An Idol for the Omega

Chapter 7: Watching

Braden

Pad pad. Pad pad.

Pad pad. Pad pad.

In the dark I watch my steps carefully. Slowly, my paws move over the ground about twenty miles away from the pack house. In my wolf form, I'm mostly a tawny color with darker fur along my back, ending with a black tipped tail. I keep my muzzle to the ground, stopping to sniff at anything not familiar as I follow the strongly scented patrol trail through the woods.

I don't usually have patrol duty, but this is a punishment passed down from  Beta Reed. The Alpha's second in command caught me on my phone one too many times when I was supposed to be doing other pack work. Now I have the West end patrol every night this week. I know that I should have been more focused, but I'm having a hard time right now.

I'm especially depressed, and sort of ticked off, because the Beta knows that I get most of my updates during the night. My phone is probably building up notifications back in my room at the pack house. I huff to myself but keep plodding along.

After J.A.M.M.I.N.'s tour ended, the entire group and crew headed straight back to Korea. The Luna tried to comfort me that they just didn't have the time for Jae to take a break and visit, but I wonder if that's the full truth. I worry his managers and production company wouldn't allow him to return to the area because of me, his crazy fan. Worse, I'm afraid that Jae didn't want to visit Luna Alec because I would be around. My heart always beats out of sync at the thought of his possible rejection.

Ever since we drove back that night from Seattle, leaving immediately so that I didn't linger around my mate uncomfortably, I've been learning everything I can about Jae and his life. At first, I followed Luna Alec around, but the Alpha didn't tolerate that for very long. Now, I have two hours a week with the Luna to learn about Jae. Also, the Luna has been teaching me some Korean, but it's incredibly complex to me.

Aside from my pack work, I've become a shut in. At least, as much as a shut in can be when I still need to use the pack's communal computer room, arranged with dozens of desktops to use. It was easy to find ways to keep up with news on my mate and J.A.M.M.I.N., with social media sites as well as fan sites.

I even paid to become a premium fan for small videos and news releases about the group. I downloaded every single one that features Jae, playing them on repeat. There are also several fan groups regionally that I joined. I joined any of the ones for the group, but also the ones just for Jae as well.

At first, I was embarrassed to ask for help with all the social media stuff. Despite my age, it just hasn't really interested me before. I had accounts already, but I only used them to keep up with fellow friends from the Family Sciences department when I attended university.

Once the pack teens learned that I wanted to learn in order to drool over my mate they all jumped in to help. Especially the girls, they oohed over me until my face was beet red. Some of them were already fans of the group and squealed when they found out the Luna's connection to Jae as well. I've had more conversations with teenage girls in the last six months than I've had in my entire life, and I've learned a lot about K-pop too.

I've also managed to fill my phone with downloaded photos of my highly photographed and very photogenic mate. My favorites have been printed and carefully taped up in my room, practically covering half a wall. I framed several of the ones that Luna Alec took, placing them around my room.

I purchased every album and single that they've ever released.  At first, I listened intently, my ears picking out every part sung by Jae, it seemed like there were never enough lines.  The more I listened, the more I appreciate the entire songs, looking up all the translations and humming along with all the members' parts.  I understand their world-wide fame and the passion of the fans.