Valvet Bonds - Chapter Five — Stray in the Lion’s Den

The echo of Taehyung’s footsteps faded into the endless halls of the mansion, leaving Jungkook stranded in silence.

He stood frozen under the chandelier’s fractured light, the marble floor gleaming beneath his feet. The room was too vast, too heavy with eyes. One by one, the stares of Taehyung’s closest people settled on him, sharp as blades.

Jeon jungkook

(He left me here… with them.)

Jungkook’s chest tightened. He wanted to follow, to run after the man whose presence had shielded him, however coldly. But Taehyung was gone, and without him, the hall had turned into a pit full of predators.

min yoongi

“Brave of you to stand so still,” Min Yoongi murmured, voice flat, unreadable. His dark eyes raked over Jungkook, weighing and discarding him in the same glance. “Or maybe you’re just frozen. Like prey.”

Jungkook clenched his fists at his sides, but his voice caught in his throat.

Jimin’s laugh broke the tension, sweet and mocking. He stepped closer, circling Jungkook like a dancer gliding across the marble.

park jimin

“Look at him… shaking. Yet this stray dares to bark at Seokjin-hyung. Interesting.” His lips curved in a cruel smile. “Maybe I should push him a little. See how long it takes before he breaks.”

Jeon jungkook

Jungkook’s breath hitched. He forced his back straight. “I won’t break.”

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Hoseok let out a short, humorless laugh. His arms folded across his broad chest, his voice low and dismissive.

Jung hoseok

“You will. They all do. Weak little omegas who think spirit is enough.” His gaze burned. “One of us could end you before you even screamed.”

Jeon jungkook

Jungkook’s pulse spiked, but he held his ground. (Don’t show fear. Not now.)

Namjoon adjusted his glasses, speaking with the calm tone of someone delivering a lecture.

Kim namjoon

“He’s not trained. He’s not useful. But… Taehyung brought him here. Which means he has, at least for now, a place.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “The question is whether he can keep it.”

Kim seokjin

From the staircase, Seokjin’s voice rang out, smooth and cruel. “He won’t. Look at him. He’s trembling.” He descended slowly, each step deliberate, eyes sweeping Jungkook from head to toe. “Tell me, boy. Are you even worth the space you’re standing on?”

Their words cut deep, but Jungkook bit back his fear. His nails dug into his palms.

Jeon jungkook

(I can’t let them see me shatter. Not here. Not now.)

Then Jimin stopped circling and leaned in close, his voice dropping low, almost a whisper.

park jimin

“Tell us, stray. What should we call you? Or should we keep calling you nothing?”

The question hit like a blade.

Jungkook’s lips parted, his throat dry. For a heartbeat, silence stretched heavy in the hall, all eyes pressing down on him. His heart hammered against his ribs.

And then, with a breath that trembled but did not break, he spoke.

Jeon jungkook

“…Jeon Jungkook.”

The name slipped into the air, soft but firm.

park jimin

Jimin’s grin widened, sharp as glass. He repeated it slowly, savoring it. “Jeon Jungkook. Finally, our stray has a name.”

Hoseok scoffed. Yoongi looked unimpressed. Seokjin smirked as if amused. Namjoon’s expression remained calculating, unreadable. Somi, silent until now, tilted her head with quiet curiosity.

The tension eased only slightly. Jungkook was no longer nameless, but that didn’t mean he was accepted. To them, he was still an outsider, still prey.

But inside, beneath the fear clawing at his chest, something hardened.

Jeon jungkook

(They don’t think I’ll last. They expect me to break.)

Jeon jungkook

Jungkook lifted his chin, even as his pulse thundered in his ears.( I’ll prove them wrong.)

The tension lingered in the air even after his name left his lips.

park jimin

“Jeon Jungkook,”

Jimin repeated, still smirking as if the syllables were a joke only he understood. Hoseok muttered something under his breath. Yoongi turned away as if bored. Seokjin let out a low chuckle, already heading for the stairs again. Namjoon gave one last assessing glance before retreating, hands tucked behind his back. Somi followed silently, her expression unreadable.

One by one, they began to scatter, their footsteps echoing through the hall.

Jeon jungkook

Jungkook’s chest squeezed. (They’re leaving me here? Just like this?)

Jeon jungkook

His voice came out smaller than he intended, cracking against the marble silence. “W-wait… where should I go?”

The footsteps paused, just for a second. Jimin half-turned, eyes glittering with amusement.

park jimin

“Anywhere that isn’t in our way,” he said lightly. Then he gave a mocking little bow, golden hair falling over his eyes. “If you’re lucky, maybe our Lord will remember you exist before morning.”

The others didn’t bother to look back.

And then Jungkook was alone again, the vast hall stretching endlessly around him, silent and cold.

He wrapped his arms around himself, a shiver crawling up his spine. No directions, no guidance, no safety net. Just hostile walls and the echo of a name he had almost been too afraid to speak.

But as the silence pressed in, Jungkook clenched his fists. He would find his way. Somehow.

He had to.