Disappointment

            Kyuhyun and Ryeowook headed out a little after dawn, eager to make the most of the daylight hours, although they didn’t rush their hike back to the den.  Some areas were still covered with deep pockets of snow and they either walked around the areas or carefully trekked through them, depending on how solid the snow looked.  It was nearing lunchtime when they arrived at the den and Eunhyuk was the first to notice the pair heading into town along the trail, as he was walking the opposite direction to see a farmer that lived a little further away from the den, and began waving the moment he recognized his brother-in-law and favorite alpha heading his direction. 

            “You’re back!” Eunhyuk exclaimed, nearing them and then suddenly stopped, sniffing the air, his eyes going wide.  “Oh my…”

            Kyuhyun smirked and pat the confused beta’s shoulder.  “Hello, Hyuk.”

            Eunhyuk pointed at the young alpha.  “Oh, you are going to be so dead when Kangin finds out…and he’s not on patrol right now because he twisted his ankle after the snowfall.”

            “Then he’ll have to catch me first,” Kyuhyun said, wrapping his arm around Ryeowook’s waist.

            “Is the scent really that noticeable?” Ryeowook asked, bringing his hand up and sniffing it. 

            “I can’t even smell your natural scent,” Eunhyuk informed the omega.  “All I smell is your lover’s scent all over you.”

            “How do you know we slept together?” Ryeowook questioned, staring the beta down.

            Eunhyuk shook his head.  “Alphas only scent their mates.”

            “I’m not his mate,” Ryeowook informed the beta, pulling down his turtleneck so the beta could see that there was no mark on him, but it probably wasn’t a wise idea, since his neck was littered with hickies from their day of lovemaking and looked just as suspect as a bite mark would be.

            “I rest my case,” Eunhyuk said, satisfied. 

            Kyuhyun began laughing at Ryeowook’s lost cause and the omega turned to smack his chest.  “What are you getting mad at me for?  I told you before that if I scented you everyone would know and you still wanted to sleep with me anyway.”

            Ryeowook stuck out his bottom lip, pouting. 

            “Do you regret sleeping with me, knowing that the clan members will now think that they were all right about us making a cute couple?”

            “Honestly, I never did,” Eunhyuk confessed.  “I always thought he’d give in to Siwon eventually.”

            This time, Kyuhyun was the one who felt the need to hit and shoved the beta away from him.  “No one asked for your opinion.”

            “I’m just saying: tall, dark, and handsome.  If I hadn’t met Donghae first and fell for him, I probably would have gone after the man myself,” Eunhyuk confessed. 

            Kyuhyun shook his head.  “I thought you were going somewhere the other direction.”

            “It can wait.  I’m excited to see my scandalous brother-in-law now that he’s finally done something naughty for once,” Eunhyuk admitted. 

            “I’m not naughty,” Ryeowook argued.  “I just slept with someone I’m in love with.”

            “But you’re not mated,” Eunhyuk pointed out.

            “That’s because Kyuhyun promised the chief he wouldn’t mate with anyone in our clan,” Ryeowook informed him, hitting Kyuhyun again in the arm out of frustration as he explained their problem.  This time, Kyuhyun just rolled his eyes and rubbed his arm without complaint. 

            “Ah yeah,” the beta said, nodding, “I forgot about that.  So it won’t just be Kangin that kicks your , but the chief as well.  Maybe I should Ryeowook home and give you a running start out of here, Kyu.  That’s what friends are for, eh?”

            Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes at the beta.  “I’m going to ask Leeteuk to change his mind and let me mate with Ryeowook.”

            “Oh…or you could do that,” the beta said, shrugging.  “But I don’t think he’s home right now.”

            “What?” Ryeowook asked, whining.  “Where is he?”

            “I think he and Siwon headed toward the southern border over some disputes.”

            “When did they leave?” Kyuhyun asked.

            “Yesterday, but Heechul would know more than me.  I was just told to stay at the den with Kangin and protect the home front,” he explained. 

            Ryeowook looked over at Kyuhyun with worry in his eyes and the alpha reached over and grasped his hand, squeezing tight.  “I’ll talk to Heechul when we get back to the den then and see what he can tell us about the situation.  I can stay until tomorrow, but I probably shouldn’t leave the border unguarded much longer when we know that the lone wolf is still in the area.”

            “There’s a lone wolf near the border?” Eunhyuk asked.

            “Yeah, he tried to attack your brother-in-law,” Kyuhyun informed him.  “He’s not safe.  Shindong is patrolling the area while I’m gone.”

            Eunhyuk frowned.  “Are you all right, Wook?”

            Ryeowook nodded.  “Kyuhyun caught up to me before the alpha could hurt me.”

