Here it is!! ...Enjoy^^

icephoenix13 Thank you for revising this mess! You're wonderful!!

Chapter 3

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a crisp white ceiling. He slowly turned his head and registered the big bed he was laying on, the white panel wood of a wardrobe on the left side of the spacious room and the night scenery behind the curtains that partially cover what appeared to be a balcony on the right.

Kyungsoo closed his eyes. Something about what he just saw bothered him, but his mind was a bit numb -or rather like being underwater- where you can see things but it kind of register in your brain later than it should, a bit distorted or unreal. He found out that his head weight a ton and it was difficult to just lift a finger. He groaned.

He did what he used to when he found himself with no energy to start the day and tried to find that yellow patch in form of a quite exotic flower on his ceiling, probably formed because of a smoker old tenant or more likely the son of his landlord. He searched for that form for a few minutes when it hit his mind. He jumped out of the bed, hitting his toe on the bedside table and gasping in pain trying to muffle the sound with his left hand while trying to soothe the pain with the right one.

This was not his room.

More important than that...this was not his house.

But, even more important than that...this house it was bound to have an owner.

Where? Who? An above all, Why? Why was he here? Who had brought him here?

Every image, sound and feeling of last night...he checked the balcony again...yes, it was still night...came to his mind like a furious wave, washing every other thought. Leaving him fearful and shaking.

He felt the fear and the shame he felt as he remembered his inability to defend himself, and then he heard again that sickening sound of punches, like disgusting crunches that almost made him gag, and a shiver ran through his spine as he remembered the man who had beaten his personal monster to a pulp. He had no doubt about the end of the fighting, even without witnessing it.

He tried to relax. He rested his hands on his knees and sat in the corner of the bed, breathing in and out slowly trying to figure out what he should do next...One...two...three... One...two...three...One...

After what happened all those years ago, his tolerance to violence (even just seeing it) had gone from going to the cinema to enjoy a badly acted but well-choreographed action movie to an I’m just a Disney person.

The psychologist of the hospital he had been while recovering from his injuries had tried to soothe his jumping reaction after hearing a sudden or strong noise, and the word trauma was mentioned. He thought he was just exaggerating, but as the months went by, he was aware that his reactions were indeed a bit odd and accepted that it may be an issue there. As time passed though, his reactions became softer and he was able to regain some balance even though he knew he may always have a higher sensibility than others.

One... two...three...One...two...three...

A bit calmer now, he lifted his head and considered his situation. He was inside a strange house, with probably strange people. He inspected himself and was glad to find out he was unharmed (leaving aside the scratch on his elbow, which had been treated by the way) and completely dressed. Good.

With a reassuring grip on his knees, he headed for the door and twisting the knob he opened it.

What he saw through the tiny crack of the door was not a room, but a stairs landing, just a few squares meters that divided what seemed to be the second floor (if what he saw through the rails was really the front door). He distinguished three other heavy doors, like the one in his bedroom. Kyungsoo breathed deeply again and left the security of the room. He headed for the stairs, crossing the landing with a few steps, thankfully realising that the floor was made of expensive marble and not wood, which undoubtedly would have creaked with the sound of a bullet with his luck.

With good luck (this time) on his side, Kyungsoo started to go down the un-creaking steps when he heard the first voice, coming up from the first floor.

He didn’t know the voice, but it was definitely masculine and even though he couldn’t figure out more than a few words he noticed the exasperating tone of someone repeating the same thing for the fifth time.

Of course, those just few words made him sweat cold.

“I tol...ou...kidnappi......rong,”

Wait. A. Moment.

Kidnapping? Was he kidnapped? Why? That didn’t make any sense at all. Who would like to kidnap a club waiter with no connections and even less money? He went down a few more steps to hear better being careful not to be seen. He needed to get the hell out of here, but first, he needed reassurance that he won’t be followed or stopped. God, he didn’t even have his shoes on, where on earth were his shoes??

Suddenly, a second voice boomed through the hall and reached Kyungsoo clearly and with a rather unexpected amusing tone.

“I’m not kidnapping him!” said that voice as if that statement was the most ridiculous thing ever heard.

