The apartment was about the size of a fairly roomy bedsit with only the basic necessities but somehow it still held the feeling of being much bigger. Especially considering the fact that seven full grown adults were living together inside. Still, they had made it work and Minho was thankful for that, as he laid on the bed, bare chested whilst Jungkook lay on top of him, sleeping deeply with such an air of innocence about him it was almost possible to see him as a very young cub. Though Minho had learnt long ago that the omega resting on him now was not innocent in the slightest, but instead had the most adorable set of puppy dog eyes that could virtually allow him away with anything. A content smile crossed his face as he gently ran his fingers through the soft, brown locks, following down the natural contours of the sleepers face, neck, shoulders and back which caused a slight shudder of delight if the content little whine was anything to go by. Minho’s alpha preened, happy to give his omega all the attention that he deserved and Minho couldn’t help but reach down to softly place a kiss on top of Jungkook’s head. “I’m back now, baby, I’m never going to let you go again.”

“The practicalities of that aren’t ever going to happen,” Seokjin said as he took a seat next to the bed with a warm smile and a tray of freshly brewed tea which the beta set on the nightstand, “But I know your words to be true.”

Minho glared slightly at the elder, receiving only a soft chuckle in response before he shook his head, “We have adapted and changed Minho, but some habits I am afraid will never be fully broken from us.”

“I know, sorry,” Minho sighed, gently returning his attention to Jungkook once again, “This is all just…yeah.”

“A bit much?” Seokjin replied, knowingly as he began pouring the teas. “We sensed your stress levels, even though the bound was not quite there and we all wished that we could come and help you out.”

Minho nodded, “I felt it too but…”

A hand was softly held up, along with a shaking of the others head, “That’s all water under the bridge now, the bound is back and if they want they will come back.”

For a moment the alpha pursed his lips in thought, “Maybe, but I don’t think they’ll be foolish enough to try just yet.”

“Oh?” Seokjin asked, tilting his head to the side.

Minho smiled softly back at the other as he turned his attention back to the sleeping omega, “They’ve had three years to catch up on us all, three years when I was out of the bound and away with my own family pack troubles and yet they’ve never bothered to come and get him.”

The beta blinked and nodded his head, “That is true but…”

“Plus if they tried to come anywhere near me right now, they’d have my Uncle Siwon straight down their throats,” Minho continued on, “The SJA are aware and promised to help should anything bad happen. I also asked them for a big favour.”

An raised eyebrow came his way and Minho chuckled, “Do you really think I was going to leave you guys undefended when I couldn’t save my own brother? Believe me if I could have been back here to protect you all I would but it would have been too much to deal with and explain so I told them about what had happened and they agreed to help.”

Seokjin was quiet for a long moment before he sighed and smiled, “I did wonder why no one pried too much into our history. It’s not like we had much to go on when we got here.”

“Yeah, just don’t be surprised if there’s a lot of confusion and shouting done when I introduce you to everyone,” Minho replied, hugging Jungkook just a little bit tighter. “Though I think it’s best to wait until Chan’s back with his….pack….and then…”

“You don’t approve of his pack?” Seokjin cut in, sounding confused.

Minho shook his head, “I don’t know who they are.” Which was the truth and that thought hurt a lot more than what it should do, “Though it’s not really Channie’s fault that occurred. I’m just worried if it turns out to be some kind of brainwashing, cause I don’t think he could take a bound break…he’s so fragile right now, so afraid and lonely and I just don’t know how to even…”

Seokjin reached across to gently squeeze the others hand, “Does he have his symbol?”

Minho pouted, “But….it could just be…faked filled in…and…”

Instead of answering, Seokjin took hold of Minho’s right arm and ran his fingers across the whole of the others forearm. It took a few long silent seconds before a tree branch appeared with several stylised flowers and leaves that when studied closely spelt out the name of all seven of them. The cover up that Minho had used on his skin was good and could only be removed by a true mate and it did not take long for the dark pigmentation to appear. Seokjin smiled as he traced lightly over his name, which had been stylised into something akin to a rose and his eyes flicked up towards Minho with a mischievous smile on his face.

