a/n : I never promised a happy ending.

As a new guard of the central zoo, Jae Hwan was rather bored. He didn’t truly like to work on night shifts but the pay and the working hours helped him to spend more time with his family without having the need to get a second work.

He was busy checking on the animals’ areas, checking that the doors were locked properly when he noticed a man standing behind the door of wolves’ cage. At first Jae Hwan was shocked, and turned off the light, hiding behind a wall. He could hear chuckles, and peaked to notice that the man wasn’t there. “Well look who is here?” He jumped to look behind, noticing the man he was looking for standing too close to him. “You are the new guard, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir.” He was literally shaking, as the man didn’t look normal and he was on his own without arm or whatsoever to protect himself. The man stepped back, smirking.

“See you in the morning, Newbie.”

Before he could register it, Jae Hwan was alone again, with wet pants. He rushed to change and posted himself in front of the gates, holding an electroshock gun tightly. He couldn’t sleep, or even think of it as he feared the strange man to be around. He was stiff enough by the morning to jump in his feet as he noticed the man jumping the five meter high gate, as if it was a stone. Jae Hwan pointed his gun on the man who looked at him briefly before walking ahead, ignoring the guard. Jae Hwan didn’t know what to do else but following him. The man opened the gate and got in the Wolves cage before disappearing. Jae Hwan didn’t know how to explain that. “Hey! You! Come out! Hey! Do you hear me?” He tried to find the man between the rocks where a pack of wolves were sleeping, but saw nothing. “He vanished.”

Luckily, he works a night out of two, so the following night he slept soundlessly, relieved he won’t meet that man again. However, as soon as he woke up, his stomach twisted nervously. Will I see him tonight? Will I discover what he is? Maybe I had to spy on him yesterday? Aish, why didn’t I think of it? I will do it tomorrow night.

In the night, he avoided the Wolves cage, only to be face to face with the man who smirked widely. “I didn’t see you yesterday.” Jae Hwan’s mind went blank, mostly because the man was .

“Missed me?” He sassed back, avoiding the man’s smirk, before blushing even madder at what he said. “Aren’t you going out tonight?” He didn’t hear an answer and dared to look at the man, only to find him gone. “Damn he’s gone.”

He carried on with his work normally, planning to spy the zoo’s entrance the next night. By the morning, the man did as previously, jumped the gate and went to the wolves’ cage. Jae Hwan didn’t even look at him when he did so.

He went home early and slept because he knew he had a long night ahead. “You look like you are out for the war.” Taek Woon, a master student of a nearby university who rented a room in Jae Hwan’s house six years ago, mumbled to him as he made a brunch for Jae Hwan. The man nodded absently to it. “Can I ask what is going on?”

“Nothing much. A Coworker leaves me by night to go somewhere and I’m going to find out what he does.” Taek Woon nodded at the answer and Jae Hwan tried to act normally as his parents joined them in the table. The night neared and Jae Hwan left the house with Taek Woon in his toes.  He insisted on driving Jae Hwan instead of letting the man be late for his plan. “Who knows, maybe he will be already off by the time your taxi drop you off.”

Jae Hwan nodded nonetheless, and sat by Taek Woon’s side, seriously looking by the window. “Tonight is a full moon.” Jae Hwan remarked.

“I know. It’s a dangerous night, we say.” Jae Hwan looked at the serious Taek Woon. “You didn’t smile much today.” Jae Hwan sighed at the remark. “It’s not so you.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

They reached the zoo area, and parked a little far from the gate. Jae Hwan observed the gate for a moment when Taek Woon flinched. “! Look at that man, he just jumped the wall.” Taek Woon was about to turn his car, but Jae Hwan stopped him.

“Go home, Taek Woon. I’ll handle it.” Jae Hwan fast left the car, running to where he saw the man walking. He could see a black silhouette nonchalantly walking down the street.

“Are you going to follow him?” Taek Woon scared the out of him, but Jae Hwan kept his eyes on the man as he walked with Taek Woon by his side. He noticed that only his shoes could be heard in the night and looked down to Taek Woon plain sneakers. Damn, I should have used such things. They managed to follow the man, who got in a nightclub’s backdoor. “A club? He work in the nightclub?” Jae Hwan fast made his way to the entrance, paying for him while Taek Woon stepped back. “I’ll be waiting outside with the car.”

