my Destiny

Chapter 4

Sounds muted, darkness surrounded him, his own body felt weightless as he floated in the void, unable to tell if his eyes were closed or if his vision had been robbed.

He didn't know and to be honest he didn't care.

He just knew his body was bare, no cloth covering him, but he wasn't troubled. Usually he took extra precaution to hide his body, feeling weird of his peculiarity. He was a man but he had no hair on his body except for his head. He was a man but he had no strong muscles, no hardened edges, his silhouette delicate and his waist thin with slightly curvy hips like that of a woman. He was a man but his frame was petite and not just from malnourishment, he was just smaller and more fragile. And lastly he was born a man but he had the genitals of a woman despite his flat chest and slightly deep voice. 

He was a man born with the mark of the Omega on his chest and on the back of his hands, like a tatoo, permanent sign of his shame and peculiar body, permanent burn of a scar that shunned him yet made him the desire of every man and woman. 

Taehyung never revealed his body, going as far as to bathe in the lake at night when he was sure no one would follow him when he used to live in the village. he was simply too afraid of the disgust that would transpire on anyone's face should they see how weird he is, a man with no male organ, with no male pride, a man shaped like a woman, and smelled like a woman. 

But now, he didn't care, feeling strangely relaxed and calm and not the slightest bothered by his state of nakedness. Something was telling him that it was no point worrying about such things. It simply did not matter. 

Isn't he already dead?

Suddenly he heard a voice humming and he felt a wave of shame flood him.

Someone was here. He better cover up!

"There is no need to hide from me, Omega Taehyung. I know everything about you. I have seen everything about you."

Taehyung wanted to move, to curl up and hide his shame. But he couldn't even twitch his finger if he wanted to. He heard the mocking laughter fill the air.

"That is indeed right. You cannot escape me. You cannot move until I decide so."

The laughter scared the young omega, feeling panic creeping up on him as the voice got louder and more cunning.

"You thought you can spoil my plans and get away with it? You, a mere weak omega, dares to step in my game and counter me? Thinking that hiding behind Alpha Namjoon will protect you from your fate Omega? WRONG!"

The voice sounded like booming thunder and Taehyung felt his insides twisting as waves of pain burned his veins. He wished to cry out but his throat felt clamped, like a vice grip was choking the very same air from his chest. Cold seeped on his skin and engulfed him, making him shiver in fear in an attempt to bring measly warmth to his limbs. He heard the voice laugh louder.

"You can never hide from ME! you can never escape your fate for I am the one who DECIDES it! You will be in my hands, mark my words! You may have saved Alpha Namjoon from the poison in his dish, but you earned my wrath and for that you shall SUFFER!"

Taehyung choked as he desperately clawed for breath, tears threatening to fall as the burning pain increased horribly. But the voice added with malice.

"I curse you Omega Taehyung. I curse you by the power bestowed on me from the Abyss. I curse you to lose the one thing that could have saved you. I curse you to lose the one thing that could have given you true happiness. I curse you to lose the one thing that could have taught you your own worth. I curse you...to lose your mate before even meeting him."

Taehyung couldn't help but let the tears fall free on his cheeks, sobs rising in his chest but his throat was still clogged so he was slowly suffocating with his own tears and his own panic. The booming voice scared him to the core but the implication of the words were enough to crush his soul.

No wolf can survive knowing they are cursed to never find their soulmate, their other half.

The pain was so hard it felt like his limbs were ripped one by one, as if someone was amused in this sick game of pulling his muscles and ripping them to shreds. He cried out, the restriction on his throat suddenly gone as he screamed and yelled and sobbed, feeling his heart throbbing with the burn of his loss. Taehyung had always accepted his existence as Omega just with the comforting thought that somewhere, someone was destined for him. Somewhere, someone was yearning for him as much as he was yearning for them. Somewhere, someone already loved him and accepted him just the way he is. 

Somewhere, his mate was waiting for him.

But now...the thought, the hope, his reason of putting up with the shunning and the yelling is gone. 

His mate...his mate is gone before he even had the chance of knowing them.

His scream of anguish died in the abyssal darkness as he closed his eyes, letting his body slip and give in to the consuming pain, hoping against all hope that it could be enough to deliver him from an existence that was dyed with the colors of despair.

***

He shivered as the memory of his curse hit him again, a strangled sob rising from his throat. 

He had never felt pain as much as he had felt it back then, when the voice of the Abyss had shouted his fate into his ears.

It had been the worst feeling ever.

His first meeting with Alpha Namjoon had left him with mixed feelings, between fear, panic and sadness at the thought of being trapped like a bird in a golden cage. But he had also seen that the man was kind and offered him some gentle warmth despite the initial fear he had of him. Yes, Alpha Namjoon was not a bad person. 

But then the poisoning...when he had been so close to his death. And his curse.

The memory sent cold into his already numb body, making his shiver in terror.

It was awful,  it was a terrible feeling and he had lived with such despair for long years.

But at first he had never thought he could even live. He had floated in the abyss and had been sure he was so close to the Gates of Death.

He smiled as his memory took him down to that very same night when he had been tiptoeing between life and death.

***

Seokjin was frowning. 

He looked disheveled, his face covered with sweat, his hair done in a loose ponytail as strands were stuck to his face without him realising. He had rolled his sleeves, busy trying to save Taehyung.

