Chapter Text
Namjoon lay prone on a plush, ornate rug in the center of the palace's grand hall. His breathing was shallow, his face pale, and the silken restraints binding his wrists and ankles shimmered in the torchlight. The air was thick with a mixture of tension and a faint, almost metallic scent - the lingering trace of omega pheromones.
King Yoongi paced before him, his dark eyes narrowed, a flicker of something unreadable within them. He stopped abruptly, his gaze fixed on the unconscious omega. "He's still unresponsive," he stated, his voice low and edged with a hint of impatience.
Seokjin, the Duke of the North, knelt beside Namjoon, his brow furrowed in concern. He gently pressed two fingers to Namjoon's throat, checking his pulse. "Weak, but steady," he reported, his voice calm and reassuring. "The capture was rough. He needs time to recover."
Hoseok, the Duke of the East, stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, his expression a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. "He's so... fragile," he murmured, his gaze sweeping over Namjoon's slender form. "I've never seen a male omega before."
Jimin, the Duke of the South, shifted his weight, his eyes darting between Namjoon and the other dukes. A nervous energy radiated from him. "What do we do with him?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "The pack is already in an uproar."
Taehyung, the Duke of the West, observed Namjoon with a quiet intensity. His usually playful eyes were serious, almost calculating. He remained silent, his thoughts hidden behind a carefully constructed mask.
Jungkook, the youngest of the dukes, stood slightly apart from the others, his gaze fixed on Namjoon's face. A strange mixture of fascination and unease warred within him. He had heard tales of male omegas, but the reality was far more unsettling.
Yoongi turned to face the dukes, his expression hardening. "We will decide what to do when he regains consciousness. Until then," he paused, his gaze sweeping over each of them, "no one leaves this room."
The silence in the grand hall had stretched taut, broken only by Namjoon's shallow breaths. Then, Taehyung's voice, low and smooth, cut through the tension. "His scent is like a drug..." he stated, the obvious point that everyone else was tip-toeing around.
A ripple of agreement went through the room. "Yes, it is..." Hoseok murmured, his brow furrowed. "I don't know how it's possible. Normally, an omega scent isn't this... wandering. This potent."
"Maybe it's because he's a male omega," Jimin offered, his voice still hushed, as if afraid to break the spell.
"Could be..." Seokjin confirmed, his eyes still fixed on Namjoon's face, his professional concern battling with the undeniable pull of the omega's presence.
Jungkook, oblivious to the subtle power play between the older dukes, was completely captivated. He had moved closer, settling onto the plush rug beside Namjoon. With a gentle hand, he brushed aside a stray strand of raven-black hair that had fallen across the omega's pale cheek. "He's beautiful..." he murmured, his voice barely audible, his gaze tracing the delicate curve of Namjoon's jawline.
Yoongi's eyes, sharp and assessing, flickered towards Jungkook. A flicker of something akin to warning crossed his features, but he remained silent. He, too, was acutely aware of the omega's scent, a heady mix of sweetness and something deeper, something almost primal. It was a scent that stirred something within him, something he had long suppressed.
The air crackled with unspoken desires and simmering tensions. The normally stoic Taehyung found himself restless, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Hoseok's eyes kept darting back to the prone form of Namjoon. Even Seokjin, the epitome of calm, had a subtle flush creeping up his neck.
Namjoon stirred slightly, a soft moan escaping his lips. A collective breath held in the room, as all eyes snapped back to the omega.
"We can't fight over him, Yoongi," Taehyung finally stated, his voice cutting through the tense, unspoken desires that filled the room. The others' reactions were a mix of reluctant agreement and simmering frustration.
Seokjin looked at the king, his expression a mixture of concern and a silent question. "We weren't... I mean... yes," he admitted, his voice low, "the overflowing possessiveness is undeniable. To have this omega..."
"It's like he's calling to us," Hoseok murmured, his eyes never leaving Namjoon. "I don't think I'll be able to control myself when he wakes up," Taehyung added, a low growl rumbling in his chest, a clear display of the dominating alpha phenomena.
Namjoon whimpered in his sleep, a soft, involuntary sound that sent a jolt of awareness through the room.
"Either way, we can't force him," Jimin said, kneeling beside the omega. He gently examined the silken restraints on Namjoon's wrists, his brow furrowed. "We need to tend to his wounds." He began carefully checking the omega's hands for injuries.
Jungkook gently scooped Namjoon into his arms, lifting him as if he were carrying a precious bride. Without a word, he turned and headed towards the guest palace rooms. The other dukes, drawn by an invisible thread, followed him like bees to a flower.
In the lavish guest room, Jungkook carefully laid Namjoon on the soft, silken sheets of the grand bed. Jimin immediately knelt beside him, his expression troubled. The silken restraints had left angry red marks on Namjoon's delicate wrists. He gently pressed a cool, damp cloth to the marks, his touch as light as a feather.
"These will bruise," Jimin murmured, his voice filled with regret. "They were too tight." He glanced at Seokjin, his eyes filled with a silent apology. "We were too rough."
