Keep calm.

It was like deja vu.

For the first minute, Ae Sook couldn’t move.

She was completely frozen as she stared into D.O’s eyes and D.O stared into hers.

It was just the two of them in that room.

Ae Sook couldn’t even think of anyone else.

And if it wasn’t the bullet hole in D.O’s chest and the blood all over Ae Sook’s arms, the moment could've even been romantic.

But just as fate screwed her up once, it did it again, and this time, with heavy irony.

Just as Ae Sook was beginning to be happy again, her life started to fade away.

She hadn’t realized it before, but D.O was what kept her going.

She thought she was crazy.

She had known this boy for two weeks. What good was a whirlwind romance anyways at a time like this? Ae Sook hated girls who were caught up in the prospect of love while they had more important things to think about.

But this time, Ae Sook finally began to understand.

She finally began to understand just when it was too late.

With D.O against her, she could slowly feel his body begin to go limp in her arms.

Still mesmerized in his gaze, Ae Sook watched as the shock present in his eyes began to turn black as the lovely warmth faded from his pupils.

Ae Sook knew the signs.

She was a medical student; she had even witnessed her father’s death. But as it happened for a second time, Ae Sook still couldn’t move.

It wasn’t until D.O collapsed in her embrace, his body now heavy in her arms, that she screamed.

Her screams ripped out of like an animal, and they rang as clear as a bell over the ongoing festivities.

Then, together, the two fell to the floor.

Everyone around them scattered, their previously happy faces now turned into scorns as the couple was interpreted for drunk fools. But it only took seconds for the party-goers to begin to realize something was wrong as the scent of blood was pungent in the air.

Looking around with wide eyes, everyone began to step back, eventually forming a circle around the couple, but no one dared to step in to help.

Ae Sook didn't even feel their looks in their frantic state.

On the way down, Ae Sook had placed her hand behind D.O’s head to cushion his fall, but she was still afraid that the shock from the fall and the shot would be too much.

Scrambling to stand up, Ae Sook looked around.

It felt like time was slipping. The imaginary clock was especially loud in her ears.

She needed to get him a head cushion.

Ae Sook twirled around in a circle so fast that everyone's faces blurred, but she couldn't find even one thing that would support his head.

Turning back to look at D.O, the blood was spreading even more than humanly possible.

At this rate, he would be out of blood in a matter of minutes.

Ae Sook made fists against the fabric of her skirt as she tried to prompt herself to think.

Fabric, fabric, she thought.

With the feel of the silk under her fingers, Ae Sook looked down to her skirt. Almost immediately, an idea popped into her head.

She wouldn't let the same thing happen to D.O that happened to her dad. She was actually going to help this time.

Without thinking, Ae Sook grabbed a handful of skirt, and then tightening her grip, she pulled the lower layer off in one clean rip.

Because the skirt was made out of both tulle and silk, she had enough material to cover the wound and support his head. She peeled the two types of fabrics apart and set the silk under his head as she gently maneuvered the base of his neck. Then, taking the tulle, she bundled it up and began to press it against his chest.

It was only seconds before the red fully soaked the material.

Ae Sook’s fingers began to shake.

“D.O,” she whispered, in the verge of tears, “please. Don't leave yet.”

Switching her task, Ae Sook took his cold, cold hand in hers to measure his pulse. Her fingers fumbled over the vein in his wrist, afraid of what she would find. She almost sobbed when she felt the faint pulse.

It was there, but barely.

But why did this feel so familiar?

Surrounded by all these people, why did she still feel so helpless?

Looking to the crowd, Ae Sook begged with her eyes as wouldn't move. She continued to press on his chest, but her hands were shaking too much.

All the blood began to turn her vision red when a familiar voice sounded in the crowd. “Ae Sook? What-”, the individual began, but stopped just abruptly as he started.

Slowly tracing her gaze up, Ae Sook found Baekhyun parting through the crowd. Soon after, the rest of the pack followed, and they all stood, shocked, in a line before their pack mate.

