I would just like to preface this chapter by apologizing for my rap writing skills. I am not nor will I ever be a rapper, and yet Jiyong insisted. So...there you go.

**Note: Added a missing section at the end of the chapter.

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Hakyeon sighed softly as he watched the Sunburst pack approach the strange wolves. His keen eyes took in the way the leader seemed to follow the little omega, and he even noted how the large-eared brunette seemed to swoon over the Sunburst alpha. It was odd: Their behavior was so different from the basin wolves. Glancing down at the little delta at his side, Hakyeon just resisted the frown that tried to twist his lips. He wished Kyungsoo, with his owl eyes and broken heart, had been lucky enough to be born into a pack like these strangers seemed to have. “They seem nice,” the alpha offered in a gentle undertone. “More like my home pack than the wolves here.” Kyungsoo did not even blink. He just stared and stared. Like he always did. Gently, Hakyeon placed a hand on the slope of the small redhead’s shoulder. “Would you like to go meet them?” There was a long silence – only filled by the sound of their breathing and the shifting of the sand beneath their feet – before the chains dangling from Kyungsoo’s ear clinked together as he nodded.

Letting out a slow breath, Hakyeon managed a small smile. “Alright. Let’s go meet them, then.” His hand slipped from the delta’s shoulder before he started across the sand, confident that Yongguk would not mind them introducing themselves. After all, Yongguk had said time and again that they could use any friends they could get. Five big wolves who didn’t know their past were good candidates for allies, even if they were from far, far away.

As they approached, all five of the foreign wolves looked over at them – sharp eyes assessing them in mere moments. Three of the strangers returned to their conversations, but two of them seemed more interested in the approach of the NeverNoon wolves. Hakyeon brushed his arm against Kyungsoo’s in a comforting gesture before the delta tucked his body mostly behind the alpha’s – watching the two strangers approach with wide eyes and bated breath. The taller one – a beta based on the mark on his hand – greeted them with a bobbing nod and a bright smile. “Hello, hello!” He bowed to Hakyeon before turning his bright gaze on Kyungsoo. Something in his smile gentled when he noticed the way the smaller wolf was practically trembling. “I’m Chansung.”

Reaching back, Hakyeon gave Kyungsoo’s hand a reassuring squeeze. He was surprised to feel the redhead’s fingers tightly wind with his, but he supposed of anyone Kyungsoo had good cause to be nervous around unfamiliar wolves. Hakyeon pasted on a toothy smile and bowed his head to the larger wolves. “I am Hakyeon, and this is Kyungsoo. We’re from the NeverNoon pack.” Kyungsoo managed a tiny nod, though it was mostly hidden by Hakyeon’s shoulder.

At that moment, the other foreigner stepped into view and let his gaze wander lightly over Hakyeon’s rather fine figure. He was tall – just a little bit taller than Hakyeon – with sleepy eyes that seemed narrowed in either judgment or boredom. But, there was a warmth in the darkness of his eyes that suggested the coldness of his expression was simply the set of his face rather than a feeling burning his soul. There was even a tiny smile curling the edge of his pouty lips that hinted at possible excitement at being able to meet new wolves. He glanced pointedly up at Chansung, who was too distracted staring at Kyungsoo to notice the gesture. A frown flickered across the slighter man’s features, and he cleared his throat in a way that was surprisingly demure. Chansung started and turned towards him. “Oh!” The beta laughed. “This is one of our deltas, Taekwoon.” He slung an arm around Taekwoon’s shoulders and gave him a tight hug.

Hakyeon was surprised, to say the least. He would have expected the jetty haired wolf to have been at least a beta, if not an alpha like himself, based on both his size and the strength that seemed to coil through his lean muscles. Taekwoon was all quiet grace and understated power; Hakyeon had no doubt he could do well against most of the basin wolves if push came to shove. But he was a delta? Hakyeon glanced down at the wolf’s long, slim hand and saw the tell-tale curve of the delta symbol in bold black on the skin there. So it was true. His gaze lifted to meet Taekwoon’s once more, and the other wolf ducked his head shyly. Hakyeon chuckled a little and said simply, “It’s nice to meet you, Taekwoon. Kyungsoo is a delta, too.” This time, it was Chansung’s turn to look surprised.

