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War of Bonds

He regretted it.

He regretted storming off, regretted snapping at Jungkook like that. What had the pup done to him? He was so stupid. Just because so many omegas at school avoided alphas didn't mean there weren't a few who actually looked for theirs.

Jimin kicked his feet up on the bench, sighing heavily. Sitting in the back corner of the cafeteria made it easier to see what was going on, but it didn't make watching it any easier. He bit his lip as Jungkook leaned against Taehyung, nodding to something one of the other alphas said. A few of the omegas sitting near him groaned.

"I can't believe he'd give up like that," one muttered.

"Right? He seemed stronger than that."

"I bet he'll come off his suppressants now. They always end up like that."

Jimin flipped his phone over, staring at the cracked plastic case and the faded photos inside. He would need to remove them now, wouldn't he? Just like before. Just like all the times his friends had met their mates and joined the table in the center of the room. He glanced up at the table, watching as Jungkook's face split into a smile. He hadn't seen that smile since the day he met the younger Omega.

Was he the only idiot? He popped the case off and peeled the photos off the back of his phone, biting his lip. Why did all his friends decide they wanted their mates, in the end? They would all just be hurt. Just like she was...

He shook himself, squeezing his eyes shut. No. He wouldn't think of those days. There was nothing he could do about the past. He just had to avoid his mate, avoid all the pain that would come with him. He tossed the photos onto the table, pushing the phone back into the case, and paused, frowning.

He wanted to keep them, just in case. Maybe Jungkook would come to his senses. There was no way Taehyung was as nice as he'd pretended to be. Even defending Jungkook might have been an act. Jimin swallowed, picking them up, and steeled himself, taking them between his hands to rip them apart.

After a few moments, he let his hands fall, still holding the photo. Whole. He looked up at the table and saw Jungkook looking, one arm around Taehyung's waist. Jimin's chest hurt. He looked down at the photos again, then stood abruptly, tossing them onto the table and jogging out of the cafeteria.

"It's too bad," someone whispered as he passed. "They seemed like such good friends."

Jimin shoved his hands in his pockets, balling them into fists. It was for the best, he told himself. It was for the best. Even though he wanted those photos back, even though he wanted everything to be the same as it was before, he knew he would be fine. How many other friends had done this to him? He would survive, just like he had before.

It was for the best.

***

"Who are you to Jungkook?"

"No one," Jimin said stiffly, slamming his locker shut.

Taehyung scoffed, shaking his head. "You wouldn't be so sensitive about this if there wasn't something going on."

"Nothing is going on," Jimin said. "Except that a stupid alpha is blocking the way to my classroom!"

Taehyung crossed his arms, eyeing him. "Are you one of those omegas who goes for the same rank? That's dis--"

"Oh, get off my case!" Jimin snapped. "What's disgusting is the way you forced him into this relationship!"

"I didn't force Jungkook into anything!"

Jimin snorted. Taehyung growled, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Don't you have anyone else to hang around?"

Jimin sobered. He didn't want to admit that Jungkook was his only friend. The thought hurt enough when he didn't share it with anyone else.

"Just admit it," Taehyung said. "You're jealous, aren't you?"

Jimin growled at him, slamming a fist into the locker. "Jealous? Jealous? If I were jealous you'd be dead!"

"How?" Taehyung said. "You're an ome--"

Jimin kicked him in the knees and ran.