Xiumin shrank back behind one of the tree trunks, he could hear Sehun calming down and their voices but he couldn’t focus on what they were saying.

The only thing going through his head was the fact that his best friend and his mate knew each other, they were familiar with each other. His best friend who he hadn’t seen in three years was standing just a few feet away from him. The person he had forced himself to forget and move on from, he had feared the worst for the other.

Taking a deep breath he realized Sehun’s scent was slowly drifting away with the wind while Baekhyun’s scent was getting stronger, he stopped right behind the tree Xiumin was hiding behind knowing the elder needed to compose himself.

“M….MinMin?” Baekhyun whispered and Xiumin bit his lip to choke down a sob.

The way that familiar nickname rolled so easily off the other’s tongue had him close to tears, Xiumin stood up taking a deep breath trying to relax and prepare himself before finally turning around and walking out where Baekhyun could see him. Instantly he saw a smile bloom on the other’s face and he saw his eyes get watery.

“MinMin it really is you!” He exclaimed and jumped onto Xiumin, the latter not expecting it fell down with Baekhyun still on top and hugging him tightly, burying his face in the crook of his neck as he felt his warm tears landing on his skin.

Taking another steadying breath he pulled himself to sit up, he tried moving away but Baekhyun slowly became desperate as his cries became louder and his grip stronger. Trying to calm him down Xiumin pulled him against him tightly, rubbing his back and before he knew it he was breaking down too. Just to have his best friend in his arms again was a dream come true.

Baekhyun was the first to calm down, wiping his tears away and slowly pulling back from Xiumin’s neck his hands moving up to massage Xiumin’s scalp knowing it would calm him down, smiling when he found out it still worked as Xiumin slowly stopped shaking.

“MinMin….I’m sorry.” Baekhyun whispered brokenly and Xiumin stared up at him with confusion and what shocked Baekhyun the most anger.

He was roughly pushed off, his back hitting one of the tree roots around them. Baekhyun groaned holding where his back was hit and looked at Xiumin who still had tears running down while he was pacing back and forth furiously.

Baekhyun calmly stood up, already having years of experience with Xiumin to know that he should wait until he was ready to talk.

“MinMin?! Are you ing kidding me?” Xiumin turned his intense gaze to Baekhyun who flinched, instinctively backing away until his back hit a tree.

“H-How…do you even have the nerve to just show up and call me MinMin as if nothing was wrong? The nerve to speak to my mate without me knowing! T-the nerve to show up back here a-and not tell me that you were here huh? Why? WHY? But no you, apparently, went to Sehun and Kai instead of me! Me! AS IF I DIDN’T SPEND THE LAST THREE YEARS WORRYING ABOUT YOU. T-THINKING ABOUT WHETHER YOU WERE ALIVE OR NOT! HOW DARE YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO CALL ME MINMIN!?” Xiumin shouted, his face red with rage, his voice cracking in some of his sentences.

It felt like a war was happening inside of him, one part was fuming that Baekhyun had the gall to just hug him and squeeze like they would when they were younger after training and ‘schooling’ like old times while another was ecstatic that he was here.

“Xiumin please. Just….” Baekhyun sighed trailing off before clearing his throat and straightening his posture walking up to Xiumin slowly.

He knew Xiumin was angry but he would never hurt him, not him. Maybe even Sehun would be in danger getting this close but Baekhyun wasn’t afraid, Xiumin wouldn’t hurt him and he knew that would never change. He also knew Xiumin was rational, he would listen to him.

“Please let me explain.” Baekhyun pleaded and Xiumin’s gaze quickly softened as he nodded.

“Okay.”

“Before I do I just want you to know I still love you Xiumin a-and every day I missed you, I still do even though you’re in front of me right now just knowing that I’ll have to leave you soon with no promises of when I can come back or whether I’ll be able too.”

Baekhyun smiled sadly as both their eyes watered then he continued.

“The reason why I’m here is to check up on Sehun I wanted to make sure he was okay and before you ask I know he’s your mate but I can’t tell you about what’s happened to him and….just let me tell you it does tie in on to why I was kicked out. I know it’s late but Xiumin you have to believe I didn’t betray our pack, you know me…..y-you….you know me!” Baekhyun stressed out and Xiumin nodded, he never had any doubts that Baekhyun hadn’t done it, everyone was shocked when Baekhyun was rejected since he was loved by many if not all.

“I never thought you did.” He mumbled and his lips twitched when Baekhyun smiled happily.

“I knew you would never believe them anyway I’m sorry you worried so much about me and I’m sorry I didn’t tell Sehun to bring you to me but in my defense I didn’t even know you two knew each other until a few days ago when Kai told me.”

Xiumin arched a brow looking at him bitterly. “And I didn’t know you three knew each other until a few minutes ago.”

Baekhyun sighed and rubbed is nape. “Point taken. I know you’re busy with your training since it’s only a matter of time before your mother steps down and…..Xiumin I didn’t want to distract you I’ve only ever wanted the best for you. I’m so sorry I hurt you, never in my whole life were those ever my intentions.”

Baekhyun spoke sincerely, looking Xiumin straight in the eyes so he knew. It spoke to Xiumin that one of the rare times Baekhyun wasn’t hyperactive and playful was to tell him he loved him and didn’t mean to hurt him. Sighing he pulled the delta into another tight hug which was gladly reciprocated.