“You are?” the brunette asked, his gaze still locked on Kyungsoo. After a breath of hesitation, the shorter delta nodded. A wide smile turned Chansung’s face, making it look as though his face might very well split from the gesture. “That’s really excellent!” Somehow, Kyungsoo managed to widen his eyes even more, which made Chansung freeze. “Don’t… you think so?

“I do,” Hakyeon cut in. “My favorites are all deltas, personally.” He gave Kyungsoo’s hand another little squeeze. “Like Soo. He’s a bit quiet, but he’s a great cook and knows a lot about medicine. He keeps me from getting into too much trouble.” A warm smile turned Hakyeon’s lips as he gazed down at Kyungsoo, an obvious fondness in the gesture that made both of the Excelsior wolves furrow their brows.

“Sounds like he and Taekwoon have a good bit in common, then,” Chansung said almost pensively. “At least the quiet and a good cook bits, anyway. We tend to bring Taekwoon on hunting trips for more than just his crazy strategizing: He can cook deer perfectly. It practically melts in your mouth.”

Hakyeon looked up at the now blushing delta, who was hiding his face behind his beautiful hands. The alpha chuckled softly. “Well, maybe before you guys go, Taekwoon and Kyungsoo will have to cook together. I bet the meal they’d come up with would be enough to make us cry with happiness.”

Sticking out his chest, Chansung stood a little taller. “I’d happily hunt down something for them to cook.” He even seemed to flex his arms, as though demonstrating just how capable he would be at such a task. “I’m one of our best hunters.” Kyungsoo did not even take the proffered opportunity to ogle, though Hakyeon certainly did not bother to resist such a delicious offering – it never hurt to look. Taekwoon frowned.

“I’m sure that’d be an exciting adventure,” Hakyeon offered simply. “So, did you lot come to find mates?” He tipped his head cutely to one side and gave them another smile.

Chansung opened his mouth to answer, but a sudden soft voice cut in with, “Yes. Amber said we would find our mates here.” Hakyeon blinked and looked at Taekwoon. He had squared his shoulders and spoken firmly though quietly. His voice was melodic and sweet, like the perfect morning bird song. The sound of it ringing in his ears made Hakyeon melt a little; he had never heard anything so pretty in all his life.

“Oh,” he said somewhat stupidly, still grinning at Taekwoon. “Well… that’d be good. Mates are good.” He nodded slowly as his brain struggled to catch up with what was going on in that moment. “Will you take your mates with you or remain?”

Fanning his fingers out in front of his face, Taekwoon apparently seemed to be done with speaking, which made Hakyeon a bit sad. He had enjoyed listening to the quiet delta’s voice so very much. Chansung, though, at least still had his powers of speech: “Our plan had been to take our mates back to the mountains.” His gaze took in the faint hollowing of Kyungsoo’s cheeks and the very prominent jut of Hakyeon’s collarbones beneath his shirt. “In the mountains, we have a good prey source and good crops. Our home has a great deal to offer a potential mate.”

Hakyeon felt Kyungsoo’s fingers loosen their grip – just a little – as the small delta poked his head around his packmate’s arm. He hesitated, the curve of his lower lip, before murmuring, “You live far away?”

Chansung sighed at the surprisingly low, rich sound of Kyungsoo’s voice. “Yeah. The mountains,” he pointed to their distant shape, “separate our territories. It took us a solid week to journey here. Though, I guess we did take our sweet time about it.” He shrugged. “We could probably make it in four days if we really pushed ourselves.”

The beta’s words seemed to light the sparks of life in Kyungsoo’s large eyes, as though he had explained how the moon had come to hang in the velvet darkness of the sky. Another step forward brought the petite delta fully into the view of the foreign wolves, and the faint shadow of a smile seemed to edge its way onto the heart-shaped line of his lips. “Is your home very pretty?”