Jae Hwan didn’t speak, getting in. He went to the bar, and sat in a shadowed corner, hoping he could see the man somewhere. He got himself a beer, sipping from it slowly as he scanned and rescanned the area. Suddenly, the music changed and a familiar man showed up in the stage. “r? The ?” Jae Hwan nearly let his cup fall as he watched with shock the man teasing the wild crowd in front of the stage. He looked so intensely at the man in the stage that when the man looked his way, he damn knew he was caught. He paid his beer and tried to make his way out only to be stopped by two men.

“Follow us.” The scary tone they used made him want to run but he followed the men anyway, and they pushed him inside a bedroom; He was too shocked to even think properly, trying to figure out what is going on. He felt like someone fried his brain from thinking by the time the door opened and the man got in, holding his clothes in one hands. He pushed Jae Hwan to sit on the bed, while he walked around, with a string brief, if you could call that a brief. Jae Hwan was looking at the man with wide eyes.

“Why did you follow me?” Jae Hwan didn’t answer at first, not realizing that the man spoke to him until he pushed him to lie down and the man knelt in top of him. “What is it, sweetheart? Did the cat eat your tongue?” The chuckle was deeply shaking his soul and all he could was to let out a breathy moan. The man leaned to his face, picking him like a bag of bean and secured him in the bed. “ You smell so good.”

“You…” Jae Hwan didn’t have time to speak up as the man cupped his face and kissed him wildly. He didn’t answer at first but soon found himself getting eager. “Damn…” The man undressed him and took a bite in every spot in Jae Hwan’s skin while the man arched with hisses. “Stop! You hurt me.” It made the man stop, nibbling his own lips.

“You are so tempting, right now.”

“You must be blind to think I am.” Jae Hwan tried to push the man away but failed. He whimpered as he noticed the dangerous lust in the man’s eyes. “Stop looking at me like that.” He tried to free himself. “Can we talk at first?” The man chuckled as he leaned to caress Jae Hwan’s skin with his nose.

“You reek fear.” The man mumbled, shocking Jae Hwan. “Do I scare you this much?” Jae Hwan wanted to object when he felt his belt unbuckle. His wide eyes observed as the man’s smirk widened. “We will walk later, but now let me take a bite.”

“No! I… Ah!” Jae Hwan was swallowed into insanity; the man’s tongue was doing wonders to him. He didn’t know what to think as he was ed, and he held on the sheet for dear life. “Ah.” Before he could even fall back into reality, the man left his manhood to attack his lips.

The man mumbled through the kiss, over and over, one name like a mantra. “Hak Yeon.” In Jae Hwan’s clouded mind, it is all he could register, that name as a painful entrance hammered his prostate, pushing him up to the level where pain and pleasure got so mixed up it would be hard to define them. When Jae Hwan was back to reality, he was too dizzy to register where he was, despite the cold air kicking him in the face.

He was out, on his legs, somehow. He could feel arms on his body, and people talking but all he could remember was that he felt good. “Bring a lube next time.” A man said and he blinked as he looked at the man who ed him senseless, few hours ago, before blacking out.

He slept through the day, going to work with a sore body and a cloudy mind. “Hi, sweetheart.” Jae Hwan tensed as the man approached. “How is your little feeling?”

“Sore as .” Jae Hwan growled as he glared on the smirking man. “Do you think it’s a kind of joke? people is funny to you?” The man’s expression went dark and he tried to step closer but Jae Hwan held up his gun. “ off. Don’t you ever dare to touch me, again.”

“Jae Hwan, you…” The man paused, sighing. “I’ll come back sooner tonight and we will talk.”

“I don’t want to talk to you. Go yourself, r.” The man tensed before glaring at Jae Hwan. The guard nearly peed in himself when he noticed how pissed the man was.

“We will talk later, Jae Hwan.” The man left Jae Hwan behind, and the man nearly fell on his knees from fear. He went to his post, holding the gun closer, while he tried to hide from the Hak Yeon. When the man showed up again, Jae Hwan was too tired to focus on him. He was still sore, his heart was hurt, and his pride was broken. It tore him that night. “Jae Hwan?”

“ you.” Jae Hwan hissed, before noticing arms stretched to him. “No! Go away! Don’t touch me!”

