What if... the CEOs were hybrids? Part three | BTS OT7 AU
Its been a long while my lovelies and I apologise, hopefully making up for it with the third instalment of the what if series, starting us off with some 7.7K words about hybrid CEOs.
Trigger warnings: Possessive/obsessive behaviour, jealousy, scenting, usual hybrid trope things, swearing, testosterone, I don't know if being mean is a trigger warning but here it is. Angst.
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Playlist : Fire Escape - Matthew Mayfield, Delicate - Damien Rice
Hybrids: KNJ - Wolf, KSJ - Bear, MYG - Panther, JHS - Lion, PJM - Arctic fox, KTH - Tiger, JJK - Bunny.
You smelled like him, that was the first thing the trio noticed on their first day back to work when you passed them by. That's why the hyungs looked so sullen at home, why they were no longer coming home with your scent lingering on their clothes. And why Yoongi and Namjoon could barely stand to be in the same room for longer than a minute without tearing into each other about something stupid, all while avoiding the topic of you.Â
The miasmic cloud of misery seemed to be hanging over all of their heads, following them without mercy from its downpour. You were avoiding their gazes, the maknaes watched you across the office longingly, waiting for you to greet them, to make the first move they were too afraid to make.
âThis is stupid, weâve known her longer than the human oaf,â Jimin mutters under his breath to the other two. âMy angel isnât one to hold a grudge, letâs just go and say hello.â
As brave as his words sounded, he could feel his heart in his throat, choking back any greeting he wanted to give you.Â
âWhat if sheâs still upset with us?â Jungkookâs bunny ears flopped, his own sadness weighing them down as he nervously struggled to keep his eyes on you. How did it get like this? He told you only a week ago you were part of their pack, now they were terrified to talk to you.Â
âShe doesnât want to speak to us,â Taehyung states bluntly, while Jungkook could barely look at you, the tigerâs eyes never left you. He could read you like a book, you were ignoring them, and he hated it. All for that stupid human, the anger and jealousy burned inside of him. You never paid anyone else any interest all this time, to the point where he really believed you had feelings for them, and now anotherâs scent lingered on you, taunting him. How did he get it so wrong?Â
He turns away first, walking out of the working space leaving Jungkook and Jimin to reluctantly follow, once last longing look your way, lingering there for as long as possible as they pleaded silently with you to meet them halfway.Â
â
You take a deep breath as you approach his private office, bracing yourself for whatever the hell reason it was today he demanded you come to see him. All week there was a new reason, a new mundane task, more workload, more grumpy attitude from the CEO as he stared daggers into you like he was reverting back to who he was when he met you, when he didnât trust you. But you could see through it, to an extent, the panther was punishing you and you were letting him .Â
You exhale, it sounds almost like a sigh before you knock on the door, a gruff voice replying.
âDepyunim, you asked for me?â You greet him politely when you open the door.
âTake a seat,â he responds without looking up from the paperwork in front of him.
You hesitate, this was how it always started, you sitting there in silence fidgeting for however long he decided before he actually addresses you again. Only today the workload was catching up with you, you couldnât afford to waste your time with his antics.Â
Your reluctance to follow instruction makes him look up at you, not a single emotion on his face, his eyes almost black, void of the man you once knew.Â
âIs there a problem Miss L/n?â
Ah. That was the other thing he started doing, he didnât call you kitten anymore. It shouldnât still cut you like this, and honestly you thought you had gotten used to it after a whole week, but every time it knocked the wind out of you like a punch to the gut. You were too terrified to call him by his name or question him over it, something told you his bite would be worse than his bark. Even now, where you would normally challenge his behaviour, you couldnât muster the courage to.Â
You shake your head, taking your seat like you had the previous days before. He returns to his paperwork without a word. The atmosphere between you was unbearable, every time you sat in this chair you wanted to bawl your eyes out, and every day you forced yourself to hold the tears back.Â
âDepyunimâŚâ you couldnât take it anymore, you watch the pen in Yoongiâs hand pause at the sound of your voice. âI donât want to rush you, but I have to get the Enhyphen contracts done by 4.â
You tried to say it calmly, softly, politely, but the stone in your throat made it difficult to speak. You fiddle with your fingers in your lap, bracing yourself nervously. He exhales loudly out of his nose, as if you were testing his patience, resuming his writing without a verbal response.Â