The alpha was still pouting, “Yes it’s the same colour but…”

“Oh is he still going on about not wanting his elder brother to grow up?” Taehyung complained as he appeared at the bedside, looking like he had just woken up with the messiest bed hair in the world and clothes that clearly did not belong to him as they were a size too big or small.

A grumble came from Minho, “Hey, I’m allowed to be protective of Channie!”

“You’re obsessed with protecting him,” Taehyung commented, rubbing at his eyes with his fists cutely, “so what if he’s got a pack whose probably missing him to death, you can’t protect him forever you know?”

Minho was about to start the age old argument once again before he stopped and deflated. He hadn’t actually thought about the pack that Chan was clearly desperate to get back to. How were they coping with their omega being away, did they plan to help Chan escape or was it a spur of the moment chance that just presented itself and they took it. Were they missing him and his lovely chocolate timtams scent, were they crying over his fussing on trying to make the pack nest just right or were they praying every night together that despite their sadness that their omega was safe and loved? Minho looked down at Jungkook, wondering what it must be like to be aware of the fact that your omega was not by your side and you had no idea whether he was safe or not. He had been lucky in that, even though they had been parted for three years, Minho could find out where Jungkook was doing, could check on him to see if he was healthy and being cared for and didn’t have to fret or worry about anything like that.

Sure at the café Jungkook had been close to dropping, but that was due to Jungkook being a little sod and refusing to cuddle any of his six other mates for the past week due to him unconsciously sensing that Minho was back but being too stubborn to seek him out. Whenever any of the others had tried to even just touch Kookie they had been bitten or snarled at because the omega wanted an alpha touch, rather than the beta and omega touches that he could get. Minho was going to scold Jungkook so bad when he woke up about that but at the same time he couldn’t exactly blame the omega for wanting him. It made his alpha pride swell just a tiny little bit though he made absolutely sure to not broadcast that thought out to anyone because it would only lead to him getting a tail kicking.

Shaking his head, Minho tugged his arm lightly back to wrap it around the slightly squirming omega in order to settle him down just a little further before letting out an affectionate huff, “Stop wrigging, I’m here now.” He glanced up at Taehyung and nodded, “Get that look off your face, when you meet Channie you’ll understand why he needs all the protecting in the world from stupid alphas who would just try to hurt him.”

“But not all alphas are stupid,” Seokjin reminded Minho, “Some are just as kind and careful with omegas as omegas are to themselves. You even said that your friend Jackson cared deeply for Chan.”

Minho pouted, “I still bit his nose off if he tried to go near Channie in that way.”

Taehyung chuckled, “You alpha’s are just dumbos. I’m glad we only have one of you to deal with, though I’m pretty sure Yoongi is just mis-presenting to screw with us.”

“I heard that!” Yoongi yelled from the kitchen where he was preparing some food, “I am not an alpha and never will be.”

“Don’t we bloody know it,” Taehyung muttered under his breath but then smiled sweetly at the death glare he received from the other. “But anyways, don’t worry about Chan anymore, Minho. I’m sure that his pack care for him deeply, if they got him out of whatever hell they were in, that means at least that right?”

Opening his mouth to argue, Minho was thwarted by Jungkook suddenly pushing himself up enough to be able to claim his lips in a messy, sleep filled kiss. “Stupid protective alpha,” he muttered with a half glare towards the other, “Be glad I love you.” Another kiss was delivered and then Jungkook flopped heavily back onto the others chest as if nothing had occurred in the slightest. Within seconds he was snoring loudly and the alpha stared in slight confusion towards his omega before opting to drop the subject completely. Instead he focused back on his omega and wrapped him up safely in his arms, just like it was meant to be. “Love you too. You’ll love Channie too when you meet him, my little starshine.”

A happy hum was his response and Minho settled back down to just focusing on his omega, giving him the love and attention that he had been craving in bucketloads and praying that everything would go according to plan.