            Eunhyuk pat the alpha on the shoulder, a silent thank you for protecting his family.  “I’m going to go finish my errand.  I’ll be back in a little while and check in on you later, Wook.  Good luck with the chief’s mate.”

            “Thanks,” Kyuhyun said, watching as the beta ran off, leaving them alone again.

            “If Leeteuk just left yesterday, it could be a week or two before he returns,” Ryeowook complained, kicking the snow in front of his boot. 

            “You claim you’ve been in love with me for nearly a year and you can’t wait another couple weeks?” Kyuhyun questioned, stopping and wrapping his arms around Ryeowook’s waist, pulling him close. 

            “I can, but I’m tired of waiting now that I know you love me back.”

            Kyuhyun leaned in and kissed his lover.  “So impatient,” he teased, smirking against his lips before deepening the kiss.  Ryeowook wrapped his arms around Kyuhyun’s neck as the alpha tightened his hold on the omega, lifting him up off his feet. 

            “I told Sungie that you two were hooking up while you were up there.”

            Ryeowook’s eyes went wide and he pulled his lips away from the alpha, surprised to hear the voice of his best friend.  “Sungmin!”

            “Is everyone on this damn trail today,” Kyuhyun softly grumbled, setting down his lover and releasing him.  He reached up to wipe his lips before turning towards the omega. 

            Sungmin headed up the road towards them, hands on his hips.  “And where have you been, young man?” Sungmin asked in mock accusation, unable to keep a smile from his lips. 

            “I got stranded up north because of the snow and I’ve been staying with the new alpha,” Ryeowook innocently proclaimed. 

            Kyuhyun’s brows furrowed as he watched the best friends playfully acting together, wondering about their strange relationship.  Omegas could be odd creatures sometimes and the ones in this clan in particular perplexed him.

            Sungmin shook his head.  “Liar!  What have you really been doing?”

            Ryeowook smirked.  “Letting the hot alpha me.”

            Kyuhyun’s jaw dropped at his lover’s language and Sungmin began laughing and walked up to his best friend and hugged him.  “I knew you could snag him, you little y !”

            “You make it sound so cheap,” Kyuhyun complained, pulling his lover away from Sungmin.  He still felt possessive over the omega, even if he technically didn’t have any rights over him, and watching his friend hug him too long made him jealous, although it didn’t bother him as much knowing he was mated and just an omega.  But it was a good thing that Siwon had left with Leeteuk because if the alpha dared to touch him, it could easily start a fight. 

            “We’re just joking,” Ryeowook assured him, wrapping his arm around his lover.

            “Kind of,” Sungmin added. 

            “But what are you doing on the trail?” Ryeowook asked.

            “What do you mean?  You’re almost to the den and the dining hall is downwind of this trail and I caught the strongest scent ever on the breeze…as if Kyuhyun had scented the area.  So, I knew he must be headed this direction with you, but imagine my surprise when what he’s scented turns out to be you!”

            Ryeowook grimaced.  He really didn’t think the smell was that strong, but perhaps he’d gotten used to the smell of Kyuhyun after living in the cabin with him for a few days and didn’t notice it anymore.  “That bad, huh?”

            “Well, I mean, it smells good on you though,” Sungmin admitted, sniffing his omega friend.  “Way to announce to the clan that you’re together…a bite mark would have worked too.”

            “You can explain that one,” Kyuhyun said, kissing Ryeowook’s cheek.  “I’m going to run ahead and see Heechul.  I’ll meet you back at your house later.”

            “Are you going to stay the night?” Ryeowook called out when Kyuhyun was already a good distance down the trail. 

            “If your cousin lets me!” he called back, watching as Sungmin smacked Ryeowook in the arm.

            Kyuhyun headed straight for the den and did not get any strange looks from people as his poor lover was bound to the moment he reached the town.  Kyuhyun walked through the doors of the den, which was the meeting center of the clan, and headed down the side hall where the chief’s quarters were located.  He knew Heechul was home when he heard the playful noises of children playing.  The only kids in the clan belonged to the chief and his mate.  There were no other omegas paired with alphas, which amazed Kyuhyun.  In some clans, omegas were only allowed to mate with alphas, but Sungmin had been allowed to mate with Yesung, who was only a beta.  The three seemed to be the only omegas of an age to produce children.  A couple others were past their reproductive years, one being Sungmin’s own mother and another was Ryeowook’s uncle.  Then, of the three offspring of the chief, one was an omega.  The clan desperately needed another reproductive couple or two in the clan.  Even they would have to have a large amount of offspring to keep the clan going for future generations.

            The alpha knocked loudly on the door, but still wasn’t sure if it would be heard over the noise within and waited a long while, wondering if he should try again, w