“Oh, really?” Asked the first voice “So, when the kid wakes up, are you going to tell him goodnight and let him go to his house?”

“, of course not. Oh come on Suho, you know how this works. I didn’t hear you complain about it when Yixing took you in his- ”

“But that’s exactly my point Jongin!”Retorted exasperated that Suho. “Yixing was my best friend, I knew what was happening at the time, I was glad it was happening, but he doesn’t know you, he is not one of us, he doesn’t know the old ways, you cannot keep someone in your house without his consent Jongin, That’s kidnapping” Ok, that conversation was getting weirder and weirder. They seemed to kidnap people and enjoy it? He needed to get out.

“I know that, but I always can explai-” the sudden stop of the words made Kyungsoo almost flinched. He didn’t make any sound, did he? Sharpening his hear, he tried to figure out what the hell was going on through the hall when two things happened at the same time.

The first one was a figure appearing just in front of him, a dark figure who towered him while the front door was opened. In a split second he looked both figures and as he recognised a friendly and familiar face he jumped towards the front door.

“Wait-” the figure that just came up from the living room said, lifting his arm as to reach for Kyungsoo, who was really preoccupied at that moment in hiding himself behind a really bewildered puppy man.

“Hey, what’s going on here? Kyungsoo hyung? What are you doing here? Why are you hiding? Jongin what-”

As Sehun dropped the bag he was holding, Kyungsoo spied from behind him to finally see properly whoever was at the living room door.

 He knew that man.

 The light behind his back made his features dark and the lean body just a mere shadow, but he recognised him at once. He was the man from the alley, the one that had beaten up his nightmare.

That man took a step forward as Sehun switched the light on.

He was right. He knew he wouldn’t like to find him in a dark alley after all, Kyungsoo thought as Kai stared back.

***

Kai didn’t seem to be physically able to look away from him. Kyungsoo was the most perfect creature in this world, the scent coming from him made his heart race at such strong and quick pace than he thought he might faint, yet at the same time, a feeling of fullness made him take a full breath of satisfaction. When he had taken him upstairs earlier that night and went down to the living room, his inner wolf was so pleased that the house showed a faint scent lingering in the corridor and the hall that if he really had a tail he would have been wailing it like madly. In his sleep, Kyungsoo...Kyungsoo ... the name sounded so perfectly within his mind he couldn’t wait to say it out loud, had seemed so peaceful, with his lips so soft and his eyes relaxed his beauty had hit him so forcefully that almost, almost had made him forget what had happened in the alley, but as the heavenly smell enhance his senses the acrid and then feeble scent of fear lingering in him had sent shivers all over his spine.

Now he seemed to be frightened. Of course, that man had scared him to death but what he couldn’t understand was why, for the name of god, was Kyungsoo clinging to Sehun as his life depended on it. His inner wolf was growling with anger and fear at the strong rejection.

“I think we all need to talk,” Suho’s voice said as he got near them. “You’re Kyungsoo, right? Nice to meet you, I’m Suho, Kai’s and Sehun’s friend. Let’s get to the living room, so you can have something to drink...Is it your elbow right? It still hurts?”

All of these questions, said in a soft and matter of factly tone of voice, made Kyungsoo relax and released Sehun’s arm.

“It’s ok...uh...” said Kyungsoo looking around not really sure of what was happening or if he was really not in danger there.

“And you Sehun? We thought you were coming tomorrow morning,” asked Suho with curiosity in his voice.

“Everyone is coming tomorrow; I took the last bus, Jongin’s call made me worry a bit.”

Suho nodded approvingly and as he turned around returning to the living room Kyungsoo looked at Sehun, who was now having a stare-fight with Kai and asked “What are you doing here Sehun?” he whispered.

“I live here hyung. Why are you here?”

 “I don’t...know, I think...I... need to go!” Kyungsoo looked at his feet, trying to make his shoes appear magically when Kai spoke.

“Please...stay.” the thought of him leaving unbearable.

Kyungsoo stared at him. He remembered then why he had liked Kai before. He was really handsome. His body was well sculpted, not bulky but fit enough. His movements were smooth and now that he had heard it, his voice was deep and soft, like melted chocolate. But it was his eyes that made him rethink about leaving. They showed such pleading look, even though he was still frowning, that all of his thoughts crumbled leaving him without knowing what to do.