Seokjin smiled and ushered both Taehyung and Yoongi away, knowing that for now they’d probably not get any further with any type of conversation for a while as clearly both just needed rest and the chance to bask in one another’s affection.

~*~

“Hello Leeteuk, Siwon,” Kris greet as he opened the door to them, nimbly sidestepping a blur of a figure that he hadn’t previously noticed but did not bother to worry about too much, “Guess he knows?”

Leeteuk smiled, “Couldn’t really hide it from him any longer. But it’ll probably do them both the world of good.”

“Hopefully so,” the alpha said, stepping aside to let the pair into the familiar home which they easily navigated without having to be directed. Whilst technically they were here on official business, the two packs were practically considered to be family that it didn’t quite feel that way. Siwon was a bit more standoffish than he would normally be but if anyone minded they really didn’t make a big deal out of it as they headed straight to the playroom at the back. It was actually used as a more recreational space these days, but there were still finger paintings on the wall, old toys carefully stacked between the books on the shelves and the faded duck themed carpet had been refreshed many times but never replaced.

Plus Kris couldn’t help but smile at finding virtually all this cubs gathered in the old playroom with the games console on, and a fortress of blankets and plushi’s that must have been previously built around Chan that were now scattered all around the room. The main reason was the two figures hugging in the centre of the mess, tightly woven together so it was almost impossible to tell where one began and one finished.

Zhoumi was the first to pull back with tears just b over his eyes, “I didn’t want to believe it when I first saw your name on the forms, Channie. Forgive me for taking forever to come and see you.”

Shaking his head with a smile, Chan wrapped tightly around Zhoumi once again without explaining a thing. Which did break Kris’s heart a little more as it was yet another reminder of how much had been stolen from his first cub. His first baby and it made his alpha blood boil. Thankfully Baekhyun’s hand happened to find its way to his very large one at that moment and the beaming smile which had brought them together cut through the negative thoughts. “It’s okay, Baba Wolf, cubby will be fine.”

Kris placed his forehead against that of his omegas and breathed in the refreshing scent, “I know, little fry, just…”

Baekhyun pushed at the end of Kris’s nose with a smile and then turned to look at the gathering of cubs, “Hoi, brat puppies. Come help in the kitchen would you.”

“What?” “But Mama!” “Why?” “It’s not my turn!” came the chorus of complaints from the assembled cubs but Baekhyun just took it in his stride.

Placing his hands on his hips, Baekhyun glared at all of them, “I said all of you to the kitchen! Uncle Leeteuk and Siwon need a word with Channie here in private and I don’t want any of you eaves dropping in the slightest.”

More protests came his way but the cubs started to filter out one by one with a mixture of looks towards Chan who had paled considerably.

Zhoumi glanced around rapidly, before letting out a huff, “Where’s that stupid freaking bunny for his cuddles when you need him the most?” He had hoped that the joke would at least cheer Chan up a bit but from the slight tremors that were starting in the younger omega’s hand, Zhoumi figured that he wasn’t really in the mood for jokes right now. “Chan, Channie,” Zhoumi called, nuzzling gently, “It’s nothing scary and we’re not going to talk over anything nasty.”

Chan began shaking his head regardless, his body tensing up and scent turning sour with fear. Zhoumi gently hugged him once again, “Shhh, Ducky, you’re safe. We’re not going to talk about anything….” A figure moved closer, caughious and with such caring movements that Zhoumi was more than happy to see. “Hey, Ducky, do you want Jinnie with you? He can hold your hand and give you hugs and I promise you it’s nothing bad or scary and any time you want to run to the kitchen you can. Deal?”

Hyunjin stepped closer, his hand resting lightly on the small of Chan’s back whilst the other went to join the one clutching desperately at Zhoumi’s shoulder. Gently the beta started scenting the stressed omega, letting out his raspberry and milk scent out in soothing waves of calm that finally allowed the eldest to relax a little and come out, just enough, of the terrified headspace that he had gotten himself momentarily into. Slightly raising his head, with a blush on his cheeks, Chan opened his mouth to try and say something but found that he couldn’t. A whine of distress came out instead which caused his two carers to step closer and give him more hugs, touches and scenting. It was common for trauma victims to fall back into their response modes which facing the trauma in some way or other and whilst it broke Hyunjin’s heart, he could not blame the man he basically considered to be his cousin.

