Chapter 7

 December 23rd

            The next morning Alana had made sure she knew when exactly the men were going to show up. she was dressed and ready for their arrival. She had already begun cooking breakfast for them when she heard a knock on the door. Billie answered the door and as soon as the door was opened she was swung into her Dad's arms and pulled into a tight hug and then he planted a kiss on top of her head. He soon let her go and she helped put their coats away and led them to the kitchen.  With a determined look in his eye, Seunghyun set his strategy for today into motion mission: to be by his mate's side as much a possible today to begin really wooing her.

            The smell of bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, garlic and onion filled the air. Seunghyun, of course, could only smell Alana and his eyes met her back as she turned food on the stove. Today she wore a simple pair of boyfriend jeans her feet in the fuzzy yellow slippers.  She had on a white long sleeved buttoned shirt that was tucked in and had the sleeves ed and rolled up to her elbows and a frilly long black apron that was tied around her waist and neck covering her clothes as she cooked. He looked at the slender bow of the apron that hung lazily at her nice heart shaped .  His eyes and feet stopping as he appreciated the site. He was smacked on the back of his head out his revelry by Youngbae who was smirking because he knew where his friend's eyes had been. Seunghyun gave him a murderous glare in return. A moment later Alana turned to them and said a cheery "Good Morning!" and then turned back to the stove to keep flipping the sautéing garlic and mushrooms. Today she was making omelets for the crew with toast and hash browns with of course tea and coffee.

            After Breakfast as they sat around the table Jiong suddenly asked: "So are we going to decorate for Christmas today"? Billie who was practically falling out of her seat in excitement shouted "YES!!" Alana smiled and replied,"I just need to get the decorations out then we can begin. We also need to get a tree too." Seunghyun asked as he got up from the table "Where are the decorations? She replied, "They are in  the third bedroom in the closet in boxes marked Christmas."

             The rest of the men got up following him and made their way to the room it was the largest the three bedrooms. One side of the room had Billie's desk for school work that was neatly organized with a pink laptop on the desk and a padded white desk chair pushed under the desk. The other side had a wooden and glass drafting table. An office chair was between it and a wooden desk beside it that had an Apple desktop on it with some papers strewn about and sketch book that was closed with a pen strapped to it. There were modern looking lamps around the room and a rug that covered the wood floor between the desks. They turned and saw a large well-organized walk in closet that held much more than it was intended too. The men soon found the boxes and began taking the first five of the seven boxes to the living room.

           While they had gone to get the boxes Alana had begun to move some of the furniture around so that it was facing the window where the tree would be placed in front of. Seunghyun stepped into the room as he saw her attempting to shift the love seat. He quickly set his box against the wall and pulled Alana away from behind so he was hugging her from the back. She stood still shocked to find herself in his embrace as he inhaled her scent and said with his voice tickling her ear. "Let us move this for you I don't want to see you or Billie get hurt." She began to move out of his arms her heart beating wildly. As she untangled herself from him and she turned to him with a scowl and said: "Do you think I am that week that I can't move the furniture in my own home?" "Am I too much of an invalid to do things now on my own since you came into my life?"He set his gaze hard against hers and said," I am respecting you, I only want to help you don't make me the bad guy here."

         She softened at his words and then said "I'm sorry" then she took a deep shaky breath and said quietly." I am just not used to begin treated this way. I have been independent for a long time. Billie is all that I have so I am just …..scared." He took her in his arms with her arms at her side and hugged her saying soothingly "you don't have to be alone anymore you are apart of our family now so let us protect you and let us help you." She let him hold her for a moment and said quietly "Thank you". Then he let her go and she gave him a small smile.

          By the time he let her go the others had returned to the room with the rest of the boxes. Seunghyun gave the other pack members a mental order to help him move the furniture towards the window. Soon they had the entire room turned. Billy had begun to unpack boxes excitedly and handed her mom the Christmas sofa covers. Alana and Seunghyun then covered the Sofa and the love seat in thick dark blue velvet covers with bright silver velvet ties. Then the group began to string Christmas lights around the room. They also wrapped photos on the wall to look like presents. Then Alana had Billie set up the Nativity since it was her responsibility since she was the youngest. While Billy set up the nativity, Alana set around large pillar candles in with different heights in glass colanders on top of mirrors to reflect light. Then she pulled out the fake cedar garland. She wrapped it around the entrainment center since it was an apartment and did not have a fireplace mantel. Jiong helped her put electric candles and twinkle lights and pinecones in the green garland. Then she pulled out a few hooks and placed them within the garland and had Billy hang her stocking.

