Chapter Text
As Namjoon walks through the crowd alongside Yoongi and Hoseok, he tries calming his wolf. The ‘encounter’ with Yoongi’s father helped him remember it hasn’t been that long since he was in the compound, where Namjoon needed to exert a level of dominance to keep everyone in check. The scent fronting, the posturing, the stare down… He felt his wolf was a little too exited to come forth and make the old man submit and now Namjoon is having a hard time calming it down and prevent it from causing a scene with Jin’s family. He really wanted to make a good impression and openly challenging the clan alpha wasn’t on his plans – even if deep down he doesn’t really regret having put that man in his place. Yoongi and Hoseok looked uncomfortable since the beginning and Namjoon especially didn’t like how the beta tried to erase his presence as much as possible with whom are supposed to be members of his own clan.
He takes a deep breath, taming his wolf and its ongoing attempts to scent Hoseok and Yoongi. If he has to bargain with it that he will scent the hell out of them tonight, nobody has to know. If it works, it works.
It doesn’t take them long to locate the rest of their pack. They appear to be by themselves until Namjoon notices another person talking avidly with Jin and Jimin. The alpha is quick to recognize the man as Jin’s older brother, Jisung. And how could he not when he looks like a smaller version of Jin? His stature is closer to Jimin’s, if not an inch or even two shorter, but everything from the doe eyes to the plush lips are identical to Jin’s. He too is wearing a traditional hanbok, only in deep blue and gold, and his long hair is tied in a loose braid, getting pulled by the young pup in his arms.
Oh.
Namjoon falters in his steps and nearly trips over Hoseok but the beta is quick to help him regain his footing. He gives Hoseok a quick ‘sorry’ as he straightens, hoping nobody noticed it, but his hope is short lived as he hears his name being called.
“Namjoon-hyung!” Jimin excitedly invites him to come closer, taking his hand and pulling him over to where the Kim brothers had stopped their conversation to look expectantly at him.
The alpha stops a few feet away from them, keeping an appropriate distance from the omega and his pup and mellowing his scent as much as possible. His wolf has miraculously calmed down and Namjoon can feel the curiosity blooming at the sight of the baby. When was the last time he saw a pup that young?
“Oh, Jinnie! You didn’t tell me he was this handsome!” Kim Jisung giggles, hiding his smile with his free hand.
“Noona!” Jin squeaks. His neck and ears rapidly turning red.
Namjoon is flustered, not expecting the omega to be so direct. He quickly recuperates from his stupor and gives a fast yet low bow. “Hello, I’m Kim Namjoon. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jisung-ssi.”
“Oh, I see Jinnie has already told you about me. The pleasure is all mine, Namjoon-ssi.” Jisung smiles brightly as he bows gracefully, or, rather he tries to, because the pup in his arms keeps squirming and waving his arms. He doesn’t seem to mind, though, playfully biting one of the little’s hand causing the pup to giggle. “And this little guy here is Jiho, our youngest.”
Namjoon crouches a bit to be at eye level with the pup and says a shy ‘hello’. The baby giggles and swings his arms, almost hitting the alpha but Namjoon practically beams with the reaction. He smiles so wide both his dimples show and his eyes turn to crescent moons. His scent of sweet wildflowers is delicate but he can’t help it pouring out.
When he straightens back, he notices how everyone is looking at him with a mix of shock and amusement that makes him blush with embarrassment. Jisung especially is looking at him with something akin to curiosity – almost as recognition?
“I, uhm, sorry. I don’t usually have a lot of interaction with pups. He is adorable, Jisung-ssi.”
Jisung takes a second to answer, appearing lost in thought, and he can’t help it when a light blush appears on his cheeks. “Th-thank you, Namjoon. That’s sweet of you. This is our first time bringing Jiho along for an event. The pup’s nose is really sensitive so we try not to expose him to strangers’ scents that much.”