Looking at all of them, Ae Sook could feel tears begin to slip down her face. They were hot against her cheeks as she felt her own heart being stabbed.

With the corners of quivering dangerously, Ae Sook pleaded with one word, “Help.”

Though simple and barely heard, that one syllable drove all the members into motion as they rushed to D.O’s side. Suho ran calling for the Elders while Sehun bolted to get a medical kit. Baekhyun and Chanyeol were left with Ae Sook to tend to D.O’s immediate situation. Baekhyun took on the role of screaming at the bystanders to get the hell out of the way or get help while Chanyeol slightly nudged Ae Sook aside.

Still fervent, Ae Sook tried ripping more tulle off from her skirt with fumbling fingers while keeping a hand to standardize the pressure to the wound, but Chanyeol’s strong grip on her arm stopped her.

No emotion was evident on his face as his features looked oddly calm. “What happened?”

Ae Sook wanted to break down crying in that moment.

Drawing in a shaky breath, she started. “I-I was c-coming to see D.O. I k-knew he was here, Chanyeol. I-I thought h-he would come for me-,” Ae Sook had to pause to close her eyes and regain her voice. “I thought it would be alright if I found him. I really did. And then I found him. And it was all okay. But then the shot-” Ae Sook breathed in.

“The shot,” she repeated as she looked brokenly to D.O.

“Ae Sook, who are you talking about?” Chanyeol asked patiently. “Who was here?”

Ae Sook shook her head, not wanting to answer. She choked out, “Later. We need to help him.”

Pushing Chanyeol roughly aside, she began to add more pressure, but the tulle under her hands kept slipping from the blood. Her hands slipped twice more before frustrated, she threw the tulle aside with an uttered profanity and began to bundle the remainder of her skirt to absorb the bleeding.

She registered Sehun’s return as he had bundles of gauze in his hand, but instead of allowing him to do it, Ae Sook snatched the material into her own hands. She was about to apply it when Chanyeol’s hand appeared firmly around her wrist once more.

“Ae Sook, you need to step aside. Let us handle this.”

She looked at him like he was crazy.

“No, you don't understand. I need to-”

“Ae Sook, you're bleeding too, you know that right?”

“Huh?” Ae Sook breathed. Though her gaze didn't drift from D.O’s unconscious form, her mind was elsewhere in the past.

In her distracted state, Chanyeol wound an arm around her waist to pick her up and move her farther away from D.O to allow Sehun and Baekhyun to take over.

Placing her near the bystanders, Chanyeol pointed at her arm. “Look. You need help, too. You can't be helping D.O when you're hurt yourself. He wouldn't want that.”

Despite Chanyeol’s voice being so close, Ae Sook hardly registered what he said as the malicious laugh replayed in her head.

If they wouldn't let her help D.O, she would find them instead.

“I'm going to get the gauze. Just give me a second, okay?” Chanyeol said as leaned down to look Ae Sook in the eyes. It was only when she gave him a hesitant nod that he left her to get the necessary materials.

But Ae Sook didn't wait for him.

Her frantic eyes located the clock, which displayed the time as 12:04.

That horrid nightmare that felt like a lifetime was only 4 minutes in the end, which meant the suspects couldn't have traveled far. She still had a chance to catch them.

Without a second thought, Ae Sook turned around and ran straight into the crowd, jostling her way towards the exit through the curious bodies.

When she got to the door, she kicked off her heels and then took off into the dark.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

The second Chanyeol turned around to an empty space with a hand full of gauze, he knew he ed up.

Within the minute, Ae Sook was gone, and not even a trace of her scent was left.

He let the spongy material fall to the floor as he placed a hand over his face.

Turning around, he kicked the white fabric aside as anger lit his system afire.

How could he be so stupid as to leave a traumatized, hyperventilating girl to her own devices?

Walking back to the scene, Chanyeol arrived just as Suho and three of the Elders made their appearance. With a defeated voice, Chanyeol said, “She's gone.”

Sehun looked up from his task of supplying necessary tools to Baekhyun at the same time as Suho’s gaze cut to him. “What do you mean, ‘she's gone’?” Suho pointed.