                 She then put a mental note that she need to get Christmas stockings for BigBang and find gifts for them. She then set Billie to work on the window to make snowflakes the men decide to make a few of their own and sat with Billie learning how to cut snowflakes out of paper. Seunghyun finished his and looked at Alana she held another set of Christmas lights in her arms. He got up and followed her to the front window. There he helped her hang the Christmas lights on the inner rim of the window. By the time they were finished with the lights the rest were done making the snowflakes and ready to tape them to the windows. With that, the house was mostly decorated for Christmas. All that was left to do was to go buy a Christmas tree and decorate it on Christmas Eve. They all stood back and admired their handy work and then the men fell gratefully onto the couch and loveseat. As soon as they were settled Billy launched herself onto the three on the couch as Alana left the room to go get some drinks and begin making lunch. All that Alana heard as she left the room was the sound of OOOF! And groans followed by the sound of giggles.

           About two minutes later Seunghyun came to join Alana in the kitchen to see what she was doing. He saw that she had a few loaves bread on the counter and was in the process of making sandwiches for everyone. Then he saw her stretch to pull down a bag of chips that had shifted to the back of the fridge. He came up behind her and pressed against her back while grabbing the errant bag of chips for her and then handing them to her. She blushed deeply at his action and then quietly thanked him. She then went back to the sandwiches and said without looking at him as her blush deepened further even her ears were turning pink, "If you want to be useful you can put ice in some glasses for the group".

               He smiled as he went to do as she had asked and began to pull down the cups and find the ice. Soon she had finished the sandwiches and placed them on the table on a large platter. There were two sandwiches for each man and one each for Billie and her. Then she set the A bowl of chips, some baby carrots, raw cut up broccoli, black olives with hummus on the table. In the meantime, Seunghyun had finished filling the glasses with ice and had placed them on the table and he had remembered where she her pitchers to he had grabbed them out and filled them with water. After filling them he set them on the table and went to go gather the relaxed group in the next room. Soon the group had gathered around the table ready to dig in. Alana had Billie lead in a short prayer over the food. Then they began to pass the platter of sandwiches around each taking only one sandwich at first. Then they passed the other food around as well. The group was silent for a moment as everyone was eating and then Seunghyun broke the silence with a question. He asked Alanna "What are your plans for later today? Alana swallowed her bite and replied, "I have to go run some errands beyond that, oh and I need to get a tree".

              Before she could go on Billie got out of her chair and went up to Alana and began whispering in her ear. The group looked at the mother and daughter and tried not to listen in on the whispered conversation. Alana nodded to her and then said, "Give me the list before I go." The group of men looked at Seunghyun and Jiyong nudged him in the ribs. Seunghyun looked as Alana and said,"If it's alright with you can a few of my friends go with you?" Daesung rolled his eyes and Youngbae glared at him and Jiong motioned with his hands low that wanted to smack him and Seungri was trying to say something but Daesung held his hand over his mouth. Alana tried not to laugh at the scene before her not knowing what all the unspoken commotion was about.

           Seunghyun then said,"While you are gone I thought I could help Billie wrap presents and see if we can't get her ears and tail to go back in". Jiong relaxed nodded at him in approval and Daesung still let out a shaky sigh. Alana nodded her head and then said " That sounds like a good idea. If Youngbae and Daesung want to one or both of them can come with me. The matter now settled. The group finished eating soon after. Alana rose to get her coat on her way Billie came up and hugged her and handed her the list she had written during the meal.  The two called upon to accompany her looked at one another and shrugged as they both rose to come with her. They soon followed her out the door with their coats in hand. Seunghyun had said to them telepathically "that they need to go with her even if it went against The twos current matchmaking plan."

             When they finally had gotten to the car Alana's cell phone rang. She paused and answered it before getting into her SUV she motioned to the two men that it was unlocked and that they could get in.  She answers "Hello, Max Are you still coming to Christmas dinner?" Her companions could hear the entire conversation inside the SUV. Max replied "Not even the flu could keep me away. How is the little darling feeling." Alana replied, She is still a bit sick ,but I think she will be better by the time Santa arrives. She is looking forward to seeing you and the gang again and is beginning to go stir crazy. Also, Max, I have news for you"  She paused... and Max said to go on... This sounds important. Then Alana blurted out," Billie's birth father found us."Max said yelling through the phone. "What? HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT THIS!!!?? She held the phone away from her ear until the yelling died down. "A for a few weeks. We met him about a few weeks ago and he and his friends had just arrived from Korea. They will be spending Christmas with Billie and I ".  Max inquired as any good friend would and said "So? Is he Safe? What is he like? Does she have any siblings? Is his he Married? Single? Available? Handsome? A hermit? " Alana's laughed and said "Well you will get to meet him and his friends at Christmas dinner where I am sure you can find out all of those details and yes he is safe. I would have got shot of him if he wasn’t you know that.I need to go now since I am about to start driving. See you Christmas day at two pm with bells on, Love ya.”  He said with an exasperated sigh "Love you too.” and hung up.

