6| The Elf

Taehyung's POV

I ran through the forest as fast as my legs could carry me and all I heard was my heart pounding in my ears. I silently prayed that I won't run into any poachers or worse, my apartment neighbour.

Was he the true blood Jin told us about? Everything he did quite matched the story he narrated. This is it. He must be the true blood alpha, son of the Bangtan pack's leader.

I reached an empty Alley with closed stalls on either sides. It must be midnight. I looked around and panicked at the unfamiliarity of the place. How am I supposed to find my way back? I need to look at the map on my phone but I can't transform into my human self yet.

Then I decided to hide myself behind some bushes, going back into the forest before shifting to my human form. I had no clothes on but... Where's my phone? Oh silly me. I must have left it back where I shifted to my wolf form – near the window we escaped from. It's with my clothes.

There's no way I can find my way without my phone. And gosh! I need my phone! I have no money to buy a new one. That's it. I have to go back to get it. I shifted back into my wolf form hearing V sigh.

I'm trying my best to protect you for you to only put us in more danger, V sighed and I chuckled.

I know, V, but my phone is important to me, I said.

I ran through the woods again, fear taking over my body every time we hear twigs snapping near me. This is even scarier than horror movies. I'm certain of that.

We reached the lake we were previously resting at but I stopped in my tracks quickly when I saw two silhouettes standing by the edge, talking. I hid behind a tree, cursing at the twig I stepped on and looking over at the duo.

"They were better at their job than you, and now I'm left with you," one of the silhouettes threw their arms in dismay. I recognise his voice – Hwang. "I thought they were trustworthy."

"Why does it feel like I can still smell one of those," the other said.

"An omega?" Hwang asked and silence followed which I took as a nod from the other silhouette.

Hwang suddenly turned around making me back away and although I can't make out his features, it looks like he was staring straight at me.

"Omega!" He said aloud before shifting into his black wolf and started running towards me swiftly. I shrieked turning around to run but I wasn't as fast as Alphas. Before I know it, I heard a voice say "vanish!" and my head started spinning.

♤ ♤ ♤

I have no knowledge of how many hours passed when I finally opened my eyes slowly, blinking at the bright light coming from a round window. Am I in the school nurse's room again? I took a deep breath, sitting up and leaning against the wall the bed was attached to.

It smelled like earth, the odour when the rain hits the ground. Moreover, I wasn't in any house, what it looks like from my point of view, it's a .... cave? A very cosy cave that is. Not a cave that houses predators and stone aged men but a cave that gave grandma vibes.

The blanket I was covered with was checked in red and yellow florals and beside me was a small table carrying a vase of flowers I've never seen before. With its white and pink petals glowing, it looked like it was picked very recently.

There was a doorway to exit the room which was open showing a small part of what I think is the hall. It had a blue rug in the centre and wooden benches around a table where couches are supposed to be.

"Where am I?" I whispered. Did Hwang take me away? It doesn't show in any way that he lives here. There was quite a bit of shuffling in the hall before someone appeared at the threshold looking at me with wide eyes and caution.

"You're awake!" He exclaimed, teeth showing from his bright smile. He was wearing all green with a pointy hat and huge brown shoes.

"Umm yeah," I managed to say with a blush.

He walked over to me and sat on the bed facing me with the same smile. "I'm Hoseok. I saw you in trouble last night when I went to pick some berries and saved you from that bad wolf." He said dramatically.

"Thank you so much," I matched his smile. "You can call me Taehyung, and... you have no idea who you saved me from." I sighed in relief. "That's the true blood alpha, that is."

Hoseok moved his face closer to me at that, smile replaced with fear and... confusion?

"You say it's the true blood alpha?" he whispered. "No, no, it can't be. Who told you that?" He got to his feet and started pacing around in deep thought, hands behind him.

"I guessed he was." I said honestly. "He holds omegas hostage in his dungeon!"

"He does?" Hoseok asked, looking at me in surprise, his ears perking up. That was when I noticed he had pointy ears.

"You're an elf?" I asked surprised, making him smile a little.

"Yes, I am," He avoided eye contact, blushing.

"That's cool! I've heard a lot about elves from my mum has a kid. So you used your magical powers to save me last night?" I asked to which he nodded.

"But the magic is considered too powerful for wolves and that's why you lost conscious," he added. "I thought you... died. So I spent the whole morning, digging a grave outside."

He reached over and pushed the round window open while my jaw was on the floor. A gentle breeze flew in as I looked out and saw that indeed there was a hole on the ground which was about the same size as me.

"Well, since you're alive, I'll make you some breakfast. Would you like some smoked porcupine goulash or the regular herbs?" he walked to the threshold, looking at me sideways waiting for an answer.

Porcupine what? "That's really nice of you, Hoseok but I'll have to get going. My mum must be so worried by now." I faked a chuckle.