In all honesty, you were misreading his behaviour. Yoongi was angry at himself. What was he trying to do? Push you away? Keep you close? Make you waste an entire day with him, so youâd be forced to stay late to catch up and then you wouldnât go to see that human he could smell on you? What exactly was he trying to achieve? He was just so angry all the time since that day. That stench that didnât belong on you was frying his brain cells, making him act like a possessive panther, enraging him even when he couldnât smell it. He was desperately trying to keep you as close to him as possible whenever he could, keeping you in his office, his personal den, away from the thing that was taking you from him.Â
He hears you sniff, it's small but audible, it stuns him frozen, scared that tears would follow, that he was the one to cause them. As hurt as he was, as miserable, the last thing he wanted to do was make you cry. The grip on his pen tightens. He owes you an explanation for his behaviour, his abuse of his power, he knows it, but how does he start?Â
âDid I do something?â Your small voice makes him finally look up at you, almost snapping his neck in the process of how quick his attention turned.Â
His hard expression melts into one of shock, jaw dropping an inch as he takes in the way youâre trying to smile despite the sadness coming off of you in waves.Â
âNo.â Is it a lie? It sounded firm, something that left no room for questions, but he canât convince himself that it was true.Â
In your mind youâve already come to conclusions about the change in atmosphere, observing their attitude towards you and knowing it coincided with Eric coming into your life. Youâre not stupid, you know they saw you as a packmate, so a new foreign scent was going to drive them over the edge. You just thought it would have settled by now, that they wouldâve gotten used to it.Â
But how could you act hurt when you were the one to instigate the change, to pull away for your own peace of mind. You put up walls and boundaries, knowing what the consequences would be. You couldnât complain now, even if your whole body ached with missing them, despite working with them almost every day. Distance didnât have to be physical, you could prove that.Â
âOkay,â you accept it, plastering on a patient content smile on your face that didnât feel right. Yoongi doesnât like it, he knows itâs fake, but he turns back to his paperwork like a coward, unable to confront you or let you go.Â
â
âWhatâs this?â Namjoonâs eyes are aflame as he shows you the email on his laptop, his eyes unbreaking from staring down your small figure in front of his desk.Â
âI-itâs a request for a job reference,â you state the obvious, trying not to tremble in front of his heated glare.Â
âI can see that babygirl,â he sounds almost condescending, the fire in his chest unable to remain contained in front of you. âIs there a problem here working in this company?â
You gulp a little, shaking your head since you couldnât trust your voice to stay steady.Â
âThen why would you even think about applying elsewhere?â He almost growls, almost.Â
He sucks in his cheeks, trying to calm himself down, knowing what a hypocrite he was being. He told the others to keep their distance, to stop with this mating nonsense especially since you were obviously interested in someone else. All those times he told the others to respect your choices, and here he was eating his own words. Employees come and go, itâs a given in any business, but you, over his dead body was he ready or willing to let you leave. He didnât even consider it an option.Â
âWhat is it, Y/n?â he pushes, âIs it the pay? The workload? What would make you decide to leave when all you have to do to fix anything is speak to me.â
He was seething, but his anger wasnât directed at you, it was the fear he was hiding in the flames speaking for him.Â
âI was just exploring my options,â you canât meet his eyes when you say it, your focus aimed at the edge of his desk. You knew logically you didnât have to answer a thing, didnât have to justify your actions, but you felt compelled to. This wasnât just your boss, this was the man you had been in love with for years. You respected him far too much.
âAnything any company can offer you I can match or double,â he still sounds so angry, but he canât help it. âYou want a pay rise? Done. Promotion? Whatever position babygirl, itâs yours. Anything you want.â Just donât leave.Â
The corner of your lip rises an inch, a humourless sad smile on your face as you hold back a scoff. Your eyes start to water, you donât want to say a word. He couldnât give you what you wanted, you wanted him, you wanted the others, and if he ever knew he would throw you out of the company himself. You were doing him a favour by removing yourself, but you couldnât tell him, because regardless of what you thought were noble actions, you knew you wouldnât be able to take the look of hate or disgust in his eyes if it was directed at you.Â
âYouâre the biggest asset this company has ever had,â he explains, needing to cover his outburst before you read between the lines. It wasnât a lie, but it sure wasnât the reason why he was so desperate for you to stay. âIâm not letting you go without putting up a fight.âÂ
You wanted him to stop. It wasnât fair how he made your heart sway and burn when he didnât feel the same way. You hear him sigh, collecting his words, the hesitation makes you finally glance at him.
âDoes this have anything to do with why you were crying last week?â He asks cautiously, his gaze inspecting your every reaction and movement.