Zhoumi had been friends with Chan since the day that he had turned up in the pack, and he was as honest as the day was long. If he was saying that he had a good thing to talk to Chan about, then he did and Hyunjin couldn’t help be very curious about that. Especially as he had seen Leeteuk taking an airlock zipped bag out of the back pack he had brought with him. There was something contained within it but the beta opted to focus on Chan right at that moment.

Plus everyone in the pack said that Hyunjin could melt even the most hardened alpha in the world with his scenting capabilities. It wasn’t long before Chan’s tense shoulders drifted down in a gentle relaxing motion and he heard a little sigh which slightly tickled his nose, before a light head came his way. Not so much Chan returning the favour to him by scenting back, but more just giving him a little heads up that he wanted to talk. Hyunjin pulled back at the same time as Zhoumi did, causing Chan to blink in confusion for a second before he glanced towards Leeteuk and nodded.

Zhoumi nodded in response and glanced up at Hyunjin who returned the movement before helping guide Chan to the free armchair opposite Leeteuk. Two footstools were pulled up on either side of the chair so that Chan would have the support should he need it.

However Leeteuk smiled warmly towards Chan, allowing his fresh strawberry scent to mix into the air, providing a light crispness that made the whole room smell like a beautiful summers day on a strawberry farm, and lightly tapped the bag that he was holding. “Do you know what this is, Chan?” Leeteuk asked softly.

Chan looked at the bag confused, only able to see plastic and something black held inside. He shook his head in response.

“Do you remember the scent of your pack mates, Chan?” Leeteuk asked, looking directly at the omega and ignoring the sudden flare of protective instincts that came from Kris but Siwon was there to calm the other alpha down (and from the glare that Hyunjin momentarily sent towards his father, there was clearly an extra layer of protection there for Chan should things go wrong, though they weren’t likely to of course).

Chan blinked, now hyper focused on the bag in Leeteuk’s hand with a spark in his eyes for the first time in a while. “Yes…” he whispered, eyes not coming off the bag even when Zhoumi ran his hand through the others hair.

Instead of explaining further, Leeteuk handed the Ziplock bag to Chan who took it with barely any resistance. Within a second it was open and the black thing inside turned out to be a very large hoody that looked like it could possibly swallow Kris whole, never mind the omega holding it who suddenly opened his eyes wide in shock. A wail left his lips as he pulled the fabric in tight to his chest, virtually wrapping around the cloth like it was the most precious thing in the entire world as floods of tears escaped his eyes. Hyunjin wasn’t sure quite what to do for a few seconds, before his nose picked up a blend of scents that was initially a little bit overwhelming but once he got over the shock, found to be very pleasant. Especially with everything mixed together, it reminded him of a garden tea party with cake, warm green mint tea and Chan’s mint chocolate timtams just finished off the picture wonderfully in every last sense of the word.

Zhoumi cooed gently, nuzzling closer to trying and get the omega to stop crying whilst Hyunjin continued rubbing his nose near the others scent gland in the hopes to calm him down. But strangely the main scent coming off the wailing omega was pure, unadulterated joy. Though Hyunjin knew what it was like to come back across your mates scents, it awoke all the best aspects of your senses and now he was definitely missing his girls. Yeji had promised that they’d call on him later that day but a tiny selfish part of him wanted to sneak away, bury his face in his own pack shirt and squeal silently over their combined scents. But Chan was his priority now and honesty, the omega was so happy that Hyunjin could feel his heart burst.

Chan raised his head suddenly, reaching out towards Leeteuk who took the hand gently, “Where? Where….gah! ack!” Chan shook as coughs were ripped from his sore throat as he had spoken so much louder than he was used to of late, plus the addition of extra saliva and snot did not help in the slightest. “Where are they?”

