Nuri sighed as he put away the security team's gear into the weapons locker. While he waited for news on Jimin he kept busy with the only thing the others would let him do – weapons maintenance. In a span of a week, the kids completed 12 shows between the 18 of them and were rarely at home long enough to socialize, much less renew clan bonds, and tensions were running high as they were still missing a large number of members. The others were back in Seoul promoting their newest album. Draco, Tang Yi, and Daebak were on separate missions and it was driving the others crazy. There was still no news from Kin about Jimin. He would never admit it but Nuri couldn't help but worry about the five of them more than any of the others. LJ and Draco bounced around a lot. Between their duties at the palace, their commitments as idols, and their missions at the hub, they were stretched out pretty thin. Tang Yi and Daebak were still recovering from their time at the citadel. Now with Jimin and Kin out of reach, it affected Nuri harder than he would ever admit.
His phone rang just as he put the last weapons away.
"Lee Nuri." He walked into the living room where a spirited game of laser tag was taking place.
"Nuri-yah" The voice on the other side of the line was the last voice he expected to hear from.
"Mini Hyeong?" His startled exclamation brought the game to a grinding halt. He looked at his family. "Where are you?"
"On the way back." Jimin softly. "They are looking for me. Kin insists I be taken to one of our hospitals"
Nuri's knees nearly buckled as he realized that something must have been very wrong for Jimin to agree to go to the hospital. Jimin preferred to let Daebak handle any injuries. Between Daebak's medical expertise and Jimin's augmented feral physiology, there wasn't anything they couldn't take care of at home. He reached out to Jimin through their unique bond, tears clouding his vision as he realized his soulmate could be dying.
Heyong, please. Is everything okay with you, he asks through their bond.
I'm here. Jimin winced. It hurts Nuri-yah. My head feels like it's about to explode.
Sensory overload? Nuri could feel Kangwoo slide closer to him and place a supportive hand on his shoulder. But he barely acknowledged his twin, trying to catalog Jimin's injuries through the bond. This was a task made difficult by the fact that even in such a weakened state Jimin was trying to mute his side of the bond
Let me in Heyong.
There was no answer and it scared him. He leaned into Kangsoo who had placed himself at Jimin's back and quickly pulled himself out of the bond. The older twin put his hands around his brother as Young-sun gently took the phone away from the Feral and put it on speaker.
", Sunny here. I have you on speaker. Are you Ok?"
The others gathered around them, holding their breath waiting for Jimin's answer.
"I am fine. Is Nuri-yah 'k?"
The guys shared a look as Kangsoo pulled his brother closer, wishing that small action could shield him from the pain.
"He's okay." Kangsoo said softly "How are you? And I want an honest answer."
"I'm good, I promise. Just called to let you guys know we'll be at the house tomorrow. They took our tokens. So one of you will have to come to the gate and pick us up "
"Where are you?" Seven said. "We'll come to get you."
"No!"
"Why not?"
"It'll take us a few hours to lose our tail. Besides I'm sure you guys will be busy in the next few hours."
"But..."
Nuri quickly gathered himself knowing that someone needed to stop the argument from beginning before things got out of hand. Jimin had always been unpredictable and never in a good way. Tensions were running high and it wouldn't take much for anyone of them to snap. Thank the All-Father that Draco was still at the capitol with Daebak. Adding him to the already volatile situation was a sure recipe for disaster.
"What happened at the ritual?" he asked, changing the topic with a wave of his hand. "Kin said that there was an explosion."
Nuri decided to keep Kin's suspicions to himself for now. They had no proof to point fingers at people with too much power.
"The High King didn't show up." Jimin sighed "Something is wrong, Nuri."
"What do you mean?"
"The ritual only works if it is done by two compatible people. By the time I realized the King hadn't shown up, I was halfway through the ritual. I think the covenant is about to move. Sooner rather than later."
"Where are you now?"
"We are still on the mountain. If we lose our tail in the next hour, we should be home in three hours."
"We're coming to get you."
He knew Jimin would object. But he would definitely need his clan if he wanted to help his soulmate.
"No Nuri-yah. Please don't co-"
Thud.