“You mean, you try not to expose him that much.” A deep voice coming from behind the omega catches everyone’s attention. The man approaches from the outside corridor, walking confidently until he is right next to Jisung and proceeds to kiss the omega’s temple and ruffle the pup’s hair. “He’s already ten months old, Jiji. It’s best if they learn to deal with strange scents when they are young.”
The man turns to Namjoon and gives him a polite smile, yet his eyes have certain intensity that Namjoon’s wolf can only interpret as a warning. Not that he will react to it, though; both Namjoon and his wolf know they are the outsider here, standing close to the alpha’s mate and pup. Namjoon returns the smile before giving a small step back to be next to Jin and Jimin. The alpha appears to approve of Namjoon’s decision, relaxing his shoulders and the hold on the omega’s waist.
“I’m sorry for the absence. The pups were getting restless.” The alpha extends his hand to Namjoon and he takes it for a firm handshake. Just like Jisung before him, the alpha looks at Namjoon with intrigue but disguises it with a dimpled smile. “Kim Seonho. Jisung’s mate and Seokjinnie’s brother-in-law. Is nice to finally meet you, Namjoon-ssi.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Seonho-ssi.” Namjoon returns the smile, dimples barely showing from shyness. Just as he sees the intrigue in their eyes, he too feels certain familiarity looking at the alpha. He wanders if the couple notice the curiosity in his eyes as well.
No one really knows how to break the silence so it’s fortunate they don’t have to, when two loud screeches rush from the outside corridor.
“Uncle Kookie!” “Uncle TeTe!”
The two pups run full force until they crash in the arms of Jungkook and Taehyung, that had been standing outside the group (and conversation) since before Namjoon and the others arrived. Their bored demeanor changes into a playful smile the moment the children run over to them and Namjoon can’t help but smile along with them.
“Aigo! Look how much you’ve grown!” Taehyung opens his arms wide to trap one of the pups in a hug before lifting her and giving a spin, causing the pup to screech again, wiggling in her arms.
“Were you playing outside in the garden?” Jungkook, on the other hand, crouched down to hug the other pup tenderly before ruffling her hair. The kid got red in the face and quickly hid behind her hands but nodded to answer.
“I don’t really know where they get all that energy from, for real.” Yet another person appears from the corridor. The young girl is tall and lean, but still wearing a childish face. She looks unimpressed, almost bored as she walks over to Jisung’s other side with her eyes locked to her phone.
“Well, better they lose that pent up energy before dinner and not during.” Jisung says reluctantly as he brushes some dust out of the girl’s navy suit.
Seonho turns his attention from the pups playing with Taehyung and Jungkook back to Namjoon with a proud smile. “Namjoon-ssi, these are our other children. The twins, Yunjin and Chaewon, over there just turned five.” The alpha turns towards the pups but they ignore their name, too busy climbing up Jungkook’s shoulders. Seonho coughs to divert the attention away from the unruly pups and back to him and the girl that is finally putting her phone away. “And this is our eldest, Haerin. She is turning twelve in a couple of months.”
The girl bows respectfully after the introduction, keeping her back straight and her hands delicately placed in front of her as she was probably taught from a young age to do. Namjoon returns the greeting but he can’t help how his face dropped slightly when he heard that name. Haerin. When was the last time he heard it? When was the last time he said it? Thought about it? About her? The name clings to him like a buzzing in his ears that he doesn’t hear himself saying it.
“Haerin?” His quiet voice is barely perceptible but Jisung seems to hear it anyway.
“Yes. We named her after Seonho’s grandmother, the former Clan Alpha of the Kims. She was very adamant about it when she learned the next in the line of succession would be a female alpha like herself.” Jisung answers with a huge smile filled with pride and love as he tucks a loose strand of hair behind his daughter’s ear. “Do you know her?”
The question breaks the noise in Namjoon’s mind and he takes a moment to be able to speak again. “What? N-no, I never had the pleasure. Why, uhm, why do you ask?”