âNo,â you lie, âI told you, I was just overwhelmed with the workload.â
You sounded so flat, it made him ache. He fights the instinct to wrap you in his arms, smothering the voice in his head that was telling him something was wrong with his mate, reminding that incessant voice that you chose someone else. It was happening more and more frequently recently, he was arguing with himself all the time. The same conversation with himself repeating everyday whenever he saw you.
She chose someone else, he says to himself firmly, shutting down any chance of a counter argument. He doesnât notice the grip on his pen is deadly until it cracks under the pressure, ink spilling all over his hands.Â
âJoonie!â Maybe it was instinct that tore away all the boundaries you were building, but you race to his hand in worry as if he had injured himself. He felt the tug in his chest again the second you said his name, finding himself gazing at you softly. Thereâs a frown forming as you take his hand, looking it over in case he cut himself. He doesnât pull away, even though he knows he should. You had him wrapped around your little finger, and although he didnât mind, it was starting to hurt.Â
âAre you okay?â You ask him, glancing up at his face to ensure he wasnât in pain before returning to inspect his soiled hands.Â
He knew he was pretending nothing had changed since you started dating, but his whole world turned upside down and he had to grit his teeth through it. He had to lead the others by example, but doing what was right rather than what he wanted was getting harder each time he saw you. Each time he could smell that disgusting odour on you it flared his jealousy, it had only been a week, how often were you seeing this boy in a week that his scent was always on you?Â
âI donât think youâre bleeding,â you mumble, more to yourself than to him, that frown of concern still cemented on your face as if you refused to trust the evidence he was unscathed.Â
He hates it when you pull away, your own hand stained with ink from holding his. You glance down at them, lips turning up an inch as if you found it humorous for reasons unknown to him. You were laughing at yourself, all that progress you thought you were making away from them was bullshit, the state of your hands were proof enough of that.Â
âI think I need to go wash my hands,â you chuckle, moving away from him.Â
He fights back the instinct to grab your hand in a desperate attempt of keeping you with him, words lodged in his throat. He controls himself as you walk out of the office, feeling like a hopeless puppy rather than a wolf.Â
â
âDid you hear, Y/n got herself a boyfriend!â
âNo way, for sure thought she was courting the CEOs.â
âShe obviously tried and failed.â
Jin sighs, closing his eyes trying to contain the disappointment he felt in his employees as they gossiped about you, not realising he was within earshot. He tries not to listen, tries not to focus on the details of your new relationship, but gossip spreads like wildfire in the company, the details getting warped as they were whispered.Â
He scoffs. What did they know? They were all wrong about your affection for them, it was the other way round, they were courting you. It was plain and obvious for anyone to see but in the eyes of your jealous and spiteful colleagues, you were the instigator. Perhaps it was a blessing you unknowingly rejected them, he hated to think of what rumours would try to taint you if they were successful. He says it to himself so convincingly he can almost pretend it doesnât taste bitter. Why was everyone so blind? Why were you so clueless? Why was everything so complicated?
He sighs to himself as he makes his way to the meeting room, half an hour early. Some habits die hard, some donât die at all. Just as he expected you were already there setting up, he wouldâve smiled if it wasnât for the smell that hits him, the reminder. He could pretend nothing was changing, but the truth was hard to deny.Â
âNeed any help, beautiful girl?â he says, his sudden presence making you jump out of your skin. He grins at that at least.
âIâm almost done,â you laugh lightly, hand on your heart as it raced, refusing to calm down even when you knew there was no threat. You donât know why but you were becoming increasingly nervous around Jin, a paranoid part of you thought he could see right through what you were doing, and you were afraid he would call you out.Â
He hums in acknowledgement, approaching you slowly, his eyes boring into you as if you would disappear from sight if he so much as blinked.Â
âYouâre early,â you comment, trying to focus on anything other than his stare.Â
âI wanted to spend time with my beautiful girl,â he confesses against his better judgement. He didnât want things to change, so what if you were dating a moron, you were still his mate.Â
Your pulse was beating faster the closer he got. Jin refused to let you pull away, it was why you thought he knew what you were doing. He didnât let anything change. Boundaries? Fine, heâd respect them, but you trying to create a distance from him? It would kill him.Â
âI-I, ummâŚâ You canât find an excuse to leave the room, and when he stands in front of you only inches away you lose your train of thought all together. His eyes implore down to your own, the softest smile admiring you without attempting to hide it at all.