As he looked back to Sehun, he thought he heard a soft growl coming from Kai ... but then Sehun nodded and the three of them headed for the living room.

As everyone sat down in the living room, Suho, who Kyungsoo had recognised to be that reasonable first voice (even if he likes to be kidnapped) left a warm cup of tea in his hands and started to talk.

“I know this might be a bit confusing for you Kyungsoo, but I don’t want you to be scared. You’re safe here. Kai told me what happened at the club, I assume you were about to be attacked. Is that correct?”

Kyungsoo looked around, avoiding the intense look that Kai was directing at him from the corner of the room. He couldn’t help but feel wary about Kai, a mixed feeling was stuck between his chest and stomach, he knew he liked Kai before, and even know seeing him now with a focused stare and a frown, he still could notice the attraction he felt towards the man... but he was scared of him, of the things he could do, of the brutal force he had shown that night.

What Kyungsoo didn’t know was the reason behind Kai staying so far from him, when all of Kai’s body was telling him to go closer. So much closer. He knew that now, with the scent of his mate mingling with his in his own house, to being able to look straight at his face was making his inner wolf go berserk, clawing his inside to reach that person who would make him feel whole again. But he also knew that if he went closer he would jump over the clear unease man and therefore scared him even more. That’s not what he had planned to do it. He frowned. He was planning to let Kyungsoo sleep comfortably in his own room (the thought of his scent mixed with his in the sheets almost made him moan) and then, in the morning, explaining to a relaxed and well-rested Kyungsoo about him being his mate and everything else.

But of course, as everything regarding his mating, went wrong. He frowned again.

“Yeah, I think. Han Ji Guk, I mean that man...” he took a deep breath and a sip of the tea, feeling better as the hot liquid went down warming him from inside.

“You knew that bearded tattoed man?” Kai growled from his corner

“Um...yes, um...we had...kind of a history together,” Another growl (Was he imagining things?) “He was sent to jail after... ahem, it was kind of my fault he ended up between bars anyway so now his out, he was seeking revenge, I expect,” Kyungsoo said, not quite sure why he had omitted the reason behind that prison sentence.

Kai inhaled deeply as a different scent was coming from his mate. That acrid smell of fear again and something sweet, not good sweet, but sticky disgusting sweet scent...was that shame? He frowned again.

“You’re awfully afraid of him, and you seemed to feel shame, why?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes doubled in size as he heard the question. How did Kai know that?

“Jongin,” Suho said with a warning tone. But as Kai stared at him, all Alpha power on display he recoiled and sighed softly.  He knew how his Alpha would be feeling knowing his mate was being threatened, but he had wanted to make Kyungsoo feel relaxed and comfortable. Kai, as an Alpha was now more focussed on getting rid of the danger rather than on anything else. Of course, that was what made him a good Alpha, his ability to sense danger before anyone else, and the ability to face it on time. But that came with a power display that might disturb human Kyungsoo. For Sehun and himself, was obvious the meaning of the scent coming from Jongin, a furious wave of protectiveness and alert. But Kyungsoo as a human cannot smell those things and the only thing he may noticed was the kind of aggressive posture Kai was showing them.

“Why?” Asked Kai again in a deep tone, all focused on Kyungsoo. If his mate was in danger, he needed to know. That man had seemed to be a threat, but if the issue was deeper than what he had thought...

Suho frowned at Kai. This wasn’t making it easier for the nervous man.

“It’s not...I mean...Ahh...” Kyungsoo sighted reluctantly “Five years ago...I was working at another club and Han Ji Guk was a regular customer there” he gulped, trying to make the lump in his throat to go away. ”He used to tease me a lot, nothing really ... just comments and few touches, by that time I was good at avoiding that type of customers but...well, one night, he was upset or something and he corned me to ask me to do... something f-for him...something se-“ he stopped clearing his throat, blushing furiously  “In any case...I refused.” With a trembling hand, he took the cup to his lips and took a big sip. “I...I really only noticed the first punch...When I regained conscience I was in the hospital, had gone down through three surgeries and he had been arrested.” he said, playing with the fabric of his shirt that covered his collarbone.