Hakyeon watched as the two wolves fell into conversation – concern for the redhead apparent on his features. He did not understand what interest the delta might have in the beta’s home or the distance it was from – no. His thoughts stopped short. The alpha understood perfectly why Kyungsoo was so interested in the wolf’s mountain home.  During his time in the Red Rock pack, the quiet delta had undergone the worst of Hong Man’s punishments, and the pale surface of his skin was a record of every nightmare he had lived through. Escaping to the mountains, even if it meant taking a mate he knew nothing about, would give him the security and peace of mind he would never find while dwelling in the basin. It was perhaps mercenary – to offer his body for safety – but Hakyeon could never blame Kyungsoo for making such a choice. If it meant that the shadows would abate in his eyes and his smile would return, Hakyeon would sell himself to the mountain wolves to help the little redhead.

But, the alpha did not think it would come to that. These wolves had a brightness to their auras that made him believe they were true and kind, not like some of the packs he had met during his travels. If Kyungsoo asked, it was likely they would take him with them, even if he were not mated to one of their pack. A tiny smile teased Hakyeon’s lips as he watched Kyungsoo listen to the beta speak. There was a look of such perfect attentiveness on the redhead’s face that it seemed as though Chansung were telling him why the sun hung in the sky and how the stars kept their nightly dance across the sky instead of detailing what the forest was like at his home. And, oh, Chansung. Hakyeon just resisted shaking his head at the absolutely besotted look on Chansung’s face. His eyes sparkled as he gazed down at Kyungsoo, and he seemed to have a permanent smile twisting his lips. It almost seemed as though the beta shone from within with the purest of delight as Kyungsoo spoke to him – as though he had found his everything. If the delta wanted to escape the basin, Hakyeon mused, he would be in the best of hands: Chansung would cherish and protect him, and perhaps even be able to win his heart.

Among the basin wolves, though, winning your mate’s heart was not the true concern. No, a mate was simply a partner – someone who seemed to be a good match in strength and talent. There was no love in it. It was how mates could be selected in a mere week instead of following a truer course of months of friendship or the tender courtship of a lover. The courtship festival itself was mostly comprised of demonstrating what made you a worthy mate, selling yourself to the watchful eyes of betas and alphas who might deign to take a talented enough partner. Jiyong assumed the mountain wolves followed a similar system, and so he had no idea how he would convince the handsome mountain alpha that he had skills that would make him a worthy mate. A willing heart did not make up for the things that Jiyong lacked as a wolf. He was just an omega with so little to offer that it was practically laughable. But, he still had to try. The way Daesung had smiled at him had been burned so firmly into the sinew and muscle of Jiyong’s heart that he had to try.

Traditionally, the omegas were the first allowed to demonstrate their skills, such as they were, for potential mates. It was believed that the only way an omega could be a worthy partner was if they made such a lasting impression that the higher ranks managed to remember after every other wolf had shown their skills. Putting them first in the line up allowed the passage of time to obscure the most pitiful omega offerings and allow the truly great to shine – or so the story went. In some ways, Jiyong was grateful to go early. If he caught Daesung’s eye right away, perhaps the handsome wolf would continue to think about him throughout the week. And, if Ji were really lucky, the alpha would seek his company throughout the coming days – get to know him better. If he went on the last day, the chance of that happening was less likely.

When the call came for a volunteer to go first, Jiyong shot his hand up. Taeyang gave him a funny look; he had thought the omega was not going to participate that year. But, the alpha offered his packmate a tiny nod of encouragement. A wide, gummy smile turned Jiyong’s lips before he moved to stand before Zhoumi, who was acting as the coordinator for that year’s festival. “What talent do you want to show?” the Golden Moon alpha asked.

Ducking his head and keeping his eyes down, Jiyong murmured, “I have prepared a rap to perform.” He had even been able to convince Wooyoung to play the drum and provide a beat for his rap, so it would perhaps sound a little better.