Chanyeol hung his head as he kicked the floor again. “She left just I was getting the stuff for her injury.”

Hinting at the obvious, Sehun asked, “Where'd she go?”

But Chanyeol snapped even though he knew his friend wasn't at fault. “Where the hell do you think? To find the person responsible.”

“One of us needs to go look for her,” Suho began as he was about to list directions, but an Elder cut him off.

“We've already sent guards to hunt the perpetrator. We’ll direct them to keep their eyes open for her as well and then notify you when they find her.”

Chanyeol rubbed the back of his neck. “I don't know. I still feel uneasy.”

“Worry about your friend first. He's the one in the most danger in the immediate moment.”

Suho, Chanyeol, Sehun, and Baekhyun looked at each other.

They knew D.O would be furious when he woke up, but they had to weigh the gravity of each situation.

Although Sehun and Baekhyun were working on it, D.O was still in critical condition and they needed to get him help.

Realizing what they needed to do, Suho nodded his head curtly. “Alright, but please try to find her quickly.”

“We shall,” he affirmed. “We have also called the ambulance with paramedics who are aware of our situation. They will be here shortly.”

The pack bowed their heads as the Elders exited the scene, and as soon as they were lost to the crowds, the boys went to work.

Suho was the first to break the silence as he directed a question at Baekhyun. “Will he survive?”

For all the years that the guys have known each other, Baekhyun, though completely lacking any sort of medical background, has always patched up the guys after fights or scuffles with other packs. He knew each of the members’ bodies so well at this point that he could fix any of their ailments, and with D.O, it wouldn't be any different.

With blue gloves already on and stained with blood, the beta wolf paused in his practices. “He should be fine,” Baekhyun predicted.

Pointing to D.O’s chest, he said, “The bullet didn't actually penetrate the heart, it just pierced the spot right next to it. If it was even an inch over, he would be suffering major damage. I've stopped the bleeding, but the only problem now is to remove the bullet. So it's not bad, but it's not something we shouldn't be worried about.”

But then he scratched his head. “But I don't understand this part either. We shouldn't be affected by a regular bullet, right?” Baekhyun rhetorically questioned as he looked at the other members. “But as soon as D.O was hit, he went down. Why?”

Suho crouched down to look at D.O. “You make a point. Why don't we take out the bullet and see? Either it's the bullet or he's really becoming weak in front of Ae Sook.”

“But shouldn't we wait for the paramedics? I'm sure they'd know more about taking bullets out than we do,” Sehun worried.

“What different is a bullet from a porcupine quill?” Baekhyun asked sarcastically.

“Actually, a lot different,” Chanyeol pointed out, but Baekhyun ignored him as he got to work.

Using a pair of tweezers, Baekhyun fished the bullet out of the wound, and thankfully, it was shallow enough that he was able to obtain it in a matter of seconds. However, the blood from D.O’s wound welled. Baekhyun instructed Sehun to apply pressure to it until the paramedics came so they could stitch him up.

With the bullet still in between the prongs of the tweezers, Baekhyun stood up to show Suho and Chanyeol. As he drew nearer, wanting to examine it closer, Baekhyun dropped the bullet in the palm of his hand.

Almost immediately, Baekhyun let out a yelp. “!” Without thinking, he dropped the bullet to the floor.

The bullet bounced off to the left, but Baekhyun didn't pay attention to it.

“What happened?” Suho asked as he rushed over after hearing Baekhyun’s curses.

Baekhyun didn't reply right away as he winced and tore his glove off. And sure enough, the burn mark on his skin was enough justification for Suho’s question.

With alarmed eyes, Suho began to look around for the dropped bullet. “Silver?”

“ing hell,” Baekhyun muttered angrily.

Sehun picked up on the conversation. “What the hell?”

The three paused in shock for a moment, but Chanyeol’s mind was working.

“They were aiming for Ae Sook,” Chanyeol thought out carefully. “It was a murder attempt because they were most likely targeting her heart, but when she moved, it ended up hitting D.O.”