“I want you back.”

Baekhyun sniffed and snuggled deeper into the alpha’s chest. “I-I want to come back.”

They stood there until the sky started turning dark, hesitantly they pulled away and Baekhyun sighed miserably.   

“I have to go now.”

“Wait! Earlier you said you had a mate?” Baekhyun easily smiled again, Xiumin could see a slight blush and he smiled as well feeling better knowing his best friend was with someone who made him happy.

“Yeah….a wolf named Daehyun.” He spoke excitedly and Xiumin tilted his head, realization seeped in.

“From our former affiliates?” Baekhyun nodded then hugged him one last time.

“I’ll be here tomorrow, same time I’ll explain everything then alright?” Xiumin nodded and leaned in to peck Baekhyun’s cheek who smiled and returned the favor, pecking his nose before he disappeared into the trees.

§¤§

Xiumin hummed and started walking back home thinking about their former affiliates. Of course it was rare for packs to join together but a few years back his pack and another pack had been joined together, they used to live in the same village and everyone used to get along. Thinking about it he should’ve guessed that’s who Baekhyun would’ve ran to, Baekhyun was always talking about Daehyun and the two were always making excuses to be together.

They broke away right when Baekhyun was convicted of treachery, he really couldn’t wait to see Baekhyun tomorrow. The elders never really told anyone why they had to break up or why Baekhyun was kicked out, only Baekhyun could shed some light.

Sighing tiredly he entered his house going straight to the dining room already knowing everyone would be there. Immediately he was engulfed into a warm embrace.

“DON’T DO THAT AGAIN!” His mom shrieked, he blinked hugging her back tightly then looking to Sehun who was avoiding eye contact and then to his mother Taeyeon who was calmly eating, feeling her son’s gaze she finally looked up.

“You bloody idiot, how dare you come late nearly made me starve.”

“HOW YOU CAN SAY THAT?! OUR SON COULD’VE BEEN MISSING!” Tiffany shrieked once again, spinning around to face her wife while Xiumin rolled his eyes and sat down across from Sehun and started eating.

He could see Sehun’s eye widen as he sniffed the air, his eyes narrowing at Xiumin when he realized the smell was coming from him, looking to the side they say his mothers still bickering over him.

§¤§

“Why do you smell like Baekhyun hyung?! What did you do to him?” Sehun glared accusingly at him and Xiumin arched a brow before walking to his room, Sehun following right behind.

“Y-Yah don’t walk away from me!”

Ignoring him Xiumin kept walking then he went to his room and picked a photobook from the shelf flipping a few pages then tried showing it to Sehun who nearly slapped it out of his hands.

“I don’t wanna see no damn baby pictures!” Sehun protested but Xiumin didn’t stop and eventually shoved the book right in his face and the omega stopped his protests as he saw a picture of Baekhyun and Xiumin as pups, Baekhyun laying on top of Xiumin while his cheek.

“O-Oh…” Xiumin nodded and put the photobook as he sat down on his bed.

“He’s my best friend if anything I should be asking you how and why you know him!” He spat, he regretted it as Sehun flinched but he couldn’t stop himself, he just got so protective over Baekhyun.

Sehun sighed and sat down next to him shyly looking down when he looked back up there were tears in his eyes and Xiumin pulled the omega towards him.

“H-Hyung….if I t-tell you…...please don’t hate me. You can’t hate me right when I accepted you.” He started crying into Xiumin’s chest but the alpha was frozen.

Accepted him? Did that mean?

“I-I’m your mate?” Sehun pulled away and nodded gripping onto the alpha’s shirt.

“Your m-my mate, my mate!” Sehun wailed and Xiumin instinctively reacted, pulling him back to him and laying down so he could wrap his arms around him and intertwine their legs.

After Sehun calmed down Xiumin his hair then looked down at him.

“Why?”

“I talked to Kai today too, he’s always been my conscience and when I saw Baekhyun hyung today it just reminded me of how he had to run away to be with the one he loved. But I was being selfish and pushing you away when you didn’t deserve it. Hyung please forgive me, I never should’ve said those things to you or acted that cold. T-That’s not me.”

Xiumin nodded already knowing, he already saw the real Sehun. The real Sehun was playful and loved to laugh and even if most people didn’t think so because of his cold demeanor.

“I’m still scared hyung, so I might still push you away even if I don’t want to. But please don’t…don’t leave me, a-and….don’t make me feel small.”

“Can you…..can you please tell me what made you hate alphas?” Xiumin whispered and Sehun looked up at him nervously but nodded.

“I’m filthy hyung.”  

+In the blink of an eye, just a whisper of smoke, you could lose everything, the truth is you never know+

Thank you all so much for all the comments it really makes my day and helps me keep writing <3

And yesh I snuck in a crack pairing because I wuve DaeBaek >< Honestly if there were literal seas and we could see every ones ships mine would be overcrowded because at this point I just play mix and match with idols >//////> 

By the way I hope no one thinks I made Sehun open up too quickly, I'm going to try to explain that as best as I can in the next chapter [Tbh I don't wanna finish writing the next chapter it makes my heart break into pieces orzz] I'll try to update as soon as possible~!