Zhoumi shrugged. “Alright. We’ll go to the amphitheater, and we will start with any performance pieces.”

Once all of the wolves, including the Excelsior pack, were assembled on the hewn stone benches within the amphitheater, Jiyong made his way to the center of the smooth sand stage. Wooyoung settled down on a log behind him with a drum tucked easily between his legs. The alpha began to play the beat Jiyong had asked for, moving with a steady confidence that belied how often he had played for his packmates. After a deep breath, Jiyong began to rap, his words accented with a nasal style he had developed through years of piecing words together:

“I told myself a lie

That no one could love someone so weak

A broken soul, battered evermore;

But, then you came to me like the sunshine

 

“My heart, it beat

For the first time in seasons

Like the fledging of a bird

In the summer of your smile.

 

“Oh, there’s no strength in

Me or much to offer you

Just my heart – a trinket

Woven within moonlight and despair

But if you let me

I would cherish you, care for you.

 

“Oh, I would fight for you to

The last ache in my hollow bones

Run to the stars, Chase the sun

Across the skies to be worthy of your love

 

“Heal my heart, let me live,

Let me breathe in the

Sunshine of your heart

So I can become the one worthy to

Stand at your side – now and always.”

When Jiyong finished his performance, the omega let out a slow breath. Art forms like rap and dance were not particularly accepted in their community - many of the alphas considered them to be too radical - but Taeyang had never minded. If anything, he supported the arts, because he loved to dance and sing. There was even something of a joke that the Sunburst wolves were obsessed with the stage because of how many of them were performers by trade. But rap - oh, that had been a choice. Jiyong knew it was a risk, because perhaps Daesung would hate it, but it he had to try. Rap was where his thoughts became clear; it was his gift. Of course, if he had more time to prepare the rap would have been better, but the brunette was pleased with his efforts, such as they were. And as Jiyong looked out across the gathered wolves, his gaze fell upon the handsome planes of Daesung's face. A blush rose on the surface of Jiyong's skin. Daesung was beaming at him as though he had single-handedly hung every cloud and lit each star in the sky. It was the breathtaking sort of look that made the world seem to narrow in on just them: their souls speaking across the distance. The muscle and sinew of Jiyong's heart tightened, and the air stuttered to a halt in his lungs. He dared flash the handsome alpha a shy little smile before slipping off to sit among his packmates, head ducked low to hide the flush on his skin.

The scant few other omegas also present that day – Suho and Jinyoung – also presented their skills. Suho showed off the fine embroidery he had done on a series of garments, even though members of his pack were not particularly known for taking mates from outside of their ranks, and Jinyoung demonstrated his ability to build a very secure shelter very quickly. Being from the NeverNoon pack, Jinyoung had learned quickly how to build safety from whatever supplies were on hand; when a sandstorm came, it was a matter of life or death whether or not a wolf had somewhere to hide. Of the assembled alphas and betas, though, few seemed impressed with either offering. Pretty embroidery and a quick shelter were nice, perhaps, but they were not strong hunting skills or healing craft. Jiyong was nervous – frightfully so – that his completely impractical talent for rap would serve to drive away the alpha he was interested in as well. It would be understandable, of course, if Daesung were to go for someone like Sulli, who was a Goddess Touched beta, or even an alpha like Hakyeon instead. Daesung deserved a mate who was worthy of him and possessed the skills necessary to keep a litter of pups alive in their cruel world.

And yes, Jiyong could not help but hope that Daesung would not be like the other alphas. That somewhere, perhaps not so deep inside, there was a part of Daesung that wanted love and happiness more than another pair of strong hands around the home. It was a tiny flicker of hope that made the omega hang back as the packs moved towards the communal dinner – all in the attempt to fall into step with Daesung. He had just never expected it to actually work.

