Cam and Gemma waited out in the living room while you quickly showered and made yourself presentable to leave the apartment. By the time you stepped out of your bedroom - decked out in an outfit that was flashier than Cam and Gemma’s - you were already starting to doubt your decision to go out.

The party was off campus at a frat house that didn’t have to follow the university’s dry policies. It was bound to get wild, but that’s what you needed now. Something that was out of control and out of your normal routine. You knew the part was going to get crazy, but with Cam and Gemma watching out for you, it should be fine. Right?

Your nervousness and itch to run grew when the Uber ride Cam had ordered came to the frat house that rested near the outer edge of the city. People were already scattered out on the lawn with red solo cups in their hands, looking like a scene from a teen comedy. That told you that the inside was already packed with drunk college students. Great.  

“Come on,” Cam nudged you to get you moving again. You held her hand as the three of you navigated through the sea of bodies until you made it to the kitchen. The simple design of the first floor made it easy to find and you felt like you could breathe normally again now that you weren’t being buried alive.

“Here.” Gemma held a plastic cup out for you.

“What is it?” you asked cautiously. At a glance, it looked like it was maybe some sort of pinkish carbonated soda, but you knew better.

“It doesn’t matter, just drink it,” Gemma urged.

You eyed her pushiness. “I thought you were never supposed to take a drink that you didn’t know what was in it?”

Your friend rolled her eyes. “It’s me, (y/n). Do you really think I would drug you?”

Mumbling her question to yourself in a mocking tone, you took the drink and sipped. It… actually tasted really good. Fruity, like cranberry, maybe? You couldn’t really pick up on what alcohol Gemma had mixed in, but that didn’t matter. Your sips soon turned into gulps and like that, your cup was empty. Wiggling it at Gemma, you begged for more, which she gladly obliged.

Halfway through your second cup, you were starting to feel it. And you liked that little buzz. You could focus on that instead of the mess your life was becoming. After dwelling on Junmyeon for so long, you realized that not thinking about it felt so much better.

Given a few more of those drinks and tonight just might be the most fun you’ve had in a while.

**

Junmyeon had ordered this beer nearly an hour ago and he still just continued to stare at it, watching as little droplets of condensation slid down the neck of the brown bottle and onto the bar counter. All the bubbles had popped away, leaving a stale, flat liquid behind.

“Okay, this is just getting sad.” Luhan came by, putting down the glass he was drying and snatching away the untouched beer. It landed in the trash can with a clank against the other bottles that were actually empty of their previous contents. The older wolf leaned on the wooden barrier with his elbows, leveling with Junmyeon. “Just go talk to her. Wallowing here in self pity is going to get you nowhere. Except right there on that stool again tomorrow night. And, honestly, I kind of like it when someone from the pack isn’t here when I’m working.”

Junmyeon really wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but he held it back. Sighing heavily, he grumbled, “I have tried to talk to her. But she isn’t answering my calls and she didn’t come to class all week.”

Never had he been more thankful that he sent a text to himself from your phone so he’d have your number than when he first tried to call you. But you didn’t answer. That was to be expected. But then he tried again. And again. And again. You didn’t pick up, not even once. Yesterday, Junmyeon had been so tempted to wait outside your apartment building or see if any of the residence knew which unit was yours, but he thought that might be going a little too far.

Vrrrmmm. Vrrrmmm. Vrrrmmm.

Luhan smirked at the sound of Junmyeon’s cell vibrating in his pocket.

Right now, he really didn’t want deal with pack business. He wanted a chance to just sit in his misery without having to put it aside for his brothers. But he was the leader and that sacrifice was just part of the job.

Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, he braced himself for whatever petty argument he’d have to settle. Then his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

It was a text from you. No. It was multiple texts from you. And they kept coming.

I hatr yiu.

Yourw a jerkl.

Whuy cant I stopp thinkibg abiut you?

Jusdt go awy.

Whyt did you stiop callking?

Why her?

Several of the texts had to be read over and over before he could grasp onto what you were trying to say to him. But the last one came in loud and clear.

“What is it?” Luhan inquired. “Did Minseok scold you about your room again?”

Shaking his head, Junmyeon turned his phone around for Luhan to read. The latter scrunched his face in concentration before letting out a low whistle.