Said boy was laying on a futon, glistening with sweat as he breathed hard. His face deathly pale except for the crimson spots on his cheeks, his lips dry and chapped as he burned with fever. He shivered uncontrollably, fever ravaging his already fragile body as he shook like a leaf lost in the midst of a storm. His hair matted to his forehead with sweat, his eyes moved  behind his lids as he clawed for breath. Seokjin tried his best to maintain his body temperature in an acceptable state, fearing the worst if it went even further up. He tried to keep the boy's forehead cold with a wet rag, as he brew some herbs and mixed them to try and come up with a medicine that could save the boy.

He couldn't believe what happened.

One second he was busy enjoying the tasty dinner as he chatted with some other Councillors and the next, the King suddenly yelled for him, cradling a trembling Taehyung that went deathly pale, a trail of blood leaving his lips. He had jumped up with the Beta and some other samurais who drew their katanas. From a quick inspection he deduced that the boy had been poisoned.

From eating the meat dish that was supposed to be the King's.

The gravity of the situation had everyone tense and on edge. Yoongi was in one of his worst moods, storming around the castle with a cloud of dark anger around his entire being, his aura suffocating lower-ranked wolves into submission and fear. His eyes were a permanent shade of beastly amber as he gave orders to all his samurais to inspect the entire place and to bring him the bastard who dared try to try kill the Head Alpha. No wolf was resting as they dragged all the maids and servants to interrogate them and to try and find who ever thought they could get away with this crime. But it was nothing compared to the King himself whose growls were echoing through the entire castle grounds, threatening to kill whoever would disappoint in bringing him the bastard. The Head Alpha sat in a corner of the room where Seokjin was desperately trying to save Taehyung's life and didn't move, keeping his amber eyes on the form of the shaking boy. 

And Seokjin couldn't do much when he didn't know what exactly is the substance that poisoned the boy and was slowly killing him. He could only try to slow down the process, praying they would catch the bastard and pry the name of the poison out of them so he could make an efficient antidote. 

The sliding doors opened and in came Yoongi, eyes set in a glare as he was reigning in a growl. The King turned to glance toward him, growling a threat.

"Tell me you bring me good news."

Yoongi nodded once and informed the Alpha.

"I caught the bastard who dared to try to kill your Lordship. It was one of the kitchen maids. Hoseok and Jihoon are interrogating her.

-Kill her. I have no need for such traitors.

-Rest assured my Liege. She will not live long enough to see the sunrise. We just want to extract any useful information out of her.

-Have you found the poison she used? I need to know what kind of antidote shall I prepare."

Seokjin sounded strained, his eyes worried as he replaced the cold rag on the shivering boy's forehead. The Alpha reported his attention back on the dying boy, feeling a wave of despair crush him at the thought of such a young boy dying. He felt deep sorrow, thinking the boy will die right when his life could have been turning for the better. His emotions took over the anger as he sat down next to the shivering and delirious boy, mumbling silent whispers through his chapped lips, tossing a little bit as fever burned his body and poison soiled his veins. The King had a deep expression of sadness he caressed the boy's soft blond hair gently.

"Hoseok is getting it for you Lord Seokjin. Do not worry, he will be quick to get the name of the poison for you."

The sliding doors opened again and in came a red faced Hoseok as he had been running from the dungeons toward the Healing House.

"I got it! I got the poison!"

Seokjin quickly snatched the small vial of poison, pouring a bit into a bowl of clear liquid and inspecting it. He paled considerably and turned to look at the awaiting wolves with a horrified expression. The King was the first one to snap.

"Seokjin what is happening?"

But before the healer had a chance to answer, Taehyung opened his eyes and let out a horrifying blood-freezing scream, his body arching as he convulsed. The healer jumped to his side, holding him in place and yelling at the others to help restrain him. Yoongi forced his fist in the boy's mouth when he saw his teeth about to clench on his own tongue, grunting in pain as the fangs sunk into his fist, drawing blood from him. Hoseok and the King tried to restrain him without hurting him as the Omega screamed and trashed, foam running from his mouth and eyes dilating from pain. 

And just as quickly as it happened, the boy's body went limp, convulsing as he stopped screaming as suddenly as he had started.

"Seokjin...Seokjin please!"

The Alpha never sounded as distressed as he sounded right now, Yoongi swallowed thickly, feeling his Alpha's distress through the Link and reading signs of fright on his face. Seokjin lowered his head as he mumbled regretfully.

"My King...forgive me...I cannot help him."

Silence engulfed the room, none daring to speak before the King whispered.

"What do you mean?"

The healer softly caressed the unconscious boy's hair, feeling his throat constrict at the thought of such an innocent soul disappearing. 

"The poison used is called Silver Aconit. It's a deadly poison for a werewolf... deadlier than any other poison, with strong effects that can be nearly undetected at the first hour. But...for an Omega the effect is ten times stronger.

-Cease this gibberish at once and tell me you can help him! Tell me you can mix an antidote!

-There is no antidote. Silver Aconit is an instrument of death."

Yoongi's eyes widened as he exchanged a look with an equally stupefied Hoseok. 

The boy....Taehyung...

"He is already nearly dead Namjoon. I am deeply sorry."

The Alpha couldn't believe his ears. His most trusted Healer, his own brother, had already given up. 

Taehyung was already nearly dead.

The Alpha cradled the young Omega's head in his arms, seeing the mesmerizing face relaxing into a calmer expression. He remained silent as he watched the dying Omega. 

There is nothing to do.

Yoongi was biting the inside of his cheek, wondering if he should say something. Hoseok bowed his head in sadness, already mourning the small Omega.

Taehyung is dying.

Each breath he exhaled was slower and smaller than the previous one. His chest nearly unmoving, his body shivering from the internal cold that was spreading in his chest. 

Taehyung was dying.

***