[CONTENTID1]CHAPTER ONE[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]SCENT[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]Silver streaks cut through the mountain forest like lightning, as he weaved noiselessly and effortlessly in and out of the evergreens with superb agility, grace and control. He had been running around the protected areas of Jirisan National Park since dawn, feeling like he would combust any time.

A deep turmoil had been brewing inside him for days on end and today, he had reached his limit. It was as if he was delirious with a high fever. But no matter how far or long he ran, he couldn't shake it off, couldn’t tire himself. Strangely, he was still fueled with unspent energy.

The large silver grey wolf burst through the pine trees and landed on a clearing behind the mountain. Light shimmered around him and in one fluid , the beast transformed seamlessly into a dark-skinned and perfectly proportioned human male.

Due to their demi-god status, werewolves are blessed with superior traits - in terms of strength, speed, senses and physical appearance.

Still restless, he stood to his full six feet and stared at the new full moon in deep concentration. Lots of questions plagued his mind but he couldn’t even put words into it.

It's just nerves, he assured himself as he tore his gaze away from the moon’s luminous glow. In reply, his mind eye showed him a pair of innocent but nonetheless alluring hazel irises framed by delicate lashes. To even prove how ridiculous he was being, images of waist length silky black hair sliding over flawless, creamy soft skin flashed before him. He shook his head to rid of the visions projected by his dreams but to no avail. Pink, luscious lips curled into a smile - that sweet, soft smile he loves before it moved to silently utter his name.

God help him. It is completely unheard of. Despicable. Unthinkable. And he hated himself so much. But he could not help it. His body was reacting strongly to those vivid images. His heart was racing like it never had before.

To make it worse, the other part of him was ecstatic with what they were seeing, howling in pleasure inside his head.

'Mine!' his wolf shouted and he almost lost his footing.

'Stop it!' he yelled back in complete distress while his wolf merely grunted at him in response. Why can’t his wolf understand that they can’t be thinking of her that way?

A nudge in his shared bond with his father and Alpha brought him back to his senses and he opened it to him.

'Jong In, where are you?'

It is a good thing he blocked it earlier or his father would give him a beating he would never forget for having such indecent thoughts.

'I'm heading back now,' he replied, as calmly as he could, which belied the real state of his mind and body.

'Good. The guests are here already.'

Jong In took one last deep breath before shifting back to his wolf form. He can't run away for long.

It was chaos; organized chaos that was the kitchen thirty minutes before the celebration. With the council meeting adjourned, the guests were now milling outside. She couldn't have them without food for long and instructed the first batch of hors d'oeuvres be served.

Omegas were coming in and out, hands laden with trays of traditional ddeokbokki and seafood pancakes. Pots whistled, metal pans clanged and the fire hissed as the kitchen staff cooked up a storm to serve three hundred guests.

The pressure inside her mounted directly proportional to that building in the kitchen. Hurried footsteps. Swinging doors. Loud voices. Banging pans and pots.

Like the backstage before a performance, she was at the center of it all as the stage manager, making sure that every dish in the menu was cooked and served to perfection and in a timely fashion.

It was not just any performance, for it was the twenty first birthday of the Alpha's second son.

Kim Tae Hyun is the Alpha of the Busan pack, one of the oldest surviving packs in Asia and the largest in South Korea. Ever since the extermination of their animal counterparts - gray wolves- in the 1960s, the werewolf packs in South Korea and neighboring China and Japan formed alliances and Busan had always been their headquarters. He provided asylum to those who seek protection and soon, the Busan pack became a mixed pack, with werewolves coming from different parts of Asia.

Because of this, alphas from North America, Europe, Africa and Asia held him and his pack with highest regard. So in this momentous occasion, almost every Alpha, along with their family responded to Alpha Kim’s invitation and gathered for the event.

Tonight was also a Full Moon - all the more reason to celebrate for it was an omen of good fortune and blessing. There would be hunting which was most looked forward to by everyone. Everything just had to be excellent.

An omega shyly walked up to her presenting yet another tray of bulgogi beef sliders. She tasted one and smiled her approval. She didn’t fail to notice how the girl breathed in relief and hurriedly made her way out the door. She wondered briefly if she was intimidating them but she quickly dismissed the thought as it entered her mind.

Her gaze lifted to the rectangular digital clock above the kitchen door. Five minutes passed with no accidents. She hoped for it to remain that way until the night is over. What made it easier for her to take on such enormous task is the knowledge that a werewolf’'s senses are more acute compared to a human's. So the chance of accidents happening was low. Still, there should be room for caution.

This was her first task upon returning from Kyunghee University, with a degree in oriental pharmacology. It had always been her dream to serve her family and the pack and it was the only way she knew how.

Although her expertise had nothing to do with restaurant management, this was her designated role as the eldest daughter while her parents mingled with the guests. She worked closely with the head chef and the kitchen staff for a month through online correspondence. But the menu was finalized by her parents.

Hyun Joong, her eldest brother and a Beta in the pack, would see to the security and the preparations for the hunt along with other betas while seventeen year old Sun Hee took charge of the decorations.

She tapped on her tablet once again to pull out the document on room accommodations. Mi Young, Hyun Joong's wife, was in-charge of the guest list until they discovered she was carrying pups. So the task was now delegated to her.

Because council meetings were often held in Busan, her father built a bread and breakfast, run by pack members at the base of Mt. Jiri, aside from the main house. He can't have the unneeded attention from humans. So far, around two hundred have checked in since yesterday morning. More rooms would be available inside the main house if need be. She just had to be informed beforehand, which she hoped to be the case. Everyone should be accounted for.

An array of color in the night sky pulled her attention towards the high window. The fireworks started, indicating that the celebration was about to begin. S