The man held him tightly, shutting down his fading attempts of freeing himself. “Calm down, ok? I am not going to hurt you.”

“Liar!” Jae Hwan hissed, his eyes filled with tears. “You are a monster.” It seemed to hurt the man extremely. “Get off of me.”

“I am sorry for yesterday but I was so tempted.” Jae Hwan hissed when the man tried to touch his face.

“Is this your excuse? You were tempted?” Jae Hwan tried to free himself again but ended up stopping and breathing heavily. “Does that calm your conscience?”

“No, I lost control. You must believe me.” Hak Yeon seemed nearly crying himself. “Please, I’m sorry.” As he didn’t get a reaction from the man, he rested his head on Jae Hwan’s pounding chest. “I just… I wanted you to be mine at that moment. Mine and mine only.”

“I am no one’s!” Jae Hwan screamed it, trying to free himself which he managed to, in the end. “Don’t touch me.”

“Jae Hwan… I am a wolf shape shifter.” The confession made Jae Hwan freeze, as things made sense all of sudden. “Usually, those I sleep with are Wolves like me, they are… able to handle what I did to you yesterday.”

“It’s not an excuse. I am clearly a human!” Jae Hwan hissed, as he tried to scoot away. “You could at least ask for my consent, but no! You forced yourself on me!”

The man kept silence for a moment. “That’s true. I’m sorry for it.” It made Jae Hwan scoff. “Can’t we start over?”

“With what? You destroyed my pride! You took my first time! Why would I start over with you? Why?” Jae Hwan blushed when he noticed that he admitted being before yesterday night and noticed the man looking at him with wide shocked eyes.

“You were… ?” the shock was clear. “Oh! .” The man hissed walking around like a lion in cage. “Why… how? I don’t… oh my god.” The man shifted his gaze down to the floor. “I understand. I’m ashamed to look at you, believe me.” He seemed indeed unable to look at Jae Hwan. “I brought pain killers and hot packs.” The man rested the bag tied to his belt in front of Jae Hwan. “I hope it will ease your pain and keep you warm tonight.”

The man left the zoo again, and didn’t show up even when Jae Hwan’s shift ended, which he didn’t notice too much he needed rest. He fell in his bed as soon as he reached home and Taek Woon showed up in his room. “Can I get in?” Jae Hwan nodded. “How do you feel?”

“I feel like I am better off dead.” Jae Hwan admitted, shedding tears that Taek Woon dried. “He is so shameless… asking me forgiveness.”

“Who?” Taek Woon’s tone was tense. “The wolf shape shifter?” Jae Hwan looked up in shock. “I know… I noticed who he was since the mere second he showed up, but I couldn’t tell you.”

“Why? Why didn’t you?” Jae Hwan yelled at him and Taek Woon rested his hand on the man’s chest to keep him in bed. “Taek Woon, why didn’t you tell me?”

“You would have asked me how I knew and I would have to admit the truth I’ve been hiding.” Taek Woon kept his mouth shut for a moment while Jae Hwan observed him with curiosity. “I’m a wolf shape shifter too.” Jae Hwan’s eyes widened. “But I’ve lived my life as a human for so long, my animal side is barely there now.”

“You… you are a monster like him.” It made Taek Woon wince; shaking his head as he held Jae Hwan’s shaken hands.

“I am not. I lived by your side for years, Jae Hwan. Did I ever hurt you?” the question froze Jae Hwan who shook his head, sobbing before he could control it. “I wish I could stop you back then, but I fear the crowd, you know it. I panicked.” Taek Woon held Jae Hwan closer and patted on his head. “I’m sorry for failing you.”

“I am sorry too.” Jae Hwan mumbled sadly. “For calling you monster.” Taek Woon smiled at it, and covered Jae Hwan properly when the man’s phone went off. “It’s my boss.” He answered it hastily. “Hello? Yes, I was guarding? Oh, a wolf is missing? I am sure the door is secure.” He knew it was. Hak Yeon secured it behind him. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

Taek Woon observed as Jae Hwan sat up. “He didn’t come back?” Jae Hwan shook his head. “The . I will hunt him and find him for you.” Taek Woon stood up to open the door where he found himself face to face with Hong Bin. “Hong Bin.” The call made the man blink before glaring at Taek Woon, swiftly walking toward his brother.