Seokjin, the pack's healer, moved to the other side of the bed. He examined the faint scratches and scrapes on Namjoon's arms and legs, signs of his desperate escape through the forest. "It's more than just the restraints," he said, his voice low with concern. "He's malnourished. And I see older scars, injuries that never healed properly."
A wave of guilt washed over Jimin. He felt a sharp pang of remorse for his part in the hunt. "We chased him," he whispered, the words heavy with shame. "We're all responsible. We let the rumors and fear of a male omega in the woods drive us."
Seokjin nodded, his expression somber. "The pack's reaction was predictable, unfortunately," he admitted. "But that doesn't make it right." He gently applied a soothing balm to Namjoon's scratches, his touch careful and tender. "We need to make sure he heals, body and soul."
The other dukes watched in a tense silence, their faces reflecting a mix of guilt, fascination, and a growing sense of protectiveness. Even King Yoongi, standing at the foot of the bed, seemed moved by Namjoon's vulnerability. Jungkook remained close, his gaze fixed on Namjoon's face, his expression a blend of awe and deep concern.
Namjoon stirred, his eyelids fluttering. A soft moan escaped his lips, and his brow furrowed in pain, signaling his return to consciousness.
Namjoon's eyelids fluttered, then opened, revealing eyes that were strikingly intense, almost draconic in their golden hue. Yet, they were brimming with fear and tears, a stark contrast to their powerful appearance. He whimpered, a sound like a wounded animal, and tried to scramble away, his body trembling.
The sight of six large alphas surrounding him was overwhelming. He'd lived his life in the forest, alone since he was four, his parents' memories fading whispers. He understood the basics of right and wrong, the silent language of nature, but human interaction, especially with alphas, was a terrifying unknown.
He didn't speak. He couldn't. Words were foreign, a concept he understood intellectually but couldn't translate into sound. He could only cry, his small, broken sounds echoing in the opulent room. He flinched violently as Seokjin gently reached out, his body recoiling as if from a blow.
The room was a cacophony of scents, each alpha's presence a distinct, overpowering wave. The scent of their dominance, usually something he could avoid in the vastness of the forest, was now a suffocating blanket. He pressed himself against the headboard, his eyes wide with terror, tears streaming down his face.
Jungkook, his heart aching at the sight of Namjoon's fear, slowly extended a hand, palm open, offering a silent gesture of peace. But Namjoon only shrank further, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Yoongi watched, his expression unreadable. He had never encountered such raw, untamed fear. He understood the power of his presence, the dominance inherent in his alpha status, but he hadn't anticipated this level of terror.
Jimin, his own scent laced with concern, took a step back, trying to create space. "We need to give him room," he murmured, his voice low and soothing, as if speaking to a frightened animal. "He doesn't understand."
Taehyung, despite his alpha instincts screaming to assert control, remained still. He recognized the primal fear in Namjoon's eyes, a fear that went beyond simple apprehension.
Hoseok, his usually bright demeanor dimmed, watched Namjoon with a mixture of pity and confusion. He had never seen such a complete breakdown.
Namjoon, trapped and terrified, could only cry, his body shaking with uncontrollable sobs. He was a creature of the forest, thrust into a world he didn't understand, surrounded by beings he couldn't comprehend.
With a shared, unspoken understanding, the six alphas reluctantly left the room, leaving Namjoon alone with his fear. Each of them felt a powerful urge to comfort the sobbing omega, to soothe his distress. Yet, they knew their presence, their alpha dominance, was the very source of his terror.
Once outside, Hoseok broke the tense silence. "What do we do?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"We have to tend to his wounds. He has to eat," Seokjin stated, his voice firm. "But how?"
Yoongi, his expression thoughtful, spoke. "Here's what we'll do. Jungkook, Jimin, after his cries subside, you two will go and visit him. Of the six of us, you both have the softest features. And despite your alpha scent, your voices might help soothe him. Jimin, your gentle tone will be crucial."
"We can't let any other wolves see him," Yoongi continued, his voice hardening. "Not until we understand the situation."
"But what about the people?" Jimin asked, his brow furrowed. "Won't they wonder?"
"We'll tell them we found the person they mistook for a male omega," Yoongi replied, his voice decisive. "We'll say she's just an omega whose height is far greater than average. We're giving her the privacy and safety she needs, and she will be safely returned to the forest when she is ready."
"It's a risky lie," Taehyung said, his eyes narrowed. "But it's the only way to buy us time."
"It is," Yoongi agreed. "And it will have to do. We'll post guards outside the guest room, and no one is to disturb them. We will have to start sending up food, and anything else that they may need. Seokjin, prepare some medicinal herbs and healing balms. We need to do everything we can to get him healthy and comfortable."
Jungkook nodded, his gaze distant. He was already picturing Namjoon's frightened eyes, and a fierce protectiveness welled up within him. He was determined to earn the omega's trust.
Jimin, too, felt a surge of determination. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was willing to try anything to ease Namjoon's fear. "We'll do what we can," he said, his voice soft but firm.
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