“Why the hell would they want to use a silver bullet on a human girl?” Sehun asked incredulously.

“Two birds with one stone,” Baekhyun said, catching on.

Everyone had to come to terms with that information.

The werewolves were no longer only targeting Ae Sook, but the pack.

“Wait,” Baekhyun exclaimed as he realized something. Looking widely at the floor, he finally located the bullet, but instead of picking it up, he crouched next to it. Examining the symbols decorating the body of the bullet, he couldn't help but cuss. “.”

“What?”

“This is magic silver. The same material from the blades at home.”

Sehun almost seemed to freeze in that moment, as well as the others, but Sehun’s eyes traced their way from his hands all the way to the bullet wound.

With the bullet having been so close to D.O’s heart, he was sure to have acquired the poison from the metal, and it was almost certain that the power of the silver was forcing its way into his veins and his heart.

“He actually needs to get to the hospital,” Chanyeol stated first.

“No , sherlock,” Baekhyun said sarcastically to which Suho shot him a look.

Without further prompting, Baekhyun continued to call the ambulance until finally, they heard the sirens out front.

Then, it was only a matter of seconds before they were on their way in the vehicle to the hospital.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

As soon as Ae Sook’s soles hit the cold, hard ground of the forest, she broke out into a sprint.

So similar to that December night, Ae Sook felt a strength pulse through her body akin to the one she felt when she escaped. But this time, it was more urgent.

She felt the energy cushion her feet, and even though she didn't have any shoes, she felt faster, more powerful. Her vision was even colored by rage, adding to the confidence in her pursuit,

However, it didn't last long as a howl broke the frigid night air.

As soon as the call reached her ears, Ae Sook skidded to a halt, the leaves and branches leaving scratches and cuts on her feet.

Ae Sook waited in the silence, now completely conscious of herself.

Her breathing was too loud, her form too noticeable in the shadows of the forest.

And like a fool, she stayed rooted to that one spot in the ground. She watched as the shadows played off each other, distorting the light and features of the forest.

But as seconds ticked by, Ae Sook began to turn numb from suspense.

Then, a second, more vicious cry sent goosebumps down her arms. And not too long after, a series of branches snapped, their sounds echoing against the trees.

Ae Sook whipped her head around, actual fear now replacing her urgency. But she didn’t let it show as she cried out stupidly, “Come out! I know you’re there!”

Another series of crackles echoed throughout the field before a voice sounded, it’s tone incredibly low. “Is that what you want?”

Ae Sook paused for a second, trying to find the direction of the sound. As she whirled around, laughter ensued.

Finally, she saw a glitch in the trees and her eyes followed it. “It is,” she confirmed in a strong voice.

“Your wish is my command, princess.”

The wind began to swirl the leaves on the forest floor, and with it, Ae Sook smelled something so strong, and it was unlike anything else she had sensed before.

But as the werewolf walked out of the shadows, she realized what it was.

Putting a hand out in front of her, she commanded, “Put your weapon down.”

The approaching figure halted. “My weapon?”

“Right hand pocket. Give it.”

The eyes of the werewolf illuminated, leaving his orbs a scarlet red. All the memories almost came crashing down on Ae Sook, but she kept her mind clear with her intentions. “I refuse to talk to you until you give that to me.”

The man chuckled. “You’re giving me two ultimatums?”

“Your wish is my command, princess,” Ae Sook recited. “Isn’t that what you said?”

“Well played,” the wolf commended before throwing his blade into the field so that it’s between Ae Sook and himself.

But Ae Sook could still smell the scent of blood on him. Trailing his body, which is clothed in a deep black suit, her eyes catch on his jacket.

“You have one more.”

“Excuse me?”

“You have one more weapon,” Ae Sook repeated.

For the first time, Ae Sook spotted an emotion clouding his face, and curiously enough, he was startled.

Ae Sook tilted her head. “I’m not stupid. Place it in front of you.”

“Princess, you’ve become more perceptive,” he said hesitantly before reaching into his jacket.

“