"Oh, come on, T-Tae... what's your name again?"

"Taehyung." I got to my feet, approaching him blocking the doorway.

"Wouldn't your mum be so mad that I didn't feed you before you go home?" damn this dude gives me so much of grandma vibes. I wonder if he was a grandma in his past life. Or maybe possessed by a grandma who died here. "Whatcha thinking?"

"Actually she will want me back home as soon as possible and whether I ate or not will be the last thing she'll be concerned about," I said, shimmying through the gap between him and the doorway. He suddenly moved away making me fall face-first into the hall.

I got to my feet quickly, mouth coated with sand, to see Hoseok fighting back a smile. I ignored him and made my way towards a door in the front leading outside the cave. Then I remembered – my phone!

"Hoseok!" I said, turning around to an empty hall.

Hoseok poked his head from one of the rooms, possibly the kitchen, raising his eyebrows.

"My phone. I—" does he even know what a phone is?

"Is everything alright, T-Tae," he furrowed his brows in deep thought.

"You can just call me Tae, dammit," I sighed. "I don't know my way back home. My phone, you know, my device, I—"

"Oh, I know what I phone is, Tae," he smiled, taking out his own from a pocket on his shirt. "Do you want me to teleport you home?"

"Yes!" I quickly said. "That way I could avoid the poachers!"

"Well, come on then." He gestured towards him

"So this means, I might fall unconscious again?" I asked, walking to him.

"You might, you might not. It depends on your state. If you're in a state of vulnerability like last night, then the power would have a negative effect on you." He opened the maps on his phone and I gulped. I need to be strong for this. "Show me the location of your home on the map and I'll take you there."

I searched the map, finding my home and also the fact that we were in the same forest as Hwang. The rear of Beachwood club stretched out into the forest only showing its innocent face to the passers-by in the city.

"Sick," I mumbled.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing." I blushed. "So can you teleport me already?"

He nodded and asked me to hold onto his arm tightly which I did, getting flashbacks of when I went on a rollercoaster with mum. He recited some incoherent words and when I saw the room starting to spin, I closed my eyes tightly.

I felt sick to my stomach and the process felt like it took several minutes before I feel the surroundings slow down from the spinning. And very soon, I heard birds chirping and people talking. I opened my eyes and found that I was just outside my apartment building on the sidewalk.

"I... I'm feeling sick—" I puked on the concrete hearing Hoseok chuckle.

"Well, I'll be leaving then. Hope we get to meet again soon." He said before disappearing into thin air making me mock his words. Weirdo.

I looked down to see a little girl making a face at me, standing on my puke. I ignored her and went into the building. Before opening my apartment door, I looked slowly to Hwang's apartment. The door was closed and I wondered if he was inside or out there finding for more omegas. Or... what if he's still looking for me and Beomgyu? He even knows where I live.

I felt my blood go cold as realisation hit. I won't be safe here anymore. I turned my head slowly towards my apartment door to see it opening. Mum stood there, deadpanned and mouth agape before pulling me into a hug.

"Kim Taehyung! Where were you, my baby? I didn't know where to start looking for you!" She said, crying onto my shoulder. "I was so scared! Everyone here didn't give a shit about what I told them! Even the authorities! I... I almost lost hope, Taehyung, you're my only family!"

I felt tears run down my cheeks too as I broke the hug to look at her. "Don't worry, mum, I'm safe now."

We heard a cough behind us and turning around we saw an elderly man raise his brows at us before entering an apartment which was across from Hwang's.

Mum pulled me into ours and closed the door behind us.

"There's this alpha boy from my class that held me hostage. He sells omegas to poachers," I said quickly, making her look at me in concern. "some of the boys from his gang helped me escape."

"Taehyung, I don't think this place is safe for us. We have to move back." She finally said, wiping her eyes and moving to sit on the couch.

"What about your job?" I asked, excitement of being close to Jimin again flooded through me.

"I'll have to look for another one, Tae. This job does pay me well but it's not worth losing you again."

"Mum, let's just work this out. There must be another option. Maybe we could start off by getting another apartment elsewhere?"

"This is the cheapest living we could find, Tae, I really don't know what to do," she held her head in her hands.

"If we move back to Got7, we're gonna be even more broke," I said, sighing.

Mum got up, walking to the door and locked it. "Let's stay safe for now until we come up with a proper decision. Don't consider yourself as weak, Taehyung, it's all in your head. If you believe you're strong, you can be!"

Flashbacks of last night ran through my mind. "Mum, why do I have purple eyes?"

She looked at me, emotionless. "How did you get to know? That's—" She paused, "—because you're special." Her face lit up at the last word but I wasn't buying it. "Now, come on. Did you eat? Let's get some lunch, shall we?" she dragged me into the kitchen.