“He attacked you. That’s no reason to feel ashamed, Kyungsoo.” said Suho soothingly, guessing what kind of favour that man would have asked for.

“I couldn’t defend myself, and the fear I felt tonight...I’m a man, it’s embarrassing-“

Sensing something Kyungsoo couldn’t understand, Sehun and Suho half raised from their sits and turned towards Kai. He was shaking. His hands were curling into fists and his breath was increasing quickly and heavily.

And then, Kyungsoo really heard a growl. A strong and deep growl coming from Kai.

 “I’m going to kill him again. And again.” he muttered through gritted teeth.

Sehun jumped from his sit as Kai took the first step towards the door. Almost colliding with him, he started talking to him in such low volume Kyungsoo couldn’t hear anything but the feeble buzz of the conversation.

Suho turned his attention to Kyungsoo. Who was still trying to comprehend what Kai just said.

Kill him? Again? He had killed-?

“Is...Is he dead?” asked Kyungsoo in a surprisingly steady and quite strong tone of voice.

The conversation stopped at once. Kai looked to Kyungsoo and with a deep frown, he said “No,” Kyungsoo heard how Suho relished a sight, not knowing if it was due to relief or concern. “Not yet anyway.”

“You didn’t tell me how you handled it. Where is he? Anyone saw it?” asked Suho.

Kyungsoo, still sitting on the couch, was hearing the conversation as thousands of questions and terrible conclusions rushed through his mind. Why that Suho, who had seemed since the beginning a very reasonable and well...good person didn’t even flinch at the thought of Kai beating someone to death? Why their first concern was about not drawing attention? Or how did he handle, what? The body?

“I called for help after I checked Kyungsoo was unharmed and safe...and... after my senses came back to normal,” he shivered just a bit, as the memory came back. “I hated every word I said to the paramedics, I should have let him died in that filthy alley.” Continued Kai, brutal in his speech.

“You called from your phone? Jongin! You know we can’t get the attention that would-” Sehun started as Kai growled at him, making Sehun dropped his head a little and bit his lower lip. Kai exhaled while looking at him and patted him on the shoulder in an apologetic way.

Kyungsoo thought that Sehun indeed looked like a puppy man.

“I called from a phone booth on my way here, I didn’t say my name just that I witnessed a fight in that alley.”

 “Why you need to hide from the paramedics?”  Kyungsoo asked Kai, demanding answers. “Who are you? Why did you do that to that man? You don’t even know me...”

“Kyungsoo,” Suho started, while Kyungsoo was still focused on Kai “what Jongin did this night...was hardly considered self-defence. We all know, at least now, he was going to hurt you-” he said explaining the first question, deliberately casting aside the other ones.

“I could have told them.” Glaring at Suho once more “I mean, he had looked for me for two whole years, he had been relished from jail with an order not to come near me, they told me when it happened. I’m sure the police would take that into consideration. It’s not difficult to explain that to them.”

Kai stared at Kyungsoo for a while. Thinking. He knew they must tell him sooner or later, what they were, considering that from now on, Kyungsoo, undoubtedly, would be part of the pack, knowingly or not. He was the Alpha’s mate. He was one of them now.

“I was planning on explaining to you tomorrow,” Kai said rubbing his face with both hands. He looked like he was nervous about something, but someone who had handled that man in a blink of an eye could not be agitated about anything else...

As a matter of fact, Kai was trembling. He knew that telling a full human that they existed was difficult, more so to believe it. The mere thought of Kyungsoo rejecting him because of what he was made him shiver like a leaf. He knew there was really no question about winning Kyungsoo over. Not being able to do it was extremely rare but what if... It didn’t happen to Kris, Kai thought, an Alpha from a pack from the south of the city with whom they had a kind of brotherhood. He was able to win Tao over almost immediately, but well, he hadn’t beaten up a man in front of his human... He started to approach the sofa when he nodded at Suho, who understanding, took the lead towards the door with Sehun following him. 