"Heyong?" He looked at his clan, sure that the panic on their faces mirrored his own. He prayed that the silence was a technical error. But in his heart, he knew that something happened to him. Something bad. They could hear the sound of running feet and a few seconds later, gunfire was heard before the line disconnected.
__________________________
Nuri was frantic with worry. Though his brain was refusing to cooperate, he forced himself not to reach out to his soulmate through their bond. Even as he attempted to distract himself by tidying up the den, the call still weighed on his mind. The royal guards were stretched thin and answers were slow to arrive. They were still trying to locate Jimin and Kin while trying to avert the chaos that the High King's disappearance would eventually cause.
He suddenly gasped as a blinding pain ran through the clan bond. He reached out through the bond, fear coursing through him when he realized everything was muted.
Guys! Check-in now!
We're all 'k. He heard his brother's voice through the bond. But what the heck happened?
I don't know. Do you know where Daebak and Draco are?
With the council. I'll send word and get them back here.
Find the boys and get them to the den. And Kangsoo, make sure your shields are up. Jimin should be back tonight. Keep them up until we can bond with him.
Will do, brother mine. See ya in a few.
Exactly five minutes later his brother barged into the den, the rest of the clan hot on his heels. Yifan leaned heavily on his soulmate. Kale quickly deposited Yifan on the couch.
Nuri went to where Yifan was curled on the couch and was overwhelmed with intense emotions. He quickly threw up his secondary shield, praying to the All-Father for his clan's safety.
"Any idea what's going on?"
"Something's happened to Kin," Kap said softly. "The extraction turned out poorly."
It made sense that Kap would know what was going on. He was stationed at the war room today.
"How bad?"
"Joonie has declared Kin MIA," Kale said softly as Yifan curled up on himself. Nuri sat next to the clan's youngest member and pulling him closer shared a look with his brother. Kangsoo looked like he was about to collapse. His eyes were blood red and anger rolled off him in waves. Nuri knew his twin would punch the first person who crossed him. He had to do something quick or they would all be in a world of hurt. Nuri bit back a curse as he racked his brain for a solution. Before he could come up with a response, Kangsoo tapped his arm
"Can we build a nest?" Kangsoo asked. The eldest twin rarely asked him to build a nest and Nuri was not inclined to refuse him.
So he just nodded and watched as his twin walked over and sat next to Yifan. It was at times like this that Nuri realized that the majority of his clan weren't adults yet.
They had suffered so many losses and survived a war and only 10 of their 35 member clan had come of age. They lived in a world that expected so much from them. War doesn't discriminate.
He didn't know if they could survive losing another clan member. He didn't want to lose any of them.
Nuri gently moved so that Kale could take his place, before grabbing some supplies from the cupboard.
Quickly setting up a nest in the middle of the den, he moved to the couch and gently pulled Yifan from Kale's arms. Kale's arms tightened around Yifan for a fraction of a second before letting go.
Nuri settled Yifan on the pile of blankets in the middle of the room before getting his brother. The rest of their clan gathered around Yifan as in an attempt to physically shield their youngest clan member from the pain he felt.
Nuri made sure to leach the pain from him a little at a time.
"Nuri is this my fault?"
Nuri looked down at his twin. Kangsoo sat at the edge of the puppy pile with his eyes closed, but Jimin could feel the fear and pain hiding behind those eyelids.
"How is this your fault?"
"Jimin started taking more solo missions after I got married to Jasmine."
Nuri shook his head in denial "No! And if he was here he'd say the same thing."
"I don't know what I'll do if we lose him."
"We won't" Nuri sat down next to the pup, leaning against the sofa
"You don't know for sure."
"Yes, I do. He would never hurt us like that."
"But..." Kangsoo protested
"No buts. Now come cuddle with me. I need you all close."
As omega prime Nuri's instincts to soothe the clan were in overdrive. Kangsoo could never say no to his baby brother, so he moved and settled down beside him. Nuri wrapped his arms around his brother and softly sang him to sleep.
As Nuri settled down to a night of standing guard over his clan, he sent a prayer to the All-Father for his soulmate's safety