Stay (BTS x Reader-Polyamorous romance)

Chapter 21

Yoongi POV:

"Very good job today Jessie. I'm really proud of you." I patted the 7-year-old tiger hybrid on the head, happy with the work she had done today.

Jessie grinned, a space where her two front teeth should be. "Thanks Mr. Yoongi. I wanted to make you proud so I worked really hard to get that part right."

"Well you did an excellent job. Keep practicing and I will see you next Tuesday." I released the little girl to her parents, a human man and a tiger hybrid woman who greeted me with hellos, thanking me for the lessons for their daughter. As Jessie left with her parents and I packed up all the music, I thought about the last few weeks.

After leaving the sanctuary, I had accepted the position of piano teacher at a music school for hybrid children. I currently had fifteen students that I met with each week, Jessie included, and I absolutely loved what I did. Seeing the happiness on their faces when they learned a difficult part made me prouder than I thought I would. I couldn't help but feel a little envious of the parents that brought their children in, seeing the love in their faces when they hugged their children. It was something I had always wanted when I found my mate, to see their belly get round with my cubs, to hold a tiny tiger hybrid in my hands.

For a long time, I had lost hope of that ever happening, of ever finding the one that was meant for me. When I met Y/N, everything had changed for me. I had gone from having nothing, to having everything and it was still so unbelievable for me. The owner of the circus had tried to breed me with another tiger hybrid, saying more white tigers would bring in more money. He would bring them in during my heats, but since he was raised as a human and didn't know the basics about hybrids, he didn't realize that without my mate, I was essentially shooting blanks. He would get so angry when the females didn't end up pregnant. However, when I tried to explain it, he would just come after me with the cattle prod. I gave up trying to tell him what the problem was and just continued to pretend I didn't know what was happening.

This was not something I had talked about with Y/N or my other mates because I felt like I had been unfaithful to them, felt like I had betrayed them. I knew it was silly to feel this way since I didn't know my mates at the time, but I just couldn't help the guilt that filled me when I remembered the other hybrids. Part of me wanted to tell my mates about them, but I was afraid they would kick me out, afraid they wouldn't want me. And I knew that if that happened, I would never recover, never get over it. I had fallen for them, heart and soul, and I knew I never wanted to be without them again.

I left the music school, saying goodbye to Michael, the goat hybrid that owned the school. He waved goodbye to me, letting me know he would see me tomorrow and I walked the short distance to the house I shared with my mates. I knew Y/N and Jin would be arriving soon, with Hoseok and Namjoon not too far behind them.

As I walked, I couldn't help but think of my other mates. Jin, Hoseok and Namjoon had all visited with them, but I wasn't ready yet. After a couple of conversations with Hoseok, I knew I wanted to build the bond, but I just couldn't forgive Jimin yet for the harsh way he had spoken about my human mate. Y/N was beautiful and caring, kind and compassionate, one of the sweetest people I had ever met, including both hybrids and humans. The sheer fact that he wouldn't even give her a chance made me angry and I didn't know how to handle that anger yet. I avoided seeing them because I didn't want to say something I would eventually regret. I didn't want to say something that would destroy our already fragile bond.

I let myself into the house and the scent of my mates washed over me, making me feel safe and at home. Following the scent of chocolate covered cherries, I found Y/N in the kitchen, her back to me as she stirred something on the stove. I wound my arms around her waist from behind, grinning when she let out a surprised squeak. She turned in my arms, her face bright with happiness.