âHmmm?â he hums again, asking you to go on with a slight smirk, reading the effect he had on you, proof that you liked him too.Â
Youâre sure you look like a fish out of water to the amused bear in front of you playing with his food.Â
âWhatâs wrong honey?â
You gulp, his eyes turning dangerous and knowing underneath the light expression he held. Maybe you liked that new term of endearment a little too much, Jin swore he could hear your heartbeat flatline for a second. He takes a step closer, basking in the warmth radiating from your heated form, just more evidence, more reassurance that he hadnât gotten it wrong. You loved them too, the only issue was Namjoonâs inability to see it, and whatever the hell you were doing with that boy he could smell on you.Â
The urge to get rid of it with his own scent was driving him up the wall. It would be so easy, but he didnât want to make you uncomfortable. Crossing boundaries was how you all got into the predicament, he wasnât about to make it worse.Â
Your mouth opens and closes, repeatedly without words like the proverbial fish. Didnât you ask the maknaes what hybrid you would be? Well you know the answer now.Â
âAre you ill honey?â He presses the back of his hand to your forehead. He canât help it, just something small, something that can be brushed off as concern. âYouâre burning up.â
By the look on his face you can tell he knows exactly why that is. The smirk is gone, his face unusually serious with a challenge in his eyes to prove him wrong.Â
âI-Iâm fine,â you donât sound it when you push his hand away from your face, but you force yourself to brush it off. âHonestly Jin, Iâm fine.â
Before he can investigate any further, you turn away from him, feeling his stare on your back as you finish setting up for the meeting. It doesnât go unnoticed by him that you repeat certain things, or take your time, obviously trying to avoid any more interactions with him. He laughs to himself in pity, maybe he did get it all wrong.Â
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It's silent in their office, it has been all week. No one seemed to muster the energy to talk, not even the maknaes now they were back. Namjoon half expected them to whine or complain openly about the situation, but they were too deflated to speak. A burning guilt seared right down his centre, realising his punishment was part of the reason they wouldnât be open about their feelings, he was their alpha and he lost their trust. But they couldnât see he was just trying to protect everyone, that was his burden.Â
Hoseok walked in, doom and gloom written all over his face, a visible sigh through his lips, his eyes concentrated on the ground as he walked. A part of him wanted to hide in Yoongiâs office, not really wanting to be alone but not wanting company either, but he couldn't impose and the panther had been a bit volatile recently. He canât remember the last time Yoongi willingly came into the main office since his argument with Namjoon. The two were avoiding each other thinking that was the best way to avoid conflict, in reality it was just making things ten times worse.
âI think Iâm going to transfer to another floor,â he says nonchalantly as he stands at his desk, the others gawping at his words.Â
âHyung,â Jimin sounds equal parts outraged and upset. âYou canât.â
âFloor seven needs better management,â he says, not meeting anyoneâs eyes.Â
âAnd the real reason Hyung?â Taehyung scoffs.
He doesnât answer for a moment, wanting to keep it repressed inside, but this was his pack, his family, they knew him better than anyone else.Â
âI canât take the smell,â he confesses quietly. âEverytime I look at her all I can see is someone else's hands on her, I-â
He cuts himself off, taking a breath. His emotions were spilling, overwhelmingly so inside of his chest, the only way out was through his mouth as words, but he locks it shut.Â
âWe wonât let a girl come between us or the company,â Namjoon states after minutes of silence, his voice quiet but firm. âWeâve worked together since the start, weâve had problems before and weâve gotten through them every time, this is no different.â
It was like he was brushing the situation off, thatâs what made them stare at the leader of their pack aghast. A girl? A problem? Did he seriously just say that?
âBut sheâs not just a girl Namjoon,â Hoseok sounds so heartbroken that he even implied it, not holding back his words even though he knew it wasnât a subject to approach the lead CEO with. âSheâs our mate.â
Namjoon sighs, ready to have the conversation again for the hundredth time but Hobi doesnât let him.
âYou can deny it to yourself and the rest of us,â he says. âThat doesnât make it any less true.â
He doesnât want to hear the lectures today, doesnât want to sit through another spiel about how it would never work, so he left the office before the wolf could start. It was just his bad luck that he ran into you as he walked out, your form colliding into his chest.Â
âWoah-â Itâs instinct the way his arms wrap around you to hold you steady, and he blames instinct as to why he's so reluctant to let you leave. Your palms are on his chest, burning through the fabric of his shirt, finally giving him some of the warmth he had been craving for a while.Â
âSorry,â you say sheepishly, pulling away, but he doesnât release you. You look up at him in confusion. âAre you okay?â
No, I'm not okay sunshine. Heâs missed you, the confession almost leaves his lips. But instead he smiles through the gut wrenching pain of letting you go, carrying on as if nothing had happened.Â
â
Twice in one day? What had you done to deserve it? You march over to Yoongiâs office this time, the pile of work starting to stack itself into the leaning tower of pisa on your desk. You donât even knock, opening the door to greet the panther.Â
âDepyunim you calle-â
âYou need to rewrite this,â he cuts you off without looking at you, holding the files you dropped off earlier before they slammed on his desk.Â
âWhatâs wrong with it?â you challenge quietly, knowing that you checked it over ten times before giving it to him.Â
âYou need to change the font,â he states matter of factly. What the- was he kidding?
