What's Left of You (A Taekook Werewolf AU)

1: The ways of the old

Life in the packhouse is different. Specially if the pack leaders and elders follow the ancient ways.

Traditions and practices that were prevalent in the past, but only slightly modified to fit the needs of those with the higher ranks now.

In the ancient times, when werewolves lived in the wild, almost always in their wolf forms, there was a hierarchy that was vigorously followed.

Alphas were the providers, hunters who made sure to take care of the weaker ranks. Omegas were the caregivers, being the ones to give birth and take care of the young pups. Back then, given the circumstances and the wilderness, it was ideal for this hierarchy to work, as it was the only way of survival.

But now, werewolves have come a long way from that ancient way of living. There were packhouses now, shelter and food that could easily be accessible. And yet, some packs still followed the old hierarchy.

The omegas were now simply treated as breeders, rather than caregivers. Their job was only one, to mate and give birth to pups.

Alphas were always ranked as royalty, having the power to treat an omega as they see fit.

Taehyung was born in a pack like this. The Lee Pack was headed by Alpha Lee, who was an adamant believer of the old ways.

Their pack didn't treat omegas as anything except breeding machines. Taehyung would have turned out like them, as an alpha, if not for the opportunity that had allowed him to go out to the city to study.

Taehyung was a gifted wolf. He was phenomenal with healing and using his hands. Thus, upon the pack healers insistence and recommendation, Taehyung was allowed to leave the pack to go to study medicine in the city.

It was perhaps this little intervention that had further changed his views about the pack traditions and allowed him to see them for what they really were, a barbaric practice used to abuse the weaker rank.

Though, perhaps, it wasn't only that which changed his views. You see, Taehyung had always been compassionate. He wasn't like the other arrogant Alphas who flaunted their rank in the faces of the weak, instead, he was always soft spoken and kind.

This was one of the reasons why he was bestfriends with Jimin, an omega.

Taehyung never agreed with the ancient practices, and the city had further strengthened his views on the whole concept.

Taehyung returned to the pack after completing his education, hoping to slowly bring some changes that could help the omegas of the pack. But what he wasn't expecting was to find his mate in the form of the pack leaders son, Alpha Lee Chungwu.

Taehyung was well aware of the taboo mate pairings, namely Alpha-Alpha pairings and Omega-Omega pairings.

He should have known the consequences of allowing himself to accept the bond, but like a fool, he instead believed the words of his mate.

Come morning, after being mated and marked, Taehyung realized he made a grave mistake. He had allowed Alpha Chungwu to mark him, but he hadn't marked the Alpha back. The mate bond was only one sided, meaning if anything were to happen, it will be Taehyung who would feel the whole force of the pain.

And something did happen.

The pack leaders were furious, making stories about Taehyung bewitching the pack leaders son. He was called a whore for seducing his mate, a whore for tainting Alpha Chungwu's mind.

Amidst all this, stood Taehyung's mate, not saying a word but instead laughing with the other pack members at the various names that Taehyung was given.

A whore, betrayer, slut, etc.

Taehyung crouched down on the floor, hiding his face from the stones that were thrown on him by the pack members, the mate mark throbbing with an intensifying ache, for his mate was busy making out with another omega right in the middle of it all.

Taehyung was thrown out of the pack, not before the pack leader's son declared that he will be taking the omega in his arms as his new mate, a beautiful female named Choi Yuna.

The mate bond didn't break instantly, instead it was a pain that kept intensifying as the thread of the bond slowly broke, single strand at a time.

Taehyung could barely walk because of the pain, his body weakening as a result of the betrayal and rejection, along with the beatings that he had received at the hands of the pack.

With great difficulty, Taehyung managed to reach the boundaries of the Min Pack, only being able to say one word as he gave into his pain, "J-Jimin"

..........

Min-Park Jimin was an omega who had suffered through a bountiful of abuse as he grew up in one of the most conservative packs in their country, the Lee pack.

From birth, Jimin was treated as a breeding machine, rather than a living breathing human.

He was taught how to please an Alpha at the tender age of 6, learnt how omegas gave birth at the age of 10.

The days he spent at the Lee pack were traumatic memories he had a hard time forgetting, even now.

The only good memories that Jimin has of that pack is of his best friend, Alpha Kim Taehyung.

Taehyung was the only wolf in the entire pack that treated Jimin as a human being.

The alpha always treated him with kindness and respect. Always made sure to respect his boundaries.

Jimin had often dreamt about running away with Taehyung, to a place where his rank would not matter.

Taehyung was the omega's bestfriend, as well as a brother who protected him from the vultures in their pack, without ever asking for anything in return.

Jimin was thankfully saved by Alpha Min Yoongi who visited the pack in search of his fated mate.

Once Jimin realized he was the mate of this pale intimidating alpha, he had resigned all hope, for Alphas were cruel.

But imagine his surprise when the pack he was bought into was nothing like the Lee pack.

Instead of the chains of rules and degradation that he expected, Jimin was given freedom and respect.

The Min Pack was nothing like the Lee pack. They didn't care about the hierarchy. They treated every rank with respect.

Jimin was indeed lucky.

He didn't miss his old pack, not one bit, though he missed his bestfriend, Taehyung.

When the pack guards had woken them up in the dead of the night, informing them of an intruder who had called out the Luna's name, Jimin had not expected it to be a battered and bruised, nearly on the verge of death, Kim Taehyung.

The alpha was very weak, hardly breathing.

Jimin had been terrified. The pack healer had pointed to an infected mate mark which was slowly turning black, the tell tale signs of rejection and Jimin was devastated by the pain his bestfriend must be feeling.

Taehyung was unconscious, but out of danger and Jimin vowed that he will not let anything or anyone hurt Taehyung any further.

He will not lose his bestfriend again.

Never again.

-
Hey

Slow start, but I figured it's best to describe Taehyung's past life in the pack, along with Jimin's.

Next chapter shall focus on Jungkook's back story, before they ultimately meet.

Let me know your thoughts.