“They’re safe,” Leeteuk replied, keeping things professional for now, “In a secure location, undergoing medical treatment….”

“Want to see them!” Chan cut off, shaking with all the exhaustive emotions that were running through his mind, body and soul as the bound which had been so inaccessible to him for the last however long it was, began to brim back to life. He seemed to catch himself though and coughed a few times before saying, “Please…can I see them? I need to see them.”

“They can have a car here in ten minutes,” Siwon cut through the conversation, startling Chan for a second or two into hiding in Zhoumi’s arms until his words registered in the omega’s head. “They don’t need the second check, one of the alpha’s has just had to stop the smallest beta from breaking the door down to reach the bound call.”

Chan let out a noise that was a mixture of a sob, laugh and groan, “Jackson stopped Bambam?”

“Wait, Jackson?” Hyunjin latched onto that name and stared at his elder brother who looked towards him in surprise, “As in the Jackson? The school’s biggest heartthrob even after he graduated and was supposedly just your annoying study partner who wouldn’t take no for an answer?”

For a second, Chan looked a little nervous and ashamed but it was Zhoumi who cut in with, “Really?”

“I had to get Minho and the others off my back somehow,” Chan replied, a blush blossoming on his cheeks.

Hyunjin squealed, “I knew it! You two were always so perfect together! Ha! I win.”

“I really don’t want to know,” Kris cut in, shaking his head before kneeling before Chan and allowing the omega to tumble into his outstretched arms after a seconds hesitation. For a few moments, father and son hugged each other tightly and Kris had to desperately resist the urge to scent Chan in the biggest protective layer that he could ever have imagined in the slightest. Instead he settled for letting out a long sigh and kissing the top of the boys head. “I guess, you really are grown up now, huh? My little cub.”

Chan pulled back, still teary eyed but he stared straight into the deep brown of the wolf that he would always consider to be his father in every sense of the word and raised his hands to the back of his neck. Where still to this day were four puncture marks which had been made on a night long ago when he hadn’t even been aware of what the world held for him in the slightest. “I’m always pack though, right?”

Suddenly Kris found himself tearing up as he pulled his first cub to his chest and held tightly onto him, kissing the top of his head repeatedly. “Always, Chan, always.”

Despite still crying, a smile wrapped itself onto Chan’s lips and he knew that no matter what mistakes had been made in the past, Kris was always going to be there for him. His brothers were always going to be there with him and his pack were going to welcome them all with open arms. Or he’d kick their tails to hell and back, once he was strong enough to do so.

Zhoumi placed his hand onto Chan’s shoulder, “Ready to go?”

Chan nodded, pausing to pull the hoody over his head and just bathe in the scents surrounding him just like they were meant to do. Though he glanced up at his father and brother but Leeteuk smiled, “Oh they can come do, I don’t think they’d let you out of their sight anyway, regardless of who we’re going to meet.”

“Minho may go in a huff with you, just a heads up warning,” Hyunjin said jokingly, pulling Chan in for a quick selfie as his big brother looked so adorable in the oversized hoody. “But you can just pull ‘ert ‘eelings on him and he’ll come running with bunny cwuddles for you, I suppose.”

Chan giggled slightly, accepting a tissue from Zhoumi before being helped up to a standing position by Leeteuk who guided him out of the door.

Hyunjin was quick to follow, sending the image to the family chat to advise of where they were going and promising as many photos as he was allowed to take to return back. Though he was sure that things were going to be a real mess of emotions when they got to the secure location. But it would be worth it to see Chan happy again, that was worth the world in gold.   

authors babbling: Yes, Chan will be back with Got7 next chapter which is just going to be squeeful. Though question, do people want me to continue on with the other kids packs or not? Obviously there's a couple who are very much taken but I'm curious to know (cause I do have some Stray Kids fic ideas that are seperate from this world and don't want to just jump ship if people are interested ya know)