âThis again?â you groan, rolling your eyes in without thinking, patience wearing thin. âThereâs nothing wrong with the font!â
Yoongi stands up so quickly his chair almost falls back, he strides over to you, eyes pinning you down where you stood just outside his office. The doorway between you shouldnât symbolise so much, but when he looks down at you with an anger simmering in his eyes, you canât ignore that it does.Â
âIâm a CEO of this company,â his voice is quiet, dangerously so. âIf I tell you that it needs changing, there shouldnât be any questions about it kitten.â
The pet name slips before he can stop it, but he can see your eyes soften at the term despite the way you were trying to challenge him. Your hands ball into fists by your side, trying to stop the ache that came with hearing him call you that again. Trying to pretend you didnât miss the sound with your whole being.Â
âIâm not changing the font Min Yoongi,â you keep your voice and gaze steady, ready to win this battle between you both.Â
He almost smirks, it was instinct when his kitten got out her claws, he couldnât help it.Â
âIâm telling you to.â
âFine, if youâre going to be stubborn about it letâs take it to Namjoon and he can tell us if youâre being unreasonable or not,â you argue back not realising that was the wrong button to press, but how were you to know of the ruins of their relationship.Â
âThis isnât Namjoonâs project,â he can hear the growl in his words, taking a heavy step towards you.Â
The way his eyes turned black in a second made a shiver go down your spine, goosebumps jumping out of your skin, warning you that you pushed the panther too far. The next step he takes has you gulp, survival instinct taking over as you take a step back, keeping the distance between you the same, moving into the corridor.Â
âIt's mine,â he looks so disgusted at you, hate pouring out in his words and his glare, aimed far away from you but unfortunately you were on the receiving end. Kim Namjoon was not a name to be uttered in his presence. âSo if I tell you, to change the font Miss L/n, you change it.â
His words are final, you can see it. It doesnât falter, his stare so intense you have trouble finding your own words.Â
âOkay,â you give in, ready to drop the subject and run away from his demeanour, but he wasnât having it.Â
âHow dare you try to question my rank in this deal Y/n,â the way he says your first name makes you realise it's not just anger there, you hurt him. âBut I guess you donât respect me a much as you respect him.â
He scoffs, shaking his head as he walks back into his office, slamming the door behind him, leaving you alone on the other side. You hadnât realised you were holding your breath until your lungs filled with air again shakily. No, you were not going to leave it like this.Â
For the second time that day you donât knock, walking in to find his back to you as he stood in the middle of the office, Shoulders rising and falling with each angry breath he took. You close the door behind you, staring at him until he turns around.Â
âGet out of my office,â heâs not joking, the tone of voice he was using with you, you had never heard aimed at you before. You force your bottom lip to not quiver.
âIâm sorry,â you say, trying to keep your voice steady. He lets out a breath of laughter, humorlessly, looking up at the ceiling in exasperation.Â
âFine. Now leave.â
In his current state, the stink on you was only fuelling the fire. It filled his office, his safe space and he wanted it out even if it meant kicking you out.Â
âYoongi,â he curses the way you look up at him with watering eyes. âWhy are you so mad at me?â
âThat smell is off putting,â itâs spit out before he can reign it in. Part of you expected that to be the answer but you still look surprised.
âBut this is irrationalâŚâ you shake your head, you want to create boundaries not be exiled. âI know Eric isnât part of your pack but neither are most of the people you work with every day and youâve never behaved like this before. Not with me.â
His jaw clenches at the name, the way you said it sounded too familiar for a guy you only met a week ago. Humans were more like animals than they thought, if you met your mate time was irrelevant, he really thought that was you for them, he didnât want to believe anything else.Â
âI canât stand their stench either kitten,â he bites back, sounding spiteful, tail flickering behind him dangerously. âWhy do you think I have a private office that no oneâs allowed into?â
You reel back, hating the way he was speaking to you. You both bickered and argued all the time, but this felt different, this felt real.Â
âAnd right now, youâre filling it with that disgusting smell,â you could almost see smoke coming out of his head, like a volcano about to erupt. âSo please, Y/n, leave.â
You stare at him silently for a second, unable to hide the hurt on your face anymore. He doesnât budge, he canât, and you can see it your efforts to get through to him would be fruitless. When you close the door behind you, walking out without another word, he can feel the guilt drop like a pill inside of him, regretting letting his jealousy speak for him.