“I heard everything, Hyung.” Hong Bin helped his brother to stand up, noticing that Taek Woon wasn’t there. “Let me help you find the missing wolf.”

Jae Hwan was mentally tired to object. Hong Bin led him to his car, and Jae Hwan drove to the nightclub directly. “A nightclub?” Hong Bin looked at his tired brother who left the car, walking to the backdoor, only to find knocked out men. “What happened?”

It snapped Jae Hwan up, getting in enough fast inside, and looking for Taek Woon and Hak Yeon. A crash made him jump as he and Hong Bin got in a room to find Taek Woon kicking an unmoving man beneath him. “Taek Woon!” Jae Hwan yelled and Taek Woon paused as the man knelt in front of the injured wolf. “Hak Yeon? Do you hear me?”

Hong Bin pulled Taek Woon out of the room while Jae Hwan tried to nurse the man’s wounds. “Don’t touch me.” Hak Yeon hissed, as he tried to sit. It shocked Jae Hwan a little. “I deserved everything he did to me.” Jae Hwan’s lips shook as he observed the man’s broken leg. “Don’t pity me.”

“ you.” Jae Hwan said helping to stand up nonetheless. “Turn into a wolf, I have to take to a Vet.” Jae Hwan urged him. “Besides, the zoo keepers are looking for you.”

“I’ll go back to my cage. They will ask the zoo vet to look after me.” Hak Yeon limped outside, leaving Jae Hwan outstretched arms. Jae Hwan observed the man as he stood by Taek Woon’s side. “Take me to the zoo.”

Taek Woon shoved him backseats, before facing Hong Bin. “We will talk properly later.” He drove the injured man to the zoo and Hong Bin drove Jae Hwan to it.

“I’ll divert the attention away and make sure that Hak Yeon is in his cage.” Jae Hwan’s tone was emotionless but his brother could read sadness all over him. Jae Hwan left to meet his superior, while Hong Bin ran to the wolves that he could localize in the zoo’s map. Taek Woon had locked the door by the time he reached them and in his amazement the injured man turned into a pure black wolf.

“Holly .” He mumbled as Taek Woon pulled him to walk. They noticed Jae Hwan showing up with other pissed looking men only to notice the injured wolf hiding behind a rock. Jae Hwan stepped aside as a vet tried to get in and check on him, only to get attacked by the injured wolf. The horror of seeing the wolf getting electroshocked over and over until he passed was beyond anything he could imagine.

“He’s badly injured.” The vet insisted. “It’s normally he tried to defend himself.” Jae Hwan knew very well that Hak Yeon tried to get killed. He stood there as they locked the door, and walked hastily to cure the vet’s injuries. Hak Yeon was there where they left him.

“I hate what you did to me,” Jae Hwan opened the door, and got in, picking and hugging Hak Yeon closer, “but seeing you recklessly punishing yourself hurt even more. Please, stop.” Hak Yeon nuzzled his hand before staying there unmoving.

“Lee Jae Hwan, what the hell are you doing there?” the men noticed him in the cage.

“Don’t kill him.” Jae Hwan pleaded, bowing to his superiors. “Please, don’t kill him. I’ll nurse his injuries, just please.” The man sighed as he opened the gate.

“Jae Hwan, he’s dead.” Jae Hwan looked down to the inert body of Hak Yeon, shaking his head in disbelief. “Come out, ok? It’s ok.”

“It’s not ok. Hak Yeon… Hak Yeon didn’t deserve to die.” Jae Hwan caressed the wolf black fur. “Please, save him. Anything. Please do anything, I beg you.”

Taek Woon showed up in time to pull his friend and hug him. “He wanted it.” Jae Hwan tensed. “He asked me to kill him so I did. For his sake and for yours.”

“Mine? WHAT?” Jae Hwan tried to free himself but Taek Woon tightened the hold.

“He didn’t want to live without your forgiveness.” Taek Woon looked straight into Jae Hwan’s eyes. “And you wouldn’t be able to forgive him any soon.” Taek Woon’s tears fell down, sadness perling him. “He made his choice.” Jae Hwan sobbed in Taek Woon’s arms as the man led him out.

Since then, Jae Hwan would walk around the wolves’ cage, every night and sit inside, right where he left Hak Yeon’s body behind. The wolves didn’t mind him, as they knew how deep his wound was.