          The two men looked at her smirking and Daesung said quietly but loud enough for her to hear "He's single". She only looked back at them and ignored their glee and Daesung comment, then buckled up and drove the SUV to their first destination. When they arrived at an old warehouse. Both If the men looked at her skeptically. She smiled and motioned them to follower her as she got out of the SUV.  She typed in a key code to unlock one of the loading docks doors to the side of the massive building. What the men found instead of a giant empty cavernous room as they were expecting was a series of walls erected to divide the massive space. The room had been divided into sixteen Art studios and you could see colored lights and mobiles peeking out from the tops of some of the walls. She led them through the maze of spaces.

             The small group reached the back of the warehouse to a corner spot that entrance was blocked off by two frosted glass room dividers. With a practiced motion, she easily folded the screens pushing one to each side and led them into her space. She said to them, “Welcome to my second home.” The men's eyes first landed on a far wall that housed a double sink and drain with a desk mounted on the wall next to it and a large drying rack beside it with a drain in the floor. Next, to the sink, they saw an office with a window that had its curtain was drawn and the door shut and padlocked.

           As they looked around the second home as she had called it. They saw two pottery wheels and two electric kilns. Two sturdy canvas covered worktables a plaster table and a large imposing slab roller. Against the outside wall of the warehouse, there was one shelving unit filled with meticulously labeled and organized powdered chemicals. Another shelving unit on the adjoining wall that was empty except for a stack of throwing bats and a stack of newspapers and a bucket of plastic a bags and plastic sheets wadded up. Both shelving units had several large five-gallon buckets stored underneath in rows two deep. There also was a large mirror mounted on a wall that reflected light from the skylights. The mirror had a corner shoved full of snapshots of Billie and Alana. The first one was of them smiling while hugging and as the second one where they were making faces at the camera both of a still chubby Billie before she began to beanpole.  The other side of the room had three different kinds of printing presses and a fancy drying rack and a large work table with chairs and a large storage cabinet and a shelving unit carefully organized. That side of the room had a separate set of double sinks and a special place for chemical baths.  Christmas lights hung around in clusters to help amplify the light. The walls had sketches and photos of ancient pottery, and pictures of paintings and prints posted and drawings of details of studies of masterwork as well as silhouettes/ sketches of new ideas.

           Youngbae spoke up first when examining the snapshots," Seunghyun should see this place. Heck, they all should see this place. You did not tell us you were an artist" Alana simply smiled and shrugged and simply replied.  “I am a mother first then a business owner second. Yes, I am an artist but with everything going on it did not seem as important.  Though creating art is the same as oxygen for me. All of the Christmas deadlines were met and shipped before you all came into our lives anyway.." and let them continue to look around as she continued to check on things. Lamps were set around the studio to provide even more light. At one corner of the studio, there was an old mission style desk with a matching chair and a lamp on it and a large old fluffy couch that had a quilt thrown over it and a second quilt neatly folded upon it with a few pillows. The couch sat on an enormous dilapidated Persian rug. In front of it was a kotatsu table with a blanket wrapped around it and flat floor pillows stacked beside it. On either side of the couch, there were two old coffee tables. There also were two electric oil heaters in the space as well. Besides the couch, there was even a small "kitchen" set up with a thin old yellow fridge and a hot plate and cabinet area and an electric teapot and shell with verities kitchen items on it.

               She then led the men to the "office" that was in the back of the space and unlocked the door and at the same time flick on the light switch to illuminate the room. In the office that had been converted into storage space, they saw large round rolling lidded containers of clay each labeled. Two walls of the space had a massive amount of finished work stacked neatly and accordingly with like item and color. They also saw in the room on the other walls drying racks and her tools and kiln shelves and apron with other random items. She then began to pull out flattened boxes and began to pop them open to life and then pull down a series of items from her finished work area.Each time she took down an item she wrapped an item in newspaper and placing it in the box securely and snugly next to the items. Within a few minutes, she was finished with the boxes. She then folded the lids down of the boxes and taped the boxes shut. Then she handed each of the men a surprisingly heavy box and took the lightest one for herself with a smile at their surprise. Then she led the men out of the office and locked the door behind them and then out of the studio space and put the frosted glass partition back in place. Then she led the men out of the maze of studios once again.