“Wow. Someone’s trashed.”

Junmyeon couldn’t stop the nasty growl that ripped out of his chest. Thankfully, the other patrons didn’t noticed or just thought it was part of the song coming out of the speakers.

Luhan held his hands up defensively. “Sorry. It’s true, though. With texts like that, she’s been drinking. A lot.”

Greatly concerned, Junmyeon decided to risk upsetting you and hit the little phone icon next to your name and listened to the line ring before you picked up.

“Wha’ you want?” you whined. Every word came out slurred and was nearly drowned out by the ear-splitting music booming in the background.

“(y/n), where are you?” Junmyeon was beginning to panic. You were out somewhere, intoxicated, vulnerable, and he wasn’t there to protect you. From the sounds echoing around you, his instincts were telling him that you weren’t out at club, but someone’s house party. Even worse.

“Why do you care?” you snapped, the little sniff at the end breaking his heart.

“Because it’s you,” he answered truthfully. “And I won’t be okay until I know you’re safe.”

You huffed on the other end. “Maybe I don’t wanna see you. Shouldn’t you be worrying about Soomi?”

“No, I shouldn’t be,” Junmyeon barked. He shouldn’t be getting mad at you is what he really shouldn’t be doing. You were drunk and only going off of your own inferences. But he couldn’t explain everything to you over the phone. Or while you were in this condition. “Just tell me where you are. Please?”

It was quiet for a moment, the only noise coming from the hollers of your fellow students having the time of their lives. “I’m at the S. A. E. house.”

No.

“Stay right there!” Junmyeon ordered. “Don’t leave and do go anywhere alone with anyone! I’ll be right there!” He didn’t give you a chance to agree or respond before he hung up. Turning to Luhan, he held out his hand. “Let me borrow your car.”

“What?” Luhan frowned. “Why?

“Because I drove the motorcycle and I got to get her out of the Sigma house!” he explained.

“.” Luhan tossed his keys. “I’ll take your bike home. Just get her out of there.”

Junmyeon left his own keys on the counter and ran out of the bar to Luhan’s car. He needed to get to you as fast as possible, speed limits be damned. Being at a normal house party was bad enough, being at a frat party was scaring Junmyeon to the point of hyperventilation. Too many men out of the prowl, looking for easy prey. If anyone so much as looked at you with those thoughts running through their head, Junmyeon wouldn’t even try to hold back.

Reaching the house, he parked illegally right in front of the driveway. If cops showed up, where he left his car would be the last thing they worried about, anyway.

Inside, Junmyeon shoved his way through the crowd. No one seemed to recognize him, which worked to his advantage. In his t-shirt, jeans and missing glasses, he looked like just another college student rather than their professor. They were all too drunk to look too closely anyhow.

The walls vibrated from the speakers that were turned up way too loudly. Still, Junmyeon called out for you, hoping that maybe someone would hear him and point him in the right direction.

“(y/n)? (y/n)! (y/n)!”

Just as he passed the living room, he found you. Along with your friend that Junmyeon recognized from the campus grounds, you were currently dancing on top of the coffee table while a crowd of frat brothers cheered you two on. Biting back a growl, Junmyeon marched on.

“(y/n)!”

Noticing him, your eyes lit up. “Junie!”

Junmyeon blinked, frozen with surprise. He’d been prepared for you to start yelling at him, getting angry and upset. Instead, you were smiling, reaching out for his hand.

“Come dance with me!” you giggled.

“No, I’m taking you home.” Junmyeon gently tugged on your hand to get you to step down, but you yanked back.

“No!” you pouted. “I don’t want to!”

Shaking his head, Junmyeon grabbed your waist. “You drank way too much, you can’t stay here.”

“Why are you ruining the fun, Junie?”

Junmyeon tried not to focus on the fact that you kept calling him ‘Junie’. Sober you would never call him that and he had to remind himself of that fact.

“Because that’s my job,” he stated, like he had a hundred times with the younger wolves. He didn’t think he’d ever be using that phrase with his mate and he hoped he never had to again.

Not giving you another chance to argue, he lifted you up and threw you over his shoulder. The whole way to the front door and across the yard, you’d pounded your fists against his back, demanding to be let down. Your friend never tried to stop him, proving his point that you had no protection there.