â
You can hear the tap running in the kitchen when you walk into your apartment after work. Sighing with emotional exhaustion as you take off your shoes, you really wanted to be alone.
âHey!â His voice shouldnât aggravate you, but it pulls at a chord. âHow was work?â
You try to smile, but it feels awful.Â
âBusy as always,â you donât elaborate, and Eric is smart enough to know not to push.Â
âWell I made you one last dinner⌠without burning the kitchen down this time,â he chuckles sheepishly.Â
âYou really didnât have to,â you didnât have the stomach for food today.Â
âI just wanted to thank you Y/n,â he says sincerely. âFor letting me stay with you this week, I honestly canât thank you enough.â
If you told any of your friends you let the guy that took you on one date stay with you when he accidentally burned down his apartment, youâre pretty sure theyâd kill you before giving you the lecture of âyou donât know himâ, âhe could be a serial killerâ. But you knew Eric through a mutual friend, and if they vouched for him, youâd believe it. Plus you couldnât lie that his presence was useful in your badly executed plan of getting over your bosses or at least not letting them find out you were in love with them.Â
âSure youâre not going to let me take you out on another date to make up for it?â he tries cheekily, reminding you of his presence when you space out thinking about them.Â
âI thought dinner was your way of making up for it,â you say with a look on your face that roughly translated to, nice try.
âNo, that's my way of saying thank you,â he chuckles but again doesnât push it.
As much as you wanted to be distracted from your current dilemma, you wouldnât use anyone that way. It wasnât fair, you were hung up on them, and you didnât believe that stupid saying of getting under someone else. Honestly, you didnât know what you were doing, you wanted something impossible. Did you honestly believe that a little distance was going to erase the past few years of getting to know them, of falling in love with them? How did you think you could have it both ways? Love them from afar, but still keep them close. You really were a mess.Â
â
His scent was stronger on you this morning. It was all they could think about through the meeting all seven of them had to attend, but they didnât know that was because you hugged Eric goodbye this morning when he finally left with his stuff. More from the relief of getting your space back than anything else. The time-old saying was wrong, what they didnât know would definitely kill them.Â
Did he spend the night? Was that why the once lingering smell on you was now punching them in the face with its pungence? Jin glances briefly at the way Yoongi was tapping his pen irritatedly on the surface of the desk. Hobi looking distraught beside him, blinking back the tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
The maknaes were fairing no better. Jimin's stare was as cold as ice, threatening to freeze anyone cold that dared to approach him⌠perhaps it was quite fitting for an arctic fox. Jin could hear the way Jungkookâs leg was restless under the desk, the strength of the smell too much for the bunny as his face contorted into pain. And Taehyung⌠well the tiger looked at you with such an intensity, the oldest CEO didnât know how you were ignoring it, surely you felt the burn of his gaze.
Jin wondered how Namjoon was leading the meeting with such faux ease. If Jin didnât know him any better, he would have believed it, but he noticed the subtle clench of his jaw, the way he couldnât help glancing at you at any given moment, the heartbreak and questions in his gaze every time it fell on you.Â
âWeâve only just managed to reach our target for this yearâs quarterly,â Namjoon states, trying not to wince at the way the smell was giving him a headache. âI want project leaders to reassess their team's work for any pitfalls or areas for improvement.âÂ
You frown in concern when he pauses, pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyes with his fingers, closing them in pain before resuming the meeting. You want to question it, stay late when he finishes his speech, thanking everyone for their hard work and letting your colleagues leave the room. You want to stay, you want to check he's okay, but you remind yourself of what youâre trying to achieve and force yourself out without looking back at any of them. That didnât mean you didnât feel each of their stares as you left.Â
â
You can see Jungkook and Jimin wandering around the office floor, trying to look busy, striking up conversations with almost every employee, asking them mundane questions about different projects, all while sneaking not so subtle glances your way. Youâd laugh under any other circumstance. You hadnât said a word to them since that night, and now because of the lack of communication the atmosphere festered into something awkward. Each party was afraid to approach the other, you were scared to talk to them, they had a way of bringing down your defences, and you knew it would take them seconds to break down the wall of boundaries you were building.Â
The pair notice you ignoring their presence, making their way through the sea of employees, inching closer and closer to you as naturally as they can fake.Â
âHyung I donât think this is going to work,â Jungkook mutters under his breath for only the arctic fox to hear.