               Right as the group had almost stepped out of the maze they suddenly heard her name being called. "Alana! Alana!"  They turned and saw a small scruffy black-capped blond haired bearded man hurrying up behind them carrying a rather large box. He smiled when he caught them in time. Panting a bit he said, "I have the pieces ready for you. Just as we agreed upon". She smiled at him and said "Thanks, Corey. Let me know when you need more coffee or mugs.  If you would you can follow us to my car and help us load".  They then walked out to the SUV and placed the boxes in the back end securely with a bit of nylon cording to make sure they would not slide. Corey and Alana waved to one another and calling out, "Merry Christmas!" Then Alana began to drive away to their next destination.

              Meanwhile, at the Apartment Seunghyun, Jiyong and Seungri were having a bit of trouble. For the first few hours, everything had gone smoothly. All of the Billies presents for her mom were wrapped and they had made Christmas cards together and had hot cocoa for a snack, but when her dad had tried to help Billie relax enough to put her ears and tail back in; She had gotten too nervous and had fully transformed into her wolf form. Since she was still young this was not a complete surprise to the men. The problem was that they could not get her to transform back again since she was in full joyful panic. Since her wolf side had never been out the wolf pup wanted to play and run but her human side was terrified. So three hours later the wolf pup was played out. Billie now just plain scared for when her mom would walk through the door. As she still fretted over this her mom walked through the door Billie was still a dainty silver white wolf pup much to Seunghyun's humor, he sat on the couch by her her head. His hair had turned white again and his ears and tail out and the others likewise looking moderately frustrated and slightly amused.

               The silver pup was laying on the couch when they walked in her head between her paws in bewilderment letting out a heavy sigh. To the men's surprise Alana just simply stopped in her path and set down her bags and went to Billie and simply took the medium size wolf cub in her arms and held her for a while soothing her. Within a few minutes to her mother's touch, Billie began to relax and change back into her human form complete with black hair once again and no ears or tail. Alana gently placed the quilt on the back of the couch around her daughter right before she had fully changed. After the transition, her mom said,"Well I know you a beautiful girl who knew you were a beautiful wolf too?" They both started to laugh and they hugged again. Then Billie wrapped the quilt tighter around herself and ran to her room to get dressed.

           During this time all of the men but Seunghyun went to bring in the boxes and heft the tree up to the apartment. Alana and Seunghyun were alone. While their daughter changed Alana sat looking at Him.  he was was still in his full werewolf form like she looked at him as though she was really seeing him for the first time like this. Though she had seen him in this form before she had been much shock to fully take in his form. His skin seemed to glow now that his hair was back to its natural white color. His eyes were a pure golden color with flecks of Emerald green. She also noticed a tattoo that peeked through the top of his shirt that went a few inches up his neck and also trailed down his left arm peeking below his shirt sleeve. The dark curling marks seemed to appear and disappear at his will as they moved with him. His right arm had several black silhouetted evergreens tattooed from his wrist to his elbows.

             She felt her attraction for him growing despite her walls that she had built inside. Besides being hella hot he was genuinely a good person and she knew his strong character ran deep within him. He seemed to be or at least like playing with her affections. She looked away and shook her hands through her hair and closed her eyes and growled almost silently to try and take the image of the extremely good looking man beside her away from her eye's. While she had her head lowered and her eyes closed in frustration he had moved within inches of her. Her scent was calling to him. He needed to kiss her and inhale her scent, hold her close, to mark her as his. When she opened her eyes he was face to face with her less than five inches from her face. His gaze upon her lips as he continued to move in closer. She froze not knowing what to do with her hands still in her hair. He took his hands and took her hands from her head and placed his hands on each side of her face gently rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs.

           He then swiftly and gently kissed her. He pressed his lips against hers and felt how soft her lips were against his and inhaled her scent and swiped his tongue against her lips to taste her. He felt her softness against him. He knew her eyes had closed as she started to become lost in the moment and relax into him. He then carefully pulled back from the kiss before he deepened it further. With his hands still on the side of her face still rubbing small circles on her cheeks. She opened her eyes Her eyes were unfocused beginning to gloss over by the effect of all that was him. He had just given her an unexpected kiss. Not just any but the deepest kiss she had experienced. Her mind felt fuzzy as her thoughts raced with emotions as she turned red a ripe strawberry all the way to her upper chest to the tips of her ears.

             A moment later the apartment door swung open and the rest of his friends came carrying in the tree. The pair on the couch quickly released from one another and sat far apart away from each other as fast as possible. The four others paused for a second looking at the sudden movement. The other members of BigBang began to grin since they could smell the Alpha's scent now on Alana. Seunghyun tried to hide his wide grin with his hand but he looked like the cat who ate the canary and A