"He's different when you're around... It's like you're a porcelain doll or his most treasured item in the universe. It's cute but weird because he's somebody else when he's with you." Hansol's voice was hushed, despite the fact that the Alpha guard wouldn't be back until closer to sunrise. 

Yuta scoffed in response, flicking some hair out if his face and rolling his eyes, "You all make him sound like some scary monster that looms over you--" he paused, a statement to his incredulity, "when really he's just an overgrown kitten than sometimes confuses affection and aggression. Are you sure were talking about the same guy?" 

Hansol and Dongyoung's jaws had fallen slack as Yuta spoke, not sure whether to feel offended or awed that their newest pack addition had just referred to their great Alpha as a kitten. They prayed diligently that none of the pups heard that or worse, repeated it in his presence and took a moment to glance back to the back of the tent where they four of them were sleeping, curled around eachother for warmth with the oldest, Minhyung surrounding them. 

Yuta followed their gazes and his eyes softened as they landed on the small pile of fur. It was easy to distinguish the sleek red coat that was Jaemin, buried half underneath a white paw that could have belonged to Jisung or Minhyung. Despite his own happiness, he was glad that his little brother had found friends in their new home. 

"They look peaceful... I only wish that we could provide them with more protection from the approaching winter." Dongyoung's muttered and his two companions muttered an almost silent assent. 

At that moment, Jaehyun, a Beta and the person in charge while the Alphas were away, ducked into their tent. "Go to sleep, I've got first watch and we've got an early start tomorrow." His deep voice was warm and soothing and the three Omegas agreed without complaint, after all, he was right. 

It was customary to shift to sleep during the cold winter months and they curled around eachother, sharing warmth as they drifted.

•

It felt like only moments later when Yuta was startled awake by the harsh tones of raised voices outside the tent. Unwilling to make his presence known, he snuck, nose and belly to the ground until he was right by the entrance. 

It was dark but he could see large shapes, three or four of them, gathered by a low burning fire and talking, probably louder than they should have been in a camp full of sleeping individuals.

"Admit it man! You never would have accepted anyone into the pack so easily if you weren't sweet on 'em! I've seen you turn people down before but all Mr. Small and drop-dead-gorgeous had to do was bat his eyelids at you and you relented." That was definitely Youngho, the boisterous voice making him easy to pinpoint.

The returning growl was almost certainly Taeyong and it was a sound that made Yuta's hackles rise. It was a sound made to instill terror upon the recipient and for one foolish moment, he wanted to dart out of the tent and dart into the forest in fear. That wasn't a sound he ever thought he'd hear from Taeyong. 

"Nakamoto is just another member of the pack, someone who has to pull his weight as much as the rest of us. I took him in because he had a pup that probably wouldn't have survived the Winter if I'd declined. I may be an but I'm not heartless. Nakamoto means no more to me than Hansol or Dongyoung." His tone was cold and allowed no room for questions but Sicheng didn't stay quiet. 

"Sure, just another member of the pack... That's why you look at him like you want him to have your pups." He snorted, clearly unafriad of Taeyong wrath. 

Yuta couldn't see clearly but Taeyong must have done something to silence the subsequent round of chuckles because everything suddenly went quiet before he spoke again. 

"I don't like Nakamoto Yuta. I could care less if he decided to return to his previous pack." The words were final and they pierced like a cold arrow through Yuta, causing him to let out a low whimper that suddenly drew all of the alphas attention to his tent.

It was all he could do to shuffle back to the others and feign sleep before the the entrance darkened and Youngho peered inside, giving a cursory glance before retreating again. "They're asleep, it was probably one of the pups." His voice rang out again, slightly quieter this time but it was too late for Yuta to unhear everything. 

He briefly wonders if he really should leave before falling back into a fitful sleep, his shiny coat damp and matted with perspiration. 

•

 It's Minhyung that rouses him the next morning, his eyebrows furrowed as he wipes the sweaty hair from Yuta's forehead. 

"It's time to get up Hyung, everyone's already out