âWhy wonât it work?â Jimin challenges in a hushed breath. âWeâre the CEOâs of the company checking on our employees, Angel is also an employee, this is the perfect way to start a conversation again.â
âBut hyung-â
âI miss her,â Jimin looks earnestly at the bunny, his heart in his eyes for him to see. âI canât take this anymore.â
Jungkook bites his lips nervously as Jimin talks to Seulgi, the next desk they would approach would be yours. You seemed engrossed in your work but he kept his eye on you, scared you would figure out what they were doing and run away before they had the chance to talk to you.Â
You, however, were so wrapped up in your own thoughts you didnât question their motives. That is until they make their way to your desk.
âAngel,â Jimin greets you as if nothing happened.Â
Your eyes widen as you stare at him in shock, realising this was their plan the whole time.Â
âJimin,â you breathe back, and he has to stop himself pouncing on you. Fuck, he missed you? Why was that word not enough to explain the pain of being away from you for so long?
âHi Noona,â Jungkook saves his hyung by sacrificing himself, the older CEO malfunctioning after hearing his name. âW-we w-wanted to see how everyone was doing.â
He chews at his lips, cursing himself for stuttering, but thankfully Jimin finds his tongue.
âThe hyungs sent us,â he lies hastily, âto check on everyone, I meanâŚâ
You just nod in reply, feeling a little on the spot with both their gazes burning into you like you would fade from sight. You kind of wish you could fade from sight.
âHow are you?â Jimin asks softly, the words sounding light but holding more weight than anyone would ever know.Â
âI-Iâm okay,â you smile but it doesnât reach your eyes. âJust falling behind.â
Your hands grip onto the arm rests of your chair, as if you were physically trying to hold yourself back from leaping into their arms. You missed them, you missed them so much you didnât care about that stupid night and the stupid boundaries. You just wanted to go back to normal, but you couldnât, you had feeling for them, it was wrong.Â
âAnything we can help with?â Jungkook asks, hoping youâd let them. All he wanted to do was bury his nose in your hair, after scenting you so hard that you only smelled of him and the pack. His fingers fidget, entangling around each other, canât he at least touch your hair? Or your cheek, or something.Â
âI kind of need to not be distracted,â you say sheepishly, wincing at your own harsh words though you tried to say them as politely as you could. Both boys balk at the suggestion before Jimin composes himself.
âUnderstood.â His features turn to stone as he drags the bunny away, leaving you to your work. Your heart breaks more and more with each step they take, knowing you canât take it back. You hurt them.Â
â
You thought their office was empty, it's why you didnât knock. Knowing their schedules, knowing they were all at different meetings, you didnât think twice to enter with the files you had to drop off, coming to an abrupt halt when youâre met with his red rimmed eyes. You both stare at each other, your face one of complete shock, while his was evident of his tears.Â
It's the sob that wrecks through his whole body that has you spring into action, flinging the files onto whoevers desk you didn't care, as you almost ran over to him, engulfing him in your arms nearly knocking you both over. If anything he cries harder, tail wrapping around your waist too as he holds onto you like a lifeline. You squeeze him hard, his head burying itself into your neck, trying to find the scent of you that wasnât tainted with that awful stench.Â
You donât smell like you. You donât smell like them. He wonât pretend it's pure instinct as he rubs his head against you, sniffling as he moves your head under his chin, rubbing his scent glands on you roughly. Itâs all over you, that fucking smell was everywhere.Â
âTae,â you call his name airily, his ministrations already having an effect on you, but you had been so starved of him for so long.Â
He doesnât respond, taking your arm in his hand, pressing it against his cheek, hiding his eyes from you when he decides it isnât enough. You feel yourself stop breathing when he uses his lips instead, soft delicate kisses on the length of your arm, making his way slowly to your neck. Youâre frozen, not wanting him to stop for a second, your skin searing at every touch he gives.Â
That is until you try to make sense of his behaviour. He was a hybrid, who saw you as part of his pack, and you denied them your presence for over a week. This was just his instincts on overdrive and you had to get yourself together before he went too far and regretted it. Or before you misread the signals and got your heart broken again.Â
âTae, stop,â it sounds feeble even to your own ears, but you grab his wrists and push him back. His eyes meet yours, no tears left but his pupils are fully blown like he was on catnip.Â
âNo,â his voice is hoarse but stubborn. âI donât want to.â
It takes all your strength to hold him back when he tries to lean into you again, his heart aching at the way you're keeping him away when he so desperately needs you.Â
âPlease,â he begs, whimpering, feeling like if you denied him it would crush him beyond repair. âPlease flower.â
You breathe out slowly, long and calm, trying to keep yourself together, to not give in. It wasnât fair, every brick you painstakingly spent building against them came down like a house of cards. Tears prickle the corner of your own eyes. This wasnât fair.Â
He manages to rest his head on your shoulder, his nose sniffing against your neck. Itâs still there, muted but he could still smell it. You hear the low hum of a growl in his throat.