“Oh, I just can’t shake the feeling I know you from somewhere. You have a – familiar face.” Jisung sounds caught off guard yet letting his curiosity get the better of him; his eyes staring at Namjoon with a sort of nervous determination to figure out something troubling his mind.
“I sure hope you haven’t been anywhere near to what used to be my usual hanging spots, Jisung-ssi.” Namjoon chuckles dryly, trying to lighten the meaning of his words with a little humor. Not that it works, judging by how the omega’s eyes dim and his scent shows a hint of sadness. “No. I just – It’s a beautiful name. That’s all.”
Namjoon knows is a weak excuse, and is most certain the others know as well, so he is grateful when no one questions him. Haerin tilts her head in confusion just like her alpha father; the motion done at the same time is so natural Namjoon would find it endearing if he wasn’t so nervous.
“Thank you. I think so too.” Jisung smiles at him, trying to end the conversation without the added heaviness.
Thankfully, the call for dinner helps cut the awkward atmosphere and Namjoon sighs internally from relief. The twin pups excitedly jump from Jungkook and attach themselves to their alpha father and the family makes their way to the adjacent dining room. Namjoon takes this opportunity to finally reunite with the pack and calm the insistent nagging from his wolf to check on them. Jungkook and Taehyung come closer to the group after waving goodbye to the twins and Yoongi and Hoseok come forth from their previous spots behind the omegas and Namjoon.
“Well. I think that went better than with my father.” Yoongi chuckles and squeezes Namjoon’s shoulder.
Namjoon can’t help but laugh as he runs his hand through his short hair. “Yeah.”
“Did you really never meet the previous Clan Alpha, hyung?” Jungkook tilts his head to ask from behind Taehyung. “She is really active in the community, even after she stepped down from her position. She even check on me once in a while and I’m not even part of the clan, like, officially.”
Namjoon smiles at the young alpha but shakes his head. “I may be a Kim but I was never part of the Clan. My family and I lived in a really small town outside of Ilsan. The Clan’s territory is farther inland.”
The pack stare at him with wide eyes, not used to Namjoon sharing about his past so easily. Still, they try to appear not as surprised, smiling and nodding as nonchalantly as possible.
“So, you were a country boy,” Jin remarks with a playful jab to the alpha’s arm. “It suits you.”
Namjoon laughs and everyone loses the tension that built up in their shoulders. Soon after that, the beta staff from earlier finds them and guides them to their own table. The dining room is the same one where the pack and Namjoon ate with Jackson, last time they came to the Main Estate. Only this time, it was elegantly decorated with colorful fabrics draping from the exposed wooden beams and emptied from all the extra tables it usually had so only the ones meant for the selected guests remained. The empty space is left at the end of the room, where a jazz band plays an upbeat song.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so much, their assigned table is the same one as Jin’s family. Jisung smiles triumphantly while Seonho looks apologetic by his mate’s antics. Jin makes a quirky remark as they all sit but no one seems displeased or uncomfortable. Far from it, the pack’s usual energy and playfulness is back as they talk with the couple. The conversation is casual and light during dinner, talking about everything and nothing, feeling like a true family reunion. Even Jungkook and Taehyung, whom looked uncomfortable before Namjoon arrived are relaxed and even engaging in the conversation. Although most of the time they are talking and playing with the twins. Namjoon feels himself relaxing as well, enjoying the sound of the pack’s voices and laughter around him. He joins the conversation every once in a while, but he finds letting the others talk and just be surrounded by their presence to bring him warmth and comfort.
They talk through dinner, dessert and then some more over drinks, letting the hours pass by until the sun is long set and the moonlight makes its way through the gardens and into the outside corridor. The clan leaders had excused themselves some time ago, apologizing for the early retreat as Seonho carried the sleeping twins in his arms while Jisung took Haerin by the hand and carried their sleeping pup in the other.
