The Hanes Enigma

Chapter Fourteen - Corruption

Kim Taehyung

I drop the plastic bag at my feet and use the wall for support as I burst out laughing.

Jungkook, clad only in a blanket which he awkwardly wraps to cover as much of himself as possible, glares at me from the sofa he's seated on, Brynn's head on his lap as she shivers. The thing I'm laughing at, however, is Brynn's aunt sitting on a chair next to them with pursed lips and glaring directly at Jungkook and him glancing at her quickly before looking away uncomfortably.

"What the hell did you do?" Hoseok glares.

"I don't exactly remember..." Jungkook grimaces.

"He told her to sleep outside in order to prove herself to him." Ceridwen's eyes narrow disapprovingly. "I became intrigued when she didn't return from the library."

"Jesus, Kook." Hoseok rolls his eyes and kneels next to Brynn, placing his hand on her forehead and muttering soft words to her.

"You can make her okay, right?" Jungkook immediately stiffens, alpha protectiveness immediately showing.

"If you stop distracting me." The angel purses his lip and Jungkook looks down apologetically. "Go and put some clothes on."

The werewolf nods and begins to get up but the barely conscious Brynn whimpers and clings onto his wrist. His whole demeanour changes, softening at the sound and running a hand through her hair as he kisses her temple. I bank this image for future teasing of the 'independent' witch and 'fierce' alpha.

"So are you guys together now?" I perch on the armrest and smile down at the now much comforted Brynn.

"I don't know... I think so..? I hope so..." Jungkook gazes at her longingly and I ruffle his hair.

"You're so whipped, Kookie." I chuckle.

"Are you okay with it?" He looks up hopefully, a slight spark of genuine fear in his eyes.

I smile warmly and nod. "Yeah, you guys have my blessing or whatever. To be honest, I probably should have guessed that all it would take to make you settle down was an infuriating, sarcastic, somehow still kind of adorable, little witch."

Jungkook chuckles and looks back at the girl in his arms, stroking her cheek softly.

"I ship it." Hoseok shrugs. "So Jungkook, when you told Ceridwen that you'd given her niece pneumonia for the second time, how aware were you of your being stark naked?"

The werewolf turns bright red and I giggle.

"Not remotely." Ceridwen glares even more.

***

I squeeze Jimin's hand comfortingly as Etney explains the situation to the Senator and High Priestess.

"So, it wasn't your statement?" The Priestess frowns.

"No, ma'am." Jimin bites his lip nervously.

"Your father kidnapped you and made your brother sign it in order to trick the magick..?" She raises her eyebrows.

"Yes, ma'am. As unlikely as that sounds, it's true." He looks down. "I love Yoongi. And I know him better than anyone else alive. He'd never hurt me or Taehyung."

The woman nods thoughtfully and turns to the Senator.

"Assuming we find evidence implicating your father, we will arrest him instead." The man gets up, evidently bored. "In the meantime, Min Yoongi will continue to serve his sentence."

"Wait, what?." Jimin snaps and Etney hisses at him to shut up.

"We have no evidence against Park Beom." The man glares at us.

"You have no evidence against Yoongi, either." Jimin spits through gritted teeth. I squeeze his hand, a sign telling him to calm down.

"We have a witness statement." He sighs.

"A false one!" Jimin glares. Etney now also seems slightly suspicious.

"That remains to be seen." The Senator sighs.

"But your records say I wrote it. I didn't!" Jimin flails his arms exasperatedly.

"Then you have no right to withdraw it anyway. So, again, until we find evidence implicating Park Beom, Min Yoongi will continue to serve his sentence." The man scowls. "Now, I suggest you shut up and leave before I add to his sentence for your waste of valuable government time."

"Wait, so now he gets punished for what I do?" Jimin laughs. "This is a fucking joke!"

"Watch your tongue." The Senator glowers but keeps his voice calm.

"This is why the Clanless became an issue in the first place. You realise that? Because people like you insist on True Clans being so high and mighty, and demons being the only evil. And yet my father is the one leading the Clanless and the species they kill the most of is demon. For no reason! Who's the fucking evil one now?." He snatches his hand out of mine and storms out of the room.

The Senator sneers and shakes his head, claiming to have better things to do before leaving through another door.

"High Priestess..." Etney looks to the woman pleadingly.

"Yes, I know. I'm perfectly aware as to how unfairly Min Yoongi is being treated. I'm afraid I have no say over matters of other species, dear. I will, however, have a word with the prison. I don't think to forbid the demon from having visitors was ever in the official sentence. I'm sure I can bend some rules and see to that, at least." She purses her lips worriedly.

Etney beams. "Thank you, High Priestess."

"Can't you look into the Senate's corruption?" I frown and both Kalamani blink at me, shocked. "Well, they're your species..." I shrug.

"I'll do my best." She nods.

"So now to Pharaway?" I grin. "I'm pretty sure they'd like to hear about my resurrection."