over alpha's hand, you did so well, baby."
Jungkook stiffens above him, his whole body straining, and then he finally lets go with hard shudders, gasping as his orgasm washes through him.
Namjoon holds him tight with his forearm around Jungkook's waist and keeps rubbing, fingers teasing the slippery heat of Jungkook's folds, not stopping even when Jungkook's nails dig sharply into Namjoon's shoulders.
"Alpha," he cries, hips rocking again, jerking like the touch is too much but then pressing back with it, too. He sounds frantic, "Alpha, ah, alpha—"
Jungkook comes again, seconds later, with little splashes of heat soaking Namjoon's fingers, soaking down over his lap. Dripping, trembling with overstimulation, those little bursts each time he squirts until Jungkook is whimpering, P- please, t- too much, and Namjoon slows his rubbing until his fingers are still, letting Jungkook shakily ride out the rest of his second orgasm. The way his hips jerk smear his wetness all over Namjoon's hand, his scent so heavy that Namjoon can taste it in the back of his throat, and only wishes that he could lay Jungkook out and taste him for real.
Namjoon can't remember the last time his cock was this hard, and all from a pretty, spanked omega squirming and squirting down over his lap.
Fuck.
"That's it, sweetheart."
Jungkook is a little teary in the aftermath, whimpering at the mess, so Namjoon doesn't delay helping him clean up. He flips their positions so that Jungkook is laid out on the armchair, and then peels off the ruined panties, returning from the bathroom with a cool, damp washcloth to clean him. The skin is flushed so dark between his legs, a deep and rosy brown, his labia all puffy like he was spanked there, too.
Heat flashes down Namjoon's spine.
Jungkook, for his part, doesn't seem to mind being stared at. He's docile, wrung out, only letting out a soft noise when Namjoon brushes his swollen clit. It takes him a few seconds to notice the wet patch on the crotch of Namjoon's sweatpants where Jungkook squirted, and his eyes widen before he shyly looks away.
They move to the bed to cuddle, and Namjoon murmurs soft praises and answers Jungkook's slurred questions ("I— peed?" "No, baby, that was something different from peeing.") and reassures him that things are good between them, that Jungkook took his punishment perfectly.
He doesn't ask the omega if he feels more settled, because there's no real point in doing so.
Jungkook's scent is wholly satisfied, submissive, content and safe. Namjoon ignores his own arousal and his boner calms down some, although he may slip into the bathroom later to take care of it. (And to relive how good it felt to have Jungkook trembling in his lap.)
Seokjin comes home from shopping and finds them like that, and Namjoon couldn't say if it's their scents or the blissed-out expression on Jungkook's face that gives them away more.
"You had sex?"
"I spanked him," Namjoon murmurs. "Poor thing was so worked up, he came just from rubbing on my fingers. I, ah, found him napping in here, he still hadn't gotten off and was acting territorial, so..."
"Wish I could've seen it," is all Seokjin says, stepping closer to brush his fingers through Jungkook's hair. The omega noses lazily at Seokjin's wrist, sighing before he rests his cheek back on Namjoon's chest. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
"Hungry," Jungkook says with a little pout, and Seokjin laughs.
"Ah, well, at least you'll never deprive me of the sight of watching you eat well. I'll go throw something together, you can both come down when you're ready."
Jungkook's legs are a little wobbly as he makes his way down the stairs, his cheeks still pink, but he also gets the cutest self-satisfied look on his face when he sits down gingerly on one of the kitchen chairs to eat.
Seokjin snorts. "If you want, you can go grab a pillow, Jungkook-ah."
But Jungkook just shakes his head, and Namjoon makes a mental note to discuss with the omega how he feels about pain later. (It's obvious in some ferals, constantly picking little fights just to be overpowered and pinned down, but maybe Jungkook craves those rougher touches and just doesn't know how to ask for them, when his aggressive instincts have calmed down.)
Later that night, Jungkook only cuddles in their nest for an hour before letting Namjoon tuck him into the canopy bed, now with a few properly scented pillows and blankets. Just before Namjoon leaves, Jungkook's face scrunches with a yawn, his low voice calling out, "Hyung-nim... thank you for- for settling me, before. For making me feel good, too."
Namjoon swallows, trying to ignore the little pulse of heat down to his cock at how sweetly Jungkook thanks him. For being put over the alpha's lap, spanked and brought to orgasm?
You really will be my undoing, won't you, Jungkook-ah?
"You don't have to thank me, sweetheart, it's what any alpha should do. But... you're welcome. And thank you for trusting me."
Jungkook mumbles something that sounds like, Hyungs are the only ones I trust, but his eyes are already closed, his cheek already on his pillow as he seems to drift off to sleep.