The pack said their goodbyes but decided to stay a little while longer, enjoying each other’s company with a couple more drinks. Taehyung clings to Yoongi, pouting his way into settling in the alpha’s lap who, despite his complaining, holds the omega securely by the waist as he tries to hide the blushing in his cheeks by sipping from his glass. On the other side of the table, Jungkook holds Jimin in his arms as the omega settles comfortably in between his legs while Jin leans to rest his head in the alpha’s shoulder. The baby alpha looks one blink away from passing out just like the oldest omega, but Jimin looks as fresh as if he hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol to drink.
Namjoon looks around the room trying to find Hoseok, who excused himself for a moment after the Kim family left and is still to return. The tables are looking emptier and the remaining guests way happier – and sloppier – now that the drinks had time to work their magic, but there seems to be no sign of the beta. Namjoon becomes more alert, sharpening his senses trying to find the missing beta but he doesn’t get to panic for long as he finds Hoseok reentering the dining room and walking straight to him.
“Hey, Joon. Could you come with me for a moment?” Hoseok nods towards the way he came from. He smiles but his body language seems tense.
Namjoon nods and leaves his empty glass on the table before standing up to follow the beta. Yoongi makes a questioning look but Hoseok shakes his head and gives him an apologetic smile, his eyes connecting with the alpha’s as if having a quiet conversation.
“Is everything okay?” Namjoon asks as he catches up to the beta before stepping out of the dining room.
“Yeah. Everything’s okay. Remember what I told you this morning about the Japanese guest?” Namjoon widens his eyes and nods. He had honestly forgotten by now. Meeting both Yoongi’s and Jin’s families was nothing but exhausting and nerve-wracking for his brain to think of anything else. “Well, he is talking with Bang-nim right now, and told me he could meet with you.”
Hoseok takes Namjoon through the empty hallways into a different room almost at the end of the east wing of the estate. Right at the center, a group of well-built men forms a circle surrounding Bang and another middle-aged man. One of the guards recognizes Hoseok and steps aside to let them through, giving the pair a better view of the other man next to Hybe’s leader. He wears a traditional dark gray kimono and holds a black cane with a familiar lion’s head held between his hands. The man acknowledges Hoseok with a glance yet his eyes lock on Namjoon as soon as he turns over to the alpha. Hoseok notices the flash of recognition in the man’s black eyes and turns to Namjoon only to find the same expression.
When Bang turns to the young wolves he smiles and offers a hand as invitation to step closer. “Ah, Namjoon-ah. Let me introduce you. This is – ”
“Yamashita-san.” Namjoon says in a breath.
“You. You are Kang’s wolf.” The man, Yamashita, scans Namjoon up and down. The men forming the circle around them all turn to look at the young alpha and then whisper between themselves with tense shoulders. Yamashita notices this and talks again. “Or, should I say you used to be?”
“Yes, I think that would be more appropriate.” Namjoon answers with a steady voice, although Hoseok noticed the slight tremor of his lips before he talked.
“You used to work with the Black Dragons?” Hoseok couldn’t help but intervene. Although he knows about their new allies and how their relationship with Hybe came to be, he wasn’t lying to Namjoon when he told him how the Japanese were extremely private with their information. Their previous deals with other organizations are still unknown to Hoseok’s intelligence team.
“I didn’t trade one for the other, if that’s what you are wandering, boy. I broke my business deal with Kang the moment he and I no longer had the same views in certain – topics, and that was almost ten years ago. The alliance with Hybe is recent yet promising.” Yamashita turns to Bang and gives him an approving nod which Bang reciprocates.
“You told me about your previous business with the Black Dragons but I never expected you to know Namjoon-ah, Yamashita-san.” Bang adds. The man only nods so Namjoon decides to answer.
“Yamashita-san used to be an important ally to Kang. His only contact from Japan. He would frequently visit and even stay in the mansion during that time. That is how we became acquainted.”
