♦ - ♥ - ♦

The safe house sure as hell felt safe when Somin had so many wolves with her. She was safe, sure, but she wasn't allowed to leave the house, either. Taeyong said it was to keep her scent as exclusively in the house as possible, and that it was for her safety, but of course she hated it. It was like she'd been given freedom with her new wolves after being trapped in her father's house, and now she was a prisoner once more.

"We don't like this either," Yuta said with an apologetic look as he sat next to Somin, who was sulking that she wasn't allowed to go grocery shopping, or shopping for her undergarments. "I saw how ty it was for you there, and it breaks my heart that we have to do this, but it's only for a little while, okay? By the time the weekend comes around, we can be sure you'll be safe. Okay?" He swept hair from her face behind her hair, tilting it up to make sure she looked at him.

Somin sighed, but she nodded, leaning into her mate and putting her forehead against his shoulder. "I get it. If my scent is harder to find, then you guys are harder to find. One less scent to track."

"Exactly." Yuta kissed her temple, and Somin was placated.

Other wolves returned with food and a few things for Somin. Taeyong had the bag towards her with pink cheeks, so she could only imagine how it would have gone, one or all of her wolves staring at the female underwear and bras, picking them randomly after they found her size, most likely. Well--unless Johnny had picked them out. And as Somin glanced to see the bras that were more girly than plain, she had a feeling he picked them out. Oh well. He was probably the only one not too shy to do it, anyway.

"Sominnie~" Ten cooed as he walked towards her, pulling her in for a hug. Now that he was Bonded to her, he was taking full advantage of getting to have skinship with her, but he wasn't as bad as Taeyong had been in the beginning. "What did you do today?"

"Uh..." Somin looked around the house, then to Yuta, then to the TV. "There's not exactly much to do besides watch TV, is there?"

Ten paused, then nodded. "Guess you're right." He began to move around so he could sit next to Somin, but Jaehyun got there before he could.

"I feel like I've not spent any time with you recently, since we've not practiced fighting in a while," Jaehyun said with a tilt of his head. "School got in the way and now...this. But we could actually start lessons again, if you wanted to."

Yuta, on Somin's other side, tensed. "She doesn't need it, and I don't want her outside yet."

"Your own mate is going to start hating you soon if you keep her in here like a caged bird." The younger wolf rolled his eyes, stealing the remote to turn on a drama.

♦ - ♥ - ♦

"There's not been a sign of them at all. Either we really lost them here, or they're thinking of a plan. Either way, I think it's safe for us to go on a run," Taeyong had decided over dinner. The plates at the table didn't really match, and neither did the glasses, but they were all hoping their current situation was only temporary. But if it had to be permanent for the sake of keeping Somin safe, then they'd settle back down here. Everything materialistic could be replaced, after all.

"Can we go tonight?" Johnny asked. "I've been more tightly wound up recently than a goddamn spring."

The alpha nodded, placing a piece of meat on Somin's rice before he answered. "Yeah. Not all of us, though. We'll have to take turns. I'm going, and Johnny. Anyone else need to go immediately?"

Doyoung lifted his hand, and Taeyong nodded before looking to Yuta. "You don't want to go? You've been stressed as all hell lately; it would be a good idea to."

The male shook his head. "No. I don't want to leave Somin."

"I'll be fine," Somin sighed. "Only four of you would be gone. I have everyone else. I highly doubt anyone will come here, but if they do, they can protect me perfectly fine."

Yuta paused for a while, scanning the table. Taeil, Mark, and Ten would all be here. Three out of five mates. Yuta decided it was okay, then, and nodded. "Yeah. I'll go. I don't think there's going to be any surprises tonight, either."

As it turned out, there weren't any surprises at the house that night.

No. The real surprise came the next morning. With four wolves gone, Somin would have been able to sleep in her own bed, but she opted out of it. Instead she slept in Taeil's arms, which were a little awkward before he relaxed and gave her the familiar comfort Somin adored him for.

She went downstairs in shorts and an oversized shirt that either belonged to Mark or Yuta, then froze as she saw the wolves in the living room. They were back from the run, but that wasn't the surprising part; there weren't four wolves there. No. There were five.

An unfamiliar male was sat down on the couch with his eyes glued to the floor. He looked tense, with his light brown hair a disheveled mess. He had a dirty long-sleeved shirt on,