17 years later

-

The bell chimed above the small bookstore door, making the elderly man at the counter turn to greet the newcomer.

"Taehyung! Already back for another?" He chuckled lightly when he saw the village's golden boy smiling with a book in hand.

"Oh yes Mr. Lee! Thank you so much, here you go." Taehyung smiled as he handed back the borrowed book and went to the shelves to look for another.

It had become a custom for Taehyung to borrow some books from the bookstore to read and later return.

It occurred after the elderly man noticed Taehyung entering his shop frequently to read a book inside the store for hours but never purchasing one.

When he finally approached the boy and asked, the reason was that he had no money and his mother refused to let him use their few cents on useless things like books.

But Taehyung was a bookworm. Losing himself in endless words and hundreds of pages, loving the smell of fresh books.

As a result he was a huge hopeless romantic, dreamily wishing for his life to be like the characters in the book he was reading.

"I think I'll borrow this one." Taehyung smiled as he picked out the book he had been eyeing the week before, deciding to give it a try.

"Good choice, my granddaughter loves that one." He complimented as he watched Taehyung give him a sweet boxed smile before bidding his goodbyes and thank you's.

He was busy skimming through the first few pages of the book that he didn't realize when he had accidentally bumped into a hard chest.

He immediately backed up enough to see the person, eyes wide in alarm and he quickly apologized before he realized who it was.

"Oh- Hoseok hyung!" He smiled brightly when he saw the alpha smiling at him as well.

He could see as people passed by them with a glance their way, eyes always seemingly drawn to taehyung.

That was the reason he didn't go out in the village too far, not liking how much attention his looks (not to mention his scent) would get.

"Taehyungie! What are you doing here?" Hoseok asked, knowing that he did not go out too often.

"Got another book." He supplied, sheepish smile on his face when Hoseok shook his head teasingly.

"Ah always with your nose stuck in a book." He laughed, making Taehyung flush lightly.

He seemed to notice because then he was turning serious, protectiveness looming in his chest as he spoke, "Seriously, you should watch where you are going. You know how the alphas get around here, especially with you."

And Taehyung did know, he could see the way they stared at him. Their eyes filled with lust as they sniffed the air for his scent, the scent of an omega.

Because that was what he had been born as; a weak, vulnerable omega who would never be able to deny an alpha's orders.

Everyone in the village knew him as "the sweet one", "the omega", "the kind and gentle boy" by older wolves, and the "delicious smelling, curvy omega" by young alpha males.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful." He nodded, feeling like he was being scolded by the alpha even though his tone had been nothing but kind.

"I'm surprised your mother let you come down here alone!" Hoseok said, surprise evident in his tone when he realized the short woman was nowhere to be seen.

Taehyung winced at the reminder, casting his eyes downwards as mumbled softly, "She doesn't know I'm here."

The alpha's eyes widened comically, and if Taehyung didn't feel so ashamed for sneaking out when his mother was busy on the phone, he would have laughed.

"Why are you still standing here? Let's go, I'll walk with you." Hoseok spoke hurriedly, placing a hand on Taehyung's upper back and pushing him forward gently.

The omega didn't mind his hands on him, having known the alpha for more than ten years.

Hoseok was only a couple years older than him, making him his Hyung.

They were close friends, even if the omega still felt like he needed to be respectful with the alpha, who was quite literally the kindest person he had met.

And what separated him from the rest of the young wolves, was that he never made any advances towards him nor used his status to get something from him.

Taehyung giggled softly as they made their way towards his little home, book clutched tightly against his chest.

"Oh- Hey do you want one?" Hoseok asked, as if only just realizing he had a paper bag with bread in his hands all along.

Before Taehyung could even get the chance to speak up, the alpha was already opening the bag and practically shoving it in his face.

Well it did smell nice and the bag was still warm in his hands, wow, he should've stopped by the bakery.

In the end he shyly took a piece of sweet bread, thanking Hoseok quietly who hummed lightly.

When they finally made it to his home, they stopped by the door as Hoseok smiled at him and spoke, "Well here we are, you better get going before-"

"Taehyung! Come inside right now!" He gulped as his mother threw the door open, eyes blazing with anger.

He quickly looked up at Hoseok who watched his mother awkwardly for a second before patting Taehyung's shoulder lightly.

"Goodbye Taehyungie, see you soon." 

Taehyung smiled apologetically at the alpha before watching as Hoseok gave his angry mother one last look before walking down the road.

Taehyung flinched lightly when he turned around and met his mother's angry gaze, right before she grabbed his arm harshly and yanked him inside.

"Mother I can explain-"

"Explain what?! That you sneaked out of the house to get another one of those stupid books of yours?!" She motioned angrily to the book still in his hand, making him look to the floor like a kicked puppy.

He was silent for a few seconds, voice soft as he spoke, "Nothing bad happened, Hoseok hyung was with me the entire time."

It was a small little lie, but she didn't have to know.

Immediately after, she scoffed and Taehyung knew the direction the conversation was headed.

"That alpha needs to know where he stands with you. Have you told him? Have you told him you're already spoken for?" She sneered in his face, eyes angry but Taehyung could see the slight fear in her eyes and he knew exactly why.

When he was younger, about twelve years old his mother told him about the deal.

The deal that they had made with the king and queen in exchange for their lives.

Of course as a young pup he had no idea what that actually meant for him until years later, as he read novels and romance books where the prince sweeps the princess off her feet and they get married.

The omega was slightly ashamed that he didn't exactly detest the idea of the arranged marriage, instead wished that the marriage would bring him love like in the books.

He had seen countless pictures of the Alpha Prince Jeon Jeongguk, each making the poor omega blush furiously and imagine how the male would come when the time was right and they would live happily ever after.

They had never met of course, his mother telling him that he would come for him on his eighteenth birthday, not a day before.

"He doesn't know." Taehyung whispered, feeling bad that Hoseok had no idea that his time in the village was running short and he would possibly never see him again.

She sighed loudly after a moment, seeing the way Taehyung's eyes watered at the thought of leaving his village behind to go live in the castle with his future mate.

"Honey, I'm not trying to be a mean witch here like in those books of yours. I just need you to understand that you can't keep letting those friends of yours take liberties with you. They might get the wrong idea and God forbid, want to court you."

Taehyung sniffled lightly when he felt his mother's arms wrap around him and gently pressed his head on her shoulder for comfort.

"Hoseok hyung is not like that, I've known him for years and he would never try anything with me." The omega croaked out lightly, feeling his mother rub his back gently.

Another sigh left her lips, feeling bad for making her pup sad.

"I hope you're right baby, because that would be bad for us. You're already promised to the prince and only God knows what he would do if something gets in the middle of that,"

She paused, and Taehyung could feel how tense her body had become at her own words making him shiver at how fearful she sounded of the royal family.

"But right now, you need to go take a bath. You reek of that alpha." She scrunched her nose up in distaste as she gently pushed him towards the bathroom, making him pout lightly but nonetheless obey.