âTaehyung, talk to me,â you say gently, needing him to verbalise his actions so you didnât misread them.Â
âYouâre not supposed to smell like him!â he cries, closing his eyes in pain. âYouâre supposed to smell like us, youâre mine.â
Your heart leaps before it falls.Â
âTae,â your bottom lip trembles, doesnât he realise how cruel this was. âYou canât say shit like that.â
He hears you sniff, moving away enough to see the look of sadness on your face. But he doesnât understand why itâs there. Did you really not feel the same way? No, that wasnât it, the way you looked up at him, begging him to stop but they were soft on him, so loving.Â
âWhy?â he dares to ask, it comes out a whisper, his heart pounding as he inspects you. You close your eyes, wanting to laugh at how pathetic you are. It causes tears to fall out of the corner of your eyes. You let go of his wrists to wipe them away, ready to answer him, ready to confess and leave him forever to save yourself from more pain.Â
A creak startles you both, the door opening to reveal the others making their way back from their respective meetings, all of them staring at the scene, completely taken back.Â
âBaby girl?â Namjoon is the first to step towards you both, his eyes flickering between you both. The concern on his face turns to one of anger, aimed at the tiger but you had already decided it was towards you.Â
You canât deal with this. Turning away you try to make your leave, only to be held back, Taheyung grabbing your hand in his and making you face him.Â
âWhy?â he repeats, more adamantly. He needed to know, because whether he was right or wrong would change everything.Â
âTaehyung,â Namjoon growls warningly. His eyes fixed on your hands together.Â
âThis is between me and flower,â he glares at his hyung, the threat in his eyes clear for the wolf not to get involved. He turns back to you, the others watching intently. âWhy?â
You feel defeat ripple through your chest, your face scrunching as you sniff back the sob working its way out.Â
âBecause my stupid human brain is going to misunderstand,â you voice is heavy with tears, a few slipping out against your wishes. âYour actions mean something different for humans than they do for hybrids.â
He almost scoffs, this was what you always did. They were so obvious with their affection and love and you rationalised it wrong every time.
âWhat does it mean for humans, flower?â he almost sounds like heâs mocking you, a new stern and unforgiving look on his face as he moves closer to you.Â
âTaehyung stop,â you beg, not wanting to go through with this, to feel embarrassed about your feelings when he figured it out. âPlease.â
âTaehyung maybe we shou-â
The glare he sends Hoseokâs way has the lion biting his tongue. They were all panicked, what if the tigerâs actions cost you them forever?
âWhat do kisses mean for humans?â he asks again, louder, more demanding, not letting the subject drop. âOr better yet⌠What do you think they mean for hybrids?â
âYou kissed her?â Both of you ignore Namjoonâs outburst, Taehyung not caring if he misunderstood.Â
The corners of your lips pull down so far, your eyes welling ready for overspill as you implore him silently to let you go. Why was he being so cruel? You had never known him to be like this before, what did he want from you? You breathe shakily, feeling lost until it hits you, heâs figured it out. He knows.Â
Your worst fears come to surface and you pray it wasnât true, that he wasnât about to out your feelings to the others. He watches you struggle for words, deciding to take pity on you.
âBecause last time I checked,â he breathes, his heart pounding in his chest hard as he takes a leap of faith. âThey mean the same thing for us as they mean for you.â
It takes you a second, he can see the crease between your brows before your whole face goes slack with disbelief. He can see the puzzle pieces finally fit into place through your eyes, unable to help himself, smiling when he can feel your pulse match his.Â
He takes another step closer, the distance between you only a hair width. Final drops of tears fall out of your eyes as he watches your pupils dilate when he leans in. You donât pull away when his lips press against yours, you pull him closer.
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