“And you were always by Kang’s side; quietly observing with that clever gaze of yours. I heard a single man had recently delivered substantial information about the Black Dragons to Hybe’s hands but I never would have expected it would be Kang’s own silent wolf. He always underestimated your intelligence.”
“Kang has always been of the idea that the loudest man in the room is always right. I thought best not to challenge that idea to keep a low profile.”
“Clever. Your voice doesn’t need to be the loudest when the room respects you enough to offer you their silence. And I’m glad your voice finally came through.”
Hoseok feels Namjoon stiff beside him for a moment. The beta knows there is a depth to that last comment that he cannot really comprehend, yet he didn’t expect it to affect the alpha as it is. Namjoon stares before averting his eyes from the man with a frown. The alpha looks down with a pained expression before lifting his head once more to give a small smile. His expression looks bittersweet.
“So am I.” Is the only thing he answers.
Hoseok paces along the hallway with his head down and his hands tightly held behind him. He’s been waiting for almost twenty minutes for Namjoon and Yamashita to finish their conversation. After that strange exchange between the two, Bang offered them some privacy and led Hoseok and Yamashita’s guards out of the room. Namjoon seemed nervous but still managed to give Hoseok a smile before he stepped out. The beta is dying to know what they are talking about and regrets having a moral compass that tells him that snooping on Namjoon would be wrong.
After another ten agonizingly slow minutes, Yamashita exits the room, giving Hoseok a nod before walking towards his guards and away. Hoseok turns back to the room, waiting for Namjoon to step outside – only the alpha never does. Anxiety creeps inside Hoseok over the alpha so he slides the door further and looks inside the room. He feels relief as soon as he spots Namjoon standing in the middle of the room, yet he tenses again when the scent of wilting flowers hits his nose.
“Namjoon-ah?” Hoseok takes a couple of steps inside and slides the door closed. The alpha looks at him with glossy eyes and lets out a whine as he rushes to hold Hoseok in a tight embrace. “Umpf. Everything okay, Joon? What did that man say?”
“Thank you.” Is the only thing Namjoon can say as he nuzzles into Hoseok’s neck. “Thank you, Hob-ah.” The beta is quick to return the hug, patting the alpha’s back gently.
“Ah, I didn’t do anything of importance. He is our biggest contact in Japan so I asked Bang-nim if we could have a moment with him today. Yamashita-ssi was already meant to attend this dinner so you would have probably met him anyway.” Hoseok tries not to sound as embarrassed as he feels for the alpha’s gratitude, but Namjoon shakes his head.
“I’m not only thanking you for being able to talk to him, Hob-ah.” Namjoon slowly rises from Hoseok’s neck, loosening his hug and instead cooping the beta’s cheeks to lift his face and better look at him. The alpha’s scent is sweeter now, the sadness still lingers although resting under a blooming happiness.
“I am thanking you because you let me hope again. You helped me believe it was possible to find noona; you didn’t give up until you found a lead, no matter how small you thought it to be. And now – now I have found her.”
“You found her?” Hoseok whispers as if saying it out loud would make it untrue.
Namjoon presses their foreheads together as he lets out a breathy laugh and Hoseok relaxes in his hold, closing his eyes to better feel the alpha’s warmth. His own scent blooms in response to the happy wildflowers, filling the air with fresh lemons.
“Hob-ah,” Namjoon calls for him, still cradling his face with both hands. Hoseok opens his eyes in order to look up at the alpha. His red rimmed eyes stare back at him with nothing but adoration and his smile grows until it is framed by his deep dimples. “Can I – I mean. May I scent you?”
Hoseok stares wide eyed at Namjoon. His mind takes him to this morning, watching the omegas being scented so gently by the alpha and he can’t help how his scent spikes and turns sweeter. The beta can only mutter a breathy ‘huh’ as his face slowly turns red. Namjoon’s cheeks flush in response and he gives Hoseok a bashful smile as he lets go of the beta’s cheeks to place them in his shoulders.