When Kai sat down next to Kyungsoo, at last, something he wasn’t expecting happened. As he took in the wonderful scent of his mate, as he became surrounded by it, everything in his mind disappeared. Every bit of tension, every doubt about them, every single thought about this damn conversation going wrong just faded from his mind. Everything became clear and the only thing that mattered was him.

Kyungsoo.

Kyung Soo.

Kyungsoo.

A sudden movement made him recover lucidity. He was almost over Kyungsoo who was grabbing the side of the sofa so hard his knuckles were white. With a fearful look in his eyes Kai had promised himself not to see again.

He coughed and put a safe distance between them right away. Not knowing if it was to not scare him again or if it was to not jump on top of the man.

“Sorry...um...sorry,” Kai said.

Kyungsoo nodded uneased. Kai had looked like he was in a sort of trance. He didn’t scare him, it was something else. As Kai was getting near, his heart had started to beat like mad, but not in a wrong way. That was what had made him feel fear. He was now 98.5% secure no one was going to hurt him in this place. But his own reaction was a bit unsettling. 

“What I’m about to tell you, I think it might be difficult to believe but I assure you, this is not a joke.” Kai started quietly.

Kyungsoo’s mind began to select options, each one more bizarre than the previous one. They were government spies, a mobster’s gang, they were hired kidnappers, tycoons (well that house should cost a fortune) with very rare kinks...

“I...we, are a bit different from you, uh...you asked why I did that to that Han Jook man before....uh...I’ve been looking for you all this week. I've been trying to meet you at the club the last few nights.” Kai started not knowing very well how this would end.

“Were you looking for me?” Astonished as he remembered his conversation with Minho and Jongdae ... tonight? It seemed to him that several days had passed ... "Then why didn’t you ask for me?" Kyungsoo said knowing that he would have avoided it by all possible means.

"This is the part that gets complicated..." Kai made a face and continued, scratching his neck in an insecure way "You see, I didn’t know the person I was looking for was you."

Kyungsoo didn’t understand. If he was looking for him, how could he not know who he was looking for? This conversation had neither head nor tail.

"We are part of a group that... can recognize the scent of people. It is one of our ... eh... qualities. You have a very special scent, you smell of mint, honey and curiously a bit of strawberry, and I wanted to find it, to find you, later I'll tell you why ... I didn’t know to whom that essence belonged, so I went to the club every night trying to find a trail of that smell. I knew you were working there because I recognized the same scent in several of the waiters, but when I got close to them I immediately knew that they were not the person I was looking for. "Kyungsoo remembered the hugs mentioned by his co-workers. “One night I thought I had found the person I was looking for...a bartender ... I think I got him into trouble-"

"Minseok hyung, Jongdae told me they had almost kicked him out for fighting with you..."

"Yeah well, when I got close to the bar I noticed your scent. It was a very very strong trace and recognizing that it was not his ... well ...”

"That night I cut a little with some glasses and Minseok hyung helped me to clear the wound," commented Kyungsoo showing the space between his thumb and forefinger where a wound almost healed appeared while frowning as if reproaching Kai for getting such a kind person into problems.

"That's what Suho told me. The contact with the blood makes the scent stick more strongly, like ... well, I thought it was something else but the question is, it was while looking for you that I found you in the alley and then I saw that man threatening you ... and ... " Kai began to breathe intensely, it seemed that that memory incited something that Kyungsoo didn’t want to see again.

"But why were you looking for me? We do not know each other, what do you need from me? "Kyungsoo said trying to divert the subject elsewhere. His stomach twisting at the thought that it was not a hot chick the person Kai had been looking for as he previously had thought, but him.

 “Kyungsoo, I am a Wolf.” As if that explained everything.

“Wolf, like in sheeps and wolves? Or…Ahh” Kyungsoo gasped “Oh my god! Are you part of a gang?”

“No liste-“  

“Are you in the mafia? That’s why you were talking about kidnapping people before?”

“What? No! We’re-”

“I’m kidnapped now?!” Kyungsoo shouted, losing focus, all his suspicions confirmed.

“KYUNGSOO,” Kai yelled holding him by the shoulders to stop the ridiculous spiral of nonsense. "We’re not human!”

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