Depositing you into the passenger’s seat, Junmyeon buckled you in before rounding to the other side and jumping behind the wheel.

At first, he thought he should take you to your place, but he quickly changed his mind. He needed to talk to you when you were sober and in this state, he wasn’t comfortable staying in your apartment and risk being recognized by one of your roommates tomorrow morning. Who knew the next time he’d get a chance to talk to you without you running away from him. So, the farmhouse it was.

When Kris had explained his similar situation with his own drunk mate, Junmyeon had laughed, thinking the entire thing hilarious. He’d only been able to stop when Kris threw a wrench at him after sliding out from under his car. Now, it didn’t seem as funny. And he prayed that you wouldn’t get sick in Luhan’s car. That boy took just as much pride in his baby as Kris did with his. Junmyeon would be detailing the interior for hours until Luhan was satisfied.

By the time he reached the house, you’d passed out against the door, breathing softly. Smiling a little to himself, Junmyeon carefully opened the car door, unbuckled you and maneuvered so he could carry you on his back. As he headed for the porch steps, you tightened your arms around his neck and sighed contently. Junmyeon’s wolf purred in response.

Everyone else was out doing their own thing, so there was no one to toss a million questions at him as he made his way through the house and up to the second floor where his bedroom was. Laying you down and covering you with the comforter, Junmyeon pushed his recliner to sit next to you, just in case.

At the sound of your breathing, Junmyeon was lulled to sleep, finally feeling calm now that you were safe and sound.

**

You didn’t want to get up. You don’t remember your bed being this comfortable, but man, it felt like a cloud floating along in heaven. The blankets were wrapped around you like a protective cocoon, giving you such a feeling of safety. But the more conscious you became, the worse your headache got. Whimpering, you pressed your face into the pillow as if that would suddenly cure the pain.

“(y/n)? Are you okay? Do you need me to get you something?”

Your eyes flew open at that voice. Shooting up, you searched around frantically. You were not in your bed. You weren’t even in your own room or apartment. Next to you in an overstuffed leather recliner was Junmyeon, who stared at you with big, brown, concerned eyes. Then your stomach churned.

“Bathroom,” you croaked out.

“It’s over there-” Junmyeon barely pointed towards a door before you scrambled up and ran, barely making it to the toilet in time.

Your stomach had digested most of its contents during the night, bringing up only bile that burned your poor throat that never asked for this kind of treatment. The worst was the way your eyes watered as you continued to dry heave, salty tears dripping down your cheeks.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Junmyeon whispered as he rubbed your back. “Just let it finish. You’ll be okay.” After you coughed in response, he said, “I’ll go get you some water.”

Once you were alone, you tried to remember last night. Why were you with Junmyeon? What stupid thing did you do?

Sitting back on the tile, you felt the familiar lump that was your phone and quickly pulled it out of your shorts’ pocket. And there they were. All the horribly spelled texts that you’d sent him, but didn’t remember typing out at all. The very last one made you let out the longest and most self-loathing groan you’d ever experienced in your life.

What’s the worst that could happen?

It was like you were challenging life with that thought and it showed you exactly what could happen, snatching up the gauntlet and becoming victorious. And you were stuck with the consequences.

“Here.”

Junmyeon returned, holding out a glass of water and a fresh washcloth. You took them silently, first washing out your mouth before wiping your face and taking a few soothing sips to get rehydrated.

“Why am I here?” you asked hesitantly. Please nothing bad, you pleaded silently, please nothing too terrible.

“After the texts you sent me, I called and you told me where you were,” Junmyeon answered as he crouched down in front of you. “You sounded like you had a bit too much to drink so I came to get you. Parties like that… can get a little out of control.”

You clung onto the now empty glass as if it was a life preserver. “Did I…. Did I do anything embarrassing?”

Junmyeon cringed. “Well, you were dancing on a coffee table when I got there.”

“No!” You whined, the glass landing with a slight clink while you hid your face in your hands.

Chuckling, he wrapped his fingers around your wrists and pried your hands away. “Don’t worry about it too much. We’ve all been there.”