When Daesung appeared at his side, Jiyong just about fell over, even though he was walking. He managed to keep his balance, though, and only stumbled a few steps before making something of a recovery. Daesung, precious creature that he was, reached out to place a steadying hand on Jiyong’s elbow. “Are you alright?” he murmured, concern reflecting in his warm, dark eyes.

A hasty bob of a nod was issued. “Yeah. I was just surprised to see you,” Jiyong confessed.

“Oh.” Daesung’s gaze wandered over the planes of Jiyong’s face as he contemplated that answer. “Surprised in a bad way?”

Jiyong laughed shyly and gave his head a tiny shake. “No. In a good way.”

The omega was absolutely stunned when he noticed what appeared to be the beginning of a blush working its way across the surface of Daesung’s skin. He briefly wondered if alphas were even physically capable of blushing, but that train of thought was interrupted by the object of his scrutiny: “Oh,” Daesung said, “I guess that’s a good thing. To be surprised in a, uh, good way.” He cleared his throat and jammed a hand through his soft, honey-hued hair. “Um, I really enjoyed your rap. Earlier. It was – well, I mean…” He sighed. “I liked it.”

Smiling softly, Jiyong glanced down at where Daesung’s hand still rested on his elbow. “Thank you very much. I am glad someone appreciates it. Not many do here in the basin.”

Noticing where his hand still was, Daesung let it drop to hang at his side. “We have some,” he said after a pause. “Rappers, I mean. It’s actually considered a great skill in my pack, because we use music to keep our oral traditions alive. In fact, when I left Yoongi was nearly finished with his rap about how the goddess split the moon into light and dark. And I think Wonsik was just starting a project of some kind.”

Jiyong’s eyes lit up. “You have rappers in your pack?” The omega sighed with open envy. “That must be so nice. We have Wooyoung and Taeyang – who dance – and Jinwoo sings. But I had to teach myself to rap. When I was little, we had a rapper named Tablo who spent a summer living with our pack, and I learned everything I could from him before he left. I wanted to be able to perform like him, when I grew up.”

“Wait, Tablo?” Daesung chuckled. “I think he actually settled with a pack just east of mine. At least, if it is the same Tablo, he’s been there for a couple of years – has a mate and everything.”

Jiyong’s face lit up for what felt like the hundredth time. “Really? I wonder if he would even remember me; it was so long ago. I wish I could tell him how much his friendship meant to me.”

In a movement that was almost too small to detect, Daesung brushed his shoulder against Jiyong’s. “I am sure he remembers you. If you were that passionate about rap, he probably even would recognize you on sight.”

A pleasant blush rose up on the omega’s features, but he did not quite dare to return the shoulder brush – just in case it had been accidental. “Maybe.”

Daesung his bottom lip. “If you got the chance to cross the mountains, you’d be a lot more likely to find out,” he said, glancing at the brunette from the corner of his eye.

Something of a rueful smile twisted the line of Jiyong’s lips as he said, “I don’t know that I’d ever be able to cross the mountains, though, even if I wanted to. I’m just an omega. I’ll be lucky if I ever get a mate, let alone one who would be up for that sort of adventure.”

The alpha’s steps slowed. “Why don’t you think you’ll get a mate, Jiyong? You talk as though you are a shriveled elder or something.”

Jiyong drug to a stop – examining how his shoes looked against the rust-hued dirt beneath his feet. “I’m an omega,” he repeated. “I might as well be a shriveled elder.”

A sudden weight on Jiyong’s shoulder drew his gaze up to rest on the hand Daesung had placed on his shoulder. “I think any alpha would be lucky to have a mate like you, Jiyong. You seem to have a good heart and a lot of passion. Those mean a lot more than muscle mass to me.” He gave Jiyong’s shoulder one last squeeze before loping over to where his pack waited. Jiyong silently gaped at the other wolf’s retreating back. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to melt into the floor.

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So this updated before the whole chapter was posted. I finally got around to posting the last missing bit. The next chapter of this will be out this week. We're going to spend more time with Amber and even get to meet Yongguk! All the exciting things. As always, thank you for reading!