“Sorry. My wolf hasn’t stopped nagging me about it and it’s getting harder to ignore now that I have you here so – so close. I’ve kinda been wanting to scent both you and Yoongi-hyung since this morning, especially after meeting with hyung’s father.”
“Oh,” Hoseok frowns and turns slightly to smell his shirt. Indeed, even after so many hours of being surrounded by his pack, the burnt smell of the alpha still lingers. “Yeah, Clan Alpha Min has a really strong scent and it always lingers in me longer than most because my scent as a beta is never enough to mask it. Sorry, Joon-ah. It must have made you uncomfortable to have a strange alpha’s scent so close to you all day.”
“It’s not because of something like that.” Namjoon tightens his hold of Hoseok’s shoulders, his voice sounding husk, almost like a growl. “That man’s scent means nothing to me. What I didn’t like is how he treated hyung and especially how he treated you. He didn’t even acknowledge you and I just – he doesn’t deserve to have his scent all over you and still act as if you didn’t exist.”
Namjoon’s distaste for Yoongi’s father is so prominent Hoseok can’t help but laugh. He never expected Namjoon to be the jealous type of alpha but, then again, what alpha isn’t? What makes him feel giddy is the fact that Namjoon is feeling jealous and possessive over him. They haven’t known each other for that long; the pack hasn’t even asked Namjoon to let them court him, and yet Hoseok can’t help but smile as he tilts his head to the side and present his neck for the alpha.
His reaction is immediate. Namjoon’s eyes turn to the beta’s neck and his nostrils flare as he takes in the tangy and citrussy smell of fresh lemons. Hoseok doesn’t miss how Namjoon’s tongue wets his lower lip before bending down again to press his nose in the beta’s neck, just below his ear. Namjoon starts slowly descending, his lips replacing his nose as he gets closer to the scent gland and places a featherlike kiss over it. Hoseok’s knees buckle at the sensation and Namjoon takes the chance to hold the beta by the waist and hoist him closer. With his other hand, the alpha threads his fingers through the back of Hoseok’s head and tilts it further to have better access to his neck.
Namjoon continues to run his nose and cheek up and down Hoseok’s neck, the rich scent of fresh pine and sweet wildflowers enveloping the beta in a thick veil of safety and comfort. Hoseok’s whole body relaxes, letting the alpha cloud his senses completely until the only thing he can feel, smell, taste and hear is Namjoon. A flashing thought of ‘so this is what Jungkookie felt that time’ is all that the beta can think before Namjoon opens his mouth to lick Hoseok’s scent gland and then his mind goes blank.
Nothing matters right now other than his alpha’s scent and his alpha’s hold on him. He is safe being held by Namjoon. His alpha’s complete attention is on him as he cradles Hoseok’s head, presses his body to Hoseok’s, inhales his scent and sighs as if Hoseok’s scent was the most delicious thing the alpha has ever smelled. Namjoon latches unto Hoseok’s scent gland and bites gently over it, groaning when sugary lemons explode in his mouth. All the beta can do is whine in response, clawing at his alpha’s back for a sense of grounding.
The alpha doesn’t stop licking and sucking marks all through the beta’s neck and scent gland. When Hoseok’s whining becomes more and more needy, Namjoon moves the beta’s head forward until his nose is closer to the alpha’s own scent gland.
“Take what you need, sunshine.” Namjoon’s voice is low and rough, making the beta tremble with want.
Hoseok whines one last time before he too opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue to lick into the source of his comfort. He doesn’t even register the taste. One moment he is in one of the Main Estate’s rooms being held by his alpha, and the next he is laying in a bed of wildflowers, surrounded by a thick forest and showered by the warm sunlight that falls through the leaves. Everything around him smells safe, smells like his alpha, like home. His body feels heavy but his mind is light. All the worries and insecurities he had been holding are carried away by the warm breeze and get replaced with happiness. And then – there’s nothing but blissful silence.