You wrenched your arms out of his grasp and jumped up to your feet. “You didn’t have to come get me. I’m not your responsibility.”

Leaving the bathroom, you found your shoes at the foot of the bed. After shoving them on, you headed for the door.

“Wait, (y/n).” Junmyeon stopped you, grabbing your upper arm. “We need to talk. I have something I need to tell you.”

“I don’t really want to talk,” you hissed, pulling away from him. “I get it. You don’t need to explain anything to me.”

“Yes, I do,” he insisted. “What you saw in the office was not what you think it was.”

You scoffed. “Oh, really? Then, please, enlighten me on what other possible reason the two of you would be holding hands if not for the one I’m thinking of.”

“Soomi’s a witch,” he informed you, as if that would explain it all away. It didn’t.

In fact, it just made it worse.

So, not only did the two of them have some sort of history, she also belonged in his world more than you ever would. She could understand him on a level you never could. She, too, had to hide who she was from the humans and that gave her a greater insight to what Junmyeon felt on a daily basis and you would never be able to even scratch the surface.

“One of her fellow witches saw something.A vision,” Junmyeon on when you didn’t say anything. “Something that might be coming for the pack soon. She was just warning me. And she’s worried. The pack has had a rough year in regards to enemies and she doesn’t want any of us to get hurt.”

“She doesn’t want any of the pack to get hurt,” you spat, seeing right through his wording. “Or she doesn’t want to see you get hurt.” The fact that something might be coming after Junmyeon and his pack should worry you as well, but right this moment you were too worked up in your own emotions to give it too much focus.

Junmyeon’s sigh was confirmation enough for you.

Throwing the door open, you ran out of the room, heading straight for the stairs that were at the other end of the hallway. You could hear Junmyeon running after you, but he didn’t catch up to you until you tripped into the kitchen, several pairs of eyes trained on you.

Wonderful. The other girl that this happened to simply got caught by you and Junmyeon. You, on the other hand, got the whole pack.

“(y/n)!”

Ignoring the others, Junmyeon spun you around, keeping a tight grip on your shoulders.

You were done with this conversation, done listening to him, and done with having to deal with the pain that came with seeing him.

“Look me in the eye and honestly tell me that you have only ever thought of Soomi as a friend. That you’ve never - even for a second - felt something more for her. Just tell me that and then I’ll listen to whatever else you have to say.” It was bluff on your end. Mostly because you fully expected what he did next.

Unable to fulfill your request, he simply hung his head.

Spinning back around, you stared down the whole room. “Someone take me home.”

No one replied to you at first, several of the boys looking past you to their alpha.

“Um, hyung?” one of the boys called out.

“Just do it,” Junmyeon whispered behind you. There was a gravel rumble in his tone as if letting one of the other wolves take you back to your place was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.

“I’ll take her.”

Stepping out from behind the large clump of boys was Jiyoung. Jongdae opened his mouth, perhaps to protest, but quickly changed his mind.

“Just hurry back,” he sighed, tossing a pair of keys to her.

“In a flash.” She kissed his cheek before approaching you and guiding you out of the kitchen.

You made it to the porch when suddenly a pair of arms caged you in a tight embrace.

“Please, don’t go,” Junmyeon whispered in your ear. “Please, let me tell you the whole truth. Don’t leave it like this. Let me explain. It will all make sense, but I need you to let me.”

You shook your head furiously.

“(y/n), you’re my-”

“No!”

Your resolve was breaking, cracking like his voice as he begged you to stay. But you needed to walk away now before you gave in. Before you were in so many pieces that you’d never be able to put yourself back together again. Being simply his friend had been enough for you in the beginning, but the more time you spent with him, the more you got to know him, the deeper you were pulled in. The quicksand was up to your waist now and you needed to drag yourself out before you were under.

“I don’t want to know whatever it is you have to say,” you whispered. “I don’t want to hear it. You are my professor and that’s all you should have been to me. I’m putting things back where they belong. Let me go.”

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the grip around you loosened before disappearing for good.

You met Jiyoung at the bottom of the steps, barely hanging onto the will to not look back.

Just before you climbed into the passenger’s seat of Jongdae’s car, a howl that resembled a cry pierced the air and you knew in your heart that it was Junmyeon.